"Death from Above!" v.2 (Shoddy RMT)

[ABYAY]

With the increasing activity of challengers for the EGL Shoddy League, I figured my team needed to be revamped to take on the many threats of the OU metagame. Rules of being a gym leader say that I must use 3 of the type that I control, which is Flying.

Now, here's the team.

The Thunder Cannon II (Zapdos) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 108 HP/140 Spd/252 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Extrasensory

The Thunder Cannon (Zapdos) gets a new set and some new moves. Fulfilling some of the same roles as ScarfMega, this thing at least won't end itself from SR. Speed hits about...405 or 6 (adjust if needed).
---
Physics Breaker (Skarmory) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP/58 Atk/200 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Brave Bird
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
- Roost

Some sturdiness to the team being my physical wall.
---
Why can't I have Roost? (Gyarados) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 218 HP/16 Atk/132 Def/144 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
- Earthquake

The arguing Gyarados over it not getting Roost returns, more ticked than ever. EV spread gives me more than enough speed after a DD to outpace base 115s like Starmie and Raikou. This also helps against Weavile since below...
---
Kingdra (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/6 SAtk
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Electric]
- Surf
- Sleep Talk
- Rest

MixApe AND Gyarados counter replaces Hariyama. I should call it Dark_Kingdra since D_A told me about it. Sniper > Swift Swim...I guess. It really causes some damage if I get a crit on something coming in.
---
Devastation of Mind (Swampert) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP/252 Atk/6 Def
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Stone Edge
- Waterfall

CB Swampert makes a return to another team as a hard hitter. I don't know what Electivire is with this unless it has HP Grass.
---
Bruce (Blissey) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 42 HP/252 Def/216 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Seismic Toss
- Toxic
- Wish
- Protect

Luckily, WishBliss isn't illegal on my server, and it works like a charm for this team. Toxic > T-Wave since Bulky Waters can kinda stall me.
---

Weaknesses: Tyranitar poses a threat, but I can beat them with prediction, depending on the set. Point out other weaks that you see.

 

[hamir]

With the increasing activity of challengers for the EGL Shoddy League, I figured my team needed to be revamped to take on the many threats of the OU metagame. Rules of being a gym leader say that I must use 3 of the type that I control, which is Flying.

Now, here's the team.

You're in a lot of pain (Yanmega) (F) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 252 Spd/252 SAtk/6 SDef
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Bug Buzz
- Air Slash
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Hypnosis

Ew, this set puts me off, either way it's gonna get walled by blissey so, speedboost yanmega all the way....k I understand it's your choice. :P

You're in a lot of pain (ScarfMega) is back again as my lead for another round. Tinted Lens ensures 2HKOing on some things I normally wouldn't kill if it switched in. HP Ground is for Heatran and Magnezone mainly, but if they show their face, Probopass and Aggron as well. Also, I know it's unusual, but I won't try Hypnosis until mid-game due to awareness of sleep talkers.
---
Physics Breaker (Skarmory) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP/58 Atk/200 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Brave Bird
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
- Roost

yeah looks standard as ever =P good

Some sturdiness to the team being my physical wall.
---
Why can't I have Roost? (Gyarados) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 218 HP/16 Atk/132 Def/144 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang/taunt
- Earthquake/Stone edge

The arguing Gyarados over it not getting Roost returns, more ticked than ever. EV spread gives me more than enough speed after a DD to outpace base 115s like Starmie and Raikou. This also helps against Weavile since below...

Umm, you can try taunt if you like to.
---
Kingdra (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/6 SAtk
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Electric]
- Surf
- Sleep Talk
- Rest

MixApe AND Gyarados counter replaces Hariyama. I should call it Dark_Kingdra since D_A told me about it. Sniper > Swift Swim...I guess. It really causes some damage if I get a crit on something coming in.

Hmm...I'll pass this, I don't know if this set is really that good. It counters Dos for sure.

Bulldozer (Donphan) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 172 HP/252 Atk/86 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Ice Shard
- Rapid Spin

CB Donphan is like CB Swampert; highly unexpected. It can spin as well if I manage to get it out on the field unscathed.

Mmmk---
---
Bruce (Blissey) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 42 HP/252 Def/216 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Seismic Toss
- Toxic
- Wish
- Protect

Luckily, WishBliss isn't illegal on my server, and it works like a charm for this team. Toxic > T-Wave since Bulky Waters can kinda stall me.
---

Alright

Weaknesses: Tyranitar poses a threat, but I can beat them with prediction, depending on the set. Point out other weaks that you see.

Great team overall

SD yache garchomp will give you some trouble, oh well, it gives every team a bit of trouble anyways.
CB gallade hurts this team >>
CB machamp also I think...

