Legacy Raider
sharpening his claws, slowly
Hey, welcome to our RMT. Or ROT, whatever =P.
This is a team that was created by Imran and I a good few weeks ago for UU. The original idea was to abuse the potential suspects so that we could gain a good idea of their prowess, and so we would have some good experience when it came to voting time. At one point this team got four alts of ours on the leaderboard, and not only is it effective, it is really fun to use. What Imran and I both love the most about this team is its balance. Although there is a lot of offense, we comfortably run two defensive pokemon on the team, and yet do not lose momentum in battles. This is something that is rarely seen in DPP OU play, at least, and I feel it is representative of the balance of UU in that a team like this can work.
Of course, we will greatly appreciate any comments that you have on this team, and will take any suggestions as to its improvement. Thanks very much!
At a glance
So what do we see here? The main premise is to set up sub salac Gallade for a sweep. The rest can all be classed as Team support although Roserade and Staraptor all have scope to sweep on their own, and they have done so many a time. Two supporting walls help make transititons between offensive periods without losing the pressure that we apply on our opponents. At a glance, you can see there is a Toxic Spikes absorber, and we rely on the the valuable resistances that a core of Fire, Water, and Grass brings. We also try to use the defensive synergy between Slowbro and Steelix to weaken opposing teams somewhat, so that hopefully one of our four sweepers can break through with a clean sweep.
.......
In Depth
Arcanine
@ Lum Berry
Intimidate
Naughty (+Atk, -SpD)
192 HP / 252 Atk / 64 Spe
~ Flare Blitz
~ Extremespeed
~ Overheat
~ Toxic
Description: Anti-lead Arcanine. Arcanine is useful for the team as it provides a useful resistance to Fire. Roserade and Steelix are both weak to it, and Slowbro doesn't have the best special defense, so Arcanine is often called on to take stray Flamethrowers. Flare Blitz + Extremespeed deal with common sashers, as well as faster pokemon such as Ambipom and Crobat. Flare Blitz + Toxic takes out Froslass while dodging the Destiny Bond. Toxic also is great for crippling bulky water switchins, in particular Slowbro and Milotic, which makes it much easier for Staraptor and Gallade to take them on. Overheat is really for lack of a better move from Arcanine's rather limited movepool. However, it does have some utility in hitting specially weak pokemon such as Steelix, Cloyster, and Weezing, and is also useful for when Arcanine is on low health and can't risk recoil from Flare Blitz. Max Atk is to power up Flare Blitz and Extremespeed as much as possible, the speed EVs allow Arcanine to outspeed Timid Abomasnow and Adamant Honchkrow, and finally the remaining EVs are put into HP to maximise Arcanine's durability against offensive leads. Lum Berry helps to deal with Status leads, for example, it takes out Sleep Powder Roserade, Spore Smeargle and allows us to 2HKO Registeel who usually try to use Thunder Wave straight off the bat.
For a more in depth explanation of the lead Arcanine set and how it deals with common leads, see here.
LR: In UU, leads are arguably even more important than in OU. Your lead not only dictates how the match will begin, but start off with a bad matchup and you could lose so much momentum that it becomes exceedingly difficult to come back for a win. Arcanine reliably sets up the team in a favourable position right from the get go, and the reliability with which it deals with opposing leads is actually a major factor in this team's success. Arcanine's best quality, however, has to be how useful it is later on in the game too. Its Extremespeed is extremely appreciated in taking out faster, frail threats, and the raw power provided by its Flare Blitz helps lots with the 'pummeling process', as we like to call it =P. Lum also makes it a one time status absorber, and it makes for great death fodder with Intimidate. All in all, this has got to be possibly my favourite pokemon in all of UU.
Imran: LRcanine! The main reason I have decided to keep this lead? It gets me in an advantageous position 90% of the time. A lot of the common leads are either beaten by it, or have to run from it to avoid getting beaten by it. Intelligant Froslass get 2 layers of Spikes, although most get one, and those are perhaps the leads that this Pokemon does "the worst" against. Not only that but it can use Toxic to start wearing down those that counter it as well. I guess the reason I prefer this over Crobat is it gets me on a real offensive footing early in the game, as opposed to the slightly passive "don't let your opponant set up" tone that Crobat sets.
