SM OU Claydoll-Lead balanced

[The Faz]

Introduction

Claydoll dosnt sound like the best lead, but can work, and can give good damage to some of the most
common leads of the tier (based on the usage stats: http://www.smogon.com/stats/2017-08/leads/gen7ou-1500.txt ). This team is based around him.

Pokémon 1: Claydoll.

Claydol @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Stealth Rock
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam


Firstly, as usual, I make my lead. I choosed Claydoll (how I choose him is another story), and
claydoll does his job quite well. Psychic is to hit Toxapex (Number 31 of the usage stats), but is most for the stab. Earth Power can OHKO Tapu Koko (Number 2 in the usage stats), Ice Beam is for Landorus-T (number 1 in usage stats), and he can take hits pretty well from these 2. However you have a chance of not killing, so you might have problems if the oponent decides to switch. It also have a (big) problem if the oponent lead is Greninja, so you might use another pokémon if the oponent look like its going to lead with it.

Pokémon 2: Gyarados

Gyarados @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Bounce
- Waterfall
- Earthquake

Gyarados usualy take a lots of problems by Tapu Koko, and realy likes having it dead by Claydoll.Dragon Dance is his set-up move. Bounce, with Flyinium Z can deal great damage, waterfall is stab, and eartquake is his coverage. Basic Gyarados set, moving on...

Pokémon 3: Gengar

Gengar @ Life Orb
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast

Gengar likes not having Landorus-T around, with his Eartquakes. Shadow Ball is his main stab, Sludge Wave is mainly used if Tapu Koko wasnt the oposing lead and if the Tapu Koko survived the Earth Power from Claydoll, so Gyarados can sweep later. HP Ice is here if Landorus-T survived the Claydoll, and for any Garchomps in your way. Focus Blast helps him deal with pursuit trappers, that tend to be x4 weak to fighting: Tyranitar and Weavile. However, he dont have anything to hit Alola-Muk, so...

Pokémon 4: Garchomp


Garchomp @ Leftovers
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Fire Fang
- Poison Jab
- Outrage

Garchomp is here because of its power, coverage and alola-muk check. Leftovers mean that he can survive more, making here a defensive core with Toxapex, being able to check its counters well. He has
Eartquake, that is a must, Fire Fang, for ferrothorn and mega-scizor, that would otherwize be a big problem to the team with its priority, Poison Jab is for the fairy types: Tapu Bulu, Mimikyu, etc. Outrage is for late-game sweeping, after the farys have been removed.

Pokémon 5: Mega-Pinsir

Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Return
- Earthquake
- Knock Off

Every team needs a wallbreaker, and pinsir is here for this. He has the raw power to break trought many things. He has a big problem with priority or things faster (read: Tapu Koko and Mega-Scizor), so he usualy runs Quick Attack. I choose using knock off because Garchomp can deal with these 2, and Claydoll can destroy Tapu Koko on the start of the game. Outside of that, the rest of the set are the ones that you would find in any pinsir.

Pokémon 6: Toxapex

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Haze
- Light Screen
- Scald

Toxapex realy likes not having Landorus and Koko nearby, and gives good suport to the team, not only by providing a pokémon they can reliebly switch-in, but also spreading Burns and Toxics. Have is for not being set-up folder, and Light Screen is for more team support.

Calcs:

252+ SpA Claydol Earth Power vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Tapu Koko: 270-320 (96 - 113.8%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO

0- Atk Tapu Koko U-turn vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Claydol: 100-118 (38.1 - 45%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

252+ SpA Claydol Ice Beam vs. 252 HP / 24 SpD Landorus-Therian: 340-400 (89 - 104.7%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO

0 Atk Landorus-Therian U-turn vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Claydol: 134-158 (51.1 - 60.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

 

[Twilight]

Interesting team you have but you haven't focused on answering your weaknesses on this team. For instance Tapu Koko runs through this team and no claydol isn't an answer to it. No decent player will stay in on a claydol to hidden power ice because they won't kill it in the first place and they will expect some bulky set. With Z-Wild Charge Koko running around it will simply u-Turn and do about 40-50% and you lose your focus sash. Of course you can switch but you lose momentum. Claydol can stop a landorus lead but only if the player goes for rocks first turn, otherwise there is nothing stopping it using U-Turn to chunk you and waste your sash. If you want an answer to these threats why not just lead with a scarf landorus or a focus sash landorus because it easily deals with them unlike claydol, but seeing as you want to focus around it I'll leave it though lando is a better option.
Another thing this team is weak to is hazards especially stealth rocks because you are using gyarados and pinsir but you dont have any hazard removal. Another threat which runs through this team is Zygarde which nothing except gyarados can annoy with intimidate otherwise it sets up and sweeps especially if it's the Z Outrage set. You also don't have a good Lele answer (let anyone any psychic pokemon) as a player can easily play around this team and know when to moonblast or psychic to deal with a claydol which gets 2OHKO by specs moonblast and takes 43.5-51.5% from psychic. Even claydol can't keep taking psychic from scarf lele as you lack recovery. Your lack of a steel type is what makes you weak to lele as well as bird spam teams. You also have zero tapu bulu switch ins even at -1 bulu does 50% on a minimum role to gyarados.

These are the weaknesses I see (there could be more) and you seem to have built this team under the impression claydol beats koko just from most of your descriptions. Even if it is specs koko it shouldn't ever stay in as it doesn't OHKO claydol, and if it has no risk to go for hp ice predicting your claydol mid-game because it's the only answer to it then you lose.
I will now attempt to solve your weaknesses which this team needs:

• I advice swapping gyarados for tapu bulu because it walls zygarde and can switch into tapu koko + change the terrain. It adds another wallbreaker to help stomach through stall. The use of grassy terrain can help a lot of your Pokemon too. It does the same job as gyarados which is to wallbreak and leviates your koko weakness.

• Next i advice using Ash-Greninja > Gengar as it appreciates having pinsir to wallbreak for it to sweep and set up spikes for your pinsir to wallbreaker or sweep easier. Yes you lose some coverage but again with koko and lele running around gengar isnt that popular now. Also once greninja changes it can outspeed koko.

• Next i want to fix your hazard removal problem so i suggest using Latios > Garchomp because first of all Defog support. Second you revenge kill alakazam, zard x and volcarona something your team needs. Also you don't need an Alolan muk answer because it's not used...

• Next i suggest heatran > Toxapex because it adds a tapu lele answer and doesn't remove your Zard Y weakness otherwise. It can set up to rocks more reliably for your team.

• I know you want to use claydol but I strongly advice against it. I want to suggest using an offensive zapdos over it because it takes hits from and deals with landorus. It also adds a ground immunity. Offensive zapdos destroys a lot of the metagame and is hard to switch into.

• Next use quick attack > Knock Off because you need the priority on mega pinsir to OHKO offensive threats that outspeed it or are in range.

Importable

Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Return
- Earthquake
- Quick Attack

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 220 SpD / 40 Spe
Calm Nature
- Lava Plume
- Toxic
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock

Tapu Bulu @ Fightium Z
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
- Wood Hammer

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Discharge
- Hidden Power Ice
- Heat Wave
- Roost

Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Spikes

Latios @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Trick

These changes should help you out significantly. If you are intent on using claydol you could use it over zapdos and run celesteela over heatran. You keep a lele and bird spam answer, you would also need a defensive claydol with leftovers but I wouldn't advice this as you become weaker to zard y and lose another ice resistance. Good luck in the future, focus more on defensive synergy when building teams :)

 

[The Faz]

Interesting team you have but you haven't focused on answering your weaknesses on this team. For instance Tapu Koko runs through this team and no claydol isn't an answer to it. No decent player will stay in on a claydol to hidden power ice because they won't kill it in the first place and they will expect some bulky set. With Z-Wild Charge Koko running around it will simply u-Turn and do about 40-50% and you lose your focus sash. Of course you can switch but you lose momentum. Claydol can stop a landorus lead but only if the player goes for rocks first turn, otherwise there is nothing stopping it using U-Turn to chunk you and waste your sash. If you want an answer to these threats why not just lead with a scarf landorus or a focus sash landorus because it easily deals with them unlike claydol, but seeing as you want to focus around it I'll leave it though lando is a better option.
Another thing this team is weak to is hazards especially stealth rocks because you are using gyarados and pinsir but you dont have any hazard removal. Another threat which runs through this team is Zygarde which nothing except gyarados can annoy with intimidate otherwise it sets up and sweeps especially if it's the Z Outrage set. You also don't have a good Lele answer (let anyone any psychic pokemon) as a player can easily play around this team and know when to moonblast or psychic to deal with a claydol which gets 2OHKO by specs moonblast and takes 43.5-51.5% from psychic. Even claydol can't keep taking psychic from scarf lele as you lack recovery. Your lack of a steel type is what makes you weak to lele as well as bird spam teams. You also have zero tapu bulu switch ins even at -1 bulu does 50% on a minimum role to gyarados.

These are the weaknesses I see (there could be more) and you seem to have built this team under the impression claydol beats koko just from most of your descriptions. Even if it is specs koko it shouldn't ever stay in as it doesn't OHKO claydol, and if it has no risk to go for hp ice predicting your claydol mid-game because it's the only answer to it then you lose.
I will now attempt to solve your weaknesses which this team needs:

• I advice swapping gyarados for tapu bulu because it walls zygarde and can switch into tapu koko + change the terrain. It adds another wallbreaker to help stomach through stall. The use of grassy terrain can help a lot of your Pokemon too. It does the same job as gyarados which is to wallbreak and leviates your koko weakness.

• Next i advice using Ash-Greninja > Gengar as it appreciates having pinsir to wallbreak for it to sweep and set up spikes for your pinsir to wallbreaker or sweep easier. Yes you lose some coverage but again with koko and lele running around gengar isnt that popular now. Also once greninja changes it can outspeed koko.

• Next i want to fix your hazard removal problem so i suggest using Latios > Garchomp because first of all Defog support. Second you revenge kill alakazam, zard x and volcarona something your team needs. Also you don't need an Alolan muk answer because it's not used...

• Next i suggest heatran > Toxapex because it adds a tapu lele answer and doesn't remove your Zard Y weakness otherwise. It can set up to rocks more reliably for your team.

• I know you want to use claydol but I strongly advice against it. I want to suggest using an offensive zapdos over it because it takes hits from and deals with landorus. It also adds a ground immunity. Offensive zapdos destroys a lot of the metagame and is hard to switch into.

• Next use quick attack > Knock Off because you need the priority on mega pinsir to OHKO offensive threats that outspeed it or are in range.

Importable

Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Return
- Earthquake
- Quick Attack

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 220 SpD / 40 Spe
Calm Nature
- Lava Plume
- Toxic
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock

Tapu Bulu @ Fightium Z
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
- Wood Hammer

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Discharge
- Hidden Power Ice
- Heat Wave
- Roost

Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Spikes

Latios @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Trick

These changes should help you out significantly. If you are intent on using claydol you could use it over zapdos and run celesteela over heatran. You keep a lele and bird spam answer, you would also need a defensive claydol with leftovers but I wouldn't advice this as you become weaker to zard y and lose another ice resistance. Good luck in the future, focus more on defensive synergy when building teams :)

Thanks for the rating, but just I have some questions:

1: "Next i want to fix your hazard removal problem so i suggest using Latios > Garchomp because first of all Defog support. Second you revenge kill alakazam, zard x and volcarona something your team needs. Also you don't need an Alolan muk answer because it's not used..."
Why not to simply use it on claydoll? You would keep your stealth rock and, if I use your suggestion, the spikes that the greninja would had set.

2: "I know you want to use claydol but I strongly advice against it. I want to suggest using an offensive zapdos over it because it takes hits from and deals with landorus. It also adds a ground immunity. Offensive zapdos destroys a lot of the metagame and is hard to switch into." "It also adds a gound immunity" Claydol has levitate ._., and he adds a electric immunity.

Anyways, thanks a lot for the team rating. Ill surely use the improved team!

 

[Twilight]

Thanks for the rating, but just I have some questions:

1: "Next i want to fix your hazard removal problem so i suggest using Latios > Garchomp because first of all Defog support. Second you revenge kill alakazam, zard x and volcarona something your team needs. Also you don't need an Alolan muk answer because it's not used..."
Why not to simply use it on claydoll? You would keep your stealth rock and, if I use your suggestion, the spikes that the greninja would had set.

2: "I know you want to use claydol but I strongly advice against it. I want to suggest using an offensive zapdos over it because it takes hits from and deals with landorus. It also adds a ground immunity. Offensive zapdos destroys a lot of the metagame and is hard to switch into." "It also adds a gound immunity" Claydol has levitate ._., and he adds a electric immunity.

Anyways, thanks a lot for the team rating. Ill surely use the improved team!

Yes claydol has levitate but if you come across an Excadrill with mold breaker what's your switch In? That's why you need something reliable enough to switch into it. You could run defensive variant of zapdos also to tank hits better which works just as well.

If you want to run scarf chomp on garchomp then rapid spin claydol go ahead but it doesn't outspeed +1 zard so be aware of that. Yes you can run rapid spin on claydol but why not just use Excadrill it's much better both can set rocks and rapid spin, has higher base atk and with moldbreaker doesn't care about levitate.