[Gen 5] The End of the Year

The New Year's is almost upon us! In honor of 2012, the "end of the world", I want to post my latest team. Since I'm on Winter Break (like the majority of you guys), I've had plenty of testing time and want to get it out there. This team is my new baby, and has done me well.

Team Building Process


I wanted to use Specs Latios. He's easily one of, if not the biggest threats in the current meta. He's got everything - speed, strength, and the power to trick special walls. At the same time, I hope he does and doesn't get banned soon. he's got plenty of checks and counters, but this mofo is literally the embodiment of pure strength.



I had 2 choices of support users. My funky brain have me 2 options. NP 3 Att Celebi, and Bulk Up Breloom. Both have worked really well, but since Celebi and Latios are both ttar bait, I decided on Breloom. I had never used this Breloom (not to mention he breaks stall well) I chose him for my 'surprise value' effect.


Right now I'm weak to attacks in general and Volcarona. Like always, I need rocks as an entry hazard. Enter Heatran, he does all of the above and more!


Now I needed a second tank, one that is really good in the current meta, and a total asset to my team. I put in Rotom for all of those reasons.


Now for the big kahuna himself. Everyone knows of the biggest threat in the current meta. Its Dragonite, Bitch!
HTML:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qe9O90cD80

Alright, so now that everyone knows that, I put in Scarf Rachi, an old Gen 4, but still effective set to check all those dangerous dragons that are around this gen.

At this point I had no idea what to do. I had glue, my team could take beatings. I seriously had no idea! So all I did was just take the most dangerous threat in the metagame and put him in. I didn't know it initially, but nite has good synergy with the rest of my team. However, he's not exactly the guy that fit in my playstyle, so I changed him up a bit.


The End of the Year
changes in RED

Krakatoa (Heatran) (M) @ Leftovers Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 232 SDef / 24 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Flamethrower
- Protect
- Roar
Generally my lead. As OU's only bulky fire type, tran is usually a staple on many teams. His bulk is amazing, and he can takes hits if I decided to stay in on water types and set up rocks. Its important that I keep this guy alive. He forces out other steels and provides me many chances to double switch around. I decided on Flamethrower instead of Lava Plume for several reasons. I've learned that many other teams that lead off with their steel type tend to stay in. Lava Plume does not KO Ferro, but Flamethrower does. Also, the 30% burn chance conflicts with Breloom's ever so nasty Spore. Protect scouts against choiced users and lets my react accordingly. Roar is strange with only one hazard, but let me tell you, Roar has saved my ass so many times. 100% of DD nites always set up a DD on SpD tran. Roar allows me to strip them of their HP and lower their lifespan. All in all, a staple in my team. He does work, and is going to stick around competitive Pokemon for a long time..
Other Options: I've always used Toxic over Protect in the past. If you want to be able to fit that in, be my guess.


pǝʇɹǝʌuı (Breloom) (M) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 236 HP / 188 SDef / 84 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Spore
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Seed Bomb
First off let me say, I never outspeed other Heatrans. If someone could explain why, please do. Moving on, Breloom is a great poke. He's like a Renaissance man, he does fucking everything! He not only walls Rotom-W, he makes grass types except Celebi his bitch. He has bulk, power, and a game changing move in the form of Spore. With the new sleep mechanics, he is guaranteed to put one poke out of business and set up to rage havoc. Poison Heal is also amazing. When used in conjunction with Drain Punch, I recover a lot of health, and can tank weak special attacks. In fact, Breloom can tank of Landorus' HP Ice, weak HP Fires from other pokes and recover his HP! Breloom continues to surprise me. He's great in this metagame.
Other Options: I'm happy with Breloom's performance. All I want is for him to outspeed SpD tran.


Tenacity (Jirachi) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Iron Head
- Ice Punch
- FirePunch
- Trick
The 4th Gen relic returns with a bang. With his trollish ability, and trollish attack, rachi has found a place on my team as the revenge killer. Many a time has rachi KO'd those pesky DD nites and vanquished them to the fiery abyss. With 1 rock switch in, Ice Punch is an easy KO on nite. Heatran's Roar has allowed me to get nite usually at 50% or 75% when rachi comes in. Either way, scarf Ice Punch OHKOs the dragon. I don't use U-turn because scarf rachi's surprise value is a bit too much. Everyone seems to expect the standard SpD set, and that's great for them. A dead nite is always good in my book.
Other Options: I can't decided between ThunderPunch and FirePunch. TPunch helps Rotom against those annoying Rain Abuse SubDD Gyaras. Fire Punch owns steels. However, I never switch rachi into steels because that gives away Fire Punch, which could potentially give away my item.


