INTRODUCTION
I made this team during the Crawdaunt suspect test (I ended up earning voting rights under the name Moidart). My previous team didn’t feel quite right (I think I tunneled too hard on trying to make it a Crawdaunt team in order to get a good read on the Pokemon in question instead of just building something I was comfortable using), so I needed something that I felt comfortable playing. I ended up making a hazard-stacking balance team focused around enabling a Dragon Dance Salamence sweep. The team has two components: a defensive core focused on controlling hazards, forcing switches, and providing healing/cleric support to the rest of the team; and an offensive core that breaks holes in the opposing team so that one of its members can sweep.
By posting this, I hope to improve this specific team and to improve my general teambuilding process, both by receiving advice specific to this team and because writing down my thoughts and trying to explain why I made the choices I did forces me to think critically about my decisions and be sure that I really understand them and their ramifications.
Salamence is my favorite Pokemon, and, more importantly, one of the biggest threats in the tier. I started with a simple Dragon Dance set, since it finds opportunities to set up fairly easily and does a good job of sweeping once it grabs a boost.
Mega Houndoom made a good partner for Salamence since it has decent type synergy with Salamence and can eliminate its counters.
Swords Dance Toxicroak can threaten the Fairies that stop Salamence and the bulky Water-types that hinder Houndoom. It also gives me another physical threat and a form of priority to deal with fast threats.
I noticed that both of my main sweepers were weak to Stealth Rock and that Toxicroak and Houndoom were also vulnerable to Spikes, so I decided that I needed a form of hazard control. I considered Defog, but I knew at this point that I wanted a hazard-stacking team, so I decided to use Rapid Spin. Forretress is a solid Rapid Spinner that also gave me Spikes.
I wanted something that could come in multiple times throughout a match to set Stealth Rock. Swampert’s type synergy with the rest of the team made it the best option.
With one slot remaining, I needed a general-purpose check to special attackers, so I settled on Florges for Wish/Cleric support. It also added a set of much-needed resistances to my defensive core.
DEFENSE
My defensive core is meant to set up hazards, keep my side of the field clear, and shuffle opponents around while keeping my team healthy.
Swampert
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Roar
Overview
Swampert is the closest thing I have to a designated lead, since its bulk and typing let it match up well against a lot of the leads currently in use. It’s my primary defensive answer to a lot of physical threats (Mega Aerodactyl, Entei, Arcanine, Cobalion, Doublade, Infernape, etc.), as well as one of my ways of handling certain special threats, such as Nidoqueen and Zapdos, and helps me set the tempo of the battle by spreading residual damage through Stealth Rock, Scald burns, and phazing. Swampert helps me whittle away at a lot of the Pokemon that prevent my offensive core from functioning and has the bulk and typing to switch in multiple times throughout the match. It covers the Fire-type threats that pressure Forretress and Florges and gives me a reliable switch-in to Rock-type attacks that threaten Salamence and Houndoom. Swampert’s immunity to Electric-type attacks also gives me recourse against Thunder Wave, which cripples Houndoom and Salamence.
Moveset, Item, and EV Spread
Stealth Rock is an essential entry hazard. Earthquake and Scald are both solid STAB moves, with good power and coverage. Scald lets me spread Burns, which cripple physical threats and help me wear down bulkier opponents. With Wish/Heal Bell support from Florges, Swampert can outlast Burned threats that would normally simply recover off of Scald/Earthquake damage. Roar lets me shuffle the opposing team to rack up entry hazards, obtain momentum or a favorable matchup, and force out threatening sweepers that I can’t simply KO or pressure into switching out.
Leftovers provides passive recovery, which is crucial to ensuring Swampert’s longevity because Swampert lacks any form of instant recovery and Wish isn’t reliable.
The EV spread is fairly simple. 240 HP EVs give me a Leftovers number and allows me to switch into Stealth Rock or Spikes one more time than I would ordinarily be able to. 252 Defense EVs and a Relaxed nature let me switch into physical attacks more easily without compromising the power of either Earthquake or Scald, and the remaining EVs go into Special Defense to take special attacks slightly better. I could’ve run Speed to outspeed opposing Swampert, but I felt that most of the time I’d rather just Scald them and hope for a burn than try to win the Roar war.
Forretress
Forretress @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Rapid Spin
- Spikes
- Gyro Ball
- Volt Switch
Overview
Forretress is one of my favorite Pokemon to use in UU, mostly because it manages to compress so much utility into one slot. Having a choice of entry hazards, Rapid Spin, and Volt Switch to maintain momentum is extremely useful (that said, I tend to find myself clicking Volt Switch a lot because so many things can come in safely on Forretress). Still, despite its passivity, Forretress is useful because it provides me with a way of handling fast threats such as Mega Beedrill, Haxorus, Salamence, and Crobat; and Pokemon weak to Steel-type attacks, such as Mamoswine, Slurpuff, Whimsicott, and Mega Aerodactyl. Forretress’s typing gives it a lot of resistances and only one weakness, so it’s not too hard to switch it in and do whatever is the best option at the time, whether that be to set up hazards, clear them, or just Volt Switch out so that I have a better matchup.
Moveset, Item, and EV Spread
Rapid Spin clears hazards. Spikes is my second entry hazard and makes it harder for the opponent to switch in. Gyro Ball gives me a STAB move with usable coverage and lets me defeat fast threats that don’t resist it. Volt Switch lets me switch out safely and retain momentum, so that I can handle the things that get free turns by coming in on Forretress with one of my other Pokemon.
Leftovers grants passive recovery. Like Swampert, Forretress doesn’t have any recovery of its own and may not be able to come in to receive healing from Wish, so every bit of recovery helps.
The EVs just give me as much physical bulk as possible. 248 HP EVs hit a Stealth Rock number, 252 Defense EVs and a Relaxed nature maximize my physical durability while also increasing Gyro Ball’s power, and the remaining EVs go into Special Defense.
