Peaked 1900 Gravity Lando-I Team

[Porce]

This is a team I made around gravity Landorus-I (a set I fell in love with) the other day, and I've had good success with it, peaking at 1900:

However, as is my usual pattern, whenever I get success with a team I plummet in rating immediately after. I want to fix this pattern so I'm trying to find some improvement for the team, basically.

Landorus-I w/ Life Orb

Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 speed 252 SpA timid
Moves:
Gravity
Earth Power
Psychic
Focus Blast


This is the set I built my team around, because I love the potential checks and counters like Skarmory and Rotom that it can beat. The EVS are just typical fast special attacker, with life orb and sheer force to make all 3 offensive moves hit way harder than they should. The first move is gravity, the basis of the set. Landorus sometimes struggles to pull off a gravity, but against certain switch ins it works wonders as a lure. I also chose my team to benefit from gravity in little ways, through low accuracy moves like Hydro Pump and Stone Edge being more spammable, and Mega Pinsir being able to defeat some common counters like Skarm and Rotom.
Earth Power is my main stab move and is immensely spammable once gravity is up since so little resists it. Psychic hits mega Venusaur and Conkeldurr for lots of damage and still hits hard against neutral targets. Focus Blast OHKOs physically defensive Ferrothorn, as well as T-Tar, and helps against weakened Chanseys. Perfect accuracy is very nice as well.
If only Landorus was faster though. This thing gets revenged killed far too easily.

Keldeo w/Choice Specs

Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 speed 252 SpA timid
Moves:
Hydro Pump
Scald
Secret Sword
Icy Wind

This was the second pokemon I chose because I wanted to try out specs Keldeo, and it had decent synergy with Landorus. Plus, sometimes you get perfect accuracy Hydro Pump to spam. The EVs are obvious, the first move is Hydro Pump, chosen to annihilate most switch ins and just deal ridiculous amounts of damage. Scald is just as spammable because of burns (though for the 10-20 or so scalds I've fired off on this set I've gotten only 2), and can wear down common switch ins like Venusaur and Latis if burned. Secret Sword is my second STAB and is a reliable, powerful option which also bypasses those darn special walls. Finally, Icy Wind is to deal with Garchomp and the Latis I guess ..... but it's really never come in that useful. HP Flying might be a better option since Pinsir isn't a great switch in to Venu because of sleep powder or leech seed.

Pinsir w/Pinsirite

Ability: Mold Breaker/Aerilate
EVs: 252 Atk 252 Speed Jolly
Happiness: 0
Moves:
Quick Attack
Frustration
Earthquake
Swords Dance

I chose Mega Pinsir because of solid defensive synergy with the team, because I had never used it before, and because he can sometimes benefit from gravity to kill off checks and counters. The set is the very standard set up sweeper, with all the typical moves. Priority quick attack is a help even without a swords dance up, and Mega Pinsir also functions as my way of dealing with Mega Venusaur and Conkeldurr.

Scizor w/leftovers

Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP 252 SpD 4 def Careful
Moves:
Defog
Roost
U-Turn
Bullet Punch

Sadly, the defensive synergy this bug provides my team isn't as good as it used to be after I did some changes to the original draft, compounding my fire weakness massively. I really should replace this with a better defogger, so suggestions are welcome. I know Mega Scizor is normally better as a defogger, but this set makes a great switch in to Latis and other special attackers, and my mega slot was already taken. The moves are pretty simple, bullet punch being rarely used but U-Turn being pretty much essential to get frailer pokemon like Pinsir, Lando and Keldeo in. The defog support is also pretty important for my Mega Pinsir.

Tyranitar w/Choice Scarf

Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk 252 speed 4 HP Jolly
Moves:
Stone Edge
Crunch
Pursuit
Earthquake

I LOVE this set. I chose scarfed T-Tar as an emergency way to deal with Thundurus, Mega Pinsir and Charizard Y: and no one expects it! It also pursuit traps the Latis, who otherwise outspeed and threaten my Keldeo, Pinsir and Landorus. Stone Edge's accuracy really does suck but if gravity is active then perfect accuracy stone edge is so good. Overall just a really helpful mon to the team, if sometimes unreliable.
I'm contemplating running ice beam or fire blast on this set to deal with Lando T and I (as well as Hippowdon), who can be surprise killed since they don't expect to be outrun, but that involves running SpA EVs to OHKO max HP Lando-T. Fire blast, meanwhile, can help with Scizor and Ferrothorn.

