Rolling the Seven-Sided Dice
Introduction
Nowadays, it's rare to see originality on teams. Even in the unpredictable UU environment, things have been becoming...well, too predictable. Same walls, same moveset choices, same results. Not to say that this method isn't successful, but it just seems that people are relying too heavily on the same four or so Pokemon to be a part of every UU team and do the same exact job to a "T". It's time to turn this method on its head, and use some common sense to overturn the predictability of the present UU tier. So, with this in mind, I've decided to create a team that involved unusual movesets and assigning unusual jobs to some usual Pokemon that allowed for a one-Pokemon stall set-up sweep. Now, if that makes little sense to you (as in, "what the heck are you smoking" sense), don't worry, it'll all be explained in a little bit.
The Team at a Glance
To Trick, or Not to Trick?
Uxie @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EV's: 252 HP/104 Def/152 Spe
Nature: Impish
Moveset:
Trick - This is meant to be a ScarfTrick lead that actually has a purpose other than Tricking a Pokemon into continuing Stealth Rock. Trick allows Drapion to accomplish his goal easily and effectively later in the game.
Thunder Wave - In case a Lead stays in and tries to be a wise cracker with their new Scarf, I TWave it, making the speed boost useless while still locking it into one attack.
Stealth Rock - Makes sure that Pokemon who wish to switch in on my Pokes are punished for it one way or another, plain and simple.
U-Turn - Allows for Uxie to take advantage of opposing Leads who have been locked into Stealth Rock or Taunt, and prepare for a switch to a perfect counter or opprotune set-up Poke.
Uxie as a lead is far from unordinary, and even Trick leads aren't unheard of. However, no one has really been able to benefit well from Trick Uxie outside of locking leads into a move just once. This team requires a nice Defensive wall, and Levitate abuser for a semi-Earthquake prone team. Uxie gives my team great opportunities to switch around and set up appropriately. The EV's are pretty basic. Plenty of HP to allow it to survive for multiple resisted or normal hits, high Defense, and enough Speed to outrun other Leads with its TrickScarf.
Against Top Leads in the UU Metagame
Ambipom - I outspeed and Trick it a Scarf, which then Uxie takes a Taunt either before or after a Fake-Out. The usual Lead is taken care of handily by TrickUxie. Either TWave on the switch and set up Rocks (if not taunted somehow), or U-Turn to a great counter on the switch.
Froslass - I outspeed and Trick it a Scarf, and I'm Taunted in return. U-Turn to a great counter. Pretty much the same situation as Ambipom.
Uxie -If it's the Standard Uxie, I Trick its Rocks, and TWave/set up Rocks on my own. Works perfectly. If it is also a Trick variant, we always use Trick on the first turn. I also opt to use Trick on the second turn, making my opponent think I wish to TrickStall our Trick PP's. Then, on the third turn, I switch to Alakazam (my second Trickster) to lock it into Trick, and either obtain a nice Scarf revenge killer or Trick on the expected switch.
Moltres - This is in the red zone simply because most leads are running Scarf. I TWave and switch out to either Omastar (if Flamethrower) or Magneton (if Air Slash). The good news is that Uxie is slower than ScarfTres, which means I can still hide the fact that I'm holding a Scarf for later usage. Good news also is that Moltres is already Scarved, helping Drapion quite a bit. Uxie just takes a nasty hit, that's all. If its a Stalltres for some reason, I TWave, switch to Omastar, and Rain Dance to TSpikes/Surf.
Alakazam - I love 'Kazam leads, and I use them frequently. So, I know that a LeadZam's first move is either Taunt or Substitute. I outspeed Max Speed Timid variants, which includes pretty much every Kazam lead, and give them a nice Scarf, rendering half of their movesets useless (Sub + Encore/Taunt, most likely).
Introduction
Nowadays, it's rare to see originality on teams. Even in the unpredictable UU environment, things have been becoming...well, too predictable. Same walls, same moveset choices, same results. Not to say that this method isn't successful, but it just seems that people are relying too heavily on the same four or so Pokemon to be a part of every UU team and do the same exact job to a "T". It's time to turn this method on its head, and use some common sense to overturn the predictability of the present UU tier. So, with this in mind, I've decided to create a team that involved unusual movesets and assigning unusual jobs to some usual Pokemon that allowed for a one-Pokemon stall set-up sweep. Now, if that makes little sense to you (as in, "what the heck are you smoking" sense), don't worry, it'll all be explained in a little bit.
