VileSlanders
New Member
I have been building and experimenting with TR teams for quite some time now. My designs vary from the established TR titans like Cresselia and Rhyperior, to the unusual yet effective Hammer Arm Mega-Kangaskhan. But in all my rabid testing, one team stands above the rest for its diversity, balance of power and bulk, and its downright misleading appearance. So without further ado, I present my "Stealth TR Team" for your speculation.
Chandelure
-Quiet Nature, 252 Sp. Atk, 248 Hp, 4 Def, 4 Sp. Def (0 Spd IV)
-Ability: Flash Fire
-Item: Focus Sash
Movepool:
-Trick Room
-Imprison
-Heatwave
-Shadow Ball
The Strategy:
-Pretty basic offensive TR setter. High damage potential, AOE capabilities in STAB Heatwave and full accuracy guaranteed with STAB Shadow Ball. TR for the momentum, and alternatively, Imprison for the same reason.
Chandy is part of the two-part backbone that inspired this team. While a base 80 in speed is generally considered dangerously fast for TR, given the popularity of even slower TR teams, Imprison gives Chandy a speed maintenance capability when faced with an opposing TR team utilizing the slower staples.
In short, if I have the speed advantage without TR, then I can prevent it from being set. Imprison also works well with Chandy's other two applicable techniques, Heatwave and Shadow Ball, which are relatively common fare in Doubles. And do I need to stress the advantage of Chandy being able to shut down Gengar and Aegislash's Shadow Balls?
The atypical EV spread was selected due to a *minor* increase to Chandy's overall bulk. It's also shared with Chandy's original teammate and the second piece of my team's backbone.
-.-.-.-
Medicham
-Brave Nature, 252 Atk, 248 Hp, 4 Def, 4 Sp. Def (0 Spd IV)
-Ability: Pure Power
-Item: Life Orb
Movepool:
-Fake Out
-Quick Guard
-High Jump Kick
-Rock Slide
The Strategy:
-Ah Medicham, you truly are an under appreciated offensive support asset. Chandy's original lead partner for the pysch appeal was the rarely used Medicham, who shared Chandy's TR unfriendly Base 80 Speed stat.
Allow me to clarify something for the skeptics now. This particular Medicham has a KO streak that rivals my Team's star player. And when I'm pulling a 14-1 victory/loss ratio in the Rating section of the Battle Spot...
...That should indicate Medicham's effectiveness rather adequately.
Originally, Medicham ran Fire Punch over Rock Slide, so as to trigger Chandy's Flash Fire should the opportunity present itself, but after testing Rock Slide, and correlating the ratios...
Trust me, just run Rock Slide. Chandy can handle Aegislash, especially with Quick Guard support from Medicham. But Medicham can make mincemeat out of Salamence with a little Fake Out/Rock Slide action.
The beautiful part of using these two as a lead, is that most people don't see the TR coming. Both mon are pretty fast for TR, and when paired side by side, it looks far more likely that Medicham will Mega-Evolve rather than stay in basic form. That, and you wouldn't believe the amount of Shadow Sneaks, Gale Wings Brave Birds, and priority Taunts I've thwarted with Fake Out and Quick Guard. To also highlight, between Medicham's Quick Guard and Chandy's Imprison: I can prevent the use of both Shadow Ball and Shadow Sneak, which are the two most common Ghost Type techniques in Doubles, and are both mortally feared by Chandy and Medicham. Just a cool little quirk that I've had the great fortune of witnessing RUIN a Weakness Policy Aegislash before.
Medicham's Life Orb/Pure Power boosted HJK hits even harder than Flame Orb/Guts Hariyama's Close Combat. And Medicham secures max damage in the first turn for Fake Out, while preserves his Hp loss on the turns that Quick Guard deploys, giving Medicham some distinction over the TR Offensive Support Titan. While Close Combat maintains higher accuracy and zero penalty for missing, it's still guaranteed to decrease Hariyama's defensive stats, effectively reducing Hariyama's bulk to Medicham's lackluster level. So other than the speed stat, I do feel as if Medicham holds an advantage over Hariyama. That, and if I deployed a Hariyama and Chandy lead, it would be a dead give away for an oncoming TR. So a minor stealth advantage is held by Medicham over Hariyama as well.
Again, the wonky EV spread was selected to maximize Medicham's Offensive/Bulk. No matter how marginal an edge it presents, I still want it.
