Out for Revenge
Update: The team has been tweaked thanks to everyone's input and fares much better against the threats that plagued it before. I have updated the Threat List too. This team is currently sitting at #1 on the ladder so I'd like to thank everyone for their contributions.
Hey guys, this is a team built for the RU tier and it has been much more fun than I could have ever expected! There is a greater pool of viable Pokemon and strategies to choose from so it is both exciting and challenging. It is a new and relatively undeveloped metagame and, like most of you probably, I have been experimenting a lot!
Nearly all of the strategies hyped in OU are present: Shell Smash, Quiver Dance, Prankster, Eviolite and Rain Dance/Swift Swim abuse are common. As well as this, there is no permanent weather in the tier apart from Hail which means Hail Stall is extremely potent and hard to stop. There is a refreshing diversity of teams and all this adds up in a pretty hectic and vicious metagame where there is almost no room for mistake and an extra turn anytime in the match could spell victory or defeat.
I have played and tested a lot of Pokemon and this is a team that combines some of my favourite ones into a core that supports each other and can stand up to the many different strategies and tactics in the tier. Some Pokemon are standard while a few are a little more unorthodox so I hope the team is interesting.
I have had fun with this team, currently #5 on the leaderboard for those of you that are into that sort of thing, and I hope you enjoy reading my RMT. Any comments would of course be kindly appreciated!
Team Building Process
I started out RU not really knowing what to look out for, and with no clear direction what I wanted to achieve. So I started with some gimmicky sets that I tried before such as Unburden Sceptile and Nasty Plot Mandibuzz. During this testing period my team changed wildly and Pokemon came and went as I tested hyped up sets such as CM Cresselia, Moxie Honchkrow and Quiver Dance Venomoth. I eventually settled on a Quiver Pass team with Porygon-Z as the recipient that was fun to use.
After a while, I wasn't satisfied with it because my playing style has always been to form a group of 6 Pokemon that complement each other and are hard to break down as a group. Quiver Pass was too obvious and too dependent on the conditions being right for me to trust it as a solid strategy. My team took a more defensive turn and this was the period when I tested out most of the walls in the tier (yes I even tried Torkoal).
I discovered the fantastic reliability of Cresselia and Lickilicky as a partnership and I decided to build a team around the stability they provide. I tried to find good offensive threats that was supported by Cresselia and Lickilicky and eventually settled on what could almost be mistaken for a team.
While battling with it, I began to address the weakness that plagued the team and to try to get the team to be able to pull off a victory no matter how dire the conditions, or hax. After ditching a few Pokemon for more effective replacements that's how the team came to be!
Lickilicky's Dragon Tail just didn't cut it as a phazing move because Substitute users can come in any time to set up making this team extremely weak to them. After testing and seeing how well the team fared with Munchlax, he took his spot alongside Cresselia. The team also received some slight EV and moveset tweaking.
Close-up with the Critters
Entei @ Choice Band
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- ExtremeSpeed
- Flare Blitz
- Toxic
- Stone Edge
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- ExtremeSpeed
- Flare Blitz
- Toxic
- Stone Edge
Entei serves as an essential check to the Smashers and Dancers in the tier. CB Extremespeed hits hard and is a life saver against so many threats. Flare Blitz does huge damage, Toxic punishes common switch-ins and works well with Entei's Fire type. Stone Edge is filler coverage really.
I like to lead with Entei a lot times because he puts great pressure on the opponent and often forces out common hazards leads. If they don't switch then often I am looking at a 6 v 5 match from the outset so that is always nice. He also has decent bulk, allowing him to scare things at the start of a match and finish things off at the end.
The EVs are pretty self-explanatory, I dumped the 4 extra EVs into SpDef because Entei often comes in on Fire Blasts, not that it makes any difference. Keeping his HP an odd number does make a difference though for surviving four Stealth Rock switch-ins. Stealth Rock is a huge pain to Entei so scaring SR leads away is a good way for him to start the match.
In a nutshell: Revenge killer, hole puncher and Toxic spreader. Starts the match at a high tempo.
Venomoth (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Tinted Lens
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SAtk / 176 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Quiver Dance
- Sleep Powder
- Bug Buzz
- Roost
Venomoth is one of the most notorious boosters in the tier and for good reason. Quiver Dance lets Venomoth outspeed the majority of non-Scarfed Pokemon and makes her untouchable on the special side. After one Quiver Dance, Venomoth boasts more offensive power than Mewtwo. Sleep Powder is its greatest weapon and makes countering Venomoth extremely difficult. Thanks to Tinted Lens, STAB Bug Buzz is almost completely unresisted and allows a free moveslot for Roost, keeping Venomoth healthy. She also absorbs Toxic Spikes which can severely cripple this team.
With this set, Venomoth can safely set up on walls that rely on Toxic and Seismic Toss as well as various special attackers. The EVs allow her to outspeed Adamant Medicham (don't ask, painful memories...) while outspeeding base 120s such as Alakazam after a boost.
