XY LC The Helix God

[Rowan]

Introduction

Hi this is my first solo RMT for XYLC. It's a reasonably successful team, that I've been using since SPL. It all started when a few members of the Raiders decided to run Omanyte or Omastar on our teams for the final week of SPL. I built this team and it's remained basically unchanged despite being built when Murkrow and Meditite were still in the tier. I won't go through my teambuilding process since no member has been changed at all.

Omanyte @ Eviolite
Ability: Shell Armor | EVs: 76 HP / 196 SpA / 236 Spe | Nature: Modest
Shell Smash / Surf / Earth Power / Ice Beam

The God, the all mighty helix fossil. I can't really say a lot about Omanyte other than it sweeps late-game once its counters are removed or weakened. Eviolite makes it relatively easy to set up, even if I don't manage to give it Memento support. If I see Cottonee, I usually get it out early and spam Ice Beam to weaken it as much as possible. But yeah, basically this sweeps, and everything else in the team is designed to help it.

Cottonee @ Eviolite
Ability: Prankster | EVs: 36 HP / 40 Def / 144 SpA / 40 SpD / 232 Spe | Nature: Timid
Encore / Giga Drain / Hidden Power [Fighting] / Memento

Cottonee is one of the best support Pokemon in Little Cup, with such an amazing defensive typing. For this team, it's mainly my Fighting- and Water-type switch-in. It also really helps me with Nasty Plot Misdreavus and other set-up sweepers, which I would otherwise struggle against, particularly as I lack a scarfer. Memento support is fantastic, it allows me to set up Omanyte even on stuff like Mienfoo. Hidden Power Fighting and Max Speed is so I can outspeed Eviolite Pawniard and KO after a bit of prior damage. However, it's kind of less effective now that Scarf Pawniard is the most common Pawniard, so I often just hit it on the switch.

Misdreavus @ Berry Juice
Ability: Levitate | EVs: 240 SpA / 240 Spe | Nature: Timid
Nasty Plot / Shadow Ball / Hidden Power [Fighting] / Substitute

Misdreavus is such a fantastic mid-game sweeper, and it's a perfect partner for Omanyte. A Substitute and Hidden Power Fighting set is very important as it will lure out Porygon and Lickitung, 2 Pokemon which will be able to take a hit from Omanyte. It also fucks over Pawniard if it switches in. Another role it has is wearing down Timburr; once people realise it's not a dazzling gleam set, they often resort to Timburr to check it, so I can at least weaken it with a +2 Shadow Ball before going down. Oh, and Berry Juice is better than Eviolite on Missy imo, since it has the bulk to survive most hits regardless; it turns stuff like Drilbur's EQ into a 3HKO as opposed to a 2HKO.

Chinchou @ Berry Juice
Ability: Volt Absorb | EVs: 52 Def / 232 SpA / 224 Spe | Nature: Timid
Hydro Pump / Volt Switch / Heal Bell / Hidden Power [Fire]

Chinchou was added to the team as my Murkrow check. Of course, Murkrow isn't around any more but it's still important as my only Magnemite switch-in, along with a counter to other Flying-types. I have an offensive set with Timid because I like to be a bitch and speed-tie with Drilbur and Archen. Hidden Power Fire is hardly ever used, but necessary because Ferroseed needs to be weakened before Omanyte can sweep.

Timburr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts | EVs: 76 HP / 196 Atk / 76 Def / 156 SpD | Nature: Impish
Drain Punch / Knock Off / Poison Jab / Mach Punch

Timburr is my Fighting-type, as opposed to the more popular Mienfoo. Basically, because it's more bulky and is a much better counter to non-Dazzling Gleam Misdreavus. Poison Jab is there so I can take Cottonee out, I usually have to predict the switch-in though. This guy also eases Cottonee's job a bit as it can check Smashers as well, with it's bulk + Mach Punch. Knock Off is generally useful, especially for Spritzee so Omanyte can KO it.

Pawniard @ Eviolite
Ability: Defiant | EVs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 116 SpD / 196 Spe | Nature: Jolly
Knock Off / Iron Head / Sucker Punch / Stealth Rock

Pawniard is great on this team for a number of reasons. Knock Off always helps a late game sweeper for starters. I generally spam Iron Head a bit more often than Knock Off though, so I can weaken Timburr and Croagunk more. Stealth Rock is very important for Sturdy users like Magnemite. Pawniard and Timburr create a sort of mini-core that helps weaken things with Knock Off, and they check Misdreavus depending on its coverage move; Pawniard checks Dazzling Gleam Missy and Timburr checks HP Fight.

Conclusion

That's the team; personally, I think it's a good example of how to build a Balance team around a late-game sweeper, and I'm also taking credit for popularising Omanyte. Each member is extremely important and all help Omanyte sweep. However, the team is getting kind of outdated. Since it was made, Pokemon and cores such as Fletchling+Diglett, Scarf Pawniard, and Endure Magnemite have become much more popular making the team less effective than it was. I suppose I could update it to fit the current metagame, but I'd rather just retire the team since we have a new suspect discussion about to begin.

importable

HELIX (Omanyte) @ Eviolite
Ability: Shell Armor
Level: 5
EVs: 196 SAtk / 236 Spd / 76 HP
Modest Nature
- Shell Smash
- Surf
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam

Cottonee @ Eviolite
Ability: Prankster
Level: 5
EVs: 232 Spd / 36 HP / 40 Def / 144 SAtk / 40 SDef
Timid Nature
- Encore
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Memento

Misdreavus @ Berry Juice
Ability: Levitate
Level: 5
EVs: 240 Spd / 240 SAtk
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Substitute

Timburr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 76 Def / 156 SDef / 76 HP
Impish Nature
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- Poison Jab
- Mach Punch

Chinchou @ Berry Juice
Ability: Volt Absorb
Level: 5
EVs: 224 Spd / 232 SAtk / 52 Def
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Heal Bell
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Pawniard @ Eviolite
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Spd / 156 Atk / 36 Def / 116 SDef
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Stealth Rock

 

[Aerow]

This is a solid team, but there are a few things I would change. Choice Scarf Pawniard would probably be better for your team. If the opponent finds out that Pawniard are not scarfed, Misdreavus can easily use HP Fight or Will-O-Wisp on it, knowing it won't be outsped. As you say, Timburr will stop Misdreavus then, but the only problem is that many people actually use Hidden Power Fighting + Dazzling Gleam. You will therefore struggle against 3-attack Missy. Also, Hidden Power Fire is very often a wasted moveslot on Chinchou, as you said. Misdreavus can also use Ferroseed as a set up bait. Thunderbolt or even HP Poison (great Cottonee lure) is therefore probably a better option.

 

[Corporal Levi]

This team is definitely top notch, and I can see it functioning just fine in the current metagame. Fletchdig is the only threat I see that might not be covered adequately; one thing that could be done is running Will-O-Wisp over Substitute on Misdreavus. I would also change the item to Eviolite; even though you did mention you prefer Berry Juice, Eviolite will allow Misdreavus to survive the +2 Acrobatics from Fletchling. However, Berry Juice could still work because your fast Cottonee could limit Fletchling from setting up in the first place. If you do choose to run Eviolite, changing the spread to 36 Def / 236 SpA / 236 Spe will allow Misdreavus to survive it after Stealth Rock 43.8% of the time as well. This will give you the opportunity to burn Fletchling, allowing something else to handle it.
Alternatively, Hidden Power Fighting could be replaced with Thunderbolt; you already have Cottonee as a Pawniard lure, and Timburr to deal with it otherwise, and have two great switch-ins to Porygon in Eviolite Pawniard and Timburr, while Lickitung usually struggles to harm Omanyte outside of the rare Dragon Tail, anyway. Thunderbolt is a guaranteed OHKO on Fletchling after Stealth Rock. Eviolite could still be changed to the item of choice for the same reason as if Will-O-Wisp was run, but Berry Juice would once again still work quite well.
That's it, though. This is a really strong team

 

[Superpowerdude]

Hey Rowan great team! Its always good when you post rmts and its given me the idea to post an LC rmt for a team I used in the past thats been pretty succesful.

This team seems quite solid, with every member playing an important role on the team there are not much changes that can be done.

The only real thing I will suggest is a Bulkier Spread on Cottonee. As you said most Pawnairds are now running scarf so the need to outspeed them with Cottonee is no longer important. You have Timburr which can revenge kill Pawnaird, and both Cottonee and Misdreavus can lure it in too to an extent and beat it with Hidden Power Fighting. You really need the extra bulk on Cottonee to let it take hits from Misdreavus easier since it outspeeds your Pawnaird, some Misdreavus sets can play around it with Sub + Hp Fight or Will-O + Hp Fight. Cottonee is really good for Encoring Missy into something stupid, but it won't like switching into repeated Shadow Balls or Dazzling Gleams without a little bulk behind it. It also just allows Cottonee to last longer in general. Having it be able to switch into more resisted hits, like Volt Switches and Drain Punches. Spread you want is 116 HP / 196 Def / 196 Sp Def And chose from Bold or Calm nature depending on if you need more special bulk or not

Other than that I don't really have much to say but nice team again!

 

[Rowan]

Aerow, I don't really want scarf Pawn, purely because I want rocks. Between Pawniard and Timburr I can check most variants of Misdreavus, and if all else fails Encore Cottonee is a fantastic last resort. HP Poison Chinchou actually sounds like a great idea, and something I'd definitely be willing to try out. Thinking about it, I could run Toxic Chinchou, which will still wear Cottonee down, and also wear Porygon down, meaning I can sacrifice HP Fight on Misdreavus for one of Levi's suggestions...

Corporal Levi, Will-o-Wisp Misdreavus seems like a decent idea, and one that still allows me to take certain stuff on. I really don't want to give up HP Fighting because it's so important for wearing Porygon down. It's so easy to keep a Porygon at full health to take on Omanyte if you're not running HP Fighting Missy. If I was to run Thunderbolt, I'd more likely run it over Substitute, for a 3 attacks Misdreavus - I'd definitely try out Will-o-Wisp or TBolt over Sub.

Superpowerdude, Bulky Cottonee is probably more advantageous to my team, as I said I just hadn't bothered to update it fully for the current metagame. When I created the team, Scarf Pawniard had about 10% usage as opposed to the 50% it has now, making my Cottonee set much less effective than it once was. However, an advantage of fast Cottonee is it can use priority Memento, or Encore before Fletchling can hit it with Acrobatics, which is often nice if I'm about to be swept by Fletch.

Thanks for the rates guys, all are valid suggestions that I'd urge anyone who wants to try out this team to test out

 

[Aerow]

Choice Scarf Pawniard can actually use Stealth Rock viably too. Basically just use SR when you force a switch, then switch out. I have used Scarf Pawn with SR for a long period of time, and I have started seeing more of it on ladder too, and it works well. But of course, Eviolite Pawniard have the advantage of not being forced to switch out after using Stealth Rock.