You are a type specialist in a hostile region. How do you best represent your chosen element?

[ItzaDelta]

This thread coming back is a great way to start a new year! :D

I'm pretty happy about one thing about making type specialist team in SV. Terastal means the last Pokemon can be whatever you want! If the Bug Gym can have Teddiursa then I don't see why an Ice team can't have a Fire type if you can come up with a half decent excuse. (Needless to say, Ninetales is the easiest to excuse and I wonder if anyone will use it.) I pretty much went with a joke for my Terastal wildcard and I regret nothing! :P

The theme I'm going for isn't a lore theme. I'm treating this team like an NPC that's made to showcase what's new in The Teal Mask. It's mostly TMs, but non-Ice Pokemon that I chose help show off the DLC too.



Weavile
Pressure
-Icicle Spear
-Beat Up
-Sword Dance
-Trailblaze

With Icicle Spear being one of The Teal Mask's TMs, I thought I'd throw in Beat Up to have two multi hit attacks. Beat Up is best before anyone's KOed, so Weavile has to be the lead. The AI doesn't realize that multi hit attacks hit multiple times when deciding what move to use, so I went with Trailblaze because it has low power but is still useful because of the a Speed boost and Sword Dance to boost Attack. I could probably use a King's Rock or Loaded Die, but I don't want items on everyone and the King's Rok feels too evil.



Basculegion (Female)
Swift Swim
-Ice Beam
-Flip Turn
-Last Respects
-Hydro Pump

White Stripe Basculin can be found in modern times after only Red and Blue Stripe being catchable in Paldea. The new form also means the new evolution! A female is used for the white mist and mixed offensive stats that let her have a more powerful Ice Beam.

To show off Flip Turn it's best to have the user come out as soon and often as possible. I don't want to lead with someone that's not an Ice type, so Basculegion is second. As a bonus, switching lets it show off Last Respects getting stronger with each KOed ally.

The Ability being Swift Swim is odd on an Ice Team, but Adaptability discourages using Ice Beam when the STAB are much more powerful. I could have gone with Mold Breaker, but the next Pokemon knows Rain Dance.



Glalie@Damp Rock
Inner Focus
-Freeze-Dry
-Weather Ball
-Rain Dance
-Taunt

Weather Ball is a TM, but it's also Level Up move for Glalie starting in SV, so I'm not sure if it counts as a TM move... Still using it anyway! Rain not only changes Weather Ball to a 100 Power Water Move, but it also helps everyone by either removing their Fire weakness or activating Swift Swim. Taunt is filler and is more interesting than another attack. Besides, coverage isn't needed when Freeze-Dry and Water have perfect coverage.

There's some items on this team because the Ogre Clan uses items. I don't think I need to explain why I went with a Damp Rock.



Mamoswine
Thick Fat
-Icicle Crash
-High Horsepower
-Roar
-Stealth Rock

High Horsepower is STAB that happens to be a new TM, but the move to show off is Roar. Forcing switches is as annoying as it is effective with Stealth Rock. Icicle Crash over Icicle Spear is for variety of Ice Attacks and, as I said before, the AI doesn't realize multihit attacks hit multiple times. There's not much else to say other than Thick Fat canceling the Fire weakness.



Froslass@Choice Band
Cursed Body
-Ice Spinner
-Poltergeist
-Switcheroo
-Body Slam

The Trick Band strategy is a mean one, but its main purpose isn't restricting the opponent. It makes sure they have an item for Poltergeist. I know Body Slam doesn't look like a last good move, but it's boosted by the Choice Band if Froslass keeps it and alternatives were Trailblaze or Crunch... Disable was tempting with the Trick Band combo, but it'd make players switch to someone that might not have an item.



Sinistcha@Sitrus Berry
Tera Type: Ice
Heatproof
-Tera Blast
-Matcha Gotcha
-Scald
-Hex

For the Terastal oddball, we have Sinistcha. Why? It's Ice tea! (Ignore that its signature move and new TM both cause burns.) It's also one of the Pokemon introduced in The Teal Mask, which helps show off what the DLC has, but who cares about anything other than Ice tea? :P

Matcha Gatcha lets Sinistcha show off this new Pokemon's signature move in addition to the Scald TM, which is surprising coverage from a Grass type that also synergizes with Hex.




I hope the idea of showing off the DLC's new stuff and the movesets made this team much more interesting than it looks at a glance.

I don't wanna flood the thread but OH MY GOD SINISTCHA ON AN ICE TYPE TEAM IS SO GENIUS OMGGG

 

[Railroader17]

Let's give this a shot with this Singles team

I wanted to aim for Pokemon you probably would not want to run into on a snowy mountain for a number of reasons. Most of which being "they would probably kill me if provoked." Especially as your likely in their territory that they will want to defend. That aside, a snowy mountain can be terrifying for the unprepared. Avalanches could occur if your too loud, the bitter cold could drain you to the point of helplessness, and not to mention the potential to fall off the mountain entirely, on top of so many other dangers. Add in dangerous pokemon like these, and is it any wonder Red went up a mountain to train himself? Or why Mountains like Glaseado Mountain in Paldea, Mount Coronet in Sinnoh, or Mount Lanakila in Alola are usually lategame locations?

Glalie is the opener, and leads off with spikes, and tries blocking whatever you have in so you can't swap out to a Spinner / Defogger till either it, or your mon goes down. Otherwise it uses Snowscape to ensure Blizzard hits, uses Blizzard for the STAB / only attacking option, and otherwise just spams Spikes to high heaven. On top of getting both Leftovers and Ice Body recovery to let it stay around for as long as it can. Probably floats about on the slopes, waiting for some foolish traveler to cross it's path.

Mamoswine is the next mon, while Thick Fat is handy against Fire Types, it will mostly be using Icicle Spear & Rock Blast in conjunction with Loaded Dice to batter the target. Trailblaze gives it something against Water types (not named Sap Sipper Azumarril) and Speed boosting. EQ is EQ, and Mamo would be the mockery of Oni Mountain without it as a self respecting physical Ground type. Can be found all over the mountain, but mostly in the caves and along the lower portions of the mountain, but certainly not any less dangerous for it as it could trample you at best, or run you through with it's tusks.

Froslass ramps up the annoyance with Snow Cloak + Bright Power evasion shenanigans. Snowscape + Aurora Veil make it much bulkier, activates Snow Cloak, and ensures that it's Blizzards have perfect accuracy. Thunder Wave is for annoying your opponent even more if they prove too fast for her to get her Snowscape + Aurora Veil combo up safely. She probably floats about, actively seeking travelers to lure to her den and freeze over.

Weavile of course brings it's Ice/Dark typing to bear, getting it's claws dirty by Faking Out it's foe with a Normal Gem boosted Fake Out, and Honing it's Claws before either going in for a devastating Triple Axel, or Knocking off the opponent's held item. It of course runs it's pack in the snowcapped forests, where a traveler may think to hide from the other dangerous beasts on the mountain. This of course, can prove to be a fatal folly as it, and it's Sneasel close in on you...

Last up, depending on the matchup, we have both Eelektross and Chandalure as potential Tera Aces.

Eelektross could Tera to gain the invaluable Bolt-Beam coverage thanks to Ice type tera Blast. Using Coil to increase the accuracy of Supercell Slam + Rock Slide, with Tera Blast for the obligatory Ice Coverage. Coil also boosts it's Atk and Def, helping it take more physical hits and deal it back in return. This thing will likely hide in a cave, away from the cold, waiting for prey to wander in with the same idea, only to be met with the harsh reality that this cave is already taken, and the owner does not want to share.

Finally we have Chandalure, who can likely hold off on Terastallizing to make use of it's Ghost / Fire Typing to take Fighting / Steel type hits that the others can't. Using the combination of Flamethrower, Shadow Ball, and Energy Ball (to deal with any cheeky Ground types, especially Quagsire) with the Expert Belt to blow open holes in the opposition. Should it Tera, the Flash Fire ability lets it hold onto a useful Fire Immunity so the opponent can't just spam fire type moves willy nilly, while also now having Ice type coverage on top of it's already solid attacking options. especially for Dragon types. This would likely be the scariest of the bunch to run into. A flickering beacon of potential warmth in the cold of the mountain, only for it to drain your energy instead, leaving you to freeze on the icy peak....

Moral of the story? Don't go up mountains IRL or in the Pokemon world unless you are thoroughly prepared. Otherwise you might find yourself becoming a permanent resident instead.

 

[Axiemeister]

WE ARE SO BACKKKK

team coming soon

 

[SpyderMarz]

This seems like a cool thread! This is my first time, and I think I did a pretty good job. I really tried to make it unique and stand out from the other teams, so I made it a rain team intended for doubles. This may need some justification, so let's get started.

Ability: Cursed Body
Item: Focus Sash
- Ice Beam
- Shadow Ball
- Thunder
- Destiny Bond
Lead #1. It's goal is basically just to do as much damage as it can in the first few turns. And it has the tools to do so, with 3 good attacks, 2 of which have STAB and the other doesn't miss in rain, which will be set up by Politoed. Its good speed will let it take advantage of its sash and destiny bond.


Ability: Drizzle
Item: Wacan Berry
- Ice Beam
- Weather Ball
- Psychic
- Helping Hand
Lead #2. Politoed is a frog, and frogs are cool, and ice is cool, so.... here it is. It sets up rain, has good coverage, and supports froslass with helping hand if need be. Originally I had another explanation for Politoed's presence but i checked the op and it was against the rules... let me know if you figure it out


Ability: Sap Sipper
Item: Choice Specs
- Hydro Pump
- Thunder
- Blizzard
- Draco Meteor
I noticed quite a few dragon types on people's teams, so I decided to continue that trend. And I gotta say, this thing is a monster. It can switch in if a grass move is coming for Politoed, absorb it, then hit with incredibly strong moves. Hydro Pump and Thunder are boosted by rain, and Blizzard by snow. Goodra's very tanky as well. The only thing holding it back is its lackluster speed.


Ability: Thick Fat
Item: Icy Rock
- Snowscape
- Rain Dance
- High Horsepower
- Heavy Slam
Mostly here to set up weather. It's got two because the team benefits from both rain and snow. Ground and Steel coverage is also crucial for fighting enemy Electric and Fairy Types. Mamoswine is another slow and bulky mon, so it will likely live long enough to set up weather and get some good damage.


Ability: Pickpocket
Item: Weakness Policy
- Fake Out
- Ice Shard
- Brick Break
- Taunt
This is a weird set, but I think it works and rounds the team out. This would be a bulkier Weavile, one that could take a super effective hit then activate its weakness policy, then pickpocket if it gets hit again. Taunt and Fake Out are good for controlling the battlefield, Ice Shard is self explanatory, and Brick Break is coverage.


Ability: Swift Swim
Item: Life Orb
Will Tera Ice
- Surf
- Giga Drain
- Blizzard
- Encore
The crown jewel of the team. Japanese yokai seem to be a great inspiration for this theme, and Ludicolo is based on a kappa. It's also perfect for functioning in both rain and snow. Swift Swim is a great ability to have since Ludicolo has below average speed. Pair the speed boost with Encore to catch your opponent off guard and cripple setup sweepers and utility mons. Additionally, no Pokemon resists water, grass, and ice STAB coverage. If you need to cut your speed for more defense, have Mamoswine use Snowscape and Blizzard away. Add in survivability with Giga Drain and you've got a great mon to top off your team.

I feel like this team would be right at home as a fight in the DLC somewhere. Probably Indigo Disk because of the Double Battle theme and competitive teams they like to use over at Blueberry Academy.

 

[Cobalt Empoleon]

Ah, only just noticed the glorious return of this thread. If we're doing Kitakami, then I think there's one theme that stands out above the rest: masks and mask-like markings!

Kitakami Ice Mask

Masquerain @ Focus Sash
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Bug
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Struggle Bug
- Hydro Pump
- Icy Wind
- Sticky Web

Mamoswine @ Icy Rock
Ability: Thick Fat
Tera Type: Ice
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Icicle Spear
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Snowscape

Crawdaunt @ Life Orb
Ability: Adaptability
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Crabhammer
- Knock Off
- Blizzard
- Aqua Jet

Froslass (F) @ Light Clay
Ability: Snow Cloak
Tera Type: Ice
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Blizzard
- Shadow Ball
- Aurora Veil
- Will-O-Wisp

Lucario @ Leftovers
Ability: Inner Focus
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Ice Punch
- Psych Up
- Coaching
- Life Dew

Glalie @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Moody
Shiny: Yes
Tera Type: Ice
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Freeze-Dry
- Earthquake
- Rest
- Protect

I'm using The Indigo Disk as retroactive permission to create a competitively trained Doubles team for this prompt. Each team member either takes design inspiration from masks or has some kind of deceptive or mask-like markings. The ultimate strategic goal of the team is to set up the ace Glalie to overpower and/or outlast the opponent with Moody boosts.

The team has a standard (and very fragile) pairwise structure:

1. Masquerain hopes to set up Sticky Web and apply offensive debuffs to the opponent's leads with Intimidate, Struggle Bug, and Icy Wind, while its co-lead Mamoswine makes use of these debuffs to set up Snowscape and fire off its classic arsenal of powerful physical attacks. There's a bit of basic synergy here too with EQ alongside Masquerain's Flying typing.
2. Crawdaunt just smashes things with Adaptability STAB moves + Blizzard, hopefully getting a few hits off thanks to Froslass setting up Aurora Veil under Mamoswine's Snow. Froslass also has Will-o-Wisp for further support, along with the standard twin STAB attacks to prevent her from being setup bait.
3. Lucario hopes to come in at the end and use its unconventional support moves to buff and heal Glalie while it accumulates Moody boosts. Helpfully, Coaching, Life Dew, and Psych Up all bypass Protect. With its defensive moves, Tera Fairy, and the support of its teammates all helping it stall turns, Glalie quickly becomes a terrifying threat (well, at least in theory).

I'm imagining this trainer as a kid from Kitakami who aspires to become a student at Blueberry Academy. They love the festivities of their culture and have based their identity as a trainer around the masks of the Kitakami Mask Festival. I considered some other mons, like Leavanny, Lurantis, Mimikyu, and Dusknoir (and even Duskull for its more obvious mask-based design), but I'm happy with this final six.

 

[Scorpio]

Details to come later.

Remember when I said I'd do this? I did it, please check it out.

 

[bdt2002]

The Team: Mamoswine, Weavile, Froslass, Gallade, Dusknoir, Gliscor



The theme here is all about Pokémon that got new evolutions during the Sinnoh games, a trait shared by three of Kitakami’s four fully evolved Ice-Types. Froslass and Gallade are also both Dawn Stone evolutions, so having an excuse to pair them together is nice. Very simple post, but an effective one to try and start off 2024 on a simple note. (Happy New Years, by the way.)

Updating my first post with full movesets for all six Pokémon. I went for a Singles oriented approach since most of the Doubles action in this DLC was saved for The Indigo Disk instead of the Teal Mask, and a largely physical hyper offense style since most of the six Pokémon that fit this theme are physical attackers (Froslass being a mixed attacker, I gave her special moves for some much-needed variety). Mamoswine would be my personal choice of lead if I were using this team, although an alternative lead Froslass set with Spikes and/or Snowscape could also fit well there.

 

[Axiemeister]

hope i am not rusty!!

SHIVERS

A trainer who guards the Crystal Pool in the Oni Mountain. It is sacred ground and it's rumoured you can meet people who passed away. But how does one perish in the Oni Mountain? As its guardian, this trainer's team represents the ways death surprises someone there.

@ Icy Rock
Ability: Snow Cloak
Tera Type: Ghost
- Snowscape
- Blizzard
- Taunt
- Spikes

They can get lost. Froslass represents the people who perished to the elements trying to find their way out, setting up snow and spikes to recreate the harshness of the environment, and Taunt to goad the target to keep going.

@ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
Tera Type: Ice
- Coil
- Rock Slide
- Ice Spinner
- Glare

They can also get caved in. Dudunsparce can give the opposing foe a real taste of what that feels like, with its Glare and boosted Rock Slides paralyzing and flinching victims into place, also spinning terrains away to ensure the place is inhospitable. There's no way out. The rocks trapped you.

@ Air Balloon
Ability: Corrosion
Tera Type: Ice
- Mortal Spin
- Earth Power
- Tera Blast
- Sludge Wave

The crystals in the Crystal Pool can seem so... inviting. Some people end up touching them, but sucks for them, sometimes they are Glimmets and Glimmoras. It will cause terrible poisons, and a rampage of special attacks, and it can't even be shaken away, because it floats. RIP. This Glimmora teaches you to leave the crystals alone (and to not set up any traps because it will poison you for it no matter what).

@ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
Tera Type: Psychic
- Moonlight
- Moonblast
- Knock Off
- Future Sight

Sometimes, though, maybe... people don't die. They just disappear, and people think they died, but maybe they just went somewhere else. Their material possessions knocked off, a promise of a different future, the gleam of the moon...

Maybe a Clefable just took them to space. Or maybe this specific Clefable just knocked you out two turns ago and you're finding out now that it isn't even on the field anymore.


@ Choice Band
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Dark
- Ice Shard
- Triple Axel
- Beat Up
- Low Kick

The mountain has this fame of having ghosts, and sure some people have died there, but maybe some people... were just murdered? Maybe they werr weak and easy to kill for a freak. Maybe someone had a, say, fixation with that person and wanted them dead. Maybe the victim did something bad to them. A revenge kill?

Weavile shows the power of revenge and opportunism by cleaning up weakened enemies late in the battle and stopping threats in their tracks.

@ Never-Melt Ice
Ability: Snow Cloak
Tera Type: Ground
- Curse
- Icicle Crash
- Earthquake
- Trailblaze

Ultimately, though, the biggest threat and the main cause of death in the wild of the mountain is not respecting the life and thr nature around you. These critters don't want to resort to violence, but they can and will if necessary. Not many tears will be shed for you if that's how you die. Mamoswine represents this as our ace and win condition, setting up with Curse and getting speed back with Trailblaze.

Above all, the guardian of the Crystal Pool will teach you the importance of respecting nature. It is sacred ground, and he will keep it sacred. By force...?

 

[QuentinQuonce]

Evening all! The moment has arrived... time to vote for your favourite team.

https://strawpoll.com/PKgl3k9bQnp
​

Usually I gave these polls a day or two but I'm going to try and let them sit a bit longer going forward, people still seem to be discovering this thread and it's just less pressure all round. You have until January 12th, 9PM GMT to cast your vote!

Let's do some analysis.

hope i am not rusty!!

My thoughts exactly.

Numbers

Froslass: 14

Weavile: 13

Mamoswine: 12

Glalie: 9

Piloswine: 1
Sneasel: 1

Basculegion: 3
Gliscor: 3
Gyarados: 3

Chandelure: 2

Gallade: 1
Dusknoir: 1
Ludicolo: 1
Hatterene: 1
Sinistcha: 1
Dudunsparce: 1
Crawdaunt: 1
Clefable: 1
Ursaluna: 1
Arcanine: 1
Gardevoir: 1
Magcargo: 1
Flapple: 1
Glimmora: 1
Goodra: 1
Masquerain: 1
Eelektross: 1
Grimmsnarl: 1
Garchomp: 1
Politoed: 1
Sandslash: 1
Ninetales: 1
Lucario: 1


Breaking: Glalie is unpopular. More on this shocking story as it develops.

Meanwhile Weavile and Froslass almost tied for most popular Ice-type, but Froslass snuck in at the last minute as the winner! Quite right too. Though really I love them both.

New region, new Pokedex listing. What have we got? As a newer region, Kitakami has a relatively good representation of all types and is only really lacking in one or two of them - though Gen IX, of course, gives you the edge in potentially making use of Terastallization to add another Ice-type to your team. This also brings home how few Gen IX Pokemon there are in Kitakami's listing, doesn't it? Only three Gen IX species proper got used, and one Gen IX form. Delighted to see so many people chime in for this thread's relaunch (and nice to see a couple of new faces, too - hope you'll stick around): we ended up with a great range of concepts, from those evoking game mechanics and regional forms to those evoking mythology. And none of them felt particularly out of place.

Here's a funny thing. Hail being replaced with the (IMO inferior) Snow throws up some interesting consequences. On a Hail team you might expect to see some non-Ice Pokemon with helpful abilities - for instance, Pokemon with Overcoat. Leavanny, Mandibuzz, and Kommo-o are all in Kitakami's listing, but with that advantage lost their inclusion is much harder to justify. Then again, even if Hail were still a thing they're all vulnerable to being hit by Blizzard so would you really want any of them on a team that'll be planning to fight in Hail?

Similarly, I've always viewed Clefable as an interesting curveball choice for a Hail team thanks to Magic Guard giving it a pseudo-immunity to weather damage and the useful advantage Fairy gives you against Fighting-types. But maybe that's just me. It does, of course, share Ice's vulnerability to Steel. Broadly though, Snow not damaging non-Ice Pokemon means it's far easier to fit non-Ice Pokemon onto a team so I found myself looking at a lot of Pokemon in the Kitakami listing and thinking "yeah, why not?"

What other moves and abilities play into Ice? Well, Snorlax, Grumpig, and Appletun all have Thick Fat, but otherwise little to do with the Ice-type - Appletun I don't think would fit at all, but I was surprised not to see the other two at least once.

As for expected types: previous Ice rounds have tended to have Water-types make up a large proportion of wildcard picks. That's not a massive surprise given the overlap between the two types, but Kitakami's Pokedex (unlike Unova's) has a reasonable amount of Water Pokemon and yet a lot of them - Milotic, Whiscash, Swanna, Drednaw, Cramorant, Barraskewda, Quagsire, Poliwrath - didn't put in an appearance here. Instead, we got a fair amount of Ghosts. Which I think makes sense - Ghost definitely has good mechanical, aesthetical, and conceptual synergy with Ice. Basculegion was a fitting choice for most popular wildcard; amusing that all three instances were the female. Gliscor was a very unexpected choice for most popular non-Ice wildcard though, not least because it's 4x weak to Ice.

Lastly I expected to see a few Fire-types, too: Chandelure and Arcanine are the best fits thematically (a lanturn in a blizzard and a big furry dog) but Magcargo was a pleasant surprise - I've always had a fondness for it. Though I was a little disappointed not to see it be Tera Ice just for the lolz.

Stuff I expected to see more/at all

As NFEs go, Sneasel and Piloswine are pretty good so I am legitimately shocked they both only got used once. Though I can't complain, as it made the other teams much more interesting.

Expected to see more instances of Dusknoir, Gallade, and Gardevoir in particular.

Of all the Water-types I mentioned, Milotic stands out as probably the most glaring omission. It's a bulky and dare I say glacial staller which has always had some vague Ice-type affinity. Then again, power creep has dented that defensive prowess somewhat.

Masquerain - kind of an honourary Water-type and has some interesting synergy. Thought we weren't going to get one at all until Cobalt Empoleon snuck one in late in the game.

Poliwrath, for similar reasons. We only had one rain team and I suppose slots were quite competitive but Poliwrath learns several Ice moves (I actually thought it'd always learned Haze by level, forgetting it's always been an egg move) and fits in quite well on an Ice team thanks to its useful secondary Fighting-type.

Speaking of Fighting: Conkeldurr and Mienshao. Both made it onto a few Unova Ice teams, and have a historic association with Ice. Similarly, Lucario seems to fit in everywhere but only got used once.

Bronzong. Ironically none of Kitakami's Ice-types fit the usual "big slow bulky defensive" model a lot of Ice-types tend towards, so that position is available. Bronzong fills that role very capably and has Heatproof to give it some utility against Fire-types; it's also one of the few Pokemon that gets Weather Ball naturally.

Oricorio. As mentioned, Ghosts and Fires seem to be popular wildcard choices so Baile and Sensu would be the expected choices. But then again probably not, because bringing a Flying-type to an Ice party is asking for trouble.

Gengar. We got a few Ghosts but not Gengar for some reason. Nor did we get Mimikyu.

A note about Bloodmoon Ursaluna: wasn't initially sure whether including original Ursaluna was against the rules, but it's such a weird niche case that I'll allow it. I've often thought Ursaring looked snow-oriented; I remember once saying that it would have fitted quite well into Pryce's team if I were given free rein to redesign all the Johto leaders' teams.

 

[Axiemeister]

hey QuentinQuonce i think imperial magala is missing from the poll

 

[QuentinQuonce]

hey QuentinQuonce i think imperial magala is missing from the poll

hope i am not rusty!!

My thoughts exactly.

Well this aged like hot milk. Thanks for spotting that, new link is in place.

 

[QuentinQuonce]

Results are in: congratulations to Cobalt Empoleon on a landslide victory!

 

[QuentinQuonce]

Morning all, after consulting with the winner we have a new concept ready to go. With no further ado:

You are a Rock-type specialist in BW Unova. How do you best represent your chosen type?​

Very much the "fetch" of this thread, in that it's a concept I've tried to make happen a couple of times.

A reminder to please read the guidelines in the OP before commenting, especially if you're new to the thread. You have until January 21st, 9PM GMT to make your case!

BW Unova Pokedex is here for those who need it: https://www.serebii.net/blackwhite/unovadex.shtml

Teams so far

Hugin: Archeops, Gigalith, Carracosta, Golurk, Bisharp, Sigilyph
Ironmage: Archeops, Gigalith, Carracosta, Krookodile, Escavalier, Chandelure
Eeveeto: Archeops, Gigalith, Carracosta, Crustle, Excadrill, Conkeldurr
DrPumpkinz: Archeops, Gigalith, Crustle, Seismitoad, Garbodor, Scrafty
Cobalt Empoleon: Archeops, Gigalith, Carracosta, Vanilluxe, Darmanitan, Sawsbuck
Railroader17: Archeops, Gigalith, Carracosta, Crustle, Sigilyph, Hydreigon
Gryoine: Archeops, Gigalith, Carracosta, Crustle, Stoutland, Excadrill
Pikachu315111: Archeops, Gigalith, Carracosta, Crustle, Cinccino, Emboar
SpyderMarz: Gigalith, Carracosta, Crustle, Conkeldurr, Druddigon, Mandibuzz
WarriorGallade: Archeops, Carracosta, Boldore, Durant, Basculin, Zweilous
bdt2002: Simisage, Simisear, Simipour, Eelektross, Cinccino, Chandelure
ImperialMagala: Archeops, Gigalith, Carracosta, Crustle, Haxorus, Druddigon
Axiemeister: Archeops, Gigalith, Carracosta, Crustle, Stoutland, Sigilyph
R_N: Archeops, Gigalith, Carracosta, Crustle, Cofagrigus, Ferrothorn

 

[Hugin]

The present is a lie, there is only the past and it's effects.

Not a lot of surprises here, this Gym Leader is more of an intellectual archeologist or librarian than the average Ruin Maniac or Hiker, but she's still an expert in the past and all the grit that lingers from those days. So we've got the original formation of land features, a couple extinct species, a Golem, Nazca Lines, and a Samurai. Her gym puzzle is a quiz, with one question(and optional trainer battle) for each of those cultures/periods of history. I know GF hasn't ever really done real-world facts in their games, but that doesn't mean they can't.

Moveset

Gigalith @ Custap Berry
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Sandstorm
- Explosion

Archeops @ Flying Gem
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Acrobatics
- Stone Edge
- Roost
- U-turn

Carracosta @ Life Orb
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge

Golurk @ Choice Band
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Dynamic Punch

Bisharp @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Sandstorm
- Iron Head

Sigilyph @ Flame Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Cosmic Power
- Roost
- Psycho Shift
- Stored Power

This team is heavy on not just setup, but moves with lingering effects. Opens with Sandstorm/SR/Sturdy/Explosion, but then out comes the actual ace, Archeops, for the first of several times, to either click a good move or click U-Turn and come back later. From there, every mon has some sort of move that's effects will still be felt several turns later. Shell Smash Carracosta and SD Bisharp are basic, but we also have DPunch Golurk to make use of that Stealth Rock and Cosmic Power Sigilyph.

Other options: So many. Beyond the 4 rocks and their pre-evos, there's a lot of ground and steel types that make obvious additions. I should probably have swapped something for Sigilyph, but I like that mon and it fits the theme of history so much better than the other options. Most of these mons also have several viable movesets, which made the decisions there pretty fun. An option to beat water would have been nice, but all of them felt like a stretch TBH.

Edit: Oh, for anyone new, here's the team planner I use. It's a bit easier to sort than a standard Pokedex IMO.

 

[Ironmage]

Fossils in Unova, huh? This is one of the rare times that a character is the concept that comes to mind first.

"I work for a private organization researching fossil pokemon reconstruction. That's what I tell people, and it isn't wrong. But it isn't the whole truth. I'm part of the living weapons project at Team Plasma."


Gigalith @ Lum Berry
Ability: Sturdy
- Stealth Rock
- Iron Head
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
"Gigalith's crystals are capable of gathering and directing energy, making it unusual among Rock-types for its ability to learn Solar Beam, though even that is weaker than just throwing its body around. This is a potential entry point for weapon augmentations in the event we are unable to overwrite the Rock type during the revival process, though generating similar crystals without destroying the fossilized specimen is likely to cause its own difficulties."


Carracosta @ Petaya Berry
Ability: Sturdy
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Shell Smash
- Earth Power

Archeops @ Rock Gem
Ability: Defeatist
- Stone Edge
- Acrobatics
- U-turn
- Steel Wing
"The fossils easily found within Unova are not particularly informative for this project compared to those found elsewhere. I would have much preferred an opportunity to examine Aerodactyl's more powerful and savage Mega form, but neither Old Amber nor the equipment needed to induce Mega Evolution are easy to move covertly between regions."


