Choice Scarf Kyogre + Haban Berry Palkia has been one of my favorite attacking forces ever since early BW. However, to be perfectly honest, as far as creating a successful team with said combination goes, I have not been satisfied with what has come out so far. There seems to always be something I dislike about the final product, which for me is enough to stop using it. I realize that it's in no way possible to create a team that will always have a favorable team match-up, but I do want to come as close as possible.
The team:
I realize that this team looks like an extremely standard rain team (not relevant in my opinion), with the only possibly exception to this being Arceus-Water, which is more commonly used as a supporting option on sun based teams.
I would like to apologize for any grammar mistakes that I already have made or are still to come.
So, without further ado, let's get on, with, the show.
Kyogre @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 52 HP / 252 SAtk / 204 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Water Spout
- Surf
- Thunder
- Ice Beam
Why a Choice Scarf Kyogre?
Choice Scarf Kyogre is a massive threat in the Ubers metagame that combines excellent speed with great power. Even though Choice Specs Kyogre is arguably a bigger threat and a more popular option among the good players, I still prefer Choice Scarf Kyogre. Choice Scarf Kyogre is a pretty good revengekiller and keeps several offensive powerhouses in check.
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Surf vs 0 HP/0 SpDef Darkrai: 109,96% - 129,54%
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Water Spout vs 0 HP/0 SpDef Mewtwo: 138,53% - 163,17%
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Surf vs 0 HP/0 SpDef Mewtwo: 87,54% - 103,12% (Guaranteed OHKO w/ SR)
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Water Spout vs 0 HP/0 +1 SpDef Mewtwo: 92,63% - 109,07% (56,25% chance to OHKO) (Guaranteed OHKO w/ SR)
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Water Spout vs 0 HP/0 SpDef Kyurem-W: 57,03% - 67,26% (2 hits to KO)
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Ice Beam vs 0 HP/0 SpDef Soul Dew Latios: 52,49% - 61,79% (2 hits to KO)
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Thunder vs 0 HP/0 SpDef Manaphy: 93,84% - 110,85% (62,5% chance to OHKO) (Guaranteed OHKO w/ SR)
All of these damage calculations factor in rain.
Why these four moves?
Water Spout is the main reason this set is so threatening. Even though Choice Scarf Kyogre's Water Spout isn't as powerful as Choice Specs Kyogre's, it still grants Kyogre the ability to break walls effectively and possible open up a late game sweeping opportunity for itself, Palkia or Arceus-Water. Surf is the reliable back-up stab move, and as you can see from the damage calcs, it still packs more than enough of a punch to do some major damage. Thunder and Ice Beam are Kyogre's coverage moves, allowing it to hit Pokémon that resist Water Spout and Surf, such as: Opposing Kyogre, Palkia, Giratina & Giratina-O, Rayquaza, Zekrom, Latios and Latias, Tentacruel and many more.
Why this EV spread?
The chosen EV spread in combination with a Modest nature allows Kyogre to be as powerful as possible while still outspeeding threats such as Darkrai, Shaymin-S, Mewtwo and Deoxys-A with a neutral nature for Speed. The remaining EVs are put into HP to increase Kyogre's bulk, helping it to absorb attacks such as Arceus' and Rayquaza's ExtremeSpeed a little bit better.
Changes I have considered:
- Timid Nature > Modest Nature
Palkia @ Haban Berry
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Spacial Rend
- Surf
- Thunder
- Fire Blast
Why a Haban Berry Palkia?
I chose Haban Berry Palkia as Kyogre's offensive partner, because I think they work extremely well together. Haban Berry Palkia has the ability to lure in and eliminate opposing threats that could compromise a Choice Scarf Kyogre sweep. Examples would be Ferrothorn, Choice Scarf Palkia, Choice Scarf Rayquaza, Choice Scarf Zekrom, Choice Scarf Kyurem-White and Latios. However, the fun doesn't end there. Haban Berry Palkia doesn't just support Palkia in sweeping teams, it can just as easily dismantle teams by itself. It has great speed, special attack, offensive typing and type coverage. All of that combined with the rain Kyogre summons doesn't leave much room for improvement, in fact, in my opinion Palkia is one of the most perfect Pokémon ever created as far as competitive play is concerned.
