ORAS OU 1st competitive team

[Xanatos]

So let me start by saying that this is my first time attempting to create a competitive team in a long long time so I know I probably need advice on my team.

I based this team around a dual intimidate core I found online while figuring out how to build a team and kinda went from there. I should warn you though I did A LOT of research so if this post ends up in TL;DR territory I apologize. So far the team has been doing really well and I have been winning quite a few of my games. The main reasons I have found myself losing is either lack of knowledge, over or under predicting, and this one Skarmory who is the reason Talonflame now runs sword dance with flare blitz instead of being more specially deffensive with bulk-up and will-o-wisp.



Manectric-Mega (F) @ Manectite
Ability: Intimidate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Ice]

So first up we have Mega Manecritic. I first chose it, as i said, as part of a voltturn intimidate core and god it does so much. It is really effective at keeping momentum going and if i can get one or two pokemon out of the way it can really clean up. I hope the moveset is self explanitory as it is copy pasted from smogon. Biggest problem I've had is that it gets outsped by a few things before it mega evolves so it can be neutered before it even starts to shine but for the most part it is a very reliable pokemon.

Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 24 Def / 232 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Knock Off

Next on the list we have Mane's partener in crime Landorus-T. Being able to U-turn into Manecritic or Volt turn into Landorus on a physically offensive mon is amazing as typically that means they get nerfed to -2 attack and are useless. He gets a lot of free switch ins from baited earthquakes and electric type moves thanks to his teamates. The set is what the person who made the core used and it works very well. the moves are standard for choice scarf set and 232 ev's because it allows him to outspeed +spe/252 excadrill and adding more didn't really do much but speed tie with lopunny who talon beats.

Keldeo-Resolute @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Hydro Pump
- Icy Wind

I freaking love this little pony. I wanted a mon that could help check opposing lando's and another way to beat dragon types such as kurium-B and charizard X who manectric can't beat. Keldeo did that and so much more. Again standard set but if there is a better alternitive to hydro pump please tell me as i hardly ever have use for it.

Talonflame @ Sky Plate
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Roost

For my next pokemon I wanted something that could beat choice scarfers and and keep offence at bay. Talonflame Comes with the added benifit of checking many Megas that I have found (Including that annoying mega-venusaur). A lot of times Talonflame will scare out a pokemon and be able to set up a sword dance on the switch allowing it to start a sweep. It originally was a spD bulky varient to cripple attackers with willowisp and then start setting up bulk-ups but again That left my only out to skarmory to be manectric. Still debating between the two sets as both are viable and do their job well in different ways. The speed Ev's allow it to beat +Spe / 252 Starmie and Azelf the rest are dumped into bulk

Bisharp (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head

So I now desprately needed something that could take care of Fairy types so they didn't walll my whole team and I really needed a counter to the Lati twins while also stopping Defog. I 0thought about a mon that would not only appreciate but be able to capitalize on the dual intimidate and set up freely. The choice was Bisharp. With his and Talonflames priority and synergy they can easy start overpowering teams but I have to be careful as if i abuse Bisharp to much and lose him before he plays his role in taking out faIry types well, Après moi, le déluge.

Forretress (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Spikes

Finally My obvious need for a stealth rocker and a spinner and forretress fit the bill nicely. I can't tell you how many games I won by switching him in on a resisted move or a bulky pokemon and start layering down the Hazards and then toxic until he dies. With how many switches this team forces this thing can cause A LOT of damage and set up for a sweep. Toxic helps a lot due to if I lose bisharp and a bulky fairy type is walling me I can attempt to Toxic stall it out.


So there is the Team and like I said it does really well and if I lose most of the time it is through error of my own making and not a deffeciancy in the team. I do have an overwelming weakness in that nothing hits seismitoad or Mega Swampert supereffectivly but i am lothe to make hidden power Ice on manectric grass as hidden power Ice takes out so many threats and if keldeo is gone Ground types will have a field day.


So tell me what you think and don't hold back on the critisism. I know i have a long ways to go before I am good at this but you learn fastest when you make mistakes. Have at it

 

[Clone]

Looking at this team it's quite clear that the goal in mind is to hit hard and hit fast to pave way for a Talonflame or Bisharp sweep. However, a few sets and mons on this team can be improved upon.

