XY NU Sticky Web Offense

[wtset]

Introduction

Hi, I'm myggy17 and I play XY NU since it's introduction, I think it's a really cool tier.
This is my second RMT here on Smogon, the first one was a OU Team back in the Pre-Bank era. I didn't get any replies back then, which was a bit disappointing, but I guess the reason for this was that it was broken Baton Pass Chain (I think the playstyle was even more broken in Pre-Bank, but it didn't get much attention back then).
But enough about the past:
Today I'm playing with an offensive Sticky Web Team, I think Sticky Web is a really cool team archetype. I also don't like to use common stuff, I think nothing on my team is above #30 on the usage stats right now. The team got me to Top 200 on the Ladder with a ranking of something around 1470-1480, but the higher I got on the ladder the more I felt like the team could need some adjustments and I hope that I can get some useful advice here. If you want to watch some replays of this team you can find them if you search for the PS! username "shnizzloni".
The Team

Leavanny @ Focus Sash
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 224 Atk / 32 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Sticky Web
- Magic Coat
- Leaf Storm
- Shadow Claw

The best Sticky Web setter in the tier in my opinion. I lead with Leavanny 90% of the time. Magic Coat can surprise many opposing hazard setters and things that want to taunt me. Flail allows Leavanny to get a last big hit off if it gets knocked down to the sash. I run Leaf Blade over X-Scissor because I think it just hits more Leads harder in the current meta. I don't care about Xatu because I don't mind having Sticky Web on my own side, as Pawniard and Malamar benefit from it. I don't have any Bug-Type moves, so I don't need Swarm. I guess Overcoat helps me to keep my sash intact in the sand, but it's not that useful.
EDIT: Replaced Leaf Blade and Flail with Leaf Storm and Toxic.

Zangoose @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Toxic Boost
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Facade
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Quick Attack

Zangoose hits extremely hard as soon as his Toxic Orb activates. Most of the time I bring it it on something weakened I can kill off or on a predicted switch. Facade pretty much 2HKOs the whole tier after Toxic Boost. Knock Off is my coverage move of choice. It has great utility and hits Ghost-, Steel- and Rock-Types. Swords Dance is easy to get off with this set as it forces many switches and I often use it to clean up endgame. Quick Attack is Priority and even OHKOs some frail threats when Zangoose is poisoned. I think I don't need Close Combat because Facade and Knock Off hit everything hard enough.

Haunter @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Trick
- Destiny Bond

Haunter is my Spin Blocker. It is extremely frail but can hit things pretty hard. Sludge Bomb and Shadow Ball are the obvious STAB choices. Trick helps against defensive and Destiny Bond against offensive threats. Also Destiny Bond is my best method to deal with Gurdurr.
Replaced Haunter with Mismagius. Mismagius is an offensive spinblocker too, but it's more reliable than Haunter. It's frail too, but it doesn't die to every hit like Haunter. Taunt is a very useful move, that I love to have. Shadow Ball is the STAB and Dazzling Gleam is the best coverage Mismagius gets.
EDIT: Changed back to Haunter, but it's Scarfed now.

Pawniard @ Eviolite
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance

The main task of Pawniard is to prevent the opponent from using Defog. It is also surprisingly bulky and can come in on many attacks and threaten to sweep with Swords Dance + Sucker Punch or just Knock Off a item and do much damage. Iron Head is Pawniard Steel-STAB and I do like the flinches I get from time to time. Another nice thing about Pawniard is that Intimidate mons can't really switch in on it. Pawniard also has good offensive Synergy with Zangoose and Malamar because it kills Ghost-Type and allows them to spam Facade and Superpower respectively.

Rotom-Fan @ Expert Belt
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Air Slash
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hidden Power [Grass]

I can't rely solely on Sticky Web for the speed advantage so I need a scarfer in my team. Jynx has two reliable STAB moves in Ice Beam and Psychic and a not so reliable but powerful coverage move in Focus Blast. Lovely Kiss is very nice to have and often use when I have no other answer to a pokemon. Another useful thing about Jynx is that opponents will often think twice before spamming Water-moves because of Dry Skin.
EDIT: Replaced Jynx with Pyroar to deal with Steel Types. It also kinda checks Slurpuff with Unnerve and has great offensive Synergy with Zangoose. It is also nearly impossible to outspeed, especially with Sticky Web up.
EDIT: Replaced Pyroar with Rotom-S. Rotom really helps with the Fighting and Water weaknesses I previously had. It can burn physical threats to my team, which is a especially fun thing to do on predicted Sucker Punches. With Hidden Power Grass Rotom can kill the Ground-Types it lures in.

Rhydon @ Eviolite
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 252 HP / 16 Atk / 240 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Rock Blast
- Earthquake
- Dragon Tail

When I ran Malamar on other I often couldn't decide between Choice Scarf for the added speed or Assault Vest for the bulk and the very useful option to switch moves. Sticky Web somewhat solves this issue. Malamar can set up on almost anything slower without Bug/Fairy-Moves or a Ghost Type. As I've already mentioned, Malamar is one of the reasons I have no problems with Intimidate users and Sticky Web on my side of the field. There are some other cool things you can do with Contrary, like ignoring the Evasion Clause by just switching into Defog or get random stat boosts from opposing Crunches/Play Roughs etc.
EDIT: Changed Malamar for Rhydon. Rhydon can set up Stealth Rocks, which help me to deal with Flying-Types that don't get affected by Sticky Web, and I'm usually able to keep the Rocks up because I have Pawniard and Haunter. Dragon Tail helps against dangerous Set-Up Sweepers and if the opponent has got nothing to hit Rhydon and I can shuffle his team around a bit.


