Hey, guys! I was messing around with a custom Azelf of mine, and I decided to build a team around it, but I'm having trouble deciding a fill in for Kyurem-B. Here's the team.
First Glance:
Team & Analysis:
Azelf @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Psyshock
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
As mentioned earlier, Azelf is the core of this team as well as its mascot. It functions excellently as a wallbreaker, and can take down unprepared teams by itself with the given coverage. I found that when partnered with mixed Infernape, the two had excellent offensive synergy. I opted to drop the use of U-Turn for greater coverage, as well as to keep Azelf in better shape, as it's very frail. Psyshock is there as a powerful STAB and means to hit fighting types as well as specially defensive walls. Fire Blast covers Forretress, Scizor, Skarmory, Celebi - pretty much just steel and grass types in general. Thunderbolt is there primarily for Gyarados, but it's also a more accurate means to take down Skarmory, as well as doing a great deal to Politoed.
Infernape @ Life Orb
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature
- Overheat
- Close Combat
- Grass Knot
- Stone Edge
Mixape is on the team to complete an offensive core with Azelf, dealing with many of the things that Azelf cannot (namely Heatran and Tyranitar), and fills the role of a second wallbreaker (especially useful against those who like to run Skarm-Bliss cores still). Again, I chose not to run U-Turn due to Infernape being a frail sweeper, and I want to keep its health as high as possible throughout the match. Overheat is on the set due to it being an extremely powerful STAB that receives a Blaze boost when on low HP, and forces its way through physical walls that can't be touched by Close Combat or Stone Edge. Close Combat is another powerful STAB that's used to take out the dark types that Azelf has difficulty with, as well as doing a great deal of damage to Rotom-W. Grass Knot was selected over U-Turn primarily as a way to hit Gastrodon, Slowbro, and Jellicent, as without it, I'd have no efficient way of dealing with Gastrodon. I chose Stone Edge as the last slot to prevent being set up on by Gyarados and Salamence, the latter resisting the whole moveset otherwise. I've alternated this with Mach Punch, and found that, while Mach Punch was very useful, Stone Edge tended to get me out of some difficult places.
Kyurem-B @ Leftovers
Trait: Teravolt
EVs: 56 HP / 216 Atk / 236 Spd
Lonely Nature
- Substitute
- Fusion Bolt
- Dragon Claw
- Ice Beam
Kyurem-B, more than anything, is a filler Pokemon for this team. While it's capable of doing a lot of damage, it hinders the team more than it helps by providing it with another rock weakness (which is a problem as I have no rock resists) and a weakness to common priority moves. The substitute set was the least of a burden to the team and actually managed to score it some kills, though not many. This is the Pokemon I desperately want to replace.
Scizor @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Choice Band Scizor was added to the team as a way to deal with Reuniclus and other Psychic types. It also filled the need for a strong priority user and formed a decent defensive (somewhat) core with Heatran. This is the standard Scizor set and is primarily used as a scouter/revenge killer more than anything. U-Turn is used to take out Tyranitar and Reuniclus as well as scout out what my opponent will do. BP is, as I said, one of the main reasons that Scizor is on this team - it's a powerful priority move. Superpower is to take out Magnezone, and Pursuit is to trap variants of Lati@s that don't carry HP Fire, as well as Reuniclus and sometimes Alakazam.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Stealth Rock
Heatran fills a neat niche on the team: providing Stealth Rock while being capable of doing high amounts of damage. As mentioned, it also forms a secondary core with Scizor. Fire Blast is its Go-To move, being STAB and often receiving Flash Fire bonuses. Earth Power is to take out opposing Heatran and Electric types such as Jolteon on the switch. HP Ice is used over grass as a method of hitting the Dragon types that litter the OU tier. And, Stealth Rock, obviously, is there to supply entry hazard support.
Gyarados @ Leftovers
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 88 HP / 248 Atk / 4 Def / 168 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Bounce
Gyarados is here to take the Fighting type hits that Azelf cannot and occasionally pull off sweeps. I've found the Bulky SubDD set to be the most efficient set for Gyarados, as once you get a substitute up, you gain a free attack or turn to set up. Gyarados often forces many switches as well, giving it plenty of opportunity to set up on an opponent. Waterfall is its primary attack, being its most accurate and decently powerful physical STAB move. Bounce is there to provide coverage against Grass types, as well as hit opposing Water types and other Gyarados. This often excels at its job as a set-up sweeper.
Thanks for taking the time to read this! Any help is much appreciated.
Importable:
First Glance:
Team & Analysis:
Azelf @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Psyshock
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
As mentioned earlier, Azelf is the core of this team as well as its mascot. It functions excellently as a wallbreaker, and can take down unprepared teams by itself with the given coverage. I found that when partnered with mixed Infernape, the two had excellent offensive synergy. I opted to drop the use of U-Turn for greater coverage, as well as to keep Azelf in better shape, as it's very frail. Psyshock is there as a powerful STAB and means to hit fighting types as well as specially defensive walls. Fire Blast covers Forretress, Scizor, Skarmory, Celebi - pretty much just steel and grass types in general. Thunderbolt is there primarily for Gyarados, but it's also a more accurate means to take down Skarmory, as well as doing a great deal to Politoed.
