Hey y'all, this is a team I thought up that I've had a lot of fun with and a fair amount of success with, too. It's far from perfect, which is why I'm putting it up here. Any and all suggestions are welcome. It's a relatively balanced team that has a number of ways to take opponents down. There's not one real star, but everyone pulls weight. Enjoy!
The team at a glance:
In Depth:
Tyranitar (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SAtk
Naughty Nature
- Superpower
- Iron Head
- Crunch
- Ice Beam
The team at a glance:
In Depth:
Tyranitar (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SAtk
Naughty Nature
- Superpower
- Iron Head
- Crunch
- Ice Beam
Assault Vest Tyranitar does so much for this team. Sand cancels lefties for wallier pokes and boosts his special defense to untouchable levels with AV. Tyranitar works well both as a pivot and an attacking poke. Even with the Special Defense drop from Naughty Nature, TTar tanks most neutral or resisted hits without a second notice and can usually hit back for big damage.
Superpower is good for bulky Normals and Heatran (both of which bother this team) as well as providing ever-useful general Fighting coverage. However, it limits Tyranitar's ability to stay in. Iron Head is there for surprise Fairy coverage; to wreck things like Mega Gardevoir, Clefable, or Sylveon that switch in to set up or because think they can OHKO Tar with Moonblast. That being said, Iron Head sacrifices key Stone Edge coverage, making it that much harder to kill threats like Mandibuzz or Mega Charizard-Y. I run Crunch over Pursuit by personal preference. I like the lack of penalty for losing the mind games, and I find that most things that could be killed by Pursuit are handled pretty well by this team anyway. Also, Crunch provides Tyranitar an immediate, powerful STAB that is even more powerful this gen with the Steel nerf. Ice Beam is there almost entirely for coverage. It screws up Gliscor and does a number on Dragonite even with Multiscale up, as well as providing Tar with way around things like King's Shield should it ever have to go up against Aegislash.
For all that's good about Tyranitar, there's plenty of bad, too. Lack of real defense investment mean that he's very vulnerable to Earthquakes and Fighting moves, and a boosted Genesect U-turn is often enough to kill. Sand, while it has its uses on this team, can sometimes be a hindrance. Often Tar's own sand is what can put Gyara into Vacuum Wave-able range, and it does no favors for Rotom to get worn down when it's trying to tank. Finally, bulky Normal Types such as Chansey and Porygon2 are often not KO'd by Superpower and can Softboiled or Recover the damage away while TTar sits there with -1 Attack the next turn. Overall though, Tyranitar brings a lot of valued bulk and power and is an incredibly versatile addition to this team.
Superpower is good for bulky Normals and Heatran (both of which bother this team) as well as providing ever-useful general Fighting coverage. However, it limits Tyranitar's ability to stay in. Iron Head is there for surprise Fairy coverage; to wreck things like Mega Gardevoir, Clefable, or Sylveon that switch in to set up or because think they can OHKO Tar with Moonblast. That being said, Iron Head sacrifices key Stone Edge coverage, making it that much harder to kill threats like Mandibuzz or Mega Charizard-Y. I run Crunch over Pursuit by personal preference. I like the lack of penalty for losing the mind games, and I find that most things that could be killed by Pursuit are handled pretty well by this team anyway. Also, Crunch provides Tyranitar an immediate, powerful STAB that is even more powerful this gen with the Steel nerf. Ice Beam is there almost entirely for coverage. It screws up Gliscor and does a number on Dragonite even with Multiscale up, as well as providing Tar with way around things like King's Shield should it ever have to go up against Aegislash.
For all that's good about Tyranitar, there's plenty of bad, too. Lack of real defense investment mean that he's very vulnerable to Earthquakes and Fighting moves, and a boosted Genesect U-turn is often enough to kill. Sand, while it has its uses on this team, can sometimes be a hindrance. Often Tar's own sand is what can put Gyara into Vacuum Wave-able range, and it does no favors for Rotom to get worn down when it's trying to tank. Finally, bulky Normal Types such as Chansey and Porygon2 are often not KO'd by Superpower and can Softboiled or Recover the damage away while TTar sits there with -1 Attack the next turn. Overall though, Tyranitar brings a lot of valued bulk and power and is an incredibly versatile addition to this team.
