I've been building a lot of teams recently which rely on slow steady attacks, but they always seem to fall short when faced with a really sustained and potent support pokemon. However recently I came across a pokemon who can reliably destroy that support pokemon every time, and that pokemon is Gothitelle! So far this team has been giving pretty great results for me, but I figured I would post it here so people can give extra advice!
So first we can see a FWG core, complimented by a Dark Fighting Psychic trio (is that a thing?). The general style is bulky attackers, and the abuse of resistances and self recovery to just reliably dent any team, and then wear them down while denying them their healing/tank support with gothitelle.
(although since Jelli left, its not a FWG core anymore.. oh well. long live mamoswine)
More detailed writeup is next:
Venusaur @ Venusaurite | Chlorophyll/Thick Fat
Modest | 252 Hp / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
-Synthesis
-Giga Drain
-Sludge Bomb
-Sleep Powder
This pokemon has been making itself rather infamous this gen, and for good reason! M-Venusaur is the epitome of reliable- having great mixed bulk, great mixed attacking stats, enough speed to outpace most slow attackers and support pokemon, and access to recovery and sleep powder... this thing has it all. I've gone with a pretty standard bulky special attacker set. It's the centre of my team and never disappoints.
Rotom-H @ Leftovers | Levitate
Timid | 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
-Pain Split
-Volt Switch
-Will-O-Wisp
-Overheat
Despite Rotom-H being good with the specially defensive thread, the amount of stealth rock made me eventually change it. Thunderbolt was somewhat redundant with Volt Switch, so I wanted to make the best use of pain split- that meant a low hp stat and a high speed stat- so I caved in and made an offensive spread. This is fine- he still is a great pokemon, and good special attack and STAB attacks makes the offensive set really potent. He still easily beats the pokemon he could beat with a specially defensive spread too, but I now have to option of pain split to take the edge off all of the stealth rock, or to soften up a switch-in after scizor and genesect flee for their lives with u-turn.
Mandibuzz @ Leftovers | Overcoat
Careful | 252 Hp / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
-Defog
-Knock Off
-Roost
-Whirlwind
Mandibuzz is next- while usually a core consists of Fire, Water and Grass, its actually Mandibuzz who compliments the almost perfect pairing of M-Venusaur and Rotom-H. Firstly, physically defensive Mandibuzz is a complete beast. Rotom-H requires stealth rock to be off the field, and M-Venusaur needs its psychic weakness covered, and Mandibuzz covers both of these. I changed my spread to be specially defensive, because I decided to switch my Rotom-H to offensive in order to make the best use out of pain split. This means I have to focus on dealing with low Atk high special attack pokemon- so I replaced foul play with knock off. The move is great and really synergises with whirlwind.
Mamoswine @ Life Orb | Thick Fat
Adamant | 252 Hp / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
-Ice Shard
-Icicle Crash
-Earthquake
-Stealth Rock
Jellicent didn't properly cover the weaknesses of the team, and was starting to make it too passive- so I replaced the jellyfish for this anti-meta beast. I honestly love Mamoswine as a pokemon, and he adds some crucial ice type attacks (and resistance) to my team, as well as much-needed priority. Since my Terrakion also got replaced, he also holds EQ and can set up Stealth Rock if totally necessary. Also, since my Mandi got changed to a spD spread he can be relied on to take a few physical hits.
Breloom @ Toxic Orb | Poison Heal
Jolly | 252 Hp / 4 Atk / 252 Spe
-Spore
-Substitute
-Focus Punch
-Seed Bomb
Terrakion felt really deadweight- partially because he didn't fit my style and partially because he didn't add anything to the team. Breloom is a somewhat risky replacement, but straight away he's been doing good things for the team, especially due to the changed on Gothitelle. Substitute gives me something to actually do after Gothitelle takes out a support, and Spore is good even if sleep clause exists. I'm starting to get a lot better with sleep with M-Venusaur, and not using it unless I'm sleeping a threatening switch-in, so I dont step on Breloom's toes.
