XY LC Pineco Offense

[Sken]

Hi guys, I’m Sken and this is my first Smogon RMT. This team peaked #1 in the PS LC Ladder 2 or 3 times (I only have one screenshot though). Remember that all suggestions are welcome. When I started in LC I realized how offensive it was and I decided to build a hyper offensive team.

TEAMBUILDING PROCESS​

Teambuilding Process

I started with the typical suicide lead, something to set up hazards and remove or prevent the opponent to set theirs up. I thought of Dwebble since it has Sturdyjuice and can get spikes on the foe’s field, but it can also be a great set-up fodder or hazards fodder and I'd still need a spinner as well. Then I thought about Onix, but spikes are just too big for me. Then I typed /ds stealth rock, spikes, rapid spin, sturdy, lc; and I fortunately found Pineco.

I had a hazards setter but I needed something to force the opponent not to remove them. I put Pawniard because it’s the best defog absorber in the tier since it gets defiant.

Hazards could be easily spinned, so I decided to use Gastly as a spinblocker. Gastly was also useful with sash DBond because it allows me to stop sweepers that got boosted in front of pineco.

Keeping the hazards up was really difficult, so I decided to make it easier with a volt-turn core, so I decided to use Mienfoo because I had problems with Pawniard and all that jibe.

Anyway I needed something to kill the most common spinners/defoggers, and something with Volt Switch to fulfill the volt-turning. That’s why I chose Scarf Chinchou.

Finally I tossed a Fletchling in because it gives me priority, tailwind and momentum with its u-turn.

THE TEAM
PINECO

Pineco (DESTRUCTION)
Item: Berry Juice

Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 196 Def / 76 SpD / 236 Spe | Nature: Impish
Moves: Spikes / Stealth Rock / Explosion / Rapid Spin
​

Yes, this is a Pineco. Pineco is the best suicide lead I can use, at least in this team. It can set up Stealth Rock and Spikes in the foe's field while he keeping them off mine, and explodes vs set-up sweepers. It’s certain that there are pokémon that can deal with it set-up role, but each pokémon has a counter, right? Its EV Spread is quite strange. It runs full speed to outpace a lot of slow pokes (such as quiet Croagunk) with the exception of Vullaby, that’s why it’s not jolly. Speed tying with Vullaby is bad because if it loses a speed tie, it defogs, and if it wins the tie, it can kill Pineco and you have to play without the advantage hazards provide. Its defense allows it to take 2 Knock Offs from a non-LO Pawniard, and to survive Fake Out + Knock Off + U-Turn from Mienfoo. The remaining EVs are invested in SpDef because I need only 21 HP for Sturdy + Berry Juice and I’m not putting attack investment on Pineco.

Calcs

236 Atk Pawniard Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 196 Def Pineco: 10-13 (47.6 - 61.9%) -- 93.8% chance to 2HKO
236 Atk Pawniard Iron Head vs. 0 HP / 196 Def Pineco: 9-12 (42.8 - 57.1%) -- 12.1% chance to 2HKO

FLETCHLING

Fletchling (Aerial Ace)
No item
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 196 Atk / 16 Def / 116 SpA / 180 Spe | Nature: Naughty
Moves: Acrobatics / U-turn / Tailwind / Overheat
​

Fletchling is a great pokémon. It hits a 110 BP Acrobatics + Stab with priority, which is incredible. All of you know about its power. It has Overheat to finish off Magnemites or Pawniards on the switch-in. U-Turn is useful to keep the momentum on your side. Tailwind helps a lot late game. And yes, this is a fast Fletchling, because I need it for my volt turn purposes, and I need to u-turn as fast as posible. It wins 1v1 vs other fletchlings and that’s just great. Its priority acrobatics are the most powerful priority, and that makes this bird a very important member.

