What's up guys, this is my first RMT for a team that started as a test and has turned into something really quite good. Basically, I wanted to post about Spikes Diggersby on the Creative and Underrated Sets thread. I had no idea if the set would actually be good so I made this team.
Teambuilding Process
What the entire team is built around. I was looking for a Spikes setter for one of my other teams and noticed Diggersby learns spikes. I logged that away for later use to see if it would work, and decided to try it out for this team.
Azumarill was added as a nice core with Diggersby. They share a grass weakness which isn't too common, but things that Diggersby can't break are broken by Azumarill, and vice versa. I gave both their respective priority attacks to make up for their poor speed.
The team at this point was weak to Talonflame, Mega Slowbro, bulky Scizor as well as the ever present Rotom-W. I chose my Mega to be Manectric as it's an amazing pivot for most of these Pokemon and with a speed tier like that, what's not to love?
After Manectric, Breloom was looking annoying, and Stall in general was a pain. I decided that Stallbreaker Talonflame would be really handy in this slot to deal with just about everything that Stall could throw at it, except a few things like Quagsire, as well as revenge killing things like the aforementioned Breloom, slightly weakened Lopunny, and others. It's also my go-to bird for Mega Sableye.
As I said before, Talonflame can usually deal with any Stall except Quagsire and bulky waters like Rotom, plus Heatran. Celebi is my momentum grabber against these, as it can switch in on everything except Heatran and Substitute or Baton Pass out. Earth Power was added for Heatran as well.
It was at this point I needed rocks. No offense can be run without them, so I decided to go for a veeery slightly unconventional offense with no real suicide lead, and added offensive Heatran. It has an Air Balloon so it can be a one-time check to many of its own checks, and gets up Rocks on opposing Heatran while usually OHKOing them with Earth Power if I have a Spike up. It helps check Talonflame and Serperior too.
Speaking of Serperior. I tested the team a lot and Celebi was not helping out too much. It just didn't pull its weight at all, and the team was generally slow for offense, so I added Serperior. This thing is such a presence on my team, I don't know where to begin. So many common switch ins for Manectric's Volt Switch are free Leaf Storms, and these coincidentally usually happen to be Talonflame checks, like Rotom-W and Tyranitar.
Sets In Detail
Diggersby @ Life Orb
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Spikes
- Knock Off
- Quick Attack
- Earthquake
Spikes Diggersby, the Pokemon that started the team. I initially ran Jolly with Return, but I was still not fast enough for most threats, and missed out on some KOes that I could have got instead. After changing it to Adamant, I decided to run Quick Attack, as Knock Off already does a lot of damage and can cripple most Levitators and Flying types, and the priority Quick Attack offers is huge for this team. It sets up Spikes on things that want to stall it slowly, like Ferrothorn with Leech Seed and can usually get up 1-2 spikes, sometimes 3 if I play it well. Noone expects the Spikes, and they have won me a good portion of games.
Azumarill @ Assault Vest
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 152 HP / 252 Atk / 104 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Play Rough
- Knock Off
Originally banded, I changed it to AV to better look after Mega Diancie and to be able to take Volt Switches from Rotom-W if absolutely necessary. Having dual Knock Off and dual Huge Power means the team doesn't have a lot of problem with fat pink blobs, which I refuse to mention by name. EVd to outspeed 16 speed Sylveon, just because I was trying to outspeed Clefable and decided I may as well go the extra few points.
Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Overheat
- Thunderbolt
My team's pivot with Intimidate, giving me switch initiative with Volt Switch and being a general nuisance for teams to deal with. It's kind of a forgotten relic of XY, and many teams I come across are unprepared for it. I chose Overheat over Flamethrower just for that power, as it can usually just Volt Switch out on any revenge killer.
Talonflame @ Leftovers
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 248 HP / 96 SpD / 164 Spe
Careful Nature
- Brave Bird
- Taunt
- Roost
- Bulk Up
Stallbreaker Talonflame designed to Bulk Up against things like Mega Gallade. I didn't want Will-O-Wisp because of shaky accuracy, Fire types, especially Mega Charizard X, and all the bulky walls that would just phase me out like Skarmory, so Taunt was my best option. I wanted to stop Charizard X setting up Dragon Dances, so I have just enough speed to get past the 100 Speed tier, allowing me to Taunt Zard X and Manaphy 100% of the time, while also if absolutely necessary for some weird reason outspeeding Mega Medicham before it can Bullet Punch.
Serperior @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
There are many choices I had to make for this, and I think this is the best set so far, although I'm still unsure. Life Orb was my item of choice to make sure I can do decent damage with my first Leaf Storm, and Giga Drain was chosen so that once I've set up, I can get health back on things that want to whittle me with priority. I'm a little iffy on HP Fire, because basically all of my team deals with Ferrothorn and Scizor already, but it's still really common that I come up against them. Heatran does wall it, but I also have heaps of ways to deal with that. I'm considering switching Giga Drain for Glare or Knock Off, to scare off faster threats and Scarfers on the switch or to get rid of Eviolites or even Weakness Policies, respectively.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
- Hidden Power Ice
Air Balloon is necessary for this offensive set to wall opposing Heatran and to be a stop to many threats that could normally bop it. Fire Blast was chosen over Magma Storm for the extra damage immediately, although the accuracy is a little annoying. I obviously needed Stealth Rock and Earth Power, and HP Ice smacks Gliscor 1v1, and Garchomp and Landorus formes on the switch.
