bojangles
IF YOU TRULY BELIEVE,
Different Playing Styles
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As with any metagame, Ubers has three dominant types of play: offense, defense, and Baton Pass. However, offense is by far the most common method of play, for seemingly obvious reasons. In this discussion, I’d like to take a closer look at why we usually run offense, and hopefully maybe even encourage other types of play.
Offense
When we look at the base stats of the Pokémon in Ubers, it’s pretty easy why so many people use offensive teams: there are so many Pokémon who have obscenely high base Special Attack, Attack, and/or Speed stats. For example, we have Rayquaza (150 / 150 / 95), Mewtwo (110 / 154 / 130), Palkia (120 / 150 / 100), and many, many others. Add this with the relatively low amount of Ubers walls, and you’ve got yourself a very offensive metagame. Many offensive teams use multiple sweepers, in addition to a Pokémon to set up entry hazards, a Pokémon to control the weather (sometimes), and, usually, a Wobbuffet to help provide a safe environment in which to set-up and then sweep.
Pros
The pros of Ubers offensive are actually quite obvious: you can kill things quickly, and fairly easily. Once your Dragon Dance Rayquaza or Calm Mind Mewtwo gets set up, not much is going to be able to stop it, barring certain Choice Scarf or priority users. This is made even easier by one single Uber: Wobbuffet. By using the combination of Encore and Shadow Tag, Wobbuffet can lock a Pokémon into its last-used move. Then, it can switch out into one of your sweepers, giving it a free turn to boost its stats. For example, by Encoring a Groudon’s Earthquake, you can give a free switch in for Rayquaza, and a turn to use Swords or Dragon Dance while Groudon switches out (since it can’t change moves). Also, Wobbuffet can use Safeguard to block any sorts of status, meaning that status moves, such as Thunder Wave or Toxic, can be turned into set-up bait. Ubers offense is also so powerful, that, with a little support, Pokémon can blow through even their supposed counters or checks.
Cons
Everything I said above is also a con. By this I mean that if your opponent’s offense team gets started, its going to be hard for you to counter it, unless you pack the aforementioned priority or Choice Scarf user (which are not uncommon, but have possibly fainted). Futhermore, stall can create huge problems for offensive teams that don’t have mixed sweepers. Although many Pokémon are powerful, some walls are still more defensive, such as Giratina, Blissey, and Forretress, meaning that they can stop a sweep (for example, most Rayquaza carry Fire-type special attacks just for Forretress). Also, the entry hazards set by stall teams will wear down your offensive team quickly. Basically, it’s easy for offensive teams to win quickly, but its equally easy for your opponent to do the same thing.
Example of an Extremely Threatening Offensive Pokémon
Rayquaza
Part of Rayquaza’s deadliness is the fact that it can run multiple sets, such as Swords Dance versus mixed, each with its own counters/checks. However, in my opinion, this is possibly the most threatening.
Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Jolly Nature
EVs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD / 216 Spe
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Overheat
This set is so extremely deadly when it sets up. Outrage will be killing pretty much any Pokémon who doesn’t resist it. Earthquake will squash any Steel-type who does resist Outrage (eg Jirachi). Overheat is for pesky Forretress, who can otherwise wall this set, and kill Rayquaza with Explosion. The only Pokémon this set needs to watch out for are base 95+ Speed Choice Scarf users and Lugia, both of whom are handled by Wobbuffet. Wobbuffet also helps Rayquaza find chances to set up.
Example of a Successful Offensive Team
Turnabout Ubers! by Theorymon
Stall
Stall is a playstyle that is completely different from offense. It relies on using entry hazards and damaging status, such as poison, to eliminate your opponent’s team. As such, its “stalling” feel is loved by many for its reliability, but it is also hated by many for the same reason. Although there are relatively few walls in Ubers, they all have quite impressive base stats, like with Lugia (106 / 130 / 154) or Giratina (150 / 120 / 120). Furthermore, many “offensive” Pokémon in Ubers also have great defensive stats, like with Mewtwo (106 / 90 / 90). This means that with the right EV and move tweaking, many more Pokémon can viably work in Ubers stall.
