Landorus Balance by CTC
Introduction
Hello, welcome to the first RMT Staff Archive team, featured by CTC . This team has been chosen because it is pretty much the typical Landorus balanced team, and you've probably faced it at some point if you participated in the last ORAS Smogon Tournament. Its structure is very classic, and while it did not revolutionize anything about the metagame, it is by far the most representative team of the Landorus era. This team heavily emphasizes the importance of entry hazard control. Pretty much every single member of this team is either good at laying down entry hazards, protecting them, removing them, or abusing them. A lot of new players believe that playing the hazard game is all about having Stealth Rock, Spikes and Toxic Spikes, a Spinner and a Ghost. This is obviously a very dangerous misconception. Hazards control is all about pressure, and this is what we'll try to demonstrate with this team.
Team Members
Heatran (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 208 SpD / 52 Spe
Calm Nature
- Lava Plume
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Protect
Heatran offers excellent utility to keep offensive teams in check by limiting their switch-in opportunities with Stealth Rock. Stealth Rock is arguably the most important hazard to lay down in a Pokemon match, as it will always deal damage. For this team, it helps deal chip damage than can often allow Landorus to sweep through opposing teams with its powerful coverage. Stealth Rock can also help to lure in Latios and Latias, as they will actively try to Defog hazards away. When they switch in, you can switch out to Tyranitar and eliminate them with Pursuit, allowing Landorus free reign over the battlefield. Lava Plume is the main STAB move and one of the most reliable moves to spam, alongside Scald. The 30% burn chance helps to provide chip damage to allow Landorus to come in and clean up. It also helps that its mere chance of a burn deters certain Pokemon from switching in, as most physical attackers truly hate being burned. Adding Toxic onto the set makes sure that Bulk Up Talonflame can't set up on Heatran and sweep through the team, and it also helps to provide chip damage more reliably than banking on a Lava Plume burn. Toxic can also help to wear down Pokemon such as Mega Charizard-X, Mega Charizard-Y, and Volcarona, which might use the opportunity to switch in and set up on or break through Heatran. Lastly, Protect is used in tandem with Toxic to increase the amount of chip damage it deals. Protect also allows the chance to scout for Choice sets, such as Choice Band Azumarill, and can help to maintain momentum by allowing free switch-ins. In a pinch it can be used to scout partially for some Landorus sets, although this is a tad risky as Landorus would more than likely click Earth Power and be done with it or even set up a Rock Polish mid-game. One cool thing that Heatran does is deter common Spikers from coming in for free stacking, as Pokemon such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn fear a Lava Plume from Heatran.
Landorus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
Modest Nature
- Rock Polish
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast
Landorus is an absolute powerhouse and the most important member of the team. Landorus is fairly unpredictable because of its high Attack and Special Attack and its great movepool that includes three incredible boosting moves: Calm Mind, Swords Dance, and Rock Polish. For this team, CTC chose to use a Rock Polish set, which works extremely well with this balanced team because of the strong defensive backbone of Mega Venusaur, Skarmory, and Heatran. Skarmory and Heatran are able to set Spikes and Stealth Rock to weaken the opposing team, making it easier for Landorus to complete a sweep. At the same time, Mega Venusaur, Skarmory, and Heatran's defensive capabilities force opponents to constantly switch and take damage from entry hazards. Earth Power is Landorus strongest STAB move that puts a huge dent in anything that doesn't resist it. Hidden Power Ice gives Landorus the coverage it needs to beat Flying-types, notably Gliscor, Thundurus, and Dragonite. Landorus struggles to beat certain Pokemon if it lacks the appropriate coverage move. For example, without Knock Off, Landorus fails to beat Pokemon such as Latios, Latias, Tornadus-Therian and Chansey. However, with Spikes and Choice Scarf Tyranitar support, Landorus can do without Knock Off and opt for Focus Blast. Focus Blast is important because Ferrothorn is a pain for this team, as it can switch in on everything except Landorus without much penalty. CTC decided to give up on Sludge Wave because Mega Venusaur and Heatran handle Fairy-types decently enough. Rock Polish is Landorus's most dangerous moveset because it's able to easily rip through all archetypes, and with the amount of support this team provides Landorus, it should do well against anyone.
