Introduction:
I observed a disturbing lack of low ladder players using full Eeveelution teams on my journey through the treacherous sewers of Balanced Hackmons low ladder. It upsets me greatly that one of the biggest staples of the Balanced Hackmons low ladder has been completely erased from existence. My disappointment has become immeasurable and my life is ruined as a result of such a horrific tragedy.
As I lamented the death of the glory days, the epiphany of the ages had hit me: I don’t have to rely on other players for the satisfaction of seeing a full Eeveelution team in low ladder. And so I loaded up my own team. Unfortunately, my master plan quickly fell apart as I somehow started winning games. This is truly awful as I can’t feed my superiority complex by harassing legendary spammers that I lose to for having the nerve to use legendaries in a tier for legendaries. And not only that, if one wins games, they go beyond the low ladder, which entirely destroys my noble objective.
Building The Team:
Sylveon and Umbreon were auto-includes to the team as they are the only Eeveelutions with decent stat spreads and typings for Balanced Hackmons.
Next, Flareon was added to break Magic Guard Blissey and to check mixed Pixilate abusers.
Since Vaporean is the only Eevee evolution with a good HP stat, it was added as an Imposter user to scout and defeat set-up.
I realized the team had no switch-in to Mortal Spin and Salt Cure so Jolteon was added as a utility user and absorber.
Lastly, Leafeon is added as its typing lends itself well to abusing Destiny Bond.
The Team:
Torn to Ribbons (Sylveon) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Revelation Dance
- Stone Axe
- Salt Cure
- U-turn
Torn to Ribbons (Sylveon) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Revelation Dance
- Stone Axe
- Salt Cure
- U-turn
Since all Eeveelutions have completely abysmal speed stats and base stat totals, it becomes evident that there is absolutely no way to attempt to brawl with fast and powerful special attackers. However, Eeveelutions still have one tool at their disposal which is Sylveon's massive special defense in tandem with the item Assault-Vest . Sylveon enables the rest of the team to exploit special wallbreakers once the move they are choice locked into is absorbed and revealed, and in the case of fast special attacking dragons allows Vaperpeon to safely pivot in to take advantage of their reliance on Dragon Energy. Sylveon uses a moveset consisting of Revelation Dance and Salt Cure to minimize its passivity, Stone Axe to provide hazard chip damage and most Importantly U-Turn to slow pivot on special attackers into a favorable position.
Of the Occult (Umbreon) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Fur Coat
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
- Take Heart
- Revelation Dance
- Spirit Shackle
- Strength Sap
Umbreon is the second component of the team’s defensive backbone by default as it is the only Eeveelution bar Sylveon with workable special and physical defense. With the ability Fur Coat to double its defense and pure Dark Typing, Umbreon becomes a solid check to many of the more frightening offensive threats in Balanced Hackmons like Ash Greninja, Ultra Necrozma, and Mega Garchomp. Umbreon uses the standard Strength Sap / Spirit Shackle self-improof Take Heart set that is used by many Arceus formes so it can sponge status conditions from the likes of Mortal Spin and doubly serve as a late game win condition. Lastly, the item Rocky Helmet is used to KO Pixilate Population Bomb users as those just OHKO the rest of the team otherwise.
Immortal Sun (Flareon) @ Clear Amulet
Ability: Desolate Land
Tera Type: Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 248 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Tidy Up
- V-create
- Strength Sap
- Spirit Shackle
While the team so far has a way to make progress in the long term with hazards and with Take Heart, it still lacks a way to cause immediate damage and reliable hazard control. And that is where Flareon comes into the picture. Flareon has a surprisingly high attack stat of 130, which when combined with the boost of Desolate Land and Fire STAB and the absurd base power of V-Create allows it to immediately cause serious damage to bulky legendaries and ultra beasts that populate balanced hackmons. In addition, Flareon is a solid abuser of Tidy Up as it can use it to both boost its offensive abilities and speed while clearing out hazards in one fell swoop. The item Clear Amulet further assists Flareon in overwhelming teams with Tidy Up as it blocks the attack-lowering effect of Strength that is commonly relied on to suppress physical offense.
Amorphic Agony (Vaporeon) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick
- Strength Sap
- U-turn
- Heal Bell
For an abuser of the ability Imposter, the only aspect of a Pokemon that matters are its HP and item as everything else is stolen from the Pokemon that is copied. Thus Vapereon is selected as the Eeveelution to abuse the ability as it has an HP stat of 130. As for the item Vaporeon uses a Choice Scarf. Choice Scarf is easily one of the most useful items for Imposters as it lowers the threshold for checking most offensive threats (especially Torch Song and Dragon Energy abusers) from having a hard counter to simply having something to absorb a single hit and pivot into Vaporeon.
