No Chlorophyll Sun RMT

Taljen





Hey all. While I've wanted a Sun team for a while, I've held off because of how necessary Venusaur seems to be. Since I want my cartridge file to mirror my Smogon team, a Chlorophyll Venusaur just isn't plausable. So I'm trying something a little unconventional: A Sun team without any Chlorophyll Pokemon. Testing thus far, however, has been a little frustrating. So I thought I'd turn to the experts for some advice! Without further ado:

Kitsa (Ninetales) (F) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Drought
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- SolarBeam
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Will-O-Wisp

Ninetales is the crux of the team, obviously. I went offensive because I felt it was less expected. HP Ice is there mainly for Dragons. Most of the team is built around supporting Ninetales so that Heatran can go play in the sun endgame. Right now, the only problem I'm having with Ninetales is that there aren't enough reasons on my team for the sun to be out in the first place. Still, it holds its own well enough, and can take enough hits, so I don't feel that not playing a defensive set hurts my team very much.

Iapa (Heatran) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Lava Plume
- Earth Power
- Substitute
- Toxic

My other fire type. I went with Substitute Heatran as insurance if the weather gets wet, I can at least toxic off the Rain Dancer/Politoed, though I'm considering other movesets, as Substitute Heatran doesn't exactly scream late game sweeper. Even when played early on, the sun and substitute help ensure that Heatran stays around long enough to fire off a Toxic and retreat. Besides, Heatran's speed is low enough as it is without paralysis ruining Heatran's potential early on.

Wash (Rotom-Wash) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 232 HP / 56 SAtk / 220 Spd
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Pain Split
- Will-O-Wisp

Rain insurance, coverage, defense, and a burn spammer, I love my Rotom-W. Obviously mainly for support, especially when it starts raining. Volt Switch allows it to scout, but doesn't allow for when you need an electric attacker to stay. My biggest problem with Rotom-W is its moveslot syndome, as I'd love to put in a Thunderbolt to help it stay with threats. I chose Wash over Heat so I wouldn't be completely unprepared for rain, and because I love Wash's single weakness to grass. Rotom's low speed makes him not the fastest scout, but at least he's one that can take a few attacks before folding up and dying.

Aurath (Espeon) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Psyshock
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Electric]

An offensive Espeon. Magic Bounce prediction is key, obviously. If I can bounce back a Taunt, oftentimes I find myself completely free to set up. Hidden Power Electric is for when I need to hit rain teams and stay, something my Rotom-W isn't equipped to do. Shadow Ball is there mainly for coverage, and because of a shallow movepool. I'm considering switching to Dual Screens, and keeping just Psyshock and Hidden Power Electric.

Chase (Garchomp) (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Rough Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Stone Edge
Garchomp is the main muscle of my team, which you may expect. He also serves as my Dragon support, over Latias. I chose that mainly because of typing; I felt I needed a strong Earthquaker for coverage. He is another Pokemon with moveslot syndrome, however, since I didn't have room to include the coverage I wanted as well as Fire Fang for the sun, but I am considering swapping Dragon Claw out for the move, as my team needs more Sun team Synergy than initially thought.

Gratu (Breloom) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 HP / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Seed
- Low Sweep
- Spore
- Mach Punch

Breloom is, again, for coverage. Originally a Venusaur, I modified it when I decided to make this team on a cartridge, and am very pleased with my Breloom. The set is standard, and it works as well as you'd expect against breaking up other weather teams, as well as Low Sweeping and Sporing anything that switches. Still, the lack of Chlorophyll is hard, sometimes I'll find myself in the awkward position where a Mach Punch isn't strong enough, but I don't have time to go with Low Sweep/Spore. Even so, Breloom is often the MVP of my team, since it is so hard to switch into.

As you might expect, this team may be a little lacking offensively. The idea was to start with Ninetales, and make sure to create support. But as a result, I feel my team may be a little too over the place, and not focused on the Sun theme enough. I'm posting this team because I'm not entirely sure what new direction to take it in. I'm open to nearly any change in moveset or Pokemon; the exception is Chlorophyll Venusaur or any other Pokemon I'm only going to be able to acquire by hacking. Thank you so much for your time and consideration!
 
I guess I'm using my self bump now. I'd appreciate any feedback. IDK if it's my "no Venusaur" thing that's the dealbreaker for possible critics, or if the team just needs a complete overhaul and no one wants to say it, or if it's just a slow Sunday and I should chill out. Regardless, thanks for your time and consideration!

EDIT: I'm not against using Chlorophyll, just against using Venusaur, because there is no way for me to get one in my White 2 file without hacking.
 
I'm not that experienced in competitive battling but I'll give this a shot. If my suggestions seem moronic, feel free to ignore them.

Ninetales
I like the idea of going offensive for the surprise factor alone. The only real change I would make here is Energy Ball over Solarbeam. Solarbeam is WAY more powerful, but should your opponent switch into another weather inducer (t-tar, politoed etc) you'll be a sitting duck for the charge turn. Energy ball still packs a punch and you won't have to worry about a sudden weather change.

Heatran:
Someone smarter than me can comment on this guy, I've got nothing negative.

Rotom-W:
Wash over heat was a good call. I had a rotom heat on the sun team I'm working on and he didn't last long. Because of his speed being kind of a hindrance to scouting, I'd lose some of those speed EVs and put them into SpAtk and put thunderbolt over volt switch.

Espeon:
Magic bounce Espeon FTW :). One idea is to get baton pass in there somewhere. Passing one or two calm mind boosts to, anything not named Garchomp or Breloom can potentially be setup for a game ending sweep.

Garchomp:
Garchomp hits so hard as is that fire fang may not be necessary. Keep testing to figure out if you really want it or not.

Breloom:
Breloom is a beast, nuff said.

As for the sun theme in general, Having only 2 guys who benefit from the sun may be your downfall. I admit that fire fang on Garchomp would help some, but maybe not enough. Take a look at Darmanitan or Infernape to replace... something, not sure exactly what. Lastly, about chlorophyll, are you avoiding just Venusaur or all chlorophyll users? If you want a chlorophyller besides Venusar, consider Sawsbuck.

Sawsbuck @ Life Orb | Clorophyll
Adamant | 252Atk / 252Speed / 4hp
- Nature Power
- Megahorn
- Horn Leech
- Double Edge/Return

95 base speed lets him blow past alot. STAB double edge/return hits hard, megahorn provides power and coverage, horn leech STABS and restores HP at the same time, and nature power turns into earthquake for yet more coverage! He is relatively frail though, and will need safe switches and the like, but with the right support he can decimate teams that aren't prepared.
 
The problem, as I see it, is that Sun is mostly only useful to make Chlorophyllers unstoppable and to make sun nukes like Victini almost unwallable. Otherwise, you end up with a practically useless Pokemon (Ninetales) and then trying to support it with the rest of the team (instead of being the other way around, like it should be).

Anyway, there are several good sun sweepers with Chlorophyll that aren't Venosaur. One that's quite good and easily obtainable in-game is Sawsbuck. Maybe something that looks like this:

Sawsbuck @ Life Orb
Trait: Chlorophyll
EVs: 112 HP / 252 Atk / 148 Spe
Adamant nature
-Swords Dance
-Horn Leech
-Return
-Jump Kick

Garchomp doesn't need Stone Edge in OU; it only needed it in Ubers because otherwise it would be walled up and down by Lugia. Definitely Fire Fang over SE. Alternatively, SD Chomp can draw in and KO some problem Pokemon for Sawsbuck, like Skarm.

Also, looking at your team, if Breloom can get in (which it's admittedly hard-pressed to do), one with a similar set to yours can 1-2 hit KO every member of your team. Not sure how useful it is to your team, but Xatu (over Espeon) completely shuts down any Breloom without Stone Edge.


I don't know if you like any of my suggestions, but I definitely like your idea of a Sun team that not just Venosaur support.


EDIT: My Sawsbuck suggestion totally got ninja'd.
 
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