Greetings everyone! My name is Microwave Oven, but you probably know me as Dugtrio or one of my many other alts on Pokemon Showdown. For the first time ever, I have achieved the #1 spot on an Official Ladder. For me, it's a huge achievement. I've aspired to reach the #1 spot ever since I started play Pokemon Showdown nearly four years ago. Now that I've finally done it, I gotta do a Rate My Team of course!
Needless to say, I'm thrilled to be writing this. I'm sure my #1 ranking won't last long, but I'm savoring every moment while it's here. This RMT is a celebration of one of my biggest achievements in Pokemon. I'm extremely thankful to everyone who helped me get this far and everyone who is taking the time to read this. They say when you reach the top of the ladder, you're changing the metagame. Honestly, I already consider this team to be outdated, as I feel as though top battlers have already made adjustments to their teambuilding to beat this team and its counterparts. Plus, most top RU players have seen this team by now, and they know how to play around it. This team will NOT work well in current top play in the RU tier. But the fact that this team reached #1 means that it should be put out there for everyone to see. It is my hope that by writing this extensive RMT, other battlers will benefit, and my accomplishment will go as recognized.
I'm doing things a little differently this time around. I'm not creating just one write-up; there will be two. One will be straightforward and serious; the other will be a fun "themed" write-up. The reason that I am doing this is because I couldn't decide between the two, and I figure two write-ups are better than one. I've always wanted to do a "themed" write-up, and I want to have fun with this. But at the same time, I really want to explore each Pokemon in-depth. Also, there are several arguments and opinions I want to express about the RU tier and its Pokemon, and I figure that this is a prime opportunity to do so. This would be best accomplished through a serious and straightforward analysis with no theme. Hence, you get two write-ups. Additionally, I'll also be including many other fun and useful things, such as a team song and descriptions of serious threats.
As this is a RMT, you're more than welcome to import the team and make suggestions as you see fit. However, and I don't mean this in a cocky way whatsoever, this team got to #1 for a reason. It is extremely unlikely that I will make any changes. Usually when people suggest alterations to a team I've built, it really throws off what I'm trying to do. I hate to put it so bluntly, but this is MY team that I built. It's MY work. If you want to implement changes for your own use, please be my guest. But please understand that I will probably not be making any changes.
Now that I've gotten to #1, I'm already moving on to other teams and different tiers. For all intents and purposes, I consider this team to be retired, and it is unlikely that I will ever make a serious laddering attempt with it ever again. Sure, I'll probably use it in tournaments and such, but I don't ever expect to chase #1 with it again. In fact, with the evolution of the RU metagame in recent weeks, I doubt that this team could get back to #1 with a fresh account even if I tried. I used this team at the perfect time, and it paid off nicely. What I'm trying to say is that I'm really not trying to "improve" or "change" this team. This RMT is a celebration, not a request for help.
Most importantly, I want to express that this team is NOT perfect. It has many flaws. It's very gimmicky, and once an opponent learns of its gimmicks, it is much less likely to win battles. In fact, I'd probably even say it's a straight up Gimmick Team, albeit a very good one. The fact that I got to #1 was quite lucky. I had a lot of good matchups, and many battles went in my favor. Furthermore, this team will not fit the playing style of most battlers. It is a very heavy Stall team that works well for me personally. Most battlers will prefer a less passive and more exciting team. So, if you're looking for the perfect RU team, you've come to the wrong place. Please understand that.
Having said all of that, I think it's time to wrap-up this introduction. I hope you all have fun reading about this team, and hopefully it will give some people a new idea or two for teambuilding. I now humbly present BOW TO YOUR PRINCESS.
Needless to say, I'm thrilled to be writing this. I'm sure my #1 ranking won't last long, but I'm savoring every moment while it's here. This RMT is a celebration of one of my biggest achievements in Pokemon. I'm extremely thankful to everyone who helped me get this far and everyone who is taking the time to read this. They say when you reach the top of the ladder, you're changing the metagame. Honestly, I already consider this team to be outdated, as I feel as though top battlers have already made adjustments to their teambuilding to beat this team and its counterparts. Plus, most top RU players have seen this team by now, and they know how to play around it. This team will NOT work well in current top play in the RU tier. But the fact that this team reached #1 means that it should be put out there for everyone to see. It is my hope that by writing this extensive RMT, other battlers will benefit, and my accomplishment will go as recognized.
I'm doing things a little differently this time around. I'm not creating just one write-up; there will be two. One will be straightforward and serious; the other will be a fun "themed" write-up. The reason that I am doing this is because I couldn't decide between the two, and I figure two write-ups are better than one. I've always wanted to do a "themed" write-up, and I want to have fun with this. But at the same time, I really want to explore each Pokemon in-depth. Also, there are several arguments and opinions I want to express about the RU tier and its Pokemon, and I figure that this is a prime opportunity to do so. This would be best accomplished through a serious and straightforward analysis with no theme. Hence, you get two write-ups. Additionally, I'll also be including many other fun and useful things, such as a team song and descriptions of serious threats.
As this is a RMT, you're more than welcome to import the team and make suggestions as you see fit. However, and I don't mean this in a cocky way whatsoever, this team got to #1 for a reason. It is extremely unlikely that I will make any changes. Usually when people suggest alterations to a team I've built, it really throws off what I'm trying to do. I hate to put it so bluntly, but this is MY team that I built. It's MY work. If you want to implement changes for your own use, please be my guest. But please understand that I will probably not be making any changes.
Now that I've gotten to #1, I'm already moving on to other teams and different tiers. For all intents and purposes, I consider this team to be retired, and it is unlikely that I will ever make a serious laddering attempt with it ever again. Sure, I'll probably use it in tournaments and such, but I don't ever expect to chase #1 with it again. In fact, with the evolution of the RU metagame in recent weeks, I doubt that this team could get back to #1 with a fresh account even if I tried. I used this team at the perfect time, and it paid off nicely. What I'm trying to say is that I'm really not trying to "improve" or "change" this team. This RMT is a celebration, not a request for help.
Most importantly, I want to express that this team is NOT perfect. It has many flaws. It's very gimmicky, and once an opponent learns of its gimmicks, it is much less likely to win battles. In fact, I'd probably even say it's a straight up Gimmick Team, albeit a very good one. The fact that I got to #1 was quite lucky. I had a lot of good matchups, and many battles went in my favor. Furthermore, this team will not fit the playing style of most battlers. It is a very heavy Stall team that works well for me personally. Most battlers will prefer a less passive and more exciting team. So, if you're looking for the perfect RU team, you've come to the wrong place. Please understand that.
Having said all of that, I think it's time to wrap-up this introduction. I hope you all have fun reading about this team, and hopefully it will give some people a new idea or two for teambuilding. I now humbly present BOW TO YOUR PRINCESS.
I've been running Alomomola + Registeel cores in the RU tier for nearly two years now. It is my absolute favorite defensive core in the entire metagame. I feel as though these two Pokemon provide exceptional synergy, and they can be built around in many different ways. These two Pokemon formed the basis of my team.
One of the biggest problems I've had as a Stall player is having to deal with the move Taunt. In particular, Jellicent gave me a lot of trouble. I wanted to build a team that would have an answer to this problem. That is where I came up with the idea to run Aromatisse. With its ability Aroma Veil, it is immune to Taunt. This made it a prime selection for my latest Stall team.