Florges
Florges @ Leftovers
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 224 HP / 188 Def / 96 Spe
Timid Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Moonblast
- Heal Bell
Overview
Florges is my catch-all special wall and provides healing support to the rest of the team through Wish and Heal Bell. It’s probably the most important Pokemon in my team simply due to the ability to keep the rest of the team healthy while also checking some of the most dangerous Pokemon in the tier, like Salamence, Hydreigon, Mienshao, and Mega Absol. Fairy is one of the best defensive types in the game and is no slouch offensively either. Florges uses that typing and solid offensive presence for a fat ‘mon to keep my team safe and force switches that rack up more entry hazard damage. Florges gives me a lot of second chances if I make a mistake that doesn’t cost me a Pokemon, since Wish can bring a wall/sweeper back out of KO range or negate hazard damage, and Heal Bell can improve a wall’s longevity to a significant degree by removing burns or Toxic poison or restore a sweeper to its true threat level by removing paralysis, sleep, or another status.
Florges is my best answer to a lot of threatening Pokemon, such as Mega Blastoise and Mega Absol. I often use Florges to weaken Mega Blastoise by luring it in with a layer of hazards to force it to use Rapid Spin while it tanks a Moonblast. Once it’s weakened enough, I can lure it in with Forretress, Volt Switch out, and bring Toxicroak in to threaten it. Eventually, it will be too weak to remove my hazards. I don’t mind trading the turn I use to set up hazards in order to force Blastoise to take damage from Florges or Swampert (I’m willing to make the hazard trade instead of just hitting it on the switch because I take less damage from the Rapid Spin and I keep the hazards if Blastoise tries to predict around it and hit me with something else).
Moveset, Item, and EV spread.
Wish gives me healing for the rest of the team at the cost of instant recovery for Florges. Protect lets me scout, get healing from Wish safely, and give myself another turn of Leftovers recovery. Moonblast is my STAB move with good power and coverage. Heal Bell increases the longevity of my team by removing otherwise crippling status conditions.
Leftovers gives me additional passive recovery, which works well in conjunction with Protect.
The EVs are a little odd, since the Crawdaunt suspect test demanded adaptation. 224 HP EVs let me hit a Leftovers number while also increasing my ability to switch into hazards. 96 Speed EVs and a Timid nature let me outspeed Jolly Crawdaunt and anything that wants to speed creep it by one point. The remaining EVs go into Defense so that I can take physical hits more effectively, as Florges has massive Special Defense even without investment and its Defense isn’t really that great (it’s just good enough to get the job done in conjunction with Florges’s typing, but it needs the investment).
OFFENSE
The main purpose of my offensive core is to remove Salamence’s checks and counters in order to enable it to sweep, but Toxicroak and Houndoom can and have ended games for me as well.
Toxicroak
Toxicroak @ Life Orb
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Gunk Shot
- Drain Punch
- Sucker Punch
Overview
While the roles of sweeper, cleaner, and wallbreaker can be interchanged between the three members of my offensive core as necessary, Toxicroak tends to be my primary wallbreaker. It forces out Fairies and bulky Waters that keep the rest of the core from sweeping and threatens fat walls like Blissey and Florges that make Houndoom’s life difficult. Toxicroak also lures in ‘mons like Doublade that Houndoom can set up on and pressures Steel-types that resist Outrage and Porygon2 for Salamence.
Toxicroak is my primary weapon against most stall builds. Usually, I try to shuffle the opposing team around until whatever it uses to check Toxicroak is weakened to the point where I can KO it at +2 (assuming Gunk Shot hits) and then lure in whatever bulky Water the stall team uses so that Toxicroak can set up on it. Toxicroak also gives me priority to KO weakened fast, frail Pokemon, like Chandelure, Espeon, or Mega Beedrill. Toxicroak isn’t as useful against offensive teams, so I usually try to bring it in on something it can threaten and just throw out Gunk Shot or Drain Punch in order to do some damage since it’s harder to setup against offensive teams, and a lot of offensive Pokemon can handle a +2 Sucker Punch.
Moveset, Item, and EV Spread
The moveset is fairly standard. Swords Dance lets Toxicroak boost its Attack, Gunk Shot is its primary STAB, Drain Punch is its secondary STAB and gives it some form of recovery, and Sucker Punch gives it priority and coverage.
Life Orb boosts Toxicroak’s power. The recoil isn’t too big of a deal, since Dry Skin and Drain Punch let it heal up a bit.
EVs, again, are standard. They maximize speed and power. The Jolly nature lets me outspeed things like Mamoswine and tie with stuff like Heracross.
Houndoom-Mega
Houndoom-Mega @ Houndoominite
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Protect
Overview
Houndoom-Mega is my secondary sweeper and secondary wallbreaker. After Toxicroak, it’s my offensive answer to stall since Nasty Plot lets me hit hard enough to break through common stall cores after some prior damage. Houndoom has just enough power to OHKO or 2HKO most of the metagame after a boost, and the fact that it can’t hold Life Orb means that it’s harder to wear down through smart switching. It also has enough bulk to set up on weak Scalds or neutral attacks, so it doesn’t have too much trouble grabbing a boost and running through stall teams if I can weaken or eliminate Blissey.
Early in the game, before it Mega Evolves, Houndoom serves as my check to Fire-type attackers that Swampert can’t handle, such as Chandelure. Most of the time, I’ll Mega Evolve as soon as I can, but I’m sometimes reluctant to Mega Evolve if the situation is such that bringing in Swampert to check opposing Fire-types is dangerous and I need Flash Fire more than I need the additional speed and power. Houndoom also checks a lot of Ghost-, Steel-, Fairy-, and Dark-types such as Doublade, Whimsicott, and Cobalion by virtue of its typing and offensive presence. Mega Houndoom matches up well against a lot of Salamence’s checks and counters and can usually either KO them or weaken them to the point where Salamence can sweep if I play properly. Its speed makes it one of my better tools for dealing with offensive teams, since a lot of popular offensive Pokemon are slower and frail enough for Mega Houndoom to KO them or weaken them to the point where Life Orb recoil ensures that they will not be able to have the impact that they need to.
Moveset, Item, and EV Spread
Nasty Plot gives Houndoom the power needed to make it a threat against more defensive teams. Fire Blast is its best STAB option, since it combines power and reliability in a way that Flamethrower and Overheat can’t provide. Dark Pulse is a weaker, more reliable STAB that gives decent coverage with Fire Blast and hits Cresselia and Doublade super effectively. Protect lets me scout and Mega Evolve safely. While I’ve often wished for another move in that slot, such as Taunt, Hidden Power Grass, or Destiny Bond, the safety of Protect is too much for me to give up.
Houndoominite lets Houndoom Mega Evolve.
The EVs maximize Speed and Special Attack. The Timid nature gives my team some much-needed Speed.
