Recently, I've been on the Smogon Shoddy UU ladder, and I've been running a pretty nice team. It's gotten me up in the top 30 on the ladder, and it continues to rise very slowly, but surely.
I shouldn't ramble, let's just cut to the team.
(I apologize for my lack of sprites, if for some reason it's a necessity, someone should let me know, and I might be able to get some.)
I shouldn't ramble, let's just cut to the team.
(I apologize for my lack of sprites, if for some reason it's a necessity, someone should let me know, and I might be able to get some.)
-----The Lineup-----
KO (Scyther) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Aerial Ace
- Brick Break
- Pursuit
- U-turn
Seriously, this thing just thrashes UU. Aerial Ace is a common 2HKO on nearly everything that doesn't resist it. Pursuit receives Technician boosts, making sure I cut off a fleeing opponent. U-Turn is there to offer almost equivalent power to X-Scissor, and it allows me to swap to a counter to a Pokemon.
Problems: Scyther isn't one of the most speedy leads out there if you know what I mean. Persian, Aerodactyl, and Scarfed Pokemon force me to switch undoubtedly without U-Turning.
---
Terrorizing UUs forever more (Steelix) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP/60 Atk/198 SDef
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
This thing is the most commonly used Pokemon in UU due to its extreme walling capabilities, as well as useful resistances. It just terrorizes a LOT of things in UU. Stealth Rock is your standard "You MUST have an entry hazard" move. Roar gives me phazing, which is very useful.
Perhaps you're wondering: Why female? Well, the only real reason is to help soften blows from Nidoking.
Problems: Slow as heck, although it doesn't matter. Even with its defense packing at 490+, it dies to boosted Fighting/Ground moves, losing to a Sandslash's Earthquake boosted by Life Orb and Swords Dance.
---
O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O (Claydol) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/144 Def/114 SAtk
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Rapid Spin
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Shadow Ball
The nickname resembles a Claydol smiley. This is my spinner, an invaluable asset to this team, although, as unusual as it seems, it rarely spins. Shadow Ball is to deal with Rotom that's seen on nearly every team in UU as a spin blocker. It's also a good fighting resist/counter.
Problems: Claydol is sturdy, but its offense is lackluster. It's still a beauty of a Pokemon to use though.
---
Give me Flare Blitz! (Flareon) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP/6 SAtk/252 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Wish
- Toxic
Flareon seems like a joke, but it's one of the best Ninetales and Froslass counters out there, as well as putting the stall against Weezing. Toxic helps to cope with bulky waters that want to come in on Flamethrower, as well as crippling Ninetales. Hidden Power Ground does something to Ninetales should it have a Substitute.
Seriously...someone on the Smogon server named robrob was saying that Flareon sucks and was basically insulting the opponent "How could you lose to that?"...I wanted to cheese grater him in the face, but put that behind us.
Problems: Horrendously slow, and it further adds to my water-weak team. It doesn't commonly get a Wish pass done successfully either.
---
the golden gun (Golduck) (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs: 6 Def/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Psychic
- Surf
- Focus Blast
Golduck these days is so rare people forget its ability, Cloud Nine, which puts a huge damper on Rain Dance teams, ending their Swift Swimmers. I usually start with a Surf, which will commonly bring out Lapras or Toxicroak, which I then send away Toxicroak with Psychic or Lapras with 2 Focus Blasts. Calm Mind is there as a way to take advantage of a weakened team or against a Utility Blastoise.
Problems: Not much really. It does its job well, but it lacks bulk to last long. Focus Blast is very shaky sometimes. Expert Belt does plenty of more damage with Focus Blast hitting things, changing certain 3HKOs to 2HKO, and in some cases, 2HKOs to OHKOs. If it can nab wishes from Flareon though, it should be alright.
---
Sims is proud of me (Vileplume) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP/180 Def/78 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Leech Seed
- Sludge Bomb
- Aromatherapy
- Energy Ball
The name is in honor of a member named Sims on another forum I go to, who is a huge fan of Vileplume. This team appreciates Vileplume around because it can some in on an anticipated water attack, Leech Seed the foe, which might bring out their grass Pokemon, and if it's Meganium, I Sludge Bomb it to death. This makes them thing I'm a sub-seeder sometimes, so they'll send out a Pokemon weak to Energy Ball, which I then smack it too. Of the many matches I've seen with a grass Pokemon, the team was very Scyther weak. Aromatherapy is there as a support move to rid of nasty status ailments.
Problems: Vileplume isn't a good water resist due to Ice weakness. Still, if it comes in on a Surf, the opposing Pokemon must switch or take a huge blow in many cases. Aromatherapy can usually come pretty slowly too.
---
Strengths: This team holds a solid ground against a majority of the metagame, and it holds a good balance of bulk and offense. You could call it a "Moderate" team if you'd like. Team synergy is adequate, and it usually wears down the opponent enough until Scyther can clean up with that nasty Aerial Ace.
Weaknesses: Without Steelix, I myself become Scyther weak. I also have a water/ice weakness which proves to be rather irritating, although Golduck can come in on weak Surfs and Calm Mind up. If Golduck dies, then I'm in tough boundaries with Rain Dance teams. Froslass will prove very troublesome if Flareon is taken out of commission.
