Hiya friends! I'm Lauren and this is my first RMT within the Smogon community (and first post!). I've been a quiet player of the mono format since the XY days, but have never really had the opportunity to gain some feedback on any of my teams. I'm also a rather quiet lurker of the forums and chatrooms, and hearing news about the upcoming MPL gave me a bit of encouragement to actually pursue some critique and suggestions with my teambuilding, instead of shying away and just playing on my own. I might sign up, might not - who knows? Just another opportunity to meet some new folk I s'pose, regardless of outcome. :]
I had never played around with ice types before SwSh, and most people who play ice nowadays likely do so to make use of the cannibalistic snowman himself, Darmanitan-Galar. And I mean, so have I, but I was also super intruiged by Snom's older sibling and the snazzy new ability he brings along with him. I've played around with this team alot on the ladder, with very mixed outcomes and a few pending tweaks which I'm unsure of.
Lauren
I had never played around with ice types before SwSh, and most people who play ice nowadays likely do so to make use of the cannibalistic snowman himself, Darmanitan-Galar. And I mean, so have I, but I was also super intruiged by Snom's older sibling and the snazzy new ability he brings along with him. I've played around with this team alot on the ladder, with very mixed outcomes and a few pending tweaks which I'm unsure of.
Ice Ice Baby: SwSh Mono-Ice
Vanilluxe @ Light Clay
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Aurora Veil
- Freeze-Dry / Flash Cannon?
- Blizzard
- Taunt
It's the ice cream himself. Whilst most teams which utilise him as a decent wallbreaker thanks to its high special attack with access to 100% accuracy Blizzard, in this scenario he is moreso used to set up Aurora Veil to allow Frosmoth and Weavile a chance to set-up, although the former use is still viable. What makes Vanilluxe more desirable than Alolan-Ninetales, for me, is access to Taunt. With a team that is wholly weak to Stealth Rock and with no immunity to Toxic Spikes, the ability to prevent this early game can save so much residual damage, and save Frosmoth from wasting a turn defogging. Freeze-Dry can decimate water-types such as Gastrodon, Ludicolo and Pelipper, with the latter taking any possibility of rain set-up with it. Flash Cannon, however, would give my team an actual fairy counter which would help against the likes of Mimikyu and Clefable, instead of relying on raw STAB power.
Darmanitan-Galar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Gorilla Tactics
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Icicle Crash
- Earthquake
Kind of obvious why anyone uses Darmantian-Galar. It's a stupidly formidable revenge killer and sweeper. Max speed investment with the addition of Choice Scarf allows him to outspeed the entirety of the unboosted meta including Dragapult and Zerarora (both common choices in their respective typings), whilst speed tieing with other common scarf users such as Drapion and the occasional Arcanine. It seemed a more viable option than the banded set, considering Darmanitan isn't too defensively gifted, and fits the role of glass cannon a little better. U-Turn means Darm can work as a starting pivot, instead of throwing in the obvious Vanilluxe lead which is easily countered by any rain, sand or sun setting mons (i.e. Hippowdon/Tyranitar/Ninetales/Torkoal/Pelipper). Earthquake checks common threats such as Toxapex and Chandelure, as well as most rock and steel types. Flare Blitz can pick off other hazards such as Corviknight and most bug types. Icicle crash provides immense power, considering its boosts from STAB and Gorilla Tactics. It does, like most of its teammates, rely on the prevention or removal of entry hazards, from Vanilluxe or Frosmoth respectively.
Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Thick Fat / Oblivious?
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Endeavor
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
Mamoswine provides some useful hazard setting, which is crucial against fire, and often other ice, teams. The Focus Sash (nearly) guarantees that these rocks can successfully be set up. With the lack of a Choice Band, Mamoswine loses some of its wallbreaking ability, but instead can utilise Endeavor with its sash, if needed. Ice Shard is more viable over Icicle Crash due to there already being plenty of high base power ice STAB present in the team, as well as Mamoswine's terribly average speed stat craving it. Priority allows Mamo to pick off weakened foes after an Endeavor, if residual damage from hail doesn't. Thick Fat has proven to help a little bit, allowing Mamoswine to switch into most unboosted fire moves without the KO. I've seen most Mamoswine sets run Oblivious to ensure rocks can be set, although there's only been few occasions where Taunt has caused problems.
