A stallish team (also an exciting title)

[Jojobobo]

I guess my first idea for the basis of this team was to use vPixel's Sableye posted in the OU Teambuilding thread, the variant with both WoW and Toxic; I've had great experiences using Sableye before so the set caught my eye. The idea is that it makes Sableye very hard to switch into, as even special attackers can get a nasty surprise. To form a core around this, I wanted something that could switch into practically any burnt attacker regardless of attack boosts, and something that could stall out poisoned pokemon. Here's what I came up with:

EDIT: I did post sprites but they've all disappeared, so I can't be bothered to again, maybe later.


The Team:

Sableye @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature
- Toxic
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Recover

As this set currently isn't mainstream, it's easy to take people by surprise. Toxic gives me something to do against physical fire types, and catches special types on the switch (following which I would switch in Blissey). Taunt is mainly there to prevent recovery. WoW lets me stall out attackers, if they're going for SD boosts then in comes Quagsire. It's fairy weakness is patched up between Blissey and Scizor reasonably well, and it covers Blissey's fighting weakness in a similar fashion. I favoured defense over special defense as I figured Blissey could soak up special defense hits readily enough as it was.

Quagsire @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Recover
- Toxic

Forms an extremely potent physical wall in conjunction with Sableye - you get the burn in with Sableye and then can stall out stat boosters with Quagsire. Again you also have the option to Toxic, which if you catch someone on the switch let's you defer to Blissey. Covers Noivern's and Gyarados's rock weaknesses nicely, as well as Gyarados's severe electric weakness and Scizor's fire weakness. In turn, Scizor and Blissey usually patch up its grass weakness well enough.

Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Seismic Toss
- Heal Bell
- Wish
- Protect

I originally had Sylveon here, but it wasn't sturdy enough in the physical defense department, so in came Blissey. Clerics for the team and Wish passes easily, plus soaks up special attacks and stalls out the leavings of Sableye and Quagsire. I guess potentially Chansey is better, but I felt wary on how dependent it is on Eviolite to perform its purpose. Blissey has it's fighting weakness covered by Sableye, Gyarados and Noivern.

Noivern @ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Flamethrower
- Hurricane
- U-turn

Obviously anything behind a sub could spoil my stalling fun, so that's where Noivern comes in, hitting anything behind a sub for tasty damage. It has a top notch speed tier, allowing it to out speed most non-scarfers going (KOing the likes of Greninja for example, just so long as your DM lands). I originally had Switcheroo here, but the scouting from U-Turn is just too handy to pass up - it makes Noivern my go to lead. It also does nasty things to opposing Charizard leads, which in my experience are reasonably common, 2HKOing Y (only being 2HKO'd by Dragon Pulse which is by no means common) and OHKOing X with DM. I realise Timid shaves damage off U-Turn, but I'm not using it for damage anyway so I don't mind and I'd rather preserve Noivern's already meagre defenses.

Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Defog
- Roost
- Swords Dance

Here to get rid of hazards and set up when the occasion arises, also being Knock Off proof which is incredibly handy. Scizor's natural bulk provides it lots of opportunities for set up, and though mono steel is hardly the best mono attacking type the only mainstream thing that has a x4 resist is Heatran who you'd never leave Scizor in against anyway. Patches up Noivern's weaknesses to a good degree whilst having it's own catered for by Blissey and Quagsire.

Gyarados @ Lum Berry
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Taunt
- Waterfall
- Bounce
- Dragon Dance

A great runaway sweeper for mid to end game, having the bulk to set up quite easily and resisting or taking neutral damage from all priority. Really Gyarados was put rather haphazardly into the team, simply because I'd had it on a rain team and it worked exceptionally well - Water/Flying being very tricky to wall. I'm open to suggestions as to what I could change it for however, if anyone has any.

Closing comments:

I guess I feel like the defensive core of Blissey, Sableye, Quagsire and Scizor is pretty solid (though I'm open to recommendations) - what I'd like more is suggestions as to switches that could be made for Gyarados and Noivern, both of which are good but I have a feeling could be swapped for something better, I'm just not certain what.

 

[Regime]

Ok. For starters, I understand that your Sableye has both Toxic and WoW for the purposes of always being able to status (besides Heatran). However, my main concern rests in the efforts of Magic Bounce Espeon and Magic Guard, especially Clefable. You do have Taunt, which allows you to be un-Tauntable, but with Sableye be weak to Fairy, and your Sableye not having Special Defense investment, I feel that Sableye is kind of useless against Clefable. Yes, you do have Scizor, but Scizor can't switch into Fire Blast/Flamethrower. I realize that this can be very situational, but this is one of the main points I can bring up. Your team is pretty well balanced, and has all weaknesses checked I believe. Heatran can be a problem for this team once Gyarados and Quagsire are gone, which really takes Rotom-W, as your Quagsire lacks Water Absorb.

Overall, your team has checked most Pokemon weaknesses, and will be safe switching in and out, especially with Wish Support from Blissey. As long as no Pokemon are taken out during the stall, your team is pretty much set, because each rely on the other for heavy weakness teamwork.

 

[TheInsanity]

Some fix:

Sableye @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature
- Toxic ---> Knock off
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Recover

NEVER run 2 status moves on the same mon. U can stab knock off and do some good damage, shutting down the power of a banded mon (and not forced to switch against espeon).

Last time i played, gyarados lose 25% of health by SR.
U probably don't like scizor because u cannot touch fire/steel mons.

Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Defog
- Roost --> Superpower
- Swords Dance

Now u can hit steel mons x2, okho heatran if u predict the switch in. And do some neutrale damage to fire mons in any case.

I really love the core gyarados/quagsire. Why the lum berry? U have blissey with natural cure AND aromatherapy. Leftovers is better (u can recover hp for more sub).
Another thing: taunt. U have +1 priority taunt with sableye. But no phazing moves. U can try dragon tail.
U use noivern for flamethrower, because u cannot kill forretress/ferrothorn in other ways.

 

[Jojobobo]

Thanks for the rates guys.

In terms of Sableye, I think I'll stick with Toxic and WoW, I know it's risky but honestly I'm not going to fling status around with Espeon present - besides an Espeon switch into Sableye is easy to predict, so I can switch to something with more teeth on the same turn. Knock Off or not, Sableye would never stay in on Espeon in case it has Dazzling Gleam - which they often do. Clefable probably does need a harder counter than just Scizor, so I'll think about maybe changing Gyarados or Noivern for something better.

As for Heatran, I'd imagine Blissey would solve that problem? Nothing that Heatran typically carries could hurt it overly much, and a Taunt variant is still not going to like a lot of Seismic Tosses.

For Scizor, I think I'll stick with Roost for the time being - it really gives Scizor longevity it wouldn't have otherwise and for Heatran I'd bring in Blissey. The Lum berry on Gyarados is so that if I don't get a KO against a WoW ghost (or something similar) I'm not punished for it - or if I was up against an opposing Sableye I could take the WoW and Taunt. Taunt stops sturdy pokemon phazing me - primarily Skarmory - once Moxie starts to stack up.