The DOT Rot: Hail OU RMT

[Lunet]

The DOT Rot​

At a glance:

A quick introduction:
So the name of this team as you can tell by the pretty blue font is 'The DOT Rot', I got this idea from reading up on the thoughts of the Hail and it's potential anti-metagame properties. (Can be seen here: http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3471917 ). It was mentioned the strength of hail as it was now could be in passive damage, and I decided to test it out. In recent hours I've had phenomenal results, better than any other team I've used so far and have won the majority of games I've gone into with win ratios higher than I've ever had personally. Hail is my favorite weather, so I'm posting this here looking for some advice and some tweaks to what I've built up so far. I know there are some issues so I was sure to include them as well.

Please feel free to make any suggestions or comments.

Abomasnow @ Leftovers
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 172 Def / 84 Spd / 252 HP
Careful Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Wood Hammer
- Ice Shard

Fairly standard Abomasnow coming in here but not always used as a lead. His EV spread gives him decent bulk while allowing him to come in, scout out with protect if I want to lead with hail and then lay down a leech seed. After throwing down these two things he's mostly just used as a safe switch in to a number of attacks, or to try and stall between leech seed and protect. Ice shard was chosen over anything else for the priority move in order to hit anything that comes in and gets hit by full entry hazards or is low in general while Wood Hammer was taken to take out pesky targets he could easily stay in on.

Issues so far: Not really able to get any offensive moves off and is only being used as a switch in for hail and protect. Still difficult to come in and get a leech seed off in many battles.

Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Trait: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 SAtk
Calm Nature
- Toxic
- Recover
- Scald
- Earth Power

Pretty simple here, going with nearly a full out stall Gastrodon was taken in order to have the complete resistance to water attacks which could be baited out by other team members and work as a counter to rain teams in general by dealing with both electric and any boosted water attacks. Scald was taken for the potential status though may be moved over to ice beam at a later date.

Issues so far: Second water type poke on the team leaves a big weakness to sun teams. Potentially switching up scald to ice beam due to already having it on Jellicent. May be in need of all out replacement.

Jellicent @ Leftovers
Trait: Cursed Body
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spd
Bold Nature
- Recover
- Scald
- Protect
- Toxic

Yet another super defensive poke, I opted for cursed body over water absorb because of already having Storm Drain on the team. Recover, protect, toxic, and scald all picked with the intention of keeping health up while stalling out for more status inducing moves as well as hail damage. I've had will-o-wisp here over toxic but with access to scald being able to put either condition onto an opponent without being forced into a switch by taunt was the better move set.

Issues so far: Second water type poke on the team, no real opportunities to use recover. Coupled with Gastrodon leaves a glaring weakness to sun teams. May be in need of replacement.

Reuniclus @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Focus Blast
- Psychic

The only real sweeper on the team and even then he's still built into bulk. Calm mind and recover combos let me keep fairly healthy and boost my special defenses as well as offensice capability. Focus Blast and Psychic giving decent coverage and allowing to get rid of some real issues for the team composition.

Issues so far: Still not as bulky as other team members and has issues putting out damage when not boosted by CM. Can not outspeed many sweepers that it's moves and typing would do well against. May be in need of replacement.

Heatran @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SDef / 8 Spd
Calm Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Protect
- Will-O-Wisp
- Lava Plume

Heatran is my backup Stealth Rock'er, as they're possibly one of the most important things to set up this team for victory is having hazards down. Protect an will-o-wisp aim to inflict even more status damage while Heatran's typing gives me wider coverage defensively. Lava Plume taken as an offensive ability if I ever get taunted or put in a bad spot with him. The will-o-wisp was important to pick up, having a guaranteed burn against physical sweepers was really important to keep the rest of the team protected.

Issues so far: Coming in to burn physical sweepers is very difficult due to many of them carrying fighting moves that will OKOH. No reliable recovery due to hail.

Skarmory @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spd
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Whirlwind
- Brave Bird
- Roost

Skarmory and Abomasnow are the two openers I tend to use, Skarmory for the obvious laying down hazards with the aim in defenses with having spikes and stealth rock. This means if Heatran gets taken out before I can set up all spike layers I still have someone to come in and lay down the rocks. Whirlwind is great for utility and anyone who tries to set up but is also perfect for the later game. With full entry hazards down and hail running, Skarmory simply tosses everything about and turns into a real annoyance. Brave Bird obviously for extra damage in-case of taunting.

Issues so far: Can get taken out rather easily, if coming in to deal with special sweepers that are getting set up can be taken out of the fight. Difficult to set up all 4 entry hazards.

 

[Prinz]

Hello and welcome. At first put roost > stealth rock (although I'm sure it's a typo).
Then, as mentioned in the rate of another hail team, you are very weak at genesect+dugtrio combination in rain, sun or sand.
My advice is always the same, use shed shell heatran to evade the trap of dugtrio and still have a counter of genesect.
Also, lefovers is better than life orb on calm mind reuniclus generally and if you use calm mind how about of hp fire on abomasnow for baitkill against scizor? You can use this set:

Abomasnow (M) @ Expert Belt
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Atk / 112 Spd
Lonely Nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Wood Hammer / Seed Bomb
- Ice Shard
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Protect

Good luck with your team.

