Goodbye Tornadus-T!
Introduction
Hey everyone! Since officially joining Smogon I haven't really been too active on the forums. Ive thrown in my 2 cents on maybe 3 topics, and I've made 2 really poorly done RMTs. This one I'm going to try to make a little more serious.
All rejoice! The problem known as Tornadus-T has been banned to Übers! And that's exactly what it was. A problem. I think most of us do indeed agree that when our tried and true steel types are switching into Tornadus-T taking 40% damage from it, then attempting to hit it, only to be out-sped and hit with another hurricane. Become confused, hit yourself, and be taken out by another hurricane. Next you switch out to revenge kill, and Torn just switches out and regenerates its health back to full from the life orb hits it took. That's a problem.
With so many nerfs, and such to permanent rain since the 5th Generation meta-game's inception, you'd probably think rain teams suck now. You could not be more wrong. There is still so many toys that can be used. Pokes that can go from zero to hero, just because of the rain.
I am really quite proud of this team. As good as Torn was, teambuilding now has a lot more possibilities. Hopefully you'll enjoy it too!
Edits in: Red
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Politoed
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
-Hydro Pump
-Ice Beam
-Focus Blast
-Perish Song
Originally:
The Team:Politoed
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
-Hydro Pump
-Ice Beam
-Focus Blast
-Perish Song
Oh great one, the bringer of the downpour. With an offensive team like this, I figured Choice Specs Politoed would be the best way to go. Very little explanation needed here. Probably the best way to get the most use out of your Politoed here. Ya'know early on in the BW meta-game I figured if you were using rain, sun, or hail, you were basically using 5 pokes. That is until I tried out Choice Specs Politoed. Do not underestimate it's power. There isn't really actually that much that wants to switch in on it in the OU meta-game. Summoning rain upon switch in, followed by firing off a STAB, Choice Specs Hydro Pump requires absolutely no thought. Those are the best things in Pokémon. Things that can be done with little actual thought or skill that reliably work. Also noobs are caught off guard by its power. Lol. Perish Song is mainly for SubCM Latias and such that this team struggles slightly in dealing with. (Pointed out by Leftiez)
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Keldeo-R
Keldeo-R
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
-Hydro Pump
-Secret Sword
-Hidden Power (Ghost/Electric)
-Surf
Say hello to the best user of the Choice Scarf in the OU meta-game. I heard someone say in a thread once. S/He said something like this, imagine if Terrakion had a STAB boosted by sand, and another STAB that hits physical walls for huge damage. You'd have Keldeo. Again very little explanation needed of the set. With a 108 base speed, and good natural bulk. Keldeo lives all priority in the tier and out-speeds most of the rest and hits them for huge damage. It revenge kills so many threats, and cleans up better than any thing I can think of with the rain up. On the Hidden Power type I'm looking for someone to tell me which one you think would be the better choice. I'm leaning toward and using Ghost as of now.
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Landorus-T
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 200 HP / 64 Atk / 244 Def
Adamant Nature
-Stealth Rock
-Earthquake
-U-turn
-Stone Edge
Landorus-T
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 200 HP / 64 Atk / 244 Def
Adamant Nature
-Stealth Rock
-Earthquake
-U-turn
-Stone Edge
If you're looking to get up Stealth Rock early, and easily look no further than Landorus-T. A great pivot, and fits very well on this team I think. Almost always my lead against Sun teams, as if they lead with Ninetales as most do. Lando can threaten it out with Earthquake, and get up first-turn Rocks. A great check to a number of the big threats in OU, and counters Terrakion. With an offensive team like this Landorus-T is great at coming in intimidating physical attackers, and then usually U-turn accordingly to get switch initiative , offensive pressure, and the momentum. With so much investment defensively you will be very pleased to know that it is still a hugely potent offensive threat hitting 376 Atk with 64 EVs and the Adamant Nature.
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Ferrothorn
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD (0 Spe IVs)
Relaxed Nature
-Spikes
-Leech Seed
-Protect
-Gyro Ball
Thanks to Novaray and Leftiez. Ferrothorn patches up some severe weaknesses this team had before. I don't know why I wasn't considering Ferrothorn in the first place. My heart was pretty much set on using Latias. In the rain, Ferrothorn walls so many threats... I put on the Rocky Helmet, because I can pretty easily lure a dragon into using Outrage/Dragon Claw and punish it for 25% damage, while not taking much myself. Combine that with Leech Seed, and it's easy to see why Ferrothorn is so high in usage. Rain nerfs down it's fire weakness, so it turns into a great special wall, as Latias was. With the modest 94 Base Atk stat, and 40 Speed after the minus nature and 0 IVs, STAB Gyro Ball can pack a nice punch on Dragons, Gyarados, and other threats. Novaray had suggested Thunder Wave in Protect's slot, but Thunder Wave and Gyro Ball on the same set is slightly counter-productive. Although some offensive pressure is gone with Ferrothorn, I think overall the team has become much better.
