There are many places in our pokemon universe that could send chills up your spine if you even thought about them. Of course, as someone who prides themselves as a top tier adventurer, I've made it a point not only to visit these places but to steal their secrets. Recently, I scoured the five corners and two arches of our pokemon world for the best team available.
I made this team after the horrific instances that caused me to have many crits, many burns, and in general, hax that just didn't seem to be hax. More likely, I was cursed for having entered Lucaio's ancient tomb. Fire and brimstone fell around me and I barely escaped, hence my alias AjTheUnlucky. But what hopes I had that died that day! I needed a team that COULDN'T be destroyed by this! Even the Gods wouldn't stop such a team! I needed countermeasures. For every good offense, there is a more perfect defense. So, my team was outlined with a defensive core having to fill these requirements:
This team runs on a counterbalancing idea of opponent decay, team regeneration, which is the idea of a stall team but will accomplish this task completely differently from a stall team. It is part of a project by myself to design a team that hybrids all the best part of stall and tank teams together. This team functions like neither, as it doesn't have spikes and only carries two natural statuses. However, unlike tank teams, it doesn't possess great fire power. Unlike true stall teams, very few of the pokemon hold regenerating moves, but unlike common tank teams, most pokes are able to come by regeneration. The team doesn't mind hazards, even though it carries a spinner because battles with me do take forever and a half. The idea here is more turns=greater chance of victory.
By the way, that horrific hax game isn't a lie:
http://pokemonshowdown.com/replay/ou-50219711
Dory (Lanturn) @ Leftovers
Trait: Volt Absorb
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heal Bell
- Scald
- Thunderbolt
- Confuse Ray
The western Sinnoh library in Canalave City revealed a deep dive sight off the coast of Hoenn that had seen to the wreck of mutliple ship wrecks. Before every crash, illuminating lights would guide a sailor wrong and into a deep electrical trap, destroying all communications and controls. The culprit? The incredibly deceitful lanturn. Hiding in the RU tier, this is the team's staple, glue, and duct tape. All my assistants claimed that this single anglerfish was the scariest fish in the sea.
In my team, Lanturn serves multiple purposes, the primary of which being Heal Bell. With a monstrous base HP, lanturn just lives longer but unfortunately becomes hard to pass wishes to without a blissey, vaporeon or even Amolamola. Confuse ray lets me do just about everything, and it can be a pseudophazer. If I get one confuse ray on an attack boosting poke, good luck. Cofagrigus can most likely take the hit, change the ability and will-o-wisp IF the pokemon even attacks. Volt absorb is about as reliable recovery as I can get, letting me wall special jirachi, jolteon and thunderus well enough. Scald and thunderbolt are just afterthoughts that allow me to deal neutral damage to most pokes and take out bulky waters.
Thu'um (Heatran) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Roar
- Lava Plume
- Stealth Rock
Volcanoes are actually a simply hollow mountain that has connections to the earth's core. Without Heatran, these volcanos would never erupt. But this molten monster not only can start volcanic eruptions, he can survive them. Between his two major moves, earth power and lava plume, nearby towns find themselves in serious danger. How many Heatran are there in the world? In 1720, there were three recorded volcanic eruptions, one in Sinnoh, Hoenn and the Orange Islands. This is still our best guess at their population.
But in the metagame, this rule might be 'every other team'. Heatran is used often and for good reason. He stops pesky dragons, takes most hits in stride and can phaze out anything he doesn't scare out. His most important role is to use roar, but he also sets up rocks at convenient times. I haven't seen anything OHKO heatran yet, so he does well to remove setup users. Rocks aren't necessary to this team, but if I see a lot of weaknesses, I'd definitely make it a priority. Heatran dies rather easily once his balloon goes down but he also represents my fire immunity on the team. And flash fire... well, if you aren't resisting, you're dying.
Dumbo (Donphan) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Seed Bomb
- Rapid Spin
Before realizing the competitive abilities of Donphan, circuses used them for their incredible strength not only in show but for hauling carts long distances. More importantly, this usage at the circus helped them learn how to use rapid spin, a move not recorded in any Donphan before Lucky the Clown's Donphan, Rosie. Unfortunately, Rosie hit a support beam and caused the whole tent to fall, but science advances.
