A very brief introduction
This team is a bit of a throwback to Gen 5, when birdspam wasn't a thing and when Celebi was a really good Pokemon in OU. I wanted to incorporate Celebi into a modern OU team, and somehow it turned out really well. However, it isn't perfect and I'd love some feedback on how to improve it. It currently sits above 1500 on the ladder, and I'd like to take it higher if possible.
The team
Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD
Bold Nature
- Substitute
- Baton Pass
- Giga Drain
- Thunder Wave
The star of the team, who I have found to still have a place in ORAS OU. It's a SubPass Celebi, who is a fantastic Pokemon who serves as a great way to turn passive threats like Gliscor and Ferrothorn into a set up opportunity. While they try to status me, I set up my Substitute, and pass it to one of my other Pokemon. This is great as it eases prediction a ton and allows me to make risky plays, and quite often allows Metagross or Landorus to clean up late-game. Celebi also doubles as a status absorber and a very nice check to Keldeo and Terrakion, who are threats to this team.
Giga Drain was selected over Psychic/ Psyshock as it allows for recovery and still 2HKOs most Keldeo and Terrakion variants. Thunder Wave is a nice way to support the team, and can also double up nicely with Substitute since I can spam it until my opponent gets a turn where they can't move. My EV spread means Timid Keldeo can't break my Substitute with Hydro Pump (and gives a fairly low chance for Modest), and allows for the most bulk possible.
Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 144 HP / 112 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Ice Punch
- Hammer Arm
This Metagross set is also a little out of the ordinary. It was originally a Landorus-Therian lure that was just an experiment of mine on another team, but I actually found that the extra bulk helped out in many situations and that the Landorus lure worked. The 112 Attack EVs still place Metagross' Attack above 350, which on top of Tough Claws, is still going to hit like a truck. The rest of them are invested in Speed to speed tie Timid/ Jolly base 110s and of course HP adds to its bulk. Metagross also packs a great Defence stat that hits 330 with no investment, so I guess you could call this a physical tank of sorts.
Meteor Mash gets a STAB and Tough Claws boost, and deals massive damage to Fairy Pokemon. Zen Headbutt hits some Pokemon that resist or survive Meteor Mash. It OHKOs Breloom before it can put me to sleep and allows me to OHKO Specs Keldeo before it wrecks me with Hydro Pump. Ice Punch is how I'd beat Landorus-Therian, catching them on the switch and removing a Pokemon who is otherwise quite difficult to deal with. Hammer Arm 2HKOs Heatran and Ferrothorn, who wall this otherwise. Hammer Arm was chosen over Earthquake so I can hit Skarmory and hit Ferrothorn super effectively rather than neutrally.
The EV spread means I can tank an Earthquake from Landorus even after switching into Stealth Rock twice. It also gives me a guaranteed OHKO on Landorus after Stealth Rock damage, even with the Intimidate debuff (which also will not take place if they switch on the turn I Mega Evolve due to Clear Body). Metagross also benefits from Celebi's Substitute support, which means it can take on bulky Steels and Waters with no fear of Thunder Wave or a Scald burn.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 24 Def / 232 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Superpower
- U-turn
Landorus-Therian is probably the most centralising Pokemon in the tier right now alongside some Megas. It offers great coverage, the ability to revenge kill tons of scary Pokemon and good physical bulk with Intimidate. I seriously have trouble making a team without it. Earthquake is a huge scare for things like Heatran and Metagross, and also 2HKOs most offensive Pokemon that have no resist to it. Stone Edge forms the EdgeQuake combination that I shouldn't need to explain. Superpower is to catch Ferrothorn switching in, taking a nice chunk from its health, allowing Metagross and Gengar to beat it with Hammer Arm and Focus Blast respectively. U-Turn is the move I'll use most frequently, as it allows me to gain momentum and allows Landorus to deal damage while switching out.
My EV spread is the one from Smogon, which allows me to outpace Charizard-X at +1 (although that's barely necessary because everyone uses ORAS Megas). It also means I get the second U-Turn against opposing Scarf Landorus with 252+, which gives me the upper hand over my opponent.
