Heya folks,
it's ya boy Deeerpz here with a new RMT. Since apparently it's super en vogue to name your RMT like a song and I can't decide on one, let's start this bad boy off with not only one, but TWO songs. Whoaaa Deeerpz. Stop right there. You can't do that. It's too much awesomeness in one post. Yeah, sorry bitches. That's how it works from now on.
Since we got that out of the way, let me introduce you to my team.
Teambuilding Process
Since I am the least creative person on this planet and I suck at this game, I decided to flat out steal Deej Dy's TURNT Core around Lanturn and Cacturn. I wanted to build around Cacturne anyways, Lanturn is really splashable in this meta we're in and I wanted to build a VoltTurn core regardless, so I figured I might aswell start with him. I don't quite have Deej Dy's cojones, though, and therefore went with a more standard lanturn spread.
At this point, I figured I might aswell complete a FWG core. I used Pyroar because I like him as a mon and his dual stab comes in handy. My other choice was Magmortar, but I wanted speed over coverage, so I chose Pyroar.
I needed a rock setter and a Malamar answer. I used to run Uxie in this slot, but thanks to user:HJAD , this is Rocks + 3 attacks Mesprit now and I haven't looked back.
Enter my Defogger. This is team was pretty slow at this point, I had no hazard control and Fighting types that carry knock off could do a lot of work. I decided to combat these weaknesses with Archeops, which has been working well.
Looking at my team at this point, Sneasel was a problem and so was Tauros. I also encountered a LOT of status spam on the ladder and I wanted some form of priority too. AV Guts Hariyama was my pokemon of choice and he's been working well so far.
Detailed Description
Wants to turn hard - Cacturne
4 ATK / 252+ SPA / 252 SPE
Life Orb | Water Absorb | Mild
- Giga Drain
- Dark Pulse
- Destiny Bond
- Sucker Punch
Cacturne is a boss right now. I wanted to build around him ever since he was discussed in the viability rankings thread but I have never had any success using him, but I mainly used Spike stacking or SD variants. In comes Specially Offensive Cacturne, who's a force to be reckoned with. Giga Drain hits hard and recovers LO damage, which is vital for the longevity of Cacturne. Dark Pulse is really good because no one seems to play around it, it hits a lot of switch-ins for decent damage and yeah, flinch hax is nice too. D-Bond has been the secret MVP of this set, taking down LOADS of threats my team couldn't properly handle otherwise, predominantly MegaDino. Sucker punch is really cool if stuff like Archeops comes in trying to revenge you. Overall, really happy with this fella.
Turns hard - Lanturn
40 HP / 252 DEF / 216+ SPD
Leftovers | Volt Absorb | Calm
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Thunder Wave
- Heal Bell
There's not terribly much to say about this guy. He's really, really good in the current meta, he spread burns and parlyses like mad, he functions as a semi-cleric to the team with Heal Bell, he can switch in on a lot of stuff, and he helps keeping momentum with Volt Switch. He's also part of the infamous FWG core. Lanturn is a beast. Nuff said. It is important to note that I haven't been terribly fond of T-Wave on this team and I am thinking about using Toxic instead. I haven't decided yet, though. I'm also not terribly sure if my EV spread is the most efficient to run, but it's been working out well so far.
Hidden Power Fire - Pyroar
Life Orb | Unnerve | Timid
252 SPA / 4 SPD / 252+ SPE
- Taunt
- Fire Blast
- Hyper Voice
- HP Grass
Taunt Pyroar has become one of my favourite sets to run ever since it was suggested to me. I used to run Will-O-Wisp instead of Taunt, but HJAD and SilverReaper21 convinced me to try Taunt instead. It's reallllly strong at the moment, often functioning as an anti-lead. I have encountered lots of Rocks+Dual Screen Uxie lately and Pyroar just shuts down these shenanigans completely. Other than that, I like being able to switch moves, which is why I run LO instead of Specs or Scarf. HP Grass is specifically for Quagsire and Kabutops, both of which are very common at the moment.