Salamence
Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
Overview
Salamence is the Pokemon I feel has the most influence on the UU tier and its Dragon Dance set is the tier’s most dangerous sweeper. After a boost, Salamence can run through most of the tier with the right coverage move. Salamence is my primary win condition, and the rest of the team is intended to weaken its counters so that it can do its job. That said, its position as a defining metagame force means that most teams carry multiple checks, so I sometimes encounter matchups where Salamence is extremely unlikely to sweep. If that’s the case, I usually sacrifice it to break down the opponent’s team for Houndoom or Toxicroak or use it as Intimidate fodder to keep some physical threat from breaking through my team.
Intimidate allows me to check a lot of offensive Pokemon that my defensive core doesn’t handle well, like Lucario, Toxicroak (if Swampert is weakened or needed to deal with another threat), or Infernape. Its typing and Defense allow it to serve as a backup plan against a lot of Pokemon, which is why I chose Intimidate over Moxie. I value the defensive utility Intimidate brings over the offensive power of Moxie, since I run Life Orb on Salamence and have enough power.
Salamence’s movepool and stat spread mean that it can run multiple sets and poses an immediate offensive threat as soon as I send it out, sometimes on turn 1. I sometimes use this to bluff a MixMence set to lure in something my team can take advantage of or to pressure certain Pokemon early on in the game. If I can keep my opponent guessing what combination of coverage moves I’m running, I force them to play conservatively and open up opportunities for my other Pokemon to break down my opponent’s team. Once I set up, I can either finish off the remains of my opponent’s team or break through 2 or 3 Pokemon so that the rest of my team can clean up.
Moveset, Item, and EV Spread
Dragon Dance gives Salamence the ability to boost its stats and outspeed most of the metagame after a boost. Outrage is its most powerful STAB move. I chose it over Dragon Claw despite the fact that Outrage locks me into the move for 2-3 turns and the subsequent confusion because I really needed the power. Also, by the time I’m clicking Outrage, I’m usually in position to win the game as a result, either by sweeping outright or by breaking through enough of my opponent’s Pokemon that something else can clean up after. Earthquake gives me coverage against Pokemon like Nidoqueen and Lucario without relying on inaccurate moves or forcing myself to use Outrage. I considered Iron Tail, but my experience with that move has been that it’s guaranteed to miss the one time in three games I ever actually click it. Besides, all it really hits is Fairies, and the rest of the team can either weaken or KO them before Salamence comes in. Fire Blast gives me coverage on physically defensive Steel-types like Cobalion and Forretress. It also lets me hit Whimsicott on the switch.
Life Orb gives me power that Lum Berry doesn’t and lets me bluff a mixed set. It also allows me to use Intimidate over Moxie since I’m not reliant on Moxie boosts for power and can use Intimidate to create setup opportunities.
The EV spread lets Salamence hit as hard as possible offensively. 252 Attack EVs maximize its physical power, while 252 Speed EVs let me outspeed most of the metagame after a boost. 4 EVs go into Special Attack to boost Fire Blast’s power. The Naïve nature lets me maximize Speed without compromising my Special Attack. I chose to lower Special Defense instead of Defense so that I could make better use of Intimidate.
CONCLUSION
The team feels weak to stall more than anything else, although it also has trouble with certain offensive threats. I’m not sure how to fix its problems without losing the team’s identity and I really wish I could’ve worked a spinblocker in somewhere, but I don’t know what I’d replace for it.
If anything’s unclear, whether in the introduction, the body of the RMT, or the Threat List, let me know, and I’ll do my best to clarify.
THREAT LIST
Pokemon in Green can be dealt with easily.
Pokemon in Orange are somewhat problematic in some way.
Pokemon in Red are major threats.
Absol-Mega: Florges can take anything it has and KO in return with Moonblast. Forretress can deal with variants that lack Fire Blast. Swampert can also Earthquake/Scald in a pinch. If absolutely necessary, I can try to speed tie with Mega Houndoom.
Aerodactyl-Mega: Swampert and Forretress can both easily switch in on it and threaten to KO it or set up hazards in its face.
Aggron-Mega: Swampert and Forretress take next to nothing from its attacks and can set up hazards on it. Mega Houndoom can also threaten it out. If it’s weak enough, Toxicroak or Salamence can KO it with their super effective moves.
Ampharos-Mega: Salamence and Swampert can both hit it super effectively. Florges can switch in on any of its moves and threaten it with Moonblast or pass a Wish to something.
Arcanine: Swampert can take on the offensive sets easily. Houndoom laughs at the defensive set. Salamence can also check it in a pinch.
Azelf: Florges and Mega Houndoom both deal with Azelf.
Beedrill-Mega: Forretress walls it, but can be worn down with U-turn. If necessary, Houndoom or Salamence can pressure it offensively.
Blastoise-Mega: Florges and Toxicroak can both switch into it easily. Its main threat is the ability to get rid of my hazards.
Blissey: Fat and annoying, but can be worn down by hazards or KO’d by Toxicroak or Salamence. Mainly problematic in the context of a stall team that can remove my hazards and wall my physical threats.
Chandelure: Houndoom walls it and Florges can switch in if I’m careful, but still threatens the rest of the team.
Chesnaught: Florges, Toxicroak, and Houndoom all threaten it. Salamence also carries Fire Blast to KO it and Forretress can Rapid Spin away its hazards and Leech Seed.
Cloyster: Dangerous if it sets up, but it can’t do much to Forretress unless it’s a mixed set, and Swampert can at least tank a hit and Roar it out.
Cobalion: Swampert can take anything it can dish out unless it’s a Swords Dance set, and Houndoom outspeeds and threatens it with Fire Blast. Salamence can tank a hit and KO with Fire Blast if necessary.
Crawdaunt: Toxicroak and Salamence check it offensively, but giving it free turns with Swampert or Forretress is dangerous. Florges runs enough Speed to outspeed and KO with Moonblast.
Cresselia: Really annoying since Spikes don’t affect it and Salamence and Toxicroak have trouble breaking past it. If it’s not Calm Mind, I can fish for burns with Scald and then let Houndoom set up on it. Calm Mind is harder to deal with.
Crobat: Not much of an offensive threat, but I lack a Flying resist and it’s just durable and dangerous enough to be problematic. Forretress and Swampert can pressure it and Salamence can use Intimidate to set up on it in the right situation.
