Hello, as some of you probably know me, I'm SIckist. I've been on Smogon on several accounts since 2014. However, I usually lurked around and played randbatz until around 2016. That's when I started to learn. I began with OU and Ubers, and then discovered my favorite tier: SM UU. I have made many friends along the way that have helped me grow as a player, and as a person. This RMT will be my reflection on how far I've come as a player in my favorite tier, but not as a stopping line. No, this is only a marker that I'm only 1/3 of the way. This RMT also is dedicated to all of my friends that have helped me get this far. So here's to them, and let's get into this.
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This RMT will be divided into 5 Sections:
Teambuilding Process
Later Editions
In-depth Look
Threatlist
Thanks and Final Thoughts
Teambuilding Process
I started off with one of the most reliable pokemon I have had the pleasure to use throughout UU, Mega Steelix. It provides Stealth Rocks support, Acts as a Latias, Altaria, and Scizor answer, and even potentially a cleaner with Curse in low ladder games. It's ascetically pleasing as well, it just has so much going for it. It is by far my favorite Mega in the tier. Enough Jibberjabber about how cool it is though, Mega Steelix is one of the best Megas in the tier, boasting naturally amazing stats for what it does, many options to run like Curse, Toxic, Fire Fang, etc. Overall, it's a very solid pick these days.
Primarina and Steelix tend to synergize very well, as they cover each other's weaknesses quite well. Primarina can handle the majority of Water, Fighting, Ground, and Fire types with it's amazing Water/Fairy dual typing and respectable natural bulk. Meanwhile, Steelix can answer the majority of Steel, Poison, Grass, and Electric types with their sights aimed at Primarina. On this team, Primarina is acting as a bulky pivot that can come in on the aftermentioned Water, Fighting, Ground, and Fire Types that scare Steelix out. It also has the two most spammable moves in the game, Scald and Moonblast, which are both very annoying to come in on, resulting in either a Burn or a Special Attack drop on whatever is coming in.
Despite Sage bullying Hydreigon back into the A+ rank, It's still one of the best pokemon in the tier. With the ability to act as a scarfer, breaker, defogger, stallbreaker, as well as other roles on builds variating from Offense to Stall, Hydreigon is certainly one of UnderUsed's most versatile threats. On this team, we are using it as a Scarfer, which allows us to revenge kill the majority of pokemon in the tier, barring ones that have priority, such as Infernape or a boosted Scizor. Hydreigon also forms a very solid Steel/Fairy/Dragon core with Primarina and Steelix, which is very hard to switch into on the offensive side, and can be annoying to try and break from the defensive standpoint.
With the main core of 3 complete, I looked at what I needed next. Electrics, particularly Manectric looked very irritating, as Hydreigon and Steelix could not reliably switch in over and over, as both lack recovery and or don't like coming on Fire Coverage (Steelix). I also lacked a defogger at this point, and a way to get in my 3 mons so far, so Gligar looked like a reliable choice. Gligar brings to the table a Toxic immunity, reliable recovery in Roost, access to U-turn which allows us to pivot in on things, and a stellar dual typing in Ground/Flying. Gligar overall helps my matchup vs other threats such as SD Bugium Scizor, (very slightly, but I'll take what I can get). Gligar also forms a nice hazard core with Steelix.
Stall is actually not my least favorite thing to run into on the ladder yet. I much less prefer fighting Hyper Offense as opposed to stall. None the less, it is still a problem for what I had currently in my builder, so Terrakion was chosen. Shoutout to my good friend itsjustdrew for the set, as well as overall improving the team to it's final form. A well played Terrakion is by far the scariest thing to run into on the ladder, because of what it can run. Banded blows away any chance of Gligar being a Stone Edge switch-in, where SD Rockium just blows back Slowbro, and Banded Earthquake invalidates Doublade in 2 turns. Overall, this thing is scary, but when used with Toxic, it can annoy stall to no end.
Finally, I needed a reliable Primarina answer, a way to discourage things from U-turning all of the time, a defensive backbone, and a overall pivot into water types. Whatever else I'm forgetting, Amoongus fit the bill. It has an amazing ability in Regenerator, access to Spore, good stats, and a decent typing. It also is the most annoying thing to low ladder, to the point where I now have to scout for Z Air Slash Mantine or Z Bounce Zeraora. Overall, Amoongus is a defensive behemoth, that can sleep and weaken anything that wants to try and U-turn or Settup on it.
Later Addtions
As previously mentioned, the team obviously looked a bit different before Drew came along and helped me. Terrakion and Primarina were actually Latias and Sylveon. Obviously those changes were made, which benefitted the team. Amoongus has also switched items various times, as I am quite indecisive of whether Rocky Helmet or Black Sludge benefits the build more. The last move on Gligar has also shifted some, variating from U-turn to Knock off, to Taunt, back to U-turn. Anymore permanent changes will either be marked here or when I redo this RMT later in my career.
In-Depth Look
Steelix-Mega @ Steelixite
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 208 Atk / 48 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Earthquake
- Gyro Ball
- Stealth Rock
- Curse
Earthquake is Steelix's Primary STAB attack, hitting everything that isnt immune or resistant to it for decent damage. Gyro Ball nails faster threats really hard, and acts as a Secondary STAB. Stealth Rocks are Stealth Rocks, and we all know what those do by now. Curse allows Steelix to 1v1 Swords Dance Scizor, as well as even take on things like Gligar if need be.
