ORAS OU 1000 Nights of Pain - Zoroark HO (1600 ELO and climbing)

[Amane Misa]

1000 Nights of Pain

Hello! I am very happy to present you a very fun team I have been playing with for quite a while.

As you can tell by the team preview, this is straight up offense. Personally, I really despise Hyper Offense because you don't have a switch-in for everything and you have to do a lot of 50-50s, I really prefer Balance or Stall. However, I really enjoy using this team because of the great synergy between and because you can play mind games with your opponent because of Zoroark's ability, Illusion.​

Teambuilding Process
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Open

Started with Zoroark. I really wanted to built a viable OU team starring it. It can catch lots of people off-guard with its huge movepool - it has Sludge Bomb for the 2HKO on Clefable, Flamethrower for the OHKO on Ferrothorn, Sucker Punch for the priority and OHKO on mainly Lati@s, Starmie and Alakazam, Knock Off for the 2HKO on Slowbro, U-turn for momentum, Low Kick for Tyranitar, Weavile and Bisharp, Swords Dance also turns it into a set-up sweeper and it also has a very decent speed tier (base 105), allowing it to outspeed the lots of base 100s hanging around the tier. I decided to use a mixed Zoroark because I think it has higher potential than the other sets and it is a very big surprise factor on the ladder. You never know what to expect from it!

Offensive Mega Scizor has a very good synergy with Zoroark. Zoroark helps kill or weaken Skarmory, one of the main stops to Mega Scizor and the fast Pokémon that resist Scizor's Bullet Punch with its STAB Sucker Punch (the kinds of Starmie, Mega Manectric) and to weaken Clefable a bit for Bullet Punch to KO it at +0. A thing that worths mentioning, Zoroark lures in Scarf Magnezone and OHKOs it with Flamethrower after a spike switch-in, or with Flamethrower into Sucker Punch. In return, Scizor weakens Clefable for Sludge Bomb to OHKO it and more (my memory is straight up garbage, sorry about that).

Landorus-T helps countering Zoroark's checks, such as Fighting types, Jirachi, Talonflame and more. It is also the Stealth Rock setter on the team. As you will see in the in-depth analysis of the team (spoiler alert) that is not a so-common Landorus-T. It carries HP Ice. Further details will be explained later on the thread :).

One thing that the team looks really weak to is Keldeo. I do not say that an Offensive Starmie completely counters Keldeo but it does check it and forces it to take chip damage from hazards on the switch-in, leaving it possible for other members to KO it. Starmie is a very important member on the team, as it provides me a spinner that keeps offensive pressure on the enemy. It also helps me amazingly with the match-up against stall, as stupid it may sound like. You disguise Zoroark as Starmie and Knock Off Chansey's Eviolite on the switch-in which is pretty cool, not gonna lie.

Because this is a hazard stacking offense, I needed a spin blocker that keeps offensive pressure on the field. Gengar is my choice here. Gengar isn't seen much usually and for a good reason - the metagame is full of Mega Lopunny, Weavile, priority, and what not. Gengar has the defense of a towel. Despite its frailness, Gengar is an amazing Pokémon offensively. After Steel type's nerf, Shadow Ball is just so easy to spam. With a high SpA. and Life Orb, Gengar becomes an immediate threat to fat teams, mainly because its access to Focus Blast and Taunt. Another cool thing is when your opponent has a pursuit trapper such as Weavile, Tyranitar, Metagross, Doublade and what not. You diguise Zoroark as Gengar, lure-in the trapper and KO it or almost OHKO it.

The last member of my team is Klefki. Since I really don't want to run Pursuit on Zoroark (that is an option though, to diguise Zoroark as Scizor and trap things), I wanted a spikes-setter that counters Lati@s, a secondary Weavile check, a way to stop fast set-up sweepers and a Diancie stop. Klefki fits well on all those roles with its amazing typing, good defensive stats, great movepool and the great ability Prankster.

The Team In-depth
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Item:

Ability: Illusion
EVs: 88 Atk / 188 SpA / 232 Spe
Naive Nature
IVs: 29 HP

• 
  
  
  • Flamethrower
  • Sucker Punch / Low Kick
  • Knock Off
  • Sludge Bomb

The star of the team, Zoroark. Life Orb is the item of choice because this is an AoA and you wanna give it as much power as possible. 29 HP IVs are to reduce Life Orb's recoil. The EVs spread is a custom one made by me. It allows Zoroark to outspeed a max speed positive nature Garchomp and below, OHKO Ferrothorn with Ferrothorn and 2HKO Clefable with Sludge Bomb. Rest EVs were thrown into Atk.
Use Low Kick to weaken/kill Heatran, Tyranitar, Weavile and Sucker Punch to surprise Lati@s, Starmie, Alakazam, Mega-Manectric, etc...