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Staraptor
@ Sharp Beak
Intimidate
Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
~ Brave Bird
~ Close Combat
~ Substitute
~ Roost
Description: Staraptor draws out Gallade's counters and does systematic damage to them, in particular things like Spiritomb and Slowbro, which only need to be weakened for Gallade to beat them. Substitute avoids status from the likes of Registeel, as well as easing prediction, so we don't take recoil or lower our defenses hitting something for resisted damage. Roost is important for recovering Brave Bird recoil, Substitute HP loss, and SR damage, and is vital in allowing Staraptor to repeatedly come in to threaten the opposing team. This is of particular importance as we decided we didn't have room for a spinner on as offensively based a team as this. The ground immunity and the additional Intimidate are also very helpful for the team as a whole.
Jolly puts us at least as fast as the majority of opposing Staraptor and Shaymin. The item choice was a hard - Leftovers was useful in keeping Staraptor alive, but we found that we weren't doing enough damage, and that the recovery pretty much gave away the set. Sharp Beak makes for a great alternative - it gives us just enough power to get the 2HKO on Spiritomb, doesn't give any additional recoil, and allows us to feign as CB for quite a while.
LR: Imran recommended the Sub Roost Staraptor set - I was all ready to slap on a CB and call it a day - and boy, am I glad he did =). This thing terrifyingly effective. Like a systematic serial killer coming in over and over again to pick off weakened targets, Staraptor is always a thorn in my opponent's side. It cheats its SR and Brave Bird death sentence with Roost, meaning it usually continues to harass the opponent throughout the game. My experiences with this set are largely responsible for my decision to nominate it as a BL suspect.
Imran: SubRoost Raptor has literally swept teams. So many Pokemon give it a free Substitute by using Will-o-Wisp and Thunder Wave you wouldn't believe. Once safely behind a Substitute, it can 2HKO the majority of the Pokemon in the game! There is really not much more to say here, use it yourself and see the spectacular results. There is so much hype around the CB set, but honestly, if I vote to ban Starator it will be because of this set, not any others. If users catch on, it will most likely lose it's effect, although this is unlikely to happen soon, people are just too scared of CB!
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Roserade
@ Choice Scarf
Natural Cure
Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
~ Leaf Storm / Energy Ball
~ Sleep Powder / Spikes
~ Sludge Bomb
~ Hidden Power Ground
Description: Scarf Roserade adds some very welcome speed to the team, and acts as a primary revenge killer for a myriad of threats. Imran and I use it in different ways with different sets - I use it primarily as a revenge killer, whereas he uses it as a revenge killer (silly Legacy Raider, I revenge kill with it too, I just like to set up Spikes when I know that a counter is coming in ^_^). Sludge Bomb and Leaf Storm provide strong STAB options, Sludge Bomb with some reliability and Leaf Storm for an explosive punch to take out not only bulky Waters but a myriad of other Pokemon with less-than-reliable Special Defense. Sleep Powder is a very useful, albeit not fully reliable, way of removing a threatening pokemon from the game. Hidden Power Ground is useful for hitting the Steel types that resist Roserade's STAB attacks, while also hitting Drapion and grounded poisons in general, which are quite common switchins into Roserade. However, by not running HP Fire, Roserade is a bit more vulnerable to Crobat. Roserade serves another very useful purpose, to remove Toxic Spikes, which mess up Slowbro, Arcanine and and most importantly Gallade all of whom cannot afford to take extra residual damage. She also acts as our makeshift status absorber.
I (Imran) like to use Spikes over Sleep Powder as I find the extra residual damage more appealing than being locked into a Sleep Move. Not only can I scout for counters, but instead of taking out one Pokemon (that can probably be handled elsewhere) I can make it harder for the majority of other teams' members to switch around. I find this especially useful against Chansey, who doean't care about Sleep Powder, especially when we are locked into it. Energy Ball goes on that set, as Leaf Storm is illegal with Spikes (as is Sleep Powder incidentally), and although the drop in power isn't great, it still deals respectable damage to bulky Waters, and other weaker Pokemon.