Gyarados (M) @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 8 Def / 248 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Waterfall
- Substitute
Dragon Dance is absolutely necessary on this set, because without it, Gyarados fails to achieve the game-breaking speed and power that make him so dangerous. Often, a game with this team consists of moving pieces around to find an opportunity for Gyara to set up. Earthquake on Normal Gyara lacks a lot, but on Mega Gyarados it hits most pokes like a truck. Mold Breaker hits through things that would normal switch in like Rotom-W, Lati@s, Gengar and deals massive damage. Together with Waterfall, EQ gives Gyara the means to wreck most threats. Waterfall, Gyarados' tried and true STAB of choice, lends itself to so many uses. Besides providing critical power, when combined with Mold Breaker, Waterfall breaks through Water Absorb and Storm Drain, making Gyara even more menacing. Waterfall also has a game-saving 20% flinch rate, which can guarantee free kills or save Gyara's skin in the late-game. Substitute allows Gyarados to set up in the faces of walls or status-abusers. I run Jolly just so Gyarados outruns the fastest lead Smeargle, as Gyara can block Spore, get a free sub, and ensure at least one free DD all in one fell swoop.
Gyarados, however, is far from perfect. Its Dark type as a Mega grants it no favors defensively or offensively (no Crunch? Are you serious GameFreak?). The super-effective weaknesses the Dark subtype entails allow many things to switch in to cripple Gyara, namely, Genesect which outspeeds Gyara at +1 and deals 74.6-88.5% with a boosted U-turn. Gyara is also harmed by Fighting priority from the likes of Mega Lucario and Conkeldurr, though they can be taken out often if you just don't turn Mega for a bit. Gyara really wanted that Dragon subtype for its Mega, but he handles fine without it. When used correctly, Mega Gyarados is a terrifying physical force who can win games in the blink of an eye.
Genesect @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Download
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature
- U-turn
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
This a pretty standard Genesect set, so I'll keep it brief. U-turn gives Genesect vital, momentum grabbing STAB, while also diversifying its attacking abilities. U-turn deals massive damage to opposing Dark and Psychic types, and gives Genesect the ability to remove itself from sticky situations (I'm looking at you, Heatran). Ice Beam forms half of the BoltBeam combo, which grants Genesect the ability to hit pretty much everything for neutral damage. More importantly, Ice Beam makes Dragonite, Zygarde, and Gliscor think twice about setting up, even when Tyranitar is down for the count. Flamethrower covers the ever-present steel threat in OU. It OHKOs threats Offensive threats like Scizor and (if you have balls made of steel) opposing Genesect, as well as defensive threats like Skarmory and Ferrothorn. Thunderbolt helps the team deal with Bulky Waters and allows Genesect to hit Heatran and other Fire types for Neutral, which can provide vital kills/momentum where there was none.
Stealth Rocks are Genesect's biggest weakness. Everything else, Genesect can handle or switch to a more appropriate member (barring misprediction), but Stealth Rocks are really a thorn in its side. If Donphan is KO'd or asleep, Genesect's health starts to drop as it does its job VoltTurning. Otherwise, besides the normal threats like Heatran, SpDef. Jellicent, and Chansey, Genesect owns the competition and gives this team immediate, highly valuable power.
