Hey so I've made a few Pokebank OU teams but this is the first one I've made that does not require Pokebank. This team takes advantage of Aurora Veil, a new move introduced this generation. Let me know what you guys think!
Ninetales-Alola @ Light Clay
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Aurora Veil
- Freeze-Dry
- Moonblast
- Encore
My main lead, and the glue that holds my team together. Ninetails getting an alolan counterpart makes it fit into a nice niche, for three reasons. First, it has access to Aurora Veil, a move that halves the damage done by physical and special attacks for 5 turns if it is Hailing (think of it as a combination of light screen and reflect, but can only be used in hail). Second, it has base 109 speed, separating it from the crowded base 100 speed tier, allowing it outspeed virtually anything that can OHKO it (Mega Metagross and Scizor are the only real 'mons that can prevent it from setting up AV). Finally, it has the ability Snow Warning, which activates hail upon entry. These things combine into the most reliable AV user available in the meta game. Freeze-Dry is used instead of blizzard to OHKO Pelliper, (who counters Ninetails with Drizzle) Kingdra and Ludicolo, while dealing massive damage to Mantine as well. Moonblast is used for STAB, and can do some damage with its decent spAtk stat, and Encore is used to prevent Ninetails from being set-up bait. EV's and Nature are geared towards max speed, while light clay is held to make AV last 8 turns instead of 5, giving more time to other members to set up.
Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Scald
- Baneful Bunker
- Haze
Toxapex is the Ferrothorn of this generation, only more annoying. It has 152/142 defenses (compared to 131/116 from Ferrothorn), has the ability Regenerator and the move Recover to extend its longevity to greater heights, and has Haze to prevent set-ups, meaning as long as Toxapex is alive no set up sweepers can wreak havoc, as Thunderbolt, Earth Power, Earthquake and Psychic are the only moves that it fears. It also checks Pheromosa, who is pratically unstoppable while it remains in OU for the time being. It also has scald to cripple physical sweepers, and baneful bunker, which protects and poisons on contact, is great for playing mind games and gaining momentum, as no one wants to risk a contact move due to BB. Toxic Spikes are an alternative to Baneful Bunker that lets you poison more opponents but leaves you more vulnerable and you lose the ability to scout. This thing is literally unkillable when AV is up. Nature and EV's are geared towards max defense, and black sludge gives it another form of recovery.
Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Tapu Lele has an exclusive ability, Psychic Surge, which sets up Psychic Terrain, a new terrain that blocks priority moves and boosts the power of psychic terrain. This is great as it prevents pokemon like Scizor, Azumarill, Mamoswine and Non-Disguise Mimikyu from revenge killing. Choice Specs boosted, psychic terrain boosted, 252 EV psyshock is devestating to everything except Dark types, OHKOing the majority of the time. This makes it an excellent late game sweeper to hold in the back while the rest of the team dukes it out. Moonblast is there for coverage against dark types, HP fire is to counter steel types that threaten tapu lele and prevent Ninetails from setting up AV, and Shadow Ball to round out coverage. Focus Blast is an alternative to either SB or HP fire but I've used it maybe once or twice in 30 matches so I subbed it out. Psychic can be used instead of Psyshock but I prefer Psyshock because I find that spDef walls tend to get lured in by Tapu Lele, so psyshock counters that while adding unpredicatbility. EVs and nature geared for max speed, choice specs to max spAtk.
Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Crunch
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
Gyrados is my main sweeper, having the versitality in its moveset to hit most opponents pretty hard, and the stats to clean up quickly. One dragon dance is all it needs as it mainly needs the speed boost to take over matches, as its attack is already high enough. Crunch and Waterfall are used for STAB, while Ice Fang rounds out its coverage. My main strategy is to try and set up AV and find an opportunity to send it out, as AV makes its already decent bulk even better, giving you a free dragon dance while either taking a hit or forcing a switch (you can get two off if your lucky/ballsy enough). AV DD boosted M-Gyrados has been the biggest source of ragequits and disconnections, because all it takes is one error to take over the match. EV's and Nature geared for max speed, intimidate used to check physical attackers. The only real counter to this I've seen are Water Fairy types (Azumarill, Tapu Fini, especially Tapu Fini), but that leads to my next 'mon...
Kartana @ Life Orb
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike
Kartana was initially added to counter Tapu Fini, since it was the biggest threat to M-Gyrados. It resists all three STAB moves, has great defenses, and deals super effective damage back with Moonblast. Kartana resists Tapu Fini's main STAB moves and deals super effective damage back with Leaf Blade. But aside from that it has the potential to be a great sweeper, thanks to its ridiculous 181 attack and great 101 speed, and becomes busted once it's has AV set up. Leaf Blade and Smart Strike are used for STAB, while Sacred Sword rounds out its coverage. Combined with Swords Dance, its a great sweeper for any phase of the game, subbing in for Tapu Lele or Gyrados should they die before they get a chance to dominate. EV's and Nature are geared for max speed.
Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Oblivious
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
- Icicle Crash
Finding a stealth rock user was a bit tricky for OU, as my go-to's were either forms of Landorus, but one form was re-banned, and the other is Pokebank only. I settled on Mamoswine thanks to it's decent defense and an attack stat good enough for revenge killing if necessary, and the ice typing helps it benefit from Hail. Stealth Rock is used to put a hazard up, which really helps down the road when sweeping, Ice Shard is for revenge killing, and Earthquake and Ice Shard are used for STAB. EV's and Nature geared towards Attack, Focus Sash used to guarantee the set up of Rocks.
