Waking the Fallen
1.6k post ORAS OU team by AdamantForeskin Zoroark
Oh, hey. I haven't been here in a while. This is something I intended to do as a 1.5k RMT, but I couldn't quite make Zoroark work in OU back then, so I held it off until 1.6k - so I guess you can consider this a 1.5k that's 100 posts late. So we have here a team using my favorite Pokemon named after my favorite album from one of my favorite bands.
Of course, the most striking thing about this team is the use of Zoroark - Adamant Zoroark, why the FUCK are you doing this? We've already established that Zoroark sucks! Well, Zoroark is my favorite Pokemon. I wanted to make it work. For ages, this team remained in the theorymon phase - how was I going to make it work? I already knew making Zoroark the win condition wouldn't work from my past testing of Zoroark, so I felt defeated for a while. However, in the end, I pulled through and made this. This team has gone through several changes - Zoroark and Scizor are the only members who remained on the team consistently. I'll explain in the descriptions of the other four, but first, I'll go into more detail about the theorymon stage of this team.
Alright. Let's get into just explaining the team.
1. Waking the Fallen
Garchomp (M) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
Team Role
Garchomp has a simple role - Get up Stealth Rock. In the early stages of this team, I was using suicide leads like Skarmory and Forretress to get my rocks up - however, this had a really bad effect on the team's performance as it destroyed anything resembling synergy and essentially meant I was playing with a whole Pokemon down for the entire match. Simple solution - Garchomp. Get up Rocks, and then be Garchomp.
Swords Dance and Lum Berry has a simple purpose - to break through Mega Sableye attempting to switch in to block my Stealth Rocks. Other than that, SD has no real use. Garchomp's job is to get up Stealth Rock, first and foremost - if I need to use it as a win condition, I will, but it is not Garchomp's purpose on this team.
Brief Explanation of Song Choice
Waking the Fallen is the first track on this Avenged Sevenfold classic, being an intro track. Garchomp starts this team off like the title track starts the album off.
8. Radiant Eclipse
Zoroark (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Illusion
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Return
Team Role
Zoroark is by far the weirdest choice on this team. It's been rejected for an OU analysis, and, to be frank, likely doesn't warrant a spot on the OU viability rankings. So why the hell am I using this thing? Well, the reason can simply be summed up as "It's a throwback to my old BW OU days when I made so many RMTs featuring Zoroark." However, Zoroark is not here just to be here.
Although this set certainly looks like a win condition set, I repeat: Zoroark is NOT a win condition. Zoroark is a support. Now, let me explain this. Let's say Zoroark is out disguised as Scizor (if Scizor is already Mega Evolved, I will use it as a disguise for Zoroark - vanilla Scizor using Swords Dance is extremely fishy as Choice Band is the only viable vanilla Scizor set.) What are some things that switch into Scizor? Well, Rotom-W and Heatran are a couple of popular examples that come to mind. Zoroark can Swords Dance up - and since Scizor also uses Swords Dance, the illusion remains intact, so they suspect nothing. Then, I smack them with a Knock Off, dealing a huge chunk of damage to them. Even if Zoroark gets burned or something, Rotom-W isn't surviving a follow-up Return (not risking Sucker Punch as it could easily Pain Split) assuming Stealth Rocks are up and Heatran fares off even worse. So, Zoroark can get these Pokemon out of the way. At the same time, it can do more than just support Scizor. Wanna trick Gliscor into switching out? Easy. Disguise Zoroark as Latios and watch Gliscor switch out - or Protect attempting to scout a move or something. Either way, Zoroark comes out on top here. Point being - Zoroark, on this team, is an adaptable support that can serve whatever role I need it to - do I need to support a Scizor sweep? Do I need to support Latios? Do I need to support Clefable? Whatever I need to do, Zoroark can do it. Is it gimmicky? Yes. But that's just what I love about it. When the opponent catches on to the fact that it's Zoroark, I have Return for the purpose of hitting Fairy-types neutrally. So, surprisingly enough, if my Focus Sash is still intact, this thing actually beats Azumarill. Huh. Interesting.
