Under my alt on Pokemon Showdown, The_Kalawishis_2, I've been experimenting with various teams in all manner of tiers. You may remember my last RMT: http://www.smogon.com/forums/thread...-starring-mega-ampharos.3561963/#post-6627221
This team is a little different. A little more refined. A little more successful. While it was just the result of a combination of edits to the previous linked team, the combination is significant enough for this Trick Room Hyper Offense team to go from mediocre to good and beat all manner of play styles, even full stall. So without further ado, I'll list the team members.
(Note: I did not make any of the artwork in this post.)
Let's start with the bomb:
Bell Pepper (Bronzong) @ Mental Herb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Gyro Ball
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
This isn't necessarily the dedicated lead for this team, since I often lead with a different member based on the match up. But usually, I send out this guy first. Trick Room is often the first move it uses, especially if I suspect the other Pokemon to have Taunt, and from there I set up rocks and explode - doing a great deal of damage to whatever isn't resistant to Normal or very physically defensive. However, Bronzong's low speed, combined with maximum Attack investment, makes its Gyro Balls hit rather hard. Furthermore, Bronzong is useful in that it is the only Ground move immunity on my team, being able to switch in on things like Mamoswine and the Nido siblings safely. Hence, in many situations, after Trick Room or rocks are set up, I will switch into another Pokemon and save Bronzong for further utility.
If the match up doesn't look good for Bronzong, however, I could possibly send out the Electric Sheep of Doom, i.e.:
Sheeple (Ampharos) @ Ampharosite
Ability: Static
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Volt Switch
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
Ampharos is great for both gaining momentum (via Volt Switch) and punching holes in the opponent's team (via any other of its attacks). If I believe the opponent will lead with something that could destroy Bronzong, such as Crawdaunt, I can simply lead with this and either Volt Switch or Dragon Pulse. Full investment is put into Physical Defense, allowing this Pokemon to be a NSI check to things like Krookodile or utility Donphan with Sturdy broken. Generally, it can sponge any type of physical hit very well, and can even take a special hit or two, even without any investment. Great bulk doesn't mean it doesn't hit hard, either. Dragon Pulse and Thunderbolt are simple strong STAB moves, and Focus Blast is essential, if inaccurate, coverage. All moves put a dent in things with a Quiet nature, max EVs, and a base 165 Special Attack.
Moving onto another special sweeper, we have the Maestro:
Greenspan (Reuniclus) @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Psyshock
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Trick Room
One may notice that I invested completely into Special Defense for this Pokemon. That is because Reuniclus is the Special Defense version of Mega Ampharos. Being able to take super effective special hits, use Trick Room, and then kill the enemy with Psyshock or a coverage move is quite useful. I say "kill" since Life Orb and Magic Guard make this Pokemon perhaps the hardest special hitter on my team. Anything that isn't specifically a tank really takes a beating from this Pokemon. Psyshock can 2HKO most Pokemon in UU, especially after rocks, and Shadow Ball and Focus Blast provide coverage that can easily kill what isn't hit hard by Psyshock. Magic Guard also makes this Pokemon a great status sponge, literally ignoring burns and toxic poisonings. Overall, Reuniclus is a very useful and powerful addition to my team.
But let's get to the real meat of this team. The crab meat, that is:
Crabsmack (Crawdaunt) @ Life Orb
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Knock Off
- Crabhammer
- Aqua Jet
- Swords Dance
I would consider Crawdaunt to be perhaps the most vicious physical attacker I have ever used in UU. Adaptability makes this thing amazing. You really don't know what it means to wield true power unless you start killing things from full health with just Knock Off, or sweeping a team with boosted Aqua Jet. Trick Room turns what is already a caustic crab into a monster lobster, turning many Pokemon that would check it, like Heliolisk, into more fodder to be OHKOed. Furthermore, Trick Room means that I don't have to invest any EVs into Speed - rather, I can invest them into Defense, and make this Pokemon a little bulky on the physical side (the special side is a lost cause). Other than that, this set doesn't really deviate from the standard OU Swords Dance crab set, which I suppose says a lot about how good the set is. Really, no Pokemon is safe from Crabhammer.
