Pt - Zapdos Lead (OU)

[Ŧøry vs. M£A†¥³]

I did got Platinum on the day it came out though. This is my ShoddyBattle team:

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Evs: 252 HP/220 Def/36 Spd
Bold nature (+Def, Atk)
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Thunderbolt

I would do Discharge, but it takes time to increase special attack since other Pokemon want to switch an encounter against this. This Zapdos is great for a lead to destroy like Scizor, Metagross, and you know the rest.

Snorlax (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
Evs: 168 HP/120 Def/220 SDef
Careful nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Crunch
- Curse
- Rest
- Body Slam

I know Return gives better damage then Body Slam, but paralyzing with Body Slam is fun and more useful if you ask me. Crunch is for Gengar, don't worry, the Focus Blast usually don't do nothing to me, well, it does inflict damage, but not much.

Gliscor (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 252 HP/40 Atk/216 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Sword Dance
- Stone Edge
- Roost
- Earthquake

Nothing is better then a physical stopper.

Porygon2 @ Leftovers
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 HP/216 Def/40 SAtk
Bold nature (+Def. -Atk)
- Discharge
- Ice Beam
- Thunder Wave
- Recover

This is to stop Gyarados, a bold nature Porygon2 that is. For this team, I use Porygon2 over PorygonZ beacuse Porygon2 has the trace ability, that way, It will lower Gyarados attack with its own Intimidate ability.

Dusknoir (M) @ Lefotvers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/6 SDef
Impish nature (+Def, SAtk)
- Will-o-wisp
- Sleep Talk
- Rest
- Fire Punch

I need a Sleep Talker in every team. This will lay phychical punchers off for them to switch, but I can still Will-o-wisp to lower there attack.

Metagross @ Life Orb
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 112 HP/252 Atk/12 Def/132 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Thunderpuch
- Meter Mash
- Agility

I perfer Agili-Gross over CB-Gross, this one feels free. But rarely, I use CB-Gross.

 

[Dark Azelf]

You have a massive tar weak. DD Variants (which are becoming ALOT more common these days) smash you to bits. Gliscor gets 2hko'd and cannot OHKO in return.

Banded variants arnt kind to you either, 4 of your team are at risk from Pursuit (lax, zappy, p-2, noir).

Dusknoir looks like dead weight here since it isnt stall so you really dont need a spin blocker. Status absorbers really arnt needed anymore and are often more of a liability ("set up fodder") rather than asset (trust me, you are talking to a guy who uses stall teams very often and its obligatory to have a rest talker on them) you can let lax take your status. Infact this team doesnt really mind status in general anyway.

Specs Lucario might work >> Noir due to its abillity to come in on tars STAB moves and revenge dd variants with Vacuum Wave, it can also revenge other things like other Lucario and low health sweepers, priority is something which you currently lack.

It would also make your team more offensive, because at the moment it looks easy to stall.

I advise NOT to use curselax without fire punch because of scizor, meta, lucario and what not.

Something to set up SR would be nice too, its pretty much a crime not to have it.

 

[Ŧøry vs. M£A†¥³]

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Evs: 252 HP/220 Def/36 Spd
Bold nature (+Def, Atk)
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Thunderbolt

Gyarados@Life Orb
Adamant
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
-Dragon Dance
-Waterfall
-Ice Fang
-Earthquake

Gliscor (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 252 HP/40 Atk/216 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Sword Dance
- Stone Edge
- Roost
- Earthquake

Porygon2 @ Leftovers
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 HP/216 Def/40 SAtk
Bold nature (+Def. -Atk)
- Discharge
- Ice Beam
- Thunder Wave
- Recover

Lucario (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Aura Sphere
- Shadow Ball
- Vacuum Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Metagross @ Life Orb
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 112 HP/252 Atk/12 Def/132 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Thunderpuch
- Meter Mash
- Agility

I know many abbreviations to this game and I'm curious, what is SR?

 

[wolf]

Alright, I'm ready for Snorlax replacement. I know many abbreviations to this game and I'm curious, what is SR?

SR = Stealth Rock Sorry, if this is breaking the rules or something since this isn't a rate. =P

 

[Ŧøry vs. M£A†¥³]

SR = Stealth Rock Sorry, if this is breaking the rules or something since this isn't a rate. =P

Nah, it is not breaking the rules, after all, you answered my question. By the way, I have better teams then this one, I'm just putting out the main teams I am mostly having trouble with.

