Jones's Fifth Gen Offense

[Celestavian]

Sup Smogon. For at least 6 months, I've been on a team building dry spell, with nothing I make ever cracking 1100 since the first fifth gen team I posted here. So I decided to try something completely new. I asked myself: "What Pokemon does no one use that is really good? What top threats can it check?" That's when I decided to make a team with Medicham, a Pokemon I feel really isn't appreciated as much as it should be. Boasting a 480 attack stat that Conkeldurr envies, a STAB base 130 move, as well as the best offensive type in the game at the moment. So far, I've peaked at 1296, which is pretty good, but I feel like I could make this team go a lot farther. By the way, the name "Jones", which I ladder this team with, comes from the Typhlosion I nicknamed Jones in one of my SS Nuzlocke runs. He's a true bro, and I guess the name just fit. Anyway, here's how it looks so far:

At A Glance:

Team Building Process

First, I started with the main reason I made this team. With Adamant and a Choice Scarf, it hits 388 speed, enough to outspeed base +Nature base 125's. This gives me maximum power with a 480 attack stat, with HJK making this thing a huge powerhouse.

Ghost- and Psychic-types are the main threat to my HJK spamming, since Ghost-types cause me to miss and hit me for SE, while Psychics like Reuniclus take my HJK's with ease. Using PursuitTar and a variation of my favorite Sashed set, Tyranitar comes into play.

If I'm running a sand inducer, I might as well have something to benefit from it. RP Landorus is my choice as a super-powerful sand abuser that I oddly don't see much of anymore.

CB Scizor is my main Reuniclus check, as well as keeping Terrakion and Tyranitar at bay. I run Bug Bite for the extra power on 252/252 Bold Reuniclus, which outright slaughters it if it has any kind of residual damage. Also, having a Steel-type is always a benefit.

Now I realize that I'm missing a special attacker, and so I chose LO Gengar to beat down on Gliscor and Landorus, as well as all the Dragon-types and *gasp* opposing Medicham.

Slowbro rounds out the team, while sorta feeling slapped on. I wanted a solid check to Excadrill and most physical attackers, which is where Slowbro excels.

In-Depth Analysis​

Tyranitar (M) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
- Superpower

An odd set indeed, and I'm sure a better one exists, but for now, this really works. Pursuit is the main draw, used to help support Medicham by picking off pesky Ghosts. Stone Edge is for the genies, who will try to OHKO me with Focus Blast/Hammer Arm, fail, and then get OHKOed themselves besides Landorus. Superpower hits Balloon users, and Stealth Rock is there because it is Stealth Rock. I would appreciate the suggestion of a more efficient set, if possible.

Medicham (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Pure Power
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Hi Jump Kick
- Psycho Cut/Zen Headbutt
- ThunderPunch
- Ice Punch

Ah yes, Medicham. To keep the game fresh, I try to use at least one gimmick set/Pokemon for every team I make (probably why I fail so much), but every once in a while, I discover something awesome. Medicham really lived up to my expectations, whom at first I was skeptical about. HJK is the main move, since really, unless it's resisted or in case of a 4x super effective coverage move, I go with it to blast gigantic holes in everything. The ability to OHKO the oh-so-common specially defensive Ferrothorn is a huge plus, while Ice Punch blows away Dragons and Gliscor after some residual damage. ThunderPunch exists only for Gyarados, who resists HJK and is 4x weak. The only thing that holds this thing back from top tier OU in my opinion is the Speed. Choice Scarf is practically required to do anything. Even though it still smashes face, if this thing could run an LO or Banded set.....wow. Or at least just give it Agility.

Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Bug Bite

Standard CB Scizor with Bug Bite and no Speed. He gets a spot on the team to provide powerful priority and to blow holes into Reuniclus. No speed EVs are given to outU-turn other Scizor, keeping the momentum on my side. This set is definitely nothing new, so I'm pretty sure we all know what it does by now.