Turns even harder - Mesprit
Colbur Berry | Levitate | Bold
252 HP / 200+ DEF / 56 SPE
- U-Turn
- Stealth Rocks
- Signal Beam
- Psychic / Psyshock
This mon in it's current form is only here because HJAD was kind enough to suggest it and boy, it's been doing work. It's my dedicated rock setter, part of the U-Turn-Core, my answer to malamar and fighting types. It also combats Weezing, which I feel is growing in popularity. That's also pretty much the only reason I run Psychic over Psyshock. Once Hariyama becomes more of a problem, I might switch out, but since I have Archeops, I have a hard time seeing that happen. I didn't make the EV spread so I can't comment on it, but I believe it's just a bit of speed creep against stuff like Malamar. I have been thinking about running some coverage move instead of U-Turn, but right now, the momentum seems more important than more coverage.
ADHD - Archeops
No Item | Defeatist | Jolly
252 ATK / 4 SPD / 252+ SPE
- Roost
- Defog
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
Archeops is a mon I haven't used prior to the creation of this team and I've grown rather fond of it. It's speed and raw power are outstanding, it's longevity is surprisingly decent with Roost, and thanks to Defog, it sports some utility too. I wish I had 6 move slots to run Stone Edge and U-Turn too, but I decided I needed Acrobatics since flying is just a good offensive typing and Earthquake to bop silly Magnets that try to Volt Switch on me. I feel like I still have to learn utilizing this threat correctly, as he's capable of cleaning mid-late if the matchup allows for it, but other than that, I'm really happy with this guy.
Yamalamadingdong - Hariyama
Assault Vest | Guts | Adamant
252+ ATK / 4 Defense / 252 SPD
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
- Close Combat
- Bullet Punch
M. Knight Shyamalamadingdong is the glue to my team. As stated in the team building process, I needed something to deal with Sneasel and Tauros, and he's my guy for that. The seet might seem janky, since I believe it is standard to run Thick Fat with AV, but I wanted a switch in to Will-O-Wisps, and Lanturn is under enough pressure as is and sometimes hard switching into Heal Bell just loses too much momentum. I like this mon with VoltTurn-Cores in general since I feel it helps utilizing Fake Out to the fullest. Knock Off and CC are standard and need no explanation, and Bullet Punch is just to dish out some final damage in case Yama is going to die anyways. I might want to run Earthquake here to give Archeops the leeway to run Stone Edge, but so far, it's been working out well.
Importable:
Final thoughts and shoutouts
This is a fun team that has been serving me quite well on my way from lower to middle-ish ladder. I used it to climb from 1250 to 1400 and have learned a lot about playing the game and NU on my way there. I don't think this team is particularly weak to single threats, rather it has issues against really fast teams that are able to dismantle my defensive core without taking to much damage in retaliation. There are probably some threats I haven't accounted for simply because I haven't encountered them yet, and I urge you to mention these threats if you notice them.
Shoutouts to HJAD, SilverReaper21, Adaire, Allstar124 and the whole NU room for helping me out on this one. You're a really nice bunch of guys and I look forward to getting to know you guys better, playing with and against you and becoming a part of this community.
it's ya boy Deeerpz here with a new RMT. Since apparently it's super en vogue to name your RMT like a song and I can't decide on one, let's start this bad boy off with not only one, but TWO songs. Whoaaa Deeerpz. Stop right there. You can't do that. It's too much awesomeness in one post. Yeah, sorry bitches. That's how it works from now on.
Since we got that out of the way, let me introduce you to my team.
Teambuilding Process
Since I am the least creative person on this planet and I suck at this game, I decided to flat out steal Deej Dy's TURNT Core around Lanturn and Cacturn. I wanted to build around Cacturne anyways, Lanturn is really splashable in this meta we're in and I wanted to build a VoltTurn core regardless, so I figured I might aswell start with him. I don't quite have Deej Dy's cojones, though, and therefore went with a more standard lanturn spread.