-.-.-.-
Porygon2
-Quiet Nature, 252 Hp, 252 Sp. Atk, 4 Def (0 Spd IV)
-Ability: Download
-Item: Eviolite (Duh)
Movepool:
-Trick Room
-Recover
-Thunderbolt
-Ice Beam
The Strategy:
-Why Porygon2 is hailed as the universal TR setter is beyond me. With the Sp. Atk bonus from Download, the Defensive bonuses from Eviolite, the Speed advantage from TR, and finally the Boltbeam/Reliable Recovery Combo...
...This little freak has bulk second to Cresselia and power/coverage rivaling some of the best boltbeam sweepers. And of course, you need to factor in the Trick Room speed advantage. Do the calcs yourself, 'cause this cyperspacial rubbery-ducky represents a mathematician's wet dream.
While he does rely on the Sp. Atk bonus from Download to be absolute terror, Porygon2 till manages to punch holes in teams without it, thanks to his ridiculous bulk and his fairly abusive coverage.
I don't need to say too much more in regards to Porygon2. Except that I find Trace too situational and too unreliable in Doubles, so I feel far more comfortable with Download instead.
As far as a TR alert goes, most people start groaning on sight of a P-2. They're infamous for the bulk, not their TR setting capabilities. And the next few members of my team help reinforce the opinion that this team may be geared for a peculiar mix of offense and bulk...
-.-.-.-
Amoongus
-Relaxed Nature, 252 Hp, 128 Def, 128 Sp. Def (0 Spd IV)
-Ability: Regenerator
-Item: Black Sludge
Movepool:
-Giga Drain
-Foul Play
-Rage Powder
-Spore
The Strategy:
-Pure evil. Funny enough, this is my "Nice" TR Amoongus. Her predecessor was far more cruel in his design. The strategy should be fairly obvious to anyone who has used an Amoongus in Doubles before. Rage Powder is for redirection, which allows P-2 and Chandy the security required to throw down TR safely. Giga Drain is for STAB coverage and additional recovery. Foul Play is for punishing those who dare to boost, or just doing some damage in general. And Spore is for violating Smogon's sleep clause with cheesy grin plastered on my smug face.
In all seriousness though, Amoongus assumes the role of an equalizer on this team. Her Base Speed is among the lowest of all mon, and via strategic use of Spore and Rage Powder, I can shut down almost any mon that would out-speed Amoongus's teammates in TR. I have laughed myself hoarse witnessing just how effective a Chandy/Amoongus lead is. To specify: My opponent only land a single blow throughout the entirety of the match. Which was a Politoed's Drizzle Boosted Scald. On a Rage Powder/Trick Room turn. Meaning that Amoongus took next to nothing in damage, before Sporing the Politoed in the following turn.
It's just evil, and a peculiar advantage of stationing Amoongus among the rest of the team makes her look like my TR counter. Which is just an additional stealth advantage for me in the pre-battle roster menu.
-.-.-.-
Aurorus
-Quiet Nature, 252 Sp. Atk, 128 Def, 128 Sp. Def (0 Spd IV)
-Ability: Refrigerate
-Item: Choice Specs
Movepool:
-Hyper Voice
-Thunderbolt
-Earth Power
-Ancient Power
The Strategy:
-I feel like a pioneer with this guy. I couldn't find a TR set for Aurorus anywhere, so I had to do the calcs myself. Just one of my first discoveries: To max out Aurorus's offensive bulk, split defenses yield greater results than max health.
I know that Sylveon is the Hyper Voice demon of TR, but Fairy-Type Hyper Voice just doesn't hit as many high priority threats as Ice-Type Hyper Voice. On top of that, whereas Sylveon's movepool plunges down into Hidden Power levels for decent coverage, Aurorus suffers no such limitations with his amazing movepool. And finally, in a worldwide wholesale of Flying-Type Brave Birds and Aerilate Returns/Double Edges/Hyper Voices, Rock Typing with well rounded bulk offers some pretty useful resistances.
Aurorus is a freaking nuke, capable of switching in and cleaning house after TR has been set. It's best not to underestimate this guy, because in my experience, ol' Littlefoot has curb stomped entire teams into acoustic submission. And he looked totally sexy-amazing while doing it too.
Because the vast majority of Aurorus's documented sets has him focusing on a max Speed/Choice Scarf design, he currently offers a stealthy edge in the pre-battle roster menu.
And come on...
...Given the choice between a freaking huge arctic sauropod and a greasy pink poodle-rabbit, which would you rather have representing your tastes?
Well then keep your cutesy Sylveon. I'll walk with the dinosaurs, thank you very much.
