Mankind
Hello everyone, and welcome to my RMT.
I initially made the team to test the new Claydol set I have been working on, and the team had a surprising amount of success. While laddering, I began to see threats that I had left unchecked, and as I began making changes the team naturally evolved from there. It wound up getting me to 6th on the leaderboard with a CRE of 1693 under caveman sam.
Team building process:
I always find it more effective to build teams from the center out, starting with the offensive core, and figuring out what needs to be checked, countered, and eliminated from there. The centerpiece of the team is the often overlooked Specks Dialga.
I knew that a wall breaker and lure of sorts would be needed, because getting rid of steel types and Groudon would be crucial to Dialga's success; Rayquaza fit the bill.
Blissey is easily able to stop Dialga, so a surefire way to lure it in and beat it was needed; Palkia fills this role with great success, and also serves as an offensive Kyogre counter.
A huge dragon and general Rayquaza weakness was evident by this point, so a steel type was needed. Scarf Jirachi could absorb predicted dragon-type assaults and beat every Rayquaza set with ease, so it naturally got tacked on.
I began to see a problem with opposing Dialga, Heatran, and SD Garchomp; Groudon naturally came next.
After looking over the first 5 members, I realized that I had an enormous Groudon weakness as nothing would be able to stop it after it got a Rock Polish off. I also needed someone to lay down rocks, and a spinner would help out Rayquaza; enter Claydol!
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Jirachi (Ripple) @ Choice scarf
Jolly 40 HP/ 252 Atk/ 216 Spe
Iron Head
Ice Punch
U-turn
Trick
Jirachi starts things off and allows me to beat most common leads, though not by himself. The only leads I actually stay in on are Deoxys-A, Tyranitar, Rayquaza, and Shaymin-S, as all can easily be defeated by either Iron Head or Ice Punch; for most others I simply U-turn out to something else.
Here is how I play against the common leads :
As far as synergy is concerned, Jirachi takes ice and dragon attacks for the team, really helps with the Lati twins, and checks Rayquaza, Mewtwo, and Darkrai with Ice Punch and U-turn/Iron Head , respectively. A well timed trick can also really help against stall, as giving Blissey the scarf and then taking Latias’ Soul Dew completely opens them up to dragon assaults from Palkia and Dialga, as Forretress (stall teams usual steel-type) can’t hold up for long.
Moveset and Item : Iron Head is needed for the flinch chance and stab, though it is generally only used in emergency situations as it really leaves me open to set up. U-turn is by far the most important move on the set as scouting switches and escaping Wobbuffet (and the rare Dugtrio… Damn you Theorymon) is important for keeping momentum. Ice Punch is primarily for Rayquaza but has its uses on Skymin and Garchomp. Choice scarf allows Jirachi to revenge kill many of the fast, frail sweepers in the Uber tier, as well as potentially cripple defensive walls such as Blissey.
A Jolly Nature and 216 speed EVs puts me one point above Jolly max speed Rayquaza; this is crucial because as long as Rachi still has its scarf, it can revenge both Swords Dance and Dragon Dance Rayquaza. 252 attack EVs are mandatory to make sure he hits as hard as possible, and the remaining 40 EVs are placed into HP to give a bit of added bulk .
Dialga (Conscience) @ Choice Specs
Modest 56 HP/ 252 SpA/ 200 Spe
Draco Meteor
Dragon Pulse
Thunder
Flamethrower/Aura Sphere
Dialga is the first member of the offensive core, and is able to plow through teams with Draco Meteor once Blissey and steel types are gone. I usually bring him in on one of Jirachi's U-turns or on a resisted attack like bullet Punch and just start smashing things. Because of Dialga's incredible typing, getting him in usually isn’t much of a challenge, and common switch-ins like Blissey and Scizor are easily taken care of by other members of the team.
Moveset and Item: Draco Meteor is a given as it is Dialga's strongest attack, while Dragon Pulse is for late game consistency or times when I really can't afford to let DM miss, like against a Palkia or Latias. Thunder is pretty much only for Kyogre, but it is nice to have it for lugia, too (and the paralysis really helps sometimes). The last slot is seldom used and kind of depends on who I been facing most often; Flamethrower is the primary option as it is boosted by my Groudon’s sun and helps take out steel-types, but on occasion Aura Sphere can help with BU Dialga (I really hate using 4 DM PP to beat it when Aura Sphere will 2HKO, too) and Heatran, though I hate being locked into a move that most of the tier resists, especially when Wob comes in. Choice Specs turns the already feared Draco Meteor and Dragon Pulse into wreaking balls that smash through the Uber tier. I tried life Orb, but I missed the power; besides, I have Rayquaza and Palkia for the diverse role.
