A little background on the team - I used it to get reqs on the OU ladder back during the Keldeo suspect test. I've made a lot of changes since then, and I think it's finally ready to present to you guys as my last RMT of generation 5. Fierce is the word that comes to mind, composed of 4 pokemon that are each capable of sweeping, but with enough synergy to hold the team together.
Tyranitar @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sand Stream
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Superpower
Scarftar is my favorite weather-setter of all time. It surprises Starmies, Gengars, Celebis, Jellicents, and the Lati@s twins with it's lightning-quick Crunch. Often they'll stay in expecting to be able to finish off Ttar, only to have Scarftar get the jump on them. I don't know how I'd manage without Scarftar's ability to manage those pesky threats. (If only he were a little quicker and capable of handling Alakazam :( ).
Of course Scarftar performs the other vital role of keeping up sand. This team doesn't really need - or even want sand - per se, but having sand up when there are a multitude of weather abusers (Venusaur, I'm looking at you) on the other team is really useful. I used to have Scarftoed here for stronger hydro pumps from Salamence and Keldeo and protecting scizor from the fire, but the things Ttar checks currently would give me trouble. Plus Rest Vaporeon (lol of all things) and Kingdra would be major pains to deal with. So Scarftar it is.
Salamence @ Lum Berry
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Fire Blast
- Outrage
- Earthquake
Believe it or not, Salamence was actually the pokemon around which I made this team originally, although now its purpose is no longer as clear. It is a great end-game sweeper once faster pokemon have been eliminated. I love the Hydro Pump/Fire Blast combo, because that means Lando-T, Gliscor, Ferrothorn, Forretress, etc. don't stand a chance of stopping him. Moxie boosts Salamence to ridiculous levels of power after a kill, which is easy to force due to the surprise factor of his special attacks and because of the pressure that this team constantly puts on. Lum Berry is the perfect item since it allows Salamence to (1) act as a 1-time status absorber (particularly useful when facing stuff like Breloom/Amoonguss) and (2) to continue sweeping with Outrage, without fear of hurting himself.
Scizor (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Technician
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Swords Dance
- Superpower
- Bug Bite
Scizor is the one that most often ends up sweeping the opposing teams, or punching holes so large that there's no way they can come back. It works perfectly as a partner in crime to Salamence, who can take on stuff like Mamoswine and Weavile. Sometimes it's strategic to let Salamence die from a choiced iced move, then send in Scizor to SD and sweep. The raw power of this guy is scary - a +2 boosted life-orb attacks 2hkos the vast majority of the metagame. Max speed EVs so that it can beat out stuff like Adamant Breloom, other Scizors, and Magnezones who would otherwise cut his magnificent sweep short.
Keldeo @ Life Orb
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Icy Wind
- Hidden Power [Electric] / Hidden Power [Ghost]
Of all the sets, I feel that Life Orb Keldeo is one that is often overlooked because people don't like his recoil. But the 30% damage increase and versatility of the Life Orb allows Keldeo to land massive hits and almost always take down 2 pokemon from the opposing team. A lot of 3hkos become 2hkos, 2hkos become ohkos as a result of the 30% boost to damage. For example, against Rotom-W, 1 hydro pump and 1 secret sword will finish the annoying washing machine off, which an ebelt set would not do. An Icy Wind will finish off a Garchomp now thanks to the 30% boost. For the final coverage hidden power, I could see Keldeo having ghost to handle jellicent + the lati@s twins, as well as providing me with a neutral hit against toxicroak, but I'm currently using electric to handle tentacruel, politoed (hydro's 80% accuracy is undesirable), skarmory, and vaporeon. HP Bug isn't super high on my considerations since Ttar/Scizor handle Celebi well anyway.
Latias (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psychic
- Surf
- Healing Wish
Latias is the glue that holds together the team and a second scarfer who is far away enough from Ttar in terms of speed to justify the use of a scarf. She plugs a really big hole that would exist otherwise against pokemon like bulk up conkeldurr by adding a fighting resist. Pursuits are welcomed as they just provide opportunities to set up for pokemon like Scizor. The scarf allows her to handle opposing dragons / keldeo / terrakion well because of her blazing speed. Psychic is used over psyshock for the additional base power and because bulk up pokemon give me more trouble than calm mind ones, which are handled by the team's plethora of physically powerful attackers.