Donphan holds the most crucial role of spinner and priority user. He's a defensive tank and naturally has a focus sash in sturdy. I don't like to have him set up rocks, as he is weak to special attacks and I rather him be more an offensive variant. Earthquake is a necessary move on most every team and he beats most sashes with ease using priority. I do like seed bomb, but have not become overly attached to it. The main purpose is for gastrodon, and occasionally jellicent since this does slightly more damage. Otherwise, it is rather a filler move slot that could be replaced with another attack. The major issue is donphan is a defensive tank, but almost every ghost with the exceptions of the NU ghosts are specially based. This makes for a difficult challenge of dueling ghost types that come to prevent a spin.
(Yeah, I do enjoy the pokemon adventures manga as much as the next person)
The Moderator (Latias) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Psycho Shift
- Wish
- Psyshock
- Dragon Pulse
A rarity in the pokemon world, this legendary dragon has never been studied due to its access to invisibility. No technology has yet been able to bypass this light refraction and so all we know about Latias is based off of legend. Supposedly, this is one of the few pokemon to be able to project an image of an avatar for itself, but still lacks and ability to communicate with us at a high level. Other than that, latias and latios are supposed to be in charge of the mythical soul dew.
This set is very anti-meta for a latias. Generally, sub calm mind is common in tier so you can avoid statuses and set up, but my team doesn't rely on that to begin with. Psycho shift allows me to switch in to statuses and get rid of them without going through lanturn. I also have wish support, which isn't much help to lanturn but a major help to the next two. She's kinda lousy at wishing. The most important part is the resistances and the damage she can do with her two stab moves. Sure, walled by ferro. But, as explained, no one poke has to kill another and ferro generally gets twaved after he sends that at latias. If the spinblocker for the opponent is the rare gengar, I can generally lure and kill it.
Machamp?!? (Cofagrigus) @ Leftovers
Trait: Mummy
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Toxic
- Shadow Ball
- Rest
Cofagrigus was discovered in the dark depths of the ocean, of all places, as a golden sarcophagus. No one quite understood why it was there but the museums readily accepted such a rare and beautiful find... Until the night guard started to disappear. Eventually, one of the bodies was found in full the burial sheets of the ancients, and the rumor that the sarcophagus was cursed was born. Through many explorations, we now know that humans in ancient times attempted to make a pact to become pokemon by offering up valuables, foods and even pokemon. The results weren't as planned, humans became pokemon after death, but only the ancient pharaohs who performed the rituals of sacrifice.
In OU, cofagrigus is almost certainly outclassed by Jellicent simply because of recover. But, one touch of the ghostly hands will turn you into a mummy, and neutralize all abilities that pester my team, such as multiscale, mold breaker and especially chlorophyll. He also is the perfect untouchable physical walls, removing all nasty abilities, willowisping and then resting off. He gets the most support in general from lanturn, as he gets full hp restoration and lanturn just wakes him up. A little bit of an issue from special attacks, but you can't have a perfect pokemon. My major question: Toxic or haze?
Virizion @ Life Orb
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Leaf Blade
- Taunt
- Roar
Virizion was once rumored to be a part of the musketeer trio, but this has been proven wrong. In fact, it would appear Virizion lives to perform one job, and that is to protect the home of Shaymin, rumored to be at the end of Springbreak Path. Along with Celebi and Shaymin, Virizion is one of the very few legendary grass types. As such, finding Virizion can be rather challenging, although rumor has it that Virizion always stays in a perpetual area of spring. Whether this means Virizion is constantly on the move or Virizion's area has only one season, we don't quite know.
Virizion is the final piece to this team and an oh-so-important one. She's a secondary roar user, taunts all hazard users and destroys sand teams, mostly by herself. More importantly, one wish from latias and I have a near-full hp striker again. This is the single poke I expect to go 1v1 and win. Jellicent, ferrothrorn, tyranitar and hippowdon often find that virizion is the end of the line. She doesn't fill a sweeper role, as I'll often find her down by the end, but she always does damage.
I'd be glad for any reviews. I have yet to try a full on assault on the ladder with this team, but I have played against people who actually are on the ladder and held my own. The best things would be for some more helpful and specificed ev spreads.
I currently have two different battles worth showing for this team, both against stellar opponents (ashura and stall lite). (The others so far have been me stomping others pretty hard). In the first v. Stall Lite, I have a different version of virizion running, but it plays no factor. Cofagrigus does use hex in that battle and it did make a difference, a bit. I'm pretty sure shadow ball is better.