From there, the team was missing many features of a good Stall team. It needed Heal Bell, Defog and Stealth Rock, as well as answers to several different Wallbreakers, such as Mega-Camerupt. I also wanted to run multiple Choice-Pokemon with the move Trick to provide me with some "insurance policies" in case I was facing Pokemon that I would have a difficult time bringing down. Slowking was a good choice, as it could wall Mega-Camerupt, form a strong Regenerator core with Alomomola and act as a Special Defensive Wall on its own.
With four Pokemon set, I was facing a serious problem. I had only two slots left, and I needed to fit Heal Bell, Defog and Stealth Rock on the team. I knew I would have to fit Heal Bell and Stealth Rock onto one Pokemon. My options were either Diancie or Uxie. I selected Uxie for several reasons. For one, I had more experience using it. Two, I could run a Trick set. Three, it gave me a better chance against Virizion, a serious threat in the RU tier. Plus, with a Choice Scarf Trick set, it gave me an emergency answer to Swords Dance Drapion, a Pokemon that can easily still sweep my team.
Finally, Golbat was added. Golbat was my best bet as a Defogger that could beat Virizion. It also provided me with somewhat of an answer to Braviary, which was becoming extremely popular in the tier with Mega-Steelix and Tyrantrum getting banned. Not to mention, Golbat is extremely bulky, has reliable recovery and I am experienced in using it. That completed my team.
The road to the top was easy at first. It was almost as though I could Trick whichever opposing Pokemon I wanted, and many people fell for my Block Registeel gimmick. But as time went on, things became more difficult. My opponents started figuring out my tactics, and they would play around my team. This especially became true whenever I faced the same opponent a second or a third time. Needless to say, many of my later battles were a real chore, and I had to play extensive mindgames in order to accomplish my goal. In some cases (mostly on my alt accounts) I made plays demonstrating extreme paranoia, and it cost me many matches. Luckily, I seemed to have exceptionally good luck on my primary account of Dugtrio, which greatly helped me in reaching #1.
Additionally, I noticed that Braviary and Golbat both became more popular during my run. With Mega-Steelix and Tyrantrum banned, many people got the idea to run a Hazard Stack team featuring a Defiant Braviary. It became one of the most common team concepts I saw during my run. And as more people ran Braviary, more people similarly adopted Golbat as a means of stopping Braviary. Unfortunately, this meant that many Virizion users became aware of the danger Golbat presented, and more battlers started making an effort to play around Golbat, which is quite easy to do if you know what to look for. The final days of my laddering became extremely arduous, and I did everything I could to avoid difficult matchups (e.g. scouting with various alts, which at times became higher ranked than Dugtrio, my primary account).
In the end, it all paid off. I achieved my goal - the #1 spot. I highly doubt I'll hold the spot for long; in fact Solidsweeps will probably have already taken it back by the time I finish this extensive post (update, he has). Nonetheless, I did what I wanted to do, and nothing can change that.
One of the biggest problems I've had as a Stall player is having to deal with the move Taunt. In particular, Jellicent gave me a lot of trouble. I wanted to build a team that would have an answer to this problem. That is where I came up with the idea to run Aromatisse. With its ability Aroma Veil, it is immune to Taunt. This made it a prime selection for my latest Stall team.
From there, the team was missing many features of a good Stall team. It needed Heal Bell, Defog and Stealth Rock, as well as answers to several different Wallbreakers, such as Mega-Camerupt. I also wanted to run multiple Choice-Pokemon with the move Trick to provide me with some "insurance policies" in case I was facing Pokemon that I would have a difficult time bringing down. Slowking was a good choice, as it could wall Mega-Camerupt, form a strong Regenerator core with Alomomola and act as a Special Defensive Wall on its own.
With four Pokemon set, I was facing a serious problem. I had only two slots left, and I needed to fit Heal Bell, Defog and Stealth Rock on the team. I knew I would have to fit Heal Bell and Stealth Rock onto one Pokemon. My options were either Diancie or Uxie. I selected Uxie for several reasons. For one, I had more experience using it. Two, I could run a Trick set. Three, it gave me a better chance against Virizion, a serious threat in the RU tier. Plus, with a Choice Scarf Trick set, it gave me an emergency answer to Swords Dance Drapion, a Pokemon that can easily still sweep my team.
Finally, Golbat was added. Golbat was my best bet as a Defogger that could beat Virizion. It also provided me with somewhat of an answer to Braviary, which was becoming extremely popular in the tier with Mega-Steelix and Tyrantrum getting banned. Not to mention, Golbat is extremely bulky, has reliable recovery and I am experienced in using it. That completed my team.
The road to the top was easy at first. It was almost as though I could Trick whichever opposing Pokemon I wanted, and many people fell for my Block Registeel gimmick. But as time went on, things became more difficult. My opponents started figuring out my tactics, and they would play around my team. This especially became true whenever I faced the same opponent a second or a third time. Needless to say, many of my later battles were a real chore, and I had to play extensive mindgames in order to accomplish my goal. In some cases (mostly on my alt accounts) I made plays demonstrating extreme paranoia, and it cost me many matches. Luckily, I seemed to have exceptionally good luck on my primary account of Dugtrio, which greatly helped me in reaching #1.
Additionally, I noticed that Braviary and Golbat both became more popular during my run. With Mega-Steelix and Tyrantrum banned, many people got the idea to run a Hazard Stack team featuring a Defiant Braviary. It became one of the most common team concepts I saw during my run. And as more people ran Braviary, more people similarly adopted Golbat as a means of stopping Braviary. Unfortunately, this meant that many Virizion users became aware of the danger Golbat presented, and more battlers started making an effort to play around Golbat, which is quite easy to do if you know what to look for. The final days of my laddering became extremely arduous, and I did everything I could to avoid difficult matchups (e.g. scouting with various alts, which at times became higher ranked than Dugtrio, my primary account).
In the end, it all paid off. I achieved my goal - the #1 spot. I highly doubt I'll hold the spot for long; in fact Solidsweeps will probably have already taken it back by the time I finish this extensive post (update, he has). Nonetheless, I did what I wanted to do, and nothing can change that.
For anyone who's wondering, I'm a 23 year old from the United States. I'm a professional writer for a living, which probably explains why this RMT is so long! In fact, I'm actually having a lot of fun writing this. Most people seem to find writing RMTs to be a chore, but as a writer, I find it to be a great way to pass time. I don't make many successful teams, so having the opportunity to write this is a real treat! I also want to mention that I'm a graduate of Illinois State University, having earned my Bachelor's in Economics and Political Science there in December of 2014.
I've loved Pokemon for the vast majority of my life. I still remember playing Pokemon Blue on my Gameboy Color when I was just 6 or 7 years old. I think it's an incredible franchise, and while it has had its ups and downs, it will always be a major passion of mine. While I still occasionally dabble in the games, I find Competitive Battling to be my primary outlet.
I've been playing on Pokemon Showdown for nearly four years, but only recently have I come to accept myself as a Stall player. Since coming to terms with this, I have seen my performances skyrocket. I like having safe switch-ins and the ability to make safe plays with few risks. This is the basis of my strategy as a battler.
That being said, I also consider myself to be an extremely aggressive Stall player, as opposed to a passive one. I regularly use Pokemon that utilize Trick, and I love to run trappers such as Block Registeel, Mean Look Dusclops, etc. These tactics make battling more exciting for me, and it provides me the opportunity to be aggressive, while still staying true to my Defensive roots. While I consider Stall to be the ultimate strategy, I believe that coming to terms with your ideal playing style, whether it is Hyper Offense, Balance or whatever, is a major part of becoming a better battler.
