Underground - Peaked #2
Hey, everybody. I'm here posting the most successful team I've ever used on Smogon. I've played over 100 games with this team, and my win loss ratio is roughly 6:1. Although teambuilding is likely my biggest set-back, this team has been a lot of fun to use, all whilst being successful too.
I decided to make a team around Choice Scarf Drilbur, as he is a terrific cleaner late game. Mold Breaker bypasses Levitate, so once Flying-types are removed and the rest of the team is worn down, Drilbur can come in and clean up with Earthquake coming off a blistering 25 Speed.
The five Pokemon who help Drilbur pull off the sweep form something of a super-core -- all of the team form miniature defensive cores of their own which have some sort of overlap in resistances and abilities which enable them to take hits, while at the same time, dish out punishment by removing valuable items, spreading sleep, and simply hitting hard in some cases, allowing the team to crumble most of Drilbur's checks.
Teambuilding:
I wanted to build a team around a Choice Scarf user who could shred through a team once its checks and counters had been dealt with. A few possibilities came to mind; Bunnelby, Pawniard, and Mienfoo came to mind, but I decided to use a less commonly seen Scarfer with Drilbur. While I had experience using Drilbur before, I had never used it with a Choice Scarf, although I knew it was a threat under the right conditions. I realized that Drilbur had to rely on the shaky power and accuracy of Rock Slide to deal with birds, and the inability to change moves afterwards would be an issue too, so I decided he should have some teammates who could contend with the birds for him.
From this, I added defensive Tirtouga and Eviolite Pawniard to the team, as they can both punish opponents such as Archen, Vullaby, Doduo, and Fletchling. Tirtouga sets up Stealth Rock, weakening Flying opponents as well as pressuring out Defoggers. Pawniard discourages the use of Defog with its ability Defiant, which will raise its Attack to +2. Both resist Flying-type attacks and can use Knock Off to take away defensive items like Eviolite and Berry Juice, and both also have priority attacks to help manage faster opponents.
Tirtouga has great synergy with Foongus; both are very bulky tanks who can really mess with a team, and both cover each other's weaknesses well. Foongus can take a dangerous opponent out of action, and deal with the Grass-type opponents Drilbur simply can't break through -- particularly Cottonee.
Subsequently, Mienfoo also fits well on the team, as it forms a Regenerator core with Foongus, provides Knock Off support, checks Pawniard, can gain momentum with U-turn, and even shut down annoying opponents like Ferroseed and Dwebble with Taunt.
Snubbull is sort of the odd-man-out of the group, not forming a solid core with any of the team members. However, it provides some needed muscle for the team, as it can check most of the Fighting-types in the tier with its powerful Play Roughs and use Heal Bell to get rid of the nasty burns and shocks the team sustained.
There have been no major roster changes in this team; some moves have come and gone, and some EVs have been reallocated, but the main structure has remained the same.
The Team
Drilbur @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Shadow Claw
- Rapid Spin
Drilbur is my primary win condition. Once Flying-types go down and walls have been worn down, it can go to work with Mold Breaker Earthquake and clean up teams. Earthquake OHKOes almost everything weak to Ground-type after Stealth Rock, which includes common threats such as Pawniard, Chinchou, Gastly, Trubbish, Ponyta, Magnemite, and Croagunk. The Choice Scarf raises its Speed to 25, which is enough to outspeed all other Scarf users except for uncommon ones like Gastly and Deerling. Although Earthquake is the move I will almost always be using late-game, Rock Slide can be used early-game to lure in a Flying-type threat and Rapid Spin, although a weak move to get locked into, can remove annoying hazards if needed. Shadow Claw saw occasional use in the Missy era, and can hit the occasional Pumpkaboo or Drifloon, but it's mostly filler, as I will almost always use Earthquake to clean up my opponents. Although Drilbur's Earthquake has difficulty pushing past bulkier foes, its team mates work together and can handle bulkier opponents.
