CHECKMATE
Hey guys i just wanted to share this team with everyone and hopefully get some suggestions and feedback and maybe a luvdisc ;). This team was a side project from my "Dance Like a Dragon Sting like a Bee" team (which has been my best most successful team). It is is based around my latest Bisharp craze and it is just great fun to use. I guess you could call it stall but it doesn't have the usual candidates. The idea is to set up hazards and phaze while spreading paralysis. The name was a toss-up between the Beauty and the Beast (a reference to Heatran and Roserade) or Checkmate, after Bisharp. Anyway without further ado i present "Checkmate"
At A Glance
Team Building Process
After trying my luck in the DW OU tier (which i peaked at 1294 from memory) with a Bisharp I decided i was going to make an OU team around him.
Next I wanted someone who could cover Bisharp's weaknesses and spread paralysis, in DW I chose Slowbro but i wanted someon different. In the end it was between Gyarados and Dragonite, a hard choice, but i chose Dragonite and I have never looked back.
Now had a phazer so to make the most of it i wanted... entry hazards *Gengar Face* so i just slapped on Deoxys-D who can set them up with ease thanks to his immense bulk.
Every team needs a spinner and this one in particular because Dragonite needs his multiscale in tact and Bisharp needs to be able to make as many Substitutes as possible so I chose my favourite spinner; Starmie.
Now I added Pringles to keep my entry hazards and wear down the opponents spinner.
Then i decided to split spikes and stealth rock into two so i could still get one up if the other falls plus Starmie, Heatran and Roserade form an ever useful fire, water, grass core.
Tentacruel was added because I was in need of its bulk over Starmie's power.
Mr Moneybags was taken out for Hydreigon because i had problems with stall teams, defensive cores and to provide a more offensive alternative to anti-spinning.
And then Tentacruel was replaced by Starmie because i needed some more offensive power and to cover my weaknesses.
Next I tried Celebi over Roserade and Forretress over Starmie.
I reverted back because Forretress wasn't working. Hydreigon was very hesitantly replaced for Reuniclus for better coverage.
I went back to Hydreigon and Roserade was replaced by Celebi and Starmie went for Cloyster.
In Depth
1.
Celebi @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 224 Def / 32 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Thunder Wave
- Giga Drain
Role: Onionhead works an absolute charm on my team. It means that Dragonite isn't the only one to spread paralysis and it gives me a much needed fighting resist. It rounds off a great Fire/Water/Grass core with Heatran and Cloyster walling a great deal of the meta-game and providing a very useful defensive core to my team. It also has great synergy with Heatran luring in Ice, Fire and Bug moves which Heatran walls. It is a great utility for my team which makes life a lot easier for Dragonite and Bisharp. Celebi is a great addition both type and resistance wise as well as in terms of utility.
Moveset: This moveset is not very common and is somewhat unique although SubSeeding is not an uncommon strategy Celebi is overlooked due to its plethora of weaknesses. However, on my team I have not found a better person to do it. Thunder Wave helps me spread paralysis, a vital part of my team and it also lets me outspeed my opponent with that chance of a full paralysis. Leech Seed along with Giga Drain and Leftovers can quickly heal off any HP lost while wearing down my opponent. Leech Seed can also heal off Bisharp's Substitutes allowing for more set up and an easier sweep making life a lot easier because sometimes my opponent will just break the Substitutes until consecutively without getting a full paralysis howver with leech Seed I can Sub up 'til the cows come home. It also turns Blissey into complete set up fodder once its godforsaken tin-assed partner in crime has fallen prey to Hydreigon (i hate SkarmBliss). Substitute is a vital part of SubSeeding which lets me simply wait out my opponent while taking minimal damage, when combined with the occasional full paralysis giving one turn of free healing it makes for a very annoying celery stick. Giga Drain gives me a decently powered STAB which can heal off more HP and wear down my opponent even further. This moveset fit in very nicely with my team providing excellent utility and functionality.
EV's: The EV's are to maximise physical bulk while still outspeeding things like max speed Tyranitar etc.
Possible Replacements: Roserade or Ferrothorn
My Roserade Set
Flower Power (Roserade) (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Rest
Role: Roserade is in my opinion one of the best Spikers in the game. This flowery little munchkin is more than happy to see them spun away as she can just set them up all over again. Her primary role on my team is to simply to set up Spikes (obviously) but she provides a great defensive pivot with her neat typing resistances including but not limited to Water, Fighting, Grass and Electric. Flower Power also has a sinister side luring in victims with its floral fragrance and preying on them with her 125 SpAtk which is how she earned her very flowery but very important place on my team. She also has great synergy with Heatran luring in those Fire Blasts/Overheats/Flamethrowers and ice moves the former which Heatran gets a boost from while the latter a 4x resistance. She can also wall the likes of Conkeldurr and friends trying to muscle their way through Heatran.
Moveset: This moveset is absolutely amazing at what it does. I chose Spikes over Toxic Spikes because quite frankly I don't want my opponent poisoned. Spikes has become vital to the effectiveness of this team and has netted me many wins purely because of that 25% switch-in damage. Life Orb gives Flower Power's moves just that much more kick scoring some very important OHKO's and 2HKO's. Giga Drain gives me a powerful STAB with the added healing effect while Hidden Power Fire hits; Forretress looking to spin, Skamory looking to phaze/Brave Bird and Ferrothorns trying to set up. With these two attacks it is more than capable offensively dealing good damage to the aformentioned 'Mons but it can also, more importantly, stop Volt-Turn cold getting super effective damage on both Rotom-W and Scizor, Rotom OHKO'd unconditionally after Stealth Rock while Scizor is flat out OHKO'd with Hidden Power Fire. The most important move in this set is Rest. Coupled with Natural Cure it allows Flower Power to heal off Life Orb damage or any damage sustained while setting up Spikes. It means that even if my Hazards have been spun away she is more than happy to set them up again and again and again and again... (no jokes i once set them up 7 times in one match). The only downside of this set is it is weak to taunt while setting up however it is still has menacing offenses which discourage people from doing so. Flower Power is in my opinion unrivaled in her role and i wouldn't change her for anything.
EV's: The EV's give a neat balance of bulk with an edge to her superior SpDef.
Possible Replacements: Celebi or Ferrothorn
2.
Heatran (M) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 100 SDef / 160 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Will-O-Wisp
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
Role: Ahh Heatran, what would I do without you. Previously my first bulky steel was always Jirachi who I HATE and then I found Heatran. It is just so adaptable and good at what he does. He forms a neat defensive core with Celebi and Cloyster and packs a menacing Fire Blast which can tear holes through a lot of stuff. He covers my weaknesses well and has that previously mentioned great synergy with Celebi. Stealth Rock and Spikes together give me all the hazards I need (I don't want Toxic Spikes) punishing switch-ins and abused with phazing. I know everyone has heard this before but Heatran is the... glue that holds my team together :p. He can also wall the not so common sun teams and fire off boosted STABed fire moves.
Moveset: I have tried many Heatran sets and this one along with MagmaTran and SpecsTran are my favourite. Most of the time I use Protect over Earth Power and i was using it but i want to try Earth Power to hit other Heatrans. Air Balloons allow me to switch in to choice locked ground moves etc which otherwise wreck Heatran. It also lets me wall other Heatrans. Stealth Rock is the main reason (besides his typing) that he is here. It punishes half the Meta on the switch and is one of the most influential moves ever released. Will-o-Wisp is great for burning bulky ground-types after Heatrans 4x weakness who also happen to resist Thunder Wave (a vital part of my team). I usually try to burn as they are breaking my balloons unless i am heavily concerned about keeping them in tact. After much experimentation with the last slot; Lava Plume, Magma Storm even Flamethrower and of all of them Fire Blast has served me best. Heatran can eat up Fire moves aimed as Celebi, nab a boost and devastate unprepared teams with his balling Fire Blast. What I really love about Heatran is that he is so adaptable to situations, he is more than happy to defend and work with stall teams while also retaining the ability to fire off insanely powerful Fire Blasts against more offensively orientated teams. There is really not much to say about Heatran but he functions better than anyone else I could think of.
