Jesus don't want me for a Sunbeam
Standard OU Sunny Day
Generation V has definitely shaken up the metagame we once knew, with weather teams dominating the standard competition from the very beginning. Rain Dance, sandstorm and hail teams have functioned well in the OU tier for some time, while Sunny Day teams tended to linger in the background due to their lack of proficient sweepers and overall higher difficulty of use. A number of updates this generation have seen Sunny Day teams come out of the shadows, namely Ninetales’ blessing with Drought, a host of Chlorophyll sweepers being introduced (including Venusaur) and incredible improvements to the overlooked move, Growth.
Despite these improvements, Sunny Day teams still face many issues, such as type coverage by sweepers and weaknesses to Stealth Rock and common types. While the common types seen on sun-based teams (fire and grass) offer some excellent synergy, a point often argued in favour of sun teams, simple prediction can often destroy an intended defensive core. Furthermore, until a fire/grass type with Chlorophyll is introduced, the Sunny Day trainer must deal with a split between boosted speed and boosted STAB, unlike rain-based teams.
Overall then, Sunny Day teams still have their work cut out for them, and hence are still quite challenging in terms of construction and use. This challenge, however, is what drives myself and undoubtedly a lot of others to keep pushing and testing teams in order to assemble a successful squad. In its current format, this team has managed to peak at #99 on the Smogon PO server before the last reset, and currently peaked at #12 (1514) on the Pokemon Online main server under the alias justtesting..
. Team Building .
“A good sacrifice is one that is not necessarily sound but leaves your opponent dazed and confused”
A. The lead
Infernape (M) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Endeavor
- Stealth Rock
- Close Combat
- Mach Punch
Overview.
Endeavor Infernape catches a lot of players off guard, and carries out a lot of crucial roles within the team. Firstly, Infernape sets up Stealth Rock, which is important for helping the sweepers push through teams with less hassle, breaking Focus Sash et cetera. Funnily enough, this set has proven most valuable in taking out lead Politoed, who is often rendered useless once Stealth Rock is on the field, and they are reduced to 6% health with Leftovers factored in.
Setting up Stealth Rock is the priority, and when facing a slower lead Endeavor practically ensures a KO. Should I be facing a faster lead and I am already down to my sash, I can keep Infernape as a useful death fodder for later in the game. If the opponent isn’t packing entry hazards of their own, a 1HP Infernape can still be a dangerous threat to one of their team members should I be able to get him in safely.
Moveset.
Pros.
✓ Less anticipated compared to the standard lead set
✓ Reasonably reliable for getting Stealth Rock into play
✓ STAB priority
✓ Can eliminate Politoed, and forces Tyranitar out
Cons.
x Opponents rarely fall for the same trick twice – becomes predictable
x Often lost early
x Walled entirely by ghost-types
Other considerations.
This set could be specially-oriented, which would do a lot more damage to the likes of Hippowdon, who really wrecks this set and is really the weather lead who gives me the most trouble. The problem here is a lack of reliability and durability (of Focus Blast and Overheat, respectively), and the physical set has proven itself worthy again and again. Donphan can run a similar type of set thanks to Sturdy and Custap Berry, but Infernape's natural speed has proven to be far more useful.
“Follow your heart, but be quiet for a while first. Ask questions, then feel the answer. Learn to trust your heart.”
B. The heart
Ninetales (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 96 SDef / 160 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Disable
- Substitute
- Toxic
- Flamethrower
Overview.
Ninetales has shot up from NU/UU into the standard metagame for one reason: Drought. Generation V has sparked new interest in the Sunny Day mechanic, with Ninetales arguably being at the forefront of this renaissance. Despite being a handy Pokemon for sun-based teams, Ninetales as an individual Pokemon still struggles in the higher tiers for all the reasons that it always has: average stats offensively, and poor typing and stats defensively. On top of this, Ninetales is greatly disadvantaged when it comes to facing off against opposing weather Pokemon, who will get their weather up over the sun thanks to their lower speed (unless you opt for an Iron Ball).
There are a number of ways to play Ninetales, and I have opted for a defensive support role. The set comes from when I was using Ninetales as a lead, trying to fight off Politoed and Tyranitar as best as I could with Ninetales itself.