-.-.-.-
Blastoise
-Quiet Nature, 252 Hp, 252 Sp. Atk, 4 Def (0 Spd IV)
-Ability: Rain Dish
-Item: Blastoinite
Movepool:
-Water Spout
-Fake Out
-Aura Sphere
-Dark Pulse
The Strategy:
Surprise! Fake Out Mega-Blastoise!
Yep, and everyone thinks that the only Normal-Type attack a Blastoise should ever use is Rapid Spin. Well, the joke is on you.
This has to be my favorite TR Mega. The Offensive Support offered by Fake Out practically makes Blastoise unique anongst TR Megas. Combined with TR Speed Advantage and the thwart that Fake Out offers in Round 1...
...Well, that Water Spout hits REALLY hard an awful lot. And Blastoise's other two techniques can floor Water-resistant opponents with the pseudo-STAB bonus yielded from Mega Launcher. Azumaril is a cause for concern, but a Download enhanced Thunderbolt from P-2 can make short work of Pikablu.
With his Base 78 Speed stat, Blastoise is another mon in the group that just seems to fast for TR. But given that the team is designed to exploit both ends of the speed spectrum, Blastoise fits right in.
I love this guy. He's the only Mega that I feel comfortable about leading a TR battle with, which allows me to deploy my heavy hitters right from the get go.
With the addition of Amoongus and Chandy, Blastoise adds the essential third element to a crude Fire/Water/Grass core. And given that the vast majority of his teammates are similarly bulky and/or of middling Speed stats, Blastoise plays off of the whole stealthy mentality I shaded the team around. Not many see a Fake Out/TR combo coming from a Blastoise/Chandy lead. And by the time my opponents catch on to the abomination that they're facing...
...It's generally too late. Water Spout and Heatwave combos chew through many different leads, and the follow-ups aren't going to fair much better.
-.-.-.-
On a passing note, one of the reasons this TR team is so effective is because of its flexibility. Two vastly different TR setters can be supported by three vastly different teammates. Whether it's being defended by Fake Out, Quick Guard, or Rage Powder, that TR has yet to have failed. And thanks to Chandy's Imprison and Amoongus's Spore, I can shut down and annihilate slower TR teams just as effectively as I can dismantle the more common speedy teams. Speed Control is currently a deciding factor in competition. This TR Team holds an advantage few other TR teams do. I highly recommend testing this design out, and invite those with valuable input to criticize the design for an even more effective template. While I don't believe for a second that anyone will run this Team in the VGC regionals anytime soon, I still reckon that this TR team could hold its own quite well against the best of sets. Perhaps with a little fine tuning, I can find out.
Thanks in advance for the feedback. Ciao.
Chandelure
-Quiet Nature, 252 Sp. Atk, 248 Hp, 4 Def, 4 Sp. Def (0 Spd IV)
-Ability: Flash Fire
-Item: Focus Sash
Movepool:
-Trick Room
-Imprison
-Heatwave
-Shadow Ball
The Strategy:
-Pretty basic offensive TR setter. High damage potential, AOE capabilities in STAB Heatwave and full accuracy guaranteed with STAB Shadow Ball. TR for the momentum, and alternatively, Imprison for the same reason.
Chandy is part of the two-part backbone that inspired this team. While a base 80 in speed is generally considered dangerously fast for TR, given the popularity of even slower TR teams, Imprison gives Chandy a speed maintenance capability when faced with an opposing TR team utilizing the slower staples.
In short, if I have the speed advantage without TR, then I can prevent it from being set. Imprison also works well with Chandy's other two applicable techniques, Heatwave and Shadow Ball, which are relatively common fare in Doubles. And do I need to stress the advantage of Chandy being able to shut down Gengar and Aegislash's Shadow Balls?
The atypical EV spread was selected due to a *minor* increase to Chandy's overall bulk. It's also shared with Chandy's original teammate and the second piece of my team's backbone.
-.-.-.-
Medicham
-Brave Nature, 252 Atk, 248 Hp, 4 Def, 4 Sp. Def (0 Spd IV)
-Ability: Pure Power
-Item: Life Orb
Movepool:
-Fake Out
-Quick Guard
-High Jump Kick
-Rock Slide
The Strategy:
-Ah Medicham, you truly are an under appreciated offensive support asset. Chandy's original lead partner for the pysch appeal was the rarely used Medicham, who shared Chandy's TR unfriendly Base 80 Speed stat.
Allow me to clarify something for the skeptics now. This particular Medicham has a KO streak that rivals my Team's star player. And when I'm pulling a 14-1 victory/loss ratio in the Rating section of the Battle Spot...
...That should indicate Medicham's effectiveness rather adequately.
