Featured RMT - Suspect

I’ve posted Uber teams, and I have posted OU Teams. But this time, instead of going forward and backward from the cycle of OU and Ubers, I went for Suspect. It is a great metagame, with things moving along faster and having bigger holes to exploit. This is an excellent metagame for new gimmicks to thrive, due to more centralization (remember guys centralization is not necessarily bad!). However, I don’t have much time in my hands to create a lot of gimmicks to use :(

Instead, I took my original Stage 3 team, threw in Latias over Latios, threw Haban on Garchomp, and edited the set a bit. The team worked surprisingly well, netting me the #1 spot on the Suspect Leaderboard (as Cicada) in just three days (coincidentally, Stage 3)! As we currently speak, I have 1638 CRE on that alt. I also have another alt in the top 15…but enough bragging!

The team acts as an anti-metagame of sorts, with entry hazards absolutely decimating well…almost everything the metagame focuses on. It starts out slowly, then I slowly accelerate as entry hazards are put down, then more as Garchomp is brought out closer to the end of the game. Despite the overall bulk of this team, it actually moves a bit faster than you’d think.

Say Hi!

The Inside Scoop

Tyranitar (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP/6 Atk/252 SDef
Sassy nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Beam
- Payback
- Low Kick

Tyranitar may not be the best lead in the metagame, but I honestly don’t have any other choices as far as this team goes. And as a lead itself, it isn’t bad, and often gets rocks early with plenty of health to spare. With Sandstorm on turn one, expect things to get whittled down quickly as it cancels out the non-immune Pokemon’s Leftovers recoveries, whereas only two of my Pokemon are hurt by the sand.

The moveset might be strange, so I’ll explain it to you. Stealth Rock is obvious. Ice Beam catches Garchomps trying to set up. It doesn’t OHKO, but it does with SR + Spikes down. Since Garchomps tend to come around during late game, most of the time I have entry hazards down. Late game Garchomps also tend to set up unlike early game chomps, and are easily taken down by Ice Beam. Payback is a STAB move that takes advantage of Tyranitar’s low Speed, and helps me deal with Latias. It is chosen over Crunch as the extra power does help, and two crunches with a def drop on the initial hit has the same damage output as Payback anyways. Low Kick is an odd move for me to use, but I needed to cover Magnet Rise Magnezone and hit Heatran at the same time. I don’t like Superpower’s lowering Atk/Def side effect, especially when a Garchomp swaps into it. Garchomp can OHKO a -1 Def Ttar with EQ, but won’t OHKO this one. Of course, lowering my attack against a Magnezone means the next Pokemon can swap in and take less damage from Payback. Low Kick is especially useful in decimating other TTar leads.

I decided that I’d go on the defensive route for TTar. Simply put, TTar is an all-purpose Pokemon. It eats up Starmies, Heatrans and Latiases and whatnot, so I maxed out its Special Defensive capabilities. I am too lazy (unfortunately) to calculate stuff so it’s currently with 252/6/252. I purposely didn’t put any speed EVs in there because I want to hurt Blissey with maximum power using Payback. People sometimes underestimate how sturdy this thing is – it took 42% from a Life Orb Starmie’s Surf a while ago! Forget weaknesses. TTar has roughly double Special defensive capability as a max/max careful Scizor

Latias (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Thunderbolt
- Trick
- Surf

In the loss of Latios during this Stage I have placed in Latias, and she performs her job just as good as her brother’s (no lie). The moveset is fairly obvious (right??): Draco Meteor for insane power, Surf for coverage, and Thunderbolt for Skarmories. Trick is for stall teams who think they can wall Latias with Blissey. Later on in the game, she and Rotom-H clean up the remnants of the waste.

Latias does a lot for this team. Firstly and most importantly, it checks the supercommon Garchomp, who dies straight up from Draco Meteor regardless of Haban berry (unless you are elevator_music -__-). It also holds the team against the ever-so-dangerous Manaphy and otherwise just decimates a lot of stuff for the rest of the team to clean up. She helps handle Infernape and is the team’s Water resist. Although she tends to become Pursuit bait, the entry hazards on this field often ensure that one Pokemon dies before she goes to waste (unless that Pokemon is a suicide bait >_>).

Latias may not have been as powerful as Latios is during Stage 3, but considering her role in the team her extra defenses prove handy as she will be switching into attacks quite a bit. She is still subjected to Sandstorm damage unfortunately, but eh I can’t have everything.

(Current thought on Latias: OU)

Skarmory (M) @ Shed Shell
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP/40 Spd/216 SDef
Careful nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Brave Bird
- Spikes
- Whirlwind
- Roost

Skarmory is perhaps the team’s MOST important member, even more than Latias, due to its resistances and bulk, and of course, SPIKES. Now as some of you probably know, Spikestacking is my favorite technique, and for a good reason: it helps control what they switch in. Double switching is very hard under Spikes (unless you’re a levitator…), and you’d lose lot of health if you get outpredicted. This forces the opponent into playing more conservatively and therefore easier to exploit. Skarmory is the definition of the anti-metagame Pokemon in Staage 3, both times.

