INTRO
After getting completely burnt out on gen 4 uu, I took a long hiatus from competitive pokemon simply because it had gone so stagnant for me. However, the new generation has changed so much for this game that some times its almost as if you are playing a new game entirely. In this new game, weather seems to be king. So much so that swift swim + drizzle was completely banned before I even got back into the swing of things. This type of move by the community meant one thing: People fear things they cannot out speed.
As time went on and I dabbled with several different teams I really began to notice that while pure stall is fairly rare these days, defensive checks like ferrothorn and gliscor where on nearly every team regardless of weather condition. Furthermore, Garchomp was used in just about every weather condition as a fail safe sweeper. I began racking my brain desperate for a way to deal with these pokemon, but coming up short. They were just too fast with too much bulk for brittle sweepers to handle.
It was at this time that I started getting obscure in experiments and I was looking into a sub sd Lickilicky set to beat weather teams (it got cloud nine as an ability). The idea was rubbish, but on the original team I had run an SD rhyperior. Its remarkable the sheer amount of pokemon that rhyperior puts down, but he is just too slow in most instances to come in on most things. At this same time I noticed an rmt about a sun team trying to put emboar on the map as an ou threat. Again the trouble with him was the same thing, awful speed making revenge killing simple.
From there Trick Room became the obvious choice and I quickly set about a skeleton frame work. All initial attempts were mostly disastrous, but from each attempt I learned a little more about the metagame and the way it handles trick room, and for the most part... it doesn't handle it well. Once I got a solid defnsive/ offensive core established I began to rake in the wins. Trick Room turns the frail but fast offensive sweepers into frail slow offensive sweepers that, for the most part, just cannot handle the bulk of my offensive combinations that are designed to overwhelm its counters while at the same time having different pokemon to take advantage and semi- counter any of the weather conditions. I think this team is also at a great advantage because all of them but one are bulky by nature, but at the same time can pull of a back breaking 3/4 turns in trick room if not an outright sweep while still being able to rely on defensive typing combinations to survive when tr isn't in play.
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TEAM BUILDING
I went into this team wanting to counter 2 things
1) weather
2) speed
the result was a bulky "balanced" trick room team
This team honestly began with a lickilicky, a rhyperior, and a bronzong. The lickilicky set was just so hindered by 4 move slot syndrome that I never really managed to get anything done. However, I loved the combination of Rhyperior and Bronzong who both often ko'd several pokemon each. It was just a plus that both of these pokemon thrive in sandstorm so that I can use them to even better effect under than weather condition.
From there I really wanted to use Slowbro or Slowking as a way to deal with Ferrothorn, a pokemon that walled both of the previously mentioned team mates. This pokemon slot constantly switches back and forth because I can never decide on a set I prefer as both are better in certain situations. That being said I'm currently using Slowbro as a more physically bulky water type. Though I have used NP/ Psych- Up Slowking more often in the team as a special sweeping option, its 2 moves of coverage always manages to leave it walled by something common. I generally just use it as a Ferrothorn and Scizor lure and if your not running NP, then Slowbro is just the better option even for Psych Up.
This was where I spent alot of time helping out, and abusing, that sun rmt and I realized Emboar was a perfect fit for this team in that it was slow, lured in several of the same counters (namely Gliscor), wasn't weak to sr, and was just generally a great bulky option to come in early and soften up a team for a Rhyperior or Bronzong sweep in the late game. As an added bonus this pokemon is a fantastic answer to sun teams since the boost allows Flare Blitz to put anything not immune to that manages to survive the attack in KO range from its second attack of choice.
It was at this time that I decided to focus on a special attacker. It didn't need to be a sweeper, but I did want something to absorb mach punches or drain punches. Reuniclus fit this bill perfectly as yet another pokemon that did fine in a weather condition, hail and sand specifically. Not to mention Ferrothorn, most Tyranitar, etc. cannot deal with. Works as another steel pokemon lure for pokemon like skarmory, scizor, and bronzong etc which can also help facilitate a Bronzong/ Rhyperior sweep.
