Faladran

Set: Choice Scarf Krookodile

2011-09-09T17:35:00.000-07:00

Krookodile @ Choice Scarf

Trait: Moxie

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd

Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Earthquake

- Crunch

- Stone Edge

- Pursuit

Krookodile can make for an excellent UU revenge killer and late-game sweeper. Its interesting typing gives it some useful STABs to work with, making it somewhat like a lower-tiered version of Scarf Tyranitar. Moxie is probably what makes this set most dangerous; since many players sacrifice team members to regain momentum, Krookodile can make things difficult for most opponents.

This set hits an Attack stat of 366 and works really well with a Choice Scarf. Krookodile is pretty efficient at trapping Ghost-types, thanks to its Dark STAB and and high physical power. Later in the match, Krookodile can be used to sweep with the appropriate move, having Moxie boost its power after every kill.

Ground / Dark is an excellent offensive typing that gives Krookodile good coverage against most opponents. Earthquake is the set's most powerful move, but it should be used carefully to avoid letting opponents switch in on immunities. Crunch is a solid and reliable secondary STAB, while Stone Edge provides useful additional coverage. Pursuit is important for eliminating Ghosts like Mismagius and Rotom.

Defensive Hitmontop stands out as one of the most common Krookodile counters, so packing a Ghost- or Flying-type is recommended. Since Krookodile tends to eliminate opposing Ghosts, including a Rapid Spin user is a good idea - clearing hazards will become much easier. Overall, Scarf Krookodile is an interesting set with solid late-game potential.

Set: ChestoRest Politoed

2011-09-08T15:53:00.000-07:00

Politoed @ Chesto Berry
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Toxic
- Perish Song
- Rest

Politoed tends to run some pretty offensive sets, which are great for damage output but relatively poor for survivability. Although not too different from Politoed's standard defensive set, ChestoRest is an interesting idea that has a few advantages when it comes to maintaining your choice of weather.

The most important thing a ChestoRest set provides is what is essentially a second life. This is most helpful when Politoed gets hit by a status ailment, since it can just be healed off. Depending on which ailment it took, a standard Politoed could have been crippled for the match.

Defensive Politoed doesn't need extra type coverage, so a mono-attacking support set is adequate. Scald remains a decent method of checking threats like Gliscor and netting burns. Toxic is generally the best option for hitting switch-ins like Jellicent or Gastrodon. Perish Song has a more specialized use, but it can be crucial against a last-minute stat booster. Rest should be saved for when Politoed is about to faint; usually one use is enough for Politoed to keep up Rain long enough.

Since ChestoRest is a defensively-oriented set, Politoed's teammates should generally fit the theme as well. A more stall-based approach to Rain is viable, with teammates like Ferrothorn providing hazard support. Rain Stall is one of the most effective team archetypes around, and this set does a good job of providing for it.

Honkalculator

2011-09-08T14:23:00.000-07:00

Honko from Smogon has recently released two calculators, designed to run damage calcs involving a single Pokémon's performance against every other competitive set. Check out the links below or the Tools tab to try them out.

Attacking

Defending

Suspect Testing Resumes

2011-09-07T20:28:00.000-07:00

Over at Smogon, Round 5 of OU Suspect Testing has finally started up again, with a predicted ending date of September 18th. As usual, the required rating for voting is 1450.

P.S. bye thundurus

Set: Choice Scarf Tyranitar

2011-09-07T19:17:00.000-07:00

Tyranitar @ Choice Scarf

Trait: Sand Stream

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd

Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)

- Stone Edge

- Crunch

- Pursuit

- Superpower

ScarfTar was one of the most common sets in the LatiMence era of DPP, and it's been getting some usage among good players in BW as well. Although this set doesn't have the bulk or mixed attacking power of standard MixTar, its higher Speed and Attack allow it to surprise and check some dangerous threats.

One of the most important things to note is that ScarfTar needs to be more careful about switching directly into attacks. It still has a decent amount of bulk, but it should be used more as a check than as a counter to threats. In that role, ScarfTar performs admirably; it can take on the likes of Latios, Latias, SD Terrakion, Thundurus, Tornadus, Starmie and Gengar - either outspeeding with the appropriate move or trapping the threat with Pursuit.

The moveset is pretty basic for a physical Tyranitar. Stone Edge hits pretty hard with this set and gives good coverage against Flying-types and Ninetales. Crunch and Pursuit provide helpful STABs for taking on Psychic-types, although some prediction is required when choosing which to use. Superpower is helpful for hitting opposing Tyranitar and Ferrothorn. For more unusual options, some like to include an Ice- or Fire-type special move for surprising switch-ins like Gliscor or Steel-types.

