RMT: A balanced, OU Team

[mtr12]

Hello to all. This team has won more than it has lost, and isn't too bad IMO. But it can always be better, of course. Ignore the nicknames, they are from Pkmn Stadium 2 because I couldn't think of anything else.

Spiristor (Spiritomb) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 240 HP/154 Atk/116 SDef
Careful nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Pursuit
- Pain Split
- Will-o-wisp
- Taunt

Fairly standard anti-lead Spiritomb. Beats Azelf. And can handle Gengar's w/o Hypnosis.

Skarmstor (Skarmory) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP/188 Def/70 SDef
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Drill Peck
- Roost
- Spikes
- Whirlwind

The best physical wall in OU needs no introduction. This guy is the reason I'm not Gyara weak, and he can stand up to Ice Fangs, though he doesn't like them. Maybe a Bliss would be better, but I don't know...

Zapstor (Zapdos) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Roost
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Offensive Zapdos. After this guy demolished my old team, I decided to take him for a spin. He went right round some of the other guys I faced (no pun intended) and is invaluable.

Izorstor (Scizor) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 34 HP/252 Atk/224 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Roost
- Superpower
- Bullet Punch

There's a reason this guy is used in Ubers. On my team, I Superpower people as they switch to their Fire users, and switch to Kingdra to take the blast and recover my stats.

Flystor (Flygon) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk/178 Spd/80 SAtk
Naughty nature (+Atk, -SDef)
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- U-turn
- Fire Blast

Go ahead and say that Salamence is better. And then get hit by Stealth Rock. Or TWaved. I replaced a Salamence with this after having serious troubles with more Stall-oriented teams. Anyways, Fire Blast is for Skarms.

Drastor (Kingdra) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 42 HP/252 Atk/216 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Waterfall
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage

Standard SubDance Kingdra that has swept many unsuspecting opponents.


What works:
Scizor and Kingdra are the heroes of the team.
Zapdos is a great check on Gyarados and Salamence.

What doesn't work:
Skarm often has limited usage. Maybe I should get another sweeper.
I like Flygon better than Salamence, but maybe you guys have something better.


Problems for this team are:

Salamence (Particularly Specsmence. w/ LO, it can rip apart my entire team unless Zapdos stops it)
Gengar (HP Fire and Shadow Ball are harsh, but Kingdra can revenge kill)
Infernape (Also can rip apart my team without Kingdra. Some Apes have HP Ice, which compounds the problem)
Jirachi (A TWave Jirachi can shut down most of my team or give it serious trouble without Zapdos. The poor bird is really stretched thin.)
Heatran (Again, HP Ice is a doozy. And only Flygon has EQ...)
Gyarados and Electivire (I have nightmares about these things.)

 

[Calum.]

Most leads will OHKO with their respective moves and if you try to switch out, they will just pursuit you

 

[Rhys29]

You can solve a lot of your problems by dropping Skarmory. It's really a liability nowadays with every sweeper carrying Fire Blast just for Skarm, so I don't see it as much of an advantage at this point. You can basically cover most of your weaknesses by using Cresselia instead:

Cresselia@ Leftovers
Calm, Levitate
204 Hp, 196 Def, 108 Sp.D
- Charge Beam
- Ice Beam
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

Will never be OHKO'd by LO +1 Outrage from positive nature Salamence and can't be 2HKO'd by SpecsMence's Draco Meteor. However, Gengar would still be a problem, so you would be good investing in a speedy bulky poke. You can Scarf your Zapdos if you want to get a good handle on Gengar, however a Pursuit user can OHKO it as it forces the switch. If you want cool points, use CB Slaking as it hits stupidly hard (690 Attack power blows through a lot of OU pokes).

Having X-Scissor > Roost makes Scizor far harder to wall as it can blow through Cresselia and Jirachi where as your set as of now will be basically walled. If you are going to use it for a quick hit before pulling out a U-Turn CB set would help there. Not to mention having two U-Turn CB users will annoy the crap out of anyone (especially when they cover each other's weaknesses).

Your lead will do little against other leads. It doesn't really help set up as most suicide leads will cripple/kill him and then you would have statused nothing :\ Cool points for the idea, but it is really used for Perish Song to deal with last standers. A SR setter will help you, though a PP staller lead will help you scout and slowly cripple the opponent (I do so with Aerodactyl and everyone I use it on hates it xp. Another mean idea is a Sub//Protect//Focus Punch//Pursuit - Night Slash Weavile). It also helps scouting as they have to switch out as they run low or out of a specific move. Just an idea.

 

[mtr12]

Thanks.

I dropped Mismagius for an Anti-Lead Spiritomb, but perhaps a Stealth Rocker like Aero would be better.

CB Scizor sounds like a good idea. I'm beginning to find that I don't often have much time to set up.

 

[Anti]

When editing your first post, you need to give your replacement's EVs and such. We really don't need to know what came before it, so don't worry about it.

