Hi all, I'm a beginner just getting started and this is the first team I built for Gen 7 OU. I've played a lot of matches with the team, but I'm not great at identifying weaknesses so if I could get any input at all on the team, it would be much appreciated. Feel free to rip it apart, the more I can learn, the better.
Item: Electric Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 96 HP / 252 Atk / 36 SpD / 124 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Acrobatics
- High Jump Kick
- Roost
I started making this team with Hawlucha as a fast physical sweeper in mind. Paired Tapu Koko, it gets 600+ speed and attack after one swords dance assuming electric terrain is active on switch in. Acrobatics and high jump kick are strong stabs with nice coverage, but I find that I can get whittled down by priority moves or rough skin/iron barbs, etc.
Item: Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Hydro Pump
- Spikes
I was planning on using a fighting/dark/steel core, and Greninja seemed to fit into it pretty well. As opposed to Hawlucha's physical capabilities, Greninja is a special sweeper and can set up spikes in some scenarios. Water shuriken is nice priority that can activate battle bond and hydro pump and dark pulse are needed for coverage and more power. Honestly, I haven't seen battle bond pop off too much yet, but maybe I just need to put in more matches.
Item: Steelium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Magma Storm
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
Heatran completes the core as a steel type to catch the fairy types. It serves as another special sweeper that can set up stealth rocks. Steelium Z can take out bulkier fairy types and do some heavy damage against M-Zam, Garchomp, etc. Magma storm for stab and earth power for coverage. I haven't gotten rng screwed too much by magma storm, but I'm wondering if I could use a more reliable option for the future. I'm also thinking if I should switch to a more defensive set for Heatran since the team might be lacking in that area.
Item: Choice Specs
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Tapu Koko is here for Hawlucha's setup, but it provides fairy typing for dragons and electric for some water threats. Koko seemed like the best option among the Tapus for that reason, though I feel the team has trouble with ground types at times and Tapu Bulu may be a better choice. Volt switch is nice if I'm predicting a switch so I can get Hawlucha in for free and start doing some heavy damage. Thunderbolt and dazzling gleam are just typical stab moves, and hp ice checks landorus-t.
Item: Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Haze
- Recover
- Toxic
Toxapex is a pretty nice special wall and has regenerator and recover to help it live and still with toxic for damage. It can effectively ice out my opponent and haze seems useful if I get into a bad spot and let them set up. Scald is incredible for the 30% burn and generic water stab. Using Toxapex makes predicting switch ins a lot easier and can let me set up Hawlucha if I can predict a switch into a good matchup, though I would need electric terrain to still be active.
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 232 Atk / 68 Def / 208 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Defog
It seems like everyone is using Landorus-T and looks like for good reason. It has great ability and stats to hit hard and fast. U-turn is helpful for the same reasons as volt switch as I mentioned above and gives some coverage too. Stone edge gives more coverage and can take out a lot of scary threats. Defog is my only way of getting rid of hazards and I'm wondering if it belongs on Landorus-T, but it seems to work for now.
I have a couple concerns with my team, but I'm not too sure how to go about changing it. First off, Greninja doesn't seem to great to me; I might be using it incorrectly, but I'm wondering if there are better options. I think the team also lacks type variety and I'm not sure how much of a problem that is. I have trouble with fairy types, but the only great counter I have against it is Heatran. The last thing on my mind is should I have more defense on the team? Toxpex seems to do an amazing job already, but I'm wondering if I need more.
I'm pretty new, but I hope this team was interesting enough to look through. Any help is appreciated! Thanks for taking a read!
Item: Electric Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 96 HP / 252 Atk / 36 SpD / 124 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Acrobatics
- High Jump Kick
- Roost
I started making this team with Hawlucha as a fast physical sweeper in mind. Paired Tapu Koko, it gets 600+ speed and attack after one swords dance assuming electric terrain is active on switch in. Acrobatics and high jump kick are strong stabs with nice coverage, but I find that I can get whittled down by priority moves or rough skin/iron barbs, etc.
Item: Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Hydro Pump
- Spikes
I was planning on using a fighting/dark/steel core, and Greninja seemed to fit into it pretty well. As opposed to Hawlucha's physical capabilities, Greninja is a special sweeper and can set up spikes in some scenarios. Water shuriken is nice priority that can activate battle bond and hydro pump and dark pulse are needed for coverage and more power. Honestly, I haven't seen battle bond pop off too much yet, but maybe I just need to put in more matches.
Item: Steelium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Magma Storm
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
Heatran completes the core as a steel type to catch the fairy types. It serves as another special sweeper that can set up stealth rocks. Steelium Z can take out bulkier fairy types and do some heavy damage against M-Zam, Garchomp, etc. Magma storm for stab and earth power for coverage. I haven't gotten rng screwed too much by magma storm, but I'm wondering if I could use a more reliable option for the future. I'm also thinking if I should switch to a more defensive set for Heatran since the team might be lacking in that area.
Item: Choice Specs
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Tapu Koko is here for Hawlucha's setup, but it provides fairy typing for dragons and electric for some water threats. Koko seemed like the best option among the Tapus for that reason, though I feel the team has trouble with ground types at times and Tapu Bulu may be a better choice. Volt switch is nice if I'm predicting a switch so I can get Hawlucha in for free and start doing some heavy damage. Thunderbolt and dazzling gleam are just typical stab moves, and hp ice checks landorus-t.
Item: Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Haze
- Recover
- Toxic
Toxapex is a pretty nice special wall and has regenerator and recover to help it live and still with toxic for damage. It can effectively ice out my opponent and haze seems useful if I get into a bad spot and let them set up. Scald is incredible for the 30% burn and generic water stab. Using Toxapex makes predicting switch ins a lot easier and can let me set up Hawlucha if I can predict a switch into a good matchup, though I would need electric terrain to still be active.
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 232 Atk / 68 Def / 208 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Defog
It seems like everyone is using Landorus-T and looks like for good reason. It has great ability and stats to hit hard and fast. U-turn is helpful for the same reasons as volt switch as I mentioned above and gives some coverage too. Stone edge gives more coverage and can take out a lot of scary threats. Defog is my only way of getting rid of hazards and I'm wondering if it belongs on Landorus-T, but it seems to work for now.
I have a couple concerns with my team, but I'm not too sure how to go about changing it. First off, Greninja doesn't seem to great to me; I might be using it incorrectly, but I'm wondering if there are better options. I think the team also lacks type variety and I'm not sure how much of a problem that is. I have trouble with fairy types, but the only great counter I have against it is Heatran. The last thing on my mind is should I have more defense on the team? Toxpex seems to do an amazing job already, but I'm wondering if I need more.
I'm pretty new, but I hope this team was interesting enough to look through. Any help is appreciated! Thanks for taking a read!