EV's: The EV's go towards his bulk and speed because he doesn't need any more power behind those fire blasts. The 160 in speed is to outspeed Scizors looking to Superpower Heatran while the rest goes towards making him as bulky as possible.
Possible Replacements: None.
3.
Cloyster (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Skill Link
EVs: 248 HP / 84 Atk / 176 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Icicle Spear
- Ice Shard
Role: Cloyster's role on my team is a unusual one that resembles the old RBY Cloyster. It sets up entry hazards and spins them away. It is also a physical wall with access to STAB Ice moves which can punish a Landorus tempted to get the super effective damage with Stone Edge. It completes my defensive core with Heatran and Celebi and can get some unexpected spins and hazards up.
Moveset: This moveset is rather different from the standard Shell Smash Cloyster because of the lack of it entirely. This set is based around functioning as a physical wall making full use of his monstrous base 180 defense. Icicle Spear is a great move on any Cloyster set as it is a very poewrful STAB when combined with Skill Link and is always great when your opponent has a substitute up or is for some strange reason using a level 1 Aron. The most important reason for Icicle Spears existence is to hit Landorus OHKOing unconditionally which is a major pain for my team. It can also wreck Gliscor OHKOing 75% of the time and dealing good damage to bulky Ground types that are immune to Thunder Wave. Ice Shard lets me pick off weakened pokemon without taking damage thanks to its priority however it might be replace with Surf. Cloyster gets a fair few opportunities to set up Spikes thanks to the unpredictability of this set. Spikes is a great addition to any team as it can greatly shorten match lengths and make late-game (or in my case Bisharp) sweeping much easier. Rapid Spin is vital to almost any team and on mine is makes sure Dragonite's Multiscale stays in tact on the switch making him virtually impossible to OHKO. Rapid Spin, like Spikes is quite unpredictable and as a result not difficult to pull off. Cloyster is great at what it does however Starmie was arguably equally good however with Cloyster i get to use Celebi which has performed wonders for my team.
EV's: The EV's are to maximise bulk and a little in attack to give those STABs that much more kick.
Possible Replacements: Starmie, Forretress
My Starmie Set
Starmie @ Expert Belt
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Hydro Pump
Role: Starmie completes the Fire/Water/Grass core as a great offensive powerhouse. It is my all important spinner and it is just a great asset to any team. It has great synergy with Heatran and my team eliminating key threats such as Terrakion and Jellicent who otherwise spinblock me leaving a very annoying set of hazards on my side of the field.
Moveset: This moveset is a bread and butter Starmie set with the great BoltBeam coverage and its very potent STAB. Rapid Spin and its ability to check the standard sandstorm abusers such as Terrakion and Gliscor is the only reason its here. I cannot begin to explain how helpful Rapid Spin is as hazards wreck my team and the only one who can prevent them otherwise is Hydreigon, fortunately for me Starmie is just so good at is. Thunderbolt prevents me from being spinblocked by the likes of Jellicent and hits bulky water types that Heatran lures in quite nicely. Starmie also sits at that very helpful base 115 outspeeding many of the common powerhouses in todays Meta including the infamous Latios and Latias. Expert Belt lets me OHKO Heatran and Terrakion (Heatran after Stealth Rock) without having to rely on Hydro Pumps shaky accuracy. Starmie and Hydreigon also form a nice offensive core i.e it can clean up Hydreigons mess almost as well as Latios :p. Starmie is one of the most valued assets on this team because Rapid Spin is just so important.
EV's: The EV's are a standard special sweeper spread.
Possible Replacements: Forretress
4.
Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 104 Atk / 240 SAtk / 164 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
Role: After using Reuniclus for a bit i decided to switch back to Hydreigon. Hydreigon's role is really quite simple... WALLBREAK. He was put in here to wreck *** up. And he does is perfectly. After a bit of laddering on the side (i am more focused on my main team) i found that simple SkarmBliss cores really annoy me and although I could generally beat them with good prediction it was tedious and sometimes still ended up in loss. Hydreigon has patched that weakness up perfectly. Hydreigon's moves make it a perfect offensive anti-spinner wrecking common spinners like Forretress and Tentacruel. I must make it clear that Hydreigon is not a revenge killer or a sweeper, his only role is to nuke stuff and leave my opponent weak and scattered for the remaining 5 to take care of. One big reason for having him is that laddering is often a long and tedious task with little reward however Hydreigon can shorten matches by 20 turns or so simply by nuking my opponent with the appropraite move. Many say that Hydreigon is outclassed by Salamence or Latios depending on your moveset but Hydreigon does have its perks. The first is its typing which allows him to take an Ice Beam/Shard and return with his Nuclear STABs, something that Salamence cannot boast. Hydreigon also nets similar physical 2HKO and OHKOs as Salamence but his Draco Meteors are just that much more powerful. Its main edge over Latios is its ability to go mixed and if you aren't then you might as well just use Latios. Anyway i'm not here to advertise him so i will close by saying that he has one last advantage in surprise which allows him so explode on Blissey/Chansey ridding my opponent of a great deal of defensive pivot.
Moveset: I say again Hydreigon is not a sweeper, his moveset may seem a little odd but it works perfectly. Life Orb gives his move an extra edge often enough to score some vital OHKOs and 2HKOs. A Life Orb boosted Draco Meteor is a daunting prospect to have to deal with and any unresisted switch in save the Satanic Blobs (THEY EAT THEIR OWN EGGS!!!) can safely switch in. To give you an idea it does 51-61% damage to a standard Tentacruel. Fire Blast can catch unwitting steels like Skamory trying to shield its teammates from the Draconic Comets and can ruin Forretress' hopes of spinning away my precious entry hazards. It is a perfect coverage move which hits common Dragon switch-ins and walls for super effective damage. Earthquake hits Tentacruels OHKOing after spikes or if they have eaten some asteroids for lunch. Outrage fills the last slot as the next click after Draco Metoer dealing 49-58% to 252/252 defense Blissey and 36-43% to max defense Chansey. Although this may not seem like much it enough to force them out and take more damage from Spikes and Stealth Rock. It is a clean 2HKO on both of them after Spikes and Stealth Rock. It also survives even a LO boosted Ice Beam from Starmie surviving on about a quarter of its health but surviving none the less and OHKOing outright with Draco Meteor and, after hazards, Outrage. Hydreigon also greatly benefits from the paralysis support because it allows it to outspeed its common counterparts like Latios and Salamence. Ultimately Hydreigon just nukes everything and can weaken any unprepared team.
EV's: The reason I haven't maxed out speed is because unfortunately its lack-luster base 98 speed means it is never going to outspeed the like of Salamence or Volcarona so why even try? 164 speed and a Naive nature means that it can outspeed neutral natured base 100's like Tentacruel and Bulky QD Volcarona (i know i mentioned him before) while the rest goes into the offensive stats.
