To Bored To Put a Title

[ayushgarg]

Hello, I am ayushgarg and I am new the Smogon Community. I generally play on the UU tier but I became bored after some time so i planned and switched on to the OU tier. I saw a few battles and the thing which I loved was the SubPetaya Empoleon. I asked a few friends for counters and team strategy. After all that I planned the team out and here are the results:

Team Up Close:

Roserade@Focus Sash
Ability:Natural Cure
Nature:Timid
EV's:4 Hp/ 252 Sp.att/ 252 spe
-Hidden Power(Fire)
-Leaf Storm
-Toxic Spikes
-Sleep Powder

Why Roserade:Roserade is one of the best leads I have ever played with. It does all the things needed for the team and gives my an early advantage. It sets up Toxic Spikes which is nice to let Empoleon set up against Blissey, Sleep powder give me the early edge to allow the set up, Hidden power fire gives my coverage against grass types and Leaf Storm is a monstrous attack firing off 140 Base Power STAB. I can use Roserade Late game as a Status Absorber also. The Ev's are to maximize it's bulk so it can maximize special
attack and speed
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Suggested Changes:

Rosie should be more bulky and used below

Lead Matchup against the most common leads:
(Green will mean Easy Matchup, Orange requiring some prediciton, and Red will mean to switch out or lose the lead matchup)​

Hide

Azelf - Is a troublesome lead due to Taunt. I mainly switch into Heatran on the taunt and then Magma Trap for the K0

Machamp - This guy is easy as I just sleep powder to burn it's Lum and the sleep it then proceed to Toxic Spikes

Aerodactyl - Same thing as Azelf except I switch into Rotom for WoW

Metagross - Metagross is easy as i use Sleep Powder then proceed to Toxic Spikes

Swampert - Leaf Storm 0HK0's most varients

Heatran - Sleep Powder then Toxic Spikes

Jirachi - On trick scarf i simply Toxic Spikes and other varients are 2 hit K0'ed by HP Fire

Roserade - Hp fire and luck if i win the Speed tie

Hippodown - Leaf Storm

Zapdos@Leftovers
Ability:Pressure
Nature:Timid
EV's:192 Hp/ 84 Def/ 232 Spe
-Thunder Bolt
-Roost
-Substitute
-HP-Grass

Why Zapdos: Zapdos is just plain awesome with Toxic Spikes. Due to Toxic Spikes, I get to keep a free slot on this set which is useful. Sub Roost is to heal 50% damage done to it while also losing it's flying type for that turn. Thunderbolt is a STAB move which helps me kill all opposing flying and water types. Hp grass is for Swampert which completely walls this set and can also kill it by using avalanche/ice punch
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Suggested Changes:
Change it into Gyara( thanks for this it works ;)

Tyranitar@Choice Band
Ability:Sand Stream
Nature:Jolly
EV's:4Hp/ 252 Att/ 252 Spe
-Stone Edge
-Crunch
-Pursuit
-Superpower

Why Tyranitar: Tyranitar is one of the MVP's of my team. It can simply destroy Blissey which counters my Empoleon by Pursuit/Stone Edge and can 1 or 2HK0 most other pokemon firing off attacks from a huge 364 Attack along with Choice Band. Stone Edge is a powerful STAB which K0'es all flying types and inflicts huge damage on other pokes, Crunch is another STAB like Stone Edge which Destroys Ghosts, Pursuit is for trapping and I chose Superpower over Earthquake due to Stone Edge hitting most pokemon which are hit by Stone Edge while Superpower allows me to hit more pokes.
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Suggested Changes:

Rotom-H@Leftovers
Ability:Levitate
Nature:Timid
EV's:252 Hp/ 168 Sp.Att/ 88 Spe
-Will o Wisp
-Thunderbolt
-Overheat
-Shadow Ball

Why Rotom: Rotom is one of my Walls and does a pretty good job at it. Overheat provides a huge attack from 140 Base power and breaks through Breloom and party. Thunder Bolt and Shadow Ball provide great coverage and good power as a STAB move. WoW is pretty useful to cripple all physical attackers and provides 12% damage also. Leftovers is to negate the damge sustained by Sand Stream while The Ev's are to maximze it's defensive capabilities while also providing enough speed to outspeed many pokemon threatening it.

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Suggested Changes:

Heatran@Life Orb
Ability:Flash Fire
Nature:Mild
EV's: 4 Hp/ 252 Sp.Att/ 252 Spe
-Flame Thrower
-HP - Grass
-Explosion
-Stealth Rock

Why Heatran: Heatran is one of my main Trappers to kill Blissey. Using Magma Storm to trap pokes which stay on Heatran and then i finish it of by using the appropriate move. Hence the name given to this set being HeaTRAP!HP- Grass helps me kill Swampert and party, Stealth Rock is a nice set-up move which allows for more residual damage after Toxic Spikes but I am doubtful here about SR as Earth Power is also a nice move. Explosion is the most powerful attack in the game and allows me to kill Blissey but sacrificing myself.

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Suggested Changes:
Faladran has recommended me a Life Orb Heatran over the HeaTRAP set and testing is currently underway.
Result: LO set is working like a charm so HeaTra[ has been changed to the LO set

Use this as a lead(testing under way)!

Empoleon@Petaya Berry
Ability:Torrent
Nature:Modest
EV's: 12 Hp/ 252 Sp.Att/ 244 Spe
-Agility
-Surf
-Grass Knot
-Substitute

Why Empoleon:Why not Empoleon? It is one of the most beast pokemon late game. It's set-up is hell simple. Switch on a water pokemon or a pokemon locked into a pokemon which is choiced in 1 of it's 12 immunities, Agility on the switch, Sub till Petaya Berry activates then it's an easy sweep.
The only pokemon which can block this set is probably Blissey which is handled by Heatran and Tyranitar. Surf is the STAB on this set here and is chosen above Hydro Pump due to it's shaky accuracy which I can't afford it to miss with it's Hp already down to activate Petaya and with Torrent, Surf is pure hell. Grass Knot was taken due to all the bulky water pokemon switching into Empoleon but now they are killed with Grass Knot which I couldnt do so with Ice Beam

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Suggested Changes:
Grass Knot over Ice beam which worked awesomely well




So, I hope you like my Team.


RATE AWAY:

 

[Faladran]

Pretty good team. SubPetaya Empoleon is dangerous as always, and you've done a good job with providing it with the proper team support. I think everything is fairly solid as is, so I'm just going to suggest a relatively minor change to Heatran's set. Currently, you seem to be running the HeaTrap set. While this set is good for trapping Blissey, I find it be unreliable long-term due to Magma Storm's poor accuracy; it isn't quite worth using what is basically an inferior STAB move just to trap and kill one target. Therefore, I think that a fairly standard LO set would be more helpful on your team:

Heatran (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spe / 252 SpA
Mild nature (+SpA,-Def)
- Explosion
- Hidden Power Grass
- Flamethrower / Fire Blast
- Stealth Rock

This variant of Heatran possesses slightly more power than the HeaTrap set, and tends to work better overall. Either Flamethrower or Fire Blast are good options for a STAB move, so it's up to you whether you prefer the higher accuracy or the extra power, respectively. HP Grass will OHKO Swampert switch-ins, removing one of Tyranitar's best checks. Explosion is kept on the moveset for its ability to take out opposing special walls, which Heatran tends to lure in quite easily. Try to be careful not to choose Explosion immediately, however, as better players often predict the attack and switch to a Ghost-type. It would be a good idea to scout the opponent's team before attempting to use this move. Stealth Rock is really the ideal choice for the last spot, as it is absolutely necessary on every team. The residual damage along with Toxic Spikes can wear down the opponent's team quite a bit over the course of the match, giving Empoleon a better chance at a sweep.

Also, I just wanted to point out a couple of minor details. You seem to have listed Metagross and Machamp as leads that are "easy" to deal with, but this actually isn't the case. Since both have Lum Berries and priority moves, they will both easily KO you, allowing you to get only one move in before you go down. Fortunately, Machamp is becoming increasingly less common and your own Heatran can check Metagross quite well, but these leads should still be played against carefully.

Good luck with your team!

 

[ayushgarg]

Thanks for the rate faladran! I will try the set for Heatran and check out the results. Also Machamp leads as you said is getting less common and a nice number of lead meta's have focus sash and lefties too so thats just luck :P. And also, I have been finding trouble with Baton Pass teams so is there a set where i can put taunt in somehow or is there a better way beating these teams?

 

[Faladran]

I find that Baton Pass teams are generally easy to play around, but if they get to be a problem for you, Taunt may be a good option to try over Explosion. It doesn't take out special walls, but it does manage to shut down stall and Baton Pass teams quite well. I prefer Explosion for its ability to actually remove Emploleon's counters, but the choice is up to you.

 

[ayushgarg]

K thanks for the idea. Also, I was thinking about a Revenge Killer, probably Flygon to be put in somewhere. Is it a worthy change if done so?

 

[Pallas Athena]

Problems: QuakeEdge, Ice users, Blissey, Fighting users

Virtually all of your team is hit by QuakeEdge for super effective damage, Fighting and Ice also score quite a few hits. Other than Ttar, you have no effective way of wearing down Blissey if your TSpikes are down.

For the Quake Edge, Fighting, and Blissey problems, I suggest you use Gliscor over Zapdos to take those hits a little better. Forretress provides a safer way to ensure TSpikes stay up, and an additional Ice switch in, but I can't see where too put it. Otherwise, I can't see anything that Faladran didn't cover.
GL

 

[Smith]

Hey I got your message, cool team. I agree with Faladran in that the Heatran set he posted is generally better, especially because SR is an absolute necessity. However I tend to think that he also makes a better lead than Roserade, because he hits the majority of leads really hard and still gets up SR. Roserade really has the metagame against her when trying to set up hazards in the lead position, she basically only sets up on Swampert, Hippowdon and Heatran- all the others are suicide leads or Lum leads that, even if they don't have Lum berries, aren't worth the risk. I find that a Bulky Roserade (Max HP, Max SpDef, with Rest over Hidden Power) works great in this metagame, especially considering how prevalent bulky waters are and the fact that your team lures them out very early, with Heatran in the lead position. She also gives you a soft counter to Starmie, who can be tricky if played well against this team. If, by the off chance, your hazards are spun, bulky roserade can come in again and set them up unlike lead Rosie.

Looking at synergy, I also see a nasty 3 weaknesses to ground and fighting. Even your resists aren't exactly prolific- for example, despite having 3 fighting resists, you have no counter to Infernape, SD Lucario or Lead Machamp. I guess what I'm getting at here is that having these Marriland type chart weaknesses doesn't really matter, as long as you have them covered- which you don't. So if you were basing your opinion regarding how helpful the next suggestion is based on the marriland type chart, you wouldn't see any improvement- still 3 weaknesses to both. But it provides a solid check to the above problems. I think Bulky Gyarados would be super fantastic over Zapdos. Firstly, Intimidate + flying type makes him a solid check to most fighting types- save lead Machamp, but part of my suggestion to move Heatran to the lead position was that so he could be eliminated immediately. Secondly, he has fantastic offensive synergy with the rest of the team. Tyranitar + Gyarados has always worked wonders, especially since Tyranitar gets rid of the troublesome rotom forms that stop Gyara. He also completes a fwg core that makes the team very solid (I'm not counting Empoleon because he's late game sweeper that can't be shoved out in the mid game, and because he doesn't counter any fire types). He also softens up bulky waters for Empoleon, and lures them out for Roserade to get more hazards up. With Tyranitar eliminating rotom forms, stall is also a pretty easy conquest.

I don't really understand your Rotom set- why are you running thunder wave when most of the things that switch into or out of him are weak to toxic spikes, and if they aren't, his other moves handle them? Regardless I think that a different set would help you out.

252 HP / 252 Spe / 4 SpAtk
Timid
-Shadow Ball
-Thunderbolt
-Hydro Pump
-Will o wisp

He provides you with the revenge killer this team wishes it had, as well as a secondary check to Lucario, Gyarados and Infernape. The last two moves really make sure that he isn't pursuit bait and provide options for Tyranitar, Dragonite and the like. The HP is for switching into things like Starmie Hydro Pumps, Gyarados Waterfalls and what have you- he isn't missing special attack too much anyway.