The Team at a Glance
- We have a resistance to every type in the game except Water, which is hit for neutral for all six Pokemon.
- We have two major weaknesses in Dark and Ghost (Uxie, Alakazam, and Rotom), but actually, these two weakness are both resisted and covered by our main purpose Pokemon, Drapion, which is helpful.
- On top of this, we have five Immuntities and three 25% resistances, all of different types.
To Trick, or Not to Trick?
Uxie @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EV's: 252 HP/104 Def/152 Spe
Nature: Impish
Moveset:
Trick - This is meant to be a ScarfTrick lead that actually has a purpose other than Tricking a Pokemon into continuing Stealth Rock. Trick allows Drapion to accomplish his goal easily and effectively later in the game.
Thunder Wave - In case a Lead stays in and tries to be a wise cracker with their new Scarf, I TWave it, making the speed boost useless while still locking it into one attack.
Stealth Rock - Makes sure that Pokemon who wish to switch in on my Pokes are punished for it one way or another, plain and simple.
U-Turn - Allows for Uxie to take advantage of opposing Leads who have been locked into Stealth Rock or Taunt, and prepare for a switch to a perfect counter or opprotune set-up Poke.
Uxie as a lead is far from unordinary, and even Trick leads aren't unheard of. However, no one has really been able to benefit well from Trick Uxie outside of locking leads into a move just once. This team requires a nice Defensive wall, and Levitate abuser for a semi-Earthquake prone team. Uxie gives my team great opportunities to switch around and set up appropriately. The EV's are pretty basic. Plenty of HP to allow it to survive for multiple resisted or normal hits, high Defense, and enough Speed to outrun other Leads with its TrickScarf.
Against Top Leads in the UU Metagame
How Does This Help Drapion?
Omastar @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EV's: 252 HP/176 Def/80 SpD
Nature: Bold
Moveset:
TSpikes - Now, normally TSpikes are not exactly reccomended in UU play, mostly because of the plethora of Poison-types found in play. However, with that being said, if TSpikes is active, it's pretty much good game if Drapion can manage to get his business done fast. TSpikes also helps things like Chansey and Milotic die faster. A more reliable user of TSpikes is Drapion...but, it can't be chosen, as it's already on the team as the core.
Rain Dance - Again, an ususual choice for a non-RD team, right? However, Rain Dance does a few things for my team that is pretty unexpected. One, it eliminates Sandstorm and Hail from Hippopotas and Snover leads, crippling things like Stallrein Hail teams and other basic UU SS Stall teams. Two, it powers down Fire moves, helping Magneton create some havoc. Third, it speeds up Omastar to a point so that it's easy to get out one or two layers of TSpikes at one time. No Damp Rock ensures that Rain isn't up for too long, so that it can't be taken advantage of.
Surf - Your basic STAB Rain boosted move, building on Omastar's generally high base Special Attack. Helps prevent my opponent from coming in and Taunting my butt without any reprocussion.
Knock-Off - It's a great last-ditch effort to screw over Life Orb sweepers and Leftover-dependent stallers. Helps the team dispose of opponent's Pokemon much more easily, and gives Drapion an easier time stall boost sweeping.
Omastar is an unusual choice for this non-Rain Dance oriented team, but the riddiculously Defensive snail star in a half shell provides the team with a lifetime of support in the five or six turns its out there. The moveset is extremely unusual, but effective nonetheless in benefiting the team. Omastar is designed to do his job, and relax. Omastar also is a nice way to counter Rain Dance teams, taking at least three turns from the rainstorm. The EV's make this guy almost impossible to 2HKO physically, with high defense and HP, and some Special Defense to help take neutral attacks from other walls and such.
How Does This Help Drapion?
Alakazam @ Choice Specs
Ability: Synchronize
EV's: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Spe
Nature: Timid
Moveset:
Trick - Again, we have a second Trickster on the team, this time crippling Physical walls and attackers rather than just giving them more speed with a Scarf. Alakazam's speed also allows it to make up for mistakes, like Tricking a Houndoom switch-in and OHKO'ing it.
- In short, Uxie cripples opposing leads by Trick forcing them into one move and setting up TWave opportunities and Rocks. Uxie gets me off to a great start almost every time.
