Ice is Nice (OU Hail)

[frogbandit]

Ok, so this is my second RMT and my first attempt at a hail team. I actually slapped this team together in about 20 minutes... (i wasn't supposed to tell u that)

My record so far is 7-3... :P

So plez rate!

This is the team...


The Lead
Abomasnow

Abomasnow (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spe/252 SAtk
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Blizzard
- Wood Hammer

Obviously, this guy is the leader. He also makes a good subseeder, and can take out almost all bulky waters. There wasn't much choice for this spot.

Choice Specs Sweep
Glaceon

Glaceon (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Snow Cloak
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spe/252 SpA
Modest nature
- Blizzard
- Hidden Power (Fighting)
- Sleep Talk
- Shadow Ball

I chose Glaceon with Choice Specs because of Blizzard's 100% accuracy in hail and its immense power. I can do 70% damage to things that resist Blizzard, scary. My main weapon is blizzard, but if I am sleep-powdered or spored, I can always sleep talk. Shadow ball and HP Fighting are mainly for type coverage.


The "Stall" Wall
Walrein

Walrein (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Ice Body
EVs: 220 HP/240 Def/48 Spe
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Blizzard
- Earthquake
- Substitute
- Protect

Ah, classic Stallrein. Anyone that has faced it knows its power. Sub and protect are very annoying, while blizzard provides good STAB. Earthquake is used basically for more type coverage and another attacking move. It pairs well with toxic spikes from Tentacruel also. Not much else to say about this choice either.

The Snoozing Fridge
Rotom-F

Rotom-F @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/120 Def/136 SpD
Bold nature
- Thunderbolt
- Blizzard
- Sleep Talk
- Rest

I prefer Rotom-f because of its nice access to blizzard, its good typing (ghost-electric), and STAB T-bolt. Thunderbolt scares gyarados, which is important for my team. Blizzard is pretty self-explanatory, 100% accuracy and is powerful. Rest and Sleep Talk are also useful because Rotom is then very hard to take down.


Special Sweeper
Starmie

Starmie @ Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Spe
Timid nature
- Surf
- Thunderbolt
- Psychic
- Blizzard

With excellent type coverage, and good typing, Starmie actually makes an excellent special sweeper. With these four moves I can take down almost anything, especially with its 252 EV investment in Speed. Natural Cure is also useful as I can switch out to heal status that could hurt me. Maybe I should turn Starmie into a revenge killer? Would that help my team more?


Toxic Spikes/Utility/Rapid Spinner
Tentacruel

mmm...
Tentacruel (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 252 HP/120 Def/136 SpD
Lonely nature
- Surf
- Toxic Spikes
- Blizzard
- Rapid Spin

Well, Tentacruel serves as a good utility for me. It serves as my toxic spiker, which is crucial to my stalling, and rapid spins away stealth rock. Surf is used for good stab, while blizzard explains itself. Overall, a great pokemon.

So, there's my team.

Threat list; coming soon!

Have fun rating!
:naughty:

 

[MrIndigo]

I think you're overusing Blizzard a bit. While it's awesome on some of your pokemon, when you come up against Tyranitar+Random Dragon, you really need an accurate Ice move as a backup.

On Tentacruel, I would replace Blizzard with Knock Off. Hail teams are inherently stall-based, and Knock Off works wonders at removing the ever-present Leftovers.

I would change the EV spread on Abomasnow to 240 Attack, 124 SAtk, 144 Speed with Naughty nature. This makes him just slower than Tyranitar and Hippowdon leads, and can OHKO each of them with Wood Hammer and Blizzard respectively if you give him a Life Orb. It's easily the best Hail lead I've found.

I would replace Starmie with Heatran, too. Heatran covers your huge Fire weakness better than Starmie does, with equal special coverage. It also gives you something that can switch in to Dragon-type attacks, which is otherwise a problem. I'd consider running Fire Blast/Earth Power/Dragon Pulse/Stealth Rock.

Run Roar over one of Stallrein's attacks.

I would also make Glaceon Scarfed rather than Specsed (you already have a lot of special attack power, but Glaceon is so abominably slow, man), and replace Sleep Talk with Ice Beam, for clearing up after Abomasnow is gone towards the end of the game (equivalent to how some Heatran run Fire Blast and Flamethrower). You already have Rotom-F as a Sleep Absorber, a second one is redundant.

Finally, keep in mind that you have almost no physical attacking capability on your team, meaning that Latias and Blissey are both problems.

 

[--ACT--]

OK, when using hail one must always be able to stop Tyranitar or the team itself cannot function. When I see this team I mainly realize that DDtar can easily your entire team.

Because of this I suggest that you change starmie to gliscor. You already have a bulky water in tentacruel who can spin away hazards so starmie becomes redudant.

