Resource ORAS OU Metagame Discussion

[Martin]

That calc ignores max defense Garchomp, which is a thing.

No, it really isn't.

Max defense is disgustingly suboptimal; failing to outpace Bisharp (one of the key things you are using this to consistently check) means you take completely unnecessary damage when you EQ if they KOff expecting something as well as letting it remove your helmet in exchange for said damage to be only barely less than with the 92 speed spread (using +2 KOff as a measuring tool, you have 47.6-56.6% vs. 51.3-60.6%; ranges overlap, so no "real" difference)--not to mention that this is a thing:

+1 252 Atk Tough Claws Mega Charizard X Dragon Claw vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Garchomp: 380-450 (90.4 - 107.1%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

 

[Bluemargay]

If you said Breloom, I would get that because Bisharp isn't a threat to Garchomp especially since Jolly is less common.

 

[Halcyon.]

If you said Breloom, I would get that because Bisharp isn't a threat to Garchomp especially since Jolly is less common.

It is when you risk getting flinched at +2 and dying. People run speed on it for a multitude of reasons.

 

[MrAldo]

Max HP Max Defense Garchomp is just inefficient all around. Adamant Bisharp isnt the only bisharp and it is better to minimize your exposure to hax like an iron head flinch from a +2 jolly bisharp and then dying; and to outspeed jolly breloom and timid volcanion which are always a possibility.

If Garchomp is your zard-X check of choice (I REALLY HOPE isnt your only one) then you are doing something really wrong here. You pair that big boy chomp with an azumarill or a thunder wave rotom-wash or something else. Zard-X is a monster and an extremely painful mega to go against even with proper checks, at least there is a solid amount of counterplay to it cause otherwise it would be borked (I still believe it is but lets not get into that).

 

[Ojo46]

Ok so here's just a thought that came into my mind. For Ground type defensive Stealth Rock setters people usually use either Lando-T or Garchomp. But there's also Hippowdon, but does anyone actually use it that much outside of sand teams? I haven't seen it that much. It is kinda a momentum sink. I wouldn't outright say that Hippowdon is bad, but yeah.

 

[BuzzkillAmpharos]

Ok so here's just a thought that came into my mind. For Ground type defensive Stealth Rock setters people usually use either Lando-T or Garchomp. But there's also Hippowdon, but does anyone actually use it that much outside of sand teams? I haven't seen it that much. It is kinda a momentum sink. I wouldn't outright say that Hippowdon is bad, but yeah.

Yeah Hippo is outclassed in a lot of ways. It's outclassed on Bulky Offense by Lando and outclassed on Sand Teams by Tyranitar. However, it can still find a place on bulky balance teams because it has one thing those ground types do not have, and that is reliable recovery. Hippo does like to sap momentum from your team, but if your team is not particularly based around gaining momentum, then Hippo is a viable option.

 

[-AFAR-]

Hippo is good if you have a really bad Mega Mane MU and volt turn just shits on you. phazing with whirlwind (dragon tail from chomp cant hit clef D:) and being a reliable rock setter is also nifty

 

[AAamen]

Hippo it's not outclassd, it's an excellent resource for balanced and unlike lando and chomp has slack off and it's not weak x4 to ice moves so it can countering electrics types like Manectric or Raikou

 

[Halcyon.]

It also actually checks Lopunny instead of switching in and getting rocked by Ice Punch like certain other Ground-types. That's a really big deal if you have only one slot for a Lopunny check.

 

[HailFall]

Idk... I think hippo kind of slaughters momentum to the point where i would rather be a little weak to electrics than run it on most teams tbh. Obviously this is just my opinion but I find it really hampers the way i play with how passive it is and the way it invites in stuff like serp, latis, opposing lando, and plenty of other things you dont really want to be coming in for free. Its kind of atrocious as a sr setter because of how freely stuff like latis come in, unlike with chomp or lando where they have to watch out for a dragon move or u-turn respectively. It certainly does have its advantages but I'm not a fan personally.

 

[Random Passerby]

I don't use Hippo much recently but it seems to have 4MSS. Rocks, Slack Off and Earthquake are mandatory. Then, you have to pick your poison between Stone Edge (or you lose to Talonflame and Mega Pinsir), Whirlwind (otherwise bulky stat uppers like Gliscor and Clefable laugh at you) or Toxic (fat mons get punished but now you can't touch Gengar or Serperior). Not to mention that Raikou and Mega Manectric are rare while Thundurus commonly runs Grass Knot now.