ScarfTar is a different take on a standard weather starter, so the same typical Sandstorm partners work well with it. Since this set is more easily set up on, pairing it with an Excadrill that knows Rapid Spin is a good idea. ScarfTar is also proficient at eliminating Latios and Latias for special sweepers, so Pokémon like Celebi or Rotom-W are also good partners.

Video: POKÉMON POWER

2011-09-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

Old video that never gets old.

Set: Trick Room Reuniclus

2011-09-06T18:19:00.000-07:00

Reuniclus @ Life Orb

Ability: Magic Guard

EVs: 192 HP / 64 Def / 252 SAtk

Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)

-Trick Room

-Psychic

-Focus Blast

-Shadow Ball

Trick Room Reuniclus has been around for a while, but it's always been overshadowed by the standard Calm Mind variant. Although the CM set works best on bulkier teams for taking down defensive stall cores, TR Reuniclus is excellent for sweeping through more offensively-inclined teams. Its significantly lower usage also means it tends to be a lot less prepared for.

This set doesn't have the longevity of standard Reuniclus, so you'll only want to bring it out late-game or when you feel pretty confident in a sweep. Just bring it in on something it can set up on, like Conkeldurr, and begin cleaning through teams after a Trick Room. Since the majority of teams aren't stall-based, opponents can run into a lot of trouble with this set.

Reuniclus has everything in needs to work as an effective standalone TR sweeper. A Life Orb-boosted Psychic off of base 125 SAtk dishes out a lot of damage. Focus Blast is a good coverage move, particularly for hitting Steel-types and Tyranitar. Trick Room also means Reuniclus will outspeed and OHKO standard specially defensive Tyranitar, even with the Sandstorm boost. Shadow Ball is helpful for covering other Reuniclus, Latios and Latias, who would all wall the set otherwise.

TR Reuniclus has a couple of other good options. Psyshock 2HKOes Blissey after Stealth Rock, but it's a weaker move otherwise. HP Fire is also an interesting possibility in the last moveslot, as it'll net the surprise KO on Scizor. As far as teammates go, Conkeldurr is notable for taking on many Reuniclus switch-ins. The two also complement each other nicely. All in all, TR Reuniclus is a giant threat that can single-handedly sweep unprepared teams.

Set: SubToxic Gliscor

2011-09-05T14:17:00.000-07:00

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb

Trait: Poison Heal

EVs: 244 HP / 176 Def / 88 Spd

Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)

- Substitute

- Toxic

- Earthquake

- Protect

Few sets match this one in terms of pure FFFF factor. With Poison Heal and Protect, Gliscor has the potential to be one of the most annoying and effective Toxic stallers in the game. Plenty of traditional Gliscor counters are vulnerable to poison damage, leaving them helpless against the strategy behind this set.

Using SubToxic Gliscor is pretty simple. Just switch in on a physical attacker and safely set up a Substitute. Common switch-ins like Rotom-W or other bulky Waters will be outsped and poisoned. From that point on, it's basically a matter of wearing them down from Toxic damage.

These EVs maximize Poison Heal recovery and leave enough extra points to speed creep the 244 mark by 4 points. This is important for outspeeding Tyranitar, Jirachi, Rotom-W and a few other threats. The SubToxic combo allows Gliscor to poison opponents and continuously create subs, with Protect and Poison Heal ensuring that it doesn't lose any health at all. Earthquake is the set's only STAB, which can be used for hitting opponents weak to Ground.

A few other options exist for the last moveslot: Taunt and Ice Fang are the most notable. The former shuts down Ferrothorn and Skarmory, while the latter gives you something with which to hit other Gliscor and Balloon Excadrill. Gliscor also works really well with a Toxic Spikes user, since it won't have to manually Toxic opponents. Roserade and Tentacruel are great choices for the role. When this set is used correctly, unprepared teams can't really touch it at all.

Poll Results: Favorite Site Feature?

2011-09-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

Sets have always been pretty much the biggest part of this site, so it's no surprise to see them take the top spot. Cores were pretty close; I don't get to write them too often because they need to be tested a lot more thoroughly, but I'd like to include more. Guides and News received a lot fewer votes, but both are pretty important aspects of the site overall.

Who voted Other? It could mean a lot of things - the videos, FalChat (TM), teams or maybe just something else I overlooked. As always, thanks for voting!

