XY OU Hourglass

[Inflikted]

HOURGLASS



Hello guys, it's been a year since I discovered Pokemon Showdown and I came back to this shitty game (I used to play on shoddy battle but I ran stuff such as Stockpile Hippowdon so... x_x ), so what about celebrating it with an RMT featuring my favourite team?

I built this team during the Aegislash suspect test. I used it to get reqs, and it carried me up to #2 on the suspect ladder before a huge tilt kicked in, forcing me to play a huge amount of frustrating games (no screenshot because I did not originally want to RMT this). I know nobody cares about ladder peaks, especially on suspect ladders, it just shows how I actually won some games against good players using this team. It also has a pretty good record on the regular ladder, where I used it sparingly, especially because I don't really enjoy playing on the ladder anymore. On to the team, it's a Sand Offense featuring Heracross, which has always been one of my favourite pokemon, and which has become one of the best stallbreakers in OU this gen thanks to the introduction of the Megas. I know it looks kind of standard considering what the OU metagame has become with the Aegislash ban, but i still think this is the team I put the biggest amount of thought into, and the team I have the most fun playing with.

I called it Hourglass because ...on showdown you have to keep track of sand turns because the weather timer is shit, so i found some sort of similiarity with a sand clock, that keeps track of time with the flowing of the sand. But there is no actual similiarity now that I think about it so I just called it Hourglass because it looked like a cool name for a sand team. It's also a beautiful Lamb Of God song n_n

Team at a glance

Tambuilding Process

The pokemon I actually started with was Talonflame; watching some tournament games, i noticed how effective the Bulk Up + Will-o-Wisp set was, and I decided to give it a shot.

Seeing how this set could lure in and burn Landorus-T, Hippowdown, and Rotom-W (mons Sand Offense has trouble with), I decided to add a TTar + Excadrill core to take advantage of that.

At this point, I wanted something to smash any kind of defensive core to make Excadrill's and Talonflame's job easier, and also to destroy those annoying stall teams. This is where my personal favorite Mega Heracross comes into play.

At this point, I wanted a switch in to Keldeo and a check for Greninja and opposing sand teams: I chose Latias and AV Azumarill for the wide amount of threats they keep at bay with their bulk, while mantaining a great offensive presence!

My weakness to Azumarill was huge, the only set which was kind of manageable was the Belly Drum one due to its inferior bulk; my fren Alexander. suggested me Rotom-W to fix this issue. I do lose a bit of offensive presence but for the most part it worked really well.

The team in depth

Talonflame

Talonflame @ Leftovers
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpD / 8 Spe
Careful Nature

Brave Bird
Will-O-Wisp
Roost
Bulk Up

Bulk Up Talonflame is a really awesome set in my opinion. It provides the only priority move on this team and a potential win condition with bulk up. It is kind of weak offensively if compared to Choice Band Talonflame, but it makes up for it with its surprising durability and the ability to cripple its own checks with Will-o-Wisp. This move, in conjuncton with the defensive boosts granted by Bulk Up, also helps it turning many threats into setup bait. One notable example is Bisharp, as a burned Bisharp's Knock Off fails to do significant damage to Talonflame (especially after it lost ist Leftovers) and the bird can proceed to set up Bulk Ups, becoming really hard to revenge kill for the opposing team. While priority Roost makes it vulnerable to ground type moves, it also allows it to remove its weakness to electric-type attacks and to reduce its Rock weakness. At +1, it even has the ability to Roost stall support Tyranitar's Stone Edge after burning it, which is really impressive (Some support Tyranitars don't even run Stone Edge nowadays and become total setup baits, wow). This set also brings its surprise factor to the table, being able to lure in and burn checks to itself and to its teammates such as Rotom-W, Hippowdon, the aforenmentioned Tyranitar, Landorus-T, Slowbro, and the list goes on. Early-game I can also bluff a more offensive set to scare out the likes of Mega Gardevoir, Greninja, and frail sweepers in general. It also checks Mega Heracross and Mawile which are big threats to all teams. This is an awesome set for an awesome pokemon, I would suggest trying this out to anyone.


Tyranitar

Tyranitar @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 144 Atk / 112 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature

Ice Beam
Fire Blast
Stealth Rock
Stone Edge

I chose Tyranitar for its abiity to provide Stealth Rock support, Sand Rush support, and a Lati@s and Talonflame check; I use it over the bulkier Hippowdon due to its great movepool which makes it less predictable and nice offensive presence. The spread and the moveset are studied to support Excadrill as well as possible, by removing and weakening its most popular checks and some other annoying pokemon. Ice Beam OHKOes 252 HP / 0 SpDef Landorus T after Stealth Rock. Fire Blast heavily dents Ferrothorn and Skarmory, another stop to Excadrill, while also OHKOing 248 HP / 100 SpDef Mega Scizor (again, after SR). Stone Edge with 144 attack Evs does 46% minimum to 252 HP Azumarill, allowing me to pick it off with another attacker. In general Stone Edge, despite the accuracy, is always a good move to have and spam due to its wide coverage and respectable power. Max Speed to outrun most defensive Landorus-T variants, Azumarill, and other miscellaneous stuff.