 

[bludz]

To be fair HailFall your post is assuming Stone Edge Hippo. Latis, Lando-T and Serperior don't come in for free on Toxic or Whirlwind. Personally I would rather run one of these moves on Hippo over Stone Edge and have another bird check, as this also allows you to wear down and take advantage of a lot of typical switch ins to Hippowdon.

It is definitely a momentum drain and nothing like it was a year ago, but it's still nice to be able to totally wall stuff whereas the other bulky grounds need Healing Wish support if they want to remain healthy. It's also a great Volt Switch blocker and so even if it drains momentum it can also prevent it in certain scenarios.

I'm more of an offense guy so I don't use Hippo that much nor am I really that big of a fan but its not so linear that all the aforementioned threats can always come in for free. Of course the role it plays doesn't change, so it is still linear in that respect, but you can at least play it differently against mons like DD Lando-T if you run Toxic or Whirlwind

 

[MrAldo]

I always felt stone edge was a pretty lackluster option for hippowdon in general. It is easier to pack a flying resist alongside hippowdon (rotom-w, heatran, etc) than make hippowdon your "flying resist" when it cant even deal with wisp talon too well and LO Torn-T 2hkos with hurricane and stone edge doesnt even KO back. Is just not a good option right now if I have to add since other options are far more rewarding like toxic, whirlwind and even yawn (though yawn is hard af to fit)

Hippowdon is still a solid ground type tbh, not being 4x weak to ice is a huge plus, and the issues surrounding hippo arent exclusive to it since the other ground types due have that issue when running defensive sets.

 

[Ojo46]

Thanks for the discussion guys! I'm actually tempted to try Hippo out since I want a wall with recovery on my team and since my team isn't relied on momentum, I think it should be ok

 

[blacksparkz]

First post here guys... anyways, have you guys been using anything from lower tiers in OU with success? I've been running a Scarf Darmanitan and Togekiss fairly well, as well as Nosepass as a lead.

 

[ericaroselia]

First post here guys... anyways, have you guys been using anything from lower tiers in OU with success? I've been running a Scarf Darmanitan and Togekiss fairly well, as well as Nosepass as a lead.

OK, this is your first post so welcome to Smogon! Now, i will try to address what you said. First of all, there are many pokemon from lower tiers that are good in OU, all BL mons are viable (unless they decide to ban Salamence from UU), a good number of UU/BL2, RU, even NU and PU.

Nosepass is awful, any FEAR tactic will end up being a huge gimmick instead of having a real pokemon on your team, the strategy is obvious and is an old trick that noboy falls for, they will just bring status, multi hit moves and hazards destroy it, it is just a failed strategy that most of the time does nothing, don't even bother with it.

Darmanitan isn't terrible but isn't very good in OU, it is mostly outclassed by other fire types such as Entei and Victini but Scarf Entei is terrible and Scarf Victini isn't great in this meta so Darmanitan may be a better Choice Scarf user than Victini, it has no weakness to Pursuit and that's important since Scarf Victini after a V-Create def + spe drop is easily pursuited, Flare Blitz actually hits slightly harder than Victini's V-Create due to more base atk and Sheer Force and not reducing speed and the defenses may help and Darmanitan also has Superpower to beat Heatran and Tyranitar and Victini only has Brick Break for that and remember that it has less atk and is not using Choice Band so it will be a weak move.

Lastly, Togekiss is a good pokemon and its best set is the stallbreaker you can find here and even though Thunder Wave may seem more appealing at first since it paralyzes faster pokemon so you can flinch them and with paralyze + flinch it's hard for the opponent to attack, it is hard to fit on its set and Heal Bell helps it support its team and makes it easier to combat bulky teams since it already outspeeds slow walls and it keeps boosting with Nasty Plot and if opposing status appears, it uses Heal Bell to cure that.

Well, i hope i helped and if you need help with the game and want to know which pokemon and sets you should use or just try out premade teams first, check out these links:

Smogdex Viability Rankings Sample Teams

 

[Ojo46]

First post here guys... anyways, have you guys been using anything from lower tiers in OU with success? I've been running a Scarf Darmanitan and Togekiss fairly well, as well as Nosepass as a lead.

My answer would be yes, if that lower tier one fills a void that something in OU can't, and it works, then great! But I wouldn't recommended filling your team with lower tier ones, that doesn't work.

Oh and I also love Togekiss so much too! Works pretty well on the right team.

