Team has been doing pretty well for me in OU singles but I would like some suggestions for improvements please. My general strategy is to have a few pokemon which combined can resist most of the current meta by using a suicune, goodra, ferrorthorn core to provide good defensive coverage both physically and specially.
The team was originally built around goodra and it's impressive SpDef and resistances to common special attacking types, followed by heracross and suicune to gain a more balanced defence and offence.
Current weak links are metagross and heatran which are from time to time cycled with alternate pokemon but are usually my go to.
Nigel Thornberry (Ferrothorn) @ Occa Berry
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 204 HP / 4 Atk / 172 Def / 128 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
- Leech Seed
Originally began as my stealth rock setter to help break scarves and dragonite's multiscale, as well as to help deal with talonflame (frequently a major threat to my team)
lowest possible speed to maximise gyro ball damage in order to check fast attackers who are unable to OHKO it with fire or fighting type moves ,power whip for coverage and functions as a decent mixed defender with occa berry preventing most OHKO's from unexpected fire type moves in order to gain time to set up hazards or leech seed. Works well in conjunction with heatran by setting up rocks while eating up the first fire hit before switching to heatran for flash fire boost. Also very useful against mega-diancies not carrying flamethrower who are expecting to magic bounce hazards.
Heracross @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Guts
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
I required a fast physical attacker to balance out my relatively slow team (i dislike using trick room) and so far heracross has fit the bill especially with choice STAB close combat
current physical sweeper with guts to provide boost from opponents toxic spikes or will-o-wisps from sableye or scald. running max attack and choice band to outspeed most of the unboosted tier (except gale wings talonflame) with moves providing at least neutral coverage against all types.
Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Scald
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
I found that ii needed both a stall counter and physical defensive pokemon not weak to dark or fighting and suicune performs this role very well by being able to heal status conditions with rest while simultaneously having the potential to burn or gain boost while sleeping.
boosted scald deals decent damage amongst even resisted pokemon with burn damage helping to gain additional damage.
Able to easily withstand a guts boosted drain punch from conkeldurr, suicune functions as my physical wall with scald to further cripple non-guts physical attackers and calm mind to boost while up against physical threats.
Goodra @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 48 HP / 208 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Dragon Tail
- Flamethrower
- Power Whip
- Sludge Bomb
My go to special wall, taking only about 5% damage from mega manectrik stab thunder bolt, usually brought in as a switch from suicune against opponents ferrorthorn and other grass types to gain sap sipper boost from power whip or leech seed.
high defence investment in a attempt to survive some physical attacks and max special defence to make the most use out of the assault vest boost. sludge bomb to attempt to hold it's own against some of the weaker fairy types that switch in on it and the rest for mixed coverage (flamethrower mostly for ferrorthorn and skarmory) dragon tail added to force out boosting pokemon other than clefable and to help rack up stealth rock damage.
Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Ice Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Bullet Punch
- Earthquake
current mega running max speed and attack to improve speed matchings, bulkier physical attacker with perfect neutral coverage and has the handy advantage of the tough claws ability on most of it's moves and does not get destroyed by knock off. Usually partnered with heatran switching to gain boost from attempted will-o-wisps on heatran while preserving metagross' vital attack.
my main counter to fairy and dragon types
Heatran @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
- Earth Power
- Stone Edge
- Substitute
- Flamethrower
due to the physical nature of my team will-o-wisp is a large threat as well as most of my pokemon being destroyed by gale wings talonflame, heatran provides a counter for both through flash fire and it's defensive typing. frequently gaining boosts from the switch due to the general special fire weakness on my team allowing for either the substitute on the switch to make use of the boosted flametrower which deals significant damage to those not specially defensive thanks to heatrans very high special attack. Stone edge is provided to deal with talonflame, charizard and volcarona who resist it's other attacks and to provide a method to deal damage to specially defensive pokemon such as chansey.
Any help is much appreciated for both improvements or substitutions.
The team was originally built around goodra and it's impressive SpDef and resistances to common special attacking types, followed by heracross and suicune to gain a more balanced defence and offence.
Current weak links are metagross and heatran which are from time to time cycled with alternate pokemon but are usually my go to.
Nigel Thornberry (Ferrothorn) @ Occa Berry
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 204 HP / 4 Atk / 172 Def / 128 SpD
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
- Leech Seed
Originally began as my stealth rock setter to help break scarves and dragonite's multiscale, as well as to help deal with talonflame (frequently a major threat to my team)
lowest possible speed to maximise gyro ball damage in order to check fast attackers who are unable to OHKO it with fire or fighting type moves ,power whip for coverage and functions as a decent mixed defender with occa berry preventing most OHKO's from unexpected fire type moves in order to gain time to set up hazards or leech seed. Works well in conjunction with heatran by setting up rocks while eating up the first fire hit before switching to heatran for flash fire boost. Also very useful against mega-diancies not carrying flamethrower who are expecting to magic bounce hazards.
Heracross @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Guts
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
I required a fast physical attacker to balance out my relatively slow team (i dislike using trick room) and so far heracross has fit the bill especially with choice STAB close combat
current physical sweeper with guts to provide boost from opponents toxic spikes or will-o-wisps from sableye or scald. running max attack and choice band to outspeed most of the unboosted tier (except gale wings talonflame) with moves providing at least neutral coverage against all types.
Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Scald
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
I found that ii needed both a stall counter and physical defensive pokemon not weak to dark or fighting and suicune performs this role very well by being able to heal status conditions with rest while simultaneously having the potential to burn or gain boost while sleeping.
boosted scald deals decent damage amongst even resisted pokemon with burn damage helping to gain additional damage.
Able to easily withstand a guts boosted drain punch from conkeldurr, suicune functions as my physical wall with scald to further cripple non-guts physical attackers and calm mind to boost while up against physical threats.
Goodra @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 48 HP / 208 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Dragon Tail
- Flamethrower
- Power Whip
- Sludge Bomb
My go to special wall, taking only about 5% damage from mega manectrik stab thunder bolt, usually brought in as a switch from suicune against opponents ferrorthorn and other grass types to gain sap sipper boost from power whip or leech seed.
high defence investment in a attempt to survive some physical attacks and max special defence to make the most use out of the assault vest boost. sludge bomb to attempt to hold it's own against some of the weaker fairy types that switch in on it and the rest for mixed coverage (flamethrower mostly for ferrorthorn and skarmory) dragon tail added to force out boosting pokemon other than clefable and to help rack up stealth rock damage.
Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Ice Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Bullet Punch
- Earthquake
current mega running max speed and attack to improve speed matchings, bulkier physical attacker with perfect neutral coverage and has the handy advantage of the tough claws ability on most of it's moves and does not get destroyed by knock off. Usually partnered with heatran switching to gain boost from attempted will-o-wisps on heatran while preserving metagross' vital attack.
my main counter to fairy and dragon types
Heatran @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
- Earth Power
- Stone Edge
- Substitute
- Flamethrower
due to the physical nature of my team will-o-wisp is a large threat as well as most of my pokemon being destroyed by gale wings talonflame, heatran provides a counter for both through flash fire and it's defensive typing. frequently gaining boosts from the switch due to the general special fire weakness on my team allowing for either the substitute on the switch to make use of the boosted flametrower which deals significant damage to those not specially defensive thanks to heatrans very high special attack. Stone edge is provided to deal with talonflame, charizard and volcarona who resist it's other attacks and to provide a method to deal damage to specially defensive pokemon such as chansey.
Any help is much appreciated for both improvements or substitutions.
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