Dreams within Dreams
A 5th Gen. RMT
A 5th Gen. RMT
Introduction:
Basically, I saw the banlist of the tier, and noticed that Deoxys-S was not in there, and was inspired to build a team to abuse the entry hazards Deoxys-S provides. I decided that using Choiced users with entry hazards was the way to go, as it has served me very well the last generation getting me to the OU leaderboard (/brag). The good thing is, this generation, there came Pokemon with abnormally huge attacking stats, comparable to that of the Ubers. Equipping them with Choiced items, and supporting them with entry hazards will make them incredibly hard to wall. I'm not seriously laddering with this team, but its got me to a decent rating, and won me roughly 85% of my matches.
Game Plan:
Get Spikes and Stealth Rock up with Deoxys-S and work from there; At the very least, I aim for one layer of Spikes and Stealth Rock, as the absolute minimum. This team uses the old school Dragon+Steel combo from the previous generation, and unsurprisingly has great defensive and offensive synergy even in the 5th gen. It also uses two Special Attackers, in Genosect and Lucario (OMG SPECS LUCARIO N00B!!!), and two Physical Attackers, which are Choice Band Salamence and Garchomp. Salamence and Garchomp crack the mid game open with their boosted attacks, and steel types coming into wall them are severely weakened out by the dual Outrages. Late game, I usually find Genosect finishing off the game with its powerful Bug Buzz, or Lucario cleaning up the remains with Vacuum Wave. I feel that the team has covered most threats relatively well. However, I do think that some threats still cause it some problems, such as weather teams, and this is where I need help.
Indepth:
Deoxys-S @ Focus Sash
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Superpower
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Set Analysis:
Stealth Rock and Spikes is obvious for an entry hazard lead. Taunt is to stop slower leads like Skarmory, Forretress, and Nattorei from getting hazards down. Superpower is there for the random Lead Tyranitar I've been seeing, and Heatran switching in, expecting me to have Extremespeed or some other resisted move. 252 Spe to outspeed every non Choice Scarf lead, and 252 HP to take random attacks from Taunted leads. Deoxys-S almost always guarantees that I get up a layer of Spikes and Stealth Rock, and always causes a switch once it Taunts the opposing lead. Sometimes if I manage to lay down all 3 layers of Spikes and Stealth Rock, I save Deoxys-S as death fodder, to scout movesets of threats I'm unsure of, or take crippling status aimed at one of the team members. Something like Skarmory or Nattorei wasn't chosen, because Speed is everything for this team and its fast paced nature, so Deoxys-S was the obvious choice. I don't bother to Taunt against offensive leads like Meteor Mash+Bullet Punch Metagross (yes it exists even in this gen), and just get Stealth Rock down.
Team Work:
It sets down the highly important Spikes and Stealth Rock, which helps the Choice users a lot, making their counters 2HKOed or even OHKOed. Shandera and Salamence absolutely HATE Stealth Rock, and with no recovery will end up dead. Deoxys-S preventing Stealth Rock from being set-up, prolongs their lives.
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Shandera (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Shadow Tag
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef/ 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Energy Ball
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Set Analysis:
In every Spike-Stacking team, a Spin-Blocker is necessary, this team is no exception; With Rotom-A gone as a Spin-Blocker and Revenge killer, I had to move onto the next best thing. This thing absolutely loves entry hazards even with no Special Attack boosting item. It managed to 2HKO Kerudio after hazards damage, which is unreal. The Spread and nature is obvious for a revenge killer, and there is no reason to NOT use Shadow Tag on a Choice Scarf Shandera. Shandera usually comes into the threats Genosect pulls out; Heatran loves to switch into Genosect (since mine lacks a move to significantly hurt it with) and firing of Flamethrowers, removing Heatran with HP Ground, means that Genosect can abuse its moves easier, and more often than not, I find Genosect rampaging through the foe's team with Heatran removed. TBH, Shandera is best defined as the Wobbuffet of the 5th gen, with a Choice Scarf and Shadow Tag, anything locked into the wrong move is guaranteed to be eliminated from the battle.
Team Work:
As mentioned, Shandera is a great way to remove troublesome Heatran for Genosect, more importantly it takes out Bronzong attempting to wall Garchomp's and Salamence's Outrage assaults. Metagross, Bronzong, Nattorei are the initial Outrage switch-ins for my dragons, luring them and frying them with Fire Blast definitely helps Salamence and Garchomp in the long run. IMO, Shandera is definitely the most supportive member of the team.
