[Gen 5] OU Balanced Team (Revamped Version)

[prelich]

Hey everyone. Just a little intro here. I've been playing pokemon for a while (first gen) but not competitively. This is going to be my first competitive team that I will be trying to organize. I will not be importing any pokemon from previous gens, only capturing the ones found in the Unova region. I am open to all suggestions including EV changes, move set changes as well as entire pokemon changes. With out further adieu here is my team so far (revamped version).

Lead

Mienshao @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252Atk/252Spe/4Def
Nature: Jolly
- Fake Out
- U Turn
- Hi Jump Kick
- Stone Edge

Using Mienshao here mostly as a scout. Could act as a revenge killer with the damage done from Hi Jump Kick. Fake Out is a nice move to use right away to dish out some damage. U Turn is to switch to my Entry Hazard setup off the start or to switch out right after a revenge kill. Stone Edge for some added coverage. EV setup for some added physical damage as well as some added insurance into speed to go first. Want this guy to get hit as little as possible. Maybe I should put some EVs into HP or defenses because he is pretty fragile (let me know what you think).

Main Offense

Hydreigon @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 120Def/132SDef/252Spe
Nature: Timid
- Dragon Tail
- Dark Pulse?
- Earth Power?
- Thunder Wave?
- Flamethrower/Fire Blast?
- Dragon Pulse?

Alright so I figured that with all the traps I'm devoting to Ferrothorn setting up, I should have someone that can force switch ins. With some thought I came up with Hydreigon. His main job will be to force switch ins and start attacking. The plan is to send in Mienshao to scout and gain some momentum, then set some traps with Ferrothorn and then have this guy come in and start attacking and have my sweepers come in later and clean things up. He has pretty good resistances to what seem to be some common types. I decided to boost up his defenses with EVs to make him a little bulkier and give him timid nature to boost his speed (Dragon tail is just to force in switch ins, not really to do damage). Also put some EVs into speed so he could actually do some attacking. Don;t think I need to boost his SAtk, it seems good enough. Dragon Tail is on his moveset for sure to force switch ins. I'm not really sure about the rest. I just posted some of his moves that caught my I, hopefully you guys could give me some advice on what to use. Don't know if I should include thunder wave to help Ferrothorn out (as he already has thunder wave in his moveset). Let me know what you guys think and what moves would be good.

Starmie @ Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252SpA/252Spe/4SDef or
160HP/252SpA/96Spe
Nature: Modest
- Hydro Pump
- Thunder Bolt
- Ice Beam
- Recover

Love Starmie as a special sweeper. Gets great coverage with it's movepool. Hydro Pump works as a great STAB with its massive damage. Ice Beam helps control those pesky grass types that might come my way and Thunder bolt helps cover other water types. Recover is pretty self explanatory, used for recovering some health lost from Life Orb and any damage taken from other mons. Also works great as a revenge killer with its good speed and special attack. Wondering weather or not having Psychic on as another STAB would help, as it would make my coverage even wider. Not too sure about what EV setup to run here. Going to max out special attack for sure as well as add some more speed. Just not sure about whether or not to add the rest into its HP or defense stats or just dump it all into speed. Also wondering if Gyarados would be more beneficial here as my offense looks a little fragile and replacing Starmie with Gyarados would add a little bulk to the team.

Chandelure @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252SAtk/252Spe/4SDef or
Nature: Timid
- Flamethrower
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Psychic

Another special sweeper here. Not much to say here that you guys probably haven't seen before. Flamethrower does massive damage with STAB. Shadow Ball is probably my only psychic coverage on this whole team plus some extra damage with STAB. Energy Ball again adds coverage. Psychic also adds coverage again fighting but I'm not sure if I should switch it for something else. Like Starmie, acts as a revenge killer. Should I go with the all out SAtk EV set or add some into its HP to let it take some more hits.

Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 12HP/252Atk/244Spe
Nature: Jolly
- Spore
- Seed Bomb
- Focus Punch
- Substitute

Love this setup on Breloom for a physical sweeper. Spore keeps the foe busy for a bit while I setup a substitute. With that up, I can easily start firing of the Focus Punches dealing massive damage. Seed bomb is there as a nice STAB to take out pesky water types that might go after my Chandelure. EVs for increased speed and attack to help the Focus Punches keep coming. Toxic Orb paired with Poison Heal helps keep the HP up.

