Been playing PS without registering on the forums for a year or two now; figured I'd get things started off by exposing the team I've been refining off and on for most of that time.
It all started a while ago: I was working on a frankly stupid PU team and looking for some Z-move that would boost physical raichu's attack stat. Instead of settling on Z-laser focus I found the Z-splash description: instant +3 attack, and immediately looked for someone who could abuse that.
The basic idea is simple: Tsareena is priority immune, gets ridiculously powerful low-downside moves in power whip and high jump kick, and Z-splash. Her one big weakness is her middling speed, making her the prime candidate for a sticky web team. With her weaknesses covered, Tsareena pulls off 6-sweeps like no other.
Accordingly, this team is built around setting up and preserving sticky web and destroying enemy flyers that ignore it.
I don't consider this a terribly viable team (for me it'll play in the 1400-1500 range; a better player could likely take it a little further), but it's certainly a fun archetype when you get used to it. Too many high-offense builds are just brainless screen n' sweep; I like a build with more options and more reasonable counterplay and more fun interactions -- it keeps things tense and makes me feel like I earned my wins.
Mons
Tsareena @ Normalium Z
Ability: Queenly Majesty
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Splash
- Power Whip
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
The star of the show. Nothing too unconventional beyond the obvious here -- a Jolly nature is pretty much required, since you'll OHKO most everything anyways unless you're outsped (exceptions to be noted later), and adamant misses out on some key outspeeds in non-scarf salazzle (with webs up), honchkrow, and jolly metagross (clear body). It also gives you the best chance of still accomplishing something if you failed to get or keep webs up.
Araquanid @ Splash Plate
Ability: Water Bubble
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sticky Web
- Liquidation
- Magic Coat
- Mirror Coat
Every webs team needs a setter -- that's why we invited blue. I actually think Araquanid's overrated in this respect. I see way too many noncommittal webs teams on ladder and I think Araquanid kind of embodies that -- it's a great mon, but when it comes to actually putting up webs for its team, probably the worst setter. His lower speed and desire to run an item other than sash means you get stuck in way too many catch-22 situations where ribombee or galvantula would just speed and/or focus sash their way through and be done with it. I think that suicide lead mentality better matches what webs really should be -- no-holds-barred, high stakes hyper offense. That said, with proper play, araquanid has more potential. I think I pick him some of the time just to force myself to be better.
Dhelmise @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Steelworker
EVs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Power Whip
- Anchor Shot
- Synthesis
This is one of my most recent changes. I've used a few different spinblockers over the past year (including my wonderfully-stupid weakness policy drifblim), but Donphan's rise to prevalence led to me questioning whether there was any ghost type worth using that could survive both Mega-stoise's dark pulse and donphan's knock + shard. Seeing EviGaro's Qwlfish team for the latest RU teambuilding competition awoke me to Dhelmise's potential -- not only does it survive both (given full health + colbur berry), it OHKO's both back with power whip. It also takes on the hazard remover role just well enough for a team that carries enough taunt/threat and plays fast enough games that that role isn't as necessary. As you'll note, I'm strapped enough for team slots that I couldn't even manage to fit a steel type -- the role compression is highly appreciated.
I EV'd a little higher speed than the smogon NU set to punish players who think modest stoise is a good idea by outspeeding them after webs.
It's worth noting that on a team as offensive as this one, it's not even critical that the spinblocker not die on the switch -- both tsareena or vanilluxe can switch in and force conventional spinners out anyways if you predict wrong and get killed instead of switching in safely on spin.
Nidoqueen (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Taunt
It's the standard stealth rock set. I chose Nidoqueen because the team was too physical-heavy and I wanted a ground type to absorb electric moves aimed at Aerodactyl and Araquanid. I also just tend to build teams that get dunked on by Nidoqueen and chose to play her more often to figure out her weaknesses. Tsareena needs rocks for 2 things and 2 things only: breaking focus sashes and sturdy, and getting chip damage on the very pokemon that actually wall her. Chipping down flyers is also nice, but kind of counterproductive. You generally want to encourage them switching in earlier on so they can be taken care of before Tsareena starts her sweep.
Aerodactyl @ Life Orb
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Taunt
- Pursuit
For the last 2 slots I needed threats that would deal with sticky webs' 2 main weaknesses: flyers and removal. I specifically wanted checks/counters to swellow and noivern, ideally while taking care of my weakness vs the likes of ninetales and salazzle as well, especially without sticky web on the field. Aerodactyl checks all of these boxes quite admirably, countering or revenging each of the mentioned threats, winning out over scarf tyrantrum for his ability to run pursuit to guarantee their removal if they make the mistake of showing up early. Unnerve can also be really clutch sometimes, e.g. against Slurpuff. Still not completely sure about taunt over roost, but more on that later.
Vanilluxe @ Icicle Plate
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Blizzard
- Freeze-Dry
- Ice Shard
- Taunt
I've lamented about it in the RU chat a few times -- if you're serious about running sticky web and vanilluxe isn't on it, you're probably doing something wrong. Like Tsareena and Honch, it's one of those incredibly powerful mons that's just not quite fast enough to shine under normal conditions. Unlike Tsareena and Honch, it has ice shard to destroy faster flying types, flygon, and mega-sceptile, taunt to stop steels and defoggers it can't outright kill, snow warning to cancel out chlorophyll and sand rush, and the ability to counter Nidoqueen lacking fire blast (even without webs!).
Strengths:
- The team, and Tsareena in particular, performs ridiculously well against the likes of Donphan and Golisopod, which have become really common answers for countering offensive mons. Having a wicked-powerful sweeper that can outright ignore first impression, aqua jet, and ice shard is huge.
- The prevailing wisdom that sticky web is bad leads to it being an underplayed and underestimated archetype. A little targeted building gives you the ability to keep webs up in the vast majority of your games.
- Well-placed underutilized mons and sets leads to a nice surprise factor (though I may be ruining that with this post... oh well)
Weaknesses:
- This team tends to do poorly against opposing HO builds, which rely on screens/weather/trick room rather than webs or the like. Its inability to stall out turns barring cheesy traps by Dhelmise means their more consistent but shorter-term setups will too-often break my whole team.
- There are a few stacked type weaknesses (2 grass types is kind of ridiculous, though their roles and bulk are different enough that it's not as bad as it might be), some missing resists (hoopa's scary AF for this team) and not as many pivot opportunities as one might hope for. The team is forced to sack really often, so it has to do its job fast. This is especially treacherous on ladder where you have no idea who you're fighting.
- There's a lot of dependence on luck and/or prediction of random garbage. Clicking power whip or high jump kick (or stone edge on Aero) always runs the risk of outright missing. Clicking knock off at +3 is often a safe (no miss chance) OHKO on offensive mons when it activates, but you're often running the risk of an unexpected Z-crystal. Clicking high jump kick is often a OHKO on defensive mons, but is opening you up to shenanigans with ghost types or protect.
- Mandibuzz can still defensively check Tsareena and either defog or foul play. Not a whole lot else can, consistently.
- Some mons take advantage of one-time-setups particularly well, e.g. Intimidate Arcanine, Mega-Banette, etc.
- Pretty much all scarfers (other than tyrantrum) will still outspeed tsareena after webs. Salazzle and houndoom in particular will OHKO.
- Mono-grass isn't the best type for getting safe setups, and the current iteration doesn't have space for the likes of memento. You need a taunted steel or choice-locked priority (which is near-nonexistent in RU) or so to be likely to get free setup.
Some Tips:
- Most defensive mons will just die outright to the right move from Tsareena at +3, but a few benefit from being weakened first so that an alternate move will take them down to avoid potential shenanigans:
Avoiding HJK into protect:
+3 252 Atk Tsareena Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Registeel: 175-206 (48 - 56.5%) -- 89.1% chance to 2HKO
+3 252 Atk Tsareena Power Whip vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Umbreon: 424-501 (107.6 - 127.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+3 252 Atk Tsareena Power Whip vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Umbreon: 312-367 (79.1 - 93.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Avoiding Knock off onto Colbur/Z-move cress (particularly important vs. trick room; cress is all-too-often the difference maker):
+3 252 Atk Tsareena Power Whip vs. 252 HP / 112+ Def Cresselia: 327-385 (73.6 - 86.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
This doesn't really fit in this category since you'll always want to HJK vs. Mandibuzz (rather, just remove him entirely beforehan if at all possible), but here're the calcs:
+3 252 Atk Tsareena High Jump Kick vs. 248 HP / 76+ Def Mandibuzz: 271-319 (64 - 75.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+3 252 Atk Tsareena High Jump Kick vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Mandibuzz: 232-274 (54.8 - 64.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
(posted standard and physically defensive since I swear all the ladder Buzzes are full pdef).
Honorable Mentions:
- I've run a bunch of mons on this archetype, but a few stand out:
- Rampardos: I only really had reason to run this when chesnaught was still around (zen headbutt lure lel), but boy did 165 base attack sheer force life orb do work against the likes of chesnaught and mandibuzz.
- Whimsicott: running this mon on this archetype for prankster gimmicks like iron ball switcheroo, defog, taunt, and memento (at different times) really solidified it as my favorite mon. Its versatility and ability to switch in on Zydog and Flygon were great. It'd probably do great on a different webs team, but memento is less useful when the opposing mons your support invites in also hit your sweepers super effectively, and iron ball switcheroo is just silly and inconsistent.
- Jolly Explosion metagross: perhaps sadly, in many games this was my best answer for mandibuzz. If you outspeed (which is dodgy), explosion blocks defog and dents Buzz enough to where you can switch something else in to force it out or KO it before it just heals back up, then hopefully bring in and set up Tsareena before it has another chance to come in and try again.
It all started a while ago: I was working on a frankly stupid PU team and looking for some Z-move that would boost physical raichu's attack stat. Instead of settling on Z-laser focus I found the Z-splash description: instant +3 attack, and immediately looked for someone who could abuse that.
The basic idea is simple: Tsareena is priority immune, gets ridiculously powerful low-downside moves in power whip and high jump kick, and Z-splash. Her one big weakness is her middling speed, making her the prime candidate for a sticky web team. With her weaknesses covered, Tsareena pulls off 6-sweeps like no other.
Accordingly, this team is built around setting up and preserving sticky web and destroying enemy flyers that ignore it.
I don't consider this a terribly viable team (for me it'll play in the 1400-1500 range; a better player could likely take it a little further), but it's certainly a fun archetype when you get used to it. Too many high-offense builds are just brainless screen n' sweep; I like a build with more options and more reasonable counterplay and more fun interactions -- it keeps things tense and makes me feel like I earned my wins.
Mons
Tsareena @ Normalium Z
Ability: Queenly Majesty
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Splash
- Power Whip
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
The star of the show. Nothing too unconventional beyond the obvious here -- a Jolly nature is pretty much required, since you'll OHKO most everything anyways unless you're outsped (exceptions to be noted later), and adamant misses out on some key outspeeds in non-scarf salazzle (with webs up), honchkrow, and jolly metagross (clear body). It also gives you the best chance of still accomplishing something if you failed to get or keep webs up.
Araquanid @ Splash Plate
Ability: Water Bubble
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sticky Web
- Liquidation
- Magic Coat
- Mirror Coat
Every webs team needs a setter -- that's why we invited blue. I actually think Araquanid's overrated in this respect. I see way too many noncommittal webs teams on ladder and I think Araquanid kind of embodies that -- it's a great mon, but when it comes to actually putting up webs for its team, probably the worst setter. His lower speed and desire to run an item other than sash means you get stuck in way too many catch-22 situations where ribombee or galvantula would just speed and/or focus sash their way through and be done with it. I think that suicide lead mentality better matches what webs really should be -- no-holds-barred, high stakes hyper offense. That said, with proper play, araquanid has more potential. I think I pick him some of the time just to force myself to be better.
Dhelmise @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Steelworker
EVs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Power Whip
- Anchor Shot
- Synthesis
This is one of my most recent changes. I've used a few different spinblockers over the past year (including my wonderfully-stupid weakness policy drifblim), but Donphan's rise to prevalence led to me questioning whether there was any ghost type worth using that could survive both Mega-stoise's dark pulse and donphan's knock + shard. Seeing EviGaro's Qwlfish team for the latest RU teambuilding competition awoke me to Dhelmise's potential -- not only does it survive both (given full health + colbur berry), it OHKO's both back with power whip. It also takes on the hazard remover role just well enough for a team that carries enough taunt/threat and plays fast enough games that that role isn't as necessary. As you'll note, I'm strapped enough for team slots that I couldn't even manage to fit a steel type -- the role compression is highly appreciated.
I EV'd a little higher speed than the smogon NU set to punish players who think modest stoise is a good idea by outspeeding them after webs.
It's worth noting that on a team as offensive as this one, it's not even critical that the spinblocker not die on the switch -- both tsareena or vanilluxe can switch in and force conventional spinners out anyways if you predict wrong and get killed instead of switching in safely on spin.
Nidoqueen (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Taunt
It's the standard stealth rock set. I chose Nidoqueen because the team was too physical-heavy and I wanted a ground type to absorb electric moves aimed at Aerodactyl and Araquanid. I also just tend to build teams that get dunked on by Nidoqueen and chose to play her more often to figure out her weaknesses. Tsareena needs rocks for 2 things and 2 things only: breaking focus sashes and sturdy, and getting chip damage on the very pokemon that actually wall her. Chipping down flyers is also nice, but kind of counterproductive. You generally want to encourage them switching in earlier on so they can be taken care of before Tsareena starts her sweep.
Aerodactyl @ Life Orb
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Taunt
- Pursuit
For the last 2 slots I needed threats that would deal with sticky webs' 2 main weaknesses: flyers and removal. I specifically wanted checks/counters to swellow and noivern, ideally while taking care of my weakness vs the likes of ninetales and salazzle as well, especially without sticky web on the field. Aerodactyl checks all of these boxes quite admirably, countering or revenging each of the mentioned threats, winning out over scarf tyrantrum for his ability to run pursuit to guarantee their removal if they make the mistake of showing up early. Unnerve can also be really clutch sometimes, e.g. against Slurpuff. Still not completely sure about taunt over roost, but more on that later.
Vanilluxe @ Icicle Plate
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Blizzard
- Freeze-Dry
- Ice Shard
- Taunt
I've lamented about it in the RU chat a few times -- if you're serious about running sticky web and vanilluxe isn't on it, you're probably doing something wrong. Like Tsareena and Honch, it's one of those incredibly powerful mons that's just not quite fast enough to shine under normal conditions. Unlike Tsareena and Honch, it has ice shard to destroy faster flying types, flygon, and mega-sceptile, taunt to stop steels and defoggers it can't outright kill, snow warning to cancel out chlorophyll and sand rush, and the ability to counter Nidoqueen lacking fire blast (even without webs!).
Strengths:
- The team, and Tsareena in particular, performs ridiculously well against the likes of Donphan and Golisopod, which have become really common answers for countering offensive mons. Having a wicked-powerful sweeper that can outright ignore first impression, aqua jet, and ice shard is huge.
- The prevailing wisdom that sticky web is bad leads to it being an underplayed and underestimated archetype. A little targeted building gives you the ability to keep webs up in the vast majority of your games.
- Well-placed underutilized mons and sets leads to a nice surprise factor (though I may be ruining that with this post... oh well)
Weaknesses:
- This team tends to do poorly against opposing HO builds, which rely on screens/weather/trick room rather than webs or the like. Its inability to stall out turns barring cheesy traps by Dhelmise means their more consistent but shorter-term setups will too-often break my whole team.
- There are a few stacked type weaknesses (2 grass types is kind of ridiculous, though their roles and bulk are different enough that it's not as bad as it might be), some missing resists (hoopa's scary AF for this team) and not as many pivot opportunities as one might hope for. The team is forced to sack really often, so it has to do its job fast. This is especially treacherous on ladder where you have no idea who you're fighting.
- There's a lot of dependence on luck and/or prediction of random garbage. Clicking power whip or high jump kick (or stone edge on Aero) always runs the risk of outright missing. Clicking knock off at +3 is often a safe (no miss chance) OHKO on offensive mons when it activates, but you're often running the risk of an unexpected Z-crystal. Clicking high jump kick is often a OHKO on defensive mons, but is opening you up to shenanigans with ghost types or protect.
- Mandibuzz can still defensively check Tsareena and either defog or foul play. Not a whole lot else can, consistently.
- Some mons take advantage of one-time-setups particularly well, e.g. Intimidate Arcanine, Mega-Banette, etc.
- Pretty much all scarfers (other than tyrantrum) will still outspeed tsareena after webs. Salazzle and houndoom in particular will OHKO.
- Mono-grass isn't the best type for getting safe setups, and the current iteration doesn't have space for the likes of memento. You need a taunted steel or choice-locked priority (which is near-nonexistent in RU) or so to be likely to get free setup.
Some Tips:
- Most defensive mons will just die outright to the right move from Tsareena at +3, but a few benefit from being weakened first so that an alternate move will take them down to avoid potential shenanigans:
Avoiding HJK into protect:
+3 252 Atk Tsareena Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Registeel: 175-206 (48 - 56.5%) -- 89.1% chance to 2HKO
+3 252 Atk Tsareena Power Whip vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Umbreon: 424-501 (107.6 - 127.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+3 252 Atk Tsareena Power Whip vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Umbreon: 312-367 (79.1 - 93.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Avoiding Knock off onto Colbur/Z-move cress (particularly important vs. trick room; cress is all-too-often the difference maker):
+3 252 Atk Tsareena Power Whip vs. 252 HP / 112+ Def Cresselia: 327-385 (73.6 - 86.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
This doesn't really fit in this category since you'll always want to HJK vs. Mandibuzz (rather, just remove him entirely beforehan if at all possible), but here're the calcs:
+3 252 Atk Tsareena High Jump Kick vs. 248 HP / 76+ Def Mandibuzz: 271-319 (64 - 75.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+3 252 Atk Tsareena High Jump Kick vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Mandibuzz: 232-274 (54.8 - 64.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
(posted standard and physically defensive since I swear all the ladder Buzzes are full pdef).
Honorable Mentions:
- I've run a bunch of mons on this archetype, but a few stand out:
- Rampardos: I only really had reason to run this when chesnaught was still around (zen headbutt lure lel), but boy did 165 base attack sheer force life orb do work against the likes of chesnaught and mandibuzz.
- Whimsicott: running this mon on this archetype for prankster gimmicks like iron ball switcheroo, defog, taunt, and memento (at different times) really solidified it as my favorite mon. Its versatility and ability to switch in on Zydog and Flygon were great. It'd probably do great on a different webs team, but memento is less useful when the opposing mons your support invites in also hit your sweepers super effectively, and iron ball switcheroo is just silly and inconsistent.
- Jolly Explosion metagross: perhaps sadly, in many games this was my best answer for mandibuzz. If you outspeed (which is dodgy), explosion blocks defog and dents Buzz enough to where you can switch something else in to force it out or KO it before it just heals back up, then hopefully bring in and set up Tsareena before it has another chance to come in and try again.
Last edited: