Crush, Kill, Destroy [UU Offense RMT]

[Enzette]

Hey guys, Enzette here, and this is my first RMT. I've been using this team since some time around the start of December, and while it has gotten me to a rather respectable CRE of 1522, I feel that it can certainly be better. Also, the battles recently have become kinda tough, which is why I turn to the people of Smogon to help improve this team.

Not gonna elaborate much about the team building process, as this team has gone through a lot of changes to become what it currently is. From the original, only Feraligatr, Venusaur and Swellow remain. This team started out as a basic heavy offense team and while I'm not sure if it still retains the theme of heavy offense, it is a purely offensive team that aims to finish off the opponent's team as quickly as possible, with every Pokemon except for the lead being able to go on a sweep.

CRUSH, KILL, DESTROY

---​

Uxie @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 152 Speed
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)

- Trick
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave​

I've tested out many different leads for this team, but none has worked better than TrickScarf Uxie. Its ability to possibly cripple two of my opponent's Pokemon really helps to pave the way for a sweep. The first move is pretty obvious here, it locks the opposing lead into the common lead move like SR or screens, then as they switch I paralyze the incoming Pokemon with TWave.​

Against the top 5 leads of November:​

- Take the Fake Out, then Trick them as they Taunt, then U-turn on the switch in. If they choose to attack instead of taunting, Uxie can take the hits and set up rocks.​

- Same with Ambipom, trick them as they Taunt, then U-turn on the Switch-in. If they go for Spikes immediately then it could be a problem, but at least I get my rocks as well.​

- Trick them, locking them into either the SR or Light Screen / Reflect. If it is an opposing TrickScarf Uxie then we really just stall each other out of Trick PPs, that is, unless the opponent switches.​

- Really annoying, the most I can do is set up rocks and then sacrifice Uxie.​

- Never had much experience with these, so I could use some help here. What do Alakazam leads usually carry? I usually just U-turn for super effective damage and then go to Swellow, expecting a Shadow Ball.​

Drapion (M) @ Scope Lens
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Speed
Jolly nature (+Speed, -SAtk)​

- Swords Dance
- Night Slash
- Earthquake
- Cross Poison​

This particular slot has had so many changes, mainly because I couldn't find a Pokemon that fitted well with the rest of the team. In the end, I discovered Drapion, and I have never looked back since. Scope Lens together with moves like Night Slash and Cross Poison gives Drapion quite a nice chance of scoring a critical hit, and combined with its ability Sniper, Drapion is truly something to fear. However, I'm thinking of changing the item to Life Orb, because without it I miss out on some important KOs should I not score a critical hit.​

EVs are pretty standard, maxing out Attack and Speed is obvious. At base 95 speed with a Jolly nature it is able to outspeed quite a fair bit of the metagame.​

Gallade (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Steadfast
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed
Jolly nature (+Speed, -SAtk)​

- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Ice Punch
- Shadow Sneak​

The power of Gallade after a single Swords Dance is just scary and almost unrivaled in the UU metagame, being able to either sweep through entire teams or weaken the opponent's team significantly. While most people would recommend something else for the third move, I have found Ice Punch to be the best option. Specifically, it deals with Altaria, who would otherwise wall this set if I were to run something like Leaf Blade. I could run Stone Edge, but its unreliable accuracy can often come back to bite me at times and I haven't come across a situation yet where having Stone Edge would have been helpful, which is why I have always stuck with Ice Punch. The other moves are pretty self-explanatory, Close Combat being a powerful STAB move and Shadow Sneak dealing with stuff like Mismagius.​

Again, EVs are the standard for an attacker like Gallade. Jolly nature is to boost its rather mediocre 80 Speed stat. Speed ties with other base 80s like Venusaur are really scary though.​

Feraligatr (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 28 HP / 252 Atk / 228 Speed
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)​

- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Ice Punch
- Earthquake​

I tested out many different sets for Feraligatr before finally settling on the DD set. I tried stuff like SD Aqua Jet, SubDD, SubSD, but I have found this one to be the most effective. While I sometimes do miss having a priority move in Aqua Jet, I like the fact that with DD, I am no longer stopped by the #1 Pokemon in UU, Venusaur.​

Waterfall and Ice Punch provide really nice coverage, and Earthquake is for stuff like Registeel and other Water-types. 228 Speed EVs allow me to outspeed all base 120s after a single DD.​

Venusaur (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed
Jolly nature (+Speed, -SAtk)​

- Sleep Powder
- Swords Dance
- Power Whip
- Earthquake​

After seeing that Venusaur became #1 in usage in the month of November, I became pretty curious. Is Venusaur really that good? After using this set, well, I am convinced. Sleep Powder for potentially putting something out of commission for the rest of the battle, Power Whip is really strong STAB, doing huge amounts of damage to things that don't resist it, and Earthquake deals with Fire-types.​

Swellow (M) @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Speed / 4 SDef
Jolly nature (+Speed, -SAtk)​

- Facade
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Quick Attack​

Swellow is just one of my favorite Pokemon to use in the UU environment, functioning equally well early-game or late-game. I usually save this for late-game, to finish off whatever the other guys failed to kill. However, I sometimes bring it out early in the match to damage the opponent's team, allowing the other Pokemon to have an easier time sweeping. Facade bears 210 BP after STAB and Flame Orb activation, and coupled with the Guts attack boost, this thing is just deadly. Brave Bird deals with the Ghosts, U-turn allows me to scout the opponent's team, and Quick Attack allows me to kill the Absol or Honchkrow who come in trying to Sucker Punch me.​