EV’s and Nature : Max special attack is a must, and 200 speed lets me outpace most base 90s, most importantly almost all Groudon; it also lets me outspeed Giratina-O that does not use a speed boosting Nature. The remaining 56 went into HP because I saw nothing better to do with them. I am sure there is a better EV spread to consider, but I like having a speed buffer between me and Groudon; any help would be appreciated. Modest just gives me soooo much more power, and I do not see the need for the extra speed.
Rayquaza (Result) @ Life Orb
Hasty 80 Atk/ 176 SpA/ 252 Spe
Draco Meteor
Flamethrower
Extremespeed
Earthquake
With both of his incredible attacking stats, Rayquaza brings a lot to the table. For a team bent of eliminating Dialga's counters, mixed ray was a natural fit; he allows me to easily lure in and eliminate (or at least cripple) Groudon, Lugia, scizor, and the occasional metagross, who are all KO’d on average by Draco Meteor followed by the appropriate attack (another DM in Groudon’s case, an extremespeed if Lugia is under 20%, Flamethrower for scizor, and Earthquake for Metagross). Rayquaza also offers a fantastic offensive ground-type immunity to stack with Claydol, meaning that even if Claydol is KO’d, the team will still have a switch into Earthquakes. I had considered Latios for this role, but the ability to crush Blissey is much more important than a second check to Kyogre, and rayquaza’s access to a priority move in extremespeed is also invaluable as it makes dealing with NP Darkrai, CM Mewtwo, and various scarfers that much easier and ensures that I am not easily swept even if Jirachi goes down.
Moveset and Item : Draco Meteor again is a must, as it literally defines the mixed set. Flamethrower offers great coverage with DM as it hits steels bar Dialga, empoleon, and Heatran for major damage. Extremespeed offers an invaluable priority move, and easily takes care of speedy but frail threats waiting to sweep the team. Earthquake is an important move for disposing of Heatran, though if an opposing Dialga's health is low enough I will KO it with EQ rather than waste the SpA drop on DM. Life Orb gives Rayquaza the pure power it needs to do its job, and with Claydol usually keeping rocks off the field, the 10% per turn isn’t too big a deal.
Ev’s and Nature : I wanted a bit more oomph behind extremespeed and EQ than the standard set provided, so I went with 80 attack (which is just enough to KO max HP Metagross after a Draco Meteor and SR 100% of the time, after being intimidated for some reason) 176 SpA is necessary to power up Draco Meteor, and max speed is a given on every Rayquaza set…. Got to stay ahead of those pesky Groudon and gira-o. I chose hasty over naïve for the simple reason of occasionally having to rely on Rayquaza to take surfs from scarf Palkia and Kyogre when I play recklessly with my own Palkia, so keeping that defensive stat intact is necessary.
Palkia (Theory) @ Lustrous Orb
Hasty 4 Atk/ 252 SpA/ 252 Spe
Spacial Rend/Draco Meteor
Flamethrower
Thunder
Outrage
The third dragon and the final piece of the offensive core. Palkia is one of the most popular Kyogre counters for a reason : It is able to check A LOT of the metagame. Palkia is able to swap into kyogre’s water moves with ease and instantly threaten it with Thunder. Everyone has heard the rant. For me, Palkia provides yet another way to lure in steels (especially scizor, who loves to u-turn on Spacial Rend), and is the primary way of bringing in Blissey, who is promptly destroyed by Outrage.
Moveset and Item : Spacial Rend is the bread and butter of almost every Palkia set, and when it is boosted by Lustrous Orb, it becomes ever the more deadly. If I feel devious I will use Draco Meteor over it for the extra power, but sometimes the inconsistent output causes problems. Flamethrower is for steels who love to switch in on dragon assaults (In case you haven’t noticed, eliminating steels is the priority), especially scizor, and it is absolutely brutal when boosted by the sun. Thunder is for taking out Kyogre and Lugia while rain is active, and paralyzing random switch ins is lovely. Outrage rounds out the set by providing a solid way of decimating Blissey and when boosted by the orb, it easily 2HKOs. Lustrous Orb lets me bluff a choice item and lure out Blissey while adding power to my dragon moves without loosing 10% per attack.
