Battle Stadium Singles blog #6 — Double Trick fat Toad (S5)

This April's entry covers another original work of left-handed imbecility; a real knee-slapper; a rib-tickler, if you will. Ok, not really. Here's the gist of it though: two Trick users and an unorthodox Seismitoad spread come together to empower Togekiss and Diggersby for a relatively comfortable climb into the triple digit ranks again.

Rental Code: 0000 0001 1643 R3

Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/1f79b451afc79001

1) Team overview:

Grimmsnarl

This is a combination of Screens and Trick Grimmsnarl that goes full greed on the utility at the expense of consistency at any one single role: as lead, it can cripple the opposing lead (ideally hitting either Dragapult or Darmanitan to get maximum value) while setting up Reflect for Togekiss; in the back, it comes in to reverse opposing sweeper momentum. The defensive investments that allow Grimmsnarl to hard switch into most openers from physical Dynamax sweepers like non-Taunt Gyarados, for example, are equally useful for opposing Grimmsnarl, against which a combination of Reflect, Spirit Break and Brick Break can potentially see this set through that encounter, too, with no screens on the opposing side, and with Trick utility still available.

   In a vacuum, Brick Break is inferior to things like Thunder Wave, Taunt, Foul Play, or even Sucker Punch, but in the context of this meta, anti-Screens tech has enough utility to warrant a move slot. In any case, the lack of Light Clay heavily incentivizes Grimmsnarl's deployment as a reactive tool rather than an opener.

Mimikyu

At first glance, Scarf Mimikyu obviously has some serious antisynergy with Grimmsnarl. But if Grimmsnarl exists both to set up Reflect and take down opposing screens, but, more importantly, to cripple a Dynamax sweeper with Lagging Tail. Mimikyu, then, is here to not only cripple something defensive with Choice Scarf in match ups where Grimmsnarl does nothing (stall), and — of course — to potentially revenge something like opposing Mimikyu or Dragapult, to hard switch into a Dynamax sweeper and waste its turns with Phantom Force, or, indeed, even to act as a secondary Dynamax option in is own right.

Seismitoad

Fat Seismitoad is another secondary Dynamax option whose chief role is to hard counter lead things like Hippowdon and to bring Stealth Rock whenever the match up demands it. Of particular note is the additional value derived here from Rotom-H being a major problem for Togekiss and Diggersby as Dynamax users. Various bulk configurations (mostly HP+Def) currently exist for Seismitoad, but 44 Speed and +252 SpAtt with Mystic Water lets it hit at least two important benchmarks: Max Geyser 2HKOs HP-uninvested Snorlax without procing Gluttony, while still outspeeding every unboosted (bar Dragapult) opponent in the format in rain.

Aegislash

Zero-bulk Sash Aegislash is another lead option that also does well in the back with its Sash intact, and doubly so against something with a Lagging Tail Tricked onto it, against which Swords Dance is always free. This Grimmsnarl pairing is something based on Lie_LCR2's ladder exploits, where it was used in conjunction with Curse GMax-Snorlax.

   On this team, +2 Sacred Sword is also what breaks through Snorlax, whose various sets threaten to stop the primary Dynamax sweepers, Togekiss and Diggersby, without necessarily even having to trade Dynamax. It should be noted, though, that Close Combat is generally superior on Sash sets because you are not necessarily relying on actually surviving hits.

Togekiss

Scope Lens Togekiss needs to do some hard carrying for this team to do well against anything more defensive. As such, a Lum Berry set might be better suited for it, allowing a free Nasty Plot on any non-Heavy Slam Snorlax Yawn in the format, as well as potentially breaking through Screens Grimmsnarl without being crippled by Prankster Thunder Wave. Nevertheless, I opted for Scope Lens. This is mainly so that Togekiss' damage output remains impactful outside Dynamax in a greedy Diggersby/Seismitoad-Togekiss set up, for example.

Diggersby

Although Diggersby is outclassed by any number of threats in the Max Airstream sweeper role, it does have the distinction of outspeeding, after a Max Airstream, +252 Spd Dragapult's 213 real stat, and with some relatively decent coverage options to boot. Unfortunately, though, without a more dedicated set up in the form of Swords Dance, for instance, Diggersby can't break through opposing Dynamax even with super-effective hits, save for something 4x weak like Gyarados.

   Another thing going for this set is the Shadow Sneak immunity it provides Aegislash/Mimikyu in hyper offense match ups, that is to say, in those very same match ups it stands the best chance of actually doing something when inserted with momentum. The Fire Punch move slot is, I think, the slot most suitable for the flex slot. By this I mean swapping for the aforementioned Swords Dance, Rock Tomb, Superpower, Giga Impact/Quick Attack, or even U-turn.