Darmanitan: Salamence and Swampert check it.
Diancie: Toxicroak, Forretress, and Swampert check it.
Donphan: Has trouble spinning on Swampert, since Scald hits super effectively and has a chance to burn.
Doublade: Swampert and Houndoom can check it fairly easily, though Houndoom has to make sure it doesn’t switch into Sacred Sword.
Empoleon: Houndoom and Toxicroak can set up on it. Swampert and Salamence can beat it as well, though they have to be wary of the offensive Defog set.
Entei: Swampert, Houndoom, and Salamence can all check it.
Espeon: Houndoom checks it.
Feraligatr: Dangerous. Swampert can Roar it out, but usually I have to find a way of keeping it from setting up. Toxicroak is my best offensive check.
Florges: Toxicroak and Houndoom can both break through it, but it’s problematic, especially the Calm Mind set.
Forretress: It can set up hazards and spin mine away. If Florges wasn’t so important, it wouldn’t get so many opportunities to set up.
Galvantula: Does nothing to Florges. Houndoom also beats it if it’s already Mega Evolved.
Gardevoir: Houndoom and Florges can take it, depending on the set and the move it uses. I have to predict around it. Forretress can take it if I can get it in safely.
Gligar: Swampert and Florges spam their special moves at it. Dangerous because it can Defog my hazards.
Goodra: Hard to switch into if I don’t know the set. Special sets don’t threaten Florges, and I can usually pressure it out if I can get something in safely.
Haxorus: Forretress stops it cold. Florges can deal with it if it’s locked into Outrage.
Heliolisk: Florges can switch into it with impunity. Mega Houndoom outspeeds.
Heracross: Forretress, Salamence, and Florges can all check it.
Honchkrow: Toxicroak, Salamence, and Mega Houndoom can all threaten it.
Hoopa: Houndoom can force it out, but it’s scary if it gets in for free.
Hydreigon: Florges is a hard counter to every set without Iron Tail or Flash Cannon.
Infernape: I can check it fairly well between Swampert and Salamence. I have to be careful to make sure that it doesn’t carry Grass Knot.
Krookodile: Swampert, Florges, and Forretress all check it.
Lucario: Salamence, Houndoom, and Toxicroak can all check it offensively, depending on the set and whether it has a boost.
Machamp: Florges can threaten it, Salamence has Intimidate, and Swampert can fish for burns.
Mamoswine: Swampert and Forretress can both switch in on it and pressure it out with their STAB moves. Toxicroak and Houndoom can also force it out, although they can’t switch in safely. Still a threat, because it's just that strong.
Mandibuzz: Houndoom and Toxicroak both beat it after a boost. Florges can threaten it out. Swampert can fish for burns.
Metagross: Swampert and Forretress can switch in with impunity. Houndoom can KO it, although it has trouble coming in safely.
Mienshao: Florges can handle variants without Poison Jab. Forretress can deal with it otherwise, or Mega Houndoom can outspeed and KO.
Milotic: Toxicroak sets up on it.
Nidoking: Salamence can outspeed and OHKO. Swampert can tank a hit and threaten it with Earthquake or Scald.
Nidoqueen: Salamence can outspeed and OHKO. Swampert can tank a hit and threaten it with Earthquake or Scald.
Porygon-Z: Really dangerous. I usually have to sac something when this guy comes in. I can usually revenge with something faster if I have to.
Porygon2: Counters Salamence, but I can wear it down with hazards and Toxicroak and Houndoom can set up on it and then KO.
Reuniclus: Very dangerous if it gets a free turn. I have to either Roar it out with Swampert or hit it with Outrage and then KO with something the next turn.
Roserade: Forretress and Toxicroak can set up on defensive variants. Salamence and Houndoom can scare out all sets, as long as they can get in safely.
Rotom-Heat: Swampert can switch in on any set without Hidden Power Grass. It doesn’t even really care about Will-O-Wisp because Florges can heal it. Florges can also switch into it freely, as long as I don’t mind it Volt Switching to something else.
Sableye: Florges and Houndoom both beat it easily. Houndoom in particular is immune to burn and can force it out.
Salamence: Florges and Forretress can beat it when it’s locked into Outrage. Swampert can Roar it out if necessary.
Sceptile-Mega: Florges beats special sets. Forretress beats physical sets.
Sharpedo-Mega: Florges can tank a hit and KO back, as can Toxicroak. Dangerous because it serves as a cleaner and I have to be really careful with my checks.
Shaymin: Florges and Forretress can both switch in on it. Toxicroak and Houndoom can threaten it depending on the set, but have trouble getting in safely if it runs the right coverage moves.
Slurpuff: Forretress beats it. Florges can also pressure it.
Snorlax: Toxicroak beats it and Swampert can Roar out CurseLax or fish for burns on sets without Rest.
Suicune: Toxicroak sets up on it, but it walls the rest of my team.
Swampert: Very annoying since I can’t hit it super effectively. I have to whittle it down with hazards and Swampert, Houndoom, or Florges until it’s in KO range.
Swampert-Mega: Same as base Swampert, but with more offensive pressure.
Tentacruel: Spins hazards away, but careful play with Swampert beats it. Salamence can KO with Earthquake and Toxicroak can set up on it.
Toxicroak: Swampert beats it. Salamence and Mega Houndoom check it.
Umbreon: Toxicroak breaks through it. Salamence can beat it if I have hazards down and a chance to set up.
Vaporeon: Toxicroak sets up on it.
Venusaur: Toxicroak and Forretress can handle sets without Hidden Power Fire. Salamence can tank a hit and KO back if necessary.
Whimsicott: Forretress counters it. Toxicroak and Houndoom threaten it. Florges can handle it as well.
Zapdos: I have to be careful playing around it until I know whether or not it carries Hidden Power Grass. Swampert beats it without Hidden Power Grass, and Florges can tank a hit long enough for me to figure out its set. Defensive Defog variants are annoying.
I made this team during the Crawdaunt suspect test (I ended up earning voting rights under the name Moidart). My previous team didn’t feel quite right (I think I tunneled too hard on trying to make it a Crawdaunt team in order to get a good read on the Pokemon in question instead of just building something I was comfortable using), so I needed something that I felt comfortable playing. I ended up making a hazard-stacking balance team focused around enabling a Dragon Dance Salamence sweep. The team has two components: a defensive core focused on controlling hazards, forcing switches, and providing healing/cleric support to the rest of the team; and an offensive core that breaks holes in the opposing team so that one of its members can sweep.