Escavalier @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Shell Armor
- Megahorn
- Iron Head
- Pursuit
- Rest
"As a pokemon that acquires another Type in a unique way, Escavalier could potentially yield useful information about how we could adjust the Type of the specimens produced by the project. At the very least, it would seem to indicate that a Bug Type may be a good starting point. Presumably Team Plasma's front operation knows what to do with the donor of this armor."



Chandelure @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
- Energy Ball
- Flame Charge
- Flamethrower
- Shadow Ball
"It remains likely that any weapons installed on the subject will need to be powered at least in part by the subject's life energy. The Litwick family provides an example of this transfer and so could be emulated when developing the weapons systems."


Krookodile @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
- Rock Slide
- Dragon Tail
- Earthquake
- Crunch
"The Sages have expressed an interest in more mundane fossil revival experiments in the areas of Relic Castle. As a result, it has become useful to have a pokemon native to the area. I used to have a Larvesta for this but I could no longer stand the Grunts constantly asking about Volcarona's alleged variants. Maybe if we had a different front we wouldn't have people come to me with ******* tabloids and expect me to go find some pokemon that doesn't have a chance of existing. Both 'Slither Wing' and 'Iron Moth' are completely fictional, stop trying to send me off looking for them!"

 

[Eeveeto]

In Gen 5 Gems were introduced... and except the Normal one, only stayed in that Gem. Rock is the typing asociated with Gems, so the theme of this team will be a Gems researcher:

Item: Normal Gem. Ability: Sturdy. Moves: Stealth Rock, Rock Blast, Superpower, Explosion. First Rock. Puts more rocks into the field and explodes with Normal Gem.
Item: Fight Gem. Moves: Drain Punch, Payback, Rock Tomb, Mach Punch. Has literally rocks in his hands. For a Gem researcher, this Mon can be useful when mining. Attacks with everything it has.
Item: Water Gem. Ability: Solid Rock. Moves: Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, Ancient Power, Aqua Jet. Another rock, even has Solid Rock as ability. Just like Conkeldurr, attacks with everything it has.
Item: Rock Gem. Ability: Sturdy. Moves: Shell Smash, X Scissors, Rock Wrecker, Smack Down. Another Rock, this one uses the Rock Gem to fire off the most powerful +2 Rock Wrecker in existance. Alternatively, can also use the weaker Smack Down to avoid the recharge turn and before dying support the next Mon.
Item: Ground Gem. Moves: Earthquake, Iron Head, Rock Slide, Horn Drill. Just like Conkeldurr, this Pokemon is useful for mining new Gems, digging deep down to find them. Attacks with the most powerful moves possible, having the option to OHKO things with Horn Drill.
Item: Flying Gem. Moves: Acrobatics, Stone Edge, Heat Wave, Earth Power. Ace Mon. Fastest and strongest Rock in Unova. Hopefully, can clean with Acrobatics boosted by Flying Gem + the insane coverage this Mon gets.

 

[DrPumpkinz]

"Hey, we're making our first region outside of Japan. Got any ideas of what we could do?"
"Well, in English 'rock' can mean both the stone and the music genre. Let's do something with that."

team

Crustle @ Rock Gem
Ability: Sturdy
- Shell Smash
- Rock Wrecker
- X-Scissor
- Flail

The lead that establishes the team's theme of go big or go home. Something on your team is dying to +2 Gem-boosted STAB Rock Wrecker, and Crustle is very likely to follow suite.


Garbodor @ Bright Powder
Ability: Stench
- Rock Blast
- Gunk Shot
- Focus Blast
- Body Slam

A different kind of high-roller, Garbodor aims to be the most annoying fucking thing possible, with Bright Powder misses, Rock Blast flinches, and Body Slam paralysis. Garbodor itself adds to the grungy aesthetic, and was probably born in a hotel room this guy's band stayed at.


Archeops @ Flying Gem
Ability: Defeatist
- Acrobatics
- Rock Slide
- Endeavor
- Earthquake

It's Archeops. It can't be a high-risk high-reward Rock team without Archeops.


Scrafty @ Life Orb
Ability: Moxie
- Head Smash
- High Jump Kick
- Payback
- Swagger

It's a head-banger, as in it's literally banging its head into you. Its moveset is possibly the most reckless of the entire team.


Seismitoad @ Normal Gem
Ability: Swift Swim
- Hyper Voice
- Earthquake
- Hydro Pump
- Rock Tomb

Unova doesn't have many sound-themed Pokemon, and even less that fit the aesthetic we're going for. Thankfully, Seismitoad fits in very well, and also has a Ground typing to compliment Rock.


Gigalith @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Sturdy
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Rock Polish

Finally, we have the ace, the ear-faced bass that can't be replaced, it takes up space with its awesome width, give it up for Gigalith! Gigalith may be the final Pokemon this guy usually sends out, but that's no reason not to end the match on a bang. Think of it as smashing one's guitar.

Bonus:

double battle duet with Roxie in B2W2

Hide

Seismitoad @ Normal Gem
Ability: Swift Swim
- Hyper Voice
- Muddy Water
- Earthquake
- Focus Blast

Aggron @ Life Orb
Ability: Rock Head
- Double-Edge
- Rock Slide
- Iron Tail
- Superpower

It's metal.

Gigalith @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Sturdy
- Rock Slide
- Superpower
- Heavy Slam
- Toxic

Hide

Weezing @ Wide Lens
Ability: Levitate
- Poison Gas
- Venoshock
- Fire Blast
- Thunder

Muk @ Muscle Band
Ability: Stench
- Poison Gas
- Gunk Shot
- Ice Punch
- Brick Break

Scolipede @ Focus Sash
Ability: Poison Point
- Poison Jab
- Megahorn
- Aqua Tail
- Rock Slide

Building sets without tutors or egg moves from non-Unova parents was tough.

 

[Cobalt Empoleon]

This is my headcanon team for that Parasol Lady on Route 8 who gives out all the weather rocks. I'm imagining that she used to work at the Season Research Lab on Route 6, hence the Sawsbuck, and she has a particular love for items that contain the word 'Rock' as well as for Rock-type Pokemon in general.

(unfortunately this team planner doesn't seem to have an option to display Zen Mode Darmanitan)

Unova Rocks!!!!

Sawsbuck @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Chlorophyll
- Horn Leech
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Baton Pass

Gigalith @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Force
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Sandstorm

Darmanitan @ Heat Rock
Ability: Zen Mode
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Psychic
- Solar Beam
- Sunny Day

Rocky Road (Vanilluxe) @ Icy Rock
Ability: Weak Armor
IVs: 3 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Blizzard
- Weather Ball
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Hail

Carracosta @ Damp Rock
Ability: Swift Swim
- Aqua Tail
- Stone Edge
- Shell Smash
- Rain Dance

Archeops @ Rock Gem
Ability: Defeatist
- Rock Slide
- Acrobatics
- Heat Wave
- Aqua Tail

There's very little synergy here haha. Unfortunately you need non-Unovan mons to get both Agility and Baton Pass on Sawsbuck, so we're making do with SD and Sub instead. Zen Mode Darmanitan has a kind of rocky vibe imo (the inert ones outside the Relic Castle in BW are described as being like statues iirc) and its role is to set up Sun for itself and for Sawsbuck when it returns to the field after BPing out. Carracosta has Rain Dance awkwardly slotted in to fit the Rock item theme, which is honestly too much setup alongside Shell Smash but w/e. Sadly, Archeops not having access to B2W2 tutor moves prevents it from being able to take advantage of Rain and Sun with Aqua Tail and Heat Wave.

