OU Balanced

[crystalvelox]

Alright, I learned some lessons from the first team and started over. This is the team I have been testing out recently and I have been noticing it seems to work fairly well. I think most of the defeats I have had were due to poor decisions about which moves to use correctly.

Machamp (F) @ Lum Berry
Trait: No Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Payback
- DynamicPunch
- Ice Punch
- Bullet Punch

After a long time searching, I had this used against me at one point and absolutely loved it. While I have never had the hax to work for me, it still works great at knocking out a few leads if people are foolish enough to keep them in. Even if I have to force it out, it still works wonders later on.


Volcarona (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Flame Body
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Fiery Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Quiver Dance
- Morning Sun

I originally designed the team around this pokemon, but since I fail to have a lead that can stop stealth rock set-up, and I traded in rapid spin on Starmie for extra coverage, this pokemon is more of a liability on the team. However, it has occasionally helped greatly against an occasional sun team I run into. I want to get rid of it, but I am not sure what to replace it with.


Ferrothorn (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 48 Def / 208 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Thunder Wave
- Leech Seed
- Stealth Rock
- Power Whip

Ferrothorn is love-hate pokemon. I hate how completely helpless it gets at times, but other times I love it because it cripples and stalls against a lot of pokemon. I think ferrothorn might be my main defence against rain teams (except ludicolo).


Vaporeon (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 224 Def / 36 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Wish
- Protect

Nothing much to say about this pokemon. Its great, and its counters are well known. It walls and provides wish support.


Starmie @ Life Orb
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Psyshock
- Surf
- Ice Beam

I traded in rapid spin for psyshock so that it can get more coverage. Starmie grants me that excellent speed needed to KO faster threats that pose a threat to my team. So, I think the switch to psyshock is a good move and I do no plan on changing it. I was thinking of changing it's nature to boost SpA, but I am not sure how badly it needs the speed.


Haxorus (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Brick Break

I find this works like a mini-garchomp. Typically ends up taking out one pokemon before going down.

So, any suggestions you guys can make would be greatly appreciated.

 

[crystalvelox]

Either my team horribly constructed and no one has any comments on it. It might be really good (which I doubt). I knew there was someone I could ask if no one ever made any suggestions, but I forget who those people were. A little guidance in that respect, please?

 

[Vrai]

Hi crystalvelox (or Yamitsuki on the server)! I dunno if I spelled that right

I think you can try a different Pokemon over Machamp. The thing is, this gen Machamp just isn't nearly as effective as he was last generation. There aren't any more frail SR leads that Machamp can just maul - plus, with the newfound prominence of Fighting-types, any solid team is going to carry something that resists Fighting. Lastly, Payback's nerf really breaks whatever solidity Machamp had left as a lead; he really can't hurt anything that resists Fighting all that well now (except Gliscor cos obv). Plus, everything hits so hard now that his otherwise decent bulk isn't really going to take much at all...

I'm not sure exactly what you're looking for in a lead, but I think that you could get something out of a lead that will set up SR for you and perhaps get some surprise kills like Machamp could. One of the things that sticks out in my head (and partially because I used it to great effect!) is that you could try Endeavor Mamoswine.

Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
ability: Snow Cloak
nature: Adamant
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
~ Ice Shard
~ Endeavor
~ Earthquake
~ Stealth Rock

The way it works is really easy - you can set up SR, or if you expect getting hit first you can use Endeavor to cut them down to 1HP and then Ice Shard Priority them to death. Honestly, if you use this right, Endeavor Mamo always is able to take out at least one Pokemon before going down (and sometimes it's something significant like Skarmory or Rotom-W!). The only thing that TRULY walls this are Ghost-types. I might be hyping this a lot but I feel like it's really effective at what it does and I think you might get something out of giving it a try. Plus, if you can keep it alive & at full health, it gives you basically two free shots at any Pokemon that's gotten out of hand which I feel is fantastic as an emergency button.

If you want a strong Fire-type to help deal with Drought teams and to establish synergy with the rest of the team, I honestly think you should take a look at Heatran over Volcarona. Heatran works wonders against Sun, where the only sweeper it really loses to is Sawsbuck (Nature Power/Jump Kick). Plus, it has a great deal of resistances and immunities that you can successfully abuse with the makeup of your team right now. If you run Air Balloon Tran you even can have a makeshift check to Excadrill or Gliscor or Landorus. The set I usually run looks something like this:

Heatran @ Air Balloon / Life Orb
ability: Flash Fire
nature: Modest
evs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
~ Fire Blast
~ Earth Power
~ Dragon Pulse / Hidden Power [Ice]
~ Flame Charge / Toxic / Hidden Power [Ice]

Yeah, there's a lot of different stuff you can run with Heatran. Try out whatever you want - you'll probably find a natural fit to your playstyle or team.

Ferrothorn looks solid and gives you a much-needed Dragon resist. I'd say keep it - it also gives you more insurance versus rain-teams, too. :D

I've never used Vaporeon so I honestly have no opinion on it. If you think it works for you, then sure. :((

Yeah, Rapid Spin doesn't give your team much, especially if you cut Volcarona like I suggested. Starmie definitely needs a +speed nature to beat out things like the quad fighters (Virizion in particular) and the genies (again, Thundurus in particular). If you run Modest, you lose to those threats even though Starmie can cleanly beat them both (though Thundurus with some support & prior damage).

DD Haxorus is okay, I suppose. TBH, though, I'd rather you run SD to help you break through stall. Right now, especially without Starmie spinning, you really have no way of breaking down and beating stall - they endlessly wall you, pretty much.


Alright so those are my general comments on the team, I suppose. From the looks of this team (including the changes), it really looks like you'd have a lot of trouble with stall like I mentioned when talking about Haxorus, as well as Jellicent. It can come in on basically 4/6 of the team (Mamoswine/Machamp, Volcarona/Heatran, Ferrothorn, Vaporeon) and Taunt them to prevent set-up, then Toxic or Will-O-Wisp them so they'll die. If you end up getting Haxorus burned, you're really really boned against it. Starmie is also really frail and can be broken down before you want it to, meaning that Jellicent quite literally has very little trouble against your team in general. One suggestion I think I would have is for you to try Scarf Rotom-W or Specs Latios over Starmie; both hit really hard, too, and give you the option of Tricking away your choice item to a Pokemon like Blissey that really really doesn't want one. Another option is Hydreigon if you don't want to elevate your Tyranitar weakness any more.

One of the bad things that comes with the removal of Machamp as the lead is that Tyranitar is now a really big threat as it stops a good chunk of your team cold. I think you could try something over Vaporeon in particular; I mean, it's in all honesty a primarily defensive Pokemon and I think you could benefit from getting something that can smack TTar a little harder. One Pokemon I have in mind in particular is NP Lucario. You can't necessarily get in for free on Tyranitar, but you can scare it out and grab an NP. +2 Aura Sphere 2HKOs Blissey iirc, so having NP Luke could really help out with this whole "being stalled out" situation.

Anyway, I'm getting tired of writing this and I think I covered a lot of stuff that you might have some improvements with/troubles with. Good luck with your team!