So I've been studying up on some theory of battle (I've only been competitive since the early days of Gen VI so for awhile I was legitimately just figuring out how to balance typing and work with different styles of teams). I wavered between Stall and Hyper Offense for a long time, but none of it seemed to work properly for me. I finally read an article on Balance - it explained that the problem with either end of the spectrum is that one end (Hyper Offense) leaves you open to being stalled out, while the other (Stall) was susceptible to failing against better built Stall/ well formed counters. So a few months ago I began working on this team to test out balance, and this end result has done wonderful in all sorts of battles against numerous different types of teams. The offensive core breaks down most common stalls while the walls/support generally manage to put a huge dent in offensive cores.
Eclipse (Charizard) @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
So Charizard X seemed like the ideal Stall-Breaker. A physical setup sweeper with strong, ability-boosted STAB moves that can avoid burns is ideal for a balance-based offense. Generally, Charizard is a mid- or late-game sweeper that can also come in and force a switch or take out unsuspecting Heatran. It's also bulky enough to receive a Wish should he lose health early game. Overall, Zard X has proven the most effective at taking out Mega Sableye based stall teams and other powerful defenders.
Inzektron (Scizor) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- U-turn
- Knock Off
Scizor's coverage has proven very necessary for this team. The huge amount of force behind the Choice Band set allows it to act as a U-turn Pivot on forced switches to give the upper hand while getting essential coverage in Bullet Punch (useful for revenge killing) and Superpower (necessary to counter Tyranitar and Bisharp while also giving me a powerful hit against the pink blobs). Knock Off is more or less icing on the cake for this set (I used to run a Pursuit trap to attempt to fight Lati@s, but I kept getting KOed by unexpected HP-Fire).
Joy (Chansey) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Aromatherapy
- Soft-Boiled
- Seismic Toss
- Stealth Rock
The pink blob has proven the best as far as taking care of Special sweepers. Capable of stalling/forcing switches against common threats such as Magnezone, Manaphy, Serperior, and the like without fail (along with the ability to tank a few physical hits without losing too much). Seismic Toss can deal crucial chip damage while having a super residual SR setter has proven very useful against Rapid Spin/Defog users. Aromatherapy/Natural Cure prevent my team from being stalled out/being stalled out itself.
Cupid (Alomomola) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
- Scald
Alomomola has found sort of a niche position in the OU of late (along with its fellow Regenerator, Slowbro). It's massive HP and relatively high physical bulk allow it to act as a wonderful Toxic staller, while Wish will almost fully heal most of the Pokemon on my offensive core from low damage. It's uncanny ability to wall the common Ground-types (Landorus-Therian, Garchomp, and Excadrill) make it worth the position on the team (while most of its weaknesses are covered by the rest of the team, allowing it to safely switch in and out of battle without fearing a KO).
Pringles (Mandibuzz) @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- Roost
- Toxic
- Defog
Mandibuzz has also found a quite versatile niche in the OU. It is one of the few Pokemon that can safely switch in on a Hyperspace Fury and fully wall in Hoopa-U (something that the rest of my team struggled with for a long time during testing). Mandibuzz adds a unique typing to this team that generally walls in whatever the other 2 walls fail to wall. Adding a second Toxic setter to this team adds to the general goal of the support half of the balance in dealing odd chip damage. Defog is also a critical use on this team, as Charizard would like to avoid any Stealth Rock damage possible even after the Mega Evolution.
Lightsworn (Raikou) @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Shadow Ball
- Volt Switch
Raikou was the last addition to the team. For awhile beforehand, I was running a HP-Fire Serperior, but I was consistently having issues with Gengar. Raikou answered that problem along with an offensive check to Manaphy, Starmie, and Tornadus-Therian. Raikou's generally decent bulk allows for it to receive 1-2 Wish passes safely each game (making the minor damage done by the Life Orb almost irrelevant). Raikou was the perfect addition to this team, easily playing mind games against Landorus and Garchomp on the forced switches.
Well that's the team. From my perspective, I've immunized myself against most threats. If you see any holes in the team that I've missed from testing (even obscure things, as I like to hear what other people are using even it they're non-OU playing up a tier), let me know. Open to suggestions about changing the sets and maybe even swapping a member or 2 around, but this has worked excellently from experience. Thanks guys!
