SM OU Looking for feedback on this somewhat oldie but goodie team, swap out a mon or two?

I really like this team, and it works, but I can't help but think two of my pokes can't seem to pull their weight which is why I kinda hover around 1250 rating. Here's my team:

Tapu Koko @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Grass Knot
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Dazzling Gleam

Easily my favourite Tapu. This is a special set. Tapu Koko acts as a Greninja deterrent for my team because it outspeeds it as long as it doesn't have scarf. Life Orb makes sure Koko's attacks hit as hard as they can without locking into one move as Volt Switch makes it a potent pivot. Grass knot exists for the purpose of hitting ground types and I've observed it deal up to 48% damage to Landorus-T, plus it gives general coverage. Dazzling Gleam is a neat little STAB fairy move and the only fairy move in my team. Deletes Toxapex with STAB Electric Terrain Thunderbolt unless it's invested in special defense, in which case it would just die to another thunderbolt or the other two earthquake users in my team.

Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Crunch

Gyarados checks a lot of opponents with it's flying type and general bulk. It also has synergy with Alolan Persian, more on that below. Dragon Dance makes Gyarados' STAB Waterfall really menacing and can devastate unprepared opponents with the cherry on top being a chance to flinch. Earthquake and Crunch exist for coverage. I feel Gyarados needs investment in Attack and Speed to get past certain checks. If the opposing team cannot check Gyarados it will knock out a lot of their pokemon. If it doesn't outright sweep the entire team, there's the other 5 pokemon to clean up with.

Marowak-Alola @ Thick Club
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Shadow Bone

The first problem pokemon where I don't really know what to do with it. Alolan Marowak seems like a truck to me because it hits like a truck but also handles like a truck with that measly speed. I guess this pokemon's specialty is stallbreaking because of the ridiculous attack thanks to Thick Club and good coverage moves. Nothing really wants to switch into a flare blitz from this thing and rock head lets it screw up high HP mons without risk of suicide. Guaranteed oneshots Ferrothorn. Swords Dance because if - although this has yet to happen - it finds setup fodder, it will kill either it or anything that switches in.

Persian-Alola @ Darkinium Z
Ability: Fur Coat
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Foul Play
- Fake Out
- Taunt
- Parting Shot

The real star of the team. This set is so dirty, it's utility in the meanest way possible. Fake out breaks sashes or finishes off that non-ghost type mon that lived on one health, taunt nullifies stall and setup making Ferrothorn look hilariously helpless. Taunt also allows the other mons to set up safely knowing they won't be statused or had their sweeping shenanigans ruined by some status move. Parting shot allows for a safer switch in, adding Alolan Persian as another pivot pokemon. Parting Shot pairs well with Gyarados' Intimidate when it switches in, letting it tank physical attackers very well and get an almost guaranteed dragon dance. Z-Parting Shot however FULLY heals the next pokemon switched in. Just when you thought you had my mon knocked out for sure it's going to come back to bite you, especially when its counter is gone. Finally, Foul Play prevents Alolan Persian from being too reliant on status moves allowing it to finish off slow physical attackers or deal back some damage, circumventing its poor attack stat.

Latios (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Shadow Ball
- Surf

Second problem pokemon. I guess this is the nuke in this team here. Few things can live a choice specs draco meteor. As Latios is already fast, I opted for choice specs instead of choice scarf to let him wallbreak really hard. The thing with Latios and his movepool is that you need to predict correctly. If your draco meteor lands on a fairy type, you're in trouble as you have to swtich out Latios or sack it. Shadow Ball is nice and hits past steel and fairy types, psyshock to deal with special walls like Chansey or Snorlax and Surf because I don't really know what else to put there. The most he does however is nuke a mon with draco meteor then get sacked unless there's another pokemon that needs nuking. Levitate is nice though and makes Latios the second option to switch into earthquake.

Excadrill @ Focus Sash
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Toxic

Stealth Rock setter and bane of other entry hazards, Excadrill has saved my team from multiple threats that other pokemon just can't check. It's got a decent speed tier and hits even harder. A lot of people forget that Mold Breaker makes Earthquake hit past Levitate and Sturdy, so Rotom-Wash isn't even an issue against this team. Because Excadrill has bad bulk it kind of needs Focus Sash even though it can take a few hits from say Toxapex's Scald. Focus Sash also allows it to retaliate against faster targets that otherwise would oneshot it. Toxic is the go-to option in case Excadrill gets locked into a stealth rock rapid spin battle with other stealth rock setters besides other steel types and Landorus-T in addition to negating walling from potent walls.

I'm looking to either replace Latios or Alolan Marowak, but I prefer not to use Greninja or Landorus-T seeing how bad I am at using them... with a pinch of bias against the meta and the boring teams centered around Greninja and Lando-T :^) Rate my team and help a trainer out!

