Other Metagames [AAA] Someone New

imas · Mar 12, 2016

Intro

I built this team a while ago with a few things in mind. I had realized that I had been making teams that were weak to the now banned Shaymin - Sky and weather teams. Those were, while not super common, really bad weaknesses so I wanted to make a team that would remedy this. Essentially, I wanted to make a team that would have good matchup vs any weather team/Shaymin team while answers to most of the metagame, both defensively and offensively. As a result, I ended up with what's essentially a more offensively inclined balance (since none of the mons are really "walls").

The name of the team stemmed from my desire to use a Hozier song above the intro (because it looked quite bare) and this seemed to fit nicely because these are all Pokemon I had never actually used before. Well, Skarmory, I have used before, but the set is different! Anyway, hope you enjoy it/it helps you out if you're trying to get into AAA. Let's get to it!

Teambuilding Process

I started with AV Regen Scizor because it was a very safe switchin to Skymin/Latios/Gengar and after switching into an attack from the trio mentioned, it could slow U-Turn out and bring in a hard hitting mon safely.

Next I added Sheer Force Thundurus because it could KO all three of those Pokemon with it's coverage/STAB moves and it is a powerful wallbreaker that could help vs annoying bulky Pokemon like Suicune, Zapdos etc.

Now my team was looking very weak to Refrigerate Entei, so to lessen my weakness to it I decided to add a bulky water type to my team. While my first thought was to run Regenerator Manaphy, but I opted to run bulky Primordial Sea Starmie instead because it walled Entei and helped out vs potential sun teams. Also the fact that I had never used it before + it being able to remove hazards tipped the scales in its favour.

After that, I bagan to realize that my suicune check wasn't the best because if a suicune had already set up, the PH variants could technically still beat me. I was also missing a check to Rain and the everpresent Skarmory. As a result, I decided on Desolate Land Roar Heatran.

At this point the team was looking fine but I realized that once I U-Turn out, there's nothing that can KO Skymin without being KO'd itself. Also, I was looking pretty weak to opposing Thundurus and Tyrantrum. So, I settled on Scarf Adaptability Kyurem.

Lastly, seeing how I lacked a bird check, I added Skarmory to check them and act as the team's only Physical Attacker. Also, since Starmie was already the team's hazard removal, I opted to use whirlwind over defog in the last slot because it meant that I could setup and win vs snorlax or just keep it from setting up and sweeping me.

In Depth
(all the special attackers have 0 attack IVs in the importable)

As the team's wallbreaker cannot really switch into attacks and is a Special Attacker, Scizor supports the team with it's slow U-Turn and by knocking off eviolites from Chanseys or Assault Vests from Goodras and Meloettas. It also serves as the team's only solid switchin to big threats like Gengar/Latios/Skymin (now banned). Pursuit allows it to trap Latios/Gengar as they try to switch out. Lastly Iron Head serves as a STAB move to actually hit Pokemon like Goodra with. Alternatively, Superpower can be used over Iron Head to hit Ferrothorn.

Thundurus is the team's only wallbreaker. It's insanely strong with Sheer Force Life Orb and has Nasty Plot to boost its wallbreaking capabilities. It reliably KOs Suicune and Doublade with Thunderbolt and Dark Pulse Respectively and once it gets a Nasty Plot up, it can wreak havoc vs the opponent's Special walls. If rocks are up, at +2, Focus Blast has a chance to KO standard Bold Chansey from full and 2hko AV Goodra trying to switch in. Dark Pulse also has the added benefit of OHKO ing Latios (100% with rocks up, lower if not rocks) and Gengar + reliably getting 2hko on Melo at +2 and Focus Blast can KO stuff like Heatran/Ferrothorn that can threaten to stop its sweep.

Starmie was added as the team was looking weak to Refrigerate Extreme Speed users at that point. PrimSea Starmie reliably checks Entei and is a decent Lucario and Dragonite check as well. They all fear the Scald burn and the EV spread ensures that Dragonite can only KO from full by clicking Outrage at +1. PrimSea also allows Starmie to disrupt opposing Sun teams and it can also check Mega Swampert in rain teams. The moves are rather self explanatory, Scald burns things and threatens Fire types in general + Lucario/Entei/Swampert specifically, Ice Beam lets it check Dragonite, Recover lets it stay healthy throughout the match and Spin keeps hazard away.

Heatran checks Rain and Rain abusers that are not named Swampert. It also checks Suicune/Manaphy, setting up Rocks on them and then Roaring them out. It's also the team's best Skarmory and Genesect check. Taunt shuts down Ferrothorns that switch into tran and stops Doublade from SDing up on it. Lava Plume is essentially there to KO Skarm and Gene and burn things that try to switch in on it.

Kyurem was added because while Heatran could roar out manaphy, nothing could really revenge it on the team. I also realized that I had nothing to come in and reliably KO Thundurus/Victini after it got a kill. I opted to use Kyurem over like Scarf Latios because of the superior bulk and it having no Pursuit weakness. Rocks weakness still sucks tho. The first 3 moves are Adapt boosted STAB moves that can help Kyurem revengekill things or clean late game. Earth Power in the last slot was essentially there to punish Heatran and Lucario switchins.

Skarmory was added to check Gale Wings in general. It also provided the team with some necessary priority and a Physical attacker. Skarmory finds setup opportunities in most matches and is a phenomenal cleaner/set up sweeper. There's really not a lot of reasons to not use it, bar how easily it's Magnet Pull trapped. I chose Whirlwind for the last slot because it meant that I could check Snorlax and not get swept by it + I already had hazard removal in Starmie.

Threatlist

Volcarona: After a Quiver Dance it can basically clean the team. Sash needs to be broken by Kyurem first so that Skarmory can KO with Brave Bird.
Magnet Pull: Well, Skarmory is a very important member of the team + I have 3 steels.
Special Walls: Seeing how my only wallbreaker is a special attacker and my hardest hitting physical attacker has base 80 Attack, I'd say they're threats.

Conclusion

Well, that's all! The team's functioned well for me, it's won (iirc) every test match I've used it. Sorry I have no replays to share, I just never save them unless I'm doing a battle to specifically save a replay of it (like testing specific things to show someone else). Also, while I haven't had the time to ladder with it myself Jordn and motherlove (though he used escavalier over scizor) has taken it out on the ladder for me and has suggested that it functions well there too. I believe this is one of my better builds and it's pretty different from my usual pursuit trap offense so I thought I'd share it. Hope you guys have fun with it!

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Importable

Scizor @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- U-turn
- Iron Head
- Knock Off
- Pursuit

Thundurus @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Thunderbolt
- Dark Pulse
- Focus Blast

Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Primordial Sea
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Recover
- Rapid Spin

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Desolate Land
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Lava Plume
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
- Taunt

Kyurem @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Draco Meteor
- Dragon Pulse
- Earth Power

Skarmory @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Whirlwind

Shoutouts
OK, let's start at the OM room. I've loved spending time here ever since I joined from the first Random Battle tour button. Special thanks to manu 11 jrm115 (come back ;_;) and TheBurgerKing99 (come back ;_;) for being nice and welcoming to me right from the beginning and ihateyourpancreas for being the opposite :> You guys are the reason I stuck around tbh. Also, s/o to The Immortal for making the button. Fellow ROs Eevee General and E4 Flint are always fun to talk to. You guys really keep the room alive when you're online, it's fun to be online when you guys are. Friends I've made along the way among both staff and regs: Snaquaza unfixable Uselesscrab Piccolo Zangooser Ransei SpartanMalice Peef Rimgar Lcass4919 Hack_Guy Kl4ng Adrian Marin Heisenerg Chopin Alkaninoff Pikachuun Dream Eater Gengar BetaHousing baconbagon Rumplestiltskin AllJokesAside MAMP Illusio The Reptile InfernapeTropius11 OM room The Official Glyx tysequaine motherlove tegrof19 Deathly ♛The King GummyPotato Arhops

Now for Tours. Honestly the tours skypechat has been a big part of last year for me. Everyone in it is great and you all are the reason I stuck around the room for so long. There's too many of you to really give a lot of individual shoutouts, but I'll mention the ones I've spent the most time talking to. Special shoutout to Awu for being a nerd, Blitzamirin for loving Mono and petyer for having good taste in vines. Snowy. sucks at gartic and Jarii you're a fun dude, miss the days when we solo'd the room for long periods of time. anto , damn you went from ladybug to smogon section leader real quick and you deserved every bit of it, wish you the best of luck in all your endeavors! BulbaSword I haven't seen you in so long D: and Ace you should start doing art again tbh, you were doing really good!

Sorry if I missed anyone, it's late and I'm sleepy. I hate individal shoutouts for this exact reason.

Imperator Romanum · Mar 12, 2016

Nice team imas :]

Well everyone is a little weak to it, but Skarmory with taunt can be a little trouble if your heatran is weakened. So I'd suggest running taunt on Skarmory, and investing a little speed, 32 should be good as the standard is 28! This lets you beat all skarmory forms except speedy taunt or magic bounce I guess. On that note, you're not really weak to Dragonite at all, with your Skarmory and all. So why not run Thunder on starmie? Makes sure you're not complete Suicune/Slowbro bait and you're not forced to conserve it. Thunder and Scald is a pretty neat combo, you're either getting paralysed or burned :]

imas · Mar 13, 2016

Well, technically I'm not weak to Skarm, it's just that the team has no dedicated counter to it and Skarm is pretty good at muscling past checks if played right. I don't agree with running Taunt on it because opposing Taunt Skarmory is very rare
[19:31:10] +TIBot: Roost 97.083% | Brave Bird 67.888% | Defog 61.096% | Swords Dance 45.354% | Whirlwind 44.605% | Stealth Rock 30.076% | Spikes 21.163% | Iron Head 13.052% | Other 19.685%
and I have Whirlwind on my own Skarmory to stop it from sweeping me once Heatran dies + Whirlwind makes my matchup vs Snorlax/Agility Megagross better. (Also, if there's no rocks on the field and Thundurus is at full, it can check Skarm too)

Thunder, well, I don't know about Slowbro (which I've seen running volt absorb before too) but it doesn't really stop PH suicune from switching in and trying to set up + Skarm's not the best dragonite check because it often runs Fire Punch and Offensive Skarm takes a bunch from +1 LO espeed anyway. Suicune/Bro setting up isn't a problem either because I can switch Tran in and roar them out.

Other Metagames [AAA] Someone New

imas

Imperator Romanum

imas

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