LR: Don't listen to Imran, he's silly to not run Sleep Powder. And lol, Energy Ball? =) Roserade is another vital part of the team. It's natural poison typing soaks up Toxic Spikes upon entry, meaning that the team is not slaughtered by hail or stall in general. Roserade is the vengeful one on the team, coming back over and over to smack something with its 210 power Leaf Storm. It is also the desperation pokemon, as with its accurate Sleep Powder, it can take out almost any threat once in the game. And for lack of anything better to go to, Roserade serves as a makeshift status absorber.
Imran: My Roserade obviously is the superior set! In all honesty, I have tried out both sets, and I like them both as much as each other, so "each to his own" I guess. The residual damage and the offesnive nature of this team really works well, as it forces switches, switches cause damage, which causes 2HKOes to become 1HKOes etc... This is absolutely wonderful for checking threats too, it outspeeds the majority of things and deals a lot of damage with it's dual STABs, even if Energy Ball is the move of choice. Absorbing Water attacks aimed at Arcanine gives a lot of "almost" free switchins, with allows for setting up Hazards. Even if they stay in and Ice Beam, Steelix has them covered! (mostly anyway)
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Steelix
@ Passho Berry
Sturdy
Careful (+SpD, -SpA)
252 Atk / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
~ Stealth Rock
~ Iron Head
~ Earthquake
~ Explosion
Description: 'BaitLix'. Steelix serves as a general physical wall and SR user, but on this team also has another important purpose - to draw in and take out bulky water types with Explosion. The Passho Berry, +SpD nature and SpD EVs allow it to do this reliably. The real reason for this is not just Slowbro and Milotic, who can be dealt with by our other pokemon, but Azumarill. Aqua Jet poses a great risk to Gallade's sub salac sweep, and Steelix is very helpful in removing this threat. The Atk EVs give Steelix's Explosion the maximum power, allowing it to do a sizable chunk even to things like Slowbro. Because of its lack of HP and Defense investment, this Steelix set doesn't stick around quite as long as the it normally would. We wanted it to outspeed other opposing Steelix to get the first EQs, so we went for a neutral nature and Iron Head. Iron Head also outdamages Gyro Ball against Abomasnow, Glaceon, and Articuno among other things, and is not quite as easy to sub Roost stall away. Steelix is also our best bet against Sub CM Raikou, which is another situation in which the Special Defense EVs really go all the way.
LR: Another of Imran's ideas for the set. I have to be honest, I never really mastered the way to use this set until quite a few days into us using this team. I tended to play it like a normal Steelix, using it to take the majority of physical assaults against the team. Steelix died a lot, and so I began to think it was a crap set. But I then watched Imran in some of his battles, and he showed me how to use it more as an offensive pokemon than a defensive one. Because really, that is what BaitLix is. It's primary purpose on this team is to set up SR, get a bit of damage in, and then Explode, weakening the foe's defensive core so that something can sweep. It really works beautifully once you learn how to use it, and serves its purpose excellently on this team, paving the way for Gallade to sweep in the late game.
Imran: My Baitlix set. Although the original Baitlix team was built around luring out and killing bulky waters, it is on this team as more of an after-thought. It is a wall, but one that can go on the offense at any second. If your opponent has a bulky water, you can be pretty sure that they will send it in on Steelix, and once it is gone, it makes it a lot easier for Gallade, Staraptor and Arcanine to sweep. The usual drill is just to SR and Explode, although sometimes it is nessecary to keep it around for a little longer due to the presence of Raikou. Offensive Steelix is a fun Pokemon to use, and benefits this team massivly, thanks to the sheer power of Explosion and it's unpredictability.
