Donphans return

[gingbino11]

Hi all. It's your favourite type of plastic here with an all new team for you to rate. After having mixed success between many different teams, I decided to start anew. This team is mainly offensive, but is has small amounts of bulk in it. And since I'm not one for long starting blurbs........

At a glance:

Donphan (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP/252 Atk/4 HP (0 Speed IV)
Brave nature (+Atk, -Spe)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Gyro Ball

This is a lead that I put forward. It effectively coves most of the common leads in OU today. First and foremost is Metagross. He is OHKO'ed by STAB Earthquake. Infernape is handled in the same way, providing it lacks Grass Knot. Ninjask is 2HKO'ed by Ice Shard. Azelf is 2HKO'ed by Gyro Ball. Aerodactyl is also OHKO'ed by Gyro Ball. In the case of Swampert I usually switch to Rotom to burn and KO him. The EVs allow him to OHKO Metagross with Earthquake, and add huge bulk to him. Brave nature is to boost the power of all of his moves and making Gyro Ball more powerful.

Rotom-c @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/168 Def/88 Spd
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Discharge
- Shadow Ball
- Will-o-wisp
- Leaf Storm

Rotom is my wall-ish majig. He has quite a high defence stat, and can learn Will-o-wisp, thus, he is my physical wall. Discharge is there for its handy 30% paralysis rate, while Shadow Ball helps to complete is STABs. Will-o-wisp, as mentioned above, is to stop any physical sweeper in his path. Leaf Storm rounds off the set with an ability to hit Swampert and Mamoswine hard, two pokemon that I have found troublesome in the past. As I said, he serves as my Wall, but also my counter for a +1/+1 Gyarados.

Lucario (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 188 Spd/252 SAtk/68 HP
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Aura Sphere
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Ice]

After facing something similar to this, I had to try it out. And I have found it to work very well. Agility is there to boost his speed to incredible heights. Aura Sphere is the mandatory STAB move, that gains his perfect coverage with Shadow Ball. Hidden Power Ice is there to give a shock to any Gliscor that switches in, only to find himself outsped. I often switch this into a Blissey that was trying to wall my Rotom or Gengar, then Agility up as she switches to avoid Close Combat. He then proceeds to sweep, taking out at least 2-3 pokemon.EVs allow him to outspeed Timid ScarfGar after an Agility.

Gengar (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Gengar is the only thing that keeps me from being walled by the likes of Skarmory. Focus Blast and Shadow Ball give me perfect coverage, while Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Ice allow me to hit some of the biggest threats out there right now. Gengar is often the last man standing, so that is why I chose not to give him a Choice Item, and waste a moveslot on Trick.

Metagross @ Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 232 HP/252 Atk/24 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Meteor Mash
- Ice Punch
- Pursuit

What is that? A Metagross that doesn't lead? Such a thing can surely not exist! Well it does. Earthquake is there because it has a large power, and accuracy, and many types are weak to it. Meteor Mash is there to do insane amounts of damage to anything that doesn't resist it. Ice Punch is so I can switch him on an Outraging Salamence, take the two hits, then KO him with said move. Pursuit is to stop any little Ghosties or Psychics trying to switch out. He acts as my main answer to Latias, and many others like Gengar and Rotom.

Kingdra (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 20 HP/252 Atk/236 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Waterfall
- Substitute

Kingdra rounds off the team with some great resistances. Because of his 4x resistance to Water (Donphan) and Fire (Lucario and Metagross), he has no trouble switching in. Dragon Dance is to boost his attack and speed high. Waterfall and Outrage make for a combo only resisted by Empoleon in OU, while also being very hard hitting STAB moves. Substitute is a move that I have found myself using a lot. Whether it's to dodge a Toxic from Blissey, or to buy myself more time to put up another DD, it has been a very useful move.



So that's my team. hate/rate/steal all you want boys!

 

[Shizzle]

Consider reducing speed evs on lucario, i dont see why he needs max speed for agility. It gets him to 558 or something like that, reduce that so that after an a agility you reach 526 speed+, so you outspeed timid scarfgar, which is the fastest scarfer i have seen as yet.

