Hello everyone! Welcome to my RMT. Now before I get started I would like to say that I'm a die-hard Latios fan, and it should only be appropriate that I have a team dedicated to him. Latios is an excellent Pokemon, sporting a swift base 110 Speed as well as an excellent base 130 Special Attack. These two factors combined have made Latios a force to be reckoned with, along with a great movepool that it can effectively abuse (shame he didn't get a good Fire move though...).
Team Description
This team took me a few weeks to build and finalize... Okay I admit it! A month or two! Damn you indecisiveness! The team itself is built around a Latios, Terrakion, and Infernape "pressure core", forcing switches, racking up Hazard damage in the process, thus enabling a sweep late or mid-game. The three also make an excellent offensive core, with Latios covering the Special spectrum, Terrakion the Physical spectrum, while Infernape covering both, providing effective wall-breaking, on top of non-resisted Fire/Dragon/Fighting type coverage. Skarmory and Jirachi makes a solid defensive core, as well as sporting full Hazards support. Despite the two not being to stand up to Fire type attacks, namely Sun teams, the two still make a solid core as Latios, Terrakion, Rotom-W and Infernape can all deal with those attacks. Rotom-W acts as a glue between the offensive and defensive cores, as well as an additional line of defense against Rain and Sand teams, to some extent. Rotom-W is also important as he can directly threaten all the common spinners - Starmie, Donphan, Tentacruel, and occasionally Hitmontop. This team has been both successful and fun to play with - getting me a 22:3 win/loss ratio on Showdown! under the username "Ratiosu" (go figure) while using of some of my favorite Pokemon.
/shameless bragging
The first time I used Latios was in rain. I loved it. It was easily able to turn the tables on the opponent, forcing switches, hitting things for very high damage with Draco as well as Rain-boosted Surfs. However, I absolutely despise Hidden Power Fire. Though HP Fire is very useful against things like Ferrothorn, the speed drop makes me cringe. I like my Pokemon to be "up to speed" per se, to be as fast as possible, especially offensively oriented ones. This will probably be very self evident in Rotom-W, whose speed I bumped many times. Onto Terrakion: The first time I used Terrakion was on a Volt-Turn team I threw together, which used CB Terrakion instead of Scarf. CB Terrakion amazed me. It was capable of OHKOing very other thing that didn't resist its STAB's, and if memory serves me well, only Claydol and Golurk, and perhaps some other stragglers resist it. So why Scarf then? Scarf Terrakion, in my opinion, is one of the best offensive checks to Sun teams, next to Dragonite. Latios and Terrakion also form an excellent offensive core, sporting unresisted (cough Shedinja) Dragon / Fighting coverage.
Scizor, and smart playing, was the only thing standing between Latios and Terrakion's rampage and victory. Rotom-W is both an excellent Scizor check as well as a bridge between the offensive and defensive cores. Rotom-W is also a good Pokemon to lead with, offering switch initiative as well as trolling physical attackers with WoW. In addition, Rotom-W adds me a solid line of defense against rain teams, resisting Water-type attacks along with Latios, and using the opponent's rain against them. Being immune to Spikes is simply icing on the cake, allowing Rotom-W to come in very easily multiple times throughout the match.
I decided that Skarmory would be my Spiker. I haven't used Skarmory a lot until recently. Having the ability to Whirlwind out threats that come in - racking up hazard damage in the process, was a great asset. Skarmory's flexibility as a Defensive Pokemon, being able to play both offensively and defensively as well as having a solid and reliable recovery move makes him nearly unparalleled. On top of that, part-Steel typing and immunity to Spikes just makes you want to go HNNNNNNG.
