Hello, I'm Koista12, and this is my first RMT. I've been a member of smogon for over a year now, and I’m a rather average player, having made one successful team before this that peaked at 1700. I’d like to hit at least the top 300 on the ladder, so I’ve come to the RMT forum for help. Let’s get on to the team!
Teambuilding process:
I started off with mega pinsir, who I love this gen, and decided to build around him.
I needed a Rotom-Wash counter, and a way to deal with hazards, so I added latios, who also acts as my primary special wallbreaker.
Mega Pinsir hates Zapdos and Skarmory, who wall him for days, so I added a Heatran.
I noticed my team had trouble with bulky waters, and I needed a mixed wallbreaker, so I added a mixed Thundurus to my team.
I had no check to dark types, and a large rock weakness, so I added breloom.
The team was looking sorta slow, and I needed a Thundurus check, so scarfed landorus came along
Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Return
- Swords Dance
- Quick Attack
- Close Combat
Pinsir, my favorite Mega Pokemon introduced this generation. Mega Pinsir is great on balance because he provides so much power, meaning I don’t have to run a choice banded/specs Pokemon. Mega Pinsir can 2HKO almost any physical wall in the game that doesn’t resist his flying STAB with some entry hazard damage, and also breaks through the VenuTran core, which typically troubles balanced teams. With Aegislash banned, he can run Close Combat, which OHKOes Ferrothorn and Rotom-Wash at +0(Rotom need some prior damage), and 2HKOes Skarmory at +2.
Latios @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Surf
- Defog
Latios is my primary Rotom check, as well as my only way of removing stealth rocks. I chose Surf over a hidden power or thunderbolt, because it allows me to hit Heatran for good damage, as well as hitting Gliscor, Landorus, and Hippowdon, and Tyranitar. Defog should only be used when necessary, as sometimes it’s more important to keep my rocks up on the opponent side, than remove all the entry hazards. Psyshock gets decent neutral coverage with STAB and allows me to hit incoming Chanseys.
Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Lava Plume
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
Heatran is probably the MVP of the team, coming in and taking hits no one else on the team can. He provides valuable fire STAB to hit Scizor, Skarmory, Bisharp, and Ferrothorn with, and is my default switch-to most defensive pokemon, as he can set up rocks on them or cripple them with toxic. Heatran can take advantage of the many switches he forces to status the incoming pokemon or set up rocks. The crux of the set is roar. Heatran is my only answer to defensive boosting pokemon, such as Mega Scizor and Cefable, and must be preserved at all costs if you see those two pokemon at team preview. Lastly, Heatran is my Talonflame counter, only beaten by SD + natural gift variants. This is crucial for allowing Pinsir to sweep.
Thundurus @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 76 Atk / 180 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Knock Off
- Superpower
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Mixed Thundurus is amazing, especially with Aegislash gone. It has one of the highest speed tiers in OU and superb coverage. However, that comes at a cost, namely, rather poor bulk, so that he can only really switch in on resisted hits. Additionally, his rocks weakness is a let down, considering he has to switch in and out a lot. If you get Thundurus in unscathed, he becomes the best mixed wallbreaker in the tier, beating almost every defensive pokemon in the tier, except for fairy types. One of the great pros to using thundurus alongside Pinsir, is that Pinsir breaks VenuTran, while Thundurus breaks skarmchans, allowing this team to break through stall.
Baeloom (Breloom) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Spore
- Bullet Seed
- Mach Punch
- Rock Tomb
Baeloom is probably the most replaceable pokemon on this team. While it provides valuable grass coverage to help against bulky grounds and bulky waters, as well as sleep support, I often feel like takes up more support than he provides, especially when bullet seed gets a low roll, or sleep gets a low roll. That said, he does make a nice check to Bisharp and the sash allows him to beat the zards, something my team really struggles with.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
Last, but certainly not least, is Landorus-T. Landorus and his scarf are crucial to my team, as it allows me to revenge kill Greninja, Thundurus, Mega Tyranitar, and Mega Zard X. Knock off is great when you don’t know what the switch in will be, or you can always U-Turn for momentum. EdgeQuake coverage is nice, and I use stone edge over rock Slide to hit neutral targets harder, as well as hitting flying types with a normal weakness to rocks harder.
Threat list:
Mamoswine: Oh god this thing is terrible. Literally, my entire team is weak to one of his STABs. You had better hope he’s a lead set, or hold off on mega evolving Pinsir and hit Mamo with return, and then a quick attack.
Mega Mawile: Heatran can use roar once it sets up, but if it’s a sub punch variant than you are screwed.
Azumarill: I don’t have any switchins, if the opponent has perfect prediction. Breloom can usually check Azumarill is his sash is intact, and latios is a check once Azumarill is weakened.
