INTRODUCTION
Hello,
this is my first major post to the forum. I've always gone for alternate ways to play the game, but I think I'm getting bored of perish trap. So, I decided to share my perish trap team and move on to making a new kind of team.
This team went as high as #5 on the doubles OU leaderboard with a 1800 rating.
IN-DEPTH
Gengar-Mega @ Gengarite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 36 Def / 220 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Perish Song
- Disable
- Protect
Mega-gengar is the MVP of any perish trap team for obvious reasons. I chose shadow ball as Gengar's attack move really for one major reason: ghost-types have to be KOd. Even with no special attack investment, Gengar can OHKO attack-form Aegislash. Gengar can also deal serious damage to psychic types such as latias/latios and gardevoir. Disable is necessary to remove volt-switch/u-turn, choice-band/spec moves, super effective moves, etc. It also allows me to fully diffuse Pokemon with the help of Whimsicott's encore. Perish song and protect are self-explanatory. Speed investment allows me to get the jump on Weavile, Darkrai, and Greninja. The rest goes into making Gengar as bulky as possible.
Gothitelle @ Leftovers
Ability: Shadow Tag
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Psychic
- Heal Pulse
- Trick Room
- Protect
Gothitelle is necessary as a second trapper. Because I value damage-dealing moves on all my Pokemon, I gave Gothitelle psychic. EVs tank out Gothitelle as much as possible, and leftovers gives recovery. Heal pulse is usually used after trick room. If Gengar has taken a hit, I'll probably try to heal him back up if possible since he is so important to my team. Trick room is really most valuable in that it allows Amoongus to get spore off before opposing Pokemon attack.
Hitmontop @ Eject Button
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 156 SpD
Careful Nature
- Fake Out
- Sucker Punch
- Wide Guard
- Detect
If it wasn't for wide-guard, Scrafty would be a much better option for this team. His STAB knock-off hits ghost-types much harder than Hitmontop's sucker punch, and the dark typing is favorable defensively. However, wide guard allows me to deal with threats such as choice scarf Landorus, which can outspeed and OHKO Gengar. Fake out allows me to get perish song off with Gengar on turn one if the opponent did not bring two threats against Gengar the first turn. The eject button allows for shenanigans such as dealing with Lando and Thundurus: Fake out thundurus, do not mega-evolve Gengar, but perish song. Thundurus flinches and is unable to taunt, Landorus earthquakes, misses Gengar due to levitate, and allows me to switch Hitmontop to Gothitelle, trapping the opponents without Mega-evolving Gengar.
Whimsicott @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 40 SpD / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Encore
- Light Screen
- Leech Seed
- Protect
Whimsicott is my prankster encore Pokemon, which is extremely valuable in perish trap since the pokemon cannot switch out after being encored. I put up light screen whenever I have the chance, usually after opposing Pokemon are encored into unfavorable moves. Leech seed provides an alternate way to heal valuable Pokemon such as Gengar, and also works as Whimsicott's "attacking" move in a way. I'd really like to put taunt on Whimsicott, but protect is necessary on every Pokemon in perish trap to stall out the timer. Even though all of Whimsicott's moves are priority, I still invest heavily in speed so that I can outspeed prankster Thundurus.
Politoed @ Leftovers
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Perish Song
- Hypnosis
- Protect
A second perish song user is mandatory for a full perish trap team, and there is no shortage of options. I considered Lapras, which is more bulky and has a similar moveset including sing, but the ice-typing is unfavorable defensively. I also looked at pokemon such as Celebi, but I'm not interested in another Pokemon that is weak to dark types. Politoed's drizzle also helps shut down sun teams and mega-Charizard, which usually can't do much in rain. Hypnosis is often useful when the perish count is at two and Politoed protected the last turn. A lot of times I'd rather leave Politoed in to take a hit than switch to another pokemon, so I at least have a chance of avoiding the hit all-together with hypnosis.
Amoonguss @ Eject Button
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 152 Def / 108 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rage Powder
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Protect
Amonguss usually doesn't play a role until later in the game, once I get a trick room off with Gothitelle. Before then, I'll often switch to it to take a hit for Gengar, then switch back to Gengar with the eject button. With the regenerator ability, often times it is like a free extra protect for Gengar, and also gets rid of the perish song count. I think the moveset is pretty self-explanatory.
Conclusion
If anyone has any feedback on the team I'd love to hear it, although I probably won't be using the team any more. I can also answer any questions about how I use it. If you're wondering about counters, Hoopa-unbound is pretty unstoppable. Mega-sableye is also a problem when it knows recover, since I have difficulty KOing it and it can switch out of perish song. Its ability means I also can't disable it, encore it, seed it, or put it to sleep. Pokemon with the Sheer Force ability do not activate eject buttons, so sheer force Landorus and mega-Camerupt are tough to deal with. Talonflame, teams with multiple taunters, multiple ghost types, and multiple volt-switch/uturners are also troublesome. I also have difficulty with unusual moves on Pokemon, such as crunch Kangaskhan.
