Gen 6 OU Team (because there aren't enough team help threads)

[Nolafus]

I've been playing the pokebank OU tier on Showdown with less then stellar success. I've had a few good battles, but I'm just not having much luck so far. One thing I've realized is that I'm going to have to develop a more defensive team and a more strategic play style. Hyper-offensive won't cut it anymore, and I'm struggling with the switch. I'm looking for all advice from improving sets to switching pokemon out.

Talonflame
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: EVs: 164 Spd / 252 Atk / 92 HP
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Roost
So I switched out Dugtrio because I feel like it was my weakest member. I wanted priority, as well as a nice fire type user, so I chose Talonflame. It's really come through for me and I'm really glad I chose it. It's priority flying type moves are great as well as priority roost. I choose Acrobatics over Brave Bird because I don't like the combo STAB where both moves have a nasty recoil.

Scolipede @ Leftovers
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Baton Pass
- Megahorn
- Aqua Tail
Scolipede is also new. I wanted a better baton pass user, and when PlatinumDude suggested it, I just had to try it out. It's been working great. If someone threatens to use a fire type move, I just simply baton pass over to Haxorus for the sweep. It's a hard hitter and has swept a couple teams already.

Tangrowth @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 4 SAtk / 252 HP / 252 Def
Bold Nature
- Giga Drain
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Leech Seed
I wanted to get a physical wall to go with Blissey, and since I've used Tangrowth several times before, it just seemed like a natural transition. It's not struggling at all with the boosted attacks and it makes one heck of a core with Blissey. I just keep switching between the two and the opponent can't seem to get past them. I think the reason I would choose this over other physical walls is because of Regenerator. Since I'm switching out a lot, Tangrowth doesn't need to have Synthesis to heal back up. I chose HP Rock to deal with Talonflame as Tangrowth is currently my main counter. And yes, it does its job very well.

Blissey @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 4 HP / 252 SDef
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
- Seismic Toss
Blissey is here for wish and hazard support. I can no longer skate by with not using hazards. I've never used the wish tactic before, but I'm using it now with moderate success. I must admit it's really nice to switch into something, take the hit, and then get healed to almost full HP because Blissey ha so much. Not to mention that ability to tank special hits. I removed Protect because I wasn't using it and I needed something to spread status.

Gengar @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Sludge Bomb
- Trick
I switched Starmie out for Gengar because I wasn't really needing the rapid spin. I kind of missed the trick strategy with Rotom-W, so I decided to go with a trick set. It's very nice to be able to completely shut down various walls. Even if I don't get a trick in, it's really nice being able to hit like a truck. I find it very easy to switch in, and despite its frailty, it seems to almost have become a defensive pivot because of the handy immunities.

Haxorus @ Lum Berry
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab
Haxorus is here to apply some physical pressure. It always seemed to get statused, so I switched over to a Lum Berry to cover that. It doesn't quite meet the bar that I was setting for it, but it has come through for me several times. I really like that Mold Breaker ability. Now with Scolipede on the team, Haxorus has had some more usage and really comes through in a pinch. One Dragon Dance, and that's all she wrote.

So there's my team in a nutshell. I'm looking for a more defensive core because I'm struggling to juggle around pokemon to keep them alive. Any and all advice is appreciated.

 

[PlatinumDude]

Mega Scizor should look like this if you don't use Baton Pass too often (even then, Scolipede is the better Baton Passer because it also Baton Passes Speed Boosts):
-Swords Dance
-Bullet Punch
-X-Scissor
-Roost
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 248 HP/16 Atk/244 SDef
Item: Scizorite
Ability: Technician

Blissey now has to use 4 HP/252 Def/252 SDef to help take physical hits more easily.

It's generally a better idea to use Ice Beam over Thunderbolt or Psyshock on Starmie because being screwed by Dragonite or Salamence isn't a good thing.

Poison Jab is the more accurate and reliable anti-Fairy move on Haxorus because an Iron Tail miss can be costly.

 

[Nah]

I'm not sure if Haxorus is all that useful anymore. If you want a more defensive Dragon, try Goodra:

-Goodra w/Assault Vest:
Nature: Modest
Ability: Gooey/Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Sp.Attack, 4 Defense
Moves: Draco Meteor/Dragon Pulse, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, Sludge Bomb

Hits hard and takes special hits well. And fortunately, most Fairies use special attacks (just watch out for things with Play Rough).

 

[Nolafus]

Alright, I made a few edits. I switched out two pokemon completely, changes some EVs around, changed a few moves, and I'm loving the result. Coming off a five battle win streak feels really good. Especially since I was heading in here with a five game losing streak...

