Destructive....RMT OU

[robdogz]

I set out to build a team capable of relentless attacks that would "take apart" and dominate the OU metagame with optimal efficiency. This, I believed could only be achieve through the use of a wide range of types of Pokemon, complementary move sets, "good synergy" as well as encorperating and formulating strategies put forth by many smogon competitive battlers. Unfortunately my team seems to be struggling at the present time and needs to be tweaked to ensure my flaws in the team are minimal.

Team at a Glance​

Team in Depth​

Metagross @Occa Berry
Ability: Clear Body
Evs: 252 HP / 232 Att / 10 Def / 16 Spd
Nature: Adament
- Bullet Punch
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
Purpose: Leadgross is the ultimate Pokemon to beat many/most of the leads in the OU metagame as well as set up stealth rock. This Pokemon easily walls lead; Arodactyl, heatran (occa berry allows metagross to withstand the most deadly fire attacks and then 1HKO heatran with earthquake) Azelf (meteor mash will almost eliminate Azelf in a single hit however a follow up bullet punch is needed which is extremely effective). This sets up a strong position for the rest of my team.

Gyarados @Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 156 HP / 108 Att / 50 Def / 196 Spd
Nature: Adament
- Dragon dance
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Stone edge
Purpose: Gyarados is a great dancer and arguably the biggest threat in OU with the possibility to annihilate the opposition within a matter of seconds. I have decided to utilize the “bulky gar” method. This allows me to have massive defenses and HP and after a ddance monstrous overall stats. The move set allows Gyarados to combat many threats oppose. After one ddance, Gyarados easily walls jolteon, electivre with earthquake and stone edge on zapdos will all 1HKO them. Gyarados is a vital member in my team.

Scizor @Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 108 HP / 252 Att / 150 Spc.D
Nature: Adament
- Bullet Punch
- Pursuit
- Quick Attack
- Swords Dance
Purpose: Scizor is a great finisher! I am often found switching him in to finish off an opponent; along with swords dance, it makes him a formidable opponent to anyone, no matter what type of Pokemon. The combination between Bullet Punch and Quick attack gives scizor an advantage over many other pokemon with its choice of priority moves for the effectiveness. Along with this, it becomes merely impossible to run from scizor, due to the move pursuit. He is a fantastic asset to my team.

Infernape @Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 108 Att / 252 Spd / 150 Spc. A
Nature: Naïve
- Close Combat
- Grass knot
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
Purpose: Infernape is a versatile Pokemon, able to wall damaged water types with grass knot and full HP swamperts as well as many steel Pokemon with fire blast and an unscarfed heatran with earthquake. Infernape is an incredible late stage Pokemon when the opposition usually has little to prevent it; along with this infernapes close combat is able to 1HKO all blissey’s faced throughout shoddy battle. This is when this mix ape is very dangerous.

Salamence @Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 84 Att / 252 Spd / 174 Spc. A
Nature: Mild
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Outrage
- Earthquake
Purpose: Salamence is quite the attacking weapon, if used correctly. This move pool allows Salamence to strike with massive damage with Draco Meteor as well as attack equally as damaging with outrage. Match this with speed and you have a demon off the leash. Along with cover moves such as Fire Blast and Earthquake, it will enable a wider the range of super effectiveness. Salamence has the ability to win the game and destroy your opponent.

Gengar @Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Spd / 252 Spc. A
Nature: Modest
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Trick
- Thunderbolt
Purpose: Gengar, being the special sweeper he is, provides my team with the stability required in order to devastate teams. Gengars biggest threat is his trick. This is predominantly used when blissey, jirachi, suicune and cresselia is switched in. The speed is also played to my advantage, especially when facing all forms of rotom. Thunderbolt is a great way in which to beat a dancing gar as lethal as gyarados is, this speed is surpassed by gengar and a 1HKO is definite.