Why these four moves?
Type. Coverage. These four moves allow Palkia to hit the widest amount of threats it needs to hit hard. Spacial Rend is a fantastic STAB option and a pretty reliable move for Palkia to use. The main reason I decided against Draco Meteor is because I don't think it's quite powerful enough. I love running Draco Meteor on Lustrous Orb or Choice Specs Palkia, but it has just disappointed me on Haban Berry Palkia. Surf is a fantastic and reliable STAB option, which much like Kyogre's Surf packs quite a punch in rain. Surf is used over Hydro Pump purely because I more often than not do not necessarily need Hydro's power, but I do need to hit. Plus, like I said before, Surf isn't a weak attack. Thunder and Fire Blast are Palkia's (amazing) coverage attacks. Thunder allows it to counter Kyogre quite effectively and also hits threats like Lugia, Kabutops and Tentacruel extremely hard. Fire Blast roasts Ferrothorn and does delicious damage to Groudon when the sun is up. Without it Forretress would also be able to set up on Palkia when the sun is up.
Why this EV spread?
Simply because Speed and Special Attack are the only stats this Palkia set should invest in. Investing in a different stat would simply be a waste, in my humble opinion. It can tank Kyogre's attack good enough already without significant invest in Special Defense, not to mention that I also have a Ferrothorn on this team. Maximum Speed investment allows me to outspeed threats such as Kyurem-White and Rayquaza, which is absolutely crucial. To summarize: max Speed, max Special Attack. Nothing else.
Changes I have considered:
- Draco Meteor > Spacial Rend
Ferrothorn (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
Why a Ferrothorn?
Ferrothorn. Not many Pokémon introduced in the fifth installment of Pokémon generations have made such impact as Ferrothorn, if any. Arguably the best defensive typing introduced so far (*cough MikeDecIsHere *cough*) and fantastic defensive stats allow it to be a top tier defensive option in both OU and Uber. It covers the weaknesses Kyogre and Palkia have perfectly and provides the team with valuable entry hazards. It also helps me combat Pokémon like Latios, Latias, Shaymin-S and Zekrom, who would otherwise be big threats towards my team. Literally the only thing I would like Ferrothorn to have is Water Veil as its Dream World ability, because Kyogre's Scald pisses me off to no end. So basically, why not a Ferrothorn?
Why these four moves?
Spikes are fantastic. Spikes inflict so much damage in the long run it is (always) worth the move slot in my opinion. Leech Seed in combination with Leftovers allow Ferrothorn to at least have some form of recovery and help it to remain healthy throughout the match. Leech Seed also forces switches, which in combination with the Spikes it lays down racks up a serious amount of passive damage, effectively increasing the chances of a Choice Scarf Kyogre sweep. Power Whip and Gyro Ball are Ferrothorn's attacking options. Power Whip does huge amounts of damage to Kyogre, Manaphy and Kabutops, whilst also hurting Palkia and Kingdra. Gyro Ball prevents Pokémon like Rayquaza, Shaymin-S and Latias from setting up all over me. It also does huge damage to Mewtwo, Darkrai and Latios. Even though I love using Protect in combination with Leech Seed, I simply cannot afford not using any of the four moves I'm currently using. All four are crucial.
Why this EV spread?
I chose a specially defensive EV spread, because this way it has the least amount of trouble taking on threats like Latios and Latias. It for example helps Ferrothorn to take Hidden Power Fire in rain better. Ferrothorn is also my #1 option against Shaymin-S, which means it needs to tank multiple Air Slashes to stand a chance. Ferrothorn's natural physical bulk often times being enough also helps a lot. Choice Band Zekrom cannot 2HKO this Ferrothorn for example.
Changes I have considered:
- A different EV spread. Suggestions are more than welcome.
Giratina @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Roar
Why a physically defensive Giratina?
