Before I begin I just want to say a big reason I'm doing this RMT is that I get asked to pass this team all the time; Almost every day. I don't know what it is about this team that makes people want to use it, I'm guessing it's the fact that it is built around Noctowl, but also for whatever reason the team just has a certain feel when you play it the synergy of the team, in my opinion, is one of the best I have ever produced it flows really well, at least for me. I will try to be as detailed as possible when going over the team; Why I think this works, How I think it should work, and what I feel doesn't work as well, but bear with me I'm not too great with my words. Rather I get told this team is bad, get positive feedback, or somewhere in between this team certainly is a ...
Hoot
Noctowl @ Choice Specs
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 152 HP / 252 SpA / 104 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
The team started with Noctowl; This is a set I thought up, not that I'm trying to take credit away from anyone who used Choice Specs Noctowl before me. I could go into great detail over what this set does but instead I will link this here, This is the VR nom I used for Noctowl, it already explains pretty much everything you need to know about this spread, it also got Noctowl ranked D if anyone was wondering. The gist for those of you who don't want to look there is it breaks common cores like Weezing / Regirock and Qwilfish / Ferroseed, as it can OHKO a lot of physically defensive Pokemon and 2HKOs a lot of would be flying resists via Tinted Lens.
Silvally-Steel @ Steel Memory
Ability: RKS System
EVs: 248 HP / 124 SpD / 136 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
Silvally-Steel was an interesting choice to core with Noctowl at the time as it didn't see much use, however, I feel it was a good decision in the end especially after the numerous playtests I had with this team. I started building with the idea of a Balance / Bulky Offensive team archetype I made up a little checklist in my head of what Noctowl needed to work. I knew it would need Defog support so I wanted to start there and after some thought and looking at the new toy Silvally had(Defog) it fit. It resists Ice-type attacks also Psychic-type which is important as Jynx is quite good in PU, it also works as a Defogger because it switches into a common setter, Mesprit, without fearing much besides U-turn or the rare Hidden Power Fire and can force it out and Defog pretty easily. Parting Shot is also pretty nice on it as it not only grabs momentum for Noctowl but also lowers the power of certain Pokemon allowing Noctowl beat them 1v1 which it otherwise could not do. It also brings in Ferroseed, Gastrodon, Qwilfish, and Throh, all of which Noctowl can abuse. I should note it also can Defog on Regirock even tho it does not like switching in directly it doesn't threaten Palossand that badly but that's not much of a problem as Palossand gives Noctowl a free switch in. Toxic is very important here otherwise the team would lose to Musharna.
Mesprit @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
General teambuilding practice made me want a Stealth Rock setter. I also wanted to cover up some weaknesses my initial core had such as Fast Fighting-types. Mesprit was the choice as it didn't compound weaknesses Regirock or Ferroseed would have. It also synergizes very well with its U-turn bringing in things like Skuntank, which is important as it goes well with future Pokemon I add to this team. Like Silvally-Steel it also brings in a few things Noctowl can abuse such as Ferroseed and Gastrodon. Healing Wish is by far the best support move on this team, I would go as far to say it is what makes this team functional. Why it is so important for the team may seem strange but you will see in some of the replays I would not have a way to win without it. It all goes with the last Pokemon on the team and the Pokemon I Healing Wish up the most, Gurdurr. When playing this team Gurdurr is used as a secondary check to quite a few threats, Choice Scarf Primeape, Kangaskhan, Pyroar, Stoutland, and other Pokemon like that. So what that means is Gurdurr gets weakened quite a bit a lot of the time, it also is my best win condition so Healing Wish allows me to check these things better as Noctowls biggest fault(besides missing ;-;) is that it gets revenged killed easily which is why I rely on all my Pokemon to protect it, normally late game both teams are low on Pokemon and healing Gurdurr is often times my go to guaranteed win. this isn't to say I haven't used it to heal other team members as against very offensive teams Primeape is also a solid win condition.
Primeape @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
I wanted to core another Pokemon with Noctowl, and not unlike many other special wallbreakers, Primeape became a perfect fit. Primeape does a fantastic job at gaining momentum for Noctowl along with the rest of the team, Weezing being the best Pokemon it draws in as I feel that is once again is highly threatened by Noctowl and the Pokemon Weezing are commonly paired with cannot comfortably switch into Noctowl so it just opens holes really easily through that method. Primeape also helps keep a few things in check some Carracosta variants, Quiver Dance Lilligant, normal types like Kangaskhan and Toxic Orb Zangoose and other offensive threats. Primeape also acts as a win condition as when Noctowl is played well it gets to the point where they have to sack Pokemon like Weezing or switch in an offensive Pokemon which just makes my defensive core difficult to break.
