(Click the sprites for the paste)
Introduction
Hello everyone, I’m back with another RMT. This time, I wanted to show off this cool spikestack team I've built around Nasty Plot Tornadus Therian and Choice Specs Dragapult .Both Dragapult and Tornadus appreciates spikes support as they’re counters and checks gets worn down quickly when they are forced to come in and take residual damage from spikes every time they switch in.
Teambuilding Process
This is the Pokemon I wanted to build this team around. Tornadus is a good sweeper and Stallbreaker with its Nasty Plot set while also providing great defensive utility as it can check offensive grass types such as Rillaboom and Kartana quite well. Tornadus can find a lot of opportunities to set up against steel types such as Corviknight and Ferrothorn as it can generally blow past them with a powerful Focus Blast or set up for free against non brave bird Corviknight. Tornadus loves spikes support provided to it by Ferrothorn because its usual checks such as Toxapex, Tapu Fini and Heatran can get worn down quickly by spikes and repeated attacks from Tornadus itself.
Next, I added Ferrothorn and Dragapult. I explained about this core in more details here. To summarize that post, Dragapult and Ferrothorn are weak to threats such as Volcarona and Kartana, which Tornadus can check, while also benefiting from spikes. Dragapult can blitz past offensive teams by using it’s very powerful and almost unresisted STABs. Tornadus compliments Dragapult very well as Tornadus can use its stallbreaking abilities to help Dragapult against fatter teams.
Next up, I added Landorus-Therian. Landorus provides a lot of role compression for this team, because it can help deal with dangerous threats such as Tapu Koko and Zeraora, while also being a solid check to Volcarona, Garchomp and Heatran. Landorus can easily scout out choiced lock moves with Protect, while dealing massive amount of damage to threatening breakers such as Kartana and Tapu Lele. Landorus can do all of this while also functioning as a good pivot and Defogger for this team.
The next Pokemon I added is Toxapex. Toxapex can help deal with dangerous threats such as Urshifu, Weavile, Dragapult, Heatran, Volcanion, Volcarona, Dragonite, and Swords Dance Scizor. consistently. Toxapex can also work as an effective way to pressure your opponent in the early game, because it can Knock items off and spread toxic.
The final Pokemon I added is Tapu Koko. Tapu Koko functions as a good offensive pivot and a late game cleaner for this team. Tapu Koko can pressure flying and water types such as Corviknight, Tornadus and Toxapex, which can help the team because I have no way to immediately pressure those Pokemon. Tapu Koko appreciates that its teammates such as Dragapult, can help break past two of it’s most common checks being Ferrothorn and Landorus using Hydro Pump or Flamethrower respectively.
Set Descriptions
Death from above (Tornadus-Therian) (M) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 92 Def / 168 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Hurricane
- Taunt
- Focus Blast
Tornadus is a very dangerous sweeper with it’s Nasty Plot set, as it can completely break many defensive Pokemon such as Corvikinght, toxic Landorus, Blissey, and Ferrothorn, while also being able to reliably check dangerous offensive threats such as Kartana, Rillaboom, and unboosted Volcarona. This team also appreciates that
Dragapult @ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Shadow Ball
- U-turn
- Flamethrower / Hydro Pump
Dragapult is a potent wallbreaker, especially when its paired with spikes support because spikes can wear down its common checks. Dragapult can run either Flamethrower or Hydro Pump depending on what the user is having trouble with. If you are having trouble with Ferrothorn then using Flamethrower is preferred, and if you are having trouble with Landorus and Heatran then using Hydro Pump instead of Flamethrower is preferred.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 122 Def / 134 SpD
Careful Nature
- Leech Seed
- Body Press
- Knock Off
- Spikes
Ferrothorn is the glue holding this team together. It provides spikes support and functions as a soft check to a few special and physical attackers such as Arctozolt, Dragapult, Tapu Lele and Choice Band Tyranitar. Ferrothorn can switch into multiple choiced locked moves from attackers such as Kartana and the aforementioned Tapu Lele after they have been scouted by Landorus' Protect. The EV spread allows it to avoid a 3HKO from Dragapult’s Shadow ball while maximizing it’s physical defense so it can eat hits from a scouted Kartana, Choice Band Tyranitar, and Arctozolt.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 23 Spe
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Protect
- Defog
Landorus is a good defensive pivot, being able to check Pokemons such as Zeraora, Tapu Koko, and Heatran while providing Defog support to the team. This is the standard Sp.Def Landorus set. 23 speed IVs is to outspeed max speed Adamant Crawdaunt while still being slower than most opposing Landorus to get a slower U-Turn than them. Protect is used as the final move so Landorus can scout choice locked moves while getting extra recoveries from Leftovers. It has good synergy with Ferrothorn, because it appreciates Landorus being able to scout moves from Choiced lock Pokemons such as Tapu Lele and tell whether it would click Focus Blast or not.