2) Usage notes:

Alright, alright, this is not a team one would see in the final grind at season's end. And given that this climb was made so early in the season, I wouldn't want anyone getting the false impression that this team is good or anything. Merely decent.

And for the record, I only got scammed out of a win by the D/C exploit made public on 31-March once on the way up there, perhaps giving you some idea of how little there is at stake at the start of the season given the amount of chicanery that must have been going on at the high end of the ladder that last season's #1 and, I think, #4 finishers were almost immediately confirmed as exploiters. : (

2.1 — Usual team compositions

Aegislash-Togekiss-Grimmsnarl

Grimmsnarl-Aegislash-Diggersby/Togekiss

Seismitoad-Grimmsnarl/Mimikyu-Diggersby/Togekiss

2.2 — Most brought, by rate/member (descending)

The figures below are based on the approximately 50-55 games I had to play before breaking into triple digits with this after stomaching almost a dozen games of experimental failure with Silvally and Eiscue.

1. Aegislash

2. Grimmsnarl

3. Togekiss

4. Diggersby

5. Seismitoad

6. Mimikyu

2.3 — VS Team Select Screen

Screens or Tailwind Offense

Grimmsnarl or other Light Clay Dual Screens as leads or as follow ups to damage leads à la Trick Room offense builds. Alternatively, dedicated cripple leads like Tailwind/Memento/Switcheroo Whimsicott (Sash, Eject Button, Flame Orb) or Will-o-Wisp/Thunder Wave/Curse Dragapult/Mimikyu. Win conditions consist of Dragon Dancers (Haxorus is a dead giveaway), Cloyster, Max Airstream mode etc.

Grimmsnarl-Aegislash-Togekiss/Diggersby

Aegislash-Grimmsnarl-Togekiss/Diggersby/Seismitoad

Whether as a lead or as a momentum-regainer, Grimmsnarl is a must-bring. Diggersby can't really do anything without momentum, likely necessitating Grimmsnarl in the back to absolutely ensure Lagging Tail connects on a major threat.

Trick Room (Hyper) Offense

Curse Mimikyu typically paired with Rhyperior, Snorlax, Dracovish, or even something like Primarina/Lapras. Likely partners include Sash/Dynamax leading a sweeper like Cloyster, Durant, Sash Counter Cinderace etc. to trade 1-for-1 at a minimum so that Trick Room Mimikyu and its partner can clean up. Other partners may consist of Ferrothorn, Dracozolt, and even Gyarados and/or Togekiss mode.

Seismitoad/Diggersby/Togekiss-Grimmsnarl-Aegislash

Grimmsnarl-Aegislash-Seismitoad/Togekiss

Aegislash is a key component in getting a 1-for-1 trade (at a minimum) because these teams typically do not bring Stealth Rock. Dynamax options depend on the opponent's threats.

Balanced Momentum Offense

Excadrill, Mimikyu, Togekiss, Corviknight, Dragapult, Gyarados, Rotom, Yawn Hippowdon/Snorlax. At first glance, almost everything bar 1-2 defensive anchors is potentially an offensive threat, likely with a solid defensive backbone in something like Hippowdon or Snorlax. With multiple sweepers like this, something might also have an unexpected support set like Sash/Stealth Rock Rock Tomb Excadrill or Yawn or even Trick (Specs) Togekiss.

Togekiss/Seismitoad-Grimmsnarl-Aegislash/Diggersby

Grimmsnarl-Togekiss/Seismitoad/Diggersby-Aegislash

Mimikyu-Snorlax as a defensive pair checks everything you have, which means Aegislash will, more often than not, likely find itself in a clean up role after trading in Grimmsnarl.

Dedicated Defense (stall-mode)

Corviknight, Toxapex, Quagsire, Gastrodon, Umbreon, Corsola, Avalugg, Ditto etc.

Mimikyu-Togekiss-Seismitoad

Seismitoad, not having to be concerned with its Spd tier against defensive play, is decent against almost any permutation of stall. Nevertheless, Togekiss and Mimikyu are mandatory, with Togekiss' Super Luck/Scope Lens set up even providing a crit hax out against SpDeffy Unaware Quagsire.

3) In Conclusion:

Not the most spectacular of write-ups, but then again, neither was the team. And given that March's results were, in no small part, tainted thanks to the D/C bug invalidating games, I didn't feel like copying any of the top teams even though nouthuca has a full 10 pages of submissions for season 4.

   I'll probably switch to hyper offense and try to actually record a good finish towards the end of the month, but after that, I'm thinking about doing next season's initial climb with a team with Drednaw rain mode, so expect more on that in early May.

- Tox

SW-0021-9848-8999