At this point, I figured I might aswell complete a FWG core. I used Pyroar because I like him as a mon and his dual stab comes in handy. My other choice was Magmortar, but I wanted speed over coverage, so I chose Pyroar.
I needed a rock setter and a Malamar answer. I used to run Uxie in this slot, but thanks to user:HJAD , this is Rocks + 3 attacks Mesprit now and I haven't looked back.
Enter my Defogger. This is team was pretty slow at this point, I had no hazard control and Fighting types that carry knock off could do a lot of work. I decided to combat these weaknesses with Archeops, which has been working well.
Looking at my team at this point, Sneasel was a problem and so was Tauros. I also encountered a LOT of status spam on the ladder and I wanted some form of priority too. AV Guts Hariyama was my pokemon of choice and he's been working well so far.
Detailed Description
Wants to turn hard - Cacturne
4 ATK / 252+ SPA / 252 SPE
Life Orb | Water Absorb | Mild
- Giga Drain
- Dark Pulse
- Destiny Bond
- Sucker Punch
Cacturne is a boss right now. I wanted to build around him ever since he was discussed in the viability rankings thread but I have never had any success using him, but I mainly used Spike stacking or SD variants. In comes Specially Offensive Cacturne, who's a force to be reckoned with. Giga Drain hits hard and recovers LO damage, which is vital for the longevity of Cacturne. Dark Pulse is really good because no one seems to play around it, it hits a lot of switch-ins for decent damage and yeah, flinch hax is nice too. D-Bond has been the secret MVP of this set, taking down LOADS of threats my team couldn't properly handle otherwise, predominantly MegaDino. Sucker punch is really cool if stuff like Archeops comes in trying to revenge you. Overall, really happy with this fella.
Turns hard - Lanturn
40 HP / 252 DEF / 216+ SPD
Leftovers | Volt Absorb | Calm
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Thunder Wave
- Heal Bell
There's not terribly much to say about this guy. He's really, really good in the current meta, he spread burns and parlyses like mad, he functions as a semi-cleric to the team with Heal Bell, he can switch in on a lot of stuff, and he helps keeping momentum with Volt Switch. He's also part of the infamous FWG core. Lanturn is a beast. Nuff said. It is important to note that I haven't been terribly fond of T-Wave on this team and I am thinking about using Toxic instead. I haven't decided yet, though. I'm also not terribly sure if my EV spread is the most efficient to run, but it's been working out well so far.
Hidden Power Fire - Pyroar
Life Orb | Unnerve | Timid
252 SPA / 4 SPD / 252+ SPE
- Taunt
- Fire Blast
- Hyper Voice
- HP Grass
Taunt Pyroar has become one of my favourite sets to run ever since it was suggested to me. I used to run Will-O-Wisp instead of Taunt, but HJAD and SilverReaper21 convinced me to try Taunt instead. It's reallllly strong at the moment, often functioning as an anti-lead. I have encountered lots of Rocks+Dual Screen Uxie lately and Pyroar just shuts down these shenanigans completely. Other than that, I like being able to switch moves, which is why I run LO instead of Specs or Scarf. HP Grass is specifically for Quagsire and Kabutops, both of which are very common at the moment.
Turns even harder - Mesprit
Colbur Berry | Levitate | Bold
252 HP / 200+ DEF / 56 SPE
- U-Turn
- Stealth Rocks
- Signal Beam
- Psychic / Psyshock
This mon in it's current form is only here because HJAD was kind enough to suggest it and boy, it's been doing work. It's my dedicated rock setter, part of the U-Turn-Core, my answer to malamar and fighting types. It also combats Weezing, which I feel is growing in popularity. That's also pretty much the only reason I run Psychic over Psyshock. Once Hariyama becomes more of a problem, I might switch out, but since I have Archeops, I have a hard time seeing that happen. I didn't make the EV spread so I can't comment on it, but I believe it's just a bit of speed creep against stuff like Malamar. I have been thinking about running some coverage move instead of U-Turn, but right now, the momentum seems more important than more coverage.
