Other Metagames [MONOTYPE] Shoal Cave Ice (Core Challenge #41)

[Ghast]

THE SHOAL CAVE ICE TEAM. PEAKED AT 1533

Proof of peak: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/monotype-296723837

Hey Guys! It's Ghast here with the CCIc5 Ice Core Challenge. The Challenge was Mega-Glalie and Kyurem-Black. Ice has always been a type that's fascinated me and Mega Glalie is one of my favorite Megas, so I decided to give this a shot. This was my first Core Challenge win (Wyngate beat me in my previous ghost core challenge xD). I peaked at 1533 with a horrible 75gxe before the ladder reset. This team really relied on making the right plays and predicting at a high level. So if you wan't a challenge, test this team out!


Also shout out to TheThorn for inspiring me to try Ice and shoutout to Broc for the awesome Aurorus set.

So lets get to it. My team is below. I changed the EVs to standard teambuilder EVs,
so you can adjust them however you like.

Shoal Cave Ice Team:
The team at a glance:​

​

The Sets:

The Spirit (Froslass) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Cursed Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- Shadow Ball
- Trick
- Destiny Bond​

Froslass was my late game "sweeper" or d-bonder. I know alot of people use Focus Sash Froslass but that was too predictable for me. I decided to go with Scarf. It outspeeds tons of threats and can cripple walls with Trick. After rocks are set up, Froslass is a really great late game sweeper against ghost/psychic teams. I added Destiny Bond to Froslass to help against certain threats I couldn't take down like Terrakion. Froslass is also such a great spin blocker.
​

The Wall (Avalugg) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Avalanche / Earthquake
- Toxic
- Recover​

I love Avalugg. It's such a great defensive mon. I decided to give it Rocky Helmet over Leftovers. I really enjoy taking chip damage away from my opponent as much as possible. My Avalugg set consisted of Rapid Spin (which was for getting rid of those nasty rocks), Toxic (to cripple other walls), Recover (Health recovery), and Avalanche (STAB). You can actually use either Earthquake or Avalanche. Earthquake is better for users who don't want to get swept by Bisharp SD sets.​

The Judge (Kyurem-Black) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Teravolt
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Outrage
- Ice Beam
- Fusion Bolt
- Earth Power​

Kyurem was the muscle of the team. Kyurem Black is such a great offensive mon with amazing stats. I opted for a Scarf set. (Yes I did use double scarf on my team :d). After stealth rocks are up, this thing is such a threat. It has the ability to sweep teams that are not prepared. My Kyurem set was mixed, I used both physical and special moves. It consisted of Outrage (Powerful dragon stab), Ice Beam (Ice Stab), Fusion Bolt (Water teams/Flying teams), Earth power (Fire/Rock teams).

The Ocean (Lapras) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Freeze-Dry
- Ancient Power
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Surf​

I really needed something that could possibly take on Scizor 1v1, so I used Lapras. Lapras has such a great movepool and an awesome ability. If rocks aren't up, Lapras can take on Scizor that hasn't set up yet. I gave it Choice specs for that extra power boost. My set consisted of HP Fire (My Scizor takedown move xD), Freeze Dry (Really helps against water teams), Ancient power (for coverage), Surf (for STAB and helped against fire, steel, rock teams).
​

The Rock (Aurorus) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Snow Warning
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Blizzard
- Encore
- Thunder Wave
- Stealth Rock​

When I used my ice team on the ladder I always lead with Aurorus. You don't know how many times this lead has surprised people. Aurorus has the awesome ability Snow Warning which helps break other lead sashes and helps wear down the opposing team. I gave Aurorus a focus sash item so I can set up Stealth Rocks safely. My set consisted of Thunder Wave (Cripple threats), Encore (Cripple other leads that set up rocks then you can T-WAVE or vice versa), Blizzard (Powerful stab). You can also change Blizzard for Ancient Power if you'd don't want more Ice Stab.

The King (Glalie-Mega) @ Glalitite
Ability: Inner Focus
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Frustration
- Explosion
- Ice Shard

Mega Glalie is such an underused pokemon and it's so powerful. It was a bulldozer on my team and helped me throughout my challenge. I gave Mega Glalie an adamant nature instead of jolly because I wanted Glalie to be able to KO certain walls. Also the ability "Refrigerate" really let me maximize it's attack power. My set consisted of Earthquake (helped against Heatran, Tyranitar, Rock and Fire mons in general), Frustration (Its powerful ICE stab which really made a dent on certain teams that don't resist), Ice shard (The only priority on my team which I really needed), and Explosion (KOs Skarmory + Ferrothorn + Mega Sableye).

