Battle Spot M-Steelix Trick Room/Bulky Offense

(This team is for Battle Spot Doubles)

Introduction

What's up guys~ So for the past few weeks, I've been play testing with a few team ideas. This M-Steelix team, that I've been working on, is one of the teams that I am decently proud of. I gave the team 2 different-ish modes/leads in the forms of TR and bulky offense. Let's go ahead and jump into the breakdown of why I'm using these Pokemon and then I'll go into how I play the team afterwards.


The Team


Steelix @ Steelixite
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Thunder Fang
- Heavy Slam
- Protect
- Fire Fang
M-Steelix is the mon I started this team with. With it's high base 230 Def stat, all you have to do to improve its defenses is to invest EVs into its SpD. A Careful Nature and 252 EVs onto the SpD stat maximizes M-Steelix's SpD. I decided to go with a more bulkier M-Steelix rather than a COMPLETELY offensive M-Steelix (stat-wise) because I needed it to be able to take SpA hits decently well. For it's moves: Thunder Fang helps M-Steelix with opposing Water Types if it needs to deal with them by itself. Heavy Slam is M-Steelix's main STAB move that is SUPER powerful due to it's heavy weight. Some prefer Gyro Ball since M-Steelix is slow but I went with Heavy Slam mainly because I didn't want to run Curse and because Heavy Slam has more PP. Protect is here because, during playtesting, I found myself needing to protect with M-Steelix at some points in order to put myself into a better position in the battle with my second Pokemon. And Fire Fang is here for dealing with opposing Steel Types like Ferrothorn. The reason I'm not running Curse is because, for my play style, it's a bit too slow for me. By the time it set up 2 Curse, M-Steelix was usually in a bad spot afterwards. So to power up M-Steelix, I decided to use Self Swagger with Tapu Fini (which you will see later down the list)...


Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick Room
- Recover
- Tri Attack
- Thunderbolt
P2 is my TR setter for the TR mode this team can go into. When it comes to finding a TR setter, I chose P2 over Oranguru because of it's bulk with Eviolite. Oranguru is good since it has Instruct but it just wasn't as bulky as I needed it to be. I decided to go with the Trace ability over Download only because I've had better experiences with it than Download. Bold Nature with 252 Def and SpD to maximize it's bulk. For the moves: TR is self-explanitory, Recover is self-explanitory, Tri Attack is P2's STAB move, and Thunderbolt is to help deal with opposing Water Types that are threatening M-Steelix.



(Couldn't get picture to work)
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Swagger
- Moonblast
- Protect
- Heal Pulse
Tapu Fini is used for my 2nd lead option. Using it's ability Misty Surge, I'm just simply taking advantage of it by using self-swagger under it on M-Steelix to make it an even more powerful tank. I went with a Bold Nature and 252 Def and SpD EVs to maximize its bulk. Swagger is used only under Misty Terrain to get that +2 attack boost, Moonblast so Fini can dish out some STAB damage, Protect to stall, scout, or in case I need it, and then Heal Pulse to heal up M-Steelix to keep it on the field as long as possible.


Vaporeon @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Baton Pass
- Aqua Ring
- Ice Beam
- Scald
Vaporeon is here because I wanted a way to get a Leftovers kind of healing on M-Steelix. With that being said, I gave it Aqua Ring and Baton Pass. Ice Beam is here to help deal with Garchomp and Scald is just for STAB. I gave Vaporeon a Bold Nature along with 252 Def and SpD EVs to maximize it's bulk. And I've given it a Wiki Berry for healing. Vaporeon also serves as a switch-in to opposing Water Attacks, targeting down M-Steelix, with its ability Water Absorb.


Magnezone @ Magnet
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
- Protect
Magnezone is actually the latest mon that i added to the team. It helps so much against opposing Water Types. The Modest Nature and 252 SpA EVs is to maximize its damage output and the 252 SpD is to give it some extra bulk. I gave it the item, Magnet, because I didn't wanna get locked with Specs. Thunderbolt deals with Water threats, Volt Switch to switch out if I need to, Flash Cannon is STAB, and Protect for scouting or just to simply protect. Magnet Pull is to trap Celesteela and Mawile.


