(UU Froslass Suspect Test)- Goodbye Froslass?

Hello Froslass-haters! Welcome to my 5th RMT, designed specifically for the Froslass Suspect Ladder in UU. In general, when teambuilding for suspect ladders, I utilize Pokemon that fare better in the tier without the Pokemon that is being suspected (or utilize Pokemon that work well with or counter a Pokemon that is being considered for an unbanning). As usual, I use a mixture of unconventional and typical sets, as well as a surprisingly effective "oddball." Obviously this team would fare much worse if Froslass remains in the tier, but this demonstrates how teambuilding may be transformed in UU if Froslass goes to BL.

Note about EVs: The purely special attackers use 0 Atk IVs to keep confusion and Foul Play damage to a minimum. The purely physical attackers use 0 SpA IVs to minimize the benefit that opponents get if they use Power Split.

Teambuilding



I started with a lead that would benefit from Froslass's absence. Lead Registeel usually get Taunted by lead Froslass on turn 1, so Registeel is a good setter of Stealth Rock, and has much better bulk than Froslass.



I made Registeel my physical wall and needed a special wall to complement it and form my defensive core. I looked at Raikou's 90/105 special defenses and chose to capitalize on those to create my special wall, shocking unexpected switch-ins, as well as giving me a defensive pivot.



The immediate flaw in my defensive core was the double Ground weakness. Rhyperior and Swampert were both common threats that could destroy my defensive core since Raikou doesn't have HP Grass. To compensate for this, I chose the oddball Torterra, plucking it from NU to come to my aid in this UU team. Not only could it maim Rhyperior and Swampert with Wood Hammer, but it could be my lead. Opponents expect lead Torterra to begin with Stealth Rock, and then they get hit with a very strong STAB move.



I needed a way to get around Chandelure. With Chandelure and Victini running around everywhere, having 2/3 Pokemon weak to Fire is concerning. Houndoom fit the bill well, because Torterra/Registeel can be used as Fire lures, and Houndoom can trap Chandelure and any Victini locked into one of its STAB moves. Chandelure, check.



I was two-thirds of the way to completing a FWG core. Since Houndoom gets worn down quickly with a weakness to Stealth Rock, I chose Blastoise to complete the core, giving me the very important Rapid Spin and Dragon Tail.



Lastly, I needed a revenge-killer. Azelf was chosen to outspeed Scarfed Fighting-types, particularly Scarf Mienshao, and nail them with Psychic. I also got a nice VoltTurn core as a result. Azelf also has very good synergy with Houndoom.

The Team Itself


Registeel @ Leftovers
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 Spe
Nature: Impish
IVs: 0 SpA
-Stealth Rock
-Thunder Wave
-Iron Head
-Rest

Registeel is my lead and physical wall, with excellent physical defense and a typing that allows Registeel to switch into many attacks. It also provides the only hazard on the team, Stealth Rock, important to wear down common Pokemon such as Victini. It also helps capitalize on the power of the fast VoltTurn core I have on my team. Thunder Wave makes up for the lack of many speedy Pokemon on this team, and Iron Head is chosen as the STAB in order to create paraflinch. Lastly, Rest is used for recovery, and Registeel can switch in again and tank physical attacks while asleep. If only I had a cleric...

The EVs maximize physical bulk and the 4 Speed EVs allow Registeel to speed creep opposing Registeel.

Possible Replacements: Registeel-->Aggron


Raikou @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/4 SpA/252 SpD
Nature: Calm
IVs: 0 Atk
-Volt Switch
-Toxic
-Calm Mind
-Hidden Power Ice (used to be Snarl)

Raikou is my special wall, completely different from the typical offensive nature of Raikou. Volt Switch is the STAB and lets Raikou escape Pokemon such as Snorlax. Toxic breaks down opposing walls, and Ground-types on the switch-in. Calm Mind boosts Raikou's Special Defense, and Hidden Power Ice hits Ground-types very hard, namely Gligar and Flygon. HP Grass isn't needed as badly as Torterra manhandles Swampert and Rhyperior.