Azumarill @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Play Rough
- Waterfall
- Belly Drum
Belly Drum Azumarill was added as a Fire counter, Draco Meteor absorber and another Water resist. It's another Pokemon that benefits a lot from Celebi's support, allowing it to set up Belly Drums on so many more Pokemon. The set is pretty self explanatory; once Azumarill's checks have been weakened or killed, I can set a Belly Drum and hopefully clean up the game. Aqua Jet is mandatory to outspeed things, and at +6, its weak power does not matter. Play Rough beats Dragons and other Water resistant Pokemon. Waterfall is a nice secondary STAB Water attack for when Aqua Jet won't win.
The EV spread is the one from the Smogon analysis, and it allows Azumarill to outspeed base 70 and under Pokemon that run no Speed investment. This includes Pokemon like Band Scizor who could threaten my sweep if I didn't outspeed them, since Aqua Jet cannot KO. The rest of the EVs are given to bulk.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
- Lava Plume
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
Heatran was added for its ability to eat up Fire attacks for Celebi and Metagross, and because of how well it synergizes with Celebi. It is also my Stealth Rocker, which is important for several of my Pokemon to secure KOs and also very nice to weaken threats like birdspam, Mega Altaria and Kyurem Black. It runs a pretty standard set, with Lava Plume for the burns and Flash Cannon for the Fairies. Earth Power hits some nasty Pokemon on switchin and also allows me to wreck Roosting SD Talonflame which is so satisfying. You'll see that a lot in the replays below :)
I run Air Balloon as it allows me to get free damage on Landrous-Therian, Garchomp, Excadrill etc. who can't touch me without their Ground attacks. It also gives my Heatran an edge in Heatran 1v1s, as others that run Leftovers are immediately susceptible to Earth Power. My spread is also pretty ordinary; I intend to use this as a bulky attacker, so I run max Special Attack and HP. Last EV is added in Speed so I can have the first Earth Power against other Heatrans that use the suggested spread from Showdown that adds Special Defence.
Gengar @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Thunderbolt / Dazzling Gleam
- Focus Blast
After finishing this team, I realised that I was in desparate need of a way beat Mega Slowbro, a Pokemon who simply walls my entire team since it is mostly physical attackers, and the one special attacker I have fails against it. Gengar is a Pokemon I wanted to use because it OHKOs it at full health, and 2HKOs it even after it reaches +2 (and has a good chance to 2HKO at +3!). Gengar also offers fantasic coverage of the tier; it can hit basically everything in the tier for at least neutral damage. Choice Specs allows it to deal as much damage as possible, and act as a wallbreaker to soften up bulky Pokemon who could be an issue for my other Pokemon. Shadow Ball and Sludge Wave provide good coverage and get a STAB boost. Third moveslot is something I'd like some advice with. I'll probably end up changing Specs (thanks FullLifeGames) though, so take that into account :)
EVs and nature are nothing special; max attacking power and Timid to speed tie Lati@s, Metagross, etc.
Replays
Here are a few cool replays of the team. Note that I had a few different sets originally, so the damage might not be 100% accurate any more. I'm a very aggressive player as you will see in the matches, I make lots of risky plays but most of them turn out somehow. I also get a bit lucky in one or two of these, sorry about that. These are meant to be entertaining though, so I guess it helps with that ;P
A very brief conclusion
I'm aware of my lack of switchins to Dark and Ghost attacks and I'm aware of my problems with Bisharp and stall teams, which are the main things I'd like to fix before I start trying to push this team higher on the ladder. Any advice on beating these things would be appreciated a lot. Hope you enjoyed, thank you for reading :)
This team is a bit of a throwback to Gen 5, when birdspam wasn't a thing and when Celebi was a really good Pokemon in OU. I wanted to incorporate Celebi into a modern OU team, and somehow it turned out really well. However, it isn't perfect and I'd love some feedback on how to improve it. It currently sits above 1500 on the ladder, and I'd like to take it higher if possible.
