Project RarelyUsed Teambuilding Competition: week 26: Slowbro-Galar

[Sneakyplanner]

Raikou's wild volt turn ride

I've talked before about how Raikou and Gardevoir make good partners. Raikou can volt switch on its most common answers and bring in a threatening Gardevoir, and meanwhile Raikou also switches in on Jirachi really easily. And with twave, you can completely destroy a lot of the common special-defensive setups in the tier. I went with Cyclizar because this is RU and Noivern because I wanted some speed and also a way to beat Suicune. Taunt Noivern is just really really good vs annoying setup mons and it can keep hazards off. Thanks to FlamPoke for suggesting the final two mons of Jirachi and Slither-Wing. I tried a bunch of other configurations to be original and not blindly follow his orders, but everything I tried either led to me thinking "I need something that actually switches into other Gardevoirs" or "I need something that is good vs Krookodile and has priority. I experimented with both encore and wish Jirachi, and wish seems to fit the team better since I already have Noivern for slow setup mons. I'm running twave over body slam because I don't like relying on those 60% rolls and also don't like blanking into covert cloak mons.

 

[Dead by Daylight]

Teleport Gardevoir + Spikes

Gardevoir is quite a good wallbreaker (not speed control as it apparently cannot wear a fashionable Scarf this week); unfortunately, it struggles with Steel-types like Empoleon and Jirachi as well as Armarouge, which all make it unable to throw out its Moonblasts and freely. However, Teleport lets it flip the script on these checks by bringing in threats to them that can either deal raw damage in Volcanion, continue generating momentum in Thundurus, remove or set hazards in Cyclizar or Chesnaught, or clean up with Scarf Krookodile.


The subject of this week, Teleport Gardevoir is just Gardevoir with another option to keep momentum for its team in the face of checks like those mentioned above. It does lack the power of CM or Specs, but it gains a lot more longevity as well as hazard resilience thanks to being able to run HDB while still being able to hit quite hard. It also fills a decent defensive niche as the team's main Fighting resistance, allowing it to threaten out Conkeldurr. Not much to see here.


Volcanion is another strong special attacker that forms a deadly core alongside Gardevoir, as both take advantage of each other's checks perfectly with Gardevoir decimating Dragon-types like Noivern and Salamence while Volcanion washes away Steel-types like Jirachi and Magnezone.


Thundy-I is mainly here to aid in the offense and HO matchups by being able to throw off an emergency T-Wave on foes like +1 Maushold or +1 Hisuian Lilligant for Krookodile or Gardevoir to be able to outspeed and revenge kill. It's also a great momentum-gainer and keeper and loosens up teams enough for Scarf Krookodile to clean up late-game.


Cyclizar is here as our hazard control, pretty self-explanatory stuff.


Chesnaught fills a variety of different niches here - I believed hazards, especially Spikes, would go along well with Teleport Gardevoir forcing so many switches to rack up chip damage, as well as having a decent Knock Off user alongside Cyclizar to really accentuate the effects of Spikes. This is also our main physically defensive wall and Dark-type resistance, being able to take on foes like Bisharp and Krookodile which are otherwise serious threats.


At this point, the team needed two things: speed control and a Ground type. I decided to add yet another Knock Off user to the team in Krookodile, which just has great synergy thanks to again being able to remove Boots, come in on Volt Switch from the likes of Magnezone, and just force progress while being able to revenge kill things that could otherwise get out of hand.

 

[Crankbait#1]

SOFT SAND GARD

Funny team I made, kinda shit but I thought this was too interesting not to share

SOFT SAND TERA GROUND TERA BLAST TO DESTROY ALL CHECKS(aka empoleon and armarouge), It's currently 2 am for me and I was wondering how to make a non scarf gard actually be good/not get hard countered by empoleon and armarouge, so I came up with this

scarf gengar as my speed control and spin blocker, keeping hazards up is pretty important for this team to make sure your sweepers checks are constantly under pressure and to get that sheist on empoleon, I perfer dbond over tspikes/fblast for the last slot because it has some surprise factor and is better into cm sweepers

bu zap is one of my favorite zap sets as it sets up on non fangs dog and with tera steel can set up on itself (I forgor to put tera steel on in the paste), lefties or boots is really personal choice, I went with boots cause zap is my knock switchin, I was thinking about making it banded but it gets knock just about every game

