Newbie offensive OU team

shifood

O hai

This is my first post here. I've looked around these forums for a while, and always wanted to battle pokemon but never really liked the wifi thing. I thought shoddy looked bad, but pokemon lab is here, and I'm LOVING it.

I'm a n00b who has played maybe 30-40 games on pLab so far and learning a lot of things, and I've made and edited this team a bit so I'd like some advice. It's doing alright so far, but I know there are things that could be better.


At a glance:


487.png
245.png
330.png
395.png
212.png
248.png

Fairly offensive with a bit of setup and no walls. Purpose is to quickly kill enemy pokes by using heavy hitters and unusual move sets.







Lead:
487.png
@ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Speed
Nature: Naive
Moveset: Explosion / Fire Blast / Psychic / Steal Rock

Standard rocks lead. I've been experimenting with leads, and I think I'm comfortable with zelf right now. I had taunt on him but failed too many times in using it so I just replaced it with psychic (which I like despite its lack of popularity). Start off with rocks if possible, then FB / Explosion to finish usually. With Machamps I usually just asplode off the bat, and I have psychic to deal with poison/fighting switches.



Phaser/Revenger:
330.png
@ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Speed / 4 SpDef
Nature: Adamant
Moveset: Earthquake / Outrage / Stone Edge / U-Turn

This is pretty standard. I actually don't really like flygon that much, but he's solid and useful. Choice scarf flygon is a no-brainer. Scarf EQ or Stone Edge for super effective or normal damage, and U-Turn to phase/scout.



My favorite:
245.png
@ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Speed / 252 SpAtk
Nature: Timid
Moveset: Calm Mind / Hidden Power Electric / Hydro Pump / Ice Beam

I really like this set as most people will treat my cune as a crocune or rest-talker and bring in bulky waters or try to set up a physical attacker on it. Moveset gives it great coverage, and a STAB life orbed hydro pump dents or kills anything that doesn't resist it. I'll either switch to this after my zelf explosion and try to surprise my opponent by hitting with the three attacking moves before they try to status or damage my cune, or swap in to CM up.



Physically based mixed ape:
395.png
@ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 192 Speed / 64 SpAtk
Nature: Naive
Moveset: Close Combat / Mach Punch / Overheat / U-Turn

Just enough EVs for overheat to be almost as powerful as a modest ape's fire blast. Also feels very useful to me due to ape's move coverage and unpredictability. I originally had fire blast, but overheat is working better for some reason. Also need something to counter the scizors appearing on so many people's teams. I've been thinking about switching the attack and Speed EVs around. CC for STAB damage, and Mach Punch for some Revenging. I'm not sure why U-Turn is here as I hardly use it.



So useful it's sickening:
248.png
@ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed
Nature: Jolly
Moveset: Crunch / Pursuit / Earthquake / Stone Edge

Basically here to kill stuff (Starmie, Gengar, Rotom, etc) with pursuit. Thinking about switching crunch out with fire punch, but I'm not sure. EQ and stone edge are useful too. Crunch for a more powerful STAB.



I needed a 6th:
212.png
@ Leftovers
*Proof that I am noob: I'm copying my team info from the Team builder in pLab and just realized my Scizor has had swarm instead of technician this whole time*
Ability: Technician!
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed
Nature: Adamant
Moveset: Brick Break / Bullet Punch / Roost / Swords Dance

I like SD scizor, but I'm not sure how well it fits into my team. Bullet punch to revenge or kill outright. I'll try to swap in as I do with my cune sometimes to setup a SD and roost for a semi sweep.



Weaknesses that I can remember right now:

-Rain dance team has owned my face
-Non-lead Machamps (I explode on the lead ones)
-Breloom (Might just be because I'm bad)
-CroCunes: See above
-Zapdos: I know I can swift Scarf-Tar in, but still have trouble dealing with roosting bulky ones for some reason.

Don't remember any more.

TIPS PLZ!







