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Introduction
So I haven't created a Rate My Team since the Manaphy suspect days of DPP (quite a long time ago for you old has-beens like me), and I promised I would eventually post this team. Pretty much everyone knows me to be a stall-based player, or that random ragequitting maniac that curses off everyone after getting haxed to oblivion. I'm going to present to you a new kind of team that I expected to be utter trash, yet has turned out to be not only a great team from an achievement perspective, but also the most fun I've had laddering with a Pokémon team my entire career on this site.
I was forced to make this team as a result of the recently concluded Dream World "No Hazards" challenge. Since I'm naturally a stall-based player, the no hazards rule was basically a foreign language to me. Nonetheless, I gave into the creative part of my brain that makes up less than 1% of my personality, and just tested around random shit. I tried using the GOD of no hazards, Reuniclus, but ultimately found that the bitch was too weak to use, and I wasn't as lucky as some other Reuniclus users who shall be unnamed.
I tried some reckless form of offense as well. I actually took husk's Astral Projection team and made comparable replacements and got a really shitty offensive team for the challenge, which failed miserably. Not only was I losing a shitton to people I should be beating, but I wasn't even having any fun playing these games. I needed to re-evaluate what would be effective in a no-hazards metagame, and also embrace the #dreamworld challenge. After all, I had to keep my "crown" in tact of placing well in these challenges, while also reaffirming that I could play shit other than defensive teams.
I've always wanted to try out a U-turn-based team, but I never had the time to make one with work and all, and also thought of them as ineffective. I played in one BW Tour and saw the usefulness of the CB Scizor + Volt Switch Rotom-W combination, which competely wrecked my stall team, primarily because I was unable to get a single layer of hazards up due to constant pressure on my walls. From that point onward, I created a team utilizing this infamous combination, with support from other potent U-turn users. Given the offensive nature of the metagame, it wasn't difficult finding the right balance of power and type-resists to create a successful team. So, without further ado, here's the most fun team I've ever made, and I encourage you all to try it out for yourself!
The Team
Landorus (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Naive Nature (+Spe, -SpD)
- U-turn
- Hidden Power Ice
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
4 attack Landorus is not a conventionally seen Pokémon in the metagame, but damn is it effective. I usually lead with this thing considering it's strong and can bluff a lot of different sets early-game (Choice Scarf being the most notable set). Although the surprise of this set has diminished lately, it is still an offensive force to be reckoned with. Since opposing Sandstorm teams usually lead with Tyranitar, getting Landorus in early-game allows me to keep constant pressure on the opponent while slowly inflicting U-turn damage. Hidden Power Ice is solely there to dispose of Gliscor, and it's a nice backup to have against Dragons locked into Outrage without having to rely on the piece of shit that is known as Stone Edge. I have been contemplating the use of Smack Down over Stone Edge on Landorus since Skarmory is a bit of a problem to kill on this team, but based on my laddering experience, it's a bit too situational for me to bother making the switch.
Surprisingly, Landorus is very important for me defensively. The Ground-type immunity is really useful against things like Excadrill when Rotom-W is weakened, which usually happens a lot considering the defensive overload the poor washing machine takes. I try and conserve as much of Landorus' health as possible if Rotom-W is about to die, as its resistances and typing make it a decent switch-in to Fighting-types such as Conkeldurr and Lucario.
Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Bullet Punch
- Pursuit
Part one of the infamous Scizor-Rotom combination, Scizor is an extremely important Pokémon on this team. Not only is it the only Steel-type on the team, making it invaluable in tanking Outrages and overpowered Dragon-type attacks, but it is also my only answer to Specs Latios via Pursuit, which otherwise would devastate the team. LO Latios is even more of a pain in the ass, but I have ways of dealing with that, usually through a barrage of priority attacks. Speaking of priority attacks, CB Scizor's Bullet Punch packs one powerful ass punch, and is often the way I kill things like Terakkion (have I mentioned that's also a major bitch to this team?).
Scizor also keeps momentum in my favor with a strong ass STAB U-turn. It's always nice to be able to threaten Magnezone and Heatran switch-ins as well with Superpower. U-turn is pretty much what I spam early game, and mid-to-late game I go in for the kill with the appropriate move based on my predictions. Other than that, there's nothing really left to say for Scizor. It's always been a solid-ass Pokémon since DPP and Technician, and continues to do exactly what the fuck you'd expect it to do!
Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpA
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
The second part of the Scizor-Rotom core, Rotom-W is definitely THE heart and soul of this team. Without it, I don't know how many goddamn physical Pokémon would kick the living shit out of this team. My main counter to a plethora of shit, including Excadrill, Landorus, Skarmory, Gliscor, Tyranitar, etc etc. You name it, Rotom-W can stand up to it (except strong as fuck Grass-type attacks, ya know). As you all know by now, if you already didn't know, I'm a defensive player, so you know I would have to incorporate some of my personality into this team :D. Rotom-W is, to me, what Heatran was of DPP. This Pokémon is phenomenal defensively, and pretty damn potent offensively as well. Rotom-W, along with Celebi as you'll soon see, act as my insurance against Rain teams, being able to pummel them with strong Volt Switches. Gastrodon is annoying, but the rest of the team gives enough support to Rotom-W to beat the fuck outta that.
Since I need Rotom-W more than I need sex (okay, obviously exaggerating), Pain Split and Leftovers are a must for increased longevity. Without them, I wouldn't be able to stand up to basically every physical threat out there. I could go for a coverage move, like say HP Fire to 2HKO that prick Ferrothorn, but with the combination of WoW and Xatu, I think the recovered HP is more welcomed and fits better on the team.
Celebi @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature (+Spe, -SpD)
- U-turn
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power Ice
- Earth Power
Okay, from here on out, the sets and Pokémon get interesting, so if you were bored up till now, wake the fuck up and read. Scarf Celebi...the people that know I ran this still look at me like I'm the biggest fucktard on the planet. What's even funnier is when a +1 Dragonite user laughs on PO and says GG as he thinks he's gonna win, and then wants to kill himself as Celebi KOes with HP Ice. This thing is such a solid failsafe it's not even funny. Anything that has a boost is susceptible to be revenged by this little cutie. What's even better is that the number one switch-in to Celebi is Heatran, and those get bombarded by Earth Power. And, if worst comes to worst, I can always U-turn out to something that can take on the opposing switch-in better. Definitely try this thing out, especially since Dragonite usage has been increasing, and it's always great to eradicate that thing quick and early in a game. Celebi is also a great backup check against Rain teams, being able to do heavy damage to every single member of a rain team, including Thundurus, which also gives this team some issues.
Naive nature was to avoid the power drop of U-turn, which has honestly been useful against opposing Celebi that think they can Nasty Plot up and KO mine with HP Fire. Plus Speed is important to at least tie with things like a +1 DDMence (which I didn't really see much of at all on the ladder) and Scarf Jirachi (which was equally as rare). Actually reflecting back on it, +SpA might be the better nature. What do you guys think?
Mienshao (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Hi Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Fake Out
- Stone Edge
Oh my god. If I play Rotom-W recklessly, I play Mienshao even worse. Regenerator is such a sick ability on a sweeper like this that basically functions as follows: come in, Fake Out, U-turn out, come back at 100% and repeat. If Rotom-W is the defensive MVP of this team, Mienshao is surely the offensive MVP. Fake Out, in conjuction with Bullet Punch, saved my ass so many times, especially against the likes of Volcarona, which for some reason decide to Quiver Dance in front of a Bullet Punch-locked Scizor as I do 40% each turn, and then Fake Out for the revenge-kill (Flame Body sucks though).
The moveset is fairly standard. The only issue I have is Stone Edge versus Hidden Power Ice. I think I have more than enough Dragon and Gliscor checks, which is why I opted for Stone Edge (specifically for Volcarona). The downside of this Pokémon is it has such a limited movepool which kinda sucks, although it abuses the moves it does have to the max which is awesome. High Jump Kick does a shit-ton of damage to things like Rotom-W which think they can come in and wall Mienshao. And, on the off chance it misses or I use it on an incoming Ghost, Regenerator is there to save the day anyway! Definitely an awesome Pokémon to try out; it's strong, it's fast, and it's dangerous as hell.