The Machina (Latios) (M) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Dragon Pulse
- Surf
- Trick
I hoe there are some TF2 players out there reading this. For all of you that don't know, the Machina is a very OP Sniper Rifle. Like this gun, Latios is also very OP and leaves a trail of destruction behind him when he takes to the field. The moveset might need some clarification. Draco Meteor is Latios' way of skipping a 25 kill streak and nuking whatever comes in on him. Dragon Pulse is the primary sweeping attack. I've been able to 2HKO anything that doesn't resist this awesome attack. Surf is there for the extremely obvious Hetran switch in. If I predict wrong, I still have Rotom-W to back me up. Thanks to Breloom, Latios has no problems firing off Draco Meteor after meteor. Pokes like Ferro and Chansey are complete set up bait! However, if Breloom isn't around or something, I can always trick those walls my specs. Latios, the OU monster, I hope stays in OU. Though I wouldn't argue if he had to leave to ubers.
Other Options: Yes, I know he is walled by Ferrothorn, I have Breloom and Heatran to take care of Latios' weakenss'. The only option now is just making the pictures smaller which isn't working.

Wishy Washy (Rotom-W) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 112 HP / 252 SAtk / 144 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
This is probably the most standard of sets you can get. Personally, I'd rather run HP Grass to catch those tricky Gastro's off guard or HP Ice to get those greedy nites. Either way, Rotom is my premier bulky water. With my extra Spe EVs, Thundbolt 2HKOs other Rotom's (though I bet other guys want speed ties). Pain Split is around in case those pesky Scarf Rotom's Volt Switch out to something, and allows me to regain lost HP.
Other Options: HP Grass and HP Ice over wisp to 2HKO Gastro or OHKO nite after rocks respectively.


KillThemAll (Dragonite) (M) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Outrage
- Dragon Dance
- Fire Punch
- Roost
Honsetly, Dragonite. You're so powerful. I don't like nite that much, but he accidently works well in my team. He tears up anything and lets Latios sweep a bit better. My set for nite may look weird, but it works in my playstyle. I always forget about rocks. Since I have no spinner, I just roost away. However, I try not to reveal it because most it'll tip off my opponent that I don't have eq. As for the Lum Berry, it works like magic. It lets nite kill even more things and attack twice as much. Personally, not my favorite poke, but easily one of the best in the current metagame.
Other Options: Meh, this guy fits my playstyle, I'm ok with him. I don't really mind heatran that much, Rotom takes care of him.
Weakness
Mixed In for rape (Mixed Infernape)

Any set with HP Ice and U-turn are very tricky against my team. Latios is my only check, but he can't take repeated beatings. Luckily, this guy is very rare, but still a threat.

Sorry guys, I couldn't find much else

My personal thoughts
Err, this is just my personal thought. Generally, when I make teams, the star doesn't shine as much as I think he should. Latios is checked way too much (well he should be), but I never get much time to use him because my opponent keeps their fatass pink walls in reserve or keep Scizor around. Since nite and Breloom have had equal amounts of sweeps as Latios, I don't mind if I'm recommended to switch Latios. Moving on, I'm not a big fan of nite. I agree, he's a powerful mofo, but I usually use him extremely well or extremely wrong. I know both my dragons have good synergy with the team, but other thoughts are welcome.

Thanks guys! I hope you have a Happy New Year! Enjoy 2012! I know I will!

Importable:
HTML:
Krakatoa (Heatran) (M) @ Leftovers Trait: Flash Fire
 EVs: 252 HP / 232 SDef / 24 Spd
 Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
 - Stealth Rock
 - Flamethrower
 - Protect
 - Roar
  pǝʇɹǝʌuı (Breloom) (M) @ Toxic Orb
 Trait: Poison Heal
 EVs: 236 HP / 188 SDef / 84 Spd
 Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
 - Spore
 - Bulk Up
 - Drain Punch
 - Seed Bomb
  Tenacity (Jirachi) @ Choice Scarf
 Trait: Serene Grace
 EVs: 4 HP / 24 Atk / 252 Spd
 Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
 - Iron Head
 - Ice Punch
 - ThunderPunch
 - Trick
  The Machina (Latios) (M) @ Choice Specs
 Trait: Levitate
 EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
 Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
 - Draco Meteor
 - Dragon Pulse
 - Surf
 - Trick
  Wishy Washy (Rotom-W) @ Leftovers
 Trait: Levitate
 EVs: 112 HP / 252 SAtk / 144 Spd
 Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
 - Thunderbolt
 - Hydro Pump
 - Will-O-Wisp
 - Pain Split
  KillThemAll (Dragonite) (M) @ Lum Berry
 Trait: Multiscale
 EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
 Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
 - Outrage
 - Dragon Dance
 - Fire Punch
 - Roost

Log:http://pokemon.aesoft.org/replay-DNSS-vs-Fmp786--2011-12-27-1
Want to see my team in action? Try this log! I'm on the opposite side as DNSS.


 

Aerrow

hunter
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Top Team Rater Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
Hey,

This seems like an awesome team you have here. To be honest, it seems as though you have the majority of threats you may encounter covered; except Infernape (as you mentioned) which may be annoying to deal with from time to time. To help alleviate this problem and further strengthen your team's core, I suggest replacing Dragonite (which you dislike playing with anyways) with a bulky Dragon Dance Gyarados.


