Hey! I'm 031ap (AP for short). Anyways, this is my first RMT. This team, I've been using for more than three months now, to ridiculous success. The time has come though, to retire it, seeing as in the last few weeks, my winning rate has dwindled significantly. So why not do it in style, with a fancy RMT?
INTRODUCTION
The original concept for this team came way back in August. I had been reading over the UU: Higher Ground Discussion Thread, and came to a post reflecting one of X-Act's old stat threads, which showed which types worked best in each tier. In UU, according to the poster, it was Fire, which got me thinking. Fire may have only been the best offensive type in UU, but was it the best offensive typing? In other words, X-Act's stats only took into account the type of move used, not the weaknesses and resistances of the Pokémon using, nor stats or anything else.
At this point, I posed a question to myself: If Fire wasn't the best, what was? The question dropped out of my mind for a while, but some days later, it suddenly hit me. Flying. Immunity to Ground, and good common resistances in Grass and Fighting (Bug, even now, is pretty rare. Just wait till Heracross drops down...). In addition, its weaknesses are easier to work around than the Fire type, or most other types, for that matter. The only hamper were those damn, Stealth Rocks.
Later that day, I sat down, cracked my knuckles, and set to making a team, whose steps through the metagame can be traced below, and the final version after that.
TEAM-BUILDING PROCESS
In UU, there were only so many Flying-types to abuse. But from the start, after playing around with the idea of a full Flying-team, I decided that this team was meant to abuse the metagame, not one to just have gimmicky fun with. Running down a list of UU Flying-types, I decided the only good ones that took the mickey out of the metagame, especially in a more offensively-oriented one, were:
Why these Pokémon? Each was a powerful Pokémon, able to muscle its way through the metagame without too much effort. Of the quartet, only Yanmega was dropped, because, coincidentally, it was at that exact time that it was named a suspect.
My next few Pokémon would have to provide good synergy with the rest of the team. Immediately, I began to think about what could counter these Pokémon easily, and what could counter those. Bulky Waters were a huge threat to me, it seemed, so I went for the unoriginal route and put in a Roserade.
From there, I decided that I needed a Spinner. Donphan was a neat choice, and I was eager to try it out for the first time, as everyone was always raving about it.
However, here, I hit an impasse on my final choice. Eventually, I playtested Yanmega, and found the team to be pretty damn awful. After going back to the drawing board, Yanmega was dropped again, and the extremely underwhelming Donphan was dropped, primarily because I could not run SR/EQ/Assurance/Ice Shard/Rapid Spin. Instead, I looked for two different Pokémon - a Spinner and a Rocker.
On a previous team, I had used Heysup's vaunted Roserade/Regirock duo to great success. Here, it made its return. For the spinner, I again delved into old teams, pulling out a Blastoise to round off the team.
The team reached decent success, getting me up to the Top 15 on the Leaderboard. When Roserade received the banhammer as well, an SD-3 attack Venusaur came in.
Then came the new round of UU testing. Dropping the team, I went through a variety of other teams, hoping for success, but to no avail. In a stroke of genius (or desperation, whichever you prefer), I returned to the old team, tweaked it some, and was amazed by how it rampaged through the new metagame and the reset leaderboard.
I rose all the way to #3, where a combination of lack of motivation, and an extremely low deviation forced me to stop. And hax, which was bloody awful. From there, at a peak of 1652, it slowly fell, and eventually came to retirement. I still play casually with it, however.
So, without further ado, I present to you the best team I have ever made, scourge of the metagame (I wish)...
Note: The team has a 'chess' theme of sorts, where I name each Pokémon after one of the six chess pieces, based on its (or her, only Regirock and Moltres are not female, for good reason) role on the team.
Rook (Regirock) @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 204 HP/252 Atk/24 Spd/28 SDef
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Hammer Arm
- Explosion
Why this Pokémon?
At first glance, you may wonder, 'Why use Regirock, when you've got a far better option in Rhyperior sitting right there?' Well, I have several reasons. For starters, I'd prefer my Pokémon not to be high on crack. But all joking aside, Regirock has several notable advantages over its addict cousin. Firstly, the lack of a Ground typing, which allows Regirock to actually take Grass and Water hits if needed. Its higher Special Defense also pulls through here, and it doesn't have to flee at the slightest of attacks. Its other crucial advantage, however, is Explosion, which can immediately remove a threat to my team from the opposition, or allow Regirock to do big damage even as it goes down.
