Haste makes waste: a Trick Room RMT
Like a month ago I did this team, during the Cresselia suspect round (that you can see here). Unfortunatelly this team had terrible times against Cresselia, but now it is gone, I managed to ladder quite well with the team (peaked 9th in PS!) but now I dropped really hard, for reasons from hax to misplays, and I'm not with the will to recover all the points... So, I decided to retire this team, and see what you, smogoners, have to say about it.
Team building
Trick Room is similiar to a weather, so I need someone to set it. Uxie is one of the best weather setuppers around, packing nice bulk and support moves, being able to both set a Stealth Rocks and Trick Room.
Trick Room, unfortunately, doesn't have a rock like the weathers, so another setupper was needed. Oddly, Uxie's broher, Mesprit, can do a similar role, but packing more power in exchange of some bulky.
The emotion siblings are nice setuppers, but lack power to sweep. Slowking, on the other hand, can both setup Trick Room and be a threat right away thanks to its STABs and high SAtk. Also, thanks to Regenerator, Slowking still is kind of a bulky water.
With all the TR setuppers chosen I needed the TR abusers. Aggron is one of the most famous of them. Quite "fast" and packing nice coverage moves, at the same time it can wall the common normal sweepers of the tier are the points that got him this spot.
Everyone knows that dragons have the best coverage around, not hitting only steels for neutral damage. And most players know that good steel types are quite rare outside the OU environment. This way, Druddigon have everything a TR sweeper needs: nice coverage, low speed and a nice STAB with great Atk status.
The idea of making a whole team dependant to Trick Room never made may mind, so I decided to chose a poke that could have decent coverage and Atk and a nice Spe status. Scarf Cinccino was my choice, since, thanks to its speed, it can finish the work my sweepers couldn't finish before, being vulnerable only to (really) fast Scarfers and priority moves.
And this is how the team presented during the suspect round.
The Team
Uxie @ Leftovers
Like a month ago I did this team, during the Cresselia suspect round (that you can see here). Unfortunatelly this team had terrible times against Cresselia, but now it is gone, I managed to ladder quite well with the team (peaked 9th in PS!) but now I dropped really hard, for reasons from hax to misplays, and I'm not with the will to recover all the points... So, I decided to retire this team, and see what you, smogoners, have to say about it.
Team building
Trick Room is similiar to a weather, so I need someone to set it. Uxie is one of the best weather setuppers around, packing nice bulk and support moves, being able to both set a Stealth Rocks and Trick Room.
Trick Room, unfortunately, doesn't have a rock like the weathers, so another setupper was needed. Oddly, Uxie's broher, Mesprit, can do a similar role, but packing more power in exchange of some bulky.
The emotion siblings are nice setuppers, but lack power to sweep. Slowking, on the other hand, can both setup Trick Room and be a threat right away thanks to its STABs and high SAtk. Also, thanks to Regenerator, Slowking still is kind of a bulky water.
With all the TR setuppers chosen I needed the TR abusers. Aggron is one of the most famous of them. Quite "fast" and packing nice coverage moves, at the same time it can wall the common normal sweepers of the tier are the points that got him this spot.
Everyone knows that dragons have the best coverage around, not hitting only steels for neutral damage. And most players know that good steel types are quite rare outside the OU environment. This way, Druddigon have everything a TR sweeper needs: nice coverage, low speed and a nice STAB with great Atk status.
The idea of making a whole team dependant to Trick Room never made may mind, so I decided to chose a poke that could have decent coverage and Atk and a nice Spe status. Scarf Cinccino was my choice, since, thanks to its speed, it can finish the work my sweepers couldn't finish before, being vulnerable only to (really) fast Scarfers and priority moves.
And this is how the team presented during the suspect round.
I still tested two other members in place of Cinccino: Guts Hariyama and Swords Dance Bouffalant, suggest in the other RMT. Even though they did well, I ALWAYS missed the speed Cinccino had, so this is the reason it got the last spot of the team.