The Last pokemon has changed around the most and for a long time was Celebi because I liked the idea of a grass type to complete a f/w/g core for solid synergy that offsets the vulnerability of my slow pokemon when TR isn't up. I had used a lagging tail and u-turn to help ensure I always got in a free switch in to a sweeper similar to an explosion lead. However, Celebi was just dead weight in so many cases because all it could do was set up trick room, lagging tail was just an awful item that didn't help it in any way whatsoever, and to top it all of it couldn't counter or even check a single pokemon and was just one more pursuit weak pokemon. I knew I had to get rid of it, but I still really liked the idea of a TR Grass type. Exeggutor got some use, but was barely any more useful than Celebi so for a while I was just running a mixed sweeper Octillery because I completely had nothing. Finally I looked up the list of pokemon that learned the move and noticed Whimsicott and my jaw dropped. I had used it on my U-turn team that laddered pretty well and I knew that it could help generate momentum that TR teams need. So far it has been the most reliable TR user I have, and quite honestly wins me several games because of its supportive utility.
So as a whole I was looking at a finished product of
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I went into this team wanting to counter 2 things
1) weather
2) speed
the result was a bulky "balanced" trick room team
This team honestly began with a lickilicky, a rhyperior, and a bronzong. The lickilicky set was just so hindered by 4 move slot syndrome that I never really managed to get anything done. However, I loved the combination of Rhyperior and Bronzong who both often ko'd several pokemon each. It was just a plus that both of these pokemon thrive in sandstorm so that I can use them to even better effect under than weather condition.
From there I really wanted to use Slowbro or Slowking as a way to deal with Ferrothorn, a pokemon that walled both of the previously mentioned team mates. This pokemon slot constantly switches back and forth because I can never decide on a set I prefer as both are better in certain situations. That being said I'm currently using Slowbro as a more physically bulky water type. Though I have used NP/ Psych- Up Slowking more often in the team as a special sweeping option, its 2 moves of coverage always manages to leave it walled by something common. I generally just use it as a Ferrothorn and Scizor lure and if your not running NP, then Slowbro is just the better option even for Psych Up.
This was where I spent alot of time helping out, and abusing, that sun rmt and I realized Emboar was a perfect fit for this team in that it was slow, lured in several of the same counters (namely Gliscor), wasn't weak to sr, and was just generally a great bulky option to come in early and soften up a team for a Rhyperior or Bronzong sweep in the late game. As an added bonus this pokemon is a fantastic answer to sun teams since the boost allows Flare Blitz to put anything not immune to that manages to survive the attack in KO range from its second attack of choice.
It was at this time that I decided to focus on a special attacker. It didn't need to be a sweeper, but I did want something to absorb mach punches or drain punches. Reuniclus fit this bill perfectly as yet another pokemon that did fine in a weather condition, hail and sand specifically. Not to mention Ferrothorn, most Tyranitar, etc. cannot deal with. Works as another steel pokemon lure for pokemon like skarmory, scizor, and bronzong etc which can also help facilitate a Bronzong/ Rhyperior sweep.
The Last pokemon has changed around the most and for a long time was Celebi because I liked the idea of a grass type to complete a f/w/g core for solid synergy that offsets the vulnerability of my slow pokemon when TR isn't up. I had used a lagging tail and u-turn to help ensure I always got in a free switch in to a sweeper similar to an explosion lead. However, Celebi was just dead weight in so many cases because all it could do was set up trick room, lagging tail was just an awful item that didn't help it in any way whatsoever, and to top it all of it couldn't counter or even check a single pokemon and was just one more pursuit weak pokemon. I knew I had to get rid of it, but I still really liked the idea of a TR Grass type. Exeggutor got some use, but was barely any more useful than Celebi so for a while I was just running a mixed sweeper Octillery because I completely had nothing. Finally I looked up the list of pokemon that learned the move and noticed Whimsicott and my jaw dropped. I had used it on my U-turn team that laddered pretty well and I knew that it could help generate momentum that TR teams need. So far it has been the most reliable TR user I have, and quite honestly wins me several games because of its supportive utility.
So as a whole I was looking at a finished product of
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THE TEAM A LITTLE CLOSER
Note: I'm generally really tight on my EV spreads, but I haven't found a Damage Calculator I can work yet so a link would be super helpful, because I know most of these could be more efficient.
"TRICK ROOMERS"
@Lum Berry (Harvest)
Quiet; 252 Hp/ 252 Sp. Atk./ 4 Def.
Trick Room
Rest
Hidden Power: Fire (70 base power)
Leaf Storm
Why Exeggutor?
