Synergy is Key [Peaked 1850]

[FirstWorldProblems]

Hey guys and girls!

This is my first (1st) official post on the Smogon Forums. I am more of a PO (Pokemon Online) person and normally am active around those forums, the server, and the like. However I wished to be involved in other Pokemon communities, especially the Smogon / PS (Pokemon Showdown) sites because they're really popular and they're a great place to enhance players battling skills, if other sites have not successed this. I've been on Pokemon Showdown for about 5 months now and I have to say, I am really happy (I especially love the CAP system!). And lately I decided to give a team made by me (since the 21st of January in 2013) a bigger challenge: Could I ladder to the top #100, top #75, top #50 even? I unfortunately haven't achieved this goal yet, however I have became very close to exceeding this. I also have laddered to 1350 two (2) or three (3) times on the Pokemon Online ladder (you don't get a lot of points from battles there). on Peaking about 1850, I give you my Wifi UU Team!

The Team In Detail:

Accelgor @ Focus Sash
Trait: Unburden
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature
IVs: 30 Def / 30 SDef / 30 Spd / 2 Atk
- Spikes
- Bug Buzz
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Focus Blast

Accelgor is a very interesting Pokemon in Wifi UU. Despite its Wifi LU status, I find the bug type to be a very effective and fast Spiker. What many people forget on Accelgor is its impressive Base 100 Special Attack stat, and moves that give enough coverage to take down a couple of Pokemon, if need be. I see people run Sticky Hold (I think it's called) as their ability. This, I wouldn't recommend. Why? Because Accelgor runs a fantastic ability in Unburden, which doubles Accelgors speed when an item is used, in this case, Focus Sash (due to Accelgors frail defenses, what better item is there with possibly the exception of Life Orb?). After the Focus Sash has been used, Accelgors fantastic speed becomes even better, amazing for Shell Smashing enemies who wish they outsped it. This can also help Accelgor set-up 2 layers of spikes, however it must be noted that priority can wreck this strategy a little bit. Bug Buzz is a very nice attacking move with 90 Base Power, and the chance to lower the targets Special Defense stat. Hidden Power [Rock] can be used to fight back other Bugs if need be, however I possibly could change this to Hidden Power [Fire], if need be. Focus Blast is my only answer to annoying Steel-types such as Steelix, Cobalion, and the like, as coupled with their normally bad Special Defense stat and with a bit of lady luck, they can be eliminated with ease. Modest is used here for more power, as it pretty much seems obvious.

Amoonguss @ Black Sludge
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SAtk / 30 Spd
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Clear Smog
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Amoonguss is one of my favorite Grass-types, and for mulitple reasons: Great defenses, usable attacking stats, access to Spore and the amazing ability in Regenerator. Regenerator allows Amoonguss to come in and switch out so many times in a battle and do its thing: Puts stuff to sleep and counter stat-boosters. I normally use Spore to counter things that heal or help the team (Clerics), such as Umbreon, or Pokemon that rely on stall, such as Cresselia and Slowbro. Giga Drain is actually a very nice move to have, thanks to its decent 75 Base Power (x1.5 STAB), along with recovery, and with Regnerator, Amoonguss often is healthy throughout the battle as it can just annoy so many teams. Clear Smog obviously helps this case too, and stopping stat-boosters, and Baton Pass teams in particular, is always useful to have (also the only reason why I picked it over Sludge Bomb). Hidden Power [Fire] is obvious, to counter Steel types, Bug types, and has nice synergy with the other 3 moves.

Chandelure @ Choice Specs
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 30 Def / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef / 30 Spd / 2 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Energy Ball

When Chandelure moved down to UU a long time ago, I couldn't help it but just spam the crap out of it. Base 145 Special Attack coupled with Choice Specs is certainly nothing to laugh it, along with 2 very powerful STAB moves in Fire Blast and Shadow Ball. Fire Blast is always used over Overheat because Fire Blast is still ridicously powerful, still has an alright-ish accuracy, and it DOES NOT lower your Special Attack stat. Shadow Ball is really nice too, and it really does help with some of the more annoying slower Pokemon, such as Slowbro, Cofagrigus, and the like. Hidden Power [Fighting] has just so much coverage and the synergy is just amazing, along with Energy Ball. Energy Ball is just there so I can have a more reliable way of damaging Rock, Water and Ground types, and the move usually is a 2HKO move at worst. Also, after Accelgors hard work, you don't want those Spikes being removed of the field, do you?

Blastoise @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Foresight

AmoonBro is a very effective strategy, so why not use Slowbro and use Blastoise? One answer. Rapid Spin. Becoming a water-type really does help deal with Chandelures and the like too, with Ice Beam to beat the likes of Flygon, who I don't see that often in UU now surpisingly. Foresight can be used rarely when the opponent comes in on a Ghost-type not named Chandelure so I can Rapid Spin those hazards away. Nothing else to say about this really, just a bulky water on the team that helps a lot with Rapid Spin removing those hazards.

Weavile @ Choice Band
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Ice Punch
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick

On PO (Pokemon Online), I originally had Metagross on this spot, however once I found out that it is OU on Smogon and not UU, I had to switch to a Physical Wallbreaker. And one that could counter opposing Amoongus, Kingdra, Flygon (if Blastoise wasn't any help) and some other annoying Pokemon (I forgot who, Mienshao maybe?) much better than Metagross did. This is where Weavile came in. With fantastic physical attack and speed, Weavile didn't let me down with a Choice Band. And that speed is possibly still why I use Weavile over Metagross (even on PO) to this day. Pursuit is very useful for Slowbros and other Psychics who many not have an answer to this too, and rely on switching out. Ice Punch grants a powerful, reliable STAB along with Ice Shard (priority of course!) and it grants me some nice synergy on this team, I guess. Low Kick especially eliminates Snorlax, possibly even Milotic, and I've actually used it quite a lot of the time. Nothing else to say about this really, apart from that it's really frail.

Heracross @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Pursuit
- Megahorn
- Stone Edge

Best revenge-killer in the game, in my opinion (sorry Mienshao or any other commonly used Scarfers). With amazing offense dual-typing and two (2) ridicously powerful STABs, Heracross can simply clean the opposing team once weakened thanks to its ability Moxie, and high offensive stats, once again. Pursuit is used over Earthquake as the Ground-type attack has absoultely no used to me, and Pursuit once again can be used for stuff that can't eliminate Heracross. Finally, Stone Edge gives me good coverage on the team for Flying and Bug types (e.g. Crobat, opposing Heracross' at times), which is always useful for revenging. I don't know if I can say anything else really!

Importable:

Hide

Accelgor @ Focus Sash
Trait: Unburden
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature
IVs: 30 Def / 30 SDef / 30 Spd / 2 Atk
- Spikes
- Bug Buzz
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Focus Blast

Amoonguss @ Black Sludge
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SAtk / 30 Spd
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Clear Smog
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Chandelure @ Choice Specs
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 30 Def / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef / 30 Spd / 2 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Energy Ball

Blastoise @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Foresight

Weavile @ Choice Band
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Ice Punch
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick

Heracross @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Pursuit
- Megahorn
- Stone Edge

I'm not sure if it was a lot of luck, but this team I would say deserves a high rating, but I don't know about you guys. Feel free to rate, compliment, criticise and the like!

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

Reserved for threat lists, will sort out pictures later too!

Also, I've seen that the tags don't work, damnit.

 

[Astral Spirit]

Welcome to the Smogon forums! First off I just have to say: Metagross is UU on PO!? Wow. Never knew that.
Anyway, as for the team I do notice that you have some nice synergy, and I like seeing some Pokemon from RU being used in higher tiers. You have the Fire/Water/Grass thing going on there and that's great. Mostly I've noticed three things I would consider changing, and one of them is the fact that you just have so many choice users. Besides Accelgor, all your offensive Pokemon will be locked into one move once you decide what to do, which could make this team a bit tougher to play with than it has to be. I would suggest trying out Life Orb over Choice Band on Weavile, as that would free you to switch between moves, putting a bit less pressure on making the correct predictions. If you miss the extra power, running Sword's Dance over one of your Ice Stabs could help. I've used Life Orb/Sword's Dance Weavile before, and I must say it is quite powerful.
The second thing is that you have Pursuit on 2 of your Pokemon, which seems like a bit much. Due to the fact that I agree that Earthquake generally doesn't have much use on Heracross, I would once again suggest this change on Weavile. Pursuit may be situational, but to me, Night Slash is always the superior option. Weavile won't be forcing a ton of switches. It's fragile, and is in danger of anything it isn't able to OHKO. When there is a switch, Weavile's best option is to be raising its attack with Sword's Dance to make Pokemon easier to kill. I've seen Pursuit being used as Weavile's Dark Stab lose people battles, and I have previously stalled out a Weavile with a Reuniclus thanks to that, allowing me to come back from being down 4-1 to win. Reuniclus may be OU, but I think it gets my point across. I never use Pursuit on Weavile, and I really disagree with it.
Third, I noticed the only status move you have on this team is Spore, possibly making it harder to wear down some walls. You might consider running something like Toxic on Blastiose. Not sure if you find any walls tough to deal with, but that would definitely be a good way to help with that.
All in all this is a really good team, and 1850 is nothing to be ashamed about! Good luck reaching your goal!

 

[AkbarAmin]

Doen't Accelgor have reallybad defense? Why give it spikes, even with the sash :l

 

[AkbarAmin]

Doesn't*

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

Welcome to the Smogon forums! First off I just have to say: Metagross is UU on PO!? Wow. Never knew that.
Anyway, as for the team I do notice that you have some nice synergy, and I like seeing some Pokemon from RU being used in higher tiers. You have the Fire/Water/Grass thing going on there and that's great. Mostly I've noticed three things I would consider changing, and one of them is the fact that you just have so many choice users. Besides Accelgor, all your offensive Pokemon will be locked into one move once you decide what to do, which could make this team a bit tougher to play with than it has to be. I would suggest trying out Life Orb over Choice Band on Weavile, as that would free you to switch between moves, putting a bit less pressure on making the correct predictions. If you miss the extra power, running Sword's Dance over one of your Ice Stabs could help. I've used Life Orb/Sword's Dance Weavile before, and I must say it is quite powerful.
The second thing is that you have Pursuit on 2 of your Pokemon, which seems like a bit much. Due to the fact that I agree that Earthquake generally doesn't have much use on Heracross, I would once again suggest this change on Weavile. Pursuit may be situational, but to me, Night Slash is always the superior option. Weavile won't be forcing a ton of switches. It's fragile, and is in danger of anything it isn't able to OHKO. When there is a switch, Weavile's best option is to be raising its attack with Sword's Dance to make Pokemon easier to kill. I've seen Pursuit being used as Weavile's Dark Stab lose people battles, and I have previously stalled out a Weavile with a Reuniclus thanks to that, allowing me to come back from being down 4-1 to win. Reuniclus may be OU, but I think it gets my point across. I never use Pursuit on Weavile, and I really disagree with it.
Third, I noticed the only status move you have on this team is Spore, possibly making it harder to wear down some walls. You might consider running something like Toxic on Blastiose. Not sure if you find any walls tough to deal with, but that would definitely be a good way to help with that.
All in all this is a really good team, and 1850 is nothing to be ashamed about! Good luck reaching your goal!

Thank you! :D I'll use all of your changes and try them out! Also, Reuniclus on PO is UU at #50 with >4% usage, surprisngly low ATM. :O

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

Doen't Accelgor have reallybad defense? Why give it spikes, even with the sash :l

Because I can set-up 2 layers of Spikes instantly, and I always use Spikes early on in the game.

 

[GenXXZ]

Hey, this team looks great! Seems like a real pain to take down, what with the synergy being near perfected. Very nice work, but here's a couple ideas to consider.

Have you ever thought about Final Gambit on Accelgor? It seems weird at first, especially since you're running Sash, but what I find in UU is that people tend to try and set up on spikers like Frosslass and Accelgor, especially if said opponent has a rapid spinner. If Accelgor does get set up on, Final Gambit can potentially put that sweep to a stop. It can also nail any incoming rapid spinners if the opponent chooses to switch into theirs. Just something to consider.

Also another thing I notice is that you lack a primarily offensive Pokemon without a Choice item. It should also be pointed out that none of these Pokemon have access to U-Turn or Volt Switch. This is going to be sucking up your momentum big time; this team seems very switchy and you lack the ability to take advantage of setup opportunities. You have a rapid spinner which makes switching seem more justifiable, but I can definitely see you being in a stalemate in the right situations. I'm thinking switching Specs Chandelure to the SubSplit set will do this team some favors.

That's it from me! Congrats on your latter success.

 

[psVoltage]

Hey, this team looks great! Seems like a real pain to take down, what with the synergy being near perfected. Very nice work, but here's a couple ideas to consider.

Have you ever thought about Final Gambit on Accelgor? It seems weird at first, especially since you're running Sash, but what I find in UU is that people tend to try and set up on spikers like Frosslass and Accelgor, especially if said opponent has a rapid spinner. If Accelgor does get set up on, Final Gambit can potentially put that sweep to a stop. It can also nail any incoming rapid spinners if the opponent chooses to switch into theirs. Just something to consider.

Also another thing I notice is that you lack a primarily offensive Pokemon without a Choice item. It should also be pointed out that none of these Pokemon have access to U-Turn or Volt Switch. This is going to be sucking up your momentum big time; this team seems very switchy and you lack the ability to take advantage of setup opportunities. You have a rapid spinner which makes switching seem more justifiable, but I can definitely see you being in a stalemate in the right situations. I'm thinking switching Specs Chandelure to the SubSplit set will do this team some favors.

That's it from me! Congrats on your latter success.

These are some really good sugestions that I also back up with experience on it too. Sub split chandelure works extremely well as a spinblocker, and I highly recomend it. Also weavile doesnt need a choice band imo, I love being able to switch moves on that thing with Life orb. Plus the fact that GenXXZ pointed out that it destroys your momentum to have all those choice users.

 

[MewTheDestroyer]

Great to see the PO invasion of Smogon is going great! I mean, Hi FirstWorldProblems! This team is honestly great. I'm seconding using Life Orb on Weavile. I do love the power Band provides, but the drop really isn't noticable, and switching up moves is lovely.

 

[FirstWorldProblems]

Thank you all! Life Orb Weavile is really working out for me, thanks to everyone for that suggestion!
I'll try SubSplit Chandelure and keep switching between the two (2) I think for now, as Specs Chandelure has provided so much use to me, yet SubSplit seems annoying to deal with too! :)