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Lucario (F) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Steadfast
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 Atk / 252 Spd
Rash Nature (+SAtk, -SDef)
- Vacuum Wave
- Aura Sphere
- Shadow Ball
- Close Combat
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Set Analysis:
"FUCKER (BAN ME PLEASE), WTF SPECS LUKE", is what I get when I destroy their beloved Doryuuzu with Vacuum Wave. Close Combat bluffs a Swords Dance set, so people tend to switch in their Physical walls in, only to be destroyed by a boosted Aura Sphere. Shadow Ball is chosen over Dark Pulse, since Aura Sphere and Shadow ball have perfect coverage, hitting everything in the metagame. Vacuum Wave has saved my butt many times, once I was battling some weird lategame Rock Polish Rhyperior with only Salamence and Lucario left, it OHKOed the damn thing at 57%. Close Combat is necessary for Blissey or Evolution Stone Chansey. Currently, Fighting- type attacks are being thrown around the metagame like crazy, from Technician Breloom, and the dominant Bulk Up Roobushin. I decided to take advantage of this and abuse Lucario's signature move in Aura Sphere. The reason why I didn't opt for a Swords Dance Lucario, is a) Because this is an all choice team, and b)to overwhelm physically bulky threats aiming to sponge Close Combats. Finally Lucario is the first Steel- type of my Steel+Dragon core.
Team Work:
Lucario works like a stand alone attacker, and revenges Swords Dance Doryuuzu, who is otherwise highly threatening for the team. As mentioned, Lucario lures in physically bulky opponents and destroys them with their Special Attacks, who would otherwise cause problems for the Physical Attackers of this team, Salamence and Garchomp.
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Genosekuto @ Choice Specs
Trait: Download
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 Def/ 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Bug Buzz
- Flamethrower
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
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Set Analysis:
One of the best new threats to enter the game, imo. With a Download Sp. Atk boost, and Choice Specs, its attacks do an immense amount of damage even when resisted. Between those four moves, it has perfect coverage, outside of Heatran, and more often than not, I find myself using Bug Buzz, which is a highly useful sweeping tool late game, with Heatran, and faster Choice Scarf Pokemon removed. However, abusing Bug Buzz is fun and all, opposing Choice Scarf Shandera pose a huge threat, towards Genosect locked into Bug Buzz. This is why I scout first before going on to abuse its STAB. I've been using Modest for quite some time, and recently started using Timid nature. Nowadays, I'm seeing stuff like Adamant Salamence, and Modest Raikou, the former OHKOed by Ice Beam, and Raikou destroyed by Bug Buzz after Spikes+SR damage.
Team Work:
Genosect is a great way to lure in and trap many foes with Fire- type attacks with Shandera, such as opposing Genosect. I also find Choice Scarf Randorosu coming in, and trying to revenge Genosect with Earthquake, which is a great opportunity for Salamence to come in and wreck havoc. All in all, Genosect is a great attacker by itself, and provides many opportunities for the other members to come in and do their thing.
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Salamence (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Outrage
- Aqua Tail
- Fire Fang
- Dragon Claw
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Set Analysis:
Nothing really changed about Salamence this gen.; it's still a potent attacker, and only fears the bulky Steel- types, Metagross, Bronzong, Registeel. These Steel- types are relatively easy to stop, as most try to come in on Genosect for some reason, and take big damage from Bug Buzz, or are trapped and killed by Shandera. Aqua Tail is there to take advantage of the rain induced by Politoed. IMO, Fire Fang is pretty useless; I never actually find Salamence facing Nattorei, since by the time Salamence comes in, Nattorei is gone, so I was wondering what to put in there, maybe Dragon Tail to spread around Spikes damage?
Team Work:
Salamence's job is to come in after the removal of Steel types and Outrage its head off, and spread residual damage to soften the foe up for the rest of the team. How does it spread residual damage? Well basically when Spikes and Stealth Rock are set up, and Salamence comes in to Outrage once the Steel types have been removed, the opponent switches his Pokemon like a crazy maniac bringing in Zuruzukin to lower Salamence's attack with Intimidate, and other ways to Stall out Outrage's rampage and induce confusion. This switching around done by the opponent really does weaken important threats, and means the next dragon has an easier time against them..
