Mass x Velocity. A Momentum team

[Jamiroquai]

After getting trifled by a Volt Switch team, I decided to build my own. Most teams I build rely on momentum so I thought Volt switch would be perfect. I wanted to base a team around scarf Genesect as I think he's pretty overpowered when played properly.

I'll try to show team building in the order I lay my team out in.

Genesect @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Download
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Hasty Nature
- U-turn
- Flamethrower
- Ice Beam
- Bug Buzz

Genesect formed the initial starting point for my team. A fairly standard Choice scarf set, Bug Buzz helps break substitutes too. Ice beam & Flamethrower core puts pressure on a whole host of the OU tier, and nails several mega evolutions (Mawile, Heracorss, Pinsir, Garchomp & Scizor to name a few) which helps tremendously in keeping and generating more momentum, and turns Genesect into a top revenge killer aside from his role of U-turning, hense the specially based spread.

Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Overheat
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt

Next up I wanted to search for a volt switcher, and when looking at the mega evolutions list I thought Manectric would be the ideal candidate for the important slot of my team. I think he is massively underated. Once mega evolved he's very fast and with the diversity of his moveset can hit so much for massive damage. While he does have the same non-stab coverage as genesect, the electric type makes a huge difference in hitting pokemon (particularly water types like Rotom-W who switch into genesect). He hits like a truck, and bags attack drops with Intimidate which make him a fantastic game changer. Lightning rod is supremely useful to provide opportunities to switch him in.

Thundurus (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 SAtk / 160 Def / 96 Spd
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunder Wave
- Taunt
- Grass Knot

In need of a secondary volt switcher Thundurus was of interest, especially due to Prankster. He acts as a fantastic buffer to threatening sweepers or those who look to cause trouble by stalling. Prankster means he gets to paralyse anything that isn't talonflame before being hit, which is extremely important as it slows the sweeper down allowing me to hit him first with my next pokemon. Grass knot provides vital coverage against ground types looking to absorb either electric attack.

Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 24 Spd / 232 SDef
Careful Nature
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
- Recover
- Thunder Wave

To finish off my volt-turn core was my next priority. I search for pokemon who knew U-turn with stealth rock, as I wanted a lead who could setup rocks. Celebi fairs pretty well for me and is my usual go to lead, can setup rocks and switch out in an attempt to gain early momentum, while thunder wave can spoil peoples plans early on (cripples setup sweepers). Recover is there because I frankly didn't know what else to use, so decided restoring HP may be useful later in the game.

Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spd
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic
- Scald
- Protect

Naturally, I needed a spinner. There's no way I could accept having entry hazards on my side of the field as it goes completely against the volt-turn core. Tentacruel acts as a spinner and the only dedicated defensive pokemon on my team. A fairly standard set which is awesome at bringing down other walls and sweepers who can't deal massive damage. Toxic is fantastic in conjunction with the volt-turn core, I can switch between my pokemon making it hard for them to choose the correct attack, all while dealing damage and allowing toxic to eat away.

Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 Atk / 172 Spd / 88 HP
Jolly Nature
- Waterfall
- Bounce
- Dragon Dance
- Substitute

Lastly I was looking for a sweeper and something to handle attacks I couldn't deal with. Gyarados seemed perfect, his major weakness was covered by Manectric and resisted by Celebi, while he could take strong water type hits and sponge fire hits, as well as avoid pesky ground type attacks altogether. He fits in almost perfectly with my team, the way it manipulates switching to gain momentum and chances to have a free attack. The momentum basis of my team provides plenty of opportunities to setup and his STAB's round off my teams coverage nicely.



So far I've done pretty well with this team. Troubles do occur when I can't at least hold even at the start of a match. Once I gain a turn in prediction or turning out it becomes far easier to wear my opponent down. The whole team very much revolves around Volt-switching in order to gain opportunities to damage and hinder my opponent, while not giving them a chance to really get a foot in. I'm very much open to suggestions towards this team, hense me posting it here.

 

[Jamiroquai]

Bump ?

 

[Oranos]

It seems extremely odd to see a volt/turn team without rotom, but I guess I can see leaving him out here since you are using so many water/electric types already. Since entry hazards are so extremely detrimental to this strategy I wouldn't rely on rapid spin (very easy to predict, and there are so many ghosts running around to spin block this gen). You could run something like a defog/u-turn gliscor instead of tentacruel; it gives more reliable hazard removal in defog, gives you an addition momentum move, and gliscor on his own gives you a fantastic immunity to electricity, which your water types will love.

 

[Jamiroquai]

It seems extremely odd to see a volt/turn team without rotom, but I guess I can see leaving him out here since you are using so many water/electric types already. Since entry hazards are so extremely detrimental to this strategy I wouldn't rely on rapid spin (very easy to predict, and there are so many ghosts running around to spin block this gen). You could run something like a defog/u-turn gliscor instead of tentacruel; it gives more reliable hazard removal in defog, gives you an addition momentum move, and gliscor on his own gives you a fantastic immunity to electricity, which your water types will love.

I abstained from Rotom after building the team based on what I already had, although I could in theory swap Thundurus & Tentacruel for Rotom & Gliscor respectively, Gliscor being able to offer the electric immunity as you said. The problem with defog is it's both sides of the field, so I'd have to wait until after I defog to put hazards up, which puts pressure to get Gliscor out there early and makes Celebi a little less effective as my early game pokemon.

I will try this though, will let you know how it turns out.

 

[NWL]

Just a tip... most VoltTurn cores with Manectric usually feature Landorus-T, for having a typing that synergizes well with Mega Manectric. Also, he can set up Stealth Rocks. I suggest replacing Celebi with him.

 

[SmokingBomber465]

I think your Tentacruel set has a major typo: it currently reads 244 Atk with a Timid nature and your only physical move is Rapid Spin.

 

[ninjawhitetiger]

Hey mate, its ninjawhitetiger here, and hopefully I can help you out with your team. First off I am a huge fan of volt switch teams because they are just beautifull to watch work when played properly. It seems to me that you have a pretty good team here, and besides what was pointed out earlier about the usage of gliscor instead of tentacruel, I Think the members of the team you have are pretty well set, It’s the moves that I will be giving my advice on in this rate. Really only 1 poke in particular, Gyarados. My suggestion is to switch out substitute for ice fang. I recommend this because ice type moves are so valuable in this generation (as they have been in pretty much every gen) and the only poke on your team packing ice is genesect, and if you let that thing die, gliscor will wall you pretty hard if dos cannot get a D-dance in, Landorous is also pretty common on the scene in today’s game and ice fang helps with him aswell. Anyway I hope that helped you out J