SM LC Come Sail Away - Offensive Abra Team

[MK007]

Introduction​

Hey Everyone! MK here with an LC team that's been working well for me lately. I built it as a more traditional LC offense team but I still have a few tricks in it. I haven't used it as much as I would like but I have been impressed with it more than any other team I've made lately.

Teambuilding Process​

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I started off with Abra because Counter Abra is incredible right now. It has the ability to take out a multitude of physical threats including it's former counters such as Grimer-Alola. It is also one of the best speical attackers in the tier at the moment and is hard not to fit on any team.

I added Scarf Magnemite because I knew I would need speed control as well as a momentum gainining mon. Scarf Magnemite is incredible right now with analytic stopping a lot of switchins and also having great offensive typing.

With 2 fast special attackers I knew I needed a physical threat so I added in Timburr. I was debating between slowfoo and Timburr, but I tend to prefer Timburr because of how powerful it can be as both a wincon as well as a bulky attacker. After just 1 bulk up it threatens everything in the tier bar fairies like Snubbull and Spritzee.

With a threatening offensive core in place already I knew I needed a more defensive mon. Vullaby does great as it can take many hits, be a slow pivot, and roost off damage. In addition it can spam knock off and make it easier for every other mon on the team.

I was only missing 2 things at this point : rocks and hazard removal. I chose to go with Weak Armor Onix for rocks because it can be an offensive presence while also surpassing 30 defense before a defense drop. I was also looking very weak to Doduo at this point and wanted to patch that up.

For the 6th mon the decision was easy, I needed a spinner and Staryu gave me everything I needed. It completes the Staryu/Onix/Vull core while also giving me more offensive pressure. Staryu helps take on annoying tanks like Mudbray and can also deter strong fighters quite a bit while also having some bulk itself.

The Team​

Abra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 236 SpA / 76 SpD / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
- Counter
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- Energy Ball
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There is no reason NOT to have Abra on any team right now, so I started off with it. I prefer to run Energy Ball over Shadow Ball but that is an option to hit things like Pumpkaboo. Psychic is the main attack that will be spammed, and Dazzling Gleam hits Dark types that try to switch in.

Magnemite @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 240 SpA / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Grass]
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Almost standard Scarf Magnemite. I opted to pick Hidden Power Grass instead of Hidden Power Ground because Eviolite WA Onix is running around and HP Ground does not KO it while HP Grass does. It also does other neat stuff like hitting staryu hard if I don't want to risk a Electric move in case they have Diglett or another Electric Immunity.

Calcs

240 SpA Magnemite Hidden Power Grass vs. 0 HP / 76 SpD Eviolite Onix: 20-28 (105.2 - 147.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
240 SpA Magnemite Hidden Power Ground vs. 0 HP / 76 SpD Eviolite Onix: 10-14 (52.6 - 73.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Timburr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 76 HP / 196 Atk / 236 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Knock Off
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Timburr does so much for this team, the specially defensive set can go head to head with mons such as Staryu and live. Bulk Up makes it a great wincon, and Knock Off is great for any offensive team, but especially this one. I chose Guts over Iron Fist because I prefer the security against Burns over the extra power, especially when I'm potentially sweeping with it.

Vullaby @ Eviolite
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 236 Def / 236 SpD / 36 Spe
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Roost
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Vullaby adds great utility and is just great glue for this team. Pretty standard slow pivot set, it can take on a lot of stuff, knock, and pivot out. It also has Brave Bird which helps against Phyiscally Defensive Timburr which beat Specially Defensive Timburr 1 on 1, as well as other fighters.

Onix @ Eviolite
Ability: Weak Armor
EVs: 236 Atk / 76 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 29 HP
- Rock Blast
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Heavy Slam
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Weak Armor Onix is one of the most popular rock setters in the tier right now, and for good reason, which is how it ended up on this team. It can spam strong STAB Earthquakes and Rock Blasts as well as setting rocks. I opted to choose Heavy Slam as my fourth move on Onix instead of Explosion or Taunt. This team struggles somewhat against fairy types, and Onix can do some damage to them while also not taking too much back.

