GLIXIE Stall (Peaked #13 "legitimately", or #2 after a ratings decay, proof in link should you care http://i.imgur.com/Weyrs.jpg)
Hey Smogon, time for another RMT. I'm really excited to discuss this team with you all because I find it such a unique, fun, and rewarding team to play with in this fairly predictable (but not stale, don't get me wrong) metagame. Let me explain: the current UU metagame is all about offense, for the most part. Sure, there are many walls and pivots (that's why things like Blastoise, Bronzong and Roserade are so high up the usage stats), and defensive synergy is of the utmost importance, but there are very, very few successful stall teams at the moment. Part of the reason behind this is that offense truly is a potent force in this Meta. Heracross, Kingdra, Nidoking, Dramanitan, Honchkrow, Raikou, Mienshao, the list goes on and on. It's no wonder that so few players are trying to win with stall nowadays, the enormity of offensive pressure is just so great. Stall got a great boon with the relinquishment of Gothielle, but after that, no one payed much attention to stall and went back to the glorious offensive pokes that BW2 provided. Many now think that stall can't be successful. Well, this is the exact popular notion that I wanted to challenge.
GLIXIE Stall was the team that came to mind. It's gone through plenty of revisions, and this is the final product. It combines a lot of elements from previous stall teams I've made and a core that I've used as the backbone to a balanced team before (Roar Zapdos and Roserade). However, the most innovative aspects of GLIXIE stall (besides a couple unorthodox Pokemon and move choices) imo are the myriad offensive elements that are woven into the team. For a stall team, it is surprising to pack such capable offensive pressure, accomplished through extra attacking moves and odd EV spreads, and this surprise factor works great on the ladder. What's cool about GLIXIE is that it truly provides a stop to every single Pokemon in the metagame; there is no single Pokemon that comes even close to a 6-0. This gives it a chance against every team, and if it can lay down hazards and make the appropriate predictions, there is no reason why you should ever lose a game (sans hax).
Speaking of playing strategy, here's the lowdown in three main points: set-up early, be gutsy with predictions (BIGGEST DIFFERENCE FROM USUAL STALL) and blocking Rapid Spin, and make sure to keep a win condition alive. This team needs to punish opposing switches, otherwise they can keep going back and forth until they land a favorable match-up, so you have to play risky with Roserade (it can take more hits than you might think!) and Golurk to lay the hazards. Next, take advantage of the many immunities and resistances to get in walls with the appropriate offensive pressure, even if you have to take a hit. Everyone can recover HP, so switch first and think later. If you need to land a Toxic or launch a Roar or delay that spin, go for it and deal with the consequences afterwards. Lastly, keep your win conditions alive! This usually means saving Suicune to deal with crap like endgame Bronzong, but Zapdos provides the strongest initial hit and Snorlax has the sturdiest Whirlwind. If you can't KO them, you've lost the game, so keep alive what you need to and use those long-term thinking skills.
In short, this team is a blast to play with, challenges common notions of the BW2 UU metagame, and has been very successful (it could be for you, too!). The name comes from the alt I used to ladder this team up to a peak #2, a whimsical name that fits the whimsical nature of this team. Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the show!
Team Building Process
The original core was Roar Zapdos and Spikes Roserade, taken from an earlier team of mine. I went with this core for the basis of a stall team because it provided good threat and type coverage and other good beginnings to a classic stall team.
Next, I wanted a Pokemon who could just deal with a huge variety of threats like Kingdra, Raikou, Mienshao; all the heavy hitters of UU. I was under the impression that nothing in UU could provide such coverage, and I was right! My answer wasn't in a UU Pokemon, but rather a resident of the lonely BL2: Cresselia. Though her typing isn't that wonderful, it is useful, and combined with huge defenses and acceptable speed and power, it can really shine once set-up sweepers are taken care of.
One Pokemon that I couldn't take on at the moment, however, was Chandelure. I also wanted something to ease the jobs of Cress and Zapdos, who were liable to get overtaken by repeated offensive hits. Suicune gave another bulky out to big threats, Rest Talk was appreciated for status issues, Scald's burns are great, and Calm Mind lets me take an offensive approach when needed.
Looking at 2/3s a line-up, I noticed that there was no special wall. And Chandelure still was coming across as threatening. I thought it might also be cool to double up on phazers, so Snorlax got an almost immediate spot on the team.
Last poke is always what makes or breaks the team, so I put a lot of thought into this one. It was clear that Stealth Rocks was a must; stall teams can NOT function without it. Other commodities on my wish list were: offensive power, a ghost typing, a dark resist, and U-turn or Volt Switch. Rhyperrior was my first candidate.
Unfortunately, he didn't work out too well. Rhyperrior was a great Pokemon for just about any other team, but just didn't seem to fit here. I really wanted a ghost too, because Blastoise was frequently messing up my sweeps and tactical advantages by spinning. I was actually considering Cofagrigus for a time, even though it didn't have SR, simply because I wanted a Ghost that badly. I was lucky, however, that Gen 5 produced a wonderful compromise Pokemon: Golurk. Though its stats do not suggest stall, 89/80/80 turns out to be more than good enough to wall certain threats (yay awesome immunities) and the Hazards+Ghost combination that only Froslass possessed before BW2 turned out to be quite the lifesaver for this team. Now, all Pokemon were set and never to change, though ofc I experimented with different EVs and moves and whatnot.