Pros
Stall, as mentioned, is extremely reliable. The Pokémon who are used on stall teams are made to be bulky and take moves. There is no frailty on stall teams for your opponent to exploit. There is also less reliance on attacking moves, meaning that “hax”, via misses, will not influence your side of the game. Furthermore, stall teams are made to deal with many of the metagame’s threats. This means that there is usually no one Pokémon who can take out your entire team. Since stall is much less popular than offense, players will not prepare as much for it. This means that many offense teams are quite weak to stall, giving you an easy win.
Cons
Since stall teams kill over time, the match itself will be much, much longer. This means that there are more chances for you to get taken out by your opponent’s team. Your lack of attack moves can be problematic when your opponent’s Garchomp is ramping up its Attack with Swords Dance (this, however, doesn’t mean that it can’t be dealt with). Furthermore, it is more likely that they will score critical hits, since the match will be going on for longer. Also, certain Pokémon can truly defeat stall, such as mixed Palkia or Dialga.
Example of a great Stall Pokémon
Forretress @ Leftovers
Careful Nature
EVs: 252 HP / 6 Def / 252 SpD
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Spikes
- Payback
Forretress is everything that a stall Pokémon should be. It can take pretty much every physical attack in the game (read: not Fire-type in the sun), meaning that it can totally wall the likes of Garchomp, Tyranitar, Groudon, and Rayquaza, among others (as long as they don’t have Fire-type moves). It also has access to every type of entry hazards in the game, as well as Rapid Spin, meaning that it has a very special niche in the metagame. By setting up Spikes and Toxic Spikes, it can weaken your opponent’s team, which is the very base of stall teams. Rapid Spin allows Flying-type defenders, such as Lugia, to have an easier time switching in, as well as just minimizing the residual damage that your team has to deal with. Giratina or Giratina-O can work really well with Forretress, since its Ghost-typing blocks Rapid Spin from getting rid of your entry hazards.
Example of a great Stall Team
Rising from the Storms by Jibaku
Baton Pass
Baton Pass is a very, very rare, yet very threatening type of play in the Ubers tier. This reason is simple: Mew. Mew can pass +2 of any stat, as well as Bulk Up or Calm Mind. Mew is also fairly bulky (not without support though). There are also many Pokémon in Ubers who can set up dual screens, since they are many given to Psychic-types, of whom there are many. There are also many options for Mew to pass to, so you have quite a selection to chose from.
Pros
Baton Pass’s purpose is to prime a single Pokémon to sweep your opponent’s team. This involves making it into a “juggernaut” so to speak, but pumping it up with different stat moves and support (like Light Screen + Reflect). Since your Pokémon has so many boosts, it is quite easy for it to sweep your opponent’s team. Furthermore, even less players prepare for Baton Pass than for stall, so it is quite easy to get your strategy going. When executing your strategy, you have the advantage because you are essentially running the game. What I mean is this: your strategy exists almost independently of your opponent’s. You don’t need prompting from your opponent, nor do you need to really check threats. Once you set up, you pretty much have the game won, barring critical hits. Even if your opponent manages to kill your main sweeper, you should have a backup to finish the job.
Cons
It’s helplessly predictable. Once your opponent sees Mew, its quite obvious that you have a Baton Pass team. Then, your opponent can start taking countermeasures (if he/she has any). Also, every member of the Baton Pass chain is extremely important; therefore, if your opponent stops one of them from doing its job, it can potentially ruin your strategy. However, this can still be played around (don’t underestimate Baton Pass).
Example of an excellent Baton Pass Pokémon
Mew @ Lum Berry
Calm Nature
EVs: 252 HP / 190 SpD / 68 Spe
- Baton Pass
- Taunt
- Rock Polish
- Swords Dance / Nasty Plot
Mew is just a Baton Pass monster. It’s easy to write so much about it. If you want to read more about it, I’m going to direct you to the Mew Discussion thread.
Example of a great Baton Pass team
Yu-Gi-Oh Themed Team by XtrEEmMaShEEn3k2
Conclusion
Discuss your favorite playing methods in Ubers and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Also discuss the Pokémon whom you use in each type of team. Hopefully, this will encourage people to try more than just offense. Please feel free to discuss the slightly more obscure types of play, such as QuickStall or Screen Offense as well!