XY LC Fish and Stuff

[zeriloa]

Fish and Stuff


So yeah, I’m zeriloa, and this is my first rmt. As you might know, I recently made it to the semifinals of the lc open, and this team is basically what carried me through the middle rounds until I lost to chimpact, going 6-1 with it iirc (6-0 before semis). The basic idea of this team is wearing down the opposing team/knocking off Eviolites until Carvanha can sweep. It started out as another attempt to build a team with Obvious Power (they usually fail LOL), but it turned into one of the most successful teams I’ve ever used. Anyways, let’s get to the team:

Archen @ Berry Juice

Ability: Defeatist

Level: 5

EVs: 180 Atk / 76 Def / 196 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Knock Off

- Acrobatics

- Earthquake

- Defog

This is just a more offensive variant of standard support move + 3 attacks BJ Archen. Lacking a rock move sucks sometimes but EQ/Acro are mandatory and Knock Off is obviously really nice utility and gives it something to spam when it’s in Defeatist range. Defog is mainly for clearing rocks for Ponyta and also for Spikes which can be really annoying, though somewhat rare.

Mienfoo @ Eviolite

Ability: Regenerator

Level: 5

EVs: 156 HP / 116 Def / 196 SpD

Impish Nature

- Drain Punch

- U-turn

- Knock Off

- High Jump Kick


Mienfoo is a really useful pivot on this team, and it does that better than anything else thanks to Regenerator + U-turn, but you probably already know what Mienfoo does. I chose to go with full bulk investment over speed for the purpose of a slow U-turn, and the extra bulk is incredibly useful. Drain Punch + HJK looks really weird, but HJK gives it nice offensive presence even uninvested, and Drain is for reliability/recovery because I don’t really need Stone Edge or Acrobatics.

Pawniard @ Choice Scarf

Ability: Defiant

Level: 5

EVs: 76 HP / 236 Atk / 196 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Knock Off

- Pursuit

- Iron Head

- Stealth Rock

Another super standard mon, Scarf Pawniard. I needed something to reliably Knock Off Mienfoo to support Vanha’s sweep , and Pawn basically ensures Mienfoo will be Eviolite-less in 100% of battles. Also helps with trapping LO Abra and Gastly which would be a bit annoying otherwise. Rocks is just there cuz I had nowhere else to put it, Pawn still generally forces enough switches to get SR up, though being locked into it sucks of course.

Cottonee @ Eviolite

Ability: Prankster

Level: 5

EVs: 116 HP / 116 Def / 36 SpD / 228 Spe

Timid Nature

- Knock Off

- Dazzling Gleam

- Stun Spore

- Encore

Fast Knock Off Cottonee was added to the team mainly as a way to lure in Foongus and Magnemite which could potentially stop Carv’s sweep (especially if Endure Mag) and remove their item. STAB Dazzling Gleam is great coverage although not very strong, Encore and Stun Spore protect me from set-up sweepers such as Omanyte which would otherwise be an issue.

Ponyta @ Eviolite

Ability: Flame Body

Level: 5

EVs: 76 Atk / 236 Def / 196 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Flare Blitz

- Will-O-Wisp

- Toxic

- Morning Sun

Ponyta is honestly pretty great at the moment, nothing really rivals its combination of offensive presence, speed, and bulk. Toxic is for opposing Ponyta and Larvesta because everything else on my team hates burns (or is OHKO’d by Flare Blitz in Cottonee’s case.) It’s also my best check to Mienfoo and most physical attackers in general thanks to how efficient it is at spreading burns.

Carvanha @ Life Orb

Ability: Speed Boost

Level: 5

EVs: 196 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe

Adamant Nature

IVs: 0 HP

- Waterfall

- Crunch

- Zen Headbutt

- Protect

Carvanha is my main win condition, and it’s a good one. I built this team a few weeks after the Missy ban, when I noticed a lot of teams were using Foongus and/or Mienfoo as their only real Vanha checks. So that’s how I got the idea of Knock Off spam + ZHB Carv, because with rocks up Zen Headbutt has around a 70% chance to kill Foongus and 23/14 Mienfoo without Eviolite, and always kills the more common fast Mienfoo. It also massacres Croagunk switchins, which is nice. Other than that, it’s just standard Carvanha, always been one of my favorite Pokemon to use.

Conclusion: The biggest threats to this team are probably Poison Jab Timburr and Larvesta, but I have checks to them and they can be played around. There are probably some more I'm not thinking of atm as well, those two are just what come to mind. Anyways, thats the team. Feel free to rate, it, steal it, etc.

importable

Pawniard @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 236 Atk / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock

Carvanha @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 HP
- Waterfall
- Crunch
- Zen Headbutt
- Protect

Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 156 HP / 116 Def / 196 SpD
Impish Nature
- Drain Punch
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- High Jump Kick

Ponyta @ Eviolite
Ability: Flame Body
Level: 5
EVs: 76 Atk / 236 Def / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Will-O-Wisp
- Toxic
- Morning Sun

Cottonee @ Eviolite
Ability: Prankster
Level: 5
EVs: 116 HP / 116 Def / 36 SpD / 228 Spe
Timid Nature
- Knock Off
- Dazzling Gleam
- Stun Spore
- Encore

Archen @ Berry Juice
Ability: Defeatist
Level: 5
EVs: 180 Atk / 76 Def / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
- Defog

 

[Yagura]

Hi there zeriloa, congratulations on getting into semifinals and representing the LC community in the best way possible! I also love the basis behind this team it seems really effective and makes the team solid, really want to try it out!

So yeah, like I said this team is really solid so I won't be changing any major stuff but I got some nitpicks here and there:

- On Ponyta I suggest running an Impish nature since 19 Speed on Ponyta isn't much needed because the reason behind using it is to deal with Mienfoo and other physical attackers and kind of most of them's max Speed is 17 or less, and the additional Defense point is really appreciated on it as it allows you to hit an Eviolite number.

- On Cottonee I suggest Giga Drain over Stun Spore: You said that you use Stun Spore to deal with set-up sweepers like Omanyte but you can switch on it safely especially if it's healthy and either Encore it if it sets up Shell Smash or live the Ice Beam and OHKO back with Giga Drain. It also gives Cottonee an appreciated way for recovery.

That's it, once again there wasn't much to say about this solid team. Hope I helped and good luck friend!

 

[Corporal Levi]

hi
I'm going to agree with Yagura's points here; you already have Pursuit Pawniard to deal with Abra/Gastly (and Taillow/Doduo to an extent), so 18 vs 19 Speed won't make too much of a difference, and Giga Drain will make Chinchou slightly easier to deal with.
Other than that, this is really minor, but changing Pawniard's spread to 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe will give it two defensive points instead of one with the leftover EVs.

 

[zeriloa]

yea giga over stun spore is definitely a good option, i just use it in case i mess up and need something para'd really. i never really thought of impish pony, i can't think of much i miss out on except for tying with abra in a pinch, so i'd probably use that if i used this team again.

 

[Star]

This is team is fantastic so in addition to Levi, just another ev spread fix. Archen has 22 HP. Even on an SR mon weak is not a good idea. Just move the points from defense to HP.