ORAS UU Rango: A Mexican Tale involving Beetles and Scorpions

[Patrick1088]

Rango

For those of you unfamiliar with Rango, it's a tale about a chameleon trying to make his way in the Wild West. It's a tale of hope and deceit. This is my tale of Rango... and a RMT involving everbody's favorite lizard..

teambuilding process

I wanted to start off with Heliolisk/Heracross core. They have great synergy and handle each other's checks very well.

Dry Skin Helio and Hera share a Fire weakness, so a great pivot (and end game cleaner) to compliment them both is Slowking. King also absorbs the psychic and fighting attacks aimed at Helio/Hera while they can handle the Dark/Ghost types.

I knew I needed a cleric that could handle Sp Def walls. I prefer Umbreon over say Florges or Blissey since it can tank hits from both physical and special threats while being able to punish physical boosters with Foul Play (and doesn't leave my team as set up bait for Doublade)

Hazards were nowhere to be seen on my team. I needed something that could tank powerful fighting moves since a lot of them have dark coverage that can punish Slowking. Gligar was a great option and access to U-Turn to compliment Heliolisk is always great.

For the last slot, I decided on M-Blastoise. This would free up a moveslot on Gligar since it doesn't have to use Defog and it gave me another bulky water type that punishes the various mons in UU. M-Blastoise is my spinner, of course.

So, without further ado, THE TALE OF RANGO... (and Heliolisk and friends!)

Gligar@ Eviolite
Immunity
Impish Nature
248 HP/ 252 Def/ 8 Sp Def
-Stealth Rock
-Knock Off
-Roost
-U-Turn

This is my pretty standard Gligar. Gligar gets a bad rep for being set up bait, which is halfway true. But, U-Turn and Knock Off really allow it to shine. I'm sure you may be asking yourself if Mandibuzz does this better and not having to worry about losing an item that boosts its defenses by 50%? The answer is NO. Heracross is a pretty big threat and Eviolite Gligar checks him very well, even after losing Eviolite. EVs are pretty standard, as well. Another bonus for Gligar is that it is a fantastic check to M-Beedrill. Immunity allows it for no Poison Jab poisoning, while tanking U-Turn and Knock Off like a champ.

Blastoise@ Blastoisinite
248 HP/8 Def/252 Sp Atk (0 attack)
Modest Nature
Mega Launcher
-Rapid Spin
-Scald
-Ice Beam
-Dark Pulse

For those of you that have seen the move Rango, you know how important water (

) is in the desert. M-Blastoise is here to show just that. Rapid Spin support and great bulk and access to Scald is never a bad thing. Dark Pulse is the obligatory Mega Launcher move that covers spinblockers. Ice Beam is to hit dragons x4 effectively and hits grass types like Whimsicott which doesn't care about Scald or Dark Pulse. I decided to maximize bulk and sp attack, while hitting a SR Number with 248 HP EVs. I was considering going for speed to speed creep Base 71s (Honchkrow, Tyrantrum), but I have other mons to really check them both, so I didn't think it was necessary.

Umbreon@ Leftovers
Synchronize
248 HP/ 8 Def/ 252 Sp Def (0 attack)
Calm Nature
-Wish
-Protect
-Foul Play
-Heal Bell

No matter what team I make, I always tend to fall back upon Umbreon as my cleric. It's a one trick pony, but it does it's job so well. WishTect is to support the team along with Heal Bell support. Foul Play is able to punish physical attackers that are boosting. Umbreon is very good at checking the popular Doublade/Hydreigon core. All it has to watch out for is Superpower LO from Hydre. 248 HP EVs is for SR number while maximizing special bulk to handle the Nidos, LO special Mence, etc..

