U-Turn is my Drug.

[Lucien Lachance]

I've been playing around on the ladder trying different ways to accumliate a series of wins with little to know real hard decisions to be made. I tried using teams that hit massive amounts of pokemon SE, I tried standard teams with a sweeper and pokemon to beat it's counters, and I decided the easiest way is to scout their team.

Changes in bold.

The Strategy: U-turn to reveal their counters as most of my pokemon can easily OHKO or 2HKO their counter to my pokemon, I just need to know who's coming in.

In-Depth Analysis:

The Lead:

Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Fire Punch
- Iron Head
- Ice Punch
- U-turn

Jirachi is without a doubt probably the strongest and most effective lead I've used. It prevents some leads from setting up SR as well as dealing with leads with easy. Not only does Jirachi KO leads, it also functions as a very effective revenge killer mid-late game. Fire Punch hits annoying steels, Iron Head is my go to move when I need to get out of a jam. Iron Heads flinch rate is insane and can easily stop sweepers in their tracks. Ice Punch hits flyers and ground types hard. U-turn is the key to this set allowing me to ease prediction later in the game and switch to an appropiate counter.

How Jirachi fares against top leads:

Iron Head is a 2HKO. They rarely lay SR. I do fear Fire Blast first turn though.

Iron Head is a 2HKO. They rarely lay SR. I do fear EQ first turn though.

Iron Head only hits about 10% so I U-turn to Infernape to KO with Grass Knot.

Gives me trouble. I fear EQ and Fire Punch only does 15.2% - 17.9% so I U-turn off to Flygon and EQ and do 60.1% - 71.1%.

U-turn to Flygon. All he can do is SR me and they usually T-Wave. Hope I outspeed.

Gives me trouble. U-turn over to Flygon. Hope he doesn't FB 2nd turn. EQ finishes him off.

Iron Head, LOL

Ice Punch

Iron Head.

Ice Punch is a 2HKO, 63.3% - 75.7%.

U-turn to Flygon. EQ.

Only 2 out of the 10 listed give me pain and the usual strategy gets them killed. Jirachi, with help, can easily bring down leads with ease.

Changes?
None. Jirachi does it's jobs very well and effectively.

The Glue:

Flygon (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Outrage
- Earthquake

Honestly, without Flygon's ability to resist so many types and OHKO so many pokemon, I would be totally toast in every game. Anytime Flygon goes down early in the game, I have to rely on other pokemon so much more. U-turn is once again key for scouting. Stone Edge hits things like Zapdos and Gyarados. Outrage is my trump card and is used in emergencies only. EQ is STAB well... EQ.

Changes?
T-Punch can be used but isn't necessary on this team for other reasons mentioned later.

Underrated Moveset #1:

Gengar (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast

ScarfGar has been on my teams a lot recently and for good reason. He's a check to almost all set-up sweepers as well as an amazing suprise card and revenge killer. Shadow Ball OHKO's most Rotom forms as well as a powerful STAB. T-Bolt is my check to DD Gyara mainly. HP Ice destroys DDNite, 79.8% - 94.3%, as well as Flygon, and Gliscor. Focus Blast cannot 2HKO Softboiled Blissey. It rarely OHKOs Heatran, 85.4% - 100.9%

Changes?
I'm debating Specs becuase of U-turn to Gengar, but there are times when I cannot switch, i.e. I'm on Iron Head and DDGyara comes out, im kind of screwed without Scarf. I tried SubLO and missed the ability to revenge kill everything in it's way that hasn't been overly boosted.

Underrated Moveset #2:

Infernape (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 64 Atk/192 Spd/252 SAtk
Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Close Combat
- Flamethrower
- Grass Knot
- Hidden Power [Ice]

LO Specially Mixed Nape can easily rip through stall teams with ease. 64 Attack allows me to always OHKO Blissey with CC. Max SpA and the rest is dumped into Spe. Flamethrower is STAB and doesn't miss like Fire Blast does. Grass Knot hits Cune and Pert hard while HP Ice hits Gliscor, Flygon, and Nite hard.

Changes?
Specially-Mixed is now the set becuase I felt that Infernape doesn't really check DD Sweepers and I really like him being able to hit so many types. I am considering HP Electric to hit Gyara hard >> HP Ice.

