Brute Force
Intro
Ok so there is a long intro from a while ago, but I just want to make this brief. I'm posting this now because of the deo-s and changing metagame. Basically, when Excadrill and Thundurus got banned people decided that this kind of team was suddenly viable. It was viable all along. These teams do not have to be generic and they are not easy lol wins on the ladder. Many of the games really boil down to pure strategy. You can't throw up screens and bring in a random sweeper. It's more than just "deo and 5 sweepers". They have to be able to match up against the various different teams and weathers, not get swept or setup on by common threats, and work together to eliminate common counters. Teambuilding is so essential to this. The metagame heavily revolves around deoxys spiker leads and dragonite now. Nite in particular is almost impossible to take down without loosing team members. Even things like scarers just can't bring it down. That was the concept of my team; throw lum nite under screens and have it become a juggernaut. Screens are just my favorite way to go since I like the ability to tank all sorts of attacks and be able to set up easily, but things like the regular deo spiker can work too. I think some of the problems BW is having now are people's mindsets. Deoxys was just as good now as it was half a year ago. As these new sets surface people aren't ready to deal with them and then we get too eager with the banhammer. Yea I just wanted to make my point about this. Also this is my 1k :).
I've been working on this team for a while now, it's the physical counterpart of my other dual screens team. It's alot of fun to use and the games are usually fast paced and close! The idea is the same, but the changes in the metagame make using physical worthwhile, despite having to deal with more varied physical walls like Gliscor, Quagsire, Skarmory, Ferrothorn, Tangrowth, Jellicent, Slowbro, ect rather than just Blissey / Chansey, Quagsire, Jirachi, Ferrothorn. Basically, I aim to use sweeper or two to bait out these walls and damage them to the point where they can't wall me anymore. Then the remaining sweepers can hopefully clean the other team out. It's very effective against bulky offense and even stall, which populate this metagame. Screens buy me setup time and stop things like priority and scarf from revenging me. Those are the real banes of this kind of team, as they stop things from damaging the enemies' team before going down. It's a more strategic game now. Some times I will sacrifice 2-3 pokemon against stall just to get 60% off the one mon that is stopping my Haxorus. Team building is also insanely important here. I need ways to not only be covered against common sweepers (stop them from setting up on me while I try to sweep), but to have ways of setting up on common sweepers and walls. The team went through many stages before what I think is the most effective version.
Physical teams like this tend to be somewhat similar, but there is no template or required mons. It's mainly because things like Haxorus are just effective in the metagame right now. Speaking of which, DRAGONITE AND DEOXYS. Everywhere. Another plus for using Scizor and Haxorus as a core. Screeners like Latios, Starmie, and even Sub Pass Espeon are usable. Screens may not even be necessary, it depends on what you are using. I know from testing that screens make my particular team more effective. Dual dragons are not the only way to go, having fighting types and water types is cool too. Kingdra + Scizor was actually the focus of this team for some time before Haxorus' Quag killing abilities were needed. There are many different ways this kind of team can be effective, it's not as rigid as something like Politoed / Ferrothorn / Tentacruel that promotes teams having really similar builds. The strategy is the same but there are many ways to make this effective. I'm no pro at battling but for those who care about ratings it did get several of my alts far on the ladder, the most successful screenshot I can find was #39@1418 on SU. no big deal ,who cares, not as much as the ladder kings but the point is to show that this type of team is viable and effective. It's "Brute Force" because that's what the other teams face; overpowering offense.
Physical teams like this tend to be somewhat similar, but there is no template or required mons. It's mainly because things like Haxorus are just effective in the metagame right now. Speaking of which, DRAGONITE AND DEOXYS. Everywhere. Another plus for using Scizor and Haxorus as a core. Screeners like Latios, Starmie, and even Sub Pass Espeon are usable. Screens may not even be necessary, it depends on what you are using. I know from testing that screens make my particular team more effective. Dual dragons are not the only way to go, having fighting types and water types is cool too. Kingdra + Scizor was actually the focus of this team for some time before Haxorus' Quag killing abilities were needed. There are many different ways this kind of team can be effective, it's not as rigid as something like Politoed / Ferrothorn / Tentacruel that promotes teams having really similar builds. The strategy is the same but there are many ways to make this effective. I'm no pro at battling but for those who care about ratings it did get several of my alts far on the ladder, the most successful screenshot I can find was #39@1418 on SU. no big deal ,who cares, not as much as the ladder kings but the point is to show that this type of team is viable and effective. It's "Brute Force" because that's what the other teams face; overpowering offense.