Brief Explanation of Song Choice
This lesser-known track off of Waking is my favorite A7X song - it is Avenged's only song played in the Drop C tuning, giving it a nice dark sound that I just can't resist. I only thought it appropriate to use my favorite song from Avenged for my favorite Pokemon.
6. Eternal Rest
Magneton @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon
Team Role
Magneton is a Steel trapper. Early on, it was apparent that this team was having serious issues handling Skarmory and Ferrothorn, so I decided I'd pack a trapper to handle them. However, I was also struggling to beat Talonflame. Magnezone would normally be my go-to Steel trapper, but Choice Scarf Magnezone does not outspeed Jolly Talonflame - Choice Scarf Magneton does. So, Magneton's role is really simple - trap Skarmory, trap Ferrothorn, team happy. In addition, it also outspeeds Starmie and Thundurus, which Scarfzone can't do. Not my primary reason for using Magneton, but hey, it's neat.
Brief Explanation of Song Choice
Magneton traps Ferrothorn and sends that fucking spikeball into an Eternal Rest. That's it, really.
4. Remenissions
Latios (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Trick
Team Role
Here's what Latios does - Revenge kill Mega Charizard X? Check. Defog hazards away? Check. Trick a nice Choice Scarf onto everybody's favorite Eviolite-wielding pink blob? Cheeeeeeeck. Latios here gets hazards the fuck away so as to help ensure Zoroark's Focus Sash remains intact - from my experience, the sash is more important to Zoroark's function than Illusion is, as it helps Zoroark to at least ensure a couple of kills before it goes down. In addition, I was having really bad problems with Mega Charizard X early on, so I started packing this thing to revenge kill it in a pinch.
Brief Explanation of Song Choice
This song has a lyric that goes: "A good friend once told me, 'you are memory' / Without them, we equal nothing" Latios is this team's good friend.
3. Chapter Four
Scizor (M) @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 44 Atk / 16 Def / 200 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off
- Roost
Team Role
Sweeper. Mega Metagross switch-in. Win condition. Bullet Punch things. Alright, I always really loved Scizor, but for some reason have never used it on a Generation 6 team. When I got back into theorymoning for Zoroark, I decided it would be the perfect time to use Scizor as it can function as a disguise for Zoroark and benefit from the support function I hypothesized. Even beyond synergizing with Zoroark, Scizor is just a nice Swords Dance sweeper, consistent Megagross switch-in (unless someone decides running HP Fire or something is a good idea? I don't know) good priority to pick off weakened threats in a pinch, and Fairy killer - fuck Mega Altaria to hell.
Brief Explanation of Song Choice
Lyric: "I've come here to kill you, won't leave until you've died." Scizor sweeps. It's here to kill you and isn't leaving until you're dead.
2. Unholy Confessions
Clefable (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 64 SpA / 192 SpD
Modest Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt
- Soft-Boiled
Team Role
This Clefable set is something I based on the Tank set - I wanted a combination of the offensive tank and the Calm Mind set. So this Clefable functions as a tank when I need it to and as a Calm Mind sweeper when I need it to. Furthermore, fucking Magic Guard man - Toxic? Naaah man, Clefable don't care.
The reason I wanted a mix goes beyond just fulfilling whatever role I want - I designed this set to be able to bluff the tank set, and then fire off a surprise Calm Mind. The EVs are designed to avoid the 2HKO from LO Thundurus-I's Thunderbolt - still using a Modest Nature to ensure I retain at least reasonable power. I originally had Flamethrower on this set, but once I started packing Magneton, Flamethrower no longer had a use. So, instead, I'm using Thunderbolt to have something to land a hit on Mega Charizard Y - something I'm rather weak to.
Brief Explanation of Song Choice
Unholy Confessions wasn't going unmentioned. Plus, you'd associate "Unholy" with a Dark-type (Zoroark???) so I put Unholy Confessions for the Fairy-type instead just to fuck with y'all.