Thoughts, Feedback, Suggestions and Criticism all appreciated :)
Ninetales-Alola @ Light Clay
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Aurora Veil
- Freeze-Dry
- Moonblast
- Encore
My main lead, and the glue that holds my team together. Ninetails getting an alolan counterpart makes it fit into a nice niche, for three reasons. First, it has access to Aurora Veil, a move that halves the damage done by physical and special attacks for 5 turns if it is Hailing (think of it as a combination of light screen and reflect, but can only be used in hail). Second, it has base 109 speed, separating it from the crowded base 100 speed tier, allowing it outspeed virtually anything that can OHKO it (Mega Metagross and Scizor are the only real 'mons that can prevent it from setting up AV). Finally, it has the ability Snow Warning, which activates hail upon entry. These things combine into the most reliable AV user available in the meta game. Freeze-Dry is used instead of blizzard to OHKO Pelliper, (who counters Ninetails with Drizzle) Kingdra and Ludicolo, while dealing massive damage to Mantine as well. Moonblast is used for STAB, and can do some damage with its decent spAtk stat, and Encore is used to prevent Ninetails from being set-up bait. EV's and Nature are geared towards max speed, while light clay is held to make AV last 8 turns instead of 5, giving more time to other members to set up.
Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Scald
- Baneful Bunker
- Haze
Toxapex is the Ferrothorn of this generation, only more annoying. It has 152/142 defenses (compared to 131/116 from Ferrothorn), has the ability Regenerator and the move Recover to extend its longevity to greater heights, and has Haze to prevent set-ups, meaning as long as Toxapex is alive no set up sweepers can wreak havoc, as Thunderbolt, Earth Power, Earthquake and Psychic are the only moves that it fears. It also checks Pheromosa, who is pratically unstoppable while it remains in OU for the time being. It also has scald to cripple physical sweepers, and baneful bunker, which protects and poisons on contact, is great for playing mind games and gaining momentum, as no one wants to risk a contact move due to BB. Toxic Spikes are an alternative to Baneful Bunker that lets you poison more opponents but leaves you more vulnerable and you lose the ability to scout. This thing is literally unkillable when AV is up. Nature and EV's are geared towards max defense, and black sludge gives it another form of recovery.
Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Tapu Lele has an exclusive ability, Psychic Surge, which sets up Psychic Terrain, a new terrain that blocks priority moves and boosts the power of psychic terrain. This is great as it prevents pokemon like Scizor, Azumarill, Mamoswine and Non-Disguise Mimikyu from revenge killing. Choice Specs boosted, psychic terrain boosted, 252 EV psyshock is devestating to everything except Dark types, OHKOing the majority of the time. This makes it an excellent late game sweeper to hold in the back while the rest of the team dukes it out. Moonblast is there for coverage against dark types, HP fire is to counter steel types that threaten tapu lele and prevent Ninetails from setting up AV, and Shadow Ball to round out coverage. Focus Blast is an alternative to either SB or HP fire but I've used it maybe once or twice in 30 matches so I subbed it out. Psychic can be used instead of Psyshock but I prefer Psyshock because I find that spDef walls tend to get lured in by Tapu Lele, so psyshock counters that while adding unpredicatbility. EVs and nature geared for max speed, choice specs to max spAtk.
Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Crunch
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
Gyrados is my main sweeper, having the versitality in its moveset to hit most opponents pretty hard, and the stats to clean up quickly. One dragon dance is all it needs as it mainly needs the speed boost to take over matches, as its attack is already high enough. Crunch and Waterfall are used for STAB, while Ice Fang rounds out its coverage. My main strategy is to try and set up AV and find an opportunity to send it out, as AV makes its already decent bulk even better, giving you a free dragon dance while either taking a hit or forcing a switch (you can get two off if your lucky/ballsy enough). AV DD boosted M-Gyrados has been the biggest source of ragequits and disconnections, because all it takes is one error to take over the match. EV's and Nature geared for max speed, intimidate used to check physical attackers. The only real counter to this I've seen are Water Fairy types (Azumarill, Tapu Fini, especially Tapu Fini), but that leads to my next 'mon...
Kartana @ Life Orb
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike
Kartana was initially added to counter Tapu Fini, since it was the biggest threat to M-Gyrados. It resists all three STAB moves, has great defenses, and deals super effective damage back with Moonblast. Kartana resists Tapu Fini's main STAB moves and deals super effective damage back with Leaf Blade. But aside from that it has the potential to be a great sweeper, thanks to its ridiculous 181 attack and great 101 speed, and becomes busted once it's has AV set up. Leaf Blade and Smart Strike are used for STAB, while Sacred Sword rounds out its coverage. Combined with Swords Dance, its a great sweeper for any phase of the game, subbing in for Tapu Lele or Gyrados should they die before they get a chance to dominate. EV's and Nature are geared for max speed.
Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Oblivious
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
- Icicle Crash
Finding a stealth rock user was a bit tricky for OU, as my go-to's were either forms of Landorus, but one form was re-banned, and the other is Pokebank only. I settled on Mamoswine thanks to it's decent defense and an attack stat good enough for revenge killing if necessary, and the ice typing helps it benefit from Hail. Stealth Rock is used to put a hazard up, which really helps down the road when sweeping, Ice Shard is for revenge killing, and Earthquake and Ice Shard are used for STAB. EV's and Nature geared towards Attack, Focus Sash used to guarantee the set up of Rocks.
Thoughts, Feedback, Suggestions and Criticism all appreciated :)
