All Hail The Toxic Stall
Changes in Dark Red
At a Glance
Introduction
Hail teams have become a dying breed recently. Simply too many things can come in and grind hail teams to the ground with a variety of methods. However, I have always loved hail teams and I have always appreciated a challenge. This team is far from perfect so I appreciate all the help I can get.
The function of this team is to set up entry hazards and stall the opponent out with Toxic. Toxic Spikes for the grounded folks and Toxic for those up in the air. In saying this, it may become apparent I have some trouble with steel types. That is very true... I have a rather mediocre fire punch on Dusknoir to deal with Scizor and Forretress but anything else I'm pretty much stumped.
Snoopy
Enter the Beagle
Smeargle
@ Focus Sash
Technician
Jolly
EVs 252 Spe / 252 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Spore
- Fake Out
What? Fake Out? Really?!?! All jokes aside Fake Out actually has a very specific role in my team. Primarily, Smeargle leads have been criticized as the epitome of "works on paper but not in a real battle." I'm here to change that. Well not really, but I'm here to slightly alter that belief. The usual Smeargle set spores, then sets up entry hazards. However, this means that they are shut down by popular taunt leads such as Gliscor, Azelf, and Aerodactyl. The latter two are more common. That's where Fake Out comes in. Fake Out in retrospect is the sash breaker. With Sashes broken, I can switch into Weavile on the turn they SR or Taunt and Night Slash the slower Azelf while Ice Sharding the Gliscors and Aeros. (Although admittedly a Gliscor with Yache berry could provide some trouble for me) Entry hazards are vital to this team and so I needed a good way to put them up. One layer of Spikes and SR up is my usual goal but any more is greatly appreciated. In addition, this Smeargle actually has mid-late game value. It fakes out the turn you switch it in for mediocre damage. Smeargle's Fake Out is actually rather interesting. With STAB and Technician boost, a hopelessly puny, morbidly weak attack turns out to be borderline mediocre. Now you might say, hey, that doesn't sound very amazing! Well, it's not, but against an opponent with only 10-20%, Smeargle and come in and secure a KO that might otherwise require losses in other respects. And of course, afterwards, Smeargle is basically death fodder that gives me free switches.
Hail Man
Subseed
Abomasnow
@ Leftovers
Snow Warning
Bold
EVs 252 Def / 252 SpD
- Protect
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Blizzard
Every Hail team needs one of thess guys. Unfortunately, not every hail team wants one of them. With its whopping seven weaknesses, Abomasnow literally cannot take a hit to save its life. The only consolation I get for this is a potentially powerful staller should I switch into something that can't take it out in a single attack. Protect let's me scout with and stall in the same way Stallrein stalls, Protect, Sub, Protect, Sub... It also has an amazing 100 accuracy 120 base power STAB Blizzard. Abomasnow has surprisingly good stalling powers. In addition, Leech Seeding then switching is an oddly effective form of healing when lacking wish support. Prior to this, I had vied for a sweeping Abomasnow but this one has gained me the most success. I have been able to stall out multiple pokes on more than a few accounts and blizzard deals good damage for anything that tries to set up while I leech behind my substitute, sometimes even taking them out.
Friend
Utility
Tentacruel
@ Leftovers
Clear Body
Calm
EVs 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpD
- Toxic Spikes
- Surf
- Toxic
- Rapid Spin
I really need Toxic Spikes for this set. The most obvious one is surf hitting fire types. Of course, a spinner is a good thing to have on any team, and Tentacruel does well to take some hits that my other Pokemon can't even bear to look at. *Cough* Abomasnow... Tentacruel's amazing SpD can help it serve as a rather formidable Special tank in my team. I'm debating whether or not to keep Toxic on this set. Some have told me that it was redundant seeing as Tentacruel was already my Toxic Spiker but on many accounts, it has been able to nab a Gyarados or flying poke on the switch attempting to set up on me. In that account, Tentacruel does okay.
Casper the Spinblocker
Spinblocker
Rotom-H @ Leftovers
Levitate
Timid
EVs 248 HP / 72 SpA / 188 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Overheat
- Reflect
- Pain Split
I had used Dusknoir previously on this team but found that despite its superior bulk, Rotom-H functioned better. Rotom-H helped me cover my Steel and ground vulnerability. Unfortunately, it does nothing to help my glaring rock weakness. Rotom helps cover a few weaknesses that I have but still remains relatively bulky enough to function as an effective spinblocker. It handle's my Gyara weakness, my Scizor weakness, and lastly helps spinblock.
The Stallrein
Staller
Walrein
@ Leftovers
Ice Body
Bold
EVs 252HP / 158 Def / 100 SpD
- Protect
- Substitute
- Super Fang / Surf / Blizzard
- Aqua Ring
Stallrein! The meat of a stalling hail team. This Stallrein is actually far from standard. With Aqua Ring, Stallrein no longer abides by the 220 HP EV rule, significantly upping its physical bulk. Stallrein usually goes in on a physical attacker and sets up. Aqua Ring means that I can use Super Fang without worry that I won't be able to gain back the HP I lose from breaking my stall chain of Sub Protect, Sub Protect and ultimately I feel like Aqua Ring gives me better lasting power as should a Ttar come in, I'll still be able to gain 6% per protect. However, my attacking move, although usually Super Fang, is not... great. Super Fang causes me to not be able to do anything to Ghost Types, especially Gengar. With Gengar nulling Toxic and Toxic Spikes, it can easily break my Walrein although thankfully Gengars usually don't care leftovers.
Toenails
The Late Game Sweep
Weavile
@ Life Orb
Pressure
Jolly
EVs 6Hp / 252Atk / 252Spe
- Swords Dance
- Night Slash
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick
My late game sweep. This fragile Weavile is often used situationally depending on the type and Pokemon choice of my opponent. When Weaviles major threats have been eliminated and the opponent's team has been fairly weakened, he really shines. I've swept 4 Pokemon in one go with my Weavile due to his good type coverage, speed, and attack. He does fail however, at some counters. For example, when put against a Scizor, there is really nothing he can do much about. His STABS may still do decent damage but a bullet punch to the face and he's gone! He can go toe-to-toe easy with a TTar when it has been entry-hazarded. The main problem I see with this build is that it is rather difficult to stand alone. While he's strong, he's not strong enough to kill everything with one attack and therefore relies heavily on entry hazards and previous damage.
Weavile is fragile as well, hence the Life Orb I put on it. The Life Orb significantly increases his attacking capabilities while minimally affecting his fragility [since he's practically made of glass already]. Weavile is a pretty good revenge killer for the most part. I've considered and tested Gengar and Mamoswine over him but neither seemed to cut it as well as he did with his type coverage. In addition, Weavile's STAB Ice Shard priority really packs a punch when dealing with ground or grass types. Unfortunately, Weavile really can't do much against Heatran as Scarftran ultimately outspeeds it, rendering low kick useless. However, I feel like if I should Scarf my Weavile, I won't have enough power to take care of other pokes it needs to take out.