ADHD - Archeops
No Item | Defeatist | Jolly
252 ATK / 4 SPD / 252+ SPE
- Roost
- Defog
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
Archeops is a mon I haven't used prior to the creation of this team and I've grown rather fond of it. It's speed and raw power are outstanding, it's longevity is surprisingly decent with Roost, and thanks to Defog, it sports some utility too. I wish I had 6 move slots to run Stone Edge and U-Turn too, but I decided I needed Acrobatics since flying is just a good offensive typing and Earthquake to bop silly Magnets that try to Volt Switch on me. I feel like I still have to learn utilizing this threat correctly, as he's capable of cleaning mid-late if the matchup allows for it, but other than that, I'm really happy with this guy.
Yamalamadingdong - Hariyama
Assault Vest | Guts | Adamant
252+ ATK / 4 Defense / 252 SPD
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
- Close Combat
- Bullet Punch
M. Knight Shyamalamadingdong is the glue to my team. As stated in the team building process, I needed something to deal with Sneasel and Tauros, and he's my guy for that. The seet might seem janky, since I believe it is standard to run Thick Fat with AV, but I wanted a switch in to Will-O-Wisps, and Lanturn is under enough pressure as is and sometimes hard switching into Heal Bell just loses too much momentum. I like this mon with VoltTurn-Cores in general since I feel it helps utilizing Fake Out to the fullest. Knock Off and CC are standard and need no explanation, and Bullet Punch is just to dish out some final damage in case Yama is going to die anyways. I might want to run Earthquake here to give Archeops the leeway to run Stone Edge, but so far, it's been working out well.
Importable:
Wants to turn hard (Cacturne) @ Life Orb
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Mild Nature
- Giga Drain
- Dark Pulse
- Destiny Bond
- Sucker Punch
Turns hard (Lanturn) @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Def / 216 SpD
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Thunder Wave
- Heal Bell
Turns even harder (Mesprit) @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
Bold Nature
- Psychic
- Signal Beam
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
Yamalamadingdong (Hariyama) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
- Close Combat
- Bullet Punch
Hidden Power Fire (Pyroar) @ Life Orb
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Taunt
- Fire Blast
- Hyper Voice
- Hidden Power [Grass]
ADHD (Archeops)
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Roost
- Defog
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Mild Nature
- Giga Drain
- Dark Pulse
- Destiny Bond
- Sucker Punch
Turns hard (Lanturn) @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Def / 216 SpD
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Thunder Wave
- Heal Bell
Turns even harder (Mesprit) @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
Bold Nature
- Psychic
- Signal Beam
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
Yamalamadingdong (Hariyama) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Fake Out
- Knock Off
- Close Combat
- Bullet Punch
Hidden Power Fire (Pyroar) @ Life Orb
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Taunt
- Fire Blast
- Hyper Voice
- Hidden Power [Grass]
ADHD (Archeops)
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Roost
- Defog
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
Final thoughts and shoutouts
This is a fun team that has been serving me quite well on my way from lower to middle-ish ladder. I used it to climb from 1250 to 1400 and have learned a lot about playing the game and NU on my way there. I don't think this team is particularly weak to single threats, rather it has issues against really fast teams that are able to dismantle my defensive core without taking to much damage in retaliation. There are probably some threats I haven't accounted for simply because I haven't encountered them yet, and I urge you to mention these threats if you notice them.
Shoutouts to HJAD, SilverReaper21, Adaire, Allstar124 and the whole NU room for helping me out on this one. You're a really nice bunch of guys and I look forward to getting to know you guys better, playing with and against you and becoming a part of this community.
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