Calcs

116 SpA Fletchling Overheat vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Pawniard: 22-28 (100 - 127.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
116 SpA Fletchling Overheat vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Pawniard: 16-20 (76.1 - 95.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
116 SpA Fletchling Overheat vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Magnemite: 20-24 (105.2 - 126.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
196+ Atk Fletchling Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 0 HP / 196 Def Eviolite Mienfoo: 18-24 (85.7 - 114.2%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
196+ Atk Fletchling Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Mienfoo: 20-26 (95.2 - 123.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock116 SpA Fletchling Overheat vs. 84 HP / 148+ SpD Eviolite Ferroseed: 20-24 (90.9 - 109%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO

CHINCHOU

Chinchou (Waterfall)
Item: Choice Scarf

Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 60 Def / 228 SpA / 220 Spe | IVs: 0 Atk | Nature: Modest
Moves: Thunderbolt / Hydro Pump / Scald / Volt Switch
​

This slot has changed a lot of times. This poke had to check the main spinners/defoggers to make removing the hazards even a more difficult issue. At the beginning I used Froakie (LOL). Then i changed it for a Staryu, but it didn’t have Volt Switch and it sometimes lost vs other Staryu. I even tried Scarf Magnemite, but felt I was too weak to fire types. So I decided to use Scarf Chinchou, because it gives me Volt Switch and deals with all of the main spinners/defoggers. It gives me resistance to Flying Spam as well. It has TBolt to hit hard with a powerfull stab, and Volt Switch keeps my momentum untouched. Hydro Pump hits very hard on a lot of things (just watch the calcs). This team doesn’t need a lot of coverage from Chou (HP Ground at most), because it's just enough with its STABs, so I decided to carry Scald, because HPump misses too much and I need something to hit with no risk. Scald over Surf to burn them all.

Calcs

232+ SpA Chinchou Hydro Pump vs. 76 HP / 76 SpD Archen: 32-38 (139.1 - 165.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

232+ SpA Chinchou Hydro Pump vs. 36 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Drilbur: 24-30 (104.3 - 130.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
232+ SpA Chinchou Thunderbolt vs. 116 HP / 76 SpD Eviolite Vullaby: 14-20 (56 - 80%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
(This is a problem, but none is staying with Vullaby vs Chinchou)
232+ SpA Chinchou Thunderbolt vs. 36 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Staryu: 18-24 (90 - 120%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO

PAWNIARD

Pawniard (Dark Pulse)
Item: Life Orb

Ability: Defiant
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe | IVs: 0 HP | Nature: Jolly
Moves: Knock Off / Sucker Punch / Iron Head / Brick Break
​

Pawniard is my defog absorber, my 2nd flying spam check, priority user, fairy killer, STAB Knock offer, etc. This pawniard is the LO version to deal better with Fletch and to hit harder. Brick Break is for other pawniards and to severely harm normal types like Porygon, Bunnelby, etc. It hits Scraggy pretty hard too. Iron Head is a solid stab that hits fairies pretty well.

Calcs

236 Atk Life Orb Pawniard Iron Head vs. 156 HP / 92 Def Fletchling: 17-21 (73.9 - 91.3%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock236 Atk Life Orb Pawniard Sucker Punch vs. 156 HP / 92 Def Fletchling: 17-21 (73.9 - 91.3%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock196+ Atk Fletchling Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Pawniard: 6-8 (31.5 - 42.1%) -- 94.7% chance to 3HKO
236 Atk Life Orb Pawniard Brick Break vs. 36 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Scraggy: 13-18 (59 - 81.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
236 Atk Life Orb Pawniard Brick Break vs. 236 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Porygon: 13-18 (50 - 69.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

GASTLY

Gastly (Ice Punch)
Item: Focus Sash

Ability: Levitate
EVs: 116 Def / 196 SpA / 196 Spe | IVs: 0 Atk | Nature: Timid
Moves: Shadow Ball / Energy Ball / Destiny Bond / Sludge Bomb
​

Gastly is a very important member of this team. It acts as a spin absorber and it stops sweeps as well. The Sash+Dbond combo is great, but it also has 2 strong stabs to hit hard with a 100 SpAtk stat with Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb. I’d run HP Fight in the 4th slot, but it is a spin absorber, and I needed something to deal with the 2 most common spinners, Drilbur and Staryu, so I decided to use Energy ball. Playing around Staryu is more difficult, but you can use a combination of Gastly/Chinchou like this replay shows (Gastly was a sac). It allows me to stop a bunch of set up sweepers such as Omanyte or Tirtouga too.

