Hi y'all,
After taking a long hiatus from OU because I didn't like the way weather was shaping the metagame, I have returned with my try-hard pants on. I decided to combat these weather shenanigans with rain of my own. My team is based around bulky support Dragonite, entry hazards, and eventually a DD Gyarados sweep. Rate this team?
Defensive Core:
Politoed @Leftovers
Ability: Drizzle
Nature: Bold (+Def, -Att)
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
- Scald
- Protect
- Perish Song
- Ice Beam
Every rain team needs a toed. Mine is defensive, providing it with optimal survivability. Scald is there for obvious reasons, and Ice Beam is there to punish Gliscor and Landorus, or any Dragon that attempts to switch into it. Perish Song and Protect are there to stop any boosters from setting up too much while I get my hazards up.
Ferrothorn @Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
Nature: Sassy (+SpD, -Spe)
EVs: 252 HP / 72 Def / 186 SpD/ 0 Spe IVs
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Gyro Ball
Only Jirachi is more annoying than Ferrothorn in the rain. Without that pesky 4x weakness to fire, Ferro finds plenty of opportunities to switch in and set up Spikes. Protect is to scout choice locked pokes, and if they predict a switch it often means a free layer of Spikes. Leech Seed is for recovery and forcing switches, and Gyro Ball is there so I'm not completely shut down by Taunt or Magic Bounce.
Donphan @Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
Nature: Impish (+Def, -SpA)
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Att
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
Because neither my Dragonite nor my Gyarados particularly enjoy rocks damage, I decided it was a good idea to include a spinner on the team. Donphan fills this role spectacularly, and as an added bonus, sets up rocks and can use roar to phaze out boosters.
Dragonite @Leftovers
Ability: Multiscale
Nature: Careful (+SpD, -SpA)
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def
- Substitute
- Roost
- Dragon Tail
- Thunder Wave
After my hazards are set up this guy is a real nightmare. He's bulky as hell, and with multiscale can easily take even ice type moves and phaze the opponent out to take more hazards damage, or use T-wave to slow them down for my sweepers. I use this Dnite to get as much damage as possible on the opponent's pokes before sending in my sweepers at the end of the match.
My defensive core has extremely good synergy, particularly Dragonite / Ferrothorn / Toed. They all cover each others' weaknesses well, which provides them with plenty of opportunities to set up hazards or phaze the opponent. Having phazing or pseudo-phazing moves on all 4 helps as well, since I cannot afford to let opponents set up as I do the same. It also helps entry hazards damage rack up. Some trainers have so much trouble breaking this sturdy core that they don't even get the chance to see my sweepers.
Sweepers:
Genesect @Choice Scarf
Ability: Download
Nature: Naive (+Spe, -SpD)
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 Att
- U-turn
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower
- Thunder
This was originally a scarfed Thunderus-T with STAB Thunder to abuse the rain, but I had so much trouble with Ferrothorn (Focus Miss pissed me off too much) that I decided to switch him with Genesect. Genesect switches in on standard Ferro and gets a SpA boost, threatening him out with Flamethrower even in the rain. Moreover, if Spikes and Stealth rocks are up, Ferro can't afford to keep switching in and out.
Choice scarfed Genesect is Choice scarfed Genesect. He's incredibly hard to play around without protect, and is a very efficient scout for my team. He does work as a late game sweeper, but I prefer to use him as a scout and a Ferrothorn check.
Gyarados @Lum Berry
Ability: Moxie
Nature: Jolly (+ Spe, - SpA)
EVs: 252 Att / 252 Spe / 4 Def
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
This is the poke that my team is based around. Gyarados likes to switch in on a weakened foe, like Latios after a Draco Meteor, and set up a Dragon Dance. Pokes choice locked into not very effective moves are good set-up fodder as well. Running Perish song on my toed has given him a free turn to set up many times. He can also set up in the faces of slower pokes that will most likely try and status him, due to his having Lum Berry. I was originally running Life Orb offensive DD Gyarados, but did not like the recoil damage or the fact that he was completely shut down by any status. I run a Jolly nature because in the rain after a DD, Waterfall hits hard enough, and I run Moxie to gain attack boosts after picking off enemies weakened by entry hazards. Running a Jolly nature also allows me to outspeed Timid Jolteon after a DD.
So here's this semi-stall team based around Offensive DD Gyarados sweeping. Any suggestions to improve my team's synergy, or bringing up anything in particular that is a problem for my team would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading everyone!
