ORAS OU Take Care ORAS! Specs Togekiss Balance (Peak #39 on Ladder 1872 ELO 85.0% GXE)

[roystopror]

Greetings! My name is roystopror and I am a fairly new competitor to the world of Smogon; though I have been playing casually since the very beginnings of Pokemon haha. I began to enter into the competitive scene mid-XY shortly after the deo-sharp era had seen its end with the ban of deoxys speed and defense, which is when I discovered Pokemon Showdown through a friend's suggestion, and I've been playing competitively ever since! In order to honor my favorite Pokemon region, Hoenn, I decided that I should make an RMT of one of my teams before we all move onto our brand new region of Alola. Anyways, it is my pleasure to introduce to you my specs togekiss balance and I hope you enjoy it!

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The Team

Togekiss @ Choice Specs
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 91 HP / 180 SpA / 4 SpD / 233 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Air Slash
- Fire Blast
- Trick
- Roost​

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The star of the team, I chose choice specs due to the fact that it can make for a great lure to some common threats and walls in the metagame such as mega-metagross, with specs fire blast outspeeding and ohkoing it before mega evolving, skarmory, jirachi, chansey, which gets tricked and basically crippled after that, and most of your basic steel types. 233 speed and 180 special attack were used in order to outspeed and ohko threats like bisharp and pre-evolved mega metagross, if you still have specs, while still outspeeding timid heatran so that you can get off decent damage with air slashes. I put the rest into HP in order to abuse togekiss's natural bulk and because I did not see max special attack as something that was necessary to have on the team. Trick allows you to have an easier time dealing with your natural walls such as chansey and leftovers zapdos while roost allows it to maintain its role as a dragonite check, which really threatens this team otherwise, if you trick the specs away (the image is just because I'm making this on Veteran's day and I figured it suited togekiss haha).

Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 1 Atk / 30 SpA
- Focus Blast
- Hydro Pump
- Hidden Power [Electric]
- Secret Sword
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In order to better deal with heatran so that togekiss could have an easier time sweeping, I decided to use keldeo as togekiss's partner. Keldeo is also a solid togekiss partner due to the fact that they can synergize with one another both offensively and defensively. On the offensive side, keldeo helps break through some of the main answers to togekiss such as heatran and chansey while togekiss is able to break the pokemon that wall keldeo, such as slowbro, venusaur, amoonguss, celebi, and other bulky grass types. On the defensive side, keldeo is able to resist three of togekiss's main weaknesses being rock, ice, and steel while togekiss is able to switch into the grass moves. Additionally, keldeo also helps to check the threat of weavile. Focus blast is used on keldeo in order to deal big damage to some things that can annoy togekiss such as manaphy and rotom-wash. I decided to not use scald on keldeo in order to make room for more coverage, namely hidden power electric so that I could better deal with things like azumarill and starmie.

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Serperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Glare​

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I decided to add serperior onto the team in order to deal with the obvious weakness to fast offensive attackers such as mega diancie and thundurus using serperior's good speed stat while also having an electric resist and ground check so that it could even have some defensive synergy with the team. In addition, serperior also helps to better deal with some of things that annoy togekiss in keldeo's absence such as rotom-wash, manaphy, tyranitar, excadrill, and starmie. Moving onto the moveset, I decided to use knock off in order to help better-deal with togekiss walls such as chansey and heatran which helps togekiss's purpose even more by removing those pesky leftovers or eviolite. Knock off is also good for removing tornadus-therian's assault vest for togekiss and keldeo. I also used hidden power fire on serperior in order to have an additional answer to both ferrothorn and scizor, Finally, I decided to use glare as serperior's final move slot in order to slow down some common threats to the team such as mega-charizard x and y, tornadus-therian, scarf landorus, excadrill, and fully evolved mega-metagross, Slowing these threats down with a glare will allow togekiss to come in afterwards in order to have a better chance of revenge-killing one of them with a specs boosted attack. Also it's pretty common knowledge to know what paralysis and a 60% flinch chance do when combined haha.

Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic
- Earthquake​

So while I was in the process of building the team, I noticed that I still was missing all of the following: A reliable fairy check, a latios check, a rocker, and an electric immunity to stop volt switching pokemon such as manectric and thunder wave. Now while I had considered heatran for the job at first, I realized that this team would rather prefer a pokemon that could both setup hazards without being annoyed by mega diancie while simultaneously removing them from my side of the field seeing as how togekiss is weak to stealth rocks. This made me decide to use specially defensive excadrill. Specially defensive excadrill works on this team by performing all of the following actions which I just listed above. I also like specially defensive excadrill on this team because it gives me the opportunity to freely change up my moves so that I am not infinitely locked into something like rapid spin in the event that someone brings their volt switcher into me. Excadrill also provides a flying resist for the team which is nice seeing as how there previously wasn't one in the last three haha. I decided to use toxic over iron head on excadrill in order to have an easier time wearing down some annoying pokemon to the team such as zapdos and thundurus-i.

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Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Flash Cannon
- Stone Edge
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Next on the team, ironically, is heatran haha. I decided to use heatran due to the fact that I noticed that I do not have many answers to neither specially defensive wisp talonflame, nor mega pinsir which dominates the previous four after one swords dance. This heatran is used as a scarf attacker in order to fulfill a role on the team as speed control and have an easier time luring in threats such as mega pinsir, mega metagross, mega manectric, mega diancie, and other things, and then proceeding to blow them away with a scarf attack seeing as how most players would expect a scarfed excadrill over heatran. Even though heatran is an offensive scarf set, its great typing and ability still allow it to check certain pokemon such as mega charizard y, assuming you switch into a non-focus blast attack, and talonflame. Naive nature was used due to the prevalence of physical priority in our current metagame. Finally, stone edge was used in order to have a more reliable answer to x4 rock weaks such as mega-charizard y, talonflame, and volcarona seeing as how ancient power does not do enough damage to them.

Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- Bullet Punch
- Roost
- Swords Dance
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Well we are now arriving at the last member of the team. Before I get into the analysis I'd just like to thank you if you actually read this far into my RMT haha, I appreciate it greatly! Moving onto the analysis, I chose mega scizor as my final pokemon and mega slot for several reasons. First, I realized that I needed a reliable physical wall seeing as how the previous five pokemon get destroyed by common physical attackers such as mega-lopunny, excadrill, and other stuff. Second, the team lacked a reliable win condition that has access to priority moves. Lastly, my mega metagross and ground counter was glare serperior haha. Enter mega-scizor. One of the best megas to ever grace the competitive scene, mega-scizor provides me with a much-needed wall to some of the common threats to my team, which I stated before, as well as a reliable sweeper that can easily tear through my opponent's team if not taken seriously. I decided to invest in max physical defense and HP in order to have the most reliable counter to physical attackers. I chose to run knock off over bug stab in order to have another pokemon which assists togekiss's cause by removing heatran's leftovers and because it provides me with something to hit slowbro and skarmory with for good damage. Mega scizor was also a good fit for this team seeing as how togekiss can easily open the path for a scizor sweep, while other members of the team such as serperior help break other soft checks to scizor such as rotom-wash and manaphy.

Well that's the end of my specs togekiss team everybody! I sincerely hope that you will be able to enjoy the team and use it efficiently in order to get your wins haha. I'll leave the proof of peak and the pastebin at the end of the RMT for you; take care and nice meeting you!

