Trap team; 10 months in the making.

gec

pharos
is a Forum Moderator Alumnus
A Giant Enemy Crab production (made in England).

(May be tl:dr)

Here we go.
Total Games: 172
Games Won: 157
Games Lost: 15
Victory %: 91%
I've been working on this team for about 10 months. Yes, that's right. 10 MONTHS.

I created this trap team in August 2007, since I was intrigued by the number of improvements the method of trapping received since the days of R/S/E:
-The now physical Pursuit, making Pokemon like Tyranitar and Sneasel (Now Weavile) even more deadly.
-The evolution of Magneton (sure, Magneton has more Speed but I like my sweepers bulky, hence why I like Magnezone a lot more.
-Dark moves altogether becoming Physical. This means that (as I said earlier) Pokemon that couldn't use Pursuit quite effectively in the past now become some of the deadliest Pokemon ever. Also, it makes up for Physical HP Bug that Dugtrio lost (as does Stone Edge over Rock Slide).

So I decided to make myself a trap team. The concept was simple. Normally, in a match, what would the opponent do if I brought in a counter to one of their Pokemon? Switch, right? Now what if I was to remove the option of switching; killing off each one of my opponent's Pokemon mercilessly. You see, by bringing the correct trapper in on any opposing Pokemon, I've effectively removed that Pokemon and given the advantage to myself.


OK. Introduction over. Now to the trappers themselves:

[Magnezone]-[Dugtrio]-[Weavile]

Their Weaknesses: http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/6051/weaknessesuv1.jpg

The original task I set for myself was to find 3 other Pokemon for the team that supported them by:
-Resisting shared weaknesses between my trappers (which there were quite a few of).
-Getting my trappers a safe way to switch in due to their frailty, sans Magnezone.
-Taking out threats that these 3 couldn't take themselves.
-Setting up some form of residual damage, to stop random sashers from ruining the trapping fun (trust me, this happened a lot).

While this wasn't particularly easy, I told myself I could build upon it whenever I wanted. This is why my three other members have changed quite a bit since the first version of this team. The team used to be Weavile/Dugtrio/Magnezone/Gliscor/Cresselia/Starmie. Ever since then I've managed to cover all threats I ever faced, which brought my record to something I find quite spectacular. :toast:

Anyways, onto the stars themselves:

************************************************

@ Lum Berry
Sassy - 252 HP/252 Sp.Def/6 Def [0 Speed IV]
-Yawn
-U-Turn
-Grass Knot
-Stealth Rock

While Uxie may not be an anti-lead per se, I find it the best lead I have ever used for this Trap team. Ever. Why? Because it's so effective. It does so many things as a lead that I need. It supports my team entirely because it's wicked.
Yawn is to act like a pseudo-phazing move, forcing out any Pokemon stupid enough to stat-up in front of Uxie. I use Grass Knot because I have quite a big Mamoswine issue. Also, nothing on my team could hit Swampert good enough so Uxie does the job nicely. U-turn works amazingly well in conjunction with the lowest speed possible, granting Uxie to take a hit BEFORE passing to one of my trappers. Stealth Rock to stop those annoying Sashers.
The EVs are geared in Sp.Def since Gliscor already is the Physical Wall, and I use Uxie to counter threats which would normally hit it on the Special side (Mixape, Mixpert).

Role in assisting this team:
-Phazing move.
-Slow U-Turn grants my Trappers to get in safely.
-Residual Damage.
-Ties up loose ends.



@ Leftovers
Bold - 188 HP/252 Def/68 Sp.Def
-Wish
-Baton Pass
-Surf
-Hidden Power [Electric]

Support #2. Vaporeon is a staple to this team. It covers a lot of Weaknesses to this team extremely well. I takes Ice attacks and Fire attacks which are a huge threat to my team (Due to Weavile, Dugtrio and Gliscor). I use him over Starmie because Starmie provided less support, so was essentially dead weight.
Subsitute + Baton Pass work well to get some insurance for my trappers. This combo also ensures that if my trappers can only 2HKO something, they don't get hurt at all. Baton Pass also essentially works as a pseudo-U turn, getting in my trappers safely even without a Substitute. Surf is self explanitory and Hidden Power [Electric] is to make up for Uxie not carrying Thunderbolt. Vaporeon counters Gyarados effectively due to this.

