Ice and Wind but not Icy Wind

MakaiMai

MakaiMai

Upon learning that Articuno got Hurricane in BW2, I wanted to make a team with my favorite of the legendary birds at the helm. After sifting through a few articles on this site, I've created a team that I think has something going, but I can see there's definite room for improvement, and that's why I'm posting this.

If you've seen me anywhere else like Showdown, I have been going by the alias of "flarp22".

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Anivia (Articuno) @ Life Orb
Trait: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Ice Beam
- Roost
- Substitute

The main reason I never made a team with Articuno in NU before is because in ye olde days of BW1, Articuno could run defensive sets...while carrying a 4x SR weakness...and that's about it. Sadly, while I may have set up this team with the full intention of abusing Hurricane in the rain, I'm having difficulty getting Articuno to do the job I wanted it to do. Hurricane/Ice Beam are for the STAB and my most hard hitting options for Rain, Roost is for mitigating the SR and Life Orb, and Substitute for the ease of prediction and other such things. Yeah I know Sub+LO can be ill-advised, especially on a mon that loses half its health on SR switch in, but I want that extra damage boost.

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Seismitoad (M) @ Damp Rock
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 96 HP / 252 SAtk / 160 Spd
Modest Nature
- Rain Dance
- Hydro Pump
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock

Ironically, I think Seismitoad has seen about twice as much success as Articuno. Even I was surprised at what a lightning bruiser Seismitoad became after the Rain Dance was set up. It's also the Pokemon I have most often led with so far. Hydro Pump wrecks so much face with the STAB and Rain boosting it, Earth Power isn't as strong, but you know how awesome Ground coverage is, right? Stealth Rock is also there mostly for situations where I know I'm scaring out an opponent, but the teammates that can take advantage of the rain wouldn't be the best option on the switch-in. Honestly, I'm having a minor debate on putting Sludge Wave there, but since most of the grass types I've seen with this team so far have been part Poison, and arguably Earth Power would do more damage anyway...ehhhh...

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Cacutar (Cacturne) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Spikes
- Sucker Punch
- Seed Bomb
- Substitute

I just like Cacturne. A lot. This set really makes me smile when I can successfully set up a few layers of Spikes and get away scot-free, or murder the face of a water type that thinks it's going to get a free Water move off on the rest of my team. Spikes, Sucker Punch, and Substitute are all there to create mind games and benefit my situation with their usual purposes. Seed bomb I put there as an attacking option that doesn't rely on the opponent, and I guess it kinda would help in the mind games in the form of the question "is it Sucker Punch or not?" Maybe.

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Lamprey (Eelektross) (F) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 172 HP / 252 SAtk / 84 Spd
Modest Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Grass Knot
- Flamethrower

This thing has performed admirably so far, though I've been having a major debate with myself about whether I should run Thunder for a little extra "oomph" or Thunderbolt for usability out of the 8 turn Rain. Specs Thunderbolt was a 3HKO to an Altaria that Roosted right before it was hit by it, so right now I'm leaning toward "Thunderbolt is plenty strong, and being less reliant on the Rain can be a very good thing." Volt Switch helps keep the momentum going and still hits decently hard with the Specs boosting it. Grass Knot...more or less there for coverage, but so far I've yet to even use it. Mostly because I haven't sent Eelektross against anything that's weak to it. Flamethrower is great because once the Rain ends, it gets its full power restored, and thus can pick up kills more easily.

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Saxton (Braviary) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Defiant
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Return
- U-turn
- Superpower

Hit fast, hit hard. That's Braviary's motto and I wanted the Speed. This was a Life Orb set intent on using Roost to mitigate recoil, but I almost immediately ran into a team where Seismitoad was KOed early on and I needed speed on this thing to recover, which I didn't have as much of. Even without the LO boost, Braviary still hits like a truck with STAB Brave Bird and Return. U-Turn is to create a bit of synergy with it and Eelektross, and Superpower for that Fighting coverage.

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Levity (Audino) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 Def
Calm Nature
- Heal Bell
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic

I picked Audino for its Cleric utility, mostly because I can be a bit paranoid about Statuses, but so far...I can't say I've run into a team that's troubled me with Status THAT much. It's still helpful as a special wall, and those Wishes still heal for a metric ton of HP. Toxic/Protect is there mostly as a bit of a stall-y option of taking down a wall I may have lost a check/counter to. I...really struggle to talk about Audino all that much.

Notable Problems:

-Stealth Rock, Stealth Rock, STEALTH ROCK. Like I said before, I wanted Articuno to be the face of this team, but I can already see I've made a blunder in the department of "preventing the most crippling feature of Articuno from getting on the field ever." Gigalith and Golem can set it up for free because of Sturdy, and I've managed to run into both of them within a short time-frame, and later in the battle I have to Roost to prevent Articuno from being KOed. Braviary also does not appreciate it.