Latias is used over her stronger twin because of the bulk that she adds to the team and her ability to use healing wish, which has won me many a game when she revives a near-dead, crippled sweeper for a second run. I've found that her attacks are sufficiently powerful anyway, and plus golden Latias looks super badass.
Garchomp @ Yache Berry
Trait: Rough Skin
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Stealth Rock
Garchomp completes the Salamence/Scizor core. He sets up Stealth Rock, which is needed against most teams, especially those with Dnite/Volcarona. He can swords dance against pokemon like skarmory/ferrothorn to turn up the pressure and go to town with his stab Outrage and Earthquake combo. My favorite part is his Yache Berry, which allows him to lure in stuff like Gengar/Alakazam/Starmie/Mamoswine/Weavile, etc. who think they can outspeed and kill him, but just end up taking an outrage to the face after he shurgs off the ice move. Be warned though, using a Yache Berry makes all the HP ices from opposing pokemon start critting -.-
Notable threats:
Bronzong is a total bitch to deal with, resisting the team's outrages and avoiding earthquakes with levitate. I have to be sure to land a good hit with Scizor's Bug Bite, Keldeo's Hydro Pump, or Ttar's Crunch, none of which are ideal moves against the floating piece of metal.
Alakazam is also a pain, since he outspeeds Scarftar, can kill Scarftar with FB, Keldeo with Psychic, and the dragons with HP ice. I have to be sure to land a bullet punch from scizor, or a hit from Latias, or surprise him with Garchomp's Yache Berry. Definitely not ideal, as Alakazam can often just run away once he sees these Pokemon and come back in later to threaten another easy kill.
Against teams with Volcarona I have to get up rocks ASAP. Otherwise if Volc comes in at and gets off a quiver dance against, say, Scizor, Latias might be hardpressed to finish Volc off with a Draco meteor.
That's all for now I think, although I may add more threats to the list later as I think/come across them. Thanks for reading everyone; I'm excited to hear your comments!
Tyranitar @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sand Stream
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Superpower
Scarftar is my favorite weather-setter of all time. It surprises Starmies, Gengars, Celebis, Jellicents, and the Lati@s twins with it's lightning-quick Crunch. Often they'll stay in expecting to be able to finish off Ttar, only to have Scarftar get the jump on them. I don't know how I'd manage without Scarftar's ability to manage those pesky threats. (If only he were a little quicker and capable of handling Alakazam :( ).
Of course Scarftar performs the other vital role of keeping up sand. This team doesn't really need - or even want sand - per se, but having sand up when there are a multitude of weather abusers (Venusaur, I'm looking at you) on the other team is really useful. I used to have Scarftoed here for stronger hydro pumps from Salamence and Keldeo and protecting scizor from the fire, but the things Ttar checks currently would give me trouble. Plus Rest Vaporeon (lol of all things) and Kingdra would be major pains to deal with. So Scarftar it is.
Salamence @ Lum Berry
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Fire Blast
- Outrage
- Earthquake
Believe it or not, Salamence was actually the pokemon around which I made this team originally, although now its purpose is no longer as clear. It is a great end-game sweeper once faster pokemon have been eliminated. I love the Hydro Pump/Fire Blast combo, because that means Lando-T, Gliscor, Ferrothorn, Forretress, etc. don't stand a chance of stopping him. Moxie boosts Salamence to ridiculous levels of power after a kill, which is easy to force due to the surprise factor of his special attacks and because of the pressure that this team constantly puts on. Lum Berry is the perfect item since it allows Salamence to (1) act as a 1-time status absorber (particularly useful when facing stuff like Breloom/Amoonguss) and (2) to continue sweeping with Outrage, without fear of hurting himself.