“Special Defensive Skarmory?? Are you mad? Stage 3 part one is over! There is no need for that much Special Defense...?

Or so you’d probably think.

Although Garchomp is a looming threat, we can’t just ignore the other two suspects. Manaphy loves swapping into Skarmory, only to find out Surf doesn’t do TOO much damage and it whirlwinded out (if it tail glows them sucks to be them). Latias is forced to use Thunderbolt/HP Fire to stop it, as Skarmory shrugs off Draco Meteor and Surf with ease. If Latias for whatever reason tries to Calm Mind, it’ll lose even more. The extra Special defense also helps Skarmory land Spikes MUCH easier on stuff like Flamethrower Blissey, while not losing too much of its physical defensive ability due to its fantastic typing and Roost.

I originally had Leftovers instead of Shed Shell, but I realized that I DON’T want to lose two Pokemon to Magnezone. I reluctantly stuck Shed Shell on Skarmory and I miss the recovery.

Rotom-h @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP/220 Def/40 Spd
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Will-o-wisp
- Shadow Ball
- Rest / Pain Split / Reflect

Spinblocker. Gyarados stopper. Explosion absorber. Fighting absorber (Latias sucks at taking repeated Close Combats). It a general pain in the butt.

With that said, not much else needs to be explained about Rotom. Thunderbolt for STAB, Will-o-Wisp to burn stuff and Shadow Ball to hit Latias switch ins. I have never actually used Rest (except against Jirachi at one point), but it was Reyscarface’s idea. It might help at some point against Blisseys though.

I must admit I didn’t put any thought into the EV spread unlike I usually do. 248 HP EVs instead of 252 due to Sandstorm. Then I focused on physical bulk for Gyarados’ annoying Waterfalls. I should probably add more SDef to handle Starmie easier, but meh I dunno how to fix the EV spread...or the last moveslot

Rotom-H also helps Latias in breaking stall, by burning Hippowdons, Thunderbolting Skarmories and everything else, really. As if Blissey can wall it after I tricked away its Leftovers...

Garchomp (M) @ Haban Berry
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Fang
- Earthquake

What is a suspect team without this?

Garchomp is a very powerful Pokemon, and is the center of the Stage 3 metagame. This is a straightforward “stat up then kill” set because it is simply the best. Haban Berry is an awesome item that allows me to survive assaults from other Garchomps in dire times, as well as non Specs Latiases. It originally was Leftovers during the first portion of Stage 3. Sand Veil is also a cool bonus.

Aside from filling in Suspect EXP and being a powerhouse, Garchomp serves as the team’s rock resist and checks Lucario, who I have problems with otherwise (and still do). However, the only time he ever comes into the early-mid game is when it is needed to get rid of certain threats.

Garchomp is a great sweeper towards the end, but has troubles pulling off a kill in the early game. Most of the time, I would Dragon Claw away at a Heatran or Magnezone early game and often catch their Latias. However, it sucks when a Skarmory comes out instead of Latias (and even worse if they DO end up having a Latias after all…oh wait both are in my team). I only use Earthquake when I feel confident.

Dragon Claw is chosen over Outrage because I don’t like to be locked and be open to revenge kills. Although it loses a large amount of power, getting locked is way worse when their Latias or Scizor comes out and finishes Chomp off >_>. Fire Fang is picked over Fire Blast because it gets boosted with Swords Dance and doesn’t get walled by SDef Skarmory. Plus, I hate Fire Blast’s accuracy. The EVs are pretty much standard, but since Garchomp isn’t always going to be setting up I focused on maxing attack to dish out maximum damage.

(Current thought on Garchomp : OU)

Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP/252 Atk/8 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit

Scizor supports the team with the ever-so important priority, as well as being a second Steel-type.

“Choice Band Scizor doesn’t work in this metagame” – reachzero. And I am tempted to agree actually. Magnezone loves eating up Scizors (worst if they have SubChargebeam). I swapped out into Swords Dancer for a while, but I realized there was stuff that the Swords Dancer couldn’t do.

I found the Starmie weakness on this team to be disturbing, and Swords Dance Scizor really hurts me against that. I just want to get rid of it ASAP with Pursuit, then re set up all entry hazards later. There are more than just Starmie that the extra boost that comes in Choice Band is needed – it can smack mid-health Garchomps ( hello Spikes + SR – in case Latias couldn’t get rid of Chomp the first time due to Tyranitar swapping in or whatever), as well as finish off Lucario better. U-turn abuses Spikes/SR, while Superpower is practically a last ditch attack against a Skarmory.

The EVs are once again the byproduct of laziness. 248 HP because max HP is terrible, especially with Spikes flying everywhere. Max Attack for power.

Scizor is unfortunately not as good as he is in the OU metagame. Skarmory is quite common and sponges its attacks easily, putting Spikes up in the process and limiting the times it can come in.