SM OU Mega Venusaur and Heatran Bulky Offense

[PANTS7131]

Introduction

Hey everyone, welcome to my first RMT since Gen 5. I just recently got back into competitive battling after almost a year hiatus and I had the idea to build a team around Mega Venusaur and Heatran. I've had really good luck with this team, made it to about 1600 before I started losing and I wanted to post this to check if there's any glaring issues with the team. Here it is:

Teambuilding Process

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As stated above, I wanted to build a team around Mega Venusaur. I wanted this team to be primarily bulky offense, and Venusaur fits that description perfectly.

I mainly choose Heatran to be a bulky sweeper that covers the weaknesses of Venusaur. Heatran is a great partner to Mega Venusaur and I always planned on building a team around the two of them but never got around to it until now.

To complete my fire/water/grass core, I chose Tapu Fini. Great coverage, great typing, and it fits the bulky offense theme of the team.

Zapdos is here as an excellent bulky defogger and one of my personal favorite mons. It makes an excellent physical wall and provides coverage. It even occasionally manages to land a kill.

This slot used to be taken by a Tyranitar, which I swapped for Weavile as I was a bit lacking in speed and I needed a late-game sweeper.

Garchomp is my rocks setter. He's mainly here for bulk and every once in a while I manage to bluff and scare the opponent into a switch. A really scary Pokemon if it's played correctly.

The Team

Venusaur @ Venusaurite Ability: Chlorophyll EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD Calm Nature IVs: 0 Atk - Giga Drain - Leech Seed - Sludge Bomb - Synthesis
Alright, so Mega Venusaur, the star of the team. I wanted a bulky offense team and Venu fits that perfectly. Ridiculously annoying if played right and a truly scary mon. Max EVs in HP and SpD because my team's a bit lacking in terms of special defense and the whole theme is bulk. This spread allows me to survive basically any move, I can get 2HKO'd by EQ on some STAB mons with points in attack such as scarfchomp and that's about it. Thick Fat allows me to take fire and ice attacks all day, furthering this guy's role as a wall. He usually comes in late game and lands a couple KO's. The only time he's out beforehand is if I need to take an attack I don't think anyone else would be able to survive, and he absorbs moves all day. The true MVP of the team. Giga Drain is mainly there for coverage but I occasionally manage to do some decent damage with it. Leech Seed and Synthesis are to keep this guy alive longer while doing chip damage. Sludge Bomb for coverage and STAB. Not much else to say about this guy.

Heatran @ Steelium Z Ability: Flash Fire EVs: 32 HP / 224 SpA / 252 Spe Modest Nature IVs: 0 Atk - Flash Cannon - Magma Storm - Earth Power - Taunt
Heatran is a bulky special sweeper. Excellent typing and excellent coverage. 4x ground weakness is annoying but I can avoid that 9 times out of 10 if I play right. HP investment to keep him alive longer, SpA and Speed to enable him to sweep and outspeed stuff like defensive landorus. Magma Storm hits hard and I occasionally manage to trap a mon that dies next turn to Flash Cannon, such as Clefable. Earth Power hits nice and hard if I predict a switch correctly. Easy to guess what Taunt's there for. Steelium Z hits mons that don't resist it insanely hard and I usually use it as a last resort if I know a mon I can't beat otherwise is coming in.

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers Ability: Misty Surge EVs: 248 HP / 160 Def / 100 Spe Timid Nature IVs: 0 Atk - Taunt - Scald - Moonblast - Calm Mind
Tapu Fini is an excellent physical wall. Misty Surge has helped me avoid status plenty of times. EVs in hp and defense to increase its wall abilities. 100 points in speed to help it outspeed certain lead mons such as ferro to get a taunt up. Calm Mind isn't always the most reliable set but it's very nice for cleanup towards the end of the match. Moonblast and Scald are both great STAB moves and the burn chance on Scald has helped me plenty of times. Fini can also 2HKO defensive lando without a Calm Mind boost, which is quite nice. This thing is great as a utility mon, it can sweep if needed and also tank plenty of hits for the rest of the team.

