Hi everyone! This is my second rmt and I have been testing this team out for a while and have really come to like it. I wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions for improvements or any general thoughts on the team. The main theme of this team was to have many of my team learn U-Turn and Volt Switch so I could hold momentum and force as many switches as possible to rack up as much stealth rocks damage as possible and always keep my opponent guessing. The first thing I decided for the team was to build it around my two favorite bird pokemon Staraptor and Talonflame. After adding my two favorite birds I decided upon Landorus-Therian as my defensive tank/pivot and Rotom-Wash a my special tank/pivot. After that I decided to use Mega Sableye since this team has a glaring weakness to entry hazards. In addition to Sableye I needed a pokemon capable of removing hazards and threating Weavile + fairy types so I chose Scizor. I haven't run into many obvious weaknesses of this team besides Azumarill. I changed my Talonflame set from a revenge killer to a bulky sweeper in order to be a better check to Charizard-Y and I usually have no problem controlling stealth rocks as long as Mega Sableye and Scizor remain in play.
#1 Talonflame
Item@ Leftovers
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 SpD / 248 Hp / 8 Atk
Nature: Careful
Moves:
-Brave Bird
-Flare Blitz
-Roost
-Swords Dance
Talonflame was one of my two original choices that I tried to build my team around. Initially I used the revenge killer Talonflame set but soon discovered I had no real counters to Charizard-Y (revenge killer talonflame was easily worn down) so I changed Talonflame from a revenge killer to this bulky sweeper set. While I sometimes miss having U-turn this set checks Zard-Y and can survive steath rocks much more easily (only when necessary of course) since it can roost up to heal unlike banded Talonflame.
#2 Staraptor
Item@ Choice Band
Ability: Reckless
Evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Nature: Adamant
Moves:
-Brave Bird
-Double Edge
-Close Combat
-U Turn
I chose to use Staraptor as my wall breaker as his damage output is simply insane when using reckless boosted stab banded attacks and makes it very easy for him to knock out many would be checks in two hits or at least wear them down significantly for a teammate to finish off. Staraptor also has a respectablebase 100 speed stat letting him out speed virtually and defensive pokemon that switches in on him so he can finish them with a second attack. I run an adamant Staraptor over a jolly one for the OHKO on specially defensive Rotom-Wash and the 68% chance to OHKO defensive Rotom-Wash after stealth rocks damage with Double-Edge.
#3 Landorus-Therian
Item@ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
Evs: 252 Hp / 240 Def / 8 SpD / 8 Spd
Nature: Impish
Moves:
-Earthquake
-Knock Off
-U Turn
-Stealth Rock
Landorus acts as an effective check to many physical pokemon. His high base attack and powerful stab EQ easily forces switches that I can use to set up stealth rocks, removing the incoming pokemons item, or U-Turn out of to hold momentum. Landorus easily sponges any electric or rock types attack being trown at Talonflame or Staraptor and has great utility with his versatile moveset.
#4 Rotom-Wash
Item@ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Evs: 252 Hp / 252 SpD / 4 SpA
Nature: Calm
Moves:
-Hydro Pump
-Volt Switch
-Will O Wisp
-Pain Split
I chose Rotom-Wash for his bulk and ability to absorb and ice type moves being thrown at Landorus or Staraptor. Rotom-Wash also helps to spread status and can pivot out using volt switch to again help my team maintain momentum. I chose these Evs with Rotom-Wash so I could switch after opposing Rotom have already Volt Switched off of me and get safer switch ins for my Staraptor to come in unscathed. Rotom-Wash is also easily capable of stalling out either of the Lati twins that switches in to use Draco Meteor by using Pain Split to steal back Hp after the attack.
#5 Scizor
Items@ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
Evs: 248 Hp / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Nature: Adamant
Moves:
-Bullet Punch
-U Turn
-Roost
-Defog
I chose Scizor as I stated in my opening paragraph for his ability to clear hazards, threaten Weavile + fairy types, and to U-Turn to maintain momentum. I chose the these Evs so Scizor could be bulky enough to tank some hits but still pack enough offensive power to threaten things like Weavile, Gardevoir, Diance, and Sylveon. Scizor also has the added benefit of acting as another slow pivot allowing me to get safe switches in.
#6 Mega Sableye
Item@ Sablenite
Ability: Prankster/Magic Bounce
Evs: 252 Hp / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Nature: Bold
Moves:
-Shadow Ball
-Will O Wisp
-Calm Mind
-Recover
I chose to add Sableye for several reasons. One reason is that since my team pivots a lot it is naturally vulnerable to stealth rocks and magic bounce is a great way of denying your opponent a chance to set them up. Sableye is also very great at blocking status and acts as a secondary means of spreading status through Will-O-Wisp. Sableye can also spinblock in addition to being a second physically bulky mon since Landorus has no means of recovering Hp besides leftovers. And finally Sableye acts as a wincon with a calm mind sweep after his checks have been taken out by his teammates.