I agree with Rhys about replacing Skarmory (especially since you already have a Steel-type), but I wouldn't use RestTalk Cresselia. From my experiences with it, it has been a total set-up fodder for most OU sweepers, which really hurts its usefulness. As risky as it is, I would go with Moonlight >>> Rest...even in a Sandstorm, 25% recover is better than none. I would then put Thunder Wave/Reflect >>> Sleep Talk to make Cresselia a lot harder to switch in on and beat.

The problem with this team is that it is defensively lacking while it does not have the power to make up for its defensive shortcomings. Being weak to extremely common threats like Salamence, Gyarados, and Heatran is a stop in the wrong direction. While Cresselia >>> Skarmory deals with the dragons (well Gyarados is dragonish), I think Blissey would really solidify your team's special defenses. It laughs at the most power Heatran sets and beats other Pokemon that have their way with this team, like offensive versions of Starmie and Zapdos. I would put it over Spiritomb, as it takes care of many of the threats Spiritomb does.

Also, for Zapdos, Life Orb is almost always a better item for that set, and HP Grass >>> HP Ice to hit Rhyperior and the omnipresent Swampert. Thunderbolt already hammers Salamence, who usually isn't stupid enough to switch into Zapdos anyway. If you want to keep Leftovers, then run Bold @ 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 Spd to make it a more capable Scizor counter and defensive Pokemon in general.

EDIT: Ah, CB Scizor:

Scizor @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-Turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit

 

[mtr12]

All right, Skarm is definitely out.

Another question I had was about a Rapid Spinner. Do you think I should get a defensive Starmie for Rapid Spin/Gyara+Mence Counter purposes? If I'm going to annoy people with U-Turn Scizor and Flygon, not to mention play Blissey/Cress more effectively, it might help.

If I choose Starmie, what should be replaced? I'm thinking Zapdos.

All right, I'll attempt to use this team for some battles and then report how it runs. Explanations for each Pokemon underneath. I'll update my first post with this if it works. But for now, it might help to have a before-and-after.

Some of you expressed disapproval at having 2 Steel Types, but Kingdra and Blissey and Flygon work to some extent cover the fire weakness.

Ususally the Stealth Rocker goes first, but maybe it's a bit of gamble for Metagross. However, I've given it moves to cover standard leads.


EDIT: Currently 1-2. Beat first team despite some overprediction, lost to a Heatran on second team, did horribly bad on the third game-a rematch of the first. My last team sucked, but this one isn't as bad, IMO. Maybe I suck.

By the way, can anyone give a better SR Metagross set? Perhaps a Bronzong? Should I consider an Occa Berry and EQ for Anti-Heatran duty?

Metastor (Metagross) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 240 HP/80 Atk/190 SDef
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Bullet Punch
- Meteor Mash
- Ice Punch
---

Stealth Rock Metagross as a support lead. The idea is to Meteor Mash Aerodactyl, Azelf, and Gengar if they show up and then either Bullet Punch if Taunted or facing a likely Sash or set up my own Stealth Rock. Ice Punch is for Salamence (The EVs let it take Shadow Ball and Draco Meteor) and the unlikely opposing Flygon. Fire Blast and a Heatran/Infernape are another problem so I run away if facing those.

Dactylstor (Aerodactyl) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 80 HP/100 Atk/176 Spd/154 SDef
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Rock Slide
- Substitute
- Protect
- Roost
---

Suggested by Rhys. I used to run stuff like this on NB, and I liked it. PP Stall the enemy out of their precious moves. Maybe it can get in their mind, though that's intangible.

Blistor (Blissey) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 148 HP/252 Def/110 SAtk
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower
- Toxic
- Softboiled
---

Suggested by Anti. Main Heatran check with it's SpD. And Scizor with Flamethrower. And Gyarados with Thunderbolt. Toxic and Softboiled are standard issue.

Izorstor (Scizor) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Superpower
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Pursuit
---

I'm pretty sure we can all agree on a CB Scizor. Salamence won't dare come in on a CB Bullet Punch from this guy. If Heatran comes, I run to Blissey or Kingdra, whoever's alive. But if I know it's Scarfed and the other guy hasn't seen Flygon, I'll go to it and EQ.

Flystor (Flygon) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/100 Def/152 SDef
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- U-turn
- Fire Punch
---

Flygon and Scizor work in tandem to annoy the opponent with CB U-turns and their other moves. They also cover each other's weaknesses, Fire and Ice. But their job isn't to primarily sweep. It's to develop my position and wear down the opponent.

Drastor (Kingdra) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 43 HP/252 Atk/215 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Waterfall
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
---

This Kingdra works, if only to have a full-health Heatran blow up in it's face after an Overheat (I think 2 Heatran checks are enough, and though I have no hard counter, Kingdra comes close). When the game is in the mid-late stages, it's time to get out on a loss, put up one DD (two if possible) and sweep.