Importable team below:

Hide

The Spirit (Froslass) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Cursed Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- Shadow Ball
- Trick
- Destiny Bond

The Wall (Avalugg) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Avalanche / Earthquake
- Toxic
- Recover

The Judge (Kyurem-Black) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Teravolt
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Outrage
- Ice Beam
- Fusion Bolt
- Earth Power

The Ocean (Lapras) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Freeze-Dry
- Ancient Power
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Surf

The Rock (Aurorus) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Snow Warning
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Blizzard
- Encore
- Thunder Wave
- Stealth Rock

The King (Glalie-Mega) @ Glalitite
Ability: Inner Focus
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Frustration
- Explosion
- Ice Shard

TEAM IN ACTION:
Against Water: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/monotype-296719290
Against Ghost: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/monotype-296708423
Against Flying: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/monotype-296706499

This team really did alot better than I thought it would. I consistently beat fire & rock teams. (Can't find replays :/)
I had the most trouble against fighting, steel with mega scizor and bug teams with LO SD Scizor.

Threats:
Rock teams, Fighting Teams, Fire Teams, Mega Scizor, Steel Teams, Mega Sableye, Aegislash

Biggest Threats:
Scarf Terrakion, Sub Keldeo, SD Scizor variants, SD Bisharp

Hope you guys enjoyed reading my RMT! Also remember before you rate my team this was a team made for the Monotype Core Challenge #41, so using Mega Glalie and Kyurem-Black is essential.​

 

[Dece1t]

Congrats on the win ghast, I'll update the site asap! Anyways, I rly like this team, its original, fun, and badass in general. I think however (as I've told you many times lol) you could give specs Froslass a shot. Still a great spin blocker, you get some more offensive power, and you can have an easier time against fighting. I can pass you a good set.

Froslass (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Frost Breath
- Shadow Ball
- Psychic
- Trick

Like I said man, the team is different, and it works fantastically, I've seen it in action prior to the challenge. keep up the great work! :)

 

[Purply]

Hi! I like your team and I like ice pokemon, it's my favourite type. Ice pokemon are very frail, so you have a lot of difficulties in creating a good monotype.
However, sorry for my English, I can't speak it very well.

First of all, I don't like Lapras' move, ancient power...it's a weak move(with an effect which is rarely useful) and it can't do a lot of damage.
I prefer Psychic(against Fighting pokemon) or Ice Beam\Blizzard(which are very useful against pokemon like Dragonite, who can survive to Freeze dry).
Lapras is a special sweeper(according to your moveset), so you should use hydro pump instead of surf...you need of the most powerful moves(surf is more accurated, but Hydro pump is stronger).

Moreover, I prefer Roar, instead of Toxic, on Avalugg:
1)without toxic, pokemon like scizor can boost themselves...and kill your team[Lapras can't do anything: 252+ Atk Mega Scizor Superpower vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Lapras: 384-454 (95.7 - 113.2%) -- 75% chance to OHKO \ +2 252+ Atk Mega Scizor Superpower vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Lapras: 768-904 (191.5 - 225.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO];
2)roar has a lot of synergy with Stealth rock.

On Aurorus and Froslass, I don't like their EV's spread.
The first rule of an ice pokemon is that his HP must be odd, not even(Aurorus should have 187 hp, not 188), because, in this way, your pokemon are allowed to switch into Stealth Rock five times, not only four times.

KyuremB need of more EVs on special attack, in my opinion...with 4evs your moves aren't so strong(expecially earth power, very useful against steel and fire pokemon, or pokemon like toxicroak).

Another consideration:
why should you use Aurorus and not Mamoswine?

Mamoswine can learn stealth rock and can handle with Fire pokemon and Steel pokemon with Stabbed eartquake(it has Thick Fat, a good movepool...).
Aurorus is too weak and the hail last only 5 turns. Moreover, Aurorus is weak against Ground Monotype(Hippodown is slower than Aurorus, so hail will be replaced by sandstorm and Blizzard will be less accurated; moreover, Hippodown can kill Aurorus and damage your team with eartquake+stealth rock\roar).
Mamoswine is stronger than Aurorus, in my opinion.

Finally, these are my suggestions...
pay a lot of attention to status(expecially to Prankster Sableye with Will o wisp) and Scarfed pokemon(like Serene Grace Iron Head Jirachi, Excadrill, Metagross, etc).

Bye! And W Ice pokemon! ^^