Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Teleport
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Thunder Wave
Xatu's job on this team is to provide antihazard/antistatus while also giving slow swaps to get more squishy mons in (specifically Dragapult). Teleport's -6 priority means that Xatu will always take the hit before pivoting, and this provides a greater chance for my breakers to do their job. The fact that your opponent cannot status Xatu, or put status down in its face makes for an excellent bait-and-switch type pivot, especially after a Mandibuzz pivot: Mandibuzz comes in on something it checks to get a free Defog on the swap, and then swaps/U-turns in Xatu when their hazard setter/stallbreaker (especially since Mandi is Toxic bait) tries to re-establish momentum, often getting a Seismitoad to Toxic itself, or lay Rocks for my team instead. The IVs are to prevent it from taking unnecessary damage from Foul Play or the uncommon confusion, and the EVs allow it to come in on more things it checks, such as only being 3HKOed by Excadrill's Iron Head or Ferro's Gyro Ball, and allow it to sometimes survive Scarfed Adamant Dracovish's Fishious Rend (if barely, though a Paralyzed Dracovish struggles to deal 80% to Xatu Banded, so proper prediction can help to mitigate this threat). The Rocky Helmet serves to chip out Pokemon that it swaps in on that lack recovery, such as the aforementioned Ferrothorn's Gyro Ball, or Excadrill's Iron Head. This set runs one offensive move, Heat Wave, to help to deal with problematic Steel Types, and to offer a slight check to any Ice types that might show up (though with Darmanitan gone, it's just the occasional Eiscue and Arctovish. Defensive Xatu forms a strong defensive pivoting core with Mandibuzz, though common weaknesses are worth looking out for (even if nobody runs Ice coverage).
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
- Rock Slide
Flygon's role is to be a lategame sweeper and early game offensive pivot. There's not a lot that Flygon can't scare out on the swap, especially before they know the set that you're running. With moves like Fire Blast, Outrage/Draco Meteor, Crunch, Thunder Punch, Fire Punch, and Superpower also being moves a Flygon could be running, your opponent will likely be forced to swap into something that can safely evaluate a Flygon. However, Scarf U-turn turns that safe move into momentum for your team, answering their Rotom-H with a Seismitoad and getting Rocks for free, for instance. Lategame, after those pesky Fairy Types have been removed, you can look to sweep with a move of your choice. The utter lack of Ice Types and Ice coverage (Ice Fang users aside) make this set safer than it would otherwise appear, and a great lategame choice (until Garchomp steals its spot again).
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Roost
- Defog
- U-turn
Mandibuzz is, in my opinion, the best all-around hazard removal provider in OU. Heavy-Duty Boots get Buzz in for free, and its job is simple: come in on something you check, collect your free Defog, and Turn back out. Knock Off allows you to keep momentum when they don't swap out, and removing Seismitoad's Leftovers to limit how often it can come in on your hazards can change a game by itself. Roost keeps Buzz healthy, and allows it to facetank more hits when swapping in. I prefer a SpDef invested Mandibuzz to form a clean defensive pivot-type core with Xatu, and with max SpDef, Buzz can survive absurd super effective hits and pivot to a check (this Mandibuzz lives max investment Modest Specs Sylveon's Hyper voice 56% of the time!)
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Toxic
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Calm Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect
Cleric Support! One major weakness of my team as a whole is that it lacks passive recovery, and many of them (especially Dragapult as we will see soon) will be worn down by excessive pivoting if Mandibuzz fails to properly address entry hazards. This is where Clefable comes in. Magic Guard means that it, like Xatu, doesn't care at all about switching in to status, and it can switch in on the aforementioned unremoved hazards without fear, and get a Wish going to let the team keep cycling. It's also tanky on both sides, which means it doesn't require a lot to be able to swap in on anything, and even if it does run into something it doesn't want to tank for too long, Xatu's slow swaps will provide an escort in a pinch. Moonblast prevents it from being Taunt bait, and can help score kills. Even with no investment, Moonblast always OHKOs Hydreigon (ofc), and will always 2HKO all but the tankiest (252 HP/252 SpDef gives an 80% chance) Grimmsnarl. Protect allows Clefable to scout, and to provide its own burst recovery with Wish+Protect. Now, you might be wondering "Why is rojo running so much status? 3 out of his first 5 Pokemon are running a status of some kind, when he could probably just run coverage in those slots." This is a valid concern, but I give status a lot of weight as it is one of my win conditions, thanks to my last Pokemon:
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- U-turn
- Hex
- Will-O-Wisp
- Draco Meteor
This is pretty common as a set, and I think it is the best way to run Drag. You can use it early game as a pivot, looking to force swaps, status the swap with your status of choice, and turn out before they can act. This supportive playstyle can allow for offensive mons to have an easier time hunting for KOs or setting up, and can allow defensive mons to ignore what would previously check them. Later on in the game, when any potential checks have been scouted/cleared, you can use Drag as a sweeper or a nuke. VoltTurn it in on a statused opponent, and Hex will do disgusting amounts of damage, scoring OHKOs on problematic mons like Dracovish (and a chance to OHKO Seismitoad if burned). On the swap after securing the KO, Drag has the unique privilege of being able to see if it can go for ANOTHER OHKO (with statused Hex or just Draco Meteor) because it can U-turn out, and it's so blindingly fast that it can do so ahead of many revenge killers. For Example, Timid Dragapult outspeeds Jolly Barraskewda (and OHKOs it anyway), non-scarf Jolly Dugtrio (also can OHKO) and Jolly Excadrill (which it can't OHKO unless it's statused). Being able to always go 2 for 1 with proper play (if not more with a well-timed U-Turn to save it for later) is a very powerful tool, and when used well Dragapult can carry games solo. Even the Pokemon that outspeed it can rarely threaten the OHKO in return, with the exception of Scarfed Haxorus' Outrage/Scarf Flygon's Outrage (and sometimes Dragon Claw)/Scarf Hydreigon's Dark Pulse or Draco Meteor (as far as I know). The only real weakness of this set is that using life orb means that you will slowly take chip damage pivoting in and out, *especially* if you lack proper hazard removal on your team. Drag requires hazards to be removed for it to do it's job, and it would also greatly appreciate cleric support. A slow swap to bring it in safely also doesn't hurt. For this reason, I like to run a core of Dragapult + Mandibuzz with Clefable support. This core almost guarantees status will spread for free, and you have all three major statuses to pick form (Twave on Clef, Wisp on Drag, and Tox on Buzz). It's a pretty good balanced core (though the rest of your team will have to have an answer for Fairy Types like other Clefable, and the occasional Flying Type move from a Gyarados).
Thank you for rating my set! I appreciate any constructive criticism you can provide. I'm not the highest on the ladder (peaking at ~1300 rn but I'm still kinda new) and looking to improve.