5th gen is fully upon us. With only a few months to go until it comes out in Europe, North America, as well as Australia, the metagame is still an exciting place. Suspect tests are still going on with the hopeful end result of a balanced metagame. That being said, a member as old as I am can't help but at least try to get back into the groove of things even if it's out of interest.
That being said, I hold the view that the best way to learn a metagame is to play stall. Stall relies on checking as many opposing threats as possible and slowly wearing down the opposing team. With so many new Pokemon along with older Pokemon receiving new toys to play with, it will be a tough journey to the top. By playing stall, it enables me to truly learn what is threatening and what is a pushover instead of merely hearing from word of mouth or attempting to read the many, MANY threads in UT.
This team was originally built back when Darkrai, Deoxys-N/A, Skymin, and Inconsistent were still here. However, due to college applications, I was unable to play very often. I decided to wait until they were banned in order to get back into the fray. With everyone having a fresh start in a brand new metagame, the sheer number of teams will lead to a pleasureable experience.
Anyway, enough talking. Let's get onto the actual team!
Team building/Overview:
Knowing that I wanted to play stall from the beginning in order to learn the actual metagame, I immediately sought a bulky Pokemon, one with recovery and massive defenses. Because more teams in this metagame don't bother to carry Rapid Spinners, I knew I had to have Stealth Rock. With the influx of stronger physical attackers, I knew I had to have a physical wall in order to stop all of them. Immediately, my eyes went to one Pokemon: Hippowdon.
Knowing that a stall team succeeds by wearing down opposing Pokemon, entry hazards are mandatory to succeed in that goal. With Hippowdon already having Stealth Rock, a Spiker is a must. Forretress has a hard time setting up entry hazards due to the stronger attacks, while Skarmory never truly appealed to me. One Pokemon jumped out at me: Nattorei. A new 5th generation Pokemon, Nattorei's bulky defenses along with unique typing enables it to switch into many different attacks and immediately begin setting up Spikes. With that, nattorei was added to the team.
No stall team is complete without a dedicated special wall. Evolution Stone Chansey was still relatively undiscovered at this point, and because I was reluctant to change, I stuck with what I knew best: Blissey. Knowing that Nattorei doesn't have reliable healing, a set with Wish is the best choice for my team.
Still with the 4th generation mentality in mind, I needed a Ghost-type Pokemon in order to block Rapid Spin. If the opponent were to remove my entry hazards using Rapid Spin, it makes it that much more difficult to defend against opposing Pokemon. Normally, I would jump to a Rotom forme. However, because of the change in 5th gen that removed the formes' Ghost-typing, I was stuck using another Ghost-type Pokemon. None of the new 5th gen Ghost-types really appealed to me except for one: Burungeru. With handy resistances from its Water-typing, Burungeru can really help defend against powerful attacks.
With my mentality already set on not having Roar on my Hippowdon, another physically defensive wall, one preferably with phazing capabilities, is a helpful boon to my team. Gyarados got a new toy in Dragon Tail, enabling it to phaze even when it's Taunted. Additionally, Intimidate can help soften blows for my Hippowdon to take more easily.
Looking through my team, I noticed quite a large weakness to Breloom. Because my team doesn't carry a Ghost-type Rotom, I was forced to use a different Pokemon in order to check it. Defensive Salamence is a forgotten Pokemon, but it can check Breloom pretty well (as long as it doesn't eat a few Stone Edges). Additionally, with Flamethrower, it can help prevent Nattorei and Forretress from freely setting up.
After playtesting it for a little bit, my team had no real fast revenge killer or ending sweeper to truly finish off the opposing team. Salamence and Gyarados also ended up overlapping in terms of roles because of their similarities. Because I valued Salamence more due to its resistances, Gyarados was chosen to be taken off the team. Furthermore, because my team didn't particularly like entry hazards either, a Rapid Spinner is desired. Adding up all of these individual components, I was left with Doryuuzu. After adding it to my team and testing it out, it was a great fit.
Thus, another team complete.