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Slowbro
@ Leftovers
Own Tempo
Bold (+Def, -Atk)
252 HP / 220 Def / 36 SpD
~ Surf
~ Ice Beam
~ Thunder Wave
~ Slack Off
Description: Slowbro's is really the only 'standard' set on the team. It is really the only pure defensive pokemon, and is necessary to stop things like Azumarrill and Hitmontop from rampaging through the rest of the rather frail team. It also provides very useful paralysis support for Gallade and Staraptor, neither of whom are exceedingly fast, and both of whom can use the free turn to set up a Substitute. Its typing also has great synergy with Steelix, resisting the Fire, Fighting, and Water attacks that plague him, while Steelix can take Dark, Ghost and Electric attacks thrown at Slowbro. Surf and Ice Beam are for general coverage, and Slack Off is for healing.
LR: "If in doubt, go to Slowbro". Really, this thing is amazing. The amount of physical abuse it can take is unreal haha. The little pink hermit crab thing (?) is an extremely reliable pokemon, and usually ends up paralysing a good portion of the opponent's team. Despite this being a very offensively based team, I have had times when I've taken out a key sweeper and simply walled the opposing team to death with Slowbro. The reliable recovery provided by Slack Off, as well as decent powered Surfs and Ice Beams, really make Slowbro a great addition.
Imran: Many teams talk about the "glue," and if such a concept really exists it is Slowbro on this team. It counters many threats that would be dangerous to us, and the random paralysis that it dishes out helps to no end in setting up Substitutes, that really are the central idea in this team. If forms part of the Fire, Water, Grass core of this team, and always pulls his weight in the battles. Slowbro acts as my "go to guy" a lot of the time, which is something that I feel a team needs, if he is not countering and supporting, he will be scouting a switchin, and "taking one for the team."
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Gallade
@ Salac Berry
Steadfast
Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
12 HP / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
~ Close Combat
~ Night Slash
~ Substitute
~ Swords Dance
Description: Sub Salac Gallade overcomes the two difficulties that usually prevent Gallade from sweeping - its mediocre speed and its vulnerability to status. By subbing down to the Salac boost and hopefully getting a Swords Dance in the process, Gallade primes itself to break past its weakened counters and sweep teams with its horribly powerful Close Combat. Night Slash combines with Close Combat to give nearly unresisted coverage (damn Toxicroak) in UU, and is a more reliable option than Stone Edge. It allows Gallade to get a clean 2HKO on Slowbro after an SD, and can also deal with Spiritomb and Claydol as well.
Jolly and the Spe EVs give Gallade 423 speed after the boost, enough to outspeed scarf Rotom and +1 neutral base 90s such as Moltres and Roserade. It also allows Gallade to outspeed Jolly max speed Feraligatr before the boost. The 12 HP EVs give Gallade a HP stat divisible by 4, making Salac activate on the third Sub down. Max attack to let it hit things. Hard.
LR: The star of the show. Gallade is what this team is really all about. While the other 5 members work well together and deal with most team decently, they are really in fact all setting up for a late game Gallade sweep. Arcanine's Toxics, Slowbro's Thunder Waves, Steelix's Explosion, all pave the path of rampage that Gallade takes during the final turns of a battle. I literally went up to Imran one day and said "Let's make a team around a sub salac Gallade sweep", and that's how team ILR started =). Let Gallade get down to +2 Atk and +1 Speed, and the opponent better hope they have a priority attack left somewhere or a one of the handful of things that can stop it, or otherwise it can often be gg there and then. A really formidable sweeper.
Imran: The team's main sweeper. I have always really enjoyed the way that this set beats Staraptor. (Those that aren't scarfed anyway [damn you AbsolDeath]) It is very easy to set up and with paralysis all over the place, it is ever so easy to accomplish. Along with it's monstous attack, Gallades special bulk can really come to play in a tight spot. It can survive attacks from Shaymin, Raikou and friends and Close Combat back for the KO, sometimes against Shaymin, I can blindly Swords Dance as they Seed Flare, and get my boost anyway! This is by far the best finisher in UU at the moment, with the right support, and boy am I glad that we based the team around this set, rather than the LO set I originally had in mind!
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Final Glance
.......
This is a team that was created by Imran and I a good few weeks ago for UU. The original idea was to abuse the potential suspects so that we could gain a good idea of their prowess, and so we would have some good experience when it came to voting time. At one point this team got four alts of ours on the leaderboard, and not only is it effective, it is really fun to use. What Imran and I both love the most about this team is its balance. Although there is a lot of offense, we comfortably run two defensive pokemon on the team, and yet do not lose momentum in battles. This is something that is rarely seen in DPP OU play, at least, and I feel it is representative of the balance of UU in that a team like this can work.
Of course, we will greatly appreciate any comments that you have on this team, and will take any suggestions as to its improvement. Thanks very much!
.......
At a glance
So what do we see here? The main premise is to set up sub salac Gallade for a sweep. The rest can all be classed as Team support although Roserade and Staraptor all have scope to sweep on their own, and they have done so many a time. Two supporting walls help make transititons between offensive periods without losing the pressure that we apply on our opponents. At a glance, you can see there is a Toxic Spikes absorber, and we rely on the the valuable resistances that a core of Fire, Water, and Grass brings. We also try to use the defensive synergy between Slowbro and Steelix to weaken opposing teams somewhat, so that hopefully one of our four sweepers can break through with a clean sweep.
.......
In Depth
Arcanine
@ Lum Berry
Intimidate
Naughty (+Atk, -SpD)
192 HP / 252 Atk / 64 Spe
~ Flare Blitz
~ Extremespeed
~ Overheat
~ Toxic
Description: Anti-lead Arcanine. Arcanine is useful for the team as it provides a useful resistance to Fire. Roserade and Steelix are both weak to it, and Slowbro doesn't have the best special defense, so Arcanine is often called on to take stray Flamethrowers. Flare Blitz + Extremespeed deal with common sashers, as well as faster pokemon such as Ambipom and Crobat. Flare Blitz + Toxic takes out Froslass while dodging the Destiny Bond. Toxic also is great for crippling bulky water switchins, in particular Slowbro and Milotic, which makes it much easier for Staraptor and Gallade to take them on. Overheat is really for lack of a better move from Arcanine's rather limited movepool. However, it does have some utility in hitting specially weak pokemon such as Steelix, Cloyster, and Weezing, and is also useful for when Arcanine is on low health and can't risk recoil from Flare Blitz. Max Atk is to power up Flare Blitz and Extremespeed as much as possible, the speed EVs allow Arcanine to outspeed Timid Abomasnow and Adamant Honchkrow, and finally the remaining EVs are put into HP to maximise Arcanine's durability against offensive leads. Lum Berry helps to deal with Status leads, for example, it takes out Sleep Powder Roserade, Spore Smeargle and allows us to 2HKO Registeel who usually try to use Thunder Wave straight off the bat.
For a more in depth explanation of the lead Arcanine set and how it deals with common leads, see here.
LR: In UU, leads are arguably even more important than in OU. Your lead not only dictates how the match will begin, but start off with a bad matchup and you could lose so much momentum that it becomes exceedingly difficult to come back for a win. Arcanine reliably sets up the team in a favourable position right from the get go, and the reliability with which it deals with opposing leads is actually a major factor in this team's success. Arcanine's best quality, however, has to be how useful it is later on in the game too. Its Extremespeed is extremely appreciated in taking out faster, frail threats, and the raw power provided by its Flare Blitz helps lots with the 'pummeling process', as we like to call it =P. Lum also makes it a one time status absorber, and it makes for great death fodder with Intimidate. All in all, this has got to be possibly my favourite pokemon in all of UU.
Imran: LRcanine! The main reason I have decided to keep this lead? It gets me in an advantageous position 90% of the time. A lot of the common leads are either beaten by it, or have to run from it to avoid getting beaten by it. Intelligant Froslass get 2 layers of Spikes, although most get one, and those are perhaps the leads that this Pokemon does "the worst" against. Not only that but it can use Toxic to start wearing down those that counter it as well. I guess the reason I prefer this over Crobat is it gets me on a real offensive footing early in the game, as opposed to the slightly passive "don't let your opponant set up" tone that Crobat sets.