By posting this, I hope to improve this specific team and to improve my general teambuilding process, both by receiving advice specific to this team and because writing down my thoughts and trying to explain why I made the choices I did forces me to think critically about my decisions and be sure that I really understand them and their ramifications.
Salamence is my favorite Pokemon, and, more importantly, one of the biggest threats in the tier. I started with a simple Dragon Dance set, since it finds opportunities to set up fairly easily and does a good job of sweeping once it grabs a boost.
Mega Houndoom made a good partner for Salamence since it has decent type synergy with Salamence and can eliminate its counters.
Swords Dance Toxicroak can threaten the Fairies that stop Salamence and the bulky Water-types that hinder Houndoom. It also gives me another physical threat and a form of priority to deal with fast threats.
I noticed that both of my main sweepers were weak to Stealth Rock and that Toxicroak and Houndoom were also vulnerable to Spikes, so I decided that I needed a form of hazard control. I considered Defog, but I knew at this point that I wanted a hazard-stacking team, so I decided to use Rapid Spin. Forretress is a solid Rapid Spinner that also gave me Spikes.
I wanted something that could come in multiple times throughout a match to set Stealth Rock. Swampert’s type synergy with the rest of the team made it the best option.
With one slot remaining, I needed a general-purpose check to special attackers, so I settled on Florges for Wish/Cleric support. It also added a set of much-needed resistances to my defensive core.
DEFENSE
My defensive core is meant to set up hazards, keep my side of the field clear, and shuffle opponents around while keeping my team healthy.
Swampert
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Roar
Overview
Swampert is the closest thing I have to a designated lead, since its bulk and typing let it match up well against a lot of the leads currently in use. It’s my primary defensive answer to a lot of physical threats (Mega Aerodactyl, Entei, Arcanine, Cobalion, Doublade, Infernape, etc.), as well as one of my ways of handling certain special threats, such as Nidoqueen and Zapdos, and helps me set the tempo of the battle by spreading residual damage through Stealth Rock, Scald burns, and phazing. Swampert helps me whittle away at a lot of the Pokemon that prevent my offensive core from functioning and has the bulk and typing to switch in multiple times throughout the match. It covers the Fire-type threats that pressure Forretress and Florges and gives me a reliable switch-in to Rock-type attacks that threaten Salamence and Houndoom. Swampert’s immunity to Electric-type attacks also gives me recourse against Thunder Wave, which cripples Houndoom and Salamence.
Moveset, Item, and EV Spread
Stealth Rock is an essential entry hazard. Earthquake and Scald are both solid STAB moves, with good power and coverage. Scald lets me spread Burns, which cripple physical threats and help me wear down bulkier opponents. With Wish/Heal Bell support from Florges, Swampert can outlast Burned threats that would normally simply recover off of Scald/Earthquake damage. Roar lets me shuffle the opposing team to rack up entry hazards, obtain momentum or a favorable matchup, and force out threatening sweepers that I can’t simply KO or pressure into switching out.
Leftovers provides passive recovery, which is crucial to ensuring Swampert’s longevity because Swampert lacks any form of instant recovery and Wish isn’t reliable.
The EV spread is fairly simple. 240 HP EVs give me a Leftovers number and allows me to switch into Stealth Rock or Spikes one more time than I would ordinarily be able to. 252 Defense EVs and a Relaxed nature let me switch into physical attacks more easily without compromising the power of either Earthquake or Scald, and the remaining EVs go into Special Defense to take special attacks slightly better. I could’ve run Speed to outspeed opposing Swampert, but I felt that most of the time I’d rather just Scald them and hope for a burn than try to win the Roar war.
Forretress
Forretress @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Rapid Spin
- Spikes
- Gyro Ball
- Volt Switch
Overview
Forretress is one of my favorite Pokemon to use in UU, mostly because it manages to compress so much utility into one slot. Having a choice of entry hazards, Rapid Spin, and Volt Switch to maintain momentum is extremely useful (that said, I tend to find myself clicking Volt Switch a lot because so many things can come in safely on Forretress). Still, despite its passivity, Forretress is useful because it provides me with a way of handling fast threats such as Mega Beedrill, Haxorus, Salamence, and Crobat; and Pokemon weak to Steel-type attacks, such as Mamoswine, Slurpuff, Whimsicott, and Mega Aerodactyl. Forretress’s typing gives it a lot of resistances and only one weakness, so it’s not too hard to switch it in and do whatever is the best option at the time, whether that be to set up hazards, clear them, or just Volt Switch out so that I have a better matchup.
Moveset, Item, and EV Spread
Rapid Spin clears hazards. Spikes is my second entry hazard and makes it harder for the opponent to switch in. Gyro Ball gives me a STAB move with usable coverage and lets me defeat fast threats that don’t resist it. Volt Switch lets me switch out safely and retain momentum, so that I can handle the things that get free turns by coming in on Forretress with one of my other Pokemon.
Leftovers grants passive recovery. Like Swampert, Forretress doesn’t have any recovery of its own and may not be able to come in to receive healing from Wish, so every bit of recovery helps.
The EVs just give me as much physical bulk as possible. 248 HP EVs hit a Stealth Rock number, 252 Defense EVs and a Relaxed nature maximize my physical durability while also increasing Gyro Ball’s power, and the remaining EVs go into Special Defense.
Florges
Florges @ Leftovers
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 224 HP / 188 Def / 96 Spe
Timid Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Moonblast
- Heal Bell
Overview
Florges is my catch-all special wall and provides healing support to the rest of the team through Wish and Heal Bell. It’s probably the most important Pokemon in my team simply due to the ability to keep the rest of the team healthy while also checking some of the most dangerous Pokemon in the tier, like Salamence, Hydreigon, Mienshao, and Mega Absol. Fairy is one of the best defensive types in the game and is no slouch offensively either. Florges uses that typing and solid offensive presence for a fat ‘mon to keep my team safe and force switches that rack up more entry hazard damage. Florges gives me a lot of second chances if I make a mistake that doesn’t cost me a Pokemon, since Wish can bring a wall/sweeper back out of KO range or negate hazard damage, and Heal Bell can improve a wall’s longevity to a significant degree by removing burns or Toxic poison or restore a sweeper to its true threat level by removing paralysis, sleep, or another status.