FINALLY, A NONE SCARFER USER!:

Starmie @ Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Recover

Starmie has such amazing type coverage and with great speed and high SpA, it can 2HKO more threats. BoltBeam is amazing type coverage hitting almost every type in the entire game. Surf is STAB and was chosen over Hydro Pump because missing is a bitch that loves to chase me everywhere I go. Recover is used to preserve Starmie as it helps me a lot in dealing with foes due to its very nice speed and SpA as well as huge type coverage.

Changes?
Not really. Rapid Spin can be used but no one benefits from having Spin Support.

The Stall Breaker:

Tyranitar (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP/52 Atk/28 Spd/176 SAtk
Quiet nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Dark Pulse
- Flamethrower
- Focus Punch
- Substitute

Boah can drop kick any stall team, any day of the week. Dark Pulse was chosen over Crunch for hitting Physical walls, but if he's set-up there's no point in it. FP FTW. I don't know. Flamethrower as it hit the most pokemon SE and very hard at that. FP and Sub make this set what it is. Most people "LOL' when they see Boah as he doesn't really do much other than stop stall. They LOL until I get their TTar in checkmate with Sub FP and then their Heatran. He does work.

Changes?
Prehaps Crunch >> Dark Pulse so I can hit Starmie and Gengar and bluff Band set.

I can sit here and list the of Pros this team has, but I would much rather direct everyone to this teams Cons. When rating please try to adressing as many of the Cons as possible without completely making the team yours but don't go crazy by adressing all of them as some of the Cons contridict with each other.

Cons:
No SR.
3 Pokemon have Scarf.
Relying too much on Flygon
How my strategy can easily be used against me.

There may be dozens more but those are ones that I would really like resolved for this team.
3 of the earlier Cons listed are handled and taken care of. Starmie serves an an important role, Zapdos isn't part of the team, and Boah handles Blissey too. Mission accomplished guys :)

Final Message:
I am a very innovative thinker. My play style can be very odd and I develop ideas for a team that may be "like throwing shit at a wall and hoping it sticks." My ideas are different and take a way of thinking that very little people can comprehend. Please keep this in mind when rating.

Thanks in advance and I appericate any constructive rates.

 

[Lucien Lachance]

Reserved for possible threat list.

 

[Nemomon]

A little think, i guess that´s a mistake but, Jolly on gengar? lol

 

[Lucien Lachance]

Oh oops. Meant timid. I'll fix that one. Thanks.

 

[boredomisbliss]

Ive tried a team like this before, it was fun

My first impression is that this is weak to stall. It seems that you might have some trouble breaking through Blissey. You have 4 scarfers, but none of them have trick.
Im thinking take the Scarf off Infernape, and change it to a standard wallbreaker. It will help your stall weakness, though by no means eliminate it. If you give it a Life Orb, it will have a much higher chance to OHKO Swampert after the U-turn, since right now you do 67.8% - 79.8%. Also, suppose you switch it in on Blissey. Based on your strategy id assume you would u-turn first turn, which means entry hazard damage not doing much, especially if it protects.

Also, I would take HP Fire off Starmie and give it recover, it will help immensely against stall.

Lastly, while i personally like Subroost Zapdos a lot, I don't think it belongs on this team. Zapdos is cool for forcing some switches after a U-turn, but it really isn't incredibly punishing. You noticed this yourself. One recommendation I have is Tyraniboah, who can force switches by itself and take advantage of them. It also screws over stall.

 

[Despotar]

Nice team. Just to say, I would switch ice punch to trick on your Jirachi. I know it's not standard, however, it allows you to beat Pert, (Surf and EQ kill Infernape so that technique is very flawed), and still allows you to ruin Gliscor. (Most are stat boosters/SRers), not to mention it allows you to ruin Blissey and Snorlax who beat you if you lose Infernape. (Flygons outrage is your only other hope).

 

[Lucien Lachance]

Ive tried a team like this before, it was fun. They should be more common. Their really fun.

