[RATE MY TEAM] Reviving an Ancient Metagame - Kanto Challenge Team

[RATE MY TEAM] Reviving an Ancient Metagame - Kanto Challenge Team - Printable Version

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Reviving an Ancient Metagame - Kanto Challenge Team - Marcusube - Feb 6, 2016

Hello, one and all! As you all know, the Kanto Challenge on Pokemon GL begins on March 3 with the prize being an exclusive event Dragonite owned by Lance and it has a rare move, Barrier, which it only has in Generation 1. With eyes on the prize, I took the time out to analyze the RBY metagame to get more of a feel of what to expect.

Top anticipated threats include: Alakazam, Slowbro, Starmie, Zapdos, Chansey, Exeggutor, Golem and Dragonite

Knowing the threats in the anticipated metagame allowed me to properly consider and craft my team to combat this challenge. Behold - The team!

Here are the sets

First off, Alakazam. Alakazam is well known for its ability to clean up and sweep with its high speed and special attack stat. It has the hardest hitting Psychic in the metagame, able to 4HKO a Physically Defensive Chansey which is a hard feat for the other psychics. Signal Beam allows Alakazam to hit other Psychics (in particular Exeggutor) and grass types for super effective. I choose Signal Beam over Shadow Ball seeing as how Shadow Ball, outside of hitting Psychic for super effective, is pretty much a bad coverage option. Focus Blast hits Chansey, Rhydon, Golem, Lapras, Dewgong and Cloyster for a lot of damage (well not really Chansey, does around 33%-40%)

252 SpA Alakazam Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Chansey: 136-160 (38 - 44.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

Yup, around that Kappa

Substitute allows Alakazam to evade Sucker Punch from Dugtrio, Kangaskhan (whom I'm glad to not see in this meta) and Golem.

Notable calcs:

Jolteon is my go to revenge killer and pivot. Possessing the second to highest base speed in the RBY pokedex (fastest being Electrode fyi), Jolteon easily comes in and takes out any opponent that is slower and doesn't possess priority. I've explained Signal Beam already in Alakazam's section. HP Ice hits Dragonite for a lot of damage, however, you can consider HP Grass for Rhydon and Golem.

Notable calcs:

Slowbro is the premiere tank of RBY and has received a buff with the Regenerator ability as well as reliable recovery in the move Slack Off. Oh, did I mention it gets Scald? Calm Mind Slowbro is an absolute monster after it gets to at least +2. Seriously, it can sweep teams if it gets a chance so watch out. Thunder Wave cripples set up sweepers such as Dragonite, Gyarados and Cloyster but the paralysis status is generally good for taming Alakazam, Aerodactyl etc.

Calcs are really unnecessary here since it is just engineered to stomach physical hits then pivot out. But +2 Slowbro pretty much 2HKOs everything outside of Chansey and Unaware Clefable.

Rhydon is strong. Lol, okay that was short lived but whatever. Seriously though, it is a good check to every physical attacker in the metagame outside of Sandslash, Dragonite (the Aqua Tail/Waterfall/Aqua Jet/Surf (ikr wtf is this not a water type) and Gyarados. With the ability to get rocks up, pressure teams with EdgeQuake and roar out set up sweepers, Rhydon is indeed a very appreciated member of this team.

Moltres serves as a wallbreaker and pivot. Fire Blast and Hurricane hit like a truck from this thing. Base 125 special attack is nothing to laugh at. I recall it doing 50% to a Slowbro in the sun in one of my games. I'm not so sure if Defog is a good option on it because the idea is to NOT bring it in on Stealth Rocks but my team currently lacks hazard control. U-turn is for pivoting

Notable calcs

Chansey is Chansey. I'm sorry if you see this Pokemon and have PTSD of the horrid stall teams in OU that used this mon. I honestly want to use Clefable here but Chansey takes special hits better which is the role I needed it to perform.