A Better Breakdown
Roserade @ Black Sludge
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 152 SDef / 104 Spd
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Spikes
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
Role: Roserade serves quite a few roles on the team. First and foremost, it is a Spiker. Spikes are absolutely essential to this team's success. Residual damage is king, and for that job, Roserade is the queen of Spikes in UU. I never considered another spiker, and although Qwilfish and Froslass have their merits, Roserade is just too reliable to pass up. Roserade also acts as a stopper to many Water, Ground, and Grass type threats, and is especially useful for Shaymin. Finally, it acts as a great status absorber and plays great with my duo of Rest Talkers.
Oddities Explanation: Well, Sludge Bomb can be considered atypical on Stall teams, so I'll start with that. I wanted a way to inflict status on walls that might try and stall me out (Sableye, Gligar and Porygon2 mainly). It also serves as another STAB for coverage and more damage, and comes in handy vs Shaymin and Fire switch-ins. I have tried other moves in this slot, but none seemed to be quite as useful, though I am open to suggestions (fyi, I've tried Aromatherapy and Stun Spore in these slots). The next abnormal element of this Roserade is the Speed EVs. I run enough to outspeed 252 Adamant Honchkrow so I can smack it with a Sludge Bomb and deal a solid 40-50%, and the speed is nice against other slow pokes like speedy Togekiss and other Roserade. Other than that, Roserade is pretty usual.
Synergy and Tactics: If the opposing team has no spinners, then play aggressive. Get those Spikes down ASAP, with 1 layer early in the match being the priority. Second, don't be afraid to stay in with Roserade and attack. It will deal decent damage (more than that in conjunction with hazards), and if you keep double switching out of things such as Swampert and Blastoise to try and get switch advantage, eventually your bluff will be called. Roserade is also the second best lead on this team, so don't be afraid to use it when starting with Golurk looks dangerous. Use those Sludge Bombs to nail walls with poison, and don't be afraid of stalling them out. Last, Roserade sets up Spikes fantastically against Bronzong, so if a match ever starts out with Golurk v Bronzong, set up rocks and then switch to Roserade and get Spikes up, Synthesizing as needed.
Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Def / 52 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Toxic
- Moonlight
Role: Go-to wall for the most dangerous threats in UU. Seriously, this thing can check and beat Kingdra (harder v Rain Dance, but possible, and can force the Rest v Chesto Rest, and outright beats Specs and offensive DD), non-substitute Raikou, Dramanitan, Mienshao, just about anything without a STAB Ghost, Bug or Dark move. Use Moonlight on the switch-out and you're good to go for Round 2 or fire off a Toxic to gain a marked advantage against any threat, offensive or defensive. Although Cress is more of a back-up than anything, it provides such good threat coverage that it has become an indispensable member of team GLIXIE.
Oddities Explanation: The speed, as with Roserade, is a touch unusual, but it comes in real handy. 52 beats 0 speed Roserade, letting Cress beat it (if weakened) 1 on 1 with a surprise succession of Psychics and forcing it to recover much sooner. The rest are dumped into defense because Cress needs it more than for special attackers. Ice beam isn't standard, but it nails Flygon and Vatu and Clairol and Honchkrow, so it's worth it over HP fighting or something else. Toxic falls in the same vein, but on a stall team without T-spikes, a Toxic is almost necessary to beat some threats. It also helps Cress win stall wars that it would otherwise lose with Moonlight's meager 8 PP.
Synergy and Tactics: Never lead with Cress, and most always use it in response to threats. Although this team can more than handle rouge +2 boosts, Cress provides too many set-up opportunities to be offensively sent into the field. Use it to block attackers, heal up, and then generally switch out. Cress also synergizes amazingly well with Snorlax, and seeing as they have different weapons to utilize (status absorption, thick fat, paralysis and whirlwind to cress's toxic and levitate), abuse this combination to its fullest. Last, if you ever face an Umbreon, Toxic it straight up. Umbreon is otherwise a huge problem, and although Cress hates bad poison, Umbreon hates it more since Cress is often an in-and-out Pokemon (switch in to take the hit, force it out and heal up, switch out yourself). Another part of the aggressive playing that is required with this team.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 30 HP / 2 Atk / 30 Def / 30 Spa / 30 SpD- Changed
- Thunderbolt
- Roost
- Roar
- Hidden Power Flying
Role: A key part of my physical walling core, Zapdos is no defensive slouch. Though the SR weakness is the biggest blow on the planet, it can be played around with frequent roosts. Zapdos has a ton of threat coverage and can do its job all day long, especially with help from Pressure. It is also the strongest immediate attacker on this team, so don't be afraid to use that sexy base 125 special attack. It also acts as a secondary, surprise phazer in case Snorlax is impractical (it takes too much damage from +2 Curselax, for example) which has saved my ass too many times to count.