Calcs

196 SpA Gastly Energy Ball vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Tirtouga: 44-56 (209.5 - 266.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
196 SpA Gastly Energy Ball vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Omanyte: 28-36 (133.3 - 171.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
196 SpA Gastly Energy Ball vs. 36 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Drilbur: 16-20 (69.5 - 86.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
196 SpA Gastly Energy Ball vs. 36 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Staryu: 14-18 (70 - 90%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

MIENFOO

Mienfoo (Focus Blast)
Item: Eviolite

Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe | Nature: Jolly
Moves: Drain Punch / Knock Off / U-turn / Feint
​

This is the standard Mienfoo set with attack investment to hit much harder. It has Feint since every Abra runs Protect. As you can see, abra is a huge threat for my team. Sash Abra beats 1v1 every member of my team, so I need to be able to hit Abra with practically everything. That way, sacrificing something, I can feint to break its sash and then kill it with practically everything in my team. I don’t mean Feint Mienfoo is good, I mean Feint Mienfoo is good in this team. Believe it or not, I have won loads of matches because of Feint.

Threat list​

Threat List

Fletchling: Pawniard, Chinchou.

Mienfoo: Fletchling.

Pawniard: Mienfoo.

Abra: Priorities/scarfchou. Anyway, this is a threat and something should die.

Archen: Chinchou.

Chinchou: Gastly, Mienfoo, maybe Pawniard.

Drilbur: Chinchou checks, Gastly 2HKOs.

Magnemite: Chinchou, Mienfoo, Pawniard (?)

Ponyta: Chinchou.

Tirtouga: Gastly, Chinchou, Mienfoo.

Carvanha: Chinchou, Mienfoo, Fletchling.

Ferroseed: Mienfoo, Fletchling.

Foonguss: Gastly, Fletchling. It will put something to sleep, which is bad. You have to make a little sac to deal with this thing.

Porygon: Mienfoo, Pawniard.

Spritzee: Pawniard, Gastly.

Cottonee: Fletchling, Gastly, Pawniard.

Croagunk: Gastly, Fletchling.

Diglett: Hazzards + Priorities, Mienfoo, Chinchou.

Gastly: Pawniard, Fletchling.

Gothita: Pawniard, Fletchling, Gastly (losing the sash).

Omanyte: Gastly, Mienfoo, Pawniard.

Snubbull: Gastly, Pawniard.

Vullaby: Pawniard (Knock Off + Iron Head spam to flinch), Chinchou.

&

Clorodrought: Pawniard, Fletchling, but you finish with something asleep.

Bunnelby: Gastly, Mienfoo, Pawniard.

Team Conclusion
​

This team is based on Pineco’s ability to set hazzards with anti-defog/spin support. Then you volt-turn and make residual damage on your opponent. If you play Pineco well and you put SR and maybe some spikes with anything in your field, you have 50% of the match won. This team is really very easy to play, feel free to use it. I'm open to suggestions as well.

Shoutouts​

My first shoutouts go for the people who helped me in the translations: Alastor Law, Astyanax and Yagura again. Really thank you guys.
I wanted to shoutout some friends from the Spanish room too: Alastor Law, Astyanax, NocturOP, Axel10, ImSNT, Iyarito, Shockblade Kongou, Licor43, Ecuacion, Error403, xJoelituh, RODtony, etc. (I’ll be adding more, I don’t have all your smogon accounts, pm me).

And some friends from the LC room who are just great: Pikasohn, Aerow, Aaron's Aron, Tricking, Fran17, The Quasar, cityfolk, Vileman, Brazilian Army, trev, Maomiraeniya, Sunny., Cypher Amir, Eren Yeagar and Corporal Levi.

RMT Conclussion
​

First of all, I want to complain if I made any grammar/orthographical mistakes, English isn’t my first language, although I’ve had some help with the translations. And the second point is that I’ve done this RMT because I’ve played it near 900 times, so everyone in the ladder knew it perfectly and it made no sense using it much more. I’ ve done it also because Yagura 6-0’ed it. But now it’s all yours. And this is all, I hope you enjoy the squad as much as I did and I still do. Thanks for reading!

