Hello all. I'd like to preface this by saying that I haven't seriously played in ages, BW at the absolute latest, and I was really only active in DPP. I've kind of kept up with the competitive scene, but as you can imagine I'm incredibly rusty. I jumped into the Gen 8 tier that appealed to me most, that being RU. Relying on a couple of mons I wanted to build around and the Team Synergy sections on Smogon, I put together this team, which so far has taken me from a clean 1000 to the mid 1300s in a single day. While 1350 isn't a high ranking overall, I reckon that if a person as rusty as me can gain 350 points in one day with it then the team can't be *that* bad. However, I'm becoming aware of quite a lot of flaws and rough edges, and I'm hoping the RMT community can help me smooth them out. Without further ado:
Araquanid @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Water Bubble
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sticky Web
- Liquidation
- Mirror Coat
- Magic Coat
Intended almost entirely to set up Sticky Webs, and the original reason for me wanting to make this team in the first place. Magic Coat helps in some leadoff matchups, as you can reflect status and Stealth Rocks, while Mirror Coat is intended to score surprise KOs from Rotoms who think they can Volt Switch freely in its presence. However, this may be too cute for its own good, so I've been thinking about Leech Life to replace Mirror Coat as a way to deal with Grass types and Water Absorbers.
Bewear @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Fluffy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drain Punch
- Double-Edge
- Darkest Lariat
Standard-issue wallbreaker Bewear. A bulky offensive monster looking to take advantage of Webs support to break holes in opposing teams and possibly clean them up in the lategame due to its ability to take a hit.
Claydol @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Rapid Spin
- Earth Power
- Teleport
Special wall and the mon I feel most conflicted about. I threw this on here to have a fighting resist and because I've had great experiences with it back in the last meta I seriously played (DPP), but it feels rather superfluous most of the time. This team isn't really that weak to hazards, doesn't really need Rapid Spin support, and having your special wall be weak to Mowtom is no fun at all. Teleport is really nice, but I feel like this mon should probably be replaced. The issue is that I'm not sure what precisely to replace it with - it has to be a special wall with Teleport that resists Fighting. I've been looking into Aromatisse or Gardevoir, but I'm hoping you fellows can provide better advice.
Passimian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Rock Slide
Speed control and discourages defog. I'm wondering if I should run Earthquake, as I'm running into issues locking myself into CC. This can also sweep in the lategame with sufficient wearing down of the opponent's team by the wallbreaker core.
Steelix @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Heavy Slam
Physical wall and SR setter. Not entirely sure what to say about this one - it's one of the best physical walls in the tier. Apologies for not being able to elaborate on it further. It's entirely possible that this is simply adding an additional fighting weakness that is causing me to compensate with Claydol, and that both ought to be replaced, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to be sure in doing this without advice.
Exploud @ Choice Specs
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Boomburst
- Fire Blast
- Focus Blast
- Surf
The other half of the wallbreaking core. Specs Exploud hits like a freight train, and not many things in the tier can take two Boombursts. Scrappy means that you can very often turn your brain off and just click Boomburst - even many rock and steel types often come close to being 2HKO'd after hazards if they don't have special bulk invested (most Rhyperior take in the ballpark of 40%, for instance). Webs support allows it to shine to its maximum potential, letting it reliably outspeed bulky mons even with Modest, and if at all possible I'd like to keep Modest to maximise the benefit gained from Webs.
Araquanid @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Water Bubble
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sticky Web
- Liquidation
- Mirror Coat
- Magic Coat
Intended almost entirely to set up Sticky Webs, and the original reason for me wanting to make this team in the first place. Magic Coat helps in some leadoff matchups, as you can reflect status and Stealth Rocks, while Mirror Coat is intended to score surprise KOs from Rotoms who think they can Volt Switch freely in its presence. However, this may be too cute for its own good, so I've been thinking about Leech Life to replace Mirror Coat as a way to deal with Grass types and Water Absorbers.
Bewear @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Fluffy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drain Punch
- Double-Edge
- Darkest Lariat
Standard-issue wallbreaker Bewear. A bulky offensive monster looking to take advantage of Webs support to break holes in opposing teams and possibly clean them up in the lategame due to its ability to take a hit.
Claydol @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Rapid Spin
- Earth Power
- Teleport
Special wall and the mon I feel most conflicted about. I threw this on here to have a fighting resist and because I've had great experiences with it back in the last meta I seriously played (DPP), but it feels rather superfluous most of the time. This team isn't really that weak to hazards, doesn't really need Rapid Spin support, and having your special wall be weak to Mowtom is no fun at all. Teleport is really nice, but I feel like this mon should probably be replaced. The issue is that I'm not sure what precisely to replace it with - it has to be a special wall with Teleport that resists Fighting. I've been looking into Aromatisse or Gardevoir, but I'm hoping you fellows can provide better advice.
Passimian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Rock Slide
Speed control and discourages defog. I'm wondering if I should run Earthquake, as I'm running into issues locking myself into CC. This can also sweep in the lategame with sufficient wearing down of the opponent's team by the wallbreaker core.
Steelix @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Heavy Slam
Physical wall and SR setter. Not entirely sure what to say about this one - it's one of the best physical walls in the tier. Apologies for not being able to elaborate on it further. It's entirely possible that this is simply adding an additional fighting weakness that is causing me to compensate with Claydol, and that both ought to be replaced, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to be sure in doing this without advice.
Exploud @ Choice Specs
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Boomburst
- Fire Blast
- Focus Blast
- Surf
The other half of the wallbreaking core. Specs Exploud hits like a freight train, and not many things in the tier can take two Boombursts. Scrappy means that you can very often turn your brain off and just click Boomburst - even many rock and steel types often come close to being 2HKO'd after hazards if they don't have special bulk invested (most Rhyperior take in the ballpark of 40%, for instance). Webs support allows it to shine to its maximum potential, letting it reliably outspeed bulky mons even with Modest, and if at all possible I'd like to keep Modest to maximise the benefit gained from Webs.
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