Oddities Explanation: EVs, aside from a little speed creep, are normal, and so is the item. The moves are unusual, however, so let's take a look at those. Heat Wave (though I've tried HP Ice, HP Flying, HP Grass, Substitute, and Toxic in this slot) seems to work best for slot 4 coverage, and it is my only move that deals more than 25% to Bronzong (and random burns rock) and hits Grass types for nice damage. I am interested in suggestions for this slot, however. Roar is very rare on Zapdos, though I have no clue why that is. It racks up damage very well, and many things continue to set up on Zapdos (CM RAIKOU!!) because they simply don't fear it. A life saver and a godsend for this team who relies so much on phazing.
Synergy and Tactics: Be aggressive, but do NOT get hit with a Toxic (unless it causes the death of a Blastoise). Zapdos needs to keep as healthy as possible, and Toxic really ruins Zapdos's life. However, it can take surprisingly strong hits and roost them off with ease or fire back, so take advantage of this against weakened Mienshao and Heracross. Next, Zapdos should be the first switch in to any Scrafty, who has the potential to absolutely decimate this team. Although Suicune can also hold its own against BU Scrafty, it falls to DD HJKs while Zapdos can roar it out once, even if it has Ice Punch. Pivot often from Golurk to Zapdos in response to Blastoise to force it out and eventually work out a KO. Finally, conserve Roar until it is absolutely needed to hide information from the opponent. This can completely throw a wrench into an opponent's endgame plan, forcing out a sweeper as it plans to set-up for the final time. After this initial instance, however, spam it whenever possible to disrupt the opponent and get those sweet entry hazards to work.
Suicune @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Scald
Role: Primary Endgame win condition, non-Chandelure Fire type counter, check to Dark (no Dark resist, but Suicune can take Dark moves the easiest) and Ground types, and back-up back-up generic wall (use it after Cress and Zapdos have been exhausted only). CroCune has been winning games singlehandedly since Gen 3, and puts the hurt on any unprepared Gen 5 team as well.
Oddities Explanation: Nothing odd, nothing weird, just an ordinary CroCune who wins games at the end when hazards alone can't do the trick. Specifically, it is one of my few ways to take out Bronzong and other bulky pokes immune to Spikes. It also helps take pressure (no pun intended) off Roserade in KOing grounds and rocks like Rhyperrior. Suicune can switch in without dying, after all!
Synergy and Tactics: SAVE SUICUNE!!! Unless you are 100% confident everything else can take down the entirety of the opponent's team, then do not sacrifice Suicune regardless of its HP level. There is almost always an opportunity to Rest back up to full and begin Calm Minding again. Next, fire off Scalds as often as possible because the residual burn damage pays off well over time. If you ever eat a Toxic or Burn, then rest up at the soonest possible opportunity. You can easily take three turns of sleep, but you'll need full HP to do that. Protect Suicune from Trick, at it likes it the least on this team. Even Snorlax would be better with a choice item because it had a spammable whirlwind. Finally, although Suicune should be the primary switch to Victini, Arcanine and Dramanitan, you will need to pivot with Snorlax or Cress eventually if your HP gets down too far, so beware Suicune's (extraordinary) limits.
Snorlax @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 240 SDef / 16 Spd
Careful Nature
- Sleep Talk
- Rest
- Body Slam
- Whirlwind
Role: Similar to Suicune, but trades sweeping ability for an additional phazing move, which is quite necessary for this team. Also the main check to ALL special attackers in the tier. Literally, this thing is almost as good as Blissey was last Gen in this regard. It also has some nice power, and can easily spam both its STAB and phazing move, just like Zapdos. Although it is much less weak to entry hazards, its physical defense is quite shoddy, so never have it sponge a STAB, non-fire attack if possible.
Oddities Explanation: Again, none here. Just a bit extra Speed to creep other Snorlax and Slowbro, which is pretty invaluable imo. Beating opposing Snorlax to the Whirlwind is HUGE, while it is nice to be able to Rest against Slowbro before it can Psyshock for 25% or so damage.
Synergy and Tactics: Take the hits that no one else on the team can, primarily Chandelure. Don't be fearful of Trick, and don't stay in on physical attackers. Much like Suicune, Snorlax has clearly defined limits that should not be approached unless absolutely necessary. Keep lax within its comfort zone of walling special hits, Whirlwind often to prevent the opponent form getting a favorable matchup, and Rest whenever possible. Lax's whirlwind has won almost as many games as Suicune's CM, so keep alive whenever reasonable.
Golurk @ Leftovers
Trait: No Guard
EVs: 168 HP / 140 Atk / 148 Def / 52 Spd- Changed
Adamant Nature
- DynamicPunch
- Stealth Rock
- Protect
- Earthquake
Role: What doesn't this thing do? Although it may seem illogical to name such an offensive Pokemon as the glue of a stally team, Golurk is exactly that. It keeps everyone else functioning at optimal efficiency due to six traits. One, it blocks spin. Two, it sets up SR. Three, protect is wonderful for scouting the numerous choice users that like to attack Golurk. Four, those electric (T-WAVE) and fighting immunities are golden. Five, it is the best lead on the team, and one of the most consistent. And six, NO GUARD DYNAMICPUNCH!! Take that, megatron.