ISSUES WITH THE TEAM

Slowbro :- Remember how I said if Slowbro gets to +2 it can sweep a team. Well same applies if the opponent gets to +2. I have no means of stopping a CM set on this team other than to Seismic Toss the crap out of it with Chansey

[Image: zapdos.png]

Zapdos :- If this thing carries HP Grass, I have no means of directly checking it

[Image: exeggutor.png]

Exeggutor :- The pressure this Pokemon exerts is ridiculous. If it catches Slowbro, Chansey or Rhydon on the switch, it's a huge 50/50 game if the opponent will either Giga Drain/Substitute or Sleep Powder

[Image: chansey.png]

Chansey :- Maybe having 5 special attackers wasn't such a good idea. Without Rhydon, Chansey easily shits on my team.

And of course, lack of stable hazard support makes it hard to keep Moltres alive.

REPLAYS AND CONCLUSION

As always, thank you guys so much for reading this entire post, it means a lot to me and so does the rep you've all been giving to me. I look forward to facing people from this community with my team and to obtain that Barrier Dragonite.

#TeamReplayFlynn and PEACE!

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/kantoclassic-327276472
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/kantoclassic-327278996
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/kantoclassic-327282134
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/kantoclassic-327285757

RE: Reviving an Ancient Metagame - Kanto Challenge Team - DanielJames - Feb 7, 2016

I really like your team! I've been testing out different teams for the upcoming tournament and have found some success. I do want to try out your team on Showdown though and maybe see if I can make Clefable work over Chansey.

RE: Reviving an Ancient Metagame - Kanto Challenge Team - Marcusube - Feb 7, 2016

UPDATE POST

Okay guys, I'm at it again with some team testing and I've formulated another team that works pretty well in this metagame.

SETS :

Victreebel is the sun sweeper chosen for this team. I liked the idea of using it because it has the highest speed of any other Chlorophyll Pokemon excluding Venusaur, has 100 Base Special attack and a good movepool to go with it. The set is pretty basic and self explanatory.

SpDef Ninetales in the sun takes Scalds very well amongst other special attacks such as Moonblast, Ice Beam, Sludge Bomb, Shadow Ball, Psychic etc. Pain Split with Substitute allows me to cut Ninetales HP to very low points then Pain Split the opponent, causing them a good amount of damage. This tactic works against a lot of Pokemon, primarily Chansey and Snorlax. Will-o-Wisp to cripple Physical attackers and Fire Blast for reliable STAB (not Overheat because special attack drops suck)

Clefable is the strongest Pokemon in this metagame, no doubt. It serves as the best check to Dragon Dancers and other Calm Minders such as Dragonite, Alakazam, Gengar, Gyarados, Slowbro and occasionally Starmie. Moonlight is to take advantage of the sun plus I don't have access to a Soft Boiled Clefable in-game.

Jolteon works just how it did on my previous team, however, I realized that Exeggutor isn't getting much play so I started using Shadow Ball again. Hidden Power Ground is a lure for opposing Electric types, Golem, Rhydon, Nidoqueen and Nidoking and this decision has worked out well a lot

Tauros is a nice clean up Pokemon but if you think it is OHKOing anything from full health, think again. The moveset takes near full advantage of the Sheer Force ability. Return for STAB, Earthquake for Jolteon, Magneton and the rest, Zen Headbutt for poison types and fighting types and Iron Head for Clefable.

I needed Blastoise for hazard control as well as for Roar. It has served well but I really wished it had a reliable means of recovery outside of Rest. Physically Defensive Blastoise forces more switches than the SpDef variant as well.

This team is really weak to Snorlax and Alakazam. Snorlax is pretty hard to take down without a Fighting move under the belt and Alakazam outspeeds everything except Jolteon plus it hits everything for neutral (which was probably something I should of considered before making this team final).

Okay guys, keep locked in on the thread. I will be releasing more information about the threats in the format as well as what Pokemon I believe will be seen in the official competition.