As far as my skill level goes, I consider myself to be decent, but not great. I can usually hold my own, but there are many battlers with more skill and better strategies than myself. For example, most of my strategies have been limited to Stall, and I have a very hard time constructing teams outside of my comfort zone. This makes me extremely predictable in the long run, and I'm sure that this makes me more of a threat on the ladder than it would in organized league play.
Having said that, I don't want to sell myself too short. I've had many accomplishments in Gen 6 of Pokemon. I've laddered extensively in many tiers, including PU, NU, RU, UU, OU and Random Battles. Obviously, I've had more success in some tiers than in others, but I consider myself to be okay in all of them. I've also won many tournaments, including winning both UU and OU tournaments using RU teams. I usually know what works for my style of play when I build teams, and while I might have a hard time against some top-level opponents, I am a solid battler at the end of the day. Sure, there are gonna be people that are better at this game, but I feel as though I am a threat most of the time.
In the end, I take this game seriously, but I try to have fun doing so. I legitimately enjoy running Stall, as it gives me a chance to battle the way that I want to. Other battlers don't always see this, and I get quite a bit of flak sometimes. But, I just do what works for me, and hopefully get some wins along the way. Most importantly, I just love Pokemon. I love the ins and outs of the competitive metagame, I love watching the series continue to grow and I have taken a strong liking to many different Pokemon, both from a competitive standpoint and from a personal standpoint. Really, for me, Pokemon is life.
When I'm not battling or writing, you can often find me hanging out on Pokemon Showdown. I'm often goofing off in the lobby, always getting into trouble, which is probably why I'm not Voiced despite having the name Dugtrio. I'm also an avid runner, having run multiple marathons. I run every day, and I do literally mean every day. I NEVER miss a day running. I also enjoy anime, particularly cute slice-of-life series.
I've loved Pokemon for the vast majority of my life. I still remember playing Pokemon Blue on my Gameboy Color when I was just 6 or 7 years old. I think it's an incredible franchise, and while it has had its ups and downs, it will always be a major passion of mine. While I still occasionally dabble in the games, I find Competitive Battling to be my primary outlet.
I've been playing on Pokemon Showdown for nearly four years, but only recently have I come to accept myself as a Stall player. Since coming to terms with this, I have seen my performances skyrocket. I like having safe switch-ins and the ability to make safe plays with few risks. This is the basis of my strategy as a battler.
That being said, I also consider myself to be an extremely aggressive Stall player, as opposed to a passive one. I regularly use Pokemon that utilize Trick, and I love to run trappers such as Block Registeel, Mean Look Dusclops, etc. These tactics make battling more exciting for me, and it provides me the opportunity to be aggressive, while still staying true to my Defensive roots. While I consider Stall to be the ultimate strategy, I believe that coming to terms with your ideal playing style, whether it is Hyper Offense, Balance or whatever, is a major part of becoming a better battler.
As far as my skill level goes, I consider myself to be decent, but not great. I can usually hold my own, but there are many battlers with more skill and better strategies than myself. For example, most of my strategies have been limited to Stall, and I have a very hard time constructing teams outside of my comfort zone. This makes me extremely predictable in the long run, and I'm sure that this makes me more of a threat on the ladder than it would in organized league play.
Having said that, I don't want to sell myself too short. I've had many accomplishments in Gen 6 of Pokemon. I've laddered extensively in many tiers, including PU, NU, RU, UU, OU and Random Battles. Obviously, I've had more success in some tiers than in others, but I consider myself to be okay in all of them. I've also won many tournaments, including winning both UU and OU tournaments using RU teams. I usually know what works for my style of play when I build teams, and while I might have a hard time against some top-level opponents, I am a solid battler at the end of the day. Sure, there are gonna be people that are better at this game, but I feel as though I am a threat most of the time.
In the end, I take this game seriously, but I try to have fun doing so. I legitimately enjoy running Stall, as it gives me a chance to battle the way that I want to. Other battlers don't always see this, and I get quite a bit of flak sometimes. But, I just do what works for me, and hopefully get some wins along the way. Most importantly, I just love Pokemon. I love the ins and outs of the competitive metagame, I love watching the series continue to grow and I have taken a strong liking to many different Pokemon, both from a competitive standpoint and from a personal standpoint. Really, for me, Pokemon is life.
When I'm not battling or writing, you can often find me hanging out on Pokemon Showdown. I'm often goofing off in the lobby, always getting into trouble, which is probably why I'm not Voiced despite having the name Dugtrio. I'm also an avid runner, having run multiple marathons. I run every day, and I do literally mean every day. I NEVER miss a day running. I also enjoy anime, particularly cute slice-of-life series.
You might be wondering what's with the Princess Theme for this team. Well, there are a few reasons for this. For one, the Pokemon on this team, at least in my view, are really quite feminine. Alomomola, Aromatisse and Slowking are all pink and cute looking. Uxie, while technically being genderless, is quite feminine in my view as well. Registeel reminds me of a fat chick, and Golbat is like one of those ugly pets that a girl who is a bit loony is quite obsessed with. The Pokemon on this team are quite spoiled, always healing themselves and one another. It's like they care more about ensuring their own well-being instead of beating the opponent!
The other thing is I've had that "World Is Mine" song by JubyPhonic stuck in my head for like a week, and I was looking for ANY excuse to fit it on this RMT! That song is so freaking catchy, and I can't stop listening to it! For a princess team, it's a perfect fit. I'm a huge fan of Jubyphonic in general; I think she's an awesome singer with a really catchy voice, so I'm extremely happy that I can use one of her songs to represent this team. So there you have it; a Princess Theme was born!
The other thing is I've had that "World Is Mine" song by JubyPhonic stuck in my head for like a week, and I was looking for ANY excuse to fit it on this RMT! That song is so freaking catchy, and I can't stop listening to it! For a princess team, it's a perfect fit. I'm a huge fan of Jubyphonic in general; I think she's an awesome singer with a really catchy voice, so I'm extremely happy that I can use one of her songs to represent this team. So there you have it; a Princess Theme was born!
Alomomola @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
- Scald
Alomomola is the best Pokemon in the RU tier. There, I said it. I know many of you will disagree, and I fully understand that. I'm saying this as a Stall player. The amount of support Alomomola provides a team is incredible. When you combine Wish support, Regenerator, Toxic support and Scald all into a Water Type that is ridiculously physically defensive, you have an amazing Pokemon. Sure, I'll accept the argument that the tier's current S-Ranks (Flygon, Venusaur, Virizion) fit the current metagame better, but from a defensive-player's standpoint, Alomomola has more potential than any Pokemon in the tier. Agree or disagree, that's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it.
Let me go on a rant for a second. I believe the only reason Alomomola is even in the RU tier is because of its design. People want to use "cool" looking Pokemon, like Jolteon or Charizard. Not many people want to use a cute pink fish. But the fact of the matter is that Alomomola is extremely easy to use, fantastically supports the team and possesses one of the best abilities in the game. I'm confident that if Alomomola had an edgier design, it would be UU. I can't prove this theory, but I want to mention it.
