SKY ATTACK w/ FWG, VoltTurn

[Policy Debater]

Hey guys! I'm back for another whirl on the team building process. Last team, I focused on using some pokes in different ways than they already were. This team, I decided to roll with some more standard stuff that sometimes gets forgotten due the vast number of threats in OU. Without further ado, let's jump into the team!

[CHANGES IN RED]


Ares (Talonflame) @ None
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Acrobatics
- Roost
- Swords Dance
- Flare Blitz

Every Talonflame runs the same- what? Even though its not my set, I love the work that this thing puts in. Natural GIft with Liechi Berry means that Talonflame's biggest check- Rotom-W - takes TONS of damage after a SD. Calc here: +2 252 Atk Liechi Berry Talonflame Natural Gift (100 BP Grass) vs. 252 HP / 252 Def Rotom-W: 240-284 (78.9 - 93.4%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock. That power. That means that it KO's after 2 SR switches, and can free up talonflame. If your opponent doesn't bring Rotom-W, then you can just switch into SR and then Flare Blitz until you get below 25%, which activates your berry and gives you +1 attack. That also means that acrobatics' power doubles and it moves first. This is the best compliment to my team, and serves the purpose of my primary physical sweeper. Changed the set to allow Talonflame to pack more power. I like this set a lot more so far, and look forward to using it more in the future. This set should be prefered over the Liechi Berry set because Megasaur can still deal with Wash, allowing this winged beast to run free.

Qui (Staraptor) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Double Edge

Scarf Staraptor is SLEPT ON! Its ability to scout is really good, and Brave Bird does major damage to tons of things that give my team problems with Reckless. Pretty standard set, but I threw Quick Attack on for Priority. This works well with a large chunk of my team because of its ability to take out psychic types that would give Megasaur trouble, and dark types which could otherwise slip through the cracks.

Volcan (Heatran) @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Lava Plume
- Will-O-Wisp
- Roar

Heatran serves as my primary special wall and is my ice/rock resist, which would otherwise tear my offensive half to shreds. I can easily hurt other grass/steel types that stand in my way, and Flash Cannon allows me to get rid of any fairies that wander astray. 0 IVs in Attack because it helps with confusion damage. Pretty standard after that. It works well as it gives me an immunity to fire as well as stopping super effective shots towards my main physical attackers. It's ground weakness is covered by my birds, so there is not much else to be worried about on that front. Will-o-Wisp allows me to cripple physical attackers, and Roar prevents me from being destroyed by set up sweepers.

Big Bones (Venusaur) @ Venusaurite
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 200 SDef / 200 Def / 108 HP
Relaxed Nature
- Synthesis
- Earthquake
- Leech Seed
- Giga Drain

My mixed wall, Mega Venusaur, is (in my opinion) one of the best walls in the game atm. I run 200 EVs in both defenses to help me shield if one of my other main walls goes down. This bad boy often sticks around for a long time in matches, and helps me win stall wars. This poke absorbs any ground type attacks that are meant for Heatran, as well as stop the likes of Jolteon and Gyarados dead in their tracks. It compliments Heatran well as they resist almost every type in the game, and they are the basis of my 3-headed defensive core. #peacelovemegasaur

Perceus (Manaphy) @ Leftovers
Ability: Hydration
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tail Glow
- Surf
- Energy Ball
- Ice Beam

My special attacker (and rounder out of my FWG core) is Manaphy. If I can get some momentum and get a tail glow, this prince of the sea is mighty hard to take down. This Poke helps me deal with Gastrodon, assorted dragons, rogue Excadrills, and other pesky rock types that would stop me from sweeping with either one of my birds. Standard EVs, 0 IVs in ATK to prevent massive confusion damage. Rock types and those with access to stone edge are quickly scared out by Manaphy. I really like the variety of moves on this mon, and it is a formidable member of my team.

Knox (Forretress) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Volt Switch

Rounding out my team with a spinner, this powerful Poke also helps me complete VoltTurn on my team. He serves as my primary defensive wall, and can make life miserable for other VoltTurn teams with Hazards. Standard EVs and what not. While it does have a major weakness to fire, Heatran can help that. Also, it prevents me from getting smacked around by any powerful stone edge users and stops DD-Outrage D-nite fairly well barring the fire punch.


