Eruption
Introduction
Those of you that know me know that I am mostly an offensively oriented player, though I can play defensive teams as well. However, most of my success as a battler has come with offensive teams, and weather has often been a crucial part of my game plan. While this has never wavered, I realized quickly, with the posting of Delko's great sun RMT, that I had never actually made a successful sun team. However, that never really motivated me to pursue building a good sun team. Instead, it was the testing of a Magma Storm Heatran set that I had heard about—I was writing the analysis for it and I decided that I needed to play with it for a bit. Well, I was more than impressed; it combined offense and defense for sun teams very well, and it worked exceptionally well in dealing with opposing weather, normally a pain in the ass for sun teams to face.
However, that in itself was not enough for me to take sun teams seriously. Sure, Chlorophyll sweepers are great, but the dependence on sun seriously limits how effective these teams are without weather. Considering the frailty of Ninetales, a ubiquitous Pokémon on sun teams, I had a hard time taking my Magma Storm Heatran team out to battle, though I did decide to revamp it one day. The team in its current state has not suffered a single loss yet, and while that is obviously prone to change, I'm quite proud of it. Maybe it's because most sun teams tend to look very similar, but the team has done extremely well for me, especially considering the dependence on sun from my team members. Anyways, it's been a while since I've posted my last RMT, and I may be rusty so bear with me. I don't want to bore you with a mound of text, so let's take a closer look!
Closer Look
Ninetales @ Leftovers
Trait: Drought
EVs: 144 HP / 252 SpA / 112 Spe
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- SolarBeam
- Sunny Day
- Fire Blast
- Toxic
Most people complain that Ninetales is the worst weather inducer in the tier. Honestly, I've never had a problem with it. Ninetales outspeeds standard Gliscor sets and holds up well enough against rain teams, most of which seem to have an inherent advantage over sun teams. However, if you have to ask me what Ninetales set I use, I will never respond with anything other than Sunny Day Ninetales. Honestly, every other Ninetales set is garbage, as they don't contribute to winning the ubiquitous weather war. The spread is standard fare—I need Ninetales to outspeed every other weather inducer and retain decent bulk. Additionally, Ninetales retains some attacking prowess, and SolarBeam and Fire Blast do fairly well against most Pokémon. Toxic is normally for walls that are hard to break down through sheer force and other weather inducers, as poisoning them severely limits their durability.
Sunny Day—while it seems strange—should not be new to anyone lurking this forum. It allows me to set my weather while Tyranitar, Hippowdon, or Politoed switch in. This is especially important because it allows me to gain momentum, one of the most important factors in today's games. Usually, I'll simply switch to Starmie against rain teams or Dugtrio against sand teams; they usually are able to hold their own weight. While I may have considered Will-O-Wisp on earlier builds of this team, I never used it in the finalized version because as it stands, I believe rain teams are more problematic for my own team to face. Additionally, no sand sweeper can really wreck much havoc on my team, as I can deal with most through using my defensive synergy. I generally tend to limit the amount of times I switch Ninetales in, as its weakness to Stealth Rock and lack of immunity to both Spikes and Toxic Spikes mean that it won't live for very long. Typically, I only attack with Ninetales when opposing weather inducers have been KOed, as it's near useless to use Fire Blast when you know Tyranitar or Politoed are going to come in and simply have their way if you let them. Toxic is usually what I use, as playing it safe early gives me room to be reckless later on in the match.
Starmie @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe | 2 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Hidden Power Fire
- Thunderbolt
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Beam
Starmie plays a monumental role on this team, as it acts as my spinner and protector against rain teams. Spinning is simply essential for this team to function properly; without a Rapid Spin user, Ninetales can only switch in 5 times assuming Stealth Rock is on the field, and Dragonite and Venusaur and the rest of my frail sweepers and wall breakers are severely limited. I chose to use Starmie over common spinners seen on sun teams such as Donphan and Forretress because Starmie offers Speed, reliability, and offense. My beef with Donphan is that it only compounds a Water-type weakness in exchange for a "check" to Dragons. Forretress is offensively dead weight, and it just doesn't fit in with this bunch of Pokémon, even if I have considered it before. Something that you may have noticed about Starmie is that its main STAB is reduced by half in the sun. However, if you look at my set, I don't actually run a Water-type move. In fact, I run Hidden Power Fire to catch the ubiquitous Ferrothorn that try to impede Starmie's spinning. It's also useful considering the ubiquity of Choice Band Scizor, one of the figureheads of this current metagame.
Obviously maxmimum Speed and Special Attack allow me to check threats. While I could have gone with a bulkier build for Starmie, I eventually concluded that I would rather have power over bulk. Ice Beam and Thunderbolt give me BoltBeam coverage, and with this coverage, I can check otherwise large threats of Gyarados and Dragon-types. Additionally, I get an answer to opposing rain, as Starmie is an excellent Water-type resisting Pokémon. While I do have to lose a Speed IV in order to run Hidden Power Fire, this is often not meaningful, as Starmie would neither OHKO opposing Starmie or Raikou regardless. If I ever do run into either of those two, I tend to set up appropriately by using either Venusaur or Dugtrio respectively.
Defensively, Starmie is often used as my pivot against rain teams. I always turn to Starmie whenever an opponent brings out Politoed unless the opposing Politoed is at low health. If that is the case, I simply attack it and bring out Ninetales soon after to prevent rampaging Tornadus or other rain abusers. Should Dragon-spamming teams ever become more common in the metagame, I will give serious consideration to using Forretress instead of Starmie. However, Forretress fails to mop up special attacks, and with mediocre Speed, I have often felt that it would slow me down far too much. As odd as it may seem, Starmie is placed perfectly on this team with its typing.
Dragonite @ Choice Band
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- ExtremeSpeed
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
- Outrage
Choice Band Dragonite packs some serious power that my team really appreciates. While it does have a debilitating weakness to Stealth Rock, something that sun teams never appreciate, I can always count on Dragonite delivering a devastating blow. With Rapid Spin support, I don't have to worry too much about losing Multiscale, and with ExtremeSpeed, Dragonite's middling Speed is not an issue. While the Dragon Dance set is a potent sweeper, I chose to not use it because Choice Scarf Landorus, Choice Scarf Salamence, Choice Scarf Terrakion, and Choice Scarf Latios are all still significant threats in the metagame. While I may not be able to sweep with this Dragonite, I can punch holes to my heart's content. Even the sturdiest of walls such as Skarmory fear the Dragon, as Fire Punch deals decent damage, especially with pseudo STAB in the sun.