Moveset.
Pros.
✓ Brings permanent sun which is vital for the team to function
✓ Decent speed and special bulk
✓ Potential to cripple and stall opponents, and soften Pokemon for sweepers
Cons.
x Poor typing for a defensively-oriented Pokemon
x Comparatively poor support movepool outside of Disable
x Lacks reliable recovery; worn down much faster than opposing perma-weather Pokemon
Other considerations.
Ninetales the Pokemon cannot be substituted due to Drought. However, a lot of players like to run offensive sets for potential sweeps. I have always preferred the bulkier and stallish variants however, formerly running Fire Spin over Flamethrower to trap Pokemon and attempt to stall them out. Otherwise, nothing else really springs to mind.
“Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative.”
C. The Chlorophyll sweeper
Venusaur (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Chlorophyll
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Growth
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Energy Ball / SolarBeam
Overview.
Venusaur ended its generation IV stint as the king of UU, and with the advent of Dream World abilities, has proven its worth in the OU metagame. With 80 base speed, dual STAB and access to the vastly improved Growth, Venusaur simply outclasses the traditional Chlorophyll sweepers of Tangrowth and Exeggutor. As a sweeper then, Venusaur has a lot of excellent characteristics; further to this, the ability to absorb Toxic Spikes and a small handfull of useful resistances makes Venusaur a great Pokemon all round.
Moveset.
Pros.
✓ Great balanced statistics, particularly speed and SAtk
✓ Ability to absorb Toxic Spikes
✓ Access to Growth
✓ Vast movepool - unpredictability
Cons.
x Poison-typing removes desired ground resist
x Completely walled by Heatran
x Cannot learn Giga Drain, which allows for Life Orb use
Other considerations.
Aside from choosing a completely different Chlorophyll sweeper, the other options for Venusaur go as follows: mixed and physical. Access to Power Whip and Earthquake helps somewhat with the likes of Blissey and Heatran, however the overall power of the set is reduced, and Heatran spends most of its time nowadays playing Danny Deckchair in the sky. Overall, the special set is much more focused and more reliable, and simply means I need to focus on the set's more easily recognised weaknesses with other team members.
“There is need of variety in sex, but not in love.”
D. The mixed sweeper
Blaziken (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Speed Boost
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Hi Jump Kick
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Protect / Cheer Up
Overview.
Blaziken is yet another full-time UU resident from generation IV to be blessed in the Dream World with Speed Boost. Once unpredictable, now infamous, Blaziken can single-handedly rip an entire team apart with ease. Hi-Jump Kick is now an immensely powerful move, complimenting Blaziken's stunning attack stat. Blaziken initially started out as a Swords Dancing sweeper, capable of breaking through even the toughest of physical walls thanks to sun-boosted STAB. However, the set up is sometimes a bit of a risk, and I honestly wanted to try something different. This set, then, is a mixed stall-breaker based on MixApe. Even without stat-boosting (besides speed), this Blaziken can tear holes through sandstorm teams which is imperative.
Overall, Blaziken is that Pokemon who tends to be an end-gamer and late sweeper - he tends to be released late in the game when all else has failed, or the opening is perfect.
Moveset.
Pros.
✓ Speed Boost
✓ Dual STAB
✓ Excellent offensive stats on both sides of the spectrum
✓ Less expected than purely physical sets
✓ Can single-handedly defeat sandstorm and hail teams from the mid-game
Cons.
x Unable to break through bulky waters, particularly Burungeru
Optional changes.
Not much more to discuss here. The only change that I have tested has been to use Excadrill in this place as a spinner to support Ulgamoth, and to add necessary type resists to the team. However, the pure sweeping power of Blaziken is too good to pass up, hence rather than taking a defensive route, the team pushes forward offensively.
“Butterflies are self propelled flowers.”
E. The special sweeper
Volcarona (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Flame Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Butterfly Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Flamethrower
- Morning Sun
Overview.
