Rainy VoltTurn

[SaberSeven]

Rainy VoltTurn
This is a little bit of a team that I came up with trying to piece things together. Don't know how to introduce it properly, but I may as well explain how the team functions.

Politoed @ Choice Specs
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Focus Blast
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]

Basic rain set up supporter. Rain helps nerf fire type attacks aimed at Scizor & Magnezone & makes Thundurus-T & Magnezone able to forgo Thunderbolt for the more powerful Thunder. Hydro Pump is there for a powerful STAB move. Focus Blast to nail Tyranitar for a 2HKO provided it doesn’t hold a Chople Berry. HP Grass is on the set to nail water types (namely Vaporeon & Gastrodon). Ice Beam rounds out the moveset to nail dragon types outside Kyurem-B whom I can hit on the switch with Focus Blast…but there’s no way I’d stay in on that big threat.

Thundurus-Therian (M) @ Expert Belt
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Volt Switch
- Grass Knot
- Hidden Power [Ice]

One of 3 VoltTurners on the team. I am contemplating making Thundurus-T my scarfer, but I still feel really used to an Expert Belt set & the Belt helps me if I overpredict. The team also has a bit of a Gastrodon problem as I lack something to hit it with outside of Politoed's Hidden Power Grass. If I nail Gastrodon with a Grass Knot, then the team will have one less annoying slug to deal with provided its health is low enough. Also, if Thundurus's counters & checks are removed, I can sweep with him.

Scizor @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 248 HP / 8 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit

The 2nd of 3 VoltTurners on the team. Also the 1st member of the team with a priority move to deal with fast threats. Helps deal with Tyranitar with Bullet Punch or Superpower and one of 2 solid answers to Terrakion on my team. The Lati twins that threaten Dragonite are dealt with using Pursuit as well as the other Psychic types in the OU metagame.

Starmie @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 24 Def / 8 SAtk / 224 Spd
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Recover
- Rapid Spin

Team Spinner. I chose a defensive set to help me deal with Terrakion. 224 speed EVs are on this Starmie to outpace Base 111 Pokemon at the most so Starmie can help me deal with Terrakion. Especially with a rain boosted Scald which can burn. Starmie also deals with opposing Keldeo sets which threaten this team sponging all of its possible moves bar the uncommon Hidden Power Grass or Hidden Power Electric. Psyshock hits not only Keldeo, but also nails Breloom, and a couple of fat pink blobs known as Chansey & Blissey. Rapid Spin is mandatory to help Thundurus-T & Dragonite with their little Stealth Rock problem. Lastly, Recover helps with Starmie’s survivability.

Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Trait: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SAtk / 148 HP / 108 Spd
Modest Nature
- Flash Cannon
- Volt Switch
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Fire]

The last of 3 VoltTurners on my team. Also helps me trap annoyances like Skarmory and Ferrothorn that try to set up hazards on my side of the field. Despite the rain, Magnezone can still 2HKO Ferrothorn with Hidden Power Fire. Ferrothorn is known to be a big nuisance to VoltTurn teams with its resistance to Volt Switch, ability to hurt U-Turn users with Iron Barbs, and access to Stealth Rocks and Spikes, so adding Magnezone to trap the durian and wreck it with HP Fire can prevent the team from suffering too much damage from entry hazards.

Dragonite @ Choice Band
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- ExtremeSpeed
- Waterfall
- Superpower

The 2nd of 2 Choice Banded users on my team. Superpower helps deal with opposing Tyranitar. Extremespeed helps me deal with fast threats like Venusaur in the sun & Rock Polish Landorus-I. Outrage is on the set as a powerful STAB move and can clean up late game. Waterfall rounds up the set and gets a nice boost from the rain and hits stuff likes Gliscor.

