Introduction:
I recently resumed playing OU after a 9-month hiatus. Since I didn't wan't to use the sand team I had used before, I decided to build a team around one of my favorite pokemon, breloom. Breloom has changed a lot since getting technician, and I was intrigued by the swords dance set. Using that as a base, I created this team:
Breloom @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Spore
- Swords Dance
- Mach Punch
- Bullet Seed
This is my lead. The basic plan is to use spore, giving me time to swords dance. After that, I can sweep my opponent's team with technician-fueled mach punches and bullet seeds. In theory, at least. It sounds a lot better than it actually is. Breloom's poor defenses make it vulnerable, and a single mach punch usually doesn't do the trick. As long as you can outspeed them, you can use bullet seed to devastating effect, but that doesn't always happen.
Terrakion @ Focus Sash
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
This is my alternate lead. If I think my opponent will lead with something that trumps breloom, I send terrakion into the fray. He sets up stealth rock, which can be very important, but isn't essential for this team to have every battle. 2 powerful stabs provide good coverage for tricky pokemon (cloyster) and taunt is invaluable against many leads.
Hydreigon @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Focus Blast
- Earth Power
- Dark Pulse
Both breloom and terrakion had a notable weakness to psychic, and choice specs hydreigon seemed like the best answer. The most important thing is the ability to kill espeon, whose magic bounce can otherwise destroy me. Focus blast and earth power offer coverage, and draco meteor can allow him to nuke random stuff, and even revenge kill if I lose starmie.
Politoed @ Leftovers
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 4 Def
Modest Nature
- Encore
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
This is where things get interesting. I included politoed as a way to combat weather teams, in addition to providing encore and being a decent attacker. Once it was in, however, I felt obligated to try and take advantage of it, so it started warping the team around itself. The set itself is pretty standard fare, with hydro pump providing a powerful stab attack, ice beam and hidden power giving coverage.
Dragonite @ Life Orb
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 180 Spd / 252 SAtk / 76 Atk
Mild Nature
- Hurricane
- Aqua Tail
- Thunder
- ExtremeSpeed
This set is the main reason I chose politoed over tyranitar to fight weather. 100% accurate stab hurricane is very powerful, as are the non-stab thunder and aqua tail (in rain). I chose extremespeed because priority and fast opponents can be big problems for this team, landing 0 hit ko's before I can land spore.
Starmie @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Thunder
- Rapid Spin
Starmie is my revenge killer. She used to be latios, but that made my team far too weak to ice, and by extension, cloyster. With a 100% accurate thunder and resistance to ice, starmie is fully capable of beating cloyster. natural cure also keeps starmie from being hampered too seriously hampered by special conditions.
I recently resumed playing OU after a 9-month hiatus. Since I didn't wan't to use the sand team I had used before, I decided to build a team around one of my favorite pokemon, breloom. Breloom has changed a lot since getting technician, and I was intrigued by the swords dance set. Using that as a base, I created this team:
Breloom @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Spore
- Swords Dance
- Mach Punch
- Bullet Seed
This is my lead. The basic plan is to use spore, giving me time to swords dance. After that, I can sweep my opponent's team with technician-fueled mach punches and bullet seeds. In theory, at least. It sounds a lot better than it actually is. Breloom's poor defenses make it vulnerable, and a single mach punch usually doesn't do the trick. As long as you can outspeed them, you can use bullet seed to devastating effect, but that doesn't always happen.
Terrakion @ Focus Sash
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
This is my alternate lead. If I think my opponent will lead with something that trumps breloom, I send terrakion into the fray. He sets up stealth rock, which can be very important, but isn't essential for this team to have every battle. 2 powerful stabs provide good coverage for tricky pokemon (cloyster) and taunt is invaluable against many leads.
Hydreigon @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Focus Blast
- Earth Power
- Dark Pulse
Both breloom and terrakion had a notable weakness to psychic, and choice specs hydreigon seemed like the best answer. The most important thing is the ability to kill espeon, whose magic bounce can otherwise destroy me. Focus blast and earth power offer coverage, and draco meteor can allow him to nuke random stuff, and even revenge kill if I lose starmie.
Politoed @ Leftovers
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 4 Def
Modest Nature
- Encore
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
This is where things get interesting. I included politoed as a way to combat weather teams, in addition to providing encore and being a decent attacker. Once it was in, however, I felt obligated to try and take advantage of it, so it started warping the team around itself. The set itself is pretty standard fare, with hydro pump providing a powerful stab attack, ice beam and hidden power giving coverage.
Dragonite @ Life Orb
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 180 Spd / 252 SAtk / 76 Atk
Mild Nature
- Hurricane
- Aqua Tail
- Thunder
- ExtremeSpeed
This set is the main reason I chose politoed over tyranitar to fight weather. 100% accurate stab hurricane is very powerful, as are the non-stab thunder and aqua tail (in rain). I chose extremespeed because priority and fast opponents can be big problems for this team, landing 0 hit ko's before I can land spore.
Starmie @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Thunder
- Rapid Spin
Starmie is my revenge killer. She used to be latios, but that made my team far too weak to ice, and by extension, cloyster. With a 100% accurate thunder and resistance to ice, starmie is fully capable of beating cloyster. natural cure also keeps starmie from being hampered too seriously hampered by special conditions.
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