I'm not sure if Haxorus is all that useful anymore. If you want a more defensive Dragon, try Goodra:

-Goodra w/Assault Vest:
Nature: Modest
Ability: Gooey/Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Sp.Attack, 4 Defense
Moves: Draco Meteor/Dragon Pulse, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, Sludge Bomb

Hits hard and takes special hits well. And fortunately, most Fairies use special attacks (just watch out for things with Play Rough).

I think I'm good with special walls. Besides, I think I just had to get the right teammates for Haxorus because it's doing so much better now. :D

One thing I always seem to run into is opposing Rotom-W. Which, wouldn't normally be a problem with Haxorus, but they keep juggling it around and keeping it alive. Any tips for this?

 

[Boilurn]

IMHO you'll just need a strong, reliable Grass-type move to be included in one of your Pokemon's movesets. Energy Ball is a good idea, as that will be able to check Rotom-W. You probably also had problems with Water/Ground types as well such as Gastrodon.

If you want to keep your Pokemon I'd change Rotom's HP to Grass as you already pack Ice Beam in Starmie's movepool. Alternately you could replace one of your Pokemon with Tangrowth or Roserade, as these are great offensive Grass-types.

You could go an entirely different route and opt for Gastrodon, as it's immune to both of Rotom-W's Volt Switch and Water-type moves thanks to Storm Drain, but Gastrodon can't do much back other than Toxic or Scald's burn chance.

 

[Nolafus]

IMHO you'll just need a strong, reliable Grass-type move to be included in one of your Pokemon's movesets. Energy Ball is a good idea, as that will be able to check Rotom-W. You probably also had problems with Water/Ground types as well such as Gastrodon.

If you want to keep your Pokemon I'd change Rotom's HP to Grass as you already pack Ice Beam in Starmie's movepool. Alternately you could replace one of your Pokemon with Tangrowth or Roserade, as these are great offensive Grass-types.

You could go an entirely different route and opt for Gastrodon, as it's immune to both of Rotom-W's Volt Switch and Water-type moves thanks to Storm Drain, but Gastrodon can't do much back other than Toxic or Scald's burn chance.

I tested out a couple battles and I missed HP Ice a little bit, but I also benefited from HP Grass a little bit. I think I'll change it for the added coverage since I don't want Rotom-W to just be another version of Starmie.

I am heavily considering using Tangrowth since I do want a physical wall alongside Blissey. I'll think about it some more. I'm not sure who I would switch though...

 

[Ársa]

How often does Scolipede pose as physical threat by itself? I only ask because I think if you're using it to boost Haxorus' speed, you could similarly run say Tailwind on Talonflame.

Also, aside from Talonflame your team really doesn't have an issue with entry hazards all that much. For that reason I'd suggest forgoing Starmie for something a little bulkier. You're lacking a genuine physical wall, especially considering Rotom-W isn't running WoW support. For that, I'd suggest either Gliscor or Gourgeist / Trevenant. All three can effectively check physical luke, as well as giving you another option against Garchomp aside from revenging with Starmie. I would suggest Gliscor as it can also match it with T-tar lacking Ice Beam as well as Aegislash. It also alleviates any toxic spikes issues by soaking them up.

If you choose to forgo Scolipede, then I'd suggest a dedicated special threat. In moving Choice Specs from Rotom-W to say Gengar, you open Rotom up to WoW support and leave Gengar to use trick. Gengar also acts as an offensive spin blocker and lures more special walls and physical attackers in than Rotom-W does, making it IMO a more effective user of TrickSpecs (especially considering SpecsGar is one of the more uncommon sets currently).

 

[Nolafus]

How often does Scolipede pose as physical threat by itself? I only ask because I think if you're using it to boost Haxorus' speed, you could similarly run say Tailwind on Talonflame.

Also, aside from Talonflame your team really doesn't have an issue with entry hazards all that much. For that reason I'd suggest forgoing Starmie for something a little bulkier. You're lacking a genuine physical wall, especially considering Rotom-W isn't running WoW support. For that, I'd suggest either Gliscor or Gourgeist / Trevenant. All three can effectively check physical luke, as well as giving you another option against Garchomp aside from revenging with Starmie. I would suggest Gliscor as it can also match it with T-tar lacking Ice Beam as well as Aegislash. It also alleviates any toxic spikes issues by soaking them up.

If you choose to forgo Scolipede, then I'd suggest a dedicated special threat. In moving Choice Specs from Rotom-W to say Gengar, you open Rotom up to WoW support and leave Gengar to use trick. Gengar also acts as an offensive spin blocker and lures more special walls and physical attackers in than Rotom-W does, making it IMO a more effective user of TrickSpecs (especially considering SpecsGar is one of the more uncommon sets currently).