Florges is my best answer to a lot of threatening Pokemon, such as Mega Blastoise and Mega Absol. I often use Florges to weaken Mega Blastoise by luring it in with a layer of hazards to force it to use Rapid Spin while it tanks a Moonblast. Once it’s weakened enough, I can lure it in with Forretress, Volt Switch out, and bring Toxicroak in to threaten it. Eventually, it will be too weak to remove my hazards. I don’t mind trading the turn I use to set up hazards in order to force Blastoise to take damage from Florges or Swampert (I’m willing to make the hazard trade instead of just hitting it on the switch because I take less damage from the Rapid Spin and I keep the hazards if Blastoise tries to predict around it and hit me with something else).
Moveset, Item, and EV spread.
Wish gives me healing for the rest of the team at the cost of instant recovery for Florges. Protect lets me scout, get healing from Wish safely, and give myself another turn of Leftovers recovery. Moonblast is my STAB move with good power and coverage. Heal Bell increases the longevity of my team by removing otherwise crippling status conditions.
Leftovers gives me additional passive recovery, which works well in conjunction with Protect.
The EVs are a little odd, since the Crawdaunt suspect test demanded adaptation. 224 HP EVs let me hit a Leftovers number while also increasing my ability to switch into hazards. 96 Speed EVs and a Timid nature let me outspeed Jolly Crawdaunt and anything that wants to speed creep it by one point. The remaining EVs go into Defense so that I can take physical hits more effectively, as Florges has massive Special Defense even without investment and its Defense isn’t really that great (it’s just good enough to get the job done in conjunction with Florges’s typing, but it needs the investment).
OFFENSE
The main purpose of my offensive core is to remove Salamence’s checks and counters in order to enable it to sweep, but Toxicroak and Houndoom can and have ended games for me as well.
Toxicroak
Toxicroak @ Life Orb
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Gunk Shot
- Drain Punch
- Sucker Punch
Overview
While the roles of sweeper, cleaner, and wallbreaker can be interchanged between the three members of my offensive core as necessary, Toxicroak tends to be my primary wallbreaker. It forces out Fairies and bulky Waters that keep the rest of the core from sweeping and threatens fat walls like Blissey and Florges that make Houndoom’s life difficult. Toxicroak also lures in ‘mons like Doublade that Houndoom can set up on and pressures Steel-types that resist Outrage and Porygon2 for Salamence.
Toxicroak is my primary weapon against most stall builds. Usually, I try to shuffle the opposing team around until whatever it uses to check Toxicroak is weakened to the point where I can KO it at +2 (assuming Gunk Shot hits) and then lure in whatever bulky Water the stall team uses so that Toxicroak can set up on it. Toxicroak also gives me priority to KO weakened fast, frail Pokemon, like Chandelure, Espeon, or Mega Beedrill. Toxicroak isn’t as useful against offensive teams, so I usually try to bring it in on something it can threaten and just throw out Gunk Shot or Drain Punch in order to do some damage since it’s harder to setup against offensive teams, and a lot of offensive Pokemon can handle a +2 Sucker Punch.
Moveset, Item, and EV Spread
The moveset is fairly standard. Swords Dance lets Toxicroak boost its Attack, Gunk Shot is its primary STAB, Drain Punch is its secondary STAB and gives it some form of recovery, and Sucker Punch gives it priority and coverage.
Life Orb boosts Toxicroak’s power. The recoil isn’t too big of a deal, since Dry Skin and Drain Punch let it heal up a bit.
EVs, again, are standard. They maximize speed and power. The Jolly nature lets me outspeed things like Mamoswine and tie with stuff like Heracross.
Houndoom-Mega
Houndoom-Mega @ Houndoominite
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Protect
Overview
Houndoom-Mega is my secondary sweeper and secondary wallbreaker. After Toxicroak, it’s my offensive answer to stall since Nasty Plot lets me hit hard enough to break through common stall cores after some prior damage. Houndoom has just enough power to OHKO or 2HKO most of the metagame after a boost, and the fact that it can’t hold Life Orb means that it’s harder to wear down through smart switching. It also has enough bulk to set up on weak Scalds or neutral attacks, so it doesn’t have too much trouble grabbing a boost and running through stall teams if I can weaken or eliminate Blissey.
Early in the game, before it Mega Evolves, Houndoom serves as my check to Fire-type attackers that Swampert can’t handle, such as Chandelure. Most of the time, I’ll Mega Evolve as soon as I can, but I’m sometimes reluctant to Mega Evolve if the situation is such that bringing in Swampert to check opposing Fire-types is dangerous and I need Flash Fire more than I need the additional speed and power. Houndoom also checks a lot of Ghost-, Steel-, Fairy-, and Dark-types such as Doublade, Whimsicott, and Cobalion by virtue of its typing and offensive presence. Mega Houndoom matches up well against a lot of Salamence’s checks and counters and can usually either KO them or weaken them to the point where Salamence can sweep if I play properly. Its speed makes it one of my better tools for dealing with offensive teams, since a lot of popular offensive Pokemon are slower and frail enough for Mega Houndoom to KO them or weaken them to the point where Life Orb recoil ensures that they will not be able to have the impact that they need to.
Moveset, Item, and EV Spread
Nasty Plot gives Houndoom the power needed to make it a threat against more defensive teams. Fire Blast is its best STAB option, since it combines power and reliability in a way that Flamethrower and Overheat can’t provide. Dark Pulse is a weaker, more reliable STAB that gives decent coverage with Fire Blast and hits Cresselia and Doublade super effectively. Protect lets me scout and Mega Evolve safely. While I’ve often wished for another move in that slot, such as Taunt, Hidden Power Grass, or Destiny Bond, the safety of Protect is too much for me to give up.
Houndoominite lets Houndoom Mega Evolve.
The EVs maximize Speed and Special Attack. The Timid nature gives my team some much-needed Speed.
Salamence
Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
Overview
Salamence is the Pokemon I feel has the most influence on the UU tier and its Dragon Dance set is the tier’s most dangerous sweeper. After a boost, Salamence can run through most of the tier with the right coverage move. Salamence is my primary win condition, and the rest of the team is intended to weaken its counters so that it can do its job. That said, its position as a defining metagame force means that most teams carry multiple checks, so I sometimes encounter matchups where Salamence is extremely unlikely to sweep. If that’s the case, I usually sacrifice it to break down the opponent’s team for Houndoom or Toxicroak or use it as Intimidate fodder to keep some physical threat from breaking through my team.