Conclusion
This team reignited my love for using Zoroark. Is it gimmicky as hell? Yes, definitely. However, in this case, I find "gimmicky" to be fun. I may come up with new ideas for Zoroark in the future, but this has been a nice refreshing throwback to my old days of using Zoroark in BW OU. Any rates would be greatly appreciated, but Zoroark is the one Pokemon that stays on the team no matter what. I built this team with the purpose of using Zoroark - I'm not throwing away that purpose.
Importable
Shoutouts (in hide tags, no alerts for you folk)
1.6k post ORAS OU team by Adamant
Oh, hey. I haven't been here in a while. This is something I intended to do as a 1.5k RMT, but I couldn't quite make Zoroark work in OU back then, so I held it off until 1.6k - so I guess you can consider this a 1.5k that's 100 posts late. So we have here a team using my favorite Pokemon named after my favorite album from one of my favorite bands.
Of course, the most striking thing about this team is the use of Zoroark - Adamant Zoroark, why the FUCK are you doing this? We've already established that Zoroark sucks! Well, Zoroark is my favorite Pokemon. I wanted to make it work. For ages, this team remained in the theorymon phase - how was I going to make it work? I already knew making Zoroark the win condition wouldn't work from my past testing of Zoroark, so I felt defeated for a while. However, in the end, I pulled through and made this. This team has gone through several changes - Zoroark and Scizor are the only members who remained on the team consistently. I'll explain in the descriptions of the other four, but first, I'll go into more detail about the theorymon stage of this team.
The idea for this team started a long time ago - I wanted to use Zoroark in ORAS OU for my 1.5k RMT. Initially, I was trying to make Zoroark the win condition. However, I found that I was unable to use it effectively as such, as I'd try to preserve it for so long that Illusion ended up being utterly worthless. This put me back into theorymon stage as I continued searching for ways to find Zoroark. I kept on thinking in ways to build the team around Zoroark, but couldn't think of any that I could even remotely think of as working. Eventually, I surpassed 1.5k posts and abandoned the idea for the team.
However, as I neared 1.6k posts, I started thinking of it again, this time around, I had realized I was thinking in the wrong terms the whole time - Zoroark was never going to work as a win condition. Instead, why not use it as a support? I know. You're thinking I'm really fucking crazy right now. Trust me - I'll explain how this works.
However, as I neared 1.6k posts, I started thinking of it again, this time around, I had realized I was thinking in the wrong terms the whole time - Zoroark was never going to work as a win condition. Instead, why not use it as a support? I know. You're thinking I'm really fucking crazy right now. Trust me - I'll explain how this works.
Alright. Let's get into just explaining the team.
1. Waking the Fallen
Garchomp (M) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
Team Role
Garchomp has a simple role - Get up Stealth Rock. In the early stages of this team, I was using suicide leads like Skarmory and Forretress to get my rocks up - however, this had a really bad effect on the team's performance as it destroyed anything resembling synergy and essentially meant I was playing with a whole Pokemon down for the entire match. Simple solution - Garchomp. Get up Rocks, and then be Garchomp.
Swords Dance and Lum Berry has a simple purpose - to break through Mega Sableye attempting to switch in to block my Stealth Rocks. Other than that, SD has no real use. Garchomp's job is to get up Stealth Rock, first and foremost - if I need to use it as a win condition, I will, but it is not Garchomp's purpose on this team.
Brief Explanation of Song Choice
Waking the Fallen is the first track on this Avenged Sevenfold classic, being an intro track. Garchomp starts this team off like the title track starts the album off.
8. Radiant Eclipse
Zoroark (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Illusion
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Return
Team Role
Zoroark is by far the weirdest choice on this team. It's been rejected for an OU analysis, and, to be frank, likely doesn't warrant a spot on the OU viability rankings. So why the hell am I using this thing? Well, the reason can simply be summed up as "It's a throwback to my old BW OU days when I made so many RMTs featuring Zoroark." However, Zoroark is not here just to be here.
