Buzzcut Season
Hiya, welcome to my 3rd RMT and 2nd RMT for the course of SM. I wanted to RMT this team because I feel, in addition to being incredibly effective, it is representational of how the meta has evolved post SPL, with Nat's popularization of Tyrantrum and Golisopod and the evolution of more offensively diverse builds. The team was conceptualized around Barbarcle, becoming a potent sweeper thanks to the evolution of the meta conditions, and has in my opinion come together quite nicely, managing to consistently win throughout my USM cup run and elsewhere. But, without needless further ado, onto the team.
Jellicent @ Leftovers (
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP | 240 Def | 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
Scald
Toxic
Recover
Taunt
Jellicent is the ever necessary glue holding the team together. When this mon started first appearing in tournament play I was initially skeptical, since it doesn't appear to have that much of a niche over the vastly harder to take down Milotic, and its Ghost-type leaves it threatened by the premier offensive Water-type, Mega Blastoise, in away teams that employed Milotic didn't have to worry about. Nevertheless, I've found this mon to be a suprisingly effective choice, as Taunt + Toxic are invaluable in breaking down cores, and can even become an wincondition in the lategame. Ghost-typing also has a lot of underrated boons, such as allowing you to check Bewear, Golisopod, and Salazzle. I've employed more Speed EV's on the actual Jellicent, enough for Umbreon, but its uncommon enough and easily dealt with by Bewear so I see this as optional, as long as you have some requisite creep (the other option would be to run a very fast Jellicent and creep actual useful benchmarks but I prefer keeping enough bulk so it's semi-effective at walling stuff). Basically this mon will end up pivoting into attacks and throwing out status inducing Scalds and Toxics in the early game, before being sacked off in the lategame or preserved to Taunt + Toxic a core to death in the endgame, in a rather uninspiring but effective display of the potential utility this mon can provide.
Roserade @ Life Orb (
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Spatk | 252 Spe | 4 Def
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
Leaf Storm
Sludge Bomb
Hidden Power Fire
Synthesis
Roserade is added to provide a strong Special Attacker, Milotic punish, and obligatory no Defog t-spike absorber. Leaf Storm is used as the Grass-type STAB along with its two other obligatory coverage moves to allow it to OHKO many mons with mediocre special bulk. Originally Spikes was used in the last slot, to capitalize off Jellicent spinblocking and aid in chip for Barbarcle, but Jellicent is a horrendous spinblocker, and usually Rocks make the appreciable differences for Barbarcle sweeping. Synthesis is a much better choice, allowing Roserade to stay healthy to keep putting on pressure against balance squads, and punishing teams that try to wear it down by switching around it. Generally this is played early game, to break down walls with the ridiculously strong power of Roserade's STAB attacks, fishing for poison on mons such as Cresselia, which otherwise prove problematic.
Bronzong @ Leftovers (
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP | 252 SpDef | 4 Def
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
Psywave
Toxic
Stealth Rock
Protect
Bronzong is chosen as the Steel-type, despite compiling a Dark and Ghost-tpye weakness with Jellicent and packing Psychic-type along with Gardevoir. While at first, Steelix-mega seems like more synergistic choice, Bronzong proves much more effective at dealing with Shaymin and opposing Steelix which threaten the team, and Bewear provides good makeshift defensive synergy with it. Many Bronzong have tried running Gyro Ball or other techs over protect as of late to deal with the growing prevalence of pursuit trappers, chiefly with Drapion, but the scouting and longevity provided by Protect is vastly more useful in most cases in my opinion. Other than that, Bronzong runs the standard set, with Toxic to nail anything Psywave can't. This Bronzong generally can be afforded more reckless play on this team, as much of what is brought in to defeat it, especially choice locked pursuit trappers, give Barbarcle much desired free setup. Healing Wishing this is also a valid way to bring back a lategame, as Bronzong can simply win out many games, once players have been coaxed into letting the mons that effectively threaten it drop.
