Insert Witty Name Here

[Itsame]

I'm kind of new to the world of UU, and this is my first team. The synergy here comes from entry hazards and racking up damage with them. I have used this team, and it nearly never fails me. I decided to post here as a way to get second opinions about my team and strategy.

Roserade(F) @Black Sludge
Timid Nature ~ Natural Cure
200 hp/120 def/52 spdef/136 spe
~Spikes
~Giga Drain
~HP Fire
~Toxic Spikes

Roserade is my main lead. I send her out to set up as many entry hazards as possible and run. She, like all Grass types, has many weaknesses, so I remedy this by switching out into another pokemon who resists that attack. She's the crux of the team, so it's important that I keep her alive.

Swampert(M) @Leftovers
Adamant Nature ~ Torrent
/6 atk/125 def/125 spdef/252 spe
~Earthquake
~Waterfall
~Stealth Rock
~Roar

This is where some of my strategy comes in. After Roserade sets up some Spikes, I switch to Swamp, stealth rock, and Roar away. This racks up damage, poisons, and breaks focus sashes and sturdies. I have defense EVs to that I can keep him alive and speed to sort of even out the -1 priority of roar.

Xatu(M) @Leftovers
Calm Nature ~ Magic Bounce
252 hp/240 spdef/16 spe
~Thunder Wave
~U-Turn
~Roost
~Psychic

Xatu is my backup for Roserade. Nearly all teams have a hazard setter, and Xatu can use this against them. Because of Magic Bounce alone, he can switch into nearly any attack and counter it. U-Turn really helps me, as he can get out of trouble in a jam and break sashes and sturdy. As long as Xatu is still in, I can't be touched by status moves.

Honchkrow(M) @Life Orb
Adamant Nature ~ Moxie
252 atk/4 def/252 spe
~Sucker Punch
~Superpower
~Brave Bird
~Roost

After I've softened up the enemy a bit with my entry hazards, Honckrow, Empoleon, and Heracross come in and sweep. Honckrow's insane attack power combined with a Life Orb will kill nearly anything he attacks. I am considering switching out SP for Night Slash in the near future.

Empoleon(M) @Petaya Berry
Modest Nature ~ Torrent
252 spatk/4 spdef/252 spe
~Agility
~Substitute
~Surf
~Ice Beam

Ah, the SubPetaya strategy. For those who don't know, here's how this works. If something faster than me comes in, I set up a substitute. The next turn, I use agility while the enemy's breaking the Sub. I repeat this until the Petaya berry kicks in, where I get a spatk boost. This makes Empoleon an unstoppable special sweeper.

Cofagrigus(M) @Leftovers
Bold Nature ~ Mummy
248 hp/ 8 def/252 spdef
~Shadow Ball
~Will-O-Wisp
~Pain Split
~Haze

Taking suggestions from PTJon7, the spinblocker/wall. Since I focus on hazard damage, it's important to have a spinblocker, and I had been thinking of replacing Heracross anyways. He can stop hitmontop and blastoise from getting rid of my work, and can wall nearly anything. I gave him higher spdef so his walling capabilities wouldn't just be defense.


Well, that's my team! Leave any comments or suggestions you have. I'm always up for criticism, especially since I'm still kind of new to UU.

 

[PTJon7]

Hey nice team, especially the Honchkrow.

If you find that it is important to keep Roserade alive then I would really recommend giving her a healing move. Rest or Synthesis both work great, I'm more partial to Synthesis but its really just personal preference. I find the EVs on Roserade and Swampert kind of strange, if there is reasoning behind the amounts I'd be interested in knowing it.

Since you're basing your team around entry hazards then you gotta have a spin blocker (ghost type). Cofagrigus is by far the best, and operates as an excellent physical wall. Here's a set that I think will do you well:

Hide

Cofagrigus @ Leftovers
Trait: Mummy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SDef
Bold Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Will-o-Wisp
- Pain Split
- Haze

This set shuts down any fighting type in the tier and can also be very useful in stopping set up sweepers with Haze. But if you want a more offensive oriented spin blocker, Chandelure or OTR Cofagrigus would both be good options.

Your sweepers all look pretty solid, I've never personally used Petaya Empoleon, but I can could see it being quite threatening. If you however feel like it isn't doing it for you then I would recommend a Specs set. Honchkrow is (almost) always a great sweeper to have on a team, and pretty much every looks good. I personally like Pursuit over Roost as Honch's 4th move to catch things switching from fear of Sucker Punch, but that's just me. Final thing would be to relocate the 4 Defense EVs on Honch to Special Defense, to ensure that pokemon with Download won't get a Special Attack boost.

Hope this is helpful, and good luck!

 

[Itsame]

Thanks for the input! As for EVs, I need Roserade to have high defenses so she can stay alive, and speed so she can set up efficiently, and more def EVs because that's her lower defense stat, and that's what people will be targeting. Same with Swamp. I put an adamant nature on him, though, so I can have offense if I'm taunted. I think I'll replace Heracross with Cofagrigus, like you said. As for the healing move, I have Giga Drain, which takes down the ever-popular Swampert, as well as Blastoise, Azumarill, and any ground or rock-type in the way, while healing her at the same time. I'll edit the team to change accordingly.

 

[Pikabuster]

Cool team and enjoy battling in UU!

As for my rating, I think that putting defensive EVs isn't really needed as Roserade isn't surviving much physical attacks anyways. I think its better to focus a bit more on sp.d or speed in order to survive the common leads, like Azelf and Froslass better. Also having both Spikes and Toxic Spikes is usually redundant as not only is she going to have a very hard time setting both up with fire types everywhere and fast taunters like Crobat, but she barely has time to fully set 3 spikes up. She isn't living to much physical attacks and with that spread, most super effective special attacks too. I recommend replacing Toxic Spikes or Spikes as one of those plus Stealth Rock is enough. If replacing Spikes, a good replacement is Sleep Powder, and if replacing Toxic Spikes, some choices are Leaf Storm, Synthesis, Leech Seed, or Rest

This team doesn't have a safe switch in to Darmanitan, Victini, or Chandelure, three very dangerous threats, besides Swampert so having another another fire resist is pretty important.