ORAS OU RMT: Mega Pidgeot and Friends

Zane Elliott

Zane Elliott

So I usually enjoy building teams based around some of my favorite Pokemon and was finally able to build a team to support Mega Pidgeot and use all it has to offer (side note that I generally don't use standard sets and end up going way off-key with a lot of my sets, but I try to explain how each works respectively). Anyways, here goes.


Gulldo (Pidgeot) @ Pidgeotite
Ability: Tangled Feet
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Tailwind
- Heat Wave
- U-turn

This seemed like the optimum move set for Pidgeot. Not having to worry about accuracy, Heat Wave and Hurricane slaughter countless threats common in the OU (Bisharp, Venusaur, Ferrothorn, and Conkeldurr just to name a few). The U-Turn creates a damaging escape route to dodge out of slower threats that Pidgeot cannot normally deal with. And Tailwind helps in odd situations where I need to escape a situation and outspeed something (for instance, using Tailwind in prediction to a status move then swapping into Gardevoir or Feraligatr and having them check without setup).

Zelda (Gardevoir) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Trace
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Psychic
- Energy Ball
- Thunderbolt

Gardevoir puts in a lot of work as a basic utility counter. Taking care of common Pokemon like Rotom-W and common Fighting-types are the main function of this particular Gardvoir. It also serves the purpose of being able to counter-lead Tornadus-Therian (the Assault Vest makes the damage done by Hurricane miniscule). It can also function as a pseudo wall against other Vested Pokemon like Goodra.

Epsilon (Feraligatr) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Ice Punch
- Waterfall
- Crunch

The main question I hear about choosing Feraligatr>Gyarados is the arguable Intimidate ability. I have 2 points that justify Feraligatr being the proper choice on this team. 1) My team already had 2 Pokemon suffering from Stealth Rocks with no proper fit way to get rid of hazards (except for Mega Pidgeot's option to run Defog, which is a bad option in my opinion), and Gyarados would only add to that weakness. 2) I needed something that could tank out Landorus-Therian, Tankchomp, and Gliscor with ease. Feraligatr's will KO them without even a single Dragon Dance, while his tanky Def stat allows him to take a hit from them without my Tailwind. Overall, Feraligatr and Gyarados could be interchangeable in this position, but my main decision was to run Feraligatr.

Maxx (Arcanine) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Extreme Speed
- Flare Blitz
- Morning Sun

Arcanine is probably the best support in the UU and I have found it useful even in the OU. Access to Extreme Speed gives it the ultimate spot kill against weakened opponents, while Will-O-Wisp + Intimidate allow it to stall against strong physical threats. Acting also as an immediate out to Scizor, Arcanine provides endless support opportunities.

Black Star (Umbreon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Foul Play
- Wish
- Yawn
- Protect

Acting as the biggest buffer in the game, Umbreon's massive defenses make it the perfect dedicated wall addition to this team. Capable of tanking through Gengar and Alakazam, and even Gardevoir in some cases, Umbreon checks numerous Pokemon. Foul Play simultaneously allows it to run through physical setups such as Mega Metagross. Yawn is utility move that I chose to force a switch in a rough situation and it usually works out in my favor. Cleric, Support, Special Buffer, and Setup Counter.

Sandra (Hippowdon) (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Whirlwind
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock

Hippowdon came in as a last second choice when looking for solid physical defense walls. Ideally, I wanted something to remove threats from active play (Whirlwind), provide vital EQ coverage, be resilient, and set up at least one type of Hazard (Stealth Rocks). Hippowdon gives me an easy switch in against most of the common threats to Pidgeot (being fast electric types like Manectric and Raikou) and a defensive duo for Umbreon to avoid annoying fighters.

All in all this team has done me very well (I've won several local and state-wide tournaments with it) (I play on the DS mainly) and I'm looking to see what other people have done with Pidgeot-M. Thanks guys!
 
Latios over Arcanine seems like the best thing you recommended because it provides me an easier way around Hazards and can tank certain hits better than Arcanine. However, I've tried running Klefki numerous times. It does nothing for me. It seems almost like "T Wave, Spikes, KOed." I've tried Sableye in Umbreon's position before and it just never worked. Also, AV Gardevoir (with my investment) has a Spc Def stat of 402, more than capable of checking off common special attacking threats (including the Keldeo which normally slams my team). Simultaneously, I'm highly opposed to running Tornadus-Therian in tandem with Mega Pidgeot. To me, they serve very similar purposes, and both do nothing against a Scarfed Keldeo, while both are also weak to the same typings and have generally the same coverage in Hurricane, Heat Wave, and U-Turn. I'll go ahead and try Latios out though. Thanks for commenting :)
 
Hi man, I'll try to do my best to help you out.

The first things you should think about when you build around M-Pidgeot are how to deal with Heatran, Ttar, Sand Rush Driller and the Pink blobs.

I'd strongly suggest you to run Specs Keldeo>Feraligatr, since the specs set has so many raw power that it muscle trough everything that walls Pidgeot, and unlike Gatr it doesnt need to set up, wich means, it wont get Burned by Tran's Lava Plume or get T-Waved by Chansey, it also is a decent check to sand offense and rain offense, wich greatly troubles Pidgeot, overall you have more role compression with Keldeo.

Imma edit this post later because im running out of time.
 
Actually that's probably the best thing I could do for this team. The only time I've ever truly struggled were against Chansey/Blissey. That answers the need for a Water-type while giving me Fighting.
 
Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 Def
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Scald
- Icy Wind

Typical keldeo, icy wind hits the latis and lower their speed so you 2HKO them safely on the switch, you can use modest if you trust about tailwind, but Timid is more reliable.

Umbreon looks good on paper but is bad on practice, Dark is a bad defensive typing and leaves you weak to Common attacking types, taunt also stops it cold, it seems that is your glue, so I'd change it to Clefable, Clef is not passive like Umbreon and gives utility, unlike umbreon who is a setup bait for anything that packs taunt, Unaware and Magic Guard can be both useful, so I'll give you two sets to choose.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 SpD
Calm Nature
- Soft-Boiled
- Thunder Wave
- Moonblast
- Fire Blast / Heal bell

This set is the go-to glue for every balanced team, Fire Blast is preferred to lure Ferro and Scizor, but you can use Heal Bell to have a cleric.

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Moonblast
- Fire Blast / Heal Bell

Similar to your Umbreon set, but not a setup bait thanks to Unaware, the moves are self-explanatory.

Build around M-Pidgeot makes you weak to Fast Electrics, Your Hippo doesnt even check them because it lacks SpD investiment, and you lack Hazard Removal for Pidgeot, since this is a balanced team Latias fits better than Latios, and tbh normal Gardevoir is too niche to even consider it :/. So Latias>Gardevoir.
Latias @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 72 HP / 184 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Roost / Healing Wish

EVs allow you to survive HP ice from Life Orb Thundurus-I, Roost is preferred over HW because im giving you Clefable, but is still useful to give pidgeot a second life.
Latias outclasses gardevoir because it does exactly the same but is faster, has recovery, support, better bulk and HP wich means she doesnt needs an AV, she also checks Zard Y, Scarf Keldeo and Fast Electrics better than Latios because of her higher bulk.

Im not sure why you think Arcanine is good to support, its typing is bad for a defensive mon, leaves it weak to every kind of Hazard, and common coverage in water and ground, I'd use Lando here but you already have hippo, the team is not anymore weak to Scizor thanks to Keldeo and M-Metagross is walled by Hippowdown if it lacks Grass Knot, it also takes a heavy hit from heat wave, so Arcanine is pretty redundant. The team is weak to Azumarrill right now, particulary the Choice Band set, since you lack a switch in, the Latis can be troublesome also since your the only check is Clefable. I'd suggest you to run Ferrothorn>Arcanine, Ferro walls a lot more things that Arcanine can, it also provides hazard support and a solid Lati and Azumarrill counter unless Azu packs Superpower, wich is rare anyway, it also makes a solid defensive back bone with Hippowdown since they dont share type weakness, unlike Arcanine, they also wall each other checks.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
IVs: 0 Spe
Relaxed Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball

Set is self explanatory, you can run Knock Off instead of Gyro ball, but Gyro Ball is ferrothorn's best way to deal damage, power whip is mandatory to get rid of M-Gyarados and Azumarrill.

Last I'd change Hippowdown's EV spread to the standard to deal better with Fast Electrics. Standard spread is: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 SpD with an Impish Nature.

Pidgeot set is fine, you dont need a stallbreaker set since Keldeo is a monstrous wallbreaker.

That's all, hope I helped :]
 
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Well... I'm not sure I understand the concept of this team. Seems very situational and matchup based rather than something with a general strategy.

First, if you're gonna build around Pidgeot, then hazard removal is a must, while setting up hazards is also very important. So you need a spinner, not a defogger.
Second, you need to decide if you wanna play work-up pidgeot or late game pidgeot. Anything in-between is kinda... meh.

As for Pidgeot's moveset, Pidgeot really has 2 very useful moves in Hurricane and Heat wave, the rest can be filled with coverage (Hidden Power, Hyper Beam) or utility (Roost, Substitute, Protect, U-Turn, Tailwind, Refresh, Defog...). If you plan on using Mega Pidgeot as a late game sweeper, HP is a must.
From my experience, HP Ground, HP Fighting, HP Ice or HP Steel work alright on Pidgeot, pretty much in that order.
Tailwind on the other hand, does not work well. It's all well and good in theory, but using Tailwind often results in a dead Pidgeot... Utility moves in general are kinda wasted on Pidgeot because it doesn't have the bulk to stay in too much anyway, it should bomb and get out (or sweep). The two utilities I guess could work are Roost and Protect. Roost can negate some damage taken with the right opportunity and beat Bisharp. Protect allows M.Pidgeot to safely mega evolve against many common threats (Latias, Starmie, Offensive Chomp, Serperior, Raikou, Speed Tie T-T....) as well as scout choiced opponents. Anyway both could work. I like Protect more tbh.
U-Turn can be used as semi-coverage because it can do damage to some mons Pidgeot can't 1HKO at full HP such as Starmie and Hoopa Unbound for example. It does low damage to everything else though
What I'd do is: Hurricane/Heat Wave/(HP Ground OR HP Ice OR U-Turn)/(Roost or Protect)
 
I've since revised this team to play a revenge kill strategy. Mega Pidgeot is my most consistent lead, but I've changed the base entirely running a Sand Rush Spinner Excadrill to compliment Hippowdon. Meanwhile, Latios is a full Life Orb sweeper (for coverage against water- and flying-types). Unaware Clefable has replaced Umbreon as a defensive buffer. Thank you all for the help, the new team is running much smoother.
 
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