Weakestlink33's RMT: A Return From a Long Break Away From Pokemon

[weakestlink33]

My General Strategy:

• 80% of battles start with me gyro balling and exploding to kill my opponents starter (or first couple of pokemon). If it is a slow starter who wont die with an explosion, I will switch out to the most appropriate counter. I will also try to lay down stealth rocks if possible, but that isn't my main objective
• If stealth rocks have not been laid, I have usually just exploded so I switch in hippowdon who can take hits from most pokemon. He will usually lay down stealth rocks, and either switch out or take care of the opponents pokemon.
• From here I will either switch in breloom to scout my opponents team (using spore, then sub, and finally focus punch). This usually forces several switches revealing my opponents team. In other scenarios, I will also switch in my physical sweeper lucarion, special sweeper starmie, or special wall blissey to handle immediate threats.
• From here I will then use my sweepers (physical: lucario, special: starmie) and my walls (physical: hippowdon, special: blissey) to finish off my opponents team.

Problems I wish to Address:

• I took 6 months off from pokemon. Last time I was here, garchomp and deoxys-s were a part of every OU team, there were no other rotom forms, and no one had heared of scizor. Things are very different now, and I have tried to build a team to adress this issue, but I am still learning how to adapt to the new metagame.
• I feel that starmie is no longer my best option as a special sweeper as I very rarely use rapid spin. Because of this, I am very likely to replace it.
• On this same note, I used to use lucario to compliment garchomp as a pair of physical sweepers. However, I think lucario has too many weaknesses to be a primary physical sweeper and am currently figuring out how I will replace him.
• My team has a huge weakness to skarmory
• I have 0 fire moves

My team:

Bronzong @ Lum Berry
Ability: Heatproof
EVs: 252 HP/128 Atk/128 SDef
Sassy nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Gyro Ball
- Hypnosis
- Explosion
- Stealth Rock
---
I open with bronzong. If my opponent uses a fast starter, I will gyro ball him (and explode if necessary). Slow starter will sometimes force a switch unless explosion is a OHKO (in which case, I normally take it). Stealth Rocks and Hypnosis are only secondary goals (played usually later in the game if saved, or used after gyro ball has killed my opponents starter)

Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
---
My physical wall. Comes into play after bronzong has exploded to lay stealth rocks and against physical threats. Can normally absorb physical attacks, kill the opponent with earthquake and ice fang, and then slack off back to full health

Breloom (M) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 44 HP/252 Atk/212 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- Spore
- Seed Bomb
---
Used primarily early in the battle to scout my opponents team. Spore, sub, and then focus punch (or seed bomb). This scenario usually forces several switches allowing me to see my opponents team. I will usually switch in another pokemon before he is harmed to save him for later use

Lucario (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Extremespeed
- Crunch
---
My physical sweeper. Usually saved for end game where I sword dance and then sweep (after hopefully using my other pokemon to eliminate all threats). I am considering replacing him with another physical sweeper that will better compliment the strengths and weaknesses of my team.

Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 126 HP/252 Spd/132 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Recover
- Rapid Spin
- Surf
- Thunderbolt
---
My special sweeper. Can switch in on many threats (especially ones who status) and then attack or recover. I added extra speed ev's from the standard to make sure I outspeed my opponents starmie when that scenario arises.

Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def/40 SAtk/216 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Softboiled
- Ice Beam
- Thunder Wave
- Seismic Toss
---
My standard special wall. Used to stall and status my opponent. Forces switches to reveal my opponents team, and makes a great pair with hippowdon scout and stall my opponents team giving me time to set up myself.
​

Threat List:

Tyranitar: Hippowdon can absorb his attacks and kill with EQ (after which he can slack off back to health). Starmie and Lucario can also counter him, but with great harm to themselves

Gyarados: Bronzong kills gyarados starters. Starmie takes care of them later

Infernape: I normally have to sacrifice much of starmie's health to take care of these. This is an issue

Azelf: Bronzong kills azelf starters. Lucario and Blissey can take care of them later on

Electivire: Would have to sacrifice much of lucario's health to take care of this unless I had saved bronzong to face it. This is an issue

Heracross: Hippowdon can usually absorb its attacks and ko, although a fire attack on another pokemon would be helpful

Salamence: Hippowdon can absorb its attacks and then ice fang it. Other options include starmie and bronzong (if saved)

Togekiss: Usually becomes a stall fest with blissey unless I can get a very lucky switch in with starmie, breloom, or lucario. This is a minor issue

Gengar: Killed by bronzong at the start. Other times, blissey or lucario can take care of it

Lucario: Hippowdon can absorb its attacks and KO it.

Starmie: Blissey can stall it out, or my starmie can usually kill it due to its extra speed ev's.

Weavile: Best bet is a saved bronzong. Otherwise I will have to sacrifice pokemon to kill it. This is a major problem

Dugtrio: Hippowdon can normally take care of this. Starmie can too but at much greater risk

Porygon-Z: Use blissey to take care of it, or hope it doesn't have ice beam and switch in breloom

Machamp: Hippowdon takes care of this

Snorlax: Either use hippowdon or breloom to take care of him depending on the scenario

Zapdos: Usually take care of with blissey, although this does sometimes give me trouble. This is a minor problem

Suicune: Starmie and Blissey should be able to handle this

Breloom: Breloom gives me lots of trouble (hence why I added one). This is a major problem

Ninjask: Kill with bronzong and explode on BP. Fire attack on a fast pokemon would help here. This is a minor problem

Metagross: Hippowdon can absorb its attacks and kill

Heatran: Hippowdon, Blissey, and Starmie can all handle it. However, its versatility causes a small problem guessing whether it is special or physical. This is a minor problem

Celebi: Lucario can kill these, but he isn't a great counter for celebi. Blissey can stall with him, but celebi will also stall blissey. A fire move would help a lot. This is a problem.

Jirachi: Same situation as celebi: Lucario can kill these, but he isn't a great counter for celebi. Blissey can stall with him, but celebi will also stall blissey. A fire move would help a lot. This is a problem.

Dragonite: Hippowdon can switch in on it, absorb its attacks, and kill with ice fang.

Mamoswine: These things toruble my team. I usually have to sacrifice pokemon to kill them. This is a problem.

Gallade: Hippowdon can usually counter them. Also, if bronzong is saved, so can he

Yanmega: Bronzong normally kills yanmega starters. Late game, they could potentially cause a problem, although I am yet to see one in a late game sitaution. This is a minor problem.

Kingdra: Starmie can usually switch in on these and kill them with thunderbolt. Breloom can also switch in on them and set up (so can lucario to a lesser degree).

Roserade: These could cause a problem for me, although many of its variations would allow my breloom to set up. If they run ice or fire attacks, I am in toruble though. This is a minor problem.

Scizor: Usually either switch in breloom to spore and set up, or hippowdon to absorb its attacks and earthquake it.

Skarmory: These give me major problems. I usually have a lot of trouble killing them and have to sacrifice several pokemon to do this. This is a major problem.

 

[locopoke]

Since you're back to playing Pokemon after a long break, this doesn't suprise me, but this looks like more of a D/P team than a Platinum Team. But anyway, why do you have 2 Stealth Rockers? Just incase somebody uses Rapid Spin I guess, but I'd suggest taking out Hippowdon or Bronzong for a Spin Blocker. Maybe a Rotom Appliance.

 

[weakestlink33]

Since you're back to playing Pokemon after a long break, this doesn't suprise me, but this looks like more of a D/P team than a Platinum Team. But anyway, why do you have 2 Stealth Rockers? Just incase somebody uses Rapid Spin I guess, but I'd suggest taking out Hippowdon or Bronzong for a Spin Blocker. Maybe a Rotom Appliance.

Well, did you read my general strategy...Bronzong is mainly there to kill the opponent's starter and possibly another pokemon too... Hippowdon is my main Stealth Rocker, although in rare occasions bronzong can also lay them down (to a high enough degree that switching SR with another attack such as EQ wouldn't be warranted)

As for adding an anti-spin: Is rapid spin really a major problem...I'm not laying down spikes or toxic spikes...I feel that I can switch in on and immediately threaten most spinners anyways that this isn't necessary just to keep up one layer of rocks

Do you really feel that adding an anti-spin for either bronzong or hippowdon would compliment this team?

 

[locopoke]

Well, did you read my general strategy...Bronzong is mainly there to kill the opponent's starter and possibly another pokemon too... Hippowdon is my main Stealth Rocker, although in rare occasions bronzong can also lay them down (to a high enough degree that switching SR with another attack such as EQ wouldn't be warranted)

As for adding an anti-spin: Is rapid spin really a major problem...I'm not laying down spikes or toxic spikes...I feel that I can switch in on and immediately threaten most spinners anyways that this isn't necessary just to keep up one layer of rocks

Do you really feel that adding an anti-spin for either bronzong or hippowdon would compliment this team?

Now that I think about it, I understand what you're saying. Stealth Rocks isn't part of your main strategy, it's just there to add some extra damage. An Anti-Spinner wouldn't be essential, but it could possibly help. Though now I see what you were talking about. It's not like you're using Spikes or Toxic Spikes.

 

[Luxormaniac]

If hippo's dead, you're screwed vs. Salamence. Given it has fire blast.
You could replace Starmie with one of those fancy suicunes.

 

[weakestlink33]

If hippo's dead, you're screwed vs. Salamence. Given it has fire blast.
You could replace Starmie with one of those fancy suicunes.

Hmmm... Yeah, suicune could definitely work there... I don't know why I didn't already consider suicune

Do you think a Substitue Suicune with:
~ Calm Mind
~ Substitute
~ Surf
~ Ice Beam

or a Rest Talk Suicune with:

~ Rest
~ Sleep Talk
~ Surf
~ Ice Beam

would suite the defensive nature of my team...Or do you think a more offensively oriented suicune such as this:
~ Surf
~ Calm Mind
~ Roar
~ Ice Beam

would add a little more flavor to my team?

PS: If this is hard to read I can reorganize this post

 

[NightFalcon]

CB Cross will KO a Hippo switch-in with CC(damage from first then another CC). Your real best bet is Starmie but even thats risky. Switch in on a CC, is the best you can do. As for Weavile, I really wouldn't worry about it because even with the current metagame Weavile still seems to somehow be able to take out half of someone's team. In your case with careful prediction 5 members.

Like said though, don't fret because Weavile seems to be rare/scarce these days because of all the BP Scizor. As for Electivire you do have a good counter for it- Hippowdon. He can come in on Ice Punch, Slack off some damage, then EQ. Unless he gets a CH or a freeze they're basically forced to switch. As for Mamoswine he isn't much of a problem if Zong is still alive. Of course he's meant to explode but that makes me think that....Hippowdon would be a better starter. Just a thought...

 

[weakestlink33]

CB Cross will KO a Hippo switch-in with CC(damage from first then another CC). Your real best bet is Starmie but even thats risky. Switch in on a CC, is the best you can do. As for Weavile, I really wouldn't worry about it because even with the current metagame Weavile still seems to somehow be able to take out half of someone's team. In your case with careful prediction 5 members.

Like said though, don't fret because Weavile seems to be rare/scarce these days because of all the BP Scizor. As for Electivire you do have a good counter for it- Hippowdon. He can come in on Ice Punch, Slack off some damage, then EQ. Unless he gets a CH or a freeze they're basically forced to switch. As for Mamoswine he isn't much of a problem if Zong is still alive. Of course he's meant to explode but that makes me think that....Hippowdon would be a better starter. Just a thought...

Moving hippo to starter...That actually might be a good improvement... I definitely wouldn't be sacrificing him early, so I would probably switch him out more liberally than I would with most starters...But yeah, I think I will try moving hippo to my starter and see how that works

Now, do you think I should replace hypnosis and/or stealth rocks with earthquake on bronzong if he is no longer my starter? I tend to think they would both come in handy more than EQ would, but I'd like another opinion on that

 

[NightFalcon]

EQ, you already have Hippo who gets STAB from it. Hippo can also live a while considering Slack Off, where as Zong has no reliable recovery move. Hypnosis and Stealth Rock are both good support moves, however you already have Breloom that will be Sporing so you may want to forego Hypnosis, and also Hippo using SR so you could use two new moves. I would say maybe Earthquake just for the hell of it because sometimes it can come in handy and then Reflect or Light Screen. Either of the two screens provide great support for your team and preferably Reflect for a few reasons.

1. Reflect helps cut down Physical damage taken to Lucario if he comes in on a switch and gives him a stronger opportunity to be able to pull off SD.
2. Blissey is a special wall and needs all the physical support she can get, that being said Reflect can help her stall for even longer.
3. Also helps other party members in Hippowdon and Starmie. Starmie could better survive a Night slash or Pursuit from Weavile and Hippowdon will kill Weavile guaranteed. You also add even more support to Hippo for Electivire and generally let him take more damage before he has to use Slack off.

 

[chenman333]

I'll just quickly say you should be running Stone Edge over Seed Bomb. Fighting/Rock gives pretty damn good coverage in comparison to Grass/Fighting, which is totally walled by the very popular physical walls Gyarados and Zapdos.

 

[weakestlink33]

EQ, you already have Hippo who gets STAB from it. Hippo can also live a while considering Slack Off, where as Zong has no reliable recovery move. Hypnosis and Stealth Rock are both good support moves, however you already have Breloom that will be Sporing so you may want to forego Hypnosis, and also Hippo using SR so you could use two new moves. I would say maybe Earthquake just for the hell of it because sometimes it can come in handy and then Reflect or Light Screen. Either of the two screens provide great support for your team and preferably Reflect for a few reasons.

1. Reflect helps cut down Physical damage taken to Lucario if he comes in on a switch and gives him a stronger opportunity to be able to pull off SD.
2. Blissey is a special wall and needs all the physical support she can get, that being said Reflect can help her stall for even longer.
3. Also helps other party members in Hippowdon and Starmie. Starmie could better survive a Night slash or Pursuit from Weavile and Hippowdon will kill Weavile guaranteed. You also add even more support to Hippo for Electivire and generally let him take more damage before he has to use Slack off.

Reflect seems like such a good addition I'm not sure why I didn't add it already...Thank you for the input again :)

I'll just quickly say you should be running Stone Edge over Seed Bomb. Fighting/Rock gives pretty damn good coverage in comparison to Grass/Fighting, which is totally walled by the very popular physical walls Gyarados and Zapdos.

I'll give that a try and see how it works

EDIT: I am now trying these changes to my team

Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
---

Bronzong @ Lum Berry
Ability: Heatproof
EVs: 252 HP/128 Atk/128 SDef
Sassy nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Gyro Ball
- Explosion
- Reflect
- Earthquake
---

Breloom (M) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 44 HP/252 Atk/212 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- Spore
- Stone Edge
---

Lucario (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Extremespeed
- Crunch
---

Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/152 Spd/104 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Substitute
- Surf
- Ice Beam
---

Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def/40 SAtk/216 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Softboiled
- Ice Beam
- Thunder Wave
- Seismic Toss
---

 

[august]

Sub Cune in the sand becomes much harder to set up as opposed to a weather free environment, Id recommend you use Rest Calm Mind Ice Beam Surf. An Offensive spread can be used, but defensive seems like it'd be a better bet

 

[weakestlink33]

Sub Cune in the sand becomes much harder to set up as opposed to a weather free environment, Id recommend you use Rest Calm Mind Ice Beam Surf. An Offensive spread can be used, but defensive seems like it'd be a better bet

Yeah, I've been noticing that as I've been playing with it today... I'm going to change that right now... Thanks :)