Blessed with great offensive stats, and arguably one of if not the best stat-boosting move in the game, Volcarona is a fearsome sweeper. Bug/Fire typing isn't too bad, sans the dreadful weakness to Stealth Rock. However, given the chance to switch in and set up, Volcarona can set up and end a game with ease. I simply tested this Pokemon to see just how powerful it was, and it hasn't been out of the team much since (sometimes trading places with Heatran).
As with Venusaur, Volcarona can come in on fighting attacks targeted at Sazandora, as well as ice- and bug-type moves.
Moveset.
Pros.
✓ Dual STAB
✓ Access to one of the best stat-boosting moves in the game
✓ Excellent stats for a special sweeper, with good special bulk
✓ Access to a recovery move
Cons.
x 4x Stealth Rock weakness
x Physical frailty
Optional changes.
Heatran and Shandera have been used on earlier Sunny Day teams, but neither of them offered the "sweepabiliy" I decided I wanted (instead offering useful resists). Shandera in particular was incredible for trapping Hippowdon and removing it from the game, however Shadow Tag is no longer a viable option, and honestly, it was a dirty ploy.
The main potential change, which has been touched on, is the inclusion of Hidden Power Rock over Bug Buzz. It is significantly less powerful, however it does help to deal with a number of threats more easily.
“Night is the blotting paper for many sorrows.”
F. The shadow
Sazandora (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- U-turn
- Draco Meteor
- Focus Blast
- Dark Pulse
Overview.
Scarf Sazandora became rather popular at the beginning of the generation V metagame, but seems to have lost some recognition as time has gone by. In need of a ground-type resist or immunity, I immediately tried out Sazandora due to its other resistances and immunities such as fire-, water-, dark- and psychic-types. In fact, Sazandora has rather good synergy with Venusaur and Volcarona, luring fighting attacks (usually entry for Venusaur), as well as ice- and bug-types which can be taken by the fire bug. Overall, Sazandora is the scout and glue of the team, aimed at picking off threats throughout the game.
Moveset.
Pros.
✓ Vast movepool
✓ Decent revenge killer
✓ Baits certain attack types to allow powerful sweepers to enter.
Cons.
x Choiced, which can help opponents set up
x Slower than ScarfChomp
Other considerations.
There are lots of options for this Pokemon and this slot in general. For Sazandora itself, I am tossing up trying an Expert Belt to feign a scarf, which can help blow holes in teams. Other than that, I am considering a bulky supportive set, to more slowly whittle-down teams.
As for other Pokemon, I could look at spinners, screeners, or just tanks in general to offer more defensive synergy with the team. Sazandora's scouting abilities, though, and offensive presence, have proven very useful to this point.
. Concluding thoughts .
So that is the team, and it has clawed its way up the PO ladder with relative ease. I partly attribute this to the fact that a lot of the opponents who I have faced haven't really been all that challenging, although I have taken out a number of higher ranked players along the way.
As for team weaknesses, you have probably spotted a few already. The first glaring weakness is to flying-type moves, where I have no resists and 4 weaknesses. Thankfully, flying-type moves are sort of rare, and I tend to sac the likes of Ninetales (once I have dealt with other weather Pokemon) to get a safe switch in. Secondly, I have no rock-type resists, again meaning I tend to take heavy damage on switching in. My response to this however is that this is an offensive team, and I am hence used to foddering Pokemon to allow one of the other stat boosters to come in and commence a sweep.
Stealth Rock is a pain for this team, particularly for Ninetales who sometimes needs to switch in a lot, and Volcarona, who has a 4x weakness. However, putting a spinner in place often hurts the balance of the team, as the three offensive Pokemon are great at what they do (and ensure offensive pressure), Infernape has proven its worth time and time again, Ninetales is a necessity, and Sazandora's synergy, scouting, and added offence are greatly appreciated.
Finally, this team is incredibly susceptible to set-up sweepers. Opposing Blaziken and Volcarona rip this team apart, and if I see a Rock Polish Terrakion, I might as well quit. There is a serious lack of phazing/tanking/priority on this team, which is why I try to muscle through as quickly as I can. For this reason however, the likes of Arcanine stick out as potential inclusions in the team (I'd love to fit Arcanine in there somewhere, but alas I don't have space right now).