Oceania Threepeats

2011-09-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

With Earthworm's victory over Phillip7086 in the finals of the Smogon World Cup, Team Oceania has won the tournament for the third time in a row. Oceania's lineup consists of the following highly skilled players: Earthworm, Golden Sun, Hipmonlee, Heist, panamaxis, Playa, Stallion, zerowing, animenagai, sheep and The Chaser. The next round will begin on June 10, 2012.

Set: Life Orb Starmie

2011-09-03T23:42:00.000-07:00

Starmie @ Life Orb

Trait: Natural Cure

EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd

Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)

- Hydro Pump

- Grass Knot

- Rapid Spin

- Recover

Yeah, probably not the set you were expecting. This Starmie is meant to function as a fast sweeper and Rapid Spin user for Rain teams. Removing hazards is a great way to gain momentum over your opponent, and Starmie is definitely the best choice in Rain. Other than that, Starmie's high Speed and boosted attacks can dish out plenty of damage as well.

One of the most annoying threats for Rain teams to face is Ferrothorn, which sets up freely on most team members. Starmie helps combat this issue not by taking on Ferrothorn directly, but by spinning away its hazards. This set strikes a balance between power and utility, providing both team support and sweeping potential.

Hydro Pump is notable for 2HKOing bulky Rotom-W in Rain, although Surf is good for accuracy. Both, however, net the OHKO on Thundurus in Rain. Grass Knot allows Starmie to function as a lure, netting 2HKOs on Jellicent and surprisingly, Gastrodon. This means Starmie can get past one of the best Rain counters, helping its teammates out immensely. Rapid Spin makes switching a lot easier by removing hazards, and is pretty easy to use since Starmie tends to force switches itself. Recover is needed to help Starmie survive and provide team support in longer matches.

Starmie threatens every common spin blocker, so it's pretty easy to get off a Rapid Spin. Typical Rain team members do fine alongside this set, although it's preferable to include anti-metagame sets like Rain Abuser Jirachi or Mynism's Toxicroak. Just be sure you have something to take out Ferrothorn, and Starmie will do a good job of keeping hazards off the field.

Core: Escavalier / Kingdra

2011-09-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

One drawback of the previous offensive core of Heracross / Medicham was that it lacked defensive synergy, although its offensive synergy is phenomenal. Escavalier and Kingdra, however, have typings that complement each other perfectly. With each opening up opportunities for the other to sweep, they function well as a powerful bulky offensive core.

Kingdra @ Chesto Berry

Trait: Swift Swim

EVs: 180 HP / 160 Atk / 4 SDef / 164 Spd

Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Dragon Dance

- Waterfall

- Outrage

- Rest

Escavalier @ Choice Band

Trait: Swarm

EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef

Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Megahorn

- Iron Head

- Return

- Pursuit

Kingdra is blessed with one of the best type combinations in the game, along with deceptively good bulk. ChestoRest is Kingdra's most dangerous set for sweeping, capable of setting up multiple boosts against weaker attackers. Opponents unaccustomed to dealing with this set will be in for a big surprise with Rest, which essentially gives Kingdra a second life by healing off all damage and status ailments. Water + Dragon provides outstanding type coverage, with the only notable resistant Pokémon being Empoleon. High HP and considerable Attack investment give Kingdra good bulk and power. 164 Speed EVs allow the set to outspeed Scarf Flygon after two Dragon Dance boosts.

Escavalier backs up Kingdra with perfect synergy and an incredible base 135 Attack stat. Both its offensive and defensive stats are superior to those of Scizor, making it an excellent bulky hitter. Although Escavalier's type coverage is poor, its damage output allows it to heavily dent even resisted switch-ins. Escavlier's main job is to punch holes through opposing teams for Kingdra to eventually sweep through.

Kingdra's main counter in UU will be Empoleon. Fortunately, it lacks recovery and is vulnerable to hazards. Even better, Empoleon Steel typing means that opponents may often switch it into Escavalier's attacks. With max HP Empoleon taking 49.46% - 58.33% from Megahorn, it can be taken down pretty fast.

This core also has perfect defensive synergy, with each member resisting the other's only weakness. Opponents trying to use Scarf Flygon to check Kingdra will be put in a tough spot, with Escavalier waiting to switch in on Outrage and OHKO back with Megahorn. UU has much fewer Dragon- and Steel-types than OU, meaning a core like this can put giant pressure on standard teams.