Role is assisting team:
-Passes Bulky Substitutes to grant insurance.
-Pseudo-U turn
-Takes down another problem Pokemon, Gyarados.
-Counters Mixape nicely.



@ Leftovers
Relaxed - 252 HP/252 Def/6 Att [0 Speed IV]
-Aerial Ace
-U-Turn
-Roost
-Earthquake

And finally, #3. Gliscor is an amazing Physical tank and a much needed supporter of this team. Heracross can potentially beat my team to pulp, as can that annoying SDLuke that is quite abundant. Gliscor is an amazing counter to both as well as so many other Pokemon. Yache Berry is to survive an Ice attack from a Weavile or Mamoswine since they both give me some trouble.
Aerial Ace and Earthquake are for STAB, standard and to take down what Gliscor is here to counter. Roost again is standard for recovery and finally, U-Turn is to get in my trappers effectively.

Role is assisting team:
-Much needed Physical Tank
-Slow U-Turn once again.
-Takes down 2 huge threats, Heracross and SDLuke


And finally, the stars of the show:


@ Leftovers
Modest - 172 HP/252 Sp.Att/84 Speed
-Thunderbolt
-Hidden Power [Ice]
-Substitute
-Magnet rise

First trapper. Takes out every Steel Pokemon which is wicked. Magnezone is a real improvement over Magneton from R/S/E. When I get better Defences, the Speed drop doesn't matter as much to me.
Magnezone hasn't changed at all from last August and it's a standard set really.



@ Choice Band
Jolly
- 252 Att/252 Speed/6 HP
-Earthquake
-Aerial Ace
-Stone Edge
-Sucker Punch

Again, Standard premise. Dugtrio is so effective at what it does, it's not even funny. Many people call him cheap; only because they lose to it.
I use Jolly over Adamant because:
-I use Jolly for Infernape, which is also taken care of by Vaporeon but I like insurance.
-To stop a Sub-less Raikou.
I've been considering replacing Sucker Punch for something. I never really use it TBH.



@ Choice Band
Jolly - 252 Att/252 Speed/6 HP
-Ice Shard
-Brick Break
-Pursuit
-Night Slash

Finally, my last Trapper. And my favourite one ^^. When my opponent brings out anything Psychic/Ghost type, it's practically dead. A Swift Pursuit is what makes Weavile my favourite Trapper out of the lot.
I chose Ice Shard over Ice Punch because:
-I got swept once by a Yanmega. Ice Shard hits it nicely.
-ScarfChomp is a menace really.
The Rest is wicked. Standard premise again, k thx bi.

Now that is done, I'll give you the list of Pokemon which my trappers kill:



(Priority Less anyway)


















(I'll edit in a comprehensive threat list of the non-trappable Pokemon later)

A few points of concern:
-My lack of a good status absorber.
-Mamoswine and Weavile (Especially Weavile).

Thank you for reading. Please, RMT :).
 
Very nice, no major weaknesses jump out at me although lack of a spinner could mean something... I doubt it though.

9.9/10, since no team is perfect =D
 
hmh looks pretty solid^^.
But I think you should add Dusknoir to your 'get trapped' list...it makes your team more intimidating =D
 
God damnit. I wanted to be the first to make a trap team... (had thought of making one myself). But anywho, I think Magnezone should carry Life Orb w/ Explosion, making it a good Skarm Bliss, Bliss Cress ect. killer. Dugtrio doesn't handle Bliss as well as people think it does.

I really like the whole U-Turn abuse thing though, I imagine that working well. Good job with the team.
 

gec

pharos
is a Forum Moderator Alumnus
@ Moogleking & Kedavra - Thanks very much guys :).

God damnit. I wanted to be the first to make a trap team... (had thought of making one myself). But anywho, I think Magnezone should carry Life Orb w/ Explosion, making it a good Skarm Bliss, Bliss Cress ect. killer. Dugtrio doesn't handle Bliss as well as people think it does.

I really like the whole U-Turn abuse thing though, I imagine that working well. Good job with the team.
Nah, I don't like Explosion on my Magnezone. Trust me, I can take down Blissey really easily.

