Introduction
Jola, Smogonites. I'm back with another RMT, one that focuses on Lucario's great sweeping potential and a F/W/G core. You might call this team my delayed reaction to Salamence becoming Uber, since it would be ripped apart by Salamence had it not been banished to that realm.
Unlike most of my teams, this one uses a few of the most distinct Pokemon defining the current metagame, such as Scarf Tyranitar and Life Orb Heatran. This is my first team that uses them (and, despite me having battled for a few years, Swords Dance Lucario himself) and so far they have proven to be great assets.
The focus of this team is to lay down entry hazards and and threaten with a Lucario or Gyarados sweep, and take care of most of the threats that get in the way. It handles almost like a stall team, but then I start bringing in my big guns and the opponent's tension starts to rise when they realize this is in no way shape or fom a stall team, but more like a stall-based offense. Anyway, I'm done quacking. Here it is.
Team Alpha
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Skarmory, @ Lum Berry
Careful Nature (SpDef +, SpAtk -)
252 HP, 128 SpDef, 128 Spd
-Taunt
-Roost
-Whirlwind
-Spikes
Set Analysis: A fantastic lead, she usually lays out at least two layers of Spikes within the battle's opening turns, and then deals passive damage and scouts the opponent's team with Whirlwind. Taunt destroys slower Stealth Rockers, Trick Roomers, and stuff like Roserade and Smeargle thanks to Lum granting her a free pass on sleep. Even if she gets Tricked a Scarf, that isn't the end of the world because the whole point of Skarmory is to lay out Spikes, although I will keep her alive if I can for later shuffling with Whirlwind. Roost keeps her alive to continue laying Spikes and phazing.
Nature & EVs: 252 HP EVs are obligatory for all-around bulk, and the Speed EVs allow her to Taunt slow Stealth Rockers. The Special Defense EVs soften special hits such as Swampert's Ice Beam and Roserade's Hidden Power Fire enough so that I may continue to comfortably Spike stack. 316 Defense is more than enough for Skarmory's lead position.
Considered Changes: None, really. Skarmory does her job so well that I see no need to change her, or really anything that could do her job half as well as she does.
Tyranitar, @ Choice Scarf
Jolly Nature (Spd +, SpAtk -)
4 HP, 252 Atk, 252 Spd
-Stone Edge
-Superpower
-Pursuit
-Crunch
Set Analysis: One of the very few truly great Pokemon. He found his way onto this team by bringing Starmie and Gengar to their knees and destroying them, as well as making a decent revenge-killer in general. If there are two teams I really hate, they would be Uber Trick Room teams and OU Rain Dance teams. Obviously I won't have to worry about Uber Trick Room teams (or even OU Trick Room teams, thanks to Skarm), so Tyranitar also makes useless my most hated team in OU as well as obliterating most of the special-based pests giving this team trouble.
Stone Edge, Pursuit, and Crunch require no explanation. Superpower was selected over Earthquake because this team really needs the OHKO on opposing Tyranitars. I've also considered Ice Beam to lure in and kill Gliscor, making Lucario's job much easier, but there just isn't the room.
Nature & EVs: Painstakingly developed for the utmost precision in today's metagame, seriously, don't steal this spread, it's valuable.
Considered Changes: Again, there's just isn't much that can do what Tyranitar does. That, and Tyranitar's my favorite Pokemon.
Heatran, @Life Orb
Timid Nature (Spd +, Atk-)
4 HP, 252 SpAtk, 252 Spd
-Fire Blast
-Earth Power
Hidden Power Ice
-Stealth Rock
Set Analysis: A Life Orb Heatran was chosen for its ability to lay out Stealth Rock alongside Skarm's Spikes and because it hits like a mule. Opposing Skarmory, Scizor, Celebi, Metagross, and Magnezone are blown away by Fire Blast, while Heatran's typing/power force switches and more Spikes damage. Earth Power KOes other Heatrans and works as a good finisher due to Fire Blast's poor PP and accuracy. Hidden Power Ice provides an invaluable OHKO on Dragonite and Flygon locked into Outrage.
Nature & EVs: ...bad jokes don't work the first time, let alone the second. Self-explanatory.
Considered Changes: I couldn't find an offensive Stealth Rocker who worked nearly as well as Heatran, plus Heatran is a part of the F/W/G core. Not much to replace him.