Site Patch 1

2011-09-03T02:50:00.000-07:00

- Links to external sites now open in new tabs

- Tab images have been moved to Picasa (should help for networks that block Photobucket)

- Pictures now link to the posts they're in
- Metatags have been added
- Blue background now appears in mobile mode

Awesome Pokémon Art

2011-09-02T23:22:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd like to share this with anyone who hasn't seen the site yet. Pearlsaurus has what is probably the coolest looking Pokémon art I've seen, complete with individual drawings of nearly everything up to the fourth generation (still in progress). These make for some great forum avatars and signatures.

Battle4Charity Round 3

2011-09-02T11:51:00.000-07:00

Anyone following the main PMP channel may be aware that Battle4Charity is starting up again. This is a joint project by the PMP directors, designed to raise money for worthy causes. Child's Play is the affiliated charity this time. I couldn't accept the invitation to participate due to time constraints, but I plan on donating and watching whenever possible. Click here for the site.

Underrated YouTuber: FierceBirdOfFlame

2011-09-02T03:15:00.000-07:00

I have only one thing to say. Please check this guy out before he strikes you with RELENTLESS FORCE.

Smogon World Cup VI Concludes

2011-09-02T01:25:00.000-07:00

The finals of the Smogon World Cup VI recently finished with an intense matchup: Earthworm of Oceania vs Phillip7086 of US West. Both individuals are top players with impressive past battling achievements. Click here to watch the battle.

Set: Bulky Tangrowth

2011-09-01T19:05:00.000-07:00

Tangrowth @ Leftovers

Trait: Regenerator

EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef

Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)

- Sleep Powder

- Power Whip

- Hidden Power [Ice]

- Leech Seed

Tangrowth's a pretty interesting Pokémon. Aside from functioning as a Chlorophyll Sun sweeper, it can also pull off a very effective physical tanking set. Thanks to Regenerator and its high HP and Defense stats, Tangrowth occupies a special niche in OU. Combine that with an effective defensively-oriented moveset, and you have an extremely durable physical wall.

To put things into perspective, Tangrowth's overall physical bulk beats that of Forretress and Skarmory. This lets Tangrowth take on a number of threats - Terrakion, Landorus, Dragonite and even Excadrill in a pinch.

Sleep Powder provides a notable advantage over other physical walls, crippling common switch-ins like Heatran. Power Whip is a reliable Grass STAB, while HP Ice can net some surprise KOs on Gliscor and hit Dragons for good damage as well. Leech Seed works well along with Leftovers and Regenerator to ensure that Tangrowth won't be going down any time soon.

Although Tangrowth's physical bulk is fantastic, its Special Defense is particularly low. It also can't do much to most other Grass-types, particularly if they carry Natural Cure. For this reason, Latias may be a good choice for a partner. She also fits in well with the entry hazard-based defensive teams that Tangrowth tends to work best with. Other than that, Tangrowth remains a surprisingly bulky wall with some useful support options.

Introducing Archives

2011-09-01T07:25:00.000-07:00

You may have noticed some changes in the tabs. First of all, the Home tab has been removed. It just wasn't necessary considering the top banner already links to the homepage.

More importantly, the Archive has been added. This was an important change, as it keeps a record of important sub-series that run on the site - namely Teams and Underrated YouTubers. The Archive should help organize some important older posts that aren't sorted elsewhere.

Video: Ponymon

2011-08-31T17:53:00.000-07:00

Set: Bulky Mismagius

2011-08-31T13:07:00.000-07:00

Mismagius @ Leftovers

Trait: Levitate

EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd

Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)

- Taunt

- Will-O-Wisp

- Shadow Ball

- Pain Split

Mismagius is commonly seen running an offensive Nasty Plot set. However, a bulkier approach may be a better choice for more defensively-oriented teams. Bulky Mismagius is a bit like a UU version of Stallbreaker Mew - it shuts down entry hazard users and cripples physical attackers, but has the special advantage of blocking Rapid Spin as well.

Nasty Plot Mismagius is a pretty good offensive spin blocker, but this bulky set has a lot more survivability. Thanks to its max HP investment and specifically designed moveset, Mismagius does a much better job of taking hits. A Timid nature allows for a high Speed stat as well; max EVs ensure the set outspeeds threats like Celebi and other Mismagius running HP Fighting.

Taunt is a crucial move on this set that allows Mismagius to shut down many stall team members. Used appropriately with Mismagius' other moves, Taunt allows this set to beat Blissey one-on-one. It also prevents Rapid Spin users from getting off a Foresight to hit Mismagius. Will-O-Wisp is helpful for handling physical attackers - spinners like Hitmontop and Donphan will often be crippled. Shadow Ball still does pretty good damage and provides Mismagius with a reliable STAB move. Pain Split is a decent recovery move, taking advantage of Mismagius' low HP to heal up.

