SM PU What if this storm ends?

yogi

I did not succumb...
is a Tutor Alumnusis a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
untitledff.png


Hi!

I'm back again with another RMT, showcasing something that I've been really happy with recently. I will say it hasn't come to much acclaim ladder- or tournament-wise, but I've been messing around with refining it to the point that I'm pleased with showing it off. If you don't know who I am by the way, I'm a former NU staff and now PU player who also does quality control work. I don't really have much more to say, and I'm not quite one for super long introductions, so let's get this going.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Teambuilding Process

This is probably one of the first teams I've ever made that has had multiple iterations, rather than me making a team and being done with it straight away.

Version 1

020-a.png

Originally, I hated this Pokemon. Around the time of Alpha and Beta, and even afterwards, I deemed it as an inferior Absol; this was largely because it missed a lot. But when I saw that Smogon Exhibition was coming up, and that my building style was becoming somewhat repetitive, I decided to try something new. I was originally going to use Absol, but when I saw in a test match how hard Alolan Raticate hit, I just had to try it for myself. While the chance to miss does suck, I've found the Swords Dance Darkinium Z set to be extremely consistent at mowing down teams when played correctly. Overall, this Pokemon is now one of my favourite things to use in PU.

020-a.png
481.png

Mesprit is a Pokemon that I add to most of my teams because of the sheer role compression it offers. It can utilise its slow U-turn to bring Alolan Raticate and other teammates in, while also offering both Stealth Rock and Healing Wish support. Mesprit also deals with the crippling weakness that Alolan Raticate has to Fighting-types too. It's pretty much a staple on a lot of teams right now, and there's often very little reason to not run it.

020-a.png481.png
777.png

Choice Scarf Togedemaru. Initially dubbed a meme back in the earlier days of the meta, getting access to a useable STAB in Iron Head thanks to USUM propelled it to being one of the best Choice Scarf Pokemon in the entire meta. This is largely due to the fact it outspeeds Choice Scarf Primeape, +1 Lilligant, and +1 Jynx. Togedemaru was a clear choice because it formed a nice U-turn core with Mesprit while also being able to revenge kill a myriad of faster threats to the team.


020-a.png481.png777.png
211.png

Qwilfish was another Pokemon that I'd never really used prior to making this team and I wanted to try it out. Offering Spikes support alongside a Fighting- and Water-type resist meant it patched some holes for my team, along with offering a nice utility spot to help against bulkier teams with a combination of hazard stacking and Taunt. There were not many more options for Pokemon to fill this spot, so I felt obliged to place Qwilfish here.


020-a.png481.png777.png211.png
107.png

Next the team needed hazard removal and, because I had opted to go with Spike stacking, Defog was not an option I could take. Hitmonchan was the clear winner because of its ability to soft check special attackers with its bulky Assault Vest set, while also providing priority support with Mach Punch. It helped with my rather glaring weakness to Fire-types too, such as Magmortar and Pyroar.


020-a.png481.png777.png211.png107.png
604.png

To round it all out I added Eelektross to my team. Another decent soft check to special attackers along with a great movepool, including Knock Off, meant I had a way to not lose to special spam or more bulky team; along with having a half-decent check to Archeops, which this team struggles somewhat with. It also gave me another slow pivot to help get Alolan Raticate in without taking damage.


Version 2

020-a.png481.png777.png
110.png
107.png604.png

With Qwilfish leaving in the recent tier shift, I had to find a suitable replacement for it. I initially decided to go Weezing because it offered somewhat similar support to Qwilfish, bar the Spike stacking and Water-type resist. Even though it made me more susceptible to Pokemon like Kingler I also needed to have the extra resistance to Fighting-type Pokemon, as Passimian has risen in popularity shortly after Qwilfish left. Changing Qwilfish to Weezing also left me more vulnerable to Fire-types like Magmortar.

Version 3

020-a.png481.png777.png423.png107.png604.png
This version sought to try and address the weakness I had to things like Magmortar and Kingler, along with providing an immunity to Water-types. I initially thought Gastrodon would be a bad pick because it invited my weakness to Fighting-types but, outside of Choice Band Passimian, was able to check most of them adequately enough for it to not be too big of a deal.

Version 4

020-a.png481.png777.png423.png107.png
567.png

The final version of my team. After talking to Megazard, I realised that my team had to other strong breaker outside of Alolan Raticate, and was also rather slow. Archeops isn't a Pokemon I usually fall back on, but the ability to soft check Fire- and Normal-types, along with Taunt utility, meant that it patched the few holes that my team still had present in it; and meant I was finally happy with the outcome.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In-depth Look

rwby_volume5.jpg



Raticate-Alola @ Darkinium Z
Ability: Hustle
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Double-Edge
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch


The shining star of the team, Alolan Raticate is able to break through most physical walls with its brute force. Although its base attack is nothing to write home about, access to the Hustle ability alongside Swords Dance means that it is a force to be reckoned with, especially if it gets the opportunity to set up. Initially suggest by my friend Xayah, I asked why they weren't using Absol instead, as I just thought Alolan Raticate as inferior by comparison. However, when messing around with it I quickly realised that I was very wrong. With Hustle and Darkinium Z, it's capable of punching holes through defensive cores that solely rely on things like Weezing and Mesprit to check physical attackers, and can abuse them easily. It also has utility in both Knock Off, to cripple foes like Ferroseed and Clefairy, and Sucker Punch, to act as a revenge killer versus things like Pyroar and Alolan Raichu. Alolan Raticate also paired very well with the rest of the team, as it could abuse the switch-ins commonly caused by the rest of its teammates; like physical walls that switch in against Togedemaru or specially defensive walls that come in against Mesprit and Gastrodon.


