Yo people. What's Poppin? You have Bob Ross here, chillin and painting a few clouds. Here is my first RMT and my first time as an official user on smogon. I was prompted to post this because I got a little more serious about laddering for the first time, and built a serious team to do it with. I have seen some pretty nice success so far, I've just gotten over 1500 and have been progressively climbing the whole time. My record is not that good because I messed around for a while on this account before getting serious. If I figured it out right, this team is 20:4 wins to losses so far. I have done most of my serious laddering with this team. Here's my current position for proof.
SO, without further ado here is the squad, and someone needs to get a smaller zardY sprite.
okay so now lets go through the members one at a time as I built the team.
Charizard @Charizardite Y
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Air Slash
- Solar Beam
- Roost
I wanted to build my team around the hardest wall-breaker in the metagame. This monster is capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing everyting in the tier barring Chansey, Heatran, and a few Dragons. ZardY is the destroyer of stall because fire blast in the sun kills everything in it's path. Solar Beam is great because it kills a lot of water types, which some inexperienced people seem to think are a check to this. I'll be the first to admit air slash is a bit weird, but it has worked out a bunch of times and the more accurate stab is nice (as well as the flinch chance). Roost is obvious for the last slot because it allows me to recover vs week special attackers or passive mons, as well as be able to switch in on rocks, which is sometimes necessary, I'll admit. Here are a few calcs for prospective.
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Solar Beam vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Mega Slowbro: 366-432 (92.8 - 109.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Fire Blast vs. 120 HP / 0 SpD Talonflame in Sun: 212-250 (64.8 - 76.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Fire Blast vs. 132 HP / 0 SpD Assault Vest Tornadus-T in Sun: 229-270 (68.9 - 81.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 8 SpD Landorus-T in Sun: 373-441 (97.6 - 115.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
Keldeo @Leftovers
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IV's: 0 Atk
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Calm Mind
- Substitute
Objectively, I hate this Pokémon. The movie was stupid and it looks dumb. Even so, I must recognize that it is very good competitively. It is also a really good partner for ZardY. This thing beats Heatran, Chansey, and any other specially bulky mon that causes Zard trouble. Keldeo sets up on a surprisingly large amount of enemies. This ends up being my win condition a lot of the time, and with the other members that is not hard to facilitate. Scald is obvious, it is the best move in the game, I believe it needs no explanation. Secret sword is great stab that hits on the physical side to destroy chansey and SpDef Tran, and is not effected by the sun. Calm mind is great to boost up and win in the end of the game, but I avoid using it early because it usually just ends up losing me momentum. Sub is cool to use at any time I need to scout or want to dodge status/ get free set up vs tran. Here are some more calcs.
+1 252 SpA Keldeo Scald vs. 252 HP / 76 SpD Garchomp: 204-241 (48.5 - 57.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
after Stealth Rock
+1 252 SpA Keldeo Secret Sword vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latios: 124-147 (41.4 - 49.1%) -- 82.4% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
+1 252 SpA Keldeo Scald vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Mega Sableye: 174-205 (57.2 - 67.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Excadrill @Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
So, with a charizard, and only one mediocre way to kill the everpresent talonbird, I decided to add a scarfed excadrill. This is a really reliable form of hazard removal, although it kills some momentum. It is also another way to kill talonflame and steel types. It's good for a few surprise kills on people not expecting scarf. Rapid spin is a great form of hazard removal (better than defog in my opinion) and is necessary for zard. EQ is POWERFUL stab that hits a lot of Pokémon pretty hard. Iron head is great to check things like mega Diancie and get some flinches when necessary. Rock slide is for talonflame, torn-T thundy, and other birds. Here are some more calcs.
252 Atk Mold Breaker Excadrill Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latios: 204-240 (68.2 - 80.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and 2 LO hits
252 Atk Mold Breaker Excadrill Rock Slide vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Thundurus: 226-266 (75.5 - 88.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Mold Breaker Excadrill Iron Head vs. 0 HP / 24 Def Mega Gardevoir: 372-438 (134.2 - 158.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Weavile @Life Orb
Ability: Pickpocket
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Icicle Crash
- Ice Shard
The main two reasons I added weavile here is that I love pursuit trapping latis and because a team without priority is a bad team. I have always loved this little beast, it is just so cool and strong. It helps to kill a lot of things that I didn't have a reliable way of dealing with so far. This thing gets so many pursuit kills. Knock Off is the second best move in the game and is very easy to spam. Getting rid of items is great as well as it's raw power. Pursuit is one of my favorite moves, and is very useful. Icicle Crash is great stab and gives me a good way to kill Lando and Chomper, as well as pretty much every flying type. Ice Shard was a necessary slot to add priority to my team, and priority that is faster than most other priority. I do find myself wishing I had low kick sometimes, but I don't see what I could switch it with. So, again some clacs.
