Offensively Based UU Team

[onlyinAMERICA]

I don't really play underused a lot so I thought I would get into it and see how I fared. This is my first Underused team and i think it came out quite nicely for my first one and decided to get it rated to make punch the kinks out of it. The team i had in mind was a mixed team that was to be more offensively inclined. I tested this team for weeks and was pleased with my team. Any and all rates will be greatly appreciated and all will be taken into heavy consideration!

Team Building Process:
Well I've always liked Heracross and have wanted to use both him and Snorlax in this generation but never really got into UU until recently so I decided to slap both of them onto the team to start with.

Next i decided to add a team member to deal with the pesky scarfed Mienshao and other fighting types and physically oriented powerhouses in the tier so i settled on Gligar.

After that i decided to look for a strong water/fire/grass core and decided that both Shaymin and Chandelure both went along great with each other defensively and offensively. Shaymin can take hits from water types and doesn't mind being scalded and can retaliate and OHKO and Chandelure can come in on fire types and opposing Chandelure.

OK and as for a water type i looked to Empoleon. He had a nice typing and with the specially defensive variant helped out with taking special hits and providing stealth rock support along with finishing up the water/fire/grass core of my team.

After a little bit of testing I realized that entry hazards are a bunch of jerks. During long winded matches entry hazards became a nuisance. Not to mention physically offensive Pokemon would have a field day with my team with Gligar gone so to help alleviate both problems i decided to switch Empoleon with Blastoise. Since Snorlax was already pretty bulky on the special side I didn't really need Empoleon as much.

Now on to the team in depth!

Heracross @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Stone Edge
- Sleep Talk

OK so i chose to use a scarf Heracross set because scarfed Heracross is an awesome offensive powerhouse. He has two great STABs in the form of Close Combat and Megahorn. Stone edge gives him some nice coverage against fire types such as Chandelure, Arcanine etc. I changed Earthquake to Sleep Talk mainly so that he has something to combat against sleep inducers. I changed Moxie to Guts because most people who go up against scarf Heracross expect Moxie so they try to burn him so I have a status absorber and he gets a free boost from it making him extremely versatile. His EV spread is rather self explanatory as it maximizes his offensive capabilities.

Snorlax @ Choice Band
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Return
- Earthquake
- Pursuit
- Fire Punch

This Choice Banded set has the capabilities to tank a special hit or two and retaliate and knock the freaking bajeezus out of whatever threw their weaksauce at him. Return gives Snorlax an awesome STAB while Earthquake provides coverage while Fire Punch knocks the crap out of Roserade for the OHKO and Pursuit traps pokemon such as Chandelure who Snorlax can switch in on. Snorlax has made for an invaluable team member and has definitely proven his worth.

Gligar @ Eviolite
Trait: Immunity
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 Spd
Impish Nature
- Roost
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock

Since i took away Empoleon I moved Stealth Rock to Gligar and usually start my matches with him to lay them down. Other than that this is your basic Gligar set I would imagine. Earthquake gives him a nice STAB option to chisel away at opponents he's trying to wall. U-Turn gives him an option to get out of unsightly match ups and Roost gives him some reliable recovery. The EV spread makes him as Physically defensive as possible so that's pretty self explanatory.

Shaymin @ Life Orb
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
- Seed Flare
- Earth Power
- Air Slash
- Rest

Well Shaymin is the only non choice attacker I have on the team and I must say that Shaymin is incredibly versatile. Half the time I don't even need to switch into Chandelure if i predict right because i can hit fire types with Earth Power and deal heavy damage and then switch unless i know I can outspeed for the KO. Seed Flare is a great STAB move with a great effect. Shaymin can plow through anything that has a disadvantageous type and can still knock the crap out of anything that doesn't resist it's moveset. I changed Psychic to Air Slash mainly due to the fact that I can now reliably check all opposing fighting types. Before, my team had issues dealing with Scrafty with Heracross down but this switch will make the problem trivial at best and along with hitting fighting types shaymin now also hits grass types effectively now too. I changed Synthesis to Rest because it provides more recovery and since Shaymin can just switch out to alleviate the sleep its not bothered by the sleep induced upon itself. Not to mention Shaymin doesn't fear status at all and has reliable recovery. Shaymin is an incredibly useful pokemon.

