The Outsiders Challenge

[-Tsunami-]

I demand gold class for owning with Fatecrashers' banner team.

 

[Harsha]

I demand gold class for owning with Fatecrashers' banner team.

I will give you a gold star.

 

[Xanderpitz]

Well, Espeon is my sweeper as it is and Mienshao has Drain Punch for Tyranitar and Psychic/Steels (If Espy doesn't have enough boosts).

I am going to build a gimmicky team though now. Rain Dance Zapdos with Kingdra, Physical Tornadus, and Sharpedo. We'll see how it works :D

PO alt used when laddering: Xanderpitz (just gonna use my main for it)
Type of team: Rain Dance
Ladder standing: 1050-1100ish

 

[Harsha]

For consistency's sake, can you please start with a fresh alt?

 

[Xanderpitz]

Okay, Xanderpitz3 then :)

 

[Keiran]

PO alt used when laddering: .Keiran.
Type of team: eerrrrrrrr offense i guess
Ladder standing: 1000

i demand a gold star once come back

 

[Deathstar]

I'm at around the 1200 mark, I'm getting there.

Netro104 now, 3rd attempt at making a team, LOOOOL.

 

[Harsha]

lol, that's cool. Have you had trouble against specific types of teams?

 

[Warped Worlds]

Oh oops, not sure why I didn't see that x_x

Anyhow, Baton Pass has screwed me over multiple times in the past. Have you considered using a sweeper on the team and replacing a member, Xanderpitz? I feel as though Infernape, Lucario, and Nidoking could all be excellent recipients! :d

As for the others, what strategies are you trying? Are you using gimmicks or attempting to build actual teams? And LizardMan, I note that you're gonna try sun stall! How is that working? It seems like a fun strategy :d

Anyways, good luck to everyone else! Let's see how diverse we can be!

I don't like sun stall, and I don't think its as playable as rain or sand stall.

Here is the team I plan on using. I could use Scarf Chand and run Venusaur > Milotic, but Milotic counters Reuniclus - which is very important.

If I want to counter Reuniclus, I could use Skill Swap Cresselia.. and Toxic it with Chansey though.

Hide

Ninetales (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Drought
EVs: 248 HP / 80 SDef / 180 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Protect
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Toxic

Chansey (F) @ Eviolite
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Seismic Toss
- Softboiled
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic

Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Moonlight
- Thunder Wave
- Reflect

Chandelure (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Substitute
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Fire Blast

Forretress (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 60 SAtk / 140 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Volt Switch
- Rapid Spin
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Spikes

Milotic (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Marvel Scale
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Scald
- Dragon Tail
- Haze
- Recover

 

[Harsha]

I used Cresselia on a similar sun team (went okay, but not that well) and it was horrible setup fodder for things that could outstall screens (Gyarados mainly). LizardMan, I think a good way to go at this is testing out Toxic Spikes somewhere on Forretress so that you could get rid of Toxic on Chansey and replace that and Softboiled with Wish and Protect. That way, your whole team will be able to join in on the fun! (By the way, what council were you on?)

Milotic seems like a cool phazer, but I feel as though a user of Roar would help out. Regardless, you have Haze, so it's no big deal.

edit: just saw the rest of your post, lol. Yeah, if you lose Milotic to something like Toxic, Reuniclus is problematic. You could consider Aromatherapy on Chansey? Not sure where to fit that since you already have a bit of a four-moveslot syndrome haha

 

[Warped Worlds]

I used Cresselia on a similar sun team (went okay, but not that well) and it was horrible setup fodder for things that could outstall screens (Gyarados mainly). LizardMan, I think a good way to go at this is testing out Toxic Spikes somewhere on Forretress so that you could get rid of Toxic on Chansey and replace that and Softboiled with Wish and Protect. That way, your whole team will be able to join in on the fun! (By the way, what council were you on?)

Milotic seems like a cool phazer, but I feel as though a user of Roar would help out. Regardless, you have Haze, so it's no big deal.

edit: just saw the rest of your post, lol. Yeah, if you lose Milotic to something like Toxic, Reuniclus is problematic. You could consider Aromatherapy on Chansey? Not sure where to fit that since you already have a bit of a four-moveslot syndrome haha

I don't like Toxic Spikes that much. Mainly because I feel like its more beneficial to stack an extra layer of spikes vs every team except Sand or F/W/G. F/W/G Heatran teams are an easy matchup too.

Tentacruel makes me dislike TS even more. Wish would be useful for Forretress or Ninetales, but its hard to fit room.

I don't like Milotic too much. I usually like to use Jirachi w Scarf to trick Reuniclus + as a reinforcement to my defenses against dragon dancers/lucario or scizor, but its banned.

As for a council, I was never on one. I got my tiering contributor badge from the old method of suspect testing. If you want to know what I voted on, I voted 3 times in BW OU, twice in ADV OU, once in BW UU, and once in LC. :)

(02:05:46) *** Your rank in Standard OU is 1275/52702 [1168 points / 11 battles]!

 

[McMeghan]

Still the same team, but i think i'm done with it for that challenge !

