The Legion of Doom! (UU RMT; Peaked #10)

Meanwhile, at the Legion of Doom...



Another round of UU, another team to rate. This is my highest ranking team in UU yet (although I wouldn't personally say my 'best' team, ranking wasn't incredibly hard this period), peaking at #10 under my 'The Legion of Doom' alt for a day or 2. Sadly, I didn't play often enough to be able to catch up to guys like Flareblitz who have their CRE at 1700+, so I never broke into the top 10 before being perpetually stuck at around ~18 for most of the round before I stopped playing near the end. The team is a spin- off of my heavy offense team from last period, featuring some of the same members along with new members giving it more of a bulky offense feel. The team name is obviously about the iconic team of super villains from the 70s cartoon, The Super Friends, one of my favorite shows as a kid (even though I grew up in the 90s).

~The Legion of Doom~

Lex Luthor

Mesprit @ Expert Belt
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 236 HP/ 252 SAtk / 20 Spd
Modest Nature
-Stealth Rock
-Psychic
-Ice Beam
-Thunderbolt

Mesprit is the lead and pseudo- defensive pivot for the team, handling many threats the rest of the team can't early in the game. Being the lead for the team, and for being a purple psychic type, I named him after the leader of the Legion of Doom, mastermind Lex Luthor. This particular Mesprit lead is more offensive based than most other Mesprit leads, with lots of Special Attack EVs, 3 attacks and an Expert Belt. The Expert Belt is great for faking a Choiced lead, and it gives it enough of a power boost to OHKO some Pokemon like Kabutops, Moltres, Venusaur and Donphan. Psychic is for STAB and Hariyama leads (who fuck up my team otherwise), and Boltbeam for additional coverage. EVs are for maximum attacking power and bulk, with some Speed thrown in to outspeed other Mesprit and Milotic.

Mesprit vs the Top 10 leads:


- Switch to Registeel on the Fake Out, and usually KO it with an Iron Head and then a hit from Rotom later on.
- Set up Stealth Rocks to scout for Trick. If it Tricks, switch to Registeel on the possible Thunderwave, and then Swellow on Stealth Rock. If it uses Thunderwave first, switch in Swellow on SR. If it uses Stealth Rock first, Ice Beam to scout for the Thunderwave. Dual Screeners are hard to deal with.
- Setting up Rocks and then attacking is the usual strategy. Similar to handling Uxie.
- Attack first to scout for Encore. Switch out of it has Shadow Ball.
- Thunderbolt OHKOs or comes very close.
- Same as Omastar, but Thunderbolt DOES OHKO those without Focus Sash. Less dangerous than Omastar because it only sets up Rocks.
- Thunderbolt OHKOs Moltres after Life Orb recoil, and survives Fire Blast, so it's a non- issue.
- Ice Beam is a near KO depending on the investment on SpD. Always 2KOs.
- Always start off with Psychic just in case of Taunt. If it does Taunt, then KO it on the Rain Dance. Mesprit can usually survive a hit from any Rain Dancer and deal back big damage with Thunderbolt or Psychic. Switch to Rotom if Explosion is obvious.
- Cloyster is, again, dealt with like Omastar, except some Cloyster are more offensive meaning the KO with Thunderbolt is guaranteed.

So as you can see, Mesprit beats many of the top 10, and almost never comes out losing (taking a hard U-turn from Mesprit to a Pursuiter is the closest thing to losing). And Mesprit also works great midgame, coming in on Donphan, Hariyama, and my best answer to Rhyperior (sadly).
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Cheetah

Swellow@ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 4 HP/ 252 Atk/ 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Brave Bird
-Facade
-Quick Attack
-U-turn

Ah Swellow. Your lightning fast, powerful bashes into the opposing team have made me fall in love with you. I'm a staunch believer that Swellow doesn't need to be surrounded with a team of Spikers, Spinners and Dugtrio to be successful, since it's sheer power and awesome speed make it a great revenge killer and hole puncher. The entire set is cliche and self explanatory,with Quick Attack as my 4th move for priority.
Nicknamed Cheetah for their similarities: fast speed, nimble agility, and sharp, powerful claws (talons in Swellow's case).

