This is my third OU RMT, but my first Hail team. I've had quite a bit of success with this team, reaching the 1600s while laddering with it on my first day practicing with it. Decided to post this here to see if there is anything I can do to make this team any better.
Team Building Process:
In Depth:
Abomasnow (M) @ Expert Belt
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 208 HP / 252 ATK / 48 SATK
Brave Nature
- Seed Bomb
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power (Fire)
Abomasnow's presence is pretty self explanatory: He summons hail. As for the set, I used the one posted by DEMo_Gorgon47, and I can say that I am now disappointed. Seed Bomb OHKOs most Politoed while 2HKOing most Tyranitar while Earthquake OHKOs non-Air Balloon Ninetales and Heatran, making the weather war much more manageable. Ice Shard checks the Therian formes while OHKOing most Dragons (minus Latias and Latios). Hidden Power is for any Genesect or Scizor that switches in expecting to get the kill.
The Brave nature may seem a little odd, but Abomasnow has never been known for it's blazing speed, and since I need the defenses, I figured that sacrificing speed for bulk would be a better choice in the long run. The EVs are also to make sure he has more bulk while having enough power to at least put a dent in something if not KO it.
Tentacruel (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 240 DEF / 16 SPE
Bold Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Knock Off
Tentacruel is probably one of the best spinners a Hail team could have. His typing works well with Abomasnow's in that they cover each other's weaknesses. As for the set, it's pretty standard except for the fact I have Knock Off in the last slot. This move has done pretty well for me, honestly. It can knock off Lefties, which in Hail with T-Spikes/Scalds being around, can take its toll. It can also knock off a Choice item which, while allowing the opponent to have access to the rest of their moves, can stop a Physical/special sweeper from doing a ton of damage or preventing them from outspeeding something. Again, combine that with passive damage and a possible status, that lost choiced item can definitely benefit the team.
Hariyama (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 12 HP / 252 DEF / 244 SDEF
Careful Nature
- Whirlwind
- Force Palm
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
I know Hariyama is very rare to see in OU, but honestly, I'm glad I added him. While he can't sweep, he has a niche that he fulfills so well on Hail. With Whirlwind, he can phaze the opponent's Pokémon, which has proven to be useful time and time again, especially if it's against a boosted sweeper. Force Palm does some damage and the 30% chance of paralysis is always welcome. With Rest and Sleep Talk, this thing can live for ages. With his bulk, he can easily Rest off damage and make it hard for the opponent to get that damage back. Another bonus to Rest is that he can absorb status like a baws. With Sleep Talk, he can still fight and even get the Whirlwind without the negative priority.
I went with the Careful nature because it usually forces Genesect to gain an ATK boost, and a boosted U-Turn can't do anything to this guy. Even without the +DEF nature, he can still tank a lot of physical hits, and with the added special bulk, he can tank hits on the special side as well and just Rest the damage away.
Thundurus-T (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 DEF / 252 SATK / 252 SPE
Modest Nature
- Agility
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power (Ice)
Originally picked Thundurus-T as a good Tornadus-T check, but he became one of the best offensive Pokémon on this team. Tornadus-T can easily come in on something that can't even hurt it and force the switch, and that is where the mayhem begins. Most of the time, I use an Agility on the switch, because a +2 LO Thundurus-T can hit like a truck without much outspeeding it. I do got to be wary though for the roaming T-Tar, Mamo, Terrakion, etc., because they can and will try to kill Thundurus. However, if those threats are eliminated, Thundurus-T can basically do whatever he wants.
For the moves, I went with Thunderbolt over Thunder. While the extra power Thunder has is nice, considering this isn't a rain team, the accuracy Thunderbolt had was way more appealing. Focus Blast is for T-Tar, Mamo, and other Pokémon that would normally have a field day with Thundurus. Hidden Power Ice is for the other Therians, Gliscor, any Dragon type, etc.
Scizor (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 ATK / 8 SDEF
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-Turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit
This is your standard Scizor, and he still hits as hard as ever. With Bullet Punch, he acts as a reliable check to Terrakion, T-Tar, and Mamo, while still putting a dent in a lot of frailer Pokémon. Pursuit can be used to trap the Latis (if locked into a less desirable move), ghost/Psychic types in general, etc. U-Turn is used to help keep momentum in case the opponent switches. Scizor does help compound some weaknesses, but I got Pokémon to help alleviate those weaknesses, so Scizor shall forever be far from dead weight on this team.
