Hello! I am new here but have played a bit of OU before. I tried building a team around Protean Greninja and this is what I have come up with. I played around with this team and reached an ELO of ~1300. Any suggestions to make this team better are welcome!
Greninja @ Waterium Z
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Extrasensory
- Hidden Power Fire
I wanted to build the team around Protean Greninja. The reason I chose Protean over Battle Bond is that Greninja is too frail and can be taken out before it can KO the opponent, mostly by U-turn from Choice Scarf Landorus-T, for Battle Bond to take effect. Protean also has the benefit of STAB with every move. Surf is the Water-type move of choice since I have had Hydro Pump miss for me too many times. Ice beam helps take out Grass and Dragon-types like Garchomp, Landorus-T, Hydreigon, and for 2HKOing Tapu Bulu on predicted hits. Extrasensory is for 2HKOing Toxapex, Mega Venusaur and Keldeo. Hidden Power Fire is for hitting Steel-types like Magnezone, Magearna and Mega Scizor super effectively. Waterium-Z is for nuking opponents like Mega Scizor and Magearna and some not-so-bulky Water-types.
Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 244 Atk / 12 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
Choice Scarf Landorus-T is the Stealth Rock setter of my team and along with Mega Scizor has been a part of many OU teams I have experimented with before. Choice Scarf lets it outspeed most non-Scarf pokemon. Earthquake is the usual Ground-type move of choice and Stone Edge is for dealing with flying types like Tornadus-T, Thundurus-T, Zapdos, and for the OHKO on Volcarona before Quiver Dance. U-turn lets Landorus pivot and is also effective against Greninja and Mega Alakazam. The EV distribution is for maximising Speed and Attack while 12 SpD EVs let it survive Hidden Power Ice from many physically-oriented pokemon.
Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Defog
- Roost
- U-turn
Tapu Koko has nice synergy with Landorus-T and is also the Defogger of my team. Thunderbolt is the STAB move of choice and is also chosen for better accuracy over Thunder. Roost is for recovery and U-turn lets it pivot out as needed. U-turn was chosen instead of Volt Switch as Volt Switch can be blocked by Ground-types. Timid Nature maximises Speed and the given EV spread maximises speed and SpAtk.
Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 16 Def / 244 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Roost
- U-turn
Bulky Swords Dance Mega-Scizor has been an integral part of many of my teams because of its bulk as well as its attack stat. Swords Dance allows it to boost its attack especially when it has been burned. Bullet Punch was chosen because of its priority to make up for Mega Scizor's rather lacking Speed while also being boosted by Technician to a base power of 60. Roost is a must for Scizor and U-turn enables it to safely bring out Greninja when required. 248 HP and 244 SpD EVs give Mega Scizor its bulk.
Heatran @ Grassium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Earth Power
- Solar Beam
- Toxic
Heatran was the Fire-type of choice because of its immunity to Fire-type moves. Flamethrower was chosen over Magma Storm in favour of accuracy. Earth Power lets it take on opposing Heatrans and Diancie. Solar Beam is for the sole purpose of letting it use Bloom Doom, which hits unsuspecting Water-types and Ground-types hard, like Tapu Fini. Toxic was the choice for the last moveslot to let my team have some at least one pokemon with a status-inducing move. The EV spread is for maximizing its speed and special attack and Timid Nature was chosen to give it an edge over speed.
Kartana @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike
Kartana brings up the rear and is the only pokemon that has a Grass-type move apart from Bloom Doom. Swords Dance lets it set up and Leaf Blade is the strongest Grass-type physical STAB move for Kartana. Sacred Sword is for hitting Heatran hard while Smart Strike was chosen primarily so that it take on Fairy-types. Jolly nature was chosen over Adamant because I wish to emphasize Speed over Attack.
Edit---------------------------------------------------------------
I have made several changes to the team:
Greninja is now holding a Choice Specs and has Battle Bond instead of Protean. It also has the following moves: Surf, Water Shuriken, Ice Beam and Grass Knot.
Greninja @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Water Shuriken
- Grass Knot
Tapu Koko now has Dazzling Gleam instead of U-turn.
Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 20 HP / 252 SpA / 20 SpD / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Defog
- Roost
- Dazzling Gleam
Heatran now has Air Balloon and runs Flash Cannon and Stone Edge instead of Solar Beam and Toxic.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Earth Power
- Stone Edge
- Flash Cannon
The biggest change has to be the replacement of Kartana with Choice Band Tapu Bulu. I did not like having three Steel types, two of which have 4x weakness to Fire. I chose Tapu Bulu because of its massive Attack and decent overall bulk and also because I needed a Grass-type to cover for Water-Ground types like Swampert, Gastrodon and Quagsire.
Tapu Bulu @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 84 HP / 248 Atk / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Stone Edge
- Superpower
- Zen Headbutt
Horn Leech is the STAB move of choice because I did not want Wood Hammer's recoil. Superpower is to hit Steel-types like Heatran and Ferrothorn super effectively. Zen Headbutt is useful against Toxapex while Stone Edge hits Flying-types hard.
