-
Welcome to Smogon! Take a moment to read the Introduction to Smogon for a run-down on everything Smogon, and make sure you take some time to read the global rules.
Gen 3 ADV RU Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Amity
- Start date
Hello! Newer player here, I’ve been grinding ADV RU quite a bit and learned a lot, so I thought I would take the opportunity to christen the new thread with my first real smogon post. This is a breakdown and “rate my team” style post on a team that has become my go-to. It’s called unira balance, a team inspired by an Msousa team (a great player I’m grateful to have learned so much from) of similar composition and iterated on multiple times with advice from the RU playerbase. Although “balance” is a misnomer because it’s clearly a fast paced mixed offense. unira balance is just what I call the team I play the most in any given tier. It’s served me pretty well and most players I’ve asked have mostly approved of it. Critique and suggestions are welcome! I’d be happy to make a new iteration with your help!
Sleeping Lessons (Politoed) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Hidden Power [Electric]
- Psychic
- Focus Punch
Politoed is in the lead role running a set some have called a poliwrath impression. This was poliwrath before, and the switch to water absorb politoed was suggested to me as a way of making the team better into opposing waters. That’s a problem this iteration has as well. But this set has performed admirably in providing similar lead match-ups as poliwrath while also acting as an obstacle to other threats. The lack of STAB behind focus punch is sometimes troublesome, but the loss of the fighting type can also make it easier to maneuver. A deceptive nickname bluffs the use of hypnosis.
An Awesome Wave (Raichu) @ Petaya Berry
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Substitute
- Thunder Wave
Raichu’s offensive utility is obligatory on a team like this. But this “evil” set is geared towards enabling its teammates or late game set up sweeping. Though it has been rightly criticized as a spreader of thunder wave - not the best user of the move while also losing a valuable move slot - paralysis’ utility is always appreciated by its team. It’s also an integral part of its set up potential with substitute and petaya berry. It’s an inconsistent set up in some match-ups; very easy to use too early and waste valuable HP. But when it does work with a good match-up or paralysis doing its thing, it can clean house later on. Raichu is the only non-shiny on the team with thunderbolt over volt tackle and a deceptive nickname, possibly bluffing surf against more aware players.
Demon Days (Rapidash) @ Charcoal
Ability: Flash Fire
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 56 Atk / 200 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Sunny Day
- Fire Blast
- Solar Beam
- Hidden Power [Ground]
It’s the sunny day rapidash found on Smogon Dex. Not too much to note here, it does exactly what you think. Charcoal is my item of choice to overwhelm defenses, but lum berry is also easy to justify bringing.
Silent Alarm (Banette) @ Salac Berry
Ability: Insomnia
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Endure
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Destiny Bond
Another standard and ubiquitous set, it’s salac berry banette. With its immunities and utility moves to punish the opponent for swinging in the wrong place, it introduces a lot of mind game potential to the team. It creates opportunities for baiting ghost coverage and conditioning defensive options - giving its steel and normal teammates valuable switch ins - on top of its own physically attacking prowess.
Carnavas (Pidgeot) @ Choice Band
Ability: Keen Eye
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Double-Edge
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Quick Attack
- Sleep Talk
Perhaps just a little novel for a banded set, pidgeot brings another layer of sleep absorption to complement banette’s insomnia. Though it’s not too strange, as punishing sleep powder with a switch in gives a one time chance for a banded HP flying to KO any user of the move from full (victreebel has been a notable victim). Users of hypnosis may not always have that same fear, but nobody likes eating a banded double edge on a turn that is supposed to be free. In general even when sleep talk is not rolling the move I’d like, it’s a stop gap measure against sleep users to help the team maintain its momentum.
Melophobia (Aggron) @ Choice Band
Ability: Rock Head
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Tail
- Earthquake
- Double-Edge
- Rock Slide
Aggron replaces the metang that defined the original team that inspired unira balance. Fast banded aggron being relatively new to the meta, it was suggested to me to add a much needed offensive presence to the steel member of the team. Aggron delivers on that in spades, outspeeding key targets and two hit KO’ing just about everything. It may be quite a bit harder to maneuver in than metang. But with its x4 resistance to normal and some help from its three teammates that have immunities to some of its weaknesses, it can usually find a safe way in (or out) with good play.
Sleeping Lessons (Politoed) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Hidden Power [Electric]
- Psychic
- Focus Punch
Politoed is in the lead role running a set some have called a poliwrath impression. This was poliwrath before, and the switch to water absorb politoed was suggested to me as a way of making the team better into opposing waters. That’s a problem this iteration has as well. But this set has performed admirably in providing similar lead match-ups as poliwrath while also acting as an obstacle to other threats. The lack of STAB behind focus punch is sometimes troublesome, but the loss of the fighting type can also make it easier to maneuver. A deceptive nickname bluffs the use of hypnosis.
An Awesome Wave (Raichu) @ Petaya Berry
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Substitute
- Thunder Wave
Raichu’s offensive utility is obligatory on a team like this. But this “evil” set is geared towards enabling its teammates or late game set up sweeping. Though it has been rightly criticized as a spreader of thunder wave - not the best user of the move while also losing a valuable move slot - paralysis’ utility is always appreciated by its team. It’s also an integral part of its set up potential with substitute and petaya berry. It’s an inconsistent set up in some match-ups; very easy to use too early and waste valuable HP. But when it does work with a good match-up or paralysis doing its thing, it can clean house later on. Raichu is the only non-shiny on the team with thunderbolt over volt tackle and a deceptive nickname, possibly bluffing surf against more aware players.
Demon Days (Rapidash) @ Charcoal
Ability: Flash Fire
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 56 Atk / 200 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Sunny Day
- Fire Blast
- Solar Beam
- Hidden Power [Ground]
It’s the sunny day rapidash found on Smogon Dex. Not too much to note here, it does exactly what you think. Charcoal is my item of choice to overwhelm defenses, but lum berry is also easy to justify bringing.
Silent Alarm (Banette) @ Salac Berry
Ability: Insomnia
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Endure
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Destiny Bond
Another standard and ubiquitous set, it’s salac berry banette. With its immunities and utility moves to punish the opponent for swinging in the wrong place, it introduces a lot of mind game potential to the team. It creates opportunities for baiting ghost coverage and conditioning defensive options - giving its steel and normal teammates valuable switch ins - on top of its own physically attacking prowess.
Carnavas (Pidgeot) @ Choice Band
Ability: Keen Eye
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Double-Edge
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Quick Attack
- Sleep Talk
Perhaps just a little novel for a banded set, pidgeot brings another layer of sleep absorption to complement banette’s insomnia. Though it’s not too strange, as punishing sleep powder with a switch in gives a one time chance for a banded HP flying to KO any user of the move from full (victreebel has been a notable victim). Users of hypnosis may not always have that same fear, but nobody likes eating a banded double edge on a turn that is supposed to be free. In general even when sleep talk is not rolling the move I’d like, it’s a stop gap measure against sleep users to help the team maintain its momentum.
Melophobia (Aggron) @ Choice Band
Ability: Rock Head
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Tail
- Earthquake
- Double-Edge
- Rock Slide
Aggron replaces the metang that defined the original team that inspired unira balance. Fast banded aggron being relatively new to the meta, it was suggested to me to add a much needed offensive presence to the steel member of the team. Aggron delivers on that in spades, outspeeding key targets and two hit KO’ing just about everything. It may be quite a bit harder to maneuver in than metang. But with its x4 resistance to normal and some help from its three teammates that have immunities to some of its weaknesses, it can usually find a safe way in (or out) with good play.