Introduction:
Hello Smogon, it's Jajub123 here, with my second RMT. I'm fairly new to the competitive scene, only having ~3 months of experience under my belt. NU is by far my favorite tier, due to all of the options to choose from. The idea of this team is to apply pressure to the other team by having "bulky offence". This is where somebody on my team can set up, and then to proceed to "up heave" the entire team (hence the name). This team centralizes on preforming a sweep with Sawsbuck, due to the amazing force of this Pokemon. I have two other bulky sweepers that have amazing synergy with Sawsbuck defensively and offensively, as well as removing Sawsbuck's threats for a clean sweep. This team has had a record of 12-0 wins to losses, so I'd say it's pretty good (on PS). I don't have any laddering achievements, due to the fact that I don't try to ladder; I play for fun. Anyway, on to the team:
Team Building Process:
To start I wanted to utilize Sawsbuck, a great sweeper. It was capable of preforming a sweep on an entire team, due to it's great speed and outstanding power after a Sap Sipper boost/SD boost.
I knew that, while Sawbuck is great, it was weak to priority if it didn't have a sub. Sawsbuck would also take a lot of recoil from LO and sub, and may not be able to use Horn Leech. So, I needed two great walls that could also serve as clerics for Sawsbuck (cause status ruins Sawbuck; wishes are great also). Immediately Alomomola came to mind, having wish and being an outstanding psysical wall. Alo could lure in grass moves for Sawsbuck. Grumpig could Heal Bell, and had some great resistances to fire, ice, and fighting, which destroy Sawsbuck. They can also counter things like Sawk and other strong attackers.
Now I needed a stealth rocker, as well as a rapid spinner to support Sawsbuck furthur. I also needed a check to the giant amounts of ghosts in the tier, which Sawsbuck has troubles with (i.e. Haunter, Drifblim, etc.). I also needed a special attacker. So, Armaldo fit the rock/rapid spin cue perfectly, Skuntank was an amazing check to those ghosts (and psychics), and I decided to slap Jynx on there from seeing how much work it could do.
Now then, after some testing, I saw that Grumpig, while being a great special wall, was dying too quickly due to lack of reliable recovery. Musharna fit everything Grumpig could do, if not better. She could also preform sweeps countless times. She could Heal Bell, have Moonlight, take physical hit very well, and can be a better special wall due to CM. Jynx was a good idea on paper, seeing as it OHKO's things that wall Sawsbuck like Tangela, it needed momentum. A majority of my team was defensive/support, so that just didn't happen. I found that Gurdurr countered basically everything that Musharna and Sawsbuck couldn't put a dent in/counter.
So then, with Sawsbuck, Musharna, and Gurdurr as my core, Armaldo as my support, Alo as a wall, and Skuntank as a revenge killer/ghost counter, my team was ready.
An in Depth Look:
Armaldo@Leftovers
Ability: Battle Armor
EV's: 252 HP, 216 Def, 40 SDef, Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
Moves:
-Stealth Rocks
-Rapid Spin
-Rock Blast
-Earthquake
This thing is awesome, and is my typical lead (unless a set-up opportunity seems obvious immediately). Armaldo's defense is crazy, and it can practically not be even 2HKO'd by another lead's attack. Stealth Rocks for obvious reasons and Rapid Spin to get away those hazards for somebody to set-up easily. Armaldo can easily counter basically any lead. I play slightly suicide-ish with Armaldo, due to the fact that rocks help a ton with the rest of my team. For example, if I see a Golem, I'll typically go strait for an EQ, and then 2HKO it. I can then set up rocks, spin the other rocks away, and then switch out (I can repeat this process if necessary; Alo can pass a wish and practically fully heal Armaldo). Rock Blast is such a great move on Armaldo, doing about the same damage as rock slide, but it can break subs. This feature is very useful against set-up Pokemon. Overall, Armaldo is an amazing lead that I utilize to the best advantage.
