Rate My Hail Team: Is It Good Enough for Platinum?

pokecollector493

Meh, I decided to change things up a bit for me, so I made a Hail Team. This is my first one by the way, so please don't flame me THAT badly if you must.

From what I've heard while looking at other people's Hail Teams are that 1) You need Abomasnow (duh), 2) Rapin Spin can REALLY help your team in the long run cuz of Stealth Rock, and 3) Toxic Spikes are also a key factor. I could be wrong; I could be right. ANYWAY, I have all 3 on this team. Here it is:

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EDITS: Switched around Metagross' strategy from Agili-gross to a defensive lead. Replaced Swampert with Wallrein.

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Abomasnow @ Leftovers (Sub-Seed)
Ability: Snow Warning (What'd ya THINK it was?)
Nature: Timid
EV's: Max Sp. Atk, Max Spd, 6 Def

Moveset:
Substitute
Leech Seed
Blizzard
Grass Knot

This is your basic Sub-Seed Abomasnow (by that I mean Smogon has this set on his Strategy Pokedex page), with Substitute to hide behind while using Leech Seed. This Abomasnow makes a great counter to the likes of Starmie, Milotic (Sub before Hypnosis), and Gyarados, resisting their main attacks and either 'Seeding them or firing away Grass Knot at them. It is also pretty well against Tyranitar switch-ins, Sub on the switch, then 2HKO'ing with Grass Knot. This 'Snow has 240 speed, so only max speed DD-Tars will outrun it on the second turn.

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Tentacruel @ Leftovers / Black Sludge (Supporter)
Ability: Liquid Ooze
Nature: Calm
EV's: 204 HP, 96 Sp. Atk, 172 Sp. Def, 36 Spd

Moveset:
Toxic Spikes
Rapid Spin
Surf
Ice Beam / Blizzard / Giga Drain / Sludge Bomb

Yeah, 4 choices as the last slot....but not that first. Tentacruel plays a key role on this team: setting up TS, removing TS by switching in and SR and Spikes with RS, and mainly: counter standard NP Mixape and Heatran. Tenta can come in on many Water types, save Gyarados and Swampert (who are ironicly both countered by Aboma), and set up TS safely. He can RS if the need arises, and then his last goal is to just wear down the opponent.

Surf is standard, but the last option is hard to pick. Ice Beam I'll most likey use, but I can use Blizzard because of the Hail! Giga Drain can help against enemy Waters, and can heal Tenta, due to the Hail raging war against his Leftovers (Or Black Sludge). Sludge Bomb is a more powerful option against non-Psychic Celebi and other Abomasnow.

(The EV's are to ensure that Tentacruel outruns Tyranitar, while making Scarf-Tran's Earth Power and Spec-Mence's Dragon Pulse a 3HKO at best)

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Weavile @ Choice Band (....CB Revenge Killer)
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Jolly
EV's: Max Atk, 216 Spd, 40 HP

Moveset:
Pursuit
Ice Shard
Night Slash
Brick Break

Since I noticed my team struggling to face Azelf and Gengar, what better CB'er is there than Weavile? Pursuit outruns and destroys both of the aforementioned even if they don't switch out. Ice Shard makes a nice revenge kill against that damn DD-Outrage-Mence, who'll more than likely show his head in Platinum all too often. Night Slash is just to be a stronger alternative to Pursuit, so I can wear down bulky Psychics like Slowbro and Cresselia (yes I know I have to watch out for Thunder Wave). Brick Break murders Tyranitar and any can probably 2HKO a Scizor switch-in: I think.

(I followed Smogon's advice 'bout the EV's here, and I completly agree with what they said....and the fact that I don't want to run the risk of losing the 50-50 against opposing Weavile and ironically dying of its own BB.)

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Metagross @ Lum Berry (STARTER)
Ability: Clear Body
Nature: Adamant
EV's: 208 HP, 76 Atk, 224 Sp. Def

Moveset:
Stealth Rock
Bullet Punch
Meteor Mash
Earthquake

Taking the advice of Rag, I somewhat followed his as well as Smogon. This set makes an incredible lead pokemon. With Lum Berry, Metagross can 2HKO Roserade and Gengar leads with MM+BP, while avoiding sleep. If I'm facing an opponent lead who can't hurt Metagross too hard, I have ample oppurtunity to set up Stealth Rock. Earthquake is to help against Heatran and Infernape, and with the given EV's, I'll be able to take them both on with Earthquake, having a high chance to OHKO 252 HP, 0 Def Heatran and easily beating 'Nape. If I end up facing a lead Gyarados, I'll happily switch to Abomasnow, starting the hail.



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Zapdos @ Leftovers (Sub-Roost Staller)
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Bold
EV's: Max HP, 220 Def, 36 Spd

Moveset:
Substitute
Roost
Thunderbolt
Heat Wave

Zapdos is my main physical wall against many of the vicious Earthquakers and Fighting types out there. If it's able to get in safely, it can then proceed to either attack or Substitute, hopefully on the switch. It can then use its great physcial defense (and decent 216 Sp. Def) alongside its Max HP of 384 to Pressure-Stall opponents out of PP with Sub and Roost

Thunderbolt's for STAB, and Heat Wave is to reliable counter Lucario, Hera, and Scizor. HW can also take on Grass types harder than HP Ice can.

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Wallrein @ Leftovers (Stallrein)
Ability: Ice Body
Nature: Bold
EV's: Max HP, 208 Def, 48 Spd

Moveset:
Substitute
Protect
Roar
Blizzard

Your standard Stallrein, with extra speed EV's to Roar Skarmory before it can Whirlwind me. Speaking of Roar, Walrein can come in on a boosting pokemon, take a hit, then Roar it out, to avoid devestating sweeps against my team. Blizzard is of course due to the Hail, and destroys most Grass/Poisons. I don't think I have anything else to say about him.


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GEEZ, that took a while to type, but..*pant* I FINALLY....*pant* finished. So, there's my newest team. Please help me out with this if you have a word(s) of advice. I could always use some help with these teams.

And like I said, this is my first Hail Team, so don't flame me THAT badly.
 
It's a pretty solid team. However, I would've given Metagross a far more bulky spread. Careful 252 HP / 20 Atk / 236 SpD allow you to take 4 Shadow Ball from a Scarved Gengar, and you'll never be 2HKOd by a LO Shadow Ball, and with Pursuit it isn't going to be any trouble for the rest of the match. Weavile is quite a risky switch-in on Gengar - on Azelf too, obviously - and isn't going to stay alive for too long. Metagross does pretty much the same job, and allow you to make some room for another Poké. :] I probably would've slapped Stealth Rock on it too, seeing that you lack it. Considering it's such a great move, you shouldn't.

Are you familiar with Stallrein? It's simply amazing under Hail. With 220 HP, Ice Body, Substitute and Protect you can start a "infinite" cyclus with stalling, which is great if Toxic Spikes is on the field. Like the above poster kind of mentioned, you lack something to abuse the Hail, and Stallrein is arguably one of the best Pokémon to use while Hail is in effect. I would've suggested Bold nature, 220 HP / 240 Def / 48 Spe with Substitute / Protect / Roar / Surf or Blizzard, which is the standard set of the stalling Walrein, but there's another Pokémon I'd like you to take a look at first.

Mamoswine may be another great asset to your team. It got the potential to rip through most Sandstorm teams, which usually are a lot of trouble to Hail teams. However, it would just make your life a bit easier, as you should be able to break through most Sandstorm teams anyway, and really, most players use Tyranitar outside a *true* Sandstorm team anyway.

Your Zapdos really want Heat Wave. Otherwise, you're unable to take out Scizor in one hit, and considering Scizor will have a lot of opportunities to set up you got to handle it quickly.

It's a pretty decent Hail team. I hope you'll try out my advice, and hopefully I was for any help. Good luck!
 
You definitley need stallrein, but even more importantly a rapid spin blocker. Go for fridge rotom with rest, sleep talk, blizzard, and thunderbolt. This keeps the toxic spikes up so you can stall, which is typically what hail teams do. I'm thinking put him over metagross, or weavile if you use Rag's metagross, because that metagross is a brilliant gengar counter.
 
Posted by Rag

Rag said:
It's a pretty solid team. However, I would've given Metagross a far more bulky spread. Careful 252 HP / 20 Atk / 236 SpD allow you to take 4 Shadow Ball from a Scarved Gengar, and you'll never be 2HKOd by a LO Shadow Ball, and with Pursuit it isn't going to be any trouble for the rest of the match. Weavile is quite a risky switch-in on Gengar - on Azelf too, obviously - and isn't going to stay alive for too long. Metagross does pretty much the same job, and allow you to make some room for another Poké. :] I probably would've slapped Stealth Rock on it too, seeing that you lack it. Considering it's such a great move, you shouldn't.

Are you familiar with Stallrein? It's simply amazing under Hail. With 220 HP, Ice Body, Substitute and Protect you can start a "infinite" cyclus with stalling, which is great if Toxic Spikes is on the field. Like the above poster kind of mentioned, you lack something to abuse the Hail, and Stallrein is arguably one of the best Pokémon to use while Hail is in effect. I would've suggested Bold nature, 220 HP / 240 Def / 48 Spe with Substitute / Protect / Roar / Surf or Blizzard, which is the standard set of the stalling Walrein, but there's another Pokémon I'd like you to take a look at first.

Mamoswine may be another great asset to your team. It got the potential to rip through most Sandstorm teams, which usually are a lot of trouble to Hail teams. However, it would just make your life a bit easier, as you should be able to break through most Sandstorm teams anyway, and really, most players use Tyranitar outside a *true* Sandstorm team anyway.

Your Zapdos really want Heat Wave. Otherwise, you're unable to take out Scizor in one hit, and considering Scizor will have a lot of opportunities to set up you got to handle it quickly.

It's a pretty decent Hail team. I hope you'll try out my advice, and hopefully I was for any help. Good luck!
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Thanks for all the help. I DO know about Stallrein, but I decided against it. I have this rule I use when I make a team to not have more than two people weak to a specific attack type. Seeing that I'm using a Hail Team, I'll probably have to break that rule with all the Fighting and Fire weaknesses. I'll replace Weavile with Stallrein.

If you didn't see in Metagross' summary, I originally DID have a Mamo, a Mix-Mamo at that, over Weavile. I decided against him because I thought he had too many common weaknesses and that he can't switch in to anything non-Electric.

I like the idea of that defensive Metagross, and I'll consider that. Same for Heat Wave on Zapdos. I'll replace Sub since Stallrein will already be stalling with that.
 
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