Hey there folks, it's me Punchshroom again, bringing you another warstory for your viewing pleasure! If you'd like, the link to the previous warstory is here. Unfortunately, all my older teams got scrapped because of the new tier changes, so no familiar faces here. Instead, a team I built for giggles was the only one unaffected! Having no choice, I cultivated it to become competitively worthy and able to produce spectacular battles. And my hard work has finally paid off!
Today, I battled a fellow NU player Sceats and gave me one of the most thrilling moments in this team's battling history. And without further ado...
Punchshroom joined.
Sceats joined.
Format: NU
Rated battle
Rule: Sleep Clause
Rule: Species Clause
Rule: OHKO Clause
Rule: Moody Clause
Rule: Evasion Clause
Punchshroom's team:
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/
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Sceats's team:
/
/
/
/
/
I'll be honest here, one look at his team sent shivers down my spine. This guy is packing top tier threats and he's not fooling around. I'll be hard pressed to find any openings to lay down hazards, much less start phazing with Riolu. My game plan is to set up both Stealth Rock and Spikes (1 layer each is sufficient), have Riolu Roar safely and if possible, get rid of Skuntank before Riolu is sent out. However, Skuntank is the only pokemon on the team Riolu can Roar safely against (Regirock may be packing Thunder Wave), but is also the one that can screw up Riolu's chain phazing. This will be difficult.
Battle between Punchshroom and Sceats started!
Punchshroom sent out Relicanth!
Sceats sent out Exeggutor!
100% VS
100%
Well that's a great start, already I'm at a disadvantage against what is likely a Hyper Offense team. Not good. At all. No way in hell am I letting my Stealth Rocker bite the dust this early in the match, so to Dragonair I go.
Turn 1
Punchshroom called Relicanth back!
Punchshroom sent out Dragonair!
The foe's Exeggutor used Leaf Storm!
It's not very effective... Dragonair lost 42% of its health!
The foe's Exeggutor's Special Attack harshly fell!
58% VS
100%
I expected a Sleep Powder, but that Leaf Storm hurt like hell. Specs Exeggutor can be very hard to handle, what with demolishing both my hazard setters. I need Dragonair at good health to take it on later, so I Rest off the damage.
Turn 2
Sceats called Exeggutor back!
Sceats sent out Regirock!
Dragonair used Rest!
Dragonair fell asleep!
Dragonair slept and became healthy!
100% SLP VS
100%
His Regirock comes in for free, but there's not much I could do about it anyway. It does present me with an excellent oppurtunity to set up SR with Relicanth.
Turn 3
Punchshroom called Dragonair back!
Punchshroom sent out Relicanth!
The foe's Regirock used Stealth Rock!
Pointed stones float in the air around your team!
Stealth Rock
100% VS
100%
He sets up his rocks, but I don't really care so long as I get to set up my own. Honestly I'm more afraid of the immediate Exeggutor switch.
Turn 4
Relicanth used Stealth Rock!
Pointed stones float in the air around the foe's team!
The foe's Regirock used Earthquake!
It's super effective! Relicanth lost 47% of its health!
Relicanth restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
59% VS
100% Stealth Rock
He smacks me with an Earthquake to gauge the damage. It's not a 2HKO, but we see he can beat me one-on-one. I figured he would duke it out from there.
Turn 5
Sceats called Regirock back!
Sceats sent out Exeggutor!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Exeggutor!
Relicanth used Waterfall!
It's not very effective... The foe's Exeggutor lost 19% of its health!
Relicanth restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
65% VS
69% Stealth Rock
We're now back at square one, except rocks are on both sides on the field and he knows Dragonair is my first switch-in for Eggy, meaning he may Psychic instead as it will still finish off Relicanth. Liepard is a tempting switch as I would have nabbed so much momentum, but would lose a core part of my team should he go for anything else like Giga Drain or something. Having Dragonair take a Psychic is much less worse than having Liepard KOed.
Turn 6
Punchshroom called Relicanth back!
Punchshroom sent out Dragonair!
Pointed stones dug into Dragonair!
The foe's Exeggutor used Psychic!
Dragonair lost 51% of its health!
Dragonair's Special Defense fell!
Stealth Rock
37% SLP VS
69% Stealth Rock
That Psychic stings so bad, meaning Dragonair isn't going to do much in this game unless Missy wakes him up with Heal Bell (which isn't worth it). Now I could stay in and let him take me out with Psychic, but if he does do that, switching to Liepard now would have the same desired effect: a free sub. I think he believes Dragonair to be useless now that he's taken so much damage, so I make the switch.
