Hippowdon will rock!
Introduction:
That team is a team standard sand That fits my playstyle, balance, and also because I like to scout I have some U-Turn & Volt Switch In that team.
Probably is the Easiest playstyle balance is in my opinion lol.
The reason that I'm doing That is because I want to peak # 1 at Showdown since I've started laddering. As the title've peaked
1950 at Showdown, which is a good ranking but I'd like to know your opinion to make that team better.
That's not my first RMT I have done, that's my four OU RMT.
See my other three teams (one of them was not rated =d):
Sand team: http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3482261 (1350 Peaked at PO).
Weatherless Balanced team: http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3477954 (1325 Peaked at PO).
Sand Offense: http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3484261 (1260 Peaked at PO).
Probably because is how I play but my others weren't working team. For example my when I was using my weatherless balance the only thing I was doing is changin pokemon, so I was always losing against stall.
That was later modified but because I could not get a very hight ranking again I did not update it.
The sand team was not working because, first of all because was not rated, and because I had a lot of defensive threats, so I was losing against stall.
And the Sand Offense I think was do it too quickly, so I do not think was the best idea to do the Sand Offense RMT lol.
I do not know If the problem is how I play or the teams, but what If I know that I'm not a bad player can If ladder without having a lot of problems.
I think I'm going to get #1 after the changes.
Probably I'm not the best at temabuilding Ev spreading, because I normally copy Smogon's standard sets but I think It's ok for me If know to make a good synergy for a team.
A closer look:
First of all I'm going to show you a screenshot to prove that I'm not lying and my rank is real:
http://snag.gy/JqVz7.jpg
Pokemon: Hippowdon
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Nature: Impish (+Def, -SAtk)
Hippowdon function is simple and easy: Weather Inducer.
Many people could think that Tyranitar is a better choice for a sandstorm team, But there's no need to discourage that pokemon.
Probably that's because Hippowdon can't do anything against Politoed or Abomasnow. Tyranitar can always hits with Stone Edge so other weather inducers can switch into it.
Anyway Hippowdon is still very good thanks to its incredible defenses, which makes it a very good wall.
But has bad things (that sometimes can be good). To start Hippowdon isn't very fast, which can easily Taunted and then I can't use Stealth Rock.
However, not having a lot of speed is not bad because I'll always put the weather first.
Also Hippowdon's attack is not bad and can use Earthquake, which is good because of the stab and sandstorm.
Another advantage of Hippowdon is that it doesn't have to worry about Dugtrio, which makes it harder for the other team to win the weather war.
Moves:
Stealth Rock: First of all I have Stealth Rock, which helps me to break the Focus Sash and also Sturdy. Stealth Rock also helps a lot against balanced or stall teams that will be constantly changing.
Whirlwind: Whirlwind is rather to avoid problems with some physical sweepers, especially dragon type pokemons. Hippowdon is a good Phazer in my opinion.
Earthquake: Earthquake helps me a lot thanks to the stab and the Weather. Basically I have Earthquake because I need soemthing to hit with hippowdon.
Slack Off: And finally I have Slack Off to recover my Hp If it's necessary. It also allows me to stall some pokemon, but do not usually stall because of the hax factor that I don't like.
Also I'm not interested in losing Hippowdon, especially if I'm playing against other weather teams.
Pokemon: Terrakion
Item: Rock Gem
Ability: Justified
Evs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Nature: Jolly (+Spd, -SAtk)
Thanks to its incredible attack Terrakion is one of the bests sweepers in sand storm (besides Landorus which is very good) and in this case also a good Wallbreaker.
As you can see I'm using the standard Substitute + Swords dance set and I'm not the Choice Band set. This is because I did not want two
Pokemons with Choice Scarf in my team.
Also because I have no Spinner in my team so I'm not goig to change a lot if Spikes are up.
Another thing that we shouldn't forger is that Terrakion receives a special defense boost from the Sand Storm.
Moves:
Close Combat: Close Combat is a strongest fighting type that Terrakion can have. Basically Close Combat is very good because of the stab and because of the Coverage that provides.
When I use close combat I need to he carefull because It lowers my Def adn SpD. But if I've used Substitute then It doesn't really matters.
Stone Edge: Stone Edge is the perfect move to bring in a sandstorm team because of the coverage and the damange that it does.
Furthermore, as I have Rock Gem I don't really have to worry about threats, especially under a substitute where everything looks better xD.
Substitute: Substitute helps me against the other teams because that set is unespected. Normally they change in order to they think. I'll use Close Combat but inestead of that I use Substitute.
Swords Dance: Swords Dance is a perfect under a substitute: If I use Substitute and I can get Swords Dance I can pretty much say ''GG'' and win.
