Introduction
I wanted to make a new team, so I looked into what mega I wanted to build around - essentially I wanted to make a decent balance team that worked, and what I've created has turned out to be my most effective team yet. In my eyes, a balance team has to have:
So, there's the team. As I said, it peaked quite highly and is doing pretty well. In my testing phase, I didn't really find anything I couldn't handle: originally my team was really weak to water, but I've overcome that by subbing poke'mon out and changing the team around. Other than that, prediction and stealth rock hurts my team, but nothing has stood out as an out-and-out counter to this team, and nothing that can't be handled by proper thinking and strategy, and of course, healthy doses of luck.
I'd appreciate any help with this, or if it's as good as it's going to be, that's fine too; I'll just see how far I can take it. So, pitch in your $0.02 and tell me what you think!
PEACE.
I wanted to make a new team, so I looked into what mega I wanted to build around - essentially I wanted to make a decent balance team that worked, and what I've created has turned out to be my most effective team yet. In my eyes, a balance team has to have:
- A physica wall/tank
- A Special wall/tank
- Utility/Annoyer
- Mega Evolution
- Special Sweeper
- Physical sweeper
The team
--->
Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod ---> Intimidate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Ice]
The star of the team. I wanted to use Mega Mane as I've faced him before countless times and he can really pack a punch! He performs excellently as a revenge killer, speed tying with Mega Lopunny, and has fantastic outplay potential on the switch, for example using flamethrower because they predict a T-bolt and switch to Excadrill. The best thing about this guy is as long as the mon they switch in to isn't ground type I can just volt switch out. However, as it can only feasibly run one set, it is highly predictable, and the higher I move up in the ELO ladder the harder it's getting to outplay. Still, it's a fantastic late game sweeper and revenge killer thanks to it's huge mobility and special attack in mega form.
Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Rock Slide
Next, I needed a partner who could soak Manectric's only weakness, and Lando fitted the bill not only by levitating, but also provides Stealth Rock support and completing the Volt Turn combo. Lando with rocky helmet provides huge defence against Talonflames, which unfortunately is a problem with this team. A very manageable problem, however. The recoil from Flare Blitz or Brave Bird coupled with Rocky Helmet is amazing, and Lando can sure take a physical beating. His attack, even un-invested, isn't bad either, and is my best answer against Mega Charizard-X; Intimidate, earthquake and rocky helmet against his contact moves.
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def
Bold Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
Unfortunately, Ice and Water attacks are a problem for this team, as Lando is weak to special attacks and Mane isn't exactly tanky; Rotom-W helps to give me some breathing room against these attacks, as well as giving me a back-up check to T-flame/Char-Y, the ability to spread burns, a 3rd Volt Turn user, and a fire soak to keep Scizor healthy, as well as keeping water types off Infernape, and giving me an answer to Calm Mind Slowbro and CroCrune, two mons I had problems with in the testing phase of this team. A tried and tested tank, not much to say about him other than that.
Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 60 Def / 200 SpD
Impish Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Roost
- Defog
- Knock Off
The only mon I'm not 100% sure of here; essentially I needed a defogger to keep my team healthy, imperative since I have the option to Volt Turn so much, and Lati@s didn't really gel with my team, compounding my team's ice weakness and giving me a really frail mon instead of a tank. That left me, really, with Mandibuzz, Skarmory and Scizor. I discarded Skarmory immediately as I didn't need hazard support with Lando present. I trialed Mandibuzz and found she didn't really do much for the team. However, I'm fairly weak to ghost and dark types like Gengar, and found Knock off sort of patches this up, but perhaps Mandibuzz would be better for the foul play and psychic immunity. Thoughts on this one?
Infernape @ Life Orb
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Mach Punch
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Fire Punch
With ice being a fairly big problem to this team, and my own hate for Blissey walls, as well as a weakness for Heatran and Mega Lopunny, I needed a speedy fighting mon, preferably one that could boost. I trialed Conkeldurr in Infernape's place but I found I really missed the speed control of Infernape, and after 1 swords dance, 614 attack really hurts, especially iron fist and life orb boosted. Couple this with strong attacks like close combat, and I've had games where Infernape has netted 2 or 3 kills in a row. He's only really weak to water and Talonflame, and my team can really handle these mons. While fairly rare in OU, it's my best answer to steel/grass mons, and can really punch through walls.
Serperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Dragon Pulse
Finally, but certainly not least, the most stupid poke'mon to grace OU. I actually use this as my lead almost all the team, as teams usually either predict the Landorus start or switch in their rock setter; usually Chomp or Hippo. If it doesn't resist grass and can't kill me, I stay in and open with leaf storm. Then I'm +2 and faster than the 110 speed tier, which is pretty huge. I've had games start with them switching Ferrothorn into me, dealing about 5% damage with leaf storm, and then killing it with +2 HP Fire. Rage quits everywhere. Jokes aside, it pairs up amazingly with Mega Mane as a late game revenge killer and sweeper, and gives me a bit more breathing room against water types.
