Other XY Monotype - Rock!

[SirSkit]

Monotype Rock!

To me, Monotype is about using the best of what you have to the best possible potential, and rock has always been an underdog of Monotype. I've really grown attached to making Rock Monotypes, and its fun to breathe life into an under-appreciated type. From a glance, the common weaknesses, lack of prominent special attackers, and vulnerability several dangerous popular types, one might choose an arguably more reliable type, like Flying, Steel, or Water. However, when taking a good look at the choices that Rock gives to you, you'll find that it is truly a diamond in the rough.
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When making this team, i didn't decide on a specific playstyle to try. I mostly just used the generally reliable Rock types from my previous teams. After tons of trial and error (tons) and experimenting with several obscure choices (from Aurorus to Rhyperior to Lunatone and more), i finally decided to run these 6.

The Team!

Shuckle @ Mental Herb
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Toxic
- Encore
- Sticky Web
- Stealth Rock
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Shuckle is great at doing what it needs to do- setting hazards. With the combination of sturdy and amazing bulk, all it needs is a mental herb to ensure at least one hazard. The mental herb is crucial for getting past taunt leads and specifically Cobalion/Infernape on Monotype Fighting since they often lack a reliable spinner. With Sticky Webs up, Terrakion can proceed to tear apart the opposing team and speed tie with other terrakion and keldeo and threaten to OHKO. Stealth Rock is fairly self-explanatory, breaking sashes and just being awesome in general. Encore makes the opponent think twice about trying to set up on Shuckle. Common setup sweepers such as Dragonite, Zygarde, Scizor, Volcarona, Gyarados, or Thundurus can be locked into their setup move, allowing a teammate to come in and OHKO. Lastly, Toxic is used to cripple general walls. The mental herb helps once again since you can sneak a toxic on Sableye or Will-o-Mew to slowly whittle down their HP. Shuckle's defense was maxed out to capitalize on its neutrality to Fighting and Ground spam.

Diancie @ Leftovers/Weakness Policy/Assault Vest
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 52 Def / 200 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 SpA / 2 Spe
- Psychic/Trick Room Psychic slashed over TR
- Diamond Storm
- Moonblast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
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Replacement Dual Screens set?

Diancie @ Light Clay
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 196 Def / 4 SpA / 56 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Moonblast/Diamond Storm
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Diancie is a unique Pokemon, to say the least. Although it has a glaring weakness to Steel, it provides an amazing answer to Fighting Monotypes. For items, I'm currently using leftovers for more longevity in the match, since Diancie is often hard switched into Fighting types. Weakness Policy is a really nice option for capitalizing on its bulk while boosting its offenses to insane levels and is further complimented by trick room. Assault Vest is also a decent option, allowing Diancie to live at least one Specs Keldeo hydro pump at full health. As for the moveset, the first slot is pretty flexible, and the last three are self explanatory tbh. Trick Room, although I have sticky web support, can be very useful late-game when the opposing team is weakened. Trick Room is also useful for other teammates since my team is generally slow. Tyranitar in Trick Room is amazing late-game.

Terrakion @ Choice Band/Choice Scarf
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Quick Attack/Iron Head/Sacred Sword/X-Scissor
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Terrakion is one of THE best wallbreakers available for Rock. It's STABs threaten several monotypes, most notably Steel Monotype now that Aegislash is gone. When equipped with a Choice Band and given proper support, Terrakion can plow through Steel Monotypes, 2HKO'ing Skarmory. Once Scizor is out of the way, Terrakion is my main weapon against the Steel. He is also the fastest member of the team, making him a nice addition. Although you do miss out on the sheer power from using band, Choice Scarf is a nice option since, with web support, Terrakion can outspeed Sand Rush excadrill and revenge several sweepers at +1 in a pinch. Since i usually use Terrakion's STABs, the last slot is flexible. I'm currently testing quick attack since i don't have priority anywhere else, but Iron Head can be used to nail fairies, Sacred Sword for Pokemon using Bulk Up/Iron Defense/Etc., and X-Scissor can be used to nail Malamar and Celebi, although they aren't very common.

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 4 SpA / 52 SpD
Bold Nature
- Giga Drain
- Earth Power
- Recover
- Toxic
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Cradily is another important member of the team, providing the crucial Water immunity that any type would love, and having a relatively bulky Pokemon to absorb scalds and wall Crocune is handy. Cradily mostly sees use against Ground and Water monotypes, often spamming giga drain. Cradily is often my answer that several teammates have trouble with, such as Hippowdon, Gastrodon, Rotom-W (lacking trick), Swampert, and Quagsire. Earth Power is primarily just to nail Heatran and deter Bisharp from trying to set up, although I'm open to changing it to a more reliable move. Toxic nails setup sweepers without Lum/Substitute and helps with toxic stalling when paired with recover. Definitely a solid member of the team, but I'm open to trying new movesets if anyone wants to suggest one.

