So I am a long-time veteran to Pokemon and the online variants. But it has been a year or so since I played competitively and I don't own a 3DS so I haven't played XY... so that means I'm coming in really fresh. I've been tinkering and learning for a couple days and I've got a fairly decent team put together, but it doesn't feel quite as stable as some of my old teams used to be. So i wanted to put up this RMT to help me learn a bit more about the current metagame and what I can expect at higher ranks.
My Pokemon at a glance:
Mawile@Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 SpD
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch
- Focus Punch
- Substitute
Mawile is my Mega Evolve for the team, With intimidate combined with the plethora of resistances granted by his Steel/Fairy typing, it's not hard to find a gap to bring him in and evolve into a substitute. 240 HP EVs gives him 301 HP, enough for 4 subs, which block status moves and can take 2 hits in a surprising number of circumstances, invite attacks to be Sucker Punched, and create an opening for a reliable Focus Punch. His low speed can be an issue, so I have to be smart about bringing him in. I've wiped whole teams with just Mega-Mawile.
Galvatula @ Life Orb
Ability: Compound Eyes
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Sticky Web
- Volt Switch
- Thunder
- Bug Buzz
I originally used Shuckle for both SR and Sticky Web, but its entirely underwhelming presence coupled with the ease at which hazards are removed this Gen made him a bad choice. Galvantula, on the other hand, has been surprisingly reliable. I only decide I need to sticky Web about 50% of games, and Galvantula does it quickly and reliably, He's not meant to take many hits and can at times become my throw away Pokemon. Volt Switch is nice for momentum grabbing and Thunder + Life orb has great sweeping potential If you can remove a couple threats. I go with Modest Nature because Once Sticky Web is up, I'd rather be hitting harder than eeking out a little extra speed.
Dragonite @ Leftovers
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spe)
- Thunder Wave
- Roost
- Dragon Tail
- Extreme Speed
This is a custom set from my B/W days that is as potent now as it was then. Dragonite attacks exactly when she means to. Thunderwave+Roost with Multiscale cutting attacks by half means I can keep her in until the opponent is paralyzed for a turn leaving me at full HP, then I have the option to switch (keeping Dragonite fresh) or Dragon Tail to another 'mon to Paralyze. Extreme Speed behind Dragonite's 403 Attack stat make her an excellent revenge killer also! The best part about the set is that its unlikely the opponent will be expecting Thunder Wave, which not only helps Dragonite, but also assists Mega-Mawile. The big thing to be careful for when playing this set is burn and poison as they completely ruin Multiscales ability to absorb damage.
Rotom-W @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Trick
- Hydro Pump
- Shadow Ball
Rotom-W is a decent pivot for my team as well as good at crippling walls with Trick. Hydro Pump and Shadow Ball help cover some offensive gaps I have, and it's natural bulk help it trade blows to wittle down threats that otherwise give me a hard time. All-in-all, Rotom-W is solid, but rarely game-breaking for my team.
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Damp
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 SpA
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spe)
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
This is a tried-and-true classic Mixpert, still as stallwart today as ever before. My physical wall isn't meant for stalling, but for keeping the game moving. SR+Roar creates problems for Set-up sweepers that like to come in on Swampert, and Ice Beam is a nice surprise for Dragons and Gliscor that think they can outmatch her.
Heatran @ Assault Vest
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Atk
Mild Nature (+SpA, -Def)
- Lava Plume
- Earth Power
- HP Ice
- Explosion
I have used a couple variants of Heatran for this team, and this is where I sit currently. The moveset isn't concrete yet because I'm still working out exactly what kind of threats I need him for. But the diversity of Heatrans movepool means I shouldn't have trouble filling holes when I find them. Heatran has great special bulk and can hit a number of things hard. Obviously weak to bulky waters, but can take a hit if needbe. The rest of my team covers water well. I like to keep Explosion handy cause its just unexpected these days and hits hard on many common switch-ins. Plenty of wiggle room on Heatran and he will likely see revision as I sure-up my team.
Offensive Options:
The idea of the team was originally to support Mega-Mawile but has evolved since then to be much more diverse. I have multiple end-game options and can change on the fly depending on the circumstances.
Supporting Mega-Mawile:
Mega-Mawile is a force to be reckoned with given the right opening. My team creates that opening. Sticky Web and Thunder Wave support goes a long way toward keeping Mawile safe. Once behind a Sub, at least 1 Pokemon is going down, normally 2 and sometimes 3-4 depending on their team makeup. Its important to know when to bring Mawile in, however, as switching into a status move can severely hamper Mega-Mawile's ability to sweep. If I'm in a losing scenario, Dragonite, Rotom-W, Swampert, and Heatran are all potential safe switches to take incoming attacks, allowing me to stay diverse in my strategy. On the flip-side of that, Many of my pokemon lure out walls and offensive 'mon that Mawile has an easy time switching in on.
Stealth Rock Suffle:
Shuffling the opponent's team with SR with Swampert's Roar or Dragonite's Dragon Tail can easily take the control and pacing of the match completely out of my opponents hands. Dragonite is the favorite for this strategy due to her all-around survivability, Thunderwave support, and the fact that Dragon Tail also damages the enemy you are sending out. While not a complete Offensive strategy, this can easily take its toll in a meta-game where 4xSR-weak pokemon are significantly more common. Also with the relatively offensive spin on all of my pokemon means I can have a much easier time finishing off weakened foes that would normally weather the assault long enough to turn the tide back in their favor.
Good, Old-Fashioned Sweeping:
Sticky Web and SR shuffling help make sweeping possible. Galvantula and Rotom-W both sport excellent speed and decent coverage. Interestingly enough, Mega-Mawile, Heatran, and Galvantula's early-game presence draw out Ground pokemon which my team has quite a few ways to handle; Swampert and Rotom-W also bring out any Grass pokemon the opponent might have; meaning Galvantula's Thunder can become a monster.
Defensive Options:
Defensively this team is not stellar, but can handle the threats it needs to handle, even if a sacrifice is needed.
Walls:
Swampert and Heatran are my dedicated physical and special walls, respectively. Neither is completely invulnerable to taking hits and have no reliable recovery, but they each have a game-plan. These two are the link's that get me to my next offensive action. Heatran absorbs fire and poison attacks and can hold his own, blow for blow, and Explosion can clear the playing field once his usefulness has run its course. Swampert can survive an impressive number of hits along with absorbing electric attacks and thunder wave. Swampert's Roar can shift the momentum back in my favor and allow me to find a gap to bring in more offensive-oriented pokemon (any of the other ones on my team).
Typing Synergy:
There is rarely a time in a match where there is absolutely no relatively safe switch in for my party. Mawile is really only scared of fire and ground attacks, and if he doesn't deal with his own checks with a Substitute or Sucker Punch, he can switch to any of my other pokemon (barring Galvantula) depending on the situation. Conversely, Mawile can switch in on a lot of attacks meant for the rest of my team. Swampert and Heatran, as my "walls" can cover most attacks between their respective defensive stats and typing.
Shuffling:
Shuffling is in the defensive options too! Having two pokemon that can shuffle can really break set-up sweepers and teams that rely on having the perfect pokemon in at the perfect time, like offensive Volt-Turn teams.
The Team as a Whole:
This team has been working great, but is reliant on making good decisions. Unfortunately, I feel like my biggest hindrance currently is not knowing all of the new threats in XY.
My early-game is very dynamic and starts from the preview screen. The first thing I look for is how fast the opposing team is, will I need Sticky Web or not? Then I'm looking for whether or not its a good idea to play Galvantula early or start with Swampert. I like having diversity in my starting position and splitting my hazards between two pokemon with entirely different weaknesses, it makes gaining early momentum much easier, IMO. I don't NEED hazards to function in a lot of cases, so they are also skippable if a more offensive approach is needed. Sometimes I just use Galvantula to punch a hole in their team early, even if it costs me losing the hazards war. I have no hazard removal or even a spin blocker because I don't put THAT much stock into them and my team can function around it with only 2 pokemon vulnerable to Toxic Spikes and the fact that the offensive orientation of my team means its rare for an opponent to get down more than SR and MAYBE one layer of spikes. Momentum is key to my early game.
My middle game revolves around wearing out threats and identifying what my end-game will look like. This is also where I look for my Mega-Mawile gap. SR shuffling and Tricking Rotom-W's scarf onto a wall are common strategies during my mid-game. This is also where Swampert becomes the most useful due to her ability to absorb a boosted physical attack or two and Roar or trade blows to render ineffective at least one major threat.
Mega-Mawile gets a phase all to himself. Bringing him in on a choice-user or hazard layer can be exactly what I need to take a lead or recover from a loss. In 95% of situations I will transform into a Sub rather than going with an offensive option, although sometimes it is necessary to Sucker Punch something to death then assessing whether to keep Mawile in or find a new gap later. Once behind a Sub, there are very few things that can withstand an onslaught. Typically, the pokemon that Mawile switched in on will die without breaking the sub and another pokemon will go down to Focus-Punch, Play Rough, or Sucker Punch. It's not unlikely to 1HKO with Focus-Punch or Play Rough, and their second switchin to Mawile is rarely as able to handle Sucker Punch as the first, which leads to a lot of instances where I drop 3 pokemon with just Mawile. So far the only thing I've found that can come in on Mega-Mawile no problem is Aegislash who's only weakness is to Sucker Punch but can easily stall that out with boosting moves and King's Shield if they expect a Play Rough.
My late-game comes down to a couple things: who's left, and how damaged the opposing team is. Dragonite can clean up many weakened foes with Extreme Speed, while Galvantula and Rotom-W (if still scarfed) can Sweep. Otherwise its about hitting hard with my healthy pokemon and saving the right pokemon for the right threat. Sometimes I have to work with less-than-ideal matchups to get just enough damage to revenge kill with the pokemon that can handle their last 1-2.
Conclusion:
This team works great for what it is. It's synergistic in nature and not designed around brute force. However, It lacks the reliability of many OU Balance or Defensive teams, but gets a dynamic and strategic bonus that might just be the key to winning in exchange. Like I said before, my biggest problem right now is catching up on the learning curve. That being true, there are likely many things I'm overlooking in my builds and potential threats that need examining. That's where you come in.
I am really liking the 6th Gen meta-game, it's a much more fluid and dynamic environment than ever before, and I'm really looking forward to your input in helping me craft a solid OU team to rebuild my rating.
My Pokemon at a glance:
Mawile@Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 SpD
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch
- Focus Punch
- Substitute
Mawile is my Mega Evolve for the team, With intimidate combined with the plethora of resistances granted by his Steel/Fairy typing, it's not hard to find a gap to bring him in and evolve into a substitute. 240 HP EVs gives him 301 HP, enough for 4 subs, which block status moves and can take 2 hits in a surprising number of circumstances, invite attacks to be Sucker Punched, and create an opening for a reliable Focus Punch. His low speed can be an issue, so I have to be smart about bringing him in. I've wiped whole teams with just Mega-Mawile.
Galvatula @ Life Orb
Ability: Compound Eyes
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Sticky Web
- Volt Switch
- Thunder
- Bug Buzz
I originally used Shuckle for both SR and Sticky Web, but its entirely underwhelming presence coupled with the ease at which hazards are removed this Gen made him a bad choice. Galvantula, on the other hand, has been surprisingly reliable. I only decide I need to sticky Web about 50% of games, and Galvantula does it quickly and reliably, He's not meant to take many hits and can at times become my throw away Pokemon. Volt Switch is nice for momentum grabbing and Thunder + Life orb has great sweeping potential If you can remove a couple threats. I go with Modest Nature because Once Sticky Web is up, I'd rather be hitting harder than eeking out a little extra speed.
Dragonite @ Leftovers
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spe)
- Thunder Wave
- Roost
- Dragon Tail
- Extreme Speed
This is a custom set from my B/W days that is as potent now as it was then. Dragonite attacks exactly when she means to. Thunderwave+Roost with Multiscale cutting attacks by half means I can keep her in until the opponent is paralyzed for a turn leaving me at full HP, then I have the option to switch (keeping Dragonite fresh) or Dragon Tail to another 'mon to Paralyze. Extreme Speed behind Dragonite's 403 Attack stat make her an excellent revenge killer also! The best part about the set is that its unlikely the opponent will be expecting Thunder Wave, which not only helps Dragonite, but also assists Mega-Mawile. The big thing to be careful for when playing this set is burn and poison as they completely ruin Multiscales ability to absorb damage.
Rotom-W @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Trick
- Hydro Pump
- Shadow Ball
Rotom-W is a decent pivot for my team as well as good at crippling walls with Trick. Hydro Pump and Shadow Ball help cover some offensive gaps I have, and it's natural bulk help it trade blows to wittle down threats that otherwise give me a hard time. All-in-all, Rotom-W is solid, but rarely game-breaking for my team.
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Damp
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 SpA
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spe)
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
This is a tried-and-true classic Mixpert, still as stallwart today as ever before. My physical wall isn't meant for stalling, but for keeping the game moving. SR+Roar creates problems for Set-up sweepers that like to come in on Swampert, and Ice Beam is a nice surprise for Dragons and Gliscor that think they can outmatch her.
Heatran @ Assault Vest
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Atk
Mild Nature (+SpA, -Def)
- Lava Plume
- Earth Power
- HP Ice
- Explosion
I have used a couple variants of Heatran for this team, and this is where I sit currently. The moveset isn't concrete yet because I'm still working out exactly what kind of threats I need him for. But the diversity of Heatrans movepool means I shouldn't have trouble filling holes when I find them. Heatran has great special bulk and can hit a number of things hard. Obviously weak to bulky waters, but can take a hit if needbe. The rest of my team covers water well. I like to keep Explosion handy cause its just unexpected these days and hits hard on many common switch-ins. Plenty of wiggle room on Heatran and he will likely see revision as I sure-up my team.
Offensive Options:
The idea of the team was originally to support Mega-Mawile but has evolved since then to be much more diverse. I have multiple end-game options and can change on the fly depending on the circumstances.
Supporting Mega-Mawile:
Mega-Mawile is a force to be reckoned with given the right opening. My team creates that opening. Sticky Web and Thunder Wave support goes a long way toward keeping Mawile safe. Once behind a Sub, at least 1 Pokemon is going down, normally 2 and sometimes 3-4 depending on their team makeup. Its important to know when to bring Mawile in, however, as switching into a status move can severely hamper Mega-Mawile's ability to sweep. If I'm in a losing scenario, Dragonite, Rotom-W, Swampert, and Heatran are all potential safe switches to take incoming attacks, allowing me to stay diverse in my strategy. On the flip-side of that, Many of my pokemon lure out walls and offensive 'mon that Mawile has an easy time switching in on.
Stealth Rock Suffle:
Shuffling the opponent's team with SR with Swampert's Roar or Dragonite's Dragon Tail can easily take the control and pacing of the match completely out of my opponents hands. Dragonite is the favorite for this strategy due to her all-around survivability, Thunderwave support, and the fact that Dragon Tail also damages the enemy you are sending out. While not a complete Offensive strategy, this can easily take its toll in a meta-game where 4xSR-weak pokemon are significantly more common. Also with the relatively offensive spin on all of my pokemon means I can have a much easier time finishing off weakened foes that would normally weather the assault long enough to turn the tide back in their favor.
Good, Old-Fashioned Sweeping:
Sticky Web and SR shuffling help make sweeping possible. Galvantula and Rotom-W both sport excellent speed and decent coverage. Interestingly enough, Mega-Mawile, Heatran, and Galvantula's early-game presence draw out Ground pokemon which my team has quite a few ways to handle; Swampert and Rotom-W also bring out any Grass pokemon the opponent might have; meaning Galvantula's Thunder can become a monster.
Defensive Options:
Defensively this team is not stellar, but can handle the threats it needs to handle, even if a sacrifice is needed.
Walls:
Swampert and Heatran are my dedicated physical and special walls, respectively. Neither is completely invulnerable to taking hits and have no reliable recovery, but they each have a game-plan. These two are the link's that get me to my next offensive action. Heatran absorbs fire and poison attacks and can hold his own, blow for blow, and Explosion can clear the playing field once his usefulness has run its course. Swampert can survive an impressive number of hits along with absorbing electric attacks and thunder wave. Swampert's Roar can shift the momentum back in my favor and allow me to find a gap to bring in more offensive-oriented pokemon (any of the other ones on my team).
