As a general rule of thumb 3/3 special/physical and covering each others' weakness gives a team maximum flexibility at team preview, unless you're running a specialized team like Assist Spore, Perish Trap, stall, etc. All those teams are just that.
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3v3 Singles Metagame Discussion Thread [The Pentagon is back!!]
- Thread starter Hulavuta
- Start date
Great post! I whole-heartedly agree with you regarding mega salamence. It was considered an overhyped pokemon until not too long ago when people started to use it and realized how powerful it is...including people in the pokemon gallery forums. As for dragonite, however, it isalmost always used in the hippowdon/ special mega lucario/dragonite and isn't exactly flexible. It is a good pokemon, aka B+ pokemon.
edit: Koreans don't consider dragonite top tier. they say it's a great pokemon (in both 66 and 63 battles) but they never consider it a top tier.
Sorry. I meant dragonite was considered good not top tier. It's a solid pokemon.
Edit: Additionally, I'm rather surprised mega salamence is A+ and not S on the viability tier list.
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Ah, the beauty of the lower ladder. I've recently started laddering with a team based around Serperior so I can test stuff for my analysis, I've only just broken the 1600s due to some bad luck with funny teams in the 1500s, as soon as I break the 1600s I get matched up with four ~1400 ranked players in a row and lose each match... I'll admit I'm still working some stuff out and am not used to my team at all but I just can't predict anything these lower ranked players do! They also have really odd Pokemon that I'm not familiar with, for example the last loss was against Scarf Tinted Lens Yanmega and Specs UPROAR Porygon-Z! It always takes me fucking ages to get up to the higher ranks because I personally just struggle against lower ranked players. Once I'm up to at least 1700 everything starts to make a little more sense and I play much better...
At least I've learnt that Hidden Power Rock serves no purpose on bulky Serperior! Swapping to Taunt ASAP!
edit: just faced someone with a shiny Zapdos, this is legit the first shiny legend I've seen that can't actually be shiny and have a pentagon on ORAS battle spot. obvious hacks make me sad... too bad Dragonite swept them so hard they DC'd
At least I've learnt that Hidden Power Rock serves no purpose on bulky Serperior! Swapping to Taunt ASAP!
edit: just faced someone with a shiny Zapdos, this is legit the first shiny legend I've seen that can't actually be shiny and have a pentagon on ORAS battle spot. obvious hacks make me sad... too bad Dragonite swept them so hard they DC'd
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uproar is stronger than tri attack by 10 bp and is a sound-based move so blows by subs
also grants immunity to sleep though locks you in like thrash etc
no confusion like thrash etc though just guaranteed 3 turns of the same move no switching mons or moves.
also grants immunity to sleep though locks you in like thrash etc
no confusion like thrash etc though just guaranteed 3 turns of the same move no switching mons or moves.
dragonite and serperior are common in 1800+ nowadays? I thought they weren't very popular especially in high rated battles. I'm not a high rated player so I don't know how it is up there. I'm just asking since I've always viewed dragonite as a pokemon that wold used if somebody wanted to have a DDer if they couldn't use mega mence (CB is pretty nice though)...but I've recently seen some high rated battlers saying it's ridiculously good and refer it to as a broken 63 pokemon. And I am having a really hard time believing that. As for serperior...would it be because talonflame isn't as common nowadays (at least that's how I feel like).
Since I been in the 1700s I haven't seen Dragonite and Serperior get that much play at all.
Serperior is pretty fun, it does a great job against physical attackers but sucks hard against faster stuff and special attackers, and I've been running into a lot of specially-inclined teams in the lower rankings so I haven't had a chance to test it as much as I've wanted to. He totally trolls Kangskhan and non-Fire Blast Garchomp... I'm having trouble finding the best teammates for him though.