In depth look:
Hippowdon (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Fang
Overview: Because of team previews, no team really has a "true" lead. However, more often than not, I send in Hippowdon in first because I am too lazy to think that much early game. Additionally, getting up Stealth Rock early game is always helpful in wearing down the opposing team. Furthermore, with the hard hitting physical Pokemon of 5th generation, Hippowdon easily helps along the team with Slack Off and sandstorm stalling away the opposing team.
Moveset: Earthquake is the obligatory STAB move, capable of hitting hard even with uninvested EVs in attack. Slack Off is a major necessity due to the many hits that Hippowdon will be taking. It also enables Blissey to pass Wish onto a different Pokemon instead of having to pass it to Hippowdon. Stealth Rock is underrated, as it can break Multiscale Dragonite and generally wear down opposing teams. Ice Fang is given the nod over Roar because of its ability to hit Randorosu as well as Balloon Doryuuzu.
EVs and item: 252 HP and 252 Def EVs along with an Impish nature give Hippowdon the maximum defensive capabilities. The remaining EVs go into Special Defense. The attacks are just too strong this generation to do a specially defensive spread like Kevin Garrett had last generation on his Hippowdon. Leftovers for gradual recovery.
Playing style: I generally play very recklessly with Hippowdon. If I see an opposing Politoed, I keep Hippowdon in even if it may be more advantageous to send in Nattorei or Blissey first. Hippowdon is slower than Politoed, which enables sandstorm to stay up and not let the opposing team sweep my team. Furthermore, I'm not afraid to take heavy damage on the first turn just to get up Stealth Rock. Because my team abuses resistances, the opposing team will be hard pressed to constantly switch in and out in order to check my Pokemon.
Considered changes: Roar > Ice Fang. Although Ice Fang is useful in taking down some Pokemon, there are those situations where I would much rather Roar in order to predict the switch-in. However, it makes it that much harder for my team to take down Doryuuzu.
Nattorei (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 60 Def / 196 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
Overview: Nattorei is the premier Spiker in this generation. With Payback's nerf and harder hitting opponents deminishing Forretress's utility as well as Skarmory's inability to check Rain Dance teams that well, Nattorei is added onto my team instead. With Spikes and Leech Seed generally wearing down the opponent, Nattorei is a key component of my large plan. Furthermore, with its massive defenses, it can serve as a general switchin to plenty of Pokemon just to get the cycle all started again.
Moveset: Spikes is a necessity on a stall team, especially with as many threats in this metagame as there are now. Because Nattorei only has Leftovers, it is stuck with Leech Seed in order to gain other recovery. However, Leech Seed has a double use. It enables me to switch Nattorei into an Outrage, Leech Seed, and Spikes up while the opposing Dragon is losing at least 20% a turn from Leech Seed, Iron Barbs, and sandstorm. Power Whip serves as my anti-Rain Dance move as well as my check for Cloyster. Gyro Ball hits fast enemies hard such as doing close to 60% to Birijion who think they can freely set up in front of Nattorei. Both of these attacking moves serve as general STAB moves also, though I find myself using Spikes and Leech Seed MUCH more often.
EVs and item: I'm not really sure what these EVs do but they give a nice balance of Defense and Special Defense. I know from experience that a Shell Break Icicle Spear only does 85% max to this Nattorei, meaning that even with Stealth Rock and 1 layer of Spikes down, at full health it can live and KO back with Power Whip. Otherwise, it's a good general spread for taking Draco Meteors and whatnot. Leftovers are Nattorei's only way of healing away damage besides Leech Seed. Although I could use Shed Shell to escape from Magnezone, Leftovers is much more useful.
Playing style: I bring Nattorei in on basically every bulky Water-type Pokemon I can find with the exception of Rotom-W because many of them carry Hidden Power Fire to hit Nattorei with. From there, depending on my HP, I either Spikes or Leech Seed. I'm not afraid of Magnezone KOing my Nattorei, as it enables me to lay down at least another layer of Spikes because they only 2HKO me with HP Fire. I also tend to bring this in on other Nattorei because for some reason they never Spikes in front of me, they always switch out immediately. Finally, I'm not afraid to leave it in and Gyro Ball/Power Whip something to cripple it, as it makes it that much easier to take down later on in the match.