But that's simply why I use it over Rhyperior. But why do I use it, period? There isn't one answer. To begin with, I'm familiar with Regirock (as I am with the entire team, save Venusaur, and Blastoise to an extent), so I have a good idea of what it can do. Its foremost utility for the team is to set up SR, which tends to bring many threats just outside something's KO range into that range, possibly giving me game-changing momentum. Being able to use SR was my primary concern when looking for this spot - however, Regirock's resistances were what earned it a spot on the team, as well as good attack, and decent speed (Base 50 is among the fastest of the slow UU Pokémon). Donphan couldn't take Fire, Flying, or Normal Attacks, and Steelix was destroyed by a good fire move anyways. Why it was chosen over Rhyperior can be seen in the previous paragraph.
Why as a Lead?
I solely use Regirock as the lead because nothing else really can fit the role, without sacrificing some of my team's potential. In addition, it has the ability to take on most other leads, and win - there are a few exceptions, but they're far and few between.
How it fares against Common Leads:
- Hammer Arm right away, usually for a OHKO.
- Stone Edge right off the bat. I have good luck here in getting two hits in a row, and at worst, I'm Tricked. Proslass is OHKO'd.
- A pain at times. SR + Explosion is usually my preferred option, but DS versions can be bitches.
- Stealth Rock right away; they typically prefer to U-turn out. From there, I evaluate the set, and switch accordingly.
- Stone Edge. Usually OHKOs; if not, evaluate the set and go from there.
- Stone Edge usually KOs all variants. Toxic can be played around.
- Go straight to Moltres, then back to Regirock to determine set and existence of HP Rock.
- Either Stone Edge or Stealth Rock Turn 1, before going to either Blastoise or Venusaur.
- Stealth Rock on the Leech Seed, get Moltres in on the ensuing Protect.
- Stealth Rock Turn 1, and try to waste some rain with Hammer Arm.
- Venusaur, typically. Stealth Rock Turn 1 if I feel lucky.
- Stealth Rock as he does the same, and go to Venusaur on the Toxic. Blastoise takes Yawn variants.
- Go straight to Moltres. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
- Tricky, but easy. Swellow on the Taunt, U-turn to Moltres on the D-Bond, HP Grass, then Air Slash.
Why these moves?
Stealth Rock is an obvious choice, and its utility in this, or any, metagame is undeniable. Stone Edge is the obvious STAB attack, and with Max Attack, packs a heavy punch. Hammer Arm, a suggestion by Lemmiwinks, is a surprising choice over Earthquake, but I find it a better one, as it allows me to almost always KO Ambipom, something that could repeatedly come in on my team, and KO it, if I didn't run Hammer Arm. In addition, it hits Magneton, and is a solid option on low health Pokémon who I'd rather not miss with Stone Edge. The Pokémon I now miss out on are the likes of Nidoking, Blaziken, and Toxicroak - stuff I'd rather not stay in on to start with, and Explosion can stop them if necessary.
Why the EVs, Nature, and Item?
I like to play Regirock as a tank, as it's really outclassed if you try to go full offense or defense. 252 Attack + Adamant is to hit as hard as possible - this is an offensive team after all. The 24 Speed EVs may seem odd, but they allow me to get the jump on just about every Base 50 except Offensive Hitmontop, and Explode on them if needed. This particularly applies to Azumarill and Donphan, both who are extremely surprised at being outsped. I believe the HP EVs are to get maximum Leftovers recovery (Leftovers is ideal for a Tank like Regirock, who wants the longevity), with any stray EVs applied to Special Defense. Overall, I gain considerable bulk, but still retain the ability
Why the name?
Well, firstly, Rook couldn't really apply to anything else, especially when Regirock looks so much like one itself. I always see the rook as a straightforward power player, and that applies to Regirock as well - put up Rocks, hit pretty damn hard, take hits pretty well, and go boom. Not much to it.
Pawn (Venusaur) (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 124 HP/196 Atk/164 Spd/24 SAtk
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Power Whip
- Earthquake
- Synthesis
- Sludge Bomb
Why this Pokémon?