Turn 7
Sceats called Exeggutor back!
Sceats sent out Regirock!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Regirock!
Punchshroom called Dragonair back!
Punchshroom sent out Liepard!
Pointed stones dug into Liepard!
Liepard restored HP using its Leftovers!
The foe's Regirock restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
94% VS
94% Stealth Rock
Bah, he saw that a mile away, and switches out as well. Liepard can't touch Regirock even after a Swagger due to its titanic defense. He is however hazard fodder for a second time, this time for Roselia.
Turn 8
Punchshroom called Liepard back!
Punchshroom sent out Roselia!
Pointed stones dug into Roselia!
The foe's Regirock used Stone Edge!
The attack of the foe's Regirock missed!
The foe's Regirock restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
88%VS
100% Stealth Rock
I catch a lucky break from Stone Miss, but Roselia would not have been KOed anyway, and I'd still get up at least 1 layer of Spikes, though I will promptly attack the switch-in if given the chance.
Turn 9
Sceats called Regirock back!
Sceats sent out Sawk!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Sawk!
The foe's Sawk breaks the mold!
Roselia used Spikes!
Spikes were scattered all around the feet of the foe's team!
Stealth Rock
88%VS
94% Stealth Rock Spikes
Spikes are now up, but big daddy Sawk has come to play (read: tear everything limb from limb). I wanted to switch to Misdreavus to tank the hit and burn him, but felt he would see that coming and Ice Punch instead, which also destroys little Roselia if she stays in. I decided to bring Relicanth in. If he doesn't Ice Punch, at least I can bring in the correct switch-in; if he does, something's getting their face bashed in.
Turn 10
Punchshroom called Roselia back!
Punchshroom sent out Relicanth!
Pointed stones dug into Relicanth!
The foe's Sawk used Ice Punch!
It's not very effective... Relicanth lost 13% of its health!
Relicanth restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
46% VS
94% Stealth Rock Spikes
Relicanth tanks the hit like a boss, and now threatens a Head Smash which no one on his team enjoys taking.
Turn 11
Sceats called Sawk back!
Sceats sent out Regirock!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Regirock!
The foe's Regirock is hurt by the spikes!
Relicanth used Head Smash!
The foe's Regirock lost 35% of its health!
Relicanth restored HP using its Leftovers!
The foe's Regirock restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
52% VS
46% Stealth Rock Spikes
Of course, he sends in the one most capable of taking the Head Smash, Regirock. Since SE STAB Waterfall is only marginally stronger than STAB Head Smash, I'm hoping for the flinch chance here.
Turn 12
Relicanth used Waterfall!
It's super effective! The foe's Regirock lost 40% of its health!
The foe's Regirock used Earthquake!
It's super effective! Relicanth lost 48% of its health!
Relicanth restored HP using its Leftovers!
The foe's Regirock restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
10% VS
12% Stealth Rock Spikes
No dice, Relicanth is forced to eat an Earthquake before putting Regirock down for good. I still have doubts he might bring in Eggy for an easy switch, but there's no need for him to expose himself to extra damage. Waterfall will deal with Regirock safely.
Turn 13
Relicanth used Waterfall!
It's super effective! The foe's Regirock lost 12% of its health!
The foe's Regirock fainted!
Relicanth restored HP using its Leftovers!
Sceats sent out Skuntank!
The foe's Skuntank is hurt by the spikes!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Skuntank!
Stealth Rock
17% VS
75% Stealth Rock Spikes
0%
First blood goes to Relicanth, who is on his last legs (fins) now. I usually use Relicanth to deal with Skuntank, but due to its injuries, it can no longer do so.
Turn 14
The foe's Skuntank used Crunch!
Relicanth lost 17% of its health!
Relicanth fainted!
Punchshroom sent out Riolu!
Pointed stones dug into Riolu!
0% Stealth Rock
94% VS
75% Stealth Rock Spikes
Relicanth falls to a Crunch. That alone is valuable information. This means his Skuntank is likely not running Poison Jab, meaning Riolu can take it one-on-one in a little fisticuff Drain Punch-Crunch fest. I also notice he lacks Leftovers/Black Sludge (likely Dread Plate), making this matchup easier for me. However, the main reason I brought in Riolu is to test out my new moveset changes, and how well it works against certain opponents...