Vanilluxe is nicknamed Rocky Road and that is the only connection I will be making :)

 

[Railroader17]

Well this one proved to be a bit of an interesting exercise given how limited the options are, so let's get to it! With some extra character to.

This, is Mr.Brickheart

He is the proud owner of Brickheart Builders, one of Unova's most prestigious construction companies, having inherited the role from his father, who inherited it from his father before him, and so on. The company has worked on a ton of projects around Unova in it's long, long history, from helping to build a number of Castelia City's skyscrapers, to erecting the Skyarrow Bridge, and helping with the expansion of Mistralton City's airport. The company has seen it all.

He grew up in Mistralton, and even knew Skyla growing up (leading to a lot of his workers asking him for her number, despite it not being his to share.) Got his degree at Castelia University, and paid his dues working in the company before his dad retired. But overall he is pretty chill for an owner, even when he's on the clock as a foreman. However, while he may not focus on being a pokemon trainer like Skyla, don't let him catch you doubting his abilities as a trainer or as a boss. Or he WILL quickly show you why he is to be respected.

Like how each of OSHA's rules is written in blood, each of his Pokemon has a story behind it.

Crustle @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Earthquake
- X-Scissor

This Crustle has one job, preparing the worksite by... adding hazards? Admittedly this is the newest member of the team, so it's not quite up to snuff on the construction aspect of the team it's on. But Sturdy ensures that it's able to get at least one of the hazards up if doesn't get taunted. It also has a sitrus berry for some healing in case the opponent tries a multi hit move to break Sturdy. EQ is just solid coverage, and X-Scissor can help against pesky grass types.

This was a fairly recent catch, as it had been blocking the way of one of the excavators. But it's pincers are handy for cutting down steel beams, trees, and whatever needs cutting really. It can also carry workmen and equipment on it's back, which is handy.

Gigalith @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Sandstorm
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Stone Edge

Like Crustle, this Gigalith has one job, set up Sandstorm. Sadly it wouldn't get Sand Stream until much later on in Gen 7, so we have to deal with manual Sand for now, and thus need Sturdy to ensure we get it up (again, barring Taunt). SR is in case Crustle wasn't able to get it up. Stone Edge is our main STAB, and Explosion is for blowing holes in the opposition.

Gigalith can easily tow heavy loads for the company, and if need be, lend some of it's energy to any broken down or under fueled equipment. This one was found in a cave that the company was building a tunnel in.

Sigilyph @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Dark Pulse
- Charge Beam
- Ice Beam

This odd looking bird has Magic Guard, not only keeping it safe from it's Life Orb, but also not getting chipped down by Sandstorm, which is shown in game at the one place Sigiliph can be caught at, is none other than the Desert Resort and it's eternal sandstorm. From a battling standpoint, Sigiliph's role on the team is to intercept any Fighting or Grass type pokemon that might get a funny idea about trying to counter the rest of the team, on top of the oodles of coverage this thing is able to pack, all boosted by the Life Orb. Psychic is the main STAB, Dark Pulse is amazing coverage. While Charge beam helps against Water types a bit, while also having a chance to boost Sigilyph's SpAtk, and Ice Beam completes the BoltBeam coverage, while also nailing grass types and dragon types.

Sigilyph is pretty freaking handy to have for a construction company, being able to use it's psychic powers to hold things in place, or carry things around that would be too hard to transport by land. It's also good at providing security after hours in case vandals try to break into the work site, following in it's ancient flight path as a guardian. This one was found observing some of the construction on Route 4, having been drawn away from it's usual grounds of the Desert Resort by the commotion.

Archeops @ Focus Sash
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Endeavor
- Quick Attack
- Rock Slide

It's Unova rock types, so of course, we gotta feature the fossils. Arcehops here while strong, is limited to being useful until Defeatist is activated, at which point it becomes less than useful, and with how low it's base defenses are, it's not going to be hard for it to use it's Sash. So the strategy here is to nail the opposition with either EQ or Rock Slide, take a hit to trigger Focus Sash, then Endeavor to bring the opponent down to 1 HP and in range to be KO'd either next turn by Quick Attack, or by the next mon up.

Carracosta @ White Herb
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Aqua Jet
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge

Carracosta of course, being the next mon up as the other Unova Fossil. The strat here is pretty basic. Sturdy to live a potential OHKO, Shell Smash to boost it's offensive stats to high heaven (and potentially take advantage of someone using a turn to heal off the Endeavor damage from Archeops.), and then a White Herb to restore it's stats afterwards. From there Aqua Jet picks off weakened mons, and EQ and Stone Edge form a nasty duo of moves to hit a majority of mons hard.

Archeops & Carracosta were gifted to Mr.Brickheart by the Nacarene City Museum, as thanks for his efforts to ensure that no artifacts were damaged during construction on Route 4. Archeops is a much faster flier than Sigilyph, and thus is tasked with carrying small but vital pieces of equipment, and messages in case electronics are not working for some reason. Carracosta on the other hand can ferry workers and some equipment around for builds on the water.

Hydreigon @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Flash Cannon
- Flamethrower
- Roost

Finally we get to the ace of the squad, Hydreigon!

Dark Pulse is the very reliable main STAB, with Flash Cannon to cover it's weaknesses to Fairy, Bug and Ice types respectively while hitting Fighting for solid damage. Roost is to recover off the damage from the Life Orb. Main strategy here is to blast whatever remains of the opposition after all the other mons into smithereens. Between the Hazards, the Sandstorm Chip, having to maneuver around all 3 of Sigilyph, Archeops, and Carracosta. Not much is going to be 100% ready to face this thing (unless your a specially bulky Fairy type or a Blissey). It also has a solid resistance to Water & Grass, and an immunity to Ground, letting answer 3 of Rock's biggest weaknesses as a type.

As for how it represents Rock types / fits in the theme, Hydreigon's pre-evo Deino is found within Victory Road's caves, with all the rock and ground type mons, and the hoards of Swoobat, where Brickheart was doing some work back when he was still working his way up the ladder. He found the poor thing confused because of all the loud noises that it couldn't see where it was coming from. So he gave it some food, and switched to quieter tools. Eventually befriending it, and deciding to catch it for himself, and they haven't been separated since. Hydreigon is able to combing the strength of Carracosta, the speed and flight of Archeops, while also commanding an intimidating presence to deter would be ne'er-do-wells and earn the respect of the workers.

 

[Gryoine]

Team:

Reasoning:

It feels wrong to not do anything with these three. The fossils could maybe be passed up in favour of other Rock/psuedo-Rock types but I like how they feel here. No Sand Stream on Gigalith sucks for this team composition though.


Crustle is the final Rock type, so I've added it too.


I'm going for a mountaineer vibe, so I think these two fit best. Also sand team synergy.

HMs: Golurk, Cofagrigus, Druddiggon, Bouffalant, Braviary (all just fit the vibes for my team, Golurk especially)

 

[Pikachu315111]

This was a hard one (yes, pun intended). Not because I couldn't think of a theme... but because I waited too long most of the themes I thought were immediately taken. Granted (pun not intended), they were obvious themes, but in Unova Rock-type sort of goes down that path with it having Rock-type Fossils and a museum where you revive the fossils being a Gym and plot important location. However DrPumpkinz, while claiming dibs on the "Rocker" theme I was also thinking of, did remind me Unova went out of its way to show it was the "America" region. So, while I was making a rudimentary Rock-type team, I thought about "Americana" and suddenly things just clicked:

My guy is a Boxer! Obviously the famous Sylvester Stallone character "Rocky Balboa" was a partial inspiration, though my boxer character isn't directly based on Rocky. In addition, while boxing is practiced all over the world (and there's quite a few boxing manga/anime such as Hajime no Ippo), boxing is still seen by many being USA iconography (likely due to the Rocky movies).
"Um, wouldn't a boxer be a Fighting-type"? Come now, we've had plenty of Gym Leaders who profession you'd think would lean to a certain Type but instead specializes in another Type. While Rock-type Boxer may not use punchy Fighting-types, his Pokemon still can slug you hard and take a beating to boot.

