ORAS UU Ampharos is Good

[Adaam]

Introduction

Proof of ladder peak

pif is a god

Hello everyone, I'm posting yet another RMT featuring the (in my unbiased opinion) best mega in UU: Mega Ampharos. After spamming this team on ladder for too long and too many times, I've grown pretty bored of using it so why not share it with the world? The team was built when Gyarados was dropped, and I wanted to see how viable defensive Gyarados is. Turns out it's pretty good. It partners with M-Amphy well in terms of typing, so I decided to build the team from there. The result is a semi-stall/balance/whatever type of team you want to call it that has brought me decent success (90 GXE on ladder woo go me). Anyway here is the team:

Teambuilding Process
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The original core was M-Amphy and Defensive Gyarados. Gyarados is immune to Ground moves, making it a better choice than Suicune, which cannot switch as easily into the likes of Mamoswine and Krookodile. M-Amphy 4x resists Electric, making it a nice pivot into Gyarados switch ins like Rotom-C, Zapdos, and if I'm feeling frisky, other Ampharos. Good core, try it out.

Obligatory Florges. Special Dragons drops Dracos all over the core, so Florges is a must. Wishpassing also keeps Ampharos alive throughout the match since it has no recovery unless you run the bad RestTalk set.

I needed Stealth Rock and a Nido check. Bronzong fits this role nicely. Its typing + bulk + ability makes it a blanket check to a plethora of offensive threats and stops CM Florges in its tracks.

Now I needed a way to remove hazards and preferably a Toxic Spike absorber to allow Florges to check threats more easily. Tentacruel is the best spinner in the tier so it was an obvious choice. The utility of Toxic Spikes are nice as the team is very passive right now, so having a way to pressure defensive teams is clutch. It also serves as an ok Chandelure check which is looking to be a problem.

The team really needed offensive pressure, a Volt Switch immunity, Reuniclus check, and something to help with Chandelure. Enter Krookodile. CB Krookodile is one of the best wallbreakers in UU due to Knock Off being stupid. CB Krook is also the best partner for any T-Spiker due to its ability to pressure Poisons. Great gluemon and easily puts in the most work on the team.

In-Depth Look

Ampharos-Mega @ Ampharosite
Ability: Static
EVs: 196 HP / 252 SpA / 60 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Dragon Pulse
- Volt Switch
- Thunder Wave
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Mega Ampharos is unique due to its typing, bulk, and power. While it lacks the speed of other UU Electrics, its immense SpA and bulk forces out a bunch of UU staples that it often does not need speed to get free Volt Switches. Empoleon, Gyarados, Cobalion, Doublade, Crobat, Suicune, Entei and so on all just die to Ampharos 1v1, so you have plenty of opportunities to snag momentum in a match. Ground types suck, of course. Anyway, the EV spread creeps Relaxed Swampert, which you 2HKO with Dragon Pulse. You can invest more to creep Empoleon, but I find the loss of bulk is not worth it, especially since it cannot touch you if Defensive. The fourth moveslot is flexible. Focus Miss, HP Ice/Grass, and even Rest are all viable, but Thunder Wave is the desired move to vastly improve matchup vs offensive teams (where you either won't or don't get to set up T-Spikes).
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Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 212 Def / 48 Spe
Impish Nature
- Waterfall
- Roar
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

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FatGyara serves a similar role as RoarCune. Checks physical Fires in Entei/Darm/Infernape, roars out stuff like Shark, Gatr, other Gyaras, and generally being a fat annoying Water. However, Gyarados has certain perks that Suicune dreams of having: Ground immunity, Intimidate, Fighting resist, Grass neutrality, and a Bug resist. The typing makes Gyarados one of the very few Lucario counters (seriously, it walls any variant unless Stone Edge which is never ever used), NP Ape counters, and Mamoswine counters. And this is all in one pokemon! Unfortunately Cobalions now run Stone Edge, so it can't win 1v1 and is forced to Roar, but Gyarados is still a menace for offensive teams everywhere.

Rocks weakness does suck, admittedly. But hey, immunity to Spikes is nice!
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Florges @ Leftovers
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Aromatherapy
- Moonblast​

This is Florges. I am not going to say much about this, as anyone who has played a single UU game knows what Florges does. The only thing slightly not standard is the speed, which creeps Adamant Crawdaunt (pretty scary to face) but other than that, it's the same ol' boring Florges.
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Bronzong @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Heavy Slam
- Toxic
- Heal Block
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The defensive utility Bronzong provides is unmatched. In addition to Rocks, it checks so many threats that would otherwise demolish the previous three teammates. Tyrantrum, Hone Claws Aerodactyl, Nidos, Shaymin, PorygonZ, Kyurem, Dragalge, M-Scep, Roserade, Slurpuff, Florges, and more are all handles by this one steel bell. With Toxic, fatter things are not too hard to handle if they are immune to T-Spikes like Cresselia. The EV spread is stolen from one of Ironbullet's archived teams 'Acquiesce,' which lets it survive two +1 Aqua Tails from M-Aero while maximizing SpD bulk.

