Hello Smogoners, Smogonites and Smogonieers! I was browsing through Smogon, looking for new and unique Pokémon that I could use on my teams. After a while, I came across a rather odd Pokémon; Meloette. While her singing and dancing are not going to intimidate anybody anytime soon, her versatility was the first thing that stood out to me that has potenial. This could be fairly useful, as far as I know, nobody ever took the time to fully understand this Pokémon and so I decided to build my entire team around her. My team has (in my opinion) pretty good synergy with each other but for some reason I am still losing more than what I would like to (1 in every 7 or 8 battles). So, enough of that, let's get on with the team building!
Team Building
This is the tip top of the support pyramid. On one hand, you have Meloette-A which holds 128 SpD and SpA. On the other, you have her Pirouette form which supports 128 Att and Spe. These stats are nothing to scoff at so why is it that you don't see her more often in OU? The answer is that she is too complicated for people to win easily with. Why bother with Meloette when you can just spam Outrages or Earthquakes? What you need is a system. Only a system built not with Meloette, but around Meloette will (I think) unlock her true and devastatingly powerful potential.
Sadly, despite Meloette's offensive prowess, her defenses leave some to be desired. That is why I added Heatran and Rotom. Heatran checks Celebi, Latios, Latias and Scizor which all give Meloette a hard time. Rotom also has great synergy with Heatran and Meloette. He is immune to Earthquakes and Fighting Moves that are directed at Heatran and he takes on Bug and Psychic moves that are directed at Meloette. Meloette in return, is immune to the ghost moves that are directed at Rotom.
I added Shaymin instead of Celebi because Celebi shares many weakness with Meloette. Shaymin provides Aromatherapy which cures the status that give Meloette a hard time. She also provides extra coverage against Pokémon that Meloette can't really put a dint in such as Landorus-T and Gastrodon. Heatran absorbs the Fire, Ice, Flying and even Poison moves directed at Shaymin. Shaymin can also take on Water and Ground moves directed at Heatran.
Jirachi provides Wish support for the team which really comes in handy. It also spreads status which can take the opponent's key Pokémon out of the game. It is protected by Heatran's Flash Fire but the common Ground weakness is a pain in the ass. Like Shaymin, Jirachi can knock out a few Pokémon of its own.
Infernape was a last minute addition to the team. Every team needs a Pokémon that can take advantage of setting up on another Pokémon. It's STAB provides excellent offensive capabilities. It also lessens the burden of Heatran and it's sole attacking move to wipe out the abundance of steel Pokémon.
As I battled some more I began to notice that Infernape wasn't really preforming up to par. I needed some more power behind his attacks and so I switched to swords dance Lucario. He preforms as an late game sweeper and has great synergy with Heatran and Rotom.
The Move sets
56 Att/ 252 SpA/ 200 Spe
Naïve (+Spe, -SpD)
Serene Grace
Expert Belt
Relic Song
Close Combat
Psychic
Thunderbolt
I used the EV spread that Smogon suggested, because it seemed pretty sensible too me. I chose the Expert Belt over the Life Orb so it can have more longevity in battle. Relic Song is a reliable STAB with a 20% chance to put the opponent to sleep, which always helps. Close Combat is a reliable STAB in her Pirouette form, and Psychic is reliable in her Aria form. I chose Thunderbolt over Thunder even though Thunder will have a 60% chance to paralyze the opponent because Thunder's accuracy can and will fail at the most critical times. The goal is to switch between her two forms which always gets on the opponents nerves.
Ex: The foes Hydriegon uses Fire Blast against Meloette, Meloette then uses Relic Song and switches to Pirouette. Meloette now outspeeds Hydreigon and then proceeds OHKO it with close combat. The opponent now switches in his Starmie, expecting to revenge kill. I switch to my Jirachi which can survive anything Starmie can throw at it. I set up wish as he goes for a Hydro Pump. I then U-turn out which OHKOs Starmie. I switch Meloette in, which now is fully healed by Jirachi's wish.
That is what is suppose to happen in that situation and it works really well.
