I am looking for some advices as I just restarted playing. I tried to build a team for this new gen, but I had to battle a lot to know the new meta and starting to remember powers and abilities changed in the meantime.
My first real OU chance was this one. After a while, I started winning, but I feel like the team is still unbalanced and misses something, for sure a viable spinner/defogger, even if I feel like it is not mandatory like in the past.
Main strategy is to "open the field" for the two main special sweepers, AshGreninja and Pheromosa, possibly with rock assistance. After a boost and with Focus blast, Pheromosa has chances to Ohko even Chansey, being my most common wincon.
*** After some changes, the team improved a lot, making me laddering. After some training with the meta, I was able to deal with some of the most usual threat, such as Tapu Fini, Chansey and MegaZardY ***
Tapu Lele @ Twisted Spoon
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Taunt
Perfect partner for Pheromosa for its ability, it does its work very well, sometimes even avoiding attacking and just providing priority immunity. Good in every 1 vs. 1 with other Tapus and winning a lot of "terrain war", I changed with twisted spoon its item. As my team struggles to find good switch-ins to ZardY, my best answer is to sacrifice Lele in order to deal massive damage with Psyshock, by far its best move. Main point remains priority immunity.
Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Earhquake
- Ice Punch
One of the best mega, one of the most used in this gen, as I see. Added EQ as move instead of Hammer Arm to face better mirror matches. Being a steel type, it is also one of my best defensive answers to Tapus. Extremely weak to Greninjas, force switch to Ferro. Meteor Mash is its mandatory move, as it helps with some prediction to take out Tapu Fini (best defogger this gen), keeping rocks and spikes on the field.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 248 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Thunder Wave
- Gyro Ball
Mixed wall, stellar against physical threat, maybe leaves my team a bit weak to fire, but serve very well its role, being able even to avoid a Celesteela sweep by seeding it, and being on the same time perfect check to unboosted Pheromosa, pre-Battle Bond Greninja, Landorus-T and a lot of common threats in Ou.
If I catch the right moment, it is also the spiker, adding extra-damage every switch and making Greninja and Phermosa set-up easier. Still wondering if Thunder Wave is still that useful.
Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Extrasensory
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
(When I started, I thought it was about to be my favourite this gen; i liked from the very first moment I saw it as a starter past gen, and I was really happy it gained this boost now).
I still choose Extrasensory instead of the U-turn to try to deal also with toxapex after Battle bond is activated, sometimes predicting switches. Faster than almost anything, good priority user when there's not psychic terrain on field, it Ohko Lando-T and opposing Pheromosa, being able to both wallbreaking or clear the field. After adding Ferro on the team, it begun my perfect late-game sweeper. Dark Pulse OHKO MegaMetagross, givin best chances for Pheromosa to swweep later without a priority user.
Landorus-Therian @ Rockium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
Very useful, and that's why a lot of people uses it now. Intimidate user, Jolly nature to be quicker, it is also by rock setter; Rock Z-Move deals a lot of damage to other Landos, OhKo Pelipper avoiding condition for Kingdra to destroy my team. With SD it is more threatening, as it become able to check both Tapu Fini and Ferrothorn. It is slower than MMetagross that easily kills it with Ice Punch. Standard set I guess.
Pheromosa @ Focus Sash
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Focus Blast
- Ice Beam
Star of the team as predictable, I decided to use it to replace my first idea: Xurkitree. With a Sash and as quiver dance user, 9/10 gives the last shot to opposing team, expecially after having ko prioity users (or with psychic terrain) and possible scarfers. With Focus Blast it OHKO even Chansey after a boost with rock damage.
Apparently illegal in the tier, you have to be kinda smart to use it in the right moment and end the match, avoiding priority users. Sometimes useful even to stallbreak.
My first real OU chance was this one. After a while, I started winning, but I feel like the team is still unbalanced and misses something, for sure a viable spinner/defogger, even if I feel like it is not mandatory like in the past.
Main strategy is to "open the field" for the two main special sweepers, AshGreninja and Pheromosa, possibly with rock assistance. After a boost and with Focus blast, Pheromosa has chances to Ohko even Chansey, being my most common wincon.
*** After some changes, the team improved a lot, making me laddering. After some training with the meta, I was able to deal with some of the most usual threat, such as Tapu Fini, Chansey and MegaZardY ***
Tapu Lele @ Twisted Spoon
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Taunt
Perfect partner for Pheromosa for its ability, it does its work very well, sometimes even avoiding attacking and just providing priority immunity. Good in every 1 vs. 1 with other Tapus and winning a lot of "terrain war", I changed with twisted spoon its item. As my team struggles to find good switch-ins to ZardY, my best answer is to sacrifice Lele in order to deal massive damage with Psyshock, by far its best move. Main point remains priority immunity.
Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Earhquake
- Ice Punch
One of the best mega, one of the most used in this gen, as I see. Added EQ as move instead of Hammer Arm to face better mirror matches. Being a steel type, it is also one of my best defensive answers to Tapus. Extremely weak to Greninjas, force switch to Ferro. Meteor Mash is its mandatory move, as it helps with some prediction to take out Tapu Fini (best defogger this gen), keeping rocks and spikes on the field.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 248 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Thunder Wave
- Gyro Ball
Mixed wall, stellar against physical threat, maybe leaves my team a bit weak to fire, but serve very well its role, being able even to avoid a Celesteela sweep by seeding it, and being on the same time perfect check to unboosted Pheromosa, pre-Battle Bond Greninja, Landorus-T and a lot of common threats in Ou.
If I catch the right moment, it is also the spiker, adding extra-damage every switch and making Greninja and Phermosa set-up easier. Still wondering if Thunder Wave is still that useful.
Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Extrasensory
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
(When I started, I thought it was about to be my favourite this gen; i liked from the very first moment I saw it as a starter past gen, and I was really happy it gained this boost now).
I still choose Extrasensory instead of the U-turn to try to deal also with toxapex after Battle bond is activated, sometimes predicting switches. Faster than almost anything, good priority user when there's not psychic terrain on field, it Ohko Lando-T and opposing Pheromosa, being able to both wallbreaking or clear the field. After adding Ferro on the team, it begun my perfect late-game sweeper. Dark Pulse OHKO MegaMetagross, givin best chances for Pheromosa to swweep later without a priority user.
Landorus-Therian @ Rockium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
Very useful, and that's why a lot of people uses it now. Intimidate user, Jolly nature to be quicker, it is also by rock setter; Rock Z-Move deals a lot of damage to other Landos, OhKo Pelipper avoiding condition for Kingdra to destroy my team. With SD it is more threatening, as it become able to check both Tapu Fini and Ferrothorn. It is slower than MMetagross that easily kills it with Ice Punch. Standard set I guess.
Pheromosa @ Focus Sash
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Focus Blast
- Ice Beam
Star of the team as predictable, I decided to use it to replace my first idea: Xurkitree. With a Sash and as quiver dance user, 9/10 gives the last shot to opposing team, expecially after having ko prioity users (or with psychic terrain) and possible scarfers. With Focus Blast it OHKO even Chansey after a boost with rock damage.
Apparently illegal in the tier, you have to be kinda smart to use it in the right moment and end the match, avoiding priority users. Sometimes useful even to stallbreak.
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