Skuntank@Black Sludge
Ability: Aftermath
EV's: 252 Atk, 196 SDef, 60 Spe, Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
Moves:
-Pursuit
-Sucker Punch
-Crunch
-Roar
Skuntank is either the most useless Pokemon on my team, or the most useful one. Skuntank does what this team needs it to do perfectly: it's decimates ghosts and psychics. It can also act as a revenge killer and pick off the little bits of HP left on a Pokemon, which is exactly what I need it to do sometimes. Skuntank can counter things like Haunter, Drifblim, Musharna, Jynx... Yeah, Skuntank is a pretty good counter for those things. I want to say something about the EV's: I'm speed creeping. That's because a lot of Pokemon such as Drifblim aim to outspeed the typical Skuntank, and so therefore, I outspeed them. Roar is kind of an oddity here; but it works very well. Since a lot of switching happens with Skuntank, you can Roar on the switch and bring another Pokemon in that Skuntank can counter/doesn't counter Skuntank. Roar is also incredible at having a surprise factor, and stops set-up-sweepers in their tracks.
Alomomola@Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EV's: 252 HP, 252 Def, 4 SDef, Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
Moves:
-Wish
-Waterfall
-Toxic
-Protect
Ah yes, the standard Alo set. It works SO well as a physical wall/cleric. I try to keep Alo safe for the majority of the match, because it can basically give every pokemon a "new chance". It's also great at stalling out various Pokemon such as bulky attackers, walls, and glass cannons. Alomomola basically rejuvenates this team, and keeps it together. Also, as a nice bonus, Alo can lure in the grass types and their moves, switch to Sawsbuck, get the Sap Sipper boost, and then proceed to sweep. Sometimes I lead with Alo, force a switch into something else, and while predicting that switch, I go into the appropriate sweeper. EV's to maximize physical bulk, and to increase the amount that Wish heals. Overall, ths little fish will NOT die. It keeps this entire team healthy, and is vital to my success.
Gurdurr@Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EV's: 252 HP, 4 Def, 252 SDef, Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
Moves:
-Bulk Up
-Drain Punch
-Payback
-Mach Punch
Gurdurr: the first part of my set-up core. This thing is such a good pokemon. After a couple of Bulk Up's (which are quite easy to acquire due to Gurdurr's bulk), it can devastate most of a team, if not all of it. Drain Punch and Payback have great offensive synergy, Drain Punch dealing massive damage to anything that doesn't resist, and Payback hitting the ghosts/psychics/faster pokes. The only thing that hinders Gurdurr is lack of reliable recovery, but again, that is solved through the benevolent powers of Alomomola. Gurdurr counters things like Skuntank, Liepard (which I have major troubles with), and other Pokemon as well. Once it gets going, Gurdurr doesn't stop. EV's maximize durability, and the ability to appreciate most status is priceless for Gurdurr. Gurdurr can also act as a "back up" physical wall. Mach Punch also gives Gurdurr much needed priority, OHKO-ing Pokemon such as Jynx and opposing Sawsbuck. So, Gurdurr is an overall great sweeper.
Musharna@Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EV's: 240 HP, 252 Def, 16 SDef, Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
Moves:
-Calm Mind
-Heal Bell
-Psychic
-Moonlight
Musharna acts as my special wall, as well as being an incredible special sweeper. Musharna can easily set up on practically anything that doesn't hit it for super effective damage. After several CM's, Musharna is ready to sweep. Musharna counters things like Weezing that Gurdurr and Sawsbuck have trouble taking down. Now, you may be asking: you are completely walled by dark types (especially Skuntank)! That's why I have Gurdurr, and to a lesser extent, Sawsbuck. Due to the fact that I have three sweepers that can devastate an entire team by themselves, this is essentially an non-existent issue. I will NEVER bring in Musharna if SKuntank is alive, maybe for other darks to lure. Anyway, Musharna can also act as a superb cleric with Heal Bell, alleviating Pokemon such as Alomomola and Sawsbuck from their ailments. Moonlight keeps Musharna healthy, not much else to say. EV's, again, maximize bulk so she can set up easily. All in all, Musharna functions as an excellent special wall as well as a great sweeper.
