Hi, about 3 months ago I picked up Pokemon Platinum and got back into pokemon for the first time since about 2005. At this time I simply played the games, never really having battles in tournaments or with friends. Well after completing platinum ,which I was playing on and off for about 2 months I tried to get into competitive battling. Thats why I downloaded Shoddy. At the time I loved watching UU matches on Youtube so I made some UU teams and started playing. It is only recently however that I started on OU. Here is the best team I have made so far.
My idea was a bit of a crazy on but it was to base a team around Gyarados. I will now show how my team building process went:
My first pokemon will obviously be Gyarados who is one of my faourite pokemon along side Pinsir and Miltank. I think it has great Physical attacking stats with a decent speed stat that can be boosted by DD. It is also bulky enough to take some hits before going down.
Next I chose Electivire thanks to it's great ability Motor Drive. This means when I initially bring Gyra in. If they bring in an electric pokemon I can normally switch for the speed boost thn EQ it to get rid of Gyardos's main counter.
I now didn't have a lead and I needed another electric counter as this was what mostly threatens a Gyarados sweep. I also needed a pokemon to set up rocks so Swampert seemed perfect for the role.
I then thought that I needed a special sweeper. Salamence was the first thought to enter my mind but then I thought of a SpecsLucario. I knew that most people would counter with a physical wall and also Lucario is one great special sweeper with anawesome Sp atk stat of 115. If i'm honest it is amost stealing the show from Gyarados.
I then realised that other thn Swampert I needed some bulk. Latias seemed perfect as it could take hits but also be just as offensive so I went for the CM one.
The last spot on my team was a very hard decision. I was going from belly passing Smeargles to WishBliss' so I asked for help in the main chat. That was when someone gave me the idea of Dusknoir and it seemed good. It could block any rapid spinners trying to blow away the rocks and had good defensive stats to be the wall that i needed.
After a few rates I could tell that Rotom-H would easily outclass Dusknoir and this set was mentioned twice therefore I thought I sould give it a shot so Dusknoir leaves as Rotom-H comes in. He adds a noral and fighting immunity while also having levitae to be immune to ground.
After at least 3 people mentioning it I went for T'tar as it is good at eliminating threats as lots of people said and can easily reveng ekill most pokemon as I have given it a scarf for it's birthday. (in depth look at T'tar coming soon)
After all of the above thought I put it into Marrilands team builder and this is the result I got:
I have a lot of resistances with no real holes although a few types only have 1 switch in on my team. I also have quite a lot of immunities including 3 ground immunities (Rotom and Latias didnt come up as immune for some reason although they both have the ability levitate) Some people have a Magnezone in their team purely to take out Scizor but I have never had any problems with it as it's main move, Bullet Punch is steel and I have 4 steel resistances.
Anyway lets look at the team in a bit more detail:
Swampert - Relaxed @Leftovers
EVs: 240HP/216Def/52SpcAtk
-Stealth Rock
-Ice Beam
-Roar
-Earthquake
On the first turn I will obviously set up rocks as that is Swamperts main purpose. Ice Beam and EQ is to try and hit most pokemon well. Here is what I would do against the top 5 leads in OU.
Azelf - Set up Stealth rock then use Ice beam to weaken it somewhat. I try to get it into KOable area then switch to Rotom-H to take the predicted Explosion,
Metagross - Will normally EQ it straight away to get rid of it as fast as possible then when I next get the chance, I set up rocks, normally after the Gross is dead.
Jirachi - Set up rocks while they do then use EQ for the 2HKO
Aerodactyl - Set up SR then Ice beam, This can normally tke it to the sash and then KO on next turn.
Swampert - As it completely walls my own one I normally roar it away straight away then set up rocks on the new pokemon.
Gyarados - Adamant @Life Orb
EVs: 252Atk/252Spd/4def
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
Gyarados is my favorite pokemon due to it's sheer power. It's amazing how often I can switch in and set up a DD on the switch or while taking a hit which gyarados normally does well. This pokemon is normally left till late game when the opponent only has about 2-3 pokemon left and it can set up and sweep the whole team. Stone edge and EQ combination speaks for itself as they both compliment each other coverage wise. I also try to use waterfall if it as effective as EQ or SE on a pokemon because it is STABed which obviously adds even more power.