Considered changes: Potentially changing the EVs but they work for me so there's no real need to do so.
Doryuuzu (F) @ Balloon
Trait: Sand Throw
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin
Overview: It may be strange to have such a potent sweeper on a stall team, but Doryuuzu fits a unique position on this team. With immunity to both Toxic and Thunder Wave, it can easily come in on status moves and threaten immediately. I end up thinking of this as a 5th gen Scarftar because of its Speed enabling it to check many things that stall teams are weak to. However, that view is slightly skewed because of Rapid Spin. With Doryuuzu having the capability of 2HKOing spinblockers, Ghosts are afraid of even coming in in the first place, which enables me to get off a free Rapid Spin. Furthermore, Doryuuzu's Speed and power enable me to finish off opposing teams that can't be worn down as easily.
Moveset: Swords Dance is there to not only scare away Ghost-type Pokemon but also to pull off a sweep in the end of the game if it's necessary. It's one of the main reasons my team can handle Rain Dance teams: I take down their Politoed, bring Hippowdon back in, and then get Doryuuzu to get a Swords Dance and then sweep. Earthquake is the obligatory STAB move, capable of dealing massive damage due to Doryuuzu's base 135 Attack and Swords Dance. Rock Slide hits any Levitating and Flying-type Pokemon and with Doryuuzu's Speed can pull off a flinch or two when it's needed. Rapid Spin is actually the main reason it's on my team. Burungeru and Blissey hate Toxic Spikes, Hippowdon and Nattorei hate Spikes. With Ghosts fearful of coming in, Doryuuzu can easily get off a Rapid Spin.
EVs and item: Max Speed is a necessity to Speed tie opposing Doryuuzu while max Attack for the most power. Doryuuzu doesn't have the bulk to invest in HP a lot anyway, so this is the best spread available. Balloon is chosen because the additional immunity is helpful against Choiced Pokemon if Salamence is dead and Hippowdon is weakened.
Playing style: Being the most frail member of the team, obviously I'm very cautious about switching it in. This can be a bad thing at points because if I don't get it in, opposing Spikestacking teams can quickly wear down my team. In reality I should probably be more aggressive with it but it does its job well either way.
Considered changes: None really.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Wish
- Softboiled
- Seismic Toss
- Toxic
Overview: Blissey will always be the defensive wall that I use. Even though Evolution Stone Chansey is bulkier on both sides than Blissey, there are a few reasons I still use it.
1) Blissey has Leftovers. I like seeing the bar go up and down.
2) Defensive capability not cut by 1/3 through Knock Off or Trick, making Blissey still capable of walling many Pokemon.
3) Blissey pride.
In reality, Chansey would be a better Pokemon here. Either way, Blissey does an awesome job of tanking whatever comes its way. It's one of the key points in defeating a lot of setup sweepers as Toxic is a key component in wearing them down. Other than that, it's Blissey.
Moveset: Wish is extremely helpful for this team as it enables me to keep Nattorei healthy as well as other teammates if they can't get off a Recover/Slack Off. I enjoy having Softboiled as well because I like having the extra healing PP. It also enables Blissey to get from 1% to 100% in one turn. Seismic Toss is there for the consistent 100 damage while Toxic is part of my plan to slowly wear down opposing enemies.
EVs and item: 252 HP lets Blissey pass the largest Wishes while 252 Def and a Bold nature give Blissey the most physical defense. Leftovers is one of the key reasons I use Blissey over Chansey (I like seeing the moving HP bar).
Playing style: Switch Blissey in on many special attackers, Softboiled if low on HP, Toxic otherwise, Seismic Toss for free damage. Blissey isn't that hard to use, but it can get a bit tricky sometimes. Overall a straightforward Pokemon.