Excadrill

Excadrill @ Air Balloon
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature

Earthquake
Rock Slide
Iron Head
Swords Dance

Excadrill is usually the star of the show and my main win condition against most offensive teams. I chose to run a SD set because Excadrill often forces pivot switches on the opponent's part under sand in order to try to stall out the sand turns. So SD is the perfect move to take full advantage of those free turns to grab a boost and start to pummel the opposing team; it also makes Excadrill almost as useful against stall as it is against offense, as SD makes Excadrill significantly more difficult to wall, except for Quagsire, which is losing in popularity and can be worn down by the rest of the team, and Skarmory, which is popped by Mega Heracross and hopefully lured and weakened by Tyranitar if I manage to bluff the lack of Fire Blast. Mandubuzz is also a bit of a problem but a burn from Talonflame cripples it. Rapid spin would be cool to have too but I already have a reliable defogger, and the lack of SD would make winning many matchups significantly more difficult. Excadrill is not only a sweeper though, as under sand its blazing speed allows it to revenge kill many dangerous threats such as Greninja, Charizard X, scarf Heatran, and a lot of boosted but weakened sweepers such as Mega Gyarados. I chose a Jolly nature to outpace neutral base 100s outside sand, and opposing Adamant Excadrill under sand; it also outruns Jolly Mamoswine and Jolly Diggersby which is always nice. The Air Balloon is always annoying for Pokemon that rely on Ground-Type moves to hit it, and it is an extra insurance against opposing Excadrills. It is kind of weak without Life Orb or an Adamant nature but SD makesup for that.


Heracross

Heracross @ Heracronite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature

Close Combat
Pin Missile
Rock Blast
Swords Dance

Ahhh, the Beast. Heracross has always been one of my favorite mons since back when I played Pokemon Silver on my Game Boy Color, due to how badass it looks and to how strong it is. Its Mega Evolution worsens its design imo but takes its power to jaw-dropping levels, making it one of the most threatening stallbreakers in OU and one of the hardest pokemon to switch into for any kind of team. Close Combat is the main, spammable stab, and it packs an unreal punch; Pin Missile and Rock Blast complement it really well by hitting almost everything that resist CC at least neutrally. With SD, Heracross becomes my best weapon against stall teams, often demolishing them almost single-handedly, as almost everything is 2HKOed at worst after a boost. Mega Venusaur, Skarmory, Zapdos, Hippowdon, CBBnite are all OHKOed with the right move after SD, while Heatran, Slowbro and Chansey obviously don't stand a chance regardless of the boost. Quagsire is 2HKOed, meaning that it cannot switch in and the opponent has to sack something to do so. The only stall mons that are somehow problematic for it are insanely fast Mew versions that can burn it, Sableye (that cannot switch in), Phisically defensive Unaware Clefable (kinda easy to wear down for the rest of the team), and Gliscor which is only 2HKOed after SD and can toxic/protect stall it. The Trick Scarf Gothitelle set that is somehow seen on some stall teams on the ladder is also problematic because it kills it with Psyshock after CC, so watch out for that. Heracross' bulk also allows it not to be deadwheight against offense, as pokemon that cannot OHKO it are usually reduced to dust in return. It is also a good anti-lead against Breloom. Bullet Seed is an option as well; it allows Heracross to be a good anti-lead to Sash Oblivious Mamoswine, killing it before it gets Rocks up, which can be huge (i don't remember any other pokemon capable of doing this), while Pin Missile's chance to OHKO Mamo through its sash is small. As for Excadrill, dropping SD would mean a harder matchup against stall, though.


Latias

Latias (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 72 HP / 184 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature

- Defog
- Roost
- Draco Meteor
- Thunderbolt

Latias is another personal favourite which I tend to slap on half of my teams. She provides Defog support and a reliable Keldeo counter. Her bulk also allows her to beat some troublesome pokemon 1v1, for example she can actually take a Ice Beam from Greninja from full and OHKO the frog in return; not the best way to deal with it but it's just an example. I originally had Healing Wish on this, but i later replaced it with Roost because I did not like the fact that the absence of recovery allows it to switch into Keldeo (the main pokemon she is supposed to counter) only twice, while Roost turns Latias into a consistent counter assuming Keldeo does not run Icy Wind (which can be troublesome, but a Keldeo locked into Icy Wind gives me a free switch into Rotom). Draco Meteor is the obvious STAB move, while I run Thunderbolt over Psyshock because it deals a similar amount of damage to 252 HP Assault Vest variants but it does quite a bit more to CB and Belly Drum variants. With the addion of Rotom, Psyshock becomes a viable option again, though, as I am not as Azu weak as before, when I ran an Azumarill myself. Using Latios in this slot is also an option I've been experinmenting with, as we all know that Latias' main niche over Latios is Healing Wish, and my Latias does not have it, but the added bulk often matters more than the power Latios brings to the table.


Rotom-Wash

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature

Hydro Pump
Volt Switch
Will-O-Wisp
Pain Split

The latest addition to the team is Rotom-W, which has done a great job so far checking opposing Sand Offense teams and, most importantly, Azumarill, which is still a big threat (especially CB variants), but now it is manageable and won't get a kill each time it comes it. The set is standard and needs no explanation; my choice of Pain Split over a Chesto Rest set is due to the more aggressive nature of the team, as Pain Split allows it to help wearing down the opposing team for its teammates while healing itself; Rest is still a viable option as it allows it to become a status absorber, as no other pokemon on the team particularly appreciates being statused. It should be also noted that while not having the offensive presence that Azumarill boasts, it is still very annoying to switch into due to Will-O-Wisp, that has the nice effect of creating a "double WoW combo" with Talonflame; spreading burns on the opposing team can be really huge as they allow my other mons to set up on physical threats with little fear and they also weaken walls. Its quite powerful secondary STAB also prevents Ground-Types from swiching into Volt Swich, easing Rotom's momentum-grabbing job. It is also a good one-time swith in to a lot of things, the main one being Mega Pinsir.

