XY RU Exit Strategy of a Wrecking Ball

[aVocado]

update: this team is outdated and retired. thanks!​

Introduction

With the start of round 2 for the RU tier and the long-awaited Shuckle suspect which will end soon (in a few hours I reckon) so I felt like I should post this team before that happens, and before the verdict (which is probably ban) is announced, since this team was designed in a Shuckle-centralized metagame with the intention of beating Shuckle Offense and also the stall teams which saw a spike in usage. This team kinda pretty much sorta got me reqs until I got bored when I was around 2200 COIL and was on a tilt and started using Shuckle Offense to finish reqs quickly lol. So yeah, it's a pretty good team that worked well in the metagame but it wasn't -exceptionally- good as I haven't really spent a lot of time thinking this as much as I have spent on my previous team/rmt, and I quickly built this.

Onto teambuilding.. As I said, this team was built with the intention of beating two common archetypes: Shuckle Offense, and what rose to counter Shuckle Offense which is Stall and the rise of some other mons like Fletchinder and Moltres/Mismagius. With that in mind, I started with an offensive core which consisted of Fletchinder + Swords Dance Zoroark with Grass Knot, which aimed for Zoroark to disguise as Fletchinder and lure in some of its checks like Rhyperior and beat them, opening up for a Fletchinder sweep later on, while also accomplishing a sweep on its own/softening up walls, and it also does a good job against stall because nothing likes a +2 Knock Off. On the other hand, Fletchinder's Acrobatics was used as a fail-safe option against offensive teams, as it easily picks off Pokemon like Yanmega, Sharpedo, Virizion, etc. It's also a pretty damn good check to Escavalier, and with that in mind, and the fact that I wanted this team to beat Stall, I decided to add Calm Mind Reuniclus. Calm Mind Reuniclus allowed me to set up against Stall provided Pokemon like Whirlwind Drapion are out of the way and then start punching holes. Then, as I previously stated I wanted the team to beat Shuckle Offense and so far I only had Fletchinder which was really good against that archetype, and CM Reuniclus which didn't do too bad against it either. I proceeded to add Choice Scarf Modest Rotom-C which is literally hell to face for Shuckle Offense teams since it outspeeds everything and easily 2HKOs everything with Thunderbolt. I then needed a way to get rid of entry hazards and specifically Stealth Rock since they're hell for Fletchinder, and I also needed something to glue up some weaknesses, and so I added Defog + Stealth Rock Gligar to cover up threats like Hitmonlee and other physical attackers. Looking at the team, I also needed something else to cover up some weakneses against special attackers, and I thought of nothing other than Assault Vest Slowking, which is a fantastic pivot that can easily come in on Pokemon such as Moltres and Delphox and take them out.

Now, enough talk, and here's the actual team:

In Depth

NOW YOU LOSE (Fletchinder)
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Acrobatics
- Swords Dance
- Roost
- Will-O-Wisp
​

One part of the core I centered the team around, which consisted of Fletchinder + Zoroark. Fletchinder has become such a strong force in the current metagame that it's finally been recognized, and actually got enough usage to let it sit in RU comfortably rather than NU. Priority Acrobatics lets it check so many threatening things, including and not limited into Sharpedo, Yanmega, Virizion, Durant... It's typing along with Will-O-Wisp also create so many set up opportunities. It can easily check Escavalier, which poses a threat to Reuniclus, and WoW allows it to spread burns easily early-game against Pokemon like Rhyperior and Doublade, who are often switched into Fletchinder. Roost is mandatory since it allows Fletchinder to set up further on burnt targets, and in general gives it some much needed longevity.

EVs are standard, taken straight from the analysis. The speed allows me to outspeed minimum speed Drapion, while the HP investment allows Fletchinder to avoid the 2HKO from non-CB Escavalier's Knock Off, and max attack ofc. The name is an inside joke started by user: Don Honchkrorleone and user: Molk.