Support

Ferrothorn @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252HP/56Def/200SDef
Nature: Impish
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Power Whip
- Thunder Wave

Main support Hazard Entry layer here. Right after Mienshao comes back from scouting out this guy is probably coming out next to lay those hazards. This guys job is to lay as many hazards as possible. Power Whip does massive damage so works well as a great STAB move. Got rid of Explosion and put on Thunder Wave to try to weaken enemy sweeper' effectiveness. Hopefully once this guy lays all the traps he can Hydreigon can come in and do some damage and use Dragon Tail to put those traps to work.

So that's the revamped team. Any suggestion are massively helpful as this is my first competitive team. Let me know if I'm at any severe type advantage somewhere or if I completely messed up with EVs or anything in general that could improve my team. Thanks in advanced
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[prelich]

Almost 400 views and no comments? BUMP. Any rates are very appreciated Was also reviewing Mamoswine as a possible replacement for Cloyster (seeing as he is slow and weak to special attacks). He could learn stealth rock opening up another slot on Ferrothorn as well as Earthquake which would probably be my only ground type move. Think he would be better on this team

 

[Adam Blade]

Just a few nitpicks. Using Calm Mind on a choice set is horrible, as you're locked into a single move. I'd say go for Hidden Power Fighting over Psychic, as it allows you to hit a wider variety of types with better coverage. As to whether you to run Choice Scarf or Choice Specs, it all depends on what you want. Choice Specs gives it an extra boost in power, while Choice Scarf allows it to outspeed many Pokemon it wouldn't otherwise. Chandelure does not work well with a bulky EV spread, so you want to max Special Attack and Speed to take advantage of it's offensive capabilities. Even with added bulk it won't be living long, so it's a waste of EVs.

Leftovers > Focus Band on Cloyster. Focus Band isn't good in competitive play at all, and Leftovers will help it survive longer. Starmie is similar to Chandelure in that it won't be living long even with the extra bulk, and since it's your "main sweeper" it's best to max out its offenses to deal as much damage as possible.

 

[Misty Swims]

You've got Cloyster with Toxic Spikes, and Ferrothorn with Spikes/SR, but the team as a whole doesn't seem too focused on forcing switches. That's quite a few moveslots to devote to a subtle strategy that I'm guessing usually doesn't happen, which is causing damage on switch-ins.

 

[prelich]

Any suggestions then Misty? Should I replace Cloyster with someone that can learn a move to force switch ins? How bout I put in Dragonite with Dragon Tail. He has good stats all around and with EVs put into defensive stats, it looks like he could work as a staller/attacker. What do you guys think

 

[kay-tay]

I agree with Misty in that this team doesn't particularly need Toxic Spikes. As for replacing Cloyster, The things that come to mind right now are Rotom Wash, which provides you with a needed Flying resist and a backup ground immunity along with Will-O-Wisp support as well as helping out Ferrothorn dealing out paralysis with Discharge, Jirachi, with another flying resist can work out well, Setting up Stealth Rocks and freeing a moveslot on Ferrothorn for something like leech seed. I was also thinking that Bisharp could function very well on this team, providing x1/4 resistance to Ghost and Dark attacks aimed at your team. It also resists flying, and even gets Stealth Rock. Just watch out for extra Fire and Fighting weaknesses though.

That's all I can think of now. Good Luck with the team!

 

[min min]

Cloyster doesn't want a Focus Band, he can set up quite well on his own. Breloom can be tweaked to make it the main force of the team, just give it Technician as the ability, and Spore/Swords Dance/Mach Punch/Bullet Seed. Starmie doesn't actually fit well as the opener to an offence due to the presence of Scarf users, so you should either try to start attacking with Cloyster then sweep up with Starmie.

 

[wtangelo]

I would go with a scarf on that Chandelure not Specs. It needs to outspeed to do any damage at all and its speed stat isn't phenomenal. With or without the Scarf, Gengar screws much of this team(though it screws less with it)

 

[prelich]

Alright thanks for the help everyone, as for what min min said, the order the pokemon are in is not the order they will be coming out in. I agree if I keep Cloyster he will come out before Starmie. Also do you guys think that Gengar would be more beneficial over Chandelure on this team? I'm going to take all your advice and post up an edited version of the team tomorrow so check back then. All feedback is greatly appreciated

 

[prelich]

Bump. Hey everyone. Here is the revamped team. Main switch is my replacement of Cloyster with Hydreigon, mainly to help cause switch ins and start attacking. Also don't know what EV setup to role on Starmie so help with that is greatly appreciated. Let me know what you guys think. Keep the rates coming, they have all been really helpful.