I've always been more interested in the Double Battles of Pokemon because there is (potentially) far more strategy involved. I've been devising techniques of my own, but I want to see what you guys have. List the best strategy you have come up with or seen (if it was not yours, give credit where credit is due if you can). Please feel free to discuss and give suggestions to other strategies posted here as well, I want this to be a growing thread. Hopefully everyone will benefit!
Recently took some times to explain good counters. If you find your team is weak to Trick Room or a weather effect, looking at my guide might help you find a viable counter to deal with your problem. Here it is, part one:
~RHYS29’S DOUBLE BATTLE COUNTER/TEAM GUIDE
As most/all of you know, I love DB’s and constantly talk about them. I give almost everybody constant advice who post on my thread and try and be as helpful as possible. Many of you have seen how your teams work and I have showed you their weaknesses and how they can be shut down. I am now going to list all the good counters I could find and superior users of the Weather Effects. This post will continually grow, so check back often.
~~~TRICK ROOM COUNTERS
-Most likely the most common DB strategy. This move may have a -7 speed priority, however it makes the slower pokes go first for 5 straight turns. Seeing how many tanking and powerful pokes are held back by their terrible speed, this move allows them to unlock their full potential. The most common pokes that are known to unleash this move are Dusknoir and Bronzong since they both have solid defenses, plenty of resistances and are slow enough to use the effects of the move effectively.
Steelix@Leftovers/Life Orb
Careful, Rock Head
252 HP, 204 Sp.D, 52 Att
Gyro Ball/Aqua Tail/Thunder Fang
Curse
Fire Fang/Crunch
Earthquake
The most common pokes who use TR are Dusknoir and Bronzong. With this set, you will beat a –nature speed Zong and still be close enough to outrun both pokes after one Curse. Gyro Ball is the best obvious move for him when dealing with fast pokes, however not as useful when facing a TR team. Both Aqua Tail and Thunder Fang counter Fire and Water types, the two types that are common in DB’s and its other weaknesses. Curse is to benefit from the TR or just power him up in general. Fire Fang is meant for Zong, dealing a good chunk of damage on the first turn and possibly flinching while Crunch is for Noir and lowering its high defense. Earthquake is for STAB and because it’s EQ. Solid counter to both, seeing as both Zong and Noir rely mostly on their attack. Boost Sp.D for survival issues. Works best with a Light Screener by its side.
Camerupt@Leftovers/Life Orb
Brave, Rock Solid
252 Sp.A, 180 Att, 76 Hp
Eruption/Heat Wave
Earthquake/Earth Power
Rock Slide
Explosion/Will-o-wisp/Stealth Rock
Camerupt is slow enough to use TR effectively and fast enough to outrun Bronzong on turn 1. A full power Eruption with LO from Camerupt does 320 cap damage to a full Sp.D Bronzong (if they capped HP as well, it will deal 94%) WITHOUT Life Orb. OHKO’s with LO obviously. However, seeing as he is very slow, another poke could hit him hard and take away the power of Eruption, so unless you have a Follow Me poke or are confident you outrun both pokes/won’t get hit, this is the one of the best ways to deal with Zong. Also hits the enemy, so bonus. Heat Wave deals a respectable 213 capped damage (63%) without LO and 276 (81%) with it. Both are good options, but one is more about getting the shot in with no damage versus set BP. Depending on the rest of your party, you can choose between either move, seeing as Earth Power can help you deal with a partner that can’t avoid EQ and provides more special support while EQ is EQ. Rock Slide is a great move and if they manage to get TR up, you may get a double flinch. The last is dependent on if you think it should provide support or go Boom when it’s provided the help it needed to.
Typhlosion@Choice Scarf
Modest, Blaze
252 Sp.A, 252 Spe, 6 Hp
Eruption
Overheat/Focus Blast
Solarbeam
HP-Ice/Rock
The best way to stop Zong. OHKO’s with Eruption on the first turn, easily outrunning both opponents and deals extremely heavy damage to the opposing poke. If you want to make sure he gets that first shot off, go with a Fake Out user as its partner. It also deal a large amount of damage to a fully Sp.D Dusknoir (a 2HKO). Overheat if you want to switch him in and out with low health to still deal heavy damage or Focus Blast for Fighting coverage against T-Tar. If you can get Sunny Day up, send him in and Solar Beam away with intense speed (you will outrun most Chlorophyl users, since most set their speed to about 400 under the sun). HP-Ice/Rock for other coverage.
Granbull@Choice Band/Expert Belt
Adamant, Quick Feet
252 Att, 252 Hp, 6 Spe
Crunch
Fire Fang
Return/Close Combat
Bulk Up/Roar/Heal Bell/Thunder Wave
One of the best ways to deal with both pokes. Crunch deals good damage to both pokes, most notably Dusknoir. Fire Fang deals solid damage to Zong and helps with his Steel-wallability. Return for a good STAB or Close Combat for a powerful Fighting move. For the last set it’s really what you want him to do for the rest of the game: start Bulking Up and tank away, Roar for a useful forced switch, Heal Bell for an amazing status absorber, or T-Wave to provide support. ANOTHER SIMILAR OPTION TO THIS IS URSARING.
Weavile@Focus Sash/Expert Belt
Adamant, Pressure
252 Att, 252 Hp, 6 Spe
Taunt
Fake Out
Night Slash
Brick Break/Ice Punch/Ice Shard
First, I know what you’re thinking about a bulky Weavile. If you make it too fast, it will be much more open to TR and so it doesn’t really need the speed for that. Taunt just straight up prevents TR from working, plain as that. Fake Out will also stop Zong and others from getting their first move in. Night Slash is to deal heavy damage to both pokes, more to Noir. The last slot is for what you need: T-Tar insurance, solid STAB, or another priority.
Spiritomb@Leftovers/Lum Berry
Modest, Pressure
212 Hp, 128 Def, 128 Sp.D, 44 Spe
Taunt
Pain Split
Dark Pulse
Will-o-wisp/Hypnosis
This guy will outrun a –speed natured Noir, giving it just enough speed. Taunt can get both Dusk and Zong first, stopping TR. Pain Split to help its frail HP stat hold up. Dark Pulse for an effective STAB and scores pretty decent damage against the two threats. Will-o-wisp is for burning and Hypnosis for the sleep.
***NOTES: Other pokes are notorious for pulling out TR such as the Bro’s and Porygon2. This can be solved with minor tweaking to the sets, such as going with the Fighting options on Typhlosion and Granbull to deal with Pory2 and the Dark type users/Taunters for the Bros work just fine.
