Jump to content

Recommended Posts

INTRO


Welcome everyone to my first RMT for Gen 6! This is not the first team I make for this generation actually, however the other one I made is a standard stall team which revolves around wearing down opponents and then finishing them off with Talonflame. Pretty straightforward uh? Instead, tonight I bring you a team that still needs a lot of improvement, but is based on a concept that, if correctly polished, has the potential to dominate the meta in the upcoming generation... I am talking about Volt-Turn!
The only top tier strategy of Generation 5 that was not nerfed or revolutioned by the new mechanics introduced in X/Y, Volt-Turn has now a huge chance to shine: it is up to us, the players, to make sure it makes the most of this chance!


AT A GLANCE


205.gifgreninja.png3W4lKLa.pngnoivern_sprite_by_noscium-d6k1c0x.png479-wash.png212.gif


Here is the team as of now: Forre is the lead of choice as it is both a spinner and a hazard setter, which also happens to be able to keep the momentum going with Volt Switch: from there, the other guys take turns in throwing everything they've got at the opposition, in what often turns into a old-school beatdown. Very few Pokemon can resist this strategy if you predict correctly, however the few counters out there are hard ones, and sometimes getting things to work your way may be tricky...Hence why this topic exists: maybe we can all figure out how to improve this, many minds work better than just one!

IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS


205.gif@ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Volt Switch

Well, this guy is pretty straightforward: physical tank which happens to be able to Volt Switch, all while setting Rocks and Toxic Spikes (preferred to Spikes because originally Greninja was the spiker of the team, but now I've changed the latter's set and thus I might put Spikes here...) and spinning when needed...This generation Forretress could actually be unable to fully exploit the potential we all know and love (what with all those popular Ghost-types around), but well, as the only spinner capable of learning Volt Switch I immediately thought of it when making the team...

greninja.png@ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- U-turn
- Grass Knot
- Surf
- Ice Beam

Originally this guy was supposed to be the spiker of the team, but then I realized that I wasn't using Spikes in most matches anyway (my priority is always to U-turn to scout and keep the momentum going) and then I needed a way to hit those pesky Water-types which kept switching in, so Grass Knot replaced Spikes. Still Grass Knot misses many important kills (namely Rotom-W) so it is not THAT important in the end... I am really unsure about this spot in the moveset! The other 3 moves are staples: U-turn to keep the momentum going, Surf and Ice Beam have nice coverage and hit hard many key threats... However, talking about STAB is kinda pointless in Greninja's case (with Protean EVERYTHING is STAB), so yeah, given that Ice Beam is vital to kill those dancing dragons (which are still around, Fairy type and all) I might actually replace Surf with a move that provides better coverage, if you guys can think about one...

3W4lKLa.png@ Choice Band
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Return
- U-turn
- Stone Edge

I learned that Diggersby could get Huge Power and U-turn in a RMT topic made by Dusk Taker, and I decided to try it out. And I was actually astonished: this guy is surprisingly good. With this set, the huge rabbit can take many neutral hits and fire off powerful physical moves in return, while at the same time countering Aegilash (the most popular set for the latter having no Speed investiments, thus Diggersby can still grab the OHKO with EQ before they attempt Sacred Sword...) and being a solid check to stuff like Tyrannitar and, to a lesser extent, Talonflame (whose versatility however can get the better of Diggersby). Oh, it also completely shuts down Klefki. Nothing to say, this guy is fantastic!

noivern_sprite_by_noscium-d6k1c0x.png@ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Timid Nature
- Air Slash
- Draco Meteor
- U-turn
- Flamethrower

Noivern is great at taking advantage from the great paradox of Gen 6: a lot of Pokemon with high base Speed are seen around, more than ever before, however weather abusing speed boosts have been nerfed to the point that you rarely see those around at all. As a result, the meta has actually slowed down despite more and more fast Pokemon seeing the light, because nobody is capable of hitting the insane peaks that were granted by Sand Rush, Swift Swim and Clorophyl. In such an environment Noivern shines: its great Speed allows it to run Specs instead of Scarf, thus dealing insane amounts of damage while still outspeeding most Pokemon out there. I find Specs to be superior to Scarf, because it grabs important kills, for example it guarantees to kill even the most specially bulky Skarmory after SR with Flamethrower, however Scarf allows to outspeed +1 Salamence and kill it with Draco Meteor, so it has its advantages. The moves are pretty much self-explainatory: there is nothing more to be said, this is a very good Pokemon and I can predict it will be a staple in any Volt-Turn team.
479-wash.png@ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 4 Spd
Modest Nature
- Trick
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp

Ah, Specs Rotom-W. The stuff it kills, the damage it racks up upon Volt switching to keep the momentum going, the walls it cripples with Trick, the physical set-up sweepers it ruins with WoW. This guy is great, has great bulk and great typing, and it really shines with Specs, because it can cripple a wider range of enemies with Trick (Tricking Choice Specs to a physical sweeper will hinder it, while tricking a Scarf to the same Pokemon might give it a chance to sweep...). You need to be careful to keep it alive as long as you possibly can, because it is the only member of this team capable of taking special hits, but it repays you with great performances...
212.gif@ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Roost

I am unsure about this guy. On one hand, upon mega evolving it becomes bulkier, after dancing once it is deadly, and the fact that it is not bound to a choice item means it can easily get the upper hand when facing stall-oriented teams, courtesy of Roost. On the other hand, without Choice Band Scizor misses crucial kills in one-on-one situations, if it hasn't been able to use Swords Dance (for example if it is coming in after getting the tag from a companion), the most important being Mega Gengar, which is never killed by +0 Mega Scizor with Bullet Punch, not even after SR AND damage from Forretess' or even Rotom's Volt Switch. So yeah, reliability is nice and all, but sometimes you just need the muscles... I don't know what to do to be honest!

THE THREATS


Bulky Fighting-types, Mega Lucario and Mega Gengar are hard to deal with, at least with these members/sets. Gengar is particularly problematic because it outspeeds most of my team, which has some problems killing it anyway. A possible solution could maybe be giving a Choice Scarf to Greninja, tagging it in a the opposition switches to Gengar, and then grab the kill with Dark Pulse, which SHOULD be a OHKO... Talonflame gets U-turn, and given how good that Pokemon is I had considered it, however I am not sure about the set to run in order to properly exploit U-turn, also I wouldn't know who to remove. Going without Hazards and giving Defog to Scizor might be an idea, however Dragonite is still out there, so I am not so sure about going without SR... Gliscor gets SR and U-turn, and has a great offensive presence while being a physical wall at the same time, it could maybe replace Diggersby as the team's counter to the likes of Tyrannitar and Aegilash (not to mention it would still shut down Klefki), however in some one-on-one situations I'd be missing Diggersby's sheer power... These are all options to consider! And there are many more for sure!

CONCLUSIONS


This is the team. Rate, love, hate, comment, do whatever you want. Please always keep in mind that what I am researching here is a way of creating th perfect PURE Volt-Turn team. I cannot stress the word PURE enough: Volt-Turn here isn't just a thing a couple of Pokemon do as part of the core of the team, it is the main strategy, and as a result the team has a very fragile balance to mantain. Before suggesting any change, please consider the impact your suggestion would have on the overall balance, and pleae suggest also the changes the other members of the team would need to be able to include what you are suggesting (for example, removing Forretress would require Defog to be put on Scizor, or Spikes to be put on Greninja, or both). If you keep an eye on the overall balance of the team while posting, I am positive we will soon figure out the best way to improve it and turn it into what it has the potential to be: the dominant strategy of Gen 6 meta!

Forretress @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Volt Switch

Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- U-turn
- Grass Knot
- Surf
- Ice Beam

Diggersby @ Choice Band
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Return
- U-turn
- Stone Edge

Noivern @ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Timid Nature
- Air Slash
- Draco Meteor
- U-turn
- Flamethrower

Rotom-Wash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 4 Spd
Modest Nature
- Trick
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp

Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Roost

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

hey, i am very new to online wifi pokemon battling, and I am getting ready to start training/building my first team. I really like the idea of a volt-switch team and I have decided to use this as a base/guide. Have you had any new results with this team or new insight? also i was wondering specifically what replacement options there could be other than what you had already mentioned for any pokemon, especially diggersby/scizor/noivern. thanks man this helped a ton so far!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hey, i am very new to online wifi pokemon battling, and I am getting ready to start training/building my first team. I really like the idea of a volt-switch team and I have decided to use this as a base/guide. Have you had any new results with this team or new insight? also i was wondering specifically what replacement options there could be other than what you had already mentioned for any pokemon, especially diggersby/scizor/noivern. thanks man this helped a ton so far!

I am always happy to help newcomers by giving them insights on battle strategies, specially when it comes to Volt-Turn, which is one of my fav strategies ever. Sadly, such a team would be very difficult to re-create in a game environment, because Rotom-W is the most important Pokemon of any Volt-Turn team, and well, in a game you cannot rely on a legendary because, given that it cannot breed, you have no control on IVs and Nature... However, I do believe that a pure Volt-Turn team is possible both on the sim and in a game. It's 2:30 AM here, so I definitely need to sleep, and during weekends I have problems to get online: however, starting on monday I'll be happy to provide some more help if you are interested in it. Just PM me if you want, and I'll reply as soon as I have some free time (I am in a very busy period of my life, but I'll do my best).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sadly, such a team would be very difficult to re-create in a game environment, because Rotom-W is the most important Pokemon of any Volt-Turn team, and well, in a game you cannot rely on a legendary because, given that it cannot breed, you have no control on IVs and Nature...

a) You have no legends in your team, [if you mean rotom it's not a legend and can breed] b ) you can control a legends nature with synchronise and in gen 6 all legends have 3 perfect IVs anyway.

Edited by Secundum
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why would you think that Rotom was a legend? It has never been a legend, even back when it was useless and had no Formes other than Ghost form.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why would you think that Rotom was a legend? It has never been a legend, even back when it was useless and had no Formes other than Ghost form.

Well, there was legendary music when you faced it in 4th gen, and it was close to the legendaries on the pokédex... me and a bunch of other people then thought so at the time (though I later doubted it).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, there was legendary music when you faced it in 4th gen, and it was close to the legendaries on the pokédex... me and a bunch of other people then thought so at the time (though I later doubted it).

Pretty much this. Then I just forgot to check...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...