My first (usable) stall team

[Zachmac]

Spoiler: Team Building Process

When I decided to make a stall team, Substitute/Protect Gliscor was the first thing that came to mind. I've always had so much fun using it, so I decided to build my stall team around it.

Next, I wanted something who can withstand ice and water hits for Gliscor, so I decided to try out Tentacruel. It also handled toxic spikes and rapid spin, so I wouldn't have to add different pokemon for that later. It would make it easier for my other walls, since they wouldn't have to put up with damage from entry hazards and won't always have to use toxic themselves.

Tentacruel's ground weakness was covered by Gliscor, but it still had weaknesses to psychic and electric. Meanwhile, Tentacruel would handle Ferrothorn's weaknesses to fire and fighting. Ferrothorn could stop outraging dragons as well, and set up spikes, both of which good for a team built on survival.

With both spikes and toxic spikes on my team, I decided a spin blocker would be a good idea. Since I had Tentacruel to make a core with Ferrothorn, I decided Jellicent might not be my best choice. Gengar was too offensive, and I wanted to take hits better then Dusknoir. I decided to use Dusklops. It can also use taunt to prevent pokemon like Skarmory and Forretress from using it as set up bait for spikes, and will-o-wisp to cripple physical attackers.

Now that I had a spin blocker, I decided to add a pokemon with stealth rock. Heatran was my first choice, since it could absorb fire hits for Ferrothorn. In terms of synergy, all it really helped was Ferrothorn, though it didn't hurt my team for the most part.

I now had all three entry hazards, so I decided I needed a phazer. I noticed a small ground weakness to my team, and I already had rapid spin support, so I decided to use Gyarados. Though usually used as a dragon dancer, it makes a nice physical wall as well, especially with intimidate.

As much as I love defensive Gyarados, it just wasn't the best candidate for my team. Phazing could be handled by Heatran, and ground resist was usually handled by Gliscor. It was actually working well, but I wanted something who could defeat Reuniclus. Scizor came to mind. I know it's stall, but one offensive pokemon won't hurt, right?

Scizor, as I wished for, was able to handle Reuniclus. However, upon removing Gyarados, my team started to face problems with Gliscor. I struggled to look for a counter to both Reuniclus and Gliscor. Then, I decided to try Rotom-W. Rotom usually can't handle Reuniclus, but it can use trick to give it a choice scarf. After that, most of my pokemon resist either Psychic or Focus Blast, and can swap in accordingly.

Farfan suggested I tried a Gengar as a spin blocker. At first, it seemed too frail for my liking, but I thought about it for a while, and tried it. With the Sub/Disable set, I no longer needed to use trick on Rotom-W to check Reuniclus, so I could run a more defensive set. It also helped me check heatran in the sun, if I could out predict it.

Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 112HP/252Sp.attack/144Speed
Nature: Modest
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Gliscor is a pokemon that can make life hard for stall teams. Not only is it immune to status because of Poison Heal/Toxic Orb, but it's restores a good chunk of it's health each round, shrugging off stall's damage. Rotom-W seemed like the perfect solution to me, always OHKOing with Hydro Pump. Volt Switch has decent coverage with Hydro Pump, and also provides STAB, while helping it scout. Will-o-Wisp can cripple physical sweepers, and pain split is a way for it to restore it's health.

Tentacruel @ Leftovers
Ability: Rain Dish
EVs: 252HP/240def/16sp.def
Nature: Bold
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Protect
Toxic Spikes is very useful for a stall team. When I get up two layers, it makes life much easier for my other walls, as they can stall right off the bat rather then use toxic first. Rapid Spin makes it much easier for my pokemon to swap in and out, which is important for stall teams. Scald is STAB, with a chance to burn. Protect works well with toxic spikes, stalling for another round of damage. I almost decided to use Liquid Ooze on my Tentacruel to prevent leech seed damage, but I decided Rain Dish would help in countering rain teams more.

Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252HP/88def/168sp.def
Nature: Impish
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Power Whip
- Protect
Like Tentacruel, Ferrothorn helps me to counter rain teams and set up entry hazards. Leech Seed helps it do damage and restore health, and it also stacks on leftovers. Spikes does damage as an enemy swaps in, which proves to be very useful for stall. Power Whip prevents it from being taunt bait, and smacks bulky water types. Protect is there to help it restore health form leftovers and leech seed, while letting toxic spikes do their job.