I made this team after the horrific instances that caused me to have many crits, many burns, and in general, hax that just didn't seem to be hax. More likely, I was cursed for having entered Lucaio's ancient tomb. Fire and brimstone fell around me and I barely escaped, hence my alias AjTheUnlucky. But what hopes I had that died that day! I needed a team that COULDN'T be destroyed by this! Even the Gods wouldn't stop such a team! I needed countermeasures. For every good offense, there is a more perfect defense. So, my team was outlined with a defensive core having to fill these requirements:
Removes statuses (heal bells)
Stops setting up (Roar/whirlwind)
Have a backup to the above
No hazard killing (magic bounce, spinners, taunt... Or just be resistant)
Sponge all damage (wish/recover, lefties/protect)
Avoid heavy weaknesses covered by only one poke
Maintain strike capabilities in a more minor form
Have a switch for any situation
Develop no reliance on any pokemon throughout a match
My own personal battling goals turned different, as I know my own flaws:
Let pokes drop when needed. Do not save pokes if it costs you long term.
Keep core components alive. Sacrifice fringe needs first.
Develop what individual core is needed each game. There are indeed two general cores and two hybrid cores.
Stop pattern switching. Easier than a coloring book to read.
Eliminate hazards early and often, take care of them if possible.
No objective is worth a pokemon dying if I can help it. A six team goes farther than a four in most situations.
Make 90% safe plays. The opponent will get so used to them that eventually dangerous plays will be safe. Establish your playstyle as safe early and you can be unpredictable 30 turns in.
Stops setting up (Roar/whirlwind)
Have a backup to the above
No hazard killing (magic bounce, spinners, taunt... Or just be resistant)
Sponge all damage (wish/recover, lefties/protect)
Avoid heavy weaknesses covered by only one poke
Maintain strike capabilities in a more minor form
Have a switch for any situation
Develop no reliance on any pokemon throughout a match
My own personal battling goals turned different, as I know my own flaws:
Let pokes drop when needed. Do not save pokes if it costs you long term.
Keep core components alive. Sacrifice fringe needs first.
Develop what individual core is needed each game. There are indeed two general cores and two hybrid cores.
Stop pattern switching. Easier than a coloring book to read.
Eliminate hazards early and often, take care of them if possible.
No objective is worth a pokemon dying if I can help it. A six team goes farther than a four in most situations.
Make 90% safe plays. The opponent will get so used to them that eventually dangerous plays will be safe. Establish your playstyle as safe early and you can be unpredictable 30 turns in.
This team runs on a counterbalancing idea of opponent decay, team regeneration, which is the idea of a stall team but will accomplish this task completely differently from a stall team. It is part of a project by myself to design a team that hybrids all the best part of stall and tank teams together. This team functions like neither, as it doesn't have spikes and only carries two natural statuses. However, unlike tank teams, it doesn't possess great fire power. Unlike true stall teams, very few of the pokemon hold regenerating moves, but unlike common tank teams, most pokes are able to come by regeneration. The team doesn't mind hazards, even though it carries a spinner because battles with me do take forever and a half. The idea here is more turns=greater chance of victory.
By the way, that horrific hax game isn't a lie:
http://pokemonshowdown.com/replay/ou-50219711
Originally, I had come off researching the rare Tyranitar in the deserts of Hoenn. After having used the sand to my own advantage, I found something was lacking from the team, and that something generally came in the form of longevity. Every poke could be picked apart when I was trying to do the exact same thing. So I started with a solid defensive core of Heatran and Celebi, a tried and true core.
I had a great start, I really did. But I knew another pokemon that perhaps had even better synergy with heatran, and didn't do all that bad with Celebi. Enter Gastrodon, water absorbing extraordinaire and main dish of Unova. I also wanted to add a pokemon to cancel the growing lack of flying pokes. I needed something that could score huge damage amounts, set up on pokes and not take ground damage. Of course, I couldn't have a weakness to rocks, for I was attempting to rely on a high tempo switch team. Latias was the unfortunate answer, as I felt that her typing was a bit redundant with celebi. Nevertheless, I decided that I had no better option.