Clefable: Keep. Heatran. Alive. Clefable cant do a thing to Heatran unless it gets multiple boost, and roar usually takes care of that.
Teambuilding process:
I started off with mega pinsir, who I love this gen, and decided to build around him.
I needed a Rotom-Wash counter, and a way to deal with hazards, so I added latios, who also acts as my primary special wallbreaker.
Mega Pinsir hates Zapdos and Skarmory, who wall him for days, so I added a Heatran.
I noticed my team had trouble with bulky waters, and I needed a mixed wallbreaker, so I added a mixed Thundurus to my team.
I had no check to dark types, and a large rock weakness, so I added breloom.
The team was looking sorta slow, and I needed a Thundurus check, so scarfed landorus came along
Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Return
- Swords Dance
- Quick Attack
- Close Combat
Pinsir, my favorite Mega Pokemon introduced this generation. Mega Pinsir is great on balance because he provides so much power, meaning I don’t have to run a choice banded/specs Pokemon. Mega Pinsir can 2HKO almost any physical wall in the game that doesn’t resist his flying STAB with some entry hazard damage, and also breaks through the VenuTran core, which typically troubles balanced teams. With Aegislash banned, he can run Close Combat, which OHKOes Ferrothorn and Rotom-Wash at +0(Rotom need some prior damage), and 2HKOes Skarmory at +2.
Latios @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Surf
- Defog
Latios is my primary Rotom check, as well as my only way of removing stealth rocks. I chose Surf over a hidden power or thunderbolt, because it allows me to hit Heatran for good damage, as well as hitting Gliscor, Landorus, and Hippowdon, and Tyranitar. Defog should only be used when necessary, as sometimes it’s more important to keep my rocks up on the opponent side, than remove all the entry hazards. Psyshock gets decent neutral coverage with STAB and allows me to hit incoming Chanseys.
Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Lava Plume
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
Heatran is probably the MVP of the team, coming in and taking hits no one else on the team can. He provides valuable fire STAB to hit Scizor, Skarmory, Bisharp, and Ferrothorn with, and is my default switch-to most defensive pokemon, as he can set up rocks on them or cripple them with toxic. Heatran can take advantage of the many switches he forces to status the incoming pokemon or set up rocks. The crux of the set is roar. Heatran is my only answer to defensive boosting pokemon, such as Mega Scizor and Cefable, and must be preserved at all costs if you see those two pokemon at team preview. Lastly, Heatran is my Talonflame counter, only beaten by SD + natural gift variants. This is crucial for allowing Pinsir to sweep.
Thundurus @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 76 Atk / 180 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Knock Off
- Superpower
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Mixed Thundurus is amazing, especially with Aegislash gone. It has one of the highest speed tiers in OU and superb coverage. However, that comes at a cost, namely, rather poor bulk, so that he can only really switch in on resisted hits. Additionally, his rocks weakness is a let down, considering he has to switch in and out a lot. If you get Thundurus in unscathed, he becomes the best mixed wallbreaker in the tier, beating almost every defensive pokemon in the tier, except for fairy types. One of the great pros to using thundurus alongside Pinsir, is that Pinsir breaks VenuTran, while Thundurus breaks skarmchans, allowing this team to break through stall.
Baeloom (Breloom) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Spore
- Bullet Seed
- Mach Punch
- Rock Tomb
Baeloom is probably the most replaceable pokemon on this team. While it provides valuable grass coverage to help against bulky grounds and bulky waters, as well as sleep support, I often feel like takes up more support than he provides, especially when bullet seed gets a low roll, or sleep gets a low roll. That said, he does make a nice check to Bisharp and the sash allows him to beat the zards, something my team really struggles with.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
Last, but certainly not least, is Landorus-T. Landorus and his scarf are crucial to my team, as it allows me to revenge kill Greninja, Thundurus, Mega Tyranitar, and Mega Zard X. Knock off is great when you don’t know what the switch in will be, or you can always U-Turn for momentum. EdgeQuake coverage is nice, and I use stone edge over rock Slide to hit neutral targets harder, as well as hitting flying types with a normal weakness to rocks harder.
Threat list:
Mamoswine: Oh god this thing is terrible. Literally, my entire team is weak to one of his STABs. You had better hope he’s a lead set, or hold off on mega evolving Pinsir and hit Mamo with return, and then a quick attack.
Mega Mawile: Heatran can use roar once it sets up, but if it’s a sub punch variant than you are screwed.
Azumarill: I don’t have any switchins, if the opponent has perfect prediction. Breloom can usually check Azumarill is his sash is intact, and latios is a check once Azumarill is weakened.
Clefable: Keep. Heatran. Alive. Clefable cant do a thing to Heatran unless it gets multiple boost, and roar usually takes care of that.
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