Hi everyone, I've been playing in UU for about 2 months now, and have so far laddered to a peak of approximately 1400 but cannot get any higher. I know that my team has several inherent flaws, such as having a huge stealth rock weakness, an inability to handle bulky waters, and a prone vulnerability to status since it is focused around set-up sweeping.
The member that I'm willing to switch out the most is Crobat or Aerodactyl, since they don't seem to be doing well against bulky teams, and I need something that can counter bulky waters and such. My rating on the ladder is currently hovering around the mid-1200s to the mid-1300s, but the fact that it shifts so much indicates that my team's performance isn't very stable.
Let's get to the team:
Aerodactyl-Mega @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 216 Atk / 40 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Aerial Ace
- Roost
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
This is my mega, and it serves its role as a fast pivot against some prominent threat such as Mega Beedrill and a late-game cleaner. Aerial ace is obviously for the flying-type STAB, and it is boosted by Tough Claws. Roost is for recovery when I have an opportunity to use it. Stone Edge for the rock-type STAB, and Earthquake is for the many Steel- and Electric-types in the tier, such as Empoleon or Mega Ampharos. The EV spread is simple, making it a fast and powerful attacker but also being able to survive some physical hits.
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 16 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Ice Beam
This is my physically bulky pivot and stealth rock settler. He, along with my Crobat, often serve as my leads. He's also an emergency check to physical attackers such as Salamence, which is why he has Ice Beam. Stealth rock is obviously for setting up entry hazards. Earthquake is for the ground-type STAB, which hits common Pokemon such as Empoleon for great damage, unless it's carrying a Shuca Berry. Scald is for the water-type STAB, and its high chance to burn is very useful. Ice Beam is for grass-type switch-ins and dragons such as Salamence. Its EVs are optimized to grant it extreme physical bulk and some physical attack to use Earthquake with.
Whimsicott @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 Spe
Timid Nature
- Encore
- U-turn
- Moonblast
- Giga Drain
Whimsicott is my main water-type check/counter and an emergency check to some offensive Pokemon as it can use Encore to lock them into a single move, giving me a safe switch to one of my other Pokemon. Moonblast and Giga Drain are for STAB, and U-Turn is for scouting or gaining momentum. Its EVs are optimized for bulk on both physical and special sides.
Gyarados @ Lum Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
This is my primary set-up sweeper. I decided to use Intimidate as its ability, although Moxie does seem very appealing since Gyarados sets up mostly on other water-types or fire-types anyway. Lum berry is added to cure any status ailment once, allowing me to get past annoying Thunder Waves, Scald burns, and other status-inducing moves and gain a free Dragon Dance.
Dragon Dance is the set-up move, Waterfall is for the main STAB, Stone Edge is for coverage against other flying-types and some ice-types such as Cloyster and Abomasnow, and Earthquake is essential for getting past electric- and steel-types such as Heliolisk, Mega Ampharos, and Empoleon. The EV spread is purely optimized for sweeping, while some extra EVs are put into its defense to give it more physical bulk.
Infernape @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Focus Blast
- Vacuum Wave
This is my wall-breaker and a pseudo-sweeper that can break through some bulky walls such as Alomomola and Mega Aggron who do not invest too much in special defense. It requires safe switches but I can generally find an opportunity to switch him on some Pokemon such as Forretress and set up a Nasty Plot.
Nasty Plot is obviously the set-up move. Vacuum Wave is for inflicting some chip damage before fainting or getting past faster Pokemon such as Sharpedo. Focus Blast is the main STAB move, but it is very unreliable and I end up losing a lot of matches because of its misses. Fire Blast is the best non-priority move I have, as it is much more accurate than Focus Blast and has a great base power of 110 with STAB.
Life Orb adds to its offensive power even more, ensuring some OHKOs against Pokemon such as Hydreigon or Umbreon when firing off a Focus Blast. Finally, its EV spread is, like Gyarados, optimized for sweeping. Max special attack and speed investment with a Timid nature allows me to get past a lot of Pokemon in general, without having to worry about a speed tie since I have Vacuum Wave.
Crobat @ Sky Plate
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 184 HP / 72 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Defog
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Roost
The final member of my team is also one of the most crucial ones. It serves the role of a fast lead or pivot and is my only source of hazard removal. Defog is for hazard removal, although I dislike it somewhat because it rids of the my opponent's hazards as well. Brave Bird is his primary way of inflicting damage, though its recoil is very annoying. U-Turn is for scouting or gaining momentum, and Roost is for recovering HP whenever I have the chance.
Sky Plate is for powering up his brave bird, which now sits as a whopping 144 base-power without STAB. His EVs make him a somewhat bulky but very fast pivot that can still inflict some damage when trying to remove hazards.
