ORAS OU The Pope and Bishop (Mega-Zam Offense, peaked 1626)

[genxy_]

Hi guys, this is genxy_ here and this is my first official RMT on the Smogon forums. The team came in the back of my frustration towards the current meta game LOL. Thus, I have to build The Pope, Bishop and his pilgrims. This is a different sort of team with a questionable combination of pokemon. I thorughly enjoyed using the team and on top of that I managed to make 366th on the ladder which is a pretty decent achievement.

TEAM OVERVIEW

Alakazam-Mega (M) @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Here is a pokemon that needs some more love. The offensive part of the meta-game as of now is heavily dependent on the speed tiering. With fast threats like Weavile, Tornadus, Mega-Lopunny running around, a base speed of 150 is nothing to be overlooked. Not only it has the speed it has a mammoth 175 base Sp. Atk to back it up. As well as a decent ability with Trace.

The EV spread is standard, maxing out Sp. Atk and Speed to make Mega-Alakazam the monstrosity it is. This underrated pokemon is an amazing late game sweeper and recommended to be unleashed on later stages. Moving on to the moves. Mega-Alakazam has an all-round decent coverage. Psychic to hit neutral opposition hard e.g. Clefable, Hippo, Rotom and Manaphy to name a few. Focus Blast to to hit Ferrothorn very hard and to OHKO Weavile (given that Mega-Alakazam does not get KO'ed by Ice Shard and is mega-evolved). Basically none of them are switch ins. Third slot is filled in by Shadow Ball. This is to hit bulky Psychic types like Slowbro, MegaGross and the Lati duo. Last move is just filler and I decided to pack the HP Ice to surprise all the helmet Garchomp and Lando-T that likes to switch in.

Whilst it is true that Mega-Alakazam has paper-thin defenses and can easily be checked with priority, many players overlook Mega-Alakazam. It has speed and power, the attributes needed to be a sweeper. Lastly, with prior damage through hazards, Mega-Alakazam can sweep most teams (given it has the match up).

Bisharp (M) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Defiant
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch

Bisharp is a nuisance all round and arguably the premier Swords Dancer in the OU meta-game. This pokemon is a hard hitter and helps to deal with bulky pokemon. The choice of item I decided is Lum Berry. I'm running an Adamant nature with Swords Dance so I decided to sacrifice the power to absorb status. This especially helps against lead Rotom, Mega-Sableye and bulky Psychic types that like to spread status i.e. Slowbro and Mew.

The EV spread and set is standard, maximizing both Atk and Spe with Swords Dance + Knock Off, Sucker Punch and Iron Head. With Swords Dance + Sucker Punch this makes Bisharp an amazing sweeper and hard hitter.

Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Hydro Pump
- Hidden Power [Bug]

Let’s face it; every OU team needs a Keldeo. It is the Weavile and Bisharp check to the team, which are nuisances in the OU meta-game and every team I face has to have one of those. Keldeo is a star against opposing stall and balance as it can hit Hippo hard and OHKO Chansey with Secret Sword as well as hit Mega-Sableye for a ton of damage with Hydro Pump. I’m using Choice Specs to add more power and a specs boosted Hydro Pump from a base 129 Sp Atk is a lot of damage to anything. Scald to spread the burn and I have decided to keep HP Bug to hit Celebi and other psychic types like Starmie and Slowbro for a lot of damage but you can also run HP Electric for the Azumarills that like to switch in and to hit Gyarados

The EV spread is standard, maxing out both Speed and Sp. Atk with a Timid nature so that Keldeo has the capability to put dents in balanced offence.

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 8 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock

I have decided to use the defensive variant of Landorus-T as it helps me tank Fighting type moves and in general is great check to many pokemon with physical prowess. It also helps, the fact that Lando-T gets intimidate making it a strong bulky physical wall. It helps check Talonflame, Excadrill and can take -1 Ice Punch from threats like Lopunny and Conkeldurr and hit them back hard with a stab Earthquake coming from a pokemon with base 145 Atk. In addition, Lando-T is also a great pivot with U-turn that helps to pivot into pokemon for switch initiatives.

With this EV spread of 252 HP / 240 Def / 8 SpD / 8 Spe and Impish nature, allows Lando-T to perform it’s defensive role, giving it longevity and bulk. The moves are standard, with Stealth Rocks to set up hazards, EQ for stab, Stone Edge to hit opposing Talonflame and flying types. 8 Sp Def so that it can take an HP Ice from Mega-Manectric from full and retaliate back with an Earthquake. Also to take a LO Hurricane from Tornadus and retaliate back with a Stone Edge. 8 speed to out-speed Modest Magnezone but it is not always required but good to keep.

Klefki (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Spikes
- Thunder Wave
- Magnet Rise
- Play Rough

My team looked a little weak to Lati, so adding Klefki makes sense as it also has T-wave and Spikes support. Hazards are crucial for my team as it gives Mega-Alakazam more of a chance to pick up KOs and OHKOs. I'm pretty sure I don't need to explain why I have T-wave. Magnet Rise for longevity to stack up more hazards as Landorus likes to switch in to T-waves. Play Rough for stab and for crucial chip damage on mons.

Again, the EVs are self explanatory, running max Sp Def and max HP. This is the my go to support pokemon.

