Link's Meta Sweep

link6491

Ambipom (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Brick Break
- Fake Out
- Ice Punch
- U-turn

This is a set I have been tooling around with for some time. Rather than run Return (for STAB), or Payback (Ghosts) I have been running Ice Punch to suprise some common leads (Zapdos/ Salamence/ Aerodactyl in particular.) I am tempted though to switch to Return to stop Infernape leads. Any advice?
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Gengar (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]

The teams revenge killer (along with spin blocker for the team.) Besides having great type coverage, I use this to revenge kill those pesky dragons. Not much to improve here (besides me wanting to run Hasty + Explosion)
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Tentacruel (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 204 HP/36 Spd/96 SAtk/172 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Surf
- Toxic Spikes

The rapid spinner for my team and general support. I am tempted to run Knock Off over Toxic Spikes though, but honestly I have had some use for residual damage with this team.
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Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Pursuit
- Brick Break
- Bullet Punch

A useful physical sweeper capable of breaking quite a few pokemon that can give me trouble (Tyranitar and Weavile in particular.)
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Flygon (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 40 HP/ 252 Atk/216 Spd
Jolly Nature ( +Spe, -Atk)
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
- Outrage
- Stone Edge

Yep, two choice banders. This has been very useful for killing bulky waters. Fire Punch over Fire Blast to hit a little harder with the Jolly nature to outrun Infernape.
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Metagross @ Lum Berry
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 48 HP/252 Atk/208 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Agility
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Meteor Mash

The final sweeper for the team. Ice Punch > Thunderpunch to hit Gliscor, Salamence, Celebi and Zapdos a little harder. the Speed is what I almost always run (it outruns up to scarfed Garchomp [who is uber, but I like outrunning everything in the game]) Lum Berry to block attempts to status Metagross.
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Problem Pokemon-
Really, there hasnt been much trouble with the team. New Rotom forms still trouble me, but that is just me being lazy and not researching them. Other than that-

Skarmory- Gengar destroys
Bronzong- not much here
Metagross- again not much
Heatran- Ambipom (risky), Tentacruel (definite)


I need some help here. Was thinking of adding the Rotom form with Overheat instead of Gengar, but I like Gengars type coverage.
 
Ambipoms Ice Punch vs the three mentioned:
- 4 HP/0 Def Aerodactyl: 64-76% (19-22% from Fake Out, not 2HKO).
- 4 HP/0 Def Salamence: 66-78% (after Intimidate; 20-23% from Fake Out, needs maximum damage on both hits to 2HKO).
- 80 HP/0 Def Zapdos: 46-54% (27-32% from Fake out, not 2HKO)

As you can see, Ice Punch isn't the strong move you want it to be. You are not guaranteed to 2HKO any of the three you mentioned. If you give him Life Orb over Focus Sash however, you 2HKO Aerodactyl and Salamence, and have a very decent shot at 2HKOing Zapdos (IP: 59-70%, FO: 36-42%)
I would drop Brick Break, however, since you are unable to OHKO Tyranitar, even with Life Orb, so your best shot is really to just U-Turn away to a more suited counter. In that place, you could go with Payback, to smack Gengar and Azelf, you could go with Return, for reliable damage, or use his signature move: Double-Hit, that brakes Sub-Punchers.
I would personally go with Payback, as it 2HKOs Azelf with Fake Out, and OHKOs Gengar right off the bat. With Life Orb, I should say, meaning that is your preferred item.

For Scizor, always use Superpower. Brick Break fails to OHKO Magnezone and Heatran on the switch, and since you have Choice Band, the -Attack and Defense doesn't really hinder you, since you won't be staying in for long anyway.

Fire Punch is really weak on Flygon. That's my opinion anyway. You don't even OHKO Forretress. I usually prefer U-Turn in that slot, but Fire Blast is still a decent option for taking out Forry and Skarm.


For Metagross, it's not a big difference, but you really don't need more than 196 Speed EVs. That let's you outspeed Choice Scarfed or Dragon Danced 299-Speeders. There's nothing above that that Metagross can really take on speedwise anyway.
It doesn't make the game-breaking difference, but hey, it might be the difference between winning and losing a specific battle?