Staryu @ Eviolite
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 196 SpA / 76 SpD / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Psychic
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Beam
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Staryu, just like Vullaby glues the team together very well. It removes hazards which everything appreciates, especially vullaby while also being a huge offensive presence. I opted for 3 attacks + Rapid Spin instead of carrying recover because Staryu really needs the coverage, especially on an offensive team like this. I had been running just Hydro Pump and Psychic, but got tired of guessing if the opponent was going to switch in Vull or Foongus or Mudbray so I decided to add Ice Beam and hit all of them at once.

Threatlist
Shellder

Shellder destroys this entire team if it gets the oppurtunity to setup. Fortunately there's not much on this team that it can setup on, but I have to be careful and not give it the oppurtunity.

Spritzee

Calm Mind Spritzee, while rare right now is incredibly hard to stop. I have Magnemite, but if I hard to it I run the risk of it adding a second boost that turn. It's not the biggest threat, but it definitely puts in work against this team.

Croagunk

NP Croagunk is a serious threat if Abra and Staryu are running low on health. It can definitely hurt this team, especially the faster variants that outspeed Vull. I also have to switch into it's attacks whenever they bring it into Timburr and risk taking a knock or just a big chunk from Sludge Bomb or Focus Blast. It's definitely not my favorite mon to see on the other side.
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Conclusion​

Overall this team has been extremely reliable for me, while still retaining the fun of strong offense. I do find it incredibly frustrating how much work Shellder puts in against this team, but it can be played around. However this team does well vs a very large portion of the current meta, and is just threatening in general. When you stack up several large offensive threats that can all win by themselves in certain situations, it is extremely deadly.

Importable

Abra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 236 SpA / 76 SpD / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
- Counter
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- Energy Ball

Magnemite @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Analytic
Level: 5
EVs: 240 SpA / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Grass]

Timburr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 196 Atk / 236 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Knock Off

Vullaby @ Eviolite
Ability: Overcoat
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Def / 236 SpD / 36 Spe
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Roost

Onix @ Eviolite
Ability: Weak Armor
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 76 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 29 HP
- Rock Blast
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Heavy Slam

Staryu @ Eviolite
Ability: Analytic
Level: 5
EVs: 196 SpA / 76 SpD / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Psychic
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Beam

Shoutouts​

Shoutouts

Jox : You've always been a great friend and your youtube vids are awesome. We need to battle more!
Fille : Fellow PO Vet here youre always an awesome presence to be around bro! I look forward to seeing you get more wins in LCPL!
ItzViper482 : Viper you're always fun to battle against and you've been a great friend for a while now.
Finchinator : You've always been someone I looked up too skill wise and those matches the other night were awesome!
Shrug : You're a great presence in the community and I love it when we get the oppurtunity to battle!
Corporal Levi : Always a great example, I hope one day I'll be able to be on your level at LC. We should battle sometime!
Hilomilo : I love discussing Survivior with you bro, you been a friend forever, and I miss running into you on the ladder.
All-Star Lineup : Love clashing against you in OU and LC and making crazy jokes. You're one of my favorite people to play against.
BisharpBrawler/AD Thunderboy/ Xayah : You've always been a good friend and grats on your awesome RMT with the GhostSpam! Maybe one day you'll settle with a name for a while and stop confusing me :P!
therealslap : You've been there for me forever and you're always just great to hang around! I hope I get to see you play more matches in LCPL!
PD : Wassup bro, keep on meming and winning, you fun af to be around.

rssp1 : Praise

! I wanna play a mafia game with you one day soon that'll be lit.
MeButYou82 : We might butt heads occasionally but you always fun to battle and be around.
Kingler12345 : You got good taste in music fam and youre a great lc presence!
Simiatic : Number 1 Best OU tutor in the world right here! Thanks for all the hours you spent making me better at OU recently!
Plasmagby : Youve been a friend for a long time and I wish I saw you around more!
Plus : Love talking basketball with you, you do great work with competetive tutoring. You're one of the best users I know!
Nineage : You the best man, we need to battle mroe once youre less busy managing your team.