Dragonite is a real homeboy though. I'm currently using the DD set and it's a great lead and has bailed me out a bunch of times, although there are times when I wish he was Banded but ah well.. Him and Serperior aren't so great together though, they compound a crippling Ice weakness and are actually a little slow. Dragonite behind a Reflect is pretty good but I haven't been in that situation too often. D-Nite is one of those mons that I find myself using in a lot of my teams and use it pretty often to grind out the lower ladder (although I'm having way more trouble then usual right now ;_;)
Dragonite is a real homeboy though. I'm currently using the DD set and it's a great lead and has bailed me out a bunch of times, although there are times when I wish he was Banded but ah well.. Him and Serperior aren't so great together though, they compound a crippling Ice weakness and are actually a little slow. Dragonite behind a Reflect is pretty good but I haven't been in that situation too often. D-Nite is one of those mons that I find myself using in a lot of my teams and use it pretty often to grind out the lower ladder (although I'm having way more trouble then usual right now ;_;)
Same. I'm above 1700 but never reached that 1800 rate ever. I RARELY see either of them...for instance I only see dragonite when it's in a hippowdon/mega lucario/dragonite core. As for serperior, I've seen it here and there but it's so rare I can't even tell which sets those were using.
What kind of sets do you run for serperior...or what are some viable sets for it? Like you said, I I'm having a hard time seeing what kind of teammates can fit well with it. It's seems like it has a lot of potential with its ability and the speed but I'm not sure how I can build around it or have it as a good teammate.
As for dragonite, like you said, the DD set mows down a lot of the low rate players, including myself. But I am having a hard time seeing how it's such a threat at high rate ladder since the high-rate teams seem not so friendly towards dragonite. At least the teams posted in the Japanese blog from S9 in pg.6 don't seem very easy for dragonite to go up against.
Serperior and setup sweepers are great together (even with shared weaknesses) because Serp is a wonderful lead dual screener with glare/taunt, dual screens, and of course, the nasty plot+130 stab attack all in 1 move leaf storm.
I'm just using the Rocky Helmet one we've been working on in C&C...
Serp @ Helmet
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 8 SpD / 248 Spe
Timid
- Reflect
- Synthesis
- Leaf Storm
- Taunt (was HP rock, hence EVs)
Basically just sit it in front of a physical hitter and wall it and boost where you can. Only thing in having trouble with is that almost every team I've been up against is special offence which makes him pretty useless... He's OK but as soon as I'm done with the analysis I'm dropping him and building a better team :(
Serp @ Helmet
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 8 SpD / 248 Spe
Timid
- Reflect
- Synthesis
- Leaf Storm
- Taunt (was HP rock, hence EVs)
Basically just sit it in front of a physical hitter and wall it and boost where you can. Only thing in having trouble with is that almost every team I've been up against is special offence which makes him pretty useless... He's OK but as soon as I'm done with the analysis I'm dropping him and building a better team :(
I went to 1900+ during season 7. And that was my highest. I did, for the most part, just c+p'd a 2000+ rate team on a Korean forum though. I mainly used the hippowdon/mega lucario/dragonite combination. It's practically the only team dragonite fits into that performs extremely well (imo) an dragonite was my favorite so yeah.
DragoniteLum or LO
Multiscale
Adamant
252Atk/252Spe/6HP
-DD
-Outrage
-Extreme Speed
-Earthquake
Lucario@Lucarionite
Inner Focus
Timid
252Spa/252Spe/6HP
-NP
-Aura Sphere
-Shadow Ball
-Vacuum Wave/Flash Cannon/etc
Hippowdon@Leftovers
Sandstream
Bold
252HP/252Def/6SpDef (I forgot the exact EVs but I think I was using a more special oriented one)
-Roar
-Yawn
-Stealth Rock
-Slack Off
Those wee it I think. It's been a while. It works really well even in upper ladder even now. It's just incredibly boring and predictable. It's predictable but hard to stop.
Multiscale
Adamant
252Atk/252Spe/6HP
-DD
-Outrage
-Extreme Speed
-Earthquake
Lucario@Lucarionite
Inner Focus
Timid
252Spa/252Spe/6HP
-NP
-Aura Sphere
-Shadow Ball
-Vacuum Wave/Flash Cannon/etc
Hippowdon@Leftovers
Sandstream
Bold
252HP/252Def/6SpDef (I forgot the exact EVs but I think I was using a more special oriented one)
-Roar
-Yawn
-Stealth Rock
-Slack Off
Those wee it I think. It's been a while. It works really well even in upper ladder even now. It's just incredibly boring and predictable. It's predictable but hard to stop.