And Thanks again ^^
 
You may want Choice Band on Dugtrio, has it will not 2HKO Blissey without it, even with Adamant. It will also not OHKO Tyranitar without it, among others. Keep Adamant if you want that OHKO on Tyranitar, but if you want to also be able to trap Infernape, run Jolly. Also, Swords Dance Garchomp could give you problems, as it can run through Uxie and Gliscor, and only Weavile beats it, who can't come in on anything.
 

gec

pharos
is a Forum Moderator Alumnus
@ Doma - Thanks :)

@ Rhykune - Stealth rock + Potential U Turn damage will most likely net me a 2HKO and 1HKO respectively. Blissey has always been 2HKOed and TTar 1HKOed from all my matches played.
 

cim

happiness is such hard work
is a Contributor Alumnusis a Smogon Media Contributor Alumnus
Life Orb Dugtrio kinda defeats the purpose of Arena Trap: easing prediction. Plus then Raikou will bone you. Adamant CB Dugtrio would probably work better.

Overall, pretty good. Pointless point scale / 10.
 
You could always replace Vaporeon with Hitmontop:

Hitmontop @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Rapid Spin
- Mach Punch / Brick Break
- Toxic
- Stone Edge

(Feel free to take some Defense EVs and put them into Attack if necessary.)
Hitmontop can effectively counter all three of your major threats: Weavile, Mamoswine, and Gyarados; and as an added bonus, packs Intimidate. Although it lacks the priority moves U-Turn and Baton Pass, it can clear your side field of Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes with Rapid Spin, which is deffinately essential to this considering the fact that you will be doing a lot of switching, which will eventually wear down your team.

You can consider giving it a Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd) and adding in Gyro Ball to expand it's coverage.
 
He needs Vaporeon. NEEDS it. The team isn't based around Pokemon like Hitmontop. Imo, the team is set. And has everything correct.

But I don't like the items. And I'd rather have Weavile as the lead, for gengar/azelf starters.
 

gec

pharos
is a Forum Moderator Alumnus
@ Pokerade - I would run Weavile as the lead but with the abundunce of ScarfGars - and to a lesser extent ScarfZelf - I wouldn't want to get boned right of the bat by them.

And yeah, Vaporeon is a MUST.
 
Looks like a good team (always toyed with the concept of a trap team involving those three but usually went for something else). I wonder, noiw that Shoddy has unbanned Wobbufett the Master of Trapping, would you put him into your team? You started it 10 months ago, but he was unbanned in February...
Wobb can destroy Status with Safeguard, and you listed that as a concern. Plus, he can go into the role of Uxie, but not as lead or with that exact set...
So... maybe not. Still, it would be good to fit him in to the team.
 

gec

pharos
is a Forum Moderator Alumnus
Since this is a WiFi team, I can't use Wobbuffet. I'll probably test him on Shoddy anyways.
 
Maybe you should go with:

Dugtrio@Choice Band

Pursuit
EQ
SE
Aerial Ace

You said that you don't really use sucker punch, so why not go with pursuit? Since Gengar might know what you're doing anyway, he can switch b/c Arena Trap doesn't cover Levitate, I'm not sure if pursuit OHKO's Gengar with Choice Band and no switch, but it's something you may consider. Plus the reasons other people gave for using Choice Band.
 
With a Life Orb, you can't 2HKO Bold 252 HP / Def Blissey, the most common version on Wi-Fi. And seeing that Dugtrio is your only way of hadnling Blissey in the first place, you will definitely need to take it out. Slap a Choice Band on it. Also, there was a nearly identical version of this team a while back, the only difference being Suicune instead of Vaporeon.
 
SubCM Pokemon (Raikou in particular) give you trouble if they play smart and use Sub first, as something will die if it gets a Sub up untouched.

Scizor won't be trapped by anything if it has U-Turn or Brick Break (which most sets do).

You have a hard time breaking Zapdos.

Ironically Dugtrio will get three kills if it takes out Weavile locked into Pursuit first (this isn't a major issue).

Nothing likes a Spec'd Seed Flare or Draco Meteor from Shaymin and Salamence, respectively.

The one pokemon that covers all of those threats doesn't get U-Turn or Baton Pass unfortunately *cough*Blissey*cough*.
 

gec

pharos
is a Forum Moderator Alumnus
Thanks guys for the replies (and the rating, whoever it was ^^).

@ azntrumpet- Zapdos is easy to break really with Weavile. Also, Magnezone resists BoltBeam and can hit back with HP Ice. TBH, Zapdos is kinda like set-up fodder for Magnezone.

Raikou, once again is stopped by Magnezone. If it does get a few too many CM's though, Uxie can Phaze it out which always works.
 
does this team get troubled by spikes strategy? i have yet to make a trap team (though i've actually seen 1 or 2 on shoddy) but i know that u-turners do hate taking damage on switches. does that bother you, or can you trap enough pokes that it's not an issue?
 
