TEAM GHOSTBUSTERS
A Little Cup RMT
A Little Cup RMT
INTRODUCTION:
Hello! My name is Dracoyoshi8 and this is my first RMT. With the addition of Nasty Plot Misdreavus, Ghosts have become a potent threat in the Little Cup metagame. Along with the already mentioned Misdreavus, Gastly and Duskull are rising in popularity. With this in mind, I created a team that not only handles the standards, but it also is made specially to take down the very common Ghosts. Thus, the name Ghostbusters came into play. And, without further adieu, I present to you TEAM GHOSTBUSTERS!
THE LEAD
Dishplate (Bronzor) @ Oran Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 220 HP/148 Def/4 SAtk/68 SDef
Sassy nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Light Screen
- Psychic
- Stealth Rock
- Reflect
When I needed a lead, I looked for two things: being able to set up Stealth Rock and Light Screen. Bronzor can do both, and does it well. The dishplate's ability to take multiple hits while setting up Stealth Rock and screens has proved itself to be a crucial member of this team. However, its immunity to Ground-type moves is what makes Bronzor truly shine. Four of my Pokemon are weak to Ground-type attacks. This provides Bronzor easy switching, allowing it to set up screens again if they wear off. Without this Ground immunity, this team would fall apart.
Stealth Rock is an excellent move in Little Cup, since it destroys Focus Sash and helps weaken threats like Houndour and Magby. However, it is the screens that really save this team. Since the release of HG/SS, set up sweepers like Krabby, Misdreavus, Mantyke and Aron have become extremely common. With screens up however, these Pokemon are less dangerous. Light Screen was the one I really needed, though. Light Screen gives Stunky the survivability to really take on and knock out NP Misdreavus and other Ghosts. Reflect is helpful when dealing with Aron and Krabby, but it is Light Screen that is this team's saving grace. Psychic is the main way of dealing damage. Gyro Ball was in this slot first, but Bronzor isn't slow enough to take advantage of it. Also, Psychic deals neutral damage to most leads, and gives Bronzor a way to take down Croagunk who beat this team silly otherwise.
Houndour is Bronzor's number one enemy. With STAB Fire Blast, the hellhound can melt my poor little dishplate. However, that's where my Houndour comes in, absorbing the Fire Blast. Encore Machop can also put a damper on Bronzor's day, making Bronzor repeat Stealth Rock while hitting with STAB Dynamicpunch. Despite these to pains in Bronzor's metallic bottom, Bronzor still preforms as the best lead I have ever used.
THE SWEEPERS
Tapper (Totodile) (M) @ Oran Berry
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 36 HP/236 Atk/4 Def/172 Spd/60 SDef
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Crunch
- Return
At first, I used SD+Aqua Jet Totodile on this team. However, that didn't exactly work well, so I decided to change it. After fiddling around with Totodile's EVs, I designed a set that would take the best advantage of the screens. Say hello to Bulky DD Dile. The bulkiness was not only added to take even more advantage of screens, but also to help Totodile switch in easier. Since Totodile is one of the only two Pokemon on this team that doesn't take super-effective hits from Ground, Totodile is often switching in on things like Gligar and Phanpy. Due to this ability to take down Ground-types, Totodile has proved to be an extremely valuable member of this team that would be very hard to replace.
Dragon Dance boosts Totodile's Speed to 21, allowing him to outspeed every unboosted Pokemon in Little Cup. It also raises Totodile's Attack to a powerful 24, allowing him to dish out one hell of a beating. Waterfall and Return provide perfect coverage, hitting every Pokemon in Little Cup for neutural damage. Crunch hits Ghosts for an OHKO, especially Duskull, who would love to burn my little blue crocodilian.
