Strategy & Metagame Sun Team Analysis Gen 6

[insanelegend]

Hello. My username is Insanelegend, and I am interested in helping you. Too long have sun teams languished in the murky pit of the past. They deserve to rise from Gen 5 to 6, greater and more powerful then ever. I intend to help this happen by writing an article in the Smog about why the sun is more relevant then ever. I will also highlight key pokemon that help and hinder sun teams. This said, I can make the article as long or short as needed and am flexible about the layout. I will be on daily, except for the week of June 15 to around June 22. Therefore, I may not be able to meet deadlines for June and have to finish the article in July. While I cannot easily prove my knowledge of the metagame, you can read my posts and judge them as you will. Also keep in mind that I have worked with sun teams since I first became interested in competitive pokemon. I know what I am writing about and can share this. Below is a brief layout of my planned article.

1. Introduction to Sun
-Effects of Sun
-Why this is Extremely Helpful
-How Effective it Has Been In Past Generations
2. Sun Inducers
1. Drought Users
-Ninetales
-Set the Stage for Mega Charizard as Better Drought Inducer
2.Sunny Day
-Whimsicott
-Azelf
3. Chlorophyl Sweepers
-Sawsbuck
-Shiftry
-Tangrowth
-Venusaur
-Lilligant
-Exeggutor
-Victreebel
4. Fire Sweepers
-Volcarona
-Infernape
-Rotom-Heat
-Chandelure
-Darmanitan
-Victini
5. Support
1. Spinners and Defoggers
-Starmie
-Armaldo ( this is actually a good pokemon in OU!)
-Not Donphan ( why is this used in OU?)
-Mandibuzz
-Lati Twins
-Forteress
2. Walls
-Vaporeon
-Cresselia
-Bronzong
-Arcanine
-Slowbro
3. General Support
-Whimsicott
-Dugtrio
6. Threats to Sun Team
1. Opposing Weather Inducers ( Abomasnow not worth mentioning)
-Politoed
-Tyranitar
2. Walls
-The Pink Blobs
-Heatran
-Mega-Venusaur
3. Sweepers
-Terrakion
-Lati Twins
-Landorus and Landorus-T
7. New Tools
1. Megas
-Houndoom
-Charizard
-Venusaur
2. Spinners
-Avalugg
3. Sweepers
-Talonflame
-Heliosk
8. Conclusion
-Example of team
-Go out and try one

This is what I want to write. I will not include all the above pokemon but am giving you a feel for what I can elaborate on. I hope I am posting this in the right place. Please start a conversation with me as soon as you can get back to me and either tell me why I am rejected, to wait, or to get working as soon as possible. Thank you for your consideration and I hope I am chosen as I feel that sun teams should be mentioned in your esteemed publication and have not recently.
Waiting Anxiously for the Reply and the Next Issue of the Smog,
Insane Legend

 

[skylight]

Hi insanelegend :) We've discussed it a bit, and we've asked an expert, and sun isn't really that relevant anymore. If anything of the "main" two, rain is more relevant, and sun is less relevant than before. It gained something from Charizard Y, but not that much. It mostly just benefits Zard rather than the playstyle itself, and the fact that it has to rely on Ninetales with heat rock if it isn't for Zard isn't really that great compared to gen 5's perma sun. You sound like you know a decent enough amount of OU. With that in mind, there is a route you could take which would be interesting for The Smog. You could possibly find someone who believes that sun isn't as relevant, and for you and that person to debate it with seperate points in the article, to try and win over the readers for your side. It's just an idea though, but I don't think that an article on why sun is more relevant, or an article spotlighting something that doesn't really need it would really achieve much. The debate one would be more interactive, but it's a no on this as an analysis of the playstyle as a whole. I do appreciate your interest and it's great that you want to write for The Smog, just maybe another subject matter would be suited! Or the debate idea but y'know up to you.

 

[insanelegend]

Well, your magazine's loss. Thank you for your response and critique. While the sun may not last forever anymore, it still lasts long enough to aid sweepers and walls. One day, maybe you will all see how great a sun team is. In the meantime, back to the drawing board and lattering with my team. Just one question though. When is the issue 35 of the Smog going to be released? I love reading the Smog. Maybe I will try again with a topic that is deemed more relevant.
Until then,
Insanelegend

 

[insanelegend]

Actually, I want to discuss why Sun Teams are not worth mentioning. You say sun is less relevant, but I see no proof that sun is less dominant then rain. It is a force that should be recognized and I would like to see proof that sun is no longer relevant. How about we look at some facts if you think Sun isn't relevant.