Tyranitar - Adamant @Choice Scarf
252Atk/252Spd/4HP
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Stone edge
- Aqua Tail
At first I couldn't get this to work. I tried adding a CB to it as everyone was telling me to but it was outsped by everything. I then thought to myself, why not scarf it. It has worked, this thing is revenge killing, Switching in and killing and basically killing everything in it's path. I don't understand how you can have a T'tar that isn't scarfed and I can tell you that when it is, it owns. It can beat any electric pokemon with Earthquake any rock or ground pokemon with Stone Edge for Gyara are taken out by Aqua Tail and any ghost or psychics such as celebi are taken down by crunch. All of these pokemon threaten gyara. And are threatened by T'tar
Lucario - Jolly @Life Orb
EVs: 252Atk/252Spd/4HP
- Swords dance
- Close Combat
- ExtremeSpeed
- Crunch
While my team is meant to be based around Gyarados it is more a Gyarados and Lucario team as both of them are extreme problems for unprepared teams and if a team hasn't thought about Gyarados or Lucario when team-building then they will run riot. It used to be a Specs one to try and balance out my attackers but if I'm honest SD Lucario rips through physical walls anyway. Close combat kills off Metagross and Porygon-z - two Gyarados counters. Crunch OHKOes most Ghost switch-ins on Lucario and also Celebi, another counter to the great Gyarados. ExtremeSpeed can revenge kill relatively well as long as the opposite pokemon is weakened however due to his decent speed. Lucario can revenge kill with Crunch or Close Combat.
Latias - Timid @Leftovers
EVs:252SpAtk/252Spd/4HP
- Calm mind
- Dragon Pulse
- Surf
- Recover
Ok first of all, HOW THE HELL IS THIS OU. It is soo good at Calm minding up against anything. A lot of things find it hard to OHKO this pokemon unless they can hit it with an Ice beam or a Ghost/Dark move so Recover keeps it alive. This thing laughs in the face of mence once it has calm minded up. Recently while facing a mence I had +1 Calm minds and a Mence used Draco meteor and I used Dragon Pulse. Guess who came out on top. Yes latias with enough HP to allow it to recover back to full in the following two turns. Surf is mainly there to hit any grounds or fire pokemon. This means that no pokemon but Empoleon resists this set. Surf also helps with Heatran which is a bit of a problem to my team unless I bring out Gyarados as Swampert can't normally KO it.
Rotom-H - Modest @Choice Scarf
4HP/252SpA/252Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Overheat
- Shadow Ball
- Trick
This pokemon is kind of holding the team together. It can switch in against any fighting, ground or normal type attack and be immune and kill the opponent off with one of it's powerful moves. It is also my main Latias killer switching in and KOing with Shadow ball then switching out again. Rotom with a scarf also happens to be a great revenge killer as it outspeeds quite a lot of unscarfed pokemon. It also ripples Blissey or any other walls with trick. Locking them into one move then allows me to kill it a lot easier.
So I will give you a basic idea of what I do to my team. I will do my best to set up rocks with swampert. I then often find myself roaring through a lot of his teams. This gives me an idea of what pokemon I need to lure in and take out who may be threats to Lucario or gyarados getting a sweep. If my Swampert does get killed though I will revenge kill with Rotom or Tyranitar who generally can revenge kill any thing between them. I normally then have to switch out with them as they realize I am scarfed and bring in a counter. I will then normally switch in swampert or Latias as they can take whatever hit he throws at me. I will go through trying to revenge kill all the counters and killing a few with Latias and Swampert. When I get the chance I then switch in A sweeper when I get the chance and set up. It will normally take a few pokemon for them to stop my sweeper and can clean up with the other sweeper.
Threat List:
Azelf: Generally a lead I have explained how I take it to the point where it will use explosion and then switch to Rotom-A.
Breloom: This is an annoying pokemon to any team due to spore. However, once it has spored one of my team (I usually make it spore swampert because after SR it is just used to take hits and roar. I can then kill it with Rotom easily or any other decently fast pokemon)
Celebi: A very annoying pokemon especially to Swampert as it OHKOes with grass knot. However it can't do too much against my other pokemon. Grass knot doesnt do much to gyarados and Lucario or Tyranitar can outspeed it and hit it with crunch. Rotom also has overheat and can outspeed it with it's scarf.
Electivire: Swampert is immune to any electric attacks and can kill it with earthquake. Tyranitar also outspeeds and kills with Earthquake.