Chandelure @ Choice Specs
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Trick

This Chandelure set has proven it's worth time and time again. The given EV spread maximizes his offensive potential. Fire Blast and Shadow ball give Chandelure two excellent STAB options that can knock the crap out of anything that doesn't resist the two. Energy Ball can do a number on pokemon like Rhyperior and various water types that switch into Chandelure. Trick can cripple opposing walls. Choice Specs Chandelure is a monster to behold on the battle field and has rightfully earned his spot on the team.

Blastoise @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Toxic
- Roar

OK so Blastoise fill the role of spinner while also taking the pressure off of Gligar as sole physical wall. This is your average Blastoise set so I don't think it will take much explanation. This is the physically defensive Blastoise set with Rapid Spin of course. Scald gives Blastoise a STAB option to cripple physical attackers even further with Toxic to cripple special walls. Roar helps with phasing and spreading Toxic and Stealth Rock Damage. Blastoise has definitely proven his worth as an excellent utility pokemon.


Importable:
Blastoise @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Toxic
- Roar

Gligar @ Eviolite
Trait: Immunity
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 Spd
Impish Nature
- Roost
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock

Shaymin @ Life Orb
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
- Seed Flare
- Earth Power
- Air Slash
- Rest

Snorlax @ Choice Band
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Return
- Earthquake
- Pursuit
- Fire Punch

Chandelure @ Choice Specs
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Trick

Heracross @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Stone Edge
- Sleep Talk


Well that's the team. Again any and all rates and help will be greatly appreciated!
​

 

[Iminyourcloset]

Hey there! Firstly, pretty good team you have there, as in, good enough to where I'm really only saying nit-picky stuff. You have your team synergy worked out, and a nice general game plan. Good job on that, seriously.

One thing about Heracross, did you ever try Guts? I agree, Moxie is great, but with scarf, some poke can just come in and wall whatever move hera is using, which can make it kinda pointless sometimes, in my opinion. With Guts, you might get walled more, but when somebody assumes you're running moxie and decides use Will-O-Wisp, they'll end up regretting it as you continue to sweep their team with Hera. Both are fair, and you do have a status absorber, but Sableye can be pretty hard on your team, (and possibly ghosts in general, given the chance,) so it's just food for thought.

Looking now, I see that none of your pokemon have a flying move. this makes fighting types a pain to deal with, even though you have Psychic on Shaymin (scrafty, anyone? Plus, virizion can most likely take a psychic). Because of this, I suggest you switch Psychic on your Shaymin to Air Slash. This allows you to hit scrafty without having to toss in heracross, or in case hera faints. Also, consider Rest over Synthesis; more HP at the cost of having to switch out. Synthesis becomes pretty much useless in hail/rain (both of which aren't too common, but I believe that they may rise in popularity), but Rest always heals up to 100%. With Natural Cure, you can just switch out, with no harm done.

In general, you have no resistance to flying, yet you have two weaknesses. However, since this team is offensive, I don't think it will be that bad. Also, you have four pokemon with ground coverage. If you feel like you need some versatility, you can always remove an EQ from a mon (most likely Heracross, i guess you could do Gligar, but gligar likes STAB,) for a different move. if you remove it from heracross, you could put Sleep Talk to absorb Sleep Powder (pretty lolzy) or maybe have Aerial Ace for other Heracross or something. As for Gligar, Toxic or Taunt would fill up that space.

I don't really see anything else... Very good team. I'm a bit jealous, I must admit... I wish I could build good teams :C

TL;DR:
Guts vs. Moxie on Heracross???
Air Slash > Psychic and Rest > Synthesis on Shaymin
Flying Weakness...?
Lots of ground coverage, possibly change movesets of Hera or gligar?

 

[onlyinAMERICA]

OK so I made the changes suggested by Iminyourcloset and I am very pleased with them. Thanks so much for rating and if there is anything else anyone can add I would appreciate the help!

Special thanks to Iminyourcloset: because he liked my team so much :D