Monotype Elysium - A Balanced Poison Monotype

Dharma · Feb 13, 2017

Suh' guys, HNBL here with another RMT. This is a team I used on the ladder often just for the fun of it, but it ended up showing some decent success, so I figured why not RMT it.
Also, I'm available for MPL.

Venusaur-Mega @ Venusaurite
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature

- Giga Drain

- Earthquake

- Sludge Bomb

- Synthesis

Mega Venusaur is the premier physical wall on the team. Maximum investment in Defense and HP allows it to tank hits as effectively as possible. It also helps immensely against Ground teams, which Poison teams have a problem with. Giga Drain and Sludge Bomb are its primary STAB moves, with Synthesis giving it a form of reliable recovery. Earthquake allows it to hit Heatran and Magnezone, and also lets it 1v1 Ferrothorn.

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk

- Scald

- Haze

- Recover

- Toxic Spikes

Toxapex is the team's special wall. Even without Defense investment, it is able to switch into any of Choice Scarf Victini's moves, and then switch out to an appropriate teammate. Toxic Spikes lets it spread Poison, dealing residual damage on defensive foes and pressuring the opponent on switches. Scald prevents it from becoming Taunt fodder and is also useful for fishing for burns and crippling physical attackers. Haze prevents the opponent from attempting to set up on it. Recover gives it a form of recovery, allowing it to keep up its HP while tanking special hits.

Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature

- Poison Jab

- Knock Off

- Pursuit

- Fire Blast

Alolan Muk is an excellent Psychic check and specially defensive tank. It's typing allows it to switch into Psychic types and proceed to Pursuit trap them. I decided to run maximum Special Defense instead of maximum Attack as it lets it to tank hits much better, increasing its longevity. Knock Off allows it to remove items and is reliable STAB move. Poison Jab is also STAB and has a 60% to Poison to target thanks to Poison Touch. Fire Blast allows it to hit Ferrothorn and Skarmory, which otherwise wall it. It also lets it effectively unboosted Magearna.

Nidoking @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk

- Stealth Rock

- Sludge Wave

- Fire Blast

- Earth Power

Nidoking serves as the team's Steel check. Fire Blast lets it hit Ferrothorn and Skarmory. Earth Power and Sludge Wave are its STAB moves. Stealth Rock allows it to pressure foes on switches, and breaks sashes in order to help Nihilego sweep later.

Nihilego @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk

- Power Gem

- Hidden Power [Grass]

- Thunderbolt

- Sludge Wave

The team needed a solid revenge killer and late-game sweeper, and Choice Scarf Nihilego felt like the top contender. It outspeed pretty much every viable Choice Scarf user, and is a reliable wincon against Fire, Ice, Water, and Flying. Maximum investment in Speed and Special Attack allow it to hit as fast and hard as possible. Thunderbolt lets it hit Water types super effectively. Power Gem and Sludge Wave are its STAB moves. Hidden Power Grass lets it hit the likes of Seismitoad, Gastrodon, and Swampert which usually wall it otherwise.

Crobat @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 244 HP / 252 Def / 12 Spe
Bold Nature

- U-turn

- Heat Wave

- Defog

- Roost

I realised that the entire team is horribly weak to Ground spam. Defensive Crobat serves as a good switch-in to Excadrill, with Heat Wave being able to hit it unexpectedly. Heat Wave also lets me hit Ferrothorn and Scizor, which could otherwise set u on it. U-turn lets it pivot out of bad match-ups, with Roost giving it a source of reliable recovery. Defog let's it clear away hazards, protecting the team from unwanted chip damage. Maximum investment in Defense allows it to take physical hits better, while the 12 EVs in Speed allow it to outspeed the Rotom formes with maximum Speed investment.

Excadrill is still a problem for the team, since the only reliable check for it is Crobat, which is pressured by sand and Stealth Rock. Without Crobat, Choice Band Excadrill is able to run through the team in sand, even heavily denting Mega Venusaur.

