The origional outline of this team was origionally given to me by one of my friends, False, about 7 months ago. Since then, I have made changes to the team to adapt it to Platinum and the presense of Latias; as well as adapting it to the ever-changing "standard" pokemon found in average battles. Yesterday I played with he team and kept a record; I also kept a record today. The record over the 2 day period was 57 wins to 9 loses. After a lot of playtesting with the team, I finally decided to post a RMT out of it to get peer reviews from other players that are more skilled than me in order to help the team out.
Before I begin the actual RMT, I need to explain how I play the team so that you can have some insight as to how it functions when I'm using it. The major thing I do that is not "standard" would have to be I rarely use Stealth Rock as my opening move. In fact, out of the top 10 leads, I only use Stealth Rock against a mirror lead (Jirachi). I understand that this could lead to bad consiquences later, however, I feel that Stealth Rock'ing against the majority of leads is the incorrect way to use Jirachi. I'll always use Iron Head against leads that are 2HKO's with it (Azelf, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, etc) rather than set up myself because taking out their lead and, potentially, preventing THEM from Stealth Rock'ing appeals a lot more to me rather than to just Stealth Rock. Usually, if I'm not Iron Head'ing their lead I'll be U-Turning due to their lead being able to potentially KO or severely hurt my Jirachi (Metagross, Infernape, etc). Although using U-Turn allows them to set up Stealth Rock with virtually no draw backs, sending in a counter to their lead helps put pressure against them to force them to shuffle pokemon while I get a free set up turn, attack, or predict their switch and reswitch to put more pressure. There are specific leads that I WILL Trick immediately, even if it means Jirachi getting hurt. The reason I'm willing to sacrafice Jirachi so early for such a lead is because it's one of the pokemon that can potentially, if it has the right set, tear through my team. I'll elaborate more on opening Trick when Jirachi's part comes up.
Flygon rarely kills stuff on the team. Although he does have his moments against Dragon types, he usually is used to U-Turn off of incomming counters to put me in a better position. Flygon's main purpose is his immunity to ground and electric because it gives me an easy way to avoid Thunder Wave and Earthquake.
Zapdos comes in as my Steel type counter, allowing me to keep Metagross, Lucario, and Scizor from coming in and destroying the team (Gyarados does this too, but having Zapdos makes it so Gyarados doesn't die so quickly to all the switch ins and what not). The main thing I do with Zapdos is Thunder Wave. Most people expect Thunderbolt/Heat Wave and send something in to resist it (like Tyranitar); so, instead of just using the obvious attack that they're predicting to switch into, I use Thunder Wave to help criple their pokemon and make the game state overall better for me.
Those are the only pokemon I use "different" then some people might, so I figured it was best to explain my playstyle with them before I began the RMT. Well, this concludes the intro, so now onto the team:
Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Jolly :: Serene Grace
80 Hit Points / 252 Attack / 176 Speed
-Iron Head
-Stealth Rock
-Trick
-U-turn
Lead Jirachi is one of the most common leads right now, and for good reasons. This lead is, in my opinion, the overall best and most effective. Stealth Rock is almost a nessessity in today's metagame, it affects the outcome very strongly against most teams due to pokemon like Zapdos, Salamence, Latias, and Gyarados switching in as well as punishes anyone that tries to set up via Focus Sash. Iron Head is a primary attack that can potentially kill a lot of pokemon do to 60% flinch and decent typing overall. Trick is another amazing move to put on a lead because it can criple a lead pokemon that can be troublesome for the rest of the team (Hippowden, Swampert and Gliscor are mainly the only leads I'll trick) as well as can criple a wall or slow sweeper late game. Finally, U-Turn is probaby one of the most effective moves ever on lead Jirachi (with Scarf Flygon on same team). U-Turn allows Jirachi to scout out counters as well as severely damage a lot of pokemon + switch to counter. Along with that U-Turn works amazing with Flygon because they can "U-Turn tag" between each other to rack up fast damage.
Jirachi vs top 10 leads:
This is the most common lead at the moment. Against this lead, Metagross will either A) Stealth Rock or B) Earthquake. To counter this lead out, I use U-Turn with Jirachi (incase they randomly switch) and then go to Zapdos. This not only effectively puts pressure on the opponent but also lets me see if the Metagross has leftovers (usually Metagross lead has Scarf of Lum Berry).
-
Azelf is yet another lead that picked up in popularity...and is easily beaten. Jirachi's Iron Head does ~54% to it and will flinch it more than it won't. Usually they allow their Azelf to just die meaning I get a free kill or, at worst, a kill for the price of them setting up rocks.
-
Swampert poses quite a problem to my team (if it is the Curse set, or has Roar) so I simply use Trick immediately against it to prevent it from becoming a problem later. Most of the time they Earthquake or Stealth Rock. In either situation, I use U-Turn on the switch or to go to an immunity to Earthquake if that's their locked move.