Sawsbuck@ Life Orb
Ability: Sap Sipper
EV's: 252 Atk, 4 Def, 252 Spe, Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SAtk)
Moves:
Swords Dance
Substitute
Horn Leech
Return
Sawsbuck: the star of the show. This deer is so powerful, I don't even know how to explain it. It's slightly sad that people aren't using it that much, but, I guess that makes it a slightly-underrated threat. Anyway, Sawsbuck, once it get several SD's up, WILL sweep a majority of the team, if not all of it. It's sublime speed only makes it susceptible to CS-ers, priority, and the few Pokemon that outspeed. However, all of these problems are solved through Substitute. Sawsbuck is here to kill so much stuff on the other team, and it does that perfectly. One set up opportunity, and, well, sweep for Sawsbuck. While Life Orb and Substitute may seem odd, the HP lost is easily regained through Horn Leech (looking at you, Alomomola!). Through the rest of the team, Sawsbuck can easily set up and sweep. EV's and nature increase POWER!, and lets Sawsbuck's seeping capabilities expand. This deer is powerful- oh so powerful.
Threat List:
Liepard: Liepard can cause some issues for my team, as with Encore can easily stop my sweepers if they haven't already set up. It's solved through Skuntank w/ Roar, and Sawsbuck usually outspeeds and can OHKO...usually.
Jumpluff: This may seem weird, but it's for the same reasons as Liepard. It's just that Jumpluff can't really do anything back, unless it carries SD. Usually solved through a predicted switch, every sweeper can OHKO. Stealth Rocks reduce the durability a lot for Jumpluff.
Musharna/Haunter/Drifblim/other ghosts/pychics: These can be fairly annoying to deal with if Skuntank's gone, but usually Musharna can take a hit from a ghost, and retaliate with Psychic. Gurdurr can also OHKO a majority of them with Payback.
Conclusion:
Thank you for taking your time to read this RMT. Any feedback, advice, or suggestions are welcome and appreciated!
Hello Smogon, it's Jajub123 here, with my second RMT. I'm fairly new to the competitive scene, only having ~3 months of experience under my belt. NU is by far my favorite tier, due to all of the options to choose from. The idea of this team is to apply pressure to the other team by having "bulky offence". This is where somebody on my team can set up, and then to proceed to "up heave" the entire team (hence the name). This team centralizes on preforming a sweep with Sawsbuck, due to the amazing force of this Pokemon. I have two other bulky sweepers that have amazing synergy with Sawsbuck defensively and offensively, as well as removing Sawsbuck's threats for a clean sweep. This team has had a record of 12-0 wins to losses, so I'd say it's pretty good (on PS). I don't have any laddering achievements, due to the fact that I don't try to ladder; I play for fun. Anyway, on to the team:
Team Building Process:
To start I wanted to utilize Sawsbuck, a great sweeper. It was capable of preforming a sweep on an entire team, due to it's great speed and outstanding power after a Sap Sipper boost/SD boost.
I knew that, while Sawbuck is great, it was weak to priority if it didn't have a sub. Sawsbuck would also take a lot of recoil from LO and sub, and may not be able to use Horn Leech. So, I needed two great walls that could also serve as clerics for Sawsbuck (cause status ruins Sawbuck; wishes are great also). Immediately Alomomola came to mind, having wish and being an outstanding psysical wall. Alo could lure in grass moves for Sawsbuck. Grumpig could Heal Bell, and had some great resistances to fire, ice, and fighting, which destroy Sawsbuck. They can also counter things like Sawk and other strong attackers.
Now I needed a stealth rocker, as well as a rapid spinner to support Sawsbuck furthur. I also needed a check to the giant amounts of ghosts in the tier, which Sawsbuck has troubles with (i.e. Haunter, Drifblim, etc.). I also needed a special attacker. So, Armaldo fit the rock/rapid spin cue perfectly, Skuntank was an amazing check to those ghosts (and psychics), and I decided to slap Jynx on there from seeing how much work it could do.