Amoonguss w/Black Sludge

Ability: Regenerator
EVs: Max HP Max SpD 4 def calm
Moves:
Spore
Synthesis
Sludge Bomb
Giga Drain

It took me a long time to find something that could reliable take on Keldeo throughout a match, while also being a good switch in to Thundurus-I, since both those mons wrecked my team otherwise. Amoonguss does the job very well, while also being an all-round bulky special wall and providing sleep support. I chose sludge bomb over clear smog to better take on Thundurus. There's not a lot more to say than that.

So, that's my team. It has some big weaknesses: first of all, Mega Zard X just runs rampant over this entire team, my only hope being Keldeo or T-Tar having a decent chance of surviving a dragon claw or earthquake at +1 respectively. Also, Amoonguss can pressure Zard into either flare blitzing and taking a lot of recoil or dragon clawing and potentially getting spored.
Also, my team struggles a bit against Bisharp (though scarfed T-Tar earthquake), and Scizor is often far too pressured to deal with hazard stackers by itself. Mega Pinsir has a fun time wrecking my team unless I can hit a scarfed T-Tar stone edge. Same goes for Talonflame, though T-Tar is a pretty reliable counter, albeit one that gets worn down too easily. As you can see, T-Tar is under a lot of pressure to deal with a lot of things.

Advice, suggestions?

 

[Mike Legend]

I don't think Amoongus is what your team needs for switching into Keldeo and Thundurus. It's slow and weak, only threatening things with Spore, which too many teams have a switch-in for. You just lose a lot of pressure and momentum when Amoongus comes into play. Running Life Orb Latias with Defog and Healing wish gives you a solid enough check to Keldeo and between Latias and Tyranitar, Thundurus should present no serious problem. Keldeo doesn't get many free switch-ins against you if you play thinking ahead, and even if you lose Latias to Pursuit, or have to drop a Healing Wish, your own Keldeo is good for one switch-in to Hydro Pump, and Pinsir can revenge KO. Healing Wish Latias works great on teams like this and can really be a game changer. The set is max speed and special attack with Life Orb and a moveset of Draco Meteor / Psyshock / Defog / Healing Wish.

Latias > Ammongus allows you to replace Scizor with something more useful. It would do well to have Stealth Rock on the team as it helps keep so many threats in check. Try running an offensive Balloon Heatran. This will give you Stealth Rock, and extra insurance against Charizard-X, opposing Pinsir, and Talonflame. Max speed max special attack and a moveset of Fire Blast / Earth Power / Stealth Rock / Filler will work. The filler move is honestly whatever you like. Toxic / WoW can be useful for wearing down common Heatran switch-ins, Taunt is always useful especially vs stall, or you can run an extra coverage move such as Flash Cannon or a Hidden Power of your choice.

These changes make the team more offensive, so you'll have to adjust your play slightly. Don't worry about Defogging throughout a match, or having a 100% switch-in to Keldeo at all times and so on and so forth. I think this will help your team a lot. Good luck homie.

 

[I Am Doz]

That is a very interesting set on Landorus, Gravity is a move I have tried to build a team on several times, with limited success. How do you think it would fair in my team, there is a thread called Absol-utely Mega, I would be grateful if you could have a look to see if something like your Landorus set would work?

For some changes, maybe unaware Quagisre has room on the team to cover your Zard X weakness, could replace the scizor maybe on your team.

Then you could try a excadrill over tyranitar, to give you hazard removal and, also works quite nicely when scarfed.

Hope my suggestions help

 

[Hibiki]

A suggestion I would make at a glance is switching Mold Breaker on Pinsir for Hyper Cutterrunning Mold Breaker is almost exclusively for Rotom-W, which still gets hit by EQ under gravity, and Hyper Cutter prevents Intimidate from softening your hits before you M-evo.

 

[Freddy_48]

To replace scizor i would suggest mandibuzz becuase of its bulk and ability to stop aegislash. Another thing with the team is that landorus is frail and he is your only gravity setter so another suggestion to replace scizor would be forretress because it can set gravity and spin away hazards.

Have fun making the team :)

 

[Candice]

I've battled you yesterday and that Gravity Landorus is really something. It was the reason I lost and the reason I could remember your RMT (you said you were flattered) haha Anyway It's a really good team and I do think Ttar is under a lot of pressure like you've said. Quagsire would be a great help to your team if you want to deal with Mega Zard X, Bishard, Talonflame and make Thundurus-I run (be careful of Nasty Plot though). I would recommend using Quagsire instead of Amoonguss. I have other ideas as well but for that you will need to change more than 1 Pokemon in your team and I doubt you'll like that ! Great RMT, great team and good luck :)

 

[SexyBOY1]

Can u give some videos of u battling

 

[ApplepieFTW]

I don't think Amoongus is what your team needs for switching into Keldeo and Thundurus. It's slow and weak, only threatening things with Spore, which too many teams have a switch-in for. You just lose a lot of pressure and momentum when Amoongus comes into play. Running Life Orb Latias with Defog and Healing wish gives you a solid enough check to Keldeo and between Latias and Tyranitar, Thundurus should present no serious problem. Keldeo doesn't get many free switch-ins against you if you play thinking ahead, and even if you lose Latias to Pursuit, or have to drop a Healing Wish, your own Keldeo is good for one switch-in to Hydro Pump, and Pinsir can revenge KO. Healing Wish Latias works great on teams like this and can really be a game changer. The set is max speed and special attack with Life Orb and a moveset of Draco Meteor / Psyshock / Defog / Healing Wish.

Latias > Ammongus allows you to replace Scizor with something more useful. It would do well to have Stealth Rock on the team as it helps keep so many threats in check. Try running an offensive Balloon Heatran. This will give you Stealth Rock, and extra insurance against Charizard-X, opposing Pinsir, and Talonflame. Max speed max special attack and a moveset of Fire Blast / Earth Power / Stealth Rock / Filler will work. The filler move is honestly whatever you like. Toxic / WoW can be useful for wearing down common Heatran switch-ins, Taunt is always useful especially vs stall, or you can run an extra coverage move such as Flash Cannon or a Hidden Power of your choice.

These changes make the team more offensive, so you'll have to adjust your play slightly. Don't worry about Defogging throughout a match, or having a 100% switch-in to Keldeo at all times and so on and so forth. I think this will help your team a lot. Good luck homie.

These seem great changes, Im testing them atm. Will report how well the team is doing with them, but I might try swapping healing wish for roost, because latias is easily pressured so it cant roost when it lacks recovery but the hazards on tran are nice.

These changes are great, luvem!

 

[Porce]

Thanks for the replies.

I've tried almost all the suggestions: Latias was effective, and healing wish was excellent, but I couldn't find the space for reliable recovery and it got worn down far too easily to effectively counter Keldeo and others throughout the match, especially with life orb and sand storm. I tried replacing life orb with leftovers, but 110 SpA is really not that great unboosted and taking away from speed or special attack EVS and investing in bulk made it less capable of checking faster pokemon like Garchomp, Landorus-I and more who threatened my team.
Offensive balloon Heatran is superb, taking so many people off guard and acting as an effective last resort way of dealing with threatening set up sweepers like Pinsir and Charizard-X. I ran 3 offensive moves and rocks, so I could deal with Clefable better.
I tried Quagsire, and I couldn't find the place on the team to include it and not replace an essential check or counter to threats. Quagsire made me realise though that I had to replace an offensive pokemon on my team because I couldn't deal with so many things in only two team slots, making me replace Pinsir.
I also tried out Mandibuzz, with U-Turn to get my frailer pokemon in safely. It provides a lot more needed bulk to my team, and defog support.

Currently, my team is Lando-I, T-Tar, Keldeo, Mandibuzz, Heatran, and Mega-Venusaur: removing mega Pinsir freed up space to use mega Venu who handles Keldeo, Thundurus-I, and more. I'm not going to update the OP yet because my team is absurdly weak to extrasensory Greninja, and I want to try and deal with that. Charizard X, if it sets up, is still a problem too so I'll try and find some place for Quagsire. Other than that its pretty balanced methinks. Also, scarfed T-Tar is crazy good.

Candice : Give as many suggestions as you want, I'm willing to try any combination of pokes from the OP RMT, above team, or other suggestions. And thanks!

SexyBOY1 : I'll try and find a good one.