Ev’s and Nature : Max speed is a must so 252 speed EVs and a speed boosting nature were used, but Palkia needs to maintain the ability to switch into Kyogre and 2HKO Blissey, so hasty was chosen to avoid lowering SpD or Atk. 252 Special attack is a given and the remaining 4 EVs were placed into attack to buff up Outrage.
Groudon (Practice) @ Life Orb
Adamant 108 HP/ 252 Atk/ 148 Spe
Earthquake
Dragon Claw
Stone Edge
Rock Polish
Groudon works perfectly with the team; amid the dragon assaults, there is often little left in the way of bulky pokes to stop Groudon as they are usually drawn out to stop the offensive core. Opposing Groudon and Lugia are crippled by Claydol and Rayquaza, respectively, bulky Kyogre are taken care of by Palkia, and Giratina is massacred by the dragons. Groudon also provides a quick answer to BU Dialga, so long as they have not procured too many bulk-ups. Despite the team not exactly being built around him, RP Groudon just fits too well not to use it, though often times, I only use him midgame as a pivot to set up sun or to force something like Heatran or Garchomp out. I have tried the support set but the added bulk is really not needed, while the ability to set up and sweep if given a chance is invaluable. Besides, even RP Groudon has enough bulk to take a random physical hit if needed.
Moveset and Item : Standard really, Earthquake destroys just about anything on the ground while Dragon Claw and Stone Edge hit almost everything else ( I detest bronzong). I have been seeing a lot of haban Palkia lately, so I have been considering Swords Dance over Dragon Claw. I probably won't get the chance to use them both at once, but against slower teams, the added power of SD may help. Any input on this will be appreciated. Life Orb grants the extra power that makes Groudon so vicious and generates the KOs on the weakened opponents that I could not achieve with Leftovers.
EVs and Nature : My spread is essentially the same as the standard from the analysis, but with 8 HP EVs moved to speed to creep past other RP Groudon and any pokes that intend on outspeeding that set by a point. The HP gives him some added bulk, max attack lets him hit things REALLY hard, while the speed produces more then enough after a Rock Polish. Adamant was chosen for the power.
Claydol (Effect) @ Leftovers/Chesto Berry
Bold 252 HP/ 252 Def/ 4 SpD
Ice Beam
Reflect/Rest
Rapid Spin
Stealth Rock
I am sure that since the beginning of the RMT you have been thinking “WTF, why Claydol!?” but just hear me out. He fills three roles necessary to the team with only one teamslot; I needed a SR user, a spinner, and most importantly, a 100% reliable switch into every common Groudon set. Because of his bulk, Levitate, and his ground typing, Claydol resists 2/3 of the standard RP Groudon’s moveset, and Dragon Claw is a mere 4HKO without Reflect set up. His ground type grants him an immunity to the support sets Thunder wave, and I really don’t care about toxic as he is seldom in long enough for it to really take its toll; sometimes I even run Rest to get around that. Even if groudon gets a Swords Dance, he still will be hard pressed to get past Claydol without being weakened enough for just about anything to revenge it. Claydol’s spinning capability in Ubers is easily on par with Forretress’, and there are rarely times when I fail to spin, especially considering how well the rest of the team handles Giratina-O.
Moveset and Item : Ice Beam was chosen over Grass Knot for the sole reason of not allowing Rayquaza to freely set up; even with Jirachi to revenge it, I would rather not sacrifice something to get Rachi in. The second slot is between Reflect and Rest; Reflect is the more consistent option, but against stall teams, the added longevity really comes in handy. The next two slots are for Rapid Spin(the only reason to use Claydol over Bronzong) and SR, which is a necessity on nearly every team, and makes taking on Rayquaza and Kyogre much easier for this team. Leftovers is the primary item used, but Chesto Berry makes Rest easier to use.
EVs and Nature: Max HP and defense with a defense boosting nature is a must to take on Groudon, while the remaining 4 were placed into SpD to round out the defenses. Bold again to max physical defense while not lowering Ice Beam’s damage output.