Conclusion: I've been doing decently with this team, but it still needs some tweaks. I feel like this team is very weak to Substitute Terrakion. Any help would be great to get this team out of its Beta form & ready for combat

 

[Souf]

Hi there,

Nice team you have there. From what I see, nothing on this team really appreciates taking hits from Pokemon like Latias / Latios and Dragon type hits in general. I will, also, work off your Sub SD Terrakion weakness. Getting into it, I recommend using a Specially Defensive Jirachi > Magnezone to help against the Dragon type attacks. On top of taking hits, Jirachi can also provide Wish support, paralyzing support, and it can also use Stealth Rock, as user Sayonara stated you do not have, which can be helpful in breaking Focus Sashes, Multiscales, etc. Wish support can help since the rest of your team lacks any sort of recovery. Since this team is rather slow, using Jirachi to paralyze your opponent's Pokemon prove to be helpful. As for the Terrakion issue, from what I see, I can see it being more manageable than you think. Unless you manage to lose Scizor, I can't see Terrakion being that big of an issue. Starmie can outspeed it and break any Substitute with Scald / Psyshock. Then, of course, you'll have to sacrifice something, but you'll be able to revenge with Scizor / Dragonite with their priority moves the following turn. Also, as a small nitpick, I recommend using Perish Song > Focus Blast on Politoed. Perish Song is helpful when facing things like Baton Pass or just forcing an opponent to switch.

Sets

Jirachi @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 240 SDef / 16 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Iron Head
- Body Slam
- Wish
- Stealth Rock

Politoed
Focus Blast --> Perish Song

Good luck.

 

[Jimbon]

Hi there,

Interesting Rain Offense team, I've used one similar, and I can definitely attest to the effectiveness of Starmie + Choice Band Dragonite. Anyway, as for your team you did list you were weak to Substitute Terrakion, but you're similarly weak to stat boosters in general, largely down to the number of Choiced users on your team. I think this is largely down to the fact you're lacking a Choice Scarf Pokemon, meaning that everytime one of these stat boosting Pokemon switches in, you're forced to sack something to then revenge it through Scizor or Dragonite with priority. I think your easiest fix here would be to consider changing Politoed's set over to a Scarf set, meaning you can apply immediate pressure upon switching in. Alternatively, you could also try something like a Scarf Jirachi over Scizor, as I think Scizor is probably the most replaceable member of your team, and Scarf Jirachi performs a similar role to Scizor, but you now have an easier time revenging Dragons + Terrakion.

Either of these suggestions would work, but another thing to note is that your team is lacking Stealth Rock -- a must on offensive teams such as this. Otherwise you're incredibly prone to things such as DD Dragonite, Agility Thundurus-T and Quiver Dance Volcarona, and these all have a lot of setup opportunities given the number of choiced Pokemon your team is carrying. If you choose to go with the Choice Scarf Politoed suggestion, then I think Scizor's role as a revenge killer becomes a lot less important, as you should have enough insurance against most threats with a Scarfer + Extremespeed from Dragonite. I think a lead Terrakion set would work well over Scizor, namely providing you with Stealth Rock from turn 1, while also being able to check the aforementioned threats prior to setting up. The ability to provide and prevent hazards for your team in particular is very important, as otherwise you look overly weak to opposing offensive teams carrying a Choice Scarf user. Most importantly, it actually provides you with somewhat of a reliable lead against most matchups, which is important for offensive teams.

If you choose to go with this change, you might find that you have an easier time breaking through defensive cores. As a result, I think you could take advantage of this a little easier. Honestly, right now you seem to be lacking a real win condition outside of constantly spamming Outrage / Bullet Punch. I'd consider running the Agility variant of Thundurus-T over your current set, as I feel like your other teammates already do a good job of breaking through Thundurus-T's counters. Late game when you have chipped down your opponent's team through Magnezone / Dragonite, just send in Thundurus-T and Agility on a weakened foe. I feel like this will actually provide you with a decent win condition, as well as the ability to slaughter opposing offensive teams lacking a dedicated special wall.

Good luck!

sets

Politoed @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Surf
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Perish Song

Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 108 HP / 252 Atk / 148 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Iron Head
- U-turn
- Ice Punch
- Trick

Terrakion @ Focus Sash
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt

Thundurus-T @ Life Orb / Leftovers
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 152 HP / 252 SAtk / 104 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Grass Knot / Focus Blast

tl;dr

Either:

• Choice Scarf Politoed > Choice Specs Politoed
• Choice Scarf Jirachi > Choice Band Scizor

Other changes:

• If you go with Choice Scarf Politoed, Lead Terrakion > Scizor
• Agility Thundurus-T > Expert Belt Thundurus-t