"What does "on the bubble" mean in college basketball? A bubble team, while not an official term used by either basketball committee, is one that has not secured an automatic bid by winning its conference tournament and is among the teams being considered for some of the final at-large bids." -The National College Athletic Association (NCAA), courtesy of my home country of the United States
I've made two or three RMT threads before, but I must say before we begin, this is probably one of my favorite ideas I've come up with right alongside that cool Heatran team I made in Gen 4 that one time. This RMT is going to be somewhat unique in that, while I have a decent idea of what I want to make, the final team is far from finished yet and I'm moreso making this thread to ask for suggestions rather than to show off a completed project. With that out of the way, let's dive into some of my chosen team members for this team building challenge and why it's so interesting to me. And before anyone says anything, yes, I know there are only five Pokémon- one of my biggest needs for the core is, in fact, a sixth Pokémon.
The Team, in its current form, anyway
Considered Moves: Lovely Kiss, Ice Beam, Psychic, Calm Mind, Substitute
EV Archetype: Fast Special Attacker (252 Sp. Atk, 4 Sp. Def, 252+ Speed)
Jynx is more than likely going to be my designated lead for this team, and one of the reasons I find UUBL Pokémon so fascinating compared to the more standard options, especially in the lead slot. Jynx has seen scattered amounts of success in the lead slot in RBY and GSC as a sleep lead, and every so often you'll spot one in high-level ADV as well. Jynx is also a good opportunity to show off how I'm going to be examining these Pokémon- instead of posting what set I've been using, I wanted to list the options for moves and EVs that I'm considering and will be adding any suggestions you have to my ongoing lists. Thankfully, Lead Jynx is pretty simple to go over- at base 95 Speed and with Lovely Kiss and various status moves paired with strong special STAB options, Jynx can match up well into slower leads lacking Lum Berry and either threaten sleep immediately or use the threat of Lovely Kiss to swing the momentum of the game early. Learning the matchups and recommended clicks is crucial for using Jynx effectively, as Jynx can still be outsped and threatened by common leads you might think Jynx is safe against because of her typing, namely Zapdos and Salamence with their combination of Flying typing and base 100 Speed. In a perfect world, you absolutely do not want to lose your Jynx early for some stupid misplay, since a Calm Mind-boosted Jynx can actually do more mid-game than you'd expect with help from sleep- for one example, a Calm Mind-boosted Jynx can actually help support Steel-Types with a surprisingly decent Magneton matchup since a +1 Ice Beam can still do decent damage through the resistance (+2 actually does well over half, if you can manage that) and Magneton players have a tendency to click Toxic or Thunder Wave into Jynx which can be abused with Substitute, behind which you'll be setting up your Calm Minds.
Considered Moves: Thunderbolt, Thunder can work, but is rare because of Sand Stream and lower accuracy and PP), Hidden Power Water/Grass/Ice, Calm Mind, Substitute, Roar
EV Archetype: Fast Special Attacker- same EV spread as Jynx but unsure which Nature to run
Alongside Registeel, Raikou has frequently garnered attention among top OU players for a rise back into OU, and on my team structure so far I like to use Raikou as my primary win condition. Raikou clocks in at a 361 Speed stat with 252 Speed EVs and a beneficial Nature, but I could maybe see a world where Raikou can run a Sp. Atk Nature instead if it still hits the relevant benchmarks. Raikou itself has been in and out of OU during Gen 3's lifespan but I like it for this team because it's one of the best UUBLs at making progress against the opponent and helping keep other fast threats in check. Raikou's main issues here are its vulnerability to Arena Trap and matchups where it can be taken advantage of, and it can only run one of Hidden Power Water, Grass, or Ice at a time which can also affect its IVs. It's similar to Jolteon in the fact that it can clean up lategame when its checks are removed, and Raikou does have better damage output than Jolteon overall but special walls can be a problem if you're not running at least one of either Calm Mind or Roar. Overall, standard Raikou sets need a lot of support to get going but I believe I can make this work with some of the support pieces I currently have behind it.
