SM OU Steel Bulky Offense - RMT

[85percent]

Introduction​

Hi! I´m extremely new to teambuilding and wanted to get some feedback. It´s mostly about team composition and less about exact EV spreads. I also struggle with understanding the difference between Bulky Offense and Balance, so I would appreciate if someone could use this team to try and explain the difference. Since I have basically no experience, I used the Smogon usage statistics to inform myself about metagame trends and possible threats and their counters. I also looked at other teams to get an idea of different roles pokemon can fulfill. This is what I came up with. Initial testing went well and I didn´t notice any glaring flaws yet. (Except a Charizard-Mega-X weakness - I kinda struggle against sets that run EQ)

Mawile @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
​

Zygarde @ Figy Berry
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 228 Atk / 68 SpD / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Coil
- Thousand Arrows
- Substitute
​

Mawile and Zygarde form an offensive core, that is supposed to break the opposing team and sweep in the late game, if the opportunity presents itself. I chose two rather bulky pokemon that can put on offensive pressure without dying immediately. Mawile and Zygarde seem to synergize offensively as well as defensively. Typing wise I wanted to choose typings that are good offensively and defensively to fit the role these two pokemon play.

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 128 SpD / 128 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Magma Storm
- Taunt
- Earth Power
​

Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake
​

Heatran and Tangrowth form a defensive core, that takes care of some of the threats that Mawile and Zygarde can´t handle offensively. Heatran doubles as Stallbreaker should I ever need one. Their job is to soften up the opposing team through little bits of damage and to serve as defensive options to fall back on for Mawile and Zygarde.

Greninja-Ash @ Waterium Z
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Ice Beam
​

Greninja functions as additional breaker to soften the opposing team up and take care of faster threats, that Mawile and Zygarde are too slow for.

Kartana @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike
- Knock Off
​

Kartanas job is to handle opposing set-up pokemon and to clean in the late-game after the breakers have done their job.

Conclusion​

The overall game plan would usually be to set up rocks and soften the opposing team with chip damage caused by the defensive core. My breakers help weakening some wall and bulkier opponents. Once the opposing team is weakened enough, Zygarde or Mawile (they synergize pretty well offensively, so if the opponent can check Zygarde, they usually struggle to check Mawile and vise versa) try to set up and sweep. After that, Kartana can clean off what ever is left

Importable

Mawile @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off

Zygarde @ Figy Berry
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 228 Atk / 68 SpD / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Coil
- Thousand Arrows
- Substitute

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 128 SpD / 128 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Magma Storm
- Taunt
- Earth Power

Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake

Greninja-Ash @ Waterium Z
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Ice Beam

Kartana @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike
- Knock Off

 

[DKM]

Hi 85percent, cool team. M-Mawile and Zygarde are two very prominent threats that have great synergy.

Overall the team seems good, but I did notice that a few things were hard to deal with. So I'll go over them quickly and then suggest changes to help in dealing with them.

Threats to the team:

: Opposing Kartana can be very threatening to the team, SD Z-move Variants can break through Tangrowth and M-Mawile. Scarf Variants, if played well can sweep the team after certain pokemon have been weakened.

: M-Alakazam is less of a threat, but still worth mentioning. It can beat most of the team with Psychic + Focus Blast + Recover. It can Trace Heatran's Flash Fire and beat it with Focus Blast, Trace Tangrowth's Regenerator and beat it after a few turns since Knock Off and Giga Drain don't do enough.

// : Due to a lack of hazard removal, Spikes teams can be very annoying to deal with. Something like Ash-Greninja with Spikes, or Ash-Greninja + Spikes can beat the team somewhat easily in the long run. Protean Greninja or Ferrothorn setting up spikes are annoying aswell, so are Toxic Spikes from Toxapex or Protean Greninja.