Past Members

Azumarill

Azumarill @ Assault Vest
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature

Waterfall
Aqua Jet
Play Rough
Knock Off

Assault vest Azumarill is a great mon atm, and i chose it due to its ability to reliably check Greninja; it was also my secondary Keldeo switch-in (not the main one because Scald...), and I loved it for its ability to beat a huge portion of the metagame 1v1 with its unmatched combination of bulk, typing and power (this thing beats Thundurus o_o). It also provided the team with another strong prority move which is always nice to have. The issue I had with it was the huge weakness to any opposing Azumarill, as I always had to sack a mon to put some damage on it and revenge kill, which has proven to be troublesome in too many situations, and Azumarill is becoming increasingly common now. Unfortunately, I become quite a bit weaker to Greninja, Mega Gyarados and some other threats, but hey, it's XY, you cant hope to counter everything LOL.
It should also be noted that, as I dedicated this slot to covering threats, the Azumarill version of this team plays almost identically to the current version, the only things that change are the weaknesses to some mons, in which I consider the Rotom-W version better overall.

Replays
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/oususpecttest-142376353
Really close game that came down to a speed tie (unless his Latios had HP Fire) and to paralyisis rolls, and that could have gone either way. This match in particular shows the utility of Bullet Seed on Mega Heracross, that prevented rocks from going up, and is generally more useful against offense (I opted to run it at some point on the suspect ladder when i stopped seeing stall around I think) Azu version, but as I said it does not play in a significantly different way.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/oususpecttest-141931636
Bulk Up Talonflame is the MVP of the match, and the opponent congratulates for the team n_n (read the chat lol)

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/oususpecttest-142693182
Assuming Excadrill does not have SD and giving it a free turn causes a stall team to get popped

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/oususpecttest-141951201
Lost all the 50/50s at the end and "chocked on dix" :x a good game anyway.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-152646075
GOT HAXED :[

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-152651092
Talonflame beats support TTar 1v1, good game overall, at least for the ladder.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-152951754
Rotom-W puts in work :D

Conclusion
Thanks for taking the time to read through this wall of text; drop a rate if you enjoyed or you want to point something out. Pce :]

Importable n_n

Talonflame @ Leftovers
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpD / 8 Spe
Careful Nature
- Brave Bird
- Will-O-Wisp
- Roost
- Bulk Up

Latias (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 72 HP / 184 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Draco Meteor
- Thunderbolt

Heracross @ Heracronite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Pin Missile
- Rock Blast
- Swords Dance

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split

Tyranitar @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 144 Atk / 112 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Ice Beam
- Fire Blast
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge

Excadrill @ Air Balloon
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance

Shoutouts AKA I would have probably quit this beautiful but frustrating game without you

The "Skype Crew": Alexander., Lord Elyis, Axily, and the "cancertwins" Livio and Son of Zeus ; thanks for helping me improve as a battler by always giving good suggestions/advices and also by occasionally telling me how much i suck at mons. You are really cool guys, I enjoy spending my time with you :]

The PS! Italian Room staff: The Quasar , Test2017 , trev, Lucafausto96 and why not, Haunter you guys are the best, not much to say

The "other" cool people I met on Showdown, PO, and Smogon during the last year, no particular order: Lord Valotz , SnowCristal! , Prague Kick , LuckOverSkill , galbia , Diablo , W2S , Kwiick , red97 , Possibility. fran17 , Tricking , Bionzella , oizys , Talpr0ne, Puralux , smilzo, and the list goes on, if you know you should be here but you are not, it's because I'm dumb n__n

~​

 

[Inflikted]

Complete Threat List

Standard OU Offensive Threats

Rest in peace, my friend

Full Out Attacker - Rotom-W checks it, Excadrill outspeeds and OHKOes under sand.

Full out attacker - Actually quite problematic as it can Trace Excadrill's Sand Rush and revenge kill it; Talonflame scares it out, Latias can take a hit from full and hit it with a Draco

Agility - Can set up against Tyranitar, Talonflame, and Rotom-W, but a burn from Rotom shortens its lifespan; Latias outspeeds and OHKOes with Draco if Amphy is not boosted, Excadrill outspeeds and revenge kills under sand regardless of the +2 in speed.

Lead - It always gets up Rocks turn 1 against my team but then it will get popped by Heracross' Pin Missile, so it won't usually do more than that. Quite problematic if it carries an invested STAB move, but this is uncommon.
Dual Screens - Pin Missile OHKOes through Reflect so it does not last more than 1 turn.

Belly Drum - Quite Threatening, but only really sets up on a -2 Latias as all other mons deal enough damage to it to the point where i can revenge kill it with Rotom
Choice Band - This is terrifying to face as it OHKOes Excadrill with Aqua Jet; the only pokemon that can take it on is Rotom, and switching on a Play Rough is painful even for it and it must be kept very healthy to do so.
Assault Vest - Rotom can come in on it and proceed to burn it; it won't appreciate losing its lefties to a Knock Off though. Azumarill is a huge threat in general, especially if I don't know its set yet.

Swords Dance - Cannot switch into / set up on anything, as even Thunderbolt from Latias 2HKOes it. Not so threatening.
Pursuit - Same as above, plus it is complete setup bait for Talonflame.

Offensive Rapid Spin - Quite painful to deal with due to its combination of bulk and power, but all of my mons can damage it enough to revenge kill it later on.

Physical Attacker -Not sure what this set is tbh ?_? Offensive Toxic Orb I suppose? In that case, I have Mega Heracross, Latias and Talonflame for it; Spore is annoying in general but it's all about not giving it free turns.
Lead - Mega Heracross is like the perfect anti-lead to it; Rocks and sand break its sash easily if the opponent preserves it for the late game.
Swords Dance- Same as the above sets.

Dragon Dance - Uhm...A threat to any kind of team, I have to try to keep rocks up and not let it set up (it cannot set up on much btw, as Latias, TTar, Excadrill, Heracross can potentially OHKO it and Excadrill outspeeds it if Adamant). If it sets up and it is not in range of Talon's weak Brave Bird, I have to sack Tyranitar to revenge kill with Excadrill.
Bulky Will-O-Wisp - Annoying but less threatening overall; Excadrill, Latias and Mega Heracross (in the turn of the mega evo, at least) outspeed and OHKO it. Set up bait for Talonflame heheh.

Full Out Attacker - Annoying to deal with as it can disrupt my precious sand turns, but it is a relatively safe setup bait for Talonflame. Latias counters it but beware of Pursuit support.

Assault Vest -It has become a big issue after i replaced Azu with Rotom-W. I have a Talonflame though, and Conk fails to do much damage after a Bulk Up or two; don't spam burns while it is alive though. Luckily for me it has fallen from grace some months ago n_n
Bulk Up - I never faced one, but it looks really threatening; perhaps Latias can put enough damage on it with Draco to the point where Talon takes it on, but don't quote me on that.

Swords Dance - Literally nothing switches in, but it struggles to get free turns against my team so I can't see it setting up.
Choice Band - See above, exceot it does not set up.

Choice Scarf - Heracross and Rotom tank a hit and OHKO in return, Excadrill revenge kills under sand and is not threatened if the Balloon is intact. Its U-Turn shenanigans can be annoying.
Swords Dance - It can scare out Tyranitar and set up, but it is reliably revenge killed by Excadrill regardless of sand. Heracross outspeeds in the Mega Evolution turn and OHKOes. Nothing really swiches into it though.
Focus Sash - Heracross outspeeds in the Mega Evolution turn and OHKOes it through the sash with Pin Missile, it is also rather "weak" if compared with the Life Orb version.

Choice Scarf - This can be quite a big pain in the ass to deal with, depending on what it copies (don't let it copy Heracross ;-;); it's quite uncommon though

Dragon Dance - Sets up only on Rotom if rocks are up; if they are not up and Multiscale is intact, it can actually set up on anything not named Mega Heracross, but if I manage to put enough damage on it I can revenge kill with Excadrill under sand.
Choice Band - Prone to Burns from Talonflame, Heracross is faster, takes an Extremespeed and OHKOes; annoying to switch into anyway.
Bulky Roost -Heracross outspeeds and comfortably takes it on, setup bait for Talonflame, Rotom burns it, not problematic for anything if Multiscale is broken.

Trapper - Traps tyranitar and dies to anything else; be careful if you still need sand to let Excadrill check something though, so don't let TTar get trapped too early.

Full Out Attacker - It is locked into an Adamant nature so Excadrill always outspeeds and OHKOes it; Latias dents it with Draco Meteor, Rotom-W does the same with Hydro Pump; nothing particularly appreciates getting burned on the switch in but it is manageable.

Dual Screens - Heracross OHKOes through Reflect iirc, setup bait for Talonflame and Excadrill; what comes in after it goes down may be troublesome though.
Baton Pass - RIP but teams like this are a pain to face.

Rapid Spin - MB variants are actually a little problematic as Rotom is not a counter to them. My own Excadrill always comes out on top under sand though.
Choice Scarf - If I can predict correctly, I can take advantage of the move it locks itself into, for example setting up with Talonflame on anything not named Rock Slide.
Sand Rush - I have a reliable answer in Rotom, I just have to keep it healthy. Air Balloon + Jolly nature mean that my own Excadrill beats most opposing ones.

Swords Dance - Latias OHKOes, Rotom can burn; quite problematic if Sashed. If it is weakened, Excadrill revenge kills under sand or if the Balloon is intact (Eq does about 50% iirc)
Choice Scarf - Rotom can burn; cannot freely lock itself into Earthquake as I can take advantage of that easily.
Stealth Rock - Same as SD

Full out attacker - Latias hits it with Draco Meteor, Rotom-W can burn; quite problematic as it is very bulky and hits hard, but it's not really common.

Choice Scarf - I have to rely on Talonflame to take it on, which means I also have to keeps SR at bay; it can Trace Excadrill's sand rush and outspeed it no matter what, and its coverage hurts my team badly. I've got destroyed by it once as I did not expect it to be Scarf ;-;

Offensive Calm Mind - Talonflame can switch into Hyper Voice and scare it out; Excadrill outspeeds and OHKOes under sand if it has already mega evolved. Quite dangerous anyway due to its great power and coverage and its Trace ability when not mega evolved.
Attacker - Same as above.

