For a while, I have been in a slight rut. I had exhausted ideas for offensive teams that were not bog standard, and I can't play stall to save my life. Balance is OK with me, but not my favorite.
However, I paid attention to the teams I was facing. I've recently seen a large increase in status moves being used, to cripple threats, so they are no longer, before a sweeper comes in and ends the battle. Normally something like Lucario.
However, I do not want something that can be defeated by a Scarf Heatran/RotomH that has been waiting in the wings, or so bog standard that everyone's ready for it.
Then, I came across someone using a pokemon outside OU, to great effect, a SubCM pokemon, which it was not hard to make a team based around.
Making that theam as effective as possible, however, is another thing.
Changes 21/7/09: Replaced Rotom-W with a Choice Scarf Gallade.
Changed EV's of Starmie, Items and Moves.
Due to Gallade having Night Slash, placed Stone Edge on Aero.
Changes will be in BOLD
At a Glance:
Basically, the team revolves around defeating the counters to Raikou, and crippling with burns and Paralysis. Then, when an opening is spotted, I send out Raikou, and Substitute, which stops unwanted status. I then set up CM, and destroy my opposition with a Boltbeam combo.
Focus Sash
4 HP / 252 Attack / 252 Speed
Jolly Nature
Taunt
Stealth Rock
Earthquake
Crunch
Why Aerodactyl?
Well, it's the fastest lead in OU that can use Stealth Rock, and besides Crobat, Taunt. With a sash, he's gaurenteed to get SR up. Stealth Rock is very useful, as status caused by my team will encourage switches, which leads to more damage being piled on. The fast Taunt helps to prevent rocks being set up on the other side, as well as later in the game. Also provides a Ground immunity.
Role in the Team
Setting up Stealth Rock
Taunting Ninjasks and other SR users. (Although, most expect it, and attack nowadays)
Countering Psychics, and Ghosts
Leftovers
Timid Nature
68 HP/ 252 Speed/ 116 Sp.Attack
Subsitute
Calm Mind
Thunderbolt
Hidden Power [ICE]
Why Raikou?
Several reasons. Most sweepers in OU are either slow, and boost their speed (Gyara, Metagross), fragile (Infernape, Lucario). Some are neither, like Salamance and Latias, but both of these are dragons, and steels run amock. Raikou, however, has a Base 115 Speed stat, which is nothing to laugh at, outspeeding most of OU. It also has a high Base 115 Special Attack base, which makes it like Jolteon, but slightly slower. However, Raikou can take hits, with defensive stats of 90/75/100, and can also boost it's Sp.Def and Sp.Attack up higher with Calm Mind. If Raikou gets one, or sometimes two Calm Minds up, it's usually GG right there.
Role in the Team
This BL beast is undervalued. Raikou is my main sweeper, and, when the Blisseys are out of the way, almost nothing can stop it when it has set up. Raikou is a great sweeper.
Life Orb
252 Speed/ 252 Sp.Attack/4 HP
Natural Cure
Timid Nature
Rapid Spin
Recover
Thunderbolt
Hydro Pump
Why Starmie?
Starmie can act as a wall for weaker attackers, especially when they are burned or Light Screen is set up. Starmie also packs a heavy punch with it's attacks. Rapid Spin clears Toxic Spikes, SR, and Spikes. Starmie also handles ground types, and ScarfTran. With a Life Orb, and Hydro Pump, Starmie also hits most things in the game very hard, even if they switch in,
Role on the Team
Starmie handles Ground types, as mentioned before, as well as removing Entry Hazards. Another role of Starmie is as a Status Absorber, due to Natural Cure.
Life Orb
252 Attack, 192 Speed, 64 Sp.Attack
Naive Nature
U-Turn
Close Combat
Overheat
Mach Punch
Why Infernape?
One of the true 'mixed attackers' next to Salamance, Infernape can tear holes through stall. Overheat and Close Combat destroy Skarmbliss, which this money was born to rip to bits. High speed is another good trait for this monkey to have, and earned it's right on my team.
Role on the Team
SkarmBliss Killer. Infernape is also a great Celebi Killer, due to U-turn, and an effective scout. Mach Punch is there for three main reasons. The first runs around thinking it's won, after Swords Dancing. Lucario. The second is to hurt something that almost always has a Scarf. Heatran. The third is just picking off anything that is weakened, yet could still outspeed. Or Mamoswines/Weavile.
Leftovers240 HP/ 160 Def/ 76 Sp.Def
Impish Nature
Iron Head
Thunder Wave
U-turn
Wish
Why Jirachi?
I was looking for something to pass around Paralysis, yet still be able to hold it's own in a battle. Rotom came to mind, but it's using Will-O on my team. Jirachi is also the best ParaFlinch Haxer this side of Togekiss, since Platimun came along.
Role on the Team
Jirachi has several roles. The first, is to spread Paralysis. The second, is to help kill Blissey, with flinchhax. The third, is to support the team with Wish. Wish gives even my injured lead a second chance. U-Turn works wonders both with Wish, and as a scouting move. Paralysed foes allow me to deal damage, and switch to a counter.
Choice Scarf
252 Speed/ 252 Attack/ 4HP
Jolly Nature
Leaf Blade
Close Combat
Stone Edge
Ice Punch
Why Gallade?
Gallade fills a rather good niche in my team, although it makes it more offensive than status-based. This Gallade outspeeds Scarftran, and +1 Gyarados, and OHKO's them. Packing 349 attack power, and 426 speed, this Gallade dents almost any switch-in, and outspeeds anything not with a scarf of it's own, barring Ninjask. Between Gallade and Infernape, the three main set-up game enders are delt with.
Role on the Team
As mentioned above, Gallade is mainly a revenge killer, and does a massivly great job at it. It can also switch in on things like a Gyarados setting up, and then OHKO it.
However, I paid attention to the teams I was facing. I've recently seen a large increase in status moves being used, to cripple threats, so they are no longer, before a sweeper comes in and ends the battle. Normally something like Lucario.
However, I do not want something that can be defeated by a Scarf Heatran/RotomH that has been waiting in the wings, or so bog standard that everyone's ready for it.
Then, I came across someone using a pokemon outside OU, to great effect, a SubCM pokemon, which it was not hard to make a team based around.
Making that theam as effective as possible, however, is another thing.
Changes 21/7/09: Replaced Rotom-W with a Choice Scarf Gallade.
Changed EV's of Starmie, Items and Moves.
Due to Gallade having Night Slash, placed Stone Edge on Aero.
Changes will be in BOLD
At a Glance:
Basically, the team revolves around defeating the counters to Raikou, and crippling with burns and Paralysis. Then, when an opening is spotted, I send out Raikou, and Substitute, which stops unwanted status. I then set up CM, and destroy my opposition with a Boltbeam combo.
Focus Sash
4 HP / 252 Attack / 252 Speed
Jolly Nature
Taunt
Stealth Rock
Earthquake
Crunch
Why Aerodactyl?
Well, it's the fastest lead in OU that can use Stealth Rock, and besides Crobat, Taunt. With a sash, he's gaurenteed to get SR up. Stealth Rock is very useful, as status caused by my team will encourage switches, which leads to more damage being piled on. The fast Taunt helps to prevent rocks being set up on the other side, as well as later in the game. Also provides a Ground immunity.
Role in the Team
Setting up Stealth Rock
Taunting Ninjasks and other SR users. (Although, most expect it, and attack nowadays)
Countering Psychics, and Ghosts
Leftovers
Timid Nature
68 HP/ 252 Speed/ 116 Sp.Attack
Subsitute
Calm Mind
Thunderbolt
Hidden Power [ICE]
Why Raikou?
Several reasons. Most sweepers in OU are either slow, and boost their speed (Gyara, Metagross), fragile (Infernape, Lucario). Some are neither, like Salamance and Latias, but both of these are dragons, and steels run amock. Raikou, however, has a Base 115 Speed stat, which is nothing to laugh at, outspeeding most of OU. It also has a high Base 115 Special Attack base, which makes it like Jolteon, but slightly slower. However, Raikou can take hits, with defensive stats of 90/75/100, and can also boost it's Sp.Def and Sp.Attack up higher with Calm Mind. If Raikou gets one, or sometimes two Calm Minds up, it's usually GG right there.
Role in the Team
This BL beast is undervalued. Raikou is my main sweeper, and, when the Blisseys are out of the way, almost nothing can stop it when it has set up. Raikou is a great sweeper.
Life Orb
252 Speed/ 252 Sp.Attack/4 HP
Natural Cure
Timid Nature
Rapid Spin
Recover
Thunderbolt
Hydro Pump
Why Starmie?
Starmie can act as a wall for weaker attackers, especially when they are burned or Light Screen is set up. Starmie also packs a heavy punch with it's attacks. Rapid Spin clears Toxic Spikes, SR, and Spikes. Starmie also handles ground types, and ScarfTran. With a Life Orb, and Hydro Pump, Starmie also hits most things in the game very hard, even if they switch in,
Role on the Team
Starmie handles Ground types, as mentioned before, as well as removing Entry Hazards. Another role of Starmie is as a Status Absorber, due to Natural Cure.
Life Orb
252 Attack, 192 Speed, 64 Sp.Attack
Naive Nature
U-Turn
Close Combat
Overheat
Mach Punch
Why Infernape?
One of the true 'mixed attackers' next to Salamance, Infernape can tear holes through stall. Overheat and Close Combat destroy Skarmbliss, which this money was born to rip to bits. High speed is another good trait for this monkey to have, and earned it's right on my team.
Role on the Team
SkarmBliss Killer. Infernape is also a great Celebi Killer, due to U-turn, and an effective scout. Mach Punch is there for three main reasons. The first runs around thinking it's won, after Swords Dancing. Lucario. The second is to hurt something that almost always has a Scarf. Heatran. The third is just picking off anything that is weakened, yet could still outspeed. Or Mamoswines/Weavile.
Leftovers240 HP/ 160 Def/ 76 Sp.Def
Impish Nature
Iron Head
Thunder Wave
U-turn
Wish
Why Jirachi?
I was looking for something to pass around Paralysis, yet still be able to hold it's own in a battle. Rotom came to mind, but it's using Will-O on my team. Jirachi is also the best ParaFlinch Haxer this side of Togekiss, since Platimun came along.
Role on the Team
Jirachi has several roles. The first, is to spread Paralysis. The second, is to help kill Blissey, with flinchhax. The third, is to support the team with Wish. Wish gives even my injured lead a second chance. U-Turn works wonders both with Wish, and as a scouting move. Paralysed foes allow me to deal damage, and switch to a counter.
Choice Scarf
252 Speed/ 252 Attack/ 4HP
Jolly Nature
Leaf Blade
Close Combat
Stone Edge
Ice Punch
Why Gallade?
Gallade fills a rather good niche in my team, although it makes it more offensive than status-based. This Gallade outspeeds Scarftran, and +1 Gyarados, and OHKO's them. Packing 349 attack power, and 426 speed, this Gallade dents almost any switch-in, and outspeeds anything not with a scarf of it's own, barring Ninjask. Between Gallade and Infernape, the three main set-up game enders are delt with.
Role on the Team
As mentioned above, Gallade is mainly a revenge killer, and does a massivly great job at it. It can also switch in on things like a Gyarados setting up, and then OHKO it.