Oddities Explanation: So kinda everything is weird about Golurk, its moves, and its EVs, so let’s start with the basics and work our way up. Golurk is used because it is a Ghost (essential to stall teams) with Stealth Rock (ditto). Is it an optimal Pokemon? Far from it. However, it performs such a vital role that I find it almost irreplaceable. Moves aren't too complicated. SR is SR, EQ is STAB. Dynamicpunch, for some reason, is highly unexpected, but it provides some coverage (mainly on Snorlax and P2) and has that beautiful 100% Confuse Rate. This gives so many extra opportunities to come in and win matchups that I shouldn't that it's not even funny. Protect rounds out the set because it scouts (think of all the choiced electrics and fire that often lead teams) and gives Golurk a way to heal extra HP when it otherwise would run low much sooner. I am open to ideas for moves, however, and being helpless against flying types sucks (maybe Ice Punch or Thunderpunch or Shadow Punch???). Next, EVs. EVs are fairly complicated, but then again so is Golruk's role on the team. With Dynamicpunch, Golurk has the ability to check certain Dark types that my team would otherwise hate. For example, Weavile NEVER KOes WITH LO ICE PUNCH (that's what the HP and Def EVs are for), quite a feat which allows me to then KO with a well-placed Punch. Sharpedo also rarely KOes with Waterfall, so same scenario. The SDef EVs ensure that Blastiose's scald never 2HKOes, allowing me to beat weakened Blastoise (provided no burn). By extension, it gives me much better chances against Milotic and Suicune to kill them if weakened. Roserade, if faced 1-on-1, is also a win for ME with those EVs, assuming Roserade doesn't Giga Drain first turn (EQ always 2HKOes, even with Giga Drain HP gain), which is common because they expect me to switch. And this situation is quite common in the lead matchup, as Roserade is a common choice for lead. Also lets me sponge things like +1 Raikou HP Ice and OHKO. The speed beats 0 spe base 60s, letting me confuse P2 and Empoleon to give me a 50% of winning without a scratch. Finally, the remainders are put into Attack for maximum power.
Synergy and Tactics: I gave some clues up above, but I'll reiterate here. Golurk provides the vital rocks, the vital rapid spin immune, cool immunities and resistances, checks Fighters (especially Heracross!) and electrics to give the rest a break, lures and KOes many dark types (along with certain waters and Roserade) that my team otherwise hates to face. In short, it clearly is the glue to the entire team. In terms of tactics, play super aggressively with Golurk against Blastoise and other team threats. Always switch in with it first thing if hazards are up because they need to be protected. Remember, Golurk lives 2 scalds, so you can eat one, protect for HP, and get out to Zapdos to scare the overgrown turtle away. EQ is also one of the strongest moves on the team, so don't be hesitant to use them to try and deal quick KOes. You should be protecting almost every other turn, even if you are being predictable, because Golurk simply needs the HP that badly. And last, don't be hesitant with those Dynamicpunches on blind switches, as even if Golurk gets forced out, it might save Zapdos or Snorlax a hit down the road.
Threat List
-Dark Types
Seeing as I have no dark-type resist, these guys are public enemy numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4. I need to lure them out with Golurk, wall them smartly with Zapdos or Suicune, and play with entry hazards. Of course, all three can fail against the top players, so I have to be SUPER careful around these guys.
-Bronzong
Although Bronzong poses little offensive threat, and can in fact be used as set-up fodder, it is still almost impossiable for this team to kill without resorting to Suicune. It can be whirlwinded out and saved until it is last Pokemon left vs Cune, but that kinda sucks to stall it out that long.
-Blastiose
The only spinner with a chance of beating Golurk (Cryogonal doesn't really count, and I doubt its Ice beam even KOes anyways and D-Punch does, but w/e), I hate Blastiose. It centralizes the focus and play of this team so much, and it can be a HUGE thorn in my side against a skilled Blastoise user. Perfectly manageable, but makes life 1000x times harder.
-Xatu
Another big pain in the ass. Thankfully, many players still don't realize that Golurk learns SR, so it can often set them up without Xatu, but it sucks otherwise. Zapdos can 2HKO, but then it needs to eat a Thunder Wave. Roserade can repeatedly nail it with Sludge Bomb and poison it eventually, but that sucks. Suicune can CM up and beat, but than again Xatu has 5 other teammates. Basically, another annoying Pokemon to deal with, so watch out.
Well, that's about it. Thanks for stopping by ladies and gents, hope you enjoyed my team and the RMT as a whole. This team is and was a blast to fool around with, and I hope that you understood from this how to really play with the team, if you want to give it a shot yourself. More importantly, I hope you learned how to innovate with the metagame while still being successful. I'm open to any and all suggestions, so please, fire away! Thanks again!
Hey Smogon, time for another RMT. I'm really excited to discuss this team with you all because I find it such a unique, fun, and rewarding team to play with in this fairly predictable (but not stale, don't get me wrong) metagame. Let me explain: the current UU metagame is all about offense, for the most part. Sure, there are many walls and pivots (that's why things like Blastoise, Bronzong and Roserade are so high up the usage stats), and defensive synergy is of the utmost importance, but there are very, very few successful stall teams at the moment. Part of the reason behind this is that offense truly is a potent force in this Meta. Heracross, Kingdra, Nidoking, Dramanitan, Honchkrow, Raikou, Mienshao, the list goes on and on. It's no wonder that so few players are trying to win with stall nowadays, the enormity of offensive pressure is just so great. Stall got a great boon with the relinquishment of Gothielle, but after that, no one payed much attention to stall and went back to the glorious offensive pokes that BW2 provided. Many now think that stall can't be successful. Well, this is the exact popular notion that I wanted to challenge.