Omastar @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EV's: 252 HP/176 Def/80 SpD
Nature: Bold
Moveset:
TSpikes - Now, normally TSpikes are not exactly reccomended in UU play, mostly because of the plethora of Poison-types found in play. However, with that being said, if TSpikes is active, it's pretty much good game if Drapion can manage to get his business done fast. TSpikes also helps things like Chansey and Milotic die faster. A more reliable user of TSpikes is Drapion...but, it can't be chosen, as it's already on the team as the core.
Rain Dance - Again, an ususual choice for a non-RD team, right? However, Rain Dance does a few things for my team that is pretty unexpected. One, it eliminates Sandstorm and Hail from Hippopotas and Snover leads, crippling things like Stallrein Hail teams and other basic UU SS Stall teams. Two, it powers down Fire moves, helping Magneton create some havoc. Third, it speeds up Omastar to a point so that it's easy to get out one or two layers of TSpikes at one time. No Damp Rock ensures that Rain isn't up for too long, so that it can't be taken advantage of.
Surf - Your basic STAB Rain boosted move, building on Omastar's generally high base Special Attack. Helps prevent my opponent from coming in and Taunting my butt without any reprocussion.
Knock-Off - It's a great last-ditch effort to screw over Life Orb sweepers and Leftover-dependent stallers. Helps the team dispose of opponent's Pokemon much more easily, and gives Drapion an easier time stall boost sweeping.
Omastar is an unusual choice for this non-Rain Dance oriented team, but the riddiculously Defensive snail star in a half shell provides the team with a lifetime of support in the five or six turns its out there. The moveset is extremely unusual, but effective nonetheless in benefiting the team. Omastar is designed to do his job, and relax. Omastar also is a nice way to counter Rain Dance teams, taking at least three turns from the rainstorm. The EV's make this guy almost impossible to 2HKO physically, with high defense and HP, and some Special Defense to help take neutral attacks from other walls and such.
How Does This Help Drapion?
- Toxic Spikes are almost a must when Drapion hits the field, so that it gives counters a hard time switching in at the end.
- This guy is mainly a utility supporter that completely screws over opposing gameplans that hinder my Drapion, like Stall tactics.
Alakazam @ Choice Specs
Ability: Synchronize
EV's: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Spe
Nature: Timid
Moveset:
Trick - Again, we have a second Trickster on the team, this time crippling Physical walls and attackers rather than just giving them more speed with a Scarf. Alakazam's speed also allows it to make up for mistakes, like Tricking a Houndoom switch-in and OHKO'ing it.
Psychic - Your basic STAB power move for a Specs user. Hits really, really hard. Dark immunities are annoying, but anything neutral is 2HKO'd by it.
Signal Beam - Signal Beam hits opposing Psychics and Darks for Super Effective damage. Pretty much a safe coverage move.
Focus Blast - This is for those Steels that get in Psychic's way, and with Specs, this thing is deadly. Also drills holes into Dark types like Honchcrow and Houndoom.
We have a second Trickster on this team, which is pretty unusual for itself. I'm also using Alakazam as a Trick-first option rather than a Specs Sweeper, which is never really expected from the fast, powerful, frail 'Kazam. Alakzam is also my reserve sweeper, in case Drapion is taken out early. Alakazam has enough strength to take on Pokes on its own, which makes for a nice safety net. While something like Hypno or Grumpig might last longer, I really crave some sort of back-up option in case my major plan fails. The EV's are basic, max SpA and Speed. Nothing new for the EV's, but how it plays is indeed surprising.
How Does This Help Drapion?
Magneton @ Lum Berry
Ability: Magnet Pull
EV's: 108 HP/148 Spe/252 Spa
Nature: Modest
Moveset:
Thunderbolt - Simple, yet effective. This STAB move rips apart bulky Waters and Flying types that stand in its way, OHKO'ing Milotic and Blastoise with Stealth Rocks in play and 2HKO'ing Registeel at -2 SpD. Neutral hits are devastating as well.
HP Fire/HP Water/HP Grass - Steels are the bane of this team's main purpose, and Magneton is the solution. HP Fire 2HKO's Steelix at -2 SpD, which is awesome, and 2HKO's Venusaur as well. However, with Omastar's Rain, Steelix is OHKO'd most of the time with SR and without the -2 SpD, which Magneton under Rain happens frequently. While he loses the 2HKO on Venusaur at -2 SpD with HP Water, TBolt is still a 3HKO after Stealth Rock damage. Note that Quagsire pretty much walls either choice, which also makes HP Grass viable. It's just depending on your team needs and such.
