Gekirin
Hi everyone! This is my first RMT and I would like to ask for your suggestions. I made this team at the dawn of BW2 and it is focused on checking the new threats in the metagame. I’ve been playing competitive since around early-mid BW and I had only made a Smogon account a few days ago. The title ‘Gekirin’ is the move Outrage in Japanese, as Salamence is the main sweeper. Please note that I’m new to this so please tell me if I’ve made any mistakes. Thanks.
Tornadus-T @ Expert Belt
Nature: Hasty
Ability: Regenerator
252Sp Atk/252Spd/4Atk
Hurricane
Superpower
U-Turn
Rain Dance
Tornadus-T was a Pokemon I really wanted to try out ever since it was released. This Tornadus-T was based off the original Hurriacane set and it actually works well with its great new ability – Regenerator. Hurricane is its main STAB move and does a ton of damage to anyone who doesn’t resist it, although 70% accuracy is pretty shaky, it works well in rain and KOs Fighting types. I chose Superpower over Focus Blast for its reliability, and a way to guarantee an OHKO against non-Chople Berry Tyranitars, Superpower does have its flaws though, Scizor could come in and trap me with Bullet Punch and Pursuit at -1 Defence. U-Turn is to scout switch ins and deals a fair amount of damage to Latios etc. for the last moveslot, rain dance allows me to avert the weather to my favour and screws around sand and sun teams. It also gives Hurricane 100% accuracy and is useful to most of my team. I chose Expert belt to bluff choice and deal a bit more damage to specific Pokemon. This Pokemon is my lead as it can check or scout many leads and could divert the weather to my favour.
Mamoswine @ Life Orb
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Thick Fat
252Atk/252Spd/4HP
Ice Shard
Icicle Spear
Earthquake
Stealth Rock
Mamoswine checks SO MANY threats in the meta, everyone was talking about how great this guy was, so I decided to give him a try. Ice Shard gives me priority to finish off weakened flying or dragon types. It prevents stuff like CS Salamence from sweeping my team and OHKOes opposing Tornadus-Ts after Stealth Rocks. Probably one of my least used move but Icicle Spear gives me a way to OHKO Dragonites and break Substitute users, it’s great against Pokemons like Gengar predicting a switch and Substituting, only to have it broken and potentially KO it if I get enough hits. Earthquake hits water types switching on and dealing a lot of damage in general, with Mamoswine’s 80 base speed, Earthquake also breaks Modest/ Calm non-balloon Heatran hoping to KO me with its STAB Fire moves (which it can’t if I’m on full health anyways unless its Modest Fire Blast due to Thick Fat). Stealth Rocks are... well, Stealth Rocks, almost every team should have a Stealth Rock user and Mamoswine is mine. Although it doesn’t find many opportunities to set up, if it does, then it’s great. I use Life Orb since I like the ability to switch moves and deal more damage; Thick Fat is great as it basically gives me Ice resistance and Fire neutrality, even with such great power and ability, its Ice/ Ground typing is a letdown as it’s weak to very common moves, notably water, fighting and steel. I’m often in a dilemma whether to switch to Starmie of Magneton when a Scizor comes in, as one mistake could be fatal...
Amoonguss @ Black Sludge
Nature: Calm
Ability: Regenerator
252HP/252Sp Def/4Def
Spore
Giga Drain
Clear Smog
Stun Spore
Amoonguss is the defensive pivot for my team, its Grass/ Poison typing gives it a couple of key resistances and its HP is HUGE. With max Special Defence, it’s very hard to take him down without a Super Effective STAB move; even then, it could just switch out and heal 1/3 of its health. He’s good at checking the common rain teams which does not have a Tornadus forme; he also handles Keldeo and Breloom and cripples Thundurus-Ts with Stun Spore. Spore is its main move as it basically takes out a Pokemon by itself, although it can’t utilize Spore as well as Breloom (where it’s basically like switch out or get swept and people tend to stay in on Amoonguss) it still gives me an advantage. Giga Drain gives it self-healing and handles Gastrodon and Rotom-W. Clear Smog is great is it resets the boosts of any set up sweeper and Baton Pass chains, it also 2HKOes Breloom, which is a great feat for someone with such crap offenses. Finally, Stun Spore to cripple fast guys and can be used on switch ins when Spore is risky. In my opinion, Stun Spore is more useful than HP Ice as it can’t do anything (doesn’t even OHKO Landorus-T) and Stun Spore is good at scouting switch ins. Black Sludge is there because Amoonguss is Poison type and makes people think twice about Tricking him.