Following the news of Roserade's upcoming banishment to the OU tier, I decided that I had to replace it with something else, preferably a Grass-type with good bulk to take any stray Ice Beams that Bulky Waters may fire off. At this time, Venusaur was a big fad with the Swords Dance moveset, so I slapped it on the team to take Roserade's place, primarily because of the identical typing. While this thing doesn't hit nearly as hard as Roserade, or be as good, it's still got its merits. Firstly, the typing. Grass was necessary to take on the bulky waters I'd otherwise have to sacrifice one of my Flyers to, whereas Poison gave me a good fighting resist and the ability to absorb Toxic Spikes, which would otherwise wear down my other two ground-based Pokémon quickly, and with the synergy of the team broken, I would be far more vulnerable than desired. Plus, the bulk was the tipping point, which made it the ideal choice over Leafeon and Sceptile, neither of whom could take an Ice Beam.
Why these moves?
Originally, when I first brought Venusaur to the team, before the HGSS move changes, I was running a SD + 3 attack set. However, following the new UU drop-ins, the metagame drastically changed. No longer could my offense be a good defense, with the new amount of threats Venusaur had to check as well - Raikou in particular. Power Whip is here as the hard-hitting STAB move, able to annihilate most Bulky Waters, and 2HKO the rest. Earthquake is a nice coverage move, primarily hitting Fire-types who think they can set up on me, and the occasional Registeel and Aggron. Synthesis adds to my longevity, and is a good move sometimes on the switch. Leech Seed has been dropped for Sludge Bomb, to hit threats such as Moltres and Honchkrow harder. I'm not sure if I should try HP Ice out here.
Why the EVs, Nature, and Item?
Black Sludge for longevity. The speed EVs let me outpace neutral Base 80s with a Jolly Nature, while the rest is poured into my offenses.
Why the name?
Pawn is the name simply because the others were already taken. It's a holdover from when I used a lead LO Roserade, because a Pawn is supposed to lead the offense out.
King (Blastoise) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Rapid Spin
- Surf
- Yawn
- Roar
Why this Pokémon?
Blastoise was chosen for the third spot of the team because of two (or three) reasons. For starters, he had a move crucial to the success of the team - Rapid Spin, allowing me to keep my three Flying-types healthy and fit to continue tearing up my opponent. In addition, it carries the useful defenses and resistances of a Bulky Water, giving me a good check to threats like Azumarill, Kabutops, and Feraligatr, among others. Despite what one may say, I see my team more as a bulky offense than anything, despite having a shit attacker on it. Blastoise actually preserves the offensive momentum with its support options, keeping the other side switching with its tandem of Roar and Yawn.
Why these moves?
Rapid Spin and Surd are both obvious and necessary; the first is vital to keeping my team alive, and the second is STAB and my only attacking move. Water has pretty decent coverage anyways. Yawn is great to force the opponent out, and to prevent any set-up. Both allow me to get off a Rapid Spin. In addition, it can save my ass from things like Torterra, who can really run through the team if it sets up on Blastoise. Roar may seem redundant with Yawn, but saves my ass against Subbers like Raikou and Azumarill. Rest disrupts my momentum even further, while Ice Beam is weak.
Why the EVs, Nature, and Item?
Nature and EVs meant for Max Defense/HP, to fulfill role to best of abilities. Leftovers for the same reason.
Why the name?
The king in chess is the weakest piece on the board, and yet the most important. While Blastoise may not be that important, its role is nonetheless crucial to the survival of the team, and if Blastoise goes down too early in the game with Rocks still up, it can be a nightmare.
Bishop (Moltres) @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 40 HP/216 Spd/252 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Air Slash
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Roost
Why this Pokémon?
Anyone who plays UU knows that Moltres is ridiculous in this metagame. Only four Pokémon in the tier can take more than two hits from it, and two (Moltres, Altaria) need full health to survive. Few bulky waters survive Air Slash and HP Grass, Milotic again the exception. Apart from its ridiculous Special Attack, Moltres also has good speed, outspeeding the benchmark Base 80s with ease. And finally, the amount of bulk it carries even with minor investment is shocking, especially with Roost. Moltres, on my team, is the 'muscle,' it serves primarily to power its way through walls, not even needing to wall-break. Few teams are prepared for Moltres nowadays, and this team indirectly exploits that. On the first switch-in, whenever it may be, Moltres likes to hit hard with an Air Slash, hopefully targeting a bulky water that takes major damage. Later on, once they start scrambling for options, I go at them without much prediction, typically sweeping their team if I've broken their defense.
Why these moves?
