Team at a Glance:
Summary: I went through a fair bit of trouble creating this team, and testing it out. Due to Zygarde-Normal now having Thousand Arrows, I felt as though this little fun team would actually bring me some decent success in OU, and it has. I started the assembly of this team with a few different Pokemon, Dunsparce and Kyurem-Normal were on the original draft about a week ago but were slowly phased out over testing due to Dunsparce being plain bad in the current meta, and Kyurem-Normal not having as much coverage. So let's break this down.
Arbok @ Black Sludge
Ability: Shed Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Coil
- Gunk Shot
- Earthquake
- Sucker Punch
Arbok is surprisingly bulky, and this is only made more apparent when boosting. It's a nice surprise for most of the Tapus (particularly Tapu Koko as Arbok is only 2HKO'd by Koko's Thunder).
4 Atk Arbok Gunk Shot vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Tapu Koko: 288-338 (102.1 - 119.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Thunder vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Arbok: 173-204 (53.3 - 62.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Black Sludge recovery
252+ SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Arbok: 142-168 (43.8 - 51.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Black Sludge recovery
Priority Sucker Punch (while it was unfortunately nerfed) is a nice lure for Pokemon such as Alolan Marowak who think they can nab an easy kill. Arbok ended up being a surprisingly anti-meta Pokemon this generation, and I'm taking full advantage of that. Coil is for necessary boosts, especially accuracy which is what makes STAB Gunk Shot so deadly here. Earthquake is for additional coverage.
Serperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Dragon Pulse
This is a relatively typical Serperior set but it still has great synergy with the team. Racking up boosts and having speedy offense without needing a damage-less set up move was what my team needed, and the additional fire coverage is always important. It's a wonderful bait for Ferrothorn, and can be a nasty surprise for Tapu Fini, who my team actually struggles with if Arbok is taken out. Dragon Pulse is for additional coverage for Kommo-o and a few other specific threats.
Zygarde @ Life Orb
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Thousand Arrows
- Zen Headbutt
- Rock Slide
One of the two main set-up sweepers on my team, and probably the overall most potent. Dragon Dance is very easy to set up thanks to Zygarde's natural bulk, allowing it to take more hits than you'd expect. Thousand Arrows STAB allows for usual annoying Flying or Levitate threats such as Celesteela, Skarmory, Minior, Vikavolt, and others to take neutral damage and be grounded on the switch in. Zen Headbutt is almost specifically for Buzzwole and Pheramosa who generally annoy this set regardless.
+1 252+ Atk Life Orb Zygarde Outrage vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Pheromosa: 749-881 (263.7 - 310.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Even without boosts, it still OHKOs on the switch in.
Seviper @ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Dark Pulse
This may seem a little odd, due to Seviper's frailty, but it's another wonderful anti-meta choice due to its Special coverage. Generally being an all purpose nuke with as wide coverage as thing has allows Seviper to take on a multitude of threats while still being able to tank a hit or two.
Gyarados-Mega @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Crunch
- Waterfall
- Iron Head
Intimidate support is crucial, and due to preferring to have Shed Skin on Arbok I needed a snek that would provide that pseudo-physical bulk while being a reliable switch in to a multitude of Pokemon. Gyarados was that answer. I almost always hide the fact that he's mega until late game, or until I can get off a Dragon Dance. Once that happens, I mega evolve and for the most part spam Waterfall on the things that generally can't take it otherwise. Crunch is for additional STAB, and Iron Head is another answer for the Tapus bar Tapu Fini.
Gorebyss @ White Herb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
This is my answer for Toxapex, and all additional Pokemon in that ilk. Shell Smash and White Herb allow Gorebyss to use its semi-acceptable defenses to gain a free set up, then launch powerful attacks from its surprisingly decent offenses. Surf is preferred over Scald because Gorebyss will more often than not be dealing with Toxapex, and every little bit of extra oomph to give Psychic the KO is necessary.
252+ SpA Life Orb Gorebyss Psychic vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Toxapex: 190-224 (62.5 - 73.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Reason for posting the team here:
Been using this for weeks now, and I want critique. What would make this team better? I've been thinking of swapping out Seviper for another snek for a while (perhaps going back to Specs Kyurem), but still am tossing around ideas. Please feel free to contribute!