Considered changes: Chansey > Blissey but Chansey is lame. Also Flamethrower > Seismic Toss to break Gengar's Subs and 3HKO Nattorei but then I get walled by Heatran.
Burungeru (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Boil Over
- Recover
- Taunt
- Shadow Ball
Overview: On paper, Burugeru plays a key role for this team: blocking Rapid Spin. In practice, this doesn't work so well. Because it is weak to Toxic Spikes, opposing teams that try to Rapid Spin often have Toxic Spikes as well. Additionally, it's susceptible to Spikes, making its job not as easy. Nevertheless, its Water-typing makes it really easy to switch into things like Infernape and Heatran and tank their Fire Blasts. Its Ghost-typing is also one of the ways that I slowly wear down Birijion. Other than that, I can't really think of things that Burugeru does. However, it does do its job when it has to.
Moveset: Boil Over (Boiling Water) is incredibly useful due to its burn chance for unsuscepting Pokemon like Nattorei. Recover serves as instant recovery which enables it to heal away any residual damage. Taunt prevents Forretress and Nattorei from setting up Spikes as well as boosting Pokemon from setting up too much. Shadow Ball serves as a secondary STAB and can hit other Burugeru as well as various Psychic-type Pokemon.
EVs and item: 252 HP and 252 SDef with a Calm nature enables it to switch into even Starmie and spinblock well. Since Burugeru dies to Doryuuzu either way, there's no need in my mind to invest in Defense. Leftovers aids in healing away the chip damage.
Playing style: It's hard to really describe because I don't have much playtime with it. I don't bring it in a lot and oftentimes it becomes death fodder. However, I'm not afraid of freely switching it into Forretress to actually block Rapid Spin when it has to.
Considered changes: MANY. A list:
Salamence (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 32 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Wish
- Protect
- Dragon Tail
- Flamethrower
Overview: Last but certainly not least we have Salamence. Banned in 4th gen for being a fierce mixed sweeper, it rejoins 5th gen on my team as a defensive wall. Intimidate coupled with the incredibly useful resistances from its Dragon-typing means that it can check a lot of stuff. Furthermore, even with its HP lacking in comparison to Blissey, it can still pass Wish decently. Originally I thought Gyarados would be better for this team but when Salamence takes 20% from a Focus Punch from Breloom and has a reliable way to take it out, you know you've made the right choice.
Moveset: Wish and Protect serve as Salamence's main way of healing. Protect is insanely useful to the point that I sometimes wish I had it on Blissey but it fits Salamence a lot better for whatever reason. Dragon Tail is quite a useful move, as even with 0 Atk investment it still does a chunk of damage. That, coupled with entry hazards, means that the opponent will find itself suddenly missing quite a bit of its HP. Flamethrower isn't there to sweep but more to make sure Forretress, Skarmory, and Nattorei don't have a field day with Salamence.
EVs and item: 248 HP EVs give Salamence the maximum non-Stealth Rock weak HP while 32 Speed lets Salamence outspeed Tyranitar (for whatever reason). The remaining EVs go into Defense. An Impish nature is used because I don't want to reduce Dragon Tail's damage and Flamethrower is only for a few Pokemon anyway so it's not a huge problem. Like the rest of my team, Leftovers helps with walling.
Playing style: I'm really quite rash about Salamence. I take risks and switch it in to Pokemon that can easily KO it just to get the Intimidate on it and then go back to Hippowdon or Nattorei to sponge attacks. I also tend to Dragon Tail a lot. As for Breloom, I let something go to sleep and then watch as Breloom can't break through Salamence's defenses.
Considered changes: Roost over Wish, Dragon Claw over Protect, Roar over Dragon Tail. However, Protect is really useful on Salamence so I probably won't make this change.
Ending:
Stall teams are never done. This is merely the tip of the iceberg. With so many different Pokemon viable as well as new Pokemon leaving and entering the metagame, stall teams will always change to adapt. This is merely step one of a long journey. Let's see what happens along the way.
