Thoughts on my OU Team

[Exploited138]

Hello Pokefans, I've just recently discovered Pokemon Showdown, and I've been messing around trying to come up with a good team. I'm not used to having so many choices from playing Pokemon Y so it's a bit overwhelming, but I think I got a pretty solid team, let me know what you guys think!


Breloom (M) @ Focus Sash (Lead/Physical Sweeper)
Ability: Technician
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Spore
- Swords Dance
- Mach Punch
- Bullet Seed

Skarmory (M) @ Leftovers (Hazard Setter/Physical Wall)
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Whirlwind
- Roost

Chansey @ Eviolite (Special Wall/Cleric)
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Impish Nature
- Wish/Softboiled
- Thunder Wave
- Seismic Toss
- Heal Bell

Starmie @ Life Orb (Special Sweeper-ish/Spinner)
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Psyshock
- Rapid Spin
- Recover

Togekiss (F) @ Lum Berry (Not exactly OU but close enough)
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Air Slash
- Roost
- Water Pulse (40% Confusion) / Dazzling Gleam

Rotom-Wash @ Choice Specs (Mixed Wall)
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 240 HP / 188 Def / 80 SpD
Calm Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Trick

Any advice whatsoever would be greatly appreciate, thanks in advance :]

 

[PlatinumDude]

I'd go with only one hazard on Skarmory. It's easily stopped by Taunt with your current set. Brave Bird provides a powerful STAB, while Counter allows Skarmory to heavily dent something if it takes a predicted physical hit:
-Spikes/Defog
-Whirlwind/Taunt
-Brave Bird/Counter
-Roost
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SDef
Item: Leftovers/Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy

or
-Spikes
-Iron Head
-Whirlwind/Taunt
-Roost
Nature: Careful
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SDef
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy

Chansey is best used on dedicated stall teams. This team has some offensive presence in it, and Chansey is a momentum killer on offensive teams. Clefable is the better alternative as a cleric, as it has more offensive presence than Chansey. It also has Unaware to check/counter setup sweepers:
-Wish
-Protect
-Moonblast
-Heal Bell/Aromatherapy/Flamethrower
Nature: Bold
EVs: 248 HP/252 Def/8 SDef
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Unaware

Offensive Starmie can't afford to squeeze in both Rapid Spin and Recover, as it takes away from its coverage. The defensive variant, however, can afford this, as it focuses on supporting the team with Rapid Spin and possibly crippling physical attackers with Scald:
-Scald
-Psyshock/Reflect Type
-Rapid Spin
-Recover
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 Spe
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure

The offensive variant uses its first three slots for offensive moves:
-Hydro Pump
-Psyshock/Thunderbolt
-Ice Beam/Hidden Power (Fire)
-Rapid Spin/Recover
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Def/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure/Analytic

Water Pulse is a wasted move slot on paraflinch Togekiss, as paralysis + flinch is generally enough to immobilize the opponent in most cases. But Togekiss has a bad tendency to face massive competition from other Fairy Pokemon like Clefable and Mega Altaria.

Seriously, what's the point of Wash Rotom being a "mixed wall" for the team when it's holding Choice Specs? Sure, you have Trick, but Choice sets focus on all-out offense to make the most out of the boosts Choice items grant. Wash Rotom also better off as pure physically defensive so it can handle Talonflame, an OU threat that it handily counters, better:
-Volt Switch
-Hydro Pump
-Will-o-Wisp
-Pain Split/Rest
Nature: Bold
EVs: 248 HP/252 Def/8 Spe
Item: Leftovers/Chesto Berry

If you want a mixed wall, Hippowdon is the better option, since it has excellent overall bulk:
-Stealth Rock
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge/Toxic/Whirlwind
-Slack Off
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP/144 Def/112 SDef
Item: Leftovers

I'd recommend fitting in a Mega Evolution on this team, as you lack one at the moment. Instead of Togekiss, you can use defensive Charizard X to spread burn around on the team. You have Starmie to provide hazard control, anyway:
-Flare Blitz
-Dragon Claw/Earthquake
-Will-o-Wisp
-Roost
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 248 HP/24 Atk/180 SDef/56 Spe
Item: Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze

 

[Exploited138]

I'd go with only one hazard on Skarmory. It's easily stopped by Taunt with your current set. Brave Bird provides a powerful STAB, while Counter allows Skarmory to heavily dent something if it takes a predicted physical hit:
-Spikes/Defog
-Whirlwind/Taunt
-Brave Bird/Counter
-Roost
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SDef
Item: Leftovers/Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy

or
-Spikes
-Iron Head
-Whirlwind/Taunt
-Roost
Nature: Careful
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SDef
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy

Chansey is best used on dedicated stall teams. This team has some offensive presence in it, and Chansey is a momentum killer on offensive teams. Clefable is the better alternative as a cleric, as it has more offensive presence than Chansey. It also has Unaware to check/counter setup sweepers:
-Wish
-Protect
-Moonblast
-Heal Bell/Aromatherapy/Flamethrower
Nature: Bold
EVs: 248 HP/252 Def/8 SDef
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Unaware

Offensive Starmie can't afford to squeeze in both Rapid Spin and Recover, as it takes away from its coverage. The defensive variant, however, can afford this, as it focuses on supporting the team with Rapid Spin and possibly crippling physical attackers with Scald:
-Scald
-Psyshock/Reflect Type
-Rapid Spin
-Recover
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 Spe
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure

The offensive variant uses its first three slots for offensive moves:
-Hydro Pump
-Psyshock/Thunderbolt
-Ice Beam/Hidden Power (Fire)
-Rapid Spin/Recover
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Def/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure/Analytic

Water Pulse is a wasted move slot on paraflinch Togekiss, as paralysis + flinch is generally enough to immobilize the opponent in most cases. But Togekiss has a bad tendency to face massive competition from other Fairy Pokemon like Clefable and Mega Altaria.

Seriously, what's the point of Wash Rotom being a "mixed wall" for the team when it's holding Choice Specs? Sure, you have Trick, but Choice sets focus on all-out offense to make the most out of the boosts Choice items grant. Wash Rotom also better off as pure physically defensive so it can handle Talonflame, an OU threat that it handily counters, better:
-Volt Switch
-Hydro Pump
-Will-o-Wisp
-Pain Split/Rest
Nature: Bold
EVs: 248 HP/252 Def/8 Spe
Item: Leftovers/Chesto Berry

If you want a mixed wall, Hippowdon is the better option, since it has excellent overall bulk:
-Stealth Rock
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge/Toxic/Whirlwind
-Slack Off
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP/144 Def/112 SDef
Item: Leftovers

I'd recommend fitting in a Mega Evolution on this team, as you lack one at the moment. Instead of Togekiss, you can use defensive Charizard X to spread burn around on the team. You have Starmie to provide hazard control, anyway:
-Flare Blitz
-Dragon Claw/Earthquake
-Will-o-Wisp
-Roost
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 248 HP/24 Atk/180 SDef/56 Spe
Item: Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze

Awesome, thanks again for taking the time to help me out. I've only been into competitive battling for a couple months so I'm still learning. A couple questions though, why Spikes instead of Stealth Rock on Skarmory? Some Pokemon aren't even affected by Spikes, and Stealth Rocks is a big threat to Talonflame and Charizard. Also, Talonflame don't seem like much of a threat to Rotom-W, and why would you make him physically defensive when he has Will-O-Wisp to cripple physical attackers? Making him defensive just for one Pokemon seems kinda silly. As for Chansey vs Clefable, Chansey already has more offensive presence with Seismic Toss, while I'm forced to switch Clefable out if I run into a Fire Type, with Moonblast and Flamethrower being it's only means of attack. I'm sure you know what you're talking about, but some of this just don't make sense to me, but with other aspects of this team, you make some good points. Those are really the only concerns I have, please elaborate if you can.

 

[PlatinumDude]

Awesome, thanks again for taking the time to help me out. I've only been into competitive battling for a couple months so I'm still learning. A couple questions though, why Spikes instead of Stealth Rock on Skarmory? Some Pokemon aren't even affected by Spikes, and Stealth Rocks is a big threat to Talonflame and Charizard. Also, Talonflame don't seem like much of a threat to Rotom-W, and why would you make him physically defensive when he has Will-O-Wisp to cripple physical attackers? Making him defensive just for one Pokemon seems kinda silly. As for Chansey vs Clefable, Chansey already has more offensive presence with Seismic Toss, while I'm forced to switch Clefable out if I run into a Fire Type, with Moonblast and Flamethrower being it's only means of attack. I'm sure you know what you're talking about, but some of this just don't make sense to me, but with other aspects of this team, you make some good points. Those are really the only concerns I have, please elaborate if you can.

Spikes' distribution isn't as wide as Stealth Rock's. However, Stealth Rock is usable on Skarmory if you can't find space for it on the team.

Physically defensive Wash Rotom is better, as it can tank physical hits from burned opponents more easily. Aside from Talonflame, full physically defensive investment allows it to handle physical attackers like Azumarill, Excadrill, and Therian Landorus to the best of its abilities. Also, what specific special attacks can Wash Rotom survive with 68 Special Defense EVs? Hippowdon is a better mixed wall because it has better overall bulk than Wash Rotom; its physical bulk is already excellent (Rotom's physical bulk isn't the best, since it only has 50 base HP; it's still good, though), so it can afford to run some EVs in Special Defense; specifically, that spread allows it to avoid the 2HKO from Hidden Power (Ice) coming from Life Orb Thundurus or Mega Manectric.

Chansey is bad on offensive teams because Seismic Toss is its only source of damage and its passiveness makes it a huge momentum killer. Seismic Toss won't be able to KO setup attackers fast enough before they set up and KO Chansey. And by that logic, Chansey will be forced out when it's up against Ghost Pokemon, as Seismic Toss can't hit them. Clefable can at least hit Fire Pokemon, even though it won't be much. You already have Pokemon that can deal with Fire Pokemon, anyway, so I don't see how Clefable being unable to handle them being a problem.