So... It's been a while.
Sun and Moon have been out for months, the meta is settling, and everyone can agree that Greninja is going to be banned. Eventually. Again.
I kid of course, it's not as bad as it seems.
No.
It's far, FAR worse. (i'm kidding)
In any case, here's a team I made while Joseph Joestar was fighting Ultimate Kars, finished while watching Joseph fall back to the Earth.
It was centered around Salamence, one of my favourite Pokemon, and the Dragon Dancing shenanigans it can do as a late game sweeper.
Lisa Lisa (Salamence) (F) @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Fly
- Dragon Dance
Flyinium Z DD Salamence. This monster has become one of the most potent powerhouses in OU, due to many of it's previous contenders being absolutely DESTROYED by it's Z-move. Ferrothorn? Not an issue, just needs a bit of prior damage. Tapu Bulu? Obliterated. Tangrowth? Do you even need to ask? Moxie is required to snowball through your opponent's team, gaining attack boosts with each kill, which works extremely well with it's Z-Move, which kills most Pokemon. Dragon Claw is a stable STAB move, and Earthquake takes care of the Steel types that come in easily on it's STABs. Salamence is bulky enough to take one Stone Edge from Defensive Lando even without investments (provided the Stone Edge hits :] ). Jolly nature is preferred to outspeed scarfers like Tapu Lele and Xurkitree. The only issue for Salamence are the Steel Flying types like Skarmory or Cele-I-have-leech-seed-and-good-coverage-and-amazing-stats-cuz-why-not-steela, but that's why we have...
HAMON CLACKERS (Marowak-Alola) @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Flare Blitz
- Shadow Bone
- Bonemerang
Despite it's seemingly average stats, Alolan Marowak has been deemed one of the most popular Pokemon in the OU tier. This is due to it's Lightning Rod ability and Fire-Ghost typing, which walls some of the largest threats in OU, Tapu Koko, Pheramosa, and the above mentioned Celesteela, despite some of them running Earthquake to deal with it, even so it's still a decent check at least. It gets the ever-threatening Stealth Rocks, despite not being able to set it up too reliably. The max speed allows it to outspeed base speed Celesteela and base speed Mega Scizor (I know. I didn't believe it at first too). Thick Club doubles Alolan Marowak's attack, making it the hardest hitting Pokemon in the OU tier before stat boosts save Choice Band Kartana, which you will never use unless you're a crazy person. Flare Blitz and Shadow Bone are good STABs and Bonemerang helps to deal with Magnezone, Tapu Koko and Heatran. However, Alolan Marowak does not deal too well with Tapu Fini, and Salamence might not be able to break past Bold defensive builds after a Dragon Dance with a Supersonic Skystrike, and it's not recommended to use your Z-move on Tapu Fini if there are other Pokemon on the opponent's team that needs the Z-move to kill it. However, we have...
Esidisi's Brain (Ferrothorn) @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
- Spikes
Ferrothorn is an absolute monster. It has decent HP, great defense, great special defense and good attack. Leech Seed allows Ferrothorn (and the rest of the team) to chip away at bulkier Pokemon, and Power Whip *snickers* WHIPS the ass of the above mentioned Tapu Fini, or at least knocking a large chunk of it's HP off. (HAHA I LOVE MY PUNS HAHAHhahahaha... i hate myself) Gyro Ball does insane damage to Pokemon that do not resist it, and Spikes are important to chip down Pokemon for Salamence's late game sweep. Just be careful while dealing with teams with Magnezone or/and Heatran, though Alolan Marowak deals well with both.
Ultimate Kars (Tornadus-Therian) @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hurricane
- U-turn
- Heat Wave
- Superpower
Tornadus is here mostly just to be a pivot. Regenerator is a nice bit of sustain, and Tornadus's speed allows it to outspeed certain sweepers before boosts like Volcarona, which it can kill with the impossible to hit Hurricane, which is Tornadus's most powerful STAB. U-turn is the 'pivot' part of this pivot, Heat Wave deals with the Steel Types that resist Hurricane and U-turn, while Superpower breaks down Tyranitar. However, Tornadus is probably the most disposable member of this team, and if given a better alternative for, I would probably switch it out. Buuuuuuuuuuuut... then again...
Ultimate Kars is too FABULOOOOOOOOOOOOUS
I'm sorry
Joseph Joestar (Excadrill) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
Excadrill: "Your next line is: 'A lot of this team is weak to Stealth Rocks and Spikes is a large problem, so a reliable Hazard Remover was imperative. I decided for Scarf Excadrill as it was a soft check to Mega Charizard X and Y, which can cause trouble for the team. Ground types are also somewhat of a compulsory thing on all teams, to take Volt Switches. Speaking of which...' toyu!"
Me: "A lot of this team... (One explanation later...) Speaking of which..." *Audible gasp*
Stroheim (Tapu Koko) @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dazzling Gleam
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- U-turn
Tapu Koko is an extremely powerful pivot, the Electric Terrain further ramping up the Thunderbolts and Volt Switches that are your main forms of huge damage. U-turn is pretty good to keep up momentum against opponents with Ground Types or Alolan Marowak, and Dazzling Gleam is a good STAB move, though I am considering Hidden Power Ice for Landorus and maybe opposing Salamences.
And that's the team! I hope to use some of my other favourite Pokemon in their respective tiers, like Pangoro in UU (or RU wherever it ends up).
In any case, I look forward to your feedback, and to improving this team!
Till next time!
Here's the team btw
SONO CHI NO SADAME!! JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOJOOOS Dannanananaaaaaaaa~ Nananananananananana!