Chandelure (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SATK / 252 SPE
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power Fighting
- Energy Ball
I love this little ghost so dang much. With Flash Fire, he helps alleviate the Fire weakness and even gets a boost from it. With Fire Blast, Chandy can take a chunk out of anything that doesn't resist (and even some things that do resist). With Shadow Ball, he can effectively hit a lot of Pokémon that could've originally be problems for me (looking at you Reuniclus). Hidden Power is for T-Tar and Heatran while Energy Ball hits any water type that Chandy has to face.
Changes being tested:
Thanks in advance to anyone that took the time to read this RMT. Any and all advice is welcome.
And for anyone wanting to test the team out:
Again, thanks to any and everyone that reads this RMT. :D
Team Building Process:
Obviously, since this is a Hail team, Abomasnow was needed. However, one problem with Abomasnow is his typing. While it has its perks, it has one glaring weakness... or, well, many glaring weaknesses. The fact he was SR weak does not help matters whatsoever. So I decided to also throw in a spinner that I know could patch up Abomasnow's weaknesses while having his own covered as well. Enter Tentacruel.
Next up, since a lot of Steel, Rock, and Ground types could give me some trouble due to coverage moves and what not, I decided I needed something that could get rid of them. I looked to the Hail discussion thread on the OU metagames area, and found someone that I could try. He's not OU, but he works pretty dang well in OU. He is one bulky fighter, and even if he sleeps on the job, he can still do some damage. Enter Hariyama.
At this point, I realized I got some problems with Pokémon like Tornadus-T, and even with Hariyama, I'd still have trouble with Terrakion. Psychic types like Reuniclus and Alakazam could also pose a threat as well. Enter Thundurus-T and Scizor, two Pokémon that I know could help alleviate those problems as well as help me have even more of an advantage in the weather war.
At this point, I learned that fire types could still pose a minor problem. Not just fire types, but anything with fire coverage. I needed something fast and something that could hit hard to deal with the first threats that came to mind for fire coverage (Venusaur and Latios) and fire types in OU that could give my team trouble (Heatran and Volcarona). I decided to give Chandelure a try. His stabs hit most of those Pokémon for Neutral/Super Effective damage, and his coverage moves could hit the others for SE damage.
Next up, since a lot of Steel, Rock, and Ground types could give me some trouble due to coverage moves and what not, I decided I needed something that could get rid of them. I looked to the Hail discussion thread on the OU metagames area, and found someone that I could try. He's not OU, but he works pretty dang well in OU. He is one bulky fighter, and even if he sleeps on the job, he can still do some damage. Enter Hariyama.
At this point, I realized I got some problems with Pokémon like Tornadus-T, and even with Hariyama, I'd still have trouble with Terrakion. Psychic types like Reuniclus and Alakazam could also pose a threat as well. Enter Thundurus-T and Scizor, two Pokémon that I know could help alleviate those problems as well as help me have even more of an advantage in the weather war.
At this point, I learned that fire types could still pose a minor problem. Not just fire types, but anything with fire coverage. I needed something fast and something that could hit hard to deal with the first threats that came to mind for fire coverage (Venusaur and Latios) and fire types in OU that could give my team trouble (Heatran and Volcarona). I decided to give Chandelure a try. His stabs hit most of those Pokémon for Neutral/Super Effective damage, and his coverage moves could hit the others for SE damage.
In Depth:
Abomasnow (M) @ Expert Belt
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 208 HP / 252 ATK / 48 SATK
Brave Nature
- Seed Bomb
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power (Fire)
Abomasnow's presence is pretty self explanatory: He summons hail. As for the set, I used the one posted by DEMo_Gorgon47, and I can say that I am now disappointed. Seed Bomb OHKOs most Politoed while 2HKOing most Tyranitar while Earthquake OHKOs non-Air Balloon Ninetales and Heatran, making the weather war much more manageable. Ice Shard checks the Therian formes while OHKOing most Dragons (minus Latias and Latios). Hidden Power is for any Genesect or Scizor that switches in expecting to get the kill.
The Brave nature may seem a little odd, but Abomasnow has never been known for it's blazing speed, and since I need the defenses, I figured that sacrificing speed for bulk would be a better choice in the long run. The EVs are also to make sure he has more bulk while having enough power to at least put a dent in something if not KO it.
Tentacruel (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 240 DEF / 16 SPE
Bold Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Knock Off
Tentacruel is probably one of the best spinners a Hail team could have. His typing works well with Abomasnow's in that they cover each other's weaknesses. As for the set, it's pretty standard except for the fact I have Knock Off in the last slot. This move has done pretty well for me, honestly. It can knock off Lefties, which in Hail with T-Spikes/Scalds being around, can take its toll. It can also knock off a Choice item which, while allowing the opponent to have access to the rest of their moves, can stop a Physical/special sweeper from doing a ton of damage or preventing them from outspeeding something. Again, combine that with passive damage and a possible status, that lost choiced item can definitely benefit the team.