Venusaur (M) @ Venusaurite
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 248 HP / 192 Def / 68 Spe IVs: 30 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
Bold Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Synthesis
It can be complicated to fit a Grass Pokemon onto an OU team, but Mega Venusaur is a very handy glue. It is pretty obvious that the resistances it brings to the team are crucial. The Grass / Poison typing covers Azumarill and Breloom completely, while Thick Fat ensures that you can beat most versions of Manaphy or Mega Altaria. Another thing to keep in mind is that Venusaur supports Starmie in its endeavors to clear the field of hazards by providing an extra Keldeo switch-in and removing Toxic Spikes. With such a bulky spread, Mega Venusaur can successfully switch into Mega Diancie and Mega Lopunny which would otherwise be very problematic. It is interesting to note that CTC didn't choose to run a support move such as Leech Seed, Sleep Powder or Knock Off to go along with the defensive investment. The coverage at hand limits a lot setup possibilities. For example, Mega Scizor could become very problematic if you decide to give up on Hidden Power Fire.
Skarmory (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy EVs: 248 HP / 248 SpD / 12 Spe
Careful Nature
- Taunt
- Whirlwind
- Spikes
- Roost
If you want to really have an edge at the hazard stacking game and pressure as much as possible your opponent, then you have to have Spikes. Unfortunately, the tier does not offer many Spikers. It is very important to understand the different Spikers, their roles, and why Spikes are so important in the metagame. Specially Defensive Skarmory was at its peak during the Landorus metagame. While it is an imperfect counter to say the least, it has the merits of being able to switch into and stall any version of Landorus lacking Focus Blast. You can tell that CTC's team revolves around hazards simply by looking at the Skarmory set. Taunt is here to prevent an opposing Skarmory, Hippowdon or Ferrothorn from laying down their own hazards, and it can remove them with Defog. The main things Skarmory walls for this team are LO Sand Rush Excadrill and offensive Mega Venusaur.
Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 20 Def / 16 SpD / 224 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Reflect Type
- Scald
- Recover
To build an effective balanced team, having a reliable hazard remover is necessary. Starmie is probably the most reliable hazard remover in the tier because of its high Speed, decent defenses, and ability to replenish its health with Recover, as well as the usefulness of Reflect Type. Reflect Type changes the user's typing to match its opponents, and with it, Starmie can stay in on its usual checks such as Bisharp and Tyranitar and possibly cripple them with Scald or remove hazards with Rapid Spin. Reflect Type also allows Starmie to beat a few problematic Pokemon, such as Mega Charizard-Y and Ferrothorn. The team relies on constant switching to control momentum, which means that Starmie is an important part of the team because of its ability to remove hazards that would otherwise make it hard for Mega Venusaur, Heatran, and Skarmory to perform effectively.
Tyranitar (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
Scarf Tyranitar, while very rare at the start of XY, came back later in the generation just as strong as it was in the previous generations. Balanced teams like this one always have a hard time fighting for the "Speed advantage", as most of their Pokemon are not able to hit the higher Speed tiers. While even with a positive nature and a Choice Scarf, Tyranitar is not able to challenge the Pokemon at base 120 Speed and above, it is still a very comon sight on balanced teams like this one. Its ability to pick up kills with Pursuit is very valuable for balanced teams, as they usually have ephemeral checks to the biggest hitters of the tier. For example, Tyranitar helps a lot to release the pressure lying on Heatran's shoulders to check Mega Charizard-Y. With Stealth Rock up, you can quickly put the Mega Charizard-Y at risk and force a favorable guessing game (do I Stone Edge, or do I Pursuit you?). Tyranitar also has a pretty big role in the hazard control game that this team is attempting to play. One of the most common purposes of having a Scarf Tyranitar is to trap Latios, Latias, and Gengar, and this helps Landorus to sweep later in the game and makes Mega Venusaur even more threatening. However, it is very important to note that this trapping is even more successful if you pair it with a hazards stacking strategy. Let's say you managed to lay down Stealth Rock and Spikes. You know that the opponent will be trying to Defog them away, making the game way simpler for you, as you're basically forcing them to Defog at the cost of their Lati@s or Starmie. You get an instant payout for your superior hazard control and pave the way for your sweepers.
