OU Team Retirement: RIP Aegislash

[Anti]

So this won't be super in-depth but if you really want you can find the initial RMT of this on Smogon which can be found here but of course no one rated it except for a rate that attempted to ruin my team so that was cool.

Anyway, with the OU tournament over I wanted to retire one of my most prized teams which served me very well. It peaked 27th on the ladder when I finally got time to ladder during the BP era cause I got sick and had to come home from school.

I built the team and never made any changes once it was built, a rare theorymon victory. So here's the team, based off of my desire to run Mega Gyarados over a sad sweeping episode against one as well as LO CM Clef which just sounded cool to run. I'll talk a bit about how the meta has changed and how I'd change it to fit better w/ what people use now. So here you go.

Thundurus @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Superpower
- Psychic

Thund was here for some early game luring and breaking against stuff like MegaVenu, Conk, Heatran, Tyranitar, etc. Defiant might seem pointless but Prankster isn't doing anything and it's actually really good for crushing MegaManec as it M-evos to hit it with +1 Superpower which does a ton. But yeah this was a cool poke that really did work, bulky resistance based teams hated this guy cause its coverage and power is exceptional. The only problem is it's super easy to wear down and is usually at 50% by the second time it comes in which makes it difficult to play cause it runs into situations like being in on Land but fearing an Azu switch on the HP Ice for the Aqua Jet pickoff. So yeah, wish it has more longevity. Did its job well enough though.

The meta hasn't really hurt this guy's performance at all and he actually performs really well as SDef MVenu becomes less common, Keld becomes more common, etc. Also, no longer begs Aeg to come in on an RK which is probably nice, but longevity issues aren't gonna disappear or anything lol.

Clefable @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 12 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Calm Mind
- Soft-Boiled

Total boss originally brought in as a stall-breaker of sorts even though VenuTran crushes it and it can't et past Gliscor at all. Its real help for me ended up being something of a tank for stuff like weak VoltTurn and as a lure for Sciz/Exca etc. who were more than willing to switch into it. Could often nab Ferrothorn early game with Flamethrower as well which was a great development for Gyarados. But really this is a bulky team killer more than a stall killer, even though it makes an okay wincon in stall match-ups. I really hated how much dead weight this guy was vs. DeoSharp but he served me p well overall.

I actually think this guy has gotten better cause Aeg was annoying for him to face, DeoSharp is gone, and it has utility against the rising Mega Hera. Not like it really makes much difference, he's p much the same and I still frequently run him. Would definitely consider Lefties now esp. if I don't need the luring potential of Flamethrower (which has also greatly diminished as it and FBlast have become more common).

Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang

Man this guy was a deity months ago. Got a ton of clean sweeps with him just cause people weren't as prepped for it and it's a boss anyway. Intimidate over Moxie was for troublesome stuff like MMaw (who I primarily checked by sacking Gyara since Maw is freakin impossible to kill lol). Basically explains itself, the only real problem I had with it was that it was my only Heatran check that wasn't a total momentum killer (aka ScarfChomp) and wasting 25% health to check a freakin defensive mon was a huge issue that I never really resolved. In any case, awesome sweeper, in its time the best I've ever used probably. A testament, along with stuff like MHera, to #banallmegas (and #megagengarnp) because really they're all good but some just fly under the radar lol. (it's not like stall wasn't crushed any less by MHera with Aeg around when Aeg was so rare on stall and while that made MHera more match-up based it's always been good etc., but now I'm veering off-topic so I'm just gonna move on!)

MGyara is still a total boss but I built this team before Rush Exca was as popular as it is now which is just another RK against Gyarados and Thund is still everywhere. I feel like with the fall of DeoSharp and the impending Maw ban a normal Gyarados would do fine in this slot which would free up a mega slot, maybe to run MGarde over Clef or something. More than anything I feel like this is just better prepared for now so he's not as good, though still a great mon.

Aegislash @ Life Orb
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Shadow Ball
- Flash Cannon
- Sacred Sword
- Shadow Sneak

Killed a ton of Bisharps cause no one expected fast Sword (Hasty Aeg is 240 Speed Adamant Bisharp 239 lol) while also providing world-class breaking against numerous playstyles. Stalls would sometimes sack their Trans coming into SR + SB + Sword which would take them down. Which is poorly played stall but yolo. Anyway, I'm gonna miss Aeg because it was really awesome as probably the best pivot p much ever since its typing and bulk is so extraordinary and and it hits so hard. Ghost is a really op attack type though Ball's low base power is a downer at times. Also provided the only priority on a team that badly needed it. Team is a little slow. But yeah, could break down Tran for Clef, Mandibuzz/Chesnaught (via Flash Cannon) for Gyara, etc. And of course, guaranteed a switch of momentum against Lati@s which was nice as well.

Obviously he'd have to be replaced now and while Bisharp seems to be a go-to Aeg replacement I think he doesn't fill the holes properly. Hence the team retirement instead of a team edit. Since Aeg was so essential this team can't be the same but he was a boss in his time. (And for what it's worth, I think the Aeg ban was borderline but ultimately agreed with it, though my opinion shouldn't sway you one way or the other cause both sides are totally justifiable. Unlike Mawile, which needs to get out of my ou tier asap.)

Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Power Whip
- Leech Seed
- Protect

Yeah so with a core of two breakers (Thund/Aeg) and two sweepers (Clef/Gyara) I knew I needed Rocks and some defensive backbone. So I started with Ferro as a Rain check, Greninja check, SR setter, etc. I also liked the chip damage from Iron Barbs (and Chomp's Rough Skin, see below) that often came in handy. Power Whip over Gyro Ball because Aeg murdered Fairies anyway and I was really SubGyara weak without it. Also helped with random Manaphys or Kabutops or whatever. Ferro is a class-A mon, but he's the slot I don't like the most. Now, I'd almost certain run TWave over Protect because you just can't afford to give stuff this team is weak to like Tran and Talon free switch-ins. Also, totally killed momentum which sucked, the only momentum killer I had except Clef who could press its advantage against certain teams to make up for it. Ferro was a nice utility poke but if I had to build this team for either meta (old meta or new) this is the guy I'd active try to replace, maybe for something like a TTar who can still set rocks while checking Talon/Tran a little better. Opens up its own holes though like Water attackers which is not good so idk about this.

Anyway Ferro is still plenty useful since its walling capabilities and support options or more or less the same now. I just don't like his fit in with this team is all.

Garchomp @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 SAtk
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Rock Slide

I put this guy here to get some chip damage from Rough Skin, serve as an initial switch into GuessZard (plz test, maybe not ban tho). Also absorbed Trick. This guy was a great dual-threat as an RK pokemon (he's a Scarfer, so duh) and as an endgame sweeper with Quake or Outrage. Both are high base power moves that have a lot of sweeping potential, and Garchomp swept about as much as Clef did because it could turn a 2-3 game into a 3-0 game if my opponent ran out of Steels/Fairies or Ground immunes. I liked Chomp over something like Terrakion because it's immune to Thund TWave, doesn't rely on Stone Miss, and was better for shutting down VoltTurn by switching into something like MegaManec (who I'm p weak to lol) and forcing it out.

Still a boss but Outrage is tough when Maw Aeg and Azum are everywhere. Aeg being banned helped with endgame Outrage sweeps and Maw's ban will help as well. Love Chomp though and think he's pretty good in this meta because he's fast and, for a scarfer, has nice power. Totally killed by stall though which is a shame.


So yeah that's the team, I'll remember it fondly. I'll post some of its weaks I've noticed over time if y'all wanna fix the team which I'm open to cause why not?

Talonflame: Just a killer lol, CB was pretty easy to outplay despite my horrible weakness to it but set-up (SD/BU) was the only set I couldn't really outplay. Since this is a resists/bulk team it's prone to having weaks like that to fast stuff with wide coverage. On that note,

Mega Manectric: Had to really outplay these, and mostly succeeded because Manec is for people who want to hurt themselves opp-cost-wise by using a "meh" mega instead of one of the broken ones. Still a major problem though.

Mega Pinsir: This is p broken even pre Aeg ban so I have no shame about being weak to this guy, though the saving grace here was that it's SR weak, can't recover health, and can only set up on Ferro and EQ/locked Chomp. Everything else can at least hit it. And yeah I have Thund but lol he always dies by like turn 2.5. So yeah :(

Baton Pass: lol no longer a weak obviously but these cancerous teams were still around and my strategy against them was to try to sneak a Leech Seed in on them and hope they'd forfeit. Hilariously, this worked a few times, but lol I'm super BP weak.

Gliscor: Actually a pretty big weak but it wasn't very common when I was playing so it was never a major issue.

Mamoswine: Ice Shard and EQ can damage everything on this team.

Offensive MegaSaur: Kind of an anachronistic weak since no one used this months ago but just look at the replay of the final vs. Sweep and watch me play "who dies next to Venu" hot potato. Luckily these usually got lured and worn down by Thund but I had to be careful with Ferro to kill them cause even the defensive versions can be really problematic if my lure fails which could happen from time to time.

Mega Banette: YawnPunch is a major issue.


Anyway yeah IDK felt like doing a half-showcase cause I'm bored, love this team to death, and because nothing is happening in the forum atm.

I'll maybe post a team-building section at some point but idk how good that'd be tbh lol.

Thanks for reading, feel free to rate, not rate, ignore, etc.

 

[Dark Azelf]

I think you could get away with slapping ScarfTran over Aegislash and Mamoswine over Garchomp.

This would solve most of the issues you mentioned.

Heatran@Choice Scarf
252 SAtk / 252 Speed / 6 HP
Timid / Modest Nature
- Flash Cannon
- Fire Blast / Flamethrower
- Earth Power
- AncientPower / HP Rock

Last slot for Fire/Flying garb mons. Also beats Pinsir and MVenu for you.


Mamoswine@Leftovers / Life Orb
252 Atk / 252 Speed / 6 HP
Adamant / W/E Nature
Trait: Thick Fat
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Icicle Spear / Icicle Crash
- Icicle Crash / Freeze Dry / Filler

"Peck is a good move on Mamoswine for Heracross" - Itachi2007

Checks Mega Manectric. Beats Gliscor (even sub ones woo) and back up check to Venu, Thundy etc etc.

I also think you should put Prankster T-Wave on Thundurus, as the only thing you lose from the above changes is beating Zard-X after a DD i believe and T-Wave stops it sweeping you and those with Roost> EQ get pooped on by Tran anyway.

Hope this helped, good luck novice.


EDIT:

MANDIBUZZ, FERROTHORN, SYLVEON CORE PLS U MUST USE THIS <INSERT STRING OF USELESS SETS THAT DONT HELP>