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Threatlist:​

1.) Mega-Charizard X: Namely the bulky roost will-o-wisp set; however, an offensive dragon dance charizard can easily sweep the team if not played around properly. Can be avoided if you avoid letting it get a free switch-in on your mega-scizor.
2.) Mega-Pinsir: Can sweep the rest of the team in the event that scarf heatran dies. If heatran does go down; however, both keldeo and serperior can tank one quick attack in order to either revenge-kill it or paralyze it so that another member can take it out.
3.) Mega-Charizard Y: Keldeo will not be able to knock out mega charizard y in sun from full with a specs hydro pump so your best best will be to either find the right oppurtunity to knock it out with scarf heatran's stone edge or paralyze it with serperior for togekiss. You can also get off a last ditch bullet punch with scizor on charizard in order to put it in range of keldeo's hydro pump if you're comfortable with doing that.
4.) Keldeo: While not as threatening as the previous three, a specs or scarf keldeo, mainly scarf, can definitely mess with the team. The best option would be to either find the right time to bring in serperior on it or to slowly wear it down with the combination of stealth rocks and neutral moves like heatran's earth power so you can put it in range to where +2 scizor can become your potential win condition.
5.) Zapdos: I still wish we were back in the days of ORAS when I was the only one using this thing but alas haha. Anyways zapdos can really annoy the team because of its good defensive typing as well as having access to the moves discharge and heat wave which pretty much cover everything. One way to wear it down would be with the combination of stealth rocks, knock off, and the occasional toxic if you can get it off. After that, assuming they are not some weird fast zapdos, togekiss can have an easier time wearing it down with air slashes or keldeo can just take it out with a hydro pump. Other than that, if you want to swap the roles of heatran and excadrill I suppose that could work but you'd have a harder time luring more things and getting rid of hazards.

Well I suppose it is time to say goodbye ORAS. Though you were filled with many new changes within the metagame, whether good or bad, I'm still grateful to the people at GameFreak who took the time to create this fantastic game for us. May Hoenn ever live on in our memories and hopefully we will all be able to have a great time in our new up-and-coming game of Pokemon Sun and Moon!​

Proof of Ladder Peak: http://m.imgur.com/aHiZOVm
Pastebin: http://pastebin.com/HXdDm0nB​

 

[Moriah]

I like your team a lot! Particularly the Serperior set seems quite good, something that would become the new meta if the meta wasn't ending so soon. Btw, rocks excadrill is the future! Glad to see someone else recognize it :)

A couple points, though. I don't understand the EVs on Togekiss, though, I thought that EVs only counted in multiples of 4, making your 91/180/4/233 spread slightly suboptimal. If I'm wrong feel free to ignore this though!

I would also definitely put scald on Keldeo. It may be luck reliant, but it benefits you so often and consistently that I think it is worth having over hydro pump possibly, especially since focus blast is on there for power.

 

[roystopror]

I like your team a lot! Particularly the Serperior set seems quite good, something that would become the new meta if the meta wasn't ending so soon. Btw, rocks excadrill is the future! Glad to see someone else recognize it :)

A couple points, though. I don't understand the EVs on Togekiss, though, I thought that EVs only counted in multiples of 4, making your 91/180/4/233 spread slightly suboptimal. If I'm wrong feel free to ignore this though!

I would also definitely put scald on Keldeo. It may be luck reliant, but it benefits you so often and consistently that I think it is worth having over hydro pump possibly, especially since focus blast is on there for power.

Hello! Thank you for your comment on that EVs are determined by investment in multiples of four, I was not aware of that haha. Anyways, after playing with the extra EVs I had leftover, I still decided to keep the EVs the same due to the fact that the only thing I could change with my leftover EVs would be my HP stat which I still want to keep at an odd number due to the fact that it allows me to switch into stealth rocks four times without being knocked out. In order to change any other stat, I'd have to take EVs out of one of the other three which wouldn't be very optimal for me. Also regarding your suggestion of scald, I decided to keep hydro pump on due to the fact that it both puts mega-charizard Y in sun and at full HP into range of scizor's bullet punch, which opens more opportunity to scizor and maybe even specs togekiss, and it knocks out mega pinsir from full HP, which would otherwise be extremely threatening to my team because my only other revenge killers would be a scarf heatran and glare serperior haha. I also don't really have the option of taking hidden power electric off because it provides me with an extra check to big threats such as mega gyarados and annoyances like starmie. Thank you for your post though I really appreciate it! If you have any other suggestions feel free to make them and I'll be sure to look them over! Also thank you for your comment on my decision for knock off serperior; I like it quite a lot as well haha.