I will continue to work on this team, seeing if I can address some of the above issues and tighten up the synergy some more. I'd like to re-incorporate some rock- and ground-types into the team at some point, potentially adding a permanent spinner/supportive Pokemon to the team. Examples include offensive Pokemon such as Terrakion and Rhyperior, or defensive Pokemon such as a dual-screen, spinning Claydol.
Standard OU Sunny Day
. Introduction .
Generation V has definitely shaken up the metagame we once knew, with weather teams dominating the standard competition from the very beginning. Rain Dance, sandstorm and hail teams have functioned well in the OU tier for some time, while Sunny Day teams tended to linger in the background due to their lack of proficient sweepers and overall higher difficulty of use. A number of updates this generation have seen Sunny Day teams come out of the shadows, namely Ninetales’ blessing with Drought, a host of Chlorophyll sweepers being introduced (including Venusaur) and incredible improvements to the overlooked move, Growth.
Despite these improvements, Sunny Day teams still face many issues, such as type coverage by sweepers and weaknesses to Stealth Rock and common types. While the common types seen on sun-based teams (fire and grass) offer some excellent synergy, a point often argued in favour of sun teams, simple prediction can often destroy an intended defensive core. Furthermore, until a fire/grass type with Chlorophyll is introduced, the Sunny Day trainer must deal with a split between boosted speed and boosted STAB, unlike rain-based teams.
Overall then, Sunny Day teams still have their work cut out for them, and hence are still quite challenging in terms of construction and use. This challenge, however, is what drives myself and undoubtedly a lot of others to keep pushing and testing teams in order to assemble a successful squad. In its current format, this team has managed to peak at #99 on the Smogon PO server before the last reset, and currently peaked at #12 (1514) on the Pokemon Online main server under the alias justtesting..
. Team Building .
As with pretty much every Sunny Day team this generation, I started out with Ninetales to bring permanent sunshine… obvious choice is obvious. I figured I would use Ninetales in the lead position to get the sun into play immediately, and fashioned a set that focused on leading (explored later).
The next Pokemon would be an offensive sun abuser, with Venusaur coming to mind immediately. Venusaur is probably the most versatile Chlorophyll sweeper thanks to its decent natural bulk, speed compared to the ‘traditional’ Chlorophyll Pokemon, typing, movepool and access to Growth. Venusaur's position on the team was never in question, rather, I just needed to decide on which set I would settle for.
For the next Pokemon, I started thinking about the 'glue' which would hold the team together.
*TO BE COMPLETED*
The next Pokemon would be an offensive sun abuser, with Venusaur coming to mind immediately. Venusaur is probably the most versatile Chlorophyll sweeper thanks to its decent natural bulk, speed compared to the ‘traditional’ Chlorophyll Pokemon, typing, movepool and access to Growth. Venusaur's position on the team was never in question, rather, I just needed to decide on which set I would settle for.
For the next Pokemon, I started thinking about the 'glue' which would hold the team together.
*TO BE COMPLETED*
. Team Analysis .
“A good sacrifice is one that is not necessarily sound but leaves your opponent dazed and confused”
A. The lead
Infernape (M) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Endeavor
- Stealth Rock
- Close Combat
- Mach Punch
Overview.
Endeavor Infernape catches a lot of players off guard, and carries out a lot of crucial roles within the team. Firstly, Infernape sets up Stealth Rock, which is important for helping the sweepers push through teams with less hassle, breaking Focus Sash et cetera. Funnily enough, this set has proven most valuable in taking out lead Politoed, who is often rendered useless once Stealth Rock is on the field, and they are reduced to 6% health with Leftovers factored in.
Setting up Stealth Rock is the priority, and when facing a slower lead Endeavor practically ensures a KO. Should I be facing a faster lead and I am already down to my sash, I can keep Infernape as a useful death fodder for later in the game. If the opponent isn’t packing entry hazards of their own, a 1HP Infernape can still be a dangerous threat to one of their team members should I be able to get him in safely.
Moveset.
