Anti-Charizard-Y

[Elusivepanda]

This is my second RMT, and i have actually had quite a lot of success with this team. One of the greatest assets to this team is the synergy that the pokemon have, how it can adapt to variable play styles and ability to counter prominent threats. As the name suggests, Charizard-Y doesn't get much love from me, in fact i hate it with a passion. This team was made post being swept by one of those asses and it counters sun teams in general quite well. Anyhow, getting onto the team our first member is Politoed;

Posseidon (Politoed) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Perish Song

What? you called that toad Posseidon? yes i did actually. Before you make any assumptions, this isn't really a rain team. Originally it had a rain theme but i cut pieces out (Latios, Azumarril) to make it more adept at handling threats and generally winning. Firstly, Politoed allows you to ruin other's weather teams. He also, coincidently ruins charizard-Y on a switch. Choice specs politoed catches a lot of people off guard, expecting bulky damp rock, and scores a lot of ko's. I mainly just use hydro pump, occasionally ice beam and i think i used focus blast against a tyranitar once. Perish song actually hasn't come into use but i haven't seen reason to change the move set as he really just needs hydro pump.

252+ SpA Choice Specs Politoed Hydro Pump vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Venusaur in Rain: 172-203 (56.9 - 67.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO.

252+ SpA Choice Specs Politoed Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Aegislash-Shield in Rain: 241-285 (74.3 - 87.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

252+ SpA Choice Specs Politoed Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4+ SpD Rotom-W in Rain: 147-174 (48.3 - 57.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

252+ SpA Choice Specs Politoed Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Mega Scizor in Rain: 343-405 (99.7 - 117.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock

252+ SpA Choice Specs Politoed Hydro Pump vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Dragonite in Rain: 172-203 (53 - 62.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

A noteworthy point is Politoed outspeeds aegislash, and takes Dragonite's dragon claw marvellously. Politoed demolishes slower teams late game and works well early game to maintain weather control and smash threats on switches.

Hades (Garchomp) @ Garchompite
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Iron Head

I actually love Mega Garchomp and despite what showdown tells me to do i'm running max hp. Before he got his mega evo he was a premium rock setter but now that he has much more bulk he serves the team beautifully. The additional bulk allows him to tank hits a lot easier and stay around longer. Garchomp has stealth rocks and resists fire, so he serves to piss off Charizard-Y users too. Iron head is for fitting fairies obviously but i'd be very loose to changing it to stone edge.

Zeus (Thundurus-Therian) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Grass Knot
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Two immunities coupled with volt switch. mmmmmmmmm. Thunder hits harder than thunderbolt, has a higher paralyse chance and Zeus generally operates in rain. This is because he is immune to electric, politoed's weakness. hp ice guarantees that gliscor isn't an issue for the match because some reason nobody really expects it. Leftovers is admittably questionable but life orb wrecks his liveability and a choice item ruins him. The biggest issue is hp ice doesn't OHKO standard landorus. I am considering expert belt at this point but haven't really trialled it. At 101 base speed and max investment, this guy outspeeds charizard-Y and can OHKO with thunder.

Hephaestus (Aegislash) @ Leftovers
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- King's Shield
- Iron Head
- Shadow Sneak
- Swords Dance

This set is exceedingly standard. Ice resist is noteworthy and he has priority, which as we all know, helps countering sweepers. Im not going to talk about Aegislash very much because he is so standard but he is name is quite gnarly.

Gaia (Roserade) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 HP / 252 Spd
Modest Nature
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Sludge Bomb
- Sleep Powder
- Giga Drain

Roserade being part of the team was a product of a couple of things. It actually took Azumarril's spot. Azumarril got the boot because he didn't provide much to the team and he never really got a chance to abuse rain because reasoning for swapping into azumarril was limited to dark moves almost exclusively. The second thing that inspired Roserade was Haydunn's Jynx. The Jynx was such a good team member because it stopped threats with its focus sash, and also basically took out a pokemon with lovely kiss. Roserade provides more beneficial typing then jinx does for the team, swapping into rotom easily and taking out pesky fairies. Roserade can swap into pokemon easily because of giga drain's ability to restore back up to the ever important focus sash. Technician hp fire catches a lot of pokemon off guard and also packs a punch. Roserade is a excellent piece to this team as it provides an answer to the absurdly common Rotom-W.

Ares (Haxorus) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Superpower
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
Haxorus's job is to come in late game and sweep. He also operates as a revenge killer earlier in matches. Outrage is viable once bulky steel types have been at least worn down and all the fairies are removed. Fairies don't cause issues for Haxorus because they are usually spent on covering Garchomp. Haxorus is replacing Latios who wasnt hitting nearly hard enough. Haxorus is also assumed slower than most dragons so he does get a few surprise kills on the likes of latios and garchomp. Adamant nature means he is outsped by an adamant charizard-X, which causes issues.

The team doesn't have a single pokemon whose role is to be a wall, rather the team utilises its synergy. The team can adapt well against slower teams through garchomp and politoed. Faster teams are dominated by Haxorus and Aegislash. This team is very offensive and is shut down so easily by stall it isn't funny. I've considered swords dance on Garchomp and nasty plot on thunderus but ultimately haven't changed anything yet. Suggestions are welcome as i know this team has some flaws but overall it has worked really nicely for me

 

[Eddie2013]

The ice weakness on your team
Can be a problem a pokemon like Greninja outspeed everyone on your team barring scarf haxrous but with knock off being common in the meta that can really hurt you. I think a good special wall wish paper and cleric like Chansey or Florges could benefit you

 

[CassiusYT]

After your opponent has SR up, and Haxorus goes down, Greninja puts a big hole in your team if not outright sweeping you. To fix this, I suggest changing Roserade to Chansey. Roserade is the most expendable team member and won't do much vs Greninja if it's Sash has been broken. Some other minor changes would be putting Scald or HP Grass over Perish Song on Politoed, as Perish Song isn't great when you get locked into it. I recommend you change Thundy-T's item to Life Orb.

 

[Elusivepanda]

Thanks guys,
I'm going to trial Chansey over Roserade and change Politoed's moves. Im not so sure about life orb though, because i use his two immunities a bit and the life orb puts a lifeline on him, especially if I'm versing a ground or electric threat. Does life orb have any critical advantages over Expert belt, and important ko's?

 

[CassiusYT]

Thanks guys,
I'm going to trial Chansey over Roserade and change Politoed's moves. Im not so sure about life orb though, because i use his two immunities a bit and the life orb puts a lifeline on him, especially if I'm versing a ground or electric threat. Does life orb have any critical advantages over Expert belt, and important ko's?

Expert Belt could be an option. LO was just a suggestion for a different item. I just think Leftovers on a mono-attacking offensive Pokemon isn't great.

 

[Eddie2013]

Life orb gives you the extra power which in the long runs benefits you as oppose to expert belt that only gives extra power if it's a super effective hit