Howdy, I'd like to share a team that I've achieved moderate success with. This team happens to be an ice team!
absolutely. epic.
Ninetales-Alola @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Blizzard
- Aurora Veil
- Moonblast
- Freeze-Dry
This is kind of the main star of the show. I genuinely believe Scarf A-Tales is a defensible option for speed control on Ice.
I'm going to list matchups and whether A-Tales does anything in them, and if so, what.
Avalugg @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Avalanche
- Recover
- Rapid Spin
- Roar
I hate building without Helmet Avalugg. If you aren't familiar with Avalugg teams, Avalugg is your hazard remover, a thing that can tank more super effective physical threats than you would imagine, and has some more niche uses as well! This includes desperation Sturdy check to random things, Thing That You Sack to Get Helmet Chip, and emergency phazer. I'm just going to provide one calc to provide a rough estimate at how fat it is on the physical side.
252+ Atk Choice Band Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Avalugg: 152-180 (38.5 - 45.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
Mishiimono-Mega (Walrein) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 104 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 8 SpD / 140 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Frost Breath
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Signal Beam
There's a decent amount of Ice teams that have been made recently that simply embraced the idea that they will never realistically defeat Scizor, and so they will just try to cover things while accepting a loss to Scizor. I don't like doing that, mostly because I love Specs Walrein and its non-Scizor checking roles. Surf and HP Fire are automatic adds, Frost Breath isn't really for any particular Calm Mind sweeper as much as it is an option for Fairy in general, as well as a Beast Boosted SpD Celesteela. The last slot is just filler, I have Signal Beam literally JUST for Mega Slowbro. The other popular option is Blizzard, which is a lot less powerful when used in conjunction with Scarf A-Tales. Walrein usually doesn't get hail for its own Blizzards, sadly. The funky EV spread is to outspeed 200 speed things (such as Adamant Azu-creeping M-Scizor), while maximizing Special Attack, while hitting a Stealth Rock number. The name is a reference to how Walrein is better than Dewgong. Sorry, Dewgong. mish mish
I don't know if I need calcs for this. Specs Walrein is kind of a known quantity, nothing new here.
Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Icicle Spear
- Ice Shard
This is the most straight-forward set on the team. Mamoswine is my rocker. Icicle Spear is literally for Breloom, and a pretty okay expected value otherwise. I have had it surprise a few regular Aerodactyls(why do people use Aerodactyl?) , Subtoxic Zapdos's (why do they try to sub up on Literally Ice?) and YZards. It's comfortable for me as well, you ain't ever miss with it.
Weavile @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick
Weavile is an option that's also relatively popular. The only decision I've made that's not standard is to use Low Kick, Pursuit, and Ice Shard, whereas what I've seen most of the time is to eschew one of the first two options for Icicle Crash. Why? I ain't know. Feel free to tell me why.
CJK5H (Kyurem-Black) @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Fusion Bolt
- Draco Meteor
This set may require some explanation. I initially made it Roseli Berry/Iron Head for the best answer to Mega Diancie ever. I struggled with Toxapex and lost to Fire once, and this was enough to persuade me to use Dragonium Draco Meteor in place of Iron Head. Nothing gold can stay. (Hey guys, LO Earth Power doesn't kill Torkoal guaranteed. Better use Z-Draco!!!) Over time, I tried to make it Icium, Electrium, Groundium, and Z-Outrage instead of Z-Draco, but I always found myself wanting to use Z-Draco in particular for its ability to be a jack of all trades and master of none. Otherwise, standard Kyu-B set. The name is a reference to a college football joke from 2012 that I still think is funny to this day.
Some threats to this team:
I hope y'all have success with this team, and most importantly... have funsies.
absolutely. epic.
This is a relatively generic build, but one thing I've noticed with a large majority of Ice teams, good or otherwise, is that people tend to really enjoy A-Sandslash as a speed control option. Ever since SM, I have stockpiled collections of Pathetic Aslash Calcs, trying to make Ice teams without it.