Anyway, like I said, Alomomola is one of the easiest Pokemon to use in the entire game. Like, it's literally designed for beginners. You bring it in on physical attacks. You Toxic your opponent. You recover HP. You get burns with Scald. If you're low on health, you switch out and get 1/3 of your HP back. It really is that simple. It really is one of the most forgiving Pokemon out there.
I have been criticized in the past for running Max Defense on Alomomola. I don't understand why anyone would want to run anything else. I want Alomomola to tank as many physical hits as possible. My other Pokemon can handle the special attacks. Alomomola needs this kind of bulk to stand up to some major physical wallbreakers. Here are some calcs:
252+ Atk Choice Band Flygon Outrage vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Alomomola: 223-264 (41.8 - 49.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Escavalier Megahorn vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Alomomola: 276-325 (51.7 - 60.9%) -- 94.1% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Life Orb Reckless Hitmonlee High Jump Kick vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Alomomola: 286-337 (53.6 - 63.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+4 252+ Atk Fletchinder Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Alomomola: 336-396 (63 - 74.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Keep in mind that these calculations do not take Alomomola's Protect into consideration. That's basically an extra free turn to recover HP, as well as wear down the opponent, assuming they are Poisoned or Burned. And if things ever get real dangerous, I can always switch Alomomola out to another Pokemon, perhaps one with a more favorable type matchup and recover 1/3 of its HP with Regenerator.
On another note, I need to give special mention to Protect. The move is extraordinarily useful on a team with two Trick Pokemon. Once you know an opposing Pokemon is Choiced, it makes for great scouting. It's just another reason why Alomomola is awesome.
Overall, I consider Alomomola to be the very foundation of RU Stall. It is unmatched in terms of the sheer support it can provide a team, and it takes physical hits better than any other Pokemon in the metagame. You will not find a better defensive Pokemon in the entire tier.
Registeel @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 SpA
- Block
- Toxic
- Rest
- Seismic Toss
Ah, a classic. And yet for some reason, nobody seems to run it. I guess everyone is still stuck in the mindset that Registeel should be used as a Stealth Rock Pokemon. If people could just drop that restriction, they would see just how dangerous this Pokemon can be. I love using trappers, and Registeel is perhaps my favorite one in all of Pokemon.
All it takes is one properly landed Block on the correct Pokemon, and that Pokemon is finished. Candidates for being Blocked include Alomomola, Aromatisse, Burned Venusaur, Opposing Registeel, Slowking, Scarf Magneton, No U-Turn Uxie, Golbat, Blastoise, Diancie, Togetic, Tangrowth lacking Focus Blast, Bronzong and more. Holy crap. That's a lot. Why isn't this set more popular???
And unlike other trappers, such as Dugtrio, Registeel is bulky as hell. 363 HP with 438 Special Defense. What??? For an RU Pokemon??? That's insane. Absolutely insane. And it has great typing in Steel to boot. If it weren't for the possibility of being trapped by Dugtrio, this would be on every defensive team. You want proof? Here are some calcs:
252+ SpA Slowking Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Registeel: 120-142 (32.9 - 39%) -- 9.4% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ SpA Choice Specs Jolteon Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Registeel: 117-138 (32.1 - 37.9%) -- 0.6% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ SpA Choice Specs Mega Venusaur Hidden Power Fire vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Registeel: 112-134 (30.7 - 36.8%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
All of that is great, but there's one other major reason I run Registeel. That is the fact that it can stand up to Specs Exploud's Boomburst. Exploud is one of the most threatening wallbeakers in the tier, and any good stall team needs an answer. As for Exploud's Fire Blast and Focus Blast, Slowking can handle those without any issue.
252+ SpA Choice Specs Exploud Boomburst vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Registeel: 80-94 (21.9 - 25.8%) -- possible 5HKO after Leftovers recovery
Needless to say Registeel fits this team extraordinarily well. It has the Special Defenses I look for, and it has tremendous typing. Its ability to trap is incredible, essentially turning Passive Stall into Aggressive Stall. I'd highly recommend it for any Stall team that wants to take more an offensive route.
Aromatisse @ Leftovers
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 248 HP / 36 SpA / 224 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
Aromatisse is on this team for two main reasons. Those reasons are to deal with Taunt users and to beat Clawitzer. I haven't seen many Clawitzer lately, but it would be shame to be unprepared. Here's the calc:
252+ SpA Choice Specs Clawitzer Scald vs. 248 HP / 224+ SpD Aromatisse: 162-192 (40 - 47.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
As a Stall player, I've had countless problems with Taunt users, particularly Jellicent. I decided enough was enough, and I added Aromatisse for its Aroma Veil ability. It also makes a good backup Special Defensive Wall aside from Registeel and Slowking. Aromatisse also provides me with a good way to scout opposing Pokemon. For example, I often switch in Aromatisse into Rotom-Mow because it would be devastating if Registeel got Tricked.
The fact that I have two other Special Defensive Pokemon on this team allows me to be extremely aggressive with Aromatisse. In most matches, it is my first Pokemon to Faint, allowing me to make key switch-ins to other Pokemon without forcing them to take a hit.
Aromatisse is also my primary answer for Scrafty. Yeah, taking an Iron Head sucks, but Moonblast is a OHKO, and it's a lot safer than relying on Golbat alone. Here are the calcs:
252 Atk Scrafty Iron Head vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Aromatisse: 180-212 (44.4 - 52.3%) -- 14.8% chance to 2HKO
36 SpA Aromatisse Moonblast vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Scrafty: 372-444 (137.2 - 163.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
The reason I have 36 Special Attack EVs is to better deal with Malamar, a Pokemon that used to give me a lot of trouble. With this small investment in Special Attack, Aromatisse is more likely to KO Malamar while it is asleep, and it doesn't take away much from its Special Defense. I took the EVs out Special Defense rather than HP so that it could pass better Wishes. Here's the Malamar calc:
36 SpA Aromatisse Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Malamar: 186-218 (49.4 - 57.9%) -- 55.1% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Additionally, Aromatisse is my best option for dealing with Houndoom. No, it cannot beat Houndoom on its own, but it can usually get the Toxic on it, and I can typically deal with it from there. The calc:
+2 252 SpA Life Orb Houndoom Fire Blast vs. 248 HP / 224+ SpD Aromatisse: 331-390 (81.7 - 96.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Speaking of Wish, it really is nice having two Wish passers on the same team. At first, I though it would be redundant, but it actually works quite well. Sometimes you have a Pokemon in need of some extra HP, and bringing out a Special Defensive Wish passer is preferable over Alomomola. Additionally, it just provides me with more safe plays, and as a Stall player, I love making safe plays whenever I can.
And I want to give yet another shout out to Protect. It's an awesome move for this team, providing me with tremendous scouting ability and more time to wear down the opponent. Having two Pokemon with Protect is great, and it really fits this team well.
Finally, I want to mention Toxic. I can fit Toxic over Aromatherapy on Aromatisse because I put Heal Bell on Uxie. Toxic is one of my favorite moves, and I usually run it whenever possible. It wears the opponent down, and it makes Aromatisse much less passive. Again, I always lean towards Aggressive Stall versus Passive stall.
All things considered, Aromatisse fits this team perfectly. It deals with several Pokemon that I would otherwise have trouble with, and it provides me with even more Special Defensive support to an already very bulky team. The Aroma Veil ability is a godsend, and it saves my team from being strictly Taunt bait. I really can't think of a better Pokemon for this slot.
