(Trickywi - "Hurricane")
Hello guys, Dusky here and welcome to the first Rate-Mah-Team I've ever made here on Smogon!
I'd like to precise that I started playing RU a little ago, so my team can have many crucial errors and/or mistakes: these happen because of inexperience, sorry, I'll try to improve myself in the tier ^^'
As the title says, I come from VGC: that means that I have a pretty brick-like hard mind when I build a team, and my usual structure is as follows:
- The Mega, central core of my team;
- The One-Who-Comes-With-The-Mega, basically it's a Pokémon who covers it fairly well;
- Some sort of support (in VGC, Speed and Atk control; in RU, a cleric and some walls)
- uhm, well, usually random stuff that complements well with the Mega
Banette won hands down for a couple of motivations: firstly, it's the only Mega avaiable in RU that I tested in VGC too, with some degrees of success (like 4-3 at a Premier Challenge); secondly, it can put Mega Audino and (to a lesser extent) Mega Glalie out of service with Taunt and Will-O-Wisp respectively. Its amazing 165 Atk is a thing no one should underestimate, since even a Knock Off can send a bulkier Mega Banette to 10% HP or less, and actually damage big mons like Jellicent.
Ok but what is the only thing who can stop a Ghost with 165 Atk?
Dark-types! So, the main helper of MBanette is Hitmonlee: Life Orb Reckless HJK is a foot-like truck in the face of any Dark-type, even the sturdiest or bulkiest like Drapion. It also has Rapid Spin to remove hazards and make Banette's life better.
Speaking of life's quality: I decided to use two bulky Pokémon who can nicely enter into the other one's weaknesses. These two are Aromatisse and Registeel: Aromatisse is physically bulky, to take Fighting-type moves better, and serves as a Aromatherapy+Wish passer; Registeel, on the other hand, basically enters without worrying too much on Steel/poison moves, and a myriad of other moves, and starts setting rocks and spreading Toxics.
Actually these two are a bit controversial: Rhyperior serves as help when it comes down to take Fire-type moves that may swipe Registeel away, but I think that the bulky SR + 3 Attacks set is not the right one for Rhyperior.
On the other hand, Exploud is superb, and won me some matches, not to say that since it's Scarfed can basically bring 2-3 or even 4 Pokémon down with Rocks up and some prior damage.
Team in details
Banette @ Banettite
Ability: Insomnia -> Prankster
EVs: 252 Atk / 56 Def / 200 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Knock Off
- Taunt
- Destiny Bond
Banette is a very good momentum-creating Pokémon, like: why is Taunt MegaBanette so uncommon? Whenever I face a slower Hazard setter, I usually go with Taunt (with Rhyperior, also WoW) and litterally no one can set Rocks. Same applies when a Defog user tries to use Defog and remove hazards: they just stay there, looking at nothing and failing the status move.
Oh well, whatever..
Will-O-Wisp is a crucial tool against strong Knock Off users, because even thought Banette technically is "item-free", it takes a ton of damage from Knock Off: by using WoW, Banette can soften the damage taken.
I opted for a personal Knock Off on it since ok Shadow Claw is STAB and yadda yadda, but firstly with SClaw it can't touch Meloetta and other Normal-type Pokémon, and although KOff base power is slightly lower than a SClaw, KOff has no immunities and can decimate Meloetta and other Psychic-types.
Destiny Bond is the last card I play whenever an opponent is undesidered or can harm my team badly, or Banette is low on HP and can't afford to switch on and in because of hazards: Destiny Bond can force switches, so I use it as momentum grabber to burn/KOff the Pokémon that is entering.
The EVs maximize Atk, and allow me to outspeed Emboar and base 65 post-Mega, while hitting the one point over base neutral 60s pre-Mega.
Hitmonlee @ Life Orb
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Mach Punch
- Knock Off
- Rapid Spin
Hitmonlee complements Banette pretty well by removing pesky Dark-types and by spinning away Rocks, Spikes, and other "schifezze" ( = "shitty things").
HJK + LO + Reckless packs a ton of power, usually KOing or severely denting anything neutral to Fighting; Mach Punch is a cool tool that I use against weakened Pokémon in general, as even thought it has 40 BP, it packs a solid amount of power when STAB and LO are taken into account. Knock Off is for the Ghost-types switch-in that think "oh well, let's enter on an HJK and make Lee crush", while Rapid Spin provides good utility removing hazards.
