As in Hyper-Offensive? Get it? Well I thought it was clever...
Somewhere deep in the bowels of the Smogon forums is a team building guide that was made for beginners who didnt know where to start when making a team. Figuring that it couldn't hurt to check it out, I gave it a quick read through. In one section it talked about the general formula for a hyper-offensive team, and it consisted of these roles:
1. Lead
2. Breaker 1
3. Breaker 2
4. Sweeper
5. Pivot
6. Speed
The idea behind this set up was pretty straight forwards. Have a lead that can set up hazards and prevent the other team from setting up hazards, have your breakers clear away any threats that could stop your sweeper, a defensive pivot to take hits and keep momentum, and something with speed for revenge kills or to further check opposing threats.
Being a math guy, this "formula" for a successful hyper-offensive team appealed greatly to me. There were no tricks or gimmicks, no really unexpected tactics, just a strategy designed to have the most coverage and generate the most wins. I decided to build my team around Haxorus as the sweeper, more on that later. What follows is my implementation of the Hyper-Offensive formula.
A good, old-fashioned suicide lead, complete with everything it needs to do its job. 90% of the time I lead with Azelf, the exception being when there's a Sableye on the other team. Whats great about this set is that no matter what it goes up against, I'll always benefit in some way or another. The opponent has no rapid spinner? Take 12% or more off of every pokemon they send in with Stealth Rock. They lead with a wall? Taunt them into using whatever weak attacks they have, then knock off their leftovers. The send out a strong offensive pokemon but it has little to no defense? Tank a hit with focus sash, then explode and eliminate one of their win conditions. Really the only two pokemon that limit Azelf's ability to do its job are Sableye and Cloyster, but even on the former I can at least get rocks up or take a chunk out of it with explosion.
With these new fairy types coming in and making the lives of dragons everywhere just a little bit harder, its pretty obvious why Empoleon is one of my breakers. He counters the two types that can hurt Haxorus perfectly, while also having the potential to sweep by himself depending on what the opponent has. Flash cannon and Hydro Pump are the STABs of choice, the former to clean up fairies and ice, the latter to hit any type not covered by the last two moves. Grass Knot hits other bulky water types fairly well, and ice beam can take out any other dragons that could threaten the sweeper.
This spot was really the hardest one to fill. While all of the others fell into place fairly easily, this was the spot where some choices had to be made and I really had to think out as many scenarios as I could. I needed another strong offensive threat to take out anything on the other teams that Empoleon could not, something to cover its weaknesses. Krookodile covers the electric weakness, but really thats the only one. I thought about Herracross for a bit, as he covers the fighting weakness as well as dark and psychic that steel no longer resists, but I wasn't sure. I settled for Krookodile in the end because I felt that his ability to take out prominent psychic threats was important, where as with with Herracross they could switch out freely. Krookodile is still probably the least used member of my team, and his position is still up for grabs if anyone has a better suggestion.
The beast himself, Haxorus the almighty. Having the 2nd highest attack stat of all dragons(and really does Raquaza count?) and actually the 3rd highest in the game out of all non-legendaries, I don't know why you wouldn't use this guy. He even has a great ability! Anyways, once all obstructions are clear, this guy sets up one or two dragon dances and it's game over. The only types that resist outrage are covered with EQ and poison jab, and very few neutral types can take a +1 outrage from this machine, possibly nothing able to take a +2, but I'm not completely sure on that. The Jolly nature is to outspeed things like Timid Porygon Z when I don't get a chance to boost, but once the boosts come through the nature really doesn't make a difference. Lum berry shuts up anyone who thinks they can burn or paralyze me, and if that doesn't happen it allows the outrage to carry on unchecked.
Since everything else on the team is as squishy as a bruised peach, I needed at least some bulk on the team, and Rotom H fit the bill nicely. I chose physically defensive so as to try and put at least a band-aid on the gaping wound that is my fighting weakness, but it's usually physically offensive threats that need to be countered by my team. Volt-Switch keeps the momentum going, as Rotom will take a hit, get a little bit of damage off, and get out to make way for something that can deal some real damage. Overheat can hit the steel and grass types that might threaten by breakers, pain split keeps some degree of sustainability, and Will-o-Wisp further cripples walls and physical threats.
Sometimes stuff just moves too fast, so you need something speedy to keep up. That's Meinshao's job: to fight back at the fast things that kill my team. Notable things he can check are Lucario, Herracross, Aerodactly(EVERYONE thinks that their Mega-Aero can live an HJK after rocks. Well guess what? It can't) to name some. He's also good at being a scout for what the opponent may do next, as he can come in and U-turn out right away if the opponent predicts the switch. He can also act as a pinch sweeper if the opposing team is weakened, as Reckless HJKs do plenty of damage to most of the tier.
Lucario, especial the special vairent, as literally nothing on my team can take an aura sphere. Really the only thing to do against him would be to let something die and then try to counter with Meinshao or Haxorus, try to set up early so that his resistance to dragon would be nullified.
Alakazam, again a strong special attacker with access to strong fighting moves. I really just have to play around him, try to get mienshao in and out as much as I can with the U-turns, hope the opponent gets cocky and screws up.
Kingdra, Dragon Dance variant if I let it set up, because Meinshao cant (edit) OHKO with an HJK and if empoleon is gone it would take down the whole team with an outrage.
Sableye, because of prankster he can cripple my pokemon before I can do anything. I could lead with Azelf to take a taunt, but use Knock off, then switch to one of my offensive pokemon to hit him hard, but even then the priority thunder waves and will o wisps are trouble.
Well I hope you like my team. I've been doing pretty well with it, I think I've only lost 2 games so far out of 20, and one because I completely forgot that Haxorus can still hit levetators with an EQ, so I locked myself into outrage against an incoming fairy. But thats all ancient history. I'm hoping I can take this team much further.
Intro/Team Design
Somewhere deep in the bowels of the Smogon forums is a team building guide that was made for beginners who didnt know where to start when making a team. Figuring that it couldn't hurt to check it out, I gave it a quick read through. In one section it talked about the general formula for a hyper-offensive team, and it consisted of these roles:
1. Lead
2. Breaker 1
3. Breaker 2
4. Sweeper
5. Pivot
6. Speed
The idea behind this set up was pretty straight forwards. Have a lead that can set up hazards and prevent the other team from setting up hazards, have your breakers clear away any threats that could stop your sweeper, a defensive pivot to take hits and keep momentum, and something with speed for revenge kills or to further check opposing threats.
Being a math guy, this "formula" for a successful hyper-offensive team appealed greatly to me. There were no tricks or gimmicks, no really unexpected tactics, just a strategy designed to have the most coverage and generate the most wins. I decided to build my team around Haxorus as the sweeper, more on that later. What follows is my implementation of the Hyper-Offensive formula.
1. The Lead
Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Taunt
- Explosion
- Knock Off
- Stealth Rock
Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Taunt
- Explosion
- Knock Off
- Stealth Rock
A good, old-fashioned suicide lead, complete with everything it needs to do its job. 90% of the time I lead with Azelf, the exception being when there's a Sableye on the other team. Whats great about this set is that no matter what it goes up against, I'll always benefit in some way or another. The opponent has no rapid spinner? Take 12% or more off of every pokemon they send in with Stealth Rock. They lead with a wall? Taunt them into using whatever weak attacks they have, then knock off their leftovers. The send out a strong offensive pokemon but it has little to no defense? Tank a hit with focus sash, then explode and eliminate one of their win conditions. Really the only two pokemon that limit Azelf's ability to do its job are Sableye and Cloyster, but even on the former I can at least get rocks up or take a chunk out of it with explosion.
2. Breaker 1
Empoleon @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Flash Cannon
- Grass Knot
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
Empoleon @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Flash Cannon
- Grass Knot
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
With these new fairy types coming in and making the lives of dragons everywhere just a little bit harder, its pretty obvious why Empoleon is one of my breakers. He counters the two types that can hurt Haxorus perfectly, while also having the potential to sweep by himself depending on what the opponent has. Flash cannon and Hydro Pump are the STABs of choice, the former to clean up fairies and ice, the latter to hit any type not covered by the last two moves. Grass Knot hits other bulky water types fairly well, and ice beam can take out any other dragons that could threaten the sweeper.
3. Breaker 2
Krookodile @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
Krookodile @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
This spot was really the hardest one to fill. While all of the others fell into place fairly easily, this was the spot where some choices had to be made and I really had to think out as many scenarios as I could. I needed another strong offensive threat to take out anything on the other teams that Empoleon could not, something to cover its weaknesses. Krookodile covers the electric weakness, but really thats the only one. I thought about Herracross for a bit, as he covers the fighting weakness as well as dark and psychic that steel no longer resists, but I wasn't sure. I settled for Krookodile in the end because I felt that his ability to take out prominent psychic threats was important, where as with with Herracross they could switch out freely. Krookodile is still probably the least used member of my team, and his position is still up for grabs if anyone has a better suggestion.
4. The Sweeper
Haxorus @ Lum Berry
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab
Haxorus @ Lum Berry
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab
The beast himself, Haxorus the almighty. Having the 2nd highest attack stat of all dragons(and really does Raquaza count?) and actually the 3rd highest in the game out of all non-legendaries, I don't know why you wouldn't use this guy. He even has a great ability! Anyways, once all obstructions are clear, this guy sets up one or two dragon dances and it's game over. The only types that resist outrage are covered with EQ and poison jab, and very few neutral types can take a +1 outrage from this machine, possibly nothing able to take a +2, but I'm not completely sure on that. The Jolly nature is to outspeed things like Timid Porygon Z when I don't get a chance to boost, but once the boosts come through the nature really doesn't make a difference. Lum berry shuts up anyone who thinks they can burn or paralyze me, and if that doesn't happen it allows the outrage to carry on unchecked.
5. The Pivot
Rotom-Heat @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Volt Switch
- Overheat
- Pain Split
- Will-O-Wisp
Rotom-Heat @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Volt Switch
- Overheat
- Pain Split
- Will-O-Wisp
Since everything else on the team is as squishy as a bruised peach, I needed at least some bulk on the team, and Rotom H fit the bill nicely. I chose physically defensive so as to try and put at least a band-aid on the gaping wound that is my fighting weakness, but it's usually physically offensive threats that need to be countered by my team. Volt-Switch keeps the momentum going, as Rotom will take a hit, get a little bit of damage off, and get out to make way for something that can deal some real damage. Overheat can hit the steel and grass types that might threaten by breakers, pain split keeps some degree of sustainability, and Will-o-Wisp further cripples walls and physical threats.
6. The Speed
Mienshao @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
- Aerial Ace
Mienshao @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
- Aerial Ace
Sometimes stuff just moves too fast, so you need something speedy to keep up. That's Meinshao's job: to fight back at the fast things that kill my team. Notable things he can check are Lucario, Herracross, Aerodactly(EVERYONE thinks that their Mega-Aero can live an HJK after rocks. Well guess what? It can't) to name some. He's also good at being a scout for what the opponent may do next, as he can come in and U-turn out right away if the opponent predicts the switch. He can also act as a pinch sweeper if the opposing team is weakened, as Reckless HJKs do plenty of damage to most of the tier.
Threats
Lucario, especial the special vairent, as literally nothing on my team can take an aura sphere. Really the only thing to do against him would be to let something die and then try to counter with Meinshao or Haxorus, try to set up early so that his resistance to dragon would be nullified.
Alakazam, again a strong special attacker with access to strong fighting moves. I really just have to play around him, try to get mienshao in and out as much as I can with the U-turns, hope the opponent gets cocky and screws up.
Kingdra, Dragon Dance variant if I let it set up, because Meinshao cant (edit) OHKO with an HJK and if empoleon is gone it would take down the whole team with an outrage.
Sableye, because of prankster he can cripple my pokemon before I can do anything. I could lead with Azelf to take a taunt, but use Knock off, then switch to one of my offensive pokemon to hit him hard, but even then the priority thunder waves and will o wisps are trouble.
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