Gengar (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Whether it's LO or TrickScarf, I really like using Gengar. Shadow Ball is necessary STAB. Sludge Bomb is there because it hits harder than Shadow Ball and has a 30% chance to Poison. Focus Blast helps make sure I am not wrecked by Tyranitar, and HP Ice hits all the Dragons running around the OU tier. Gengar also helps break up the constant physical attacks, so that Skarmory can't wall me as easily.

Landorus (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Sand Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Rock Polish
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Landorus is here to abuse the sand Tyranitar provides as a by-product of his Pursuit trapping. This is the standard RP set, with HP Ice to wreck Gliscor and Salamence that Intimidate me. I'm sorta disappointed with the damage output, since I'm used to the destruction Landorus wrought before the Sand Power fix, but he stills works. I only wish I could run SD too.

Slowbro (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Fire Blast
- Slack Off​

I forget who, but I took this set off of someone from an RMT I read here. 252/252+ makes most physical attacks seem like brezzes, and one thing that amuses me are the non-STAB U-Turns from stuff like Infernape and Azelf doing around 25-30% to me. Usually, stuff that I hate to face, I really enjoy using, and this set is no exception. Surf is for STAB, Ice Beam hits Dragons, and Fire Blast hits Ferrothorn. Slack Off provides instant healing, while Regenerator provides me with health on the switch, that is, if it worked. I don't know, for some reason, even though I have it selected, Regenerator doesn't work for me. To me, this Pokemon really seems to be added for the heck of it, while tacking on a third Ghost-type weakness. A good replacement for this would help me out a lot.

Conclusion​

For the first time in half a year, I can say I actually made a decent team. I'm always on the look out for gimmicks and unused Pokemon to abuse, because I feel that when you mix creativity with the tried and true in the OU tier, you get much farther than you ever could by using the top set of the top 6 Pokemon. This here represents my attempt to represent that philosophy in the best way that I can.

Now please, feel free to rate, hate, and steal!

 

[Celestavian]

Bump. Rates anyone?

 

[chimpact]

there's no point in investing into your defenses and having focus sash. Put leftovers on Tar instead or just get rid of the investment.

I really feel like CS loses all the power that it has potential for. If you really want to use Medicham you should use CB. he has skyhigh attack and with the boost to hjk, itll do a bunch of damage to anything. With your tyranitar trapping ghosts, it will do at least 30% to everything.
252 Atk Choice Band Medicham Hi Jump Kick vs 252 HP/254 Def Gliscor: 37.01% - 43.79% 3 hits to KO.
Realistically not a 3hko because of protect + poisonheal, but still 37% to the thing that walls most fighting types is quite impressive.

I don't really understand Gengar. It seems to be just filler. Thunderus can do the role you want Gengar to, but performs much better. Even then, I think you should have something to take special hits.

Also because your team can get 6-0'd by DD scrafty (it can either crunch or set up on slowbro, come in after a weakened super power, or just psycho cut), I would replace Slowbro with Gyarados. Gyarados and conkeldurr are pretty much the only reliable counters to DD scrafty I think and Gyarados helps with taking physical hits.
212 HP / 252 Def / 44 SpD
Impish
Rest
sleep Talk
Waterfall
Dragon tail

It can phase out Scrafty if it doesnt have dragontail, and if it does waterfall does a good chunk and you can keep intimidating it as it tries to stat up on the switch.

 

[ToSGod]

2 Life Orbs? I thought that was a no-no.

 

[smtmerchant]

This is my first rate, so bare with me, I would just suggest taking out sludge bomb on Gengar since there are always so many steel types running around. Hidden power ice on Gengar is also kind of useless, considering you have hp ice on Landorus and ice punch on Medicham. I would replace hp ice with destiny bond, considering the fact that Conkeldurr will cry when it sets up and paybacks you, also, a choice band and scarf on the same team kind of hurt each other, so I would remove scizor's band and replace his set with a standard swords dance set. That is really all the advice i can leave here, so yeah try using those sets.

