This is my first time doing a RMT post, but I've done a team that I think has been pretty good in the ladder. So far, I've managed to get into 1600ish so I think this post may help me to get this team onto the next level.
TEAM BUILDING
I always wanted to use Dracozolt bc I like its design, but Hustle was an inconsistent ability so I was waiting for its HA. Once it was released, I decided to use a core that enables it to spam Bolt Beak. I used two sand-setters so Bolt Beak could be much more "spammed". Tapu Lele was there to set Psychic Terrain and erase any kind of priority that could go against Bolt Beak, and I thought it could be a great pair to Tyranitar since its good MU against Fighting. Then I realized it was a unnecesary long set-up and I gave it up.
Hippowdon was such a great wall that by itself can contribute a lot to the team: Stealth Rock, a good MU against other Sand Rush sweepers (other Dracozolts, Excadrills), Toxic so I can put a timer to any kind of set-up sweeper, and Slack Off + Leftovers for longevity. But the thing was that I didn't feel that Tyranitar was that useful to the team bc the only thing it was giving was the sand, so I ended up giving it up too.
Initially, I decided to go with Rillaboom since it was a great way to balance the sand recoil to another teammates. However, it has another good features: it goes pretty well against Water/Ground Pokémon that actually beats Draco-Hippo core, and with Drum Beating on a switch-in can give an alternative way of speed-control to some Pokemon that usually would go first. Cinderace, Mirror Rillaboom, Hydreigon, non-scarfed Landorus/Nidoking get into a way worse situation since Rillaboom can take advantage of its speed and defeat them or at least get a good chunk of damage. Stomping Tantrum was given to get rid of Cinderace, Heatran and Magnezone.
Slowbro is my best way to get rid from any kind of Ice-types (and Barraskewda) that can thread the previous core. Rocky Helmet to punish any kind of Flip Turn; Yawn to force switches, Teleport has a lot of use in this team (to send safely another member of the team and Regenerator, mainly), and Slack Off to longevity. Scald to burn its opponents can be crucial to invalid a lot of sweepers, mainly the ones that wont deal that greatly with Hippowdon once they are burned.
I felt that I needed a Flame-Body user to mainly punish Bug and Grass typed sweepers. Its EV spread and Roost makes Volc a pretty safe option to punish U-Turns and mostly Kartana. Since I felt that Water/Ground types like Swampert or Seismitoad were still an issue (because almost no one would let a Swampert in front of a Rillaboom), I decided to use Giga Drain so it had a surprise move that would let them in a pretty bad position. Quiver Dance is the final move since I needed an answer to set-up Magearna and the main reason I chose Volcarona instead of Moltres.
Finally, I used Indeedee bc I watched BL KNIGHTS! Jk, I thought I needed a hard-hitting sweeper that could Trick its own Choice Specs. Expanding Force is that good that can make a 3HKO to Phys Def Blissey on Psychic Terrain. Mystical Fire and Dazzling Gleam are coverage that works pretty well against switch-ins like Ferrothorn, Mandibuzz, Hydreigon, etc. Also I've realized that it helps against some Spectrier sets that only have Shadow Ball/Hex as its main attacking options.
IMAGINE USING FISHIOUS REND LOL THIS TEAM WAS MADE BY THE ZOLT GANG:
Dracozolt @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Bolt Beak
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
- Iron Tail
BOLT BEAK GOES BRRR--- Welp, its role is way simple: wallbreak. Even without sand, it goes pretty well against common walls like Slowbro, Toxapex, Mandibuzz and Zapdos. Fire Blast is to punish/get at least some damage in any kind of switch that is supposed to wall THE BEAK: Grass types, Ground types. Earthquake is there to threat Heatran specifically, and Iron Tail is there because of Fairy-types, but I haven't use it yet lol; I think it can be changed for a Dragon-type move for STAB or even a Rock-type to get Moltres without the risk of getting Flame-bodied. Life Orb helps to bulk even Fire Blast without a Choice restriction. Naughty nature helps to maximize Bolt Beak damage without decreasing Fire Blast damage (and this can be crucial to hit a Kartana or Ferrothorn).
Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Toxic
As I've said before, Hippowdon helps Zolt so it can use Sand Rush as best as possible. I have already explained why I used it before Tyranitar, but at the same time Slack Off + Full Phys Defense helps to stall a lot of common threats that aren't water or grass types. Earthquake + Toxic helps a lot to cripple a lot of Pokémon bc most of the Toxic-inmune Pokemon are Ground-weak, excepting Flying/Steel types like Corviknight or Skarmory that can be dealt by Zolt, Volcarona or even Indeedee and Slowbro depending the set. The amount of chip damage that it gets combined (Sand, SR, Toxic, etc.) helps a lot to reach OHKO-range for its teammates.
Rillaboom @ Miracle Seed
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drum Beating
- Grassy Glide
- U-turn
- Stomping Tantrum
I think that the amount of utility Rillaboom has is really, really vital for the team. Drum Beating can help to speed-control some Pokemon like Togekiss that can deal with Rillaboom but cannot do that against THE BEAK. Stomping Tantrum also helps to kill Cinderace in the switch into Drum Beating, but it's pretty useful against Pokemon like Magnezone or Heatran that are supposed to wall it. U-turn for the pivot helps a lot to introduce THE BEAK, just deal damage, preserve the Terrain setter or even restart the weather (this is pretty useful against the sun and rain MU). Since its item helps its damage without any recoil, sometimes I can use it pretending it has a Choice item.
Slowbro @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Teleport
- Yawn
- Slack Off
- Scald
I'm really enjoying using this Pokemon. I'm using it mainly to wall Cinderace (and punish it in case it uses U-turn), but the thing is that it can wall some attackers like Hawlucha, G-Zapdos, even Garchomp. It also punishes multi-hit attacks like Surging Strike or Double Iron-Bash, both pretty well since its typing, and since Urshifu and Melmetal are Choice users most of the time, it can Slack Off safely on the switch-in or even Teleport to gain momentum. Yawn can help a lot to pressure the opponent, and it's pretty neat since it can't be ignored as the Spore/Powder attacks. I thought about switching Yawn for T-Wave so I can have even more speed-control, but i haven't used it yet.
Volcarona @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Fiery Dance
- Giga Drain
- Roost
I feel that Volcarona is one of the most underrated set-up sweepers rn. It has a good bulk and it threats not only Pokemon like Rillaboom or Kartana, but it can punish U-turn bc of Flame Body. It's not that great against Urshifu, but it helps quite a lot against Double Iron-Bash/Melmetal. Heavy-Duty Boots is a must so it won't die against SR (bc one of the biggest flaws of this team is the lack of Defog/Rapid Spin), and Quiver Dance multiplies its role not only as a "burner", but as a set-up sweeper that is pretty bulky so is pretty hard to take down. The 20 Speed EVs helps to reach 241, one point more than max speed Swampert (it's not that common, but I enjoy taking my own "insurances" lol). As I've said before, it helps against set-up Magearna since QD helps a lot to gain bulk too.
Indeedee (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Expanding Force
- Dazzling Gleam
- Mystical Fire
B L K N I G H T S ! ! ! Welp, I think that Indeedee is a sleeper hard-hitting mon rn. Expanding Force hits like a truck, and has enough coverage to threat Pokemon like Thorn or Mandibuzz. The real reason I started with Indeedee over Lele, however, wasn't Expanding Force: it was Trick. Indeedee ruins a lot of sets just by tricking his own Specs. It's a normal type so it also checks Spectrier sometimes. Tbh, there is not that much reasons to use him that excedes the ones that I've listed already. Its Terrain also helps to stop some priority moves (just like when I tried to use Lele, but this time it isn't as a setup).
LEARNING TO IMPROVE
I know as a fact that there are some flaws in this team.