Gyarados, @Leftovers
Impish Nature (Def +, SpAtk -)
252 HP, 200 Def, 56 Spd
-Waterfall
-Dragon Dance
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
Set Analysis: Rest Talk Gyarados make an excellent status absorber and physical wall thanks to Intimidate and his resistances. Gyarados's main niche is his ability to counter Infernape, Lucario, Scizor, and even some Machamp, and he makes a half-ass but adequate check to SubPetaya Empoleon. Most carry Roar over Dragon Dance, however I have Skarmory for phazing, so I figured I would go with Dragon Dance and have Gyarados pose a decent sweeping threat.
Nature & EVs: Maximum Defense to stifle physical sweepers, with enough Speed EVs to outspeed 317 with one Dragon Dance.
Considered Changes: It's the resistances to Fighting, Ground, and Fire that make Gyarados so very important. None yet.
Celebi, @Leftovers
Bold Nature (Def +, Atk -)
252 HP, 220 Def, 4 SpAtk, 32 Spd
-Grass Knot
-Reflect
-Hidden Power Fire
-Recover
Set Analysis: I noticed I had a Water and a Fire, so I figured I may as well complete the core, and Celebi is certainly a big piece of this team in that she destroys bulky Waters with Grass Knot. Reflect allows her to double Defense, which is very important with things like Kingdra, and it kind of cancels out Celebi's Pursuit weakness. Reflect + Hidden Power Fire make Celebi a decent answer to Steels, and destroys Breloom, although Hidden Power Ice has been considered, but the surprise factor on Scizor is essentially a free KO, too much to give away.
Nature & EVs: Same principle as Gyarados: max Defense and HP, with enough Speed to outrun a specific Speed group (Breloom's in this case).
Considered Changes: Like the others, Celebi just does her job so well that I haven't really considered replacing her.
Lucario, @Life Orb
Jolly Nature (Spd +, SpAtk -)
252 Atk, 252 Spd, 4 Def
-Close Combat
-Stone Edge/Crunch/Ice Punch/Extremespeed
-Swords Dance
-Bullet Punch
Set Analysis: Here he is, at last. Lucario comes in after the opponents have been weakened and starts sweeping. He loves Spikes; they help him to OHKO a number of heavyweight physical walls after a Swords Dance. Close Combat is Lucario's ubiquitous STAB, while Bullet Punch was selected because it OHKOs Gengar after a Swords Dance and Stealth Rock, and Gengar behind a Substitute against this team can be disastrous. Stone Edge vs. Crunch is a topic that I really want to resolve here. A +2 Crunch OHKOs Celebi and Dusknoir after Spikes, but Stone Edge will OHKO Gyarados and Zapdos and Dragonite at +1. Tough choice. Also considering Ice Punch and Extremespeed.
Nature & EVs: The only thing here that needs explaining is the Jolly nature. Well, other Lukes are Jolly and Suicunes are Timid nowadays, so I really need that extra jump so that my sweep doesn't end at their hands. Jolly still gets some important KOs with Spikes and Stealth Rock.
Considered Changes: Despite being the star of the team, I've questioned Lucario the most. Everyone on this team (bar Gyarados) is weak to either Fire or Ground, but Lucario is the only weak to both. A Machamp would ease my issues with Tyranitar, but then I lose my cleaner.
Threats
Just the ones that actually threaten me.
Tyranitar poses a big threat in its natural bulk and ability to 1/2HKO every member of my team after a DD. My Skarmory can only phaze it and deal entry hazard damage, but at least it learns the set.
Jolteon outspeeds everything on the team and resists Bullet Punch. A Life Orb Thunderbolt does respectable damage to Tyranitar, and because this team has no Wisher, Tyranitar must simply walk through the Thunderbolts and then I place my faith in the 80% accurate Stone Edge.
Bulky variants are handled by Celebi, but if this is carrying a Life Orb, it OHKOs Celebi at +1 with Stealth Rock. Lucario and Tyranitar can take chunk from it, plus it takes a bit of residual damage, but I'd like more security than that.
The stallbreaker can Toxic and Taunt, then sits back and laughs at me. Toxic kills Celebi and Gyarados, Earthquake kills Heatran, Tyranitar, and Lucario, and Taunt forces Skarm to Struggle. It's bad.
Those are the four biggest threats to this team, that I see, at least. Any comment on how to handle these is very appreciated. Also, this team would LOVE to find room for a Wisher somewhere, since quite a bit relies on Tyranitar, who has no means of health regeneration.
Conclusion
So that's my team. I hope you enjoyed reading it; I looked around in the Archive and selected the format that I enjoyed reading the most. I welcome all criticism with open arms, however if you can help with the threats I posted, that would be even better. Anyway, don't be shy. This team could be great if those problems are solved. Rate, hate, and steal. Ajos, Smogonites.