This team was "heatran and his three support pokes". It seemed like a joke, but I was pleasantly surprised to see it work... Barring the tyranitar that ran everywhere, and I needed to stop that. So, I through in a fighting type, but I also wanted to continue earth resists. Fighting types with earth resists are a hard commodity by OU pokes, having only Breloom, and of the remaining fighting types, Conkeldurr and Keldeo are the only ones not hit for super effective damage. But breloom is too frail for a slow paced team, and the last thing I can do is try and go with 5 pokes through the majority of the game and not have a fighting threat. So, this means I had to do something most people dread! I had to go hunt in a lower tier. Grabbing my trusty net, I headed into UU and pulled a beauty worth looking at twice. Virizion joined early for me and became one of this team's staples.
But Virizion added another fire weakness. I had a lot of resistances, as well, but I wanted now: Earth immunity, fire resistance, grass resistance, ice resistance. A tall order, and I couldn't find any for a long while in any tier, until I remembered this little stove. Rotom heat joined the team to provide me my most versatile SpA threat.
I guess it wasn't surprising to me when this core came through with flaws. For all my attempts, rotom heat was typed badly for switching into rocks early and often. Celebi just isn't made to wall, and often couldn't get the crucial heal bell off and only three of six pokes ran a reliable recovery move. I needed change, and it had to start with celebi and rotom. But didn't that mean losing my core? No, no it didn't. Latias had become well more important than celebi and I found myself foddering celebi way more often than most would recommend as I had virizion to fall back on. But I wanted a heal bell poke. Jirachi was too earth weak and even blissey was unappealing with that awful defense. I also found I was in need of a spinner, regardless of my own resistances. Lastly, physical attacks were getting to me. Most of these pokes were designed to be special walls, not physical ones. So, with this in mind, I removed celebi for what would soon become my trademark pokemon and added a good spinner to assist.
Donphan and Lanturn stepped on in a heartbeat once I found them. Lanturn offered incredibly bulk and heal bell, while having a critical second electric immunity. More importantly, this set offered me a more solid way of striking thunderus when it carried grass knot. Donphan was the best option to spin because he had access to earthquake, a staple on most teams. He also is a defensive tank, something this team lacked. But before I played my first match, I knew I had a grass weakness and as such said goodbye to the relatively worthless Gastrodon. In turn, couldn't I get a wall that could take fighting types and return fire with statuses? Why not take advantage of heal bell by using a rest poke? All this lead to the creepy ghost poke of the UU tier, cofagrigus. Jelli had that grass weakness, so she was out of the question. But I firmly believe the only thing seperating the two is jelli's access to recover.
I had a great start, I really did. But I knew another pokemon that perhaps had even better synergy with heatran, and didn't do all that bad with Celebi. Enter Gastrodon, water absorbing extraordinaire and main dish of Unova. I also wanted to add a pokemon to cancel the growing lack of flying pokes. I needed something that could score huge damage amounts, set up on pokes and not take ground damage. Of course, I couldn't have a weakness to rocks, for I was attempting to rely on a high tempo switch team. Latias was the unfortunate answer, as I felt that her typing was a bit redundant with celebi. Nevertheless, I decided that I had no better option.
This team was "heatran and his three support pokes". It seemed like a joke, but I was pleasantly surprised to see it work... Barring the tyranitar that ran everywhere, and I needed to stop that. So, I through in a fighting type, but I also wanted to continue earth resists. Fighting types with earth resists are a hard commodity by OU pokes, having only Breloom, and of the remaining fighting types, Conkeldurr and Keldeo are the only ones not hit for super effective damage. But breloom is too frail for a slow paced team, and the last thing I can do is try and go with 5 pokes through the majority of the game and not have a fighting threat. So, this means I had to do something most people dread! I had to go hunt in a lower tier. Grabbing my trusty net, I headed into UU and pulled a beauty worth looking at twice. Virizion joined early for me and became one of this team's staples.
But Virizion added another fire weakness. I had a lot of resistances, as well, but I wanted now: Earth immunity, fire resistance, grass resistance, ice resistance. A tall order, and I couldn't find any for a long while in any tier, until I remembered this little stove. Rotom heat joined the team to provide me my most versatile SpA threat.