Now then, after some testing, I saw that Grumpig, while being a great special wall, was dying too quickly due to lack of reliable recovery. Musharna fit everything Grumpig could do, if not better. She could also preform sweeps countless times. She could Heal Bell, have Moonlight, take physical hit very well, and can be a better special wall due to CM. Jynx was a good idea on paper, seeing as it OHKO's things that wall Sawsbuck like Tangela, it needed momentum. A majority of my team was defensive/support, so that just didn't happen. I found that Gurdurr countered basically everything that Musharna and Sawsbuck couldn't put a dent in/counter.
So then, with Sawsbuck, Musharna, and Gurdurr as my core, Armaldo as my support, Alo as a wall, and Skuntank as a revenge killer/ghost counter, my team was ready.
An in Depth Look:
Armaldo@Leftovers
Ability: Battle Armor
EV's: 252 HP, 216 Def, 40 SDef, Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
Moves:
-Stealth Rocks
-Rapid Spin
-Rock Blast
-Earthquake
This thing is awesome, and is my typical lead (unless a set-up opportunity seems obvious immediately). Armaldo's defense is crazy, and it can practically not be even 2HKO'd by another lead's attack. Stealth Rocks for obvious reasons and Rapid Spin to get away those hazards for somebody to set-up easily. Armaldo can easily counter basically any lead. I play slightly suicide-ish with Armaldo, due to the fact that rocks help a ton with the rest of my team. For example, if I see a Golem, I'll typically go strait for an EQ, and then 2HKO it. I can then set up rocks, spin the other rocks away, and then switch out (I can repeat this process if necessary; Alo can pass a wish and practically fully heal Armaldo). Rock Blast is such a great move on Armaldo, doing about the same damage as rock slide, but it can break subs. This feature is very useful against set-up Pokemon. Overall, Armaldo is an amazing lead that I utilize to the best advantage.
Skuntank@Black Sludge
Ability: Aftermath
EV's: 252 Atk, 196 SDef, 60 Spe, Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
Moves:
-Pursuit
-Sucker Punch
-Crunch
-Roar
Skuntank is either the most useless Pokemon on my team, or the most useful one. Skuntank does what this team needs it to do perfectly: it's decimates ghosts and psychics. It can also act as a revenge killer and pick off the little bits of HP left on a Pokemon, which is exactly what I need it to do sometimes. Skuntank can counter things like Haunter, Drifblim, Musharna, Jynx... Yeah, Skuntank is a pretty good counter for those things. I want to say something about the EV's: I'm speed creeping. That's because a lot of Pokemon such as Drifblim aim to outspeed the typical Skuntank, and so therefore, I outspeed them. Roar is kind of an oddity here; but it works very well. Since a lot of switching happens with Skuntank, you can Roar on the switch and bring another Pokemon in that Skuntank can counter/doesn't counter Skuntank. Roar is also incredible at having a surprise factor, and stops set-up-sweepers in their tracks.
Alomomola@Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EV's: 252 HP, 252 Def, 4 SDef, Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
Moves:
-Wish
-Waterfall
-Toxic
-Protect
Ah yes, the standard Alo set. It works SO well as a physical wall/cleric. I try to keep Alo safe for the majority of the match, because it can basically give every pokemon a "new chance". It's also great at stalling out various Pokemon such as bulky attackers, walls, and glass cannons. Alomomola basically rejuvenates this team, and keeps it together. Also, as a nice bonus, Alo can lure in the grass types and their moves, switch to Sawsbuck, get the Sap Sipper boost, and then proceed to sweep. Sometimes I lead with Alo, force a switch into something else, and while predicting that switch, I go into the appropriate sweeper. EV's to maximize physical bulk, and to increase the amount that Wish heals. Overall, ths little fish will NOT die. It keeps this entire team healthy, and is vital to my success.
