Heatran @ Firium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 32 HP / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Electric]
Team 1 was built around this specific heatran set that I was about to post in underrated sets but apparently it's locked right now fsr. I got the idea for this set from ou, where modest heatran is used to trap toxapex while also dealing with gliscor with firium z. I have hp electric for mantine so that I can consistently set up rocks vs 2 very difficult matchups for steel; flying and water.
G1:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-813410299
I knew my av celesteela would be my main counterplay to nidoking combined with hazards. Potential wincons were scizor (once toxapex is trapped) and bisharp. However on turn 17 I recognise that sweeping with scizor might be a little difficult and I needed all my other pokemon more, so I sacrificed it in exchange for more chip on nidoking, leaving it with only 2 more switchins with hazards up. If he defogs, I can get in bisharp. Unfortunately he turned out to be sub gengar so I couldnt sweep, but I still save bisharp for later because I recognise that it is now my main wincon. After he lets it die, the game became simpler since it was only a matter of time before bisharp won.
G2:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-813415065
In the initial stages, I recognised that if ferrothorn dies I can win with nihilego. Therefore I kept doubling into terrakion predicting it. However the whimsicott was a big problem so I kept trying to predict it, but chait did well to keep it alive. If I had known whimsicott was scarf then the game might have been simpler, but I made some plays predicting a different set. On turn 17 and 18 I realise that venusaur is a great setup opportunity for minior so I don't knock it out with ttar. On turn 20 I didn;t know whimsicott was scarf so I predict him to use tailwind and shell smash again so that I can outspeed tapu bulu. In hindsight tapu bulu was always going to get at least 2 kills with choice band attacks backed by tailwind, so idk how winnable this game really was for me.
G3:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-813420238
This game was pretty straightforward until turn 20. I decide to switch out here because after 2 bunkers I am in range of greninja ice beam. Chances of getting that is actually more than a burn chance, so I go to hawlucha and sky attack, killing off greninja. Unfortunately I get burned and lose the game.
I don't see how the teams were 'whack' just because they weren't the same 4 types you spam every game. Rock is a genuinely good type imo (same with grass), and in g3 I knew he wouldn't bring fairy and that team can take every other matchup. I feel that a lot of players think you should only use the top tier types to be successful, but I want to make it clear that this is not true. The top tier types are at the top for a reason, but every type has a niche that you can make shine if you build the team well enough. I think this was shown in these games because personally I felt that we both played pretty well and showed off our respective builds, but if you disagree then that is fine too. I would love to hear more about your opinion on why the games were so bad.
Voting for paleo, harp, vodoom