Twin Dragons Rising [Peaked #4]

TWINS DRAGONS RISING​

Hello PC, UU has been good fun lately and I've had a great time playing it. As I was playing however I decided to see how one of my old ladder peak teams (#5) I believe would stack up against the current metagame. This was in fact a BW1 UU team so I had to adjust it slightly. I then took to the ladder and started laddering, it was a lot more successful then I anticipated, eventually topping out at 1954 ARCE. I admit I can take this team further but lack the motivation (since I've played like 40-50 matches already) in all honestly, I'd just like to see if improvements can be made. The current record is 42-3 (two of these were to Jake/DA as well haha) I believe.

What the team focuses on is hyper offense, pure and simple. Get the momentum going right off the bat and open up holes for either Raikou or Kingdra to sweep. If one fails, the others checks should be reasonably decimated to the point where it can sweep. There's little defensive core to lean on so I either crush the other team or get crushed, synergy is very important too as you'll see. Eh, here's the team.

Also don't steal this team and use it against me in a tournament, testing it elsewhere is freegame though.

Overview​

Mew
Item: Normal Gem
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Nature: Jolly (-SpA, +Spe)
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Magic Coat
- Zen Headbutt

Team Preview has generally killed the need for a dedicated lead however I've found that they can still be useful if played right. Especially for this team as I need the offensive momentum quickly. Mew's role is to get the rocks up, possibly prevent the opponent from doing the same and find lure something out to blow up on. Magic Coat is so handy because not only can you reflect SR/Spikes back at your opponent but Taunt which cripples leads like Froslass. Zen Headbutt provides reliable STAB and Explosion is simply for things like Snorlax/Umberon who take ~85% and factoring in SR means they are finished and Raikou and Kingdra can sweep easier. Or I just blow up on anything I deem a threat as a 375 power attack is hitting pretty much anything hard. Mew is always sacrificed early on and only saved if the opponent carries a tonne of Fighters. I simply need rocks and something eliminated and Mew excels at this. Not to mention the surprise factor is always cool. No one expects Magic Coat + Explosion.


Heracross
Item: Choice Band
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Nature: Jolly (-SpA, +Spe)
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge

This is the best Heracross set in my eyes, Scarf is overrated and SD lacks speed CB hits like an absolute truck. Heracross is here to punch holes and break walls open for Raikou and Kingdra. Snorlax, Umberon and Empoleon are of note. He also absorbs status for me, particularly WoW and Toxic. To give you an idea of just how powerful this thing is, when burnt it can OHKO 252HP/252Def Cresseila after Rocks through a Tanga Berry. I always care to save Heracross because he can threaten so many UU Pokemon and he forms part of my stall defense.


Kingdra
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpAtk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Nature: Modest (-Atk, +SpAtk)
- Hydro Pump
- Surf
- Rain Dance
- Dragon Pulse

One of my clean-up sweepers and arguably the best in the tier. After special walls are eliminated teams can literally crumble beneath Kingdra's feet (tail?), granted without the proper support Kingdra cannot sweep well but with it, Kingdra can outspeed and cleanup basically any weakened offensive team. Even special walls like Snorlax are hard-pressed to tank LO rain-boosted Hydro Pumps after SR and prior damage. What makes it so good in my eyes is that you can't revenge kill it without resorting to gimmicks. Scarf Mienshao can't outspeed this thing and that's probably the best and fastest revenge killer available. If Kingdra cannot sweep most of the time it can weaken Raikou's checks enough for him to sweep.


Flygon
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Nature: Jolly (-SpA, +Spe)
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- U-Turn
- Stone Edge

ScarfGon has a bad rap, it's honestly not that bad. It needs to be played as a check and a scout, spamming Outrage early-game is simply stupid. What Flygon is here for is to check things that get out of hand such as Raikou, Kingdra, weakened Scarfty, Victini, etc. Early game he is rarely brought out save to absorb a Electric-attack, scout with U-Turn or revenge-kill something. He also provides me with a back-up clean up sweeper if Raikou and Kingdra fail which is rare but possible against better players. I do dislike how weak it is especially compared to things like Scarf MienShao and it's Speed is just acceptable but the resistances it provides, immunity to entry hazards and having both Dragons simply earnt him the spot. He has not failed me...yet.


Chandelure
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpAtk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Nature: Timid (-Atk, +Spe)
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting] / Substitute

Chandelure is my spinblocker in some sense but more importantly he's also here to punch holes and to help synergy wise. Things like Scarf Mienshao give me trouble at times and Mew/Lure are my defense. He's also useful for luring out walls like Umberon/Snorlax for Heracross, I can make the double-switch for these and then predict accordingly. For Umberon I can even opt to spam Fire Blast as it cannot take a LO boosted Fire Blast well at all after SR. The rest of his moveset is simply for coverage, Shadow Ball helps immensly especially if I predict a Victini/Cofarg switch-in correctly. Thinking of running Substitute over HP Fighting to ease up prediction against Honchkrow since HP does jack**** to Snorlax anyway.