Originally, Medicham ran Fire Punch over Rock Slide, so as to trigger Chandy's Flash Fire should the opportunity present itself, but after testing Rock Slide, and correlating the ratios...
Trust me, just run Rock Slide. Chandy can handle Aegislash, especially with Quick Guard support from Medicham. But Medicham can make mincemeat out of Salamence with a little Fake Out/Rock Slide action.
The beautiful part of using these two as a lead, is that most people don't see the TR coming. Both mon are pretty fast for TR, and when paired side by side, it looks far more likely that Medicham will Mega-Evolve rather than stay in basic form. That, and you wouldn't believe the amount of Shadow Sneaks, Gale Wings Brave Birds, and priority Taunts I've thwarted with Fake Out and Quick Guard. To also highlight, between Medicham's Quick Guard and Chandy's Imprison: I can prevent the use of both Shadow Ball and Shadow Sneak, which are the two most common Ghost Type techniques in Doubles, and are both mortally feared by Chandy and Medicham. Just a cool little quirk that I've had the great fortune of witnessing RUIN a Weakness Policy Aegislash before.
Medicham's Life Orb/Pure Power boosted HJK hits even harder than Flame Orb/Guts Hariyama's Close Combat. And Medicham secures max damage in the first turn for Fake Out, while preserves his Hp loss on the turns that Quick Guard deploys, giving Medicham some distinction over the TR Offensive Support Titan. While Close Combat maintains higher accuracy and zero penalty for missing, it's still guaranteed to decrease Hariyama's defensive stats, effectively reducing Hariyama's bulk to Medicham's lackluster level. So other than the speed stat, I do feel as if Medicham holds an advantage over Hariyama. That, and if I deployed a Hariyama and Chandy lead, it would be a dead give away for an oncoming TR. So a minor stealth advantage is held by Medicham over Hariyama as well.
Again, the wonky EV spread was selected to maximize Medicham's Offensive/Bulk. No matter how marginal an edge it presents, I still want it.
-.-.-.-
Porygon2
-Quiet Nature, 252 Hp, 252 Sp. Atk, 4 Def (0 Spd IV)
-Ability: Download
-Item: Eviolite (Duh)
Movepool:
-Trick Room
-Recover
-Thunderbolt
-Ice Beam
The Strategy:
-Why Porygon2 is hailed as the universal TR setter is beyond me. With the Sp. Atk bonus from Download, the Defensive bonuses from Eviolite, the Speed advantage from TR, and finally the Boltbeam/Reliable Recovery Combo...
...This little freak has bulk second to Cresselia and power/coverage rivaling some of the best boltbeam sweepers. And of course, you need to factor in the Trick Room speed advantage. Do the calcs yourself, 'cause this cyperspacial rubbery-ducky represents a mathematician's wet dream.
While he does rely on the Sp. Atk bonus from Download to be absolute terror, Porygon2 till manages to punch holes in teams without it, thanks to his ridiculous bulk and his fairly abusive coverage.
I don't need to say too much more in regards to Porygon2. Except that I find Trace too situational and too unreliable in Doubles, so I feel far more comfortable with Download instead.
As far as a TR alert goes, most people start groaning on sight of a P-2. They're infamous for the bulk, not their TR setting capabilities. And the next few members of my team help reinforce the opinion that this team may be geared for a peculiar mix of offense and bulk...
-.-.-.-
Amoongus
-Relaxed Nature, 252 Hp, 128 Def, 128 Sp. Def (0 Spd IV)
-Ability: Regenerator
-Item: Black Sludge
Movepool:
-Giga Drain
-Foul Play
-Rage Powder
-Spore
The Strategy:
-Pure evil. Funny enough, this is my "Nice" TR Amoongus. Her predecessor was far more cruel in his design. The strategy should be fairly obvious to anyone who has used an Amoongus in Doubles before. Rage Powder is for redirection, which allows P-2 and Chandy the security required to throw down TR safely. Giga Drain is for STAB coverage and additional recovery. Foul Play is for punishing those who dare to boost, or just doing some damage in general. And Spore is for violating Smogon's sleep clause with cheesy grin plastered on my smug face.
In all seriousness though, Amoongus assumes the role of an equalizer on this team. Her Base Speed is among the lowest of all mon, and via strategic use of Spore and Rage Powder, I can shut down almost any mon that would out-speed Amoongus's teammates in TR. I have laughed myself hoarse witnessing just how effective a Chandy/Amoongus lead is. To specify: My opponent only land a single blow throughout the entirety of the match. Which was a Politoed's Drizzle Boosted Scald. On a Rage Powder/Trick Room turn. Meaning that Amoongus took next to nothing in damage, before Sporing the Politoed in the following turn.