​

Major Change

> : The main change I suggest is using Rocky Helmet Tornadus over Kartana. This gives you a good answer to grass types such as opposing Kartana and Tapu Bulu. Thanks to great bulk, being a flying type and having regenerator it can switch into Kartana multiple times, making it take Helmet chip. This also gives you a Defogger who can remove hazards multiple times through the game and keep momentum. The spread is one I made, it outspeeds up to Scarf Tyranitar, the HP EVs maximize Regenerator recovery, and it has enough Defense to live an Ice Punch from M-Medicham at full. The second slot can be either Knock Off to remove leftovers from defensive pokemon, or Taunt to prevent status, hazard and recovery moves.

​

Minor Changes

Power Whip > Giga Drain: On Tangrowth I suggest running Power Whip. This lets you do alot of damage to M-Alakazam, so that Recover + Traced Regenerator isn't enough to beat you 1v1. I also suggest using Max SpDef since 28 Defense EVs is usually for taking on Dragonium Zygarde, but that set is almost never used anymore. You can also use Power Whip over Knock off or Earthquake if you want to keep Giga Drain as a safe STAB move to restore some HP.

Lava Plume > Magma Storm / Toxic > Taunt: On Heatran I suggest using Lava Plume over Magma Storm, this is a more reliable STAB move to hit M-Mawile, Magearna etc. SpDef Heatran doesn't usually function as a trapper or stall-breaker since it can't do it as well as offensive Heatran does. Toxic allows you to put M-Alakazam on a timer once it mega evolves, it also hits the M-Lati twins, Hydreigon, Zygarde, Garchomp, Rotom-W and more.

Defensive Coil + Glare > Double Dance [optional]: As an optional change, I suggest making Zygarde a bulkier Coil + Glare variant. It still acts as a wincon that can sweep late game, and also a status spreader which helps M-Mawile and Ash-Greninja. Thanks to extra bulk it can take on opposing Heatran better.