---​

So there it is. Any comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated, and of course thanks for reading!​

 

[SevveN]

The one bad thing about this team I see is you have 4 set up sweepers, and a Pokemon that needs a turn for Flame Orb. I also see you having some decent troubles with Full Stall. Regirock/Registeel walls Swellow, Blastoise can phaze Drapion, Gallade, and Feraligatr, and Altaria can wall your Venusaur to no end. To remedy this, I suggest changing your Gallade to a TrickBand set, with the spread of;


Gallade (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Steadfast
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Speed / 4 (whatever)
Jolly nature (+Speed, -Satk)
- Trick
- Close Combat
- Leaf Blade / Night Slash / Shadow Sneak / Ice Punch
- Leaf Blade / Night Slash / Shadow Sneak / Ice Punch


Tricking a Band onto a wall on the switch in (I.E. Defensive Arcanine, or a Blastoice etc) can really hamper a Stall teams core. Also, I'd change Swellow to a Wall-Breaking Honchkrow.


Honchkrow (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Immunity
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Speed / 4 HP
Jolly nature (+Speed, -SAtk
- Night Slash / Sucker Punch
- Brave Bird
- Superpower
- Pursuit / Sucker Punch / Heat Wave / Hidden Power [Grass]\


Great team, and good luck.

 

[Enzette]

Well, that was kind of the basis behind the team actually, to have set-up sweepers that can sweep through the opposition once they get the required boosts, and I haven't had much trouble setting up or activating the orb actually. But you're right, I have had trouble with certain stall teams, and I'll definitely try out those changes.

What would you recommend for Gallade's last two moves and Honchkrow's last move? Also, on Honchkrow's ability I assume you mean Insomnia, right?

 

[SevveN]

Oops, hahaha yeah Insomnia, I wasn't thinking much. :P And sorry, but it's just what I felt could make the team better. But, both those pokemon are able to sweep as well, it's up to you though.

Well, for Honchkrow I'd probably be between Sucker Punch and Heat Wave. For Gallade... probably Leaf Blade to hit a Milo/Blastoise switch in hard, and maybe Shadow Sneak or Night Slash. Really just personal preference tbh.

 

[IronBullet]

Hello
What you need, agreeing with sevven here, is a powerful wall-breaker.
Scarfkrow really does not pack enough power to get the kills he needs against walls.
A powerful wall-breaker something along the lines of either a Blaziken or LOkrow.
Replace Swellow if you go for Krow and replace Gallade if you go for Blaziken. I know Gallade is really powerful and all, but it's the best option synergy-wise.
Go with Sevvens set for Honchkrow, and for Blaziken:
Blaziken@Life Orb
- Fire Blast
- Superpower
- Vacuum Wave
- Hidden Power Grass/Electric

 

[AEX]

Scarf Moltres poses a huge threat to your team once feraligatr is gone, and an even bigger threat if rocks have been spun away. Even if you add the blaziken, suggested by IronBullet, for the second fire resist, with grass, fighting and fire moves it can't touch moltres. Although gallade has decent special defense it can't really hurt moltres either with the moveset you have on it. Uxie could twave it but thats it, and if the opponent has a heal beller (standard on laturn which is commonly paired with moltres) or something with aromatherapy it becomes useless. I would suggest replacing ice punch on Gallade with stone edge.

 

[Enzette]

Hello
What you need, agreeing with sevven here, is a powerful wall-breaker.
Scarfkrow really does not pack enough power to get the kills he needs against walls.
A powerful wall-breaker something along the lines of either a Blaziken or LOkrow.
Replace Swellow if you go for Krow and replace Gallade if you go for Blaziken. I know Gallade is really powerful and all, but it's the best option synergy-wise.
Go with Sevvens set for Honchkrow, and for Blaziken:
Blaziken@Life Orb
- Fire Blast
- Superpower
- Vacuum Wave
- Hidden Power Grass/Electric

Hmm, I was actually thinking of fitting Blaziken somewhere into the team but I didn't really want to replace either Gallade or Venusaur, and replacing one of the others would mean that I'm left with a huge Flying weakness.

I'll replace Swellow with a LO Honchkrow and see how it goes. While the Scarfkrow suggestion by SevveN has worked rather well, it does lack the power needed to get the necessary kills, as you said. That, and also I suck with Choice items. I'll keep the Blaziken suggestion in mind, thanks.

Scarf Moltres poses a huge threat to your team once feraligatr is gone, and an even bigger threat if rocks have been spun away. Even if you add the blaziken, suggested by IronBullet, for the second fire resist, with grass, fighting and fire moves it can't touch moltres. Although gallade has decent special defense it can't really hurt moltres either with the moveset you have on it. Uxie could twave it but thats it, and if the opponent has a heal beller (standard on laturn which is commonly paired with moltres) or something with aromatherapy it becomes useless. I would suggest replacing ice punch on Gallade with stone edge.

You're right, whenever a Moltres shows up against this team it has always done quite a lot of damage. I'll try Stone Edge on Gallade, thanks for the rate!