I swear this guy is good, dd scale shot tera steel does hella damage every game if not outright sweeping, with eq it can lure steel types for gard too, if the opponent thinks you're scarf and switches in an empoleon or fairy on the dd, tera steel blast or click eq and clear the path for cm gard

we spike and spin, spiker, nice twave support too

rocker and knocker, really useful guy always gets something done, whether taunting, intimidating, sr-ing, knocking or koing this guy does a ton for the team

Funny lil team I made, not my best work but was really fun to pilot during testing

 

[Sneakyplanner]

The deadline has passed, it's time for voting. The entries this week are:
Scarf Salazzle spikes by Heatranator
Eject pack Amoonguss+specs Garde by fluff!!
Raikou volt-turn by Sneakyplanner
Boots teleport Gardevoir spikes by Dead by Daylight
Soft sand tera ground Gardevoir by Crankbait#1
My vote goes to fluff. I didn't know garde got vacuum wave, it looks cool and the eject pack amoonguss is a great support for the double-choice squad.

 

[Crankbait#1]

I vote fluff for the gligar sheist

 

[Heatranator]

Voting for sneakyplanner. I like the t-wave raikou and taunt noivern sets

 

[lars]

I'll vote Fluff.
Ditto on the vacuum wave.

 

[Sneakyplanner]

Congratulations to fluff!! for winning this week and thank you to everyone who participated

 

[Sneakyplanner]

Week 23: Amoonguss

​

The hit social deduction game from 2018 and popularized in 2020, Amoonguss, Is a kind of background character in RU. Never the most popular pokemon, sometimes called worse than Vileplume, but never really irrelevant. Spore is unfortunately banned, but the shroom still has some tools to play with. Paralysis is nearly as good as sleep and 75% as accurate, you have some useful attacks to make up for a lack of offenses, you have toxic for double status fun, you have foul play for Jirachi and setup sweepers, and you have synthesis to stay healthy. Cook up some delicious mushrooms and share the result here.

Teambuilding criteria:
Your team submission must be legal in SV RU and have an Amoonguss on it.

Submission deadline: Teams should be submitted by 11:59 PM (GMT-7) on Friday, August 16th, voting will then go until 11:59 PM (GMT-7) on Sunday August 18th.

 

[HoopsspooH]

Leaf Storm Amoonguss Triple Regen



While I hadn’t been on the Amoonguss train all that much up until a week or so ago, through building and playing this team I’ve become much more fond of its unique attributes, mainly it’s useful options for status and assumed passivity it can have into certain matchups. I’m not sure whether I can call this Amoonguss particularly offensive, but it definitely has much more of a presence on the field than dual status variants. Leaf Storm is the real kicker of the set, EV’d to have a pretty decent chance of OHKOing non Tera Electric Blastoise after rocks. Sludge Bomb and Stun Spore allow for status support for the rest of the team, with Stun Spore being particularly helpful in giving opportunities for Slowbro and Registeel to setup with the assistance of some yellow magic. Foul Play can do decent work against the physical HO goons of Revavroom, Mimikyu, and Maushold, with Rocky Helmet ensuring an even sounder matchup against them. Tera Water covers for the inevitability of a set up Blastoise as well as being a generally good Tera Type for Amoonguss in general.

CM Slowbro can function as a progress maker with Scald burns as well as a lategame wincon if needed. Psynoise helps against one of the 20 different bulky Calm Mind sweepers in the tier, with Covert Cloak blocking opposing attempts to stop recovery, as well as Toxic Chain procs from Fezandipiti and Okidogi. Tera Poison blocks other attempts at spreading toxic, or a denier to those same Toxic Chains procs if you get knocked off, which is very common with the usefulness that the other items provide for the team in certain matchups.

Probably the most innovative part of the team, I’ve been experimenting with this lesser used Spin user called Cyclizar. I’ve found that you can actually slap on an Assault Vest and use it as a decent check to most of the special attackers in the tier, who would’ve thought. Jokes aside this is like my most typical Cyc spread, Tera Fairy to stop Dracos, Draco Meteor because DTail is not great.

