Hello everybody. Today I'd like to present to you a battle spot singles team that I've been playing since the release of Pokebank. I've been playing BSS since 2015 and so this was my first time trying to create a team to fit the meta once all my pokemon could be transferred from ORAS. It's done very well for me so far but I think there is definitely room for improvement as while I don't think I'm bad at teambuilding, its a new meta and I want to improve. This is also my first RMT, so here we go. Pherosaur, or Pheromosa/Venusaur.
Venusaur @ Venusaurite
Ability: Overgrow
Level: 50
EVs: 248 HP / 248 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
- Sludge Bomb
- Sleep Powder
- Synthesis
- Leech Seed
Due to all the fairies running around, the Tapu pokemon, mimikyu etc I thought Mega Vanusaur would be a perfect defensive mon to build the team around. Sludge Bomb is the only attack i think this mon needs, as it can 2HKO Tapu Koko and a gurennteed OHKO on Tapu Bulu that aren't Assault Vest, but even then it is still favorable as you can come in on Zen Headbutt and take less than half. You also beat any variant of Tapu Fini that isn't Taunt + Calm Mind. Sleep Powder can neuter things that may want to come in on Venusaur like Heatran and Tapu Lele. Synthesis and Leech Seed for recovery. Pretty standard, but still good.
Pheromosa @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Poison Jab
- Ice Beam
- U-turn
While this team is built around Venusaur, Pheromosa is the main offensive focus of the team. With Fightium Z, it can puncture teams that aren't prepared and outspeed every threat in the tier that isn't scarfed. In short, if this doesn't clean up the team, then it does enough damage to the point where Mimikyu or Heatran clean. U-turn gains momentum for the team, allowing me to switch into appropriate checks or counters. Poison Jab hits fairies like Tapu Fini that might think it can switch in (It still does since Posion Jab only does 40%, but it's better than nothing.) Ice beam hits Mega Salamence, Landorus-T and other Ground/Flying types and HJK hits hard against Dark and Rock types... And allows for All out Pummeling which on this mon does a stupid amount of damage to anything that doesn't resist.
One thing about this set that people might want to pick up on that I want to defend. The Naive nature. I have this because getting the speed boost from Beast Boost in practice can help out a lot. A lot of teams will bring a choice scarf pokemon like Lele to try and deal with Pheromosa, meaning that they bank on a turn that gives them a free switch. If Pheromosa KOs a mon and gets a speed boost, then their scarfer is no longer an answer as I become faster. I've even had an instance where I've outsped Sand Rush
Excadrill for a KO.
Rotom-Wash @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Rest
So my team so far is very weak to Flying and I don't have a good ground resist, since Pheromosa dies to pretty much anything. Therefore, Rotom-W is a perfect fit onto the team as it can deal with these issues. Hydro Pump is strong water STAB and can hit stuff like Mamoswine and Landorus for super effective, things that Venusaur can wall but can't hit hard. Volt Switch hits water types that might want to come in on Hydro Pump and creates a Volt-turn core, useful for getting into an appropriate check or counter. Will-o-Wisp to cripple Garchomp, Mega Kangaskhan, Cloyster, Dragonite etc and Resto+ Chesto for recovery. If i don't lead with Pheromosa, i usually lead with Rotom-W as it fairs well against a lot of the mons in the meta.
Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
- Ancient Power
Rounding out the Fire-Water-Grass core is Heatran. Heatran provides another great answer to the prominant fairy, fire, grass and poison type attacks in the format, more importantly providing an answer that can switch in on Tapu Lele (A pokemon that currently all sweep through the pokemon above.) and KO back with Flash Cannon. Fire Blast and Flash Cannon are powerful stabs that can hit a lot in the format like Scizor, Ferrothorn and the fairies. Earth Power hits fire and electric types harder such as Mega Charizard X and Xurkitree and Anicent power because you can lure in Mega Charizard Y and 2HKO. A set like this is unexpected and it has worked rather well, including a time where I 1v1ed a Mega Gengar that tried to perish trap me by locking myself into Earth Power.