252 Atk Life Orb Weavile Icicle Crash vs. 132 HP / 0 Def Tornadus-T: 413-486 (124.3 - 146.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Life Orb Weavile Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 134-160 (44.2 - 52.8%) -- 80.1% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Life Orb Weavile Pursuit vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Starmie: 187-221 (71.3 - 84.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock (OHKO if it switches which they always do)
Landorus-Therian @Soft Sand
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-Turn
- Stealth Rock
Here, I needed a rocker and wanted something to get off slow U-Turns as well as get intimidate off on physical mons to weaken them, but I still wanted to keep up offensive pressure. This is a more unique Lando set that I crafted myself, and although, it's odd it works pretty well. It gets up rocks pretty reliably and hits really hard. Adamant Earthquake boosted by soft sand is incredibly strong, killing a lot of mons that expect to live. Stone edge is another (inaccurate unfortunately) move to hit birds with after intimidating them. I have just enough speed to underspeed the common defensive lando, so I U-turn after it gaining momentum. Stealth rock is to weaken opposing mons on switch in, everyone knows that. And, as usual some calcs.
252+ Atk Soft Sand Landorus-T Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 88+ Def Ferrothorn: 157-186 (44.6 - 52.8%) -- 24.6% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Soft Sand Landorus-T Earthquake vs. 92 HP / 0 Def Azumarill: 280-331 (76.9 - 90.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (preventing belly drum)
252+ Atk Soft Sand Landorus-T Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Hippowdon: 202-238 (48 - 56.6%) -- 88.3% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
Clefable @Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpA
IVs: 0 Atk
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Fire Blast
- Soft-Boiled
- Heal Bell
I know you saw that life orb and considered leaving, but hear me out. This beast hits really hard and still walls a lot of the metagame even without defensive investment. This time I'll give some defensive and some offensive calcs. I'm using offense, so I wanted to keep up the pressure, but still get a fairy immunity and a cleric onto my squad. Moonblast is great stab that merks everything that is weak to it, and a lot of times people leave their garchomp in on this thing to get one-shot. Fire Blast abuses the sun from zard if it is still up as well as destroying things like ferro on the switch-in when they assume I'm running a defensive clef. Soft-Boiled is able to outpace a lot of mons trying to hurt me with neutral moves, giving me the advantage. Finally, Heal Bell is able to remove status from the rest of my team, like annoying thunder waves. Here's some more calcs.
252+ SpA Life Orb Clefable Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Mega Scizor: 551-650 (196 - 231.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Clefable Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 76 SpD Garchomp: 374-445 (89 - 105.9%) -- 37.5% chance to OHKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Clefable Moonblast vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Latios: 330-390 (110.3 - 130.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Life Orb Latios Psyshock vs. 248 HP / 8 Def Clefable: 220-259 (55.9 - 65.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Technician Mega Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 248 HP / 8 Def Clefable: 306-362 (77.8 - 92.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
160 SpA Tornadus-T Hurricane vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Clefable: 162-192 (41.2 - 48.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
So now that the team is over... Okay, first I would like to say, thanks to anyone who gives me suggestions here. I apologize for my lack of replays, my computer doesn't support me to save them, so I couldn't include any. Second, I'll discuss some of the issues I've noticed with this team, so here goes!
So, rain can be hard to handle sometimes, but luckily it is reducing in popularity, so I don't see it much.
This thing OHKOs pretty much everything on my team. I generally have to sec something and get weavile in to pursuit trap it.
This thing is a problem at team preview. I have no good way to kill this without being killed in return, so generally I have lead with driller and get off an iron head while they switch. Then I have to play cautiously around it, getting up rocks if possible.
I have absolutely nothing for this. First I have to sac something to scout what set it is. because if it bellys up I lost, so I have to stay in and attack. Then I have to get more damage while another mon dies, then finally kill with a third mon. Assault vest is the worst for my team, it can sweep me if I do anything wrong.
Again, I have no switch-ins, but I do have ways to kill it.
So, here's the end. Thanks again for reading, and please give me feedback!