Anyway, focus punch is kinda a relic of the past, but its been working here. I need the hp investment in breloom to make the most of his good edgequake resistance, and focus punch really makes up for the lack of hp investment.
Gothitelle @ Choice Scarf | Shadow Tag
Timid | 252 Hp / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
-Trick
-Reflect
-Psychic
-Light Screen
To glue this team together, I have a rather underused pokemon. Usually Gothitelle gets bashed for not having the power or speed to revenge kill, but this one uses shadow tag in a different way- I use it to trap their spinner or cleric, and render them useless for the match with a choice scarf. This is really difficult to stop, and this lets my bulky attackers to tank through attacks and power through their team without nuisances such as wish support or dedicated walls preventing this from happening. If they are unfortunate to use a non-attacking move on the turn they are tricked a scarf, I can even just stall them out there and then, forcing struggle and eventual death.
This Gothitelle doubles as a revenge killer too, despite a relatively miserable speed stat she can still outspeed 110s with her scarf.
I've edited this set in order to have dual screens- think of it as a kind of reverse Wobbuffet. After using trick, one of 2 things can happen. They can be locked into a status move, at which point I force them to struggle and die by making use of the high pp on screens. Secondly, they might be smart and use an attack- in which can I can put up the appropriate screen, and switch out- most likely into Breloom, who can really abuse the chance to get up a free sub AND spore the counter who switches in.
I should also say that this gothitelle is great as a lead- she deals well with all of the anti-leads that have 3 attacks plus stealth rock (like terrakion or mamoswine). Looking so weak and pitiful, she often has managed to trick them before they use stealth rock (expecting a switch), taking them out then and there. If they do end up attacking, they are locked into the move and can't stealth rock until later, and I can switch in something that resists it.
Thats pretty much the whole of how my team works! Ive made some pretty big changes and I know its a weird choice to use two grass types- but they both are neutral to ice and only breloom has a fire weakness, not that I'm relying on Breloom to take hits anyway. Thanks for reading :D
The Team:
So first we can see a FWG core, complimented by a Dark Fighting Psychic trio (is that a thing?). The general style is bulky attackers, and the abuse of resistances and self recovery to just reliably dent any team, and then wear them down while denying them their healing/tank support with gothitelle.
(although since Jelli left, its not a FWG core anymore.. oh well. long live mamoswine)
More detailed writeup is next:
Venusaur @ Venusaurite | Chlorophyll/Thick Fat
Modest | 252 Hp / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
-Synthesis
-Giga Drain
-Sludge Bomb
-Sleep Powder
This pokemon has been making itself rather infamous this gen, and for good reason! M-Venusaur is the epitome of reliable- having great mixed bulk, great mixed attacking stats, enough speed to outpace most slow attackers and support pokemon, and access to recovery and sleep powder... this thing has it all. I've gone with a pretty standard bulky special attacker set. It's the centre of my team and never disappoints.
Rotom-H @ Leftovers | Levitate
Timid | 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
-Pain Split
-Volt Switch
-Will-O-Wisp
-Overheat
Despite Rotom-H being good with the specially defensive thread, the amount of stealth rock made me eventually change it. Thunderbolt was somewhat redundant with Volt Switch, so I wanted to make the best use of pain split- that meant a low hp stat and a high speed stat- so I caved in and made an offensive spread. This is fine- he still is a great pokemon, and good special attack and STAB attacks makes the offensive set really potent. He still easily beats the pokemon he could beat with a specially defensive spread too, but I now have to option of pain split to take the edge off all of the stealth rock, or to soften up a switch-in after scizor and genesect flee for their lives with u-turn.