Tirtouga @ Eviolite
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 92 HP / 52 Atk / 172 Def / 156 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Aqua Jet
- Rock Slide
Tirtouga is one of Drilbur's absolute best friends. Setting up Stealth Rock can turn 2HKOes into OHKOes and 3HKOes into 2HKOes, while weakening the Flying-types that Drilbur has difficulty touching. It also encourages Defoggers like Archen and Vullaby to come in, allowing them to be softened by Knock Off by a teammate or hit hard Rock Slide. The defensive spread chosen gives Tirtouga impressive 23/28/21 defenses with Eviolite, while Solid Rock boosts its capacity to take super effective moves. For example, it takes roughly 30% from Abra's Hidden Power Fighting while being able to 2HKO it with a combination of Knock Off and Aqua Jet. Knock Off is also an important move, as it can hinder common switch-ins to Tirtouga, such as Mienfoo, Cottonee, Foongus, and Timburr, who would otherwise remain too bulky to be taken down. Aqua Jet is important for picking off weakened opponents such as Abra and Dwebble, and is the only reliable priority move used on this team.
Pawniard @ Eviolite
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 116 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Brick Break
- Sucker Punch
Eviolite Pawniard serves as a check to the bulkier Fairy-types that Drilbur would otherwise struggle with, particularly Cottonee and Snubbull. It can force switches and can remove an item with its powerful STAB Knock Off, leaving common switch ins such as Mienfoo, Timburr, and Scraggy item-less and therefore much more susceptible to Drilbur's Earthquake. With Eviolite as well as the defensive spread chosen, Pawniard also checks Zigzagoon and Fletchling reliably. It can also save me from Abra, which this team has trouble beating. It's also worthwhile noting that I can bluff a Choice Scarf against fast but frail opponents such as Abra and Gastly and force them out and hit the switch with a Knock Off. Sucker Punch allows me to finish off weakened opponents, such as opposing Drilbur after being weakened. The reason Pawniard uses 116 Special Defense EVs is to reach an Eviolite number and therefore gain two Special Defense points at the cost of one Attack point, allowing it to avoid a 2HKO from Spritzee's Moonblast most of the time, as well as taking less damage from other special coverage. Pawniard's ability Defiant is also important for punishing Defog and Sticky Web users, as my team hates losing the hazards set up as well as stepping on to Sticky Web, as the Speed drop can cripple every Pokemon on my team. The Speed EVs with a Jolly nature enable me to outspeed opponents such as Chinchou, Magnemite, and the rare 15 Speed Fletchling.
Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Taunt
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- U-turn
17 Speed Taunt Mienfoo is incredibly useful, as it shuts down leads such as Dwebble, and can prevent a plethora of dangerous Pokemon from spreading status, setting up hazards, and boosting, including Tirtouga, Foongus, Zigzagoon (after a Memento), Trubbish, Ferroseed, and many other threats. It has far more use that Fake Out or even Acrobatics, and is most deserving of the first slot as it is extremely useful. Drain Punch is a solid STAB which keeps Mienfoo healthy while hammering many bulky Normal-types like Porygon and Lickitung. When Mienfoo forces switches, U-turn allows it to regain health from Regenerator, while Knock Off removes items. U-turn allows me to pick up momentum and perhaps provide a free switch into a teammate, despite running 17 Speed. It also allows me to chip away minor damage from Fairy-types, while also prevent them from picking up momentum by double-switching. The EVs chosen allow for Mienfoo's defensive stats to reach Eviolite numbers, while its Speed investment allows it to reach the important 17 tier.
Foongus @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 124 HP / 160 Def / 160 SpD
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power Fighting
Foongus glues the team together; it has good synergy with the other team members, particularly Mienfoo, as they both share the ability Regenerator, making them very hard to wear down, even if their items have been removed. Foongus also walls many of the Pokemon that can trouble this team, including Fairies, other Grass-types, Water-types, as well as being able to beat Drilbur. Spore is a fantastic move which lets Foongus cripple nasty threats, particularly Mienfoo and Pawniard, who are common switch ins to Sludge Bomb. Non-Eviolite Pawniard also falls to Hidden Power Fighting, while it does roughly 75% to Eviolite variants. The EV spread and nature chosen allows for Foongus to reach 25/21/21 defenses after Eviolite, allowing it to withstand some of the heaviest attacks in the tier, even from the likes of Bunnelby and Zigzagoon, meaning I can neuter these threats with Spore and regenerate some HP, enabling Foongus to come in again and again, and keep crippling opponents and hammering them with powerful STAB Sludge Bombs and Giga Drains.
Snubbull @ Berry Juice
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 36 HP / 196 Atk / 116 Def / 116 SpD / 36 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Play Rough
- Earthquake
- Thief
- Heal Bell
While Snubbull is the odd-man out in the team, it provides a means of checking nasty Fighting-types, as well as putting general offensive pressure on an opposing team with STAB Play Rough coming off 18 Attack that few things can afford to switch into. The Intimidate ability lets me weaken threats like Archen and Timburr, allowing me to neuter them to a point where they can be dealt with. Snubbull is also quite good at sponging weakened Knock Offs, even if they remove Snubbull's item, it can punish them with Thief and perhaps gain a useful item in the process like Eviolite or Berry Juice. Earthquake is powerful coverage for catching things like Magnemite and Pawniard on the switch, while Heal Bell allows me to undo status, although this team has little trouble with it. Although Snubbull doesn't quite mix as perfectly with its teammates as the other members do, it still performs an important role on the team and performs well against the physical attackers the team sometimes has trouble with.
Although the team is extremely solid, it has a difficult time around bulkier teams -- particularly those with Regenerator cores, as both Mienfoo and Foongus need to be weakened and Knocked Off in order for Drilbur's Earthquake to KO. Abra is also a hassle, as I have no reliable switch ins to it, and I need to break its Focus Sash in order to finish it off. Bird-heavy teams are also an issue, as Tirtouga alone cannot take them all out, and Drilbur cannot sweep until they are removed.
The team is the first really successful team I've used, and it is ridiculously fun, and quite easy to use. Thank you for reading and rating!
Hey, everybody. I'm here posting the most successful team I've ever used on Smogon. I've played over 100 games with this team, and my win loss ratio is roughly 6:1. Although teambuilding is likely my biggest set-back, this team has been a lot of fun to use, all whilst being successful too.
I decided to make a team around Choice Scarf Drilbur, as he is a terrific cleaner late game. Mold Breaker bypasses Levitate, so once Flying-types are removed and the rest of the team is worn down, Drilbur can come in and clean up with Earthquake coming off a blistering 25 Speed.
The five Pokemon who help Drilbur pull off the sweep form something of a super-core -- all of the team form miniature defensive cores of their own which have some sort of overlap in resistances and abilities which enable them to take hits, while at the same time, dish out punishment by removing valuable items, spreading sleep, and simply hitting hard in some cases, allowing the team to crumble most of Drilbur's checks.
Teambuilding:
I wanted to build a team around a Choice Scarf user who could shred through a team once its checks and counters had been dealt with. A few possibilities came to mind; Bunnelby, Pawniard, and Mienfoo came to mind, but I decided to use a less commonly seen Scarfer with Drilbur. While I had experience using Drilbur before, I had never used it with a Choice Scarf, although I knew it was a threat under the right conditions. I realized that Drilbur had to rely on the shaky power and accuracy of Rock Slide to deal with birds, and the inability to change moves afterwards would be an issue too, so I decided he should have some teammates who could contend with the birds for him.
From this, I added defensive Tirtouga and Eviolite Pawniard to the team, as they can both punish opponents such as Archen, Vullaby, Doduo, and Fletchling. Tirtouga sets up Stealth Rock, weakening Flying opponents as well as pressuring out Defoggers. Pawniard discourages the use of Defog with its ability Defiant, which will raise its Attack to +2. Both resist Flying-type attacks and can use Knock Off to take away defensive items like Eviolite and Berry Juice, and both also have priority attacks to help manage faster opponents.
