Shut up, OU.

[Lord Yawgmoth]

I've been experimenting on Shoddy with trying to make a great team while still utilizing my favorite tier of Pokemon, the NU tier.
Eventually I managed to come up with this team. Most of the Pokemon on it are designed to counter many of the typical OU Pokemon. It seems to perform really well, but I'd like some opinions and suggestions to make it as awesome as possible.
So here we go:

Arcanine @ Life Orb
Naughty; 252 Speed, 100 SpAtk, 158 Atk
Flash Fire

Extremespeed
Crunch
Flare Blitz
Hidden Power (Ice)

My anti-lead Pokemon. Arcanine has the ability to spell doom for many of the standard leads in the OU tier. Standard Bronzongs are OHKOd by Flare Blitz, standard Gliscors are OHKOd by Hidden Power, and Hippowdon takes quite a chunk from it. Crunch hits Azelf and such hard. Extremespeed is ther eto finish off Focus Sashers. Although he is, essentially, a suicide lead, he can still be of use later in the game to absorb fire attacks.

Pinsir @ Choice Scarf
Adamant; 252 Atk, 252 Spe, 6 Hp
Mold Breaker

Earthquake
Stone Edge
Close Combat
X-Scissor

My revenge killer. Pinsir reaches 403 Speed with this set, outrunning every Pokemon in the game, including some Scarfed Pokemon. He also has a massive 383 Attack, easiliy enough to inflict heavy damage to most Pokemon. Pinsir is also fairly bulky, and he is able to take a non boosted hit or two. All the moves on this set are fairly obvious choices, X-Scissor for STAB, EQ because it's always a good move, Close Combat because it's always a good move, and Stone Edge for Ice and Flyers.

Steelix @ Leftovers
Impish; 252 Hp, 252 Def, 6 Atk
Sturdy

Earthquake
Stone Edge
Stealth Rock
Explosion

Steelix has a completely insane 548 Def with this set, allowing him to soak up almost every Physical attack in the OU tier. Earthquake is there for STAB, and even with only 6 Attack EVs, it still can inflict surprising amounts of damage. Stone Edge hits Flyers who try to switch in to avoid EQ. Stealth Rock is in there so I can set it up on switches. And Explosion is there to take out Steelix with a bang, usually taking something with him.

Blastoise @ Leftovers
Calm; 252 Hp, 200 SpDef, 58 SpAtk
Torrent

Surf
Ice Beam
Rapid Spin
Yawn

Blastoise is my Special Wall. He is quite bulky, and has enough SpAttack that he can actually inflict some damage with his attacks. Rapid Spin is needed so Arcanine and Pinsir don't take massive chunks of damage as soon as they come in. Yan is why I'm using Blastoise rather then Tentacruel, as Yawn is a great forced switcher and can also put to sleep Pokemon that I can't seem to stop.

Gengar @ Choice Specs
Timid; 252 SpAtk, 252 Spe, 6 Hp
Levitate

Shadow Ball
Trick
Energy Ball
Focus Blast

Gengar is my main Special attacker with a trick up his sleeve. His set is basically standard, expect for Energy Ball and Trick. Energy Ball is needed to take out Swampert, who otherwise is quite a hassle for this team. Trick is there to screw over tons of Pokemon by handing them a Choice Specs. The best part is, Gengar is great regardless of whether or not he has his item.

Machamp @ Choice Band
Adamant; 252 Atk, 200 Hp, 58 Spd
No Guard

Dynamicpunch
Earthquake
Stone Edge
Thunderpunch

Banded Machamp is insanely powerful. His Dynamicpunch rips a hole in even Pokemon that resist it, while also making it harder to counterattack. Thunderpunch is there to topple the ever present Gyarados, and everything else is there for type coverage.


The only real thing I think I'm missing is really good EV spreads, I kinda just threw them in there. All suggestions are wanted.

 

[wolf]

Arcanine can use the following EV spread: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 56 SpA / 192 Spe, it secures a OHKO on Gliscor, and also outrunning postive nature Smeargle, the rest is put into Def. Since your team has trouble with Swampert, then you can run Hidden Power Grass over Ice since Swampert is more commonly found than Gliscor is when leading. Then, you can go with 252 Atk / 16 Def / 236 Spe, it outruns Mamoswine (you can basically max out your Speed to outrun Gyarados, but you can do anything to it anyway). Crunch does not seem to be doing much since ExtremeSpeed handles Azelf, so replace it with Toxic, so you can hit stuff that wall you (Gyarados, etc). Intimidate may be a more viable option over Flash Fire, because it helps hinder many leads like Metagross, Infernape, Salamence, etc, and can even help you survive an Azelf's Explosion (even with max Atk it leaves you with around ~40% HP to spare). I guess you can just go with a simple spread, but I was bored. :<

Heracross outclasses Pinsir, because it is not SR weak, has Megahorn, and has a bit better HP and SpD, with the cost a some Def.