Taunt + Will-O-Wisp - Talonflame takes it on well, Excadrill kills under sand.
Full Out Attacker - Same as above; Heracross can take a hit and OHKO with Rock Blast.

All Out Attacker - A pain in the ass because nothing really switches in, but Talonflame scares it out if I bluff an offensive set and revenge kills weakened ones; Excadrill KOes under sand. Weakening it isn't actually so difficult with SR + Sand + Life Orb recoil, but it's still a pain until it dies. The Azu version is less weak to it.

Substitute Dragon Dance -Cannot set up on much, Rotom counters.
Offensive Dragon Dance -Rotom counters it even better.

Dragon Dance - Troublesome, I cannot let it set up without dealing at least 50% of damage to it, so that Excadrill can revenge kill under sand, but things can die in the process. If unboosted, it only really scares out Tyranitar and Excadrill though. Heracross tanks a Waterfall at +1 if it does not get the flinch; if it has already Mega Evolved, Pin Missile is a OHKO, it's a mindgame w/ Rock Blast otherwise.

Full Out Attacker - Tyranitar and Heracross outspeed, resist Sucker Punch and OHKO; Rotom resists Brave Bird and burns it.

Choice Scarf - Excadrill pops it under sand, Rotom can take any hit and scare it out. It switches a lot, so SR helps wearing it down fairly quickly.
Air Balloon - even if max speed, Heracross outspeeds in the mega evolution turn and OHKOes; cannot really harm Rotom, if the balloon is broken Excadrill takes it out.

Swords Dance / Full Out Attacker Talonflame revenge kills, but it is a pain to switch into and it often forces me to sack something.

Nasty Plot - Tyranitar, Excadrill and SpDef Talonflame should be enough to shut it down, even if i never met one.
Mixed attacker - see above

Swords Dance: I have to keep Rotom at full HP and not let it set up. If it does it may be game over if it's played well as Tyranitar denies rain but gets destroyed by it and other rain threats.

Choice Specs / Choice Scarf / Calm Mind - Latias switches in; Talonflame scares it out. Rotom can occasionally switch in as well. Excadrill under sand revenge kills it if weakened. Always a threat anyway.

Choice Specs - I became stupidly weak to this when I replaced Azumarill; it was troublesome even before because of Scald burns. And pls miss hydro. On a more serious note, it is quite frail, i should manage to revenge kill with talonflame if i weaken it enough...the problem is that it is usually paired with a Kabutops ;-;

Substitute / Mixed - it does not get many free turns against my team. Excadrill outspeeds if it does not run a speed-boosting nature.
Choice Scarf - Excadrill under sand revenge kills, I can take advantage of most moves it can lock itself into.

Special Attacker - Latias switches in, Knock Off hurts though. Rotom-W takes a hit and misses Hydro Pump; Talonflame and Excadrill in sand revenge kill it if weakened.

Double Dancer - Letting it set up can be dangerous as Talonflame's Brave Bird does not do enough, but usually does not run jolly so Excadrill can outspeed it under sand even at +2 and take it on, especially if the Balloon is intact or if Lando is significantly weakened. Kinda walled by Rotom if I keep it healthy
Choice Scarf - If Rocks are up, it wears itself down pretty easily throughout the match; can't easily lock itself into Eq.
Pivot - Usually switches in on Talonflame, that cripples it with a burn; Tyranitar OHKOes it after stealth rock. Tends to be used as Heracross switch-in but is actually setup bait for it, especially if burned.

Life Orb Tank - Tyranitar checks, Talonflame sets up on it at -2, so she is not so problematic if she does not run Thunderbolt, and in that case it cannot do too much to Excadrill.

Life Orb - Annoying to switch into as it has a great power and coverage and my Tyranitar is not a bulky version, but it is quite frail and wears itself down quickly, so Talonflame /sand Exca can take it on.
Choice Scarf - Annoying if it tricks the Scarf, but its moves are rather weak without a boosting item.
Choice Specs -Impossible to switch into, if it comes in on Rotom it will get a kill. I can only revenge kill it, or at least take advantage of the move it locks itself into.

Swords Dance - It runs Adamant, so Excadrill outspeeds and OHKOes, resisting its priority moves. Jolly Heracross also outspeeds and OHKOes if it has not mega evolved. Talon can beat it 1v1 if rocks are not up and will o wisp does not miss on the first turn.

Rain Dance Sweeper - I am rather weak to Rain sweepers in general, but this one is weak to Talonflame's Brave Bird

Choice Specs - Kinda annoying to switch into as Volt Switch gets momentum, and Excadrill fears HP Fire; Excadrill and Heracross OHKO it.
Substitute - never seen one yet, Excadrill + Heracross I guess ?_?

Full Out Attacker - Heracross and Excadrill OHKO this, Rotom counters barring Freeze Dry
Lead - Heracross has a chance to OHKO it with Pin Missile (guaranteed if running Bullet Seed), Excadrill outspeeds and can flinch it as it brings it down to its Focus Sash, Rotom counters.

