Stunt Stall
Introduction
As you can infer from basic statistical analysis, this team has met eminent success throughout its usage span. It didn't take more than a "Stunt can't use anything but baton pass" to push me towards non-weather stall. Stall, however, is increasingly difficult to pull off this generation because of the introduction of eclectic and multitudinous threats. Each pokemon on this team had to be meticulously picked out to create a stall team which can handle the majority of the OU metagame.
Teambuilding
The team suffered from a dearth of Band Outrage receivers, a problem which was exacerbated by the addition of hazards by Deoxys-S. It was inevitable that Xatu joined the team to alleviate the burden placed upon Scizor and Heatran. Xatu was chosen over Espeon for its more suitable typing in reflecting hazards from Ferrothorn and Roserade and its reliable recovery move. Unfortunately, putting two psychic types on one team is just asking for Tyranitar to tear it apart, so Reuniclus had to go.
Instead of running a burdensome Heatran set just to counter Dugtrio, I decided that Dragonite could do Heatrans job equally well, while playing multiple roles such as revenge killer or overwhelming teams with its sheer power.
Scizor with no leftovers recovery was a burden to me, 2HKO'd by most outrages while being unable to revenge with an attack powerful enough to KO the dragons. Skarmory was left to fill its spot, being the only wall capable of shutting down band dragons. It also solved my Heracross and Cacturne problem with relative ease.
With its role as secondary Landorus/Excadrill counter usurped by Skarmory and its role as Scizor's complement taken away, Rotom-W no longer served a purpose for the team. To take its spot, I wanted a bulky fighter who could utilize its strong STAB moves to force out Magnezone and Tyranitar and resist sandstorm at the same time. Testing both Lucario and Terrakion, I determined that Terrakion was the best spot for this team due to its overall survivability and strength.
Changing Xatu to Reuniclus was truly a tough decision. The former truly prevented my team from falling apart from hazards, while the latter could help take status, especially burns. In the end, burns from Scald and Lava Plume became too troublesome for my team to handle. I decided that Reuniclus could offer the same resistance as Xatu and remain a safe switchin against opposing stall when there is amounting hazards.
Analyses
Quagsire (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Stockpile
- Recover
- Scald
- Earthquake
Skarmory (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Whirlwind
- Spikes
- Brave Bird
- Roost
Skarmory has been the ultimate physical wall for 4 generations. Sad to say, it is not as adroit at its job this generation due to the power creep. Many physical pokemon now possess the ability to 2HKO it and Magnezone guarantees that Skarmory has to be used with caution. Unfortunately, it is still the only counter to a common threat like Haxorus, making it a necessity on any stall team.
The conjunction of Quagsire and Skarmory counters most physical threats in this metagame. Skarmory works best against pokemon with strong Ground STABs which Quagsire cannot handle alone. Spikes are important to have on the field early so that the opponent cannot be as mobile throughout the game. Skarmory should be carefully played with, due to the random mixed sets that people run to counter it.
Reuniclus (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball
- Psychic
- Recover
Different than most Reunicli, this Reuniclus has a triple role for this team. Firstly, it functions as the conqueror of stall breakers. With Shadow Ball, Reuniclus will inevitably force switches against the likes of Mew and Jellicent. Secondly, it aims to defeat opposing stall whose main focus is to maintain hazards rather than end sweeps. Thirdly, Reuniclus can wall attacks from band fighters.
Reuniclus' effectiveness is really ameliorated by the presence of my banders and my defensive core. Dragonite and Terrakion really force the opponent to sacrifice pokemon, hopefully attracting Reuniclus' possible counters. Defensive wise, Quagsire can attempt burning Jirachi or Scizor, while Chansey can paralyze Jirachi, making it difficult for the opponent to KO Reuniclus.
Xatu (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 148 Def / 96 SDef / 12 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Roost
- Night Shade
- Reflect
- Toxic
Xatu is what holds this team together against stall teams and offense teams who try to maul opponents with strategies similar to Blitzkrieg. It can switch into Roserades, Deoxys-S', and the steels with relative ease, while Jirachis, Tentacruels, and Heatrans are a bit more troublesome due to the chance of getting statused. Nonetheless, Xatu does its job well.