Steelix's Def is already big, so moving Def EVs to SpD helps him take Hidden Powers, and weak attacks on the special side.

I don't have any experience with Blastoise, and I can't suggest anything for Gengar.

Machamp could use Payback over Earthquake to hit Ghosts that are immune to your STAB, and Ice Punch over Stone Edge so you can hit Gliscor and Salamence who would wall you otherwise (Stone Edge can be used, but you will be walled by Gliscor).

I might come back to spot weaknesses.

 

[Dark Azelf]

Wolfare said most things.

Pinsir @ Choice Scarf
Adamant; 252 Atk, 252 Spe, 6 Hp
Mold Breaker

Earthquake
Stone Edge
Close Combat
X-Scissor

Heracross does this better honestly.

Blastoise @ Leftovers
Bold 252 Hp, 252 Def, 6 SpAtk
Torrent

Surf
Hidden Power Electric
Rapid Spin
Yawn / Foresight

Gyarados weak team@. Consider foresight>yawn, lets you Rapid Spin on ghosts which i find is useful.

Gengar @ Choice Specs
Timid; 252 SpAtk, 252 Spe, 6 Hp
Levitate

Shadow Ball
Trick
Energy Ball / Thunderbolt.
Focus Blast

Consider T-Bolt. Swampert is 2hko'd by Specs S-Ball anyway.

Machamp @ Choice Band
Adamant; 252 Atk, 200 Hp, 58 Spd
Guts

Close Combat
Ice Punch
Payback
Thunderpunch

Payback to nail ghosts and psychics please. Earthquake also has redundant coverage, use Ice Punch. Stone Edge is also redundant, ice Punch + T-Punch hits everything it will. This team struggles with status and Guts is generally better on choice machamp.

.

As for Arcanine, i advise the anti lead.

*image removed*@Leftovers / Lum Berry
192 HP / 252 Atk / 64 Spe
Adamant Nature
Trait : Intimidate
- Toxic
- Extremespeed
- Flare Blitz
- Thunderfang

Yeah lets use this, my preferred set. It helps with your massive Scizor weak too with Intimidate. Crunch does nothing and flare blitz hits azelf hard anyway.

Speaking of which be careful of Scizor and Lucario, the former OHKO's everything after an SD with Arcanine out of the way so try and keep the dude around.

Your team is easilly stalled, 3 choice users + set up fodder (Blastoise + Steelix) and an anti lead = stall team bait. That and i dont see your game plan, how do you plan to open up sweeps ?

You need some sort of central strategy in short.

 

[Lord Yawgmoth]

@ wolFLARE: If I remove Steelix's Defense EVs, that makes him less able to soak up Physical hits, right? And that's his whole point. Although I do get what you're saying.
And I'd prefer not to have to rely on Megahorn's shaky accuracy, I've missed with it too many times in that past.
I do like your suggestion for Intimidate though and HP Grass on Arcanine.

@ Dark_Azelf: Again, relying on Megahorn is a bit annoying, but I do see his positive points.
HP Electric does seem like a good idea, but I'd rather keep Yawn, that's the whole point in using him over Tentacruel. Sleep support and forced switching is a really good bonus, if you ask me. But moving half of his EVs and switching his nature kinda ruins him being a Special wall, ya' know?
Really? 2HKO on Swampert with Shadow Ball? Then yeah, I guess I could use TBolt over Energy Ball for Gengar.
I see what you're talking about with Machamp. I'll try it out.
Hmmm...I like that Arcanine spread, but why TFang? HP Grass/Ice seems better to me, but Toxic looks like a great idea.
I see my weakness to stall now. Who would you suggest as a sweeper/central strat? Perhaps a Fire-type or something to cover Scizor and Luke?

 

[wolf]

@ wolFLARE: If I remove Steelix's Defense EVs, that makes him less able to soak up Physical hits, right? And that's his whole point. Although I do get what you're saying.
And I'd prefer not to have to rely on Megahorn's shaky accuracy, I've missed with it too many times in that past.

499 Def seems enough (that is with a positive nature and no EVs), it even makes Registeel envy him. Putting EVs into SpD, it will help him survive against sweepers that aim to hit Steelix via Hidden Power.

 

[Dark Azelf]

Well put it this way, if you DONT use Hp Electric and bold on Blast, Gyarados (especially taunt and rest talker versions) goes ololol at your entire team.

And T-Fang is because it does more than hidden powers if you are using Adamant.

 

[Lord Yawgmoth]

@ wolFLARE: Ok then, I suppose 499 Def is enough. I'll try it out.
@ Dark_Azelf: You do have a point about Gyara. And I can try out TFang, see how it works.