Venomoth is surprisingly another Pokemon I love to lead with. It ensures the opponent doesn't set up Stealth Rock because if they do, I get to set up for free so again it piles on the pressure and helps dictate the match in my favour from the first turn.
In a nutshell: Possibly the most broken set-up sweeper in the tier. Very nice!
Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP / 176 Def / 96 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Moonlight
- Reflect
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Beam
Cresselia has made a name for herself as a Calm Mind sweeper but I prefer her as a physical wall. Levitate along with a Fighting resistance allow her easy switches into common physical attackers. Weather is thankfully not common so Moonlight is actually reliable, and with Reflect Cresselia is untouchable on the physical side. Even boosted +6 sweepers cannot break through and Reflect supports the team too who are all a little frail on the physical side. Thunder Wave cripples sweepers and is a nice Status condition to support the team with while Ice Beam nails Ground types. Overall I am happy with this set because very few things can come in safely without being damaged, crippled or forced out again.
Despite being a physical wall, she has special bulk comparable to Lickiliky so she is more than capable of tanking on the special side too although her Bug weakness lets her down.
The EVs allow Cresselia to outspeed uninvested base 90 Pokemon such as bulky Moltres as well as getting the jump on most Gligar sets; it is also now EVed to outrun Crawdaunt and hits a bonus Def point. The rest is in HP. Not too sure if this is the most efficient spread but it is holding up well so far.
In a nutshell: One of the hardest Pokemon to take down in the tier, and a fantastic physical wall to fall back on.
Munchlax (M) @ Eviolite
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 248 HP / 160 Def / 100 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Whirlwind
- Body Slam
- Sleep Talk
- Rest
Munchlax is incredible. He has come in to Lickilicky's big shoes and not just filled them, he has them bursting at the seams. Munchlax has everything that Lickilicky needed in Whirlwind and he has a paralysing Body Slam to boot. Between these two attacks, set up sweepers simply cannot stay in. The final piece of the puzzle is simple. The most broken (and broken they are imo) set up sweepers in the tier have Sleep Powder to neutralise potential road blocks. With Sleep Talk, Munchlax only becomes more erratic and no less threatening. Rest heals Munchlax and lets him last.
The loss of Lickilicky meant the loss of Heal Bell, but Munchlax remedies that somewhat by being a fantastic status absorber. Most Pokemon that likes to status things don't fare well against Munchlax so he can sit his ass down time and again into their Thunder Wave, Toxic or feeble Ice Beam. This does mean that I need to play more conservatively with Sceptile, Cresselia and Venomoth now because I cannot send them into a potential Toxic or Thunder Wave.
Munchlax's bulk is on another level thanks to his HP and Eviolite; Thick Fat helps him even more in this regard. He walls every special attacker in the tier and is a regular aquaintance of Entei. The SpDef EVs let him take three Bug Buzzes from Specs Yanmega all the time while surviving two Focus Blasts from Alakazam after SR. The Def EVs let him take two Sharpedo Crunches and his HP is maximised to make him as bulky as possible.
In a nutshell: Counters all specially based Pokemon and special set up sweepers in particular. Supports the team by taking status and spreading Paralysis.
Aggron (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Head Smash
- Autotomize
- Roar
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Head Smash
- Autotomize
- Roar
Aggron is often overlooked in favour of Rhyperior but has worked well with the team so far. His great number of resistances as well as physical bulk allow him to come in quite easily and set Stealth Rock. With his ability Rock Head, Aggron has access to a 80% accuracy 150 BP STAB attack with no drawbacks. To put it into perspective, LO Aggron's Head Smash hits a lot harder than even Choice Band Terrakion's Stone Edge. Autotomize is often a nasty surprise for opponents and can give Aggron a chance to sweep. Roar is a move that became necessary because many of the threats that threaten this team like to come in on Aggron and set up. It's still not a full solution so this definitely needs to be looked at.
The reason I chose Aggron over Rhyperior is because he hits much harder with just one move. He has better resistances to Extremespeed, Toxic and Dragon type attacks to force switches and his 4x weaknesses are commonly found on the physical side so he doesn't automatically die to them. It's always nice to have a Steel type on a team because it is a rare type in this tier and helps check Bug types.
Aggron is EVed with max Attack to hit as hard as possible. The Speed EVs allow him to outrun Base 120s such as Alakazam and Sceptile at +2. The rest is dumped in HP.
In a nutshell: Aggron sets Stealth Rock and has an explosive Head Smash to crush switch-ins. Autotomize makes him speedy.
Sceptile (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Overgrow
EVs: 36 Def / 252 SAtk / 220 Spd
IVs: 23 HP
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Leech Seed
- Substitute
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Sceptile is one of my favourite Pokemon in the tier right now. She has amazing speed and a good movepool to abuse it with. Sceptile is my special sweeper and can either blast or SubSeed her way through most of the tier. Sceptile forces many switches on common Water, Ground and Rock type Pokemon and can easily grab a free Substitute. From there it is a matter of Leech Seeding and watching the opponent die to essentially what is a Stallrein that doesn't care what the weather is like.
