Hail Stall

[DarXidE]

--==Hail Stall==--​

Sandstorm, sandstorm, SANDSTORM. Every stall team I've encountered had sandstorm. Due to the abundance of Steel Rock and Ground types, i don't like it. Hail hits everyone except the uncommon Ice type, so its a more reliable way to give residual damage. So anyway, lets dive into the team.​

Team Building Process:​

I started off with Abomasnow, for him amazing Ability Snow Warning. He's a given on any Hail team, so its obvious to start with him.​

​

Thats the Hail part. Now i need the stall. I need to lay entry hazards down. My favorite is Toxic Spikes. I gathered a bunch of Pokemon, and it game down to Forretress, Nidoqueen, and Tentacruel. Tentacruel and Forretress could also Rapid Spid, but Nidoqueen could take Fighting type attacks due to its poison typing, which is very helpful on a Hail team. She can also use Stealth Rock, so I picked her.​

Next thing i needed was a Spin Blocker to keep the Entry Hazards on the field. The choice was between Rotom-A or Spiritomb, but its obvious whose better. I went with Rotom-F so i have the availability of using Blizzard.​

Gyarados is such an amazing pokemon, most known for hi Dragon Dance set. In my opinion, his Rest Talk set is even more devastating. He carries a powerful STAB Waterfall, and is also a reliable Phazer, Infernape and Lucario counter, and can soak up most physical attacks. This was too hard to turn down. I think Rest Talk Gyara is a necessity on stall teams.​

Looking at my team here, i saw that Dragon Dance Tyranitar ran through me, and hit ever poke for super effective damage with Cruch, Earthquake, and Stone Edge. I needed a sure Tyranitar counter, and i found one with Hitmontop. By choosing him, I kill 2 birds with 1 stone, as he is also a very effective Rapid Spinner.​

For my last Pokemon, i needed someone who can soak up special attacks easily. I also knew the wish support would help. Whos better at that than Blissey.​

After a bit of testing, I realized Nidoqeen wasn't the best Pokemon for the job. She could almost never get up Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes, and had no reliable Recovery. It also seemed as if Toxic Spikes wasn't all that important. I decided to replace Nidoqueen with the reliable Skarmory, to give the dreaded SkarmBliss combination.​

And that's how I made the team!​

In Depth:​

Abomasnow

Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Snow Warning
Nature: Hasty
EVs: 176 Attack, 252 Speed, 82 Sp. Atk
Moves:
~Blizzard
~Wood Hammer
~Earthquake
~Ice Shard​

Why this Pokemon:
Of all the Abomasnow sets I've used, this one seems to be the most effective. Obviously I'm also using him for his snow warning ability. His moves can really leave a dent in some teams. ​

Why this Moveset:
Blizzard is a very powerful STAB move, that has 100% accuracy in Hail. Earthquake is to OHKO non-Shuca Heatran, and Wood Hammer OHKO's Swampert, and hits any Water-Types hard as Hell. Even though i outspeed Salamence with a choice scarf, he outspeeds me after a Dragon Dance, and can wreak my team. That is why i have Ice Shard. I can also outspeed and OHKO any scarf Magnezone that carries Hidden Power Fire. This guy also gives my team a handy Trick absorber.​

Skarmory

Item: Shed Shell
Ability: Keen Eye
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP, 238 Defense, 20 Speed
Moves:
~Spikes
~Stealth Rock
~Roost
~Brave Bird​

Why this Pokemon:
Skarmory is excellent at setting up entry hazards. It's also one of the most defensively bulky Pokemon in the OU tier. He also creates a great defensive combo of SkarmBliss.​

Why this Moveset:
Spikes is obvious: to hurt grounded Pokemon when they switch in. Stealth Rock is over Whirlwind because I needed Stealth Rock up, with all the Salamence and Flying-Types running around. Roost is to restore my health, and lose an Electric weakness, or gain an Ice resistance for a turn. Brave Bird is a powerful STAB attack, so I can hit those pesky Breloom and even the rarely seen Heracross. He is EVd to take as little from Breloom's Focus Punch as possible.​