Considered Moves (Registeel): Thunder Wave, Seismic Toss, Rock Slide, Explosion, Protect (especially with Leftovers)
Registeel's EV spread: Special Defense is the way to go with Vaporeon's support on the physical side
Considered Moves (Hariyama): Knock Off, Cross Chop/Brick Break, Rock Slide, Bulk Up, Hidden Power Bug/Ghost, Whirlwind
Hariyama's Ability: Guts, though Thick Fat is still viable if passive damage from status isn't a big concern for you
These two current UUBLs form the foundation of the team's defensive core, and actually synergize a lot better than I thought they would in practice. Registeel resists both of Hariyama's weaknesses and Hariyama's higher base HP forms a solid foundation alongside Registeel's higher Defense and Special Defense. You know what they say about ADV OU teams needing Rock resists, and this team has two of them at this time. While not as direct as Jynx and Raikou in their attempts to make progress, the utility of Hariyama's Knock Off and Registeel's underrated combination of Seismic Toss + Explosion help ensure this defensive core isn't as passive as one might think. Having both of these on the same team helps against one of the team's hardest matchups in Choice Band Aerodactyl as well, since while Aerodactyl has options for both of these Pokémon, Aerodactyl generally can't handle both at the same time without either sacrificing Choice Band in favor of a set that can change moves or having to pivot and try and score the correct reads. Registeel cleanly switches in against Hidden Power Flying, and Hariyama takes Earthquakes noticeably better than Registeel. Both of their EVs seem pretty flexible towards whatever trends the metagame might throw at you in large part due to that base stat synergy I mentioned earlier, and the overall idea in gameplay is that you want to keep these Pokémon around for checking threats to Raikou's sweep and resetting the pace of the game when needed. Something that is worth noting is that if you elect to run Guts on Hariyama, it can be difficult to find a viable Fire resist for ADV OU among the selection of UUBL and lower Pokémon though I'm still personally running Guts at this time for the attempted punishes on status spreaders looking to cripple Hariyama's bulk.
Considered Moves: Surf, Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, Haze, Wish, Substitute, Toxic, Baton Pass
EV Archetype: Physically Defensive (248 HP, 228+ Defense, 32 Sp. Def)
Remember that part I said about needing a Fire resist if Hariyama has Guts instead of Thick Fat? Do we have the Pokémon for you. Water even resists Ice as a nice bonus covering both Types at the same time. Did you know that in terms of Pokémon, Vaporeon is one of the best current UUBLs in OU alongside these other Pokémon and its physically defensive WishPass set fills a ton of role compression? ...what did you think I was going to say? At first I didn't understand why Vaporeon had, even if briefly, been in discussions for an OU promotion, but if you haven't figured it out yet, looking at the list of Pokémon in consideration for a promotion was how I settled in on wanting to try these five Pokémon out originally. But as the memes once said, "I understand it now". Slow pivoting is a mechanic I find incredibly powerful when used correctly and adding Wish to pivoting moves famously brings a level of defensive safety I don't know how else this team was supposed to find. Even without having access to a more traditional recovery move like, say, Milotic, Vaporeon's unique set of traits and options almost necessitates a spot on this team, helping reinforce Registeel and Hariyama's defensive stature and Raikou's own longevity for the lategame. Water Absorb also comes in clutch providing entry points against all manner of Surfs, Hydro Pumps, and is just a nice Ability to have overall. Vaporeon's true X-Factor, though, comes in the form of Haze, a move I believe to genuinely be one of the most underrated in the entire game and perfect for locking down Dragon Dance and Calm Mind sweepers in ways only a few Pokémon can. Weezing also has access to Haze and is a Levitating Poison-Type which I absolutely love as someone whose favorite Type has been Poison for years, but Vaporeon ultimately has a better natural typing for the metagame and this team, as well as the ability to pivot without... well, exploding. So there's that.
