SM OU ZPZ+Gyara Offense

[dragontamertaytay]

Introduction​

So this is my first RMT, and possibly the best team I have built so far, just getting to ~1450. I built it after getting swept by a PZ and discussing with my opponent how priority would have been nice to have. Thus the team was built around Lele and PZ, and Gyarados soon was added as another dangerous sweeper that hits from the other side. The goal is to sweep with one of these two mons

Teambuilding Process​

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As noted above, Lele was first chosen to keep priority off for PZ, but is also just a generally great heavy hitter. Dual Special sweepers would also help soften up opposing special walls in theory.

This is the star of the team. After one boost hits a lot of stuff pretty hard, and has some decent bulk to go with it. Also not as common as it used to be, and so people aren't as prepared for it.

I figured if I was using psychic terrain, I wanted more pokes to hit with psychic type, preferably a physical attacker since I had two special attackers already. Also just a great poke in general.

Gyarados covers Metagross' weaknesses well, and I decided I could stand to add a second set-up sweeper.

I needed someone to set up rocks, and Lando is one of the most used mons in the tier. The electric-immunity helps for Gyara, and the u-turn support is great for setting up a sweep.

TBH this was added as a "well I have one more slot and I hate facing Greninja so..." poke, but its been pretty helpful a number of times, adding more speed and U-turn support.
Just writing this, I'm realizing how few specific reasons there were for most of my choices...I feel like that is a bad thing, but like I said I am doing better with this team than I have with a number of others, so maybe I just got lucky.

The Team​

Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Moonblast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
​

Originally held terrain extender, since the first 3 pokes were chosen around the terrain, but I wanted more speed so I switched to scarf. Moves are self-explanatory except for the two psychic stabs, and tbh I don't use Psyshock that much because I don't have trouble with Chansey that often. Skarmory does get switched in fairly often though, so maybe I should switch to T-bolt. Sometimes used as a lead if I decide I want more instant power than rocks right away, depending on the opposing team. EDIT: Thunderbolt used to be psyshock

Porygon-Z @ Normalium Z
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Conversion
​

Hopefully self-explanatory. Been considering switching to electric type instead of ghost, because I would like to OHKO fini but fini doesn't really threaten me so I don't feel like it matters.

Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Meteor Mash
- ThunderPunch
- Zen Headbutt
- Hammer Arm
​

Seeing as i picked it for the psychic attack, it is funny to me that I don't end up using zen headbutt more often, but all his attacks just hit so hard anyway. Speed drop from Hammer arm has been hurting me recently (fast Heatran did some fancy double switches) so might go back to EQ, which I typically use. EDIT: Thunderpunch used to be ice

Gyarados @ Life Orb
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Taunt
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
​

The second sweeper. DD with Moxie is underappreciated I think, and these two attacks hit everything but Mantine and grass types pretty hard, and I don't have trouble with either of those. Taunt makes him a bit better vs stall while PZ is a bit better vs offense.

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Knock Off
​

I really like the chip damage Rocky helmet gives me. provides U-turn for more chances to sweep, an electric immunity, and rocks support. Most of these pokes are fairly standard so I don't have too much to say about the specific sets lol. EDIT: was mis-EV'ed, Adamant with max attack instead of defense

Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- U-turn
- Water Shuriken
​

More U-turn support. Water shuriken for priority if psychic terrain isn't up. Hydro pump hits so many things so hard, and once I get a kill this thing is so good.

Conclusion​

Not too much more to say, thanks for the advice in advance!

Importable

Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Moonblast
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Porygon-Z @ Normalium Z
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Conversion

Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Thunder Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Hammer Arm

Gyarados @ Life Orb
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Taunt
- Waterfall
- Earthquake

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Knock Off

Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- U-turn
- Water Shuriken

 

[MatthewMallory]

Ok, a few things here.

1. Change Lele's Psyshock to Thunderbolt. It helps you better deal with Celesteela and Tapu Fini who wall most of the rest of your team.

2. Change Mega Metagross's Ice Punch to Thunder Punch. Your entire team deals with Landorus and Chomp already, from scarf moon blasts to specs hydro pumps to boosted waterfalls.

3. The Gyarados set is just... bleh. Very strange. I would not recommend using this mon if it is not either mega or flyinium z.

4. I don't know if you EV'd it wrong, but max HP and max attack adamant Landorus-T with rocky helmet is definitely not a set. Maybe you meant to do 252+ defense.

 

[dragontamertaytay]

I agree with you on changes 1,2, and 4, but I'd like to keep the gyara set. Originally it was supposed to by flyinium Z, but after an early PZ pseudosweep it only had 3 real moves. I also have MegaMeta already, and like the ground immunity and moxie that unmega gyara have. I get to dance up on a lot of moonblasts that expect me to have mega evolved.

I've switched Psyshock to T-bolt, but I'm not sure why I should be scared of fini. Easy set up for Gyara and very little offensive threat...tbh don't understand why people like fini so much.

 

[dragontamertaytay]

More changes: Shadow ball on Lele is so nice for opposing Lele and Mega-Zam, and I never end up using HP Fire that much since Psychic hits pretty hard anyway. In addition, just lost a match bc of Hammer Arm speed drop so gonna go to EQ

 

[Sun]

hello, interesting team here, at first glance, i see that your team have many issues with pokemons likes of Tapu koko, Charizard Y and Volcarona , these are very hard with, to fix this problem, i'd replace your Gyarados with Spd coil Zygarde, this change helps against the aforementioned threats. Finally this change will provides you a Wincon against stall teams, the specific ev spread provides you to outspeed Tapu Bulu, Extreme Speed is needed to revenge kill things the likes of weaken greninjas or Charizard y after a coil boost.

After this change, i'd remove Knock off on Landorus-t replacing it with Hidden power ice, hp ice helps a lot against others Landorus-t, Zygarde, Salamence and Dragonite, also i'd change it's Ev spread with this: 240 HP / 244 Def / 8 SpD / 16 Spe, this Evs allows you to take Charizard x and CB Zygarde, the speed evs allows you to beat others defensive landorus with hp ice outspeeding them.

Sets

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 240 HP / 244 Def / 8 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Zygarde @ Leftovers
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 200 HP / 212 SpD / 96 Spe
Careful Nature
- Coil
- Substitute
- Extreme Speed
- Thousand Arrows

That's all, hope i've helped

 

[Gravelmouse]

I agree with you on changes 1,2, and 4, but I'd like to keep the gyara set. Originally it was supposed to by flyinium Z, but after an early PZ pseudosweep it only had 3 real moves. I also have MegaMeta already, and like the ground immunity and moxie that unmega gyara have. I get to dance up on a lot of moonblasts that expect me to have mega evolved.

I've switched Psyshock to T-bolt, but I'm not sure why I should be scared of fini. Easy set up for Gyara and very little offensive threat...tbh don't understand why people like fini so much.

I know it might not be ideal, having 2 Z moves, but the z move + moxie can be overwhelmingly devastating. The sweeps after +1, especially with a revenge killer like pheramosa gone, are just unstoppable unless they have something gimmicky like scarf koko. Take a look at this vid please, and reconsider life orb.
replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-558982191

 

[dragontamertaytay]

How would I play it with 2 z move sweepers? I don't often entirely dismantle an opponent with either sweeper and sometimes get to (or attempt to) set up both over the course of a match. I guess I would have to pick my sweeper depending on the build of the opposing team...does the other one then become dead weight? I agree Moxie Gyara can be great with a z move, I am just not sure how to implement on a team with another z-move sweeper already.