SM OU Gravity Storm (Introduction to Gravity teams in OU: STORM pokemons) #1963

Are hail teams or gravity teams cooler?

  • Hail of course

    Votes: 30 30.3%
  • Gravity is 100% heat

    Votes: 69 69.7%

  • Total voters
    99

Ktütverde

of course
is a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Former Smogon Metagame Tournament Circuit Champion

Artwork from Smogon University, Gravity Starmie

Hey guys!
Ktutverde is back for a new weird, competitively questionable, but really enjoyable OU team!!
Let me show you my later favourite team, that required so much time but happens to work.
Here is a semistall team based on the odd concept of.... gravity.

I call gravity users and abusers STORMs.


GRAVITY STORM







Introduction to gravity and STORMs

Gravity: for 5 turns, every pokemon becomes grounded. Accuracy from every move is multiplied by 1.67, so the lowest accuracy that becomes 100% under gravity is 60%: hypnosis and more accurate moves can't miss.

Here are different ways of taking advantage of gravity's benefits...
1)Earthquake spam
Under gravity, every pokemon is affected by earthquake. The only resists to ground (flying and levitate become neutral) are bug and grass. But as most of you know, ferrothorn, scizor, amoonguss too have a secondary typing that is weak to ground, so the list of earthquake absorbers becomes smaller. I chose not to build around this concept because Tangrowth and Bulu are way too popular and Zygarde does the ground spam with 1k arrows without gravity...



STORMchomp (Garchomp) @ Choice Scarf / Choice Band
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
- Stone Edge


2)You can't fly above spikes
With gravity, pokemons like skarmory are hurt by spikes. Toxic spikes become a real nightmare for flying/levitating pokemons that usually help teams deal with T-spikes teams.



FORRESTORM (Forretress) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Gravity
- Toxic Spikes
- Spikes
- Rapid Spin


3)Abuse low accuracy moves
Hypnosis gengar, focus blast alakazam, sing chansey become reliable strategies.
Gravity+Thunder+Blizzard+Hydropump is a really cool starmie set that a friend of mine Tynoo used in BW2 and called: STORMIE.



STORMIE (Starmie) @ Life Orb
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Gravity
- Blizzard
- Thunder
- Hydro Pump


I focused on what I think is the most rewarding strategy in OU : hurricane spam+dugtrio under gravity. I really think gravity can be awesome in UU and will give it a try too if you don't before :)



Team building process


To be honest, I have tried all the listed Gravity strategies listed above. I had some success in ORAS OU with a double scarfed team based on Gravity Ferrothorn+Scarf Landorus+Scarf Garchomp. Zygarde made it a bit obsolete.

So I decided to put extremely bulky Gravity users together and find a pokemon able to sweep like Stormie. But that thing had to be fast and have almost unresisted stab. My first pick was 120stabs specs keldeo (but it doesn't need gravity that much), then Banded Garchomp, and eventually, a pokemon able to keep healthy and come multiple times: Specs Tornadus.



I originally paired it with double120stabs Specs Keldeo so as to overwhelm the opponent.



A gravity setter must have many resistances or fat bulk so as to come on a large portion of the metagame safely and activate Gravity.
Here are the best users, by far and sharing some synergy : this is not a stall team aimed at walling the whole meta but a team tanking hits and waiting for KO opportunities!

+
+


Then came the Toxic-spikes absorber+setter (mandatory is a gravity team according to... me, believe me)



Here is a decent team. However I had said a promise: my team had to beat stall 99% of the time. Chansey was way too annoying, and I sometime struggled versus celesteela (no safe answer to it!)

So I got rid of keldeo and nidoqueen and put the safest celesteela switchin as a toxic spikes absorber/setter and an answer to chansey that is really funny under gravity....

+



Here is my most successful gravity team that never lost versus stall and deals quite well with Offense, Balance, and can wear down HO if played well with haze, toxic spikes and tornadus!



The Team


Let's start with STORMs that don't carry gravity (a STORM is my word for a pokemon working well under gravity)



STORMnadus (Tornadus-Therian) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Speed / -Atk)

- Hurricane
- Heat Wave
- U-turn
- Knock Off

The Gravity Hero
STORM tornadusT is a nightmare under gravity. You just click specs hurricane and watch something faint. Sometimes it's hard to bring it, but whenever it comes something dies, that's all. Regenerator is what makes it unique, since it allows the team not to run hazard remover (there's no time to set up gravity and do something else at the same time, I'll say a bit more in ferrothorn's description)

Heatwave is my answer to ferrothorn and skarmory when they are full health and that I can't get gravity up. Timid because a -Def nature means tapu bulu KOs and 100% kill from +2 pinsir.

252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Hurricane vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-Therian: 288-340 (90.2 - 106.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock

252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Hurricane vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Zygarde: 250-295 (69.8 - 82.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Hurricane vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Skarmory: 159-187 (47.7 - 56.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Hurricane vs. 252 HP / 64 SpD Toxapex: 169-199 (55.5 - 65.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Black Sludge recovery

252 SpA Choice Specs Tornadus-Therian Hurricane vs. 248 HP / 144+ SpD Sableye-Mega: 171-202 (56.4 - 66.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock




WrapSTORM (Dugtrio) @ Groundium Z
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature (+Speed / -spA)
IVs: 21 HP
- Earthquake
- Screech
- Substitute
- Toxic

100% trap under gravity
This pokemon is quite controversial: I don't think it's broken, what is broken is SPL stall and every hardstall that are able to take on the whole metagame and trap the few things that can break it (heatran, kyurem, hoopa, lele).
Dugtrio is here as an answer to Heatran, chansey and celesteela that are way to annoying for my team. Yes, you read celesteela. Don't forget Gravity's effects!

GroundiumZ because I don't have hazard remover and to OHKO toxapex!

252 Atk Dugtrio Tectonic Rage (180 BP) vs. 252 HP / 192+ Def Toxapex: 272-324 (89.4 - 106.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock

252 Atk Dugtrio Tectonic Rage (180 BP) vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Tyranitar: 452-534 (132.1 - 156.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Under gravity:
252 Atk Dugtrio Tectonic Rage (180 BP) vs. 252 HP / 132+ Def Celesteela: 384-452 (96.4 - 113.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock




VenomSTORM (Toxapex) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 192 Def / 64 SpD
Bold Nature (+Def / -Atk)
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Haze
- Recover
- Toxic Spikes

Eating poison spikes
Toxic spikes is a must under gravity, but there is something way more important: it is actually mandatory: being grounded and poison type, in a word, being a T-spikes absorber. Tornadus really hates being poisoned (remember, Tornadus is affected by spikes under gravity).
My former teams lost so much vs mimikyu, sableye and celesteela that I had to use this cool guy!




Now comes the Gravity Core !



Peanut zone (Ferrothorn) @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature (+Def / -Atk)
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gravity
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball

Get rocks up and start setting Gravity up
Ferrothorn is the most awesome gravity pokemon. Indeed, Ferro is a 3 slot pokemon: it does its job in 3 slots. So Gravity is always a cool alternative to powerwhip and knock off. I hope to see it finding more use!
Gyroball because I don't have any unaware wall and no Revenge Killer, so Gyroball is better vs Pinsir and Mimikyu...

About momentum....
You may wonder why isn't ferrothorn running spikes. It's a matter of momentum. Either you play a hazard stacking ferro, but then you don't have time to set up gravity. Its job is to get rocks quickly turn1 vs greninja or landorus, and then click gravity throughout the battle! Note that you should set up gravity only when you expect tornadus to come in the coming 4 turns!! (or an opposing landorus on toxic spikes...)





Galileo (Cresselia) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature (+Def / -Atk)
IVs: 0 Atk
- Gravity
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Beam
- Moonlight

Don't forget that your opponent can spam Earthquake under gravity...
Yeah, and that's why you need something very, very bulky to eat earthquakes from OU behemoths: Cresselia is the safest counter to Z LandorusT thanks to a Bold spread and Ice beam. Some articles talk about using Tangrowth or shaymin as anti-EQ spam: but they don't help much since they provide nothing else and lose to Z fly...

Cresselia is the best Gravity User by far due to titanic bulk, and ground immunity: look, you can set up gravity in the face of medicham mega! T-wave because my team is quite weak to set up sweepers...




Newton (Chansey) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature (+Def / -Atk)
IVs: 0 Atk
- Gravity
- Soft-Boiled
- Seismic Toss
- Healing Wish

Call it Chansey Offense
Yeeeh, first time I use this guy!! That team was originally some kind of Chansey Gravity offense which was quite hilarious. Chansey is the only gravity user able to counter zardY and greninja at the same time which is useful since both threaten Tornadus (hurricane accuracy drop under sun). Healing wish because I use it very aggressively and sometimes sack it so as to heal and get a tornadus sweep!!!




Replays


Most feature a tornadus sweep vs stall, and we like this, don't we?

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-606929891 : how to get 6 kills with tornadus
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-606940149 : destroying some cancer balance team
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-606953418 : a close one vs paycard's team (celesteela+spdef Toxa is too much)
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-607764477 : beating ben gay's team but I couldn't activate gravity

Older (with nidoking , keldeo etc):

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-606870397 : nidoking/sableye/dug mindgames
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-606878643 : tornadus just needs sableye weakened to start a sweep

Check Ktutverde's replays!



Pinsir-Mega: you have to sack cresselia so as to get a paralysis+icebeam, and say: god help me, so pinsir misses and you can haze or heatwave it. Yeah I'm a proplayer. I mean, changing stuff so as to fix the pinsir issue makes no sense as far as I can see (Gravity Regirock yeeeh)

Spike stacking+greninja: if chansey faints or is weakened, greninja just sweeps the whole team after battle bond, but cmon just keep softboiling and wait greninja-ash is banned

The team has no real weakness but can lose to combos, HO for exemple. You can't straight up lose since the STORMwalls can set up Gravity before fainting and allow Tornadus to RK and sweep!



Shoutouts


To smogon first! How it all started: Gravity Guide
I encourage you to have a look !!

