Howdy! I'm Shynight, and I've only recently gotten into RU. (And yet, I decided to make a Semi-Trick Room team. What the hell is wrong with me?) To be honest, I've never been particularly active in the competitive scene, but when I did I usually played OU Doubles. Obviously, RU Singles is VERY different, but with Sun/Moon looming on the horizon, I figured I should get a better handle on how the competitive scene works across different tiers before the entire metagame changes, so that it will be easier for me to deal with those changes.
But this isn't all about me! No, no, it's about my team! So, without further ado, let us introduce...
*drumroll*
THE TEAM!
(... really? Just "the team"? You couldn't even come up with a cool team name or something?)
Shut up, brain! Besides, isn't coming up with ideas YOUR job?
(Fine, I will! Let's go with Team...... Team....... I got it!)
I swear, if you say Team Mystic, I will punch you in the medula.
(...How about Team Val-?)
NO!
(Team-?)
NO!!
(But I didn't even finish.)
You were going to say Instinct, weren't you?
(...No?)
*sigh* Whatever, let's just... let's just show them the team...
THE TEAM
(Name Pending)
Slowking @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 216 HP/40 Def/252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk/0 Spe
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Trick Room
- Fire Blast
I chose Trick Room Slowking as one half of a core with Choice Band Escavalier because they simply work so well together. Slowking has considerable enough bulk that it survives rather handily even in situations where Trick Room isn't a good idea, and covers Fire-types - the bane of Escavalier's existence - and can easily switch into a predicted Water-type move, then switch back out, gaining most if not all of the damage back with Regenerator. Scald allows Slowking to function well as a tank and can put pressure on a team with Burn, Psyshock is used over Psychic to better get past bulky Defense, notably OHKOing Virizion, and Fire Blast provides some nice coverage to deal with Steel-types, notably OHKOing Assault Vest Escavalier, though it can also deal with Bronzong if either of you use Trick Room.
Escavalier @ Choice Band
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 172 HP/252 Atk/84 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Megahorn
- Iron Head
- Pursuit
- Drill Run
Choice Band Escavalier is the other half of the core. Escavalier has an amazing typing, powerful STAB moves, is a powerful wallbreaker, and provides a check to essentially all of Slowking's problems. Megahorn tears through even the bulkiest of defenses, and Iron Head provides excellent coverage against Fairy- and Rock-types, Pursuit is excellent for punishing a fleeing Psychic- or Ghost-type, and Drill Run provides a bit of coverage against Steel- and Poison-types (or possibly Fire-types with Trick Room up).
Drapion @ Lum Berry
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 252 Atk/60 Def/196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Taunt
- Poison Jab
Drapion serves a dual purpose. He's useful as support, with Taunt stopping stalls/set ups in there tracks, and Knock Off to remove essential items. Once his checks have been taken care of, Drapion can excel as a late-game sweeper, dealing devastating damage with +2 Poison Jab and Knock Off, especially to Fairy- and Psychic-types.
Virizion @ Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk/132 Def/124 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Leaf Blade
- Stone Edge
Virizion is prominent in the RU metagame for very good reason. It provides an absolutely essential
check to bulky Water-types like Alomomola, Jellicent, and Blastoise, can be boosted by switching into a predicted Dark-type attack, and is arguably one of the best physical sweepers in the RU tier. Close Combat and Leaf Blade can both deal devastating amounts of damage even without a boost from Swords, and Stone Edge provides additional cover against Fire-, Flying-, and Ice-types.
Diancie @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP/72 Def/184 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Heal Bell
- Moonblast
- Diamond Storm
Diancie also works well both in and out of Trick Room. It stops Dragon's dead in their tracks, often forcing a switch-out, allowing for a free turn to use Heal Bell or set up Rocks. Moonblast and Diamond Storm are both extremely powerful STAB moves, and the 50% chance Defense boost
from Diamond Storm, while luck dependent, can be extremely useful.
Flygon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- U-Turn
- Defog
Flygon functions both as a Defog user and an excellent Scout. Flygon is king when it comes to hazards, taking reduced damage from Rocks and completely avoiding (Toxic) Spikes, then Defogging them away. Flygon should almost ALWAYS lead, since it can outspeed almost anything to use U-Turn, both allowing you to switch into a favorable position and scouting for potential coverage moves. Beyond Defog and U-Turn, both Earthquake and Outrage are extremely powerful STAB moves, though Outrage should be used sparingly if your opponent has checks to a locked-in Dragon move, ESPECIALLY a Fairy-type.
So, yeah, this is what I've come up with.
The biggest problem I've had with this team is efficiently dealing with Assault Vest Eelektross. It will ALWAYS have at least Volt Switch and Flamethrower, which cause problems for Slowking, Escavalier, and Virizion, Flygon can't hit with Earthquake because of Levitate, leaving Outrage, which can be easily switch-blocked, and U-Turn, which doesn't do all that much damage, and Diancie is threatened by the often-used Giga Drain. That leaves Drapion, who really can't set up until late-game. You can always just have Drapion use Knock Off to at least soften up Eelektross, but Drapion will take a significant hit to it's HP most times, which lessens his ability to support and basically nullifies his ability to set up late game.