 

[badabing]

Hiya,

Do something about that tremendous moth weakness. Try to squeeze in Quick Attack over Bug Bite on Scizor and you should be able to revenge it with some sand residual and SR. If you keep offensive pressure throughout the match, the inability to OHKO Rank shouldn't be too much of a problem. Bug Bite "hits like a nuke", but it will kill any kind of momentum against stall. Physically defensive ChestoRest moth is covered by TTar so that's cool. You could even go D-bond over HP Ice on Gar to revenge Rank regardless of how many CM's it racks up. Shadow Ball does enough to dragons. I think your team would benefit more from SD Rand because atm you have NOTHING to break stall. Keep HP Ice or Sub instead. Double Dance is always an option on Rand, you just have to sacrifice HP Ice and rely on EdgeQuake. SD Dory would also work in that slot, but judging from that Medicham you seem to be the type to dare to be different. Oh and btw Medicham is trash, but I'm too lazy to offer a constructive replacement. Chimp has a point about the useless sash on Ttar, but Gyarados over Bro opens you up to a world of hurt from Terakion, Dory, and sand in general. Idk what the two LO post was about... That is all for now.

 

[PizzaDelivery]

Hi there Hawkstar.

I'm not an experienced CB Scizor user but I'd get rid of Bug Bite and use either quick attack or pursuit. Quick attack would at least give better chances of revenging Volcarona as above poster mentioned, and pursuit lets you trap certain pokemon. Bug bite hits harder than U-Turn, but I don't think that alone is worth losing the coverage. Doesn't CB U-Turn comes close to KOing even the most defensive Reuniclus anyway?

Tbh I think your Gengar would benefit from using something more standard - Sludge Bomb might look appealing on paper but poison gives pretty terrible coverage. Substitute/pain split/shadow ball/Focus miss gives you a fighting chance of getting past pink blobs and gives you a form or recovery to stick around longer.

I definitely wouldn't replace Slowbro with Gyrados, you seem pretty shaky against Excadrill already and replacing Slowbro leaves you vulnerable to being swept by it. You're also vulnerable to swords dance+roost scizor. I haven't done any calcs but I'd be surprised if Medicham could live through a +2 Bullet Punch, and nothing else on your team really stops it.

Eh, I don't play offence much so I'm not sure what's been giving you most trouble. I was thinking of replacing Medicham with CB Azumarill or (Possible CB) Roobushin, both give you some extra insurance against Excadrill and Azumarill lets you revenge Volcarona, at the cost of having two water types on your team. That would free you up to replace Slowbro with something else if you wanted since your Excadrill weakness isn't as gaping. Milotic with 252 HP/252 def/Bold and Scald/Recover/Haze/Ice Beam helps against stat uppers like Reuniclus, Scizor and Volcarona, and can take on some dragons. There are lots of other choices, it doesn't even have to be water. Just don't replace Slowbro until you've got something that stops Excadrill >.<

Good luck

 

[chimpact]

SD LO Excadrill beats both slowbro and gyarados. CB Bullet punch does 47% minimum to Excadrill and can possible 2hko it.

 

[PizzaDelivery]

Life orb Excadrill is rare these days, I think Slowbro can still survive +2 X-scissor, but I'm not sure on that one and am too lazy to look for a BW damage calculator. CB Scizor adds some insurance against Excadrill but no more than that, if you switch in as Excadrill swords dances you're only going to have time to bullet punch it once.

 

[Kemmi]

To replace Slowbro- Unaware Quagsire? Rotom-W?

Anything boosting does nothing to Quag, and rotom has only one weakness, but is not 4X like quagsire.

 

[Quadros]

Slowbro is actually awesome, however I find a calm mind set is incredibly effective, especially in OU.

Also while sludgebomb hits slightly harder then shadowball it provides barely any coverage. I would replace it with Thunderbolt, which is a godsend to Gengar.

And to echo what others are saying, replace bug bite on Scizor with Pursuit. It gives better coverage and demolishes ghosts even after your lead ttar goes down. Think about it; What ghost is going to switch into lead T-tar, and how many people lead with their spin blocker? A choice technician abuser is a far better choice for pursuit.

 

[Ninjadolphin]

Seems like a solid team