This set should be included on bulky teams that utilize entry hazards. Roserade makes for one of the best Spikers in the tier and provides useful resistances. A RegiBro core would also fit in nicely by covering a lot of threats. Bulky Mismagius tends to do well at keeping your hazards on the field, so be sure the rest of your team can take advantage of them.

Team: Cigarettes in the Theatre

2011-08-30T17:21:00.000-07:00

Hello. 'Cigarettes in the Theatre' is a team I've been using for a while now and is definitely one of my more successful teams. Peaking at #5 on the Smogon ladder is a decent achievement, and a previous variant of the team was used in my Smogon World Cup of Pokemon tryout, and with it I managed to make the UK team.

This is a balanced Sandstorm team, with a defensive core of Gastrodon and Skarmory to deal with Rain teams and Sand teams respectively. I guess the main sweeper of the team is Excadrill, with Salamence executing Skarmory and Gliscor, and Gastrodon effectively neutering Rotom-W and other bulky waters to pave the way for Excadrill's sweep. Offensive Rain threats are also kept at bay by Gastrodon, who walls most of them with ease. Other defensive threats are generally dealt with by Whirlwinding around to rack up hazard damage and then just dealing as much damage with Salamence before bringing in Excadrill to clean up. Although this team appears pretty standard now, at the time it was pretty anti-metagame, utilising the incredibly rare Chople Tyranitar and Gastrodon. Due to the rapid increase in popularity of these 2 Pokemon, this team is not as successful as it was when I used it as my main team. Rain teams are now much more well-equipped to deal with Gastrodon, by using the likes of Grass Knot Starmie and Thundurus and playing more conservatively with Ferrothorn. The same is not true for Salamence however, which the vast majority of teams are horribly under-prepared for, making this team still very potent for use in the current metagame.

Please note that the comments under each team member were written when I first posted this team in the Smogon RMT forum a few weeks ago, so some of the references may be a little outdated. The metagame has actually shifted quite a lot over the last few weeks, most notably with the rise in popularity of Tabloo-like teams (Skarm/Heatran/Roserade/Gastrodon/Filler/Filler), and most of this was written before this surge in popularity of non-weather teams.

Tyranitar (F) @ Chople Berry

Trait: Sand Stream

EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SDef

Sassy nature (+SDef, -Spd)

- Stealth Rock

- Pursuit

- Flamethrower

- Rock Slide

I'll admit I'm not a massive fan of Chople Tyranitar, as ScarfTar is up there as one of my favourite sets in the game. However, it isn't really suited for this team. The change to ChopleTar has been pretty recent, and currently I was using ScarfTar with Stealth Rocks since I had literally no where else I wanted to put it on the team. I eventually decided to change set when I realised that Tyranitar was barely getting any oppurtunities to set-up Stealth Rock, as most of the time it would just be switching to Pursuit away Dark-weak Pokemon such as Starmie, Gengar, and Latios, and it doesn't really force that many switches otherwise. I chose ChopleTar over the standard Special Defensive set because Thundurus is just that ridiculous. Even with Gastrodon and Excadrill it can be annoying to handle.

The set is pretty self-explanatory but I'll go through it anyway. Stealth Rock is a staple move on pretty much any non-choiced Tyranitar this Generation because it helps deal with so many threats. Although the team doesn't have a spin-blocker, Sun teams with Volcarona get put under a lot of pressure by having Stealth Rock up on their side of the field as it means they are effectively forced to bring-in Forretress and Rapid Spin. This gives me a free turn to do whatever I want, such as set-up Sand again with Tyranitar or attempt to set-up one of my Swords Dancers, both of which give the team a huge momentum boost. Stealth Rock also makes Thundurus, Tornadus, Dragonite and opposing Salamence easier to deal with. The decision between Pursuit and Crunch is always difficult for defensive Tyranitar, as Crunch is especially useful against Reuniclus, whereas Pursuit is infinitely more useful against Latios. I decided to go with Pursuit here because Scizor already deals with Reuniclus very well, and it can also be dealt with in a pinch by just keeping the offensive pressure on with Excadrill and Salamence. Flamethrower is here as an extra way to hit Ferrothorn and Skarmory in-particular, once again aiding an Excadrill sweep. Rock Slide is chosen over Stone Edge because the extra power isn't really needed whereas the increased accuracy is greatly appreciated against Volcarona and Thundurus. The EV spread is just me being lazy. I decided to go with 252 HP / 252 SDef when I first tested the set and it worked, so saw no reason to look into a more efficient spread.