Threat List: Black = Normal threat, not a problem
Blue= Medium threat, causes some problems
Red = Major Problem
Stolen straight from Jibaku…. Uhhhh thanks man =]
Standard threats----------------------------------------------------
Lead : In the lead position it is a bit tricky, depending on the damage from Jirachi's U-turn I can try and predict what set it is running. If it is the T-wave set, I U-turn to Claydol to absorb it, then go to Dialga to take the surf and OHKO with Thunder, if it is a choice set, I go straight to Palkia. If I misspredict, Claydol ends up dead or Palkia ends up paralyzed. It is a bit of a problem.
Cro-Ogre: If Palkia catches it early on, Thunder followed by Outrage usually takes care of it, but it sets up a few CMs, it can be hard to kill. Once it is around 50%, Groudon can come in and EQ for the kill.
Scarf/ Specs : Palkia takes them on with ease, and my ground-types can set up on Thunders while Jirachi can come in on Ice Beams. Not a big deal
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Any set is handled by Claydol. Priority can revenge it and my own Groudon can take it on in an emergency, though. Rayquaza usually gets off a DM on it, which leaves it pretty weak.
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MixQuaza : Jirachi can take Draco Meteors and take it out with Ice Punch. Palkia also outspeeds it and can handle unboosted extremespeeds well enough.
Swords Dance : Jirachi doesn’t care about extremespeed and still KO’s with Ice Punch.
Dragon Dance : Still Jirachi
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Mixed attacker : It can be a problem if it comes in on Jirachi or Claydol, but it can generally be played around. Groudon outspeeds most versions and destroys it, as does Rayquaza. Palkia can revenge it once it is around 60%.
Choice Scarf : Pretty damn annoying, but Jirachi again can U-turn on dragon attacks, Palkia can absorb Fire Blasts, and Groudon can come in on any stuck on Thunder or Outrage.
Bulk Up: Groudon can destroy it so long as it does not get too many Bulk Ups. If Groudon is dead, my own Dialga can revenge it.
Choice Specs: Actually a problem, though Groudon and my Dialga outspeed most and can destroy it. I can usually play around it, but stuff tends to die.
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Choice scarf : Jirachi can take Spacial Rends for a bit, but tends to fall apart before too long which leaves me pretty open later. I can usually bait them into using Surf or Fire Blast expecting a Rachi switch which lets my own Palkia come in, but aside from that, it is a problem.
Mixed : I can usually scare it out with my own Palkia because they will likely assume it is scarfed. Jirachi can u-turn to weaken it and Rayquaza can take it out once it is below 45%.
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Both forms are handled pretty similarly; Rayquaza, Palkia, and Dialga can all OHKO, while Claydol can slap it with Ice Beam to weaken it on the switch. Sub CM variants can be dangerous if they come in on something like Aura Sphere from Dialga, but even then, they usually don’t get far.
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Scarfrai : I usually let Claydol take the sleep, but that is pretty annoying because I don‘t get rocks. After something has taken the sleep, it isn’t too hard to deal with between Jirachi and Rayquaza’s priority. Jirachi can absorb a predicted trick.
Nasty plot: Essentially the same as the scarf set but without Trick and Jirachi can outspeed it.
Swords Dance: Nobody uses it
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LO 4 attack : Jirachi can either flinch it, or U-turn to ray to Extremespeed.
Taunt CM : Jirachi plus Rayquaza usually beats it, but I can Trick the scarf if I have to.
Stalltwo: Dialga doesn’t really care about being burned and can destroy it with Specs DM. Jirachi can also U-turn to Dialga for some extra damage or to make it Recover. Worst case scenario, Jirachi can take a burn and Trick it.
Dual Screen : It can be a problem, but it is pretty rare. I really dislike the BP Mew strategy though.
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Sub-roost: I usually have Stealth Rock up and most of the team can destroy it as it switches in, so it generally isn’t a threat unless it comes in on Claydol before SR or Jirachi's Iron Head. Worst case scenario I can just use something as death fodder to break the Sub and bring Groudon in to finish it off.
Choice: They usually get a bit of damage in because they tend to be a bit faster than I expect, but with SR up and no recovery, I only have to hit it once and force it out before it dies.
Toxic + Light Screen : I have never encountered one while laddering, but I guess I would just let Groudon handle it.
