A CherubAgent-Inspired Motley Crew (My 1st BW2 RMT)

One day, I find out that PokemonShowdown! is available. I decide to make a few experimental teams here and there. I try out a NU team against CherubAgent, who then proceeds to curbstomp me (NU is not one of my main tiers, and he's obviously better than me). He was making a different team from the one that I now have, but I decided to run with it and use a couple of the same Pokes, for experimental purposes.

As an avid fan of CherubAgent, I present my RMT for him and other people to witness. Like some of my other teams, this one is quirky and could use the help of more-skilled competitors. I figured I'd give NU more than just a sideways glance; after all, a lot of overwhelmingly good Pokemon exist in the tier. However, NU's a bit more cluttered than I imagined it to be, courtesy of the NFEs that make up a good half of the tier.

Speaking of, I don't really like NFEs much. I prefer fully-evolving my Pokemon so that way they reach their ultimate potential. Even with Eviolite, most NFEs in NU tend to just be either set-up bait or free KOs for more powerful Pokemon. Those that aren't killed off with ease get their Eviolites taken away via Trick or completely removed via Knock Off, thereby diminishing any use they would have.

However, the topic is not about why I don't use NFEs. The topic's about why I use this assorted motley crew of Pokemon in a similar fashion to what CherubAgent tried to do with his team.

1. Probopass @ Leftovers

Ability: Sturdy
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP, 252 SDef, 4 Def
Moves:
1. Stealth Rock
2. Thunder Wave
3. Power Gem
4. Volt Switch

This is one of CherubAgent's Pokemon for his team. The set is almost similar to what he uses, albeit with a little help from whoever wrote Probo's analysis on Smogon for NU.

The original purpose of the team was to copy the motivation of CherubAgent's team and support Klang as the sweeper. However, I found Klang to be in dire need of recovery as well as support that not every teammate could accomplish. Furthermore, Klang's movepool was found wanting as well; there are too many Fire, Steel, Electric, and Water Pokemon in NU for Klang to be doing any sweeping with Gear Grind alone. Return would be a nice secondary coverage if not for Golurk's newfound presence in NU, as well as other common NU Ghost-types being prevalent.

Probopass, on the other hand, was support for Klang. I found Probo to be more helpful than Klang, so I kept him over Klang at the end of the day. I then kept the set that I think CherubAgent used.

Stealth Rock and Thunder Wave give off the support options best suited for Probo. I've given some thought regarding use of Toxic over Thunder Wave, but with Amoongus and Garbodor being really common, I doubt the affliction will be of much use. Considering opposing Zangoose into the mix as well... ouch.

However, Probo can use a moderate Special Attack to use Volt Switch as a means of escape that is usually successful. There's also Power Gem, for obligatory STAB.

2. Altaria @ Leftovers


Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP, 4 Def, 252 SDef
Moves:
1. Heal Bell
2. Fire Blast
3. Draco Meteor
4. Roost

Originally, CherubAgent used a "Cro"Dragonair set alongside a Charizard. However, I don't like RestTalk sets, and Dragonair was otherwise a subpar Pokemon without the set it was using. Furthermore, I had a bit of trouble seeing Charizard die while observing CherubAgent's NU battles on PS! I don't like Charizard either, though.

Without Altaria's knowledge of Heal Bell, status would be a major roadblock for this team. Altaria is also incredibly gifted what is essentially unresisted offensive coverage in Fire Blast and Draco Meteor. Roost gives it reliable recovery, while enabling it to do its job. I may not like Draco Meteor's Sp. Atk. drops, but who said anything about sweeping with this Altaria?

3. Camerupt @ Leftovers


Ability: Solid Rock
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP, 4 SAtk, 252 SDef
Moves:
1. Hidden Power [Grass]
2. Earth Power
3. Lava Plume
4. Rock Polish / Toxic

Originally this was a Charizard, but then I took an arrow to the logic and used Camerupt over it when designing the team.

Camerupt is a genuinely good Fire-type, one of few I would legitimately use (I'm a tad pyrophobic - I've gotten over most of my problems with the fire element as a teen). It gets two really good offensive STABs, and Fire/Ground is actually an okay typing even with the x4 Water weakness (which is easily averted thanks to Solid Rock; although it would be better extinguished if one were to give this guy a good partner, such as Lapras). Immunity to most forms of paralysis as well as an immunity to burn make sweeping with this guy a bit more comfortable than sweeping with Charizard.