I have exactly the same issue! All those gimmicky pokemon i dont know and stupid decisions of my opponents make me predict wrong and lose against pokemon like chimecho, plusle, and Emolga.
I have a theory on Battle Spot Singles on how people can become better. I don't know this will exactly work, but I want to give it a try. If you have any opinion please post to make this theory better. The theory is to be a top player in Battle Spot Singles is to have a good combo with two pokemon. I mean these two pokemon can sweep your opponent whole team. The other four pokemon are just back-up if you have a certain weakness. I am going to try to see what types of combo I can make in Battle Spot Singles and I would like your guys help with this journey.
I think knowledge, predicting and other skills are important too, maybe a bit underrated even. Low ladder people use sometimes the same pokemon and sets as top ladder people but top ladder players are doing better than the other ones.
Would Chansey be a good teammate to Serp? It seems like it would pressure your opponent into bringing physical attackers from team preview.
Now that you mention it, I have been doing some testing with Latios and Volcarona. I guess you can say that Latios is a good partner for Volcarona because it can help its partner set up. Volcarona also resists Fairy- and Ice-types. I am in the process of finding some nice partners for Mega Pidgeot, which I'm considering using soon. I guess a nice partner for Mega Pidgeot would be Excadrill, as it is able to help against Rotom-W, Heatran, Rhyperior, and Tyranitar. It also allows it to hit Levitate users as well. Excadrill has Rock Slide to get rid of Thundurus for Mega Pidgeot too, while it isn't affected by the cancerous Thunder Wave. I did remember that a Japanese player used both Mega Pidgeot and Mienshao together, which was pretty interesting and it did grab my attention. Fighting-types are nice partners for it I realized.
But I'm being side tracked. I been testing Memento Latios. Sweepers are a big thing in Battle Spot Singles and if you're not prepared for them, then it is game over. Latios has excellent Speed. I might go back to retesting Uxie with other Pokemon because that Pokemon is pretty useful and bulky in taking hits and gives the same set up opportunity as Latios does. Not to mention it has a nice base 95 Speed. It did help my Mega Gyarados set up after setting up Dual Screens and Memento. The same thing applied to when I used Mega Mawile and swept teams left and right. Latios and Uxie can both utilize these aspects in giving you the edge in the game. After setting up dual screens against certain Pokemon, they give your team an edge. This is because the -2 in both Attack and Special attack will give the enemy trouble in taking down your sweeper. With the support that either of these two provides, you can send in your physical or special sweeper and set up from there. The opponent will most likely switch out their Pokemon, which would give you a turn to set up or do whatever you want to do without being inflicted by status or attacked. I do see that Safeguard on Latios would be very helpful as well, avoiding burns, paralysis, confusion, poison, and sleep from Pokemon such as Sableye, Talonflame, Rotom-W, Rotom-H, Thundurus, Klefki, Cresselia, Chansey, Porygon2, and Breloom. At times, I often have to carry Lum Berry to keep Prankster and Focus Sash Pokemon from succeeding in inflicting status.
I remember having Latios on my team as support. I was in a Battle Spot Singles tourney in the semi-finals and it was pretty quick because my opponent didn't expect it. They sent out their Breloom, while I sent out my Latios. First things first, set up Safeguard to prevent Breloom from Sporing Latios, but I predicted that they would switch out into their Garchomp, which they did because they expected Psychic. Instead, I put up Reflect because I figured it would be an Scarf Garchomp. It then used Outrage and Latios barely survived that, now I was able to used Memento afterwards to get the -2 drops in both stats on my opponent, also they're locked into Outrage. It didn't do much while I had Volcarona on the field, so I was in the clear to set up Quiver Dance as my opponent was confused. Then they swapped out into Rotom-W, as I got my second Quiver Dance, meaning I'm at +2 in Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. Then, I OHKO it with Giga Drain and they sent out Breloom. I used Bug Buzz and got it down to Focus Sash and it used Spore on Volcarona, thinking they could Rock Tomb me afterwards. They were sadly mistaken because Volcarona had a Lum Berry. I then finished it off with a Bug Buzz as well, OHKOing it. I'm really enjoying this set that Latios has. I'm definitely trying it out ingame as well.