Furthermore Swords Dance Terrakion is not only a late-game sweeper. It can be a stallbreaker too.
Normally what I do is to predict the change into a pokemon that Terrakion can defeat and then I use substute so surprise the opponent.
Pokemon: Celebi
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure
Evs: 56 HP / 252 SAtk / 200 Spd
Ivs: 30 Atk, 30 SpA, 30 Spd
Nature: Mild (+SAtk, -Def)
Although Celebi is rather used as wall and a support due to their grass type, which helps a lot against rain teams, It can also be a good offensive pokemon.
Probably Celebi's attack is not the best but because I have Life Orb I don't have too many problems. Also Celebi has good coverage moves.
Moves:
Leaf Storm: Leaf Storm is a powerful Grass type move that lowers your SpA two levels when you use it, so Celebi's will be more'' hit and run'' than stall. Also as I said this set is to hit and not to wall.
The good thing about having Leaf Storm is that allows me to stay in other pokemons: for example I can stay into Tyranitar and try to OHKO it.
Also Tyranitar with 4 Ev's in attack 2HKO's Celebi. The bad thing is that because of the Sand Storm and the Life Orb I'll end up dying If that happens.
HP [Fire]: HP [Fire] allows me to defeat pokemons like Forretress, Skarmory or Ferrothorn , which are common leads.
It's true that some of them hace Sturdy but they will only use SR bacaue of the Hp [Fire]. If, after that, they change I'll switch into Hippowdon and then I'll use Stealth Rock so they can't return.
The worst thing that can happen is that Skarmory use Brave Bird inestead or Stealth Rock or Spikes. A turn one dead can make me lose a match.
U-turn: U-turn helps me to make Scout. Basically I use it against other Celebis when I know they're carrying Leftovers. If not I do not usually try to u-turn because I don't want to risk and lose my Celebi.
U-turn also helps me to escape to the trappers like Gothitelle or Dugtrio (has Sucker Punch which is a problem).
Recover: Recover is basically to recover my Hp and sometimes to stall if It's necessary.
The good thing about Celebi is that without a SpD defensive set it can switch into a Politoed, atack, even if he uses Ice Beam. If I have a better option I'll choose the other ofc.
Pokemon: Keldeo (Keldeo-R)
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Justified
Evs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Ivs: 30 Atk, 30 Def
Nature: Timid (+Spd, -Atk)
Keldeo (AKA My Little Ponny) is one of my favorite pokemons in BW2. Although we now that know it has a new form their stats and moves are the same.
In my opinion Keldeo started to be popular in BW2.
As you can see I'm using it with a Choice Scarf, which makes it a perfect revenge killer (probably the best scarfer in OU). The idea of that set is to destroy everything with the powerfull stab moves.
Also Keldeo can check some Threats like Celebi If it's necessary.
Moves:
Secret Sword: Although Keldeo can also carry Focus Blast, from my point of view Secret Sword is better, as it helps to weaken Chansey / Blissey and has 100 acc, which makes it better.
Hydropump: Although Surf, Hydropump is a better option to do more damage. You need to decide when you use Hydropump and when not. Hydropump can miss and It's not funny when it does.
Surf: Surf helps me to del against rain teams, especially if Ferrothorn, Tentacruel or Celebi are dead. Also like Hydropump Surf alows me to hit some threats Like Gengar, Jirachi or Alakazam.
But for that It's better to use Hydropump because Alakzam can use Psyshock and Jirachi can have Zen Heatbutt. Also Alkazam can carry Focus Sash so I always try to break Focus Sash first with another pokemon.
Hidden Power [Ice] Thanks to Hidden Power [Ice] and the Choice Scarf I can check soem dragons and other Pokemon like Celebi, which are potential Threats in that team.
The biggest threat for Keldeo is Volcarona in sun, and I can not kill him unless I carry HP [Rock] that I don't have. Anyway with the rocks up I don't really have problems with Volcarona.
Venusaur also bothers me a lot. Probably I could use Heatran but for that team Terrakion is a better option against sun teams.
Also Keldeo has the same speed as Infernape, Terrakion, Virizion and Cobalion.
Pokemon: Jirachi
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
Evs: 252 HP / 224 SDef / 32 Spd
Nature: Gentle (+SDef, -Def)
Jirachi plays an important role on this team: Support.
Thanks to Jirachi I can Wishpass to my other pokemons, eg Hippowdon so I can win the weather wall, and also helps me to weakensome Threats like Gengar or Alakazam, but that Jirachi is in this team is very good counter to Lati@S ( and Alakazam and gengar and as I said before).
Perhaps the problem is that you can always take a critical hit. Also If do a bad prediction and a dugtrio traps me I'll have some problems.
