Hello Smogon, my name is TrollFreak, I used to visit and contribute to the site often, as someone can tell from the badge. College happened and I started to play less and less, however I always had a love for competitive Pokemon and I hoped one day I could play it regularly again. In particular, Ubers has been a great tier that I loved playing, using the most powerful Pokemon in the game. So, using one of my favorite Pokemon from BW Ubers, Choice Scarf Zekrom, I drafted a team to get my feet wet again in competitive Pokemon. The team had a lot more success that I thought it would, placing in the top 100 on the PS Ubers ladder. I’m hoping to keep improving on this team and in Pokemon in general, so without further ado, here is the team!
When I first decided to make an Ubers team, the first thing I wanted to do was have a solid foundation, and Diagla is as solid a foundation for a team as any Pokemon. With base 100/120/100 Defenses as well as a very strong base 150 Special Attack, Diagla serves well as a solid lead against plenty of Pokemon in the Ubers meta, as well as a dependable user of Stealth Rock for the team. With 10 resistances as well, it also serves as a solid switch in for some strong Pokemon in the metagame, such as Kyogre, Palkia, Giratina, and certain forms of Arceus. So, with that out of the way, I wanted something that can compliment it offensively as well as defensively, which shows the focus of this team in general.
Running an Ubers team without some form of Arceus, rather it be a utility based one or a sweeper based one, is so out place. That just shows how versatile Arceus is, filling any role you need it to with great ease and success. For this team, I needed something to deal with Groundon, Zekrom, Diagla, as well as the rare Arceus-Electric. Calm Mind Arceus-Ground does a great job of doing this, not only being able to deal with the before mentioned threats, but it can also surprise Salamence and the Lati twins with a well time Ice Beam. This Arceus is a solid glue for my team, however I need more than 2 Pokemon to make a team.
Kyogre has always a personal favorite Pokemon of mine ever since it's release in 2003 in Pokemon Sapphire, and with ORAS coming out, Kyogre got a new tool with Blue Orb, which turns a great Pokemon into an absolute legend. Base 180 Special Attack with the rain turns Kyogre into a threat that every team should have an answer to. With such a solid Pokemon, it helps to have something to deal with Primal Groundon, which Arceus-Ground does, as well as other Pokemon that give Kyogre trouble, such as Zekrom and Diagla. However, there are certain Pokemon that give these 3 Pokemon trouble, such as the Lati twins, Xerneas, Lugia, Mewtwo, as well as having trouble with Deoxys. So there was one Pokemon that dealt pretty well with all of these threats.
When I was deciding on a Pokemon that could deal with Xerneas, Lugia, Mewtwo and other Pokemon of that nature, it came down to Scizor and Metagross, however Scizor has several advantages over Metagross that made it a more attractive option. The biggest reason is the fact that it isn't weak to Ground, Dark, Ghost, common types in the Uber metagame, as well as having a stronger Bullet Punch than Mega-Metagross. However, the biggest reason that I choose Scizor over Metagross is that Scizor has access to Roost, which means that Scizor is more durable than Metagross, which can help if the other team has multiple threats Scizor has to cover, and it's been a very valuable member of this team. However, I needed something that brought Speed to the team, as well as a revenge killer for Mewtwo with Fire moves, Kyogre, Palkia, and other Pokemon that would trouble this team.
Zekrom is such a cool Pokemon that does so much for a team, especially for this team cleaning up later on in the game when other Pokemon are weakened from Stealth Rock and Toxic. Zekrom does a great job of dealing with Kyogre, other Dragons, Mewtwo, Darkrai, or other Pokemon that are weak and can be cleaned up by Zekrom later on. With a unique Dragon/Electric typing, Zekrom hits alot of Pokemon in the Ubers metagame with one of it's STABs, and it does a great job of applying pressure later on in the game, where my opponent has less Pokemon to work with and has to make smart decisions about what to switch in to Zekrom. However, sometimes it doesn't even matter, and Zekrom just brute forces it's way through opponents. From here I needed a 6th Pokemon that would help with any remaining weaknesses from the team.
At first I used a Yveltal, reason being is it helps with the Ghost and Dark weakness on my team as well as a check to strong physical attackers in the Ubers Metagame. There were times though when I feel like Yveltal just wasn't doing enough, or just didn't seem to be useful for some battles. More importantly, it didn't fully deal with Groundon and Lucario, and more importantly, Zekrom, so I decided to replace it. In another team, Yveltal would have been a great asset, however I found something that helped my team excel and reach the peak that it did.
