Gen 3 Physical Offense (Swampert) (1827 Elo Rank #2)

Koby23

Koby23

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Hey All!

I started playing ADV OU a few months ago and it has been a blast! I've never played competitive Pokemon before, so it completely changed the way I look at the game.

Over this time, my team has constantly evolved. I've risen as high as 1591 on the ladder, but I can fall as low as the 1280s. I'm currently at 1569 with this most recent iteration. My goal is to get and stay in the 1600s.

My team is centered on the idea of building around Defensive Swampert. Why? Because Pert is able to answer many sweeper sets. If it is around for the entirety of the match, it can completely disrupt the opponent's end game. Especially when the opponent isn't expecting to see it when they hit Dragon Dance/Agility/Baton Pass.

The Team

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Dracarys (Salamence) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Dragon Dance
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake


Salamence is my opener because it shuts down Fighting Pokemon opening shenanigans (Hariyama, Medicham). Mence also allows for safe pivots. When the opening opponent is Tyranitar, I can typically expect an Ice Beam or Rock Slide, which Metagross comfortably takes. Same goes for Salamence openers. We're a Magneton offense team so we love Skarmory and Zapdos... We'll get to that. After the 1st Round, Mence doubles up as my sweeper for the rest of the game. It mostly switches into Fighting Pokemon (Heracross), which is valuable, but it's real value is when it can get just 1 Dance off. That can and has ended games.


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Serious Punch (Metagross) @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Atk / 80 Def
Adamant Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Protect
- Explosion


Metagross is the Rock Resist. It will pivot into everything that a Swampert typically pivots into until it cannot anymore. Not much to be said on this one. It is my first wave of physical defense, and hopefully a decent sleight of hands if it can stay alive.



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You Have 1 Job! (Magneton) @ Magnet
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Toxic
- Thunder Wave


Another simple explanation. Without Mag, this team doesn't work since the only other answer to Skarmory is Blissey. If I am fortunate, it can survive its main mission and be an annoying pest for my opponent with its powerful Thunderbolt and statuses.


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Nola (Gyarados) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 68 HP / 252 Atk / 188 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Earthquake
- Roar


Gyarados is synergistic with the team. It is great against bulky waters, particularly Swampert, that I otherwise wouldn't have an answer for. It is the only phazer with Roar. It is a secondary sweeper. It has Intimidate. Its typing melds wonderfully with the team. Between Gyarados, Salamence, and Swampert, there is always one that can take the Electric/Ice/Grass attacks they invite, outside of the rest of my team.


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Big Mom (Blissey) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Thunder Wave


Back to the Zapdos openers... Ordinarily, this Blissey would be a great answer. But whenever I see a Zapdos, I have to anticipate a bulky Dugtrio in their lineup. So if I switch into Blissey and Zapdos Baton Passes into Bulky Dug, there goes Big Mom, my only Special Defense Wall. And if that happens, Starmie can potentially sweep my team. Zapdos becomes a much bigger problem. No one (outside of Mag) can take Will-o-Wisp. Etc, etc. So I'm thinking of switching out Gyarados for Celebi to have secondary special defense support, BUT if Celebi is sacrificed to Bulky Dug, there goes my cover for opposing Swamperts. The answer to ZapDug Special Offense eludes me.


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Squidward (Swampert) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Surf
- Protect
- Ice Beam


Pert does the job it always does, except it isn't supposed to be overworked on this team. I like to think of it as Pert receiving the promotion it has earned for being rock solid since I started playing this game. After my most recent downfall, I removed all the Pokemon on the last team except for Pert and asked myself how do I set it up to be at its most effective and impactful. This team is what I came up with.



Thanks for reading my 1st post! If you have advice on the ZapDug Special Offense Problem, I would appreciate it. Good Luck and Have Fun!
 
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On physical offense Snorlax is usually used as the special check instead of Blissey. Roar on Gyarados is not doing anything most of the time, Taunt is for the most part just strictly better. You could also run a third attack or another utility move like Thunder Wave. Using Dragon Dance Salamence as your lead is probably not optimal, I would switch Salamence with Snorlax or use Choice Band Salamence instead. I would also use Rock Slide over Protect so that Moltres can’t just get a free switch in.

https://pokepast.es/033f867f3c4632d6
 
Dawn Dreams said:
On physical offense Snorlax is usually used as the special check instead of Blissey. Roar on Gyarados is not doing anything most of the time, Taunt is for the most part just strictly better. You could also run a third attack or another utility move like Thunder Wave. Using Dragon Dance Salamence as your lead is probably not optimal, I would switch Salamence with Snorlax or use Choice Band Salamence instead. I would also use Rock Slide over Protect so that Moltres can’t just get a free switch in.

https://pokepast.es/033f867f3c4632d6
Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice! You are so right about Roar and Gyarados. I rarely use it. I'm switching to Thunder Wave. I'm also trying out Snorlax (EQ > Brick Break) and it's a solid response to the ZapDug problem. The only issue with Snorlax is now no one on my team can take a Will-O-Wisp.