EDITS / Swaps:

For Scizor:

251.png

Celebi
32 HP / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
Timid
Life Orb
Leaf Storm
Hidden Power Fire
U-turn
Thunder Wave



For Scizor:

453.png

Lucario @ Life Orb
Jolly Nature
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd /​

 
That amount is pretty good. Having two choice scarfers is normally frowned upon, more so when you also have two priority users. DD or CB Ttar still kills on the switch with Pursuit, and is worth consideration.
 
Rediamond said:
That amount is pretty good. Having two choice scarfers is normally frowned upon, more so when you also have two priority users. DD or CB Ttar still kills on the switch with Pursuit, and is worth consideration.
Click to expand...

Sounds like it makes sense, but why exactly is it bad? I'm not sure I can give up my scarf tar - it's so damn useful.
 
Well, the point of a choice scarf is to outspeed and avenge an opponent, or to sweep
with an unresisted attack. For the avenging part, between ScarfGon and two priority users, you're covered. For sweeping, DDTar does better due to versatility. How exactly is it useful anyway.
NOTE: I use NU's and UU's regularly. I can always agree with something if it's genuinely useful. I just can't see what Ttar does that only it can do.
 
Its better than the team I made when I started out. I got owned so badly( curse you Weavile and not learning CC). However like all newbie teams, this one has serious flaws. Breloom is a problem as it can set up on Flygon locked into EQ and Tyranitar. Then it can fire away at will and destroy your team. You might want to replace Scizor with Zapdos or Celebi as both can wall the opponent. Celebi has Natural Cure and resists Breloom's attacks. This set fits with the offensive nature of your team so that you don't lose tempo with the typical stalling Celebi.
Celebi
32 HP / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
Timid
Life Orb
Leaf Storm
Hidden Power Fire
U-turn
Thunder Wave
This is a standard Special Attacking Celebi and the EVs are there so that Celebi can outspeed positive base 95ers. Leaf Storm is there to KO Pokemon as a last resort. HP Fire deals with Scizor and the Life Orb makes it easier to kill. U-Turn rids you of the SpA drop from Leaf Storm. TWave can be used to paralyze scarfers. You could put HP Ice to allow Celebi to attain more speed and equip Leftovers to bluff a bulky set. That is all I think of.
 
Rediamond said:
Well, the point of a choice scarf is to outspeed and avenge an opponent, or to sweep
with an unresisted attack. For the avenging part, between ScarfGon and two priority users, you're covered. For sweeping, DDTar does better due to versatility. How exactly is it useful anyway.
NOTE: I use NU's and UU's regularly. I can always agree with something if it's genuinely useful. I just can't see what Ttar does that only it can do.
Click to expand...

The biggest thing I know scarf Ttar does for me is outspeed and guarantee a kill on starmie and gengar, which a DD Ttar cannot do. I risk a surf/hydro pump from a starmie or a focus blast from gengar.


manav95 said:
Its better than the team I made when I started out. I got owned so badly( curse you Weavile and not learning CC). However like all newbie teams, this one has serious flaws. Breloom is a problem as it can set up on Flygon locked into EQ and Tyranitar. Then it can fire away at will and destroy your team. You might want to replace Scizor with Zapdos or Celebi as both can wall the opponent. Celebi has Natural Cure and resists Breloom's attacks. This set fits with the offensive nature of your team so that you don't lose tempo with the typical stalling Celebi.
Celebi
32 HP / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
Timid
Life Orb
Leaf Storm
Hidden Power Fire
U-turn
Thunder Wave
This is a standard Special Attacking Celebi and the EVs are there so that Celebi can outspeed positive base 95ers. Leaf Storm is there to KO Pokemon as a last resort. HP Fire deals with Scizor and the Life Orb makes it easier to kill. U-Turn rids you of the SpA drop from Leaf Storm. TWave can be used to paralyze scarfers. You could put HP Ice to allow Celebi to attain more speed and equip Leftovers to bluff a bulky set. That is all I think of.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice; I have definitely been having a problem with Breloom and wasn't sure how to get around it. Will try out the celebi!
 