My first impression is that this is weak to stall. Honestly, I've only ran into one stall team. It seems that you might have some trouble breaking through Blissey. Most Blissey's use Wish though but if they don't, yeah. You have 4 scarfers, but none of them have trick. Trick means I lose to a pokemon down the road.
Im thinking take the Scarf off Infernape, and change it to a standard wallbreaker. Physically Mixed or Specially Mixed? It will help your stall weakness, though by no means eliminate it. I tried Speically before and felt that Nape and Starmie were dead weight, so Scarf was on and I loved it. If you give it a Life Orb, it will have a much higher chance to OHKO Swampert after the U-turn, since right now you do 67.8% - 79.8%. Which move? CC? Also, suppose you switch it in on Blissey. Based on your strategy id assume you would u-turn first turn, which means entry hazard damage not doing much, I predict he switches so his switch takes 12.5% damage and so does blissey. That helps a lot espically since they switch a good amount. especially if it protects. Protect on Blissey? What kind of witchcraft is that?

Also, I would take HP Fire off Starmie and give it recover, it will help immensely against stall. Gengar and Starmie are weak to Pursuit users so HP Fire very much lessens the pain with Scizor being the most common OU Pokemon.

Lastly, while i personally like Subroost Zapdos a lot, I don't think it belongs on this team. Zapdos is cool for forcing some switches after a U-turn, but it really isn't incredibly punishing. He's last resort, he rarely comes out. You noticed this yourself. That I have. One recommendation I have is Tyraniboah, who can force switches by itself and take advantage of them. It also screws over stall. I'll look into it and tell you how it goes.

Thanks for rate and I'm glad you notcied the Cons section. It's there for a good reason.

@Despotar
I like beating Gliscor, and not really ruining it. He can still switch out after SRing and come back in to absorb a hit aimed at a weakened Suicune or something.

I assume Pert would SR on the first turn while I switch to Nape.

I can try Trick on Jirachi, however I would like a more straightforward answer to Blissey.

Thanks for the rate.

*Edit* Boah sounds really fun to use as it fucks with Stall and makes them thing twice before deciding who to send out. He's not as fast as I would like though but what are you going to do? I am offically trying him tonight, or in four or so hours, so uh... Yeah. I'll probably make the final decision in 6 or 5 hours depending on how well I do or if I get really bored.

 

[Faladran]

Hey Lucien, cool team.

I personally play a lot with a team that makes heavy usage of U-Turn, and you seem to have built your team pretty well.

Since you have plenty of Pokemon with Choice Scarves, I don't feel that running one on Gengar is really necessary. I would suggest trying out Thunderpunch over Stone Edge on Flygon to revenge kill Gyarados, and using a different Gengar set such as SubSplit. I'm quite sure you're aware of it, but I'll post it below just for clarification:

Gengar @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spe / 252 SpA
Timid nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Pain Split
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast

While I do love Life Orb Starmie, one thing that I can see becoming a problem is the lack of solid switch-ins to strong Fire and Water-based attacks. Although you do possess some resistances to these attacks, most of your Pokemon are speed-based, and as a result are rather frail. For example, an enemy Heatran running the omnipresent Choice Scarf set will deal 42.5% - 50.6% to Starmie, 49.1% - 58.4% to Infernape, and 38.9% - 45.8% to Flygon, meaning even team members that resist Fire are going to be taking significant damage.

There are a couple of ways to help alleviate this problem. The first involves retaining Starmie, but using Recover over Hidden Power Fire. Recover is a better choice on Starmie, because Hidden Power Fire is purely situational, and not completely necessary since you have other members who can beat Scizor.

If you want to try out something different, the best option would probably be an Offensive Suicune. This has the same type coverage as Starmie, but with much better bulk, so it's worthy of consideration as well.

Good luck with your team!

 

[Lucien Lachance]

Flygon covers the DDNite. I could use Sub Pain SPlit. Ill give him a go when I ladder in a few minutes.

I'll be testing recover as HP Fire hasn't seen its usage very much. If Recover is bothersome I will try Cune.

Thanks for the rate.

 

[Lucien Lachance]

no. they dont. they changed that in Pt. that was only in DP.

I'm editing the main post with updates on testing and changes made to the team. Just... read it.

 

[aVocado]

I know it's not standard

So now not standard = bad?