 

[ABYAY]

Comment about Yanmega: What Yanmega ISN'T walled by Blissey? (Don't even say Reversal. lol) Also, Speed Boost these days is overrated. Everyone expects it, and then it's easily countered. With Tinted Lens, I can 2HKO some switch-ins that Speed Boost can't. Also, with Scarf, I can take out Ninjask 1st turn. (unless it Protects)

SD Yache Chomp: I have two revenges to said Chomp, but yeah, I don't have much that can switch into it.
CB Gallade: Rare, but yeah, I can see it posing problems. I can use prediction though.
CB Machamp: Same as Gallade.

Thanks much for the critique.

 

[Mystery2009]

umm yea......nothing stands out except the wierd sets(but one mans wierd is another mans genious....ask the history channel they will tell you)

overall good
only thing getting me is the erm point of the team, what are you trying to acomplish
it just dosent standout

looks defensive but isnt stall so ill say its bulky perhaps

watchout for trio switcins on bliss


(i got nothing)

 

[hamir]

Well...neither yanmega is bad tbh. Speed boost yammy is a good end game sweeper. It depends on your playing style.

Like I said blissey walls it like there's no tomorrow, I would obviously switch my blissey in to yanmega to see what ability it has rather then switch something that takes NVSE damage, once they know, you are screwed. Speed boost does have a upper hand over tinted lens.

 

[ABYAY]

The team doesn't hold a plot. It's just here to have 3 flying types for my gym, nothing special. It's like my other teams; generic playstyle with some strange movesets.

 

[Mystery2009]

not ever having a team that hasnt had a purpose im not familar with this


one thing you can do is exploit e vire

or*cough*be as cheap with skarmbliss as humanly possible

excuse me allergies acting up

where was i going with this...owell stupid allergies

 

[Samson]

i love tintend lens on yanmega, but scarf? you crazy. if a counter is to switch in, they are either a special wall, a status absorber, they have a resistance, or they carry scarf themselves. so 3/4 of the time, having scarf does not help you. carrying scarf on a set that relies on surprise killing is silly. just give it wide lens, leftovers, focus sash, or life orb. it'll be able to manage without scarf (and it does it well, take it from me).

other than that, your team looks good. love the kingdra. also, think you should consider wacan berry on gyarados. nothing wrong with leftovers, but when gyara doesn't have taunt, he really needs a second DD and common surprises are almost always in store to counter him.

 

[ABYAY]

well you see Samson, Scarf has an extreme surprise value, especially on the monotone society of Pokemon battling where standards don't expect such things. If there's a Weavile, there isn't now since I don't think CB Ice Shard OHKOs (might have to double check that.), but it gets the gun on some things that would use Protect on a Speed Boost variant a turn to set up, such as subbing Jolteon. Also, Ninjask will have no time to pass any stats unless it has Protect.

Thanks for suggestion about Gyara. I DO have Wish support, so it could work.

 

[Samson]

not using speed boost yanmega has enough surprise value. from there, your opponent would have to figure out whether it carries specs, scarf, orb, leftovers or some other unknown alternative. you want it to be effective because of it's surprise value? you've already done that with it's ability. now just give it the ability to make up for its losses by not limiting it to scarf. those examples of ninjask and jolteon defeat the emphasis when they come in to find that it doesn't have speed boost anyway. all you can ask for in that situation is that you've predicted correctly in getting a super effective hit for the OHKO, which is no different than running specs except the fact that specs will do more damage and manage to 2HKO on ineffective attacks. the only added benefit of scarf is not being afraid of fragile sweepers who most likely won't make way into battle until much later while there are plenty of drawbacks to it having scarf. specs allows you to hit much harder, allowing you to ohko those fragile sweepers, 2hko things you would not otherwise be able to 2hko, and do more damage to those with x4 resistances. the only drawback is that you'd have to switch out against faster sweepers that survive, which you'd be able to handle with your team anyway.

so i digress, choice scarf is not the way to go. specs would give it a lot more versatility as opposed to the limitedness it gets from wearing scarf.

 

[Ársa]

i love tintend lens on yanmega, but scarf? you crazy. if a counter is to switch in, they are either a special wall, a status absorber, they have a resistance, or they carry scarf themselves. so 3/4 of the time, having scarf does not help you. carrying scarf on a set that relies on surprise killing is silly. just give it wide lens, leftovers, focus sash, or life orb. it'll be able to manage without scarf (and it does it well, take it from me).

other than that, your team looks good. love the kingdra. also, think you should consider wacan berry on gyarados. nothing wrong with leftovers, but when gyara doesn't have taunt, he really needs a second DD and common surprises are almost always in store to counter him.

That's the point of Tinted Lens is it not? >_<

@Yanmega being walled by Blissey: Thankyou for stating the obvious, if Blissey didn't do that, then it wouldn't be used...It's a Special Wall, to counter Special Sweepers...