- Endeavour: One of the main reasons for choosing Infernape was for his ability to trap Politoed and potentially remove it from the game with a combination of Stealth Rock and Endeavour; turn one, ideally, would see Infernape set up Stealth Rock while Politoed went for the water move to KO. Turn two would then have Infernape Endeavour Politoed so that on its next switch, Stealth Rock would KO it and Ninetales would have no weather opposition. Of course, this is the ideal situation, but it has worked more often than not.
- Stealth Rock: Obviously just to get some more damage on opponents to help sweeping. Particularly important for Venusaur.
- Close Combat: Strong STAB, which can get some good damage on most things. Infernape's primary objective is to get Stealth Rock up, and then usually Endeavour, so this attacking move isn't used too much. Importantly, however, this allows me to threaten Tyranitar, another pain for Ninetales.
- Mach Punch: Overheat is an option as listed on the Smogon site, but the priority attack has saved me a lot. In fact, Endeavour + Mach Punch has prevented my team from being swept on a number of occasions.
Pros.
✓ Less anticipated compared to the standard lead set
✓ Reasonably reliable for getting Stealth Rock into play
✓ STAB priority
✓ Can eliminate Politoed, and forces Tyranitar out
Cons.
x Opponents rarely fall for the same trick twice – becomes predictable
x Often lost early
x Walled entirely by ghost-types
Other considerations.
This set could be specially-oriented, which would do a lot more damage to the likes of Hippowdon, who really wrecks this set and is really the weather lead who gives me the most trouble. The problem here is a lack of reliability and durability (of Focus Blast and Overheat, respectively), and the physical set has proven itself worthy again and again. Donphan can run a similar type of set thanks to Sturdy and Custap Berry, but Infernape's natural speed has proven to be far more useful.
“Follow your heart, but be quiet for a while first. Ask questions, then feel the answer. Learn to trust your heart.”
B. The heart
Ninetales (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 96 SDef / 160 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Disable
- Substitute
- Toxic
- Flamethrower
Overview.
Ninetales has shot up from NU/UU into the standard metagame for one reason: Drought. Generation V has sparked new interest in the Sunny Day mechanic, with Ninetales arguably being at the forefront of this renaissance. Despite being a handy Pokemon for sun-based teams, Ninetales as an individual Pokemon still struggles in the higher tiers for all the reasons that it always has: average stats offensively, and poor typing and stats defensively. On top of this, Ninetales is greatly disadvantaged when it comes to facing off against opposing weather Pokemon, who will get their weather up over the sun thanks to their lower speed (unless you opt for an Iron Ball).
There are a number of ways to play Ninetales, and I have opted for a defensive support role. The set comes from when I was using Ninetales as a lead, trying to fight off Politoed and Tyranitar as best as I could with Ninetales itself.
Moveset.
- Substitute: Substitute is purely for scouting and works well in tandem with Disable. A sub allows Ninetales to avoid status, or scout the moves of a slower opponent and potentially disable that move on the next turn.
- Disable: Disable is probably one of the few if not only niche supportive moves that Ninetales gets to play with. As mentioned, Substitute and Disable can be used together to scout dangerous moves, and prevent their use in a sort of TormentTran manor. The main purposes of this were to scout and disable Politoed’s water attacks, and Tyranitar’s Stone Edge. This would often open the opportunity to put up another sub and attempt to stall with Toxic.
- Toxic: I found that Ninetales tends to lack the power to effectively use coverage moves outside of it’s boosted STAB, while Toxic stalling may be possible with reasonably fast subs and Disable on offer. Ninetales, using the three moves thus mentioned, has been able to stall out opposing Politoed and even Dragon Dance Gyarados and Dragonite; a small tribute to the effectiveness of the set when played smartly.
- Flamethrower: Flamethrower offers some straight up offensive power, and hits steel-types who are immune to Toxic. I used to use Fire Spin to trap Pokemon so that they would incur more Toxic damage, however it is usually more useful to just hit for greater damage with the more powerful attack.
Pros.
✓ Brings permanent sun which is vital for the team to function
✓ Decent speed and special bulk
✓ Potential to cripple and stall opponents, and soften Pokemon for sweepers
Cons.
x Poor typing for a defensively-oriented Pokemon
x Comparatively poor support movepool outside of Disable
x Lacks reliable recovery; worn down much faster than opposing perma-weather Pokemon
Other considerations.