Rotom-F

Item: Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 HP, 188 Speed, 70 Defense
Moves:
~Will-O-Wisp
~Thunderbolt
~Rest
~Sleep Talk​

Why this Pokemon:
Rotom-F is my Spin Blocker. He's by far the best one in the OU Tier. I chose the the Frost form so Pokemon like Salamence hesitate coming in, fearing a stong 100% accurate Blizzard, even though i dont have it :naughty:.​

Why this Moveset:
This Rotom moveset keeps it alive the longest. I need that for when i face other stall teams. When that happens, usually whoevers Spin Blocker faints first, loses. Thunderbolt is to hit waters like Gyarados and Vaporeon. 188 Speed and a Timid Nature is so im able to outspeed and burn Adamant Lucario, crippling it and halting it from doing any sweeping. Rest and Sleep Talk also makes him a decent status absorber.​

Gyarados

Item: Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Impish
EVs: 248 HP, 248 Defense, 12 Speed
Moves:
~Waterfall
~Roar
~Rest
~Sleep Talk​

Why this Pokemon:
Gyarados has always been one of my favorite Pokemon. But, that's not why i chose him. He has a great ability, Intimidate, so it was weaken an opponent's attack. A weakness to Stealth Rock is rarely a problem, because i have a Rapid Spinner. I chose Gyarados for him reliable Phazing in the move Roar.​

Why this Moveset:
Rest is Gyarados's only form of recovery, and i need it to stay alive, being my main way of stopping Infernape, and to stop Lucario if Rotom is weak. Waterfall is a powerfall STAB attack, even without EV's due to Gyarados's high base 125 Attack Stat. Roar is to screw up Baton pass teams and erase Stat Boosts, as well as rack up Stealth Rock damage. His EVs are so he can survive lots of physical attacks.​

Hitmontop

Item: Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Defense, 4 Attack
Moves:
~Close Combat
~Sucker Punch
~Rapid Spin
~Rest​

Why this Pokemon:
Hitmontop is an outstanding counter to Tyranitar due to his ability and typing. He is also a very reliable Rapid Spinner. He also provides 1 of only 2 priority moves on the team in sucker punch.​

Why this Moveset:
Close Combat hits Tyranitar for 4x damage, plus STAB. Rapid Spin is to clear my side of the field of entry hazards, which is very needed. Sucker Punch hits the Rotom Appliances and other ghost types who are trying to block ur Rapid Spin. Rest is so i can live to do it all over again.​

Blissey

Item: Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Sp.Defense, 4 Speed
Moves:
~Wish
~Protect
~Shadow Ball
~Toxic​

Why this Pokemon:
Blissey is the best special wall in the game. I obviously chose her to tank all of those hits my Heatran, Celebi, Gengar, and the rest. Also, her Wish support is greatly appreciated.​

Why This Moveset:
Wish is for healing myself and my teammates. Protects is to ensure i get a Wish in, or to scout moves/dodge an explosion. Toxic is to ruin any Vaporeon, Gliscor, or anything without rest. Shadow Ball i use for 2 reasons: 1 is for the chance at a Special Defense drop. This helps me win vs. Rest Talkers without Calm Mind. The 2nd reason is so i can beat Substitute + Charge Beam Rotom-A. It Always breaks their Subs, even with no Special Attack EV investment. This ensures that i ALWAYS beat Rotom.​

Well, thats the team. All suggestions will be taken seriously and considered. ​

Rate it even if you hate it!​

 

[jynx KB]

Huh, you know this is really well put together. If you'll let me, I kind of want to try this out.

I only see one glaring issue in Hitmontop, and that's Rest. Without a Berry or Heal Bell/Aromatherapy, he's helpless. Luckily, Blissey has access to these if you feel like putting it up over Shadow Ball, as you have Rotom counters pretty much covered, but that leaves you vulnerable to Steels who are immune to Toxic.

