SM LC First LC Team: Tirtouga Shell Smash

This is the first team I've made after playing around with the Smogon sample teams for a few hours. Looking for advice and general tips in the Little Cup tier. This tier feels really open compared to OU (which is what I'm used to playing). There's a lot of crazy hijinx here that catches me off guard frequently.

Team At A Glance


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Tirtouga @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sturdy
Level: 5
EVs: 212 Atk / 40 Def / 76 SpD / 180 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Shell Smash
- Zen Headbutt
- Waterfall
- Aqua Jet

Lots of my wins come down to this guy on his own once he gets the Shell Smash up. Playing LC I've found that setup sweepers can be hard to stop which is why I decided to use him. Poor guy suffers a bit from 4MSS as I'd like to have Stone Edge too, but Zen Headbutt has been great so far.

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Vullaby @ Eviolite
Ability: Overcoat
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Def / 236 SpD / 36 Spe
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Roost

My first fighting resist and my only way to remove hazards. Pretty standard set though I'm considering trying to fit Air Slash here somewhere for more offensive pressure. Knock-Off and U-Turn are theoretically great but I don't get much mileage out of this mon.

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Ponyta @ Eviolite
Ability: Flame Body
Level: 5
EVs: 76 Atk / 156 Def / 76 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Morning Sun
- Flare Blitz
- Will-O-Wisp
- Wild Charge

Wanted an offensive mon to take out things that resist Tirtouga. Blitz/Charge Ponyta works pretty well in that regard. Will-O-Wisp to weaken physical attackers. In the seemingly be-or-be-killed offensive meta of LC I haven't had many opportunity to use Morning Sun (same with Roost on my Vullaby). Might switch it for something else.

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Ferroseed @ Eviolite
Ability: Iron Barbs
Level: 5
EVs: 248 HP / 112 Def / 148 SpD
Careful Nature
- Bullet Seed
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder Wave
- Knock Off

Utlity mon works wonders to stop the popular Onix lead as Bullet Seed counters the Sturdy - Berry Juice set. Also helps against Diglett and can cripple setup mons with Thunder Wave.

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Abra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Protect
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Psychic
- Energy Ball

Coverage mon that doesn't necessarily mesh with the team in any elaborate way but in this tier Abra is a monster. Lategame cleaner upper. Haven't gotten much out of Protect so I may consider a 4 attack set or maybe try Counter with Sash.

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Snubbull @ Berry Juice
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 196 Atk / 36 Def / 196 SpD / 36 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Play Rough
- Thief
- Heal Bell

Heal Bell Snubbull is a life-saver, works as another fighting resist and cures my team of status. Earthquake to catch A-Grimer and Mareanie switchins. Originally I was using the Bulk-Up set but I wasn't having as much success with it as I am with this set. In my limited experience it doesn't seem like defensive physical setup mons work too well here
 
Hello and welcome to little cup. Overall the team looks to have decent synergy, shell smash tirtouga is sometimes overlooked in favor of things like dwebble, cloister, shellder and clampearl, but it is hard to argue with results.

Still, I have a few minor suggestions
(Suggestions in bold)



I would consider swapping U-turn for brave bird on vullaby, mainly to help deal with snivy and fighting types (though you can switch into most of them with your bulk and neutrality to fighting type attacks, they set up on you with bulk up/dragon dance)

0 Atk Vullaby Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Eviolite Snivy: 7-10 (33.3 - 47.6%) -- 11.3% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock

0- SpA Vullaby Air Slash vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Snivy: 12-14 (57.1 - 66.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

0 Atk Vullaby Brave Bird vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Eviolite Snivy: 18-24 (85.7 - 114.2%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

0 Atk Vullaby Brave Bird vs. 0 HP / 196 Def Eviolite Mienfoo: 14-20 (66.6 - 95.2%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

0- SpA Vullaby Air Slash vs. 0 HP / 196 SpD Eviolite Mienfoo: 8-12 (38 - 57.1%) -- 12.1% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock

Brave bird lets you kill most weakened fighting types outright, which shouldn’t be a problem as long as you have snubble, but croagunk, mienfoo and to a lesser extent timburr carry poison type coverage. This also gives you more pressure against foongus, who can’t spore you thanks to overcoat.

Unless you run nasty plot, you will generally be better off with brave bird than air slash.

If that isn't your cup of tea, rock smash is an option to punish pawniard's switching in on a predicted defog. heat wave is another potential option if you opt for a different nature, this will come at the cost of bulk, but Guarantees a 2HKO on the most common eviolite pawniard.

0 SpA Vullaby Heat Wave vs. 0 HP / 116 SpD Eviolite Pawniard: 10-12 (47.6 - 57.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

0 Atk Vullaby Rock Smash vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Pawniard: 8-12 (38 - 57.1%) -- 12.1% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock


I might also consider dazzling gleam on abra over protect or HP fight. The coverage seems at first redundant, however it can be a nasty coverage move, particularly because poison types can’t safely switch into abra (bar alola grimer) this guarantees a revenge kill against set up DD scrafty if sash is intact. It also keeps enemy vullaby from coming in for free on psychic as you 2hko most sets after rocks.

240 SpA Abra Dazzling Gleam vs. 116 HP / 76 SpD Eviolite Vullaby: 12-16 (48 - 64%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

240 SpA Abra Dazzling Gleam vs. 36 HP / 36 SpD Eviolite Scraggy: 24-32 (109 - 145.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

240 SpA Abra Hidden Power Fighting vs. 36 HP / 36 SpD Eviolite Scraggy: 10-12 (45.4 - 54.5%) -- 12.1% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock.




Anyways, nice team!

-Mecoptera
 

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