Weavile @ Life Orb / Choice Scarf?
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Ice Shard / Icicle Crash? / Ice Punch?
- Low Kick
- Swords Dance
Boasting a high base speed and attack makes Weavile a class physical sweeper, but there is some debate over whether or not a Life Orb set outdoes a Choice Scarf set; the latter would give me a more concrete answer to scarfed Jirachi, which has plagued this team. Ice Shard is used for the same reasons Mamoswine utitlises it, although with a more impressive speed stat, Weavile could be better off with a STAB move that packs more of a punch. Knock Off hits ghost (particularly Galarian Corsola) and psychic types for formidable damage, with the obvious advantage of trashing their item. Low Kick counters common threats such as Tyranitar and Excadrill, and will hit Rhyperior hard after a SD boost, too. Swords Dance makes Weavile's Knock Off a terrifying threat, often going to the extent of OHKOing anything that isn't resistant of it, with a helping hand from Life Orb.
Lapras @ Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 244 HP / 252 SpA / 12 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Freeze-Dry
- Surf / Hydro Pump?
- Thunderbolt
Specs Lapras seems to catch alot of folk out. With the obvious advantage of irritating water teams with its immunity, it can often catch out choiced foes such as Dracovish, forcing switch outs. Freeze-Dry allows me to KO water-types which Vanilluxe may not be able absorb a STAB Scald, Hydro Pump or Fishious Rend from. Psychic was a later addition, and an answer to seemingly increasing number of mono-poison teams on the scene, as well as the occasional mono-fighting which trumps alot of my team. Whilst Mamoswine and Darmanitan can take most of these, Lapras can deal with the likes of Galarian Weezing and Hawlucha. Thunderbolt is mostly for additional coverage, hitting foes such as Corviknight. Surf, at the moment, is more favourable than Hydro Pump purely due to accuracy and a boost in power from specs already, although the latter may be more viable since Lapras is able to afford a miss or two because of its bulk. The 12 EVs in speed mean it hits faster than your basic Tyranitar.
Frosmoth @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Ice Scales
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Bug Buzz
- Quiver Dance
- Defog
Everyone's favourite moth (maybe). Most people are turned away by Snom Sr. due to the pretty appalling typing, leaving it weak to alot. Its ability, however, gives it a bit of a safety net against special attackers and, with the addition of Aurora Veil, allows a Quiver Dance set-up. Maximum speed EVs allows Frosmoth to outspeed the entirety of the unboosted meta after two dances, and then boasts a ridiculous special attack stat with an even more absurd special defence if you consider it working in legion with Ice Scales. Its biggest threats are physical priority moves, particularly Bullet Punch, but also your more common ones such as Shadow Sneak and Sucker Punch. Defog + Heavy-Duty Boots means Frosmoth can work as a hazard remover too, if needed. Ice Beam and Bug Buzz are both STAB and provide decent coverage, with the latter getting behind the substitutes of nuisances such as Salazzle (which, at +2 Sp.Atk, can 2HKO), although Frosmoth needn't worry about such foes when there's already existing counters on the team. It's a shame this little bug doesn't get more recognition in mono. Vanilluxe @ Light Clay
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Aurora Veil
- Freeze-Dry / Flash Cannon?
- Blizzard
- Taunt
It's the ice cream himself. Whilst most teams which utilise him as a decent wallbreaker thanks to its high special attack with access to 100% accuracy Blizzard, in this scenario he is moreso used to set up Aurora Veil to allow Frosmoth and Weavile a chance to set-up, although the former use is still viable. What makes Vanilluxe more desirable than Alolan-Ninetales, for me, is access to Taunt. With a team that is wholly weak to Stealth Rock and with no immunity to Toxic Spikes, the ability to prevent this early game can save so much residual damage, and save Frosmoth from wasting a turn defogging. Freeze-Dry can decimate water-types such as Gastrodon, Ludicolo and Pelipper, with the latter taking any possibility of rain set-up with it. Flash Cannon, however, would give my team an actual fairy counter which would help against the likes of Mimikyu and Clefable, instead of relying on raw STAB power.