Giratina does not die. It just doesn't. Ever. I personally love using this thing and I have loved it ever since 4th gen. I chose to use ''The Great Wall'' for a number of reasons. 1. Physically defensive Giratina is my favorite Rapin Spin blocker. Most Arceus-Ghost sets are beaten by Toxic, the only Giratina-O set that reliably overcomes Toxic is Rest + Sleep Talk, but that isn't as bulky as its older brother (genderless w/e) and can't hold Leftovers. Giratina is my main switch-in to Groudon, Arceus, Ho-Oh, Kabutops, Blaziken and Terrakion as well as other things. Giratina is one of the most sturdy Pokémon I have ever used and never seems to disappoint me.
Why these four moves?
Rest and Sleep Talk are currently Giratina's options to form a ''reliable'' recovery tactic, which is something I'm not going to pass up on. Will-O-Wisp is a fantastic weapon for Giratina, helping it send chills down the spines of physically offensive threats even more. Roar allows me to shuffle my opponent's team around, which in combination with the entry hazards and the burns Giratina spreads around through Will-O-Wisp creates an extreme amount of indirect damage. Dragon Tail is a very tempting option to use over either Will-O-Wisp or Roar, but I quite like Will-O-Wisp and Roar. The only thing is really don't like about that is that Taunt completely shuts Giratina down.
Why this EV spread?
Giratina has to primarily switch into physical attacking threats, so maximum physical investment isn't that farfetch'd. Furthermore, Giratina's natural special bulk doesn't require much of a boost anyway. This EV spread greatly benefits Giratina when it has to block Rapid Spin as well, seeing as even Adamant Life Orb Excadrill has an extremely hard time breaking through, especially considering that Excadrill loathes getting burnt by Will-O-Wisp.
Changes I have considered:
- Dragon Tail > Will-O-Wisp or Roar
- Giratina-O > Giratina
Looking at how susceptible my team is to Spikes, changing Giratina to a Giratina-O with a similar set has come up a number of times. However, Giratina just always performs so well that I never really made the change.
Excadrill (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 96 HP / 136 Atk / 200 SDef / 76 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Toxic
Why a Mold Breaker Excarill?
Mold Breaker Excadrill fulfills a number of roles my team still didn't have a good option for. Excadrill functions as my Stealth Rock user and my Rapid Spin user, which are two of the most important roles, if not the most important roles in competitive battling. For that reason, I have tried not to add any more pressure on Excadrill than absolutely necessary. The few other roles it has on this team is that it (sometimes) switches in on Dialga, Calm Mind Arceus-Steel (without Will-O-Wisp) and helps me beat Substitute + Hone Claws Zekrom, other than that it sets up Stealth Rock and uses Rapid Spin. Mold Breaker Excadrill is one of favorite Rapid Spin users to use on a rain team, because it matches up relatively well against quite a lot of the commonly used sets on the commonly used Rapid Spin blockers.
Why these four moves?
Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin are key moves to almost any good Ubers team, in my opinion. Earthquake in combination with Mold Breaker provides decent enough coverage. The biggest niche this combination offers is hitting Giratina-O, even though it has Levitate as its ability. Earthquake and Toxic allow it to cripple Arceus-Ghost and most Giratina-O sets to the point where the team can eventually dispose of them.
Why this EV spread?
I realize the EV spread looks random and unnecessarily complex, but the EV placement actually makes a lot of sense. The Special Defense EVs in combination with the HP EVs allow Excadrill to come in on Dialga, provided that the rain is up. The attack EVs hit a bonus number, while also helping it take down Giratina-O, especially with Stealth Rock already set up. The Speed EVs allow it be faster than the base 90 Speed Ubers and some of their sets that include minor Speed investment. I did not create this EV spread myself, this EV spread was (as far as I am aware) created by syrim.
Changes I have considered:
- Swords Dance / Substitute > Toxic
- A different EV spread. Again, suggestions are more than welcome.
Arceus-Water @ Splash Plate
Trait: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 144 SDef / 112 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Surf
- Ice Beam
Why a Calm Mind Arceus-Water?