Don't worry, Scolipede is a huge threat. I've found it useful in several games and it's currently my go-to sweeper if I can set it up. I only pass over to Haxorus on occasions because Scolipede has Aqua Tail to go against those pesky fire types. Although, the shaky accuracy on both of its moves have caused some problems, I must admit.

Are you saying Gliscor soaks up Toxic Spikes? I don't think it can considering it doesn't even touch them with that flying type. I used a Weezing with levitate in NU and that didn't soak up Toxic Spikes, so I don't think Gliscor would either. I actually switched out Rotom-W with Tangrowth. I've used Tangrowth several times before with my grass team, and it really is one of the best physical walls out there. Considering a +1 boosted Brave Bird from Talonflame only did 48% damage. I'll edit Tangrowth into my post right after I post this. I must say, Tangrowth + Blissey makes a pretty formidable defensive core. I can tell opponents are struggling so much with breaking through it.

I see what you mean by the rapid-spin support. I'll definitely think about it because a specs Gengar would pack one heck of a punch. Plus, I switch Talonflame into Stealth Rocks a lot with Wish support from Blissey, and that seems to make sure it gets there safely. Plus there's roost, so I'll definitely try it out tomorrow as it's getting kind of late here.

 

[Ársa]

Are you saying Gliscor soaks up Toxic Spikes? I don't think it can considering it doesn't even touch them with that flying type.

Apologies, I've been out of the game since Platinum, for some reason I was thinking Gliscor had poison typing. In saying that, Gliscor, Talonflame, Rotom-W and Gengar/Scolipede are immune, and Blissey has natural cure. So it would never have been an issue regardless.

 

[PlatinumDude]

Talonflame literally has no reason to use Jolly because of how Gale Wings gives priority to Brave Bird, as well as how it isn't really that strong in general. 92 HP/252 Atk/164 Spe with Adamant gives Talonflame as much power as possible, while outspeeding Jolly Mega Kangaskhan.

 

[Nah]

Brave Bird really is the better option for Talonflame. Acrobatics only has 110 Power (because no Flying Gem), while Brave Bird has 120. Talonflame needs all the power it can get, since it only has something like base 85 Attack. And the recoil of having both Flare Blitz and Brave Bird really isn't that bad when it has Roost and Wish support from Blissey. You want awful recoil? Look at Head Smash without Rock Head.

 

[Nolafus]

Talonflame literally has no reason to use Jolly because of how Gale Wings gives priority to Brave Bird, as well as how it isn't really that strong in general. 92 HP/252 Atk/164 Spe with Adamant gives Talonflame as much power as possible, while outspeeding Jolly Mega Kangaskhan.

Brave Bird really is the better option for Talonflame. Acrobatics only has 110 Power (because no Flying Gem), while Brave Bird has 120. Talonflame needs all the power it can get, since it only has something like base 85 Attack. And the recoil of having both Flare Blitz and Brave Bird really isn't that bad when it has Roost and Wish support from Blissey. You want awful recoil? Look at Head Smash without Rock Head.

Alright, I made the changes to Talonflame. And I switched out Starmie for Gengar.

 

[PandaShogun]

Hey Slayr! I used your scolipede + haxorus idea and it worked! Although I think my opponent was at my level (which is not that good lol)

https://pokemonshowdown.com/replay/oubeta-69371056

 

[wolf]

Skarmory easily deals with four out of six of your team members and the other two probably don't like switching into Brave Bird constantly. Maybe consider replacing something like Gengar with Magnezone? With Scolipede, you can easily lure out Skarm by using Baton Pass while they switch, then you can trap Skarm with Zone and have a much easier time sweeping with Scolipede and/or Haxorus.

 

[champagnepapi]

Shift Gear Genesect and SD Scizor looks like threats. Talonflame is really your only answer to Scizor and its likely that +2 Bullet Punch or Espeed will KO Talonflame after SR since hes so frail. Tangrowth handles Lucario. I also think your Scolipede would be a lot more effective if you put on a focus sash or had protect, since it just roadblocks your strategy when something faster than Scolipede kills it with SE STAB. I'd consider an offensive Heatran over Blissey since Blissey is usually just straight setup bait when youre playing offense and have an offensively biased team yourself. Honestly I would get rid of Talonflame as well, since it will get worn down really hard on a team with no defogger, and you really don't have a spot to give up for one. I'd just use Mega Lucario to weaken Haxorus's counters and help with a sweep. I also think you should consider changing Gengar to a Choice Scarfer if you make this change since you would trade off Talonflame's priority. Probably like a Scarf Keldeo or something would be ideal.