GLIXIE Stall was the team that came to mind. It's gone through plenty of revisions, and this is the final product. It combines a lot of elements from previous stall teams I've made and a core that I've used as the backbone to a balanced team before (Roar Zapdos and Roserade). However, the most innovative aspects of GLIXIE stall (besides a couple unorthodox Pokemon and move choices) imo are the myriad offensive elements that are woven into the team. For a stall team, it is surprising to pack such capable offensive pressure, accomplished through extra attacking moves and odd EV spreads, and this surprise factor works great on the ladder. What's cool about GLIXIE is that it truly provides a stop to every single Pokemon in the metagame; there is no single Pokemon that comes even close to a 6-0. This gives it a chance against every team, and if it can lay down hazards and make the appropriate predictions, there is no reason why you should ever lose a game (sans hax).
Speaking of playing strategy, here's the lowdown in three main points: set-up early, be gutsy with predictions (BIGGEST DIFFERENCE FROM USUAL STALL) and blocking Rapid Spin, and make sure to keep a win condition alive. This team needs to punish opposing switches, otherwise they can keep going back and forth until they land a favorable match-up, so you have to play risky with Roserade (it can take more hits than you might think!) and Golurk to lay the hazards. Next, take advantage of the many immunities and resistances to get in walls with the appropriate offensive pressure, even if you have to take a hit. Everyone can recover HP, so switch first and think later. If you need to land a Toxic or launch a Roar or delay that spin, go for it and deal with the consequences afterwards. Lastly, keep your win conditions alive! This usually means saving Suicune to deal with crap like endgame Bronzong, but Zapdos provides the strongest initial hit and Snorlax has the sturdiest Whirlwind. If you can't KO them, you've lost the game, so keep alive what you need to and use those long-term thinking skills.
In short, this team is a blast to play with, challenges common notions of the BW2 UU metagame, and has been very successful (it could be for you, too!). The name comes from the alt I used to ladder this team up to a peak #2, a whimsical name that fits the whimsical nature of this team. Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the show!
Team Building Process
The original core was Roar Zapdos and Spikes Roserade, taken from an earlier team of mine. I went with this core for the basis of a stall team because it provided good threat and type coverage and other good beginnings to a classic stall team.
Next, I wanted a Pokemon who could just deal with a huge variety of threats like Kingdra, Raikou, Mienshao; all the heavy hitters of UU. I was under the impression that nothing in UU could provide such coverage, and I was right! My answer wasn't in a UU Pokemon, but rather a resident of the lonely BL2: Cresselia. Though her typing isn't that wonderful, it is useful, and combined with huge defenses and acceptable speed and power, it can really shine once set-up sweepers are taken care of.
One Pokemon that I couldn't take on at the moment, however, was Chandelure. I also wanted something to ease the jobs of Cress and Zapdos, who were liable to get overtaken by repeated offensive hits. Suicune gave another bulky out to big threats, Rest Talk was appreciated for status issues, Scald's burns are great, and Calm Mind lets me take an offensive approach when needed.
Looking at 2/3s a line-up, I noticed that there was no special wall. And Chandelure still was coming across as threatening. I thought it might also be cool to double up on phazers, so Snorlax got an almost immediate spot on the team.
Last poke is always what makes or breaks the team, so I put a lot of thought into this one. It was clear that Stealth Rocks was a must; stall teams can NOT function without it. Other commodities on my wish list were: offensive power, a ghost typing, a dark resist, and U-turn or Volt Switch. Rhyperrior was my first candidate.
Unfortunately, he didn't work out too well. Rhyperrior was a great Pokemon for just about any other team, but just didn't seem to fit here. I really wanted a ghost too, because Blastoise was frequently messing up my sweeps and tactical advantages by spinning. I was actually considering Cofagrigus for a time, even though it didn't have SR, simply because I wanted a Ghost that badly. I was lucky, however, that Gen 5 produced a wonderful compromise Pokemon: Golurk. Though its stats do not suggest stall, 89/80/80 turns out to be more than good enough to wall certain threats (yay awesome immunities) and the Hazards+Ghost combination that only Froslass possessed before BW2 turned out to be quite the lifesaver for this team. Now, all Pokemon were set and never to change, though ofc I experimented with different EVs and moves and whatnot.
A Better Breakdown
Roserade @ Black Sludge
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 152 SDef / 104 Spd
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Spikes
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
Role: Roserade serves quite a few roles on the team. First and foremost, it is a Spiker. Spikes are absolutely essential to this team's success. Residual damage is king, and for that job, Roserade is the queen of Spikes in UU. I never considered another spiker, and although Qwilfish and Froslass have their merits, Roserade is just too reliable to pass up. Roserade also acts as a stopper to many Water, Ground, and Grass type threats, and is especially useful for Shaymin. Finally, it acts as a great status absorber and plays great with my duo of Rest Talkers.
