SM OU Help for my balance team

[Professor Tree]

Premise

Hi everyone on smogon! I come back with a new rmt. I used to play many stall and HO team and get bored so I build a balance team and have struggled in laddering. Because of that, I am posting this and hoping u guy help me in improve the team. Now I will go straight to the team.

Team

#M Alakazam

Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Recover
- Focus Blast

I started build a team with m-zam. This mon is an incredible wallbreaker with skyhigh sp atk. Cause of his ability trace, he is the best answer to toxapex, amoonguss, heatran and latios lack of draco meteor, also weak m-swampert. The set is standard nothing to talk much. I chose timid>modest because alakazam is fragile, the speed is necessary for him to OK opponent before take a hit.

#Zapdos

Zapdos @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Defog
- Roost
- Heat Wave

Next mon is zapdos. Because of Alakazam fragility, zapdos is here to solve that problem. Above avarage defensive, great typing help zapdos dealing with m-pinsir, m-scizor which hit m-alakazam really hard with their priorty move. Rocky helmet for punishment those mons and u-turn users. Zapdos can deal with toxapex and ferrothorn (both are hazard setter mons) very well cause of defog and is coverage move. Stactic is a good ability to deal with m-gyarados and punish u-turn user beside rocky helmet. Everything else is standard.

#Tapu Bulu

Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 224 HP / 216 SpD / 68 Spe
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Synthesis
- Horn Leech
- Superpower

For dealing with the tapus, tyranitar, a-greninja, ground mons, I chose Tapu Bulu. With synthesis, horn leech, leftovers and grassterrain, this mon is really hard to wear down. Trading atk for def bulu still a great wallbreaker. After a SD boost, bulu is sure to 2hko magearna, ohko heatran. Hornleech hit everything hard under effect of grass terrain, even the target resist grass move. The mons can wall this is ammonguss and venusaur, both them is nothing to alakazam. This is a newest set in smogon dex, for more information see here


#Heatran

Heatran @ Firium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Taunt
- Toxic
- Earth Power

Bulu and Heatran is a great core so I chose heatran as the next mon. Trapping damage of Magma storm is wonderful, that chip damage help alakazam sweep easily in the future. Heatran also a good answer to celesteela, magearna- both wall alakazam. With volcarona without HP ground heatran completely wall it. This lava beast is great check to scizor in order to keep zapdos healthy for dealing with m-pinsir, hawlucha. This set for dealing with stall team better. Everything is standard.

#Landorus-T

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]

I havent got a rock setter so I chose lando. Lion smogon is reliable rock setter can be switch right into zygarde and charizard-X, both are dangerous setup mons especially char-X. Simba also great deal to sand team especially excadrill (cannot rely on alakazam miss blast much). U-turn of this top OU beast help alakazam switch safely. The set is standard.

#Greninja

Greninja (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Protean
EVs: 176 Atk / 80 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Rock Slide
- U-turn
- Spikes
- Ice Beam

I still have a little worry about volcarona and charizard X, so that scarf greninja is my next mon. Spike help this team lots in dealing magearna, m-mawile. Because of u-turn, this frog is great lead in most cases. With high speed, here is another tool to deal with m-swampert. The set is standard.

Threatlist

Strong wallbreaker all way KO a mon before prevent kill by greninja or alakazam. HoopaU and M-gallade are top dangerous, with high spdef hoopa tank many hit from alakazam or gallade after a SD boost hit everything hard KO alakazam with shadow sneak, tank many hit from greninja and KO back with drain punch. And protean gren with z water ice beam everything, KO heatran with hydro vortex, alakazam isnt a good answer to it.

With lure set, band kartana hit zapdos hard with knock off or KO zap bird. After that, hawlucha can do anything.

Unaware calm mind clefable is rare to see but hard to deal with after heatran fainted.

Problem

Althought zapdos has defog, I rarely use it. Only when dealing with toxapex ferrothorn, defog become useful. May I change it to HPice?

Working as a rock setter but I realised that I used it as a defensive wall in most the time. Is there any better rock setter fit the team?

I dont use greninja very well. I only use it as a lead and most of the time greninja cannot KO a mon or setup 2/3 layers of spike. Any good mon better than this frog?

Importable

Importable

Greninja (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Protean
EVs: 176 Atk / 80 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Rock Slide
- U-turn
- Spikes
- Ice Beam

Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 224 HP / 216 SpD / 68 Spe
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Synthesis
- Horn Leech
- Superpower

Heatran @ Firium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Taunt
- Toxic
- Earth Power

Zapdos @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Defog
- Roost
- Heat Wave

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Recover
- Focus Blast

 

[lewis1995]

Hi Professor Tree.