Landorus does a great job of dealing with Groundon with a Ground immunity as well as Intimidate, which does well in increasing it's overall bulk. It also helps with Zekrom, which can be a nuisance for my team. And thus my team was completed, and it worked very well, peaking #66 on the Ubers ladder, which is alot higher than I thought it would place considering this was a team made for fun. With this team I'm hoping to get back into competitive Pokemon as well as contributing to the website, however I want to present this team, TEAM EXPEDITI0N.
Dyrus (Dialga) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Draco Meteor
- Roar
This is the rock of the team, and in every single game I play Diagla is always making an impact, doesn't matter if it's setting up Stealth Rock, tanking a Kyogre for a turn, spreading around damage for someone to clean up later, or just Toxicing Pokemon such as Lugia, Diagla always makes a positive impact for my team at some point in the game. This set is leaning more to the Specially Defensive side, so it has an easier time with Palkia, Kyogre, Mewtwo e.t.c. As a Pokemon whose job is to set up Rocks, Diagla does so much more than that, hence why it's called Dyrus, the top laner for TSM who usually plays tanks and always helps his team to victory, even if it doesn't show in the final KDA.
Link (Arceus-Ground) @ Earth Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Judgment
- Ice Beam
- Recover
Arceus-Ground is one of two Pokemon on this team that can clean up a battle in the later stages of the game. However, it does alot more than that, being a reliable switch for Groudon, Zekrom, and Reshiram, as well as packing Ice Beam to catch out Salamence, Rayquaza, and low HP Lugia/Giratina/Latios/Latias. Max Speed allows it to Speed tie with Salamence-Mega, which is very helpful in taking it out with an Ice Beam, as well as 248 HP EVs to last as long as possible, as Arceus gets switched in multiple times throughout a battle. This is why it's called Link, the CLG mid laner who is very versatile in what he brings to the team, but can be relied on to clean up when needed.
Ryu (Kyogre) @ Blue Orb
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 172 HP / 252 SpA / 84 Spe
Modest Nature
- Sleep Talk
- Origin Pulse
- Ice Beam
- Thunder
Kyogre just got so much better with Blue Orb being added to the game, turning an already good Pokemon into something even better. With Base 180 Special Attack and the rain, Kyogre can OHKO or 2HKO just about everything in the Ubers metagame outside of Palkia, Ferrothorn, and Giratina. Ice Beam and Thunder are there for coverage, with Ice Beam hitting Dragon types as well as chipping Groundon on switches, and Thunder hitting opposing Kyogres, as well as being my best attack against Palkia. Sleep Talk used to be Calm Mind, however I never found myself using Calm Mind as much as other attacks, and Sleep Talk means Kyogre can deal with Darkrai, absorbing the Dark Void and then hitting it back with a strong attack. All in all Sleep Talk was a great addition to Kyogre's moveset, and I'm glad I made the change. This Kyogre is called Ryu because just like Ryu, Kyogre got some new circumstances (a new item, Ryu a new team) and not both are on the top of their respective games.
Yellowstar (Scizor) @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 60 Atk / 200 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Roost
- Pursuit
- Toxic
Even though it's basically a utility Pokemon on my team, Scizor is another key member on my team. Not only is it my main check to Xerneas, Deoxys, and the Lati twins, Scizor also helps spreading Toxic, which helps Arceus and Zekrom clean up later on. With just enough Attack EVs to 2HKO 200 HP Xerneas, the rest is invested with bulk, with Roost helping Scizor stay alive, which helps is checking multiple threats if needed. Scizor is the Yellowstar on my team, a great support that puts his team in the best position to succeed, doing whatever it takes, rather its setting up poison or taking out a low HP Pokemon with Bullet Punch.