Well, I'll tag all the people I like, wether I chat and build with them everyday, know from discord, rooms or just have battled with. People that I don't know much but I have respect for don't be surprised if you see your name!
(If I forget someone I'm really sorry, when you are writing you don't have a comprehensive thought)

Jinover : I would have probably stopped playing this game if you didn't pm me early SM. Building with you and just chatting and ghosting makes ladder way funnier!
Ahzee : my best friend with Jinover, definitely. Somebody who wants to play my hail teams is something rare too :)
LBLOL7 , michy47 , 0Nl , S Poire, Dapex , Cdumas , Zycross : wether I often speak with you or just talk from time to time, you are members of our PLOP team!
Simiatic : well looks like we aren't friends anymore but we have once been so I tag you!
Kickasser : hi fren I hope you'll like this RMT!
Haken : were you waiting for this post fren? :)
Lifeisaroll : I will never forget you
-Niko- : man I saw you joined smogtours, I'll maybe try it if I have enough time!
Miguelmart : I guess it's Maybe Win's new account. I hope we'll see again, ORAS was so fun with you!
-Snow : I know we never talk to each other but you are the only Toplevel player that coached my hail team and me for some hours early ORAS when I still was a terrible player . I will never forget this moment Snow! I haven't joined tournaments yet but I know you are there to show them all that cool teams are the best!!!
blarghlfarghl : wow bro you have been so cool with me, half my RMT feedback comes from you I guess. Keep being the cool guy you are and see you soon! (Remember that battle where tornadus and keldeo destroy the guy you said was good? :)
I hope I haven't forgotten anybody!


STORMnadus (Tornadus-Therian) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave
- U-turn
- Knock Off

VenomSTORM (Toxapex) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 192 Def / 64 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Haze
- Recover
- Toxic Spikes

WrapSTORM (Dugtrio) @ Groundium Z
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 21 HP
- Earthquake
- Screech
- Substitute
- Toxic

Peanut zone (Ferrothorn) @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gravity
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball

Galileo (Cresselia) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Gravity
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Beam
- Moonlight

Newton (Chansey) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Gravity
- Soft-Boiled
- Seismic Toss
- Healing Wish



Final words


This team isn't the one I've used the most, but is the accomplishment of weeks of gravity tests. It is quite easy to use once you understand the mechanisms hidden behind this weird team. I am not a big fan of teams that are good in 1700 and once get to 1900: no, this teams has remained above 1900 as long as I have used it and is therefore a solid one to me, so spending days of +4 to peak 1 is really not worth it.


Have fun destroying stall teams friends!


 
Awesome team! I really love the creativity that went into this, and specs tornadus is such a monster even without the gravity boost. One suggestion I have it to run Lunar Dance --> Moonlight on Cresselia. This way you have 2 healing wishes at your disposal to keep Tornadus alive. Also maybe try running Mental Herb on Ferrothorn to guaruntee that you get rocks/gravity up.
 
hey ktut, thanks for the shoutout! I like the team, but I've never liked the idea of a random chansey despite its healing wish. Another thing I discovered while using the team is that it's incredibly weak to sableye, especially if it's on a non-full stall/passive team. This is why I think you should replace chansey with clefable, as it also gets healing wish and gravity and provides a switchin to sab. Another thing is that your team kinda gets nuked by zard y + dugtrio type teams, so I'd consider running shed shell on toxapex.
 

Metal Sonic

Resurgence
is a Tutor Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
Love it! The team is so cute!

Has Gravity always had its accuracy boosting effect? Or is it new in Gen 7? I remembered trying to use a Gravity-based team in ORAS OU and it did pretty well!

EDIT: Learned that the accuracy boost has always been there. Very cool!
 

Ktütverde

of course
is a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Former Smogon Metagame Tournament Circuit Champion
Awesome team! I really love the creativity that went into this, and specs tornadus is such a monster even without the gravity boost. One suggestion I have it to run Lunar Dance --> Moonlight on Cresselia. This way you have 2 healing wishes at your disposal to keep Tornadus alive. Also maybe try running Mental Herb on Ferrothorn to guaruntee that you get rocks/gravity up.
That was my original idea but moonlight was too good so I gave healing wish to chansey. However I've been thinking of some offensive variant of the team where your suggestion would be welcome!
 

Ktütverde

of course
is a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Former Smogon Metagame Tournament Circuit Champion
hey ktut, thanks for the shoutout! I like the team, but I've never liked the idea of a random chansey despite its healing wish. Another thing I discovered while using the team is that it's incredibly weak to sableye, especially if it's on a non-full stall/passive team. This is why I think you should replace chansey with clefable, as it also gets healing wish and gravity and provides a switchin to sab. Another thing is that your team kinda gets nuked by zard y + dugtrio type teams, so I'd consider running shed shell on toxapex.
Awesome. I have to admit that your suggestion makes a lot of sense. I actually had a clefable for these reasons but I got 6—0 by magearna..... I think clefa is better but chansey allowed me to beat bengays psyspam (alakazam+ttar so bye cresselia) and is a great gravity setter contrary to clefable that is too frail for wasting turns setting up gravitys:he is forced to softboil contrary to chansey that you can play aggressively .
Great suggestion gonna work on this!
 

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