 

[ClubbingSealCub]

Hello and welcome to smogon!

Since you are already packing two water counters and say you want to get rid of one of them, I recommend changing either Gastrodon or Jellicent (preferably Gastrodon, since Jellicent is a great spinblocker) for Forretress. Forretress provides Rapid Spin (which is invaluable for Abomasnow because of his SR weakness), Toxic spikes to complete the "entry hazards trifecta" and provides a second steel resist to alleviate some draconic pressure off Skarmory.

I suggest a specially defensive set with Toxic Spikes, Volt Switch, Gyro Ball and Rapid Spin, so that Skarmory can take the Outrages and Forry the Draco Meteors. Toxic Spikes, as said before, are another entry hazard for your arsenal and will be a lot of trouble for opposing stall teams. Volt Switch grants you a slow switch, incase you need to bring in Abomasnow safely. Gyro Ball gives you a solid attacking option and Rapid Spin wipes hazards off your field.

If you do this, remember to change Jellicent's ability to Water Absorb!

TL;DR:
Forretress > Gastrodon
Water Absorb > Cursed Body

Forretress @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD
IVs: 0 Spe
Relaxed Nature (+SpD / -Spe)
- Toxic Spikes
- Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Gyro Ball

 

[Lunet]

Hello and welcome. At first put roost > stealth rock (although I'm sure it's a typo).
Then, as mentioned in the rate of another hail team, you are very weak at genesect+dugtrio combination in rain, sun or sand.
My advice is always the same, use shed shell heatran to evade the trap of dugtrio and still have a counter of genesect.
Also, lefovers is better than life orb on calm mind reuniclus generally and if you use calm mind how about of hp fire on abomasnow for baitkill against scizor? You can use this set:

Abomasnow (M) @ Expert Belt
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Atk / 112 Spd
Lonely Nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Wood Hammer / Seed Bomb
- Ice Shard
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Protect

Good luck with your team.

So looking into this post I really like the suggestions and agree with a lot but I do have a few questions.

I've gone against Genesect, and you're right this team does have problems with him. The biggest issue was not being able to get a burn on him with any of my safer switch in's. Is Dugtrio common in the OU meta these days? Is Shed Shell on Heatran worth negating that residual hail damage?

And as for the suggestions about Abom I -really- like the idea of packing HP fire as it gives him a bit more options defensively but I'm not sure about switching out the leech seed as the team was made in mind with stacking passive damage. Is there any way to have the best of both worlds? Either way I'll try it and thank you very much!

Hello and welcome to smogon!

Since you are already packing two water counters and say you want to get rid of one of them, I recommend changing either Gastrodon or Jellicent (preferably Gastrodon, since Jellicent is a great spinblocker) for Forretress. Forretress provides Rapid Spin (which is invaluable for Abomasnow because of his SR weakness), Toxic spikes to add to complete the "entry hazards trifecta" and provides a second steel resist to alleviate some draconic pressure from Skarmory.

I suggest a specially defensive set with Toxic Spikes, Volt Switch, Gyro Ball and Rapid Spin, so that Skarmory can take the Outrages and Forry the Draco Meteors. Toxic Spikes, as said before, are another entry hazard for your arsenal and will be a lot of trouble for opposing stall teams. Volt Switch grants you a slow switch, incase you need to bring in Abomasnow safely. Gyro Ball gives you a solid attacking option and Rapid Spin wipes hazards off your field.

TL;DR: Forretress > Gastrodon

Forretress @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD
IVs: 0 Spe
Relaxed Nature (+SpD / -Spe)
- Toxic Spikes
- Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Gyro Ball

WOW! I have to say I REALLY like this! I hadn't even thought about adding Forrestress onto the team and getting in a toxic spike user on top of things is just even better. That defensive and bukyness coupled with the fact that he has the RS and TS utility is exactly what I was looking for in replacing one of my water poke. I can not -wait- to test this out and it works out even better because as you said, taking some of the pressure off of Skarmory.

 

[chimpact]

I would get rid of Toxic on Jellicent and replace it with Taunt. This way when you are up against a stall team, you will be well equipped against it. With Taunt Jellicent and CM reuiniclus, stall teams will have a lot of problems breaking through those two pokemon.

I would also give Gastrodon Earthquake over Earth Power and a Sassy nature to better combat specially defensive Heatran, Tyranitar, and SubCM Jirachi.

Your team really struggles against Genesect, NP Thundurus-T, and Rotom-W with HP GRass. And dugtrio on sun teams really hurts as well.

To handle Genesect better, I would give Abomasnow a spread of EVs: 252 HP / 36 Def / 136 SDef / 84 Spd to give Genesect the attack boost everytime it comes in on abomasnow. Not only will it be taking hail and perhaps stealth rock damage, but with Protect you can scout out to see what move it will go for. Jellicent and Skarmory will both be able to take U-turns and Gastrodon/Jellicent will be able to take any special move it has (bar thunderbolt on Jellicent). You also handle thundurus-T and Rotom-W better. Dugtrio is still a problem, but unless you want to go shed shell heatran with restalk and give Skarmory Stealth Rock over spikes, I'm not sure how well you're gonna handle dealing with sun.