It's been a while since I played SS OU, I just recently came back to smogon with the launch of BDSP and learned alot about teambuilding from Blimax. Recently the tier's become stale so I thought I'd have a go at SS especially since the brokens are banned now. I decided on stall because I don't enjoy the matchup fishing HO's and I'm not familiar with the tier enough to build a proper BO or Balance. I welcome all criticism or suggestions... as long as they're constructive ofc. That said, I'm not sorry for taking your time so let's get right into the team:
Buzzwole @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Beast Boost
Shiny: No
EVs: 232 HP / 252 Def / 24 Spe
Impish Nature
- Close Combat
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch
- Roost
Buzzwole was the first pick, I chose him because of his ability to wall nearly all physical threats in the tier asside from choiced supereffective and rain/boosted attacks. Boltbeam coverage lets him punish switches while maintaining reliable recovery in Roost.
Dragonite @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Roost
- Heal Bell
Dragonite was my choice for a volcarona check, it also covers some of Buzzwole's checks such as Blaziken and Victini. Heal Bell supports the team notably allowing Clefable to run Unaware. I initially used Dual Wingbeat over Toxic but found It unnecessary, the day I encounter a Safeguard Volcarona I'll change it back. It could also use some tuning on the ev spread but I haven't had the time to do so. Maintaining Boots on Dragonite is mandatory, letting it get knocked off is essentially a sack.
Gastrodon (Gastrodon-East) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Sticky Hold
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Recover
- Toxic
Gastrodon was my second pick for a bulky ground type, I first wanted a Hippowdon as it provides rocks and has better bulk but because I'm running Dragonite I've opted for Gastro. It's one advantage over Hippow is Sticky Hold which on this team plays a vital part in maintainig items against weak bulky knockers like Clefable, Toxapex and Tornadus. Gastrodon's biggest problem is the low phys def which makes it unable to reliably check Zeraora unlike Hippowdon.
Clefable @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Moonblast
- Knock Off
- Soft-Boiled
- Stealth Rock
Clefable is the hero the team needed but didn't deserve. It's the rocker, the knocker and the only real check to DD/SD Dragons. It's got a lot of shoes to fill but thankfully it's teamates do a fine job at eazying the pressure. If I had another way Clef wouldn't be my rocker, it's not the most consistent and keeping it healthy is important but I had nowhere else to place it since I couldn't use Hippowdon.
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Iron Head
- Roost
- Defog
Corviknight is the Tapu Lele and Specs Dragapult check as well as the necessary defogger. Body Press wasn't needed because of Buzzwole and U-turn's momentum wasn't required so Brave Bird Iron Head fit naturally. Asside from the main answer to most fairys it has good overall bulk and typing which lets it be useful throughout the game.
Toxapex @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Poison Jab
- Recover
- Haze
- Toxic Spikes
Toxapex, the necessary evil. What can I say, it's Buzzwole's best buddy and walls most Buzz's physical threats all the while spreading tspikes and status. Standard pex with Poison Jab for Clefable and Tapu Fini or just spreading toxic on switches. It's also the strong Knock Off absorber for things that threaten Gastrodon such as Bisharp and Weavile. In rain it's the only wall that'll take Urshifu or Barraskewda's Onslaught.
Gameplay Tips:
Like most stall, this team requires Hazard control. The pokemon that threaten it all take damage from hazards so keeping them up against such matchups are essential. Almost as important is keeping your items. Dragonite is near useless without Boots and the main way of punishing Physical attackers or U-turn is Rocky Helmet so keeping those items is almost mandatory.
Threatlist:
Specs Blacephalon has only one switch in, gastrodon takes 49% from shadowball so any chip or spdef drops means it get 2hko'd. Corviknight can be switched into shadow balls but flamethrower 2hkho's and spdef drops result in 2hkho's. Keeping gastrodon healthy and maintaining rocks are the way to beat it.
Specs Thunderbolt Tapu Lele threatens Corviknight so playing around it is necessary.
Choice Band Zeraora has coverage and the attack stat necessary to break the physical wall core so smart predictions will be required if facing it, keeping hazards up and punishing attacks with one of the two Rocky Helmet mons on a prediction is the way towards victory.
Grass Knot Tapu Koko isn't a common set but the team has very little to stop it. Life Orb sets in particular will spell doom for the team. There's not much I can do less I restructure the team dramatically.
Choice Band Zapdos-G like Zeraora, has the coverage and attack stat necessary to break the team, the way to beat it is the same. Keep hazards up and predict its attacks, punishing them with Rocky Helmet chip.
