ORAS RU Sharpedo Offense by Arifeen

[RMT Staff]

Sharpedo Offense

Introduction​

Hello and welcome to the first ORAS RU Staff RMT! This team, created by Arifeen, was selected for its major success on the ladder, particularly during the Sharpedo + Abomasite suspect test. This team utilised Sharpedo, a very dangerous Pokemon in RU due to its incredible ability and power, as its primary sweeper. Choice Scarf Tyrantrum was added as a powerful revenge killer whose Head Smash dismantles almost any Pokemon that does not resist it. The team also contained powerful special wallbreakers in Venusaur and Sigilyph, chosen due to RU having less specially defensive Pokemon and lacking solid Grass- and Psychic-type resists. Gurdurr and Steelix were added as important checks to a plethora of threats in the tier, most notably Tyrantrum, Durant, Sharpedo, Virizion, Sneasel, and Drapion. The team is a great representation of the massive impact Sharpedo had on ORAS RU, and, combined with its status as the pinnacle of bulky offensive teams during this era, is very deserving of a place in the archive.

In-Depth

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Sharpedo @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Protect
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Dark Pulse​

Sharpedo is the team's primary late game sweeper and is almost unstoppable after a few Speed boosts. With its near-unresisted coverage and powerful stats, Sharpedo has little to no problem in beating a worn-down team. Despite having a higher Attack stat, Sharpedo is better attacking specially as the tier has relatively few specially defensive Pokemon. Hydro Pump is the primary STAB move and hits any Pokemon that doesn't resist it very hard. Ice Beam provides coverage against the Grass- and Dragon-types that resist Sharpedo's Hydro Pump. Dark Pulse is the secondary STAB move, allowing Sharpedo to deal with bulky Psychic-type Pokemon which can tank Hydro Pump and Ice Beam fairly easily. Finally, Protect is used in order to allow Sharpedo to safely gain a Speed boost. Modest is the preferred ability as Sharpedo will have an astronomic Speed stat after a few boosts, rendering a Timid nature irrelevant.

Venusaur @ Life Orb
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Synthesis
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]
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Venusaur was chosen due to its wonderful synergy with Sharpedo. Venusaur can switch into Mach Punches from Hitmonlee and Gurdurr aimed at Sharpedo, and can easily beat bulky Water-types like Blastoise and Alomomola. Venusaur acts as the primary wallbreaker of the team, hitting any Pokemon that does not resist its moves extremely hard. Leaf Storm hits incredibly hard with a Life Orb boost, 2HKOing many Pokemon in the tier. Sludge Bomb gives Venusaur a secondary STAB attack to defeat opposing Grass-type and Fairy-type Pokemon such as Aromatisse and Togetic. Hidden Power Fire allows Venusaur to nail Pokemon that resist its STABs, like Escavalier, Durant, and Bronzong, for heavy damage. Synthesis grants Venusaur a reliable recovery move, making it harder to revenge kill and ensuring that Venusaur can sustain itself throughout a match. A Modest nature was chosen in order to maximize Venusaur's damage output. Besides, Venusaur doesn't outspeed anything important with a Timid nature.

Steelix-Mega @ Steelixite
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 96 Atk / 48 SpD / 112 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Toxic
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Mega Steelix acts as a blanket check to many important threats, including Tyrantrum, Durant, Fletchinder, Mega Glalie, Aerodactyl, Absol, Aggron, Escavalier, and Sneasel. With its incredible Defense and high base Attack, Mega Steelix can easily tank many hits and hit hard in return. Earthquake, Stealth Rock, and Heavy Slam are Mega Steelix's bread and butter. Toxic was added in the last slot mainly to nail bulky Waters such as, Alomomola, Slowking, and Jellicent, and is overall a useful utility move. The EV spread includes plenty of Speed in order to outrun opposing Mega Steelix, Rhyperior, Spiritomb, Slowking, and negatively natured Diancie. The Attack EVs and Adamant nature are used to allow Mega Steelix check Tyrantrum better, as Earthquake has a high chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock damage.

