Rate my residual UU team v2.0

[sharkshocker]

So I have completely scrapped my first team (only got ONE victory on Shoddy with it) because using a Sandstorm-central team is just too much hassle on UU. Here's the team that I'm using right now, I've won quite often with it, but when I lose, I get pounded down to the ground, only managing to take down 2-4 of the opponent's team. So here's v 2.0 of my team:

Cloyster (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Shell Armor
EVs: 252 HP/98 Def/160 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Shard

This used to be occupied by Omastar, for the role of laying down Spikes/Toxic Spikes. However, I faced against a residual damage team and got wiped out by Spikes + Stealth Rock, due to my lack of Rapid Spin. Props to Third Eye Surfer for crushing me with his residual damage Cloyster and giving me the idea for it.

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Absol (M) @ Razor Claw
Ability: Super Luck
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- X-Scissor
- Swords Dance
- Pursuit
- Psycho Cut

Physical attacker. Although there's Swords Dance there, I have never gotten a chance to use it, Absol is a bit fragile and tends to not get too many hits in. Razor Claw + Super Luck gives it a high critical hit ratio, along with the appropriate moves, Pursuit for predicting switches.
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Shuckle (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Gluttony
EVs: 252 HP/178 Def/80 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Sandstorm
- Stealth Rock
- Substitute
- Knock Off

Replacement for Aggron. I was new to online battling, and my in-game catching of a shiny Adamant Aron kinda clouded my judgment in keeping it in my team. Good thing that Aggron got crushed every time I used it, so I put in Shuckle instead. Stealth Rock + Sandstorm for residual damage, I used to have Encore instead of Knock Off, but then I had trouble not attacking while I kept Shuckle in, Knock Off to get rid of Leftovers and Choice items.
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Cacturne (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Seed Bomb
- Sucker Punch
- Drain Punch
- Thunderpunch

Got rid of its Sandstorm and Spikes, because it's a waste of a turn or two. More or less I think this is my physical sweeper. Moveset for diversity, Drain Punch for some healing. Usually I switch him in after Sandstorm for Sand Veil.
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Wailord (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Oblivious
EVs: 252 HP/6 Def/252 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Rest
- Water Pulse
- Roar
- Sleep Talk

Wall and Sleeptalker. Water Pulse for added status, and Roar to induce residual damage. Rest to get recover and heal status, and Sleep Talk to have it keep doing its job.
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Froslass (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Snow Cloak
EVs: 126 HP/252 Spd/132 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Attract
- Confuse Ray
- Hail
- Psychic

One of my favorite Pokemon. Usually switch in on a Fighting type move or after losing one of my Pokemon, especially if I'm fighting a male. First Attract, then Confuse Ray or Hail, then Psychic. Usually opponents switch out because of their low percentage of successfully attacking, so this is for causing residual damage as well.

Let me know what you think, any suggestions and comments are welcome. Thank you!

 

[ODDish]

Wailord (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Oblivious
EVs: 252 HP/6 Def/252 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Rest - Water Pulse - Roar - Sleep Talk
Wall and Sleeptalker.

I'm afraid the words "Wailord" and "wall" really don't belong in the same sentence as despite its huge HP, base 45 defences are really just too bad.
If you want a fairly bulky water type Quagsire, Polited, Poliwrath or Lapras are all much better options ... CScarf Wailord can be surprisingly effective though.

Ditch X-Scissor, for another attack, what does Bug cover in UU that Dark or even Psychic does not?

Other dark types.

 

[sharkshocker]

@ [kd8]otome, I was weighing which of Night Slash, Psycho Cut, and X-Scissor to put, I put Pursuit for a Dark type because I figured if they see that I take out Absol against a Psychic type, they would switch. Also worked on killing off some low-health Pokemon switching out :D


I replaced Wailord with a Kangaskhan, and turned it into more of an attacker.

Kangaskhan (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 216 HP/166 Atk/128 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Return
- Fire Punch
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

I find that against Rapid Spinners, my strategy goes to shreds, so I thought of putting a sort of contingency: more attackers. Kangaskhan is bulky enough to take a few hits, Return for STAB, Fire Punch for Steel types, another SleepTalker.

Also changed Shuckle's Substitute -> Body Slam

 

[ODDish]

Fire Punch for Steel types

You should probably run Earthquake over Fire Punch.

The most frequently encountered Steel Types (Aggron, Probopass and Bastiodon) are all dual rock type, which makes fire neutral, whereas EQuake is super effective (although is only neutral against Wormadam S - although he is less frequently encountered than the other three).