Thanks for reading this post! I really appreciate any feedback as I find this team very fun to play with and I am always looking to improve on my teams. And below are just a few matches I played through with this team.
(Revenge Killer Talonflame)
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-286674264
(Bulky Talonflame)
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-286704360
#1 Talonflame
Item@ Leftovers
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 SpD / 248 Hp / 8 Atk
Nature: Careful
Moves:
-Brave Bird
-Flare Blitz
-Roost
-Swords Dance
Talonflame was one of my two original choices that I tried to build my team around. Initially I used the revenge killer Talonflame set but soon discovered I had no real counters to Charizard-Y (revenge killer talonflame was easily worn down) so I changed Talonflame from a revenge killer to this bulky sweeper set. While I sometimes miss having U-turn this set checks Zard-Y and can survive steath rocks much more easily (only when necessary of course) since it can roost up to heal unlike banded Talonflame.
#2 Staraptor
Item@ Choice Band
Ability: Reckless
Evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Nature: Adamant
Moves:
-Brave Bird
-Double Edge
-Close Combat
-U Turn
I chose to use Staraptor as my wall breaker as his damage output is simply insane when using reckless boosted stab banded attacks and makes it very easy for him to knock out many would be checks in two hits or at least wear them down significantly for a teammate to finish off. Staraptor also has a respectablebase 100 speed stat letting him out speed virtually and defensive pokemon that switches in on him so he can finish them with a second attack. I run an adamant Staraptor over a jolly one for the OHKO on specially defensive Rotom-Wash and the 68% chance to OHKO defensive Rotom-Wash after stealth rocks damage with Double-Edge.
#3 Landorus-Therian
Item@ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
Evs: 252 Hp / 240 Def / 8 SpD / 8 Spd
Nature: Impish
Moves:
-Earthquake
-Knock Off
-U Turn
-Stealth Rock
Landorus acts as an effective check to many physical pokemon. His high base attack and powerful stab EQ easily forces switches that I can use to set up stealth rocks, removing the incoming pokemons item, or U-Turn out of to hold momentum. Landorus easily sponges any electric or rock types attack being trown at Talonflame or Staraptor and has great utility with his versatile moveset.
#4 Rotom-Wash
Item@ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Evs: 252 Hp / 252 SpD / 4 SpA
Nature: Calm
Moves:
-Hydro Pump
-Volt Switch
-Will O Wisp
-Pain Split
I chose Rotom-Wash for his bulk and ability to absorb and ice type moves being thrown at Landorus or Staraptor. Rotom-Wash also helps to spread status and can pivot out using volt switch to again help my team maintain momentum. I chose these Evs with Rotom-Wash so I could switch after opposing Rotom have already Volt Switched off of me and get safer switch ins for my Staraptor to come in unscathed. Rotom-Wash is also easily capable of stalling out either of the Lati twins that switches in to use Draco Meteor by using Pain Split to steal back Hp after the attack.
#5 Scizor
Items@ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
Evs: 248 Hp / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Nature: Adamant
Moves:
-Bullet Punch
-U Turn
-Roost
-Defog
I chose Scizor as I stated in my opening paragraph for his ability to clear hazards, threaten Weavile + fairy types, and to U-Turn to maintain momentum. I chose the these Evs so Scizor could be bulky enough to tank some hits but still pack enough offensive power to threaten things like Weavile, Gardevoir, Diance, and Sylveon. Scizor also has the added benefit of acting as another slow pivot allowing me to get safe switches in.
#6 Mega Sableye
Item@ Sablenite
Ability: Prankster/Magic Bounce
Evs: 252 Hp / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Nature: Bold
Moves:
-Shadow Ball
-Will O Wisp
-Calm Mind
-Recover
I chose to add Sableye for several reasons. One reason is that since my team pivots a lot it is naturally vulnerable to stealth rocks and magic bounce is a great way of denying your opponent a chance to set them up. Sableye is also very great at blocking status and acts as a secondary means of spreading status through Will-O-Wisp. Sableye can also spinblock in addition to being a second physically bulky mon since Landorus has no means of recovering Hp besides leftovers. And finally Sableye acts as a wincon with a calm mind sweep after his checks have been taken out by his teammates.
Thanks for reading this post! I really appreciate any feedback as I find this team very fun to play with and I am always looking to improve on my teams. And below are just a few matches I played through with this team.
(Revenge Killer Talonflame)
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-286674264
(Bulky Talonflame)
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-286704360
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