Diamond

[TUO]

Hello, welcome to my first LC RMT actually. I'm pretty surprised I haven't got around to doing a RMT for this tier yet (not even BW, probably not worth making a BW LC RMT at this point) but eh things happen and things don't. After somewhat playing LC again in the past 2 months after a 3-6 month break I had around the start of the new gen, I finally decided to start playing the current meta and not lazing off doing things like playing BW for LCPL. With the ban of Murkrow and Meditite, LC has turned into a (somewhat) more diverse tier than it was before, and you can't just rely on playing your Murkrow well to solve all of your problems. With the ban of Murkrow more niche things really came up (idk if anyone has seen my wallbreaker rant, since there really is just too many wallbreakers at this point) Along with actual legit broken like Memento Cotton/Diglett+Sweeper like LO Omanyte or Zig. I initially built this team with the "fuck stupid shit" approach, using the core of DD Scraggy/Sash Abra/Foongus to be a safety blanket against random stuff that come up. However when thinking of ways to deal with specific threats, I ended up running my own stupid gimmick which I've grown to like a lot -- Scarf Taillow. Anyway, here is the team.

Diamond

The Longer Version​

Abra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 240 SAtk / 68 SDef / 200 Spd
Timid Nature
- Psyshock
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Protect


As I said, I don't like stupid gimmicks. Abra is pretty much one of the best ways to check stupid gimmicks as it can live anything and revenge kill it. Psyshock is used as the primary STAB, a way to break through pokemon like Missy a bit easier as well. Dazzling Gleam is used as coverage vs Scraggy and stuff, while HP Fight is used for Pawniard and other steels. Lastly, Protect well, protects you from Fake Outs form Mienfoo and other random "stupid gimmicks" like Aipom/Meowth. Very simple and effective set. Abra is really legit atm either as Sash or LO, especially that Sub + 3 Attacks LO set is absolutely amazing. Sash however is one of the best glues to an offensive team you can get right now, checking all those prio sweepers and bs like as I said, omanyte and zig.

Tirtouga @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sturdy
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 92 Def / 180 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Aqua Jet
- Shell Smash

Alright let me explain myself here, SS Tirt has fallen WAY out of favor for either Solid Rock SS or Solid Rock Bulky thing for a reason, the utility Tirt offers to a team is kinda ruined by the SS sweeper, and fighting-types like Mienfoo and fuck setup users like Cottonee are absolutely everywhere right now. Honestly, I would say Solid Rock Tirt is pretty much the way to go 75% of the time in teams. It's different here though, as SS Tirt is pretty much what this team is based around, having early wallbreakers like Knock Off HJK/Iron Tail Scraggy come in, force the flying-type (fletch) to revenge and get Tirt the best situation possible to setup that SS. The core along with DD Scraggy both give them options against some of their counters, which are extremely common in the meta. The moveset is straightforward, with Waterfall and Stone Edge being STAB, and Aqua Jet being priority to either clinch games or kill stuff like Fletch. It's also a matter of skill whether it's smarter to bank on a Waterfall Flinch or a Stone Edge crit, to see which is the best in the situation n.n

Scraggy @ Eviolite
Ability: Shed Skin
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 212 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
- Iron Tail

Well this is another poke that is seen less and less nowadays, but SCOOTIN SCRAGGYS FTW. Scraggy suffers a similar case to Tirt where pretty much things that it doesn't like are just more common now. It does have some cool ways of getting around them though. With smart play, you can lure mienfoo in and Knock it off, and a +1HJK kills a Knocked off Mienfoo later in the game. Iron Tail also 2HKOes Spritzee, which is the reason it is ran over Poison Jab. This set tends to get frustrating most of the time though, as HJK is your only fighting STAB, so be prepared to rage. Scraggy is really more of a mid-game sweeper/wallbreaker on this team. To pressure some of the checks of both him and Tirt to make a better game in the end for Tirt, while being a secondary win condition.

Taillow @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Guts
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Facade
- Steel Wing


Ok everyone I saw on the higher end of the ladder were sad fools that were telling me to run Fletchling over this. I'm just gonna list the reasons why this should be used over Doduo or Fletchling.

