Peaked at 1st On Shoddy Ladder...

[Ársa]

INTRODUCTION:
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Well here is a team that got me to 1st on the Shoddy ladder sometime last week. It's been working wonders for me. I'm posting it here so Anti and Aquilae can call me nobber.

OVERVIEW:
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THE TEAM:
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Heatran@Leftovers
Modest
54 HP, 240 Sp. Atk, 216 Spd

Taunt
Stealth Rock
Fire Blast
Dragon Pulse

This is a beast of a lead. Basically, Bronzong is screwed to begin with. Normally, the threat of a Choice Scarf is enough to scare away Gengar, allowing me to SR and see their Heatran counter. This loves it's resistences, and can usually get the ball rolling with SR.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Celebi@Leftovers
Bold
252 HP, 220 Def, 36 Spd

Grass Knot
Recover
Leech Seed
Reflect

Counter Gyarados and Swampert extrememly well. This is another fighting resist for the team, and combines well with Gyarados to form the physical walling for my team. I was originally running U-Turn, but I found I had a rather bad LO DD Gyarados weakness, so Reflect went in so I can stall it out.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Gyarados@Leftovers
Impish
212 HP, 8 Atk, 184 Def, 106 Spd

Rest
Sleep Talk
Dragon Dance
Waterfall

Basically, this switches in on resistences, and also Intimidates physical attackers. This is remarkably only 3HKO'd by Choice Band Heracross Stone Edge after Intimidate, and I can just Rest off the damage and outstall it. This new set still is only 3HKO'd by Heracross, but now outspeeds non + Tyranitar before a DD, and Garchomp after a DD.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Blissey@Leftovers
Calm
252 Def, 176 Sp. Def, 80 Sp. Atk
Natural Cure

Wish
Ice Beam
Thunder Wave
Seismic Toss

Obligatory Special Wall. Thunder Wave is great to halt sweepers such as Gengar and Deoxys-E. A Blissey without Seismic Toss is...lol IMO. Wish provides support to Garchomp and Alakazam, who can do with it due to subbing etc. Ice Beam means that Garchomp switching into a Thunder Wave won't get such an easy SD on the expected switch. It also keeps Dugtrio at bay.
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Garchomp@Yache Berry/Leftovers
Jolly
252 Atk, 252 Spd, 6 HP

Swords Dance
Substitute/Fire Fang/Fire Blast
Dragon Claw
Earthquake

Simple Garchomp set. Yache hasn't seen much use lately, so Leftovers can certainly be an option, even more so if I choose to use Substitute. Pretty self explanitory.
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Alakazam@Leftovers
Timid
24 HP, 248 Sp. Atk, 236 Spd

Substitute
Psychic
Encore
Hidden Power BUG

I absolutely adore this. Basically switches into a status user. (i.e. Blissey, Cresselia) then subs. They use Thunder Wave, but Sub protects me. Usually Blissey users then proceed to try and Seismic Toss me, but I Encore their Thunder Wave, then switch in Garchomp for an easy set up. HP BUG hits Weavile, Alakazam, Celebi etc for great damage, and isn't expected. This combines very well with Garchomp, as stated previously, and is an integral part of the team, allowing me to freely switch when needed, as long as I predict correctly.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

~Current Problems/Slight Problems~

• LO DD Gyarados if Celebi is gone.
• Baton Passing Smeargle if Alakazam is gone.
• Slight SD Weavile weakness. (Can be outplayed)
• Slight Tyranitar weakness. (Can be outplayed)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

So, the team currently has a high ranking of 1st on Shoddy. Looking to improve it, and I believe it has great potential. Looking for opinions.

Regards,
~T_S

 

[Archer]

Smeargle is so fragile that most Stab hits can bring it down. Even for Spore variants, Gyara can absorb sleep. An unDDed Waterfall should fell it. Before anyone decides to correct me by telling me it has focus sash, it is still slow and vulnerable and you can hit it before it passes.

Maybe you'll have to rely on SR, recoil and stalling with your Gyara to bring it down. 25% on entry, 10% after each attack, stall for 3 turns and it has 55% HP. A Strong Stab attack should be able to do the rest.
Encore on a DD if you can predict it. Is Alakazam still faster after one DD?