-Sawk. Especially Scarf Sawk. Not only does it have the coverage to outspeed and devour most of my team late-game, if I failed to keep hazards up by the time it switches in, Braviary, my own Scarfed mon, cannot OHKO with a Brave Bird due to Sturdy, and even before that, is SLOWER than Scarf Sawk (assuming it's Max Speed Jolly Nature).

Not saying that this team hasn't won any battles; actually, I think the ratio of wins to losses are about even.

Thanks again for taking the time to look. I am willing to try out any changes you might have to suggest. Note that Audino is probably the one in the least favorable standing on my team in my opinion, so if you're going to suggest a new mon, I'd mostly like it to take Audino's place, though not necessarily its role. Braviary is also in kinda questionable standing as well, so eh. Articuno is staying, and that much is non-negotiable.

Have an importable:
Anivia (Articuno) @ Life Orb
Trait: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Ice Beam
- Roost
- Substitute

Seismitoad (M) @ Damp Rock
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 96 HP / 252 SAtk / 160 Spd
Modest Nature
- Rain Dance
- Hydro Pump
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock

Cacutar (Cacturne) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Spikes
- Sucker Punch
- Seed Bomb
- Substitute

Lamprey (Eelektross) (F) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 172 HP / 252 SAtk / 84 Spd
Modest Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Grass Knot
- Flamethrower

Saxton (Braviary) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Defiant
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Return
- U-turn
- Superpower

Levity (Audino) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 Def
Calm Nature
- Heal Bell
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
 
offensive articuno / rd sr seismitoad / subspike cacturne / specs eelektross / scarf braviary / sdef audino

you're right when you say that you have a gaping fighting-type weakness with this team, but you're also a little shaky with ludicolo as well. i would probably swap out cacturne for garbodor to patch up the former weakness. you keep the ability to set up spikes pretty well, but you also gain an important fighting-type resistance that can help you take on gurdurr and choice sawk (assuming you don't switch into a coverage move for the latter).

still trying to maintain similar roles of your current team members, i would also try out lickilicky over audino to check ludicolo a tiny bit. lickilicky may not have regenerator and it may not be that much more bulky, but with leftovers, it's good enough to allow it to stall out rain turns (or hydro pump pp) so that it has a chance to body slam ludicolo when rain isn't up.

for more minor changes, giga drain over grass knot on eelektross (this is self-explanatory i hope) and i would personally test out marowak over seismitoad as another stealth rock setter and electric immunity pokémon that, unlike seismitoad, has access to bonemerang to bypass sturdy on some common stealth rock setters before they can set up.

summary:
offensive articuno / rd sr seismitoad sr marowak / subspike cacturne def garbodor / specs eelektross with giga drain / scarf braviary / sdef audino sdef lickilicky

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Marowak @ Thick Club
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 88 HP / 252 Atk / 168 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Bonemerang
- Double-Edge
- Stone Edge

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Lickilicky @ Leftovers
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Body Slam

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Garbodor @ Leftovers or Rocky Helmet
Trait: Aftermath
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spd
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Toxic
- Pain Split
- Gunk Shot

you can play around with garbodor's set; there's a lot that can work on it.
 
I agree with that Garbodor set, but I recommend a different set, as Garbodor can learn Rain Dance. You can see that in the importable feature I will provide.

On Eelektross, since this is meant to be a rain team, go Thunder > Thunderbolt for extra power and paralysis rate.

No, I do not agree on going Marowak over Seismitoad. This is a rain team, and Seismitoad abuses rain better. But on Seismitoad, Ice Beam > Stealth Rock

And yeah, I agree - Lickilicky > Audino. Lickilicky has a good STAB in Body Slam to potentially paralyze things, which is great for Eelektross and Articuno.

Now, for handling your Stealth Rock weakness. I would suggest Wartortle > Braviary. Wartortle can spin and summon Rain. The trade-off? Rain Dish is illegal with Yawn and Haze. Either go Torrent for Yawn and Haze, or Rain Dish for pseudo-recovery. However, it should be noted that Wartortle can just use Lickilicky's Wishes for recovery. And Wartortle NEEDs Haze, since it lacks Roar to phaze things out.

On Articuno. Rain Dance is an option over Substitute if you want to.

I have really limited time now, so I have to leave. Other rates should come. Good luck.

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Lickilicky @ Leftovers
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Body Slam

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Wartortle @ Eviolite (Wartortle NEEDs the bulk)
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SDef / 252 HP
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rain Dance
- Scald
- Rapid Spin
- Haze

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Garbodor @ Damp Rock
Trait: Stench
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spd
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SAtk
- Rain Dance
- Spikes
- Gunk Shot
- Drain Punch
 
Ahhhh, Articuno, a personal favorite of mine. Before I rate, I should address some of the other rates a bit.

@A Dude: A single Rain setter and a couple of Pokes that take advantage of Rain does not a Rain team make. Also, Seismitoad can't learn Ice Beam unfortunately.