Ninetales the Pokemon cannot be substituted due to Drought. However, a lot of players like to run offensive sets for potential sweeps. I have always preferred the bulkier and stallish variants however, formerly running Fire Spin over Flamethrower to trap Pokemon and attempt to stall them out. Otherwise, nothing else really springs to mind.
“Adapt or perish, now as ever, is nature's inexorable imperative.”
C. The Chlorophyll sweeper
Venusaur (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Chlorophyll
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Growth
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Energy Ball / SolarBeam
Overview.
Venusaur ended its generation IV stint as the king of UU, and with the advent of Dream World abilities, has proven its worth in the OU metagame. With 80 base speed, dual STAB and access to the vastly improved Growth, Venusaur simply outclasses the traditional Chlorophyll sweepers of Tangrowth and Exeggutor. As a sweeper then, Venusaur has a lot of excellent characteristics; further to this, the ability to absorb Toxic Spikes and a small handfull of useful resistances makes Venusaur a great Pokemon all round.
Moveset.
- Growth: Growth received a massive boost this generation, becoming a free Swords Dance and Nasty Plot under the sun. This then adds unpredictability to the sweeper, and opens a great number of options for sweeping potential. Ultimately, this move is what makes Venusaur a potent offensive threat given the one turn required to set up.
- Sludge Bomb: Poison may not hit many things super-effectively in OU, however by the same token it hits a lot of Pokemon for neutral damage. Sludge Bomb is thus chosen for a strong secondary STAB used to clean up whatever it can.
- Hidden Power Fire: Obvious choice for coverage here, HP Fire hits the steel-types who resist Venusaur's STAB moves.
- Energy Ball / Solarbeam: Sadly, Giga Drain is not legal with the Dream World ability. Using Giga Drain, Venusaur can become an almost unstoppable force, outgunning even the likes of Bilssey. In any case, with that in mind, Energy Ball is used for another STAB to take out the bulky waters and rock- and ground-types in the tier. Not much else to say really... Solarbeam is optional as it does hit very hard, however one must have dealt with opposing weather Pokemon first before attempting to use it. I have been using Solarbeam more recently, however it is a more risky option.
Pros.
✓ Great balanced statistics, particularly speed and SAtk
✓ Ability to absorb Toxic Spikes
✓ Access to Growth
✓ Vast movepool - unpredictability
Cons.
x Poison-typing removes desired ground resist
x Completely walled by Heatran
x Cannot learn Giga Drain, which allows for Life Orb use
Other considerations.
Aside from choosing a completely different Chlorophyll sweeper, the other options for Venusaur go as follows: mixed and physical. Access to Power Whip and Earthquake helps somewhat with the likes of Blissey and Heatran, however the overall power of the set is reduced, and Heatran spends most of its time nowadays playing Danny Deckchair in the sky. Overall, the special set is much more focused and more reliable, and simply means I need to focus on the set's more easily recognised weaknesses with other team members.
“There is need of variety in sex, but not in love.”
D. The mixed sweeper
Blaziken (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Speed Boost
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Hi Jump Kick
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Protect / Cheer Up
Overview.
Blaziken is yet another full-time UU resident from generation IV to be blessed in the Dream World with Speed Boost. Once unpredictable, now infamous, Blaziken can single-handedly rip an entire team apart with ease. Hi-Jump Kick is now an immensely powerful move, complimenting Blaziken's stunning attack stat. Blaziken initially started out as a Swords Dancing sweeper, capable of breaking through even the toughest of physical walls thanks to sun-boosted STAB. However, the set up is sometimes a bit of a risk, and I honestly wanted to try something different. This set, then, is a mixed stall-breaker based on MixApe. Even without stat-boosting (besides speed), this Blaziken can tear holes through sandstorm teams which is imperative.
Overall, Blaziken is that Pokemon who tends to be an end-gamer and late sweeper - he tends to be released late in the game when all else has failed, or the opening is perfect.
Moveset.