The Team
Uxie @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Trick Room
- U-turn
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
Uxie is really bulk, being one of the best setupers of any weather of the tier, while also packing a nice support movepool. Trick Room is the main strategy of the team, being the main move of the set. Stealth Rock is the best hazard around, and most teams runs a spinner, which gives me a free turn to either set Trick Room, get a free switch or nail a free KO while they spin off the Rock. Unfortunately Uxie doesn't carry Taunt, so Toxic is the only answer it have to against setup sweepers while crippling some walls like Quagsire and Sandslash, which depending of the set i'm not able to 2HKO with my other sweepers. U-Turn is the way Uxie have to give a safe switch to my sweepers, even with no investment Uxie still is fast, making it moves last under Trick Room against many pokemon, making sure either Aggron or Druddigon will keep max HP to sweep, avoiding been revenge killed by Mach Punchs and Aqua Jets; this safe switch it may give is also the reason of not running a nature that lower its speed.
- Stealth Rock
Uxie is really bulk, being one of the best setupers of any weather of the tier, while also packing a nice support movepool. Trick Room is the main strategy of the team, being the main move of the set. Stealth Rock is the best hazard around, and most teams runs a spinner, which gives me a free turn to either set Trick Room, get a free switch or nail a free KO while they spin off the Rock. Unfortunately Uxie doesn't carry Taunt, so Toxic is the only answer it have to against setup sweepers while crippling some walls like Quagsire and Sandslash, which depending of the set i'm not able to 2HKO with my other sweepers. U-Turn is the way Uxie have to give a safe switch to my sweepers, even with no investment Uxie still is fast, making it moves last under Trick Room against many pokemon, making sure either Aggron or Druddigon will keep max HP to sweep, avoiding been revenge killed by Mach Punchs and Aqua Jets; this safe switch it may give is also the reason of not running a nature that lower its speed.
Mesprit @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Trick Room
- Healing Wish
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
Mesprit is the second Trick Room setuper, but have a completely different role than Uxie. Mesprit have all around stats, making it less bulky than its sibling but more offensive too. This way Mesprit can set Trick Room while still being able to hit a few threats hard enough as long as it can hit a super-effective move. Mesprit is one of the best answers to Nidoqueen, since Levitate avoid being hit by Earth Power while Psychic can KO it; Mesprit can counter any fighting type too as long as it isn't named Gallade since Medicham doesn't have enough bulk to avoid a 2HKO. Thunderbolt is here only as a coverage move, even not covering many things in truth (Azelf must be really grateful for getting fire moves, which its siblings lack). But Healing Wish is where Mesprit shines; Trick Room sweepers need a safe switch to safely come in the field, and Healing Wish is the perfect move for it: it avoid the next pokemon being hit, while recovering it to full health. Keep in mind that Healing Wish's recovery happens BEFORE hazards damage, making it possible to either Druddigon and Aggron come back to action even with extremely low HP, a hard task since both are hit by Spikes.
Slowking @ Life Orb
Mesprit is the second Trick Room setuper, but have a completely different role than Uxie. Mesprit have all around stats, making it less bulky than its sibling but more offensive too. This way Mesprit can set Trick Room while still being able to hit a few threats hard enough as long as it can hit a super-effective move. Mesprit is one of the best answers to Nidoqueen, since Levitate avoid being hit by Earth Power while Psychic can KO it; Mesprit can counter any fighting type too as long as it isn't named Gallade since Medicham doesn't have enough bulk to avoid a 2HKO. Thunderbolt is here only as a coverage move, even not covering many things in truth (Azelf must be really grateful for getting fire moves, which its siblings lack). But Healing Wish is where Mesprit shines; Trick Room sweepers need a safe switch to safely come in the field, and Healing Wish is the perfect move for it: it avoid the next pokemon being hit, while recovering it to full health. Keep in mind that Healing Wish's recovery happens BEFORE hazards damage, making it possible to either Druddigon and Aggron come back to action even with extremely low HP, a hard task since both are hit by Spikes.