Toxapex @ Shed Shell
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 228 Def / 28 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 19 Spe
- Knock Off
- Toxic
- Recover
- Haze
Toxapex functions as a check to Urshifu, Weavile, and Dragapult. Toxapex can help against a few other threats aswell such as Heatran and Volcarona. Shed shell is used as the item so it can’t be trapped by Heatran’s Magma Storm, which allows Toxapex to freely Knock Off its Leftovers. It’s EV spread allows it to avoid a 3HKO from Defensive Tornadus’ Hurricane. The 19 Speed IVs allows Toxapex to be slower than Alolan Marowak, so in Trick Room Toxapex can outspeed Alolan Marowak and Knock Off its Thick Club before it can attack Toxapex.
Tapu Koko @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- U-turn
- Roost
Tapu Koko is the main method for this team to pressure water and flying types such as Toxapex, Tapu Fini, Tornadus, and Corviknight. Tapu Koko acts as an offensive pivot, because it can easily provide momentum with U-Turn after threatening something out. Dragapult has great synergy with Tapu Koko, because it can help Tapu Koko by eliminating some of it’s checks such as Ferrothorn or Landorus, while benefiting from Tapu Koko being able to chip some of Dragapult’s checks such Toxapex, Tapu Fini and Assault Vest Tornadus.
Threatlist
Clefable
Calm Mind variants of Clefable can be quite a hassle for this team to deal with. It can easily set up versus Ferrothorn, and if it’s Thunder/Thunderbolt variants it can threaten Toxapex from hazing it’s boosts away. Making Ferrothorn’s main attacking move Iron Head or not letting it set up in the first place are the best ways to deal with it.
Dragonite
Dragon Dance Dragonite can be a pain for this team to deal with. Dragonite can set up against Landorus easily, as Landorus is forced to switch out as it doesn’t want to take an ice punch. Toxapex can haze away it’s boosts as it can live a +1 Earthquake from full HP. An alternative method of dealing with Dragonite is threatening it out with Dragapult which can outspeed a +1 offensive Dragonite that doesn't run Jolly as its nature. When Dragonite comes in on Tapu Koko, Dragonite would most likely set up. Tapu Koko can click U-Turn, break its Multiscale, and Dragapult can OHKO it with Draco Meteor. And if its Jolly, click Forfeit immediately. But, you can tell whether the Dragonite is Jolly or not based on the damage output against Toxapex and or risk Dragapult against it.
Garchomp
Garchomp is very difficult for this team to deal with. It can easily sweep late-game when Toxapex and Landorus are chipped. Garchomp can be handled by making Predictions around it with Tapu Koko and Landorus. Landorus can U-Turn on Garchomp after it comes in on an Earthquake, and then going to Toxapex is if clicks Scale Shot.
Landorus-Therian
Similarly, offensive Swords Dance Landorus can also pose a threat to the team for the same reasons as Garchomp. Sacking Toxapex to get off a Toxic/Haze is usually the best way to deal with it.
Volcarona
Volcarona is annoying especially if Landorus is at low at health, because it can easily break past Toxapex with Psychic and beat Tornadus as long as it boosts on the switch. Keeping Landorus decently healthy would be the best option when fighting a Volcarona. Toxapex can also live a +1 Psychic from full and can Toxic it, while Tornadus can beat Volcarona if it comes in on a double switch.
Kyurem
Kyurem is difficult for this team to switch into but it can be punished for locking into an unfavorable move and being revenge killed by Dragapult, Tornadus, or Tapu Koko. Never Melt Ice Kyurem is harder for this team to switch into, because it can switch between moves while still being powerful but it can still be revenge killed by Dragapult, Tornadus And
Hawlucha
Hawlucha is a problem, specifically in late-game when Tapu Koko is in low health. It can break past Toxapex with Taunt and use it as Setup Fodder, while outspeeding the entire team after unburden is activated
Replays
Replay 1 (This replay shows off the usefulness of Nasty Plot Tornadus against more offensive teams. As seen in the replay, Tornadus can win when their main speed control is down.)
Replay 2 (This replay shows off the use of Hydro Pump Dragapult, because it hits Hippowdon and Heatran so Dragapult can clean up without much issue later in the game.)
Replay 3 (This replay shows how Volcarona matchup is bad. This one wasn’t Psychic, but it was still able to get rid of Tornadus as I unfortunately missed Hurricane which cost me the game.)
Replay 4 (This replay shows that Garchomp and offensive Volcarona are huge threats to this team and that it will be difficult to play around HO teams with these two. As seen in the replay, playing around Garchomp with Tapu Koko and Landorus is one of the ways to deal with it.)
Replay 5 (This replay shows the importance of Toxapex in this team, because it was able to consistently take hits from Weavile, Ferrothorn’s Knock Offs and Victini out of psychic terrain this game.)
Replay 6 (This replay shows how much of a threat offensive Landorus is to this team, because without toxic Landorus it can freely set up on my own Landorus and win the game.)
Replay 7 (This replay shows how much of a threat Nasty Plot Tornadus can be when fighting stall, because it can taunt a defensive Mon and set up freely against them. My opponent did forfeit early but I would have won the game anyways, because he couldn’t hurt my Tornadus much and even if he did, Tornadus can switch out and regen off the damage.)
Outro
I hope you guys enjoy this team! This RMT was really fun to make. I had a lot of personal success with it so I felt like it was worthy of making an RMT of. I would appreciate any and all advice to help me improve this team. That concludes this RMT. See you around, and thanks for reading!