Turn 15
Riolu used Protect!
Riolu protected itself!
The foe's Skuntank used Taunt!
Riolu protected itself!
Stealth Rock
94% PROTECT VS
75% Stealth Rock Spikes
You guys thought you know how Riolu works. You guys thought you could shut him down easy with Taunt or priority. Well today, I'll show you how to REALLY use Riolu and you will soon fear him...
Turn 16
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Taunt!
The foe's Skuntank fell for the taunt!
The foe's Skuntank can't use Taunt after the taunt!
Sceats: smooth operator riolu...
Punchshroom: i devised it myself >:D
Punchshroom: take that skunk >:D
Stealth Rock
94% VS
75% Taunted Stealth Rock Spikes
Step One: Block the Taunt, then Copy the Taunt, so he can't Taunt. Were your feeble minds capable of processing this yet, or are you trembling now that one of your primary Riolu-dealing strategies has just backfired? Due to his mono-Dark coverage, Skuntank is helpless before Riolu and can't prevent the chain from starting.
Turn 17
Sceats: bro sorry to burst bubbles but copycat pranksters been around since '10 =/
Sceats: still cool though
Sceats called Skuntank back!
Sceats sent out Charizard!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Charizard!
Riolu used Roar!
Exeggutor was dragged out!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Exeggutor!
The foe's Exeggutor is hurt by the spikes!
Stealth Rock
94% VS
45% Stealth Rock Spikes
50%
75%
Already the first Roar shredded through his team pretty bad, with Exeggutor and Charizard already struggling. Now to play Russian Roulette and see which pokemon goes down first.
Turn 18
Punchshroom: but people haven't realised their worth
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Roar!
Charizard was dragged out!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Charizard!
The foe's Charizard fainted!
Sceats sent out Skuntank!
The foe's Skuntank is hurt by the spikes!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Skuntank!
Punchshroom: that's quick
Sceats: hrrm
Sceats: this is new though
Stealth Rock
94% VS
50% Stealth Rock Spikes
0%
Charizard goes down too quickly due to its even numbered max HP, but Sceats takes advantage of this and brings in Skuntank once more.While Skuntank's Sucker Punch won't actually work due to Riolu not attacking, Riolu will be forced to copy that instead of its own Roar, due to Skuntank's attack being the last one executed.
Turn 19
Punchshroom: what now?
The foe's Skuntank used Sucker Punch!
But it failed!
Riolu used Roar!
Braviary was dragged out!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Braviary!
Punchshroom: still got you >:)
Sceats: clever
Sceats: though damn, could have taunted...
Punchshroom: faced so many of these
Punchshroom: it's second nature now
Stealth Rock
94% VS
75% Stealth Rock Spikes
50%
Step Two: Go for the manual Roar against obvious faster priority. Sceats hasn't had experience dealing with this, but I sure have, catching him out for the second time. Now I have to hope to damage all of his other pokemon as much as possible before Skuntank is brought back in.
Turn 20
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Roar!
Exeggutor was dragged out!
The foe's Exeggutor is hurt by the spikes!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Exeggutor!
Punchshroom: dead eggy
Stealth Rock
94% VS
20% Stealth Rock Spikes
75%
Exeggutor is now out of the picture, which I breathe a huge sigh of relief as that thing could wreck anything at this point (I could sac Dragonair though). Nevertheless, I hope not to phaze it back in and work on his other pokemon like Sawk and Braviary.
Turn 21
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Roar!
Sawk was dragged out!
The foe's Sawk is hurt by the spikes!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Sawk!
The foe's Sawk breaks the mold!
Stealth Rock
94% VS
76% Stealth Rock Spikes
20%
Yes, just what I wanted! Since Sawk has no moves that cause recoil and resists Stealth Rock, it is harder to wear down than Braviary. Let's try to bring that back in, shall we?
Turn 22
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Roar!
Exeggutor was dragged out!
The foe's Exeggutor is hurt by the spikes!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Exeggutor!
The foe's Exeggutor fainted!
Sceats sent out Skuntank!
The foe's Skuntank is hurt by the spikes!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Skuntank!
Punchshroom: aw man
Stealth Rock
94% VS
26%Stealth Rock Spikes
0%
I complained about that kill because now Skuntank gets the chance to voluntarily switch in and stop Riolu. He also has barely enough health to survive another bout of hazards. He's seen my two strategies, so now both of us have to think hard.