This lead is by far the easiest to make a move. Just Stealth Rock. However, lately Jirachi leads are non-scarf and use Stealth Rock as a "cover" to make them look Scarfed. They then Thunder Wave your switch rather than switch themselves. Luckily, I have Flygon that I switch to; Jirachi has no common move that can do any serious damage to Flygon, making it the perfect recipient after Stealth Rock'ing. Flygon then uses U-Turn on the Jirachi that stayed in or U-Turn's against the pokemon they brought in if it is unfavorable to me.
Iron Head brings it to 1% (thanks to Sash) and will flinch more than it won't. Very easy lead to handle.
Jirachi uses U-Turn and goes to Gyarados. This effectivly breaks the Focus Sash that most lead Infernape carry and forces them to switch.
Hippowden, like Swampert, can be very hard for the team to take down if it carries Roar. To prevent it from causing trouble later I use Trick to cripple it early on so that it won't cause problems later. Then U-Turn to appropriate pokemon.
This is by far the most annoying lead...ever. Jirachi uses U-Turn to break the Substitute (usually after a Protect the 1st time, but not always) and then switches to Scizor to Bullet Punch to kill. The main problem though is Bullet Punch won't always kill it...but more times than not it does.
Due to having Boah on the team I just have Jirachi use U-Turn and then switch to Boah to force Bronzong to either switch or Explode. Exploding will only kill my Tyranitar's Substitute while switchng will allow Boah to do at least a little damage to the incomming pokemon.
Much like the Azelf and Aerodactyl leads, Jirachi can easily 2HKO this with Iron Head while getting the flinch on the 1st one most of the time.
Flygon @ Choice Scarf
Jolly :: Levitate
4 Hit Points / 252 Attack / 252 Speed
-Earthquake
-Outrage
-U-turn
-Thunderpunch
This is by far the most common recipient to Jirachi's U-Turn. Choice Scarf Flygon is extremely effective in cleaning up damaged pokemon. Earthquake and Outrage give off it's immense STAB while Thunderpunch and U-Turn make up less effective damaging attacks but offer more strategic ways to handle things. Origionally, Thunderpunch was Stone Edge/Dragon Claw; however, due to my Gyarados problem after Zapdos is dead, Thunderpunch was put in place of them to help give me a way to KO Gyarados. U-Turn is the most commonly used attack on the set. U-Turn is used so frequently because 99% of the time the opponent doesn't keep the pokemon in and so, doing that obvious attack results in being put in a tight poisition. Using U-Turn allows me to easily counte the opponents switch and then switch to an appropriate pokemon to put more pressure on them.
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Quiet :: Sand Stream
252 Hit Points / 48 Attack / 32 Speed / 176 Special Attack
-Dark Pulse
-Flamethrower
-Focus Punch
-Substitute
Boah is one of the biggest parts of the team. It wall breaks through a lot of threats that would other wise be difficult to take down. The biggest things Boah takes down are Scizor (non CB) that get switched in as I sub, Heatran (Earth Power hits, I sub, they Earth Power again as I Focus Punch) and most importantly, Rotom-whatever form. Rotom forms commonly Will-o-Wisp Tyranitar as it Dark Pulse's for 70-80% damage. Overall Boah is an amazing pokemon when used right and helps take down a lot of threats to the team.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Bold :: Pressure
248 Hit Points / 228 Defense / 32 Special Attack
-Heat Wave
-Thunderbolt
-Thunder Wave
-Roost
Zapdos is one of the newest additions to the team and has proven to make the team even more consistent. Zapdos, in the place of Porygon 2, assist Gyarados with being the bulk of the team to help contain threats like Gyarados, Scizor, Lucario, and Metagross. Although it can't handle Dragons like Salamence as well as Porygon 2 could, it gives much more security against steel types that are much more common. A lot of people would be skeptical to play Thunder Wave and Thunderbolt instead of Hidden Power Ice/Grass and Thunderbolt. Well, paralasis is a big part of the team. Paralasis makes Jirachi a sweeper, Boah and deadly beast, and gives Scizor/Gyarados an easier time to set up to sweep. Thunderbolt and Heat Wave are staples on Zapdos as is Roost to finish up the set.
Scizor @ Leftovers
Adamant :: Technician
216 Hit Points / 108 Attack / 8 Speed / 176 Special Defense
-Brick Break
-Bullet Punch
-Roost
-Swords Dance
This is by far the best non-CB Scizor set I've ever used. It's effectiveness comes from it's bulkyness + Roost. People don't see Roost coming...ever. They allow me to Sword Dance once or twice, thinking they can just hit it one more time to kill and then I Roost, making all the SD's pure advanatage. Aside from that Roost gives Scizor a much longer life span and allows Scizor to become a bulky tank that has swept many teams.
Gyarados @ Leftovers
Impish :: Intimidate
248 Hit Points / 224 Defense / 36 Special Defense
-Dragon Dance
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Waterfall
RestTalk Gyarados catches a lot of people off guard. Due to it's bulkyness, intimidate, and recover-like move, Gyarados is a physical wall that can sweep a lot of pokemon after just 1 or 2 Dragon Dances. The main purpose Gyarados has is to help stop Machamp, Infernape, Heatran, Scizor, and Lucario as well as be a status absorber.