Conclusion
Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod ---> Intimidate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Ice]
The star of the team. I wanted to use Mega Mane as I've faced him before countless times and he can really pack a punch! He performs excellently as a revenge killer, speed tying with Mega Lopunny, and has fantastic outplay potential on the switch, for example using flamethrower because they predict a T-bolt and switch to Excadrill. The best thing about this guy is as long as the mon they switch in to isn't ground type I can just volt switch out. However, as it can only feasibly run one set, it is highly predictable, and the higher I move up in the ELO ladder the harder it's getting to outplay. Still, it's a fantastic late game sweeper and revenge killer thanks to it's huge mobility and special attack in mega form.
Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Rock Slide
Next, I needed a partner who could soak Manectric's only weakness, and Lando fitted the bill not only by levitating, but also provides Stealth Rock support and completing the Volt Turn combo. Lando with rocky helmet provides huge defence against Talonflames, which unfortunately is a problem with this team. A very manageable problem, however. The recoil from Flare Blitz or Brave Bird coupled with Rocky Helmet is amazing, and Lando can sure take a physical beating. His attack, even un-invested, isn't bad either, and is my best answer against Mega Charizard-X; Intimidate, earthquake and rocky helmet against his contact moves.
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def
Bold Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
Unfortunately, Ice and Water attacks are a problem for this team, as Lando is weak to special attacks and Mane isn't exactly tanky; Rotom-W helps to give me some breathing room against these attacks, as well as giving me a back-up check to T-flame/Char-Y, the ability to spread burns, a 3rd Volt Turn user, and a fire soak to keep Scizor healthy, as well as keeping water types off Infernape, and giving me an answer to Calm Mind Slowbro and CroCrune, two mons I had problems with in the testing phase of this team. A tried and tested tank, not much to say about him other than that.
Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 60 Def / 200 SpD
Impish Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Roost
- Defog
- Knock Off
The only mon I'm not 100% sure of here; essentially I needed a defogger to keep my team healthy, imperative since I have the option to Volt Turn so much, and Lati@s didn't really gel with my team, compounding my team's ice weakness and giving me a really frail mon instead of a tank. That left me, really, with Mandibuzz, Skarmory and Scizor. I discarded Skarmory immediately as I didn't need hazard support with Lando present. I trialed Mandibuzz and found she didn't really do much for the team. However, I'm fairly weak to ghost and dark types like Gengar, and found Knock off sort of patches this up, but perhaps Mandibuzz would be better for the foul play and psychic immunity. Thoughts on this one?
Infernape @ Life Orb
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Mach Punch
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Fire Punch
With ice being a fairly big problem to this team, and my own hate for Blissey walls, as well as a weakness for Heatran and Mega Lopunny, I needed a speedy fighting mon, preferably one that could boost. I trialed Conkeldurr in Infernape's place but I found I really missed the speed control of Infernape, and after 1 swords dance, 614 attack really hurts, especially iron fist and life orb boosted. Couple this with strong attacks like close combat, and I've had games where Infernape has netted 2 or 3 kills in a row. He's only really weak to water and Talonflame, and my team can really handle these mons. While fairly rare in OU, it's my best answer to steel/grass mons, and can really punch through walls.
Serperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Dragon Pulse
Finally, but certainly not least, the most stupid poke'mon to grace OU. I actually use this as my lead almost all the team, as teams usually either predict the Landorus start or switch in their rock setter; usually Chomp or Hippo. If it doesn't resist grass and can't kill me, I stay in and open with leaf storm. Then I'm +2 and faster than the 110 speed tier, which is pretty huge. I've had games start with them switching Ferrothorn into me, dealing about 5% damage with leaf storm, and then killing it with +2 HP Fire. Rage quits everywhere. Jokes aside, it pairs up amazingly with Mega Mane as a late game revenge killer and sweeper, and gives me a bit more breathing room against water types.
So, there's the team. As I said, it peaked quite highly and is doing pretty well. In my testing phase, I didn't really find anything I couldn't handle: originally my team was really weak to water, but I've overcome that by subbing poke'mon out and changing the team around. Other than that, prediction and stealth rock hurts my team, but nothing has stood out as an out-and-out counter to this team, and nothing that can't be handled by proper thinking and strategy, and of course, healthy doses of luck.
I'd appreciate any help with this, or if it's as good as it's going to be, that's fine too; I'll just see how far I can take it. So, pitch in your $0.02 and tell me what you think!
PEACE.