~~~RAIN DANCE COUNTERS
-Almost always played with a Double Surf combo (two pokes with Water Absorb use Surf continually in Rain, dealing lots of damage and continually healing), this combo is deadly when combined with specific Water types. Rain boosts the power of Water moves by 1.5, Fire attacks are reduced by 50%, Thunder gains 100% accuracy and 25% pierce (cuts through Protect and Detect), knocks down Solar Beam to 2 rounds to charge up, and reduces the power of Moonlight, Synthesis, and Morning sun to 25%. It also activates several abilities such as Swift Swim which doubles the pokes speed while its raining. Overall possibly the most deadly and to Sunny Day teams and Fire users.
Golduck@Leftovers/Light Clay
Modest, Cloud Nine
252 Hp, 180 Def, 76 Sp.D
Calm Mind/Amnesia
Ice Beam/Reflect/Light Screen
Psychic/Seismic Toss
Hypnosis/Reflect/Light Screen/Toxic
Perfect to cancel out all weather effect teams. His ability simply stops weather effects from working all together and the only other poke who is capable of doing this is Rayquaza. For the moveset, you are probably going to want him to work for teamwork than offense. Calm Mind is good for tanking capabilities while Amnesia just gets that Sp.D up so it can survive longer. Any combination for the next several moves works. Ice Beam for a great attack and coverage, Psychic for STAB boost, Seismic Toss for continuous 100 damage strikes, Toxic to get some poison on the foe, Hypnosis for sleeping a poke, and Reflect and Light Screen for party boosting capacity. A very team-friendly poke with an excellent move pool.
Starmie@Leftovers
Modest, Natural Cure/Illuminate
252 Hp, 252 Sp.A, 6 Spe
Skill Swap
Light Screen/Reflect/Cosmic Power
Thunder Wave/Recover
Thunder/Thunderbolt
This bulky Starmie could help you deal with those dang Swift Swimmers. Skill Swap gives Starmie the Swift Swim ability, making its already good speed ridiculous in the rain, and since you can do this turn one the ability will only activate for you since it doesn’t activate the turn Rain Dance starts. Light Screen or Reflect for extra defense for the team and Cosmic Power if you need to keep this baby out, since it will do very well as a tank, seeing as how it has good Sp.A, this moves boosts both defenses, and it could have Swift Swim double its speed. T-Wave or Recover for survivability. Thunder if you plan on the foe keeping the rain going (or if you want to keep the rain going) or Thunderbolt if you or your opponent puts a stop to the rain.
Qwilfish@Focus Sash/Life Orb
Adamant, Swift Swim
252 Spe, 252 Att, 6 Hp
Sword Dance
Aqua Tail/Poison Jab
Taunt/Aqua Tail/Poison Jab
Explosion/Destiny Bond
Rare to see this little guy used as a counter, but none the less he works like a charm. With resistance to water, he may be able to survive a turn making Life Orb the way to go; but if you are looking for more assurance, go with Focus Sash so he can take the first hit. The Swift Swim allows him to force the opponent to make a tough choice, seeing as they will also give him the boost. Sword Dance will give Qwilfish over 600 attack power on the first turn, making him a force to be reckoned with. Aqua Tail is a powerful STAB, but usually less usable against a RD team than Poison Jab. Taunt gives the gained speed/high speed of Qwilfish a chance to stop a set up before it forms. Of course, you could always end things with a Boom to take out two pokes as well or if your other pokes don’t have good resistance to it or Protect, Destiny Bond may be a better choice.
Dewgong@Leftovers
Adamant, Hydration
252 Hp, 192 Def, 64 Sp.D
Rest
Encore/Disable
Fake Out
Aqua Tail/Avalanche
Dewgong is a unique wall that works very well against RD teams. With Hydration, as long as there is rain coming down it is cured of all status ailments. With this ability, Rest allows you to have a one turn full heal without having to sleep it off. Encore and Disable are used to either force the opponent to use the last move or stop them from using it, depends on what your party needs. Fake Out is a great way to give him a free turn to settle into the rain since you can momentarily stop the other threat. The last move could be either STAB move, depending on what you need to cover.
Ludicolo@Leftovers
Calm, Rain Dish
204 Hp, 200 Sp.D, 48 Def, 4 Spe
Leech Seed
Protect
Grass Knot/Giga Drain
Toxic/Fake Out/Substitute
The EV’s give it both max Leftovers and Rain Dish recovery. This guy works amazingly at shutting down a Double Surf or Rain Dance team. He has x4 resistance to water, making any water move almost pointless against him. Leech Seed is for bonus Hp recovery and it usually forces a switch. Protect is to get an extra free recovery turn and allow a partner to execute a move that would normally hurt it (EX: EQ). Grass Knot is for heavier pokes where as Giga Drain gives you even more recovery potential. If you chose Giga Drain, you’re going to want to stay away from Fake Out, seeing as it won’t help you in the stalling game. Toxic will slowly whittle away at a foe and works well with Leech Seed where as Substitute will give you status effects resistance and more time to heal it all back. This poke is more meant to stall the opponent out more than anything else.
***NOTES: Most other pokes with Swift Swim will work as counters; however do not make them as dependant on the rain since you may be facing teams without RD. Kindgra does very very well against RD, but is more useful as part of a RD team, not to counter one.
~~~SUNNY DAY COUNTERS
-Sunny Day is a move that not only helps out Fire types, but a lot of Grass type pokes benefit from the sunlight as well. Usually constituted with a lot of Fire moves, this type of team can rain destruction while using various abilities to keep foes on their toes. While the sun is up, Fire moves get a 1.5x boost, Water moves power are cut in half, Thunder’s accuracy drops to an abysmal 50% (better off with Zap Cannon at that point lol), Solar Beam doesn’t take a turn to charge up, and Synthesis, Moonlight, and Morning Sun recover 100% of the user’s HP.
Golduck@Leftovers/Light Clay
Modest, Cloud Nine
252 Hp, 180 Def, 76 Sp.D
Calm Mind/Amnesia
Ice Beam/Reflect/Light Screen
Hydro Pump/Seismic Toss
Hypnosis/Reflect/Light Screen/Toxic
Look familiar? Yep, Golduck is back as one of the top Sunny Day counters. He works just about the same, however notice no Psychic. Instead, I would go with Hydro Pump, since it deals with Fires quite quickly and seeing as there is no -50% from the sun, have fun beating on them, especially if you tank with Calm Mind. Still an excellent choice and this most certainly won’t be the last time you see this guy.