Gurdurr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Atk / 52 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- Mach Punch
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At this point, the team desperately needed a Dark-type check. Gurdurr provides this and also gives the team a much-needed answer to opposing Sharpedo, Tyrantrum, Durant, Mega Glalie, Absol, and Sneasel. Gurdurr also provides the team with a powerful wincon, and has nice offensive synergy with Sharpedo as Sharpedo usually has an easy time sweeping once Gurdurr weakens the opposing team. Gurdurr also gives the team a form of priority in Mach Punch, allowing it to revenge kill certain threats and accumulate chip damage on the opponent. Drain Punch is Gurdurr's main STAB move, regaining lost health while dealing significant damage. Knock Off allows Gurdurr to defeat Psychic-types and cripple its common checks. The EV spread maximizes Gurdurr's bulk, allowing it to live a Life Orb Leaf Storm from Tangrowth. The Speed EVs allow Gurdurr to outrun most opposing Gurdurr, Mega Steelix, Rhyperior, and Slowking.

Tyrantrum @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Head Smash
- Superpower
- Outrage / Aerial Ace
- Dragon Claw
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Tyrantrum is the team's primary Fire-type check. It also acts as a wall breaker due to its amazing ability Rock Head, allowing it to spam Head Smash without any drawbacks. Tyrantrum provides the team with an important check to Sigilyph, Emboar, Flygon, Tyrantrum, Delphox, Houndoom, and Fletchinder. Choice Scarf is the preferred item, boosting Tyrantrum's lackluster Speed to impressive levels. Superpower hits common switch-ins to Tyrantrum, such as Mega Steelix, Rhyperior, and Registeel, for decent damage. Outrage provides a useful secondary STAB move, notably hitting Flygon and opposing Tyrantrum. Aerial Ace is also an option over Outrage to safely revenge kill Virizion, which is a threat to the team. Dragon Claw is a safe and reliable move to spam late game when the opponent's Pokemon have been weakened.

Sigilyph @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Heat Wave
- Dark Pulse
- Roost
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Sigilyph fulfils a lot of roles for the team: It gives the team a much-needed check to Medicham and other Fighting-types, a check to Poison-types such as Venusaur, and a powerful special wallbreaker. On top of that, Sigilyph also acts as a status absorber thanks to Magic Guard. Psychic is the main STAB move and hits very hard with a Life Orb boost. Heat Wave is used to hit common Psychic-type resists, such as Escavalier and Mega Steelix, for super effective damage. Roost allows Sigilyph to regain health and consequently be a major threat to more defensive teams. Dark Pulse was chosen in order to lure in and KO Hoopa and Meloetta, both of which are huge threats to the team.

Threatlist​

Meloetta, especially Choice Specs versions, can pressure the team a lot as nothing tanks a Hyper Voice / Psychic easily. The best way to deal with it is to switch directly to Mega Steelix unless it is needed for a different reason, such as for checking Tyrantrum. Meloetta can only 3HKO Mega Steelix with its STAB moves, and is therefore forced to to either switch out or be attacked. Meloetta also does not like switching into anything on the team.

Trick Room teams, especially ones including Mega Camerupt, are a huge pain for the team to deal with. The best way to play against Trick Room is to lead with Sharpedo, weaken the Trick Room setter, and abuse Protect in order to waste Trick Room turns. Sigilyph, Sharpedo, and Gurdurr are the primary wincons against Trick Room teams, so be sure to preserve them at all costs.

Revenge killing Fire-types is pretty easy, but the team lacks a safe switch-in to them. The best method of dealing with them is to think ahead and predict which move makes most sense for the opponent. For example, if you're facing Emboar and predict a Flare Blitz, Tyrantrum is the best switch-in. If Superpower is predicted, Sigilyph is your go-to Pokemon. Of course, there's no certainty in prediction, which is what makes it a major threat. Similarly, Delphox also poses an issue. Houndoom is more manageable as Gurdurr can check it fine, but Fire Blast still does a huge amount of damage to it,. Houndoom can also trap Sigilyph with Pursuit, so Sigilyph should be used very carefully when Houndoom is on the opposing team.

Importable

Hide

Sharpedo @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Protect
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Dark Pulse

Venusaur @ Life Orb
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Synthesis
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Steelix-Mega @ Steelixite
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 96 Atk / 48 SpD / 112 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Toxic

Gurdurr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Atk / 52 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- Mach Punch

Tyrantrum @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Head Smash
- Superpower
- Outrage
- Dragon Claw

Sigilyph @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Heat Wave
- Dark Pulse
- Roost

Credits

Created by: Arifeen
Written by: Arifeen
Grammar checked by: IronBullet
Art done by: Lax​