XY UU First Attempt at UU Team

Staniel · Aug 20, 2014

Salutations! I'm trying to figure out the ins and outs of UU currently, so I was wondering if someone could help me improve the team below in any way possible.

Rex (Rampardos) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Earthquake
- Head Smash
- Crunch
- Zen Headbutt
Rampardos is my physical sweeper. I use Head Smash over Stone Edge and Rock Slide for when a predicament is especially desperate, and I need to bulldoze to victory with raw power. Typically, I reserve Rampardos for the end when the opponent's Pokemon are weakened. At that point, I'd bring him in after I have foddered off a teammate. Mold Breaker helps me Earthquake levitating Pokemon after I'm locked into it, such as Rotom-Heat.

Cacaw (Xatu) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 32 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD / 216 Spe
Serious Nature
- Psychic
- Grass Knot
- Heat Wave
- Roost
Xatu is my Magic Bounce user. A while ago, Mismagius occupied this slot on the team, but Sableye just gave my team too much trouble. Xatu can Magic Bounce Sableye's pesky moves and then Roost to heal off any Knock Off damage. He also possesses some offensive presence and has a bit more speed than other members of my team. However, I am debating giving Xatu Tailwind over Grass Knot. That way, I could equip a Choice Band instead of a Choice Scarf to Rampardos for extra power.

Happy Feet (Empoleon) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 248 HP / 44 Def / 216 SpD
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Roar
Empoleon acts as a sort of Special Wall and a partner of Druddigon's. She can absorb any ice or dragon type attacks aimed at Druddigon. With Toxic, she can stall out bulky waters like Milotic that would otherwise give Druddigon quite a bit of trouble. As a PHazer, she can prevent Pokemon from setting up and rack up extra hazard damage in case Druddigon goes down.

Gloria (Roserade) (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpD
Calm Nature
- Spikes
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Rest
Roserade fits on my team as my Spiker. She helps my Roar users deal damage to grounded Pokemon. I usually lead with her if I see a Forretress on the opposing team so I can knock it down to its sash with HP Fire. Then, I can eliminate my opponent's spinner and proceed to set up my hazards. With Rest, Roserade can maintain reliable recovery and switch out, activating Natural Cure. In addition, she can absorb statuses for her teammates.

Carousel (Hitmontop) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Foresight
- Sucker Punch
- Close Combat
Hitmontop serves the role of spinner on my team. With Intimidate, he helps weaken physical sweepers so Druddigon can absorb hits a little better. Close Combat dishes out extra damage so that Rampardos or even Xatu can enter and clean up. Sucker Punch remains as my only priority on the team so Hitmontop can finish off anything weakened by hazards and/or his teammates.

Pringles (Druddigon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Roar
- Stealth Rock
- Glare
- Dragon Claw
Druddigon here acts as my physical tank and stealth rocker. In conjunction with Roserade, Druddigon can take a hit and roar out the opponent to accumulate some nice hazard damage. With Glare, he can slow down quick Pokemon that pose a threat to Rampardos. Dragon Claw can help finish off anything so weak that it doesn't need a roar to die to entry hazards.

Thanks a lot if you can offer some helpful suggestions!

Master B8s · Aug 21, 2014

Hey i like the team but a few suggestions
-Rampardos, i personally run a rock polish+3 attacks in NU and it works but thats just me, also Sheer Force Life Orb is less powerful, but doesn't have nasty recoil like headsmash which for a sweeper is great, mold breaker is a good ability but SF is better IMO
Heres a set if you want it
Rampardos (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Zen Headbutt
- Fire Punch
- Rock Polish
With Rock Polish, his speed hits 472! plus all his moves get the sheer force boost. i run rock slide for accuracy but thats just me. Also its not much, but theres no point in running 0 SpA Ivs but again, small details.

Xatu also should run a boosting nature instead of a neutral nature. Take the Hp out and go full SpA and Speed and give him a Timid or Modest nature since he's suppose to be a Life Orb attacker

Empoleon, are the 44 defense Ev for anything particular, what do they let it take? if nothing then just go full special or physical, or look up something worth spreading the Evs for.