While offensive cores focus on offensive typing synergy, hitting as many things as possible for Super Effective and high damage, defensive cores focus on absorbing as many hits as possible, and therefore it is often not a good idea to have many defensive cores share the same typing. I was hesitant about putting Jirachi in this spot, but outside of him, not much could check Lati@s as well as efficiently switching into them. Tyranitar didn't have good synergy with Latios, as I chose a Life Orb variant. Sand and LO racks up damage very fast, and on top of taking some hits, Latios needs to use Recover every few turns, hindering his sweeping abilities. Bliss/Chansey was the other option, but Skarm/Bliss is rather outdated now, and I wasn't a huge fan of her. I also considered Specially Defensive Celebi at one point, but even with max Special Defense investment, Specs Draco from opposing Latios is still a solid 2HKO on the switch, not to mention the same Fire weakness. Skarmory can't absorb the hit either, being a 2HKO as well. Dammit Latios, so strong! At last, after a few weeks of indecision, I decided to look in the RMT archive for ideas. I saw the team Negative 3 using both Skarmory and Jirachi on the same team. I decided to test it out, and it's worked out pretty well. Besides, I later reasoned inside my head, "The other teammates all resist Fire type attacks anyways."
Stage 5 was an important part in my team. Was I going to make the team more defensively oriented, or was I going to introduce an offensive Pokemon. For a short while I considered replacing Jirachi with Heatran and adding Gastrodon to form the anti-weather core, while the three others - Latios, Terrakion, and Rotom-W would function as the offensive threat. Once again, indecision struck me and I sat pondering this problem. In the end, I decided on Infernape. I had never really used him before, and I thought I'd give him a spin. Infernape out did himself. Infernape, as I mentioned earlier, is a very vital member in the Latios, Terrakion, Infernape pressure core. Infernape is also the equivalent of two attackers in one - capable of going both physical and special with the mixed set. Infernape can effectively wall break for Latios and Terrakion to start sweeping mid or late-game, only being stopped by Bulky Waters such as Tentacruel and Slowbro, which Rotom-W can effectively beat.
The Team
Latios @ Life Orb
Nature: Timid
Evs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Psyshock
- Recover
Latios <3 Latios is simply, how do I put it. A dragon. Yes, that's a good phrase. Latios is not only fast but it's also powerful, capable of OHKOing and 2HKOing many Pokemon in the game by hitting them with meteors. Not many things outside of Tyranitar, and a few steels, enjoy switching into Latios. The Evs listed are self-explanatory, optimizing Speed and Special Attack while 4 HP makes a massive difference in how well he can take hits. I chose a LO + 3 Attack variant over the specs variant because the ability to switch up attacks can be crucial at times, and also allows Latios to stay in longer each time it comes in, potentially destroying more of the opponent's team. Draco Meteor is pretty standard, Surf for coverage, and Psyshock for letting me hit on the physical side against Pokemon such as Blissey and Virizion harder. Recover rounds off the set by increasing Latios' lifespan dramatically. Latios functions as both an offensive and defensive Pokemon on the team. The 110 Special Defense is nothing to scoff at, and has excellent synergy with Skarmory, allowing him to almost act as a second Special wall on my team, except one that hits very hard. As I mentioned earlier, I dislike Hidden Power Fire quite a bit. Being "HP Fire-less" allows me to speed tie with opposing Sub-Disable Gengars, as most would assume that I carry HP Fire. Since they'll most likely Sub on the first turn, this gives me a 50/50 chance of OHKOing them right off the bat, while Shadow Ball fails to kill if I have over 95% health. Latios also gives me a good footing against rain teams, along with Rotom-W. Surf benefits quite a bit from rain, while the aforementioned base 110 Special Defense can take many water type attacks nicely and strike back with powerful moves.
Terrakion @ Choice Scarf / Testing Choice Band
Nature: Jolly
Evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Rock Slide
- X-Scissor
Rock Slide? Call me paranoid, but I'm not willing to risk the chance. Prior to using Rock Slide, Stone Edge has cost me one too many games *points at signature*. Outside of Rock Slide, the moves are fairly standard - Close Combat hits like a truck, Stone Miss when I feel like I can waste a turn with minimal risk, X-Scissor looks cool and helps nail down some Psychic type Pokemon, such as if I have Terrakion out against a 50% Latios. While CB Terrakion hits like two trucks, Scarf Terrakion fits this team better in its ability to acts as the catch-all revenge killer on my team, outspeeding many Pokemon, even after they boost, namely +1 Dragonite and Volcarona. In addition, Terrakion also performs an important role in acting as an offensive check against Sun teams, outspeeding even Modest Chlorophyll Venusaur, something that will give the rest of the team trouble. Volcarona is also kept in check, and sometimes it just feels so good to smack that moth with an x4 Effective move. I don't have a very good history against Volcarona >_>
252Atk Jolly Terrakion Stone Edge vs 4HP/0Def Timid Volcarona : 296% - 350% (924 - 1092 HP). Guaranteed OHKO. Fuck Yeah!
Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Nature: Timid
Evs: 44 HP / 252 SAtk / 212 Spd
- Hydropump
- Volt Switch
- Pain Split
- Will-o-Wisp
Whoa, look at that funky EV Spread! Mildly Defensive Washing Machine. Though the EV's drained from HP looks significant, it's really only 15 less than that of 112 EV's invested. At first I ran 116 Speed EV's, which allowed me to outpace Adamant Dragonite, I later bumped it up to 128 after losing thanks to a Jolly Breloom. While the lower HP occasionally makes a difference in how well I can take hits, it usually doesn't. The first peculiar thing one might notice outside of the EV spread is that I have Timid nature instead of Modest. While this doesn't allow me to hit things as hard, Timid Nature offers me a speed advantage over many Pokemon, abusing Rotom-W's above average speed. The EV's given in speed allows it to outpace all Pokemon with a Base Speed of 80 and then some. It also lets me speed tie with Jolly Gyarados, which maxes at 287. Hydropump hits very hard, even with a Timid nature. Volt Switch for scouting purposes, and lets Rotom-W often function as my lead, in both switch initiative scouting as well as determining whether or not the opposing Rotom-W has a Scarf or Specs on the very first turn. However, it should be noted that if pokemon like Jellicent are giving you problems, Thunderbolt is always a good alternative. Will-o-Wisp lets Rotom-W whittle away walls, such as Jellicent, while Pain Split rounds off the set for good recovery move, effectively using Rotom-W's low natural base HP in addition to eating large chunks out of defensive walls. Rotom-W is also an important Pokemon against rain teams, resisting water type attacks, and hitting back hard. Water type attacks usually won't kill, leaving Rotom-W at low health, allowing for solid HP recovery with Pain Split. Lastly Rotom-W also threatens many of the common spinners, such as Starmie, Tentacruel, Donphan, and even Hitmontop on rare occasions.
Skarmory @ Leftovers
Nature: Impish
Evs: 224 HP / 252 Def / 32 Spd
- Spikes
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Brave Bird
Hazard stacking with an offensive core is an easy way to net a victory. The EV's given lets Skarmory have a little more speed than the average Skarmory, outpacing them and beating them in a Whirlwind war. Spikes are the crux of this set, paving the way for Latios, Terrakion, and Infernape to dominate the other team. Roost offers a solid recovery move, and extends Skarmory's lifespan and annoyingness. I'm looking at you, Haxorus. Whirlwind lets me phaze out physical sweepers that have gained one too many boosts, while taking the hit nicely with the solid Defense stat. Lastly, Brave Bird, though paired with Skarmory's weak physical attack, can still do a number on Pokemon that are weak to it. Skarmory is also an important member against sand teams, checking every physical attackers sand teams throw at it very efficiently while using the sand against the opponent.
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Nature: Jolly
Evs: 164 HP / 168 Atk / 176 Spd
- Stealth Rocks
- Fire Punch
- Thunderwave
- Iron Head
Not your average specially defensive Jirachi! The Ev spread on this Jirachi was stolen- I mean, taken, from Motagua's Enter the Sandman. Jirachi has an important function in setting up Stealth Rocks on the opposing side of the field as well as being a good switch-in to Lati@s, Gengar, and many other special attackers, while spreading paralysis and being annoying in general. Paralysis is a huge boon to all members on my team, though probably not Terrakion and Skarmory, but hey, taking one less turn of damage can always be helpful! 176 Speed allows Jirachi to outpace Base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Lucario, whose Double-Priority variant can do quite a lot to this team given the time to set up. 168 EV's Attack gives it the same number of necessary OHKO's and 2HKO's that 252 EV's in Attack would give, while the rest is in HP for bulk. Iron Head flinches things, and generally causes annoyance, and sometimes buying me a free turn to flinch some more. Fire Punch rounds off the set by letting me hit steels harder, namely Magnezones that think they can trap me easily. However, if Magnezones don't appear to be a problem for you, Wish is always an option to be considered. In addition, not being heavily invested in Special Defense means that moves will sting a bit more, but thanks to Type synergy, Latios can often take a few hits for Jirachi.