I chose Heavy Slam over Gyro/Iron Head to maximize damage to Shaymin. Nothing hits it super effectively on the team besides Acid Spray from Tentacruel, and it outspeeds Krook. So, hitting it with a 120 BP STAB mitigates the team's weakness to it. It also has the added benefit of hitting Florges really hard, as well as bopping Sableye on the switch. Heal Block is the unorthodox fourth moveslot to counter Snorlax. Without it, I am forced to consistently Roar it out with Gyarados until Krook can 1v1 it or Tentacruel can Acid Spray it. EQ over Heal Block is probably more useful, but I risk poor Snorlax matchups.
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Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 168 HP / 244 Def / 96 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Scald
- Acid Spray
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Tentacruel is my favorite spinner in UU. Not a passive piece of garbage like Forry due to Scald, not shit like Donphan, and not a mega like Blastoise. Toxic Spikes is an amazing move that threatens all play styles in conjunction with a powerful Ground. Tenta finds many opportunities to spin with its bulk and resistances, especially against balance play styles lacking Sableye. Florges/Cune balance is everywhere, and Tenta uses both as Spin + Spike fodder. Acid Spray prevents said Florges and Suicune from setting up on me, and in a pinch I can Acid Spray something and revenge it or force it out with Florges or Ampharos. The speed creeps Adamant Mamoswine for obvious reasons.

Oh and there is nothing more fun than Tenta vs Tenta/Alomomola/Empoleon Scald wars

Krookodile @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Earthquake
- Superpower​

CB Krook is such a great mon. Having a Volt Switch immunity + incredibly hard hitting STABs makes it never useless. Even hard counters like Chesnaught hate losing items. Krooks main role is to break through walls since the other members cannot break past special walls. Ampharos oftens lures in Blisseys and Florges to tank a Volt Switch, giving Krook a free Knock/EQ. It helps soften Whimsicott for Ampharos, pressures Poisons and Emp who want to get rid of my T-Spikes, and traps the always scary Chandelure. Defensively, it forms a dual Initimidate core with Gyarados, which makes pretty much any physical threat manageable (hurray for the lack of physical Electrics). Gyarados handles the Fighting types and tanks Beedrill's U-turn, and Krook absorbs Electric and Rock moves. Another great core, try it out.

Knock Off, Pursuit, and EQ are all musts for CB Krook. The last move is Superpower to hit Snorlax as hard as possible, and it bops Hydreigons on the switch and Ice types that can tank EQs (Mamo, Kyurem). Also, it smacks those Shuca Steels that are everywhere now thanks to Mamo.

Threatlist

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Ironically, Krookodile is the biggest threat to my team. Gyarados does not like Knock Off, but more importantly, if it traps Bronzong, I basically lose since I rely on it to check so much. Remove it ASAP and never stay in with Zong if Krook is still alive.

Stone Edge SD Cobalion breaks through Gyarados, which does nothing back with Waterfall. Tentacruel needs a burn to beat it, and Amphy needs to be 100% to tank a +2 CC.

Checked by Amphy, outsped by Florges, and Intimidated by Gyarados. I usually pivot into Gyarados, the Florges on the SD/Knock Off and KO with Moonblast as it expects to outspeed. However, it gets free switches on Zong so play carefully.

Lack of physical attackers makes Blissey annoying, but it is usually only on stall which is uncommon at least. Krook has to be played well to win vs stall.

Gyarados is my main switch in, but if Rocks are up I risk dying to Rocks + 2 Poison Jabs.

Shadow ball variants hit Bronzong, and CM/Psyshock variants make Florges a very shaky check. Basically I have no switch ins to this lol. I usually try paralyzing it with Amphy, which has the bulk to take any hit.

Only a threat if Zong dies early or if it knows Fire Blast or Flamethrower. I have only seen Flamethrower Nidoking once (it was paired with Webs + Dusclops to spinblock LOL) and it just won lol

Importable

Ampharos-Mega @ Ampharosite
Ability: Static
EVs: 196 HP / 252 SpA / 60 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Dragon Pulse
- Volt Switch
- Thunder Wave

Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 212 Def / 48 Spe
Impish Nature
- Waterfall
- Roar
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

Florges @ Leftovers
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Aromatherapy
- Moonblast

Bronzong @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Heavy Slam
- Toxic
- Heal Block

Krookodile @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Earthquake
- Superpower

Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 168 HP / 244 Def / 96 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Scald
- Acid Spray

Conclusion​

Replays can be found if you search 'Adaam' on the PS replay area. I've used this team an unhealthy amount of times on ladder, so there should be plenty of replays. Alakazam sort of hit the viability of this team, but it is still a very effective one. Try it out, or don't. At the very least, use M-Amphy because it is a don and its low usage makes me sad. I would post shoutouts here, but I am afraid of missing someone and that would be no fun. So shoutout to anyone who has ever interacted with me. You rock!
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