Skarmory (F) @ Leftovers

Trait: Sturdy

EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 Spd

Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)

- Spikes

- Brave Bird

- Roost

- Whirlwind

Skarmory forms a great defensive duo with Gastrodon, who takes Fire Blasts and Thunderbolts aimed at Skarmory all day, while Skarmory takes the Grass Knots and other Grass-attacks that Gastrodon despises. On a broader spectrum, Skarmory walls most Sandstorm sweepers and Gastrodon handles the Rain sweepers, meaning that I have most of the metagame's top threats covered between just 2 Pokemon.

Skarmory provides entry hazard support with Spikes alongside Tyranitar's Stealth Rock, which, in conjunction with Whirlwind, helps to wear down Skarmory's common switch-ins, such as Magnezone, Thundurus, and Heatran. Although a lot of the top threats this Generation aren't grounded (see: Thundurus, Latios, Dragonite, Balloon Excadrill, Balloon Terrakion), Spikes still has great utility. Brave Bird and Whirlwind are the 2 'filler' moves of the set, but are still pretty much set in stone here as they are both very important. Whirlwind helps rack-up hazard damage to help the sweepers, as well as putting-off Magnezone from wanting to switch-in on Skarmory, and is also useful for getting rid of set-up Pokemon before they get too threatening (for example, Rock Polish Terrakion, DD Dragonite, SD Scizor, SD Excadrill, SD Landorus, CM Reuniclus, and SD Gliscor). Brave Bird means that Skarmory isn't complete Taunt-bait, as well as meaning that I don't get swept by last-Pokemon Excadrill with its Balloon still intact. Brave Bird also deals decent damage to the common Grass-types in OU, including Celebi and Virizion who are 2HKOd and OHKOd respectively with Spikes and Stealth Rock, even with no Atk investment. Although I'm sure there is a more efficient and tailored EV spread out there than the one I am currently using, this is the one I started with and it seems to have been working fine. I opted for a Physically defensive set here as opposed to a Specially defensive set, as most Sandstorm sweepers attack on the Physical side of the attacking spectrum, and Tyranitar can sponge Draco Meteors from the likes of Latios excellently.

Gastrodon (F) @ Leftovers

Trait: Storm Drain

EVs: 252 HP / 20 SAtk / 236 SDef

Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)

- Scald

- Ice Beam

- Toxic

- Recover

Gastrodon can single-handedly wall the 5/6 members of the common rain team, only really fearing Ferrothorn which Skarmory can get free Spikes up against. Gastrodon acts as the team's main counter to Thundurus, as it really can't touch me with any of its common attacks and Gastrodon just removes it with Ice Beams.

In very early iterations of the team, I had an Unaware Quagsire in this spot, but I've never regretted replacing it. Although they share the same typing and they both counter Thundurus, Gastrodon's Storm Drain ability is just too much to pass up, allowing to to act as a counter to Starmie and Azumarill on top of the aforementioned genie. Despite the defensively-inclined EV spread, Storm Drain and Rain-boosted Scald's really pack a punch, and Gastrodon gets a lot of opportunities to fire them off against Rain teams trying to get rid of Tyranitar and Excadrill. With its secondary Ground-typing, Gastrodon has great defensive psynergy with Skarmory, taking on the Thunderbolts and Fire Blasts that Skarmory hates with ease due to resistance and brilliant special bulk. The lack of Earth Power on the set means that Gastrodon can't really hit Rain sweepers back once it switches in, but she forces a load of switches so doesn't really need an attack to hit them anyway, letting Toxic damage, Stealth Rock and Spikes do all the work. Toxic is the filler move on the set, as is here mainly as a way to hit CM Latias on the switch-in, putting a timer on it so it can't really do much, unless it has the rare Refresh.

Scizor (F) @ Leftovers

Trait: Technician

EVs: 252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 SDef

Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Swords Dance

- Bullet Punch

- Bug Bite

- Roost

Scizor acts as another Dragon-resist on the team, but unlike Skarmory has a very SDef-focused EV spread, making it an excellent check to the likes of Latios and Reuniclus, which pose some problems to the team otherwise.This set functions similarly to Swords Dance Gliscor, acting as a defensive Pokemon early-game and then pulling off a possible sweep late-game with Swords Dance despite minimal attack investment. The EV spread is obviously tailored with this in mind. 252 HP and 216 SDef EVs means Scizor is never 2HKOd by Virizion's or Reuniclus' Focus Blasts, proving no SDef drops, which means Virizion can be Roost-stalled for Life Orb recoil in a pinch before being finished off with Bullet Punch. Similarly, Reuniclus can be dealt with by setting up Swords Dances and Roosting off damage before finishing it off with Bug Bite.

