thanks skylight ;]
Intro
I started playing adv in february 2011 during the bp suspect test being run before season 11 of smogon tour. I had no idea what I was doing and expected my team to do all the work for me (although curselax [who Heist swore was the best sweeper, and had me think the same for a while] and cm leech celebi did carry me a considerable distance), not to mention I still wasn't very good, which led to me not qualifying. This, alongside my lackluster performance during the season, led me to dismiss the metagame as a dumb one. I kept playing it, since I was a dpp/bw player and I wanted to do well in the tour, but I didn't like it. There was one good thing here, though - I wasn't really "in" with the top players at the time (the closest was having undisputed as a tutor and knowing Heist aka calum from regileague), which meant I didn't have access to the current metagame's most popular teams, and at the time, this was jabba's cm spam that was everywhere - it's a good team, but a lot of new guys who won with it a few times ended up pitfalling into the mindset "use cm to auto-win" which is a problem I never had. Instead, I had others!
I come from dpp, where the #1 rule is to have stealth rock on every team. When I backpedaled a gen, I saw the only hazard - spikes - as similarly necessary. Obviously this isn't the case (well no shit, humor me), but I didn't know the metagame well enough to figure out offensive synergy other than magneton + physical sweeper, which meant I stuck with a tactic more immediately familiar to me, stalling. Basically, I tried to take the easy way out. I saw a few RMTs of sd bp celebi + agiligross teams, and after getting thoroughly shredded by one, I decided I would make my own as an alternative to the "safe" option of stalling, but that was the extent of my offense, and I only used it because I saw it as unstoppable. I was so new that I devised the genius strategy of running sludge bomb as the 4th move on metagross to hit celebi... however I did once poison a guy's swampert which led to him getting trucked by ddtar and looking back that was pretty hilarious.
Anyway I basically did this through seasons 11-13 and had extraordinarily below average performances, which led to considerable frustration with the metagame I still didn't know the intricacies of too well, although I had certainly picked up a few things (which you're bound to do when playing it for that long, even if inconsistently, and being around some more well-versed advers during spl 3 didn't hurt either). In season 14, I finally had a cool idea of my own, and made my first real team. It didn't do well at all in the regular season (think I got like 3 or 4 points lol) but it went 3-0 in the playoffs against significantly better players! However it didn't really expand my metagame horizons very much, and I was left struggling in my attempts to play it while testing with am/ojama during that season of spl. Incidentally, it's here the hero steps in and this paragraph ends.
]V[ajin "i put restart in ur ass" TupacZ is a no-introduction-needed legendary adver, considered by many to be the best at it. I scooted with him in spl 3, where I watched in wonder as he ripped all before him to shreds. He didn't come back in time for spl 4, but one day he joined #scooters and asked for some adv games. I brought defensive spikes shit and he steamrolled me with synergistic offensive powerhouses. After I was roasted by a sunny day charizard, I decided it was time to stop using weak teams and to fight like a man, man. I made 2 zard teams of my own, one with the sd set majin smoked me with and one with belly drum, since I saw it as a deadly physical sweeper whose stab fire blast charred (ha!) skarmory. The drumzard team was pretty decent, I still pull it out on occasion, but the other squad has been my best, most successful adv team, and it's a ton of fun to use. Enjoy ;]
thanks to my favorite kanye fan VN. who took it upon himself to make me scream like a white girl
The team is named after one of my favorite albums, a melodic black metal masterpiece that took Dissection's groundbreaking debut record and improved upon it in just about every way. It's swedish for "when the sun goes down forever" which I found fitting for a team based on sunny day charizard. I highly recommend you listen while reading.
Gengar (M) @ Leftovers***eyesland
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 56 HP / 44 Atk / 52 Def / 148 SAtk / 8 SDef / 200 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Explosion
- Hypnosis
- Ice Punch
- Thunderbolt
Gengar is a solid addition to any special offense team. It leads because it lures in things I want dead right off the bat, like Blissey, Snorlax, Zapdos, Regice, and Tyranitar. In regards to the first 4, Gengar can either take them himself with Explosion or, mainly in Tyranitar's case, sleep them and have Dugtrio pick them off (with Zapdos being the obvious exception, and caution around potential Sleep Talk Regice). With Zapdos, Gengar can potentially beat it without having to trade itself; if Zap's caught on the switch with Ice Punch and the subsequent Hypnosis lands, barring an early wake-up it'll be killed.
