VULCAN FURY! - Jibaku     
IntroductionThe release of HeartGold and SoulSilver has undoubtedly shifted the metagame a bit—the rise of Shadow Sneak Giratina-O and Brave Bird Ho-Oh quite interestingly left the metagame focused on Dragon and Fire Attacks. Stall teams saw a rise as Ho-Oh's immense bulk and power filled in many gaps in them. This, in turn, caused the metagame to move its attention towards entry hazards and more on offense, which in turn caused stall to decline as people overprepare for them. This is evident in august's henry, where he abused Spikes and Stealth Rock and popularized Hidden Power Fire/Shadow Sneak Giratina-O. However in this rabble a few Pokemon were forgotten... This team attempts to showcase the utility of a few undervalued Pokemon, specifically Heatran and Latias. These two Pokemon are currently "anti-metagame", because they destroy a large part of it. The rare Trick Scarf Deoxys-S and Scarf Jirachi also make appearances that perform crucial roles for the team. The team also combines the common "semistall" and offensive playstyles, given the quick entry hazards, but also some good bulk provided by just about everything in the team! How exactly do you classify this team? Flashstorm1 called it "offensive balance", and Ace Matador called it "Semistall". You know what I think? Forget team classification! It's a team of Pokemon, period. (Theorymon says "Right on Jibaku!") As proof of this team's success I've gotten to #2 with it a few times (couldn't be bothered to get to #1 because I already accomplished that twice before ANYWAYS...it peaked at 1829 so it's good enough). However, as with any RMT, I need help—this team suffers from a few problems in which I can't seem to cover up.A main issue of this team is that it's a bit unstable - it sort of falls to hax, and unlike my previous Stall teams it relies too much on haxing back to regain the advantage. Speaking of that, another problem with the team is that it requires thought and whenever I'm in a tilt, this team fails me =( This is probably the final 4th generation team I will make. With 5th gen stepping closer to our doorsteps, there isn't a whole lot of time left. Of course, if ARCEUS (and I mean Arceus, not "Farceus" or "Farkeus" depending on how you want to pronounce it....) comes out before then, it may be a different story. To go out with a bang, I've put my utmost effort into creating this team, putting comprehensive information and organizing them so they would be easy to read. Like my previous teams, I will tell you right now I might lie on the EV spreads, but if you can suggest a better EV spread, please do so =). Without further ado... The TeamThe Entry Hazard Core
Deoxys-S @ Choice Scarf General Information Also I find it quite weird that some Deoxys-S runs only ExtremeSpeed as their sole attacking move. I mean come on, would you really give up your coverage against other Deoxys-S to defeat Deoxys-A? Moveset Explanation EV Explanation Lead Explanation Deoxys-S: Trick allows me to at least cripple opposing Deoxys-S. If they Taunt, we both switch. I usually switch to Groudon to hopefully catch their Pursuiter and set up rocks immediately. If they attack with Signal Beam or Shadow Ball, I get my one layer, then switch to Groudon and set up the Stealth Rock. If they use SR or Spikes I just go for my three layers. However, battling against three layers worth of Spikes is rather annoying, but I do have two Levitators so I might not be at a huge loss here. Deoxys-A: I usually go for the Spikes here, then switch out to Jirachi to attempt an Ironflinch. If it uses ExtremeSpeed on the first turn, I get two layers of Spikes down Groudon: Spikes twice, generally. If it uses Stealth Rock I get three Spikes. After Deoxys-S is dead Groudon is sent out and Stealth Rocks, then Roars. Kyogre: Spikes twice (Deoxys-S will survive a Surf barring a crit), then Latias is sent out to handle Kyogre. Although it'll get paralyzed by Thunder Wave, it would weaken Kyogre to the point where it would be hard to use and making it easier to preserve my sunlight. Water Spout Kyogre can be annoying as it OHKOes Deoxys-S, however Dialga: There are a few ways I can do this. Deoxys-S will survive two Flamethrowers from lead Dialga so if it goes by that route I get three layers. To destroy Deoxys by the second turn, it must use Draco Meteor, which then allows Groudon to set up SR without too much of a threat. On certain occasions when I feel trollish I can Trick as it Thunder Waves. Lum Berry will cure me of paralysis and Dialga's left choiced, allowing for easy Spikes set up. Darkrai: I would just Spikes, and then take the Dark Void. I usually then go to Jirachi to scout for whatever they have. Deoxys-S will also survive a Dark Pulse so it can get two layers down. Signal Beam may come in handy once in a while Mew: Yeah it'll probably use U-turn so I'll use Spikes. Scizor will probably come in after (or Giratina-O), and I'll try to handle them by double switching etc (read later) Scizor: Spikes, then try to predict between Bullet Punch and Pursuit in order to get that second Spikes. If it Pursuits Deoxys-S correctly Groudon comes in and sets up SR so I'm not at a huge loss. Giratina-O: See Scizor, except I can't send in Groudon (Heatran is sent in instead). However, Giratina-O doesn't have Pursuit, which makes it easier to preserve Deoxys-S. On some occasions I catch it on the double switch as it uses Earthquake, sacrificing Deoxys-S' life to reveal their surprise. Shadow Sneak crits are extremely annoying, though. Rayquaza: Not too bad. I would just stay in against those who use Life orb leadrays, getting two layers of Spikes if they opt for Fire Blast + ES. If they Draco Meteor I'll probably survive and switch into Groudon while I set up Stealth Rock. Focus Sash LeadRay is handled in the same way, I guess Shaymin-S: One of the prime targets for Scarf Deoxys-S - it will most likely Air Slash and cause the team's demise as Deoxys-S effortlessly manages three layers of Spikes against it. It can 2HKO Deoxys-S with Seed Flare, though. Forretress: Trick severely cripples Forretress. They often Payback on the first turn which easily nets me two layers of Spikes. Then, Groudon can set up SR as it is forced to switch out. If they use Toxic Spikes I'll just spam Spikes while if they use Spikes I'll probably Taunt and set up Spikes of my own. If Forretress uses Rapid Spin it loses since Leftovers outheals the damage lol. Possible Replacements: 