Turn 23
Punchshroom: NOW the mind games really start
Punchshroom called Riolu back!
Punchshroom sent out Liepard!
Pointed stones dug into Liepard!
The foe's Skuntank used Taunt!
Liepard fell for the taunt!
Liepard restored HP using its Leftovers!
94% Stealth Rock
88% TauntedVS
26%Stealth Rock Spikes
Step Three: When in doubt, bail the hell out (you resist Pursuit anyway). Both of Skuntank's anti-Riolu moves won't work on a switch-in intent on clobbering him anyway. I bring in Liepard because of the speed advantage and the Sucker Punch resistance, allowing him to revenge kill the skunk with ease.
Turn 24
Liepard used Foul Play!
It's not very effective... The foe's Skuntank lost 26% of its health!
The foe's Skuntank fainted!
Liepard is hurt by the foe's Skuntank's Aftermath!
Liepard restored HP using its Leftovers!
Sceats sent out Braviary!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Braviary!
Stealth Rock
69% TauntedVS
50%Stealth Rock Spikes
0%
I had considered Skuntank over Liepard's place, but Liepard proves to be the superior Dark-type (for this team at least), eliminating Riolu's biggest obstacle (and setup fodder). His Braviary is sent out, with the lack of Leftovers earlier indicating it is Choiced or Life Orb. Hopefully the latter, cos' that will wear down the mighty eagle very quickly. However I can't scout it with Substitute right now, so I'll have to sac something.
Turn 25
Punchshroom called Liepard back!
Punchshroom sent out Roselia!
Pointed stones dug into Roselia!
The foe's Braviary used Brave Bird!
It's super effective! Roselia lost 76% of its health!
The foe's Braviary is damaged by recoil!
Roselia fainted!
Punchshroom sent out Liepard!
Pointed stones dug into Liepard!
0% Stealth Rock
57% VS
25% Stealth Rock Spikes
Roselia has the highest remaining health on the team, so she sacrifices herself to deal hefty recoil to Braviary, who is revealed not to be Life Orb, meaning Band or Scarf. Rosy has knocked Braviary into Stealth Rock killing range, meaning Braviary is now trapped. Even when she took one for the team, Rosy does not let the aggressor get away scotfree.
Turn 26
Liepard used Substitute!
Liepard put in a substitute!
Liepard lost 25% of its health!
The foe's Braviary used Brave Bird!
Liepard's substitute faded!
The foe's Braviary is damaged by recoil!
Liepard restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
38% VS
22% Stealth Rock Spikes
On the off chance he switches out, survives Stealth Rock damage and starts spamming Return (though I still have Misdreavus), I go for Substitute to rack up yet more Brave Bird recoil or prepare for the Sawk switch-in, but it was flawed logic really. Time to finish it off now.
Turn 27
The foe's Braviary used Brave Bird!
Liepard lost 38% of its health!
The foe's Braviary is damaged by recoil!
Liepard fainted!
Punchshroom sent out Riolu!
Pointed stones dug into Riolu!
0% Stealth Rock
88% VS
11% Stealth Rock Spikes
Darn, it is Scarf. Well it matters little, because Riolu can now clean up. How, you may ask?
Turn 28
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Brave Bird!
The foe's Braviary lost 11% of its health!
Riolu is damaged by recoil!
The foe's Braviary fainted!
Punchshroom: love that XD
Sceats: first well played riolu i have seen
Sceats: cheers bud, excellent match
Punchshroom: thanks
Punchshroom: this was really fun
Sceats: though i would like to see if it would work a second time lol
Sceats sent out Sawk!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Sawk!
The foe's Sawk is hurt by the spikes!
The foe's Sawk breaks the mold!
Stealth Rock
84% VS
57% Stealth Rock Spikes
0%
Step Four: If possible, revenge kill Choice Scarfers by Copycatting their own move. This gives Riolu so much more utility other than just Roaring all the time. Be warned that this exposes Riolu to attack from your opponent's other pokemon, so only resort to this if you have a sure kill and good switch-ins or in this case, about to wrap things up.
Turn 29
Punchshroom: you can check my ranking later
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Brave Bird!
It's super effective! The foe's Sawk lost 57% of its health!
Riolu is damaged by recoil!
The foe's Sawk fainted!
Punchshroom won the battle!