Scizor (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Technician
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Swords Dance
- Superpower
- Bug Bite
Scizor is the one that most often ends up sweeping the opposing teams, or punching holes so large that there's no way they can come back. It works perfectly as a partner in crime to Salamence, who can take on stuff like Mamoswine and Weavile. Sometimes it's strategic to let Salamence die from a choiced iced move, then send in Scizor to SD and sweep. The raw power of this guy is scary - a +2 boosted life-orb attacks 2hkos the vast majority of the metagame. Max speed EVs so that it can beat out stuff like Adamant Breloom, other Scizors, and Magnezones who would otherwise cut his magnificent sweep short.
Keldeo @ Life Orb
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Icy Wind
- Hidden Power [Electric] / Hidden Power [Ghost]
Of all the sets, I feel that Life Orb Keldeo is one that is often overlooked because people don't like his recoil. But the 30% damage increase and versatility of the Life Orb allows Keldeo to land massive hits and almost always take down 2 pokemon from the opposing team. A lot of 3hkos become 2hkos, 2hkos become ohkos as a result of the 30% boost to damage. For example, against Rotom-W, 1 hydro pump and 1 secret sword will finish the annoying washing machine off, which an ebelt set would not do. An Icy Wind will finish off a Garchomp now thanks to the 30% boost. For the final coverage hidden power, I could see Keldeo having ghost to handle jellicent + the lati@s twins, as well as providing me with a neutral hit against toxicroak, but I'm currently using electric to handle tentacruel, politoed (hydro's 80% accuracy is undesirable), skarmory, and vaporeon. HP Bug isn't super high on my considerations since Ttar/Scizor handle Celebi well anyway.
Latias (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psychic
- Surf
- Healing Wish
Latias is the glue that holds together the team and a second scarfer who is far away enough from Ttar in terms of speed to justify the use of a scarf. She plugs a really big hole that would exist otherwise against pokemon like bulk up conkeldurr by adding a fighting resist. Pursuits are welcomed as they just provide opportunities to set up for pokemon like Scizor. The scarf allows her to handle opposing dragons / keldeo / terrakion well because of her blazing speed. Psychic is used over psyshock for the additional base power and because bulk up pokemon give me more trouble than calm mind ones, which are handled by the team's plethora of physically powerful attackers.
Latias is used over her stronger twin because of the bulk that she adds to the team and her ability to use healing wish, which has won me many a game when she revives a near-dead, crippled sweeper for a second run. I've found that her attacks are sufficiently powerful anyway, and plus golden Latias looks super badass.
Garchomp @ Yache Berry
Trait: Rough Skin
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Stealth Rock
Garchomp completes the Salamence/Scizor core. He sets up Stealth Rock, which is needed against most teams, especially those with Dnite/Volcarona. He can swords dance against pokemon like skarmory/ferrothorn to turn up the pressure and go to town with his stab Outrage and Earthquake combo. My favorite part is his Yache Berry, which allows him to lure in stuff like Gengar/Alakazam/Starmie/Mamoswine/Weavile, etc. who think they can outspeed and kill him, but just end up taking an outrage to the face after he shurgs off the ice move. Be warned though, using a Yache Berry makes all the HP ices from opposing pokemon start critting -.-
Notable threats:
Bronzong is a total bitch to deal with, resisting the team's outrages and avoiding earthquakes with levitate. I have to be sure to land a good hit with Scizor's Bug Bite, Keldeo's Hydro Pump, or Ttar's Crunch, none of which are ideal moves against the floating piece of metal.
Alakazam is also a pain, since he outspeeds Scarftar, can kill Scarftar with FB, Keldeo with Psychic, and the dragons with HP ice. I have to be sure to land a bullet punch from scizor, or a hit from Latias, or surprise him with Garchomp's Yache Berry. Definitely not ideal, as Alakazam can often just run away once he sees these Pokemon and come back in later to threaten another easy kill.
Against teams with Volcarona I have to get up rocks ASAP. Otherwise if Volc comes in at and gets off a quiver dance against, say, Scizor, Latias might be hardpressed to finish Volc off with a Draco meteor.
That's all for now I think, although I may add more threats to the list later as I think/come across them. Thanks for reading everyone; I'm excited to hear your comments!