-Wilhelm Vanderkunt
After taking a long hiatus from OU because I didn't like the way weather was shaping the metagame, I have returned with my try-hard pants on. I decided to combat these weather shenanigans with rain of my own. My team is based around bulky support Dragonite, entry hazards, and eventually a DD Gyarados sweep. Rate this team?
Defensive Core:
Politoed @Leftovers
Ability: Drizzle
Nature: Bold (+Def, -Att)
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
- Scald
- Protect
- Perish Song
- Ice Beam
Every rain team needs a toed. Mine is defensive, providing it with optimal survivability. Scald is there for obvious reasons, and Ice Beam is there to punish Gliscor and Landorus, or any Dragon that attempts to switch into it. Perish Song and Protect are there to stop any boosters from setting up too much while I get my hazards up.
Ferrothorn @Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
Nature: Sassy (+SpD, -Spe)
EVs: 252 HP / 72 Def / 186 SpD/ 0 Spe IVs
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Gyro Ball
Only Jirachi is more annoying than Ferrothorn in the rain. Without that pesky 4x weakness to fire, Ferro finds plenty of opportunities to switch in and set up Spikes. Protect is to scout choice locked pokes, and if they predict a switch it often means a free layer of Spikes. Leech Seed is for recovery and forcing switches, and Gyro Ball is there so I'm not completely shut down by Taunt or Magic Bounce.
Donphan @Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
Nature: Impish (+Def, -SpA)
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Att
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
Because neither my Dragonite nor my Gyarados particularly enjoy rocks damage, I decided it was a good idea to include a spinner on the team. Donphan fills this role spectacularly, and as an added bonus, sets up rocks and can use roar to phaze out boosters.
Dragonite @Leftovers
Ability: Multiscale
Nature: Careful (+SpD, -SpA)
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def
- Substitute
- Roost
- Dragon Tail
- Thunder Wave
After my hazards are set up this guy is a real nightmare. He's bulky as hell, and with multiscale can easily take even ice type moves and phaze the opponent out to take more hazards damage, or use T-wave to slow them down for my sweepers. I use this Dnite to get as much damage as possible on the opponent's pokes before sending in my sweepers at the end of the match.
My defensive core has extremely good synergy, particularly Dragonite / Ferrothorn / Toed. They all cover each others' weaknesses well, which provides them with plenty of opportunities to set up hazards or phaze the opponent. Having phazing or pseudo-phazing moves on all 4 helps as well, since I cannot afford to let opponents set up as I do the same. It also helps entry hazards damage rack up. Some trainers have so much trouble breaking this sturdy core that they don't even get the chance to see my sweepers.
Sweepers:
Genesect @Choice Scarf
Ability: Download
Nature: Naive (+Spe, -SpD)
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 Att
- U-turn
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower
- Thunder
This was originally a scarfed Thunderus-T with STAB Thunder to abuse the rain, but I had so much trouble with Ferrothorn (Focus Miss pissed me off too much) that I decided to switch him with Genesect. Genesect switches in on standard Ferro and gets a SpA boost, threatening him out with Flamethrower even in the rain. Moreover, if Spikes and Stealth rocks are up, Ferro can't afford to keep switching in and out.
Choice scarfed Genesect is Choice scarfed Genesect. He's incredibly hard to play around without protect, and is a very efficient scout for my team. He does work as a late game sweeper, but I prefer to use him as a scout and a Ferrothorn check.
Gyarados @Lum Berry
Ability: Moxie
Nature: Jolly (+ Spe, - SpA)
EVs: 252 Att / 252 Spe / 4 Def
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
This is the poke that my team is based around. Gyarados likes to switch in on a weakened foe, like Latios after a Draco Meteor, and set up a Dragon Dance. Pokes choice locked into not very effective moves are good set-up fodder as well. Running Perish song on my toed has given him a free turn to set up many times. He can also set up in the faces of slower pokes that will most likely try and status him, due to his having Lum Berry. I was originally running Life Orb offensive DD Gyarados, but did not like the recoil damage or the fact that he was completely shut down by any status. I run a Jolly nature because in the rain after a DD, Waterfall hits hard enough, and I run Moxie to gain attack boosts after picking off enemies weakened by entry hazards. Running a Jolly nature also allows me to outspeed Timid Jolteon after a DD.
So here's this semi-stall team based around Offensive DD Gyarados sweeping. Any suggestions to improve my team's synergy, or bringing up anything in particular that is a problem for my team would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading everyone!
-Wilhelm Vanderkunt