Feb 6, 2016, 10:55 AM
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!
![[Image: alakazam-female.png]](http://www.pokestadium.com/sprites/black-white/alakazam-female.png)
![[Image: jolteon.png]](http://www.pokestadium.com/sprites/black-white/jolteon.png)
![[Image: slowbro.png]](http://www.pokestadium.com/sprites/black-white/slowbro.png)
![[Image: rhydon.png]](http://www.pokestadium.com/sprites/black-white/rhydon.png)
![[Image: moltres.png]](http://www.pokestadium.com/sprites/black-white/moltres.png)
![[Image: chansey.png]](http://www.pokestadium.com/sprites/black-white/chansey.png)
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
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.
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]](http://www.pokestadium.com/sprites/black-white/zapdos.png)
Zapdos :- If this thing carries HP Grass, I have no means of directly checking it
![[Image: exeggutor.png]](http://www.pokestadium.com/sprites/black-white/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
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.
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/kantoc...-327276472
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/kantoc...-327278996
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/kantoc...-327282134
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/kantoc...-327285757
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
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
Zapdos :- If this thing carries HP Grass, I have no means of directly checking it
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
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/kantoc...-327276472
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/kantoc...-327278996
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/kantoc...-327282134
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/kantoc...-327285757
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