Semi-stall Offensive Team

[silentic]

Hello smogon family,
It was some time over my first post here. This is my second rtm post and I wonder how far I have gone this time. My team includes some old teammates such as scizor my all time favourite while I added latias after her return to OU.

The aim of my team is lay down entry hazards if possible, then scout a bit rival team members and weaken them as possible for a sweep for attackers. In some matches I go directly offensively maybe laying one layer of spikes or ST while I can sometimes lay ST and 3-layers spikes.

Here we go.

Offensive Lead

Infernape, @ Focus Sash
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 60 Atk / 252 SpA / 196Spe
Naive Nature (+Spe, -SpD)
- Fake Out
- Stealth Rock
- Close Combat
- Overheat

The idea is simple. ST whenever possible or fake out first to make sashes useless and attack. Overheat is used over fire blast because I am fed up with missing fire blasts and overheat can KO some pokemon fire blast cant. I generally switch him a lot of times so decrease in spA is not a problem for many cases. I thought of u-turn but if he escapes with enough health to survive SR switch-ins again he can hurt a lot with CC or overheat.

Physical Wall/Spiker

Skarmory, @ Leftovers
Trait: Keen Eye
EVs: 240 HP / 240 Def / 28 spD/
Impish Nature (+Def, -Spe)
- Brave Bird
- Spikes
- Roost
- Whirlwind

I may throw this bird even in front of fire punches or thunder punches as I did mistakenly a few times and it still behaves its sturdy nature. Maybe I exaggerate but many know how useful this bird can be. Although its main aim is to lay down spikes, I used it to kill lucs or machamps when they were low health. Brave bird though its recoil damage. Roost is a good move to stay in game. When mission is completed, whirlwind to increase damage.

Revenge Killer/Spin Blocker

Rotom-W, @ Choice Scarf
Trait; Levitate
Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
EVs: 220 HP / 72 SpA / 216 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Trick

As this is a semi-stall beased team someone must prevent rapid-spinners from removing entry hazards. Considering its levitate ability and bulk I want to give a try to rotom. This team looks more staller than it used to be, but rival scizor's bulet punches or pursuits were great dangers for gengar as it is quite fragile wtih life orb damage. Will-O-Wisp is an interesting addition on a scrafed one though. Of course, this comes with an advantage as I see, that blissey may be surprised with being tricked when expecting to switch in on a shadow ball. Then I can use will-o-wisp more effectively. Time will show this rotom's efficiency.


Special Attacker/Fire Absorber

Heatran @ Life orb
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- HP Electric
- Taunt

Heatran is benefial on countering fire attacks in many cases since this allow my team store its health whle dealing with fire attacks. Now heatran has life orb and it gained more freedom on switching out opponents. Also gyarados generally come in to DD, but not anymore when heatran has hp electric. If fire blasts dont miss a lot, I can put dents on opposing team members. Even I can kill blissey thanks to taunt preventing her healing herself.

Late Game Sweeper/Special Wall

Latias @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 80 Hp / 200 SpA / 228 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Dragon Pulse
- Thurnderbolt
- Surf
- Recover

I hardly know latias and did not use dragons much. Before latias I had DD kingdra but kingdra lacks speed while it can hit as a mixed attacker. Levitate, its great speed and special defence are what convinced me to turn to latias.
At this point I really need help about whether I stick to kingdra or change my latias moveset.

Revenge Killer/ The Fastest of the West

Scizor @ Life Orb/Leftovers
Trait: Technician
EVs: 200 Hp / 252 Atk / 40 SpD / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Bullet Puch
- Superpower
- U-turn/Bug Bite/Quick Attack/Roost
- Swords Dance

After one SW scizor can hurt, but +2 SW scizor is fearsome even if you have a steel resistent type. I experienced both the defeat after +2 SW bullet punch and the win. This set suits best to my team in my opinion. SW when blissey or another wall switched in and SW if possible or superpower in case of steel-trappers. I killed some magnezone or heatran who try to trap scizor on switch-ins. After some damage from entry hazards this set becomes more dangerous. I have not been fully convinced over roost and leftovers because I think of using it with roost/life orb or filler/leftovers. I dont wat to lose both offense and bulk. However, I will test three of them to see which one suits best.

