Current 6th gen OU: Absol and Friends

[Hi Im Urban]

A video explaining the team for those who don't want to read ;)

Also a sweep with the very same Togekiss, deadly.
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Hello all, this will be my first time posting here but I have been playing on showdown/pokemon online since last generation and I'd like to get this particular team out there to the masses. Now one thing to note, is that this team is greatly benefitted by the surprise factor but not in need of it. Not many are prepared for some of the stranger sets on this team and a slip up can be fatal.

The Anti-Lead​

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Mega-Absol
Magic Bounce
rash
224 ATK evs
252 SPEC-ATK evs
32 SPEED evs​

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• Sucker Punch
• Flamthrower
  
• Ice Beam
• Thunderbolt

Probably the 2nd most threatening thing on this team if your opponent is not prepared for it. Now that Absol has a mega-lution, his attack is at a scary 150 base attack stat and a respectable speed of 115 base speed stat, Absol has become more viable in higher teirs. But the main use of this set is the use of its massive movepool on the special end. Absol also recieved a 115 special attack stat with the buff, which is good among a lot of special attacking pokemon in the teir. Absol's Special attack, coupled with his movepool and the greatness that is Magic Bounce, makes for a very threating anti-lead.

The moves being used in this set are meant to kill of most pokemon that can either switch in on physical Absol as well those who can confidently wall a physical Absol. Obviously, Flamethrower can knock forretress down to sturdy, OHKOs ferrothorn (occasional survival in red health), and with the 32 speed evs can kill jolly scizor. Ice Beam OHKOs Gliscor, outspeeds and breaks down Dragonite's multiscale to a range where sucker punch can kill. Thunderbolt OHKOs Gyarados (Kind of obvious) and out-speeds if the Gyarados is adamant nature, also provides a way to hit Rotom-W and Azumarill but won't kill at max health. Finally, Sucker Punch is veeeery important since there isn't too much speed investment and is absol's strongest STAB move.

Tips/Suggestions:
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• Use carefully, Absol is very frail and can be very usefull as an end game sweeper so keep it healthy.
  
  
• Any teams that are running a klefki, is a golden opportunity to lead with absol, flamethrower is a clean 2HKO and will stop any attempt of spike leads or swagger sets. But be wary of the calm mind set.
  
  
• This set is meant to be unpredictable, so use the threat of a strong physical attack to bait in a wall that may be lacking on the special end.
  
  
• Don't forget about the Magic Bounce usage, the more hazards and status you can stop, the better.

Sticky Web​

Galvantula

Compound Eves

Focus Sash

Timid

4 HP evs
252 SPEC-ATK evs
252 SPEED evs
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• Thunder
• Bug Buzz
• Energy Ball
• Sticky Web

This is a fairly standard set so far in this generation now that sticky web is here. I picked Galvantula over smeargle or shuckle to have a decent check to lead Talonflame and because it is the fastest sticky web user. There's not too much to note about this pokemon, but there are two buffs in this gen that Galvantula has access to. First, bug buzz now hits through substitute so Galvantula shouldn't be complete set up fodder. Second, energy ball recieved a slight boost in this gen from 80 power to 90.

Tips/Suggestions:

• If the opponent has no spinner or defog user, set up sticky web ASAP. This team has some slower pokemon on it that need the help. But consider how badly you need it before wasting Galvantula.
  
  
• Look out for flying types and levitators and the rare trick room teams before you consider setting up sticky web.
  
  
• Keep your focus sash intact if you know you may need a pokemon to take a hit.

Rotom-Slash Core

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Aegislash and Rotom-W

Aegislash Rotom-W

Stance Change Levitate

Leftovers Chesto Berry

Relaxed Calm

252 HP 252 HP
252 DEF 252 SPEC-DEF
4 SPEC-DEF 4 DEF​

• Shadow Sneak - Rest
• Sacred Sword - Discharge
• Shadow Ball - Hydro Pump
• King's Shield - Thunder Wave

Ok, so this is the defensive core of the team and these two have some great synergy together, with aegislash's multiple resistances with Rotom covering Aegislash's weakness, resisting 1 and being ammune to another (barring Mold Breaker). I use Shadow Ball on Aegislash to counter other Aegislash's as well as a way to hit physically bulky pokemon hard. Thunder Wave is used over will-o-wisp to slow down the pokemon not effected by sticky web.

Tips/Suggestions:

• As I mentioned, Mold Breaker earthquake is a huge problem, remove any pokemon suspected of this before switching in either of these pokemon.
• Rotom-W can be used to set up on, look out for any potential of this happening. Another option to look into is using volt switch instead of discharge.

Mystic ​

Azumarill

Huge Power

Mystic Water

Adamant

252 HP evs
252 ATK evs
4 DEF evs
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• Aqua Jet
• Waterfall
• Play Rough
• Power-up Punch

Azumarill is going to stay OU in this gen, mark my words, with the additional Fairy typing and ability to strike fear in a dragon's heart, Azumarill is a threat. That being said, Azumarill funtions best at a higher health and greatly appreciates any boost it can get to aqua jet. I use mystic water over life orb and expert belt so that Azumarill will always get a boost to its STAB water moves and stay healthy.

Tips/Suggestions:

• You neeeeed Azumarill to take hits since it is so slow, so make sure to keep it healthy as long as your opponent has anything like a volcarona or anyother pokemon you can't allow to set up.
• Using Power-up Punch is best used on bulky walls that can't hurt Azumarill too badly, such as Skarmory or Tyranitar (after a speed decrease from sticky web).

The Janitor​

Togekiss

Serene Grace

Weakness Policy

Modest

4 HP evs
252 SPEC-ATK evs
252 SPEED evs
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• Air Slash
• Aura Sphere
• Dazzling Gleam
• Fire Blast

Togekiss is terrifying when your team is too slow, Togekiss and sticky web are like PB&J. Togekiss has always been a threatening pokemon in UU but it has always suffered from lackluster speed and Normal typing, now with the Fairy typing and sticky web combo, Togekiss is ready to destroy teams unprepared for it. I'm recently trying out the weakness policy because of Togekiss' awesome bulk and amazing move coverage. Togekiss should not be underestimated, it almost always pulls through at the end when the other team is slowed down by paralysis and sticky web.

Tips/Suggestions:

• Remember that this team's defensive core resists Togekiss' weaknesses, don't use the weakness policy too early if you can avoid it, Togekiss is most threatening as an end game sweeper.
• There is an alternative set you can try with life orb and Roost instead of Fire Blast, I prefer this set because it has slightly better coverage with the fire type move but the alternate is very threatening and hits harder if weakness policy isn't activated.

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Well that's my team for this 6th generation, I know the team isn't perfect and may rely too much on sticky web being active but it's brough me pretty consitant success so far. Please point out any flaws you may find and/or add suggestions so that this can improve for the better. Thanks for taking a look guys, stay classy. ;)

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[Robot_3]

1. In your togekiss sweeping video you were scared of Rotom-W's possible ice beam. Rotom-W does not learn ice beam from anywhere (in fact he does not learn any ice moves at all except hidden power ICE), so you don't have to imagine such a fear again :)

2. Without a phazer, don't substitute users scare you? I didn't do much research into it but I think a Mega-Kangaskhan using a substitute set has an opportunity somewhere to wreck you.


What I did do a lot of research on was Mega-Gengar and Dragonite. I feel these two pokemon have the potential to destroy your team. M-Gengar can pop in any time he sees Togekiss - pretty much with impunity.
Your Togekiss barely musters a 3HKO using air slash on gengar, I didn't run the math but I am pretty sure M-Geng will OHKO with sludge bomb if he is running it, weakness policy activation won't matter because you'll be dead.
You have to be very careful not to show Togekiss until M-Geng is totally eliminated.

Hide

Now, I also did a lot of math on Dragonite, who I feel is one of the biggest threats to this team. Weakness Policy Multiscale Dragonite can come in any time your Aegislash is out. Sacred Sword 3HKO's a +0 defense Dragonite.
None of your special moves bother him slightly, shadow sneak does pitiful damage, 15% at max. Basically what I'm saying is it's going to Dragon Dance. From here, who do you switch to?
I assume you'll go to either Togekiss or Azumarill. Let's talk about Togekiss First. Most Weakness Policy Dragonites I've noticed run the moveset;

Dragon Dance
Outrage / DragonClaw
Fire Punch / Extreme Speed
Roost

Or something like that. Well, it doesn't matter if Dragonite picks the Extreme Speed or Fire Punch set, after a single Dragon Dance he OHKO's Togekiss with both of them, obviously outspeeds with Extreme Speed but will also outspeed with Fire Punch *even if you have Sticky Web down* (I think, didn't do the math). There is a possibility to kill him with Dazzling Gleam if you have previously paralyzed him, have sticky web down (to outspeed), hope he is using a non-priority set, AND gotten previous damage on him to destroy Multiscale, but you have no entry hazards that do damage so it is likely that his multiscale will be intact. The chances of these 4 conditions happening all in tandem are very small.
Basically, Togekiss is not a problem for the aforementioned Dragonite. Dnite will kill him. The only hope for Togekiss is if Dnite has Outrage/Earthquake as his only offense moves.

Onto Azumarill. If Dnite picked Extremespeed you are fucked. He kills you in 2 hits. If he picked Fire punch then it gets more complicated. Basically I recommend NOT using Play Rough; *IT WILL NOT OHKO* this will only activate Weakness Policy and make him strong FASTER. What do I recommend you do, then? Well, uh.. not much, really. In short, Dnite gonna Dance in your face motherfucker. The best you can hope for is to Power Up Punch alongside him dancing, and try to take him out with Waterfall, but you would have to get to +5 to outdamage Roost, and that is not happening against a Dnite who can take you down at just +2 or even +1.

If Dnite picks the fire punch set, he can finish a 2nd Dragon Dance (the first Dance was on your forced switch, remember?) and 3HKO you with the fire punch even though you fully invested into HP EV's and resist the attack. No EV rearrangement on Azu will help this.

