...which is probably why this one should have one xD
I was getting bored with my last team, so I tried to change it up. The changes applied to that team did nothing to kill the boredom, but did please me so much I decided to make a new team and use them (most notably kingdra and subpetaya empoleon).
I don't mean to sound arrogant, but I haven't been able to detect a specific pokemon or combination that could be called the nemesis of this team. I'm sure there are some, which is where you guys come in. I have spotted a few more generic problems, detailed throughout the analysis and in the last paragraph.
Machamp @ Lum Berry
Adamant - No Guard
252 HP/160 Atk/ 96 Sp.Def
Ice Punch
DynamicPunch
Bullet Punch
ThunderPunch
My version of lead Machamp. I know this looks nothing like a lead, but it works amazingly well. EVs are just like the ones on the standard Anti-lead, as they suit my purposes.
DPunch's 100% confusion is an amazing asset to dealing with bulky leads, who switch or risk giving me free turns, and DPunch+Bullet Punch eliminates most, if not all, quicker, frailer leads.
Ice Punch and TPunch work as alternatives to taking out bigger chunks of guys like Hippowdon and Gyara, and they work very well especially because this guy usually doesn't die in the first few turns and come back later and cause more havoc.
I used Sub up until a few days, but I didn't actually get much use out of it, so I switched to T-Punch, which has been working wonders, especially against Bulky freakin' Gyaras.
Lum Berry spells ruin for anyone who tries to sleep me or otherwise.
Kingdra @ Life Orb
Lonely - Swift Swim
252 Atk/240 SpAtk/16 Spe
Draco Meteor
Rain Dance
Waterfall
Hydro Pump
In the aforementioned other team I used to run a MixMence here. Then I came across Kingdra.
This thing is amazing. Kingdra's 4x resistance to Fire and good defenses, combined with the fact that not many pokes enjoy a STAB Draco Meteor gives Kingdra a lot of chances to Rain Dance on the switch and proceed to sweep. With Heatran running rampant, this becomes even more pronounced, especially against choiced variants.
Gallade @ Lum Berry
Adamant - Steadfast
64 HP / 252 Atk / 192 Spe
Swords Dance
Close Combat
Ice Punch
Shadow Sneak
I, just like everyone else and their dogs, used to run Scizor here. I decided to give it a spin and wound up with Gallade, which has been working amazingly well.
An SD'd Close combat from Gallade is no joke. Ice Punch helps me out by dealing with dragons, and coupled with Gallade's 125 base SpDef, it provides an instant check to Zapdos, who I hate with all my energies.
Shadow Sneak is no STAB BPunch, but is still great for picking off stuff, and does a lot of damage after SD, being actually usable even when not just finishing off.
Empoleon - Petaya Berry
Modest - Torrent
12 HP / 252 SpA / 12 SpD / 232 Spe
Ice Beam
Surf
Agility
Substitute
Standard fare SubPetaya Empoleon.
This is by far one of the most underestimated special sweepers in OU. Its great defenses and resistances match well with Gallade's own defenses and resistances to create a pretty versatile sweeping duo. It can also benefit from Kingdra's rain.
Porygon-2 @ Leftovers
Bold - Trace
252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpA
ThunderBolt
Recover
Ice Beam
Toxic
Pory2 is an amazing pokemon, and gives me guaranteed checks against Heatran, Vappy, Jolt and many other threats.
Gallade could certainly use Para support, but I find Toxic to be more effective, especially against bulky waters and defensive setuppers (will go into more detail).
Gliscor @ Leftovers
Impish - Hyper Cutter
252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spe
Earthquake
Roost
Aerial Ace
Stealth Rock / Taunt
Gliscor is my dedicated physical wall, and has been working really nice.
Aerial Ace so flying types don't ruin me completely.
The fourth moveslot is what I'm really having trouble with. SR support is nice, but short of Pory2 using Toxic, there's little I can do against defensive setuppers, which is where Taunt is of great help. I don't see a viable solution without some change-up in the poke lineup.
Gliscor was also chosen thanks to ground immunity, since EQ screws Empoleon pretty bad.
A few issued I've noted:
The defensive setupping thing. Pory2 screws the like of Suicune, but if he's dead and Cune manages to get a couple CMs off, I'm toast without something along the lines of Roar/ Whirwind.
No one on my team is very fast, which means that if someone like Empoleon, Machamp or Gallade are down to like 10-%, and my opponent has rocks up, and the opposing pokemon is faster, they're dead. They'll die now, or to rocks later, thanks to the lack of a spinner.
The only form of status absorbing I have is switching to Gallade or Champ, who have Lum Berry.
I have two Lum Berries, which might infract Item Clause for some people.
Writing the first two items have made me think of Donphan, although he's still worthless against Suicune. I'll be testing him immediately. Any thoughts?
