Pretty straight-forward Sun OU team

So just a quick preface: This is my first generation of competitive battling and I've had a lot of fun with what I've done so far, but I'm looking to improve this team after playing around with it for a while.


Lilligant (F) @ Life Orb
Chlorophyll
252 SAtk - 76 SDef - 180 Spd
Modest
-Sleep Powder
-Leaf Storm
-Hidden Power [Rock/Fire] (been using fire)
-Healing Wish

Lilligant is usually my starter because she can often take down whatever opener my opponent throws at me. She can OHKO almost each weather team's starter with Leaf Storm leaving the support of those teams somewhat useless (Exadrill is too slow to be a problem, etc). I also like running her first because I can get a sleep powder off on whatever they switch in to right away, then lead in to Ninetales to get sun up. Healing wish is also a nice option because it allows me to sac myself endgame when Lilligant has done her part to get a full restore on a sweeper like Snorlax, Arcanine, or Shiftry - depending on what my opponent has left standing.


Ninetales (F) @ Leftovers
Drought
252 HP - 88 SDef - 168 Spd
Timid
-Flamethrower
-Toxic
-Safeguard
-Hidden Power [Ground]

Pretty standard choice in a sun team, no? What I like about my Ninteales is the use of Safeguard for support. This isn't a very aggressive Ninetales build in the least, but it's nice to throw out a toxic, put up safeguard and go out to Arcanine or Shiftry to set up and not have to worry about burn, paralyze, toxic spokes, etc. HP Ground is to act as an earthquake when needed - with a pretty decently fast speed, you can usually get it off before your opponent.


Shiftry (M) @ Life Orb
Chlorophyll
4 HP - 252 Atk - 252 Spd
Adamant
-Sucker Punch
-Low Kick
-Seed Bomb
-Swords Dance

In the sun, Shiftry is a rad little dude. He has enough speed under the sun to get in quick and toss out a STAB Seed Bomb or Low Kick. Sucker Punch is a good STAB that obviously goes first and deals with other sun abusers or scarfers. Swords Dance is also used as a basic set up and sweep physically. A nice choice to go to after Lilligant puts something to sleep, get a turn to set up and go out with Seed Bomb and Sucker Punch.


Arcanine (M) @ Choice Band
Flash Fire
16 HP - 252 Atk - 4 Def - 236 Spd
Adamant
-Flare Blitz
-Close Combat
-Extremespeed
-Wild Charge

Again, a pretty standard fire poke in a sun team. What I like about arcanine is getting a flash fire on the team as well as having something to deal with Gyarados or other water pokes. Flare Blitz hits ghosts harder than a Crunch could and allows me to keep Wild Charge in. Overall, Arcanine is more of a utility man, rather than a sweeper.


Snorlax (M) @ Choice Band
Thick Fat
4 HP - 252 Atk - 252 SDef
Adamant
-Pursuit
-Return
-Ice Punch / Earthquake
-Crunch

Let me express my love for Snorlax for a second - This guy is more ripped than you. This snorlax comes in to abuse pursuit and kill off all the pokemon who feel the need to come in for a turn and try leaving. He can take a specs draco meteor for about 60%, so he's got some killer bulk. Return hits almost any sweeper like a 16 wheeler, and often OHKOs them. Been playing around with Ice Punch vs. Earthquake though, because Ninetales has HP Ground and Donphan uses EQ as well..I'm leaving more towards having that ice to take on dragons who stay in and make pursuit more useless.

Donphan (F) @ Leftovers
Sturdy
2252 HP - 4 Atk - 252 Def
Impish
-Stealth Rock
-Rapid Spin
-Ice Shard / Stone Edge
-Earthquake

Run of the mill Donphan here. Sets up Rocks / Spins them away and just all around a physical wall to counter the special wall of Snorlax. Donphan just likes to stay in and play for a while with leftovers regaining and taking hits like a champ. He can do a decent amount of damage with Earthquake and Ice Shard or Stone Edge. This guy could probably be tweaked to better suit the team, he just sort of comes in to take hits and deal with rocks.


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I've seen a lot of usage out of Sawsbuck as a chlorophyll sweeper. So I came up with a set that I haven't tested out yet, but he could be a sub for Shiftry. There is a lot of good hype surrounding this guy, and I think he could work out well.


Sawsbuck @ Life Orb
Chlorophyll
75 HP - 252 Atk - 184 Spd
Adamant
-Hord Leech
-Return
-Jump Kick
-Swords Dance

Just hoping to maybe get an opinion on him over Shiftry. I like his base speed that's a bit higher than Shiftry, allowing more EV's in HP to take a bit more hits and set up that Swords Dance. Like I said, I haven't had a chance to try him out yet, though.