Mimikyu @ Focus Sash
Ability: Disguise
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Play Rough
- Shadow Claw
- Shadow Sneak
- Swords Dance
One thing that I found was important, especially to BSS, is having multiple answers to certain threats. Mimikyu, therefore, helps reinforce the fact that I can deal with Tapu Lele, Mega Gyarados, Garchomp and other Mimikyu in particular; which with a swords dance up can prove troublesome if Mega Venusaur is low. Play Rough, Shadow Claw and Shadow Sneak are really the only coverage you need to take down the aforementioned threats and Swords Dance since most of the time you live two hits due to the sash, and you're guaranteed to live at least one allowing you to deal even more damage to those wanting to switch in. This pokemon also brings priority to the team, giving it more options for checking faster mons at low health like opposing Pheromosa, Mimikyu and Gengar.
Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Fang
- Poison Jab
- Earthquake
Garchomp is here on the team to provide more ground type coverage that outside Heatran this team lacks as well as coverage that once again reinforces my matchup against opposing Garchomp, Mega Charizard X, Metagross etc. It also really punishes Pokemon who rely on contact moves to deal damage, dealing 25% to the aforementioned as well as Mega Kangaskan and Mega Lucario (That aren't special.). The damage it can do, alongside the chip damage, can not only take out knock out these threats, but what it doesn't KO it softens up for Pheromosa so it can get the beast boost or puts it in range for Heatran or Mimikyu.
Now this slot has always been up in the air for me. I tested Tapu Koko first. I felt like I wanted a better answer to Tapu Fini, as Calm Mind can still beat my team. I tested it, but in practice there were times i wanted to put something to sleep with Venusaur and I couldn't due to my own terrain, so I scrapped it. I tested Tapu Lele, and i found that once again its terrain usually meant that Venusaur took more damage and Mimikyu's Shadow Sneak wouldn't work, so I scrapped it. I settled on Garchomp in the end because though it didn't deal with that, it became an all around solid pokemon that can take a hit from almost anything in the meta and deal a lot of damage in return, as well as everything else mentioned.
So this was my first RMT. I do realize that the descriptions may be long, but the rules did say as much description as possible. I really have put a lot of time into this team and I would really like other people's perspectives and ideas. Thank you!
Venusaur @ Venusaurite
Ability: Overgrow
Level: 50
EVs: 248 HP / 248 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
- Sludge Bomb
- Sleep Powder
- Synthesis
- Leech Seed
Due to all the fairies running around, the Tapu pokemon, mimikyu etc I thought Mega Vanusaur would be a perfect defensive mon to build the team around. Sludge Bomb is the only attack i think this mon needs, as it can 2HKO Tapu Koko and a gurennteed OHKO on Tapu Bulu that aren't Assault Vest, but even then it is still favorable as you can come in on Zen Headbutt and take less than half. You also beat any variant of Tapu Fini that isn't Taunt + Calm Mind. Sleep Powder can neuter things that may want to come in on Venusaur like Heatran and Tapu Lele. Synthesis and Leech Seed for recovery. Pretty standard, but still good.
Pheromosa @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Poison Jab
- Ice Beam
- U-turn
While this team is built around Venusaur, Pheromosa is the main offensive focus of the team. With Fightium Z, it can puncture teams that aren't prepared and outspeed every threat in the tier that isn't scarfed. In short, if this doesn't clean up the team, then it does enough damage to the point where Mimikyu or Heatran clean. U-turn gains momentum for the team, allowing me to switch into appropriate checks or counters. Poison Jab hits fairies like Tapu Fini that might think it can switch in (It still does since Posion Jab only does 40%, but it's better than nothing.) Ice beam hits Mega Salamence, Landorus-T and other Ground/Flying types and HJK hits hard against Dark and Rock types... And allows for All out Pummeling which on this mon does a stupid amount of damage to anything that doesn't resist.