If you can solve this problem for me, I will give you many Internet cookies. You can't actually eat them, but they're 0 calories. So, yay?
But this isn't all about me! No, no, it's about my team! So, without further ado, let us introduce...
*drumroll*
THE TEAM!
(... really? Just "the team"? You couldn't even come up with a cool team name or something?)
Shut up, brain! Besides, isn't coming up with ideas YOUR job?
(Fine, I will! Let's go with Team...... Team....... I got it!)
I swear, if you say Team Mystic, I will punch you in the medula.
(...How about Team Val-?)
NO!
(Team-?)
NO!!
(But I didn't even finish.)
You were going to say Instinct, weren't you?
(...No?)
*sigh* Whatever, let's just... let's just show them the team...
THE TEAM
(Name Pending)
Slowking @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 216 HP/40 Def/252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk/0 Spe
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Trick Room
- Fire Blast
I chose Trick Room Slowking as one half of a core with Choice Band Escavalier because they simply work so well together. Slowking has considerable enough bulk that it survives rather handily even in situations where Trick Room isn't a good idea, and covers Fire-types - the bane of Escavalier's existence - and can easily switch into a predicted Water-type move, then switch back out, gaining most if not all of the damage back with Regenerator. Scald allows Slowking to function well as a tank and can put pressure on a team with Burn, Psyshock is used over Psychic to better get past bulky Defense, notably OHKOing Virizion, and Fire Blast provides some nice coverage to deal with Steel-types, notably OHKOing Assault Vest Escavalier, though it can also deal with Bronzong if either of you use Trick Room.
Escavalier @ Choice Band
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 172 HP/252 Atk/84 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Megahorn
- Iron Head
- Pursuit
- Drill Run
Choice Band Escavalier is the other half of the core. Escavalier has an amazing typing, powerful STAB moves, is a powerful wallbreaker, and provides a check to essentially all of Slowking's problems. Megahorn tears through even the bulkiest of defenses, and Iron Head provides excellent coverage against Fairy- and Rock-types, Pursuit is excellent for punishing a fleeing Psychic- or Ghost-type, and Drill Run provides a bit of coverage against Steel- and Poison-types (or possibly Fire-types with Trick Room up).
Drapion @ Lum Berry
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 252 Atk/60 Def/196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Taunt
- Poison Jab
Drapion serves a dual purpose. He's useful as support, with Taunt stopping stalls/set ups in there tracks, and Knock Off to remove essential items. Once his checks have been taken care of, Drapion can excel as a late-game sweeper, dealing devastating damage with +2 Poison Jab and Knock Off, especially to Fairy- and Psychic-types.
Virizion @ Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk/132 Def/124 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Leaf Blade
- Stone Edge
Virizion is prominent in the RU metagame for very good reason. It provides an absolutely essential
check to bulky Water-types like Alomomola, Jellicent, and Blastoise, can be boosted by switching into a predicted Dark-type attack, and is arguably one of the best physical sweepers in the RU tier. Close Combat and Leaf Blade can both deal devastating amounts of damage even without a boost from Swords, and Stone Edge provides additional cover against Fire-, Flying-, and Ice-types.
Diancie @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP/72 Def/184 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Heal Bell
- Moonblast
- Diamond Storm
Diancie also works well both in and out of Trick Room. It stops Dragon's dead in their tracks, often forcing a switch-out, allowing for a free turn to use Heal Bell or set up Rocks. Moonblast and Diamond Storm are both extremely powerful STAB moves, and the 50% chance Defense boost
from Diamond Storm, while luck dependent, can be extremely useful.
Flygon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- U-Turn
- Defog
Flygon functions both as a Defog user and an excellent Scout. Flygon is king when it comes to hazards, taking reduced damage from Rocks and completely avoiding (Toxic) Spikes, then Defogging them away. Flygon should almost ALWAYS lead, since it can outspeed almost anything to use U-Turn, both allowing you to switch into a favorable position and scouting for potential coverage moves. Beyond Defog and U-Turn, both Earthquake and Outrage are extremely powerful STAB moves, though Outrage should be used sparingly if your opponent has checks to a locked-in Dragon move, ESPECIALLY a Fairy-type.
So, yeah, this is what I've come up with.
The biggest problem I've had with this team is efficiently dealing with Assault Vest Eelektross. It will ALWAYS have at least Volt Switch and Flamethrower, which cause problems for Slowking, Escavalier, and Virizion, Flygon can't hit with Earthquake because of Levitate, leaving Outrage, which can be easily switch-blocked, and U-Turn, which doesn't do all that much damage, and Diancie is threatened by the often-used Giga Drain. That leaves Drapion, who really can't set up until late-game. You can always just have Drapion use Knock Off to at least soften up Eelektross, but Drapion will take a significant hit to it's HP most times, which lessens his ability to support and basically nullifies his ability to set up late game.
If you can solve this problem for me, I will give you many Internet cookies. You can't actually eat them, but they're 0 calories. So, yay?
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