Run of the Mill OU Team

[Wilson]

Got back into competitive pokemon recently. This build has given me some success.

The team's strategy revolves around setting up a Salamence sweep, though I tend to deviate from this depending on how the game plays out. Occasionally I switch in Salamence early game, get a Dragon Dance off, and Outrage against the counter that my opponent takes out. This is usually good for ripping a hole in the opponent's team, but if this happens I usually try to wrap things up with Gengar or Heatran.

I would consider this an offensive but somewhat slow paced team. There is only one true sweeper who is hardly a sweeper as I rarely use him late-game. Scizor and Magnezone are used more as toolboxes than anything.

Anyways,

Lead

@ Focus Sash
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Pressure
252 atk/252 spd/4 hp

-Taunt
-Rock Slide
-Earthquake
-Stealth Rock

The simple suicide lead. Aerodactyl outruns just about everything not using a Scarf and a lot of pokes using it. Although it's certainly efficient at what it does, I've considered possibly using another lead in its place. This team is less reliant on Stealth Rocks than others, and sometimes Aerodactyl just seems like dead weight to me.

The MVP

@ Life Orb
Nature: Naive
Ability: Intimidate
232 atk/252 spd/24 spatk

-Dragon Dance
-Outrage
-Earthquake
-Fire Blast

Both a possible finisher and a general strongman who can switch in on something like Blissey, get a Dragon Dance off, and fuck up just about anything. There doesn't seem to be any widely used pokemon that can counter this set without my opponent at least losing one or two pokes before Salamence goes down. Weavile and Mamoswine would destroy me ... but who uses Weavile and Mamoswine?

The Core

@ Life Orb
Nature: Timid
Ability: Levitate
252 spatk/252 spd/4 def

-Shadow Ball
-Thunderbolt
-Focus Blast
-Hidden Power Grass

Gengar is not exactly an explosive Pokemon but hes fast and deceptively powerful for something that doesn't boost or use Choice items. I usually use him as a sort of versatile revenge killer and occasionally switch him into less threatening walls like Skarmory. This is a workhorse and one of the more reliable parts of my team.

@ Choice Scarf
Nature: Naive
Ability: Flash Fire
252 spatk/252 spd/ 4 atk

-Fire Blast
-Hidden Power Ice
-Earth Power
-Explosion

This is by far the most common Heatran set and perhaps the most common set in Pokemon. It's this way for good reason. CS Heatran can sweep, use its excellent typing to check dozens of Pokemon, and function as a revenge killer. Heatran might just be the most important Pokemon of this team as it performs all of the aforementioned roles regularly in any given game.

@ Choice Band
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Technician
248 hp/252 atk/ 8 spd

-Bullet Punch
-Superpower
-U-Turn
-Pursuit

If CS Heatran isn't the most common Pokemon set, then this is. Scizor checks everything. I don't use him as extensively as some other teams, but he certainly helps. I run Pursuit over Quick Attack because Pursuit shits all over most Azelf leads.

The Specialist

@ Leftovers
Nature: Naive
Ability: Magnet Pull
40 atk/216 spd/ 252 spatk

-Substitute
-Thunderbolt
-Hidden Power Fire
-Explosion

Oh god does Magnezone hate steel types. Steel types also hate Salamence. When using Salamence it is far from uncommon for the opponent to try to check them with something like Scizor. Then Magnezone comes in and eats it alive.



That's the team. I'm mostly posting here because I've been having trouble with, specifically, Azelf leads and Jirachis. I just hate the mindgames involved with Azelf vs Aerodactyl, and it seems that if Magnezone is gone I really have no way of dealing with a CS Jirachi. Any suggestions?

 

[ginganinja]

Well I don't see how Jirachi gives you trouble as Heatran walls most sets. I do suggest using a MYSTICgar set for Gengar as Gengar is a nice Lure for scizor and Protect lets you know what move a CB scizor is locked into and then you can KO it or Trap it with Magnetzone depending on the move it uses.

 

[Zach]

Not really a rate but if you want to use Hidden Power Grass Gengar, swap out Hidden Power Grass for Energy Ball.

 

[3v3rnoob]

I don't see the "Mind game" with fighting azelf leads with the Dactyl lead. Since your team isn't that stealth rock weak (or at least you don't mind it), set rocks on the first turn, then attack twice. Your opponent will either lay rocks on the first turn, allowing you to kill it during the next two turns, or getting a free attack on something as it switches out, and if they attack you, they have to choose between rocks, switching out, and killing your lead. In the former cases they lose their lead and you get to see the next guy, or just get some free attacks on the next guy, and in the latter case killing your suicide lead, only to get raped scarftran. To be honest, the last situation I described is worst for you, because then they know the tran is scarfed and get a free switch to a counter, because in the others your lead not only kills theirs, but wins you switch priority.

 

[Wilson]

Thanks for the rates. I didn't know Gengar could run Energy Ball.

I know this is a pretty boring team, but it still helps to have it critiqued

 

[Nosferalto]

Hi.

This is a decent team, looking at it, it is possible to patch up weaknesses to several offensive threats, those being Heatran, Gyarados, Metagross, Infernape, Starmie and Jolteon. Heatran outspeeds and OHKOes your whole team and KOes 5/6 of your Pokemons are KOed by Fire Blast barring your own Heatran who cannot risk a tie because of the presence of Earthpower. Salamence cannot switch-in since it is outsped when Heatran is Scarfed and 2HKOed after SR. Gyarados is a huge threat as well since your team offers it plenty of opportunities to setup such as Scizor locked onto Bullet Punch or Pursuit and Heatran locked onto Earthpower. After setting up, it massacres your team with little retaliation. While not seen much outside of a lead position, Agility Metagross which is getting more popular these days, can setup with ease on Scizor locked onto Pursuit or Bullet Punch and Heatran locked onto Hidden Power Ice for example, it can then decimate your team with the appropriate move. Starmie and Jolteon are two special sweepers that can't be dealt with on your team since they basically just run through your team, with only Heatran being able to revenge kill them with Explosion which is surely not good. Infernape needs to be checked as it massacres your team since it outspeeds everything (except Heatran and Gengar which is Pursuit and both can't switch-in) and OHKOes everything

Now, I have noticed Magnezone is useless on this team. Your Salamence has Fire Blast in it's moveset to deal with Steel types and Heatran as well. It's resistances are completely unneeded; it doesn't bring much to the table. A better replacement on this team would be a defensive Latias to deal with most of the threats mentioned before. Latias is a great addition to your team as it provides a check to the aftermentioned threat. Here's the set:

Latias @ Leftovers | Levitate
Timid | 252 HP / 76 Def / 180 Spe
Recover | Dragon Pulse | Thunderbolt | Reflect

Latias will cover Heatran, Gyarados, Infernape, Jolteon and Starmie. The only thing that you still have to beat is Metagross. Also, you need a rock resist. That is why I would reccomend replacing Aerodactyl with Swampert. Aerdactyl isn't such a great lead since it only gets SR up and it instantly dies, so you are pretty much wasting a moveslot with it. Swampert sets up SR with ease due to it's bulk and it can last a lot to check some threats, it provides a rock resist, and extra insurance against Heatran, Salamence, Tyranitar, Jolteon (elec. immunity) and Metagross. Here's the set:


Swampert @ Leftovers | Torrent
Relaxed | 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpAtk
Earthquake | Stealth Rock | Ice Beam | Roar / Protect

Finally, as it was already said, HP Grass on Gengar is pretty much useless since Energy Ball has more BP, so be sure to use it.

Good Luck.

 

[Wilson]

Great advice. Thanks.

The only thing I like about Aerodactyl is that it generally stops the opponent from getting Rocks down at least in the early game. This is essential to the lategame Salamence sweep.

I like Magnezone, but I'll be sure to try out Latias. It would be useful to have Swampert to absorb most attacks as well.

Thanks for the advice.