From what originally started as a joke with a friend - "We should just put 6 trappers on a team and ladder with it!" - turned into an actually, pretty legitimate team based around removing possible counterplays from the opponent and forcing them into actions they wouldn't otherwise take. Using so many trappers on one team also allows me to neutralize the checks and counters to the team's main lategame sweeper, Kyurem-Black.
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Team Preview:
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In Depth Look:
Wobbuffet @ Leftovers
Trait: Shadow Tag
EVs: 28 HP / 252 Def / 230 SDef
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Encore
- Mirror Coat
- Counter
- Safeguard
Team Preview:
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In Depth Look:
Wobbuffet @ Leftovers
Trait: Shadow Tag
EVs: 28 HP / 252 Def / 230 SDef
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Encore
- Mirror Coat
- Counter
- Safeguard
One of the team's Shadow Tag trappers - its defensive bulk allows it to come in on many threats that would severely cripple other team memebers and punish them with a Counter or Mirror Coat. It also enables one of the team's main strategies: Trap-chaining. Encoring a lead - or any Pokemon really using a non-threatening move such as Stealth Rock will then allow me to go into Gothitelle to trick it a Choice Scarf. From there, if the target is grounded Dugtrio has its way with it. Alternatively, if it's Steel type, Magnezone can come in and set up a Substitute and hopefully get a few boosts with Charge Beam as the helpless opponent wastes PP. In addition to non-harmful moves like Steath Rock, use of Safeguard over Destiny Bond allows Trap-chaining to work on moves such a Toxic or Will-o-Wisp - moves Wobbuffet very often attracts.
Gothitelle @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Shadow Tag
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Trick
The other of the team's Shadow Tag trappers, who is vitally important to the team's strategy. Being able to trick a choice item onto an Encored foe allows for effortless setup for one of the team's secondary trappers. Gothitelle has also proved to be a very capable lead, sometimes skipping an Encore from Wobbufett and moving right to using Trick - ususally crippling a Pokemon in the process, if not outright enabling a Trap-chain. The idea behind the three moves other than Trick are pretty straightforward - a powerful STAB in Psychic that can easily dispatch of the likes of Breloom and Toxicroak, Thunderbolt for things such as Politoed, Gyarados, and others, and the omnipresent Hidden Power Ice for the obligatory Dragons and Landorus-Therians that dominate the tier.
Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Trait: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Reversal
- Earthquake
- Hone Claws
- Stealth Rock
The first of the team's secondary trappers - and first Trap-chain "recipient," Dugtrio. Dugtrio has two main goals: firstly, to set up Stealth Rock, most usually on a helpless opponent, and secondly, to set up boosts with Hone Claws. At +6 (which you should normally get to, unless the move your opponent is locked into is low on PP), both Earthquake and Reversal will do tons of damage to just about everything in the tier. I've considered running things like Sucker Punch and Rock Slide over Reversal, but as the team has no real answers for Tyranitar otherwise, I've kept it for the time being.
Magnezone @ Leftovers
Trait: Magnet Pull
EVs: 116 HP / 252 SAtk / 140 Spd
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Charge Beam
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
The second of the team's secondary trappers - and another Trap-chain closer, Magnezone. The moves on this set are pretty straightforward: Substitute to enable Magnezone to take another hit after it dispatches a normally helpless target, Charge Beam to grab boosts on every non-immune 'Mon in the tier, and Hidden Power Ice over Fire because needing to quickly dispatch things like Ferrothorn before they get their Hazards is not a big concern for this team. The EV spread was one I used on a very successful dragmag team that reached top 10 on the ladder, and has been reliable ever since.
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Imposter
EVs: 8 Def / 248 HP / 252 SDef
Sassy Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
- Transform
With all these trappers, I needed something that could be used as a "panic button" of sorts, if something like a Dragonite was able to get a boost on one of my other team members. The set and spread are nothing special - the IVs enable Hidden Power Ice (sensing a theme?), and the EVs are mostly useless save for HP, which isn't adopted when transformed and allows you to minimize passive damage. While the set and spread are nothing special, Ditto is very good at what it does and is a valuable asset to the team.
Kyurem-Black @ Leftovers
Trait: Teravolt
EVs: 56 HP / 240 Spd / 212 SAtk
Mild Nature
- Substitute
- Fusion Bolt
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
And finally, Kyurem-Black, which is, in my opinion, the second best Pokemon in OU (next to Jirachi, of course). This thing is an absolute monster, and can rip through stall teams almost singlehandedly. Once a Substitute goes up, something on the opponent's team goes down. It also just so happens to really appreciate the trapping that rest of the team does possibly more than any other Pokemon. Most any Fighting types that Kyurem despises, such as Keldeo and Conkeldurr are eliminated by Wobbufett and Gothitelle. Steel types like Ferrothorn and Skarmory are slowly and painfully whittled down by Magnezone. Other bothers to Kyurem such as Tyranitar and Heatran are easily taken care of by Dugtrio, and things like defensive Jirachi are heavily dented, allowing Kyurem to finish the job with Earth Power if needed.
Conclusion:
This team is an absolute blast to use - and feels very satisfying when pulled off successfully. I'm sure it's also not very fun to play against - especially if a Trap-chain starts up and you have no choice but to watch it unfold. It was a lot of fun to make as well, conceptually starting as a joke, then turning into a surprisingly good team to ladder with if you know how to play it correctly. All in all, I had a good time building and playing with it, and I hope you enjoyed this RMT as well.
