The Dark Horse
Hi
Skip this crap if you are lazy, I don’t blame you. Bored taking notes in school; started writing up some new ideas for a team. I’m not getting into gen 5 and I’ve still got some ideas for gen 4 teams, so why not just post and improve them...screw what I said before. I wanted to make a team that could easily counter top metagame threats while at the same time threatening to sweep common defenses teams have. (Which isn’t so tough to prepare for with the stall clones and common scarfers) Teams been my favorite yet, got to top 10 on PO, ect whatever
Some Teambuilding
I played the game and found what’s common: Heatran, Starmie, Offensive Suicune, Shaymin, Gengar, Scarf Flygon, Gyarados, Rotom-A, Zapdos, Jolteon, Infernape, Tyranitar, ect. Now I need somewhat unexpected, threatening pokemon that can turn the tables on these bastards. DDtar is excellent because it beats nearly all of these once set up. Luring Flygon in is a plus. Kingdra would seem to work really well, DDtar can take an EQ and lure in Flygon, and Kingdra can set up on Starmie, Heatran, and Suicune. However this combo still has issues if they can’t boost in time. Found out about specially defensive SD Scizor. It rips most teams to pieces except Heatran. Heatran... Heatran wants to explode on my Kingdra? Fine, but it won’t stop Scizor. Zapdos or Heatran walling my Scizor? Ttar baby. Gengar or Shaymin threatenting my Tyranitar? Scizor will eat them alive. From there the team played well but had some weaknesses to Skarmory and strong fighting types. I tried out some different sets for Ttar and changed Kingdra to Gyarados, made some tweaks, and the team was good to go.
The Team
Starmie @ Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Rapid Spin
Starmie has been a staple lead on my teams since my last RMT, and for a good reason. It just wrecks most of the leads out there, and the few that it loses to are easily put in place via Metagross, its partner in crime. Heatran and Infernape are very very common now, and Starmie can just pump or beam for massive damage. I lead with Starmie over Metagross for several reasons; I can run a less lead oriented set on Meta, I can hit switch ins for alot of damage with some “guessing” that can weaken teams, and I can get stealth rock up and lure in Heatran as you will see soon enough. The only stuff I have to watch out for are random U-turn leads: Metagross is a safe switch for Jirachi and Azelf has to win the speed tie. CBzelf specialized to beat Starmie are a pain, but if I can get SR up quickly they will faint when they switch back in. Starmie also shines mid and late game, where it can check Infernape, Gengar, Breloom, ect, spin away hard earned spikes while weakening Rotom-A, and just sweep the remnants of teams. Starmie is a beast. Moving on.
Metagross @ Occa Berry
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Hp / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Stealth Rock
- Zen Headbutt
- Earthquake
- Explosion
I usually prefer to run a Heatran here, but due to being ttar and fighting weak I’m running Meta. This set is a little different, a little custom. Scizor wants Infernape and Heatran bye bye lategame. Running occa berry helps lure them in so easily, and with the EVs and EQ I can do just that. Resist berries are quite broken imo. The problem without lum is Machamp, and while you will likely think zen headbutt is a gimmick, it works really well for coverage. Scarf Rotom-w is actually beaten 1v1 or at least weakened badly, I can just switch in a OHKO Machamp most of the time, and I can 2HKO Gyara without the obvious explosion which people tend to predict against. Explosion is hopefully reserved for the foe’s bulky water or just as a last resort. If I don’t explode right away Metagross can counter Ttar and serve as a pivot when I don’t know what to do as not much can OHKO or set up on it. As I said, I don’t like running support pokemon like Metagross if they can’t pull their weight and then some, but this Meta is really heavy hohoho.
Rotom-w @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 52 Hp / 240 SpA / 216 Spe
Timid Nature (+ Spe, -SpA)
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Ice
- Trick
I can’t really build a bulky offense team without a scarfer in the wings to stop common set up sweepers. Normally Rotom-A isn’t my first choice because of the PURSUIT ME but I needed a ghost and I can sometimes bluff a non scarf by using wow off the bat. Plus Rotom has a few ways to stop pursuiters from ending him. Hydro pump is needed here to 2hko Ttar and Flygon so I can just spam it to hit them if they expect a t-bolt. T-bolt is fairly obvious as it beats Gyarados and is a STAB, ect, ect. Wow’s for a alot of stuff: LO Agiligross beats non overheat Rotom 1v1 without it, some weird ass specially defensive Scizor beat Rotom with it, full health Dragonite, and last but not least it is a proud thwarter of the GyaraVire combo. I have wowed so many evire users with it. Trick stops set up sweepers and can sometimes bestow a lovely scarf upon Blissey’s voluminous neck. Since I don’t run shadow ball there is little point in maxing speed, and 240 still nets the 2hko on ttar and tran with hydro pump and t-bolt respectively. 52 Hp really helps Rotom’s bulky because of its low base HP. ayup.