Some more replays :
http://pokemon.aesoft.org/replay-MShadows-vs-mc2Wezer--08-avril-2012-at-14h28-private207370097
http://pokemon.aesoft.org/replay-raisweak-vs-McPollo--10-avril-2012-at-04h22-private1324698892
http://pokemon.aesoft.org/replay-Umbreon91-vs-McPollo--10-avril-2012-at-16h43-private132425031

 

[Harsha]

McMeghan! Congratulations! Top10 is certainly impressive :d

Well, the bar is certainly high now! But I hope we can all see how you don't need to use all the (or any of the) top10 Pokemon to win in this metagame. Sand stall is certainly viable with Hippowdon, and as McMeghan said, Gliscor checks some of the most common threats in our metagame like Scizor, Terrakion, and Dragonite. I'm definitely gonna try out a similar team I had built on the ladder now :)

Anyways, how is everyone else faring? Has the challenge proved too hard to beat? Has anyone considered weatherless offense?

 

[Deathstar]

lol, that's cool. Have you had trouble against specific types of teams?

Trouble with pretty much most teams, I'm very new to battling so I have no idea what I'm doing. Getting lucky I guess?

 

[Jinzha]

I didn't even realise it, but the team I've been using doesn't have any of the top 10 :P . I might change the team a bit and then make an alt and try laddering! I'm currently using a relatively offensive team, but I'm having quite a bit of trouble with Dragonites and Cloysters too actually. I have a Cloyster to counter Dnites, but it is my only water pokemon and it usually ends up being dead before I get to the Dragonites, who seem to be lategame sweepers in most teams. For the cloyster I have 2 fighting moves, but they're on Staraptor and Arcanine, who can both be killed easily by Cloysters when not OHKOing them(I usually outspeed it).

 

[LockDown]

I'm going to take this for a change of pace.
PO alt: amph48
Type: sand stallish
Current standing: 1080

 

[Nova]

I will be using: Bronzong, Kabutops, Kingdra, Ludicolo, Virizion, and Tornadus

 

[Harsha]

Fresh take on the challenge, Novaray (similar to your Benelux buddy McMeghan ;) ). Have you tried out LO Tornadus? It has the ability to set up the rain whenever you need it and still has a very good offensive presence. Bronzong is a good stop to sand sweepers and Virizion does well against opposing rain. Something else to consider is replacing one of your rain abusers for Jirachi who can provide paralysis support and another Pokemon to soak up Outrages. All-in-all, very interesting team :)

 

[Furai]

I am shifting to Sand Bulky Offense. Why? Hail Stall didn't work out well for me, and Sand Stall has been used so much. Plus I want to use Acrobatics Gliscor. :3

 

[Harsha]

^ Have you considered Lucario? It is immune to sandstorm and has some of the strongest priority available! It also works pretty well in conjunction with passive damage from sandstorm

 

[Nova]

Fresh take on the challenge, Novaray (similar to your Benelux buddy McMeghan ;) ). Have you tried out LO Tornadus? It has the ability to set up the rain whenever you need it and still has a very good offensive presence. Bronzong is a good stop to sand sweepers and Virizion does well against opposing rain. Something else to consider is replacing one of your rain abusers for Jirachi who can provide paralysis support and another Pokemon to soak up Outrages. All-in-all, very interesting team :)

Thanks Harsha ! ATM I have been using Damp Rock Tornadus so I can get as many turns of rain as possible but I will definitely try out LO as I do really love using Hurricane :). And about Rachi, AMAZING poke, but she's at #7 so I can't use her right?

 

[Harsha]

Oops why did I say that -__-

 

[lacerta]

Thanks Harsha ! ATM I have been using Damp Rock Tornadus so I can get as many turns of rain as possible but I will definitely try out LO as I do really love using Hurricane :). And about Rachi, AMAZING poke, but she's at #7 so I can't use her right?

Just wanted to pop by and say that Rain Dance is extremely viable (though somewhat difficult), so best of luck!

I used to run a full Rain Dance team, and the Tornadus set I used was

Tornadus (M) @ Damp Rock
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 236 Atk / 104 SAtk / 168 Spd
Lonely Nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Rain Dance
- Taunt
- Hurricane
- Hammer Arm

This is kind of the best of both worlds, with the problem you are having. Damp Rock provides eight turns of rain (which really is worth the loss in power), while the mixed moveset allows a generous amount of Hurricane spam. Hammer Arm with the given EVs is a guaranteed OHKO on 252/0 Tyranitar without sacrificing Damp Rock, and the drop in speed from Hammer Arm and from the +Atk nature is missed less due to the fact that Tornadus' most important move (Rain Dance) still has priority. The EVs still outrun neutral base 100s and non-scarfed Rotom-A.

Another good pokemon to use is Rain Dance LO Latios (who'd have thought it an outsider?) thanks to the heavy damage it does to Tyranitar and Scizor. It's also a decent check to sun and Terrakion, and access to Safeguard and especially Memento allows it to further support your Swift Swimmers.

Gorebyss/Omastar, Deoxys and Magnezone are also worth a look. Good luck, hope you do well.

 

[1996ITO]

PO alt used when laddering: North Havenbrook.
Type of team: Semi-stall.
Ladder standing: 978.

 

[Mamo.Pert]

PO alt used when laddering: Dark Stall
Type of team: Hyper Offense
Ladder standing: 1000