Introduction.
I haven't played competitive Pokemon in over a year and 6 months. That's a pretty long hiatus from the game, and before I quit playing I was ranked very highly in pretty much every ladder that I had played in, even so much as taking a semi-stall team to rank 1 in Smogon's Standard OU ladder and taking a hyper offense team made by Irak to number 8 in Dream World OU after making some of my own personal edits. So I at least know how the hell to play the game. The problem is that I've missed a year and a half of Metagame shifts. This team has been pretty insane so far, handily destroying just about everyone I've played. Most of the Pokemon on here are pretty standard, however I did throw some slightly random stuff on here that's been working out. So take a look at it, and please tell me what I'm doing wrong. I miss being good at this game. :]
Team At a Glance.
The Team.
Mienshao (F) @ Choice Scarf Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 208 Atk / 48 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Hi Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Hidden Power [Ice]
I was really on the fence about Mienshao at first because it's pretty damn frail and it's movepool is pretty limited. I originally had Scarf Terrakion in this guy's place, but after testing this set out extensively, I'm incredibly happy that I made the change that I did to this slot. Regenerator, first off, in an insane ability that makes Mienshao one of the best choice users in the game due to not being affected by entry hazards in pretty much any way. Statuses, nigh paralysis, don't really have any effect on Shao since even with a burn it can still scout and kill Dragons pretty handily. HJK and Stone Edge are the best physical options that Mienshao has, and that's not a bad thing because this little guy hits like a truck. U-Turn is obviously for scouting and building up what is pretty much residual damage. HP Ice might look a little strange on this set because it's not normally something you want to be locked into, but it's going to 2hko max HP Gliscor 100% of the time and hit 99% of Landorus for ~80%. Scarfshou outspeeds most common Scarfers and destroys them. This is one of three incredibly important revenge killers on this team.
Gastrodon-Ea (Gastrodon-East) (F) @ Leftovers Trait: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Recover
- Toxic
This was my first choice for a bulky Water and I haven't regretted using it because it handily deals with Starmie and Rotom-W, and Rain Teams in general. I've found myself wanting more physical bulk on this guy than special bulk, because realistically, it's immune to half the special shit hitting it. I'm considering dropping Gastro for Swampert, but the lack of a Wish-passer on the team is making me wary of doing so. This is a pretty self-explainitory little Pokemon and I don't really have too much to elaborate on.
Scizor (F) @ Choice Band Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Scizor is Scizor and it does what it does better than everything else. I chose to give it HP EVs because I like my Scizor to take a few hits while dishing them out. This guy is ridiculously bulky and deals a ridiculous amount of damage to everything, regardless of what it's hitting. This is my second hugely important revenge killer and I'm probably not going to replace it, however I'm willing to take some suggestions on the moveset/item/EVs because I had some things in mind myself. Scizor also adds a lot of resistances to the team and has a lot of synergy with some of it's teammates, as well as checking a lot of my team's threats and dismissing them handily. It's actually pretty nuts how much something so simple can contribute to a team.
Heatran (M) @ Choice Scarf Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Overheat
- Earth Power
- Dragon Pulse
My second Steel, with a humungous list of resistances and immunities, and my third revenge killer. Heatran is a fucking monster that absolutely destroys this metagame with some solid prediction. I've had games go 5-0 in my favor with 4-5 of the kills being Heatran spamming into a team that wasn't properly prepared to deal with something like it. And even if my opponent is carrying a solid counter, it's nothing Dragon Pulse/Earth Power can't put a huge dent in 99% of the time. I chose to use Overheat over Fire Blast because it nets a lot more OHKOs in the sun and Heatran switches in and out a lot so the drop in SAtk isn't going to have a huge impact on it's playability. Flamethrower is a more consistent STAB attack, and Earth Power covers other Fire-types and is pretty much my go-to spam attack when I'm unsure if I can drop something with Overheat. I chose to use Dragon Pulse over HP Ice because it hits Lati@s and Haxorus a lot harder and it still 2HKOs 'Nite and Mence.
Haxorus (F) @ Lum Berry Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Brick Break
Haxorus is the badass offspring of Garchomp and Rampardos with a retarded good movepool and insane stats. This was originally a Choice Band set, but the coverage that I lose with Band made me convert Hax to a Dancer. This think kills everything in one hit. I'm serious. Literally the only Pokemon I can think of that doesn't get one-hitter-quitter'd by this guy is Skarmory, and if it switches in on a +2 Outrage, it's going to faint next turn regardless of it's insane bulk. And that's a resisted attack. The Lum Berry means that I can throw derpy Outrages all over the place, and then do it again without killing myself, or I can set up on status moves and sweep. Pretty much the only thing that's going to switch in and scare this guy off is Mammoswine because CB Mammo OHKOs with Ice Shard. Haxorus' absymal defenses make it a little bit difficult to sweep, but a team that's not prepared to deal with this Dragon is going to be devastated by it turn after turn. I also like to bring this guy in to clean up after Heatran/Scizor/Mienshou are finished dictating the entire tempo of the battle.
