My local GameStop is hosting a tournament for the midnight release of Sun and Moon, and they're going by Smogon's OU rules (heck yes). Really happy with this, so figured it was time to dust off my old team and get some ratings/advice!
Lopunny(F)@Lopunite
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Limber>Scrappy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
- Fake Out
- Return
- High Jump Kick
- Power-Up Punch
Role: Cleaner, Sweeper, Wallbreaker
Lopunny is largely the core offensive presence of my team. Most of what I have here is for the sake of getting her on the field safe and sound. The set is fairly straight-forward, with no true deviation from what's recommended (you'll soon find that this is a trend). I opted for Power-Up Punch because I already have plenty of ice-coverage, and it works great when the opponent is expecting a first-turn Fake Out.
Weavile(F)@Lifeorb
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Ice Shard
- Icicle Crash
Role: Cleaner, Revenge-Killer, Pursuit Trapper
Fast as blazes and twice as dangerous. Weavile is a fantastic cleaner and revenge killer. She generally shreds threats such as Dragonite, Garchomp, and Landorus-U, while also providing very powerful Knock-Off support and taking care of many of the more threatening Psychic types that would otherwise demolish Lopunny. I'd love to put Poison Jab to help out against fairy types, but I honestly feel like pursuit-trapping threatening Psychic types such as Mega Alakazam and Latios is more important to the team, though a Focus Blast from the former is pretty much game for her.
Jirachi(*)@Choice Scarf
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
- Iron Head
- U-Turn
- Ice Punch
- Trick
Role: Revenge Killer, Pivot, Stall-Breaker, Last-Resort Flinch Assault
I tend to lead with this little guy and U-Turn out into something more favorable. Jirachi threatens Fairy, Psychic, and Ice types that may otherwise cause worries to some of my other team members. In particular, it is a huge threat to Mega Gardevoir. Ice-Punch provides coverage against ground types, and a well times Trick can easily shut down a supportive 'mon in an instant. Beyond this, I've actually won several matches when Jirachi was my last remaining 'mon by spamming Serene Grace Iron Head. Needless to say, this works MUCH better if I happen to have scored a Static para from Zapdos. It's not a strategy that can be relied on, but it can work wonders.
Zapdos@Leftovers
Nature: Bold
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 68 SpA
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power Ice
- Roost
Rolls: Physical wall, Momentum builder
Zapdos has amazing synergy with this team, dropping Fighting types, Steel types, and bird-spam like it's nothing. This Zapdos outright counters most variants of Talonflame and Mega Scizor and brings a sudden defensive presence to an otherwise offensive team. Not to mention the fact that I've had many a sweep shut down entirely by a random Static proc. Sacrificing Static and my Ice coverage (which hurts, as this thing baits in 'mons like Garchomp, Landorus, and Gliscor like nobody's business), I also have a Pressure variant with Thunderbolt, Heatwave, Roost, and Defog that works just as well.
Gengar(M)(*)@Black Sludge
Nature: Timid
Ability: Levitate (until Sun/Moon. RIP)
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 Sdef
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Will-O-Wisp
- Substitute
Rolls: Burn spreader, Special attacker
When the opportunity presents itself, a quick Substitute from Gengar can wreak absolute havoc. High-power special attacks and burns quickly follow. Gengar checks powerful Fairy types like Clefable, and has great neutral coverage. It also has solid synergy with the rest of my team, finding many chances to switch in. Beyond this, Will-O-Wisp makes Zapdos nearly impenetrable on the physical side. I opted to use the event Gengar that's packing Sludge Wave over Sludge Bomb, as an accidental poison on a switch could be quite an issue. His biggest issue has to be Bisharp, which resists both of its STABs and can pose a large threat if switched in without a Substitute up, but a Will-O-Wisp greatly helps there, and makes it easily picked off by Zapdos or Lopunny.
Clefable(F)@Leftovers
Nature: Calm
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SpD
- Moon Blast
- Fire Blast
- Softboiled
- Stealth Rock
Rolls: Stealth Rock Setter, Status Absorber, Defensive Pivot
What's a team without Stealth Rock and Fairy spam? Clefable's typing has solid coverage and synergy with the rest of my team, shutting down both Fairy and Dark spam, which most of my other team has issues with on one side of the equation or another. Fire-Blast for coverage against Steel types, and Softboiled to keep her healthy. Yes, I have a Softboiled Clefable in-game.
Final Thoughts
This is easily my most offensively oriented team, as I generally run balance-to-stall. I feel like it has the tools to deal with most top threats in one way or another, but most answers lack any form of redundancy (save Ice, have plenty of Ice). In particular, all but Clefable and Zapdos have a weakness to either Dark or Fairy, though all but Zapdos also resist at least one of the two. I haven't really used this team in some time, so I can't recall exactly what gave me issues, but I do remember that I was generally able to forge a plan on the fly in most scenarios due to the diverse nature of what I'm packing. I found it hardest to explain why Mega Lopunny and Clefable are on the team, though that's mainly because I built the team around the former, so most 'mons are there to support her, while Clefable is more a jack-of-all-trades good 'mon with good resists.
