Surprise Set RMT

Taljen

While I've made several attempts at a good metagame OU team, I never had success until I lurked more and played more battles. Finally, I feel like I have made a team that is competetive. While many of its members have more standard movesets, half of my team has less common Smogon sets, which has allowed me to currently have won 12 of its initial 15 matches, which is by far the best ratio I have encountered thus far. I really appreciate your help in looking at my team, as I feel with some tweaking I can finally have success in the metagame.

Behemus (Mamoswine) (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Snow Cloak
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Endeavor
- Stealth Rock

Mamoswine is my lead, I find it counters many common leads well. Stealth Rock is a given, Endeavor and Ice Shard along with focus sash is for when I'm less fortunate in lead matchups. Earthquake with STAB doesn't work on a lot of the leads I've encountered, but it helps against switch ins.

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Ern (Flygon) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- U-turn
- Stone Edge

A pretty standard set. Scarfed Flygon is a good dragon killer, and U turn has helped tremendously on hitting its counters and running. I've been tempted to switch Flygon out for a Baton Passer Ninjask that would be my new lead, so I can BP the speed boost to Electivire or Suicune, the latter of which would have to be my replacement dragon killer.
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Meteos (Metagross) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP/236 Atk/12 Def/8 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Bullet Punch

Metagross is mainly for Pokemon I can't kill. I use his Explosion more frequently than his other moves, besides Bullet Punch for cleanup. Expert Belt may be a mistake here, but it helps get the extra punch to KO some of the more resiliant counters. I found when he was Banded he was too limited, especially in doing the last minute Explosion that I rely so much on.
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Blitz (Electivire) (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Motor Drive
EVs: 26 Atk/220 Spd/252 SAtk
Mild nature (+SAtk, -Def)
- Thunderbolt
- Cross Chop
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Grass]

Electivire is probably the Pokemon I have the most doubts on in this team. While I can anticipate the Electric attacks for Motor Drive fairly well, often there are times where I need a fast electric and there is no way to guarantee a speed boost. Again, Expert Belt is not ideal, but while Choicing Flygon doesn't limit him too much, when I tried it with Electivire I found the switch out factor outweighing the benefits.
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Boreas (Suicune) @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Electric]

Suicune has a relatively predictable set, but it's still very useful in covering my weaknesses. I can usually anticipate the switch for Calm Mind, and as a result, while it can't sweep teams, it can take at least one or two down with it. I try to keep Suicune in reserve since it can counter pokemon that would wreck my team without it, so it's often only played towards the end.
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Wukong (Infernape) (M) @ Fist Plate
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Fire Punch
- Mach Punch
- Swords Dance

Personally, I haven't encountered too many SwordsApes, which is partially why I chose the set for him. My opponents rarely expect him to have this set, and will often switch in against him, which is perfect for a Swords Dance set up. Often they will switch in with a speedy Earthquaker, but a Swords Dance'd Mach Punch can actually KO more counters that I initially thought. More type coverage on him would be nice, but his diverse movepool usually lets me bluff my way out of counters. I have won entire matches thanks to him, as he can often be counted on to sweep up to 3 pokemon due to his less common set.
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Well, that's my team. Like I said, I'm thinking about swapping Flygon for a Batton Passing Ninjask, but I'm not convinced that my team could pick up Flygon's role without him, personally. Let me know what items, moves, or pokemon changes you'd make. I appreciate your time!
 
Use Life Orb on Infernape over Fist Plate. Life Orb gives you a 1.3x boost to all of your attacks (not just fighting) and has 10% more power on your Fighting moves when compared to Fist Plate. You get so many more OHKO's and 2HKO's with it. For Example, with Life Orb, you can do 99.5% - 117.3% with a +2 Fire Punch, nearly always OHKOing and a sure OHKO with Stealth Rock or any bit of previous damage. You also do 97% - 115% to Spiker Skarmory as opposed to 75.4% - 88.6%, which makes quite a difference as you can't even OHKO Skarmory most of the time without Life Orb. There are many other 2HKO's and OHKOs Infernape gets with Life Orb so, overall, the power Life Orb gives you greatly surpassed the survivability Fist Plate may give you.

I see Suicune being the glue to your team and checking a mass of threats in Gyarados, Heatran, and some Metagross as well as Salamence although the latter few can be revenged by Flygon. Therefore, I suggest you give it Leftovers and make it much bulkier.164 HP / 120 SpA / 224 Spe with Timid is a good spread to use on 3 attack Suicune. The 224 speed allows you to outpace Jolly Gyarados so you can OHKO it (good chance with Stealth Rock) with HP-Electric before it attacks you provided it hasn't Dragon Danced. Any more speed is superfluous as there really isn't anything else to outpace with Suicune's unique 85 Base Speed stat. The extra HP bulk that those 164 HP EVs gives you helps you take many more attacks like Heatran Fire Blasts, Gyarados Waterfalls, and Metagross Meteor Mashes. The Special Attack EVs left over allow you to do what you need to do in a sweeper, and that is set up and attack with great power.