Empoleon: A quite annoying pokemon if it gets torrent and a speed boost from a berry or agility. It completely walls Latias and
Flygon: Ground/Dragon. Waterfall from Gyarados, Ice beam from Swampert, Close Combat from Lucario. A lot of things can take this out
Gengar: Used to be a weaka point but due to Tyranitar and Lucario now having crunch with Rotom having Shadow ball, I can easily take it out unless its scarfed.
Gliscor: Generally a lead which is 2HKOed by Ice beam from Swampert who can then SR and the following turn
Gyarados: Ironically, one of my best counters is my own gyarados as long as it's got a DD under its belt Stone Edge KOes. Rotom-A can also thunderbolt it although this is very predictable. I can also roar it while it DDs to stop it setting up.
Heatran: Tormenttran is annoying as it is to any team but any water or ground attack which my team has many of can kill it.
Heracross: Is outsped by Lucario and can be KOed with CC or Rotom-A with scarf can outspeed and overheat. If this is scarfed then I can lure it into close combat and switch to Rotom.
Infernape: This pokemon is one of the best ways to check if your team has resistances but I think I can take it with either of my sweepers or an Earthquake from Swampert
Jirachi: Another annoying pokemon with it's serene Grace boosted Iron head. If I do get a kit in though it can be crunch from Luc or Tyranitar or shadow ball and Overheat from Rotom or even
Kingdra: A pokemon that is quite underrated, can do some damage to my team however a thunderbolt Rotom can generally kill it or an Ice beam from Swampert hurts.
Latias: My Own Latias beats it if it already has a Calm mind up but it generally doesn't so Rotom with shadow ball becomes my Latias killer.
Lucario: My own Lucario can kill it if it wins the speed tie. It beats any adamant ones though. Other than that I can beat it with Rotom unless Lucario packs crunch.
Machamp: Machamp with dynamic punch is literally broken. It does generally spam it though which allows a free Rotom switch in and doing some damage with thunderbolt
Magnezone: No trouble as it only traps Lucario which can kill it with a close combat.
Mamoswine: Earthquake immunities stop it from using that and most of my pokemon have Ice as neutral so Ice shard is pretty weak. Avalanche can do damage but Rotoms Overheat kills it
Metagross: Killed by Close Combat, Overheat or Earthquake.
Ninjask: Generally a lead that gets Roared by my Swampert. After that it is hurt a lot by SR and an easy kill.
Porygon-Z:One of the problems my Gyarados is countered by. My Lucario can kill it though.
Rhyperior: Killed by Aqua Tail, waterfall, Close combat, Ice beam.
Roserade: Roared before it gets 2 T spikes out and when it comes back in it can be overheated or ice beamed. Quite a frail pokemon.
Rotom-A: Actually quite a problem when scarfed that is only really countered by my own Rotom and who wins is based on the speed tie.
Salamence: How do you predict this thing, Anyway my Latias can sometimes take it but if not it is OHKOed by a stone edge from Gyarados or Tyranitar.
Scizor: Not much trouble for my team as it is quite fast paced and Scizors speed is pretty low and Scizor's BP does nothing to my team thanks to 4 steel resists
Snorlax: More than threaten my team it just annoys by trying to stall me out with rest and sleep talk however Lucario goes to town on it.
Suicune: Quite good as a Lucario and Gyarados counter so I made it listed as problematic. Rotom can kill it however.
Togekiss: Another annoying Serene Grace user but this time with Air slash. This pokemon is quite easily taken out with any Stone edge user so it isn't too difficult.
Tyranitar: As nearly everyone gives theres a Choice band I can easily outspeed and kill with any water or ice pokemon.
Weavile: Due to it's frailness any Priority or scrfer can kill it after stealth rock really.
Yanmega: If it leads I roar it straight away and SR. If it is switched in then it is already at 50% health and I roar it again. This makes it pretty much dead if my Tyranitar has been in at all due to sandstorm.
Zapdos: Due to being immune to Earthquake it isn't as easy to take out as other electric types however Ice beam or Stone edge can kill it.
Breloom: This is an annoying pokemon to any team due to spore. However, once it has spored one of my team (I usually make it spore swampert because after SR it is just used to take hits and roar. I can then kill it with Rotom easily or any other decently fast pokemon)
Celebi: A very annoying pokemon especially to Swampert as it OHKOes with grass knot. However it can't do too much against my other pokemon. Grass knot doesnt do much to gyarados and Lucario or Tyranitar can outspeed it and hit it with crunch. Rotom also has overheat and can outspeed it with it's scarf.