Fire Blast and Air Slash are both obvious STAB, hitting ridiculously hard. Hidden Power Grass is to bully the bulky waters that try to stop me, and Roost is meant to get rid of SR recoil when I have to take it. Moltres is useful in taking certain kinds of hits (Grass, Bug, Steel, Ground), as well as weak moves, and it's nice to be able to keep it alive, both for sweeping and checking purposes.
Why the EVs, Nature, and Item?
Modest for max power, or else I'd use Magmortar. Speed allows me to outrun neutral Base 85s (notablly Toxicroak, who I check), and the rest is dumped into HP. Life Orb for the needed muscling power.
Why the name?
Well, it's more of an aesthetic thing here. You take Moltres' beak and crest, point it upwards, and it looks vaguely like a bishop.
Knight (Honchkrow) (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Insomnia
EVs: 16 HP/252 Atk/240 Spd
Lonely nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Brave Bird
- Sucker Punch
- Superpower
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Why this Pokémon?
Again, anyone playing UU should know the pure destructive value of Honchkrow. The simple addition of Brave Bird, in many people's eyes, has turned this monster into a friggin' beast. Honchkrow is used due to valuable Psychic and Ground immunities (though the first is definitely more important), and even more so, its ability to utilize raw power to rip into the opposition. Honchkrow, like Moltres, is raw muscle for the team, just driving through the opposition, and sweeping if it gets the opportunity (ie Swellow and Moltres have come out before it to rip up shit). I usually come in, and just Brave Bird off the bat; prediction isn't needed for Honchkrow. The other moves are just coverage, to allow Krow and her amazing Brave Bird to rampage through whatever needs to be rampaged through. Unlike most people, I don't suicide with Honchkrow; my balanced playstyle is derived from switches, and with Blastoise's spinning, I can come back to keep denting and eventually killing my counters, seeing as most don't have recovery moves.
Why these moves?
Brave Bird is completely obvious, and if you don't realize it, then you better learn some UU. Superpower, again, hits my counters hard. Sucker Punch is a risky option, but has high payback if used right, as long as I can watch out for the Substitutes. You may be wondering why HP Grass is over Roost, but it's absolutely necessary on a team like mine to make sure Rhyperior can't get a Rock Polish, since it's one of the few weaknesses I have. It also eases prediction in the rain, and allows me to sweep them without having to switch out after Superpower.
Why the EVs, Nature, and Item?
Life Orb and Max Attack for maximum sweeping power. I think the Speeds EVs let me beat Max Speed Modest Magneton, and the -Def nature is because more often than not, Honchkrow's gonna be taking weak special hits on the Pokémon it terrorizes.
Why the name?
When I saw Honchkrow, it gave me the impression of a black knight, which is fitting to an extent, though there's nothing gallant about ripping through teams. The way it erratically attacks, and its good attacks, can be contrasted to the odd way a knight moves in chess.
Queen (Swellow) (F) @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 40 HP/252 Atk/216 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Brave Bird
- Facade
- Quick Attack
- U-turn
Why this Pokémon?
Swellow is simultaneously one of the fastest, and one of the most powerful Pokémon in UU, which makes it perfect to clean up late game. At least, that's how most people use it. I've had far too many people tell me that they can't handle a Swellow in the early game at all. My primary reason for bringing out Swellow so early, apart from it being interchangeable with both Moltres and Honchkrow, is because oftentimes I don't have the window to get the crucial Guts Boost later in the game; playing both smart and risky by doing something like coming into a Rhyperior Earthquake is what I prefer to do - come in scotch-free, and U-turn right back out and save my health for the inevitable sweep.
Why these moves?
Brave Bird for STAB, and Facade for an insane high-octane sweeping move. U-turn is to get out of things I don't like. Quick Attack is the crux of the set. After SR, IIRC, it 2HKOs all the common Sucker Punchers, save Toxicroak, who I have other checks to. It also makes me a great revenge killer to Scarfers or weakened Pokémon, and has saved my ass on multiple occasions. Though I'm not one to brag, I will point out that I had never seen any Swellow use Quick Attack in the past few months until I started to recommend and use it myself.
Why the EVs, Nature, and Item?
The HP EVs have saved my ass on multiple occasion. In addition, I never want to risk the speed tie with Swellow anyways, so it's rather pointless, so long as I always outspeed the Base 120s (I OHKO all of them). Jolly ensures this. Flame Orb is an obvious choice for the self-inflicted status.
Why the name?
The queen is the most versatile, most powerful piece on the board. Substitute versatility for speed and you have Swellow.