To be perfectly honest, I never really planned on using a Calm Mind Arceus-Water. I had decided on Arceus-Water to cover up a number of remaining weaknesses, such as Kyurem-White, Reshiram and Rayquaza. My only real requirement was for me to run Ice Beam, so I could reliably take out Rayquaza. Then I started thinking about possible sets, and the first thing that came to mind was a support set. However, since I already had Ferrothorn, Giratina and Excadrill, I really didn't want another supporter. Plus, using a more offensive approach, in this case, didn't make me weaker to the aforementioned threats.
Why these four moves?
This moveset was quite the ''no-brainer'' for me. I knew I needed Ice Beam and Recover, those were crucial. Then I decided on using a Calm Mind variant, so obviously Calm Mind would take up one of the spots. After having three out of the four possible slots filled, I still hadn't chosen a STAB move, which not only is a more powerful option (duh), but also provides good coverage alongside Ice Beam. I decided to go for Surf, mainly because I really like Surf (you may or may not have noticed this by now lol) and the only other alternative would be Judgment. Even though Judgment is (slightly) more powerful, Surf has more PP, which ended up being the deciding factor.
Why this EV spread?
Out of all of the EV spreads, this definitely makes the least sense. ''Why would you invest so much in Special Defense when you're running a Calm Mind set?'' Well, that's because even though this is a Calm Mind Arceus-Water, it's a situational Calm Mind user, if that makes any sense. The EV spread allows me to come in on Kyurem-White and Reshiram, whilst still outspeeding Pokémon like Palkia, Landorus, Thundurus-Therian and Garchomp. It also allows me to survive a Draco Meteor + ExtremeSpeed combination from mixed Rayquaza. Even though I mentioned Arceus-Water is a situational Calm Mind user, the EV spread is definitely nice. I can for example easily engage a Calm Mind war against several other Arceus types, because I have a higher Special Defense stat, while we (likely) have the same Special Attack stat. An added bonus is that the difference in Special Defense will only increase as Arceus-Water calms its mind more and more, in my favor. I realize this isn't an ideal Calm Mind Arceus-Water set, but I believe it makes the team better.
Changes I have considered:
- Swords Dance > Calm Mind
- Judgment > Surf
One final look at the team:
The biggest weaknesses:
- Entry Hazards
Entry hazards, especially Spikes, are the biggest weakness to this team and the main reason I decided to ask for your help. All six of my Pokémon are hit by Spikes, which is absolutely awful. Even though I have a Rapid Spin user, it's still a huge problem. There is no guarantee I will be able to Rapid Spin. I am still strongly considering to replace Giratina with a Giratina-O, which would at least decrease the threat somewhat, but it'd still be a huge issue. Any suggestions regarding this problem would be extremely welcome.
- Palkia
Palkia is a huge threat, which is something I abuse when using this team, however, it's also something I fear when I'm using this team. I usually just play around it using ''prediction''. Ferrothorn can come in on anything but a Fire Blast, Arceus-Water can come in anything but a Thunder and my own Palkia can hopefully beat it is using its Haban Berry (provided that the opposing Palkia does not hold a Haban Berry, because then it would come down to a speedtie).
- Ferrothorn
Ugh. Ferrothorn is extremely annoying to take down. If Arceus could use Scald I would've just went with Scald instead of Surf. Giratina can burn it, especially since they more often than not stay in to Spike / Leech Seed. Excadrill can come in and Rapid Spin the hazards it lays down, but Power Whip does quite a number. Palkia can Fire Blast for the 2HKO, but ''bluffing the Choice Scarf'' has become harder and harder to do with Palkia, especially with Protect varients.
- Zekrom
Mixed Zekrom, to be precise. Ferrothorn and Excadrill are able to beat every Zekrom varient out there, except Mixed. Mixed Zekrom has the potential to completely destroy every single one of my Pokémon, if the user predicts me correctly. Thank god this thing is rare, because it's a huge threat to this team.
Importable:
Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read / rate my RMT. I hope my grammar wasn't too horrible and I probably should've taken a bit longer to write this, but Edgar needed inspiration. :] Feel free to ''Luvdisc'' if you liked this RMT / team and once again, thanks!