And like has been said, please don't use Nosepass, it is extremely outclassed in OU.

 

[AAamen]

Nosepass it's countered by taunt. If you want a F.E.A.R mon use aron

although I do not recommend this strategy

 

[MelinCantrit34]

Nosepass it's countered by taunt. If you want a F.E.A.R mon use aron

although I do not recommend this strategy

Not implying Nosepass is good or anything, but it has Magic coat to deal with Taunt. Just saying.

 

[Funbot28]

Ok so I would like to bring some attention on a set that has been getting so much hype after SPL lately:

Medicham-Mega @ Medichamite
Ability: Pure Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch
- Fake Out

This thing destroys switchins as regular checks to Mega Medicham such as Slowbro, Landorus-T, and Skarmory get blown back by the coverage brought by the elemental punches. High Jump Kick as always allows it to 2HKO even mons that resist it such as Clefable, Mega Venasaur and Mew after Stealth Rocks. This is the most deadliest mon to use against most standard bulky balance teams that include Rotom-W, Heatran, Mega Scizor, Tornadus-T, etc.. as they have no switchin that does not get 2HKOed by this thing. The decline of its only real counter in Mega Sableye also helps it out tremendously and it performs beautifully when paired with VoltTurn momentum support imo. I wanted to ask how people have been preparing for this monster without their team needing to sack 1-2 mons when it gets a free switchin. Although it does have quite average speed with an Adamant nature and has weaknesses to common types that weaken its viability a bit.

 

[Bluemargay]

I've recently been using this Chandelure set to great success

Chandelure
Choice Specs Modest Nature
Infiltrator
Fire Blast
Shadow Ball
Energy Ball
Trick

This set has no switchins. Teams without a ghost resist are usually forced to sacrifice one of their walls and Chandelure has something other wallbreakers don't in the ability to not be trapped by Dugtrio due to its ghost typing. Flash Fire can also be used, but Infiltrator is better against the Scolipede team has been getting usage lately and stops Serperior from setting up a sub on you.

 

[HailFall]

Ok so I would like to bring some attention on a set that has been getting so much hype after SPL lately:

Medicham-Mega @ Medichamite
Ability: Pure Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch
- Fake Out

This thing destroys switchins as regular checks to Mega Medicham such as Slowbro, Landorus-T, and Skarmory get blown back by the coverage brought by the elemental punches. High Jump Kick as always allows it to 2HKO even mons that resist it such as Clefable, Mega Venasaur and Mew after Stealth Rocks. This is the most deadliest mon to use against most standard bulky balance teams that include Rotom-W, Heatran, Mega Scizor, Tornadus-T, etc.. as they have no switchin that does not get 2HKOed by this thing. The decline of its only real counter in Mega Sableye also helps it out tremendously and it performs beautifully when paired with VoltTurn momentum support imo. I wanted to ask how people have been preparing for this monster without their team needing to sack 1-2 mons when it gets a free switchin. Although it does have quite average speed with an Adamant nature and has weaknesses to common types that weaken its viability a bit.

Mega Medicham is definitely a top tier threat right now, i agree. Its totally insane to use. There is not smart switchin to its high jump kick most of the time. Its main stab is ridiculously spammable ohkoing almost everything faster and being stupidly easy to play with.