TEAM BUILDING
I always wanted to use Dracozolt bc I like its design, but Hustle was an inconsistent ability so I was waiting for its HA. Once it was released, I decided to use a core that enables it to spam Bolt Beak. I used two sand-setters so Bolt Beak could be much more "spammed". Tapu Lele was there to set Psychic Terrain and erase any kind of priority that could go against Bolt Beak, and I thought it could be a great pair to Tyranitar since its good MU against Fighting. Then I realized it was a unnecesary long set-up and I gave it up.
Hippowdon was such a great wall that by itself can contribute a lot to the team: Stealth Rock, a good MU against other Sand Rush sweepers (other Dracozolts, Excadrills), Toxic so I can put a timer to any kind of set-up sweeper, and Slack Off + Leftovers for longevity. But the thing was that I didn't feel that Tyranitar was that useful to the team bc the only thing it was giving was the sand, so I ended up giving it up too.
Initially, I decided to go with Rillaboom since it was a great way to balance the sand recoil to another teammates. However, it has another good features: it goes pretty well against Water/Ground Pokémon that actually beats Draco-Hippo core, and with Drum Beating on a switch-in can give an alternative way of speed-control to some Pokemon that usually would go first. Cinderace, Mirror Rillaboom, Hydreigon, non-scarfed Landorus/Nidoking get into a way worse situation since Rillaboom can take advantage of its speed and defeat them or at least get a good chunk of damage. Stomping Tantrum was given to get rid of Cinderace, Heatran and Magnezone.
Slowbro is my best way to get rid from any kind of Ice-types (and Barraskewda) that can thread the previous core. Rocky Helmet to punish any kind of Flip Turn; Yawn to force switches, Teleport has a lot of use in this team (to send safely another member of the team and Regenerator, mainly), and Slack Off to longevity. Scald to burn its opponents can be crucial to invalid a lot of sweepers, mainly the ones that wont deal that greatly with Hippowdon once they are burned.
I felt that I needed a Flame-Body user to mainly punish Bug and Grass typed sweepers. Its EV spread and Roost makes Volc a pretty safe option to punish U-Turns and mostly Kartana. Since I felt that Water/Ground types like Swampert or Seismitoad were still an issue (because almost no one would let a Swampert in front of a Rillaboom), I decided to use Giga Drain so it had a surprise move that would let them in a pretty bad position. Quiver Dance is the final move since I needed an answer to set-up Magearna and the main reason I chose Volcarona instead of Moltres.
Finally, I used Indeedee bc I watched BL KNIGHTS! Jk, I thought I needed a hard-hitting sweeper that could Trick its own Choice Specs. Expanding Force is that good that can make a 3HKO to Phys Def Blissey on Psychic Terrain. Mystical Fire and Dazzling Gleam are coverage that works pretty well against switch-ins like Ferrothorn, Mandibuzz, Hydreigon, etc. Also I've realized that it helps against some Spectrier sets that only have Shadow Ball/Hex as its main attacking options.
IMAGINE USING FISHIOUS REND LOL THIS TEAM WAS MADE BY THE ZOLT GANG:
Dracozolt @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Bolt Beak
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
- Iron Tail
BOLT BEAK GOES BRRR--- Welp, its role is way simple: wallbreak. Even without sand, it goes pretty well against common walls like Slowbro, Toxapex, Mandibuzz and Zapdos. Fire Blast is to punish/get at least some damage in any kind of switch that is supposed to wall THE BEAK: Grass types, Ground types. Earthquake is there to threat Heatran specifically, and Iron Tail is there because of Fairy-types, but I haven't use it yet lol; I think it can be changed for a Dragon-type move for STAB or even a Rock-type to get Moltres without the risk of getting Flame-bodied. Life Orb helps to bulk even Fire Blast without a Choice restriction. Naughty nature helps to maximize Bolt Beak damage without decreasing Fire Blast damage (and this can be crucial to hit a Kartana or Ferrothorn).
Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Toxic
As I've said before, Hippowdon helps Zolt so it can use Sand Rush as best as possible. I have already explained why I used it before Tyranitar, but at the same time Slack Off + Full Phys Defense helps to stall a lot of common threats that aren't water or grass types. Earthquake + Toxic helps a lot to cripple a lot of Pokémon bc most of the Toxic-inmune Pokemon are Ground-weak, excepting Flying/Steel types like Corviknight or Skarmory that can be dealt by Zolt, Volcarona or even Indeedee and Slowbro depending the set. The amount of chip damage that it gets combined (Sand, SR, Toxic, etc.) helps a lot to reach OHKO-range for its teammates.
Rillaboom @ Miracle Seed
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drum Beating
- Grassy Glide
- U-turn
- Stomping Tantrum
I think that the amount of utility Rillaboom has is really, really vital for the team. Drum Beating can help to speed-control some Pokemon like Togekiss that can deal with Rillaboom but cannot do that against THE BEAK. Stomping Tantrum also helps to kill Cinderace in the switch into Drum Beating, but it's pretty useful against Pokemon like Magnezone or Heatran that are supposed to wall it. U-turn for the pivot helps a lot to introduce THE BEAK, just deal damage, preserve the Terrain setter or even restart the weather (this is pretty useful against the sun and rain MU). Since its item helps its damage without any recoil, sometimes I can use it pretending it has a Choice item.
Slowbro @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Teleport
- Yawn
- Slack Off
- Scald
I'm really enjoying using this Pokemon. I'm using it mainly to wall Cinderace (and punish it in case it uses U-turn), but the thing is that it can wall some attackers like Hawlucha, G-Zapdos, even Garchomp. It also punishes multi-hit attacks like Surging Strike or Double Iron-Bash, both pretty well since its typing, and since Urshifu and Melmetal are Choice users most of the time, it can Slack Off safely on the switch-in or even Teleport to gain momentum. Yawn can help a lot to pressure the opponent, and it's pretty neat since it can't be ignored as the Spore/Powder attacks. I thought about switching Yawn for T-Wave so I can have even more speed-control, but i haven't used it yet.
Volcarona @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Fiery Dance
- Giga Drain
- Roost
I feel that Volcarona is one of the most underrated set-up sweepers rn. It has a good bulk and it threats not only Pokemon like Rillaboom or Kartana, but it can punish U-turn bc of Flame Body. It's not that great against Urshifu, but it helps quite a lot against Double Iron-Bash/Melmetal. Heavy-Duty Boots is a must so it won't die against SR (bc one of the biggest flaws of this team is the lack of Defog/Rapid Spin), and Quiver Dance multiplies its role not only as a "burner", but as a set-up sweeper that is pretty bulky so is pretty hard to take down. The 20 Speed EVs helps to reach 241, one point more than max speed Swampert (it's not that common, but I enjoy taking my own "insurances" lol). As I've said before, it helps against set-up Magearna since QD helps a lot to gain bulk too.
Indeedee (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Expanding Force
- Dazzling Gleam
- Mystical Fire
B L K N I G H T S ! ! ! Welp, I think that Indeedee is a sleeper hard-hitting mon rn. Expanding Force hits like a truck, and has enough coverage to threat Pokemon like Thorn or Mandibuzz. The real reason I started with Indeedee over Lele, however, wasn't Expanding Force: it was Trick. Indeedee ruins a lot of sets just by tricking his own Specs. It's a normal type so it also checks Spectrier sometimes. Tbh, there is not that much reasons to use him that excedes the ones that I've listed already. Its Terrain also helps to stop some priority moves (just like when I tried to use Lele, but this time it isn't as a setup).
LEARNING TO IMPROVE
I know as a fact that there are some flaws in this team.
- The most notable one is the fact that we doesn't count with Defog or Rapid Spin; usually, the SR that Hippowdon sets is the one that forces the Defog from the rival, but it's not a consistent way to pull this through.
- As a team, this one doesn't have a clear goal. Even when this is the best I've ever reached on the ladder and it may have synergy itself, I don't feel like this team knows exactly what does it need to get the W.
- As a user, I'm pretty "new" on medium-high(?) ladder. I've always played Smogon OU for fun, but I don't know if there are like fundies that teambuilding has to cover or something. So I'm not that sure if I'm missing something.
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