Testing Heatran (Suggestion by Lady Alex)
Infernape @ Expert Belt
Nature: Naive
Evs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
- Close Combat
- Overheat
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Mach Punch / Testing Grass Knot
Infernape plays a large role in wall-breaking for Latios and Terrakion to perform a sweep. Dragon / Fire / Fighting offensive coverage goes unresisted, and dents things that do resist it with stats. Being a mixed set allows Infernape to function both as a physical and special attacker, adding additional pressure on the opponent's team. While Life Orb seems more ideal over Expert Belt, Expert Belt offers a nice surprise factor against things like Heatrans that switch into HP Ice and noticed that I have no LO recoil. Overheat is a very strong Fire move that can OHKO a lot of things right off the bat, and compensates for the little investment in Infernape's Special Attack department. Close Combat is near mandatory STAB, letting me successfully destroy Skarm/Bliss combinations that could otherwise be annoying. Hidden Power [Ice] gives me good footing against Dragons, such as Salamence and Dragonite, though Stone Edge would do just as well, but I don't want it to miss. It should be noted, and this is very important, that HP Ice only has a 43% chance to KO max HP Gliscor, while the minimum damage is 90%. If Gliscor has protect, get out of there, and don't take the risk. Mach Punch is the last move on the set, allowing me to have some sort of priority on this team. However, it's really replaceable. Grass Knot and Stone Edge are both great options for it, as well as U-turn.
Threats
Though thankfully not common, Scarf Chandelure is still a very big threat to my team, and I've lost one match because of it. Nothing on my team wants to switch into any attacks it has, and with proper prediction, it can OHKO every member of my team bar Terrakion, who is surprisingly Bulky.
Every team that doesn't run Gliscor or Slowbro should consider Terrakion a threat. My team is no exception. Though Skarmory can wall Scarf Terrakion, nothing on my team wants to switch into CB Terrakion, and it will almost always manage to get a kill in, but this is where Mach Punch from Infernape comes in handy.
Thanks for reading!
Team Description
This team took me a few weeks to build and finalize... Okay I admit it! A month or two! Damn you indecisiveness! The team itself is built around a Latios, Terrakion, and Infernape "pressure core", forcing switches, racking up Hazard damage in the process, thus enabling a sweep late or mid-game. The three also make an excellent offensive core, with Latios covering the Special spectrum, Terrakion the Physical spectrum, while Infernape covering both, providing effective wall-breaking, on top of non-resisted Fire/Dragon/Fighting type coverage. Skarmory and Jirachi makes a solid defensive core, as well as sporting full Hazards support. Despite the two not being to stand up to Fire type attacks, namely Sun teams, the two still make a solid core as Latios, Terrakion, Rotom-W and Infernape can all deal with those attacks. Rotom-W acts as a glue between the offensive and defensive cores, as well as an additional line of defense against Rain and Sand teams, to some extent. Rotom-W is also important as he can directly threaten all the common spinners - Starmie, Donphan, Tentacruel, and occasionally Hitmontop. This team has been both successful and fun to play with - getting me a 22:3 win/loss ratio on Showdown! under the username "Ratiosu" (go figure) while using of some of my favorite Pokemon.
/shameless bragging
The first time I used Latios was in rain. I loved it. It was easily able to turn the tables on the opponent, forcing switches, hitting things for very high damage with Draco as well as Rain-boosted Surfs. However, I absolutely despise Hidden Power Fire. Though HP Fire is very useful against things like Ferrothorn, the speed drop makes me cringe. I like my Pokemon to be "up to speed" per se, to be as fast as possible, especially offensively oriented ones. This will probably be very self evident in Rotom-W, whose speed I bumped many times. Onto Terrakion: The first time I used Terrakion was on a Volt-Turn team I threw together, which used CB Terrakion instead of Scarf. CB Terrakion amazed me. It was capable of OHKOing very other thing that didn't resist its STAB's, and if memory serves me well, only Claydol and Golurk, and perhaps some other stragglers resist it. So why Scarf then? Scarf Terrakion, in my opinion, is one of the best offensive checks to Sun teams, next to Dragonite. Latios and Terrakion also form an excellent offensive core, sporting unresisted (cough Shedinja) Dragon / Fighting coverage.