Conclusion & Biggest Threats
Paring five Pokémon considered for promotions from UUBL to OU seemed like a great idea for where I could start with looking at Pokémon that would be viable for this team building challenge, but after playing some casual ladder games and testing this core out, I can pretty safely I say I was not expecting it to go as well as it did. This is the kind of team building challenge I think can help develop me as a player and help me appreciate the game more on a greater scale. That said, the team in its current state does have some weak spots, and of course, I'm still trying to find the perfect sixth Pokémon. Heck, if there are any other UUBL Pokémon that would be a better fit than this "Big Five", I would hate to miss them, too. As it stands, you probably noticed but this team has a major aversion to Spikes; while I'm not too worried about playing around Skarmory and other Spikers, it's the lack of viable Rapid Spinners that's the issue here, as none of Armaldo, Donphan, or Cloyster (if it gets demoted to UUBL like many plus myself think it should) provide this team with much outside of Rapid Spin, plus they all match up poor into Gengar anyways, and all of the other Spinners in ADV that aren't in OU simply don't have the base stats and the movepools to compete at the top level. I mentioned Choice Band Aerodactyl can be a big weakness for this core but another big one I can think of is Breloom and its Spore, having good matchups into all three of this team's main defensive pieces plus strong Fighting-Type STAB for Registeel. Heck, even Jynx, my ideal Breloom check for this core, falls to a Mach Punch if her health gets too low for comfort. Finally, this team doesn't really much much in the way of a secondary win condition, since Jynx is more of a Pokémon that can break through walls if its Lovely Kiss clicks go well and Raikou can only do so much on its own as a win condition, meaning Dugtrio traps can be an issue despite the team matching up well into Dugtrio on paper. Funny enough, Weezing helps with two of those three issues, but I'm still plenty open to hearing everyone's suggestions and seeing how I can develop this team building challenge further. Thank you very much for reading all the way through, and have a great rest of your day. I look forward to hearing everyone's feedback!
I've made two or three RMT threads before, but I must say before we begin, this is probably one of my favorite ideas I've come up with right alongside that cool Heatran team I made in Gen 4 that one time. This RMT is going to be somewhat unique in that, while I have a decent idea of what I want to make, the final team is far from finished yet and I'm moreso making this thread to ask for suggestions rather than to show off a completed project. With that out of the way, let's dive into some of my chosen team members for this team building challenge and why it's so interesting to me. And before anyone says anything, yes, I know there are only five Pokémon- one of my biggest needs for the core is, in fact, a sixth Pokémon.
The Team, in its current form, anyway
Considered Moves: Lovely Kiss, Ice Beam, Psychic, Calm Mind, Substitute
EV Archetype: Fast Special Attacker (252 Sp. Atk, 4 Sp. Def, 252+ Speed)
Jynx is more than likely going to be my designated lead for this team, and one of the reasons I find UUBL Pokémon so fascinating compared to the more standard options, especially in the lead slot. Jynx has seen scattered amounts of success in the lead slot in RBY and GSC as a sleep lead, and every so often you'll spot one in high-level ADV as well. Jynx is also a good opportunity to show off how I'm going to be examining these Pokémon- instead of posting what set I've been using, I wanted to list the options for moves and EVs that I'm considering and will be adding any suggestions you have to my ongoing lists. Thankfully, Lead Jynx is pretty simple to go over- at base 95 Speed and with Lovely Kiss and various status moves paired with strong special STAB options, Jynx can match up well into slower leads lacking Lum Berry and either threaten sleep immediately or use the threat of Lovely Kiss to swing the momentum of the game early. Learning the matchups and recommended clicks is crucial for using Jynx effectively, as Jynx can still be outsped and threatened by common leads you might think Jynx is safe against because of her typing, namely Zapdos and Salamence with their combination of Flying typing and base 100 Speed. In a perfect world, you absolutely do not want to lose your Jynx early for some stupid misplay, since a Calm Mind-boosted Jynx can actually do more mid-game than you'd expect with help from sleep- for one example, a Calm Mind-boosted Jynx can actually help support Steel-Types with a surprisingly decent Magneton matchup since a +1 Ice Beam can still do decent damage through the resistance (+2 actually does well over half, if you can manage that) and Magneton players have a tendency to click Toxic or Thunder Wave into Jynx which can be abused with Substitute, behind which you'll be setting up your Calm Minds.