Stealth Rock
71% VS
0% Stealth Rock Spikes
After that excellent game, I showed him my ranking and needless to say, he was irked that my team got so many wins but at the same time relieved that he wasn't the only one who succumbed to the mighty Riolu. With the experience in this battle etched into our minds, we bid farewell and went our seperate ways.
Special Mentions:
: He set up the Rocks necessary to wear down Braviary, who would have hovered over Spikes and trucked through my team otherwise. Also hung on to defeat Regirock.
: Spikes were needed to bring Sawk down as it resists Stealth Rock, in contrast with Relicanth's job. Wore down Braviary by using itself as a meat shield.
: While he literally slept through the whole match, I'd be forced to sac something to Eggy if it were not for him.
: He tried his best to stand up to Riolu, he really did, but his inexperience compared to Riolu's kept him one step behind.
And of course...
LIKE A BOSSThis, people, is how you use Riolu (well, not like that^). Sceat's team might look tons more threatening, but the fact that most have no priority means they are helpless before Riolu's phazing. Even Skuntank, his only hope, was worked around with proper play, allowing Riolu to continue chain phazing even in the face of a pokemon who has both Taunt and faster priority. Underestimate this feisty fighter, and your demise will not be a swift one (like that^).
Hope you enjoyed this battle that illustrates even gimmick teams require skill and prediction to use and given new insight on how this team functions. Feel free to try it yourself!
Today, I battled a fellow NU player Sceats and gave me one of the most thrilling moments in this team's battling history. And without further ado...
Punchshroom joined.
Sceats joined.
Format: NU
Rated battle
Rule: Sleep Clause
Rule: Species Clause
Rule: OHKO Clause
Rule: Moody Clause
Rule: Evasion Clause
Punchshroom's team:
Sceats's team:
I'll be honest here, one look at his team sent shivers down my spine. This guy is packing top tier threats and he's not fooling around. I'll be hard pressed to find any openings to lay down hazards, much less start phazing with Riolu. My game plan is to set up both Stealth Rock and Spikes (1 layer each is sufficient), have Riolu Roar safely and if possible, get rid of Skuntank before Riolu is sent out. However, Skuntank is the only pokemon on the team Riolu can Roar safely against (Regirock may be packing Thunder Wave), but is also the one that can screw up Riolu's chain phazing. This will be difficult.
Battle between Punchshroom and Sceats started!
Punchshroom sent out Relicanth!
Sceats sent out Exeggutor!
Well that's a great start, already I'm at a disadvantage against what is likely a Hyper Offense team. Not good. At all. No way in hell am I letting my Stealth Rocker bite the dust this early in the match, so to Dragonair I go.
Turn 1
Punchshroom called Relicanth back!
Punchshroom sent out Dragonair!
The foe's Exeggutor used Leaf Storm!
It's not very effective... Dragonair lost 42% of its health!
The foe's Exeggutor's Special Attack harshly fell!
I expected a Sleep Powder, but that Leaf Storm hurt like hell. Specs Exeggutor can be very hard to handle, what with demolishing both my hazard setters. I need Dragonair at good health to take it on later, so I Rest off the damage.
Turn 2
Sceats called Exeggutor back!
Sceats sent out Regirock!
Dragonair used Rest!
Dragonair fell asleep!
Dragonair slept and became healthy!
His Regirock comes in for free, but there's not much I could do about it anyway. It does present me with an excellent oppurtunity to set up SR with Relicanth.
Turn 3
Punchshroom called Dragonair back!
Punchshroom sent out Relicanth!
The foe's Regirock used Stealth Rock!
Pointed stones float in the air around your team!
Stealth Rock
He sets up his rocks, but I don't really care so long as I get to set up my own. Honestly I'm more afraid of the immediate Exeggutor switch.
Turn 4
Relicanth used Stealth Rock!
Pointed stones float in the air around the foe's team!
The foe's Regirock used Earthquake!
It's super effective! Relicanth lost 47% of its health!
Relicanth restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
He smacks me with an Earthquake to gauge the damage. It's not a 2HKO, but we see he can beat me one-on-one. I figured he would duke it out from there.
Turn 5
Sceats called Regirock back!
Sceats sent out Exeggutor!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Exeggutor!
Relicanth used Waterfall!
It's not very effective... The foe's Exeggutor lost 19% of its health!