I really don't like your Metagross. It's an absolute waste of a moveslot in my opinion as it does nothing for the team other than OHKO something with Explosion and possibly check something like Latias. I don't think that moveset justifies a slot on your team. What we can do though, is change up that set a bit or replace the Pokemon. Some things you can change it to would be a Trapper Metagross with Meteor Mash, Pursuit, Explosion, Earthquake with Bullet Punch being viable on the set over either Explosion or Earthquake, Adamant, and the EVs: 240 HP / 80 Atk / 188 SpD, which lets you survive a mass of Special attacks and lets you check Latias, Gengar, and Rotom with Pursuit as none of their attacks can OHKO you (unboosted of course). You could also go more offensive and use either Choice Band Scizor or Scarf Metagross. CB Scizor could help you with some priority, scouting, and trapping and Pursuiting ghosts and Latias (watch out for hp-fire if you use it) to help Infernape out. Scarf Metagross can be used for a fast revenge killer, trick for stall and then Explode when you're done. Most Metagross' sets can be found here. It's really up to you what you choose, although I do suggest you at least try out all of them and see what works best for you.

Finally, we gotta replace Electivire for something. To be bluntly honest, Electivire is total ass, and can't hit harder than a wood block. Flygon absorbs Thunder Waves and other Electric attacks and scares the Electric users off with a STAB Earthquake. There are better things that can fill in that moveslot which does more for the team and can be a bigger offensive force. Instead, try using something like MixMence or over it. MixMence greatly helps you out against stall and can help blow through Infernapes and Suicune's counters. 80 Atk / 252 SpA / 176 Spe, Rash, Life Orb, and the moves Draco Meteor, Fire Blast, Brick Break, and Roost. You 2HKO Blissey with Brick Break, OHKO Skarmory and Forretress with Fire Blast, and do massive damage to whatever tries to take a Draco Meteor. The EVs let you outpace Adamant Lucario, making it a decent last ditch check to Lucario. With Stall weakened thanks to Salamence, Suicune or Infernape should be able to break through and beat it most of the time.

The rest of the team looks pretty cool, just make sure you get Stealth Rock up and don't waste Flygon to random Lucario's. Good Luck.

Edit: oh lefties works fine on metagross. also thanks sm64
 
All of those changes were great ideas. I swapped Electivire for Mixmence, swapped around Suicune's EVs and item, gave Infernape Life Orb, and am currently testing Trappergross. My only question is that the Trapper set you suggested for Metagross isn't one of his strategy dex movelists, and I'm not sure what item would be most effective for the set.

Thank you so much for your help!
 
Ok so joshe sucks for getting to this team before I could X_X.

Anyway, I just have one nitpick and then the Trapper Metagross set.

I recommend using a Jolly nature on Mamoswine. The reason for this is although you OHKO Shuca Heatran 100% of the time, it manages to outspeed you and get up Stealth Rock or Fire Blast you. With a Jolly nature, you outspeed other Timid/Naive Heatran and still OHKO them around 80% of the time, preventing them from getting up SR or Fire Blasting you at all. The other, although minor plus is that you outspeed Adamant Lucario, but as a lead you should only be down to your Focus Sash and it can Extremespeed you, so that point is generally moot.

As for the Trapper set:

Metagross @ Lum Berry / Leftovers
Adamant | 240 HP / 80 Atk / 188 SpD
Pursuit / Bullet Punch (or Earthquake, depending on whether you want to outspeed other threats or not) / Explosion / Meteor Mash
 
That definitely makes sense. Gave Mamoswine a Jolly nature, and switched Expert Belt on Metagross with Leftovers.

Thanks!

EDIT: While swapping Electivire with Mixmence was a great idea, I now no longer have any counters for Swampert. Who would most benefit from HP Grass (I assume that is the best move to give to counter this)?
 
Hello, I'm here to answer your little question =P.


First off, HP grass on a vire WILL NOT OHKO SWAMPERT. Which is why, electivire is a piece of crap in todays metagame.
If you want a Swampert counter, I suggest changing your infernape set to the specially based mixape

Infernape @ Life orb
Naive | 64 atk / 252 sp.atk / 192 spe
Close combat , grass knot , Hidden Power ice , Fire Blast / Flamethrower

With this set, you get some amazing coverage, and you ohko swampert w/ grass knot.


I would now suggest that you change the expert belt on metagross to a life orb.
Metagross won't really be doing some super effective damage, which is why life orb is recommended.

Lastly, I would like it for you to change the electivire to a Lucario.

Lucario @ Life orb
Adamant | 4 hp / 252 atk / 252 spe
swords dance, close combat, extreme speed, crunch

with this set, it takes infernape's old role. It works wonders late game, and it isn't surprising why it is the 2nd biggest offensive threat.


Good luck

-iShedinja
 
Thanks for the recommendation. My Metagross is now a trapper with leftovers, so I already got rid of the expert belt. I also took Joshe's advice about swapping Electivire with a Classic Mixmence, so I don't have Electivire weighing down my team.
 
What about giving Flygon Crunch instead of Stone Edge? I know it's an unusual move, and it'd make HP Electric Suicune my only recourse against Gyarados, but no one on my team is equipped to handle Cresselia.
 
I would have given Infernape Fire Blast over Fire Punch and given him a hasty/naive nature. Then keep the Fist Plate to fool the opponent into thinking you have Choice Band.
 
I've been using Flare Blitz on my SwordsApes and it works very well. It can take down a lot of pokes that Fire Punch/Blaze Kick can't, and it's recoil coupled with Life Orb help activate Blaze to give a final Flare Blitz 50% extra power.
 
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