RMT this here team please

[sford08]

This is a team I've been working on for a while trying to use an Ambipom lead. I've gotten it to over a 50% win rate and am looking to for help to tweak it into a stronger team. So, without furth preamble, here's the team:

AT A GLANCE:

***************************************

***************************************


TEAM IN DEPTH:

Ambipom (M) @ Life Orb
Jolly nature
Ability: Technition
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Fake Out
- Taunt
- Low Kick
- U-turn
My ambipom is somewhat standard. It runs fake out of course to compliment it's technition ability. It's great speed also makes it a naturaul taunter against stealth rocking suicide leads. Low Kick lets we use him as a blissey breaker or surprise a sword dancing lucario/scizor. U-turn lets me get out of a bad situation (like a lead Gengar).
FIGHTING goes to: Gyarados, Venusaur, Swampert

Venusaur (M) @ Leftovers
Bold nature
Ability: Overgrowth
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
- Sleep Powder
- Leech Seed
- Energy Ball
- Sludge Bomb
This is probably the 'iffy-est' choice on the team. Venusaur is a good bulky pokemon the works well with Ambipom. I can u-turn on a taunted poke and set up sleep powder very easily and it can easily absorb any Fighting attacks aimed at Ambipom. Energy ball and sludge bomb are their for the stabs, obviously.
GROUND goes to: Gyarados, Swampert
PSYCHIC goes to: Tyranitar
FLY goes to: Tyranitar, Swampert, Gyarados
FIRE goes to: Tyranitar, Swampert, Gyarados
ICE goes to: Heracross, Tyranitar

Gyarados (M) @ Life Orb
Adamant nature
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
- Waterfall
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
Dancing Gyarados maybe nothing new but he's never gotten borring to me. Many is the time I've been able to U-turn Gyarados in and force a switch allowing me a free dragn dance. I've thought a bit about switching Gyarados to a builkier spread though.
ROCK goes to: Venusaur, Swampert, Heracross
ELECTRIC goest to, Venusaur, Swampert

Heracross (M) @ Choice Scarf
Adamant nature
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
- Close Combat
- Pursuit
- Megahorn
- Stone Edge
Ah, Heracross. One of my favorite pokes. The choice scarf set makes Heracross a great revenger killer. I'm running stone edge and pursuit to try and give heracross as much type coverage as possible. To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure there are any problems here. Which probably means that there's something hugly wrong with it. Please let me know if you can see it.
FLY goes to: Tyranitar, Swampert, Gyarados
PSYCHIC goes to: Tyranitar
FIRE goes to: Swampert, Gyarados, Tyranitar

Swampert (M) @ Leftovers
Relaxed Nature
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Roar
A good physical wall, roarer and back up starter is ambipom gets KOed to quickly. I've decided to run stealth rock over surf since I already have good access to water moves with gyarados. Ice beam also allows Swampert to act as my dragon killer, being immune to Latias' T-wave.
Grass goes to: Venusaur, Heracross

Tyranitar (M) @ Choice Scarf
Jolly nature
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Earthquake
Tyranitar takes up my final spot due to the rest of my teams weakness to Flying and Psychic. Because both of those types are fairly speedy, I'm, running the Choice Scarf set over Choice Band. This has allowed Tyranitar to funtion as a back-up revenge killer if Heracross goes down.
FIGHTING goes to: Gyarados, Venusaur, Swampert
GROUND goes to: Gyarados, Swampert
STEEL goes to: Heracross
WATER goes to: Venusaur
GRASS: Heracross, Gyarados


Well, that's my team as it stands right now. Tell me what you think. All suggestions and complaints and comments are welcome.

 

[Snorlaxe]

Hello! :)

Your team is currently lacking a resistance to Dragon-type moves; this means that a Dragon Dance Salamence will absolutely run through your team once Swampert goes down. It also makes switching in on common Dragon type attacks like Life Orb Latias and Mixed Salamence's Draco Meteors nigh impossible. In order to fix this weakness, I think that you may want to replace Ambipom with a Choice Band Scizor, and then move Swampert to the lead position. Swampert can be a very good lead on a team like this, getting up Stealth Rock early on in the match. Anyway, you're going to be wanting to use this Scizor set:

Scizor @ Choice Band | Technician
Adamant nature (+Attack, -Special Attack)
EVs: 248 HP | 252 Atk | 8 Spe
~ Bullet Punch
~ U-turn
~ Pursuit
~ Superpower

Choice Band Scizor is a great fit over Ambipom, as it has access to priority even more powerful than Fake Out in Bullet Punch. Scizor can also be a great scout for your team, and is a nice little check to Dragon Dance Salamence. In addition to providing your team with a Dragon-type resist, it also gives your team an Ice-type resist. These two attacking types are very common in the OU metagame, and as such it is extremely important that you have at least one resistance to them if you want to win.

I'm currently not really seeing the need for Venasaur on this team, as the only thing that it brings to the table for your team is Sleep Powder. Aside from that, really it doesn't bring anything else to your team. I think that without changing up your team too much, a defensive Celebi set would really help your team out. Use this:

Celebi @ Leftovers | Natural Cure
Bold nature (+Defense, -Attack)
EVs: 252 HP | 220 Def | 36 Spe
~ Thunder Wave
~ Grass Knot
~ Recover
~ Hidden Power Ice

This Celebi set is a great tank and team supporter, as it can distribute status with Thunder Wave as well as act as a backup check to dangerous sweepers like Salamence and Gyarados. Celebi is also useful as it can use Recover to great effect, meaning that between Thunder Wave + Grass Knot + Recover Celebi can slowly wear down many foes while keeping its own health high. Hidden Power Ice is great as it allows Celebi to check the ever-dangerous Dragon Dance Salamence.

