Slaking (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Truant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Double-Edge
- Earthquake / Low Kick
- Fire Punch
- Roar
Roar - Some players know that they can take a Double Edge and set up Slaking. Roar keeps that from happening by turning Truant into a small advantage. Conkeldurr is a prime example. It can take the DEdge, use that that turn to Bulk Up, then Drain Punch the next.
What about Yawn, as long as you're not using a sleep inducer? Roar could put you in put trouble if another set-up sweeper is brought in, and even if it doesn't, it still gives your opponent one whole free turn. On the contrary, Yawn is basically forcing a double switch and resets the odds.
Now, speaking of gimmicky, noobish high-BST pokemons, I had surprisingly good success on the ladder with this particular Archeops set in Dragmag-like strategies. I can see as much as you do how stupid it looks like, but bear with me, as this set is exceptionally good at the purpose it was designed for: lure in and dispose of steels and priority users, or punish very heavily your opponent for trying to outplay you and save them anyway.
Archeops @ Rock Gem
Trait: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 Def (No HP EVs)
Jolly Nature
- Head Smash
- Acrobatics
- Substitute
- Endeavor
So yeah, this is an Archeops. With Head Smash, Substitute, and Acrobatics without a Flight gem. And Endeavor. Well, first, I'll let the calc do much of the talking:
252 Atk Rock Gem Archeops Head Smash vs 252 HP/0 Def Tyranitar: 88% - 104% (357 - 421 HP). Guaranteed OHKO with Rocks.
252 Atk Rock Gem Archeops Head Smash vs 252 HP/232 Def Impish Skarmory: 66% - 79% (223 - 264 HP)
So yeah, it's a 110 Base Spe nuke. Anything less bulky than 252/0 TTar and slower than Latios is outsped and OHKOed with Rocks. Basically, most of the metagame. Then, after putting itself below 50% health, Archeops's true trump card is its 110 Base Speed Endeavor, making it arguably even more dangerous when at low health. Combined with a fast Substitute and a sandstorm immunity, it can put a heavy dent in every single slower pokemon but bulky ghosts. Since you're faster than most of the metagame, just sub once (or until you're below 25%) and throw out an Endeavor to neuter whatever wall was put against you, be it Bronzong, Ferrothorn or Jirachi. No HP EVs ensure than Defeatist is still unactivated after two Subs or one SR and one Sub, so feel free to Sub when forcing a switch when there are no rocks, you need to lower your health anyway.
All you have to do is get Archeops in with at least 60% its health left so it doesn't die from recoil (or no damage at all if you want it to take on Ferrothorn on its own), then mindlessly hit Head Smash. Now, depending on how your opponent reacts:
* If they send a weakened Rock-resisting wall:
252 Atk Rock Gem Archeops Head Smash vs 252 HP/88 Def Relaxed Ferrothorn: 36% - 43% (130 - 153 HP)
252 Atk Archeops (No Item) Acrobatics vs 252 HP/88 Def Leftovers Ferrothorn: 36% - 42% (127 - 151 HP)
Assuming Archeops is out with max health and Ferrothorn switches in its Head Smash, you are left with at the very least 61% of your health after Iron Bard recoil, so Defeatist is still unactivated and Acrobatics can be used at full power. Counting Leftovers and assuming Ferrothorn gets one additional turn of Leftovers through Protect, Archeops not only always wins against a Ferrothorn with less than 60% of its health left, but Defeatist is still unactivated roughly 99% of the time.
Hippowdon takes roughly the same (60% min, but lacks Protect).
252/0 Jirachi takes 80% min from two head Smashes.
252/252 Bronzong takes 60% from them.
* If they send a healthy resisting wall:
You take some recoil damage, then you can either:
- Sub until below 25% health then Endeavor. If against a wall with less than 50% health, he is likely to choose to set up, letting you live after the Endeavor to finish it off with Acrobatics or switch out. If they know the set and try to PP stall Endeavor with a recovery move, switch to Wobb and get a free turn for, say, Cloyster.
- (Sub once to scout and) Switch to a trapper. Speedy Wobbuffet in particular can outspeed the wall, Encore its attacking move and Counter it to death.
*If you KOed something and they try to revenge you:
You're base 110, so it's most likely a priority user or a scarfer. Sac Archeops and revenge it with Wobbuffet/Gothitelle/Magnezone.
Specs Gothitelle gets special points for trapping Adamant Breloom if you desperately need to remove it from the game, but Speedy Wobbuffet gets my preference for being a universal and failproof scarfer, bander and wall removal tool.
tl;dr: get an easy KO with a one-time nuke, then Sub and Endeavor from 110 Base Speed. The only ways to stop it from punching holes are Rock-resisting walls, priority users and scarfers, so take that opportunity to trap and KO them with Speedy Wobbuffet very early in the game.