Zoroark @ Life Orb
Ability: Illusion
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Grass Knot / Low Kick
​

The second part of the offensive core it forms with Fletchinder. Disguising Zoroark as Fletchinder can lure in Pokemon such as Doublade and Rhyperior (as I previously mentioned), and effectively take them out. Additionally, Swords Dance can make it seem as if its actually Fletchinder, since it always runs Swords Dance, and only to their surprise do they take a +2 LO Knock Off or Grass Knot if its Rhyperior. Additionally, Zoroark is a very good Pokemon to use against Stall, from my experience. Since +2 Knock Off is really strong and I've won against a popular stall team created by user: Molk thanks to SD Zoroark. Above all that, it also provides another strong priority in Sucker Punch. The last slot is used to beat Rhyperior, but recently I've discovered that +2 Low Kick also does really good damage against Rhyperior, and it can also take out Pokemon like Registeel:

+2 252 Atk Life Orb Zoroark Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Solid Rock Rhyperior: 351-413 (80.8 - 95.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
4 SpA Life Orb Zoroark Grass Knot (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 244+ SpD Solid Rock Rhyperior: 413-487 (95.1 - 112.2%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO
+2 252 Atk Life Orb Zoroark Low Kick (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Registeel: 411-486 (112.9 - 133.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Reuniclus @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Psyshock
- Shadow Ball / Focus Blast
​

To be completely honest I find Reuniclus to be the weak link of the team. While in the beginning I had it as a stallbreaker, it really often didn't break stall at all. Drapion has been getting really common and it's a full stop to this set, sadly. I'll have to take it out, and that's going to be hard when facing a good player. Moving on, physically defensive Calm Mind Reuniclus is a great Pokemon, but I didn't find it working as good in this particular team. It allows me to go through Stall together with a combination of Recover and Calm Mind when they're pHazer has been KOed or weakened enough where a +1 or +0 Psyshock would kill. I first had Focus Blast on the set to hurt some Dark-type Pokemon on the switch, but the incredible amounts of Doublade made me change it to Shadow Ball later on.

Gligar @ Eviolite
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Roost
​

Gligar is part of the balance core in my team along with Slowking, and honestly it's great. It's one of the few defoggers that can survive against Shuckle Offense and defog away the hazards, and it can also set up Stealth Rock and wall some threats -most notably Hitmonlee- in the process. Earthquake is used as obligatory STAB, with Roost for recovery. There's not much to say about it really, it's a reliable defogger against Shuckle Offense and in general seeing its immunities to all hazards bar Stealth Rock, and with its bulk and Eviolite it's pretty much guaranteed a Defog most of the time. It also reliably sets up SR. It might seem like Gligar has 4MSS with both SR and Defog on the same set, that's true. It might also sound a bit counter-productive, but Gligar is the only Pokemon that can both remove and lay hazards on the team, and for that, both moves are essential, along with STAB and recovery.

Rotom-Mow @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Leaf Storm
- Thunderbolt
- Trick
​

Rotom-C is the glue to the team, and one of the main Pokemon that seriously threaten Sticky Web/Shuckle Offense teams thanks to immunity to Sticky Web. With a Choice Scarf equipped, it easily outspeeds everything commonly seen on Shuckle Offense and 2HKO/OHKO them, and that includes Pokemon such as Exploud, Doublade, Hitmonlee, Braviary, Jolteon, Clawitzer Emboar, etc. Modest nature is also used to ensure 2HKO on all those Pokes. Volt Switch, Leaf Storm, and Thunderbolt and Trick should all be pretty obvious.

Slowking @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Fire Blast
- Dragon Tail​

Part of the balance core along with Gligar, Slowking allows me to keep Pokemon like Delphox and Moltres, along with most other special attackers, in check thanks to its naturally big special bulk , along with an Assault Vest and Regenerator as the ability. Since it already has enough bulk to take on special attackers, the rest of the EVs are better used to maximize attacking power rather than bulk, and for that reason its Modest max SpA. Scald is obligatory Water-type STAB, and the burns it causes are often good and clutch. Psyshock is secondary STAB, and Fire Blast is handy coverage for Escavalier, Mega Abomasnow, and all the good stuff. Dragon Tail is used as some sort of pHazing, but its mostly filler. It helps spread passive damage through it and Stealth Rock I guess.



