Hello and this is my first RMT (first post ever) here on Smogon. I have been lurking for a long time however, been around checking Smogon since the days of HGSS. But I've only recently started to play online Pokemon, and that's when I decided I might actually get an account and join the forum. My experience is mostly with Ubers, reaching a peak rank of 86 on the Ubers ladder since ORAS came out. My experience with OU is relatively scarce, and I really need some one to break down my team and pose suggestions.
So here's my team and my thought process behind it:
This is the starting point of my team, Mega Pinsir.
Talonflame and Mega Pinsir share very similar checks and counters, with both having the potential of ripping through teams once those checks and counters are weakened/removed. So having both on the same team pressures the opponent a lot.
With both Pokemon 4x weak to Rock, a Spinner that can handle Rock type attacks very well are badly needed. This is where Excadrill comes in.
One of Excadrill's best partners in crime is Rotom-W, having amazing synergies. It also checks Talonflame, one of the biggest threats that stops Mega Pinsir right in its tracks.
Speaking of synergies, how about Landorus-T and Rotom-W? Both cover each other's weaknesses really well, while also forming the infamous Switch-Turn combo.
Looking at this team now, there is a pretty severe weakness to Water, with 3 weaknesses and only one resist, putting a lot of pressure on Rotom-W which lacks reliable recovery. Ferrothorn is added here to address that issue.
Team Details
Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Hyper Cutter
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Frustration
- Quick Attack
- Earthquake
Mega Rayquaza, Mega Salamence, and then… Mega Pinsir? Let’s see: a boosting move, a pretty drawback free Flying STAB, a priority move, and a coverage move (Earthquake). This set is as simple as it can get: maximize Speed to make up for its somewhat lackluster base 105 Speed; Aerilate Frustration off of base 155 Atk and access to Swords Dance makes Mega Pinsir hit even harder than Mega Mence, making it double as a wallbreaker; Quick Attack is a nifty priority that gets STAB and Aerilate, OHKOing things like Keldeo at +2; finally Earthquake to nail the Rock, Electric and Steel types resistant to Flying. It does have a pretty horrible defensive typing and mediocre bulk (particularly on the special side), with no Intimidate or Delta Stream to help it set up. But once it does it is a force to be reckoned with.
Talonflame @ Choice Band
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- U-turn
- Sleep Talk
The go to revenge killer, Talonflame’s priority Brave Bird backed by Choice Band is just too good. Flare Blitz is a secondary STAB to handle the Steel types and certain Electric types that resist Brave Bird. U-turn deals decent damage off of CB, and gives the team the initiative in switching. The spread is fairly straightforward, maximizing Attack to make Brave Bird as powerful as possible (it doesn’t need Jolly because Brave Bird already gets priority and at a stellar base 126 speed it is already very fast). Sleep Talk is here to check the likes of Breloom and Amoonguss, with all 3 moves hitting them for solid damage, reducing the impact of Sleep Talk’s randomnss.
Excadrill @ Assault Vest
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head
So I heard two Pokemon on my team are 4x weak to Rock. So I picked a Pokemon that’s 4x resistant to Rock. So I heard SR wrecks my two damage dealers, so I picked one of the best Rapid Spinners in the game. I know the fashion right now is Scarf or Life Orb + Sand Rush, but I don’t really need another something that aims to sweep. Instead, I need something that can reliably Spin away Rocks and Assault Vest seems to be the best fit. Rapid Spin is the defining move of the set; Earthquake is the most powerful STAB, and handles Rotom-W through Mold Breaker; Rock Slide forms the pseudo Quake-Edge coverage; Iron Head is a secondary STAB that nails Fairy types, utilizing its Steel typing and Assault Vest well to check the many specially attacking Fairy types like Gardevoir.
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 212 SpD / 44 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Rotom-W and Excadrill have very good synergies, able to handle the Ground, Water and Fire attacks thrown at Excadrill. Volt Switch is the move that defines Rotom-W's role as a pivot, utilizing its good balance of bulk and offense. Hydro Pump is the hardest hitting STAB, used when Rotom-W needs to pull the trigger. A specially defensive spread complements Will-O-Wisp to allow Rotom-W to be fairly bulky on both sides. Finally Pain Split is an unreliable but necessary form of recovery. 44 Spe EVs to outspeed Jolly Belly Drum Azumarill to burn it.
Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 24 Def / 232 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
- Knock Off
Speaking of balanced offense and defense, how about Landorus-T? Intimidate makes Landorus-T fairly bulky on the physical side, while a base 145 Atk is stellar when going on the offense. 232 Spe EVs and Jolly allows Landorus-T to outspeed Adamant Mega Charizard X. Earthquake and Stone Edge form the famous Quake-Edge coverage. A fast U-turn gives Landorus-T pivoting, forming an excellent core with Rotom-W and Talonflame. Finally, Knock Off is a fairly low risk option when predicting gets a little hard, with added utility to cripple things like Toxic Orb Gliscor or Eviolite Chansey.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
Ferrothorn aims to plug certain holes in this team, adding most importantly a Water resist and forming a FWG core with Rotom and Talonflame. Stealth Rock is a self explanatory move. Leech Seed is a very important move on Ferrothorn, providing recovery and forcing the opponent to switch. Power Whip is the main STAB, allowing Ferrothorn to check bulky Water types that this team has trouble with. Gyro Ball is chosen over something like Thunder Wave because with two priority users and a Scarfer, Thunder Wave isn't THAT important to this team. I totally copied this EV spread, but it does give a fairly physically and specially balanced bulk, able to check things like Azumarill, DD Mega Altaria, Mega Gardevoir and Mega Gyarados.