One of Camerupt's few issues is that it's slow. However, with Rock Polish, speeding this fellow up will be really rewarding. One could also just Toxic many of the "counters" Camerupt has, crippling them for the remainder of the match even with the volcanic camel's inevitable demise.

4. Golurk @ Expert Belt


Ability: No Guard
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Atk, 4 Def
Moves:
1. DynamicPunch
2. Ice Punch
3. Stone Edge
4. Earthquake

Words cannot appropriately express my outrage in a powerful piece of machine is being demoted to RU while a lesser NFE is being promoted to the same tier, causing an imbalance in NU as a result.

That said, Golurk is too good for NU. Its coverage was already something to fear, and then BW2 made it much better. Now it can use its long-awaited Dream World ability, No Guard, to pretty much break all of NU into tiny fragments. There are no safe switch-ins into its attacks; you could only revenge it, and that's easier said than done.

I needed a physical sweeper since I otherwise only have three really good special walls thus far. Golurk was it. Now I have the equivalent to CherubAgent's Klang, only about a hundred metric tonnes better.

5. Zangoose @ Toxic Orb


Ability: Toxic Boost
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Spe, 4 HP
Moves:
1. Swords Dance
2. Close Combat
3. Facade
4. Shadow Claw

Originally this was a Cinccino. However, I decided on someone less easy to revengekill and someone less prone to being walled by opposing Klang.

And to think I would've used a Switcheroo Lopunny set over this. Actually, I might test that later. But for now, I'm going to marvel at how this is another physical sweeper who has no safe switch-ins, especially not at +2. Shadow Claw is used instead of Night Slash in case I decide to run this team in RU as well; I'll also be wanting to avoid Pokes who get boosts from Justified. While that's not really much of a concern in NU, it's also something to consider when using this team in other tiers, which is what I'll probably be doing.

That's also in case Zangoose and Golurk get banned from RU.

6. Exeggutor @ Sitrus Berry


Ability: Harvest
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 Def, 252 HP, 4 SAtk
Moves:
1. Substitute
2. Leech Seed
3. Giga Drain
4. Psyshock

Took this right from Smogon's analysis. This is one of CherubAgent's Pokemon in his team, although I think I'm using a different set from the one he's using in his Exeggutor. I decided to keep Exeggutor because it's a pain to break through.

Once the SubSeed's going, I just use Giga Drain and Psyshock. I tend to run into a couple Pokes who seem to be all too confident in ruining my Harvest set. I proceed to Sub on the switch, then Seed them. If they're Miltank, I don't Seed, but instead go through their usually-uninvested Defense and Psyshock them.


Welp, that's my CherubAgent-Inspired Motley Crew in a nutshell. I hope to improve this team to conquer NU. Of course, no matter how many improvements I undergo, I still expect to lose to CherubAgent, because he's CherubAgent and likely to always be better than me at NU.

This team has a huge weakness to Water-types that use Ice Beam as a coverage move. Pokemon such as Simipour, Ludicolo, Samurott, and Golduck can hit every member of your team super-effectively besides Zangoose, who is extremely frail. To fix this, I would suggest replacing Altaria with Specially Defensive Lickilicky, who can take multiple hits from the Pokemon listed above and stall them out with Wish. Like Altaria, it can support the team with Heal Bell.

For Camerupt, I would highly suggest running an Offensive Rock Polish set. The current set is a bit inefficient since you're running three attacking moves and Rock Polish with a defensive spread. You already have two special walls in Probopass and Licklicky, so running an offensive spread of 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe with a Modest nature wouldn't hurt your team that much. I would also use Life Orb over Leftovers and Fire Blast over Lava Plume to hit as hard as possible. Hidden Power Ice should be used instead of Hidden Power Grass because it allows you to hit Altaria and other Dragons harder.

Probopass' nature should be Calm since Bold raises Defense; I'll just assume that was a typo.