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The Riddler

Venusaur@ Life Orb
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 4 HP/ 252 SpA/ 252 Spe
Timid Nature
-Sleep Powder
-Leaf Storm
-Sludge Bomb
-Synthesis

Midgame, The Riddler enters the fray with a deadly question: "Who are you going to sacrifice to Sleep?". The #1 Pokemon in UU makes an appearance on my team as an important water resist and special sweeper. With so many viable sets, lots of questions enter the opponents heads on how to deal with Venusaur. Since I first started using Special LO Venusaur, the hype around Swords Dance Venu has died down a lot and people started realizing how bad that set really was, and this Venusaur has been used a little more. Still, I think it really need to be used A LOT more, it's just so good. Sludge Bomb is great sweeping STAB and destroys Moltres and Swellow switch ins, and it's just awesome. Leaf Storm is just absurdly powerful, especially with an Overgrow boost, and even at -2 can hurt. Synthesis is healing, helps with Life Orb recoil and from taking hits, as I use Venusaur mainly as a tank for bulky waters and Rotom. I'm considering HP Ground or mixed with Earthquake to deal with Steels, but Synthesis recovery is a blessing most matches.

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Brainiac

Registeel@ Occa Berry
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP/ 180 Atk/ 86 SpD/ 8 Spd
Adamant Nature
-Curse
-Iron Head
-Ice Punch
-Explosion

Shiny Registeel has an uncanny resemblance to Brianiac, don't you think. But the reason he's called Brainiac goes on beyond that. The evil mastermind-ness of this original set really makes Registeel a 'Brainiac', becoming essentially a BaitSteel, akin to Baitlix, but even better. I'll start the explaining. Originally, I wanted something that could beat the biggest threat to my team, Swellow, and still be offensive. I tried out Rhyperior, which worked kind of well, but I still lost to Torterra and was exposed to threats like Alakazam. I then looked to steel types, and baitlix sttod out as an offensive steel check to Swellow and Moltres. But it couldn't take hits, so I though 'why can't Registeel do this?', and he could. Since i didnt need Stealth Rock, Curse worked to beat even more things. So thus, BaitSteel was born. Registeel serves two roles on my team: special "wall" and normal resist, and as a remover for powerful threats my team would otherwise crumble to, like Torterra, Blaziken, Moltres, Feraligatr, and Houndoom. Here's how Registeel's role usually breaks down to. Early game, he serves as a great switch in to Ambipom, Swellow, Alakazam, Mismagius, Venusuaur and the host of pokemon he usually walls, and counters some of them completely too. Midgame, he busts the other team open by a combination of Curse, a coverage move, and Explosion. Usually a Registeel switch in results in a switch out, meaning a chance to boost to +1 Attack and Defense, and lets me decide what to do next since nothing will OHKO me at this point. Common switches into Registeel: Torterra, Moltres, Donphan, Rhyperior, Hitmonlee, Blaziken and more. If the opponent switches to Torterra, an Ice Punch at +1 is an OHKO while I'll survive the Earthquake, removing the future threat from my team. If Blaziken, Moltres, or any other Fire type switches in, the Occa berry will take the attack and I can Explode in their face. Donphan and other ground types or fighting types are the same. If I play my cards right, Registeel will take a pokemon out with a boosted Ice Punch or Iron Head, and then Explode, taking something else out, or even sweep some teams that let me boost up more than +2. EVs: Max HP lets me wall pokemon, and the Special Defense makes sure I survive a +2 Houndoom's Fire Blast, and everything weaker than that. Adamant and attack EVs let me hurt things pretty badlyRegisteel is awesome, and this set really works well on an offensive team, not wasting the momentum a normal Registeel would. Don't knock it until you try it.

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Toyman

Rotom@ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 72 HP/ 252 SpA/ 184 Speed
Timid Nature
-Thunderbolt
-Shadow Ball
-Trick
-HP Ice / Will-o-Wisp

Toyman, the often forgotten trickster of the Legion of Doom. And Rotom, the very common trickster that likes to toy with other peoples teams. Using a speed booster? Bam, outran and smacked with a Thunderbolt or HP Ice. Want to wall me with Chansey or Registeel? Lol, take my Scarf. ScarfRotom is the backbone of many offensive teams, outspeeding pretty much everything, even things with speed boosts, and revenge them with what's usually a super effective attack. All the attacks are obvious, with HP Ice for revenging Torterra and Altaria, and WoW for burning troublesome fighters, especially Toxicroak (I switch between the two depending on what I'm using on Registeel, be it Ice Punch, Earthquake or Counter sometimes).And Timid + 184 Speed EVs outspeeds RP Torterra and all Rain Dancers, the fastest things I'll usually need to face.
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Solomon Grundy

Hitmonlee@ Life Orb
Ability: Limber
EVs: 4 HP/ 252 Atk/ 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Close Combat
-Sucker Punch
-Mach Punch
-Blaze Kick