I guess it wasn't surprising to me when this core came through with flaws. For all my attempts, rotom heat was typed badly for switching into rocks early and often. Celebi just isn't made to wall, and often couldn't get the crucial heal bell off and only three of six pokes ran a reliable recovery move. I needed change, and it had to start with celebi and rotom. But didn't that mean losing my core? No, no it didn't. Latias had become well more important than celebi and I found myself foddering celebi way more often than most would recommend as I had virizion to fall back on. But I wanted a heal bell poke. Jirachi was too earth weak and even blissey was unappealing with that awful defense. I also found I was in need of a spinner, regardless of my own resistances. Lastly, physical attacks were getting to me. Most of these pokes were designed to be special walls, not physical ones. So, with this in mind, I removed celebi for what would soon become my trademark pokemon and added a good spinner to assist.
Donphan and Lanturn stepped on in a heartbeat once I found them. Lanturn offered incredibly bulk and heal bell, while having a critical second electric immunity. More importantly, this set offered me a more solid way of striking thunderus when it carried grass knot. Donphan was the best option to spin because he had access to earthquake, a staple on most teams. He also is a defensive tank, something this team lacked. But before I played my first match, I knew I had a grass weakness and as such said goodbye to the relatively worthless Gastrodon. In turn, couldn't I get a wall that could take fighting types and return fire with statuses? Why not take advantage of heal bell by using a rest poke? All this lead to the creepy ghost poke of the UU tier, cofagrigus. Jelli had that grass weakness, so she was out of the question. But I firmly believe the only thing seperating the two is jelli's access to recover.
Dory (Lanturn) @ Leftovers
Trait: Volt Absorb
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heal Bell
- Scald
- Thunderbolt
- Confuse Ray
The western Sinnoh library in Canalave City revealed a deep dive sight off the coast of Hoenn that had seen to the wreck of mutliple ship wrecks. Before every crash, illuminating lights would guide a sailor wrong and into a deep electrical trap, destroying all communications and controls. The culprit? The incredibly deceitful lanturn. Hiding in the RU tier, this is the team's staple, glue, and duct tape. All my assistants claimed that this single anglerfish was the scariest fish in the sea.
In my team, Lanturn serves multiple purposes, the primary of which being Heal Bell. With a monstrous base HP, lanturn just lives longer but unfortunately becomes hard to pass wishes to without a blissey, vaporeon or even Amolamola. Confuse ray lets me do just about everything, and it can be a pseudophazer. If I get one confuse ray on an attack boosting poke, good luck. Cofagrigus can most likely take the hit, change the ability and will-o-wisp IF the pokemon even attacks. Volt absorb is about as reliable recovery as I can get, letting me wall special jirachi, jolteon and thunderus well enough. Scald and thunderbolt are just afterthoughts that allow me to deal neutral damage to most pokes and take out bulky waters.
Thu'um (Heatran) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Roar
- Lava Plume
- Stealth Rock
Volcanoes are actually a simply hollow mountain that has connections to the earth's core. Without Heatran, these volcanos would never erupt. But this molten monster not only can start volcanic eruptions, he can survive them. Between his two major moves, earth power and lava plume, nearby towns find themselves in serious danger. How many Heatran are there in the world? In 1720, there were three recorded volcanic eruptions, one in Sinnoh, Hoenn and the Orange Islands. This is still our best guess at their population.
But in the metagame, this rule might be 'every other team'. Heatran is used often and for good reason. He stops pesky dragons, takes most hits in stride and can phaze out anything he doesn't scare out. His most important role is to use roar, but he also sets up rocks at convenient times. I haven't seen anything OHKO heatran yet, so he does well to remove setup users. Rocks aren't necessary to this team, but if I see a lot of weaknesses, I'd definitely make it a priority. Heatran dies rather easily once his balloon goes down but he also represents my fire immunity on the team. And flash fire... well, if you aren't resisting, you're dying.
Dumbo (Donphan) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Seed Bomb
- Rapid Spin
Before realizing the competitive abilities of Donphan, circuses used them for their incredible strength not only in show but for hauling carts long distances. More importantly, this usage at the circus helped them learn how to use rapid spin, a move not recorded in any Donphan before Lucky the Clown's Donphan, Rosie. Unfortunately, Rosie hit a support beam and caused the whole tent to fall, but science advances.