Slowking@ Leftovers
Regenerator
252 HP/ 252 Def/ 4 Sp Atk
Bold Nature (0 Attack)
-Psyshock
-Scald
-Slack Off
-Calm Mind

I really hope that Gamefreak gives Slowking a Mega Evo, but that aside, Slowking is the glue of my team. It's ability to pivot with that 95/80/110 bulk is no joke. It has great synergy with Gligar (covers it's water/ice weakness) while Gligar covers King's weaknesses (Fighting, Bug and Electric). This is both a tanking set and a sweeping set. Scald/Psyshock and Regenerator are good for hit and run tactics, while CM is the clutch that allows me to set up on Nidos, M-Aero, etc...) Slack off is for HP recovery. Slowking is very efficient to use and is able to clean up late game with the right support. I think that we can all learn something very important from Slowking (

)

Heracross@ Choice Band
Guts
252 Attack/ 4 Def/ 252 Speed
Adamant Nature
-Close Combat
-Megahorn
-Knock Off
-Stone Edge

Ever since Hera dropped back down to UU, it has been a great asset once again. CB Hera is a staple that is hard to switch into, unless you are a bulky fairy (Florges, Granbull, Aromatisse). Guts and Band to absorb status like WoW, Toxic, etc.. and start wrecking things. He has so many key resists that it benefits the team greatly; fighting, dark, ground. Close Combat/Megahorn are STABs. Knock Off is to punish usual switch ins (Crobat, Florges, Doublade, etc..) Stone Edge is kind of filler. I maximized attack and speed to not speed tie opposing adamant hera. I have been toying with the mind of trying Flame Orb and dropping Stone Edge > Facade. I think that this would allow me to get the 50% boost from Guts, while being able to switch moves. Facade is there to pop the fairies for powerful damage.

Facade Calcs

-1 252+ Atk Guts Heracross Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Granbull: 141-166 (36.7 - 43.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Guts Heracross Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 232 Def Florges: 250-295 (69.4 - 81.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Guts Heracross Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Aromatisse: 215-254 (52.9 - 62.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Guts Heracross Facade (140 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Whimsicott: 195-230 (60.3 - 71.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

Heliolisk@ Choice Scarf
Dry Skin
4 Def/252 Sp Attack/252 Speed
Timid Nature (0 attack)
-Volt Switch
-Thunderbolt
-Hyper Voice
-Grass Knot

So, here is the Frill Lizard himself! Most people run Specs and LO, which is good, but that base 109 speed and 109 special attack lets it check a lot of mons with Choice Scarf. The speed alone and dual stabs in Normal/Electric allows it to handle most of UU (barring Doublade). Most switch ins to Heliolisk are Blissey, Snorlax and Florges, which a simple predicted Volt Switch to CB Hera while force more switches and rack up SR Damage. T-Bolt/Hyper Voice are STABs. Hyper Voice gets hyper shout out (get it? Hyper SHOUT? Hyper VOICE? eh nvm lol). Grass Knot is to bop M-Swampy on the swtich in. Now, the speed tier it hits is very crucial. With Timid 252 EVs and scarf, it hits 522 speed. This is just ahead of speed neutral 252 M-Swampy under rain, +2 252 EVs neutral Gatr, +2 speed Neutral 252 EVs Slurpuff, and the plethora of scarf mons base 108 and below (Infernape, Mienshao, Mence, Hydre, Krookodile, Hera, Chandelure, etc...) Heliolisk has great synergy with Hera where they cover each others weaknesses very well (Hera covers Helio's fighting/ground weakness, while Helio can bop the physically defensive mons for at least neutral damage).

So, this is my team. I'm going to post some threats/replays later on, as well. I'm currently sitting at low 1500s with this team and any suggestions is welcome!

replays

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-244055449
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-244370391
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-244367857
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-243901831
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-243798346

threats

coming soon!