Here's the team:
Weavile @ Life Orb
Ability: Pickpocket
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Ice Shard
- Icicle Crash
Charizard (Charizard-Mega-Y) @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Solar Beam
- Air Slash
- Roost
Excadrill @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
Simba (Landorus-Therian) @ Soft Sand
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
Clefable @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Fire Blast
- Heal Bell
Keldeo @ Leftovers
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Calm Mind
- Scald
- Secret Sword
SO, without further ado here is the squad, and someone needs to get a smaller zardY sprite.
okay so now lets go through the members one at a time as I built the team.
Charizard @Charizardite Y
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Air Slash
- Solar Beam
- Roost
I wanted to build my team around the hardest wall-breaker in the metagame. This monster is capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing everyting in the tier barring Chansey, Heatran, and a few Dragons. ZardY is the destroyer of stall because fire blast in the sun kills everything in it's path. Solar Beam is great because it kills a lot of water types, which some inexperienced people seem to think are a check to this. I'll be the first to admit air slash is a bit weird, but it has worked out a bunch of times and the more accurate stab is nice (as well as the flinch chance). Roost is obvious for the last slot because it allows me to recover vs week special attackers or passive mons, as well as be able to switch in on rocks, which is sometimes necessary, I'll admit. Here are a few calcs for prospective.
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Solar Beam vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Mega Slowbro: 366-432 (92.8 - 109.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Fire Blast vs. 120 HP / 0 SpD Talonflame in Sun: 212-250 (64.8 - 76.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Fire Blast vs. 132 HP / 0 SpD Assault Vest Tornadus-T in Sun: 229-270 (68.9 - 81.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 8 SpD Landorus-T in Sun: 373-441 (97.6 - 115.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
Keldeo @Leftovers
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
IV's: 0 Atk
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Calm Mind
- Substitute
Objectively, I hate this Pokémon. The movie was stupid and it looks dumb. Even so, I must recognize that it is very good competitively. It is also a really good partner for ZardY. This thing beats Heatran, Chansey, and any other specially bulky mon that causes Zard trouble. Keldeo sets up on a surprisingly large amount of enemies. This ends up being my win condition a lot of the time, and with the other members that is not hard to facilitate. Scald is obvious, it is the best move in the game, I believe it needs no explanation. Secret sword is great stab that hits on the physical side to destroy chansey and SpDef Tran, and is not effected by the sun. Calm mind is great to boost up and win in the end of the game, but I avoid using it early because it usually just ends up losing me momentum. Sub is cool to use at any time I need to scout or want to dodge status/ get free set up vs tran. Here are some more calcs.
+1 252 SpA Keldeo Scald vs. 252 HP / 76 SpD Garchomp: 204-241 (48.5 - 57.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
after Stealth Rock
+1 252 SpA Keldeo Secret Sword vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latios: 124-147 (41.4 - 49.1%) -- 82.4% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
+1 252 SpA Keldeo Scald vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Mega Sableye: 174-205 (57.2 - 67.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Excadrill @Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
So, with a charizard, and only one mediocre way to kill the everpresent talonbird, I decided to add a scarfed excadrill. This is a really reliable form of hazard removal, although it kills some momentum. It is also another way to kill talonflame and steel types. It's good for a few surprise kills on people not expecting scarf. Rapid spin is a great form of hazard removal (better than defog in my opinion) and is necessary for zard. EQ is POWERFUL stab that hits a lot of Pokémon pretty hard. Iron head is great to check things like mega Diancie and get some flinches when necessary. Rock slide is for talonflame, torn-T thundy, and other birds. Here are some more calcs.
252 Atk Mold Breaker Excadrill Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latios: 204-240 (68.2 - 80.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and 2 LO hits
252 Atk Mold Breaker Excadrill Rock Slide vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Thundurus: 226-266 (75.5 - 88.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Mold Breaker Excadrill Iron Head vs. 0 HP / 24 Def Mega Gardevoir: 372-438 (134.2 - 158.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Weavile @Life Orb
Ability: Pickpocket
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Icicle Crash
- Ice Shard
The main two reasons I added weavile here is that I love pursuit trapping latis and because a team without priority is a bad team. I have always loved this little beast, it is just so cool and strong. It helps to kill a lot of things that I didn't have a reliable way of dealing with so far. This thing gets so many pursuit kills. Knock Off is the second best move in the game and is very easy to spam. Getting rid of items is great as well as it's raw power. Pursuit is one of my favorite moves, and is very useful. Icicle Crash is great stab and gives me a good way to kill Lando and Chomper, as well as pretty much every flying type. Ice Shard was a necessary slot to add priority to my team, and priority that is faster than most other priority. I do find myself wishing I had low kick sometimes, but I don't see what I could switch it with. So, again some clacs.