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Jirachi can usually handle it as it resists Dragon Pulse and Thunder is unreliable in the sun. SR and U-turn followed by Rayquaza’s Extremespeed generally takes care of it. Rachi can Trick or Iron flinch/Ice Punch any who have gotten too many calm minds. In an emergency, Dialga can beat it 1 v 1 as long as Latias has not gotten a CM.
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Calm mind : handled basically the same as Latias but I must be a bit more careful switching around because he has a lot more power. Jirachi has an easier time killing it because it is less bulky, and again, U-turn + Extremespeed takes care of it most of the time. If it gets a calm mind I usually have to sacrifice something to kill it, though.
Attacker : Eh, essentially the same as the CM set but without the fear of set up. It still hits like a truck but can be played around without too much trouble, especially if it lacks recovery.
Dual Screen : Basically the same as Dual Screen Mewtwo. If I am desperate, I can Trick the scarf before it uses Memento, but usually I can just go to Dialga to Draco Meteor for the kill (without Soul Dew, it will still OHKO even behind screens)
Scarf : uhhhhh…. Not a problem… its like a worse Palkia
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Scarfchomp: Usually not a problem, but requires prediction. Groudon can set up on it if he is at full health and then kill it with Dragon Claw, Jirachi can come in on Dragon Claw or Outrage and U-turn and Ice Punch, respectively. Claydol, Dialga, and Groudon can come in on Stone Edge, and Claydol and Rayquaza can scoff at Earthquakes. It can be troublesome if I have lost both Jirachi and Groudon, but even at that, Dialga can still take it on so long as it is not stuck on EQ.
CBchomp : See above, just with more power. Rare
Swords Dance : I can almost always scare it off with Palkia as most players assume I am running the scarf set, but if they just kill Palkia with Outrage, Jirachi can come in for an easy kill. If they are running haban berry, Jirachi can revenge it with Ice Punch.
SubSalc : It is pretty rare, but I usually let Claydol Ice Beam it until it decides to kill me, then I finish it off with priority from Rayquaza so long as it does not have a sub up.
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Choice Scarf : Dialga has a field day. Predicted Earth Powers are set up on by Claydol or Rayquaza if I have SR up and have spun.
Specs: Jirachi destroys it with Ice Punch and really only cares about Earth Power, but with two immunities, it is not a problem.
Subseed : Jirachi again resists its stab attacks and can U-turn out of Leech Seed. Rayquaza can take it on in a pinch and so can Dialga (assuming it lacks Earth Power). If it carries Earth Power, Rayquaza beats it.
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Generally mid game it is a Baton Passer, and dealing with it can be tricky. I usually try to Trick it, but Dialga can take it on, too. Keeping screens off the field would make this a lot easier, so I am considering putting Brick Break on Rayquaza.
Lead : see lead list
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Mixed Rain Sweeper: Not a problem at all; the sun is usually up and Groudon can set up on it. Rayquaza and Jirachi can revenge it with priority and speed, respectively.
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Having it come in on -2 Dialga is really frustrating, and the same goes for Jirachi's Iron Head/Ice Punch, but there isn’t really much to do about it. If I know they have a Wob, I try to play conservatively with my choice users, but revenging is just annoying.
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Jirachi Jirachi Jirachi. I don’t even have to worry about getting the flinch to break the sash so I just get to U-turn out for the kill.
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CB : Not too hard to deal with, but it can be annoying for Claydol (haha I used to carry HP Fire and a bit of SpA to kill it in the sun) but I am faster and can set up a Reflect before he does anything (Unless for some reason he Bullet Punches XD) It is usually taken care of by Palkia when my opponent assumes I am scarfed after I use Spacial Rend or DM (If I am carrying it at the time). Dialga can also beat it with Flamethrower regardless of the weather, as can Rayquaza (Though airlock negating the sun kind of sucks after I am at -2).
Trapper : Essentially the same as the CB set, but with less power so I can switch in a bit easier. Also, even with Roost, it dies faster as LO recoil and SR take their toll fast. There also isn’t really anything for them to “trap” anyway…
SD : Not a problem as it can't set up on much and Jirachi can wear it down with Iron Head while shrugging off Bullet Punch. Groudon can RAPE it with EQ while snickering at SD bullet Punch, and Palkia doesn’t really even care about Quick Attack so he won’t be sweeping much.