Typing Synergy:
There is rarely a time in a match where there is absolutely no relatively safe switch in for my party. Mawile is really only scared of fire and ground attacks, and if he doesn't deal with his own checks with a Substitute or Sucker Punch, he can switch to any of my other pokemon (barring Galvantula) depending on the situation. Conversely, Mawile can switch in on a lot of attacks meant for the rest of my team. Swampert and Heatran, as my "walls" can cover most attacks between their respective defensive stats and typing.
Shuffling:
Shuffling is in the defensive options too! Having two pokemon that can shuffle can really break set-up sweepers and teams that rely on having the perfect pokemon in at the perfect time, like offensive Volt-Turn teams.
The Team as a Whole:
This team has been working great, but is reliant on making good decisions. Unfortunately, I feel like my biggest hindrance currently is not knowing all of the new threats in XY.
My early-game is very dynamic and starts from the preview screen. The first thing I look for is how fast the opposing team is, will I need Sticky Web or not? Then I'm looking for whether or not its a good idea to play Galvantula early or start with Swampert. I like having diversity in my starting position and splitting my hazards between two pokemon with entirely different weaknesses, it makes gaining early momentum much easier, IMO. I don't NEED hazards to function in a lot of cases, so they are also skippable if a more offensive approach is needed. Sometimes I just use Galvantula to punch a hole in their team early, even if it costs me losing the hazards war. I have no hazard removal or even a spin blocker because I don't put THAT much stock into them and my team can function around it with only 2 pokemon vulnerable to Toxic Spikes and the fact that the offensive orientation of my team means its rare for an opponent to get down more than SR and MAYBE one layer of spikes. Momentum is key to my early game.
My middle game revolves around wearing out threats and identifying what my end-game will look like. This is also where I look for my Mega-Mawile gap. SR shuffling and Tricking Rotom-W's scarf onto a wall are common strategies during my mid-game. This is also where Swampert becomes the most useful due to her ability to absorb a boosted physical attack or two and Roar or trade blows to render ineffective at least one major threat.
Mega-Mawile gets a phase all to himself. Bringing him in on a choice-user or hazard layer can be exactly what I need to take a lead or recover from a loss. In 95% of situations I will transform into a Sub rather than going with an offensive option, although sometimes it is necessary to Sucker Punch something to death then assessing whether to keep Mawile in or find a new gap later. Once behind a Sub, there are very few things that can withstand an onslaught. Typically, the pokemon that Mawile switched in on will die without breaking the sub and another pokemon will go down to Focus-Punch, Play Rough, or Sucker Punch. It's not unlikely to 1HKO with Focus-Punch or Play Rough, and their second switchin to Mawile is rarely as able to handle Sucker Punch as the first, which leads to a lot of instances where I drop 3 pokemon with just Mawile. So far the only thing I've found that can come in on Mega-Mawile no problem is Aegislash who's only weakness is to Sucker Punch but can easily stall that out with boosting moves and King's Shield if they expect a Play Rough.
My late-game comes down to a couple things: who's left, and how damaged the opposing team is. Dragonite can clean up many weakened foes with Extreme Speed, while Galvantula and Rotom-W (if still scarfed) can Sweep. Otherwise its about hitting hard with my healthy pokemon and saving the right pokemon for the right threat. Sometimes I have to work with less-than-ideal matchups to get just enough damage to revenge kill with the pokemon that can handle their last 1-2.
Conclusion:
This team works great for what it is. It's synergistic in nature and not designed around brute force. However, It lacks the reliability of many OU Balance or Defensive teams, but gets a dynamic and strategic bonus that might just be the key to winning in exchange. Like I said before, my biggest problem right now is catching up on the learning curve. That being true, there are likely many things I'm overlooking in my builds and potential threats that need examining. That's where you come in.
I am really liking the 6th Gen meta-game, it's a much more fluid and dynamic environment than ever before, and I'm really looking forward to your input in helping me craft a solid OU team to rebuild my rating.