This set is bad, and I would much rather have TWave over Rocks, however, I do need a rocker on the team and Registeel provides one that covers a pretty noticeable weakness to CB Okidogi, with it and Amoonguss being able to pivot around Gunks and CCs nicely. Heavy Slam might be better on the whole into certain matchups, however, the consistency and hax that Iron Head can provide with the paralysis spreaders on the team. Tera Fairy covers a weakness to fighting and can allow for a sweep with IDBP.

Scarf Dogi is the speed control for the team, and can spread status with the most busted ability of all time. Not much to say about it, can sometimes get the jump on non sash Terrakion and is just a really powerful scarfer in general.

Another mon I haven’t been using in my team building enough, Thundurus provides another pivoter and supporing member to the rest of the team, spreading prankster TWaves and removing items with Knock Off, along with just being a strong attacker with Volt Switch removing itself from iffy situations with strong chip damage in the process, and Grass Knot covering the Grounds that might attempt to block it from switching out. Tera Steel is just a nice type defensively, nothing much more to it.

Replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ru-2178028595
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ru-2177094652?p2
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ru-2177036479

 

[Heatranator]

AV Amoonguss Team


The subject of this weeks teambuilding comp, usually amoonguss is a physical wall that provides utility to its team through various status moves. But amoonguss has good special defense as well, in fact its higher then its physical defense. So why not utilise its special defense to the fullest? AV amoonguss is able to wall a ton of special threats pretty easily and use various moves to chip the opponent or stop them from setting up. It can easily take a bug buzz into a +1 air slash and clear smog off the damage, and if it tera's then amoonguss can do it even easier. +2 blastoise ice beam will never 2hit KO amoonguss and it can clear smog into 2 giga drain's in order to beat it always (unless you get frozen). It can even take a +1 armarouge armor cannon from full and clear smog away the boost. I could go on and on about how it take so many special hits, but I think you get the idea. Foul play helps deal with tera steel flyers and does more damage then stomping tantrum would probably do, clear smog can remove any boosts the opponent uses, giga drain and sludge bomb are good stab moves, with the former helping amoonguss keep itself healthy and tera water is a good defensive tera.

Slowbro was chosen next as it is an excellent partner to amoonguss. In this case, it is able to take on the physical threats amoonguss usually would take on, while temporarily dealing with psychic and flying types that amoonguss might be too low health to deal with. Standard set, because its already perfect.

I needed another defensive mon, rocks, and a ground type. And would you look at that? Hippowdon fills all of those roles. Standard set, but tera dragon to help against rain teams a lot more.

I wanted some hazard control and some more offense on my team. So I decided to use conkeldurr for the first time in a while, and it brings the hurt to many teams. Standard set except for a few changes, defog can help a bit in the hazard removal department and since we are not using facade, tera steel can help against fairy types and maushold if needed.

I wanted a setup sweeper and some level of speed control, and revavroom could help in both departments. This is just the standard set that can help deal with mons that otherwise might be a bit difficult to wall for the rest of the team by dealing with them early through offensive pressure. Also helps against HO teams which may try to overwhelm you through hazards+power to deny conk from defogging.

Finally, I wanted another mon that could help against special threats and could also act as a late game wincon. Rotom Heat could provide both of those aspects, able to take on threats and sweep. This is the standard nasty plot set, with will-o-wisp changed for pain split to keep rotom heat healthy. Tera steel helps against yanmega and is a good general typing.

 

[Elec-ant1234]

Pentuple Regenerator + 1 Quagsire (or double psychic balance if you're boring like that)


I'm sending this submission in because i was STRONG-ARMED and THREATENED by Tsuki, but regardless here be mine team, featuring everyone's favorite sussy baka imposter
I wondered "what if I put every possible fully evolved pokemon on a team that had access to regenerator (minus klawf)" and thus this masterpiece was born. This is the Sistine Chapel of Pokemon Teams, the Mona Lisa of Mons.

The speed control of the team. Originally had Life Orb, but I decided to change it because there needed to be speed control, although Life Orb still works really well as it lets you ball all over the stall matchup by being immune to passive damage, and still hitting like a truck. Clicks buttons and makes progress, 'nuff said. Really good into the meta atm, but does need some skill to not immediately fold, which is where the other guys come in

The special wall of the team, with a 4 attacks set. Can set up the infamous future sight + fighting type pincer move with Mienshao, and has just generally good coverage to hit whatever is infront of it.