Donphan holds the most crucial role of spinner and priority user. He's a defensive tank and naturally has a focus sash in sturdy. I don't like to have him set up rocks, as he is weak to special attacks and I rather him be more an offensive variant. Earthquake is a necessary move on most every team and he beats most sashes with ease using priority. I do like seed bomb, but have not become overly attached to it. The main purpose is for gastrodon, and occasionally jellicent since this does slightly more damage. Otherwise, it is rather a filler move slot that could be replaced with another attack. The major issue is donphan is a defensive tank, but almost every ghost with the exceptions of the NU ghosts are specially based. This makes for a difficult challenge of dueling ghost types that come to prevent a spin.
(Yeah, I do enjoy the pokemon adventures manga as much as the next person)
The Moderator (Latias) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Psycho Shift
- Wish
- Psyshock
- Dragon Pulse
A rarity in the pokemon world, this legendary dragon has never been studied due to its access to invisibility. No technology has yet been able to bypass this light refraction and so all we know about Latias is based off of legend. Supposedly, this is one of the few pokemon to be able to project an image of an avatar for itself, but still lacks and ability to communicate with us at a high level. Other than that, latias and latios are supposed to be in charge of the mythical soul dew.
This set is very anti-meta for a latias. Generally, sub calm mind is common in tier so you can avoid statuses and set up, but my team doesn't rely on that to begin with. Psycho shift allows me to switch in to statuses and get rid of them without going through lanturn. I also have wish support, which isn't much help to lanturn but a major help to the next two. She's kinda lousy at wishing. The most important part is the resistances and the damage she can do with her two stab moves. Sure, walled by ferro. But, as explained, no one poke has to kill another and ferro generally gets twaved after he sends that at latias. If the spinblocker for the opponent is the rare gengar, I can generally lure and kill it.
Machamp?!? (Cofagrigus) @ Leftovers
Trait: Mummy
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Toxic
- Shadow Ball
- Rest
Cofagrigus was discovered in the dark depths of the ocean, of all places, as a golden sarcophagus. No one quite understood why it was there but the museums readily accepted such a rare and beautiful find... Until the night guard started to disappear. Eventually, one of the bodies was found in full the burial sheets of the ancients, and the rumor that the sarcophagus was cursed was born. Through many explorations, we now know that humans in ancient times attempted to make a pact to become pokemon by offering up valuables, foods and even pokemon. The results weren't as planned, humans became pokemon after death, but only the ancient pharaohs who performed the rituals of sacrifice.
In OU, cofagrigus is almost certainly outclassed by Jellicent simply because of recover. But, one touch of the ghostly hands will turn you into a mummy, and neutralize all abilities that pester my team, such as multiscale, mold breaker and especially chlorophyll. He also is the perfect untouchable physical walls, removing all nasty abilities, willowisping and then resting off. He gets the most support in general from lanturn, as he gets full hp restoration and lanturn just wakes him up. A little bit of an issue from special attacks, but you can't have a perfect pokemon. My major question: Toxic or haze?
Virizion @ Life Orb
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Leaf Blade
- Taunt
- Roar
Virizion was once rumored to be a part of the musketeer trio, but this has been proven wrong. In fact, it would appear Virizion lives to perform one job, and that is to protect the home of Shaymin, rumored to be at the end of Springbreak Path. Along with Celebi and Shaymin, Virizion is one of the very few legendary grass types. As such, finding Virizion can be rather challenging, although rumor has it that Virizion always stays in a perpetual area of spring. Whether this means Virizion is constantly on the move or Virizion's area has only one season, we don't quite know.
Virizion is the final piece to this team and an oh-so-important one. She's a secondary roar user, taunts all hazard users and destroys sand teams, mostly by herself. More importantly, one wish from latias and I have a near-full hp striker again. This is the single poke I expect to go 1v1 and win. Jellicent, ferrothrorn, tyranitar and hippowdon often find that virizion is the end of the line. She doesn't fill a sweeper role, as I'll often find her down by the end, but she always does damage.
OU is predictable. Let's face it, the three major teams are Rain, Sand, and Sun. Hail makes an appearance and otherwise there is very little to talk about.
Leads are just as predictable, especially when the opponent notes I have no weather setters.
Tyranitar/Hippowdon (Sand): Virizion lead. If they stay in, they die. Even a toxic from Hippowdon means nothing, and then it's 2HKO'd
Politoed (Rain): Every politoed in existence now officially hates lanturn. I throw a confusion down range first and see what happens. Favorable to me and prepare for some thunder.
