Hi, some of you might know me for what I do in the current VGC metagame but I wanted to try out singles and was told that OU would be a good place to start. I wanted to build a team around Libero Cinde because I love using it in VGC and have heard that it's good in singles. Now, time to explain what role each mon has.
The Team
Cinderace @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Libero
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Jolly Nature
- Pyro Ball
- Zen Headbutt
- Gunk Shot
- Bulk Up
Like I said, I wanted to use Cinde because I like it for VGC and I thought it could be a great wall breaker. The movepool reflects the wall breaker idea I had, Pyro Ball is an amazing fire move, Zen Headbutt allows it to have an decent chance at beating Pex, Gunk Shot is to beat Prim and Clef, and Bulk Up so it can have true wall breaking potential. I went with heavy-duty boots so it can switch in easier if Corvi can't switch in and defog the hazards away.
Zeraora @ Expert Belt
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Grass Knot
- Plasma Fists
One thing I notices that could beat Cinde was the Hippo, so I thought that a mixed Zerora set could be a good check to Hippo while still being an amazing mon. Movepool I feel like is good for a mixed set, Close Combat is just strong in general, Knock Off is valuable to have against stall, Grass Knot to beat Hippo, and Plasma Fist is just great stab. I chose Expert Belt so it could hit Hippo hard, sure it won't OHKO but it'll till do a ton of damage. Also it's ability is nice for prediction, like what if Corvi might get hit by an electric move, just switch in Zeraora and it'll eat that move.
Kommo-o @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Earthquake
- Body Press
Kommo-o is the teams stealth rocker, While there are better stealth rockers I felt like Kommo fitted in perfectly for the team Movepool is simple but works for the set, Stealth Rock because it isn't Kommo without it, Toxic is great for residual damage, Earthquake and Body Press are so it can do some damage if needed plus EQ does do fine against Pex. Leftovers is basically the best item for a bulky mon.
Conkeldurr @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Close Combat
- Mach Punch
- Knock Off
Conk does one thing really well, Killing Pex. Since I built this team with wall breaking in mind I knew that having a Pex counter was basically needed and Conk does that extremely well while still being an amazing mon for the team. Earthquake so Pex doesn't exist, Close Combat is amazing stab and helps against Hippo, Mach Punch for killing weaken mons, and Knock Off is great utility.
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Body Press
- U-turn
Corvi is here as the hazard remover, Hazards make it hard for mons on the team to switch in, so having a defog mon helps a lot. Defog because it wouldn't be Corvi without it, Roost for recovery, Body Press so it can do some damage if needed, and U-turn so it can switch out and let the offense in safely. Like I said with Kommo, leftovers is the best item for a bulky mon.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Teleport
- Wish
- Moonblast
- Protect
As much as I despise Clef it does two things really well that the rest of the team can't do, beating dragons and providing recovery. Teleport is basically U-turn, Wish is for recovery and can help the rest of the team, Moonblast is so it can actually beat dragons, Protect for if it needs Wish to heal itself. Leftovers is the best item for bulky Clef so it's a pretty obvious choice.
Conclusion
So that's the team, I would love some feedback and advice since I'm still new to this, it's my first team after all. In terms of counters Kyruem seems to be the main one rn. Anyway, thanks for reading this, I also wanna say thanks to the people in the OU discord for helping me build the team.
Current team paste: https://pokepast.es/fee6f3ed52e48975
The Team
Cinderace @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Libero
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Jolly Nature
- Pyro Ball
- Zen Headbutt
- Gunk Shot
- Bulk Up
Like I said, I wanted to use Cinde because I like it for VGC and I thought it could be a great wall breaker. The movepool reflects the wall breaker idea I had, Pyro Ball is an amazing fire move, Zen Headbutt allows it to have an decent chance at beating Pex, Gunk Shot is to beat Prim and Clef, and Bulk Up so it can have true wall breaking potential. I went with heavy-duty boots so it can switch in easier if Corvi can't switch in and defog the hazards away.
Zeraora @ Expert Belt
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Grass Knot
- Plasma Fists
One thing I notices that could beat Cinde was the Hippo, so I thought that a mixed Zerora set could be a good check to Hippo while still being an amazing mon. Movepool I feel like is good for a mixed set, Close Combat is just strong in general, Knock Off is valuable to have against stall, Grass Knot to beat Hippo, and Plasma Fist is just great stab. I chose Expert Belt so it could hit Hippo hard, sure it won't OHKO but it'll till do a ton of damage. Also it's ability is nice for prediction, like what if Corvi might get hit by an electric move, just switch in Zeraora and it'll eat that move.
Kommo-o @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Earthquake
- Body Press
Kommo-o is the teams stealth rocker, While there are better stealth rockers I felt like Kommo fitted in perfectly for the team Movepool is simple but works for the set, Stealth Rock because it isn't Kommo without it, Toxic is great for residual damage, Earthquake and Body Press are so it can do some damage if needed plus EQ does do fine against Pex. Leftovers is basically the best item for a bulky mon.
Conkeldurr @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Close Combat
- Mach Punch
- Knock Off
Conk does one thing really well, Killing Pex. Since I built this team with wall breaking in mind I knew that having a Pex counter was basically needed and Conk does that extremely well while still being an amazing mon for the team. Earthquake so Pex doesn't exist, Close Combat is amazing stab and helps against Hippo, Mach Punch for killing weaken mons, and Knock Off is great utility.
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Body Press
- U-turn
Corvi is here as the hazard remover, Hazards make it hard for mons on the team to switch in, so having a defog mon helps a lot. Defog because it wouldn't be Corvi without it, Roost for recovery, Body Press so it can do some damage if needed, and U-turn so it can switch out and let the offense in safely. Like I said with Kommo, leftovers is the best item for a bulky mon.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Teleport
- Wish
- Moonblast
- Protect
As much as I despise Clef it does two things really well that the rest of the team can't do, beating dragons and providing recovery. Teleport is basically U-turn, Wish is for recovery and can help the rest of the team, Moonblast is so it can actually beat dragons, Protect for if it needs Wish to heal itself. Leftovers is the best item for bulky Clef so it's a pretty obvious choice.
Conclusion
So that's the team, I would love some feedback and advice since I'm still new to this, it's my first team after all. In terms of counters Kyruem seems to be the main one rn. Anyway, thanks for reading this, I also wanna say thanks to the people in the OU discord for helping me build the team.
Current team paste: https://pokepast.es/fee6f3ed52e48975
Last edited:
nice team.
to 
EV + Movepool change
Toxic > Grass Knot