HARDEST THINGS TO DEAL WITH

1. Mega Manectric. Spikes basically the rest of my team if Heatran is gone.
2. Mega-Scizor runs rampant when Heatran departs.
3. I got 6-0'd by a Trick Room Ramparados. lol
4. Whatever you guys tell me needs to be covered

Import to showdown (Post Changes via Rafael):

Ares (Talonflame)
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 208 Spd / 252 Atk / 48 HP
Jolly Nature
- Acrobatics
- Roost
- Swords Dance
- Flare Blitz

Qui (Staraptor) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Double-Edge

Volcan (Heatran) @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Lava Plume
- Will-O-Wisp
- Roar

Big Bones (Venusaur) @ Venusaurite
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 200 SDef / 200 Def / 108 HP
Relaxed Nature
- Synthesis
- Earthquake
- Leech Seed
- Giga Drain

Perceus (Manaphy) @ Leftovers
Ability: Hydration
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tail Glow
- Surf
- Energy Ball
- Ice Beam

Knox (Forretress) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Volt Switch

 

[Rafael J. Feliciano]

Hey Policy Debater, nice team you have there. Just some notes:

1. You got 6-0 by TR Ramparados... chalk that up to randomness... as long as you can handle other stuff you should be fine... (if this defeat is still bothering, I suppose you can put 0 IVs Speed on Venusaur... but a dedicated TR team will always have someone slower than you)

2. Ares should be an Adamant Nature to deal more damage. EVs should be 252 Atk / 208 Spe / 48 HP to outspeed 252 Spe Jolly Mega Pinsir.

3. Since you went with a Natural Gift Talonflame (though I find this set lacking authoritative power) This makes Talonflame your late game cleaner. Therefore, Qui is your "hit everything as hard as hell" mon. Therefore change Choice Scarf < Choice Band and Quick Attack < Double Edge. You need one of your birds to be All-or-Nothing so make Super Staraptor you wall breaker.

4. To deal with Mega Manectric switch from Bold Forretress < Careful Hippowdon:

Hippowdon @ Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def
Ability: Sandstream
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide

Not only can the Hippo hard counter Manectric but Rock Slide gives an added surprise factor in being able to hit foes like Talonflame and Staraptor for SE damage.

5. Change Toxic < Will-o-Wisp and Flash Cannon < Roar on Heatran. Your team lacks phazing for set-up sweepers and though Toxic does more damage as time progresses, the ability to cripple Physical Sweepers with WoW is too much to pass up.

Try to implement some of these changes to see how you fare on the ladder now.

Let me know what you think?

 

[Policy Debater]

Hey Policy Debater, nice team you have there. Just some notes:

1. You got 6-0 by TR Ramparados... chalk that up to randomness... as long as you can handle other stuff you should be fine... (if this defeat is still bothering, I suppose you can put 0 IVs on Venusaur... but a dedicated TR team will always have someone slower than you)

2. Ares should be an Adamant Nature to deal more damage. EVs should be 252 Atk / 208 Spe / 48 HP to outspeed Jolly Mega Pinsir.

3. Since you went with a Natural Gift Talonflame (though I find this set lacking authoritatize power) This makes Talonflame your late game cleaner. Therefore, Qui is your "hit everything as hard as hell" mon. Therefore change Choice Scarf < Choice Band and Quick Attack < Double Edge. You need one of your birds to be All-or-Nothing so make Super Staraptor you wall breaker.

4. To deal with Mega Manectric switch from Bold Forretress < Careful Hippowdon:

Hippowdon @ Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def
Ability: Sandstream
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide

Not only can the Hippo hard counter Manectric but Rock Slide gives an added surprise factor in being able to hit foes like Talonflame and Staraptor for SE damage.

5. Change Toxic < Will-o-Wisp and Flash Cannon < Roar on Heatran. Your team lacks phazing for set-up sweepers and though Toxic does more damage as time progresses, the ability to cripple Physical Sweepers with WoW is too much to pass up.

Try to implement some of these changes to see how you fare on the ladder now.

Let me know what you think?

1. Yeah that was a random loss. lol

2. I like Jolly b/c is speed creeps other Talonflames that run adamant. I like maxing out speed, but am willing to give that spread a shot.

3. I think I may swap the t-flame set with one with roost and no item. I follow a bit of a different team building process where I want at least 1 scarfer on every team, so I think I will just make T-Flame a standard set as Megasaur handles Rotom-W pretty well. I will end up swapping quick attack for return, however.

4. I would LOVE to make this swap, but would would I do about the spinner situation?

5. Change made.

 

[Rafael J. Feliciano]

1. Yeah that was a random loss. lol

2. I like Jolly b/c is speed creeps other Talonflames that run adamant. I like maxing out speed, but am willing to give that spread a shot.

3. I think I may swap the t-flame set with one with roost and no item. I follow a bit of a different team building process where I want at least 1 scarfer on every team, so I think I will just make T-Flame a standard set as Megasaur handles Rotom-W pretty well. I will end up swapping quick attack for return, however.

4. I would LOVE to make this swap, but would would I do about the spinner situation?

5. Change made.

For 2 -> If you want to speed creep other Talonflames, then change his Nature to Adamant but give him 210-212 Spe if you still want to creep (^-^)

For 4 -> If you want to go a step further, you can swap Manaphy < Starmie with Rapid Spin. I personally like the Analytic Life Orb Set but I will leave this decision to you.