Scizor, and smart playing, was the only thing standing between Latios and Terrakion's rampage and victory. Rotom-W is both an excellent Scizor check as well as a bridge between the offensive and defensive cores. Rotom-W is also a good Pokemon to lead with, offering switch initiative as well as trolling physical attackers with WoW. In addition, Rotom-W adds me a solid line of defense against rain teams, resisting Water-type attacks along with Latios, and using the opponent's rain against them. Being immune to Spikes is simply icing on the cake, allowing Rotom-W to come in very easily multiple times throughout the match.
I decided that Skarmory would be my Spiker. I haven't used Skarmory a lot until recently. Having the ability to Whirlwind out threats that come in - racking up hazard damage in the process, was a great asset. Skarmory's flexibility as a Defensive Pokemon, being able to play both offensively and defensively as well as having a solid and reliable recovery move makes him nearly unparalleled. On top of that, part-Steel typing and immunity to Spikes just makes you want to go HNNNNNNG.
While offensive cores focus on offensive typing synergy, hitting as many things as possible for Super Effective and high damage, defensive cores focus on absorbing as many hits as possible, and therefore it is often not a good idea to have many defensive cores share the same typing. I was hesitant about putting Jirachi in this spot, but outside of him, not much could check Lati@s as well as efficiently switching into them. Tyranitar didn't have good synergy with Latios, as I chose a Life Orb variant. Sand and LO racks up damage very fast, and on top of taking some hits, Latios needs to use Recover every few turns, hindering his sweeping abilities. Bliss/Chansey was the other option, but Skarm/Bliss is rather outdated now, and I wasn't a huge fan of her. I also considered Specially Defensive Celebi at one point, but even with max Special Defense investment, Specs Draco from opposing Latios is still a solid 2HKO on the switch, not to mention the same Fire weakness. Skarmory can't absorb the hit either, being a 2HKO as well. Dammit Latios, so strong! At last, after a few weeks of indecision, I decided to look in the RMT archive for ideas. I saw the team Negative 3 using both Skarmory and Jirachi on the same team. I decided to test it out, and it's worked out pretty well. Besides, I later reasoned inside my head, "The other teammates all resist Fire type attacks anyways."
Stage 5 was an important part in my team. Was I going to make the team more defensively oriented, or was I going to introduce an offensive Pokemon. For a short while I considered replacing Jirachi with Heatran and adding Gastrodon to form the anti-weather core, while the three others - Latios, Terrakion, and Rotom-W would function as the offensive threat. Once again, indecision struck me and I sat pondering this problem. In the end, I decided on Infernape. I had never really used him before, and I thought I'd give him a spin. Infernape out did himself. Infernape, as I mentioned earlier, is a very vital member in the Latios, Terrakion, Infernape pressure core. Infernape is also the equivalent of two attackers in one - capable of going both physical and special with the mixed set. Infernape can effectively wall break for Latios and Terrakion to start sweeping mid or late-game, only being stopped by Bulky Waters such as Tentacruel and Slowbro, which Rotom-W can effectively beat.
The Team
Latios @ Life Orb
Nature: Timid
Evs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Psyshock
- Recover
Latios <3 Latios is simply, how do I put it. A dragon. Yes, that's a good phrase. Latios is not only fast but it's also powerful, capable of OHKOing and 2HKOing many Pokemon in the game by hitting them with meteors. Not many things outside of Tyranitar, and a few steels, enjoy switching into Latios. The Evs listed are self-explanatory, optimizing Speed and Special Attack while 4 HP makes a massive difference in how well he can take hits. I chose a LO + 3 Attack variant over the specs variant because the ability to switch up attacks can be crucial at times, and also allows Latios to stay in longer each time it comes in, potentially destroying more of the opponent's team. Draco Meteor is pretty standard, Surf for coverage, and Psyshock for letting me hit on the physical side against Pokemon such as Blissey and Virizion harder. Recover rounds off the set by increasing Latios' lifespan dramatically. Latios functions as both an offensive and defensive Pokemon on the team. The 110 Special Defense is nothing to scoff at, and has excellent synergy with Skarmory, allowing him to almost act as a second Special wall on my team, except one that hits very hard. As I mentioned earlier, I dislike Hidden Power Fire quite a bit. Being "HP Fire-less" allows me to speed tie with opposing Sub-Disable Gengars, as most would assume that I carry HP Fire. Since they'll most likely Sub on the first turn, this gives me a 50/50 chance of OHKOing them right off the bat, while Shadow Ball fails to kill if I have over 95% health. Latios also gives me a good footing against rain teams, along with Rotom-W. Surf benefits quite a bit from rain, while the aforementioned base 110 Special Defense can take many water type attacks nicely and strike back with powerful moves.
Terrakion @ Choice Scarf / Testing Choice Band
Nature: Jolly
Evs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Rock Slide
- X-Scissor
Rock Slide? Call me paranoid, but I'm not willing to risk the chance. Prior to using Rock Slide, Stone Edge has cost me one too many games *points at signature*. Outside of Rock Slide, the moves are fairly standard - Close Combat hits like a truck, Stone Miss when I feel like I can waste a turn with minimal risk, X-Scissor looks cool and helps nail down some Psychic type Pokemon, such as if I have Terrakion out against a 50% Latios. While CB Terrakion hits like two trucks, Scarf Terrakion fits this team better in its ability to acts as the catch-all revenge killer on my team, outspeeding many Pokemon, even after they boost, namely +1 Dragonite and Volcarona. In addition, Terrakion also performs an important role in acting as an offensive check against Sun teams, outspeeding even Modest Chlorophyll Venusaur, something that will give the rest of the team trouble. Volcarona is also kept in check, and sometimes it just feels so good to smack that moth with an x4 Effective move. I don't have a very good history against Volcarona >_>
252Atk Jolly Terrakion Stone Edge vs 4HP/0Def Timid Volcarona : 296% - 350% (924 - 1092 HP). Guaranteed OHKO. Fuck Yeah!
Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Nature: Timid
Evs: 44 HP / 252 SAtk / 212 Spd
- Hydropump
- Volt Switch
- Pain Split
- Will-o-Wisp
Whoa, look at that funky EV Spread! Mildly Defensive Washing Machine. Though the EV's drained from HP looks significant, it's really only 15 less than that of 112 EV's invested. At first I ran 116 Speed EV's, which allowed me to outpace Adamant Dragonite, I later bumped it up to 128 after losing thanks to a Jolly Breloom. While the lower HP occasionally makes a difference in how well I can take hits, it usually doesn't. The first peculiar thing one might notice outside of the EV spread is that I have Timid nature instead of Modest. While this doesn't allow me to hit things as hard, Timid Nature offers me a speed advantage over many Pokemon, abusing Rotom-W's above average speed. The EV's given in speed allows it to outpace all Pokemon with a Base Speed of 80 and then some. It also lets me speed tie with Jolly Gyarados, which maxes at 287. Hydropump hits very hard, even with a Timid nature. Volt Switch for scouting purposes, and lets Rotom-W often function as my lead, in both switch initiative scouting as well as determining whether or not the opposing Rotom-W has a Scarf or Specs on the very first turn. However, it should be noted that if pokemon like Jellicent are giving you problems, Thunderbolt is always a good alternative. Will-o-Wisp lets Rotom-W whittle away walls, such as Jellicent, while Pain Split rounds off the set for good recovery move, effectively using Rotom-W's low natural base HP in addition to eating large chunks out of defensive walls. Rotom-W is also an important Pokemon against rain teams, resisting water type attacks, and hitting back hard. Water type attacks usually won't kill, leaving Rotom-W at low health, allowing for solid HP recovery with Pain Split. Lastly Rotom-W also threatens many of the common spinners, such as Starmie, Tentacruel, Donphan, and even Hitmontop on rare occasions.