I started this team with a Scarf Ninetales-Alola. Ice in ORAS so dearly wanted something over 109 speed to cover the scarf 108 speed tier, and it got it (at the cost of scarf 108 becoming way less relevant). It often hits like a feather, but with adequate hail, Rocky Helmet, or Ice Shard chip, it can take on the strongest of opponents. Speaking of RH chip...
Rocky Helmet Avalugg is my hazard remover and general physical sponge for this team.
Walrein allows this team to actually check Scizor, as well as have a decent wallbreaker.
I need rocks. I prefer Mamoswine to Piloswine for this team, I prefer speed and power to defensive synergy on this team.
Life Orb Weavile allows some pressure to be taken off A-Tales for speed control, allows me to pursuitrap Victini among other things, and provides me another Ice Shard user for chip.
Kyurem-B is mandatory on any Ice team that expects to win, and this team is no exception. No scarf set needed, but my thought process on this exact set will be explained later.
I started this team with a Scarf Ninetales-Alola. Ice in ORAS so dearly wanted something over 109 speed to cover the scarf 108 speed tier, and it got it (at the cost of scarf 108 becoming way less relevant). It often hits like a feather, but with adequate hail, Rocky Helmet, or Ice Shard chip, it can take on the strongest of opponents. Speaking of RH chip...
Rocky Helmet Avalugg is my hazard remover and general physical sponge for this team.
Walrein allows this team to actually check Scizor, as well as have a decent wallbreaker.
I need rocks. I prefer Mamoswine to Piloswine for this team, I prefer speed and power to defensive synergy on this team.
Life Orb Weavile allows some pressure to be taken off A-Tales for speed control, allows me to pursuitrap Victini among other things, and provides me another Ice Shard user for chip.
Kyurem-B is mandatory on any Ice team that expects to win, and this team is no exception. No scarf set needed, but my thought process on this exact set will be explained later.
Ninetales-Alola @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Blizzard
- Aurora Veil
- Moonblast
- Freeze-Dry
This is kind of the main star of the show. I genuinely believe Scarf A-Tales is a defensible option for speed control on Ice.
I'm going to list matchups and whether A-Tales does anything in them, and if so, what.
bug - capable of rking scarf heracross if and only if you win the hazard war. obviously outspeeds without webs down and ohkos. otherwise, can rk mega pinsir.
dark - capable of cleaning if ttar and amuk are chipped enough and gren is dead. one thing this notably does is force shark to get +2 before it megas, since it outspeeds even jolly +1.
dragon - i don't know if i need to explain anything. rks kommoo after a soulblaze. the only notable things i can't outpace are scarf latios and cb dragonite. former can be pursuitrapped, latter ain't ohko without significant chip. world-beater in this matchup
electric - outspeeds koko and does fair damage to it (i.e. they need to defog if they wish to put koko in more than once). outspeeds zeraora and does like 70. otherwise doesnt do anything that other members can't do
fairy - can get 60% on diancie and kill after chip, do the aforementioned thing to koko, outspeed and ohko bulu.
fighting - okay im just going to count chip you need to kill guaranteed. terrak - 2 hail, keldeo - 4 hail, gallade - 2 hail 1 helmet, coba - don't try, hawlucha - none, breloom - break sash and you'll be good, infernape - gets 2hko'd but like barely. do 50 to it and youll kill, kommoo - none even at +1, also mandatory lol fighting
fire - outspeeds +1 xzard and does 40-ish, that is to say ice shard range, or death range to hail if it dd's on you again
flying - can clean with freeze-dry if you pursuitrap yzard down to appropriate health and chip celesteela. no notable things on the type outspeed it unless you could tailwind.
ghost - can kill sab if it stays in. emergency aurora veil is a good idea in this mu. mandatory lol ghost
grass - denies synthesis on venu, outspeeds everything notable, can clean once venuthorn is chipped a TON. that's basically the battle of grass v ice though. atales does nothing special
ground - spamming freeze dry/utilizing rh to chip driller is a good idea. once it's dead, it cleans.