Typically, I use Outrage to do as much damage as possible when all opposing Steel-types are eliminated. It punches holes in the opponent's team and makes Dragonite an amazing wall-breaker. Fire Punch and Earthquake give Dragonite perfect coverage together, and they allow me to predict opponents' moves and react accordingly. While I could have chosen Dragon Claw in the fourth slot to allow Dragonite to use a STAB move that lacks drawbacks, I found that I typically only use Outrage if I need a Dragon-type move to fall back on. ExtremeSpeed gives me a major cushion considering Dragonite's low base Speed, as +2 priority is always appreciated. This allows me to take down weakened Salamence, Landorus, and other Pokémon that would normally cause me a bit of trouble. Starmie that think they can get away with a quick Ice Beam tend to regret attacking as well.
Defensively, Dragonite is no slouch. It provides me with a key Water-type resistance and allows me to take down many offensive rain teams with impunity. While it resists Water moves, I tend to turn to Venusaur for more stall-oriented rain teams. Honestly, I've never had a problem with rain stall because Starmie has done so well spinning against those types of teams. Jellicent, Starmie's worst enemy, is hardly ever found on rain stall, as it simply gives these teams a major weakness to Electric-type attacks. Thus, I only am faced with Ferrothorn whenever I attempt to use Rapid Spin, and I can simply turn to Heatran and use Magma Storm for the next two turns. With Starmie's spinning and Heatran's removal of vital members, Dragonite finds plenty of opportunities to punch holes. Either way, I have rain covered between Dragonite, Venusaur, and Starmie.
Heatran @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Toxic
Heatran is likely the MVP of my team. While Magma Storm Heatran is certainly a rare sight in this metagame, it does its job extremely well—so well that I have even considered using it in teams other than sun. Its importance on the team and general power makes it one of the biggest threats around. Additionally, its utility outside of simply hitting hard cannot be ignored. Heatran is vital because it demolishes anything that walls my Venusaur, one of my main sweepers on this team. This Heatran set even beats Chansey and Blissey, something not just any Pokémon can brag about. "Did he say it beats Blissey and Chansey..? What is he talking about?" This set does beat Blissey and Chansey, as the combination of Magma Storm's trapping and Taunt's shutting down recovery gives me an inherent advantage. Coupled with Toxic, the blobs tend to go down without a fight, especially because they do not usually use Seismic Toss as a first reaction to Heatran. Additionally, more and more Blissey have began to carry just Flamethrower, so they can't even touch Heatran.
Heatran isn't solely for beating down the blobs, as that would just be overspecialization. Instead, I also use it to cover Dragon-types that pose a threat to every sun team. Without Hidden Power Ice, Heatran doesn't exactly pose an immediate threat, but Magma Storm certainly does not lack any power, especially considering that Heatran is in the sun. Earth Power hits the likes of opposing Heatran and other Fire-type Pokémon very hard, and it provides great coverage along with Magma Storm. Of course, if the opponent carries a Dugtrio, I play much more conservatively than I normally would with Heatran—I definitely do not want to lose my MVP quickly, and it performs so well. Without Heatran, my team is hurt badly by the presence of opposing special walls, and I honestly need it to be there when I am faced with something like opposing Chansey or Jirachi. Taunt is useful even when I am not faced with Chansey or Blissey, as it prevents Pokémon like Jellicent from using Recover, and with the sun up, Jellicent does pitiful damage to Heatran.
Venusaur @ Leftovers
Trait: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe | 2 Atk / 30 Def
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Hidden Power Ice
- Sleep Powder
- SolarBeam
- Growth / Sunny Day
Venusaur is a mixed bag of both good and bad things. For one, it provides a major offensive presence that really puts lots of teams away quickly, but it also gives my team a major dependence on sun from Ninetales. While this is not necessarily bad considering that I have two trappers and some hard-hitters that work decently outside of the sun, I don't like to rely on my weather too much. However, Venusaur hits so hard that I simply could not ignore it. Usually, I only bring Venusaur in after something on my team has been KOed or I predict a double switch—it's basically never switched in directly. However, if I use it and there is a threat in my face, say Choice Scarf Salamence for the sake of an example, I'll simply use Sleep Powder and proceed to boost my Special Attack to sky-high levels with Growth. However, there is a problem here: Salamence resists all the moves I use as coverage. For this reason, as soon as I started seeing more and more Salamence, I began to use Sludge Bomb in the place of Sleep Powder, as it takes more than half of Salamence's health. Considering that it also provides an extra STAB move, I don't always miss Sleep Powder, though I tend to switch around from time to time. At the suggestion of Delko, I switched Hidden Power Fire for Hidden Power Ice, and the change has worked wonders with my prior weakness to Dragon-types.
As I said earlier with Heatran, removal of Blissey and Chansey on balance teams is vital for Venusaur's sweep. However, on stall-oriented teams, I tend to only send Venusaur out after my weather has proven dominant. If that's the case, I can simply put Chansey or Blissey to sleep, provided that I am using Sleep Powder. At +6, there isn't much that really stands in Venusaur's way, as even Blissey is OHKOed by +6 SolarBeam. Hidden Power Ice destroys Choice Scarf Salamence, a giant threat to my team as it stood. Additionally, with a Timid nature, Venusaur outspeed Choice Scarf Terrakion, so I have that threat covered adequately. While I had considered Sawsbuck in Venusaur's place at one point, Venusaur had much more bulk that I found would be more appropriate for this team. Sawsbuck also opens my team up to Scizor more, so I like Venusaur in its place.
Defensively, I use Venusaur much like I use Dragonite—it provides an ever-important resistance to Water-type moves. Additionally, it holds super effective moves against all other weather inducers, though admittedly this isn't always useful considering that Venusaur needs the sun to successfully beat them. Of course, Sunny Day Ninetales makes this goal much easier, and it immensely aids Venusaur in its late-game sweep. I tend to play Venusaur more recklessly than other Pokémon because it is somewhat frail and powerful. Still, Venusaur does have its own set of defensive capabilities, and it's simply a great addition to every sun team. Recently, I have began using Sunny Day in the place of Growth for a secondary weather inducer. With this change, while I lose a boosting sweeper, I gain an easier weather war.
Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Trait: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe | 21 HP
Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Substitute / Stone Edge
- Reversal
Dugtrio is my second trapper and user of Stealth Rock. With Heatran's moveset taken up by Magma Storm, I needed an offensive Pokémon to pick up some slack and lay Stealth Rock with ease. While Mamoswine was another Ground-type option I could have used, I decided to go with Dugtrio because it has the added utility of trapping opposing Tyranitar. With that in, I have a much easier time controlling weather, and obviously this contributes to winning battles. In theory, Dugtrio is supposed to use Stealth Rock while the opponent uses Stealth Rock as well, and then use Substitute 4 times to reach its Focus Sash; however, it usually uses Stealth Rock on the first turn and loses all its health down to 1 HP because of the Focus Sash. Then it can KO the opponent with either Reversal or Earthquake. Should Stealth Rock be vital at some point in the match, and Stealth Rock already lie on my field, I sometimes have to sacrifice Dugtrio's Focus Sash to put down Stealth Rock.
To be completely honest, other than lay Stealth Rock and trap opposing weather inducers, Dugtrio doesn't really do much else. It does do a good job of eliminating opposing Heatran, though, as Heatran tends to get annoying with its walling Venusaur. Air Balloon variants have to have their Air Balloon popped before I can do much, as Earthquake does not affect them. I tend to use a different teammate to knock Heatran off its Balloon before switching to Dugtrio. Starmie is usually my best bet, though offensive versions still trouble Starmie because they still do plenty of damage, and because I lack a Water-type STAB move. Either way, Heatran is adequately checked and covered by a combination of a teammate and Dugtrio. Typically, Dugtrio only sees the sunlight when I play against a weather-based team, though it can be useful against other types of teams, as it can dismantle DragMag teams by ridding the field of Magnezone, and consequently it can give me the upper hand in these situations. Stone Edge is sometimes used in the place of Substitute because it prevents Dugtrio from becoming dead weight against opposing Dragonite that attempt to set up on Dugtrio. It's been a good change, though I do use Substitute now and then because it allows me to avoid Will-O-Wisp and stuff like that. It also allows me to set up against frailer teams against things that can't harm me and later wreak havoc.
Threat List
Abomasnow: Abomasnow never has a chance to do much to my team, even against the weakest link of Dugtrio. Stealth Rock really limits the times it can switch in, and with Stone Edge on Dugtrio, it doesn't have much of an opportunity to do anything. This holds especially true considering that four of my team members carry Fire-type moves, so it can never switch safely. Hail abusing teams, in a nutshell, cannot hold their own against my team for the most part.
Aerodactyl: Aerodactyl is barely ever seen in OU, but it is always a big offensive threat that every team should cover adequately. Venusaur outpaces Aerodactyl under sunlight, and it can put Aerodactyl to sleep and either boost with Growth or simply attack with SolarBeam if I am running a Sunny Day set. Heatran can tank a hit if it doesn't carry Earthquake, but generally, I tend to stick with Starmie or Venusaur.
Alakazam: Alakazam is a threat for every team to worry about, but I find that I deal with it adequately. With Venusaur, I can always outpace it under the sun, and I can simply put it to sleep or, if it no longer has its Focus Sash, I can just KO it outright. Should it have it Life Orb, it is actually easier to deal with, though switching in is always tough. Dragonite can also do major damage with ExtremeSpeed and Ninetales can soak up a hit and use Fire Blast.
Blissey: Despite what it looks like, I actually lick my lips every time I see a Blissey. Heatran deals with it exceptionally well with Magma Storm and Taunt, though with the posting of this team, most people have grown wary of the notorious Magma Storm Heatran. Taunt shuts down its recovery and Toxic chips away at its health. It really gets rendered useless by Heatran, and after I dismantle it, Venusaur can run rampant. The version with Growth Venusaur actually can simply put Blissey to sweep and then boost and OHKO it at +6.
Breloom: With four Fire-type moves on this team, Breloom simply never gets a chance to set up. Heatran outpaces every variant of Breloom and shuts it down with Magma Storm, while Ninetales and Dragonite do the same. Starmie can even use Hidden Power Fire to KO it if weakened sufficiently. Venusaur can set up against Breloom, and it can't do much back considering I would put it to sleep before it would put me to sleep. The only team member liable to Breloom is Dugtrio, and I usually sac it to Spore and then beat it with another teammate.
Celebi: Celebi isn't much of a problem for my team, just as Breloom, because of all the super effective coverage I have against it. Nasty Plot variants tend to carry Hidden Power Fire, Giga Drain, and Earth Power, so I can simply use Dragonite to beat those. Tinkerbell can spread paralysis of course, but I usually just beat it down with brute force. Besides, it doesn't get an opportunity to come in and set up unless someone sends it out against Starmie or Dugtrio. Ninetales and Heatran beat down sets that lack Earth Power, and fortunately, this is most Celebi sets.
Chansey: Chansey is basically dealt with in the same way as I deal with Blissey, though it does have a bit more bulk to boast. Regardless, Heatran will demolish it one on one, though it does stand a better chance if it uses Seismic Toss as a first response to Heatran instead of attempting to lay Stealth Rock or something of the sort. Regardless, it can be dealt with without too much trouble, and Dragonite is always lurking should Chansey not fall.
Cloyster: This is not a very big problem considering that most of my team is specially based, so Cloyster will not get many opportunities to set up. Venusaur outpaces Cloyster even after it uses Shell Smash, and I can revenge kill rampant Cloyster, should their HP be low enough, with Dragonite's ExtremeSpeed. Additionally, Starmie does fairly well against Cloyster.
Conkeldurr: Conkeldurr's usage has declined tremendously, but it definitely is still a good Pokémon. I tend to put it to sleep with Venusaur and then kill it off as quickly as possible, as it can do a ton of damage if its sweep goes unimpeded. Heatran OHKOes Conkeldurr with Magma Storm almost all the time, and this is guaranteed after Stealth Rock damage. I haven't really run into this much, but it isn't too problematic. It certainly packs a punch, though, and I have to watch for it.
Deoxys-D: While Deoxys-D's relative ease in setting down entry hazards is concerning, especially for a sun team, I generally have a fairly good answer for it. If it is not sent out as a lead and I have my sun left, I can use Venusaur's Sleep Powder to put it to sleep even before it even gets Stealth Rock down, though this is generally never the case. I tend to use Heatran's Magma Storm to take it down early on in the match and let Starmie clean up the field later on. Using Starmie as an immediate answer has recently stopped working because many Deoxys-D have begun to use Electric Gems with Thunderbolt.
