Team Affirmative Action (peaked at 1511 points)

[ZoroDark]

Team Affirmative Action​

ZoroDark here presenting my second RMT: Team Affirmative Action. The name may look a bit weird, but I originally built this team for this challenge on Beta server. The rules were pretty simple: Build a team without having one type double, make sure you have at least ten unique types and make sure your team isn’t a very S(t)andard VolTurn team consistent of Tyranitar/Landorus/Rotom-W/Scizor. To win the challenge, you needed to reach a ranking of 1465, which this team completed, and I did: highest rank I reached was 1511. My last team was a Rain Stall one, but this time I decided I’d go the offensive route. Anyways, up to the team!

Proof:

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Only took a screenshot to prove I beat the challenge.
Name of my alt: AA+ creativity ikr

Team:

TOAD! (Politoed) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Perish Song
- Hidden Power [Grass]

My first pokemon is my weather inducer of choice: Mighty TOAD. I opted for a Scarf variant, because I think it’s the best option on an offensive team like this. The moves are rather self-explanatory: Surf as STAB, Ice Beam to revenge +1 Dragonite and other Dragon companions, HP Grass to destroy Gastro and maybe the least common move: Perish Song. This allows me to stop Baton Pass teams in their tracks and helps as well stopping a CM Rachi or someone else who managed to set up. I don’t really need Focus Blast or Hydro Pump, because I have Tyranitar covered up already and this set aims more to revenge rather than doing much damage.

Manny (Mamoswine) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Snow Cloak
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Icicle Crash
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard

My second pokemon is probably my most favorite gen4-poke: Manny. Manny actually was the last one to join this team. I still needed a Stealth Rocker (best move in the game etc etc) and something to revenge dragons. At first, I had Donphan who could spin as well, but then I only had 9 unique types. Up to the set: Jolly to outspeed Breloom who almost always think they can outspeed you, and Earthquake and Icicle Crash as powerful STABs. Ice Shard is used to revenge dragons and stuff. Mamo also handles Sand pretty well, as well as being a great check to most Sun sweepers and Sun in general. To show of Manny’s power, he is one of the only pokes in the game to OHKO Dragonite with Multiscale.

Katrina! (Tornadus-T) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hurricane
- U-turn
- Focus Blast
- Tailwind

Now we have Katrina, a poke you should always consider when building an offensive rain team. Basically, when using this monster, you come in, press “Hurricane” and opposing pokes go down. Since he is blistering fast as well, you already need a scarfer to revenge him, which gives one of my next 3 pokes time to set up. Other moves except Hurricane are basically filler: Focus Blast for Tyranitar and Heatran, U-turn to scout and Tailwind to revenge something too fast. I prefer Tailwind over Rain Dance or Hidden Power Ice, because it has saved my ass so many times. I remember one amazing battle where ScarfToad, Celebi and Latias were left at the opponents side, while I had Hydreigon at 30%, Tornadus and Mamoswine. Hydreigon fell to Hydro Pump and my 2 other pokes would as well. I sent Katrina to Tailwind and to die afterwards and my opponent types gg. Mamoswine comes in, outspeeds and kills Toed; my opponent can't believe his eyes, when Icicle Crash also finishes his full health Latias and Celebi.
I love B/W 2: giving this team exactly what it needed: something faster than those annoying Starmies and Latis of this world. Tornadus-T has less power, but I love the speed.

AO (Jirachi) @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Flash Cannon
- Thunder
- Substitute
- Calm Mind

I still needed something to break stall or at least weaken it, and I had no steel type yet. This choice wasn’t really hard, since SubCMRachi is such a boss. The moveset is very standard Thunder for hax and Flash Cannon to hit Tyranitars and others. The funny (or ragequit-inducing) thing is that this monster only has one real counter. With a bit of luck, or with a ton of it, it can beat every single pokemon bar Gastrodon. Jirachi has won me so many games on his own it isn’t even funny. I’m considering changing Water Pulse to another move since Gastro is quite the bitch to take down, Flash Cannon would be nice I guess to hit Tyranitar, but that doesn’t help vs Gastrodon.