Starmie @ Life Orb
Nature: Timid
Ability: Natural Cure
252Sp Atk/252Spd/ 4HP
Surf
Ice Beam
Psyshock
Rapid Spin
Starmie has been in OU since the beginning of Pokemon (as you’re all aware), and it’s not hard to see why. It serves as my Rapid Spinner and is great at doing its job, the only Pokemon it has troubles with (in terms of walling) is Jellicent and Ferrothrn. Apart from that, Starmie is a great Pokemon, with its high offensive power coupled with Life Orb; it breaks through many other Pokemons. Surf is its STAB move and is more reliable than Hydro Pump, coupled with Ice Beam for coverage. Psyshock, in my opinion, is more useful than Thunderbolt, as it counters many of Starmies switch ins like Tentacruel, Amoonguss, Chansey and Gengar, it also fits fighting types for Super Effective damage. Psyshock also gains STAB and can be used if Surf seems unappealing. However, the best thing about Starmie is its ability, Natural Cure. With it, it absorbs status for my team and can switch out unscathed, it’s funny how people waste crippling Starmie a turn instead of doing as much damage possible before they die. Life Orb again lets me dish out as much damage as it can.
Magneton @ Choice Scarf
Nature: Timid
Ability: Magnet Pull
252Sp Atk/252Spd/4HP (30Atk/Def/Spd)
Thunderbolt
Flash Cannon
HP Fire
Volt Switch
Magneton; the Steel Trapper. I chose Magneton over its evolution Magnezone as my team had a problem with Tornadus-T and with Magneton’s 10 extra base speed, it can outspeed it and OHKO with Thunderbolt, whereas Magnezone can’t outspeed it with Choice Scarf and is in danger of being Focus Blasted, although Magneton is much more frail than zone. However, its 10 extra base speed had saved me a couple of matches, outspeeding Starmies and stuff. Thunderbolt is my main STAB move and gets a lot of OHKOs and 2HKOes, it’s my only way of checking Gyarados, however I have to be careful if the opponent has a ground type in their team. Flash Cannon is its secondary STAB move and helps against Hail teams; it is a pretty powerful move in general as it gets 2HKOes on switch ins to Thunderbolt. HP Fire is a way to finish off opposing steel types quickly before they can set up, although Ferrothorn gives it trouble in the rain. Volt Switch allows me to scout and completes the ‘VoltTurn’ core with Tornadus-T. Choice Scarf is the main reason I use him over Magnezone as it outspeeds more Pokemon and is better at revenge killing.
Salamence @ Lum Berry
Nature: Naive
Ability: Moxie
252Atk/252Spd/4HP
Dragon Dance
Outrage
Earthquake
Hydro Pump
Last but not least – Salamence, my main sweeper. I use the Dragon Dance set because it’s so easy to bluff and can usually sweep if it gets only one Dragon Dance boost. Most people expect a Choice Scarf set so they would switch into a steel type to resist Outrage, only to let me get a free Dragon Dance and (usually) KO it with Earthquake. Dragon Dance is one of the best boosting moves out there, with one Dragon Dance and a Moxie boost; it could potentially sweep the opponents team. Outrage is its main STAB move and after a boost, it could OHKO most non-steel types in the tier! Earthquake has great synergy with Outrage, hitting steel types. The final move is Hydro Pump. Why Hydro Pump? Well, since my team is (partly) rain based, Fire Blast would be greatly weakened and does not do as well (3HKO on neutral nature 252HP/ 168Sp Def standard Ferrothorn in rain). However Hydro Pump gets a rain boost and surprises Pokemon like Gliscor and Landorus-T. It even 2HKOes 252HP/ 0Sp Def Skarmory in rain! Although Ferrothorn walls it… but that’s what Magneton is forJ. I chose Lum Berry as it protects me from status once and could heal Salamence’s confusion at the end of the Outrage chain.
Conclusion:
Well here’s my team! It does have a few checks like Jellicent, which is really annoying to take down, and Cloyster, who could sweep my team after a Shell Smash boost etc. but I enjoyed using this team. Since PS was down for me till Friday of last week, I’ve been forced to ladder on PO and I peaked at 87th with this team. Now that PS is working for me, I can finally move. By the way I do not want to make this a weather team so please don’t mention Politoed. Thanks.