ice - obviously can hit kyub. outspeeds aslash. god i hate it why is aslash so slow
normal - rks lopunny. suicide aveil after unless chansey's nearly dead.
poison - freeze-dry hits toxapex i guess. its not great, suicide aveil is a defensible play in this mu
psychic - suicide aveil is defensible. a smart player will switch into their victini or their jirachi. go into my replays to find an example of a less smart lad being on the wrong end of scarf atales.
rock - keel over and die. you cant even suicide aveil since ttar can come in and rain on your parade.
steel - rk excadrill or suicide aveil whenever you can.
water - this is an amazing matchup. once you chip toxapex a lil, you can kill a fair amount of mons. facing water with this shit will make your opponent think you're specifically cteaming, it's a really dominant mu. unless empo. in which case just pursuitrap it
dark - capable of cleaning if ttar and amuk are chipped enough and gren is dead. one thing this notably does is force shark to get +2 before it megas, since it outspeeds even jolly +1.
dragon - i don't know if i need to explain anything. rks kommoo after a soulblaze. the only notable things i can't outpace are scarf latios and cb dragonite. former can be pursuitrapped, latter ain't ohko without significant chip. world-beater in this matchup
electric - outspeeds koko and does fair damage to it (i.e. they need to defog if they wish to put koko in more than once). outspeeds zeraora and does like 70. otherwise doesnt do anything that other members can't do
fairy - can get 60% on diancie and kill after chip, do the aforementioned thing to koko, outspeed and ohko bulu.
fighting - okay im just going to count chip you need to kill guaranteed. terrak - 2 hail, keldeo - 4 hail, gallade - 2 hail 1 helmet, coba - don't try, hawlucha - none, breloom - break sash and you'll be good, infernape - gets 2hko'd but like barely. do 50 to it and youll kill, kommoo - none even at +1, also mandatory lol fighting
fire - outspeeds +1 xzard and does 40-ish, that is to say ice shard range, or death range to hail if it dd's on you again
flying - can clean with freeze-dry if you pursuitrap yzard down to appropriate health and chip celesteela. no notable things on the type outspeed it unless you could tailwind.
ghost - can kill sab if it stays in. emergency aurora veil is a good idea in this mu. mandatory lol ghost
grass - denies synthesis on venu, outspeeds everything notable, can clean once venuthorn is chipped a TON. that's basically the battle of grass v ice though. atales does nothing special
ground - spamming freeze dry/utilizing rh to chip driller is a good idea. once it's dead, it cleans.
ice - obviously can hit kyub. outspeeds aslash. god i hate it why is aslash so slow
normal - rks lopunny. suicide aveil after unless chansey's nearly dead.
poison - freeze-dry hits toxapex i guess. its not great, suicide aveil is a defensible play in this mu
psychic - suicide aveil is defensible. a smart player will switch into their victini or their jirachi. go into my replays to find an example of a less smart lad being on the wrong end of scarf atales.
rock - keel over and die. you cant even suicide aveil since ttar can come in and rain on your parade.
steel - rk excadrill or suicide aveil whenever you can.
water - this is an amazing matchup. once you chip toxapex a lil, you can kill a fair amount of mons. facing water with this shit will make your opponent think you're specifically cteaming, it's a really dominant mu. unless empo. in which case just pursuitrap it
Avalugg @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Avalanche
- Recover
- Rapid Spin
- Roar
I hate building without Helmet Avalugg. If you aren't familiar with Avalugg teams, Avalugg is your hazard remover, a thing that can tank more super effective physical threats than you would imagine, and has some more niche uses as well! This includes desperation Sturdy check to random things, Thing That You Sack to Get Helmet Chip, and emergency phazer. I'm just going to provide one calc to provide a rough estimate at how fat it is on the physical side.
252+ Atk Choice Band Technician Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Avalugg: 152-180 (38.5 - 45.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
Mishiimono-Mega (Walrein) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 104 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 8 SpD / 140 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Frost Breath
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Signal Beam
There's a decent amount of Ice teams that have been made recently that simply embraced the idea that they will never realistically defeat Scizor, and so they will just try to cover things while accepting a loss to Scizor. I don't like doing that, mostly because I love Specs Walrein and its non-Scizor checking roles. Surf and HP Fire are automatic adds, Frost Breath isn't really for any particular Calm Mind sweeper as much as it is an option for Fairy in general, as well as a Beast Boosted SpD Celesteela. The last slot is just filler, I have Signal Beam literally JUST for Mega Slowbro. The other popular option is Blizzard, which is a lot less powerful when used in conjunction with Scarf A-Tales. Walrein usually doesn't get hail for its own Blizzards, sadly. The funky EV spread is to outspeed 200 speed things (such as Adamant Azu-creeping M-Scizor), while maximizing Special Attack, while hitting a Stealth Rock number. The name is a reference to how Walrein is better than Dewgong. Sorry, Dewgong. mish mish
I don't know if I need calcs for this. Specs Walrein is kind of a known quantity, nothing new here.
Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Icicle Spear
- Ice Shard
This is the most straight-forward set on the team. Mamoswine is my rocker. Icicle Spear is literally for Breloom, and a pretty okay expected value otherwise. I have had it surprise a few regular Aerodactyls(why do people use Aerodactyl?) , Subtoxic Zapdos's (why do they try to sub up on Literally Ice?) and YZards. It's comfortable for me as well, you ain't ever miss with it.
Weavile @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick
Weavile is an option that's also relatively popular. The only decision I've made that's not standard is to use Low Kick, Pursuit, and Ice Shard, whereas what I've seen most of the time is to eschew one of the first two options for Icicle Crash. Why? I ain't know. Feel free to tell me why.
CJK5H (Kyurem-Black) @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Fusion Bolt
- Draco Meteor
This set may require some explanation. I initially made it Roseli Berry/Iron Head for the best answer to Mega Diancie ever. I struggled with Toxapex and lost to Fire once, and this was enough to persuade me to use Dragonium Draco Meteor in place of Iron Head. Nothing gold can stay. (Hey guys, LO Earth Power doesn't kill Torkoal guaranteed. Better use Z-Draco!!!) Over time, I tried to make it Icium, Electrium, Groundium, and Z-Outrage instead of Z-Draco, but I always found myself wanting to use Z-Draco in particular for its ability to be a jack of all trades and master of none. Otherwise, standard Kyu-B set. The name is a reference to a college football joke from 2012 that I still think is funny to this day.
252 SpA Teravolt Kyurem-Black Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Toxapex: 222-262 (73 - 86.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Black Sludge recovery
252 SpA Teravolt Kyurem-Black Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Swampert: 327-385 (80.9 - 95.2%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Teravolt Kyurem-Black Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Torkoal: 399-469 (116.3 - 136.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
^Guess how many times I have used this calc. If you guessed zero, you are correct. Never prepare for Fire. Ever.
252 SpA Teravolt Kyurem-Black Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 248 HP / 156+ SpD Sableye-Mega: 211-250 (69.6 - 82.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Teravolt Kyurem-Black Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Swampert: 327-385 (80.9 - 95.2%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Teravolt Kyurem-Black Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Torkoal: 399-469 (116.3 - 136.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
^Guess how many times I have used this calc. If you guessed zero, you are correct. Never prepare for Fire. Ever.
252 SpA Teravolt Kyurem-Black Devastating Drake (195 BP) vs. 248 HP / 156+ SpD Sableye-Mega: 211-250 (69.6 - 82.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Some threats to this team:
Steel and Rock are unwinnable if you're facing someone with a brain. Steel is bad because Ferrothorn can prevent Walrein from doing any real damage and get all-important chip on it. Rock just has too many offensive threats for Mamoswine alone to defeat, even if it's simply Mega Diancie and Terrakion.
This team has a horrible, horrible Normal matchup. You literally have to put weav in on the chansey, pursuitrap it to do like 31, and have something else ACTUALLY kill it after it gets down to approximately 50% after two rocks damages. Alternatively, if you win the hazard war somehow, you can get chansey into some neato 50/50s where if they do not switch out into a knock off, they instantly die. Without Chansey, this matchup would be quite okay, but with it, it's so much worse than your average ice team.
Hera/Sciz/Volc is difficult with this team, especially if Araquanid is on the team (i.e. a reliable switchin to Walrein that can lay Sticky Web). There really isn't a much better solution than killing galv and praying that you can get at least one spin in (you can switch in on armaldo)
Psychic is difficult mostly because Weavile can only kill so many threats. You can use it for killing the Victini, a Mew, a Psychic-locked Latios, but you must bear in mind that rocks make that thing very much on a timer.
This team has a horrible, horrible Normal matchup. You literally have to put weav in on the chansey, pursuitrap it to do like 31, and have something else ACTUALLY kill it after it gets down to approximately 50% after two rocks damages. Alternatively, if you win the hazard war somehow, you can get chansey into some neato 50/50s where if they do not switch out into a knock off, they instantly die. Without Chansey, this matchup would be quite okay, but with it, it's so much worse than your average ice team.
Hera/Sciz/Volc is difficult with this team, especially if Araquanid is on the team (i.e. a reliable switchin to Walrein that can lay Sticky Web). There really isn't a much better solution than killing galv and praying that you can get at least one spin in (you can switch in on armaldo)
Psychic is difficult mostly because Weavile can only kill so many threats. You can use it for killing the Victini, a Mew, a Psychic-locked Latios, but you must bear in mind that rocks make that thing very much on a timer.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-849390526 vs ss. this is unfair, also this man piloting it isn't that great at playing this video game
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-828368164 this is a shitty example of vs steel because i didnt save enough replays of vs steel. this is what youre getting. im shovelling these cold mushy carrots down your gullet and you are the 4 year old who hates mushy vegetables but still must eat it before he can eat pudding. learning delayed gratification is an underrated life lesson. life is a bad place full of men who Just Sack Everything. i swear there are good replays in this set
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-846714885 vs flying, my best friend juleocesar.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-844921515 vs fairy
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-835208287 the most important matchup... the ice mirror.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-768020869 vs THE psychic. absolutely epic.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-828368164 this is a shitty example of vs steel because i didnt save enough replays of vs steel. this is what youre getting. im shovelling these cold mushy carrots down your gullet and you are the 4 year old who hates mushy vegetables but still must eat it before he can eat pudding. learning delayed gratification is an underrated life lesson. life is a bad place full of men who Just Sack Everything. i swear there are good replays in this set
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-846714885 vs flying, my best friend juleocesar.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-844921515 vs fairy
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-835208287 the most important matchup... the ice mirror.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-768020869 vs THE psychic. absolutely epic.
Ninetales-Alola @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Blizzard
- Aurora Veil
- Moonblast
- Freeze-Dry
CJK5H (Kyurem-Black) @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Fusion Bolt
- Draco Meteor
Avalugg @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Avalanche
- Recover
- Rapid Spin
- Roar
Mishiimono-Mega (Walrein) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 104 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 8 SpD / 140 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Frost Breath
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Signal Beam
Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Icicle Spear
- Ice Shard
Weavile @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Blizzard
- Aurora Veil
- Moonblast
- Freeze-Dry
CJK5H (Kyurem-Black) @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Fusion Bolt
- Draco Meteor
Avalugg @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Avalanche
- Recover
- Rapid Spin
- Roar
Mishiimono-Mega (Walrein) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 104 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 8 SpD / 140 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Frost Breath
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Signal Beam
Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Icicle Spear
- Ice Shard
Weavile @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick
I hope y'all have success with this team, and most importantly... have funsies.
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