Mortal Cage (Jolteon) @ Covert Cloak
Ability: Sticky Hold
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Bold Nature
- Strength Sap
- Thunder Cage
- Knock Off
- Mortal Spin
Since Eeveelutions don’t have a steel type available to absorb moves like Knock-Off, Mortal Spin, and Salt Cure, it became imperative to find another way as the aforementioned moves will quickly burn away the HP of anything. I originally thought of using Magic Guard with the remaining utility moves my team needed, like Mortal Spin for hazard removal and Knock Off to remove opposing Covert Cloaks for Syvleon and Leafeon, but then I realized that Imposter could just copy my utility moves to put the rest of the structure in jeopardy. However, there is a way to avoid the deleterious effects of said moves while remaining fully self-Imposter-proofed and that is Covert Cloak and Sticky Hold. With Sticky Hold and Covert Cloak, Jolteon will be permanently insulated from Mortal Spin and Salt Cure while an Imposter transformed into Jolteon won’t. This means if an Imposter copies Jolteon, it can simply poison and dispose of it while the Imposter can’t do much back.
The Undergrowth (Leafeon) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Burning Bulwark
- Mortal Spin
- Encore
- Destiny Bond
With most of the team now constructed, the last gap to fill is a check to Take Heart Pokemon and a way to reign in threats that would otherwise prove troublesome. Leafeon’s moveset and ability are thus tailored to accomplish exactly that. Burning Bulwark shuts down most physical attackers that would otherwise break through Umbreon like Mega Lucario or Heracross, The combination of Mortal Spin and Priority Encore from Prankster stops most Take Heart pokemon by locking them into take Heart and draining their HP by spamming Mortal Spin, and lastly Destiny Bond serves as the team’s last resort response to a threat it cannot handle otherwise.
Peak:
The alt I used for the challenge run was Stygian Steelix and as stated in the title I cleared the top 350 mark on the ladder.
Replays / Commentary:
VS: user98112:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/...63186537-o9ns9d0wphbbpf39linyrj55nfme8zmpw?p2
Jolteon’s combination of Mortal Spin, Knock-Off and Thunder Cage quickly devours the HP of the opponent's team leading to a swift and decisive forfeit. Just goes to show why you need a good way to absorb such moves.
VS: emmirichu:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9balancedhackmons-2263559551-c0snmnovsxena0xrawjuksuerdut4oypw
This game demonstrates why Rocky Helmet is so Important on Umbreon as without it Population Bomb Altaria 6-0ed my team. Aside from that, I reach the mark 1407 which gets me to 350th on the ladder.
VS: InfinityValor:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9balancedhackmons-2256331860-gku1z7inr2yzik3d4wp08ndu8ls23ujpw
The team being used is a sample team by Ivar57 on the Balanced Hackmons thread. Fortunately, my opponent plays fast and loose with Garchomp and so it is quickly crippled leaving their team unable to make progress, thus giving me the win.
V.S: doctorfart33:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9balancedhackmons-2262725868-id8qg5z1jxka7udji9rua2syhuxrwd7pw
Again with Mega Garchomp. I don't know why people still use this when actually good Pokemon like Burning Bulwark Leafeon exist. Aside from that, fairly straightfoward game as the opponent's progress makers are quickly shut down
V.S. : i'm the gungeon:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9balancedhackmons-2258131257-eiisitqzvut6fih2yfc9r9mjin5lud9pw
Another team taken from the BH thread: https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/balanced-hackmons.3710859/page-36#post-10361119 . This time a team from BuggoBrrrrr. Wasn’t too afraid of the team though, I just snipe Mega Blaziken with Destiny Bond and then the rest of the team collapses.
V.S. Saltator in Space:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9balancedhackmons-2262591434-88v9os40su4rozns6ncojp6fkllz13lpw
Fortunately, Saltator’s team is even more poorly constructed than usual, leading to their team being easily overwhelmed by Clear Amulet Flareon.
Importable:
https://pokepast.es/300637cb656ca52f
Conclusion:
I have a truly marvelous conclusion that this thread is too short to contain.
Q.E.D.
Sylveon by Edo Nova Illustrator: https://www.deviantart.com/edonovaillustrator/art/Sylveon-The-Spirit-of-Light-758161529
Umbreon by Chisa: https://www.zerochan.net/2613614
Flareon by Shemiilayla:
https://www.deviantart.com/shemiilayla/art/Passion-890683394
Vaporeon by Shemiilayla:
https://www.deviantart.com/shemiilayla/art/Vaporeon-909350282
Jolteon by Ivanjhang:
https://www.deviantart.com/ivanjhang/art/Jolteon-656951009
Leafeon by clockbirds:
https://www.deviantart.com/clockbirds/art/daze-924640233
Umbreon by Chisa: https://www.zerochan.net/2613614
Flareon by Shemiilayla:
https://www.deviantart.com/shemiilayla/art/Passion-890683394
Vaporeon by Shemiilayla:
https://www.deviantart.com/shemiilayla/art/Vaporeon-909350282
Jolteon by Ivanjhang:
https://www.deviantart.com/ivanjhang/art/Jolteon-656951009
Leafeon by clockbirds:
https://www.deviantart.com/clockbirds/art/daze-924640233
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NDW, is that a viable set or gimmick as I feel like it's a noobtrap I want to use lol.