Raikou-->Specially Defense Umbreon


Torterra (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Overgrow
EVs: 240 HP/252 Atk/16 SpD
Nature: Adamant
IVs: 0 SpA
-Wood Hammer
-Earthquake
-Synthesis
-Stone Edge

Torterra is often my lead to bluff the standard Stealth Rock set against Swampert and Rhyperior. Wood Hammer and Earthquake are Torterra's best STABs and let it hit like a truck. With no other recovery and lots of recoil, Synthesis is a must to ensure Torterra doesn't get worn down too quickly. Finally, Stone Edge hits Pokemon such as Abomasnow and Air Balloon Chandelure/Victini on a switch-in. The EVs max out Torterra's firepower and give it a Life Orb number.


Houndoom (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk/4 SpA/252 Spe (used to be 4 Atk/252 SpA/252 Spe)
Nature: Hasty
-Sucker Punch
-Pursuit
-Fire Blast
-Crunch (used to be Hidden Power Grass)

Houndoom is my wallbreaker and Chandelure check (I don't see HP Fighting very much). Houndoom can switch in on Fire Blast or Shadow Ball and trap Chandelure with Sucker Punch + Pursuit. Fire Blast is Houndoom's powerful STAB for ripping holes in opposing teams, and Crunch is the secondary STAB, and my most reliable move.

Possible changes: Different EV spread?


Blastoise (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 SpD
Nature: Careful
IVs: 0 SpA
-Rapid Spin
-Dragon Tail
-Toxic
-Waterfall (used to be Aqua Jet)

Blastoise is my spinner and phaser, two important components to balanced teams. That explains the first two moves. Toxic lets me spread status in case Raikou is down or can't switch in (e.g. Rhyperior). Lastly, Waterfall is the STAB move of choice, because Scald creates conflicting statuses with Toxic. Special Defense is maximized to help Raikou with certain threats such as Chandelure. Blastoise can comfortably combat Ground-types as well, poisoning them and forcing them out with the threat of Water-type moves. The phasing also makes Houndoom's job easier.


Azelf @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk/252 SpA/252 Spe
Nature: Hasty
-Psychic
-U-turn
-Fire Blast
-Thunderbolt (used to be Explosion)

Azelf is my revenge-killer, no bulk and all power. Psychic lets me get hard hits on Fighting-types, particularly Mienshao and Heracross. Azelf easily outspeeds both even if Scarfed. U-turn lets me escape Dark-types and other things that my teammates handle better than Azelf, and gives Houndoom/Torterra a free switch-in. I now have a good Volt-Turn core as well. Fire Blast is used to hurt Steel-types such as Registeel, and Grass-types such as Shaymin. Lastly, Thunderbolt does a good number on bulky waters in case Torterra is down. In particular, Empoleon and +1 Sharpedo are hit hard by it. EVs are used to speed tie with Timid Scarf Raikou (which is very rare anyway), then max out my more commonly used attacking stat.


Wishlist

The biggest problem with this team seems to be that it lacks a cleric. I could use Umbreon, but then my team loses offensive presence, and Umbreon's typing is inferior to Raikou's with Fighting-types everywhere. I also need some help deciding between some moves, as listed above.

Conclusion

Registeel and Torterra both falter under Froslass's presence, so this team would start falling apart on the standard ladder, and too much weight would be put on Houndoom. I also later realized that 5 of my 6 Pokemon were grounded, and I had no way to absorb Toxic Spikes (so Blastoise would have to get poisoned to spin them). Still, I think this team works well on the UU suspect ladder, and so let's say good bye to Froslass one last time. Thank you for reading RMT #5!

Importable

Go ahead, you can use it...

Registeel @ Leftovers
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SAtk
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder Wave
- Iron Head
- Rest

Raikou @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 SAtk
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Calm Mind
- Toxic
- Hidden Power Ice

Torterra (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Overgrow
EVs: 252 Atk / 240 HP / 16 SDef
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SAtk
- Earthquake
- Wood Hammer
- Synthesis
- Stone Edge

Houndoom (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Spd / 4 SAtk / 252 Atk
Hasty Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 SAtk
- Fire Blast
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Crunch

Blastoise (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 Atk
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 SAtk
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic
- Waterfall
- Dragon Tail

Azelf @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 Atk
Hasty Nature
- U-turn
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Fire Blast
 
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Sometimes, it can be amazing what the banning of one Pokemon can do to a metagame. I haven't seen a team quite like this and a long, long time... It's good to see Pokemon like Torterra come into the light. That being said, I'll throw in my two cents to see if I can make this team a little better.

