ORAS LC for my fisted friends.

[Berks]

there's not a single LC team on the first page.

I used this squad against KinglerNumbers in LCPL where both it and I performed below expectations. What better team to add to my ever expanding list of RMTs? What better team to help out my rate-starved TR homies? I couldn't figure one out, and I'm bored, so we're doing this.

how i built the team.

I wanted to try to overwhelm Kingler with mutually beneficial Smashers. Things like Mienfoo stop Omanyte from setting up a Shell Smash, but they don't usually stop Shellder. This was proven incorrect because I'm a fucking idiot and forgot Taunt existed, but this is still a neat core to start with.

I added a Scarf Mienfoo to follow my cardinal rule of teambuilding: I need at least 3 potential wincons so that I can sack two of them, cause Sacking WinCons™ is my specialty. Mienfoo also does an excellent job pressuring Porygon, which threatens both my smashers, and benefits from opponents who use their Spritzee to sponge a +2 Icicle Spear. It's scarf Acro as well, which is weird.

At this point, my only safeguards against Fighting types are scarf AcroFoo and Shellder, who sets up on most of them. I elected to add a Snubbull to try and alleviate this weakness, while also hopefully luring and removing potential Ferroseeds.

I needed a Rocker that wasn't a Rock-type, a bird check, and more Knock Off support, so Rocks Pawniard was a natural addition to the squad. It's really tough to build a team without Pawniard on it, at least for me, because it's just such an excellent Pokemon.

The core of Shellder + Pawniard + Foongus is really good, and I used it on the LCPL squad that got me soooooo close to beating ZoroDark a few weeks before, so I figured adding Foongus would be a good idea. Using Spore and, get this, Body Slam, would give me more opportunities to freely set up my smashers. I was also incredibly Grass weak, hence the addition of Foongus and the inclusion of Body Slam (cause Stun Spore is a 0% chance to para Grasses :P).


here are the sets.

congrats on slam! (Omanyte) @ Eviolite
Ability: Shell Armor
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 196 SpA / 236 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power

There's absolutely nothing special about this Omanyte set. Classic Shell Smash Omanyte is still a huge threat thanks to its excellent Defense and its tendency to tear through teams. I opted to include all of its standard moveset in lieu of something niche like Rock Blast as, after I finished assembling my team members, I didn't really feel the need for anything special. Classic Oma was my jumping off point.

grats bouff (Shellder) @ Eviolite
Ability: Skill Link
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 76 SpD / 196 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Icicle Spear
- Rock Blast
- Ice Shard

Just like with Omanyte, there's no innovation here. Standard Shellder is a newer meta trend but it just does such a good job of ripping through teams that it's difficult not to build around. My only regret with this Pokemon is the inclusion of Ice Shard over Razor Shell, because why bother playing Sucker Punch mindgames with a Pawniard if you can just KO it outright? Unfortunately, I failed to take into account my team's Pawniard weakness until during the match, when I was losing to a Pawniard. Anyways, Standard Shellder, everyone!

grats dice (Mienfoo) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
- Acrobatics
- U-turn

Months of using this very Mienfoo set on my six scarf squad taught me just how powerful Scarf Mienfoo is as a cleaner. The interesting thing on this set is the inclusion of Acrobatics, which seems counter-intuitive on a Choice Scarf Pokemon. However, this set is meant to serve as a check to both Pawniard and other Mienfoo (albeit not a strong one) and is thus prone to eat a Knock Off every once in a while. As such, it's good to have coverage against threats like Foongus and Croagunk should I find my Scarf gone. Outside of that, Mienfoo acts as an early game pivot and late game cleaner, taking advantage of Spritzee's that decided to tank a +2 Hydro Pump.

grats nobody (Snubbull) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 196 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Play Rough
- Thief
- Fire Punch
- Substitute

Coming off of this post about another 13 Speed Substitute user, I had been workshopping SubSnubs as a momentum gainer and Ferroseed lure. Without a dedicated Mienfoo switch-in, I really had no way of stopping it from creating momentum against my squad; this was unacceptable, and the perfect place for my Snubbull. When Standard Mienfoo tries to hit Omanyte with a Drain Punch or hit anything with a Knock Off, Snubbull steps in to absorb the hit. -1 Attack Mienfoos have a tendency to be switched out of battle via U-turn, which is usually a huge boon for the opposing team's momentum. However, Substituting on a U-turn sucks all the momentum right back to my side of the field, as now the opponent is faced with a sheltered Snubbull. No longer are Ferroseed or Skrelp threats on the pivot, as they face a Snubbull that steals their items or smacks them around with its coverage. This set is also an excellent Timburr counter, moreso than most because it never risks speed ties. I very much enjoy this set!

grats mazar (Pawniard) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock

And now, we return to more standard sets. Pawniard is a top tier Pokemon for so many reasons; primarily, it compresses necessary roles like no other Pokemon except for maybe Mienfoo and Archen. Pawniard offers priority, Knock Off, Fairy killing, hazards, and a bird check to boot, so it was an easy pick at this stage of building. I like to use BJ Pawn as I find it a much better switch-in to Flying-type attacks in general, and it is less prone to being threatened by being worn down.

grand slam iv (Foongus) @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 124 HP / 156 Def / 156 SpD
Bold Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Spore
- Body Slam