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Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Substitute
-Swords Dance
-Close Combat
-Stone Edge
Terrakion
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Close Combat
-Stone Edge
-X-Scissor
-Quick Attack
Originally:
Latias
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
-Calm Mind
-Recover
-Dragon Pulse
-Psyshock/Surf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
-Calm Mind
-Recover
-Dragon Pulse
-Psyshock/Surf
Ferrothorn
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD (0 Spe IVs)
Relaxed Nature
-Spikes
-Leech Seed
-Protect
-Gyro Ball
Thanks to Novaray and Leftiez. Ferrothorn patches up some severe weaknesses this team had before. I don't know why I wasn't considering Ferrothorn in the first place. My heart was pretty much set on using Latias. In the rain, Ferrothorn walls so many threats... I put on the Rocky Helmet, because I can pretty easily lure a dragon into using Outrage/Dragon Claw and punish it for 25% damage, while not taking much myself. Combine that with Leech Seed, and it's easy to see why Ferrothorn is so high in usage. Rain nerfs down it's fire weakness, so it turns into a great special wall, as Latias was. With the modest 94 Base Atk stat, and 40 Speed after the minus nature and 0 IVs, STAB Gyro Ball can pack a nice punch on Dragons, Gyarados, and other threats. Novaray had suggested Thunder Wave in Protect's slot, but Thunder Wave and Gyro Ball on the same set is slightly counter-productive. Although some offensive pressure is gone with Ferrothorn, I think overall the team has become much better.
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Originally:
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Substitute
-Swords Dance
-Close Combat
-Stone Edge
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Close Combat
-Stone Edge
-X-Scissor
-Quick Attack
Thanks to Limitless on this one. With something like Double Dance Thundurus-T as the team's main sweeper, it made little sense to keep Terrakion's Sub-Salac set around. With a Choice Band, it's made much easier to help Thundurus-T get ready for a sweep. Choice Banded Terrakion is so good- I'm just going to stop there before I go on much longer. IMO, Choice Banded Terrakion and Choice Scarf Keldeo (Especially under the rain) are the two biggest offensive threats in this meta-game. I still think, however, that some people don't truly recognize how big of a threat Choice Banded Terrakion really is. I mean, it 2HKO's max defense Skarmory! With a Choice Banded Terrakion the jobs of Keldeo and Thundurus-T are that much easier.
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Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
-Agility
-Thunder
-Hidden Power (Ice)
-Grass Knot/Focus Blast
Originally:
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
-Agility
-Thunder
-Hidden Power (Ice)
-Grass Knot/Focus Blast
Thundurus-T
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 152 HP / 252 SpA / 104 Spe
Modest Nature
-Agility
-Nasty Plot
-Thunder
-Hidden Power Ice
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 152 HP / 252 SpA / 104 Spe
Modest Nature
-Agility
-Nasty Plot
-Thunder
-Hidden Power Ice
Thanks again to Limitless for helping me make the decision to ultimately go with the Double Dancing Thundurus-T. Thanks as well to CTC for exposing us to this particular set. Also thanks to Gr8 for showing CTC this set (Lol). This set really is pure win. It is much easier than you'd think to get to +2, +2, with these EVs. It really is a surprising amount of bulk, while still maintaining enough speed to out-speed everything in the meta-game at +2 barring Timid, Scarfed, Starmie. There are actually quite a lot of opportunities for Thundurus-T to get both at +2, and if it does, it is gg. There is almost nothing that can be done. This current meta-game has nothing that can completely stop it's sweep.
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Conclusion:
First off I'd like to apologize for my poor ability to explain sets and reasons Pokes are on the team. If you have any knowledge of the meta-game you already know everything I said in there. Lol. Hopefully the team can just speak for itself :/
Anyways, this is going to be my go-to-team in Standard until the possible banning of Keldeo, Terrakion, or even both. Don't really have anything else to say. I think this team can be really successful in anyone's hands. I quite like the way this RMT turned out, as it was the first one I actually put some time into. I also promise to you, Smogon, that I will become more active. Hope you enjoyed! Any and all feedback, welcome!
Importable:
(Updated)
(Updated)
Politoed (F) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Perish Song
Keldeo (Keldeo-R) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Hidden Power [Ghost]
- Surf
Landorus-T (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 200 HP / 64 Atk / 244 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
Ferrothorn (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Gyro Ball
Terrakion @ Choice Band
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- X-Scissor
- Quick Attack
Thundurus-T (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 152 HP / 252 SAtk / 104 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Nasty Plot
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Perish Song
Keldeo (Keldeo-R) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Hidden Power [Ghost]
- Surf
Landorus-T (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 200 HP / 64 Atk / 244 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
Ferrothorn (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Gyro Ball
Terrakion @ Choice Band
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- X-Scissor
- Quick Attack
Thundurus-T (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 152 HP / 252 SAtk / 104 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Nasty Plot
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]