Relicanth restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
We're now back at square one, except rocks are on both sides on the field and he knows Dragonair is my first switch-in for Eggy, meaning he may Psychic instead as it will still finish off Relicanth. Liepard is a tempting switch as I would have nabbed so much momentum, but would lose a core part of my team should he go for anything else like Giga Drain or something. Having Dragonair take a Psychic is much less worse than having Liepard KOed.
Turn 6
Punchshroom called Relicanth back!
Punchshroom sent out Dragonair!
Pointed stones dug into Dragonair!
The foe's Exeggutor used Psychic!
Dragonair lost 51% of its health!
Dragonair's Special Defense fell!
Stealth Rock
That Psychic stings so bad, meaning Dragonair isn't going to do much in this game unless Missy wakes him up with Heal Bell (which isn't worth it). Now I could stay in and let him take me out with Psychic, but if he does do that, switching to Liepard now would have the same desired effect: a free sub. I think he believes Dragonair to be useless now that he's taken so much damage, so I make the switch.
Turn 7
Sceats called Exeggutor back!
Sceats sent out Regirock!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Regirock!
Punchshroom called Dragonair back!
Punchshroom sent out Liepard!
Pointed stones dug into Liepard!
Liepard restored HP using its Leftovers!
The foe's Regirock restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
Bah, he saw that a mile away, and switches out as well. Liepard can't touch Regirock even after a Swagger due to its titanic defense. He is however hazard fodder for a second time, this time for Roselia.
Turn 8
Punchshroom called Liepard back!
Punchshroom sent out Roselia!
Pointed stones dug into Roselia!
The foe's Regirock used Stone Edge!
The attack of the foe's Regirock missed!
The foe's Regirock restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
I catch a lucky break from Stone Miss, but Roselia would not have been KOed anyway, and I'd still get up at least 1 layer of Spikes, though I will promptly attack the switch-in if given the chance.
Turn 9
Sceats called Regirock back!
Sceats sent out Sawk!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Sawk!
The foe's Sawk breaks the mold!
Roselia used Spikes!
Spikes were scattered all around the feet of the foe's team!
Stealth Rock
Spikes are now up, but big daddy Sawk has come to play (read: tear everything limb from limb). I wanted to switch to Misdreavus to tank the hit and burn him, but felt he would see that coming and Ice Punch instead, which also destroys little Roselia if she stays in. I decided to bring Relicanth in. If he doesn't Ice Punch, at least I can bring in the correct switch-in; if he does, something's getting their face bashed in.
Turn 10
Punchshroom called Roselia back!
Punchshroom sent out Relicanth!
Pointed stones dug into Relicanth!
The foe's Sawk used Ice Punch!
It's not very effective... Relicanth lost 13% of its health!
Relicanth restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
Relicanth tanks the hit like a boss, and now threatens a Head Smash which no one on his team enjoys taking.
Turn 11
Sceats called Sawk back!
Sceats sent out Regirock!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Regirock!
The foe's Regirock is hurt by the spikes!
Relicanth used Head Smash!
The foe's Regirock lost 35% of its health!
Relicanth restored HP using its Leftovers!
The foe's Regirock restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
Of course, he sends in the one most capable of taking the Head Smash, Regirock. Since SE STAB Waterfall is only marginally stronger than STAB Head Smash, I'm hoping for the flinch chance here.
Turn 12
Relicanth used Waterfall!
It's super effective! The foe's Regirock lost 40% of its health!
The foe's Regirock used Earthquake!
It's super effective! Relicanth lost 48% of its health!
Relicanth restored HP using its Leftovers!
The foe's Regirock restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
No dice, Relicanth is forced to eat an Earthquake before putting Regirock down for good. I still have doubts he might bring in Eggy for an easy switch, but there's no need for him to expose himself to extra damage. Waterfall will deal with Regirock safely.
Turn 13
Relicanth used Waterfall!
It's super effective! The foe's Regirock lost 12% of its health!
The foe's Regirock fainted!
Relicanth restored HP using its Leftovers!
Sceats sent out Skuntank!
The foe's Skuntank is hurt by the spikes!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Skuntank!
Stealth Rock
First blood goes to Relicanth, who is on his last legs (fins) now. I usually use Relicanth to deal with Skuntank, but due to its injuries, it can no longer do so.
Turn 14
The foe's Skuntank used Crunch!
Relicanth lost 17% of its health!
Relicanth fainted!
Punchshroom sent out Riolu!
Pointed stones dug into Riolu!
