THE GRUDGE
Intro: I've always had a thing for Salamence. Since I liked the particular pokemon so much, I saw it only fitting to make a team centralized around the goal of a Salamence sweep.
For those wondering, I chose the title of the thread from one of my favorite Tool songs titled "The Grudge". It is very fitting as many competitive battlers hold a great grudge with Salamence due to its effectiveness and sheer power.
At this time, it has some major weaknesses that need to be addressed. That being said I'm asking for the help of all of the RMT-Lurking Smogonites! Without further to do, here is "The Grudge"!
THE GRUDGE V1.0
Intro: I've always had a thing for Salamence. Since I liked the particular pokemon so much, I saw it only fitting to make a team centralized around the goal of a Salamence sweep.
For those wondering, I chose the title of the thread from one of my favorite Tool songs titled "The Grudge". It is very fitting as many competitive battlers hold a great grudge with Salamence due to its effectiveness and sheer power.
At this time, it has some major weaknesses that need to be addressed. That being said I'm asking for the help of all of the RMT-Lurking Smogonites! Without further to do, here is "The Grudge"!
THE GRUDGE V1.0
TEAM BUILDING:
I knew when I started this team off that I wanted it to be focused around setting up and executing a DDMence sweep. For there to be a Salamence sweep, I needed a Salamence! What's not to love about this guy? 135 Base Attack, 110 Base SpAtk, 100 Base Speed makes it a prime candidate to centralize a team around.
Not only do Salamence and Magnezone compliment each others types perfectly, Magnezone serves as my steel killer to get rid of the pesky steel types that always seem to love to switch into my Salamence's +1 Outrages, effectively screwing over my sweep. It can switch into the more threatening Steel-types (such as Scizor, Skarmory, Jirachi, and Bronzong), trap them, and effectively kill them, making my goal of a Salamence sweep that much more obtainable and realistic.
"Carrying a pokemon to lure out Steel-types beforehand is a must, or else Salamence will be too weak to pull off a sweep if it switches in too many times into Stealth Rock." - Smogon Analysis. For all intents and purposes, Gengar is that dude. He is fast as hell with access to the kinds of moves that would attract steel types. Paired with Magnezone for an effective trap, Salamence is almost guaranteed to get down a few of the opponent's pokemon at the least. Gengar is also great at lowering the opponent's pokemon down enough for Salamence to OHKO the majority of them.
With a good method for trapping steels out of the way as well as a great way to peck at the opponents HP, I needed a lead. Stealth Rocks is a great asset to Salamence, hurting the opponents team when they're forced to make a switch. Looking at my team so far, that will happen a lot. I needed a bulky-water pokemon as well as a lead, so Swampert fit the bill perfectly.
"Although with proper support, Salamence can usually sweep on its own, you may also wish to consider partners capable of sweeping with the holes Salamence makes on the opponent's team." - Smogon Analysis. I found that SD Lucario can set up quite effectively on the usual attacks used to revenge kill Salamence. Lucario is my failsafe. He cleans up Salamence's mess after the sweep, but can be used to get rid of some mess before his sweep as well.
Oh man, do I love this dude. He is definitely one of the most feared pokemon in OU, if not the most feared. He revenge kills like no other, but you know that. Blah blah U-turn early in the game blah blah blah revenge kill blah blah synergy blah blah! Nothing you haven't heard before.
THE SQUAD:
Swampert @ Leftovers
Relaxed Nature
Ability: Torrent
EV: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Roar
Man, what a great lead pokemon for this team due to its high defensive stats, and excellent coverage not only against other leads but when paired up with Salamence as well. He can take Rock, and Ice attacks like a champ. Last but not least he sets up Stealth Rock, making it that much easier for Salamence to destroy the opponent's team.