Totodile has trouble with two things: Bulky Grass-types and priority. Sadly, DD+Aqua Jet is illegal on Totodile. However, Totodile doesn't take super-effective damage from any priority, and with bulk and screens to back him up, he can shrug off some priority. Bulky Grass-types are a pain. While Totodile can hit them with Return, Pokemon like Shroomish or Paras can take the hit and put Totodile to sleep. However, Houndour can easily Fire Blast those weeds, burning them to a crisp.
Ghostbuster (Stunky) (M) @ Oran Berry
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 12 HP/252 Atk/244 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
- Explosion
- Taunt
Stunky is the Pokemon this team was built around, and he is truly stunning. He IS the definition of Ghostbuster in Little Cup. Taking only neutral from both Shadow Ball and HP Fighting, and wielding STAB Dark moves, Ghosts have trouble dealing with the little skunk. Aftermath is also a great ability, punishing direct attacks by chopping of 25% of their HP when they KO him. With all these traits, Stunky is key to this team's success.
Pursuit and Sucker Punch provides one of the most annoying mind games in all of Pokemon, and Stunky takes great advantage of this. This is what makes Stunky so good against Misdreavus. If Missy Subs or switches, Pursuit punishes the Ghost. If Missy attacks, it gets a nice Sucker Punch to the face. Explosion is great when Stunky is low on health as a last ditch effort. Even while burned, Stunky can OHKO Munchlax with SR damage. Taunt has amazing synergy with Sucker Punch, forcing the foe to attack. However, Pursuit also is great with Taunt, hitting Pokemon that flee when they aren't able to set up. The best thing about taunt is being able to outspeed Dratini, Krabby and Aron and preventing them from setting up. This makes them easy bait for either Stunky or other members of this team.
Since this Stunky doesn't run Fire Blast, Steel-types utterly destroy him. However, Houndour can bring down these pests, making Stunky free to cause havoc again. Also, Scarf Fighters cause him trouble, and none of my Pokemon are exactly safe switching in on high power Fighting moves. However, Houndour can revenge kill them.
Geosteel (Aron) (M) @ Oran Berry
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 36 HP/196 Atk/36 Def/196 Spd/36 SDef
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Rock Polish
- Earthquake
- Head Smash
- Double-edge
Rock Polish Aron is one of most dangerous Pokemon in Little Cup. Very few things can switch in safely on Head Smash, and the ones that do can often be finished by one of his other moves. Aron is very important to countering Scarf Gastly. He is able to switch in easily on Explosion, Sludge Bomb and Shadow Ball and set up on it. Aron can be very hard to stop when unprepared, and is a great addition to almost any team, incuding mine.
With a Rock Polish under its belt, Aron reaches 26 Speed. This allows Aron to outspeed quite a few scarfers. Earthquake and Head Smash provide amazing coverage, as well as ridiculous power. The fact that Gligar can be 2KO'd by Head Smash justifies how powerful this move truly is. Double-edge at first seems worse then Iron Head. However, they both have the same base power after STAB, and Double-edge does way more damage to Ground-types and Fighting-types then Iron Head.
Aron has trouble dealing with priority moves like Aqua Jet, Mach Punch and Vaccuum Wave. Bronzor or Totodile can switch in on these moves rather safely though, so it is not as deadly as it could be. Bulky Fighters and Ground-types can cause Aron trouble, but Totodile can often handle them nicely.
THE REVENGE KILLER
Dark Pup (Houndour) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 58 Atk/252 Spd/200 SAtk
Hasty nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Sucker Punch
Houndour is probably this team's MVP. With Choice Scarf, Houndour becomes one of the best revenge killers in the metagame. This hellhound should never be under estimated, as he scores many revenge kills on Pokemon that would normally destroy my team. He is also an amazing killer of the undead. With STAB Sucker Punch and Dark Pulse, few Ghosts with face Houndour unscathed. This makes Houndour another vital member of this team.
