shiloh
Tiering Lead
So with basically a brand new NU tier coming around in December, and SPL right around the corner, Hootie and I decided to archive a team that has had a lot of success for both of use and the people we passed it to, both in ladder and in the NU Open. Originally we were going to do separate RMTs before parting ways to the current NU meta, but we decided doing one together would be more fun. There also hasn't been that many great NU RMTs in the past few months, so by keeping this out there we hope to give everyone a snapshot of what a more Offensive Balance build looks like in NU. This team is also a bit of "Set Up" Spam, as 4 of the 6 mons have a boosting move on their moveset which is very key to overwhelming the multitude of more offensive Balance Squads that have been spammed in NU on the ladder or in tours.
This team was made around Round Two of Open, with both of us wanting to utilize a really underrated mon in Arbok. The team went on to be used by people like steelphoenix and shaneghoul in Open. But anyway, onto the team...
This team was made around Round Two of Open, with both of us wanting to utilize a really underrated mon in Arbok. The team went on to be used by people like steelphoenix and shaneghoul in Open. But anyway, onto the team...
Arbok @
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
So as I said, we started building around Arbok, which is really underrated in the current meta. It has amazing great side coverage, which in combination with a strong STAB and Priority makes it a big threat to both Offensive and Defensive teams. Most games it can easily come in on common mons like Lanturn, Lilligant, and Audino among others, and Intimidate gives it a cushion against strong Physical attackers like Archeops and Tauros. Seed Bomb is generally not expected when people are facing Arbok, as most people will just assume its running Earthquake, so being able to put huge dents in walls like Rhydon / Quagsire is great for the rest of the team. Against more offensive teams, it is not that hard to get a Coil off against Physical Attackers at -1, like Tauros and Archeops, which can barely do anything even with Earthquake. From there Arbok can just spam Sucker Punch against frailer fast threats like Swellow, Floatzel, and Rotom, or use Gunk Shot against things that can't really damage Arbok back like Scyther or Skuntank. Against more defensive builds Arbok doesn't really have that great of a match up, as they usually pack Poisons like Weezing which can just burn Arbok, or Steel types like Ferroseed which Arbok can't hope to touch. However against balanced builds common poison types like Garbodor are usually just set up fodder for Arbok, as they can't touch it and Arbok can just coil up till it 2HKOs with Gunk Shot.
Onto the moveset, this is basically the standard Arbok spread which is based around Coil. There is the strong STAB in Gunk Shot, which can't miss after a Coil boost which is very usefull when Arbok is pulling off a sweep. Seed Bomb is a bit different, but it is really useful for defensively oriented teams with mons like Rhydon and Quagsire, which are otherwise solid switch ins to Arbok. Sucker is great priority against offensive teams, and it allows Arbok to act as a revenge killer against weakened mons and frailer threats. Lum was the item of choice, as it allows Arbok to dodge Scald burns, paralysis, and gives the team a much better check to Lilligant, since it isn't able to be put to sleep and can just OHKO back with Gunk Shot. Intimidate was the ability of choice as it allows Arbok to beat common Physical Attackers, and Shed Skin is pretty useless with a Lum Berry. Other options could be moves like Earthquake or Aqua Tail over Seed Bomb, Earthquake preventing it from being set up fodder for Klinklang / Pawniard, and Aqua Tail dealing more damage to Rhydon and other bulky grounds like Piloswine. A Shuca Berry or Life Orb can be used over Lum, but the inability to take status moves really does hurt Arbok in the long run.
Overall Arbok is a pretty key member to this team, as it provides a buffer for Physical Attackers as well as being able to lure in and remove bulky grounds.
Onto the moveset, this is basically the standard Arbok spread which is based around Coil. There is the strong STAB in Gunk Shot, which can't miss after a Coil boost which is very usefull when Arbok is pulling off a sweep. Seed Bomb is a bit different, but it is really useful for defensively oriented teams with mons like Rhydon and Quagsire, which are otherwise solid switch ins to Arbok. Sucker is great priority against offensive teams, and it allows Arbok to act as a revenge killer against weakened mons and frailer threats. Lum was the item of choice, as it allows Arbok to dodge Scald burns, paralysis, and gives the team a much better check to Lilligant, since it isn't able to be put to sleep and can just OHKO back with Gunk Shot. Intimidate was the ability of choice as it allows Arbok to beat common Physical Attackers, and Shed Skin is pretty useless with a Lum Berry. Other options could be moves like Earthquake or Aqua Tail over Seed Bomb, Earthquake preventing it from being set up fodder for Klinklang / Pawniard, and Aqua Tail dealing more damage to Rhydon and other bulky grounds like Piloswine. A Shuca Berry or Life Orb can be used over Lum, but the inability to take status moves really does hurt Arbok in the long run.
Overall Arbok is a pretty key member to this team, as it provides a buffer for Physical Attackers as well as being able to lure in and remove bulky grounds.
