Kevin Garrett
is a competitor
BW Stall Guide
Written by Kevin Garrett.
Stall has been one of the most successful styles of play in previous generations. The secret to its success lies in the use of passive damage in the form of entry hazards and status conditions to wear down the opponent, while your defensive prowess minimizes the amount of damage you sustain. The ability to cover threats with multiple Pokémon and be able to recover the damage is crucial because it gives you a greater margin of error in your moves. This allows you to prolong the game in order to achieve the desired outcome in a match. Other styles of play do not have the bulk and resources that permit many mistakes over the course of a game. This is what makes stall the most consistent style of play.
Pokémon Black and White brought numerous changes to the standard metagame that affects the way stall is run. The most notable of these changes is access to Drizzle and Drought with Politoed and Ninetales. This adds another thing you need to cover with stall in order to prevent your opponent from being able to abuse permanent weather for the entire game, which can be achieved a few different ways. One way is to utilize your own source of permanent weather, while being able to handle all the abusers of that form of weather. Alternatively, you can elect to use a weather changing move on one of your Pokémon. The other approach you can take is to have no weather on your team, but to make sure you have the abusers of every form of weather covered well.
Another major change to the landscape of stall is the position of Rapid Spin blocker. Rotom Appliance Formes are no longer Ghost-type; their secondary type matches the type of their signature attacks. This comes as a big blow to stall teams because the Rotom-A was the best source of Rapid Spin protection in any generation. Its successor in the 5th Generation is Jellicent. While it does not have the ability Levitate, it does have great defensive typing, stats, and access to an instant recovery move. The value of instant recovery moves has been greatly increased due to the new sleep mechanics in Black and White. Every time you switch out a Pokémon that is asleep, its sleep counter will be reset. This makes using Rest for the purpose of recovery less practical.
There is more competition for the role of Spiker on stall teams with the addition of Ferrothorn in the metagame. It has almost as much physical bulk as Forretress and a much greater Special Defense stat. The only downside is that it does not have access to Rapid Spin, but it compensates that by having a great ability in Iron Barbs and a rich support move pool. As far as other noteworthy changes go, the abilities Regenerator and Poison Heal being distributed to existing Pokémon through Dream World has introduced some new faces to stall teams. In a fast paced metagame like Black and White, easy recovery is vital for staying on top of your opponent's threats. For a more detailed analysis of all the viable options for stall, read the Pokémon to Consider section.
Stall Basics
This section will explain the basic pieces necessary to make a good stall team.
Pokémon to Consider
Gliscor
Type: Ground / Flying
Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 125 Def / 45 SpA / 75 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Hyper Cutter / Sand Veil / Poison Heal
Summary.
Common threats checked by Gliscor:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Slowbro
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 75 Atk / 110 Def / 100 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Ability: Oblivious / Own Tempo / Regenerator
Summary.
Common threats checked by Slowbro:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Tangrowth
Type: Grass
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 125 Def / 110 SpA / 50 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Chlorophyll / Leaf Guard / Regenerator
Summary.
Common threats checked by Tangrowth:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Bronzong
Type: Steel / Psychic
Base Stats: 67 HP / 89 Atk / 116 Def / 79 SpA / 116 SpD / 33 Spe
Ability: Levitate / Heat Proof / Heavy Metal
Summary.
Common threats checked by Bronzong:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Jellicent
Type: Water / Ghost
Base Stats: 100 HP / 60 Atk / 70 Def / 85 SpA / 105 SpD / 60 Spe
Ability: Water Absorb / Cursed Body / Damp
Summary.
Common threats checked by Jellicent:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Blissey
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 255 HP / 10 Atk / 10 Def / 75 SpA / 135 SpD / 55 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer
Summary.
Common threats checked by Blissey:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Chansey
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 250 HP / 5 Atk / 5 Def / 35 SpA / 105 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer
Summary.
Common threats checked by Chansey:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Heatran
Type: Fire / Steel
Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 106 Def / 130 SpA / 106 SpD / 77 Spe
Ability: Flash Fire / Flame Body
Summary.
Common threats checked by Heatran:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Jirachi
Type: Steel / Psychic
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Serene Grace
Summary.
Common threats checked by Jirachi:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Gastrodon
Type: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 110 HP / 83 Atk / 68 Def / 92 SpA / 82 SpD / 39 Spe
Ability: Sticky Hold / Storm Drain / Sand Force
Summary.
Common threats checked by Gastrodon:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Forretress
Type: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 75 HP / 90 Atk / 140 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 40 Spe
Ability: Sturdy / Overcoat
Summary.
Common threats checked by Forretress:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Ferrothorn
Type: Grass / Steel
Base Stats: 74 HP / 94 Atk / 131 Def / 54 SpA / 116 SpD / 20 Spe
Ability: Iron Barbs
Summary.
Common threats checked by Ferrothorn:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Skarmory
Type: Steel / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 80 Atk / 140 Def / 40 SpA / 70 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Keen Eye / Sturdy / Weak Armor
Summary.
Common threats checked by Skarmory:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Tentacuel
Type: Water / Poison
Base Stats: 80 HP / 70 Atk / 65 Def / 80 SpA / 120 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Clear Body / Liquid Ooze / Rain Dish
Summary.
Common threats checked by Tentacruel:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Deoxys-D
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 50 HP / 70 Atk / 160 Def / 70 SpA / 160 SpD / 90 Spe
Ability: Pressure
Summary.
Common threats checked by Deoxys-D:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Tyranitar
Type: Rock / Dark
Base Stats: 100 HP / 134 Atk / 110 Def / 95 SpA / 100 SpD / 61 Spe
Ability: Sand Stream / Unnerve
Summary.
Common threats checked by Tyranitar:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Politoed
Type: Water
Base Stats: 90 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 90 SpA / 100 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Water Absorb / Damp / Drizzle
Summary.
Common threats checked by Politoed:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Abomasnow
Type: Grass / Ice
Base Stats: 90 HP / 92 Atk / 75 Def / 92 SpA / 85 SpD / 60 Spe
Ability: Snow Warning / Soundproof
Summary.
Common threats checked by Abomasnow:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Threats to Stall
This section will list the threats to stall teams and give tips for handling them.
Types of Stall
This section will explain the different ways you can make a stall team.
Sample Teams
This section will have some teams exported from Pokemon Online with a small summary for each one.
Conclusion
This section will wrap everything up with some closing comments.
Written by Kevin Garrett.
- [jump=Introduction]Introduction[/jump]
- [jump=Stall Basics]Stall Basics[/jump]
- [jump=Pokémon to Consider]Pokémon to Consider[/jump]
- [jump=Threats to Stall]Threats to Stall[/jump]
- [jump=Types of Stall]Types of Stall[/jump]
- [jump=Sample Teams]Sample Teams[/jump]
- [jump=Conclusion]Conclusion[/jump]
Stall has been one of the most successful styles of play in previous generations. The secret to its success lies in the use of passive damage in the form of entry hazards and status conditions to wear down the opponent, while your defensive prowess minimizes the amount of damage you sustain. The ability to cover threats with multiple Pokémon and be able to recover the damage is crucial because it gives you a greater margin of error in your moves. This allows you to prolong the game in order to achieve the desired outcome in a match. Other styles of play do not have the bulk and resources that permit many mistakes over the course of a game. This is what makes stall the most consistent style of play.
Pokémon Black and White brought numerous changes to the standard metagame that affects the way stall is run. The most notable of these changes is access to Drizzle and Drought with Politoed and Ninetales. This adds another thing you need to cover with stall in order to prevent your opponent from being able to abuse permanent weather for the entire game, which can be achieved a few different ways. One way is to utilize your own source of permanent weather, while being able to handle all the abusers of that form of weather. Alternatively, you can elect to use a weather changing move on one of your Pokémon. The other approach you can take is to have no weather on your team, but to make sure you have the abusers of every form of weather covered well.
Another major change to the landscape of stall is the position of Rapid Spin blocker. Rotom Appliance Formes are no longer Ghost-type; their secondary type matches the type of their signature attacks. This comes as a big blow to stall teams because the Rotom-A was the best source of Rapid Spin protection in any generation. Its successor in the 5th Generation is Jellicent. While it does not have the ability Levitate, it does have great defensive typing, stats, and access to an instant recovery move. The value of instant recovery moves has been greatly increased due to the new sleep mechanics in Black and White. Every time you switch out a Pokémon that is asleep, its sleep counter will be reset. This makes using Rest for the purpose of recovery less practical.
There is more competition for the role of Spiker on stall teams with the addition of Ferrothorn in the metagame. It has almost as much physical bulk as Forretress and a much greater Special Defense stat. The only downside is that it does not have access to Rapid Spin, but it compensates that by having a great ability in Iron Barbs and a rich support move pool. As far as other noteworthy changes go, the abilities Regenerator and Poison Heal being distributed to existing Pokémon through Dream World has introduced some new faces to stall teams. In a fast paced metagame like Black and White, easy recovery is vital for staying on top of your opponent's threats. For a more detailed analysis of all the viable options for stall, read the Pokémon to Consider section.
Stall Basics
This section will explain the basic pieces necessary to make a good stall team.
Pokémon to Consider
Gliscor
Type: Ground / Flying
Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 125 Def / 45 SpA / 75 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Hyper Cutter / Sand Veil / Poison Heal
Summary.
Common threats checked by Gliscor:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Slowbro
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 75 Atk / 110 Def / 100 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Ability: Oblivious / Own Tempo / Regenerator
Summary.
Common threats checked by Slowbro:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Tangrowth
Type: Grass
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 125 Def / 110 SpA / 50 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Chlorophyll / Leaf Guard / Regenerator
Summary.
Common threats checked by Tangrowth:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Bronzong
Type: Steel / Psychic
Base Stats: 67 HP / 89 Atk / 116 Def / 79 SpA / 116 SpD / 33 Spe
Ability: Levitate / Heat Proof / Heavy Metal
Summary.
Common threats checked by Bronzong:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Jellicent
Type: Water / Ghost
Base Stats: 100 HP / 60 Atk / 70 Def / 85 SpA / 105 SpD / 60 Spe
Ability: Water Absorb / Cursed Body / Damp
Summary.
Common threats checked by Jellicent:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Blissey
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 255 HP / 10 Atk / 10 Def / 75 SpA / 135 SpD / 55 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer
Summary.
Common threats checked by Blissey:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Chansey
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 250 HP / 5 Atk / 5 Def / 35 SpA / 105 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer
Summary.
Common threats checked by Chansey:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Heatran
Type: Fire / Steel
Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 106 Def / 130 SpA / 106 SpD / 77 Spe
Ability: Flash Fire / Flame Body
Summary.
Common threats checked by Heatran:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Jirachi
Type: Steel / Psychic
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Serene Grace
Summary.
Common threats checked by Jirachi:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Gastrodon
Type: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 110 HP / 83 Atk / 68 Def / 92 SpA / 82 SpD / 39 Spe
Ability: Sticky Hold / Storm Drain / Sand Force
Summary.
Common threats checked by Gastrodon:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Forretress
Type: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 75 HP / 90 Atk / 140 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 40 Spe
Ability: Sturdy / Overcoat
Summary.
Common threats checked by Forretress:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Ferrothorn
Type: Grass / Steel
Base Stats: 74 HP / 94 Atk / 131 Def / 54 SpA / 116 SpD / 20 Spe
Ability: Iron Barbs
Summary.
Common threats checked by Ferrothorn:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Skarmory
Type: Steel / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 80 Atk / 140 Def / 40 SpA / 70 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Keen Eye / Sturdy / Weak Armor
Summary.
Common threats checked by Skarmory:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Tentacuel
Type: Water / Poison
Base Stats: 80 HP / 70 Atk / 65 Def / 80 SpA / 120 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Clear Body / Liquid Ooze / Rain Dish
Summary.
Common threats checked by Tentacruel:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Deoxys-D
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 50 HP / 70 Atk / 160 Def / 70 SpA / 160 SpD / 90 Spe
Ability: Pressure
Summary.
Common threats checked by Deoxys-D:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Tyranitar
Type: Rock / Dark
Base Stats: 100 HP / 134 Atk / 110 Def / 95 SpA / 100 SpD / 61 Spe
Ability: Sand Stream / Unnerve
Summary.
Common threats checked by Tyranitar:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Politoed
Type: Water
Base Stats: 90 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 90 SpA / 100 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Water Absorb / Damp / Drizzle
Summary.
Common threats checked by Politoed:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Abomasnow
Type: Grass / Ice
Base Stats: 90 HP / 92 Atk / 75 Def / 92 SpA / 85 SpD / 60 Spe
Ability: Snow Warning / Soundproof
Summary.
Common threats checked by Abomasnow:
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Useful moves:
Preferred Teammates:
Threats to Stall
This section will list the threats to stall teams and give tips for handling them.
Types of Stall
This section will explain the different ways you can make a stall team.
Sample Teams
This section will have some teams exported from Pokemon Online with a small summary for each one.
Conclusion
This section will wrap everything up with some closing comments.