Slowking @ Choice Specs
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Scald
- Toxic
- Slack Off
Slowking was added to the team as a means of dealing with Mega Camerupt, an extremely powerful wallbreaker that few Pokemon can stand up to. It was chosen over Gastrodon because of its ability to use the move Trick and to form a Regenerator core with Alomomola. All in all, Slowking is a fantastic Special Defensive wall with a few tricks up its sleeve.
To start off. I think it's worthwhile to see just how well Slowking does against Mega Camerupt. Beating Mega Camerupt is a main reason for choosing Slowking, and this calc says it all:
252+ SpA Sheer Force Mega Camerupt Earth Power vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Slowking: 153-181 (38.9 - 46%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
As far as my two Trick Pokemon go, Slowking is more of my backup option. It's not as reliable on getting the Trick on the Pokemon I want due to its slower speed. Still, it usually works very nicely in Tricking Pokemon such as Sigilyph and Registeel. In fact, Sigilyph is a Pokemon I basically need to Trick or else it can sweep my team. By the time Uxie has already Tricked a Pokemon, very few people expect a second Trick user in Slowking.
Before Slowking trades its Choice Specs, it does serve some purpose. Scald hits very hard with Choice Specs, getting Slowking's Special Attack up to a surprisingly high 354. And of course, Scald has that lovely Burn chance. If Slowking decides not to attack, it can usually stall out a previously Poisoned Pokemon with Slack Off, or it can pass on Poison of its own with Toxic.
Much like Aromatisse, Slowking is also a great scouter. It can come in on many Special Attackers, learn what they're running, and switch out to recover 1/3 of its HP with Regenerator. Depending on the Pokemon, Slowking is often better suited for this job than Aromatisse.
Of course, using Trick is Slowking's primary mission. I usually like to save it for Pokemon that are extremely tedious for me to beat, such as Venusaur, in order to make the match go faster. Unlike Uxie, Slowking is not as burdened in holding a Choice item. It can still recover HP or attack when needed. Plus with its fantastic bulk and Regenerator ability, Slowking is extremely forgiving to use, much more so than the other Trick user Uxie, which has no reliable recovery whatsoever.
Speaking of bulk, Slowking's stats are a beauty. An HP stat of 393 and 350 in Special Defense is incredible for a Pokemon that provides Trick support. There's really no point in investing EVs into Special Attack; Slowking needs the bulk more than the power.
Finally, I need to mention the Regenerator core of Slowking and Alomomola. This is incredibly useful because in extreme situations, I can switch between the two, recover free HP and stall my opponent out. It rarely ever comes down to such a scenario but it's good to know that the option is there. Plus, Regenerator is such a fine ability in general, as it makes Slowking much easier to use.
In the end, Slowking provides so many different assets to this team. It is a great special wall, a fantastic Trick user, and it helps to form a wonderful Regenerator core. Overall, Slowking is a fine member of this team.
Uxie @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Psyshock
- Heal Bell
- Stealth Rock
To say Uxie is a busy Pokemon is an understatement. Uxie is tasked with Tricking, being a Cleric, laying down Stealth Rock, serving as a Physically Defensive wall and attacking in emergency situations. Most Pokemon would be overloaded in such a scenario, but somehow Uxie pulls it all off. This makes it one of the most underrated members of my team.
Uxie is a Pokemon that I feel doesn't get enough love in the RU tier. It's a fantastic Heal Bell user and Stealth Rock user all rolled into one convenient package. Sure, it can be Pursuit trapped, but with its phenomenal bulk, it can usually shrug off the hit. For instance, Uxie will often be on the field when Sneasel comes in. Let's assume Uxie takes a Knock Off while holding an item. Let's also assume that Sneasel is running a Banded set with an Adamant nature. Here's the calc:
252+ Atk Choice Band Sneasel Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Uxie: 254-300 (71.9 - 84.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
That's very impressive for any Psychic Type. For those who are wondering, Uxie possesses an HP stat of 353 and a Defensive Stat of 394. Needless to say, that is pretty remarkable for an RU Pokemon. Uxie's ability to take a hit is incredibly useful is Alomomola is getting worn down. I also enjoy the fact that Uxie resists Fighting, a very common Physical Attacking type.
All things considered, Uxie's main job is to Trick an opposing Pokemon, and it is usually my first user of Trick in most matches. Compared to Slowking, Uxie generally prefers to get Trick off much earlier in the match. Until then, it is stuck switching in, getting down Rocks or using Heal Bell and then immediately switching out. The thing is, some matches require Uxie to wait for a specific Pokemon on the opposing team and then Tricking them.
The most noteworthy Pokemon in this category is Swords Dance Drapion. The ONLY way for my team to beat a Swords Dance Drapion is to Trick it with Uxie. And it has to be Uxie because Slowking will just get hit with Knock Off before it can Trick. Luckily, Uxie already possesses a somewhat decent Speed stat of 226, and with its Choice Scarf, it gets up to a respectable 339. This means that it can almost always get its Trick off before being hit by Knock Off.
One small downside to the strategy is that Uxie will often start off matches hoping to get Stealth Rock down and saving its Trick for later. A smart opponent will often make a mental note that Uxie went first and realize that it must be Scarfed. This can lead to some opponents expecting the Trick later in the match. Of course, in many cases, Uxie will immediately use Trick on the first turn putting a rest to this issue. However, this is impossible to do when there's an opposing Pokemon that must be Tricked in order to win the match, such as Swords Dance Drapion.
Other times, it's simply my preference to wait for another Pokemon to Trick. For instance, Tricking a Pokemon such as Golbat or Flygon isn't ideal because I can usually wall them very easily. I'd much rather save trick for a Pokemon that is tougher to beat, such as Emboar or Seismitoad or a generally annoying Pokemon such as Venusaur.It's also very nice if I can trick an opponent's support Pokemon, such as Diancie or Alomomola.
Aside from Trick, Uxie's job is still not finished. Getting down Stealth Rock is extremely important for wearing an opponent down. I feel as though virtually every team should have Stealth Rock, and this is best accomplished with a Pokemon that can also contribute in other ways. Uxie's other major asset is its move Heal Bell. Having the ability to remove Status from the entire team is a wonderful tool, and Uxie is generally a very reliable Heal Bell user with its Defensive bulk. It is my belief that every decent Stall team should have a Pokemon that knows either Heal Bell or Aromatherapy.
Of course, I also need to talk about Uxie's attack, Psyshock. The debate between Psyshock and Psychic on Uxie is pretty one-sided, with most people preferring Psyshock on Uxie, and I agree with the masses. While it's true that Psychic technically hits harder, having the ability to do more damage to Hitmonlee and Calm Mind Virizion make it worthwhile to run Psyshock. In general, Psyshock is a decent STAB attack that works quite well on Uxie.
Finally on somewhat of a side note, I want to mention how fantastic it is to be able to fit so many different roles onto one single Pokemon. My requirements when building this team were to have Wish, Heal Bell, Stealth Rock, Defog and Two Trick Users, all while using extremely bulky Pokemon that could wall as many of the RU tier threats as possible. The fact that I fit a Trick user, a Stealth Rock user and a Heal Bell user all into one single Pokemon really is incredible. It just goes to show Uxie's extreme versatility and ability to handle so many jobs without being overworked. Most importantly, it allowed me to have more freedom when adding other Pokemon, such as making Aromatisse a second Wish user. This versatility alone, makes Uxie extremely underrated in general. I cannot get over how useful this Pokemon is. It certainly deserves more respect in this metagame.