Gurdurr@Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EV's: 252 HP, 4 Def, 252 SDef, Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
Moves:
-Bulk Up
-Drain Punch
-Payback
-Mach Punch
Gurdurr: the first part of my set-up core. This thing is such a good pokemon. After a couple of Bulk Up's (which are quite easy to acquire due to Gurdurr's bulk), it can devastate most of a team, if not all of it. Drain Punch and Payback have great offensive synergy, Drain Punch dealing massive damage to anything that doesn't resist, and Payback hitting the ghosts/psychics/faster pokes. The only thing that hinders Gurdurr is lack of reliable recovery, but again, that is solved through the benevolent powers of Alomomola. Gurdurr counters things like Skuntank, Liepard (which I have major troubles with), and other Pokemon as well. Once it gets going, Gurdurr doesn't stop. EV's maximize durability, and the ability to appreciate most status is priceless for Gurdurr. Gurdurr can also act as a "back up" physical wall. Mach Punch also gives Gurdurr much needed priority, OHKO-ing Pokemon such as Jynx and opposing Sawsbuck. So, Gurdurr is an overall great sweeper.
Musharna@Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EV's: 240 HP, 252 Def, 16 SDef, Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
Moves:
-Calm Mind
-Heal Bell
-Psychic
-Moonlight
Musharna acts as my special wall, as well as being an incredible special sweeper. Musharna can easily set up on practically anything that doesn't hit it for super effective damage. After several CM's, Musharna is ready to sweep. Musharna counters things like Weezing that Gurdurr and Sawsbuck have trouble taking down. Now, you may be asking: you are completely walled by dark types (especially Skuntank)! That's why I have Gurdurr, and to a lesser extent, Sawsbuck. Due to the fact that I have three sweepers that can devastate an entire team by themselves, this is essentially an non-existent issue. I will NEVER bring in Musharna if SKuntank is alive, maybe for other darks to lure. Anyway, Musharna can also act as a superb cleric with Heal Bell, alleviating Pokemon such as Alomomola and Sawsbuck from their ailments. Moonlight keeps Musharna healthy, not much else to say. EV's, again, maximize bulk so she can set up easily. All in all, Musharna functions as an excellent special wall as well as a great sweeper.
Sawsbuck@ Life Orb
Ability: Sap Sipper
EV's: 252 Atk, 4 Def, 252 Spe, Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SAtk)
Moves:
Swords Dance
Substitute
Horn Leech
Return
Sawsbuck: the star of the show. This deer is so powerful, I don't even know how to explain it. It's slightly sad that people aren't using it that much, but, I guess that makes it a slightly-underrated threat. Anyway, Sawsbuck, once it get several SD's up, WILL sweep a majority of the team, if not all of it. It's sublime speed only makes it susceptible to CS-ers, priority, and the few Pokemon that outspeed. However, all of these problems are solved through Substitute. Sawsbuck is here to kill so much stuff on the other team, and it does that perfectly. One set up opportunity, and, well, sweep for Sawsbuck. While Life Orb and Substitute may seem odd, the HP lost is easily regained through Horn Leech (looking at you, Alomomola!). Through the rest of the team, Sawsbuck can easily set up and sweep. EV's and nature increase POWER!, and lets Sawsbuck's seeping capabilities expand. This deer is powerful- oh so powerful.
Threat List:
Liepard: Liepard can cause some issues for my team, as with Encore can easily stop my sweepers if they haven't already set up. It's solved through Skuntank w/ Roar, and Sawsbuck usually outspeeds and can OHKO...usually.
Jumpluff: This may seem weird, but it's for the same reasons as Liepard. It's just that Jumpluff can't really do anything back, unless it carries SD. Usually solved through a predicted switch, every sweeper can OHKO. Stealth Rocks reduce the durability a lot for Jumpluff.
Musharna/Haunter/Drifblim/other ghosts/pychics: These can be fairly annoying to deal with if Skuntank's gone, but usually Musharna can take a hit from a ghost, and retaliate with Psychic. Gurdurr can also OHKO a majority of them with Payback.
Conclusion:
Thank you for taking your time to read this RMT. Any feedback, advice, or suggestions are welcome and appreciated!