Heatran @ Grassium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Solar Beam
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Protect
Heatran has recently become one of my favorites to use in general. I've ran into many players who have been caught off guard by a Solar Beam powered Bloom Doom. It has helped me out of various situations. I went with a a faster variant of Heatran (with a Timid Nature and 252 Spe EVs) just so I had some kind of speed to the team. The 252 SpA is to give Heatran some extra power. Magma Storm is a powerful STAB move that also traps the target, Earth Power for coverage, and Protect for protecting. Heatran is also used as a switch-in to opposing Fire Attacks, that are targeting M-Steelix, with its ability Flash Fire.

CONCLUSION:

The team has been doing fairly well but 1 Pokemon that I'm currently having trouble going against is Belly Drum Snorelax.


HOW I PLAY THE TEAM:

The team, as I said in the intro, has 2 different-ish modes/leads. Mode 1 is Trick Room with P2 and Vaporeon leading. Mode 2 is bulky offense with Tapu Fini and Vaporeon leading. In most of my battles, I mainly used these 2 leads. Mode 1 is so I can set up TR and make things easier for M-Steelix to clean up while Mode 2 is used when I feel like my opponent may send out Pokemon to lock me out of TR....

Mode 1 (P2 and Vaporeon lead):
P2 sets up TR while Vaporeon sets up Aqua Ring and then Baton Pass to M-Steelix.

Mode 2 (Tapu Fini and Vaporeon lead):
Most of the time, Fini Swaggers Vaporeon while Vaporeon sets up Aqua Ring. Vaporeon then Baton Passes to M-Steelix to cause havoc. Fini's main objective from here on out is to support M-Steelix with Heal Pulse and another Swagger (if needed).



POKEMON SHOWDOWN REPLAYS:

Before Magnezone was added:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7battlespotdoubles-645425750

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7battlespotdoubles-645430844


Added Magnezone:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7battlespotdoubles-646007806

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7battlespotdoubles-646009190

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7battlespotdoubles-646019206

........

Steelix @ Steelixite
Ability: Sturdy
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Thunder Fang
- Heavy Slam
- Protect
- Fire Fang

Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick Room
- Recover
- Tri Attack
- Thunderbolt

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Swagger
- Moonblast
- Protect
- Heal Pulse

Vaporeon @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Water Absorb
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Baton Pass
- Aqua Ring
- Ice Beam
- Scald

Magnezone @ Magnet
Ability: Magnet Pull
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
- Protect

Heatran @ Grassium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Solar Beam
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Protect
 
Hi there, i'm not the best in doubles but at glance i can say that your team is pretty open to ground-spam, and you don't want to be weak to that when the most used pokemon in the tier is Landorus-T. Also the team seems to lack answers to CharY, and to fighting-type moves in general.

I'd honestly remove Vaporeon here, for a Pelipper and add Kingdra (or Mega Swampert) as well over Fini. With it you'd have tools to deal with your weaknesses and a fast offensive mode that can be used if your Trick Room match up isn't good. Pelipper would improve your speed control and field control as well with tailwind and wide guard.

@ Focus Sash
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Wide Guard / Scald
- Tailwind
- Protect / Rain Dance / Ice Beam


@ Waterium Z
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Draco Meteor
- Protect




As for the rest of the team, i'd probably add Rock Slide or Stone Edge on Steelix to catch Zards on the switch in, and definitely find a spot for Earthquake as well, since it's a strong move in general and even more in doubles, and it's its main STAB.
I'd also change the sets and evs overall to be fair, putting those SpDef evs in the Attack stat on Steelix; make Heatran Modest and add Heat Wave over Magma Storm, and probably add Tapu Koko over Magnezone.

@ Choice Specs
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Thunder
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Ice]


i probably have touched the team too much, yet it felt a little unbalanced to me. I hope this can help you at least to have suggestions, if you don't feel to change it this much.
The team might still be pretty weak to ground-spam, even with Pelipper, Wide Guard and fast ice / water attacks from Kingdra and Koko. If it happen to be weak to it, try to add something immune or resistent over Heatran, like Bulu or Hydreigon.
 