Gravity Landorus is able to deal a ton to the team, and there isn't much to do other than play between Alolan Muk and Crobat and try to wither it down before KOing with Nihilego, to which Ground has plenty of switch-ins for.

Venusaur-Mega @ Venusaurite
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
- Giga Drain
- Earthquake
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Haze
- Recover
- Toxic Spikes

Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Poison Jab
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Fire Blast

Nidoking @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Beam
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power

Nihilego @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Power Gem
- Grass Knot
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Sludge Wave

Crobat @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 244 HP / 252 Def / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
- U-turn
- Heat Wave
- Defog
- Roost

Everyone that I battled with this team.
The Excadrill for helping test.
Allegiant for hating me.
Hannibalism and Symphonii for being dead.

Rio Vidal · Feb 13, 2017

Hey HNBL, nice poison monotype team. I have a few suggestions to help the team.

- There wasn't much here, just wanted to point out there is no relevance to running 4 speed on Toxapex as it doesn't threaten other Toxapex even below 10% and nothing relevant is in its speed tier, so i moved the 4 EVs into Defense. I know 4 isn't hrlping it live anything better but the speed investment was odd on a slow defensive pokemon.

- 248/12 allows Alolan-Muk to live a Victini's V-Create after Stealth Rock damage and remove the threat from the field with Knock Off. Also don't rely on Muk as a Ferrothorn/Skarmory check because they easily live 1 and pivot out into a teammate, so Instead I took out Fire Blast here and added Flamethrower to help more reliably check those defensive pokemon. I added Rock Slude here instead to catch Charizard-Y offguard and deal a large amount of damage to it helping ease pressure of Nihilego.

- Since Nidoking struggles to face many common leads since its obviously the teams rock setter I added Focus Sash to Nidoking to allow Nidoking to setup Stealth Rocks successfully aside from faster Taunt leads like Aerodactyl and Cobalion. I removed Sludge Wave for Flamethrower to help with the steel problem since Poison Stab is overspammed here anyways.

- Grass Knot is literally the better option 99% of the time aside from pokemon like Rotom which weigh nothing where Sludge Wave would be more effective. Also Hidden Power [Ice] is an option over Thunderbolt to help it better take on Ground and Flying types like Garchomp and Landorus.

- I changed up Crobats EV spread to better suit the team. Earlier I was talking with Starblim and we decided that defensive Crobat shouod run at least 351 speed to outpace threats such as Latios and U-turn into Alolan-Muk tank a Draco Meteor or be immune to Psyshock and pick it off with Pursuit.

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Haze
- Recover
- Toxic Spikes

Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 248 HP / 12 Def / 248 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Poison Jab
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Rock Slide

Nidoking @ Focus Sash
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower
- Earth Power

Nihilego @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Power Gem
- Grass Knot
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Thunderbolt
- Sludge Wave

Crobat @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 HP / 36 Def / 220 Spe
Bold Nature
- U-turn
- Heat Wave
- Defog
- Roost

Hope my rate helped!

Dharma · Feb 13, 2017

Thanks for the rate! I, uh, didn't know Nihilego got Grass Knot .-.
and about toxapex, yeah I just put 4 EVs in speed to outspeed other toxapex, since they didnt do much anyway. I guess you're right though.

Chras · Feb 13, 2017

HNBL said:
Also, I'm available for MPL.

cool

HNBL said:
Earthquake allows it to hit Heatran and Magnezone, and also lets it 1v1 Ferrothorn.

The only thing you will do to a ferrothorn is 6% a turn, and maybe stall them out if they are lefties, or force a switchout to the skamory that now walls you..
Put hp fire on that boy imo, or ferro and skarm can always set up spikes on you now.

HNBL said:
I decided to run maximum Special Defense instead of maximum Attack as it lets it to tank hits much better, increasing its longevity.