Inspite of these changes I find my team threatened by rain offense and balance teams that counter most of the Pokemon on my team.
Greninja @ Waterium Z
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Extrasensory
- Hidden Power Fire
I wanted to build the team around Protean Greninja. The reason I chose Protean over Battle Bond is that Greninja is too frail and can be taken out before it can KO the opponent, mostly by U-turn from Choice Scarf Landorus-T, for Battle Bond to take effect. Protean also has the benefit of STAB with every move. Surf is the Water-type move of choice since I have had Hydro Pump miss for me too many times. Ice beam helps take out Grass and Dragon-types like Garchomp, Landorus-T, Hydreigon, and for 2HKOing Tapu Bulu on predicted hits. Extrasensory is for 2HKOing Toxapex, Mega Venusaur and Keldeo. Hidden Power Fire is for hitting Steel-types like Magnezone, Magearna and Mega Scizor super effectively. Waterium-Z is for nuking opponents like Mega Scizor and Magearna and some not-so-bulky Water-types.
Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 244 Atk / 12 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
Choice Scarf Landorus-T is the Stealth Rock setter of my team and along with Mega Scizor has been a part of many OU teams I have experimented with before. Choice Scarf lets it outspeed most non-Scarf pokemon. Earthquake is the usual Ground-type move of choice and Stone Edge is for dealing with flying types like Tornadus-T, Thundurus-T, Zapdos, and for the OHKO on Volcarona before Quiver Dance. U-turn lets Landorus pivot and is also effective against Greninja and Mega Alakazam. The EV distribution is for maximising Speed and Attack while 12 SpD EVs let it survive Hidden Power Ice from many physically-oriented pokemon.
Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Defog
- Roost
- U-turn
Tapu Koko has nice synergy with Landorus-T and is also the Defogger of my team. Thunderbolt is the STAB move of choice and is also chosen for better accuracy over Thunder. Roost is for recovery and U-turn lets it pivot out as needed. U-turn was chosen instead of Volt Switch as Volt Switch can be blocked by Ground-types. Timid Nature maximises Speed and the given EV spread maximises speed and SpAtk.
Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 16 Def / 244 SpD
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Roost
- U-turn
Bulky Swords Dance Mega-Scizor has been an integral part of many of my teams because of its bulk as well as its attack stat. Swords Dance allows it to boost its attack especially when it has been burned. Bullet Punch was chosen because of its priority to make up for Mega Scizor's rather lacking Speed while also being boosted by Technician to a base power of 60. Roost is a must for Scizor and U-turn enables it to safely bring out Greninja when required. 248 HP and 244 SpD EVs give Mega Scizor its bulk.
Heatran @ Grassium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Earth Power
- Solar Beam
- Toxic
Heatran was the Fire-type of choice because of its immunity to Fire-type moves. Flamethrower was chosen over Magma Storm in favour of accuracy. Earth Power lets it take on opposing Heatrans and Diancie. Solar Beam is for the sole purpose of letting it use Bloom Doom, which hits unsuspecting Water-types and Ground-types hard, like Tapu Fini. Toxic was the choice for the last moveslot to let my team have some at least one pokemon with a status-inducing move. The EV spread is for maximizing its speed and special attack and Timid Nature was chosen to give it an edge over speed.
Kartana @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike
Kartana brings up the rear and is the only pokemon that has a Grass-type move apart from Bloom Doom. Swords Dance lets it set up and Leaf Blade is the strongest Grass-type physical STAB move for Kartana. Sacred Sword is for hitting Heatran hard while Smart Strike was chosen primarily so that it take on Fairy-types. Jolly nature was chosen over Adamant because I wish to emphasize Speed over Attack.
Edit---------------------------------------------------------------
I have made several changes to the team:
Greninja is now holding a Choice Specs and has Battle Bond instead of Protean. It also has the following moves: Surf, Water Shuriken, Ice Beam and Grass Knot.
Greninja @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Water Shuriken
- Grass Knot
Tapu Koko now has Dazzling Gleam instead of U-turn.
Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 20 HP / 252 SpA / 20 SpD / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Defog
- Roost
- Dazzling Gleam
Heatran now has Air Balloon and runs Flash Cannon and Stone Edge instead of Solar Beam and Toxic.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Earth Power
- Stone Edge
- Flash Cannon
The biggest change has to be the replacement of Kartana with Choice Band Tapu Bulu. I did not like having three Steel types, two of which have 4x weakness to Fire. I chose Tapu Bulu because of its massive Attack and decent overall bulk and also because I needed a Grass-type to cover for Water-Ground types like Swampert, Gastrodon and Quagsire.
Tapu Bulu @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 84 HP / 248 Atk / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Stone Edge
- Superpower
- Zen Headbutt
Horn Leech is the STAB move of choice because I did not want Wood Hammer's recoil. Superpower is to hit Steel-types like Heatran and Ferrothorn super effectively. Zen Headbutt is useful against Toxapex while Stone Edge hits Flying-types hard.
Inspite of these changes I find my team threatened by rain offense and balance teams that counter most of the Pokemon on my team.
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