Rate my TrickRoom team!

[chaoguy]

So, Abomasnow has been one of my favorite pokemon since it came out, and I love the options that the trick room mechanic opens up in a speed-centric meta, so I decided to put them together (with some help from various articles ect.). The main thing I am looking for help for is any ways to optimize EV values, because I kinda just defaulted most of them. So without further adieu:

Scrafty (M) @ Chople Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 124 Atk / 252 HP / 134 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Fake Out
- Crunch
- Drain Punch
- Protect

Scrafty is a great trick room assistant, with his access to Intimidate, Fake Out, and then powerful physical capabilities without sacrificing bulk for after the TR has been set up. The EV spread is a Little unusual, but gauntness Fight Gem Close Combat Hitmontop can not 2HKO (if my math is right...). Pretty standard moveset, Helps set up Trick Room very well, Usually my lead unless the opponent has numerous Fighting threats.

Dusclops (F) @ Eviolite
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 6 Def
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Trick Room
- Night Shade
- Pain Split
- Protect

My Favorite Trick Room setter. Immense bulk and Ghost typing makes it excellent against most TR checks, with the addition of a Fake Out to stop anything that could potentially pose a problem. I invested heavily in SpD, as Scrafty's intimidate makes physical attackers near useless. Devil's Advocate question: Is the sacrifice in survivability worth trading up to Dusknoir in order to use a Mental herb to all but guarantee TR?

Abomasnow (F) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 6 SDef
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Blizzard
- Ice Shard
- Giga Drain
- Protect

Yay Abomasnow. What a threat, with access to one of the most powerfull double battle moves at 100% accuracy in Blizzard, strong Ice-typed priority in Ice Shard, and some degree of survivability in Giga Drain, (not to mention it's weather countering capabilities) Abomasnow rocks. Rarely will I not include Abomasnow on my team, as his main weaknesses are all checked by the rest of his teammates.

Heatran @ Shuca Berry
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 6 Def
Quiet Nature
IVs: 3 Atk / 2 Spd
- Earth Power
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Protect

Heatran is a natural partner for Abomasnow, covering his main weakness in Fire. Plus an Abomasnow and Heatran firing off their respective Blizzards and Heat Waves is scary for enemies HP bars. I decided on HP Ice as a counter to Genies and Dragons, as they usually run moves that are dangerous to Abomasnow.

Conkeldurr (M) @ Flame Orb
Trait: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 6 SDef
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Mach Punch
- Hammer Arm
- Rock Slide
- Detect

Just a big ol' TR beat stick. My team was SpA heavy, so I decided to add one of the most Physically-Attickiest Pokemon in the game. Priority is good and found in Mach Punch, and Hammer Arm does huge damage, as well as Rock Slide being a staple move in the doubles format.

Amoonguss (F) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 6 SDef
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Rage Powder
- Protect

So the last spot was up in the air for a while, but after realizing a weakness to Fighting types, and an abundance of such pokemon in the meta, I decided to go with a back up TR partner in the event that I run into a team heavy with Fighting threats. Amoongus is a great TR partner, arguably better than Scrafty, but without any realy damage threat, I rather not use him unless I have to due to the near 0 damage coming out of Dusclops.

Thanks for looking!

 

[tlyee61]

Hey man, looks like you have a solid TR / Hail team here. I have a few suggestions for you though. Your type synergy could be slightly better. Also, you only have one TR setter! If Dusclops isn't able to set up TR, you're at a disadvantage turn 1. Like you mentioned, your EVs could be worked on too. I might add some Pokemon changes too.

First of all, your team has some pretty good synergy, except for facing Fighting-types! Abomasnow, Heatran and Scarfty are all weak to it. I think you could improve upon this by adding a Jellicent in place of either Scrafty or Conkeldurr. Sure, this will take away some physical presence, but Jellicent can provide TR support, has amazing synergy with Abomasnow and Heatran and even can learn Blizzard! Also, Amoonguss and Abomasnow share most of the same weaknesses. However, Heatran nicely fixes it with Flash Fire. Jellicent can also fit a role of a fire extinguisher.

Like I said, Jellicent can set up TR too. I think this be beneficial because you only have Dusclops atm.

Lastly, most of your spreads are 252 / 252. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I think some could be improved. Abomasnow spreads can be found at http://nuggetbridge.com/articles/guide-to-hailroom/ OR http://nuggetbridge.com/articles/abominable-abomasnow/ On Conk, Dusclops, Amoonguss and maybe Heatran 252 / 252 spreads are okay because there isn't much else that you would want to invest in.

 

[hathater]

yes, one trick room user isn't sufficient, try cresselia a well. scrafty and intiminate isn't the best abilty for it, moxie and shed skin is better, hitmontop is more suitible. in a metagame with spore amoonguss, shed skin is great, but a time limit, you should be ko'ing too, moxie is great as well. is ice shard for revenge killing? breaking sashes? i dont understand.

 

[chaoguy]

If I move to 2 TR users, I feel I should only have 1 tanky/supporty user (I prefer Dusclops over Cress) and 1 offensive user (Jellicent makes a lot of sense).

If I were to make a move I would probably replace Scrafty with Jellicent and just always start with Amoongus.

I don't really understand having a second TR set up though, next to nothing can stop Dusclops from setting it with Fake Out, and anything that could could stop any other TR blocker too. I feel like having a second pokemon with the purpose of TR set up really gimps my offensive capabilities, as that will leave me with only one true sweeper (assuming amoongus+TR1 start, with TR2 and Sweeper in reserve).

And Ice Shard is just strong STAB priority, if I need to get a kill after tr dies or outspeed a Fake Out ect after TR is up. Just super useful utility.