Preview
The Team
Deoxys-S @ Light Clay
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Reflect
- Light Screen
The set remains the same. Deo provides cover so my early game sweepers can get more setup time. It's difficult to nab 2 DDs off a Ferrothorn otherwise. Taunt stops things from setting up on me, keeping stealth rock away is always nice. Keeping SR away is easier with Deo, so they will only get up SR if they have a Deo and win the speed tie, or if they bring in Ttar before I've gotten the necessary screens, so I don't want to risk taunting the. Other than that, they might get midge hazards when I'm locked to outrage (let their ferro eat 80%, that's fine by me) Rocks of my own also save me big time against d-nite, which can survive a hit from everything barring Haxorus unboosted. With reflect, Haxorus has a good chance of even setting up against Skarmory and bringing it pretty low. Bullet punch barely dents my sweepers and scarers are unable to revenge anything. Keeping this brief since it's the same old Deo.
Regarding the Deo-s thread: I don't think deo is broken. Yea it can screen really well, but there are other things that can too. Its coverage can take people who don't take it (lol 95 spa!!!) seriously and get KOs with a surprise superpower or psycho boost. But in the end as a screener it will fall after setting screens that anything else can set. The LO set can be walled by bulky steels, and the spiker can be stopped from getting too many layers with the right mons. It has the potential to break the game up early, but that doesn't make it uber.
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Virizion @ Life Orb
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Leaf Blade
- Stone Edge
Virizion is just so underrated. It's the can opener or cleaner against stall, the check against Quagsire, and the resistance monster. If I see the opponent is packing Skarmory, (early game Scizor is usually a bad idea) Virizion is the mon I go to. Close combat does around 75% to impish max, meaning if they brave bird they are gone. Most of the things it can send out can finish it or stop it from roosting. Virizion is notorious for beating all of the physical walls; Quagsire, Gliscor, Skarmory, Slowbro, Jellicent, you name it. Rain stall, and stall in general, crumbles against Virizion. Life orb > Lum, since it needs all the power it can get with its average 90 atk stat. Virizion is walled by psychics mainly, Celebi, Lati@s, Reuniclus, which is the main downside to Virizion, since they don't really wall the rest of my team (maybe Gyara). Virizion also saves me against Starmie, who is really dangerous otherwise. This team does not function the same without it, it covers me against so many different kinds of threats.
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Dragonite @ Lum Berry
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Fire Punch
- Extremespeed
One of the main reasons to use dual screens. With screens up, Multiscale intact, and lum berry at the ready, Dragonite is essentially invincible. Except for taunt, nothing is stopping me from getting up at least 1 dragon dance. If they have a priority abuser like Scizor, it's best to get one dance so I can stay above the KO range. Most teams I see have Scizor so this sucks, but on the teams that don't getting 2 dragon dances is very common since this thing is so difficult to stop. Outrage > Dragon Claw, the damage output us very important for things like Gliscor, Politoed, Rotom, ect. Lum is better here for multiscale, though it usually breaks before I attack, and for status-mongers that provide me with free setup while they waste time trying to wisp me. It does have 75% accuracy, so if it misses and I get an extra DD, it can be GG. Don't rely on that! Extremespeed lets me weaken scarers like Rotom and also revenge weakened sweepers who might try and setup on me and take too much damage. It leaves me walled by Heatran, who commonly has a balloon, so the 2HKO from Outrage is the same. I miss the KO on Terrakion (unbolted) and Ttar (boosted) with Outrage, but extremespeed is worth it. EVs are simple, ect.
Just adding this here regarding the complaints against D-nite: Multiscale is ridiculous. Except for things like specs Meteor and Icicle crash, anything is setup fodder for a turn, even ice beams. But with SR up it is just an above average sweeper. I think the problem is how easy it is to have a dedicated SR remover + nit, that's what gives it the edge against teams. The fact that bulky nite with roost can take a scarf landorus stone edge and get to +2 and proceed to setup on it is pretty crazy.
