Back Story
Many a Swampert have pranced onto the UU Battlefield, only to be destroyed by random Grass coverage moves before a single Stealth Rock could be laid. These Swampert have come back in a new form to haunt mischievous Pokemon who dare try to harm their mud-loving friends who are lucky enough to still be alive. The ghost has also brought along a crew of other friends in order to best achieve the vengeance he desires. Thus I bring you Swampert's Ghost & Co.!
Teambuilding Process
This team started when I wanted to try the AV Escavalier set provided in the UU Teambuilding Thread.
Of all possible partners, Swampert has the best synergy with Escavalier, each resisting the other's single weakness. Swampert also has great physical bulk (and Scald!) to complement Escavalier's special bulk with the Assault Vest.
Swampert and Escavalier both hate burns, so I added Celebi to double as a special wall and a cleric, gradually wearing down Pokemon with its attacks while keeping it and its teammates healthy.
My team was very slow, so I picked a win condition that synergizes well with this defensive core: Mega Absol. This is the ghost ready for her vengeance.
I needed a revenge killer, so I chose Scarf Victini to make a FWG core. I wanted somebody to be able to VoltTurn with Victini that could also dismantle cores with Bulky Waters. Thus meet my friend from the trenches of NU, Eelektross.
I wanted somebody to be able to VoltTurn with Victini that could also dismantle cores with Bulky Waters. Thus meet my friend from the trenches of NU, Eelektross (Phase I).
I switched the special attacking Victini set for a purely physically attacking one, making special walls such as Florges much easier to handle (Phase II).
I decided that Swampert's Scald burns weren't really needed and so it was outclassed by Hippowodon, especially with multiple Ice/Grass resistances and Eelektross killing every bulky water in sight. Hippowodon's reliable recovery sets it over the top (Phase III).
To better handle Chandelure and bring some more speed to the team, I replaced Escavalier with Hydreigon. Many threats Escavalier handled were better managed by another team member plus it had no recovery. Speaking of recovery, I dropped Celebi in favor of Aromatisse for Wish Support, as well as a better way to check Fighting and Dragon-types (Phase IV).
Removing Celebi removed much of this team's special bulk, so I revised Eelektross's move set to make it better able to handle special attackers, particularly Water-types.
The Motley Crew
Escavalier (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 152 HP / 252 Atk / 96 SpD / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Megahorn
- Drill Run
- Iron Head
- Knock Off
Escavalier was the starting base of the team designed to take special attacks with its great typing and return the favor with supercharged blows.
Megahorn: The main STAB move, hitting Pokemon such as opposing Mega-Absol, Hydreigon, Celebi, and Shaymin very hard, ripping them to pieces. And let's not forget Umbreon.
Drill Run: Coverage move against Fire and Electric-types, namely Victini and Raikou.
Iron Head: This is the secondary STAB and makes Escavalier my Fairy killer, doing a great number on the Fairy-types of UU, namely Florges.
Knock Off: This is a utility move that removes Eviolites, Choice items, and so forth. Removing the item can also help identify the set that is being used (i.e. whether Hydreigon was a revenge-killer with Choice Scarf or a wall breaker with a Life Orb). Any Ghost-type trying to switch in on Megahorn will be disappointed to see this come to their face.
EVs: I tweaked the EVs provided on the UU Teambuilder thread. Some HP EVs were moved to Special Defense to help make better use of the Assault Vest while keeping a Stealth Rock number. The 8 Speed EVs are for speed-creeping versus other Escavalier. I kept the attack at its highest since Escavalier needs power to be an effective tank.
Ability: Makes Escavalier immune to Spore, Sleep Powder, and the occasional Hail. Plus it's a solid check to Mega-Abomasnow whenever that comes around.
Nature: Bump up the most important stat, ignore the least important stat.
Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk/252 SpA/252 Spe
Nature: Hasty
-Draco Meteor
-Dark Pulse
-Iron Tail
-Roost
Hydreigon is my wall breaker and was chosen to form a Double Darkness offensive core with Mega Absol. It does a number on most common walls in UU.
Draco Meteor: My biggest nuke on the team without offensive boosts. If I need something gone NOW and it is too scared to switch out, then this is what I click. It is also the main STAB move.
Dark Pulse: This is the secondary STAB with lower base power and more spam-ability. It helps break down Psychic and Ghost-types, as well as having excellent neutral coverage across the UU tier.
Iron Tail: Going mixed compensates for Hydreigon's SpA drops from using Draco Meteor. When it hits, it nails Florges, but there isn't much else to use it on. It lets Hydreigon be an effective lure as well as a wall breaker.
Roost: This move lets Hydreigon stay in the game longer and thus it requires less team support to function as opposed to if I stuck a fourth attacking move here. Having to constantly switch in and out ruins my momentum.
EVs: Hydreigon is primarily a special attacker, so special attack is maximized. It is also important that Hydreigon outspends Haxorus, so max speed is also used. The last 4 EVs are placed in Attack since Hydreigon isn't really a tank so defense boosts aren't really necessary.
Ability: There is no choice here, but I appreciate the Earthquake immunity as a way to pivot back and forth between Hydreigon and Victini.
Nature: I need to be able to outspeed Jolly Haxorus before a Dragon Dance, so I use a +Speed nature. I lower Defense as opposed to Special Defense as Hydreigon was also chosen as a Chandelure check/counter. It also gives Download users an attack boost.
Swampert (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 232 HP / 236 Def / 40 Spe
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Scald
- Roar
- Earthquake
Swampert is the physical wall of the team, and the "obvious" lead (so rarely do I lead with it). Its great typing lets it be a reliable setter of Stealth Rock.
Stealth Rock: This move has all sorts of uses, from crippling Moltres to Galvantula and Yanmega. Plus it breaks Focus Sashes and just makes sweeping easier.