Mesprit @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- U-turn

- Healing Wish

One of the most versatile Pokemon in PU, and for very good reason, Mesprit finds a place on the team because of its ability to deal with Fighting-type Pokemon while also offering a myriad of different support options, including a slow U-turn, hazard support in Stealth Rock, and Healing Wish to bring back Alolan Raticate or its other teammates when it has fulfilled its other roles. The set is rather standard, with it investing 16 Speed to outspeed neutral base 50s, while also investing the rest of its EVs into being as bulky on the physical side as possible. Colbur Berry is pretty much standard, allowing Mesprit to easily pivot on Pursuit trappers like Skuntank. Mesprit is also able to form a U-turn core with its teammate Togedemaru to help pivot in teammates with ease, while also complementing each other by having both slow and fast U-turns. Overall Mesprit is often a staple on most bulky teams thanks to how much it can support them, and this team is no exception.


Togedemaru @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Zing Zap
- Iron Head
- U-turn
- Toxic


My baby. Choice Scarf Togedemaru was something I had been messing around with for a long time before it received its USUM buff, and I had always thought that it was a decent revenge killer, thanks to it outspeeding Choice Scarf Primeape, +1 Jynx, and +1 Lilligant. However, it was written off until it finally got access to Iron Head with the release of the new games. With a fantastic Speed tier and a decent Attack stat, it stands as one of the best Choice Scarf users in the tier and was a must for this team. Revenge killing the aforementioned Pokemon along with a bunch of other, slower Choice Scarf or non Choiced Pokemon meant that it could act as a fantastic pivot with U-turn, luring in physical walls for things like Archeops or Alolan Raticate to break; which, in-turn, would allow it to clean up during the late-game. Togedemaru also offered me a soft check to Ice- and Psychic-types, like Aurorus and Musharna, along with being a good Electric immunity thanks to Lightning Rod. This set is pretty standard, with Toxic being able to cripple standard switch ins like Gastrodon and Palossand.


Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Earth Power
- Toxic
- Recover


The standard defensive Gastrodon, I pretty much required it to not lose to both Fire- and Water-types, such as Magmortar lacking Hidden Power Grass and Swords Dance Kingler. Gastrodon wasn't usually a Pokemon that I had used, be it in SM PU or ORAS NU, and I never really found a place for it on any of my previous teams. However, it was able to fulfil a key role on this team by being a blanket check to physical attackers while also offering a Water immunity. Being able to deal with Pokemon like Palossand and such also helped out the rest of my team, as it was a rather difficult Pokemon to face; especially if Alolan Raticate was weakened. Again, this set is pretty much a standard Gastrodon set, relying on mostly passive damage plus Recover to wear down the opponent's Pokemon.


Hitmonchan @ Assault Vest
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 208 HP / 252 Atk / 48 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Ice Punch

- Rapid Spin

Hitmonchan was always going to be on my team, regardless of how much it changed. Even though it actually isn't really a good form of hazard removal, it offers very good role compression and is exactly what I required on this team. Being able to soft check most special attackers, along with having access to reasonably powerful priority, meant that it covered several niches that my team required. Hitmonchan helps me deal with several extremely threatening Pokemon to this team, including Eelektross and Aurorus, which are otherwise able to obliterate the rest of my team with ease. Hitmonchan is also able to act as a decent check to Hyper Offensive teams, especially weather-based ones and Trick Room themed ones, thanks to good bulk and priority. The set is pretty standard, but I just run a slower version to increase my bulk slightly.


Archeops
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
- Taunt
- Roost


The final member of "the squad", Archeops rounds it out by providing a fast wallbreaker that can cripple more defensive teams with Taunt + Roost. Archeops has to be one of the most threatening Pokemon at team preview due to how hard it can hit, its great Speed tier, and nice utility moves. Able to also act as a soft check to both Fire- and Normal-types, Archeops can deter Pokemon like Kangaskhan and Pyroar reasonably well. The set is very standard, but it also gives the support needed, with Acrobatics and Earthquake dealing with most physical walls in the tier that lack recovery, and Taunt being able to stop things like Weezing from crippling it. Not much to say here apart from how crazy good Archeops actually is.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Importable


Raticate-Alola @ Darkinium Z
Ability: Hustle
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Double-Edge
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch


Mesprit @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- U-turn
- Healing Wish


Togedemaru @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Zing Zap
- Iron Head
- U-turn
- Toxic


Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Earth Power
- Toxic
- Recover


Hitmonchan @ Assault Vest
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 208 HP / 252 Atk / 48 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Ice Punch
- Rapid Spin


Archeops
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
- Taunt
- Roost


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Threat List


Ice-types overall are pretty scary for my team to face. I have no real way of dealing with them apart from general offensive pressure, and Hitmonchan can only switch into each once before it stops being able to adequately check them. Luckily Abomasnow isn't too common and Aurorus is a little easier to handle, but I have to play aggressively against them both.


Although this team isn't too fond of most Fighting-types, Choice Band Passimian is by far the hardest to actually deal with, as it can easily chip Mesprit a few times then break the rest of my team. The best bet for dealing with it is attempting to either Knock Off its Choice Band on it switching into Alolan Raticate, or by constant offensive pressure against it and its teammates.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Replays



~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Shoutouts

 
Last edited:

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top