248 Hp/ 8 Def/ 252 SpD
Calm (+SpD, -Att)
Flash Fire
Leftovers
Lava Plume
Protect
Roar
Stealth Rock
I decided to give Heatran a specially defensive set since it will be switching to absorb powerful attacks such as Draco Meteor and Ice Beam. Protect is used to scout the opponent amd to semi-burn-stall. Stealth Rock is important because Meloette and Shaymin will cause a lot of switches. Roar allows Heatran to laugh at the futile attemps to set up, mainly by calm mind users and baton passers such as Espeon, Latias and Smeargle. Volcarona is a huge threat but Heatran is the perfect wall for it.
252 SpA/ 4 SpD/ 252 Spe
Modest (+SpA, -Att)
Levitate
Choice Scarf
Discharge
Will-o-Wisp
Trick
Volt Switch
The plan is to get off many fast Will-o-Wisps against Pokémon like Garchomp, Salamence and Lucario. If the opportunity arises I can trick hazard users and boosters with the choice scarf that will ruin them for the rest of the game. Discharge is chosen over thunderbolt because of its higher chance to paralyze. Volt Switch can maintain the offensive momentum and so he is my lead as well. If the situation arises, I can always use Rotom as a choice scarf sweeper and let it just spam discharge (Which hits pretty hard) and spreads paralysis.
224 Hp/ 188 SpA/ 96 Spe
Timid (+Spe, -Att)
Natural Cure
Leftovers
Seed Flare
Earth Power
Hidden Power Ice
Aromatherapy
Shaymin is a viable counter against Gliscor and Landorus-T. Aromatherapy is very nice because status can really hurt Meloette. Bulky water types such as Jellicent and Gastrodon are also in some trouble if Shaymin is up and running. Earth Power is there for any unsuspecting Heatrans that think they can block this hedgehog of doom. This guy amazes me on what it takes to take him out.
252 Hp/ 236 Def/ 20 Spe
Impish (+Def, -SpA)
Serene Grace
Leftovers
Iron Head
Body Slam
Wish
U-Turn
I switched the EVs a little to make a Defensive Jirachi instead of a Specially Defensive one. Iron Head provides decent STAB but since it is a poor attacking type, I am thinking about replacing with Zen Headbutt. The price of this switch would be the lose of the flinching percentage (From 60% to 40%) but the benefit would be to hit fighting types harder. Wish is very important because Heatran and Meloette could really use the recovery. The spreading of paralysis is not so much to benefit Meloette but it benefits Shaymin a whole lot.
4 Hp/ 252 Att/ 252 Spe
Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
Justified
Expert Belt
Swords Dance
ExtremeSpeed
Close Combat
Ice Punch
Lucario is doing pretty well in cleaning up after Meloette and Shaymin. I picked a Jolly nature instead of Adamant to give him in edge over other Lucarios. It also allows Lucario to outspeed Gliscor, Celebi, Hydreigon and Jirachi. Ice punch is there for any pokemon affiliated with dragons and extremespeed is there to pick off weak pokemon. I chose Expert Belt over life orb because of the recoil but it is too soon to tell if that was a good decision. Lucario was great synergy with Heatran and Rotom. Rotom is immune to fighting and ground moves while Heatran powers up from fire moves. In return, Lucario gets a boost from dark moves thrown at Rotom and also resists ghost moves.
Threats
Bulky Ground types are a nuisance such as Gliscor and specially defensive Hippowdon and Sand Stall teams in general.
Pokémon that can hit hard and fast (ex: Moxiescarf Mence). This is fairly common in today's hyper offensive metagame.
Swords Dance Garchomp and his bulk
Latios and Latias that carries surf and/or in rain is a big problem since it wrecks Heatran.
The variety in Alakazam always troubles me but most of the time I can stomp him out before he causes a mess.
Other Problems
Too much relies on each Pokémon to the point where if that Pokémon faints then no one else will be able to complete his or hers role. (ex: Rotom is responsible for taking in a lot of other pokemon's attacks. Lucario has only priority.) With the introduction of Lucario, this problem has been lessened.
Hazards are not a problem for most of my team but they are for Meloette. I also don't have any room for a rapid spinner.
Conculsion
So I hope you like my team. Please comment and share your opinions because I know you have them!
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