Team OU

[victreeplume]

Hi All

So this is the first team I have made for OU (after hanging around UU for the past few weeks). Its a pretty alright team but there are holes in it. I tried basing my team around Mega Mawile and thought I could get swords dance baton passed from Scolipede but I haven't really been able to get it to work. The team is a pretty offensive team as I've worked out that that is how I tend to like to play.

Mawile (F) @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Play Rough
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Stone Edge

I wanted to build the team around Mawile. Her role is to hit and hit hard - preferably with swords dance baton passed on it. As I said, that hasn't really worked out.

Scolipede (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Baton Pass
- Protect
- Swords Dance
- Megahorn

Scolipedes sole existance is to baton pass to Mawile. Although, I haven't really been able to do that all that well. I am quite happy to replace scolipede with anything to be honest. Maybe another special attacker because whenever I come up against a Cofagrigus I am stuck!

Swampert (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Lonely Nature
- Earthquake
- Curse
- Waterfall
- Ice Punch

Swampert is my lead usually. My understanding is that most believe it to be used to set up hazards and not a physical attacker. It has knocked out its fair share of foe. He is also here for the electric immunity that enables me to switch to Greninja and avoid the electic attack.

Greninja (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Protean
EVs: 220 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Scald
- Dark Pulse
- Extrasensory

Greninja is my speedy special attacker. I run scald on it instead of hydro pump because of the burn chance as this is the only status inducing move I have on my team.
Hidden Power Grass is soley there to knock out Rotom Wash and I have extrasensory instead of ice beam as my Ice move sits on Swampert.

Krookodile (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Superpower
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge

Krookodile deals well with Mega Charizard X and Heatran with EQ. Knock off to get rid of Chansey's eviolite and the other two for coverage.

Victini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bolt Strike
- V-create
- U-turn
- Zen Headbutt

Victini is the speedy Physical attacker. Its a very obvious move set but it works well.

Had some pretty good tips last time I posted here so I thought I'd ask for some of your valuable advice again!

Thanks!

 

[PlatinumDude]

Even though Stone Edge allows Mega Mawile to hit Talonflame and Charizard Y, it's not worth it, IMO, as Mawile needs room to set up with Swords Dance or Substitute to ease switching in to them, then striking them hard with Sucker Punch (assuming the former goes for Flare Blitz). It also needs 124 Speed EVs to outrun Aegislash, regular Scizor and Azumarill:
-Play Rough
-Sucker Punch
-Iron Head/Knock Off
-Swords Dance/Substitute
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 132 HP/252 Atk/124 Spe
Item: Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate

or
-Substitute
-Focus Punch
-Play Rough/Iron Head
-Sucker Punch
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 172 HP/252 Atk/84 Spe
Item: Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate

Quickpassing Scolipede should use a Timid/Jolly nature with 248 HP/20 Def/240 Spe. This lets it outspeed Garchomp pre-Speed Boost, which your current spread fails to do:
-Substitute
-Protect
-Baton Pass
-Swords Dance/Iron Defense/Megahorn
Nature: Timid/Jolly
EVs: 248 HP/20 Def/240 Spe
Item: Mental Herb
Ability: Speed Boost

Swampert is outclassed by Quagsire (and to a lesser extent, Gastrodon) in OU because it lacks recovery and gets worn down easily. Curse sets need a lot of support to work effectively, tbh. Wash Rotom is the better alternative over it because it helps get Mawile in safely with a slow Volt Switch should Scolipede go down:
-Volt Switch
-Hydro Pump
-Will-o-Wisp
-Pain Split/Rest
Nature: Bold/Calm
EVs: 248 HP/216 Def/44 Spe (Bold) or 248 HP/216 SDef/44 Spe (Calm)
Item: Leftovers

Greninja appreciates the freedom of switching moves freely to make the most out of its coverage and Choice Specs severely limits that. Use Life Orb as the item:
-Hydro Pump
-Ice Beam
-Extrasensory
-Dark Pulse/Hidden Power (Grass/Fire)/Grass Knot/Spikes
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SAtk/4 SDef/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Protean

There are better Assault Vest users than Krookodile out there. Conkeldurr is one of the best ones because its main STAB, Drain Punch, prevents it from being worn down too easily. While Escavalier lacks recovery, Assault Vest goes well with its good defensive typing:

Conkeldurr:
-Drain Punch
-Mach Punch
-Knock Off
-Stone Edge/Ice Punch
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 Atk/236 SDef/20 Spe
Item: Assault Vest
Ability: Guts

Escavalier:
-Megahorn
-Iron Head
-Drill Run
-Pursuit/Knock Off
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 248 HP/252 Atk/8 SDef
Item: Assault Vest

This team lacks entry hazard removal, which is generally needed for Scolipede, who is weak to Stealth Rock. I know that Victini can act as a nuke, but I think Latios is a better replacement for it because its offensive presence helps it give opportunities to use Defog:
-Draco Meteor
-Psyshock
-Hidden Power (Fire)/Thunderbolt/Earthquake
-Defog
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb

 

[Tek]

A small suggestion: If Scolipede is only meant for Swords Dance + Baton Pass, then its EVs should be in HP/Def/S.Def rather than HP/Atk.

 

[PlatinumDude]

A small suggestion: If Scolipede is only meant for Swords Dance + Baton Pass, then its EVs should be in HP/Def/S.Def rather than HP/Atk.

Scolipede needs some form of Speed investment so that it outspeeds some threats pre-Speed Boost. See the EV spread for the QuickPassing set for more.

 

[Tek]

Scolipede needs some form of Speed investment so that it outspeeds some threats pre-Speed Boost. See the EV spread for the QuickPassing set for more.

Makes sense. Scolipede would move first with Swords Dance, hopefully tank the first hit, then Baton Pass out of there.

 

[PlatinumDude]

Makes sense. Scolipede would move first with Swords Dance, hopefully tank the first hit, then Baton Pass out of there.

The point of QuickPass Scolipede is to Protect for a Speed Boost, set up a Substitute (both are interchangeable if the opponent switches), Swords Dance up, then Baton Pass.

 

[Tek]

The point of QuickPass Scolipede is to Protect for a Speed Boost, set up a Substitute (both are interchangeable if the opponent switches), Swords Dance up, then Baton Pass.

Interesting. You get a chance to scout the enemy's moves, but your Baton Pass-ed Mawile comes out two turns later.

But if you're going to Protect on the first turn, why worry about whether Scolipede outspeeds threats pre-Speed Boost? You're essentially guaranteeing a Speed Boost, which means that those Speed EVs would be better used elsewhere.

 

[PlatinumDude]

Interesting. You get a chance to scout the enemy's moves, but your Baton Pass-ed Mawile comes out two turns later.

But if you're going to Protect on the first turn, why worry about whether Scolipede outspeeds threats pre-Speed Boost? You're essentially guaranteeing a Speed Boost, which means that those Speed EVs would be better used elsewhere.

I just realized that the EV spread outspeeds not only Garchomp, but also Latios and Gengar. There are times when Latios is holding a Choice Scarf, which means that after a Protect, Scolipede outspeeds it.

I realize now that Scolipede should use Substitute first, boost up, then Baton Pass. It should only Protect to scout for a coverage move or Choice Scarfed Pokemon.

 

[MoxieInfinite]

hp fighting > tbolt and hp fire on latios

Krookodile is not a zard x check use ♥♥♥♥ like av azu, alomomola, scarf exca in sand or something

Swampert sucks

Victini sucks unless band scarf set is weak and scarfers in general are weak nowadays

 

[Tek]

Swampert must not suck that bad if OP is winning engagements with it. I say if it's working, keep it; change later if that becomes neccesary.

I personally would rather have Roar on Swampert than Curse, though. I like being able to stop the enemy's momentum, or at least keep them on their toes. And thankfully, egg moves aren't lost forever now with Gen VI Move Relearner.

 

[victreeplume]

Hi guys,

Thanks for those suggestions! Sorry about the delayed response - I was away and my reception was pretty awful.

I'll try out using Rotom-W and see how I go. I may go back to Swampert with the Roar though - it would stop the boosting I see often.

I'll change the EV spreads on Mawile and Scolipede for the speed - I would love to know just how you work those EV spreads out though. A pointer on that would be awesome!

I'll try out Conkeldurr too.

Thanks! :)