I started playing UU about two months ago and originally had a team where I used a Mega Sceptile. However, I really like Banette and I wondered if I could find a unique use for it. As a result, I made a new team where everything was the same, but my Mega Sceptile was replaced with a Mega Banette that had a unique EV set and movepool. It's really hard to decide what team is better in the context of ORAS UU, so I'd like your feedback:
Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Endeavor
- Stealth Rock
This Mamoswine serves as an alternative lead when it is more viable than Froslass. For example, when the opponent has a Mega Beedrill, often they will send it out as their lead, not use Protect on the first turn, and die to my Mamoswine's Earthquake-at which point I will usually Stealth Rock on the next turn. Why they do this I don't know, but it's so common that I send out Mamoswine first thing when I see a Mega Beedrill in Team Preview. When not used as a lead, Mamoswine can be useful in destroying stall and setup sweepers such as Suicune or Slurpuff. Assuming no entry hazards (this team has hazard control), Mamoswine can come in after one of my other Pokemon have fainted, then Endeavor after the opponent knocks it down to its Focus Sash. Then it can simply kill the opponent with Ice Shard. Even in situations where my Mamoswine is faster, it can still get the opponent's pokemon down to 1 hp, at which point it would be easily manageable.
Besides setting up Stealth Rock and being a niche counter to various pokemon, Mamoswine's good attack and okay speed also let it serve as a bit of a physical sweeper, severely hurting Fire and Dragon Types, as well as doing good damage to whatever doesn't resist its attacks.
Froslass @ Focus Sash
Ability: Cursed Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Destiny Bond
This is my main lead. Taunt is to stop setup, entry hazards, and what have you. Ice Beam is simple STAB, Destiny Bond is for the chance of taking down an opponent's Pokemon with Froslass. With it as a lead I can usually expect 1-2 layers of Spikes or a fainted Pokemon on the other side, otherwise Froslass has had a bad day and its up to my Mamoswine and Dragalge to try to get up their hazards less reliably. Often Froslass can also be preserved and kept for the purposes of spinblocking, switching into Normal or Fighting type attacks (and then getting more Spikes in), Destiny Bond shenanigans, or even just firing off Ice Beams, especially to stop Dragons.
And now for the only Pokemon difference on my two teams, Banette and Sceptile.
Banette-Mega @ Banettite
Ability: Frisk
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Confuse Ray
- Pain Split
- Thunder Wave
- Knock Off
You might notice that this is an unorthodox moveset on Banette. I wanted to take advantage of Prankster and I thought it would be appropriate that a prankster would be as annoying as possible. You will notice that there are no EVs invested into attack on this Mega Banette, that is because this Banette is designed to be defensive. It can be surprisingly bulky at points, being able to take things like a Chandelure's Shadow Ball or a Mega Blastoise's Dark Pulse from full HP, assuming neither are too focused on Special Attack. Knock Off is more for utility than damage (though it really does a number to Psychics and Ghosts), Thunder Wave is for crippling fast attackers, like Slurpuff and Mega Sharpedo (assuming I am okay with losing my Banette, which in most cases I am, since otherwise those sorts of Pokemon could do severe damage to my team), although it really annoys almost every Pokemon Banette encounters. Confuse Ray serves to annoy the opponent even further, and with Paralysis it can make it so that the opponent doesn't move more often than they do. These Prankster-assisted status conditions join with Pain Split to make Mega Banette have good anti-stall properties, letting it greatly harass Cresselia, Snorlax, Blissey, and Florges (and most other stall Pokemon in UU save Umbreon which can OHKO my Banette with Foul Play), and even let Banette be somewhat of a mixed wall itself. At any rate, Prankster Pain Split is a beautiful thing, especially when used on high HP stall Pokemon. Two spinblockers on a team is nice too.
Here's a good example of a battle that shows Banette's positives in action:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-296209497[1]
And now for the competitor:
Sceptile-Mega @ Sceptilite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Focus Blast
- Substitute
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
Mega Sceptile is simply meant to do one thing: be a fast Special sweeper. Being able to outspeed pretty much the entirety of unboosted UU is a blessing, and this instant, on-demand speed is very useful when dealing with Pokemon like Salamence, Dragalge, and Feraligatr. The sheer power of a Mega Sceptile's Leaf Storm also lets it serve as a stellar answer to the likes of Suicune, assuming that Suicune has not gotten in a few Calm Minds. It also serves to destroy Milotic, Swampert out of Rain, and pretty much anything weak to grass. This and Dragon Pulse constitute Mega Sceptile's STAB, and they together murder almost anything that they are super-effective against, or non-bulky things they are neutral against. Focus Blast is for coverage; it 2HKOs Umbreon (assuming it will hit twice with its pitiful accuracy) and OHKOs almost everything else that it is super effective against. Hidden Power Fire allows Sceptile to surprise things like Forretress and other Grass or Steel Types that believe they can wall this monster.
