Hello! This is my first RMT thread of the first singles team I've created. I've been using it for a while now. While I win more matches than I lose, I still feel like the team can improve, I just can't figure out where the problem lies. Any help is appreciated!
Carbink @ Light Clay
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Moonblast
I picked Carbink due to it's massive defensive stats + typing and supportive move pool. On my team, Carbink's role is to set up entry hazzards and barriers to open up for my team's aggression and a set-up for a sweep from my Volcarona. With it's great defenses and Sturdy to keep it from being OHKO from even the most powerful of pokemon, it will always be able to AT LEAST set up Stealth Rock, but usually gets the chance to also set up barriers, which are pro-longed by the use of Light Clay to give my team ample time to take advantage of it. Stealth rock is there to cause chip damage against switches and give my aggressive pokemon a chance to OHKO, not to mention cripple the flying type that would otherwise severely hinder my offensive team members. Barriers are mentioned above to be for setups and also providing general defenses. Finally, Moonblast is there in case of taunt or those rare moments Carbink is my last pokemon, in which case it might hope to finish off a weakened enemy.
Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit
A common choice in OU, Scizor is in my team for revenge-killing, Steel STAB and Pursuit, as well as it's general power being able to break through any more fragile threats. Bullet Punch gives it a powerful Technician-boosted priority move able to take out problematic Fairy and Rock types like Diance and Gardevoir. U-turn allows for scouting, but thanks to Choice Band and STAB, it's able to take out most pokemon weak to it, and cause a nice amount of chip damage to anyone else. If it gets a kill, I usually use the free switch-out to send out Volcarona for a set-up. Pursuit is for pesky Ghost and Psychic trying to escape, such as Gengar and Lati@s. Superpower is there for some general power, but also helps dealing with threats like Tyranitar and Heatran.
Breloom @ Coba Berry
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bullet Seed
- Mach Punch
- Power-Up Punch
- Rock Tomb
Breloom provides additional firepower in my team with it's Technician-boosted moveset and priority move. Breloom can switch into some common attacks - like Earthquake and Hydro Pump - without much trouble, and then proceed to deal massive damage. Bullet Seed's Technician boost makes it powerful enough to take out any pokemon weak to it ( like the ever-present Azumarill and Rotom-W) and takes AT MOST 2 turns to do so. The move also does severe neutral damage and with Stealth Rock already wearing the opponent down, it can even serve as a OHKO. Mach Punch is there for a STAB/Tech. boosted priority move, much like Scizor. The typing let's it revenge-kill squishy threats and Steel or Dark giving me trouble. Power-Up Punch is when I feel safe dealing some damage but also boosting myself. Technician makes it less puny in damage, meaning that I will both do some work and boost myself. Finally, Rock Tomb is there for a powerful Rock-type move in my team. Technician brings it up to a VERY respectable 90 power, and it still has a guarantee to slow, which can halt momentum in enemy sweepers. The typing helps Breloom deal with flying types wanting to ruin it's day, with Coba Berry letting it survive the first punch to then finish with Rock Tomb.
Rotom-Wash @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 60 SpA / 148 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Discharge
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
Rotom-W is for that nice bulk and offensive capabilities that balances out my otherwise frail aggression. Rotom-W serves to soak up hits that would otherwise destroy my teammates. Fire type threatening Breloom or Scizor? Rotom-W. Garchomp about to unleash an Earthquake? Rotom-W doesn't even notice. Water attack coming for Volcarona? Rotom-W tanks it easily. Just to improve it's bulk, Rotom is given a Sitrus Berry for recovery and Will-O-Wisp for physical threats or chip damage. Protect can keep enemies off Rotom's back for a turn, usually to let that nice burn take an extra tick. The final moves are obvious. Discharge is a powerful STABs that help take out threats like Talonflame, and bulky walls like Skarmory, which my team is otherwise mostly unable to break through. Hydro Pump is even more powerful and can take out the fire types threatening Breloom and Scizor.
Volcarona @ Kee Berry
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Quiver Dance
- Flamethrower
- Giga Drain
Volcarona is incorporated for the beastly 135 Sp. Attack and the above-average speed, letting out outspeed a few common threats of the meta. In my team, Volcarona hopes to get a moment after Scizor's U-turn or jumping in to take a Grass attack aimed at Rotom-W or just any neutral or weak special attack that Volcarona can tank with it's high Sp. Defense. Once out, Volcarona will use Quiver Dance, letting the Sp. Defense rise even higher, combining with Light Screen to let Volcarona survive next to any Sp. Attack in the game. The ok Speed also rises to let Volcarona outrun most threats with the first boost and next to every single pokemon in the OU with the second stage. The boost to the already massive Sp. Attack doesn't hurt either. Then comes the offense; Flamethrower deals with opposing Scizors (especially Mega Scizor, who usually only carries Bullet Punch and Bugbite or Knock-off, two of which Volcarona resists), Skarmorys and Magnezone. I chose FT over FB or FD for the accuracy giving it consistency. Bug Buzz is generally there for STAB but does help giving a more neutral coverage. Giga Drain is to counter any water-type hoping to take down the boosted Volcarona, but also gives recovery to heal back all the damage Volcarona was taking for it's setup. The Kee Berry is to make physical threats a tad bit less painful.
Sableye @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Taunt
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Night Shade
Like the ability says, Sableye is used as a prankster, messing up opposing walls and pokemon hoping to set up. On my team, I have Sableye to break any momentum of a sweeper that I couldn't deal with otherwise. Let's say my Volcarona was knocked out, so I can't kill Mega Scizor before those Sword Dances are used. Sableye comes in, Prankster Taunt is used, bam, no Sword Dance. Next turn I use Will-O-Wisp, and now Scizor's damage is worse than ever, AND it's taking damage. In case I don't feel safe switching just yet, I use Night Shade for additional damage that will hit neutral on any threat in the game that isn't Normal-type. It also makes life hell for any wall relying on defenses over HP. Recover is there to keep Sableye going. Combined with Leftovers and Prankster giving it priority, it makes Sableye able to rise through any non-fairy attack unscathed and the opponent ticked for another bit by Will-O-Wisp. The burn also makes Sableye's low Def EVs less of an issue. All this combine to make a nice wall capable of ruining setups and opposing wall,s and doing general damage to any pokemon Sableye might face.
Carbink @ Light Clay
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Moonblast
I picked Carbink due to it's massive defensive stats + typing and supportive move pool. On my team, Carbink's role is to set up entry hazzards and barriers to open up for my team's aggression and a set-up for a sweep from my Volcarona. With it's great defenses and Sturdy to keep it from being OHKO from even the most powerful of pokemon, it will always be able to AT LEAST set up Stealth Rock, but usually gets the chance to also set up barriers, which are pro-longed by the use of Light Clay to give my team ample time to take advantage of it. Stealth rock is there to cause chip damage against switches and give my aggressive pokemon a chance to OHKO, not to mention cripple the flying type that would otherwise severely hinder my offensive team members. Barriers are mentioned above to be for setups and also providing general defenses. Finally, Moonblast is there in case of taunt or those rare moments Carbink is my last pokemon, in which case it might hope to finish off a weakened enemy.
Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit
A common choice in OU, Scizor is in my team for revenge-killing, Steel STAB and Pursuit, as well as it's general power being able to break through any more fragile threats. Bullet Punch gives it a powerful Technician-boosted priority move able to take out problematic Fairy and Rock types like Diance and Gardevoir. U-turn allows for scouting, but thanks to Choice Band and STAB, it's able to take out most pokemon weak to it, and cause a nice amount of chip damage to anyone else. If it gets a kill, I usually use the free switch-out to send out Volcarona for a set-up. Pursuit is for pesky Ghost and Psychic trying to escape, such as Gengar and Lati@s. Superpower is there for some general power, but also helps dealing with threats like Tyranitar and Heatran.