Or, you can try Fake Out over Rest on Hitmontop. It gives you another turn of Hail damage, and is useful in general. Or you can find a useful Priority move to outspeed any threats. A third option is the ever popular Earthquake.

 

[3v3rnoob]

A LOT of your team gets beaten by infernape. The only thing on your team that can take a hit and then subsequently get any damage back onto it right now is Gyara, but any intelligent Ape player will then switch out and go to their Gyara counter. Just so that it doesn't give you any more problems, I would take rest off of Hitmontop and give it earthquake, relying on wish support from blissey. Other than that, how well does your abamasnow survive into the late game? Usually a tyranitar isn't going to lead a team, and will just come in later to mess with the storm. If abamasnow dies early, you might want to go with a more conservative set, or at least a more conservative style. Finally, your abamasnow explanation should say "If it is not using HP fire" instead of "By not using HP fire". Kind of confusing if you leave it as is. BTW, you should be worrying about flash cannon on Magnezone as well, as it will be hitting you just as hard.

 

[DarXidE]

Huh, you know this is really well put together. If you'll let me, I kind of want to try this out.

I only see one glaring issue in Hitmontop, and that's Rest. Without a Berry or Heal Bell/Aromatherapy, he's helpless. Luckily, Blissey has access to these if you feel like putting it up over Shadow Ball, as you have Rotom counters pretty much covered, but that leaves you vulnerable to Steels who are immune to Toxic.

Or, you can try Fake Out over Rest on Hitmontop. It gives you another turn of Hail damage, and is useful in general. Or you can find a useful Priority move to outspeed any threats. A third option is the ever popular Earthquake.

Thanks for the rate :D If you want to, go right ahead and use it.

About hitmontop, I am a little shaky about using Rest =/ although, it's illegal for blissey to have the combination of wish + heal bell/aromatherapy, so im kinda screwed there. Im nt really into fak out on hitmontop...and i'm not sure what EQ hits =/ theres no way im staying in on any heatran, and rocks/steels are handled by Close Combat.

I might try using Stone Edge though. I havent tested it to be honest, i always thought of res to be surperior. I will test other things though, such as foresight.

A LOT of your team gets beaten by infernape. The only thing on your team that can take a hit and then subsequently get any damage back onto it right now is Gyara, but any intelligent Ape player will then switch out and go to their Gyara counter. Just so that it doesn't give you any more problems, I would take rest off of Hitmontop and give it earthquake, relying on wish support from blissey. Other than that, how well does your abamasnow survive into the late game? Usually a tyranitar isn't going to lead a team, and will just come in later to mess with the storm. If abamasnow dies early, you might want to go with a more conservative set, or at least a more conservative style. Finally, your abamasnow explanation should say "If it is not using HP fire" instead of "By not using HP fire". Kind of confusing if you leave it as is. BTW, you should be worrying about flash cannon on Magnezone as well, as it will be hitting you just as hard.

Ty for rating :)

About Earthquake > Rest on Hitmontop:
Rest isnt really helping me out that much, as im left helpless for 2 turns. but i kinda dont like EQ. Earthquake wont be doing much to Infernape that Close Combat won't, especially mixed with SR + Spikes + Hail damage. I am weak to ape after gyara goes...i will have to let residual damage kill it, or revenge kill with Abomasnow, but i dont think EQ fixes this.


For Abomasnow, i only stay in if theres something that i can outspeed and OHKO. If not, i switch out, and save him for later. I always have to save him because of all the salmences and t-tars running around. I was thinking of a more buly EV spread, as his defenses are actually not bad. I will test Sub / Leech Seed / Ice Shard / something else. I need ice shard for mences.

About magnezone:

the thing about HP Fire, is that u need a Speed IV of 30. Since almost every magnezone runs HP Fire, his speed will be 1 lower than mine, due to abomasnow and magnezone having the same speed stat. Most scarf abomasnows use HP Fire, so by me using Ice Shard > HP Fire, i can Outspeed and OHKO him ;)

i kinda cleared this up though. it was worded wrong


thanks for your rates again guys. will take into consideration.
i probably should replace rest on hitmontop.