Xatu (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 188 Def / 72 SpD
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Psychic
- Reflect
- Roost
- U-turn
Although Xatu is quite possibly the most retarded looking bird Pokémon, it had a damn important role to this team that I think put it from good to great. I struggled initially against entry-hazard teams on the ladder, given that one wrong prediction and spikes-stacking started to quickly take out my sweepers. Ferrothorn in particular was a thorn in my ass. Xatu not only filled the niche of completely countering Ferrothorn, but also reflecting back hazards which was critical in maintaining success on the ladder. And, as a huge plus, it learned U-turn, the whole theme of the damn team lol!
The EV spread maximized what Xatu is best at doing—tanking some Close Combats and other random Fighting-type attacks, while being able to Roost off damage and set up Reflects for team support. Psychic was purely for things like Conkeldurr, which sometimes posed problems for the team depending on the team member it came in on. Magic Mirror is another sick ability that I needed to abuse heavily as I got higher and higher on the ladder to prevent this team from being at a disadvantage.
Conclusion
Not only did this team get second in the most recent #dreamworld challenge (if I knew the deadline I would have gotten first), it has also been a tremendous amount of fun to play with. I think the combination of the strategy deployed to win coupled with some fun and new Pokémon that I never would have used outside of these kind of restrictions all played a part in my enjoyment and success.
That being said, this team does have some major problems, most notably being Rock-type attacks. CB Terakion locked into Stone Edge is a nightmare for this team. CB Tyranitar Stone Edges are equally as horrible; in both these scenarios, something is dying. I would love for some input on how to change the team to take on some of these strong-ass Pokémon. Feel free to suggest minor changes or a complete overhaul of the team, I'm more than willing to change up little or all of the team. Thanks a lot for reading peeps, and remember, when in doubt, U-turn out!
PS: Thanks to Iconic's LAYLA team for the format; I liked it and thought highly enough of you to use it. You should be honored.
Ever since its introduction in DPP, Stealth Rock has been widely considered the most game-defining move in competitive battling thanks to its ability to damage virtually every Pokémon as they switch in. In addition, Spikes and Toxic Spikes have been integral to the success of numerous teams and playstyles for many years. For this issue, I present to you a team that deviates greatly from the norm and does not use any entry hazards whatsoever. ToF's "When in Doubt, U-turn Out!" was built specifically for the #pokemon No Hazard Challenge, which was organized to analyze the effect and necessity of entry hazards. Although opting against Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes may seem like an inherent disadvantage, ToF illustrated the power of the infamous Volt Switch / U-turn combination even without hazards, finishing second place in the #pokemon Challenge and obtaining a very respectable ladder ranking.
ToF's team consists of a core of five U-turn users and one Volt Switch user, which allows him to simultaneously maintain momentum and put pressure on his opponents. His first abuser of this powerful strategy is Landorus. Although it's generally seen as a revenge killer with a Choice Scarf equipped, ToF has opted to use a four attack variant with Leftovers. With the flexibility to switch attacks, Landorus maintains a very threatening offensive presence and is surprisingly difficult to take down thanks to its solid bulk. In addition to keeping momentum with U-turn and abusing solid mixed offensive stats with Hidden Power Ice, Landorus provides ToF with several extremely important resistances and immunities, all of which are vital in order for a team of this nature to operate. Landorus also takes advantage of opposing weather, as it is an excellent way to put the hurt on Sandstorm teams.
As with any team that abuses U-turn and Volt Switch, Scizor is absolutely essential. Not only does it possess a massively powerful U-turn due to STAB and a huge Attack stat, but its typing allows ToF to deal with otherwise problematic Pokémon, including Latios, Dragonite, and their fellow Dragon-type brethren. Bullet Punch is an incredibly useful move on this team because it nails pesky threats such as Terrakion, and it can also be helpful in order to stop Dragonite if it nabs a Dragon Dance boost. Pursuit is handy for putting Psychic- and Ghost-types in a pickle, forcing them to guess whether or not they should stay in. Superpower rounds off Scizor's offensive arsenal by deterring common switch-ins like Heatran and Magnezone from coming in for free. It also allows ToF to eliminate Ferrothorn in one shot, which is extremely useful to open up a hole in the opponent's team for another team member to exploit.