As far as minor changes go, I think that a Jolly nature could be employed on Gyarados as opposed to an Adamant. This allows Gyarados to outspeed Choice Scarf Heatran after a Dragon Dance, as well as other notable Pokemon. Also, should you chose to go with Celebi, then having a Choice Scarf on Heracross is kinda redundant, seeing as Thunder Wave can cripple opposing teams and make Heracross faster than them. Also, having two Choice Scarf users on your team is kinda redundant. Simply use a Choice Band over Choice Scarf and use a Jolly nature without changing any of the moves or EVs. Tyranitar needs to keep its Choice Scarf, as it is currently your only solid counter to Swords Dance Lucario, who could otherwise quite easily run through your team.

Hope I helped, and good luck sford! ;)

 

[AlphaJolt]

I also think that a CB Scizor is a good idea for your team. Dragon is extremely common and would KO everyone except Swampert. Scizor is a good scout and can deals serious damage with Bullet Punch.

I run the exact same Gyrados as you do, except I have a Jolly Nature. I used to have Adamant and I have experimented with both. I prefer Jolly because Scarf Heatran is very common and Gyrados can take him out if you have Dragon Danced already.

If your only purpose for Venusaur is Sleep Power, then you should replace him for the Celebi described above.

I have tried and I never liked running 2 Choice Scarfs. I agree that Tyranitar should keep his and Heracross should run a Choice Band. Scizor with Bullet Punch and Pursuit is basically a second revenge killer so even just with having him you don't need a second scarf.

The only other thing was also said by Snorlaxe and that is to make Swampert your lead. Hope this helps you!

 

[DIABLO69]

Cool team, I would just like to say that you deserve props for using heracross, and anyone who suggests removing him has never used him.

*I understand you based this team on an ampipom lead, so I won't suggest changing him, but I think the standard infernape lead works better.

*Bulky Breloom would be a much better choice over venasuar, it does all the things you need venasuar to do, except resisting fighting type attacks.

*There is something wrong with Heracros...jolly nature is a much better option on Heracross (letting you outrun and OHKO ALL scarf heatran and agility empoleon), and rather use night slash in place of pursuite-you still get the great type coverage, while doing more damage to Pokemon who stay in.

 

[MCRandom]

First of all, props for the Ambipom lead, its my personal favorite, but i feel that a different set works much better. Try this:

Ambipom@Silk Scarf(who needs a 10% health drop?)
Jolly Nature
Ability: Technician
-Fake Out
-Return
-Payback/Low Kick
-U-Turn

This set can work wonders, and imo there is no need for taunt because Ambipom outspeeds most OU leads, and KOs almost all of them with an almost 200 base power Return. Payback is what i use for the ghosts that tend to switch in, but if you feel low kick is a better option it is viable, but gives you nearly no coverage against ghosts, so u are forced to just u-turn out of there, but do as you wish. Try it out and get back to me.


Oh and for your Gyarados if you want a little bit more bulk but still get needed KO's and outspeed 130's, why dont you run a jolly nature like Jolteon suggested but try out an EV Spread that me and some other guys have been working on for an effective Bulky JollyDos, we have been testing it and it works EXCELENT

Gyarados@Leftovers
Jolly Nature
104 Hp, 192 Atk, 40 Def, 172 Spe
-Dragon Dance
-Watefall
-Stone Edge
-Taunt/Bounce

The fourth slot is a personal preference, i like bounce for the extra coverage but many prefer taunt in order to stop phazers like skarmory dead in their tracks. Try that out also, i think you will be delightfully impressed

 

[bluewooper]

Problem: Whoa! 5 pokemon are vulnerable to Spikes and 4 are vulnerable to Toxic Spikes! You need a spinner. I can see a Skarmory coming in on a locked Megahorn and getting at least 2 layers of spikes up, when included with the Stealth Rock Damage that your team will face, Stall will easily Prevail.

Remedy:

Starmie @ Life Orb Natural Cure
Timid 4HP/252SP.ATK/252SPEED
Hydro Pump/Thunderbolt/Recover/ Rapid Spin

This is a fun set that will rid your team of Entry Hazards. Natural Cure will eliminate any Status or Toxic Spikes Poison after switching out (Just make sure Heracross gets a dose of the poison first ^_^). Recover will eliminate Spikes and Stealth Rock damage.
I would instantly eliminate Ambipom and shove Swampert in as your lead. The only possible problem is, if you wisely decide to swap Scizor in for Venasaur, you would have an annoying 3 grass type weaknesses.

 

[palkia the ultimate being]

hello. your team is impressive and i like how you set up all of the weaknesses and what pokemon to deal with them. but you are lacking the dragon type and with that a dragon type like dragonite, salamence or even garchomp might be too much to handle. i suggest teaching teaching swampert at least one ice type move to help because once swampert is out, thats all she wrote for your team. also, try to replace venasaur with a stronger grass type like what snorelax said. and the choice scizor is good too for more power. other then that your team is awsome. good luck and i hope this helps you.

 

[MCRandom]

Why would he switch out Ambipom he made this team around him, and he is a very effective lead if used correctly so i see no point in switching him out

 

[CharizardUser]

Very well balanced team, only real weaknesses I can think of are to Dragon moves and the fact that Venasaur's stats and movepool is kinda iffy, and his only real purpose on the team is to sleep powder. Also, if someone has a psychic and (water, fighting, grass, steel, or ground) type move on one of their pokemon and scares it off into switching to tyranitar, your tyranitar could be OHKOed. Otherwise, great team!! :)