Team Evolution
Intro
This team pretty much evolved from my last RMT. Soon after I updated Brutalanda I decided I was tired of having rain always having boosted attacks against me and having sun have perma chlorophyll scarfer sweepers. I added Tyranitar and Landorus in, not to make the team a sandstorm team per se, but to make it better defended against other weather teams that always had the initial advantage of their weather. The main focus of the team was to counter other weather, get up hazards, and use synergy between Mew and Latias to eventually pull out a sweep. Now it's pretty similar but alot of stuff has changed and with the addition of Landorus I can now abuse the momentum game with U-turning and Volt switching.Something just clicked with the team and it reached #78 on the smogon ladder about a week ago or so before it disappeared for the first time. It's pretty standard with some surprise factors, but that's BW OU for you. Teams have to fill into different categories like sand or rain in order to counter the others, and they all need to have certain things in order to work namely an anti-sand / rain / sun ect which is why everyone has Gliscor / Skarmory, Rotom / Lati / Gastro. Anyway since the round is pretty much over as it seems like everyone is posting RMTs now. I'm just looking for ways to improve it and retire it since I will probably have to make a new team for next round (hopefully).
Preview
The Team
Tyranitar @ Chople Berry
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Pursuit
- Crunch
- Superpower
This isn't mixtar. It's specially defensive tar. I didn't like using ttar until I eventually switched mixtar to all physical. It's been very useful. With careful and max / max I can tank ridiculous special attacks like 2 specs surfs and +1 modest LO bug buzzes and even +2 LO Thundurus focus blasts. Then ttar retaliates with the super effective attack for the KO. Chople has been insanely useful for Thundurus, Hydreigon, Reuniclus, and Gengar. Stealth rock is also 100% mandatory for Dragonite, Genies, and Volcarona. I had rock slide over superpower for some time but having a way to cripple enemy ttar (since I outspeed most of them) and musketeers trying to set up is more useful. I miss rock slide for bold Volcarona, but I needed crunch + chople for Reuniclus and also for bulky Latias. It can only counter 1, maybe 2, of these deadly sweepers though due to its low speed and lack of recovery, so I have to be sure to plan this from the team preview. Ttar is obviously essential for making sure weather can't have an automatic advantage against me. Once I realized that, I didn't want like 60+% of the teams I face having an advantage. It's sad that it has to be this way.
---
Skarmory (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 224 Def / 32 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Spikes
- Brave Bird
- Whirlwind
- Roost
Good old Skarmory. If I see something like Ferrothorn when I don't need ttar anymore I can just spike up like crazy since everyone on my team is immune to spikes damage other than ttar. Eventually hazards and chip damage will wear out grounded counters and the bulky pokemon. Spikes are also crucial for letting me lure in Jirachi and 2HKOing it. Skarm also phazes random physical threats and dragons. It sucks but I run shed shell as the other team can completely have their way with dragmag otherwise. I hate how facing Magnezone completely limits my ability to set up spikes and counter stuff. Hazards with dual u-turning is the name of the game and with them even solid clus counters like Scizor will just be worn down. Skarmory sets up on stuff that like Jirachi, Ferrothorn, weak bulky waters, ect. The EVs are random but the point is having enough special to survive and set up on weak scalds while being able to stop physical threats. I would like advice on the EV spread though. Physical bulk is more important, as it allows me to tank out several sandstorm sweepers, like Excadrill + Landorus, and not be overwhelmed. Since Tyranitar and Latias are special walls it's a waste to not run max defense on Skarm. It takes around 45% from a +2 LO rockslide with this spread. Non LO with rarely break Skarm without repeated flinches.
---
Landorus @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sand Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Hidden Power [Ice]
101 base speed here. Revenges Thundurus, Volcarona, DDers, you name it. U-turn is just amazing for momentum since Gliscor is a free pass to Rotom allowing me to rack up more hazard damage on their Rotom switch. Landorus is excellent at forcing switches against Celebi, Ttar, Heatran, ect. Rock slide for reliability (do you really want to rely on stone edge to revenge a boosted Thundurus or Volcarona?) and Hp ice for Gliscor, whether I can beat it 1v1 endgame or hit it after I see them switch in Gliscor multiple times. U-turn the first few times usually and if you know they will always bring in Glis then go for it. Hammer arm was used at one point to take on balloon users, but HP ice is generally better for hitting other Landorus (SD can pretty much sweep me otherwise), 4x Dragons, and Gliscor. EQ has 195 base power in the sand and hammer arm has 200 when it is hitting 2x so Scrafty is still hit for similar damage. Landorus is here over Excadrill because it can still revenge stuff regardless of the weather, which helps if sun teams get cute and trap ttar with duggy. I have tested Excadrill alot, but I usually prefer the reliability of Landorus, as it is able to stop QD Volca in the sun and Genies in the rain. That's the main difference between Excadrill and Landorus. One thrives in the sand and sucks everywhere else. And one does well in the sand and everywhere else. Also Landorus is in the center because it's the coolest.
