Smogon OU ( Feb 2 - 2012 )

Question

No touch (Ferrothorn) (F) @ Rocky Helmet

Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 132 HP / 252 SAtk / 120 SDef / 4 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Hidden Power [Fire]

My lead. Thunder Wave cripples stuff with is always fun. When facing weather such as Rain or Sand, I can normally scare off with the threat of my grass typing ( Threatening an STAB grass move ).
Hail is covered by HP Fire, surprisingly. While sun I just get screwed in. Well, that's what switching is for.
Stealth Rock brings decent hazards into play. I mean, who wants to let Volcarona start screwing them because it didn't lose 50% on the switch in? Leech Seed is fun to use on things with high HP, namely Blissey. While it's also fun for trolling things, and makes up for lack of leftovers. Hidden Power Fire is the most interesting part of the set. It takes down Scizor, opposing Ferrothorns, Forretress, Abomasnow ( hail lead ), and even times that it gets just regular super effective coverage it can screw with opponents. When facing Sun teams ( Where it seems I'm screwed ) my only attacking move actually gets a little boost. Meaning after that Ninetales is out of my way, I can screw on Chrolophyll abusers with HP fire.

The Flu (Mamoswine) (M) @ Life Orb

Trait: Snow Cloak
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Icicle Crash
- Stone Edge
- Ice Shard

I didn't try Mamoswine until now. I'm glad I did.
Mamoswine was definitely the treat I was missing out on! Sweeping capabilities flew right past me.
Earthquake is STAB, screws with tanks, etc. Icicle Crash is my main ice STAB. The accuracy is a little shot, but it doesn't normally troll all over me. High crit rate makes up for it, really. ( Same with Stone Edge ). Speaking of Stone Edge, it's up next! My rock type coverage is some of the better coverage Mamoswine gets. Edge-Quake is also always a nice treat. While 252 Atk, Life orb Mamoswine can put a dint in things with Ice Shard to clean up.

Uh, arf? (Lucario) (F) @ Choice Band

Trait: Steadfast
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Ice Punch
- Earthquake
- ExtremeSpeed

Find something pesty that just won't die? Well, that problem just got fixed.
Close Combat is hard to match STAB. Ice Punch screws Gliscor and dragons. ExtremeSpeed priority kills stuff.
So yeah! That's the dog.

Soup plz (Alakazam) (M) @ Life Orb

Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Psyshock
- Charge Beam
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast

Standard Zam, really. Psyshock is STAB. Charge Beam is the form of boosting / support i'm using. Shadow Ball and Focus Blast get great coveage.

So original (Blissey) (F) @ Leftovers

Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Heal Bell
- Wish
- Toxic
- Protect

" Standard pink blob. " - Mike ( PB-10 )

NeverlUsed (Linoone) (F) @ Sitrus Berry

Trait: Gluttony
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- ExtremeSpeed
- Belly Drum
- Shadow Claw
- Seed Bomb

My NU team member! :D

ExtremeSpeed is STAB. 80 power is never bad. +2 Priority is always great too.
Belly Drum maxes that attack stat, preferably being switched too from Ferrothorn. ( Leech Seed support )
Shadow Claw and Seed Bomb are the likely choices for coverage.

Feb 3 - 2012

Comments

Wat? No sprites?

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Dude, I posted that team at like 3 AM last night. xD

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You mean yes sprites.

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Even with HP Fire, I'd say running a Ferrothorn lead in these times is way too risky. Magnezone is just too dominate for it to be safe. At the least run a Shed Shell.

You can then add Dugtrio to your team. It supports Linoone excellently, and can team up with Ferrothorn. As soon as you see your foe has a Magnezone, you bring Dugtrio out and you Earthquake that SOB. Arena Trap stops it from doing a thing about it, gives it a taste of its own medicine.

You can also run Chandelure instead of Dugtrio, it still gets Memento I think if you're into that. And this way you won't have to replace Mamoswine. And Chandelure would be better support for your team than Alakazam me thinks. Chandelure can actually take the Fighting type attacks that take down five Pokemon on your team!

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Shadow Tag Chandelure is banned in Smogon.
Plus, Magnezone hasn't walled out Ferrothorn yet, at all. And trust me, I've been against plenty of them.

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I keeps on forgettin.

And it's only a matter of time. Magnezone is the best counter to Ferrothorn with the Steel-Killer set. I still say it's risky to run it as a lead. Everytime I did it, it was Magnezoned. I'm even starting to go back to Forretress as a lead. But hey, to each his own. Although I'd say don't use Ferrothorn lead against me. More and more of my teams are being built with Magnezone.

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I haven't ran my stat calcs, but if I recall..

HP fire on switch in to Magnezone, coupled with 1-2 more hits ( depending on which way the random multiplier flows ) takes down magnezone.

Assuming that it's not running top notch 252 252 Special bulk, that is.

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I actually Think Magnezone isn't the best Counter to This Ferrothorn, but I think it can do some damage to it it. Espeon counters this Ferrothorn so good, it's the best. It can take an HP Fire really well, resist all the other moves, and go for a OHKO or 2HKO/3HKO with HP Fire/Fighting. Also, since this Ferrothorn lacks Power Whip, Espeon is even more of a Counter, causing a switch guaranteed. Magnezone will likely be crushed by an HP Fire TBH.

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Maybe its Magneton I'm thinking of who can take down Ferrothorn easily,. If so, nvm about what I've said. I'm the only one I see using Magneton.

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Either way, I've actually only seen Magneton used with Magnet Pull on the occasion of 4Drag2Mag.
Otherwise, Analytic is considered the better ability. Being slower and all.

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Magneton is faster than Magnezone though.

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Yes, I know. I see ( looking now ) at how that was worded....

The meaning was it was slower than average.

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Mew I don't mean "Yes sprites"!!