I've only started playing the Pokemon metagame recently, so this is my first OU team. I've tried a few variations with the team, and usually it either goes fails spectacularly after a certain point or does well enough to make people quit quickly. I'd just like some input on my team and maybe some advice on what to do with it. Note that some of the Ev's were done relatively quickly so a lot are just maxed out in a stat or two or just not played with much at all. The team is as follows:
Rotom-F: @Leftovers.
Levitate
255 speed Ev's, 255 SpA Ev's
Modest nature
Thunder
Shadow Ball
Rest
Sleep Talk
As far as moveset and items are concerned, I really like Rotom. He's very reliable aside from the occasional miss from thunder, and can usually take out a few opposing Pokemon before being KO'd. He's my opener and seems to do well in the position. Usually, he has problems with Gengar due to its speed but I don't think there's much to do about that.
Forretress: @Shed Shell.
Sturdy
255HP Ev's, 255 Defense Ev's
Impish Nature
Explosion
Toxic Spikes
Stealth Rock
Rapid Spin
I used to have an attack-based Feraligatr instead of this guy, but he really wasn't all that useful at all so I got Forretress. When he gets the chance to do his job, he's great. Explosion usually gets rid of an opponent so long as they aren't overly defensive or a ghost. Otherwise, I've wondered about whether or not he should have spikes or stealth rock. Stealth rock seems more efficient, especially in forcing the opponent to choose certain Pokemon in an effort to not have them take extra damage due to typing, but once I have both Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes on the field Forretress becomes kinda predictable. This lets the opponent bring in someone to block his explosion or I need to switch. With spikes I can randomly choose to stop stacking them should I feel the need to explode. It's a minor thought though.
Blissey: @Leftovers
Natural Cure
255 Defense Ev's, 255 SpD Ev's.
Calm Nature
Aromatherapy
Softboiled
Toxic
Seismic Toss
I don't think those defense Ev's are doing anything really. Maybe I should allocate some to HP and/or speed? Also, Seismic Toss used to be Ice Beam, and it only seems like a minor improvement. I'm thinking of replacing that or Toxic with Wish. Blissey doesn't usually get her chance to shine considering she's usually just in time for a physical attacker, but that's probably just bad judgement on my part.
Arcanine: @Life Orb.
Intimidate
255 Attack Ev's, 255 Speed Ev's.
Hasty Nature
Flare Blitz
Thunder Fang
Toxic
Extremespeed
Before I just checked his Ev's, I noticed they were really odd looking and changed them up. They were something like 113 attack, 87 Def, 55 SpD. Anyway, before changing them up Arcanine has been slightly useful. I dunno if he really needs that Toxic, but it can't hurt (unless it should be switched for Crunch or something.) At best, he can take out an opposing Pokemon or two before being Ko'd, but that's only if he's really lucky. At worst, he's dead in a single turn.
I like him a lot better than both Heatran and Infernape, the only two OU fire types. I really want to avoid using legendaries, even if they aren't Ubers, and I just don't like Infernape at all (or many of the 4th gen Pokemon design-wise, but that's another story entirely.) He at least has Extremespeed if his speed lets him down, but he's pretty much here to do as much as he can before his inevitable KO.
Metagross: @Choice Band.
Clear Body
252 HP Ev's, 236 Attack Ev's, 12 defense Ev's, 10 speed Ev's
Adamant Nature
Bullet Punch
Meteor Mash
Earthquake
Explosion
Metagross can deal damage really well with the current set-up, though I rarely use Bullet Punch and Earthquake. Bullet Punch has priority, but I usually either can't use it without switching out and in, or don't need it since he has full/near full HP and will kill his opposition in a single hit with Meteor Mash. I'm thinking it's almost like an unused slot, really. Earthquake just always seems risky due to flying-types switching in often and since Meteor Mash is also getting STAB it just seems like a better idea. Oddly enough, Metagross' Meteor Mash misses more often than Rotom's Thunder. I've thought about having Zen Headbutt or something since that gets STAB for a type he doesn't have the ability to attack with at the moment instead of Bullet Punch or maybe Earthquake. Explosion is nice since nothing it has hit has survived yet.
Machamp: @Focus Sash
No Guard.
85 HP Ev's, 255 Attack Ev's, 170 Speed Ev's
Adamant nature
Dynamicpunch
Thunder Punch
Payback
Sleep Talk
Machamp can usually KO one or two opposing Pokemon, and if not that at least takes out a good amount of their HP. The HP Ev's may be slightly less useful with that Focus Sash, but I like having that item since it lets him get at least one hit in. Dynamicpunch is there for obvious reasons. Payback lets him hit ghosts nicely. Thunder Punch is mostly there so I can hit water-types, and sometimes helps against foes like Gyarados. My team doesn't have many options for taking those out save for Rotom, who, since he is the opener, is usually KO'd by the time the foe takes out their water-type. Sleep Talk may seem odd, but I put it there since I was tired of being Spore'd to death. Machamp doesn't particularly need anything direly important as far as I know in that fourth slot anyway.
So, in short, I have a Rotom-f, Forretress, Blissey, Metagross, Arcanine and Machamp.
The team works very nicely in certain situations, but sometimes has problems with others. I think the biggest threat is Heatran, who is simply too prevalent in OU metagame to be ignored. Upon checking the sticky in this forum, I've noticed that I can usually adequately deal with every other threat with little to no fuss, except maybe Empoleon, who I've somehow managed to not encounter once yet to my memory. Any suggestions and comments are appreciated. Aside from the demeaning ones. Those aren't really appreciated at all. Thanks for any help. =)
Rotom-F: @Leftovers.
