RMT

[AkunoKage]

I don't have much to say about this team beforehand, so I'll just get right to it.

Team at a glance

Breloom @ Toxic Orb

Careful Nature
76 Hp / 6 Atk / 176 Def / 252 SpD
~ Protect
~ Leech Seed
~ Substitute
~ Focus Punch

It's a Sub-Seeding Breloom. The Defensive spread lets it stand up to all kinds of abuse (eg. Rotom Heat does 75~89% with Overheat), and the combination of Leech Seed and Poison Heal nets it about 30% Hp recovery per turn. With protect, that means This Breloom can recover around 60% of its health for every attack it takes, while dealing 24% of passive damage to the opponent over the same period. Focus Punch is there because even without attack investment, it does around 50% to notable walls (such as roosting Zapdos and Gliscor) canceling their recovery, and allowing the Sub-Seeding to kill them. At the same time, Breloom's low speed means that its substitutes will usually be set up after it takes damage, meaning that they stay up if the opponent attempts to switch out of the stall. On this team, Breloom helps by adding extra bulk to the team, and taking some special hits Swampert can't handle, as well as just slowly waring down the opponent, and helping to heal my walls with Leech Seed. I chose to lead with him mostly because none of my other Pokemon make for very good leads, and he gains the element of surprise as lead Breloom is generally scarfed and uses spore while mine does neither. Protect also serves as good scouting and free Toxic Orb on the first turn, which helps me avoid status later.

Feraligatr @ Muscle Band

Adamant Nature
252 Atk / 64 Def / 188 SpD
~ Aqua Jet
~ Earthquake
~ Ice Punch
~ Swords Dance

Swords Dance Feraligatr, with less speed and more bulk. I chose to give this guy more Defense to make it more likely that I live to activate Torrent. I find that usually the surprise survivals more than make up for the lack of speed, especially since there isn't too much the extra speed allows him to beat. Scizor is the only crucial one, but it can't OHKO me even with Choice Banded Superpower, and I can usually KO it with Earthquake and Aqua Jet.

Heatran @ Choice Scarf

Naive Nature
6 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
~ Fire Blast
~ Earth Power
~ Dragon Pulse
~ Explosion

Standard Scarf-Tran. I threw him in here because I needed a revenge killer which could take Outrage and counter Scizor, and there's nothing else which can do all of that (maybe Magnezone, but its slower and its explosion is weaker). I chose Dragon Pulse over HP [Ice], because I need to be able to hit both Salamence and Kingdra when they're locked into Outrage.

Mismagius @ Leftovers

Modest Nature
16 Def / 252 SpA / 240 Spe
~ Shadow Ball
~ Thunderbolt
~ Taunt
~ Calm Mind

Taunt and Calm Mind on Mismagius make it very good against stall and pseudo-stall teams. I chose Thunderbolt over HP [Fighting] because I wanted to hit Suicune and Scarmory more than Blissey or Tyranitar. The speed EVs and Nature put it just faster than Jolly Lucario, which helps me revenge kill it late game if I lose Heatran, but mostly is just a good speed. Most of the time, this set just irritates walls, and piles residual damage on my opponents team, but it can definitely sweep if the opponent makes a mistake.

Weezing @ Black Sludge

Bold Nature
198 Hp / 252 Def / 56 SpA
~ Thunderbolt
~ Wil-O-Wisp
~ Pain Split
~ Haze

My physical wall. Despite the ground immunity, I chose thunderbolt as his only attack so he can counter Taunt Gyrados (Thunderbolt does over 75% to standard Gyrados, making it an OHKO with Stealth Rock). Wil-O-Wisp and Pain Split are fairly obvious options, and I chose to include Haze to stop Substitute Dragon Dance Kingdra from Setting up all over him. It also Comes in handy against Swords Dancers who figure they can take the burn, and just Swords Dance a bunch of times to cancel it out.

Swampert @ Leftovers

Careful Nature
240 Hp / 16 Atk / 252 SpD
~ Waterfall
~ Curse
~ Rest
~ Stealth Rock

Mostly, Swampert serves as my special wall and Stealth Rock setter, but late game he can Curse up and cause some trouble. While this set is completely walled by Vaporeon and Quagsire, and has trouble with special attackers like Suicune and Latias, the rest of my team can take care of these, and I can't take off any moves to make room for a second attack. The rest of my team is counting on Stealth Rock support, and I don't want to sacrifice one of Heatran's moves to free up that slot. Without rest, Curse will never allow a sweep unless the opponent is continually attacking for less than 10% of your health while you set up, and without Curse Swampert could potentially become set-up fodder late game, instead of sweeping late game. Anyway, I've won quite a few games because of this guy, and I don't miss the second move too much.

Thats it, any and all comments appreciated. Also, if anyone can figure out how to fix my weakness to Life Orb Ludicolo that would be awesome.


Threat List

Breloom - Mismagius can beat it one on one with taunt, Heatran can revenge kill it. Weezing walls it after sleep clause.

Salamence - It can't OHKO Feraligatr, and Ice Punch kills it. Weezing Haze's and Wil-O-Wisps physical versions, Heatran revenge kills it.

Jirachi - Barring Zen Headbutt, Weezing walls it, Heatran can take its attack well, and OHKO with Fire Blast, If it can cast Leech Seed without flinching too much, Breloom can counter it. Special variants are mostly walled by Swampert, and Feraligatr can kill them with Earthquake.

Latias - Breloom lives even Life Orbed Draco Meteor, and can Leech Seed stall. Heatran can 2HKO with Dragon Pulse and OHKO with explosion. Feraligatr will live Thunderbolt and can kill with Ice Punch + Aqua Jet, Mismagius can Shadow Ball it, and Calm Mind to reduce damage, Swampert can Wall it as long as it doesn't have Grass Knot or Calm Mind.

Porygon-Z - Heatran and Mismagius can come in on its stab move, Swampert walls all its other moves.

Suicune - Breloom drains non-Substitute variants, Heatran Explodes, and kills it if its weakened, Mismagius Taunts, Calm Minds, and Thunderbolts.

Togekiss - Swampert walls it fairly well, Mismagius sets up against it, Heatran blows it up.

Tyranitar - Weezing walls physical variants, Breloom resists its stab moves and can OHKO with Focus Punch

Vaporeon - Mismagius and Feraligatr set up against and kill it, Heatran blows it up, Breloom stalls it out.

LO Ludicolo - Can OHKO everything on my team in rain, and outspeeds everything.

 

[Arkeis]

Hi and welcome to Smogon!

First of all, why are you using that Breloom as a lead? It doesn't even have Spore, which is Breloom's best move. Most leads are going to beat it easily, especially since you can't even put them to sleep.

I chose to lead with him mostly because none of my other Pokemon make for very good leads

That's not true. You have Swampert, who makes a great lead with the ability to use Stealth Rock. You shouldn't use mono-attacking CursePert unless you have Toxic Spikes, since that is the only real way to stop Vaporeon from walling you. If you do want to use CursePert, lead with Roserade instead of Breloom. Otherwise, make Swampert your lead and move Breloom somewhere else, giving it Spore over Protect.

Feraligatr is outclassed as a sweeper by Gyarados, plus Muscle Band is just a terrible item.

Also, if anyone can figure out how to fix my weakness to Life Orb Ludicolo that would be awesome.

No one uses Ludicolo, unless its a rain team. You should be more concerned with OU threats. The biggest one is Life Orb Latias. The only move you have that can OKO it is Explosion, which doesn't count since you'll be KOing yourself as well.

You should have either a Tyranitar or Scizor with Pursuit on your team to take care of Latias. Preferably over Mismagius since its one of your team's weak links.

 

[AkunoKage]

First of all, why are you using that Breloom as a lead? It doesn't even have Spore, which is Breloom's best move. Most leads are going to beat it easily, especially since you can't even put them to sleep.

If you could tell me which pokemon "most leads" refers to that might be more helpful, but in terms of leads I tend to see...

Azelf - Protect first turn. If I predict right (and protect helps with this) I can break their sash with Focus Punch, then switch to Heatran for the kill.

Metagross - I take about 65% from a Meteor Mash, so I protect first turn, then Leech Seed, then more Protect, which leaves me at around 90%, enough to take a Meteor Mash and set up a Sub, then begin stalling it out.

Swampert - It runs away.

Hippowdon - Usually runs away, if not I can stall it out.

Forretress - It can't break my Substitute, And Focus Punch 3HKOs

Jirachi - If it wants to Trick, Protect first turn tells me and I switch to Heatran, otherwise Iron Head does around 40%, 20% after Poison Heal and Protect, so I have plenty of time to not flinch and land Leech Seed.

I know that in most cases I'm letting the opponent set up with this Breloom, but as long as I can set up I don't care. With all the switches he forces, I get an early scouting advantage, and can pile on a fair bit of residual damage. If I'm missing something crucial here, let me know.

make Swampert your lead and move Breloom somewhere else, giving it Spore over Protect.

I don't like Swampert leads much, I find they usually just get up Stealth Rock, then have to switch. Plus they fall prey to Taunt Trick and Sleep leads, and so aren't even guaranteed to get Stealth Rock up. If I give Breloom Spore that means it can't stall effectively any more.

You shouldn't use mono-attacking CursePert unless you have Toxic Spikes, since that is the only real way to stop Vaporeon from walling you

I see your point, but Vaporeon is only one Pokemon, and this set is intended as a last resort sweeper, and I usually don't even use Curse until the end of the game. If by the time all my sweepers are dead, my opponent still has Vaporeon, I would still loose if Swampert had Earthquake.

Feraligatr is outclassed as a sweeper by Gyarados, plus Muscle Band is just a terrible item.

Gyrados doesn't learn Aqua Jet or Swords Dance, and Doesn't have Torrent. It can't do what this set does. I didn't want to use Muscle Band at first either, but I don't have any option. I can't use Life Orb, or I'll kill myself in a maximum of three turns once I get Torrent, two in Sandstorm. Leftovers doesn't really help him live any hits, and it will slowly heal him out of Torrent range, so what else is left?

No one uses Ludicolo, unless its a rain team. You should be more concerned with OU threats. The biggest one is Life Orb Latias. The only move you have that can OKO it is Explosion, which doesn't count since you'll be KOing yourself as well.

I still don't want to loose to every Rain Dance team I face, and since when does Explosion not count?

You should have either a Tyranitar or Scizor with Pursuit on your team to take care of Latias. Preferably over Mismagius since its one of your team's weak links.

If i replace Mismagius with either of those I increase my weakness to Calm Mind Suicune, and I'm more worried about that than I am about Latias. Besides, Mismagius can do some decent damage to Latias with Shadow Ball.

If I'm just talking through my hat, let me know.

 

[Arkeis]

Azelf - Protect first turn. If I predict right (and protect helps with this) I can break their sash with Focus Punch, then switch to Heatran for the kill.

See, if a Pokemon has to switch out from the most common lead in the game, then it's a bad lead. A good lead will have no problem staying in and defeating another lead (in this case, Azelf) all by itself. Also Azelf usually carries Psychic or Fire Blast and can prevent Breloom from touching it with Focus Punch (while OHKOing it in the process).

Everything else on your list also sets up. It doesn't matter if you Leech Seed them, because people are more worried about Spore. When they realize you don't have Spore, it suddenly becomes 10x easier to counter.

Basically, simply letting other Pokemon set up Stealth Rock or Dual Screens or whatever is never a good thing.
Also, I like how you purposely left out Heatran and Infernape, both of which are in the top ten leads.

With all the switches he forces, I get an early scouting advantage, and can pile on a fair bit of residual damage.

You're not going to benefit from any switches without entry hazards on the field (i.e. Stealth Rock). If you laid down Stealth Rock first and THEN used Breloom to stall/force switches, then the whole strategy would be much more effective.
Swampert can scout and force switches too, with Protect or Roar.

I don't like Swampert leads much, I find they usually just get up Stealth Rock, then have to switch.

Getting Stealth Rocks up is one of the most important parts of the battle. Better to set it early in the battle, where they'll perform most effectively, rather than later.

Plus they fall prey to Taunt Trick and Sleep leads, and so aren't even guaranteed to get Stealth Rock up.

You're even less guaranteed to set up Stealth Rock later in the battle, since you can't even be sure you can safely switch in. Besides, lead Pokemon aren't the only ones who use Trick and sleep moves.

If by the time all my sweepers are dead, my opponent still has Vaporeon, I would still loose if Swampert had Earthquake.

That's not true at all. Standard Vaporeon can't even 4KO CursePert with Surf, while it will eventually build up enough Curses to 2KO with Earthquake.

Gyrados doesn't learn Aqua Jet or Swords Dance, and Doesn't have Torrent.

Feraligatr doesn't have 125 base Attack or Intimidate or the ability to switch in on Earthquake/Close Combat and still be able to set up. Feraligatr relies on a priority move and an ability that doesn't even work until it's close to death. Gyarados doesn't have to worry about priority because it can get actual Speed. Anything that counters Gyarados counters Feraligatr too, but at least Gyarados has an easier time sweeping in the OU metagame.

I still don't want to loose to every Rain Dance team I face

Then your best bet is to use a Tyranitar like I advised. It counters Latias and changes the weather. It survives any of Ludicolo's attacks, can outspeed it with a Jolly nature, and OKO's it with Life Orb or Choice Band Stone Edge.

and since when does Explosion not count?

Because you're sacrificing your own Pokemon, so it doesn't count as a counter. A counter has to be able to defeat the Pokemon its countering and still be alive at the end.

If i replace Mismagius with either of those I increase my weakness to Calm Mind Suicune, and I'm more worried about that than I am about Latias. Besides, Mismagius can do some decent damage to Latias with Shadow Ball.

There are plenty of other ways of dealing with Suicune than Mismagius. If Mismagius was the only Suicune counter, then it wouldn't be UU. Speaking of which, Mismagius isn't even good at countering Suicune. It gets worn down by repeated Surfs and can't even 2HKO with Thunderbolt after a Calm Mind boost.
Also Latias 2HKOs Mismagius with Dragon Pulse or Draco Meteor.

Now a Breloom (with SPORE) can handle any Suicune without Ice Beam. Suicunes with Ice Beam won't have either Sleep Talk or Calm Mind and get worn down by Tyranitar or GYARADOS.