Salamence @ Life Orb
Jolly Nature
Ability: Intimidate
EV: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 6 HP
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Roost
Oh man. What isn't there to love about this guy. Salamence is arguably the most effective sweeper in OU, and for a very good reason. He hits like a freaking truck. The whole team is centralized about getting him to sweep. He's the heart and soul of the team. Not to mention the brute force as well. Standard DDMence. I have Gengar and Magnezone luring and trapping steels respectively, allowing me to freely use Outrage whenever I damn well feel like it. This bad boy comes in mid-to-late game and just wrecks the joint. +1 Outrage can pretty much devastate a team with steels out of the way. EV spread is pretty standard. Roost for longevity, Jolly nature to outrun shit. It's obvious why so many people have huge grudges against him. The other team should be very afraid :naughty:
Magnezone @ Leftovers
Naive Nature
Ability: Magnet Pull
EV: 40 Atk / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Grass
- Explosion
My steel killer. He switches into the more threatening steel types that are lured. Thunderbolt disposes of them. Explosion as a last hurrah, so to speak. Between him and Salamence, they resist each others weaknesses and make a formidable team. Quoted from Smogon Analysis, "Salamence and other Dragon-types appreciate their STAB attacks being unresisted. Furthermore, the duo of Magnezone and an airborne Dragon-type resists all 17 types, a feat few other duos can boast. Gengar also appreciates a Magnezone on its side, and has immunities to two of Magnezone's weaknesses: Ground and Fighting. In addition, both Salamence and Gengar benefit from Magnezone's ability to eliminate Choice Band Scizor, their most common check." Hidden Power Grass for Swampert and friends who would otherwise rape my face.
Gengar @ Life Orb
Timid Nature
Ability: Levitate
EV: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Substitute
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Fire
Ah, this is a rather uncommon but amazing moveset nonetheless. When used in conjunction with Magnezone, it's guaranteed to do away with steels, Scizor being the main target/threat. Sub allows for general scouting, and the typing of Shadow Ball/Thunderbolt/HP Fire allows for max coverage, allowing Gengar to increase the chance of Salamence's +1 Outrage to OHKO. If Scizor comes in, I protect to scout the move. If he uses Pursuit, next turn I'll kill it with Hidden Power Fire. If he uses Bullet Punch, I switch to Magnezone on the next turn. A great asset to the team.
Lucario @ Life Orb
Adamant Nature
Ability: Inner Focus
EV: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Extremespeed
- Crunch
This guy either creates havoc before or after the Salamence sweep, though I find him more successful in the latter position. 120 Base Power STAB attack, and Extremespeed make Swords Dance Lucario one of the best late-game sweepers in OU. Excellent typing, well-distributed stats, and a versatile movepool only make Lucario even more difficult to face down. He excels at finishing the mess of Salamence. A great addition to the team. Here's some numbers for you.
Scizor @ Choice Band
Adamant Nature
Ability: Technician
EV: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Oh god. This dude is amazing. My revenge killer of choice. Speaking of grudges, my god. He packs a massive 591 attack with Choice Band. U-turn scouts early in, Pursuit for trapping, etc. You guys know Scizor by now. His typing and his role makes him perfect for the team.
COVERAGE CHART:
I knew when I started this team off that I wanted it to be focused around setting up and executing a DDMence sweep. For there to be a Salamence sweep, I needed a Salamence! What's not to love about this guy? 135 Base Attack, 110 Base SpAtk, 100 Base Speed makes it a prime candidate to centralize a team around.
Not only do Salamence and Magnezone compliment each others types perfectly, Magnezone serves as my steel killer to get rid of the pesky steel types that always seem to love to switch into my Salamence's +1 Outrages, effectively screwing over my sweep. It can switch into the more threatening Steel-types (such as Scizor, Skarmory, Jirachi, and Bronzong), trap them, and effectively kill them, making my goal of a Salamence sweep that much more obtainable and realistic.
"Carrying a pokemon to lure out Steel-types beforehand is a must, or else Salamence will be too weak to pull off a sweep if it switches in too many times into Stealth Rock." - Smogon Analysis. For all intents and purposes, Gengar is that dude. He is fast as hell with access to the kinds of moves that would attract steel types. Paired with Magnezone for an effective trap, Salamence is almost guaranteed to get down a few of the opponent's pokemon at the least. Gengar is also great at lowering the opponent's pokemon down enough for Salamence to OHKO the majority of them.
With a good method for trapping steels out of the way as well as a great way to peck at the opponents HP, I needed a lead. Stealth Rocks is a great asset to Salamence, hurting the opponents team when they're forced to make a switch. Looking at my team so far, that will happen a lot. I needed a bulky-water pokemon as well as a lead, so Swampert fit the bill perfectly.
