Introduction
So after a long time stalking the Smogon forums I finally decided to make my own RMT. I have been using this team for a few weeks now and after tweaking a couple Pokémon and overhauling a few others I am officially ready for my first RMT!
First things first this team requires a high level of prediction for it to work correctly as I will describe later on. Right away after playing I started to notice I needed something to counter the volt-turn/azumarill cores I was having trouble with. This is what I came up with. The team has a very good balance and if you are able to predict the switches you can wall out most opposition and set up some nasty statuses on them.
Team Preview
In-Depth
Rotom-Wash
Quick claw, red card , sitrus berry, light clay
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 212 DEF / 44 SPE
Bold Nature
-Hydro Pump
-Volt Switch
-Will-O-Wisp
- Reflect
First off you may have noticed the choice of items on this fine fellow here, I am unsure what is best as for volt switching the first two are pretty nice but I haven't had a ton of time to test them all. I am actually leaning towards lightclay although because it is unexpected for reflect to last that long. Rotom is actually always my lead as I was constantly being attacked with fire attacks and needed something that could setup without being obliterated by fire. Rotoms typical day consists of immediately using Will-O-Wisp to neuter anything based on attack and put everything else on the countdown. At which point I generally am able to set up reflect and volt-switch out right after to come in for hit and runs after. Hydro pump is there to slam things that are defiant enough to stay in after being Will-O-Wisped for hard stab.
Ferrothorn
Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 DEF / 168 SPD
Sassy Nature
-Power Whip
-Stealth Rock
-Leech Seed
-Protect
Ferrothorn is mostly here to force a switch thus causing more residual damage from my status's I am inflicting. Once the switch is forced he sets up stealth rocks on the prediction and than uses protect to scout the next attack (unless its expected that the opponent is going to boost) at which point I use seeds or swap to whatever status user I want to inflict which usually is Suicune for the burn chance and do damage. Overall this is a good poke to switch into anything expected to use stone edge because they usually run earthquake as well which Ferro can also weather.
Charizard-Y
@CharizarditeY
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 SPA / 252 SPE / 4 SPD
Timid Nature
-Fire blast
-Protect
-Roost
- Will-O-Wisp
This is my hands down favorite trooper on the set, without rocks up this team will sweep mid game and if HP is low is able to switch out and come back later in for some serious unexpected hit before dying.
The thing about the set is nobody is expecting Charizard here to run the Will-O-Wisp with this EV set. What usually occurs is the typical fireblast into the face of whatever omg-eject Pokémon comes out to eat it, but depending on what the opponent sends out it might utilize instead to go for the more stall approach Will-O-Wisp as almost none of Charizards checks enjoy being burned. Roost is there for when the opponent switches into a special tank I proceed to roost than burn them and eject into something more suitable. I cannot state how many times though that water types expect Charizard to get OHKOed with an aqua jet etc. That is not the case as usually its only around half of Charizards health of which than they are then burned and I am able to roost the damage away. This pokemon is capable breaks though anything that isn't a quicker electric pokemon (I'm looking at you mega Manetric)
Chansey
@Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 DEF / 252 SPD / 4 HP
Bold Nature
-Soft Boiled
-Heal Bell
-Thunder Wave
- Seismic toss
Chansey is there to be a special tank and status healer that is really all that is to be said but it cannot be understated how helpful this Pokémon is. I originally used Toxic but most Pokémon change out on Chansey and most special sweepers etc while being paralyzed are near useless from frailty. Excadrill still causes problems for this Pokémon so its generally good to switch back to Rotom and get a free Reflect back up even though unfortunately that means stealth rocks will be dispelled you usually will be able to than go from Rotom into Ferrothorn to reset the stealth rocks as whatever they bring out into Rotom isn't going to be obnoxiously threatening to Ferro. What I am on the edge about with this Pokémon is that if I were to use Blissey instead I would lose physical bulk in Eviolite but I would gain Fire blast to get rid of some of those pesky weakened Steel types that come into Chansey/Blissey with a little prediction. Also I am on edge about if Heal bell or Wish would be a better option as I get a lot of free turns with Chansey.
Excadrill
Air Balloon
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 ATK / 252 SPE / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
-Earthquake
-Rapid Spin
-Toxic
- Protect
I don't really like this Pokémon to be quite honest but he's a necessary evil in that of rapid spin. I am looking for substitutions that would be viable for this spot of a hazard remover. The two saving graces of this Pokémon is that if I am predicting an Excadrill switch out after Chansey I can switch her out at the same time and generally OHKO the opposing Excadrill due to Jolly Nature or if I am lucky enough to not have been touched yet than Air Balloon. Toxic works wonders on generally anything that switches out into Excadrill (Pesky Flyers) oh which I am able to milk out an extra tick after with protect and scout at the same time. Again though I am looking for something more viable.
Suicune
Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 DEF / 252 HP / 4 SPA
Bold Nature
-Scald
-Calm mind
-Rest
- Sleep Talk
This Pokémon has always done me well in previous gens and it returns onto my team again now. This Pokémon is the other half of my check to the Manetric-Azumarill Core as it is able to tank Azumarill quite well and after a calm mind or two can finish off Manetric. Rotom/Ferrothorn work in tandem with them as until I can find a suitable replacement for Excadrill's inability to eat manetrics overheat/flamethrower this is my check to what I otherwise could not fit into the ideal balanced making for this team. Suicune here is able to come out on most physical hits and set up efficiently enough to pass along a burn or two. What I have noticed though is that I am missing that crucial third attack I need to finish the opposition off/Reset rest as they are faster and as such I am considering an EV spread of 252 DEF / 252 SPE / 4 HP but am unaware if that will assist in outspeeding any of the threats I am encountering in the form of bulky physical types that only take neutral damage from Scald as such without a burn they are able to finish Suicune off before rest wears off for the re-rest on turn 3.
Threats
This team has a lot of smaller threats that can escalate if they run unusual sets but generally I am well off and able to stall out most of anything thrown at me. But what I mostly have an issue with is Dragon Dancing Gyrados which is able to wreck Rotom a lot of the time so it comes down to Suicune to hope for a Scald burn on him. I am thinking that switching Excadrill will alleviate this luck based solution in the form of another thunder attack? Other threats are in the form of sticky web as some of my critical moments are due to not outspeeding the opposition for a burn or other status. There are a couple threats that if allowed to boost become massive issues but I do not encounter them often due to prediction.
Closing Comments
This team requires a high level of prediction in the form of when to utilize status affects or go in for that finishing blow as this team is based on attrition and time but when utilized correctly you are able to wear down the opposition so Charizard or another can come in and clean up shop.
Last edited: