The transfer from DP to Pt has really thrown a wrench into my game, far worse than the transfer from ADV to DP (which actually went pretty smooth for me). The new shenanigans of trick and the omnipresence of choice scarf confounded my strategies and made me question whether pokemon was a balanced metagame where every strategy won against some strategies and lost against others. Well I decided that I would establish myself in the Platinum meta in order to take part in the exciting test of Latias and have been playing on shoddy for the last few days. After going through a very educational three day losing streak, I've finally molded a team that has begun a 6 game winning streak against what I considered to be good teams(teams that were kicking the crap out of me earlier). I'd like the community to have a look and see what I can do with this team to help improve and lengthen the streak (and net me that 1650 ranking).
General Strategy: Weaken enemy pokemon with status effects and items to setup for a sweep by either Tyranitar or Gyarados. Burn sets up Tyranitar well and choice scarf helps gyarados set up.
Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 4hp/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Trick
- Iron Head
- Fire Punch
- Thunder Wave
---
This is the lead of platinum. This thing just cannot stopped. Either one of the opponent's pokemon is going to get stuck with a choice scarf that they don't want, or they get beaten into the ground with repeated 100% acc, 120 BP, 60% flinch rate Iron Heads feeding off of 328 attack stat. This is also a part of my 2 pokemon anti-hazard strategy, as tricking a scarf onto a stealth rocker really hurts it's usability. Fire Punch is for coverage in this steel dominated metagame, and Thunder Wave is unexpected tech for the only counters I know of for this set, heatran and scarf zapdos. It's also great against mirror Jirachi as it keeps them from using their flinch-hax and trick strategies against my sweepers.
I don't know if the speed evs are the best, somebody who is more experienced with this set might have better numbers.
---------------------
Heatran (M) @ Flame Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP/16 SAtk/240 SDef
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Overheat
- Will-o-wisp
- Substitute
- Stealth Rock
---
Jirachi tends to tutor fire attacks upon itself, so that lets me bring out heatran to get the rocks up. Stealth Rock is imperative to stopping defensive strategies and wearing down defensive teams that would otherwise stop my sweeping strategy. Heatran itself attracts alot of ground water and rock moves, nowadays heatran are 50% scarfed and 50 stealth rock, so Will-o-wisp on those expected switch ins removes another barrier for a Tyranitar setup. Substitute eases the prediction so that I don't waste a turn will-o-wisping a heatran switch or stealth rocking as a salamence or gyarados or swampert comes out. Overheat gives decent damage, and it's great having a supporting pokemon that doesn't mind having a scarf tricked onto it. The evs are meant to allow heatran to survive water attacks and have been very useful against vaporeons.
--------------------
Tyranitar (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Crunch
- Stone Edge
---
The main sweeper, this pokemon matches my style of overwhelming force to a T. Tyranitar seems to be on every team in this meta, and there's good reason. Crunch Earthquake and Stone Edge do mucho damage in a metagame dominated by psychics, steels and dragons. A will-o-wisped earthquaker on the enemy team really helps Tyranitar sweep, but even if I can't tutor Ttar in with a burn he still tends to destroy at least one pokemon with just his own setup. I am aware of the cursetar that's become popular and how powerful it is, but I find that this version matches my style more, which is fast deliberate devastation with little time to react.
evs are to outspeed base 115s like starm and azelf. Leftovers gives him survivability and allows me to attempt a second chance at a sweep if I use him at the wrong time.
---------------------
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/80 SAtk/168 SDef
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Roar
- Heat Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Roost
---
A phazer, special tank, and back up burner. Mainly a counter to the CMsub latias's that are the mainstay. Also helps a great deal against cursetars. Heatwave tends to net me nice burns on stuff like swampert that try to go toe to toe with zapdos. Helpful against the bulky waters that give my sweepers problems.
---
Gyarados (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 156 HP/108 Atk/100 Def/144 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Taunt
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
---
This pokemon has been on all of my good teams since I played on #RSBot and Netbattle, I just never go wrong with him. He's relegated to back up sweeper here, and I made him more bulky so i can bring him out earlier. He's also great to set up if I get scarf onto their hippowdon or bronzong, something that uses moves that don't hurt gyarados. Taunt is neccessary for beating skarmory, though I don't know what to do against Brave Bird. Likewise, I normally go with Earthquake/StoneEdge but I need the STAB for skarm. I sometimes miss EQ when Tentacruel comes out. Along with Zapdos, his usability is really hurt by Stealth Rocks, which is why I chose the next odd pokemon.
Donphan (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Ice Shard
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Toxic
---
I have never been a fan of Donphan due to lack of 50% recovery, but the niche here was just too perfectly crafted. I needed something that could get SR off the field so I could switch zapdos and gyarados in and out, I needed another pokemon that can deal with a rampaging mence and that can take a phsyical hit but isn't weak to ground, rock or fighting attacks. Donphan fit the bill perfectly and I've found tha I've been able to make him work. Toxic is tech for the bulky ghosts and bulky waters that come out to block Donphan and that also hamper my sweepers.
I don't know if he's got enough attack to revenge kill the popular mences, though with stealth rock he should.
It took me a while to adapt my strategy of moderate defense to setup an explosive offense. I've been able to deal with a lot of the nasty stuff in the platinum metagame, any comments on stuff that my team will have problems with or how I can deal with things better is appreciated.
General Strategy: Weaken enemy pokemon with status effects and items to setup for a sweep by either Tyranitar or Gyarados. Burn sets up Tyranitar well and choice scarf helps gyarados set up.
Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 4hp/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Trick
- Iron Head
- Fire Punch
- Thunder Wave
---
This is the lead of platinum. This thing just cannot stopped. Either one of the opponent's pokemon is going to get stuck with a choice scarf that they don't want, or they get beaten into the ground with repeated 100% acc, 120 BP, 60% flinch rate Iron Heads feeding off of 328 attack stat. This is also a part of my 2 pokemon anti-hazard strategy, as tricking a scarf onto a stealth rocker really hurts it's usability. Fire Punch is for coverage in this steel dominated metagame, and Thunder Wave is unexpected tech for the only counters I know of for this set, heatran and scarf zapdos. It's also great against mirror Jirachi as it keeps them from using their flinch-hax and trick strategies against my sweepers.
I don't know if the speed evs are the best, somebody who is more experienced with this set might have better numbers.
---------------------
Heatran (M) @ Flame Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP/16 SAtk/240 SDef
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Overheat
- Will-o-wisp
- Substitute
- Stealth Rock
---
Jirachi tends to tutor fire attacks upon itself, so that lets me bring out heatran to get the rocks up. Stealth Rock is imperative to stopping defensive strategies and wearing down defensive teams that would otherwise stop my sweeping strategy. Heatran itself attracts alot of ground water and rock moves, nowadays heatran are 50% scarfed and 50 stealth rock, so Will-o-wisp on those expected switch ins removes another barrier for a Tyranitar setup. Substitute eases the prediction so that I don't waste a turn will-o-wisping a heatran switch or stealth rocking as a salamence or gyarados or swampert comes out. Overheat gives decent damage, and it's great having a supporting pokemon that doesn't mind having a scarf tricked onto it. The evs are meant to allow heatran to survive water attacks and have been very useful against vaporeons.
--------------------
Tyranitar (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Crunch
- Stone Edge
---
The main sweeper, this pokemon matches my style of overwhelming force to a T. Tyranitar seems to be on every team in this meta, and there's good reason. Crunch Earthquake and Stone Edge do mucho damage in a metagame dominated by psychics, steels and dragons. A will-o-wisped earthquaker on the enemy team really helps Tyranitar sweep, but even if I can't tutor Ttar in with a burn he still tends to destroy at least one pokemon with just his own setup. I am aware of the cursetar that's become popular and how powerful it is, but I find that this version matches my style more, which is fast deliberate devastation with little time to react.
evs are to outspeed base 115s like starm and azelf. Leftovers gives him survivability and allows me to attempt a second chance at a sweep if I use him at the wrong time.
---------------------
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/80 SAtk/168 SDef
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Roar
- Heat Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Roost
---
A phazer, special tank, and back up burner. Mainly a counter to the CMsub latias's that are the mainstay. Also helps a great deal against cursetars. Heatwave tends to net me nice burns on stuff like swampert that try to go toe to toe with zapdos. Helpful against the bulky waters that give my sweepers problems.
---
Gyarados (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 156 HP/108 Atk/100 Def/144 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Taunt
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
---
This pokemon has been on all of my good teams since I played on #RSBot and Netbattle, I just never go wrong with him. He's relegated to back up sweeper here, and I made him more bulky so i can bring him out earlier. He's also great to set up if I get scarf onto their hippowdon or bronzong, something that uses moves that don't hurt gyarados. Taunt is neccessary for beating skarmory, though I don't know what to do against Brave Bird. Likewise, I normally go with Earthquake/StoneEdge but I need the STAB for skarm. I sometimes miss EQ when Tentacruel comes out. Along with Zapdos, his usability is really hurt by Stealth Rocks, which is why I chose the next odd pokemon.
Donphan (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Ice Shard
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Toxic
---
I have never been a fan of Donphan due to lack of 50% recovery, but the niche here was just too perfectly crafted. I needed something that could get SR off the field so I could switch zapdos and gyarados in and out, I needed another pokemon that can deal with a rampaging mence and that can take a phsyical hit but isn't weak to ground, rock or fighting attacks. Donphan fit the bill perfectly and I've found tha I've been able to make him work. Toxic is tech for the bulky ghosts and bulky waters that come out to block Donphan and that also hamper my sweepers.
I don't know if he's got enough attack to revenge kill the popular mences, though with stealth rock he should.
It took me a while to adapt my strategy of moderate defense to setup an explosive offense. I've been able to deal with a lot of the nasty stuff in the platinum metagame, any comments on stuff that my team will have problems with or how I can deal with things better is appreciated.