Gengar is also quite useful defensively; its amazing set of resists makes it a great pivot (for example, when I know the opponent's Flygon is trying to Toxic my Porygon2) and Explosion is a great emergency stop to a ton of shit, especially with Dugtrio backing it up. However, despite all my talk so far about how he's a great lure and the defensive utility he brings, Gengar is a scary fucking Pokemon to face on its own, since it's fast and strong as all hell, and when passed a Calm Mind by Celebi it's absolutely brutal since not only does it push its power into levels that the opponent's usually not ready for, but it also takes away a lot of shit that could revenge kill it. Gengar's extremely dangerous even without Giga Drain's coverage, since for the most part this team could really care less about Swampert and is built to get rid of Tyranitar.
Outrunning opposing Gengar is valuable like you wouldn't believe so I creep a lot in the speed department. The attacking investments do something I've since forgotten, though it certainly couldn't hurt to pump more in either, or both. The bulk is completely arbitrary, it's definitely come in handy but can totally be made more efficient. The 8 special defense is just so I can say I have EVs in all six stats.
Every time I successfully switch Gar into a boom, I make a giant leap towards my end goal of having a manly ass beard.
Celebi @ Leftovers***the ethereal forest
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 120 HP / 248 SAtk / 140 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Baton Pass
- Calm Mind
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Celebi fuels the entire team by waltzing in against waters, posing a solid offensive threat, and most notably for its ability to make everything on the team more dangerous with a Calm Mind passed to it - even Dugtrio appreciates it, since special attackers it might try to trap can no longer kill it.
I never really liked Psychic on offensive Celebi. I think it was Danilo who told me to try BP on it once and I've never gone back because it is so ridiculously useful. Aside from passing CMs, it can also jump straight out of something it lures to get an advantageous matchup that I can use to either get a safe switch for Dugtrio or bust holes with Gengar, Charizard or Suicune.
A Modest nature means that a boosted Celebi is hitting really hard, as opposed to its wimpy Timid counterpart. The extra power is really useful to make sure Skarmory doesn't phaze you out all day.
Dugtrio (M) @ Choice Band***as the tears fall
Trait: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 36 SDef / 220 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Aerial Ace
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Rock Slide
Dugtrio's trapping abilities are crucial for this team, seeing as it revolves around removing Tyranitar from the game so Charizard's sun goes uncontested. It also picks off Raikou, who can be kind of a dick and is pretty much the sole reason I don't run Adamant (which is so much stronger it's ridiculous), although beating offensive Starmie is nice. The threat of Porygon2 is always looming so if I think there might be a Kou in the back I try to avoid trapping other dudes with Dug unless I really have to.
Porygon2 @ Leftovers***ginom renande lughier
Trait: Trace
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 32 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Recover
- Toxic / Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
Speaking of Porygon2, here's my own! This team doesn't use it as opposing Dugtrio removal (although I'll certainly take it) as much as it does a general utility counter to a ton of shit, which frees up my Suicune as an offensive threat. P2's also a surprisingly nice CM pass recipient, with good Special Attack and BoltBeam.
The choice between Thunder Wave and Toxic is pretty tough. It's not a consistent gamebreaker or anything but both are really useful. Each one's got its more favorable matchup though; TWave is better against offense to slow down a DDtar trying to set up in your face, while rarely being used against stall. Toxic is better against stall, as it makes Blissey a lot easier for Dugtrio to pick off, and forces CMBliss out if Celebi's passed P2 a CM; another common scenario is one where my boosted Suicune's phazed out their CM Blissey and has killed their other dudes but misses on the last mon Bliss or has run out of Hydro Pump, meaning P2 comes in and finishes the game. Toxic's probably the better move overall, TWave's just a luxury.
While writing this I realized how I've run double status P2 on other teams to good effect but never on this one, which is kinda weird since it'd be a good fit; the only thing I wouldn't like would be the lack of coverage when passed a CM. Definitely worth trying although I think just Toxic is the most ~optimal~ as my good buddy Quintin "sleep and league" Johnson would say.
Charizard (M) @ Petaya Berry***svarter skiner sólen
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Substitute
- Sunny Day
Ever since I started playing competitive Pokemon on wifi in the Platinum metagame, I wanted to use Charizard. I actually used a Scarf set as my DD Salamence revenge killer because of super effective Dragon Pulse, and I once flinched out a Gliscor in sand with Air Slash. So when I saw how good it was in ADV after Majin kicked my ass with one, there was no way I wasn't gonna use it.
This team uses Zard's sun as more than just a way to make its Fire Blasts nuclear. Porygon2 and Suicune often fail as Aerodactyl checks due to Rock Slide's flinch rate, which is often fatal with their Leftovers being canceled out in sand. With Tyranitar and sand gone from the game, P2 and Cune are suddenly much safer against Dactyl with their Leftovers intact.