REPLAYS:
Vs. Stall http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-335393750
Vs. HO http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-335397922
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-335400338
These replays (though cut short by people leaving) more or less get across the synergy of both the Defensive core and the Offensive Core (I have had much better battles that result similarly but I do not have the replays saved).
Eclipse (Charizard) @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
So Charizard X seemed like the ideal Stall-Breaker. A physical setup sweeper with strong, ability-boosted STAB moves that can avoid burns is ideal for a balance-based offense. Generally, Charizard is a mid- or late-game sweeper that can also come in and force a switch or take out unsuspecting Heatran. It's also bulky enough to receive a Wish should he lose health early game. Overall, Zard X has proven the most effective at taking out Mega Sableye based stall teams and other powerful defenders.
Inzektron (Scizor) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- U-turn
- Knock Off
Scizor's coverage has proven very necessary for this team. The huge amount of force behind the Choice Band set allows it to act as a U-turn Pivot on forced switches to give the upper hand while getting essential coverage in Bullet Punch (useful for revenge killing) and Superpower (necessary to counter Tyranitar and Bisharp while also giving me a powerful hit against the pink blobs). Knock Off is more or less icing on the cake for this set (I used to run a Pursuit trap to attempt to fight Lati@s, but I kept getting KOed by unexpected HP-Fire).
Joy (Chansey) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Aromatherapy
- Soft-Boiled
- Seismic Toss
- Stealth Rock
The pink blob has proven the best as far as taking care of Special sweepers. Capable of stalling/forcing switches against common threats such as Magnezone, Manaphy, Serperior, and the like without fail (along with the ability to tank a few physical hits without losing too much). Seismic Toss can deal crucial chip damage while having a super residual SR setter has proven very useful against Rapid Spin/Defog users. Aromatherapy/Natural Cure prevent my team from being stalled out/being stalled out itself.
Cupid (Alomomola) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
- Scald
Alomomola has found sort of a niche position in the OU of late (along with its fellow Regenerator, Slowbro). It's massive HP and relatively high physical bulk allow it to act as a wonderful Toxic staller, while Wish will almost fully heal most of the Pokemon on my offensive core from low damage. It's uncanny ability to wall the common Ground-types (Landorus-Therian, Garchomp, and Excadrill) make it worth the position on the team (while most of its weaknesses are covered by the rest of the team, allowing it to safely switch in and out of battle without fearing a KO).
Pringles (Mandibuzz) @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- Roost
- Toxic
- Defog
Mandibuzz has also found a quite versatile niche in the OU. It is one of the few Pokemon that can safely switch in on a Hyperspace Fury and fully wall in Hoopa-U (something that the rest of my team struggled with for a long time during testing). Mandibuzz adds a unique typing to this team that generally walls in whatever the other 2 walls fail to wall. Adding a second Toxic setter to this team adds to the general goal of the support half of the balance in dealing odd chip damage. Defog is also a critical use on this team, as Charizard would like to avoid any Stealth Rock damage possible even after the Mega Evolution.
Lightsworn (Raikou) @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Shadow Ball
- Volt Switch
Raikou was the last addition to the team. For awhile beforehand, I was running a HP-Fire Serperior, but I was consistently having issues with Gengar. Raikou answered that problem along with an offensive check to Manaphy, Starmie, and Tornadus-Therian. Raikou's generally decent bulk allows for it to receive 1-2 Wish passes safely each game (making the minor damage done by the Life Orb almost irrelevant). Raikou was the perfect addition to this team, easily playing mind games against Landorus and Garchomp on the forced switches.
Well that's the team. From my perspective, I've immunized myself against most threats. If you see any holes in the team that I've missed from testing (even obscure things, as I like to hear what other people are using even it they're non-OU playing up a tier), let me know. Open to suggestions about changing the sets and maybe even swapping a member or 2 around, but this has worked excellently from experience. Thanks guys!
REPLAYS:
Vs. Stall http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-335393750
Vs. HO http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-335397922
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-335400338
These replays (though cut short by people leaving) more or less get across the synergy of both the Defensive core and the Offensive Core (I have had much better battles that result similarly but I do not have the replays saved).
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