Relicanth falls to a Crunch. That alone is valuable information. This means his Skuntank is likely not running Poison Jab, meaning Riolu can take it one-on-one in a little fisticuff Drain Punch-Crunch fest. I also notice he lacks Leftovers/Black Sludge (likely Dread Plate), making this matchup easier for me. However, the main reason I brought in Riolu is to test out my new moveset changes, and how well it works against certain opponents...
Turn 15
Riolu used Protect!
Riolu protected itself!
The foe's Skuntank used Taunt!
Riolu protected itself!
Stealth Rock
You guys thought you know how Riolu works. You guys thought you could shut him down easy with Taunt or priority. Well today, I'll show you how to REALLY use Riolu and you will soon fear him...
Turn 16
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Taunt!
The foe's Skuntank fell for the taunt!
The foe's Skuntank can't use Taunt after the taunt!
Sceats: smooth operator riolu...
Punchshroom: i devised it myself >:D
Punchshroom: take that skunk >:D
Stealth Rock
Step One: Block the Taunt, then Copy the Taunt, so he can't Taunt. Were your feeble minds capable of processing this yet, or are you trembling now that one of your primary Riolu-dealing strategies has just backfired? Due to his mono-Dark coverage, Skuntank is helpless before Riolu and can't prevent the chain from starting.
Turn 17
Sceats: bro sorry to burst bubbles but copycat pranksters been around since '10 =/
Sceats: still cool though
Sceats called Skuntank back!
Sceats sent out Charizard!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Charizard!
Riolu used Roar!
Exeggutor was dragged out!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Exeggutor!
The foe's Exeggutor is hurt by the spikes!
Stealth Rock
Already the first Roar shredded through his team pretty bad, with Exeggutor and Charizard already struggling. Now to play Russian Roulette and see which pokemon goes down first.
Turn 18
Punchshroom: but people haven't realised their worth
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Roar!
Charizard was dragged out!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Charizard!
The foe's Charizard fainted!
Sceats sent out Skuntank!
The foe's Skuntank is hurt by the spikes!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Skuntank!
Punchshroom: that's quick
Sceats: hrrm
Sceats: this is new though
Stealth Rock
Charizard goes down too quickly due to its even numbered max HP, but Sceats takes advantage of this and brings in Skuntank once more.While Skuntank's Sucker Punch won't actually work due to Riolu not attacking, Riolu will be forced to copy that instead of its own Roar, due to Skuntank's attack being the last one executed.
Turn 19
Punchshroom: what now?
The foe's Skuntank used Sucker Punch!
But it failed!
Riolu used Roar!
Braviary was dragged out!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Braviary!
Punchshroom: still got you >:)
Sceats: clever
Sceats: though damn, could have taunted...
Punchshroom: faced so many of these
Punchshroom: it's second nature now
Stealth Rock
Step Two: Go for the manual Roar against obvious faster priority. Sceats hasn't had experience dealing with this, but I sure have, catching him out for the second time. Now I have to hope to damage all of his other pokemon as much as possible before Skuntank is brought back in.
Turn 20
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Roar!
Exeggutor was dragged out!
The foe's Exeggutor is hurt by the spikes!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Exeggutor!
Punchshroom: dead eggy
Stealth Rock
Exeggutor is now out of the picture, which I breathe a huge sigh of relief as that thing could wreck anything at this point (I could sac Dragonair though). Nevertheless, I hope not to phaze it back in and work on his other pokemon like Sawk and Braviary.
Turn 21
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Roar!
Sawk was dragged out!
The foe's Sawk is hurt by the spikes!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Sawk!
The foe's Sawk breaks the mold!
Stealth Rock
Yes, just what I wanted! Since Sawk has no moves that cause recoil and resists Stealth Rock, it is harder to wear down than Braviary. Let's try to bring that back in, shall we?
Turn 22
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Roar!
Exeggutor was dragged out!
The foe's Exeggutor is hurt by the spikes!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Exeggutor!
The foe's Exeggutor fainted!
Sceats sent out Skuntank!
The foe's Skuntank is hurt by the spikes!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Skuntank!
Punchshroom: aw man
Stealth Rock
I complained about that kill because now Skuntank gets the chance to voluntarily switch in and stop Riolu. He also has barely enough health to survive another bout of hazards. He's seen my two strategies, so now both of us have to think hard.
Turn 23
Punchshroom: NOW the mind games really start
Punchshroom called Riolu back!