 

[IronBullet]

Hey,

Pretty good team, but you lack one crucial component of any offensive team: Stealth Rock. You could simply use it over one of Jirachi's attacking moves, but I'd suggest replacing it with a lead Metagross. This guy beats nearly all the top leads with a combination of Meteor Mash and Bullet Punch, and Explodes on bulky leads such as Swampert and Hippowdon. It also beats lead Machamps, as Lum Berry prevents confusion and Meteor Mash hits for a clean 2HKO. The moveset I'd recommend is Meteor Mash/Bullet Punch/Explosion/Stealth Rock, although you could go with Earthquake over Explosion to deal with Steels. Standard EVs are 248 HP/232 Atk/28 Spe with an Adamant nature.

I second the suggestion of SubSplit Gengar over your current one, Flygon checks most threats reliably. If you're worried about DD Gyarados, try Thunderpunch over Stone Edge for the OHKO after Rocks. SubSplit Gengar rips through most stall teams, preventing status with Substitute and healing up with Pain Split whenever required. Shadow Ball + Focus Blast provides perfect coverage, hitting every Pokemon in OU for atleast neutral damage.

I don't really see the need for Tyraniboah in the last slot, especially since your team deals with stall so well already. I'd recommend trying out an SD Lucario, as it makes an amazing late-game cleaner and stall breaker, and provides your team with priority. Since your team mainly consists of hard hitting Pokemon with plenty of raw power, your opponents team will be worn down enough for Lucario to clean up easily. It seems like it would fit in your team nicely, especially since Infernape and Lucario share many of the same counters, allowing Lucario to break through them after a Swords Dance. Standard moveset of Swords Dance/Close Combat/Extremespeed/Crunch or Stone Edge should work well, with max speed, attack and an Adamant nature.

Nice team, and gl!

 

[SlottedPig]

stealth rock > fire punch on jirachi. with 2 u-turners sr will be tremendously helpful. plus fire punch you use on ... 1 lead?

 

[Lucien Lachance]

Hey,

Pretty good team, but you lack one crucial component of any offensive team: Stealth Rock. You could simply use it over one of Jirachi's attacking moves, but I'd suggest replacing it with a lead Metagross. This guy beats nearly all the top leads with a combination of Meteor Mash and Bullet Punch, and Explodes on bulky leads such as Swampert and Hippowdon. It also beats lead Machamps, as Lum Berry prevents confusion and Meteor Mash hits for a clean 2HKO. The moveset I'd recommend is Meteor Mash/Bullet Punch/Explosion/Stealth Rock, although you could go with Earthquake over Explosion to deal with Steels. Standard EVs are 248 HP/232 Atk/28 Spe with an Adamant nature. Jirachi is pretty vital to the teams sucess. I will not replace it for Metagross.

I second the suggestion of SubSplit Gengar over your current one, Flygon checks most threats reliably. If you're worried about DD Gyarados, try Thunderpunch over Stone Edge for the OHKO after Rocks. SubSplit Gengar rips through most stall teams, preventing status with Substitute and healing up with Pain Split whenever required. Shadow Ball + Focus Blast provides perfect coverage, hitting every Pokemon in OU for atleast neutral damage. Tried Sub, didn't like it. Keeping Scarf.

I don't really see the need for Tyraniboah in the last slot, especially since your team deals with stall so well already. I've heard different but okay. I'd recommend trying out an SD Lucario, as it makes an amazing late-game cleaner and stall breaker, and provides your team with priority. I do miss not having priority. I'll try it out.Since your team mainly consists of hard hitting Pokemon with plenty of raw power, your opponents team will be worn down enough for Lucario to clean up easily. It seems like it would fit in your team nicely, especially since Infernape and Lucario share many of the same counters, allowing Lucario to break through them after a Swords Dance. Standard moveset of Swords Dance/Close Combat/Extremespeed/Crunch or Stone Edge should work well, with max speed, attack and an Adamant nature.

Nice team, and gl!

Thanks for the rate.

@ power - I will try SR >> FP. good suggestion. People said Ice Punch and i'm suprised no one really noticed that FP didn't do much. I didn't either but uh.. yeah.

Thanks for the rate.