Slowking @ Life Orb
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SAtk / 8 SDef
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Trick Room
- Surf
- Fire Blast
- Psychic
Slowking now doesn't suffer with the competition with Cofragigus as the best special Trick Room sweeper in the tier. And different from the emotion siblings, Slowking can actually attempt a sweep under Trick Room. Slowking is also my main response to Steelix, since both Surf and Fire Blast can KO the iron snake. Even though not the best one, Slowking is also able to deal with most steel walls and Tangrowth; but as I said, Slowking isn't the best one because since Klingklang packs Wild Charge, while Ferrorseed still is a plant type. But without Slowking I wouldn't be able to break most defensive cores from opposing teams, since Druddigon and Aggron isn't able to break all physical walls of the tiers without a lot of predictions. Surf and Fire Blast are to break these walls, but Psychic is also needed to accomplish this job. Without Psychic Lanturn and Qwilfish (which can be annoying thanks to Intimidate) could wall Slowking completely, while it couldn't reliable counter fighting pokemon that populates the tier.
Aggron @ Choice Band
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SAtk / 8 SDef
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Trick Room
- Surf
- Fire Blast
- Psychic
Slowking now doesn't suffer with the competition with Cofragigus as the best special Trick Room sweeper in the tier. And different from the emotion siblings, Slowking can actually attempt a sweep under Trick Room. Slowking is also my main response to Steelix, since both Surf and Fire Blast can KO the iron snake. Even though not the best one, Slowking is also able to deal with most steel walls and Tangrowth; but as I said, Slowking isn't the best one because since Klingklang packs Wild Charge, while Ferrorseed still is a plant type. But without Slowking I wouldn't be able to break most defensive cores from opposing teams, since Druddigon and Aggron isn't able to break all physical walls of the tiers without a lot of predictions. Surf and Fire Blast are to break these walls, but Psychic is also needed to accomplish this job. Without Psychic Lanturn and Qwilfish (which can be annoying thanks to Intimidate) could wall Slowking completely, while it couldn't reliable counter fighting pokemon that populates the tier.
Aggron @ Choice Band
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
IVs: 0 Spe
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
- Head Smash
- Heavy Slam
Aggron is a monster under Trick Room. Period. With its huge base attack power Aggron can easily OHKO most pokemon that doesn't resist Head Smash, while being able to 2HKO many threats that resist Head Smash. With a Choice Band, Aggron have a chance to OHKO even most +2 Sigilyph sets, while still being able to OHKO unboosted Sigilyph with a burn. Actually, Aggron packs so much Atk that many times it doesn't care with a burn, and when it does cares with the burn it can be healed with Mesprit's Healing Wish. As stated, steel walls can give me huge problems, resisting rock and dragon moves, making coverage moves to hit these types needed; in Aggron I opted for Fire Punch and Earthquake. Both aren't a lot used because it needs some prediction to work well, but Fire Punch can work really well to finish Ferrorseed, being able to always land a KO in special defensive ones, while having a small chance to OHKO full health physical defensive builds. Steelix, otherwise, cannot be taken down with prior damage, being this the reason these coverage moves aren't used at all. Heavy Slam is an option to hit hard some fighting since, well, Aggron is quite heavy while most pokemon in RU isn't, but, just like the coverage moves, some times a resisted Head Smash can do as much as damage. You may also keep in mind that, except for Mach Punch, Aggron doesn't take a lot of damage from priority moves, for example, +2 Adamant Life Orb Kabutops's Aqua Jet max damage is 71%, being unable to KO Agrron without some prior damage, proving why it is such a monster under Trick Room.