Although this set certainly looks like a win condition set, I repeat: Zoroark is NOT a win condition. Zoroark is a support. Now, let me explain this. Let's say Zoroark is out disguised as Scizor (if Scizor is already Mega Evolved, I will use it as a disguise for Zoroark - vanilla Scizor using Swords Dance is extremely fishy as Choice Band is the only viable vanilla Scizor set.) What are some things that switch into Scizor? Well, Rotom-W and Heatran are a couple of popular examples that come to mind. Zoroark can Swords Dance up - and since Scizor also uses Swords Dance, the illusion remains intact, so they suspect nothing. Then, I smack them with a Knock Off, dealing a huge chunk of damage to them. Even if Zoroark gets burned or something, Rotom-W isn't surviving a follow-up Return (not risking Sucker Punch as it could easily Pain Split) assuming Stealth Rocks are up and Heatran fares off even worse. So, Zoroark can get these Pokemon out of the way. At the same time, it can do more than just support Scizor. Wanna trick Gliscor into switching out? Easy. Disguise Zoroark as Latios and watch Gliscor switch out - or Protect attempting to scout a move or something. Either way, Zoroark comes out on top here. Point being - Zoroark, on this team, is an adaptable support that can serve whatever role I need it to - do I need to support a Scizor sweep? Do I need to support Latios? Do I need to support Clefable? Whatever I need to do, Zoroark can do it. Is it gimmicky? Yes. But that's just what I love about it. When the opponent catches on to the fact that it's Zoroark, I have Return for the purpose of hitting Fairy-types neutrally. So, surprisingly enough, if my Focus Sash is still intact, this thing actually beats Azumarill. Huh. Interesting.
Brief Explanation of Song Choice
This lesser-known track off of Waking is my favorite A7X song - it is Avenged's only song played in the Drop C tuning, giving it a nice dark sound that I just can't resist. I only thought it appropriate to use my favorite song from Avenged for my favorite Pokemon.
6. Eternal Rest
Magneton @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon
Team Role
Magneton is a Steel trapper. Early on, it was apparent that this team was having serious issues handling Skarmory and Ferrothorn, so I decided I'd pack a trapper to handle them. However, I was also struggling to beat Talonflame. Magnezone would normally be my go-to Steel trapper, but Choice Scarf Magnezone does not outspeed Jolly Talonflame - Choice Scarf Magneton does. So, Magneton's role is really simple - trap Skarmory, trap Ferrothorn, team happy. In addition, it also outspeeds Starmie and Thundurus, which Scarfzone can't do. Not my primary reason for using Magneton, but hey, it's neat.
Brief Explanation of Song Choice
Magneton traps Ferrothorn and sends that fucking spikeball into an Eternal Rest. That's it, really.
4. Remenissions
Latios (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Trick
Team Role
Here's what Latios does - Revenge kill Mega Charizard X? Check. Defog hazards away? Check. Trick a nice Choice Scarf onto everybody's favorite Eviolite-wielding pink blob? Cheeeeeeeck. Latios here gets hazards the fuck away so as to help ensure Zoroark's Focus Sash remains intact - from my experience, the sash is more important to Zoroark's function than Illusion is, as it helps Zoroark to at least ensure a couple of kills before it goes down. In addition, I was having really bad problems with Mega Charizard X early on, so I started packing this thing to revenge kill it in a pinch.
Brief Explanation of Song Choice
This song has a lyric that goes: "A good friend once told me, 'you are memory' / Without them, we equal nothing" Latios is this team's good friend.
3. Chapter Four
Scizor (M) @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 44 Atk / 16 Def / 200 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off
- Roost
Team Role
Sweeper. Mega Metagross switch-in. Win condition. Bullet Punch things. Alright, I always really loved Scizor, but for some reason have never used it on a Generation 6 team. When I got back into theorymoning for Zoroark, I decided it would be the perfect time to use Scizor as it can function as a disguise for Zoroark and benefit from the support function I hypothesized. Even beyond synergizing with Zoroark, Scizor is just a nice Swords Dance sweeper, consistent Megagross switch-in (unless someone decides running HP Fire or something is a good idea? I don't know) good priority to pick off weakened threats in a pinch, and Fairy killer - fuck Mega Altaria to hell.
