As the title states, this is my first ever RMT. I first built this team when the Beta server on Pokémon-Online added the 5th Generation mechanics and Pokémon. My plan from the beginning was to go the Sand route, as I commonly went during 4th Generation. With the idea of a powerful new sweeper in Doryuuzu, my favorite weather effect got a huge buff. I decided to use Hippowdon as my weather starter, since its pure Ground-typing, huge Defense, the ability to set up Stealth Rock and PHaze with Roar are all very valuable traits for a lead.
I needed an all around revenge killer and trapper, so I used the much hyped Shadow Tag Shandera with a Choice Scarf to pick off annoying set up Pokémon like Forretress and sweepers like the much anticipated Technician Breloom.
My next goal was to have a Special sponge, so in the typical 4th Gen mindset I chose Cleric Blissey. Blissey seemed more effective than Chansey, since I could use Leftovers and have a way to hit Ghost-types, but I realized that I hardly utilized Blissey's sole Special Attack, Flamethrower. So, I swapped Blissey for Evolution Stone Chansey, and subbed Thunder Wave over Flamethrower.
For the two final slots, I used Nattorei for Spikes set-up and a gimmicky Mamanbou set to stall using Wish/Protect/Toxic/Submersion, but over time I found Mamanbou suffering from Toxic Spikes, and Nattorei failing due to low speed and weak attacks. Recently, I have replaced Nattorei with Erufuun and Mamanbou with Roobushin for some much needed backup offense, when Dory has fainted. Since that switch, I have increased my win-loss ratio significantly. Here is my current line up.
Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
~Stealth Rock
~Roar
~Earthquake
~Slack Off
This is my favorite Pokémon to start up a Sandstorm, due to its ability to set up Stealth Rock, PHaze with Roar, instantly heal with Slack Off, and occasionally attack with a decent STAB Earthquake (considered it's neutral with no Attack investment). I'm thinking of changing these EVs to make it more Specially bulky, but its Physical bulk helps it survive many Explosions, and if I predict them, I can instantly heal the damage, having wasted the opponent's Pokémon.
Erufuun @ Leftovers
Ability: Mischievous Heart
Nature: Careful
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
~Taunt
~Encore
~Substitute
~Leech Seed
I was instantly satisfied when I replaced Nattorei with the frustratingly awesome Erufuun. Priority Taunt, Encore, and Leech Seed are great team utilities. Taunt is self explanatory, since it stops many Pokémon from setting up stat boosts and entry hazards, Leech Seed gives important recover to the likes of Chansey and Roobushin, and Encore helps me ease prediction on which attacker I can send in. Roobushin and Doryuuzu benefit from this especially, since one turn of setup can turn the match in my favor.
If you are wondering why I didn't do a lead match-up, it is because I consider Erufuun my back-up lead. Hippowdon works against pretty much any lead that can't Taunt it into oblivion, but thanks to team preview, if I see Politoed, I will save the hungry hungry Hippo until later. If they do start with Politoed, I usually Substitute to see if they use Ice Beam, and if they do I encore it, then switch to Shandera who can dispose of it with Energy Ball. As far as other leads go, to be honest I am still learning the new metagame and haven't encountered a full range of leads, so I am keeping these two leads standard until they lose their effectiveness.
Shandera @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Shadow Tag
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def / 31 Spe
~Energy Ball
~Flamethrower
~Shadow Ball
~Hidden Power [Ice]
I LOVE Shandera, and from the second I saw its sprite (and base Special Attack!), I knew I would use this to the fullest extent. She is a fantastic revenge killer, and as long as Shadow Tag is available, I will use it. That is not the extent of her usefulness, as she is also a fantastic Spin Blocker and can block Fighting-type attacks, thus making her a complete counter to Breloom. Unfortunately, Shandera cannot touch Heatran, but Chansey can pretty much take anything Heatran can throw at her.
Chansey @ Evolution Stone
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Bold
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
~Aromatherapy
~Softboiled
~Seismic Toss
~Thunder Wave
At first I thought I would miss Leftovers Recovery, but Chansey's overall bulk with Evolution Stone allows it to reliably use Softboiled to recover the lost health. My team hates status, so I chose Aromatherapy over Wish for more overall utility. Thunder Wave debilities most opposing attackers, allowing me to send in any of my Attackers and set up. Seismic Toss is obligatory as it is Chansey's only way to deal some damage.
Roobushin @ Leftovers
Ability: Guts
Nature: Brave
EVs: 120 HP / 252 Atk / 136 SpD
IVs: 0 Spe
~Bulk Up
~Drain Punch
~Mach Punch
~Payback
There is not much explanation needed for this set. It is not very hard to get at least one Bulk Up, and if Skarmory thinks it can PHaze me with a low priority Whirlwind, I can at least get in one Drain Punch to heal myself. Thanks to Payback, Ghost-types cannot wall Roobushin, since most do not want to eat a boosted super-effective 100 Base Power attack. It is not too devastating to switch Roobushin out if need be, since setting up one more Bulk Up later on is not very difficult. Mach Punch is strong coming off an Attack of 624 and helps get over Roobushin's piss-poor Speed.
Doryuuzu @ Balloon
Ability: Sand Throw
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
~Earthquake
~X-Scissor
~Rock Slide
~Swords Dance
I have undergone many slightly different sets with Doryuuzu. Originally I went with a Swords Dance Life Orb sweeper, then I used a Choice Band for a while. While it hit like a truck, the inability to change attacks and an easy death to Ground-type attacks was a slight hindrance to Doryuuzu's sweeping abilities. I decided a Balloon would help him switch in much more safely to Choiced Ground-type attacks, set up Swords Dance, and start sweeping. Its coverage is not fantastic, but Earthquake gives it an awesome STAB attack, X-Scissor gets him past Grass-, Psychic-, and Dark-types, and Rock Slide for random flinch hax and to get past Flying-types.