Donphan: Donphan isn't very problematic considering that it usually only has Rapid Spin, Stealth Rock, Earthquake, and Ice Shard. While Ice Shard is useful in checking Dragonite, Earthquake really only does major damage to Ninetales and Heatran. For this reason, I usually just switch to Starmie, as I both threaten to use Rapid Spin and remove Stealth Rock or use Ice Beam to get rid of Donphan.
Dragonite: Dragonite is generally a giant threat for any team this generation, and mine is certainly no exception. However, the biggest key to removing opposing Dragonite is getting Stealth Rock down early on in the match. With this, I ensure that Dragonite's Multiscale no longer functions, and Venusaur can OHKO Dragonite with a swift Hidden Power Ice. My own Dragonite can check others with ExtremeSpeed. Choice Band variants are easier to check because if they use ExtremeSpeed, I can simply switch to Heatran. Starmie can beat down Dragonite if it uses another move to KO one of my team members.
Dugtrio: Dugtrio is actually a troublesome Pokémon to face for any sun team, especially this one. Because Heatran does not have an Air Balloon, I cannot use it to its fullest extent until after I eliminate opposing Dugtrio. This is generally done by using Venusaur or Dragonite, as the former has a higher Speed assuming sun is active, and the latter has useful priority that puts a full stop to all Dugtrio.
Espeon: Espeon is generally only seen on Baton Pass or sun teams, and for both variants, I generally switch in Heatran to just use Magma Storm and either OHKO or 2HKO it. Dragonite is another decent answer, and with ExtremeSpeed, it can hit Espeon before getting hit. Dugtrio outpaces Espeon and can do major damage due to its Focus Sash, though this isn't my favorite, or preferred, option.
Ferrothorn: Ferrothorn is just bait for Heatran. I've never seen a problematic Ferrothorn because I carry four Fire-type moves, so it can't really ever find an opportunity to set up entry hazards against me. Ferrothorn only ever comes out against Starmie to threaten with Power Whip or Dragonite to soak up Outrage, though I can hit it hard with Hidden Power Fire in the case of the former or predict a switch and hit it with Fire Punch for the latter.
Forretress: Forretress does nothing other than set up entry hazards and use Rapid Spin. I generally just switch to Heatran and use Magma Storm, though if I need to remove entry hazards quickly, I can switch to Starmie. Hidden Power Fire demolishes Forretress anyways, so it doesn't really make a big difference as long as it cannot set up too many entry hazards.
Gastrodon: Gastrodon is no problem with Venusaur covering me, as Venusaur simply demolishes it with an immunity to Toxic and Grass-type STAB. Should it attempt to attack my Ninetales, I just roast it with SolarBeam or use Toxic to weaken it sufficiently. Dragonite's Outrage isn't very kind to Gastrodon either.
Gengar: Gengar is a threat that should be taken care of immediately because it blocks Rapid Spin, which is very problematic for an offensive sun team such as my own. I generally fall back on Ninetales to do damage, though Gengar has a high base Speed, so I sometimes have to use Venusaur to put it to sleep and then attack it.
Gliscor: Gliscor never really gets too much of an opportunity to do damage as far as it is concerned threat-wise. Fire Blast from Ninetales and Magma Storm from Heatran, both of which outspeed standard Gliscor, demolish the sand bat, and Hidden Power Ice from Venusaur and Ice Beam from Starmie ensure that it doesn't cause too much trouble.
Gyarados: Gyarados is generally taken care of by Starmie, who can simply use Thunderbolt to take it down. Gyarados's main STAB is halved in power by the sun, so it is crucial to keep sun in play when battling these. Venusaur can also keep it in check, though generally I prefer playing with Starmie.
Haxorus: Haxorus is a tough Pokémon to take down because it has pure Dragon typing, so Ice moves don't necessarily always OHKO it. Still, Venusaur does well as a check, and if worse comes to worst, I can always use Dragonite's ExtremeSpeed to take it down. Starmie can use Ice Beam on all variants other than Choice Scarf, while the Choice-locked variants simply require proper prediction.
Heatran: Opposing Heatran cause a bit of a bother if they are offensive with an Air Balloon. I tend to use Dugtrio to solve this problem, and with a Focus Sash, I can use Reversal to break the Air Balloon and Earthquake to KO Heatran. Should it be a specially defensive Heatran, all I must do is use Earthquake from either Dugtrio or Dragonite. My own Heatran can use Earth Power as well if it is sufficiently weakened.
Hippowdon: Hippowdon is generally dealt with by Starmie, as Ice Beam does respectable damage. Venusaur can come in and use Sunny Day to cancel out Hippowdon's Sand Stream, though I only do this in the late-game. Heatran's Magma Storm, of course, does major damage, though I only risk this if Hippowdon is sufficiently weakened, as I don't want to lose Heatran too early.
Hydreigon: Substitute variants of Hydreigon are generally dealt with by Starmie fairly decently, though they are problematic. I can revenge kill them with Venusaur or Dragonite, though, so they're not too bad. Choice Scarf variants simply require proper prediction to outplay them.
Infernape: Infernape is not that big of a problem because while it has a killer base Speed stat, its Attack and Special Attack are a bit disappointing. Dragonite can generally tank most hits and retaliate with massive damage, while Starmie can do the same and attack with Thunderbolt. Dugtrio can trap it if need be and eliminate it with a swift Earthquake.
Jellicent: Heatran completely shuts down Jellicent, especially in the sun. With Magma Storm, Jellicent won't be able to switch out, while Taunt shuts down its recovery and Toxic ruins its durability. While Jellicent can use Scald, it won't do very much under the sunlight.
Jirachi: Jirachi poses a threat to every team, though mine has a relatively easy time with it due to all the Fire-type moves I carry. Generally, I use Heatran to take this thing down, and when that is done successfully, it opens up a hole to sweep with Venusaur. Ninetales can do the same if need be.
Jolteon: Jolteon is not a very big threat because it is too frail to stay in and do any major damage to my team. Additionally, the sun cuts its main move's accuracy, and Heatran and Ninetales demolish it when need be. Dragonite's ExtremeSpeed is also an extremely solid answer. Should it be Choice-locked, Dugtrio can come in and set up Stealth Rock and a Substitute on it.