Sun and Moon have been out for months, the meta is settling, and everyone can agree that Greninja is going to be banned. Eventually. Again.
I kid of course, it's not as bad as it seems.
No.
It's far, FAR worse. (i'm kidding)
In any case, here's a team I made while Joseph Joestar was fighting Ultimate Kars, finished while watching Joseph fall back to the Earth.
It was centered around Salamence, one of my favourite Pokemon, and the Dragon Dancing shenanigans it can do as a late game sweeper.
Lisa Lisa (Salamence) (F) @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Fly
- Dragon Dance
Flyinium Z DD Salamence. This monster has become one of the most potent powerhouses in OU, due to many of it's previous contenders being absolutely DESTROYED by it's Z-move. Ferrothorn? Not an issue, just needs a bit of prior damage. Tapu Bulu? Obliterated. Tangrowth? Do you even need to ask? Moxie is required to snowball through your opponent's team, gaining attack boosts with each kill, which works extremely well with it's Z-Move, which kills most Pokemon. Dragon Claw is a stable STAB move, and Earthquake takes care of the Steel types that come in easily on it's STABs. Salamence is bulky enough to take one Stone Edge from Defensive Lando even without investments (provided the Stone Edge hits :] ). Jolly nature is preferred to outspeed scarfers like Tapu Lele and Xurkitree. The only issue for Salamence are the Steel Flying types like Skarmory or Cele-I-have-leech-seed-and-good-coverage-and-amazing-stats-cuz-why-not-steela, but that's why we have...
HAMON CLACKERS (Marowak-Alola) @ Thick Club
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Flare Blitz
- Shadow Bone
- Bonemerang
Despite it's seemingly average stats, Alolan Marowak has been deemed one of the most popular Pokemon in the OU tier. This is due to it's Lightning Rod ability and Fire-Ghost typing, which walls some of the largest threats in OU, Tapu Koko, Pheramosa, and the above mentioned Celesteela, despite some of them running Earthquake to deal with it, even so it's still a decent check at least. It gets the ever-threatening Stealth Rocks, despite not being able to set it up too reliably. The max speed allows it to outspeed base speed Celesteela and base speed Mega Scizor (I know. I didn't believe it at first too). Thick Club doubles Alolan Marowak's attack, making it the hardest hitting Pokemon in the OU tier before stat boosts save Choice Band Kartana, which you will never use unless you're a crazy person. Flare Blitz and Shadow Bone are good STABs and Bonemerang helps to deal with Magnezone, Tapu Koko and Heatran. However, Alolan Marowak does not deal too well with Tapu Fini, and Salamence might not be able to break past Bold defensive builds after a Dragon Dance with a Supersonic Skystrike, and it's not recommended to use your Z-move on Tapu Fini if there are other Pokemon on the opponent's team that needs the Z-move to kill it. However, we have...
Esidisi's Brain (Ferrothorn) @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
- Spikes
Ferrothorn is an absolute monster. It has decent HP, great defense, great special defense and good attack. Leech Seed allows Ferrothorn (and the rest of the team) to chip away at bulkier Pokemon, and Power Whip *snickers* WHIPS the ass of the above mentioned Tapu Fini, or at least knocking a large chunk of it's HP off. (HAHA I LOVE MY PUNS HAHAHhahahaha... i hate myself) Gyro Ball does insane damage to Pokemon that do not resist it, and Spikes are important to chip down Pokemon for Salamence's late game sweep. Just be careful while dealing with teams with Magnezone or/and Heatran, though Alolan Marowak deals well with both.
Ultimate Kars (Tornadus-Therian) @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hurricane
- U-turn
- Heat Wave
- Superpower
Tornadus is here mostly just to be a pivot. Regenerator is a nice bit of sustain, and Tornadus's speed allows it to outspeed certain sweepers before boosts like Volcarona, which it can kill with the impossible to hit Hurricane, which is Tornadus's most powerful STAB. U-turn is the 'pivot' part of this pivot, Heat Wave deals with the Steel Types that resist Hurricane and U-turn, while Superpower breaks down Tyranitar. However, Tornadus is probably the most disposable member of this team, and if given a better alternative for, I would probably switch it out. Buuuuuuuuuuuut... then again...
Ultimate Kars is too FABULOOOOOOOOOOOOUS
I'm sorry
Joseph Joestar (Excadrill) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
Excadrill: "Your next line is: 'A lot of this team is weak to Stealth Rocks and Spikes is a large problem, so a reliable Hazard Remover was imperative. I decided for Scarf Excadrill as it was a soft check to Mega Charizard X and Y, which can cause trouble for the team. Ground types are also somewhat of a compulsory thing on all teams, to take Volt Switches. Speaking of which...' toyu!"
Me: "A lot of this team... (One explanation later...) Speaking of which..." *Audible gasp*
Stroheim (Tapu Koko) @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dazzling Gleam
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- U-turn
Tapu Koko is an extremely powerful pivot, the Electric Terrain further ramping up the Thunderbolts and Volt Switches that are your main forms of huge damage. U-turn is pretty good to keep up momentum against opponents with Ground Types or Alolan Marowak, and Dazzling Gleam is a good STAB move, though I am considering Hidden Power Ice for Landorus and maybe opposing Salamences.
And that's the team! I hope to use some of my other favourite Pokemon in their respective tiers, like Pangoro in UU (or RU wherever it ends up).
In any case, I look forward to your feedback, and to improving this team!
Till next time!
Here's the team btw
SONO CHI NO SADAME!! JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOJOOOS Dannanananaaaaaaaa~ Nananananananananana!