The team:
I realize that this team looks like an extremely standard rain team (not relevant in my opinion), with the only possibly exception to this being Arceus-Water, which is more commonly used as a supporting option on sun based teams.
I would like to apologize for any grammar mistakes that I already have made or are still to come.
So, without further ado, let's get on, with, the show.
Kyogre @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 52 HP / 252 SAtk / 204 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Water Spout
- Surf
- Thunder
- Ice Beam
Why a Choice Scarf Kyogre?
Choice Scarf Kyogre is a massive threat in the Ubers metagame that combines excellent speed with great power. Even though Choice Specs Kyogre is arguably a bigger threat and a more popular option among the good players, I still prefer Choice Scarf Kyogre. Choice Scarf Kyogre is a pretty good revengekiller and keeps several offensive powerhouses in check.
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Surf vs 0 HP/0 SpDef Darkrai: 109,96% - 129,54%
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Water Spout vs 0 HP/0 SpDef Mewtwo: 138,53% - 163,17%
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Surf vs 0 HP/0 SpDef Mewtwo: 87,54% - 103,12% (Guaranteed OHKO w/ SR)
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Water Spout vs 0 HP/0 +1 SpDef Mewtwo: 92,63% - 109,07% (56,25% chance to OHKO) (Guaranteed OHKO w/ SR)
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Water Spout vs 0 HP/0 SpDef Kyurem-W: 57,03% - 67,26% (2 hits to KO)
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Ice Beam vs 0 HP/0 SpDef Soul Dew Latios: 52,49% - 61,79% (2 hits to KO)
- 252 SpAtk Kyogre (+SpAtk) Thunder vs 0 HP/0 SpDef Manaphy: 93,84% - 110,85% (62,5% chance to OHKO) (Guaranteed OHKO w/ SR)
All of these damage calculations factor in rain.
Why these four moves?
Water Spout is the main reason this set is so threatening. Even though Choice Scarf Kyogre's Water Spout isn't as powerful as Choice Specs Kyogre's, it still grants Kyogre the ability to break walls effectively and possible open up a late game sweeping opportunity for itself, Palkia or Arceus-Water. Surf is the reliable back-up stab move, and as you can see from the damage calcs, it still packs more than enough of a punch to do some major damage. Thunder and Ice Beam are Kyogre's coverage moves, allowing it to hit Pokémon that resist Water Spout and Surf, such as: Opposing Kyogre, Palkia, Giratina & Giratina-O, Rayquaza, Zekrom, Latios and Latias, Tentacruel and many more.
Why this EV spread?
The chosen EV spread in combination with a Modest nature allows Kyogre to be as powerful as possible while still outspeeding threats such as Darkrai, Shaymin-S, Mewtwo and Deoxys-A with a neutral nature for Speed. The remaining EVs are put into HP to increase Kyogre's bulk, helping it to absorb attacks such as Arceus' and Rayquaza's ExtremeSpeed a little bit better.
Changes I have considered:
- Timid Nature > Modest Nature
Palkia @ Haban Berry
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Spacial Rend
- Surf
- Thunder
- Fire Blast
Why a Haban Berry Palkia?
I chose Haban Berry Palkia as Kyogre's offensive partner, because I think they work extremely well together. Haban Berry Palkia has the ability to lure in and eliminate opposing threats that could compromise a Choice Scarf Kyogre sweep. Examples would be Ferrothorn, Choice Scarf Palkia, Choice Scarf Rayquaza, Choice Scarf Zekrom, Choice Scarf Kyurem-White and Latios. However, the fun doesn't end there. Haban Berry Palkia doesn't just support Palkia in sweeping teams, it can just as easily dismantle teams by itself. It has great speed, special attack, offensive typing and type coverage. All of that combined with the rain Kyogre summons doesn't leave much room for improvement, in fact, in my opinion Palkia is one of the most perfect Pokémon ever created as far as competitive play is concerned.
Why these four moves?