Gengar (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Taunt
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Destiny Bond

Typically Gengar is my go to lead 90% of the time. Gengar dances out there and prevent Stealth Rocks or status inducing moves with Taunt. Shadow Ball and Sludge wave for strong dual stab. Gengar is kind of my other Fairy check apart from Bisharp. Lastly, Destiny Bond, this ca$h move is my Sableye counter LOL. You will see it in the replays down below. All in all Destiny Bond is a great move which catches players completely off guard.

proof of peak

If you want to use the team

Importable

Alakazam-Mega (M) @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Bisharp (M) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Defiant
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch

Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Hydro Pump
- Hidden Power [Bug]

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 8 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock

Klefki (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Spikes
- Thunder Wave
- Magnet Rise
- Play Rough

Gengar (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Taunt
- Destiny Bond
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave

Replays

Stall everywhere -_-
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-276137536

Somebody please stop this monster *_*
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-276064555

vs LT6V Erz
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-276416601

vs JohnYiu (he choked imo but I'll take it lol)
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-277007042

Rest-Talk Keldeo is actually a thing ? It's interesting
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-276598201

Thank You for viewing my RMT :) If you have any thoughts you like to share about the team or any advice and constructive criticism is much appreciated.

 

[Albacore]

This team's most glaring weakness is one to fast Electric-types, particularly Mega Manetcric. Your only Electric resist is easily dispatched by HP Ice, which means almost any fast Electric type can just come in on Keldeo or Klefki and then put you in a really tricky position. Best way this can be dealt with is by running Raikou on your team, which not only checks Electric-types rather well, buth forms a good VoltTurn core with Landorus-T. It also checks Keldeo, a massive threat to your team, in fact Water-types in general seem really difficult to deal with and Raikou somewhat fixes that. It also handles WoW Talonflame which can be kinda tricky to deal with. The problem with Raikou is that it's not that easy to fit on your team. Gengar seems like the least necessary member of your team, Klefki already does a better job of neutering Fairies while Bisharp smacks the slower ones, however losing it does make you weaker to Clefable which becomes a pain for your team to deal with. Also makes you weaker to Ground-types but I don't think tah'ts too big ap roblem given that you already have an immunity in Lando-t, an offensive Water-type and a Magnet Rise user, and besides, most Grund-types beat Genagr 1v1 anyway.
Specs Raikou can 2HKO Clefable with Thunderbolt, so if you're concerned about it you can run that, it may seem like a bad idea when you already have a Specs user, but the amount of pressure you put on special attackers if you do this is huge so it actually works pretty well. AV is less risky to use though, and does a much better job of handling. You can even mess around with Sub CM or even Volt Switch+CM if you want, both are pretty good sets which benefit from the element of surprise and from Leftovers recovery, can easily overwhelm non-Unaware Clefable, and can clean through teams that have been softened by Alakazam and Keldeo in general. Sub CM gives you a way of checking SD Bisharp, which will almost always Sucker Punch Raikou, and, if you play properly can actually set up on Venusaur which is a threat to your team, but you lose Volt Switch if you do that. Volt Switch+CM lets you wear down stuff like Latios and Latias and, once they're weak enough, set up and KO them. Whichever set you choose, try out Raikou, it could really benefit your team.

If you're concerned about Clefable after this, try running Encore on Alakazam. HP Ice really isn't needed since all of its targets take a huge amount of damage from Psychic already, and with the exception of SpD Gliscor, are not switching into it anyway. Encore does a bunch of things : it locks Clefable (and other defensive Pokemon) into its recovery, locks opposing Bisharp into Sucker Punch preventing Zam from being revenge killed by it (Bisharp is a big threta to your team too, although you do have Keldeo it can only swicth in on it so many times, and being a Specs variantas opposed to a Sub CM doesn't help given that it can just Sucker Punch Kelde when it's weakened), and it can easily give Bisharp free turns to set up SDs in general. This may seem like an odd move but it actually works quite well in the context of your team. Another good option is Taunt which, while to does not help against opposing Bisharp or for your own, is much better for dealing with Clefable, since that prevents it from getting paralyzed by Thunder Wave which Encore can't really do.

Also, I would defenitely run Hidden Power Electric on Keldeo. You are very weak to Azumarill and need something that can hit it hard withut taking a ton of damage from Waterfall, and besides, HP Electric also hits Starmie and Slowbro. You do miss out on Celebi, but it's not too common, and besides, Bisharp can quite easily handle it. Azumarill, on the other hand is a much bigger threat to your team than Latios and Celebi combined. HP Electric also helps vs Gyarados which looks really scary as well, generally speaking, coverage to hit Water-types is something Keldoe really needs on your team.

(Small sidenote note but a Grass-type would really help on your team as a way to deal with Waters and Electrics without adding a Ground weakness, right now though I can't think of an adequate one that fits a team as offensive as this, only one that comes to mind is Mega Venusaur which pretty much plugs up all your weaknesses I mentioned, beats all Electrics, Azu, Keldeo and Fairies as well. However, you need to forfeit your Mega Slot for so probably not an option right now. Not actually suggesting MVenu at the moment but defenitely keep this in mind, if at any point MZam no longer fits on your team or is needed feel free to try it out. Serperior's also an option but it's not a answer to Electrics at all, and barely qualifies as a Keldeo switchin either)

sets

Raikou @ Choice Specs / Assault Vest
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Extrasensory

Raikou @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Calm Mind
- Substitute / Volt Switch

Alakazam-Mega (M) @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Encore / Taunt

Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Hydro Pump
- Hidden Power [Bug]

Venusaur @ Venusaurite
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 232 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 20 Spe
Modest Nature
- Synthesis
- Sludge Bomb
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Serperior @ Life Orb
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Taunt / Glare