Scald: The spammable STAB move, fishing for burns. It makes a lot of physical threats easier for Swampert and the rest of the team to handle.
Roar: This move replaced Yawn for phasing, especially against Turn 1 Cloyster Shell Smash. It can also mess with predicted switch-ins once rocks are up by taking them out of play and causing the opponent to lose momentum.
Earthquake: This is the secondary STAB move for Electric-types and almost anything else that resists Scald/is immune to burns, such as Fire-types.
EVs: Swampert was speed-creeped to outrun 0 EV Base 55 Pokemon while avoiding the use of a -SpD nature. From there I maximized physical bulk while hitting a Stealth Rock number.
Ability: Almost nobody uses Explosion, so Torrent is the better option, especially late game when Swampert will likely be weakened.
Nature: I am attacking from both sides. Although Swampert is a physical wall, it sometimes needs to take special fire attacks since Escavalier and Celebi are both weak to them, so running a Lax nature seems like a bad idea. The only viable option left was Relaxed.
Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 232 HP / 248 Def / 28 Spe
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
Hippowodon is my physical wall, hazer, and blocker of Volt Switch spam.
Stealth Rock: The universal hazard is kept from what Hippowodon replaced. It keeps many SR-weak threats in check and breaks sashes.
Roar: Roar removes stat boosts from dangerous setup sweepers such as Haxorus. It also racks up entry hazard damage.
Earthquake: Earthquake is the reliable STAB move with great coverage and very good power for no investment.
Slack Off: This is Hippowodon's recovery and what sets it apart from Swampert. It helps in case I get a free turn and lets Hippowodon do its job repeatedly.
EVs: This is the highest HP that hits a Stealth Rock number. The speed EVs outspeed 0 Spe neutral natured Base 50 Pokemon (is there a better benchmark?). The rest is dumped in defense as this is a physical wall.
Ability: The rest of my team (besides Escavalier) is annoyed by Sandstorm so I go with Sand Force to prevent that residual damage from hurting my own team.
Nature: I don't use any special attacks, so a -SpA nature is fine. Hippowodon is meant primarily to sponge physical attacks, so I used a +Def nature, giving me an Impish Hippowodon.
Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 168 HP / 44 SpA / 252 SpD / 44 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heal Bell
- Recover
- Dazzling Gleam
- Giga Drain
Celebi is my special wall and cleric. It is a team player that can hold its own against most of the non-Fire-type special attackers in UU.
Heal Bell: This move cures status from my whole team, primarily burns, which Escavalier, Swampert, and M-Absol despise.
Recover: This move allows Celebi to stay in the game and tank the hits it needs to much longer.
Dazzling Gleam: This move is basically for Hydreigon and Scrafty. I've caught a fair number of Hydreigon switching in with the hope of gaining momentum.
Giga Drain: This is Celebi's STAB move and another source of indirect recovery beyond Leftovers. It hits Pokemon such as Rhyperior and Swampert super-effectively.
EVs: Special Defense was maximized since Celebi is my special wall. 44 SpA EVs are added to give Dazzling Gleam more power when hitting Dark-types. I added a few extra speed EVs from the spread suggested on PS to catch players who use these defensive spreads with no thought to copying the suggested EV spread. The HP hits a Stealth Rock number (I don't need 252 HP since I'm not making 101 Subs).
Ability: Natural Cure is Celebi's only ability option. That said, it can save Heal Bell PP if Celebi is the only Pokemon with a status condition.
Aromatisse (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 248 HP/252 Def/8 SpD
Nature: Bold
IVs: 0 Atk
-Wish
-Protect
-Moonblast
-Aromatherapy
Aromatisse is my cleric and utility Pokemon. It is also my Dragon killer.
Wish: This move provides recovery for members of my team without any direct recovery: Eelektross, Victini, and Absol. It also lets Aromatisse act as a cool pivot if I predict correctly.
Protect: Ensures Aromatisse receives Wishes meant for itself. Protect also has the power to scout choice move sets and stall for poison/burn damage.
Moonblast: The STAB move of choice so Aromatisse has no setup to do. The fact that it can lower the target's special attack can let Aromatisse somewhat function as a mixed wall.
Aromatherapy: If Absol gets burned or Victin gets paralyzed, Aromatisse can try to switch in and let my sweepers continue their rampage. This was an important trait that I used Celebi for and so that played a role in deciding what to replace it with.
EVs: Aromatisse needs to best check Haxorus and Heracross, so physical bulk was maximized. Since Aromatisse rarely attacks, the remaining EVs were put in Special Defense. The HP EVs hit a Stealth Rock number.
Ability: Healer is completely useless in Singles. However, an immunity to Taunt and Encore can be useful at times.
Nature: I am not using physical attacks, so I used a -Atk nature. The nature that is also +Def was chosen for Aromatisse to best handle physical attackers.
Possible changes: Protect sometimes feels like a waste since Aromatisse is bulky to begin with. I would consider trying Toxic over it.
Absol (F) @ Absolite
Ability: Justified-->Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Superpower
- Knock Off
Absol is my primary win condition and physical sweeper, chosen for its synergy with my defensive core and power.
Swords Dance: This is Absol's best boosting move since it doesn't care about defenses. I often use Swords Dance as something such as a Celebi switches out, so hopefully I can pick off their "counter."
Sucker Punch: Gives my team much-needed priority. With M-Absol's base 150 attack, this move is extremely powerful even with only 80 Base Power. There aren't any common Pokemon in UU that outspeed M-Absol that resist this move either.
Superpower: This move knocks Steel-types out of commission, along with Normal and Dark-types. Note that many of these Pokemon don't take a lot of damage from Sucker Punch.
Knock Off: The preferable STAB for anything slower than Absol (almost anything without a Scarf once the Mega Evolution is in full swing). It also has the bonus of removing items, so even if something such as Hippowodon isn't KOed, removal of Leftovers will make it easier to handle later.
EVs: Very straightforward since Base 115 is an important Speed benchmark to tie with Raikou. The last 4 EVs are put in Special Defense so Porygon 2 and Porygon-Z get an unneeded attack boost rather than a deadly special attack boost.
Ability: Since Absol will always mega-evolve as soon as possible, Super Luck is never useful, and Pressure's possible effect if I switch in on an attack is negligible. However, Justified is useful so Absol can come in on a resisted Knock Off and gain a +1 Attack for free (and the move doesn't get the power boost since Mega Stones can't be removed). After mega evolving Magic Bounce becomes the lone option, but it is great for bouncing back Thunder Wave, Will-o-Wisp, Toxic, and Roar (some people forget about this one).
Nature: Absol has enough attacking power as it is, so a Jolly nature boosts its speed, guaranteeing Absol to outspeed all non-Scarf Mienshao and tying with Timid Raikou after the mega evolution.
Possible changes: I hardly ever use Superpower, so I feel Iron Tail over Superpower would be beneficial to nail Florges (though the 75% accuracy is a concern, especially with Absol's frailty).
Victini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Atk/4 SpD/252 Spe
Nature: Jolly
IVs: 0 SpA
-V-Create
-U-turn
-Trick
-Bolt Strike
Victini is my revenge-killer and secondary win condition. It hits threats that Absol struggles with, mostly Fairies and Bulky Steels.
V-Create: The demolition button. This is Victini's STAB move off of a fully invested attack with 180 Base Power. The stat drop isn't too bothersome since Victini does a lot of switching in and out anyway.
U-turn: Kept from the old set, U-turn hits Hydreigon and lets me keep momentum. Now with a physically biased set, it hits even harder.
Trick: This move cripples walls (besides Megas) by removing Eviolite/Leftovers by locking them into attacks. It also frees Victini to switch moves, though I must be careful when giving up Victini's extra speed. Thus this move is most effective against Bulky Offense and Stall/Semistall.
Bolt Strike: This move will have to do where Victini doesn't get a powerful physical Grass move. This attack hits Bulky Waters without a secondary Ground typing hard, most notably Crocune. It also has very good neutral coverage with V-Create, hitting all common UU Pokemon besides Dragon-types and Water/Ground types neutrally.
EVs: As Victini is a physical attacker, its attack is maximized. With it being a revenge-killer, speed is also maximized as Base 100 +1 is an important benchmark. The last four EVs go to Special Defense because 1) Victini does not hit a Stealth Rock number, and 2) Porygons get an Attack boost with Download.
Ability: V-Create and Bolt Strike become more reliable with the accuracy boost, but the ability was even more useful with the old set.
Nature: Running a Jolly Nature and Scarf ensures I outspeed +1 Haxorus, +1 Hydreigon, and tie with +1 Jirachi/Celebi/Victini/Shaymin (and +1 Salamence if it returns from BL).
Possible changes: It really depends what else I change on the team. Nothing for now though!
Eelektross (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 64 HP/100 SpA/252 SpD/92 Spe
Nature: Modest
IVs: 0 Atk
-Acid Spray
-Giga Drain
-Flamethrower
-Volt Switch
Acid Spray: Lets Eelektross keep momentum and corrode against special walls, namely Florges, letting Eelektross manhandle them.
Giga Drain: Donks Swampert on turn 1. It also hits Donphan, Hippowodon, Gastrodon, and Rhyperior very hard, and it provides recovery to compensate for the absence of Leftovers.
Flamethrower: This move works well with Acid Spray as it hits Steel-types super-effectively, namely Mega-Aggron and Forretress. It also works very well against Bulky Grass types in the event that Victini is dead or can't switch in safely.
Volt Switch: Works well with Acid Spray because an opponent may try to switch to erase Acid Spray SpD drops, so I can rack up hazard damage twice as effectively and keep control of the action even longer. It also gets a STAB bonus.
EVs: Special Defense is maximized to make the best use of the Assault Vest. With that in mind, I remove some EVs from HP to go to special attack so Eelektross can still hit hard and corrode walls (Hippowodon and Aromatisse stonewall pretty much every physical attacker anyway, so rarely will Eelektross need to take physical hits). The HP hits a Stealth Rock number, and 92 Speed EVs outspeed 8 Spe Bold/Adamant/Lax Swampert to nail it with Giga Drain, preferably on Turn 1.
Ability: There is no other option, but the Earthquake immunity is always welcome.
Nature: Eelektross has plenty of special bulk with the AV, and I eventually start to get worried about lowering its attacking power too much since it IS a special TANK (not as much a wall). Thus I run a +SpA nature. No physical attacks are used, so a Modest nature is used over a Mild one.
How to Address Common Threats/Threatlist
Hydreigon nukes it on the switch-in with Iron Tail. Victini can switch in and force it out, then KO with V-Create. Non-Toxic sets can also be worn down by Hippowodon.
If it runs Thunder Wave, Hippowodon completely walls it and eventually forces it out. Mega Absol uses it as setup fodder as long as the Mega Evolution is already activated. Then Aromatisse can pass Wishes once Blissey is gone.
Victini can revenge-kill Hydreigon and Aromatisse resists all common moves. The rare physically biased set is eventually forced out by Hippowodon once Draco Meteor gets too weak.
Chandelure's dual STABs completely dismantle my defensive core, so I have to try to switch in Hydreigon and kill it. Victini and Mega-Absol can revenge-kill but can't switch in.
Victini readily revenge-kills it. Depending on the set, however, either Hydreigon or Hippowodon can handle it more directly.
Mienshao's Life Orb set is revenge-killed by Victini. Hippowodon is a full stop to all sets without Grass Knot (read: 99.9% of them). It might lose its Leftovers but Mienshao will perish soon after.
Hippowodon forces Darmanitan out, while Victini and M-Absol both revenge-kill it.
Hippowodon can phaze Haxorus out, living a +1 Dragon Claw, while Absol and Victini can both revenge-kill it. This one is very dangerous if Hippowodon is weakened or eliminated. Without boosts, Hydreigon easily OHKOs with Draco Meteor.
Eelektross will try to lead against it and put it to rest with Giga Drain. Really this team is ABOUT removing Swampert. Failing that, most other members can do enough damage to it that it'll eventually die. I just need to keep Victini away from it.
Eelektross can wear Mega Aggron down with Flamethrower, and Hippowodon with Earthquake. Absol and Victini can revenge-kill it.
Eelektross is my best bet to keep it from doing too much damage with Acid Spray + Giga Drain. However when it comes out my main priority will be preventing it from using Rapid Spin. Hydreigon, Mega-Absol, and Victini can all revenge-kill it. Mega-Blastoise's power is so immense, however, that Eelektross needs help from Aromatisse if it is going to check Blastoise more than once per match.
Conclusion
Well this team takes on Swampert comfortably. I'll say that much. Many HO teams are dismantled with my team's great revenge-killing capabilities. And not many people seem to handle Eelektross well. At this point the ghost has gotten her revenge and the Swampert population has declined to the point where it will start terrorizing RU instead. When Mega-Swampert comes out, however, I have no idea.
Shoutouts
My Round I UU Open battle with Mega-Swampert inspired me to make this RMT. Watch the battle here:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-145510267. This RMT is kind of in his honor and I wish him good luck in the rest of the tournament. It also shows that my team is weak to stall :P Also thanks again to mega-swampert for giving me animated sprites.
Importable
Many a Swampert have pranced onto the UU Battlefield, only to be destroyed by random Grass coverage moves before a single Stealth Rock could be laid. These Swampert have come back in a new form to haunt mischievous Pokemon who dare try to harm their mud-loving friends who are lucky enough to still be alive. The ghost has also brought along a crew of other friends in order to best achieve the vengeance he desires. Thus I bring you Swampert's Ghost & Co.!
Teambuilding Process
This team started when I wanted to try the AV Escavalier set provided in the UU Teambuilding Thread.
Of all possible partners, Swampert has the best synergy with Escavalier, each resisting the other's single weakness. Swampert also has great physical bulk (and Scald!) to complement Escavalier's special bulk with the Assault Vest.
Swampert and Escavalier both hate burns, so I added Celebi to double as a special wall and a cleric, gradually wearing down Pokemon with its attacks while keeping it and its teammates healthy.
My team was very slow, so I picked a win condition that synergizes well with this defensive core: Mega Absol. This is the ghost ready for her vengeance.
I needed a revenge killer, so I chose Scarf Victini to make a FWG core. I wanted somebody to be able to VoltTurn with Victini that could also dismantle cores with Bulky Waters. Thus meet my friend from the trenches of NU, Eelektross.
I wanted somebody to be able to VoltTurn with Victini that could also dismantle cores with Bulky Waters. Thus meet my friend from the trenches of NU, Eelektross (Phase I).
I switched the special attacking Victini set for a purely physically attacking one, making special walls such as Florges much easier to handle (Phase II).
I decided that Swampert's Scald burns weren't really needed and so it was outclassed by Hippowodon, especially with multiple Ice/Grass resistances and Eelektross killing every bulky water in sight. Hippowodon's reliable recovery sets it over the top (Phase III).
To better handle Chandelure and bring some more speed to the team, I replaced Escavalier with Hydreigon. Many threats Escavalier handled were better managed by another team member plus it had no recovery. Speaking of recovery, I dropped Celebi in favor of Aromatisse for Wish Support, as well as a better way to check Fighting and Dragon-types (Phase IV).
Removing Celebi removed much of this team's special bulk, so I revised Eelektross's move set to make it better able to handle special attackers, particularly Water-types.
The Motley Crew
Escavalier (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 152 HP / 252 Atk / 96 SpD / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Megahorn
- Drill Run
- Iron Head
- Knock Off
Escavalier was the starting base of the team designed to take special attacks with its great typing and return the favor with supercharged blows.
Megahorn: The main STAB move, hitting Pokemon such as opposing Mega-Absol, Hydreigon, Celebi, and Shaymin very hard, ripping them to pieces. And let's not forget Umbreon.
Drill Run: Coverage move against Fire and Electric-types, namely Victini and Raikou.
Iron Head: This is the secondary STAB and makes Escavalier my Fairy killer, doing a great number on the Fairy-types of UU, namely Florges.
Knock Off: This is a utility move that removes Eviolites, Choice items, and so forth. Removing the item can also help identify the set that is being used (i.e. whether Hydreigon was a revenge-killer with Choice Scarf or a wall breaker with a Life Orb). Any Ghost-type trying to switch in on Megahorn will be disappointed to see this come to their face.
EVs: I tweaked the EVs provided on the UU Teambuilder thread. Some HP EVs were moved to Special Defense to help make better use of the Assault Vest while keeping a Stealth Rock number. The 8 Speed EVs are for speed-creeping versus other Escavalier. I kept the attack at its highest since Escavalier needs power to be an effective tank.
Ability: Makes Escavalier immune to Spore, Sleep Powder, and the occasional Hail. Plus it's a solid check to Mega-Abomasnow whenever that comes around.
Nature: Bump up the most important stat, ignore the least important stat.
Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk/252 SpA/252 Spe
Nature: Hasty
-Draco Meteor
-Dark Pulse
-Iron Tail
-Roost
Hydreigon is my wall breaker and was chosen to form a Double Darkness offensive core with Mega Absol. It does a number on most common walls in UU.
Draco Meteor: My biggest nuke on the team without offensive boosts. If I need something gone NOW and it is too scared to switch out, then this is what I click. It is also the main STAB move.
Dark Pulse: This is the secondary STAB with lower base power and more spam-ability. It helps break down Psychic and Ghost-types, as well as having excellent neutral coverage across the UU tier.
Iron Tail: Going mixed compensates for Hydreigon's SpA drops from using Draco Meteor. When it hits, it nails Florges, but there isn't much else to use it on. It lets Hydreigon be an effective lure as well as a wall breaker.
Roost: This move lets Hydreigon stay in the game longer and thus it requires less team support to function as opposed to if I stuck a fourth attacking move here. Having to constantly switch in and out ruins my momentum.
EVs: Hydreigon is primarily a special attacker, so special attack is maximized. It is also important that Hydreigon outspends Haxorus, so max speed is also used. The last 4 EVs are placed in Attack since Hydreigon isn't really a tank so defense boosts aren't really necessary.
Ability: There is no choice here, but I appreciate the Earthquake immunity as a way to pivot back and forth between Hydreigon and Victini.
Nature: I need to be able to outspeed Jolly Haxorus before a Dragon Dance, so I use a +Speed nature. I lower Defense as opposed to Special Defense as Hydreigon was also chosen as a Chandelure check/counter. It also gives Download users an attack boost.
Swampert (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 232 HP / 236 Def / 40 Spe
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Scald
- Roar
- Earthquake
Swampert is the physical wall of the team, and the "obvious" lead (so rarely do I lead with it). Its great typing lets it be a reliable setter of Stealth Rock.
Stealth Rock: This move has all sorts of uses, from crippling Moltres to Galvantula and Yanmega. Plus it breaks Focus Sashes and just makes sweeping easier.
Scald: The spammable STAB move, fishing for burns. It makes a lot of physical threats easier for Swampert and the rest of the team to handle.
Roar: This move replaced Yawn for phasing, especially against Turn 1 Cloyster Shell Smash. It can also mess with predicted switch-ins once rocks are up by taking them out of play and causing the opponent to lose momentum.
Earthquake: This is the secondary STAB move for Electric-types and almost anything else that resists Scald/is immune to burns, such as Fire-types.
EVs: Swampert was speed-creeped to outrun 0 EV Base 55 Pokemon while avoiding the use of a -SpD nature. From there I maximized physical bulk while hitting a Stealth Rock number.
Ability: Almost nobody uses Explosion, so Torrent is the better option, especially late game when Swampert will likely be weakened.
Nature: I am attacking from both sides. Although Swampert is a physical wall, it sometimes needs to take special fire attacks since Escavalier and Celebi are both weak to them, so running a Lax nature seems like a bad idea. The only viable option left was Relaxed.
Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 232 HP / 248 Def / 28 Spe
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
Hippowodon is my physical wall, hazer, and blocker of Volt Switch spam.
Stealth Rock: The universal hazard is kept from what Hippowodon replaced. It keeps many SR-weak threats in check and breaks sashes.
Roar: Roar removes stat boosts from dangerous setup sweepers such as Haxorus. It also racks up entry hazard damage.
Earthquake: Earthquake is the reliable STAB move with great coverage and very good power for no investment.
Slack Off: This is Hippowodon's recovery and what sets it apart from Swampert. It helps in case I get a free turn and lets Hippowodon do its job repeatedly.
EVs: This is the highest HP that hits a Stealth Rock number. The speed EVs outspeed 0 Spe neutral natured Base 50 Pokemon (is there a better benchmark?). The rest is dumped in defense as this is a physical wall.
Ability: The rest of my team (besides Escavalier) is annoyed by Sandstorm so I go with Sand Force to prevent that residual damage from hurting my own team.
Nature: I don't use any special attacks, so a -SpA nature is fine. Hippowodon is meant primarily to sponge physical attacks, so I used a +Def nature, giving me an Impish Hippowodon.
Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 168 HP / 44 SpA / 252 SpD / 44 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heal Bell
- Recover
- Dazzling Gleam
- Giga Drain
Celebi is my special wall and cleric. It is a team player that can hold its own against most of the non-Fire-type special attackers in UU.
Heal Bell: This move cures status from my whole team, primarily burns, which Escavalier, Swampert, and M-Absol despise.
Recover: This move allows Celebi to stay in the game and tank the hits it needs to much longer.
Dazzling Gleam: This move is basically for Hydreigon and Scrafty. I've caught a fair number of Hydreigon switching in with the hope of gaining momentum.
Giga Drain: This is Celebi's STAB move and another source of indirect recovery beyond Leftovers. It hits Pokemon such as Rhyperior and Swampert super-effectively.
EVs: Special Defense was maximized since Celebi is my special wall. 44 SpA EVs are added to give Dazzling Gleam more power when hitting Dark-types. I added a few extra speed EVs from the spread suggested on PS to catch players who use these defensive spreads with no thought to copying the suggested EV spread. The HP hits a Stealth Rock number (I don't need 252 HP since I'm not making 101 Subs).
Ability: Natural Cure is Celebi's only ability option. That said, it can save Heal Bell PP if Celebi is the only Pokemon with a status condition.
Aromatisse (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 248 HP/252 Def/8 SpD
Nature: Bold
IVs: 0 Atk
-Wish
-Protect
-Moonblast
-Aromatherapy
Aromatisse is my cleric and utility Pokemon. It is also my Dragon killer.
Wish: This move provides recovery for members of my team without any direct recovery: Eelektross, Victini, and Absol. It also lets Aromatisse act as a cool pivot if I predict correctly.
Protect: Ensures Aromatisse receives Wishes meant for itself. Protect also has the power to scout choice move sets and stall for poison/burn damage.
Moonblast: The STAB move of choice so Aromatisse has no setup to do. The fact that it can lower the target's special attack can let Aromatisse somewhat function as a mixed wall.
Aromatherapy: If Absol gets burned or Victin gets paralyzed, Aromatisse can try to switch in and let my sweepers continue their rampage. This was an important trait that I used Celebi for and so that played a role in deciding what to replace it with.
EVs: Aromatisse needs to best check Haxorus and Heracross, so physical bulk was maximized. Since Aromatisse rarely attacks, the remaining EVs were put in Special Defense. The HP EVs hit a Stealth Rock number.
Ability: Healer is completely useless in Singles. However, an immunity to Taunt and Encore can be useful at times.
Nature: I am not using physical attacks, so I used a -Atk nature. The nature that is also +Def was chosen for Aromatisse to best handle physical attackers.
Possible changes: Protect sometimes feels like a waste since Aromatisse is bulky to begin with. I would consider trying Toxic over it.
Absol (F) @ Absolite
Ability: Justified-->Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Superpower
- Knock Off
Absol is my primary win condition and physical sweeper, chosen for its synergy with my defensive core and power.
Swords Dance: This is Absol's best boosting move since it doesn't care about defenses. I often use Swords Dance as something such as a Celebi switches out, so hopefully I can pick off their "counter."
Sucker Punch: Gives my team much-needed priority. With M-Absol's base 150 attack, this move is extremely powerful even with only 80 Base Power. There aren't any common Pokemon in UU that outspeed M-Absol that resist this move either.
Superpower: This move knocks Steel-types out of commission, along with Normal and Dark-types. Note that many of these Pokemon don't take a lot of damage from Sucker Punch.
Knock Off: The preferable STAB for anything slower than Absol (almost anything without a Scarf once the Mega Evolution is in full swing). It also has the bonus of removing items, so even if something such as Hippowodon isn't KOed, removal of Leftovers will make it easier to handle later.
EVs: Very straightforward since Base 115 is an important Speed benchmark to tie with Raikou. The last 4 EVs are put in Special Defense so Porygon 2 and Porygon-Z get an unneeded attack boost rather than a deadly special attack boost.
Ability: Since Absol will always mega-evolve as soon as possible, Super Luck is never useful, and Pressure's possible effect if I switch in on an attack is negligible. However, Justified is useful so Absol can come in on a resisted Knock Off and gain a +1 Attack for free (and the move doesn't get the power boost since Mega Stones can't be removed). After mega evolving Magic Bounce becomes the lone option, but it is great for bouncing back Thunder Wave, Will-o-Wisp, Toxic, and Roar (some people forget about this one).
Nature: Absol has enough attacking power as it is, so a Jolly nature boosts its speed, guaranteeing Absol to outspeed all non-Scarf Mienshao and tying with Timid Raikou after the mega evolution.
Possible changes: I hardly ever use Superpower, so I feel Iron Tail over Superpower would be beneficial to nail Florges (though the 75% accuracy is a concern, especially with Absol's frailty).
Victini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Blue Flare
- U-turn
- Grass Knot
- Focus Blast
Victini is my special sweeper, revenge killer, and secondary win condition.
Blue Flare: This is the STAB move of choice that is fairly spammable with great accuracy. The burn chance is there too, though it's too small to count on.
U-turn: This lets Victini gain momentum for my team and escape bad match ups. It makes Victini part I of the VoltTurn core as well.
Grass Knot: Grass Knot is to handle Swampert and Rhyperior and not much else.
Focus Blast: This move handles Dark-types that try to switch in on Victini's other moves. The most notable target is Hydreigon. In fact, I chose Scarf Victini because it outpaces Scarf Hydreigon, just barely.
EVs: To tie with other scarved base 100s, maximum speed was necessary. As the main attacking moves are all special, 252 more EVs were put in special attack. Honestly, the last 4 EVs don't matter as long as they're not put in HP (thus letting Victini switch into Stealth Rock one less time than it could otherwise).
Ability: Victini only has one ability choice, but it makes Blue Flare and Focus Blast a bit more reliable. With this ability, Blue Flare goes up to 93.5% accuracy and Focus Blast goes to 77% accuracy.
Nature: I need a +Speed nature to ensure I tie with Jolly/Hasty Scarf Jirachi and Timid Scarf Shaymin, as well as outspeed Scarf Hydreigon and Haxorus with one Dragon Dance. Sucker Punch kills Victini anyway, and it resists the other common priority in the tier, so it comes down to giving the Porygon family attack boosts.
Possible changes: Energy Ball could replace Grass Knot since Grass Knot has a lower base power on Swampert (but a higher BP on Rhyperior). I could give Victini a Timid nature and put the last 4 EVs in Special Defense since U-turn is meant for pivoting. Finally, with Fighting types abundant in UU, running Psychic or Dazzling Gleam over Grass Knot could also be worthwhile since Grass Knot seems very, very picky in terms of who I use it on.
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Blue Flare
- U-turn
- Grass Knot
- Focus Blast
Victini is my special sweeper, revenge killer, and secondary win condition.
Blue Flare: This is the STAB move of choice that is fairly spammable with great accuracy. The burn chance is there too, though it's too small to count on.
U-turn: This lets Victini gain momentum for my team and escape bad match ups. It makes Victini part I of the VoltTurn core as well.
Grass Knot: Grass Knot is to handle Swampert and Rhyperior and not much else.
Focus Blast: This move handles Dark-types that try to switch in on Victini's other moves. The most notable target is Hydreigon. In fact, I chose Scarf Victini because it outpaces Scarf Hydreigon, just barely.
EVs: To tie with other scarved base 100s, maximum speed was necessary. As the main attacking moves are all special, 252 more EVs were put in special attack. Honestly, the last 4 EVs don't matter as long as they're not put in HP (thus letting Victini switch into Stealth Rock one less time than it could otherwise).
Ability: Victini only has one ability choice, but it makes Blue Flare and Focus Blast a bit more reliable. With this ability, Blue Flare goes up to 93.5% accuracy and Focus Blast goes to 77% accuracy.
Nature: I need a +Speed nature to ensure I tie with Jolly/Hasty Scarf Jirachi and Timid Scarf Shaymin, as well as outspeed Scarf Hydreigon and Haxorus with one Dragon Dance. Sucker Punch kills Victini anyway, and it resists the other common priority in the tier, so it comes down to giving the Porygon family attack boosts.
Possible changes: Energy Ball could replace Grass Knot since Grass Knot has a lower base power on Swampert (but a higher BP on Rhyperior). I could give Victini a Timid nature and put the last 4 EVs in Special Defense since U-turn is meant for pivoting. Finally, with Fighting types abundant in UU, running Psychic or Dazzling Gleam over Grass Knot could also be worthwhile since Grass Knot seems very, very picky in terms of who I use it on.
Victini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Atk/4 SpD/252 Spe
Nature: Jolly
IVs: 0 SpA
-V-Create
-U-turn
-Trick
-Bolt Strike
Victini is my revenge-killer and secondary win condition. It hits threats that Absol struggles with, mostly Fairies and Bulky Steels.
V-Create: The demolition button. This is Victini's STAB move off of a fully invested attack with 180 Base Power. The stat drop isn't too bothersome since Victini does a lot of switching in and out anyway.
U-turn: Kept from the old set, U-turn hits Hydreigon and lets me keep momentum. Now with a physically biased set, it hits even harder.
Trick: This move cripples walls (besides Megas) by removing Eviolite/Leftovers by locking them into attacks. It also frees Victini to switch moves, though I must be careful when giving up Victini's extra speed. Thus this move is most effective against Bulky Offense and Stall/Semistall.
Bolt Strike: This move will have to do where Victini doesn't get a powerful physical Grass move. This attack hits Bulky Waters without a secondary Ground typing hard, most notably Crocune. It also has very good neutral coverage with V-Create, hitting all common UU Pokemon besides Dragon-types and Water/Ground types neutrally.
EVs: As Victini is a physical attacker, its attack is maximized. With it being a revenge-killer, speed is also maximized as Base 100 +1 is an important benchmark. The last four EVs go to Special Defense because 1) Victini does not hit a Stealth Rock number, and 2) Porygons get an Attack boost with Download.
Ability: V-Create and Bolt Strike become more reliable with the accuracy boost, but the ability was even more useful with the old set.
Nature: Running a Jolly Nature and Scarf ensures I outspeed +1 Haxorus, +1 Hydreigon, and tie with +1 Jirachi/Celebi/Victini/Shaymin (and +1 Salamence if it returns from BL).
Possible changes: It really depends what else I change on the team. Nothing for now though!
Eelektross (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 128 HP / 36 Def / 252 SpA / 92 Spe
Rash Nature
- U-turn
- Flamethrower
- Giga Drain
- Discharge
Eelektross is my offensive pivot designed to break down walls where it hurts.
U-turn: Lets Eelektross form a VoltTurn core with Victini. If Florges, Umbreon, or Blissey comes in, this is how I get out.
Flamethrower: This move is used to melt Steel-types, mostly Forretress and Escavalier. The damage it does to Roserade and Froslass is also more than welcomed.
Giga Drain: The Swampert killer. It also lets me get nice chunks of recovery on opponents that are within its KO range, making up for the absence of Leftovers.
Discharge: This is the STAB move used to dismantle Mega-Aerodactyl and Water types besides Swampert and Gastrodon. It is chosen over Thunderbolt as my team appreciates the increased paralysis rate--the team is rather slow.
EVs: The EVs are quite complicated. As Eelektross is primarily a special attacker its Special Attack is pumped up to maximize its wall breaking capabilities. Then 92 Speed EVs outspeeds 8 Spe Bold Swampert and donks in Turn 1 with Giga Drain (a lot of them even run Relaxed instead). The HP EVs hit a Stealth Rock number. The Defense EVs let Eelektross take on physical attackers just a bit better, but they are the least important right now.
Ability: That Earthquake immunity is great. For only having one ability choice, Eelektross is pretty lucky. It remains the only Pokemon to have no weaknesses (sorry Spiritomb).
Nature: Special attack must be increased. Since Escavalier and Celebi together have great special bulk, I opt to lower Eelektross's Special Defense instead of its physical defense.
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 128 HP / 36 Def / 252 SpA / 92 Spe
Rash Nature
- U-turn
- Flamethrower
- Giga Drain
- Discharge
Eelektross is my offensive pivot designed to break down walls where it hurts.
U-turn: Lets Eelektross form a VoltTurn core with Victini. If Florges, Umbreon, or Blissey comes in, this is how I get out.
Flamethrower: This move is used to melt Steel-types, mostly Forretress and Escavalier. The damage it does to Roserade and Froslass is also more than welcomed.
Giga Drain: The Swampert killer. It also lets me get nice chunks of recovery on opponents that are within its KO range, making up for the absence of Leftovers.
Discharge: This is the STAB move used to dismantle Mega-Aerodactyl and Water types besides Swampert and Gastrodon. It is chosen over Thunderbolt as my team appreciates the increased paralysis rate--the team is rather slow.
EVs: The EVs are quite complicated. As Eelektross is primarily a special attacker its Special Attack is pumped up to maximize its wall breaking capabilities. Then 92 Speed EVs outspeeds 8 Spe Bold Swampert and donks in Turn 1 with Giga Drain (a lot of them even run Relaxed instead). The HP EVs hit a Stealth Rock number. The Defense EVs let Eelektross take on physical attackers just a bit better, but they are the least important right now.
Ability: That Earthquake immunity is great. For only having one ability choice, Eelektross is pretty lucky. It remains the only Pokemon to have no weaknesses (sorry Spiritomb).
Nature: Special attack must be increased. Since Escavalier and Celebi together have great special bulk, I opt to lower Eelektross's Special Defense instead of its physical defense.
Eelektross (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 64 HP/100 SpA/252 SpD/92 Spe
Nature: Modest
IVs: 0 Atk
-Acid Spray
-Giga Drain
-Flamethrower
-Volt Switch
Acid Spray: Lets Eelektross keep momentum and corrode against special walls, namely Florges, letting Eelektross manhandle them.
Giga Drain: Donks Swampert on turn 1. It also hits Donphan, Hippowodon, Gastrodon, and Rhyperior very hard, and it provides recovery to compensate for the absence of Leftovers.
Flamethrower: This move works well with Acid Spray as it hits Steel-types super-effectively, namely Mega-Aggron and Forretress. It also works very well against Bulky Grass types in the event that Victini is dead or can't switch in safely.
Volt Switch: Works well with Acid Spray because an opponent may try to switch to erase Acid Spray SpD drops, so I can rack up hazard damage twice as effectively and keep control of the action even longer. It also gets a STAB bonus.
EVs: Special Defense is maximized to make the best use of the Assault Vest. With that in mind, I remove some EVs from HP to go to special attack so Eelektross can still hit hard and corrode walls (Hippowodon and Aromatisse stonewall pretty much every physical attacker anyway, so rarely will Eelektross need to take physical hits). The HP hits a Stealth Rock number, and 92 Speed EVs outspeed 8 Spe Bold/Adamant/Lax Swampert to nail it with Giga Drain, preferably on Turn 1.
Ability: There is no other option, but the Earthquake immunity is always welcome.
Nature: Eelektross has plenty of special bulk with the AV, and I eventually start to get worried about lowering its attacking power too much since it IS a special TANK (not as much a wall). Thus I run a +SpA nature. No physical attacks are used, so a Modest nature is used over a Mild one.
How to Address Common Threats/Threatlist
Hydreigon nukes it on the switch-in with Iron Tail. Victini can switch in and force it out, then KO with V-Create. Non-Toxic sets can also be worn down by Hippowodon.
If it runs Thunder Wave, Hippowodon completely walls it and eventually forces it out. Mega Absol uses it as setup fodder as long as the Mega Evolution is already activated. Then Aromatisse can pass Wishes once Blissey is gone.
Victini can revenge-kill Hydreigon and Aromatisse resists all common moves. The rare physically biased set is eventually forced out by Hippowodon once Draco Meteor gets too weak.
Chandelure's dual STABs completely dismantle my defensive core, so I have to try to switch in Hydreigon and kill it. Victini and Mega-Absol can revenge-kill but can't switch in.
Victini readily revenge-kills it. Depending on the set, however, either Hydreigon or Hippowodon can handle it more directly.
Mienshao's Life Orb set is revenge-killed by Victini. Hippowodon is a full stop to all sets without Grass Knot (read: 99.9% of them). It might lose its Leftovers but Mienshao will perish soon after.
Hippowodon forces Darmanitan out, while Victini and M-Absol both revenge-kill it.
Hippowodon can phaze Haxorus out, living a +1 Dragon Claw, while Absol and Victini can both revenge-kill it. This one is very dangerous if Hippowodon is weakened or eliminated. Without boosts, Hydreigon easily OHKOs with Draco Meteor.
Eelektross will try to lead against it and put it to rest with Giga Drain. Really this team is ABOUT removing Swampert. Failing that, most other members can do enough damage to it that it'll eventually die. I just need to keep Victini away from it.
Eelektross can wear Mega Aggron down with Flamethrower, and Hippowodon with Earthquake. Absol and Victini can revenge-kill it.
Eelektross is my best bet to keep it from doing too much damage with Acid Spray + Giga Drain. However when it comes out my main priority will be preventing it from using Rapid Spin. Hydreigon, Mega-Absol, and Victini can all revenge-kill it. Mega-Blastoise's power is so immense, however, that Eelektross needs help from Aromatisse if it is going to check Blastoise more than once per match.
Conclusion
Well this team takes on Swampert comfortably. I'll say that much. Many HO teams are dismantled with my team's great revenge-killing capabilities. And not many people seem to handle Eelektross well. At this point the ghost has gotten her revenge and the Swampert population has declined to the point where it will start terrorizing RU instead. When Mega-Swampert comes out, however, I have no idea.
Shoutouts
My Round I UU Open battle with Mega-Swampert inspired me to make this RMT. Watch the battle here:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-145510267. This RMT is kind of in his honor and I wish him good luck in the rest of the tournament. It also shows that my team is weak to stall :P Also thanks again to mega-swampert for giving me animated sprites.
Importable
Aromatisse (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Moonblast
- Aromatherapy
Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 232 HP / 248 Def / 28 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Iron Tail
- Dark Pulse
- Roost
Absol (F) @ Absolite
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Superpower
- Knock Off
Victini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- V-create
- U-turn
- Trick
- Bolt Strike
Eelektross (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 64 HP / 100 SpA / 252 SpD / 92 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Acid Spray
- Flamethrower
- Giga Drain
- Volt Switch
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Moonblast
- Aromatherapy
Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 232 HP / 248 Def / 28 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Iron Tail
- Dark Pulse
- Roost
Absol (F) @ Absolite
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Superpower
- Knock Off
Victini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- V-create
- U-turn
- Trick
- Bolt Strike
Eelektross (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 64 HP / 100 SpA / 252 SpD / 92 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Acid Spray
- Flamethrower
- Giga Drain
- Volt Switch
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