Hi, welcome to smogon. This is good, and looks pretty solid for your first team. I just one or two minor suggestions for you.


Threats:
  • Lead Machamp
  • CroCune
How they are threats:
You say you explode on Machamp first turn, but isn't that a waist of a pokemon? Azelf's goal as a suicide lead is to set up Rocks - then deal some damage and/or explode. Stealh Rock is important to any team anywhere for the fact that it deals 12% to threats and more impotantly 25% to most sweepers, including Dragonite and Gyarados. Your current set puts you at an disadvantage because the opponent still has an opportunity to set up rocks while you just lost your only way too.

You CroCune as a threat because he have a way of getting through of your entire team with his moves. He can Roar away your threats while Resting up and damaging 2 of your Pokemon Super-Effectively. With entry hazards up, It is easy for it to keep roaring threats until he is weak or decides to Surf, which damages all of your pokemon normally except for Suicune, who does not enjoy hazards.


Suggested Changes:
  • Use ColburZelf​
  • Replace Scizor​
Colbur Zelf is the offspring of lead Zelf in the current Metagame, being able to still set up rocks on everything it could before, + Machamp. The specific set is:

487.png

Azelf @ Colbur Berry
Jolly Nature
EV's: 8 HP / 140 Atk / 144 SpD / 216 Spe
IV's: 29 SpA​

~ Stealth Rock
~ Taunt
~ U-turn
~ Explosion​

With this set, you can survive Machamp's Payback + Bullet Punch to Stealth Rock then Explode or U-turn. You also don't lose to Tyranitar or Metagross leads anymore because Meteor Mash + Bullet Pucnh from Meta doesn't OHKO, and neither does Sand Stream + Payback, which is helpful. Taunt is there for leads like Roserade and Swampert, who will try to set up/sleep you first turn. U-turn is for quick getaways, which is obvious.​

To help with your CroCune problem, I recommend switching out Scizor for Lucario. SD Lucario, to be more specific. The goal is to have more power than Scizor, enough to easily 2HKO CroCune at +2 while it is sleeping. This also helps for other things, giving you proirity which can help any team. It also doesn't change up the synergy much, except adding a ground + Fighting weakness. The specific set for that is:​

453.png

Lucario @ Life Orb
Jolly Nature
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd /​


With this, you gain more power than you had with Scizor, while also having more priority. Close Combat is putting a huge dent in anything that doesn't resist it, and the priority is also very nice, gaining nifty KO's in useful situations.

Well thank you for taking the time to read this, I hope you will try out my suggestions, do good and GL!

2 EDIT: By the way, +2 Luke's ES OHKO's Breloom, which is nifty considering you have a weakness. also, I guess Machamp really isn't a threat considering you explode on it, but ColburZelf is more adaptive to the Metagame, so try it out



​
 
why did u put psychic on 'Zelf if u use explosion on machamp
SD scizor sucks try lucario instead.
also infernape loses 16 % in sandstorm not good
 
MofoPopo said:
Hi, welcome to smogon. This is good, and looks pretty solid for your first team. I just one or two minor suggestions for you.


Threats:
  • Lead Machamp
  • CroCune
How they are threats:
You say you explode on Machamp first turn, but isn't that a waist of a pokemon? Azelf's goal as a suicide lead is to set up Rocks - then deal some damage and/or explode. Stealh Rock is important to any team anywhere for the fact that it deals 12% to threats and more impotantly 25% to most sweepers, including Dragonite and Gyarados. Your current set puts you at an disadvantage because the opponent still has an opportunity to set up rocks while you just lost your only way too.

You CroCune as a threat because he have a way of getting through of your entire team with his moves. He can Roar away your threats while Resting up and damaging 2 of your Pokemon Super-Effectively. With entry hazards up, It is easy for it to keep roaring threats until he is weak or decides to Surf, which damages all of your pokemon normally except for Suicune, who does not enjoy hazards.