Kyurem: To be completely honest, this thing isn't used in OU for a reason. With a weakness to the ubiquitous Stealth Rock, it rarely finds a good opportunity to switch in, and with many powerful attackers on this team, it rarely ever gets a chance to set up. Ninetales can sponge a hit and attack it if need be, and Dragonite does well with ExtremeSpeed.
Landorus: Landorus is a tough Pokémon for most sun teams to face, though I do have many checks to it. For one, Starmie is able to take down non Choice Scarf variants. Dragonite can take down any variant provided that it is weakened sufficiently, and Venusaur destroys all variants of Landorus with Hidden Power Ice.
Latias: Typically I rely on Heatran to take down Latias. With Taunt and Magma Storm, it usually cannot set up much, and I can simply use Toxic on it and let it die. This method works for SubCM Latias, but standard Calm Mind Latias is much easier to deal with considering Substitute does not shield it from status.
Latios: Much like for Latias, Heatran is my main switch-in for Latios as well. I usually attack with Magma Storm which takes over half of Latios's health, and then I simply kill it on the next turn. Dragonite can take down weakened variants, as can Venusaur, and Starmie can do the same provided that they do not run a Choice Scarf.
Lucario: Should Stealth Rock be off the field and Dugtrio's Focus Sash stay intact, Lucario is no problem. However, once Dugtrio is gone, my only method of beating Lucario is sacrificing a Pokémon to allow Dragonite to come in and revenge kill it. This is probably the biggest threat to my team, but in essence, I can avoid it by careful play. Nasty Plot variants cannot do much, though.
Magnezone: Magnezone gets wrecked by Dugtrio because it gets trapped and Dugtrio's STAB is 4x super effective. Additionally, I have a Focus Sash to ensure that Magnezone cannot OHKO me while I can take it out, even if it has a Substitute up. Combine this with all the Fire-type moves I have and Magnezone doesn't look very fearsome at all.
Mamoswine: Starmie is my main switch-in for Mamoswine if it has a Focus Sash, as it can either use Rapid Spin to get rid of Stealth Rock or beat it down with Hidden Power Fire. Dragonite checks weakened Mamoswine because of ExtremeSpeed, and should it be Adamant, Heatran can outpace it and demolish it with Magma Storm. Generally, I rely on careful play around Mamoswine. This is one of those threats that I don't really have a dedicated switch-in for. I let the flow of the battle lead me to Venusaur, Starmie, or Dragonite before KOing it, though it is a threat.
Metagross: Metagross is generally a non-threat because of all the Fire coverage I am armed with. Typically, I'll switch to Starmie because it resists Metagross's STABs, and then I'll just attack with Hidden Power Fire. I can also use Heatran or Ninetales if I'm daring enough, but typically I stick with Starmie.
Ninetales: Ninetales's is relatively easy to deal with—all I have to do is switch to Heatran and use whatever I want. Ninetales can only ever touch Heatran if it carries Hidden Power Ground or Hidden Power Fighting, and because these are very rare cases, Heatran is usually my go-to Pokémon.
Politoed: Politoed is beaten in two sittings by Heatran. It can use Toxic on the first switch in, while I usually then switch to Starmie. The next sitting, I use Magma Storm on the switch, and then Politoed is trapped and poisoned. With that, I can use Earth Power until it dies, or then trap it with Dugtrio if Heatran dies. Venusaur also does relatively well against Politoed.
Reuniclus: Reuniclus is definitely the biggest threat for my team, and I have to play very carefully around it. For either Calm Mind or Trick Room sets, I turn to Dragonite to just use Outrage. While the situation changes with each battle, this is one threat I need to get rid of immediately.
Rotom-W: Rotom-W is surprisingly diverse, but all of them are dealt with in the same way by my team. Venusaur's SolarBeam takes it out immediately, though it usually forces Rotom-W to switch. Either way, its secondary STAB is weakened by the sun, and it can't do too much to my team.
Salamence: While Salamence used to be problematic for this team, Hidden Power Ice on Venusaur cured me of this problem altogether. Should Salamence be rampaging at low health and Venusaur be KOed, I can use Dragonite's ExtremeSpeed to take it down, though I try to avoid this move at all costs.
Scizor: This team wrecks Scizor because as I've stated before, four of my Pokémon carry Fire-type moves. Starmie usually invites Scizor who are hungry for a U-turn and momentum, though they must be surprised that Hidden Power Fire destroys them. Honestly, Scizor is usually the weakest link on the opponent's team against mine. The surprise value of my Starmie set diminishes with my posting of this team, though, so I'm sure people will be more cautious with their Scizor.
Scrafty: Scrafty is pretty easy to face off against, as I usually turn to Venusaur and put it to sleep. Once that is done, I just have to keep attacking it. Of course, Dragonite can use Outrage to do tremendous damage, and I have other options here as well. It's not too big of a threat.
Skarmory: I've never had a team that was as happy to invite Skarmory as this one. Skarmory is setup fodder for Heatran, Ninetales, and Starmie, and Starmie has the added benefit of having Rapid Spin. Skarmory cannot even wall Dragonite properly because Fire Punch deals major damage in the sun with a Choice Band.
Starmie: Defensive variants of Starmie are never a threat, as Ninetales deals with them adequately. However, offensive Starmie generally have to be dealt with by either Dragonite's ExtremeSpeed if sufficiently weakened or Venusaur's SolarBeam should I be able to switch it in safely.
Tentacruel: Tentacruel is pretty easy to deal with, as Starmie does a lot of damage to it. With Rapid Spin and Natural Cure, Tentacruel can't really do too much to Starmie. When the sun is up, I can use Heatran to take it down with Earth Power. Dragonite and Venusaur can also take it down fairly well, though I try to avoid using them for this purpose.
Terrakion: Venusaur outpaces Terrakion under the sun, and Dugtrio can survive a hit and retaliate back due to its Focus Sash. While Terrakion is definitely a huge threat that should never be taken lightly, I can usually play around it by controlling the weather and ensuring that it can never set up.
Tornadus: This is always a threat that must be accounted for, and luckily, I can change the weather to render Choice Specs variants useless. Bulk Up Tornadus simply must be stopped before it can set up, as there really is no other way to counter this with a pure offensive team. Of course, most special moves will KO it regardless.
