ORAS OU Lopunny is kinda seductive :]

[Egoist]

Hello Smogonites, coming to you for help with a team I've been using for a bit but seem to have hit a plateau in its potential. I've done fairly well with it so far but I've been having trouble lately and felt I may need some changes to really reach the level I feel I deserve with this team. It's a generally balanced team with an offensive focus; a new style of team for me since I mainly play the extremes in stall or hyperoffense. Mainly, I feel like I have fairly hard times pivoting in my sweepers and just rotating in general. There are surely more flaws that I'm not seeing and I'd love to have them pointed out. That being said, go ahead and do your thing RMT. Anything and everything is appreciated.


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Lopunny @ Lopunnite (F)
Ability: Limber
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Return
- Fake Out
- Power Up Punch

Depending on the opponent's composition, Lopunny usually serves as the team's initial offensive pressure with its unresisted STABs. I rely on her to chip away the bulk of the opposing team through Fake Outs and HJKs most of the time in the case that I'm against balanced or bulkier teams, but she also plays the role of cleanup sweeper should the situation call for it. Opted for P^P over Ice Punch since I have Ice coverage elsewhere and wanted her to be able to end games when needed, and the boost is quite helpful, especially on a predicted switch.

Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet (M)
Ability: Rough Skin
252 HP / 164 Def / 72 SDef / 20 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Dragon Tail
- Earthquake

The main damage sponge on the team, and the essential SR setter. He's exclusively used as something close to a dedicated lead as the only other I'd consider leading with in most situations would be Lopunny. He's usually saved afterwards to sponge hits from stronger physical attackers like Excadrill or to cripple walls with Toxic, and that's mostly it. Also my only phazing move, so as such, fills a very niche role. EVs are ripped from the standard Smogon set but an extra 4 in Spe to outspeed others that ripped the set too. Help with an optimal EV spread would be greatly appreciated.

Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
252 HP / 40 Spe / 216 SDef
Careful Nature
- Iron Head
- Body Slam
- Wish
- Protect

My mMin defensive answeT to strong special threats, and and
y all-important Wish support who is mainly reserved for that purpose and the closest thing I have to a pivot. Considering swapping out Body Slam for U-turn because of that purpose, but the paraflinch has saved me numerous times. I feel like he can be replaced, but the Steel resist and check to Clefables and Altarias is absolutely essential to the team.

Talonflame @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Flare Blitz

The second piece of my offensive triad who, like the other two, can serve both the roles of initial sweeper and late-game, but is almost exclusively used as my check to other Talonflames, Keldeos, and Charizards who were hopefully weakened by SR. I originally had a SDef set which worked nicely because of Will-O-Wisp, but recently opted for a SD set due to the switches it forced. Strongly considering going back to that SDef set, thoughts? The WoW it brought was greatly useful but I felt my team was much, much too weak offensively without an offensive TFlame set and I'm fairly weak without a revenge killer against DD threats like Altaria and other speed boosters like Metagross that Lopunny can't consistently handle herself. Again, one of the Pokemon I need help with the most.

Manaphy @ Lum Berry
Ability: Hydration
252 SAtk / 96 SDef / 160 Spe
Timid Nature
- Tail Glow
- Scald
- Psychic
- Ice Beam

goomi tasty. This Manaphy runs the LO+3 set that's become very staple among Manaphy, initially with Psychic over Energy Ball to be able to deal with Venusaur , but considering switching to Energy Ball to have a reliable counter to Rotom since TFlame is shut down by it and Lopunny doesn't do too well against the PhysDef Rotoms (in which case Psychic has proved fine).

Bisharp @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch

The anti-Defog/anti-Intimidate on the team, the other ever-so-valuable Steel resist, and the Pursuit trapper to clear out Psychic types like Scarfed Lati@s and Jirachi so Lopunny has a clear path to close out the game who also serves as my backup revenger in cases where TFlame is rip. Also my main switch candidate when I force a double switch with TFlame to an opposing Intimidate such as Lando-T which is my favorite answer if Manaphy is rip. Went for Life Orb over Blackglasses so Iron Head would still be strong in the case of CM Chanseys that would otherwise give me a lot of trouble. Pursuit over SD set since I already have two (three?) setup sweepers and the Pursuit support is invaluable.​

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Thanks for taking the time for reading, any and all criticism and suggestions are greatly appreciated, just don't be a dick about it <3

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Lopunny @ Lopunnite (F)
Ability: Limber
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Return
- Fake Out
- Power Up Punch

Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet (M)
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 164 Def / 72 SDef / 20 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Dragon Tail
- Earthquake

Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Spe / 216 SDef
Careful Nature
- Iron Head
- Body Slam
- Wish
- Protect

Talonflame @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Flare Blitz

Manaphy @ Lum Berry
Ability: Hydration
EVs: 252 SAtk / 96 SDef / 160 Spe
Timid Nature
- Tail Glow
- Scald
- Psychic
- Ice Beam

Bisharp @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch

​

 

[TPP]