 

[Anti]

I used that Celebi only with HP Ice over Leech Seed, and it was still one of the best stallers I've ever used. The thing hasn't lost much power from Advance where it was near-uber, wow...

Nice team, finally some love for Alakazam, who really deserves it. Really the only weakness I see you have at all is Tyranitar and to an extent Deoxys-S. Making any replacements would be more of a hindrance than a help so I'll just leave it.

 

[Archer]

Quick question T_S, did you think that Alakazam set up? Because I've seen it doing the rounds on Smogon...
If not, I just had the impression that you did... Nevermind.

 

[Ársa]

I used it on Shoddy, and someone asked me the set, then posted it there as their own I believe...>_>

Thanks Anti. HP ICE would be an option I suppose, DD Salamence has been an issue, after Gyarados goes (mostly from crits), reflect and leech seed are the only true options to countering it. I don't actually have a fast revenge killer, but I haven't found the need much lately, and after 2 DD's, Gyarados is decent at sweeping anywho.

Deoxys isn't all that hard to predict. As long as they can't predict a Blissey switch, usually I can get a T-Wave on them without Superpower KO'ing me. Non shadow ball varients hate Alakazam, so meh.

Tyranitar hasn't really been an issue tbh. Garchomp revenge kills it rather easily, Stone Edge is a....2HKO on Gyarados after intimidate, and Choice Band sets are rather easy to get around. Life Orb sets just open up a Gyarados stall, before in comes Garchomp after it gets to around 60-70%, for an easy revenge kill. As I said, Gyarados outspeeds non jolly/hasty tyranitar and can 2HKO with waterfall. Alakazam is still faster than Tar after a DD, and encores it.

~T_S

 

[.]

Mismagius could be a little bit of a problem, but then that thing is to every team.

Other than that, no glaring weaknesses at all, very nice job.

 

[Ársa]

lol, I've seen you posting Mismagius as a problem in almost every post I've seen from you. :P

Alakazam can come in on a Calm Mind/Sub and encore it, Blissey walls it rather easily, while passing Wish's to others, and non HP FIGHTING varients will have trouble with Heatran, who can simply Taunt it.

~T_S

 

[.]

lol, I've seen you posting Mismagius as a problem in almost every post I've seen from you. :P

Alakazam can come in on a Calm Mind/Sub and encore it, Blissey walls it rather easily, while passing Wish's to others, and non HP FIGHTING varients will have trouble with Heatran, who can simply Taunt it.

~T_S

My friend has been using it, and it's scary as hell. Nothing on your team really likes it's attacks, especially if it gets a CM =/

 

[Ársa]

But did you not read my post? Alakazam outspeeds and Encores it, then subs and KO's.

~T_S

 

[.]

But did you not read my post? Alakazam outspeeds and Encores it, then subs and KO's.

~T_S

What I mean by Missy is if it gets in a sub. It's easy for Missy to get in a sub, of course, once it Shadow Balls, you could bring in Blissey, but she cannot do anything to Missy.

 

[Ársa]

ALAKAZAM CAN ENCORE SUBSTITUTE AND CALM MIND. THE FIRST THING PEOPLE WILL DO IS CALM MIND ONCE THEY GET IN A SUB. ALAKAZAM COMES IN ON HIDDEN POWER FIGHTING ALSO, AND ALSO ENCORES THAT, THEN SUBS AND PROCEEDS TO RESTORE HEALTH AND KO WITH PSYCHIC. MISMAGIUS IS NOT AS BIG A PROBLEM AS YOU ARE MAKING IT OUT. GYARADOS DOESN'T CARE IF MISSY DOESN'T HAVE MORE THAN 1 CM OR T-BOLT, AND HEATRAN TAUNTS IT AND KO'S WITH FIRE BLAST WITHOUT HP FIGHT.

~T_S

 

[Archer]

Fight, fight, fight....
Just out of curiousity, does Heatran see much play later on? Or does it usually meet an early demise?

