XY OU First Team, Offensive

[zorc62]

I've just recently started competitive Pokemon battling. This is the first team I've ever built. Please help me figure out how to improve on it! =)

Charizard @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Dragon Claw
- Roost
- Dragon Dance

Mega Charizard X is the biggest offensive threat. I'm usually looking for an opportunity to set up and sweep. I prefer Roost over Earthquake because I've run into enough Heatrans with Air Balloon that I don't think Earthquake helps too much. Roost also makes it possible sometimes to bring Charizard in even if I haven't gotten rid of Stealth Rock.

Tyranitar @ Salac Berry
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Punch
- Flamethrower
- Stone Edge

Most of the time, I lead with Tyranitar to set up Stealth Rock. Sand Stream makes it possible for me to bring run Sand Rush Excadrill. Ice punch and Flamethrower give Tyranitar good coverage. I've managed to catch some Dragonites, Thunduruses, and Ferrothorns that didn't expect those attacks.

Excadrill @ Life Orb
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head

Excadrill acts as one of my bigger offensive threats. Under Sand Rush, it can deal a wallop to opposing teams. I like Rapid Spin as I don't want to clear my own Rocks out with opposing ones. Getting rid of hazards is important due to Charizard and Breloom.

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
- Pain Split
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Will-O-Wisp

Rotom-Wash soaks up special attacks and breaks physical attackers. At first, I was running Volt Switch, but I preferred Thunderbolt for more reliable damage and wanted to run Pain Split for some kind of recovery.

Sylveon @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Shadow Ball

Sylveon's a threat that's rarely seen coming. A lot of people expect the cleric, and the Choice Specs set catches them off-guard. Hyper Voice is especially useful for dealing with enemies that use Substitute.

Breloom @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Mach Punch
- Stone Edge
- Spore
- Bullet Seed

Breloom is my go-to revenge killer. So long as entry hazards aren't up and there's no sand going, I can take out almost any non-grass type. While I've got rock-type attacks on two other Pokemon, it's also on Breloom because there are many cases where it's got more power than Mach Punch or Bullet Seed.

 

[Alfalfa]

This team is really Keldeo and Pinsir weak and has no way to reliably stop them (relying on Sand Rush Drill can be annoying if sand is not up). I would recommend changing Rotom-W to a physically defensive spread that gives your team a better Keldeo and Pinsir check while providing solid momentum with Volt Switch (Volt Switch > Thunderbolt):

Rotom-W

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Pain Split
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp

The speed allows you to outspeed Jolly Azumarill and burn it with Will-O-Wisp before it can move.

Sand Rush Excadrill should almost never be used without Smooth Rock Tyranitar, I recommend a Physically Defensive Tyranitar to remedy this issue; you lose the power on Stone Edge and Ice Punch, but it is a much more reliably sand setter, and still does a decent amount to Landorus-T with Ice Beam.

Tyranitar

Tyranitar @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Naughty Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Blast
- Ice Beam
- Stone Edge

I calced it, and 8 EVs in Special Attack does not do any additional

I recommend switching Zard X to a slighly bulkier spread of 88 HP / 252 Atk / 168 Spe Adamant, this allows you to outpace Adamant Excadrill and speedcreep Mew and Zard Xs that are at that benchmark, while allowing you to having a little more bulk that can help in setting up (maximum speed is not that important for Zard X anyways).

This team gets steamrolled by Latios, Sylveon is 2HKOd by Psyshock, and Tyrnanitar by Surf after Stealth Rock. I want to fit Jirachi > Sylveon, but the only set that reliably handles Latios would kill the momentum that flows through this team. Therefore, I shall ask someone else to address this Latios issue, as I cannot think of any reliable check that is not a momentum killer.

Make those changes, and you should be good for now. Good luck with the team.

EDIT: With Physically Defensive Rotom-W, you need a new Lando-I check.

 

[zorc62]

This team is really Keldeo and Pinsir weak and has no way to reliably stop them (relying on Sand Rush Drill can be annoying if sand is not up). I would recommend changing Rotom-W to a physically defensive spread that gives your team a better Keldeo and Pinsir check while providing solid momentum with Volt Switch (Volt Switch > Thunderbolt):

Sand Rush Excadrill should almost never be used without Smooth Rock Tyranitar, I recommend a Physically Defensive Tyranitar to remedy this issue; you lose the power on Stone Edge and Ice Punch, but it is a much more reliably sand setter, and still does a decent amount to Landorus-T with Ice Beam.


I calced it, and 8 EVs in Special Attack does not do any additional

I recommend switching Zard X to a slighly bulkier spread of 88 HP / 252 Atk / 168 Spe Adamant, this allows you to outpace Adamant Excadrill and speedcreep Mew and Zard Xs that are at that benchmark, while allowing you to having a little more bulk that can help in setting up (maximum speed is not that important for Zard X anyways).

Thanks, I'm going to try these changes.

I'm confused, though, as to why you recommend 8 EVs in SpA when you don't think it will do anything.

 

[Alfalfa]

Oh, 8 SpA EVs has a jumpoint on Skarmory with Fire Blast. That is all it does, those 8 EVs are really minor, but what else are you going to those 8 EVs?.

 

[Cynara]

Thanks, I'm going to try these changes.

I'm confused, though, as to why you recommend 8 EVs in SpA when you don't think it will do anything.

Yeah I agree, that tyranitar set is bad I would not use it.

Here's the set you should be running to complement your tyranitar/excadrill.

Tyranitar @ Leftovers/smooth rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 156 def / 104 spA or 248 HP / 252 def / 8 spd
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Beam
- Fire Blast
- Crunch

Thats probably the best Tyranitar set you can honestly run. 104 spa is essential for Tyranitar to 1hko all variants of landorus with ice beam after stealth rock, The evs also allow tyranitar to beat standard 252/88/168 Ferrothorn with fire blast much easier, if it decides to leech seed. However they do tend to scout with protect. This enables tyranitar to become a effective check and mixed wall with the defense evs. Sp Def is boosted in the sand thanks to tyranitars ability. However, Tyranitar can't switch into Landorus at all and the special variant carries focus blast. but this set allows for better survability allowing it to set up sand more in a battle for excadrill and allow it to get more oppertunies to come into play. and will honestly be more efficient than your set and his suggested set. Crunch hits The lati@s harder than stone edge and doesn't have hindering accuracy and also allows you a fair bit to slowbro and pick off a weakened slowbro to an extent. I hope this helps.