I never really used Steelix much in OU so that's why I thought of making this team. I had success with it so far but I still can't shake off the feeling that this team is really missing something to make it even better. To an extent, I already know this team is missing out on more viable pokemon since some of the picks I chose would be generally considered not that viable by OU standards. Well anyways, lets get to the team.
Gumshoos @ Choice Band
Ability: Adaptability
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Frustration
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
- Ice Punch
I feel this pokemon is very underrated. It already boasts a pretty good attacking stat and with adding Adaptability along with Choice Band, this pokemon becomes a dangerous wall breaker. Even max Def Toxapex is guaranteed 2 hit KO'd by Frustration making it a rather useless switch in against Gumshoos. Even bulky Heatran takes 40% damage from Frustration despite having resistance. The main point for Gumshoos is not to simply take down pokemon. It's main goal is to severely weaken them so that it can give my other pokemon opportunities to sweep. I thought of having Crawdaunt instead of Gumshoos but I like the great move pool that Gumshoos has making it a pretty difficult pokemon to switch into. Frustration alone threatens majority of the tier already, Earthquake completely destroys Heatran if you predict. Fire Punch gets rid of Ferrothorn and Ice Punch threatens Lando T and Garchomp.
Steelix-Mega @ Steelixite
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Taunt
This pokemon is the main reason for this team. I like Steelix alot, he gets rid of the threats of many fairies in the OU tier like Magearna, Clefable, Mimikyu, Koko and Lele. Not to mention his ground typing that gives immunity to electric moves is great too. Heavy Slam is a really strong stab so even without Atk investment, it does good damage. Earthquake is another good stab. I gave it taunt so that if it does face off against slower hazard setter pokemon like Ferrothorn, I can completely ruin its momentum of setting Leech Seed or Stealth Rocks. Lastly I gave it Stealth Rocks because I have no other hazard setter on my team.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Roost
- Defog
I had no pokemon that could effectively stop Kartana in it's tracks which i desperately needed. Zapdos feels this role for precisely that. Mega Scizor was also somewhat of a threat too. Roost is for keeping it healthy so it can continue to wall. It's also a fairly safe defogger for my team because it doesn't have to worry about spikes which helps against somewhat unpredictable sets like T Spikes Toxapex or Protean Gren Spikes.
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Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Calm Mind
Koko serves two roles. The first is to set up my sweep with Sceptile, and it's second is being a sweeper itself. I think this set with Koko is extremely strong because most pokemon except for some scarf user can actually stop Koko once it starts to set up. Electric Terrain boosted Electrium Z with Calm Mind destroys most of the tier. Pokemon such as Lando T and Garchomp are taken care of with +1 HP Ice. I gave it U Turn since I have no other pokemon on my team that can pivot.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 220 HP / 76 Def / 212 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Defog
- Taunt
- Nature's Madness
My only real check to Chard X and BattleBond Gren. It also serves as a good counter against pesky walls with Wish, Recover and other healing moves while effectively weakening them with Nature's Madness. I gave it Defog as well in case of situations where I can't bring Zapdos in to Defog and it's very important that my Sceptile doesn't get chipped down by hazards which could end up ruining its sweep potential.
Sceptile @ Electric Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
I originally didn't come up with this Sceptile set. It was a set from a person who had used it before to get high on the ladder and it inspired me to use it for this team so shout outs to that person. Anyways, Sceptile is crazy powerful in OU. With Leaf Blade, Acrobatics and Earthquake, there is almost no pokemon that can resist this pokemons movepool. Electric Seed gives it very much needed bulk in Def while in the process of setting up Swords Dance to sweep and once Electric Seed pops, it gets it's Unburden ability and outspeeds practically any Scarf user in the metagame.
That's the team! I need advice in order to improve this team because I do want to continue using it to rank up.
Gumshoos @ Choice Band
Ability: Adaptability
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Frustration
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
- Ice Punch
I feel this pokemon is very underrated. It already boasts a pretty good attacking stat and with adding Adaptability along with Choice Band, this pokemon becomes a dangerous wall breaker. Even max Def Toxapex is guaranteed 2 hit KO'd by Frustration making it a rather useless switch in against Gumshoos. Even bulky Heatran takes 40% damage from Frustration despite having resistance. The main point for Gumshoos is not to simply take down pokemon. It's main goal is to severely weaken them so that it can give my other pokemon opportunities to sweep. I thought of having Crawdaunt instead of Gumshoos but I like the great move pool that Gumshoos has making it a pretty difficult pokemon to switch into. Frustration alone threatens majority of the tier already, Earthquake completely destroys Heatran if you predict. Fire Punch gets rid of Ferrothorn and Ice Punch threatens Lando T and Garchomp.
Steelix-Mega @ Steelixite
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Taunt
This pokemon is the main reason for this team. I like Steelix alot, he gets rid of the threats of many fairies in the OU tier like Magearna, Clefable, Mimikyu, Koko and Lele. Not to mention his ground typing that gives immunity to electric moves is great too. Heavy Slam is a really strong stab so even without Atk investment, it does good damage. Earthquake is another good stab. I gave it taunt so that if it does face off against slower hazard setter pokemon like Ferrothorn, I can completely ruin its momentum of setting Leech Seed or Stealth Rocks. Lastly I gave it Stealth Rocks because I have no other hazard setter on my team.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Roost
- Defog
I had no pokemon that could effectively stop Kartana in it's tracks which i desperately needed. Zapdos feels this role for precisely that. Mega Scizor was also somewhat of a threat too. Roost is for keeping it healthy so it can continue to wall. It's also a fairly safe defogger for my team because it doesn't have to worry about spikes which helps against somewhat unpredictable sets like T Spikes Toxapex or Protean Gren Spikes.
.
Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Calm Mind
Koko serves two roles. The first is to set up my sweep with Sceptile, and it's second is being a sweeper itself. I think this set with Koko is extremely strong because most pokemon except for some scarf user can actually stop Koko once it starts to set up. Electric Terrain boosted Electrium Z with Calm Mind destroys most of the tier. Pokemon such as Lando T and Garchomp are taken care of with +1 HP Ice. I gave it U Turn since I have no other pokemon on my team that can pivot.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 220 HP / 76 Def / 212 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Defog
- Taunt
- Nature's Madness
My only real check to Chard X and BattleBond Gren. It also serves as a good counter against pesky walls with Wish, Recover and other healing moves while effectively weakening them with Nature's Madness. I gave it Defog as well in case of situations where I can't bring Zapdos in to Defog and it's very important that my Sceptile doesn't get chipped down by hazards which could end up ruining its sweep potential.
Sceptile @ Electric Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
I originally didn't come up with this Sceptile set. It was a set from a person who had used it before to get high on the ladder and it inspired me to use it for this team so shout outs to that person. Anyways, Sceptile is crazy powerful in OU. With Leaf Blade, Acrobatics and Earthquake, there is almost no pokemon that can resist this pokemons movepool. Electric Seed gives it very much needed bulk in Def while in the process of setting up Swords Dance to sweep and once Electric Seed pops, it gets it's Unburden ability and outspeeds practically any Scarf user in the metagame.
That's the team! I need advice in order to improve this team because I do want to continue using it to rank up.