Trust me Shiftry will outspeed a lot of threats even if his base speed is lower than Sawsbuck. Plus sawsbuck and shiftry are weak to a lot of priority moves and shiftry has priority in sucker punch to defend himself from it while sawsbuck has no priority. In the end its really a matter of preferance but imho i would stick with shiftry.

I recommend using the sawsbuck set you mentioned over shiftry. Replace jump kick with nature power (always earthquake). you could replace return with double edge if you want the extra power if you don't have an sd up and if you don't mind less survivability.

Have you thought about replacing arcanine with darmanitan?

Darmanitan@choice scarf
Adamant 252 atk/252 spe
-flare blitz
-earthquake
-rock slide
-u-turn

it's much faster and u-turn hits ttar hard and, if it switches, gives you an opportunity to get a ninetales switch-in. Just something to think about

Try balloon ninetales. When I used a sun team, balloon ninetales was amazing. EQs are usually really predictable and gives ninetales a switch-in (especially against hippodown and excadrill).

I think you meant 252 sp atk on liligant. Might wanna fix that xD

It looks like a pretty solid team. GL

Lady_Alex said:

I recommend using the sawsbuck set you mentioned over shiftry. Replace jump kick with nature power (always earthquake). you could replace return with double edge if you want the extra power if you don't have an sd up and if you don't mind less survivability.

Have you thought about replacing arcanine with darmanitan?

Darmanitan@choice scarf
Adamant 252 atk/252 spe
-flare blitz
-earthquake
-rock slide
-u-turn

it's much faster and u-turn hits ttar hard and, if it switches, gives you an opportunity to get a ninetales switch-in. Just something to think about

Try balloon ninetales. When I used a sun team, balloon ninetales was amazing. EQs are usually really predictable and gives ninetales a switch-in (especially against hippodown and excadrill).

I think you meant 252 sp atk on liligant. Might wanna fix that xD

It looks like a pretty solid team. GL

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Thanks for the suggestions. I did, in fact, mean SAtk on Lilligant - thanks for catching that.

I like the idea of Darmanitan, I'll probably give that a try soon.

Also, balloon Ninetales never crossed my mind. It's an interesting thought - might be worth trying!

If the Darmanitan idea doesn't work out for you, I suggest you try out a Chandelure.

Chandelure (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk) (Or Timid if you prefer)
- Overheat
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Flamethrower/HP Fighting

To demonstrate the power of Overheat n the sun, it does about 45% to Chansey, so with some prior damage, it'll be taken out.

Thanks for the Chandelure suggestion as well. I've seen lots of use from it, but haven't quite taken the time to raise one. I might have to try it out.

Huh, I never considered running Safeguard on Ninetales. I actually run the standard Specially Defensive set, and use it as a Toxicstaller. It's actually pretty fun, watching someone's Calm Mind Latias slowly die to poison. I'll have to try that Safeguard strategy though, my Venusaur and Volcarona have been crippled by status ailments on more than one occasion.

Aberrant17 said:

Huh, I never considered running Safeguard on Ninetales. I actually run the standard Specially Defensive set, and use it as a Toxicstaller. It's actually pretty fun, watching someone's Calm Mind Latias slowly die to poison. I'll have to try that Safeguard strategy though, my Venusaur and Volcarona have been crippled by status ailments on more than one occasion.

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It's been a fun change to play with. Opponents don't really expect the toxic - they're used to getting burned with WoW. Give it a try, I bet you'd like it.

I have to say I really like this team. There's an elegance in its simplicity. Although it's already been said, I'll say it again: Ninetales with safeguard and toxic is great, and I think you're right to have the Shiftry (suckerpunch!) over the Swasbuck.

And from a strictly aesthetic point of view, I like that you have 5 pokemon from the earlier generations.

Pretty nice team! The only thing I'd swap is Shiftry for Venusaur. It's powerful and gets Growth to boost its stats, but the real deal is its Fighting resist, since you have none on your team, and currently 2 weaknesses!

I'd like to thank everyone for the suggestions. I've played around a bit with Darmanitan and Chandelure, but I don't really like using them over Arcanine. I like Wild Charge too much. I do like having those two fire pokes to easily switch in to spice up gameplay from time to time, though.

As for Venusaur - I'm not a fan in the least. I understand where you're coming from with the fighting resist, but something about the big dino doesn't sit well with me. Also, my use of Shiftry isn't the same role that Venusaur plays on normal sun teams. Shiftry is my dancing sweeper, making use of his priority and not-as-well-covered moveset (he just isn't used as much as sawsbuck and others) so it catches people off guard sometimes. But I do appreciate the suggestion, just not for me.

Cheers all! Keep the feedback coming, I love playing around with other ideas.