Skarmory @ Leftovers
Nature: Impish
Evs: 224 HP / 252 Def / 32 Spd
- Spikes
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Brave Bird
Hazard stacking with an offensive core is an easy way to net a victory. The EV's given lets Skarmory have a little more speed than the average Skarmory, outpacing them and beating them in a Whirlwind war. Spikes are the crux of this set, paving the way for Latios, Terrakion, and Infernape to dominate the other team. Roost offers a solid recovery move, and extends Skarmory's lifespan and annoyingness. I'm looking at you, Haxorus. Whirlwind lets me phaze out physical sweepers that have gained one too many boosts, while taking the hit nicely with the solid Defense stat. Lastly, Brave Bird, though paired with Skarmory's weak physical attack, can still do a number on Pokemon that are weak to it. Skarmory is also an important member against sand teams, checking every physical attackers sand teams throw at it very efficiently while using the sand against the opponent.
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Nature: Jolly
Evs: 164 HP / 168 Atk / 176 Spd
- Stealth Rocks
- Fire Punch
- Thunderwave
- Iron Head
Not your average specially defensive Jirachi! The Ev spread on this Jirachi was stolen- I mean, taken, from Motagua's Enter the Sandman. Jirachi has an important function in setting up Stealth Rocks on the opposing side of the field as well as being a good switch-in to Lati@s, Gengar, and many other special attackers, while spreading paralysis and being annoying in general. Paralysis is a huge boon to all members on my team, though probably not Terrakion and Skarmory, but hey, taking one less turn of damage can always be helpful! 176 Speed allows Jirachi to outpace Base 90 Speed Pokemon such as Lucario, whose Double-Priority variant can do quite a lot to this team given the time to set up. 168 EV's Attack gives it the same number of necessary OHKO's and 2HKO's that 252 EV's in Attack would give, while the rest is in HP for bulk. Iron Head flinches things, and generally causes annoyance, and sometimes buying me a free turn to flinch some more. Fire Punch rounds off the set by letting me hit steels harder, namely Magnezones that think they can trap me easily. However, if Magnezones don't appear to be a problem for you, Wish is always an option to be considered. In addition, not being heavily invested in Special Defense means that moves will sting a bit more, but thanks to Type synergy, Latios can often take a few hits for Jirachi.
Infernape @ Expert Belt
Nature: Naive
Evs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
- Close Combat
- Overheat
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Mach Punch / Testing Grass Knot
Infernape plays a large role in wall-breaking for Latios and Terrakion to perform a sweep. Dragon / Fire / Fighting offensive coverage goes unresisted, and dents things that do resist it with stats. Being a mixed set allows Infernape to function both as a physical and special attacker, adding additional pressure on the opponent's team. While Life Orb seems more ideal over Expert Belt, Expert Belt offers a nice surprise factor against things like Heatrans that switch into HP Ice and noticed that I have no LO recoil. Overheat is a very strong Fire move that can OHKO a lot of things right off the bat, and compensates for the little investment in Infernape's Special Attack department. Close Combat is near mandatory STAB, letting me successfully destroy Skarm/Bliss combinations that could otherwise be annoying. Hidden Power [Ice] gives me good footing against Dragons, such as Salamence and Dragonite, though Stone Edge would do just as well, but I don't want it to miss. It should be noted, and this is very important, that HP Ice only has a 43% chance to KO max HP Gliscor, while the minimum damage is 90%. If Gliscor has protect, get out of there, and don't take the risk. Mach Punch is the last move on the set, allowing me to have some sort of priority on this team. However, it's really replaceable. Grass Knot and Stone Edge are both great options for it, as well as U-turn.
Threats
Though thankfully not common, Scarf Chandelure is still a very big threat to my team, and I've lost one match because of it. Nothing on my team wants to switch into any attacks it has, and with proper prediction, it can OHKO every member of my team bar Terrakion, who is surprisingly Bulky.
Every team that doesn't run Gliscor or Slowbro should consider Terrakion a threat. My team is no exception. Though Skarmory can wall Scarf Terrakion, nothing on my team wants to switch into CB Terrakion, and it will almost always manage to get a kill in, but this is where Mach Punch from Infernape comes in handy.
Thanks for reading!
