Here are my thoughts on some of the non-mega picks:
I'll snag the first second post to to help everyone get started with their nominations. The first one is usually pretty tough, because you don't really have anything to "counter" yet. Instead, you have to choose a Pokemon that lends itself to a multitude of styles while also being decently difficult to counter (or rather that has easily exploitable counters). I nominate Landorus-I for the first Pokemon!
Landorus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 Def
Timid Nature
- Earth Power
- Focus Blast
- Psychic
- Calm Mind
Landorus-I is the perfect Pokemon for this type of project. Not only is it a formidable Pokemon in the sense that it can do a lot of damage to almost the entire tier, it is also one with very exploitable counters. If the opposing team chooses to use Chansey, it can be over powered with Calm Mind and overloaded with other special attackers. If they choose Latias or Latios, Team 1 can choose Bisharp or Aegislash to easily Pursuit trap it. Landorus also finds itself being able to fit onto many different playstles including HO, Bulky Offense, and Balance. On the whole, I see Landorus and being a very good place to start. Note that I didn't choose Knock Off Landorus because it would essentially be useless. The other team will never pick Chansey if they know Landorus-I has Knock Off! This is the kind of thinking you need to have with your nominations!
I was told last gen that CM Lando was "overkill" and basically not usable lolz. I wish I could find the thread but for some reason I can't. So obviously, I like this pick since it blows major holes into teams and its counters can easily be picked off.
I was thinking of win conditions where the opposing counter is easy to eliminate while not eroding our options by picking something like a Mega right off the bat. So sorry if this is a little "out there" as a nomination.
Haxorus @ Lum Berry
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 124 Spd / 252 Atk / 132 HP
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance
- Poison Jab
While some say that Haxorus is "outclassed" as a dragon-dancer its claim to fame is its ability of Mold Breaker which negates Levitate, Multiscale and most importantly Unaware. While all other dragons are shut down by Unaware cores Haxorus can push through. Unlike Mega-Gyarados who I was also heavily considering nominating Haxorus can carry a Lum Berry which allows to set up in the face of scalders and sweep even if the opponents Thundurus-I is still alive. Haxorus's has an incredibly high attack stat as well and can hold its own as a wallbreaker. Overall Haxorus is IMO an interesting and unexpected choice who can be very good given the shape of the current metagame and limits team 2's defensive options by making an Unaware core worthless.
As a summary:
Haxorus is a very solid first pick as it has very few defensive answers because of Mold Breaker and it can function in multiple roles
(wallbreaker and DD-Sweeper) thanks to its high attack state.
I love Haxorus, don't get me wrong, but its just not fast enough in my opinion. It is pretty powerful, but Skarmory, Gliscor, Lando-T, Hippowdon all wall this thing for life, have a variety of ways of dealing with Haxorus and other pokemon, and DC makes it much less terrifying. This is something that could be used as a later pick IMO.
Here's what I'd like to suggest:
Azumarill @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Belly Drum
- Aqua Jet
- Play Rough
- Waterfall
Azumarill has only gotten better with every passing generation. Now that it can use Belly Drum and Aqua Jet together, and has a secondary STAB, it is finally a terror to behold in OU. This Azumarill can find itself on teams from HO to bulky offense to balance, and doesn't have very many counters. Waterfall is used over Superpower because with Superpower, any Pokemon with priority has a much easier time countering Azumarill. The only other physical Fairy is Mega Mawile, who uses up a Mega slot and as so isn't the best choice for the first mon. If we force the opponent to use their Mega slot on turn 1 by picking Mega Venusaur, so much the better, as their opitions are much more limited.
I literally have nothing to point out here because BD Azu is a terror. It can be saved for the late game or be used as a revenge killer. It's slow as shit but a +6 Aqua Jet will hurt so I definitely like this choice.
Manaphy @ Wacan Berry
Ability: Hydration
EVs : 80 HP / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
- Tail Glow
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
Tail Glow Manaphy seems like a good place to start. The set I'm proposing seems more like a lure than a sweeper, but I like how self-sufficient it is for the most part in that it can handle some of its own biggest problems. With Wacan Berry and Psychic, Manaphy can stave off Thundurus, Rotom-W, Mega Venusaur, and Assault Vest Conkeldurr in one fell swoop, while still being a legitimate and powerful threat that can blast a hole or two in the opposition. While Team 2 knows what's coming, it does mean they'll have to resort to other, less immediately powerful / threatening options to stop Manaphy.
Another good choice, but what's the reasoning behind the EV spread?
I will nominate a very safe albeit boring one.
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 44 Spd / 252 Def / 212 HP
Bold Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
I guess I'm nominating this guy because of how splashable Rotom-W is to any team, while holding its own weight and some against a lot of top-tier threats. 44 speed EVs are to outspeed Jolly Azu(if im not mistaken) and min speed Lando-T.
I know Rotom-W is one of the premier physical walls of this generation right now, but it doesn't really put pressure on Team 2 and I think better reserved for a pick later on.
I know Landorus has been posted twice already but they all play really differently.
Landorus @ Life Orb
Trait: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Earth Power
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- U-turn
So we all know that Landorus can hit a large portion of Pokemon in the tier hard with appropriate coverage moves, and nothing is really safe switching in. When you think of Lando counters, you think of Chansey and Lati@s. However with U-turn these Pokemon can be taken advantage of because momentum is gained in addition to being able to wear down Chansey and trap Lati twins without any risk of doubles. The nice thing about this is that unlike the CM set, team 2 has to be really pressurized when trying to beat this because they can't freely switch in their wall to double out and Lando's coverage is good enough that switching in something else is risky. Good partners would include things that pressurize Chansey, such as Fighting-types, things that pressurize Latis eg. Aegislash or Bisharp. Volt turning teammates are also interesting. Entry hazard support is also nice to wear down Chansey which can't switch in all the time.
This plays a lot like my Greninja suggestion, except its slower but bulkier and more powerful, so once again I think its something that is a good pick.
I'm going to offer up an underrated and fun mon:
Clefable @ Leftovers
Trait: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Softboiled
I think this set is a good choice for a project such as this because it keeps many avenues open. Essentially, it won't limit teambuilding too much around any one playstyle which will allow for greater maneuverability in countering Team 2's choices, particularly when it comes to the all important final choice. Unaware Clefable can check a surprisingly large amount of offensive threats, while at the same time acting as a pretty darn good late game sweeper.
Man, fuck this thing to Hell and back. Its such a bitch to face so I think its a good pick, but can be dealt with since both of its attacks are resisted by fire types. I think this is something that does well in competitive play but may not be best suited for this type of project.
I would like to nominate the following set:
Ability: Pressure
Evs: 252 SpA / 32 SpD / 224 Spe
Nature: Timid
Item: Assault Vest
- Thunderbolt
-Volt Switch
- Hidden Power Ice
-Shadow Ball
Raikou is a highly underrated mon in the current meta that fits the project well - it adds bulk, acts as a good pivot, and does not restrict teambuilding much, while also offering a good stop to popular threats such as Thundurus-I. While it does not pressure Team 2 as much as , for instance, Landorus-I, it allows us much more flexibility and can easily form good cores.
Ahhh vyomov is back! This is actually a pretty decent pick since its fast, bulky, and can pack a decent punch. Volt Switch also makes it a great option since it gives it the ability to get out of potential bad situations even though bulky grounds kinda wall it. Also, what's with the 224 Speed EV's instead of 252?
I'm going to nom Deoxys-S:
@
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 56 Atk / 200 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature
- Psycho Boost
- Superpower
- Knock Off
- Ice Beam
It can hit a lot of things in the metagame with the moves.
Psycho Boost hits really hard, and hits stuff like Mega-Venusaur, Keldeo, Hawlucha, and Breloom.
Superpower can hit things that are coming in on the switch, like Ttar, Heatran, or Excadrill. Knock Off is a very useful move that can be spammed around to some extent without fear and knocking off items to potentially cripple other mons.
Ice Beam is for hitting Lando-T, Dragons, and Zapdos.
It's fraility is made up for by it's high speed, which allows it to outspeed non-priority mons and sometimes kill them or pick weakened mons off.
Of course, although it is priority weak, it can switch to something which can take them.
It also can be easily saced after killing what it needs to kill, which is done quite quickly.
Yea I can see this thing causing a lot of problems for Team 2, as if they needed any more since Team 1 always has the huge advantage of picking last. Just like Azumarrill, I don't really have much input for Deo-S since it wrecks shit and has tremendous speed.
Rotom-Wash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 SpA / 4 Defense
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Trick
- Will-o-Wisp
Note:Not sure if replacing thunderbolt with will-o-wisp is a good idea or not
Rotom-Wash is a threat in this metagame , What with good offenses , Amazing defenses,Great ability and Workable Speed,Specs Push rotom-wash to new level , here are some calcs:
252+ SpA Choice Specs Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Aegislash-Shield: 178-211 (54.9 - 65.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ SpA Choice Specs Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Assault Vest Conkeldurr: 240-283 (57.9 - 68.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Heatran: 354-416 (91.7 - 107.7%) -- 50% chance to OHKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Sylveon: 153-181 (38.8 - 45.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ SpA Choice Specs Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Chansey: 162-192 (23 - 27.2%) -- 56.9% chance to 4HKO(ko if half health and caught on switch)
252+ SpA Choice Specs Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Clefable: 196-232 (49.7 - 58.8%) -- 74.2% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ SpA Choice Specs Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Mega Scizor: 184-217 (53.4 - 63%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Mega Charizard X: 291-343 (97.6 - 115.1%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO(2hko with 252 hp 252+ SpD
252+ SpA Choice Specs Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Mega Venusaur: 108-128 (29.6 - 35.1%) -- 17.8% chance to 3HKO(Catch it on the switch+some period damage = ko)
Not only that , But it also have A choice specs to trick into any set up pokemon who is boosting it's defenses , Also it might force Team 2 to run Mail on Clefable(Mail is the only item who can't be tricked , Also the mega evolutions) Which reduce it's life time.
Also it pairs amazingly well with a wish passer or a U-turner.
At first glance, I didn't really care for this pick, but after giving it some thought I think it can be something tricky (no pun intended) to work around thanks to Trick. It creates mind games so I see it as something that Team 2 cannot outright counter right away and is something that would have to be dealt with when the time comes. I guess a fast taunter that can take a hit would be the best option against it.
Terrakion @ Choice Band
Trait: Justified
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4HP/ 252 Atk/ 252 Spe
-Close Combat
-Stone Edge
-Earthquake
-Quick Attack
Band Terrakion is one of the most terrifying wall breakers in the entire metagame. It can 2HKO defensive Skarmory with Close Combat, 2HKO both Landorus-T and Venusaur with stone edge, and pretty much wreck stall with any pursuit support. The only really solid counter in all of OU is Gliscor, which team 1 can take advantage of if they chose it early. Its a very solid pokemon all around and it can adapt to various forms of offense, and seeing that this is the first pick and we're not countering anything directly yet, I think it would be a decent pick.
Edit: Actually I'm rethinking this, it may be better to see what walls need breaking before suggesting wall breakers, even if they are as versatile as Terrakion.
Another one of my selections from the very last CtP project. I was told it wasn't a good choice yet multiple people said if I didn't change the set they would have voted for it...but anyway I like the pick and the pokemon itself since I have used it before so I think its another good selection.
Kyurem-Black @ Leftovers
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 52 HP / 200 SAtk / 252 Spd
Rash Nature
- Substitute
- Ice Beam
- Fusion Bolt
- Earth Power
Ok, so I'm nominating one of the best Pokemon in the game right now, Kyruem-Black. This set does amazingly against Stall, as Substitute and its power ensure that it can not be Toxic'ed. Ice Beam hits so fucking hard, it is a wonderful STAB move that gets great coverage. Fusion Bolt allows it to beat Fairy-types, but watch out for Sylveon! Earth Power is amazing for Heatran and Rotom-W (Teravolt). Kyurem-Black has so much raw power and coverage that it is very difficult to wall. Kyurem-B is just a very good Pokemon in the current Meta, as it has astounding power, bulk, and not too shabby Speed!
Ahhh I was thinking about posting this set too! Another great choice that doesn't really need much input from me. It puts the hurt on shit and can take hits.
Might I ask why you are running Rash with no physical moves?
Also, a nomination:
Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 64 Atk / 192 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature
-Draco Meteor
-Outrage
-Earthquake
-Fire Blast
An oldie but a goodie. It's MixMence, which despite having dropped from OU, still makes for a potent cleaner and/or sweeper. While Mence is slower than, say, Chomp, it makes up for it with better SAtk and, more importantly, Moxie, which makes it even stronger as it gets KOs. The presence of Fairy types has hindered it, but that's what coverage moves are for. Mence gets at least neutral coverage on all of OU with this moveset.
I would mention the only thing that can reliably beat this, but that would be too easy for the other team to work around. Nobody's brought it up yet, though.
The reason why Salamence dropped was because almost all fairy types can deal with him easily, especially Togekiss, and I don't think this set in particular is going to cut it since there is much more priority and faster threats out there that can do work on Mence.
Helix fucking Fossil that shit took a while. Anyway, aside from my own selection, my favorite nominations so far are Azumarrill, Deo-S, CM & U-turn Lando, and Kyu-B.