[NU] Quick Rmt: Birds and stuff

[dr dude]

yeah, two weeks has passed and I'd like to introduce you for a team I have worked much on recently. Im trying to bring out the powers of swellow by luring in and getting rid of all steel types and other bulky schtuff so that the bird can sweep. Not going to say much about the team, so without further ado:

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Swellow @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Facade
- U-turn
- Quick Attack

As I said, I try to use swellow as a fast guts sweeper and revenger. Facade leaves a dent in everything not resistant to it, especially with SR, while Brave Bird is both STAB and hits generally fighting types like hariyama. I don't really use quick attack that much but I suppose it can come in handy against frail priority users or scarfers. then its quick attack, which is for scouting so I can lure in rock and steel types, switch to doublade or gurdiurr and force a switch while they set up.

Seismitoad @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Toxic
- Earth Power
- Scald
- Stealth Rock

Defensive toad, SR setter and my only reliable fire counter. I need to keep this through the whole match if my opponent carries scarfed fire types, which would wreck my team otherwise. it also has SR so swellow gets an easier time sweeping and a nifty electric immunity.

Doublade @ Eviolite
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 252 Atk / 248 HP / 8 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Iron Head
- Shadow Claw / Sacred Sword
- Shadow Sneak
- Swords Dance

Doublade plays one of the morst important roles on my team, being my usual switch in when swellow use U-turn versus a rock or steel type. it can really tank a lot of psychical hit and use almost everyone of swellows counter as set-up bait, forming a great core. Im not sure wether I should use shadow claw or sacred sword. although shadow claw is generally the preferred option and hits much harder, sacred sword helps me against pyroar switching in and also hits steel types harder (although I have no problems against these). Im using 8 speed EVs just to outspeed other doublades with shadow sneak.

Shiftry @ Life Orb
Ability: Early Bird
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SAtk
Naughty /Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Leaf Storm / Whirlwind (?)
- Defog

Shiftry was almost immediately added to this team along with doublade simply because I really like it and it fits great on very many teams. Not only does it remove hazards, but can also hit stuff switching in on it hard with knock off and also removing their item which is nice too. Im switching in on a water or ground type or whatever it can check, force a switch and then either remove the hazards that threatens typhlosion and swellow or use knock off. Altough whirlwind seems stupid, I have had some problems against CM spiritomb and CP sigilyph (yes) so I thought a way to stop these could be useful although loosing a grass move hurts

Typhlosion @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 Def
Timid Nature
- Eruption
- Flamethrower
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]

Typhlosion is simply just my revenger and completes my FWG core. not much else, really. Everyhting is standard here, so I'm not gonna say much about it. eruption is super-nuke as always, I chose flamethrower over Fire Blast as I can't really take the risk of fire blast missing. Focus blast is coverage against other fire types and rock types mainly while HP grass is against seismitoad.

Gurdurr (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Mach Punch
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- Bulk Up

In the last slot, I wanted something that could take on both rocks and steel types but also has priority and can act as a wall-breaker. well, gurdurr was just perfect for that role. One Bulk Up and its ready to sweep. I use knock off if I can predict a ghost type switching in but otherwise drain punch to drain HP from my opponent. Psychic types is still scary though, so I'm trying to use gurdurr mostly late game and trying to kill dem special attackers first, especially things such as mespirit and special flying types.
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Counters:

I haven't played that super much with this team and don't really know about all its counters. however, I have had some problems with these pokemons:

Lickilicky / Miltank / Audino / Togetic: although both doublade and gurdurr checks all three (doublade for togetic) hard, they wall all my other team members which is annoying af as they forces switches and I lose momentum.

scarfed sawk: not that big threat, but it has surprised swellow twice which is problematic

Conclusion:

I like to think that this is one of my better NU team, and i'm actually 25-6 with it, which is good for me. have also reached a rating of 1500 (ok, 1499, duh) with it (

), though ladder doesnt really mean much at this point. Its not a finished pice of work yet though, and I'm really looking for suggestions. thanks!

 

[Brawlfest]

Hey yo cool team I know I rated it earlier on Showdown! I do not feel the team has "issues", but I do feel that one of your pokemon is straight up outclassed. Frankly, Scarfed Typhlosion is not much good, as it doesn't have much of a method to hit other fire types bar a Focus Miss, and has its primary STAB slowly worn down as the game goes on. For this reason I simply reccomend a switch from it to Scarf Pyroar who is a faster more reliable Scarfer, and has a hard hitting alternative STAB in Hyper Voice. Basically, Everything Typhlosion can do, Pyroar can do, except with a tad more speed and a better typing to help better check random ghosts that might come in after Shiftry has died.

Minor Changes:
Shiftry: Don't slash Whirlwind and just keep Leaf Storm or Giga Drain w/ Naughty, since you can beat both of your mentioned pokemon simply with Knock Off, as after a Knock Off Sigilyph can no longer spread burns and loses then to Doublade, and after a knock off Tomb is pretty much near red.

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Pyroar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Hyper Voice

 

[ium]

actually the biggest issues i see are weather-based pokemon or teams. ludicolo is easily capable of punching holes and can potentially grab at least two KOs just by setting up on seismitoad. this can be deadly when paired with other certain pokemon that appreciate its checks (seismitoad and doublade) weakened or gone. although an odd change, swords dance lickilicky with earthquake can be used over gurdurr since it has the capability of luring out and heavily damaging anything that walls swellow because people will normally be expecting the standard wish set. it can utilize cloud nine and its natural bulk to check ludicolo and have it worn down so that something like shiftry can pick it off later

also if you go with the choice scarf pyroar idea, i like running toxic over flamethrower to catch some of its counters on the switch and put them out (or in some cases force them to waste a turn to heal bell)

 

[dr dude]

thanks alot to both of you! I was actually running pyroar in the teams earlier stages, but I used kanga over gurdurr at that time and was scared of fighting types. it seems better now though. I'm also trying out dat lickilicky. Really love the offensive one and it sure helps me against weather (got rekt by Sunny Day victreebel wunce)