Gen IV OU team

[iLuvWaffles]

Hello! This is my very first RMT, and my first day on Smogon forums as well. The team I'll be showing is one that I've made recently, and I feel it's pretty effective. The following team revolves around prediction of the opponent's moves, forcing a switchout for a free setup or getting a free boost thanks to my Pokemon's abilities. Any suggestions or pointers would be greatly appreciated! ^^

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Mamoswine (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Snow Cloak
EVs: 64 Atk/192 Spd/252 SAtk
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake

I find Mamoswine a suitable lead for my team as it has good consistency in terms of setting up SR and hitting an opposing lead hard, then proceeding to sweep the rest. EQ has pretty good coverage over leads like Infernape or Metagross and a powerful STAB Ice Shard can take out Gliscors with ease, and can also switch in to scarf Flygon's EQ or the ever-so-annoying Jumpluff and OHKO them. Stone Edge covers Gyarados switchins and Zapdos. The focus sash allows me to take a hit in case I get outspeeded to proceed to take out the opposing pokemon.
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Heatran (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Spd/252 SAtk/4 SDef
Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Fire Blast
- Explosion
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Grass]

Heatran is quite useful against Will-O-Wisp users such as Dusknoir, and can punish a Will-O-Wisp quite effectively with its dandy ability. I chose against the classic scarf Heatran because I felt like I needed the power boost with a variety of moves over the speed boost while being locked to one move. Earth Power and Fire Blast are common sense to put on any Heatran, and HP grass is to counter Swampert switchins. Explosion is simply for taking out Blissey as the rest of my team has difficulty doing so.
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Rotom-c @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/88 Spd/168 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Will-o-wisp
- Hidden Power [Fighting]

I chose Rotom-c over the other Rotoms for its use of Leaf Storm originally since I had not put HP grass on Heatran yet at the time. After playing several games, I found people tended to switch in Ttar into this to get a Pursuit or Crunch while my Leaf Storm fails to OHKO Ttar. I then decided to switch out Leaf Storm and instead stick with HP fighting just to take out TTar. Shadow Ball and Tbolt for their STAB and Will-O-Wisp to cripple physical sweepers like Scizor, Gyarados, etc.
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Empoleon (M) @ Petaya Berry
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 12 HP/4 Def/240 Spd/252 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Substitute
- Surf
- Ice Beam

SubPetaya Empoleon is an absolute beast and fits well into my team. Once my Heatran is down, Empoleon is able to wall off Outrages from a plethora of dragons, allowing me to get in an Agility and proceed to sweep. I use sub to get to my Petaya berry if something with Superpower or Close Combat comes along and I know I can't OHKO them without the +1. This slot in my party originally was a Vaporeon, but Wish Vaporeon did not support my team as well as I would have liked.
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Electivire (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Motor Drive
EVs: 252 Atk/252 Spd/4 HP
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Cross Chop
- Ice Punch
- Thunderpunch
- Earthquake

Electivire is Gyarados' tag team partner. He and Gyarados are gems on my team, as they cover each other's weaknesses. Electivire additionally gains that much needed speed boost as well after switching into Tbolt for Gyarados. Electivire's moveset here also gets super effective moves on a majority of Pokemon, hence the Expert Belt. Meet an EQer? No problem. Scroll down.
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Gyarados (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

Electivire's only weakness is supplemented by this thing that I thought was dragon and not flying a year ago. Gyarados is a good switchin to Swampert since I can't switch in Heatran (as it'll get OHKO'd by EQ). When I switch in to an EQer, the opponent will usually switch out allowing me to get a free Dragon Dance.
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That is my new team! <3

I've noticed some things that have given me trouble and I have trouble finding a solution. I feel Mamoswine and Rotom-c are expendable on my team, as I've always just used Mamoswine to fill in the lead slot for its consistency although it doesn't fare too well against Aerodactyls or Azelfs. Rotom-c can be exchanged as well, or maybe just change up the moveset. I was pondering whether to exchange a move for Trick and give it a scarf instead of leftovers, but then I would have less coverage on attacks that I need on my Rotom.

Suggestions and pointers will be greatly appreciated! Thank you! ^^

 

[2sly4u]

Hey man, nice team.

First off, I would keep Mamoswine. He's your best bet against the omni-present Dragons, and you said yourself that he's dependable for you. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Aerodactyl should be taken out by two Ice Shards, but it will get rocks up. For Azelf, you can send in Heatran on the predicted fire move, and threaten with one of your own. Also, he's one of only two physical attackers on your team, so any potential answer to Blissey shouldn't be thrown away.

For the same Blissey problem I just mentioned, Agiligross may be a better choice than Empoleon as a late-game cleaner. He still walls Outrages, and gives you another physical attacker. A good set would be this:

Metagross@Lum Berry
Agility
Meteor Mash/Iron Head
Earthquake
Thunder Punch/Ice Punch

Life Orb is also useable, but usually a late-game sweeper should be facing a weakened team, so power is less of an issue. Iron Head has 100% accuracy and flinch hax, but the power loss is significant. In the last move, Pick whichever helps your team. With Thunderpunch, Gliscor and Hippowdon give you more trouble, while with Ice Punch Gyarados and Skarmory wall you and OHKO or Whirlwind you respectively.

Use Rotom-W instead of Rotom-C. Hydro Pump still hits T-Tar hard, and is generally more useful than HP fighting. Even without Hydro Pump, you can still bluff that you have it, which will make pokemon such as Gliscor and Heatran think twice before switching in.

Lastly, I would think about perhaps replacing Electivire. He gives you three ground weaknesses, and everyone knows the Gyarados/Electivire trick by now. He's so slow that he needs the Motor Drive boost to be effective, which can be difficult to pull off.. Even worse, his only Physical STAB is the pathetic Thunderpunch, and Ice Punch is just as bad. Mamoswine already can switch into Electric attacks aimed at Gyarados, and threaten with the third most powerful Earthquake in the game. If that isn't enough, you already have an electric type in Rotom.

To be fair, I've never been a fan of Electivire, so if he works for you then ignore the above paragraph. However, I think it would be a good idea to look at some more powerful threats that don't need a speed boost from Motor Drive, such as Machamp, Swords Dance Gliscor, or even BLs and UUs such as Heracross and Ambipomb.

Besides that, good job and good luck!