I began using exeggutor in a futile hope that mental herb would be affected by harvest (its not) and because I desperately needed an offensive grass move for coverage. After having found this disappointment out, I just switched to celebi because they filled similar roles. However, I went back to exeggutor when I realized just how good total immunity to all status conditions was, though immunity to taunt and encore would admittedly be more useful for this team. While under the effects of trick room, exeggutor can act as a pseudo hydration/ rest vaporeon. While this set has some niche uses and is still probably worse than celebi defensively, it hits significantly harder and its much slower which synergizes with trick room better. Sleep powder is something exeggutor has that celebi doesn't and is just general utility for the team that allows me to set up a trick room or important switch for essentially free.
Why Those Ev's?
I could truly only justify using exeggutor over celebi when it hit harder than the legendary psychic type because that is really its only perk as both have near immunity to status and celebi is far more bulky. To that end I max special attack to make leaf storm hit as hard as possible. This pokemon lures in steels like scizor who I can kill easily, and garchomp who bronzong can kill easily so it has good defensive synergy with the rest of the team. Tyranitar loves trying to stay in on this thing only to be crippled (though rarely ko'd) as does politoed who is just outright ko'd. Ninetails is a relatively safe switch to emboar which allows me to handle most weather leads.
@ Leftovers (Prankster)
Careful; 252 Hp/ 232 Sp. Def./ 24 Spe.
Trick Room
Encore
Leech Seed
U- Turn
Why Whimsicott?
This pokemon is the only pokemon on my team not specifically made to deal damage. Its a utility/ momentum generator more than anything else and it does this better than nearly any pokemon in the game. His ability, while not giving TR priority, allows for some wonderful Encore locks on something like Curse or Calm Mind which force switches. TR teams need to force guaranteed switches to gain turns to use TR and this pokemon can do that in spades. More often than not this pokemon finds itself in the lead spot to help facilitate an early "free" TR (usually at the cost of a Reflect or Stealth Rock).
I also love this pokemon for its pure grass typing allowing it to cover most attacks aimed at Emboar and Rhyperior without too much trouble, which often in the process ensures another successful TR set up. Because this pokemon is so fast, after it uses TR it will often be slower than its opponent, allowing U- Turn to be a free switch as long as I'm not afraid of having to tank a super effective hit in the process. Lastly, this pokemon acts as a great status absorber for the team since it doesnt really fear paralysis thanks to prankster, and burn and poison are offset by Leech Seed and Leftovers. Overall, this has become my favorite TR user period and I love that it is such an unexpected set. It should be noted this pokemon REALLY helps against Sabelye who otherwise are a nightmare for me.
Why Those Ev's?
Generally speaking, Whimsicott is ran with a physically defensive set. However, I often find myself coming in on Surfs and Scalds much more than Stone Edges and Close Combats. Also, this thing has to take Ice beams more than it should have to simply because I know it can take one with this spread. I ran a bit of speed to outrun other Whimsicott, though I have considered running even more to outpace certain speed tiers for more free U-Turn switch- ins.
@ Life Orb (Magic Guard)
Quiet; 172 Hp/ 84 Def./ 252 Sp. Atk.
Trick Room
Hidden Power: Fire (70 base power)
Focus Blast
Psyshock
Why Reuniclus?
Reuniclus is here as bait for things its meant to kill. Tyranitar, Scizor, and Skarmory all love mindlessly switching into this thing expecting a calm mind only to be staring down the barrel of a gun facing a "quick" ko. Beyond those pokemon its role is probably makes the least impact for the team. Its sort of a stand alone sweeper in that it only supports a Rhyperior/ Bronzong sweep by accident. That being said, its a fantastic special sweeper so long as certain pokemon aren't in the picture anymore. I don't love him, but he is certainly not hurting this team by being in it. Psyshock is in case I need to hit a lati@s or Chansey/ Blissey. It still beats Conkeldurr just fine so there wasn't much of a reason I could think of to not run it over Psychic. I would love to run Shadow Ball, but cant afford to lose the great coverage that I already have.
This pokemon does a surprising job of accidentally killing counters to my physical sweepers due to his stabs typing and the fact my two coverage moves are so anti- steel. I didn't put it on the team for that specific purpose, but if I manage to do that, then great. If not, then this thing can set up a trick room or two and usually take something with it which is always welcomed regardless of what it is.
