...but she was born a Dragonfly
So RU's a tier you can play I guess. It took me a while to get acclimated to it, generally using defensive cores like Aromatisse and Escavalier and generally getting rolled by shit like Kyurem until I decided to adapt the double bird strategy from OU and finally had a team that I was actually successful with. And now that Kyurem's gone and I don't have to worry about it using a scarf and demolishing me it's even better.
Team-building Process:
So the team is built around the offensive core of Swellow and Yanmega. I intended it to work like a double bird core but in practice neither of them actually use any flying moves. They still do a great job of dealing with each other's counters.
Next up I need a way to lay down hazards to secure some OHKOs as well as discourage switching around to stall out Swellow's toxic damage. I decided on specially defensive Seismitoad to lay them down as well as deal with shit like Raikou. I also needed a way to remove hazards since they eviscerate Swellow and Yanmega, and I decided on a really interesting Defogger that I fell in love with in BW NU, Skuntank.
To round out the team I went with Dugtrio and Banette in order to assassinate some troublesome pokemon like Rhyperior and Cresselia and clear the way for Swellow or Yanmega to clean up.
The problem with Skuntank as a Defogger was that it couldn't really hurt anything that wanted to set up rocks, like Gligar and Rhyperior, so sending it out just invited them back in. It also gave a free switch to Escavlier which my offensive core has trouble with. So I replaced it with offensive Rapid Spin Hitmonlee in order to keep up offensive pressure, as well as to provide a more reliable priority move in Mach Punch. Cobalion came in to replace Banette in order to provide a more reliable way of shutting down hazard leads in the first place with Taunt, as well as to serve as a set-up sweeper.
Finally, I decided to replace Seismitoad with Alomomola to give me a more consistent switch-in to Escavalier, as well as random choice scarfers like Braviary. This left me in need of a hazard setter, so I went with Druddigon in order to still provide a solid switch in to Volt Switches from shit like Raikou and Eelektross. It also forms a neat mini core with Alomomola who can pass it wishes to keep it healthy.
The Crew:
Born a Dragonfly (Yanmega) (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Air Slash
- Giga Drain
- U-turn
Yanmega is one of the most popular pokemon in RU, and for good reason. With Tinted Lens and a Choice Specs, it just steamrolls through stall and bulky offense teams. Bug Buzz is what I'm using about 90% of the time, because even something like Escavalier doesn't want to switch in more than once. Air Slash is there for Toxicroaks, Cobalions and weakened Golbats. Giga Drain is pretty much exclusively for Rhyperiors, although it's also pretty fantastic against the occasional Alomomola or Milotic that wants to Toxic stall you. U-turn is pretty much just filler but it can bait in Registeels and Gligars and the like and then bail into something that can actually deal with them.
Dee Reynolds (Swellow) (F) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Facade
- Quick Attack
- U-turn
Before Talonflame, and even before Staraptor, Swellow was the first Route 1 trash bird that was actually viable. Don't let its NU status in Gen 5 fool you, this bird can lay down some fuckin' pain. Obviously Facade is the reason to use Swellow, and like Yanmega's Bug Buzz it's what I'm using most of the time. Quick Attack is there to ensure that I can activate my Toxic Orb against a weakened opponent as well as to give me some insurance against weakened Mega Abomasnow's without having to worry about Ice Shard. U-turn is useful early game when Yanmega hasn't had the chance to tear enough holes in the opponent's team for Swellow to clean up, as well as to get some chip damage on Rhyperiors and Cresselias that try to come in and wall me. Brave Bird is pretty much only for Escavaliers, and formerly Sableye before it got the boot from RU. It's not like Swellow's movepool is particularly massive, anyway.
The Flex (Hitmonlee) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
- Rapid Spin
- Mach Punch
Hitmonlee is just a straight-up monster and breaks walls on the physical side about as well as Yanmega does on the special side. A spinner is pretty much mandatory with both a Swellow and Yanmega on my team, and Hitmonlee is about the best offensive spinner in RU at the moment since it can wound any ghost to wants to switch in with a Knock Off. It also deals with Rhyperior and Escavalier with High Jump Kick who are big problems otherwise. Mach Punch is also useful for priority to get rid of troublesome pokes like Sharpedo.
DAGRON (Druddigon) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Punch
With Kyurem gone Druddigon is once again the top dragon in RU. This dude pretty much singlehandedly stops fast or bulky electric types like Raikou and Eelektross from owning my team with Volt Switch because of its bulk and typing. Its also resilient enough to keep Stealth Rocks on the field, which really helps Swellow and Yanmega secure crucial KOs since they can't take a hit at all. Dragon Claw is the obligatory STAB to take advantage of that dank attack stat. Earthquake keeps Electric types at bay, and Fire Punch is there to take care of Escavalier.
lil' fuckin' jimp (Cobalion) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Taunt
Cobalion is super versatile for a fighting type, and I went with an offensive sweeping set to keep up with the momentum of the rest of my team. The combination of Taunt and Cobalion's natural physical bulk net it plenty of set-up opportunities against a wide variety of pokemon and lets it break through or at least damage walls like Cresselia and Milotic who would be super annoying otherwise. Lum Berry prevents bulky water types from burning me with Scald, and Close Combat and Iron Head are Cobalion's strongest STAB moves.
Capillarian Crest (Alomomola) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
Alomomola is a pretty stark departure from the offensive nature of the rest of my team, being pretty much the least offensive pokemon possible. However, it fills a few crucial roles in the team. Primarily, it's a reliable counter to Rhyperior and Escavalier, two pokemon who totally stymie my offensive core. It also wears down bulky water types like Milotic and other Alomomola with Toxic. Wish also keeps Cobalion and Druddigon healthy.
Importable:
Capillarian Crest (Alomomola) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
lil' fuckin' jimp (Cobalion) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Taunt
Dee Reynolds (Swellow) (F) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Facade
- Quick Attack
- U-turn
Born a Dragonfly (Yanmega) (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Air Slash
- Giga Drain
- U-turn
The Flex (Hitmonlee) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
- Rapid Spin
- Mach Punch
DAGRON (Druddigon) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Punch
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
lil' fuckin' jimp (Cobalion) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Taunt
Dee Reynolds (Swellow) (F) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Facade
- Quick Attack
- U-turn
Born a Dragonfly (Yanmega) (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Air Slash
- Giga Drain
- U-turn
The Flex (Hitmonlee) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
- Rapid Spin
- Mach Punch
DAGRON (Druddigon) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Punch
So this team's gotten me to around 1530 right now and it's the most successful RU team I've built so far, but it still has some problems, so any suggestions would be appreciated.
