A Brilliant Disaster of a Team - RMT

[Megamaster37]

Infernape (M) @ Life Orb / Focus Sash
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- Fake Out
- Close Combat
- ThunderPunch / Flare Blitz / Stealth Rock

When looking for a lead, I wanted something that could use Fake Out to break Sashes, as well as take out the three common weather leads. Taunt prevents the opponent from setting up or using hazards. Close Combat OHKO's Tyranitar, and Ninetales isn't exactly Bulky so it'll be taking a large amount of damage. Thunderpunch isn't for Politoed, as Close Combat will do more with STAB, but it helps against Water types that resist Close Combat (like Jellicent) and against Flying types (such as Aerodactyl). I've been thinking Focus Sash might help more than Life Orb, but I haven't tested it yet.

Haxorus (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- X-Scissor / Dragon Claw
- Rock Slide / Brick Break

As soon as I saw Haxorus's stats upon release, I though it would make a great Scarf user. With Adamant nature,Haxorus reaches 432 attack, and 439 speed after the Scarf, making it one hell of a threat. Outrage's 180 power makes it almost always the strongest attack I have. Earthquake covers Steel types that would otherwise resist my best attack. I'm not really sure what to do with the last 2 attacks, as the only things resisting the previous 2 atacks are Shedinja, Bronzong, and Skarmory, and Haxorus doens't get any Super-Effective moves against the two Steel types.

Raikou @ Life Orb
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Ice
- Shadow Ball
- Calm Mind

This has got to be my favorite thing on the team. Has gret coverage with its 3 moves, can force a decent amount of switches and get off a Calm Mind, not to mention it outspeeds things such as Gengar and Starmie. Thunderbolt is the obvious STAB attack, reaching 135 after STAB. HP Ice is for coverage, and helps in getting rid of Dragons and Gliscor (something that always used to annoy me before). Shadow Ball covers the rest of the Pokemon (not including Magnezone), and helps to beat Ghosts and Psychic types.

Shaymin @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Seed Flare
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power Ice
- Substitute

This was one of my best 4th gen sets. It's not quite as effective 5th gen, but it's still effective. Seed Flare is Shaymin's best STAB, as well as my teams best Swampert counter. Earth Power takes out Fire types that could otherwise cause some problems for the Shrubhog here. Hidden Power Ice gives mecoverage on the Dragons that would otherwise wall this set forever. Substitute is here because Shaymin can cause some switches upon coming into battle, and being able to take an extra attack is never a bad thing.

Skarmory @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Whirlwind
- Toxic
- Sky Drop
- Protect / Roost

Sky Drop (otherwise known as Freefall) is the main basis of this set, and the thing that makes it so f***ing annoy to deal with. Toxic/Freefall/Protect makes for one of the most annoying Toxic Stall sets I've ever seen. Toxic is there to start it off. Protect worsens the Toxic a bit, and gains me a bit of HP. Then comes Freefall, which prevents one attack from the opponent, gives me 2 turns of Lefties recovery as well as 2 turns of worsening toxic, and the damage from Freefall helps to make the opponent et KO'd even faster. Whirlwind helps for when the opponent decides to start piling on Stat boosts. I've been thinking about testing Roost over Protect for Recovery.


Dragonite @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 248 HP / 152 Def / 108 SDef -- 252 Att/252 Speed/4 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk) Adamant Nature
- Thunder Wave / Dragon Claw
- Roost
- Fire Punch
- ExtremeSpeed

This set takes full advantage of Dragonite's MultiScale ability. Thunder Wave is to cripple fast opponents, as well as make sure I'm faster. When faster, Roost can get me up to full HP, making the attacks to much less. ExtremeSpeed helps for taking out Sweepers who have set up and are threating to KO my entire team. Fire Punch is my only Fire Move, very useful against things like Nattorei, Scizor, and Forretress.

Now this team has an odd tendacy to rarely have a close battle (Hence the title of the RMT). most battles will be won by 3 or lost by 3, and the ones where the score is 1-0 or 2-0, its clear for most of the battle who the winner will be. It wins a good amount of the time, in competition vs. Battlers I know are good, its 4-2 (3-0, 3-0, 3-0, 2-0, 0-3, 0-6) and on PO I have about the same win percentage, somewhere around 70%.