Ok, i don't really see the reason to use max spdef. Ofc it will tank hits better. That's like saying if i invest in speed ev's it would be faster. You're not actually saying what that does for you. All i see is that muk looks kinda on the weak side without any attack investement.
4 Atk Muk-Alola Pursuit vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Victini: 92-110 (26.9 - 32.2%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
4 Atk Muk-Alola Pursuit vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latios: 110-132 (36.7 - 44.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
4 Atk Muk-Alola Pursuit vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Mew: 92-110 (26.9 - 32.2%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
The thing is so weak that it can't even trap what it's supposed to trap..
You could benefit alot from just splitting your ev's more so you get the ko's you want (you seem to stick to max max)

HNBL said:
Fire Blast lets it hit Ferrothorn and Skarmory

Just put ice beam over fire blast imo.. you still weaken ferrothorn alot if + you have so many fire moves on the rest of your team ferro is not a huge problem, venusaur counters it as you said yourself

HNBL said:
The team needed a solid revenge killer and late-game sweeper, and Choice Scarf Nihilego felt like the top contender.

Great choice, but putting hp ice on this could really help your team out, especially your weakness to the 2 lando's.

HNBL said:
Heat Wave also lets me hit Ferrothorn and Scizor, which could otherwise set u on it.

if only you you had a defensive venusaur that counters those.. then you could use brave bird on your crobat so you might do some damage

HNBL said:
while the 12 EVs in Speed allow it to outspeed the Rotom formes with maximum Speed investment.

Yea, good old life orb max speed rotom wash.. I would suggest running 354 speed to outrun thundurus, or max speed to just speedtie with other crobats. Unless there is a specific reason you want the bulk ofc.

HNBL said:
and there isn't much to do other than play between Alolan Muk and Crobat

lando can just spam ep in gravity, there is no play between them..
And hp ice nihilego can be a nice revenge killer for it

If you don't agree with something, tell me, i'd love to have a discussion about it :)

Dharma · Feb 14, 2017

Chras said:
cool

The only thing you will do to a ferrothorn is 6% a turn, and maybe stall them out if they are lefties, or force a switchout to the skamory that now walls you..
Put hp fire on that boy imo, or ferro and skarm can always set up spikes on you now.

Ok, i don't really see the reason to use max spdef. Ofc it will tank hits better. That's like saying if i invest in speed ev's it would be faster. You're not actually saying what that does for you. All i see is that muk looks kinda on the weak side without any attack investement.
4 Atk Muk-Alola Pursuit vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Victini: 92-110 (26.9 - 32.2%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
4 Atk Muk-Alola Pursuit vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latios: 110-132 (36.7 - 44.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
4 Atk Muk-Alola Pursuit vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Mew: 92-110 (26.9 - 32.2%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
The thing is so weak that it can't even trap what it's supposed to trap..
You could benefit alot from just splitting your ev's more so you get the ko's you want (you seem to stick to max max)

Just put ice beam over fire blast imo.. you still weaken ferrothorn alot if + you have so many fire moves on the rest of your team ferro is not a huge problem, venusaur counters it as you said yourself

Great choice, but putting hp ice on this could really help your team out, especially your weakness to the 2 lando's.

if only you you had a defensive venusaur that counters those.. then you could use brave bird on your crobat so you might do some damage

Yea, good old life orb max speed rotom wash.. I would suggest running 354 speed to outrun thundurus, or max speed to just speedtie with other crobats. Unless there is a specific reason you want the bulk ofc.

lando can just spam ep in gravity, there is no play between them..
And hp ice nihilego can be a nice revenge killer for it

If you don't agree with something, tell me, i'd love to have a discussion about it :)

Thanks for the suggestions! Any a-muk spread you think would be nice aside from max attack?

Tyke · Feb 14, 2017

A small rate, but I suggest running Ice Beam > Sludge Wave on Nidoking so you aren't completely walled by Balloon Heatran, Gliscor, or Zapdos.

Monotype Elysium - A Balanced Poison Monotype

Dharma

komorebi

Rio Vidal

you can get anything you'd like

Dharma

komorebi

Chras

Dharma

komorebi

Tyke