Tail Glow - Latias 2HKOes with Thunderbolt, so that it can be revenge killed afterwards.
Calm Mind + Rain Dance -This is a threat. I usually need Heracross pre mega evo to take it on reliably: I go for SD as it goes for Scald hoping to burn; if it does not get the burn, Heracross mega evolves and takes it out with a +2 Close Combat; if it gets the burn, Heracross has Guts and takes it out with a +2 Close Combat in regular form.

Offensive Pivot -Volt switch is always annoying but its attacks are kinda weak. Excadrill outspeeds and KOes under sand, Tyranitar does not take too much from any of its moves. Surprisingly enough, Talonflame actually beats it 1v1 by burning it 1st turn and then stalling it out with Roost.
252 SpA Mega Manectric Thunderbolt vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Talonflame: 276-326 (76.8 - 90.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

Swords Dance -Talonflame can switch into it assuming it does not carry knock off and proceed to burn and set up on it (!!!), Rotom can burn, Tyranitar can deal hefty damage to it with Fire Blast if i can afford to sack it to get off some damage; Excadrill takes an Sucker Punch but only from full.
Substitute Focus Punch - Same as SD, but It will most likely get a kill if it manages to Sub :[

Full Out Attacker / Substitute - If it comes in on Tyranitar it is going to get a kill. Talonflame scares it out or revenge kills it; Excadrill outspeeds Adamant variants even without sand support.

Choice Specs / LIfe Orb - Uncommon but quite threatening on paper, as it does more or less what Latios does but with more coverage for Excadrill and Tyranitar. SpD Talonflame beats it i guess, Excadrill revenge kills under sand.
Choice Scarf -what?

Swords Dance - Absurdly powerful, I need to keep Rotom healthy to switch into it at least once. Talonflame scares it out, Excadrill kills under sand. Latias deals well enough with it if it's not boosted. I also appreciate keeping rocks up against this.

Rain Support -Rain teams are really troublesome without Azu :[ I have to kill it ASAP to get sand up but it won't be easy if it's in the hands of a decent player.

Choice Scarf -Trash weak, frail and easy to wear down; its fast will-o-wisp can be annoying though
Pivot -It usually switches into Talonflame, so i burn it on the switch cutting its recovery. Latias counters but it usually Volt Switches out to something that scares Latias, so it's not the best answer. I always try to wear it down with the burn + SR damage throughout the match and I usually succeed in that. Heracross can kill it with +0 Pin Missile from 65% and just pops it if i can grab a boost.

Never faced one yet tbh
Dragon Dance -This sets gets absolutely no free turns to set up against my team.
Mixed -Latias checks, Talon tanks it and cripples it with wow.
Choice Scarf - Exca under sand, Talonflame when weakened

Choice Band -Talonflame and Rotom can switch into Bullet Punch, Talon on anything not named knock off. Tyranitar actually outspeeds most variants and OHKOes with Fire Blast if it goes for U-Turn, while also being able to take a CB Bullet Punch

Swords Dance - Talonflame
Bulky Swords Dance -Opponents oftern try to set up against Tyranitar, getting popped in return. Rotom W is a good stop to it as well as Talonflame.
Defog -Annoying but it does not pose an actual offensive threat

Late Game Cleaner -Rotom W and Talonflame...

Choice Band - Literally impossible to switch into but it is SR weak and kills itself with recoil quickly.
Choice Scarf -Talonflame and Exca under sand take it on. Pl

Hazard Lead - Heracross OHKOes through the sash
Baton Pass -...

Offensive Rapid Spin - Wow this is actually a monster, especially with Analytic; I have to rely on Excadrill and Talonflame to revenge kill it once it gets weakened.

Calm Mind -Same as CM Manaphy, incredibly dangerous but i can beat it if I don't do anything stupid.

Choice Specs - Talonflame

Choice Band - I handle this decently between Tyranitar, Rotom-W, and Excadrill. Kills itself quickly.
Swords Dance - Same as above; I have to keep checks particularly healthy though.
Bulk Up - Does not get many switch-in opportunities, especially with Rocks up. Rotom can handle it well enough but the burns are annoying. TTar carries an invested Stone Edge.

Threatening mon in general due to its perfect coverage and versatility in its 2 remaining moveslots; don't give free turns in general.
Substitute + Swords Dance - something will go down if it manages to set up both Sub and SD, revenge killable after that as Talon does not care about a possible salac berry if it is not behind a sub.
Choice Band - Difficult to switch into but revenge killable.
Choice Scarf - Exca under sand revenge kills; I get free switch ins depending on what move it locks itself into, due to its relatively low damage output.
Double Dance - If it sets up RP, it can be stopped by Heracross, Latias and Rotom if I keep them healthy; if it sets up SD, Latias and sand Exca revenge kill; Talonflame once it's very weakened.
Lead - The most common set; Mega Heracross beats it 1v1, especially if running Bullet Seed. Latias, Exca under sand, and Rotom handle it. No one can prevent rocks from going up but Latias defogs them away while also threatening it.

Nasty Plot -Does not get many free turns against my team; revenge killed by Excadrill.
Prankster -It all depends on the coverage it runs. Heracross beats 1v1 without HP Flying (it can take a Psychic from full), TTar if no FB/superpower (it's common though), Latias if no Knock off. Excadrill revenges and does not give a damn about T wave, which is really always annoying only for Latias.
Mixed -Same as above

Double Dancer - Walled by Exca as it runs Tbolt + Hp ice, does not get many set up opportunities
Choice Scarf -Latias checks, Excadrill under sand; annoying only if backed up by a Pursuit trapper.