So here's my team and my thought process behind it:
This is the starting point of my team, Mega Pinsir.
Talonflame and Mega Pinsir share very similar checks and counters, with both having the potential of ripping through teams once those checks and counters are weakened/removed. So having both on the same team pressures the opponent a lot.
With both Pokemon 4x weak to Rock, a Spinner that can handle Rock type attacks very well are badly needed. This is where Excadrill comes in.
One of Excadrill's best partners in crime is Rotom-W, having amazing synergies. It also checks Talonflame, one of the biggest threats that stops Mega Pinsir right in its tracks.
Speaking of synergies, how about Landorus-T and Rotom-W? Both cover each other's weaknesses really well, while also forming the infamous Switch-Turn combo.
Looking at this team now, there is a pretty severe weakness to Water, with 3 weaknesses and only one resist, putting a lot of pressure on Rotom-W which lacks reliable recovery. Ferrothorn is added here to address that issue.
Team Details
Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Hyper Cutter
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Frustration
- Quick Attack
- Earthquake
Mega Rayquaza, Mega Salamence, and then… Mega Pinsir? Let’s see: a boosting move, a pretty drawback free Flying STAB, a priority move, and a coverage move (Earthquake). This set is as simple as it can get: maximize Speed to make up for its somewhat lackluster base 105 Speed; Aerilate Frustration off of base 155 Atk and access to Swords Dance makes Mega Pinsir hit even harder than Mega Mence, making it double as a wallbreaker; Quick Attack is a nifty priority that gets STAB and Aerilate, OHKOing things like Keldeo at +2; finally Earthquake to nail the Rock, Electric and Steel types resistant to Flying. It does have a pretty horrible defensive typing and mediocre bulk (particularly on the special side), with no Intimidate or Delta Stream to help it set up. But once it does it is a force to be reckoned with.
Talonflame @ Choice Band
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- U-turn
- Sleep Talk
The go to revenge killer, Talonflame’s priority Brave Bird backed by Choice Band is just too good. Flare Blitz is a secondary STAB to handle the Steel types and certain Electric types that resist Brave Bird. U-turn deals decent damage off of CB, and gives the team the initiative in switching. The spread is fairly straightforward, maximizing Attack to make Brave Bird as powerful as possible (it doesn’t need Jolly because Brave Bird already gets priority and at a stellar base 126 speed it is already very fast). Sleep Talk is here to check the likes of Breloom and Amoonguss, with all 3 moves hitting them for solid damage, reducing the impact of Sleep Talk’s randomnss.
Excadrill @ Assault Vest
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Iron Head
So I heard two Pokemon on my team are 4x weak to Rock. So I picked a Pokemon that’s 4x resistant to Rock. So I heard SR wrecks my two damage dealers, so I picked one of the best Rapid Spinners in the game. I know the fashion right now is Scarf or Life Orb + Sand Rush, but I don’t really need another something that aims to sweep. Instead, I need something that can reliably Spin away Rocks and Assault Vest seems to be the best fit. Rapid Spin is the defining move of the set; Earthquake is the most powerful STAB, and handles Rotom-W through Mold Breaker; Rock Slide forms the pseudo Quake-Edge coverage; Iron Head is a secondary STAB that nails Fairy types, utilizing its Steel typing and Assault Vest well to check the many specially attacking Fairy types like Gardevoir.
Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 212 SpD / 44 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Rotom-W and Excadrill have very good synergies, able to handle the Ground, Water and Fire attacks thrown at Excadrill. Volt Switch is the move that defines Rotom-W's role as a pivot, utilizing its good balance of bulk and offense. Hydro Pump is the hardest hitting STAB, used when Rotom-W needs to pull the trigger. A specially defensive spread complements Will-O-Wisp to allow Rotom-W to be fairly bulky on both sides. Finally Pain Split is an unreliable but necessary form of recovery. 44 Spe EVs to outspeed Jolly Belly Drum Azumarill to burn it.
Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 24 Def / 232 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
- Knock Off
Speaking of balanced offense and defense, how about Landorus-T? Intimidate makes Landorus-T fairly bulky on the physical side, while a base 145 Atk is stellar when going on the offense. 232 Spe EVs and Jolly allows Landorus-T to outspeed Adamant Mega Charizard X. Earthquake and Stone Edge form the famous Quake-Edge coverage. A fast U-turn gives Landorus-T pivoting, forming an excellent core with Rotom-W and Talonflame. Finally, Knock Off is a fairly low risk option when predicting gets a little hard, with added utility to cripple things like Toxic Orb Gliscor or Eviolite Chansey.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Gyro Ball
Ferrothorn aims to plug certain holes in this team, adding most importantly a Water resist and forming a FWG core with Rotom and Talonflame. Stealth Rock is a self explanatory move. Leech Seed is a very important move on Ferrothorn, providing recovery and forcing the opponent to switch. Power Whip is the main STAB, allowing Ferrothorn to check bulky Water types that this team has trouble with. Gyro Ball is chosen over something like Thunder Wave because with two priority users and a Scarfer, Thunder Wave isn't THAT important to this team. I totally copied this EV spread, but it does give a fairly physically and specially balanced bulk, able to check things like Azumarill, DD Mega Altaria, Mega Gardevoir and Mega Gyarados.