Steelback (Zekrom) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Lonely Nature
- Bolt Strike
- Volt Switch
- Draco Meteor
- Outrage
Zekrom was one of my favorite Pokemon to use back in BW Ubers, and now using it in ORAS Ubers feels so amazing. The Scarf set gives me team plenty of things, a revenge killer to come in and take out threats, a Pokemon that can reliably take out Kyogre, plus momentum as well thanks to Volt Switch, which means I can use Zekrom as bait to get the battle back in my favor. Lonely with 252 Attack EVs hits like a goddamn truck, with Max Speed to make the best use out of the Choice Scarf. Zekrom is called Steelback, because even though Zekrom might not be the best Pokemon in the meta right now, he does a great job of cleaning up battles, much like Steelback for Fnatic, not the best ADC player but he's one hell of a janitor.
Santorin (Landorus-Therian) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- Toxic
After testing different Pokemon in the 6th spot for a while, I decided to try out Landorus-T for the glue of the team, can't say I've been disappointed with the results. Landorus-T is a solid Pokemon that helps to deal with Groundon, Zekrom, Blaziken, Lucario and Mewtwo-X without Ice Punch, as well as offering Intimidate for EKiller Arceus, which makes it easier to deal with. Max HP and Defense with an Imprish nature makes Landorus-T hard for Physical Pokemon to deal with, as well as another utility based moveset. Knock Off and Toxic are great in weakening opposing Pokemon, with Earthquake and Stone Edge used for coverage, as well as to make sure Landorus-T isn't just set up fodder. Landorus-T is named after the TSM Jungler, Santorin, who's main job is to set up plays for his team, but can be called on to take out a player in fights, which is the same role Landorus-T plays.
Major Threats
- Ferrothorn - With no Fire or Fighting type attacks on my team, Ferrothorn is a major pain in the ass, even though it won't tear through my team like a powerful sweeper can, it will be a nuisance and beating a Ferrothorn requires great switches and smart moves.
- Stall - No strong stallbreakers on this team mean a well played stall team can outwear this team pretty hard. Battles against stall teams are always full of wits, with my win condition being making smart switches and good predictions to avoid getting stalled out
- Xerneas - Basically, if Scizor ever faints before Xerneas does, it's gg, nothing on my team can deal with Xerneas after a Geo boost other than a Diagla Roar, but most run Focus Blast so I'm banking on a miss, not exactly the game you want to be playing against such a dangerous Pokemon.
Final Thoughts
All in all, I've enjoyed playing with this team, going 65-30 with it, a 68% win rate, which isn't bad considering a 2 year break from playing Pokemon. I hope you enjoyed reading my RMT, I know it's a bit wordy but hey, League references for all the LoL players!!! Plus a really great (no bias at all) team, I hope I can keep improving as a player and contribute again for Smogon, so thanks again for reading, I can't wait to read the rates!
When I first decided to make an Ubers team, the first thing I wanted to do was have a solid foundation, and Diagla is as solid a foundation for a team as any Pokemon. With base 100/120/100 Defenses as well as a very strong base 150 Special Attack, Diagla serves well as a solid lead against plenty of Pokemon in the Ubers meta, as well as a dependable user of Stealth Rock for the team. With 10 resistances as well, it also serves as a solid switch in for some strong Pokemon in the metagame, such as Kyogre, Palkia, Giratina, and certain forms of Arceus. So, with that out of the way, I wanted something that can compliment it offensively as well as defensively, which shows the focus of this team in general.
Running an Ubers team without some form of Arceus, rather it be a utility based one or a sweeper based one, is so out place. That just shows how versatile Arceus is, filling any role you need it to with great ease and success. For this team, I needed something to deal with Groundon, Zekrom, Diagla, as well as the rare Arceus-Electric. Calm Mind Arceus-Ground does a great job of doing this, not only being able to deal with the before mentioned threats, but it can also surprise Salamence and the Lati twins with a well time Ice Beam. This Arceus is a solid glue for my team, however I need more than 2 Pokemon to make a team.
Kyogre has always a personal favorite Pokemon of mine ever since it's release in 2003 in Pokemon Sapphire, and with ORAS coming out, Kyogre got a new tool with Blue Orb, which turns a great Pokemon into an absolute legend. Base 180 Special Attack with the rain turns Kyogre into a threat that every team should have an answer to. With such a solid Pokemon, it helps to have something to deal with Primal Groundon, which Arceus-Ground does, as well as other Pokemon that give Kyogre trouble, such as Zekrom and Diagla. However, there are certain Pokemon that give these 3 Pokemon trouble, such as the Lati twins, Xerneas, Lugia, Mewtwo, as well as having trouble with Deoxys. So there was one Pokemon that dealt pretty well with all of these threats.
