ORAS OU Fluffy's Rath (M-Ampharos ~1600)

[BUStripes]

Hi guys BUStripes here with my first RMT! I've been in the competitive seen since early XY and decided now was the time to make my first rmt, and post for that matter. I built this team around a rather unorthodox volt turn core of Amphharos and Lando-t. It has been pretty successful peaking at around 1600 or so and i thought it was cool so I'd like to share it! Without further ado here is the team!

Team Building Process:

process

I started with Ampharos because it has a super bulky set that is the definition of a pivot, and landorus t because it is the best mon with access to u-turn in my opinion.

Then I added a ferrothorn because I needed hazards and something that could take ice attacks.

Then I needed a more offensive duo that could take advantage of what the other part of the team wears down through pivoting. So I added a rapid spinner in starmie + Talonflame.

Then I needed a fairy type and a secondary win condition and clefable fit perfectly so I added it.

In Depth:

Here is the star of the show. Once Mega-Evolved this thing becomes a menace to many teams. It gets great 95/105/110 bulk which is fantastic as a mixed wall, along with a pretty fantastic typing. Dragon typing let's it resist all the elemental types which is very powerful. However It doesn't just have bulk, it has a great offensive game as well with 165 Sp.Atk and access to volt switch it becomes the perfect pivot Pokemon. Rest talk is because it's really the only reliable recovery it has access to, but it actually isn't half bad depending on RNG. Overall a pokemon that i believe get's heavily overlooked due to it's speed, but it is actually pretty great.

Ampharos @ Ampharosite
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 28 SpA / 232 SpD
Calm Nature
- Volt Switch
- Dragon Pulse
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

Landorus-Therian:

Here is the more offensive half of my volt turn core. I went with Scarf Lando because it is absolutely great at pivoting in and out on things that Ampharos hates. This thing serves so many roles in one, it's fantastic. It serves as my pivot, sweeper, and revenge killer all in one. Set is pretty standard, max attack and speed taking advantage of it's decent natural bulk and giving it maximum power. Edge quake coverage is pretty nice and hits pretty much everything. I put knock-off over superpower for utility, however superpower is definitely an option.

Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
- Knock Off/Superpower

Ferrothorn:

Here's the big spiky pain in everyone's ass that finds its way on to every balanced team and mine is no exception. With nearly perfect synergy with Ampharos it makes up the other half of my defensive core. This thing is absolutely fantastic. Gets up rocks, dishes out passive damage and just walls everything. It also occasionally gets a Twave on the switch that can be crucial in some matchups. It's honestly just a pain in everyone's ass and fits it's role perfectly.

Ferrothorn @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Gyro Ball
- Leech Seed
- Thunder Wave
Starmie:

As far as spinners are concerned excadrill has been usurped as the premier spinner in the metagame, and for good reason. Analytic starmie is an absolute beast. Even though it has a very mediocre Sp.Atk stat it's ability makes up for it ten fold. Starmie forces so many switches due to it's unpredictable move pool. It has a pretty standard move pool with dual STAB plus ice beam to get rid of annoying flying pokemon and destroy dragons. It also give another solid switch in to ice attacks which is crucial on this team. Overall it has great synergy and fully deserves it's place on the team.

Starmie @ Life Orb
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Psyshock

Talonflame:

My team lacked priority and also needed a solid win condition so I just decided to kill two birds with one stone and put smogonbird in. SD Talonflame is scary for a lot of teams, and my team actually excels at weakening it's checks and giving it a chance to sweep. The set is pretty standard with SD roost+ dual STAB. I Don't like max speed jolly because the extra bulk always seems to save my ass later on, and I have plenty of checks for talonflame so I don't need to speed tie.

Talonflame @ Sky Plate
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 180 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Roost
- Swords Dance

Clefable:

I needed something that could sponge up special attacks and also provide another way to win if talonflame goes down or landorus gets burned so I put on Magic Guard Clefable. It has perfect synergy with Ampharos and ferrothorn completing the D/S/F core which is really strong covering literally everything. It sets up in so many things faces and serves as a very solid stall breaker. It also gives me a solid check to the most annoying mon in the meta which is mega sableye. Overall it's just the glue to my team that holds everything together.

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Calm Nature
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Soft-Boiled
- Calm Mind
​

importable

Ampharos @ Ampharosite
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 28 SpA / 232 SpD
Calm Nature
- Volt Switch
- Dragon Pulse
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
- Knock Off

Ferrothorn @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Gyro Ball
- Leech Seed
- Thunder Wave

Starmie @ Life Orb
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Psyshock

Talonflame @ Sky Plate
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 180 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Roost
- Swords Dance

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Calm Nature
- Moonblast
- Flamethrower
- Soft-Boiled
- Calm Mind

 

[Alucard666]

Great team, very little I would change. For ampharose I would have used the offensive agility set smogon suggests for OU instead because I would rather keep RNG at a distance. And I wouldn't have thought rest would be of any use to such a fragile pkmn like talonflame, but then agin I've never seen a bulky one so idk if it's useful. Still I would have ran the standard EV's with will-o-wisp instead if roost for status, and u-turn instead of sword dance to mesh more with landorous and ampharose. Overall my changes just make the team more offensive. Agin these aren't needed changes, just differing opinions. Your team is a great one.

 

[Zebstrika]

Cool team, I made a very similar team a couple months back, it just had Victini + Gengar instead of Talonflame + Landorus-T. (I retired it around the end of the Metagross suspect test mainly because of Landorus-I weakness.)

My suggestions though:

On Ferrothorn, Gyro Ball + Thunder Wave is kind of counterproductive. I would recommend replacing one of them with Power Whip, because you don't seem to have a good way to deal with Calm Mind Slowbro/Suicune.

I don't think you need special defense EVs on Clefable. The main reasons to run it are for Thundurus, Keldeo and Kyurem-B, but you already have good ways to deal with those pokemon (Ampharos, Starmie/Ampharos, and Ferrothorn, respectively). Full physical defense helps a lot vs Mamoswine, Mega Lopunny, Terrakion, Mega Gyarados, Landorus-T, Garchomp, Mega Heracross, Azumarill, Lati@s, Tyranitar...list goes on, because all of those pokemon can hit for like 40-55% damage vs a max defense Clefable, and most are weak to fairy, so those EVs make a difference. While Landorus-T and Ferrothorn can also check them, it's nice to avoid the 2HKO when Clefable is trying to sweep because otherwise, those physical attackers can gang up on Clefable to stop it.