Last edited:
Hey~ I really appreciate you taking the time to give your input. As common as Earthquake is, the team (excluding Heatran and Magnezone) tanks it surprisingly well in my opinion. And I do struggle just a tiny bit against Landorus-T... Intimidate users also really hurt. So far, to deal with Landorus-T, I've been using Fini/P2 and Vaporeon to beat it down... Against Charizard Y, my only answer to it is Heatran, to mainly take hits, and P2 and Vaporeon to do damage lol... And yea~ I'm actually only now just realizing how weak the team is to Fighting

As for your Mon suggestions, I'm not too sure about Pelipper and Kingdra only cause I haven't tested it yet. I did play test with Life Orb Tapu Koko and i think i like that over Magnezone. ☺
 

cant say

twitch.tv/jakecantsay
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Team Rater Alumnusis a Top Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
Steelix is kinda crap, and you're using a defensive spread on your Trick Room sweeper. Why not use Curse and/or Gyro Ball on it? Mega Mawile would be so much better but I feel like you're attached to Steelix so maybe try using a Brave spread with Curse + Gyro over Thunder Fang and Heavy Slam to start with. I also think it's worth Running Earthquake so you could try that over Thunder Fang / Curse or even Fire Fang ( but then you need a way to threaten Ferrothorn).

You really want Ice Beam on Porygon2 so you have a way of threatening Landorus-T and Mega Salamence (aka the two most common Pokemon). Tri Attack is kinda useless but I don't like Thunderbolt on the set either. Trace isn't very reliable in doubles so I would use Download instead.

It's better to invest in HP and one defensive stat instead of both defensive stats and minimal HP (unless you've come up with a custom spread that's designed to live specific hits). 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD is bad on Fini, so you should choose which defensive stat you'd prefer and max out the HP.

Vaporeon is flat out bad, but Baton Passing Aqua Ring to Steelix is even worse. Doubles is too fast-paced for something like that to work. I like Solerme's suggestion of a rain core as it seems to beat the stuff that Steelix / Mawile loses to.

The last two slots on the team really make you weak to Ground, as solerme pointed out. I would try Zapdos over Magnezone. The last slot is pretty open, since I'm unfamiliar with Steelix teams in BSD (it isn't common at all) I've been looking at what other people have been using, and it seems Oranguru is very popular as it has Telepathy for avoiding Steelix's Earthquake, Trick Room, and Instruct so you can attack twice with Steelix in a turn. It might be worth considering it over Porygon2, or in the 6th slot over Heatran. You should be runnng Heat Wave on Zapdos to hit Ferrothorn so losing Heatran isn't too big of a deal.

Hope this helped a little.
 
Steelix is kinda crap, and you're using a defensive spread on your Trick Room sweeper. Why not use Curse and/or Gyro Ball on it? Mega Mawile would be so much better but I feel like you're attached to Steelix so maybe try using a Brave spread with Curse + Gyro over Thunder Fang and Heavy Slam to start with. I also think it's worth Running Earthquake so you could try that over Thunder Fang / Curse or even Fire Fang ( but then you need a way to threaten Ferrothorn).

You really want Ice Beam on Porygon2 so you have a way of threatening Landorus-T and Mega Salamence (aka the two most common Pokemon). Tri Attack is kinda useless but I don't like Thunderbolt on the set either. Trace isn't very reliable in doubles so I would use Download instead.

It's better to invest in HP and one defensive stat instead of both defensive stats and minimal HP (unless you've come up with a custom spread that's designed to live specific hits). 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD is bad on Fini, so you should choose which defensive stat you'd prefer and max out the HP.

Vaporeon is flat out bad, but Baton Passing Aqua Ring to Steelix is even worse. Doubles is too fast-paced for something like that to work. I like Solerme's suggestion of a rain core as it seems to beat the stuff that Steelix / Mawile loses to.

The last two slots on the team really make you weak to Ground, as solerme pointed out. I would try Zapdos over Magnezone. The last slot is pretty open, since I'm unfamiliar with Steelix teams in BSD (it isn't common at all) I've been looking at what other people have been using, and it seems Oranguru is very popular as it has Telepathy for avoiding Steelix's Earthquake, Trick Room, and Instruct so you can attack twice with Steelix in a turn. It might be worth considering it over Porygon2, or in the 6th slot over Heatran. You should be runnng Heat Wave on Zapdos to hit Ferrothorn so losing Heatran isn't too big of a deal.

Hope this helped a little.
Hey man, really appreciate the suggestions :) And it's not that I'm attached to Steelix or anything, I just wanted to try building around it lol But will definitely try out the suggestions~ thanks :)
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top