Darmanitan-Galar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Gorilla Tactics
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Icicle Crash
- Earthquake
Kind of obvious why anyone uses Darmantian-Galar. It's a stupidly formidable revenge killer and sweeper. Max speed investment with the addition of Choice Scarf allows him to outspeed the entirety of the unboosted meta including Dragapult and Zerarora (both common choices in their respective typings), whilst speed tieing with other common scarf users such as Drapion and the occasional Arcanine. It seemed a more viable option than the banded set, considering Darmanitan isn't too defensively gifted, and fits the role of glass cannon a little better. U-Turn means Darm can work as a starting pivot, instead of throwing in the obvious Vanilluxe lead which is easily countered by any rain, sand or sun setting mons (i.e. Hippowdon/Tyranitar/Ninetales/Torkoal/Pelipper). Earthquake checks common threats such as Toxapex and Chandelure, as well as most rock and steel types. Flare Blitz can pick off other hazards such as Corviknight and most bug types. Icicle crash provides immense power, considering its boosts from STAB and Gorilla Tactics. It does, like most of its teammates, rely on the prevention or removal of entry hazards, from Vanilluxe or Frosmoth respectively.
Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Thick Fat / Oblivious?
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Endeavor
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
Mamoswine provides some useful hazard setting, which is crucial against fire, and often other ice, teams. The Focus Sash (nearly) guarantees that these rocks can successfully be set up. With the lack of a Choice Band, Mamoswine loses some of its wallbreaking ability, but instead can utilise Endeavor with its sash, if needed. Ice Shard is more viable over Icicle Crash due to there already being plenty of high base power ice STAB present in the team, as well as Mamoswine's terribly average speed stat craving it. Priority allows Mamo to pick off weakened foes after an Endeavor, if residual damage from hail doesn't. Thick Fat has proven to help a little bit, allowing Mamoswine to switch into most unboosted fire moves without the KO. I've seen most Mamoswine sets run Oblivious to ensure rocks can be set, although there's only been few occasions where Taunt has caused problems.
Weavile @ Life Orb / Choice Scarf?
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Ice Shard / Icicle Crash? / Ice Punch?
- Low Kick
- Swords Dance
Boasting a high base speed and attack makes Weavile a class physical sweeper, but there is some debate over whether or not a Life Orb set outdoes a Choice Scarf set; the latter would give me a more concrete answer to scarfed Jirachi, which has plagued this team. Ice Shard is used for the same reasons Mamoswine utitlises it, although with a more impressive speed stat, Weavile could be better off with a STAB move that packs more of a punch. Knock Off hits ghost (particularly Galarian Corsola) and psychic types for formidable damage, with the obvious advantage of trashing their item. Low Kick counters common threats such as Tyranitar and Excadrill, and will hit Rhyperior hard after a SD boost, too. Swords Dance makes Weavile's Knock Off a terrifying threat, often going to the extent of OHKOing anything that isn't resistant of it, with a helping hand from Life Orb.
Lapras @ Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 244 HP / 252 SpA / 12 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Freeze-Dry
- Surf / Hydro Pump?
- Thunderbolt
Specs Lapras seems to catch alot of folk out. With the obvious advantage of irritating water teams with its immunity, it can often catch out choiced foes such as Dracovish, forcing switch outs. Freeze-Dry allows me to KO water-types which Vanilluxe may not be able absorb a STAB Scald, Hydro Pump or Fishious Rend from. Psychic was a later addition, and an answer to seemingly increasing number of mono-poison teams on the scene, as well as the occasional mono-fighting which trumps alot of my team. Whilst Mamoswine and Darmanitan can take most of these, Lapras can deal with the likes of Galarian Weezing and Hawlucha. Thunderbolt is mostly for additional coverage, hitting foes such as Corviknight. Surf, at the moment, is more favourable than Hydro Pump purely due to accuracy and a boost in power from specs already, although the latter may be more viable since Lapras is able to afford a miss or two because of its bulk. The 12 EVs in speed mean it hits faster than your basic Tyranitar.
Frosmoth @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Ice Scales
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Bug Buzz
- Quiver Dance
- Defog
Well, that pretty much sums it up. I'm all-ears to any feedback and suggestions, as I'm sure most folk are a lot more experienced in the ways of monotype as I am. Thank you for reading this far, too, and I hope to maybe get to know some of you here a little better as I start to play a little more! :]Lauren
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