ORAS OU FWG Core: Snakes on A HeatPlane

[Sunderland]

Hey people :)

This is my first RMT, so I'm a little nervous but excited at the same time. I put together this team with the idea of sticking to a classic FWG core and building around that.

Here are the members.






Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 60 HP / 252 Atk / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Waterfall
- Crunch
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake

I chose Gyarados and his Mega for my starting point as the Water member of the core. Powerful and bulky when factoring in Intimidate, I thought he would be a good choice for a Team Mega. 196 speed EVs allow him to outspeed Mega Lopunny at +1 as well as Mega Manectric and allows for the rest to go into bulk. I also like him for his different typings pre and post Mega, which can allow for some mind games. Stabs and Earthquake give good coverage and he is usually my go-to for when I see Bisharp who the rest of my team struggles with. (Have to make sure I Mega first to avoid Defiant)





Serperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Glare
- Substitute
- Leech Seed

I wanted to make use of Serperior good bulk and use a SubSeed set, which few people expect and it has worked quite well so far. This set provides fast bulky support to the rest of the team while keeping an offensive presence with Contrary Leaf Storm. Glare helps for switch-ins such as the Charizards as well as crippling opponents who try to set up when Serperior lacks the Contrary boost. Combined with Leech Seed and Leftovers, Serperior is tricky to break through.





Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 136 HP / 252 SpA / 120 Spe
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock

The final part of the FWG core. Heatran. I wanted a Rocks setter and with Heatrans useful flying resistance and access to Taunt I think he's a great choice. Taunt helps against opposing Heatran as well as Calm Mind Clefable and Sylveon. Also lures in Fighting types which I can then switch either Clafable or Chandulure into. Air Balloon allows for it to switch into any Earthquakes I see coming and then set rocks.





Clefable
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Moonblast
- Aromatherapy
- Thunder Wave
- Wish

A cleric and wish passer helps out some of the bulkier members of my team without reliable recover, such as Gyarados and Serperior. Unaware and Thunder Wave together comes in so useful as a stop to any set-up sweeper that aren't Steel types. A great switching to Fighting types that target Heatran and Mega-Gyarados. Moonblast helps against Dark types that go after Latios.





Chandelure @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Trick

I love when something is behind a sub thinking it is safe and then out come Chandy. Scarf Chandelure has a great combination of coverage, power and speed and that why I chose it for my revenge killer. I love Tricking a Chansey when it comes in and Trick allows you to mess with Bisharp if you can lock it into Sucker Punch. Flamethrower over Fire Blast as I like reliability in my revenge killers.





Latios (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Roost
- Calm Mind

Latios rounds of the team as a really powerful set up sweeper. I usually leave him till last after I've got rid of the Steel and Fairy types. Nothing that isn't Fairy or Steel likes taking a +1 Draco Meteor back by Life Orb to the face. Roost allows for Latios to remain healthy throughout the match if I need him to come in before end game and Psyshock deals with any special walls like Chansey. I love setting up on Rotom-Wash as well.




The team is great against rain as they don't expect bulky Serperior who Subs on Politoed and then makes quick work of Mega-Swampert, Omastar, Kabutops and Kingdra. However, the team tends to struggle with Bisharp, despite Trick on Chandy and Mega-Gyarados, which good players can predict around. I've also noticed that Talonflame can be problematic, as nothing on my team appreciates Brave Bird besides Heatran, who can't really do anything back except a resisted Fire Blast. Some people switch it in when they see Serperior sub, and Glare can sometimes cripple it, but that's not at all fool proof either due to the increased priority.


I'd loved to hear any advice about my team and what I can do to improve it. :) Any comments and feedback would be really welcome.

 

[Sunderland]

Bump


Any comments would be really appreciated. :)

 

[Random Passerby]

1) First off, Serperior's bulk isn't even that good even when invested so an all out-attacking set makes better use of Serperior's potential. I would use this set below:

Serperior @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 12 Def / 252 SpA / 244 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Giga Drain / Synthesis

This set allows you to easily defeat Rotom-W and Ferrothorn, both of which make Gyarados's life miserable. Life Orb is used to increase offensive presence while the HP loss can be mitigated by Giga Drain or Synthesis. The given EVs outspeed Timid Thundurus.

2) I see Talonflame as a very big problem for your team as it can Taunt the Heatran and continue setting up in its face. So, you might want to free up the Stealth Rock spot for Stone Edge. (No idea what your EV spread is for).
Alternatively, you can replace Heatran entirely with Talonflame and still keep your FWG core (this makes you weaker to Talonflame but better against Bisharp)

If you do this, try to squeeze in Stealth Rock on Clefable.

3) As for Chandelure, I strongly recommend using Gengar over it since Gengar is faster than Chandelure is without a Scarf and pretty much beats the same thing as it does, except it doesn't get locked into 1 move.

Gengar @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Focus Blast
- Substitute / Taunt

Substitute allows you to play mindgames with Bisharp while Taunt allows you to stallbreak. Also, Gengar and Mega Gyarados resists each other's weaknesses.

4) Since your team is so weak to Bisharp and Talonflame, I would also replace Latios with Scarf Excadrill or Scarf Landorus-T. While Scarf Excadrill is normally not that great, it provides you with a Flying-type check (with Rock Slide) and Bisharp check. It can also spin away the rocks for Gyarados and Talonflame.

Excadrill @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin

If spinning is not so important, you can try Rhyperior or Gliscor. They can both check Bisharp and Talonflame while providing Stealth Rock.

 

[Sunderland]

Thanks at lot! :)


I will definitely make some of the changes you suggested and try them out since Bisharp has been such a problem for this team and it is absolutely everywhere on the ladder.

 

[Teeny Victory]

Hey Sunderland, cool team man!
One thing I would recommend you change is running max speed on gyarados. This allows you to outspeed and ko positive natured mega sceptile/beedrill at +1, as well as things like scarf-tran, adamant scarf lando and positive base 80s at neutral. The extra bulk doesn't really prevent any kos, so the speed is definitely worth it imo. I would also recommend replacing waterfall/eq with taunt on gyarados. This allows gyarados to better set up on Mons like Ferrothorn, sableye, chansey and other stally status users, and mold breaker taunt is an absolutely fantastic thing to have. The choice between waterfall or eq us up to you, eq gets a harder hit on keldeo, bisharp, electrics and azumarill, while waterfall is just a secondary stab move to hit dark resists hard and actually deal damage while not mega evolved (I would personally run eq as you're team seems to struggle with bisharp and azumarill).
So TL;DR
Max speed on gyarados and taunt over waterfall or earthquake