A few (cherrypicked) battles, I would have uploaded losses as well weren't it for my short temper :smogthink: : https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-1041405464
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-1041407266
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-1040934007
 
Koko-Fine
Gyarados- Why the hell would you use this over toxapex or Rotom-Wash. Try either one of those although Toxapex could give you a sweet mawile check.
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Recover
- Haze/Baneful Bunker
- Toxic
Marowak-Alola is useless out of trick room due to its god-awful speed. Since you lack a reliable mega, just make that Zard-X and you should be good to go.
Charizard @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
- Roost

Persian-Alola is TERRIBLE there is never a viable reason to use this over any other good wall in this Metagame. Celesteela could be a good switch, although if you do decide using cele, having toxapex would not be a good idea to combo with a super-effective t-bolt.
Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 248 HP / 28 Def / 232 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower

Latios could be ok, but it seems like it is just way too bad for this metagame, so I'd personally toss it for shift-gear magearna so you have an offensive presence as well as an offensive pivot.
Magearna @ Electrium Z
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shift Gear
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast

I could toss excadrill for Heatran and give you a cool presence and a nice steelspam team.
Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 176 SpD / 80 Spe
Calm Nature
- Lava Plume
- Toxic
- Protect
- Stealth Rock


Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp

Charizard @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
- Roost

Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 248 HP / 28 Def / 232 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower

Tapu Koko @ Magnet
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Dazzling Gleam
- Roost

Magearna @ Electrium Z
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shift Gear
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 176 SpD / 80 Spe
Calm Nature
- Lava Plume
- Toxic
- Protect
- Stealth Rock
teamsnip.JPG

Enjoy :)
 
You just posted your own entire team here, but there's a few mons I can consider taking from your team into mine.

To answer your question why Gyarados over Toxapex or Rotom-Wash: Intimidate and the synergy with parting shot. If I switch in Gyarados I get a free switch in while reducing the opponent's attack by -2 and special attack by -1. Also I needed a physical sweeper and wanted coverage. Rotom-W and Toxapex don't have dragon dance and Gyarados is just as bulky as Rotom-W, if not even bulkier. It's base attack stat is also higher than Rotom's special attack, plus I already have Tapu Koko.

I disagree with your opinion on alolan persian. It is not even meant as a wall. It's utility and does it's job very well. You underestimate the value of Z-Parting Shot.

Thanks for your comment though!
 
You just posted your own entire team here, but there's a few mons I can consider taking from your team into mine.

To answer your question why Gyarados over Toxapex or Rotom-Wash: Intimidate and the synergy with parting shot. If I switch in Gyarados I get a free switch in while reducing the opponent's attack by -2 and special attack by -1. Also I needed a physical sweeper and wanted coverage. Rotom-W and Toxapex don't have dragon dance and Gyarados is just as bulky as Rotom-W, if not even bulkier. It's base attack stat is also higher than Rotom's special attack, plus I already have Tapu Koko.

I disagree with your opinion on alolan persian. It is not even meant as a wall. It's utility and does it's job very well. You underestimate the value of Z-Parting Shot.

Thanks for your comment though!
That's not his team, that's what his suggestions look like in the builder.

Instead of Grass Knot, run HP Ice on Koko If you want to hit Ground types. But I think you're better off just avoiding them like the plague unless you run the Shucka Berry lure set (see the Smog dex). I'd suggest switching Volt Switch for U-turn so ground types don't block it.

If you want an Intimidate mon, Lando-T has been the best mon in every OU tier for how long now? But on Gyarados, either Mega Evolve it so it has a useful ability while it's in play and you get STAB on Crunch, or use Moxie so it can snowball, keeping KOing mons while getting constantly stronger. If you go with Moxie, give it Flyinum Z and Bounce so it can destroy its checks. Again, see the Smog Dex for both of these sets.

Latios is pretty bad unless you Mega Evolve it, if you specifically want a Specs mon rather than the sweeper he suggested, you can't go far wrong with Ash Greninja or maybe Tapu Lele. Both of them involve some weakness stacking however.

Uhh, SM OU is 3-4 years old now, I think if Persian-A was useful people would be using it by now. The set you have there (or something very similar) was used in VGC 2017, but even there it was a pretty niche choice. In singles it just doesn't offer anything over anything. Pangoro is a better user of Parting Shot, hence why it's NU and Persian-A is PU. Sadly neither have what it takes for OU. Persian's all-around low stats besides its speed make it dead weight. It does no damage at all of note besides Foul Play, which makes it rather one-dimensional. Fake Out in singles is pretty meh at best. Not to mention it dies to a light breeze from a special attacker and takes a lot from physical moves in spite of Fur Coat. Parting Shot is a good move, but Z-Parting Shot is niche at best. It can be useful, but it needs a HO team around it that can use it to kill at least 2 mons by bringing back a dangerous Mega or other sweeper. And it loses all usefulness on Persian-A sadly, as it's just the totally wrong mon for it. If you do want a strong support pivot, Assault Vest Magearna or Lando-T with Defog are great.

Though I agree with what he said as well. Try the team he posted, it looks great to me.
 

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