Medi vs. everything faster that tries to come in

252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Alakazam: 273-322 (108.7 - 128.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Aerodactyl: 442-522 (146.8 - 173.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Beedrill: 195-230 (71.9 - 84.8%) -- 75% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Ice Punch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Beedrill: 301-355 (111 - 130.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Sceptile: 490-577 (174.3 - 205.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Lopunny: 816-960 (301.1 - 354.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
-1 252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Manectric: 309-364 (109.9 - 129.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Talonflame: 257-303 (71.5 - 84.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Weavile: 2188-2580 (778.6 - 918.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 96 HP / 0- Def Tornadus-T: 260-306 (80.4 - 94.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Alakazam: 360-424 (143.4 - 168.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 0- Def Dugtrio: 973-1146 (484 - 570.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 12 HP / 0 Def Hawlucha: 246-290 (82 - 96.6%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Ice Punch vs. 12 HP / 0 Def Hawlucha: 380-448 (126.6 - 149.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Starmie: 222-261 (85.7 - 100.7%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Thunder Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Starmie: 342-404 (132 - 155.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Starmie: 222-261 (68.5 - 80.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Thunder Punch vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Starmie: 342-404 (105.5 - 124.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Raikou: 490-577 (152.6 - 179.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Serperior: 405-477 (139.1 - 163.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Thundurus: 258-304 (86.2 - 101.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Mega Diancie: 357-421 (148.1 - 174.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Latios: 232-273 (77.5 - 91.3%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Ice Punch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Latios: 358-422 (119.7 - 141.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 72 HP / 0 Def Latias: 212-249 (66.4 - 78%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Ice Punch vs. 72 HP / 0 Def Latias: 328-386 (102.8 - 121%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 248 HP / 8 Def Mega Latias: 165-194 (45.4 - 53.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Ice Punch vs. 248 HP / 8 Def Mega Latias: 254-300 (69.9 - 82.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Metagross: 271-321 (90 - 106.6%) -- 75% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Ice Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Gengar: 226-266 (87.2 - 102.7%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Terrakion: 848-998 (262.5 - 308.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Keldeo: 423-498 (130.9 - 154.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Pinsir: 82-97 (30.2 - 35.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Ice Punch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Pinsir: 256-302 (94.4 - 111.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Garchomp: 403-475 (112.8 - 133%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Thundurus-T: 260-306 (86.9 - 102.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Charizard X: 354-417 (119.1 - 140.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Manaphy: 387-456 (113.4 - 133.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 16 HP / 8 Def Mega Gardevoir: 136-160 (48.3 - 56.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Ice Punch vs. 16 HP / 8 Def Mega Gardevoir: 210-248 (74.7 - 88.2%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Mega Charizard Y: 238-281 (80.1 - 94.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 0- Def Kyurem-B: 864-1016 (220.9 - 259.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Garchomp: 343-405 (96 - 113.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
-1 252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Landorus-T: 140-165 (43.8 - 51.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
-1 252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Ice Punch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Landorus-T: 432-512 (135.4 - 160.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Excadrill: 1166-1374 (322.9 - 380.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

I hope i got everything, might have missed one or two but you get the point

The only faster mons that avoids the ohko just from the hjk + ice punch combo after rocks are mega latias and starmie but even then theyre easily put in range of the less viable but still usable bullet punch and they have to be at 100% coming in. Only a select few avoid the OHKO from HJK alone and even then the rolls are in Medi's favor for nearly everything. It has an insane amount of OHKOing power and barely requires any prediction to use against faster mons. You can usually just click HJK and know something is gonna die. Medi doesnt even need bullet punch to kill almost everything faster that wants to come in. The few mons that avoid the ohko from it 100% of the time are all mons which are rarely at full HP anyways. Defensive Starmie also drops to thunder punch variants. The way medi can just click a move and watch something drop is unlike any other wallbreaker in the tier. Medi also sports a handy rocks resistance that lets it come in again and again without getting worn down too quickly and not get easily revenge kiled, meaning it can be pivoted in again and again on non-threatening support pokemon. Its difficult to pressure medicham with spikes as all spikers can be shut down by Medicham itself or one of its most common partners, heatran. Medi pairs very well with mons like Torn-T which can easily draw in rotom-w for example, u-turn on it, and get medi in for free. The same can be said for landorus-t luring in opposing landorus-t and rotom-w in, both pokemon medicham can take easy advantage of. Bulky offense has a very difficult time switching into medi, and slower teams need to be packing one of several very specific counters to stand a chance. Mega slowbro is already an okay-not-great mon which restricts teambuilding for balance teams to a decent extent due to not being able to run a different mega, though it does counter megacham. Mega sableye counters megacham but is forced to constantly recover on it or be KO'd. Reuniclus is a decent pokemon but it also has to constantly recover on megacham, lures in bisharp, a common partner, and also is pursuit bait in a metagame where pursuit is extremely common. Mew is a decent option for countering megacham but at least in my experience has been a somewhat difficult mon to fit onto teams. Most of these counters are also quite easily pressured by the voltturn archetypes medi tends to fit best on as well. Almost every other medi counter in the game is borderline unviable (cofagrigus, cresselia). Medicham's only truly poor matchups imo are against hyper offense and mega sableye stall neither of which tends to provide opportunities for medi to put in work, but at least against stall mega sableye is somewhat easily worn down through lando's u-turns into something it cant stay in on like clef and other forms of chip damage. On top of all this medicham even has a decent speed stat and average bulk. Medi is definitely one of the most powerful wallbreakers ou has ever seen, and it is an incredibly effective pokemon in the current metagame.