Importable

Pineco @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sturdy
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 76 SpD / 236 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Rapid Spin

Fletchling
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 16 Def / 116 SpA / 180 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Acrobatics
- U-turn
- Tailwind
- Overheat

Chinchou @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Volt Absorb
Level: 5
EVs: 60 Def / 228 SpA / 220 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Hydro Pump
- Scald
- Volt Switch

Pawniard @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 HP
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Brick Break

Gastly @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
Level: 5
EVs: 116 Def / 196 SpA / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Destiny Bond
- Sludge Bomb

Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Feint
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- U-turn

 

[Yagura]

Hi there Sken this is a really solid team that synergies really well, I find it pretty interesting that it consists of a rarely used Pokémon that is Pineco which can do really well especially if you play well with it, great job!

I do have some few suggestions though: I suggest using Roost over Tailwind on Fletchling, I understand your use of Tailwind and that it can come of really handy in some situations, however you'll be finding the priority recovery given by Roost more appreciated. Also run a spread of 156 HP / 200 Atk / 92 Def / 40 SpA / 20 Spe (with a Naughty nature), this spread allows you to improve Fletchling's bulk while still maintaining a solid Attack and to be honest the fast U-Turn isn't really much important as U-turn is often used when predicting a switch to a counter to keep the momentum, the Speed isn't needed much on Fletchling nor are the extra Special Attack EVs and the current SpA allow you to OHKO Magnemite after rocks anyways.

Also I suggest using Choice Scarf on Mienfoo, as a Voltturn player I guarantee you that it's clearly the best Mienfoo set to run on Voltturn teams, not only it allows you to gain momentum easily but you also get a lot of people off guard as they don't see it coming and it also allows you to deal with Abra and revenge kill plenty of stuff, and double scarf is a cool thing in general to run especially in Voltturn teams. If you're considering using it then I suggest High Jump Kick over Feint, other than that don't change any thing in the moveset and EV spread.

Lastly I recommend running Hidden Power Fighting over Destiny Bond this is a matter of preference as you have a slight Pawniard weakness and having HP Fight will allow you to take on them especially if the sash is still intact, if you're considering it then don't forget to change the EV spread to 36 HP / 44 Def / 200 SpA / 200 Spe (with Timid nature).

Other than that I don't have much to say about your team, I could've suggested using something over Pineco but I think that the team is built around it and changing it will affect it really badly, also I can see some EV spread of it or maybe even consider using an Impish nature on it to boost its Defense even higher? but I don't have much experience with it and thus I can't really judge it much. Great team fren, and I wish I helped! =)

 

[Sken]

Hi there Sken this is a really solid team that synergies really well, I find it pretty interesting that it consists of a rarely used Pokémon that is Pineco which can do really well especially if you play well with it, great job!

I do have some few suggestions though: I suggest using Roost over Tailwind on Fletchling, I understand your use of Tailwind and that it can come of really handy in some situations, however you'll be finding the priority recovery given by Roost more appreciated. Also run a spread of 156 HP / 200 Atk / 92 Def / 40 SpA / 20 Spe (with a Naughty nature), this spread allows you to improve Fletchling's bulk while still maintaining a solid Attack and to be honest the fast U-Turn isn't really much important as U-turn is often used when predicting a switch to a counter to keep the momentum, the Speed isn't needed much on Fletchling nor are the extra Special Attack EVs and the current SpA allow you to OHKO Magnemite after rocks anyways.

Also I suggest using Choice Scarf on Mienfoo, as a Voltturn player I guarantee you that it's clearly the best Mienfoo set to run on Voltturn teams, not only it allows you to gain momentum easily but you also get a lot of people off guard as they don't see it coming and it also allows you to deal with Abra and revenge kill plenty of stuff, and double scarf is a cool thing in general to run especially in Voltturn teams. If you're considering using it then I suggest High Jump Kick over Feint, other than that don't change any thing in the moveset and EV spread.

Lastly I recommend running Hidden Power Fighting over Destiny Bond this is a matter of preference as you have a slight Pawniard weakness and having HP Fight will allow you to take on them especially if the sash is still intact, if you're considering it then don't forget to change the EV spread to 36 HP / 44 Def / 200 SpA / 200 Spe (with Timid nature).

