Introduction:
I have to admit Offence is a strong passion of mine, speed power and the ability to sweep! However it has crossed my mind weather sticky Offensive teams can hold their own when facing balanced, stall etc. So ultimately, I wanted to see if Offensive teams were still viable and with my success on the ladder...well you be the judge of that. When you look at my team, you notice 3 things:
1) Every pokemon is immune to toxic spikes. This is huge when I’m facing stall teams.
2) Two pokemon are weak to Stealth Rock.
3) Three pokemon are immune to Spikes.
So the team is pretty good as far as passive damage is concerned. Offensive teams are built on resistances so the player can make switches around the team, so having my pokemon taking minimal passive damage is essential when playing with no walls. This team can beat all styles of play, but then again it can lose to all styles of play, all depending on prediction and knowing the game which is HUGE.
I personally have loved playing with offensive teams, the fast paced tempo is great and even though some pokemon involve exploding and revenge killing to beat, that doesn’t mean offensive teams are any worse than others. More so, it’s fun, fast and invigorating.
Anyway, without further adieu, I present to you, the team...
At a Glance:
In depth:
Metagross @ Occa berry
Ability: Clear Body
Adamant, 252 HP / 252 Atk / 6 Speed
- Stealth Rock
• A staple on any team. Stealth Rocks are especially crucial in offensive teams as they turns many 3HKOs into 2HKOs.
- Meteor Mash
• STAB and high powered move. Meteor Mash deals a lot of damage to anything that doesn’t resist it.
- Earthquake
• This is pretty much a guaranteed surprise kill against lead heatran and infernapes due to occa berry, which is why I often tend to lean towards this occa over lum.
- Bullet Punch
• A much needed priority attack that helps against suicide leads and can help late game when Metagross is weakened against faster sweepers like Mamoswine and Azelf.
Description: Metagross is a great lead. There are only two leads which I lose against: I don’t use Aerodactyl because I feel wasting a pokemon just to set up stealth rocks is not a good idea. Against Aerodactyl and Azelf, they only set up stealth rocks, nothing more. If aerodactyl taunts, they get no SR, if he doesnt taunt, I get SR and kill aerodactyl.
One of the best leads in my opinion. If I get a Meteor Mash attack raise Metagross can sweep unsuspecting teams, (I’ve swept 6-0 with this guy alone). To get an idea of his power and bulk, if I get an attack raise from meteor mash, I will outdamage Bronzong , even if he has Earthquake. This guy usually sets up Stealth Rocks and is pretty much guaranteed a KO with explosion if I predict right.
EVs: Max attack allows me the possibility of OHKOing Hippowdon with Explosion. Max HP allows me to survive lead Azelfs, heatrans and infernapes Fire Blast. Yanmega’s Bug Buzz is a 3HKO as is Aerodactyl's Earthquake.
Team Work: Metagross lures out Bulky grounds such Hippowdon and Swampert. If these two lead, I simply SR and switch out. Usually people might think explosion over earthquake to possibly OHKO them but earthquake has become more useful due to the increasing amount of heatran, infernape and metagross leads. Therefore metagross can be kept for later as a valuable switch in for massive dragon attacks like draco meteor and outrage.
Fire and Ground attacks aimed at Metagross should be redirected to.....
Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
jolly, 74 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spe
- Dragon Dance
• The stat boosting move that makes gyarados so fearsome. After a Dragon Dance, Gyarados will usually kill at least one pokemon and the possibility to sweep an entire team.
- Waterfall
• STAB and my main sweeping move. The main sweeping move in my arsenal. The 20% flinch chance is also welcome.
- Stone Edge
• This takes care of Zapdos, Salamence and opposing Gyarados.
- Earthquake
• What great coverage! After ddance bring on the electrics I say. This also makes gyarados the no. 1 heatran counter.
Description: Gyarados is a great dancer and arguably the biggest threat in OU with the possibility to annihilate the opposition within a matter of seconds. I have decided to utilize the jolly gyaradose method. This allows me to combat many threats that initially outspeed gyarados. However after one ddance, Gyarados easily destroys jolteon, electivre with earthquake and stone edge on zapdos will all OHKO them. Gyarados is a vital member in my team.
EVs: Max Attack is fairly obvious to deal as much damage as possible. 184 Speed EVs allow me to outspeed base 115s after a DD, notably starmie. The rest is thrown into HP for extra survivability.
Team Work: Gyarados deals massive damage to most pokemon. A lot of teams rely on scarfers just to take him out so if I can keep chipping away at their counter, a Gyarados sweep becomes very likely. I try to save this guy until late game, where he can clean up.
Gyarados is one of my all time favorite pokemon, however recently I am realizing that almost, if not every team around is prepared for it, and can counter it with ease. I am considering other options atm, some further advice would be appreciated.