Exeggutor needs 84 Speed EV's (taken out of Defense) to be able to put up a Substitute before Alomomola can Toxic it. This is very important since Exeggutor is your most effective way of dealing with Alomomola. You could also consider dropping Giga Drain for Protect, which helps you recover more with Leech Seed, stall for more Sitrus Berries, and makes dealing with Choice Band Braviary and Emboar a lot more easier. Giga Drain doesn't really help you beat anything that Leech Seed can't anyways.

Golurk should run either 44 Speed EV's to land a hit on Lapras and Weezing before they can hurt you or 176 EV's to outrun max Speed Golem. This is optional since Golurk has very nice bulk with max HP.





Good luck with the team!

Alright. I've also been considering replacing Zangoose, since it doesn't usually last that long. But, when it does last, it usually takes down more than one Poke with it. I'll test Lickilicky and then every other change you've suggested.

Hey Butterfree cool team! FLCL covered a lot of what I was gonna say so all I have is some small changes here and there. So lets get started shall we?

Firstly I would use Earth Power over Power Gem as it lets you hit opposing Probopass for super effective damage. Volt Switch lets you hit everything Power Gem hit for the most part and lets you get switch initiative against Braviary and company.

Secondly I suggest Dragon Pulse over Draco Meteor on Altaria if you decide to keep it.. Since you're using a more defensive set it doesn't make any sense to use a move that decreases your special attack and makes you switch out. If you really want to use Draco Meteor I would suggest switching to a Specs Altaria set.(I'll provide the set at the end).

Next I really, and I mean really suggest not using No Guard Golurk. It sounds great and all but you're decreasing the power of Ice Punch, Drain Punch, and Shadow Punch just to boost the accuracy of DynamicPunch and Stone Edge. And Stone Edge's coverage is provided by a combo of Ice Punch and Earthquake.

And lastly, I suggest using a 4 attacks Zangoose over the Swords Dance set. Swords Dance Zangoose is incredibly hard to set up and you are better off with the immediate power and coverage that 4 attacks grants you. It also lets you use Quick Attack which is actually very useful for picking off weakened Cinccino's which can do a number to your team currently. Also Night Slash over Shadow Claw, its very minor but its better to use Night Slash and hit a Swellow or Cinccino on the switch than let them switch in freely with there Ghost immunity. Also there are no good justified users besides Absol which boosted Night Slash and Quick Attack take care of pretty well.

Thats all I have! Hope I helped and good luck with the team!

Sets:


Wow, I just now realized I put LO Zangoose. Thanks for correcting me AA, I did actually mean Toxic Orb 4Atk Zangoose. That was my fault.

As much fun as a Poisoned Life Orb Zangoose would be, I really think Toxic Orb to get the Toxic Boost boost would be better. Though you don't lose any notable 2HKOs with LO. You still 2HKO Amoonguss for example. Other than that I agree on changing Zangoose to a 4 Attack Set and Night Slash over Shadow Claw having used both versions extensively I can say that not wasting time on the set up can let you cause a bit more damage quicker and you don't risk going down to an attack on the set-up.

No Guard Golurk is inferior to Iron Fist Golurk about 80% of the time. After getting rid of Dynamic Punch and Stone Edge you have space for 2 new moves. The role of Fighting move can come from Hammer Arm , Superpower or Drain Punch. Your coverage move could then be Shadow Punch , Return/Frustration or something gimmicky. As it stands with this new set Missy can switch into 2 out of 4 of Golurk's moves so I do recommend Shadow Punch above all others.

Detailed Result:
252 Atk Life Orb Toxic Boost Zangoose Facade vs 252 HP/252 Def Amoonguss (+Def) : 85.42% - 100.23%
6.25% chance to OHKO

I've decided not to use No Guard Golurk. I'm still heavily convinced that this team will also function in RU, by advent of Golurk being broken as hell in NU, and almost all of my team legitimately useful in RU anyway.

I've decided to replace Zangoose, as after using Lickilicky I promptly understood that most of my team could be helped as they weren't incredibly frail. I'll decide whether or not to keep Zangoose's replacement or find something else before I edit my team. As it stands, most of the changes are modifications to Pokemon I already planned to keep from the jump.

Unless your attached to Heal Bell, an odd move choice i would use is Power Swap, After a Draco, you could cripple Special Attackers. Just throwing it out there :P