Threats
My only two switches for this are Manectric and Serperior, and while both deal with it effectively (especially Serperior) it can easily just grab momentum with a Volt Switch. I have to usually sac one or two times to deal with it.
Stealth Rocks are annoying as I have no hazard removal, but the only Rocks weakness I have is Talonflame. Talonflame gets the priority Roost so It's not too too bad, but of course Stall can whittle me a lot.
Diggersby @ Life Orb
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Spikes
- Knock Off
- Quick Attack
- Earthquake
Spikes Diggersby, the Pokemon that started the team. I initially ran Jolly with Return, but I was still not fast enough for most threats, and missed out on some KOes that I could have got instead. After changing it to Adamant, I decided to run Quick Attack, as Knock Off already does a lot of damage and can cripple most Levitators and Flying types, and the priority Quick Attack offers is huge for this team. It sets up Spikes on things that want to stall it slowly, like Ferrothorn with Leech Seed and can usually get up 1-2 spikes, sometimes 3 if I play it well. Noone expects the Spikes, and they have won me a good portion of games.
Azumarill @ Assault Vest
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 152 HP / 252 Atk / 104 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Play Rough
- Knock Off
Originally banded, I changed it to AV to better look after Mega Diancie and to be able to take Volt Switches from Rotom-W if absolutely necessary. Having dual Knock Off and dual Huge Power means the team doesn't have a lot of problem with fat pink blobs, which I refuse to mention by name. EVd to outspeed 16 speed Sylveon, just because I was trying to outspeed Clefable and decided I may as well go the extra few points.
Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Overheat
- Thunderbolt
My team's pivot with Intimidate, giving me switch initiative with Volt Switch and being a general nuisance for teams to deal with. It's kind of a forgotten relic of XY, and many teams I come across are unprepared for it. I chose Overheat over Flamethrower just for that power, as it can usually just Volt Switch out on any revenge killer.
Talonflame @ Leftovers
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 248 HP / 96 SpD / 164 Spe
Careful Nature
- Brave Bird
- Taunt
- Roost
- Bulk Up
Stallbreaker Talonflame designed to Bulk Up against things like Mega Gallade. I didn't want Will-O-Wisp because of shaky accuracy, Fire types, especially Mega Charizard X, and all the bulky walls that would just phase me out like Skarmory, so Taunt was my best option. I wanted to stop Charizard X setting up Dragon Dances, so I have just enough speed to get past the 100 Speed tier, allowing me to Taunt Zard X and Manaphy 100% of the time, while also if absolutely necessary for some weird reason outspeeding Mega Medicham before it can Bullet Punch.
Serperior @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
There are many choices I had to make for this, and I think this is the best set so far, although I'm still unsure. Life Orb was my item of choice to make sure I can do decent damage with my first Leaf Storm, and Giga Drain was chosen so that once I've set up, I can get health back on things that want to whittle me with priority. I'm a little iffy on HP Fire, because basically all of my team deals with Ferrothorn and Scizor already, but it's still really common that I come up against them. Heatran does wall it, but I also have heaps of ways to deal with that. I'm considering switching Giga Drain for Glare or Knock Off, to scare off faster threats and Scarfers on the switch or to get rid of Eviolites or even Weakness Policies, respectively.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
- Hidden Power Ice
Air Balloon is necessary for this offensive set to wall opposing Heatran and to be a stop to many threats that could normally bop it. Fire Blast was chosen over Magma Storm for the extra damage immediately, although the accuracy is a little annoying. I obviously needed Stealth Rock and Earth Power, and HP Ice smacks Gliscor 1v1, and Garchomp and Landorus formes on the switch.
Threats
My only two switches for this are Manectric and Serperior, and while both deal with it effectively (especially Serperior) it can easily just grab momentum with a Volt Switch. I have to usually sac one or two times to deal with it.
Stealth Rocks are annoying as I have no hazard removal, but the only Rocks weakness I have is Talonflame. Talonflame gets the priority Roost so It's not too too bad, but of course Stall can whittle me a lot.
Diggersby @ Life Orb
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Spikes
- Knock Off
- Quick Attack
- Earthquake
Azumarill @ Assault Vest
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 152 HP / 252 Atk / 104 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Play Rough
- Knock Off
Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Overheat
- Thunderbolt
Talonflame @ Leftovers
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 248 HP / 96 SpD / 164 Spe
Careful Nature
- Brave Bird
- Taunt
- Roost
- Bulk Up
Serperior @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Spikes
- Knock Off
- Quick Attack
- Earthquake
Azumarill @ Assault Vest
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 152 HP / 252 Atk / 104 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Play Rough
- Knock Off
Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Overheat
- Thunderbolt
Talonflame @ Leftovers
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 248 HP / 96 SpD / 164 Spe
Careful Nature
- Brave Bird
- Taunt
- Roost
- Bulk Up
Serperior @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
- Hidden Power [Ice]
So, that's the team, hope you guys enjoyed!
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