Type. Coverage. These four moves allow Palkia to hit the widest amount of threats it needs to hit hard. Spacial Rend is a fantastic STAB option and a pretty reliable move for Palkia to use. The main reason I decided against Draco Meteor is because I don't think it's quite powerful enough. I love running Draco Meteor on Lustrous Orb or Choice Specs Palkia, but it has just disappointed me on Haban Berry Palkia. Surf is a fantastic and reliable STAB option, which much like Kyogre's Surf packs quite a punch in rain. Surf is used over Hydro Pump purely because I more often than not do not necessarily need Hydro's power, but I do need to hit. Plus, like I said before, Surf isn't a weak attack. Thunder and Fire Blast are Palkia's (amazing) coverage attacks. Thunder allows it to counter Kyogre quite effectively and also hits threats like Lugia, Kabutops and Tentacruel extremely hard. Fire Blast roasts Ferrothorn and does delicious damage to Groudon when the sun is up. Without it Forretress would also be able to set up on Palkia when the sun is up.
Why this EV spread?
Simply because Speed and Special Attack are the only stats this Palkia set should invest in. Investing in a different stat would simply be a waste, in my humble opinion. It can tank Kyogre's attack good enough already without significant invest in Special Defense, not to mention that I also have a Ferrothorn on this team. Maximum Speed investment allows me to outspeed threats such as Kyurem-White and Rayquaza, which is absolutely crucial. To summarize: max Speed, max Special Attack. Nothing else.
Changes I have considered:
- Draco Meteor > Spacial Rend
Ferrothorn (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
Why a Ferrothorn?
Ferrothorn. Not many Pokémon introduced in the fifth installment of Pokémon generations have made such impact as Ferrothorn, if any. Arguably the best defensive typing introduced so far (*cough MikeDecIsHere *cough*) and fantastic defensive stats allow it to be a top tier defensive option in both OU and Uber. It covers the weaknesses Kyogre and Palkia have perfectly and provides the team with valuable entry hazards. It also helps me combat Pokémon like Latios, Latias, Shaymin-S and Zekrom, who would otherwise be big threats towards my team. Literally the only thing I would like Ferrothorn to have is Water Veil as its Dream World ability, because Kyogre's Scald pisses me off to no end. So basically, why not a Ferrothorn?
Why these four moves?
Spikes are fantastic. Spikes inflict so much damage in the long run it is (always) worth the move slot in my opinion. Leech Seed in combination with Leftovers allow Ferrothorn to at least have some form of recovery and help it to remain healthy throughout the match. Leech Seed also forces switches, which in combination with the Spikes it lays down racks up a serious amount of passive damage, effectively increasing the chances of a Choice Scarf Kyogre sweep. Power Whip and Gyro Ball are Ferrothorn's attacking options. Power Whip does huge amounts of damage to Kyogre, Manaphy and Kabutops, whilst also hurting Palkia and Kingdra. Gyro Ball prevents Pokémon like Rayquaza, Shaymin-S and Latias from setting up all over me. It also does huge damage to Mewtwo, Darkrai and Latios. Even though I love using Protect in combination with Leech Seed, I simply cannot afford not using any of the four moves I'm currently using. All four are crucial.
Why this EV spread?
I chose a specially defensive EV spread, because this way it has the least amount of trouble taking on threats like Latios and Latias. It for example helps Ferrothorn to take Hidden Power Fire in rain better. Ferrothorn is also my #1 option against Shaymin-S, which means it needs to tank multiple Air Slashes to stand a chance. Ferrothorn's natural physical bulk often times being enough also helps a lot. Choice Band Zekrom cannot 2HKO this Ferrothorn for example.
Changes I have considered:
- A different EV spread. Suggestions are more than welcome.
Giratina @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Roar
Why a physically defensive Giratina?
Giratina does not die. It just doesn't. Ever. I personally love using this thing and I have loved it ever since 4th gen. I chose to use ''The Great Wall'' for a number of reasons. 1. Physically defensive Giratina is my favorite Rapin Spin blocker. Most Arceus-Ghost sets are beaten by Toxic, the only Giratina-O set that reliably overcomes Toxic is Rest + Sleep Talk, but that isn't as bulky as its older brother (genderless w/e) and can't hold Leftovers. Giratina is my main switch-in to Groudon, Arceus, Ho-Oh, Kabutops, Blaziken and Terrakion as well as other things. Giratina is one of the most sturdy Pokémon I have ever used and never seems to disappoint me.
Why these four moves?
Rest and Sleep Talk are currently Giratina's options to form a ''reliable'' recovery tactic, which is something I'm not going to pass up on. Will-O-Wisp is a fantastic weapon for Giratina, helping it send chills down the spines of physically offensive threats even more. Roar allows me to shuffle my opponent's team around, which in combination with the entry hazards and the burns Giratina spreads around through Will-O-Wisp creates an extreme amount of indirect damage. Dragon Tail is a very tempting option to use over either Will-O-Wisp or Roar, but I quite like Will-O-Wisp and Roar. The only thing is really don't like about that is that Taunt completely shuts Giratina down.
Why this EV spread?
Giratina has to primarily switch into physical attacking threats, so maximum physical investment isn't that farfetch'd. Furthermore, Giratina's natural special bulk doesn't require much of a boost anyway. This EV spread greatly benefits Giratina when it has to block Rapid Spin as well, seeing as even Adamant Life Orb Excadrill has an extremely hard time breaking through, especially considering that Excadrill loathes getting burnt by Will-O-Wisp.
Changes I have considered:
- Dragon Tail > Will-O-Wisp or Roar
- Giratina-O > Giratina
Looking at how susceptible my team is to Spikes, changing Giratina to a Giratina-O with a similar set has come up a number of times. However, Giratina just always performs so well that I never really made the change.
Excadrill (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 96 HP / 136 Atk / 200 SDef / 76 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Toxic
Why a Mold Breaker Excarill?
Mold Breaker Excadrill fulfills a number of roles my team still didn't have a good option for. Excadrill functions as my Stealth Rock user and my Rapid Spin user, which are two of the most important roles, if not the most important roles in competitive battling. For that reason, I have tried not to add any more pressure on Excadrill than absolutely necessary. The few other roles it has on this team is that it (sometimes) switches in on Dialga, Calm Mind Arceus-Steel (without Will-O-Wisp) and helps me beat Substitute + Hone Claws Zekrom, other than that it sets up Stealth Rock and uses Rapid Spin. Mold Breaker Excadrill is one of favorite Rapid Spin users to use on a rain team, because it matches up relatively well against quite a lot of the commonly used sets on the commonly used Rapid Spin blockers.
Why these four moves?
Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin are key moves to almost any good Ubers team, in my opinion. Earthquake in combination with Mold Breaker provides decent enough coverage. The biggest niche this combination offers is hitting Giratina-O, even though it has Levitate as its ability. Earthquake and Toxic allow it to cripple Arceus-Ghost and most Giratina-O sets to the point where the team can eventually dispose of them.
Why this EV spread?
I realize the EV spread looks random and unnecessarily complex, but the EV placement actually makes a lot of sense. The Special Defense EVs in combination with the HP EVs allow Excadrill to come in on Dialga, provided that the rain is up. The attack EVs hit a bonus number, while also helping it take down Giratina-O, especially with Stealth Rock already set up. The Speed EVs allow it be faster than the base 90 Speed Ubers and some of their sets that include minor Speed investment. I did not create this EV spread myself, this EV spread was (as far as I am aware) created by syrim.
Changes I have considered:
- Swords Dance / Substitute > Toxic
- A different EV spread. Again, suggestions are more than welcome.
Arceus-Water @ Splash Plate
Trait: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 144 SDef / 112 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Surf
- Ice Beam
Why a Calm Mind Arceus-Water?
To be perfectly honest, I never really planned on using a Calm Mind Arceus-Water. I had decided on Arceus-Water to cover up a number of remaining weaknesses, such as Kyurem-White, Reshiram and Rayquaza. My only real requirement was for me to run Ice Beam, so I could reliably take out Rayquaza. Then I started thinking about possible sets, and the first thing that came to mind was a support set. However, since I already had Ferrothorn, Giratina and Excadrill, I really didn't want another supporter. Plus, using a more offensive approach, in this case, didn't make me weaker to the aforementioned threats.