I have gotten consistent scores with this team without encountering any fully dominant team. However, I feel it has a weakness to stall teams or defensive teams. When they STed and removed my ST and spikes-even healed themselves, there problems start to appear for my team since my team members use one sash and 3 life orb so I am likely to lose long battles with switch-in damages.

I also wonder adding one set-upper in place of latias like old kingdra or giving scizor roost instead of third move.

Any comments are welcome.
Thanks for allocating for your time.

P.S: The changes are marked with green and being tested.

 

[Tomahawk]

Latias is actually Uber.
What server do you play on?

 

[silentic]

Shoddy - Pokemonexperte. Latias is not a crucial part of my team. Any change in place of her will be appreciated if she doesnt fit well or is generally accepted uber.

 

[BKC]

Hi, I run a very similar team, so I think I can help here. First off, Gengar is a great mon but it really doesn't fit in a team like this. Its job is to spin block multiple entry hazards but it's really too frail to do its job effectively. Common anti-ghost moves (Forretress's Payback, Starmie's Hydro Pumps) will easily take you out in one shot and then they're free to spin and ruin your whole strategy. The second thing I noticed is that you are very weak to opposing stall. This team will not enjoy facing the standard Hippowdon/Forretress/Rotom-A/Gyarados/Blissey/filler stall team. An easy fix is to run a Taunt Life Orb Heatran over your current Scarf set. This set absolutely decimates stall; the initial switchin, Gyarados, will get destroyed by a surprise Hidden Power Electric. The next switchin, Blissey, can be prevented from healing with Taunt while you pepper it with boosted Fire Blasts and wear it down, which creates a path for your Latias to sweep.

Now, taking the Scarf off of Heatran means you have no revenge killer. I recommend using a Scarf Rotom-W over Gengar because it can actually take hits from spinners and threaten it back. Starmie fails to KO with Hydro Pump while you outrun and kill it with Thunderbolt; Tentacruel fails to 2HKO with Surf while you can 2HKO with Thunderbolt; and Forretress fails to KO with Payback while you can burn it the next turn and render it useless. Will-O-Wisp may seem stupid on a choiced mon but it is very useful for warding off Tyranitar switchins, plus it has great utility once you've Tricked off the Scarf. The set is:

Rotom-W @ Choice Scarf | Timid | 252 HP / 40 SpA / 216 Spe
Thunderbolt / Will-O-Wisp / Hydro Pump / Trick

Max HP lets you tank anti-ghost hits from common spinners, 216 speed lets you outrun Jolly +1 Gyarados, and the rest is dumped into special attack for more power. The lack of special attack investment really doesn't make much of a difference because you're going to have Stealth Rock and Spikes on the field alot, which hit Rotom's common switchins (Tyranitar, Heatran) very hard. The last change I'd like to suggest is to run Roost on Scizor along with Leftovers; it is a very good last ditch effort against stall assuming there's no Heatran. If Sciz is the last mon, you can simply Dance, Dance, Roost, and sweep them clean because they cannot phaze or 2HKO you.

Good team and good luck.

 

[2sly4u]

Nice team, but I have a few suggestions.

First off, I would recommend using a Starmie on your team over Latias. She can still act as a late game sweeper, and also has access to Rapid Spin, which would help you deal with opposing stall teams. As an added bonus, Starmie can absorb status aimed at the rest of your team thanks to Natural Cure. You lose the special bulk that Latias offers, but it's still worth consideration.

If you'd rather have a special wall with some punch than a spinner, I'd turn to Tyranitar. In SS, he has great Special bulk, immense power, and can sweep late-game if you opt for Dragon Dance. Normally, I find Sand Stream to be a turn off. However, four/six of you team members would be immune to SS, so it would do more good than harm. He has good synergy with Rotom too, happily taking Dark and Ghost-type attacks while Rotom can switch in freely on the Fighting or Ground-type moves T-tar frequently draws.

As for Scizor, U-Turn and Roost are less useful on a revenge killer, especially with Swords Dance. U-Turn wastes any boosts you may have gained, forcing you to switch if you want Bug-type coverage. Roost is a bit more useable if you can get rid of enemy fire-types reliably, but it's still a turn Scizor could usually better use by attacking. Bug Bite is for sure the way to go.