I have never laddered before on Doubles OU, so this team is heavily based on previous VGC knowledge/EV spread alterations along with inspiration from other player's teams to cope with the metagame shift. The team was created as my spin on the mega metagross 'formula' from the incredibly useful doubles ou teambuilding frameworks page for Doubles OU (http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/oras-teambuilding-frameworks.3544037/). This framework consists of:
- Mega Metagross
- Landorus-t (bulky pivot)
- Offensive Water Type (checks a range of threats)
- Speed Control + Earthquake Immunity
- Bulky Support + TR check
- Catch All/Filler
After careful consideration, i picked these 6 pokemon:
At a glance
In Depth:
Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 16 HP / 204 Atk / 32 Def / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Zen Headbutt
- Substitute
- Protect
The whole reason i built the team. I nabbed substitute mega metagross from VGC 2015, as it is one of my favourite sets, as the move allows metagross to avoid sucker punches and status, two of metagross' biggest counters. In my opinion shiny mega metagross is one of the coolest looking megas alongside shiny mega charizard y, and it has the stats to match. A Whopping 145 base attack stat alongside a fantastic speed of 110 gives it an offensive advantage over a lot of the metagame, and with a very respectable 80/150/110 in defenses, it provides it with a tonne of switching opportunities. The EV spread allows mega metagross to survive two sucker punches from 252 Atk adamant kangaskhan after setting up a substitute, and it survives a sucker punch from max attack adamant bisharp. The odd HP stat at level 100 allows it to make 4 substitutes from full health, and maximum speed investment allows it to outpace terrakion and keldeo to OHKO both of them with iron head and zen headbutt respectively. The rest goes into attack, allowing it to deliver a pretty heavy blow to most opposing pokemon.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 12 HP / 232 Atk / 80 Def / 184 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Knock Off
- U-turn
This is an adapted spread from vgc. it allows landorus-t to survive a sucker punch from +1 life orb adamant bisharp whilst maintaining as much power and speed as possible. Landorus provides my first ground immunity, supporting metagross, and its STABs help deal with the fire types metagross hates. It is a great bulky pivot with the intimidate ability, and u-turn allows it to shuffle its intimidate ability to great effect. It is also one of my kangaskhan switch-ins, although superpower often fails to pick up the OHKO. Rock slide alongside thunder wave and iron head puts RNG in my favour in otherwise unwinnable situations, and timely flinches give metagross free turns to help him survive under his sub.
Keldeo @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Icy Wind / Taunt / Quick Guard
- Protect
Keldeo is my answer to the common kangaskhan/heatran/landorus core, with water/fighting STABs OHKOing all three. Keldeo also provides a useful dark type switch in for metagross. There's not much to say about the EV spread here, it just maximises Keldeo's offensive potential and life orb even more so. Icy wind gives the team another means of speed control, quick guard helps the team out against prankster, taunt allows Keldeo to stop trick room going up, and protect is an obvious choice for a frail attacker, as well as giving it the ability of stalling out trick room turns.
Thundurus (M) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 244 HP / 108 Def / 64 SpA / 72 SpD / 20 Spe
Calm Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Thunder Wave
- Taunt
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Swagger
Thundurus forms the infamous 'Double-Genie' combo with Landorus-t, whilst giving the team a reliable means of speed control in thunder wave, prankster taunt, and complimentary pseudo-boltbeam coverage for metagross, hitting the bulky waters and ground types metagross hates for super-effective damage. The EV spread is nothing special, the HP maximizes sitrus berry recovery, the bulk allows it to survive a rock slide from mega tyranitar, as well as a draco meteor from life orb latios. The speed investment allows it to outpace max speed breloom and other base 70s. The rest of the EVs are dumped into special attack. Thundurus also provides another ground immunity, supporting metagross.
Ferrothorn @ Lum Berry
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Atk / 84 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gyro Ball
- Power Whip
- Leech Seed
- Protect
Ferrothorn checks a number of threats to this team, namely, rotom-wash and all the other bulky waters, rain, kangaskhan-mega, fairies and trick room. Lum Berry allows me to win against rotom-wash/jellicent etc more consistently, as it cures the burn inflicted by will-o-wisp so that ferrothorn doesn't become deadweight. Ferrothorn is also a nice check to the otherwise deadly azumarill/amoonguss combo. The EV spread allows it to OHKO 252/0 rotom-wash with power whip, the brave nature with 0 speed IVs allows it to maximise gyro ball output, and the majority of the EVs are invested into HP.
Hydreigon @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
/// EVs: 176 HP / 152 SpA / 180 Spe
Modest/Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Protect
The Hydreigon/Mega Metagross core is well known across vgc for being one of the best type/switching synergy based cores around. Every one of metagross/hydreigon's weaknesses is resisted by the other (bar bug/fighting), and both have complimentary coverage for each other, whilst forming a partial fantasy core. Hydreigon hits many common threats for big damage, including but not limited to: Cresselia, Aegislash, Ferrothorn, common TR setters, amoonguss, (non bulky) Charizard... The list goes on. The first EV spread maximises hydreigon's offensive presence, the second is a more bulky spread for better switching synergy, a modest nature maximises damage output and a timid nature allows it to win Hydreigon mirrors. Hydreigon is my final ground immunity for metagross, also allowing landorus-t to earthquake more freely.
I welcome any sort of constructive criticism, please correct any flaws in my team as i feel i may have made some mistakes along the way. Thanks a bunch for taking the time to read this, i really appreciate it :]
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