Considered Moves: Thunderbolt, Thunder can work, but is rare because of Sand Stream and lower accuracy and PP), Hidden Power Water/Grass/Ice, Calm Mind, Substitute, Roar
EV Archetype: Fast Special Attacker- same EV spread as Jynx but unsure which Nature to run
Alongside Registeel, Raikou has frequently garnered attention among top OU players for a rise back into OU, and on my team structure so far I like to use Raikou as my primary win condition. Raikou clocks in at a 361 Speed stat with 252 Speed EVs and a beneficial Nature, but I could maybe see a world where Raikou can run a Sp. Atk Nature instead if it still hits the relevant benchmarks. Raikou itself has been in and out of OU during Gen 3's lifespan but I like it for this team because it's one of the best UUBLs at making progress against the opponent and helping keep other fast threats in check. Raikou's main issues here are its vulnerability to Arena Trap and matchups where it can be taken advantage of, and it can only run one of Hidden Power Water, Grass, or Ice at a time which can also affect its IVs. It's similar to Jolteon in the fact that it can clean up lategame when its checks are removed, and Raikou does have better damage output than Jolteon overall but special walls can be a problem if you're not running at least one of either Calm Mind or Roar. Overall, standard Raikou sets need a lot of support to get going but I believe I can make this work with some of the support pieces I currently have behind it.
Considered Moves (Registeel): Thunder Wave, Seismic Toss, Rock Slide, Explosion, Protect (especially with Leftovers)
Registeel's EV spread: Special Defense is the way to go with Vaporeon's support on the physical side
Considered Moves (Hariyama): Knock Off, Cross Chop/Brick Break, Rock Slide, Bulk Up, Hidden Power Bug/Ghost, Whirlwind
Hariyama's Ability: Guts, though Thick Fat is still viable if passive damage from status isn't a big concern for you
These two current UUBLs form the foundation of the team's defensive core, and actually synergize a lot better than I thought they would in practice. Registeel resists both of Hariyama's weaknesses and Hariyama's higher base HP forms a solid foundation alongside Registeel's higher Defense and Special Defense. You know what they say about ADV OU teams needing Rock resists, and this team has two of them at this time. While not as direct as Jynx and Raikou in their attempts to make progress, the utility of Hariyama's Knock Off and Registeel's underrated combination of Seismic Toss + Explosion help ensure this defensive core isn't as passive as one might think. Having both of these on the same team helps against one of the team's hardest matchups in Choice Band Aerodactyl as well, since while Aerodactyl has options for both of these Pokémon, Aerodactyl generally can't handle both at the same time without either sacrificing Choice Band in favor of a set that can change moves or having to pivot and try and score the correct reads. Registeel cleanly switches in against Hidden Power Flying, and Hariyama takes Earthquakes noticeably better than Registeel. Both of their EVs seem pretty flexible towards whatever trends the metagame might throw at you in large part due to that base stat synergy I mentioned earlier, and the overall idea in gameplay is that you want to keep these Pokémon around for checking threats to Raikou's sweep and resetting the pace of the game when needed. Something that is worth noting is that if you elect to run Guts on Hariyama, it can be difficult to find a viable Fire resist for ADV OU among the selection of UUBL and lower Pokémon though I'm still personally running Guts at this time for the attempted punishes on status spreaders looking to cripple Hariyama's bulk.