Ninetales (Sun): Perhaps the most difficult as of so far, I generally lead Heatran. Stealth rocks first turn, and then roar if I can. That or earth power
Abomnasnow (Hail): Heatran. All the way, every time. What's an ice team have on a 4x resist?
If none present, look for pivot and assign a resist to lead against. Generally, the two are rotom and scizor. Lanturn for rotom and heatran for scizor.
Leads are just as predictable, especially when the opponent notes I have no weather setters.
Tyranitar/Hippowdon (Sand): Virizion lead. If they stay in, they die. Even a toxic from Hippowdon means nothing, and then it's 2HKO'd
Politoed (Rain): Every politoed in existence now officially hates lanturn. I throw a confusion down range first and see what happens. Favorable to me and prepare for some thunder.
Ninetales (Sun): Perhaps the most difficult as of so far, I generally lead Heatran. Stealth rocks first turn, and then roar if I can. That or earth power
Abomnasnow (Hail): Heatran. All the way, every time. What's an ice team have on a 4x resist?
If none present, look for pivot and assign a resist to lead against. Generally, the two are rotom and scizor. Lanturn for rotom and heatran for scizor.
Breloom: Drop a Virizion in to take sleep. Switch to latias, psyshock to victory. Heal bell with Lanturn.
Tyranitar: Destroy it with Virizion
Scizor: Get heatran in on it. Quickly. I outspeed most to begin with, but always a chance the stupid thing can catch me on an in, so wait until it locks itself or doesn't use super power. Generally early wall with Lanturn if in bad position.
Dragonite: Wall with donphan and proceed to ice shard. In late games, I may need to just roar it out with heatran or confuse ray hax hope as last resort.
Heatran: Generally the best counter to heatran is heatran, but lanturn/latias do a fine job countering.
Infernape: Take Cofagrigus to absorb a CC, then just force a switch/Shadow ball. Latias can do this in a pinch, but U-turn does exist
Volcarona: Get rocks up, sit heatran in
Alakazam: This is a difficult one. Go latias to scout set, if no shadow ball, go cofagrigus, if no focus blast, go heatran. If both of these, try to duel with latias and lanturn.
Tyranitar: Destroy it with Virizion
Scizor: Get heatran in on it. Quickly. I outspeed most to begin with, but always a chance the stupid thing can catch me on an in, so wait until it locks itself or doesn't use super power. Generally early wall with Lanturn if in bad position.
Dragonite: Wall with donphan and proceed to ice shard. In late games, I may need to just roar it out with heatran or confuse ray hax hope as last resort.
Heatran: Generally the best counter to heatran is heatran, but lanturn/latias do a fine job countering.
Infernape: Take Cofagrigus to absorb a CC, then just force a switch/Shadow ball. Latias can do this in a pinch, but U-turn does exist
Volcarona: Get rocks up, sit heatran in
Alakazam: This is a difficult one. Go latias to scout set, if no shadow ball, go cofagrigus, if no focus blast, go heatran. If both of these, try to duel with latias and lanturn.
Dory (Lanturn) @ Leftovers
Trait: Volt Absorb
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heal Bell
- Scald
- Thunderbolt
- Confuse Ray
Thu'um (Heatran) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Roar
- Lava Plume
- Stealth Rock
Dumbo (Donphan) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Seed Bomb
- Rapid Spin
The Moderator (Latias) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Psycho Shift
- Wish
- Psyshock
- Dragon Pulse
Machamp?!? (Cofagrigus) @ Leftovers
Trait: Mummy
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Toxic
- Shadow Ball
- Rest
Virizion @ Life Orb
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Leaf Blade
- Taunt
- Roar
Trait: Volt Absorb
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heal Bell
- Scald
- Thunderbolt
- Confuse Ray
Thu'um (Heatran) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Roar
- Lava Plume
- Stealth Rock
Dumbo (Donphan) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Seed Bomb
- Rapid Spin
The Moderator (Latias) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Psycho Shift
- Wish
- Psyshock
- Dragon Pulse
Machamp?!? (Cofagrigus) @ Leftovers
Trait: Mummy
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 SAtk
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Toxic
- Shadow Ball
- Rest
Virizion @ Life Orb
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Leaf Blade
- Taunt
- Roar
I'd be glad for any reviews. I have yet to try a full on assault on the ladder with this team, but I have played against people who actually are on the ladder and held my own. The best things would be for some more helpful and specificed ev spreads.
