So pretty new to competitive and trying out some team ideas, have done ok so far in gen 7 OU with this one. It's mainly a light rain team with a lot of special tanks, It does struggle with priority and hazards some.
Lanturn @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 48 SpA / 80 SpD
Bold Nature
- Thunder
- Scald
- Protect
- Thunderbolt
Lanturn I've been using as a special tank that can normally take an unboosted earthquake from most mons, i have had some trouble with landorus though and same with offensive garchomps since i don't have an coverage with ice though i normally leave that to politoed. But against most special attackers it always takes 2-3 hits well and leftovers+protect can be used for health regeneration. Love it as a switch in from politoed in rain, can sometimes use that volt absorb on switch in for some healing or just momentum, otherwise the thunder is there for whenever I'm in rain and then Tbolt for out of rain and scald for burns on physical types. Generally it feels like most people I've played disregard Lanturn until they get to it then can't deal with it assuming it'll go down in one or two hits and then the leftovers healing can lead to easy wear downs on weaker attackers.
Politoed (M) @ Aguav Berry
Ability: Drizzle
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 124 SpA / 76 SpD
Modest Nature
- Ice Beam
- Scald
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Focus Blast
Politoed is also sorta just a special tank used to setup rain, ice beam for good dragon coverage and can get rid of garchomp, Landorus, gliscor, and other dudes of that area quite well. Scald same as lanturn and for STAB in rain is nice, HP ground for coverage again used it some for electric types that don't see it coming. Then focus blast is for ice types and the occasional dark type, like lapras greninja other pokemon of that sort, Aguav berry just to gain health back since he rarely goes straight to 0 so it almost always goes into that 0-25% range. I picked Politoed over something like pelipper since i felt pelipper was to vulnerable to electric attacks especially if they carried something like thunder, and Politoed generally can tank better from what I've seen.
Volcarona @ Focus Sash
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Fiery Dance
- Giga Drain
- Quiver Dance
Volcarona is here mainly to special wall break and possible setup, with +1 speed from quiver dance it outspeeds almost everything non scarfed but priority is often what stops a possible sweep. I went with fiery dance so only one quiver dance would be enough to sweep because of power boosts, then bug buzz for STAB and Giga drain for recovery and good coverage to stop something like swampert(not as well for mega since swift swim can be rough), quagsire, or other water types, and ground and rock types. I don't have a mega like charizard that could have gone here but didn't wanna default to something everyone uses. Volcarona does struggle a lot with heatran since with +2 SP atk he can barely even touch a bulky heatran which I've run into a lot, part of the reason Politoed has HP ground(scald works too) to clear out ground and rock types for Volcarona. Also struggled with Lycanroc because of accelrock, and blissey since again just a special wall. Volcarona is a solid lead against skarmory or ferrothorn, and scares them out immediately, even with sturdy they get one hazard off or attack that i survive with sash but then i can get fiery dance boost up which can be big.
Drapion (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 132 HP / 252 Atk / 124 Def
Impish Nature
- Night Slash
- Toxic Spikes
- Poison Jab
- Earthquake
Drapion used to be used a bit more as a physical tank but now is often my main lead and a physical wall breaker but struggles against quite a few pokemon, used to have X-scissor instead of EQ but switched for coverage against Magearna mainly, then toxic spikes as a lead which is nice to have when Lanturn is healing to wear down. Then Night slash and poison jab for simple stab though might change poison jab out for something else at some point, not sure what, Drapion also is somewhat ok at dealing with electric types but vulnerable specially which can be annoying a lot. Rocky helmet just to wear down physical attackers, and sniper to get crits hopefully with night slash.
Togekiss @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 152 SpD / 100 Spe
Modest Nature
- Ancient Power
- Air Slash
- Defog
- Dazzling Gleam
Togekiss is mainly here to flinch hack a bit but i think it'd need more speed to do it often, it feels like 1/6 games or so i actually can, again another reasonably tanky special attacker, ancient power is great for unexpected setup and coverage(and i believe serene grace raises boost chance). Used to have assault vest and defog was on volcarona but it didn't work on him at all so switched it to here and switches asasault vest to a berry again simple healing and I'm not too good with using items yet, then dazzling gleam is just nice STAB. Again megearna and heatran are problems for togekiss which is a pain, i need something to fix that. Mainly picked Togekiss due to good coverage and all around viability, and I know a little on how to use it.
Kommo-o @ Figy Berry
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 184 Atk / 56 Def / 68 SpD / 200 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Dance
- Ice Punch
- Drain Punch
Used to have a Mega medicham here and changed to Kommo-o for something that can take hits a bit better, the fairy weakness is annoying, ice punch is a good counter for flying types and also general coverage such as ground types or something like landorus. DD for setup then i prefer dragon claw to outrage because of confusion as well as drain punch i prefer healing capability over the stat drop from close combat. And then Figy berry for a bit of health if bigger hits don't KO. Still often struggle against fairy types and also psychic, so I've considered switching ice punch for better coverage against those two but dark or poison can't cover both so idk how that'd work.
Overall this team definitely has some weaknesses such as heatran, Magearna, Garchomp, and Landorus can occasionally be problems and i see those 4 almost every battles it feels, I've also had a bit of trouble against setup pokemon like azumarill or calm mind alakazam once, though I think that's partially due to inexperience. Otherwise any advice is appreciated whether for this specific team or teambuilding in general, thanks.