Changes in Bold

 

[thecooltodd]

Interesting Skarm set, looks like something I would use. Why not use Gliscor instead? I believe he can learn that move. Even if he can't, he can still Toxic and Protect to gain a 12.5% hp/turn.

And doesn't Dragonite sort of ruin the synergy with your Skarm's strategy? Usually you should stick with one status per team.

Shaymnin should also be using Recover instead of Sub because it has Natural Cure. No point in setting up a sub and losing HP just to have it broken and not be able to recover.

 

[Megamaster37]

Interesting Skarm set, looks like something I would use. Why not use Gliscor instead? I believe he can learn that move. Even if he can't, he can still Toxic and Protect to gain a 12.5% hp/turn.

And doesn't Dragonite sort of ruin the synergy with your Skarm's strategy? Usually you should stick with one status per team.

Shaymnin should also be using Recover instead of Sub because it has Natural Cure. No point in setting up a sub and losing HP just to have it broken and not be able to recover.

Umm...Gliscor can't learn Sky Drop, and Shaymin can't learn Recover either (unless you meant 'Recovery Move', it has Rest, which could work thanks to Natural Care).

I might need to switch Dragonite though, I can see how the 2 statuses could be a problem.

 

[benJAMIN]

A couple of things... First off you might want to put stealth rock on ape seeing as how its using a lead set. and it would give your team some entry hazards that you seem to not have at all (none on skarmony? really?) Or If you choose not to do that, at least give him the Iron fist ability through dream world, (not really sure if its been released yet, but it wouldn't matter if using PO) because you're not running a fire move therefore blaze is useless and it would Boost T-Punchs power.

Second, Haxorus can deal with bronzong and shedinja because of his unique ability called mold breaker, zong gets EQ'd and shedinja cant take any of his attacks. Therefore your only counter is Skarmony.

You might want to put Aura Sphere on Raikou just to make him your primary wall breaker of Skarm and Ferrothorn (and possibly blissey if you can set up enough). But if you opt not to I guess that set works.

Overall its a pretty good team, I really like that skarm set, it seems it would be really annoying.

 

[Megamaster37]

A couple of things... First off you might want to put stealth rock on ape seeing as how its using a lead set. and it would give your team some entry hazards that you seem to not have at all (none on skarmony? really?) Or If you choose not to do that, at least give him the Iron fist ability through dream world, (not really sure if its been released yet, but it wouldn't matter if using PO) because you're not running a fire move therefore blaze is useless and it would Boost T-Punchs power.

Second, Haxorus can deal with bronzong and shedinja because of his unique ability called mold breaker, zong gets EQ'd and shedinja cant take any of his attacks. Therefore your only counter is Skarmony.

You might want to put Aura Sphere on Raikou just to make him your primary wall breaker of Skarm and Ferrothorn (and possibly blissey if you can set up enough). But if you opt not to I guess that set works.

Overall its a pretty good team, I really like that skarm set, it seems it would be really annoying.

1. Ok, so SR over....T-Punch or Fake Out? I'm guessing you'd suggest I get rid of T-Punch based on the Underlined portion.

2. Yeah....I was checking the pokemon who resist it, and forgot about Mold Breaker for the moment. My bad.

3. I was going to give it Aura Sphere, but it requires a Rash nature since its only available through Event (also I can't have the DW ability Volt Absorb). Also, it can beat Skarmory with T-bolt anyway, but Ferrothorn is always a constant threat with how common it is.

*I'll probably edit with results of the changes, testing them soon.

 

[GtM]

I'd slash Dragon Claw on Haxorus. It's not like you're using Rock Slide or X Scissor, and having the option to use STAB without locking yourself into Outrage is always nice.

 

[Megamaster37]

I'd slash Dragon Claw on Haxorus. It's not like you're using Rock Slide or X Scissor, and having the option to use STAB without locking yourself into Outrage is always nice.

Seems reasonable.

I think I'm also going to try Brick Break, since a few people like to run Air Balloon on their Steel types.

OK, so the team is doing decently after the changes, 12-5 while testing on PO so far.