Jackson3? (Hydreigon) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 56 HP / 252 SAtk / 200 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Focus Blast
- Surf
- Dragon Pulse

My 5th member had to be able to deal with Tyranitar and if possible it had to break that annoying Rotom-W as well. Seeing as I had no Dragon-type yet, I decided just to throw in Sub Hydreigon, as I wanted to try that set for ages, and it worked like a charm. When I see a Rotom-W on the opponents team, it’s most likely gonna lead, so Hydreigon has an easy time setting up a sub, which basically means that the opponent doesn’t have the momentum, but I have it. Hydreigon combined with Mamoswine usually is enough to stop Sand teams. He is also a great check to Rain and Sun teams, my weather counter basically. Anyways, on to the moves, Substitute is obvious, Focus Blast to hit Tyranitar, Surf as secondary STAB in rain, and great to hit Scizor and Dragon Pulse as second reliable STAB.

Mynicroak (Toxicroak) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Cross Chop
- Ice Punch

Last but not least: Swords Dance Croak. This set isn’t seen much on Beta Server as I notice from the Gliscor or Dragonite switch ins, ever after I used Swords Dance. This set is well known here though, especially by Benelux (<3) members. Swords Dance to power up your moves, Sucker Punch to take down the Lati’s, Starmie, Alakazam and other frail, faster attackers, Ice Punch to take down pesky Gliscors and to OHKO Dragonite through Multiscale at +2 and Cross Chop as a very powerful STAB. Toxicroak is imo amazing since he can set up so easily on bulky waters, and he is fairly bulky as well. He survives a Bullet Punch from CB Scizor, but you really shouldn’t try that too often. When you see a Scizor on the opposing team, your best bet is to Cross Chop it when it switches in, to finish it off with a +2 Sucker Punch later.

Conclusion:

Overall this is a very fun team to use, although there are things that can get tweeked I guess. Don’t mind the no double type rule when you suggest things though, I’m done with the challenge, just want to improve this lovely team. Scizor can be a pain, but can be played around. Same goes for Terrakion, Landorus and Lati@s. Last time I got a few Luvdisc, which made me very happy, as well as great constructive commentary. Hopefully this time won't be different!

Importable:

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TOAD! (Politoed) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Perish Song
- Hidden Power [Grass]

Manny (Mamoswine) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Snow Cloak
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Icicle Crash
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard

AO (Jirachi) @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Water Pulse
- Thunder
- Substitute
- Calm Mind

Katrina! (Tornadus-T) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hurricane
- U-turn
- Focus Blast
- Tailwind

Mynicroak (Toxicroak) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Cross Chop
- Ice Punch

Jackson3? (Hydreigon) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 56 HP / 252 SAtk / 200 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Focus Blast
- Surf
- Dragon Pulse

 

[destinyunknown]

Hi ZoroDark,

This team looks pretty solid, but as you said, it has some problems with certain threats. To fix the Terrakion and Scizor issue, you could replace Mamoswine with Donphan, as Donphan can still lay Stealth Rock and act as a Dragon-type pokemon check. Furthermore, it has Rapid Spin too, which helps your team against Stall and allows Tornadus to switch-in more times.

Donphan@Leftovers | Sturdy
Impish Nature | 252 Hp / 4 Atk /252 Def
Rapid Spin / Earthquake / Stealth Rock / Ice Shard

To help with your Lati@s problem, you may want to try using Wish+CM Jirachi over your current set. It still deals with stall really well (sometimes even better) but it retains more durability, something that can prove invaluable some times. It also helps with threats like Dragon Dance Gyarados that are difficult to handle for your team. Here's the set:

Jirachi@Leftovers | Serene Grace
Bold Nature | 252 Hp / 224 Def / 32 Spe
Wish / Calm Mind / Thunder / Flash Cannon

Good luck!