Simple EVs spread that allows Hitmonlee to hit fast and hard, with a Jolly nature to win the mirror VS Adamant Hitmonlee.
Aromatisse @ Leftovers
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Aromatherapy
- Wish
- Moonblast
- Protect
Aromatisse is one of the supportive Pokémon I have, and it's my main physical wall, thrown in whenever a Fighting/Dark/Dragon type is on stage.
Aromatherapy heals any status ailment my team can have (being susceptible to burn in particular), and Wish lenghtens the lifespan of my attackers significantly. Protect is a staple on this set, as it helps with Wish and works nicely with Leftovers. Moonblast, the only attacking move it has, has a nice 30% chance of dropping opponent's SpA, making Aromatisse take special hits better.
248 HP hit an odd number that helps with Stealth Rock; maximum Def investment is used to better take physical hits, while the left EVs are used to raise SpA and SpD.
(what it needs to be perfect)
Registeel @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Iron Head
- Protect
Registeel is the other half of my defensive core, sponging special hits like a champion (bar Camerupt, but c'mon the camel is atomic).
Stealth Rock is used whenever I lead with it, as it helps cutting Fire-types' HP drastically. Toxic is used to put a timer on setup sweepers, on defensive Pokémon, and suprisingly even under Trick Room since it pressures opposing slow Pokémon out in order not to take heavy poison damage. Iron Head is here to help against Diancie, while Protect est toujours Protect, working well with Leftovers, Toxic damage, and as Trick room turns burner.
Maximum investment in HP and SpD helps Registeel taking special hits relatively well, and it's also not that bad physically, taking a EQ from Rhyperior and some other nasty stuff.
Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Atk / 220 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
Rhyperior is here to set rocks and punch big holes onto opposing team, especially the low-ladderish based on a Trick Room mode.
Roar works well in conjuction with Stealth Rock, as it constantly shuffles opposing team generating some disadvanteges for the opponent.
Rock Blast is here to break Subs and Sash/Sturdy, while EQ does general damage (almost 60-70% to Escavalier).
Rhyperior has immense HP when max invested, and this, in tandem with 135 Def, a near-to-full invested SpD, and Solid Rock, amkes it quite bulky, often living weak Scalds or Grass-type coverage moves. 28 Atk and Adamant nature grant the OHKO to Offensive Drapion, and the 2HKO on Escavalier (taking just around 40% from non-CB Iron Head).
Leftovers make Rhyperior rely less on Wishes from Aromatisse.
I GO FAST, I GO FUCKIN' FAST! SERIOUSLY, STOP ME!
Exploud @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Scrappy (testing Soundproof)
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Boomburst
- Fire Blast
- Ice Beam
- Surf
Before we go on, be ware: it outsped a Modest Accelgor.
After that, all my fix points about Exploud being slow and Accelgor being hyper fast slipped away.
I saw this set on an Italian Youtuber (Alfred Kamon) while he was climbing the RU Top10 a while ago, and it worked surprisingly well!
Scarf Timid Exploud is a ground-air missile, usually taking down 2 or even 3 opponents before going down itself.
Scrappy Boomburst is the call, just spam it always and anywhere: its rude power is usually stronger than a 2x coverage move, only losing to 2x FIre Blast.
Fire Blast is a risky move, I know, but it can take some KOs on Fire-weak Pokémon like Escavalier and Registeel; Ice Beam takes surprise KOs on Flygon, 2HKOs Druddigon on the switch, and does damage to Ground-types in general. Surf is interesting as it allows me to kill MegaCamerupt, to heavily damage Rhyperior, and to take out some weakened Fire-type Pokémon, beside Choice Scarf variants of Delphox.
Choice Scarf, Timid nature and 252 EVs give Exploud an insane Speed stat of 387, which is just seven points away from the fastest offensive thing of RU, Jolteon. Max SpA investment makes up for the lack of power of the LO/Specs sets.
(Actually it seems weird, but when I did my first battle, it ended 1-1 with Scarf-not yet locked Exploud vs Scarf-locked Meloetta: I won because I picked Exploud's wrong ability, Soundproof. I know Scrappy is by far the superior ability, but Soundproof can guarantee a safe switch in on locked Meloetta)
So guys, the team is this. Sorry if I spent way too much words on it, but I need to say everything in order to receive the best advices possible.
Thank you for the time you spent reading all of it, and thanks in advance for the hits you may give to me :)
See ya!
Der_Dusky ツ
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