OU Threat List:
- Flygon
- Gliscor
- Jirachi
- (Rain dance) Kingdra, Kabutops, ludicolo
- Latias
- Machamp
- Rontom – H
- Zapdos

 

[garchomp09]

Nice team btw. Instead of running earthquake on infernape to counter heatran, go with HP ice or something. If heatran stays in on infernape, chances are close combat will ohko or come close to doing so anyway.

 

[Mufufu_Master]

right. it means to make it so the opponent cant do much damage to you. Sweeping is the correct term.

 

[robdogz]

thanks for the tips sp far, however is there anything else anyone can suggest, the HP ice was a fantasic move but i still feel the team needs something more..... help really would be appreciated

 

[Myzozoa]

Nice team, but there are one or two things that will really make a difference.


Nitpicks first: Since you have no electric resists, you need gyarados to be out running jolteon after a dragon dance. To do this you need to be jolly, with 168 evs in speed. I would take these evs out of defense because you want to be attacking a lot. Secondly, you should change earthqake on infernape to stone edge, to hit gyarados and salamence.

Right now you like having the option of priority on scizor, but i would highly recommend running x-scissor instead of quick attack so that your sweep won't be stopped by dumb things like swampert.

I really dislike choice pokemon on offensive teams. To explain why, I will quote stathakis, a master of this style of play:

Basically, to play offense, all you have to do is get in a sweeper, set up, do as much damage as possible, sacrifice said sweeper, get in the next one, etc etc. By using stuff that is walled by the same things, you sacrifice one guy to weaken the counter (a bulky water or blissey in the case of this team) and then the rest of the team has a party. there is a lot of longterm thinking involved, because you have to sacrifice the right stuff and find openings to sweep and stuff. with this team, you don't have to predict, but you have to be thinking about the lategame from turn one, keeping the right stuff alive, sacrificing the right stuff, etc. otherwise, you'll find yourself unable to break through the opponent. It is also imperative, that, to not get swept, you have to not let anything be able to set up anywhere. if you want to effectively beat stall, scarfers are a huge no-no, therefore you can't revenge kill. since you can't revenge kill, the only way to not get swept is to not let anything set up on you. it follows that choice items in general are a no-no, due to the amount of free turns you give. It is also not good to switch, as by switching, you take two attacks, or worse, give your opponent a fee turn to set up. by doing your own thing and not switching out and giving your opponent free turns, you are never on the defensive, the pressure is always on the opponent, and you don't have to predict. It also follows that since we don't want to predict, explosion is a no-no as well, because it causes blind switches, which are even more guess-like than predictions. By doing all this, you play without having to predict. as long as your long-term thinking is solid and your team is good, you can win, no guessing necessary. this is the better way to play offense, the more reliable way.

So, i would like to see swords dance lucario in that last spot (instead of gengar) mainly to end game sweep and break stall. Lucario is a very powerful sweeper that is the staple of high powered offense in all tiers (OU and Uber). Luario has amazing stab in close combat, and the best priority in the game with extreme speed.

Finally, I think you should find a lead that allows your sweepers to set up more easily, either through the use of encore, taunt, or dual screens. The best user of taunt and dual screens is azelf. And the best user of encore is probably infernape (but he is already being used). Right now metagross does nothing to support your sweepers, where as azelf or infernape can help you set up one of them.

 

[robdogz]

yeehh thanks heaps brksocsc the changes made have allowed me to significantly push up my rating to 1300 high in shoddy (and climbing)... cheers

 

[Shizzle]

SpecsJolt eats this team alive if it doesnt come into gengar, seriously your whole team gets pretty much fucked over by it.

On gengar, energy ball is pointless, run Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Thunderbolt, Hidden Power [Ice].

Infernape run Naive 64 Atk / 252 SpA / 192 Spe, going 252 is pretty pointless. Also try Hidden Power [Ice] or [Electric] over Earthquake.

I really dislike your scizor set, Swords Dance + Pursuit is an extremely awkward move combo, try this set which i created today on shoddy. Its a somewhat defensive set, but REALLY effective. Try it out.

Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant (+Atk,-SpA)
EVs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 200 SpD / 12 Spe
Moves:
~Bullet Punch
~Brick Break
~Swords Dance
~Roost

Dont be fooled by no Life Orb or band, it gets the kills easy after a Swords Dance.

Good luck :)

 

[Taylor]

Nice team, but there are one or two things that will really make a difference.


Nitpicks first: Since you have no electric resists, you need gyarados to be out running jolteon after a dragon dance. To do this you need to be jolly, with 168 evs in speed. I would take these evs out of defense because you want to be attacking a lot. Secondly, you should change earthqake on infernape to stone edge, to hit gyarados and salamence.

Right now you like having the option of priority on scizor, but i would highly recommend running x-scissor instead of quick attack so that your sweep won't be stopped by dumb things like swampert.

I really dislike choice pokemon on offensive teams. To explain why, I will quote stathakis, a master of this style of play:



So, i would like to see swords dance lucario in that last spot (instead of gengar) mainly to end game sweep and break stall. Lucario is a very powerful sweeper that is the staple of high powered offense in all tiers (OU and Uber). Luario has amazing stab in close combat, and the best priority in the game with extreme speed.

Finally, I think you should find a lead that allows your sweepers to set up more easily, either through the use of encore, taunt, or dual screens. The best user of taunt and dual screens is azelf. And the best user of encore is probably infernape (but he is already being used). Right now metagross does nothing to support your sweepers, where as azelf or infernape can help you set up one of them.

CSGengar bails out the OP of a Gyarados sweep. I appreciate and in some way agree with that quote you have from slathakis, but Scizor, Metagross and Infernape (assuming Hidden Power Electric / Stone Edge is not favoured) are all set up material for opposing Gyarados to Dragon Dance upon; if Lucario is made an addition, include that in the list as well. There are ways around Gyarados, assuming Gengar is replaced, as he has Intimdate on two pokemon as well as Scizor's Quick Attack priority; Lucario not being the replacement, though.

Life Orb Celebi can replace Gengar. Grass Knot, Hidden Power Fire, Recover and Earth Power/Psychic. I suggest 308 Speed, max Special Attack and the remaining EVs in HP.

It stays true to the slathakis' offensive theory and also provides insurance for Gyarados; collectively, Gyarados can be stopped with Intimidate switches and Celebi.

There's no Thunder Wave support, so unfortunately that means you will have to catch Infernape on the switch; Heatran, while Celebi can invest EVs in Speed to excell Heatran's max Speed, run Shuca Berry and therefore it requires two Earth Powers from Celebi in order to eliminate Heatran from the picture. So, bare in mind you have to predict the Infernape/Heatran switch-in. But they're common switches into Celebi so expect it often and should you be successful, it helps frees up your Scizor for a sweep, who is vital to your team; you need it to check opposing Flygon. Lucario won't be too pleased when Celebi laughs off the Crunch attempt also.

Hidden Power Ice over Fire is plausible, as you have plenty of switch-ins to opposing Scizor; Salamence, Gyarados and Infernape. However, you must again catch Salamence / Flygon on the switch because they're likely to have 252 EVs in Speed with a beneficial nature; the latter most likely carries Choice Scarf too.

Experiment with it.

 

[Shizzle]

As stated, running HP[Fire] is not advised, as you will have to predict the scizor switch in to get it. That is why its only used on the SubGengar sets, where gengar can actually get an attack out. Hidden Power [Ice] allows you to stop many pokemon, such as Salamence, Flygon and Gliscor :)

 

[robdogz]

Hey thanks for the advice fellas and believe me i have played around with ur suggestions (for a very long time) and many being very successful. In future u may see a team posted my me soon. I wanna ask u a question. Why is it that my team seems to annihilate the competitors until the rating of about 1387 (90% win record up to this point). I then have a loss after a loss only being able to win around a 30% ratio. driving my rating back down?? Would this be my teams fault or just the limit of my knowledge?