 

[ZoroDark]

Hi ZoroDark,

This team looks pretty solid, but as you said, it has some problems with certain threats. To fix the Terrakion and Scizor issue, you could replace Mamoswine with Donphan, as Donphan can still lay Stealth Rock and act as a Dragon-type pokemon check. Furthermore, it has Rapid Spin too, which helps your team against Stall and allows Tornadus to switch-in more times.

Donphan@Leftovers | Sturdy
Impish Nature | 252 Hp / 4 Atk /252 Def
Rapid Spin / Earthquake / Stealth Rock / Ice Shard

To help with your Lati@s problem, you may want to try using Wish+CM Jirachi over your current set. It still deals with stall really well (sometimes even better) but it retains more durability, something that can prove invaluable some times. It also helps with threats like Dragon Dance Gyarados that are difficult to handle for your team. Here's the set:

Jirachi@Leftovers | Serene Grace
Bold Nature | 252 Hp / 224 Def / 32 Spe
Wish / Calm Mind / Thunder / Flash Cannon

Good luck!

Thank you very much for the great advice! ( I already hoped you would rate.)
The Jirachi set is great and help him as a defensive backbone as well, I pumped the speed a bit to outspeed troublesome pokes, but it certainly is an asset to my team. Donphan or Mamoswine is a hard choice :o While Donphan can spin, which can help immensely, as you said, Mamoswine gives me more offensive pressure and he has a neutrality to Ice, which can help a lot sometimes. I'll test around a bit, but I'm already sold for the Jirachi set, thanks a lot!

 

[San_Pellegrino]

Hey,

DestinUnknown's suggestion of Donphan is really topnotch, and I would really recommend it (an alternative is below), some benelux teammates have used it in the past and done very well with it. However, I'm not certain of the jirachi set suggestion (although it looks like you are!). Hear me out for a minute.

For your team in particular, TR Reuniclus and strong special attackers have unhindered space to pentrate your team swiftly, with only very intelligent switching (careful play with Toxicroak and Tornadus' immunities) preventing some horrible sweep. Couple this with the other issue that you have no dedicated special wall, even a Starmie can run through your team (bar toxicroak - who is really the crux of the success of your team right now). I think that running a simple 252 HP / 252 SpDef / 4 Spe Jirachi with Wish | Protect | Iron Head | Body Slam would help immensely with it. It provides recovery, bulk, and everthing else the other Jirachi provided, bar a route to a sweep, which I feel isn't quite necessary on this team with loaded attacks coming from tornadus and hydreigon. If you do choose to use this Jirachi with SR on it over protect, you can afford to use Mamoswine and run substitute on it over SR, giving you a much more potent sweeper who takes no residuals beside LO.

just my two cents. destinyunknown has great points, and the team would be fine either way.

 

[TGMD]

This is a very nice team ZoroDark, good job!
There is one huge threat I see to this team and that is: Banded Terrakion it can come in after the likes of Hydreigon, Mamoswine, Jirachi when it's weakened or even Politoed if it's locked into Ice Beam or HP Grass. Essentially whenever Terrakion comes in something dies. Now I do have a suggestion that I think can help you emmensely and that is: Claydol over Mamoswine. Now dont be quick to judge Claydol, it is a very underrated pokemon. It's very similiar to Donphan as it has similiar bulk, can spin and set up ap Stealth Rocks. Claydol resists Terrakions Dual STABs which is a feat only accomplished by Claydol and Golurk. Claydol also gives you another switch in to Earthquakes and it's immune to spikes. Another added bonus is that it's Psychic / Ground typing means it still abides to the rules of the challenge (even though the challenge is over.)

Claydol Set:

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Claydol (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spe)
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock

The Rocky Helmet is there to break Multiscales and really annoy U-Turn users and other physical hits you'll be sending Claydol into tank. This can be extremely helpful in wearing down opponents for sweeps with Tornadus and such late game. You can alternatively run the standard fare with Leftovers for more survivability. I really hope this rate helped and I think if you tested out claydol you'll really like it. GL with the team!