Brief Explanation of Song Choice
Lyric: "I've come here to kill you, won't leave until you've died." Scizor sweeps. It's here to kill you and isn't leaving until you're dead.
2. Unholy Confessions
Clefable (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 64 SpA / 192 SpD
Modest Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt
- Soft-Boiled
Team Role
This Clefable set is something I based on the Tank set - I wanted a combination of the offensive tank and the Calm Mind set. So this Clefable functions as a tank when I need it to and as a Calm Mind sweeper when I need it to. Furthermore, fucking Magic Guard man - Toxic? Naaah man, Clefable don't care.
The reason I wanted a mix goes beyond just fulfilling whatever role I want - I designed this set to be able to bluff the tank set, and then fire off a surprise Calm Mind. The EVs are designed to avoid the 2HKO from LO Thundurus-I's Thunderbolt - still using a Modest Nature to ensure I retain at least reasonable power. I originally had Flamethrower on this set, but once I started packing Magneton, Flamethrower no longer had a use. So, instead, I'm using Thunderbolt to have something to land a hit on Mega Charizard Y - something I'm rather weak to.
Brief Explanation of Song Choice
Unholy Confessions wasn't going unmentioned. Plus, you'd associate "Unholy" with a Dark-type (Zoroark???) so I put Unholy Confessions for the Fairy-type instead just to fuck with y'all.
Conclusion
This team reignited my love for using Zoroark. Is it gimmicky as hell? Yes, definitely. However, in this case, I find "gimmicky" to be fun. I may come up with new ideas for Zoroark in the future, but this has been a nice refreshing throwback to my old days of using Zoroark in BW OU. Any rates would be greatly appreciated, but Zoroark is the one Pokemon that stays on the team no matter what. I built this team with the purpose of using Zoroark - I'm not throwing away that purpose.
Importable
Garchomp (M) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
Zoroark (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Illusion
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Return
Magneton @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon
Latios (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Trick
Scizor (M) @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 44 Atk / 16 Def / 200 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off
- Roost
Clefable (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 64 SpA / 192 SpD
Modest Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt
- Soft-Boiled
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
Zoroark (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Illusion
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Return
Magneton @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon
Latios (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Trick
Scizor (M) @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 44 Atk / 16 Def / 200 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off
- Roost
Clefable (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 64 SpA / 192 SpD
Modest Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt
- Soft-Boiled
Shoutouts (in hide tags, no alerts for you folk)
Recreant
Chelsea Grin suuuuuuucks
Karxrida
I had Bisharp on this team at one point but got rid of it. Mad?
New World Order
I can tell you've been inactive, but your rates on my teams back from the BW OU era really helped me out. Thanks!
PK Gaming
You probably don't know me, but you were the reason I was so motivated to use Zoroark back in BW OU. Thanks for being a source of inspiration.
Stratos
I apologize for all of my Firebot posts relating to foreskin
Tressed
Your Deviantart is still empty as hell. Fix
DarkNostalgia
I never got around to rating your team "Altitude," but Toxicroak is really cool. Cool team bud
Bestow5000
You're inactive as hell, but you helped me get my shit together when I really sucked at this game.
Medievil
Read: Above
Chelsea Grin suuuuuuucks
Karxrida
I had Bisharp on this team at one point but got rid of it. Mad?
New World Order
I can tell you've been inactive, but your rates on my teams back from the BW OU era really helped me out. Thanks!
PK Gaming
You probably don't know me, but you were the reason I was so motivated to use Zoroark back in BW OU. Thanks for being a source of inspiration.
Stratos
I apologize for all of my Firebot posts relating to foreskin
Tressed
Your Deviantart is still empty as hell. Fix
DarkNostalgia
I never got around to rating your team "Altitude," but Toxicroak is really cool. Cool team bud
Bestow5000
You're inactive as hell, but you helped me get my shit together when I really sucked at this game.
Medievil
Read: Above