With gliscor you can Stop ttar and threaten with EQ.
I suggest this set:

Gliscor@leftovers
252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spe
Stealth Rock
Earthquake
Roost
U-turn/Taunt/Stone Edge

With gliscor you can not only provide physical support but also lay a always useful layer of stealth rock. Furthermore gliscor also fixes your gaping SD lucario problem as well.

Finally I reccommend giving rotom willo-wisp over sleep talk. With willo-wisp you can but an end to scizors fun while also giving you insurance with physical attackers

Just some suggestions. GOOD LUCK!

 

[Rezon]

I suggest making a few changes.

Froslass over Glaceon
Gliscor or Zapdos over Starmie or Tentacruel (Starmie if you decide to keep a rapid spinner due to Recover)

Frosslass @ Leftovers
Nature: Timid
Ability: Snow Cloak
Evs: 252 SpA/ 252 Spe/ 6 Def
Moveset:
Spikes/Destiny Bond
Thunder Wave
Substitute
Blizzard/Ice Beam

I think its pretty obvious. T-Wave then Substitute down until they get paralyzed or they miss. Destiny Bond can work as a way to go out while taking someone else down to. Other moves are obvious.

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Nature: Timid
Ability: Pressure
Evs: 248 HP/ 84 Def/ 176 Spe
Moveset:
Thunderbolt/Discharge
Heat Wave
Hidden Power [Grass]/Roar/Toxic
Roost

This set is great. It outruns max speed Lucario while still having great bulk. Move choices are obvious.

Gliscor @ Leftovers
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Hyper Cutter
Evs: 180 HP/ 112 Def/ 216 Spe
Moveset:
Earthquake
Stealth Rock
Roost
Stone Edge/Fire Fang

My own set. 180 HP is a Lefties point. 216 Speed and Jolly nature outruns max speed Lucario. Fire Fang can be used for Scizor, though Stone Edge is generally the better choice.

Gliscor would work over Starmie or Tentacruel
Zapdos would work over Starmie or Tentacruel
Frosslass would work over Glaceon

I highly suggest only Zapdos or Gliscor on this team though, not both. Zapdos would solve your Scizor weakness while Gliscor can do that and counter Tyranitar.

 

[frogbandit]

Thanks Rezon, ACT, and MrIndigo. I'll make sure to try out gliscor, heatran, zapdos, and frosslass :P

 

[Bloo]

On Tentacruel, there is no need to use a Lonely nature. Lonely boosts your Attack stat and lowers Tentacruel's Defense. Tentacruel is using no physical moves, making Lonely a horrible nature to use. With Tentacruel's Defense being lowered by Lonely, you'll have a harder time taking on Infernape's Close Combat's, which Tentacruel should be taking relatively well. Instead of a Lonely nature, I suggest using a Calm nature (+SpD, -Atk) Without Lonely lowering your Defense, Infernape's Close Combat will be a 3HKO on average and Tentacruel will be able to take physical hits from the likes of Breloom much better then before. The Calm nature allows Tentacruel to switch-in on special attacks more effectively. For example, With a Calm nature, Choice Scarf Heatran's Earth Power will not 2HKO Tentacruel.

Over Earthquake on Walrein, consider Roar. With Roar, Walrein can act as your phazer. In addition to the above, you can shuffle your opponent in to let Toxic Spikes damage and Stealth Rock damage (if you use the Gliscor suggeted in above posts) build up and you also get to reveal some other members of their team as well. Secondly, you can prevent Skarmory from Whirlwinding your Substitute away by Roaring Skarmory out first, as you outspeed with the 48 Speed EVs you have. Roar also means that Gyarados cannot just Dragon Dance freely while Walrein is on the field. Roar will force it to take even more residual damage from Stealth Rock when it comes back in. Earthquake is used to hit Heatran, Infernape, etc. All of those Pokemon are covered relatively well by your Starmie and Tentacruel, meaning you could give Roar a shot.

Also, hail teams love Stealth Rock support. Pokemon such as Zapdos (who can hit everyone on this team except Rotom for super effective damage with Thunderbolt and Heat Wave) will be much easier to handle if you hadd Stealth Rock on this team. The Gliscor suggested in the above posts would do a number of things for your team. It provides you with a Stealth Rock user, a Tyranitar check, and a Lucario counter. Since your team is rather Lucario weak in addition to Machamp weak as well, Gliscor is something to consider, as it does nicely against the aforementioned Pokemon. Earthquake, Stealth Rock, Roost, Stone Edge, 252 HP, 40 Defense, 216 Speed, Jolly. EQ for STAB, Stone Edge for Flying-types such as Zapdos. Roost allows Gliscor to take repeated hits from Machamp and will allow it to heal any damage it has taken in the course of a match.