Replays (Team Updates):

Vs Skarmory Lead 1476 Elo

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen3ou-2138524601

Vs Tyranitar Lead 1484 Elo

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen3ou-2138528914

Vs Suicune Lead 1545 Elo

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen3ou-2138957238?p2

Vs Tyranitar Lead 1782 Elo

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen3ou-2139008760

Vs Medicham Lead 1629 Elo

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen3ou-2139102209-7eb9pukwx6nmosbqli0brusx2ht9huxpw?p2

Vs Zapdos Lead 1626 Elo

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen3ou-2139658613-syac73had66ejym2134epi91ohgjz25pw
 
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Update:

I did reach my goal of being a regular of the 1600s with this team (peak of 1713), but I had to make a few changes. Pursuit Tyranitar replaced Bulky Metagross to address Gengar and Salamence's speed was increased for Moltres. This (mostly) solved the Will-o-Wisp problem. This also allowed me to replace Shadow Ball with Curse for Snorlax, turning it into a tertiary win condition.

Now, the main issue with this team is its lack of any subterfuge. Because I lead with Snorlax, any knowledgeable opponent will know I have a Magneton. If they have Skarmory and Dugtrio, it is super easy to trap Magneton before it gets to Skarm. I don't think there is really anything that can be done about that though. No team is perfect.

Final note: Funnily enough, Swampert is back to being overworked. Only way for this team to be somewhat consistent. Still, Gyarados is the real MVP. It's not perfect, but it creates so many windows of opportunity and/or eliminates some serious threats.

https://pokepast.es/ced46b0cbb334ea6
 
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I'm coming back to this page to make a final update. It has been a journey, finding my 1st Squad that fit the way I like to play the game. I don't want to slowly stall you out with spikes and toxic. No, I want to maul you with absurd power. And if I were to pick a status, it would be para. Because I want my Mons to build momentum and end the game before anyone can utter "RNG".

In that vein, I think my 2nd Team will be some Special Offense Calm Mind Blitz. I haven't been able to get there yet. But this team, I believe, is one of the finest physical offense squads on Ladder. Super biased, obviously.

The changes I've made after countless battles reflect what I believe any Phys Off needs. A healthy amount of subterfudge and a lot of power. Here it is:

https://pokepast.es/b80cb63265c9b549


Celebi (Nami)
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For most of this team's history, Snorlax was the lead. That changed when I realized not only is Celebi my most resistant Mon, healing whenever it needs with Recover, it is the most versatile. Celebi can fit in a lot of different kind of teams, so when it appears at the front, the opponent is not immediately aware of what they are facing. Outside of its lead role, Celebi is the defensive centerpiece as the Special Defense Wall and an absolute mismatch to anyone who doesn't have a quick answer, and especially if that answer was already taken care of.

Snorlax (Jinbe)
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This is where Lax needs to be. He is the ultimate backup answer. He not only backs up Celebi as a Spec Def Wall, but also Gyarados as a Bulky Water answer and, in desperate times, Swampert because it will get a piece out of Tar, Gross, and Mence if it hasn't been overused. It also works seamlessly with Dos in a Para Spam Operation, Body Slamming anything in sight when a more targeted approach is not necessary. Most importantly, it provides the Bliss, Rachi, and Mie answer this team desperately needs.

Swampert (Luffy)
Luffy Pert.png

The star of the show. I mentioned earlier that every Mon on the team covers the HP Grasses Pert attracts. Pert in return makes this team possible. It answers so many threats, like DD Ttar, Agil Gross, Aerodactyl, and others. Swampert is one of my favorite Mons in ADV, a deadly mixed attacker that will end aggressive teams on the spot by its mere presence.

Magneton (Sogeking)
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Why did Celebi move to the front? Was Lax really that bad at it? Nope. A huge part of all phys off is to ensure your Mag catches and traps their Skarm, before they get Dug trapped themselves. Mag's role is vital, as it is on any team like this, because if it fails, Skarm might eat the Matchbox Blues alive.

Gyarados (Sanji)
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My favorite Mon in ADV. Dos will para something, and even when it doesn't, it can Intimidate and pose a serious threat in and of itself. Any Suicune without HP Electric (most of them) is light work and any Pert without Toxic is the same. Dos is not obscure at all, but there are often games where the opponent doesn't have an obvious answer outside of a paralyzed Zapdos.

Salamence (Zoro)
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The ultimate sweeper. What makes Mence special is it does not require more than 1 DD to outspeed the entire field and end games immediately. A lot required to get there, but that's on the rest of the team. If they can do their jobs, games end with Mence.
 
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hey I want you to know Iv been using your team for the last couple of months, it’s taken me from being a 1400s (max 1500) player to someone who for the most part comfortable sits in the late 1500s

My pb is 1636 with your June team, I still have a lot of growing to do as a player but I appreciate that leg up you’ve given me.

I am excited to see what your newest iteration brings

Though, the loss of tar for covering the gengar weakness is fairly intimidating, I am excited to see if I’ll get more chip heal support on my sweepers for their set ups absent sandstorm, will report back later!

Ps. I think we have the same mentality, I hate stalling, I feel at my best when I can act decisively take initiative

Thank you!
 
This will always be my team. And it works. It's a team that's going to come back again. Especially when it's memory is lost.

#2 is coming next week. I could always use help, particularly from folks like Dawn Dreams and CertifiedWise, who helped build this 1.

It got to #2 on the ADV Ladder. 1827 PR. Next time, let's take #1.
 
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