The Replacements

[Thanks Brock Obama]

THE REPLACEMENTS​

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Alright, so this is my first RMT here on Smogon, but not the first team I've ever created. I actually used to have quite a few UU teams that I felt comfortable using, mostly stall and semi-stall teams that did fairly well for me. Things were good, but my laptop wound up getting a virus and I needed to get it wiped, and while having a functional laptop was a good thing in the long run, I had to remake my teams from memory. As I struggled to perfectly recreate my first team though, a thought popped up in my head.

"This is ridiculous, I should just make something new."

I wanted to create a team using pokemon that I hadn't really ever used before. Which while difficult at first, lead me to creating what has become one of my favorite teams to use since then.

I've been using this team for a while now, and I really enjoy using it, but it still needs work, and so I've brought it here to see what players on here have to say about The Replacements to make them better.

Team Building:
The basis of this team was to pick a good pokemon that I liked, and build around it.

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MEGA HOUNDOOM

Having only played gens 1, 2, and 6, I was obviously inclined to build my team around an older pokemon that I've always liked. I chose Mega Houndoom first off because a) he looks like a total boss and b) I prefer to build my offensive teams around a late game sweeper so I can have a clear direction right from the start. I have no explanation for why I had never used this monster before.

MIENSHAO

Mienshao was my next choice, I wanted something able to force switches and grab momentum to rack up damage on my opponent over time. A solid answer to one of the most common checks to Houndoom, Hydreigon. Regenerator also helps Mienshao have some significant staying power and generally lets him ignore hazards.

FLORGES

Then I decided that I wanted to have a counter to Hydreigon. Florges was the obvious choice, driving away the 3 headed dragon whilst also offering great support for the team with Aromatherapy and Wish.

FORRETRESS

I then had to decide on a hazard setter/remover, it was close between Forretress and Donphan, but in the end I chose the big metal bug for bulk and the ability to gain momentum with the slow Volt-Switch.

SLOWBRO

I then decided to use the last two slots to form a fire/water/grass core. Recognizing that Arcanine was a massive threat to the team, I chose Slowbro as my water type of choice, being able to switch into Arcanine consistently force it out and therefore wear it down. Slowbro would also be good for dealing with ground and fighting types that could stop Houndoom.

ROSERADE

Finishing my fire/water/grass core, offensive Roserade was brought to take out bulky water types and punch holes wherever it could.

Anyway, on to the team.

Houndoom @ Houndoominite
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Destiny Bond
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The big bad wolf himself, Houndoom-Mega is an absolute nightmare once his checks/counters are gone. I keep him in the back of my team until late game, avoiding all of the nasty chip damage that can limit his effectiveness later on in the battle. Sometimes I bring him in mid-game to punch holes in my opponent's team if the field is clear of hazards. The zero IVs in attack are to make sure he takes minimal damage from Umbreon's Foul Play, though he has no business being up against it. Nasty Plot is to make the most out of forced switches, Fire Blast and Dark Pulse are my main STABs, and using Houndoom as a fast D-Bond has saved my team from getting swept multiple times.

Mienshao @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge​

Fast and furious, Mienshao acts as a revenge killer, offensive pivot, and sweeper. The EV's are standard on a Mienshao to make the most out of his attack and speed, and the moves are nothing out of the ordinary either. Regenerator is a good ability by letting Mienshao ignore stealth rock damage over time and prevents missing a HJK from full health the end of the world. High Jump Kick is Mienshao's main attack, KO'ing pretty much everything it hits SE with the exception of Mega Aggron. U-Turn is used for scouting, and good for grabbing momentum. Knock Off cripples my opponent's pokemon by getting rid of their items, and has the added bonus of punishing players who think they're being clever by throwing a ghost in front of Mienshao to get HJK recoil. Stone Miss Edge is for flying types that resist Mienshao's STAB.

Florges (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 SDef
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Moonblast
- Aromatherapy
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Ah Florges, a great team member in my old stall teams and a great cleric/special wall for this team. Florges's main duty is to get rid of status afflictions like Paralyzation or burns that really hurt this team, pass wishes onto Forretress and occasionally Houndoom who have no forms of reliable recovery, and soak up any odd specially based attacks that I don't want hitting the rest of my team. The EV spread was suggested to me to help improve Florges's physical defense enough to soak up attacks from Heracross and Mienshao if need be, without totally compromising Florges's special defense.

Forretress @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 Atk
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Volt Switch
- Spikes​

Forretress provides crucial hazard support for this team, as with my team's ability to recover health, hazards can wear opposing teams down through constant switching. With two regenerators, a cleric, and rest+natural cure Roserade, I use hazards to try and outlast my opponent in most games. The EVs are to make the most out of his physical defense so he can get more chances to spin/set up hazards. Volt Switch is used over Gyro Ball to get momentum, and is great at getting Mienshao and Houndoom in on pokemon they normally couldn't switch into.

Slowbro @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Slack Off
- Toxic
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The defensive end of my regenerator core, Slowbro's great physical defense and and supporting movepool makes him the team's best switch in to pretty much all physical threats. Regenerator lets him do his job all game long without sacrificing turns to heal like most other walls, Scald lets him punish physical walls even further if they try and set up, Psyshock is decent STAB, Slack Off lets him heal without switching out, and toxic further helps Slowbro punish set up sweepers.

Roserade @ Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Rest​

Wrapping the team up is my early/mid game powerhouse Roserade, early game Roserade can catch my opponent off guard if they're expecting a more defensive set. Roserade's job is to get in as soon as possible and either take out my opponent's bulky water types to make Houndoom's life easier, or hit switch ins hard with either Leaf Storm or Sludge Bomb. Hidden Power Fire is used mainly for any Forretress, as even without the boost that Technician gives Hidden Power it OHKO's the metal bug and lets me stack hazards permanently. Rest and Natural Cure are used as a full restore for Roserade, and the ability to get back to 100% and get another chance to fire off Leaf Storms/Sludge Bombs to try and break my opponent has proven the deciding factor multiple times. Added as a last second decision, Roserade has proven to be this team's MVP in practice.

Conclusion:

Overall the team has done well for me, but since the recent drops this team's effectiveness has dropped off somewhat. Lucario and Infernape makes things difficult and pressure this team fairly hard, also Goodra and Blissey are barely manageable. Volcarona needs to die in a hole too.

Basically I've come here to see what help I can get towards adjusting to the new changes in the meta, and fixing flaws that were already present such as my current reliance on special attackers.

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Houndoom @ Houndoominite
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Destiny Bond

Florges (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 SDef
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Moonblast
- Aromatherapy

Mienshao @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge

Forretress @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 Atk
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Volt Switch
- Spikes

Roserade @ Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Rest

Slowbro @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Slack Off
- Toxic