SS OU Potential Competitive Team - Need Feedback

TownIdiot25

I'm assembling and training this team still, so I'm open to changes. Let me know what you guys think I can do to make this better. I know I could use some advice on item choices, I noticed while making this list that there is a disproportionate amount of attackers over special attackers, but again this is just my potential plan and definitely could use some work. Dragapult on the team is non-negotiable because he's my baby. Maybe a replace of Dracozolt and Grimmsnarl with Toxicity and Corviknight respectively would be a good idea. I also have a shiny 6IV Salazzle in SuMo I can bring over once Pokemon Home is here.


Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Recover
- Scald
- Haze
Purpose: Special Attacker, Defense, Tank. Sets up hazards like Toxic Spikes or Toxic. The only special attacker that is really on this team with Scald.

Aegislash @ Air Balloon
Ability: Stance Change
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Iron Head
- Sacred Sword
- King's Shield
- Shadow Claw
Purpose: Serves as my tank. Standard "Attack second, then do the king's shield to go back into shield forme" method. Waiting out 2 of the 3 dynamax moves if timed correctly, also with attack rather than SpA to surprise counters.

Darmanitan-Galar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Gorilla Tactics
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
- U-turn
Purpose: The OP/Broken mon of the current meta. I need advice on which Choice item would be better for this team, and if used for dynamaxing I can take advtanage of the choice-item reset.

Dracozolt @ Leftovers
Ability: Hustle
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Atk / 20 SpD / 148 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Bolt Beak
- Fire Fang
- Dragon Claw
Purpose: Standard DPS/Wallbreaker. Substitute to stall, and Fire Fang to defend against counters like Ferrothorn.

Dragapult @ Power Herb
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Dragon Darts
- Phantom Force
- U-turn
Purpose: On team because he is shiny, 6IV, and my favorite mon of this generation. Every guide said to put him as a Special Attacker, but his base stats make me feel otherwise. The con here is Phantom Force is the only only physical ghost move he can learn. Scope Lens with Dragon Darts has been helpful in-game when the Critical Hit comes in then it comes in twice (and in doubles, on both enemies). Power Herb allows Phantom Force to only take one move.

Grimmsnarl (Grimmsnarl-Gmax) (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Superpower
- Spirit Break
- Stomping Tantrum
Purpose: Attacker. Biggest threat is Aegislash, so Sucker Punch works as a counter move while having Stomping Tantrum in the back pockedt in case it fails. Superpower is to break down the many steel and dark type pokemon that are in the current meta, and Spirit Break for the dragons.

Wins:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1023536424
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1023587382

Losses:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1023581693
 
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Hey,

In terms of composition, your team is OK. It'll take some good play in order to avoid things like Gyarados from snowballing and over running you, but otherwise you can definitely play around it. You also lack a real answer to Darmantian-G, since most will carry moves to hit your entire team super-effectively. Except Grimmsnarl perhaps, but even with 252 Def its a solid chance to be 2KO'd with Icicle Crash and you don't OHKO with Sucker Punch.
Dracovish Rain can also be a real problem since Toxapex can't really switch in if its Banded. Like I say, you can outplay them if you make big plays, but I'll try my best to come up with some suggestions that might patch some weaknesses. Your team is also mightly weak to Excadrill, being that you have no Ground-resists.

:Dracozolt: I haven't used much Dracozolt myself, but I can tell you first hand how scary it is to be facing it. Moveset wise it looks fine. As for the item, I would consider either Leftovers or Choice Band, either for more longevity or for more power. Due to the nature of Bolt Beak and Dracozolt in general, you don't really want to be using Dragon Claw or Fire Fang too much anyway, unless you're specifically making a prediction to hit an incoming Dragapult or Ferrothorn. They generally seem to be reserved for muscling through threats while Dynamaxed, so I don't feel you're sacrificing too much with a Choice Band. An alternative if you're not sold on Dracozolt would be switching to Rotom-Wash. Rotom-Wash gives you another defensive measure against Gyarados, while providing a source of momentum in the form of Volt Switch, which can really help your team out.

:Dragapult: There's nothing really wrong with Physical Dragapult. Though, I wouldn't have both physical Dragapult AND physical Aegislash. If I were to go physical Dragapult, though, I'd probably run it with a Choice Band with Dragon Darts / Phantom Force / U-turn / Sucker Punch or Fire Blast. No need to use Dragon Claw honestly, its completely redundant with Dragon Darts. Phantom Force isn't really as bad as some make it seem... it's not preferred, but with a Band it'll still smack things around quite a bit. Just be wary of using it if the enemy has a powerful Normal-type on their team, especially one that can set-up. Fortunately... there aren't many that come to mind that are relevant in standard play. Obstagoon and Indeedee come to mind.