Please give me any suggestions or feedback about this team! I would also appreciate if someone would give me some advice regarding replacing one of my team members because, once again, my team is very weak to stall and phazing teams who have bulky cores. Thanks in advance!
The member that I'm willing to switch out the most is Crobat or Aerodactyl, since they don't seem to be doing well against bulky teams, and I need something that can counter bulky waters and such. My rating on the ladder is currently hovering around the mid-1200s to the mid-1300s, but the fact that it shifts so much indicates that my team's performance isn't very stable.
Let's get to the team:
Aerodactyl-Mega @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 216 Atk / 40 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Aerial Ace
- Roost
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
This is my mega, and it serves its role as a fast pivot against some prominent threat such as Mega Beedrill and a late-game cleaner. Aerial ace is obviously for the flying-type STAB, and it is boosted by Tough Claws. Roost is for recovery when I have an opportunity to use it. Stone Edge for the rock-type STAB, and Earthquake is for the many Steel- and Electric-types in the tier, such as Empoleon or Mega Ampharos. The EV spread is simple, making it a fast and powerful attacker but also being able to survive some physical hits.
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 16 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Ice Beam
This is my physically bulky pivot and stealth rock settler. He, along with my Crobat, often serve as my leads. He's also an emergency check to physical attackers such as Salamence, which is why he has Ice Beam. Stealth rock is obviously for setting up entry hazards. Earthquake is for the ground-type STAB, which hits common Pokemon such as Empoleon for great damage, unless it's carrying a Shuca Berry. Scald is for the water-type STAB, and its high chance to burn is very useful. Ice Beam is for grass-type switch-ins and dragons such as Salamence. Its EVs are optimized to grant it extreme physical bulk and some physical attack to use Earthquake with.
Whimsicott @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 128 Def / 128 Spe
Timid Nature
- Encore
- U-turn
- Moonblast
- Giga Drain
Whimsicott is my main water-type check/counter and an emergency check to some offensive Pokemon as it can use Encore to lock them into a single move, giving me a safe switch to one of my other Pokemon. Moonblast and Giga Drain are for STAB, and U-Turn is for scouting or gaining momentum. Its EVs are optimized for bulk on both physical and special sides.
Gyarados @ Lum Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
This is my primary set-up sweeper. I decided to use Intimidate as its ability, although Moxie does seem very appealing since Gyarados sets up mostly on other water-types or fire-types anyway. Lum berry is added to cure any status ailment once, allowing me to get past annoying Thunder Waves, Scald burns, and other status-inducing moves and gain a free Dragon Dance.
Dragon Dance is the set-up move, Waterfall is for the main STAB, Stone Edge is for coverage against other flying-types and some ice-types such as Cloyster and Abomasnow, and Earthquake is essential for getting past electric- and steel-types such as Heliolisk, Mega Ampharos, and Empoleon. The EV spread is purely optimized for sweeping, while some extra EVs are put into its defense to give it more physical bulk.
Infernape @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Focus Blast
- Vacuum Wave
This is my wall-breaker and a pseudo-sweeper that can break through some bulky walls such as Alomomola and Mega Aggron who do not invest too much in special defense. It requires safe switches but I can generally find an opportunity to switch him on some Pokemon such as Forretress and set up a Nasty Plot.
Nasty Plot is obviously the set-up move. Vacuum Wave is for inflicting some chip damage before fainting or getting past faster Pokemon such as Sharpedo. Focus Blast is the main STAB move, but it is very unreliable and I end up losing a lot of matches because of its misses. Fire Blast is the best non-priority move I have, as it is much more accurate than Focus Blast and has a great base power of 110 with STAB.
Life Orb adds to its offensive power even more, ensuring some OHKOs against Pokemon such as Hydreigon or Umbreon when firing off a Focus Blast. Finally, its EV spread is, like Gyarados, optimized for sweeping. Max special attack and speed investment with a Timid nature allows me to get past a lot of Pokemon in general, without having to worry about a speed tie since I have Vacuum Wave.
Crobat @ Sky Plate
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 184 HP / 72 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Defog
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Roost
The final member of my team is also one of the most crucial ones. It serves the role of a fast lead or pivot and is my only source of hazard removal. Defog is for hazard removal, although I dislike it somewhat because it rids of the my opponent's hazards as well. Brave Bird is his primary way of inflicting damage, though its recoil is very annoying. U-Turn is for scouting or gaining momentum, and Roost is for recovering HP whenever I have the chance.
Sky Plate is for powering up his brave bird, which now sits as a whopping 144 base-power without STAB. His EVs make him a somewhat bulky but very fast pivot that can still inflict some damage when trying to remove hazards.
Please give me any suggestions or feedback about this team! I would also appreciate if someone would give me some advice regarding replacing one of my team members because, once again, my team is very weak to stall and phazing teams who have bulky cores. Thanks in advance!