That being said, I hold the view that the best way to learn a metagame is to play stall. Stall relies on checking as many opposing threats as possible and slowly wearing down the opposing team. With so many new Pokemon along with older Pokemon receiving new toys to play with, it will be a tough journey to the top. By playing stall, it enables me to truly learn what is threatening and what is a pushover instead of merely hearing from word of mouth or attempting to read the many, MANY threads in UT.
This team was originally built back when Darkrai, Deoxys-N/A, Skymin, and Inconsistent were still here. However, due to college applications, I was unable to play very often. I decided to wait until they were banned in order to get back into the fray. With everyone having a fresh start in a brand new metagame, the sheer number of teams will lead to a pleasureable experience.
Anyway, enough talking. Let's get onto the actual team!
Team building/Overview:
Knowing that I wanted to play stall from the beginning in order to learn the actual metagame, I immediately sought a bulky Pokemon, one with recovery and massive defenses. Because more teams in this metagame don't bother to carry Rapid Spinners, I knew I had to have Stealth Rock. With the influx of stronger physical attackers, I knew I had to have a physical wall in order to stop all of them. Immediately, my eyes went to one Pokemon: Hippowdon.
Knowing that a stall team succeeds by wearing down opposing Pokemon, entry hazards are mandatory to succeed in that goal. With Hippowdon already having Stealth Rock, a Spiker is a must. Forretress has a hard time setting up entry hazards due to the stronger attacks, while Skarmory never truly appealed to me. One Pokemon jumped out at me: Nattorei. A new 5th generation Pokemon, Nattorei's bulky defenses along with unique typing enables it to switch into many different attacks and immediately begin setting up Spikes. With that, nattorei was added to the team.
No stall team is complete without a dedicated special wall. Evolution Stone Chansey was still relatively undiscovered at this point, and because I was reluctant to change, I stuck with what I knew best: Blissey. Knowing that Nattorei doesn't have reliable healing, a set with Wish is the best choice for my team.
Still with the 4th generation mentality in mind, I needed a Ghost-type Pokemon in order to block Rapid Spin. If the opponent were to remove my entry hazards using Rapid Spin, it makes it that much more difficult to defend against opposing Pokemon. Normally, I would jump to a Rotom forme. However, because of the change in 5th gen that removed the formes' Ghost-typing, I was stuck using another Ghost-type Pokemon. None of the new 5th gen Ghost-types really appealed to me except for one: Burungeru. With handy resistances from its Water-typing, Burungeru can really help defend against powerful attacks.
With my mentality already set on not having Roar on my Hippowdon, another physically defensive wall, one preferably with phazing capabilities, is a helpful boon to my team. Gyarados got a new toy in Dragon Tail, enabling it to phaze even when it's Taunted. Additionally, Intimidate can help soften blows for my Hippowdon to take more easily.
Looking through my team, I noticed quite a large weakness to Breloom. Because my team doesn't carry a Ghost-type Rotom, I was forced to use a different Pokemon in order to check it. Defensive Salamence is a forgotten Pokemon, but it can check Breloom pretty well (as long as it doesn't eat a few Stone Edges). Additionally, with Flamethrower, it can help prevent Nattorei and Forretress from freely setting up.
After playtesting it for a little bit, my team had no real fast revenge killer or ending sweeper to truly finish off the opposing team. Salamence and Gyarados also ended up overlapping in terms of roles because of their similarities. Because I valued Salamence more due to its resistances, Gyarados was chosen to be taken off the team. Furthermore, because my team didn't particularly like entry hazards either, a Rapid Spinner is desired. Adding up all of these individual components, I was left with Doryuuzu. After adding it to my team and testing it out, it was a great fit.
Thus, another team complete.
In depth look:
Hippowdon (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Fang
Overview: Because of team previews, no team really has a "true" lead. However, more often than not, I send in Hippowdon in first because I am too lazy to think that much early game. Additionally, getting up Stealth Rock early game is always helpful in wearing down the opposing team. Furthermore, with the hard hitting physical Pokemon of 5th generation, Hippowdon easily helps along the team with Slack Off and sandstorm stalling away the opposing team.
Moveset: Earthquake is the obligatory STAB move, capable of hitting hard even with uninvested EVs in attack. Slack Off is a major necessity due to the many hits that Hippowdon will be taking. It also enables Blissey to pass Wish onto a different Pokemon instead of having to pass it to Hippowdon. Stealth Rock is underrated, as it can break Multiscale Dragonite and generally wear down opposing teams. Ice Fang is given the nod over Roar because of its ability to hit Randorosu as well as Balloon Doryuuzu.
EVs and item: 252 HP and 252 Def EVs along with an Impish nature give Hippowdon the maximum defensive capabilities. The remaining EVs go into Special Defense. The attacks are just too strong this generation to do a specially defensive spread like Kevin Garrett had last generation on his Hippowdon. Leftovers for gradual recovery.
Playing style: I generally play very recklessly with Hippowdon. If I see an opposing Politoed, I keep Hippowdon in even if it may be more advantageous to send in Nattorei or Blissey first. Hippowdon is slower than Politoed, which enables sandstorm to stay up and not let the opposing team sweep my team. Furthermore, I'm not afraid to take heavy damage on the first turn just to get up Stealth Rock. Because my team abuses resistances, the opposing team will be hard pressed to constantly switch in and out in order to check my Pokemon.
Considered changes: Roar > Ice Fang. Although Ice Fang is useful in taking down some Pokemon, there are those situations where I would much rather Roar in order to predict the switch-in. However, it makes it that much harder for my team to take down Doryuuzu.
Nattorei (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 60 Def / 196 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
Overview: Nattorei is the premier Spiker in this generation. With Payback's nerf and harder hitting opponents deminishing Forretress's utility as well as Skarmory's inability to check Rain Dance teams that well, Nattorei is added onto my team instead. With Spikes and Leech Seed generally wearing down the opponent, Nattorei is a key component of my large plan. Furthermore, with its massive defenses, it can serve as a general switchin to plenty of Pokemon just to get the cycle all started again.
Moveset: Spikes is a necessity on a stall team, especially with as many threats in this metagame as there are now. Because Nattorei only has Leftovers, it is stuck with Leech Seed in order to gain other recovery. However, Leech Seed has a double use. It enables me to switch Nattorei into an Outrage, Leech Seed, and Spikes up while the opposing Dragon is losing at least 20% a turn from Leech Seed, Iron Barbs, and sandstorm. Power Whip serves as my anti-Rain Dance move as well as my check for Cloyster. Gyro Ball hits fast enemies hard such as doing close to 60% to Birijion who think they can freely set up in front of Nattorei. Both of these attacking moves serve as general STAB moves also, though I find myself using Spikes and Leech Seed MUCH more often.
EVs and item: I'm not really sure what these EVs do but they give a nice balance of Defense and Special Defense. I know from experience that a Shell Break Icicle Spear only does 85% max to this Nattorei, meaning that even with Stealth Rock and 1 layer of Spikes down, at full health it can live and KO back with Power Whip. Otherwise, it's a good general spread for taking Draco Meteors and whatnot. Leftovers are Nattorei's only way of healing away damage besides Leech Seed. Although I could use Shed Shell to escape from Magnezone, Leftovers is much more useful.
Playing style: I bring Nattorei in on basically every bulky Water-type Pokemon I can find with the exception of Rotom-W because many of them carry Hidden Power Fire to hit Nattorei with. From there, depending on my HP, I either Spikes or Leech Seed. I'm not afraid of Magnezone KOing my Nattorei, as it enables me to lay down at least another layer of Spikes because they only 2HKO me with HP Fire. I also tend to bring this in on other Nattorei because for some reason they never Spikes in front of me, they always switch out immediately. Finally, I'm not afraid to leave it in and Gyro Ball/Power Whip something to cripple it, as it makes it that much easier to take down later on in the match.
Considered changes: Potentially changing the EVs but they work for me so there's no real need to do so.
Doryuuzu (F) @ Balloon
Trait: Sand Throw
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin
Overview: It may be strange to have such a potent sweeper on a stall team, but Doryuuzu fits a unique position on this team. With immunity to both Toxic and Thunder Wave, it can easily come in on status moves and threaten immediately. I end up thinking of this as a 5th gen Scarftar because of its Speed enabling it to check many things that stall teams are weak to. However, that view is slightly skewed because of Rapid Spin. With Doryuuzu having the capability of 2HKOing spinblockers, Ghosts are afraid of even coming in in the first place, which enables me to get off a free Rapid Spin. Furthermore, Doryuuzu's Speed and power enable me to finish off opposing teams that can't be worn down as easily.
Moveset: Swords Dance is there to not only scare away Ghost-type Pokemon but also to pull off a sweep in the end of the game if it's necessary. It's one of the main reasons my team can handle Rain Dance teams: I take down their Politoed, bring Hippowdon back in, and then get Doryuuzu to get a Swords Dance and then sweep. Earthquake is the obligatory STAB move, capable of dealing massive damage due to Doryuuzu's base 135 Attack and Swords Dance. Rock Slide hits any Levitating and Flying-type Pokemon and with Doryuuzu's Speed can pull off a flinch or two when it's needed. Rapid Spin is actually the main reason it's on my team. Burungeru and Blissey hate Toxic Spikes, Hippowdon and Nattorei hate Spikes. With Ghosts fearful of coming in, Doryuuzu can easily get off a Rapid Spin.
EVs and item: Max Speed is a necessity to Speed tie opposing Doryuuzu while max Attack for the most power. Doryuuzu doesn't have the bulk to invest in HP a lot anyway, so this is the best spread available. Balloon is chosen because the additional immunity is helpful against Choiced Pokemon if Salamence is dead and Hippowdon is weakened.
Playing style: Being the most frail member of the team, obviously I'm very cautious about switching it in. This can be a bad thing at points because if I don't get it in, opposing Spikestacking teams can quickly wear down my team. In reality I should probably be more aggressive with it but it does its job well either way.
Considered changes: None really.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Wish
- Softboiled
- Seismic Toss
- Toxic
Overview: Blissey will always be the defensive wall that I use. Even though Evolution Stone Chansey is bulkier on both sides than Blissey, there are a few reasons I still use it.
1) Blissey has Leftovers. I like seeing the bar go up and down.
2) Defensive capability not cut by 1/3 through Knock Off or Trick, making Blissey still capable of walling many Pokemon.
3) Blissey pride.
In reality, Chansey would be a better Pokemon here. Either way, Blissey does an awesome job of tanking whatever comes its way. It's one of the key points in defeating a lot of setup sweepers as Toxic is a key component in wearing them down. Other than that, it's Blissey.
Moveset: Wish is extremely helpful for this team as it enables me to keep Nattorei healthy as well as other teammates if they can't get off a Recover/Slack Off. I enjoy having Softboiled as well because I like having the extra healing PP. It also enables Blissey to get from 1% to 100% in one turn. Seismic Toss is there for the consistent 100 damage while Toxic is part of my plan to slowly wear down opposing enemies.
EVs and item: 252 HP lets Blissey pass the largest Wishes while 252 Def and a Bold nature give Blissey the most physical defense. Leftovers is one of the key reasons I use Blissey over Chansey (I like seeing the moving HP bar).
Playing style: Switch Blissey in on many special attackers, Softboiled if low on HP, Toxic otherwise, Seismic Toss for free damage. Blissey isn't that hard to use, but it can get a bit tricky sometimes. Overall a straightforward Pokemon.
Considered changes: Chansey > Blissey but Chansey is lame. Also Flamethrower > Seismic Toss to break Gengar's Subs and 3HKO Nattorei but then I get walled by Heatran.
