OU Toxic Spikes

[stoogie]

Hi Everyone,

Here's my latest project; a decent toxic spikes team for OU. As is, it seems to be an alright team; not great, but not terrible. I, however, am stuck for ideas how to improve it. Any ideas are greatly appreciated. So without further ado, here it is.

Lead: Froslass @ Choice Scarf
Timid
Snow Cloak
252 SpA, 252 Spe, 4 SDef

Trick
Spikes
Ice Beam
Destiny Bond

I was a big fan of Froslass back when she was UU, but when she got booted into BL, I figured that was the last I'd see of her. However, after trying out a few of the common OU leads on this team, I thought I'd give her a shot, and I havn't looked back since. She seems to stack up pretty well against the majority of leads out there, barring Metagross, who i just use destiny bond on. Usually, though, I'll trick first turn, and then depending on the response, try to lay down some spikes.

Toxic Spiker: Forretress @ Leftovers
Relaxed
Sturdy
252 HP, 112 Atk, 144 Def (O Speed IVs)

Explosion
Toxic Spikes
Gyro Ball
Stealth Rock

Obviously, in order to be a viable toxic spikes using team, I needed a pokemon that could lay them down. I originally went with tentacruel, but he seemed to lack survivability, and I found that usually I would manage a single layer, at best. So that was all for the evil jellyfish, and instead I subbed in... well, I guess he kind of looks like a steel walnut. In any case, I guess he works alright. I'm not too thrilled, but there aren't a lot of options out there for a defensive toxic spiker.

The Wall: Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Impish
Sand Stream
176 HP, 84 Def, 248 SDef

Stockpile
Roar
Slack Off
Earthquake

Oh Hippowdon, what a great tank. The stockpiling set is even more so, and Roar allows me to shuffle the opponents team around, hopefully spreading poison and racking up residual damage from Spikes/SR. After a stockpile or two, there isn't much out there that can put a dent the sandy hippo. Sandstream helps rack up even more residual damage, and Earthquake is there so I'm not walled by Taunt. However, as much as I love this set, I usually find it matched up against levitating/flying opponents, and Roar isn't too helpful if they're on their last pokemon.

Revenge Killer/Special Sweeper: Rotom-W @ Choice Scarf
Timid
Levitate
252 SAtk, 252 Spe, 4 HP

Trick
Thunderbolt
Shadow Ball
Hydro Pump

Rotom-W recently replaced Rotom-H as my revenge killer/sweeper, since I found that I basically never used Overheat (waaay too many heatran kicking around out there), and I was missing a water attack since I ditched Tentacruel. Plus, having a phantom washing machine on your team is pretty cool, right? Rotom/Frosslass function as my spin blockers as well, keeping my beloved spikes/toxic spikes/SR on the field for as long as possible.

The Staller: Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Impish
Poison Heal
236 HP, 250 Def, 24 Spe

Substitute
Focus Punch
Leech Seed
Spore

At first, I was considering taking Breloom off this team. He is one of my favorite Pokemon to use, (and one of my least favorite to deal with) but I thought "most of the pokemon it'll be seeing will be poisoned". Without Spore, Breloom isn't all that great. But then, after fooling around with the team for a while, I realized; Spore is just what this team needs. It lets me put steels/levitators like skarmory, gyarados, jirachi, etc. to sleep, keeping them from ruining my day. Also, Leech seed, works great with toxic spikes, sapping even more health from my opponent, and healing my pokemon in return. Usually, when breloom is out against something I know will be switching, i'll use leech seed, since spore will most likely not work (toxic spikes and all). If they've switched to a steel/flyer etc. i'll spore if I'm faster, or switch to Hippowdon (or Forretress, depending on what it is). If they switch to something not immune to toxic spikes, I'll throw up a sub and let the poison do all the work. Poison heal + Leech seed lets me substitute pretty much at will, so if Breloom is behind his sub, he's probably staying there.

The Token Heatran: Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Naive
Flash Fire
252 SAtk, 252 Spe, 4 SDef

Earth Power
Fire Blast
Dragon Pulse
Explosion

It seems like it's been weeks since i've played a team that doesn't have heatran stuck in there somewhere. I cast around for a pokemon that could switch into Heatran's Fire Blast, not worry about being burned, dish out some serious pain, and ideally, not be hampered by sandstorm. Then it hit me: Heatran! I guess there's a reason so many people use him; it seems like he's his own worst nightmare. Explosion comes in handy quite often, too, since people love to switch Blissy into him. He is also my answer to Steel types that I just can't wear down to a KOable HP with Rotom-W.

 

[ginganinja]

Hey, Love the Sprites!

Anyway I am personally not quite sold on Frostlass on the team. If it works then fine I guess, however personally I would run a Lead Roserade over it and then run Spikes over Toxic Spikes on Forretress. One bonus I can see going with Roserade is that it can soak up opposing Toxic Spikes which are extemly detrimental to Hippowdon.

Have a Nice Day!

 

[Mufasa]

I feel as though SR should be taken off forry and put either on a new lead or hippo, but i can't figure out how you would fit it on hippo. Reason being that if forry will most likely get killed before it can get 2 layers of toxic spikes and SR up, and you definitely want both entry hazards.

 

[BaO]

after your froslass was dead, a single gliscor make you dead.
This means a CScarfed fire type plus a standard gliscor make you being sweep easily.
Change your rotom-W to rotom-frost will be much better.

 

[Azlanslayer]

after your froslass was dead, a single gliscor make you dead.
This means a CScarfed fire type plus a standard gliscor make you being sweep easily.
Change your rotom-W to rotom-frost will be much better.

-.-, No lol, Gliscor can't even sweep. Rotom-W's single Hydro pump makes it Gliscor dead. Switching it to Rotom-F is even worser without Hail Support. Blizzard's accuracy without Hail is bad, which is why people use a move called ICE BEAM.

Anyways on the rate, as ginganinja suggested, Roserade is more beneficial for your team. Since it can Toxic Spikes, and spikes. If you choose to do both, you can't use Sleep powder because its illegal. You can remove Froslass and Forrestress if you choose to use Roserade. Toxic Spikes help Hippo to Stall and racking up damage with Spikes. The open slot is your choice, you want a sweeper or not sweeper, but i would recommend Vaporeon or Blissey, to pass wishes =).

Good Luck

 

[afterburn]

I see a well played stall team giving you troubles. If they have a Fast Taunt Skarmory, your Breloom won't be doing much against it, and risks getting KOed by Brave Bird. Your best option for taking out Blissey is tricking it a Choice Scarf from rotom-W or exploding via Heatran, neither of which is too reliable, seeing as both of them check a number of Pokemon.

Skarmory uses Forretress and Hippowdown as utter set-up bait, both are shut down by Taunt, and can't do much in return. I really see Hippowdon as dead weight on this team; your team just doesn't provide it the right opportunities to come in and set-up, and then again, it is shut down and set-up by a lot of things.

I think a Stall Breaker Gliscor would work great on this team, gives you a secondary check to Lucario, and shuts down stall thanks to Taunt. The things that stop Gliscor on a stall team, are usually vaporeon or Swampert, both of which are set-up fodder for Breloom.

Here's the Gliscor set:

Gliscor|Jolly|252HP/4DEF/252SPE|Earthquake/taunt/Roost/U-turn

Most of the attacks are self explanatory, other than U-turn. Since Forretress already lays down Toxic Spikes, you could open up a slot for U-turn, as Gliscor lures in Offensive Suicune and Vaporeon like a magnet, you can then U-turn and go to an appropriate counter.

I also second ginganinja's suggestion to try Toxic Spikes Roserade over Froslass, as it gives you a secondary method of handling offensive water types, seeing as Rotom-W is your only true counter to them, and even then it goes down to Scarf Tyranitar if locked in the wrong move (Scarftar+Suicune is a common combo, so if you lose Rotom-W, you'll still have Roserade).

You could try mid game toxic spikes Roserade, with max hp/maxsdef, black sludge, and a moveset of ToxicSpikes/Rest/GrassKnot/Stun Spore, and move Forretress to the lead spot.

Thats about it, GL

 

[spindaslayer]

just a small suggestion from a new player...

I would put payback over explosion for surprise damage. Explosion will kill most stuff, but a well timed payback can be devastating to an opposing ghost type trying to block you.

Just my thoughts...feel free to ignore lol