SM UU Rajang (AV Bisharp Team Concept)

[DiscoDucky]

RAJANG




Introduction
Hey, I'm Eaglehawk, and this is my first RMT (which is surprising since I've been on Smogon since 2010 and lurking since Gen IV). I'm mostly inactive on Smogon for half the year. Every time I come back, I have to re-learn a couple of old and new things about the UnderUsed metagame (which I love). When I asked for suggestions for team-building, Moutemoute suggested working with AV Bisharp, a Pokemon that's been getting some nods as the best set for the Pokemon at the moment. Thus, I decided to build around the Pokemon for team-building practice. All of these sets are standard from each Pokemon's Smogon analysis. The team is not good by any means and has some very notable holes in them, so constructive feedback from the community is greatly appreciated.

Team

Bisharp @ Assault Vest
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 188 HP / 236 Atk / 84 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch

The Assault Vest Bisharp functions very differently from is SD counterparts. Assault Vest eases its ability to eat hits from prominent Psychic threats in the tier, such as Latias and non Groundium-Z Celebi. It lack of upfront power relegates it to a more support-based Pokemon, but moves such as Knock Off and Sucker Punch allows it to stay slightly relevant against both faster and bulkier teams. Its ability to remove Ghosts and Psychics makes it great partners with Fighting-type sweepers.

Infernape @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Focus Blast
- Vacuum Wave

There are two reasons I selected Infernape. First, it forms a very strong offensive core with Bisharp. Nasty Plot Infernape is hard-walled by Latias and is easily Revenge-killed by Gengar, so Bisharp's trapping ability makes it easier for Infernape to sweep. Most of this Infernape set is fairly standard. The one distinction I made was to run Vacuum Wave. This STAB priority move improves my matchup against a lot of the S and A+ tier Offensive Pokemon, most notably Scarf Krook, Scarf Hydrei, Terrakion, and Mega-Aero to some degree. This pressure that a +2 Infernape can exert on these top-tier threats helps with the teambuilding from this point onwards.

Rotom-Heat @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP / 20 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Defog
- Volt Switch
- Overheat
- Toxic

At this point in team-building, my core has a large susceptibility to hazards and an overall weakness to Ground-types. Since both Pokemon need to be at near full HP to do their job well, Hazard Removal was a high priority for this team. Furthermore, I noticed that the core was unfortunately dominated by Mega Altaria. Rotom-Heat allows me to address all three of these issues to some comfortable degree. Although Rotom-Heat can't outright beat Altaria, its role as a pivot allowed me to pivot out to teammates who could offensively pressure Altaria. Toxic gave me some ability to pressure Altaria and stop it from setting up Dragon Dances in my face. Its typing and Levitate also affords me the ability to relieve pressure from Mamoswine and Moltres.

Seismitoad @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Toxic

For those of you with eagle eyes, you'll easily notice that my team so far has no way to actually check Primarina. Furthermore, VoltTurn cores walk all over my team and gain free momentum off of me. The sad, unfortunate situation here was that most of the Pokemon immune to Volt Switch all were KO'd by Primarina in some form. The only Pokemon that didn't suffer that problem was Seismitoad. Since more Mega Manectrics are running Hidden Power Ice to nail Gligar, I personally think that relying on Seismitoad as my Volt Switch switch-in is a choice. Although Moonblast does hurt a bit, having an immunity to Hydro Pump from Primarina is a massive blessing and makes Prima users less mindless about spamming Hydro Pump.

Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 164 HP / 252 Atk / 92 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Knock Off

Scizor provides the team with extra speed control in the form of a very strong Bullet Punch. Scizor also traditionally forms a very strong VoltTurn core with Rotom-Heat and provides my team with a method of gaining offensive momentum. The Choice Banded Bullet Punch gives my team a much-needed secondary check to Pokemon like Primarina, Mega Altaria, Aerodactyl, Terrakion, etc. Its raw power also gives me a tool to actually threaten stall staples such as Blissey.

Primarina @ Choice Specs
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 92 HP / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Moonblast
- Psychic
- Scald

If you can't beat them, join them. I really like Primarina's ability to just spam its STAB moves mindlessly with little to no care. As a wallbreaker, it can punch open a lot of holes in teams that further facilitate an Infernape sweep. It also give my team a way to also answer opposing Infernape, funnily enough.

Conclusion
That's it with my team. It's nothing special, and definitely has a lot of inconsistencies in team-building. Feedback is appreciated, and thanks for reading! Importable is down below for those who want to experiment with this team.

Importable

Bisharp @ Assault Vest
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 188 HP / 236 Atk / 84 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch

Infernape @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Focus Blast
- Vacuum Wave

Rotom-Heat @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP / 20 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Defog
- Volt Switch
- Overheat
- Toxic

Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 164 HP / 252 Atk / 92 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Knock Off

Seismitoad @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Toxic

Primarina @ Choice Specs
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 92 HP / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Moonblast
- Psychic
- Scald
[\HIDE]

 

[Sickist]

Hi. I told you this was coming, so here it is.

That sounded ominous, I'm not a stalker, I promise.

Major Changes

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This team didn't have a Primarina answer. Best case Scenario for this team is that Specs Prima never clicked Moonblast, which if it did, It would pick up a KO after 2 times coming in due to Scizor being banded. Tentacruel gives the team an actual Primarina answer, as well as still giving the team Hazard Control, and still checking Scizor. To give you a little more bulk, I decided to make Tentacruel creep Nidoking and below, giving you a little bit more bulk in order to slightly handle Scizor better, which can add up in some games.

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With Heatom replaced and Moltres being scary again, I opted to change Seismatoad. Rhyperior stood out to me as the superior choice, as it still gave you the electric immunity Seismatoad was on the team, while also being a flying resist, and a rocker. Ice Punch is to lure Gligar, which is quite annoying for the team as a whole. Ice Punch can also nail Hydreigon, which could sometimes come in on an expected Earthquake, which somewhat alleviates the Hydreigon matchup to an extent. Your Hydreigon matchup consists of Ice Punch Rhyp, AV Bish, and Ape, so be careful vs. it.

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One thing that stood out to me here was the lack of consistent Speed Control. Yes, you have priority via Sucker Punch, Bullet Punch, and Vacuum Wave, but that lacks severely in some matchups, and overall consistent Speed Control would be a lot more appreciated. Scarf Latias checks a good majority of the same things Prima does to an extent, besides Hydreigon obviously, while offering Trick and Healing Wish support for the team, which can be great for Bisharp or Infernape in a pinch, giving them a second chance.

Additional Notes and Conclusion

No minor changes to make here as a whole, but I do have some things to note as far as matchups vs certain pokemon.

• First off, the Hydreigon matchup is a little worse, but it is certainly managable. You have an Assault Vest Bisharp, STAB Priority from Infernape, Scizor's stupid powerful Bullet Punch, as well as Scarf Lati to revenge it. If it isn't scarfed, Infernape can just Focus Blast it. Either way, Hydreigon isn't unmanageable for the team just because it doesn't have a Fairy type.
• The Terrakion matchup is also something that isn't shown directly on paper, but it certainly exists. Terrakion only comes in on one thing, being a Scizor choiced-locked into Knock Off, but it has to attack and cannot set up if Latias comes in. Either way, Terrakion is getting revenge killed by either Ape, Scizor, or Latias. Banded could prove to be annoying, but I'm sure after seeing you play what would be considered to be an unwinnable matchup, and winning, that you can manage to play around Banded Terrakion.
• Be careful of Primarina clicking Psychic. With Tentacruel being your only answer, it's pretty easy to predict Tentacruel and click Psychic. Like I said, you're a competent player, so I'm sure you can play around this.

Anyways, with that out of the way, I hope you enjoy the changes!

(Click Sprites for Importable)​