Also, to you trouble-aeras:
Yes, Gengar takes on Skarmory, but Skarmory will switch, and Gengar won't really live long with SR and Sandstorm flying around. I agree that a heat-Rotom can be beneficial. The only move you really lose by removing Gengar is Focus Blast, but what do you need that for anyway? Overheat benefits you way more, and Rotom is a lot sturdier.
With Timid Nature, 216 Speed EVs and a Choice Scarf, Rotom reaches 432 Speed, outspeeding Jolly Gyarados after a Dragon Dance.
 
Flygon wants Adamant for 2KOing stuff like swampy. In that case only 176 evs are needed (for outspeeding adamant luke). I always run 132 Spe only agiligross (for outspeeding scarftran) and a Life orb beacause he like the extra power. Explosion would help you with the glaring CMCune weak.
 
Couple things:

Ambipom (M) @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Technician
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
-Last Resort
- Fake Out

Yes this cant do anything to ghosts, but with stab and silk scarf, this thing can do alot with those 2 moves.


Also if your basing this team on a final sweeper like metagross maybe put gliscor or something in there to pass agility and swords dance to it and give metagross explosion for the end or unless you need to get a pokemon out of the way.


Also if your gonna use scizor i suggest using this set (only because you have flygon)

Scizor @ Life Orb
Adamant - 252 Attack, 100 hp, rest in speed
Super Power/Brick Break/ X-Scissor
Swords Dance
Roost
Bullet Punch
 
Two choice Bands and Metagross as a Physical sweeper seems like too much physical sweeping. It seems like any particularly good physical wall could completely stop you, especially given that none of your Physicals have a move like Swords Dance that can repeatedly improve their Attack.

Also, Scarfgar is almost completely outclassed by ScarfRotom. You lose Focus Blast, but you gain access to moves like Overheat or Leaf Storm. You can still outspeed just about everything you want to (Salamences with the Smogon-listed EV spread or even those designed to outspeed scarftran after 1 DD, any Gyarados after 1 DD, ScarfTran). You resist Bullet Punch, which, in combination with Overheat, lets you counter Scizor and Lucario. Significantly more bulk and a better set of resistances.
 
I'm not really enjoying how this team can get destroyed by hard hitting physical Pokemon, one of them being Heracross. I would actually suggest replacing Metagross with Rotom-H, I would leave Gengar and play around with the Mixed Gengar set, which goes Explosion / Thunderbolt / Shadow Ball / Focus Punch or Focus Blast. Rotom-H over Metagross will give you a definite check against Heracross, as well as Lucario and others. You can handle Tyranitar with Scizor, but I would suggest making it much Bulkier, to handle hits, there is a good EV Spread in the analysis for it.

You can always replace Ambipom, as said before, I don't think Ambipom works effectively in the current metagame. Metagross, if you still want to keep it, can be a good replacement as a lead for Ambipom. I would suggest trying out the following: 252 Spe / 252 Atk / 4 HP @ Jolly, with Stealth Rock / Explosion / Meteor Mash / Trick, it will set up Stealth Rocks for you, something that can be extremely helpful making some OHKOs. If you do this, then you have an extra slot, which can be useful with helping you not get walled by things like Skarmory. Something that can go here is a Physical Lucario, or even a Heracross, something that will prevent you from being walled by physical walls can go here. Tyranitar could work, as Zapdos is a real pain in the ass, and Tyranitar has enough bulk to take Zapdos. If you decide to do this, then replacing Gengar with Rotom-H will probably be the best idea, Rotom-H with Trick sounds fun, with a Choice Scarf of course.
 
Orion said:
For Scizor, always use Superpower.
Click to expand...

True, just worried about the attack drop

Venom said:
I would suggest trying out the following: 252 Spe / 252 Atk / 4 HP @ Jolly, with Stealth Rock / Explosion / Meteor Mash / Trick, it will set up Stealth Rocks for you, something that can be extremely helpful making some OHKOs.
Click to expand...

So I definitely going to drop Ambipom for Metagross (this is trickscarf right?) and add Rotom-H over Gengar.

Also going to test out a Tyranitar and will get back to you.
 
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