Why Those Ev's
Ev's are sort of random. I had originally wanted to use a Subsitute/ Regenerator Reun, so I had 404 hp for 101 hp substitutes. However it was just not working the way that I wanted so I switched to magic guard just like everyone else and took hp fire for the kills on steel types that focus blast wouldn't cover. Max special attack for obvious reasons. This is one ev spread I would love to improve on, to allow it to take random sucker punches if need be but I just don't have a good enough damage calculator to play with the ev's enough.
@ Leftovers (Regenerate)
Quiet; 252 Hp/ 252 Sp. Atk./ 4 Sp. Atk.
Trick Room
Fire Blast
Ice Beam
Scald
Why Slowking?
This pokemon is replacing slowbro permanently simply because his typing helps cover physical hit taking which allows special bulk to be more helpful for this team. For instance, Slowbro cannot take draco meteors even at full hp, but slowking can. Beyond that they are very interchangeable as pokemon to be honest, but I have several other physically bulky fighting resists so I was finding slowbro to be slightly redundant. Fire blast fries ferrothorn, scizor, and skarmory switch ins. Scald is here over surf only because he is my best answer to gyarados and I need to rely on the burn to deal with it otherwise it can sweep my team if it has taunt and trick room is already down. Scald is a decently reliable answer to that threat, otherwise surf is just more useful for damage dealing.
Why Those Ev's?
Same ev's I was using on slowbro, check out his section for why I run these this way. Mostly I just maxed hp and damage simply because it makes the most sense.
@ Leftovers (Regenerate)
Quiet; 252 Hp/ 88 Def./ 168 Sp. Atk.
Trick Room
Fire Blast
Ice Beam
Surf
Why Slowbro?
To be honest I still ask myself this question. In several instance Slowking would be the better choice, but in others this guy is the one worth having. I can never keep my mind made up for long to be perfectly honest and I constantly switch the two out. Slowbro is in the most recent version as an additional fighting hit taker. That being said Slowking does a better job of luring in the likes of Ferrothorn, Skarmory, Scizor, and Tyranitar which are all pokemon I don't mind getting damage onto. Slowbro tends to draw out bulky waters creating free switch- ins for Whimsicott, though so both kind of have a usefulness to the team. I was using this spot as a means to beat Lati@s, but CM versions just thrash it without Psych- Up, and with it I lose so much important coverage so I usually just count on Bronzong in most cases now.
Why Those Ev's?
I wish I knew... Again the lack of damage calculator just has me guessing. I knew I wanted some def. and this gives more than if I Ev'd the other way around. Its okay I guess, but I really want to run like 6 different moves on this thing and just cant. Help to tighten this guy up would be great. I'm still liking Slowking more for NP and its special bulk, but Slowbro can actually take a pursuit sometimes and it gets an extra move slot.
@ Leftoves (Levitate)
Brave; 252 Hp/ 252 Atk/ 4 Sp. Def.
Hypnosis/ Stealth Rock
Trick Room
Earth Quake
Gyro Ball
Why Bronzong?
Because this thing sweeps sand teams better than just about any other pokemon late game... I'm serious. The sheer power of Gyro Ball off of this thing against all those sand sweepers is sickening. Whats even better is the damage it doesn't take from them. Once steel resists are out of the way, then the other team is in trouble. I'm still serious. I've had this thing sweep more often than any other pokemon on the team to be quite honest. Hypnosis sets up guaranteed trick rooms that usually win me the game. This things sweeping power coupled with its wonderful ability to counter Magnezone + dragon types make it invaluable in terms of defensive synergy to the team. That being said, he isn't a renuable resource so I usually cannot have it take more than one Draco Meteor or Outrage per game.
Why Those Ev's
Max/ Max is something I hate to do, but it just works here. It pretty much at least 2hko's anything that isn't a flat out counter to it which is why I put so much stress on gliscor, skarmory, and ferrothorn removal. Once this thing comes in, unless it to sponge a necessary dragon move, I usually think I can close the game out and am usually right. I would love a damage calculator to make Tornadus' Hurricane and a turn of SR not a 2hko, but again... I don't have one.
"Trick Room Bruisers"
@ Leftovers (Blaze)
Brave; 232 Hp/ 252 Atk/ 24 Sp Atk.
Hidden Power: Ice (70 Base Power)
Wild Charge
Hammer Arm
Flare Blitz
Why Emboar?