Over Doduo:

• Speed to revenge kill what you need, like +1 Scraggy and some occasional weather sweepers.
• U-Turn
• Absorbing Burns with Guts
• Steel Wing to Lure Archen when needed

Over Fletchling:

• Brave Bird in general is more powerful than acrobatics.
• Faster U-Turns
• Absorbing Burns with Guts
• Steel Wing to Lure Archen
• Burned Facade gives more solo wallbreaking capabilities,making it less reliant on things like Diglett.

That pretty much sums it up, Taillow is a real good niche poke when you find a place for it, and it does here.

Foongus @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 124 HP / 160 Def / 160 SDef
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Clear Smog
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fighting]


Foongus is really good now. It is a no-brain switch in to Cottonee, one of the most popular pokemon now, and checks all the fighting-types now. With HP Fight, it can also lure in Pawniard and do some surprising offensive work, making it not as much of a tempo killer. Clear Smog helps against setup sweepers like scraggy, miss and zig, which it actually doesn't get OHKOed by a +6 Espeed (surprisingly) about 95% of the time. Really useful Pokemon atm and Spore can give a lot of setup opportunities to my two setup sweepers.

Drilbur @ Eviolite
Ability: Mold Breaker
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 212 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Stealth Rock



When you have a Sturdy mon, hazard management is just mandatory. Drilbur is there to help. It is the most basic and helpful ways to dela with hazards, Spinning them away and setting up its own rocks. QuakeSlide coverage is very basic, which allows it to hit pretty much everything in tandem with Mold Breaker. It helps out break down steels so Taillow can play much more freely, and spins rocks away so both Taillow and Tirt can do there job. Mandatory poke on this team for sure.

Conclusion​

This team pretty much works to my style, using Pokemon that have fallen out of favor right now or are just not used because of their weakness to the meta, but finding an odd use of synergy to make them work. This team is really fun to use, and gave me some p nice success. Also, it made a lot of people on the ladder scared of my scarfed Steel wing taillow :D

Shoutouts to Rowan for the idea of using Taillow in general when he mentioned Guts Taillow to me, and everyone I played this team against.

Also, shoutouts to the whole Scootin Scraggys team, and some of the friends I made there.

Final Look

​

 

[Rowan]

Hello my friend, I like your team I will rate it

tbh, odd team, but I'm sure it works cos it's you and you're pro. You literally have no switchin to Eviolite Pawniard, especially adamant version, but it struggles to switch in as well. however he's some minor edits to help with this:

236+ Atk Pawniard Knock Off vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Scraggy: 2-3 (9.5 - 14.2%) -- possible 7HKO
(2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3)
236+ Atk Pawniard Brick Break vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Scraggy: 16-20 (76.1 - 95.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
(16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 18, 20)
3+18= 21 = your hp. If you move your Scraggy's defense EVs to HP, the rolls stay exactly the same but you have a much higher chance to survive this combo. Drilbur can switch in only once, and the rest of your mons can't really do much to it. knock off+iron head KOs foongus btw - if you change your spread to 240 Def, 80 SpD this gives you a much higher chance to survive knock off+iron head from pawniard with foongus so i'd recommend trying that. (maybe add more HP as well i think that might give you 100% survival rate, but idk how much SpD you need for misdreavus or something.

Obviously with U-turn Taillow + checks and HP Fight foongus lure, Pawniard will often be pressured a lot, and it can't switch into you too much, so I guess this is fine. I just recommend changing those EV spreads just incase it gets a free switch in on choice locked taillow or something.


other threats:

Ponyta also wrecks you with rock support whether its special sunny day or physical sunny day. Tirtouga can switch into a wild charge, and KO back - but special will wreck you. Taillow can't OHKO and abra can't OHKO so revenging is tough. However just make sure you get up rocks early and presure the opposing team if you see pony and you should be fine.

Shell Smash Shellder can also wreck you, with tirtouga being the only one that can take a hit at +2. +2 Ice shard also beats taillow and shellder is likely to ice shard even if it doesn't know you're scarf to avoid quick attack. Basically make sure you don't use up berry juice on Tirtouga if you see some certain threats, cos it seems like Tirt is holding your team together against stuff like flying spam and other random things like fire types and shellder. Luckily, between Abra, Taillow and Tirtouga you should be able to revenge most things but you have to sack stuff sometimes to make it work - this seems like the premise of the team though, and I know you like to play offensively so you should be fine.

all in all good team, and I love that scarf taillow with guts, it's a fantastic missy check amongst other things.