Torrent Zapdos!
A BW OU Team by Snapback
Hey everybody (generic greeting)! So I decided to make a new team after my Porygon-Z team was a bit... limited. I myself am a very fluctuating battler as I for some reason can never stay good or bad. It did well but no better. So with weather war being all the rage I decided to jump on the bandwagon. I abuse my weather, but it mostly there so I can just get rid of other's weather. This team has its flaws, but I am having a hard time pinpointing them. Zapdos is the star of the team which is how I decided on the title and the fact that a torrent is a downpour of water. But enough of vocabulary, let's get on to the team.A BW OU Team by Snapback
First off my team never really changed. I just added till I found some good synergy and pokes that would work. This is the first team that I haven’t switched Pokemon completely, but I am still completely willing to change everything.
I started with Politoed because I like rain the best out of all the weather. Defensive Toed is always my choice as I don’t think choicetoed is worth a spot on the team, but everyone has their opinions.
Next I knew that Terrakion and one of the biggest checks to it is CB Scizor and being a favorite of mine since I was a child, I decided to go with him. Plus he can play with fire in the rain :p (just a little bit but still).
So with 2 physically oriented pokes and my lack of a rapid spinner I decided to use a fully special defensive Hitmontop. Rapid Spinning plus Intimidate to help with his aver defense helps.
Now with a spinner I thought to myself that I need some hazards of my own. Using it's typing and ability to hax to the winner circle I choose Jirachi
My lack of a special attacker led me to Togekiss. Who can absorb EQs for Jirachi.
With Rotom-W being such a pain, Gastrodon is the perfect counter, walling it almost completely.
Attempting to patch some big holes, I have switched Togekiss and Hitmontop with Zapdos and Tentacruel.
I started with Politoed because I like rain the best out of all the weather. Defensive Toed is always my choice as I don’t think choicetoed is worth a spot on the team, but everyone has their opinions.
Next I knew that Terrakion and one of the biggest checks to it is CB Scizor and being a favorite of mine since I was a child, I decided to go with him. Plus he can play with fire in the rain :p (just a little bit but still).
So with 2 physically oriented pokes and my lack of a rapid spinner I decided to use a fully special defensive Hitmontop. Rapid Spinning plus Intimidate to help with his aver defense helps.
Now with a spinner I thought to myself that I need some hazards of my own. Using it's typing and ability to hax to the winner circle I choose Jirachi
My lack of a special attacker led me to Togekiss. Who can absorb EQs for Jirachi.
With Rotom-W being such a pain, Gastrodon is the perfect counter, walling it almost completely.
Attempting to patch some big holes, I have switched Togekiss and Hitmontop with Zapdos and Tentacruel.
Politoed (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Protect
- Scald
- Perish Song
- Ice Beam
Being the only heavy rain starter besides Kyogre, Politoed was the obvious choice. I prefer a defensive Politoed so that’s the set I chose. The EVs and Nature are for maximum defense. Protect can help me scout out which Pokemon are carrying which sets and what they’re planning to do. Toxic goes in conjunction with Protect helping my stall out an opponent. Scald is my source of STAB in the rain, but it works for any set-up physical sweepers. I find it handy sometimes. Ice Beam is mainly for the Dragons. 2HKOs DW Dragon Dance Dragonite with ability still intact. I am not so sure how it does with bulkier Dnites though.
Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
Terrakion and Ttar check. Pretty standard Scizor as is very powerful. Adamant and max attack to maximize the damage I give. U-Turn is a great STAB and gives me some damage while getting to switch. Bullet Punch is what scares the big boy Terra away. Superpower is for Ferrothorn who would wall me and Blissey. Pursuit for pesky Psychics that I know will switch out trying to stay alive.
Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Protect
- Scald
Replacing Hitmontop, Tentacruel is a much more reliable supporter. In the rain with Rain Dish and Black Sludge, he gets so much HP back and ridiculously annoying to any Fighting types that don't carry EQ. Toxic Spikes helps my other walls so they don't have to spend their turn using Toxic. Protect helps stalling and get some free HP back. Scald is a solid STAB and can get burns in crucial times (ES Lucario trying to sweep me).
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 224 SDef / 32 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Iron Head
- Body Slam
- Wish
- Stealth Rock
Hax all day. SG saves me a lot. Iron Head as a good STAB and can flinch the opponent. Body Slam to paralyze the opponent and get some damage on them, but I am leaning towards Thunder Wave for sure paralysis. Wish is always helpful and keeps Rachi and the others going. Stealth Rock is my only source of hazards as I feel Spikes just takes too long, but it’s very nice to get that extra damage on foes. Jirachi is my other special wall, and most specifically Dragons.
Zapdos @ Life Orb
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 6 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunder
- Heatwave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost
Replacing the amazing Togekiss which was the ex-star of the team comes Zapdos. It has amazing bulk already so an offensive set can be very very threatening. Thunder takes full advantage of the Heavy Rain, and HP Ice is mainly to hit Gliscor who is damn annoying. Heatwave on a rain team is a bit odd, but Zapdos walls Ferro and Scizor so I can switch and still hit them hard. Plus if Abomasnow wants to come in on one without knowing, I have won the weather war. Roost is to give Zapdos a longer life span.
Gastrodon (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 6 SAtk / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Scald
- Earth Power
- Toxic
- Recover
A great assest to the team and is very useful against Rotom-W as it always has to hard switch rather than Volt Switch. Scald gives me the ability to burn specific mons who otherwise can do heavy damage. Earth Power is another source of STAB. Toxic can help Gastro stall out any pokes and with Recover I can effectively keep stalling. Max SDef gives me perfect stalling against pesky Rotoms, which I love and hate them so much at the same time.
Gliscor – I don’t know why, but I can never get rid of this thing. I guess it’s the way I play because I have the tools to take it don’t, but it can just out stall any of my defensive Pokemon. Swords Dance variant is a big threat.
Celebi – So annoying. With it still alive and healthy I can’t effectively use Gastrodon or Politoed. My only way of checking is Jirachi or Scizor, but if I am fighting for weather I have to be very careful of the HP Fire and that still isn’t fun when it has Earth Power. Nasty Plot variants are extremely threatening.
Abomasnow - Not a immediate threat, but a good player can make it one. It likes my rain team as it lacks many fighting, and fire type attacks. Zapdos is a good counter for him, but otherwise I am in a nutshell.
Bulk Waters - I am just putting them altogether. Damn they're so annoying. When Zapdos is gone, I can't hit them worth squat besides status. I have trouble with Vaporeon and Milotic to be exact though.
Breloom - He is so damn deadly. He can easily put something to sleep and sub when I switch. The proceed to wreck havoc. Zapdos does manage to somewhat wall it and hurt it with HP Ice, but it usually switches and even then hits like a truck.
Celebi – So annoying. With it still alive and healthy I can’t effectively use Gastrodon or Politoed. My only way of checking is Jirachi or Scizor, but if I am fighting for weather I have to be very careful of the HP Fire and that still isn’t fun when it has Earth Power. Nasty Plot variants are extremely threatening.
Abomasnow - Not a immediate threat, but a good player can make it one. It likes my rain team as it lacks many fighting, and fire type attacks. Zapdos is a good counter for him, but otherwise I am in a nutshell.
Bulk Waters - I am just putting them altogether. Damn they're so annoying. When Zapdos is gone, I can't hit them worth squat besides status. I have trouble with Vaporeon and Milotic to be exact though.
Breloom - He is so damn deadly. He can easily put something to sleep and sub when I switch. The proceed to wreck havoc. Zapdos does manage to somewhat wall it and hurt it with HP Ice, but it usually switches and even then hits like a truck.
That's my team. Thanks for the read and any helpful suggestions are welcome.