So, right, onto his team:

Crustle (Sturdy. Muscle Band . Rock Slide, X-Scissor, Shell Smash, Earthquake)
Gigalith (Sand Force. Smooth Rock . Stone Edge, Sandstorm, Stealth Rock, Earthquake)
Archeops (Defeatist. Flying Gem . Rock Slide, Acrobatics, Earthquake, U-turn)
Carracosta (Sturdy. Leftovers . Rock Slide, Aqua Jet, Sandstorm, Toxic)
Emboar (Reckless. Life Orb . Head Smash, Flare Blitz, Hammer Arm, Scald)
Cinccino (Skill Link. Wide Lens . Rock Blast, Tail Slap, Bullet Seed, U-turn)

Corner Talk

Crustle: The closest you can say being my guy's "ace". Crustle is here to do what all Crustle do: Shell Smash and smash anything in their path. It is focused pure power which leaves itself wide open, apt for a boxer.

Gigalith: The opener. Gigalith is here to do what Gigalith do, set up sandstorms and set rocks. But if it's able to stay around long enough it's not going down without a fight. I know most people give Gigalith Explosion as its final move, but I feel that's a bit of a waste; Explosion isn't a higher priority move nor ignores Type so I feel it having Earthquake is more worthwhile to deal with any Steel-types or Types which resist Rock.

Archeops & Carracosta: I'm going to be honest here, the Fossil Pokemon don't really have a strong justification being here aside being Rock-types. "Why don't you exclude them then?". Because at the same time as not exactly fitting the team, also feels wrong excluding them on a Rock-type Unova team. I could have excluded one of them, though I was having a hard time deciding which one would it be. Not that they don't have their place. Archeops is in a way sort of like the reverse Crustle: It's ready to hit hard on turn one but later on (when its HP falls below half) starts to falter. Carracosta shares Sandstorm setting duty with Gigalith if need be, but otherwise it sort of there just to absorb hits, spread Toxic, and maybe surprise kill with an Aqua Jet. If I were to give them boxing analogies, they represent the balance between giving a flurry of blows and when to turtle up.

Emboar: Well it's not like I wasn't going to add any Fighting-types to my team, but why Emboar and not Conkeldurr? Because this is a Rock-type team, and therefore I believe every member should be emphasizing something Rock-type related. Conkeldurr can learn Rock Slide and Stone Edge, but Emboar is on of the few Pokemon which learns Head Smash. And while Scrafty can also learn learn Head Smash, Emboar gets Reckless as a Hidden Ability and also Flare Blitz so I just feel there's more synergy there. Also I gave it Scald as its a fun gimmick plus his Ground-types super effectively (and if it can get a burn all the better). But, with it holding a Life Orb and focusing on recoil Moves, Emboar is meant to be a flash in the pan, it may be strong but all that fighting takes its wear and tear on the body.

Cinccino: And now the surprise choice. Just looking at its stats and you know why I picked it for a Rock team: Skill Link Rock Blast (and Bullet Seed). I think I've told the story before of using a Skill Link Cinccino in my White 2 playthrough and had a lot of fun with it. Cinccino would also be a good Pokemon for a boxer to have in their corner, able to clean them quickly and provide some comfort (not only is its fur soft but its oil is good for the skin) before the next round. And while it may look small, cute and soft, it has a 95 base Attack (and 115 base Speed) so all those Rock Blasts, Bullet Seeds, and Tail Slaps are going to hurt; Teach them to judge an opponent by appearance.

 

[SpyderMarz]

i had a lot of fun last round so i'm back

The Rock type in Pokémon is a bit weird in its definition. What counts as a rock? What differentiates it from Ground? How is there a whole generational mechanic centered around crystals that contain the power of every type when there are already many examples of crystals being represented as Rock related? DRACO METEOR IS IN NO WAY DRAGON RELATED ITS JUST METEORS IT SHOULD BE ROCK TYPE-

Sorry about that. Anyways, I created this hyper offense team. I decided to just use tough substances as the team's inspiration, since the Rock type is not just rocks, but other hard materials as well.

Full moveset / explanation

Ability: Sturdy
Item: Smooth Rock
- Iron Defense
- Sandstorm
- Stone Edge
- Bulldoze
First off, representing crystals, we have Gigalith. It's a powerful wall that can do lots of useful stuff. It can bolster its already great defense even higher with Sandstorm and Iron Defense, stall out the opponent with the aforementioned sand, and hit with the amazing rock-ground coverage. This is a no-brainer pick so let's just move on.

Ability: Guts
Item: Normal Gem
- Chip Away
- Stone Edge
- Mach Punch
- Drain Punch
Representing concrete, it's Conkeldurr. Extremely original today, I know. This is your typical slow sweeper, with a STAB priority move, survivability in Drain Punch, and coverage with Stone Edge. Y'all remember Chip Away? It was a pretty cool move they got rid of in gen 8. It basically ignores any defense boosts the opponent has. Combined with a Normal Gem, Conkeldurr now has a good wallbreaking option as well.

Ability: Sturdy
Item: White Herb
- Shell Smash
- Rock Wrecker
- X-Scissor
- Shadow Claw
Crustle's shell is a stratum, which is like a bunch of layers of sediment, so that's what it represents. It's got Sturdy, as most of Unova's rock mons do, and it can use Shell Smash to boost its offensive stats, while making sure its great defense doesn't suffer with its White Herb. It's got powerful Bug/Rock STAB moves, and Ghost coverage as well.

Ability: Overcoat
Item: Sitrus Berry
- Defog
- Roost
- Rock Tomb
- Brave Bird
Here's Mandibuzz, representing bone. (yes im aware that bone attacks in pokemon are ground type, just like i'm aware that sand attack is a ground move but sandstorm is a rock move. rock is just strange) It just barely beat out Archeops because I didn't think the bird with the trash ability really represented a tough material. Mandibuzz plays the fast bulky utility role on the team. It can control both hazards and the opponent's speed, and can unleash Brave Bird, a devastating Flying STAB move, at any time with little recoil risk due to Roost and Sitrus Berry. It's also immune to sandstorm damage with Overcoat, among other things.

Ability: Sturdy
Item: Chesto Berry
- Sandstorm
- Rest
- Ice Beam
- Scald
Bulbapedia states that Carracosta's name may be derived from carapace (a hard, protective covering, i.e. a shell), which works for me. Shells are tough. Rocks are tough. Therefore, shells are rocks. It's the team's sole special attacker, but also carries more sand if you need it and a full recovery in Rest. That benefits from Sturdy, being able to live any hit. It's especially effective against pesky Grass Types that will meet a chilling surprise in Ice Beam.

Ability: Rough Skin
Item: Dragon Gem
- Hone Claws
- Rock Slide
- Crunch
- Draco Meteor
You can never go wrong with a dragon type ace, and Druddigon was clearly the best option. Its White dex entry literally says "The skin on its face is harder than a rock." So Druddigon represents rough skin, I guess? With its ability, um, Rough Skin, it can damage the opponent just by making contact. Druddigon can boost its attack with Hone Claws, but it's not really worth it unless you can get a good read and take advantage of it. It's good two coverage moves and a Gem-boosted Draco Meteor, which sorta creates this one-use nuke somewhat akin to a Z-Move. A great final addition to the team.