Because it synergized most with the other physical sweepers on the team while still providing a fire typing to the f/w/g core. Seriously though, this thing has mad coverage. There just isn't much that it cant hit hard. I included Hp Ice as an option to quickly deal with Gliscor, because it really does love switching into this thing only to die making sweeping much easier. I run leftovers over life orb because I actually need this thing to take a hit on occasion and reckless boosted recoil, sand storm, and entry hazards already hurt it enough. I suppose expert belt is an option, but I just like offsetting some of his damage with recovery. That being said, this team struggles with Rests/Hydration Vaporeon if I can't get it weakened before Wild Charging (how is that thing not considered op?). Added bonus, while being slightly less useful in rain, he is a monster against sun teams.
Why Those Ev's?
232 Hp is a Leftovers number allowing for best hp gain for minimal hp investment. I Maxed out attack for what should be obvious reasons and dumped the rest into Sp. Atk. to help with his HP for dragons and gliscor. Does his job fairly well all things considered and I am definately pleased with the coverage he brings to the team and cant really see much of an area for improvement on this guy.
@ Leftovers (Solid Rock)
Brave; 132 HP/ 252 Atk./ 124 Def.
Swords Dance (Aka "the uh oh button")
Ice Punch
Rock Slide
Earthquake
Why Rhyperior?
Oh wait, your serious? Well, for starters its the single best way for me to deal with Gliscor abruptly. That being said, once it gets an SD up then several pokeballs on my opponents team are likely to gray out in a hurry. Usually I don't need an SD boost to cripple my opponents, but on particularly defensive teams it is warranted. Skarmory is 2hko'd by rock slide as is just about anything that doesn't resist it and the same goes for Earthquake. Ice Punch means I'm "completely walled" by Bronzong, but thanks to Rhyperior's ability I can just out last it anyway getting to +6 atk in the process. Bulky waters are scary because even +2 EQ's don't generally ko them without previous damage and Scalds and Surfs hurt especially when not in a sand storm and particularly in rain.
Hammer Arm would be nice, but I like the swift death that Ice Punch brings to everyones Landorous, Garchomp, Lati@s, Gliscor, etc. If its a Bronzong or a Skarmory they send in to wall me then thats more than fine because they dont threaten my team much anyway and they dont wall Rhyperior for long. Full hp Ferrothorn is a bit of a pain for this pokemon, but I can pivot to Whimsicott to encore the power whip/ seed bomb and then switch to emboar, usually netting me a ko on something. Besideds that, Ferrothorn has such a hard time living against this team that by the time Rhyperior tries for a sweep, the Ferrothorn is in ko range if not dead. Leftovers over Life Orb simply for bulkiness sake. I plan to get up 3 or so TR's in the span of one game and Rhyperior may need to switch in several times over the course of a match.
Why Those Ev's.
Again used to use it as a sub user so the HP ev's just stuck for 101 HP subs. The defense investment was made as pure leftover ev's since about half of the time he already has a sand special defense boost anyway. The defense goes toward taking Bullet/ Mach punches and occasional non boosted Earthquakes. This thing is REALLY bulky if played smartly and can easily take a hit my opponent didn't expect when not in trick room to finish off a pokemon they needed to hang on to. One of my favorite pokemon on the team that I can rely on even when not under the effects of TR.
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So there is my team. F/w/g core to pivot and set up TR. Nearly every pokemon is capable of a sweep and at the same time plenty bulky. Tell me what you think, but after several days of frustration it brings a smile to my face how fluid this team is for something as clunky as TR. I think I owe it all to Whimsicott covering Emboar and Rhyperior switch ins so well and generating so much momentum over the course of the game.
Things I'd like help with:
1) Total lack of entry hazards- I usually don't need them (sounds weird saying that), but they just aren't what they used to be with stall being so scarce. Hypnosis could be SR, but I love the new sleep mechanic
2) Taunt Sableye- It just turns into my Whimsicott and Emboar vs their Sabeleye because Slowpoke cant beat it even with a crit and I'm so deathly afraid of burns on Bronzong and Rhyperior. Not fun to deal with at all.
3) Rest/ Hydration Vaporeon- Screw this thing I HATE it. Anytime I've ever lost to a rain team that carries this thing its because of this thing I lose. Just generally a nightmare to handle
4) Fine tuning of Ev's- Oh God this! I know what I want, but I don't have the damage calculator to make that happen. An easy to use version that is reliable at the same time would be terrific.
Okay so, how is my "anti- weather" bulky good stuff team? Thoughts? Rates? Luvdiscs? Hatediscs?