I am considering Forretress over Deoxys-S, whose ability to stop most other Deoxys-S leads better and being able to lay down Toxic Spikes help this team quite a bit, slowing down sweepers and torturing Blissey. Oh and being a third Steel type helps. However, this means I have less control over the early game (which you can see in the Deoxys-S vs leads section - most notably against Rayquaza lead). Also, Forretress lead mirrormatches are stupid -_-, and I can't really lead with Groudon since I don't want to risk the possibility of them having Deoxys-S + Giratina-O. I would have to use Gyro Ball though, because the thought of Darkrai Nasty Plotting on Forry is scary considering my Scarfer can't even OHKO it. Since Forry often only carries Payback as an attacking move (Rapid Spin does NOT count!), Darkrai could easily set up without having to Dark Void which could put me in a horrid position. However, this would unfortunately force me to use Shed Shell to avoid Wobbuffet (this is significant as Deoxys-S can Taunt Forry and then Wobbuffet gets sent in, and if I happen to use Rapid Spin at that time Wobb could Encore and then proceed to Counter me to death!). Another option is to use Bug Bite which means I wouldn't have to lower Speed and therefore I can use Leftovers without fearing Wobb, but it does pathetic damage to Giratina-O (which then forces me to treat Forry as sacrifice against EQ variants, though I'd get a lot of hazards in the process). Bug Bite also has the added bonus of dealing tons of damage to lead Mew thanks to its Lum Berry. But unlike Gyro Ball, Rayquaza laughs at it. Using Gyro Ball with enough Speed to beat Wobb is a terrible idea X_X. The final option is to drop Toxic Spikes for Bug Bite...and I don't want to remove TS because that's the main reason Forretress is here, and I'm certainly not removing Spikes either! 
Okay I will admit that after testing Cloyster a bit with a set of Ice Beam / Rapid Spin / Toxic Spikes / Spikes @ Sash, it's not bad. Against slower leads and stall it gets Toxic Spikes + Spikes down easily, while Spinning away at Deoxys-S leads as well as threatening Giratina-O switch ins with Ice Beam. But I dunno - Cloyster is still fairly slow and isn't as versatile as Deoxys-S in terms of leading, and dislikes being put up against Forretress. What this thing can do that Forretress can't is set up both TS and Spikes against lead Kyogre and Dialga (barring fast ones, though). Obviously the main appeal here that it has over Deoxys-S is being able to lay down Toxic Spikes. This Deoxys-S used to be a lead with 144 Atk / 252 Speed / 112 SAtk, Naive, Fire Punch / Spikes / Taunt / Signal Beam. However, ScarfDeoxys-S' ability to outrun Scarfrai and Scarfmin-S eventually gave the Sashlead the bootout from the team. Still, it performed its job exceptionally well while it was on the team. If for any reason Scarf Deoxys-S fails me, I can return back to this lead.
Groudon @ Leftovers General Information Moveset Explanation EV Explanation
Giratina-O @ Griseous Orb General Information Moveset Explanation EV Explanation Final Words The Team Focus(es)
Heatran @ Leftovers General Information Moveset Explanation Flamethrower is chosen for reliability, and the power is generally preferred over the burn from Lava Plume. I am no way using Fire Blast or Overheat, they suck -_-. Fire Blast has imperfect accuracy and terrible PP, and where Pressure is flying about AND the fact that it's supposed to be a defensive Pokemon makes it a terrible choice. Overheat is worse due to the -2 Special Attack, which means Taunt / WoW Mewtwo outstalls me =(. Dragon Pulse is for immediate damage to Dragons (unless they're Latias or Dialga). I am considering Toxic in this spot, though, because it helps a lot against Latias and Lugia, and does wonders if I didn't get enough entry hazards when this is sent out. EV Explanation Final Words
Latias @ Soul Dew General Information | 22 | Latias | 3394 | 10.45 | Anyways, I consider Latias to be an anti metagame Pokemon at this point. It appeared that people forgot her existence and thus many teams are weak to her. Latias is probably the best partner to Heatran in the game because not only do they counter each other's weaknesses, they are pretty destructive to sun (Heatran), and rain (Latias) teams. Furthermore, being one of the best counters to Kyogre in the game, Latias secures the team's purpose of abusing Heatran. What makes Latias so dangerous? She has no Uber counters, and thus you're left with Scizor/Jirachi/Tyranitar/Blissey/Registeel as your best bets to stop her. Scizor gets 2HKOed by Thunder and is mauled by the entry hazards in the team, Jirachi doesn't like Thunder either, Tyranitar is sort of rare, and Registeel is even rarer. Which leaves Blissey, really. This means Latias will very, very often snag a kill in the game, and may even sweep. Moveset Explanation Choice Explanation Latias is picked over Latios for her better bulk. This is important because it allows her to hold against Kyogre easier as they may pack Ice Beam. I mean seriously, Latios gets 2HKOed by Specs Ogre's Surf with SR, as well as 2HKOed by Scarfed Water Spout. Furthermore, her extra defense allows her to survive priority moves better—she can survive a +2 Life Orb ExtremeSpeed from Jolly Lucario after two Stealth Rock damages (unless it rolls max damage or something). The Revenger
Jirachi @ Choice Scarf General Information Darkrai You know, ScarfKitsunoh would fit so well over Scarf Jirachi here...... |