So, I've been thinking about all the frail cannons that I used to battle with, and there was a lot of predicting that had to happen in order for my Pokemon to stay alive to see and battle another turn. It was a little too much for me, unfortunately, so I started trying to find Pokemon with higher defensive stats so that I could tank through many attacks. Trick room is also great, because it allows monster attackers of Pokemon to really show off those stats bestowed upon them. That sounded kind of weird, but that's all right. Anyhow, I really liked the idea of a Trick Room Team, so I did some researching, looked up some Smogon articles, and created a Trick Room Team that, I think, is a very versatile one. I say versatile, because after going through some battles in Showdown, I found that with statuses, this team turned out to stall out very well.
If you would like to see a replay, here is one. However, I do want to caution you that I made some pretty stupid decisions in this replay, and looking back on it, I could have done a lot better in some places. However, I think that this replay best showcases all the different possibilities for this team.
Here is another replay, and this one showcases a more hyper-offensive playstyle.
So here is the team line-up:
All of these Pokemon are monsters at sweeping, and they all are quite bulky. So now let's jump into the individual stats and strategies.
Whimsicott @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SDef
IVs: 0 Atk
Calm Nature
- Trick Room
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Rest
So with Whimsicott, the goal is to break other leads that are meant for setup. All of the EVs are invested into defense, because prankster takes care of any speed issues for Whimsicott. Aside from Taunt, there is substitute, to scout out the next incoming attack from the lead. Unless the opponents lead is a suicide lead, this will help indicate which moves the opposing Pokemon is capable of. That information allows me to safely switch in my sweeper, after Whimsicott sets up a Trick Room. Unfortunately, Trick Room has Priority -6, so that's part of the reason why so all the EVs are spent on bulking it up. Finally, Rest is a last resort to healing Whimsicott, and Rest will ensure that it will get healed, because Prankster will prioritize it. And of course, to go along with Rest, a Chesto Berry that will wake Whimsicott right up is being held. As for the nature, I went Calm because as I was playing in Showdown, I noticed more Special Attacks being thrown at Whimsicott, but Bold would be another option. Last thing, I have 0 Atk, so that confusion won't be a big deal on Whimsicott.
Abomasnow @ Abomasite
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spd / 0 Atk
- Blizzard
- Energy Ball
- Giga Drain
- Focus Blast
Next is the Mega Pokemon of my team. I went with Abomasnow for obvious reasons. It is super Bulky, super strong, and to top it all off, super slow. All of that makes Abomasnow perfect for my team. He is also here, because I needed a Dragon type counter, and Blizzard does the job just fine. I went Special Attacking Abomasnow even though both Attack and Special Attack stats are equally as good because Abomasnow's Special movepool is just phenomenal. Blizzard and Focus Blast just wipe away everything... I seriously mean everything. Though it doesn't quite show in the video because I was just being stupid at that point. Energy Ball is also a good move because of STAB, Giga drain is also good, because going with a Mega Stone means that their isn't a good method of regaining health.
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
EVs: 168 Def / 252 SAtk / 140 SDef
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Spd / 0 Atk
- Trick Room
- Thunderbolt
- Recover
- Toxic
Next up is just an amazing stalling Pokemon. I didn't realize this until I switched out Dusknoir with Porygon2. A combination of Toxic and Recover just makes this Pokemon untouchable, yet drains the life out of anything. Eviolite is also great to make Porygon2 nice and bulky, but its not terribly so, unfortunately. Thunderbolt is the only attacking move on Porygon2, because it's a type that my other Pokemon don't cover, so I kinda just stuck it onto Porygon2. Please, this single move is giving me a headache. I really need help picking out a good Special move to give to Porygon2. Porygon2 is also a Trick Room setter, because it is nice and bulky.
Crawdaunt @ Life Orb
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Crabhammer
- Crunch
- Superpower
- Return
Crawdaunt is just such a beast of a Pokemon, the only thing that holds it back is its horrible Base 60 Speed stat... oh wait, that's perfect! So pretty much, Crawdaunt is one of the best sweepers out there. With Adaptability giving 2x damage to any STAB moves, this Pokemon really hurts. Using Crabhammer, its signature move, most things can be OHKO'd or 2HKO'd. Crunch is also on him to showcase that awesome power. Superpower and Return are on, because Crawdaunt needed strong moves that can give a wide range of type coverages. I kind of just slapped those 2 on there because I needed Crawdaunt to be the Frail Cannon that it is. So, it's pretty much going to get out there and sweep the heck out of everything, and ultimately sacrificing himself.
Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Megahorn
Rhyperior is basically the embodiment of what I was looking for. Amazing Defense coupled with Amazing Attacking abilities. Though, in Rhyperior's case, not-so-good Special Defense stats kind of bring him down, but not enough to affect his awesomeness. So for Rhyperior, its got Earthquake and Stone Edge for STABiness. I also got Stealth Rock on it to set those hazards, because my team is hyper offensive, I didn't really calculate much on hazards. Also, could Donphan be a good replacement for Rhyperior, its stats aren't bad at all and its got Rapid Spin and Stealth Rocks.
Slowking @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 SDef / 4 Def
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Spd / 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Slack Off
- Trick Room
- Scald
And last but DEFINITELY not least, is Slowking... the ultimate troll and staller I have ever seen. With the ability Regenerator, it is actually quite funny to troll people. The surprise of a Slowking coming back perfectly fine from a near-death experience is great. That's not the point though, Slowking and Porygon2 can make a great stalling duo through the ability Regenerator and Recover on Porygon2. Slowking also has Scald which can inflict burn damage, though quite unreliably. Other than that, Slack off will help once switching out isn't possible anymore, just to stall out longer and wait for the status to take its effect. Fire Blast is also on this Slowking for type coverage and surprise. I find that Psychic moves aren't really necessary because of Slowking's stalling capabilities, so that's why I went with Fire Blast. And finally, Slowking also has Trick Room.
I needed a lot of Trick Room users because Trick Room doesn't last too long and constantly needs to be refreshed. So I don't need to endanger Whimsicott and rely on it to constantly set up Trick Rooms.
Possible Switches:
Donphan @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Shard
- Rapid Spin
Here's what I could replace Rhyperior with. Donphan could be an excellent Utility Pokemon, that can still pack a punch. Earthquake for STAB and raw power. Ice Shard for priority attack when not under Trick Room as a sort of Final Resort type of attack to get as much damage. And the Stealth Rock as a standard hazard and Rapid Spin.
Any changes will be made in Red so the creation process can be easily followed. Otherwise, this is it. Please Critique as MUCH as you can! I am really new to Trick Room and the process of building a team to utilize that wonderful move to its full potential!
-Will
If you would like to see a replay, here is one. However, I do want to caution you that I made some pretty stupid decisions in this replay, and looking back on it, I could have done a lot better in some places. However, I think that this replay best showcases all the different possibilities for this team.
Here is another replay, and this one showcases a more hyper-offensive playstyle.
So here is the team line-up:
All of these Pokemon are monsters at sweeping, and they all are quite bulky. So now let's jump into the individual stats and strategies.
Whimsicott @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SDef
IVs: 0 Atk
Calm Nature
- Trick Room
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Rest
So with Whimsicott, the goal is to break other leads that are meant for setup. All of the EVs are invested into defense, because prankster takes care of any speed issues for Whimsicott. Aside from Taunt, there is substitute, to scout out the next incoming attack from the lead. Unless the opponents lead is a suicide lead, this will help indicate which moves the opposing Pokemon is capable of. That information allows me to safely switch in my sweeper, after Whimsicott sets up a Trick Room. Unfortunately, Trick Room has Priority -6, so that's part of the reason why so all the EVs are spent on bulking it up. Finally, Rest is a last resort to healing Whimsicott, and Rest will ensure that it will get healed, because Prankster will prioritize it. And of course, to go along with Rest, a Chesto Berry that will wake Whimsicott right up is being held. As for the nature, I went Calm because as I was playing in Showdown, I noticed more Special Attacks being thrown at Whimsicott, but Bold would be another option. Last thing, I have 0 Atk, so that confusion won't be a big deal on Whimsicott.
