Hello Smogon community! First time poster, decent-amount-of-time lurker here. I started playing Pokémon competetively in the 4th generation, though I went on a hiatus until 5th gen.
I've been playing a bit on Pokémon Online recently, with some some success. Saying it's a bigger success than that feels like a bit of an exaggeration, but I peaked at
Without further ado, allow me to present the team. First, at a glance, in no particular order:
As you might have guessed, this is a bulky offense team (thanks Temporal).
More in-depth about the individual team members:
Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpDef
Nature: Impish
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Waterfall
- Dragon Tail
The oldest member of the team, Gyarados, is a bulky RestTalker, and one of my favorite Pokémon right now. Gyarados's role is to switch in on the plethora of physical threats in the metagame (Scizor, Metagross, Blaziken, etc.) with the help of Intimidate and either force them out through type-advantage alone or phazing or beat them if they are bold enough to stay in.
Gyarados can also counter some special threats as well, the prime suspect being Volcarona, as it can't inflict much damage with its STAB attacks and takes huge amounts of damage from Waterfall.
Gyarados also acts as a status-absorber, being able to attack despite sleep thanks to Sleep Talk, and not giving a hoot about burn, toxic and paralysis due to Rest.
All in all, pretty standard.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 60 Def / 196 SpDef
Nature: Careful
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Thunder Wave
- Power Whip
Ah yes, Ferrothorn, everyone's favorite wall. Understandable, since it does its job extremely well. Ferrothorn provides entry hazards in the form of Spikes, and healing through Leech Seed for itself and the rest of the team, should the opponent decide to stay in. If not, you can get another layer of Spikes up on the switch. Power Whip for powerful STAB.
Ferrothorn has great defensive synergy with Gyarados, and to a lesser extent Starmie (Ferrothorn doesn't resist Starmie's weakness to Bug attacks, though the rest is pretty much covered).
Thunder Wave is there to cripple non-ground, non-Volt Absorb/Lightning Rod Pokémon who think they can set up on Ferrothorn.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpAtk / 252 Speed
Nature: Timid
- Stealth Rock
- Lava Plume
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Heatran is the team's Stealth Rocker and Ferrothorn counter. It basically goes like this: Opponent brings in Ferrothorn, I go to Heatran, I Stealth Rock on the switch. Works about once every fifth game (with Ferrothorn's usage being at about 20%).
Lava Plume may seem strange, but I really like the increased burn chance and the perfect accuracy, despite the lack of power (so even if they bring in a resist, say, Tyranitar, it won't enjoy the burn).
Earth Power is Earth Power. Beats opposing Heatran, especially choiced ones since they can't pop your Air Balloon and switch to Earth Power for the KO.
I originally ran Hidden Power Electric on Heatran for opposing Gyarados (who wouldn't want to stay in on a Heatran with Gyarados, right?), but found they were easily managable by other members of the team.
After a deal of testing, I noticed I had no real good answer for Rotom-W (Ferrothorn can survive a Hidden Power Fire and retaliate with Power Whip, but it's not nearly enough to finish the job). Rotom-W also loves to switch in on Heatran, resisting Heatran's STAB and being immune to Earth Power, and if you can predict correctly, you can nail it with Hidden Power Grass for about 50% damage on the most common ones (a 2HKO with rocks).
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 80 Atk / 48 Def / 120 SpDef / 16 Speed
Nature: Impish
- Protect
- Fling
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
I seriously doubt Gliscor needs much of an explanation, but why not?
Gliscor is here to take care of the threats that Gyarados and Ferrothorn may be hard-pressed to take care of, such as Bulk Up Conkeldurr and Swords Dance Excadrill (are there any other versions of Excadrill? lol).
Protect gives Gliscor more turns of healing with Poison Heal, and helps to ease prediction for suspected Choice-locked Pokémon, and can create some mind games. An example would be Jolteon using Hidden Power Ice and you Protect. They might think you want to switch, and they pick another attack accordingly. Although risky, you could predict and send an Earthquake at Jolteon instead.
Fling + Acrobat is somewhat self-explanatory. Fling your Toxic Orb to poison something, and enjoy a 110 base power Flying move. Poisoning Guts users isn't much of a worry (an exception being Guts Machamp, who could beat you senseless with Ice Punch), since Gliscor can take their attacks anyway and beat them with Acrobat.
Earthquake to take out Steel-types.
