With Black and White just around the corner now, I decided there was time for one last team before 4th gen is completely dead. I've played UU a lot before, and have posted a few UU RMTs before, most of which I've had a fair amount of success with. This team was originally really bad, but i managed to find a setup which works. Here's how the team started:
There was one pokemon I've always wanted to try, Hitmonlee, so I decided I'd start with him.
Then I started working on a defensive core to the team, with a sleep inducer, spinner, and bulky sweeper, so I found these three:
The last 2 slots took a while to fill, but, since I was having trouble with faster pokemon (especially alakazam and mismagius) I went with Spiritomb to help me deal with them:
Finally, I needed a lead. This was the hardest thing to use, I could no longer use froslass like I did on my previous team, and I wanted hazards, so ambipom was out of it. Eventually, after testing all of the popular leads, I settled for trickscarf mesprit. With the extra bulk of Spiritomb and Mesprit, arcanine wasn;t really pulling his weight, and I was having difficulty with faster pokemon, so I went with one of my old favourites, Swellow:
In Depth Analysis:
The Lead:
Mesprit@Choice Scarf
Timid (+SpA/-Atk)
252 SpA/252 Spe/4 HP
~ Trick
~ Stealth Rock
~ Psychic
~ Thunderbolt
Scarf Mesprit is a really good Lead, She can get up stealth rock very efficiently at the beginning of a game (being able to outspeed most, if not all taunt leads) Then can switch out to one of my bulkier pokemon, and come back in later to revenge kill things (particulary Adamant scarf Heracross, and the standard DD feraligatr after 1 DD). Trick can help to cripple resttalkers and other setup pokemon, and is a good leading move if I don't know what's coming. However, she's not perfect by any means, so any suggestions for a better lead are very welcome.
Blastoise@Leftovers
Bold(+Def/-Atk)
232 Def/232 HP/44 SpA
~ Roar
~ Rapid Spin
~ Surf
~ Toxic/Yawn
Blastoise is a very reliable spinner, and is a great physical wall. This guy is my first answer to any boosting physical sweeper, switch in and roar them out. Feraligatr's +2 Return fails to OHKO after SR, so if i can switch into a SD i can force it out. Toxic is for other bulky waters, and just generally for spreading status around the team. The SpA EVs give him a bit more hitting power, whilst still maintaining good physical bulk. I was using Yawn, but I've discovered that toxic is much more useful, as it makes sweeping later late game.
Venusaur@Black Sludge
Timid(+Spe/-Atk)
228 Spe/76 Def/204 SpA
~ Sleep Powder
~ Leech Seed
~ Energy Ball
~ Sludge Bomb
Venusaur's been a great member of the team, he never fails to disappoint, and is very good at crippling his own switch ins with sleep powder. The Defense EVs give Venusaur about equal physical and special defense, and augments his already impresive bulk. other EVs are self-explanatory, but I have been considering changing the EV spread so that he ties with other Venusaur and other base 80s, particulary Blaizken, Altaria and Kabutops. Leech seed and black sludge provide fairly swift recovery, and if i can land the poison from sludge bomb as well, then I can usually stall something out if needs be.
Hitmonlee@Life Orb
Jolly(+Spe/-SpA)
252 Spe/252Atk/4 HP
~ Blaze Kick
~ Close Combat
~ Sucker Punch
~ Mach Punch/Fake out/Earthquake/Stone Edge
Hitmonlee's my main physical attacker of the team, and with Jolly and max speed, he outspeeds just over half of the tier. STAB life orbed CC is an extremely powerful move, Sucker punch has been nice to have for all those Alakazams and Mismagius running around, although you have to win the mind game with mismagius (will it sub?). Blaze Kick is mainly for Venusaur, but it's too useful to drop, Many a time I have had venusaur try to switch into an imminent Close Combat, only to receive a cheeky blaze kick to the face (a clean OHKO on most less bulky variants) The last moveslot is a tricky one, I've been experimenting and nothing really seems to fit too well. any suggestions much appreciated.
Spiritomb@Lum Berry
Adamant (+Atk/-SpA)
172 Atk/168 HP/168 SpD (EVs are changing a lot)
~ Pursuit
~ Sucker Punch
~ Will-o-wisp
~ Pain Split/Curse
Spiritomb's my standard answer to alakazam and mismagius, sucker punch/pursuit ruins both of them, although if I don't predict properly with sukcer punch, mismagius can seriously mess me up. Spiritomb does a very good job against alakazam, as, especially on Specs variants, it always gets the KO with pursuit, since it's easy to switch into a psychic aimed at hitmonlee or venusaur and get the KO. however, apart from beating mismag/kazam, this guy doesn't really have many uses, so replacements are useful.
Swellow@Flame Orb
Jolly(+Spe/-SpA)
252 Atk/252 Spe/4 HP
~ Facade
~ Brave Bird
~ Endeavour
~ Quick Attack/Protect/U-turn
Swellow's one of the best late game sweepers out there, I've used it before, and had great success with it. However, if i can't remove registeel, rhyperior etc, then she just gets brutalised. Endeavour can help put a dent in some of these before going down, but she hasn't really been pulling her eight in this team. EVs are obvious, max speed jolly gives swellow the luxury of outspeeding every unboosted pokemon in UU, and 252 atk EVs with a flame orb gives just over 400 Attack
So, there's the lot, any advice on replacing any/improving any are much obliged, I know the team's not perfect, and is quite milotic/mismagius/heracross weak. Not that heracross is a problem anymore, due to it's recent move to BL, where it belongs ¬_¬
Thanks again
There was one pokemon I've always wanted to try, Hitmonlee, so I decided I'd start with him.