Intimidate allows me to check a lot of offensive Pokemon that my defensive core doesn’t handle well, like Lucario, Toxicroak (if Swampert is weakened or needed to deal with another threat), or Infernape. Its typing and Defense allow it to serve as a backup plan against a lot of Pokemon, which is why I chose Intimidate over Moxie. I value the defensive utility Intimidate brings over the offensive power of Moxie, since I run Life Orb on Salamence and have enough power.
Salamence’s movepool and stat spread mean that it can run multiple sets and poses an immediate offensive threat as soon as I send it out, sometimes on turn 1. I sometimes use this to bluff a MixMence set to lure in something my team can take advantage of or to pressure certain Pokemon early on in the game. If I can keep my opponent guessing what combination of coverage moves I’m running, I force them to play conservatively and open up opportunities for my other Pokemon to break down my opponent’s team. Once I set up, I can either finish off the remains of my opponent’s team or break through 2 or 3 Pokemon so that the rest of my team can clean up.
Moveset, Item, and EV Spread
Dragon Dance gives Salamence the ability to boost its stats and outspeed most of the metagame after a boost. Outrage is its most powerful STAB move. I chose it over Dragon Claw despite the fact that Outrage locks me into the move for 2-3 turns and the subsequent confusion because I really needed the power. Also, by the time I’m clicking Outrage, I’m usually in position to win the game as a result, either by sweeping outright or by breaking through enough of my opponent’s Pokemon that something else can clean up after. Earthquake gives me coverage against Pokemon like Nidoqueen and Lucario without relying on inaccurate moves or forcing myself to use Outrage. I considered Iron Tail, but my experience with that move has been that it’s guaranteed to miss the one time in three games I ever actually click it. Besides, all it really hits is Fairies, and the rest of the team can either weaken or KO them before Salamence comes in. Fire Blast gives me coverage on physically defensive Steel-types like Cobalion and Forretress. It also lets me hit Whimsicott on the switch.
Life Orb gives me power that Lum Berry doesn’t and lets me bluff a mixed set. It also allows me to use Intimidate over Moxie since I’m not reliant on Moxie boosts for power and can use Intimidate to create setup opportunities.
The EV spread lets Salamence hit as hard as possible offensively. 252 Attack EVs maximize its physical power, while 252 Speed EVs let me outspeed most of the metagame after a boost. 4 EVs go into Special Attack to boost Fire Blast’s power. The Naïve nature lets me maximize Speed without compromising my Special Attack. I chose to lower Special Defense instead of Defense so that I could make better use of Intimidate.
CONCLUSION
The team feels weak to stall more than anything else, although it also has trouble with certain offensive threats. I’m not sure how to fix its problems without losing the team’s identity and I really wish I could’ve worked a spinblocker in somewhere, but I don’t know what I’d replace for it.
If anything’s unclear, whether in the introduction, the body of the RMT, or the Threat List, let me know, and I’ll do my best to clarify.
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Roar
Forretress @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Rapid Spin
- Spikes
- Gyro Ball
- Volt Switch
Florges @ Leftovers
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 224 HP / 188 Def / 96 Spe
Timid Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Moonblast
- Heal Bell
Toxicroak @ Life Orb
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Gunk Shot
- Drain Punch
- Sucker Punch
Houndoom-Mega @ Houndoominite
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Protect
Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Roar
Forretress @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Rapid Spin
- Spikes
- Gyro Ball
- Volt Switch
Florges @ Leftovers
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 224 HP / 188 Def / 96 Spe
Timid Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Moonblast
- Heal Bell
Toxicroak @ Life Orb
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Gunk Shot
- Drain Punch
- Sucker Punch
Houndoom-Mega @ Houndoominite
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Protect
Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
THREAT LIST
Pokemon in Green can be dealt with easily.
Pokemon in Orange are somewhat problematic in some way.
Pokemon in Red are major threats.
Absol-Mega: Florges can take anything it has and KO in return with Moonblast. Forretress can deal with variants that lack Fire Blast. Swampert can also Earthquake/Scald in a pinch. If absolutely necessary, I can try to speed tie with Mega Houndoom.
Aerodactyl-Mega: Swampert and Forretress can both easily switch in on it and threaten to KO it or set up hazards in its face.
Aggron-Mega: Swampert and Forretress take next to nothing from its attacks and can set up hazards on it. Mega Houndoom can also threaten it out. If it’s weak enough, Toxicroak or Salamence can KO it with their super effective moves.
Ampharos-Mega: Salamence and Swampert can both hit it super effectively. Florges can switch in on any of its moves and threaten it with Moonblast or pass a Wish to something.
Arcanine: Swampert can take on the offensive sets easily. Houndoom laughs at the defensive set. Salamence can also check it in a pinch.
Azelf: Florges and Mega Houndoom both deal with Azelf.
Beedrill-Mega: Forretress walls it, but can be worn down with U-turn. If necessary, Houndoom or Salamence can pressure it offensively.
Blastoise-Mega: Florges and Toxicroak can both switch into it easily. Its main threat is the ability to get rid of my hazards.
Blissey: Fat and annoying, but can be worn down by hazards or KO’d by Toxicroak or Salamence. Mainly problematic in the context of a stall team that can remove my hazards and wall my physical threats.
Chandelure: Houndoom walls it and Florges can switch in if I’m careful, but still threatens the rest of the team.
Chesnaught: Florges, Toxicroak, and Houndoom all threaten it. Salamence also carries Fire Blast to KO it and Forretress can Rapid Spin away its hazards and Leech Seed.
Cloyster: Dangerous if it sets up, but it can’t do much to Forretress unless it’s a mixed set, and Swampert can at least tank a hit and Roar it out.
Cobalion: Swampert can take anything it can dish out unless it’s a Swords Dance set, and Houndoom outspeeds and threatens it with Fire Blast. Salamence can tank a hit and KO with Fire Blast if necessary.
Crawdaunt: Toxicroak and Salamence check it offensively, but giving it free turns with Swampert or Forretress is dangerous. Florges runs enough Speed to outspeed and KO with Moonblast.
