Slaking was Cool in the RSE Generation...

[Pocket]

Sorry, guys, this is my first post for a long while. Studying eats up time, and I've been spending too much time reading The Smog and trying to get into battling =p

So after a decent run with my Rampardos team I've been playing for about 18 months, I am making a team to test the viability of Slaking in DPPt OU. I looked at the Smogon Dex's page on Slaking (which was very well done) for guidance, and I came up with this. It proves sufficiently competitive, but my win-loss ratio disappoints. I come here for guidance from any people who have also dared to use Slaking in this Scizor-infested metagame.

@ Leftovers ** Monserrat (Jagged Mountain)
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 184 Def / 76 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Avalanche
- Earthquake
- Taunt
- Waterfall

Gyarados Tank. Intimidate is a great way to open up, neutralizing any physical hits. Taunt prevents slower leads, such as Swampert, Hippowdon, Bronzong and some Metagross from setting SR from the get-go. Gyarados is one of the vital punching bag of this team, absorbing hard-hitting moves from the likes of Scizor, Machamp, Infernape, Lucario, Heracross, Mamoswine, Flygon, and Heatran that my other members would like to avoid.

However, it not only absorb hits like a strong-willed female, but it can also dish some, too. After soaking up a STAB dragon move Avalanche will kill Salamence and Dragonite and hardly fails to kill Latias, too. Taunt also prevents defensive Pokemon from healing, helping Gyarados out in racking up damage. All in all, Gyarados provides the vital Ground immunity and key resistances to mitigate damage inflicted from the opposing team, while keeping up the offensive pace

@ Leftovers ** Leilani (Heavenly Flower)
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Grass Knot
- Psychic
- Recover
- Substitute

Another important defensive core of this team, providing a secondary Ground, Fighting, and Water resistance. Also a perfect counter for both Breloom and HP Ele Vaporeon that may abuse Slaking's loafing to Sub / Spore or Protect / Wish.

I used to have SR on Celebi, but I got sick of Celebi being a Scizor bait, forcing Celery to switch and racking up residual damage. Substitute > SR is my answer to this, as Scizor cannot force Celebi to switch, minimizing residual damage.

@ Leftovers ** Samson (Service from the Sun)
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 56 SAtk / 204 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Lava Plume
- Rest
- Roar
- Sleep Talk

I needed a safe sleep absorber to take sleep-inducing moves from Breloom, Gengar, and the occasional Yanmega, and a Steel player that can take Dragon hits reliably (unlike Magnezone). I chose Roar > Earth Power mainly because I can't afford Latias to come in easily and set up on me. At least Roar would make Latias think twice before CMing up. That way I can bring in Gyarados on her Surf and Avalanche, forcing a switch or score a kill. If not Gyaraods, Magnezone can come in on a Dragon / Electric move and Signal Beam / Explode. Some Latias only possesses Dragon Pulse, making Heatran's job easier, however.

As the author of the Slaking article mentioned, Roar is essential in Slaking's team to prevent set-ups and to scout. Rest / Sleep Talk also allows Heatran to take hits from Blissey and shuffle. Burn from Lava Plume always helps neutralizing shit like Ttar, Gyarados, and Vaporeon.

The EV Spread is simply right off the Smogon Dex, but if anybody knows a more effective spread for Sleep Talk Heatran, please share the love :>

@ Life Orb
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Timid Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Recover
- Thunderbolt

My answer to infernape when Gyarados is down. I used to have Scarf Magneton here, but its effectiveness was rather diminished after Scizor spamming U-turns and Skarmory / Forretress holding Shed Shell. It was also a great way of dispatching Bounce Gyarados, which I have more problems with I guess. Although, LO Starmie is hardly as durable as Magnezone, it's Speed, Special Offense, and check on Infernape makes up for it.

@ Choice Band ** Aleshanee (She Always Plays)
Trait: Truant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
- Return
- Sucker Punch

Theme of the team. I initially had Pursuit over Sucker Punch, but man, the latter is great for revenge-killing or at least make the opponent pause and second-guess whether to attack or not to attack. It is definitely a risky move, though, especially on a Pokemon that moves only every other turn... but it's worth the cost. I've debated whether to go Adamant & Return or Jolly & D-Edge, but so far it has been working well as it is.

@ Leftovers ** Varro (Durable)
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd / 12 SAtk
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Earthquake
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Stealth Rock

If there's Slaking, the opponent would potentially bring out the dangerous Ttar / Metagross. So I bring out my Swampert. Alongside Gyarados and Celebi, Swampert is another pokemon that can easily dent Ground pokemon that plagues Magnezone and Slaking. Swampert sets up SR, instead of Celebi now, since Celebi needed something to combat Scizor.

Due to the rise of Shed Shell Skarmory and Forretress, I am thinking of whether to invest more SAtk EVs for a min 50% on Skarmory with Hydro Pump (currently it has enough SAtk to inflict 75% on a max HP Salamence and 50% average on Skarmory); in order to achieve that I would want to invest at least 40 more SAtk EVs... which may or may not be worth it.


Conclusion
Other members I've considered using included Scarfed Scizor, Tentacruel, and Hariyama, but they simply didn't do enough damage to threaten the opponent, couldn't take hits well, or both. The one thing I realized about a team with Slaking is that it needs a solid defensive core to deal with the retaliation from the opponent. That's why I ended up utilizing the classic tanks, such as Celebi and Swampert, as well as making Heatran and Gyarados extra defensive. This comes with the cost of reduced offense, making me more vulnerable to stall team that especially utilizes Shed Shell Steel Types. But I would like to think that Taunt Gyarados, mixpert w/ Roar, Shuffling by Heatran, and the threat from Magnezone (despite Shed Shell) to make it rough to set up spikes.