Lanturn @ Assault Vest
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 132 SpA / 252 SpD / 124 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
At this point I am looking to cover some weaknesses, I did not have a switch into fire Fire-types up to this point and Calm Mind Oricorio set up or checked every other member of my team. I also was weak to Volt Switch so Lanturn felt pretty necessary. I went with AV because it switched into Choice Specs Pyroar well while also keeping some sort of offensive presence. This spread here used to outspeed adamant max speed Aggron while keeping as much special bulk as possible. Hidden Power Grass is used for Gastrodon as it can be a problem late game as it can recover stall Hurricane and nothing else on the team threatens to badly except for a set-uped Gurdurr.
I have Thunderbolt to keep Oricorio-Sensu from spamming Substitute. Once again this Pokemon also just synergizes well with Noctowl and the rest of the team being able to grab momentum on bulky Grass-types for Noctowl. Noctowl also does well in bringing in opposing Lanturn and Togedemaru which some variants getting 2HKOed letting Lanturn grab momentum on other things such as Eelektross which Primeape can threaten out.
Gurdurr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 248 HP / 192 Atk / 68 Def
Adamant Nature
Gurdurr was chosen as my last Pokemon for a few reasons, the most notable one being I wanted a win condition that synergized well with the rest of the team. I went over this a lot within the Mesprit portion so we know it's used as a blanket check to quite a few Pokemon so I will not go over that again. I just felt it was really good at beating common playstyles like balance and it also does well against offense with Mach Punch which was much appreciated as the team was lacking priority. It is also my main check to physical Shell Smash Carracosta as Primeape can be OHKOed by a +2 Life Orb Aqua Jet. I find myself winning with Gurdurr in probably 80% of the games I win with this team, and I think that's because Noctowl and Primeape really do a good job together weakening defensive Pokemon that Gurdurr struggles with like Weezing, Mesprit, Throh, Palossand and other similar Pokemon.
Threatlist
I feel Clefairy is the biggest threat to the team. Specially defensive sets don't really fear any of my Pokemon and can spread status really easily throughout my team. If the Clefairy is Moonblast I can eventually beat it between knocking off it's Eviolite with Gurdurr and Silvally, but that normally ends on a trade. Seismic Toss Clefairy is much harder to deal with as it wins versus Silvally 1v1, Gurdurr can beat it if I play carefully but that's rather hard to do. Calm Mind Clefairy if played well just wins, I really have no countermeasure once it gets up a Calm Mind which will always happen against a competent opponent.
I will lump some of these together as they all are similar in terms of what they do. Jynx is probably the second biggest threat to the team as I really don't have a switch in for it because of the threat of sleep. Once it gets to +1 speed I have to hope it's in range of Mach Punch or Silvally isn't asleep, I can risk a speed tie with Primeape if I'm desperate, Jynx annoys my team a great deal but I don't think I automatically lose to it. Lilligant is also threatening because of Sleep Powder I can beat comfortably if it isn't at +2 but it sets up on a few Pokemon on my team. Z-Me First Pinsir wins once set up it's not very common and if I come across it I have to play really well to keep it from setting up.
Here I will just show some mons I have trouble switching in to.
Steal Team Here
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7pu-680939096 v Lockjaw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7pu-664590975
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7pu-669987237
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7pu-665995525 v cryalot
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7pu-665136082
All of these replays were done before I added toxic on Silvally, that was a recent change.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7pu-664590975
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7pu-669987237
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7pu-665995525 v cryalot
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7pu-665136082
All of these replays were done before I added toxic on Silvally, that was a recent change.
Sorry if I forget anyone.
cryalot Dundies Megazard galbia 2xTheTap lockjaw allstarapology The Jungle Fox Twix Sir Kay GeneralAnnoyance Shaneghoul TJ Rwby Dibs The Dreamer Akir HJAD Anty Terrakion. Optical Real RawMelon pancake Many Broken Phobias Specs Jigglypuff UBERSkitty therealslap Plas Disjunction Slowbroth Magnemite jklioe Raiza PursuitOfHappiny Kushalos Teddeh iRebel LordST Aaronboyer Skankovich Chrisloud1 Taskr Grim 5gen amber lamps Haund Sixes_ Mango Smoothie Tom Bus (please come back) Z+V neomon false. InfernoMonferno CrazyStevy TONE
cryalot Dundies Megazard galbia 2xTheTap lockjaw allstarapology The Jungle Fox Twix Sir Kay GeneralAnnoyance Shaneghoul TJ Rwby Dibs The Dreamer Akir HJAD Anty Terrakion. Optical Real RawMelon pancake Many Broken Phobias Specs Jigglypuff UBERSkitty therealslap Plas Disjunction Slowbroth Magnemite jklioe Raiza PursuitOfHappiny Kushalos Teddeh iRebel LordST Aaronboyer Skankovich Chrisloud1 Taskr Grim 5gen amber lamps Haund Sixes_ Mango Smoothie Tom Bus (please come back) Z+V neomon false. InfernoMonferno CrazyStevy TONE
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