Spikes > Ice Beam [optional]: Lastly, an optional change of using Spikes on Ash-Greninja. Spikes help M-Mawile and Zygarde alot by wearing down their checks, Greninja with a Z-move is one of the best Spike-setters since it forces alot of switches and can change up its moves, unlike the Choice Specs sets.


~~~~


Below I'll leave a list of pokemon that are still threatening, along with the Importable. Good luck :]
​

Threatlist

: Buginium Z Volcarona with HP Ground can pose a threat if given a chance to setup. SpDef Heatran can live even a +1 HP Ground from full and Toxic, Zygarde can live any hit apart from a +1 Z-Bug Buzz and Glare or Thousand Arrows. You also have two forms or priority, one being Super Effective.

: M-Medicham can claim multiple KOs if given enough free switch-ins. HJK hits everything apart from Tornadus for neutral or Super Effective damage. Tornadus can live any one hit from full and force it out, Ash-Greninja can revenge kill, and M-Mawile can KO it with Sucker Punch after some chip.

: While not as common, both Charizards can be threatening. Heatran can live anything apart from an EQ from Charizard X and go for Toxic. Bulky Zygarde can take a couple of hits from Charizard Y and Glare or Thousand Arrows. Ash-Greninja can check them both offensively, as can M-Mawile's Sucker Punch.

Importable

Mawile-Mega @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off

Zygarde @ Leftovers
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 236 HP / 160 SpD / 112 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Substitute
- Coil
- Glare

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 128 SpD / 128 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Lava Plume
- Toxic
- Earth Power

Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Power Whip
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake

Greninja-Ash @ Waterium Z
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Spikes

Tornadus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 208 HP / 84 Def / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Taunt/Knock Off
- U-turn
- Defog

 

[85percent]

Hi 85percent, cool team. M-Mawile and Zygarde are two very prominent threats that have great synergy.

Overall the team seems good, but I did notice that a few things were hard to deal with. So I'll go over them quickly and then suggest changes to help in dealing with them.

Threats to the team:

View attachment 138958: Opposing Kartana can be very threatening to the team, SD Z-move Variants can break through Tangrowth and M-Mawile. Scarf Variants, if played well can sweep the team after certain pokemon have been weakened.

View attachment 138959: M-Alakazam is less of a threat, but still worth mentioning. It can beat most of the team with Psychic + Focus Blast + Recover. It can Trace Heatran's Flash Fire and beat it with Focus Blast, Trace Tangrowth's Regenerator and beat it after a few turns since Knock Off and Giga Drain don't do enough.

View attachment 138962/View attachment 138963/View attachment 138964 : Due to a lack of hazard removal, Spikes teams can be very annoying to deal with. Something like Ash-Greninja with Spikes, or Ash-Greninja + Spikes can beat the team somewhat easily in the long run. Protean Greninja or Ferrothorn setting up spikes are annoying aswell, so are Toxic Spikes from Toxapex or Protean Greninja.

​

Major Change

View attachment 138965> View attachment 138958: The main change I suggest is using Rocky Helmet Tornadus over Kartana. This gives you a good answer to grass types such as opposing Kartana and Tapu Bulu. Thanks to great bulk, being a flying type and having regenerator it can switch into Kartana multiple times, making it take Helmet chip. This also gives you a Defogger who can remove hazards multiple times through the game and keep momentum. The spread is one I made, it outspeeds up to Scarf Tyranitar, the HP EVs maximize Regenerator recovery, and it has enough Defense to live an Ice Punch from M-Medicham at full. The second slot can be either Knock Off to remove leftovers from defensive pokemon, or Taunt to prevent status, hazard and recovery moves.

​

Minor Changes

View attachment 138966Power Whip > Giga Drain: On Tangrowth I suggest running Power Whip. This lets you do alot of damage to M-Alakazam, so that Recover + Traced Regenerator isn't enough to beat you 1v1. I also suggest using Max SpDef since 28 Defense EVs is usually for taking on Dragonium Zygarde, but that set is almost never used anymore. You can also use Power Whip over Knock off or Earthquake if you want to keep Giga Drain as a safe STAB move to restore some HP.

View attachment 138967Lava Plume > Magma Storm / Toxic > Taunt: On Heatran I suggest using Lava Plume over Magma Storm, this is a more reliable STAB move to hit M-Mawile, Magearna etc. SpDef Heatran doesn't usually function as a trapper or stall-breaker since it can't do it as well as offensive Heatran does. Toxic allows you to put M-Alakazam on a timer once it mega evolves, it also hits the M-Lati twins, Hydreigon, Zygarde, Garchomp, Rotom-W and more.

View attachment 138968Defensive Coil + Glare > Double Dance [optional]: As an optional change, I suggest making Zygarde a bulkier Coil + Glare variant. It still acts as a wincon that can sweep late game, and also a status spreader which helps M-Mawile and Ash-Greninja. Thanks to extra bulk it can take on opposing Heatran better.

View attachment 138962Spikes > Ice Beam [optional]: Lastly, an optional change of using Spikes on Ash-Greninja. Spikes help M-Mawile and Zygarde alot by wearing down their checks, Greninja with a Z-move is one of the best Spike-setters since it forces alot of switches and can change up its moves, unlike the Choice Specs sets.


~~~~


Below I'll leave a list of pokemon that are still threatening, along with the Importable. Good luck :]
​

Threatlist

View attachment 138969: Buginium Z Volcarona with HP Ground can pose a threat if given a chance to setup. SpDef Heatran can live even a +1 HP Ground from full and Toxic, Zygarde can live any hit apart from a +1 Z-Bug Buzz and Glare or Thousand Arrows. You also have two forms or priority, one being Super Effective.

View attachment 138970: M-Medicham can claim multiple KOs if given enough free switch-ins. HJK hits everything apart from Tornadus for neutral or Super Effective damage. Tornadus can live any one hit from full and force it out, Ash-Greninja can revenge kill, and M-Mawile can KO it with Sucker Punch after some chip.

View attachment 138972View attachment 138971: While not as common, both Charizards can be threatening. Heatran can live anything apart from an EQ from Charizard X and go for Toxic. Bulky Zygarde can take a couple of hits from Charizard Y and Glare or Thousand Arrows. Ash-Greninja can check them both offensively, as can M-Mawile's Sucker Punch.

Importable

Mawile-Mega @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off

Zygarde @ Leftovers
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 236 HP / 160 SpD / 112 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Substitute
- Coil
- Glare

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 128 SpD / 128 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Lava Plume
- Toxic
- Earth Power

Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Power Whip
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake

Greninja-Ash @ Waterium Z
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Spikes

Tornadus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 208 HP / 84 Def / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Taunt/Knock Off
- U-turn
- Defog

Thank you! I really like your ideas without exception, and it seems others do agree with you too. One question I have: the idea behind the Kartana with the scarf was to handle opponents at +1 speed better. Mawile and Greninja can still do this with priority, and Zygarde can probably glare them. But I wonder if that is enough. Stuff like Volcarona obviously doesn´t matter since Kartana didn´t really have anything to hit them anyways, but my ability to handle Gyarados(-M) for exmple seems to be affected by this. Sorry if this questions seems stupid, I´m not familiar enough with the metagame yet to see if this is even important.

And one additional question of lesser importance: As what kind of archetype would you classify this team (I understand that classifications into balance, bulky offense, hyper offense, etc. are of limited use. But I think it would help me grasp the differences between them)?

And again: Thank you, much appreciated!

 

[DKM]

Thank you! I really like your ideas without exception, and it seems others do agree with you too. One question I have: the idea behind the Kartana with the scarf was to handle opponents at +1 speed better. Mawile and Greninja can still do this with priority, and Zygarde can probably glare them. But I wonder if that is enough. Stuff like Volcarona obviously doesn´t matter since Kartana didn´t really have anything to hit them anyways, but my ability to handle Gyarados(-M) for exmple seems to be affected by this. Sorry if this questions seems stupid, I´m not familiar enough with the metagame yet to see if this is even important.

And one additional question of lesser importance: As what kind of archetype would you classify this team (I understand that classifications into balance, bulky offense, hyper offense, etc. are of limited use. But I think it would help me grasp the differences between them)?

And again: Thank you, much appreciated!

There are actually quite a few teams nowadays that leave off having a scarfer. Having multiple fast pokemon (Torn, Gren etc.) + priority + para status + pokemon that can live a hit and KO back make up for this.

No doubt M-Gyarados is a threat, I would've mentioned it but I don't believe it's that common. Tangrowth can easily live a +1 hit and potentially 2HKO with Giga Drain or Power Whip, or atleast put it in Sucker Punch/Shuriken range.

This team is pretty much bulky offense. It has offensive threats (M-Mawile, Ash-Gren) but also has a defensive backbone to fall back on (Tangrowth, Heatran).

It also has pokemon that can act either offensively due to their high speed or power/setup or defensively thanks to natural bulk and great typing (Zygarde, Tornadus). I hope this helps to answer your question, but feel free to PM me if I can explain anything further.

 

[85percent]

There are actually quite a few teams nowadays that leave off having a scarfer. Having multiple fast pokemon (Torn, Gren etc.) + priority + para status + pokemon that can live a hit and KO back make up for this.

No doubt M-Gyarados is a threat, I would've mentioned it but I don't believe it's that common. Tangrowth can easily live a +1 hit and potentially 2HKO with Giga Drain or Power Whip, or atleast put it in Sucker Punch/Shuriken range.

This team is pretty much bulky offense. It has offensive threats (M-Mawile, Ash-Gren) but also has a defensive backbone to fall back on (Tangrowth, Heatran).

It also has pokemon that can act either offensively due to their high speed or power/setup or defensively thanks to natural bulk and great typing (Zygarde, Tornadus). I hope this helps to answer your question, but feel free to PM me if I can explain anything further.

This answers all my questions. Your input was really helpful!