First off, Thunderbolt >>>>>> Explosion. U-Turn is already providing you with all the momentum you need, and keeping your choice scarfer around for late game is verrryyy important in my opinion.

Aqua Jet on Blastoise is basically like spitting at the opposing Pokemon... I would say Waterfall would be better.

Snarl is an interesting option, but due to it's extremely low base power and the fact that you already have Calm Mind, I think there may be a better option. Raikou actually gets Dual Screens, so you could experiment with that, or you could run Roar to stop boosting Pokemon, or you could just run Rest and have a good form of recovery.

That's it from me! Good luck on the suspect ladder!
 
I never considered Thunderbolt on Azelf, but if I don't have to sacrifice it, I'm in. Milotic becomes easier to handle. Blastoise should definitely get Waterfall, especially since Houndoom already gives me excellent priority.

As for Raikou, I still need to decide if I want to switch around all the Hidden Powers, use Reflect to help with a potential Houndoom sweep, maybe use Extrasensory...I don't know. However if I do switch to Umbreon, Snarl will be my attacking move. Thank you for confirming a lot of my considerations!
 
Hey, on Houndoom, you should use Crunch > HP Grass. I had a thread the other day with Houndoom and someone suggested to replace HP Grass. Since you have a grass type, and HP Grass is somewhat weak anyway, Crunch provides a surefire dark-type move that will always hit strong. Pursuit and Sucker Punch are situational. Torterra shouldn't be used much with its special attack--it's really lackluster. I'd use HP Ice on something else like Raikou (if you'd be willing to give up one of its other moves). Torterra should only be used physically in my opinion! Good luck with your team.
 
Crunch seems like a good idea, for reliability. I still want to keep the other two Dark-type moves though. Sucker Punch is the team's only priority, and Pursuit is needed to trap Chandelure and Victini.

I might tinker with Raikou's EVs so it outspeeds Jolly non-Scarf Flygon and use Snarl-->HP Ice.
 
I have a feeling you didn't realize I was considering HP Grass--->HP Rock. Is this at all worthwhile? I see Crunch being very useful, but is HP Rock even worth considering?

What are you specifically hoping to counter by running HP Rock?
 
What are you specifically hoping to counter by running HP Rock?
It was originally intended for Fire-types. Of course, Victini and Chandelure are already thoroughly covered, and Houndoom is too rare to forgo Crunch. I was just wondering if there is anything else noteworthy I am forgetting.
 
Not really. With rocks up, fire-types will already have 1/4 of their HP cut on each switch-in. Most attacks from there will at least 2HKO. The fire-types in this tier aren't the most bulky, so you should be able to KO it without HP Rock. Crunch provides a reliable Dark-type STAB that won't be dependent on the situation. HP Rock doesn't do much to help, although it does sound appealing. There aren't really any other moves Houndoom can utilize. I think it gets Foul Play, but that takes the target's attack into effect, so Crunch is better. HP Grass is okay, but lackluster after Rhyperior/Swampert are down.

Since you have mostly physical moves, I'll tell you what another person told me. Fire Blast is boosted by Life Orb anyways, so move the 252 Special Attack EVs to Attack. Don't worry, Fire Blast still hits hard enough and Crunch/Pursuit/Sucker Punch will love the power boost.
 
I just think that if the opponent can play around Azelf and Registeel's TWave, then Choice Scarf Moxie Heracross' Close Combat would run through this team. I don't really have any suggestion, except for the vague idea of replacing Raikou with defensive Zapdos with Heat Wave or HP Flying.
 
Snarl is now HP Ice on Raikou.

Raikou has not been pulling its weight as a special wall; Blastoise basically became my special wall. I might try Zapdos, something of the breed Discharge/Heat Wave/Toxic/Roost, with lots of defense investments. Thanks for the suggestions!
 
Snarl is now HP Ice on Raikou.

Raikou has not been pulling its weight as a special wall; Blastoise basically became my special wall. I might try Zapdos, something of the breed Discharge/Heat Wave/Toxic/Roost, with lots of defense investments. Thanks for the suggestions!
Zapdos has a lot better general bulk than Raikou does so I do recommend the mentioned set. Upon making Blastoise your special wall, be aware that Blastoise has no recovery and will often fall more quickly than desirable.
 
Would it be better to use Specially Defensive Zapdos over Raikou and a Blastoise with mixed defensive investments and Scald over Waterfall?
 

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