Levitate
255 speed Ev's, 255 SpA Ev's
Modest nature
Thunder
Shadow Ball
Rest
Sleep Talk
As far as moveset and items are concerned, I really like Rotom. He's very reliable aside from the occasional miss from thunder, and can usually take out a few opposing Pokemon before being KO'd. He's my opener and seems to do well in the position. Usually, he has problems with Gengar due to its speed but I don't think there's much to do about that.
Forretress: @Shed Shell.
Sturdy
255HP Ev's, 255 Defense Ev's
Impish Nature
Explosion
Toxic Spikes
Stealth Rock
Rapid Spin
I used to have an attack-based Feraligatr instead of this guy, but he really wasn't all that useful at all so I got Forretress. When he gets the chance to do his job, he's great. Explosion usually gets rid of an opponent so long as they aren't overly defensive or a ghost. Otherwise, I've wondered about whether or not he should have spikes or stealth rock. Stealth rock seems more efficient, especially in forcing the opponent to choose certain Pokemon in an effort to not have them take extra damage due to typing, but once I have both Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes on the field Forretress becomes kinda predictable. This lets the opponent bring in someone to block his explosion or I need to switch. With spikes I can randomly choose to stop stacking them should I feel the need to explode. It's a minor thought though.
Blissey: @Leftovers
Natural Cure
255 Defense Ev's, 255 SpD Ev's.
Calm Nature
Aromatherapy
Softboiled
Toxic
Seismic Toss
I don't think those defense Ev's are doing anything really. Maybe I should allocate some to HP and/or speed? Also, Seismic Toss used to be Ice Beam, and it only seems like a minor improvement. I'm thinking of replacing that or Toxic with Wish. Blissey doesn't usually get her chance to shine considering she's usually just in time for a physical attacker, but that's probably just bad judgement on my part.
Arcanine: @Life Orb.
Intimidate
255 Attack Ev's, 255 Speed Ev's.
Hasty Nature
Flare Blitz
Thunder Fang
Toxic
Extremespeed
Before I just checked his Ev's, I noticed they were really odd looking and changed them up. They were something like 113 attack, 87 Def, 55 SpD. Anyway, before changing them up Arcanine has been slightly useful. I dunno if he really needs that Toxic, but it can't hurt (unless it should be switched for Crunch or something.) At best, he can take out an opposing Pokemon or two before being Ko'd, but that's only if he's really lucky. At worst, he's dead in a single turn.
I like him a lot better than both Heatran and Infernape, the only two OU fire types. I really want to avoid using legendaries, even if they aren't Ubers, and I just don't like Infernape at all (or many of the 4th gen Pokemon design-wise, but that's another story entirely.) He at least has Extremespeed if his speed lets him down, but he's pretty much here to do as much as he can before his inevitable KO.
Metagross: @Choice Band.
Clear Body
252 HP Ev's, 236 Attack Ev's, 12 defense Ev's, 10 speed Ev's
Adamant Nature
Bullet Punch
Meteor Mash
Earthquake
Explosion
Metagross can deal damage really well with the current set-up, though I rarely use Bullet Punch and Earthquake. Bullet Punch has priority, but I usually either can't use it without switching out and in, or don't need it since he has full/near full HP and will kill his opposition in a single hit with Meteor Mash. I'm thinking it's almost like an unused slot, really. Earthquake just always seems risky due to flying-types switching in often and since Meteor Mash is also getting STAB it just seems like a better idea. Oddly enough, Metagross' Meteor Mash misses more often than Rotom's Thunder. I've thought about having Zen Headbutt or something since that gets STAB for a type he doesn't have the ability to attack with at the moment instead of Bullet Punch or maybe Earthquake. Explosion is nice since nothing it has hit has survived yet.
Machamp: @Focus Sash
No Guard.
85 HP Ev's, 255 Attack Ev's, 170 Speed Ev's
Adamant nature
Dynamicpunch
Thunder Punch
Payback
Sleep Talk
Machamp can usually KO one or two opposing Pokemon, and if not that at least takes out a good amount of their HP. The HP Ev's may be slightly less useful with that Focus Sash, but I like having that item since it lets him get at least one hit in. Dynamicpunch is there for obvious reasons. Payback lets him hit ghosts nicely. Thunder Punch is mostly there so I can hit water-types, and sometimes helps against foes like Gyarados. My team doesn't have many options for taking those out save for Rotom, who, since he is the opener, is usually KO'd by the time the foe takes out their water-type. Sleep Talk may seem odd, but I put it there since I was tired of being Spore'd to death. Machamp doesn't particularly need anything direly important as far as I know in that fourth slot anyway.
So, in short, I have a Rotom-f, Forretress, Blissey, Metagross, Arcanine and Machamp.
The team works very nicely in certain situations, but sometimes has problems with others. I think the biggest threat is Heatran, who is simply too prevalent in OU metagame to be ignored. Upon checking the sticky in this forum, I've noticed that I can usually adequately deal with every other threat with little to no fuss, except maybe Empoleon, who I've somehow managed to not encounter once yet to my memory. Any suggestions and comments are appreciated. Aside from the demeaning ones. Those aren't really appreciated at all. Thanks for any help. =)