Substitute serves to be a layer of protection. Sceptile can substitute on Pokemon it scares out, and have a buffer against its counters. Given that Sceptile can 2HK0 most Pokemon, this is very useful.
And now for the rest of the team:
Umbreon @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Foul Play
- Wish
- Protect
- Baton Pass
Inducted into my team after I had continual trouble facing off against it, Umbreon is probably the tankiest and most valuable Pokemon I have ever used. Although it primarily serves as a Special wall, it can double as a pretty good physical wall to moves that aren't Fighting, Bug, or Play Rough. Umbreon is also a very useful Wish passer, re-activating Focus Sashes, ameliorating wear and tear on Dragalge and Hitmontop, and serving as secondary recovery for my Banette. Baton Pass makes sure that after it has made a wish, it takes the opponent's hit before another one of my Pokemon come in, whereas a hard switch will leave the Pokemon I ordered in at the mercy of whatever the opponent selected for their turn (that's why I use a Sassy nature, to make sure my Umbreon outspeeds basically nothing). Protect serves many purposes; scouting, taking half the HP off a Mienshao, and status stalling. Foul Play is a blessing to Umbreon. Physical setup sweepers who think they can Dragon/Swords Dance on Umbreon are often shocked when they have 50-100% of their health bitch slapped away from them. Most generally frail Pokemon are hurt by Foul Play anyway. Mega Sceptile, Mega Aerodactyl, and others are 2HKOed, and things like Azelf are fainted even from full health from one use of this attack.
Hitmontop @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Toxic
- Sucker Punch
- Rapid Spin
- Close Combat
Hitmontop serves a variety of uses that make it more important to my team that its poor stats and RU tier might suggest. Intimidate turns it into a Physical wall (and helps Umbreon be a better one, too), Rapid Spin makes it a hazard controller, Toxic damages stall Pokemon and Setup sweepers immensely, and is good to use when predicting a switch into a Hitmontop counter, like Salamence. Close Combat lets this Pokemon destroy Cobalion, Lucario, Mega Sharpedo, Zoroark, and other Pokemon. Sucker Punch is where this set differs from most of the others, and it gives Hitmontop the element of surprise that helps it greatly. For example, some people think Hoopa is a good way to scare off Hitmontop. Sucker Punch puts an end to those fantasies with one simple OHKO. Sucker Punch also serves as priority when the opponent either doesn't expect priority, or expects some weaker priority move. It does decent damage to Psychic and Ghost types in general. I chose to not use Foresight on this set, since even though it prevents spinblocking, there aren't that many Ghost types in UU, and even so, using Foresight is a risk that could get physically defensive Hitmontop killed by a specially offensive Ghost.
Dragalge @ Choice Specs
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Focus Blast
- Sludge Bomb
- Toxic Spikes
Were one to look up "power" in the dictionary, they'd get the definition of the word power, but they could stand to experience true power up close and personal by watching Choice Specs Adaptability Modest 252 Special Attack Dragalge straight up OHKOing some poor soul with a Draco Meteor. If it's super effective, it's a guaranteed faint. If it's neutral on a normal Pokemon, it's a guaranteed faint. Even the most specially defensive of Pokemon like Umbreon and Assault Vest Snorlax would be 2HKOed by Draco Meteor were it not for the Special Attack drop. The only Pokemon in UU that I have seen take a Draco Meteor and not lose more than 50% of its health has been an Empoleon, and that's with a resistance and maximum Special Defense investment. Even after a Special Attack drop Dragalge can still hit hard, doing huge damage to weaker Pokemon. Sludge Bomb, Dragalge's other STAB, is its second strongest move, and destroys Fairies, even Florges, usually in one go. Dragalge's good Special Defense means it can switch in on an uppity Florges, shrug off a Moonblast, and then blow it out of orbit. Focus Blast is for things like Empoleon (Empoleon is 2HKOed by Focus Blast, assuming it actually hits) and other Special Steel types, although they are not common in UU. Toxic Spikes is used when the opponent would really not appreciate being badly poisoned, usually when the hazard control on the opponent's team is gone and there are stall or setup Pokemon left to kill. It's good when the opponent is switching into something like Blissey. Mostly though, Dragalge serves to switch in on Pokemon like Zapdos and destroy whatever is foolish enough to step in its path.