Tyranitar @ Expert Belt
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 92 Hp / 162 Atk / 96 SpA / 48 SpD / 112 Spe
Lonely Nature (+ Spe, -Def)
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
- Superpower
- Fire Blast
Ttar does what it wants. Depending on what the foe has, I can basically choose what I want gone. Annoying Skarmory? Pursuit their Rotom and then torch em with a surprise fire blast. Gyarados trying to DD / Roar up? Superpower something and hit them with a stone edge. If I can eliminate the right poke, I can destroy the roots of their team, ie what stops my main sweepers from cleaning. The EV set is customized a bit; it can take a seed flare / hydro pump after SR and hit the Shaymin / Starmie with the respective move. Pursuit is key for picking off Rotom, while superpower nails Blissey in the balls. Stone edge deals nice damage to fliers like Gyara and Zappy. I originally had 166 Atk / 104 Spe with lonely because 240 w/ hasty seemed like a waste, but this beats defensive Rotom and adamant Breloom, which is all the convincing I needed. 96 SpA OHKOs Skarmory with the belt. Stone edge is probably the weakest link here, I might replace it with ice beam or crunch because Gliscor can wall me and start throwing toxic around whilee Flygon can’t OHKO me so I can just beam it back. Ttar is probably one of the most crucial members to my team because of how it can trip up stall and lure in / pursuit certain counters while serving as check to electric types and Heatran. I’ve tried out stuff like mixgon and heatrap too, but I can say that the team literally doesn’t work without this Ttar.
Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 152 Hp / 72 Atk / 78 Def / 24 SpD / 184 Spe
Adamant Nature (+ Atk, -SpA)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Bounce
- Taunt
Taunt Gyarados might seem so common that it won’t work, but it does. It’s a nice check to fighters and it can even sweep if Rotom falls some of the traps I have for it. I started with DDchesto Kingdra but I found myself weak to Breloom on a number of levels and I also found myself being swept by Infernape and Lucario. I didn’t want to lose the Starmie counter, but I was losing more to the other threats, while Starmie can be checked. I use Gyara defensively for the most part because of the scarfers and inability to beat stuff at full health (it can’t always KO luke at full health even at +1) The EV spread has been ticked a bit. I can actually beat leftovers offensive Suicune if they switch in while I dance. They can’t OHKO me after SR with the 24 SpD EVs and I can 2HKO with bounce. 152 is run over 156 because it is a leftovers number, and the point of running 156 is to avoid a 2HKO from LOtran. Since I have 24 in SpD, it can't 2HKO me so I run 152. Not much else to add really, the Gyara works well with the team and kicks ass because of it.
Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 224 HP / 92 Atk / 12 Def / 164 SpD / 16 Spe
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Bug Bite
- Roost
The Dark Horse. This set can turn around and suddenly and unexpectedly set up and beat its own common counters. Rotom lacking a boosting item and fire move (which are kinda rare) are setup on. If I dance as they switch, I beat Gyarados 1v1. Rest talk Gyara fails to 3HKO me leaving it as setup fodder as well, as long as Starmie can keep spikes away. Wish Vappy is a goner. Scizor also is a neat check to Starmie (although just about everyone but Gyara wins 1v1 I have no 100% switch for it) and Shaymin, whose HP fire does not KO without LO. With Heatran and Skarmory lured/exploded/checked/sacrificed Scizor often cleans up half of a team because of how it sets up, takes a hit from something the one thing threatening, KOs back, and then, yea it’s history. Having a third of the other team burned also helps big time. Crits can and have stopped this Scizor at the worst timing, and that just happens. It was the problem with my last team too, crits were bound to happen because of the number of hits I had to take to setup. The only move that needs explaining is bug bite; even with superpower I’m not beating Heatran and bug bite is needed to check Shaymin and Starmie. 224 Hp is Scizor’s highest lefties number. 2+ 92 Atk OHKOs Tyranitar, 2HKOs Gliscor, 2HKOs Lucario, and more but I forget. 6+ 92 Atk even OHKOs Infernape and yes that has happened before. (Yea I’ll just let him set up because I have Infernape as backup) 12 Def is for Gyara, 16 Spe beats most Scizor and Vaporeon but I still run more taken from the SpD. Not telling though due to speed creep. I mean really, what pokemon can thrive when its number 1 counter is number 1?
Bye
Feel free to point anything out. It’s like writing an essay or something, another pair of eyes is needed to catch any mistakes. The team does much better against stall due to everyone on my team being a threat to stall in someway except Meta. I also think I am well defended against offensive teams, as long as I can keep Rotom alive if they have an Agiligross. Though I do have to sack something to take out Starmie or Jolteon most of the time. Oh Dragonite can be problematic sometimes if I don’t get SR up. I'll look over the changes on tuesday, probably won't be able to test them until wednesday though.
Rate away - Eggbert.
Main Changes / Test runs:
-Hp Ice > WoW: Running Hp Ice. (Beats Dragonite, Flygon 1v1, 3HKOs Shaymin)
-Several options for Ttar's moveset: Running slower variant (Gets more KOs such as Blissey, Gyarados, non-switching Starmie)
-CBnite / Filler over Gyarados: CBnite > Gyara. (Extremespeed is just too useful for pesky sweepers, Outrage rips apart almost anything)