Toxicroak: Toxicroak really struggles against this team, particularly because the sun takes away some of its HP every turn. With Dragonite's ExtremeSpeed and Dugtrio's Focus Sash, I generally don't have problems facing these.
Tyranitar: My methods of dealing with Tyranitar have already been revealed earlier in the RMT, though to reiterate, I deal with it through trapping it with either Heatran or Dugtrio. Once trapped, Tyranitar cannot do much, and I win the weather war and usually the match. Using Toxic on the switch in usually works well also.
Vaporeon: Vaporeon's STAB is reduced by half due to the sun, and with Venusaur, it can't do very much to my team. I generally put it to sleep before attacking it with SolarBeam, and it can't do very much in return. I can also use Dragonite to take it down with Outrage, though this is generally only in the late-game or as a last resort.
Venusaur: Venusaur isn't very problematic at all for this team because I carry Heatran who shuts it down completely. Additionally, Dragonite doles out major damage with ExtremeSpeed, while I can pick up the slack with Ninetales who won't be OHKOed by Venusaur. My own Venusaur can risk a Speed-tie and attack with Hidden Power Ice as well.
Virizion: I usually leave Virizion to Ninetales and Dragonite, as they are best suited to deal with this classy Pokémon. Dragonite can use a physical move to take it down by its low Defense, while Ninetales offers super effective damage with Fire Blast. I obviously have to watch out for Hidden Power Ice or Stone Edge, but I'm usually well-prepared for opposing Virizion.
Volcarona: Heatran deals major damage with Magma Storm even at +1, and I can use Toxic or Taunt to shut it down. Should it carry Hidden Power Ground, I use Dragonite to check it and then demolish it with either Outrage or ExtremeSpeed, depending on the amount of HP remaining and the amount of boosts it has attained.
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Conclusion
Well, that was actually briefer than I expected, as I thought I would have a lot to cover with this team. Anyways, it's served me well and done its job. I hope that if you take anything away from this team, it would be the power of the monstrous Magma Storm Heatran. While this is simply standard sun with a few twists, the team is one of my favorites. As far as threats go, Choice Scarf Salamence is a big one, though if I catch it using Outrage, I can simply get Heatran in. Of course, I also have Dragonite's ExtremeSpeed and Vensuaur's Sleep Powder, so it's not a giant threat. Generally speaking, teams that spam Dragons give me a headache because I only have one Steel-type and it is offensive. While I have considered Forretress over Starmie, the offensive presence that Starmie brings, and not to mention the Water resistance, has kept Starmie's hold on the position firm. Anyhow, thank you for taking the time to read through the RMT. The amazing art is from an amazing artist Pearlsaurus. I shamelessly ripped the format from Kevin Garrett's great RMTs, so if you wanted to know where I got that, there's your answer. Again, thank you for reading through, I hope you enjoyed this RMT!
Introduction
Those of you that know me know that I am mostly an offensively oriented player, though I can play defensive teams as well. However, most of my success as a battler has come with offensive teams, and weather has often been a crucial part of my game plan. While this has never wavered, I realized quickly, with the posting of Delko's great sun RMT, that I had never actually made a successful sun team. However, that never really motivated me to pursue building a good sun team. Instead, it was the testing of a Magma Storm Heatran set that I had heard about—I was writing the analysis for it and I decided that I needed to play with it for a bit. Well, I was more than impressed; it combined offense and defense for sun teams very well, and it worked exceptionally well in dealing with opposing weather, normally a pain in the ass for sun teams to face.
However, that in itself was not enough for me to take sun teams seriously. Sure, Chlorophyll sweepers are great, but the dependence on sun seriously limits how effective these teams are without weather. Considering the frailty of Ninetales, a ubiquitous Pokémon on sun teams, I had a hard time taking my Magma Storm Heatran team out to battle, though I did decide to revamp it one day. The team in its current state has not suffered a single loss yet, and while that is obviously prone to change, I'm quite proud of it. Maybe it's because most sun teams tend to look very similar, but the team has done extremely well for me, especially considering the dependence on sun from my team members. Anyways, it's been a while since I've posted my last RMT, and I may be rusty so bear with me. I don't want to bore you with a mound of text, so let's take a closer look!
Closer Look
Ninetales @ Leftovers
Trait: Drought
EVs: 144 HP / 252 SpA / 112 Spe
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- SolarBeam
- Sunny Day
- Fire Blast
- Toxic
Most people complain that Ninetales is the worst weather inducer in the tier. Honestly, I've never had a problem with it. Ninetales outspeeds standard Gliscor sets and holds up well enough against rain teams, most of which seem to have an inherent advantage over sun teams. However, if you have to ask me what Ninetales set I use, I will never respond with anything other than Sunny Day Ninetales. Honestly, every other Ninetales set is garbage, as they don't contribute to winning the ubiquitous weather war. The spread is standard fare—I need Ninetales to outspeed every other weather inducer and retain decent bulk. Additionally, Ninetales retains some attacking prowess, and SolarBeam and Fire Blast do fairly well against most Pokémon. Toxic is normally for walls that are hard to break down through sheer force and other weather inducers, as poisoning them severely limits their durability.
Sunny Day—while it seems strange—should not be new to anyone lurking this forum. It allows me to set my weather while Tyranitar, Hippowdon, or Politoed switch in. This is especially important because it allows me to gain momentum, one of the most important factors in today's games. Usually, I'll simply switch to Starmie against rain teams or Dugtrio against sand teams; they usually are able to hold their own weight. While I may have considered Will-O-Wisp on earlier builds of this team, I never used it in the finalized version because as it stands, I believe rain teams are more problematic for my own team to face. Additionally, no sand sweeper can really wreck much havoc on my team, as I can deal with most through using my defensive synergy. I generally tend to limit the amount of times I switch Ninetales in, as its weakness to Stealth Rock and lack of immunity to both Spikes and Toxic Spikes mean that it won't live for very long. Typically, I only attack with Ninetales when opposing weather inducers have been KOed, as it's near useless to use Fire Blast when you know Tyranitar or Politoed are going to come in and simply have their way if you let them. Toxic is usually what I use, as playing it safe early gives me room to be reckless later on in the match.