 

[WarriorGallade]

This topic looks like a fun one for me to jump into this thread. Do let me know if I make any mistakes in this post!

I decided to brainstorm about a gym leader who often travels to and around Unova to visit its caves, and in the process assembles their team from whatever they find in and around them. As a result of this dedication to exploring barely inhabited places, they're often not in contact with other people, aside from the odd miner or two. They're more of the type to dive head-first into things without thinking them through, and this is somewhat reflected in their Pokemon choice.


Here's the team:

Moves and EV spreads:

Hide

Boldore @ Custap Berry
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Rock Tomb
- Stealth Rock
- Gravity
- Explosion

Archeops @ Expert Belt
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Head Smash
- U-turn
- Focus Blast
- Aerial Ace

Carracosta @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Iron Defense
- Rollout
- Dive
- Bide

Basculin-Blue-Striped @ Focus Sash
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Crunch
- Double-Edge
- Endeavor
- Aqua Jet

Durant @ Mental Herb
Ability: Hustle
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hone Claws
- Baton Pass
- Rock Slide
- Agility

Zweilous @ Eviolite
Ability: Hustle
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Head Smash
- Dragon Rush
- Fire Fang
- Crunch

Team explanations and comments:

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First up, Boldore.

You might wonder why this isn't Gigalith, given that this is supposed to be a lategame leader. Well, Boldore's stats are themselves pretty impressive for a middle stage Pokemon, sporting 105 in both Attack and Defense. However, the lower HP and Sp. Def compared to Gigalith turn allows it to be a decent lead and more easily activate its held Custap Berry thanks to Sturdy, setting both Stealth Rock and Gravity. or go out with a boom if need be. Gigalith's superior bulk may make it harder to activate Sturdy and fall into berry range, making it less adept at this utility role. Alternatively, you could consider that our leader couldn't find anyone to trade with and therefore is stuck with Boldore. Rock Tomb is there to help deal minimal chip damage and render foes that set up vulnerable to being outsped by the other team members.



Second up, Archeops.

With a monstrous attack stat, Head Smash, and an Expert Belt for those unfortunate souls weak to Rock, there's not much stopping this bird until it gets below half HP, at least 80% of the time. Oh wait, it's now 100% of the time thanks to Gravity. The other moves exist for coverage, but unless the opponent is Scrafty, they'll almost never be selected. This move is definitely the most immediate source of destruction, but it's very easily halted by priority. Any slower teams will be up against a massive disadvantage here. Aerial Ace helps deal with other Fighting types if one wants to avoid recoil, U-turn helps pivot out of a bad matchup, and Focus Blast brings the hurt to any Steel types daring enough to stay in, especially if Gravity is on the field.



Third up, Carracosta.

With this limited range of rock types, the second fossil was a clear choice. While Shell Smash was initially considered for this role, it'd be too slow and not offer as much variety to the team. Hence, a somewhat defensive role was chosen. Iron Defense allows it to become nigh unbeatable from the Physical side, while Rollout builds up power with time to strike any unsuspecting switches. Why would they switch? That's where Bide comes into play; trying to whittle it down little by little may lead to some strong pushback after two turns! Dive allows for a reasonably reliable STAB option while also adding some much needed Leftovers recovery.



Fourth up, Basculin.

Fun fact: Basculin-Blue-Striped is the only Unovan Pokemon to have Rock Head as an ability! Unfortunately, it doesn't learn Head Smash just yet, so we'll have to settle for Double Edge instead. Given that you'll be facing this leader late, Basculin's offenses may not seem very impressive, which is why it dips into its disruptive movepool. Holding a Focus Sash and equipped with Endeavor and Aqua Jet, it's able to score a last-ditch KO if an opponent is down to their last Pokemon, or up against a foe that threatens to sweep the remainder of the team. While one might think a Ghost type would render this fish filleted, Crunch dispels that notion and sends them back to the grave.



Fifth up, Durant.

To exemplify this leader's dedication to exploration, there's no truer symbol than a hustling ant. Or is there? Durant is found in Unova's caves, so it might be easy to mistake its steel shell for one made of rock...until one exits the cave. Durant helps by being both a recipient of Boldore's Gravity thanks to Hustle while also being able to patch up accuracy issues for the final member of the team, thanks to the combo of Hone Claws, Agility and Baton Pass. Of course, it's no slouch either as it can use Rock Slide to decimate foes that that try to set up alongside it. It also offers some defensive utility against Grass types, as quite a bit of the team is weak or neutral to them. The held Mental Herb also helps increase the odds of pulling off a successful Baton Pass.


Last up, Zweilous.

Two heads are better than one, especially when they're slamming into the foe with the power to obliterate them. Level 64 feels a bit out of the way for a lategame leader (despite Ghetsis), so no Hydreigon here. Besides, evolving it loses the main draw of this set - Hustle! Hustle boosted Head Smashes reach continental levels of power. However, despite this astronomical power, Zweilous has notable issues when it comes to bulk despite the Eviolite. There's no guarantee that it receives any Baton Pass boosts from Durant, and if you're able to prevent it from doing so, your reward is a much easier final Pokemon. Prevent the speed pass, and you can outspeed it for the KO; prevent the attack/accuracy pass and you can rely on luck to get through. Crunch and Dragon Rush act as strong STAB moves for good neutral coverage, while Fire Fang rounds out the fourth moveslot (despite being an illegal combo with Head Smash) and smacks the Steel types who dare stand in this brute's way.

 

[bdt2002]

Just like with my last submission, I'll probably go back and make a PokéPaste later (if I still have time), but for the time being I have what I think is a really neat idea I want to share with you guys.



No, you're not seeing things- this is a Rock-Type team with no Rock-Type Pokémon period. What's the big idea? Well, when I think of Black & White 1's Rock-Types, we run into a bit of an issue. Your fully evolved options consist of Gigalith, Crustle, Carracosta, and Archeops. Terrakion also gets added to the list in the situation that Legendaries become allowed. Compared to some Types we've worked with for other games in this thread, this is far from the worst lineup we've seen, but my issue here is with locations and lack of theming. Up until Unova's desert biome (contains both Dwebble and the fossils if you account for getting one at the Relic Castle), the Roggenrola family is your only option, and even when your options open up, there's much you can do with a unique theme for a hypothetical NPC that would use this Type. Any theme ideas that do exist have probably been taken by other nominations already anyways, and knowing that this would happen, I wanted to do something that's hopefully a lot more unique.

Aside from the Rock-Type Pokémon, when I think of rocks and stones in Black & White, there are three things that come to mind. The first is the Legendary Dragons being resurrected from their dormant states as stones, but I don't think I need to explain why I'm not picking those two. Then, there's certain held items, most notably Black & White being the games where the Eviolite was made available for the first time. I thought about making a non-fully-evolved Rock-Type team as a reference to that, but ultimately I settled on Option #3. Black & White might not have a lot of stony Pokémon (that is to say, a lot of Rock-Types), but what it does have is a massive pool of evolution stones to work with. This makes a lot of sense from a gameplay perspective since Black & White famously lock all non-Unova Pokémon until the postgame, meaning new Pokémon can be created as a way to advertise evolution stone mechanics to the new generation of players. My only problem with this idea is that aside from the monkey trio learning some TMs and Cincinno's access to Rock Blast, I can't think of a single Rock-Type move off the top of my head that any stone evolution in Black & White has access to aside from Hidden Power Rock.

 

[Pikachu315111]

No, you're not seeing things- this is a Rock-Type team with no Rock-Type Pokémon period.