One thing about this set that people might want to pick up on that I want to defend. The Naive nature. I have this because getting the speed boost from Beast Boost in practice can help out a lot. A lot of teams will bring a choice scarf pokemon like Lele to try and deal with Pheromosa, meaning that they bank on a turn that gives them a free switch. If Pheromosa KOs a mon and gets a speed boost, then their scarfer is no longer an answer as I become faster. I've even had an instance where I've outsped Sand Rush
Excadrill for a KO.
Rotom-Wash @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Rest
So my team so far is very weak to Flying and I don't have a good ground resist, since Pheromosa dies to pretty much anything. Therefore, Rotom-W is a perfect fit onto the team as it can deal with these issues. Hydro Pump is strong water STAB and can hit stuff like Mamoswine and Landorus for super effective, things that Venusaur can wall but can't hit hard. Volt Switch hits water types that might want to come in on Hydro Pump and creates a Volt-turn core, useful for getting into an appropriate check or counter. Will-o-Wisp to cripple Garchomp, Mega Kangaskhan, Cloyster, Dragonite etc and Resto+ Chesto for recovery. If i don't lead with Pheromosa, i usually lead with Rotom-W as it fairs well against a lot of the mons in the meta.
Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
Level: 50
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
- Ancient Power
Rounding out the Fire-Water-Grass core is Heatran. Heatran provides another great answer to the prominant fairy, fire, grass and poison type attacks in the format, more importantly providing an answer that can switch in on Tapu Lele (A pokemon that currently all sweep through the pokemon above.) and KO back with Flash Cannon. Fire Blast and Flash Cannon are powerful stabs that can hit a lot in the format like Scizor, Ferrothorn and the fairies. Earth Power hits fire and electric types harder such as Mega Charizard X and Xurkitree and Anicent power because you can lure in Mega Charizard Y and 2HKO. A set like this is unexpected and it has worked rather well, including a time where I 1v1ed a Mega Gengar that tried to perish trap me by locking myself into Earth Power.
Mimikyu @ Focus Sash
Ability: Disguise
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Play Rough
- Shadow Claw
- Shadow Sneak
- Swords Dance
One thing that I found was important, especially to BSS, is having multiple answers to certain threats. Mimikyu, therefore, helps reinforce the fact that I can deal with Tapu Lele, Mega Gyarados, Garchomp and other Mimikyu in particular; which with a swords dance up can prove troublesome if Mega Venusaur is low. Play Rough, Shadow Claw and Shadow Sneak are really the only coverage you need to take down the aforementioned threats and Swords Dance since most of the time you live two hits due to the sash, and you're guaranteed to live at least one allowing you to deal even more damage to those wanting to switch in. This pokemon also brings priority to the team, giving it more options for checking faster mons at low health like opposing Pheromosa, Mimikyu and Gengar.
Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Fang
- Poison Jab
- Earthquake
Garchomp is here on the team to provide more ground type coverage that outside Heatran this team lacks as well as coverage that once again reinforces my matchup against opposing Garchomp, Mega Charizard X, Metagross etc. It also really punishes Pokemon who rely on contact moves to deal damage, dealing 25% to the aforementioned as well as Mega Kangaskan and Mega Lucario (That aren't special.). The damage it can do, alongside the chip damage, can not only take out knock out these threats, but what it doesn't KO it softens up for Pheromosa so it can get the beast boost or puts it in range for Heatran or Mimikyu.
Now this slot has always been up in the air for me. I tested Tapu Koko first. I felt like I wanted a better answer to Tapu Fini, as Calm Mind can still beat my team. I tested it, but in practice there were times i wanted to put something to sleep with Venusaur and I couldn't due to my own terrain, so I scrapped it. I tested Tapu Lele, and i found that once again its terrain usually meant that Venusaur took more damage and Mimikyu's Shadow Sneak wouldn't work, so I scrapped it. I settled on Garchomp in the end because though it didn't deal with that, it became an all around solid pokemon that can take a hit from almost anything in the meta and deal a lot of damage in return, as well as everything else mentioned.
So this was my first RMT. I do realize that the descriptions may be long, but the rules did say as much description as possible. I really have put a lot of time into this team and I would really like other people's perspectives and ideas. Thank you!