When I was deciding on a Pokemon that could deal with Xerneas, Lugia, Mewtwo and other Pokemon of that nature, it came down to Scizor and Metagross, however Scizor has several advantages over Metagross that made it a more attractive option. The biggest reason is the fact that it isn't weak to Ground, Dark, Ghost, common types in the Uber metagame, as well as having a stronger Bullet Punch than Mega-Metagross. However, the biggest reason that I choose Scizor over Metagross is that Scizor has access to Roost, which means that Scizor is more durable than Metagross, which can help if the other team has multiple threats Scizor has to cover, and it's been a very valuable member of this team. However, I needed something that brought Speed to the team, as well as a revenge killer for Mewtwo with Fire moves, Kyogre, Palkia, and other Pokemon that would trouble this team.
Zekrom is such a cool Pokemon that does so much for a team, especially for this team cleaning up later on in the game when other Pokemon are weakened from Stealth Rock and Toxic. Zekrom does a great job of dealing with Kyogre, other Dragons, Mewtwo, Darkrai, or other Pokemon that are weak and can be cleaned up by Zekrom later on. With a unique Dragon/Electric typing, Zekrom hits alot of Pokemon in the Ubers metagame with one of it's STABs, and it does a great job of applying pressure later on in the game, where my opponent has less Pokemon to work with and has to make smart decisions about what to switch in to Zekrom. However, sometimes it doesn't even matter, and Zekrom just brute forces it's way through opponents. From here I needed a 6th Pokemon that would help with any remaining weaknesses from the team.
At first I used a Yveltal, reason being is it helps with the Ghost and Dark weakness on my team as well as a check to strong physical attackers in the Ubers Metagame. There were times though when I feel like Yveltal just wasn't doing enough, or just didn't seem to be useful for some battles. More importantly, it didn't fully deal with Groundon and Lucario, and more importantly, Zekrom, so I decided to replace it. In another team, Yveltal would have been a great asset, however I found something that helped my team excel and reach the peak that it did.
Landorus does a great job of dealing with Groundon with a Ground immunity as well as Intimidate, which does well in increasing it's overall bulk. It also helps with Zekrom, which can be a nuisance for my team. And thus my team was completed, and it worked very well, peaking #66 on the Ubers ladder, which is alot higher than I thought it would place considering this was a team made for fun. With this team I'm hoping to get back into competitive Pokemon as well as contributing to the website, however I want to present this team, TEAM EXPEDITI0N.
Dyrus (Dialga) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Draco Meteor
- Roar
This is the rock of the team, and in every single game I play Diagla is always making an impact, doesn't matter if it's setting up Stealth Rock, tanking a Kyogre for a turn, spreading around damage for someone to clean up later, or just Toxicing Pokemon such as Lugia, Diagla always makes a positive impact for my team at some point in the game. This set is leaning more to the Specially Defensive side, so it has an easier time with Palkia, Kyogre, Mewtwo e.t.c. As a Pokemon whose job is to set up Rocks, Diagla does so much more than that, hence why it's called Dyrus, the top laner for TSM who usually plays tanks and always helps his team to victory, even if it doesn't show in the final KDA.
Link (Arceus-Ground) @ Earth Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Judgment
- Ice Beam
- Recover
Arceus-Ground is one of two Pokemon on this team that can clean up a battle in the later stages of the game. However, it does alot more than that, being a reliable switch for Groudon, Zekrom, and Reshiram, as well as packing Ice Beam to catch out Salamence, Rayquaza, and low HP Lugia/Giratina/Latios/Latias. Max Speed allows it to Speed tie with Salamence-Mega, which is very helpful in taking it out with an Ice Beam, as well as 248 HP EVs to last as long as possible, as Arceus gets switched in multiple times throughout a battle. This is why it's called Link, the CLG mid laner who is very versatile in what he brings to the team, but can be relied on to clean up when needed.