Considered Moves: Surf, Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, Haze, Wish, Substitute, Toxic, Baton Pass
EV Archetype: Physically Defensive (248 HP, 228+ Defense, 32 Sp. Def)
Remember that part I said about needing a Fire resist if Hariyama has Guts instead of Thick Fat? Do we have the Pokémon for you. Water even resists Ice as a nice bonus covering both Types at the same time. Did you know that in terms of Pokémon, Vaporeon is one of the best current UUBLs in OU alongside these other Pokémon and its physically defensive WishPass set fills a ton of role compression? ...what did you think I was going to say? At first I didn't understand why Vaporeon had, even if briefly, been in discussions for an OU promotion, but if you haven't figured it out yet, looking at the list of Pokémon in consideration for a promotion was how I settled in on wanting to try these five Pokémon out originally. But as the memes once said, "I understand it now". Slow pivoting is a mechanic I find incredibly powerful when used correctly and adding Wish to pivoting moves famously brings a level of defensive safety I don't know how else this team was supposed to find. Even without having access to a more traditional recovery move like, say, Milotic, Vaporeon's unique set of traits and options almost necessitates a spot on this team, helping reinforce Registeel and Hariyama's defensive stature and Raikou's own longevity for the lategame. Water Absorb also comes in clutch providing entry points against all manner of Surfs, Hydro Pumps, and is just a nice Ability to have overall. Vaporeon's true X-Factor, though, comes in the form of Haze, a move I believe to genuinely be one of the most underrated in the entire game and perfect for locking down Dragon Dance and Calm Mind sweepers in ways only a few Pokémon can. Weezing also has access to Haze and is a Levitating Poison-Type which I absolutely love as someone whose favorite Type has been Poison for years, but Vaporeon ultimately has a better natural typing for the metagame and this team, as well as the ability to pivot without... well, exploding. So there's that.
Conclusion & Biggest Threats
Paring five Pokémon considered for promotions from UUBL to OU seemed like a great idea for where I could start with looking at Pokémon that would be viable for this team building challenge, but after playing some casual ladder games and testing this core out, I can pretty safely I say I was not expecting it to go as well as it did. This is the kind of team building challenge I think can help develop me as a player and help me appreciate the game more on a greater scale. That said, the team in its current state does have some weak spots, and of course, I'm still trying to find the perfect sixth Pokémon. Heck, if there are any other UUBL Pokémon that would be a better fit than this "Big Five", I would hate to miss them, too. As it stands, you probably noticed but this team has a major aversion to Spikes; while I'm not too worried about playing around Skarmory and other Spikers, it's the lack of viable Rapid Spinners that's the issue here, as none of Armaldo, Donphan, or Cloyster (if it gets demoted to UUBL like many plus myself think it should) provide this team with much outside of Rapid Spin, plus they all match up poor into Gengar anyways, and all of the other Spinners in ADV that aren't in OU simply don't have the base stats and the movepools to compete at the top level. I mentioned Choice Band Aerodactyl can be a big weakness for this core but another big one I can think of is Breloom and its Spore, having good matchups into all three of this team's main defensive pieces plus strong Fighting-Type STAB for Registeel. Heck, even Jynx, my ideal Breloom check for this core, falls to a Mach Punch if her health gets too low for comfort. Finally, this team doesn't really much much in the way of a secondary win condition, since Jynx is more of a Pokémon that can break through walls if its Lovely Kiss clicks go well and Raikou can only do so much on its own as a win condition, meaning Dugtrio traps can be an issue despite the team matching up well into Dugtrio on paper. Funny enough, Weezing helps with two of those three issues, but I'm still plenty open to hearing everyone's suggestions and seeing how I can develop this team building challenge further. Thank you very much for reading all the way through, and have a great rest of your day. I look forward to hearing everyone's feedback!