"Although with proper support, Salamence can usually sweep on its own, you may also wish to consider partners capable of sweeping with the holes Salamence makes on the opponent's team." - Smogon Analysis. I found that SD Lucario can set up quite effectively on the usual attacks used to revenge kill Salamence. Lucario is my failsafe. He cleans up Salamence's mess after the sweep, but can be used to get rid of some mess before his sweep as well.
Oh man, do I love this dude. He is definitely one of the most feared pokemon in OU, if not the most feared. He revenge kills like no other, but you know that. Blah blah U-turn early in the game blah blah blah revenge kill blah blah synergy blah blah! Nothing you haven't heard before.
THE SQUAD:
Swampert @ Leftovers
Relaxed Nature
Ability: Torrent
EV: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Roar
Man, what a great lead pokemon for this team due to its high defensive stats, and excellent coverage not only against other leads but when paired up with Salamence as well. He can take Rock, and Ice attacks like a champ. Last but not least he sets up Stealth Rock, making it that much easier for Salamence to destroy the opponent's team.
Salamence @ Life Orb
Jolly Nature
Ability: Intimidate
EV: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 6 HP
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Roost
Oh man. What isn't there to love about this guy. Salamence is arguably the most effective sweeper in OU, and for a very good reason. He hits like a freaking truck. The whole team is centralized about getting him to sweep. He's the heart and soul of the team. Not to mention the brute force as well. Standard DDMence. I have Gengar and Magnezone luring and trapping steels respectively, allowing me to freely use Outrage whenever I damn well feel like it. This bad boy comes in mid-to-late game and just wrecks the joint. +1 Outrage can pretty much devastate a team with steels out of the way. EV spread is pretty standard. Roost for longevity, Jolly nature to outrun shit. It's obvious why so many people have huge grudges against him. The other team should be very afraid :naughty:
Magnezone @ Leftovers
Naive Nature
Ability: Magnet Pull
EV: 40 Atk / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Grass
- Explosion
My steel killer. He switches into the more threatening steel types that are lured. Thunderbolt disposes of them. Explosion as a last hurrah, so to speak. Between him and Salamence, they resist each others weaknesses and make a formidable team. Quoted from Smogon Analysis, "Salamence and other Dragon-types appreciate their STAB attacks being unresisted. Furthermore, the duo of Magnezone and an airborne Dragon-type resists all 17 types, a feat few other duos can boast. Gengar also appreciates a Magnezone on its side, and has immunities to two of Magnezone's weaknesses: Ground and Fighting. In addition, both Salamence and Gengar benefit from Magnezone's ability to eliminate Choice Band Scizor, their most common check." Hidden Power Grass for Swampert and friends who would otherwise rape my face.
Gengar @ Life Orb
Timid Nature
Ability: Levitate
EV: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Substitute
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Fire
Ah, this is a rather uncommon but amazing moveset nonetheless. When used in conjunction with Magnezone, it's guaranteed to do away with steels, Scizor being the main target/threat. Sub allows for general scouting, and the typing of Shadow Ball/Thunderbolt/HP Fire allows for max coverage, allowing Gengar to increase the chance of Salamence's +1 Outrage to OHKO. If Scizor comes in, I protect to scout the move. If he uses Pursuit, next turn I'll kill it with Hidden Power Fire. If he uses Bullet Punch, I switch to Magnezone on the next turn. A great asset to the team.
Lucario @ Life Orb
Adamant Nature
Ability: Inner Focus
EV: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Extremespeed
- Crunch
This guy either creates havoc before or after the Salamence sweep, though I find him more successful in the latter position. 120 Base Power STAB attack, and Extremespeed make Swords Dance Lucario one of the best late-game sweepers in OU. Excellent typing, well-distributed stats, and a versatile movepool only make Lucario even more difficult to face down. He excels at finishing the mess of Salamence. A great addition to the team. Here's some numbers for you.