The sweeper and CM'der of the team. Does slowbro things, spreads burns with scald and helps assist in most matchups by being a great physical wall.

You already know, it's the guy. Runs Draco over D-Tail because of big damage numbers and generally wanting to make progress in some MU's that D-Tail doesn't really help with.

The Big Shot of the week, here with a double status set boasting both Stun Spore and Toxic. This means that you no longer get walled by Chesnaught, and generally are given the freedom to be really annoying to whoever wants to switch in. Also doubles as a secondary special wall, and is the dedicated rocky helmet user on this team.

I can't really explain his presence. I could not begin to tell you why I put him on there. I just know he fits. How does he? I don't know. But the vibes were right and I so I said "fuck it lets ball" and slapped quagsire onto a balance team. You could run water absorb, but most of our waters can hit him anyways, so I would recommend you don't do that.


How do you play this team? Aggressively of course. You have 5 separate regenerator pokemon, you can afford to take little hits and afford to take medium hits. You can afford to let some hazards through if it means making progress on your end, because at the end of the day, they're only nerfing your recovery, not stopping it. Don't be incredibly reckless of course, but you've got offense. You've got defense. Play to each mon's strength's and you'll do pretty well.


REPLAY ZONE
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9ru-2170146782-abt6jmqf4c82b1xhbdhz4eh2h347buqpw?p2 might not work due to being a privated replay, but I win against flamigopokemon with an alt version of the team where I forgot to change quagsire's ability from water absorb (oopsies)

 

[Sneakyplanner]

Amoonguss paraspam

You ever think about how stun spore is kinda a broken move? Sure it is horrible, but a lot of teams just don't have a mon that can safely switch in and so have to start risking 75% shots. I think that this Amogus set is the best option in most cases. The ev spread lives a modest +2 blastoise ice beam from full. Synthesis isn't all that useful and foul play helps a lot vs jirachi, tera blastoise or SD mons. You can do a surprising amount to bisharp with a +2 foul play, it actually helps you not be useless.
These mons all help compliment amoonguss' weaknesses or switch in on mons that exploit it. Bisharp can be a real problem but just guess the move right, lol. Thundurus also provides great pivot support with okidogi, and on a paraspam team like this you can do some nasty stuff. volt switch on Cyclizar or Hoodra and suddenly you are making someone very very upset. I normally use grass knot on Thundurus because I do not like missing focus blast on krookodile, but I don't have to play with it anymore so you can all miss focus blast and I can talk about the marginal utility of psychic/thunderbolt. Normally knock off would be the move here, but I already have knock off on 3 mons here and I think there's a bit of diminishing returns with it. I messed with both psychic and thunderbolt, ultimately ending up going with thunderbolt. Psychic is a real underrated 4th move on thundy, helping you deal with Amogus and Chester and hitting fighting types for a bit more damage. But I have solid switch-ins to both of those grass types on this team so I went with tbolt instead. This team spreads paralysis so well that tbolt can help you just clean up teams that have their speedster paralyzed.
These two play well with the paraspam, semi-voltturn core. Empoleon has enough speed for a para'd Cyclizar and krook can just rip through teams that have lost their fast mon. I am still on that Krook S-tier train.

 

[Forest Guardian]

https://pokepast.es/fca92053dbb0eceb
I literally just woke up, give me time. Thank you sneaky.​

Now that the internet and electricity in my house is back, I can do this yay.

+ The team started off as a Thundurus + Barraskewda core bcoz of how ridiculous they both are at ripping through each other's checks. Barraskewda is Mystic Water over Choice Band coz I enjoy switching up my moves. Both of them use standard sets. Thundurus can afford Psychic over Knock Off because while the team is spikestack, spikes are no requirement and Deoxys can afford other moves such as Thunder Wave, Superpower and Knock Off!
Does this need an introduction?
Offensive Empoleon + Barraskewda is also a brutal combo capable of leaving entire teams absolutely smashed. Its the standard set.
Now I really wanted something that could continuously switch into Knock Off, Earthquake, Close Combat, U-turn whilst also acting as a check to the tier's ghost types. I didn't opt for double Status but instead Clear Smog because surprisingly, there are many set up sweepers in the tier.
This Mon is actually half-viable. I decided to use it as a secondary fighting check, an answer to the slow bulky Calm Mind users. It can use Covert Cloak over Leftovers but I have enjoyed Leftovers longevity more.
I hope you like using the team!