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Staraptor
@ Sharp Beak
Intimidate
Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
~ Brave Bird
~ Close Combat
~ Substitute
~ Roost
Description: Staraptor draws out Gallade's counters and does systematic damage to them, in particular things like Spiritomb and Slowbro, which only need to be weakened for Gallade to beat them. Substitute avoids status from the likes of Registeel, as well as easing prediction, so we don't take recoil or lower our defenses hitting something for resisted damage. Roost is important for recovering Brave Bird recoil, Substitute HP loss, and SR damage, and is vital in allowing Staraptor to repeatedly come in to threaten the opposing team. This is of particular importance as we decided we didn't have room for a spinner on as offensively based a team as this. The ground immunity and the additional Intimidate are also very helpful for the team as a whole.
Jolly puts us at least as fast as the majority of opposing Staraptor and Shaymin. The item choice was a hard - Leftovers was useful in keeping Staraptor alive, but we found that we weren't doing enough damage, and that the recovery pretty much gave away the set. Sharp Beak makes for a great alternative - it gives us just enough power to get the 2HKO on Spiritomb, doesn't give any additional recoil, and allows us to feign as CB for quite a while.
LR: Imran recommended the Sub Roost Staraptor set - I was all ready to slap on a CB and call it a day - and boy, am I glad he did =). This thing terrifyingly effective. Like a systematic serial killer coming in over and over again to pick off weakened targets, Staraptor is always a thorn in my opponent's side. It cheats its SR and Brave Bird death sentence with Roost, meaning it usually continues to harass the opponent throughout the game. My experiences with this set are largely responsible for my decision to nominate it as a BL suspect.
Imran: SubRoost Raptor has literally swept teams. So many Pokemon give it a free Substitute by using Will-o-Wisp and Thunder Wave you wouldn't believe. Once safely behind a Substitute, it can 2HKO the majority of the Pokemon in the game! There is really not much more to say here, use it yourself and see the spectacular results. There is so much hype around the CB set, but honestly, if I vote to ban Starator it will be because of this set, not any others. If users catch on, it will most likely lose it's effect, although this is unlikely to happen soon, people are just too scared of CB!
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Roserade
@ Choice Scarf
Natural Cure
Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
~ Leaf Storm / Energy Ball
~ Sleep Powder / Spikes
~ Sludge Bomb
~ Hidden Power Ground
Description: Scarf Roserade adds some very welcome speed to the team, and acts as a primary revenge killer for a myriad of threats. Imran and I use it in different ways with different sets - I use it primarily as a revenge killer, whereas he uses it as a revenge killer (silly Legacy Raider, I revenge kill with it too, I just like to set up Spikes when I know that a counter is coming in ^_^). Sludge Bomb and Leaf Storm provide strong STAB options, Sludge Bomb with some reliability and Leaf Storm for an explosive punch to take out not only bulky Waters but a myriad of other Pokemon with less-than-reliable Special Defense. Sleep Powder is a very useful, albeit not fully reliable, way of removing a threatening pokemon from the game. Hidden Power Ground is useful for hitting the Steel types that resist Roserade's STAB attacks, while also hitting Drapion and grounded poisons in general, which are quite common switchins into Roserade. However, by not running HP Fire, Roserade is a bit more vulnerable to Crobat. Roserade serves another very useful purpose, to remove Toxic Spikes, which mess up Slowbro, Arcanine and and most importantly Gallade all of whom cannot afford to take extra residual damage. She also acts as our makeshift status absorber.
I (Imran) like to use Spikes over Sleep Powder as I find the extra residual damage more appealing than being locked into a Sleep Move. Not only can I scout for counters, but instead of taking out one Pokemon (that can probably be handled elsewhere) I can make it harder for the majority of other teams' members to switch around. I find this especially useful against Chansey, who doean't care about Sleep Powder, especially when we are locked into it. Energy Ball goes on that set, as Leaf Storm is illegal with Spikes (as is Sleep Powder incidentally), and although the drop in power isn't great, it still deals respectable damage to bulky Waters, and other weaker Pokemon.
LR: Don't listen to Imran, he's silly to not run Sleep Powder. And lol, Energy Ball? =) Roserade is another vital part of the team. It's natural poison typing soaks up Toxic Spikes upon entry, meaning that the team is not slaughtered by hail or stall in general. Roserade is the vengeful one on the team, coming back over and over to smack something with its 210 power Leaf Storm. It is also the desperation pokemon, as with its accurate Sleep Powder, it can take out almost any threat once in the game. And for lack of anything better to go to, Roserade serves as a makeshift status absorber.
Imran: My Roserade obviously is the superior set! In all honesty, I have tried out both sets, and I like them both as much as each other, so "each to his own" I guess. The residual damage and the offesnive nature of this team really works well, as it forces switches, switches cause damage, which causes 2HKOes to become 1HKOes etc... This is absolutely wonderful for checking threats too, it outspeeds the majority of things and deals a lot of damage with it's dual STABs, even if Energy Ball is the move of choice. Absorbing Water attacks aimed at Arcanine gives a lot of "almost" free switchins, with allows for setting up Hazards. Even if they stay in and Ice Beam, Steelix has them covered! (mostly anyway)
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Steelix
@ Passho Berry
Sturdy
Careful (+SpD, -SpA)
252 Atk / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
~ Stealth Rock
~ Iron Head
~ Earthquake
~ Explosion
Description: 'BaitLix'. Steelix serves as a general physical wall and SR user, but on this team also has another important purpose - to draw in and take out bulky water types with Explosion. The Passho Berry, +SpD nature and SpD EVs allow it to do this reliably. The real reason for this is not just Slowbro and Milotic, who can be dealt with by our other pokemon, but Azumarill. Aqua Jet poses a great risk to Gallade's sub salac sweep, and Steelix is very helpful in removing this threat. The Atk EVs give Steelix's Explosion the maximum power, allowing it to do a sizable chunk even to things like Slowbro. Because of its lack of HP and Defense investment, this Steelix set doesn't stick around quite as long as the it normally would. We wanted it to outspeed other opposing Steelix to get the first EQs, so we went for a neutral nature and Iron Head. Iron Head also outdamages Gyro Ball against Abomasnow, Glaceon, and Articuno among other things, and is not quite as easy to sub Roost stall away. Steelix is also our best bet against Sub CM Raikou, which is another situation in which the Special Defense EVs really go all the way.
LR: Another of Imran's ideas for the set. I have to be honest, I never really mastered the way to use this set until quite a few days into us using this team. I tended to play it like a normal Steelix, using it to take the majority of physical assaults against the team. Steelix died a lot, and so I began to think it was a crap set. But I then watched Imran in some of his battles, and he showed me how to use it more as an offensive pokemon than a defensive one. Because really, that is what BaitLix is. It's primary purpose on this team is to set up SR, get a bit of damage in, and then Explode, weakening the foe's defensive core so that something can sweep. It really works beautifully once you learn how to use it, and serves its purpose excellently on this team, paving the way for Gallade to sweep in the late game.
Imran: My Baitlix set. Although the original Baitlix team was built around luring out and killing bulky waters, it is on this team as more of an after-thought. It is a wall, but one that can go on the offense at any second. If your opponent has a bulky water, you can be pretty sure that they will send it in on Steelix, and once it is gone, it makes it a lot easier for Gallade, Staraptor and Arcanine to sweep. The usual drill is just to SR and Explode, although sometimes it is nessecary to keep it around for a little longer due to the presence of Raikou. Offensive Steelix is a fun Pokemon to use, and benefits this team massivly, thanks to the sheer power of Explosion and it's unpredictability.
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Slowbro
@ Leftovers
Own Tempo
Bold (+Def, -Atk)
252 HP / 220 Def / 36 SpD
~ Surf
~ Ice Beam
~ Thunder Wave
~ Slack Off
Description: Slowbro's is really the only 'standard' set on the team. It is really the only pure defensive pokemon, and is necessary to stop things like Azumarrill and Hitmontop from rampaging through the rest of the rather frail team. It also provides very useful paralysis support for Gallade and Staraptor, neither of whom are exceedingly fast, and both of whom can use the free turn to set up a Substitute. Its typing also has great synergy with Steelix, resisting the Fire, Fighting, and Water attacks that plague him, while Steelix can take Dark, Ghost and Electric attacks thrown at Slowbro. Surf and Ice Beam are for general coverage, and Slack Off is for healing.
LR: "If in doubt, go to Slowbro". Really, this thing is amazing. The amount of physical abuse it can take is unreal haha. The little pink hermit crab thing (?) is an extremely reliable pokemon, and usually ends up paralysing a good portion of the opponent's team. Despite this being a very offensively based team, I have had times when I've taken out a key sweeper and simply walled the opposing team to death with Slowbro. The reliable recovery provided by Slack Off, as well as decent powered Surfs and Ice Beams, really make Slowbro a great addition.
Imran: Many teams talk about the "glue," and if such a concept really exists it is Slowbro on this team. It counters many threats that would be dangerous to us, and the random paralysis that it dishes out helps to no end in setting up Substitutes, that really are the central idea in this team. If forms part of the Fire, Water, Grass core of this team, and always pulls his weight in the battles. Slowbro acts as my "go to guy" a lot of the time, which is something that I feel a team needs, if he is not countering and supporting, he will be scouting a switchin, and "taking one for the team."
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Gallade
@ Salac Berry
Steadfast
Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
12 HP / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
~ Close Combat
~ Night Slash
~ Substitute
~ Swords Dance
Description: Sub Salac Gallade overcomes the two difficulties that usually prevent Gallade from sweeping - its mediocre speed and its vulnerability to status. By subbing down to the Salac boost and hopefully getting a Swords Dance in the process, Gallade primes itself to break past its weakened counters and sweep teams with its horribly powerful Close Combat. Night Slash combines with Close Combat to give nearly unresisted coverage (damn Toxicroak) in UU, and is a more reliable option than Stone Edge. It allows Gallade to get a clean 2HKO on Slowbro after an SD, and can also deal with Spiritomb and Claydol as well.
Jolly and the Spe EVs give Gallade 423 speed after the boost, enough to outspeed scarf Rotom and +1 neutral base 90s such as Moltres and Roserade. It also allows Gallade to outspeed Jolly max speed Feraligatr before the boost. The 12 HP EVs give Gallade a HP stat divisible by 4, making Salac activate on the third Sub down. Max attack to let it hit things. Hard.
LR: The star of the show. Gallade is what this team is really all about. While the other 5 members work well together and deal with most team decently, they are really in fact all setting up for a late game Gallade sweep. Arcanine's Toxics, Slowbro's Thunder Waves, Steelix's Explosion, all pave the path of rampage that Gallade takes during the final turns of a battle. I literally went up to Imran one day and said "Let's make a team around a sub salac Gallade sweep", and that's how team ILR started =). Let Gallade get down to +2 Atk and +1 Speed, and the opponent better hope they have a priority attack left somewhere or a one of the handful of things that can stop it, or otherwise it can often be gg there and then. A really formidable sweeper.
Imran: The team's main sweeper. I have always really enjoyed the way that this set beats Staraptor. (Those that aren't scarfed anyway [damn you AbsolDeath]) It is very easy to set up and with paralysis all over the place, it is ever so easy to accomplish. Along with it's monstous attack, Gallades special bulk can really come to play in a tight spot. It can survive attacks from Shaymin, Raikou and friends and Close Combat back for the KO, sometimes against Shaymin, I can blindly Swords Dance as they Seed Flare, and get my boost anyway! This is by far the best finisher in UU at the moment, with the right support, and boy am I glad that we based the team around this set, rather than the LO set I originally had in mind!
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Final Glance
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