252 Atk Life Orb Weavile Icicle Crash vs. 132 HP / 0 Def Tornadus-T: 413-486 (124.3 - 146.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Life Orb Weavile Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 134-160 (44.2 - 52.8%) -- 80.1% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Life Orb Weavile Pursuit vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Starmie: 187-221 (71.3 - 84.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock (OHKO if it switches which they always do)
Landorus-Therian @Soft Sand
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-Turn
- Stealth Rock
Here, I needed a rocker and wanted something to get off slow U-Turns as well as get intimidate off on physical mons to weaken them, but I still wanted to keep up offensive pressure. This is a more unique Lando set that I crafted myself, and although, it's odd it works pretty well. It gets up rocks pretty reliably and hits really hard. Adamant Earthquake boosted by soft sand is incredibly strong, killing a lot of mons that expect to live. Stone edge is another (inaccurate unfortunately) move to hit birds with after intimidating them. I have just enough speed to underspeed the common defensive lando, so I U-turn after it gaining momentum. Stealth rock is to weaken opposing mons on switch in, everyone knows that. And, as usual some calcs.
252+ Atk Soft Sand Landorus-T Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 88+ Def Ferrothorn: 157-186 (44.6 - 52.8%) -- 24.6% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Soft Sand Landorus-T Earthquake vs. 92 HP / 0 Def Azumarill: 280-331 (76.9 - 90.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (preventing belly drum)
252+ Atk Soft Sand Landorus-T Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Hippowdon: 202-238 (48 - 56.6%) -- 88.3% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
Clefable @Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpA
IVs: 0 Atk
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Fire Blast
- Soft-Boiled
- Heal Bell
I know you saw that life orb and considered leaving, but hear me out. This beast hits really hard and still walls a lot of the metagame even without defensive investment. This time I'll give some defensive and some offensive calcs. I'm using offense, so I wanted to keep up the pressure, but still get a fairy immunity and a cleric onto my squad. Moonblast is great stab that merks everything that is weak to it, and a lot of times people leave their garchomp in on this thing to get one-shot. Fire Blast abuses the sun from zard if it is still up as well as destroying things like ferro on the switch-in when they assume I'm running a defensive clef. Soft-Boiled is able to outpace a lot of mons trying to hurt me with neutral moves, giving me the advantage. Finally, Heal Bell is able to remove status from the rest of my team, like annoying thunder waves. Here's some more calcs.
252+ SpA Life Orb Clefable Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Mega Scizor: 551-650 (196 - 231.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Clefable Moonblast vs. 252 HP / 76 SpD Garchomp: 374-445 (89 - 105.9%) -- 37.5% chance to OHKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Clefable Moonblast vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Latios: 330-390 (110.3 - 130.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Life Orb Latios Psyshock vs. 248 HP / 8 Def Clefable: 220-259 (55.9 - 65.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Technician Mega Scizor Bullet Punch vs. 248 HP / 8 Def Clefable: 306-362 (77.8 - 92.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
160 SpA Tornadus-T Hurricane vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Clefable: 162-192 (41.2 - 48.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
So now that the team is over... Okay, first I would like to say, thanks to anyone who gives me suggestions here. I apologize for my lack of replays, my computer doesn't support me to save them, so I couldn't include any. Second, I'll discuss some of the issues I've noticed with this team, so here goes!
So, rain can be hard to handle sometimes, but luckily it is reducing in popularity, so I don't see it much.
This thing OHKOs pretty much everything on my team. I generally have to sec something and get weavile in to pursuit trap it.
This thing is a problem at team preview. I have no good way to kill this without being killed in return, so generally I have lead with driller and get off an iron head while they switch. Then I have to play cautiously around it, getting up rocks if possible.
I have absolutely nothing for this. First I have to sac something to scout what set it is. because if it bellys up I lost, so I have to stay in and attack. Then I have to get more damage while another mon dies, then finally kill with a third mon. Assault vest is the worst for my team, it can sweep me if I do anything wrong.
Again, I have no switch-ins, but I do have ways to kill it.
So, here's the end. Thanks again for reading, and please give me feedback!
Here's the team:
Weavile @ Life Orb
Ability: Pickpocket
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Ice Shard
- Icicle Crash
Charizard (Charizard-Mega-Y) @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Solar Beam
- Air Slash
- Roost
Excadrill @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
Simba (Landorus-Therian) @ Soft Sand
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
Clefable @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Fire Blast
- Heal Bell
Keldeo @ Leftovers
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Calm Mind
- Scald
- Secret Sword
Attachments
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