1. Consider a Sun physical core of Darmanitan and Sawsbuck. They work well together, with plenty of speed and power. I challenge you and your expert to find a wall that neither of them 2HKOs. Skarmory and Ferrothorn, two of the most used walls, are easily destroyed by Darmanitan. You may think of Heatran as something to stop these sun sweepers, but Darmanitan carries Earthquake, while Sawsbuck usually 2HKOs even the most defensive Heatran as shown by these calcs. Thats is if it doesn't carry Nature Power ( aka Earthquake)
252+ Atk Life Orb Sawsbuck Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Heatran: 198-234 (51.2 - 60.6%) -- 91% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Sawsbuck may not be able to take care of all threats, but he defeats a lot of the faster ones, outspeeding basically everything viable in the sun. This allows Darmanitan to come in and sweep the rest. Keep in mind that although Skarmory can beat Sawsbuck, it can be beaten easily by predicting a switch and going into Darmnitan. Life orb Darmanitan kills stuff. Plain and simple. Let us run damage calcs.
252+ Atk Life Orb Sheer Force Darmanitan Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Quagsire in Sun: 230-272 (58.3 - 69%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Life Orb Sheer Force Darmanitan Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 247-292 (58.8 - 69.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Life Orb Sheer Force Darmanitan Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro in Sun: 194-229 (49.2 - 58.1%) -- 60.5% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Yeah, no switching into Darmanitan. While it can't OHKO these walls, keep in mind that these are some of it's best counters, it beats Slowbro everytime in sun without Slowbro getting a crit, and Sawbuck beats both Quagsire and most Hippopowdon ( even the ones carrying ice fang). This is all saying that nothing can switch into Darmanitan safely and that Sawsbuck can outspeed and KO threats that outspeed Darmanitan. Once your physical walls are gone, GG opponent.

2. Sun has supports some of the best mega evolutions in the game. Mega Venusaur, tankiest tank of them all and a fearsome wall. Mega Charizards X and Y both use and appreciate the sun, as well as the team getting rid of possible counters. Mega Houndoom has the highest special attack in the game including Solar Power, with next highest ( Deoxys-Attack) have 20 defense and Special Defense. Just look at some calcs for Mega Houndoom, posted on the Houndoom thread by TaBuu

• 252 SpA Solar Power Fire Blast vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Jellicent in sun: 203-239 (50.37 - 59.3%) -- 78.52% chance to 2HKO
• 252 SpA Solar Power Fire Blast vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Latias in sun: 170-201 (56.29 - 66.55%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
• 252 SpA Solar Power Fire Blast vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Vaporeon in sun: 223-263 (48.16 - 56.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
• 252 SpA Solar Power Fire Blast vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Garchomp in sun: 244-288 (68.15 - 80.44%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
• 252 SpA Solar Power Fire Blast vs. 212 HP / 0 SpD Azumarill in sun: 256-302 (64.97 - 76.64%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Good luck switching in safely. Especially when this thing has Solar Beam, Dark Pulse, and access to Taunt as well as Destiny Bond. I hear you saying but Bisseys not on here. That blob could easily switch in.
252 SpA Solar Power Mega Houndoom Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Blissey in Sun: 328-387 (45.9 - 54.2%) -- 3.9% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
About that, it can't if it has much prior damage.

3. Nothing is as fast and versatile as Chlorophyl users. In a metagame where speed is everything, many pokemon have donned Choice Scarves to deal with speed issues. But Chlorophyl users get an even bigger speed boost AND can still hold an item of their choosing. Sounds pretty good to me. X2 speed and no boosting move required.

In conclusion, Sun is still as powerful as ever. This is something that can still affect the Metagame and I want to help others discover it.

'Write what you know.' If you're an expert on a particular playstyle, strategy, or metagame, we'd love to learn more about it.

This quote is from Article Approval Guidelines. You said you wanted hear more about what I know. Well this is what I know. Please reconsider you decision, and let me talk to your expert and discuss the viability of Sun-based teams. Thank you for your consideration.
Insanelegend