Zapdos Crew

[Red M]

After my first UU team turned out to be a lot of fun, I decided to return to the tier with some pokes I hadn't tried before. This team marks the first time I've broken 1100 and the first team of mine that wins most of its matches. It's called the Zapdos Crew to honor the absolute boss of UU, Zapdos.

Rosa (Roserade) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Sludge Bomb
- Giga Drain
- Aromatherapy

Roserade always seemed like a cool poke to use, so I started from here. Rosa ends up being my lead a lot of the time, to set up Spikes. Giga Drain is for bulky waters like Swampert, and Sludge Bomb is my main STAB. Aromatherapy is great team support for when Slowbro gets poisoned or Snorlax is asleep. I used to have Sleep Powder, but Aromatherapy proved to be more useful, but I'm open to suggestions. Rosa has good synergy with Darmanitan, resisting all of the latter's weaknesses. The EVs, Leftovers, and Giga Drain allow her to heal throughout the fight.

Darla (Darmanitan) (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Flare Blitz
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Superpower

Darmanitan hits like a truck with a smile. Such a boss. I tried Choice Scarf, but I often had to switch when I was locked into a bad move, and something weak to rocks on a team with no spinner cannot afford to be switching out a lot. Darla's fast enough as it is, so I went with Life Orb instead. LO adds massive power to her attacks and allows me to trick opponents who expect a scarf. Flare Blitz is her main STAB, U-Turn is for scouting, and EQ and Superpower are for coverage against foes like Umbreon or Rhyperior. He's usually my lead if I see they have Xatu on the team.

Registeel @ Leftovers
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder Wave
- Toxic
- Iron Head

Registeel is my main wall here, moreso on the special side and still really solid physically. Immunity to Toxic is a big plus. The only thing stopping it from outright domination is the lack of a recovery move, which the Lefties help to cover. Stealth Rocks are a must on any team, keeping Zapdos, Victini, Darmanitan, and Yanmega at bay. Toxic and T-Wave cripple walls and sweepers, respectively. Iron Head allows it to act like a UU Jirachi, and let me tell you, there is nothing sweeter than knowing I'll lose and then watching my opponent ragequit after a few paraflinches. Regi covers Slowbro's and Zapdos' weaknesses as well.

Zapdos @ Life Orb
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Roost
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Water]

Here he is, the bird who rules the roost. In the beginning of B/W, I was somewhat saddened to see legends fall as Bronzong, Swampert, and Electivire fell to the lower tiers. Okay, maybe not Electivire, but Snorlax and Zapdos just seemed like the kind of guys who'd always be OU, y'know? Zappy here uses Life Orb to add that extra oomph necessary for key KOs, and Roost is for relieving the damage from rocks and LO. Thunderbolt is the main STAB that breaks through Suicune, Yanmega, and Xatu. Heat Wave is for Durant, Roserade, Escavalier, Registeel, and all the Heracrosses that always fail to KO with Stone Edge. Hidden Power Water might seem odd, but I need it to KO Chandelure, Rhyperior, and Victini, and it still does a lot to Flygon.

Minamimoto (Slowbro) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Slack Off

If you get this nickname, you're awesome. With Slack Off, Lefties, and Regenerator, mah bro here just might be the best wall in the tier. Calm Mind allows him to boost his special stats so that he can take hits and dish out major pain. Scald is useful as STAB and to burn physical attackers. Psyshock hits special walls and Heracross, but I'm wondering if I should sacrifice that STAB for Fire Blast and the coverage it provides. Tell me what you think. Roserade works well with him whenever he's Toxic poisoned.

Laxworth (Snorlax) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 188 HP / 104 Def / 216 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Curse
- Body Slam
- Crunch
- Rest

Before I could really use this team well, Snorlax was often the load, but now that I know what to do, he might be my MVP. The strategy is simple, Curse, Curse, Curse, Rest, tank for two turns, Body Slam, Crunch, etc. Rest seemed a little risky at first, but it pays off, and if I need to heal and flee, Rosa can wake him up. He's saved me when I'm down four to one, and that's due to his massive HP, great SDef, and Curse. Body Slam paralyzes foes, and Crunch hits ghosts and psychics.



So that's my team. What do you think needs to be changed? What am I weak against? What have I overlooked? Yo, you better not mess with the Zapdos Crew, they're the reigning monarchs of Gen V UU.

 

[Psychotic]

Cool team, but I see a major weakness to both Scarf and Banded Heracross. If the Banded one predicts right, it can 1HKO every single poke on your team, and even if it doesn't it will leave some gaping holes, simply because it hits so hard. I would recommend replacing Registeel with Eviolite Gligar, and replacing Slowbro with Emploleon, because without Registeel you will have no Stealth Rock user. Gligar walls almost every physical attacker, and can sub up in the face of almost every fighting type in UU. Empoleon paired with Snorlax wall almost every Gligar counter and special attacker. I have used the Gligar/Snorlax/Roserade core to great effect, as these pokes all take advantage of each others weaknesses. Weavile is the only real problem poke that I face with this core, but Empoleon and Darmanitan are able to take it on nicely. These are the sets I would recommend using:

Gligar (M) @ Eviolite
Trait: Sand Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Substitute
- Roost

Empoleon (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 164 SDef / 92 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Scald
- Stealth Rock
- Roar

 

[Red M]

Ok thanks, those changes have worked well. But I'm a little concerned. Registeel could wall on both sides, but with your revisions, I have 3 special walls and only one physical. Ideas?

 

[FPlease]

Specially defensive gligar easily walls both sides, with roost it is probably more tank then registeel.

Other than that, weavile ravages your team.(factoring in psycho's team changes) If it manages to setup a swords dance, I am not sure empoleon can survive a +2 brick break while STAB night slash can just outright take out darmanitan.

Try using a Hitmontop over gligar, it counter weavile while being able to rapid spin hazards which your kind is slightly weak to (2 SR weaknesses). It already decent SpD also has something going for it.

Hitmontop @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Att / 252 Def

- Rapid Spin
- Close Combat/Hi Jumpkick
- Toxic
- Foresight/Stone Edge

 

[Red M]

Alrighty I will try Hitmontop. Anybody else have any suggestions?

 

[Moo]

Hey,

Firstly, you're gonna have problems with any physical attacker than can break through Slowbro; Weavile, Heracross, and Uturn mons like Darmanitan, Victini, Flygon, etc. Others have pretty much pointed it out, but Registeel is kinda replacable, and Hitmontop or Gligar would fit the bill nicely. Hitmontop has Intimidate and Rapid Spin, while Gligar has Stealth Rock and Roost. I'd lean more towards Gligar thanks to its reliable recovery, and the ability to set up Stealth Rock for you (plus it has like over 400 defense with eviolite!!!!), and also Some of the above Pokemon can wear down Hitmontop and eventually break through it.

Roserade's EV spread is outdated. The 120 Defense EVs were used to survive a hit from Dugtrio and KO it back, but that's not really relevant anymore. I suggest changing the spread to 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpDef, simply to maximize Roserade's ability to take special hits, which is what it's best at. Also, I strongly recommend using Rest over Aromatherapy in its moveset. One of the best things about Roserade is that it has access to fantastic recovery in Rest + Natural cure. If you can't live without Aromatherapy then you could possibly try out Rest over Sludge Bomb, but if you play right, you wont even need Aromatherapy because Roserade can be your status absorber.

Hidden Power Water is a cool move, but it is actually used to hit Nidoking / Nidoqueen / Gligar, as well as Rhyperior and what have you. Although, the way UU is, I think Hidden Power Grass would be more effective, because Swampert can really be a buzzkill for Zapdos. You still hit Rhyperior for an OHKO, and Chandelure / Victini take massive damage from Thunderbolt and are nearly OHKO'ed after Stealth Rock damage. Swampert can actually troll a lot of your team if it carries Toxic (for Slowbro), so it'd be good to have a move that can take it out in one clean shot.

Good luck with the team, hope I helped!!