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Anyways, that's the RMT. Any reviews/comments are appreciated. If you wanna steal the team, feel free so long as you drop me a line first. Be warned that it's probably a different style then what you're accustomed too, so if it doesn't work for you, then you're probably using it wrong. Or it's for the same problems I had - it just don't work anymore.
I myself was surprised at its longevity; it's weathered a lot of things, yet still perform(ed) strongly.
Anyways, thanks for taking the time to read through all of this. If you wanna give me any suggestions on my RMT style itself, they're more than welcome.
INTRODUCTION
The original concept for this team came way back in August. I had been reading over the UU: Higher Ground Discussion Thread, and came to a post reflecting one of X-Act's old stat threads, which showed which types worked best in each tier. In UU, according to the poster, it was Fire, which got me thinking. Fire may have only been the best offensive type in UU, but was it the best offensive typing? In other words, X-Act's stats only took into account the type of move used, not the weaknesses and resistances of the Pokémon using, nor stats or anything else.
At this point, I posed a question to myself: If Fire wasn't the best, what was? The question dropped out of my mind for a while, but some days later, it suddenly hit me. Flying. Immunity to Ground, and good common resistances in Grass and Fighting (Bug, even now, is pretty rare. Just wait till Heracross drops down...). In addition, its weaknesses are easier to work around than the Fire type, or most other types, for that matter. The only hamper were those damn, Stealth Rocks.
Later that day, I sat down, cracked my knuckles, and set to making a team, whose steps through the metagame can be traced below, and the final version after that.
TEAM-BUILDING PROCESS
In UU, there were only so many Flying-types to abuse. But from the start, after playing around with the idea of a full Flying-team, I decided that this team was meant to abuse the metagame, not one to just have gimmicky fun with. Running down a list of UU Flying-types, I decided the only good ones that took the mickey out of the metagame, especially in a more offensively-oriented one, were:
Why these Pokémon? Each was a powerful Pokémon, able to muscle its way through the metagame without too much effort. Of the quartet, only Yanmega was dropped, because, coincidentally, it was at that exact time that it was named a suspect.
My next few Pokémon would have to provide good synergy with the rest of the team. Immediately, I began to think about what could counter these Pokémon easily, and what could counter those. Bulky Waters were a huge threat to me, it seemed, so I went for the unoriginal route and put in a Roserade.
From there, I decided that I needed a Spinner. Donphan was a neat choice, and I was eager to try it out for the first time, as everyone was always raving about it.
However, here, I hit an impasse on my final choice. Eventually, I playtested Yanmega, and found the team to be pretty damn awful. After going back to the drawing board, Yanmega was dropped again, and the extremely underwhelming Donphan was dropped, primarily because I could not run SR/EQ/Assurance/Ice Shard/Rapid Spin. Instead, I looked for two different Pokémon - a Spinner and a Rocker.
On a previous team, I had used Heysup's vaunted Roserade/Regirock duo to great success. Here, it made its return. For the spinner, I again delved into old teams, pulling out a Blastoise to round off the team.
The team reached decent success, getting me up to the Top 15 on the Leaderboard. When Roserade received the banhammer as well, an SD-3 attack Venusaur came in.
Then came the new round of UU testing. Dropping the team, I went through a variety of other teams, hoping for success, but to no avail. In a stroke of genius (or desperation, whichever you prefer), I returned to the old team, tweaked it some, and was amazed by how it rampaged through the new metagame and the reset leaderboard.
I rose all the way to #3, where a combination of lack of motivation, and an extremely low deviation forced me to stop. And hax, which was bloody awful. From there, at a peak of 1652, it slowly fell, and eventually came to retirement. I still play casually with it, however.
So, without further ado, I present to you the best team I have ever made, scourge of the metagame (I wish)...
BIRDIE POWER
Note: The team has a 'chess' theme of sorts, where I name each Pokémon after one of the six chess pieces, based on its (or her, only Regirock and Moltres are not female, for good reason) role on the team.
The Support
Rook (Regirock) @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 204 HP/252 Atk/24 Spd/28 SDef
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Hammer Arm
- Explosion
Why this Pokémon?