Raikou
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpAtk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Nature: Timid (-Atk, +Spe)
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Calm Mind
- Substitute

This here is the MVP of the team. Raikou is bar none the best special sweeper in UU. With Heracross and Chandelure weakening his checks, once Raikou comes out it's time to wreck ****. Even if Raikou fails I can always rely on Kingdra to finish it off, Sub + LO kills him fast but it's simply needed to ward off status/revenge killers and it's one of my main ways to avoid Honchkrow. Raikou can be brought out early-game but only as a lure, rarely do I use him at all at the beginning. If I have to choose between sacrificing this or Kingdra though I usually pick the former, Raikou is good but it simply lacks the speed and power Kingdra gets after set-up which is why although he's my MVP his main purpose is really to weaken Kingdra's checks and just do a tonne of damage on top of that.

Conclusion​

Double switches and predictions, this team thrives on them and that's why I feel a good player using this team can do pretty well against any type of team. If played well however, it's a simple team. Rocks -> Wallbreakers (Chandelure/Heracross) -> Raikou -> Kingdra/Flygon. Generally you'll have to mix it up but the intent is always the same. Anyways hope you enjoy and please rate, I know it's not perfect.

Importable​

Sub Life Orb on Raikou is rather silly imo.

12+25%+10= you lose 47% of your health from attacking once with SR up and a sub. This is obviously not optimal. Either replace sub with Extrasensory or use Leftovers.

Chedelure is in the same boat except worse, you lose 60% of your health from attacking once with SR up.

Know what that means ? if they get Stealth Rock two members of your team can attack all of twice, maybe three times. This is amplified against stall do to spikes etc.

If you really want to lure in Kingdra's checks and counters use sub split, specs or offensive CM. The set you have currently loses to its checks because it lacks the power/wall breaking ability of specs (power + trick) / offensive cm or the longevity/wall breaking power of Pain Split vs checks and counters.

Rain Dance Kingdra also has iffy synergy with Chendelure imo, weakening its massively powerful STAB Fire Blast to "lol" power. :/

0 atk ivs on ALL your special attacker, stops you getting mauled when switching into Sableye and Umbreon Foul Plays.

Why does Heracross have 30 Atk Ivs ?

Anyway this will ensure two of your main members will actually stick around and get switch in twice and attack more than twice without dying/being crippled and near useless.

Well done anyway, still elf stall weak however. ;)

Dark Azelf said:

Sub Life Orb on Raikou is rather silly imo.

12+25%+10= you lose 47% of your health from attacking once with SR up and a sub. This is obviously not optimal. Either replace sub with Extrasensory or use Leftovers.

It's a check to Honchkrow who can otherwise wipe the floor with this team at +1 if Heracross is gone. But yeah I rarely Sub unless a.)I know status is coming or b.)on a predicted switch-out. Most of the time Raikou straight-up attacks.

Chedelure is in the same boat except worse, you lose 60% of your health from attacking once with SR up.

I currently have HP Fighting on for Lax but it's pitifully weak so I was considering Sub. I know Sub + LO is suicidal but it's more a option if I need it rather then my standard strategy. Fire Blast/Shadow Ball on predicted switch-ins is usually the go.

Know what that means ? if they get Stealth Rock two members of your team can attack all of twice, maybe three times. This is amplified against stall do to spikes etc.

If you really want to lure in Kingdra's checks and counters use sub split, specs or offensive CM. The set you have currently loses to its checks because it lacks the power/wall breaking ability of specs (power + trick) / offensive cm or the longevity/wall breaking power of Pain Split vs checks and counters.
Considering Specs imo because it destroys Umberon on the switch-in and packs more power. But I also like being able to ease up on the prediction with LO. Hmm I'll test it.

Rain Dance Kingdra also has iffy synergy with Chandelure imo, weakening its massively powerful STAB Fire Blast to "lol" power. :/

Usually I try to have Chandelure out of the picture by the time Kingdra comes out. Either that or I make sure nothing weak to Fire Blast is still alive.

0 atk ivs on ALL your special attacker, stops you getting mauled when switching into Sableye and Umbreon Foul Plays.

Why does Heracross have 30 Atk Ivs ?

Hm..I do have 0 Atk IV on Raikou/Lure in Teambuilder. Strange and idk for Heracross lol. I didn't change it.

Anyway this will ensure two of your main members will actually stick around and get switch in twice and attack more than twice without dying/being crippled and near useless.

Well done anyway, still elf stall weak however. ;)

Click to expand...

Responses in bold.

Cheers man.