Golbat @ Eviolite
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Defog
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Toxic
If there's a Pokemon on this team that I've received the most flak for running, it's definitely Golbat. I've heard it all.
"Golbat is easy to play around."
"Flygon is the better Defogger."
Blasphemy. If you give it the proper support, Golbat has the potential to be a fantastic Pokemon in the RU metagame. Let's start with its bulk. It's ridiculous. It has an HP stat of 353 and a Defensive stat of 393 with Eviolite. That's so good. It's Special Defense isn't too shabby either, hitting 282 with Eviolite.
The primary reason for running Golbat is for Defog support. Virtually every team should have a Rapid Spinner or a Defogger, and this is especially true for a defensive team like mine. To be fair, Stealth Rock on its own is not particularly dangerous for this team, but if the opponent gets Spikes or Toxic Spikes down, damage can seriously start adding up. Most people would agree that the RU tier is rather weak in terms of viable Defoggers, but Golbat is one of the best because its extreme bulk, reliable recovery and ability to check some of the tier's most dangerous Pokemon.
I want to take a short moment of time in order to say that I strongly prefer Defog over Rapid Spin. With Rapid Spin, one has the potential of being "Spin-Blocked" by opposing Ghost Types. This is a terrible situation to face. Hazards, especially Spikes and Toxic Spikes are incredibly dangerous, and they should be removed as quickly as possible. Having to deal with a Spin-Blocking Ghost Type Pokemon first only slows down this process, meaning the team will take more damage and get worn down. Therefore, it is my belief that every Stall team should opt to run Defog over Rapid Spin whenever possible. However, Rapid Spin is the better option for Hazard-Stacking teams that generally prefer to keep their own Hazards on the field for as long as possible.
It also needs to be said that Golbat has solid typing. Yes, its Flying Typing makes it weak to Stealth Rock, but its combination of Poison and Flying makes it 4x resistant to both Grass and Fighting. It shrugs off any Grass, Fighting or Poison attack like it's nothing. This makes it great against Pokemon like Venusaur and Virizion. It can also seriously help out Alomomola in stalling out certain Fighting Types like Gurdurr.
And that brings me to my next point. Golbat has the ability to check two dangerous Pokemon in the RU metagame, those being Substitute-Bulk Up Braviary and Virizion. In fact, many battlers have become aware of how dangerous Golbat is, and they've started taking more strides to play around it. Here's the calc that every Virizion user should know:
+2 252+ Atk Virizion Stone Edge vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Golbat: 224-264 (63.4 - 74.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
That's right, even with an Adamant Nature, Swords Dance AND Stealth Rock, Virizion's Super Effective Stone Edge will NOT OHKO Golbat. That is truly incredible. Golbat also regularly has to deal with Braviary. Many Hazard-Stack teams switch Braviary in on Defog in order to get the +2 Attack boost from Defiant. Let's see how Golbat handles that:
+2 252 Atk Braviary Brave Bird vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Golbat: 226-267 (64 - 75.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
As you can see, as long as Braviary doesn't have an Adamant Nature with Max Attack, Golbat has a very good chance of taking the hit and getting a Toxic off, even if it already took Stealth Rock damage. Once Braviary gets Poisoned, it can usually be played around using a combination of Registeel and Alomomola. However, it's Golbat that makes it all possible.
Golbat also possesses a tremendous ability in Infiltrator. Being able to Poison Pokemon through a Substitute is great for this team, as Substitute Pokemon would otherwise give this team serious trouble. In emergency situations, Golbat can get Poison on very dangerous Substitute Pokemon, such as Substitute-Bulk Up Gallade. This can possibly save the match.
Another one of Golbat's traits is its reliable recovery in the form of Roost. This move really helps Golbat stay healthy, as it is very prone to getting worn down by Stealth Rock and chip-attackers. Golbat also has Toxic, a staple on this team for wearing down opponents.
Finally, it needs to be stated that Golbat hits surprisingly hard for a Defensive Pokemon. Brave Bird has a Base Power of 120, and Golbat's Attack stat is 196. That's really not too bad. Of course, Golbat should try to wear down an opponent with Toxic instead of attacking directly with Brave Bird. This is because the Recoil damage from Brave Bird is not fun for a Pokemon without leftovers.
No, Golbat is not a perfect Pokemon. But it deserves more respect than people give it. In fact, I'd almost call it underrated, but I feel as though it has seen an increase in usage since Tyrantrum and Mega Steelix were banned. Perhaps people will finally take a liking to Golbat as one of the premiere Defoggers in the RU tier. But for now, I just want to say that I'm a major supporter of Golbat, and I feel as though it can greatly succeed with the proper support.
The Princess (Alomomola) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
- Scald
Bow to your princess.
Meet The Princess, a kindhearted heiress who will do anything for the people of her kingdom. Look at her! She's pink, cute and shaped like a heart! How could anyone not love her? The Princess is always Wishing for the health and safety of her followers, and she will happily take the attacks that nobody else in the kingdom can handle. But when she's not healing her followers, The Princess is also quite dangerous; she has even been know to Burn and Poison her enemies!
Big Girl (Registeel) @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 SpA
- Block
- Toxic
- Rest
- Seismic Toss
Meet Big Girl, a Big Beautiful Woman who is very sensitive about her weight. Seriously, with a body of iron, it's no wonder she weighs 451.9 lbs. She has self-esteem issues, and she's always afraid that you're going to walk out on her. In fact, if you try to leave her, she'll Block the door, and you won't be able to leave! Once you're stuck with her, you'll find that she'll spend most of her time Falling Asleep and Tossing you around. Eventually though, her paranoia will catch up with her, and she'll Poison you to death so that nobody else can have you.
Cupcake (Aromatisse) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 248 HP / 36 SpA / 224 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
Meet Cupcake, a sweet girl who loves to cook. In fact, she loves cooking so much that she even looks like a real cupcake. Many of Cupcake's Sweets have been known to Heal herself or her friends, but some of her treats have been known to fatally Poison her enemies. And don't ever try to Taunt her; it won't work. She also sometimes attacks her foes with powerful Blasts that can pack a serious punch.
Slow Girl (Slowking) (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Scald
- Toxic
- Slack Off
Meet Slow Girl, a lazy girl who likes to take each day slowly at her own pace. If you hang out with her, you better cancel your plans because she will take all day. She has a new pair of Glasses, and she wants you to try them on. No really, she insists. Slow Girl is extreme lethargic, as she finds herself Slacking Off almost all of the time. Most importantly, don't ever make her angry because she will dump Scalding Hot Water on you, and it will Burn. If that doesn't work, she might just go ahead and Poison you and watch you slowly collapse over time.
Kindness (Uxie) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Psyshock
- Heal Bell
- Stealth Rock
Meet Kindness, a generous girl who is always thinking of others. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more thoughtful lady anywhere. Look, she even got you a nice Scarf to wear so you won't get cold! She also got you some Rocks - aren't they pretty? Kindness will even Heal her friends. But if you don't take kindly to her acts of generosity, she'll shock you!
The Pet Bat (Golbat) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Defog
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Toxic
Meet The Princess's Pet Bat, a gorgeous creature who deserves as much love and respect as a real Princess. Some people think The Pet Bat is an ugly, disgusting creature, but a true princess knows that she is in fact very lovely! The Pet Bat can Blow away dangerous hazards that could harm the princess, and her bite Poisons her enemies. Additionally, she can also Bravely Attack her enemies, and she Recovers her health by taking a break to Roost.