Aggron is a monster under Trick Room. Period. With its huge base attack power Aggron can easily OHKO most pokemon that doesn't resist Head Smash, while being able to 2HKO many threats that resist Head Smash. With a Choice Band, Aggron have a chance to OHKO even most +2 Sigilyph sets, while still being able to OHKO unboosted Sigilyph with a burn. Actually, Aggron packs so much Atk that many times it doesn't care with a burn, and when it does cares with the burn it can be healed with Mesprit's Healing Wish. As stated, steel walls can give me huge problems, resisting rock and dragon moves, making coverage moves to hit these types needed; in Aggron I opted for Fire Punch and Earthquake. Both aren't a lot used because it needs some prediction to work well, but Fire Punch can work really well to finish Ferrorseed, being able to always land a KO in special defensive ones, while having a small chance to OHKO full health physical defensive builds. Steelix, otherwise, cannot be taken down with prior damage, being this the reason these coverage moves aren't used at all. Heavy Slam is an option to hit hard some fighting since, well, Aggron is quite heavy while most pokemon in RU isn't, but, just like the coverage moves, some times a resisted Head Smash can do as much as damage. You may also keep in mind that, except for Mach Punch, Aggron doesn't take a lot of damage from priority moves, for example, +2 Adamant Life Orb Kabutops's Aqua Jet max damage is 71%, being unable to KO Agrron without some prior damage, proving why it is such a monster under Trick Room.
Druddigon @ Choice Band
Trait: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
IVs: 0 Spe
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Outrage
- Sucker Punch
- Superpower
- Dragon Claw
When I first build this team Druddigon wasn't used so much. Fortunately now Druddigon's usage is rising, and for a good reason: it is awesome. Druddigon packs a lot of power for the tier, and being a dragon type gives it a lot of chances of switch, being able to work quite well even without Trick Room set. Druddigon is my answer to most sets of Gallade, having a chance in four of KOing a +1 Bulk Up Gallade with Outrage. And just like Aggron, Druddigon hardly uses its other moves besides Outrage, and almost like Aggron too many times it doesn't get bothered by a burn. Indeed, most problems I stated with Aggron repeats with Druddigon, except for the fighting pokemon, and its covering moves are here to cover it. Superpower hits Steelix a bit harder than Aggron's Earthquake, but even though it still is need prediction and prior damage to deal with it without Slowking, while Sucker Punch helps Druddigon works without Trick Room better. Dragon Claw, well, theorymon says that Dragon Claw is for when you don't want to be lock in Outrage, but most of the times I DO want to be locked in Outrage; maybe I could have used another coverage move, but Sheer Force would be needed for this, and I really got used to nails some KOes with Rough Skin, so I didn't tested it at all.
Cinccino @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd/ 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Seed
- Rock Blast
- Tail Slap
- Sleep Talk
Cinccino is by far the poke that is least needed in the team, but also it is the one that will be missed the most if it leaves the team. In reality, most games Cinccino not even touches the field, but there are also some matches that I could sweep and only won because of this italian bunny. Thanks to Skill Link both Bullet Seed and Rock Blast reach 125 BP, and Tail Slap a bit more with STAB; this way Cinccino can KO almost everything it can land a super-effective hit or doesn't have amazing defenses. Cinccino is a great late game sweeper mainly because there isn't many pokes that doesn't take at least 50% of damage from one of its moves, and late game is when it is harder to set a Trick Room too. Oddly enough Cinccino manages to survive some priority moves: it can take a +2 Life Orb Timid Kabutops's Aqua Jet with Stealth Rock while retaliates with Bullet Seed, the same happens with Choice Band Adamant Entei's Extremespeed with Rock Blast. The forth move was always a filler, and the best one I found was Sleep Talk, making Cinccino an answer to Smeargle and Lilligant, bypassing Focus Sash from the painter and outspeeding +1 Lilligant. Also, as the most disposable member of the team it is the perfect poke to take Tangrowth's Sleep Powder, without becoming completely useless, and serves as a sacrifice to get Druddigon or Aggron a safe switch.
When I first build this team Druddigon wasn't used so much. Fortunately now Druddigon's usage is rising, and for a good reason: it is awesome. Druddigon packs a lot of power for the tier, and being a dragon type gives it a lot of chances of switch, being able to work quite well even without Trick Room set. Druddigon is my answer to most sets of Gallade, having a chance in four of KOing a +1 Bulk Up Gallade with Outrage. And just like Aggron, Druddigon hardly uses its other moves besides Outrage, and almost like Aggron too many times it doesn't get bothered by a burn. Indeed, most problems I stated with Aggron repeats with Druddigon, except for the fighting pokemon, and its covering moves are here to cover it. Superpower hits Steelix a bit harder than Aggron's Earthquake, but even though it still is need prediction and prior damage to deal with it without Slowking, while Sucker Punch helps Druddigon works without Trick Room better. Dragon Claw, well, theorymon says that Dragon Claw is for when you don't want to be lock in Outrage, but most of the times I DO want to be locked in Outrage; maybe I could have used another coverage move, but Sheer Force would be needed for this, and I really got used to nails some KOes with Rough Skin, so I didn't tested it at all.