Breloom @ Coba Berry
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bullet Seed
- Mach Punch
- Power-Up Punch
- Rock Tomb
Breloom provides additional firepower in my team with it's Technician-boosted moveset and priority move. Breloom can switch into some common attacks - like Earthquake and Hydro Pump - without much trouble, and then proceed to deal massive damage. Bullet Seed's Technician boost makes it powerful enough to take out any pokemon weak to it ( like the ever-present Azumarill and Rotom-W) and takes AT MOST 2 turns to do so. The move also does severe neutral damage and with Stealth Rock already wearing the opponent down, it can even serve as a OHKO. Mach Punch is there for a STAB/Tech. boosted priority move, much like Scizor. The typing let's it revenge-kill squishy threats and Steel or Dark giving me trouble. Power-Up Punch is when I feel safe dealing some damage but also boosting myself. Technician makes it less puny in damage, meaning that I will both do some work and boost myself. Finally, Rock Tomb is there for a powerful Rock-type move in my team. Technician brings it up to a VERY respectable 90 power, and it still has a guarantee to slow, which can halt momentum in enemy sweepers. The typing helps Breloom deal with flying types wanting to ruin it's day, with Coba Berry letting it survive the first punch to then finish with Rock Tomb.
Rotom-Wash @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 60 SpA / 148 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Discharge
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect
Rotom-W is for that nice bulk and offensive capabilities that balances out my otherwise frail aggression. Rotom-W serves to soak up hits that would otherwise destroy my teammates. Fire type threatening Breloom or Scizor? Rotom-W. Garchomp about to unleash an Earthquake? Rotom-W doesn't even notice. Water attack coming for Volcarona? Rotom-W tanks it easily. Just to improve it's bulk, Rotom is given a Sitrus Berry for recovery and Will-O-Wisp for physical threats or chip damage. Protect can keep enemies off Rotom's back for a turn, usually to let that nice burn take an extra tick. The final moves are obvious. Discharge is a powerful STABs that help take out threats like Talonflame, and bulky walls like Skarmory, which my team is otherwise mostly unable to break through. Hydro Pump is even more powerful and can take out the fire types threatening Breloom and Scizor.
Volcarona @ Kee Berry
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Quiver Dance
- Flamethrower
- Giga Drain
Volcarona is incorporated for the beastly 135 Sp. Attack and the above-average speed, letting out outspeed a few common threats of the meta. In my team, Volcarona hopes to get a moment after Scizor's U-turn or jumping in to take a Grass attack aimed at Rotom-W or just any neutral or weak special attack that Volcarona can tank with it's high Sp. Defense. Once out, Volcarona will use Quiver Dance, letting the Sp. Defense rise even higher, combining with Light Screen to let Volcarona survive next to any Sp. Attack in the game. The ok Speed also rises to let Volcarona outrun most threats with the first boost and next to every single pokemon in the OU with the second stage. The boost to the already massive Sp. Attack doesn't hurt either. Then comes the offense; Flamethrower deals with opposing Scizors (especially Mega Scizor, who usually only carries Bullet Punch and Bugbite or Knock-off, two of which Volcarona resists), Skarmorys and Magnezone. I chose FT over FB or FD for the accuracy giving it consistency. Bug Buzz is generally there for STAB but does help giving a more neutral coverage. Giga Drain is to counter any water-type hoping to take down the boosted Volcarona, but also gives recovery to heal back all the damage Volcarona was taking for it's setup. The Kee Berry is to make physical threats a tad bit less painful.
Sableye @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Taunt
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Night Shade
Like the ability says, Sableye is used as a prankster, messing up opposing walls and pokemon hoping to set up. On my team, I have Sableye to break any momentum of a sweeper that I couldn't deal with otherwise. Let's say my Volcarona was knocked out, so I can't kill Mega Scizor before those Sword Dances are used. Sableye comes in, Prankster Taunt is used, bam, no Sword Dance. Next turn I use Will-O-Wisp, and now Scizor's damage is worse than ever, AND it's taking damage. In case I don't feel safe switching just yet, I use Night Shade for additional damage that will hit neutral on any threat in the game that isn't Normal-type. It also makes life hell for any wall relying on defenses over HP. Recover is there to keep Sableye going. Combined with Leftovers and Prankster giving it priority, it makes Sableye able to rise through any non-fairy attack unscathed and the opponent ticked for another bit by Will-O-Wisp. The burn also makes Sableye's low Def EVs less of an issue. All this combine to make a nice wall capable of ruining setups and opposing wall,s and doing general damage to any pokemon Sableye might face.
