Well, after playing a hyper-offensive strategy in UU for a decent amount of time, I decided I wanted to make the journey into RU with the same strategy. Basically, I lead with a Uxie for screens and then a U-turn, then switch to whatever needs to be switched in to use a stat boosting move and hopefully start sweeping. Yeah, a sweep starting on turn 5. That's the general idea. You've got double defenses for 8 turns and there's not much an opponent can do. Should the sweeper get knocked out, go back to Uxie, set up screens once more, U-turn out, and do it again. It's all about offensive momentum.
Anywho, I'm not going to use images or anything like that to explain how I built the team, but the general thought process-
First, I needed a physical attacker with access to Dragon Dance so they could sweep with speed. Feraligatr was the obvious decision, so there we go. From there I needed a Swords Dance, and when I saw Sceptile, with the extreme usefulness in Unburden to boost speed, it made sense to be able to use Acrobatics with Flying Gem and Unburden after a Swords Dance to really get rolling. Then I remembered I needed screens to set up at the start of a game (herp derp), and I had used Azelf in UU, so I figured Uxie makes sense due to its very respectable bulk and movepool. Then I figured I needed a Quiver Dancer so I could get bulk and speed going along with a boosted attack, and Lilligant was the perfect fit for the role with a great support move in Sleep Powder to really help setting up. Then I decided a hyper offensive team wouldn't be hyper offense without shell smash, and Crustle with Sturdy is PERFECT for that role. If you can U-Turn in when you're slower (which Uxie is most of the time) or switch in after something faints, Crustle always gets a guaranteed turn of set up thanks to Sturdy, and if it happens earlier in the match and someone is trying to set up hazards and doesn't see the shell smash threat, you can sometimes use it twice, which is pretty much an automatic win. Beyond that I needed a Nasty Plot user, and they're not exactly something you find much of in RU, and I didn't want any more type redundancies as Sceptile and Lilligant are already both mono-grass. I went with Cofragrigus, party because its massive bulk can allow two or even sometimes three Nasty Plots, and also because I really needed more coverage. So, a deeper look into the team-
Uxie @ Light Clay
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- U-turn
- Zen Headbutt
There's honestly not much to explain about Uxie. Set up screens and U-Turn. Uxie's bulk mean survivability, U-Turn is to get out to something without having it harmed, and Zen Headbutt is just a powerful STAB move that I can use to take out frail leads if I expect a Taunt. I honestly also considered Mesprit for this role due to its ability to deal some damage out, but I don't think the extra attack that Mesprit brings is worth the worse defenses.
Sceptile (M) @ Flying Gem
Trait: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Acrobatics
- Leaf Blade
- Earthquake
Unburden Sceptile is something that has swept me a few times in UU, so I figured it must be a real force in RU. Swords Dance is the obvious boosting move as this is a hyper offensive team, an Acrobatics usually follows, and then with +2 attack and +2 speed I can Leaf Blade all the things. Sceptile is really the premier Swords Dance user for RU because of Unburden, and I don't think it would make sense to go with anything else
Feraligatr (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Ice Punch
- Crunch
Feraligatr is my standard Dragon Dance user, boosting up to +1 or +2 and starting to sweep. I like Leftovers on it to give it a little more survivability, as Dragon Dance does sometimes take a bit longer to get to a level of being able to totally sweep a team. Once Sheer Force is complete released for Feraligatr, if it doesn't move up to UU, I think it'll be probably the best member of the team. The only other Dragon Dance user in the tier, Crawdaunt, isn't preferred due to its lack of speed.
Lilligant (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Quiver Dance
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Sleep Powder
Lilligant is a beast. Sleep Powder something, Quiver Dance on the switch, and if your opponent brought in a special attacker, Quiver Dance again. Giga Drain is great for survivability and getting rid of the Life Orb recoil, and HP Rock is for any Fire or Flying types that might otherwise ruin its chances of sweeping. Lilligant is the only Quiver Dance user in RU, so there's really no replacement for it or this moveset.
Crustle (M) @ White Herb
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Shell Smash
- X-Scissor
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
I find Crustle to be the thing I usually switch in first after Uxie sets up, mostly because Shell Smashing under screens is really the only way to do it and doing it in the early game can really help. If I get lucky and the opponent doesn't see a Shell Smash coming, I can use it again as the Sturdy won't be broken. If, for whatever reason, my opponent doesn't break Sturdy on the second Shell Smash (say a missed Hydro Pump or a not too well thought out switch), a third Shell Smash is an automatic win. I really like it as a Shell Smash user due to Sturdy, which just makes it so useful and dangerous.
UPDATE: Sometimes when I'm feeling very confident, I'll lead with Crustle and start Shell Smashing immediately. If the opponent even uses one turn to set up hazards, I find that I can start sweeping immediately and usually 6-0 them unless they have something with a Focus Sash and a sleep inducing move.
Cofagrigus (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Mummy
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Nasty Plot
- Shadow Ball
- Psychic
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
Cofagrigus honestly is just a placeholder until I can find a better Nasty Plot user. There's not much to explain and I don't really like it all that much, but sometimes it can get to a +4 and deal some damage. Unfortunately, its speed sucks, so it takes damage from anything it's going to take out, and I've never had it KO more than 2 things. Any replacement suggestions are very welcome.
