Advice on a Hail Team (Gen V OU)

[jab2033]

Hail is probably my favorite weather in the world of Pokemon battling. It's not as common as Sandstorm or Sun or Rain, but it is a viable strategy. I don't have much experience using hail, however, and I'd like some advice and help on completing this team. Here's what I've got so far:

Abomasnow @ Leftovers
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Blizzard
- Giga Drain
- Leech Seed
- Substitute

Let it hail! Abomasnow is the ONLY lead to consider on a Hail team, and this is a SubSeed set to help it stay alive as much as possible and counter other weather effects when necessary. Blizzard has 100% accuracy in Hail and Giga Drain works as a secondary STAB and reliable recovery as well. Leftovers is for additional healing.

Mamoswine @ Choice Band
Trait: Snow Cloak
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Ice Shard
- Icicle Crash
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge

Choice Band Mamoswine is my physical attacker, and is immune to Hail's residual damage. Ice Shard is for priority and Icicle Crash for all-around power. The Quake-Edge combo provides for additional type coverage, hitting Fire and some Steel-types that give Ice-types a hard time. I'm considering giving it an Expert Belt to bluff a Choice Set, but I'm not sure on that yet.

Heatran @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast / Flamethrower
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Stealth Rock

My Special Attacker on this team and a perfect partner for Abomasnow. Heatran can come in on Fire attacks aimed at my Hail inducer and get a Flash Fire boost. I'm not sure if I should use Fire Blast or Flamethrower. I don't like the accuracy on Fire Blast, but I would loose power on Flamethrower. Air Balloon lets it survive Earthquakes and counter things like Excadrill and Tyranitar with Flamethrower and Earth Power respectively. HP Grass is for coverage and Stealth Rock in the final slot.

Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Blizzard

Tentacruel is an excellent support Pokemon with Toxic Spikes to cripple major threats with poison and Rapid Spin to remove Entry Hazards. Scald is for STAB and Blizzard is perfect in Hail, which I should have on the field. Black Sludge is a Leftovers for Poison-types.

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Well, that's what I've got so far. I'd like some help to cover my weakness and get some synergy going. So far 3 of my team is weak to Fighting attacks, so I definitely need something to counter that.

I'd like at least 2 Pokemon to be Ice Types, since Hail is what I'm going for. I'm also more of a balanced or offensive player, so keep that in mind as well.

 

[champagnepapi]

This is a nice team so far, but ironically enough, I think Gliscor has a place on it, seeing as to how nothing you have really stands up to Excadrill, Terrakion, and many other strong physical sweepers well. I've always found defensive Gliscor to be most effective, the set I usually use is as follows.

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
240 HP/248 Defense/20 Speed
Impish Nature
Trait: Poison Heal
-Earthquake
-Taunt
-Ice Fang
-Protect/Toxic

Finally, I think Latias may do well on the team as well, as it can handle nearly all special sweepers and is great on both offense and defense. It also provides another line of defense against Infernape, should Tentacruel ever go down, and also can take an attack from Mamoswine, which looks like it might cause you some trouble. This is the set I use for Roar Latias, which is a very potent set right now, especially with Nasty Plot Celebi and Rain Abuse Jirachi running around.

Latias @ Leftovers
EVs: 180 HP/60 Def/252 Spd/16 SDef
Timid nature
Trait: Levitate
- Roar
- Dragon Pulse
- Recover
- Calm Mind

Finally, you may want to consider changing Abomasnow to a Scarf Set, to revenge kill things like Dragons, Tyranitar, Rotom-W and Mamoswine, Heatran could also do well with a Scarf Set, although you'd then have to give Stealth Rock to Gliscor over Protect. At any rate, best of luck with the team!

Also, if Toxic Spikes aren't a big deal, you could also try Starmie over Tentacruel, since it can outspeed and revenge opposing Mamoswine [not to mention many other threats] and spin.

Starmie @ Leftovers
4 HP/252 SpA/252 Speed
-Thunderbolt/Ice Beam
-Recover
-Hydro Pump
-Rapid Spin

 

[jab2033]

Thank's Karpman. I'll try those two Pokemon out and see what happens.

About Recover on Latias: Doesn't Recover heal less HP in Hail? If so, would Psychic or Psyshock be a good alternative as a secondary STAB?

 

[Folly~]

I'd recommend a Weavile to be honest. Just because of the fact that it gets resistance to Hail, which the team sorta lacks in, despite being a Hail team. (Well, I guess with the Lefties you have going, that shouldn't matter much. But what if Item Clause gets you?)

Weavile
@Scope Lens
Adamant or Jolly (Take your pick)
EVs: Atk(255) Speed(255)
Ice Punch
Swords Dance
Night Slash
X-Scissor/Brick Break

This set is rather obviously self-explained. Not much else to say. The rest of the team looks great to me.

 

[champagnepapi]

Thank's Karpman. I'll try those two Pokemon out and see what happens.

About Recover on Latias: Doesn't Recover heal less HP in Hail? If so, would Psychic or Psyshock be a good alternative as a secondary STAB?

No, I don't think it does, the only drawback to using it is that Hail negates leftovers, Recover recovers 50% of your Pokemon's HP, regardless of weather.

 

[Fairy]

Nice team!

I just have one thing to mention. I think you should do Dragon Pulse over Hidden Power [Grass]. In combination with Fire Blast and Earth Power, Dragon Pulse literally gives Heatran perfect neutral coverage. Another option is Hidden Power [Ice] for super effective damage on Dragons and anything that can OHKO Heatran. It's really a matter of preference. But if you're using HP [Grass] just for coverage, than Dragon Pulse would be a better choice for Heatran.

Also, you have some serious weaknesses to Water, Fighting, and Steel. So, although it sounds gimmicky, Froslass could actually benefit your team when it comes to typing. But, eh, that comes with its own set of problems.

I hope this team works out for you!

 

[Golden blissey]

This is out of the blue, but what about something like walrein? i Know of a set that can stall for about 35 turns, and with perment hail, anything without leftovers or shell bell is fainted.

Walrein @ leftovers
ice body
ice beam/blizzard
substitute/yawn
protect
HP eletric

Just puttin' it out there!