Other than that I don't have much to say about your team, I could've suggested using something over Pineco but I think that the team is built around it and changing it will affect it really badly, also I can see some EV spread of it or maybe even consider using an Impish nature on it to boost its Defense even higher? but I don't have much experience with it and thus I can't really judge it much. Great team fren, and I wish I helped! =)

:O Nice rate, really.

First off all, I tried Roost before, but I had no chances to roost, so I decided to run Tailwind, to help me in the late game when I'm sacrificing it. Anyway, I'll try your spread, it seems cool, thanks for that.

The second thind is the scarf on Mienfoo. I tried it a lot of time ago and it didn't work that bad, but I felt like I didn't need it at all.Mienfoo is the bulkiest mon in this team since it's the only one with Eviolite, and Eviolite allows me to deal better with common things like Chinchou. But I think I will give scarf a second chance and I'll try again.

DBond on Gastly is to completelly stop sweeps from things like BU Timburr, Tirtouga with the Sturdyjuice intact, etc. The defense spread is made to live 4 hits Rock Blast from Onix except Pikasohn's Skill Link Onix. When I see an Onix, I lead with Gastly, I click Sludge Bomb and then I finish it with Energy Ball. But I agree that HP Fight is a good option, I'll think about it.

And finally, Pineco's max defense investment is needed to live Fake Out + Knock Off + U-turn from a max attack Jolly Mienfoo, and 2 Knock Offs from a Scarf pawniard.

Thank you for your rate and for your help too, fren. See ya!

 

[ruuko]

Sken *-* <3

 

[Ernesloru]

rippeado uvu

 

[xJoelituh]

I don't know much about LC, but only seeing this it looks so accurate and it was really a hard work to do it.
The only thing that I don't understand are the 0 HP IV on Pawniard. I suppose that is for the Life Orb, but why 0 instead of the 30 or 20 or 10? It doesn't make the same effect?


PS: Thx for the Shoutout

 

[Yagura]

I don't know much about LC, but only seeing this it looks so accurate and it was really a hard work to do it.
The only thing that I don't understand are the 0 HP IV on Pawniard. I suppose that is for the Life Orb, but why 0 instead of the 30 or 20 or 10? It doesn't make the same effect?

0 HP IVs allow Pawniard to hit 19 in HP, thus only losing 1 HP from the Life Orb damage recoil, you can run 9 or lower and it'll still be 19 but 0 is also fine.

 

[Astyanax]

Its priority acrobatics are the most powerful priority in my butt, and that makes this bird a very important member.

Top kek.

Nice post though, if only this thread has enough to make up for the fact that you're the worst mod :/

Edit:

Good post though. I have absolutely no idea about LC, but I might use this team and try it out. Thanks Sken

 

[Sken]

Top kek.

Nice post though, if only this thread has enough to make up for the fact that you're the worst mod :/

Fixed D:<

 

[Mister Magnus]

Well bro, it deserves Team Showcase, that is all I have to talk

 

[Superpowerdude]

I'm glad you rmt'd this sken it was awesome seeing someone use pineco on the upper ladder and vsing you kinda convinced me it wasn't an ass mon

Honestly only thing I could suggest is try fitting Swords Dance somewhere in Fletchling it is slight situational but it gives your team a solid win condition and helps vs stall. You could use it instead of overheat and run Hp ground on Chinchou so you still have mag covered.

 

[Sken]

I'm glad you rmt'd this sken it was awesome seeing someone use pineco on the upper ladder and vsing you kinda convinced me it wasn't an ass mon

Honestly only thing I could suggest is try fitting Swords Dance somewhere in Fletchling it is slight situational but it gives your team a solid win condition and helps vs stall. You could use it instead of overheat and run Hp ground on Chinchou so you still have mag covered.

Thanks for the rate :)
I'll think about SD Fletchling, but if I put HP Ground on Chinchou what do I replace it for? I mean, Volt Switch is necessary, Thunderbolt is to OHKO Staryu and 2HKO Vullaby, Hydro Pump is needed to OHKO Drilbur and Archen and I have Scald because I don't wanna risk missing Hydro Pump vs 50% Drilbur (for example), and because it burns Mienfoo as well. I don't see a place for HP Ground.