- Hi-Jump Kick: Pretty sure you can all guess who this is for. Stall-breaking is not stall-breaking without a physical (preferably fighting) attack to slap Blissey (or is it Chansey now?) right in the egg. What's more, Tyranitar is forced out, and Heatran stands no chance. In short, Hi-Jump Kick picks off the niggling threats to the team.
- Fire Blast: Base 120, weather-boosted STAB, backed by Life Orb. Not too much in the tier likes switching in nor facing this attack. Moreover, this attack breaks down the infamous SkarmBliss combo in one foul swoop.
- Hidden Power Ice: Gliscor, Salamence, Dragonite, Garchomp... huge threats in the tier, taken out by a simple Hidden Power. This Hidden Power is simply there to take out the common dragons with little fuss, as well as Gliscor without having to rely on the shaky accuracy of Fire Blast.
- Protect / Cheer Up: Protect ensures a free Speed Boost - should the opponent switch out, in ensures two. There is no need to explain this. Cheer Up is optional, as it makes Blaziken an even more powerful mixed sweeper. However, the coverage and power of this set is generally sufficient not to necessitate the boost nor the risk.
Pros.
✓ Speed Boost
✓ Dual STAB
✓ Excellent offensive stats on both sides of the spectrum
✓ Less expected than purely physical sets
✓ Can single-handedly defeat sandstorm and hail teams from the mid-game
Cons.
x Unable to break through bulky waters, particularly Burungeru
Optional changes.
Not much more to discuss here. The only change that I have tested has been to use Excadrill in this place as a spinner to support Ulgamoth, and to add necessary type resists to the team. However, the pure sweeping power of Blaziken is too good to pass up, hence rather than taking a defensive route, the team pushes forward offensively.
“Butterflies are self propelled flowers.”
E. The special sweeper
Volcarona (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Flame Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Butterfly Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Flamethrower
- Morning Sun
Overview.
Blessed with great offensive stats, and arguably one of if not the best stat-boosting move in the game, Volcarona is a fearsome sweeper. Bug/Fire typing isn't too bad, sans the dreadful weakness to Stealth Rock. However, given the chance to switch in and set up, Volcarona can set up and end a game with ease. I simply tested this Pokemon to see just how powerful it was, and it hasn't been out of the team much since (sometimes trading places with Heatran).
As with Venusaur, Volcarona can come in on fighting attacks targeted at Sazandora, as well as ice- and bug-type moves.
Moveset.
- Butterfly Dance: Calm Mind plus a speed boost. This is the most incredible setup move. No need to explain this one I hope.
- Flamethrower: STAB coming off 135 SAtk with a weather boost, Flamethrower is all that is needed as opposed to Fire Blast. After getting to +1 or higher, there really is no need to use Fire Blast over Flamethrower and risk a potentially costly miss.
- Bug Buzz: Bug Buzz is for secondary STAB, hitting the likes of bulky waters hard. The coverage with these two moves is far from perfect though, with the likes of Heatran once again walling the set. However, with one or two SDef boosts, Heatran and friends can't really do much damage back barring a crit. Hidden Power Rock could be an option here, as this hits the flying/dragon-types hard, does neutral damage to Heatran, and hits opposing fire-types too. Most water Pokemon are neutral or hit with special attacks, which tend not to do too much damage, so I can probably take hits from them and boost enough to make the un-STAB HP Rock KO.
- Morning Sun: A lot of players tend to run HP Rock or Ground in this slot for far better coverage. Since I'm not running a spinner however, I find Morning Sun to be far more useful if not necessary for survival. Furthermore, access to a healing move means I can usually get to +3 or more relatively easily against nearly any special attacker, water-type or not.
Pros.
✓ Dual STAB
✓ Access to one of the best stat-boosting moves in the game
✓ Excellent stats for a special sweeper, with good special bulk
✓ Access to a recovery move
Cons.
x 4x Stealth Rock weakness
x Physical frailty
Optional changes.
Heatran and Shandera have been used on earlier Sunny Day teams, but neither of them offered the "sweepabiliy" I decided I wanted (instead offering useful resists). Shandera in particular was incredible for trapping Hippowdon and removing it from the game, however Shadow Tag is no longer a viable option, and honestly, it was a dirty ploy.