Drapion has been a serious threat to my teams for a very long time, and this team is no exception. Specifically, I am talking about Swords Dance Drapion. While other sets can easily be played around and managed appropriately, Drapion's Swords Dance set can easily sleep my team with very few issues. The ONLY way to stop Swords Dance Drapion is to Trick it with Uxie (Slowking won't work because it will just get hit with Knock Off). The one good thing about this is that the opponent is extremely unlikely to switch out Uxie, unless they know what to expect. I mean, what kind of opponent is going to switch out a Drapion when Uxie is sitting there just waiting to be hit?
I'm listing Meloetta and Hoopa together because they are both very similar threats. In this case, I am specifically referring to their Calm Mind-Substitute sets, as their other sets can very easily be worn down with Toxic and stalled with the appropriate switches. The main issue is that their Substitutes perform tremendously well against Registeel, a Pokemon that otherwise can stand up to their attacks quite nicely, usually switching into Slowking or Aromatisse when Focus Blast is expected. Meloetta's Substitute can take two hits from Registeel's Seismic Toss, giving it time to setup Calm Minds, while Hoopa's Ghost Typing grants it full immunity to Registeel's attack. Once Meloetta or Hoopa setups a Substitute, my best bet is to try and use Golbat, Poison through the Substitute, and wear it down from there. Unfortunately, Meloetta and Hoopa are both Psychic Types, and they can often OHKO Golbat.
With both Golbat and Uxie on the team, one would initially think that Virizion wouldn't be much of an issue. But unfortunatley, this isn't the case. The issue is that most opponents have caught on to the fact that Virizion's Stone Edge is not strong enough to defeat Golbat. They'll switch out, usually into a Stealth Rock user that can easily withstand Golbat's Brave Bird, such as Rhyperior, and Golbat will slowly get worn down from switching into Stealth Rock. As for Uxie, it lacks reliable recovery, and as it manages its various roles, it can also get worn down. Once these Pokemon are weakened enough, Virizion can usually setup and sweep. For Virizion, it really comes down to whether or not the opponent is smart enough to recognize Golbat as a very dangerous threat and also whether or not they have the appropriate Pokemon to play around Golbat. So while my team on paper should have no problem with Virizion, many opponents are too smart for that, and they can beat it. This was much less of an issue before Golbat became more popular in recent weeks, but now, almost every good Virizion user knows about the threat.
Golbat can usually handle Braviary, but if it gets worn down, then problems can occur. If Golbat can get a Toxic on Braviary, then it can usually be managed quite easily. But much like Virizion, smart players have started to recognize this threat, and they will simply play around Golbat. Once its weakened, Braviary will have few issues with Golbat. It's also quite a shame that Braviary's Substitute can take two hits from Registeel's Seismic Toss before breaking, because otherwise Registeel would be an excellent check. But the fact is, Braviary can setup on Registeel and sweep the team. Usually, the best way to manage Braviary is to just keep Golbat healthy so it can Poison Braviary at some point in the match, but this is often easier said than done.
Sure, Registeel can tank several hits from Exploud's Boomburst, but if Registeel ever gets worn down, Exploud can become dangerous in a hurry. This is especially true if Registeel is Asleep from using Rest and it took a hard hit from another Pokemon. If Registeel isn't around to handle the Boombusts, Exploud suddenly becomes a very serious threat. Every other Pokemon on the team is either OHKO or 2HKO from Exploud, even the very bulky special wall of Slowking. The best bet is to Poison Exploud as quickly as possible and keep Registeel healthy so that Exploud can be worn down without issue.
Sigilyph isn't too much of an issue, but it's being listed here because it absolutely needs to be Tricked by Uxie or Slowking in order to be walled. Otherwise, it can very easily setup, and I'll have no method of stopping it. Usually, this is not a problem, but if an opponent knows my team well, they're very likely to play around my Trick Pokemon and establish Sigilyph late in the match. If I ever see a Sigilyph on my opponent's team, I will try to refrain from using Trick on any other Pokemon until I can get Sigilyph stuck with a Choice item.
It's pretty ironic that the Pokemon I share a username with is a threat to this team. Nevertheless, Dugtrio is a threat because of its ability to trap Registeel. If I see a Dugtrio on my opponent's team, I pretty much can't bring in Registeel for any reason until Dugtrio is appropriately dealt with. This opens the door for strong Special Attackers to take advantage of me, most notably Magneton and Vivillon. If that happens, my team can be picked apart.
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The Princess (Alomomola) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
- Scald
Big Girl (Registeel) @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 SpA
- Block
- Toxic
- Rest
- Seismic Toss
Cupcake (Aromatisse) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 248 HP / 36 SpA / 224 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
Slow Girl (Slowking) (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Scald
- Toxic
- Slack Off
Kindness (Uxie) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Psyshock
- Heal Bell
- Stealth Rock
The Pet Bat (Golbat) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Defog
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Toxic
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
- Scald
Big Girl (Registeel) @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 SpA
- Block
- Toxic
- Rest
- Seismic Toss
Cupcake (Aromatisse) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 248 HP / 36 SpA / 224 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
Slow Girl (Slowking) (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Scald
- Toxic
- Slack Off
Kindness (Uxie) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Psyshock
- Heal Bell
- Stealth Rock
The Pet Bat (Golbat) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Defog
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Toxic
Wow, this has definitely been the longest Rate My Team I have ever written. I really enjoyed writing it, and I think I learned a lot in the process. In particular, writing the Threats Section really opened my eyes to the weaknesses of this team, and it showed me that I still have a large amount of work to do as a battler. Sure, I held the #1 spot for a brief amount of time, and I feel very accomplished because of that, but I know I'm going to have to work to continue to improve my teambuilding skills if I ever want to take the next step as a battler.
It sounds crazy to say, but I think writing this RMT showed me just how easily this team can be beaten. I'm not saying it's a bad team; it got to #1 after all, but I feel as though I can certainly do better in the future. The hardest part is just being able to build a team with all the tools needed to succeed (Stealth Rock, Heal Bell, etc.) while still being able to fully contain the tier's most dangerous wallbreakers (Exploud, Mega Camerupt, Emboar, etc.). From there, you still need to be able to beat opposing Stall teams, which is why I like using gimmicky sets such as Trick users and Trappers. However, this makes it more difficult to wall the conventional threats found on well-built Offensive teams. Finding the ideal balance of the perfect Stall team will be key.
I think it's also noteworthy that the team almost seemed to perform worse over time. In my first matches with this team, I had virtually no issues with opponents, and most matches were 6-0 victories in my favor. But later, almost every match became a nailbiter. This could be explained by the fact that I was higher up the ladder, and I was facing better opponents, but even those in the 1300s were giving me problems. I think more of the issue is that the metagame adjusted to my team and also that many opponents began to recognize the gimmicks of my team, most notably the two Trick users and Block Registeel. I might even go as far to say that this team helped (I certainly did NOT do this on my own) to show people the dangers of both Golbat and Registeel, and many people made team adjustments to better handle these threats. In other words, this team did indeed change the metagame to an extent. And whenever you can help to change the metagame, you have to feel as though it was a job well-done.