Abomasnow @ Abomasite
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spd / 0 Atk
- Blizzard
- Energy Ball
- Giga Drain
- Focus Blast
Next is the Mega Pokemon of my team. I went with Abomasnow for obvious reasons. It is super Bulky, super strong, and to top it all off, super slow. All of that makes Abomasnow perfect for my team. He is also here, because I needed a Dragon type counter, and Blizzard does the job just fine. I went Special Attacking Abomasnow even though both Attack and Special Attack stats are equally as good because Abomasnow's Special movepool is just phenomenal. Blizzard and Focus Blast just wipe away everything... I seriously mean everything. Though it doesn't quite show in the video because I was just being stupid at that point. Energy Ball is also a good move because of STAB, Giga drain is also good, because going with a Mega Stone means that their isn't a good method of regaining health.
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
EVs: 168 Def / 252 SAtk / 140 SDef
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Spd / 0 Atk
- Trick Room
- Thunderbolt
- Recover
- Toxic
Next up is just an amazing stalling Pokemon. I didn't realize this until I switched out Dusknoir with Porygon2. A combination of Toxic and Recover just makes this Pokemon untouchable, yet drains the life out of anything. Eviolite is also great to make Porygon2 nice and bulky, but its not terribly so, unfortunately. Thunderbolt is the only attacking move on Porygon2, because it's a type that my other Pokemon don't cover, so I kinda just stuck it onto Porygon2. Please, this single move is giving me a headache. I really need help picking out a good Special move to give to Porygon2. Porygon2 is also a Trick Room setter, because it is nice and bulky.
Crawdaunt @ Life Orb
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Crabhammer
- Crunch
- Superpower
- Return
Crawdaunt is just such a beast of a Pokemon, the only thing that holds it back is its horrible Base 60 Speed stat... oh wait, that's perfect! So pretty much, Crawdaunt is one of the best sweepers out there. With Adaptability giving 2x damage to any STAB moves, this Pokemon really hurts. Using Crabhammer, its signature move, most things can be OHKO'd or 2HKO'd. Crunch is also on him to showcase that awesome power. Superpower and Return are on, because Crawdaunt needed strong moves that can give a wide range of type coverages. I kind of just slapped those 2 on there because I needed Crawdaunt to be the Frail Cannon that it is. So, it's pretty much going to get out there and sweep the heck out of everything, and ultimately sacrificing himself.
Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Megahorn
Rhyperior is basically the embodiment of what I was looking for. Amazing Defense coupled with Amazing Attacking abilities. Though, in Rhyperior's case, not-so-good Special Defense stats kind of bring him down, but not enough to affect his awesomeness. So for Rhyperior, its got Earthquake and Stone Edge for STABiness. I also got Stealth Rock on it to set those hazards, because my team is hyper offensive, I didn't really calculate much on hazards. Also, could Donphan be a good replacement for Rhyperior, its stats aren't bad at all and its got Rapid Spin and Stealth Rocks.
Slowking @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 SDef / 4 Def
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Spd / 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Slack Off
- Trick Room
- Scald
And last but DEFINITELY not least, is Slowking... the ultimate troll and staller I have ever seen. With the ability Regenerator, it is actually quite funny to troll people. The surprise of a Slowking coming back perfectly fine from a near-death experience is great. That's not the point though, Slowking and Porygon2 can make a great stalling duo through the ability Regenerator and Recover on Porygon2. Slowking also has Scald which can inflict burn damage, though quite unreliably. Other than that, Slack off will help once switching out isn't possible anymore, just to stall out longer and wait for the status to take its effect. Fire Blast is also on this Slowking for type coverage and surprise. I find that Psychic moves aren't really necessary because of Slowking's stalling capabilities, so that's why I went with Fire Blast. And finally, Slowking also has Trick Room.
I needed a lot of Trick Room users because Trick Room doesn't last too long and constantly needs to be refreshed. So I don't need to endanger Whimsicott and rely on it to constantly set up Trick Rooms.
Possible Switches:
Donphan @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Shard
- Rapid Spin
Here's what I could replace Rhyperior with. Donphan could be an excellent Utility Pokemon, that can still pack a punch. Earthquake for STAB and raw power. Ice Shard for priority attack when not under Trick Room as a sort of Final Resort type of attack to get as much damage. And the Stealth Rock as a standard hazard and Rapid Spin.
Any changes will be made in Red so the creation process can be easily followed. Otherwise, this is it. Please Critique as MUCH as you can! I am really new to Trick Room and the process of building a team to utilize that wonderful move to its full potential!
-Will
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