The Wedding Gift

[Skip Shot]

Intro

For once, the title of my RMT actually has something to do with the team itself. I haven't made a team in a while, since I've mainly been spending time on Smogon's CAP project. This team is based off of the good luck package of the bride for a wedding: "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue". You can probably figure out what they are just by looking at the team, but I'll tell them as we go along.

Strategy

I aim to do one of two things with this team: either destroy Blissey and allow Suicune to sweep, or clear out Zapdos and the Rotoms to let Lucario shine. Blissey is destroyed through Infernape, whilst Tyranitar clears out Zapdos and the Rotom forms.

Quick Look
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The Full View

Aerodactyl @ Focus Sash
Jolly Nature
252 Atk/ 252 Spe/ 6 HP

Stealth Rock
Taunt
Earthquake
Stone Edge/Rock Slide

Aerodactyl is on most of my OU teams for one reason: It never fails at setting up Stealth Rock. With Base 130 Speed, only Jolteon and Electrode in OU outspeed it (Deoxys forms are UBER). This allows Aerodactyl to get up Stealth Rock in any case. Taunt shuts down Azelf who want to do the same thing, and the QuakeSlide combo hits most of the common leads. Rock Slide may go over Stone Edge for accuracy reasons.

To take a look at what I do to the ten most common leads:

Metagross: Aerodactyl always puts SR up the first turn, since most Gross leads MM then Bullet Punch out Aero.
Azelf: Taunt.
Infernape: Stealth Rock first, especially because of the rise of the Endeavor Vaccum Wave Ape.
Jirachi: Scarf leads are annoying, but I always go with SR first.
Swampert: Stealth Rock first again.
Bronzong: I Taunt first to catch the Rain Dance or Hypnosis that I sometimes see, then SR up.
Tyranitar: Stealth Rock comes first.
Hippowdon: Again, Stealth Rock.
Heatran: It can't do much to me unless it carries HP Ice, which most Tran leads never use. I usually SR then EQ Tran out.

Aerodactyl is the "Something Old" of the Wedding Package, since it is revived from a fossil, and is probably several thousand years old.

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Timid Nature
252 HP/ 80 Def/ 176 Spe

Thunderbolt
Heat Wave
HP Grass
Roost

Zapdos provides an answer to Magnezone, Scizor, and most fighters, being able to take their attacks very well. Heat Wave hits Scizor and other Steels, HP Grass slams Swampert, and Thunderbolt provides a STAB.

Zapdos is a brand new Pokemon to the team, and one I've never used before, so he is the "Something New" of the team.

Infernape @ CHoice Scarf
Naive Nature
192 Speed/ 252 Spa/ 64 Atk

Close Combat
U-Turn
HP Ice/Grass Knot
Overheat

The revenge killer of the team. Close Combat and Overheat combined destroy SkarmBliss and ScizorTran. U-Turn lays a smackdown on Latias, and allows Ape to scout. HP Ice smacks the dragons. However, since Porygon2 also checks the dragons, I am consdiering Grass Knot to smash Bulky Waters, namely Swampert.

I "borrowed" D_A's EV set for ScarfApe, so he is the "Something Borrowed" of the package.

Suicune @ Leftovers
Timid Nature
172 HP/ 120 Spa/ 216 Spe

Calm Mind
Surf
Ice Beam
HP Electric

I went for a bulky Suicune set that could still dish out hard damage. Surf is a harsh STAB to deal with, Ice Beam smashes the Dragons and Zapdos, and HP Electric tears up Gyarados.
Can't you guess? Suicune is the "Something Blue" of the team. Just look at its fur! (or whatever it is)

Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Adamant Nature
252 Atk/ 176 HP/ 80 Spe

Pursuit
Earthquake/Fire Punch/ Aqua Tail
Stone Edge
Crunch

Choice Banded Tyranitar is scary. Crunch and Stone Edge smash through anything that doesn't resist it. Pursuit breaks down Jirachi, Jolteon, and even Blissey. Earthquake is there for Heatran and Metagross, but I might siwtch to Fire Punch or Aqua Tail.

Lucario @ Life Orb
Adamant Nature
252 Atk/ 252 Spe/ 6 HP

Swords Dance
Close Combat
Stone Edge/Crunch/Ice Punch
Extremespeed

Lucario is my main clean-up sweeper, and does a great job. Stone Edge smacks around flying dragons and Zapdos, Close Combat smacks down hard as a STAB, and Extremespeed is great for picking off weak pokes.



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Threat List:

Pokemon that can be large problems or I have no answer to will be in bold. These are the 25 most used Pokemon in February:

Scizor: Infernape smashes with Overheat, Suicune can take most of its attacks pretty well.
Salamence: Suicune provides checks, Infernape can revenge kill, T-Tar smacks with Stone Edge.
Heatran: Infernape's Close Combat, Suicune's Surf deals with non-Exploders, Tyranitar walls.
Gyarados: Zapdos and Suicune hit with their respective Electric attacks.
Metagross: Infernape deals with most variants, but can't switch in. Zapdos can pick off with Heat Wave.
Infernape: Suicune can handle well if it doesn't pack Grass Knot, Lucario can pick off with X-Speed if needed.
Tyranitar: Lucario switches in on the majority of CBTar's attacks and destroys with Close Combat. Also, only Infernape has to worry about Pursuit, which is an added bonus.
Blissey: Lucario and Infernape handle easily with Close Combat.
Latias: Infernape can leave a dent with U-Turn, or Tyranitar can hit with Crunch/Pursuit.
Swampert: Zapdos takes care of with HP Grass.
Gengar: Tyranitar survives LO Timid Focus Blast and OHKOes with Crunch.
Lucario: Zapdos takes care of it with Heat Wave.
Zapdos: Tyranitar smacks with Stone Edge.
Jirachi: Infernape and Zapdos can deal with it.
Starmie: What is this guy? Infernape smashes with U-Turn, Zapdos and SUicune destroy with their repsective Electric moves.
Azelf: Tyranitar walls all non-NP sets.
Celebi: Zapdos handles with Heat Wave, Infernape deals nasty damage with Overheat or U-Turn.
Bronzong: Infernape cooks it, Suicune can set up on it, Zapdos can Heat Wave it.
Kingdra: Can be a problem. Zapdos can hit it hard with T-bolt, however.
Vaporeon: Doesn't like T-Bolt from Zapdos, or HP Electric from Suicune.
Gliscor: Suicune has a field day with him, Infernape's HP Ice.
Breloom: Zapdos can kill off with Heat Wave.
Skarmory: Infernape/Zapdos
Magnezone: Infernape and Lucario smash it. Zapdos kills with Heat Wave.
Flygon: Suicune and INfernape all kill it with their Ice moves.

Things I Need on The Team:

A better answer to Kingdra: The Mixed Set is really hard to get by on this team.






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[Leonix]

Yes indeed, you have an alarming amount of fighting weak pokes with no one to resist them. My advice would be to drop lucario for gyarados. He is resistant to fighting aswell as weakening them with intimidate. Lucario doesn't really cover anything extra your team can't handle anyway.
Apart from that though, nice team! (especially the P-2, I run that set aswell lol)

 

[Anti]

Timid on Suicune or MixMence hammers you with LO Outrage or Draco Meteor. It also beats Adamant Lucario and most Heracross, which are useful selling points. It isn't beating opposing Suicune and it just sets up on Vaporeon unless it carries Haze or something stupid like that, so Modest probably isn't very good.

I don't understand Tyranitar's place on the team at all. Its only real use is for Latias (which you don't even seem to realize based on your threat list), and Blissey can do that without being such a set-up fodder (hooray for status). SS really hampers Suicune and Infernape. I also don't like Porygon2's place at all. You'd think Suicune and Infernape would be enough for Dragons, and P2 loses to all of them except Gyarados anyway. CBMence 2HKOes with Outrage AFTER Intimidate, and Mix/Specs own it. Dragonite's superpower or Outrage/Draco = death. You have Suicune for Heatran and Gyarados anyway so its spot on the team is pretty questionable if you ask me (as is its place in the OU metagame but that's another story).

Now for weaknesses. There are too many. Your threat list really does a good job of showing the weakness of this team. You actually rely on Infernape to beat Skarmory...you need to revenge kill a Spiker and Physical Wall. Lucario is the biggest one and Scizor is too if Infernape dies. While Suicune and P2 handle it pretty well, I question that you really know how this team works...again, based completely on your threat list, but I mentioned Tyranitar not being mentioned under Latias earlier. I know it seems nitpicky and it probably is, but you have two defensive Pokemon and a below average Choice Scarf on an offensive team. I don't really get that to be honest. I know it might seem almost too bland to say "use almost all sweepers" but Tyranitar doesn't DO anything for you really besides hitting Latias (which actually hurts you pretty bad if you don't have it but it can't really switch in on much so...), and P2 should be removed right away.

Also, some weaknesses...Magnezone. It's not used much because it's pretty sucky, but it is Scarfed often enough that Lucario can be killed, one of your "counters". Infernape as an answer to something that has 130 base SAtk and sometimes carries Substitute doesn't seem right to me. Revenge killers are supposed to be for things that try to sweep like SDLuke, DDMence, and NP Azelf...if they're your only defense to slow stuff, you're probably screwed if I'm being perfectly honest.

I know it's probably not what you're looking for, but this team just doesn't "feel right" to me. A lot of weaknesses and you only have one threatening sweeper (well, Suicune is too, but it takes awhile to get revved up).

EDIT: Ew didn't even see the Suicune EVs. wtf >_> Use D_a's or just max Spd/max SAtk...you have to choose bulky Water or bulky sweeper, trying to make it both at the same time isn't going to work.

 

[Dark Azelf]

Suicune isnt sweeping without speed. 172 hp / 120 sp.att / 216 speed @ timid please.

So what it stopping Lucario/any fighter and Scizor here ?


I feel a fighting check or counter could go >> ape possibly, something as simple as the speedy tank zappy could work.

Just CB that tar already. With Pursuit you can get rid of special walls and let Cune sweep better, that set you have now screams "set up on me".

 

[Skip Shot]

After reading the points, I switched to D_A's Cune EV spread, and I decided to cover Magnezone and Skarm and fighters better with Zapdos.

I also put a Choice Band on Tyranitar, but am unsure about the EVs.

 

[Dark Azelf]

After reading the points, I switched to D_A's Cune EV spread, and I decided to cover Magnezone and Skarm and fighters better with Zapdos.

I also put a Choice Band on Tyranitar, but am unsure about the EVs.

80 speed >> def on tar to outspeed skarmory or it can just roost and stall you out, but you can shove in a few more to beat those skarmory who invest a few speed evs trying to be clever.

Zapdos@Leftovers
252 HP / 80 DEF / 176 SPEED
Timid Nature

^ I prefer this spread and it outpaces Jolly Lucario which is nice.

 

[Skip Shot]

Changes made. I'm still looking for a status absorber...

 

[Dark Azelf]

Changes made. I'm still looking for a status absorber...

I actually question the use of status absorbers this metagame since they are kinda set up fodder and hardly anyone uses sleep moves anymore. Tar can take t-waves since its already slow as hell, Lucario can take Toxics, infernape can take burns and if its still alive you can just let Aero take status lol

 

[Anti]

I actually question the use of status absorbers this metagame since they are kinda set up fodder and hardly anyone uses sleep moves anymore. Tar can take t-waves since its already slow as hell, Lucario can take Toxics, infernape can take burns and if its still alive you can just let Aero take status lol

I have to agree. THE reason to use one previously was Gengar UH OH OVERCENTRALIZATION UBER, which is only falling in usage. If status comes, just let something that's about to die take and and move on. RestTalk is a pretty terrible combo anyway so it's kind of defeating the purpose of using one (which is to prevent your team from being a set-up fodder, basically).

 

[Skip Shot]

Well, Shoddy is (sort of) working today, and I managed to get some battling in with this team. After cursing my memory and putting a Scarf on INfernape after my first battle, I was able to get the following points out of my team:

-Suicune is mainly functioning as my early-game sweeper. It also serves as a nice check to non Thunderbolt Latias.
-Nothing on this team can help against Manaphy.

 

[Anti]

-Nothing on this team can help against Manaphy.

Then don't play on suspect. Like with Latios, it will probably be a totally different metagame (just check statistics). Just play on the normal ladder, especially since it could stay banned.

 

[ScaldingHotSoup]

"Bronzong: I Taunt first to catch the Rain Dance or Hypnosis that I sometimes see, then SR up." Careful with this. I've found that since every Aerodactyl user taunts my bronzong lead, two gyro balls takes him out of the running quickly. I'll take getting rocks out later in exchange for going up 6-5 early.

 

[Skip Shot]

"Bronzong: I Taunt first to catch the Rain Dance or Hypnosis that I sometimes see, then SR up." Careful with this. I've found that since every Aerodactyl user taunts my bronzong lead, two gyro balls takes him out of the running quickly. I'll take getting rocks out later in exchange for going up 6-5 early.

This is what usually happens to me. Since I Taunt, I block any potential Rain Dances, Screens, or Status that Bronzong tries to put up. Since Bronzong lacks a priority move, I can then fulfill what I want Aero to do- Stealth Rock up. I'm not trying to save Aero for later on in the battle.

Anyways, I'm staying off the Suspect Ladder, as Anti suggested. I hope Manaphy doesn't move down...

However, I have gotten quite a few good battles. Shoddy seems to be in a good mood today. I'm barely using Lucario in any of my battles, so I'm considering replacing him for a sturdier Rock Resist.

 

[wolf]

Well, Zapdos 2HKOs 240 HP / 104 SpD Calm Manaphy, so Zapdos handles it? Calcs: 51.62% - 60.85%. I kind of doubt of Manaphy going into OU, since Rest without sleep is very good, plus Tail Glow is great move for Manaphy giving it awesome sweepingness. Except it has a chance of being with its two event buddies (Celebi and Jirachi) since in OU there is no Kyogre around to give it infinite rain time. Sorry, I know this isn't a Manaphy debate discussion. XD But, Zapdos handles it.

Edit: I forgot Manaphy has Ice Beam... ;_;

Edit 2: Ewwww, Ice Beam does 64.84% - 76.04% to Zapdos making it a bad switch... Suicune only does 20-30% damage to the bulky Toxic Manaphy set...

 

[Skip Shot]

Yeah, I got to the same conclusion as you. After a night of playtesting, I quit after Aerodactyl's and Tyranitar's Stone Edges missed 20 million times in a row, costing me a bunch of matches. I also changed HP Electric on Suicune to Roar to stop Baton Pass chains.

 

[Dark Azelf]

Yeah, I got to the same conclusion as you. After a night of playtesting, I quit after Aerodactyl's and Tyranitar's Stone Edges missed 20 million times in a row, costing me a bunch of matches. I also changed HP Electric on Suicune to Roar to stop Baton Pass chains.

Yeah thats not really clever.

1. Baton Pass teams fail to Taunt and struggle to do anything vs offensive teams such as this.(Honestly the amount of BP Teams ive DESTROYED with Encore Cacturne alone lol =/)
2. If you DONT have HP Electric on Cune, Gyarados goes

Spoiler:

At your team .___.

 

[Skip Shot]

Yeah thats not really clever.

1. Baton Pass teams fail to Taunt and struggle to do anything vs offensive teams such as this.(Honestly the amount of BP Teams ive DESTROYED with Encore Cacturne alone lol =/)
2. If you DONT have HP Electric on Cune, Gyarados goes

Spoiler:

At your team .___.

(That picture is epic) Thankfully, the only Gyarados so far I've run into are leads 0.0 I'll put HP Electric back on.