Code:
[LIST]
[*]Close Combat vs. max HP / Def Skarmory 84.4% - 99.7%
[*]Close Combat vs. max HP / Def Bronzong: 95.2% - 100% (67% chance to OHKO)
[*]Close Combat vs. max HP / Def Hippowdon: 75.7% - 89.3%
[*]Close Combat vs. max HP / Def Forretress: 79.7% - 93.8%
[*]Close Combat vs. max HP / Def Donphan: 82.0% - 96.9%
[*]Crunch vs. max HP / Def Cresselia: 63.5% - 74.8%
[*]Crunch vs. max HP Cresselia: 85.1% - 100% (2.6% chance to OHKO)
[*]Crunch vs. max HP / Def Dusknoir: 88.4% - 100% (21% chance to OHKO)
[*]Crunch vs. max HP / Def Celebi: 78.7% - 93.1%
[*]Crunch vs. max HP / Def Rotom - Appliance: 100%
[/LIST]Scizor @ Choice Band
Adamant Nature
Ability: Technician
EV: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Oh god. This dude is amazing. My revenge killer of choice. Speaking of grudges, my god. He packs a massive 591 attack with Choice Band. U-turn scouts early in, Pursuit for trapping, etc. You guys know Scizor by now. His typing and his role makes him perfect for the team.
COVERAGE CHART:
THE GRUDGE V1.1
Team Building Revisited:
After extensive testing, Lucario only made a gaping weakness to Gyarados and friends with Earthquake even worse. Seeing as Gyarados could otherwise destroy my team, Vaporeon seemed like a logical choice. Wish + Protect are great assets to the team. Salamence's best friend is Vaporeon, who can Wishpass to Salamence, easing the damage from switching in with Stealth Rocks in play.
The Squad:
Swampert @ Leftovers
Relaxed Nature
Ability: Torrent
EV: 252 HP / 4 Spe / 252 Def
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Roar
Man, what a great lead pokemon for this team due to its high defensive stats, and excellent coverage not only against other leads but when paired up with Salamence as well. He can take Rock, and Ice attacks like a champ. Last but not least he sets up Stealth Rock, making it that much easier for Salamence to destroy the opponent's team.
Salamence @ Life Orb
Jolly Nature
Ability: Intimidate
EV: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Roost
Oh man. What isn't there to love about this guy. Salamence is arguably the most effective sweeper in OU, and for a very good reason. He hits like a freaking truck. The whole team is centralized about getting him to sweep. He's the heart and soul of the team. Not to mention the brute force as well. Standard DDMence. I have Gengar and Magnezone luring and trapping steels respectively, allowing me to freely use Outrage whenever I damn well feel like it. This bad boy comes in mid-to-late game and just wrecks the joint. +1 Outrage can pretty much devastate a team with steels out of the way. EV spread is pretty standard. Roost for longevity. It's obvious why so many people have huge grudges against him. The other team should be very afraid :naughty:
Magnezone @ Leftovers
Naive Nature
Ability: Magnet Pull
EV: 40 Atk / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Grass
- Explosion
My steel killer. He switches into the more threatening steel types that are lured. Thunderbolt disposes of them. Explosion as a last hurrah, so to speak. Between him and Salamence, they resist each others weaknesses and make a formidable team. Quoted from Smogon Analysis, "Salamence and other Dragon-types appreciate their STAB attacks being unresisted. Furthermore, the duo of Magnezone and an airborne Dragon-type resists all 17 types, a feat few other duos can boast. Gengar also appreciates a Magnezone on its side, and has immunities to two of Magnezone's weaknesses: Ground and Fighting. In addition, both Salamence and Gengar benefit from Magnezone's ability to eliminate Choice Band Scizor, their most common check." HP Grass so pert doesn't rofl me.
Gengar @ Life Orb
Timid Nature
Ability: Levitate
EV: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Substitute
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power Fire
Ah, this is a rather uncommon but amazing moveset nonetheless. When used in conjunction with Magnezone, it's guaranteed to do away with steels, Scizor being the main target/threat. Sub allows for general scouting, and the typing of Shadow Ball/Thunderbolt/HP Fire allows for max coverage, allowing Gengar to increase the chance of Salamence's +1 Outrage to OHKO. If Scizor comes in, I protect to scout the move. If he uses Pursuit, next turn I'll kill it with Hidden Power Fire. If he uses Bullet Punch, I switch to Magnezone on the next turn. A great asset to the team.