@Mystery: Watch out for Duggy switches to Blissey? orly? Thankyou for that useful information... (Seriously, of course you've got to 'watch out', but there's nothing you can do about it if you don't know they have one...')

Keep the Yanmega set ABY, but I see Suicune walling you, actually, all Bulky waters walling you. A Roar set will always go before Skarm, so you cannot safely phaze it. Gyara doesn't like taking boosted Surf's either, and can't do much to Suicune without a few DD's, at which point it'd be too late.

~T_S

 

[ABYAY]

Would Hypnosis still be a viable option? I mean, I'm losing a ton of speed, and I can't lead or sleep other leads very easily if I lose that. Yanmega also functions as my revenge killer when needed.

Yeah...Suicune has always been a trouble for my teams, especially with Rest to their name.

 

[Ársa]

Choice Scarf Zapdos perhaps?

Zapdos@Choice Scarf
Modest
160 HP, 252 Sp. Atk, 96 Spd

Thunderbolt
Thunder Wave/Roar
Hidden Power GROUND/ICE
Extrasensory/U-Turn

Thunder Wave is great here. HP GROUND is so you still have the Metagross/Heatran satisfaction. Extrasensory is for Gengar and Infernape leads mainly, but U-Turn can still cause quite a stir to Tyranitar, Weavile, Gengar, Breloom etc, and let you scout easily. Also can do fairly decently against Suicune. Roar if you must, but I don't see the point, just putting it there for the cune mainly.

~T_S

 

[ABYAY]

Is this > Yanmega I'm guessing? It makes me think Scarf Moltres for some odd reason, but it does counter Togekiss and Suicune well. I may go T-bolt/Extrasensory/Roar/U-Turn, but HP Ground would be nice over U-Turn.

 

[Ársa]

I don't much like Roar actually, not many people will try to roar skarm, you just need to get in early so that it can't OHKO you with surf.

~T_S

 

[.]

Is this > Yanmega I'm guessing? It makes me think Scarf Moltres for some odd reason, but it does counter Togekiss and Suicune well. I may go T-bolt/Extrasensory/Roar/U-Turn, but HP Ground would be nice over U-Turn.

ScarfMoltres is awesome, I use one, and since Zapdos is bulkier than Moltres, it'll likely be able to pull off a Scarf very nicely.

HP Ground isn't really needed. You already do a ton with EQ, go HP Ice so dragons don't wall you.

Discharge/U-Turn/HP Ice/Sleep Talk OR Roar OR Extrasensory

Does nicely against the common leads of today.

 

[ABYAY]

About Zapdos, since it's a great revenger with Scarf, I'll just drop Roar for HP Ice. Gyarados can deal with Magz on the revenge. Heatran is also stopped by Gyarados if they're non HP Electric variants.

I've made my changes, so now, this is v2.2

 

[Ársa]

Good idea, because it also opens it up as a great Dragon Revenge killer, which Yanmega couldn't do running HP GROUND. Zapdos is also bulkier, and doesn't take 50% from Stealth Rock, although 25% still hurts, it's not as bad.

@Blissey: I don't like Seismic Toss on the Wish-Bliss set. Gengar, who you should be walling, isn't effected by Toxic, and you can't even do damage with Seismic Toss. I just think Flamethrower would probably be better, as it can be a pretty decent threat, especially if you aren't using Blissey to T-Wave it.

~T_S

 

[Syaoran]

Mismagius can come on an expected Wish and start setting up under a sub. I'm not that keen on Donphan, TTar with Ice Beam still gives you huge trouble (and a lot of them are carrying it). Gyara nowadays should have more ATK imo, otherwise he's easily getting walled.

 

[Ársa]

Sya makes a good point. You already have Skarmory as your wall, and Gyarados is fairly bulky enough to take quite a few physical hits. You should consider removing Donphan for something that can cover other weaknesses. This can combine well with Gyarados and stops Suicune cold (if played correctly), as well as most other stat uppers.

Alakazam@Leftovers
Timid
24 HP, 248 Sp. Atk, 236 Spd
Synchronize

Encore
Substitute
Psychic
Hidden Power BUG

This loves Celebi, Cresselia, Gengar, Azelf etc. Anything that it can outspeed is in a fair bit of trouble. Basically, your opponent switches in Suicune, and even though you know they'll stat up, you switch in Alakazam and allow them that anyway. Then Encore the Calm Mind's, and switch to a physical attacker that can take it on. (i.e. Gyarados switches in, then Taunts Suicune, so it must switch or it struggles, then you Dragon Dance up either way.)

Same goes for the likes of Breloom, Garchomp etc. Basically, anything that doesn't get a speed boost that surpasses Alakazam can be set up upon.

~T_S