Usually, with Xatu, I switch it in on anything which could possibly have a hazard. Even if it faints, Terrakion or Dragonite could easily force a switch before it can set the hazard. Reflect is a necessary precaution against Gyro Balls or Crunches, while Toxic is aimed towards common switchins to Xatu. Night Shade can deal a constant damage which a STAB like psychic fails to do.
For team synergy, Xatu takes Band Fighting attacks which are relatively obvious. It is definitely not my first switchin to any physical threat; that would be Quagsire or Skarmory. When I have to sacrifice a pokemon against teams with no more hazards, Xatu is usually the first to go.
Terrakion @ Choice Band
Trait: Justified
EVs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- X-Scissor
- Quick Attack
Terrakion is truly a powerhouse. His Close Combat and Stone Edge decimates anything that does not resist it. Its typing benefits it by nullifying sandstorm damage and resisting Stealth Rock damage. It also helps by allowing Terrak to switch in on Dark and Fire type moves. Unlike other fighting types, Terrakion's bulk and offense capabilities are not accompanied by a hindered speed. In fact, Terrakion is a great revenger for slower threats like Lucario, Celebi, and even Rotom-W.
Terrakions role for the team is to utilize its threatening STABs to indirectly phaze opponents, dealing massive damage in the process. This is most commonly used on pokemon like Tyranitar.
Dragonite (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- ExtremeSpeed
- Outrage
- Fire Punch
- Earthquake
Having Dragonite is like buying insurance. By investing in this pokemon for this team, I am pretty much ensured that I will not be swept by any singular pokemon. Multiscale keeps Dragonite from dying from non-effective attacks and Extremespeed makes sure that Dragonite won't even have to take attacks at times. 1 weak point to Dragonite is Stealth Rocks, which is covered nicely by Xatu.
Dragonite wins most of its fights with its superb typing. It benefits my team by providing resistances to Fire, Water, Grass, Bug, and Fighting, causing threats like Celebi and Volcarona to flee.
Chansey (F) @ Eviolite
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 204 HP / 248 Def / 56 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss
- Thunder Wave
- Softboiled
Chansey is the almighty wall, who does not allow any trespassers by without a paralyzation. Chansey is the wall for any special attacks, and even weaker physical attacks. She almost never fails to set Stealth Rocks, and sits on mixed dragons with her obesity. Paralyzation is extremely important for this team, making quicker threats more susceptible to death by Band Dragonite or Terrakion.
The only downfall to her reign is the possibility of being Tricked. To minimize this, Chansey should not be the switchin to a possible tricker if it can be avoided by prediction.
Conclusion
In this generation, full out stall is no longer the epitome of teambuilding. With a plethora of setup sweepers, stall is best executed with pokemon which can end sweeps rather than a team filled with walls.
Introduction
As you can infer from basic statistical analysis, this team has met eminent success throughout its usage span. It didn't take more than a "Stunt can't use anything but baton pass" to push me towards non-weather stall. Stall, however, is increasingly difficult to pull off this generation because of the introduction of eclectic and multitudinous threats. Each pokemon on this team had to be meticulously picked out to create a stall team which can handle the majority of the OU metagame.
Teambuilding
Shining Stall
Quagsire was the obvious start. It counters multifarious threats, from Dragon Dance Dragonite to Calm Mind Reuniclus. I chose a physically defensive variant because it is more suited to the more physically based metagame.
Rotom-W is the felicitous compliment to Quagsire. Rotom-W checks STAB Ground, Flying, and Water attackers that Quagsire could not handle otherwise. It also plays a pivotal role against Rain teams.
Scizor always acts as Rotom-W's right hand man, scouting for each other with U-turn and Volt Switch respectively. For the team, Scizor helps with STAB Dragon and STAB Grass attacks. But in the endgame, it could wind up sweeping by itself with just one setup.
Reuniclus is a staple for non-weather teams. It carries a dual role: taking STAB Fighting attacks as well as sweeping teams when its threats are dealt with. Reuniclus is a constant threat to opposing stall and I can rely on it as a constant switchin when my side is filled with hazards.
Though fire attacks in itself are not a huge problem to this team, its threat exacerbates when it is contiguous with Grass moves. Since this combination is often seen in Sun teams, Heatran truly keeps the team from incoherence against Sun. As a plus, Heatran's typing helps deal with the Magnezone + Dragons combo as well.