I tested this team against three Remoraider teammates. Each of them brought a Vullaby or an opposing Foongus. Each of them was promptly shocked by having their resident Foongus check paralyzed by Body Slam, of all things. In short, Foongus posed a huge threat to my team, and I wanted to "lure" it or any other Foongus checks in an unconventional way that could possibly throw Kingler off his game. Outside of that, Foongus provided a reliable check to Water spam, specifically in the form of Corphish and Carvanha. It also is just a consistently solid defensive backbone to offensive teams, something I greatly appreciate as a builder.


a few short words.

here is the replay in question, for those who enjoy watching poor Pokemon playing.

a huge shoutout to my Remoraider teammates, especially Coconut. but also blarajan, Heysup, CrashinBoomBang, KratosMana, Joltage, Pearl, Sam, innovamania, -Tsunami-, Steve Angello, and tarn66; our season isn't over at all but regardless it's been cool being on your team!

shoutouts Mambo

here's to the LC fists: Corporal Levi | Fiend
and the former fists: Oma

#blessup

 

[Fiend]

Some of your EV spreads are poorly optimized; Shellder hardly needs the special defense you gave it unless you're fearful of Croagunk. I would change the spread to 36 HP / 236 Atk / 36 Def / 196 Spe with an Adamant Nature as this gives Shellder a much easier time setting up. Similarly I perfer a spread of 36 Def / 196 SpA / 236 Spe (Modest) on Omanyte as this will take 2 less damage from Pawniard's Sucker Punch (10/20 vs 12/21) making it slightly easier to set up and sweep, though this worsen the damage as a percentage that you suffer from Timburr's Mach Punch--however you generally won't live this anyway after setting up without memento support.

Now looking at how you chose to support you team is rather interesting. You included a 3rd wincon, which can be okay, 2 fighting counters, 1 water check, 2 okay bird checks, and nothing to combat Steel-types or really handle Fire-types. Luckily, only Ponyta is really common and you can use Omanyte to remove that while you can outplay Larvesta to some extent. Scarf Mienfoo and Snubbull seems to worsen the issue for most of your team, as they mostly happen to just double down on what the team already does well. Instead, you can elect to remove make Mienfoo its standard 17 speed set and Snubbull switched out for a more offensive speedy pokemon as to prevent Gastly and Abra from 6-0ing the team.

I'd recommend making Mienfoo the normal set and keep the move options you have; Mienfoo acts as a nice lure to Croagunk, weakening it down rather easily with High Jump Kicks and Acrobatics. Mienfoo doubles as a Fighting-type check with Foongus allowing Foongus to not need to perform 6 rolls for your team all at once. I'll leave you the set just for easy copypasting.

Mienfoo set

Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Acrobatics
- High Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Knock Off

Snubbull can be decently replaced with just about any Scarf Pokemon, seeing as now all the speed of your team is gone. Things like Eviolite Diglett and Trapinch are also worth some consideration, though these require a lot of changing to the team. Instead, I feel that something such as Scarf Houndour with Snarl would be the best idea for your team, as it can check Drifloon, weaken Porygon, in one way or another kill Gastly, and heavily weaken Abra. Houndour can run a cool set with Beat Up and Pursuit to catch Abra with prediction, though this would require you run 3 dark moves and predict correctly. SR has to also not be up for this Houndour to beat Acrofloon. Snarl kills it from behind a Sub with its normal rolls (3/16 to not KO), while Beat Up kills itemless Drifloon from full HP if you have 6 pokemon alive.
It's probably not the best solution, and the team is rather awkward as it is, however I don't think that there is a best solution to the issue here unless you also switch around Pawniard and Foongus. The last time I saw a successful Omanyte Shellder team was well before Drifloon was used with regularity. Anyway, here is the set I did some testing with (warning: it's kinda ugly):

Houndour set

Houndour @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Early Bird
Level: 5
EVs: 36 Atk / 236 SpA / 236 Spe
Rash Nature
- Pursuit
- Fire Blast
- Beat Up
- Snarl

Lastly, you might want to use the Sage spread on BJ Pawniard to always live Overheat from Fletch. The EVs used are 116 Def / 196 SpD / 196 Spe with a Jolly nature if you decide to use it.

Cheers!

 

[Lepros]

Hello Berks ! Really solid team you have got there and I think it does not have any major flaws. My minor Suggestion is Stone Edge > Acrobatics.
Mienfoo is a poke that lures Larvesta into play tons of times. With the current set you thret yourself a lot of gettting burned and make your Mienfoo usefull only for knockick off items(which isn't really that bad but still) . Stone edge Definately OHKOes every Larvesta variant and can help with opposing Vullabys as well. I know oma can check most of larvesta's variants but there is always the fear of u-turning and traping one ofyour main wincons(Yeah, I like to think a lot) . Please consider my change.

Also, this may not be very effective i would like to suggest Clear Smog> body Slam on Foongus. I really like the niece but I think your team is kinda weak to opponent shell smashers. In order to keep you thunder wave support I would suggest changing the Pawn set to sth i used to use and it worked miracles

Pawn's Set

Pawniard @ Eviolite
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 116 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Thunder Wave
- Stealth Rock

Paraflinch Pawniard the baby Jirachi. Keeps your paralyze and rock support and gives you a better answer to opponent SS. I hope I helped