Completing the well-known Scizor / Rotom-W core, Rotom-W is ToF's go-to Pokémon for a myriad of physical threats that would otherwise tear him apart, including Landorus, Gliscor, and the now-banned Excadrill. Although most players take advantage of Rotom-W's special attacking prowess, ToF has opted for a less common Bold spread to maximize Rotom-W's defenses. Despite Rotom-W's defensive inclination, Volt Switch and Hydro Pump still pack a huge punch thanks to its dual STAB and Hydro Pump's high Base Power. Rotom-W provides ToF with an important Water-type resistance, which is immensely helpful when facing off against Politoed and friends. Together with Scizor, Rotom-W forms one of the most stable synergenic cores in all of BW, as both of them cover the other's sole weakness. In addition, when used in tandem with each other, they can put the pressure on both offensive and stall-based teams, continually forcing the opponent to switch out to take either a U-turn or a Volt Switch. If Xatu is able to bounce back Stealth Rock, the continual switching between Pokémon gives ToF a huge advantage, no matter what kind of team he is up against.
ToF's fourth offensive powerhouse is a set that's virtually unseen in the current metagame: Choice Scarf Celebi. With fantastic defensive moves and access to the famed Nasty Plot, it seems fairly silly to utilize Celebi as a revenge killer. However, Celebi not only provides ToF with the element of surprise, it also allows him to check numerous monstrous threats, namely Dragon Dance Dragonite. Another Water-type resistance definitely doesn't hurt either; Celebi is a godsend against Drizzle teams thanks to its immensely powerful Leaf Storms. In addition to being ToF's dedicated revenge killer, Celebi, as expected, also excels at scouting, since it packs U-turn. Since Celebi's unique typing often causes switches, and U-turn allows ToF to scout obvious incoming switches such as Blissey and send in a more appropriate Pokémon such as Scizor or Landorus.
Rounding off ToF's offensive core is the often-underused but deceptively deadly Mienshao. Mienshao's diversity means that ToF can choose to use it as a revenge killer with Fake Out, a scouter with U-turn, or a cleaner with Life Orb STAB Hi Jump Kicks. Although most Mienshao tend to run Hidden Power Ice, ToF has chosen to use Stone Edge in its place since he already has numerous ways of dealing with Gliscor. Stone Edge gives him a way of OHKOing Volcarona, who would otherwise be able to grab a free Quiver Dance against Mienshao. Through the use of Regenerator, one of the best abilities in Pokémon, Mienshao is able to stay healthy until the end of games, even with Life Orb recoil, meaning it can spam Fake Out followed by U-turn with little consequences. With a sky-high Attack stat, excellent Speed, and an impressive movepool, Mienshao has all the tools necessary to rip the field apart once ToF's other four attackers have weakened everything.
As many players can attest to, sometimes an offensive team requires some defensive substance for it to operate optimally. In this team's case, ToF has employed the services of the totem pole known as Xatu to help out on the defensive end. For a team that doesn't utilize any entry hazards, ToF makes great use of Xatu's Magic Bounce ability, which can allow him to reflect Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes onto the opponent's side of the field. This is of vital importance since entry hazards will quickly wear down his sweepers as they continually use U-turn and Volt Switch, and on the other side of the coin, the passive damage on his opponent's Pokémon will greatly help him to sweep. While its main purpose is to bounce back entry hazards, Xatu also serves as a handy defensive wall, capable of taking on pesky physical threats such as Conkeldurr.
ToF's "When In Doubt, U-turn Out!" is an excellent representation of a team with a unique concept that also happens to have had a great deal of success. While utilizing U-turn and Volt Switch on every single team member can make it difficult for opposing players, there are still a few Pokémon that can pose a problem for ToF. Choice Band Terrakion and Tyranitar rank among the most difficult threats for him to face, because nothing on his team can take two Stone Edges in a row. Bulky Volcarona can also be an issue due to the lack of Stealth Rock on this team, and it has no trouble setting up on Scizor or Rotom-W in the sun. If Magnezone is able to trap Scizor, Dragonite can really put a hurt on the team after a Dragon Dance, although Celebi is a solid failsafe in this case. While there are a select few offensive Pokémon that can give ToF's team trouble, he has ensured that he has a way of at least revenge killing these threats.
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