Main threats
While CTC's team was very strong, there still were quite a few threats to it. The main threat to the team was opposing Landorus with Focus Blast because nothing could avoid being 2HKOed on the switch if the Landorus user predicted correctly. Mega Metagross, especially those running Grass Knot and Hammer Arm as coverage options, also proved threatening for the same reasons as Landorus. Mega Charizard-X was another large threat if it packed Earthquake, which gave it the ability to get around Heatran, CTC's primary answer to it. Both normal and Mega Alakazam outpace every single member of CTC's team and threaten them with a 2HKO with the appropriate move. Dragon Dance Gyarados was yet another major threat thanks to its ability to set up on Landorus, CTC's main sweeper and Tyranitar (assuming it's locked into Earthquake or Pursuit). The most CTC could do after Gyarados acquired a Dragon Dance boost was to phaze it out with Skarmory or predict the Gyarados switch-in and punish it accordingly. After getting a Swords Dance boost on passive threats such as Mega Venusaur, Mega Gallade also feared little from CTC's team except for a Scald burn from Starmie. Calm Mind Clefable also proved a bit problematic due to its ability to set up on Tyranitar and Starmie. After one Calm Mind boost, Venusaur no longer threaten Clefable with a potential 2HKO from Sludge Bomb; as a result, Clefable could easily stall out Sludge Bomb's 16 PP by alternating between Calm Mind and Soft-Boiled. While Heatran had the ability to wall Clefable, its lack of reliable recovery, which one untimely Knock Off switch-in can remove, and dependence on status to deal damage, which Magic Guard negated, meant that Clefable could eventually edge its way past Heatran by simply boosting and recovering against its weak Lava Plume. Calm Mind Mega Slowbro threatened CTC's team for the same reasons, but unlike Clefable, residual damage from Heatran was effective at preventing Slowbro from getting a full sweep unless it carries Rest. Mega Sableye was troublesome because of its ability to reflect hazards back at CTC's team, prevent Starmie from spinning them away, and remove items with Knock Off.
>>Pastebin<<
Credits
Builder : CTC
RMT Staff : Amaura hollywood Reymedy rob. Trinitrotoluene
Art : Living So Zambian
Introduction
Hello, welcome to the first RMT Staff Archive team, featured by CTC . This team has been chosen because it is pretty much the typical Landorus balanced team, and you've probably faced it at some point if you participated in the last ORAS Smogon Tournament. Its structure is very classic, and while it did not revolutionize anything about the metagame, it is by far the most representative team of the Landorus era. This team heavily emphasizes the importance of entry hazard control. Pretty much every single member of this team is either good at laying down entry hazards, protecting them, removing them, or abusing them. A lot of new players believe that playing the hazard game is all about having Stealth Rock, Spikes and Toxic Spikes, a Spinner and a Ghost. This is obviously a very dangerous misconception. Hazards control is all about pressure, and this is what we'll try to demonstrate with this team.
Team Members
Heatran (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 208 SpD / 52 Spe
Calm Nature
- Lava Plume
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Protect
Heatran offers excellent utility to keep offensive teams in check by limiting their switch-in opportunities with Stealth Rock. Stealth Rock is arguably the most important hazard to lay down in a Pokemon match, as it will always deal damage. For this team, it helps deal chip damage than can often allow Landorus to sweep through opposing teams with its powerful coverage. Stealth Rock can also help to lure in Latios and Latias, as they will actively try to Defog hazards away. When they switch in, you can switch out to Tyranitar and eliminate them with Pursuit, allowing Landorus free reign over the battlefield. Lava Plume is the main STAB move and one of the most reliable moves to spam, alongside Scald. The 30% burn chance helps to provide chip damage to allow Landorus to come in and clean up. It also helps that its mere chance of a burn deters certain Pokemon from switching in, as most physical attackers truly hate being burned. Adding Toxic onto the set makes sure that Bulk Up Talonflame can't set up on Heatran and sweep through the team, and it also helps to provide chip damage more reliably than banking on a Lava Plume burn. Toxic can also help to wear down Pokemon such as Mega Charizard-X, Mega Charizard-Y, and Volcarona, which might use the opportunity to switch in and set up on or break through Heatran. Lastly, Protect is used in tandem with Toxic to increase the amount of chip damage it deals. Protect also allows the chance to scout for Choice sets, such as Choice Band Azumarill, and can help to maintain momentum by allowing free switch-ins. In a pinch it can be used to scout partially for some Landorus sets, although this is a tad risky as Landorus would more than likely click Earth Power and be done with it or even set up a Rock Polish mid-game. One cool thing that Heatran does is deter common Spikers from coming in for free stacking, as Pokemon such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn fear a Lava Plume from Heatran.