Vaporeon @ Leftovers
Bold Nature
Ability: Water Absorb
EV: 188 HP / 252 Def / 68 SpD
- Wish
- Protect
- Surf
- Hidden Power Electric
Oh man, Without this dude, Gyarados can just tear apart this team. HP Electric will keep Gyara at bay. Wish support is extremely helpful on this team. I needed another wall anyway :P
Scizor @ Choice Band
Adamant Nature
Ability: Technician
EV: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Oh god. This dude is amazing. My revenge killer of choice. Speaking of grudges, my god. He packs a massive 591 attack with Choice Band. U-turn scouts early in, Pursuit for trapping, etc. You guys know Scizor by now. His typing and his role makes him perfect for the team.
After extensive testing, Lucario only made a gaping weakness to Gyarados and friends with Earthquake even worse. Seeing as Gyarados could otherwise destroy my team, Vaporeon seemed like a logical choice. Wish + Protect are great assets to the team. Salamence's best friend is Vaporeon, who can Wishpass to Salamence, easing the damage from switching in with Stealth Rocks in play.
The Squad:
Swampert @ Leftovers
Relaxed Nature
Ability: Torrent
EV: 252 HP / 4 Spe / 252 Def
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Roar
Man, what a great lead pokemon for this team due to its high defensive stats, and excellent coverage not only against other leads but when paired up with Salamence as well. He can take Rock, and Ice attacks like a champ. Last but not least he sets up Stealth Rock, making it that much easier for Salamence to destroy the opponent's team.
Salamence @ Life Orb
Jolly Nature
Ability: Intimidate
EV: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Roost
Oh man. What isn't there to love about this guy. Salamence is arguably the most effective sweeper in OU, and for a very good reason. He hits like a freaking truck. The whole team is centralized about getting him to sweep. He's the heart and soul of the team. Not to mention the brute force as well. Standard DDMence. I have Gengar and Magnezone luring and trapping steels respectively, allowing me to freely use Outrage whenever I damn well feel like it. This bad boy comes in mid-to-late game and just wrecks the joint. +1 Outrage can pretty much devastate a team with steels out of the way. EV spread is pretty standard. Roost for longevity. It's obvious why so many people have huge grudges against him. The other team should be very afraid :naughty:
Magnezone @ Leftovers
Naive Nature
Ability: Magnet Pull
EV: 40 Atk / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Grass
- Explosion
My steel killer. He switches into the more threatening steel types that are lured. Thunderbolt disposes of them. Explosion as a last hurrah, so to speak. Between him and Salamence, they resist each others weaknesses and make a formidable team. Quoted from Smogon Analysis, "Salamence and other Dragon-types appreciate their STAB attacks being unresisted. Furthermore, the duo of Magnezone and an airborne Dragon-type resists all 17 types, a feat few other duos can boast. Gengar also appreciates a Magnezone on its side, and has immunities to two of Magnezone's weaknesses: Ground and Fighting. In addition, both Salamence and Gengar benefit from Magnezone's ability to eliminate Choice Band Scizor, their most common check." HP Grass so pert doesn't rofl me.
Gengar @ Life Orb
Timid Nature
Ability: Levitate
EV: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Substitute
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power Fire
Ah, this is a rather uncommon but amazing moveset nonetheless. When used in conjunction with Magnezone, it's guaranteed to do away with steels, Scizor being the main target/threat. Sub allows for general scouting, and the typing of Shadow Ball/Thunderbolt/HP Fire allows for max coverage, allowing Gengar to increase the chance of Salamence's +1 Outrage to OHKO. If Scizor comes in, I protect to scout the move. If he uses Pursuit, next turn I'll kill it with Hidden Power Fire. If he uses Bullet Punch, I switch to Magnezone on the next turn. A great asset to the team.
Vaporeon @ Leftovers
Bold Nature
Ability: Water Absorb
EV: 188 HP / 252 Def / 68 SpD
- Wish
- Protect
- Surf
- Hidden Power Electric
Oh man, Without this dude, Gyarados can just tear apart this team. HP Electric will keep Gyara at bay. Wish support is extremely helpful on this team. I needed another wall anyway :P
Scizor @ Choice Band
Adamant Nature
Ability: Technician
EV: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Oh god. This dude is amazing. My revenge killer of choice. Speaking of grudges, my god. He packs a massive 591 attack with Choice Band. U-turn scouts early in, Pursuit for trapping, etc. You guys know Scizor by now. His typing and his role makes him perfect for the team.
I'll still help though.