Starmie @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe | 2 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Hidden Power Fire
- Thunderbolt
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Beam
Starmie plays a monumental role on this team, as it acts as my spinner and protector against rain teams. Spinning is simply essential for this team to function properly; without a Rapid Spin user, Ninetales can only switch in 5 times assuming Stealth Rock is on the field, and Dragonite and Venusaur and the rest of my frail sweepers and wall breakers are severely limited. I chose to use Starmie over common spinners seen on sun teams such as Donphan and Forretress because Starmie offers Speed, reliability, and offense. My beef with Donphan is that it only compounds a Water-type weakness in exchange for a "check" to Dragons. Forretress is offensively dead weight, and it just doesn't fit in with this bunch of Pokémon, even if I have considered it before. Something that you may have noticed about Starmie is that its main STAB is reduced by half in the sun. However, if you look at my set, I don't actually run a Water-type move. In fact, I run Hidden Power Fire to catch the ubiquitous Ferrothorn that try to impede Starmie's spinning. It's also useful considering the ubiquity of Choice Band Scizor, one of the figureheads of this current metagame.
Obviously maxmimum Speed and Special Attack allow me to check threats. While I could have gone with a bulkier build for Starmie, I eventually concluded that I would rather have power over bulk. Ice Beam and Thunderbolt give me BoltBeam coverage, and with this coverage, I can check otherwise large threats of Gyarados and Dragon-types. Additionally, I get an answer to opposing rain, as Starmie is an excellent Water-type resisting Pokémon. While I do have to lose a Speed IV in order to run Hidden Power Fire, this is often not meaningful, as Starmie would neither OHKO opposing Starmie or Raikou regardless. If I ever do run into either of those two, I tend to set up appropriately by using either Venusaur or Dugtrio respectively.
Defensively, Starmie is often used as my pivot against rain teams. I always turn to Starmie whenever an opponent brings out Politoed unless the opposing Politoed is at low health. If that is the case, I simply attack it and bring out Ninetales soon after to prevent rampaging Tornadus or other rain abusers. Should Dragon-spamming teams ever become more common in the metagame, I will give serious consideration to using Forretress instead of Starmie. However, Forretress fails to mop up special attacks, and with mediocre Speed, I have often felt that it would slow me down far too much. As odd as it may seem, Starmie is placed perfectly on this team with its typing.
Dragonite @ Choice Band
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- ExtremeSpeed
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
- Outrage
Choice Band Dragonite packs some serious power that my team really appreciates. While it does have a debilitating weakness to Stealth Rock, something that sun teams never appreciate, I can always count on Dragonite delivering a devastating blow. With Rapid Spin support, I don't have to worry too much about losing Multiscale, and with ExtremeSpeed, Dragonite's middling Speed is not an issue. While the Dragon Dance set is a potent sweeper, I chose to not use it because Choice Scarf Landorus, Choice Scarf Salamence, Choice Scarf Terrakion, and Choice Scarf Latios are all still significant threats in the metagame. While I may not be able to sweep with this Dragonite, I can punch holes to my heart's content. Even the sturdiest of walls such as Skarmory fear the Dragon, as Fire Punch deals decent damage, especially with pseudo STAB in the sun.
Typically, I use Outrage to do as much damage as possible when all opposing Steel-types are eliminated. It punches holes in the opponent's team and makes Dragonite an amazing wall-breaker. Fire Punch and Earthquake give Dragonite perfect coverage together, and they allow me to predict opponents' moves and react accordingly. While I could have chosen Dragon Claw in the fourth slot to allow Dragonite to use a STAB move that lacks drawbacks, I found that I typically only use Outrage if I need a Dragon-type move to fall back on. ExtremeSpeed gives me a major cushion considering Dragonite's low base Speed, as +2 priority is always appreciated. This allows me to take down weakened Salamence, Landorus, and other Pokémon that would normally cause me a bit of trouble. Starmie that think they can get away with a quick Ice Beam tend to regret attacking as well.
Defensively, Dragonite is no slouch. It provides me with a key Water-type resistance and allows me to take down many offensive rain teams with impunity. While it resists Water moves, I tend to turn to Venusaur for more stall-oriented rain teams. Honestly, I've never had a problem with rain stall because Starmie has done so well spinning against those types of teams. Jellicent, Starmie's worst enemy, is hardly ever found on rain stall, as it simply gives these teams a major weakness to Electric-type attacks. Thus, I only am faced with Ferrothorn whenever I attempt to use Rapid Spin, and I can simply turn to Heatran and use Magma Storm for the next two turns. With Starmie's spinning and Heatran's removal of vital members, Dragonite finds plenty of opportunities to punch holes. Either way, I have rain covered between Dragonite, Venusaur, and Starmie.
Heatran @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Toxic
Heatran is likely the MVP of my team. While Magma Storm Heatran is certainly a rare sight in this metagame, it does its job extremely well—so well that I have even considered using it in teams other than sun. Its importance on the team and general power makes it one of the biggest threats around. Additionally, its utility outside of simply hitting hard cannot be ignored. Heatran is vital because it demolishes anything that walls my Venusaur, one of my main sweepers on this team. This Heatran set even beats Chansey and Blissey, something not just any Pokémon can brag about. "Did he say it beats Blissey and Chansey..? What is he talking about?" This set does beat Blissey and Chansey, as the combination of Magma Storm's trapping and Taunt's shutting down recovery gives me an inherent advantage. Coupled with Toxic, the blobs tend to go down without a fight, especially because they do not usually use Seismic Toss as a first reaction to Heatran. Additionally, more and more Blissey have began to carry just Flamethrower, so they can't even touch Heatran.
Heatran isn't solely for beating down the blobs, as that would just be overspecialization. Instead, I also use it to cover Dragon-types that pose a threat to every sun team. Without Hidden Power Ice, Heatran doesn't exactly pose an immediate threat, but Magma Storm certainly does not lack any power, especially considering that Heatran is in the sun. Earth Power hits the likes of opposing Heatran and other Fire-type Pokémon very hard, and it provides great coverage along with Magma Storm. Of course, if the opponent carries a Dugtrio, I play much more conservatively than I normally would with Heatran—I definitely do not want to lose my MVP quickly, and it performs so well. Without Heatran, my team is hurt badly by the presence of opposing special walls, and I honestly need it to be there when I am faced with something like opposing Chansey or Jirachi. Taunt is useful even when I am not faced with Chansey or Blissey, as it prevents Pokémon like Jellicent from using Recover, and with the sun up, Jellicent does pitiful damage to Heatran.
