Sunny Frontier (Another Sunny Team)

Milking the Tank

Hello. I have been lurking on the Smogon forums for quite a long time now, yet I have had the chance to post on a thread, create a thread, or do anything significant on Smogon. However, I haven taken a liking to competitive battling recently, and I have created a team that will take people by storm: a Drought-Speed Team. I would love some insight on my team as much as I want to hear some constructive criticism on my team. Without further ado,

Testing: Tangrowth in place for Leafeon.
Xatu in place for Chandelure.

Completed: Replaced Leafeon w/ Sawsbuck
Replaced Whimsicott w/ Gliscor

 The Sunny Frontier

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@ Air Balloon/Leftovers
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 Spd, 252 SpA, 6 SpD
Nature: Timid
- Nasty Plot
- SolarBeam
- Fire Blast
- Hypnosis

Basically, Ninetales role in the battle is to setup Drought and be a Special Attacker at the same time. My plan for Ninetales is to use Hypnosis first, set up Nasty Plot, and then sweep the entire opponent's team. Now that Doryuzuu is out on the metagame creating and making havoc with Swords Dance & Earthquake, Ninetales can barely hold a chance against the monstrous foes. With an Air Balloon though, Ninetales is able to dodge against Doryuzuu's and now the OU Garchomp's Earthquake. For an added bonus against Ground-, Rock-, and Water-types, Ninetales is able to sweep them with a quick and easy SolarBeam.
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@ Life Orb
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 136 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 116 Spe
Nature: Adamant
- Swords Dance
- Horn Leech
- Return
- Jump Kick

Under the recommendation of people with greater knowledge than I, Leafeon was replaced with Sawsbuck. Although both with the same Speed base stat, Sawsbuck has a more suitable moveset as a Physical sweeper. As the sun is out on the field, Sawsbuck's Spd is further increased and is harder to be taken down than usual. Although it's attack is lower than Leafeon's attack, Sawsbuck has a balanced EV set and has access to Jump Kick. A Fighting-type move that my team is lacking.
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@ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 Spe
Nature: Impish
- Protect
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
- Taunt

Removing Whimsicott from the team was although hard, it came with benefits later on. With Gliscor now added onto the team, Gliscor is able to turn the tables against Sandstorm teams. Now that Sandstorm teams have Sand Rush Pokemon such as Excadrill, Gliscor will instead use the sand against the opponent. Although that the sun will prove useless in the battle and the possibility of the Sand may not be there, Gliscor plays a defensive role in the battle. Rather than being an offensive Gliscor, this defensive one uses the aid of Protect + Taunt to lock the foe into a loop.
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@ Choice Specs
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA, 252 Spd, 6 SpD
Nature: Timid
- Psychic/Fire Blast/Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Overheat


Chandelure is basically a replacement Volcarona. If Volcarona gets taken out really fast, Chandelure is going to be a Substitute. Although Chandelure lacks Volcarona’s amazing Quiver Dance, Chandelure is able to make it up with a Calm Mind. I was going to give Chandelure Psychic in order to counter against Fighting-types, but then I realized that Calm Mind would be better. Fire Blast was going to be my other move too, but I don’t want to risk too much on it’s poor accuracy. However, Chandelure needs time in order to set up Chandelure or else it would be taken out relatively quickly with a mere Scald. Energy Ball is take out Water- and Ground-types, and Shadow Ball is to take out Psychic-types.
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@ Chesto Berry
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA, 126 SpD, 126 Spd, 6 HP
Nature: Modest
- Quiver Dance
- Rest
- Fiery Dance/Overheat
- Bug Buzz


