ORAS LC No, Me First (Priority Heavy Offense)

Alright, so confession time: this team's based on the sample team I got from the Resources list. It started diverging when Omanyte's lack of priority started bothering me and spiraled from there.

This team is built around a simple strategy: taking out Tirtouga's checks, fainting and sweeping with Shell Smash. Fairly standard LC fare. As of late, I've been decentralizing my team strat so that Tirtouga can just act as a battering ram of sorts.

Pawniard @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 4 HP / 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Pursuit

Pawniard deals with Psychic-types pretty well, although the ubiquity of Knock Off on my team alleviates his burden somewhat. Pawniard also has Defiant to deter Sticky Web users like Surskit. CS surprises normally faster Pokemon like Diglett, but has the side effect of locking me in, which isn't nice. Drilbur sets Stealth Rock so I replaced Pawniard's with Pursuit to trap.

Croagunk @ Eviolite
Ability: Dry Skin
Level: 5
EVs: 132 HP / 28 Atk / 116 Def / 108 SpA / 116 SpD
Quiet Nature
- Drain Punch
- Sludge Bomb
- Vacuum Wave
- Knock Off

I switched Carvanha out for Croagunk to 1. deal with opposing Pawniard better, 2. to offer another Fighting check seeing as my team was originally heavily weak to Fighting and 3. to swap a double Fighting weakness out for a much more manageable double Ground weakness. Croagunk checks opposing Pawniard and most Steel-types pretty well and provides an additional check to Water-types in case Foongus goes down.

They both have priority in Sucker Punch and Vacuum Wave, and Croagunk's mixed stats make my heavy physical focus somewhat better. Knock Off on Croagunk for switching-in Abra and general utility. Drain Punch is really unreliable recovery considering Croagunk's bad Speed tier, but it's the closest I have.

Drilbur @ Berry Juice
Ability: Mold Breaker
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 76 Atk / 36 Def / 76 SpD / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Rock Slide
- Stealth Rock

I swapped out Bunnelby for this cute little dude because most variants of Magnemite tore apart my team and I needed hazard control. Drilbur also isn't weak to Fighting, which is nice. He also checks Electric-types like Elekid better than Foongus, which is more than can be said for Bunnelby. In the end losing priority wasn't such a big deal considering that I gained hazard removal and hazard setting in one mon. Used to run Eviolite, but recovery is much nicer than bulk.

Tirtouga @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sturdy
Level: 5
EVs: 212 Atk / 92 Def / 180 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Aqua Jet
- Stone Edge
- Waterfall

This guy's my little win condition. SturdyJuice is a tactic I hate playing against but I'm an immense hypocrite and use it anyway. I replaced Omanyte with him because I was tired of being outprioritized at 1 HP. Standard STAB + Shell Smash getup, Stone Edge over Rock Slide to get better KOs since I have two chances to hit with Sturdy anyway. I've been contemplating switching out Waterfall for Zen Headbutt to lure in Croagunk and Foongus but I like Waterfall's STAB power better.

Foongus @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 124 HP / 160 Def / 160 SpD
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]

With Croagunk on my team I didn't need as many dedicated checks to Pawniard, but I did need a Ferroseed check quick. I swapped out HP Fighting for HP Fire: the rest remains the same. Spore is fun to use to sleep and potentially get a free switch. Giga Drain + Regenerator is immensely frustrating to fight, and Sludge Bomb rounds up coverage.

Doduo @ Life Orb
Ability: Early Bird
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 23 HP
- Knock Off
- Brave Bird
- Quick Attack
- Return

This guy's purpose is to live fast and die young. He's also the closest thing I have to a Mienfoo check, which is good because I hate that fucker. He also checks Grass-types like opposing Foongus and Snivy, and KOes most Ferroseed w/o Eviolite with Brave Bird. Finally, he checks Croagunk, a Pokemon I have virtually no answer to otherwise.

Threats:

  • Mienfoo - Probably the biggest threat I've encountered so far. Fake Out outprioritizes everything I have on this team and he can get stupid momentum through U-turn and Regenerator. HJK is also problematic seeing as a lot of my team is vulnerable to Fighting in general. Probably his biggest threat is his versatility - I have no idea what set my opponent is running at the start, so I can't strategize immediately.
  • Diglett - Diglett used to be a much bigger problem for my team but CS Pawniard alleviated that somewhat. Diglett can still give my team Hell if it wants to, since Substitute and Stealth Rock don't activate Sucker Punch.
  • Fletchling - Fletchling's priority everything really gets on my nerves. If it manages to get a clean switch then I have no idea how to deal with it.
  • Status - Burns tear my team apart since I'm so physically focused. Paralysis is an annoyance, but Drilbur is immune to Thunder Wave and I built my team around priority so that's not as bad. Poison is the least of my worries seeing as most of my team is immune to Toxic.
  • Bellsprout - Once the sun is up then Bellsprout outspeeds even +2 Speed Tirtouga and kills my team with Weather Ball, Solar Beam and Sludge Bomb.
  • Fire-types - Drilbur doesn't resist Fire and I use Tirtouga very sparingly seeing how vital its role is to my team. Fire-types can lay on burns, which is problematic for reasons stated above. Ponyta even has Morning Sun recovery and tanks everything if I can't Knock Off its Eviolite.

vs. Pikasohn

vs. Eniigma
 
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Bump w/ updates.

So it turns out that status is a really huge pain in the ass for my team, and I had two Knock Off users already. Without much protest, I swapped out Doduo for this thing. Incidentally, it also gave me back Protect scouting from when I axed Carvanha, which is nice.

Tailow (F) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Facade
- Brave Bird
- Protect
- Quick Attack

What I didn't expect was to get not just a status absorber but a powerful sweeper in its own right too. Tailow takes out 50% of even Magnemite with Toxic Orb Facade on the switch. Brave Bird is for Gastly and Fighting-types, and Quick Attack hits far harder than Doduo's.

I also swapped out my previous Pawniard set for this one:

Pawniard (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 40 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Psycho Cut
- Knock Off
- Brick Break

I had the EVs unchanged from Eviolite, which was dumb of me. Psycho Cut 2HKOes even Eviolite Foo. Brick Break kills opposing Pawniard in case anything happens to Croagunk or Drilbur, and hits Magnemite to boot.

On another note, I changed Drain Punch to Sucker Punch on Croagunk and wound up taking Zen Headbutt over Waterfall on Tirtouga. They already get STAB with their priority moves anyway, and Drain Punch turned out to be unreliable recovery because of Croagunk's low Speed.

Steal My (Old) Team (EVs changed on Pawniard)
Steal My (New) Team
 
I'd recommend Fletchling over tailow; while it doesn't solve your status problem, its priority hits harder and is very very threatening. Fletch also deals with Foo very well. Furthermore, it is not worn down nearly as quickly. A second suggestion is to switch out Psycho Cut on Pawn with Pursuit or Aerial Ace. The ability to trap with Pursuit can help take down threats like non HP Fighting Abra and it also helps Pawn net free kills on low health mons who try to switch out. Aerial Ace, meanwhile, allows you to catch Foo on the switch and 2hko it (attack minded LO variants get their asses kicked to the tune of 65-85%, while bulkier ones are normally 2hkod after SR).
 
I tried Acrobatics Itemless Fletchling but it has the problem where it can't switch in on BS like Stone Edge or HJK. Pursuit sounded great until I realized that every Abra carried Sash and HP Fighting and Psycho Cut hits switching-in Mienfoo just as hard, and OHKOes every Croagunk variant to boot.
 
Tailow cant switch in on Stone Miss or HJM either, unless you're a hax god. Maybe drop the flying type spot for a fire type, such as Ponyta. Ponyta eats up WoWs for your team, and youve got immunities to Twave, spore, and toxic already on your team. Plus, it discourages high jump kicking with flame body.
 
While I like your team , you rely a lot on surprising the opponent by playing with somewhat different sets than the originalsample team. First of all with the bumps In consideration , Diglett( both FS or LO set ) gives you a really hard time. Focus Sash diglett is a really reliable way to finish off Cs Pawniard and it can put pressure on your croagunk as well since you removed sucker punch. It can also fiih off a wakened taillow with sucker punch and if it is LO Foongus is not a reliable switch in especially if it has its eviolite knocked off.

236 Atk Life Orb Diglett Earthquake vs. 124 HP / 160+ Def Foongus: 16-19 (64 - 76%) -- guaranteed 2HKO


For that matter I would suggest running Cottonee > Foongus. It is a much more reliable answerto ground types, since you already have croagunk for fighting types. It can also help you nuliffy Timburs ,which are always a problem if they set up the right time. Memento support is definately apreciated by tirtouga , the star of your team.


Cottonee @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 116 HP / 196 Def / 196 SpD
Bold Nature
- Encore
- Knock Off / Stun Spore
- Giga Drain
- Memento

Preety much like the standart utility set but I think its a greater fit than foongus ,since you already have croagunk for Fighting types.


Since you have no reliable way ofdealing with ferro aside fromdrain punching it with Croagunk which has 0.4 % chance to 2HKO (!!) + a guranteed para'd croagunk , I suggest Using the scrappy Mixed Taillow set


Taillow @ Life Orb
Level: 5
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 40 Def / 200 SpA / 240 Spe
Naive Nature
- Boomburst
- Heat Wave
- U-turn
- Brave Bird

One of my fav Lc mons this set can still deal great chuncks of damage to fighting types and foongus with brave bird , whilegiving you a non recoil STAB move that can hit almost the entire meta for tons of damage. Heat wave can giveyou a great answer vs ferro , as I mentioned above.


As a correction , Doduo doesn't really check all these Pokemon you mentioned above because it's frail and can be 2HKOed by almost every fighting mon.And since you team indeed troubles with sun I suggest swapping Vullaby / Fletchling > Doduo.

If you go with Vullaby I would suggest this set



Vullaby @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 116 HP / 76 Atk / 236 Def / 76 SpD
Impish Nature
- Roost
- Knock Off
- Brave Bird
- Defog

Of course you need something defensive to resist the hits from Bellsprout. I put Defog on purpose because you really need hazard control with the team you are running ( sturdy Tirtouga , 2 flying types) so Defon can be used when Rapid spin is not a viable Option.


As for the Fleth I would definately suggest this set for your team.



Fletchling @ Berry Juice
Level: 5
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 196 Atk / 92 Def / 180 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Acrobatics
- U-turn
- Swords Dance
- Substitute

While bellsprout is definately going to switch you can substitute and set up freely. It is a wincon not only for Sun but in general.


I hope my changes helped you a bit and didn't ruin the originality and the fun of your team. Have fun playing LC!
 
I like Fletchling, it's been working out for me so far. Having two wincons puts an insane amount of pressure on opponents, and Bellsprout troubles my team much less now. Not sure about U-turn though, seeing how 15 Speed and lack of bulk makes it an unreliable pivot.
 
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