As far as offensive threats goes, Infernape is always a menace, especially with Gyarados down (which is a likely scenario with SR up and me being reckless with it). Infernape was the reason why I initially added Tentacruel, but the Squid really didn't prove its worth when I used it. Magnezone used to be a good check on it, but lately I've been seeing odd Vacuum Wave variant (which also undermines Slaking's Sucker Punch). Vacuum Wave usually takes up a slot of Close Combat or maybe even Grass Knot, so in that case, Heatran or Swampert can potentially wear it down.

Special threats from Latias, Togekiss, and Rotom-H can become handful of times, because 1) I don't have a particularly solid counter for them, 2) they have a relatively easy time switching in, and 3) my team cannot easily recover from a well-placed Trick or T-Wave / BRN.

That is all of my input on this team. I am looking forward to any comments :]. Thanks, bras!

 

[MetaNite]

Hello. I like the concept of this team very much.

I can see a couple Pokemon giving your team trouble, especially if used in conjunction. You seem to rely on Gyarados for too many thinks, Lucario counter, Infernape counter, and anti-lead as well. You also have a bit of a Fighting-type weakness. Another Pokemon who might give you some trouble is Bounce Gyarados, able to defeat Celebi with its STAB Flying-type move. Replacing Heatran with Rotom-A should alleviate some of your weight on Gyarados.

Rotom-H @ Choice Scarf
Nature: Timid / EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
~ Thunderbolt / Overheat / Shadow Ball / Trick

Rotom-H serves as a great SD Lucario check, able to come in on a Swords Dance or Close Combat and OHKO with Overheat. Rotom-H also makes a great check to Gyarados, outspeeding even Jolly ones after a Dragon Dance.

I would also either lead with Celebi or Swampert (and give it Stealth Rock). Gyarados is not the best lead. The most common leads, can all at least cripple it, either by Explosion or Trick. Being such an important member of your team, it wouldn't be wise to let Gyarados die so early on. In fact, making Gyarados the RestTalk set would be a very good idea. That way it can constantly absorb attacks from the likes of Lucario and Infernape. If you do indeed replace Heatran, Gyarados can be your status / sleep absorber. Since you already have a Choice Scarfer in Rotom-H, you could also make Magnezone the standard Steel Killer set. However, you should replace Magnet Rise with Thunder Wave. By slowing faster Pokemon down, Slaking will have an easier time kill them or revenge killing them. Pokemon who often switch into Magnezone, namely Latias, can be crippled and left helpless when you bring in Slaking. You can also give Celebi Thunder Wave, and make Stealth Rock Swampert your lead. Good luck.

 

[les gets]

This is an interesting team :)

I don't want to change too much so I won't suggest much. I really do not like how your best answer MixMence is your Gyarados. You have no spinner so Stealth Rock will almost always be up, and Gyarados can be OHKOed by Draco Meteor after Stealth Rock damage as taken effect. I suppose the easiest solution for this would be to use a spread of 248 HP / 132 Def / 128 SDef which gives you enough Special Defense to survive any Draco Meteor after stealth rock and procede to OHKO with Avalanche, however this is always unfortunately after at least one Pokemon on your team faints.

I also think you should replace Hydro Pump with Stealth Rock and give Celebi something such as Thunder Wave which helps with anything that try to switch in like Infernape, which you said was giving you a bit of trouble.

Good luck!

 

[Pocket]

First and foremost, thank you for the welcoming rate =]

Bounce Gyarados can get tricky. However, whenever I encounter one, I can switch to Heatran when it comes back down, and I can switch back to Celebi. If I predict another Bounce, I'll just switch in to Magnezone on the turn it bounces up, and shoot it down with Tbolt when it comes back down.

As for openers, I've tried opening up with Celebi, but Celebi is actually my most important defensive member (and arguably my most liable one), and Trick / Explosion would cripple Celebi moreso than Gyarados. Gyarados doesn't take Explosion / Trick. After Intimidating Azelf, I switch to Heatran to absorb the Explosion. Against Trick Jirachi, I would either switch straight to Magnezone or Swampert, expecting either Trick or Thunderpunch.

Rest SleepTalk Gyarados is an awesome suggestion... I would end up losing EQ, though, which was there so that Empoleon or Tentacruel would have a hard time setting up. I may have to resort to Rest Talk, though.

You are right that I have too much weight on Gyarados. Scarf Magnezone is a great check for Lucario, since it can trap it. It can check Infernape, too, but Infernape can switch if it has enough health. I like the idea of ScarfRotom, though, thank you for that suggestion =]

Having two electrics also sounds really cool, as they can cripple Steel and Water Pokemon that are too bulky for Slaking, while Rotom-H has the chance of crippling Blissey that plagues special wall. The only thing I dislike is that Rotom-H is a pretty easy Tyranitar bait, so I might give it HP Fighting if I were to use it.

I made some changes on this team after I posted this. I added LO Starmie over Magnezone to better deal with Infernape and perhaps revenge kill choice Latias more efficiently. I lose some coverage against Lucario, but Celebi, Gyarados, and Slaking are all great checks to it. I also added Substitute on Celebi, because I was sick of switching out of Scizor's U-turns, racking up residual damages on Heatran or Gyarados. I will put up the changes.

Thanks for the rate, Meta Nite!

EDIT: COST

Thank you for your EV spread, COST =] I just might use it! I made that EV spread when Garchomp was still around, so I may be able to afford to take off a few Def EVs into Sp Def, although there's still OUtrage Salamence and Dragonite.