Hitmontop is your spinner, which is fine, but your team lacks many ghost counters, which spin block him hard. Sucker Punch only works if they attack, which most common blockers like Trevenant will set up Leech Seed or Burn Hitmontop and stall him out.

Druddigon, i would run dragon tail over roar because they do the same thing, but dragon tail has STAB chip damage with it. and maybe run a coverage move on him so he isn't walled by fairies instead of dragon claw but roar is fine.

Your team also seems to appreciate keeping hazards on the Field, but has no spin blocker or defog blocker, I recommend Sableye. He blocks the Rapid Spin and Prankster taunt keeps defoggers off the field. I run Sableye with Braviary because Braviary threatens defoggers with defiant.

Heres some sets

Sableye (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Will-O-Wisp
- Taunt
- Recover

Braviary (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Return
- Superpower
- U-turn

Hope it Helps!

Comet7 · Aug 24, 2014

Swords Dance Infernape and Lucario seem like they would wreck your team once Druddigon is weakened / gone. You're also prone to getting swept by mega Aerodactyl. I suggest using the sets Master suggested, since they help you deal with them and fix other problems that your current team has.

Gragas Belly Drum · Aug 24, 2014

I'm sorry to say this, but imo some things you have aren't really viable in UU. Have you really tried to play various games with your team? Can you win consistently?
Stuff like Rampardos or Xatu are severely underclassed in the UU tier, so I'd advise you to reconsider their place in your team.

Comet7 · Aug 24, 2014

Gragas Belly Drum said:
I'm sorry to say this, but imo some things you have aren't really viable in UU. Have you really tried to play various games with your team? Can you win consistently?
Stuff like Rampardos or Xatu are severely underclassed in the UU tier, so I'd advise you to reconsider their place in your team.

Are you familiar with UU? Xatu is the only option for a magic bouce user in the tier. Rampardos and Druddigon are questionable, but they do have their niches. If you don't think they're viable, say what is.

Paragon189 · Aug 24, 2014

Comet7 said:
Are you familiar with UU? Xatu is the only option for a magic bouce user in the tier. Rampardos and Druddigon are questionable, but they do have their niches. If you don't think they're viable, say what is.

Mega Absol gets Magic Bounce.

Comet7 · Aug 24, 2014

Paragon189 said:
Mega Absol gets Magic Bounce.

Right... Still, one of two magic bounce users in the tier.

Edit: mega absol is pretty meh in tat regard though since it has to take a turn to mega evolve and isn't immune to earthquake and can't heal aside from wish (event move i think)

Paragon189 · Aug 24, 2014

Comet7 said:
Right... Still, one of two magic bounce users in the tier.

Yep, but Mega-Absol would be a better option.
Also, not sure why you have a serious nature on Xatu. Rampardos and Druddigon work, but there are other pokemon who fill those roles better.

Master B8s · Aug 24, 2014

I never used Rampardos in UU but its LO SF boosted attacks do hit extremely hard in NU, idk how big the a difference there will be in UU, but i see nothing wrong with it. His only problem is that he's weak to 2 common priority moves in the tier in mach punch and bullet punch.

If you want you could run a volt-turn core to keep the pokemon match ups in your favor, while maintaining your spikes and hazards up on the field to chip away at your opponents health, i use volt turn on my mega Blastoise team to keep momentum in for Blastoise to hit hard then get out safely. My core Rotom-Heat and Mienshao.

Baked (Rotom-Heat) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
- Volt Switch
- Overheat
- Will-O-Wisp
- Trick

Meerkat Manor (Mienshao) (F) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- U-turn

I run a fast volt-turn core because Mienshao makes a great revenge killer, while Rotom can trick the scarf and cripple a support mon

Staniel · Aug 28, 2014

Paragon189 said:
Yep, but Mega-Absol would be a better option.
Also, not sure why you have a serious nature on Xatu. Rampardos and Druddigon work, but there are other pokemon who fill those roles better.