At first glance, you may wonder, 'Why use Regirock, when you've got a far better option in Rhyperior sitting right there?' Well, I have several reasons. For starters, I'd prefer my Pokémon not to be high on crack. But all joking aside, Regirock has several notable advantages over its addict cousin. Firstly, the lack of a Ground typing, which allows Regirock to actually take Grass and Water hits if needed. Its higher Special Defense also pulls through here, and it doesn't have to flee at the slightest of attacks. Its other crucial advantage, however, is Explosion, which can immediately remove a threat to my team from the opposition, or allow Regirock to do big damage even as it goes down.
But that's simply why I use it over Rhyperior. But why do I use it, period? There isn't one answer. To begin with, I'm familiar with Regirock (as I am with the entire team, save Venusaur, and Blastoise to an extent), so I have a good idea of what it can do. Its foremost utility for the team is to set up SR, which tends to bring many threats just outside something's KO range into that range, possibly giving me game-changing momentum. Being able to use SR was my primary concern when looking for this spot - however, Regirock's resistances were what earned it a spot on the team, as well as good attack, and decent speed (Base 50 is among the fastest of the slow UU Pokémon). Donphan couldn't take Fire, Flying, or Normal Attacks, and Steelix was destroyed by a good fire move anyways. Why it was chosen over Rhyperior can be seen in the previous paragraph.
Why as a Lead?
I solely use Regirock as the lead because nothing else really can fit the role, without sacrificing some of my team's potential. In addition, it has the ability to take on most other leads, and win - there are a few exceptions, but they're far and few between.
How it fares against Common Leads:
Why these moves?
Stealth Rock is an obvious choice, and its utility in this, or any, metagame is undeniable. Stone Edge is the obvious STAB attack, and with Max Attack, packs a heavy punch. Hammer Arm, a suggestion by Lemmiwinks, is a surprising choice over Earthquake, but I find it a better one, as it allows me to almost always KO Ambipom, something that could repeatedly come in on my team, and KO it, if I didn't run Hammer Arm. In addition, it hits Magneton, and is a solid option on low health Pokémon who I'd rather not miss with Stone Edge. The Pokémon I now miss out on are the likes of Nidoking, Blaziken, and Toxicroak - stuff I'd rather not stay in on to start with, and Explosion can stop them if necessary.
Why the EVs, Nature, and Item?
I like to play Regirock as a tank, as it's really outclassed if you try to go full offense or defense. 252 Attack + Adamant is to hit as hard as possible - this is an offensive team after all. The 24 Speed EVs may seem odd, but they allow me to get the jump on just about every Base 50 except Offensive Hitmontop, and Explode on them if needed. This particularly applies to Azumarill and Donphan, both who are extremely surprised at being outsped. I believe the HP EVs are to get maximum Leftovers recovery (Leftovers is ideal for a Tank like Regirock, who wants the longevity), with any stray EVs applied to Special Defense. Overall, I gain considerable bulk, but still retain the ability
Why the name?
Well, firstly, Rook couldn't really apply to anything else, especially when Regirock looks so much like one itself. I always see the rook as a straightforward power player, and that applies to Regirock as well - put up Rocks, hit pretty damn hard, take hits pretty well, and go boom. Not much to it.
Pawn (Venusaur) (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 124 HP/196 Atk/164 Spd/24 SAtk
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Power Whip
- Earthquake
- Synthesis
- Sludge Bomb
Why this Pokémon?
Following the news of Roserade's upcoming banishment to the OU tier, I decided that I had to replace it with something else, preferably a Grass-type with good bulk to take any stray Ice Beams that Bulky Waters may fire off. At this time, Venusaur was a big fad with the Swords Dance moveset, so I slapped it on the team to take Roserade's place, primarily because of the identical typing. While this thing doesn't hit nearly as hard as Roserade, or be as good, it's still got its merits. Firstly, the typing. Grass was necessary to take on the bulky waters I'd otherwise have to sacrifice one of my Flyers to, whereas Poison gave me a good fighting resist and the ability to absorb Toxic Spikes, which would otherwise wear down my other two ground-based Pokémon quickly, and with the synergy of the team broken, I would be far more vulnerable than desired. Plus, the bulk was the tipping point, which made it the ideal choice over Leafeon and Sceptile, neither of whom could take an Ice Beam.
Why these moves?
Originally, when I first brought Venusaur to the team, before the HGSS move changes, I was running a SD + 3 attack set. However, following the new UU drop-ins, the metagame drastically changed. No longer could my offense be a good defense, with the new amount of threats Venusaur had to check as well - Raikou in particular. Power Whip is here as the hard-hitting STAB move, able to annihilate most Bulky Waters, and 2HKO the rest. Earthquake is a nice coverage move, primarily hitting Fire-types who think they can set up on me, and the occasional Registeel and Aggron. Synthesis adds to my longevity, and is a good move sometimes on the switch. Leech Seed has been dropped for Sludge Bomb, to hit threats such as Moltres and Honchkrow harder. I'm not sure if I should try HP Ice out here.
