Hello! With the prevalence of Rain/Sandstorm in OU, I was forced to try my best to create a team that can beat the weather abusers while still being able to defeat regular teams. It has been a while since a Rain/SS team has defeated this team.
Forretress (M) @ Custap Berry
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Gyro Ball
- Rapid Spin
Forretress is a great entry hazard lead and it works incredibly well, and I find it to be the better version of the overrated Ferrothorn. Sturdy + Custap Berry usually ensures that I get at least SR and Spikes up. Gyro Ball can even KO some leads such as Shell Smash Cloyster that think they can just set up on Forretress. It's mostly a suicide lead, and if it can at least set up SR then that is enough since this team tends to cause a good amount of switches. There's not really much more to say, this team just needs the extra SR and spikes support.
The Revenge Killer
Chandelure (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Shadow Tag
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Energy Ball
- Shadow Ball
I really hate this Pokemon but the ability to trap Ferrothorn or Skarmory is a necessity to this team. Not to mention that its capability as an excellent revenge killer is crucial because almost every other Pokemon on this team is very slow. All it needs to do is get rid of that one annoying Pokemon on the other team. Not too much to say about the moveset, it's there to get a wide amount of coverage and HP Ice is really useful for those dragons. Again, I really dislike using this because I feel Chandelure is one of the Pokemon that is almost broken, but I needed a spin blocker that can also function as a revenge killer with a respectable movepool and above average stats. Chandelure has all of this and Shadow Tag; there just isn't a better replacement.
The Walls
(Based off of SkarmBliss)
Chansey (F) @ Eviolite
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 / 252 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Softboiled
- Toxic
- Seismic Toss
- Flash
I originally had an Evo Stone Dusclops but find that it's lack of a reliable recovery move and poor HP made it get KO'd a lot quicker than I needed. So, I decided to make a Chansey to tank all those spec Draco Meteors like it's nothing. Toxic and Seismic Toss for stall and Softboiled for recovery. I know Flash may seem a little strange, but I put there for lack of a better move. I don't need Aromatherapy because of the only Pokemon I really care about being statused is Breloom, but I will switch him out if a Will-O-Wisp/T-Wave is coming. T-Wave or another status move might help, but I find that Flash has been surprisingly beneficial against Pokemon like Rest Suicine since I otherwise can't touch it.
Gliscor (F) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
- Protect
Chansey's counterpart as a wall, Gliscor is the defensive wall of this team (better type coverage for the team and overall more useful than Skarmory). It's ground/flying typing helps cover Chansey's most common physical threats: Fighting and Ground. Its water/ice weakness gets really annoying, but otherwise it works very well tank the hits I need it to tank. Swords Dance is there so that Gliscor can't be stalled by other opponent's defensive wall. EQ and Ice Fang gives pretty good coverage. After a Swords Dance, most opponents switch to a flying type to take the predicted EQ, but I usually use Ice Fang and get a free KO.
The Sweepers (Kinda)
Breloom (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Technician
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Bullet Seed
- Mach Punch
- Spore
- Substitute
Breloom is probably the best weather counter, being able to put a HUGE dent in Sand/Ice teams alone, and finishing weakened Rain Dance teams. It can't do much against Sunny Day teams but thankfully I almost never see those and Chansey handles most pretty well. It is essential to the team because Mach Punch support which needs to be on this team somewhere to deal with Excadrill, SS Cloyster, Scrafty, etc. as well as KO'ing weakened Pokes. The Grass/Fighting attacks gives me an all around better coverage for the team and Spore/Substitute gives me a chance to KO a slow Pokemon and still have a sub so I can deal with the next one. Breloom is irreplacable.
Rankurusu (Reuniclus) (F) @ Flame Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Psychic
- Trick
- Recover
Reuniculus is Plan B. It's speed is incredibly lackluster so I hardly switch it into anything and I can win games without having to use it at all. However, when all else fails, Reuniculus has been there to help me win some games with its decent bulk and fantastic ability. (Though its speed has really failed me a lot as well). Tricking a flame orb has been surprisingly helpful. I remember facing a Curse Lapras in the rain with Hydration, but the Flame Orb would always activate at the end of each turn and that Lapras was useless. Having only Psychic, of course, is very risky, but Breloom would have already eliminated all the dark types by the time I'm forced to call this out. I have thought of using a faster sweeper to replace this one, especially Multiscale Dragonite, but most fast sweepers are either too frail or bring a type weakness that I can't afford (mainly Ice).
P.S. There is one really big threat that I usually cannot beat: DD Gyarados. Most physical attackers can be handled by Gliscor but Gyarados obviously destroys him. I just don't have a pokemon that can handle a powerful Waterfall.