The other side of Jirachi that I have not mentioned is the ''Paraflinch'', that's how I call it. The only thing that I need to do is to use Body Slam and then Iron Head when the opponent is paralysed. In other words: HAX.
Moves:
Iron Head: Iron Head is a good stab move that helps me a lot, as I said, to make the Paraflinch.
Body Slam: Thunder Wave may seem to be a better option, because it always paralyses, but Body Slam, from my point of view, is superior because it helps me to defeat pokemons like Tornadus and sometimes Thundurus-T, because the -I form is banned.
U-turn: I use U-turn instead of Wish because I with that I can hit Celebi and also because I like to play Voltun, not when I have SR and Spikes on my side.
U-turn also helps me to escape from the trappers like Magnezone, and Dutrio if I have the luck that it uses Stealth Rock inestead of Earthquake.
Wish: Like I said I can wishpass but I can use Wish to heal myself too.
It is also important to mention that thanks to the double type Jirachi can sometimes change into some pokemon with physical attacks If I am in trouble.
Pokemon: Rotom (Rotom-W)
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Evs: 248 HP / 28 SAtk / 232 SDef
Nature: Calm (+SDef, -Atk)
To finish I have Rotom-W, one of the pokemon that is evry team that I use. The reason why I use a lot that pokemon is because has a better responses against a rain team. Eg I can use Volt switch to cripple Tentacrel, Celebi can't.
About celebi I can use Psychic If I want just to hit Tentacrueñ. Psychic also can hit Gastrodon so I'll no problems with that kind of walls.
The problem of that set If that I only have 28 SpA Ev's so I don't do a lot of damange.
Furthermore I have Thunder Wave which is good If I predect the change into Lati@s and plaralyse them.
Latios and Latias, which are very good counters to Rotom-W, and leave them paralyzed thing as sweepers and make little, unless you have a Cleric or carry Lum Berry for Breloom's Spore.
Moves:
Volt Switch: Volt Switch is a good move to do some damage against rain teams and is perfect to defeat Gyarados.
The big problem is Tentacruel for rotom because I can't a lot o damange as I said with 28 SpA EV's.
But I have a celebi so I don't really have to worry about that things. I'm also thinking about change U-turn for Psychic in Celebi because of that.
Hydropump: Hydropump is a very powerful water move that comes with stab in that case, making it better. I usually use it against Tyranitar If the're weakned, but most of them have a max SpD set so If they're full Hp I normally use Volt Switch.
Thunder Wave: Thunder Wave is my support move, as I said It helps me to paralyse Lati@s with some predict.
Pain Split: And to finish I have Pain Split which is the best option for Rotom-W to recover Hp, meh I don'r really use Rest.
Synergy of the team:
Fot that people that doesn't know that site:
http://www.marriland.com/tools/team-builder
As you can see I have four pokemons that are weak to Grass. Probably I should solve that.
Threat List:
Offensive Threat list:
Volcarona in the sun unless it has Hp [Rock], that I don't have.
Yes I lost becaue of that pokemon yesterday. I don't have a pokemon to switch into, probably the only one is Jirachi, but most them carr Hp [Fire] which is a big problem.
I could also run Heatran, but to deal with sunny day teams I think that Terrakion is a better option in that team.
The's nothing that I can do when that starts to use Calm Mind is to switch into my Hippowdon because Psychic and Water Pulse are not very common nowadays in Jirachi. If not I can try to defeat it with Terrakion or Keldeo.
Also Vicitini can have Brick Break to hit Heatran so that hurts too If you have heatran in you team.
Defensive Threat list:
I'm not really having problems with it because I can bring Hippowdon If I want , but with a Scald coming ins't the safest thing to bring.
Also some Tentacruels run Ice Beam and other stuff like Toxic to annoy, and my celebi has Life
Orb.
Leads:
There's one thing, that are my usual leads, that I've explained but I would like to put it here too:
A final look:
I need your help people! All the changes will be in RED.
Importable:
Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
Terrakion @ Rock Gem
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
Celebi @ Life Orb
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 56 HP / 252 SAtk / 200 Spd
Mild Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- U-turn
- Recover
Keldeo-Resolute @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Secret Sword
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 224 SDef / 32 Spd
Gentle Nature
- Iron Head
- Body Slam
- Wish
- U-turn
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 28 SAtk / 232 SDef
Calm Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Thunder Wave
- Pain Split
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
Terrakion @ Rock Gem
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
Celebi @ Life Orb
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 56 HP / 252 SAtk / 200 Spd
Mild Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- U-turn
- Recover
Keldeo-Resolute @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Secret Sword
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 224 SDef / 32 Spd
Gentle Nature
- Iron Head
- Body Slam
- Wish
- U-turn
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 28 SAtk / 232 SDef
Calm Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Thunder Wave
- Pain Split
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