Mega Altaria Team

[Volcarona1996]

Since playing ORAS I've taken a liking to Mega Altaria. It's a solid Pokemon with great typing, stats all round and a very wide movepool. Here's an OU team I built around it, let me know if you'd change anything.

Shuckle @ Mental Herb
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 152 Def / 104 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Sticky Web
- Toxic
- Knock Off
Shuckle is the team's standard lead hazard setter, providing both stealth rock and sticky web support for the team. Mental herb protects it from taunt users for a turn, toxic and knock off cripple opponents by sapping their health/removing their item.

Gengar @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Taunt
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Dazzling Gleam
Gengar is essentially support for Shuckle, while also serving as a powerful special attacker. Being a ghost type blocks rapid spin, taunt screws defog users and other pokemon that rely on status, shadow ball and sludge wave are the obligatory STABs and Dazzling Gleam provides coverage without the horribly low accuracy of focus blast.

Excadrill @ Air Balloon
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Swords Dance
Excadrill is probably the best team-mate for Mega Altaria that I can think of off the top of my head. It's STABS are super effective against all of Mega-A's weaknesses, and rapid spin removes stealth rocks which threaten Altaria upon switching in. Also a great check to Rotom-Wash.

Talonflame @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Roost
Standard Talonflame set. 'Nuff said.

Slowbro @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Slack Off
Every team needs a defensive Pokemon, and Slowbro fits the role perfectly, even without a mega. Great for toxic/burn stalling, and especially tough to take down with regenerator.

Altaria @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 100 SpD / 56 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Return
- Earthquake
- Roost
At last, the pinnacle of the team. Once Excadrill has eradicated all threats, it's Altaria's time to start sweeping. Altaria's bulk, dragon/fairy typing and access to roost make it extremely tough to take down, allowing it to set up at least one dragon dance. Pixilate-boosted return is crazily powerful, and has almost unresisted coverage with earthquake.

So that's it guys. Any improvements I can make, leave a comment. I would really appreciate it.

 

[Volcarona1996]

I found a couple of things.

- Gengar needs Will-O-Wisp instead of Dazzling Gleam. And cut the attackers from the enemy even more, When you run Will-o-Wisp on Gengar, Use Hex instead of Shadow Ball. Hits harder when enemy is with a status. You could try this set, I don't know. But I'm not a fan of Life Orb Gengar, It's too fragile.

Gengar @ Black Sludge
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 8 HP / 248 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hex
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Sludge Wave

- Also, Talon could take benefit from a bit more of bulk. I think this set is better

Talonflame @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 120 HP / 252 Atk / 136 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Roost

If I find something more, I will edit this post or write another.

Thanks for the advice :-)
I can definitely see why Gengar would want this set over DG, Altaria already has fairy coverage. And if Talon is going to be constantly taking recoil damage then I guess it would need that extra bit of HP.

 

[Hikamaru]

If you want to rely on the raw offense instead, consider this Gengar set:

- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Focus Blast
- Substitute / Taunt
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Levitate

I find the set Archer suggested a bit tricky to rely on, plus this set is what most Gengar in OU tend to run.

 

[Volcarona1996]

If you want to rely on the raw offense instead, consider this Gengar set:

- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Focus Blast
- Substitute / Taunt
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Levitate

I find the set Archer suggested a bit tricky to rely on, plus this set is what most Gengar in OU tend to run.

Each to their own haha :-) I was a bit skeptical about focus blast over DG due to the low accuracy but as Altaria already has fairy coverage I guess it would make more sense for a high-risk high-reward option. I think burning opponents is best left to Slowbro after all. Again, thanks for the advice :-)

 

[PlatinumDude]

Offensive teams benefit from Sticky Web, so it's more of a bulky offense kind of thing.

252 HP/232 Def/24 SDef lets Slowbro avoid the 2HKO from Keldeo's Hydro Pump.

Also, what's the point of Mega Altaria having an Adamant nature if its Attack isn't invested in at all? Here's a better take on bulky Dragon Dance Altaria:
-Dragon Dance
-Return
-Earthquake/Heal Bell/Substitute
-Roost
Nature: Impish
EVs: 248 HP/136 Def/96 SDef/28 Spe
Item: Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure

The above EV spread avoids the 2HKO from the following: Choice Band Dragonite Earthquake, Mega Heracross Rock Blast, +1 Jolly Charizard X Flare Blitz, Incarnte Thundurus Hidden Power Ice. It also lets Mega Altaria outspeed Mega Lopunny and Mega Manectric after 2 boosts

 

[Volcarona1996]

Offensive teams benefit from Sticky Web, so it's more of a bulky offense kind of thing.

252 HP/232 Def/24 SDef lets Slowbro avoid the 2HKO from Keldeo's Hydro Pump.

Also, what's the point of Mega Altaria having an Adamant nature if its Attack isn't invested in at all? Here's a better take on bulky Dragon Dance Altaria:
-Dragon Dance
-Return
-Earthquake/Heal Bell/Substitute
-Roost
Nature: Impish
EVs: 248 HP/136 Def/96 SDef/28 Spe
Item: Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure

The above EV spread avoids the 2HKO from the following: Choice Band Dragonite Earthquake, Mega Heracross Rock Blast, +1 Jolly Charizard X Flare Blitz, Incarnte Thundurus Hidden Power Ice. It also lets Mega Altaria outspeed Mega Lopunny and Mega Manectric after 2 boosts

Looking into it, I can certainly see how your suggested spreads would be better. If Altaria can survive hits from these common threats it can certainly take them out with ease after the DD boosts.

For Bulky offense, You could use Bulk Up Talon.

Talonflame @ Leftovers
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpD / 8 Spe
Careful Nature
- Bulk Up
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Taunt / Flare Blitz

While I can see where you're coming from, I prefer to run swords dance on Talonflame as it gives it much more sweeping potential. I'll go on Showdown whenever I get the chance and test both these sets out though.