Hey, nice team! I'm gonna try to help you with some threats. First off, your team is pretty weak to Mega Manectric. This thing can outspeed your entire team, and KO everything easily except for Jirachi (which takes 53%-63% from Overheat). Based on your description for Garchomp, I think Hippowdon > Garchomp may also work, as it's able to fill in the same role, and it has recovery, a huge advantage over Garchomp. Hippowdon will be able to handle Excadrill better, as well as physical attackers such as Mega Lopunny. Hippowdon is also able to deal with Zard X, which can essentially get a free kill if it sets up once. It's not a huge threat as you're able to revenge kill with Talonflame and Bisharp. Hippowdon also serves as a better check to Mega Manectric and Raikou. Also, Sand Stream can help as you'll be able to disrupt Zard Y's sun and also annoy opposing Rain teams, since they'll have to send out Politoed again. Right now bulky water types such as Rotom-Wash, are gonna be difficult to defeat since you don't have an immediate answer. You also lack a hazard remover, something Talonflame really appreciates. Unfortunately, I'm unable to think of a good solution for Talonflame at the moment, but hopefully someone else can help with that.

I'd recommend running Jolly > Adamant just for the sake of speed tying with Mega Manectric. Jolly also lets you outspeed Weavile, which is something you'll definitely wanna outspeed since it's able to threaten Bisharp, Jirachi and Hippowdon. Other notable threats you'll be able to outspeed are Mega Pidgeot and Tornadus-T, which can also be a pain and Mega Lopunny will be able to outspeed it and deal 62%-74% with a Return.

Energy Ball > Psychic will definitely help, since your team struggles against Rotom-Wash and Azumarill can also be threatening, so you'll be able to kill that as well. Since most of your team is physical, bulky ground and water types like Hippowdon and Slowbro are gonna be the hardest things to take down, so Energy Ball can help get rid of the bulky waters while Ice Beam and Scald can eliminate the ground types. Also, Talonflame is able to defeat Mega Venusaur, so you don't have to necessarily run Psychic since you have a good strong answer to it.

Hippowdon

Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Toxic

That's it for now, I'll try to edit this rate if I can come up with anything later. Let me know if my suggestions helped or not, and if they don't, then I'll try to come up with something else. Hope I helped ^_^

 

[Egoist]

Thanks, appreciate the time you took! Will give the changes a shot :)

 

[Clone]

Bulky SD Wisp talonflame might be worth looking into instead of the jolly SD set since you maintain the power of SD, but also gain the utility of Will o Wisp, which seems like your team could benefit from. What I mean by this is that your team definitely benefits from talons normal checks being burned, because they pretty much double up as checks/ counters for Lopunny and bisharp as well. Burning slowbro, hippowdon, lando t, and even Tyranitar will benefit you in the long run due to how your team is structured

An alternative option to cripple these mons is to use SubToxic jirachi over the spdef set you have right now. You do forgo the utility of wish, but in return you now have ways of annoying the cap out of defensive teams by subbing up on mons that can't break the sub (such as clefable or ferrothorn), and slowly wearing them down for teammates. You also gain the ability to cripple the aforementioned mons with toxic, which ensures that you're able to win out in the long run because of the timer they are set on.

I don't think you need to make both changes, but one or the other could prove beneficial for your team. I also think that the changes by pokepals are good.

Sets:

Talonflame @ Leftovers
Ability : Gale Wings
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Will-o-Wisp
- Swords Dance
- Roost

Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 96 Atk / 160 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Toxic
- Fire Punch
- Iron Head

 

[Egoist]

Thanks for the suggestions, will try both of them out as well. I also thought that Jirachi has been really lackluster as of late, and I completely forgot about bulky SD Talonflame while building the team.

 

[AD impish john]

Ayy solid team you have there, it could use some changes tho. Technically Team Pokepals said most the things I'm going to say/suggest, since we have similiar rates.

First off, I would change Mega Lopunny's Nature from Adamant to Jolly. This lets it able to speed tie with Mega Manectric, and lets you able to outspeed Weavile which it looks like a threat to your team. This also makes it able to outspeed Tornadus-Therian and do massive damage to it from Fake Out and Frustration/Return. Even though you lose some power, it is better to get rid of threats.

I think this EV spread would work better imo. EVs: 248 HP / 168 Def / 92 Spe The 92 Speed lets it outspeed Breloom, Jolly Bisharp and some other Base 70 speed pokemon, this however loses your Sp Def bulk. Just a suggestion, but I would consider trying out Endure over Toxic on Garchomp, this makes able to live with just 1 HP making opposing pokemon that are touching it take 25% damage from Rough Skin and Rocky Helmet recoil, it may sound dumb but it has come in handy some battles. Endure can help against opposing Mega Charizard X which can sweep your team at a +1 Dragon Dance.

I have to agree with this one, Energy Ball>Psychic. Energy Ball would be great on Manaphy since your team struggles against Rotom-W, Slowbro, and even Azumarill can be threatening. With a +3 Sp Atk from Tail Glow, Manaphy's Energy Ball will do massive damage to them. You have Jirachi and Talonflame to counter/defeat Mega Venusaur so Psychic isn't needed that much on it.

Minor Suggestion that is optional, but I think Black Glasses would be better than Life Orb as 3 out 4 of its moves are Dark Type. I hope I helped, have a nice day ^_^