Electric type attacks aimed at Gyarados should be redirected to....
Latias @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
Modest, 4 HP / 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Speed
- Draco Meteor
• Arguably the best Special Based Move in the game. Draco Meteor deals insane amounts of damage to anything that doesn’t resist (or is a fat whore known as blissey).
- Surf
• Surf provides great coverage with Draco Meteor. Surf will 2HKO Scizor and Surf + Draco Meteor will 2HKO most Tyranitar, the two most common switch-ins to Latias.
- Thunderbolt
• Latias is pretty beastly, so she should have no trouble recovering health. Latias is my main switch into bulky waters, magnezone and Heatran so Recover keeps Latias healthy and allows her to switch in again and again.
- Trick
• Trick is a handy move to say the least. It completely ruins stall pokemon like skarmory, blissey, bronzong, hippowdon, suicune, swampert etc.
Description: Latias, the best revenge killer in the game. This set is mainly to handle the ddancers, more notably gyarados and salamence. It is pretty safe to switch into the likes of heatran and other fire typed pokemon as latais carries the move surf which just enhances its already wide range of supereffectivness. It can also Trick its scarf onto walls, shutting them down and giving it the versatility to change attacks.
EVs: Max Special Attack allows me to score the 2HKO on Scizor and Tyranitar (and some metagross for that matter).
Team Work: Latias combos well with Gyarados, beating most of its counters as well as resisting the main type of attack used to defeat it. Latias as well as resisting gyarados’s weakness, it also provides a great ‘search and scout’ pokemon, being able to seriously dent or even KO the pokemon that would usually counter latias.
Bug, Ice and Dark Type attacks aimed at Latias should be directed to....
Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
Adamant, 246 HP / 252 Atk / 12 Spe
- Bullet Punch
• The move that made Scizor such as beast. Technician + STAB + Priority is godly. Bullet Punch is the main move I use and has won me many battles
- U-turn
• U-turn is a great scouting move and deals a lot of damage to anything that doesn’t resist it. It allows me to keep up the offensive tempo by gaining the better switch when the opposition switches out of Scizor and I use U-turn.
- Superpower
• Mainly for steel types such as opposing Scizor’s, Heatran’s and Magnezone, if it dares to switch in.
- Pursuit
• Pursuit is for things like Choiced Gengar / Rotom locked in on Shadow Ball, although it has proven useful against things like Mamoswine, who switch out expecting a bullet punch.
Description: Pretty much just a standard CB set. Scizor is just such a great pokemon. Once I have eliminated the opposing Zapdos / Magnezone / Rotom, scizor can plow through a team with bullet punch alone. Scizor makes a great check to Mamoswine, Weavile and Metagross.
EVs: Max attack is obvious for dealing as much damage as possible. 12 Speed Evs allows me to outspeed opposing Scizors and Vaporeon, while the rest is thrown into HP for extra survivability.
Team Work: Scizor adds some much needed power in priority and takes on Latias / Weavile / Mamoswine (although I must be careful to not switch in to Earthquake). Scizors U-turn allows me to keep myself in control of the battle, while wearing down Scizors counter on the switch. Scizor is a good first switch into blissey with a resistance to thunder-wave and doesn’t care too much about paralysis.
Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Naive, 16 Atk / 240 Sp. Atk / 252 Spe
- Draco Meteor
• The most powerful move in my arsenal that deals huge damage, even to things that resist it (manages around 50% on scarf Jirachi). Draco Meteor will take a huge chunk out of anything (except Blissey).
- Outrage
• Draco Meteor + Outrage will kill pretty much any non-steel type. I mostly use Outrage when Salamence is significantly weakened, and being locked in won’t matter so much.
- Flamethrower
• For those steel types that try to wall my dragon moves.
- Earthquake
• For Heatran, Tyranitar and Empoleon. I think Earthquake + Outrage kills Calm Blissey, but I may be wrong (ill look it up and get back to you).
Description: Salamence is the real star of the show. There is only one pokemon that can repeatedly switch in and that is Cresselia. Salamence hardly ever fails to get me a KO, and usually ends up getting 2 or 3. This is, in my opinion the best wall breaker in the game and an invaluable asset. Draco Meteor + Outrage will destroy nearly all walls, while Flamethrower and Earthquake provide coverage on things that resist its STAB.
EVs: 252 Speed Evs is to at best, tie with opposing base 100s, most notably opposing salamence and zapdos. 240 Special Attack is to boost Draco Meteor, which is my main sweeping move and 16 attack EVs provide a little power to Outrage and Earthquake.
Team Work: Salamence usually takes out the opposing teams Zapdos, Bulky ground or Rotom (If I switch Salamence into Rotom after a kill, they usually stay in to will-o-wisp). Then scizor can clean up late game. Essentially, salamence should take out at least one pokemon and once that pokemon is gone, one of my pokemon should have an easier time sweeping.
Lucario @ Life Orb
Ability: Inner Focus
Adament, 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed
- Close Combat
• Insanley powerful after a SD and devastates even those who resist it. As simple as that!
• Close Combat vs. max HP / Def Skarmory 84.4% - 99.7%
• Close Combat vs. max HP / Def Bronzong: 95.2% - 100% (67% chance to OHKO)
• Close Combat vs. max HP / Def Hippowdon: 75.7% - 89.3%
• Close Combat vs. max HP / Def Forretress: 79.7% - 93.8%
• Close Combat vs. max HP / Def Donphan: 82.0% - 96.9%
- Crunch
• This is a valuable move as it allows me to take care of the ever-present rotom forms/ghost in general, whilst sweeping.
• Crunch vs. max HP / Def Cresselia: 63.5% - 74.8%
• Crunch vs. max HP Cresselia: 85.1% - 100% (2.6% chance to OHKO)
• Crunch vs. max HP / Def Dusknoir: 88.4% - 100% (21% chance to OHKO)
• Crunch vs. max HP / Def Celebi: 78.7% - 93.1%
• Crunch vs. max HP / Def Rotom - Appliance: 100%
- Extreme Speed
• The hardest hitting priority move in the game, and after a SD look out anyone! besides ghost types of course which is why crunch is such a vital move within this move-set.
- Swords Dance
• The core to this move-set which makes him the BEST late game sweeper around. Seriously what more is there to say. . .
Description: With a 1-turn setup, a 120 base power STAB attack, and the strongest priority move available, Swords Dance Lucario is the best late game sweeper in OU in my opinion. Excellent typing, well-distributed stats, and an unpredictable movepool only make Lucario even more difficult to take down. With having the fastest move in the game I decided to use adamant + Life Orb + Swords Dance = Optimum power. If lucario gets a SD then it’s very likely that he will take down 2 or 3 giving me the best possible chance to win the battle.
EVs: Fairly straight forward standard ev set, I mean it really works so why change it? 252 evs in attack (adamant nature) will allow me to OHKO skarmory which is why I have taken a liking to Adamant over Jolly. Finally 252 evs in speed to be as fast as possible and basically outspeed the opposition.
Team Work: Hopefully if everyone in my team does their job, it will allow an easy switch in and late sweep for Lucario(my fav. Pokemon btw).
***END OF GAME*** Lucario still remains :D
HOW THE TEAM CAME TO BE:
So before I started my team I had a few questions that needed to be answered. To start my team I always go with: What the best wall breaker in OU? This is because Offensive teams have most trouble with bulky stall. I decided to go with Salamence.
From here I had to choose a pokemon who could hit hard as well as take Salamence’s biggest weakness, ice. I had a couple of pokemon in mind however the eventuality was CB scizor.
So now I have to find a pokemon who can take fire attacks that were aimed at scizor. For me there could be no other: DDance Gyarados! What a tank. What a tank. What a tank! Love him.
Who can take electric attacks, now that was the next question? A couple of electric type pokemon such as jolteon and magnezone. This however would collide with what I was trying to accomplish, limiting passive damage. So I decided to go with the revenge killing machine; latais.
That now left me with 2 more questions to answer, my lead and my late game sweeper? As my lead I needed a Stealth Rocker and someone with the potential to wreak havoc, metagross was the answer. It eventually became clear that he destroyed all suicide leads which only meant one less to kill in the later stage.
With the team pretty much set, I was still hunting around for a late game sweeper and I noticed a theoretical problem. Blissey and T-tar. This was easily rectified by lucario. With his amazing ability to SD and rip apart the pathetic remaining pokemon on the oppositions team.
Final Team:
Offensive Threat List
Aerodactyl: Metagross 2HKO’s with meteor mash and bullet punch. If he taunts, gets no SR, if he doesn’t taunt I get SR.
Alakazam: Scizor and Metagross do well if they don’t come in on focus blast.
Azelf: See aerodactyl.
Breloom: I usually let metagross go to sleep, then U-turn with scizor to break his substitute and switch to salamence and gyarados on the focus punch.
Dragonite: Metagross and scizor can come in on the outrage / draco meteor. Gyarados can come in and intimidate him.
Dugtrio: Uh counter? Metagross isn’t KOd by earthquake, scizor can OHKO with bullet punch, every other pokemon can switch out.
Electivire: Most of my team can handle him, however if it doesn’t get speed boost, salamence is best counter; earthquake.
Empoleon: Gyarados with earthquake, best counter by far as ice and water moves don’t hurt gar much, it is allowed to ddance. It then becomes faster and equakes (after empoleons agility)
Flygon: Gyarados again does well against flygon. It is usually scarfed so I ddance twice if given the opportunity, then I waterfall as I outspeed the stone edge.
Gengar: Usually choiced. I lure in a shadow ball / hp ice and Scizor pursuits it. If it’s not choiced, I can still lure out that attack and bullet punch it. Metagross does well to.
Gyarados: Latias scarf, out speeds, then hits hard with thunderbolt.
Heatran: Latias and Gyarados.
Heracross: Gyarados and Salamence do well against Megahorn and Close Combat, Metagross does well against Stone Edge. Scizor can OHKO when it’s around 80%.
Infernape: Latias and Gyarados.
Jirachi: Metagross is my first switch against choice-scarfed versions. Fire Punch does only 35% and metagross can equake. Equake is just suck a useful cover move!
Jolteon: Latias does well. Metagross does okay too and scizor can revenge kill if it’s low on health.
Kingdra: Switch gyarados in for the intimidate as it Dragon Dances. I Stone Edge as it DD’s again, and then switch to metagross on the outrage. If Kingdra does outrage after gyarados switches in I should survive it anyway.
Latias: Metagross and Scizor.
Lucario: Gyarados will stop it from sweeping. Salamence with flamethrower.
Machamp: Usually either Latias or Salamence with dracomteor.
Magnezone: Latias/Metagross and Salamence with equake.
Mamoswine: Metagross does 80% with bullet punch and isn’t OHKOed by earthquake. Scizor can come in on the ice shard and KO with bullet punch. Gyarados does okay if it avoids stone edge.
Metagross: I usually option for Salamence flamethrower. Gets the job done.
Porygon-Z: Scizor / Metagross and Latias.
Rhyperior: Try not to let it set up. Gyarados out runs and OHKOs offensive versions with waterfall. Scizor 2HKOs with bullet punch. Metagross can meteor mash or bullet punch. Salamence can use draco meteor, which is a possible KO without sandstorm in my experience.
Salamence: Scizor can kill it at about 60%. Metagross does well against Outrage / Draco Meteor. Gyarados does well against earthquake and flamethrower / fire blast can come in and intimidate the DD version, and then switch to my steel on the outrage.
Scizor: Gyarados. Salamence can do okay if it’s at good health.
Starmie: Use resistances to get Scizor in on an Ice Beam and then pursuit it and U-turn out. Latias does well against the rapid spinner.
Togekiss: Every single pokemon on my team had a way of beating it!.
Tyranitar: Scizor OHKOs with bullet punch. Metagross can come in on the stone edge. Gyarados does well against aqua tail / earthquake and scizor does well against crunch.
Weavile: Gyarados, scizor and metagross.
Yanmega: Unless it has hypnosis metagross 2HKOs with meteor mash and bullet punch. If it does have hypnosis I still have a 40% chance to win. If I do get hypnotised, gyarados does okay against bug buzz and airslash. Scizor can do a lot of damage with bullet punch and bug buzz and air slash won’t kill scizor.
Defensive Threat List:
Blissey: Everything on my team has a way to beat it, except latias however trick ruins blissey! So make that everyone :D.
Bronzong: Scizor comes in, U-turns it and then salamence with flamethrower.
Celebi: Salamence flamethrower and scizor bullet punch (3HKO).
Cresselia: Scizor does a lot of damage with U-turn. If it comes on salamence, draco meteor + outrage will wear it down enough for one of my other team members to finish it off. Latias can also trick it which fucks it up as well.
Donphan: Gyarados. Ice shard doesn’t KO salamence after SR and intimidate and I can OHKO with draco meteor. Usually switches in on salamence and proceeds to die with draco meteor. Azelf and latias can beat it too.
Foretress: salamence and latias. It can only beat gyarados if it explodes.
Gliscor: Salamence with draco meteor. Gyarados and latias do well too.
Hippowdon: Pretty much always leads and switch to garados and try ddance. If he roars then I trick him with latias.
Skarmory: Salamence, lucario and Latias.
Snorlax: Scizor’s CB superpower. Lucarios Close Combat.
Suicune: Latias. Trick then thunderbolt the bastard lol.
Swampert: Usually comes in on Salamence. Draco Meteor should take it out. Gyarados ddance and waterfall does alright.
Tentacruel: Gyarados.
Vaporeon: Latias trick/thunderbolt works or SD lucario Close Combat.
Zapdos: Latias resists electric and is a great counter (draco meteor).
This team is struggling a touch; however I feel I have done a lot in preparation to make this team, it just doesn’t work practically. It is just outside the leader board, although I get so close just to tumble back down due to HAX. Fucking hell it pisses me off. I just need something! Anything! Without screwing up the team entirely.