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Swords Dance : This is actually a problem because all Jirachi can do it Trick it. I usually have to bait it into a Close Combat to lower its defenses by sending in Groudon then going to Claydol, then Dialga for the Crunch, then back to Claydol for the second CC (which usually kills it), then I can try to Iron flinch it… Luckily it is rare, and it does have a really hard time setting up, but if it does…… fuck
Agility : It just isn’t strong enough to break Groudon, and Claydol can even set up a Reflect on it. Not a problem.
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CBtar: It can't really trap anything but Claydol, but he can Reflect and set up SR or spin before going down. Groudon and Jirachi both annihilate it with Earthquake and Iron Head, respectively.
Scarftar: A bit more difficult to deal with than the CB set because I have to worry about it killing Rayquaza, but with four rock resists, it isn’t too much of a problem. Groudon and Claydol still set up on it.
Dragon Dance : Jirachi and Groudon allllll day.
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Choice Band/scarf : It is immensely powerful, but fairly easy to play around most of the time. CB explosion is annoying because I just have to sacrifice someone. Groudon generally takes it on without too much of a problem as does Palkia, but getting something in safe is the hard part.
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DD: It has a really hard time setting up and Groudon can usually take it on (though intimidate is annoying if it comes in on me). After a DD…. It is pretty hard to kill because I don’t run max speed on Rachi, but it is pretty rare. SR also helps me wear it down because Espeed will kill it at around 55% if it is hasty.
Mixed : Jirachi all the way. Palkia can speed tie, and Groudon can set up on -2 Mence with ease. Not a problem.
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Stall breaker : Groudon outspeeds most versions and can scare them off, Rayquaza dominates them with EQ, and Dialga hurts it badly with Aura Sphere (Hell, even resisted DM does a 50 plus %.)
Torment : Groudon has two moves that break the sub and Claydol takes care of hazards.
Specs: Rayquaza can negate the sun boost and OHKO with EQ, though Fire Blast still hurts. Groudon can revenge it, as can Dialga.
Scarf: It is pretty rare but it actually is a problem. It outspeeds everything but Jirachi (who can't touch it) and I have to rely on choosing between Palkia (Fire Blast) or Dialga (Dragon Pulse). Late game I usually let Palkia die to the Dragon Pulse so that Groudon can set up on it, but crits are annoying.
Life Orb : Rare again, but easily handled by Groudon and Rayquaza.
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Tail glow : Well first off, it gets no rain, and second, Palkia snaps it like a twig, rain or shine.
Calm Mind : If they keep the rain these can be annoying (damn you shrang XD) but they never really kill anything, I just have to do a bit more switching. I usually go to Palkia and Thunder it and then Outrage, if that doesn’t work, I go to Jirachi and Trick or let Groudon EQ it to death. Keeping the sun up makes dealing with it much easier.
Stall (toxic) : I have never seen one before, but I am pretty sure Jirachi and Groudon could handle it.
Defensive ------------------------------------------------------------
Standard Wish Protect : I have many ways of beating it (Palkia, Rayquaza, Groudon, and Jirachi) but every once in a while it is still a pain when it survives into late game. Blissey is THE reason I run Lustrous Orb on Palkia. I hate her.
Calm Mind : Eh, can’t set up on anything but Claydol (and most are wary of explosion) and Dialga; Groudon still eats it alive no matter how many calm minds it gets.
Softboiled : Same as standard but actually stands a chance of losing to Dialga's Aura Sphere.
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Specially Defensive: Claydol spins its hazards and most of the team can hurt it in some way; Palkia, Dialga, and Rayquaza all being able to OHKO with a fire move, while Groudon 2HKOs with EQ.
Light Screen + Payback : It is rare, but can pose a problem in the rain, though I think Flamethrower from Dialga will still 2HKO. Rayquaza can negate the rain and 2HKO with LO boosted Flamethrower.
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Great Wall : It can be annoying, but Rayquaza and Dialga generally bring it down. Groudon can beat it late game, and Jirachi can Trick if it if the only defensive threat left.
Calm Mind : Not really an issue because it doesn’t have the bulk to stand up to Groudon anymore. Rayquaza still serves as a good lure, and again, Jirachi can still Trick it.
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Great Wall : Dialga can OHKO it with DM (and maybe Dragon Pulse but I don’t know) and Rayquaza can do the same, but is usually the back up because I HATE when DM misses and he gets burned. If all else fails, Trick it with Rachi and giggle.