Why the EVs, Nature, and Item?
Black Sludge for longevity. The speed EVs let me outpace neutral Base 80s with a Jolly Nature, while the rest is poured into my offenses.
Why the name?
Pawn is the name simply because the others were already taken. It's a holdover from when I used a lead LO Roserade, because a Pawn is supposed to lead the offense out.
King (Blastoise) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Rapid Spin
- Surf
- Yawn
- Roar
Why this Pokémon?
Blastoise was chosen for the third spot of the team because of two (or three) reasons. For starters, he had a move crucial to the success of the team - Rapid Spin, allowing me to keep my three Flying-types healthy and fit to continue tearing up my opponent. In addition, it carries the useful defenses and resistances of a Bulky Water, giving me a good check to threats like Azumarill, Kabutops, and Feraligatr, among others. Despite what one may say, I see my team more as a bulky offense than anything, despite having a shit attacker on it. Blastoise actually preserves the offensive momentum with its support options, keeping the other side switching with its tandem of Roar and Yawn.
Why these moves?
Rapid Spin and Surd are both obvious and necessary; the first is vital to keeping my team alive, and the second is STAB and my only attacking move. Water has pretty decent coverage anyways. Yawn is great to force the opponent out, and to prevent any set-up. Both allow me to get off a Rapid Spin. In addition, it can save my ass from things like Torterra, who can really run through the team if it sets up on Blastoise. Roar may seem redundant with Yawn, but saves my ass against Subbers like Raikou and Azumarill. Rest disrupts my momentum even further, while Ice Beam is weak.
Why the EVs, Nature, and Item?
Nature and EVs meant for Max Defense/HP, to fulfill role to best of abilities. Leftovers for the same reason.
Why the name?
The king in chess is the weakest piece on the board, and yet the most important. While Blastoise may not be that important, its role is nonetheless crucial to the survival of the team, and if Blastoise goes down too early in the game with Rocks still up, it can be a nightmare.
The Flyers
These three Pokémon aren't limited to end-game sweeping - based on the other team, they can each come in whenever, and wreak havoc, because there's another one waiting in the wings. The deadly avian trio wreaks havoc with 125 base stats - Moltres and Base 125 Special Attack, Honchkrow's Base 125 Attack, and Swellow with 125 Base Speed. Few opponents can take repeated beatings from the power of these titans, even harder to do once you factor in their interchange-ability and unpredictability.
Bishop (Moltres) @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 40 HP/216 Spd/252 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Air Slash
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Roost
Why this Pokémon?
Anyone who plays UU knows that Moltres is ridiculous in this metagame. Only four Pokémon in the tier can take more than two hits from it, and two (Moltres, Altaria) need full health to survive. Few bulky waters survive Air Slash and HP Grass, Milotic again the exception. Apart from its ridiculous Special Attack, Moltres also has good speed, outspeeding the benchmark Base 80s with ease. And finally, the amount of bulk it carries even with minor investment is shocking, especially with Roost. Moltres, on my team, is the 'muscle,' it serves primarily to power its way through walls, not even needing to wall-break. Few teams are prepared for Moltres nowadays, and this team indirectly exploits that. On the first switch-in, whenever it may be, Moltres likes to hit hard with an Air Slash, hopefully targeting a bulky water that takes major damage. Later on, once they start scrambling for options, I go at them without much prediction, typically sweeping their team if I've broken their defense.
Why these moves?
Fire Blast and Air Slash are both obvious STAB, hitting ridiculously hard. Hidden Power Grass is to bully the bulky waters that try to stop me, and Roost is meant to get rid of SR recoil when I have to take it. Moltres is useful in taking certain kinds of hits (Grass, Bug, Steel, Ground), as well as weak moves, and it's nice to be able to keep it alive, both for sweeping and checking purposes.
Why the EVs, Nature, and Item?
Modest for max power, or else I'd use Magmortar. Speed allows me to outrun neutral Base 85s (notablly Toxicroak, who I check), and the rest is dumped into HP. Life Orb for the needed muscling power.
Why the name?