Bellossom@Leftovers
Timid, Chlorophyll
252 Hp, 180 Sp.D, 76 Spe (need 31 Spe IV’s)
Sleep Powder/Stun Spore
Grass Knot/Energy Ball/Solar Beam
HP-Ground/Rock
Gastro Acid/Synthesis/Sludge Bomb
I ran the EV’s so this poke would outrun its biggest threats in the DB environment under the sun: Typhlosion and Nintails. Both with max speed cannot outrun this while the sun is up. With the high speed boost, this allows you to Stun Spore or Sleep Powder any threat quickly. Grass Knot and Energy Ball will rival in power when you aren’t fighting with the sun in the sky, while Solar Beam is for those preparing this guy solely to use the sun. Since Water moves lose 50% power when Sunny Day is active, your HP will have to be something else that hits Fire types hard. The last slot is for shutting down other pokes that would benefit from the sun or who rely on their abilities, Synthesis for a full heal, or Sludge Bomb for an extra special attack that deals with most other Chlorophyll’ers. Since the main moves to be afraid of that are Fire based in DB’s are special (Lava Plume, Heat Wave, Eruption), you will need a boost to your Sp.D.
Flygon@Life Orb
Jolly, Levitate
252 Hp, 252 Spe, 6 Hp
Roost
Fire Punch/U-Turn
Earthquake
Stone Edge/Dragon Claw
Didn’t expect to see him as a counter? He has full resist to Earthquake and Discharge as well as Fire resistance. Perfect for taking down a Fire based team, seeing as they usually pack an Electric and/or a Grass type. The obvious first move is Roost, allowing him to continue to deal massive damage and mess with most Sunny Day teams. Fire Punch is good since it gets the SD boost and it is good against Chlorophyll’ers, but U-Turn is what sets him apart from other Dragons: it gives him an attack and switch and it will also deal critical damage to Chlorophyll’ers, most notably the dangerous Exeggutor. Earthquake is very obvious, STAB, SE on Fire types, and its EQ. The last spot is an interesting choice, seeing as you can go for Stone Edge for an attack on Levitating/Flying Fire types or Dragon Claw for another powerful STAB. Do not change the speed EV’s, as it is meant to tie with Typhlosion and Ninetails. THIS SET CAN ALSO BE RUN WITH A CHOICE SCARF WITH ADJUSTED SPEED EV’S AND NATURE.
***NOTES: Most pokes with Flash Fire can switch into an obvious Fire attack and be a counter. Some pokes with Leaf Guard could work, however they are either defensively weak or not fast enough, so only use them with caution. Contrary to what many believe Water types are not effective counters to Sunny Day teams nor are Rock types. Solar Beam takes care of both of them, so don’t expect either choice to really affect them too much.
~~~HAIL COUNTERS
-Hail teams are usually taken lightly, seeing as how few pokes have abilities that benefit from it. However, in the right hands, Hail teams can be more deadly than most could imagine. Usually stemming from an Abomasnow lead starting never ending hail and leading into Ice types or pokes that can use the signature move of hail teams: Blizzard. Both Blizzard and Thunder are almost always traded for the more accurate Ice Beam and Thunderbolt, however, with weather effects, the accuracy boost received makes the power hitting moves the main choice. Under Hail, all non-Ice type pokes without abilities that works with hail take 1/16th every turn, Blizzard is boosted to 100% accuracy with 25% pierce, and Synthesis and the like are reduced to 25%. Hail works a lot like Sandstorm, however SS doesn’t make a move ridiculously overpowered/useful. However, most Hail teams are dependent on the Hail in order to function, so taking it away my simply destroy their strategy, however good luck doing that and getting away scot-free.
Golduck@Leftovers/Light Clay
Modest, Cloud Nine
252 Hp, 180 Def, 76 Sp.D
Calm Mind/Amnesia
Focus Blast/Reflect/Light Screen
Psychic/Seismic Toss
Hypnosis/Reflect/Light Screen/Toxic
He’s back, again. This time he takes away everything the Hail team has going for it. He now should have the option of carrying Focus Blast, since Fighting moves are SE against Ice type. However, if you do carry that move you should have Psychic as well just in case your team runs into a troublesome Froslass. Just as good at shut downs and team support as ever.
Lapras@Leftovers
Careful, Water Absorb
252 Hp, 188 Sp.D, 68 Def
Dragon Dance/Curse
Waterfall/Rest/Sleep Talk
Toxic/Sing/Rest/Sleep Talk
Return/Body Slam/Waterfall
If you decided to run Dragon Dance, consider adding 6 Spe from your Def so that you can outrun other DD Lapras’. Lapras is almost the perfect counter to Hail teams. With an x4 resist and Water Absorb, it can effectively shut down most Ice types pokes, since the common combo is Ice/Water. Dragon Dance is to boost up and sweep where as Curse it so help with Trick Room teams as well as Hail. Waterfall is for a nice STAB that benefits from both DD or Curse, Toxic or Sing gives you a good status move (though Toxic is far more reliable), or you could simply go with a Rest Talking boosting set, giving you max tank ability with minimal options to use the offense. Return and Body Slam is for coverage, since you are almost sure to see another Water type on a Hail team.
Empoleon@Leftovers
Modest, Torrent
252 Sp.A, 252 Sp.D, 6 Hp
Surf/Flash Cannon
Grass Knot
HP-Rock
Roar/Yawn/Stealth Rock
Not needing to outrun the enemy pokes as too much, this guy does just about the same as Lapras, only dishing out much more damage. He also has an x4 resist to Ice and a x2 resist to Water, shutting down their two main sources of offense. With a Sp.D, he can literally shrug off Blizzards and just about OHKO almost every poke they would carry with them. Surf is a good move to keep in mind since it is really powerful STAB with good coverage but Flash Cannon is also SE against Ice and is also a STAB. Grass Knot deals with the common Ice/Water types that just about every Hail team is bound to have and scores a powerful hit against Mamoswine. HP-Rock scores an SE hit against every Ice type in game except Mamoswine and x4 against Articuno and the lolable Delibird. Roar allows you to pseudo haze any poke that has been boosting its Sp.D with Calm Mind, such as Jinx and Yawn almost always forces a switch while Stealth Rock will critically hurt any Ice type poke switching in or being forced in.