So yeah, that's my RU hyper offensive team. Keep in mind that walls, support, and practically anything that doesn't sweep ruins the team's synergy and can lose momentum, which is all this team is about.
Anywho, I'm not going to use images or anything like that to explain how I built the team, but the general thought process-
First, I needed a physical attacker with access to Dragon Dance so they could sweep with speed. Feraligatr was the obvious decision, so there we go. From there I needed a Swords Dance, and when I saw Sceptile, with the extreme usefulness in Unburden to boost speed, it made sense to be able to use Acrobatics with Flying Gem and Unburden after a Swords Dance to really get rolling. Then I remembered I needed screens to set up at the start of a game (herp derp), and I had used Azelf in UU, so I figured Uxie makes sense due to its very respectable bulk and movepool. Then I figured I needed a Quiver Dancer so I could get bulk and speed going along with a boosted attack, and Lilligant was the perfect fit for the role with a great support move in Sleep Powder to really help setting up. Then I decided a hyper offensive team wouldn't be hyper offense without shell smash, and Crustle with Sturdy is PERFECT for that role. If you can U-Turn in when you're slower (which Uxie is most of the time) or switch in after something faints, Crustle always gets a guaranteed turn of set up thanks to Sturdy, and if it happens earlier in the match and someone is trying to set up hazards and doesn't see the shell smash threat, you can sometimes use it twice, which is pretty much an automatic win. Beyond that I needed a Nasty Plot user, and they're not exactly something you find much of in RU, and I didn't want any more type redundancies as Sceptile and Lilligant are already both mono-grass. I went with Cofragrigus, party because its massive bulk can allow two or even sometimes three Nasty Plots, and also because I really needed more coverage. So, a deeper look into the team-
Uxie @ Light Clay
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- U-turn
- Zen Headbutt
There's honestly not much to explain about Uxie. Set up screens and U-Turn. Uxie's bulk mean survivability, U-Turn is to get out to something without having it harmed, and Zen Headbutt is just a powerful STAB move that I can use to take out frail leads if I expect a Taunt. I honestly also considered Mesprit for this role due to its ability to deal some damage out, but I don't think the extra attack that Mesprit brings is worth the worse defenses.
Sceptile (M) @ Flying Gem
Trait: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Acrobatics
- Leaf Blade
- Earthquake
Unburden Sceptile is something that has swept me a few times in UU, so I figured it must be a real force in RU. Swords Dance is the obvious boosting move as this is a hyper offensive team, an Acrobatics usually follows, and then with +2 attack and +2 speed I can Leaf Blade all the things. Sceptile is really the premier Swords Dance user for RU because of Unburden, and I don't think it would make sense to go with anything else
Feraligatr (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Ice Punch
- Crunch
Feraligatr is my standard Dragon Dance user, boosting up to +1 or +2 and starting to sweep. I like Leftovers on it to give it a little more survivability, as Dragon Dance does sometimes take a bit longer to get to a level of being able to totally sweep a team. Once Sheer Force is complete released for Feraligatr, if it doesn't move up to UU, I think it'll be probably the best member of the team. The only other Dragon Dance user in the tier, Crawdaunt, isn't preferred due to its lack of speed.
Lilligant (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Quiver Dance
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Sleep Powder
Lilligant is a beast. Sleep Powder something, Quiver Dance on the switch, and if your opponent brought in a special attacker, Quiver Dance again. Giga Drain is great for survivability and getting rid of the Life Orb recoil, and HP Rock is for any Fire or Flying types that might otherwise ruin its chances of sweeping. Lilligant is the only Quiver Dance user in RU, so there's really no replacement for it or this moveset.
Crustle (M) @ White Herb
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Shell Smash
- X-Scissor
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
I find Crustle to be the thing I usually switch in first after Uxie sets up, mostly because Shell Smashing under screens is really the only way to do it and doing it in the early game can really help. If I get lucky and the opponent doesn't see a Shell Smash coming, I can use it again as the Sturdy won't be broken. If, for whatever reason, my opponent doesn't break Sturdy on the second Shell Smash (say a missed Hydro Pump or a not too well thought out switch), a third Shell Smash is an automatic win. I really like it as a Shell Smash user due to Sturdy, which just makes it so useful and dangerous.
UPDATE: Sometimes when I'm feeling very confident, I'll lead with Crustle and start Shell Smashing immediately. If the opponent even uses one turn to set up hazards, I find that I can start sweeping immediately and usually 6-0 them unless they have something with a Focus Sash and a sleep inducing move.
Cofagrigus (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Mummy
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Nasty Plot
- Shadow Ball
- Psychic
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
Cofagrigus honestly is just a placeholder until I can find a better Nasty Plot user. There's not much to explain and I don't really like it all that much, but sometimes it can get to a +4 and deal some damage. Unfortunately, its speed sucks, so it takes damage from anything it's going to take out, and I've never had it KO more than 2 things. Any replacement suggestions are very welcome.
So yeah, that's my RU hyper offensive team. Keep in mind that walls, support, and practically anything that doesn't sweep ruins the team's synergy and can lose momentum, which is all this team is about.