Oddities Explanation: Well, Sludge Bomb can be considered atypical on Stall teams, so I'll start with that. I wanted a way to inflict status on walls that might try and stall me out (Sableye, Gligar and Porygon2 mainly). It also serves as another STAB for coverage and more damage, and comes in handy vs Shaymin and Fire switch-ins. I have tried other moves in this slot, but none seemed to be quite as useful, though I am open to suggestions (fyi, I've tried Aromatherapy and Stun Spore in these slots). The next abnormal element of this Roserade is the Speed EVs. I run enough to outspeed 252 Adamant Honchkrow so I can smack it with a Sludge Bomb and deal a solid 40-50%, and the speed is nice against other slow pokes like speedy Togekiss and other Roserade. Other than that, Roserade is pretty usual.
Synergy and Tactics: If the opposing team has no spinners, then play aggressive. Get those Spikes down ASAP, with 1 layer early in the match being the priority. Second, don't be afraid to stay in with Roserade and attack. It will deal decent damage (more than that in conjunction with hazards), and if you keep double switching out of things such as Swampert and Blastoise to try and get switch advantage, eventually your bluff will be called. Roserade is also the second best lead on this team, so don't be afraid to use it when starting with Golurk looks dangerous. Use those Sludge Bombs to nail walls with poison, and don't be afraid of stalling them out. Last, Roserade sets up Spikes fantastically against Bronzong, so if a match ever starts out with Golurk v Bronzong, set up rocks and then switch to Roserade and get Spikes up, Synthesizing as needed.
Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Def / 52 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Toxic
- Moonlight
Role: Go-to wall for the most dangerous threats in UU. Seriously, this thing can check and beat Kingdra (harder v Rain Dance, but possible, and can force the Rest v Chesto Rest, and outright beats Specs and offensive DD), non-substitute Raikou, Dramanitan, Mienshao, just about anything without a STAB Ghost, Bug or Dark move. Use Moonlight on the switch-out and you're good to go for Round 2 or fire off a Toxic to gain a marked advantage against any threat, offensive or defensive. Although Cress is more of a back-up than anything, it provides such good threat coverage that it has become an indispensable member of team GLIXIE.
Oddities Explanation: The speed, as with Roserade, is a touch unusual, but it comes in real handy. 52 beats 0 speed Roserade, letting Cress beat it (if weakened) 1 on 1 with a surprise succession of Psychics and forcing it to recover much sooner. The rest are dumped into defense because Cress needs it more than for special attackers. Ice beam isn't standard, but it nails Flygon and Vatu and Clairol and Honchkrow, so it's worth it over HP fighting or something else. Toxic falls in the same vein, but on a stall team without T-spikes, a Toxic is almost necessary to beat some threats. It also helps Cress win stall wars that it would otherwise lose with Moonlight's meager 8 PP.
Synergy and Tactics: Never lead with Cress, and most always use it in response to threats. Although this team can more than handle rouge +2 boosts, Cress provides too many set-up opportunities to be offensively sent into the field. Use it to block attackers, heal up, and then generally switch out. Cress also synergizes amazingly well with Snorlax, and seeing as they have different weapons to utilize (status absorption, thick fat, paralysis and whirlwind to cress's toxic and levitate), abuse this combination to its fullest. Last, if you ever face an Umbreon, Toxic it straight up. Umbreon is otherwise a huge problem, and although Cress hates bad poison, Umbreon hates it more since Cress is often an in-and-out Pokemon (switch in to take the hit, force it out and heal up, switch out yourself). Another part of the aggressive playing that is required with this team.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 30 HP / 2 Atk / 30 Def / 30 Spa / 30 SpD- Changed
- Thunderbolt
- Roost
- Roar
- Hidden Power Flying
Role: A key part of my physical walling core, Zapdos is no defensive slouch. Though the SR weakness is the biggest blow on the planet, it can be played around with frequent roosts. Zapdos has a ton of threat coverage and can do its job all day long, especially with help from Pressure. It is also the strongest immediate attacker on this team, so don't be afraid to use that sexy base 125 special attack. It also acts as a secondary, surprise phazer in case Snorlax is impractical (it takes too much damage from +2 Curselax, for example) which has saved my ass too many times to count.
Oddities Explanation: EVs, aside from a little speed creep, are normal, and so is the item. The moves are unusual, however, so let's take a look at those. Heat Wave (though I've tried HP Ice, HP Flying, HP Grass, Substitute, and Toxic in this slot) seems to work best for slot 4 coverage, and it is my only move that deals more than 25% to Bronzong (and random burns rock) and hits Grass types for nice damage. I am interested in suggestions for this slot, however. Roar is very rare on Zapdos, though I have no clue why that is. It racks up damage very well, and many things continue to set up on Zapdos (CM RAIKOU!!) because they simply don't fear it. A life saver and a godsend for this team who relies so much on phazing.
