Heya. Back at it again with monotype-outside-of-monotype shenanigans.
Normally, I do ice-related things, but back when I was trying to make a poison team for a group friend in 7th gen, I had quite some fun with it that I decided to do it again in 8th gen. After a climb to 1300s whenever I get opponents, and a few claimed brackets, I figure now's a good time to see how it could get better.
The Team
Starboks Koffi (Koffing) @ Eviolite
Ability: Levitate
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Def / 236 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
- Clear Smog
- Fire Blast
Starboks Koffi (Koffing) @ Eviolite
Ability: Levitate
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Def / 236 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
- Clear Smog
- Fire Blast
When it comes to a poison-type, having Koffing was pretty much mandatory. Since Gastly is out, I really needed to have something that could at least float above the earthquakes. Will-o-
Coral Riff (Mareanie) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 116 HP / 100 Def / 92 SpA / 180 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic Spikes
- Recover
- Scald
- Icy Wind
Hazard setter #1, while also serving as the special wall. Believe it or not, Toxic Spikes is my favorite hazard of the four. Recovery's there to keep her consistently alive, more than Koffing anyway. Scald is straightforward, also possibly netting burns on anything that doesn't get poisoned. The odd 4th choice is Icy Wind, which, in this game type, causes speed drops to make quite a difference. It also turns out to be a boon in the few times an LC Doubles game comes up in the tour rooms.
Strolling (Trubbish) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sticky Hold
Level: 5
EVs: 116 HP / 36 Atk / 100 Def / 20 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Spikes
- Recycle
- Drain Punch
- Gunk Shot
Hazard setter #2, while also serving as the answer to many of the things that carry Knock Off around here. Recycle acts as my other more reliable way of getting health back. Just a matter of making sure I pay attention to when the juice was consumed or not. Gunk Shot is for the not-very-reliable-but-powerful STAB, and Drain Punch is mostly there for the coverage, since it gives me another way to krump Pawniard.
Lick (Croagunk) @ Eviolite
Ability: Dry Skin
Level: 5
EVs: 52 HP / 188 Atk / 116 Def / 116 SpD / 36 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Sucker Punch
- Gunk Shot
The one guy that can get a setup going. Bulk Up is the way to do it. I know Swords Dance is a thing, but Bulk Up has given me such great longevity over many physical attackers that I feel like it's worth using more. Drain Punch for the usual coverage & recovery, Gunk Shot for the Poison STAB (might switch to Poison Jab because there have been times when I couldn't trust like that), and Sucker Punch gives important priority for something pretty slow, and lets me stand against the Psychic types.
Y tho (Salandit) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Corrosion
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 36 Def / 188 SpA / 36 SpD / 220 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Sludge Wave
- Venoshock
- Toxic
As the fastest thing on the team, I figured it would be a good time to break out a choice scarf. The coverage isn't great, but the speed is certainly there to give me the chance to stop something from outrunning the rest of the team. Fire Blast & Sludge Wave are the go-to STABs, Venoshock pairs nicely with Mareanie's Toxic Spikes, and Toxic is a filler for anything that isn't normally bothered by poison, but can get the jump on them for a surprise factor.
Stinkmeaner (Stunky) (M) @ Air Balloon
Ability: Aftermath
Level: 5
EVs: 12 HP / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Defog
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch
- Crunch
When Koffing goes down, who will be there to avoid the ground types for a little while? Something with an Air Balloon! Stunky acts as the mainstay pseudo-immunity to many of the common attacking types that would try to do me in, from the occasional Earthquake to the Psychic moves. Moreover, Stunky acts as the hazard remover with Defog, since Sticky Webs can be pretty annoying. I have enough poison moves as it is at this point, so my unorthodox move of choice here becomes Play Rough, which acts against the fighting-types that the dark-type moves can't harm.
Weak points
- It used to be that this team was weak to Vullaby. Thankfully, I rode it out until the ban took place. Get zucc'd, bird
- Diglett
Almost all of my team being weak to ground moves? That's a problem alright. A common setup problem includes Vulpix Eject Packing out after using Overheat, then landing on Diglett, who drags something under.
- Foongus
All these poison-types, and none of them are part-grass to stop or take advantage of the inevitable spore. Eating up toxic spikes is also a nuisance. Not much else to worry about since I've got two fire attackers, but sleep is still bothersome all the same.
- Porygon
A lot of my things, turns out, are weaker on the specially defensive side, which allows Porygon to jump in and get a free boost. And since the thing packs Psychic more often than not, I end up being digital duck food, especially after an agility boost.
- Staryu
Another speedy thing that often carries Psychic, much to my detriment. Without anything super effective to take it out, it often ends up removing the hazards I carefully put up, AND punching a hole in something on my team.
- Sturdy/Berry Juice abusers (e.g. Magnemite, Onix, Crustle)
Sturdy's always been tough to break, especially when just about all of its users are rock- and/or steel-type. And between Trubbish often losing speed ties to things like Onix, or just not getting spikes up soon enough, chipping at the rocks before going for the kill has been quite the trick.
