To begin, I'd recently been in a slump, losing most of my ladder matches, but now I've broken away from that slump, and I've figured out in that time what the current metagame is about, and how to ruin it. That's why I'm running an Anti-lead, and I have several ways to take out some of the game's worst threats, such as, but not limited to: Infernape, Scizor, Salamence, Latias, Flygon, Metagross, Swampert, Blissey and Tyranitar.
Team At a Glance:
ElbowSwordz (Gallade) (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Steadfast
EVs: 56 HP/252 Atk/200 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- Close Combat
- Destiny Bond
- Shadow Sneak
First off, I've had a hard-on for most of the BL Tier since the beginning of my competitive days. And since that time, I've used many Borderlines in my time to a great deal of success, but I hadn't used Gallade much, despite the fact that he was one of my favorites. So, Anti-Lead Gallade may possibly be one of the greatest members of the team. Close Combat gets 2KO's on Swampert, Bronzong, Metagross, and of course, rapes Tyranitar and Heatran. Shadow Sneak 2KO's Azelf and Gengar, and can pick off other weakened Sash users, like Aero and Infernape. This thing also gets a Speed boost from flinches, so other Anti-leads like Weavile, Infernape, and Ambipom will unconsciously hit it with Fake Out, giving it the speed to reply with a deadly Close Combat.
Destiny Bond works excellently against slow leads, but even faster things like Salamence that resist Close Combat will come in and DD up. To remedy this, I can Taunt them after the first Dragon Dance, then survive a hit, and Destiny Bond. Since so many people are unfamiliar with Destiny Bond, Gallade will usually get hit again, killing off the opponent's pokemon, which is incredibly useful. When Gallade eliminates many of these leads, a crucial counter is beaten, allowing a sweep from something else. For instance, killing off Swampert will allow Jirachi to have a much easier time, and Metagross down means Latias has less to worry about.
Lateralus (Registeel) @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP/156 Atk/88 Def/14 SDef
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Explosion
- Stealth Rock
- Iron Head
- Ice Punch
Another BL, one I wasn't terribly fond of, but once I saw a set DP44 put out for it, I was won over, and Registeel has become one of my favorites since. There's an enormous list of things that can't OHKO it, including boosted Life Orb Earthquakes from Salamence, Mixape Flamethrowers/Close Combats, CB Heracross Close Combats, and ScarfTran's Fire Blast. Ice Punch always OHKO's back Salamence anyway, and Registeel can eliminate a threat after surviving a hit with Explosion. Iron Head is strictly STAB, but beats Weavile, who can't OHKO with a SD Brick Break, and also works wonders if the opponent is paralyzed, which isn't too hard, given the members of the team that roll with Registeel. Stealth Rock is standard utility. Ice Punch also keeps CM Latias from setting up. Once Registeel wears it down, if it Recovers, Registeel can KO with Explosion.
Narcolepsy (Slowbro) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 200 HP/252 Def/12 Spd/44 SAtk
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Surf
- Flamethrower
- Slack Off
- Thunder Wave
"GAWD, SYNRAL, MOAR BLS?"
"Shut up. BLS R SRS BZNZ."
Yes. This Slowbro takes hits on the physical side like no other. It also covers the Fire and Fighting weaknesses of Registeel, so a backup Mixape check if Latias is down. The moveset mayn't seem like a Gyarados counter, but that seems to be the only thing the common battler refers to Slowbro as if they've never used him. He's the bane of Scizor if Scizzy gets paralyzed. Ground-types don't typically switch in to Slowbro, due to STAB Surf, except for Swampert, (and Flygon fears a potential Ice Beam) so paralyzing Scizor isn't horrendously difficult. After that, the Scizor player typically goes straight for X-Scissor/U-Turn, not thinking twice about Slowbro's Flamethrower, since he's an oddity anyway. Flamethrower, with the given EV's, is always an OHKO on 252HP/Min Sp. Def Adamant Scizor, and anything less defensive than that. Even if Slowbro doesn't paralyze Scizor, it can live through a CB U-Turn or an unboosted X-Scissor, and certainly a Bullet Punch or two, which is the only way Scizor can go before Slowbro after paralysis. Spreading T-wave support across the team is great, since even if it can't directly beat DDGyara, paralysis may as well stop it.
TinyDancer (Latias) (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Recover
- Thunderbolt
- Surf
^This is why you aren't loved anymore, Tentacruel. LO Latias is cruel, and hell to withstand hits from. I have checks for Latias' top counters, such as Tyranitar and Blissey. (Machamp sez hai!) Surf/Draco Meteor/Thunderbolt hits almost everything for neutral, and Recover is standard... recovery. This thing has oodles of opportunities to come in, especially since Mixape can't even 2KO it with HP Ice! Swampert, which has no issues taking Thunderbolt, and little problems with Surf, loses 85-90% of his health from a Draco Meteor, giving me a quick means to eliminate a physical wall. Scizor is 2KO'd by Surf or Thunderbolt, and loses half it's health to Draco Meteor. (but obviously it won't 2KO due to the Sp. Atk drop.)
Unlike most pokemon who are Life Orb users, Latias is pretty bulky. Salamence has to deal with less speed, and SR damage, a 4x weakness, and packing Roost comprimises it's moveset against certain things. Latias has just the right attacks, and Recover doesn't hurt to have at all.
Starlight (Jirachi) @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP/176 Spd/82 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt
- Substitute
CMRachi is outright deadly in today's metagame. Getting in on a Rock/Ice/Steel move isn't too hard, and then CM'ing on the switch is easy, too. Sandstorm immunity and SR resistance are great, too. Since many expect the CS Iron Head 'Rachi, I get a lot of Gyarados switching to sponge Iron Head, only then to be staring down a +1 Thunderbolt, means another switch is necessary, giving me an opportunity to CM again, or sub if I choose. With CM, Jirachi's subs become very hard to break, and a +6 Flash Cannon 2KO's Blissey, and it takes two Seismic Tosses to break a sub, and Jirachi also can't have it's subs broken by Flamethrower after one CM. Don't even think about Ice Beam. Flash Cannon > Psychic so Tyranitar is kept at bay.
Still, Blissey is a problem, so I pack one last little number to deal with the fatty:
Jack Bauer (Machamp) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 252 HP/160 Atk/84 Def/14 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dynamicpunch
- Payback
- Sleep Talk
- Rest
RestTalking Machamp, with a twist on the EV's. Despite the 252HP/252Atk's bulk, it's just a tad short of perfect, so I tweaked it similar to the Anti-Lead's EV's, except focusing on defense, as to soften CBTar's hits, and CBScizor's hits. Blissey runs in fear, so Payback is to hit the potential Gengar or Rotom forme. The latter, I think is OHKO'd if it doesn't run defensive EV's. Even things like Salamence and Gyarados still lose chunks to Stealth Rock and Dynamicpunch, and confusion does them no favors. Keeps Blissey/Tyranitar out of Latias/Jirachi's way, and is a great status absorber and in general, attacker.
So, to sum up, the most common threats in the metagame, offensively, and defensively, have no place against this team. One of the main purposes of the team is for other members to eliminate a teammate's counter. (Latias beats Mixape for Registeel, Machamp kills Blissey for Jirachi, Gallade crushes Tyranitar for Slowbro.)
So, make comments and suggestions, but please, don't say anything like, "great team, 10/10" or "this team sux, you need to have blast burn charizard". If you're commenting, you give me threats to the team, or moves/EV's to change.
Lastly, a million and half internets if you get the title reference.