The team
Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD
Bold Nature
- Substitute
- Baton Pass
- Giga Drain
- Thunder Wave
The star of the team, who I have found to still have a place in ORAS OU. It's a SubPass Celebi, who is a fantastic Pokemon who serves as a great way to turn passive threats like Gliscor and Ferrothorn into a set up opportunity. While they try to status me, I set up my Substitute, and pass it to one of my other Pokemon. This is great as it eases prediction a ton and allows me to make risky plays, and quite often allows Metagross or Landorus to clean up late-game. Celebi also doubles as a status absorber and a very nice check to Keldeo and Terrakion, who are threats to this team.
Giga Drain was selected over Psychic/ Psyshock as it allows for recovery and still 2HKOs most Keldeo and Terrakion variants. Thunder Wave is a nice way to support the team, and can also double up nicely with Substitute since I can spam it until my opponent gets a turn where they can't move. My EV spread means Timid Keldeo can't break my Substitute with Hydro Pump (and gives a fairly low chance for Modest), and allows for the most bulk possible.
Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 144 HP / 112 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Ice Punch
- Hammer Arm
This Metagross set is also a little out of the ordinary. It was originally a Landorus-Therian lure that was just an experiment of mine on another team, but I actually found that the extra bulk helped out in many situations and that the Landorus lure worked. The 112 Attack EVs still place Metagross' Attack above 350, which on top of Tough Claws, is still going to hit like a truck. The rest of them are invested in Speed to speed tie Timid/ Jolly base 110s and of course HP adds to its bulk. Metagross also packs a great Defence stat that hits 330 with no investment, so I guess you could call this a physical tank of sorts.
Meteor Mash gets a STAB and Tough Claws boost, and deals massive damage to Fairy Pokemon. Zen Headbutt hits some Pokemon that resist or survive Meteor Mash. It OHKOs Breloom before it can put me to sleep and allows me to OHKO Specs Keldeo before it wrecks me with Hydro Pump. Ice Punch is how I'd beat Landorus-Therian, catching them on the switch and removing a Pokemon who is otherwise quite difficult to deal with. Hammer Arm 2HKOs Heatran and Ferrothorn, who wall this otherwise. Hammer Arm was chosen over Earthquake so I can hit Skarmory and hit Ferrothorn super effectively rather than neutrally.
The EV spread means I can tank an Earthquake from Landorus even after switching into Stealth Rock twice. It also gives me a guaranteed OHKO on Landorus after Stealth Rock damage, even with the Intimidate debuff (which also will not take place if they switch on the turn I Mega Evolve due to Clear Body). Metagross also benefits from Celebi's Substitute support, which means it can take on bulky Steels and Waters with no fear of Thunder Wave or a Scald burn.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 24 Def / 232 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Superpower
- U-turn
Landorus-Therian is probably the most centralising Pokemon in the tier right now alongside some Megas. It offers great coverage, the ability to revenge kill tons of scary Pokemon and good physical bulk with Intimidate. I seriously have trouble making a team without it. Earthquake is a huge scare for things like Heatran and Metagross, and also 2HKOs most offensive Pokemon that have no resist to it. Stone Edge forms the EdgeQuake combination that I shouldn't need to explain. Superpower is to catch Ferrothorn switching in, taking a nice chunk from its health, allowing Metagross and Gengar to beat it with Hammer Arm and Focus Blast respectively. U-Turn is the move I'll use most frequently, as it allows me to gain momentum and allows Landorus to deal damage while switching out.
My EV spread is the one from Smogon, which allows me to outpace Charizard-X at +1 (although that's barely necessary because everyone uses ORAS Megas). It also means I get the second U-Turn against opposing Scarf Landorus with 252+, which gives me the upper hand over my opponent.
Azumarill @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Play Rough
- Waterfall
- Belly Drum
Belly Drum Azumarill was added as a Fire counter, Draco Meteor absorber and another Water resist. It's another Pokemon that benefits a lot from Celebi's support, allowing it to set up Belly Drums on so many more Pokemon. The set is pretty self explanatory; once Azumarill's checks have been weakened or killed, I can set a Belly Drum and hopefully clean up the game. Aqua Jet is mandatory to outspeed things, and at +6, its weak power does not matter. Play Rough beats Dragons and other Water resistant Pokemon. Waterfall is a nice secondary STAB Water attack for when Aqua Jet won't win.
