Monotype Keeping My Cool - A Beginner Making A Mono-Ice Team

[Eidolon Stratagem]

Hey guys, I'm Eidolon Stratagem! I originally played OU, but i had very little help in actually getting into the competitive format, but I'm hoping to get more info on how to play Monotype. I built this team, as a way to enter into the competitive scene, though I've had some problems here and there. So, I was hoping to get some feedback on it!

The Team

Ninetales-Alola @ Light Clay
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Aurora Veil
- Freeze-Dry
- Moonblast
- Encore

Alolan Ninetales is a huge asset to this team. Aurora Veil is an amazing support option, thanks to free hail upon switching in, plus having Aurora Veil extended thanks to Light Clay. Freeze Dry is used to hit potential Water Type Pokemon, Moonblast is a powerful STAB option, and Encore is used to potentially force switches, which is useful to set up Aurora Veil, or switch into another Pokemon.

Sandslash-Alola @ Life Orb
Ability: Slush Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Icicle Crash
- Swords Dance

Alolan Sandslash is a powerful sweeper under hail, thanks to Slush Rush. When backed by a Life Orb, Alolan Sandslash's STAB attacks, which are Icicle Crash and Iron Head, hit very hard. Earthquake is used as coverage, mostly to hit weakened Fire Types. Swords Dance is used as a way to make Alolan Sandslash even more deadly, if he gets the chance to set it up.

Walrein @ Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Toxic
- Super Fang
- Ice Beam
- Rest

Walrein is a specially defencive wall, and acts as a Fire Type switch in due to Alolan Sadslash's crippling weakness. Thick Fat really helps this team's primary sweeper. Ice Beam is STAB, and prevents Walrein from being walled by Taunt. Toxic and Super Fang act as a way to break down opposing walls, and Rest is used as a way for Walrein to act as a status absorber as well.

Cloyster @ Focus Sash
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Icicle Spear
- Rock Blast
- Ice Shard

Cloyster is a secondary win condition, with powerful sweeping potential. Thanks to Shell Smash and Skill Link, Cloyster's STAB Icicle Spear and coverage Rock Blast hit extremely hard. To round out Cloyster's utility, Ice Shard is used as a way to pick off weakened targets.

Avalugg @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Avalanche
- Earthquake

Avalugg is a physical tank, that also provides useful utility. Avalanche is used as its STAB due to the power boost it can obtain safely, thanks to Avalugg's bulk. Earthquake is used as coverage. Rapid Spin allows the use of hazard removal, something critical to this team, due to the universal weakness to Stealth Rocks. Finally, Recover is used to let Avalugg have extended longevity.

Vanilluxe @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Blizzard
- Flash Cannon
- Signal Beam
- Freeze-Dry

Finally, Vanilluxe is used as a secondary way to set up hail, but also fire off fast, hard hitting attacks. Choice Scarf is used to give Vanilluxe a much needed speed boost, and can pick up suprise KOs thanks to it. Under the Hail, Blizzard will never miss, and hits extreamly hard thanks to having STAB. Freeze Dry is also STAB, but hits water types as well. Finally, Flash Cannon and Signal Beam act as coverage, mostly because of how limited Vanilluxe's coverage options are.

Well, that's my team! I know that I am a beginner, but I believe that this team can put in some serious work. It probably has its flaws, but every team does. I would love any and all help I can get, so please give me a hand! Thanks for reading!​

 

[Eien]

Hi! Ice isn't a very beginner friendly type and you've done quite a good job making a decent team. I've got a few suggestions I think you should try out to make it quite a bit better, though.

First, Kyurem-B is the undisputed best Pokemon on Ice teams. You absolutely want it, and I'd highly recommend using Kyurem-B over Vanilluxe. While this does mean you can only get Snow Warning from Alolan Ninetales, this is okay because your team is not seriously reliant on hail. Hail only really supports Alolan Sandslash, and you don't need two setters in order to do that. The reason Kyurem-B is so good is because its damage output is amazing and it even has some decent bulk and a nice neutrality to Fire. I would recommend using it as a wallbreaker to set up Alolan Sandslash or Cloyster for a late-game sweep, so a Life Orb set using three attacks and Roost or an all-out attacker set with Outrage should be really helpful. This should improve your consistency with getting late-game sweeps. As a side note, some people may use Choice Scarf on Kyurem-B, but I find that Alolan Sandslash can easily serve as a revenge killer and provides enough speed control for the team.

The second change is to use Mamoswine over Walrein. Right now, you have no Stealth Rock setter. Stealth Rock is a must for pressuring teams including Bug, Psychic, and Fire that would give this team a lot of trouble. Mamoswine is the best offensive Stealth Rock setter and, while you do have the slow Avalugg, I think your team would benefit more from the offensive presence it has over Piloswine. While Walrein's Thick Fat ability combines with its Water typing to make it a very tempting choice as a tank, most Fire-type Pokemon have coverage moves that easily take out Walrein, so it simply doesn't do the job to any acceptable level. On the other hand, not only does Mamoswine provide Stealth Rock to really punish Fire-types as they switch in, it also uses STAB Earthquake and can easily OHKO many offensive Fire-types. Stealth Rock has the added benefit of slowly wearing down even threats that aren't weak to it and would help more easily secure a late-game sweep.

The next few changes are just minor optimizations.

You really want Jolly on Alolan Sandslash. Alolan Sandslash hits 502 Speed with Jolly, allowing it to outspeed Choice Scarf Victini and Garchomp along with Speed tying with Nihilego. These three are all pretty frustrating threats and giving Alolan Sandslash as good of a matchup as possible against them is a huge boon.

Similarly, you really want to have Naive on Cloyster, as you definitely will want it to be hitting 524 Speed in order to outspeed those very same threats along with a couple more including Choice Scarf Terrakion and Shift Gear Magearna. Speaking of Cloyster, Ice Shard is useful, but Mamoswine can carry that as well. Instead, I recommend using Hydro Pump to hit Steel-types that otherwise wall Cloyster completely. As a result, Naive is used to avoid weakening Hydro Pump. This final change is more of a matter of opinion: Focus Sash is honestly pretty unreliable on Ice teams in Monotype (And many teams carry priority anyway!), so I would consider trying Waterium Z. Waterium Z + Hydro Pump would give +2 Cloyster the ability to always OHKO offensive Magearna. However, if you find that setting up is too difficult with this change, don't hesitate to go back to Focus Sash.

I hope this helps! Your team was pretty solid already, so most of these changes are pretty small. Good luck!

sets

Kyurem-Black @ Life Orb
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
- Ice Beam
- Fusion Bolt
- Earth Power
- Roost

Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Oblivious
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Endeavor

Sandslash-Alola @ Life Orb
Ability: Slush Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- Iron Head
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance

Cloyster @ Waterium Z
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Shell Smash
- Icicle Spear
- Rock Blast
- Hydro Pump