ORAS LC Something Beautiful - a 1k RMT

[Holiday]

Wow. I cannot believe I've felt the need to talk about something related to Pokemon 1,000 times. As much as the angst-filled and "I'm too cool for this" wants to come out, I have truly cherished my time as a part of this community. I am beyond thankful for the kindness that users have shown me over the past 2.5 years on Smogon and the almost 4 years on PS! While I've bounced between a few tiers throughout the generation and have met a plethora of amazing users in the various communities, I feel that my heart has always been with the Little Cup community. Although the ladder is terrible and there have been a fair amount of questionable people involved in LC, I am overjoyed that the largest percentage of my posts and interactions have been in the LC room and on the LC subforum. The competitive atmosphere and amazing staff has always made LC an incredibly welcoming community and the friends I have made in it have truly impacted my life. As enjoyable as my offline life has been, it would be a lie to say that I could just drop competitive Pokemon and be truly content, as a part of me will always feel connected to this site. No one can ever truly be sure when they'll be done with Pokemon (as seen with me taking a 3 month break thinking I'd be done forever) but whenever I do walk away, I know that I can safely say I won't regret my time on this site. Like many users before me, my 1k post will be an RMT of a Hyper Offense team that I have enjoyed using ever since the first days of ORAS Little Cup, which some users might recognize as one of my signature teams.

Teambuilding Process

I started the team off with a powerful wallbreaker in Guts Taillow. With two amazing STAB moves in Facade and Brave Bird, as well as access to U-turn and Quick Attack, Taillow often nets 1-2 KOs a game. The rest of the team for the most part is dedicated to making Taillow's life easier.

Stunky was added next as it is a fantastic lure to Pawniard, getting a 2HKO on it with Fire Blast even with no investment. For some reason, Scarf Gastly was popular at the time I built this, so it also made sense to include Stunky as a means to trap and eliminate it alongside Abra.

Life Orb Staryu is an excellent spinner which is needed for Taillow, as SR + general frailness makes it nearly impossible to get Taillow in if not for a well executed double, sac, or VoltTurn. Staryu's massive coverage and overall wallbreaking capabilities, as well as its ability to beat most spinblockers common in the early ORAS era was greatly appreciated.

Standard FastFoo was added as more reliable Fighting-type check as well as a generally good pivot for Taillow. Often being heralded as the best Pokemon in Little Cup, it made little sense not to include it on the team.

Choice Scarf Magnemite forces a large amount of switches due to its sheer power and excellent typing, and the team needed a solid SD Fletchling check. Magnemite also just finds a way onto most of my teams lol, but it's a good Pokemon to have when you want a good blend of speed and power.

Focus Sash Abra acts as a blanket check to a large portion of the tier, being able to tank any one hit and often OHKO back. It's also the team's main revenge killer due to its high speed and power.

The Team

Taillow @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Quick Attack
- U-turn
- Facade
- Brave Bird

As previously stated, the basis of this team is Taillow Hyper Offense, and the best place to start with that would be Taillow! While yes, Fletchling is inherently better than Taillow (so if you're doing rates don't put that lol) Taillow has the ability to smash most Fletchling checks with a Guts-boosted STAB Facade. Quick Attack gives Taillow a rather powerful priority move that allows it to chip out weakened opponents, U-turn is excellent to grab momentum on predicted Steel-type switchins, Facade is the main STAB of the set which demolishes all Pokemon that don't resist Normal, and Brave Bird is the secondary STAB to hit Ghost-types, though it should be used sparingly due to recoil + Toxic racking up quick damage.

Stunky @ Eviolite
Ability: Aftermath
Level: 5
EVs: 12 HP / 12 Atk / 60 Def / 108 SpD / 244 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
- Sludge Bomb
- Fire Blast

A lot of people say that Stunky is very matchup oriented, and while they certainly aren't wrong, I feel as if this Stunky set pulls its weight in every battle. Being able to trap certain Pokemon as well as deal solid damage to Pawniard and Spritzee is very nice for a Taillow teammate. Pursuit obviously is required on Stunky to deal with Gastly and Abra, Sucker Punch is strong priority, Sludge Bomb is a strong STAB that can 2HKO Spritzee after SR with no investment, with Fire Blast doing the same to Pawniard. The EV spread may look a little weird, but it basically focuses on Speed and SpD which allows Stunky to reliably check Gastly and Abra. The minimal investment in Attack and none in SpA makes Stunky a tad bit weak overall, but its specialty is to KO weakened Pokemon which it does well.

calcs if you want

Pawniard (LC Standard)
Fire Blast - 47.6 - 57.1% - 12.1% chance to 2HKO
Pawniard (LC Choice Scarf)
Fire Blast - 66.6 - 85.7% - guaranteed 2HKO
Spritzee (LC Defensive)
Sludge Bomb - 44.4 - 51.8% - 0.4% chance to 2HKO

Staryu @ Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure
Level: 5
EVs: 196 SpA / 76 SpD / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin

Life Orb Staryu has faded a little bit in the current metagame, but it still definitely packs a punch. Given its excellent coverage and ability to spin away hazards, it has found a spot on this team as an offensive Rapid Spinner. STAB Hydro Pump backed by Life Orb will hurt anything that doesn't resist it, with Psychic and Ice Beam tagging the likes of Fighting-types (especially Croagunk), Chinchou, Grass-types not named Ferroseed, and Flying-types (so you don't risk HPump miss) while Rapid Spin is mandatory. Once it manages to keep hazards off the field, Staryu will more often thannot just punch holes in a team with Hydro Pump until it goes down, giving Taillow a free switchin.

Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Drain Punch
- Taunt
- U-turn
- Knock Off

Sometimes the simplest set is the best set. FastFoo has been a tried and true set for any team needing a check to Pawniard as well as an all-purpose Pokemon, being able to provide Knock Off support, U-turn momentum, and Taunt to stop hazards or slow Pokemon from setting up. Mienfoo has cemented its place as the King of Little Cup and its hard to see a change to that anytime soon in the ORAS metagame. For those that don't know, the EVs allow you to live Fletchling's Acrobatics at full HP, while the moveset is standard. Acrobatics and Stone Edge are both viable options over Taunt to OHKO most Fighting-types when you exchange Knock Offs or to nail Ponyta and Larvesta on the switch.

Magnemite @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Analytic
Level: 5
EVs: 240 SpA / 236 Spe
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ground]

Choice Scarf Magnemite forces a lot of switches and hits very hard due to Analytic activating on switchins. Along with Mienfoo's U-turn, a "slow" Volt Switch or U-turn will often be your best way to get Taillow onto the battlefield unscathed. Flash Cannon is a strong Steel-type STAB that lets Magnemite nail Ground-types attempting to absorb an Electric-type move, while Thunderbolt allows Magnemite to sweep late game with an Electric-type STAB that doesn't require it to pivot. HP Ground hits opposing Magnemite and Chinchou on the switch, but does require a bit of prediction in order for it to be effective. While a Modest Nature provides more power, Timid lets it speed tie with scarf 15s and SS Tirtouga after it has set up.

Abra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 240 SpA / 68 SpD / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Energy Ball
- Knock Off

Arguably one of the best revenge killers in Little Cup, Focus Sash Abra blanket checks a large portion of set up sweepers and can easily eliminate weakened Pokemon. While normally I would opt for Life Orb, using both LO Staryu and Abra led to some early sweeps if something set up. The moveset is very standard with Knock Off being mostly utility for removing walls such as Porygon and Spritzee's Eviolites which makes both Abra and Taillow's job much easier.

annnnd that's pretty much it! 1,000 posts down, I can't wait for another thousand! I'll kick off my next 1k posts with shoutouts beneath this :)

importable

Taillow @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Quick Attack
- U-turn
- Facade
- Brave Bird

Stunky @ Eviolite
Ability: Aftermath
Level: 5
EVs: 12 HP / 12 Atk / 60 Def / 108 SpD / 244 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
- Sludge Bomb
- Fire Blast

Staryu @ Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure
Level: 5
EVs: 196 SpA / 76 SpD / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin

Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Drain Punch
- Taunt
- U-turn
- Knock Off

Magnemite @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Analytic
Level: 5
EVs: 240 SpA / 236 Spe
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ground]

Abra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 240 SpA / 68 SpD / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Energy Ball
- Knock Off

 

[Holiday]

Berks You've grown to be one of my best friends on this site, thanks for being you.
Jac stay black
Heysup you're chill and cool to talk to enjoy beating me in DPP
Quote always enjoy being in call w/ you
Mambo when we dropping our mixtape
Coconut. quit pokemon and play competitive BGO w/ me y/n?
absdaddy much respect, a true innovator
Levi long time friend, thanks for help when I was starting out
Star. you're pretty good at this game, Ray Jay's team was fun
macle ribbit and hearthstone af
Fiend just a nice guy, always have good convos
WaterlessMelon you're a ho, but the good kind
Nineage shitty captain, great friend
Vileman BW bud
mad0ka good pal when you're not hounding me for eating meat
ZoroarkForever you're a good battler and really chill dude
Shrug wrestling might be lame but you sure aren't
sparktrain teach me the ways of CAP and QC
Oma sorry for 4 grenades in BGO, but i like you. nice guy
PURPLEDOOSH change your name on here bro
rssp1 Rufflet
Sken you're awesome
Tahu never snapchat me back smh you cool though
TUO a true doubles memer
OP miss you buddy
AM cool dude, play more LC after this tbh
fapkingg yung fapperino save me
Nudisto you're cool, stay cool, cool?
Advantage thanks for teaching me NU!
ryan you're cool and play hearth too
Shaneghoul stayed passing me them NU teams
Skitty miss you too
Crestfall we'll meet up in LI eventually
Natural Talent TRUe pal, miss the skype days
thecrystalonix ayye
Chakra i think this is you hiiii
rural you slim thicc
Stathakis powc was fun and you're a cool dude
f(x) been a while, hope you're doing well
CrashinBoomBang why does koko hate me :(
Rumor you that guy

Finchinator Funkasaurus Balto HSA Improbable urban reyscarface Cased Sam d0nut Golden Gyarados Zebraiken sheep Mr.378 Rumor Confide
groudon518 toshimelonhead CENTRAL SQUAD WE SHALL PREVAIL

 

[rssp1]

rssp1 Rufflet

praiserufflets

speaking of which thats a nice team, shame it doesnt have rufflet in it :[