Mandibuzz @ Leftovers | Overcoat
Careful | 252 Hp / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
-Defog
-Knock Off
-Roost
-Whirlwind
Mandibuzz is next- while usually a core consists of Fire, Water and Grass, its actually Mandibuzz who compliments the almost perfect pairing of M-Venusaur and Rotom-H. Firstly, physically defensive Mandibuzz is a complete beast. Rotom-H requires stealth rock to be off the field, and M-Venusaur needs its psychic weakness covered, and Mandibuzz covers both of these. I changed my spread to be specially defensive, because I decided to switch my Rotom-H to offensive in order to make the best use out of pain split. This means I have to focus on dealing with low Atk high special attack pokemon- so I replaced foul play with knock off. The move is great and really synergises with whirlwind.
Mamoswine @ Life Orb | Thick Fat
Adamant | 252 Hp / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
-Ice Shard
-Icicle Crash
-Earthquake
-Stealth Rock
Jellicent didn't properly cover the weaknesses of the team, and was starting to make it too passive- so I replaced the jellyfish for this anti-meta beast. I honestly love Mamoswine as a pokemon, and he adds some crucial ice type attacks (and resistance) to my team, as well as much-needed priority. Since my Terrakion also got replaced, he also holds EQ and can set up Stealth Rock if totally necessary. Also, since my Mandi got changed to a spD spread he can be relied on to take a few physical hits.
Breloom @ Toxic Orb | Poison Heal
Jolly | 252 Hp / 4 Atk / 252 Spe
-Spore
-Substitute
-Focus Punch
-Seed Bomb
Terrakion felt really deadweight- partially because he didn't fit my style and partially because he didn't add anything to the team. Breloom is a somewhat risky replacement, but straight away he's been doing good things for the team, especially due to the changed on Gothitelle. Substitute gives me something to actually do after Gothitelle takes out a support, and Spore is good even if sleep clause exists. I'm starting to get a lot better with sleep with M-Venusaur, and not using it unless I'm sleeping a threatening switch-in, so I dont step on Breloom's toes.
Anyway, focus punch is kinda a relic of the past, but its been working here. I need the hp investment in breloom to make the most of his good edgequake resistance, and focus punch really makes up for the lack of hp investment.
Gothitelle @ Choice Scarf | Shadow Tag
Timid | 252 Hp / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
-Trick
-Reflect
-Psychic
-Light Screen
To glue this team together, I have a rather underused pokemon. Usually Gothitelle gets bashed for not having the power or speed to revenge kill, but this one uses shadow tag in a different way- I use it to trap their spinner or cleric, and render them useless for the match with a choice scarf. This is really difficult to stop, and this lets my bulky attackers to tank through attacks and power through their team without nuisances such as wish support or dedicated walls preventing this from happening. If they are unfortunate to use a non-attacking move on the turn they are tricked a scarf, I can even just stall them out there and then, forcing struggle and eventual death.
This Gothitelle doubles as a revenge killer too, despite a relatively miserable speed stat she can still outspeed 110s with her scarf.
I've edited this set in order to have dual screens- think of it as a kind of reverse Wobbuffet. After using trick, one of 2 things can happen. They can be locked into a status move, at which point I force them to struggle and die by making use of the high pp on screens. Secondly, they might be smart and use an attack- in which can I can put up the appropriate screen, and switch out- most likely into Breloom, who can really abuse the chance to get up a free sub AND spore the counter who switches in.
I should also say that this gothitelle is great as a lead- she deals well with all of the anti-leads that have 3 attacks plus stealth rock (like terrakion or mamoswine). Looking so weak and pitiful, she often has managed to trick them before they use stealth rock (expecting a switch), taking them out then and there. If they do end up attacking, they are locked into the move and can't stealth rock until later, and I can switch in something that resists it.
Thats pretty much the whole of how my team works! Ive made some pretty big changes and I know its a weird choice to use two grass types- but they both are neutral to ice and only breloom has a fire weakness, not that I'm relying on Breloom to take hits anyway. Thanks for reading :D
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