Swords Dance Scizor is far superior to Choice Band for this team (and just generally in this metagame, in my opinion) purely because it gets so many chances to set-up Swords Dances thanks to a great set of resistances, including Dragon, Steel and Grass allowing it to easily set-up on Choice Specs Latios and Ferrothorn. Superpower is an option over Bug Bite but Ferrothorn is already beaten 1-on-1 with Bug Bite, and Skarmory is well dealt with by Salamence. Without Bug Bite Reuniclus has a much easier time running through the team as well. The priority Scizor brings to the team is incredibly helpful, especially in dealing with Pokemon such as Double Dance Terrakion, who can outspeed Excadrill after a Rock Polish and OHKO everything on the team at +2 Atk. With Scizor on the team, I can OHKO Terrakion after a Close Combat, making it much less of a threat. Even if its defense is still at +0, I can Bullet Punch to break the Balloon before going to Excadrill to revenge-kill provided it hasn't managed to Rock Polish.

Excadrill (F) @ Air Balloon

Trait: Sand Rush

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd

Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Swords Dance

- Earthquake

- Rock Slide

- Rapid Spin

I hate Excadrill so much, but it is just brilliant at what it does. Excadrill is the offensive Rapid Spinner of the team, getting rid of Stealth Rock, Spikes and Toxic Spikes which Gastrodon and Tyranitar despise. Excadrill causes loads of switches, giving him a lot of chances to pull out a Rapid Spin, mostly on switches to Skarmory or Gliscor. Starmie was the only other option here, but I opted for Excadrill due to its greater offensive capability with Swords Dance, making him a great spinner early-game and threatening sweeper late-game, something Starmie can't really match.

Excadrill acts as yet another check to Thundurus, beating non-Focus Blast variants one-on-one in both Rain and Sand, and outspeeding all sets when I have the weather advantage, OHKOing with Rock Slide. Its immunity to Thunder Wave means it is one of the few offensive checks to Thundurus that doesn't get crippled as it takes it down. Excadrill also acts as a well needed check to non-balloon and non-Rock Polish Terrakion, easily outspeeding even Scarf sets and OHKOing with Earthquake. Deciding between Rock Slide and Frustration was somewhat difficult, but I decided on Rock Slide for the flinch chance, and also so that Excadrill isn't left completely hopeless against Skarmory. Although Frustration is more powerful against Gliscor and Lati@s, they are often already weakened sufficiently by Salamence/Gastrodon and Tyranitar respectively before Gliscor comes in to finish off the job.

Air Balloon is the item of choice here over Life Orb because of Excadrill's role as the team's Rapid Spinner. With Air Balloon, Excadrill has guaranteed Spikes immunity the first time it switches in, which is important as it means it will be healthier when it tries to sweep later in the battle. Air Balloon means that Gliscor has a much harder time countering Excadrill, particularly if it has already been weakened by other members of the team.

Salamence (F) @ Life Orb

Trait: Intimidate

EVs: 116 Atk / 216 SAtk / 176 Spd

Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)

- Draco Meteor

- Fire Blast

- Brick Break

- Roost

Salamence has been very overlooked this generation due the presence of the other dragons taking up its niches. Latios has a much more powerful Draco Meteor, and Dragonite's new ability Multiscale and access to ExtremeSpeed makes it a better Dragon Dancer. However, MixMence remains just as threatening as it was last generation, retaining its ability to hit hard on the special side without getting walled by Tyranitar and Blissey, something Latios can't consistently match.