I have a few minor changes that may be of help.

Firstly I don’t think it’s beneficial to run Recover on your Mega Alakazam. It’s so frail that most hits will knock him out, and I don’t think that recover is going to be able to be used all that much. I would personally add something for coverage like dazzling gleam to take on the wall breakers that you struggle with such as Kyurem, opposing Ash-Greninja And Hoopa for example. If you find rain teams to be a struggle you could also try Energy Ball, which will also help break through Gastrodon which is becoming more common recently.

Alakazam (M) @ Alakazite
Ability: Trace
Timid Nature
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Psychic
Shadow Ball
Focus Blast
Dazzling Gleam / Energy Ball

Secondly, I feel that Ash-Greninja would give you much more offensive prowess than that of standard Greninja. Battle Bond is too good of an ability to pass up on, the power increase when paired with Choice Specs can clean up many teams late game, and is a great pivot to force out other Pokemon. It has priority in water shuriken, which is great for helping get battle bond to activate, and to revenge kill fast threats.

Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
Timid Nature
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Hydro Pump
Dark Pulse
Water Shuriken
Spikes

Heatran can scare a lot of opponents out, and as you’re running the speedy version, stealth rock works better here in my opinion.

You could consider Stone Edge / Rock Slide on Landorus to give him a bit more offence instead of Stealth Rock.

Major Changes:

I feel as though Zapdos doesn’t do much for your team, and your team is really lacking in any physical threat aside from Bulu. I recommend Gliscor. It has great typing, can block volt switches to slow down the opponents momentum, and plays the same Defog role and Zapdos. It has reliable recovery in roost and poison heal, and also can create momentum with U-Turn. Here is the set:

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 44 Def / 68 SpD / 152 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-Turn
- Roost
- Earthquake
- Defog

Ice is a threat to your team, but with heatran and Ash- Greninja you should be able to play around it with switches.

This is the team after the proposed changes:

Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- Focus Blast
- Energy Ball

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 44 Def / 108 SpD / 112 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost

Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Water Shuriken
- Spikes
- Dark Pulse
- Hydro Pump

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stone Edge/Rock Slide
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 224 HP / 216 SpD / 68 Spe
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Synthesis
- Horn Leech
- Superpower

Heatran @ Firium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Earth Power

I’m not by any means the best rather, but I noticed nobody had commented yet, so I thought I’d give you my take on the team. Hopefully it helps.

 

[Professor Tree]

Thanks for rating. I dont thing about ash greninja before, u blow my mind. Glisor maybe good choice but how could I deal with hawlucha and kartana most threat to the team?

 

[lewis1995]

You could try celesteela to take care both both hawlucha and kartana.
Maybe swap out Heatran for it, and put stealth rocks back on Landorus.
Flamethrower covers your Kartana weakness and helps with Mega Scizor. Also Hawlucha can’t do much to it.

Here’s the set:

Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 248 HP / 104 Def / 156 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower

You could possibly remove Gliscor for this and run Defog on your Landorus instead of Stone Edge. Then you can keep Heatran as it is with Stealth Rock

 

[DrPumpkinz]

Firstly I don’t think it’s beneficial to run Recover on your Mega Alakazam. It’s so frail that most hits will knock him out, and I don’t think that recover is going to be able to be used all that much. I would personally add something for coverage like dazzling gleam to take on the wall breakers that you struggle with such as Kyurem, opposing Ash-Greninja And Hoopa for example. If you find rain teams to be a struggle you could also try Energy Ball, which will also help break through Gastrodon which is becoming more common recently.

Alakazam (M) @ Alakazite
Ability: Trace
Timid Nature
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Psychic
Shadow Ball
Focus Blast
Dazzling Gleam / Energy Ball

Recover is actually a rather popular choice on Mega Zam to improve its matchup against stuff like Heatran. However, most of them run Modest, as Mega Zam is so damn fast that it can get away with it.

 

[lewis1995]

Recover is actually a rather popular choice on Mega Zam to improve its matchup against stuff like Heatran. However, most of them run Modest, as Mega Zam is so damn fast that it can get away with it.

You’re right, it does have it uses but with this team specifically I felt it didn’t really need it considering heatran isn’t a problem for this team at all due to the ground coverage this team has.

 

[Clemenprez]

I would definitely agree with DrPumpkinz that your Mega Alakazam should be run with a modest nature. With modest the only somewhat common threats that will outspeed you are mega lopunny and zeraora. However, you have great switch-ins to these mons in zapdos and bulu. You also have to risk the speed tie with ash greninja, but once again you have bulu to switch in easily to it.