Gengar @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252sp.attack/252speed
Nature: Timid
- Substitute
- Disable
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
My spin blocker, along with my check for Reuniclus. After disabling Psychic, Focus Blast won't do anything to Gengar, as it can pound Reuniclus with Shadow Balls. With Edgequake, Rock/Fighting and Dark/Fighting coverage being so popular, the Substitute/Disable combo on Gengar really helps check and counter a lot of pokemon. It can also use substitute as the enemy rapid spinner is swapping out. Starmie may be a problem, but it can come in on Rapid Spin, then pull off a double switch to Ferrothorn.

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252HP/100sp.def/160speed
Nature: Calm
- Lave Plume
- Stealth Rock
- Protect
- Roar
Heatran sets up stealth rock, and benefits from Ferrothorn's fire weakness. Lava Plume gives random burns, and is the fire-type equivalent of scald. Stealth Rock I don't need to explain, but it stacks on to spikes. Protect can help me scout, and allows more poison or burn damage. Smogon suggest a status move for the last slot, but neither Toxic or Will-o-Wisp saw much use, and I needed a phazer when I removed Gyarados.

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252HP/184def/72speed
Nature: Impish
- Substitute
- Protect
- Toxic
- Earthquake
Gliscor, the pokemon who this team was built around. This happens to be my favorite set. If my enemy is poisoned, and Gliscor is behind a Sub, they have no chance to win. It's all thanks to poison heal. Each round, it restores 1/8 of it's health. It can then use protect to make sure it lost absolutely no health from the substitute. Earthquake is STAB, and will handle poison and steel types who are immune to poison. Toxic is for levitators and flying types who won't be effected by toxic spikes.

 

[Soperman]

Why Timid AND CS? I would suggest Modest.
Maybe Black Sludge on Tentacruel, in case of Trick?
... I really can't find anything else. It seems pretty good to me.

 

[garchompmaster29]

Wow, an excellently built stall team, I very rarely see good ones anymore. Extra props for making it non-weather.

This team can stand toe to toe with almost any team I can think of save 1:

Sun stall, with Heatran in particular. Now obviously sun stall is laughably rare, I have never actually ran into any good one before, but it does mess with your team.

Ferro can be OHKO'd by many sun stall pokemon such as heatran and of course ninetails, and since your heatran has no attacking move other than lava plume, opposing heatran will eventually earth power you at some point. Once your heatran goes down, you literally have nothing that you can switch in without fear of being demolished by opposing heatran.

Full health Rotom-W will be 2HKOd a little over 50% of the time by a no-investment heatran's fire blast, and while its only a 3HKO from lava plume, chances are your going to be burned at some point.

Meanwhile, you hydro pump on average is doing 35% to standard 168 spD 252 hp calm defensive heatran (not even a 3HKO with leftovers).

Tentacruel takes about 40% from a no investment earth power, and can't touch heatran.

Gliscor takes 94% on average from a no investment fire blast, and has a 30% chance to be OHKOd.

Dusclops takes 42% on average from a no investment fire blast, and can't really do too much to heatran before being KO'd So its safe to say, heatran alone in the sun sorta destroys this team. Consider either fitting Chansey on, or at the very least giving your heatran earth power.



And just remember, those calcs were from a no investment heatran. Imagine what would happen from an offensive one 0.o.

 

[Vandslaux]

I'm literally staring at this team, and I can't find any problems. Except you'd need a Johto pokemon if you want to use this team in clan battles, Blissey comes to mind, but IDK who you'd replace.

The only good thing about Sun stall is Synthesis. Otherwise it kinda sucks.

Now, looking at that, I would put Earth Power somewhere on Heatran. However, not even offensive can OHKO SpDef with Earth Power.

 

[Zachmac]

Why Timid AND CS? I would suggest Modest.

To outspeed jolly Gyarados at +1, mostly. It also helps me against enemy scarfers with similar speed. Also, it enjoys the speed after it uses trick. I might try modest though.

Maybe Black Sludge on Tentacruel, in case of Trick?

Black Sludge VS. Leftovers isn't something I've ever really cared about. It usually doesn't make much of a difference, and I've got Rotom-W to swap in on trick users.