Gliscor (M) @ Toxic Orb Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 180 Def / 76 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Aerial Ace
- Protect
- Toxic
Gliscor, besides Latios, is the best Pokemon right now IMO. I'm probably wrong, but wow. This thing is built like a brick shithouse and it can dish out damage with the best of em. I'm strongly considering replacing Aerial Ace for Stealth Rock, but I'm really liking AA for Breloom and the occasional Virizion that's not carrying HP Ice. Toxic is pretty self-explainitory, it kills things insanely fast and cripples sweepers like Gyarados and Dragonite that think they're going to set up on Gliscor. This guy is also the third string of my anti-weather core of Gliscor/Heatran/Gastrodon and makes me really comfortable when playing against Sandstorm teams. Counters pretty much any Fighting-type and most Ground/Rock types are dealt with by this guy. Gliscor has some pretty ridiculous synergy with the team and checks a shitload of the metagame. Also considering Taunt. Idk, just tell me what to do.
Threat List.
Note: several of these are revenge kills and not just direct counters, but regardless of that they get the job done and sacrificing a Poke to get rid of a potentially huge threat is a valid payoff.
A Second Look.
Thanks!
I haven't played competitive Pokemon in over a year and 6 months. That's a pretty long hiatus from the game, and before I quit playing I was ranked very highly in pretty much every ladder that I had played in, even so much as taking a semi-stall team to rank 1 in Smogon's Standard OU ladder and taking a hyper offense team made by Irak to number 8 in Dream World OU after making some of my own personal edits. So I at least know how the hell to play the game. The problem is that I've missed a year and a half of Metagame shifts. This team has been pretty insane so far, handily destroying just about everyone I've played. Most of the Pokemon on here are pretty standard, however I did throw some slightly random stuff on here that's been working out. So take a look at it, and please tell me what I'm doing wrong. I miss being good at this game. :]
Team At a Glance.
The Team.
Mienshao (F) @ Choice Scarf Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 208 Atk / 48 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Hi Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Hidden Power [Ice]
I was really on the fence about Mienshao at first because it's pretty damn frail and it's movepool is pretty limited. I originally had Scarf Terrakion in this guy's place, but after testing this set out extensively, I'm incredibly happy that I made the change that I did to this slot. Regenerator, first off, in an insane ability that makes Mienshao one of the best choice users in the game due to not being affected by entry hazards in pretty much any way. Statuses, nigh paralysis, don't really have any effect on Shao since even with a burn it can still scout and kill Dragons pretty handily. HJK and Stone Edge are the best physical options that Mienshao has, and that's not a bad thing because this little guy hits like a truck. U-Turn is obviously for scouting and building up what is pretty much residual damage. HP Ice might look a little strange on this set because it's not normally something you want to be locked into, but it's going to 2hko max HP Gliscor 100% of the time and hit 99% of Landorus for ~80%. Scarfshou outspeeds most common Scarfers and destroys them. This is one of three incredibly important revenge killers on this team.
Gastrodon-Ea (Gastrodon-East) (F) @ Leftovers Trait: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Recover
- Toxic
This was my first choice for a bulky Water and I haven't regretted using it because it handily deals with Starmie and Rotom-W, and Rain Teams in general. I've found myself wanting more physical bulk on this guy than special bulk, because realistically, it's immune to half the special shit hitting it. I'm considering dropping Gastro for Swampert, but the lack of a Wish-passer on the team is making me wary of doing so. This is a pretty self-explainitory little Pokemon and I don't really have too much to elaborate on.
Scizor (F) @ Choice Band Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Scizor is Scizor and it does what it does better than everything else. I chose to give it HP EVs because I like my Scizor to take a few hits while dishing them out. This guy is ridiculously bulky and deals a ridiculous amount of damage to everything, regardless of what it's hitting. This is my second hugely important revenge killer and I'm probably not going to replace it, however I'm willing to take some suggestions on the moveset/item/EVs because I had some things in mind myself. Scizor also adds a lot of resistances to the team and has a lot of synergy with some of it's teammates, as well as checking a lot of my team's threats and dismissing them handily. It's actually pretty nuts how much something so simple can contribute to a team.
Heatran (M) @ Choice Scarf Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Overheat
- Earth Power
- Dragon Pulse
My second Steel, with a humungous list of resistances and immunities, and my third revenge killer. Heatran is a fucking monster that absolutely destroys this metagame with some solid prediction. I've had games go 5-0 in my favor with 4-5 of the kills being Heatran spamming into a team that wasn't properly prepared to deal with something like it. And even if my opponent is carrying a solid counter, it's nothing Dragon Pulse/Earth Power can't put a huge dent in 99% of the time. I chose to use Overheat over Fire Blast because it nets a lot more OHKOs in the sun and Heatran switches in and out a lot so the drop in SAtk isn't going to have a huge impact on it's playability. Flamethrower is a more consistent STAB attack, and Earth Power covers other Fire-types and is pretty much my go-to spam attack when I'm unsure if I can drop something with Overheat. I chose to use Dragon Pulse over HP Ice because it hits Lati@s and Haxorus a lot harder and it still 2HKOs 'Nite and Mence.
Haxorus (F) @ Lum Berry Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 36 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Brick Break
Haxorus is the badass offspring of Garchomp and Rampardos with a retarded good movepool and insane stats. This was originally a Choice Band set, but the coverage that I lose with Band made me convert Hax to a Dancer. This think kills everything in one hit. I'm serious. Literally the only Pokemon I can think of that doesn't get one-hitter-quitter'd by this guy is Skarmory, and if it switches in on a +2 Outrage, it's going to faint next turn regardless of it's insane bulk. And that's a resisted attack. The Lum Berry means that I can throw derpy Outrages all over the place, and then do it again without killing myself, or I can set up on status moves and sweep. Pretty much the only thing that's going to switch in and scare this guy off is Mammoswine because CB Mammo OHKOs with Ice Shard. Haxorus' absymal defenses make it a little bit difficult to sweep, but a team that's not prepared to deal with this Dragon is going to be devastated by it turn after turn. I also like to bring this guy in to clean up after Heatran/Scizor/Mienshou are finished dictating the entire tempo of the battle.
Gliscor (M) @ Toxic Orb Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 180 Def / 76 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Aerial Ace
- Protect
- Toxic
Gliscor, besides Latios, is the best Pokemon right now IMO. I'm probably wrong, but wow. This thing is built like a brick shithouse and it can dish out damage with the best of em. I'm strongly considering replacing Aerial Ace for Stealth Rock, but I'm really liking AA for Breloom and the occasional Virizion that's not carrying HP Ice. Toxic is pretty self-explainitory, it kills things insanely fast and cripples sweepers like Gyarados and Dragonite that think they're going to set up on Gliscor. This guy is also the third string of my anti-weather core of Gliscor/Heatran/Gastrodon and makes me really comfortable when playing against Sandstorm teams. Counters pretty much any Fighting-type and most Ground/Rock types are dealt with by this guy. Gliscor has some pretty ridiculous synergy with the team and checks a shitload of the metagame. Also considering Taunt. Idk, just tell me what to do.
Threat List.
Note: several of these are revenge kills and not just direct counters, but regardless of that they get the job done and sacrificing a Poke to get rid of a potentially huge threat is a valid payoff.
Tyranitar:
- Choice Band - Mienshou/Scizor/Gliscor
- Choice Scarf - Mienshou/Scizor/Gliscor
- Dragon Dance - Mienshou/Scizor/Gliscor
Rotom-W:
- Choice Scarf / Specs - Gastrodon/Haxorus
Scizor:
- Choice Band - Heatran/Gliscor
- Swords Dance - Heatran/Gliscor
Dragonite:
- Choice Band - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran
- Dragon Dance - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran
- Mixed - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Heatran/Haxorus
- Parashuffler - Gastrodon/Haxorus
Politoed:
- Choice Specs / Scarf - Gastrodon
Heatran:
- Standard - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Heatran
Jirachi:
- Substitute + Calm Mind / Wish + Calm Mind - Scizor/Heatran/Haxorus/Gliscor
Latios:
- Life Orb - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Scizor/Heatran
- Choice Scarf / Specs - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Scizor/Heatran
- Calm Mind - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Scizor
Reuniclus:
- Calm Mind - Scizor/Haxorus
- Offensive Trick Room - Scizor
Haxorus:
- Choice Scarf / Choice Band - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran/Gliscor
- Dragon Dance - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran/Gliscor