Ryu (Kyogre) @ Blue Orb
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 172 HP / 252 SpA / 84 Spe
Modest Nature
- Sleep Talk
- Origin Pulse
- Ice Beam
- Thunder
Kyogre just got so much better with Blue Orb being added to the game, turning an already good Pokemon into something even better. With Base 180 Special Attack and the rain, Kyogre can OHKO or 2HKO just about everything in the Ubers metagame outside of Palkia, Ferrothorn, and Giratina. Ice Beam and Thunder are there for coverage, with Ice Beam hitting Dragon types as well as chipping Groundon on switches, and Thunder hitting opposing Kyogres, as well as being my best attack against Palkia. Sleep Talk used to be Calm Mind, however I never found myself using Calm Mind as much as other attacks, and Sleep Talk means Kyogre can deal with Darkrai, absorbing the Dark Void and then hitting it back with a strong attack. All in all Sleep Talk was a great addition to Kyogre's moveset, and I'm glad I made the change. This Kyogre is called Ryu because just like Ryu, Kyogre got some new circumstances (a new item, Ryu a new team) and not both are on the top of their respective games.
Yellowstar (Scizor) @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 60 Atk / 200 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Roost
- Pursuit
- Toxic
Even though it's basically a utility Pokemon on my team, Scizor is another key member on my team. Not only is it my main check to Xerneas, Deoxys, and the Lati twins, Scizor also helps spreading Toxic, which helps Arceus and Zekrom clean up later on. With just enough Attack EVs to 2HKO 200 HP Xerneas, the rest is invested with bulk, with Roost helping Scizor stay alive, which helps is checking multiple threats if needed. Scizor is the Yellowstar on my team, a great support that puts his team in the best position to succeed, doing whatever it takes, rather its setting up poison or taking out a low HP Pokemon with Bullet Punch.
Steelback (Zekrom) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Lonely Nature
- Bolt Strike
- Volt Switch
- Draco Meteor
- Outrage
Zekrom was one of my favorite Pokemon to use back in BW Ubers, and now using it in ORAS Ubers feels so amazing. The Scarf set gives me team plenty of things, a revenge killer to come in and take out threats, a Pokemon that can reliably take out Kyogre, plus momentum as well thanks to Volt Switch, which means I can use Zekrom as bait to get the battle back in my favor. Lonely with 252 Attack EVs hits like a goddamn truck, with Max Speed to make the best use out of the Choice Scarf. Zekrom is called Steelback, because even though Zekrom might not be the best Pokemon in the meta right now, he does a great job of cleaning up battles, much like Steelback for Fnatic, not the best ADC player but he's one hell of a janitor.
Santorin (Landorus-Therian) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- Toxic
After testing different Pokemon in the 6th spot for a while, I decided to try out Landorus-T for the glue of the team, can't say I've been disappointed with the results. Landorus-T is a solid Pokemon that helps to deal with Groundon, Zekrom, Blaziken, Lucario and Mewtwo-X without Ice Punch, as well as offering Intimidate for EKiller Arceus, which makes it easier to deal with. Max HP and Defense with an Imprish nature makes Landorus-T hard for Physical Pokemon to deal with, as well as another utility based moveset. Knock Off and Toxic are great in weakening opposing Pokemon, with Earthquake and Stone Edge used for coverage, as well as to make sure Landorus-T isn't just set up fodder. Landorus-T is named after the TSM Jungler, Santorin, who's main job is to set up plays for his team, but can be called on to take out a player in fights, which is the same role Landorus-T plays.
Major Threats
- Ferrothorn - With no Fire or Fighting type attacks on my team, Ferrothorn is a major pain in the ass, even though it won't tear through my team like a powerful sweeper can, it will be a nuisance and beating a Ferrothorn requires great switches and smart moves.
- Stall - No strong stallbreakers on this team mean a well played stall team can outwear this team pretty hard. Battles against stall teams are always full of wits, with my win condition being making smart switches and good predictions to avoid getting stalled out
- Xerneas - Basically, if Scizor ever faints before Xerneas does, it's gg, nothing on my team can deal with Xerneas after a Geo boost other than a Diagla Roar, but most run Focus Blast so I'm banking on a miss, not exactly the game you want to be playing against such a dangerous Pokemon.
Final Thoughts
All in all, I've enjoyed playing with this team, going 65-30 with it, a 68% win rate, which isn't bad considering a 2 year break from playing Pokemon. I hope you enjoyed reading my RMT, I know it's a bit wordy but hey, League references for all the LoL players!!! Plus a really great (no bias at all) team, I hope I can keep improving as a player and contribute again for Smogon, so thanks again for reading, I can't wait to read the rates!
