SV UU Returning Player - back to Regen-Core

[DarwYyn]

Greetings everyone,
Last time I played Showdown - or any competitive Pokemon - was 7 years ago. But the itch is back! Back then UU was my playground and so I returned to the tier. I have been playing a couple dozen games - there are so many new mons, new moves and of course the meta to get to know - and have settled on a core, I want to build around. Since learning the meta involves sticking to a team and not hopping on the next meta train, I decided to start with a regen core of Hydrapple, Slowking and Torn-T!

Hydrapple is one way of breaking, comes in safely on so many things and can heal back up with regenerator. It is one win condition of this team when it can nasty plot up on someone who cannot deal with him or it just drops a drain or draco on someones head, switches and regens up. In some games it takes more of a defensive duty and in others it comes in late and says "you got any answers left? no? gg!"

Slowking is the second Regenerator in the team and a nice partner for Hydrapple on switch ins like Torn-T or when Hydrapple had to Tera to give another water resist. Furthermore checks like Ogerpon or Lokix are defended between the two.
It walls a lot of the physical threats, pivots in own threats with Chilly Reception or gives thunder waves to the opponents mons. Since it has a more physical def spread, I needed another answer for Latios.
(I am debating to switch this to Toxapex since the ability to toxic here and there would greatly improve this slow and chippy style of the team - plus it would give my a haze user vs set up sweepers)

Torn-T acts as a great pivot between the regenerators, chips down vs Latios as our Slowking is more phys def. With its AV set it is the main special wall of the team.
With the three core mons, we have tripple regen, answers to a lot of current threats and a small way of winning the game in the end. Plus slowking and Torn-T have a way to pivot between my answers.

And this is where my core ended and my playtesting left me with: Lokix.
Especially when paired with Slowking Lokix comes in safely to revenge kill a lot of threats. It is the most important form of physical damage on this team and another way to win the game in the end. Especially given the multiple ways to pivot it in, it does its damage and falls back into the shadow (of its pokeball). Since it pivots in and out often I needed boots to not die to rocks.

My brew continued with Cobalion with a more supportive set. First of I still needed a rocks setter and a steel type. Especially when answering bug types like Lokix or Scizor that Hydrapple does not want to tank. With another Volt Switch User (next to Torn and Lokix U-Turn) this forms another way of using the regen and always pivoting to a good defensive answer or an offensive threat when the opportunity arises. Fourth slot I typically would run T-Wave - but since Slowking already has it, I went with Taunt.

Last slot: where is the damage? I settled (after a lot of switching) on Latios - Specs. The Core finds a lot of openings to bring in Latios and specs Surf, Draco or Luster Purge hurts. But honestly: it's forced. There must be a better way of fininishing the team. Especially when there is an immunity to Draco or Luster, Latios does only another chip with surf (or pivots out again).

What are the problems?
Well, first and foremost: I would like to have your opinion. I am new (again) to the meta and still trying to optimizing. Cobalion and Latios feel "better" than my other option, but not "right" - or best in slot.
Second: The games feel very "chippy". I U-Turn, take little damage and regen - but I also do little damage. Especially without Rocks up. A toxic would be nice. Or a Fake out user that does a bit more chip. Or some form of banded Knock of.
Or the team has to evolve into a more stally or more offensy version...
Third: Hazard Control - with the amount of volt/turning I take a lot of rocks and spike damage. Maybe a defog tank is a good idea...
I am more than open to new ideas.
As I said: I like my core. I like the tempo, pivoting playstyle. But I have not gotten a good enough grasp on the meta to push this team to the next level.

Any help is greatly appreciated :)
Feels good to be back!
(Funfact: Regen Core was my last team I build here on smogon, years ago!)

Hydrapple @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 SpA
Modest Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Draco Meteor
- Giga Drain
- Earth Power

Slowking @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Scald
- Chilly Reception
- Slack Off
- Thunder Wave

Tornadus-Therian @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 64 SpD / 192 Spe
Timid Nature
- Bleakwind Storm
- Focus Blast
- Knock Off
- U-turn

Lokix @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Tinted Lens
Tera Type: Bug
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- First Impression
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch

Cobalion @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Justified
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 252 Def / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Body Press
- Volt Switch
- Taunt

Latios @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Luster Purge
- Surf
- Flip Turn

 

[Lily]

Hey DarwYyn cool team!! :D Regen cores are of course some of the best things you can build around in any tier and given the three Pokemon you've chosen here are some of the best in the tier on their own merits, you're in a good spot!

The 6 Pokemon you've chosen here are good! I think the issues you're having are not down to the Pokemon themselves, but rather their sets. I have a few suggestions on set changes that should help you retain the core of your squad:


Hydrapple @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Poison
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Def / 100 SpA
Bold Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Draco Meteor
- Giga Drain
- Earth Power

Right now your team can struggle into some strong physical attackers like Excadrill, Ogerpon, and in particular the newly-dropped Meowscarada, which is what Tera Poison is for -- don't wanna be getting Low Kicked! Some extra bulk on your Hydrapple should help out a lot. You can go with max Defense here if you'd prefer, but this spread lets you still OHKO standard Boots Tornadus-Therian with a +2 Draco Meteor.


Tornadus-Therian @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 64 SpD / 192 Spe
Timid Nature
- Bleakwind Storm
- Focus Blast / Taunt
- Knock Off
- U-turn

You don't have hazard removal here, which is fine, but it makes it hard for Tornadus to actually take proper advantage of Regenerator when it's always taking Stealth Rock damage. A quick change to Boots drops some of your bulk, but the extra HP you get from avoiding Stealth Rock makes up for it. Tera Water lets you deal with Greninja better, which otherwise looks pretty scary for your squad, and it still lets you resist Scizor's Bullet Punch. Finally, Taunt is an option over Focus Blast to let you more reliably take advantage of stuff like Cobalion, Slowking, and prevent setup from stuff like late-game Excadrill and Scizor.


Latios @ Soul Dew
Ability: Levitate
Tera Type: Dragon
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Luster Purge
- Surf
- Recover
I like what you've got going on with the Latios here, but I think Specs is a little too reliant on Tera to break through opposing Regenerator cores. It's all too easy for something like an AV Torn or Slowking to scout you and either wall your Luster Purges and Surfs or force your Draco Meteor SpA drops before pivoting to the other. With Soul Dew you have the freedom to switch moves while still getting a notable power boost, letting you do fun stuff like Luster Purge a Slowking on the switch and then threaten a massive Draco Meteor the next turn if you get the SpDef drop, which will happen pretty often given how silly that move is.

HOWEVER -- Something else you could try over Latios would be a Swords Dance Excadrill.


Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Mold Breaker
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin

You'd ideally want a Ground-type to help you out with stuff like Thundurus-T (though Excadrill itself isn't a great check, it at least dissuades Volt Switch pivot spam). Excadrill ticks a lot of boxes for you, being a strong breaker, something that can bust through opposing bulky Regen teams, hazard removal (it lets you keep the AV on Torn!) and a great late-game cleaner, which you're currently lacking a bit. You don't hugely need the defensive utility of Latios against stuff like Keldeo on this team since you have the Hydrapple + Slowking core and have enough room to outplay stuff like Thundurus and Volcanion.

Here's what these two teams would look like in the end:

https://pokepast.es/a4df76d394ca05d9 -- Latios + Boots Tornadus version
https://pokepast.es/5f2f437c5e09eb0a -- Excadrill + AV Tornadus version

Hope this all helps! Let me know if the changes work out for you and if not I'll happily help out a bit more :)