Why these four moves?
This moveset was quite the ''no-brainer'' for me. I knew I needed Ice Beam and Recover, those were crucial. Then I decided on using a Calm Mind variant, so obviously Calm Mind would take up one of the spots. After having three out of the four possible slots filled, I still hadn't chosen a STAB move, which not only is a more powerful option (duh), but also provides good coverage alongside Ice Beam. I decided to go for Surf, mainly because I really like Surf (you may or may not have noticed this by now lol) and the only other alternative would be Judgment. Even though Judgment is (slightly) more powerful, Surf has more PP, which ended up being the deciding factor.
Why this EV spread?
Out of all of the EV spreads, this definitely makes the least sense. ''Why would you invest so much in Special Defense when you're running a Calm Mind set?'' Well, that's because even though this is a Calm Mind Arceus-Water, it's a situational Calm Mind user, if that makes any sense. The EV spread allows me to come in on Kyurem-White and Reshiram, whilst still outspeeding Pokémon like Palkia, Landorus, Thundurus-Therian and Garchomp. It also allows me to survive a Draco Meteor + ExtremeSpeed combination from mixed Rayquaza. Even though I mentioned Arceus-Water is a situational Calm Mind user, the EV spread is definitely nice. I can for example easily engage a Calm Mind war against several other Arceus types, because I have a higher Special Defense stat, while we (likely) have the same Special Attack stat. An added bonus is that the difference in Special Defense will only increase as Arceus-Water calms its mind more and more, in my favor. I realize this isn't an ideal Calm Mind Arceus-Water set, but I believe it makes the team better.
Changes I have considered:
- Swords Dance > Calm Mind
- Judgment > Surf
One final look at the team:
The biggest weaknesses:
- Entry Hazards
Entry hazards, especially Spikes, are the biggest weakness to this team and the main reason I decided to ask for your help. All six of my Pokémon are hit by Spikes, which is absolutely awful. Even though I have a Rapid Spin user, it's still a huge problem. There is no guarantee I will be able to Rapid Spin. I am still strongly considering to replace Giratina with a Giratina-O, which would at least decrease the threat somewhat, but it'd still be a huge issue. Any suggestions regarding this problem would be extremely welcome.
- Palkia
Palkia is a huge threat, which is something I abuse when using this team, however, it's also something I fear when I'm using this team. I usually just play around it using ''prediction''. Ferrothorn can come in on anything but a Fire Blast, Arceus-Water can come in anything but a Thunder and my own Palkia can hopefully beat it is using its Haban Berry (provided that the opposing Palkia does not hold a Haban Berry, because then it would come down to a speedtie).
- Ferrothorn
Ugh. Ferrothorn is extremely annoying to take down. If Arceus could use Scald I would've just went with Scald instead of Surf. Giratina can burn it, especially since they more often than not stay in to Spike / Leech Seed. Excadrill can come in and Rapid Spin the hazards it lays down, but Power Whip does quite a number. Palkia can Fire Blast for the 2HKO, but ''bluffing the Choice Scarf'' has become harder and harder to do with Palkia, especially with Protect varients.
- Zekrom
Mixed Zekrom, to be precise. Ferrothorn and Excadrill are able to beat every Zekrom varient out there, except Mixed. Mixed Zekrom has the potential to completely destroy every single one of my Pokémon, if the user predicts me correctly. Thank god this thing is rare, because it's a huge threat to this team.
Importable:
Code:
Kyogre @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 52 HP / 252 SAtk / 204 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Water Spout
- Surf
- Thunder
- Ice Beam
Palkia @ Haban Berry
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Spacial Rend
- Surf
- Thunder
- Fire Blast
Ferrothorn (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
Giratina @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Roar
Excadrill (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 96 HP / 136 Atk / 200 SDef / 76 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Toxic
Arceus-Water @ Splash Plate
Trait: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 144 SDef / 112 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Surf
- Ice Beam