Electivire: Swampert is immune to any electric attacks and can kill it with earthquake. Tyranitar also outspeeds and kills with Earthquake.
Empoleon: A quite annoying pokemon if it gets torrent and a speed boost from a berry or agility. It completely walls Latias and
Flygon: Ground/Dragon. Waterfall from Gyarados, Ice beam from Swampert, Close Combat from Lucario. A lot of things can take this out
Gengar: Used to be a weaka point but due to Tyranitar and Lucario now having crunch with Rotom having Shadow ball, I can easily take it out unless its scarfed.
Gliscor: Generally a lead which is 2HKOed by Ice beam from Swampert who can then SR and the following turn
Gyarados: Ironically, one of my best counters is my own gyarados as long as it's got a DD under its belt Stone Edge KOes. Rotom-A can also thunderbolt it although this is very predictable. I can also roar it while it DDs to stop it setting up.
Heatran: Tormenttran is annoying as it is to any team but any water or ground attack which my team has many of can kill it.
Heracross: Is outsped by Lucario and can be KOed with CC or Rotom-A with scarf can outspeed and overheat. If this is scarfed then I can lure it into close combat and switch to Rotom.
Infernape: This pokemon is one of the best ways to check if your team has resistances but I think I can take it with either of my sweepers or an Earthquake from Swampert
Jirachi: Another annoying pokemon with it's serene Grace boosted Iron head. If I do get a kit in though it can be crunch from Luc or Tyranitar or shadow ball and Overheat from Rotom or even
Kingdra: A pokemon that is quite underrated, can do some damage to my team however a thunderbolt Rotom can generally kill it or an Ice beam from Swampert hurts.
Latias: My Own Latias beats it if it already has a Calm mind up but it generally doesn't so Rotom with shadow ball becomes my Latias killer.
Lucario: My own Lucario can kill it if it wins the speed tie. It beats any adamant ones though. Other than that I can beat it with Rotom unless Lucario packs crunch.
Machamp: Machamp with dynamic punch is literally broken. It does generally spam it though which allows a free Rotom switch in and doing some damage with thunderbolt
Magnezone: No trouble as it only traps Lucario which can kill it with a close combat.
Mamoswine: Earthquake immunities stop it from using that and most of my pokemon have Ice as neutral so Ice shard is pretty weak. Avalanche can do damage but Rotoms Overheat kills it
Metagross: Killed by Close Combat, Overheat or Earthquake.
Ninjask: Generally a lead that gets Roared by my Swampert. After that it is hurt a lot by SR and an easy kill.
Porygon-Z:One of the problems my Gyarados is countered by. My Lucario can kill it though.
Rhyperior: Killed by Aqua Tail, waterfall, Close combat, Ice beam.
Roserade: Roared before it gets 2 T spikes out and when it comes back in it can be overheated or ice beamed. Quite a frail pokemon.
Rotom-A: Actually quite a problem when scarfed that is only really countered by my own Rotom and who wins is based on the speed tie.
Salamence: How do you predict this thing, Anyway my Latias can sometimes take it but if not it is OHKOed by a stone edge from Gyarados or Tyranitar.
Scizor: Not much trouble for my team as it is quite fast paced and Scizors speed is pretty low and Scizor's BP does nothing to my team thanks to 4 steel resists
Snorlax: More than threaten my team it just annoys by trying to stall me out with rest and sleep talk however Lucario goes to town on it.
Suicune: Quite good as a Lucario and Gyarados counter so I made it listed as problematic. Rotom can kill it however.
Togekiss: Another annoying Serene Grace user but this time with Air slash. This pokemon is quite easily taken out with any Stone edge user so it isn't too difficult.
Tyranitar: As nearly everyone gives theres a Choice band I can easily outspeed and kill with any water or ice pokemon.
Weavile: Due to it's frailness any Priority or scrfer can kill it after stealth rock really.
Yanmega: If it leads I roar it straight away and SR. If it is switched in then it is already at 50% health and I roar it again. This makes it pretty much dead if my Tyranitar has been in at all due to sandstorm.
Zapdos: Due to being immune to Earthquake it isn't as easy to take out as other electric types however Ice beam or Stone edge can kill it.
This threat list was taken from this thread:http://www.smogon.com/forums/announcement.php?f=52&a=29. If there are any pokemon missing then tell me.
Thanks you for reading.
Including the team building and writing out this page, this RMT took me about 3 1/2 hours.
Here is a last look at the team:
