Introduction:
Playing style: Defensive play with Skarmbliss to stall all the way until late game when my sweepers can come in. I think i'm still stuck in RSE era, but this team has proven effective in the past 3 weeks i've used it.
Smeargle (M) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Spore
- Taunt
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
Guaranteed sleep = one opponent down. Can be used to spore a sweeper late game if focus sash is still intact. Amazingly fun and effective, but no one uses him. You'll be surprised at how good this set is
Haxorus (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Rivalry
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Claw
- Outrage
- Brick Break
- Earthquake
Honestly not used much.
Skarmory (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Roost
- Substitute
- Whirlwind
- Spikes
Best skarmory set i've used in a long time, wish i could fit taunt somewhere but all these are absolutely necessary. roost + substitute + whirlwind with just a few entry hazards up make this a bitch to take down, and there are few special attackers anyway. EVs are the ones i've used from 3rd gen, allows for fun tricks like taking 60% from hp fire latios/volt switch rotom-a and whirlwind them out to a physical attacker.
You'll be surprised at how effective skarmbliss still is, and few use magnezone anyway
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Wish
- Toxic
- Seismic Toss
- Protect
another gen 3 set, this time better with the new wish mechanics. Passes wish too easily over to skarmory/latios/dragonite (multiscale!) who always go back up to full hp.
Latios (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Psyshock
- Thunderbolt
late game hitter once skarmory has shuffled the enemy's team about and they're weakened from entry hazards.
Dragonite (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Fire Punch
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Roost
Takes hits like nothing and provides useful resistances. Good fit on this team.
Conclusion:
Played as a stall team for almost the entire game. Skarmory and Blissey really cover almost all the threats and are still an effective tag team in the 5th generation especially with the wish mechanics and roost. Dragonite is my other wall that takes hits when skarmbliss are unable to and these 3 can stall out pretty much any opponent. Although it seems like i'm using skarmory to switch in on just about anything and that people think it cant take such repeated hits, the combination of sub+roost gives me mad survivability and whirlwind phazes out special threats whenever they come in. I suggest people try out this set before they judge and say that skarmory wont be surviving long.
The key to playing around with this team is to stall out the opponent with skarmory and weakening their team through whirlwind and forced switches, before finding the right moment for dragonite/latios to rape whats left of their team. Im actually considering a replacement for haxorus since its barely used. all suggestions and criticisms are welcome :)
Threatlist
Breloom: Played around with subskarm, smeargle takes the sleep, dragonite takes focuspunch/seedbomb/machpunch and can DD/roost.
Blissey: Skarmory comes in to spike, blissey can come in to get a free wish pass. Opponent blissey can only switch into latios anyway.
Bronzong: Generally used as a lead and is put to sleep for the rest of the match by smeargle. Skarm uses it as set up bait, and really doesn't wall my team since haxorus is hardly used.
Celebi: Skarmory can take hits, survive hp fire if needed and switch to blissey for toxic. whirlwind if celebi looks like a bp-er
Conkeldurr: Doesn't get much survivability with entry hazards, toxic from blissey while skarm/dragonite can stall out his attacks.
Deoxys-S: If i see this, i lead with haxorus for the 2hko
Excadrill: Needs to be kept off the playing field by skarmory's whirlwind and making sure my team is ready when its about to attack. quite a pain in the neck especially if they have rapid spin but skarmory does really well most of the time.
Ferrothorn: Smeargle can spore/taunt, dragonite has fire punch. I always love going to skarmory and putting up a sub while he uses leechseed/twave/what not and proceed to spike or whirlwind the team about. good fun.
Forretress: Catches it with spore about 80% of the time, the rest of the time skarm comes in to sub/spike/whirlwind again. Good thing it cant heal itself reliably so its too easily worn out by my team's attacks. Neither can it do anything to skarmory when he tries to switch in and spin, allowing me to sub/whirlwind him out and set up spikes again --> process repeats
Gengar: Great fun to play with because most are the subsplit version, focus blast has 8pp, blissey has wish and skarmory takes 55% from focus blast. Runs out of focus blast pp too easily imo.
Gliscor: If it doesnt has taunt, skarmory can come in to spike/roost/whirlwind out the SD versions. Those with taunt generally dont have SD, and i can find a chance for latios to come in.
Gyarados: Those without taunt are handled by skarmory. I've had quite a number of times where smeargle's spore + focus sash manages to save my ass. Dragonite can take a +1 ice fang via multiscale and outrage. best is to get stealthrock up through smeargle and whirlwind skarmory a few times
Haxorus: Skarmory. Roost + substitute is a god send combo
Heatran: Tend to do nothing but stealthrock on my skarm. so i've learnt to spike up one more time whenever they come in. Sturdy isn't needed since they really ALWAYS SR on skarmory. blissey comes in on the next turn and heatran is screwed. I suppose dragonite can be used to absorb attacks too
Hydreigon: Blissey. and then i can wish pass.
Infernape: Dragonite is the best counter to this, especially since the only infernapes i see are leadapes.
Jellicent: Blissey can toxic and proceed to wish pass. Skarmory takes 20-25% from scald and is not bothered much by burn. Just means slightly more often roosts than subs and whirlwinds. After a while any of latios/dragonite/haxorus can 1hko it.
Jirachi: Somehow those lead jirachi are always put to sleep. the rest are handled by skarmory for physical versions. Can whirlwind out the special threats to deal with another day. Takes about 80% from unboosted tbolt anyway. Dragonite can be used to come in for a DD --> firepunch or roost back up to abuse multiscale (forces more switches)
Kingdra: Havent actually faced this much. but blissey should do well.
Kyurem: Havent seen this. but should be handled by blissey.
Landlos: Skarmory with roost stalls him out, and can whirlwind. After being hit once by a smack down + eq combo, i've learnt to go to dragonite upon the eq, who outspeeds after a DD and will 1hko. Both take little from smackdown anyway.
Latias/latios: Blissey! Late game it cant switch in on a +1 dragonite anyway.
Magnezone: Havent seen any. but i suppose if someone uses it i'll have to rely less on skarmory, and more on dragonite/latios/wish bliss to handle it.
Mew: Only faced a few, all of which fell prey to spore.
Ninetales: most are put to sleep at the start of the match by smeargle, who survives with focus sash. Blissey/dragonite do well to take hits.
Politoed: Blissey comes in on any attack
Reuniclus: Has sometimes been a pain to handle, but i've survived through sacrificing a pokemon and hitting with haxorus outrage.
Rotom-W: always comes in on skarmory to volt switch for some reason. thank god i always have a substitute up and can spike anyway. without a substitute, i take 65% from volt switch and roost back up to good health anyway. blissey can come to take hits when necessary
Salamence: havent seen this one. it'll only switch in on blissey anyway who usually gets toxic on, and then we go to skarmory who roosts like no tomorrow.
Scizor: Skarmory. if its a SD version, keep it off the playing field for as long as possible while we rack up spikes damage. Fire punch dragonite can be used as a last resort (3hko from a +2 bulletpunch if coming in at full hp)
Scrafty: skarmory. spikes, substitute, whirlwind.
Sigilyph: Skarmory can come in all day.
Skarmory: No choice but let this guy spike up if he wasn't the one put to sleep by smeargle. cant come in on dragonite/latios, haxorus hits too hard and skarmory cant come in even mid game due to damage taken. blissey uses skarm as a chance to wishpass
Slowbro: Blissey toxic, skarmory takes 30+% and can roost like no tomorrow. late game ones are severely weakened already to be picked off by any of my sweepers.
Starmie: attacking versions are walled by blissey. rapid spin versions merely prolong the game, so i'll have to play cautiously and have starmie slowly rack up bits of spikes damage when it comes in, and eventually have latios/dragonite kill. dragonite survives icebeam with multiscale to DD up and outrage/roost
Terrakion: One of the bigger problems my team faces, but i've gradually learnt that most are choiced versions. Dragonite comes in on closecombat to take some hits in place of skarmory if necessary. skarmory still absorbs all those stone edges, both roost till terrakion gives up.
Tornadus: blissey.
Tyranitar: Most leads are put to sleep. skarmory can switch in and my 3 sweepers hit hard enough to deter ttar from coming in (if it wasn't already asleep)
Victini: im that all of the time people use victini, its either a lead put to sleep or SR is up and it comes in on my subbed skarmory who proceeds to whirlwind.
Virizion: havent seen enough of this to know what this does. but generally i think dragonite/skarmory can handle this.
Volcarona: stealthrock + blissey + seismic toss take this down no problem.
Playing style: Defensive play with Skarmbliss to stall all the way until late game when my sweepers can come in. I think i'm still stuck in RSE era, but this team has proven effective in the past 3 weeks i've used it.
Smeargle (M) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Spore
- Taunt
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
Guaranteed sleep = one opponent down. Can be used to spore a sweeper late game if focus sash is still intact. Amazingly fun and effective, but no one uses him. You'll be surprised at how good this set is
Haxorus (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Rivalry
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Claw
- Outrage
- Brick Break
- Earthquake
Honestly not used much.
Skarmory (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Roost
- Substitute
- Whirlwind
- Spikes
Best skarmory set i've used in a long time, wish i could fit taunt somewhere but all these are absolutely necessary. roost + substitute + whirlwind with just a few entry hazards up make this a bitch to take down, and there are few special attackers anyway. EVs are the ones i've used from 3rd gen, allows for fun tricks like taking 60% from hp fire latios/volt switch rotom-a and whirlwind them out to a physical attacker.
You'll be surprised at how effective skarmbliss still is, and few use magnezone anyway
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Wish
- Toxic
- Seismic Toss
- Protect
another gen 3 set, this time better with the new wish mechanics. Passes wish too easily over to skarmory/latios/dragonite (multiscale!) who always go back up to full hp.
Latios (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Psyshock
- Thunderbolt
late game hitter once skarmory has shuffled the enemy's team about and they're weakened from entry hazards.
Dragonite (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Fire Punch
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Roost
Takes hits like nothing and provides useful resistances. Good fit on this team.
Conclusion:
Played as a stall team for almost the entire game. Skarmory and Blissey really cover almost all the threats and are still an effective tag team in the 5th generation especially with the wish mechanics and roost. Dragonite is my other wall that takes hits when skarmbliss are unable to and these 3 can stall out pretty much any opponent. Although it seems like i'm using skarmory to switch in on just about anything and that people think it cant take such repeated hits, the combination of sub+roost gives me mad survivability and whirlwind phazes out special threats whenever they come in. I suggest people try out this set before they judge and say that skarmory wont be surviving long.
The key to playing around with this team is to stall out the opponent with skarmory and weakening their team through whirlwind and forced switches, before finding the right moment for dragonite/latios to rape whats left of their team. Im actually considering a replacement for haxorus since its barely used. all suggestions and criticisms are welcome :)
Threatlist
Breloom: Played around with subskarm, smeargle takes the sleep, dragonite takes focuspunch/seedbomb/machpunch and can DD/roost.
Blissey: Skarmory comes in to spike, blissey can come in to get a free wish pass. Opponent blissey can only switch into latios anyway.
Bronzong: Generally used as a lead and is put to sleep for the rest of the match by smeargle. Skarm uses it as set up bait, and really doesn't wall my team since haxorus is hardly used.
Celebi: Skarmory can take hits, survive hp fire if needed and switch to blissey for toxic. whirlwind if celebi looks like a bp-er
Conkeldurr: Doesn't get much survivability with entry hazards, toxic from blissey while skarm/dragonite can stall out his attacks.
Deoxys-S: If i see this, i lead with haxorus for the 2hko
Excadrill: Needs to be kept off the playing field by skarmory's whirlwind and making sure my team is ready when its about to attack. quite a pain in the neck especially if they have rapid spin but skarmory does really well most of the time.
Ferrothorn: Smeargle can spore/taunt, dragonite has fire punch. I always love going to skarmory and putting up a sub while he uses leechseed/twave/what not and proceed to spike or whirlwind the team about. good fun.
Forretress: Catches it with spore about 80% of the time, the rest of the time skarm comes in to sub/spike/whirlwind again. Good thing it cant heal itself reliably so its too easily worn out by my team's attacks. Neither can it do anything to skarmory when he tries to switch in and spin, allowing me to sub/whirlwind him out and set up spikes again --> process repeats
Gengar: Great fun to play with because most are the subsplit version, focus blast has 8pp, blissey has wish and skarmory takes 55% from focus blast. Runs out of focus blast pp too easily imo.
Gliscor: If it doesnt has taunt, skarmory can come in to spike/roost/whirlwind out the SD versions. Those with taunt generally dont have SD, and i can find a chance for latios to come in.
Gyarados: Those without taunt are handled by skarmory. I've had quite a number of times where smeargle's spore + focus sash manages to save my ass. Dragonite can take a +1 ice fang via multiscale and outrage. best is to get stealthrock up through smeargle and whirlwind skarmory a few times
Haxorus: Skarmory. Roost + substitute is a god send combo
Heatran: Tend to do nothing but stealthrock on my skarm. so i've learnt to spike up one more time whenever they come in. Sturdy isn't needed since they really ALWAYS SR on skarmory. blissey comes in on the next turn and heatran is screwed. I suppose dragonite can be used to absorb attacks too
Hydreigon: Blissey. and then i can wish pass.
Infernape: Dragonite is the best counter to this, especially since the only infernapes i see are leadapes.
Jellicent: Blissey can toxic and proceed to wish pass. Skarmory takes 20-25% from scald and is not bothered much by burn. Just means slightly more often roosts than subs and whirlwinds. After a while any of latios/dragonite/haxorus can 1hko it.
Jirachi: Somehow those lead jirachi are always put to sleep. the rest are handled by skarmory for physical versions. Can whirlwind out the special threats to deal with another day. Takes about 80% from unboosted tbolt anyway. Dragonite can be used to come in for a DD --> firepunch or roost back up to abuse multiscale (forces more switches)
Kingdra: Havent actually faced this much. but blissey should do well.
Kyurem: Havent seen this. but should be handled by blissey.
Landlos: Skarmory with roost stalls him out, and can whirlwind. After being hit once by a smack down + eq combo, i've learnt to go to dragonite upon the eq, who outspeeds after a DD and will 1hko. Both take little from smackdown anyway.
Latias/latios: Blissey! Late game it cant switch in on a +1 dragonite anyway.
Magnezone: Havent seen any. but i suppose if someone uses it i'll have to rely less on skarmory, and more on dragonite/latios/wish bliss to handle it.
Mew: Only faced a few, all of which fell prey to spore.
Ninetales: most are put to sleep at the start of the match by smeargle, who survives with focus sash. Blissey/dragonite do well to take hits.
Politoed: Blissey comes in on any attack
Reuniclus: Has sometimes been a pain to handle, but i've survived through sacrificing a pokemon and hitting with haxorus outrage.
Rotom-W: always comes in on skarmory to volt switch for some reason. thank god i always have a substitute up and can spike anyway. without a substitute, i take 65% from volt switch and roost back up to good health anyway. blissey can come to take hits when necessary
Salamence: havent seen this one. it'll only switch in on blissey anyway who usually gets toxic on, and then we go to skarmory who roosts like no tomorrow.
Scizor: Skarmory. if its a SD version, keep it off the playing field for as long as possible while we rack up spikes damage. Fire punch dragonite can be used as a last resort (3hko from a +2 bulletpunch if coming in at full hp)
Scrafty: skarmory. spikes, substitute, whirlwind.
Sigilyph: Skarmory can come in all day.
Skarmory: No choice but let this guy spike up if he wasn't the one put to sleep by smeargle. cant come in on dragonite/latios, haxorus hits too hard and skarmory cant come in even mid game due to damage taken. blissey uses skarm as a chance to wishpass
Slowbro: Blissey toxic, skarmory takes 30+% and can roost like no tomorrow. late game ones are severely weakened already to be picked off by any of my sweepers.
Starmie: attacking versions are walled by blissey. rapid spin versions merely prolong the game, so i'll have to play cautiously and have starmie slowly rack up bits of spikes damage when it comes in, and eventually have latios/dragonite kill. dragonite survives icebeam with multiscale to DD up and outrage/roost
Terrakion: One of the bigger problems my team faces, but i've gradually learnt that most are choiced versions. Dragonite comes in on closecombat to take some hits in place of skarmory if necessary. skarmory still absorbs all those stone edges, both roost till terrakion gives up.
Tornadus: blissey.
Tyranitar: Most leads are put to sleep. skarmory can switch in and my 3 sweepers hit hard enough to deter ttar from coming in (if it wasn't already asleep)
Victini: im that all of the time people use victini, its either a lead put to sleep or SR is up and it comes in on my subbed skarmory who proceeds to whirlwind.
Virizion: havent seen enough of this to know what this does. but generally i think dragonite/skarmory can handle this.
Volcarona: stealthrock + blissey + seismic toss take this down no problem.