The first five pokemon have some loose ties in countering certain pokemon or certain sets. Chansey is always there as a second resort, often preventing sweeps with its bulk. As a plus, it puts a hazard on the field which is crucial for stall teams to operate.
Quagsire was the obvious start. It counters multifarious threats, from Dragon Dance Dragonite to Calm Mind Reuniclus. I chose a physically defensive variant because it is more suited to the more physically based metagame.
Rotom-W is the felicitous compliment to Quagsire. Rotom-W checks STAB Ground, Flying, and Water attackers that Quagsire could not handle otherwise. It also plays a pivotal role against Rain teams.
Scizor always acts as Rotom-W's right hand man, scouting for each other with U-turn and Volt Switch respectively. For the team, Scizor helps with STAB Dragon and STAB Grass attacks. But in the endgame, it could wind up sweeping by itself with just one setup.
Reuniclus is a staple for non-weather teams. It carries a dual role: taking STAB Fighting attacks as well as sweeping teams when its threats are dealt with. Reuniclus is a constant threat to opposing stall and I can rely on it as a constant switchin when my side is filled with hazards.
Though fire attacks in itself are not a huge problem to this team, its threat exacerbates when it is contiguous with Grass moves. Since this combination is often seen in Sun teams, Heatran truly keeps the team from incoherence against Sun. As a plus, Heatran's typing helps deal with the Magnezone + Dragons combo as well.
The first five pokemon have some loose ties in countering certain pokemon or certain sets. Chansey is always there as a second resort, often preventing sweeps with its bulk. As a plus, it puts a hazard on the field which is crucial for stall teams to operate.
The team suffered from a dearth of Band Outrage receivers, a problem which was exacerbated by the addition of hazards by Deoxys-S. It was inevitable that Xatu joined the team to alleviate the burden placed upon Scizor and Heatran. Xatu was chosen over Espeon for its more suitable typing in reflecting hazards from Ferrothorn and Roserade and its reliable recovery move. Unfortunately, putting two psychic types on one team is just asking for Tyranitar to tear it apart, so Reuniclus had to go.
Instead of running a burdensome Heatran set just to counter Dugtrio, I decided that Dragonite could do Heatrans job equally well, while playing multiple roles such as revenge killer or overwhelming teams with its sheer power.
Scizor with no leftovers recovery was a burden to me, 2HKO'd by most outrages while being unable to revenge with an attack powerful enough to KO the dragons. Skarmory was left to fill its spot, being the only wall capable of shutting down band dragons. It also solved my Heracross and Cacturne problem with relative ease.
With its role as secondary Landorus/Excadrill counter usurped by Skarmory and its role as Scizor's complement taken away, Rotom-W no longer served a purpose for the team. To take its spot, I wanted a bulky fighter who could utilize its strong STAB moves to force out Magnezone and Tyranitar and resist sandstorm at the same time. Testing both Lucario and Terrakion, I determined that Terrakion was the best spot for this team due to its overall survivability and strength.
Changing Xatu to Reuniclus was truly a tough decision. The former truly prevented my team from falling apart from hazards, while the latter could help take status, especially burns. In the end, burns from Scald and Lava Plume became too troublesome for my team to handle. I decided that Reuniclus could offer the same resistance as Xatu and remain a safe switchin against opposing stall when there is amounting hazards.
Analyses
Shining Stall
Quagsire (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Stockpile
- Recover
- Scald
- Earthquake
Quagsire's ability is priceless in a generation inundated by boosting sweepers. However, Quagsire is rather paradoxical in that, while his typing can wall many special threats like Thundurus and Zapdos, his Base Stats favor the walling of physical threats like Toxicroak and Scrafty. By picking this pokemon for my team, I was thrust into a "Friday" conundrum: "Which set should I pick?"
Stockpile was the perfect option. Quagsire can utilize boosts in both defenses to its advantage, dealing with threats on both sides of the attack spectrum. From pure defensive Quagsire to mixed defensive Quagsire, threats like Heatran and Reuniclus can now be checked for a second time.
Choosing attacks for the set was relatively simple: 2 STAB moves would suffice. Scald can burn Pokemon which Quagsire can not deal significant damage to otherwise, and Earthquake can weaken those who are unaffected by Scald.
Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP / 80 Def / 108 SAtk / 84 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Pain Split
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
Rotom-W acts as a strong support pokemon to this team. On the defensive side, it acts as a check to Gliscor, Excadrill, Landorus when Quagsire cannot handle them. On the Sp. Defensive side, it can handle Scarf Tornadus and Heatrans, while helping the team with STAB Water attacks.
Another role of Rotom-W is scout. Rotom-W forces so many switches that Volt Switch will become hackneyed. These Volt Switches will eventually wear down the opponent to the extent that Reuniclus or Scizor have opportunities to sweep. Those who resist Rotom-W's offensive movepool will still receive burns.
Scizor (F) @ Lum Berry Trait: Technician
EVs: 176 HP / 220 Atk / 112 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
Scizor is the perfect companion for Rotom-W, creating the infamous duo of scouting. It has a wonderful typing which aids me against dragons and slower setup sweepers. Bullet Punch stops opposing sweeps from getting out of hand.
The standard Scizor sets were rather repugnant to me, since I hated being locked into moves like Bullet Punch which could easily allow the opponent to setup. Concurrently, I wanted a set which could dish out a powerful U-turn. The set before you is a rather whimsical set, in which Choice Band is feigned throughout the match and Swords Dance sweeps at the end. The speed bump is for bulky Heatran, Skarmory, and to a lesser extent Jellicent, who seem to believe they can outspeed.
Heatran (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 8 Def / 248 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Protect
- Lava Plume
- Substitute
- Roar
Heatran is pretty much a 1 pokemon solution to most sun teams. Its typing helps me deal with threats like Tornadus, Latios, and Scizor as well. The tricky part is creating a set which can thwart Dugtrio. Shed shell and Air Balloon were all viable options, but Heatran really needs Leftovers considering he has no other means of recovery.
The idea of this set is that many Pokemon lack the strength or movepool to destroy a Heatran substitute. This includes Ferrothorn, Forretress, Skarmory, Ninetales, etc. When behind a substitute, Heatran can Lava Plume to hopefully burn the opponent or Roar if the matchup is unfavorable.
Protect is a necessary means of scouting Ground and Fighting moves, while providing a meager recovery. Usually when I substitute and Dugtrio comes in, it is a Focus Sash variant. I roar it out and get Stealth Rocks up as soon as possible with Chansey.
Reuniclus (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Focus Blast
- Psyshock
Reuniclus is the best no weather pokemon. Magic Guard makes it an easy switchin to vexatious hazards and vindictive status. On this team, Reuniclus is Jekyll, a fantastic physical wall. It can handle fighting sweepers like Lucario and Terrakion and wall non-STAB physical moves like Haxorus Earthquake.
In the endgame, when Tyranitar, Jirachi, and Scizor are either dead or burned, Reuniclus mutates into Hyde, sweeping entire teams with a setup or 2. Many stall teams which rely on a singular counter to Reuniclus find themselves unable to OHKO it and are plunged into derogatory defeat.
Chansey (F) @ Eviolite
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 204 HP / 248 Def / 56 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss
- Thunder Wave
- Softboiled
Chansey is the almighty wall, who does not allow any trespassers by without a paralyzation. She almost never fails to set Stealth Rocks, and sits on mixed dragons with her obesity. The one job which Chansey does particularly well is taking Specs Surf, which this team would have problems with otherwise. Paralyzation support bolsters this team by alleviating threats which Scizor and Reuniclus have problems dealing with.
Conclusion
As a whole, this team is relatively simple to use. I have released this team to hopefully arouse 2 facts:
-Weather is not broken.
-Stall is still viable.
And to finalize this RMT, I'd like to apologize for the dearth of content on the last few pokes; I have grown jaded through writing this.
Quagsire (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Stockpile
- Recover
- Scald
- Earthquake
Quagsire's ability is priceless in a generation inundated by boosting sweepers. However, Quagsire is rather paradoxical in that, while his typing can wall many special threats like Thundurus and Zapdos, his Base Stats favor the walling of physical threats like Toxicroak and Scrafty. By picking this pokemon for my team, I was thrust into a "Friday" conundrum: "Which set should I pick?"
Stockpile was the perfect option. Quagsire can utilize boosts in both defenses to its advantage, dealing with threats on both sides of the attack spectrum. From pure defensive Quagsire to mixed defensive Quagsire, threats like Heatran and Reuniclus can now be checked for a second time.
Choosing attacks for the set was relatively simple: 2 STAB moves would suffice. Scald can burn Pokemon which Quagsire can not deal significant damage to otherwise, and Earthquake can weaken those who are unaffected by Scald.
Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP / 80 Def / 108 SAtk / 84 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Pain Split
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
Rotom-W acts as a strong support pokemon to this team. On the defensive side, it acts as a check to Gliscor, Excadrill, Landorus when Quagsire cannot handle them. On the Sp. Defensive side, it can handle Scarf Tornadus and Heatrans, while helping the team with STAB Water attacks.
Another role of Rotom-W is scout. Rotom-W forces so many switches that Volt Switch will become hackneyed. These Volt Switches will eventually wear down the opponent to the extent that Reuniclus or Scizor have opportunities to sweep. Those who resist Rotom-W's offensive movepool will still receive burns.
Scizor (F) @ Lum Berry Trait: Technician
EVs: 176 HP / 220 Atk / 112 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
Scizor is the perfect companion for Rotom-W, creating the infamous duo of scouting. It has a wonderful typing which aids me against dragons and slower setup sweepers. Bullet Punch stops opposing sweeps from getting out of hand.
The standard Scizor sets were rather repugnant to me, since I hated being locked into moves like Bullet Punch which could easily allow the opponent to setup. Concurrently, I wanted a set which could dish out a powerful U-turn. The set before you is a rather whimsical set, in which Choice Band is feigned throughout the match and Swords Dance sweeps at the end. The speed bump is for bulky Heatran, Skarmory, and to a lesser extent Jellicent, who seem to believe they can outspeed.
Heatran (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 8 Def / 248 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Protect
- Lava Plume
- Substitute
- Roar
Heatran is pretty much a 1 pokemon solution to most sun teams. Its typing helps me deal with threats like Tornadus, Latios, and Scizor as well. The tricky part is creating a set which can thwart Dugtrio. Shed shell and Air Balloon were all viable options, but Heatran really needs Leftovers considering he has no other means of recovery.
The idea of this set is that many Pokemon lack the strength or movepool to destroy a Heatran substitute. This includes Ferrothorn, Forretress, Skarmory, Ninetales, etc. When behind a substitute, Heatran can Lava Plume to hopefully burn the opponent or Roar if the matchup is unfavorable.
Protect is a necessary means of scouting Ground and Fighting moves, while providing a meager recovery. Usually when I substitute and Dugtrio comes in, it is a Focus Sash variant. I roar it out and get Stealth Rocks up as soon as possible with Chansey.
Reuniclus (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Focus Blast
- Psyshock
Reuniclus is the best no weather pokemon. Magic Guard makes it an easy switchin to vexatious hazards and vindictive status. On this team, Reuniclus is Jekyll, a fantastic physical wall. It can handle fighting sweepers like Lucario and Terrakion and wall non-STAB physical moves like Haxorus Earthquake.
In the endgame, when Tyranitar, Jirachi, and Scizor are either dead or burned, Reuniclus mutates into Hyde, sweeping entire teams with a setup or 2. Many stall teams which rely on a singular counter to Reuniclus find themselves unable to OHKO it and are plunged into derogatory defeat.
Chansey (F) @ Eviolite
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 204 HP / 248 Def / 56 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss
- Thunder Wave
- Softboiled
Chansey is the almighty wall, who does not allow any trespassers by without a paralyzation. She almost never fails to set Stealth Rocks, and sits on mixed dragons with her obesity. The one job which Chansey does particularly well is taking Specs Surf, which this team would have problems with otherwise. Paralyzation support bolsters this team by alleviating threats which Scizor and Reuniclus have problems dealing with.
Conclusion
As a whole, this team is relatively simple to use. I have released this team to hopefully arouse 2 facts:
-Weather is not broken.
-Stall is still viable.
And to finalize this RMT, I'd like to apologize for the dearth of content on the last few pokes; I have grown jaded through writing this.
Quagsire (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Stockpile
- Recover
- Scald
- Earthquake
Skarmory (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Whirlwind
- Spikes
- Brave Bird
- Roost
Skarmory has been the ultimate physical wall for 4 generations. Sad to say, it is not as adroit at its job this generation due to the power creep. Many physical pokemon now possess the ability to 2HKO it and Magnezone guarantees that Skarmory has to be used with caution. Unfortunately, it is still the only counter to a common threat like Haxorus, making it a necessity on any stall team.
The conjunction of Quagsire and Skarmory counters most physical threats in this metagame. Skarmory works best against pokemon with strong Ground STABs which Quagsire cannot handle alone. Spikes are important to have on the field early so that the opponent cannot be as mobile throughout the game. Skarmory should be carefully played with, due to the random mixed sets that people run to counter it.
Reuniclus (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball
- Psychic
- Recover
Different than most Reunicli, this Reuniclus has a triple role for this team. Firstly, it functions as the conqueror of stall breakers. With Shadow Ball, Reuniclus will inevitably force switches against the likes of Mew and Jellicent. Secondly, it aims to defeat opposing stall whose main focus is to maintain hazards rather than end sweeps. Thirdly, Reuniclus can wall attacks from band fighters.
Reuniclus' effectiveness is really ameliorated by the presence of my banders and my defensive core. Dragonite and Terrakion really force the opponent to sacrifice pokemon, hopefully attracting Reuniclus' possible counters. Defensive wise, Quagsire can attempt burning Jirachi or Scizor, while Chansey can paralyze Jirachi, making it difficult for the opponent to KO Reuniclus.
Xatu (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 148 Def / 96 SDef / 12 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Roost
- Night Shade
- Reflect
- Toxic
Xatu is what holds this team together against stall teams and offense teams who try to maul opponents with strategies similar to Blitzkrieg. It can switch into Roserades, Deoxys-S', and the steels with relative ease, while Jirachis, Tentacruels, and Heatrans are a bit more troublesome due to the chance of getting statused. Nonetheless, Xatu does its job well.
Usually, with Xatu, I switch it in on anything which could possibly have a hazard. Even if it faints, Terrakion or Dragonite could easily force a switch before it can set the hazard. Reflect is a necessary precaution against Gyro Balls or Crunches, while Toxic is aimed towards common switchins to Xatu. Night Shade can deal a constant damage which a STAB like psychic fails to do.
For team synergy, Xatu takes Band Fighting attacks which are relatively obvious. It is definitely not my first switchin to any physical threat; that would be Quagsire or Skarmory. When I have to sacrifice a pokemon against teams with no more hazards, Xatu is usually the first to go.
Terrakion @ Choice Band
Trait: Justified
EVs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- X-Scissor
- Quick Attack
Terrakion is truly a powerhouse. His Close Combat and Stone Edge decimates anything that does not resist it. Its typing benefits it by nullifying sandstorm damage and resisting Stealth Rock damage. It also helps by allowing Terrak to switch in on Dark and Fire type moves. Unlike other fighting types, Terrakion's bulk and offense capabilities are not accompanied by a hindered speed. In fact, Terrakion is a great revenger for slower threats like Lucario, Celebi, and even Rotom-W.
Terrakions role for the team is to utilize its threatening STABs to indirectly phaze opponents, dealing massive damage in the process. This is most commonly used on pokemon like Tyranitar.
Dragonite (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 204 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- ExtremeSpeed
- Outrage
- Fire Punch
- Earthquake
Having Dragonite is like buying insurance. By investing in this pokemon for this team, I am pretty much ensured that I will not be swept by any singular pokemon. Multiscale keeps Dragonite from dying from non-effective attacks and Extremespeed makes sure that Dragonite won't even have to take attacks at times. 1 weak point to Dragonite is Stealth Rocks, which is covered nicely by Xatu.
Dragonite wins most of its fights with its superb typing. It benefits my team by providing resistances to Fire, Water, Grass, Bug, and Fighting, causing threats like Celebi and Volcarona to flee.
Chansey (F) @ Eviolite
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 204 HP / 248 Def / 56 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss
- Thunder Wave
- Softboiled
Chansey is the almighty wall, who does not allow any trespassers by without a paralyzation. Chansey is the wall for any special attacks, and even weaker physical attacks. She almost never fails to set Stealth Rocks, and sits on mixed dragons with her obesity. Paralyzation is extremely important for this team, making quicker threats more susceptible to death by Band Dragonite or Terrakion.
The only downfall to her reign is the possibility of being Tricked. To minimize this, Chansey should not be the switchin to a possible tricker if it can be avoided by prediction.
Conclusion
In this generation, full out stall is no longer the epitome of teambuilding. With a plethora of setup sweepers, stall is best executed with pokemon which can end sweeps rather than a team filled with walls.