Cresselia: Really annoying since Spikes don’t affect it and Salamence and Toxicroak have trouble breaking past it. If it’s not Calm Mind, I can fish for burns with Scald and then let Houndoom set up on it. Calm Mind is harder to deal with.
Crobat: Not much of an offensive threat, but I lack a Flying resist and it’s just durable and dangerous enough to be problematic. Forretress and Swampert can pressure it and Salamence can use Intimidate to set up on it in the right situation.
Darmanitan: Salamence and Swampert check it.
Diancie: Toxicroak, Forretress, and Swampert check it.
Donphan: Has trouble spinning on Swampert, since Scald hits super effectively and has a chance to burn.
Doublade: Swampert and Houndoom can check it fairly easily, though Houndoom has to make sure it doesn’t switch into Sacred Sword.
Empoleon: Houndoom and Toxicroak can set up on it. Swampert and Salamence can beat it as well, though they have to be wary of the offensive Defog set.
Entei: Swampert, Houndoom, and Salamence can all check it.
Espeon: Houndoom checks it.
Feraligatr: Dangerous. Swampert can Roar it out, but usually I have to find a way of keeping it from setting up. Toxicroak is my best offensive check.
Florges: Toxicroak and Houndoom can both break through it, but it’s problematic, especially the Calm Mind set.
Forretress: It can set up hazards and spin mine away. If Florges wasn’t so important, it wouldn’t get so many opportunities to set up.
Galvantula: Does nothing to Florges. Houndoom also beats it if it’s already Mega Evolved.
Gardevoir: Houndoom and Florges can take it, depending on the set and the move it uses. I have to predict around it. Forretress can take it if I can get it in safely.
Gligar: Swampert and Florges spam their special moves at it. Dangerous because it can Defog my hazards.
Goodra: Hard to switch into if I don’t know the set. Special sets don’t threaten Florges, and I can usually pressure it out if I can get something in safely.
Haxorus: Forretress stops it cold. Florges can deal with it if it’s locked into Outrage.
Heliolisk: Florges can switch into it with impunity. Mega Houndoom outspeeds.
Heracross: Forretress, Salamence, and Florges can all check it.
Honchkrow: Toxicroak, Salamence, and Mega Houndoom can all threaten it.
Hoopa: Houndoom can force it out, but it’s scary if it gets in for free.
Hydreigon: Florges is a hard counter to every set without Iron Tail or Flash Cannon.
Infernape: I can check it fairly well between Swampert and Salamence. I have to be careful to make sure that it doesn’t carry Grass Knot.
Krookodile: Swampert, Florges, and Forretress all check it.
Lucario: Salamence, Houndoom, and Toxicroak can all check it offensively, depending on the set and whether it has a boost.
Machamp: Florges can threaten it, Salamence has Intimidate, and Swampert can fish for burns.
Mamoswine: Swampert and Forretress can both switch in on it and pressure it out with their STAB moves. Toxicroak and Houndoom can also force it out, although they can’t switch in safely. Still a threat, because it's just that strong.
Mandibuzz: Houndoom and Toxicroak both beat it after a boost. Florges can threaten it out. Swampert can fish for burns.
Metagross: Swampert and Forretress can switch in with impunity. Houndoom can KO it, although it has trouble coming in safely.
Mienshao: Florges can handle variants without Poison Jab. Forretress can deal with it otherwise, or Mega Houndoom can outspeed and KO.
Milotic: Toxicroak sets up on it.
Nidoking: Salamence can outspeed and OHKO. Swampert can tank a hit and threaten it with Earthquake or Scald.
Nidoqueen: Salamence can outspeed and OHKO. Swampert can tank a hit and threaten it with Earthquake or Scald.
Porygon-Z: Really dangerous. I usually have to sac something when this guy comes in. I can usually revenge with something faster if I have to.
Porygon2: Counters Salamence, but I can wear it down with hazards and Toxicroak and Houndoom can set up on it and then KO.
Reuniclus: Very dangerous if it gets a free turn. I have to either Roar it out with Swampert or hit it with Outrage and then KO with something the next turn.
Roserade: Forretress and Toxicroak can set up on defensive variants. Salamence and Houndoom can scare out all sets, as long as they can get in safely.
Rotom-Heat: Swampert can switch in on any set without Hidden Power Grass. It doesn’t even really care about Will-O-Wisp because Florges can heal it. Florges can also switch into it freely, as long as I don’t mind it Volt Switching to something else.
Sableye: Florges and Houndoom both beat it easily. Houndoom in particular is immune to burn and can force it out.
Salamence: Florges and Forretress can beat it when it’s locked into Outrage. Swampert can Roar it out if necessary.
Sceptile-Mega: Florges beats special sets. Forretress beats physical sets.
Sharpedo-Mega: Florges can tank a hit and KO back, as can Toxicroak. Dangerous because it serves as a cleaner and I have to be really careful with my checks.
Shaymin: Florges and Forretress can both switch in on it. Toxicroak and Houndoom can threaten it depending on the set, but have trouble getting in safely if it runs the right coverage moves.
Slurpuff: Forretress beats it. Florges can also pressure it.
Snorlax: Toxicroak beats it and Swampert can Roar out CurseLax or fish for burns on sets without Rest.
Suicune: Toxicroak sets up on it, but it walls the rest of my team.
Swampert: Very annoying since I can’t hit it super effectively. I have to whittle it down with hazards and Swampert, Houndoom, or Florges until it’s in KO range.
Swampert-Mega: Same as base Swampert, but with more offensive pressure.
Tentacruel: Spins hazards away, but careful play with Swampert beats it. Salamence can KO with Earthquake and Toxicroak can set up on it.
Toxicroak: Swampert beats it. Salamence and Mega Houndoom check it.
Umbreon: Toxicroak breaks through it. Salamence can beat it if I have hazards down and a chance to set up.
Vaporeon: Toxicroak sets up on it.
Venusaur: Toxicroak and Forretress can handle sets without Hidden Power Fire. Salamence can tank a hit and KO back if necessary.
Whimsicott: Forretress counters it. Toxicroak and Houndoom threaten it. Florges can handle it as well.
Zapdos: I have to be careful playing around it until I know whether or not it carries Hidden Power Grass. Swampert beats it without Hidden Power Grass, and Florges can tank a hit long enough for me to figure out its set. Defensive Defog variants are annoying.
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