Gyarados @ Leftovers
Adamant | Intimidate
156 HP / 72 Atk / 96 Def / 184 Spe
- Dragon Dance
- Taunt
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge / Bounce

Gyarados, just like in Gen 4, remains to be one of the most solid counters to Infernape you can get; the strategy revolving around it is also similar to DD Dragonite, so this isn't a major change to the overall play-syle of the team. However, in my opinion, Gyarados is better for the team for a few additional reasons as well as being able to halt Infernape: it helps pave the way for Latios and Breloom to sweep as it shuts down specially defensive behemoths such as Ferrothorn (through Taunt), and rendering them nothing more than set up bait, while also removing pesky Fire-types. Additionally, right now many teams are unprepared for Gyarados; usually, their only real check to it is Rotom-W which your team removes quite easily - this is an additional perk of using Gyarados.


Latios @ Expert Belt
Timid | Levitate
4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Draco Meteor / Dragon Pulse
- Surf
- Hidden Power Fire
- Recover / Psyshock

As you now have Gyarados softening up an core and shutting down (and removing) bulky Steel-types, you may want to switch out your Choice Specs Latios for another variant as the power from Choice Specs and the use of Trick isn't really needed anymore - maybe something more versatile, in terms of attacks. I suggest trying out Expert Belt Latios - using this set will make it easier for Latios to clean up, while possibly even netting you a surprise kill during a battle. Lastly, I recommend switching out ThunderPunch on Jirachi for Fire Punch - Fire Punch hits a lot more of Jirachi's common checks such as Ferrothorn and Scizor (who may try to sponge repeated Iron Heads). The only thing ThunderPunch actually hits is Gyarados (Skarmory is also taken care of by the aforementioned Fire Punch), which is covered by your Rotom-W just fine (Rotom-W won't usually need Jirachi's assistance in bringing down Gyarados).

Changes in Short:

  • Bulky DD Gyarados over DD Dragonite
  • Expert Belt Latios over Choice Specs Latios
  • Fire Punch over ThunderPunch on Jirachi
 

Snorlaxe

2 kawaii 4 u
is a Top Contributor Alumnus
cool team, and if you choose to implement aerrow's DDgyara suggestion, you'll have checked pretty much every single major threat in the meta! i do think your team could seriously benefit from a rapid spinner though. dragonite (or gyarados if you take aerrow's advice) is gonna be robbed of 25% of its health on the switchin due to rocks, and spikes will affect half your team, which is kinda annoying cause you'll be switching a ton. i'd say the best rapid spinner for your team is starmie due to its offensive nature. maybe use it over rotom? this way you can still utilize a fire-water-grass core, as well as retaining a way to smash skarmory and other annoying physical walls. try a set of rapid spin / hydro pump / ice beam / thunderbolt, an ev spread of 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe, and a timid nature with the ability natural cure and the item leftovers.

so for smaller changes...firstly, i definitely support aerrow's suggestion of fire punch over thunderpunch on rachi so you can revenge kill shit like SD scizor and lucario, which could be valuable for this team. oh, and something seems to be wrong with your jirachi's evs. i assume you meant to type 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe? oh, and i also agree fully with aerrow's suggestion to change up your latios set. latios provides your team with several key resistances, so it would be a real shame to lose him to an opposing scizor's pursuit (an extremely common scenario). however, if you find yourself missing out on some power by using expert belt, life orb is a great alternative. using LO is pretty much the same thing anyway, especially because you should be using recover on latios.

replace rotom-w with a rapid spin starmie
on jirachi, use fire punch over thunderpunch (originally suggested by aerrow)
on latios, use an expert belt or life orb set (originally suggested by aerrow)


lol, over half my rate ended up being just supporting aerrow's changes. oh well, at least you can consider my starmie suggestion haha. anyway, good luck with your team and hope i helped!
 
oh, and something seems to be wrong with your jirachi's evs. i assume you meant to type 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe?
Oh my God, no wonder rachi's Iron Head was doing so little! Thanks for catching that! I've read the rates, and will talk about them later, its almost 12 PM here. Again Happy New Year everyone! These rates are awesome!
 
BUMP

Wow, you really know this stuff. Currently, nite and I are having on and off days. I've tried gyara and he works great! The only problem is that I'm way to aggressive with him (ie Intimidate spam when rocks are up). Currently, I'm not too fond of Expert Belt Latios. He was my main way of killing any Conkeldurr (read: Draco Nuke to the face) and cannot KO with Psyshock. Still he's great at owning Scizor!

Thanks! Aerrow was spot on with his Gyara idea. Sorry, but I haven't tried Starmie. I had a reason earlier when I originally read this, but I forgot it lol. I'll try to remind myself of what it was.

You guys both were helpful with FirePunch on rachi. Its like magic!
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top