 

[ZoroDark]

Hey,

DestinUnknown's suggestion of Donphan is really topnotch, and I would really recommend it (an alternative is below), some benelux teammates have used it in the past and done very well with it. However, I'm not certain of the jirachi set suggestion (although it looks like you are!). Hear me out for a minute.

For your team in particular, TR Reuniclus and strong special attackers have unhindered space to pentrate your team swiftly, with only very intelligent switching (careful play with Toxicroak and Tornadus' immunities) preventing some horrible sweep. Couple this with the other issue that you have no dedicated special wall, even a Starmie can run through your team (bar toxicroak - who is really the crux of the success of your team right now). I think that running a simple 252 HP / 252 SpDef / 4 Spe Jirachi with Wish | Protect | Iron Head | Body Slam would help immensely with it. It provides recovery, bulk, and everthing else the other Jirachi provided, bar a route to a sweep, which I feel isn't quite necessary on this team with loaded attacks coming from tornadus and hydreigon. If you do choose to use this Jirachi with SR on it over protect, you can afford to use Mamoswine and run substitute on it over SR, giving you a much more potent sweeper who takes no residuals beside LO.

just my two cents. destinyunknown has great points, and the team would be fine either way.

I can only agree, Toxicroak IS the crux of this team and is usually my only way to handle Latios and friends. His amazing type means he usually is my Terrakion check, but sometimes that's too much too handle as you pointed out. I'll definitely try the Jirachi set but with Thunder > Body Slam, because I'm a rain team after all, and I enjoyed how this more defensive Rachi can stop Gyarados. Usually Hydreigon can take a move from Starmie, but he isn't such a big threat, since my opponents sac him most of the time.

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is is a very nice team ZoroDark, good job!
There is one huge threat I see to this team and that is: Banded Terrakion it can come in after the likes of Hydreigon, Mamoswine, Jirachi when it's weakened or even Politoed if it's locked into Ice Beam or HP Grass. Essentially whenever Terrakion comes in something dies. Now I do have a suggestion that I think can help you emmensely and that is: Claydol over Mamoswine. Now dont be quick to judge Claydol, it is a very underrated pokemon. It's very similiar to Donphan as it has similiar bulk, can spin and set up ap Stealth Rocks. Claydol resists Terrakions Dual STABs which is a feat only accomplished by Claydol and Golurk. Claydol also gives you another switch in to Earthquakes and it's immune to spikes. Another added bonus is that it's Psychic / Ground typing means it still abides to the rules of the challenge (even though the challenge is over.)

Claydol Set:
...


The Rocky Helmet is there to break Multiscales and really annoy U-Turn users and other physical hits you'll be sending Claydol into tank. This can be extremely helpful in wearing down opponents for sweeps with Tornadus and such late game. You can alternatively run the standard fare with Leftovers for more survivability. I really hope this rate helped and I think if you tested out claydol you'll really like it. GL with the team!

Hmm, Claydol looks interesting and I'll definitely try him, but he makes my team a bit Dragonite / Salamence weak, no? Btw, Toxicroak resists his STABs too :D I'm also a bit afraid he'll take away the offensive pressure. Thanks anyways and I'll definitely try him our!

 

[TGMD]

Hmm, Claydol looks interesting and I'll definitely try him, but he makes my team a bit Dragonite / Salamence weak, no? Btw, Toxicroak resists his STABs too :D I'm also a bit afraid he'll take away the offensive pressure. Thanks anyways and I'll definitely try him our!

I didn't mention Toxicroak because it's already in your team and it's 2hkod by CC so it can switch in on it. Also you're not sala / nite weak claydol has rocky helmet to break nite scale then hit it with ice beam.

 

[ZoroDark]

BUMP
Giving this team a second chance in RMT Forums because B/W 2 helped this team a LOT! No Claydol nor Defensive Jirachi around, all the old members are back, because Tornadus-T does the same thing; no longer having a Stealth Rocks problem and outspeeding Starmie and non-Scarf Latis helps Toxicroak a lot.