Whether or not he switched Breloom in before Rotom-W, the result would have been the same with Lum Berry preventing Volcarona from falling asleep and getting hit by Rock Tomb. Volcarona was at +2 now, so it outspeeds Choice Scarf Garchomp and can hit harder at +2 Special Attack now. Guess you can say that they should have Rock Tomb Volcarona, but luckily I had Cresselia.
Latios moveset:
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Memento
- Safeguard
- Timid nature [ 252 HP | 4 Def | 252 Spe]
- Light Clay
I would say be very careful because Psychic typing isn't much of a good type in Battle Spot Singles with all the Knock off and Sucker Punch users everywhere. Would also recommend you watch out for Prankster Taunt users too such as Thundurus because this thing is beyond annoying.
From experience in Battle Spot Singles, I always need to use two Pokemon that provide synergy with each other, often being teammates to each other. Usually I would make 3 Pokemon that is centered around 1 Pokemon. So like 3 Pokemon that ends up forming a core with each other, helping cover each other's weakness. n_n
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I do say it'll give me an idea on what to build around Mega Pidgeot even though it isn't all that versatile. I enjoy the fact that I like using underrated Mega Pokemon and even other underrated Pokemon for that matter. Excadrill is pretty much the mort favorable because it helps in dealing with Ice-, Electric-, and Rock-types that Mega Pidgeot is weak against. I guess you can say that Mega Pidgeot can handle certain Grass-types that'll give Excadrill trouble such as Breloom, Whimsicott, and Ferrothorn. Choice Scarf Excadrill is nice considering it can outspeed base 100s that aren't Scarfed. So, it can hit Mega Gardevoir with an Iron Head, which can get rid of Fairy-types. Having Mold Breaker for Rotom and Gengar is needed, ignoring their abilities and clearing them off the field for Mega Pidgeot. I am going to mention that Azumarill can arguably be another option because together, as they do form a core with each other. Azumarill can come into a Fire-, Fighting-, or Water-type attack for a resist just like Latios can. Dark-type moves such as Knock Off, Sucker Punch, and Dark Pulse are pretty common, so Azumarill can sponge those attacks. It also has access to priority in Aqua Jet, so it can deal with some fast Pokemon that are checks to Mega Pidgeot.
With the incoming of ORAS and Mega Pidgeot announced, I kind of ignored it until I saw it was given the ability No Guard and saw its impressive offensive stats. Though, I was kind of disappointed in Mega Pidgeot's Special Attack because I believe they wasted the majority of its stat increase on that as soon as it Mega Evolves. I did wish they increased its Special Attack from 70 to at least maybe 85 just how they increased its Speed as soon as X/Y were released. Mega Pidgeot does have a lacking offensive movepool limiting its usage. It also has to deal with very fast Pokemon such as Mega Manectric, Mega Aerodactyl, Talonflame, and Greninja. But aside from that, I did hope that Pidgeot would have been given Focus Blast to save its life so that it can check Rock-, Dark-, Steel-, Ice-, and Normal-types such as Tyranitar, Weavile, Heatran, Mamoswine, and Chansey. I wish for Work Up to be allowed so that Mega Pidgeot can use it to boost its Special Attack. At least on the bright side it can make use of STAB Hyper Beam in dealing massive damage, possibly getting rid of some tough threats. Mega Pidgeot's bulk and No Guard just gives it complete drawbacks, clipping off its feathers.
Pidgeot @ Pidgeotite
ability: Keen Eye
nature: Timid
evs: 4 HP | 252 SpA | 252 Spe
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power Ice
- Protect / Hyper Beam
Excadrill @ Choice Scarf
ability: Mold Breaker
nature: Jolly
evs: 252 Atk | 4 Def | 252 Spe
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Tomb / Rock Slide
- Horn Drill
Azumarill @ Lum Berry
ability: Huge Power
nature: Adamant
evs: 244 HP | 252 Atk | 12 Spe
- Waterfall
- Aqua Jet
- Play Rough
- Superpower
Just a core that can be made with Mega Pidgeot.
I do also wonder what sorts of ways I can also consider using maybe....Mega Alakazam on my team if I do plan on building one around it?
EDIT: I did not see that link until after I just posted this haha