Talonflame (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 208 Spd
Adamant Nature
IVs: 30 SAtk / 30 SDef
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- U-turn
- Will-O-Wisp
Brave Bird is obviously the crux of this set. It gains priority through Gale Wings, and it is what makes Talonflame so dangerous. Nothing wants to take a base 120 STAB priority move. As a lead Talonflame can immediately force a switch and most likely hit something hard with Brave Bird and even Heatran takes 28.7-34.1%. This might seem like a pittance, but if you consider that in most cases Talonflame will be able to hit twice (once on the switch in and once before Heatran moves) Talonflame can often sweep weakened Heatran and other similar checks. Flare Blitz cleans up where Brave Bird leaves off, covering threats that Brave Bird can't quite kill like Steel types bar Heatran and Electrics like Thundurus (although most of the time it is still better to go with Brave Bird against fast Electric types). Flare Blitz also has a nice 30% burn chance so it's an added bonus when trying to take down walls and the like. U-turn marries Talonflame to Rotom-W and Genesect, forming a potent VoltTurn core. Often, because Talonflame will be leading, U-turn is going to be the first move you use, as it eases prediction and allows Talonflame to counter threats it can't take down. Like Genesect, it can deal hefty damage with U-turn too, and can cripple things like TTar and Deoxys while also switching out. Will-O-Wisp is good for crippling switch-ins like TTar, Terrakion, or Dragonite, but honestly doesn't see too much use because most of the time it's better for Talonflame to deal immediate damage with Brave Bird or Flare Blitz. I've thought about using Sleep Talk to use Talonflame as a status absorber and an end-all, be-all check to Breloom, but Will-O-Wisp is just useful enough that I haven't done that yet.
Talonflame's biggest flaws are its lack of any semblance of bulk and it's 50% weakness to Stealth Rock. Talonflame needs Donphan to clear Stealth Rocks if it wants to stay in for more than 2 or 3 turns. However, if your opponent has set down SR and promptly forgotten about Talonflame, you can still do some damage as a revenge killer because he can still hit like a truck. Talonflame normally won't stay in the game for long, but he can have a profound effect and can take down many of this team's checks with brute force, allowing for a clean sweep.
Rotom-Wash @ Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 36 SAtk / 220 Spd
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Hydro Pump is a move I either love or hate, depending on the day of the week. One one hand, it provides this team with critical Special Water coverage, but, on the other, Hydro Pump's 85% accuracy can often feel like 50%, and at times can cost you the game. Hydro Pump remains critical in countering things like Heatran, Landorus, and Donphan, so I probably can't switch it anytime soon. Thunderbolt allows Rotom to have surprising offensive pressure, despite his role as a pivot. Electric STAB is always good to have and T-bolt is also this Rotom's answer to other Rotom (it overpowers HP Grass dues to the HP nerf this gen). Volt Switch is an absolutely necessary addition to Rotom and it forms the VoltTurn core with Genesect and Talonflame. It allows Rotom to get out of sticky situations, do some damage in the meantime, and keep momentum continuously in this team's favor. Finally, HP Grass provides key coverage on Water/Grounds that this team has a hard time taking down. If Gyarados has been KO'd, Quagsire and Gastrodon give this team fits. Other than that, HP Grass doesn't serve much use. When it comes in handy, it's indispensable, but otherwise it just sits there. I'm not sure I want to sack the AV Special Defense boost to run a ChestoResto (or god forbid a scarf) set, but Rotom is one of the more reworkable members of this team.
Rotom, like Genesect, doesn't get killed by much, normally; it's constant switches and taking hits meant for other teammates that do him in. As such, Stealth Rocks can be a problem, but as long as Donphan does his job, things normally end up OK. Rotom does vital pivot work for this team and carries his share of the offensive load, too.
Donphan @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
Rapid Spin is the reason to use Donphan. This team is pretty weak to SR, so if Donphan can clean up, the team normally has an easy time winning. Donphan is bulky enough to come in on a resisted or neutral (or even weak super effective) hit, clear rocks, set up his own, and maybe cripple with Knock off before dying. Stealth Rock is one of the best moves in the game and it makes a lot of sense why. With SR support, this team becomes all the more dangerous, as threats such as Talonflame and Gensect (ironically) think twice about switching in to revenge kill this Genesect or to stop Gyarados before he reaches +2. Donphan can normally switch in and get up Stealth Rocks without a problem, but sometimes his speed hinders him. He's not good at taking Special hits, so often it takes patient switching between Rotom, TTar, and Donphan to get rid of Special threats and get Stealth Rocks up. Earthquake is Donphan's STAB of choice and it gets rid of most opposing pokes when combined with Knock Off. The Flying/Air Baloon immunity is sometimes annoying, but EQ gives Donphan bite, even though he's mainly a Defensive spinner. Knock Off lets Donphan ruin Ghosts, Psychics, and Defensive Pokemon alike. With the new buff this gen, Knock Off does massive damage to Ghosts who switch in to spinblock. Trevenant in particular gets absolutely wrecked by Knock Off, as, without his Sitrus berry, he can't abuse his Harvest healing. Knock Off also make opposing spinners/defoggers like Latias, Mandibuzz, and opposing Donphan easier to kill because they have a hard time recovering without Leftovers.
Donphan lacks the Special Defense to stay in against things he might otherwise be able to set up on. Normally I counter this with Rotom and Tyranitar, whose massive SpDef stats wall can wall almost any hit, but the team sorely misses the lack of rocks. Donphan actually does alright against Psychic and Ghost Special Attackers and can survive and kill most of the weaker ones thanks to Sturdy. Donphan is the critical element in this team. His ability to tank physical hits and remove rocks keep the team viable, and, though they can deal without rocks, if Donphan does his job, the team can sweep with ease.
Threat List:
-As previously mentioned I have lots of trouble with Bulky Normals and most of the time Tar's Fighting coverage doesn't cut it.
-I'm pretty weak to sleep. Unless Gyardos is already out or someone is already statused, I have no way of blocking spore and the like. I was thinking about putting Sleep Talk on Talonflame to combat this, but I'm not sure I should trade it for the WoW.
-Most of this team acts like failsafes for the other members, so there's not one real particular threat, but when certain members are knocked out in tandem, weaknesses become apparent. For example, when both Genesect and Talonflame are gone, this team is sorta toast against Mega Venusaur.
-More to come as I test more.
Importable:
This team's a lot of fun to play with and can break through a lot of teams if they haven't prepared for it. Every poke on this team can attack and hurt something and everyone but Talonflame can take a hit pretty well too. It's not perfect by a long shot so please help me improve it. Hoped you liked my team!
-As previously mentioned I have lots of trouble with Bulky Normals and most of the time Tar's Fighting coverage doesn't cut it.
-I'm pretty weak to sleep. Unless Gyardos is already out or someone is already statused, I have no way of blocking spore and the like. I was thinking about putting Sleep Talk on Talonflame to combat this, but I'm not sure I should trade it for the WoW.
-Most of this team acts like failsafes for the other members, so there's not one real particular threat, but when certain members are knocked out in tandem, weaknesses become apparent. For example, when both Genesect and Talonflame are gone, this team is sorta toast against Mega Venusaur.
-More to come as I test more.
Importable:
Tyranitar (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SAtk
Naughty Nature
- Superpower
- Iron Head
- Crunch
- Ice Beam
Gyarados (M) @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 8 Def / 248 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Waterfall
- Substitute
Genesect @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Download
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature
- U-turn
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
Talonflame (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 208 Spd
Adamant Nature
IVs: 30 SAtk / 30 SDef
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- U-turn
- Will-O-Wisp
Rotom-Wash @ Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 36 SAtk / 220 Spd
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Donphan @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SAtk
Naughty Nature
- Superpower
- Iron Head
- Crunch
- Ice Beam
Gyarados (M) @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 8 Def / 248 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Waterfall
- Substitute
Genesect @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Download
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature
- U-turn
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
Talonflame (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 208 Spd
Adamant Nature
IVs: 30 SAtk / 30 SDef
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- U-turn
- Will-O-Wisp
Rotom-Wash @ Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 36 SAtk / 220 Spd
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Donphan @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
This team's a lot of fun to play with and can break through a lot of teams if they haven't prepared for it. Every poke on this team can attack and hurt something and everyone but Talonflame can take a hit pretty well too. It's not perfect by a long shot so please help me improve it. Hoped you liked my team!