Salamence does a great job of removing Excadrill's counters early- and mid-game, OHKOing even the most Specially defensive Skarmory most of the time with Stealth Rock up, and OHKOing standard Swords Dance Gliscor 100% of the time with Stealth Rock up. With Excadrill spinning Stealth Rock away, and with Roost in the 4th slot, Salamence has surprising survivability, even more so with Intimidate buffing his ability to take physical hits, such as Close Combats, Drain Punches and Mach Punches from the various OU Fighting-types. Brick Break is the filler attack of choice here, hitting Tyranitar and Blissey harder than Earthquake while still hitting Heatran for around 60%. The EV spread means Salamence can outspeed all neutral-natured Base 90 Speed Pokemon, focusing the rest of the remaining EVs on power, since Salamence is acting a wallbreaker as opposed to a sweeper. Although Draco Meteor's power doesn't match Latios', it is still incredibly powerful, and very few Pokemon can switch-in on a Draco Meteor and then take a second attack from Salamence, making it a very efficient wall-breaker. Salamence brings a few nice resistances to the team, including Fighting, Fire and Water in particular. As Salamence resists Grass, Fire and is immune to Ground-type attacks, he makes a very good switch-in for Nasty Plot Celebi, who is pretty annoying for the team to face otherwise especially considering the lack of Crunch on Tyranitar.

Set: Rapid Spin Excadrill

2011-08-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

Excadrill @ Air Balloon

Trait: Sand Rush

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd

Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Earthquake

- Rock Slide

- X-Scissor

- Rapid Spin

The differences between this set and the standard Swords Dance one are subtle, but significant. Entry hazards are pretty common among good OU teams, and they can really apply some heavy pressure as far as switching goes. Instead of sweeping, Rapid Spin Excadrill serves more of a support role: it clears away hazards to help out its teammates, revenge kills important threats, and cleans up opposing teams in the endgame.

Excadrill is arguably the best Rapid Spin user available, thanks to its ability to threaten every common spin blocker. Jellicent isn't a safe switch-in, as Earthquake is a potential 2HKO after Stealth Rock. Gengar also takes a large chunk (53.44% - 62.98%) from Rock Slide. Many games can be saved as a result of Excadrill removing troublesome entry hazards from the field.

An Adamant nature and an Air Balloon are used to maximize Excadrill's power and longevity. Earthquake still hits really hard off an Attack stat of 405, even without Swords Dance. Rock Slide provide QuakeEdge-equivalent type coverage and allows the set to revenge kill Thundurus and Volcarona. X-Scissor is a helpful move for handling Celebi, as well as weakened Latios and Latias. Rapid Spin may determine the match against hazard-based teams, as many will fail to apply enough pressure otherwise. Having your side of the field clear of hazards gives you a concrete advantage in momentum and provides more flexibility in terms of switches and predictions.

Rapid Spin Excadrill fits well as a support member on Sand teams. Having the ability to switch around freely is especially helpful for Tyranitar when engaging in weather wars. As such, typical Sand team members work well with this set. Substitute Landorus makes for an excellent offensive partner, while Rotom-W and Celebi provide solid resistances for the team.

Set: Choice Band Escavalier

2011-08-29T15:04:00.000-07:00

Escavalier @ Choice Band

Trait: Swarm

EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef

Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Megahorn

- Iron Head

- Return

- Pursuit

The power behind this set is staggering. Escavalier's gigantic base 135 Attack puts it on the level of OU's top physical threats, even beating its higher-tiered counterpart: Scizor. Although Escavalier suffers from an incredibly low base 20 Speed stat, its defensive stats are high enough for it to successfully pull of the role of an extremely hard-hitting bulky attacker.

Escavalier's excellent typing allows it to switch in often to spam high-powered attacks. Since Steel-types are much less common in UU, HP Fire tends to be a rare move. This means Escavalier receives free switch-ins on several Grass-types, including most Roserade and Celebi sets.

Megahorn is the set's hardest hitting move. Even physically defensive behemoths like Donphan, Rhyperior and Slowbro are easily 2HKOed (with a clean OHKO in the case of the latter). Iron Head is a reliable secondary STAB for hitting Bug resists for extra damage. Return has a nice max base power of 102, which dishes out plenty of damage with this set. Pursuit is excellent for trapping Ghosts like Mismagius; thanks to Escavalier's bulk, the Nasty Plot set fails to 2HKO with HP Fighting at +2.

Escavalier's movepool is poor in terms of type coverage, but its power is enough to wear down nearly any opponent, even Pokémon that resist its attacks. Entry hazards are really helpful for making it easier to take down "counters." As far as teammates go, Scarf Heracross is an excellent partner to this set. It can form a double Bug offensive core with Escavalier, spamming Megahorn and later Close Combat after Ghost-types have been trapped with Pursuit.

Smog 16 Released

2011-08-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

The Smog is Smogon's online webzine and the Internet's greatest source of high-quality competitive Pokémon articles. Issue 16 came out recently, complete with updated content for various BW metagames. Other than that, the Smog also covers non-battling subjects like art and entertainment.

P.S. We totally wrote up SubRoost Lugia first :P