Thanks for looking, advice is greatly appreciated!
Lopunny(F)@Lopunite
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Limber>Scrappy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
- Fake Out
- Return
- High Jump Kick
- Power-Up Punch
Role: Cleaner, Sweeper, Wallbreaker
Lopunny is largely the core offensive presence of my team. Most of what I have here is for the sake of getting her on the field safe and sound. The set is fairly straight-forward, with no true deviation from what's recommended (you'll soon find that this is a trend). I opted for Power-Up Punch because I already have plenty of ice-coverage, and it works great when the opponent is expecting a first-turn Fake Out.
Weavile(F)@Lifeorb
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Ice Shard
- Icicle Crash
Role: Cleaner, Revenge-Killer, Pursuit Trapper
Fast as blazes and twice as dangerous. Weavile is a fantastic cleaner and revenge killer. She generally shreds threats such as Dragonite, Garchomp, and Landorus-U, while also providing very powerful Knock-Off support and taking care of many of the more threatening Psychic types that would otherwise demolish Lopunny. I'd love to put Poison Jab to help out against fairy types, but I honestly feel like pursuit-trapping threatening Psychic types such as Mega Alakazam and Latios is more important to the team, though a Focus Blast from the former is pretty much game for her.
Jirachi(*)@Choice Scarf
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
- Iron Head
- U-Turn
- Ice Punch
- Trick
Role: Revenge Killer, Pivot, Stall-Breaker, Last-Resort Flinch Assault
I tend to lead with this little guy and U-Turn out into something more favorable. Jirachi threatens Fairy, Psychic, and Ice types that may otherwise cause worries to some of my other team members. In particular, it is a huge threat to Mega Gardevoir. Ice-Punch provides coverage against ground types, and a well times Trick can easily shut down a supportive 'mon in an instant. Beyond this, I've actually won several matches when Jirachi was my last remaining 'mon by spamming Serene Grace Iron Head. Needless to say, this works MUCH better if I happen to have scored a Static para from Zapdos. It's not a strategy that can be relied on, but it can work wonders.
Zapdos@Leftovers
Nature: Bold
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 68 SpA
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power Ice
- Roost
Rolls: Physical wall, Momentum builder
Zapdos has amazing synergy with this team, dropping Fighting types, Steel types, and bird-spam like it's nothing. This Zapdos outright counters most variants of Talonflame and Mega Scizor and brings a sudden defensive presence to an otherwise offensive team. Not to mention the fact that I've had many a sweep shut down entirely by a random Static proc. Sacrificing Static and my Ice coverage (which hurts, as this thing baits in 'mons like Garchomp, Landorus, and Gliscor like nobody's business), I also have a Pressure variant with Thunderbolt, Heatwave, Roost, and Defog that works just as well.
Gengar(M)(*)@Black Sludge
Nature: Timid
Ability: Levitate (until Sun/Moon. RIP)
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 Sdef
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Will-O-Wisp
- Substitute
Rolls: Burn spreader, Special attacker
When the opportunity presents itself, a quick Substitute from Gengar can wreak absolute havoc. High-power special attacks and burns quickly follow. Gengar checks powerful Fairy types like Clefable, and has great neutral coverage. It also has solid synergy with the rest of my team, finding many chances to switch in. Beyond this, Will-O-Wisp makes Zapdos nearly impenetrable on the physical side. I opted to use the event Gengar that's packing Sludge Wave over Sludge Bomb, as an accidental poison on a switch could be quite an issue. His biggest issue has to be Bisharp, which resists both of its STABs and can pose a large threat if switched in without a Substitute up, but a Will-O-Wisp greatly helps there, and makes it easily picked off by Zapdos or Lopunny.
Clefable(F)@Leftovers
Nature: Calm
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SpD
- Moon Blast
- Fire Blast
- Softboiled
- Stealth Rock
Rolls: Stealth Rock Setter, Status Absorber, Defensive Pivot
What's a team without Stealth Rock and Fairy spam? Clefable's typing has solid coverage and synergy with the rest of my team, shutting down both Fairy and Dark spam, which most of my other team has issues with on one side of the equation or another. Fire-Blast for coverage against Steel types, and Softboiled to keep her healthy. Yes, I have a Softboiled Clefable in-game.
Final Thoughts
This is easily my most offensively oriented team, as I generally run balance-to-stall. I feel like it has the tools to deal with most top threats in one way or another, but most answers lack any form of redundancy (save Ice, have plenty of Ice). In particular, all but Clefable and Zapdos have a weakness to either Dark or Fairy, though all but Zapdos also resist at least one of the two. I haven't really used this team in some time, so I can't recall exactly what gave me issues, but I do remember that I was generally able to forge a plan on the fly in most scenarios due to the diverse nature of what I'm packing. I found it hardest to explain why Mega Lopunny and Clefable are on the team, though that's mainly because I built the team around the former, so most 'mons are there to support her, while Clefable is more a jack-of-all-trades good 'mon with good resists.
Thanks for looking, advice is greatly appreciated!
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