ORAS LC Volt-Turn RMT (W.I.P)

[Appealing_Eyes]

Introduction:
I'm particularly new to LC, so I decided to try and build a team around a volt-turn core I found on the LC good cores thread. Since I'm not very good at team building I wanted to give this a shot as a learning experience.

The Team:

Mienfoo:

Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Drain Punch
- U-turn
- Taunt

As part of a volt-turn core, Mienfoo is vital with the combination of regenerator to bring back 1/3 of it's hp after u-turn, knock off to remove eviolite and berry juice from common switch ins, making them take more damage overall, and taunt to stop slow stealth rock / shell smash leads. The bulkier set of 196 Def / 36 SpD lets Mienfoo take a hit from Pawniard and take special hits a little better, prolonging it throughout the battle.
Chinchou:

Chinchou @ Berry Juice
Ability: Volt Absorb
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 212 Def / 152 SpA / 60 Spe
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Heal Bell
- Hidden Power [Ground]
Bulky Chinchou works really well with Mienfoo as it provides a counter to Fletchling and can volt-switch out on it. It can also take scalds and thunder waves that would otherwise cripple Mienfoo. It also checks the rock and water types that give Larvesta trouble. Changed the set from eviolite rest/talk to the Bulky Berry Juice set Omastar42 recommended below as Chinchou doesn't get many opportunities to use rest and it gives the opponent a lot of free turns.

Larvesta:

Larvesta @ Eviolite
Ability: Flame Body
Level: 5
EVs: 80 HP / 236 Atk / 156 Def / 36 Spe
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Morning Sun
- Acrobatics

Larvesta can blow holes in slower teams while also appreciating the Fletch counter. Larvesta can help remove the bulky grass types types that Chinchou have problems with such as Foongus and Pumpkaboo. U-turn does significant damage to almost anything that tries to switch into it, while Acrobatics was recommended over Will-O-Wisp by Corporal Levi to help with fighting spam.

Fletchling:

Fletchling
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 5
EVs: 156 HP / 196 Atk / 92 Def / 52 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Acrobatics
- U-turn
- Swords Dance
- Roost

Fletchling is used as a mid / late game sweeper while adding to the volt-turn core. Once it's checks / counters have been removed it can clean up, even without a swords dance. It also helps check faster mons like life orb Abra, Gastly, and scarfed Drilbur (locked into eq) which this team has trouble with. Fletch also appreciates Mienfoo being able to check Pawniard, as Fletch cannot touch it.

Vullaby:

Vullaby @ Eviolite
Ability: Overcoat
Level: 5
EVs: 116 HP / 76 Atk / 236 Def / 76 SpD
Impish Nature
- Roost
- Knock Off
- Brave Bird
- Defog

Originally this team had Stunky for defog and pursuit trapping Abra and Gastly, but decided to change it once Omastar42 recommended this. As he said, "unlike Stunky, Vullaby pressures Archen and Drilbur with a strong Knock Off so it's not a free switch-in to those Pokemon. In addition, Vullaby also somewhat patches the Bulk Up Timburr weakness that getting rid of Foongus leaves you with." Vullaby can also supply knock off support, potentially getting rid of items such as Berry Juice and Eviolite. This will aid the Volt-Turn core in whittling the opponent's team.

Porygon @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
Level: 5
EVs: 236 HP / 196 Def / 76 SpD
Calm Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Recover

I previously had Foongus in this spot to take scalds, supply spore support, and bait in abra + goth and trap them with stunky, but Porygon was recommended by Corporal Levi to me in it's place. Porygon provides a secondary check to Fletchling, and T-wave support. It also makes sure that diglett can only take one victim; copying arena trap and killing it with ice beam.

Problems:

Solar Beam Ponyta: I am yet to see a team that does not have a problem with this mon. It can rip holes in this team and wall the rest of it. Getting off a t-wave with porygon is your only hope.

Hazard Stack: Although this team does have a defogger, hazard stack is still a big issue. Vullaby is weakened by Stealth rocks when switching into them and can be deterred from defogging them by pawniard. It also gives the opponent a free switch into one of vullaby's checks, making it hard to regain momentum.


Importable: http://pastebin.com/g8HgnfLL

​

 

[Corporal Levi]

Hello Appealing_Eyes,
Great job on the team! No need to fret about not being good at teambuilding, because you did quite a nice job here, especially if we consider that you're new to LC.
With that being said, I have a few quick suggestions that you can try out if you'd like. I won't try to make changes that could drastically affect how the team functions, sinceyour team is already pretty solid.