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Gyarados @ Life Orb
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Bounce
- Double-Edge
Useless against rain stall, but an excellent glue moon and sweeper. (Still good against stall that doesn't have ferrothorn and quag) Gyarados is my safety net against some sweepers that can set up on the rest of my team, like Volcarona, Dragonite, ect. If they set up, I can sac Gyara to take them out, or sometimes even setup on them. Intimidate > Moxie. Coverage is weird, basically I'm tired of stone edge so I'm not using that unless I have to. Haven't missed it. Bounce is for bulky grass types like Ferro, Celebi, Tangrowth. Hax appreciates having Ferro weakened (does around 65% to it) and the other two can't stop Gyara because if it. I had return but it only did 1% to a Latios after a DD?? Double edge OHKOs it after SR most of the time and also OHKOs Rotom-w all of the time after SR. Screw scarf though, although I can survive a t-bolt with light screen and full health. I've used lum on this thing for the longest time, but Rotom can just survive and ruin my sweep. It also gives an increased damage output against things like Quagsire so they can't recover stall with 0 risk, in the rain. Also helps against Scizor, Lucario, ect who can survive non LO waterfalls. People are discovering the sub-bounce now, but the classic gyara is just as good as ever.
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Haxorus @ Lum Berry
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 126 HP / 252 SAtk / 132 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Taunt
More powerful than Dragonite. That's right. This thing is just ridiculous. Deserves the obnoxiously sized picture. The second part of my main core. Against stall, steel types, multiscale, everything. You've got taunt, no SR / 4x ice weak, mold breaker, and better offensive stats. Taunt lets you stop whirlwind, status, and leech seed. Haxorus reaches enough speed to beat scarf Poli with only 132 Evs, so the extra 120 can make him alot bulkier. Since you aren't 4x ice weak, you can survive most unstabbed ice beams and such. You hit more speed (beat scarf terrakion at +2, where nite can't), more power, and similar physical bulk. You also have 147 base attack which gets the 2HKO on quag unboosted. Speaking of quag, mold breaker completely nullifies unaware, so quag isn't stopping hax anytime soon. Nite does have fire punch and extremspeed though, but hax isn't far behind. Ultimate stall killer and second way of beating Quagsire. Also Hax destroys rain teams for some reason. It's uncanny. Usually I let Virizion weaken stall a bit, then clean with Hax when I don't have to worry about full health Ferro, Toed ect and waste outrage turns on them. Yea I rarely use Eq and I even had mono attacker with SD over it, but CM Jirachi can be difficult at times and it is more consistent. I have to remind myself, EQ hits Rotom dumbass! It saves me outrage turns. Lum laughs at scald, taunt laughs at leech seed, roar, ect. Monster.
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Scizor @ Life Orb
Trait: Technician
EVs: 224 HP / 252 Atk / 32 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
Cleaner, revenge killer, glue. Scizor really holds this team together but it has to be played at the right time. Early game is usually a bad idea, since Scizor is slow and things that resist BP without taking much damage from it while boosted are common, like Heatran and Rotom-w. Life orb makes Scizor hit like an adrenaline boosted prizefighter. Even things like Rachi will not appreciate it when they are a bit lower in health. Bug bite deals nice damage, even to things that you think would take resisted damages, like enemy Gyarados, but U-turn is something I've picked up on. Basically, I might need Scizor early game against something like Latias or Deoxys, but that would leave Scizor as fodder as it usually is if you try and set up with it early. This way I can check something like Haxorus with U-turn and covers my revenger. Late game is usually just Bullet punching and maybe a superpower, so it isn't a big deal. Brick break is another option against other screen teams, but it doesn't OHKO other Scizor at +2. Bullet punch is the most important move, but superpower is what lets me take down other Scizor and keeps Skarmory under pressure. My goal is to be faster than Scizor but slower than Skarmory. Another weakness of my teams the lack of steel types, Scizor is my only defense against Haxorus, who can even get past Gyarados and shrugs off priority. Usually my cleaner if Virizion is not. It's even better than it was in DPP, most important member of the team no doubt.
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1k
I've been on Smogon for around 2 years now (took me long enough to get 1k) and it played a pretty big role regarding games, lurking and reading stuff in firebot and a forum, and the discussions in DST / stark. Little shoutout to a few of the nice people here I've gotten to know a bit and people who discuss stuff in dst. Even the ponies and murderous bodoms from falchat. And yes, eggbert is a stupid name, I know.
Threats and Conclusion
The biggest threats to my team are really fast and powerful scarfers like Terrakion and excessive priority in ice shard. Starmie in the rain is pretty brutal. Offensive hail is difficult to beat for that reason. There are so many possibilities for sweepers so I'm open to suggestions. Thanks for reading, - Eggbert. Also note: I'm typing this with auto spelling correct so things like mon turn into moon by accident, ect.
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