Infernape@Life Orb
Naughty, Blaze
24 Att, 252 Sp.A, 232 Spe
Flamethrower
Close Combat
Grass Knot
Stealth Rock
Seem familiar? Yep, a tweaked Mixape. This guy is only slightly on the risky side since he is weak to Water, one of Ice’s main sources of attack, however only Weavile and Froslass can outrun this Ice-slaying beast and neither have a Water move outside of HP. Flamethrower is a powerful STAB that will just simply end all non-Water/Ice types that can resist Hail. Close Combat deals with those who have high Sp.D’s and are Water/Ice type, where Grass Knot covers the low Def ones. Stealth Rock allows just about every shot to be OHKO guaranteed. This guy just rips apart Hail teams so fast the opponent’s head with spin.
Heatran@Life Orb
Modest, Flash Fire
252 Sp.A, 28 Spe, 228 Hp
Magnet Rise/Stealth Rock
Heat Wave
Dragon Pulse
Explosion
Oh yeah, Heatran rape time. He also has an x4 resist to Ice, making him a great switch in to Blizzard. The Speed EV’s are to outrun minimum base 80 pokes Glalie and Mamoswine which are both common on Hail teams. Magnet Rise will help you with this things worst threat, Earthquake, where as Stealth Rock takes care of iffy OHKO’s. Heat Wave hits both enemies HARD, getting a STAB and LO boost as well as the nice 394 Sp.A to back it. Though not very common, Dragons sometimes are included in Hail teams since using Ice against a Hail team is usually a no no, and Dragon Pulse will deal with that problem swiftly. And as Heatran is also known for, wait till his Hp drops too low and go out with a Boom, seeing as with hail this guy will only last 6 turns total (this goes for Infernape as well, forgot to mention that). Scarftran also works, btw, however this can kill faster since it has a much better Sp.A and the speed isn’t really needed too much.
***NOTES: Fire types usually work well, however due to the abundance of Ice/Water, they are slightly hindered. Rock types have the same problem with both Water and Ice moves. Steels do very well as do Water, however Water types lack too many moves that hit Ice hard.
~~~SANDSTORM COUNTERS
Sandstream leads have always been effective in both styles of combat, singles and doubles. With a good chunk of pokes that actually resist Sandstorm these teams can be pretty versatile. However, SS teams slightly suffer since the only ability that benefits from it is Sand Veil and is the only weather effect that doesn’t boost the power of an attack (besides Weather Ball, but that’s a given). This limits the team’s power and versatility. When the sand is raging, all non-Rock, Steel, and Ground type pokes take 1/16th every turn, all Rock pokes get a 1.5x boost to their Sp.D, Solar Beam’s BP is reduced to 60, Thunder’s accuracy is dropped to 50%, and Synthesis and the like only recover 25%. That being said, SS teams are more about defending the team (especially Rock types) than powering it up.
Golduck@Leftovers
Modest, Cloud Nine
252 Hp, 180 Def, 76 Sp.D
Calm Mind/Amnesia
Ice Beam/Focus Blast/Reflect/Light Screen
Hydro Pump/Seismic Toss
Hypnosis/Reflect/Light Screen/Toxic
He’s back once more as the almighty SS shut down. Now, why does he work so well against SS teams? Because the team is based on defense other than attack. The other teams are sure to be able to deal with their weather being out since they needed more defensive stats and their moves should still have some good power. SS teams are meant to abuse the 1.5x boost, and taking that away could prove fatal to their whole team. This set is more focused on getting some solid hits in since while this guy is out you can get more damage on the enemy than when he is not. This will help you greatly to taking out T-Tar and other pokes that are a threat while SS is up.
Relicanth@Choice Band
Adamant, Rock Head
252 Att, 136 Sp.D, 120 Def
Head Smash
Aqua Tail
Earthquake
Bounce/Dive
Relicanth is a good team member and shut down for SS teams. He gets the 1.5 boost and already has high Def, making him a great tank. However with weakness to Ground, Electric, and x4 to Grass, you shouldn’t be keeping him in without proper help. His attack gets a powerful Band boost and with Rock Head and STAB Head Smash, he can deal some heavy damage to the enemy. Aqua Tail strikes at the common Water weakness of Rock and Ground types where as Earthquake covers Steels and Rocks as well. The last spot is kind of filler; however it gives your partner poke to unleash a powerful attack that would normally hit the other three pokes. You also get a move to strike Grass hard or another good STAB.
Shuckle@Leftovers
Impish, Gluttony
252 Hp, 252 Def, 6 Sp.D
Stealth Rock
Gastro Acid
Helping Hand/\Acupressure
Knock Off/\Bug Bite
Yes, if anyone knows my thread, they will recognize the Shutdown Shuckle. With both ridiculously high defenses because of the SS, this guy is probably the best mix wall in the game. Stealth Rock for SS teams who need to switch pokes in and out commonly, thus slowly whittling away at their health. Gastro Acid is to shut down pokes depending on their abilities, which is extremely common. You can choose either Helping Hand or Knock Off OR Acupressure and Bug Bite, since you can’t have Acupressure and Knock Off on the same set. Both work to power up the partner and take items away from the opponent.
Flygon@Life Orb
Adamant, Levitate
252 Hp, 252 Spe, 6 Hp
Roost
U-Turn
Earthquake
Dragon Claw/Fire Punch
Remember Flygon? Yeah, he’s good at countering SS too. He doesn’t need as much speed this time since most of the pokes you’re going to be seeing are slow and bulky, so the extra attack will definitely help. You want U-Turn for sure this time since T-Tar takes heavy damage from this and you can switch another poke that is more defensive. However, Dragon Claw on this set would leave you in a bad spot against Skarmory, so if you really have no other way to combat it on your team Fire Punch is something to consider, otherwise go with the STAB good coverage move.
Swampert@Leftovers
Impish, Torrent
252 Hp, 180 Def, 76 Att
Curse/Rest/Sleep Talk
Superpower/Hammer Arm/Rest/Sleep Talk/Roar
Waterfall/Aqua Tail
Earthquake
With the resistance to SS, two STABS that cover all the pokes that are usually on an SS team, and plenty of bulk with resistance to Rock and Steel, this guy shuts down SS teams pretty well. His weakness is similar to Relicanth’s, x4 to Grass. As long as you take care of any Grass threats (Cradily) this guy could potentially sweep all the opposing pokes. You can go for a Curser for tankability or RstTlk for status absorbing. The option of Roar is open for Cursers along with Superpower and Hammer Arm as a way to counter other Cursers and get full use of previously laid Spikes/SR. Waterfall or Aqua Tail for a powerful Water STAB and Earthquake because it’s STAB EQ.
