My first "serious" team [OU]

[iRonMonk3y]

So, using gimicky, UUish, and funny BP teams got boring, mainly due to the huge amount of losses. I decided to use a more serious team on the ladder, that being said, I made a new account yesterday afternoon and used this new team. It's currently floating around 1500/1600, so I'm open to any improvements/comments, especially from you guys (I used to get all of my pkm knowledge from smashboards... and yeah, competitive smashers aren't quite the best pkm players xD). This is my first time posting a RMT here, so please forgive the lack of elaboration.

Check it:

Mew (Celebi) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP/130 Def/128 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Grass Knot
- Stealth Rock
- Recover
- Thunder Wave

Unless I'm going to be taunted or OHKO'd, I usually do T. Wave before Stealth Rock. There have been a decent number of scenarios where the opponent's lead decides to stay and I recover off the damage until they're paralized. It's pretty funny to do on CB pursuiters. If possible, I usually save this thing for the switch-ins and T. Waves.
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Old:

Blaziken (Infernape) (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 66 Atk/252 Spd/192 SAtk
Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Close Combat
- Flamethrower
- Grass Knot
- Nasty Plot

Heh, Mixnape. This thing is pretty much just awesome. Covers oh so many things and if I get a nasty plot off, it can sometimes just ruin a team. This is pretty much my Swampert/TTar/Heatran killer (assuming I don't get a NP). I'm currently thinking if I should actually keep NP or not. I can replace it with HP Ice to take on dragons or something, however, it losses the ability to possibly take on water types. It would be great if someone can help me with this xD

New:

Infernape @ Choice Scarf
Naive Nature
192 Spe/ 252 Spa/ 64 Atk

Close Combat
Overheat
U-Turn
Grass Knot/ HP Ice



Close Combat is the obligatory STAB, and I've used it to sweep quite a few teams when they lose their fighting resist(s). Overheat is another nice STAB, and you don't have to worry about the Spa drop on this guy because he usually hits and runs. U-Turn is absolutely neccessary for scouting purposes, and also does ~45% to Latias. Grass Knot is for bulky waters, HP Ice hits the dragons. On your team, you have Vappy and Scizor to deal damage to dragons with Ice Beam and Bullet Punch (Bullet Punch lands an 2HKO on 0 Def/ 4 HP Mence with SR iirc), I would go with Grass Knot.

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Ninjask (Scizor) (F) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs:176 HP / 252 Atk / 76 SpDef / 4 Spe. (This allows you to take spAtks more efficiently, taking more draco meteors and other atks.)
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- U-turn
- Pursuit

Heh, Scizor. I mainly have this because for better revenge killing and my hatred for Latias. It's even more amazing if Celebi is still around T. Wave shiz. I used to run Swords Dance but I'm extremely scared of Magnezone and the damage from CB is almost always enough. I also love the "ally-oop" effect Scizor has. Like, when I bring something to low damage with any other pkm but it faints and I need something to finish it off, Scizor is usually an amazing choice. CB'd BP almost always does enough damage, even on resisted hits.
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Jolteon (Vaporeon) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 190 HP/252 Def/68 SAtk
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Protect
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Wish

Toxic stalling Vaporean, yeah. I'm thinking about giving this thing roar, but then I lose the ability to take on fatter pokemon. I mainly use this thing for switch-ins anyways. Yes, as you can see, I don't run Surf xD. I personally don't see much of a use for having Surf. The fact I whip out a Vaporean, resisting a Fire move, then scaing the fire pkm away to a counter is usually enough. From there I just Wish or Toxic the upcoming pkm. I Wish so that just incase I do need to switch, the pokemon I switch into may be able to take a hit and then heal itself from the wish. If I'm facing a fire pokemon and it stays, I just Toxic stall it. Unfortunate, Heatran and other steels laugh at it. However, Heatrans will most likely be switching away anywho. Only like, twice, have players realized I didn't have Surf.
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Old:

Dragonite (Salamence) (F) @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Outrage
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge

D. Claw is there so I don't get trapped when Outrage isn't necessary, I mean with CB, it's as strong as a normal Outrage, so something will still get killed or crippled a bit. The thing I love most about running full speed EVs on this mence is that it outspeeds the common mence sets out there. It's pretty common to see an opponent mence that is lacky full seed EVs, a DD, or scarf and stay in, thinking mine is a similar set (or something).

New:

Salamence @ Life Orb
Intimidate
Evs 252 Atk/ 6 SpAtk / 252 Spe
Naughty
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast

This is so powerful, powerful is an understatement. The only drawback to using him is that he doesn't last long, but you have vaporeon for the much needed wish to make him last long enough to make a difference in the game. You don't need the evs on the analysis, because you have magnezone to take care of steels, but you have to have fire blast incase some of those steels have shed shell, so you don't lose your sweep because magnezone didn't do its job.

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Old:

Dugtrio (Magnezone) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Explosion

I mainly wanted something for Scarf Trickers, like Rachi, but yeah, it does much much better job at kill steels then nape. Fast explosions are pretty cool too. If anyone can think of a better way of dealing with Scarf Trickers, I'd love for you to share. Seriously, this is the only thing I was able to thing of. Aside from that and explosions, I like the fact STAB T.Bolt/Flash Cannon forces alot of switches and gives me a good look at my opponents team sometimes.