:Darmanitan-Galar: I personally think the Scarfed set is better, especially if you end up banding Dragapult.

:Grimmsnarl: You have a pretty good spread of hard-hitters already, so I would let Grimmsnarl take a step back. A more supportive role with Dual Screens / Spirit Break / Taunt or Sucker Punch would help your team out a lot more than an all-out-attacker set would. It also really helps you control hazards, since you currently don't have any way to remove them.

Hope you found this advice helpful.
 
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chimp said:
Hey,

In terms of composition, your team is OK. It'll take some good play in order to avoid things like Gyarados from snowballing and over running you, but otherwise you can definitely play around it. You also lack a real answer to Darmantian-G, since most will carry moves to hit your entire team super-effectively. Except Grimmsnarl perhaps, but even with 252 Def its a solid chance to be 2KO'd with Icicle Crash and you don't OHKO with Sucker Punch.
Dracovish Rain can also be a real problem since Toxapex can't really switch in if its Banded. Like I say, you can outplay them if you make big plays, but I'll try my best to come up with some suggestions that might patch some weaknesses. Your team is also mightly weak to Excadrill, being that you have no Ground-resists.

:Dracozolt: I haven't used much Dracozolt myself, but I can tell you first hand how scary it is to be facing it. Moveset wise it looks fine. As for the item, I would consider either Leftovers or Choice Band, either for more longevity or for more power. Due to the nature of Bolt Beak and Dracozolt in general, you don't really want to be using Dragon Claw or Fire Fang too much anyway, unless you're specifically making a prediction to hit an incoming Dragapult or Ferrothorn. They generally seem to be reserved for muscling through threats while Dynamaxed, so I don't feel you're sacrificing too much with a Choice Band. An alternative if you're not sold on Dracozolt would be switching to Rotom-Wash. Rotom-Wash gives you another defensive measure against Gyarados, while providing a source of momentum in the form of Volt Switch, which can really help your team out.

:Dragapult: There's nothing really wrong with Physical Dragapult. Though, I wouldn't have both physical Dragapult AND physical Aegislash. If I were to go physical Dragapult, though, I'd probably run it with a Choice Band with Dragon Darts / Phantom Force / U-turn / Sucker Punch or Fire Blast. No need to use Dragon Claw honestly, its completely redundant with Dragon Darts. Phantom Force isn't really as bad as some make it seem... it's not preferred, but with a Band it'll still smack things around quite a bit. Just be wary of using it if the enemy has a powerful Normal-type on their team, especially one that can set-up. Fortunately... there aren't many that come to mind that are relevant in standard play. Obstagoon and Indeedee come to mind.

:Darmanitan-Galar: I personally think the Scarfed set is better, especially if you end up banding Dragapult.

:Grimmsnarl: You have a pretty good spread of hard-hitters already, so I would let Grimmsnarl take a step back. A more supportive role with Dual Screens / Spirit Break / Taunt or Sucker Punch would help your team out a lot more than an all-out-attacker set would. It also really helps you control hazards, since you currently don't have any way to remove them.

Hope you found this advice helpful.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all that! I was thinking of replacing Dragon Claw with something like Thunderbolt/Thunder on my Dragapult to protect against Gyrados, but don't know how that would fare with his SpA not being trained. I also could give him something like Psychic Fangs to give me a bit of protection against Poison or Fighting types (which I don't have much of on this team), and just using U-Turn to go to Dracozolt if I see a Gyrados. Do you think that could work?
 
TownIdiot25 said:
Thanks for all that! I was thinking of replacing Dragon Claw with something like Thunderbolt/Thunder on my Dragapult to protect against Gyrados, but don't know how that would fare with his SpA not being trained. I also could give him something like Psychic Fangs to give me a bit of protection against Poison or Fighting types (which I don't have much of on this team), and just using U-Turn to go to Dracozolt if I see a Gyrados. Do you think that could work?
Click to expand...

0- SpA Dragapult Thunderbolt vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Gyarados: 232-276 (70 - 83.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
And thats before Dynamax, so I would think U-turn is the better option. Psychic Fang isn't really needed either since banded Dragon Darts KOs Toxtricity anyway.
 
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