Well, it's more of an aesthetic thing here. You take Moltres' beak and crest, point it upwards, and it looks vaguely like a bishop.
Knight (Honchkrow) (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Insomnia
EVs: 16 HP/252 Atk/240 Spd
Lonely nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Brave Bird
- Sucker Punch
- Superpower
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Why this Pokémon?
Again, anyone playing UU should know the pure destructive value of Honchkrow. The simple addition of Brave Bird, in many people's eyes, has turned this monster into a friggin' beast. Honchkrow is used due to valuable Psychic and Ground immunities (though the first is definitely more important), and even more so, its ability to utilize raw power to rip into the opposition. Honchkrow, like Moltres, is raw muscle for the team, just driving through the opposition, and sweeping if it gets the opportunity (ie Swellow and Moltres have come out before it to rip up shit). I usually come in, and just Brave Bird off the bat; prediction isn't needed for Honchkrow. The other moves are just coverage, to allow Krow and her amazing Brave Bird to rampage through whatever needs to be rampaged through. Unlike most people, I don't suicide with Honchkrow; my balanced playstyle is derived from switches, and with Blastoise's spinning, I can come back to keep denting and eventually killing my counters, seeing as most don't have recovery moves.
Why these moves?
Brave Bird is completely obvious, and if you don't realize it, then you better learn some UU. Superpower, again, hits my counters hard. Sucker Punch is a risky option, but has high payback if used right, as long as I can watch out for the Substitutes. You may be wondering why HP Grass is over Roost, but it's absolutely necessary on a team like mine to make sure Rhyperior can't get a Rock Polish, since it's one of the few weaknesses I have. It also eases prediction in the rain, and allows me to sweep them without having to switch out after Superpower.
Why the EVs, Nature, and Item?
Life Orb and Max Attack for maximum sweeping power. I think the Speeds EVs let me beat Max Speed Modest Magneton, and the -Def nature is because more often than not, Honchkrow's gonna be taking weak special hits on the Pokémon it terrorizes.
Why the name?
When I saw Honchkrow, it gave me the impression of a black knight, which is fitting to an extent, though there's nothing gallant about ripping through teams. The way it erratically attacks, and its good attacks, can be contrasted to the odd way a knight moves in chess.
Queen (Swellow) (F) @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 40 HP/252 Atk/216 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Brave Bird
- Facade
- Quick Attack
- U-turn
Why this Pokémon?
Swellow is simultaneously one of the fastest, and one of the most powerful Pokémon in UU, which makes it perfect to clean up late game. At least, that's how most people use it. I've had far too many people tell me that they can't handle a Swellow in the early game at all. My primary reason for bringing out Swellow so early, apart from it being interchangeable with both Moltres and Honchkrow, is because oftentimes I don't have the window to get the crucial Guts Boost later in the game; playing both smart and risky by doing something like coming into a Rhyperior Earthquake is what I prefer to do - come in scotch-free, and U-turn right back out and save my health for the inevitable sweep.
Why these moves?
Brave Bird for STAB, and Facade for an insane high-octane sweeping move. U-turn is to get out of things I don't like. Quick Attack is the crux of the set. After SR, IIRC, it 2HKOs all the common Sucker Punchers, save Toxicroak, who I have other checks to. It also makes me a great revenge killer to Scarfers or weakened Pokémon, and has saved my ass on multiple occasions. Though I'm not one to brag, I will point out that I had never seen any Swellow use Quick Attack in the past few months until I started to recommend and use it myself.
Why the EVs, Nature, and Item?
The HP EVs have saved my ass on multiple occasion. In addition, I never want to risk the speed tie with Swellow anyways, so it's rather pointless, so long as I always outspeed the Base 120s (I OHKO all of them). Jolly ensures this. Flame Orb is an obvious choice for the self-inflicted status.
Why the name?
The queen is the most versatile, most powerful piece on the board. Substitute versatility for speed and you have Swellow.
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Anyways, that's the RMT. Any reviews/comments are appreciated. If you wanna steal the team, feel free so long as you drop me a line first. Be warned that it's probably a different style then what you're accustomed too, so if it doesn't work for you, then you're probably using it wrong. Or it's for the same problems I had - it just don't work anymore.
I myself was surprised at its longevity; it's weathered a lot of things, yet still perform(ed) strongly.
Anyways, thanks for taking the time to read through all of this. If you wanna give me any suggestions on my RMT style itself, they're more than welcome.