The main potential change, which has been touched on, is the inclusion of Hidden Power Rock over Bug Buzz. It is significantly less powerful, however it does help to deal with a number of threats more easily.
“Night is the blotting paper for many sorrows.”
F. The shadow
Sazandora (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- U-turn
- Draco Meteor
- Focus Blast
- Dark Pulse
Overview.
Scarf Sazandora became rather popular at the beginning of the generation V metagame, but seems to have lost some recognition as time has gone by. In need of a ground-type resist or immunity, I immediately tried out Sazandora due to its other resistances and immunities such as fire-, water-, dark- and psychic-types. In fact, Sazandora has rather good synergy with Venusaur and Volcarona, luring fighting attacks (usually entry for Venusaur), as well as ice- and bug-types which can be taken by the fire bug. Overall, Sazandora is the scout and glue of the team, aimed at picking off threats throughout the game.
Moveset.
- U-Turn: Purely for early game scouting.
- Draco Meteor: This is Sazandora's revenge-killing weapon, which usually gets spammed later on in the match. Everyone knows how powerful Draco Meteor is.
- Focus Blast: Mostly for Heatran, and to hie steels if needed. I was running Earth Power initially, however as mentioned Heatran is often found on a balloon which makes the move somewhat redundant - Focus Blast hits it regardless.
- Dark Pulse: Simply for secondary STAB, allowing me to hit psychics and ghosts super effectively. It's always nice to have a STAB super effective move against Reuniclus, for example.
Pros.
✓ Vast movepool
✓ Decent revenge killer
✓ Baits certain attack types to allow powerful sweepers to enter.
Cons.
x Choiced, which can help opponents set up
x Slower than ScarfChomp
Other considerations.
There are lots of options for this Pokemon and this slot in general. For Sazandora itself, I am tossing up trying an Expert Belt to feign a scarf, which can help blow holes in teams. Other than that, I am considering a bulky supportive set, to more slowly whittle-down teams.
As for other Pokemon, I could look at spinners, screeners, or just tanks in general to offer more defensive synergy with the team. Sazandora's scouting abilities, though, and offensive presence, have proven very useful to this point.
. Concluding thoughts .
So that is the team, and it has clawed its way up the PO ladder with relative ease. I partly attribute this to the fact that a lot of the opponents who I have faced haven't really been all that challenging, although I have taken out a number of higher ranked players along the way.
As for team weaknesses, you have probably spotted a few already. The first glaring weakness is to flying-type moves, where I have no resists and 4 weaknesses. Thankfully, flying-type moves are sort of rare, and I tend to sac the likes of Ninetales (once I have dealt with other weather Pokemon) to get a safe switch in. Secondly, I have no rock-type resists, again meaning I tend to take heavy damage on switching in. My response to this however is that this is an offensive team, and I am hence used to foddering Pokemon to allow one of the other stat boosters to come in and commence a sweep.
Stealth Rock is a pain for this team, particularly for Ninetales who sometimes needs to switch in a lot, and Volcarona, who has a 4x weakness. However, putting a spinner in place often hurts the balance of the team, as the three offensive Pokemon are great at what they do (and ensure offensive pressure), Infernape has proven its worth time and time again, Ninetales is a necessity, and Sazandora's synergy, scouting, and added offence are greatly appreciated.
Finally, this team is incredibly susceptible to set-up sweepers. Opposing Blaziken and Volcarona rip this team apart, and if I see a Rock Polish Terrakion, I might as well quit. There is a serious lack of phazing/tanking/priority on this team, which is why I try to muscle through as quickly as I can. For this reason however, the likes of Arcanine stick out as potential inclusions in the team (I'd love to fit Arcanine in there somewhere, but alas I don't have space right now).
I will continue to work on this team, seeing if I can address some of the above issues and tighten up the synergy some more. I'd like to re-incorporate some rock- and ground-types into the team at some point, potentially adding a permanent spinner/supportive Pokemon to the team. Examples include offensive Pokemon such as Terrakion and Rhyperior, or defensive Pokemon such as a dual-screen, spinning Claydol.
