This is my first RMT! Wow!
This all stems from that Gen IV Clefable set that uses Life Orb, Belly Drum, and Double Edge (Facade with Flame/Toxic Orb) while taking very little damage from itself thanks to the wonderful Magic Guard.
Now, it's Gen V, and four Pokemon have that ability! Crazy! If you were crazy enough to make a team using them, 2/3rds of it would be immune to entry hazards, weather, and burn and poison damage, and laugh in the face of leech seeders. Here's what happens when you're crazy enough to.
FLORAMAN (Abomasnow) (F) @ Choice Scarf Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 Atk / 108 SAtk / 148 Spd
Lonely Nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Wood Hammer
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Blizzard
- Earthquake
Abomasnow is to get hail out early in the match. I'd opt for Sandstorm, but many more Pokemon take damage from hail. This set is meant to hit hard and surprise the opponent, OHKOing weaker leads and doing hefty damage to T-Tar and Ninetales, but unfortunately is not strong enough to take them out. For a weather lead, he's actually pretty dispensable as none of my Pokemon rely on hail at all, but it's nice to have a reasonably fast, reasonably hard hitting attacker to save for mid to late-game.
I'm not exactly happy with this set, but it does hit hard, and works better than other sub-seed sets I've used.
CLEDERP (Clefable) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Protect
- Substitute
- Blizzard
- Thunderbolt
A bulky/stally Bolt/Beamer that can come in fairly easily on special attacks. I made this one up myself, and the attacking combination is pretty useful, but I feel I can be doing better. I can't replace it, however.
SHAM KAZAM (Alakazam) (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Psycho Shock
- Grass Knot
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Similar to that Gen IV Life Orb Clefable, Alakazam can take advantage of Life Orb's boosts without the health loss. Psycho Shock is there because apart from Terakion, I don't have any physical options, and it's come in handy plenty of times.
THE TICK (Terakion) @ Choice Band
Trait: Justice Heart
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Quick Attack
Before actually using the team, I decided that with 3/6ths of my team being psychic, I'd need something to protect me from Pursuit, and all those other Dark/Bug attacks headed their way. I didn't know Justice Heart didn't provide an immunity to those dark type attacks, and I suddenly realized while typing this that thinking he could absorb Pursuit is a little silly, too.
Either way, he's pretty strong and pretty fast, and carries the EdgeQuake combo no other Pokemon on my team can use. Quick Attack is the only priority move on my team, and it's not great, but is useful to stop Shell Break sweepers.
Like Clefairy, I think I can be doing better here.
CACTIBALL (Shinboraa) (M) @ Flame Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 124 Def / 132 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Cosmic Power
- Assist Power
- Psycho Shift
- Roost
It's a gimmicky set. I know.
But it's also terrifying. Rarely does this thing ever disappoint me.
The basic strategy here is to boost with Cosmic Power until Assist Power is at it's max 240 BP, burning things with Psycho Shift, and Roosting as nesseccary. Being immune to status is great, and even if it does become Paralyzed, I can simply Psycho Shift it off. Even if it can't hurt dark types, it can easily out-stall them (even T-Tar, if I'm on top of my game.) unless they're, say, Houndoom.
But why does this work so well on this team? If anyone's not aware that most of my team is immune to entry hazards, they'll think I'm a fool while they set up Stealth Rock and three layers of Spikes while I Cosmic Power up, and by the time they're finished setting up, I usually have around +4 Defense and Special Defense, along with a 180 BP (without STAB) move, and with Shinboraa's above-average speed, it's not hard to sweep.
I can burn Phazers on the way out, or, if they've let me get far enough, simply OHKO them with Assist Power.
ZAPPA (Rankurusu) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Shadow Ball
- Recover
- Psychic
- Light Screen
I don't really get why this guy is so good. He seems to be just filler on the team, but he's not that bad, I guess.
I'm disappointed in the movepool and really feel like I could be doing better with him.
However, he's a solid tank that can kind of help the rest of my team, so I figure he has potential.
So, that's it.
Generally, big threats are Shanderaa and Breloom, but I feel that's not a problem with the team and just my battling ineptitude. If you've gotten this far, thanks for reading! :D
I'll gladly accept any input!
This all stems from that Gen IV Clefable set that uses Life Orb, Belly Drum, and Double Edge (Facade with Flame/Toxic Orb) while taking very little damage from itself thanks to the wonderful Magic Guard.
Now, it's Gen V, and four Pokemon have that ability! Crazy! If you were crazy enough to make a team using them, 2/3rds of it would be immune to entry hazards, weather, and burn and poison damage, and laugh in the face of leech seeders. Here's what happens when you're crazy enough to.
FLORAMAN (Abomasnow) (F) @ Choice Scarf Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 Atk / 108 SAtk / 148 Spd
Lonely Nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Wood Hammer
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Blizzard
- Earthquake
Abomasnow is to get hail out early in the match. I'd opt for Sandstorm, but many more Pokemon take damage from hail. This set is meant to hit hard and surprise the opponent, OHKOing weaker leads and doing hefty damage to T-Tar and Ninetales, but unfortunately is not strong enough to take them out. For a weather lead, he's actually pretty dispensable as none of my Pokemon rely on hail at all, but it's nice to have a reasonably fast, reasonably hard hitting attacker to save for mid to late-game.
I'm not exactly happy with this set, but it does hit hard, and works better than other sub-seed sets I've used.
CLEDERP (Clefable) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Protect
- Substitute
- Blizzard
- Thunderbolt
A bulky/stally Bolt/Beamer that can come in fairly easily on special attacks. I made this one up myself, and the attacking combination is pretty useful, but I feel I can be doing better. I can't replace it, however.
SHAM KAZAM (Alakazam) (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Psycho Shock
- Grass Knot
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Similar to that Gen IV Life Orb Clefable, Alakazam can take advantage of Life Orb's boosts without the health loss. Psycho Shock is there because apart from Terakion, I don't have any physical options, and it's come in handy plenty of times.
THE TICK (Terakion) @ Choice Band
Trait: Justice Heart
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Quick Attack
Before actually using the team, I decided that with 3/6ths of my team being psychic, I'd need something to protect me from Pursuit, and all those other Dark/Bug attacks headed their way. I didn't know Justice Heart didn't provide an immunity to those dark type attacks, and I suddenly realized while typing this that thinking he could absorb Pursuit is a little silly, too.
Either way, he's pretty strong and pretty fast, and carries the EdgeQuake combo no other Pokemon on my team can use. Quick Attack is the only priority move on my team, and it's not great, but is useful to stop Shell Break sweepers.
Like Clefairy, I think I can be doing better here.
CACTIBALL (Shinboraa) (M) @ Flame Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 124 Def / 132 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Cosmic Power
- Assist Power
- Psycho Shift
- Roost
It's a gimmicky set. I know.
But it's also terrifying. Rarely does this thing ever disappoint me.
The basic strategy here is to boost with Cosmic Power until Assist Power is at it's max 240 BP, burning things with Psycho Shift, and Roosting as nesseccary. Being immune to status is great, and even if it does become Paralyzed, I can simply Psycho Shift it off. Even if it can't hurt dark types, it can easily out-stall them (even T-Tar, if I'm on top of my game.) unless they're, say, Houndoom.
But why does this work so well on this team? If anyone's not aware that most of my team is immune to entry hazards, they'll think I'm a fool while they set up Stealth Rock and three layers of Spikes while I Cosmic Power up, and by the time they're finished setting up, I usually have around +4 Defense and Special Defense, along with a 180 BP (without STAB) move, and with Shinboraa's above-average speed, it's not hard to sweep.
I can burn Phazers on the way out, or, if they've let me get far enough, simply OHKO them with Assist Power.
ZAPPA (Rankurusu) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Shadow Ball
- Recover
- Psychic
- Light Screen
I don't really get why this guy is so good. He seems to be just filler on the team, but he's not that bad, I guess.
I'm disappointed in the movepool and really feel like I could be doing better with him.
However, he's a solid tank that can kind of help the rest of my team, so I figure he has potential.
So, that's it.
Generally, big threats are Shanderaa and Breloom, but I feel that's not a problem with the team and just my battling ineptitude. If you've gotten this far, thanks for reading! :D
I'll gladly accept any input!