Tirtouga has great synergy with Foongus; both are very bulky tanks who can really mess with a team, and both cover each other's weaknesses well. Foongus can take a dangerous opponent out of action, and deal with the Grass-type opponents Drilbur simply can't break through -- particularly Cottonee.
Subsequently, Mienfoo also fits well on the team, as it forms a Regenerator core with Foongus, provides Knock Off support, checks Pawniard, can gain momentum with U-turn, and even shut down annoying opponents like Ferroseed and Dwebble with Taunt.
Snubbull is sort of the odd-man-out of the group, not forming a solid core with any of the team members. However, it provides some needed muscle for the team, as it can check most of the Fighting-types in the tier with its powerful Play Roughs and use Heal Bell to get rid of the nasty burns and shocks the team sustained.
There have been no major roster changes in this team; some moves have come and gone, and some EVs have been reallocated, but the main structure has remained the same.
The Team
Drilbur @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Shadow Claw
- Rapid Spin
Drilbur is my primary win condition. Once Flying-types go down and walls have been worn down, it can go to work with Mold Breaker Earthquake and clean up teams. Earthquake OHKOes almost everything weak to Ground-type after Stealth Rock, which includes common threats such as Pawniard, Chinchou, Gastly, Trubbish, Ponyta, Magnemite, and Croagunk. The Choice Scarf raises its Speed to 25, which is enough to outspeed all other Scarf users except for uncommon ones like Gastly and Deerling. Although Earthquake is the move I will almost always be using late-game, Rock Slide can be used early-game to lure in a Flying-type threat and Rapid Spin, although a weak move to get locked into, can remove annoying hazards if needed. Shadow Claw saw occasional use in the Missy era, and can hit the occasional Pumpkaboo or Drifloon, but it's mostly filler, as I will almost always use Earthquake to clean up my opponents. Although Drilbur's Earthquake has difficulty pushing past bulkier foes, its team mates work together and can handle bulkier opponents.
Tirtouga @ Eviolite
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 92 HP / 52 Atk / 172 Def / 156 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Aqua Jet
- Rock Slide
Tirtouga is one of Drilbur's absolute best friends. Setting up Stealth Rock can turn 2HKOes into OHKOes and 3HKOes into 2HKOes, while weakening the Flying-types that Drilbur has difficulty touching. It also encourages Defoggers like Archen and Vullaby to come in, allowing them to be softened by Knock Off by a teammate or hit hard Rock Slide. The defensive spread chosen gives Tirtouga impressive 23/28/21 defenses with Eviolite, while Solid Rock boosts its capacity to take super effective moves. For example, it takes roughly 30% from Abra's Hidden Power Fighting while being able to 2HKO it with a combination of Knock Off and Aqua Jet. Knock Off is also an important move, as it can hinder common switch-ins to Tirtouga, such as Mienfoo, Cottonee, Foongus, and Timburr, who would otherwise remain too bulky to be taken down. Aqua Jet is important for picking off weakened opponents such as Abra and Dwebble, and is the only reliable priority move used on this team.
Pawniard @ Eviolite
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 116 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Brick Break
- Sucker Punch
Eviolite Pawniard serves as a check to the bulkier Fairy-types that Drilbur would otherwise struggle with, particularly Cottonee and Snubbull. It can force switches and can remove an item with its powerful STAB Knock Off, leaving common switch ins such as Mienfoo, Timburr, and Scraggy item-less and therefore much more susceptible to Drilbur's Earthquake. With Eviolite as well as the defensive spread chosen, Pawniard also checks Zigzagoon and Fletchling reliably. It can also save me from Abra, which this team has trouble beating. It's also worthwhile noting that I can bluff a Choice Scarf against fast but frail opponents such as Abra and Gastly and force them out and hit the switch with a Knock Off. Sucker Punch allows me to finish off weakened opponents, such as opposing Drilbur after being weakened. The reason Pawniard uses 116 Special Defense EVs is to reach an Eviolite number and therefore gain two Special Defense points at the cost of one Attack point, allowing it to avoid a 2HKO from Spritzee's Moonblast most of the time, as well as taking less damage from other special coverage. Pawniard's ability Defiant is also important for punishing Defog and Sticky Web users, as my team hates losing the hazards set up as well as stepping on to Sticky Web, as the Speed drop can cripple every Pokemon on my team. The Speed EVs with a Jolly nature enable me to outspeed opponents such as Chinchou, Magnemite, and the rare 15 Speed Fletchling.
Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Taunt
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- U-turn
17 Speed Taunt Mienfoo is incredibly useful, as it shuts down leads such as Dwebble, and can prevent a plethora of dangerous Pokemon from spreading status, setting up hazards, and boosting, including Tirtouga, Foongus, Zigzagoon (after a Memento), Trubbish, Ferroseed, and many other threats. It has far more use that Fake Out or even Acrobatics, and is most deserving of the first slot as it is extremely useful. Drain Punch is a solid STAB which keeps Mienfoo healthy while hammering many bulky Normal-types like Porygon and Lickitung. When Mienfoo forces switches, U-turn allows it to regain health from Regenerator, while Knock Off removes items. U-turn allows me to pick up momentum and perhaps provide a free switch into a teammate, despite running 17 Speed. It also allows me to chip away minor damage from Fairy-types, while also prevent them from picking up momentum by double-switching. The EVs chosen allow for Mienfoo's defensive stats to reach Eviolite numbers, while its Speed investment allows it to reach the important 17 tier.
Foongus @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 124 HP / 160 Def / 160 SpD
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power Fighting
Foongus glues the team together; it has good synergy with the other team members, particularly Mienfoo, as they both share the ability Regenerator, making them very hard to wear down, even if their items have been removed. Foongus also walls many of the Pokemon that can trouble this team, including Fairies, other Grass-types, Water-types, as well as being able to beat Drilbur. Spore is a fantastic move which lets Foongus cripple nasty threats, particularly Mienfoo and Pawniard, who are common switch ins to Sludge Bomb. Non-Eviolite Pawniard also falls to Hidden Power Fighting, while it does roughly 75% to Eviolite variants. The EV spread and nature chosen allows for Foongus to reach 25/21/21 defenses after Eviolite, allowing it to withstand some of the heaviest attacks in the tier, even from the likes of Bunnelby and Zigzagoon, meaning I can neuter these threats with Spore and regenerate some HP, enabling Foongus to come in again and again, and keep crippling opponents and hammering them with powerful STAB Sludge Bombs and Giga Drains.
Snubbull @ Berry Juice
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 36 HP / 196 Atk / 116 Def / 116 SpD / 36 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Play Rough
- Earthquake
- Thief
- Heal Bell
While Snubbull is the odd-man out in the team, it provides a means of checking nasty Fighting-types, as well as putting general offensive pressure on an opposing team with STAB Play Rough coming off 18 Attack that few things can afford to switch into. The Intimidate ability lets me weaken threats like Archen and Timburr, allowing me to neuter them to a point where they can be dealt with. Snubbull is also quite good at sponging weakened Knock Offs, even if they remove Snubbull's item, it can punish them with Thief and perhaps gain a useful item in the process like Eviolite or Berry Juice. Earthquake is powerful coverage for catching things like Magnemite and Pawniard on the switch, while Heal Bell allows me to undo status, although this team has little trouble with it. Although Snubbull doesn't quite mix as perfectly with its teammates as the other members do, it still performs an important role on the team and performs well against the physical attackers the team sometimes has trouble with.
Although the team is extremely solid, it has a difficult time around bulkier teams -- particularly those with Regenerator cores, as both Mienfoo and Foongus need to be weakened and Knocked Off in order for Drilbur's Earthquake to KO. Abra is also a hassle, as I have no reliable switch ins to it, and I need to break its Focus Sash in order to finish it off. Bird-heavy teams are also an issue, as Tirtouga alone cannot take them all out, and Drilbur cannot sweep until they are removed.
The team is the first really successful team I've used, and it is ridiculously fun, and quite easy to use. Thank you for reading and rating!