Venusaur @ Leftovers
Trait: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe | 2 Atk / 30 Def
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Hidden Power Ice
- Sleep Powder
- SolarBeam
- Growth / Sunny Day
Venusaur is a mixed bag of both good and bad things. For one, it provides a major offensive presence that really puts lots of teams away quickly, but it also gives my team a major dependence on sun from Ninetales. While this is not necessarily bad considering that I have two trappers and some hard-hitters that work decently outside of the sun, I don't like to rely on my weather too much. However, Venusaur hits so hard that I simply could not ignore it. Usually, I only bring Venusaur in after something on my team has been KOed or I predict a double switch—it's basically never switched in directly. However, if I use it and there is a threat in my face, say Choice Scarf Salamence for the sake of an example, I'll simply use Sleep Powder and proceed to boost my Special Attack to sky-high levels with Growth. However, there is a problem here: Salamence resists all the moves I use as coverage. For this reason, as soon as I started seeing more and more Salamence, I began to use Sludge Bomb in the place of Sleep Powder, as it takes more than half of Salamence's health. Considering that it also provides an extra STAB move, I don't always miss Sleep Powder, though I tend to switch around from time to time. At the suggestion of Delko, I switched Hidden Power Fire for Hidden Power Ice, and the change has worked wonders with my prior weakness to Dragon-types.
As I said earlier with Heatran, removal of Blissey and Chansey on balance teams is vital for Venusaur's sweep. However, on stall-oriented teams, I tend to only send Venusaur out after my weather has proven dominant. If that's the case, I can simply put Chansey or Blissey to sleep, provided that I am using Sleep Powder. At +6, there isn't much that really stands in Venusaur's way, as even Blissey is OHKOed by +6 SolarBeam. Hidden Power Ice destroys Choice Scarf Salamence, a giant threat to my team as it stood. Additionally, with a Timid nature, Venusaur outspeed Choice Scarf Terrakion, so I have that threat covered adequately. While I had considered Sawsbuck in Venusaur's place at one point, Venusaur had much more bulk that I found would be more appropriate for this team. Sawsbuck also opens my team up to Scizor more, so I like Venusaur in its place.
Defensively, I use Venusaur much like I use Dragonite—it provides an ever-important resistance to Water-type moves. Additionally, it holds super effective moves against all other weather inducers, though admittedly this isn't always useful considering that Venusaur needs the sun to successfully beat them. Of course, Sunny Day Ninetales makes this goal much easier, and it immensely aids Venusaur in its late-game sweep. I tend to play Venusaur more recklessly than other Pokémon because it is somewhat frail and powerful. Still, Venusaur does have its own set of defensive capabilities, and it's simply a great addition to every sun team. Recently, I have began using Sunny Day in the place of Growth for a secondary weather inducer. With this change, while I lose a boosting sweeper, I gain an easier weather war.
Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Trait: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe | 21 HP
Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Substitute / Stone Edge
- Reversal
Dugtrio is my second trapper and user of Stealth Rock. With Heatran's moveset taken up by Magma Storm, I needed an offensive Pokémon to pick up some slack and lay Stealth Rock with ease. While Mamoswine was another Ground-type option I could have used, I decided to go with Dugtrio because it has the added utility of trapping opposing Tyranitar. With that in, I have a much easier time controlling weather, and obviously this contributes to winning battles. In theory, Dugtrio is supposed to use Stealth Rock while the opponent uses Stealth Rock as well, and then use Substitute 4 times to reach its Focus Sash; however, it usually uses Stealth Rock on the first turn and loses all its health down to 1 HP because of the Focus Sash. Then it can KO the opponent with either Reversal or Earthquake. Should Stealth Rock be vital at some point in the match, and Stealth Rock already lie on my field, I sometimes have to sacrifice Dugtrio's Focus Sash to put down Stealth Rock.
To be completely honest, other than lay Stealth Rock and trap opposing weather inducers, Dugtrio doesn't really do much else. It does do a good job of eliminating opposing Heatran, though, as Heatran tends to get annoying with its walling Venusaur. Air Balloon variants have to have their Air Balloon popped before I can do much, as Earthquake does not affect them. I tend to use a different teammate to knock Heatran off its Balloon before switching to Dugtrio. Starmie is usually my best bet, though offensive versions still trouble Starmie because they still do plenty of damage, and because I lack a Water-type STAB move. Either way, Heatran is adequately checked and covered by a combination of a teammate and Dugtrio. Typically, Dugtrio only sees the sunlight when I play against a weather-based team, though it can be useful against other types of teams, as it can dismantle DragMag teams by ridding the field of Magnezone, and consequently it can give me the upper hand in these situations. Stone Edge is sometimes used in the place of Substitute because it prevents Dugtrio from becoming dead weight against opposing Dragonite that attempt to set up on Dugtrio. It's been a good change, though I do use Substitute now and then because it allows me to avoid Will-O-Wisp and stuff like that. It also allows me to set up against frailer teams against things that can't harm me and later wreak havoc.
Threat List
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Ninetales (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Drought
EVs: 144 HP / 252 SAtk / 112 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Sunny Day
- Fire Blast
- SolarBeam
- Toxic
Starmie @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Rapid Spin
Dragonite (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Outrage
- Fire Punch
- Earthquake
- ExtremeSpeed
Heatran (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Taunt
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Toxic
Venusaur (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Growth
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- SolarBeam
- Sleep Powder
Dugtrio (F) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Stealth Rock
- Reversal
- EarthquakeWell, that was actually briefer than I expected, as I thought I would have a lot to cover with this team. Anyways, it's served me well and done its job. I hope that if you take anything away from this team, it would be the power of the monstrous Magma Storm Heatran. While this is simply standard sun with a few twists, the team is one of my favorites. As far as threats go, Choice Scarf Salamence is a big one, though if I catch it using Outrage, I can simply get Heatran in. Of course, I also have Dragonite's ExtremeSpeed and Vensuaur's Sleep Powder, so it's not a giant threat. Generally speaking, teams that spam Dragons give me a headache because I only have one Steel-type and it is offensive. While I have considered Forretress over Starmie, the offensive presence that Starmie brings, and not to mention the Water resistance, has kept Starmie's hold on the position firm. Anyhow, thank you for taking the time to read through the RMT. The amazing art is from an amazing artist Pearlsaurus. I shamelessly ripped the format from Kevin Garrett's great RMTs, so if you wanted to know where I got that, there's your answer. Again, thank you for reading through, I hope you enjoyed this RMT!