Nasty Plot - Excadrill can situationally switch in and Iron Head; Rotom handles it well, can't switch into anything.
Defensive Nasty Plot. See above.

Life Orb - Powerful with great coverage and U-Turn, very annoying once it's in but can't really switch on anything. Rotom checks it almost decently, but i have to rely on Excadrill to kill it in most scenarios
Assault Vest -Same as above but less powerful; can actually switch in on Latias and force it out.

All variants tend to switch into Talonflame only to get crippled with Will-o-Wisp, but usually pack Pursuit for Latias so they can be annoying. In addition to that:
Choice Band - nobody uses this anymore ;-; Heracross manhandles it i guess, Rotom burns.
Choice Scarf - I have Rotom, Excadrill and Heracross to check it.
Smooth Rock -does a favor to my Excadrill; Rotom burns it, Heracross swtiches into Crunch and OHKOes; setup bait for Talonflame if lacking Stone Edge.

Dragon Dance - Can set up on Latias but I only need a bit of damage to revenge kill with Excadrill assuming it does not set up 3 dragon dances lol

Offensive - Does not appreciate sand and Talonflame; Rotom baits it in and burns. Once it's slightly weakened, +2 Excadrill breaks through. Sleep powder can be gay so I gotta be careful.

Offensive Quiver Dance -Talonflame counters if no HP Rock; if I keep rocks up it won't be able to set up on anything
Bulky Quiver Dance / Roost - SpDef Talonflame takes advantage of this.

Dragon Dance - It can't set up on too many things as it is prone to burns if does not pack Substitute, and TTar has Ice Beam.
Coil - Pretty scary on paper but very uncommon. Cannot set up on TTar and Latias; Heracross can try to overpower it with SD + Pin missile before being phazed out

Standard OU Defensive Threats

Stealth Rock Tank - Very annoying if running Twave as it's pretty much guaranteed anything will get fully paralyzed 8 turns out of 10. Rotom fears little from it; Excadrill hurts it badly at +2 and does not fear Eq with an intact balloon; Talonflame burns and sets up on it if lacking Roar. Heracross breaks it.

Wish Passer -Burned on the switch by Talonflame; Rotom and Latias switch in and force it out; Excadrill needs +4 to break through; Heracross has a hefty chance to OHKO with Pin Missile at +2 after SR. It makes its teammates more difficult to wear down and this is annoying.

Physically Defensive - Heracross usually outspeeds and OHKOes, Talonflame fears little and sets up on it if no Perish Song.
Specially Defensive - Same as above, takes a lot from +2 Iron Head from Excadrill

Support - I bait it in with Rotom and Latias to double into Heracross or Excadrill; the latter can set up on it comfortably as it is immune to both Toxic and bleah Thunder Wave.

Spikes - Talonflame and Latias scare it out, Rotom can burn; Tyranitar can chunk at its HP with Ice Beam (deals 41.5 - 48.9%); Heracross sets up on it and breaks through with Pin Missile.

Bulky Roost - Heracross hits it with Rock Blast; Rotom burns, Talonflame burns and sets up on it; easier to kill if Multiscale if broken as "nobody" knows.

Standard - A burn kinda cripples it; Excadrill can overpower with SD, Heracross OHKOes, Tyranitar does a lot with Fire Blast.

Physically Defensive - Zero offensive presence makes it setup bait for everything, popped by Fire Blast on TTar, Latias does a lot with Tbolt.

Stallbreaker - Tyranitar's Ice Beam does a lot. Setup bait for Excadrill if lacking Knock Off, Heracross can SD and break through if lacking Acrobatics (a move this is starting to run), Rotom can HPump but it's unreliable
Substitute + Protect - same as above, I have to be careful not to give it free turns as we all know how dangerous this can be.
Specially Defensive - See Stallbreaker

Resttalk - Rotom hard counters, Heracross hits it with Rock Blast, TTar with Stone Edge.

Specially Defensive -Heracross and Excadrill OHKO, I can bluff Eq on TTar to scare it out. Annoying to switch in for all, except for Rotom, that deals a good chunk with HPump but it's no a reliable answer.

Physical Tank -SD Heracross hurts it badly with Pin Missile; it despises burns in general but it will usually get burned on the switch by Talonflame. Rotom switches in comfortably.
Specially Defensive - same as above but it takes more from Excadrill's attacks so it's even easier to wear down.

Stealth Rock Support -Heracross counters; Talonflame burns on the switch but does not stay in usually as it despises losing it lefties; Rotom does not enjoy knock off.

Stallbreaker - Uuugh one of the most annoying little monsters in existance. Heracross OHKOes and outspeeds if it does not run enough speed Evs. Talonflame switches into Will-o-Wisp but does not appreciate knock off and can't set up due to Taunt.

Substitute + Roost -Needs a lot of speed to outrun Heracross; Excadrill has Rock Slide, TTar has Stone Edge. Annoying to switch in due to the potential WoW but it's SR weak.

Defensive - Heracross can CC, but watch out for Tri Attack's secondary effects -_-Talonflame and rotom burn forcing it to recover more often; Excadrill sets up on it if lacking Tri Attack.

Physically Defensive - Cannot switch into Heracross; a burn hampers it. Latias scares it out with Draco Meteor. Fairly hard to break down but manageable.