Thanks a lot!
I was getting bored with my last team, so I tried to change it up. The changes applied to that team did nothing to kill the boredom, but did please me so much I decided to make a new team and use them (most notably kingdra and subpetaya empoleon).
I don't mean to sound arrogant, but I haven't been able to detect a specific pokemon or combination that could be called the nemesis of this team. I'm sure there are some, which is where you guys come in. I have spotted a few more generic problems, detailed throughout the analysis and in the last paragraph.
Machamp @ Lum Berry
Adamant - No Guard
252 HP/160 Atk/ 96 Sp.Def
Ice Punch
DynamicPunch
Bullet Punch
ThunderPunch
My version of lead Machamp. I know this looks nothing like a lead, but it works amazingly well. EVs are just like the ones on the standard Anti-lead, as they suit my purposes.
DPunch's 100% confusion is an amazing asset to dealing with bulky leads, who switch or risk giving me free turns, and DPunch+Bullet Punch eliminates most, if not all, quicker, frailer leads.
Ice Punch and TPunch work as alternatives to taking out bigger chunks of guys like Hippowdon and Gyara, and they work very well especially because this guy usually doesn't die in the first few turns and come back later and cause more havoc.
I used Sub up until a few days, but I didn't actually get much use out of it, so I switched to T-Punch, which has been working wonders, especially against Bulky freakin' Gyaras.
Lum Berry spells ruin for anyone who tries to sleep me or otherwise.
Kingdra @ Life Orb
Lonely - Swift Swim
252 Atk/240 SpAtk/16 Spe
Draco Meteor
Rain Dance
Waterfall
Hydro Pump
In the aforementioned other team I used to run a MixMence here. Then I came across Kingdra.
This thing is amazing. Kingdra's 4x resistance to Fire and good defenses, combined with the fact that not many pokes enjoy a STAB Draco Meteor gives Kingdra a lot of chances to Rain Dance on the switch and proceed to sweep. With Heatran running rampant, this becomes even more pronounced, especially against choiced variants.
Gallade @ Lum Berry
Adamant - Steadfast
64 HP / 252 Atk / 192 Spe
Swords Dance
Close Combat
Ice Punch
Shadow Sneak
I, just like everyone else and their dogs, used to run Scizor here. I decided to give it a spin and wound up with Gallade, which has been working amazingly well.
An SD'd Close combat from Gallade is no joke. Ice Punch helps me out by dealing with dragons, and coupled with Gallade's 125 base SpDef, it provides an instant check to Zapdos, who I hate with all my energies.
Shadow Sneak is no STAB BPunch, but is still great for picking off stuff, and does a lot of damage after SD, being actually usable even when not just finishing off.
Empoleon - Petaya Berry
Modest - Torrent
12 HP / 252 SpA / 12 SpD / 232 Spe
Ice Beam
Surf
Agility
Substitute
Standard fare SubPetaya Empoleon.
This is by far one of the most underestimated special sweepers in OU. Its great defenses and resistances match well with Gallade's own defenses and resistances to create a pretty versatile sweeping duo. It can also benefit from Kingdra's rain.
Porygon-2 @ Leftovers
Bold - Trace
252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpA
ThunderBolt
Recover
Ice Beam
Toxic
Pory2 is an amazing pokemon, and gives me guaranteed checks against Heatran, Vappy, Jolt and many other threats.
Gallade could certainly use Para support, but I find Toxic to be more effective, especially against bulky waters and defensive setuppers (will go into more detail).
Gliscor @ Leftovers
Impish - Hyper Cutter
252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spe
Earthquake
Roost
Aerial Ace
Stealth Rock / Taunt
Gliscor is my dedicated physical wall, and has been working really nice.
Aerial Ace so flying types don't ruin me completely.
The fourth moveslot is what I'm really having trouble with. SR support is nice, but short of Pory2 using Toxic, there's little I can do against defensive setuppers, which is where Taunt is of great help. I don't see a viable solution without some change-up in the poke lineup.
Gliscor was also chosen thanks to ground immunity, since EQ screws Empoleon pretty bad.
A few issued I've noted:
The defensive setupping thing. Pory2 screws the like of Suicune, but if he's dead and Cune manages to get a couple CMs off, I'm toast without something along the lines of Roar/ Whirwind.
No one on my team is very fast, which means that if someone like Empoleon, Machamp or Gallade are down to like 10-%, and my opponent has rocks up, and the opposing pokemon is faster, they're dead. They'll die now, or to rocks later, thanks to the lack of a spinner.
The only form of status absorbing I have is switching to Gallade or Champ, who have Lum Berry.
I have two Lum Berries, which might infract Item Clause for some people.
Writing the first two items have made me think of Donphan, although he's still worthless against Suicune. I'll be testing him immediately. Any thoughts?
Thanks a lot!