Overall, I really enjoyed using this team. It fit my play style as an aggressive Stall player extremely well. It was a lot of fun. However, I don't think it could get this high on the ladder again. For one, everyone who reads this will know about the team's gimmicks. But more importantly, with the recent rise of Hazard-Stacking and Golbat's recent corresponding increase in usage in the RU tier, more battlers, particularly users of Virizion and Braviary, are better prepared to play around Golbat. I think Golbat's viability in the RU metagame will really depend on whether or not battlers can truly provide it with the proper support, a task that might be impossible in the end. It's a shame because I consider myself to be one of Golbat's biggest supporters, and I really want it to succeed in this tier.
From here, I might try to regain my #1 ranking since I'm so close to the top right now. Eventually though, that novelty will wear off, and I'll move on to other things in the world of Pokemon. I've been interested in making a strong Stall team in the PU tier, so I might work on that for awhile. The RU tier is one of my favorites, and I'd love to make another ladder run on another account with a different team one of these days. I'd probably try to make a more reliable, less gimmicky RU team, while still sticking with my Stall background. I'd really like to find a way to stop Drapion, perhaps using Dugtrio. I think Flygon would be another interesting Pokemon to use, but unfortunately neither Flygon nor Dugtrio are particularly strong on Stall teams. Needless to say, it will be a serious work in progress if and when that happens.
To wrap things up, I think this team had a great run, probably a better run than it should have. I feel as though I used this team at just the perfect time in the RU metagame, when the tier was still rallying from the losses of Mega Steelix and Tyrantrum, and it was still trying to find its identity. Now that the tier is somewhat more stable, I'm not sure this team holds up as well against top players. I think this team performs exceptionally well against Passive Stall teams, but it's certainly going to have trouble against any smart Hazard-Stacker who knows about this team's gimmicks. Obviously, it's much harder to win matches with this team when an opponent knows that Uxie and Slowking are packing Trick and that Registeel is running a Block set. And like I said, Virizion users are getting smarter, and I'd like to find a way to better wall Virizion instead of trying to beat it with an attack (Brave Bird) in the future. That's something I will probably work on in the future. I think Gourgeist-Super could be an excellent Pokemon for that reason. I'll probably receive a lot of frowns for saying this, but I'm starting to think Vileplume could be an interesting Pokemon in that regard due to its access to Aromatherapy.
That's all I have to say everyone. I know it was a lot, and I really thank you for reading this far. Writing this Rate My Team really was a labor of love; it's lucky that I enjoy writing so much! Most importantly, writing this RMT seriously made me reflect of the weaknesses of my team, and I feel as though it will make me a better teambuilder in the future. Additionally, I'm extremely happy that I received the opportunity to celebrate and enjoy the success of this team by writing this very extensive write-up. I'm very pleaased that you all got to share in my success by reading this analysis. Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, and maybe you even learned something new in the process. I'm extremely grateful you got this far, and I wish all of you the best of luck in your future Pokemon endeavors. Keep battling, teambuilding and fighting, and I will see you around!
And for those of you who are wondering, this RMT totaled 9,713 words, including the BB codes!
It sounds crazy to say, but I think writing this RMT showed me just how easily this team can be beaten. I'm not saying it's a bad team; it got to #1 after all, but I feel as though I can certainly do better in the future. The hardest part is just being able to build a team with all the tools needed to succeed (Stealth Rock, Heal Bell, etc.) while still being able to fully contain the tier's most dangerous wallbreakers (Exploud, Mega Camerupt, Emboar, etc.). From there, you still need to be able to beat opposing Stall teams, which is why I like using gimmicky sets such as Trick users and Trappers. However, this makes it more difficult to wall the conventional threats found on well-built Offensive teams. Finding the ideal balance of the perfect Stall team will be key.
I think it's also noteworthy that the team almost seemed to perform worse over time. In my first matches with this team, I had virtually no issues with opponents, and most matches were 6-0 victories in my favor. But later, almost every match became a nailbiter. This could be explained by the fact that I was higher up the ladder, and I was facing better opponents, but even those in the 1300s were giving me problems. I think more of the issue is that the metagame adjusted to my team and also that many opponents began to recognize the gimmicks of my team, most notably the two Trick users and Block Registeel. I might even go as far to say that this team helped (I certainly did NOT do this on my own) to show people the dangers of both Golbat and Registeel, and many people made team adjustments to better handle these threats. In other words, this team did indeed change the metagame to an extent. And whenever you can help to change the metagame, you have to feel as though it was a job well-done.
Overall, I really enjoyed using this team. It fit my play style as an aggressive Stall player extremely well. It was a lot of fun. However, I don't think it could get this high on the ladder again. For one, everyone who reads this will know about the team's gimmicks. But more importantly, with the recent rise of Hazard-Stacking and Golbat's recent corresponding increase in usage in the RU tier, more battlers, particularly users of Virizion and Braviary, are better prepared to play around Golbat. I think Golbat's viability in the RU metagame will really depend on whether or not battlers can truly provide it with the proper support, a task that might be impossible in the end. It's a shame because I consider myself to be one of Golbat's biggest supporters, and I really want it to succeed in this tier.
From here, I might try to regain my #1 ranking since I'm so close to the top right now. Eventually though, that novelty will wear off, and I'll move on to other things in the world of Pokemon. I've been interested in making a strong Stall team in the PU tier, so I might work on that for awhile. The RU tier is one of my favorites, and I'd love to make another ladder run on another account with a different team one of these days. I'd probably try to make a more reliable, less gimmicky RU team, while still sticking with my Stall background. I'd really like to find a way to stop Drapion, perhaps using Dugtrio. I think Flygon would be another interesting Pokemon to use, but unfortunately neither Flygon nor Dugtrio are particularly strong on Stall teams. Needless to say, it will be a serious work in progress if and when that happens.
To wrap things up, I think this team had a great run, probably a better run than it should have. I feel as though I used this team at just the perfect time in the RU metagame, when the tier was still rallying from the losses of Mega Steelix and Tyrantrum, and it was still trying to find its identity. Now that the tier is somewhat more stable, I'm not sure this team holds up as well against top players. I think this team performs exceptionally well against Passive Stall teams, but it's certainly going to have trouble against any smart Hazard-Stacker who knows about this team's gimmicks. Obviously, it's much harder to win matches with this team when an opponent knows that Uxie and Slowking are packing Trick and that Registeel is running a Block set. And like I said, Virizion users are getting smarter, and I'd like to find a way to better wall Virizion instead of trying to beat it with an attack (Brave Bird) in the future. That's something I will probably work on in the future. I think Gourgeist-Super could be an excellent Pokemon for that reason. I'll probably receive a lot of frowns for saying this, but I'm starting to think Vileplume could be an interesting Pokemon in that regard due to its access to Aromatherapy.
That's all I have to say everyone. I know it was a lot, and I really thank you for reading this far. Writing this Rate My Team really was a labor of love; it's lucky that I enjoy writing so much! Most importantly, writing this RMT seriously made me reflect of the weaknesses of my team, and I feel as though it will make me a better teambuilder in the future. Additionally, I'm extremely happy that I received the opportunity to celebrate and enjoy the success of this team by writing this very extensive write-up. I'm very pleaased that you all got to share in my success by reading this analysis. Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, and maybe you even learned something new in the process. I'm extremely grateful you got this far, and I wish all of you the best of luck in your future Pokemon endeavors. Keep battling, teambuilding and fighting, and I will see you around!
And for those of you who are wondering, this RMT totaled 9,713 words, including the BB codes!
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