 

[d2m]

You have a general Fighting weak. They get Supereffective hits on 4 of your pokes (with Lucario that is) and if they're powerful enough (Scarfed/Banded Machamp with No Guard/Dynamicpunch comes to mind), they'll truck pretty much your whole team. Also, a Subpunching Breloom can take out everyone but Gliscor, so best not to let him get spored.

I'd consider Aerial Ace in favor of Stone Edge on Gliscor to take both of them out.

I'd also caution you against one of the most popular pokemon out there right now: Heatran. Snorlax is the only one who doesn't take a rather large hit from a Specs (or even scarfed) Fire Blast, and the only one you have that can actually kill him (Gliscor) has very low spec def and won't outrun the scarfed variaty.

A DD Gyarados might be a suitable Curselax replacement, as he can take a hit from Heatran and serves as a good physical sweeper.

Something like the basic:

Gyarados@Life Orb
Adamant
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
-Dragon Dance
-Waterfall
-Ice Fang
-Earthquake

 

[Ŧøry vs. M£A†¥³]

You have a general Fighting weak. They get Supereffective hits on 4 of your pokes (with Lucario that is) and if they're powerful enough (Scarfed/Banded Machamp with No Guard/Dynamicpunch comes to mind), they'll truck pretty much your whole team. Also, a Subpunching Breloom can take out everyone but Gliscor, so best not to let him get spored.

I'd consider Aerial Ace in favor of Stone Edge on Gliscor to take both of them out.

I'd also caution you against one of the most popular pokemon out there right now: Heatran. Snorlax is the only one who doesn't take a rather large hit from a Specs (or even scarfed) Fire Blast, and the only one you have that can actually kill him (Gliscor) has very low spec def and won't outrun the scarfed variaty.

A DD Gyarados might be a suitable Curselax replacement, as he can take a hit from Heatran and serves as a good physical sweeper.

Something like the basic:

Gyarados@Life Orb
Adamant
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
-Dragon Dance
-Waterfall
-Ice Fang
-Earthquake

Yeah, the most popular Pokemon today are Scizor, Heatran, etc., Gyarados would be an excellent replacement for Curselax, I will edit that, thanks.

 

[wolf]

Actually, Gyarados gets 2HKOed from a Fire Blast by SpesTran: 49.10% - 57.83% :\ Overheat is more popular though on Specs, so it does even more. Snorlax takes 22.47% - 26.44% with Thick Fat from a Fire Blast.

Edit: 26.04% - 30.82% from a Overheat to Snorlax. Gliscor is already a good Fighting counter, Ducknoir resists their stabs also.

You lack a Revenge Killer, so give Zapdos a Scarf. ;D

Zapdos @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid
EVs: 76 HP / 252 SpA / 180 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Hidden Power [Grass]
- Heat Wave
- U-turn

Hidden Power [Ice] revenge kills Salamence, Dragonite, and Gliscor, though Grass is an option (but Ice is better for revenge killing and leading). Heat Wave destroys Scizor, Magnezone, Lucario and Metagross. U-turn is for scouting, and can be used if you have a bad type match-up. 176 Speed EVs allow you to outspeed +Speed Choice Scarf Pokemon with a base Speed stat of 90, but I added 4 EVs for you outrun standard leaf Scarf Jirachi (which have 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe, so you would be tied if you stayed with 176 Spe) so you can 2HKO it with Heat Wave. The rest is dumped into HP. Good luck with Zappy, I love using this as a lead. =3

You also lack non-set up sweep, so CB Scizor would be great for this since Snorlax resists his only weakness, and walls his ultimate counter (Heatran). You don't have to use this, if you feel uncomfortable about using two Choice users. Use Scizor>>Dusknoir since Rest Talk sets are old now because no one barely use Sleep inducing moves with Hypnosis dropping in accuracy, and Zapdos can take a burn, Steels can take Toxic, Snorlax takes paralysis (it actually takes any status with Rest other than sleep and of course freeze).

Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 176 HP / 192 Atk / 94 SpD / 48 Spe
- Bullet Punch
- Pursuit
- U-turn
- Superpower

Great for trapping stuff that is weak to Dark. Bullet Punch is great for revenge killing, and use his STAB. U-turn is for scouting like Zapdos, which is awesome if you use it correctly. Superpower is just for coverage, and is for hitting Steels that resist his STAB move. You may go for X-Scissor>>U-turn, but I don't recommend it. Credit to Vance for the EVs. *Watch out for certain Latias sets, like LO + 3 Attacks set when switching in*

Since Zapdos revenge kills Gyarados and Salamence, Porygon2 seems kind of a waste of a slot. Although you can keep it if Zapdos goes down early in the game. But, I recommend using MixMence as you also lack a Mixed Sweeper for stall.

Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Rash
EVs: 80 Atk / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
- Brick Break
- Roost / Crunch
- Fire Blast
- Draco Meteor

Brick Break is for Tyranitar, Blissey, and stuff. =P Roost is for healing off damage from SR, LO Recoil (Life Orb), and just damage. XD Fire Blast hits Steels like Scizor that resist his STAB, Draco Meteor is awesome, period. 80 Atk allows a 2HKO on Bliss, Empoleon, and Heatran, and I think it OHKOs Tyranitar. 176 Speed outruns Adamant Lucario, while Salamence still does max damage with Draco Meteor. You can opt for Crunch, but Roost is A LOT better since Crunch is only for Dusknoir and Cresselia, and you need recovery with SR and all that stuff.

This would be a better Gliscor set than yours since you don't have SR:

Gliscor @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Veil / Hyper Cutter
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Aerial Ace
- Roost
- Earthquake

SRer, then also kills Fighting-types with Aerial Ace. Roost is obvious, Earthquake combats Steels and obligatory STAB. 216 Speed allows you to outrun non-Scarf Heatran, and get a clean OHKO with Earthquake, and neutral Nature base 90 Speed stat Pokemon, especially Lucario.

You can opt for SD Lucario>>Agility Metagross if you want to, for your Tyranitar weak, and gives you a Rock resist, but Scizor takes down Tyranitar with Bullet Punch (watch out Babiri Berry variants). And use Fire Punch>>Crunch as Fire Punch still damages Gengar, while still hitting Scizor, Lucario and what not. Gengar is kind of uncommon lately due to Hypnosis's accuracy though.

So, your team line up will look like this:
Zapdos
Scizor
Snorlax
Gliscor
Salamence
Metagross / Lucario

Spoiler:

With Lucario>>Metagross^.

Sorry for if I screw up the team's weaknesses. D=

 

[Ŧøry vs. M£A†¥³]

Actually, Gyarados gets 2HKOed from a Fire Blast by SpesTran: 49.10% - 57.83% :\ Overheat is more popular though on Specs, so it does even more. Snorlax takes 22.47% - 26.44% with Thick Fat from a Fire Blast.

Edit: 26.04% - 30.82% from a Overheat to Snorlax. Gliscor is already a good Fighting counter, Ducknoir resists their stabs also.

You lack a Revenge Killer, so give Zapdos a Scarf. ;D

Zapdos @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid
EVs: 76 HP / 252 SpA / 180 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Hidden Power [Grass]
- Heat Wave
- U-turn

Hidden Power [Ice] revenge kills Salamence, Dragonite, and Gliscor, though Grass is an option (but Ice is better for revenge killing and leading). Heat Wave destroys Scizor, Magnezone, Lucario and Metagross. U-turn is for scouting, and can be used if you have a bad type match-up. 176 Speed EVs allow you to outspeed +Speed Choice Scarf Pokemon with a base Speed stat of 90, but I added 4 EVs for you outrun standard leaf Scarf Jirachi (which have 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe, so you would be tied if you stayed with 176 Spe) so you can 2HKO it with Heat Wave. The rest is dumped into HP. Good luck with Zappy, I love using this as a lead. =3

You also lack non-set up sweep, so CB Scizor would be great for this since Snorlax resists his only weakness, and walls his ultimate counter (Heatran). You don't have to use this, if you feel uncomfortable about using two Choice users. Use Scizor>>Dusknoir since Rest Talk sets are old now because no one barely use Sleep inducing moves with Hypnosis dropping in accuracy, and Zapdos can take a burn, Steels can take Toxic, Snorlax takes paralysis (it actually takes any status with Rest other than sleep and of course freeze).

Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 176 HP / 192 Atk / 94 SpD / 48 Spe
- Bullet Punch
- Pursuit
- U-turn
- Superpower

Great for trapping stuff that is weak to Dark. Bullet Punch is great for revenge killing, and use his STAB. U-turn is for scouting like Zapdos, which is awesome if you use it correctly. Superpower is just for coverage, and is for hitting Steels that resist his STAB move. You may go for X-Scissor>>U-turn, but I don't recommend it. Credit to Vance for the EVs. *Watch out for certain Latias sets, like LO + 3 Attacks set when switching in*

Since Zapdos revenge kills Gyarados and Salamence, Porygon2 seems kind of a waste of a slot. Although you can keep it if Zapdos goes down early in the game. But, I recommend using MixMence as you also lack a Mixed Sweeper for stall.

Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Rash
EVs: 80 Atk / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
- Brick Break
- Roost / Crunch
- Fire Blast
- Draco Meteor

Brick Break is for Tyranitar, Blissey, and stuff. =P Roost is for healing off damage from SR, LO Recoil (Life Orb), and just damage. XD Fire Blast hits Steels like Scizor that resist his STAB, Draco Meteor is awesome, period. 80 Atk allows a 2HKO on Bliss, Empoleon, and Heatran, and I think it OHKOs Tyranitar. 176 Speed outruns Adamant Lucario, while Salamence still does max damage with Draco Meteor. You can opt for Crunch, but Roost is A LOT better since Crunch is only for Dusknoir and Cresselia, and you need recovery with SR and all that stuff.

This would be a better Gliscor set than yours since you don't have SR:

Gliscor @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Veil / Hyper Cutter
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Aerial Ace
- Roost
- Earthquake

SRer, then also kills Fighting-types with Aerial Ace. Roost is obvious, Earthquake combats Steels and obligatory STAB. 216 Speed allows you to outrun non-Scarf Heatran, and get a clean OHKO with Earthquake, and neutral Nature base 90 Speed stat Pokemon, especially Lucario.

You can opt for SD Lucario>>Agility Metagross if you want to, for your Tyranitar weak, and gives you a Rock resist, but Scizor takes down Tyranitar with Bullet Punch (watch out Babiri Berry variants). And use Fire Punch>>Crunch as Fire Punch still damages Gengar, while still hitting Scizor, Lucario and what not. Gengar is kind of uncommon lately due to Hypnosis's accuracy though.

So, your team line up will look like this:
Zapdos
Scizor
Snorlax
Gliscor
Salamence
Metagross / Lucario

Spoiler:

With Lucario>>Metagross^.

Sorry for if I screw up the team's weaknesses. D=

Wow, now this right here is a totally different team, but I should give it a shot. I haven't use Scizor in a while.

 

[Dark Azelf]

You have a general Fighting weak. They get Supereffective hits on 4 of your pokes (with Lucario that is) and if they're powerful enough (Scarfed/Banded Machamp with No Guard/Dynamicpunch comes to mind), they'll truck pretty much your whole team. Also, a Subpunching Breloom can take out everyone but Gliscor, so best not to let him get spored.

I dont see 4 weak, i only see 3 and he has resists (zappy, gliscor). o.o

A DD Gyarados might be a suitable Curselax replacement, as he can take a hit from Heatran and serves as a good physical sweeper.

Any Snorlax with rest poops all over Heatran, if anything Gyrados makes him more Heatran weak because it takes a hell of a lot from fire blast and due to its sr weak.


EDIT : How is Heatran even a problem with P-2 ? AAAAAA =/

Im not arguing that it wouldnt be a good replacement because gyarados is a damn good sweeper, but that just caught my eye as "lolwut".

 

[d2m]

I dont see 4 weak, i only see 3 and he has resists (zappy, gliscor). o.o




Any Snorlax with rest poops all over Heatran, if anything Gyrados makes him more Heatran weak because it takes a hell of a lot from fire blast and due to its sr weak.


EDIT : How is Heatran even a problem with P-2 ? AAAAAA =/

Im not arguing that it wouldnt be a good replacement because gyarados is a damn good sweeper, but that just caught my eye as "lolwut".

I forgot Metagross's subtype was Psychic, I just treat it as a steel :(

Zapdos takes at least 40% from a Dynamicpunch + confuhax and inability to OHKO (From experience, he may have been running some weird build) back means it's not quite the perfect counter. Gliscor is better, but he was really the only one that could take the Dynamicpunch in stride and lacked Aerial Ace to OHKO back.

Snorlax lacked the ability to seriously damage heatran + risked a burn + someone once told me rest without sleep talk was setup fodder.

 

[wolf]

Snorlax lacked the ability to seriously damage heatran + risked a burn + someone once told me rest without sleep talk was setup fodder.

Correct, but only Snorlax can use Rest without Sleep Talk efficiently (although I don't like Rest without Sleep Talk >.<). Suicune is okay, but IMO I think it is setup fodder, since the foe gets two turns to DD up, or SD, or w/e. Really Rest with S-Talk in the current metagame is setup fodder either way since it is very unreliable (but that is my opinion).

 

[Sebastien Loeb]

In past I have used Zapdos as lead it is not badly, but the principal problem they are the Taunters, accordingly as suggested by Wolflare use him as scarfer (attention to Stealth Rock), for the rest an enough balanced team, to Gliscor I would decidedly lift the defense, for personal experience he cannot hold up for a long time the hits of the various physical sweepers.