The Weather Person is always wrong

[kingdra]

The Weather Person is ALWAYS wrong

It is TRUE. Well anyways, it gets the general idea out. Yes this is a weather team, but not like any other. Basically, it has each weather condition on this team. Every single major one. EVERY SINGLE MAJOR ONE. Sandstorm - Rain - Sun - Hail. Each one is capable of holding its own, without any outside help (although that is appreciated). I would explain more, but I think the team should speak for itself.

At a glance:

Team Building Process

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Basically, I wanted a team with all the weather creators to completely throw the opponent off. So obviously I would start with Abomasnow, DrizzleToad and DroughtTails. For Sandstorm it was either Hippowdon or Tyranitar, and I just generally like Tyranitar better.

So now I had two pokemon left, and I needed a lead. So one of my favorite 5th Gen Pokemon that functions as a GREAT lead, Zoroark.

Now, since I have to do a lot of switching during the battle to fully take advantage of surprise weather, I needed a rapid spinner. This rapid spinner I have used a lot, and in all my RMTs. He also happens to be my second favorite 2nd Gen pokemon behind Kingdra (No duh). He is Hitmontop.

I got some suggestions that led me towards switching out Tyranitar for Hippowdon.

Now for the indept stuff.


MY LEAD

Zoroark @ Focus Sash
Ability - Illusion
Nature - Timid
EVs - 252 Spd/252 SpAtk/4 Def
Moves:
- Flamethrower
- Night Daze
- Extrasensory
- U-Turn
This is my attacking lead. As you can tell I am not relying on entry hazards or the sort. I would like to, but Zoroark is just so much fun. Focus Sash is to ensure at least one hit, or a U-Turn out. Illusion is my absolute favorite part of Zoroark. I mean, it is like Ditto without the exact copy. Hitmontop will be in the last spot in the party so attracting Psychic moves will help. Timid to max speed, and the EVs are standard for an Special sweeper but works surprisingly well for a lead. Flamethrower for the annoying Ferrothorn/Forretress/Scizor leads as well as anything else weak to it. Night Daze is a good STAB and the accuracy drop helps a LOT. Extrasensory is for after Illusion wears off and Zoroark is against a Fighting type, or maybe even under Illusion. U-Turn is not for damage. It is solely for getting the crap out of there.

THE CORE POKEMON

Politoed (F) @ Leftovers
Ability - Drizzle
Nature - Calm
EVs - 252 SpDef/252 SpAtk/4 Def
Moves:
- Scald
- Toxic
- Hypnosis/Swagger
- Attract
This is a totally new look on DrizzleToad. Quadruple status. Basically, I have SpDef maxed out to pose as a Special wall, with Leftovers to boot. Scald for anti Taunt, STAB and the burn chance. Toxic is for an alternate status, and not having to rely on the 30% Burn chance. I prefer Swagger over Hypnosis because confusion can in fact be piled on top of other statuses, and since Toed is a Special wall, it shouldn't be again physical attackers anyways so the Atk raise doesn't matter. Attract can actually be piled on top of Confusion and normal status, plus the majority of pokemon are Male. I mean seriously. I have almost never faced a Female pokemon besides Blissey and other pokemon that can only be Female. Not to be sexist or anything. Anyways. I can go up to Triple status with this pokemon.

Ninetales @ Focus Sash
Ability - Drought
Nature - Modest
EVs - 252 SpAtk/252 Spd/4 SpDef
Moves:
- Solar Beam
- Fire Blast
- Psyshock
- Nasty Plot
Basic Setup Sweeper. Focus Sash to ensure a hit or a setup, Drought to setup Sun (duh), Modest for power, while EVs standard for a Special Sweeper. Solar Beam to abuse Sun, Fire Blast to abuse Sun and STAB, while Psyshock for that physical hit with coverage. Nasty Plot is for that boost if given the chance. This is a standard Special Sweeper.

Abomasnow @ Watmel Berry
Ability - Snow Warning
Nature - Brave
EVs - 128 Atk/128 SpAtk/252 SpDef/4 HP
Moves:
- Natural Gift
- Wood Hammer
- Ice Shard
- Blizzard
This is really a wild card. Not even kidding. I will come back to the item. Snow Warning is obvious, Adamant for power, max Atk EVs is obvious, max SpDef helps take hits, while the HP is standard. Wood Hammer is for STAB, while Ice Shard is for priority. I went with Avalanche over Blizzard because if it is used after the opponent it has a base 120 power, which is on par with Blizzard, and I didn't want to split EVs. Now for Natural Gift. Natural Gift + Watmel Berry = BASE 80 FIRE TYPE MOVE. Holy chiz that is a huge wild card. And it doesn't have to be Fire! It can be literally any type, but I went with Fire, but I am open to suggestions.

Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Ability - Sand Stream
Nature - Impish
EVs - 252 Atk/252 Def/4 HP
Moves:
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Ice Fang
- Curse
Replacing Tyranitar is a giant hippo because I needed to balance out the type weaknesses. Standard Curse Set, Leftovers for slow recovery, Sand Stream is obvious, Impish to max out defense, and the EVs are to max Atk, Def and give a bump to HP. Earthquake is standard STAB, Stone Edge for coverage, and Ice Fang for pesky dragons and Gliscor. Curse is amazing with Hippowdon. I battled one dude on PO, and he stupidly got me up to +2 Curses, and I sweeped all 6 of his pokemon. It amazes me he didn't have a special sweeper. So yeah. That's it.

SUPPORT, REVENGE KILL AND RAPID SPINNER

Hitmontop @ Lum Berry
Ability - Technician
Nature - Adamant
EVs - 252 Atk/156 SpDef/100 Spd
Moves:
- Rapid Spin
- Fake Out
- Mach Punch
- Pursuit
Ah Hitmontop. This has almost become a staple on all my teams. Being in the last position in my party, Zoroark's Illusion takes on him. Lum Berry to switch into status effects, Technician boosts his attacks, Adamant for extra power, and the EV spread gives me some SpDef while still maxing out Atk and boosting Speed. Rapid Spin is obvious, Fake Out to lower the other pokemon down to revenge kill level, Mach Punch for STAB and priority, while Pursuit catches pokemon on the fly as well as take care of those annoying ghost/psychic types.

So yup. That is my team. The point of the team, again, is to mix up the weather like crazy. I appreciate any comments or rates. Thanks!

Thanks for suggestions: Crynt, Mukery

 

[Crynt]

Very interesting idea, but I can't help but wonder if it would be more useful to have perhaps two weather effects and then two additional pokemon that would advantage from them. E.g. Excadrill after a Tyranitar is nice, or a Wailrein following your Abomasnow. Other choices are primarily the chorophyll and swift swim ability pokemon.

Also with your current setup you have a pretty bad weakness to fighting (three @ 1x, two @ 2x , one @ 4x) and bug (two @ 0.5x, one @ 1x, three @ 2x) type moves.

Hope that helps or at least puts some new possible twists your way.

 

[Vwall]

I might be insanely stupid, but isn't it smarter to have a eather inducer last so zoroark fakes a weather team? or is hitmontop a common lead? if he is it's smart to have him last. If he isn't, I think people will understand that it's a zoroark.

 

[Garud]

I might be insanely stupid, but isn't it smarter to have a eather inducer last so zoroark fakes a weather team? or is hitmontop a common lead? if he is it's smart to have him last. If he isn't, I think people will understand that it's a zoroark.

I can probably answer this, but Zoroarc with Illusion won't start weather, so that's a dead givaway for Zoroarc.

If you're playing on Pokemon Wi-fi, team preview will make sure your Zoroarc strategy is useless simply because Hitmontop is the only pokemon he could possibly imitate. He's a strong Zoroarc, don't get me wrong, but his talents feel a bit wasted. Possibly trade him in for Reuniclus?

 

[mukery]

Running elemental punches on a CB Tyranitar is not a good idea, as STAB Stone Edge has the same base power as a supereffective punch.

Another thing is, that having all those weather inducers on your team is really not too good of an idea. Abomasnow, Ninetales, and Politoed are´nt the best pokes out there at all, and the only reason to use them, is to have other pokemon to abuse their abilities. You have no pokemon that benefits from a specific weather condition except for the weather inducing pokemon itself. Without their abilities to support a weather based team, all the beforementioned pokes are actually pretty bad pokemon compared to OU standards. Abomasnow does´nt even have Blizzard to abuse its Snow Warning, meaning that the hail is completely irrelevant, and abomasnow therefore only has its flaws left, like 7 weaknesses, and no outstanding stats. Try focussing on 1 single weather, or built a weather free team. I doubt this team will work in standard.

 

[wacky tabaky]

I don't know if it is allowed but a rowap berry could work for natural gift it works with the 4x fire weakness which most moves are special. You would have to send it out to a locked banded poke. Rowap is ghost I think it doesn't work for coverage but it is very strong. I like weather teams that have more then one type and illusion is an awesome ability to play mind games.