Zapdos @ Leftovers Ability: Static EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 Spe Bold Nature IVs: 0 Atk - Defog - Heat Wave - Discharge - Roost
Pretty standard Zapdos set here. I wanted a ground immunity, and electric coverage is always nice. This also makes an excellent wall and is the team's defogger. Zapdos can switch in on the majority of physical attacks without breaking a sweat. Heatwave is a guaranteed 2HKO against defensive Ferrothorn, which isn't the best but ferro's not that huge of a threat to this team anyway. Roost is self-explanatory. Static over Pressure because that small chance of paralysis is always valuable, especially on a mon that gets hit by a lot of physical attacks.

Weavile @ Choice Band Ability: Pressure EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe Jolly Nature - Icicle Crash - Pursuit - Knock Off - Ice Shard
As stated above, I used to use a banded TTar over Weavile. I made the switch because my team lacked speed. Priority on a Pokemon that hits this hard is ridiculous. The only downside here is that this thing can't take a hit to save its life. Weavile is honestly one of the most underrated cleanup mons ever. It's fast and it hits like a truck. Jolly to boost speed and Choice Band to boost attack. Weavile never stays in for long, I'm constantly switching it out. If it doesn't OHKO, it's dead, but if I play right it always OHKOs. Pursuit trap is always nice and Ice Shard gets some STAB priority. Even being only 40 base attack, with Weavile's insane attack stat plus max attack plus Choice Band, this can OHKO any Landorus-T but defensive, who it 2HKOs. It outspeeds threats like Zygarde and Scarfchomp only to OHKO them with Icicle Crash and Ice Shard respectively.

Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet Ability: Rough Skin EVs: 252 HP / 164 Def / 92 Spe Impish Nature - Earthquake - Fire Blast - Dragon Tail - Stealth Rock
Garchomp is yet another physical wall, which I really don't need so this slot's kind of up in the air. It can definitely hit hard if needed with EQ and being able to force switches with Dragon Tail is a huge plus. It's also the only hazard setter on the team, which is absolutely essential. Fire Blast doesn't do a ton of damage but it provides some nice coverage. Chomp probably puts in the least work. It's very reliable as a rocks user and double damage from rough skin and helmet is a lot of fun but that's basically all he brings to the table.

Conclusion

Overall, this is a pretty successful team. There's definitely a couple issues that need worked out, which is why I wrote this RMT in the first place. Kyurem B is a massive threat to this team and takes out the majority of it. I've also never successfully beaten a rain team with a Torn-T and M-Swampert core. If any of you have advice I'd love to hear it. And nickname suggestions are always welcome.

Importable

Venusaur @ Venusaurite
Ability: Chlorophyll
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Leech Seed
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis

Heatran @ Steelium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 32 HP / 224 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flash Cannon
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 160 Def / 100 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Scald
- Moonblast
- Calm Mind

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Heat Wave
- Discharge
- Roost

Weavile @ Choice Band
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Ice Shard

Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 164 Def / 92 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Dragon Tail
- Stealth Rock

*Can't find a decent sprite for Fini so I guess it just gets to be huge

 

[PANTS7131]

Come on guys lol, no raters?

 

[DKM]

Hello PANTS7131, very cool team. M-Venusaur certainly has alot of potential in the current meta, being one of the few answers to M-Mawile while also checking water types such as Greninja, electric types such as Tapu Koko and the multiple fairy types in the meta. Heatran has always been amazing, with a Modest nature and Steelium Z it has almost no switchins.

I'll try my best to explain this team's weaknesses and then the changes that can help cover them.


Threats to the team:

: Strong Psychic types such as M-Alakazam can break through the team rather easily. With a Modest nature it can OHKO Heatran (and Weavile) with Focus Blast, and OHKO or 2HKO everything else with Psychic. If given a free switch-in it can get a KO and can't be revenge-killed due to the lack of a scarfer.

: One of the issues of using M-Venusaur is that it's a grass type that can't check Zygarde, meaning that the Choice Band set comes in and 2HKOs or OHKOs someone with Thousand Arrows. Sub Coil and Dragon Dance variants can also sweep the team if given a chance to setup.

: Certain speed-boosting setup sweepers such as Volcarona and Charizard-X can completely sweep the team after one setup. Obviously a team like this can't check everything defensively, but lack of a scarfer means you have no options in these matchups.

​

Major changes

> : Firstly I suggest using Celesteela over Zapdos. This gives you a second steel type and an answer to M-Alakazam and Tapu Lele. Thanks to its bulk and typing it can take Focus Blasts from either and use Leech Seed or deal heavy damage with Heavy Slam. It's still a good ground immunity to switch into Landorus or Garchomp and a flying resist to switch into Tornadus or the occasional M-Pinsir.

> : Next I suggest using Mew over Tapu Fini. This gives you an answer to Zygarde and also gives you a defogger since I removed Zapdos. Thanks to its amazing bulk and speed, Mew can switch into even a Choice Banded Zygarde and outspeed to restore its health or Ice Beam. I opted to put both Ice Beam and Earth Power because giving Heatran free switch-ins is rather bad, especially for this team. Earthquake can also be used as it hits SpDef Heatran harder and helps more against Calm Mind Magearna, although the chance of being burned by Wisp/Lava Plume and occasional Grassy Terrain made me choose Earth Power. The speed lets you outpace Landorus and Kyurem-B.

> : The last major change I suggest is removing Weavile for a Choice Scarfed Greninja, whos revenge-killing abilities are highly appreciated on this kind of team. With high speed and solid coverage it can stop a huge amount of threats such as a weakened Charizard-X, Volcarona, Zygarde, Kartana, opposing Greninja and M-Alalazam. As for the moveset, Ice Beam and Rock Slide are rather mandatory, U-turn can give you momentum and hits M-Alakazam the hardest, Spikes can be used on predicted switches, and Low Kick hits Heatran and Tyranitar. The SpAtk EVs make sure Ice Beam OHKOs Kartana.

​

Minor Changes

HP Fire > Leech Seed | Spread Change: On M-Venusaur I suggest using HP Fire which helps alot against Kartana and M-Mawile. I also suggest using the standard EV spread which has enough SpDef to take on Greninja and some defense to help against aforementioned Kartana and M-Mawile, it also has speed EVs for M-Mawile.

Minor Spread changes: Lastly, on Heatran and Garchomp I suggest changing the EV spreads slightly. On Heatran, run 16 HP and 28 SpDef to take a Focus Blast from Magearna after switching into Stealth Rock. On Garchomp, run 156 Speed to outpace all Heatrans and beat non-Steelium variants.


~~~~


This team was really cool and fun to rate. M-Venusar is a rather unique pokemon that isnt seen too often, but considering how much it's able to check, from M-Mawile to Ash-Greninja to Kartana, it's a nice pick in the meta for sure.
I know I changed quite a bit of the team, but I hope you like these changes and continue to use it.

Below I'll leave the Importable along with a threatlist.
​

Threatlist

: Choice Specs Ash-Greninja can be somewhat threatening if hazards are up and M-Venusaur is chipped. Without Tapu Fini your dark resist is your own Greninja who is quite frail. M-Venusaur + Celesteela can check this mon if you don't let it evolve and your own Greninja can revenge-Kill with U-turn.

: As you mentioned, M-Swampert rain can be hard to beat if it's played well. You'll have to switch into either M-Venusaur or Celesteela on the STAB move they resist/are immune to. But getting a prediction wrong can force you to sack someone.

: Certain stall teams can be hard to break, especially if they have a Gliscor to force out Heatran. You'll have to play smart and patient to beat these teams. Garchomp will have to Dragon Tail a predicted M-Sableye a couple of times before you can get up rocks, and then you'll have to pressure their defogger.

Importable

Venusaur-Mega @ Venusaurite
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 248 HP / 88 Def / 156 SpD / 16 Spe
Calm Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Heatran @ Steelium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 16 HP / 212 SpA / 28 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flash Cannon
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt

Mew @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 240 HP / 52 Def / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Soft-Boiled
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam

Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 248 HP / 104 Def / 156 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower

Greninja @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Protean
EVs: 164 Atk / 92 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Ice Beam
- Rock Slide
- U-turn
- Low Kick/Spikes

Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 156 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Dragon Tail
- Stealth Rock

 

[PANTS7131]

Can't believe I just saw this. Thanks so much man, I'll definitely try out these changes once I've got some free time.