 

[Xayah]

Looks like a cool team MK! One thing I am extremely worried about is your ridiculous weakness to Fighting-types, most notably Reckless Choice Scarf Mienfoo, which 2HKOes your entire team by simply clicking High Jump Kick. As such, I'd like to suggest going with your own Reckless Scarf Mienfoo > Magnemite and Snubbull > Timburr. The important change here is Snubbull > Timburr; this gives you a reliable and fairly consistent switch-in to all Fighting-types, and it will not get 2HKOed by Reckless HJK:
-1 236+ Atk Reckless Mienfoo High Jump Kick vs. 36 HP / 196 Def Snubbull: 7-9 (30.4 - 39.1%) -- 62.9% chance to 3HKO
Mienfoo generally doesn't carry Poison Jab, and even if it does the worst it does to you is pop your Berry Juice, after which you can switch out to Onix to take the next one or just threaten it out with Play Rough. In addition, it somewhat helps agains Shellder. By removing Timburr, however, you lack a Fighting-type, leaving your team open to being runover by most notably Pawniard, but also other Dark-types. Scarf Mienfoo solves this problem, and Magnemite does less for your team than Mienfoo will, though a lack of ability to significantly dent bulky Waters is an issue. For that, I'd like to suggest Thunderbolt > Psychic on Staryu. This does mean you have a worse matchup against Croagunk but with Abra to revenge that and Snubbull to deal with other Fighting-types it is not a huge issue. Chinchou might now be a minor problem, but Abra and to a lesser extent Onix are threats to it.
Lastly, I'd like to ask about your Vullaby spread; it's sort of unorthodox compared to the standard spread of 116 HP / 76 Atk / 236 Def / 76 SpD, which hits Eviolite numbers in both defenses and a Stealth Rock number in HP, while getting an extra point of Attack. Are there any special calcs you need your spread for? Otherwise I suggest you change it to the standard.

Snubbull and Mienfoo sets:

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Snubbull @ Berry Juice
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 36 HP / 116 Atk / 116 Def / 196 SpD / 36 Spe
Impish Nature
- Play Rough
- Fire Punch
- Thief
- Thunder Wave

Mienfoo @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Poison Jab
I say use Poison Jab to get an extra way of hitting Fairies, though Drain Punch and Stone Edge are also both solid options.

This was my first rate so I hope I was coherent enough

EDIT: Also felt like it was worth noting that it's very weird to build around a glue mon like Abra, but it worked out somewhat so yeah

TL;DR
Snubbull > Timburr
Scarf Reckless Mienfoo > Magnemite
Thunderbolt > Psychic on Staryu
What is your Vullaby spread?

 

[Fiend]

MK007 I would suggest you explore the idea of making Vullaby the offensive set with the addition of Snubbull, which will help against NP Croagunk out creeping you. You maintain considerable bulk still, though and the addition of substantially stronger Brave Birds helps bolster the offense pressure of your team. I would also suggest you consider the possibility of Protect on Abra over Energy Ball, as Psychic is enough to handle Knocked Off Mudbray while Protect fends off irksome Fake Outs and eases play against some Fighting spam variants. This isn't too important however, and you might find Energy Ball a solid safety measure more than worth the trade off.

That's pretty much all I can say about it; your initial team struggles from lacking a Fighting-resist and Xayah makes some pretty good changes to address this. I would really recommend going with these for an increase in the quality of your team. However this does cause your team to become prone to losing due to an untimely HJK mishap but that's a coming to age story for LC nowadays anyway.

Cheers!