 

[kingdra]

Very interesting idea, but I can't help but wonder if it would be more useful to have perhaps two weather effects and then two additional pokemon that would advantage from them. E.g. Excadrill after a Tyranitar is nice, or a Wailrein following your Abomasnow. Other choices are primarily the chorophyll and swift swim ability pokemon.

Also with your current setup you have a pretty bad weakness to fighting (three @ 1x, two @ 2x , one @ 4x) and bug (two @ 0.5x, one @ 1x, three @ 2x) type moves.

Hope that helps or at least puts some new possible twists your way.

I noticed that. Trading Tyranitar out for Hippowdow would help, I don't know what to do about Zoroark, and Abomasnow is kinda mandatory because I am trying to make the best team out of those 4 pokemon.

Running elemental punches on a CB Tyranitar is not a good idea, as STAB Stone Edge has the same base power as a supereffective punch.

Another thing is, that having all those weather inducers on your team is really not too good of an idea. Abomasnow, Ninetales, and Politoed are´nt the best pokes out there at all, and the only reason to use them, is to have other pokemon to abuse their abilities. You have no pokemon that benefits from a specific weather condition except for the weather inducing pokemon itself. Without their abilities to support a weather based team, all the beforementioned pokes are actually pretty bad pokemon compared to OU standards. Abomasnow does´nt even have Blizzard to abuse its Snow Warning, meaning that the hail is completely irrelevant, and abomasnow therefore only has its flaws left, like 7 weaknesses, and no outstanding stats. Try focussing on 1 single weather, or built a weather free team. I doubt this team will work in standard.

I am going to trade out Tyranitar for Hippowdon.

I am going with Blizzard then, and split the EVs even though that sucks. Blizzard is not the only thing Hail can be used for. Constant damage on top of Ice the only non-hit type, as well as not increaing Rock/Steel/Ground types SpDef. But yeah......

Well that wouldn't be the point now would it? I am trying to make the best team possible out of the four core weather producers.

 

[LightningNapkin]

The Zoroark won't work well, as people are sayin. It doesn't share any of those moves with Hitmontop, and Flamethrower wouldn't help its cause at all in this case. If your dead-set on it, substitute Flamethrower for Focus Blast (70 accuracy or a dead Zoroark, your choice). Good lead for faking Hitmontop, but frankly, their stats are way different, as well as their Movepools.

 

[Zebstrika]

With Team Preview, you don't need a lead. But with Zoroark, you can only copy Hitmontop, so if it is out, the opponent knows the pokemon is either Zoroark, Technitop, or some gimmicky Ninetales/Politoed/Hippo/Obama who doesn't have a weather inducing ability.

Also, I think you could easily have two pokemon that can abuse the weathers effectively. Starmie can abuse rain and hail somewhat (but hates sun unfortunately) and can provide spinning, while Tentacruel loses Thunder for Toxic Spikes. Dragonite learns Hurricane, Surf, Thunder, Fire Blast, and Blizzard but Multiscale doesn't quite like Sand/Hail (you have to use Roost first, then the opponent attacks for it to activate). Of course, Inner Focus will probably work. I actually can't think of many weather abusers who are fine with other weather.

 

[Lucky7]

Hi,

I don't know why you're trying to focus on all four weathers, but I'm going to tell you this, right here, right now: It's not gonna work.

Why?

All the permanent weather pokemon are not the best pokemon there are. Especially Ninetails and Politoed, who were NU LAST gen. As previously mentioned, they also share a lot of weaknesses. Abomasnow, Politoed, and Ninetails share a common trait: "They can't do shit but setup weather" Any half assed decent team would be able to come in and easily take down your weather inducers before sweeping aside Zoruark and Hitmontop (whom aren't particularly strong neither).

Ninetails base 100 base speed means the majority of the tier ouspeeds and can KO it. It's special attack is actually a joke in the new and vigorous OU tier. Pretty much anything from an opposing team that hits it will KO it with it's meager defenses

Politoed, if anything, is even worse. It's defense is laughable in the OU tier, its Special defense is passable for an OFFENSIVE pokemon..... And it's special attack is passable for a DEFENSIVE pokemon. This pokemon's stats, are once again terrible, with only rain being it's only good edge

Abomasnow's stats are just a joke in the OU tier, everything outspeeds it (especially with your EVs) and just about anything KOs it if Abomasnow doesn't resist. Along with 7 weaknesses, that's "nuff said"

Just gonna put it out there, and say that at least three of your pokemon are useless and benefit none of the rest of your team...

I'm sorry.