***NOTES: Since Rock types will benefit from the Sp.D, most almost automatically become effective tanks/mix walls. The best way to beat this kind of team is to wipe out their lead SSer and throw your own weather effect up.
Recently took some times to explain good counters. If you find your team is weak to Trick Room or a weather effect, looking at my guide might help you find a viable counter to deal with your problem. Here it is, part one:
~RHYS29’S DOUBLE BATTLE COUNTER/TEAM GUIDE
As most/all of you know, I love DB’s and constantly talk about them. I give almost everybody constant advice who post on my thread and try and be as helpful as possible. Many of you have seen how your teams work and I have showed you their weaknesses and how they can be shut down. I am now going to list all the good counters I could find and superior users of the Weather Effects. This post will continually grow, so check back often.
~~~TRICK ROOM COUNTERS
-Most likely the most common DB strategy. This move may have a -7 speed priority, however it makes the slower pokes go first for 5 straight turns. Seeing how many tanking and powerful pokes are held back by their terrible speed, this move allows them to unlock their full potential. The most common pokes that are known to unleash this move are Dusknoir and Bronzong since they both have solid defenses, plenty of resistances and are slow enough to use the effects of the move effectively.
Steelix@Leftovers/Life Orb
Careful, Rock Head
252 HP, 204 Sp.D, 52 Att
Gyro Ball/Aqua Tail/Thunder Fang
Curse
Fire Fang/Crunch
Earthquake
The most common pokes who use TR are Dusknoir and Bronzong. With this set, you will beat a –nature speed Zong and still be close enough to outrun both pokes after one Curse. Gyro Ball is the best obvious move for him when dealing with fast pokes, however not as useful when facing a TR team. Both Aqua Tail and Thunder Fang counter Fire and Water types, the two types that are common in DB’s and its other weaknesses. Curse is to benefit from the TR or just power him up in general. Fire Fang is meant for Zong, dealing a good chunk of damage on the first turn and possibly flinching while Crunch is for Noir and lowering its high defense. Earthquake is for STAB and because it’s EQ. Solid counter to both, seeing as both Zong and Noir rely mostly on their attack. Boost Sp.D for survival issues. Works best with a Light Screener by its side.
Camerupt@Leftovers/Life Orb
Brave, Rock Solid
252 Sp.A, 180 Att, 76 Hp
Eruption/Heat Wave
Earthquake/Earth Power
Rock Slide
Explosion/Will-o-wisp/Stealth Rock
Camerupt is slow enough to use TR effectively and fast enough to outrun Bronzong on turn 1. A full power Eruption with LO from Camerupt does 320 cap damage to a full Sp.D Bronzong (if they capped HP as well, it will deal 94%) WITHOUT Life Orb. OHKO’s with LO obviously. However, seeing as he is very slow, another poke could hit him hard and take away the power of Eruption, so unless you have a Follow Me poke or are confident you outrun both pokes/won’t get hit, this is the one of the best ways to deal with Zong. Also hits the enemy, so bonus. Heat Wave deals a respectable 213 capped damage (63%) without LO and 276 (81%) with it. Both are good options, but one is more about getting the shot in with no damage versus set BP. Depending on the rest of your party, you can choose between either move, seeing as Earth Power can help you deal with a partner that can’t avoid EQ and provides more special support while EQ is EQ. Rock Slide is a great move and if they manage to get TR up, you may get a double flinch. The last is dependent on if you think it should provide support or go Boom when it’s provided the help it needed to.
Typhlosion@Choice Scarf
Modest, Blaze
252 Sp.A, 252 Spe, 6 Hp
Eruption
Overheat/Focus Blast
Solarbeam
HP-Ice/Rock
The best way to stop Zong. OHKO’s with Eruption on the first turn, easily outrunning both opponents and deals extremely heavy damage to the opposing poke. If you want to make sure he gets that first shot off, go with a Fake Out user as its partner. It also deal a large amount of damage to a fully Sp.D Dusknoir (a 2HKO). Overheat if you want to switch him in and out with low health to still deal heavy damage or Focus Blast for Fighting coverage against T-Tar. If you can get Sunny Day up, send him in and Solar Beam away with intense speed (you will outrun most Chlorophyl users, since most set their speed to about 400 under the sun). HP-Ice/Rock for other coverage.
Granbull@Choice Band/Expert Belt
Adamant, Quick Feet
252 Att, 252 Hp, 6 Spe
Crunch
Fire Fang
Return/Close Combat
Bulk Up/Roar/Heal Bell/Thunder Wave
One of the best ways to deal with both pokes. Crunch deals good damage to both pokes, most notably Dusknoir. Fire Fang deals solid damage to Zong and helps with his Steel-wallability. Return for a good STAB or Close Combat for a powerful Fighting move. For the last set it’s really what you want him to do for the rest of the game: start Bulking Up and tank away, Roar for a useful forced switch, Heal Bell for an amazing status absorber, or T-Wave to provide support. ANOTHER SIMILAR OPTION TO THIS IS URSARING.
Weavile@Focus Sash/Expert Belt
Adamant, Pressure
252 Att, 252 Hp, 6 Spe
Taunt
Fake Out
Night Slash
Brick Break/Ice Punch/Ice Shard
First, I know what you’re thinking about a bulky Weavile. If you make it too fast, it will be much more open to TR and so it doesn’t really need the speed for that. Taunt just straight up prevents TR from working, plain as that. Fake Out will also stop Zong and others from getting their first move in. Night Slash is to deal heavy damage to both pokes, more to Noir. The last slot is for what you need: T-Tar insurance, solid STAB, or another priority.
Spiritomb@Leftovers/Lum Berry
Modest, Pressure
212 Hp, 128 Def, 128 Sp.D, 44 Spe
Taunt
Pain Split
Dark Pulse
Will-o-wisp/Hypnosis
This guy will outrun a –speed natured Noir, giving it just enough speed. Taunt can get both Dusk and Zong first, stopping TR. Pain Split to help its frail HP stat hold up. Dark Pulse for an effective STAB and scores pretty decent damage against the two threats. Will-o-wisp is for burning and Hypnosis for the sleep.
***NOTES: Other pokes are notorious for pulling out TR such as the Bro’s and Porygon2. This can be solved with minor tweaking to the sets, such as going with the Fighting options on Typhlosion and Granbull to deal with Pory2 and the Dark type users/Taunters for the Bros work just fine.