Punchshroom sent out Liepard!
Pointed stones dug into Liepard!
The foe's Skuntank used Taunt!
Liepard fell for the taunt!
Liepard restored HP using its Leftovers!
Step Three: When in doubt, bail the hell out (you resist Pursuit anyway). Both of Skuntank's anti-Riolu moves won't work on a switch-in intent on clobbering him anyway. I bring in Liepard because of the speed advantage and the Sucker Punch resistance, allowing him to revenge kill the skunk with ease.
Turn 24
Liepard used Foul Play!
It's not very effective... The foe's Skuntank lost 26% of its health!
The foe's Skuntank fainted!
Liepard is hurt by the foe's Skuntank's Aftermath!
Liepard restored HP using its Leftovers!
Sceats sent out Braviary!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Braviary!
Stealth Rock
I had considered Skuntank over Liepard's place, but Liepard proves to be the superior Dark-type (for this team at least), eliminating Riolu's biggest obstacle (and setup fodder). His Braviary is sent out, with the lack of Leftovers earlier indicating it is Choiced or Life Orb. Hopefully the latter, cos' that will wear down the mighty eagle very quickly. However I can't scout it with Substitute right now, so I'll have to sac something.
Turn 25
Punchshroom called Liepard back!
Punchshroom sent out Roselia!
Pointed stones dug into Roselia!
The foe's Braviary used Brave Bird!
It's super effective! Roselia lost 76% of its health!
The foe's Braviary is damaged by recoil!
Roselia fainted!
Punchshroom sent out Liepard!
Pointed stones dug into Liepard!
Roselia has the highest remaining health on the team, so she sacrifices herself to deal hefty recoil to Braviary, who is revealed not to be Life Orb, meaning Band or Scarf. Rosy has knocked Braviary into Stealth Rock killing range, meaning Braviary is now trapped. Even when she took one for the team, Rosy does not let the aggressor get away scotfree.
Turn 26
Liepard used Substitute!
Liepard put in a substitute!
Liepard lost 25% of its health!
The foe's Braviary used Brave Bird!
Liepard's substitute faded!
The foe's Braviary is damaged by recoil!
Liepard restored HP using its Leftovers!
Stealth Rock
On the off chance he switches out, survives Stealth Rock damage and starts spamming Return (though I still have Misdreavus), I go for Substitute to rack up yet more Brave Bird recoil or prepare for the Sawk switch-in, but it was flawed logic really. Time to finish it off now.
Turn 27
The foe's Braviary used Brave Bird!
Liepard lost 38% of its health!
The foe's Braviary is damaged by recoil!
Liepard fainted!
Punchshroom sent out Riolu!
Pointed stones dug into Riolu!
Darn, it is Scarf. Well it matters little, because Riolu can now clean up. How, you may ask?
Turn 28
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Brave Bird!
The foe's Braviary lost 11% of its health!
Riolu is damaged by recoil!
The foe's Braviary fainted!
Punchshroom: love that XD
Sceats: first well played riolu i have seen
Sceats: cheers bud, excellent match
Punchshroom: thanks
Punchshroom: this was really fun
Sceats: though i would like to see if it would work a second time lol
Sceats sent out Sawk!
Pointed stones dug into the foe's Sawk!
The foe's Sawk is hurt by the spikes!
The foe's Sawk breaks the mold!
Stealth Rock
Step Four: If possible, revenge kill Choice Scarfers by Copycatting their own move. This gives Riolu so much more utility other than just Roaring all the time. Be warned that this exposes Riolu to attack from your opponent's other pokemon, so only resort to this if you have a sure kill and good switch-ins or in this case, about to wrap things up.
Turn 29
Punchshroom: you can check my ranking later
Riolu used Copycat!
Riolu used Brave Bird!
It's super effective! The foe's Sawk lost 57% of its health!
Riolu is damaged by recoil!
The foe's Sawk fainted!
Punchshroom won the battle!
Stealth Rock
After that excellent game, I showed him my ranking and needless to say, he was irked that my team got so many wins but at the same time relieved that he wasn't the only one who succumbed to the mighty Riolu. With the experience in this battle etched into our minds, we bid farewell and went our seperate ways.
Special Mentions:
And of course...
LIKE A BOSS
Hope you enjoyed this battle that illustrates even gimmick teams require skill and prediction to use and given new insight on how this team functions. Feel free to try it yourself!