You've already got hazard removal in Stunky, so Taunt on Mienfoo doesn't seem completely necessary. Instead, you can opt for a bulkier spread of 156 HP/116 Def/196 SpD with an Impish nature that nets you nice 23/14/14 bulk, enough to survive Focus Sash Abra's Psychic and +2 Omanyte's Surf most of the time, even after Stealth Rock (watch out for Hydro Pump, though). Now that you don't really have enough Speed to use Taunt as effectively, you should run Stone Edge over Taunt, which helps you deal with the Sunnybeam Ponyta problem that you mentioned.
This change would leave you a little bit weaker to Pawniard, since Pawniard can now outspeed and 2HKO a Knocked Off Mienfoo with Iron Head, but Larvesta/Fire Blast Stunky/HP Fighting Foongus are all soft Pawniard checks as well, so it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm a little bit more hesitant about this one, but you could run Porygon over Foongus or Chinchou. This is mostly because you have a pretty big weakness to Diglett, and Porygon can Trace Arena Trap to ensure that Diglett only takes one victim; just one of Foongus or Chinchou should usually be enough for Water-types (Porygon checks Volt Absorb Chinchou quite well). In addition, Porygon is a fantastic safety net in general, able to paralyze and therefore render near-useless several threats to your team, like Omanyte and Tirtouga. Ice Beam Porygon would act as a good check to Fletchling and Archen that isn't weak to Diglett, which is nice.

Hide

Porygon @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
Level: 5
EVs: 236 HP / 196 Def / 76 SpD
Calm Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Beam
- Psychic / Tri Attack
- Recover

The issue with this would be that Chinchou and Foongus are also valuable to your team. Replacing Chinchou with Porygon would still only leave you with one Fletchling check, and rid you of a status absorber + solid check to Magnemite (although bulky Mienfoo could cover this to an extent). Replacing Foongus would probably be the better bet, but it'd make Bulk Up Timburr and Fighting spam in general harder to deal with; running Acrobatics over Will-O-Wisp on Larvesta would help against the former, but Fighting spam often involves one of the Fighting-types carrying Stone Edge. In the end, it comes down to your own preference; regardless of what you do, I think this team is solid enough to play around even what it's weak against.

Good work, and good luck!

 

[Oma]

Hiya Appealing_Eyes and welcome to LC! This team's really good for a first try, so good job on that. There are a few things to fix but they're easy fixes.

-Agreeing with Levi to run Porygon>Foongus, it really fixes your team's weakness to Shell Smashers, Diglett, and Archen and is just a really great mon in general. You'd want to keep Chinchou simply because the team is really weak to opposing Fletchling and Magnemite otherwise, and Chou checks water types anyway. I myself would stick with fast Mienfoo because Pawniard is still really hard to switch into even with a Larvesta, but running Stone Edge to hit Sunny Beam Pony is a good idea even though that set's really uncommon.

-Your current Chinchou set is kinda easy to wear down and also a momentum sink, as using resttalk gives the opponent a lot of free turns. Instead of RestTalk Chou, I'd recommend using Bulky Berry Juice to come in more easily on Fletchling and not eat your momentum.

BJ Chou

Chinchou @ Berry Juice
Ability: Volt Absorb
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 76 HP / 212 Def / 152 SpA / 60 Spe
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Heal Bell
- Hidden Power [Ground]

-I personally don't think Stunky is a good defogger, but especially not for a team with Larvesta. Stunky loses to all the common entry hazard setters,so they can just come right back in on the defog and get rocks back up if need be. Because your team doesnt really need Abra trapped, I'd recommend using Vullaby>Stunky. Unlike Stunky, Vullaby pressures Archen and Drilbur with a strong Knock Off so it's not a free switch-in to those Pokemon. In addition, Vullaby also somewhat patches the Bulk Up Timburr weakness that getting rid of Foongus leaves you with.

Vulla

Vullaby @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 116 HP / 76 Atk / 236 Def / 76 SpD
Impish Nature
- Roost
- Knock Off
- Brave Bird
- Defog

Good first team, be sure to try out changes and stick around in LC!

 

[Appealing_Eyes]

Hello Appealing_Eyes,
Great job on the team! No need to fret about not being good at teambuilding, because you did quite a nice job here, especially if we consider that you're new to LC.
With that being said, I have a few quick suggestions that you can try out if you'd like. I won't try to make changes that could drastically affect how the team functions, sinceyour team is already pretty solid.

You've already got hazard removal in Stunky, so Taunt on Mienfoo doesn't seem completely necessary. Instead, you can opt for a bulkier spread of 156 HP/116 Def/196 SpD with an Impish nature that nets you nice 23/14/14 bulk, enough to survive Focus Sash Abra's Psychic and +2 Omanyte's Surf most of the time, even after Stealth Rock (watch out for Hydro Pump, though). Now that you don't really have enough Speed to use Taunt as effectively, you should run Stone Edge over Taunt, which helps you deal with the Sunnybeam Ponyta problem that you mentioned.
This change would leave you a little bit weaker to Pawniard, since Pawniard can now outspeed and 2HKO a Knocked Off Mienfoo with Iron Head, but Larvesta/Fire Blast Stunky/HP Fighting Foongus are all soft Pawniard checks as well, so it shouldn't be a problem.

I'm a little bit more hesitant about this one, but you could run Porygon over Foongus or Chinchou. This is mostly because you have a pretty big weakness to Diglett, and Porygon can Trace Arena Trap to ensure that Diglett only takes one victim; just one of Foongus or Chinchou should usually be enough for Water-types (Porygon checks Volt Absorb Chinchou quite well). In addition, Porygon is a fantastic safety net in general, able to paralyze and therefore render near-useless several threats to your team, like Omanyte and Tirtouga. Ice Beam Porygon would act as a good check to Fletchling and Archen that isn't weak to Diglett, which is nice.

Hide

Porygon @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
Level: 5
EVs: 236 HP / 196 Def / 76 SpD
Calm Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Beam
- Psychic / Tri Attack
- Recover

The issue with this would be that Chinchou and Foongus are also valuable to your team. Replacing Chinchou with Porygon would still only leave you with one Fletchling check, and rid you of a status absorber + solid check to Magnemite (although bulky Mienfoo could cover this to an extent). Replacing Foongus would probably be the better bet, but it'd make Bulk Up Timburr and Fighting spam in general harder to deal with; running Acrobatics over Will-O-Wisp on Larvesta would help against the former, but Fighting spam often involves one of the Fighting-types carrying Stone Edge. In the end, it comes down to your own preference; regardless of what you do, I think this team is solid enough to play around even what it's weak against.

Good work, and good luck!

Definitely going to do this as it seems like losing Foongus isn't at all a loss for all support Porygon provides. I also haven't found will-o-wisp on larvesta to be particularly helpful at any point so I will also be switching it out for acrobatics.

 

[Appealing_Eyes]

Hiya Appealing_Eyes and welcome to LC! This team's really good for a first try, so good job on that. There are a few things to fix but they're easy fixes.

-Agreeing with Levi to run Porygon>Foongus, it really fixes your team's weakness to Shell Smashers, Diglett, and Archen and is just a really great mon in general. You'd want to keep Chinchou simply because the team is really weak to opposing Fletchling and Magnemite otherwise, and Chou checks water types anyway. I myself would stick with fast Mienfoo because Pawniard is still really hard to switch into even with a Larvesta, but running Stone Edge to hit Sunny Beam Pony is a good idea even though that set's really uncommon.

-Your current Chinchou set is kinda easy to wear down and also a momentum sink, as using resttalk gives the opponent a lot of free turns. Instead of RestTalk Chou, I'd recommend using Bulky Berry Juice to come in more easily on Fletchling and not eat your momentum.

BJ Chou

Chinchou @ Berry Juice
Ability: Volt Absorb
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 76 HP / 212 Def / 152 SpA / 60 Spe
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Heal Bell
- Hidden Power [Ground]

-I personally don't think Stunky is a good defogger, but especially not for a team with Larvesta. Stunky loses to all the common entry hazard setters,so they can just come right back in on the defog and get rocks back up if need be. Because your team doesnt really need Abra trapped, I'd recommend using Vullaby>Stunky. Unlike Stunky, Vullaby pressures Archen and Drilbur with a strong Knock Off so it's not a free switch-in to those Pokemon. In addition, Vullaby also somewhat patches the Bulk Up Timburr weakness that getting rid of Foongus leaves you with.

Vulla

Vullaby @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 116 HP / 76 Atk / 236 Def / 76 SpD
Impish Nature
- Roost
- Knock Off
- Brave Bird
- Defog

Good first team, be sure to try out changes and stick around in LC!

Going to try out Berry Juice as I've found that if the opponent manages to weaken Chinchou too much, it often gets outsped before it can rest, and I don't like relying on RNG from sleep talk.

Also I really like Vullaby over Stunky as you can also spam knock offs more, making the opposing team weaker to volt turn if the held item being knocked off was berry juice or eviolite.

 

[Appealing_Eyes]

UPDATED TEAM