Magnet Rise - The standard on Steel Trapper sets, this allows Magneton to evade Registeel's and Steelix's EQ and hit back hard. Pretty simple selection.
Metal Sound - Now, here's the wild card move. While it sounds like trapping Steels is a breeze, most Steels that are trappable have naturally high Special Defense, and have access to Roar/WW. So, Magneton can only do so much before he's Roared right out of the match. So, what to do? Metal Sound gives opponents a loss of two stages for Special Defense, and with three out of five of my Pokes running Special Attacks (besides Magneton), Roaring him away won't be as easy as first thought. Steelix won't like Roaring in Alakazam at -2 SpD, as Psychic (let alone other things) is a 2HKO. It provides the team with a way to force out an opponent's Pokemon and turn it into an advantageous situation.
Magneton is the glue of this team, being able to deal with the Steels that plague Drapion and this team and providing multiple switches that give its teammates time to set up and complete their duties. Rather than going with the normal Steel Trapper set (which I find slightly flawed due to today's UU trends of phazers), I created a pseudo-Sub with Lum Berry and added Metal Sound to help dish out KO's to the Steels it traps and to other Pokemon who wish to switch into it. The EV's are the same as the regular Steel Trapper set, with max Special Attack to crush opposing Steels, some Speed to outrun said Steels and slower Pokes, and some HP to stay alive to score some 2HKO's and 3HKO's.
What Does This Do For Drapion?
Rotom @ Light Clay
Ability: Levitate
EV's: 252 HP/4 SpA/252 Spe
Nature: Timid
Moveset:
Reflect - One of the two mandatory moves of a Dual Screener, Reflect is a little bit more helpful to Drapion, as his major counters run Earthquake, which normally 2HKO's. Reflect for eight turns is a godsend at any time in the game, enabling the team to create a lot of havoc fast and efficiently.
Light Screen - The other move that's seen on the Dual Screen set. A lot of my team is hit for neutral from a lot of basic Special attacks. Reflect lessens the worry for my Pokes, allowing for more turns to set up.
Shadow Ball/Thunderbolt - The only attacking option on Rotom. Shadow Ball (I find) is better for late game, and against the Physical Ground-types saved for last, like Donphan and Rhyperior. TBolt, however, has its use as well. Both are viable options that I use.
Will-O-Wisp - For the Steel and Flying types that are immune to TSpikes. WoW cripples switch-ins like Honchcrow, and is pretty reliable in the late game, in case a Spinner gets through unexpectedly. It also powers down physical menaces that like to come in and set up on the expected ScarfRotom.
Rotom is the newest addition to the team (it was previously home to a Specially Defensive Hitmontop who had Rapid Spin and Rest to absorb status, but it wasn't really useful). It is optimal that Rotom is the second to last Pokemon alive, so that it can set up screens for Drapion. Screen usage, however, benefits pretty much the whole team, and five and six turns of a Screen can make or break the match. Rotom is also obviously my spin blocker, keeping TSpikes out on the field while giving it a free opportunity to set up screens. The EV's allow Rotom to outspeed most of the tier (base 90's and below) and set up screens with ease while giving it a few chances to do so over the course of the match.
How Does This Help Drapion?
Drapion @ Black Sludge
Ability: Battle Armor
EV's: 244 HP/52 Def/ 172 SpD/42 Spe
Nature: Careful
Moveset:
Torment - Here-a we go! The star of the show gets a new signature move. Let's look at Drapion: he has five resistances and one weakness in Ground. With Torment, let's say we eliminate the Ground weakness. Drapion now becomes extremely hard to take down, and that's even before the possible boosts this Drapion can get. Combine this with the two Choice items we've tricked, and whatever Choice items the opponent has, and we have a Struggle winner!
Protect - This is the second part of the Torment combo, enabling Drapion to dodge Ground moves and the signature moves on all of the possible counters. No Explosion, no Earthquake, no nothing. Protect also enables Drapion to get a free round of Black Sludge healing in, which helps tremendously.
Accupressure/Substitute - So, what move makes Torment Heatran forced to add to his New Year's Resolutions list "get cracking on a stat boosting move"? Accupressure is normally very unreliable, but if all goes right and with Torment, Drapion will have plenty of opportunities to score a jackpot and get a helpful boost. If you still don't agree with this, I'll explain just how "terrible" Accupressure is on this Drapion in a little bit. If you're playing conservatively or are deathly afraid of status, Substitute works well. However, note that without the chance at Defensive boosts, this set is a little less useful, and that since its saved for late game, not too many late game sweepers carry status. Plus, Drapion is immune to Toxic, Will-O-Wisp is infrequent, and TWave doesn't ruin the purpose of this set.