Possible Replacements: MixMence or Latios with Psyshock
My Reuniclus Set
Reuniclus (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 192 HP / 64 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Trick Room
- Psyshock
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
Role: Reuniclus performs the same role as his predecessor Hydreigon. Although it was sad seeing Hydreigon go Reuniclus can break stall well as well as check Terrakion and Landorus and other speedy threats. It can wreck stall and it doesn't take any residual damage, paired with Reuniclus' great bulk means that this gello-girl sticks around, something that Hydreigon could sadly not boast. Even with Hydreigon SkarmBliss still gave me nightmares but Reuniclus can take them on better and has the added Trick Room advantage. Reuniclus is my main answer to stall and a great sweeper. It can also check Terrakion a widely mentioned threat to my team.
Moveset: This moveset IMO is the perfect way to utilize Reuniclus' speed, bulk and offense. It is almost impossible to revenge kill because scarfed revenge killers like Latios and Terrakion only become slower under Trick Room. Trick Room forms the crux of this set and with Reuniclus' bulky gives plenty of opportunity to set up and once that Trick Room is up it is going to 5 turns of mayhem. The reason i chose Psyshock over Psychic is because Reuniclus' main role is to wall break and it hits Blisseys harder than anything else dealing a good 46-54% damage, a clean 2HKO after 2 layers of Spikes. It also wrecks Skarmory dealing 73-86% damage with Focus Blast. Shadow Ball hits Psychics like Lati@s and Ghosts like Gengar (a BIG threat to my team). Life Orb gives a massive boost to its power while feigning the recoil factor. A big reason for choosing Reuniclus over Hydreigon is that Hydreigon's spell were often short and limited by Toxic and Life Orb both of which Reuniclus absorbs happily and although they both have advantages and disadvantages i feel Reuniclus is serving better. I am quite sure that this set gives unresisted coverage. If you read my Hydreigon description it is fairly similar; nuke opponent... wallbreak... leave my opponent scrambling for cover etc.
EV's: The spread maxes out its offense and bulk for obvious reasons.
Possible Replacements: Hydreigon
5.
Dragonite (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Thunder Wave
- Substitute
- Dragon Tail
- Roost
Role: Your probably sick of hearing "I don't want Toxic Spikes or "Toxic Spikes don't help me" well this is why. Dragonite is simply amazing at phazing. Its defenses are often overlooked by its access to Dragon Dance and it terrifying offenses but having used all his common sets I have found one of, if no the greatest set in ParaShuffler. It can abuse entry hazards to the fullest with Dragon Tail as well as spread Paralysis for Bisharp. Not only that but it has great synergy with Bisharp in particular as well as great synergy with the whole team. Another great thing about this set is that most people will assume i have DD or a Choice Band so the surprise can be cery helpful. This guy is irreplaceable because no-one does like Dragonite does. Often when I am shuffling away I will sing Dragonite can to the tune of the candyman :P
Moveset: Dragonite has the bulkiest Substitutes in the game. Thats right i went there. The idea of this set is to Paralyse your opponent as they break your multiscale or if they are silly enough attempt to set up then sub until they get a full paralysis then Roost off the damage. You have now successfully made the bulkiest substitute in the game as it has now attained multiscale and since the sub is taking the damage not you it keeps it after every hit. To give you and idea Starmie's Ice Beam can fail to break it. It is so good at spreading paralysis and abusing those entry hazards that it often steals the show from Bisharp. Bisharp is heavily reliant on Paralysis making Dragonite and ideal partner they also have next to perfect type synergy. Leftovers is here for obvious reasons, so Multiscale isn't broken by sandstorm etc. Dragon Tail allows me to phaze even taunters such as Gliscor and coupled with entry hazards takes a good deal of health away. I really cannot put in words how effective he is at it; a CB Scizor took 3 turns to break my sub once in which time he was paralysed and phazed away. Like I mentioned before it was a toss-up between Gyarados and Dragonite and i have never looked back since.
EV's: The EV's maximise special bulk because he doesn't need boosts anywhere else save HP which will affect his Defense (stating the obvious).
Possible Replacements: NONE.
6.
Checkmate (Bisharp) (M) @ Liechi Berry
Trait: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Sucker Punch
- Brick Break
Role: And finally we come to Checkmate himself. He is called Checkmate because he only makes his appearance to say "Checkmate". The team was made around him and I like to think I did a good job with it. The amount of offensive pressure he puts on my opponent after my "stallers" have worn them down is astounding. His Attack is simply humungous and couple with an amazing STAB in Sucker Punch is makes him one of the most underrated OU threats today. He is my late-game sweeper who can also net some unexpected revenge kills with Sucker Punch but to just call him a late-game sweeper is not enough he is the late-game sweeper. Every pokemon on my team contributes in their own way to the final Checkmate. Dragonite gives him paralysis support which is vital to his sweep because without it he is very situationally, and often not even, useful. The entry hazard support tires not only my opponents pokemon but my opponent himself making him act rashly and often attempt to go all out offensive, a big mistake that will result in Checkmate.
Moveset: This moveset is, in my opinion, the only useable Bisharp set however that doesn't change the fact that he is an absolute beast. Once my opponent's team are crippled, paralysed and ready for the taking Bisharp can sweep through them better than anyone else i know. Checkmate really only needs one paralysed pokemon to set up on but having more can just guarantee victory. Paralysis' help is twofold, 1 it halves the opponents speed allowing Checkmate to outspeed them with his not-so-stellar base 70 Spd and the added 50% full paralysis chance. The idea is to sub up until you get the full paralysis if your opponent tries to setup/inflict status then set up Swords Dance. If they break your sub rinse and repeat until you get the second sub and if they don't then its gonna be 4 move Checkmate or something close to it. Now your opponent has 2 options; 1, to attack your sub and eat a rediculously powerful Sucker Punch or do use a non-damaging move and allowing me to get another Swords Dance up. Either way they are going to attack it in the end and his Sucker Punch is ridiculously powerful. Liechi Berry allows Checkmate to boost his attack on the 4th sub with 1-2 HP remaining. The reason I replaced leftovers with Liechi Berry is that sometimes my opponent gets extremely lucky and doesn't get a full paralysis for 10 turns at a time. This makes me very frustrated and sometimes to the point of rage-quitting, I know it is not good to rely on hax but seriously there is a 50% chance of it happening, it is the same as relying on a Dynamic Punch to hit. Anyway, when this happens i feel as though I lost 99% of my health for nothing, now however I still get a +1 boost which makes for a very powerful Sucker Punch. Even unboosted it can revenge kill by dealing 51-60% damage to a DD Salamence and at +2 it OHKO's every unresisted pokemon in the OU metagame. The only pokemon that can stand up to it are strong fighting priority users like Lucario and Conkelurr, the former OHKO'd by Brick Break. Ferrothorn and the likes become complete set up fodder and are smashed by Brick Break. Checkmate is in my opinion the the most underrated OU threat out there. Besides he has an Uber strategy page nuff said.
EV's: The EV's are to boost his already monstrous base 125 Atk and the rest goes in HP because it is not needed anywhere else. This allows him to take resisted hits such as Ice Beam and Scald and sub up on them.
Possible Replacements: why would I??
Importable
Roserade (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 204 HP / 120 Def / 52 SAtk / 72 SDef / 60 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Rest
Heatran (M) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 100 SDef / 160 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
- Stealth Rock
Bisharp (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Sucker Punch
- Brick Break
Cloyster (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Skill Link
EVs: 248 HP / 84 Atk / 176 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Icicle Spear
- Ice Shard
Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 104 Atk / 240 SAtk / 164 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
Dragonite (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Thunder Wave
- Substitute
- Dragon Tail
- Roost
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 204 HP / 120 Def / 52 SAtk / 72 SDef / 60 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Rest
Heatran (M) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 100 SDef / 160 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
- Stealth Rock
Bisharp (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Sucker Punch
- Brick Break
Cloyster (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Skill Link
EVs: 248 HP / 84 Atk / 176 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Icicle Spear
- Ice Shard
Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 104 Atk / 240 SAtk / 164 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
Dragonite (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Thunder Wave
- Substitute
- Dragon Tail
- Roost
The Original Team
1.
Flower Power (Roserade) (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Rest
Role: Roserade is in my opinion one of the best Spikers in the game. This flowery little munchkin is more than happy to see them spun away as she can just set them up all over again. Her primary role on my team is to simply to set up Spikes (obviously) but she provides a great defensive pivot with her neat typing resistances including but not limited to Water, Fighting, Grass and Electric. Flower Power also has a sinister side luring in victims with its floral fragrance and preying on them with her 125 SpAtk which is how she earned her very flowery but very important place on my team. She also has great synergy with Heatran luring in those Fire Blasts/Overheats/Flamethrowers and ice moves the former which Heatran gets a boost from while the latter a 4x resistance. She can also wall the likes of Conkeldurr and friends trying to muscle their way through Heatran.
Moveset: This moveset is absolutely amazing at what it does. I chose Spikes over Toxic Spikes because quite frankly I don't want my opponent poisoned. Spikes has become vital to the effectiveness of this team and has netted me many wins purely because of that 25% switch-in damage. Life Orb gives Flower Power's moves just that much more kick scoring some very important OHKO's and 2HKO's. Giga Drain gives me a powerful STAB with the added healing effect while Hidden Power Fire hits; Forretress looking to spin, Skamory looking to phaze/Brave Bird and Ferrothorns trying to set up. With these two attacks it is more than capable offensively dealing good damage to the aformentioned 'Mons but it can also, more importantly, stop Volt-Turn cold getting super effective damage on both Rotom-W and Scizor, Rotom OHKO'd unconditionally after Stealth Rock while Scizor is flat out OHKO'd with Hidden Power Fire. The most important move in this set is Rest. Coupled with Natural Cure it allows Flower Power to heal off Life Orb damage or any damage sustained while setting up Spikes. It means that even if my Hazards have been spun away she is more than happy to set them up again and again and again and again... (no jokes i once set them up 7 times in one match). The only downside of this set is it is weak to taunt while setting up however it is still has menacing offenses which discourage people from doing so. Flower Power is in my opinion unrivaled in her role and i wouldn't change her for anything.
EV's: The EV's give a neat balance of bulk with an edge to her superior SpDef.
Possible Replacements: Celebi or Ferrothorn
My Celebi Set
Celebi @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 224 Def / 32 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Thunder Wave
- Giga Drain
Role: Onionhead worked an absolute charm on my team. It meant that Dragonite wasn't the only one to spread paralysis and it gave me a much needed fighting resist. It fit in almost perfectly except for one small thing that made me choose Roserade over it. It doesn't have access to Spikes which meant i had to change Starmie for a Forretress and rely on it for both Rapid Spin and Spikes something with which it simply could not do. Now pretty much every team carries a Fire move user for all the 4x damage to Ferrothorn, Scizor, Forretress and Skarmory which just forced Forry out and made him take more entry hazard damage. When he could not even spin safely he had no chance setting up Spikes this is pretty much the only reason I don't use Celebi over Roserade. Otherwise Celebi was a perfect addition both type and resistance wise as well as in terms of moveset.
Moveset: This moveset is not very common and is somewhat unique although SubSeeding is not an uncommon strategy Celebi is overlooked due to its plethora of weaknesses. However, on my team I have not found a better person to do it. Thunder Wave helps me spread paralysis, a vital part of my team and it also lets me outspeed my opponent with that chance of a full paralysis. Leech Seed along with Giga Drain and Leftovers can quickly heal off any HP lost while wearing down my opponent. Leech Seed can also heal off Bisharp's Substitutes allowing for more set up and an easier sweep. It also turns Blissey into complete set up fodder once its godforsaken tin-assed partner in crime has fallen prey to Hydreigon (i hate SkarmBliss). Substitute is a vital part of SubSeeding which lets me simply wait out my opponent while taking minimal damage, when combined with paralysis it makes for a very annoying celery stick. Giga Drain gives me a decently powered STAB which can heal off more HP and wear down my opponent even further. This moveset fit in very nicely with my team however it required the use of Forretress which made Roserade far superior.
EV's: The EV's are to maximise physical bulk while still outspeeding things like max speed Tyranitar etc.
Possible Replacements: you heard me mention that i did not use Celebi because of Forretress and it immediately makes Ferrothorn come to mind because it has access to Thunder Wave, Leech Seed and Spikes combining the two and making Forretress unnecessary but when i used it Fighting types like Breloom and Conkeldurr that are already threats had a field day against my team.
2.
Heatran (M) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 100 SDef / 160 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Will-O-Wisp
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
Role: Ahh Heatran, what would I do without you. Previously my first bulky steel was always Jirachi who I HATE and then I found Heatran. It is just so adaptable and good at what he does. He forms a neat defensive core with Roserade and Tentacruel and packs a menacing Fire Blast which can tear holes through a lot of stuff. He covers my weaknesses well and has that previously mentioned great synergy with Roserade. Stealth Rock and Spikes together give me all the hazards I need (I don't want Toxic Spikes) punishing switch-ins and abused with phazing. I know everyone has heard this before but Heatran is the... glue that holds my team together :p. He can also wall the not so common sun teams and fire off boosted STABed fire moves.
Moveset: I have tried many Heatran sets and this one along with MagmaTran and SpecsTran are my favourite. Most of the time I use Protect over Earth Power and i was using it but i want to try Earth Power to hit other Heatrans. Air Balloons allow me to switch in to choice locked ground moves etc which otherwise wreck Heatran. It also lets me wall other Heatrans. Stealth Rock is the main reason (besides his typing) that he is here. It punishes half the Meta on the switch and is one of the most influential moves ever released. Will-o-Wisp is great for burning bulky ground-types after Heatrans 4x weakness who also happen to resist Thunder Wave (a vital part of my team). I usually try to burn as they are breaking my balloons unless i am heavily concerned about keeping them in tact. After much experimentation with the last slot; Lava Plume, Magma Storm even Flamethrower and of all of them Fire Blast has served me best. Heatran can eat up Fire moves aimed as Roserade, nab a boost and devastate unprepared teams with his balling Fire Blast. What I really love about Heatran is that he is so adaptable to situations, he is more than happy to defend and work with stall teams while also retaining the ability to fire off insanely powerful Fire Blasts against more offensively orientated teams. There is really not much to say about Heatran but he functions better than anyone else I could think of.
EV's: The EV's go towards his bulk and speed because he doesn't need any more power behind those fire blasts. The 160 in speed is to outspeed Scizors looking to Superpower Heatran while the rest goes towards making him as bulky as possible.
Possible Replacements: None.
3.
Starmie @ Expert Belt
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Hydro Pump
Role: Starmie completes the Fire/Water/Grass core as a great offensive powerhouse. It is my all important spinner and it is just a great asset to any team. It has great synergy with Heatran and my team eliminating key threats such as Terrakion and Jellicent who otherwise spinblock me leaving a very annoying set of hazards on my side of the field.
Moveset: This moveset is a bread and butter Starmie set with the great BoltBeam coverage and its very potent STAB. Rapid Spin and its ability to check the standard sandstorm abusers such as Terrakion and Gliscor is the only reason its here. I cannot begin to explain how helpful Rapid Spin is as hazards wreck my team and the only one who can prevent them otherwise is Hydreigon, fortunately for me Starmie is just so good at is. Thunderbolt prevents me from being spinblocked by the likes of Jellicent and hits bulky water types that Heatran lures in quite nicely. Starmie also sits at that very helpful base 115 outspeeding many of the common powerhouses in todays Meta including the infamous Latios and Latias. Expert Belt lets me OHKO Heatran and Terrakion (Heatran after Stealth Rock) without having to rely on Hydro Pumps shaky accuracy. Starmie and Hydreigon also form a nice offensive core i.e it can clean up Hydreigons mess almost as well as Latios :p. Starmie is one of the most valued assets on this team because Rapid Spin is just so important.
EV's: The EV's are a standard special sweeper spread.
Possible Replacements: Forretress
4.
Reuniclus (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 192 HP / 64 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Trick Room
- Psyshock
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
Role: Reuniclus performs the same role as his predecessor Hydreigon. Although it was sad seeing Hydreigon go Reuniclus can break stall well as well as check Terrakion and Landorus and other speedy threats. It can wreck stall and it doesn't take any residual damage, paired with Reuniclus' great bulk means that this gello-girl sticks around, something that Hydreigon could sadly not boast. Even with Hydreigon SkarmBliss still gave me nightmares but Reuniclus can take them on better and has the added Trick Room advantage. Reuniclus is my main answer to stall and a great sweeper. It can also check Terrakion a widely mentioned threat to my team.
Moveset: This moveset IMO is the perfect way to utilize Reuniclus' speed, bulk and offense. It is almost impossible to revenge kill because scarfed revenge killers like Latios and Terrakion only become slower under Trick Room. Trick Room forms the crux of this set and with Reuniclus' bulky gives plenty of opportunity to set up and once that Trick Room is up it is going to 5 turns of mayhem. The reason i chose Psyshock over Psychic is because Reuniclus' main role is to wall break and it hits Blisseys harder than anything else dealing a good 46-54% damage, a clean 2HKO after 2 layers of Spikes. It also wrecks Skarmory dealing 73-86% damage with Focus Blast. Shadow Ball hits Psychics like Lati@s and Ghosts like Gengar (a BIG threat to my team). Life Orb gives a massive boost to its power while feigning the recoil factor. A big reason for choosing Reuniclus over Hydreigon is that Hydreigon's spell were often short and limited by Toxic and Life Orb both of which Reuniclus absorbs happily and although they both have advantages and disadvantages i feel Reuniclus is serving better. I am quite sure that this set gives unresisted coverage. If you read my Hydreigon description it is fairly similar; nuke opponent... wallbreak... leave my opponent scrambling for cover etc.
EV's: The spread maxes out its offense and bulk for obvious reasons.
Possible Replacements: Hydreigon
My Hydreigon Set
Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 104 Atk / 240 SAtk / 164 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
Role: Hydreigon's role is really quite simple... WALLBREAK. He was put in here to wreck *** up. And he does is perfectly. After a bit of laddering on the side (i am more focused on my main team) i found that simple SkarmBliss cores really annoy me and although I could generally beat them with good prediction it was tedious and sometimes still ended up in loss. Hydreigon has patched that weakness up perfectly. Hydreigon's moves make it a perfect offensive anti-spinner wrecking common spinners like Forretress and Tentacruel. I must make it clear that Hydreigon is not a revenge killer or a sweeper, his only role is to nuke stuff and leave my opponent weak and scattered for the remaining 5 to take care of. One big reason for having him is that laddering is often a long and tedious task with little reward however Hydreigon can shorten matches by 20 turns or so simply by nuking my opponent with the appropraite move. Many say that Hydreigon is outclassed by Salamence or Latios depending on your moveset but Hydreigon does have its perks. The first is its typing which allows him to take an Ice Beam/Shard and return with his Nuclear STABs, something that Salamence cannot boast. Hydreigon also nets similar physical 2HKO and OHKOs as Salamence but his Draco Meteors are just that much more powerful. Its main edge over Latios is its ability to go mixed and if you aren't then you might as well just use Latios. Anyway i'm not here to advertise him so i will close by saying that he has one last advantage in surprise which allows him so explode on Blissey/Chansey ridding my opponent of a great deal of defensive pivot.
Moveset: I say again Hydreigon is not a sweeper, his moveset may seem a little odd but it works perfectly. Life Orb gives his move an extra edge often enough to score some vital OHKOs and 2HKOs. A Life Orb boosted Draco Meteor is a daunting prospect to have to deal with and any unresisted switch in save the Satanic Blobs (THEY EAT THEIR OWN EGGS!!!) can safely switch in. To give you an idea it does 51-61% damage to a standard Tentacruel. Fire Blast can catch unwitting steels like Skamory trying to shield its teammates from the Draconic Comets and can ruin Forretress' hopes of spinning away my precious entry hazards. It is a perfect coverage move which hits common Dragon switch-ins and walls for super effective damage. Earthquake hits Tentacruels OHKOing after spikes or if they have eaten some asteroids for lunch. Outrage fills the last slot as the next click after Draco Metoer dealing 49-58% to 252/252 defense Blissey and 36-43% to max defense Chansey. Although this may not seem like much it enough to force them out and take more damage from Spikes and Stealth Rock. It is a clean 2HKO on both of them after Spikes and Stealth Rock. It also survives even a LO boosted Ice Beam from Starmie surviving on about a quarter of its health but surviving none the less and OHKOing outright with Draco Meteor and, after hazards, Outrage. Hydreigon also greatly benefits from the paralysis support because it allows it to outspeed its common counterparts like Latios and Salamence. Ultimately Hydreigon just nukes everything and can weaken any unprepared team.
EV's: The reason I haven't maxed out speed is because unfortunately its lack-luster base 98 speed means it is never going to outspeed the like of Salamence or Volcarona so why even try? 164 speed and a Naive nature means that it can outspeed neutral natured base 100's like Tentacruel and Bulky QD Volcarona (i know i mentioned him before) while the rest goes into the offensive stats.
Possible Replacements: MixMence or Latios with Psyshock
5.
Dragonite (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Thunder Wave
- Substitute
- Dragon Tail
- Roost
Role: Your probably sick of hearing "I don't want Toxic Spikes or "Toxic Spikes don't help me" well this is why. Dragonite is simply amazing at phazing. Its defenses are often overlooked by its access to Dragon Dance and it terrifying offenses but having used all his common sets I have found one of, if no the greatest set in ParaShuffler. It can abuse entry hazards to the fullest with Dragon Tail as well as spread Paralysis for Bisharp. Not only that but it has great synergy with Bisharp in particular as well as great synergy with the whole team. Another great thing about this set is that most people will assume i have DD or a Choice Band so the surprise can be cery helpful. This guy is irreplaceable because no-one does like Dragonite does. Often when I am shuffling away I will sing Dragonite can to the tune of the candyman :P
Moveset: Dragonite has the bulkiest Substitutes in the game. Thats right i went there. The idea of this set is to Paralyse your opponent as they break your multiscale or if they are silly enough attempt to set up then sub until they get a full paralysis then Roost off the damage. You have now successfully made the bulkiest substitute in the game as it has now attained multiscale and since the sub is taking the damage not you it keeps it after every hit. To give you and idea Starmie's Ice Beam can fail to break it. It is so good at spreading paralysis and abusing those entry hazards that it often steals the show from Bisharp. Bisharp is heavily reliant on Paralysis making Dragonite and ideal partner they also have next to perfect type synergy. Leftovers is here for obvious reasons, so Multiscale isn't broken by sandstorm etc. Dragon Tail allows me to phaze even taunters such as Gliscor and coupled with entry hazards takes a good deal of health away. I really cannot put in words how effective he is at it; a CB Scizor took 3 turns to break my sub once in which time he was paralysed and phazed away. Like I mentioned before it was a toss-up between Gyarados and Dragonite and i have never looked back since.
EV's: The EV's maximise special bulk because he doesn't need boosts anywhere else save HP which will affect his Defense (stating the obvious).
Possible Replacements: NONE.
6.
Checkmate (Bisharp) (M) @ Liechi Berry
Trait: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Sucker Punch
- Brick Break
Role: And finally we come to Checkmate himself. He is called Checkmate because he only makes his appearance to say "Checkmate". The team was made around him and I like to think I did a good job with it. The amount of offensive pressure he puts on my opponent after my "stallers" have worn them down is astounding. His Attack is simply humungous and couple with an amazing STAB in Sucker Punch is makes him one of the most underrated OU threats today. He is my late-game sweeper who can also net some unexpected revenge kills with Sucker Punch but to just call him a late-game sweeper is not enough he is the late-game sweeper. Every pokemon on my team contributes in their own way to the final Checkmate. Dragonite gives him paralysis support which is vital to his sweep because without it he is very situationally, and often not even, useful. The entry hazard support tires not only my opponents pokemon but my opponent himself making him act rashly and often attempt to go all out offensive, a big mistake that will result in Checkmate.
Moveset: This moveset is, in my opinion, the only useable Bisharp set however that doesn't change the fact that he is an absolute beast. Once my opponent's team are crippled, paralysed and ready for the taking Bisharp can sweep through them better than anyone else i know. Checkmate really only needs one paralysed pokemon to set up on but having more can just guarantee victory. Paralysis' help is twofold, 1 it halves the opponents speed allowing Checkmate to outspeed them with his not-so-stellar base 70 Spd and the added 50% full paralysis chance. The idea is to sub up until you get the full paralysis if your opponent tries to setup/inflict status then set up Swords Dance. If they break your sub rinse and repeat until you get the second sub and if they don't then its gonna be 4 move Checkmate or something close to it. Now your opponent has 2 options; 1, to attack your sub and eat a rediculously powerful Sucker Punch or do use a non-damaging move and allowing me to get another Swords Dance up. Either way they are going to attack it in the end and his Sucker Punch is ridiculously powerful. Liechi Berry allows Checkmate to boost his attack on the 4th sub with 1-2 HP remaining. The reason I replaced leftovers with Liechi Berry is that sometimes my opponent gets extremely lucky and doesn't get a full paralysis for 10 turns at a time. This makes me very frustrated and sometimes to the point of rage-quitting, I know it is not good to rely on hax but seriously there is a 50% chance of it happening, it is the same as relying on a Dynamic Punch to hit. Anyway, when this happens i feel as though I lost 99% of my health for nothing, now however I still get a +1 boost which makes for a very powerful Sucker Punch. Even unboosted it can revenge kill by dealing 51-60% damage to a DD Salamence and at +2 it OHKO's every unresisted pokemon in the OU metagame. The only pokemon that can stand up to it are strong fighting priority users like Lucario and Conkelurr, the former OHKO'd by Brick Break. Ferrothorn and the likes become complete set up fodder and are smashed by Brick Break. Checkmate is in my opinion the the most underrated OU threat out there. Besides he has an Uber strategy page nuff said.
EV's: The EV's are to boost his already monstrous base 125 Atk and the rest goes in HP because it is not needed anywhere else. This allows him to take resisted hits such as Ice Beam and Scald and sub up on them.
Possible Replacements: why would I??
Importable
Flower Power (Roserade) (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Rest
Role: Roserade is in my opinion one of the best Spikers in the game. This flowery little munchkin is more than happy to see them spun away as she can just set them up all over again. Her primary role on my team is to simply to set up Spikes (obviously) but she provides a great defensive pivot with her neat typing resistances including but not limited to Water, Fighting, Grass and Electric. Flower Power also has a sinister side luring in victims with its floral fragrance and preying on them with her 125 SpAtk which is how she earned her very flowery but very important place on my team. She also has great synergy with Heatran luring in those Fire Blasts/Overheats/Flamethrowers and ice moves the former which Heatran gets a boost from while the latter a 4x resistance. She can also wall the likes of Conkeldurr and friends trying to muscle their way through Heatran.
Moveset: This moveset is absolutely amazing at what it does. I chose Spikes over Toxic Spikes because quite frankly I don't want my opponent poisoned. Spikes has become vital to the effectiveness of this team and has netted me many wins purely because of that 25% switch-in damage. Life Orb gives Flower Power's moves just that much more kick scoring some very important OHKO's and 2HKO's. Giga Drain gives me a powerful STAB with the added healing effect while Hidden Power Fire hits; Forretress looking to spin, Skamory looking to phaze/Brave Bird and Ferrothorns trying to set up. With these two attacks it is more than capable offensively dealing good damage to the aformentioned 'Mons but it can also, more importantly, stop Volt-Turn cold getting super effective damage on both Rotom-W and Scizor, Rotom OHKO'd unconditionally after Stealth Rock while Scizor is flat out OHKO'd with Hidden Power Fire. The most important move in this set is Rest. Coupled with Natural Cure it allows Flower Power to heal off Life Orb damage or any damage sustained while setting up Spikes. It means that even if my Hazards have been spun away she is more than happy to set them up again and again and again and again... (no jokes i once set them up 7 times in one match). The only downside of this set is it is weak to taunt while setting up however it is still has menacing offenses which discourage people from doing so. Flower Power is in my opinion unrivaled in her role and i wouldn't change her for anything.
EV's: The EV's give a neat balance of bulk with an edge to her superior SpDef.
Possible Replacements: Celebi or Ferrothorn
My Celebi Set
Celebi @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 224 Def / 32 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Thunder Wave
- Giga Drain
Role: Onionhead worked an absolute charm on my team. It meant that Dragonite wasn't the only one to spread paralysis and it gave me a much needed fighting resist. It fit in almost perfectly except for one small thing that made me choose Roserade over it. It doesn't have access to Spikes which meant i had to change Starmie for a Forretress and rely on it for both Rapid Spin and Spikes something with which it simply could not do. Now pretty much every team carries a Fire move user for all the 4x damage to Ferrothorn, Scizor, Forretress and Skarmory which just forced Forry out and made him take more entry hazard damage. When he could not even spin safely he had no chance setting up Spikes this is pretty much the only reason I don't use Celebi over Roserade. Otherwise Celebi was a perfect addition both type and resistance wise as well as in terms of moveset.
Moveset: This moveset is not very common and is somewhat unique although SubSeeding is not an uncommon strategy Celebi is overlooked due to its plethora of weaknesses. However, on my team I have not found a better person to do it. Thunder Wave helps me spread paralysis, a vital part of my team and it also lets me outspeed my opponent with that chance of a full paralysis. Leech Seed along with Giga Drain and Leftovers can quickly heal off any HP lost while wearing down my opponent. Leech Seed can also heal off Bisharp's Substitutes allowing for more set up and an easier sweep. It also turns Blissey into complete set up fodder once its godforsaken tin-assed partner in crime has fallen prey to Hydreigon (i hate SkarmBliss). Substitute is a vital part of SubSeeding which lets me simply wait out my opponent while taking minimal damage, when combined with paralysis it makes for a very annoying celery stick. Giga Drain gives me a decently powered STAB which can heal off more HP and wear down my opponent even further. This moveset fit in very nicely with my team however it required the use of Forretress which made Roserade far superior.
EV's: The EV's are to maximise physical bulk while still outspeeding things like max speed Tyranitar etc.
Possible Replacements: you heard me mention that i did not use Celebi because of Forretress and it immediately makes Ferrothorn come to mind because it has access to Thunder Wave, Leech Seed and Spikes combining the two and making Forretress unnecessary but when i used it Fighting types like Breloom and Conkeldurr that are already threats had a field day against my team.
2.
Heatran (M) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 100 SDef / 160 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Will-O-Wisp
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
Role: Ahh Heatran, what would I do without you. Previously my first bulky steel was always Jirachi who I HATE and then I found Heatran. It is just so adaptable and good at what he does. He forms a neat defensive core with Roserade and Tentacruel and packs a menacing Fire Blast which can tear holes through a lot of stuff. He covers my weaknesses well and has that previously mentioned great synergy with Roserade. Stealth Rock and Spikes together give me all the hazards I need (I don't want Toxic Spikes) punishing switch-ins and abused with phazing. I know everyone has heard this before but Heatran is the... glue that holds my team together :p. He can also wall the not so common sun teams and fire off boosted STABed fire moves.
Moveset: I have tried many Heatran sets and this one along with MagmaTran and SpecsTran are my favourite. Most of the time I use Protect over Earth Power and i was using it but i want to try Earth Power to hit other Heatrans. Air Balloons allow me to switch in to choice locked ground moves etc which otherwise wreck Heatran. It also lets me wall other Heatrans. Stealth Rock is the main reason (besides his typing) that he is here. It punishes half the Meta on the switch and is one of the most influential moves ever released. Will-o-Wisp is great for burning bulky ground-types after Heatrans 4x weakness who also happen to resist Thunder Wave (a vital part of my team). I usually try to burn as they are breaking my balloons unless i am heavily concerned about keeping them in tact. After much experimentation with the last slot; Lava Plume, Magma Storm even Flamethrower and of all of them Fire Blast has served me best. Heatran can eat up Fire moves aimed as Roserade, nab a boost and devastate unprepared teams with his balling Fire Blast. What I really love about Heatran is that he is so adaptable to situations, he is more than happy to defend and work with stall teams while also retaining the ability to fire off insanely powerful Fire Blasts against more offensively orientated teams. There is really not much to say about Heatran but he functions better than anyone else I could think of.
EV's: The EV's go towards his bulk and speed because he doesn't need any more power behind those fire blasts. The 160 in speed is to outspeed Scizors looking to Superpower Heatran while the rest goes towards making him as bulky as possible.
Possible Replacements: None.
3.
Starmie @ Expert Belt
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Hydro Pump
Role: Starmie completes the Fire/Water/Grass core as a great offensive powerhouse. It is my all important spinner and it is just a great asset to any team. It has great synergy with Heatran and my team eliminating key threats such as Terrakion and Jellicent who otherwise spinblock me leaving a very annoying set of hazards on my side of the field.
Moveset: This moveset is a bread and butter Starmie set with the great BoltBeam coverage and its very potent STAB. Rapid Spin and its ability to check the standard sandstorm abusers such as Terrakion and Gliscor is the only reason its here. I cannot begin to explain how helpful Rapid Spin is as hazards wreck my team and the only one who can prevent them otherwise is Hydreigon, fortunately for me Starmie is just so good at is. Thunderbolt prevents me from being spinblocked by the likes of Jellicent and hits bulky water types that Heatran lures in quite nicely. Starmie also sits at that very helpful base 115 outspeeding many of the common powerhouses in todays Meta including the infamous Latios and Latias. Expert Belt lets me OHKO Heatran and Terrakion (Heatran after Stealth Rock) without having to rely on Hydro Pumps shaky accuracy. Starmie and Hydreigon also form a nice offensive core i.e it can clean up Hydreigons mess almost as well as Latios :p. Starmie is one of the most valued assets on this team because Rapid Spin is just so important.
EV's: The EV's are a standard special sweeper spread.
Possible Replacements: Forretress
4.
Reuniclus (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 192 HP / 64 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Trick Room
- Psyshock
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
Role: Reuniclus performs the same role as his predecessor Hydreigon. Although it was sad seeing Hydreigon go Reuniclus can break stall well as well as check Terrakion and Landorus and other speedy threats. It can wreck stall and it doesn't take any residual damage, paired with Reuniclus' great bulk means that this gello-girl sticks around, something that Hydreigon could sadly not boast. Even with Hydreigon SkarmBliss still gave me nightmares but Reuniclus can take them on better and has the added Trick Room advantage. Reuniclus is my main answer to stall and a great sweeper. It can also check Terrakion a widely mentioned threat to my team.
Moveset: This moveset IMO is the perfect way to utilize Reuniclus' speed, bulk and offense. It is almost impossible to revenge kill because scarfed revenge killers like Latios and Terrakion only become slower under Trick Room. Trick Room forms the crux of this set and with Reuniclus' bulky gives plenty of opportunity to set up and once that Trick Room is up it is going to 5 turns of mayhem. The reason i chose Psyshock over Psychic is because Reuniclus' main role is to wall break and it hits Blisseys harder than anything else dealing a good 46-54% damage, a clean 2HKO after 2 layers of Spikes. It also wrecks Skarmory dealing 73-86% damage with Focus Blast. Shadow Ball hits Psychics like Lati@s and Ghosts like Gengar (a BIG threat to my team). Life Orb gives a massive boost to its power while feigning the recoil factor. A big reason for choosing Reuniclus over Hydreigon is that Hydreigon's spell were often short and limited by Toxic and Life Orb both of which Reuniclus absorbs happily and although they both have advantages and disadvantages i feel Reuniclus is serving better. I am quite sure that this set gives unresisted coverage. If you read my Hydreigon description it is fairly similar; nuke opponent... wallbreak... leave my opponent scrambling for cover etc.
EV's: The spread maxes out its offense and bulk for obvious reasons.
Possible Replacements: Hydreigon
My Hydreigon Set
Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 104 Atk / 240 SAtk / 164 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
Role: Hydreigon's role is really quite simple... WALLBREAK. He was put in here to wreck *** up. And he does is perfectly. After a bit of laddering on the side (i am more focused on my main team) i found that simple SkarmBliss cores really annoy me and although I could generally beat them with good prediction it was tedious and sometimes still ended up in loss. Hydreigon has patched that weakness up perfectly. Hydreigon's moves make it a perfect offensive anti-spinner wrecking common spinners like Forretress and Tentacruel. I must make it clear that Hydreigon is not a revenge killer or a sweeper, his only role is to nuke stuff and leave my opponent weak and scattered for the remaining 5 to take care of. One big reason for having him is that laddering is often a long and tedious task with little reward however Hydreigon can shorten matches by 20 turns or so simply by nuking my opponent with the appropraite move. Many say that Hydreigon is outclassed by Salamence or Latios depending on your moveset but Hydreigon does have its perks. The first is its typing which allows him to take an Ice Beam/Shard and return with his Nuclear STABs, something that Salamence cannot boast. Hydreigon also nets similar physical 2HKO and OHKOs as Salamence but his Draco Meteors are just that much more powerful. Its main edge over Latios is its ability to go mixed and if you aren't then you might as well just use Latios. Anyway i'm not here to advertise him so i will close by saying that he has one last advantage in surprise which allows him so explode on Blissey/Chansey ridding my opponent of a great deal of defensive pivot.
Moveset: I say again Hydreigon is not a sweeper, his moveset may seem a little odd but it works perfectly. Life Orb gives his move an extra edge often enough to score some vital OHKOs and 2HKOs. A Life Orb boosted Draco Meteor is a daunting prospect to have to deal with and any unresisted switch in save the Satanic Blobs (THEY EAT THEIR OWN EGGS!!!) can safely switch in. To give you an idea it does 51-61% damage to a standard Tentacruel. Fire Blast can catch unwitting steels like Skamory trying to shield its teammates from the Draconic Comets and can ruin Forretress' hopes of spinning away my precious entry hazards. It is a perfect coverage move which hits common Dragon switch-ins and walls for super effective damage. Earthquake hits Tentacruels OHKOing after spikes or if they have eaten some asteroids for lunch. Outrage fills the last slot as the next click after Draco Metoer dealing 49-58% to 252/252 defense Blissey and 36-43% to max defense Chansey. Although this may not seem like much it enough to force them out and take more damage from Spikes and Stealth Rock. It is a clean 2HKO on both of them after Spikes and Stealth Rock. It also survives even a LO boosted Ice Beam from Starmie surviving on about a quarter of its health but surviving none the less and OHKOing outright with Draco Meteor and, after hazards, Outrage. Hydreigon also greatly benefits from the paralysis support because it allows it to outspeed its common counterparts like Latios and Salamence. Ultimately Hydreigon just nukes everything and can weaken any unprepared team.
EV's: The reason I haven't maxed out speed is because unfortunately its lack-luster base 98 speed means it is never going to outspeed the like of Salamence or Volcarona so why even try? 164 speed and a Naive nature means that it can outspeed neutral natured base 100's like Tentacruel and Bulky QD Volcarona (i know i mentioned him before) while the rest goes into the offensive stats.
Possible Replacements: MixMence or Latios with Psyshock
5.
Dragonite (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Thunder Wave
- Substitute
- Dragon Tail
- Roost
Role: Your probably sick of hearing "I don't want Toxic Spikes or "Toxic Spikes don't help me" well this is why. Dragonite is simply amazing at phazing. Its defenses are often overlooked by its access to Dragon Dance and it terrifying offenses but having used all his common sets I have found one of, if no the greatest set in ParaShuffler. It can abuse entry hazards to the fullest with Dragon Tail as well as spread Paralysis for Bisharp. Not only that but it has great synergy with Bisharp in particular as well as great synergy with the whole team. Another great thing about this set is that most people will assume i have DD or a Choice Band so the surprise can be cery helpful. This guy is irreplaceable because no-one does like Dragonite does. Often when I am shuffling away I will sing Dragonite can to the tune of the candyman :P
Moveset: Dragonite has the bulkiest Substitutes in the game. Thats right i went there. The idea of this set is to Paralyse your opponent as they break your multiscale or if they are silly enough attempt to set up then sub until they get a full paralysis then Roost off the damage. You have now successfully made the bulkiest substitute in the game as it has now attained multiscale and since the sub is taking the damage not you it keeps it after every hit. To give you and idea Starmie's Ice Beam can fail to break it. It is so good at spreading paralysis and abusing those entry hazards that it often steals the show from Bisharp. Bisharp is heavily reliant on Paralysis making Dragonite and ideal partner they also have next to perfect type synergy. Leftovers is here for obvious reasons, so Multiscale isn't broken by sandstorm etc. Dragon Tail allows me to phaze even taunters such as Gliscor and coupled with entry hazards takes a good deal of health away. I really cannot put in words how effective he is at it; a CB Scizor took 3 turns to break my sub once in which time he was paralysed and phazed away. Like I mentioned before it was a toss-up between Gyarados and Dragonite and i have never looked back since.
EV's: The EV's maximise special bulk because he doesn't need boosts anywhere else save HP which will affect his Defense (stating the obvious).
Possible Replacements: NONE.
6.
Checkmate (Bisharp) (M) @ Liechi Berry
Trait: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Sucker Punch
- Brick Break
Role: And finally we come to Checkmate himself. He is called Checkmate because he only makes his appearance to say "Checkmate". The team was made around him and I like to think I did a good job with it. The amount of offensive pressure he puts on my opponent after my "stallers" have worn them down is astounding. His Attack is simply humungous and couple with an amazing STAB in Sucker Punch is makes him one of the most underrated OU threats today. He is my late-game sweeper who can also net some unexpected revenge kills with Sucker Punch but to just call him a late-game sweeper is not enough he is the late-game sweeper. Every pokemon on my team contributes in their own way to the final Checkmate. Dragonite gives him paralysis support which is vital to his sweep because without it he is very situationally, and often not even, useful. The entry hazard support tires not only my opponents pokemon but my opponent himself making him act rashly and often attempt to go all out offensive, a big mistake that will result in Checkmate.
Moveset: This moveset is, in my opinion, the only useable Bisharp set however that doesn't change the fact that he is an absolute beast. Once my opponent's team are crippled, paralysed and ready for the taking Bisharp can sweep through them better than anyone else i know. Checkmate really only needs one paralysed pokemon to set up on but having more can just guarantee victory. Paralysis' help is twofold, 1 it halves the opponents speed allowing Checkmate to outspeed them with his not-so-stellar base 70 Spd and the added 50% full paralysis chance. The idea is to sub up until you get the full paralysis if your opponent tries to setup/inflict status then set up Swords Dance. If they break your sub rinse and repeat until you get the second sub and if they don't then its gonna be 4 move Checkmate or something close to it. Now your opponent has 2 options; 1, to attack your sub and eat a rediculously powerful Sucker Punch or do use a non-damaging move and allowing me to get another Swords Dance up. Either way they are going to attack it in the end and his Sucker Punch is ridiculously powerful. Liechi Berry allows Checkmate to boost his attack on the 4th sub with 1-2 HP remaining. The reason I replaced leftovers with Liechi Berry is that sometimes my opponent gets extremely lucky and doesn't get a full paralysis for 10 turns at a time. This makes me very frustrated and sometimes to the point of rage-quitting, I know it is not good to rely on hax but seriously there is a 50% chance of it happening, it is the same as relying on a Dynamic Punch to hit. Anyway, when this happens i feel as though I lost 99% of my health for nothing, now however I still get a +1 boost which makes for a very powerful Sucker Punch. Even unboosted it can revenge kill by dealing 51-60% damage to a DD Salamence and at +2 it OHKO's every unresisted pokemon in the OU metagame. The only pokemon that can stand up to it are strong fighting priority users like Lucario and Conkelurr, the former OHKO'd by Brick Break. Ferrothorn and the likes become complete set up fodder and are smashed by Brick Break. Checkmate is in my opinion the the most underrated OU threat out there. Besides he has an Uber strategy page nuff said.
EV's: The EV's are to boost his already monstrous base 125 Atk and the rest goes in HP because it is not needed anywhere else. This allows him to take resisted hits such as Ice Beam and Scald and sub up on them.
Possible Replacements: why would I??
Importable
Roserade (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Rest
Heatran (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 100 SDef / 160 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
- Stealth Rock
Bisharp (M) @ Liechi Berry
Trait: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Sucker Punch
- Brick Break
Starmie @ Expert Belt
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Hydro Pump
Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 104 Atk / 240 SAtk / 164 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
Dragonite (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Thunder Wave
- Substitute
- Dragon Tail
- Roost
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Rest
Heatran (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 100 SDef / 160 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
- Stealth Rock
Bisharp (M) @ Liechi Berry
Trait: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Substitute
- Sucker Punch
- Brick Break
Starmie @ Expert Belt
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Hydro Pump
Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 104 Atk / 240 SAtk / 164 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
Dragonite (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Thunder Wave
- Substitute
- Dragon Tail
- Roost
Final Thoughts
This team has been a great little side project that is just great fun to use. I hope you guys enjoyed it and i would love to here your thoughts on it. I have enjoyed every part of this team and it has been so much fun. sometimes we get carried away in competitive battling but it is nice to have a team that is just so enjoyable to use. I also like to think that it is a half-decent team competitively and like i said before i would love to get some feedback. See ya everyone now i need to catch up on some sleep.
One Final Glance