Of course, that's not to say Zard doesn't dish out massive amounts of pain. Nothing is safe from this monster when he gets going. God forbid Celebi manages to pass it a CM. Your puny "special wall" will be roasted, as seen below:
Start of turn 7
Celebi used Calm Mind!
Celebi's Sp. Att. rose!
Celebi's Sp. Def. rose!
The foe's Celebi used Hidden Power!
It's super effective!
Celebi lost 90 HP! (24% of its health)
The sandstorm rages.
Celebi is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Celebi is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Celebi restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
The foe's Celebi restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Start of turn 8
Celebi used Hidden Power!
It's super effective!
The foe's Celebi lost 56% of its health!
The foe's Celebi used Hidden Power!
It's super effective!
Celebi lost 86 HP! (23% of its health)
The sandstorm rages.
Celebi is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Celebi is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Celebi restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
The foe's Celebi restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Start of turn 9
Celebi used Baton Pass!
Eldrig called Celebi back!
Eldrig sent out Charizard!
The foe's Celebi used Hidden Power!
It's not very effective...
Charizard lost 26 HP! (8% of its health)
The sandstorm rages.
Charizard is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Celebi is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Celebi restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Start of turn 10
xD called Celebi back!
xD sent out Salamence!
The foe's Salamence intimidates Charizard!
Charizard's Attack fell!
Charizard used Substitute!
Charizard made a substitute!
The sandstorm rages.
Charizard is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Salamence is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Salamence restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Start of turn 11
Charizard used Sunny Day!
The sunlight turned harsh!
The foe's Salamence used Dragon Claw!
A critical hit!
Charizard's substitute faded!
The sunlight is strong.
Start of turn 12
Charizard used Fire Blast!
It's not very effective...
The foe's Salamence lost 96% of its health!
The foe's Salamence was burned!
The foe's Salamence used Dragon Claw!
Charizard lost 108 HP! (36% of its health)
Charizard ate its Petaya Berry!
The Petaya Berry raised Charizard's Sp. Att.!
The sunlight is strong.
The foe's Salamence restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
The foe's Salamence was hurt by its burn!
The foe's Salamence fainted!
BKC: holy christ
xD sent out Vaporeon!
Celebi used Calm Mind!
Celebi's Sp. Att. rose!
Celebi's Sp. Def. rose!
The foe's Celebi used Hidden Power!
It's super effective!
Celebi lost 90 HP! (24% of its health)
The sandstorm rages.
Celebi is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Celebi is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Celebi restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
The foe's Celebi restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Start of turn 8
Celebi used Hidden Power!
It's super effective!
The foe's Celebi lost 56% of its health!
The foe's Celebi used Hidden Power!
It's super effective!
Celebi lost 86 HP! (23% of its health)
The sandstorm rages.
Celebi is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Celebi is buffeted by the sandstorm!
Celebi restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
The foe's Celebi restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Start of turn 9
Celebi used Baton Pass!
Eldrig called Celebi back!
Eldrig sent out Charizard!
The foe's Celebi used Hidden Power!
It's not very effective...
Charizard lost 26 HP! (8% of its health)
The sandstorm rages.
Charizard is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Celebi is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Celebi restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Start of turn 10
xD called Celebi back!
xD sent out Salamence!
The foe's Salamence intimidates Charizard!
Charizard's Attack fell!
Charizard used Substitute!
Charizard made a substitute!
The sandstorm rages.
Charizard is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Salamence is buffeted by the sandstorm!
The foe's Salamence restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
Start of turn 11
Charizard used Sunny Day!
The sunlight turned harsh!
The foe's Salamence used Dragon Claw!
A critical hit!
Charizard's substitute faded!
The sunlight is strong.
Start of turn 12
Charizard used Fire Blast!
It's not very effective...
The foe's Salamence lost 96% of its health!
The foe's Salamence was burned!
The foe's Salamence used Dragon Claw!
Charizard lost 108 HP! (36% of its health)
Charizard ate its Petaya Berry!
The Petaya Berry raised Charizard's Sp. Att.!
The sunlight is strong.
The foe's Salamence restored a little HP using its Leftovers!
The foe's Salamence was hurt by its burn!
The foe's Salamence fainted!
BKC: holy christ
xD sent out Vaporeon!
Start of turn 13
Charizard used Fire Blast!
It's not very effective...
The foe's Vaporeon lost 100% of its health!
The foe's Vaporeon fainted!