Suggested Changes:
  • Use ColburZelf​
  • Replace Scizor​
Colbur Zelf is the offspring of lead Zelf in the current Metagame, being able to still set up rocks on everything it could before, + Machamp. The specific set is:

487.png

Azelf @ Colbur Berry
Jolly Nature
EV's: 8 HP / 140 Atk / 144 SpD / 216 Spe
IV's: 29 SpA​

~ Stealth Rock
~ Taunt
~ U-turn
~ Explosion​

With this set, you can survive Machamp's Payback + Bullet Punch to Stealth Rock then Explode or U-turn. You also don't lose to Tyranitar or Metagross leads anymore because Meteor Mash + Bullet Pucnh from Meta doesn't OHKO, and neither does Sand Stream + Payback, which is helpful. Taunt is there for leads like Roserade and Swampert, who will try to set up/sleep you first turn. U-turn is for quick getaways, which is obvious.​

To help with your CroCune problem, I recommend switching out Scizor for Lucario. SD Lucario, to be more specific. The goal is to have more power than Scizor, enough to easily 2HKO CroCune at +2 while it is sleeping. This also helps for other things, giving you proirity which can help any team. It also doesn't change up the synergy much, except adding a ground + Fighting weakness. The specific set for that is:​

453.png

Lucario @ Life Orb
Jolly Nature
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd /​


With this, you gain more power than you had with Scizor, while also having more priority. Close Combat is putting a huge dent in anything that doesn't resist it, and the priority is also very nice, gaining nifty KO's in useful situations.

Well thank you for taking the time to read this, I hope you will try out my suggestions, do good and GL!

2 EDIT: By the way, +2 Luke's ES OHKO's Breloom, which is nifty considering you have a weakness. also, I guess Machamp really isn't a threat considering you explode on it, but ColburZelf is more adaptive to the Metagame, so try it out



​
Click to expand...



Thanks a bunch for the comments!

Colbur elf sounds kinda dicey? I don't like having to explode on Machamps though - and I do realize my team needs rocks, but I'm hesitant to let Machamp live lol. Also, what does having special defense EVs do? Payback is physical isn't it?

The cro cune problem isn't really that much of a problem so much as it is a nuisance. My own cune tends to deal with them fairly adequately, and I also have some strong physical attackers to deal with CM. I've swapped in Celebi for Scizor at the moment and am trying it out so we'll see how well it works out - esp against breloom. I will definitely try out luke though.
 
spoinka said:
why did u put psychic on 'Zelf if u use explosion on machamp
SD scizor sucks try lucario instead.
also infernape loses 16 % in sandstorm not good
Click to expand...



Psychic for gengar and rotom switches predicting explosion. I'm trying celebi atm, will try luke later.
 
shifood said:
Thanks a bunch for the comments!

Colbur elf sounds kinda dicey? I don't like having to explode on Machamps though - and I do realize my team needs rocks, but I'm hesitant to let Machamp live lol. Also, what does having special defense EVs do? Payback is physical isn't it?

The cro cune problem isn't really that much of a problem so much as it is a nuisance. My own cune tends to deal with them fairly adequately, and I also have some strong physical attackers to deal with CM. I've swapped in Celebi for Scizor at the moment and am trying it out so we'll see how well it works out - esp against breloom. I will definitely try out luke though.
Click to expand...

With ColburZelf, you get Rocks and the ability to KO Machamp. On the Payback you set them up, and on the Bullet Punch, you live and explosion to KO it, so you get the best of both worlds. 144 SpD allows you to live through Roserade's Leaf Storm so you can Taunt and OHKO. since Roserade's LS is a very powerful SpA, you also live through things like Heatran's Fire blast

I guess when i was refering to CroCune, i was refering to Bulky Waters in general. Lucario can take them, while not being a good counter, CC is doing a lot to them and Priority is nice.
 
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