---
Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Hp / 164 SpA / 92 Spd
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Pain Split
Rotom is needed to help combat rain teams, Gliscor, and Skarmory, while also checking SD Scizor who is a huge threat otherwise if it sets up. I don't really know why people waste 144 EVs on speed, 92 is all Rotom needs to beat Scizor with HP fire and get the slow volt-switch out. Specs is a recent addition to my Rotom, but I've returned to the regular Rotom so I can recover more reliably. Volt switch is much better because no one actually leaves their Gliscor or Skarmory in, even after they protect in Gliscor's case, and team preview helps with ground types. This lets me gain momentum against stronger rain teams and attackers like Latios that would have the chance to crush me otherwise. Volt switch has caught alot of pursuit bait for ttar as well. Along with Landorus, Rotom can just U-turn and volt switch repeatedly racking up hazards and chip damage. Pain split is needed for healing, which is probably Rotom's greatest flaw. Trick is amazing for stopping random Reuniclus / boosting sweepers and also tricking Blissey and taking the eviolite from Chansey. Since Latias covers similar threats to Rotom (strong water attacks mainly, which Latias is better at taking) and doesn't need that much bulk to beat Gliscor and Skarmory, running a offensive Rotom is generally more useful, though I still want as much bulk as possible. Rotom is so powerful that it can 2HKO Reuniclus by hitting it before it boosts and then KOing it through calm mind. Otherwise I can trick it. With a layer of spikes, Jirachi will be 2HKOd by hydro pump, clearing the way for Reuniclus. Rotom holds this team together against certain threats that would destroy me otherwise.
---
Latias @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 6 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Dragon Pulse
- Calm Mind
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Recover
Latias is really underrated. It is so anti-sun and anti-rain I can usually just sweep them both after a calm mind or two. Especially if they rely on Forry and Ferro to "wall" me. Even specs toed can't threaten Latias since I have recover and awesome special bulk, unlike Rotom and Latios who both take more than 50% and can't always get their health back. I started with sub, but Hp Fire really makes the set. It beats Ferrothorn, Scizor, Forry, and more. It also lets me beat most steel types with 2 calm minds rather than 6, which it rarely gets. 2 calm minds is all Latias really needs to sweep. Latias is also needed to counter sweep stuff like Celebi and Reuniclus, who could otherwise be really annoying. But with Latias' typing and bulk it can easily switch in and setup, forcing them out before I get too many calm minds. With its bulk it takes priority from Mamo and Scizor for less than 60% as a last resort. Latias is Reuniclus' counterpart. With spikes I can easily lure in and dispose of the steel types that counter clus. Lum berry and spikes let me lure in a weakened Jirachi and 2HKO it. Lum is alot more useful because of all the random paralysis, toxic, and scalding going around. Clus also takes a crunch or two from ttar and KOs with focus blast. It's a lure and defensive tank and a sweeper in one.
---
Reuniclus @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Recover
Standard Reuniclus. Despite this it is really tough to bring down. Even mixtar can't 2HKO me with crunch, and CB Scizor can't OHKO with U-turn. Just a little example of its physical bulk. The original goal was to have e-belt Latios lure in and KO Scizor (which I used in an unsuccesful transition phase of the team), and it still works this way with Latias. Latias can also lure in Jirachi too provided I get spikes up. Once Scizor and Jirachi are gone most teams really don't have a way of beating Reuniclus except maybe tricking it. Which is really obvious, especially if I don't see leftovers on their volt switch Rotom. Most teams rely on hitting it with powerful choice / rain moves, which is the reason why Clus loves sand so much. Reuniclus isn't just here to sweep though. Once something else is asleep, this is one of the best Breloom counters (only second to Celebi) as it can soak up seed bombs all day and is immune to leech seed. It also checks RP Terrakion (and LOless SD versions), Toxicroak, and other fighters. Reuniclus is also an excellent pivot to Ferrothorn since it can't even leech seed me and is forced out. It's also the best stall breaker I've ever used. Watch for trick, sleep, CM Latias, and other obvious checks, then just save Reuniclus for last and clean up lategame. Stall has very few legitimate ways of taking down Clus and usually if their get past clus it's just PP stalling. The moveset is also pretty straightforward, the only thing that I need to explain is psychic. While psyshock is cool for CM wars, psychic lets me do a few important things: Beat Gliscor and Quagsire. Gliscor actually counters psyshock Reuniclus as it can't 2HKO Glis at +2 even and Glis can taunt, SD, ect. Quagsire loses unless it has curse and it is otherwise a huge pain to my team, even more now that I don't run WoW on Rotom. I have to rely on Skarm to set up spikes and phaze it until something can 2HKO it. Other than that Reuniclus is excellent and has pulled my team through alot of near loses and random walls that can stop the rest of my team.
---
Conclusion
Any advice is appreciated. Excadrill is a bit of a problem with LO + flinch (which is a reality), and rain + steel types are really annoying as well. I'm also looking for better EV spreads because mine are pretty much just 252 / 252 with some extra for speed benchmarks. So yea, rate away - Eggbert.
---