Well, that is it for my first Generation 5 Team. I appreciate all comments, criticisms, and suggestions you can throw at this. Thanks for reading!
I needed an all around revenge killer and trapper, so I used the much hyped Shadow Tag Shandera with a Choice Scarf to pick off annoying set up Pokémon like Forretress and sweepers like the much anticipated Technician Breloom.
My next goal was to have a Special sponge, so in the typical 4th Gen mindset I chose Cleric Blissey. Blissey seemed more effective than Chansey, since I could use Leftovers and have a way to hit Ghost-types, but I realized that I hardly utilized Blissey's sole Special Attack, Flamethrower. So, I swapped Blissey for Evolution Stone Chansey, and subbed Thunder Wave over Flamethrower.
For the two final slots, I used Nattorei for Spikes set-up and a gimmicky Mamanbou set to stall using Wish/Protect/Toxic/Submersion, but over time I found Mamanbou suffering from Toxic Spikes, and Nattorei failing due to low speed and weak attacks. Recently, I have replaced Nattorei with Erufuun and Mamanbou with Roobushin for some much needed backup offense, when Dory has fainted. Since that switch, I have increased my win-loss ratio significantly. Here is my current line up.
Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
~Stealth Rock
~Roar
~Earthquake
~Slack Off
This is my favorite Pokémon to start up a Sandstorm, due to its ability to set up Stealth Rock, PHaze with Roar, instantly heal with Slack Off, and occasionally attack with a decent STAB Earthquake (considered it's neutral with no Attack investment). I'm thinking of changing these EVs to make it more Specially bulky, but its Physical bulk helps it survive many Explosions, and if I predict them, I can instantly heal the damage, having wasted the opponent's Pokémon.
Erufuun @ Leftovers
Ability: Mischievous Heart
Nature: Careful
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
~Taunt
~Encore
~Substitute
~Leech Seed
I was instantly satisfied when I replaced Nattorei with the frustratingly awesome Erufuun. Priority Taunt, Encore, and Leech Seed are great team utilities. Taunt is self explanatory, since it stops many Pokémon from setting up stat boosts and entry hazards, Leech Seed gives important recover to the likes of Chansey and Roobushin, and Encore helps me ease prediction on which attacker I can send in. Roobushin and Doryuuzu benefit from this especially, since one turn of setup can turn the match in my favor.
If you are wondering why I didn't do a lead match-up, it is because I consider Erufuun my back-up lead. Hippowdon works against pretty much any lead that can't Taunt it into oblivion, but thanks to team preview, if I see Politoed, I will save the hungry hungry Hippo until later. If they do start with Politoed, I usually Substitute to see if they use Ice Beam, and if they do I encore it, then switch to Shandera who can dispose of it with Energy Ball. As far as other leads go, to be honest I am still learning the new metagame and haven't encountered a full range of leads, so I am keeping these two leads standard until they lose their effectiveness.
Shandera @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Shadow Tag
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def / 31 Spe
~Energy Ball
~Flamethrower
~Shadow Ball
~Hidden Power [Ice]
I LOVE Shandera, and from the second I saw its sprite (and base Special Attack!), I knew I would use this to the fullest extent. She is a fantastic revenge killer, and as long as Shadow Tag is available, I will use it. That is not the extent of her usefulness, as she is also a fantastic Spin Blocker and can block Fighting-type attacks, thus making her a complete counter to Breloom. Unfortunately, Shandera cannot touch Heatran, but Chansey can pretty much take anything Heatran can throw at her.
Chansey @ Evolution Stone
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Bold
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
~Aromatherapy
~Softboiled
~Seismic Toss
~Thunder Wave
At first I thought I would miss Leftovers Recovery, but Chansey's overall bulk with Evolution Stone allows it to reliably use Softboiled to recover the lost health. My team hates status, so I chose Aromatherapy over Wish for more overall utility. Thunder Wave debilities most opposing attackers, allowing me to send in any of my Attackers and set up. Seismic Toss is obligatory as it is Chansey's only way to deal some damage.
Roobushin @ Leftovers
Ability: Guts
Nature: Brave
EVs: 120 HP / 252 Atk / 136 SpD
IVs: 0 Spe
~Bulk Up
~Drain Punch
~Mach Punch
~Payback
There is not much explanation needed for this set. It is not very hard to get at least one Bulk Up, and if Skarmory thinks it can PHaze me with a low priority Whirlwind, I can at least get in one Drain Punch to heal myself. Thanks to Payback, Ghost-types cannot wall Roobushin, since most do not want to eat a boosted super-effective 100 Base Power attack. It is not too devastating to switch Roobushin out if need be, since setting up one more Bulk Up later on is not very difficult. Mach Punch is strong coming off an Attack of 624 and helps get over Roobushin's piss-poor Speed.
Doryuuzu @ Balloon
Ability: Sand Throw
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
~Earthquake
~X-Scissor
~Rock Slide
~Swords Dance
I have undergone many slightly different sets with Doryuuzu. Originally I went with a Swords Dance Life Orb sweeper, then I used a Choice Band for a while. While it hit like a truck, the inability to change attacks and an easy death to Ground-type attacks was a slight hindrance to Doryuuzu's sweeping abilities. I decided a Balloon would help him switch in much more safely to Choiced Ground-type attacks, set up Swords Dance, and start sweeping. Its coverage is not fantastic, but Earthquake gives it an awesome STAB attack, X-Scissor gets him past Grass-, Psychic-, and Dark-types, and Rock Slide for random flinch hax and to get past Flying-types.
Well, that is it for my first Generation 5 Team. I appreciate all comments, criticisms, and suggestions you can throw at this. Thanks for reading!