Synergy and Tactics: Be aggressive, but do NOT get hit with a Toxic (unless it causes the death of a Blastoise). Zapdos needs to keep as healthy as possible, and Toxic really ruins Zapdos's life. However, it can take surprisingly strong hits and roost them off with ease or fire back, so take advantage of this against weakened Mienshao and Heracross. Next, Zapdos should be the first switch in to any Scrafty, who has the potential to absolutely decimate this team. Although Suicune can also hold its own against BU Scrafty, it falls to DD HJKs while Zapdos can roar it out once, even if it has Ice Punch. Pivot often from Golurk to Zapdos in response to Blastoise to force it out and eventually work out a KO. Finally, conserve Roar until it is absolutely needed to hide information from the opponent. This can completely throw a wrench into an opponent's endgame plan, forcing out a sweeper as it plans to set-up for the final time. After this initial instance, however, spam it whenever possible to disrupt the opponent and get those sweet entry hazards to work.
Suicune @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Scald
Role: Primary Endgame win condition, non-Chandelure Fire type counter, check to Dark (no Dark resist, but Suicune can take Dark moves the easiest) and Ground types, and back-up back-up generic wall (use it after Cress and Zapdos have been exhausted only). CroCune has been winning games singlehandedly since Gen 3, and puts the hurt on any unprepared Gen 5 team as well.
Oddities Explanation: Nothing odd, nothing weird, just an ordinary CroCune who wins games at the end when hazards alone can't do the trick. Specifically, it is one of my few ways to take out Bronzong and other bulky pokes immune to Spikes. It also helps take pressure (no pun intended) off Roserade in KOing grounds and rocks like Rhyperrior. Suicune can switch in without dying, after all!
Synergy and Tactics: SAVE SUICUNE!!! Unless you are 100% confident everything else can take down the entirety of the opponent's team, then do not sacrifice Suicune regardless of its HP level. There is almost always an opportunity to Rest back up to full and begin Calm Minding again. Next, fire off Scalds as often as possible because the residual burn damage pays off well over time. If you ever eat a Toxic or Burn, then rest up at the soonest possible opportunity. You can easily take three turns of sleep, but you'll need full HP to do that. Protect Suicune from Trick, at it likes it the least on this team. Even Snorlax would be better with a choice item because it had a spammable whirlwind. Finally, although Suicune should be the primary switch to Victini, Arcanine and Dramanitan, you will need to pivot with Snorlax or Cress eventually if your HP gets down too far, so beware Suicune's (extraordinary) limits.
Snorlax @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 240 SDef / 16 Spd
Careful Nature
- Sleep Talk
- Rest
- Body Slam
- Whirlwind
Role: Similar to Suicune, but trades sweeping ability for an additional phazing move, which is quite necessary for this team. Also the main check to ALL special attackers in the tier. Literally, this thing is almost as good as Blissey was last Gen in this regard. It also has some nice power, and can easily spam both its STAB and phazing move, just like Zapdos. Although it is much less weak to entry hazards, its physical defense is quite shoddy, so never have it sponge a STAB, non-fire attack if possible.
Oddities Explanation: Again, none here. Just a bit extra Speed to creep other Snorlax and Slowbro, which is pretty invaluable imo. Beating opposing Snorlax to the Whirlwind is HUGE, while it is nice to be able to Rest against Slowbro before it can Psyshock for 25% or so damage.
Synergy and Tactics: Take the hits that no one else on the team can, primarily Chandelure. Don't be fearful of Trick, and don't stay in on physical attackers. Much like Suicune, Snorlax has clearly defined limits that should not be approached unless absolutely necessary. Keep lax within its comfort zone of walling special hits, Whirlwind often to prevent the opponent form getting a favorable matchup, and Rest whenever possible. Lax's whirlwind has won almost as many games as Suicune's CM, so keep alive whenever reasonable.
Golurk @ Leftovers
Trait: No Guard
EVs: 168 HP / 140 Atk / 148 Def / 52 Spd- Changed
Adamant Nature
- DynamicPunch
- Stealth Rock
- Protect
- Earthquake
Role: What doesn't this thing do? Although it may seem illogical to name such an offensive Pokemon as the glue of a stally team, Golurk is exactly that. It keeps everyone else functioning at optimal efficiency due to six traits. One, it blocks spin. Two, it sets up SR. Three, protect is wonderful for scouting the numerous choice users that like to attack Golurk. Four, those electric (T-WAVE) and fighting immunities are golden. Five, it is the best lead on the team, and one of the most consistent. And six, NO GUARD DYNAMICPUNCH!! Take that, megatron.