 

[AAamen]

Yeah Mega Medicham was one of the dangerous wallbreaker in the metagame look at that replay------>http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-ou-178418
Medicham make a kill every turn

Hide

252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Thunder Punch vs. 252 HP / 232+ Def Slowbro: 204-242 (51.7 - 61.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Thunder Punch vs. 252 HP / 232+ Def Mega Slowbro: 142-168 (36 - 42.6%) -- 88.3% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and 1 layer of Spikes
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Mew: 194-228 (48 - 56.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock, 2 layers of Spikes, and Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Mew: 194-228 (48 - 56.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Starmie: 222-261 (68.5 - 80.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham Ice Punch vs. 252 HP / 112 Def Mega Sableye: 113-133 (37.1 - 43.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Reuniclus: 168-198 (39.6 - 46.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Reuniclus on a critical hit: 252-297 (59.4 - 70%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

 

[Seth_]

Let's talk about Gyarados! Just regular Gyarados.

Why should you use Gyarados in your OU team?

Sand teams and ground types overall are quite bad against Gyarados.
Yeah, both Sand Rush Excadrill and Scarf Lando can revenge kill you at +1 but it's not like they can switch in. Sand is especially bad because they usually don't have sand on free switch so they are forced to sack something to bring sand back. If you DD to +2 speed at this turn it's over, because most SR Excadrills are adamant. Unless they have good Gyrados switch in sand is decimated by smart played Gyarados.

Typical Water resists are not very good against flying.Even if Bounce is kinda joke, it's coverage move and it does what it need to do. You want to spam waterfall 90% of time but there are things which actually resist it. Latios seems to be fine offensive check which lives boosted waterfall and deal like nice 90% with Draco.

+1 188 Atk Gyarados Bounce vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Latios: 231-273 (77.2 - 91.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

No.
Typical offensive teams are not prepared for Gyarados. All you need is usually weaken one mon, then set up.

Is bulky!
95/79/100 base is nothing to laugh and resisting every Scizor attack (snice no one runs knock off anymore). With 72HP Gyrados is fat enough to live Mega Loppuny return after SR and threaten it with Bounce or even Waterfall if it's weak enough. Some more defensive sets can set up on bulky Lando all time and beat with decent amount of health.

Is good against priority!
Beside Dragonite, Talonflame and Mega Pinsir priority hits deal less than 20%.

Your conters. Never attempt to sweep if any of them is healthly!

The biggest, most common one. You have to bring it under 33% to kill always with waterfall after rocks. Don't even bother with coverage moves for it.

Protect Ferrothorn wall you for days and you can't do much to non protect one. Often carry leech seed and t wave.

Probably not beast one because it takes ton from bounce and can be paraflinched so one but you know, pokemon is game where people paralyse people and they twave back. Question is which one of you survive.

It won't wall you that well but you really wanna keep you HP high for residual damage.

However you just need one mon to take carry of all counters.
Great thing about Gyarados is you don't need much team support to sweep.

Heatran @ Power Herb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Magma Storm
- Solar Beam
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Ancient Power

Offensive Heatran is one of beast because it doesn't take mega slot and it's great lure for bulky water type. It traps them with solar beam. It's usually faster than tankchomp because they run enough speed to deal with bisharp and it forces scarf lando to lock itself into earthquake.

Heracross @ Heracronite
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 148 HP / 192 Atk / 68 SpD / 100 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Pin Missile
- Rock Blast
- Substitute

Substitute Heracross is nice one because standart Rotom-w is forced to hydro pump if they want to break sub. Huge nonsense to all defensive cores and deals esepcialy well with Gyarados counters.

Crawdaunt @ Life Orb
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Crabhammer
- Knock Off
- Aqua Jet
- Swords Dance

+2 OHKOs everything and even tankchomp can't kill it before it hits. Absolutely destroys all kind of defensive teams, even more than mega herracross. However provides no defensive utility whatsoever.
Replays showing what's good with Gyarados.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-402605166

Tactical Heatran sack turn 1 and then amazing sweep with Gyarados.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-402514582

All I had to do is remove tank chomp, they my enemy couldn't deal in any way with Gyarados.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-402524480

Scarf Keldeo with HP electric might sound like good check but it didn't turn out very well.

Hope you all enjoyed and grab your Gyarados! ;)

 

[AAamen]

Gyarados can use ice fang for chomp or Natural gift for Ferrothorn