Hariyama (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 12 HP / 252 DEF / 244 SDEF
Careful Nature
- Whirlwind
- Force Palm
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
I know Hariyama is very rare to see in OU, but honestly, I'm glad I added him. While he can't sweep, he has a niche that he fulfills so well on Hail. With Whirlwind, he can phaze the opponent's Pokémon, which has proven to be useful time and time again, especially if it's against a boosted sweeper. Force Palm does some damage and the 30% chance of paralysis is always welcome. With Rest and Sleep Talk, this thing can live for ages. With his bulk, he can easily Rest off damage and make it hard for the opponent to get that damage back. Another bonus to Rest is that he can absorb status like a baws. With Sleep Talk, he can still fight and even get the Whirlwind without the negative priority.
I went with the Careful nature because it usually forces Genesect to gain an ATK boost, and a boosted U-Turn can't do anything to this guy. Even without the +DEF nature, he can still tank a lot of physical hits, and with the added special bulk, he can tank hits on the special side as well and just Rest the damage away.
Thundurus-T (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 DEF / 252 SATK / 252 SPE
Modest Nature
- Agility
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power (Ice)
Originally picked Thundurus-T as a good Tornadus-T check, but he became one of the best offensive Pokémon on this team. Tornadus-T can easily come in on something that can't even hurt it and force the switch, and that is where the mayhem begins. Most of the time, I use an Agility on the switch, because a +2 LO Thundurus-T can hit like a truck without much outspeeding it. I do got to be wary though for the roaming T-Tar, Mamo, Terrakion, etc., because they can and will try to kill Thundurus. However, if those threats are eliminated, Thundurus-T can basically do whatever he wants.
For the moves, I went with Thunderbolt over Thunder. While the extra power Thunder has is nice, considering this isn't a rain team, the accuracy Thunderbolt had was way more appealing. Focus Blast is for T-Tar, Mamo, and other Pokémon that would normally have a field day with Thundurus. Hidden Power Ice is for the other Therians, Gliscor, any Dragon type, etc.
Scizor (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 ATK / 8 SDEF
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-Turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit
This is your standard Scizor, and he still hits as hard as ever. With Bullet Punch, he acts as a reliable check to Terrakion, T-Tar, and Mamo, while still putting a dent in a lot of frailer Pokémon. Pursuit can be used to trap the Latis (if locked into a less desirable move), ghost/Psychic types in general, etc. U-Turn is used to help keep momentum in case the opponent switches. Scizor does help compound some weaknesses, but I got Pokémon to help alleviate those weaknesses, so Scizor shall forever be far from dead weight on this team.
Chandelure (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SATK / 252 SPE
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power Fighting
- Energy Ball
I love this little ghost so dang much. With Flash Fire, he helps alleviate the Fire weakness and even gets a boost from it. With Fire Blast, Chandy can take a chunk out of anything that doesn't resist (and even some things that do resist). With Shadow Ball, he can effectively hit a lot of Pokémon that could've originally be problems for me (looking at you Reuniclus). Hidden Power is for T-Tar and Heatran while Energy Ball hits any water type that Chandy has to face.
===============
Changes being tested:
@A l e x a n d e r
Heatran (M) @ Shed Shell
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SDef / 8 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Roar
- Lava Plume
Conkeldurr (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Guts
EVs: 120 HP / 252 Atk / 136 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Payback / Stone Edge / Ice Punch
Heatran (M) @ Shed Shell
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SDef / 8 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Roar
- Lava Plume
Conkeldurr (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Guts
EVs: 120 HP / 252 Atk / 136 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Payback / Stone Edge / Ice Punch
===============
Thanks in advance to anyone that took the time to read this RMT. Any and all advice is welcome.
And for anyone wanting to test the team out:
Hariyama (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 12 HP / 252 Def / 244 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Whirlwind
- Force Palm
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
Abomasnow (M) @ Expert Belt
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 208 HP / 252 Atk / 48 SAtk
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Seed Bomb
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Thundurus-T (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Tentacruel (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Knock Off
Chandelure (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Energy Ball
Scizor (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 12 HP / 252 Def / 244 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Whirlwind
- Force Palm
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
Abomasnow (M) @ Expert Belt
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 208 HP / 252 Atk / 48 SAtk
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Seed Bomb
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Thundurus-T (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Tentacruel (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Knock Off
Chandelure (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Energy Ball
Scizor (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Again, thanks to any and everyone that reads this RMT. :D