From ludicrous offense to ludicrous defense, we come to Ducksworth:
Ducksworth (Porygon2) @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Trick Room
- Recover
Many of you are already familiar with the great bulk of Porygon2, but to give those who are unaware an idea, no neutral move, and I mean no neutral move I have encountered in UU so far, from any Pokemon, can 2HKO this thing. This makes my Porygon2 perhaps the most reliable setter of Trick Room on my team. That isn't to say that this thing can't hit hard, oh no. Eviolite allows me to run a Quiet nature and invest fully into Special Attack, meaning that if this thing gets the correct Download boost then it can wreak some serious havoc. Thunderbolt and Ice Beam hit a surprising number of things super effectively, making Porygon2 able to KO those who are weak to it, and even overpower things like Suicune and Mandibuzz with a bit of luck. Recover isn't used much, but it is quite useful if I am trying to waste away one or two turns of Trick Room so I can set up another one and switch out.
And finally, we have a Pokemon you might not expect to see on a Trick Room team:
Toingous (Cobalion) @ Leftovers
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Swords Dance
- Iron Head
- Magnet Rise
Yes, it's Cobalion. One of the most common Pokemon in UU, and for good reason. It's so useful. Here and there in a battle Trick Room can run out, and instead of scrambling to set up another, I can go into this thing. Close Combat and Iron Head both are great STAB moves, hitting nearly everything for neutral coverage. Swords Dance allows this thing to really pressure the opposing team, since Cobalion's offensive presence isn't that great compared with some of the other Pokemon on my team, like Crawdaunt. Magnet Rise is what catches people by surprise. People sometimes switch in things like Krookodile or Nidoking on this thing, expecting to force it out. I then Magnet Rise, and proceed to set up. With one Swords Dance I can hurt everything, even things that resist both Steel and Fighting. Overall, Cobalion is a great way to pressure an opponent outside of Trick Room when setting up Trick Room isn't feasible at the moment.
And that is my team. I would really, really appreciate a good dose of criticism for my work. I've peaked 1611 on the UU ladder, which was in the top 100 at the time, but things are still a little shaky and I can't expect to win as consistently as I'd like. So come one and come all, please, rate my team.
This team is a little different. A little more refined. A little more successful. While it was just the result of a combination of edits to the previous linked team, the combination is significant enough for this Trick Room Hyper Offense team to go from mediocre to good and beat all manner of play styles, even full stall. So without further ado, I'll list the team members.
(Note: I did not make any of the artwork in this post.)
Let's start with the bomb:
Bell Pepper (Bronzong) @ Mental Herb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Gyro Ball
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
This isn't necessarily the dedicated lead for this team, since I often lead with a different member based on the match up. But usually, I send out this guy first. Trick Room is often the first move it uses, especially if I suspect the other Pokemon to have Taunt, and from there I set up rocks and explode - doing a great deal of damage to whatever isn't resistant to Normal or very physically defensive. However, Bronzong's low speed, combined with maximum Attack investment, makes its Gyro Balls hit rather hard. Furthermore, Bronzong is useful in that it is the only Ground move immunity on my team, being able to switch in on things like Mamoswine and the Nido siblings safely. Hence, in many situations, after Trick Room or rocks are set up, I will switch into another Pokemon and save Bronzong for further utility.
If the match up doesn't look good for Bronzong, however, I could possibly send out the Electric Sheep of Doom, i.e.:
Sheeple (Ampharos) @ Ampharosite
Ability: Static
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Volt Switch
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
Ampharos is great for both gaining momentum (via Volt Switch) and punching holes in the opponent's team (via any other of its attacks). If I believe the opponent will lead with something that could destroy Bronzong, such as Crawdaunt, I can simply lead with this and either Volt Switch or Dragon Pulse. Full investment is put into Physical Defense, allowing this Pokemon to be a NSI check to things like Krookodile or utility Donphan with Sturdy broken. Generally, it can sponge any type of physical hit very well, and can even take a special hit or two, even without any investment. Great bulk doesn't mean it doesn't hit hard, either. Dragon Pulse and Thunderbolt are simple strong STAB moves, and Focus Blast is essential, if inaccurate, coverage. All moves put a dent in things with a Quiet nature, max EVs, and a base 165 Special Attack.