Aggron @ Aggronite
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 100 Atk / 156 Def
Impish Nature
- Dragon Tail
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Heavy Slam
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Every team loves a Mega, so... Mega Aggron! Rawr! Mega-Aggron becomes an amazing answer to several dangerous sweepers that threaten rock, such as Scizor, Breloom, Excadrill, and Mega-Medicham. I used to run a more offensive Aggron, but I ended up sticking with the RestTalk set for more longevity. It's amazing for absorbing status, such as Sableye/Mew's WoW or Breloom's spore, and, if cradily is knocked out, a scald absorber. The longevity it provides is also crucial, since otherwise, it would be whittled down easily due to its vulnerability to hazards. Heavy Slam is very nice STAB, which can land a OHKO on Mega-Medicham and nails bulky fairies. Dragon Tail was chosen to deter setup sweepers, but it doesn't really pull its weight all the time. I was thinking about running fire punch to nail Scizor harder, but i was worried about Heatran switch-ins taking advantage of it. Advice on what the 1st slot would be greatly appreciated!

Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 104 Atk / 4 SpA Def / 148 SpD
Brave Nature
- Fire Blast
- Crunch
- Earthquake Ice Beam
- Stone Edge

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Honestly, Tyranitar is my favorite member of this team and is slowly becoming my favorite Pokemon of all time. At a glance, it seems like he would be detrimental to the team, further compounding Rock's common weaknesses. However, with Sand Stream, he provides amazing support for the team. To keep this a bit shorter, I'll just link you to my viability post...here! Tyranitar is my main answer to several special attackers, such as Volcarona, Greninja, and Thundurus, and sashed mons, such as Galvantula. Since most of my team lacks special defense, Sand is amazing for letting them switch in at a more comfortable HP. Since Tyranitar isn't lacking in terms of power, some attack EVs were plugged into Special Defense to help it take on the aforesaid threats more reliably. Fire Blast is used to slam Ferrothorn, Skarmory, Scizor (on the switch), and Forretress. Crunch is the reliable STAB of choice, hitting bulky Psychic mons, specifically Slowbro. Earthquake allows Tyranitar to reliably check heatran, and Stone Edge is another STAB, slamming Landorus-T and other flying Pokemon harder than any other option.​

This is my first RMT, so it isn't the prettiest one out there, but thanks for giving it a read!

This is probably my favorite team out of any Monotype I've done in the past, but I'll try not to be stubborn about any suggestions you guys have. So feel free to help o3o

If you want to try out the team, you can copy and pasta this into the teambuilder~

Importable

Shuckle @ Mental Herb
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Toxic
- Encore
- Sticky Web
- Stealth Rock

Diancie @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 52 Def / 200 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 SpA / 2 Spe
- Trick Room
- Diamond Storm
- Moonblast
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Terrakion @ Choice Band
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Quick Attack

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 4 SpA / 52 SpD
Bold Nature
- Giga Drain
- Earth Power
- Recover
- Toxic

Aggron @ Aggronite
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 100 Atk / 156 Def
Impish Nature
- Dragon Tail
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Heavy Slam

Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 104 Atk / 4 Def / 148 SpD
Brave Nature
- Fire Blast
- Crunch
- Ice Beam
- Stone Edge

Changes are in Red!

 

[Nochman.EXE]

Tl;Dr Rock sucks

Jk Chimp +1 for using Rock

 

[Freeroamer]

Really nice team chimp, I love reading about under-appreciated types and how they can be made surprisingly strong. I just have a couple of questions, why is Trick Room the first slash on Diancie when Shuckle is running Webs? Just seems a bit conflicting is all, I'd maybe try a screens set on Diancie or maybe even run infestation on Shuckle, so as to trap the opponent and switch in your answer and gain momentum. Also this sounds picky asf, but I'd take the 4 EVs your Tyranitar currently has in SpA and put them into Defense, this guarantees it will survive a Choice Band Scizor's Bullet Punch after rocks, whereas atm it has like a 6% chance to KO (very small I know, but I've missed 95% moves enough in the past to appreciate small chances). Also while I understand it's a major thorn in the side of Rock monotypes, Landorus p. much beats every member of the team 1v1, there's not a lot i can suggest to fix this, other than perhaps running Ice Beam on T-Tar?
But honestly, very solid team, nice work!

 

[SirSkit]

Thanks for the input DM! Trick Room on Diancie was primarily used to outspeed (or underspeed idk) fighting monotypes, since larger threats are still faster under trick room and webs, such as Latios and other faster dragons, Keldeo, and Terrakion. Having sticky web and trick room on the same team still do contradict each other though :x situational sometimes, but it does work. I'll try out a screens set on Diancie, though, thanks o3o

Moving SpA to TTar's Def!

Yeah, I don't have a concrete answer to landorus atm... (I actually had scarf aurorus at one point to check it :x)
I do like the idea of Ice Beam on Tyranitar though, since nothing else on my team has ice coverage either. I'm just unsure about what to run over Ice Beam. I'm thinking that Earthquake would be the most replaceable move, since it was only used to hit Heatran, and TTar can still win against heatran 1v1.

 

[Mike81401]

Here's a replay of your team in battle http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/monotype-174989622 One glaring trait about this team is it makes Shedinja an absolute JOKE with Stealth Rock up.