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Garchomp (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Sand Veil
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Outrage
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Fang
- Earthquake
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Set Analysis:
In Gen. 4, I always heard great things about Garchomp, about its power, its bulk, but I never got to use it, since I got into competitive Pokemon after its banishment. But now that I've used it, I can say that its a great mix between power and bulk. With defenses equivalent to those of Swampert, Garchomp has the power to take on boosted attacks from stat uppers, and continue its terrorism. Garchomp comes in once its partner Salamence has punched holes in the opponent's team, and finishes the remains with Dragon Claw. Most people expect Garchomp to be the Scarf variant, and expect its Dragon- attacks to be "weak" enough to sponge, and boy are they wrong when their Bulk Up Roobushin goes down to Outrage. Garchomp's speed is also incredibly useful to outspeed the new threats with those troll Speed stats (98, 97, 101).
Team Work:
As said before, Garchomp and Salamence are partners, bringing many resistances to the table, such as to Ground- type attacks (Salamence) and a very valuable immunity to Electric- type attacks, and to an extension, Thunder Wave (Garchomp). Scarf Randorosu and Scarf Tyranitar come into stop Salamence's rampage with Stone Edge, but then allow Garchomp to begin its own.
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Conclusion
Well that's it folks, I hope you enjoyed my first Gen. 5 RMT, since I definitely enjoyed writing it, and battling with this team. Generation 5 just has so much diversity at the moment, that you can run any team style you choose, whether it be Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Trick Room, or even Gravity. I feel that this team however is still weak to a couple of threats, such as Life Orb Starmie, for whom I have to play Shandera very carefully, and I hope the raters can help me with this. Also here are a few shout-outs to the people I've met on Smogon:#arabs:
- aziki: My ex-tutor, and probably the one who encouraged me to get more involved in the site. Fools around a lot on #arabs, but a pretty cool guy nonetheless.
- blue/Bloo: Has helped me plenty with my rates, and has been a role model for me in the RMT forum. Really appreciate the work you do for the RMT forum, and thanks for all your help.
- Grind_Pantera: I think you've quit Smogon, but yeah you made a good troll, and were a good person to talk to, wish you the best of luck in your future goals.
- Iconic: We don't talk much on the channel, but by the looks of it, you're a pretty chill guy, and I hope we get to talk more.
- Jirachi/Jumpluff: I think it's because of you the channel is alive, and its always fun and interesting to talk to you about irl stuff. Friendliest user I've met on the forums.
- Lady_Bug: Always fun to test teams with you, and imo best Gen. 4 OU player, hope you maintain your excellent battling and go far in this Generation as well.
- Malfunction: I guess university life has swept you away from Smogon, but you were the one created the channel, and got me into the anime "Haruhi Suzumiya" anime. I wish you the best of luck irl with your studies and goals.
RMT forum/#ratemyteam: It is my favorite place on the forums, so I thought I'd do one for it too
- Aerrow: Highly active in RMT, and I enjoy reading your comprehensive rates, keep it up!
- Bloo: Read above section
- Faladran: I remember we started rating together at the same time, and throughout your consistency, you've greatly improved, and I hope you continue to improve, and go far.
- Haunter: I used to be scared of you a lot when I joined, after my locked RMT, but in all seriousness, you're a very hard working moderator on these forums, locking inappropriate threads in a blink of an eye, and just want to thank you for doing an amazing job in patrolling these forums.
- Heist: Really like the high quality rates and the helpful advice you give out, and hope you continue team rating
- Ironbullet93: Don't see you around here as much, but seems like you're doing incredibly well in tournament play, and you'll be sure to do really well in this generation as well.
- Smith: Also another brilliant rater, and a consistent one at that. Keep up your hard work and you'll be rewarded for sure.
- Snorlaxe: Met you recently on #ratemyteam, and its pretty interesting to talk to you about team rating. You do a very good job in C&C, working hard in the GP team, keep it up and you will be rewarded for your hard work!
- tab: Helped me a lot with the practice rates, and made me improved, but I guess university life has swept you away from the forums as wel, best of luck irl!
- undisputed: You started rating recently, and gaining badges at a very fast pace. Always a pleasure to see some of the interesting sets you post.
That's it! Rate/Hate/Steal :)
I'll try to get a threat list up of the common threats soon.