Item:

Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature

• 
  
  
  • Swords Dance
  • Bullet Punch
  • Superpower
  • Bug Bite

Zoroark's partner-in-crime. Swords Dance boosts its attack to insane levels after only one boost and really sweep teams. EVs are pretty simple - maximizing offensive stats. Adamant nature is preferred to get as much power as possible. Superpower hits Heatran and steel types in general, Bug Bite hits Hippowdon, Slowbro, Slowking, etc. and Bullet Punch hits the rest.

Item:

Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 8 SpD / 12 Spe
Impish Nature

• 
  
  
  • Earthquake
  • Hidden Power [Ice]
  • Stone Edge
  • Stealth Rock

Pretty simple EVs - Max HP, 8 SpD to survive Manectric's HP Ice from full, 12 Spe to outspeed opposing Landorus-T and hit with HP Ice and rest was thrown into Def with a Bold nature to get as much physical bulk as possible. Earthquake is your main STAB move that hits pretty hard. HP Ice is mainly for opposing Landorus-Ts and Garchomps. It weakens then and helps a lot to Scizor to sweep. Rocky Helmet is my favorite item because it punishes the kinds of Lopunny and Jirachi for touching it. Stone Edge hits mainly Talonflame but basically any bird and Stealth Rocks is mandatory on almost every team.

Item:

Ability: Analytic
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 29 HP / 0 Atk

• 
  
  
  • Rapid Spin
  • Hydro Pump
  • Psychic
  • Ice Beam

Simple EVs - Maximizing power and speed. 29 HP EVs to reduce Life Orb recoil and 0 Atk to minimize Foul Play's damage. Hydro Pump is a powerful STAB that hits very hard with Analytic and Life Orb, Psychic is another STAB to hit Mega Venusaur and Keldeo and Ice Beam is mainly to hit Landorus-T, Garchom and Lati@s. Rapid Spin is mandatory in order to get rid of hazards on the team's side without removing on the enemy's side too.

Item:

Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 29 HP / 0 Atk

• 
  
  
  • Shadow Ball
  • Sludge Wave
  • Focus Blast
  • Taunt

Simple EVs - Maximizing speed and power. 29 EVs to reduce Life Orb recoil. Shadow Ball and Sludge Wave are two spammable and powerful STAB moves. Focus Blast misses hits Heatran, Ferrothorn, Tyranitar and others and Taunt helps with shutting down passive Pokémon.

Item:

Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk

• 
  
  
  • Spikes
  • Thunder Wave
  • Magnet Rise
  • Dazzling Gleam

Standard EV spread - maximizing HP and SpD to take hits from special attackers. Sitrus Berry is chosen over Leftovers because Klefki is not gonna stay too much on the field. Spikes is for hazard stacking, Thunder Wave makes fast Pokémon useless, Magnet Rise helps it to wall Landorus-T and Dazzling Gleam somewhat hits Mega Sableye, weakening it for Gengar or something.

Importable

Zoroark @ Life Orb
Ability: Illusion
EVs: 88 Atk / 188 SpA / 232 Spe
Naive Nature
IVs: 29 HP
- Flamethrower
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Sludge Bomb

Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Bug Bite

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 8 SpD / 12 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock

Starmie @ Life Orb
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 29 HP / 0 Atk
- Rapid Spin
- Hydro Pump
- Psychic
- Ice Beam

Gengar @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 29 HP / 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Focus Blast
- Taunt

Klefki @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spikes
- Thunder Wave
- Magnet Rise
- Dazzling Gleam

Threatlist:

A huge threat. Landorus-T can survive one HP Ice from full, Zoroark can Sucker Punch and Gengar can survive one hit and retaliate back.

That is what I could think of at the moment :).

Replays

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http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-396433926 - vs. Rain (1600ELO game)

Thank you for reading! Please give me any suggestion if you can! Feel free to use the team, it is a really fun team![/SIZE]

 

[DecafWizard]

Only thing I can say is that I would take Psyshock over Psychic on the Starmie to hit walls harder, but that is a personal preference. It also might have issues with heavy stall teams

Really great team

 

[Amane Misa]

Only thing I can say is that I would take Psyshock over Psychic on the Starmie to hit walls harder, but that is a personal preference.

Really great team

I will try that. Thank you for your reply!

 

[Warped Worlds]

I would recommend not using Life Orb numbers on your pokemon. You would need to attack 3 times to have it be superior than having a 31 HP IV. 3 of your sweepers are using a 29 HP IV, which means overall it would be 9 attacks. You might as well have 2 more HP on your sweepers can give you a small percentage increase at surviving priority at full health, or the rare scenario of switching a sweeper in on a weaker resisted attack.

For such an offensive team, you have such a defensive orientated spiker on your team. Almost would suggest to just go 5-6 offensive mons.

I haven't played gen 6 at all and I don't know what the fairy type does, but these were some observations I had.