 

[Sneakyplanner]

It's time for voting. This week's entries are:
Leaf storm Amoonguss triple regen by HoopsspooH
AV amoonguss+nasty split heattom by Heatranator (I am not going to respond to your prompt)
Regenehaters by Elec-ant1234
Paraspam with offensive Empoleon by Sneakyplanner
Skewda spikes with eject button mushroom by Forest Guardian
My vote goes to Forest guardian. I love eject items on Amoonguss and spikes with Skewda+Empoleon is a really nice combo. Love heatranator's team too.

 

[Crankbait#1]

I vote Forrest guardian

 

[Heatranator]

Voting for Elec-ant1234.

Also sad that sneaky won't respond to my prompt :(

 

[Tsuki]

not voting for heatranator after that prompt, voting for forest guardian

 

[Dead by Daylight]

after using EButton Amoonguss in other metas, I'm going to have to go with Forest Guardian

 

[fluff!!]

I am voting hoops

 

[lars]

While I think the lack of electric immunity is pretty hard to play with, I like leaf storm Amoonguss a lot so it makes up for it.

Hoops has my vote!

For Heatranator...

Like just things I tend to do in teambuilding?
Basically #1: don't use Cyclizar
#2: Usually build with a very favorable HO matchup because it's fun to farm low ladder.

Or are you asking for more specific stuff?
Um, lately I've been using a lot of Gastrodon? Although I think that's more of a lazy crutch than a "fetish".

 

[Sneakyplanner]

Congratulations to Forest Guardian for winning this week and thank you to everyone who participated

 

[Sneakyplanner]

Week 24: Flygon

RU's top dog has fallen. From S tier and the most used mon in gen 8 to not even RU in gen 9, Flygon has really struggled with losing roost and defog. Those moves gave it versatility and endless splashability, but these days Flygon is a lot more limited. Flygon still has plenty of options though, and it gained a new one in stealth rock. Choice items and dragon dance remain popular sets, but Flygon has switched sides in the hazard war and now sets them instead of removing them. Reject longevity, embrace earthquake and u-turn.
Your team submission must be legal in SV RU and have a Flygon on it.

Submission deadline: Teams should be submitted by 11:59 PM (GMT-7) on Friday, August 23rd, voting will then go until 11:59 PM (GMT-7) on Sunday August 25th.

 

[Forest Guardian]

https://pokepast.es/8e3707c0a0c60849
Explanations incoming after I finish breakfast.
​

Well the breakfast took surprisingly long but erm I am here again! Thanks for the ping Sneaky.
So the team was built around Fezandipiti's ability to invite in Steel and Poison types like Hisuian Goodra, Gengar, Slowbro, and Jirachi.
All of which, Choice Band feasts on. Its strong STAB eq is super easy to click, dealing good damage to even pokemon such as Slowbro and Hippowdon. Armarouge joined the squad as my Cyclizar "counter" and fire STAB is superb rn. Acts as a secondary wincon murdering steels and poisons. Gligar is a great Mon rn, amazing bulk and all. Hersculegion finds itself surfing through the tier and chilling out with Cyclizar. Hoodra + Fez + Gligar is a solid enough defensive core, especially since all my offensive mons have some form of defensive utility (FI on Flygon, Arma's ability to prevent mons from clicking u turn, iron head from rachi, and herscu good bulk and fighting immunity).
The general plan is to get Fez in and u turn on its checks to freely bring in Flygon or Armarouge and profit. When the team is weakened enough, click cm on fez or click moves with herscu to clean up. Until then bring in hoodra or gligar if u feel smtg is wrong or smtg.

 

[verity and facade]

Scarf Flygon + CM Jirachi turn-turn balance


A basic turn-turn team built around CM Jirachi as a win-con. Idea is to weaken the team with Conkeldurr and specs Gardevoir and then clean with CM Jirachi. Conkeldurr is chosen because the team is otherwise crippled heavily with status spam. Tentacruel has enough speed to outspeed stealth rock Jirachi version. Alternatively, a 252 HP/192 Spe/ 64 Def EV spread can be chosen to give it a more defensive build while outspeeding Krookodile. Teleport Gardevoir and Conkeldurr pair exceptionally well. Scarf Flygon is the speed control that this team requires.