The warmth of Summer gave birth to the idea of this team. I was standing outside thinking, "Damn it's HOT out here," when all of a sudden...BAM! UU Sun Team exploded into my brain. While sun in UU is nothing new, it isnt very common, but this team has ultimately given me pretty good success (about 15/5 Win/Loss ratio). The team may seem unconvential, but I tend to use Pokes I like over "the best" pokes.
TEAMBUILDING:
I started the team around a Rose/Doom core. They cover eachother's weaknesses pretty well, and both are great sweepers in their own right. However, I knew I needed to pair them with some reliable sun-setters.
Prankster Sableye and Bronzong can both use Sunny Day with great success, the former with priority and the latter with bulk. The only problem I found is Bronzong signing his own death warrrant by amplifying his fire weakness, so I needed another fire counter outside frail Houndoom.
I'm so surprised Swampert is UU. I see one on just about every team I go up against, and its no surprise why. He provides so much and is capable of fulfilling many roles. The final teamslot has changed a few times, and it started with Moxiecrow.
I love using Honchcrow. he hits hard and accumulates boosts while serial killing, but it added another Stealth Rock weakness and I dont have a spinner.
After careful consideration and some helpful suggestions, I filled the last slot with a hard hitting flygon. He resists rocks and is immune to the other entry hazards, and can deal out amazing damage.
THE SUN IN ACTION
Hell Hound@ Life Orb
Flash Fire
Rash Nature
EV: 248SpAttk, 252Spd, 8Attk
-Fire Blast
-Solar Beam
-Dark Pulse
-Sucker Punch
In Depth- Houndoom if nothing else is the coolest looking pokemon ever. The fact that he functions well if you play to his strengths is just a bonus. With Sun up, Fireblast destroys all but the bulkiest special walls and those who resist it. Solarbeam is a high bp coverage move thats perfect for sun teams and helps him deal with rhyperior, swampert, and other bulky waters fairly well. Dark pulse is a more reliable STAB that hits Chandelure and Victini hard, and Suckerpunch is STAB priority to finish off weakened foes.
Thoughts/Problems- I know what you're gonna say. "Houndoom is outclassed as a fire type by Victini and Darmanitan." As I said before, i prefer using pokemon I like over "the best," as long as they can still function and preform their jobs well. The last moveslot was Nasty Plot, but I never found a useful moment to use it, as wating a turn tends to end Houndoom's life. Snorlax and Umbreon can cause some problems, but I have other pokes to handle them.
Thoughts/Problems- I know what you're gonna say. "Houndoom is outclassed as a fire type by Victini and Darmanitan." As I said before, i prefer using pokemon I like over "the best," as long as they can still function and preform their jobs well. The last moveslot was Nasty Plot, but I never found a useful moment to use it, as wating a turn tends to end Houndoom's life. Snorlax and Umbreon can cause some problems, but I have other pokes to handle them.
Bloom@ Life Orb
Natural Cure
Modest Nature
EV: 252SpAttk, 252Spd, 4Hp
-Solar Beam
-Weather Ball
-Extrasensory
-Synthesis
In Depth- I have always loved Roserade. She is the pinnacle of Grass Typing, and hits monstrously hard. With Sun up, Solarbeam is by far the best STAB attacking option (I always hated Leaf Storm due to the drop). Weather Ball becomes a 100 BP fire type coverage move, extrasensory is for nidos and crobat, and I chose synthesis over rest due to the momentum. Also, without needing to constantly switch from the drop of leaf storm, rest seemed inferior to synthesis.
Thoughts/Problems- Like with most of my team, shes just not quite fast enough. 95 base speed isnt bad, but its just shy of what I would like, although I am downright opposed to strapping a scarf on her. I need the power from Modest, so nature wont help much either. That said, She functions amazingly, switching into many raikous and bulky waters to destroy them. Scarf variants of Darm and Victini can shut her down, but again thats what team support is for.
Thoughts/Problems- Like with most of my team, shes just not quite fast enough. 95 base speed isnt bad, but its just shy of what I would like, although I am downright opposed to strapping a scarf on her. I need the power from Modest, so nature wont help much either. That said, She functions amazingly, switching into many raikous and bulky waters to destroy them. Scarf variants of Darm and Victini can shut her down, but again thats what team support is for.