So yeah this is my team, thanks for reading, I appreciate any advice you give me!

Changes so far:
- Replaced Leaf Blade and Flail on Leavanny with Leaf Storm, Toxic and a special EV spread.
- Replaced Specs Haunter with Taunt+Nasty Plot Mismagius.
- Replaced Scarf Jynx with Scarf Pyroar.
- Changed the EV spread on Leavanny and replaced Toxic with Shadow Claw
- Replaced Mismagius with Scarf Haunter
- Changed EV spread on Pawniard
- Replaced Pyroar with Rotom-S
- Replaced Malamar with Rhydon

 

[g]

Hi myggy17 your Sticky Web teams looks pretty solid but i feel like i can help you make some changes. First of all i'd change your Haunter with a Taunt+Nasty Plot Mismagius who is waay more flexible than Choice Specs Haunter and gives you a better weapon against more bulky teams and still is the offensive Spinblocker your team desperately needs. Seeing your big weakness to Belly Drum Slurpuff (the special variant can be soft checked by Pawniard i guess) my second suggestion is to change Malamar with SubGear Klinklang as it is a way more reliable bulky setup sweeper and still gives you an "immunity" to opposing Intimidate and Sticky Web in Clear Body.

I also have some minor changes. For example you should run a Special Attacking spread and Leaf Storm over Leaf Blade on Leavanny and another support option over Flail (Heal Bell is probably more optimal with Zangoose but it is a cool filler i'd say) as it helps against Rhydon which is a decent threat to your team and takes Leaf Blade like a boss and i'd run Close Combat over Swords Dance on Zangoose as your team struggles a bit with Steel Types like Ferroseed and Probopass and hitting them with everything you can is really important.

Klinklang and Mismagius

Klinklang @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Shift Gear
- Return
- Gear Grind

Speed EVs are for Adamant Shiftry before a boost and pretty much everything after

Mismagius @ Leftovers / Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Taunt
- Nasty Plot
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam

 

[wtset]

Thanks for the advice galbia , I tried out all your suggestions today.
Results:
Special Leavanny worked really well, it gets many surprise KOs on things that don't expect it. Mismagius worked well too, I especially love the added bulk it has compared to Haunter. Not sure if I played the Klingklang wrong, but it didn't really do much at all. I'm not sure how big of a threat Belly Drum Slurpuff really is, because most members of my team can prevent it from Belly Drumming with hard hits or a Taunt. I replaced Jynx with Scarf Pyroar to deal with the Steel Types and it also checks Slurpuff because it doesn't let it eat the berry.

 

[Blast]

You're really gonna want a Stealth Rocker on your team because it allows you to whittle down at opposing teams and break Focus Sashes and such--in particular, it wears down Flying-types, which are naturally large threats to Sticky Web teams due to their immunity to and the fact that your one resist, Pawniard, is rather frail. I'd try Rhydon over Malamar for a couple reasons: it provides SR along with a much sturdier Flying resist, as well as hard countering Combusken + Xatu Baton Pass cores with Dragon Tail, which can prove to be threatening as they set up on Leavanny with little issues. Your team doesn't really need Malamar too much anyway since Pawniard can clean up late-game and still punishes opposing Sticky Web.

Also your team kind of struggles with most forms of priority since stuff like Aqua Jet Feraligatr and Sucker Punch Spiritomb can easily apply a lot of pressure due to your rather limited responses. Gurdurr is also a problem since Mach Punch does a shitton to your whole team barring Mismagius. I'd recommend trying Expert Belt Rotom-S over Pyroar and using a different Scarfer, such as Haunter, over Mismagius. Rotom can revenge kill Gurdurr and Gatr while burning Tomb, and Ebelt allows you to serve as a lure for Ground-types like Toad and Rhydon which can be annoying to face. Meanwhile Haunter can still serve as a reliable Scarfer that can revenge faster setup sweepers like Barbaracle if Sticky Web is up.

Also I'm not really sure what that Pawniard spread is for since 140 HP / 116 SpD seems kind of random. I'd personally give it enough Speed for +Speed Shiftry after Webs (140 EVs) since your team kind of wants the most reliable check possible and throw the rest in bulk. Oh and I think Shadow Claw is better over Toxic on Leavanny because it 2HKOes Xatu; an EV spread of 220 Atk / 32 SpA / 252 Spd Naïve lets you accomplish this while retaining the ability to OHKO Rhydon.

Suggested changes

Rhydon > Malamar
Rotom-S > Pyroar and Haunter > Mismagius
Pawniard spread to 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spd for +Speed Shiftry after Webs
Shadow Claw > Toxic on Leavanny with a spread of 220 Atk / 32 SpA / 252 Spd Naïve

Sets

Rhydon should run Stealth Rock | Rock Blast | Earthquake | Dragon Tail @ Eviolite. The spread is up to you, you can run a more offensive spread with max Attack but a specially defensive spread also works if you're worried about mixed Archeops

Rotom-S @ Expert Belt
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch / Thunderbolt
- Air Slash
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Will-O-Wisp

Haunter @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Trick
- Destiny Bond
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[wtset]

Really geat advice I got from you, Dat Blast . All your suggested changes worked really well and the team is running much more consistent now. I only lost 3 out of 15-20 games since I applied the changes of which 2 were very close and I could have won them if the hax would have been a bit more in my favor. The third game I lost was against a Trick Room team, which my team couldn't handle at all, but I feel like Trick Room is too rare to actually prepare for it.