~~~RAIN DANCE COUNTERS
-Almost always played with a Double Surf combo (two pokes with Water Absorb use Surf continually in Rain, dealing lots of damage and continually healing), this combo is deadly when combined with specific Water types. Rain boosts the power of Water moves by 1.5, Fire attacks are reduced by 50%, Thunder gains 100% accuracy and 25% pierce (cuts through Protect and Detect), knocks down Solar Beam to 2 rounds to charge up, and reduces the power of Moonlight, Synthesis, and Morning sun to 25%. It also activates several abilities such as Swift Swim which doubles the pokes speed while its raining. Overall possibly the most deadly and to Sunny Day teams and Fire users.
Golduck@Leftovers/Light Clay
Modest, Cloud Nine
252 Hp, 180 Def, 76 Sp.D
Calm Mind/Amnesia
Ice Beam/Reflect/Light Screen
Psychic/Seismic Toss
Hypnosis/Reflect/Light Screen/Toxic
Perfect to cancel out all weather effect teams. His ability simply stops weather effects from working all together and the only other poke who is capable of doing this is Rayquaza. For the moveset, you are probably going to want him to work for teamwork than offense. Calm Mind is good for tanking capabilities while Amnesia just gets that Sp.D up so it can survive longer. Any combination for the next several moves works. Ice Beam for a great attack and coverage, Psychic for STAB boost, Seismic Toss for continuous 100 damage strikes, Toxic to get some poison on the foe, Hypnosis for sleeping a poke, and Reflect and Light Screen for party boosting capacity. A very team-friendly poke with an excellent move pool.
Starmie@Leftovers
Modest, Natural Cure/Illuminate
252 Hp, 252 Sp.A, 6 Spe
Skill Swap
Light Screen/Reflect/Cosmic Power
Thunder Wave/Recover
Thunder/Thunderbolt
This bulky Starmie could help you deal with those dang Swift Swimmers. Skill Swap gives Starmie the Swift Swim ability, making its already good speed ridiculous in the rain, and since you can do this turn one the ability will only activate for you since it doesn’t activate the turn Rain Dance starts. Light Screen or Reflect for extra defense for the team and Cosmic Power if you need to keep this baby out, since it will do very well as a tank, seeing as how it has good Sp.A, this moves boosts both defenses, and it could have Swift Swim double its speed. T-Wave or Recover for survivability. Thunder if you plan on the foe keeping the rain going (or if you want to keep the rain going) or Thunderbolt if you or your opponent puts a stop to the rain.
Qwilfish@Focus Sash/Life Orb
Adamant, Swift Swim
252 Spe, 252 Att, 6 Hp
Sword Dance
Aqua Tail/Poison Jab
Taunt/Aqua Tail/Poison Jab
Explosion/Destiny Bond
Rare to see this little guy used as a counter, but none the less he works like a charm. With resistance to water, he may be able to survive a turn making Life Orb the way to go; but if you are looking for more assurance, go with Focus Sash so he can take the first hit. The Swift Swim allows him to force the opponent to make a tough choice, seeing as they will also give him the boost. Sword Dance will give Qwilfish over 600 attack power on the first turn, making him a force to be reckoned with. Aqua Tail is a powerful STAB, but usually less usable against a RD team than Poison Jab. Taunt gives the gained speed/high speed of Qwilfish a chance to stop a set up before it forms. Of course, you could always end things with a Boom to take out two pokes as well or if your other pokes don’t have good resistance to it or Protect, Destiny Bond may be a better choice.
Dewgong@Leftovers
Adamant, Hydration
252 Hp, 192 Def, 64 Sp.D
Rest
Encore/Disable
Fake Out
Aqua Tail/Avalanche
Dewgong is a unique wall that works very well against RD teams. With Hydration, as long as there is rain coming down it is cured of all status ailments. With this ability, Rest allows you to have a one turn full heal without having to sleep it off. Encore and Disable are used to either force the opponent to use the last move or stop them from using it, depends on what your party needs. Fake Out is a great way to give him a free turn to settle into the rain since you can momentarily stop the other threat. The last move could be either STAB move, depending on what you need to cover.
Ludicolo@Leftovers
Calm, Rain Dish
204 Hp, 200 Sp.D, 48 Def, 4 Spe
Leech Seed
Protect
Grass Knot/Giga Drain
Toxic/Fake Out/Substitute
The EV’s give it both max Leftovers and Rain Dish recovery. This guy works amazingly at shutting down a Double Surf or Rain Dance team. He has x4 resistance to water, making any water move almost pointless against him. Leech Seed is for bonus Hp recovery and it usually forces a switch. Protect is to get an extra free recovery turn and allow a partner to execute a move that would normally hurt it (EX: EQ). Grass Knot is for heavier pokes where as Giga Drain gives you even more recovery potential. If you chose Giga Drain, you’re going to want to stay away from Fake Out, seeing as it won’t help you in the stalling game. Toxic will slowly whittle away at a foe and works well with Leech Seed where as Substitute will give you status effects resistance and more time to heal it all back. This poke is more meant to stall the opponent out more than anything else.
***NOTES: Most other pokes with Swift Swim will work as counters; however do not make them as dependant on the rain since you may be facing teams without RD. Kindgra does very very well against RD, but is more useful as part of a RD team, not to counter one.
~~~SUNNY DAY COUNTERS
-Sunny Day is a move that not only helps out Fire types, but a lot of Grass type pokes benefit from the sunlight as well. Usually constituted with a lot of Fire moves, this type of team can rain destruction while using various abilities to keep foes on their toes. While the sun is up, Fire moves get a 1.5x boost, Water moves power are cut in half, Thunder’s accuracy drops to an abysmal 50% (better off with Zap Cannon at that point lol), Solar Beam doesn’t take a turn to charge up, and Synthesis, Moonlight, and Morning Sun recover 100% of the user’s HP.
Golduck@Leftovers/Light Clay
Modest, Cloud Nine
252 Hp, 180 Def, 76 Sp.D
Calm Mind/Amnesia
Ice Beam/Reflect/Light Screen
Hydro Pump/Seismic Toss
Hypnosis/Reflect/Light Screen/Toxic
Look familiar? Yep, Golduck is back as one of the top Sunny Day counters. He works just about the same, however notice no Psychic. Instead, I would go with Hydro Pump, since it deals with Fires quite quickly and seeing as there is no -50% from the sun, have fun beating on them, especially if you tank with Calm Mind. Still an excellent choice and this most certainly won’t be the last time you see this guy.