Slowking-G not only possesses Regenerator and a Poison typing letting it keep itself healthy while absorbing tspikes, it has a nearly unwallable move pool and bulk to spare. The only reliable check on the team is Gastrodon but it can be toxic'd by Sludge bomb in which case there's nothing stopping this monster.
Buzzwole @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Beast Boost
Shiny: No
EVs: 232 HP / 252 Def / 24 Spe
Impish Nature
- Close Combat
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch
- Roost
Buzzwole was the first pick, I chose him because of his ability to wall nearly all physical threats in the tier asside from choiced supereffective and rain/boosted attacks. Boltbeam coverage lets him punish switches while maintaining reliable recovery in Roost.
Dragonite @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Roost
- Heal Bell
Dragonite was my choice for a volcarona check, it also covers some of Buzzwole's checks such as Blaziken and Victini. Heal Bell supports the team notably allowing Clefable to run Unaware. I initially used Dual Wingbeat over Toxic but found It unnecessary, the day I encounter a Safeguard Volcarona I'll change it back. It could also use some tuning on the ev spread but I haven't had the time to do so. Maintaining Boots on Dragonite is mandatory, letting it get knocked off is essentially a sack.
Gastrodon (Gastrodon-East) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Sticky Hold
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Recover
- Toxic
Gastrodon was my second pick for a bulky ground type, I first wanted a Hippowdon as it provides rocks and has better bulk but because I'm running Dragonite I've opted for Gastro. It's one advantage over Hippow is Sticky Hold which on this team plays a vital part in maintainig items against weak bulky knockers like Clefable, Toxapex and Tornadus. Gastrodon's biggest problem is the low phys def which makes it unable to reliably check Zeraora unlike Hippowdon.
Clefable @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Moonblast
- Knock Off
- Soft-Boiled
- Stealth Rock
Clefable is the hero the team needed but didn't deserve. It's the rocker, the knocker and the only real check to DD/SD Dragons. It's got a lot of shoes to fill but thankfully it's teamates do a fine job at eazying the pressure. If I had another way Clef wouldn't be my rocker, it's not the most consistent and keeping it healthy is important but I had nowhere else to place it since I couldn't use Hippowdon.
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- Iron Head
- Roost
- Defog
Corviknight is the Tapu Lele and Specs Dragapult check as well as the necessary defogger. Body Press wasn't needed because of Buzzwole and U-turn's momentum wasn't required so Brave Bird Iron Head fit naturally. Asside from the main answer to most fairys it has good overall bulk and typing which lets it be useful throughout the game.
Toxapex @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Poison Jab
- Recover
- Haze
- Toxic Spikes
Toxapex, the necessary evil. What can I say, it's Buzzwole's best buddy and walls most Buzz's physical threats all the while spreading tspikes and status. Standard pex with Poison Jab for Clefable and Tapu Fini or just spreading toxic on switches. It's also the strong Knock Off absorber for things that threaten Gastrodon such as Bisharp and Weavile. In rain it's the only wall that'll take Urshifu or Barraskewda's Onslaught.
Gameplay Tips:
Like most stall, this team requires Hazard control. The pokemon that threaten it all take damage from hazards so keeping them up against such matchups are essential. Almost as important is keeping your items. Dragonite is near useless without Boots and the main way of punishing Physical attackers or U-turn is Rocky Helmet so keeping those items is almost mandatory.
Threatlist:
Specs Blacephalon has only one switch in, gastrodon takes 49% from shadowball so any chip or spdef drops means it get 2hko'd. Corviknight can be switched into shadow balls but flamethrower 2hkho's and spdef drops result in 2hkho's. Keeping gastrodon healthy and maintaining rocks are the way to beat it.
Specs Thunderbolt Tapu Lele threatens Corviknight so playing around it is necessary.
Choice Band Zeraora has coverage and the attack stat necessary to break the physical wall core so smart predictions will be required if facing it, keeping hazards up and punishing attacks with one of the two Rocky Helmet mons on a prediction is the way towards victory.
Grass Knot Tapu Koko isn't a common set but the team has very little to stop it. Life Orb sets in particular will spell doom for the team. There's not much I can do less I restructure the team dramatically.
Choice Band Zapdos-G like Zeraora, has the coverage and attack stat necessary to break the team, the way to beat it is the same. Keep hazards up and predict its attacks, punishing them with Rocky Helmet chip.
Slowking-G not only possesses Regenerator and a Poison typing letting it keep itself healthy while absorbing tspikes, it has a nearly unwallable move pool and bulk to spare. The only reliable check on the team is Gastrodon but it can be toxic'd by Sludge bomb in which case there's nothing stopping this monster.
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