Lanturn @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 48 SpA / 80 SpD
Bold Nature
- Thunder
- Scald
- Protect
- Thunderbolt
Lanturn I've been using as a special tank that can normally take an unboosted earthquake from most mons, i have had some trouble with landorus though and same with offensive garchomps since i don't have an coverage with ice though i normally leave that to politoed. But against most special attackers it always takes 2-3 hits well and leftovers+protect can be used for health regeneration. Love it as a switch in from politoed in rain, can sometimes use that volt absorb on switch in for some healing or just momentum, otherwise the thunder is there for whenever I'm in rain and then Tbolt for out of rain and scald for burns on physical types. Generally it feels like most people I've played disregard Lanturn until they get to it then can't deal with it assuming it'll go down in one or two hits and then the leftovers healing can lead to easy wear downs on weaker attackers.
Politoed (M) @ Aguav Berry
Ability: Drizzle
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 124 SpA / 76 SpD
Modest Nature
- Ice Beam
- Scald
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Focus Blast
Politoed is also sorta just a special tank used to setup rain, ice beam for good dragon coverage and can get rid of garchomp, Landorus, gliscor, and other dudes of that area quite well. Scald same as lanturn and for STAB in rain is nice, HP ground for coverage again used it some for electric types that don't see it coming. Then focus blast is for ice types and the occasional dark type, like lapras greninja other pokemon of that sort, Aguav berry just to gain health back since he rarely goes straight to 0 so it almost always goes into that 0-25% range. I picked Politoed over something like pelipper since i felt pelipper was to vulnerable to electric attacks especially if they carried something like thunder, and Politoed generally can tank better from what I've seen.
Volcarona @ Focus Sash
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Fiery Dance
- Giga Drain
- Quiver Dance
Volcarona is here mainly to special wall break and possible setup, with +1 speed from quiver dance it outspeeds almost everything non scarfed but priority is often what stops a possible sweep. I went with fiery dance so only one quiver dance would be enough to sweep because of power boosts, then bug buzz for STAB and Giga drain for recovery and good coverage to stop something like swampert(not as well for mega since swift swim can be rough), quagsire, or other water types, and ground and rock types. I don't have a mega like charizard that could have gone here but didn't wanna default to something everyone uses. Volcarona does struggle a lot with heatran since with +2 SP atk he can barely even touch a bulky heatran which I've run into a lot, part of the reason Politoed has HP ground(scald works too) to clear out ground and rock types for Volcarona. Also struggled with Lycanroc because of accelrock, and blissey since again just a special wall. Volcarona is a solid lead against skarmory or ferrothorn, and scares them out immediately, even with sturdy they get one hazard off or attack that i survive with sash but then i can get fiery dance boost up which can be big.
Drapion (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 132 HP / 252 Atk / 124 Def
Impish Nature
- Night Slash
- Toxic Spikes
- Poison Jab
- Earthquake
Drapion used to be used a bit more as a physical tank but now is often my main lead and a physical wall breaker but struggles against quite a few pokemon, used to have X-scissor instead of EQ but switched for coverage against Magearna mainly, then toxic spikes as a lead which is nice to have when Lanturn is healing to wear down. Then Night slash and poison jab for simple stab though might change poison jab out for something else at some point, not sure what, Drapion also is somewhat ok at dealing with electric types but vulnerable specially which can be annoying a lot. Rocky helmet just to wear down physical attackers, and sniper to get crits hopefully with night slash.
Togekiss @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 152 SpD / 100 Spe
Modest Nature
- Ancient Power
- Air Slash
- Defog
- Dazzling Gleam
Togekiss is mainly here to flinch hack a bit but i think it'd need more speed to do it often, it feels like 1/6 games or so i actually can, again another reasonably tanky special attacker, ancient power is great for unexpected setup and coverage(and i believe serene grace raises boost chance). Used to have assault vest and defog was on volcarona but it didn't work on him at all so switched it to here and switches asasault vest to a berry again simple healing and I'm not too good with using items yet, then dazzling gleam is just nice STAB. Again megearna and heatran are problems for togekiss which is a pain, i need something to fix that. Mainly picked Togekiss due to good coverage and all around viability, and I know a little on how to use it.
Kommo-o @ Figy Berry
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 184 Atk / 56 Def / 68 SpD / 200 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Dance
- Ice Punch
- Drain Punch
Used to have a Mega medicham here and changed to Kommo-o for something that can take hits a bit better, the fairy weakness is annoying, ice punch is a good counter for flying types and also general coverage such as ground types or something like landorus. DD for setup then i prefer dragon claw to outrage because of confusion as well as drain punch i prefer healing capability over the stat drop from close combat. And then Figy berry for a bit of health if bigger hits don't KO. Still often struggle against fairy types and also psychic, so I've considered switching ice punch for better coverage against those two but dark or poison can't cover both so idk how that'd work.
Overall this team definitely has some weaknesses such as heatran, Magearna, Garchomp, and Landorus can occasionally be problems and i see those 4 almost every battles it feels, I've also had a bit of trouble against setup pokemon like azumarill or calm mind alakazam once, though I think that's partially due to inexperience. Otherwise any advice is appreciated whether for this specific team or teambuilding in general, thanks.