​

 

[Dad's Dad]

Hey Patrick1088, you have a solid team here but I think you are too weak to Stall and Mamoswine. I say this because you have no Stallbreakers (Slowking isn't a Stallbreaker because it can be Toxic'd). A great way to fix this and your Mamoswine problem is to switch Heracross to Jolly SD Flame Orb because he'll outspeed Mamoswine and takes relatively nothing from Ice Shard. With SD and Guts it allows Heracross to boost his attack to 1149 (If I calc'd that right lol, it's still VERY strong) and basically kill everything on Stall. Most of the FatMence's I've seen on Stall only creep Adamant Heracross which means you'll outspeed and OHKO after Rocks which is GG. BandCross is OK at wallbreaking but it has too many switch-ins.

The Set:
Heracross @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Facade
- Swords Dance

 

[Patrick1088]

Hey Patrick1088, you have a solid team here but I think you are too weak to Stall and Mamoswine. I say this because you have no Stallbreakers (Slowking isn't a Stallbreaker because it can be Toxic'd). A great way to fix this and your Mamoswine problem is to switch Heracross to Jolly SD Flame Orb because he'll outspeed Mamoswine and takes relatively nothing from Ice Shard. With SD and Guts it allows Heracross to boost his attack to 1149 (If I calc'd that right lol, it's still VERY strong) and basically kill everything on Stall. Most of the FatMence's I've seen on Stall only creep Adamant Heracross which means you'll outspeed and OHKO after Rocks which is GG. BandCross is OK at wallbreaking but it has too many switch-ins.

The Set:
Heracross @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Facade
- Swords Dance

Yeah, I have been playing with the thought of Status Hera. Do you think I should prepare for jolly Mamo at all? Mostly I see LO Adamant/mixed sets.

 

[Dad's Dad]

Actually you probably don't even need it to be honest because Heliolisk's Grass Knot has a 81.3% chance to OHKO neutral Sp.Def Mamoswine but I think Jolly Heracross is still useful because it allows you to outspeed that very important 80 speed tier and FatMence always creeps Adamant Heracross.

 

[Adaam]

Hey there, I noticed that Florges kind of walls 5/6 of your team, with Slowking being the exception, although Heracross can deal some good damage to it as well. Maybe in practice it is easier to handle with Gligar's Knock Off and constant Volt Switches, but if you find that Florges is a pain for you to handle, I would also like to suggest replacing Band Heracross with SD Jolly Hera. I don't think I need to explain the change, since we all know +2 Hera obliterates Florges. It also has those nice benefits Dad's Dad mentioned about outspeeding Mamo and Fatmence.

 

[Patrick1088]

Hey there, I noticed that Florges kind of walls 5/6 of your team, with Slowking being the exception, although Heracross can deal some good damage to it as well. Maybe in practice it is easier to handle with Gligar's Knock Off and constant Volt Switches, but if you find that Florges is a pain for you to handle, I would also like to suggest replacing Band Heracross with SD Jolly Hera. I don't think I need to explain the change, since we all know +2 Hera obliterates Florges. It also has those nice benefits Dad's Dad mentioned about outspeeding Mamo and Fatmence.

Yeah, Florges really isn't that much of an issue tbh. Slowking handles most special attackers even uninvested in special bulk.

Florges Calcs

0 SpA Florges Moonblast vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Slowking: 105-124 (26.7 - 31.5%) -- 27.1% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery

Even offensive Florges isn't doing more than 43% to Slowking...

252+ SpA Florges Moonblast vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Slowking: 142-168 (36.1 - 42.7%) -- 95.2% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

It can use Florges, or any other special attacker for that matter, as long as it is not a dark type or has a powerful special dark move (Hydre, M-Houndoom, M-Blastoise).

But, even physically defensive Gligar can withstand defensive Florges' Moonblast...

0 SpA Florges Moonblast vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Eviolite Gligar: 106-126 (31.8 - 37.8%) -- 91.3% chance to 3HKO

But, SD Jolly Hera has been implemented on the team and is definitely pulling its weight. Gligar's slow U-Turn and Heliolisk's fast Volt Switch (typically volt switches in special defensive walls) allows Hera with a safe switch in most of the time, which allows it to get burned safely and not have to take too many hits.