Giga Drain fits perfectly into the strategy, allowing Sceptile to heal herself with a powerful attack while Hidden Power [Fire] blasts Grass and Bug types that think they are safe. Overgrow is a good ability with this strategy because if you cannot OHKO something straight away, you can Sub down to below 33% HP and hit them with an Overgrow boosted Giga Drain that heals you back to full health. Sceptile already forces a lot of switches and the SubSeeder serves as a great lure to cripple many counters as well as Grass and Bug types.
Because Sceptile is running Hidden Power [Fire] she cannot hit maximum speed so must settle for outspeeding Base 115s such as Cincinno. She still outspeeds much of the tier so it is no great loss. The HP IVs net the closest Leftovers number while allowing 5 Substitutes with Leftovers. Special attack is pushed as high as possible and the rest is put into Defence to help her switch in to Earthquakes.
In a nutshell: Sceptile is a huge threat and with SubSeed she can win against many common counters as well as hitting fast and hard.
Lickilicky (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Dragon Tail
Forming an awesome defensive partnership with Cresselia is Lickilicky. Having tried Clefable and Audino, I decided that Lickilicky is the best fit for two reasons. She has greater bulk and she has access to a phazing move.
Wish works well with Lickilicky's high HP stat and Protect should be obvious, allowing for scouting and healing. Heal Bell keeps the team healthy along with Wish and has saved the team countless times. Dragon Tail is the move that ties it all together and keeps the opponent on their toes in ways that Clefable and Audino cannot do. With Lickilicky's insane bulk, no special attacker can outright 2HKO at full HP (not even Specs Yanmega :0) so Lickilicky can comfortably phaze the enemy while healing herself with Wish.
The EVs maximise Lickilicky's special bulk so there is not much to explain here. One thing to note is that Lickilicky has good physical bulk too and can tank neutral physical hits without problems, thus forming an almost unbreakable core with Cresselia. Pokemon with Substitute cause Lickilicky problems so she is not perfect, and really wishes she had Whirlwind or Roar. You can't have everything I suppose...
In a nutshell: Lack of common special weaknesses allows Lickilicky to use her bulk to the fullest. Supports the team and racks up damage with Dragon Tail.
Threats
There are some major threats to this team and most of them center around Pokemon that can break the Cresselia and Munchlax defensive core. Fighting type bulky Substitute users in particular give this team a horrid time. I am not listing every threat but just the most pressing issues. In no particular order:
Gallade - Bulk Up and Swords Dance both give this team immense problems if they carry Shadow Sneak. Sceptile cannot SubSeed them to death and Cresselia cannot stall them out. To add to the pain, Aggron baits them in like nothing else. Very annoying to face.
Poliwrath - A Sub Bulk Up set really hurts this team because again it loves to come in on Aggron and start setting up. Aggron does have Roar to alleviate this somewhat but once they know the surprise they will not fall for it again. Once Poliwrath gets behind a Sub, Sceptile is my only answer to it. If Sceptile is down, it better not be behind a Sub or else even Entei cannot do anything. A big problem for this team.
Alakazam - SubCM variants are annoying and will find an easy time switching in and setting up on Cresselia if they can avoid Thunder Wave. Munchlax can threaten it or phaze it out but +1 Focus Blast still hurts.
Crawdaunt - One of my favourite Pokemon in the RU tier and was a member of the team for a very long time. Crawdaunt doesn't have such an easy time setting up now since Cresselia is the only thing it can switch in on and gets outsped and Thunder Waved. If Crawdaunt does somehow get to +1 it will need to be revenged by Sceptile or Entei.
Hail Stall - One of those strategies where one turn is all it takes for it to set up. Regice and Walrein can switch in to Cresselia and begin setting up although they can't afford to switch in to anything else which is a relief. Thankfully Munchlax takes nothing from their attacks and can phaze them away as well as not being afraid of status.
Baton Pass - With Ninjask, Smeargle and Gorebyss in the tier, Baton Pass has lost none of its stars. However it's not as hard to counter because Sceptile can set up on Smeargle while Entei wins against Ninjask and Gorebyss if it's in the lead spot. Munchlax can phaze them out too if they have managed a pass so it is not too much of a problem.
Stall - Yes stall is possible in RU and I have seen a few very well constructed stall teams that have had this team on edge. Bulky walls with Wish can try to stall out Sceptile so SubSeeding does not work while their hazards can quickly rack up if I switch too often. I almost always need to preserve Venomoth at least for its ability to absorb Toxic Spikes and for a set up sweep late in the match to break through their bulky Pokemon.
Thank you!
I'd like to thank you for reading and feel free to comment on things big or small!