Bewear @ Leftovers (
Ability: Fluffy
EVs: 252 Atk | 252 Spe | 4 Def
Jolly Nature
Return
Drain Punch
Earthquake
Swords Dance
Bewear was added for a variety of reasons. It gives the team a strong physical breaker which it is in need off, but also gives the teams a natural check to Dark and Ghost-type attacks which tear through the rest of the team (Mismagius is obviously an exception, being a bit problematic for the team), while checking Tyrantrum as well, whcih otherwise could break through the team with banded Head Smash before it could be effectively positioned at all. This mon almost never finds its way as a wincon in the endgame, and thus is primarily reserved for early and mid-game breaking, as well as a deterrent to mons like Tyrantrum being able to come in. Dual Stab is obligatory, with Drain Punch in conjunction with leftovers chosen for longevity over the raw breaking power of Superpower and a boosting item. Earthquake is the chosen coverage move, primarily for the rare Doublade, but is also good for hitting Gardevoir the hardest on the switch. Shadow claw is an option to hit Mismagius, but I prefer Earthquake thanks to Shadow Claw's severely lacking basepower.
Gardevoir @ Choice Scarf (
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 Spatk | 252 Spe | 4 Def
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
Moonblast
Psychic
Memento
Healing Wish
The now near ubiquitous scarf Gardevoir, added on the team to blanket check faster sweeper like Virizion, while providing Healing Wish support. Memento is what separates this from the average scarf Gardevoir, running Trick, allowing it to aid in Barbarcle's setup, which commonly struggles to find an opening against more offensive teams. Healing Wish is also very useful in helping Barbarcle sweep, versus bulkier teams, allowing Barbarcle to damage a teams defensive core after setting up on a Toxic, before being preserved to finish the sweep at a later time before it is Toxic stalled out. Healing Wish's incredible support in conjunction with Gardevoir's ability to pivot in a force out so many offensive threats make this mon an incredibly valuable asset, without which the team could not function.
Barbarcle @ Rockium Z (
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk | 252 Spe | 4 Def
Jolly Nature
Shell Smash
Liquidation
Stone Edge
Aerial Ace
And finally, the hallmark of the team, Barbarcle. Barbarcle is usually capable of winning 70-80% of games at team preview, so generally it is set aside as the wincon, Otherwise it is used to break early on, or force a kill on a wall hesitant to give it free setup. In addition, to its dual STAB, backed by Rockium Z to blow past a wall like Milotic or guarantee OHKO Mega- Blastoise at +2, Aerial Ace is the selected coverage, for the ability so bypass Virizion and have a chance to OHKO Shaymin, which greatly goes up if it take Stealth Rock. Jolly Nature is run over Adamant, which is an option to make getting through many mons like Shaymin, Blastoise, and Bronzong easier, as Scarf Flygon is unfortunately still semi-prevalent and Barbarcle loses out on the unboosted base 60 benchmark many walls run unboosted, though the choice is up to the user. Using Healing Wish and Memento support to set this up is strongly advised, after the requisite chip has been forced on the opposition. While you should never blindly use this as the wincon regardless of matchup or scenario, it is the teams strongest asset most of the time, and thus should be played with carefully in order to succeed in most games.
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And that's the team! I won't make a formalized threatlist, but Ninetales (non choicelocked) and Mismagius are two big Pokemon to play carefully around (Ninetales can be defeeated by Toxicing with Jellicent and pivoting around, Mismagius should be prevented from getting a free Nasty Plot at all cost and revenged with Scarf Gardevoir after taking damage). I've had a ton of fun and success with the team, so hopefully you will too.
Shotouts to everyone in the RU Discord and community, especially EviGaro Nat cyanize Feliburn MrAldo roman zizalith . (If I didn't tag u I probably just forgot or was too NERVOUS to bother you- oofinators)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ru-739916327 Airfeen
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ru-736683584 Shiba
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ru-743377673 Cb Jose Altuve Corvettes
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ru-736683584 Shiba
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ru-743377673 Cb Jose Altuve Corvettes