Forretress (M) @ Custap Berry
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Gyro Ball
- Rapid Spin
Forretress is a great entry hazard lead and it works incredibly well, and I find it to be the better version of the overrated Ferrothorn. Sturdy + Custap Berry usually ensures that I get at least SR and Spikes up. Gyro Ball can even KO some leads such as Shell Smash Cloyster that think they can just set up on Forretress. It's mostly a suicide lead, and if it can at least set up SR then that is enough since this team tends to cause a good amount of switches. There's not really much more to say, this team just needs the extra SR and spikes support.
The Revenge Killer
Chandelure (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Shadow Tag
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Energy Ball
- Shadow Ball
I really hate this Pokemon but the ability to trap Ferrothorn or Skarmory is a necessity to this team. Not to mention that its capability as an excellent revenge killer is crucial because almost every other Pokemon on this team is very slow. All it needs to do is get rid of that one annoying Pokemon on the other team. Not too much to say about the moveset, it's there to get a wide amount of coverage and HP Ice is really useful for those dragons. Again, I really dislike using this because I feel Chandelure is one of the Pokemon that is almost broken, but I needed a spin blocker that can also function as a revenge killer with a respectable movepool and above average stats. Chandelure has all of this and Shadow Tag; there just isn't a better replacement.
The Walls
(Based off of SkarmBliss)
Chansey (F) @ Eviolite
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 / 252 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Softboiled
- Toxic
- Seismic Toss
- Flash
I originally had an Evo Stone Dusclops but find that it's lack of a reliable recovery move and poor HP made it get KO'd a lot quicker than I needed. So, I decided to make a Chansey to tank all those spec Draco Meteors like it's nothing. Toxic and Seismic Toss for stall and Softboiled for recovery. I know Flash may seem a little strange, but I put there for lack of a better move. I don't need Aromatherapy because of the only Pokemon I really care about being statused is Breloom, but I will switch him out if a Will-O-Wisp/T-Wave is coming. T-Wave or another status move might help, but I find that Flash has been surprisingly beneficial against Pokemon like Rest Suicine since I otherwise can't touch it.
Gliscor (F) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
- Protect
Chansey's counterpart as a wall, Gliscor is the defensive wall of this team (better type coverage for the team and overall more useful than Skarmory). It's ground/flying typing helps cover Chansey's most common physical threats: Fighting and Ground. Its water/ice weakness gets really annoying, but otherwise it works very well tank the hits I need it to tank. Swords Dance is there so that Gliscor can't be stalled by other opponent's defensive wall. EQ and Ice Fang gives pretty good coverage. After a Swords Dance, most opponents switch to a flying type to take the predicted EQ, but I usually use Ice Fang and get a free KO.
The Sweepers (Kinda)
Breloom (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Technician
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Bullet Seed
- Mach Punch
- Spore
- Substitute
Breloom is probably the best weather counter, being able to put a HUGE dent in Sand/Ice teams alone, and finishing weakened Rain Dance teams. It can't do much against Sunny Day teams but thankfully I almost never see those and Chansey handles most pretty well. It is essential to the team because Mach Punch support which needs to be on this team somewhere to deal with Excadrill, SS Cloyster, Scrafty, etc. as well as KO'ing weakened Pokes. The Grass/Fighting attacks gives me an all around better coverage for the team and Spore/Substitute gives me a chance to KO a slow Pokemon and still have a sub so I can deal with the next one. Breloom is irreplacable.
Rankurusu (Reuniclus) (F) @ Flame Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Psychic
- Trick
- Recover
Reuniculus is Plan B. It's speed is incredibly lackluster so I hardly switch it into anything and I can win games without having to use it at all. However, when all else fails, Reuniculus has been there to help me win some games with its decent bulk and fantastic ability. (Though its speed has really failed me a lot as well). Tricking a flame orb has been surprisingly helpful. I remember facing a Curse Lapras in the rain with Hydration, but the Flame Orb would always activate at the end of each turn and that Lapras was useless. Having only Psychic, of course, is very risky, but Breloom would have already eliminated all the dark types by the time I'm forced to call this out. I have thought of using a faster sweeper to replace this one, especially Multiscale Dragonite, but most fast sweepers are either too frail or bring a type weakness that I can't afford (mainly Ice).
P.S. There is one really big threat that I usually cannot beat: DD Gyarados. Most physical attackers can be handled by Gliscor but Gyarados obviously destroys him. I just don't have a pokemon that can handle a powerful Waterfall.