Volcarona is the trick up my sleeve. With an amazing SpA that is somewhat on par wit Chandelure’s amazing SpA, and superior SpD bulk, Volcarona is able to survive a STAB Scald if played correctly. If at Full HP, I plan for Volcarona to use Quiver Dance a few times in order to buff up it’s defenses against a Scald, a Hydro Pump, or even a Rock Slide against pesky opponents such as Tentacruel, and Archeops. If Archeops or Tentacruel manages to bring my Volcarona to about 20%ish HP, I’ll just use the old ChestoRest method to get Volcarona’s HP back up in place. Now, if Volcarona has a weakness to an opponent’s Pokemon like a Tentacruel, I plan to spam Quiver Dance and Bug Buzz until it faints. I realized that using Fiery Dance may be better, but once used in battle, it doesn’t do as much damage as I plan it did. I was going to give Volcarona Overheat, but it would severely hurt it’s already large SpA, something that I really depend on.
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@ Choice Scarf/Air Balloon
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Spd, 6 Def
Nature: Adamant
- Flare Blitz
- U-Turn/Superpower/Hammer Arm
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake

Darmanitan is main physical sweeper. With a possible Swords Dance from Leafeon, Darmanitan’s already high Atk will get further boosted. Equipped with a Choice Scarf, Darmanitan is able to take out any other opponent with a STAB Flare Blitz w/ a possible boosted effect from Sheer Force. Now, if there are any Fire-types that take out Whimsicott and Leafeon, Darmanitan would just switch in and deliver a quick and easy Earthquake. If there are Flying-types that would screw up my team potentially, a quick Rock Slide would take them out. If I want a counter against Dark-types, I would use U-Turn for a quick survey of the lead or would use Superpower or Hammer Arm to break them into two.
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Threats:


Mostly Archeops, Jellicent, Tentacruel and any other Water-, Ground-, Rock-type Pokemon that inflict a status on my Pokemon. They need to be taken care of, but that's about it.


Conclusion:
This team is severely destroyed by Trick Room team, I know that, but with Whimsicott possibly holding Trick Room, the opponent's method of taking out my team is screwed as well. I am not really confident with this team, but regardless, it's Speed-oriented and should be able take out other teams pretty well.
 
Using a Sunny Day team with 2 Sashers, Volcarona, and Ninetales means you absolutely must have a Espeon, Xatu, or spinner. SR Rapes your team as of now.
 
Should I use Dual Screen Espeon or a generic type of Spinner like a Starmie or a Forretress? Espeon will allow my Pokemon to have more defenses, Starmie and Forretress are both great Spinners, but one of them has a better moveset than the other.
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To be quite honest, I am going to test out both Xatu and Espeon at different times. You may be right, Xatu may have a better effect in the battle than others. However, I have been thinking about taking out Leafeon. I already have a sweeper, and Leafeon gets taken out/crippled by Stealth Rock.
 
While that's true, you lack any other Chlorophyll user on your team and your team is really lacking in any real speed.

Also, on Whimsicott , Lefties >>> Sash, Encore is great, don't use Solarbeam or Trick Room, go Taunt or U-turn for the last slot.

For Chandy, I like Scarf, but if you do run Specs, go Fire Blast/Shadow Ball/Hidden Power Whatever/Energy Ball.

That looks about right...

EDIT: Also, your team gets raped sideways by Excadrill, you DEFINITELY need a counter to something that prominent in the metagame/
 
If you need a physical chlorophyll user, try Tangrowth. He is actually more of a mixed sweeper, but my point still stands; he's powerful, bulky, and with chlorophyll, fast.

Power Whip
Hidden Power Fire
Earthquake / Rock Slide
Growth / Sleep Powder
Nature: Naughty
Item: Life Orb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Your choice between EQ and Rock Slide is one of hate. Do you hate Heatran more than Dragon/Flying types? EQ it is. Is it the same thing but backwards? Then Rock Slide is your main man. You can opt for Sleep Powder instead of growth if you like sleep, but I'd recommend Growth instead if you plan on making him a sweeper. It gives him +2 to both offenses in the sun after all.

I'd also recommend switching Chandelure out for someone that isn't fire type. Preferably a spinner, since SR destroys your team (especially Volcarona).

Also, if you end up keeping Chandelure, why do you have Choice Specs listed as his item when you talk about him CMing? You realize you can't switch moves right?

EDIT: just realized that CM is slashed at #3. Well that's okay just make sure you don't put CM and specs on the same set.
 