Primarina @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Moonblast
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
Scald is a very spammable STAB attack that threatens anything coming in with a burn, potentially crippling them for the match. Moonblast is Primarina's secondary STAB, hitting Dragons as well as fighting and darks for super effective damage. Rest and Sleep Talk allow Primarina to heal itself, while not being a sitting duck for those 2 sleep turns.
Hydreigon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- U-turn
Draco Meteor hits everything that isn't resistant to it or specially defensive REALLY HARD. Like it does at least 40% to everything that isnt immune, specially bulky, or resistant to it. Dark Pulse acts as a consistant STAB, even plowing through things with cheesy flinches 20% of the time. Fire Blast hits Steel Types like Cobalion and Klefki that would want to switch in on Hydreigon's Dragon and Dark attacks. Finally, U-turn allows Hydreigon to nail something and then switch out, generating momentum.
Gligar @ Eviolite
Ability: Immunity
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Earthquake
- U-turn / Knock Off / Taunt
- Roost
- Defog
Earthquake allows Gligar to not be a sitting duck in the face of Taunt users suchs Nidoking, Chesnaught, etc. U-turn allows Gligar to pivot out of these unfavorable matchups, Taunt allows Gligar to prevent Defog, Wishpassing, Healing, etc. from anything slower, and Knock Off removes the opposing pokemon's item, such as opposing Gligar or Doublade's eviolite. Roost allows Gligar to consistently remain healthy throughout a game, making it last longer vs things like Zeraora, Cobalion, Terrakion, and Mega Manectric. Defog removes hazards from the field, overall improving the longevity of all of my team.
Terrakion @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Toxic
- Close Combat
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
Close Combat and Stone Edge are Terrakion's hard hitting STABs, threatening a large chunk of the tier with super-effective damage. Swords Dance boosts Terrakion's attack so it can break through Stall and Fatter teams easier. Toxic pressures Quagsire and Palossad, 2 of Terrakion's checks on stall. Fightinium is used over rockium here to nab things like Hippowdon and Swampert, that would come in on a resisted Z Stone Edge.
Amoonguss @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Clear Smog
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Spore
Giga Drain gives Amoongus some recovery, as well as hitting Water types like Crawdaunt and Swampert for super effective damage. Clear Smog(on) acts as a pseudo haze, removing all stat changes from whatever gets hit with it. Hidden Power Fire hits Scizor for 4x effective damage, allowing for Amoongus to 1v1 Scizor. Spore puts things to sleep. That's it. That's all it does.
Threat list
The team has a decent overall matchup vs most metagame threats, but these in particular are annoying or just scary:
Nothing really switches into Dazzling Gleam variants here. With correct prediction, Celebi gets dispatched by Hydreigon. Still a pain to deal with though.
There are 0 ways to actually 1v1 this thing on this team without PP stalling it with Amoongus. Synthesis variants are particularly irritating to the point where I have ripped out hair. Spore is basically free with Sludge Bomb variants of Amoongus.
Banded Swampert is a monster for this team. With correct prediction, everything kinda gets bopped by it.
Thanks and Closing Thoughts
I'm not going to say every name in 1 giant paragraph, but I'll divide this up in the best way I can. Thanks to everyone who made this list, or didn't. Either way you've made a small contribution to make me a better person or player.
itsjustdrew TPP Euphonos Sage Accelgor vivalospride 'sei.
You 7 have directly all made me a better person, whether it be by encouraging me and helping me up when I fall, giving me a role model to look up to, or showing me reality and what to expect and be prepared for. Thanks for all of that, each and every one of you. I won't let you down.
You 7 have directly all made me a better person, whether it be by encouraging me and helping me up when I fall, giving me a role model to look up to, or showing me reality and what to expect and be prepared for. Thanks for all of that, each and every one of you. I won't let you down.
A Cake Wearing A Hat pokeisfun faded love BackAtYouBro Scizorphobic Twilight Amane Misa Donphantastic explodingdaisies
You all put up with my shenanigans in the UU room, and joke with me, correct me and guide me, or teach me new things I never knew. I appreciate you all for that and I hope I can one day teach you all something worthwhile in trade. Thanks for that.
You all put up with my shenanigans in the UU room, and joke with me, correct me and guide me, or teach me new things I never knew. I appreciate you all for that and I hope I can one day teach you all something worthwhile in trade. Thanks for that.
locri laser火circus Ske Srn volcanionisgood LL and any others that don't have smogon accounts
Thanks for being cool dudes and actually talking and joking with me. I respect you all and hopefully I will become good enough and well established enough as a player and a person for you to respect me too.
Thanks for being cool dudes and actually talking and joking with me. I respect you all and hopefully I will become good enough and well established enough as a player and a person for you to respect me too.
Thanks to TPP and Gross Sweep for putting up with me accidentally posting my RMTs in the past too fast. Cool-downs are things I need to remember
Finally, special thanks to ABR, 'sei, itsjustdrew, and TPP for sharing rough days with me. It's been tough but you all have helped me to shine through my darkest hours. It's thanks to you all mentioned and many more users on Pokemon Showdown that I am the player that I am and am striving to be. Thanks for everything.
In conclusion, this is only the first step of many in my voyage as a player and a person. I have yet to finish High School or Get a job that doesn't make me want to become a government official during the French Revolution, and have yet to top ladder or even make it to the big league stages of SPL and UUPL/OUPL. I still have lots of improvements to make, times to share, and laughs to enjoy with all of you, so I thank you all for reading and shaping me to be who I am.