And that is/are my team/teams. I would like feedback on whether you guys prefer Mega Banette or Mega Sceptile in the context of both UU and my team, and constructive criticism of my team in general would also be appreciated.
Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Endeavor
- Stealth Rock
This Mamoswine serves as an alternative lead when it is more viable than Froslass. For example, when the opponent has a Mega Beedrill, often they will send it out as their lead, not use Protect on the first turn, and die to my Mamoswine's Earthquake-at which point I will usually Stealth Rock on the next turn. Why they do this I don't know, but it's so common that I send out Mamoswine first thing when I see a Mega Beedrill in Team Preview. When not used as a lead, Mamoswine can be useful in destroying stall and setup sweepers such as Suicune or Slurpuff. Assuming no entry hazards (this team has hazard control), Mamoswine can come in after one of my other Pokemon have fainted, then Endeavor after the opponent knocks it down to its Focus Sash. Then it can simply kill the opponent with Ice Shard. Even in situations where my Mamoswine is faster, it can still get the opponent's pokemon down to 1 hp, at which point it would be easily manageable.
Besides setting up Stealth Rock and being a niche counter to various pokemon, Mamoswine's good attack and okay speed also let it serve as a bit of a physical sweeper, severely hurting Fire and Dragon Types, as well as doing good damage to whatever doesn't resist its attacks.
Froslass @ Focus Sash
Ability: Cursed Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Destiny Bond
This is my main lead. Taunt is to stop setup, entry hazards, and what have you. Ice Beam is simple STAB, Destiny Bond is for the chance of taking down an opponent's Pokemon with Froslass. With it as a lead I can usually expect 1-2 layers of Spikes or a fainted Pokemon on the other side, otherwise Froslass has had a bad day and its up to my Mamoswine and Dragalge to try to get up their hazards less reliably. Often Froslass can also be preserved and kept for the purposes of spinblocking, switching into Normal or Fighting type attacks (and then getting more Spikes in), Destiny Bond shenanigans, or even just firing off Ice Beams, especially to stop Dragons.
And now for the only Pokemon difference on my two teams, Banette and Sceptile.
Banette-Mega @ Banettite
Ability: Frisk
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Confuse Ray
- Pain Split
- Thunder Wave
- Knock Off
You might notice that this is an unorthodox moveset on Banette. I wanted to take advantage of Prankster and I thought it would be appropriate that a prankster would be as annoying as possible. You will notice that there are no EVs invested into attack on this Mega Banette, that is because this Banette is designed to be defensive. It can be surprisingly bulky at points, being able to take things like a Chandelure's Shadow Ball or a Mega Blastoise's Dark Pulse from full HP, assuming neither are too focused on Special Attack. Knock Off is more for utility than damage (though it really does a number to Psychics and Ghosts), Thunder Wave is for crippling fast attackers, like Slurpuff and Mega Sharpedo (assuming I am okay with losing my Banette, which in most cases I am, since otherwise those sorts of Pokemon could do severe damage to my team), although it really annoys almost every Pokemon Banette encounters. Confuse Ray serves to annoy the opponent even further, and with Paralysis it can make it so that the opponent doesn't move more often than they do. These Prankster-assisted status conditions join with Pain Split to make Mega Banette have good anti-stall properties, letting it greatly harass Cresselia, Snorlax, Blissey, and Florges (and most other stall Pokemon in UU save Umbreon which can OHKO my Banette with Foul Play), and even let Banette be somewhat of a mixed wall itself. At any rate, Prankster Pain Split is a beautiful thing, especially when used on high HP stall Pokemon. Two spinblockers on a team is nice too.
Here's a good example of a battle that shows Banette's positives in action:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-296209497[1]
And now for the competitor:
Sceptile-Mega @ Sceptilite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Focus Blast
- Substitute
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
Mega Sceptile is simply meant to do one thing: be a fast Special sweeper. Being able to outspeed pretty much the entirety of unboosted UU is a blessing, and this instant, on-demand speed is very useful when dealing with Pokemon like Salamence, Dragalge, and Feraligatr. The sheer power of a Mega Sceptile's Leaf Storm also lets it serve as a stellar answer to the likes of Suicune, assuming that Suicune has not gotten in a few Calm Minds. It also serves to destroy Milotic, Swampert out of Rain, and pretty much anything weak to grass. This and Dragon Pulse constitute Mega Sceptile's STAB, and they together murder almost anything that they are super-effective against, or non-bulky things they are neutral against. Focus Blast is for coverage; it 2HKOs Umbreon (assuming it will hit twice with its pitiful accuracy) and OHKOs almost everything else that it is super effective against. Hidden Power Fire allows Sceptile to surprise things like Forretress and other Grass or Steel Types that believe they can wall this monster.
