At a glance:
I've gotten over my rage against OU and have submitted to the meta. As long as I don't take it personally, it's pretty fun to play in. I don't know if I can go back to my old BL team now, even though after a few modifications it turned out okay too.
The team focuses on scouting for potential threats and acting accordingly so that either Skymin or Heracross can achieve a clean sweep. Its decent resistances and 4 key immunities are important for arranging favorable matchups and eliminating anything that could stand in the way of my sweepers. Heracross was chosen as the physical sweeper for its ability to absorb Thunder Wave and Toxic to Power-Up its offense, creating an immediately dangerous threat. Skymin was selected because it's powerful STAB Seed Flare is really shaking up the metagame right now, and I want to take advantage of that. Both can threaten teams without much setup, allowing the team to function flexibly.
Donphan (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP/6 Atk/252 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
My replacement for Torterra. It's not as weak to Ice Beam as it's predecessor, and can revenge-kill dragons for me, freeing up Vaporeon's Ice Beam. Despite this, I don't get to setup Stealth Rock that often, but it helps whenever I can. And blowing away my opponent's field hazards makes it more safe for my sweepers to come in and do their thing. A welcome addition to the team.
Rotom-h @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/144 Spd/112 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Discharge
- Overheat
- Shadow Ball
- Reflect/Light Screen
An extra check against steel types goes a long way in Platinum. Reflect is really coming through for this team right now, but Light Screen might be more useful in the long term, especially against Salamence - I'm just not certain yet. Discharge gets the nod over Thunder Wave for doing STAB damage to Heatran and potentially paralyzing it simultaneous. It blocks opposing Rapid Spin, which makes it essential to this team.
Heatran (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 20 HP/236 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Explosion
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Keeping my key sweepers from getting burned is just so important, since they share that weakness in common. Heatran does it so well there's just no excuse for me not to run one. The boost it gets from fire attacks also makes it an even stronger check against my opponent's fire-weak sweepers so they don't get in the way. With Scarf, it can decently revenge-kill threats like Scizor so that I can go to town with the rest of their team.
Vaporeon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 188 HP/252 Def/68 SAtk
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Wish
- Surf
- Roar
- Hidden Power [Electric]
Typically my first switch-in from Donphan to absorb Ice/Water. Cushions attacks with great efficiency, and with Stealth Rock damage Roar becomes really potent. With HP Electric, fellow waters types can no longer come in on it and setup, specifically Gyarados and Suicune. They'd be phazed anyways, but it helps when they're the last pokemon. Being able to juggle its attack moves and support options while taking minimum damage takes a bit of skill to get right, but the payoffs are huge. I no longer have to guess what my opponent might use against me, which makes pinpointing key threats to my sweepers easier. And with her decent Special Attack, she can make a pretty good sweeper herself if the need arises (such as, if Heatran's dragged in haphazardly)
Shaymin-s @ Life Orb
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 32 HP/224 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Air Slash
- Earth Power
- Seed Flare
- Substitute
Skymin's just the popular thing to use right now. I'd use Shaymin-L if it didn't require Choice Scarf to be of any real use to me, especially since it's not as vulnerable to Stealth Rock as this thing is and can Natural Cure-Rest for re-usability. I've been overly cautious with Substitute, and as a result of it and Life Orb recoil I haven't been getting many K.Os. However, Serene Grace LO Seed Flare does serious damage when I can land a blow successfully, and cannot be underestimated. I usually end matches by flinch-haxing my opponent's remaining pokemon to death, and even the pokemon that resist it are pretty badly bruised.
Heracross (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Guts
EVs: 104 HP/252 Atk/152 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
The physical powerhouse of the group. I try to save him for last, but I won't hesistate to get a strong attack in if I absolutely have to. Megahorn just hits that hard. There's no surprizes with this guy, but since all of its attacks are deadly, there doesn't need to be - I just need to predict well and the damage speaks for itself. Being able to keep Stealth Rocks on the field is what really makes it work, affording me a few mispredictions. Vaporeon's Roar especially helps, as it allows me to catch Dugtrio and some other Aerial Ace'ers and prevent any rude revenge-killing from them.
The vulnerabilities of this team have been reduced, but it can still be stalled out of power against a well-prepared stall team using Hail or Sandstorm if Heatran is ever taken out. Skymin could be swapped with a bulkier special sweeper if affordable, which would eliminate pressure to keep Stealth Rock on the field (as well as pressure to keep Heatran alive to absorb fire).