 

[.]

ALAKAZAM CAN ENCORE SUBSTITUTE AND CALM MIND. THE FIRST THING PEOPLE WILL DO IS CALM MIND ONCE THEY GET IN A SUB. ALAKAZAM COMES IN ON HIDDEN POWER FIGHTING ALSO, AND ALSO ENCORES THAT, THEN SUBS AND PROCEEDS TO RESTORE HEALTH AND KO WITH PSYCHIC. MISMAGIUS IS NOT AS BIG A PROBLEM AS YOU ARE MAKING IT OUT. GYARADOS DOESN'T CARE IF MISSY DOESN'T HAVE MORE THAN 1 CM OR T-BOLT, AND HEATRAN TAUNTS IT AND KO'S WITH FIRE BLAST WITHOUT HP FIGHT.

~T_S

ROFL T_S. If you read my post, I said it is nothing more than a "little bit of a problem"

Nice job with the CAPS though, I laughed a bit.

 

[Ársa]

Fight, fight, fight....
Just out of curiousity, does Heatran see much play later on? Or does it usually meet an early demise?

It does matter of fact. (I'm not stupid and leave it to be killed vs CB Salamence, if that's what you mean) I like to use it for resistences, and it can switch into a CB Outrage from Garchomp and KO with Dragon Pulse. (I like it over HP ICE because it gives better neutral coverage)

ROFL T_S. If you read my post, I said it is nothing more than a "little bit of a problem"

Nice job with the CAPS though, I laughed a bit.

Yep, what I was aiming for... ;) :P

 

[Archer]

It does matter of fact. (I'm not stupid and leave it to be killed vs CB Salamence, if that's what you mean) I like to use it for resistences, and it can switch into a CB Outrage from Garchomp and KO with Dragon Pulse. (I like it over HP ICE because it gives better neutral coverage)



Yep, what I was aiming for... ;) :P

Yes, I expect you to do something like that...XD Really, I just got the impression from the PL RMT that it didn't last long. Anyway, how is it outspeeding Chomp after a switch in? Or taking another Outrage? Does it take two?

 

[Anti]

Sorry KT but T_S is right on that. It's pretty much bringing in blissey to make it try to set up, switch in Zam, and Encore so Gyarados can take it out. It's a rather difficult way of doing things but it would probably work, unless the Missy user was a psychic.

As for Tyranitar, Garchomp can switch in once but takes a load of damage. Ice Beam is also a real problem, and it's pretty common actually. Gyarados can't really do much if it's asleep (unless luck is on your side). It's not really a ZOMG TARZ GONNA SWEEP JOOR TEAM kind of thing, but it could cause problems (thoguh sand veil activation is obviously helpful on Garchomp).

Specs Dugtrio >>> Celetran!!!!!!

 

[Ársa]

>_< I was lead by D_A that it was a 100% chance to OHKO non Yache Garchomp, only to find out there is only a 37% chance, making me look like a fool on Smogon. O_O

~T_S

 

[Archer]

>_< I was lead by D_A that it was a 100% chance to OHKO non Yache Garchomp, only to find out there is only a 37% chance, making me look like a fool on Smogon. O_O

~T_S

Shouldn't be a problem if you factor in SR, should it?

 

[Ársa]

The fact is, he didn't mention that, it was simply 'OHKO's Non Yache Chomp 100% of the time'. >_<

But, back on track with the team, anything you can see being a problem? I can see Heatran being the possible weak link here, but I still love it, it does the job effectively, and hasn't put a foot wrong in any of my battles. (Amazing that the 'weak link' is very effective, isn't it? lol)

~T_S

 

[Archer]

The fact is, he didn't mention that, it was simply 'OHKO's Non Yache Chomp 100% of the time'. >_<

But, back on track with the team, anything you can see being a problem? I can see Heatran being the possible weak link here, but I still love it, it does the job effectively, and hasn't put a foot wrong in any of my battles. (Amazing that the 'weak link' is very effective, isn't it? lol)

~T_S

Never trust D_A... Simple. Besides, If he used Metalkid's, it's wrong.