How does this team logically beat any Raikou ever? For example, Raikou will get in a switch against let's say Stealth Rock. It will then SUBSTITUTE, which you won't be able to Yawn against, nor will U-Turn break, allowing a free Calm Mind on whatever you come into. And then what? You send in Vaporeon? OHKO'd. You send in Gliscor? OHKO'd. You send in Dugtrio? OHKO'd. You send in Weavile? OHKO'd. So you send in Magnezone. It will still have a Substitute up. Once again, he Calm Minds while you attack, finally breaking the Substitute. Another Substitute comes up, while you hit it but won't break at all. Now you're facing a 2CM, Sub Raikou, where you can't even revenge kill with Dugtrio because it's not fast enough.

But while I was nitpicking at that, I'd be more worried about the fact how a simple Shed Shell Skarmory will ultimately win easily. And technically, Magnezone does not kill every steel there is. Steelix (Roar), Lucario and Heatran all beg to differ, as well as Metagross.

P.S. What's the point of Yache for Gliscor if all they're going to do is Ice move again, in which case that Yache was moot to begin with. You're way better off with actual Leftovers.
 
I'd personally run Weezing over Gliscor with something like:

Weezing@Black Sludge
Bold 252 HP/252 Def/4 Sp. Atk

Fire Blast
Thunderbolt
HP Ice
Pain Split

It still counters Heracross and Lucario, but now also is a nice backup counter to Gyarados and can also handle DDMence, Dragonite and Garchomp. It is also a great switch in to Mamoswine and Weavile, something Gliscor is surely not.
 
the big weakness I see is indeed Raikou for the reasons mentioned by Aeroblaktyl which I won't bother to retype, also as has been stated Dugtrio really needs a band, Life Orb allows for more versatility when choosing the move you want to use as you can swap around but also slowly deals you damage (which can be hectic if your opponent has any kind of Spikes,SR,TS out) and that you won't be 2HKOing 252 Hp/Def Bold Blissey which is becoming more and more common, who will be able to slam you back with Ice Beam which is also becoming more common on her. Overall you have a very good team with a few minor weaknesses, be ware of Twave on weavile but shouldnt be to bad with two immunities, be warey of Raikou yes it is on wifi and very uncommon there but never count these things out. Oh and watch out for scarfed azelf should weavile faint...can Ice shard even hit Azelf for a OHKO?

8.5/10 very well thought out and planned

PS. I'm gonna attack your weak point for massive damage
 

gec

pharos
is a Forum Moderator Alumnus
How does this team logically beat any Raikou ever? For example, Raikou will get in a switch against let's say Stealth Rock. It will then SUBSTITUTE, which you won't be able to Yawn against, nor will U-Turn break, allowing a free Calm Mind on whatever you come into. And then what? You send in Vaporeon? OHKO'd. You send in Gliscor? OHKO'd. You send in Dugtrio? OHKO'd. You send in Weavile? OHKO'd. So you send in Magnezone. It will still have a Substitute up. Once again, he Calm Minds while you attack, finally breaking the Substitute. Another Substitute comes up, while you hit it but won't break at all. Now you're facing a 2CM, Sub Raikou, where you can't even revenge kill with Dugtrio because it's not fast enough.

But while I was nitpicking at that, I'd be more worried about the fact how a simple Shed Shell Skarmory will ultimately win easily. And technically, Magnezone does not kill every steel there is. Steelix (Roar), Lucario and Heatran all beg to differ, as well as Metagross.

P.S. What's the point of Yache for Gliscor if all they're going to do is Ice move again, in which case that Yache was moot to begin with. You're way better off with actual Leftovers.
Ahh yesh, I see what you mean. I just realised how potent a threat Raikou is to my team thanks to you. Any way of fixing this huge threat?

I just didn't realise it because I haven't seen a Raikou on WiFi but you never know.
 
Raikou isn't that much of a threat if you make Dugtrio Jolly with Choice Band. It switches in without taking any damage / status. That's fine. You now have to switch DIRECTLY to Dugtrio. If he Calm Minds up, you kill him with Earthquake. If he Thunderbolts, you take 0 damage and kill with Earthquake, and finally if he uses HP Ice / Grass you barely survive and kill with Earthquake.
 

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