Oddities Explanation: So kinda everything is weird about Golurk, its moves, and its EVs, so let’s start with the basics and work our way up. Golurk is used because it is a Ghost (essential to stall teams) with Stealth Rock (ditto). Is it an optimal Pokemon? Far from it. However, it performs such a vital role that I find it almost irreplaceable. Moves aren't too complicated. SR is SR, EQ is STAB. Dynamicpunch, for some reason, is highly unexpected, but it provides some coverage (mainly on Snorlax and P2) and has that beautiful 100% Confuse Rate. This gives so many extra opportunities to come in and win matchups that I shouldn't that it's not even funny. Protect rounds out the set because it scouts (think of all the choiced electrics and fire that often lead teams) and gives Golurk a way to heal extra HP when it otherwise would run low much sooner. I am open to ideas for moves, however, and being helpless against flying types sucks (maybe Ice Punch or Thunderpunch or Shadow Punch???). Next, EVs. EVs are fairly complicated, but then again so is Golruk's role on the team. With Dynamicpunch, Golurk has the ability to check certain Dark types that my team would otherwise hate. For example, Weavile NEVER KOes WITH LO ICE PUNCH (that's what the HP and Def EVs are for), quite a feat which allows me to then KO with a well-placed Punch. Sharpedo also rarely KOes with Waterfall, so same scenario. The SDef EVs ensure that Blastiose's scald never 2HKOes, allowing me to beat weakened Blastoise (provided no burn). By extension, it gives me much better chances against Milotic and Suicune to kill them if weakened. Roserade, if faced 1-on-1, is also a win for ME with those EVs, assuming Roserade doesn't Giga Drain first turn (EQ always 2HKOes, even with Giga Drain HP gain), which is common because they expect me to switch. And this situation is quite common in the lead matchup, as Roserade is a common choice for lead. Also lets me sponge things like +1 Raikou HP Ice and OHKO. The speed beats 0 spe base 60s, letting me confuse P2 and Empoleon to give me a 50% of winning without a scratch. Finally, the remainders are put into Attack for maximum power.
Synergy and Tactics: I gave some clues up above, but I'll reiterate here. Golurk provides the vital rocks, the vital rapid spin immune, cool immunities and resistances, checks Fighters (especially Heracross!) and electrics to give the rest a break, lures and KOes many dark types (along with certain waters and Roserade) that my team otherwise hates to face. In short, it clearly is the glue to the entire team. In terms of tactics, play super aggressively with Golurk against Blastoise and other team threats. Always switch in with it first thing if hazards are up because they need to be protected. Remember, Golurk lives 2 scalds, so you can eat one, protect for HP, and get out to Zapdos to scare the overgrown turtle away. EQ is also one of the strongest moves on the team, so don't be hesitant to use them to try and deal quick KOes. You should be protecting almost every other turn, even if you are being predictable, because Golurk simply needs the HP that badly. And last, don't be hesitant with those Dynamicpunches on blind switches, as even if Golurk gets forced out, it might save Zapdos or Snorlax a hit down the road.
Threat List
-Dark Types
Seeing as I have no dark-type resist, these guys are public enemy numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4. I need to lure them out with Golurk, wall them smartly with Zapdos or Suicune, and play with entry hazards. Of course, all three can fail against the top players, so I have to be SUPER careful around these guys.
-Bronzong
Although Bronzong poses little offensive threat, and can in fact be used as set-up fodder, it is still almost impossiable for this team to kill without resorting to Suicune. It can be whirlwinded out and saved until it is last Pokemon left vs Cune, but that kinda sucks to stall it out that long.
-Blastiose
The only spinner with a chance of beating Golurk (Cryogonal doesn't really count, and I doubt its Ice beam even KOes anyways and D-Punch does, but w/e), I hate Blastiose. It centralizes the focus and play of this team so much, and it can be a HUGE thorn in my side against a skilled Blastoise user. Perfectly manageable, but makes life 1000x times harder.
-Xatu
Another big pain in the ass. Thankfully, many players still don't realize that Golurk learns SR, so it can often set them up without Xatu, but it sucks otherwise. Zapdos can 2HKO, but then it needs to eat a Thunder Wave. Roserade can repeatedly nail it with Sludge Bomb and poison it eventually, but that sucks. Suicune can CM up and beat, but than again Xatu has 5 other teammates. Basically, another annoying Pokemon to deal with, so watch out.
Roserade @ Black Sludge
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 104 Spd / 152 SDef / 252 HP
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Spikes
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 204 Def / 52 Spd / 252 HP
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Toxic
- Moonlight
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Roost
- Roar
- Heat Wave
Suicune @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 248 Def / 252 HP / 8 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Scald
Snorlax @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 240 SDef / 252 HP / 16 Spd
Careful Nature
- Sleep Talk
- Rest
- Body Slam
- Whirlwind
Golurk @ Leftovers
Trait: No Guard
EVs: 148 Def / 52 Spd / 168 HP / 80 Atk / 60 SDef
Adamant Nature
- DynamicPunch
- Stealth Rock
- Protect
- Earthquake
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 104 Spd / 152 SDef / 252 HP
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Spikes
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 204 Def / 52 Spd / 252 HP
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Toxic
- Moonlight
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Roost
- Roar
- Heat Wave
Suicune @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 248 Def / 252 HP / 8 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Scald
Snorlax @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 240 SDef / 252 HP / 16 Spd
Careful Nature
- Sleep Talk
- Rest
- Body Slam
- Whirlwind
Golurk @ Leftovers
Trait: No Guard
EVs: 148 Def / 52 Spd / 168 HP / 80 Atk / 60 SDef
Adamant Nature
- DynamicPunch
- Stealth Rock
- Protect
- Earthquake
Well, that's about it. Thanks for stopping by ladies and gents, hope you enjoyed my team and the RMT as a whole. This team is and was a blast to fool around with, and I hope that you understood from this how to really play with the team, if you want to give it a shot yourself. More importantly, I hope you learned how to innovate with the metagame while still being successful. I'm open to any and all suggestions, so please, fire away! Thanks again!