Sun stall, with Heatran in particular. Now obviously sun stall is laughably rare, I have never actually ran into any good one before, but it does mess with your team.

I'm not worried about that. As you said, it's laughably rare. The point of stall is to handle all common threats, and that is definitely not common. Though heatran will be a bit of a problem in the sun...

What the heck, I'll just give Rotom HP ground.

Except you'd need a Johto pokemon if you want to use this team in clan battles, Blissey comes to mind, but IDK who you'd replace.

Yeah, I wish there was room for that.

I guess my clan battles with this team will be off record, unless my enemy if fine with it.

 

[garchompmaster29]

Yeah, I wouldn't worry bout dat sun stall unless you face mine in a random fluke (I only use sun stall to troll PBC by wrecking their best players in tourneys. PBC is laughably bad.) Just give rotom hp ground, and you'll be trollin heatran all day long. Otherwise an excellent team, nothing more to add.

 

[Zachmac]

Now that it's got HP ground rather then Ice, it won't be revenge killing dragons anyway. I may as well change Rotom's nature to modest, as suggested by Soperman.

 

[Farfan]

Ay Zachmac this is a nice team and it looks like it could work stalling, but I have a few suggestions.

First, Dusclops sucks. Evolite gives him good defenses, but without Leftovers it is easily killed by Sandstorm/Hail and Toxic. Also a strong Dark/Ghost attack OHKOs it. I suggest replacing it by SubDisable/Painsplit Gengar wich is a spin blocker and has levitate too, and it can support your pokemons by killing Psychic types like Reuniclus. Or you could even use Sableye, he has Prankster and his Taunts and Will-O-wisp are very annoying.
Second your team would love Rain support. Mag+Dragons would easily destroy your team, specially Haxorus with Earthquake, he can hit Rotom-W, and Gliscors gets 2HKOd. So that's why you should use Timid + Choice Scarf on Rotom-W, it gives you a chance to Trick or Volt Switch even when some stuff is at +1.
And Rotom-W should have hp ice/grass/fire, Ground is useless.. for Heatrans? Lol, you can 1-2ko with Hydro Pump or Trick...
I'd make your team a Rain stall team then, drop Heatran for Defensive/annoyer Politoed, (Perish Song is like a Roar too), and drop Dusclops for Gengar or Sableye. Politoed will prevent other weathers like sun to come in.
If you follow the advice, give Ferrothorn SR>Spikes since you won't have Heatran.
gottagokthxbai

there's more:

Spoiler: :

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[Zachmac]

Ay Zachmac this is a nice team and it looks like it could work stalling, but I have a few suggestions.

First, Dusclops sucks. Evolite gives him good defenses, but without Leftovers it is easily killed by Sandstorm/Hail and Toxic. Also a strong Dark/Ghost attack OHKOs it. I suggest replacing it by SubDisable/Painsplit Gengar wich is a spin blocker and has levitate too, and it can support your pokemons by killing Psychic types like Reuniclus.

I guess I could use that, but Dusclops is actually working rather well for this team. It is weakened quite a bit by Sand Storm, but it has Pain Split.

Dusklops works well if I use it correctly and have the right team support, which stalling is all about.

Or you could even use Sableye, he has Prankster and his Taunts and Will-O-wisp are very annoying.

Too frail, IMO. I like it, but only if my team has troubles with offensive sweepers. It won't like Starmie's life orb surf, and will-o-wisp would do nothing to prevent that. I can't really think of a rapid spinner that threatens Dusklops, though.

Second your team would love Rain support. Mag+Dragons would easily destroy your team, specially Haxorus with Earthquake, he can hit Rotom-W, and Gliscors gets 2HKOd.

I love team viewer. I never have problems with MagDragons since they're so predictable. Just send out Ferrothorn, then swap in Gliscor. If it's got HP fire, I get a free sub as it swaps out.

So that's why you should use Timid + Choice Scarf on Rotom-W, it gives you a chance to Trick or Volt Switch even when some stuff is at +1.

...Though I've been debating with myself about this for a while.

And Rotom-W should have hp ice/grass/fire, Ground is useless.. for Heatrans? Lol, you can 1-2ko with Hydro Pump or Trick...

