Team At a Glance
Hello Smogon, I'm back with my third Generation 5 RMT! I've been playing competitive Pokemon since DDP, where I had pretty good success. When Black and White came out, I had many problem adjusting to the new metagame. I have tried several teams in this generation, and none of them have really had any success. I don't ladder, I just try to make teams that are fun to play, and win more than they lose, which is very difficult.
Introduction
I wanted to try something new. All I really see are weather teams, mainly Rain and Sand, so I knew i wanted to stay away from that. I also wanted to stay away from Volt-Turn because that is another strategy that is way over used. I remembered 4th generation, when I had tried Gravity. It was probably the most fun I had playing because it was something that no one else really used. So I decided to focus the team around that move and its mechanics.
What is Gravity?
Gravity is a field move that last for 5 turns. During the turns that Gravity is intensified, the following effects happen:
-All Pokemon, including those with Levitate and Flying, are susceptible to Ground type attacks and (Toxic) Spikes. The same goes for Pokemon with Air Balloon.
-The Evasion of all Pokemon is lowered to 3/5
-The effects Bounce, Fly, High Jump Kick, Jump Kick, Magnet Rise and Splash are negated.
-All Pokemon, including those with Levitate and Flying, are susceptible to Ground type attacks and (Toxic) Spikes. The same goes for Pokemon with Air Balloon.
-The Evasion of all Pokemon is lowered to 3/5
-The effects Bounce, Fly, High Jump Kick, Jump Kick, Magnet Rise and Splash are negated.
Team Building Process
Out of the numerous effects of Gravity, the one that interested me the most was Evasion being lowered to 3/5. This is huge, as all moves with at least 60% accuracy will always hit under Gravity. So with the effect, the obvious route was to go offensive.
Team Version 1
This team did alright for a little while, but I was having problems with taking attacks. I let Volcarona setup on me, and it beat most of the team. When I made a change to fix that, SubPunching Tyranitar swept my team. After making several changes, the team started to get a new defensive look to it, and I really liked it. So I decided to try the ways of stall.
Team Version 2
This is the stage where the the team as a whole started to come together. I was now taking more advantage of Gravity making all Pokemon vulnerable to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, bar Pokemon with Magic Guard. I had hazards, Rapid Spin, Wish support, Heal Bell, and a powerful closer. I was checking a lot of threats, but I didn't have any Phazing moves, so setup sweepers were a threat. I opted for Skarmory over Ferrothorn to remedy that problem. I also needed something that could take extremely powerful special attacks, and live to tell the tale. Obviously, Blissey was the first to come to mind. So that's when the reliable SkarmBliss core came into the picture.
Team Version 3
This is the current version of the team, and I feel I have done a good job with adjusting the team and being able to handle the many offensive threats in OU, with the right prediction. Skarmory and Dusclops can take physical hits for days, while Blissey and Umbreon, and to an extent Tentacruel, take special hits like champions. Once the team is weakened, Scarf Nidoking comes in and cleans up, with surprising ease sometimes.
Up Close and Personal
Skarmory (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Spikes
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Brave Bird
Skarmory is a defensive beast, plain and simple. Not only does he take the physical hits for the team, he is also the Spikes setter, and with Roost and Leftovers, he can usually setup 3 layers right from the start. Whirlwind is to phaze setup sweepers or Pokemon behind a sub, plus I can stack hazards damage. Brave Bird is so Skarmory isn't a complete sitting duck, and behind it's strong Base Power and STAB, it can deal a good amount of damage to Pokemon that don't resist it. The EVs and Nature allow Skarmory to be very physically bulky, and Roost allows him to come in on physical threats and heal of the damage.
Team Synergy:
When not under Gravity, Skarmory is immune to Ground attacks, which is an asset in itself. Skarmory can take Bug attacks aimed at Umbreon, and can take the STAB Outrages that no one else in the team can really handle.
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Tentacruel (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Protect
Tentacruel is a very important member of the team. Toxic Spikes is how I net the most damage while stalling, so getting them up early is vital. Gravity makes all Pokemon that don't have Magic Guard and Poison or Steel typing vulnerable to Toxic Spikes, which is a huge advantage. Speaking of hazards, them being setup on my side is a huge problem, as with playing stall makes for many switches to be able to take the hit. Rapid Spin takes care of the hazards so they aren't the downfall of the team. Scald is the attack of choice, and it is there for the possibility to burn Pokemon, whether they be immune to poison or are a physical threat. Protect is to get a free turn of Leftovers, as well as damage from Toxic Spikes. The EVs help to raise Tentacruel's lower physical Defense to help take less damage. The surprise on the set is Liquid Ooze. I don't need Rain Dish because I don't use Rain, and moves like Drain Punch and Leech Seed really annoy me, and this ability helps combat those moves.
Team Synergy:
Tentacruel takes with ease the Ice and Water attacks aimed at Nidoking, as well as the Fighting attacks targeting Blissey and Umbreon.
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Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Gravity
- Wish
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss
Nothing takes special attacks the way Blissey and Chansey do, so having them on a Stall team is pretty much a must. She is also one of my 2 Gravity users, so she helps make the team run. Wish is to heal herself, and the rest of the team, mainly Tentacruel, who lacks instant recovery. Coming off her massive HP stat, every other Pokemon on the team is pretty much fully healed. Stealth Rock is important, as I feel it is the best hazard in the game since it hits everything. Seismic Toss is for attacking, although Blissey does not excel in that field. EVs help to raise her physical Defense, as she does not need any help from the special side.
Team Synergy:
Probably most importantly, Blissey can take a status move aimed at someone else and just heal it off thanks to Natural Cure. She eats the Ghost attacks aimed at Dusclops, and continues to wall every special attacker in the game.
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Dusclops (M) @ Eviolite
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Gravity
- Rest
- Will-O-Wisp
- Earthquake
Dusclops is the spin blocker for the team, as well as the second user of Gravity. Dusclops already has great defenses, but the ability to utilize Eviolite lets the thing take a massive beating. Rest is to heal himself, and I opted for it instead of Pain Split for two reasons: Pain Split can become useless if the opponent is low on HP, and Umbreon has Heal Bell, so I can rest with Dusclops and Umbreon can cure his sleep. WoW allows me to burn Pokemon that are immune to poison, or that pose as a physical threat, and the decrease in attack stat allows Dusclops to wall them even easier. Earthquake is for an attacking option, and under gravity it hits everything, which is very useful. The EVs and nature allow Dusclops to take as much abuse as possible from the physical side and Rest off the damage. And maybe the greatest godsend to this team is Dusclops ability. Pressure can help stall out Pokemon that cause this team problems. Many powerful attacks have low HP, and if they are using it twice as fast because of Pressure, it's one less thing that I need to worry about later in the match. Jellicent might be the best spin blocker, but this guy isn't too far behind.
Team Synergy:
Both Umbreon and Blissey are weak to Fighting, but Dusclops' immunity allows him to switch in on those attacks with absolutely no problem. He can also eat the Bug moves aimed at Umbreon with ease. He also helps Skarmory wall physical threats, and should Skarm fall, I can rely on this guy to keep my defense up.
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Umbreon (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Curse
- Payback
- Wish
- Heal Bell
Umbreon has been one of my favorite Pokemon since he came out in the 2nd generation. Unfortunately, I have never been able to fit him on to one of my teams, which are usually offensively oriented. But Umbreon does so much for this team that I wonder what I ever did without it. First of all, Umbreon keeps his teammates healthy by using Heal Bell, so that my Stall team doesn't get out stalled by poison or burn. He is also a secondary Wish passer, which has been invaluable if I want a semi-free switch in. Payback is his attack of choice, as it gets STAB, and more often then not, I am slower than my opponent. The last move was inspired by an Umbreon that I used in Wi-Fi battles in Black and White, to great success. I had originally used Protect in the last slot because I wanted some damage stacked, and a free Wish heal to Umbreon. But after running into several Calm Mind Reuniclus, I realized that it could run through my team with little effort. So I opted for Curse. Not only does it make Umbreon bulky enough to wall many physical threats, but it increases his Attack, and makes Payback to some serious damage, and thanks to the Speed drop from Curse it will almost always hit second. Umbreon is not 2HKO'ed by a +1 Focus Blast from Reuniclus, and can therefore check Reuniclus. And if I need to, Dusclops can help PP stall Focus Blast to allow Umbreon to setup with no problem. The EVs and nature give Umbreon maximum special bulk, as I plan to Curse to raise physical bulk. This set has netted many KO's by sheer surprise alone, but it is definitely a force to be reckoned with.
Team Synergy:
Umbreon is immune to Psychic, which means those aimed at Nidoking and Tentacruel can easily be eaten up by Umbreon. Umbreon can also sponge the Ghost and Dark attacks aimed at Dusclops. He serves as my backup special wall, and although he is not as bulky as Blissey in that department, he can take a lot of abuse.
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Nidoking (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Earth Power
- Fire Blast
- Thunder
- Blizzard
This is the guy that inspired me to use Gravity. 5th generation gave him an extremely powerful ability in Sheer Force, and since then I have been trying to take advantage of it. His only problem is his speed, but Scarf kind of fixes that. Under Gravity, Fire Blast, Thunder and Blizzard all have perfect accuracy, plus they get the bonus from Sheer Force. Earth Power is for powerful STAB, and under Gravity it is just unforgiving. Fire Blast handles Scizor and Ferrothorn, and Thunder and Blizzard form the more powerful version of the infamous BoltBeam combo. Not many things can just come in and take an attack from Nidoking, and it's even easier for me if Gravity is up, as I don't have to worry about something being immune to Earth Power. Nidoking's job is to clean up the mess after I have weakened the opposing team, and if nothing resists Earth Power, then his job is very easy.
Team Synergy:
Although Nidoking is not very defensive, his Ground typing is a blessing in itself, allowing me to switch in on Electric attacks aimed at Skarmory or Tentacruel, or take a Thunder Wave aimed at an ally. He can also come in to quickly absorb Toxic Spikes if I need to do so. Other than that, I save him for the end.
Conclusion
All in all, this team has done pretty good, and it has been insanely fun. As you can see, I'm not using all the common Pokemon and strategies in the OU metagame today. I have 3 UU Pokemon, I'm using an unused move, and probably the most interesting to me, I'm not using offense. But this team has come together nicely and I'd like your feedback on it to help make it better. I know that there are still plenty of problems with it, but thats why I'm here. I've made many changes to this team, and I'm not sure that I can go further with it without help. All criticism is appreciated. Thanks in advanced!
Importable
Eclipse (Umbreon) (M) @ Leftovers Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Curse
- Payback
- Wish
- Heal Bell
Vortex (Dusclops) (M) @ Eviolite
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Gravity
- Rest
- Will-O-Wisp
- Earthquake
Poke-Ridley (Skarmory) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Spikes
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Brave Bird
Havoc (Nidoking) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Earth Power
- Fire Blast
- Thunder
- Blizzard
MirrorForce (Blissey) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Gravity
- Wish
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss
Assimilation (Tentacruel) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Protect
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Curse
- Payback
- Wish
- Heal Bell
Vortex (Dusclops) (M) @ Eviolite
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Gravity
- Rest
- Will-O-Wisp
- Earthquake
Poke-Ridley (Skarmory) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Spikes
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Brave Bird
Havoc (Nidoking) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Earth Power
- Fire Blast
- Thunder
- Blizzard
MirrorForce (Blissey) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Gravity
- Wish
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss
Assimilation (Tentacruel) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Protect