- Double Dance - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran/Gliscor
Ninetales:
- Nasty Plot - Mienshou/Heatran
- Choice Specs - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Heatran
- Special Attacker - Mienshou/Heatran
Conkeldurr:
- Bulk Up - Gliscor
Celebi:
- Nasty Plot Sweeper - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran
- Tinkerbell - Scizor/Heatran
- Choice Specs / Choice Scarf - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran
Terrakion:
- Double Dance - Mienshou/Scizor/Gliscor
- Choice Scarf / Choice Band - Mienshou/Scizor/Gliscor
Gyarados:
- Offensive / Bulky Dragon Dance - Mienshou/Gastrodon
Gengar:
- Substitute + Disable / Pain Split - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran
Starmie:
- Life Orb - Gastrodon
- Rapid Spin - Gastrodon
- Choice Specs - Gastrodon
Landorus:
- Rock Polish / Swords Dance - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Scizor/Gliscor
- Choice Scarf - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Scizor/Gliscor
- Substitute + 3 Attacks - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Scizor
Infernape:
- Mixed Attacker - Mienshou/Heatran/Haxorus
- Nasty Plot / Swords Dance Booster - Mienshou/Heatran/Haxorus
- Choice Band - Mienshou/Heatran/Haxorus
Volcarona:
- Offensive Quiver Dance - Mienshou/Heatran/Haxorus
- Bulky Quiver Dance - Mienshou/Heatran/Haxorus
- Chesto Rest - Mienshou/Heatran/Haxorus
- Substitute -
Magnezone:
- Substitute - Gastrodon/Haxorus/Gliscor
- Choice Scarf - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Heatran/Haxorus/Gliscor
Espeon:
- Calm Mind - Mienshou/Scizor/Haxorus
Salamence:
- Dragon Dance - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran
- Mixed - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Scizor/Heatran
- Defensive - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Heatran
Hydreigon:
- Offensive - Mienshou/Heatran/Gastrodon
- Choice Specs / Choice Scarf - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran/Gastrodon
Breloom:
- Sub Seed - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran/Gliscor
- Sub Punch - Mienshou/Gliscor
Latias:
- Calm Mind - Mienshou/Scizor
Toxicroak:
- Swords Dance - Scizor/Gastrodon/Heatran/Haxorus/Gliscor
- Bulk Up - Gastrodon/Heatran/Gliscor
Lucario:
- Swords Dance - Heatran/Gliscor
- Nasty Plot - Mienshou/Heatran/Haxorus
Virizion:
- Calm Mind - Scizor/Heatran
- Swords Dance - Scizor/Heatran/Gliscor
Scrafty:
- Dragon Dance - Mienshou/Scizor/Gliscor
- Bulk Up - Mienshou/Scizor/Gliscor
Venusaur:
- Special Growth - Heatran
- Mixed Growth - Heatran/Scizor/Gliscor
- SubSeed - Heatran/Gliscor
Metagross:
- Stealth Rock - Scizor/Gastrodon/Haxorus/Gliscor
- Choice Scarf / Choice Band - Scizor/Gastrodon/Heatran/Gliscor
- Agility - Scizor/Gastrodon/Heatran
Mienshao:
- All-Out Attacker - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran
- Choice Scarf / Choice Band - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran/Gliscor
Cloyster:
- Shell Smash - Gastrodon/Scizor
Mamoswine:
- Physical Attacker - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran
Darmanitan:
- Choice Scarf - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Heatran/Gliscor
Tornadus:
- Rain Abuser - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Scizor
Tyranitar:
- Specially Defensive - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Scizor/Gliscor
Rotom-W:
- Standard - Gastrodon
Ferrothorn:
- Standard - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran/Haxorus
Politoed:
- Defensive - Gastrodon
Gliscor:
- Swords Dance - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Gliscor
- Substitute + Protect - Mienshou/Gastrodon
- AcroBat - Mienshou/Gastrodon
- Defensive - Mienshou/Gastrodon
Heatran:
- Specially Defensive - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Haxorus/Gliscor
Jirachi:
- Specially Defensive - Heatran/Haxorus/Gliscor
Skarmory:
- Physically Defensive Spiker - Heatran/Haxorus
- Specially Defensive Spiker - Heatran/Haxorus
Ninetales:
- Specially Defensive - Mienshou/Heatran/Haxorus/Gastrodon
Celebi:
- Physically Defensive - Mienshou/Scizor/Heatran/Haxorus
Forretress:
- Physically Defensive Spiker - Heatran/Haxorus
- Specially Defensive Spiker - Heatran/Haxorus
Gyarados:
- RestTalk - Mienshou/Haxorus
Jellicent:
- Utility Counter - Gastrodon/Haxorus
Tentacruel:
- Toxic Spikes - Gastrodon/Haxorus
Gastrodon:
- Tank - Gastrodon/Scizor/Haxorus
Espeon:
- Dual Screens - Gastrodon/Scizor
- Baton Pass - Gastrodon/Scizor
Blissey:
- Support - Mienshou/Scizor/Gliscor/Haxorus
Vaporeon:
- Wish Support - Gastrodon
Latias:
- Support - Mienshou/Gastrodon/Heatran/Scizor
Bronzong:
- Tank - Scizor/Heatran
- Dual Screens - Scizor/Heatran
Swampert:
- Defensive - Gastrodon
Mew:
- Stallbreaker - Scizor/Haxorus/Gliscor
Slowbro:
- Tank - Gastrodon
Quagsire:
- Curse - Gastrodon
- Specially Defensive - Gastrodon
- Physically Defensive - Gastrodon
A Second Look.
Thanks!