Burungeru (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Boil Over
- Recover
- Taunt
- Shadow Ball
Overview: On paper, Burugeru plays a key role for this team: blocking Rapid Spin. In practice, this doesn't work so well. Because it is weak to Toxic Spikes, opposing teams that try to Rapid Spin often have Toxic Spikes as well. Additionally, it's susceptible to Spikes, making its job not as easy. Nevertheless, its Water-typing makes it really easy to switch into things like Infernape and Heatran and tank their Fire Blasts. Its Ghost-typing is also one of the ways that I slowly wear down Birijion. Other than that, I can't really think of things that Burugeru does. However, it does do its job when it has to.
Moveset: Boil Over (Boiling Water) is incredibly useful due to its burn chance for unsuscepting Pokemon like Nattorei. Recover serves as instant recovery which enables it to heal away any residual damage. Taunt prevents Forretress and Nattorei from setting up Spikes as well as boosting Pokemon from setting up too much. Shadow Ball serves as a secondary STAB and can hit other Burugeru as well as various Psychic-type Pokemon.
EVs and item: 252 HP and 252 SDef with a Calm nature enables it to switch into even Starmie and spinblock well. Since Burugeru dies to Doryuuzu either way, there's no need in my mind to invest in Defense. Leftovers aids in healing away the chip damage.
Playing style: It's hard to really describe because I don't have much playtime with it. I don't bring it in a lot and oftentimes it becomes death fodder. However, I'm not afraid of freely switching it into Forretress to actually block Rapid Spin when it has to.
Considered changes: MANY. A list:
- 252 HP and 252 Def with a Bold nature. Patches up Burugeru's frailer side and gives it more overall bulk.
- Toxic > Shadow Ball. Prevents sweepers from setting up in case Blissey can't switch in for whatever reason.
- Compeletely ditching Burugeru and replacing it with a defensive Rotom-W. 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD with a Bold nature, Thunderbolt / Hydro Pump / Hidden Power Fire / Will-o-Wisp. Enables me to handle Gliscor and Gyarados better.
Salamence (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 32 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Wish
- Protect
- Dragon Tail
- Flamethrower
Overview: Last but certainly not least we have Salamence. Banned in 4th gen for being a fierce mixed sweeper, it rejoins 5th gen on my team as a defensive wall. Intimidate coupled with the incredibly useful resistances from its Dragon-typing means that it can check a lot of stuff. Furthermore, even with its HP lacking in comparison to Blissey, it can still pass Wish decently. Originally I thought Gyarados would be better for this team but when Salamence takes 20% from a Focus Punch from Breloom and has a reliable way to take it out, you know you've made the right choice.
Moveset: Wish and Protect serve as Salamence's main way of healing. Protect is insanely useful to the point that I sometimes wish I had it on Blissey but it fits Salamence a lot better for whatever reason. Dragon Tail is quite a useful move, as even with 0 Atk investment it still does a chunk of damage. That, coupled with entry hazards, means that the opponent will find itself suddenly missing quite a bit of its HP. Flamethrower isn't there to sweep but more to make sure Forretress, Skarmory, and Nattorei don't have a field day with Salamence.
EVs and item: 248 HP EVs give Salamence the maximum non-Stealth Rock weak HP while 32 Speed lets Salamence outspeed Tyranitar (for whatever reason). The remaining EVs go into Defense. An Impish nature is used because I don't want to reduce Dragon Tail's damage and Flamethrower is only for a few Pokemon anyway so it's not a huge problem. Like the rest of my team, Leftovers helps with walling.
Playing style: I'm really quite rash about Salamence. I take risks and switch it in to Pokemon that can easily KO it just to get the Intimidate on it and then go back to Hippowdon or Nattorei to sponge attacks. I also tend to Dragon Tail a lot. As for Breloom, I let something go to sleep and then watch as Breloom can't break through Salamence's defenses.
Considered changes: Roost over Wish, Dragon Claw over Protect, Roar over Dragon Tail. However, Protect is really useful on Salamence so I probably won't make this change.
Ending:
Stall teams are never done. This is merely the tip of the iceberg. With so many different Pokemon viable as well as new Pokemon leaving and entering the metagame, stall teams will always change to adapt. This is merely step one of a long journey. Let's see what happens along the way.