Rest Talk + CM : I usually just Trick it and U-turn. Dialga is the next best option due to a neutrality to dragon moves, but Palkia and Ray both handle it well, too.
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Spikes : It can’t come in on anyone but Claydol or Jirachi as everyone else can beat it (though I will usually switch Groudon out anyway). It can't do anything to Dialga, Rayquaza, or Palkia, and all OHKO with fire moves (or Thunder in the rain). I don’t care about the Spikes because I have a spinner.
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Ubers Wall: Eh, it walls Groudon but can't really touch most of the team. Dialga can muscle past it with Dragon Pulse, and Jirachi can Trick it and wear it down with U-turn.
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Support : Dialga, Palkia, and Rayquaza can all roast it with fire moves, Jirachi can Trick it if it comes to that, and Claydol can spin its rocks while it can't do anything back bar Explosion. Not a problem
Trick room: Ugh… I hate Trick Room sooo much. This set is a threat simply because I can’t do anything to stop it unless I predict the switch in (or get lucky) and send in Dialga, who can take it on with Flamethrower. Trick Room is really annoying, and I usually rely on Tricking Jirachi's scarf onto something like Dialga so Groudon can underspeed it and give me the momentum.
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Spikes : I have a spinner, and Giratina(-O) isn’t very hard to take care of so any layers it gets down will not be staying for long. Defensively, it can't stand up to Groudon, Palkia, or Dialga forever, so I usually come out on top. Again, Jirachi can Trick if need be.
Agility Toxic: Dialga beats it always. Groudon and Jirachi can both beat it with Rock Polish + EQ and Trick respectively.
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Wish Support : Groudon can set up on it and destroy it with STAB EQ, and Claydol can set up on most versions. Dialga, Palkia, and Rayquaza all have fire moves which can take it out. Body Slam versions are really annoying, though.
Choice Scarf : Groudon and Dialga mainly, but the team as whole doesn’t mind it much (Rayquaza being the glaring exception).
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T-wave support? : It literally cannot touch Groudon. Rayquaza and Palkia can both beat it, but must be wary of T-wave (and Ice Punch in Rayquaza’s case). Claydol can set up on it and spin its rocks, too. It is a good poke, but the team handles it well.
Obscure----------------------------------------------------------------
Baton pass: Jirachi just Ice Punches to keep breaking the Sub so all it will get is speed. 99% of the time people using Jask are just noobs who pass to a Groudon, so Claydol gets to come in and harass them. On the rare occasion where the speed is passed to something like Dialga or kyogre, it can be harder to deal with, but I haven’t been swept by anything jask related, yet.
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Leech Seed + Protect: I usually don’t have much of a problem keeping the sun up, and even when I can‘t, Palkia handles them well enough. Jirachi can U-turn out of Leech Seed and Rayquaza can cancel the weather and hurt it with Draco Meteor as a last resort, though he dies after if Ludicolo has Ice Beam. Jirachi can also Trick.
Rain Sweeper : Palkia handles it well enough and Groudon can bring the sun if it is not already up. I have not seen many, though.
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Choice Scarf : It usually isn’t a problem and Groudon can generally set up on it. Claydol takes Close Combats and Stone Edges and sets up or spins, while Rayquaza can come in on Mega Horn thanks to its resistance. As with most choice users, it requires prediction.
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Life Orb: It can be dangerous at times but Jirachi generally handles it pretty well with Iron Head. If Jirachi is down it usually can’t get past Palkia, so that’s the good news. The bad news is that it outspeeds and OHKOs Dialga, Rayquaza, and Claydol while hitting Groudon hard with HP [Ice], but it is pretty rare, and the last bunch of times I have seen one on the ladder, I was the one using it XD.
Choice Scarf : Much easier to deal with, though I have to be wary of Trick. Dialga can take HP [Ice] and Shadow Ball, and Claydol and Rayquaza can take Focus Blasts. If I see a Trick coming, Jirachi, Dialga, or Palkia can absorb it depending on the situation.
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In conclusion, the team was fun to play with and proved without a doubt that Claydol is viable in Ubers. Thanks for reading!
Special mention goes to Jibaku for the threat list and hugendugen for proofreading/nitpicking the RMT. Thanks =]
Happy Rating! =D