It's just evil, and a peculiar advantage of stationing Amoongus among the rest of the team makes her look like my TR counter. Which is just an additional stealth advantage for me in the pre-battle roster menu.
-.-.-.-
Aurorus
-Quiet Nature, 252 Sp. Atk, 128 Def, 128 Sp. Def (0 Spd IV)
-Ability: Refrigerate
-Item: Choice Specs
Movepool:
-Hyper Voice
-Thunderbolt
-Earth Power
-Ancient Power
The Strategy:
-I feel like a pioneer with this guy. I couldn't find a TR set for Aurorus anywhere, so I had to do the calcs myself. Just one of my first discoveries: To max out Aurorus's offensive bulk, split defenses yield greater results than max health.
I know that Sylveon is the Hyper Voice demon of TR, but Fairy-Type Hyper Voice just doesn't hit as many high priority threats as Ice-Type Hyper Voice. On top of that, whereas Sylveon's movepool plunges down into Hidden Power levels for decent coverage, Aurorus suffers no such limitations with his amazing movepool. And finally, in a worldwide wholesale of Flying-Type Brave Birds and Aerilate Returns/Double Edges/Hyper Voices, Rock Typing with well rounded bulk offers some pretty useful resistances.
Aurorus is a freaking nuke, capable of switching in and cleaning house after TR has been set. It's best not to underestimate this guy, because in my experience, ol' Littlefoot has curb stomped entire teams into acoustic submission. And he looked totally sexy-amazing while doing it too.
Because the vast majority of Aurorus's documented sets has him focusing on a max Speed/Choice Scarf design, he currently offers a stealthy edge in the pre-battle roster menu.
And come on...
...Given the choice between a freaking huge arctic sauropod and a greasy pink poodle-rabbit, which would you rather have representing your tastes?
Well then keep your cutesy Sylveon. I'll walk with the dinosaurs, thank you very much.
-.-.-.-
Blastoise
-Quiet Nature, 252 Hp, 252 Sp. Atk, 4 Def (0 Spd IV)
-Ability: Rain Dish
-Item: Blastoinite
Movepool:
-Water Spout
-Fake Out
-Aura Sphere
-Dark Pulse
The Strategy:
Surprise! Fake Out Mega-Blastoise!
Yep, and everyone thinks that the only Normal-Type attack a Blastoise should ever use is Rapid Spin. Well, the joke is on you.
This has to be my favorite TR Mega. The Offensive Support offered by Fake Out practically makes Blastoise unique anongst TR Megas. Combined with TR Speed Advantage and the thwart that Fake Out offers in Round 1...
...Well, that Water Spout hits REALLY hard an awful lot. And Blastoise's other two techniques can floor Water-resistant opponents with the pseudo-STAB bonus yielded from Mega Launcher. Azumaril is a cause for concern, but a Download enhanced Thunderbolt from P-2 can make short work of Pikablu.
With his Base 78 Speed stat, Blastoise is another mon in the group that just seems to fast for TR. But given that the team is designed to exploit both ends of the speed spectrum, Blastoise fits right in.
I love this guy. He's the only Mega that I feel comfortable about leading a TR battle with, which allows me to deploy my heavy hitters right from the get go.
With the addition of Amoongus and Chandy, Blastoise adds the essential third element to a crude Fire/Water/Grass core. And given that the vast majority of his teammates are similarly bulky and/or of middling Speed stats, Blastoise plays off of the whole stealthy mentality I shaded the team around. Not many see a Fake Out/TR combo coming from a Blastoise/Chandy lead. And by the time my opponents catch on to the abomination that they're facing...
...It's generally too late. Water Spout and Heatwave combos chew through many different leads, and the follow-ups aren't going to fair much better.
-.-.-.-
On a passing note, one of the reasons this TR team is so effective is because of its flexibility. Two vastly different TR setters can be supported by three vastly different teammates. Whether it's being defended by Fake Out, Quick Guard, or Rage Powder, that TR has yet to have failed. And thanks to Chandy's Imprison and Amoongus's Spore, I can shut down and annihilate slower TR teams just as effectively as I can dismantle the more common speedy teams. Speed Control is currently a deciding factor in competition. This TR Team holds an advantage few other TR teams do. I highly recommend testing this design out, and invite those with valuable input to criticize the design for an even more effective template. While I don't believe for a second that anyone will run this Team in the VGC regionals anytime soon, I still reckon that this TR team could hold its own quite well against the best of sets. Perhaps with a little fine tuning, I can find out.
Thanks in advance for the feedback. Ciao.