In N' Out: My First Team

FisherKing

Hello Smogon! This is my first OU team and I would like your help to make it better. My idea, though I sincerely doubt its an original one, is to create a team of super fast pokemon with high attack that use volt switch and u-turn to switch into pokemon that are resistant against foes' attacks.
Onto the team:

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Zapdos @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EV's: 252 SpA/ 252 Spe/ 4 Hp
Nature: Naive
-Thunderbolt
-Heatwave
-Hidden Power (Grass)
-U-Turn

My favorite pokemon from Generation 1. Zapdos, alongside Scizor and Rotom-W, are able to resist all 17 pokemon types. Together they are the fundamental rotation of my team. Zapdos's EV's and skill-set seem pretty standard for a special sweeper. I'm not happy that his Timid nature weakens the U-turn, but I've learned the hard way that you can't rely on Volt Switch with all of the ground type pokemon in today's metagame. I think his speed is high enough as it is, but as my lead I have considered giving him choice scarf.

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Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EV's: 252 Spe/ 252 Atk/ 4 Hp
Nature: Jolly
-U-Turn
-Bullet Punch
-Superpower
-Pursuit

I believe this is a pretty standard scizor set. With scarf he can out-speed Lucario, Starmie, Gengar, Tyranitar,Heatran, and the flying jets. I've seen a lot of those pokemon around lately and I am glad scizor is there to take them out.


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Rotom-W @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EV's: 252 SpA/ 252 Spe/ 4 Hp
Nature: Modest
-Volt Switch
-Hydro Pump
-Will-o-Wisp
-Trick

Another standard EV set. I've had a problem in the past with pokemon that love to power themselves up behind a substitute, so I've equipped Rotom with trick to minimize that threat (not 100% if that actually works though o.O).

286.png

Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EV's: 252 Spe/ 252 Atk/ 4 Hp
Nature: Jolly
-Spore
-Substitute
-Focus Punch
-Seed Bomb

Breloom is a monster. Though not a switcher himself, his ability to protect himself w/ a sub or sleep condition coupled with the focus punch makes him a force to be reckoned with. However, he doesn't really fit into what I'm trying to do with this team. His typing isn't good and I wouldn't mind replacing him.

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Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EV's: 240 Hp/ 160 Def/ 76 SpD/ 32 Spe
Nature: Impish
-U-Turn
-Wish
-Thunder Wave
-Iron Head

Jirachi's purpose on this team is to slow down the opponent with some paralysis, then Wish and U-turn out of combat to replenish the Hp of his comrades. He's the healer of the group and I really like the synergy with all the switching.

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Donphan @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EV's: 252 HP/ 188 Atk/ 68 Def
Nature: Adamant
-Rapid Spin
-Stealth Rock
-Earthquake
-Assurance

My team switches out a lot. Obviously, that makes me susceptible to entry hazards so I am obliged to keep a rapid spinner. My constant switches also force the opponent to switch out frequently, so I appreciate Donphan's ability to stealth rock. I think his moveset is solid, but I may was to reconsider his EV distribution or perhaps switch him out with another pokemon entirely that fulfills the same purpose.


I lose a lot. I've only been playing online/ competitively for 5 days, and I win maybe one in every 4 matches. My fundamental problem is my inexperience and although you folks can't help me play, you can help me better design the team I am working with. I truly appreciate any feedback and completely encourage any constructive criticism. Thank you for taking the time to read this and help me out.

P.S. The team's colors are themed after In N' Out burger, if anyone gets that :D
 
I really like the idea of the everlasting switch chain. I have a couple of ideas for you though.

The zapdos really shouldnt be using a choice band if 3 out of its 4 moves are special. If you want to hit a gyarados, youll be locked into a standard special attack. You could keep running a timid nature, but I suggest a naive, as its typing allows it to sponge physical attackers w/ earthquake and close combat better.

Also, insead of using a choice band, try a bug jem or life orb. Zapdos is bulky enough and versatile enough to stay in for quite a while, so a choice band is just hindering it.

The choice scarf on scizor is also redundant. You have bullet punch, so I dont see a need for choice scarf. Id understand better if you put a choice band on this one.

The rotom fits well on here, but not its item. A choice band wouldnt help it at all if it was stuck with it, and half of all substitute users are physical, so you could be helping them. Also, you wouldnt outspeed the typical substitute user with that rotom, so youll be locked into an inneffectual trick while they proceed to boost on your switch.
Put a choice scarf on this guy, that way trick will actually work, and even if you dont trick, you can revenge kill.

Also, id switch out that shadow ball for a wilowisp or thunder wave; rotom can cripple hazardous enemies with those, while shadow ball only hits a few psykics and ghosts, who are better handles w/ scizor.

Im a huge fan of breloom, but Im not too sure it fits here. With all that switching, I dont exactly see how breloom will fit in. He has mild physical bulk, so he could live through a chomp quake, or a terrakion stone edge, but in reality you have better pokemon on your team to counter these guys. Its also not very convenient that he has a fire weakness, like a bunch of other guys on your team.

Ive never been of fan of this guy ( I supported the DPP ban), but Garchomp would fit in well at the end of that chain. He can take that fire blast aimed at scizor, that stone edge at Zapdos, and can take a giga drain aimed at Rotom (although scizor should be taking that one). You might want to use Flygon over Garchomp in here though; he doesnt have any stat to hold over Chomp ( except Spatk, but who needs that?), he doesnt have any boosting moves either, but he does get U-turn to keep up momentum while retaining a the ability to troll Hydreigon, who would otherwise run rampant.
 
Thanks for the advice Lemonz. I tested a few rounds with the item changes you suggested and I am definitely seeing a marked improvement. Additionally, I think your right about replacing shadow ball... I could easily switch rotom out with scizor if a Ghost or Psychic pokemon is posing a threat. I will edit the item changes.

Garchomp will require more rounds of testing as I get used to playing with him and determining if he works better than breloom, though I suspect he will.
 
Although I said Garchomp, really try out Terakion too. Since your chaining pokes, you should stock up on enough resistances throughtout your chain. To be honest though, Flygon would benefit you just aswell; it can continue the chain.

Also, although I said to keep a choice band on scizor, try life orb instead. That way you can have another poke to keep the chain alive.
 
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