Bellossom@Leftovers
Timid, Chlorophyll
252 Hp, 180 Sp.D, 76 Spe (need 31 Spe IV’s)
Sleep Powder/Stun Spore
Grass Knot/Energy Ball/Solar Beam
HP-Ground/Rock
Gastro Acid/Synthesis/Sludge Bomb
I ran the EV’s so this poke would outrun its biggest threats in the DB environment under the sun: Typhlosion and Nintails. Both with max speed cannot outrun this while the sun is up. With the high speed boost, this allows you to Stun Spore or Sleep Powder any threat quickly. Grass Knot and Energy Ball will rival in power when you aren’t fighting with the sun in the sky, while Solar Beam is for those preparing this guy solely to use the sun. Since Water moves lose 50% power when Sunny Day is active, your HP will have to be something else that hits Fire types hard. The last slot is for shutting down other pokes that would benefit from the sun or who rely on their abilities, Synthesis for a full heal, or Sludge Bomb for an extra special attack that deals with most other Chlorophyll’ers. Since the main moves to be afraid of that are Fire based in DB’s are special (Lava Plume, Heat Wave, Eruption), you will need a boost to your Sp.D.
Flygon@Life Orb
Jolly, Levitate
252 Hp, 252 Spe, 6 Hp
Roost
Fire Punch/U-Turn
Earthquake
Stone Edge/Dragon Claw
Didn’t expect to see him as a counter? He has full resist to Earthquake and Discharge as well as Fire resistance. Perfect for taking down a Fire based team, seeing as they usually pack an Electric and/or a Grass type. The obvious first move is Roost, allowing him to continue to deal massive damage and mess with most Sunny Day teams. Fire Punch is good since it gets the SD boost and it is good against Chlorophyll’ers, but U-Turn is what sets him apart from other Dragons: it gives him an attack and switch and it will also deal critical damage to Chlorophyll’ers, most notably the dangerous Exeggutor. Earthquake is very obvious, STAB, SE on Fire types, and its EQ. The last spot is an interesting choice, seeing as you can go for Stone Edge for an attack on Levitating/Flying Fire types or Dragon Claw for another powerful STAB. Do not change the speed EV’s, as it is meant to tie with Typhlosion and Ninetails. THIS SET CAN ALSO BE RUN WITH A CHOICE SCARF WITH ADJUSTED SPEED EV’S AND NATURE.
***NOTES: Most pokes with Flash Fire can switch into an obvious Fire attack and be a counter. Some pokes with Leaf Guard could work, however they are either defensively weak or not fast enough, so only use them with caution. Contrary to what many believe Water types are not effective counters to Sunny Day teams nor are Rock types. Solar Beam takes care of both of them, so don’t expect either choice to really affect them too much.
~~~HAIL COUNTERS
-Hail teams are usually taken lightly, seeing as how few pokes have abilities that benefit from it. However, in the right hands, Hail teams can be more deadly than most could imagine. Usually stemming from an Abomasnow lead starting never ending hail and leading into Ice types or pokes that can use the signature move of hail teams: Blizzard. Both Blizzard and Thunder are almost always traded for the more accurate Ice Beam and Thunderbolt, however, with weather effects, the accuracy boost received makes the power hitting moves the main choice. Under Hail, all non-Ice type pokes without abilities that works with hail take 1/16th every turn, Blizzard is boosted to 100% accuracy with 25% pierce, and Synthesis and the like are reduced to 25%. Hail works a lot like Sandstorm, however SS doesn’t make a move ridiculously overpowered/useful. However, most Hail teams are dependent on the Hail in order to function, so taking it away my simply destroy their strategy, however good luck doing that and getting away scot-free.
Golduck@Leftovers/Light Clay
Modest, Cloud Nine
252 Hp, 180 Def, 76 Sp.D
Calm Mind/Amnesia
Focus Blast/Reflect/Light Screen
Psychic/Seismic Toss
Hypnosis/Reflect/Light Screen/Toxic
He’s back, again. This time he takes away everything the Hail team has going for it. He now should have the option of carrying Focus Blast, since Fighting moves are SE against Ice type. However, if you do carry that move you should have Psychic as well just in case your team runs into a troublesome Froslass. Just as good at shut downs and team support as ever.
Lapras@Leftovers
Careful, Water Absorb
252 Hp, 188 Sp.D, 68 Def
Dragon Dance/Curse
Waterfall/Rest/Sleep Talk
Toxic/Sing/Rest/Sleep Talk
Return/Body Slam/Waterfall
If you decided to run Dragon Dance, consider adding 6 Spe from your Def so that you can outrun other DD Lapras’. Lapras is almost the perfect counter to Hail teams. With an x4 resist and Water Absorb, it can effectively shut down most Ice types pokes, since the common combo is Ice/Water. Dragon Dance is to boost up and sweep where as Curse it so help with Trick Room teams as well as Hail. Waterfall is for a nice STAB that benefits from both DD or Curse, Toxic or Sing gives you a good status move (though Toxic is far more reliable), or you could simply go with a Rest Talking boosting set, giving you max tank ability with minimal options to use the offense. Return and Body Slam is for coverage, since you are almost sure to see another Water type on a Hail team.
Empoleon@Leftovers
Modest, Torrent
252 Sp.A, 252 Sp.D, 6 Hp
Surf/Flash Cannon
Grass Knot
HP-Rock
Roar/Yawn/Stealth Rock
Not needing to outrun the enemy pokes as too much, this guy does just about the same as Lapras, only dishing out much more damage. He also has an x4 resist to Ice and a x2 resist to Water, shutting down their two main sources of offense. With a Sp.D, he can literally shrug off Blizzards and just about OHKO almost every poke they would carry with them. Surf is a good move to keep in mind since it is really powerful STAB with good coverage but Flash Cannon is also SE against Ice and is also a STAB. Grass Knot deals with the common Ice/Water types that just about every Hail team is bound to have and scores a powerful hit against Mamoswine. HP-Rock scores an SE hit against every Ice type in game except Mamoswine and x4 against Articuno and the lolable Delibird. Roar allows you to pseudo haze any poke that has been boosting its Sp.D with Calm Mind, such as Jinx and Yawn almost always forces a switch while Stealth Rock will critically hurt any Ice type poke switching in or being forced in.
Infernape@Life Orb
Naughty, Blaze
24 Att, 252 Sp.A, 232 Spe
Flamethrower
Close Combat
Grass Knot
Stealth Rock
Seem familiar? Yep, a tweaked Mixape. This guy is only slightly on the risky side since he is weak to Water, one of Ice’s main sources of attack, however only Weavile and Froslass can outrun this Ice-slaying beast and neither have a Water move outside of HP. Flamethrower is a powerful STAB that will just simply end all non-Water/Ice types that can resist Hail. Close Combat deals with those who have high Sp.D’s and are Water/Ice type, where Grass Knot covers the low Def ones. Stealth Rock allows just about every shot to be OHKO guaranteed. This guy just rips apart Hail teams so fast the opponent’s head with spin.