That's all the advice I have- cool team, hope this helps.

 

[Gear2]

Machamp - This guy is easy as I just sleep powder to burn it's Lum and the sleep it then proceed to Toxic Spikes

Eh.... Ice Punch + Bullet Punch will take Roserade down before Roserade could do anything.


Nice team, but your team got a problem with DD Tyra. With Stone Edge, Crunch, Earthquake and 1 DD, it will sweep the entire team. I suggest Swampert over Heatran, Swampert can help your team phaze around, make it easier for Empoleon to sweep.

 

[ayushgarg]

@Gear2 Err.. the Machamp ok just fought em and found it hard so i had to play it around with rotom anyway. About the Swampert, phazing doesnt really help in taking on damage as even though SR is there, it's just to slow of a way to deal damage whereas Heatran is the real powerhouse type of thing here. Thanks for the suggestion tho!!

@Smith I miss typed T-Wave when it is WoW :P. Anyways, Nice suggestion for the Heatran as lead while bulky Rosie. I'll try that out, thanks alot! As for Gyarados over Zapdos, I'll try that out thanks alot!

@Rediamond Gliscor is actually pretty nerfed as compared to Smith's suggestion as Bulky Dos is really cool for eliminating counters and killing other stuff. Thanks for the suggestion anyway!

Keep the rates coming in please!

 

[Siegrin]

I think Hidden Power Ice is more suitable on Roserade, it can still hit opposing Roserades and other dragon types too! Which I think would pose a greater threat than steel types, who are on the general term walls more than Sweepers

 

[KidX]

I got your PM,

there isn't much to say about your team that hasn't already been said, but I would though suggest a set like this for roserade:

Roserade @ Black Sludge
EV's: 252 Hp 252 Def 4 Sp.Atk
Nature: Bold
Ability: Natural Cure
Moves:

Sleep Powder
Toxic Spikes
Leaf Storm
Hidden Power [Fire]/[Ground]

This set can easily tank a machamps ice punch + BP and sleep it, this is the bulkiest roserade lead set there is. If you don't mind the spe drop this set is really useful at setting up t-spikes.

Good luck!

 

[shifood]

Uh, weavile owns everyone on this team.

Ice shard for zapdos/rose, lowkick for steel, night slash/pursuit for rotom

 

[Pallas Athena]

I want to say that most Weaville are choiced so you really don't have a problem. As for those that are not; Heatran can revenge it, shrugging off Low Kick and 1-2 Hit KOing in return (depending on Focus Sash). It could be annoying, but it does not devestate this team.

 

[ayushgarg]

@shitfood Rediamond has answered you already :D

@ Belhpagor HP fire is actually more useful as dragon types are now checked by Gyarados

@ Kidx thanks for the set which i am using now

 

[Aerrow]

Nice team. At this stage, after many suggestions and recommendations, it seems that your team is quite complete in terms of coverage and stability in the OU metagame. However, I do see some threats that still need to be prepared for as they can can quite effortlessly heavily dent your team's strategy if given the chance to set up. Your team, at this point is threatened by offensive Infernape, Lucario and to an extent, swords dance Gliscor although the latter is decently checked by Rotom. Luckily, one Pokemon can easily help deal with all of the aforementioned threats with relative ease; as suggested before, by Smith, Gyarados seems perfect in this situation.

[box]

Gyarados (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 156 HP/80 Atk/88 Def/184 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk,-SpAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Waterfall[/box]
I recommend using the standard bulky DD Gyarados, replacing Zapdos, which in my opinion seems to be the least useful Pokemon on your team, currently. The recommended set is shown above for easy reference. Gyarados can quite easily take care of the aforementioned threats due to its key resistances and physical bulk coupled with its useful move pool. Aside from the fact that Gyarados is a nice check to Lucario and Infernape, it also is a great offensive partner to Empoleon as it weakens and can even possibly remove many of its common checks like Vaporeon and Blissey. Also, it forms a nice offensive core with your Roserade and Heatran further solidifying your team in terms of synergy. Lastly, it should be noted that earthquake is needed to help deal with Lucario although taunt can be very useful when dealing with Pokemon like Blissey and Vaporeon. I hope this helped, and good luck!