Substitute serves to be a layer of protection. Sceptile can substitute on Pokemon it scares out, and have a buffer against its counters. Given that Sceptile can 2HK0 most Pokemon, this is very useful.
And now for the rest of the team:
Umbreon @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Foul Play
- Wish
- Protect
- Baton Pass
Inducted into my team after I had continual trouble facing off against it, Umbreon is probably the tankiest and most valuable Pokemon I have ever used. Although it primarily serves as a Special wall, it can double as a pretty good physical wall to moves that aren't Fighting, Bug, or Play Rough. Umbreon is also a very useful Wish passer, re-activating Focus Sashes, ameliorating wear and tear on Dragalge and Hitmontop, and serving as secondary recovery for my Banette. Baton Pass makes sure that after it has made a wish, it takes the opponent's hit before another one of my Pokemon come in, whereas a hard switch will leave the Pokemon I ordered in at the mercy of whatever the opponent selected for their turn (that's why I use a Sassy nature, to make sure my Umbreon outspeeds basically nothing). Protect serves many purposes; scouting, taking half the HP off a Mienshao, and status stalling. Foul Play is a blessing to Umbreon. Physical setup sweepers who think they can Dragon/Swords Dance on Umbreon are often shocked when they have 50-100% of their health bitch slapped away from them. Most generally frail Pokemon are hurt by Foul Play anyway. Mega Sceptile, Mega Aerodactyl, and others are 2HKOed, and things like Azelf are fainted even from full health from one use of this attack.
Hitmontop @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Toxic
- Sucker Punch
- Rapid Spin
- Close Combat
Hitmontop serves a variety of uses that make it more important to my team that its poor stats and RU tier might suggest. Intimidate turns it into a Physical wall (and helps Umbreon be a better one, too), Rapid Spin makes it a hazard controller, Toxic damages stall Pokemon and Setup sweepers immensely, and is good to use when predicting a switch into a Hitmontop counter, like Salamence. Close Combat lets this Pokemon destroy Cobalion, Lucario, Mega Sharpedo, Zoroark, and other Pokemon. Sucker Punch is where this set differs from most of the others, and it gives Hitmontop the element of surprise that helps it greatly. For example, some people think Hoopa is a good way to scare off Hitmontop. Sucker Punch puts an end to those fantasies with one simple OHKO. Sucker Punch also serves as priority when the opponent either doesn't expect priority, or expects some weaker priority move. It does decent damage to Psychic and Ghost types in general. I chose to not use Foresight on this set, since even though it prevents spinblocking, there aren't that many Ghost types in UU, and even so, using Foresight is a risk that could get physically defensive Hitmontop killed by a specially offensive Ghost.
Dragalge @ Choice Specs
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Focus Blast
- Sludge Bomb
- Toxic Spikes
Were one to look up "power" in the dictionary, they'd get the definition of the word power, but they could stand to experience true power up close and personal by watching Choice Specs Adaptability Modest 252 Special Attack Dragalge straight up OHKOing some poor soul with a Draco Meteor. If it's super effective, it's a guaranteed faint. If it's neutral on a normal Pokemon, it's a guaranteed faint. Even the most specially defensive of Pokemon like Umbreon and Assault Vest Snorlax would be 2HKOed by Draco Meteor were it not for the Special Attack drop. The only Pokemon in UU that I have seen take a Draco Meteor and not lose more than 50% of its health has been an Empoleon, and that's with a resistance and maximum Special Defense investment. Even after a Special Attack drop Dragalge can still hit hard, doing huge damage to weaker Pokemon. Sludge Bomb, Dragalge's other STAB, is its second strongest move, and destroys Fairies, even Florges, usually in one go. Dragalge's good Special Defense means it can switch in on an uppity Florges, shrug off a Moonblast, and then blow it out of orbit. Focus Blast is for things like Empoleon (Empoleon is 2HKOed by Focus Blast, assuming it actually hits) and other Special Steel types, although they are not common in UU. Toxic Spikes is used when the opponent would really not appreciate being badly poisoned, usually when the hazard control on the opponent's team is gone and there are stall or setup Pokemon left to kill. It's good when the opponent is switching into something like Blissey. Mostly though, Dragalge serves to switch in on Pokemon like Zapdos and destroy whatever is foolish enough to step in its path.
And that is/are my team/teams. I would like feedback on whether you guys prefer Mega Banette or Mega Sceptile in the context of both UU and my team, and constructive criticism of my team in general would also be appreciated.