So the evset would be 252 SpA / 188 Spe, with 68 evs to spare.

On my kingdra, i use the uber set shown on the strategy dex for it, it works wonders in OU. The only problem with your set is that Dragons will come out and lure you into an outrage, and then they switch to skarm or something and whirlwind you away. I use the evs from the set, and the moves are DD, outrage, waterfall, Draco Meteor, and i use Lum berry cuz so many things try to status it.

 

[Darkmalice]

Stone Edge > Gyro Ball. Donphan has 122 Speed minimum, which is just far too low (only about a quarter's of Aerodactyl's speed, so Stone Edge will do about the same damage, and it'll do more to Azelf). Not to forget that Gyro Ball has horrible typing, whilst Stone Edge's is very good alongside Earthquake.

I don't understand Donphan's EVs. He only OHKOs Metagross with LO Earthquake 41.03% of the time. He just misses out on a bonus point (176 EVs gives 352 Atk, 172 EVs gives 350 Atk). Rapid Spin is inpractical with a Life Orb. You do not want 10% recoil just to remove entry hazards, and Donphan will then have no ability to spam Rapid Spin as the opponent spams Stealth Rock. I would have Leftovers to aid Donphan's physical bulk, and 252 HP / 176 Atk / 60 Def / 20 Spe. He 2HKOs Azelf with Stone Edge 98.62% of the time. 20 Spe is to outrun Mixpert. Obviously, the nature should be Adamant.

The only reason I am not suggesting Stealth Rock over Ice Shard is because Ice Shard is the only reason you would use a Donphan lead; otherwise, Hippowdon does everthing a Donphan lead can do better. But your team needs Stealth Rock. It's just a too good move to pass up. You should either replace Donphan with Hippowdon, or change Metagross to a defensive version with a different moveslot that includes Stealth Rock. Hippowdon's Sandstream can also function in a similar way to Donphan's Ice Shard, as it can nulify Azelf's and Infernape's Focus Sash.

 

[animenagai]

Stone Edge > Gyro Ball. Donphan has 122 Speed minimum, which is just far too low (only about a quarter's of Aerodactyl's speed, so Stone Edge will do about the same damage, and it'll do more to Azelf). Not to forget that Gyro Ball has horrible typing, whilst Stone Edge's is very good alongside Earthquake.

I don't understand Donphan's EVs. He only OHKOs Metagross with LO Earthquake 41.03% of the time. He just misses out on a bonus point (176 EVs gives 352 Atk, 172 EVs gives 350 Atk). Rapid Spin is inpractical with a Life Orb. You do not want 10% recoil just to remove entry hazards, and Donphan will then have no ability to spam Rapid Spin as the opponent spams Stealth Rock. I would have Leftovers to aid Donphan's physical bulk, and 252 HP / 176 Atk / 60 Def / 20 Spe. He 2HKOs Azelf with Stone Edge 98.62% of the time. 20 Spe is to outrun Mixpert. Obviously, the nature should be Adamant.

The only reason I am not suggesting Stealth Rock over Ice Shard is because Ice Shard is the only reason you would use a Donphan lead; otherwise, Hippowdon does everthing a Donphan lead can do better. But your team needs Stealth Rock. It's just a too good move to pass up. You should either replace Donphan with Hippowdon, or change Metagross to a defensive version with a different moveslot that includes Stealth Rock. Hippowdon's Sandstream can also function in a similar way to Donphan's Ice Shard, as it can nulify Azelf's and Infernape's Focus Sash.

Ummm... he does have SR and no rapid spin -.-

About the OHKO stuff, ice shard can finish them off.

 

[gingbino11]

Consider reducing speed evs on lucario, i dont see why he needs max speed for agility. It gets him to 558 or something like that, reduce that so that after an a agility you reach 526 speed+, so you outspeed timid scarfgar, which is the fastest scarfer i have seen as yet.

So the evset would be 252 SpA / 188 Spe, with 68 evs to spare.

