RMT: Countering the Counters

[Angelic Diablo]

Skarmory@Leftovers/Shed Shell
Keen Eye
Impish Nature (+Def, -Sp Atk)
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Def, 6 Atk
-Whirlwind
-Spikes
-Drill Peck
-Roost

The king of defensive walls (IMO) and a nice lead with spikes, Shed Shell is a possible item to avoid Magnezone trapping it. Since there are common counters to Skarmory, it brings me to

Electivire@Life Orb/Expert Belt
Motor Drive
Adament Nature (+Atk, -Sp Atk)
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Spd, 6 HP
-Ice Punch
-Thunderpunch
-Earthquake
-Cross Chop

The electricity absorber, switch this guy onto an incoming electric attack on Skarm and activate Motor Drive, which allows him to sweep like nobodies business

Houndoom@Focus Sash
Flash Fire
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
EVs: 252 Sp Atk, 252 Spd, 6 HP
-Flamethrower
-Dark Pulse
-HP Ice
-Nasty Plot

Fire attack on Skarm, switch to this guy and he absorbs it, boosting his own Flamethrower in the process, Focus Sash gives him a chance to get one Nasty Plot in, even when facing Garchomp who would normally OHKO him

Blissey@Leftovers
Natural Cure
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Def, 6 Sp Def
-Seismic Toss
-Aromatherapy
-Thunderwave/Ice Beam
-Softboiled

The queen of special defense, possibly Ice Beam over Thunderwave so I don't set up opposing Electivire

Claydol@Leftovers/Light Clay
Levitate
Impish Nature (+Def, -Sp Atk)
EVs: 252 HP, 184 Def, 72 Atk
-Stealth Rock
-Rapid Spin
-Earthquake
-Light Screen/Reflect/Explosion

My rapid spinner/stealth rocker/Electivire counter, Last move is either a support screen (backed by Light Clay), or Explosion to give a last hurrah when Claydol is nearly done and out

Gengar@Wide Lens/Life Orb
Levitate
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
-Shadow Ball
-Energy Ball/Thunderbolt
-Focus Blast
-Hynosis

Rapid Spin blocker and Immunity over Blissey's weakness, if people don't like the Wide Lens on Gengar, I can switch it to Life Orb for more punch

 

[Samson]

having houndoom with hp ice + nasty plot is pointless. so what? you bring it in against Garchomp's Fire Blast, then use HP Ice? without nasty plot, i doubt it'll OHKO chomp. aside from that, you shouldn't give him focus sash if your only Rapid Spinner is weak to Ghost and doesn't have Ice Beam to hurt ghosts who try to block rapid spin.

you can use Focus Sash + Will-o-Wisp on Houndoom as a starter, but giving him focus sash when you can't get rid of Spikes/SRock effectively is a waste. let's not forget Heatran, who is becoming more popular by the second, and will scare your houndoom away just to get hurt by SRock again.

i think you're also forgetting that most pokemon suited to counter SkarmBliss have SubPunch, which is 2 free hits on anything that attempts to absorb attacks. if you really want to counter attempts to take out your walls, then you should probably use a Sub combo yourself.

 

[aragornbird]

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As usual with most people, your team can easily be 6-0ed by CBCross. You're also on very shaky ground with MixApe, who can easily bust through all your walls and lols at Houndoom.

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[Azonic]

Eh, there are much better physical walls than Skarmory... its HP is dreadfully low

 

[Angelic Diablo]

Hmm alright, how about I take Claydol out for Forretress

Forretress@Leftovers
Sturdy
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
EVs: 252 HP, 184 Def, 72 Atk
-Rapid Spin
-Gyro Ball
-Explosion
-Stealth Rock/Earthquake

As for the sub combo, maybe a Sub Passing Vap, or Sub Punching Breloom

 

[aragornbird]

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Eh, there are much better physical walls than Skarmory... its HP is dreadfully low

Uh no...even with all of the changes in D/P, Skarmory is still the premiere physical wall. Other Pokemon may have higher HP, but they don't even come close to the number of resistances that Skarmory has.

Hmm alright, how about I take Claydol out for Forretress

Forretress@Leftovers
Sturdy
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
EVs: 252 HP, 184 Def, 72 Atk
-Rapid Spin
-Gyro Ball
-Explosion
-Stealth Rock/Earthquake

As for the sub combo, maybe a Sub Passing Vap, or Sub Punching Breloom, but I wouldn't know who to replace

Redundancy alert!
You already have a Steel wall, you don't need another one. Forretress shares the same Fire weakness as Skarm and doesn't do a thing for your Heracross/Infernape weakness.

If you really need a Spinner, use Starmie, who at least solves your Infernape problem.

No need for a Sub combo. That's not gonna do anything.

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[Angelic Diablo]

Wow completely forgot that Starmie learns Rapid Spin, thanks for that Aragorn

I'm guessing Surf/Ice Beam/Thunderbolt/Rapid Spin.. or should I have recover in there so my Rapid Spinner doesn't fall easily

 

[Azonic]

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Uh no...even with all of the changes in D/P, Skarmory is still the premiere physical wall. Other Pokemon may have higher HP, but they don't even come close to the number of resistances that Skarmory has.

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Thats probably the only benefit Skarm has. I'm not saying its bad, I'm just saying its not too good. IMO.

Skarmory pwns Forretress any day.

Forry has a x4 weak to fire, and with all the Infernapes running around, that should be a problem for a physical wall.

 

[aragornbird]

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I'm guessing Surf/Ice Beam/Thunderbolt/Rapid Spin.. or should I have recover in there so my Rapid Spinner doesn't fall easily

Starmie @Leftovers
EVs: 236 HP / 56 SAtk / 216 Spd
Timid Nature
Natural Cure
-Surf
-Thunderbolt
-Rapid Spin
-Recover

Thats probably the only benefit Skarm has. I'm not saying its bad, I'm just saying its not too good. IMO.

*sigh* With comments like that, Penguinpal, you really need to learn more about competitive battling before giving other people advice.

Skarmory didn't become the most overused physical wall for three whole generations just by being "not good". You should know that having a "low" HP doesn't matter when you have amazing Defense. And it's HP isn't even that low to begin with. Plus, it's the only Pokemon that can Spike AND phaze, and Roost made it even better - giving it the ability to instantly heal itself as well as eliminate its Electric weakness for one turn.

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