Landorus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
Modest Nature
- Rock Polish
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast
Landorus is an absolute powerhouse and the most important member of the team. Landorus is fairly unpredictable because of its high Attack and Special Attack and its great movepool that includes three incredible boosting moves: Calm Mind, Swords Dance, and Rock Polish. For this team, CTC chose to use a Rock Polish set, which works extremely well with this balanced team because of the strong defensive backbone of Mega Venusaur, Skarmory, and Heatran. Skarmory and Heatran are able to set Spikes and Stealth Rock to weaken the opposing team, making it easier for Landorus to complete a sweep. At the same time, Mega Venusaur, Skarmory, and Heatran's defensive capabilities force opponents to constantly switch and take damage from entry hazards. Earth Power is Landorus strongest STAB move that puts a huge dent in anything that doesn't resist it. Hidden Power Ice gives Landorus the coverage it needs to beat Flying-types, notably Gliscor, Thundurus, and Dragonite. Landorus struggles to beat certain Pokemon if it lacks the appropriate coverage move. For example, without Knock Off, Landorus fails to beat Pokemon such as Latios, Latias, Tornadus-Therian and Chansey. However, with Spikes and Choice Scarf Tyranitar support, Landorus can do without Knock Off and opt for Focus Blast. Focus Blast is important because Ferrothorn is a pain for this team, as it can switch in on everything except Landorus without much penalty. CTC decided to give up on Sludge Wave because Mega Venusaur and Heatran handle Fairy-types decently enough. Rock Polish is Landorus's most dangerous moveset because it's able to easily rip through all archetypes, and with the amount of support this team provides Landorus, it should do well against anyone.
Venusaur (M) @ Venusaurite
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 248 HP / 192 Def / 68 Spe IVs: 30 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
Bold Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Synthesis
It can be complicated to fit a Grass Pokemon onto an OU team, but Mega Venusaur is a very handy glue. It is pretty obvious that the resistances it brings to the team are crucial. The Grass / Poison typing covers Azumarill and Breloom completely, while Thick Fat ensures that you can beat most versions of Manaphy or Mega Altaria. Another thing to keep in mind is that Venusaur supports Starmie in its endeavors to clear the field of hazards by providing an extra Keldeo switch-in and removing Toxic Spikes. With such a bulky spread, Mega Venusaur can successfully switch into Mega Diancie and Mega Lopunny which would otherwise be very problematic. It is interesting to note that CTC didn't choose to run a support move such as Leech Seed, Sleep Powder or Knock Off to go along with the defensive investment. The coverage at hand limits a lot setup possibilities. For example, Mega Scizor could become very problematic if you decide to give up on Hidden Power Fire.
Skarmory (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy EVs: 248 HP / 248 SpD / 12 Spe
Careful Nature
- Taunt
- Whirlwind
- Spikes
- Roost
If you want to really have an edge at the hazard stacking game and pressure as much as possible your opponent, then you have to have Spikes. Unfortunately, the tier does not offer many Spikers. It is very important to understand the different Spikers, their roles, and why Spikes are so important in the metagame. Specially Defensive Skarmory was at its peak during the Landorus metagame. While it is an imperfect counter to say the least, it has the merits of being able to switch into and stall any version of Landorus lacking Focus Blast. You can tell that CTC's team revolves around hazards simply by looking at the Skarmory set. Taunt is here to prevent an opposing Skarmory, Hippowdon or Ferrothorn from laying down their own hazards, and it can remove them with Defog. The main things Skarmory walls for this team are LO Sand Rush Excadrill and offensive Mega Venusaur.
Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 20 Def / 16 SpD / 224 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Reflect Type
- Scald
- Recover
To build an effective balanced team, having a reliable hazard remover is necessary. Starmie is probably the most reliable hazard remover in the tier because of its high Speed, decent defenses, and ability to replenish its health with Recover, as well as the usefulness of Reflect Type. Reflect Type changes the user's typing to match its opponents, and with it, Starmie can stay in on its usual checks such as Bisharp and Tyranitar and possibly cripple them with Scald or remove hazards with Rapid Spin. Reflect Type also allows Starmie to beat a few problematic Pokemon, such as Mega Charizard-Y and Ferrothorn. The team relies on constant switching to control momentum, which means that Starmie is an important part of the team because of its ability to remove hazards that would otherwise make it hard for Mega Venusaur, Heatran, and Skarmory to perform effectively.
Tyranitar (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
Scarf Tyranitar, while very rare at the start of XY, came back later in the generation just as strong as it was in the previous generations. Balanced teams like this one always have a hard time fighting for the "Speed advantage", as most of their Pokemon are not able to hit the higher Speed tiers. While even with a positive nature and a Choice Scarf, Tyranitar is not able to challenge the Pokemon at base 120 Speed and above, it is still a very comon sight on balanced teams like this one. Its ability to pick up kills with Pursuit is very valuable for balanced teams, as they usually have ephemeral checks to the biggest hitters of the tier. For example, Tyranitar helps a lot to release the pressure lying on Heatran's shoulders to check Mega Charizard-Y. With Stealth Rock up, you can quickly put the Mega Charizard-Y at risk and force a favorable guessing game (do I Stone Edge, or do I Pursuit you?). Tyranitar also has a pretty big role in the hazard control game that this team is attempting to play. One of the most common purposes of having a Scarf Tyranitar is to trap Latios, Latias, and Gengar, and this helps Landorus to sweep later in the game and makes Mega Venusaur even more threatening. However, it is very important to note that this trapping is even more successful if you pair it with a hazards stacking strategy. Let's say you managed to lay down Stealth Rock and Spikes. You know that the opponent will be trying to Defog them away, making the game way simpler for you, as you're basically forcing them to Defog at the cost of their Lati@s or Starmie. You get an instant payout for your superior hazard control and pave the way for your sweepers.
Main threats
While CTC's team was very strong, there still were quite a few threats to it. The main threat to the team was opposing Landorus with Focus Blast because nothing could avoid being 2HKOed on the switch if the Landorus user predicted correctly. Mega Metagross, especially those running Grass Knot and Hammer Arm as coverage options, also proved threatening for the same reasons as Landorus. Mega Charizard-X was another large threat if it packed Earthquake, which gave it the ability to get around Heatran, CTC's primary answer to it. Both normal and Mega Alakazam outpace every single member of CTC's team and threaten them with a 2HKO with the appropriate move. Dragon Dance Gyarados was yet another major threat thanks to its ability to set up on Landorus, CTC's main sweeper and Tyranitar (assuming it's locked into Earthquake or Pursuit). The most CTC could do after Gyarados acquired a Dragon Dance boost was to phaze it out with Skarmory or predict the Gyarados switch-in and punish it accordingly. After getting a Swords Dance boost on passive threats such as Mega Venusaur, Mega Gallade also feared little from CTC's team except for a Scald burn from Starmie. Calm Mind Clefable also proved a bit problematic due to its ability to set up on Tyranitar and Starmie. After one Calm Mind boost, Venusaur no longer threaten Clefable with a potential 2HKO from Sludge Bomb; as a result, Clefable could easily stall out Sludge Bomb's 16 PP by alternating between Calm Mind and Soft-Boiled. While Heatran had the ability to wall Clefable, its lack of reliable recovery, which one untimely Knock Off switch-in can remove, and dependence on status to deal damage, which Magic Guard negated, meant that Clefable could eventually edge its way past Heatran by simply boosting and recovering against its weak Lava Plume. Calm Mind Mega Slowbro threatened CTC's team for the same reasons, but unlike Clefable, residual damage from Heatran was effective at preventing Slowbro from getting a full sweep unless it carries Rest. Mega Sableye was troublesome because of its ability to reflect hazards back at CTC's team, prevent Starmie from spinning them away, and remove items with Knock Off.
>>Pastebin<<
Credits
Builder : CTC
RMT Staff : Amaura hollywood Reymedy rob. Trinitrotoluene
Art : Living So Zambian