Infernape @ Life Orb
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature
- Overheat
- Close Combat
- Grass Knot
- Stone Edge
Mixape is on the team to complete an offensive core with Azelf, dealing with many of the things that Azelf cannot (namely Heatran and Tyranitar), and fills the role of a second wallbreaker (especially useful against those who like to run Skarm-Bliss cores still). Again, I chose not to run U-Turn due to Infernape being a frail sweeper, and I want to keep its health as high as possible throughout the match. Overheat is on the set due to it being an extremely powerful STAB that receives a Blaze boost when on low HP, and forces its way through physical walls that can't be touched by Close Combat or Stone Edge. Close Combat is another powerful STAB that's used to take out the dark types that Azelf has difficulty with, as well as doing a great deal of damage to Rotom-W. Grass Knot was selected over U-Turn primarily as a way to hit Gastrodon, Slowbro, and Jellicent, as without it, I'd have no efficient way of dealing with Gastrodon. I chose Stone Edge as the last slot to prevent being set up on by Gyarados and Salamence, the latter resisting the whole moveset otherwise. I've alternated this with Mach Punch, and found that, while Mach Punch was very useful, Stone Edge tended to get me out of some difficult places.
Kyurem-B @ Leftovers
Trait: Teravolt
EVs: 56 HP / 216 Atk / 236 Spd
Lonely Nature
- Substitute
- Fusion Bolt
- Dragon Claw
- Ice Beam
Kyurem-B, more than anything, is a filler Pokemon for this team. While it's capable of doing a lot of damage, it hinders the team more than it helps by providing it with another rock weakness (which is a problem as I have no rock resists) and a weakness to common priority moves. The substitute set was the least of a burden to the team and actually managed to score it some kills, though not many. This is the Pokemon I desperately want to replace.
Scizor @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Choice Band Scizor was added to the team as a way to deal with Reuniclus and other Psychic types. It also filled the need for a strong priority user and formed a decent defensive (somewhat) core with Heatran. This is the standard Scizor set and is primarily used as a scouter/revenge killer more than anything. U-Turn is used to take out Tyranitar and Reuniclus as well as scout out what my opponent will do. BP is, as I said, one of the main reasons that Scizor is on this team - it's a powerful priority move. Superpower is to take out Magnezone, and Pursuit is to trap variants of Lati@s that don't carry HP Fire, as well as Reuniclus and sometimes Alakazam.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Stealth Rock
Heatran fills a neat niche on the team: providing Stealth Rock while being capable of doing high amounts of damage. As mentioned, it also forms a secondary core with Scizor. Fire Blast is its Go-To move, being STAB and often receiving Flash Fire bonuses. Earth Power is to take out opposing Heatran and Electric types such as Jolteon on the switch. HP Ice is used over grass as a method of hitting the Dragon types that litter the OU tier. And, Stealth Rock, obviously, is there to supply entry hazard support.
Gyarados @ Leftovers
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 88 HP / 248 Atk / 4 Def / 168 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Bounce
Gyarados is here to take the Fighting type hits that Azelf cannot and occasionally pull off sweeps. I've found the Bulky SubDD set to be the most efficient set for Gyarados, as once you get a substitute up, you gain a free attack or turn to set up. Gyarados often forces many switches as well, giving it plenty of opportunity to set up on an opponent. Waterfall is its primary attack, being its most accurate and decently powerful physical STAB move. Bounce is there to provide coverage against Grass types, as well as hit opposing Water types and other Gyarados. This often excels at its job as a set-up sweeper.
Thanks for taking the time to read this! Any help is much appreciated.
Importable:
(Azelf) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Psyshock
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
(Infernape) (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Overheat
- Close Combat
- Grass Knot
- Stone Edge
(Kyurem-B) @ Leftovers
Trait: (No Ability)
EVs: 56 HP / 216 Atk / 236 Spd
Lonely Nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Substitute
- Fusion Bolt
- Dragon Claw
- Ice Beam
(Heatran) (F) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Stealth Rock
(Scizor) (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
(Gyarados) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 88 HP / 248 Atk / 4 Def / 168 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Bounce
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Psyshock
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
(Infernape) (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Overheat
- Close Combat
- Grass Knot
- Stone Edge
(Kyurem-B) @ Leftovers
Trait: (No Ability)
EVs: 56 HP / 216 Atk / 236 Spd
Lonely Nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Substitute
- Fusion Bolt
- Dragon Claw
- Ice Beam
(Heatran) (F) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Stealth Rock
(Scizor) (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
(Gyarados) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 88 HP / 248 Atk / 4 Def / 168 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Bounce