16 Speed IVs means you outspeed Timid 216 Speed EV Magnezone.
Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Speed
Nature: Adamant
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Taking Mamoswine's spot, Scizor still provides the team with priority as well as being able to deal with Reuniclus, something that Mamoswine struggled to do (Focus Blast isn't as threatening to Scizor as it is to Mamoswine, and the former has the benefit of resisting Reuniclus's STAB moves).
Bread and butter set. Bulky Swords Dancer might be a better fit here, though it doesn't have as good coverage (obviously).
Mamoswine @ Choice Band
Ability: Snow Cloak
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed
Nature: Adamant
- Ice Shard
- Icicle Crash
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
Mamoswine, the only fully offensive Pokémon on the team. Mamoswine is mainly here to take care of Dragons with its STAB Ice Shard, as well as Landorus and Gliscor. Icicle Crash is an "okay" move for predicting a switch from an EQ weak target to a Levitator/Flying-type, though its use is pretty limited. The flinch rate can help in some instances, but I never want to bank my hopes on it.
Earthquake for secondary STAB. Non-scarfed, non-sashed, non-Air Balloon (plently of "non"s there) Tyranitars are promptly OHKOed before they can act.
Stone Edge is there for coverage.
I've been thinking about replacing Choice Band with Life Orb. I don't know if I would miss out on any important OHKOs though.
Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Speed / 4 SpDef
Nature: Timid
- Scald
- Thunderbolt
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
Last but not least, Starmie is the team's Rapid Spinner. It can Recover damage from Spikes and Rocks, and Natural Cure makes Toxic Spikes less of an issue.
Scald over Surf or Hydro Pump is yet again about the burn chance. Thunderbolt for coverage against Water and Flying-types.
Threats
While playing, I've noticed a Pokémon that can be very difficult for this team to handle. It's actually closer to being the bane of this team's existance.
Reuniclus. This thing. This fucking thing. I usually have to sacrifice a Pokémon just to beat it (barring a flinch or a crit), and that is never good. It is such a huge threat to this team that I don't even know where to start.
Gyarados can only phaze it and take a huge amount of damage from Psychic in the process. Starmie isn't threatened by Psychic or Focus Blast, but Reuniclus can just Calm Mind and Recover if it lacks Shadow Ball to beat Starmie. Or, you know, obliterate it with Shadow Ball if it does pack it.
Gliscor can poison it, which won't do anything due to Magic Guard, and its less than stellar Special Defense will lead to a quick demise. Heatran is in the same boat as Starmie, except it's weak to Focus Blast.
Ferrothorn has a better shot at taking it out than the above with Power Whip. Weak to Focus Blast, which is a problem.
Mamoswine is probably the most reliable Pokémon on the team to take it out, but it can't switch in and can most certainly not handle it during Trick Room. It can't even OHKO with Choice Band Earthquake. Getting in a lucky flinch with Icicle Crash, as I stated, isn't something I want to pin my hopes on.
Reuniclus. This thing. This fucking thing. I usually have to sacrifice a Pokémon just to beat it (barring a flinch or a crit), and that is never good. It is such a huge threat to this team that I don't even know where to start.
Gyarados can only phaze it and take a huge amount of damage from Psychic in the process. Starmie isn't threatened by Psychic or Focus Blast, but Reuniclus can just Calm Mind and Recover if it lacks Shadow Ball to beat Starmie. Or, you know, obliterate it with Shadow Ball if it does pack it.
Gliscor can poison it, which won't do anything due to Magic Guard, and its less than stellar Special Defense will lead to a quick demise. Heatran is in the same boat as Starmie, except it's weak to Focus Blast.
Ferrothorn has a better shot at taking it out than the above with Power Whip. Weak to Focus Blast, which is a problem.
Mamoswine is probably the most reliable Pokémon on the team to take it out, but it can't switch in and can most certainly not handle it during Trick Room. It can't even OHKO with Choice Band Earthquake. Getting in a lucky flinch with Icicle Crash, as I stated, isn't something I want to pin my hopes on.
With Scizor on the team, Reuniclus is less of an issue. Mamoswine's absence leaves me at a lack of Ice-moves, so Dragons might be more of a problem (although they can usually be played around).
Trick cripples just about anything on the team. Scizor and Starmie are acceptable as Trick recipents, depending on the item being tricked (Starmie can make use of Specs and Scarf, and Scizor has a Band anyway). Perhaps I should give my own Starmie Trick?