The EV spread is the one from the Smogon analysis, and it allows Azumarill to outspeed base 70 and under Pokemon that run no Speed investment. This includes Pokemon like Band Scizor who could threaten my sweep if I didn't outspeed them, since Aqua Jet cannot KO. The rest of the EVs are given to bulk.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
- Lava Plume
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
Heatran was added for its ability to eat up Fire attacks for Celebi and Metagross, and because of how well it synergizes with Celebi. It is also my Stealth Rocker, which is important for several of my Pokemon to secure KOs and also very nice to weaken threats like birdspam, Mega Altaria and Kyurem Black. It runs a pretty standard set, with Lava Plume for the burns and Flash Cannon for the Fairies. Earth Power hits some nasty Pokemon on switchin and also allows me to wreck Roosting SD Talonflame which is so satisfying. You'll see that a lot in the replays below :)
I run Air Balloon as it allows me to get free damage on Landrous-Therian, Garchomp, Excadrill etc. who can't touch me without their Ground attacks. It also gives my Heatran an edge in Heatran 1v1s, as others that run Leftovers are immediately susceptible to Earth Power. My spread is also pretty ordinary; I intend to use this as a bulky attacker, so I run max Special Attack and HP. Last EV is added in Speed so I can have the first Earth Power against other Heatrans that use the suggested spread from Showdown that adds Special Defence.
Gengar @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Thunderbolt / Dazzling Gleam
- Focus Blast
After finishing this team, I realised that I was in desparate need of a way beat Mega Slowbro, a Pokemon who simply walls my entire team since it is mostly physical attackers, and the one special attacker I have fails against it. Gengar is a Pokemon I wanted to use because it OHKOs it at full health, and 2HKOs it even after it reaches +2 (and has a good chance to 2HKO at +3!). Gengar also offers fantasic coverage of the tier; it can hit basically everything in the tier for at least neutral damage. Choice Specs allows it to deal as much damage as possible, and act as a wallbreaker to soften up bulky Pokemon who could be an issue for my other Pokemon. Shadow Ball and Sludge Wave provide good coverage and get a STAB boost. Third moveslot is something I'd like some advice with. I'll probably end up changing Specs (thanks FullLifeGames) though, so take that into account :)
EVs and nature are nothing special; max attacking power and Timid to speed tie Lati@s, Metagross, etc.
Replays
Here are a few cool replays of the team. Note that I had a few different sets originally, so the damage might not be 100% accurate any more. I'm a very aggressive player as you will see in the matches, I make lots of risky plays but most of them turn out somehow. I also get a bit lucky in one or two of these, sorry about that. These are meant to be entertaining though, so I guess it helps with that ;P
- http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-204010296 - I got a few lucky crits in the first few turns, allowing me to beat his Manectric really fast. I try to get a SubPass to Landorus but he crits me, but it turns out nicely since I figure he doesn't use an Ice move due to the strange way he played against Celebi. After that I pretty much have full control over the game, and my opponent ends up forfeiting.
- http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-204073071 - I start making ambitious plays right from the getgo, getting a nice early kill on Chesnaught. After that my opponent makes some awful decisions against Gengar, since he had a Scarf Heatran in the back that he could have gone to in the first place saving Latios and Metagross. Of course there was some luck involved with the Speed ties, but it's his own fault for playing Heatran badly. After that, I use Celebi to win the game, using his defensive Landorus-Therian to pass a Substitute to my own Landorus, which allowed me to win against his Keldeo who used a defensive spread.
- http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-204347071 - I'm not showing this one for the team, but rather for the lols which you deserve if you've read this far. This guy had a bad team that just lost to Landorus-Therain completely. I decide that I can play aggressively since it was such a good matchup, and I start making some risky moves that (usually) end up turning out, making for a pretty funny game. My opponent decides to timerstall me, which was pretty cool as well :P
A very brief conclusion
I'm aware of my lack of switchins to Dark and Ghost attacks and I'm aware of my problems with Bisharp and stall teams, which are the main things I'd like to fix before I start trying to push this team higher on the ladder. Any advice on beating these things would be appreciated a lot. Hope you enjoyed, thank you for reading :)
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