Hi, this thread is to discuss should Stealth Rock still be on 99.99% of the team like it did before (In Gen 5, really only Baton Pass chain and maybe Dragmag team will have possibility of not using SR, both kind of teams are incredibly rare).
Before you call me crazy or dumb, please note that I do not mean SR sucks or anything like that. I think SR is still awesome and should be on like 95% of the teams, but not 99.99%. However, there are some reasons that some Offensive Team may not use it and I outline it below.
1) Fitting SR in one of your monster can hurt your momentum somewhat. For example, while Groudon (and Landorus-T) can fit SR in its moveset, it will no longer able to run a Rock Polish set, a set that arguably fit offensive teams better. Dialga can also fit SR, but it can't run Choice Specs or Scarf set that fit offensive team better. Deoxy-A can certainly fit SR, but if running it you may often need to sack yourself and you can't run Life Orb, which is again the better item for offense. Moreover, the moveslot itself can improve your coverage and that can be crucial for some monster.
2) The move SR itself, while being widely distributed, is still not on every single monsters, especially if you look at the Uber tier pokemon, only thing that learns it being Groudon, Dialga and Arceus form. Fitting SR does limit team building a bit by forcing you to choose a monster able to learn it.
3) Perhaps the most important reason is Defog. This most makes hazard removal much easier and making setting up SR sometimes not worthy for offensive team, where monsters can otherwise use the turn setting up SR to deliver a strong attack instead of hitting only one to two SR switch in before it gets removed. Furthermore, if you run defog yourself to support monster like Ho-Oh, you may end up removing your own hazard anyway.
That being said, all balance and stall team (and most other teams) should still always use SR. I think most offensive team should still use it if able to. My point is that some Offensive team may consider not using it for the reasons listed above.
BTW, although this issue can apply to all tiers, I am only discussing about XY Uber tier, so please avoid all other kinds of discussion.
Edit: I included a team for reference, Edit 3, I put up yet another team
Edit 2: Looks like I should clarify my point better, I think 95% of the team should use SR. But for the remaining offensive teams, if you can use it, do so. However, if you can't, you have the option to not using it, it isn't completely crippling, especially if you are using defog.
Another team: I suppose I can put SR on Landorus-T, but the thing is Choice Band is needed on it so it can check E-killer
Before you call me crazy or dumb, please note that I do not mean SR sucks or anything like that. I think SR is still awesome and should be on like 95% of the teams, but not 99.99%. However, there are some reasons that some Offensive Team may not use it and I outline it below.
1) Fitting SR in one of your monster can hurt your momentum somewhat. For example, while Groudon (and Landorus-T) can fit SR in its moveset, it will no longer able to run a Rock Polish set, a set that arguably fit offensive teams better. Dialga can also fit SR, but it can't run Choice Specs or Scarf set that fit offensive team better. Deoxy-A can certainly fit SR, but if running it you may often need to sack yourself and you can't run Life Orb, which is again the better item for offense. Moreover, the moveslot itself can improve your coverage and that can be crucial for some monster.
2) The move SR itself, while being widely distributed, is still not on every single monsters, especially if you look at the Uber tier pokemon, only thing that learns it being Groudon, Dialga and Arceus form. Fitting SR does limit team building a bit by forcing you to choose a monster able to learn it.
3) Perhaps the most important reason is Defog. This most makes hazard removal much easier and making setting up SR sometimes not worthy for offensive team, where monsters can otherwise use the turn setting up SR to deliver a strong attack instead of hitting only one to two SR switch in before it gets removed. Furthermore, if you run defog yourself to support monster like Ho-Oh, you may end up removing your own hazard anyway.
That being said, all balance and stall team (and most other teams) should still always use SR. I think most offensive team should still use it if able to. My point is that some Offensive team may consider not using it for the reasons listed above.
BTW, although this issue can apply to all tiers, I am only discussing about XY Uber tier, so please avoid all other kinds of discussion.
Edit: I included a team for reference, Edit 3, I put up yet another team
Edit 2: Looks like I should clarify my point better, I think 95% of the team should use SR. But for the remaining offensive teams, if you can use it, do so. However, if you can't, you have the option to not using it, it isn't completely crippling, especially if you are using defog.
Yveltal @ Life Orb
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 184 Spd / 72 SAtk / 252 Def
Naive Nature
- Oblivion Wing
- Foul Play
- Sucker Punch
- Taunt
Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 HP / 252 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- U-turn
- Knock Off
Gengar @ Gengarite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Sludge Bomb
- Substitute
Palkia @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Thunder
- Spacial Rend
Zekrom @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SAtk
Jolly Nature
- Bolt Strike
- Outrage
- Volt Switch
- Dragon Claw
Arceus-Fire @ Flame Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 Def / 252 HP / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Judgment
- Thunderbolt
- Recover
- Calm Mind
Ability: Dark Aura
EVs: 184 Spd / 72 SAtk / 252 Def
Naive Nature
- Oblivion Wing
- Foul Play
- Sucker Punch
- Taunt
Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 HP / 252 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- U-turn
- Knock Off
Gengar @ Gengarite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Sludge Bomb
- Substitute
Palkia @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Thunder
- Spacial Rend
Zekrom @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SAtk
Jolly Nature
- Bolt Strike
- Outrage
- Volt Switch
- Dragon Claw
Arceus-Fire @ Flame Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 Def / 252 HP / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Judgment
- Thunderbolt
- Recover
- Calm Mind
Another team: I suppose I can put SR on Landorus-T, but the thing is Choice Band is needed on it so it can check E-killer
Ho-Oh @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 40 Spd / 252 Atk / 204 HP
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Sacred Fire
- Roost
- Earthquake
Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 136 Atk / 252 HP / 120 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Roost
- Defog
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 176 HP / 80 Def
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Superpower
- Knock Off
Palkia @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Thunder
- Spacial Rend
Arceus @ Zap Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Ice Beam
- Recover
- Calm Mind
Darkrai @ Life Orb
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 Def
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Void
- Dark Pulse
- Taunt
- Sludge Bomb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 40 Spd / 252 Atk / 204 HP
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Sacred Fire
- Roost
- Earthquake
Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 136 Atk / 252 HP / 120 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Roost
- Defog
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 176 HP / 80 Def
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Superpower
- Knock Off
Palkia @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Thunder
- Spacial Rend
Arceus @ Zap Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Judgment
- Ice Beam
- Recover
- Calm Mind
Darkrai @ Life Orb
Ability: Bad Dreams
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 Def
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Void
- Dark Pulse
- Taunt
- Sludge Bomb
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