I wanna be like Kanye
I'll be the King of me always
Do what I want and have it my way
All day, like Kanye-eah, yeah, yeah
Pyroar @
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
The next member of this team is Pyroar, which fits the role of a strong special attacker that appreciates damage being done on the opposing team's Water and Rock types in order to have a easier time cleaning late game. Pyroar itself is great at cleaning up Balanced teams with some prior damage due to the combination of its High Speed + Special Attack Stat backed by great STABs. Its also one of two Special Attackers on the team, and the only one with any Offensive Presence so keeping it alive against teams with primarily physical walls is usually key. Pyroar excells against balanced teams since it is very easy to overwhelm their fire resists (usually stuff like Lanturn which lacks recovery) and then Pyroar can just come back to fire off more moves throughout the match. It also does decently against offensive teams once it manages to come in safely, which is usually off of a U-turn from Peli / Scyther. From there it is usually able to secure a kill since Offensively oriented teams really do not have much for Fire STAB. Its toughest match up is definitely against bulky teams, which is luckily a rare sight in this meta, and thats mainly because it gets worn down very quickly through Hazards + LO recoil and does not really have the longevity to do that much against teams that have consistent and reliable forms of recovery.
We decided to go with Wisp Pyroar on this team since the ability to spread status is really nice against offense and balance teams alike. Its also really nice for dodging sucker punches from the likes of Skuntank / Shiftry and crippling them for the other members of this team. The rest of the moveset is pretty standard, with Fire Blast and Hyper Voice providing strong and reliable STABs, and Hidden Power Grass rounding off its perfect neutral coverage and hitting things like Rhydon as hard as possible. Life Orb was chosen over another item like Flame Plate since we have a reliable way to remove hazards on this team, and Pyroar appreciates all the power it is able to get. Flame Plate is still an option to keep Pyroar healthier and being able to bluff Choice Specs, which can be a reliable way to get rid of annoying mons like Rhydon / Lanturn depending on the move you go for.
We decided to go with Wisp Pyroar on this team since the ability to spread status is really nice against offense and balance teams alike. Its also really nice for dodging sucker punches from the likes of Skuntank / Shiftry and crippling them for the other members of this team. The rest of the moveset is pretty standard, with Fire Blast and Hyper Voice providing strong and reliable STABs, and Hidden Power Grass rounding off its perfect neutral coverage and hitting things like Rhydon as hard as possible. Life Orb was chosen over another item like Flame Plate since we have a reliable way to remove hazards on this team, and Pyroar appreciates all the power it is able to get. Flame Plate is still an option to keep Pyroar healthier and being able to bluff Choice Specs, which can be a reliable way to get rid of annoying mons like Rhydon / Lanturn depending on the move you go for.
New York City, please go easy on me tonight
New York City, please go easy on this heart of mine
Cause I'm losing my lover to the arms of another
New York City, please go easy on me tonight
Scyther @
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
Scyther is undoubtedly one of the best and most threatening mons in the current NU meta, which is mainly due to its combination of Speed, Defenses, and Offensive Presence. On this team, Scyther provides a pivot in the sense it can come in on a lot of common threats and just U-Turn around the other team in order to regain momentum and keep in on our side. Scyther's best match up is definitely against bulkier offensive teams, as its speed tier allows it to U-Turn around them and get a lot of damage on the opposing team quickly with the combination of U-Turn + Stealth Rock. Scyther also has a good match up against common offense teams in the meta, since it has the bulk to withstand multiple hits from offensive threats like Kangaskhan and Tauros, and retaliate back with Aerial Aces or U-Turns. Scyther's hardest match up is definetly against defensively oriented teams where things like Rhydon, Quagsire, and Weezing all dominate and make Scyther's life incredibely difficult. While it can still U-Turn around on most of these mons, it will usually end up just falling to Scald Burns, Stealth Rock damage racking up, and just general chip damage from moves like Dazzling Gleam from Audino, or Psyshocks from things like Xatu.
The moveset is standard from Eviolite Scyther, and thats for a good reason. Wing Attack is great when backed by Technician as it becomes a 90BP Flying STAB that a lot of teams only prepare for with Flimsy Flying resists like Lanturn and Rhydon, both of which are easily chipped at with hazards + U-Turn. Roost is just there for reliable recovery so Scyther can check threats like Kangaskhan and Tauros multiple times, instead of just being a one time switch in. And Swords Dance gives it Offensive Presence, and makes sure we don't lose to threats like Calm Mind Audino, as Scyther is able to just boost up alongside it and eventually outdamage it. EVs give it as much bulk as possible, while still maintaining Scyther's amazing speed tier, and Eviolite just maximizes the total possible bulk Scyther can have. There really isn't that many other options for what to run on Scyther, as its a very straightforward mon with an already defined, and solid, niche in the current metagame.
The moveset is standard from Eviolite Scyther, and thats for a good reason. Wing Attack is great when backed by Technician as it becomes a 90BP Flying STAB that a lot of teams only prepare for with Flimsy Flying resists like Lanturn and Rhydon, both of which are easily chipped at with hazards + U-Turn. Roost is just there for reliable recovery so Scyther can check threats like Kangaskhan and Tauros multiple times, instead of just being a one time switch in. And Swords Dance gives it Offensive Presence, and makes sure we don't lose to threats like Calm Mind Audino, as Scyther is able to just boost up alongside it and eventually outdamage it. EVs give it as much bulk as possible, while still maintaining Scyther's amazing speed tier, and Eviolite just maximizes the total possible bulk Scyther can have. There really isn't that many other options for what to run on Scyther, as its a very straightforward mon with an already defined, and solid, niche in the current metagame.
My heart is a broken machine
Need you to come set me free
Keep on playing the music baby
Keep on playing the music baby