@ium: I love Marowak, and it provides some useful traits to the team I must admit, bit giving up both Rain Dance and the ability to KO standard Regirock is difficult. Of course, beating Carracosta, Golem, and many other SR setters is also pretty decent, so I'd say that either option if plausible. If MakaiMai uses A Dude's Wartortle as well, then he should more than have his bases covered.

Now, for my own rate, I'll assume that the team is at its current state. I've has a lot of expereince using Articuno, so hopefully you'll benefit from my efforts, even if you don't use the suggestions.

Stealth Rock is a problem; it's not insurmountable, but it IS on your mind the entire battle. Removing Rocks is a good way to protect Articuno and Braviary, but is also a good way to give up your team's offensive momentum. Personally, for such an offensive team, pure offensive pressure is the more effective way to prevent Stealth Rocks. If you have offensive pressure on your side, then even with Stealth Rocks up, you can still tear teams with Aritcuno. Now, Seismitoad has the power to tear through standard Regirock with a single Hydro Pump without risking Thunder Wave. It IS a bit hard to set up Rocks, Rain, and prevent Rocks with Seismitoad though, which is why I'd look for a better Stealth Rock setter.

Instead of Audino, I recommend Rocky Helmet Regirock as both a support mon, and a decent offensive threat. You lack a way to handle Normal types, especially Cinccino and Zangoose, who are enemies of Articuno. You also gain a better check to pure Ice types who can threaten your team. Audino was just slowing down your team, which lets your opponent take advantage and gain far too much momentum. Seismitoad can now change Stealth Rock to Sludge Wave just to be able to hit incoming Grass types harder. You can also invest more in Speed to outpace Ludicolo, though i suppose that losing the OHKO on Regirock isn't really worth it.

Courtesy of Agent Dell, I would like to suggest Dark Gem and Swords Dance over Leftovers and Substitute on Cacturne. Swords Dance lets you choose whether to set up hazards or sweep with Cacturne. Swords Dance and Dark Gem also lets it become a good check to threatening Dark types, especially Absol and Skuntank. (+2 252+ Atk Dark Gem Cacturne Sucker Punch vs. 20 HP / 0 Def Skuntank: 273-322 (77.55 - 91.47%) -- 31.25% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock).

Now, Braviary doesn't seem to have a point on your team. Sure, you need a revenge killer, but it doesn't reliably stop most of what threatens your team (i.e.- Ludicolo, Scarf/Band Sawk, opposing Psychic types mainly). Instead, it added a Rock weakness to your team, and allowed Fighting types more chances to hurt your team. I feel that Scarf Gardevoir would be a better option here. You check weather sweepers, Fighters, and opposing Psychics are crippled by Trick (except maybe opposing Gardevoir). While you don't easily check Gorebyss at +2, if it's the Modest SubSmash varient, you do outspeed and revenge kill as well.

Changes:

Seismitoad: Sludge Wave>Stealth Rock
Cacturne: Dark Gem>Leftovers; Swords Dance>Substitute; Adamant Nature>Jolly Nature
Gardevoir>Braviary
Regirock>Audino

Cacturne @ Dark Gem
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Spikes
- Sucker Punch
- Seed Bomb
- Swords Dance

Gardevoir (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Trace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Signal Beam
- Focus Blast
- Trick

Regirock @ Rocky Helmet
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Drain Punch
- Thunder Wave/Psych Up/Ice Punch

I hope I at least gave you some useful advice on using Articuno. Good luck and welcome to Smogon! :pimp:

Edit: Lurking and posting on Smogon are two different things :P
 
Yeah, I should clear this up: This isn't meant to be a full blown Rain team, I just chose to include a mon with the capability to set up Rain for perfect Hurricanes, but can also abuse the Rain itself should it need to.

I'm going to switch Eelektross' Grass Knot to Giga Drain, I honestly didn't see Giga Drain as an option when initially building the team. >.>

Lickilicky is a mon that I'm a little shaky about, though I think WhiteDMist has a point about replacing Audino with Regirock instead. A Cincinno nearly swept through my team once, and it was because of a Tail Slap miss that I was even able to KO it and win. I'll give Regirock a try instead of Audino.

I can't really say I agree with Wartortle either. Like I said, this isn't meant to be a Rain team, and I feel that Wartortle won't add much, given that it is and always has been a one-trick-pony.

Note that I want Seismitoad's slot to be occupied with something that can abuse the rain as well as set it up for Articuno. For that reason, I'm gonna have to pass on Marowak as well.

I'll test out the Cacturne changes as well, I never would have thought of something like that, and it actually looks pretty potent.

Scarf Gardevoir will also get a test run in place of Braviary. I actually have used a Scarfed Gardevoir in the past and I remember it being very helpful, so I'll see how well it goes on the team for myself.

I'll actually test these changes tomorrow though, because right now it's 2 AM.

Thanks again for the rates and suggestions.

Edit: Also I like how you say "welcome to Smogon" when I've been lurking for a few months now :V
 
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