So yeah, that's the team. It's balance that isn't exceptionally good but it was fairly decent and got me through most of the reqs which was a horrible experience, and I also got a good ladder rank in the process (like #3 or something) for what its worth. I would post a threatlist, but I don't remember coming against anything that /really/ felt like it was that threatening to the team, or I did and I'm not remembering it, w/e. I'll leave that to you to determine what threatens the team :]

Team name comes from the song I was listening to at the time, and it also perfectly fit the team and the fact that it was supposed to counter Shuckle centralization, with Shuckle being the "exit strategy of a wrecking ball" since it's about to leave the tier... geddit? yes?

song:

importable

NOW YOU LOSE (Fletchinder)
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Acrobatics
- Swords Dance
- Roost
- Will-O-Wisp

Reuniclus @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Psyshock
- Shadow Ball

Gligar @ Eviolite
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Roost

Zoroark @ Life Orb
Ability: Illusion
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Grass Knot

Rotom-Mow @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Leaf Storm
- Thunderbolt
- Trick

Slowking @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Fire Blast
- Dragon Tail

 

[JMcFizz]

Yo I like it, but I have a few things just to make note of.
First is Zoroark takes suuuper different hazard damage than Fletch, so it is a good idea to stay aware of that.

Also don't lose rotom-c until Braviary is gone from the opponent's team, because after a defog nothing else on your team can take care of it at +2.

Plus 1 for you for using a defensive CM reuni, a huge threat imo. If you take out opposing dark types psyshock will kick ass. I would also use Shadow Ball over Focus Blast

I'd use grass knot over low kick, cuz fuck rhyperior and its easier to get chip damage on registeel, since it'll come in on rotom c and you can keep volt switching to wear it down. Registeel is also less likely to come in on fletch compared to rhyperior so yeah grass knot is the superior option.

Also your only electric resist is rotom c (besides gligar but it doesnt really do the whole spdef thing) so i'd watch out for volt switch abusers (heliolisk is esp dangerous cuz surf on gligar)

Anyway great team thanks for posting!

 

[aVocado]

Yeah JMcFizz I'm aware of all that, Braviary isn't hard to play around and I wouldn't let Zoroark/Fletch out until Defog has been used.

And now that you mention it, Specs Jolteon has been a pretty annoying problem for the team. Volt Switch spamming is hard and it only takes one wrong prediction for Gligar to not be a safe switch in to Jolteon anymore. I usually played around it by getting it low enough with SR to the point where +2 Fletch would kill it (it does like 70% minimum iirc at +2 or smth), or to tank a Thunderbolt with Slowking and use Scald/Psyshock, which lets Fletch kill it at +0 with Acrobatics.

I also use both Grass Knot and Shadow Ball respectively, Grass Knot safely removes Rhyperior but Low Kick is kinda the middle ground since it also kills Registeel if you're into that. I used to have Focus Blast, but I changed it to Shadow Ball and I almost changed it back to Focus Blast again. It depends on if you wanna hit Drapion or dark-types in general on the switch or at +1 (it can tank any one hit) or doublade/delphox/the other good stuff.


edit: shit the title was "exist" rather than "exit", my bad, fixed.

 

[Gale Wing Srock]

Amazing team... Especially "NOW YOU LOSE".

I love the gale wing evolution series (Fletchling, Fletchinder and Talonflame), My personal favourite. I had a similar team with Fletchinder, Gurdurr, Seismitoad and Magneton, it wasn't as successful tho.

-----------------------

The Fletchinder, Zoroark offensive core looks cool. But I have my doubts on Reuniclus, I like Meloetta (sub cm) better. Gligar is gligar and Rotom-c has been a fan fav in RU since Gen 5. I can see why you use slowking. Regen, with AV on a good spdef bulk is a good build. Overall I love the team: +5 for Fletchinder, +2 for Zoroark & Fletchinder core, +1 each for Gligar, Rotom-c and Slowking. Oh wait that makes it a 10/10.
Well, why the hell not? because "NOW YOU LOSE" is in itself a gg call in b4.

Great Post Arikado. Looking forward for more ;)

 

[chimpact]

If you want a decent stallbreaker you can use cobalion over Reunciclus. Although reuniclus has good recovery and a great ability in magic guard. it really doesnt have the speed to match and its typing is pretty poor. Cobalion can set up on a lot of pokemon and baits in pokemon that it has no trouble setting up on [alomomala, gligar, doublade].

Cobalion @ Leftovers
Ability: Justified
EVs: 20 HP / 252 SpA / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Flash Cannon
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Rock]

I dont think fire types would be coming in on this and even if they do, you have slowking as a great switch in and with some prior damage you can beat most of them anyway with focus blast/hp rock