Heatran@Life Orb
Modest, Flash Fire
252 Sp.A, 28 Spe, 228 Hp
Magnet Rise/Stealth Rock
Heat Wave
Dragon Pulse
Explosion
Oh yeah, Heatran rape time. He also has an x4 resist to Ice, making him a great switch in to Blizzard. The Speed EV’s are to outrun minimum base 80 pokes Glalie and Mamoswine which are both common on Hail teams. Magnet Rise will help you with this things worst threat, Earthquake, where as Stealth Rock takes care of iffy OHKO’s. Heat Wave hits both enemies HARD, getting a STAB and LO boost as well as the nice 394 Sp.A to back it. Though not very common, Dragons sometimes are included in Hail teams since using Ice against a Hail team is usually a no no, and Dragon Pulse will deal with that problem swiftly. And as Heatran is also known for, wait till his Hp drops too low and go out with a Boom, seeing as with hail this guy will only last 6 turns total (this goes for Infernape as well, forgot to mention that). Scarftran also works, btw, however this can kill faster since it has a much better Sp.A and the speed isn’t really needed too much.
***NOTES: Fire types usually work well, however due to the abundance of Ice/Water, they are slightly hindered. Rock types have the same problem with both Water and Ice moves. Steels do very well as do Water, however Water types lack too many moves that hit Ice hard.
~~~SANDSTORM COUNTERS
Sandstream leads have always been effective in both styles of combat, singles and doubles. With a good chunk of pokes that actually resist Sandstorm these teams can be pretty versatile. However, SS teams slightly suffer since the only ability that benefits from it is Sand Veil and is the only weather effect that doesn’t boost the power of an attack (besides Weather Ball, but that’s a given). This limits the team’s power and versatility. When the sand is raging, all non-Rock, Steel, and Ground type pokes take 1/16th every turn, all Rock pokes get a 1.5x boost to their Sp.D, Solar Beam’s BP is reduced to 60, Thunder’s accuracy is dropped to 50%, and Synthesis and the like only recover 25%. That being said, SS teams are more about defending the team (especially Rock types) than powering it up.
Golduck@Leftovers
Modest, Cloud Nine
252 Hp, 180 Def, 76 Sp.D
Calm Mind/Amnesia
Ice Beam/Focus Blast/Reflect/Light Screen
Hydro Pump/Seismic Toss
Hypnosis/Reflect/Light Screen/Toxic
He’s back once more as the almighty SS shut down. Now, why does he work so well against SS teams? Because the team is based on defense other than attack. The other teams are sure to be able to deal with their weather being out since they needed more defensive stats and their moves should still have some good power. SS teams are meant to abuse the 1.5x boost, and taking that away could prove fatal to their whole team. This set is more focused on getting some solid hits in since while this guy is out you can get more damage on the enemy than when he is not. This will help you greatly to taking out T-Tar and other pokes that are a threat while SS is up.
Relicanth@Choice Band
Adamant, Rock Head
252 Att, 136 Sp.D, 120 Def
Head Smash
Aqua Tail
Earthquake
Bounce/Dive
Relicanth is a good team member and shut down for SS teams. He gets the 1.5 boost and already has high Def, making him a great tank. However with weakness to Ground, Electric, and x4 to Grass, you shouldn’t be keeping him in without proper help. His attack gets a powerful Band boost and with Rock Head and STAB Head Smash, he can deal some heavy damage to the enemy. Aqua Tail strikes at the common Water weakness of Rock and Ground types where as Earthquake covers Steels and Rocks as well. The last spot is kind of filler; however it gives your partner poke to unleash a powerful attack that would normally hit the other three pokes. You also get a move to strike Grass hard or another good STAB.
Shuckle@Leftovers
Impish, Gluttony
252 Hp, 252 Def, 6 Sp.D
Stealth Rock
Gastro Acid
Helping Hand/\Acupressure
Knock Off/\Bug Bite
Yes, if anyone knows my thread, they will recognize the Shutdown Shuckle. With both ridiculously high defenses because of the SS, this guy is probably the best mix wall in the game. Stealth Rock for SS teams who need to switch pokes in and out commonly, thus slowly whittling away at their health. Gastro Acid is to shut down pokes depending on their abilities, which is extremely common. You can choose either Helping Hand or Knock Off OR Acupressure and Bug Bite, since you can’t have Acupressure and Knock Off on the same set. Both work to power up the partner and take items away from the opponent.
Flygon@Life Orb
Adamant, Levitate
252 Hp, 252 Spe, 6 Hp
Roost
U-Turn
Earthquake
Dragon Claw/Fire Punch
Remember Flygon? Yeah, he’s good at countering SS too. He doesn’t need as much speed this time since most of the pokes you’re going to be seeing are slow and bulky, so the extra attack will definitely help. You want U-Turn for sure this time since T-Tar takes heavy damage from this and you can switch another poke that is more defensive. However, Dragon Claw on this set would leave you in a bad spot against Skarmory, so if you really have no other way to combat it on your team Fire Punch is something to consider, otherwise go with the STAB good coverage move.
Swampert@Leftovers
Impish, Torrent
252 Hp, 180 Def, 76 Att
Curse/Rest/Sleep Talk
Superpower/Hammer Arm/Rest/Sleep Talk/Roar
Waterfall/Aqua Tail
Earthquake
With the resistance to SS, two STABS that cover all the pokes that are usually on an SS team, and plenty of bulk with resistance to Rock and Steel, this guy shuts down SS teams pretty well. His weakness is similar to Relicanth’s, x4 to Grass. As long as you take care of any Grass threats (Cradily) this guy could potentially sweep all the opposing pokes. You can go for a Curser for tankability or RstTlk for status absorbing. The option of Roar is open for Cursers along with Superpower and Hammer Arm as a way to counter other Cursers and get full use of previously laid Spikes/SR. Waterfall or Aqua Tail for a powerful Water STAB and Earthquake because it’s STAB EQ.
***NOTES: Since Rock types will benefit from the Sp.D, most almost automatically become effective tanks/mix walls. The best way to beat this kind of team is to wipe out their lead SSer and throw your own weather effect up.
Last edited:
