A Newbie's Attempt at a Platinum OU Team [RMT]

[The Roshi]

Eeep. OK this is my first time actually sitting down and creating a team to use in the OU metagame. I'm sure there are many flaws that I have no idea about simply because I've never done competitive battling. (So far I've only done three random battles with friends and family). So I would like anyone and everyone who's willing, to reveal weaknesses in the team (be it common weaknesses or possible walls to my team) and suggest replacements that will
fill the desired roles and purposes of my pokemon.

Also, I don't really have a common strategy. Just a standard team set up that complement each other's weaknesses and strengths.

I DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A LOT OF 1-OFF TMS RIGHT NOW, NOR CAN I TRADE FOR THEM. ALL SUGGESTIONS MUST BE POSSIBLE BY USING JUST PLATINUM. I'VE SAVED EVERY TM THROUGHOUT MY JOURNEY, SO I SHOULD HAVE ALL OF THEM.

I will have access to pal park migration soon enough. (If I can get my hands on lg and an AR from my friend. I sold all my gba pokemon games =/)​

Anyways here's the team.


Bronzong

(Steel/Psychic)
Nature: Sassy(+S.Def,-Spe)
Ability: Levitate
Item:
EV: 252hp/86atk/80def/92 S.Def
Moveset:
Stealth Rock
Gyro Ball
Explosion
Earthquake (Dark_Azelf)

Purpose: Bronzong is the standard wall. Special defensive nature. Speed is minimized for more gyro ball damage. Explosion is safety for any pokemon that walls me.

Concerns: I was really torn between choosing bronzong or skarmoy as the wall. In the end I gave it to bronzong because the stat distribution was a little more even on the defensive end, and they had the same immunity/weakness benefits. Skarmory wasn't affected by EQ because of it's type, Bronzong because of it's ability. The thing that really really bugged me though is that Skarmory got the spikes and whirlwind combo that bronzong lacks. I don't have a spiker or a pokemon to force switches or pHaze for me. I really need help on deciding whether bronzong or skarmoy would work better for my team.


Gyarados

(Water/Flying)
Nature: Jolly(+Spe,-S.Atk)
Ability: Intimidate
Item:
EV: 252atk/4def/252speed
Moveset:
Dragon Dance
Waterfall
Ice Fang
Stone Edge (Mages4Ever, Greene1516)

Purpose: Standard physical sweeper. Standard EVs. Nothing much to be said really. I run a gyarados with this moveset on my in-game team, and it really does the trick. (Last slot is bite on him). Dragon dance really helps it gain some power and speed, and I chose Jolly nature because I want gyarados to be able to get an extra move or two rather than setting up and seeing low hp from the get go. My in-game Gyarados was Adamant and got
outsped often enough where it was annoying. Waterfall and ice fang provide great type coverage against fire, grass, rock, ground, flying, and dragon types.

Concerns: None, really.


Scizor

(Bug/Steel)
Nature: Adamant(+Atk,-S.Atk)
Ability: Technician
Item: Life Orb
EV: 32hp/252atk/224speed
Moveset:
Swords Dance
Bullet Punch
Brick Break
X-Scissor

Purpose: Another physical attacker. Swords dance as a setup. I really just took this one straight from good old smogon. I'm going to try and learn how much EV affects how much stat etc. (basically how EV's actually affect a stat, numberwise not conceptual wise). The moveset works and offers two stab moves (x-scissor and bullet punch). The typing and defensive stat allows at least one swords dance up and bullet punch + technician + STAB gives it a
decent priority attacking move. (Needed due to low speed)

Concerns: No concerns really, I just feel like I ripped off smogon without considering how the EV spread could be tweaked to personal needs.


Dragonite

(Dragon/Flying)
Nature: Mild(+S.Atk,-Def)
Ability: Inner Focus
Item:
EV: 112atk/196S.atk/200speed
Moveset:
Superpower
Draco Meteor
Flamethrower
Roost

Purpose: This is the mixnite set (again from smogon). I like this suggested set though because it really covers a good deal of pokemon and most of those don't have any type advantage towards dragonite.

Concerns: Again, I'm really more worried about the EV spread than anything else. I really want to know where these seemingly random numbers are coming from and what they are based on. Also, would it be ok to replace superpower with brick break? Brick break would allow me to reuse a fighting move, however it's the only physical move on the set so it doesn't really matter. Once I get the stat drop I'm probably going to switch out anyways
(opponent is either going to KO me or got KO'd and is now sending out a revenge killer.)


Porygon-Z

(Normal)
Nature: Modest(+S.Atk,-Atk)
Ability: Adaptability
Item:
EV: 4hp/252def/252 S.atk
Moveset:
Nasty Plot
Tri Attack
Ice Beam
Dark Pulse

Purpose: Porygon-Z is a nasty plot sweeper for the team. It has a good stab move in tri attack, and brings another ice type move, ice beam, to the team. Dark pulse also helps counter psychics or ghosts.

Concerns: I realized that porygon-z isn't really built to outspeed. (Lack of speed setup and kind of frail). Therefore, I decided to try to be a little unique and bulk up the porygon instead. The problem is, I really don't know whether to add the EV's to defense or special defense. This set has max defense EV's because it seemed that a lot of the OU threats are more physical than anything else. Maybe it would be better to max out S.Def EV's enabling me to switch into special sweepers and kill them.


Dusknoir

(Ghost)
Nature: Impish(+def,-S.atk)
Ability: Pressure
Item:
EV: 252hp/28atk/228def
Moveset:
Will-O-Wisp
Pain Split
Fire Punch
Thunder Punch (Dark_Azelf)

Purpose: This is the tank variation of dusknoir. I like the defensive capabilities of dusknoir combined with the 100 atk stat. It seems really sturdy and fire punch brings in a much needed physical fire move to my team. Shadow punch is another viable option for me because of STAB. Will-O-wisp can force switches to pokemon like heatran that use flash fire and can also force switches in general.

Concerns: First, I need to look and see if there's a burn clause. (Probably is @_@) I really like this set and ev spread. I don't really have any concerns here. Of course if you see that this could be replaced by something then by all means suggest a replacement. That 28 atk seems random to me... again I need to look up the math behind EVs.


So... yeah. That's the team. I also noticed that swampert walls this team, and I have nothing that really scares it. Please help me improve this team. Thanks!

Current Problems:
Heatran Weakness (Dark_Azelf)
No counter for swampert
No held items (Mages4Ever)
Please give me a possible solution, or ways I can mend up movesets and pokemon to fix these weaknesses.

 

[Dark Azelf]

Bronzong is a better lead than offensive Gyarados so lets use that.

Earthquake >> Iron Defense, Iron Defense is a garbage waste of a time move.

ThunderPunch >> Shadow Punch. Gyarados REALLY hurts your team.

Heatran causes massive issues, if Heatran gets in on fire move it has the potential to 2HKO your entire team with SR up with Fire Blast alone. Id like to see a little more insurance against it.

Ill come back later if i spot more, but im really tired atm. :[

 

[Mages4ever]

Add the items.
I'd give Gyrados Earthquake/Stone Edge. But that's just me.
Like Dark_Azelf said, Give Bronzong Earthquake.

I don't know what to add. *First time rating a team* xP

 

[Greene1516]

I'd give Gyarados Stone Edge so that he can threaten other Gyarados.

 

[The Roshi]

Bronzong is a better lead than offensive Gyarados so lets use that.

Earthquake >> Iron Defense, Iron Defense is a garbage waste of a time move.

ThunderPunch >> Shadow Punch. Gyarados REALLY hurts your team.

Heatran causes massive issues, if Heatran gets in on fire move it has the potential to 2HKO your entire team with SR up with Fire Blast alone. Id like to see a little more insurance against it.

Ill come back later if i spot more, but im really tired atm. :[

Oh ok I didn't put them in any specific order so I'll change that too. Yeah I was thinking of leading with bronzong because of SR.
I will consider adding earthquake to bronzong if none of my other pokes need it. (I'll only have one for now) And I'll make the necessary adjustments on dusknoir thanks for the heads up.

Insurance against heatran.... hmm. Maybe I need to replace a pokemon with milotic? I'll have to think about that one. Thanks Dark_Azelf

Add the items.
I'd give Gyrados Earthquake/Stone Edge. But that's just me.
Like Dark_Azelf said, Give Bronzong Earthquake.

I don't know what to add. *First time rating a team* xP

Ok I'll have to add items to them as well. I will put stone edge on gyarados thanks for the suggestion.

I'd give Gyarados Stone Edge so that he can threaten other Gyarados.

Definitely gonna put stone edge on gyarados. Thanks greene.

 

[KodiakBlackout]

It may be as well for you to develop the Porygon-Z into a sort of Revenge Killer. Give him a Choice scarf, and TBolt, maybe HP Fighting over Dark Pulse (difficult to breed, i know) and you can catch things like Gyarados, Tyranitar and maybe Heatran after their sweep. This could stop Heatran annihilating your team.

As for your Swampert problem, our friend Bronzong can take its hits, but lacks recovery and cannot hit back with anything worthwhile.
Your Dusknoir should be able to hit it with a burn, and heal off Swampert's attacks with Pain Split, so will provide some form of protection here.
And your suggested Milotic can also cover this area, with Surfs and Recover handy. So it may be worthwhile considering one for your team, to cover Heatran as well. The only thing I would consider swapping out would be the Dragonite, but don't do that without more advice first :p.

Just some thoughts :P

 

[Sebastien Loeb]

Scarftran in combo with Stealth Rock destroys your team, alone Gyarados absolutely is not enough for stopping it.

 

[Pokedra]

If you want to use Brick Break on Nite you might as well use Mence and get more Speed and Special Attack.

Pumping Def EV's into P-Z isn't going to help too much, put those Def EV's into Speed.

A possible solution to your Heatran problem is putting Kingdra >>> P-Z since it has a 4x resist to Fire Blast and it can also help out with your Swampert problem as it does 67.58% - 79.55% to the Standard 240 HP / 212 Def Relaxed Swampert with +1 LO Outrage.

Kingdra @ Life Orb
Nature : Adamant
EV : 252 Atk / 24 SpAtk / 232 Spe
-Dragon Dance
-Waterfall
-Outrage
-Hydro Pump

Good luck.

 

[boo836]

Using Scarf Celebi>Porygon-Z will make your team able to revenge kill Heatran and take on Swampert, but will make you more prone to Sub Charge Rotom, which I see more and more of. Unless you want to go Shadow Ball > Psychic, trading STAB for coverage.

Celebi:@Choice Scarf
Timid nature
252 spatt, 252 Spd, 6 Hp
-Grass Knot
-Earth Power
-Shadow Ball
-Hidden Power [Ice]