I think your best answer is to switch in Absol. I went through a pretty long and drawn out scenario to figure this out, but *IF YOU OUTSPEED HIM*, you can Ice Beam twice in a row and even with Multiscale, he will die in 2 hits if he has no defensive EV's (which is a pretty safe assumption). However, I don't think this will work either because if he attacks when you switch in (any attack), he will 2HKO you before you get the 2nd Ice Beam off, and then you just activated his Weakness Policy. If, on the turn you switch in Absol, Dnite doesn't attack and Dragon Dances, he will kill you on the next turn with any move in 1 hit. Your only hope is to get Absol in when Dnite uses Roost, and you have to hope he is still miraculously at +0 attack which is very, very unlikely to happen

So basically Absol doesn't work either.

The text in the above spoiler is very long, but it basically describes why Absol, Azu, and Togekiss are not a threat to Weakness Policy Multiscale Dnite. What's worse, Dnite can come in on multiple members of your team but most notably Aegislash, set up a Dragon Dance and it's basically done for you. Your best answer is to Thunder Wave him, put a Sticky Web down and hope that he gets paralyzed and can't move at a critical moment. However, Dragonite doesn't even need to outspeed your team as nothing will kill it very quickly and it will return a OHKO in almost all cases. You might kill it eventually if you manage to paralyze it, but it will take down at least 3-4 pokes before that happens.

I don't know how to solve this issue, honestly WP Multiscale Dnite is very strong. Adding fairies will not help at all, for much of the same reason Azu and Togekiss won't counter it. It's not worth it to change Thunder Wave for Will-O-Wisp on Rotom because that undermines the cohesiveness of the team with your slow Absol and Toge and lead to more problems than it solves.

One thing is for sure though; it's gotta be a boosting Dragonite. If it's not boosting with Weakness Policy or Dragon Dance then your Aegislash can handle it. But if it does boost, you have to switch Aegislash out immediately (in fact it's already too late, because +1 is enough to start OHKO'ing key pokes on your team). Keeping Aegislash in won't work because Dragonite will eventually boost up to the point that it will kill Aegislash and then you've got a +5 or +6 Dnite walking around -- not good.


Anyway sorry for such a long rate but I was writing while doing the math and thinking it out; on the surface it appears that your multiple fairies would be able to handle a dragon, but it is counter intuitive to note that Weakness Policy Dragonite can set up in front of them and then kill them easily, while fearing pretty much nothing from them.

Edit: oh and I'm unsure of how to fix this issue, fixing it would require big changes that, in my opinion, lead to more harm than good. I just wanted to point out what I think is a WP Dnite weakness just so you are aware of how potentially dangerous it is, and you can be on the look out for it in battle. A good Paralyze might save you.

 

[Hi Im Urban]

If it is possible to slap stealth rocks on this team (maybe a smeargle instead of galvanchula, though I prefer the damage it can do.) that may be the simplest solution to Dnite. Also, just wanted to clarify a few things about Dragonite... Based on my experience, Asbol outspeeds non-jolly Dnite and sucker punch has killed on second turn on a few occasions (though I'm not sure what evs those players had used.) Also, since this is pre-bank ou, Dnite does not have access to e-speed. I haven't had tooo large of a problem with Dnite.... yet... though I admit, it could tear a hole in my team. But, funny enough, I'm thinking that weakness policy Dnite might be better for the team than Togekiss. Though in particular situations, I prefer Togekiss. As for not having a phazer, I also haven't had too much of a problem with anything setting up on my team yet, probably because the team is more offensively based in general.

Thanks for the response, and on paper, I can see Dnite plowing through the team and laughing at my "counters" to it. The best solution I can see, without much change, is stealth rocks. I'm not toooo worried about substitute right now, but it's something I always look out for.

Oh! Side note, I wasn't afraid of Rotom going for ice beam in the video, I was afraid of Greninja going for Ice Beam lol. Thanks for replying!

 

[welsknight]

Just a note concerning Dragonite: it is flying-type, and therefore is immune to Sticky Web.

As someone who runs a Weakness Policy Dragonite, Stealth Rock is the best way to bring it down.

 

[Robot_3]

It's not too much a worry, I don't see too many weakness policy Dnite anyway. I just went kind of sperg because I thought I saw a vulnerability and I was walking myself through the math while writing that post to almost prove myself that I was right, at least on paper. In reality I'm sure the matches are much more fluid and Dnite will come in and come out and take damage here and there, the player with the Dnite on his team probably won't play perfectly and won't realize that your fairies probably can't kill it. Like I said, it seems counter-intuitive to probably everyone involved that the fairies wouldn't be able to kill a Dnite.

Overall I like the team and especially the Absol set because I'm guessing it gets a lot of unexpected kills. I also like that it's just purely damaging moves instead of boosting sweepers, it's more straightforward and feels efficient because you are always doing damage instead of hoping for a boost that will go unchallenged. Overall pretty cool team. And yeah, I dislike the thought of needing to use Smeargle as well, I think Galvantula does a lot for the team, but I also can't deny that Stealth Rocks would be a pretty nice asset especially when the meta is cluttered with (BAN ME PLEASE) Talonflames.