Stealth Rock Tank - No recovery means it won't last long, especially if burned by Talonflame.

Prankster - Talonflame is my answer to this; heracross can beat it 1v1 but it will be crippled in return.

Physically Defensive - Rotom counters, latias has Tbolt, Heracross OHKOes at +2 with Close combat after SR, Tyranitar has Fire Blast, Talon switches in comfortably. This should be enough o.o

Tank -Heracross OHKOes after rocks but can's switch in. It tends to switch into Talonflame so that I can put a burn on it which is always nice. Rotom switches in comfortably, Latias has Tbolt but watch out for bs Twave. Problematic because it stops both my usual win conditions but I can break it.
Assault Vest -Takes physical moves worse so it needs to be less weakened for Excadrill to break through at +2, Heracross OHKOes, Rotom reduces its lifespan with a burn.

Assault Vest -Heracross OHKOes, Rotom cannot touch it but the burn is always useful, takes a lot more from physical moves than Bro.

Tank - Heracross; annoying to switch into due to body Slam.

Defensive Rapid Spin -Latias can Tbolt, Rotom switches in and pivots out. Does not get too many switch in opportunities.

Wish + Protect - Excadrill handles it well.

Defensive / Assault Vest -Talonflame and Heracross switch in and threaten it. It walls Exca and that's about it.

Substitute + Toxic - is this relevant? anyway, excadrill outspeeds any version without max speed (lol?) and hurts it with Eq. Kinda walls heracross if physically defensive :o

Defensive - Heracross, Excadrill, Rotom, a burn on the switch from Talonflame...it's a problem only for Latias, really.

Wish + Cleric Support - Latias has Thunderbolt; Heracross can overpower it but risks getting burned in return.

Defensive -Heracross 2HKOes with Pin Missile / OHKOes at +2, Talonflame scares it out; Rotom burns on the switch, the sand cuts its recovery, Excadrill can break through if weakened with SD. Sludge Bomb poison / sleep powder can be annoying.

Prankster Leech Seed -pls no

Bulky -It can be annoying, but if it traps Rotom or Talonflame I can spam WoW to avoid getting popped by counter / mirror coat or giving free switches after an Encore.

Physically Defensive -Tyranitar scares it out, Excadrill breaks through at +2, Heracross has Rock Blast. Latias switches in comfortably but does not much back unless it's slightly weakened
Specially Defensive -See above
Substitute Roost - See above, but I have to keep up more offensive pressure on this or it can be annoying. It's not a common set though.

 

[Inflikted]

I put a lot on time on this so a little feedback would be appreciated. I'll use my bump.

 

[Frozen Arrow]

Just a suggestion for you, as you are using heracross, I would recommend running either Thundurus with Thunder wave or Sticky web so that you can help give heracross a massive advantage when it comes to fights. Alternatively instead of doubling up on will-o-wisp switch rotom's to thunderwave.
Other than that your team is very well thought out, just be careful when it come to grass types - especially breloom as the standard sash set can cause most of your team problems if the player is smart with predictions.

 

[Inflikted]

Just a suggestion for you, as you are using heracross, I would recommend running either Thundurus with Thunder wave or Sticky web so that you can help give heracross a massive advantage when it comes to fights. Alternatively instead of doubling up on will-o-wisp switch rotom's to thunderwave.
Other than that your team is very well thought out, just be careful when it come to grass types - especially breloom as the standard sash set can cause most of your team problems if the player is smart with predictions.

Uhm my issue with sticky web is that my team isn't built around it, so dedicating an entire teamslot to it would hamper the offensive synergy of the team itself. Sticky web is an amazing move but it's distribution is terrible, I would be forced to use...smeargle/shuckle over rotom? I also think that it would become redundant with Sand Excadrill...and my team has no real way to discourage defog or block spin to keep the web in play, and I would be forced to use rapid spin on Excadrill over SD in order not to remove the web. I mean, I would have to practically rebuild the team from scratch to make it work.

I don't also agree with the statement about grass types. Ok, spore is annoying to any kind of team, and Mach Punch is dangerous for sand offense in general, but breloom is usually best used as a lead and my Heracross easily beats it or forces it out. If the opponent decides to save it for later, there are real chances that his sash will be broken due to sand + rocks, and at that point latias, talonflame and heracross can take it out (they also beat practically any grass type in the tier)

Uhm thunder wave on Rotom is actually something I may try out as my team is a bit on the slow side and relies heavily on sand...and thunder wave would not force me to build another team lol. thanks for the rate!

 

[Rustyy]

instead of web, you can use tailwind on talonflame. when it is time for heracross to spam CC, send in talonflame against a matchup you know talonflame will lose so you can use priority tailwind as its last dying breath, then you have a fast heracross for 3 turns.

 

[Inflikted]

instead of web, you can use tailwind on talonflame. when it is time for heracross to spam CC, send in talonflame against a matchup you know talonflame will lose so you can use priority tailwind as its last dying breath, then you have a fast heracross for 3 turns.

Uhm it may actually be interesting on a more offensive Talonflame set but it cannot easily fit on the one I am using...and I'm not sure it would be better as BU Talonflame usually puts in a huge amount of work for this team, wearing down the checks and counters to itself and its teammates without dying to its own moves' recoil like CB Talon does. I may give it a try though, ty