Moving onto another special sweeper, we have the Maestro:
Greenspan (Reuniclus) @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Psyshock
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Trick Room
One may notice that I invested completely into Special Defense for this Pokemon. That is because Reuniclus is the Special Defense version of Mega Ampharos. Being able to take super effective special hits, use Trick Room, and then kill the enemy with Psyshock or a coverage move is quite useful. I say "kill" since Life Orb and Magic Guard make this Pokemon perhaps the hardest special hitter on my team. Anything that isn't specifically a tank really takes a beating from this Pokemon. Psyshock can 2HKO most Pokemon in UU, especially after rocks, and Shadow Ball and Focus Blast provide coverage that can easily kill what isn't hit hard by Psyshock. Magic Guard also makes this Pokemon a great status sponge, literally ignoring burns and toxic poisonings. Overall, Reuniclus is a very useful and powerful addition to my team.
But let's get to the real meat of this team. The crab meat, that is:
Crabsmack (Crawdaunt) @ Life Orb
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Knock Off
- Crabhammer
- Aqua Jet
- Swords Dance
I would consider Crawdaunt to be perhaps the most vicious physical attacker I have ever used in UU. Adaptability makes this thing amazing. You really don't know what it means to wield true power unless you start killing things from full health with just Knock Off, or sweeping a team with boosted Aqua Jet. Trick Room turns what is already a caustic crab into a monster lobster, turning many Pokemon that would check it, like Heliolisk, into more fodder to be OHKOed. Furthermore, Trick Room means that I don't have to invest any EVs into Speed - rather, I can invest them into Defense, and make this Pokemon a little bulky on the physical side (the special side is a lost cause). Other than that, this set doesn't really deviate from the standard OU Swords Dance crab set, which I suppose says a lot about how good the set is. Really, no Pokemon is safe from Crabhammer.
From ludicrous offense to ludicrous defense, we come to Ducksworth:
Ducksworth (Porygon2) @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Trick Room
- Recover
Many of you are already familiar with the great bulk of Porygon2, but to give those who are unaware an idea, no neutral move, and I mean no neutral move I have encountered in UU so far, from any Pokemon, can 2HKO this thing. This makes my Porygon2 perhaps the most reliable setter of Trick Room on my team. That isn't to say that this thing can't hit hard, oh no. Eviolite allows me to run a Quiet nature and invest fully into Special Attack, meaning that if this thing gets the correct Download boost then it can wreak some serious havoc. Thunderbolt and Ice Beam hit a surprising number of things super effectively, making Porygon2 able to KO those who are weak to it, and even overpower things like Suicune and Mandibuzz with a bit of luck. Recover isn't used much, but it is quite useful if I am trying to waste away one or two turns of Trick Room so I can set up another one and switch out.
And finally, we have a Pokemon you might not expect to see on a Trick Room team:
Toingous (Cobalion) @ Leftovers
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Swords Dance
- Iron Head
- Magnet Rise
Yes, it's Cobalion. One of the most common Pokemon in UU, and for good reason. It's so useful. Here and there in a battle Trick Room can run out, and instead of scrambling to set up another, I can go into this thing. Close Combat and Iron Head both are great STAB moves, hitting nearly everything for neutral coverage. Swords Dance allows this thing to really pressure the opposing team, since Cobalion's offensive presence isn't that great compared with some of the other Pokemon on my team, like Crawdaunt. Magnet Rise is what catches people by surprise. People sometimes switch in things like Krookodile or Nidoking on this thing, expecting to force it out. I then Magnet Rise, and proceed to set up. With one Swords Dance I can hurt everything, even things that resist both Steel and Fighting. Overall, Cobalion is a great way to pressure an opponent outside of Trick Room when setting up Trick Room isn't feasible at the moment.
And that is my team. I would really, really appreciate a good dose of criticism for my work. I've peaked 1611 on the UU ladder, which was in the top 100 at the time, but things are still a little shaky and I can't expect to win as consistently as I'd like. So come one and come all, please, rate my team.