Then I started working on a defensive core to the team, with a sleep inducer, spinner, and bulky sweeper, so I found these three:
The last 2 slots took a while to fill, but, since I was having trouble with faster pokemon (especially alakazam and mismagius) I went with Spiritomb to help me deal with them:
Finally, I needed a lead. This was the hardest thing to use, I could no longer use froslass like I did on my previous team, and I wanted hazards, so ambipom was out of it. Eventually, after testing all of the popular leads, I settled for trickscarf mesprit. With the extra bulk of Spiritomb and Mesprit, arcanine wasn;t really pulling his weight, and I was having difficulty with faster pokemon, so I went with one of my old favourites, Swellow:
In Depth Analysis:
The Lead:
Mesprit@Choice Scarf
Timid (+SpA/-Atk)
252 SpA/252 Spe/4 HP
~ Trick
~ Stealth Rock
~ Psychic
~ Thunderbolt
Scarf Mesprit is a really good Lead, She can get up stealth rock very efficiently at the beginning of a game (being able to outspeed most, if not all taunt leads) Then can switch out to one of my bulkier pokemon, and come back in later to revenge kill things (particulary Adamant scarf Heracross, and the standard DD feraligatr after 1 DD). Trick can help to cripple resttalkers and other setup pokemon, and is a good leading move if I don't know what's coming. However, she's not perfect by any means, so any suggestions for a better lead are very welcome.
Blastoise@Leftovers
Bold(+Def/-Atk)
232 Def/232 HP/44 SpA
~ Roar
~ Rapid Spin
~ Surf
~ Toxic/Yawn
Blastoise is a very reliable spinner, and is a great physical wall. This guy is my first answer to any boosting physical sweeper, switch in and roar them out. Feraligatr's +2 Return fails to OHKO after SR, so if i can switch into a SD i can force it out. Toxic is for other bulky waters, and just generally for spreading status around the team. The SpA EVs give him a bit more hitting power, whilst still maintaining good physical bulk. I was using Yawn, but I've discovered that toxic is much more useful, as it makes sweeping later late game.
Venusaur@Black Sludge
Timid(+Spe/-Atk)
228 Spe/76 Def/204 SpA
~ Sleep Powder
~ Leech Seed
~ Energy Ball
~ Sludge Bomb
Venusaur's been a great member of the team, he never fails to disappoint, and is very good at crippling his own switch ins with sleep powder. The Defense EVs give Venusaur about equal physical and special defense, and augments his already impresive bulk. other EVs are self-explanatory, but I have been considering changing the EV spread so that he ties with other Venusaur and other base 80s, particulary Blaizken, Altaria and Kabutops. Leech seed and black sludge provide fairly swift recovery, and if i can land the poison from sludge bomb as well, then I can usually stall something out if needs be.
Hitmonlee@Life Orb
Jolly(+Spe/-SpA)
252 Spe/252Atk/4 HP
~ Blaze Kick
~ Close Combat
~ Sucker Punch
~ Mach Punch/Fake out/Earthquake/Stone Edge
Hitmonlee's my main physical attacker of the team, and with Jolly and max speed, he outspeeds just over half of the tier. STAB life orbed CC is an extremely powerful move, Sucker punch has been nice to have for all those Alakazams and Mismagius running around, although you have to win the mind game with mismagius (will it sub?). Blaze Kick is mainly for Venusaur, but it's too useful to drop, Many a time I have had venusaur try to switch into an imminent Close Combat, only to receive a cheeky blaze kick to the face (a clean OHKO on most less bulky variants) The last moveslot is a tricky one, I've been experimenting and nothing really seems to fit too well. any suggestions much appreciated.
Spiritomb@Lum Berry
Adamant (+Atk/-SpA)
172 Atk/168 HP/168 SpD (EVs are changing a lot)
~ Pursuit
~ Sucker Punch
~ Will-o-wisp
~ Pain Split/Curse
Spiritomb's my standard answer to alakazam and mismagius, sucker punch/pursuit ruins both of them, although if I don't predict properly with sukcer punch, mismagius can seriously mess me up. Spiritomb does a very good job against alakazam, as, especially on Specs variants, it always gets the KO with pursuit, since it's easy to switch into a psychic aimed at hitmonlee or venusaur and get the KO. however, apart from beating mismag/kazam, this guy doesn't really have many uses, so replacements are useful.
Swellow@Flame Orb
Jolly(+Spe/-SpA)
252 Atk/252 Spe/4 HP
~ Facade
~ Brave Bird
~ Endeavour
~ Quick Attack/Protect/U-turn
Swellow's one of the best late game sweepers out there, I've used it before, and had great success with it. However, if i can't remove registeel, rhyperior etc, then she just gets brutalised. Endeavour can help put a dent in some of these before going down, but she hasn't really been pulling her eight in this team. EVs are obvious, max speed jolly gives swellow the luxury of outspeeding every unboosted pokemon in UU, and 252 atk EVs with a flame orb gives just over 400 Attack
So, there's the lot, any advice on replacing any/improving any are much obliged, I know the team's not perfect, and is quite milotic/mismagius/heracross weak. Not that heracross is a problem anymore, due to it's recent move to BL, where it belongs ¬_¬
Thanks again