Summary: I went through a fair bit of trouble creating this team, and testing it out. Due to Zygarde-Normal now having Thousand Arrows, I felt as though this little fun team would actually bring me some decent success in OU, and it has. I started the assembly of this team with a few different Pokemon, Dunsparce and Kyurem-Normal were on the original draft about a week ago but were slowly phased out over testing due to Dunsparce being plain bad in the current meta, and Kyurem-Normal not having as much coverage. So let's break this down.
Arbok @ Black Sludge
Ability: Shed Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Coil
- Gunk Shot
- Earthquake
- Sucker Punch
Arbok is surprisingly bulky, and this is only made more apparent when boosting. It's a nice surprise for most of the Tapus (particularly Tapu Koko as Arbok is only 2HKO'd by Koko's Thunder).
4 Atk Arbok Gunk Shot vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Tapu Koko: 288-338 (102.1 - 119.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Thunder vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Arbok: 173-204 (53.3 - 62.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Black Sludge recovery
252+ SpA Life Orb Tapu Koko Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Arbok: 142-168 (43.8 - 51.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Black Sludge recovery
Priority Sucker Punch (while it was unfortunately nerfed) is a nice lure for Pokemon such as Alolan Marowak who think they can nab an easy kill. Arbok ended up being a surprisingly anti-meta Pokemon this generation, and I'm taking full advantage of that. Coil is for necessary boosts, especially accuracy which is what makes STAB Gunk Shot so deadly here. Earthquake is for additional coverage.
Serperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Dragon Pulse
This is a relatively typical Serperior set but it still has great synergy with the team. Racking up boosts and having speedy offense without needing a damage-less set up move was what my team needed, and the additional fire coverage is always important. It's a wonderful bait for Ferrothorn, and can be a nasty surprise for Tapu Fini, who my team actually struggles with if Arbok is taken out. Dragon Pulse is for additional coverage for Kommo-o and a few other specific threats.
Zygarde @ Life Orb
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Thousand Arrows
- Zen Headbutt
- Rock Slide
One of the two main set-up sweepers on my team, and probably the overall most potent. Dragon Dance is very easy to set up thanks to Zygarde's natural bulk, allowing it to take more hits than you'd expect. Thousand Arrows STAB allows for usual annoying Flying or Levitate threats such as Celesteela, Skarmory, Minior, Vikavolt, and others to take neutral damage and be grounded on the switch in. Zen Headbutt is almost specifically for Buzzwole and Pheramosa who generally annoy this set regardless.
+1 252+ Atk Life Orb Zygarde Outrage vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Pheromosa: 749-881 (263.7 - 310.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO
Even without boosts, it still OHKOs on the switch in.
Seviper @ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Dark Pulse
This may seem a little odd, due to Seviper's frailty, but it's another wonderful anti-meta choice due to its Special coverage. Generally being an all purpose nuke with as wide coverage as thing has allows Seviper to take on a multitude of threats while still being able to tank a hit or two.
Gyarados-Mega @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Crunch
- Waterfall
- Iron Head
Intimidate support is crucial, and due to preferring to have Shed Skin on Arbok I needed a snek that would provide that pseudo-physical bulk while being a reliable switch in to a multitude of Pokemon. Gyarados was that answer. I almost always hide the fact that he's mega until late game, or until I can get off a Dragon Dance. Once that happens, I mega evolve and for the most part spam Waterfall on the things that generally can't take it otherwise. Crunch is for additional STAB, and Iron Head is another answer for the Tapus bar Tapu Fini.
Gorebyss @ White Herb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shell Smash
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
This is my answer for Toxapex, and all additional Pokemon in that ilk. Shell Smash and White Herb allow Gorebyss to use its semi-acceptable defenses to gain a free set up, then launch powerful attacks from its surprisingly decent offenses. Surf is preferred over Scald because Gorebyss will more often than not be dealing with Toxapex, and every little bit of extra oomph to give Psychic the KO is necessary.
252+ SpA Life Orb Gorebyss Psychic vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Toxapex: 190-224 (62.5 - 73.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Reason for posting the team here:
Been using this for weeks now, and I want critique. What would make this team better? I've been thinking of swapping out Seviper for another snek for a while (perhaps going back to Specs Kyurem), but still am tossing around ideas. Please feel free to contribute!