Hitmonlee and zombie- hulking beat Solomon Grundy have 1 thing in common: they can bash everything senselessly into the dust. LO Hitmonlee has VERY few safe switch ins depending on the move, basically only bulky- psychics, Spiritomb and Rotom. Close Combat 2KOs the apparently indestructible Milotic, Moltres, and Swellow, and most things get pounded. Sucker Punch deals good damage to most things, and lets me end up on top against a Mismagius switch in. Mach Punch is what keeps me from being swept every time by Absol and Houndoom, and doesn't require prediction. Blaze Kick seems like an odd choice, but it's really not. It 2KOs Venusaur with Close Combat, it's more accurate than Stone Edge for sub battles with Missy, and hurts Toxicorak switch ins.

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Rate nao plz, I'm very open to suggestions for this team.
 
Ok, "threat list", in quotes because, once again, I'm lazy, so it's more of a list of common pokemon I do and don't have trouble with.

Threats:
- Rhyperior can be a big thorn in my side if I don't handle it right. Usually it comes in on Swellow, and if it subs, theres a good chance something dies. Mesprit isn't a bad switch in and Ice Beam takes a giant chunk out of it, but I have to watch for Megahorn. But, I built my team without synergy in mind, so most of my pokemon are disposable and revenge killing Rhyperior with Venusaur isn't out of the question.
- Milotic, contrary to its suspect status, does not trouble my team at all. Venusaur is a hard counter and the best switch everytime, and if it's LO with Ice Beam, then it's not really walling anything and loses to everything on my team. And everything on my team bar Mesprit (sometimes) at least 2KOs Milotic, or does huge damage.
- Moltres just doesn't have the ability to come in and cause damage to my team. Mesprit KOs it in the lead spot(and they never switch out), Registeel explodes on it, and Venusaur and Hitmonlee KO it with Stealth Rocks up, and Rotom revenges.
- Registeel walls it to an extent, Swellow is an easy switch in, Rotom revenges etc.
- Uxie can be pretty tough to take out, but it goes down eventually, and Registeel sets up in its face.
- Hitmonlee is as hard of a counter as there is besides Rhyperior, but if it's gone (not hard because of LO and his frailty) Registeel can be a huge pain to take out. It's sad resorting to Facades from Swellow to weaken it.
Since I lack a bulky water, Arcanine can continue to come in and punch holes in my team. Stealth Rock, Flareblitz recoil, and LO recoil add up fast, so that with priority is usually what keeps it at bay.
&
- Both are super annoying to deal with, mainly because they're ghosts with Will-o-Wisp, Rotom is especially hard to kill because Swellow gets walled by it. If they lack Will-o-Wisp though, they're not hard to deal with.
 

franky

aka pimpdaddyfranky, aka frankydelaghetto, aka F, aka ef
is a Top Team Rater Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Top Contributor Alumnus
Hi Pizzaman,

Congrats on hitting top ten. I can't help but notice the insane weakness to Fire-types (you have no resistance to it!). I know you have occa Registeel but you have no initial switch-in to these strong Fire hits. A well-played player will find out that you lack a reliable switch in to Arcanine, Moltres, and Houndoom and you'll eventually crumble to these aforementioned threats with simple double switches to exploit your weakness. You can solve this issue with the addition of Azumarill over Hitmonlee. It seems like the most replaceable member at the moment since everything else is needed on your team. Azumarill adds the offensive power you desire and the resistance to Fire-type attacks you desperately need. It adds priority which is always important to offense. You can run the CB set which runs Waterfall / Double-Edge / Aqua Jet / Superpower and the EVs 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 Spe at an Adamant nature. This is the best Azumarill set offensively since its very easy to use if you have the right predictions. Superpower > Ice Punch to compensate for the lack of Fighting moves on your team. This could be of great important when facing enemy Curse Miltank, Regirock, and Registeel. Its always a nice insurance against them.

As for other options, try something to help out your overall synergy a bit offensively, I advocate the use of Pursuit over Quick Attack on Swellow. You lose the ability to hit Dugtrio and Houndoom (which is balanced by the addition of Azumarill) by succesfully trapping Chansey. Pursuit on Chansey leaves its HP very low, ultimately allowing venusaur to sweep so much easier. It also catches those Mismagius, Rotom, etc. off guard. overall gl.
 