I currently have two different battles worth showing for this team, both against stellar opponents (ashura and stall lite). (The others so far have been me stomping others pretty hard). In the first v. Stall Lite, I have a different version of virizion running, but it plays no factor. Cofagrigus does use hex in that battle and it did make a difference, a bit. I'm pretty sure shadow ball is better.
Tyranitar: If it doesn't die early, it can haunt me by trapping latias or cofagrigus. Cofagrigus has a chance, latias does not. Other than that, it serves no threat.
Breloom: If late game and not handled well, Breloom is really tough to counter. This is true for any team, and mine benefits from many perks that most don't have, but breloom is no less a threat.
CM Latias: I don't mind this one until it's the last poke. If cofagrigus goes down early, I could be in for a long day as my taunter can't really step into a psyshock variant. Otherwise, I just roar this out.
Landorus: Due to it's pivot, having potential HP ice, U-turn and always carrying eq, this is a threat for my favorite part of my unit, Latias and Lanturn. I can survive an EQ that isn't max banded with lanturn, but am easily 2hko'd. My best chance is getting Donphan in, who dies early.
Breloom: If late game and not handled well, Breloom is really tough to counter. This is true for any team, and mine benefits from many perks that most don't have, but breloom is no less a threat.
CM Latias: I don't mind this one until it's the last poke. If cofagrigus goes down early, I could be in for a long day as my taunter can't really step into a psyshock variant. Otherwise, I just roar this out.
Landorus: Due to it's pivot, having potential HP ice, U-turn and always carrying eq, this is a threat for my favorite part of my unit, Latias and Lanturn. I can survive an EQ that isn't max banded with lanturn, but am easily 2hko'd. My best chance is getting Donphan in, who dies early.
(Specially based) The main core is Latias/Lanturn. Resistance checks on Heatran:
Steel, normal, dragon, fire, ice, ghost, flying, grass, dark, bug, psychic
Resistance Latias
Fighting, fire, water, grass, electric, psychic, ground
(Physically based) Second core: Cofagrigus/Lanturn (This is more for their benefits of holding rest/wall as an option and both having precious bulk to mess physical attackers up.)
Lanturn resists:
Flying, ice, steel, fire, water, electric
Cofagrigus resists:
Fighting, normal, poison, bug
Hybrid cores are meant to take place in instances against coverage threats to the main core and when one poke falls from them.
Hybrid core:
Heatran/Cofagrigus
This core takes pride in Cofagrigus absorbing fight and heatran absorbing dark and ghost. Further benefits may include roaring out a will-o-wisped poke trying to set up. Generally the 'Dragon Wall' core.
Hybrid core 2
Latias/Lanturn
Generally wish support/status healer that plays off latias' ground immunity and lanturn's ice/steel resist.
This is my Cleric Core, meant for handling most walls.
A Cofagrigus/Latias or Lanturn/Heatran core doesn't work. First shares ghost/dark issues, second shares earth issues. Cofagrigus may benefit from Latias' wish, but heatran/lanturn generally have no benefits working together.
Steel, normal, dragon, fire, ice, ghost, flying, grass, dark, bug, psychic
Resistance Latias
Fighting, fire, water, grass, electric, psychic, ground
(Physically based) Second core: Cofagrigus/Lanturn (This is more for their benefits of holding rest/wall as an option and both having precious bulk to mess physical attackers up.)
Lanturn resists:
Flying, ice, steel, fire, water, electric
Cofagrigus resists:
Fighting, normal, poison, bug
Hybrid cores are meant to take place in instances against coverage threats to the main core and when one poke falls from them.
Hybrid core:
Heatran/Cofagrigus
This core takes pride in Cofagrigus absorbing fight and heatran absorbing dark and ghost. Further benefits may include roaring out a will-o-wisped poke trying to set up. Generally the 'Dragon Wall' core.
Hybrid core 2
Latias/Lanturn
Generally wish support/status healer that plays off latias' ground immunity and lanturn's ice/steel resist.
This is my Cleric Core, meant for handling most walls.
A Cofagrigus/Latias or Lanturn/Heatran core doesn't work. First shares ghost/dark issues, second shares earth issues. Cofagrigus may benefit from Latias' wish, but heatran/lanturn generally have no benefits working together.