Cinccino @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd/ 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Seed
- Rock Blast
- Tail Slap
- Sleep Talk
Cinccino is by far the poke that is least needed in the team, but also it is the one that will be missed the most if it leaves the team. In reality, most games Cinccino not even touches the field, but there are also some matches that I could sweep and only won because of this italian bunny. Thanks to Skill Link both Bullet Seed and Rock Blast reach 125 BP, and Tail Slap a bit more with STAB; this way Cinccino can KO almost everything it can land a super-effective hit or doesn't have amazing defenses. Cinccino is a great late game sweeper mainly because there isn't many pokes that doesn't take at least 50% of damage from one of its moves, and late game is when it is harder to set a Trick Room too. Oddly enough Cinccino manages to survive some priority moves: it can take a +2 Life Orb Timid Kabutops's Aqua Jet with Stealth Rock while retaliates with Bullet Seed, the same happens with Choice Band Adamant Entei's Extremespeed with Rock Blast. The forth move was always a filler, and the best one I found was Sleep Talk, making Cinccino an answer to Smeargle and Lilligant, bypassing Focus Sash from the painter and outspeeding +1 Lilligant. Also, as the most disposable member of the team it is the perfect poke to take Tangrowth's Sleep Powder, without becoming completely useless, and serves as a sacrifice to get Druddigon or Aggron a safe switch.
Threat list
Importable
Fell free to try this team, since most Trick Room teams in the tier will look a lot with this one.
Since Trick Room is a kind of anti-metagame there isn't many threats, but there still some things to take note:
Steel Pokemon: Most physical walls can be broken with Druddigon's Outrage and Aggron's Head Smash, but pokemon that carry a steel typing can't. The team have ways to play around them, but without them down the team can't get a clean sweep.
Cosmic Power sweepers: The major problem is only they can setup on me, since the team lacks a phazer. If they manage to get a +3 (which isn't as hard as it seems thanks to Head Smash accuracy) it is gg, unless I get a critical hit, but, well, if them get a +3 it is almost gg to most teams at all.
Bulk Up Gallade: This one is just like the Cosmic Power duo: if it get a +2 it is a gg since I'll miss the OHKO while it may recovers all the damage with Drain Punch.
Escavalier: Escavalier deserves a spot here, being the only real threat. First because it outspeeds Druddigon and Aggron under Trick Room, and second because Slowking isn't a safe way to deal with it and neither emotion siblings can actually hit it hard enough. Can take a lot before being taken down.
Defensive Tangrowth: This works a lot like the steel walls: I'll miss 2HKO thanks to either Giga Drain or Leech Seed and the best option I have to deal with it is Slowking.
Importable
Uxie @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Trick Room
- U-turn
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
Aggron (M) @ Choice Band Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Head Smash
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Fire Punch
Mesprit @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Trick Room
- Healing Wish
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
Druddigon (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Outrage
- Sucker Punch
- Superpower
- Dragon Claw
Slowking (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SAtk / 8 SDef
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Trick Room
- Surf
- Fire Blast
- Psychic
Cinccino (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Seed
- Rock Blast
- Tail Slap
- Toxic
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Trick Room
- U-turn
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
Aggron (M) @ Choice Band Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Head Smash
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Fire Punch
Mesprit @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Trick Room
- Healing Wish
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
Druddigon (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Outrage
- Sucker Punch
- Superpower
- Dragon Claw
Slowking (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SAtk / 8 SDef
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Trick Room
- Surf
- Fire Blast
- Psychic
Cinccino (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Seed
- Rock Blast
- Tail Slap
- Toxic
Fell free to try this team, since most Trick Room teams in the tier will look a lot with this one.