New:

@ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 38 HP/220 Spd/252 SAtk
Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Explosion

Now for magnezone...All maggy really needs to do is to outspeed scizor, so cahnge the spread to 38 HP/252 SpAtk/220 Spe, give it leftovers, a timid nature, and substitute>explosion, and you have one good steel killer ^_^

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That's about it, it's everything is pretty generic.

 

[joshe]

This is a really nice team, it just needs a few to make it very good.

Celebi is actually a very good and reliable lead with all the bulk, but you have to be careful with tyranitar and scizor swtchins, as they don't mind getting t-waved and can do some serious damage to you, so watch out for that

Infernape is not very good anymore, with latias about it doesn't get the clean sweep it used too anymore, so I'd Replace it for Scarf Heatran(I know that 4 choice users is a no-no, but i'll change that later):

Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Flash Fire
Evs: 4 Atk / 252 SpAtk / 252 Spe
Naive
- Explosion
- Fire Blast
- EarthPower
- Hp-Ice / Dragon Pulse

This makes an amazing revenge killer, but i don't need to say much more as everyone know what this thing does. Also helps with trickscarfers, getting a Scarf right back in their face.

Scizor needs a new spread: 176 HP / 252 Atk / 76 SpDef / 4 Spe. This allows you to take spAtks more efficiently, taking more draco meteors and other atks.

You should really run Surf on vappy as stab is alot better than toxic in terms of damage, and when i'm done with this rate all it should do is counter some pokes and pass wishes around to your main sweepers.

Okay heres were the big changes are...I suggest making Salamence a DD-mence to unshackle it from being locked into one atk and realize its full potential ;)

Salamence @ Life Orb
Intimidate
Evs 252 Atk/ 6 SpAtk / 252 Spe
Naughty
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast

This is so powerful, powerful is an understatement. The only drawback to using him is that he doesn't last long, but you have vaporeon for the much needed wish to make him last long enough to make a difference in the game. You don't need the evs on the analysis, because you have magnezone to take care of steels, but you have to have fire blast incase some of those steels have shed shell, so you don't lose your sweep because magnezone didn't do its job.

Now for magnezone...All maggy really needs to do is to outspeed scizor, so cahnge the spread to 38 HP/252 SpAtk/220 Spe, give it leftovers, a timid nature, and substitute>explosion, and you have one good steel killer ^_^

Well that should do it...Hope I helped and Good Luck with the team =)

 

[Sc4rfCh0mp]

Infernape is not very good anymore, with latias about it doesn't get the clean sweep it used too anymore

I beg to differ. This set has been a terror on my team:

Infernape @ Choice Scarf
Naive Nature
192 Spe/ 252 Spa/ 64 Atk

Close Combat
Overheat
U-Turn
Grass Knot/ HP Ice

Close Combat is the obligatory STAB, and I've used it to sweep quite a few teams when they lose their fighting resist(s). Overheat is another nice STAB, and you don't have to worry about the Spa drop on this guy because he usually hits and runs. U-Turn is absolutely neccessary for scouting purposes, and also does ~45% to Latias. Grass Knot is for bulky waters, HP Ice hits the dragons. On your team, you have Vappy and Scizor to deal damage to dragons with Ice Beam and Bullet Punch (Bullet Punch lands an 2HKO on 0 Def/ 4 HP Mence with SR iirc), I would go with Grass Knot.

The rest of joshe's comments are pretty good.

I don't see how this team works around Tyranitar, since Magnezone and Scizor are weak answers to it IMO. I would opt for a Fighting-Type like Machamp or Hariyama. The RestTalk sets really don't work as well in hyper-offensive Platinum, so I would run a Bulk Up Machamp set with either No Guard if you run Dynamic Punch on the set, or use Guts to absorb status.

 

[iRonMonk3y]

Thanks for the replies.

I decided to go with the ScarfNape instead of the Heatran and changed the Scizor, Salamence, and Zone.

The Nape is simply amazing, I love the Scarfed Overheats and U-turn scouting. The Zone is great, but I always feel worried that I might run into a Swords Dance set Scizor, which are usually set to be faster then Zone. Luckily I haven only ran into mostly CB ones so far. The was A SD one which thought I was scarfed and bullet punched me instead.
The mence I've actually rarely used. I don't seem the need to pull it out. Either that or I'm having to much fun with Scarfed Overheats and my steels.
So, I've only played a few games so far, but I haven't lost yet. That being said, I'll just keep playing some more with these changes.
Thanks again :p

edit:

And yes, I still have a no surf Vappy. It seems people always expect the Surf and have a good counter to it. Maybe I just love toxic too much?
And for TTar, I usually used Nape, Scizor, and Vappy for it (all Vappy did was take a hit make it occasionally switch, so I guess it really doesn't count). That was the main reason why my Scizor's speed EVs was as high as it was. If it was a DD TTar, I'd simply hope that it got at least ~20% so Bullet Punch could finish it off. I guess all I have now is Nape and occasionally Scizor, hmm...