@Downf4ll I realized that about Chandelure. Chandelure CMing is somewhat impossible with a Choice Specs. Still though, there are option like a Psychic or a STAB Flame Blast. Chandelure is a great SpA attacker, but Volcarona is already there to fill in it's place. I am just going to remove Chandelure completely. Hmm, I am thinking about setting up entry hazards against the opponent in place of Chandelure.

Alright, I'll will take on your offer on that. I'll take out Chandelure and Leafeon in place for Xatu and Tangrowth.

EDIT: Although that Tangrowth is a viable option for this team, what about Sawsbuck? It has 95 Spd as it's Base Stat and is practically another Leafeon.

@Porii Sames STAB Flare Blitz from Darmanitan isn't enough against Doryuzuu?
 
@Milking

Yeah, but what you have to do is bring in Ninetales as it SDs, then sac either Ninetales or something else and get a free switch in to Darmanitan. And when something switches in and causes you to lose a poke, then you don't have a counter to it.
 
Tsk, even if Xatu is in the team, it gets crippled due to having a dual Flying- and Psychic-type weakness to SR.

EDIT: If I were to sac a Pokemon, I would have to sac Whimsicott. It's basically support, but once it gets Tailwind up and running, it's not really needed later on.
 
Porii means that if sand is up Excadrill completely rapes your team, and he's right. That's the main problem with sun teams; they are much more weather dependent in comparison to sand and rain.

Sawsbuck is great too, but he's kind of frail. You also have to watch out for gliscor, and with Tangrowth you don't have to do that (ice fang does 22-26 unboosted, so you could literally boost to +4/+4, OHKO with Power Whip, and proceed to sweep).
 
Even though that sand is up on the field, a Superpower should be able to handle Excadrill regardless. And if it ever comes to the fact that Excadrill carries Earthquake (like most competitive battlers have on their Excadrill's sets), I am planning to equip Darmanitan with an Air Balloon. This avoids the pesky Swords Quake combo.
 
Tsk, pesky Excadrill. If only Sandstorm teams weren't built around it. But then, that would defeat the purpose of using Excadrill at all. What about using Jellicent? Jellicent has superior SpA and SpD and I plan using a Will-O-Wisp (Scald) set in order to take it down. It's power is weakened in sun, yes, but once the sand kicks in from a Hippowdown or a Tyranitar, the power returns to normal.
 
Adamant Balloon Excadrill can OHKO Jellicent after SD and Spikes/SR support. Jolly Life Orb just flat out OHKOs.

I'm pretty sure Scald from Jelly can't OHKO or even manage too much damage, and even if it does burn, Excadrill's attack net is 0, and your team is going to be heavily crippled from the havoc Excadrill reaks.
 
Why don't you replace Whimsicott with Gliscor or Skarmory? They both deal with Exca quite well, the former is a great status absorber and the latter is great at setting up entry hazards.
 
Don't use whimsicott. Since you're playing in the dreamworld ladder, replace whimsicott with a specially bulky sableye. Priority sunny day will mean that choice specs politoed becomes a huge chump of a pokemon. And priority will-o-wisp will be something that tyranitar, excadrill, landorus, etc., will all run away from. If you're feeling ballsy, sableye can use moonlight over recover for the added boost under sunlight (I probably wouldn't try this, however). The last move can be a utility move of any kind.
 
Replaced Leafeon + Whimsicott with Sawsbuck and Gliscor. Gliscor plays a defensive role in the party than an offensive one. Although I didn't choose using the standard Toxic Heal set, Gliscor uses the sand against the opponent's sand team. Leafeon was replaced by Sawsbuck due to higher appeal.

I am thinking about Tangrowth. It's a physical sweeper, but it matches Sawsbuck. Tangrowth has a more diverse moveset, but Sawsbuck is much more appropriate with a Jump Kick. Although Jump Kick's accuracy is not a definite 100%, it still has a 95% percentage rate.
 
OK. Sawsbuck looks nice, but why is Baton Pass there? You could add some coverage and go with return/frustration. With 102 BP and STAB Return OHKO's the Lati twins and the genies.
 
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