Dark Pulse is Houndour's reliable STAB move, and his main weapon againsts Ghosts. Fire Blast is important since it brings down Steels and Fighters that often threat my team, as well as inflicting huge damage on anything that doesn't resist it. HP Fighting is only used to hit other Houndour, since other Houndour can easily soak up Fire Blast and Dark Pulse. Sucker Punch provides him with priority. Thanks to Scarf, Sucker Punch will often go before other priority, which helps it score OHKOs on physically weak Pokemon as well as priority abusers.
If the opponent out predicts me, Houndour is in for trouble. Steels can easily switch in on Dark Pulse and Sucker Punch. Water-types, especially Mantyke, walk all over Fire Blast, and Poison-types or Ghosts take HP Fighting like it's nothing. The biggest problem my little hellhound faces is the foes predicition skills.
THE LATE-GAME CLEAN UP
Plug (Elekid) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 Atk/252 Spd
IVs: 0 HP
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Thunderpunch
- Ice Punch
- Quick Attack
- Cross Chop
Made famous by Vader, Physical LO Elekid is one of the best late-game sweepers ever. With 20 Speed, unresisted coverage and priority, Elekid cleans up better then a school janitor being paid double. He has proven to also be a valuable member of this team, taking down Pokemon like Mantyke and Munchlax which are complete pains in my butt.
Thunderpunch is Elekid's hardest hitting attack. With LO, Elekid dominates over Water-types not named Chinchou, Barboach or Wooper. Ice Punch provides the legendary Electric+Ice combination, and is also a great weapon against the dreaded Gligar. Quick Attack provides Elekid priority, and a way to beat Sucker Punch. Cross Chop deals with Steels and Dark-types very well. It also destroys Munchlax, who is very annoying to face. It is also his strongest weapon against Barboach, Wooper and the ever annoying Chinchou.
SubSneak Misdreavus is Elekid's bane. However, thanks to Stunky and Houndour, Missy isn't typically around to see Elekid. Chinchou is a pain in the ass, but Houndour can revenge kill it if he is still around. Scarfers are big trouble, and often need quite a bit of prediction to work around.
THE TEAM BUILDING PROCESS
1. Right from the get-go, I knew I wanted to use Stunky. Being able to stop most of the Ghosts makes him very valuable in the current metagame. I also wanted to try Taunt on Stunky, which really paid off.
2. I needed something that would set up SR and help Stunky take Special Attacks better. I immediantly turned to Bronzor, who's natural bulk and great supportive movepool will give Stunky the support he needs.
3. I wanted something to could absorb Fire-attacks thrown at Bronzor. I remembered Fuzznip talking about Ponyta on #littlecup, so I added CB Ponyta to my team.
4. I wanted something that could hit hard and move quick. I decided to use Rock Polish Aron, knowing how strong Head Smash is.
5. I wanted another hard-hitter that wasn't weak to Ground. I decided to use SD Totodile, who could OHKO Gligar with LO +2 Aqua Jet.
6. I needed something fast that could take out weakened Pokemon. Elekid has rarely let me down before, so I decided to use Physical LO Elekid.
7. After a couple battles, I realized two things weren't working: Ponyta and SD Totodile. I needed something faster then Ponyta and could hit Ghosts, mostly Gastly. I chose Scarf Houndour, and I am not regretting that decision. I never really liked SD Totodile, so I decided to go back to my old favorite, DD Dile. However, I knew this DD Dile was going to switch around a lot, so I bulked him up.
8. SDS said that Bronzor isn't slow enough to take advantage of Gyro Ball, so I changed it to Psychic. It also provides my team a defense against Fighters (especially Croagunk) that give this team trouble. I also tested Dratini. I was either using it wrong, or it was absolutly terrible. It kinda surprises me, since Dratini is one of the deadliest threats in the metagame, and should work well on this team.
FINAL WORDS:
Thank you for reading my first RMT. This team has proved to be both effective and very fun to use, and I am looking forward to suggestions to make it even better. And, if anyone who hasn't played Little Cup is reading this, I hope to see you on the ladder on CAP one of these days!
TEAM GHOSTBUSTERS