I've gotten over my rage against OU and have submitted to the meta. As long as I don't take it personally, it's pretty fun to play in. I don't know if I can go back to my old BL team now, even though after a few modifications it turned out okay too.
The team focuses on scouting for potential threats and acting accordingly so that either Skymin or Heracross can achieve a clean sweep. Its decent resistances and 4 key immunities are important for arranging favorable matchups and eliminating anything that could stand in the way of my sweepers. Heracross was chosen as the physical sweeper for its ability to absorb Thunder Wave and Toxic to Power-Up its offense, creating an immediately dangerous threat. Skymin was selected because it's powerful STAB Seed Flare is really shaking up the metagame right now, and I want to take advantage of that. Both can threaten teams without much setup, allowing the team to function flexibly.
Donphan (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP/6 Atk/252 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
My replacement for Torterra. It's not as weak to Ice Beam as it's predecessor, and can revenge-kill dragons for me, freeing up Vaporeon's Ice Beam. Despite this, I don't get to setup Stealth Rock that often, but it helps whenever I can. And blowing away my opponent's field hazards makes it more safe for my sweepers to come in and do their thing. A welcome addition to the team.
Rotom-h @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/144 Spd/112 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Discharge
- Overheat
- Shadow Ball
- Reflect/Light Screen
An extra check against steel types goes a long way in Platinum. Reflect is really coming through for this team right now, but Light Screen might be more useful in the long term, especially against Salamence - I'm just not certain yet. Discharge gets the nod over Thunder Wave for doing STAB damage to Heatran and potentially paralyzing it simultaneous. It blocks opposing Rapid Spin, which makes it essential to this team.
Heatran (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 20 HP/236 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Explosion
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Keeping my key sweepers from getting burned is just so important, since they share that weakness in common. Heatran does it so well there's just no excuse for me not to run one. The boost it gets from fire attacks also makes it an even stronger check against my opponent's fire-weak sweepers so they don't get in the way. With Scarf, it can decently revenge-kill threats like Scizor so that I can go to town with the rest of their team.
Vaporeon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 188 HP/252 Def/68 SAtk
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Wish
- Surf
- Roar
- Hidden Power [Electric]
Typically my first switch-in from Donphan to absorb Ice/Water. Cushions attacks with great efficiency, and with Stealth Rock damage Roar becomes really potent. With HP Electric, fellow waters types can no longer come in on it and setup, specifically Gyarados and Suicune. They'd be phazed anyways, but it helps when they're the last pokemon. Being able to juggle its attack moves and support options while taking minimum damage takes a bit of skill to get right, but the payoffs are huge. I no longer have to guess what my opponent might use against me, which makes pinpointing key threats to my sweepers easier. And with her decent Special Attack, she can make a pretty good sweeper herself if the need arises (such as, if Heatran's dragged in haphazardly)
Shaymin-s @ Life Orb
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 32 HP/224 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Air Slash
- Earth Power
- Seed Flare
- Substitute
Skymin's just the popular thing to use right now. I'd use Shaymin-L if it didn't require Choice Scarf to be of any real use to me, especially since it's not as vulnerable to Stealth Rock as this thing is and can Natural Cure-Rest for re-usability. I've been overly cautious with Substitute, and as a result of it and Life Orb recoil I haven't been getting many K.Os. However, Serene Grace LO Seed Flare does serious damage when I can land a blow successfully, and cannot be underestimated. I usually end matches by flinch-haxing my opponent's remaining pokemon to death, and even the pokemon that resist it are pretty badly bruised.
Heracross (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Guts
EVs: 104 HP/252 Atk/152 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
The physical powerhouse of the group. I try to save him for last, but I won't hesistate to get a strong attack in if I absolutely have to. Megahorn just hits that hard. There's no surprizes with this guy, but since all of its attacks are deadly, there doesn't need to be - I just need to predict well and the damage speaks for itself. Being able to keep Stealth Rocks on the field is what really makes it work, affording me a few mispredictions. Vaporeon's Roar especially helps, as it allows me to catch Dugtrio and some other Aerial Ace'ers and prevent any rude revenge-killing from them.
The vulnerabilities of this team have been reduced, but it can still be stalled out of power against a well-prepared stall team using Hail or Sandstorm if Heatran is ever taken out. Skymin could be swapped with a bulkier special sweeper if affordable, which would eliminate pressure to keep Stealth Rock on the field (as well as pressure to keep Heatran alive to absorb fire).