I can use whatever Pokemon I want. Xatu has a timid nature, but the text export messed it up.

Staniel · Aug 28, 2014

Gragas Belly Drum said:
I'm sorry to say this, but imo some things you have aren't really viable in UU. Have you really tried to play various games with your team? Can you win consistently?
Stuff like Rampardos or Xatu are severely underclassed in the UU tier, so I'd advise you to reconsider their place in your team.

teal6 · Aug 28, 2014

Staniel, I am not trying to be rude here, but in all of those replays the quality of the opponent isn't particularly high. The suggestions given to you were good - teambuilding is an important part of becoming a better player, and part of that is using the pokemon that best suit your team. I don't know if you want to recognize that or not, but if you don't want to change pokemon when suggested that is fine, but my question then is: why post an RMT?

Simply put, with outclassed and outsped team members you are likely to struggle higher up the ladder. I watched a few replays and the highest I saw was something around 1100 I think, which is only a few wins away from any new account. If you do believe using the guys you have is the right idea (and it always could be! raters are not perfect) then you should try and climb a bit higher up the ladder, around 1400 or 1500, and let us know how it is working then.

Master B8s · Aug 29, 2014

teal6 said:
Staniel, I am not trying to be rude here, but in all of those replays the quality of the opponent isn't particularly high. The suggestions given to you were good - teambuilding is an important part of becoming a better player, and part of that is using the pokemon that best suit your team. I don't know if you want to recognize that or not, but if you don't want to change pokemon when suggested that is fine, but my question then is: why post an RMT?

Simply put, with outclassed and outsped team members you are likely to struggle higher up the ladder. I watched a few replays and the highest I saw was something around 1100 I think, which is only a few wins away from any new account. If you do believe using the guys you have is the right idea (and it always could be! raters are not perfect) then you should try and climb a bit higher up the ladder, around 1400 or 1500, and let us know how it is working then.

I have to agree, I'm around 1300 ladder, and around there is where people take a chance and make predictions, not once in those replays did i see any of your opponents predict, they just played what was on the field, Im not saying I'm amazing but i at least think about what could happen if my opponent predicts my switch

Sage · Aug 29, 2014

To put it bluntly your team has severely weak pokemon compared I the top threats in UU right now, I would lurk more as rating this team would completely change it and almost all the pokes on it. Some cool resources are in this thread I'll link ya to help out your trambuilding and whatnot. http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/cant-open-box-xy-version-underused-resource-thread.3507508/

Staniel · Aug 30, 2014

Master B8s said:
I have to agree, I'm around 1300 ladder, and around there is where people take a chance and make predictions, not once in those replays did i see any of your opponents predict, they just played what was on the field, Im not saying I'm amazing but i at least think about what could happen if my opponent predicts my switch

Alright.

Staniel · Aug 30, 2014

teal6 said:
Staniel, I am not trying to be rude here, but in all of those replays the quality of the opponent isn't particularly high. The suggestions given to you were good - teambuilding is an important part of becoming a better player, and part of that is using the pokemon that best suit your team. I don't know if you want to recognize that or not, but if you don't want to change pokemon when suggested that is fine, but my question then is: why post an RMT?

Simply put, with outclassed and outsped team members you are likely to struggle higher up the ladder. I watched a few replays and the highest I saw was something around 1100 I think, which is only a few wins away from any new account. If you do believe using the guys you have is the right idea (and it always could be! raters are not perfect) then you should try and climb a bit higher up the ladder, around 1400 or 1500, and let us know how it is working then.

I think you have a valid point. Guess I'll just have to keep tweaking the team.

XY UU First Attempt at UU Team

Staniel

Master B8s

Comet7

Gragas Belly Drum

Comet7

Paragon189

Comet7

Paragon189

Master B8s

Staniel

Staniel

teal6

Master B8s

Sage

From the River To the Sea

Staniel

Staniel

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