OU Check and Counter List

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Skarmory

Checks:

  • Landorus-I (hard): takes maximum of 43% from brave bird, can OHKO with focus blast after recoil.
  • Talonflame (soft): takes max of 56% from Skarmory's brave bird, deals 74-88% with flare blitz. Careful of switching into brave bird, and of stealth rock
Counters:
  • Thundurus-I: Takes minimal damage from brave bird, can KO Skarmory with thunderbolt. Defiant variant can switch into defog, and deal a maximum of 89% with wild charge.
  • Rotom-W: Takes minimal damage from brave bird, deals decent damage with volt-switch, can cripple with will-o-wisp.
  • Deoxys-D: Can set up hazards while preventing Skarmory from setting up its own with taunt. Is 4HKO'd by brave bird, which is plenty of time to set hazards.
  • Heatran: takes minimal damage from brave bird, can set up hazards, KO with lava plume, or cripple switch in with toxic
  • Zapdos: takes minimal damage from brave bird, can KO with thunderbolt, and clear hazards with defog.
  • Aegislash: takes minimal damage from brave bird, can KO with shadow ball.

Teammates / Playstyles:
  • Skarmory does best on Stall, Semi-Stall, and balanced teams, due to it being able to reliably clear hazards, being neutral to hazards, and not being weak to Bisharp and pursuit. It also provides some security against set up sweepers such as Pinsir, which can break through Quagsire, and can phaze them with whirlwind.
  • Skarmory functions best in defensive cores such as with Chansey, Heatran, and/or Venusaur. On balanced teams, offensive pokemon appreciate the the ability to fall back to Skarmory, as it doesn't lose to much momentum since it has whirlwind.
 
Mandibuzz

Checks:

  • Thundurus (hard): takes max of 48% from foul play, has 50% chance to OHKO with thunderbolt, cannot switch in multiple times, careful of stealth rock.
  • Bisharp (soft): can come into a defog, and 2HKO with iron head, though it takes max of 70% from foul play at +2. Must come in on a defog.
  • (Specs) Keldeo (soft): takes minimal damage from foul play, can 2HKO with hydro pump. However, it fails to 2HKO if it comes in on knock off.
  • Hipowdon (soft): takes minimal damage from knock off and foul play, can cripple with toxic, however shut down by taunt variants.
Counters:
  • Mega-Tyranitar: takes minimal damage from foul play and knock off, has 75% to OHKO with stone edge at +1.
  • Terrakion: takes minimal damage from knock off and foul play and gets +1 atk from justified, can 2HKO with stone edge.
  • Gliscor: takes minimal damage from knock off and foul play, doesn't care about losing item if it's already poisoned, and can cripple with toxic.
  • Mega-Gardevoir: takes minimal damage from knock off and foul play, can KO with hyper voice.
  • Mega-Mawile: takes minimal damage from knock off and foul play, 50% chance to OHKO with play rough.

Teammates / Playstyles:
  • Mandibuzz provides anti-hazard support to stall and balanced teams, and is not weak to pursuit.
  • It is a capable physical wall, but is easily taken down by many special attackers. As such, it's best used in defensive cores, with pokemon like Chansey, Mega Venusaur, or Clefable.
  • Pokemon that appreciate Mandibuzz's ability to keep hazards of the field also pair well with it, though be careful not to create too much of a weakness to EdgeQuake.
 
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(Defensive) Gyarados

Checks:

  • Aegislash (soft): Max SpA/Atk variant takes max of 37% from waterfall, has 50% of 2HKO with shadow ball.
  • Mega-Mawile (hard): takes max of 37% from waterfall, can 2HKO with play rough and sucker punch, however you must know it isn't running earthquake first before safely switching in.
  • Mega-Pinsir: takes maximum of 43% from waterfall, 2HKO's with return, careful of stealth rock.
Counters:
  • Thundurus-I: takes maximum of 60% from waterfall, OHKO's with thunderbolt, careful of switching in multiple times.
  • Azumarill: takes minimum damage from waterfall, immune to dragon tail, can KO with play rough or set up with belly drum.
  • Zapdos: takes max of 40% from waterfall, OHKO's with thunderbolt.
  • Gothitelle: takes max of 50% from waterfall, traps, and specs variant OHKO's with thunderbolt.

Teammates / Playstyles:
  • Defensive Gyarados does best on stall and semi-stall teams that need either a) a counter to many dangerous physical sweepers such as Charizard-X while also stoping a few special attackers Charizard-Y and Landorus-I, or b) a stall breaker that can slowly grind its way through opposing stall.
  • Running Dragon Tail in the last move slot (first 3 being rest/sleep talk/waterfall) allows it to achieve the aforementioned affect, while running Dragon Dance allows it to stall break.
  • Good teammates are things that can deal with electric types, more specifically Thundurus-I. These mons include Chansey, Clefable, and Mega-Venusaur.
  • Gyarados requires anti-hazard support to be effective. Skarmory can achieve this, while also walling a few set up sweepers that can otherwise power through Gyarados such as Mega-Pinsir.
 
I am placing all these on one master list that I will hopefully make into an article. If cannot get this made into an article, I will just repost as a thread and get it stickied / locked.
 
Because of the fact that VR is pretty dead most of the time I am going to unreserve the Pokemon I had reserved and duplicate this thread on the regular forums.
 
Because of the fact that VR is pretty dead most of the time I am going to unreserve the Pokemon I had reserved and duplicate this thread on the regular forums.
:( , gg VR
Does that mean all reserves will become unreserved or just yours?
 
Because of the fact that VR is pretty dead most of the time I am going to unreserve the Pokemon I had reserved and duplicate this thread on the regular forums.
Can we can still post and reserve our analysis in this thread, or will you only be watching the new thread?
 
Hippowdon

Checks:

  • Keldeo (hard): takes max 47% from earthquake, specs variant always OHKO's with hydro pump, careful of toxic.
  • Kyurem-B (hard): takes max of 36% from earthquake, can 2HKO with ice beam, and set up a sub to avoid toxic. Careful of switching into toxic.
  • Greninja (soft): takes max 68% from earthquake, can 2HKO SpD variant and OHKO defensive variant with hydro pump, has to be careful not to switch into earthquake.
  • Azumarill (soft): takes max of 42% from earthquake, can 2HKO with waterfall, careful of toxic, and switching in multiple times.
Counters:
  • Clefable: takes minimum damage from earthquake and can heal with moonlight/wish, magic guard variant doesn't care about toxic, can set up with calm mind.
  • Mega-Venusaur: takes minimum damage from earthquake, immune to toxic, can cripple with leech seed, 2HKO with giga drain, and cripple with poison chance on sludge bomb.
  • Gliscor: immune to earthquake, has poison heal, can cripple with toxic (no one runs ice fang on Hippowdon anymore).
  • Gengar: can completely wall Hippowdon that lack rock slide, can cripple with will-o-wisp, and prevent slack off with taunt.

Teammates / Playstyles:
  • Hippowdon is typically found on stall, semi-stall, and balance, due to its great physical and even mixed walling capacities, as well as it's ability to set up stealth rock.
  • Hippowdon appreciates partners that can take care of strong water attackers such as Azumarill and Keldeo. Mega-Venusaur does a great job taking hits from both of these threats, though careful to use sand force over sand stream.
  • On balanced teams, Hippowdon works surprisingly well with Charizard-Y, as they have good defensive synergy, and Hippowdon's sand stream cancels out Drought, ensuring Charizard-Y will have a full 5 turns of sun whenever it comes in. The rocks Hippowdon can lay down also help Charizard-Y break walls.
  • Hippowdon works well with sand rush Excadrill and Mega-Garchomp, though typically Excadrill will be found on more offensive teams, and paired with Tyranitar.
 
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(Offensive) Scoliopede

Checks:
  • Talonflame (soft): resists megahorn, immune to earthquake, can OHKO with brave bird, careful of rockslide on the switch as it can OHKO Talonflame
  • Landorus (soft): avoids 2HKO from earthquake/rock slide/mega horn variant, can OHKO with psychic, careful of aqua tail, and of switching in multiple times.
  • Keldeo (hard): avoids 2HKO from all moves besides poison jab, specs variant can OHKO with hydro pump, careful of switching in multiple times.
Counters:
  • Skarmory: Takes minimal damage from all moves, can roost off damage, set up rocks, brave bird, and phaze any boosts.
  • Hippowdon: Takes minimal damage from all moves besides aqua tail (though it still avoids 2HKO), can set up rocks, KO with earthquake, or phaze boosts.
  • Mega/Regular Scizor: Takes minimal damage from all moves, can roost off damage, and whittle down with bullet punch.
  • Mandibuzz: Takes minimal damage from all moves, can 2HKO with foul play.

Teammates / Playstyles:
  • Offensive Scoliopede is generally found on offense, due to its ability to function as a great late game cleaner, once things like Talonflame and Thundurus are gone.
  • Although Banded Tyranitar has many issues in the current meta, and its sand cuts down on Scolipede's staying power, it should be noted for being able to trap Talonflame and OHKO with pursuit.
  • Scoliopede appreciates both a spinner to alleviate its stealth rock weakness, and hazard support, to ensure many OHKO's that it wouldn't be able to get.
 
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Valmanway

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(Offensive) Deoxys-S

Checks:

Bisharp (Hard): With STAB Sucker Punch, Bisharp can easily OHKO any offensive variants, and can set up if Deoxys-S switches out, but Bisharp is destroyed by Superpower.

Thundurus (Hard): Thundurus can use Prankster Thunder Wave and ruin any hopes of Deoxys-S sweeping your team, but is 2HKOed by Ice Beam.

Mega Scizor (Hard): Bulky Mega Scizor surprisingly has enough bulk to avoid an OHKO from Fire Punch and can OHKO back with U-Turn.

Counters:

Aegislash (Hard): Deoxys-S can't muster a 2HKO with anything in its movepool, and can have its attack cut in half by King's Shield, while Aegislash can cleanly OHKO with Shadow Ball or set up with Swords Dance and then OHKO with Shadow Sneak.

Deoxys-D (Soft): With massive defenses and Recover, specially defensive Deoxys-D can avoid a 2HKO from anything thrown its way, and can use Seismic Toss or Toxic to wear Deoxys-S down.

Teammates / Playstyles:

Deoxys-S is an excellent revenge killer, having the highest natural speed in the game, superb coverage, and passable offenses. It generally likes to be on balanced or offensive teams, with teammates either taking hits for him or breaking through very bulky walls, respectively.

Skarmory: Skarmory can take repeated physical attacks pretty well, Roost off the damage, Whirlwind setup users, and can set up hazards to make sweeping for Deoxys-S easier.

Clefable: Having resistances to Dark and Bug, Heal Bell, Wish, Healing Wish, and great defenses, Clefable makes for a pretty good supportive wall for Deoxys-S to fall back on in case things don't go as planned.

Excadrill: Excadrill can power his way through most things that can wall Deoxys-S, as well as spin hazards away, providing more opportunities for Deoxys-S to come in and sweep.

Mega Tyranitar (Offensive)

Checks:

Keldeo (Hard): Can outspeed and can use Secret Sword with any boost OHKO, but is 2HKOed by Earthquake.

Aegislash (Soft): Can use King's Shield to weaken Mega Tyranitar to avoid a 2HKO from Crunch in Shield Form, and 2HKO with Sacred Sword, though King's Shield can be predicted and Mega Tyranitar can set up a Dragon Dance during that turn.

Breloom (Hard): Avoids a 2HKO from all unboosted moves except Stone Edge and Fire Punch, can 2HKO with Mach Punch, and OHKO with Bullet Seed.

Rotom-W (Hard): Outspeeds, has Will-O-Wisp, and can wear down with Hydro Pump, but is 2HKOed without the burn.

Counters:

Hippowdon (Soft): Excellent physical bulk, Slack Off, avoids 2HKO from +1 Crunch, and can Roar to remove stat buffs.

Landorus-T (Soft): Offensive sets avoid 2HKOes from any unboosted attack with Intimidate, outspeeds, and can 2HKO with STAB Earthquake.

Teammates / Playstyles

Mega Tyranitar is the bulkiest of the setup sweepers in the game, so he generally likes to be on offensive teams with teammates that can take care of faster, threatening attackers.

Celebi: Resists Water-, Ground-, Grass-, and Fighting-type moves, has Heal Bell, and takes on Terrakion, Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Breloom.

Latios: Resists Water-, Fighting-, and Grass-type moves, has Levitate, hits physical walls hard, outspeeds Terrakion, Keldeo, and Landorus-T, and can KO them with either STAB or coverage.

Alakazam (Offensive)

Checks:

Greninja (Hard): Faster, has Dark Pulse, and can U-turn to break the Focus Sash, but is 2HKOed by any coverage move.

Bisharp: OHKOes with Sucker Punch and Knock Off, but falls to Focus Blast.

*Edit

Will work on the rest soon.
 
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