I have been playing Pokemon Showdown for quite a while now. I am mostly a UU player but I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and explore other tiers. I started playing RarelyUsed. Being a fan of Delphox in Pokemon XY, I started building a team around it and another favorite in Hitmonlee. At first, I lost a lot because I was pretty unfamiliar with the state of the metagame but with some team edtiting and polishing, I am now having some decent success. Here's the team:
When I first played RU, I wanted to use two of my favorite Pokemon in the tier, Delphox and Hitmonlee. I mostly used it for the basic special/physical offensive core.
I added Golbat, Doublade and Cresselia to give my team some good bulk. Mega Glalie was also there for extra offensive pressure.
When Cresselia and Doublade moved up to UU, I replaced them with Jellicent to help me spread burns as well as checking physical attackers. I also decided that I wanted to have spikes on my team so I added Accelgor but that meant removing Defog Golbat so I replaced it with Druddigon as a special tank and a Stealth Rock setter. Finally when Smeargle moved down to NU, I replaced Accelgor with Smeargle for two goodies: Spore and Sticky Web while also retaining Spikes. So here's the final team:
Mean Face (Glalie) @ Glalitite
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Double-Edge
- Freeze-Dry
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
One of my team's fearsome wallbreakers, Mega Glalie breaks down defensive cores not named Mega Steelix. Double Edge is the main wallbreaking move while Freeze Dry is for Water-Type Pokemon as well as some physically defensive mons. Earthquake to hit Houndoom as well as Delphox when under Sticky Web. Ice Shard is good priority to pick off threats such as Scarf Flygon.
Drogon (Druddigon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Glare
- Dragon Tail
- Fire Punch
My Druddigon has two main roles: set-up Stealth Rocks and absorb Special Attacks. My Druddigon really helps me deal with threats like Jolteon, Tangrowth, Eelektross, and Rotom-Mow. It also has Glare to spread paralysis to cripple fast offensive mons. Fire Punch rounds up the coverage to hit Durant and Escavalier, but I rarely use it so this moveslot is open to change.
Pinkie (Jellicent) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Recover
- Hex
Jellicent absorbs physical attacks, spreads burns, and stalls threats out with Recover. It has Taunt to cripple slower defensive Pokemon such as Mega Steelix. I chose Hex over Scald due its power boost on statused Pokemon and to beat opposing Jellicent.
BRIE MODE (Delphox) (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Fire Blast
- Psyshock
- Grass Knot
Delphox is the special sweeper of the team. With high Special Attack and Speed, it is able to sweep with Calm Mind or clean up late-game with its powerful moves. Grass Knot is the coverage here to destroy the likes of Seismetoad and Rhyperior. Psyshock beats Specially Defensive mons like Audino. Fire Blast is the strongest STAB. I've been thinking a lot on Fire Blast vs Flamethrower for the power vs accuracy thing. I still use Fire Blast because I really like its nice raw power. What do you guys think?
Smeargle @ Focus Sash
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sticky Web
- Spore
- Spikes
- Taunt
Basic support Pokemon setting up Sticky Web and Spikes as well as putting a threat to sleep. If there are some better options, just feel free to share.
AJ Lee (Hitmonlee) @ Life Orb
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
- Mach Punch
- Rapid Spin
Reckless Hitmonlee wallbreaks really strong with its powerful High Jump Kick. Knock Off is there for Ghost types, Mach Punch for priority and Rapid Spin for hazard removal since I have Delphox and Glalie.
Threatlist:
Alomomola: I really find it hard to braeak down Alomomola due to its ridiculous bulk and Regenerator. It can survive hits from Freeze Dry and Grass Knot. I don't have Toxic on my team so Will-O-Wisp is my only way of wearing it down.
Tyrantrum: I don't have the Pokemon to reliably absorb its powerful Head Smash so if it's scarf, my only way of bringing it down is through super-effective priority. Its good bulk means it can tank some neutral hits. One of the reasons I like Sticky Web.
Stall teams in general: I really hate Stall teams, especially those Regenerator cores.
When I first played RU, I wanted to use two of my favorite Pokemon in the tier, Delphox and Hitmonlee. I mostly used it for the basic special/physical offensive core.
I added Golbat, Doublade and Cresselia to give my team some good bulk. Mega Glalie was also there for extra offensive pressure.
When Cresselia and Doublade moved up to UU, I replaced them with Jellicent to help me spread burns as well as checking physical attackers. I also decided that I wanted to have spikes on my team so I added Accelgor but that meant removing Defog Golbat so I replaced it with Druddigon as a special tank and a Stealth Rock setter. Finally when Smeargle moved down to NU, I replaced Accelgor with Smeargle for two goodies: Spore and Sticky Web while also retaining Spikes. So here's the final team:
Mean Face (Glalie) @ Glalitite
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Double-Edge
- Freeze-Dry
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
One of my team's fearsome wallbreakers, Mega Glalie breaks down defensive cores not named Mega Steelix. Double Edge is the main wallbreaking move while Freeze Dry is for Water-Type Pokemon as well as some physically defensive mons. Earthquake to hit Houndoom as well as Delphox when under Sticky Web. Ice Shard is good priority to pick off threats such as Scarf Flygon.
Drogon (Druddigon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Glare
- Dragon Tail
- Fire Punch
My Druddigon has two main roles: set-up Stealth Rocks and absorb Special Attacks. My Druddigon really helps me deal with threats like Jolteon, Tangrowth, Eelektross, and Rotom-Mow. It also has Glare to spread paralysis to cripple fast offensive mons. Fire Punch rounds up the coverage to hit Durant and Escavalier, but I rarely use it so this moveslot is open to change.
Pinkie (Jellicent) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Recover
- Hex
Jellicent absorbs physical attacks, spreads burns, and stalls threats out with Recover. It has Taunt to cripple slower defensive Pokemon such as Mega Steelix. I chose Hex over Scald due its power boost on statused Pokemon and to beat opposing Jellicent.
BRIE MODE (Delphox) (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Fire Blast
- Psyshock
- Grass Knot
Delphox is the special sweeper of the team. With high Special Attack and Speed, it is able to sweep with Calm Mind or clean up late-game with its powerful moves. Grass Knot is the coverage here to destroy the likes of Seismetoad and Rhyperior. Psyshock beats Specially Defensive mons like Audino. Fire Blast is the strongest STAB. I've been thinking a lot on Fire Blast vs Flamethrower for the power vs accuracy thing. I still use Fire Blast because I really like its nice raw power. What do you guys think?
Smeargle @ Focus Sash
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sticky Web
- Spore
- Spikes
- Taunt
Basic support Pokemon setting up Sticky Web and Spikes as well as putting a threat to sleep. If there are some better options, just feel free to share.
AJ Lee (Hitmonlee) @ Life Orb
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
- Mach Punch
- Rapid Spin
Reckless Hitmonlee wallbreaks really strong with its powerful High Jump Kick. Knock Off is there for Ghost types, Mach Punch for priority and Rapid Spin for hazard removal since I have Delphox and Glalie.
Threatlist:
Alomomola: I really find it hard to braeak down Alomomola due to its ridiculous bulk and Regenerator. It can survive hits from Freeze Dry and Grass Knot. I don't have Toxic on my team so Will-O-Wisp is my only way of wearing it down.
Tyrantrum: I don't have the Pokemon to reliably absorb its powerful Head Smash so if it's scarf, my only way of bringing it down is through super-effective priority. Its good bulk means it can tank some neutral hits. One of the reasons I like Sticky Web.
Stall teams in general: I really hate Stall teams, especially those Regenerator cores.