Ghoul@ Heat Rock
Prankster
Calm Nature
EV: 252Hp, 120Def, 136SpDef
IV: 0 attk
-Sunny Day
-Magic Coat
-Will-O-Wisp
-Recover
In Depth- The Troll master returns for another stint in UU! I enjoy this little...creature...gremlin...troll...thingy so much that he is on just about every one of my teams. Prankster is just too good not to use as a sun-setter-upper, and he tends to be my favority user. The set is sorta unique: Sunny Day for obvious reasons, Will-O-Wisp and Recover are standard, but the last slot is what sets him apart from other Sableye. Magic coat allows him to function as a pseudo espeon/xatu, bouncing back a ton of moves. I use it over taunt because it eases predictions. it allows me to deflect opposing taunts, status moves, and entry hazards as opposed to forcing my opponent to attack. Also, its priority helps me deal with other taunting Pranksters;)
Thoughts/Problems- Well, while he has no weaknesses, he isnt the bulkiest guy out there, and the best way to deal with him is to bombarb him with high powered attacks. Also, aside from Sunny Day and Magic coat, he is very predictable, and often deals out an accidental power boost to opposing fire types with W-o-W. that on top of sun can be a problem :/
Thoughts/Problems- Well, while he has no weaknesses, he isnt the bulkiest guy out there, and the best way to deal with him is to bombarb him with high powered attacks. Also, aside from Sunny Day and Magic coat, he is very predictable, and often deals out an accidental power boost to opposing fire types with W-o-W. that on top of sun can be a problem :/
CanHazHugs?@ Heat Rock
Levitate
Relaxed Nature
EV: 252Hp, 252Def, 4SpDef
IV: 0 spd
-Sunny Day
-Stealth Rocks
-Gyro Ball
-Trick
In Depth- Bronzong is a tough build. His movepool is so useful that I had trouble narrowing down his moves to 4. Sunny Day is so I have 2 reliable setters, SR for my only form of hazard, Gyro ball for STAB and good damage, and then...trick. I considered many other moves for this slot, but trick has helped the most. Giving an opponent a heat rock and taking probably lefties isnt bad once his job is done, but I really need help on this last moveslot. Toxic? Explosion? :0
Thoughts/Problems- Bronzong setting up Sunny day is the epitome of suicide. Powering up your only weakness? Crazy. However I found, if timed right, this isnt always the case. Switching to Flash Fire Hdoom or Swampy are the best ways to stay alive. That fourth moveslot is a pain to lock down though.
Thoughts/Problems- Bronzong setting up Sunny day is the epitome of suicide. Powering up your only weakness? Crazy. However I found, if timed right, this isnt always the case. Switching to Flash Fire Hdoom or Swampy are the best ways to stay alive. That fourth moveslot is a pain to lock down though.
Bog-zilla@ Leftovers
Torrent
Adamant Nature
EV: 240Hp, 252Attk, 16Def
-Earthquake
-Waterfall
-Ice Punch
-Roar
In Depth- This set is straight from Smogon. Swampert is the prime example of 'bulky attacker' and he preforms his role nicely. With great STAB in EQ and Waterfall, and coverage like IcePunch, he stands out as a great physical attacker. He can also phaze setup sweepers and sub usered which is a bonus. He destroys much of the metagame, but is shut down by Shaymin and Roserade.
Thoughts/Problems- He is the reason most people started running grass knot and HP grass (him and Rhyperior), so often time my opponents are equipped enough to handle him. he also receives no notable boosts from the sun, and is in fact hindered by it:/ however he is one of my pokes who is intended to function well outside of weather is for some astounding reason I cant "get it up." Though about a CB set, but I hate locking him into a move, especially EQ since there are so many pokes that are immune.
Thoughts/Problems- He is the reason most people started running grass knot and HP grass (him and Rhyperior), so often time my opponents are equipped enough to handle him. he also receives no notable boosts from the sun, and is in fact hindered by it:/ however he is one of my pokes who is intended to function well outside of weather is for some astounding reason I cant "get it up." Though about a CB set, but I hate locking him into a move, especially EQ since there are so many pokes that are immune.
Dragonfly@ Choice Band
Levitate
Adamant Nature
EV: 252Attk, 252Spd, 4Def
-Outrage
-Earthquake
-Fire Punch
-U turn
In Depth-Forgoing the common scarfgon, I opted for the seer power of banded Flygon, who definitely suprised me with damage output. EQ and Outrage offer unresisted coverage in UU bar Bronzong, and he is easliy dealt with with a sun-boosted Fire Punch. Uturn is for scouting and momentum, plus the CBand helps it deal decent damage along the way.
Thoughts/Problems- Anything packing Ice Shard (Im looking at you, Weavile) can cause him major problems, as well as the multitude of HP ice users. Locking him into EQ is risky, and the reason I dont hace CBand on Swampy, But I will have hopefulle eliminated all levitaters and flyers before sending in my Closer.
TEAM THREAT LIST:
This team tends to be a little slow, so anything strong and fast will cause it troubles. Weavile, ScarfCross, ScarfDarm, and ScarfShao are the biggest threats I've encountered. Also Snorlax and chandelure can be issues in certain conditions. Other weather teams (although uncommon in UU) can cause the ever hated Weather Wars, and can be a thorn in my side.
CLOSING:
I would love some input and analysis on this team from you guys, who tend to be more experianced and give great advice:) Im fond of the team, but not married to them all; that being said, I would like to keep as much of the Pokes as possible and maybe just tweak sets/items/moves. I will of course consider every suggestion:) Thank you!
Thoughts/Problems- Anything packing Ice Shard (Im looking at you, Weavile) can cause him major problems, as well as the multitude of HP ice users. Locking him into EQ is risky, and the reason I dont hace CBand on Swampy, But I will have hopefulle eliminated all levitaters and flyers before sending in my Closer.
TEAM THREAT LIST:
This team tends to be a little slow, so anything strong and fast will cause it troubles. Weavile, ScarfCross, ScarfDarm, and ScarfShao are the biggest threats I've encountered. Also Snorlax and chandelure can be issues in certain conditions. Other weather teams (although uncommon in UU) can cause the ever hated Weather Wars, and can be a thorn in my side.
CLOSING:
I would love some input and analysis on this team from you guys, who tend to be more experianced and give great advice:) Im fond of the team, but not married to them all; that being said, I would like to keep as much of the Pokes as possible and maybe just tweak sets/items/moves. I will of course consider every suggestion:) Thank you!