IronBullet

Astronomy Domine
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Hi,

As franky said, a good player can easily rip apart your team with an offensive Fire-type such as Moltres. To patch this up, the above stated Azumarill is an excellent replacement for Hitmonlee, as it provides you with a Bulky Water as well as an offensive powerhouse. If you want more of a team player who can consistently switch in throughout the match, a SubPunch set would work well as it sets up on most of Swellow's counters, such as Registeel, Steelix and Rhyperior.

Other than that this is a pretty solid team. Well done and gl.
 
Hi,

I was looking at your team and the above rates and agree with them. I actually think that if you'd like to keep Hitmonlee or any sweeper, which is fine, you could make another replacement which would help your team a lot. You can replace your lead Mesprit with a lead Kabutops, giving you a strong 4x Fire-type resistance to come in on and good STAB Water-type priority. Something like the following could work:

Kabutops @ Focus Sash
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spe
Nature: Adamant
~ Stealth Rock
~ Stone Edge
~ Waterfall
~ Aqua Jet

This preserves room for a good lategame sweeper, which is something you need on a team like this. It also fares well against all of the listed leads and can keep Electrode from Taunting it because of strong priority in the form of Aqua Jet. The only annoying thing about this suggestion is that it leaves your entire team basically walled ad infinitum by Weezing, which you have no serious switch-in for outside of Mesprit.

Because of your issues with Registeel and Weezing and your general lack of ability to take Fire-type attacks, so I have one last suggestion. Replace Hitmonlee with Houndoom. This maintains your strong Registeel check, while giving you superb insurance against something like Arcanine, a choice-locked Moltres Fire Blast, or Will-O-Wisp Registeel or Flamethrowers Venusaur will be luring. It also gives you an excellent way to OHKO Weezing with a Flash Fire boost. Let me recommend the following set:

Houndoom @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 96 Atk / 196 SpA / 216 Spe
Nature: Hasty
~ Nasty Plot
~ Fire Blast
~ Dark Pulse
~ Sucker Punch

I've come to love this set, and it offers the same immense priority that it needs to beat through Dugtrio, Alakazam, Mismagius, and even Moltres. The rest of the set is pretty standard Houndoom, but I think that it would serve your team especially well as a replacement to Hitmonlee. It also pairs well with Swellow and Rotom, and can serve as a respectable secondary offensive resistance to Grass-type attacks that Kabutops (if you use him) will lure if Venusaur is KOed or some such.

Hopefully my suggestions give you some ideas and help! Good luck with your team.
 
Okay, thank you three for the rates.
@Franky and IB: Yes, fire types can be huge dicks to this team, especially Arcanine, if played well (not that often, surprisingly). I thought about putting an Azumarill on this team before, but I haven't thought about it over Hitmonlee. My only fear being walled even harder by Registeel, although not failing epically against Rhyperior sets that off. I'm still not sure about whether to use CB or Subpunch though.

@Rising Dusk: I've actually used a Kabutops lead extensively on this team before, and it's a great lead, but I really dont like how bad it does against Hariyama and especially Omastar leads. I'm not so sure about the Houndoom either, since now I'm walled harder by Chansey and now especially Regirock, than before.
 

Bluewind

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Just adding to what other people said, you could use a Rhyperior set over your current Registeel one (set of your preference, as you don't need SR on it) and use Azumarill over Hitmonlee. That way you have an even better answer to Registeel, a backup check for Arcanine (without HP Grass), which alleviates Azumarill's burden of taking on all Fire-types your team comes to face and gives you a check to Swellow that doesn't go boom more often than not. Of course, that comes with the considerable drawback of being weaker to Ghost and Grass-types, but if you give your Swellow Pursuit that could be somehow remedied; also, that's Hyper Offense, and you don't really get destroyed by the aformentioned mons like you did by Fire-types.

Good Luck =)
 
I don't like Azumarill for even this type of team because in my experiences using it, it gets worn down extremely fast and I definitely wouldn't want something as my Fire-type counter without recovery. I'd say just slot Milotic over Hitmonlee, and put Rhyperior over Registeel as Bluewind suggested to make up for the offensive decline. Milotic will end up covering the majority of your problems in your threat list, such as opposing Rhyperior, Arcanine, Moltres, and especially Houndoom, who is probably the single biggest issue this team has. If opposing Milotic are that much of an issue, you could choose to run Toxic as a move to cripple them on the switch, and outstall them. Since you have a few Mismagius checks as is, I'd say the switch to Rhyperior isn't even that much of a jump. You maintain a solid check to opposing Swellow, and although you lose out on the Steel-typing, you gain the best pure attacker in the UU tier.
 

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