A "Just in case" for sun Heatrans. Water is weakened by sun. Look at the calculations above. A heatran in the sunlight would wreck this team. Assuming that the sunlight it up...

Ferro can be OHKO'd by many sun stall pokemon such as heatran and of course ninetails, and since your heatran has no attacking move other than lava plume, opposing heatran will eventually earth power you at some point. Once your heatran goes down, you literally have nothing that you can switch in without fear of being demolished by opposing heatran.

Full health Rotom-W will be 2HKOd a little over 50% of the time by a no-investment heatran's fire blast, and while its only a 3HKO from lava plume, chances are your going to be burned at some point.

Meanwhile, you hydro pump on average is doing 35% to standard 168 spD 252 hp calm defensive heatran (not even a 3HKO with leftovers).

Tentacruel takes about 40% from a no investment earth power, and can't touch heatran.

Gliscor takes 94% on average from a no investment fire blast, and has a 30% chance to be OHKOd.

Dusclops takes 42% on average from a no investment fire blast, and can't really do too much to heatran before being KO'd So its safe to say, heatran alone in the sun sorta destroys this team. Consider either fitting Chansey on, or at the very least giving your heatran earth power.



And just remember, those calcs were from a no investment heatran. Imagine what would happen from an offensive one 0.o.

I'd make your team a Rain stall team then, drop Heatran for Defensive/annoyer Politoed, (Perish Song is like a Roar too), and drop Dusclops for Gengar or Sableye. Politoed will prevent other weathers like sun to come in.

Or I could try this, but I don't like Politoed. Though it is a Johto pokemon, which is good for my clan...I might use it there. Though outside of my clan, I want to make it unique by keeping it weather-free, and Heatran is just useful for removing steel types.

Also, while Perish Song can phaze, it doesn't shuffle as quickly as roar does, to rack up more entry hazard damage. It also leaves my enemy two turns to say in and use their boost.

If you follow the advice, give Ferrothorn SR>Spikes since you won't have Heatran.

No, I want to keep all the entry hazards possible on my team. I'd keep spikes and drop leech seed.

Though I like to keep the hazards more spread out, so that if one of my pokemon faint, there will still be a chance to set up hazards.

 

[garchompmaster29]

"And Rotom-W should have hp ice/grass/fire, Ground is useless.. for Heatrans? Lol, you can 1-2ko with Hydro Pump or Trick..."

Look at my calcs, in the sun its not even a 3HKO factoring in leftovers. This is a SERIOUS problem that HP ground mitigates.

 

[Zachmac]

Well, I did end up swapping Dusklops for Gengar in the end. With substitute/disable, Gengar can keep Heatran from using fire blast, and help me check that problem. Since it could also handle Reuniclus, it allowed me to pull off defensive rotom.

I did a calc, and rotom-w's HP ice could only 2HKO Haxorus. It looks like I'll have to beat Mag/Drag through prediction alone.

Anyway, bump.

 

[Zachmac]

Is it really that good that it's getting no rates? I'm personally not satisfied with it yet....

Bumping again.

 

[Eliteknight]

Change the leftovers to black sludge on all poison types most trickers wont want residual damage from an item.

Lantern@leftovers
volt absorb/waterf absorb
nature based on what you need from it
same as above for evs
scald
toxic
voltswitch
aqua rinf/protect/substitute

if you need a jhoto replace rotom with this i know it isnt immune to ground but it is a good pokemon

 

[Zachmac]

Change the leftovers to black sludge on all poison types most trickers wont want residual damage from an item.

I don't ever really care about this. Maybe if it was something defensive I'd consider it, but it doesn't really matter for Gengar, most scarfers with trick will OHKO it anyway.

Lantern@leftovers
volt absorb/waterf absorb
nature based on what you need from it
same as above for evs
scald
toxic
voltswitch
aqua rinf/protect/substitute

if you need a jhoto replace rotom with this i know it isnt immune to ground but it is a good pokemon

No thanks, OU isn't really where Lanturn belongs. I'm just going to use other team for the clan.

 

[Eliteknight]

I was refering to Tentacruel mainly as it would be better defensive option due to adding additional residual damage in the case of trick along with healing if not but o well you dont think it is important maybe try it one time it wont hurt still heals the same amount