For starters, Forretress is really out of place here. It is a complete momentum sap and can be used as setup bait for any Steel-type such as Mega Scizor or Bisharp, which can be quite problematic, especially in the late game. You do need a form of hazard removal since Talonflame is on the team, so I suggest using Latios instead of Forretress. In addition to giving you a form of hazard removal, Latios also gives you something to switch into Keldeo, because as of now you can only revenge kill it. Latios isn't the most reliable switch in to it, but it does give you breathing room should you find yourself in a pinch. For the set, I suggest using 3 Attacks + Defog, with the last move being Surf. Surf is able to nail mons such as Heatran and Tyranitar, which are otherwise good switchins to Latios. This also benefits Mega Manectric and Talonflame as having the aforementioned mons weakened can really help late game when either one is trying to clean.

Latios @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Surf
- Defog

Since this removes Stealth Rock from your team, you need a mon that is able to set it up quite reliably. You already have a Landorus on your team, so changing it from a Scarf set to a Stealth Rock set will benefit your team more, in my opinion. You already have Mega Manectric, Talonflame, and Bisharp as forms of speed control, so losing your scarfer isn't a huge issue for this team. Simply changing the EV spread and giving Landorus Stealth Rock over Knock Off gives your team a solid rocker. Specifically, I believe either a Yache Berry or Rocky Helmet is the best bet for this set. I would personally run a Yache Berry to better your matchup against opposing electric types like Mega Mane and Raikou. However, a Rocky Helmet helps against Sand Rush Excadrill and Mega Lopunny better, so its honestly personal preference.

Landorus-Therian @ Yache Berry / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 176 HP / 136 Atk / 196 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge

The EVs ensure Lando isn't a passive pos while still giving it ever important bulk (credit to nedor for the spread). It also has the benefit of outspeeding stuff that speed creeps base 70s, which really helps against Breloom, Bisharp, and some Heatran variants.

Other than that, I don't have very many other suggestions. Natural Gift Talonflame holding a Liechi Berry can take care of Diancie, Rotom, and Tyranitar, so that may be somethign worth looking into if you find yourself having a lot of trouble with those mons.

Good luck with the team.

 

[Flygonial]

Clone already covered most changes that could be made, so most of my suggestions will be minor optimizations that the team would still be fine without.

Keldeo: Change 4 Def EVs to 4 SpD EVs - just for the rare Download Porygon2. Probably the least significant change, and not all that relevant, but those 4 EVs won't make a difference elsewhere anyways.

Talonflame: Change 4 HP EVs to 4 Def EVs or 4 SpD EVs. This gives Talonflame an odd amount of HP - creating a Stealth Rocks number. This is especially important in Pokemon weak to rocks - as it allows them to switch into rocks an additional time before dying. With an odd amount of HP, Talonflame can switch into rocks twice without fainting from the damage, whereas it can only do so once with 4 HP EVs invested. Also, use Sharp Beak over Sky Plate - it has a Fling base power of 50 vs. 90, which is a minor detail for Switcheroo + Fling gimmicks. Again, this is not a significant optimization, but there's even less reason to not do it because the two items otherwise do the exact same thing.

Bisharp: Consider using 29 HP IVs to create a Life Orb number - a HP number that ends in 9 and minimizes Life Orb recoil. If you implement Latios into the team, consider those 29 IVs as well.

Even if it's not much, I hope I helped.

 

[Xanatos]

Clone. That actually is something that was made really apparent today fortress kept becoming setup fodder and I have been trying to figure out what to replace him with. Going to try those sets later today.

Flygonial One of the things I enjoy about any competitive game I play is figuring out the little tweaks and minor changes to get the edge. So a big help and I really appreciate it.

Question about Talonflame, what is the optimal speed ev's. If I don't care about the speed Tie with other talonflames? Because at the moment they seem sub optimal.

 

[Flygonial]

Clone. That actually is something that was made really apparent today fortress kept becoming setup fodder and I have been trying to figure out what to replace him with. Going to try those sets later today.

Flygonial One of the things I enjoy about any competitive game I play is figuring out the little tweaks and minor changes to get the edge. So a big help and I really appreciate it.

Question about Talonflame, what is the optimal speed ev's. If I don't care about the speed Tie with other talonflames? Because at the moment they seem sub optimal.

248 Spe EVs are necessary to out-prioritize Weavile, which becomes more of a concern to the team after Latios is implemented. In that case, you can dump all your remaining EVs into HP for a Stealth Rocks number, but its not worth it IMO - just run max/max if you're going that route, a little bit of bulk isn't worth losing the speed tie. If you want bulk regardless, then you could go for the EV spread of 88 HP / 252 Atk / 168 Spe, which outspeeds base 115s like Raikou if Jolly. The problem is that the latter makes you more susceptible to Weavile, which adding Latios in does already. In that case, I would further recommend that you take the Yache Berry suggested by Clone.