Crunch - Drapion's faithful STAB option, Crunch is invaluable on this set. Not one Pokemon is immune to Dark moves, so Dark is chosen over Poison attacks. Crunch is also chosen much like Heatran chooses Lava Plume for his Torment set. Crunch has higher PP than Night Slash, and has a chance to lower Defense, which helps a lot when fighting late game against bulky sweepers.
NOTE: You may be confused about the EV's. In a few parts, so am I. I'll take any suggestions about good EV's for this set, as I'm not too sure what exactly I need to outrun or outlast. I do have an explanation as to why I have these EV's, though.
Talk about a rage-quitting machine. There is nothing like forcing luck to be on your side for a Pokemon match. By eliminating Super Effective and strong attacks, utilizing its friend's help, and boosting with Accupressure, this guy rocks. With its high natural Defense, near perfect typing, and access to some really frustrating moves, Drapion becomes the annoyer it was meant to be. The EV's are placed to near max out HP (necessary for staying alive, of course, while stalling for Accupressures), high Special Defense and a Careful nature (to counter his low Special Defense, this makes a STAB Earth Power from Utility Claydol a 3HKO after Black Sludge. Pretty good for a STAB SE move. It can also survive a +1 CM TBolt from Raikou as well.), and Defense EVs for added bulk. Not sure what I'm outspeeding with those Speed EV's, though.
Accupressure Stinks, DrkSlay!
Okay, okay, I know I'm going to get this from someone. Accupressure sure does seem unstable. I mean, you're going to get a random +2 boost in one of seven areas, which seems unreliable. While many argue that Accupressure is way too unreliable, let's take a look at what can be boosted and how well Drapion does with the boost:
Attack: Positive: Attack boosts help Crunch hit hard, and combined with an above average Base Attack and possible Defense drops, Drapion becomes pretty powerful for a Defensive Poke. Will-O-Wisp is pretty uncommon by the time Drapion comes out in UU.
Defense: Positive: One of the three greatest boosts Drapion can get with Accupressure concerning this set. A +2 Defense makes it hard for anything to 3HKO this thing with Earthquake, let alone any other attack, and two boosts is just ridiculous.
Special Attack: Negative: Obviously ineffective, since Drapion does not have any Special moves.
Special Defense: Positive: Another great boost for Drapion, as Earth Power is more common in UU, and Drapion's below average Special Defense gets better and better. UU's Special Attackers have a hard time with Drapion with this boost.
Speed: Effective: Speed comes in handy for getting in additional boosts before faster enemies can attack, which is a huge plus, and allows Drapion to outspeed things like Mismagius. However, TWave is very common in UU, which while minimally affecting Drapion's overall purpose, it ruins Speed boosts.
Accuracy: Negative: Obviously not useful, as Crunch has 100 accuracy already. No real benefit for me, unless I'm up against Froslass or Glaceon in the Hail.
Evasion: Positive: Winner! Evasion boosts are ridiculous when paired with Torment and Protect, and is one of Drapion's best boosts to deal with RP Rhyperior, his main enemy. You gotta love Evasion boosts!
So, looking at this list, we have four great boosts, one decent boost, and two ineffective boosts. So, five out of seven times, the boost will be at least effective, thus making Acupressure more viable. Plus, with Battle Armor, there is no worries about Critical Hits ruining my defensive boosts - another thing Heatran is jealous of. It's a lot more reliable than most people think, and thanks to Drapion being...well, Drapion, it only makes it harder for my opponent to take me down.
Team Dangers
Bulky Grounds (Donphan and Rhyperior): These two Pokes, especially RP Rhyperior, give Drapion and his friends some trouble. If I can manage a Defensive boost plus Torment, which can be possible, it's a much more manageable situation. With an Evasion boost, facing Rhyperior under Torment is a lot of fun, as when I use Protect on Earthquake, he'll struggle to hit with the unreliable Megahorn and Aqua Tail or Stone Edge. Donphan has a lot more bulk defensively, but when under Torment, he's left with a paltry Ice Shard and Rapid Spin/Assurance. Crunch helps lower his defense as well over time, which makes him a smaller threat than Rhyperior. Still can be a nuisance, though.
Curse (Registeel and Quagsire): Registeel and Quagsire in particular, since they have access to powerful Earthquakes. Registeel is more of a problem, since he resists Crunch while boosting his own Defense, and has STAB Iron Head. However, one thing positive coming out of an opponent Cursing is the possible boosts I too can get. Registeel can get six Curses in a row, while in that same time span, I can get six +2 boosts in Defense, Attack, or Evasion. Torment helps keep me alive longer and allow me to get in safe boosts as well. Quagsire is easier, since it doesn't resist Crunch. Don't forget that Drapion can get Critical Hits while they can't due to Battle Armor, so them scoring a Crit is not an issue.
In Conclusion
This team is all about setting up a Pokemon that can turn the tables on any basic UU team, be it stall, attacking or anything in between. So go ahead, try it out. It's risky, yes, but it sure is fun. And I can almost guarantee you some sort of success if you play this team right. :)
Signal Beam - Signal Beam hits opposing Psychics and Darks for Super Effective damage. Pretty much a safe coverage move.
Focus Blast - This is for those Steels that get in Psychic's way, and with Specs, this thing is deadly. Also drills holes into Dark types like Honchcrow and Houndoom.
We have a second Trickster on this team, which is pretty unusual for itself. I'm also using Alakazam as a Trick-first option rather than a Specs Sweeper, which is never really expected from the fast, powerful, frail 'Kazam. Alakzam is also my reserve sweeper, in case Drapion is taken out early. Alakazam has enough strength to take on Pokes on its own, which makes for a nice safety net. While something like Hypno or Grumpig might last longer, I really crave some sort of back-up option in case my major plan fails. The EV's are basic, max SpA and Speed. Nothing new for the EV's, but how it plays is indeed surprising.
How Does This Help Drapion?
- Pretty much the same reason as Uxie when it comes to Tricking. Getting an opponent locked into one move is crucial for Drapion, especially its counters.
- As my back-up safety net, Alakazam can help pick off the last two or so foes for the win.
Magneton @ Lum Berry
Ability: Magnet Pull
EV's: 108 HP/148 Spe/252 Spa
Nature: Modest
Moveset:
Thunderbolt - Simple, yet effective. This STAB move rips apart bulky Waters and Flying types that stand in its way, OHKO'ing Milotic and Blastoise with Stealth Rocks in play and 2HKO'ing Registeel at -2 SpD. Neutral hits are devastating as well.
HP Fire/HP Water/HP Grass - Steels are the bane of this team's main purpose, and Magneton is the solution. HP Fire 2HKO's Steelix at -2 SpD, which is awesome, and 2HKO's Venusaur as well. However, with Omastar's Rain, Steelix is OHKO'd most of the time with SR and without the -2 SpD, which Magneton under Rain happens frequently. While he loses the 2HKO on Venusaur at -2 SpD with HP Water, TBolt is still a 3HKO after Stealth Rock damage. Note that Quagsire pretty much walls either choice, which also makes HP Grass viable. It's just depending on your team needs and such.
Magnet Rise - The standard on Steel Trapper sets, this allows Magneton to evade Registeel's and Steelix's EQ and hit back hard. Pretty simple selection.
Metal Sound - Now, here's the wild card move. While it sounds like trapping Steels is a breeze, most Steels that are trappable have naturally high Special Defense, and have access to Roar/WW. So, Magneton can only do so much before he's Roared right out of the match. So, what to do? Metal Sound gives opponents a loss of two stages for Special Defense, and with three out of five of my Pokes running Special Attacks (besides Magneton), Roaring him away won't be as easy as first thought. Steelix won't like Roaring in Alakazam at -2 SpD, as Psychic (let alone other things) is a 2HKO. It provides the team with a way to force out an opponent's Pokemon and turn it into an advantageous situation.
Magneton is the glue of this team, being able to deal with the Steels that plague Drapion and this team and providing multiple switches that give its teammates time to set up and complete their duties. Rather than going with the normal Steel Trapper set (which I find slightly flawed due to today's UU trends of phazers), I created a pseudo-Sub with Lum Berry and added Metal Sound to help dish out KO's to the Steels it traps and to other Pokemon who wish to switch into it. The EV's are the same as the regular Steel Trapper set, with max Special Attack to crush opposing Steels, some Speed to outrun said Steels and slower Pokes, and some HP to stay alive to score some 2HKO's and 3HKO's.
What Does This Do For Drapion?
- Magnet Pull traps the Steels that otherwise wall Drapion's set, which is a huge plus. In fact, the whole team benefits from this.
- Not to be underrated, Magneton's typing helps deal with boosting sweepers like Altaria well, absorbing +1 Outrage like a pro.
- Metal Sound forces a lot of switches, so many switches in fact it gives the whole team lots and lots of opportunities to put down traps, status, and screens.
Rotom @ Light Clay
Ability: Levitate
EV's: 252 HP/4 SpA/252 Spe
Nature: Timid
Moveset:
Reflect - One of the two mandatory moves of a Dual Screener, Reflect is a little bit more helpful to Drapion, as his major counters run Earthquake, which normally 2HKO's. Reflect for eight turns is a godsend at any time in the game, enabling the team to create a lot of havoc fast and efficiently.
Light Screen - The other move that's seen on the Dual Screen set. A lot of my team is hit for neutral from a lot of basic Special attacks. Reflect lessens the worry for my Pokes, allowing for more turns to set up.
Shadow Ball/Thunderbolt - The only attacking option on Rotom. Shadow Ball (I find) is better for late game, and against the Physical Ground-types saved for last, like Donphan and Rhyperior. TBolt, however, has its use as well. Both are viable options that I use.
Will-O-Wisp - For the Steel and Flying types that are immune to TSpikes. WoW cripples switch-ins like Honchcrow, and is pretty reliable in the late game, in case a Spinner gets through unexpectedly. It also powers down physical menaces that like to come in and set up on the expected ScarfRotom.
Rotom is the newest addition to the team (it was previously home to a Specially Defensive Hitmontop who had Rapid Spin and Rest to absorb status, but it wasn't really useful). It is optimal that Rotom is the second to last Pokemon alive, so that it can set up screens for Drapion. Screen usage, however, benefits pretty much the whole team, and five and six turns of a Screen can make or break the match. Rotom is also obviously my spin blocker, keeping TSpikes out on the field while giving it a free opportunity to set up screens. The EV's allow Rotom to outspeed most of the tier (base 90's and below) and set up screens with ease while giving it a few chances to do so over the course of the match.
How Does This Help Drapion?
- Screens are a huge plus, giving Drapion enough turns to accomplish its goals with ease.
- A Spin Blocker is huge when TSpikes are out successfully. This ensures that Rocks and Spikes are always on without fail.
Drapion @ Black Sludge
Ability: Battle Armor
EV's: 244 HP/52 Def/ 172 SpD/42 Spe
Nature: Careful
Moveset:
Torment - Here-a we go! The star of the show gets a new signature move. Let's look at Drapion: he has five resistances and one weakness in Ground. With Torment, let's say we eliminate the Ground weakness. Drapion now becomes extremely hard to take down, and that's even before the possible boosts this Drapion can get. Combine this with the two Choice items we've tricked, and whatever Choice items the opponent has, and we have a Struggle winner!
Protect - This is the second part of the Torment combo, enabling Drapion to dodge Ground moves and the signature moves on all of the possible counters. No Explosion, no Earthquake, no nothing. Protect also enables Drapion to get a free round of Black Sludge healing in, which helps tremendously.
Accupressure/Substitute - So, what move makes Torment Heatran forced to add to his New Year's Resolutions list "get cracking on a stat boosting move"? Accupressure is normally very unreliable, but if all goes right and with Torment, Drapion will have plenty of opportunities to score a jackpot and get a helpful boost. If you still don't agree with this, I'll explain just how "terrible" Accupressure is on this Drapion in a little bit. If you're playing conservatively or are deathly afraid of status, Substitute works well. However, note that without the chance at Defensive boosts, this set is a little less useful, and that since its saved for late game, not too many late game sweepers carry status. Plus, Drapion is immune to Toxic, Will-O-Wisp is infrequent, and TWave doesn't ruin the purpose of this set.
Crunch - Drapion's faithful STAB option, Crunch is invaluable on this set. Not one Pokemon is immune to Dark moves, so Dark is chosen over Poison attacks. Crunch is also chosen much like Heatran chooses Lava Plume for his Torment set. Crunch has higher PP than Night Slash, and has a chance to lower Defense, which helps a lot when fighting late game against bulky sweepers.
NOTE: You may be confused about the EV's. In a few parts, so am I. I'll take any suggestions about good EV's for this set, as I'm not too sure what exactly I need to outrun or outlast. I do have an explanation as to why I have these EV's, though.
Talk about a rage-quitting machine. There is nothing like forcing luck to be on your side for a Pokemon match. By eliminating Super Effective and strong attacks, utilizing its friend's help, and boosting with Accupressure, this guy rocks. With its high natural Defense, near perfect typing, and access to some really frustrating moves, Drapion becomes the annoyer it was meant to be. The EV's are placed to near max out HP (necessary for staying alive, of course, while stalling for Accupressures), high Special Defense and a Careful nature (to counter his low Special Defense, this makes a STAB Earth Power from Utility Claydol a 3HKO after Black Sludge. Pretty good for a STAB SE move. It can also survive a +1 CM TBolt from Raikou as well.), and Defense EVs for added bulk. Not sure what I'm outspeeding with those Speed EV's, though.
Accupressure Stinks, DrkSlay!
Okay, okay, I know I'm going to get this from someone. Accupressure sure does seem unstable. I mean, you're going to get a random +2 boost in one of seven areas, which seems unreliable. While many argue that Accupressure is way too unreliable, let's take a look at what can be boosted and how well Drapion does with the boost:
Attack: Positive: Attack boosts help Crunch hit hard, and combined with an above average Base Attack and possible Defense drops, Drapion becomes pretty powerful for a Defensive Poke. Will-O-Wisp is pretty uncommon by the time Drapion comes out in UU.
Defense: Positive: One of the three greatest boosts Drapion can get with Accupressure concerning this set. A +2 Defense makes it hard for anything to 3HKO this thing with Earthquake, let alone any other attack, and two boosts is just ridiculous.
Special Attack: Negative: Obviously ineffective, since Drapion does not have any Special moves.
Special Defense: Positive: Another great boost for Drapion, as Earth Power is more common in UU, and Drapion's below average Special Defense gets better and better. UU's Special Attackers have a hard time with Drapion with this boost.
Speed: Effective: Speed comes in handy for getting in additional boosts before faster enemies can attack, which is a huge plus, and allows Drapion to outspeed things like Mismagius. However, TWave is very common in UU, which while minimally affecting Drapion's overall purpose, it ruins Speed boosts.
Accuracy: Negative: Obviously not useful, as Crunch has 100 accuracy already. No real benefit for me, unless I'm up against Froslass or Glaceon in the Hail.
Evasion: Positive: Winner! Evasion boosts are ridiculous when paired with Torment and Protect, and is one of Drapion's best boosts to deal with RP Rhyperior, his main enemy. You gotta love Evasion boosts!
So, looking at this list, we have four great boosts, one decent boost, and two ineffective boosts. So, five out of seven times, the boost will be at least effective, thus making Acupressure more viable. Plus, with Battle Armor, there is no worries about Critical Hits ruining my defensive boosts - another thing Heatran is jealous of. It's a lot more reliable than most people think, and thanks to Drapion being...well, Drapion, it only makes it harder for my opponent to take me down.
Team Dangers
Bulky Grounds (Donphan and Rhyperior): These two Pokes, especially RP Rhyperior, give Drapion and his friends some trouble. If I can manage a Defensive boost plus Torment, which can be possible, it's a much more manageable situation. With an Evasion boost, facing Rhyperior under Torment is a lot of fun, as when I use Protect on Earthquake, he'll struggle to hit with the unreliable Megahorn and Aqua Tail or Stone Edge. Donphan has a lot more bulk defensively, but when under Torment, he's left with a paltry Ice Shard and Rapid Spin/Assurance. Crunch helps lower his defense as well over time, which makes him a smaller threat than Rhyperior. Still can be a nuisance, though.
Curse (Registeel and Quagsire): Registeel and Quagsire in particular, since they have access to powerful Earthquakes. Registeel is more of a problem, since he resists Crunch while boosting his own Defense, and has STAB Iron Head. However, one thing positive coming out of an opponent Cursing is the possible boosts I too can get. Registeel can get six Curses in a row, while in that same time span, I can get six +2 boosts in Defense, Attack, or Evasion. Torment helps keep me alive longer and allow me to get in safe boosts as well. Quagsire is easier, since it doesn't resist Crunch. Don't forget that Drapion can get Critical Hits while they can't due to Battle Armor, so them scoring a Crit is not an issue.
In Conclusion
This team is all about setting up a Pokemon that can turn the tables on any basic UU team, be it stall, attacking or anything in between. So go ahead, try it out. It's risky, yes, but it sure is fun. And I can almost guarantee you some sort of success if you play this team right. :)
