Battle Tower streak team 1.0

THE TEAM

Medicham @ Choice Band
Ability: Pure Power
Adamant nature
EVs: 4 HP, 252 Atk, 252 Spe
Brick Break
Shadow Ball
Reversal/HP Ground/Rock Slide
Fake Out

Raikou @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Modest nature
EVs: 4 HP, 252 SpA, 252 Spe
Thunderbolt
Hidden Power [Ice]
Calm Mind
Substitute

Salamence @ Lum Berry
Ability: Intimidate
Adamant nature
EVs: 212 HP, 252 Atk, 4 Def, 20 SpD, 20 Spe
Aerial Ace
Earthquake
Dragon Dance
Substitute

TEAM DESCRIPTION

This is an attempt to create the best offensive team for the Battle Tower, for the purposes of attaining a long streak without using emulator speedups. Defensive teams often win using PP stalling strategies, which prolong battles to an unreasonably degree for console runners.

TEAM STRATEGY

Medicham, Raikou and Salamence have perfect offensive and defensive synergy. There isn't a single Pokemon that walls it, nor a single move that threatens the entire team. Dangerous move combinations such as Earthquake + Shadow Ball/Ice Beam can be weakened using Salamence's Intimidate. If a team member gets OHKO'd by a critical hit, the battle can often be salvaged with a backdoor sweep from Raikou or Salamence.

Since all three Pokemon have poor bulk and/or common weaknesses, the team needs to be able to swap between Pokemon with minimal risk. Thankfully, there are numerous ways to do this with Medicham as the lead:
- If Medicham has a bad matchup, it can Fake Out for chip damage before swapping out. This often allows Raikou or Salamence to KO the threat immediately or after minimal setup.
- Raikou can switch into strong Flying moves from Pokemon that outspeed Medicham, such as Dodrio and Salamence, and then outspeed and KO them back. Sometimes it's OK to let Medicham die since Flying moves often come from Bird Keepers, which Raikou usually sweeps.
- Salamence can switch into strong Fire moves from Pokemon that outspeed Medicham, such as Charizard and Typhlosion, and heal off a burn with its Lum Berry. From here, Salamence usually sets up a Dragon Dance and sweeps, since Fire Pokemon are often used on teams with other Fire types or Fighting types.
- Salamence can also switch into Thunder Waves, cure the paralysis with the Lum Berry, and then use Substitute to block incoming Thunder Waves while it sets up.
- When Raikou is out, it can freely switch to Salamence on Earthquakes. Raikou's bulk is perfect for forcing the AI to use specifically Earthquake -- not a setup move or another physical move that would threaten Salamence. Once Salamence is in, it can usually tank 2 Rock Slides or switch to Medicham on a predicted Rock Slide. If Medicham expects to get Earthquaked, this process can be repeated until Salamence's Intimidate has crippled the foe into doing less than 25% damage to it with Rock Slide. This allows Salamence to set up Substitute and sweep.
- Salamence's Intimidate also usually allows Raikou to survive an Earthquake, and Raikou can outspeed and 2HKO almost all Earthquake users.

This team is also very effective at speed control, since Raikou usually outspeeds the Pokemon that beat Medicham and Salamence at +1 outspeeds all the Pokemon that outspeed Raikou except Jolteon4, which all three team members beat 1v1. Raikou can also safely Substitute on Icy Wind users, and Salamence can Dragon Dance on Rock Tomb users to nullify the Speed drop.

Medicham OHKOs all Quick Claw + OHKO users except Nidoking1 and Wailord4, but it is vulnerable to Rhydon. An Earthquake from Rhydon2/3/4 has a 30% chance to OHKO Medicham, and neither Raikou nor Salamence can OHKO it back. Rhydon can be dangerous even when it's not the lead, since it usually appears on teams that Medicham sweeps with Brick Break (and thus it comes out when you don't have a Sub up).

Powerful physical Quick Claw users also threaten the team, especially Metagross since it can't be Intimidated and exploders since no one has Protect.

Overall, the threat list is short for such a frail team. This is mostly because Medicham OHKOs many common threats, and Raikou and Salamence can set up against almost anything else.

Medicham runs Reversal for the rare situations where it can manipulate low HP against a non-Quick Claw user. A Hidden Power might be more effective, but most physical Hidden Powers require dropping a point in Attack or Speed. Hidden Power Ground doesn't, but its only threatening target is Nidoking1. Return and Double-Edge are considerable as well.

THREATLIST

- Marowak4: 36% range with Brick Break; OHKOs with EQ and Mega Kick, so Salamence isn't a safe swap.
- Metagross4: Has Quick Claw, tanks a hit from all team members (even with HP Ground) and can OHKO Medicham or Raikou with a good roll.
- Metagross5: Has less power than Metagross4 but can take out two team members with two Quick Claw activations and Explosion. Salamence runs extra Speed EVs to outspeed this menace.
- Metagross8: Same as Metagross5, but with enough power to OHKO Raikou.
- Nidoking1: Survives a hit from Medicham (unless it has HP Ground) and has Quick Claw + Horn Drill. It's likely best to switch Medicham out to avoid Counter.
- Rhydon2: Can sweep the team with Quick Claw, Horn Drill and Earthquake.
- Rhydon3: Can sweep the team with Quick Claw, Horn Drill and Earthquake.
- Rhydon4: Can sweep the team with Quick Claw, Horn Drill and Earthquake.
- Salamence5: Has Dragon Dance and Earthquake, but no Aerial Ace, so it will usually DD turn 1. It's beatable with the sequence Fake Out --> switch to Raikou (DD) --> switch to Salamence (EQ), since Raikou survives EQ after the Intimidate, but the wrong sequence of moves, Rock Slide flinches, and/or Brightpowder activations can end a fight quickly. A Fake Out miss is usually a loss. HP Rock or Rock Slide on Medicham can help here.
- Snorlax4: Has Quick Claw, and Double-Edge is a 65% range to OHKO Medicham. If it hits this range, Raikou or Salamence usually falls as well.
- Swampert3: Not as threatening as it looks, but still a near perfect counter for this team. It OHKOs Medicham with Counter, Raikou with Earthquake, and Salamence with Ice Beam. However, its held item is only Shell Bell, so it can be beaten by sacrificing Medicham (which wins if it crits or Swampert doesn't choose Counter) or using Fake Out --> switch to Salamence --> switch to Medicham --> Brick Break. The latter strategy is usually a loss if Ice Beam freezes.
- Ursaring2: Quick Claw Double-Edge OHKOs Medicham and is an unfavorable range to OHKO Salamence. Usually Salamence can win by setting up while Ursaring uses Counter.
- Ursaring4: Same as Ursaring2, but it has Brightpowder and doesn't have Counter. So it's less likely to kill Medicham but more threatening when it does.
- Wailord4: A very nasty Quick Claw + OHKO user thanks to its bulk and coverage. Medicham can't reliably kill it with Fake Out + Brick Break, and it usually dies to two Surfs, so Medicham can easily die and put the team in a difficult situation. Thankfully Ice Beam doesn't OHKO Salamence.
- Whiscash4: A more offensive version of Wailord4. Brick Break is 47% to kill it, but if Medicham dies to a Fissure/crit/Quick Claw activation, Salamence gets OHKO'd by Ice Beam and Raikou is 71% to die to Earthquake.

NOTES:
normal -- ok because medicham OHKO and Sala intimidate
grass -- owned by Sala and generally beaten by other 2
fire -- ok because Sala has Lum for burns and beats fightings that go with it
water -- usually owned by medicham and Raikou; Sala can beat some thanks to bulk, sub and water resist
electric -- ok because Raikou and Sala generally beat; jolt4 needs lots of has to win
ice -- probably ok because medicham owns, Raikou can beat or pp stall, Sala can pp stall
psychic -- all 3 generally beat, and medicham + Raikou is strong against gardevoir, alakazam, etc
dark -- very strong overall, medicham ohkos
dragon --> not great, but Sala usually tanks and Raikou sets up, so not a huge problem here
flying -- Raikou owns and Sala can help out with intimidate; switching to either on medi is fine (can FO too)
fighting -- owned by medi and Sala
rock -- medi usually beats, and Sala intimidate helps a lot. some rs/eq users can be annoying
ground -- medi almost always tanks, and Sala is a free pivot + intimidate. Raikou can also pressure stall
bug -- sala owns Heracross! no problems here
poison -- a little annoying, but Sala Lum Berry + EQ usually owns
ghost -- medi can usually OHKO, or Sala can switch in. can be risky when unsure if medi gets DE or SB
steel -- QC Metagross sucks, but otherwise Raikou resist + Sala can handle

Metagross1 -- Raikou owns, medicham generally beats
Metagross2 -- medicham easily beats
Metagross3 -- medicham generally beats, Raikou or Sala can revenge kill
Metagross4 -- major threat because of QC, but Medi and Raikou usually tank, and Sala beats if no QC
Metagross5 -- medi beats, but QC + explosion memes can end a run
Metagross6 -- medi and Raikou beat if no Brightpowder hax
Metagross7 -- fine because no has item and all of its moves are 6-41% to ohko you
Metagross8 -- same QC + explosion memes as metagross5

Quick Claw + OHKO users --> Medicham OHKOs, other 2 can Sub and at least 2HKO
Quick Claw + strong EQ/RS users --> Medicham OHKOs, Sala Intimidates and switches in on Raikou EQs
Double Team spammers --> Sala AA or Medicham OHKO before the DTs stack
Strong physical attackers --> Medicham OHKOs or Sala Intimidate play
Jolteon4 --> Medicham 1v1s, Raikou and Sala usually win easily
Crobat4 --> Bad matchup because +1 Sala doesn't OHKO; might help to have HP Rock Medicham
Lati@s with unknown set --> Medicham owns, Raikou is solid too (and Sala beats the EQ variants)
Regice --> Medicham owns, Raikou can beat with CM wars (or stall IBs for Sala to set up)
Offensive Psychic types --> Medicham 1v1s, Raikou usually beats easily, Sala can sometimes beat or tank IP

Anabel 1 (Raikou lead)
1: CM
2: Sub
3: TB
4: TB
5: TB
6: TB
7: TB

Anabel 2:
1: CM/Reflect --> BB
2: Rest --> BB
3: Rest --> switch to Sala
4: sleeping --> DD
5: DD --> sleeping
6: EQ
7: AA --> CM
8: AA
9: EQ
10: EQ

If TB turn 1: die, then EQ with Sala to trigger rest, then do fight normally
If Crit turn 1 or 2: BB, switch to Sala (die), send in Medicham, SB, switch to Raikou, TB until dead, BB
If Raikou crits turn 1: same Strat with Salamence (manip Rest)