Once upon a time... As in, earlier this week, I was browsing around completed OU analyses. Most of them seemed fairly typical, except for one... Umbreon. At first I was just thinking, "WTF? Umbreon is terrible! There's no way it's decent enough to get an OU analysis! What is this?" But then I thought into it a bit more... And I was legitimately intrigued. Just how good was Umbreon as a special wall/Wish passer/Cleric? Does it actually function well enough to consider using it in OU seriously? Is there an acceptable reason to use it over Chansey or Sylveon? Umbreon is one of my favorite Pokemon and my #2 favorite Eeveelution. I decided to give it a go. This, of course, meant stepping out of my comfort zone. I like to play heavy offense, but Umbreon obviously wouldn't work on it. I needed a bulkier team. This is the result.
The Defensive Core
Night Walker (Umbreon) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 Def
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Foul Play
Here we are with the star of the show: Umbreon. At a first glance, there doesn't appear to be much of a reason to use Umbreon. Blissey, Chansey, and Sylveon serve literally the same exact role, but with greater Special bulk; in addition, Sylveon has a far more respectable offensive presence with its Pixilate Hyper Voice, while Umbreon gets.... Uhh, Foul Play, and that's it. But there's something about Umbreon that justifies its use: While the pink blobs and Sylveon are generally better than Umbreon, Umbreon does not afraid where they afraid: Aegislash. It's immune to Psyshock, which is especially relevant against Latios; Specs Latios cannot 2HKO Umbreon, while Sylveon and Blissey are both 2HKOed by Specs Psyshock after Stealth Rock. Chansey avoids the 2HKO but can't handle Aegislash, which this team does need, and I'd like all of the insurance against Aegislash I can get. In other words, no Specs Latios / SD Aegislash are running through me any time soon. Of course, Skarmory can take SD Aegislash on, but all it can do back is Whirlwind. And, of course, you actually really do NOT want to status Umbreon... Setting up on it isn't really smart either.
Umbreon's primary function is to pass Wishes and use Heal Bell. The Wish Passing is especially useful since Goodra has no recovery, so Umbreon can pass a Wish to it to ensure that it stays in tip-top condition to tank some hits. In addition, it can ensure Landorus does not get too low on health, and can support Rotom-W if I need better recovery than Pain Split. Something got burned by Scald? Goodra's been frozen by Ice Beam? Rotom-W is poisoned? Don't worry, Umbreon can save the day! Anyway, Umbreon has actually been legitimately useful, and I have been able to find a legitimate reason to use it.
Ferric Flyer (Skarmory) (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Defog
- Roost
- Whirlwind
Skarmory is not the best Pokemon in the world, but it does work well with Umbreon. All those Scizors and shit that give Umbreon the blues? Skarmory's got them covered. In addition, I really needed something to set up Stealth Rock, while Defog would be nice to support Mega Pinsir. So, here we are with Skarmory. It's a simple case of "Get rid of your opponent's rocks, get up your own rocks, phaze some shit."
My main problem with Skarmory is that its offensive presence equates to precisely nothing since I have no room for Brave Bird on this set. It's easy Taunt bait. I'd like something that still works well with Umbreon that's not so damn useless offensively, but... I'm not sure if such an ideal Pokemon exists. But, oh well, it works well on this team.
The Bulky-Offensive Core
All Goodra, Bro (Goodra) (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Quiet Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Dragon Tail
Assault Vest Goodra just somehow manages to get on so many teams that I make. Counter to Volcarona? It's all Goodra, bro. Thundurus giving you the blues? Just slap an Assault Vest Goodra on that team, bitch. You hate Mega Venusaur? Sap Sipper Assault Vest Goodra gives exactly zero fucks about that shit. And the best part about it? It hits like a fucking truck. Can't use status moves? Don't care!
Of course, the main problem is having no recovery. On older teams, sometimes Goodra would get worn down to the point where Volcarona could get a sweep in. That's not the case on this team. If Goodra gets low on health, Umbreon can pass a Wish to it and that's the end of the troubles. Worst-case scenario, if both Goodra AND Umbreon are weakened significantly, Landorus can revenge kill it.
General Electric (Rotom-Wash) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 228 HP / 220 Spd / 60 SAtk
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Rotom-Wash. You just gotta love this thing... Well, not really. Personally, I've never been a fan. It's such a dumb concept in general, but my problems have always been that bulky sets don't hit hard enough, and Choice sets aren't bulky enough. This set, though, has the best of both worlds. It's not goddamn useless offensively, while also not taking hits like crap. With that in mind, while it's not as bulky as the physically defensive set, which has huge implications against Talonflame, it handles Talonflame well enough to where I can consider its bulk acceptable, while it hits just hard enough that I can consider its power acceptable. And it can still burn stuff, too, so that's something.
The Sweeper
Swiffer (Pinsir) (M) @ Pinsirite
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Return
- Earthquake
- Quick Attack
You remember when Pinsir was a joke? When it was such a piece of shit that a piece of shit would have said it was a piece of shit?
Actually, never mind that, that's totally irrelevant right now. Point is, Mega Pinsir is fucking fantastic. I was originally running Mega Tyranitar in this slot for a setup sweeper as it could also have Sand Stream for Landorus, but the more and more I realized a gaping weakness to Assault Vest Conkeldurr, the more and more I realized that having Sand Stream was unnecessary. So, I decided I needed something that not only didn't mind Conkeldurr, but also shat all over it. And that's Mega Pinsir, in a nutshell. It fits quite well in this team too; Goodra handles Rotom-W, Rotom-W and Goodra handle Skarmory, Rotom-W covers Talonflame, but everything else... Meet the Swiffer!
The Revenge Killer
Landorus @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 Spd / 4 SAtk / 252 Atk
Naive Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn
Landorus is not quite the dominating force it used to be. However, I needed a revenge killer that could outspeed Mega Charizard X, who was really shaping up to be a major threat to this team. And that's where Landorus comes in. Generally, Garchomp is my Pokemon of choice regarding Choice Scarf users, but Landorus can use U-turn, so even after I replaced Tyranitar, I gave it the nod. It's also important for revenge killing Dragonite (those that forgo EQ for an elemental punch that is, otherwise Skarmory doesn't care) but you do have to look out for Weakness Policy. It also serves as a backup for Volcarona in case Goodra gets too low on health and Umbreon can't support it. Landorus is by far the least useful member of the team, and I am considering replacing it with Garchomp, but it's good at what it does.
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 Def
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Foul Play
Here we are with the star of the show: Umbreon. At a first glance, there doesn't appear to be much of a reason to use Umbreon. Blissey, Chansey, and Sylveon serve literally the same exact role, but with greater Special bulk; in addition, Sylveon has a far more respectable offensive presence with its Pixilate Hyper Voice, while Umbreon gets.... Uhh, Foul Play, and that's it. But there's something about Umbreon that justifies its use: While the pink blobs and Sylveon are generally better than Umbreon, Umbreon does not afraid where they afraid: Aegislash. It's immune to Psyshock, which is especially relevant against Latios; Specs Latios cannot 2HKO Umbreon, while Sylveon and Blissey are both 2HKOed by Specs Psyshock after Stealth Rock. Chansey avoids the 2HKO but can't handle Aegislash, which this team does need, and I'd like all of the insurance against Aegislash I can get. In other words, no Specs Latios / SD Aegislash are running through me any time soon. Of course, Skarmory can take SD Aegislash on, but all it can do back is Whirlwind. And, of course, you actually really do NOT want to status Umbreon... Setting up on it isn't really smart either.
Umbreon's primary function is to pass Wishes and use Heal Bell. The Wish Passing is especially useful since Goodra has no recovery, so Umbreon can pass a Wish to it to ensure that it stays in tip-top condition to tank some hits. In addition, it can ensure Landorus does not get too low on health, and can support Rotom-W if I need better recovery than Pain Split. Something got burned by Scald? Goodra's been frozen by Ice Beam? Rotom-W is poisoned? Don't worry, Umbreon can save the day! Anyway, Umbreon has actually been legitimately useful, and I have been able to find a legitimate reason to use it.
Ferric Flyer (Skarmory) (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Defog
- Roost
- Whirlwind
Skarmory is not the best Pokemon in the world, but it does work well with Umbreon. All those Scizors and shit that give Umbreon the blues? Skarmory's got them covered. In addition, I really needed something to set up Stealth Rock, while Defog would be nice to support Mega Pinsir. So, here we are with Skarmory. It's a simple case of "Get rid of your opponent's rocks, get up your own rocks, phaze some shit."
My main problem with Skarmory is that its offensive presence equates to precisely nothing since I have no room for Brave Bird on this set. It's easy Taunt bait. I'd like something that still works well with Umbreon that's not so damn useless offensively, but... I'm not sure if such an ideal Pokemon exists. But, oh well, it works well on this team.
The Bulky-Offensive Core
All Goodra, Bro (Goodra) (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Quiet Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Dragon Tail
Assault Vest Goodra just somehow manages to get on so many teams that I make. Counter to Volcarona? It's all Goodra, bro. Thundurus giving you the blues? Just slap an Assault Vest Goodra on that team, bitch. You hate Mega Venusaur? Sap Sipper Assault Vest Goodra gives exactly zero fucks about that shit. And the best part about it? It hits like a fucking truck. Can't use status moves? Don't care!
Of course, the main problem is having no recovery. On older teams, sometimes Goodra would get worn down to the point where Volcarona could get a sweep in. That's not the case on this team. If Goodra gets low on health, Umbreon can pass a Wish to it and that's the end of the troubles. Worst-case scenario, if both Goodra AND Umbreon are weakened significantly, Landorus can revenge kill it.
General Electric (Rotom-Wash) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 228 HP / 220 Spd / 60 SAtk
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Rotom-Wash. You just gotta love this thing... Well, not really. Personally, I've never been a fan. It's such a dumb concept in general, but my problems have always been that bulky sets don't hit hard enough, and Choice sets aren't bulky enough. This set, though, has the best of both worlds. It's not goddamn useless offensively, while also not taking hits like crap. With that in mind, while it's not as bulky as the physically defensive set, which has huge implications against Talonflame, it handles Talonflame well enough to where I can consider its bulk acceptable, while it hits just hard enough that I can consider its power acceptable. And it can still burn stuff, too, so that's something.
The Sweeper
Swiffer (Pinsir) (M) @ Pinsirite
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Return
- Earthquake
- Quick Attack
You remember when Pinsir was a joke? When it was such a piece of shit that a piece of shit would have said it was a piece of shit?
Actually, never mind that, that's totally irrelevant right now. Point is, Mega Pinsir is fucking fantastic. I was originally running Mega Tyranitar in this slot for a setup sweeper as it could also have Sand Stream for Landorus, but the more and more I realized a gaping weakness to Assault Vest Conkeldurr, the more and more I realized that having Sand Stream was unnecessary. So, I decided I needed something that not only didn't mind Conkeldurr, but also shat all over it. And that's Mega Pinsir, in a nutshell. It fits quite well in this team too; Goodra handles Rotom-W, Rotom-W and Goodra handle Skarmory, Rotom-W covers Talonflame, but everything else... Meet the Swiffer!
The Revenge Killer
Landorus @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 Spd / 4 SAtk / 252 Atk
Naive Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn
Landorus is not quite the dominating force it used to be. However, I needed a revenge killer that could outspeed Mega Charizard X, who was really shaping up to be a major threat to this team. And that's where Landorus comes in. Generally, Garchomp is my Pokemon of choice regarding Choice Scarf users, but Landorus can use U-turn, so even after I replaced Tyranitar, I gave it the nod. It's also important for revenge killing Dragonite (those that forgo EQ for an elemental punch that is, otherwise Skarmory doesn't care) but you do have to look out for Weakness Policy. It also serves as a backup for Volcarona in case Goodra gets too low on health and Umbreon can't support it. Landorus is by far the least useful member of the team, and I am considering replacing it with Garchomp, but it's good at what it does.
Conclusion
I really just made this team to take Umbreon for a spin in OU. While, last generation, I would have seen Umbreon as garbage (and still do regarding Gen V,) this generation is a different story. The mere existence of Aegislash gives Umbreon a reason to be used over other Wish passers/Clerics, while being immune to Psyshock is a nice plus when facing Lati@s. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Here's an importable in case you want to test the team, but if you do want to use it, please, keep the nicknames:
I really just made this team to take Umbreon for a spin in OU. While, last generation, I would have seen Umbreon as garbage (and still do regarding Gen V,) this generation is a different story. The mere existence of Aegislash gives Umbreon a reason to be used over other Wish passers/Clerics, while being immune to Psyshock is a nice plus when facing Lati@s. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Here's an importable in case you want to test the team, but if you do want to use it, please, keep the nicknames:
Code:
Night Walker (Umbreon) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 Def
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Foul Play
Ferric Flyer (Skarmory) (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Defog
- Roost
- Whirlwind
All Goodra, Bro (Goodra) (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Quiet Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Dragon Tail
General Electric (Rotom-Wash) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 228 HP / 220 Spd / 60 SAtk
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Swiffer (Pinsir) (M) @ Pinsirite
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Return
- Earthquake
- Quick Attack
Landorus @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 Spd / 4 SAtk / 252 Atk
Naive Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn
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