Thanks. I think I might put those into HP

Stone Edge > Gyro Ball. Donphan has 122 Speed minimum, which is just far too low (only about a quarter's of Aerodactyl's speed, so Stone Edge will do about the same damage, and it'll do more to Azelf). Not to forget that Gyro Ball has horrible typing, whilst Stone Edge's is very good alongside Earthquake.

His minimum speed is actually 94. (notice the Brave nature). It hits Aero hard, and it does enough to Azelf to 2HKO.

I don't understand Donphan's EVs. He only OHKOs Metagross with LO Earthquake 41.03% of the time. He just misses out on a bonus point (176 EVs gives 352 Atk, 172 EVs gives 350 Atk). Rapid Spin is inpractical with a Life Orb. You do not want 10% recoil just to remove entry hazards, and Donphan will then have no ability to spam Rapid Spin as the opponent spams Stealth Rock. I would have Leftovers to aid Donphan's physical bulk, and 252 HP / 176 Atk / 60 Def / 20 Spe. He 2HKOs Azelf with Stone Edge 98.62% of the time. 20 Spe is to outrun Mixpert. Obviously, the nature should be Adamant.

Oops. Wrote that into the calculator wrong. I'm just gunna change to 252/252/4. My mistake. *slumps away to cry in embarrassment.

The only reason I am not suggesting Stealth Rock over Ice Shard is because Ice Shard is the only reason you would use a Donphan lead; otherwise, Hippowdon does everthing a Donphan lead can do better. But your team needs Stealth Rock. It's just a too good move to pass up. You should either replace Donphan with Hippowdon, or change Metagross to a defensive version with a different moveslot that includes Stealth Rock. Hippowdon's Sandstream can also function in a similar way to Donphan's Ice Shard, as it can nulify Azelf's and Infernape's Focus Sash

.
I was originally going to use Hippowdon, but that would require a total upheaval of my team, as only 2 resist sandstorm. And the Ice Shard works in a similar way to Metagross Bullet Punch, negating the Sashes.

Thanks for the help guys! Keep them helpful rates coming!

 

[Darkmalice]

Ummm... he does have SR and no rapid spin -.-

About the OHKO stuff, ice shard can finish them off.

Whoops. How embarrassing. I thought he had Rapid Spin in place of Stealth Rock. Okay, Donphan works better than I thought then.

It is, however, unpreferable to refer to Ice Shard to finish off a pokemon and take 10% recoil in the process on a bulky pokemon. I rather have Leftovers for the bulk.

Thanks. I think I might put those into HP

His minimum speed is actually 94. (notice the Brave nature). It hits Aero hard, and it does enough to Azelf to 2HKO.

Ok, my bad. Though I still feel Stone Edge is the better option for superior type coverage, and for hitting Flying pokemon super-effective, especially Gyarados on the switch-in. Ice Shard has pitiful base power. The Speed also helps to outrun slow pokemon that would otherwise outspeed you like Rhyperior.

Oops. Wrote that into the calculator wrong. I'm just gunna change to 252/252/4. My mistake. *slumps away to cry in embarrassment.


I was originally going to use Hippowdon, but that would require a total upheaval of my team, as only 2 resist sandstorm. And the Ice Shard works in a similar way to Metagross Bullet Punch, negating the Sashes.

Thanks for the help guys! Keep them helpful rates coming!

2 resist for sandstorm is fine. If you really don't want to use Hippowdon, you can try out Swampert instead. However, he doesn't have a method of negating Focus Sash.


Gengar should be Timid to outspeed Infernape, +speed nature base 100s and tie with Latias.

 

[Shizzle]

Gengar should be Timid to outspeed Infernape, +speed nature base 100s and tie with Latias.

This is big, something you absolutely want to outspeed both these 2, the only reason to run modest is for scarf sets.

IMO make it a scarf set to stop things BP/ice shard wont

 

[gingbino11]

Gengar should be Timid to outspeed Infernape, +speed nature base 100s and tie with Latias.

Yup. Changed.

IMO make it a scarf set to stop things BP/ice shard wont

As I said earlier, "Gengar is often the last man standing, so that is why I chose not to give him a Choice Item, and waste a moveslot on Trick."
That is the reason that he is not scarfed.