Well, there's my UU team, feel free to tear it apart. I'm still somewhat new with UU, but hey, the style is more acceptable to me than common OU.
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Aerial Ace
- Brick Break
- Pursuit
- U-turn
Seriously, this thing just thrashes UU. Aerial Ace is a common 2HKO on nearly everything that doesn't resist it. Pursuit receives Technician boosts, making sure I cut off a fleeing opponent. U-Turn is there to offer almost equivalent power to X-Scissor, and it allows me to swap to a counter to a Pokemon.
Problems: Scyther isn't one of the most speedy leads out there if you know what I mean. Persian, Aerodactyl, and Scarfed Pokemon force me to switch undoubtedly without U-Turning.
---
Terrorizing UUs forever more (Steelix) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP/60 Atk/198 SDef
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
This thing is the most commonly used Pokemon in UU due to its extreme walling capabilities, as well as useful resistances. It just terrorizes a LOT of things in UU. Stealth Rock is your standard "You MUST have an entry hazard" move. Roar gives me phazing, which is very useful.
Perhaps you're wondering: Why female? Well, the only real reason is to help soften blows from Nidoking.
Problems: Slow as heck, although it doesn't matter. Even with its defense packing at 490+, it dies to boosted Fighting/Ground moves, losing to a Sandslash's Earthquake boosted by Life Orb and Swords Dance.
---
O_O_O_O_O_O_O_O (Claydol) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/144 Def/114 SAtk
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Rapid Spin
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Shadow Ball
The nickname resembles a Claydol smiley. This is my spinner, an invaluable asset to this team, although, as unusual as it seems, it rarely spins. Shadow Ball is to deal with Rotom that's seen on nearly every team in UU as a spin blocker. It's also a good fighting resist/counter.
Problems: Claydol is sturdy, but its offense is lackluster. It's still a beauty of a Pokemon to use though.
---
Give me Flare Blitz! (Flareon) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP/6 SAtk/252 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Wish
- Toxic
Flareon seems like a joke, but it's one of the best Ninetales and Froslass counters out there, as well as putting the stall against Weezing. Toxic helps to cope with bulky waters that want to come in on Flamethrower, as well as crippling Ninetales. Hidden Power Ground does something to Ninetales should it have a Substitute.
Seriously...someone on the Smogon server named robrob was saying that Flareon sucks and was basically insulting the opponent "How could you lose to that?"...I wanted to cheese grater him in the face, but put that behind us.
Problems: Horrendously slow, and it further adds to my water-weak team. It doesn't commonly get a Wish pass done successfully either.
---
the golden gun (Golduck) (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs: 6 Def/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Psychic
- Surf
- Focus Blast
Golduck these days is so rare people forget its ability, Cloud Nine, which puts a huge damper on Rain Dance teams, ending their Swift Swimmers. I usually start with a Surf, which will commonly bring out Lapras or Toxicroak, which I then send away Toxicroak with Psychic or Lapras with 2 Focus Blasts. Calm Mind is there as a way to take advantage of a weakened team or against a Utility Blastoise.
Problems: Not much really. It does its job well, but it lacks bulk to last long. Focus Blast is very shaky sometimes. Expert Belt does plenty of more damage with Focus Blast hitting things, changing certain 3HKOs to 2HKO, and in some cases, 2HKOs to OHKOs. If it can nab wishes from Flareon though, it should be alright.
---
Sims is proud of me (Vileplume) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP/180 Def/78 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Leech Seed
- Sludge Bomb
- Aromatherapy
- Energy Ball
The name is in honor of a member named Sims on another forum I go to, who is a huge fan of Vileplume. This team appreciates Vileplume around because it can some in on an anticipated water attack, Leech Seed the foe, which might bring out their grass Pokemon, and if it's Meganium, I Sludge Bomb it to death. This makes them thing I'm a sub-seeder sometimes, so they'll send out a Pokemon weak to Energy Ball, which I then smack it too. Of the many matches I've seen with a grass Pokemon, the team was very Scyther weak. Aromatherapy is there as a support move to rid of nasty status ailments.
Problems: Vileplume isn't a good water resist due to Ice weakness. Still, if it comes in on a Surf, the opposing Pokemon must switch or take a huge blow in many cases. Aromatherapy can usually come pretty slowly too.
---
Strengths: This team holds a solid ground against a majority of the metagame, and it holds a good balance of bulk and offense. You could call it a "Moderate" team if you'd like. Team synergy is adequate, and it usually wears down the opponent enough until Scyther can clean up with that nasty Aerial Ace.
Weaknesses: Without Steelix, I myself become Scyther weak. I also have a water/ice weakness which proves to be rather irritating, although Golduck can come in on weak Surfs and Calm Mind up. If Golduck dies, then I'm in tough boundaries with Rain Dance teams. Froslass will prove very troublesome if Flareon is taken out of commission.
Well, there's my UU team, feel free to tear it apart. I'm still somewhat new with UU, but hey, the style is more acceptable to me than common OU.