The song title is "black sun shines" in Swedish
Suicune @ Leftovers***diabolical beauty
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 136 HP / 228 SAtk / 144 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Roar
Suicune is the obligatory bulky water that naturally checks so many dangerous threats like Metagross and Salamence and at the same time is a ferocious sweeper. What's cool about this team is that very rarely do I have to use Cune defensively; my other guys provide me with the luxury of not really needing to switch it into shit early game unless I'm pivoting (for example Cune on Metagross' Meteor Mash and Gengar on the Explosion), and even that's somewhat rare. This means I can hold it back and force it on the opponent once they've been sufficiently weakened, which is very hard to stop considering how much work dog puts in against even healthy teams.
Roar is so ridiculously good, I've never even considered another move for the spot. If the opponent relies on CM Blissey to beat Cune, you just set up alongside them and then sweep them off their ass. Same goes for the slightly more uncommon Psych Up Regice. It also reduces CM wars against Jirachi and other Suicune into pretty much free setup.
I used to run Timid, around a ~274 stat, to get the jump on Adamant Heracross + DD / slower CB Salamence, and that sure came in handy a few times, but eventually I switched to Modest since Jolly Hera + faster Mence would make that useless and the extra power is sweet. Now I just creep a little on things that outrun Magneton and Salac Swampert, which is all I need. Some more speed couldn't hurt of course but personally I like the bulk.
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LAST LOOK
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Final stretch
This team certainly isn't perfect. However it's still dangerous, has proved its worth in tournaments against great players, and is a ton of fun to play with. Plus, it's very special to me as the first really good ADV team I made. There isn't anything I can't beat as long as I play well... which is how Pokemon should be.
Gengar (M) @ Leftovers
Shiny: Yes
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 56 HP / 44 Atk / 52 Def / 148 SAtk / 8 SDef / 200 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Explosion
- Hypnosis
- Ice Punch
- Thunderbolt
Celebi @ Leftovers
Shiny: Yes
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 120 HP / 248 SAtk / 140 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Baton Pass
- Calm Mind
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Dugtrio (M) @ Choice Band
Shiny: Yes
Trait: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 36 SDef / 220 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Aerial Ace
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Rock Slide
Porygon2 @ Leftovers
Shiny: Yes
Trait: Trace
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 32 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Recover
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
Charizard (M) @ Petaya Berry
Shiny: Yes
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Substitute
- Sunny Day
Suicune @ Leftovers
Shiny: Yes
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 136 HP / 228 SAtk / 144 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Roar
Shiny: Yes
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 56 HP / 44 Atk / 52 Def / 148 SAtk / 8 SDef / 200 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Explosion
- Hypnosis
- Ice Punch
- Thunderbolt
Celebi @ Leftovers
Shiny: Yes
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 120 HP / 248 SAtk / 140 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Baton Pass
- Calm Mind
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Dugtrio (M) @ Choice Band
Shiny: Yes
Trait: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 36 SDef / 220 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Aerial Ace
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Rock Slide
Porygon2 @ Leftovers
Shiny: Yes
Trait: Trace
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 32 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Recover
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
Charizard (M) @ Petaya Berry
Shiny: Yes
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Substitute
- Sunny Day
Suicune @ Leftovers
Shiny: Yes
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 136 HP / 228 SAtk / 144 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Roar
This is the drumzard team I mentioned in the intro, it's pretty strong. I remember several games where zard's +6 double-edge did 99% to bulky suicune and from there ttar/mence/aero cleaned with ease. I think I originally had cb mence but decided liechi dd was more dangerous. Regice had twave to help ttar/aero flinch through things with rock slide.
This is just a small nod to the first adv team I built entirely by myself. The idea was: in theory, with Spikes and Endeavor Swampert in conjunction with sand wearing the opposing team down, the two fastest mons in the tier would have easy pickings late-game. It didn't quite work out as I intended but it was pretty good anyway! I really liked the BP Jolteon + CM BP Celebi combination, passing back and forth between those two was surprisingly dangerous. I eventually changed Swampert to the defensive set, he still appreciated CM passes and provided me with a much-needed defensive backbone.
I got rid of Aero for Gengar in the first 2 rounds of tour 14 playoffs, originally with 4 attacks and then 3 attacks + boom to get rid of Blissey. This is what I used against Bloo. I then tried my hand at the Perish Song set, which I used against Heist, and have since rejected in favor of good sets that don't involve major (BAN ME PLEASE)ry.
The last thing I tried was Metagross as an alternative to Gar who could also Explode and benefit from CM passing and bust up SkarmBliss without resorting to killing itself or wasting coverage on Focus Punch.
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