ORAS RU Fletchinder Balance by 49

[RMT Staff]

Introduction​

Welcome to the second ORAS RU Staff RMT! This team, built by 49 in the metagame following Venomoth's ban and prior to the drop of Mega Abomasnow and the other Mega base forms, was selected for its success during Rounds 2-6 of RU Open IV. It helped propel Kushalos to the finals, and Tesung and atomicllamas to the semi-finals. This team utilizes Fletchinder, which was at the time an extremely anti-metagame wincon. It fulfils the role of revenge killer, status spreader, and setup sweeper. Flygon is a logical choice on any team focused on a Fletchinder sweep, as it is capable of both removing Stealth Rock with Defog and pressuring most opposing hazard setters. Amoonguss was added for its ability to counter bulky Water-types while maintaining momentum thanks to Regenerator and Spore. An Alomomola + Mega Steelix core was chosen in order to check a myriad of threats in RU, including Tyrantrum, Mega Glalie, Sneasel, and opposing Fletchinder. Finally, Spiritomb was added as a strong Fighting- and Psychic-type check, capable of neutering physical threats with Will-O-Wisp and checking bulky setup sweepers with Curse. In comparison to most balanced teams in this era, this team is fairly slow-paced, focusing on steady chip from status and Leftovers removal via Knock Off to set up its win conditions.

Team Members

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Fletchinder
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 152 HP / 252 Atk / 76 Def / 28 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Acrobatics
- Roost
- Swords Dance
​

This team is centred around Fletchinder, which acts as the main wincon. It also has the ability to cripple physical attackers with Will-O-Wisp. The EV spread hits several crucial benchmarks, allowing Fletchinder to avoid the 2HKO from Dragon Dance Scrafty and Swords Dance Drapion, while also avoiding the OHKO from Choice Specs Tangrowth's Leaf Storm after Stealth Rock. Acrobatics is Fletchinder's sole attacking move, hitting neutral targets very hard after a few boosts thanks to its high base power. Not running an item means that Fletchinder takes less damage from Knock Off and possesses a full-powered Acrobatics.

Gale Wings allows Fletchinder to act as a check against faster Pokemon, such as Hitmonlee and Virizion. Will-O-Wisp cripples common switch-ins to Fletchinder, such as Mega Steelix and Tyrantrum. Roost offers Fletchiner a priority recovery move thanks to Gale Wings, and largely makes up for the lack of Leftovers. Fletchinder downplayed the necessity for a Choice Scarf revenge killer on a slow team like this, and due to most Alomomola running Knock Off over Toxic, Fletchinder could exploit that to its advantage. Fletchinder's teammates support it extremely well, with Flygon clearing hazards and checking Rock- and Steel-types, and Amoonguss dealing with bulky Waters.

Flygon @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 204 SpD / 24 Spe
Careful Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
​

Flygon acts as the premier Fire-type check and hazard remover. The EV spread allows it to check Houndoom, Delphox, and absorb decent damage from special attacks. The set is fairly standard, apart from Rock Slide. The main reason of using Rock Slide is so opposing Fletchinder cannot set up on Flygon, as most expect Flygon to U-Turn out. 24 Speed EVs allows Flygon to outspeed threats such as Magneton, Exploud, and Scrafty and weaken them with Earthquake, but it was mainly for outspeeding Adamant Tyrantrum, which was popular at the time.

Amoonguss @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 164 Def / 92 SpD / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]
​

Amoonguss was chosen over other similar Grass-type Pokemon for its access to Regenerator Spore and, which make Amoonguss extremely flexible and not prone to losing momentum. Aside from these qualities, Amoonguss functions similarly to defensive Venusaur in the modern ORAS RU metagame. Amoonguss's excellent typing and bulk allows it to serve as an effective switch-in to Water-types that threaten Fletchinder and Flygon, especially when supported by Alomomola, which can handle Slowking and other rare offensive Water-types that can break through Amoonguss. Amoonguss can also effectively scout and switch into strong Fighting-types (bar Medicham), giving the team much greater flexibility when Stealth Rock is on the field. Sludge Bomb was chosen over Clear Smog to allow Amoonguss to deal greater damage and apply more pressure to Pokemon such as opposing Fletchinder. It also has a useful chance to poison the opponent. Clear Smog can still be used if one wants additional security vs bulky setup sweepers, such as BU Gurdurr. HP Fire nails Escavalier and Steel-types in general.

Alomomola @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 104 HP / 176 Def / 224 SpD / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Scald
- Knock Off
​

Alomomola is the premier defensive Water-type for slow, sturdy teams due to its massive HP stat, Regenerator, and Wish. With these combined qualities, Alomomola is perfect for scouting the opponents moves and healing up the team, which is especially helpful forMega Steelix, which lacks recovery but is immensely difficult to knock out. Scald is effective for its ability to "fish for burns," limiting the opportunities the opponent has to try to set up on Alomomola. Toxic isn't as necessary on Alomomola because of Scald and the presence of Mega Steelix, so Knock Off is instead used to gain the edge vs defensive threats, such as opposing Amoonguss and Refresh Blastoise. Alomomola can effectively be thrown into a wide array of attacks, but its lack of offensive presence makes it prone to becoming setup fodder, especially when the opponent's Pokemon carries substitute.

Steelix @ Steelixite
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 236 SpD / 20 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Toxic
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Mega Steelix acts as the team's Stealth Rock setter and a check to several important threats, including Tyrantrum, Durant, Fletchinder, Mega Glalie, Aggron and Escavalier. With its incredible Defense and high base Attack, Mega Steelix can comfortably tank multiple hits and hit hard in return. Earthquake and Heavy Slam are Steelix's main STAB moves, doing a decent amount of damage to the aforementioned threats. Toxic cripples Fletchinder, allowing Alomomola to stall it out with Wish, and bulky Waters such as opposing Alomomola, Slowking and Jellicent. The EV spread includes a minor amount of Speed in order to avoid certain ties, and the rest is invested in HP and Special Defense to allow Steelix to check special attackers effectively. Mega Steelix's ability to switch into Knock Off from most users comfortably also has distinctive value on this team, since Pokemon like Alomomola tend to appreciate their Leftovers in longer games.

Spiritomb @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 236 Def / 16 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Foul Play
- Protect
- Curse​

Spiritomb fills the gaps in the team defensively, acting as a secondary switch to Fighting- and Psychic-types, which was critical at a time when Medicham and offensive Meloetta were at their peak. Furthermore, while the team does cover most threats either defensively or through Fletchinder, the utility brought about by Curse does help maintain the consistency of the team to a degree. Regarding the EV spread, a physically defensive spread was preferred for its ability to stuff Fighting-types' coverage options better, with 16 SpD EVs ensuring that +1 Meloetta's Shadow Ball fails to 2HKO after Stealth Rock. However, due to the nature of the Pokemon as a sort of "glue" to the team, the set itself is open to plenty of experimentation. The most significant altercation that was used to certain extents was a Calm Mind set (running that, Dark Pulse, Rest, and either Sleep Talk or Will-O-Wisp), which would find becoming an effective secondary conservative booster and a slightly more proficient Scald absorber, which tended to free up Amoonguss somewhat.

Threatlist
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Exploud: It is extremely difficult for any defensive team to switch into Specs Exploud, and this team is no exception. With Scrappy, Exploud can at minimum 2HKO every Pokemon on the team except Mega Steelix, which can only switch in to Boomburst a maximum of two times and loses to every coverage move Exploud carries. The best strategy is to limit the free switches Exploud gets so that when it does come in, you can proactively wear it down or cripple it with Spore. Preventing this Pokemon from getting at least one kill will be a difficult task, however.

Malamar: The team as is completely lacks counterplay to Malamar. Switching Spiritomb to the aforementioned Rest CM set would allow one to consistently deny Malamar any boosts, making it a non-issue.

Samurott & Slowking: These two Water-types both have setup options (SD and CM) respectively that can make each threatening, especially since Alomomola lacks Toxic. Samurott is best handled with a healthy Amoonguss or by simply wearing it down, although the likely presence of a Lum Berry and Samurott's good bulk will likely allow it to nab at least one kill. Slowking is only defeated if badly poisoned, so this requires extremely precise play with Steelix (and also not accidentally burning Slowking with Fletchinder). Toxic on Alomomola would provide a consistent answer to slowking, as would a CM Rest Spiritomb Set. Clear Smog on Amoonguss can offer some fighting options as well, although ideally if Slowking is faster and another Pokemon has been foddered to sleep, this will likely not be an effective route.

SubCM Delphox: The only stops at the moment are Flygon, Fletchinder, and Spiritomb without Sucker Punch. Delphox gets plenty of opportunities to set up if played well. Facing it simply requires careful, calculated play.

Importable

Open

Fletchinder
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 152 HP / 252 Atk / 76 Def / 28 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Acrobatics
- Roost
- Swords Dance

Flygon @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 204 SpD / 24 Spe
Careful Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide

Amoonguss @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 164 Def / 92 SpD / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Alomomola @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 104 HP / 176 Def / 224 SpD / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Scald
- Knock Off

Steelix @ Steelixite
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 236 SpD / 20 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Toxic

Spiritomb @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 236 Def / 16 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Foul Play
- Protect
- Curse

Credits

Created by: col49
Written by: Arifeen, atomicllamas, Chakra, FlamingVictini & fran17
Grammar checked by: IronBullet
Art by: Lax​