ORAS OU U-Turn me on ;)

[Ninj4 Pikachu]

So this is a team that I have been using for a while now and have been continually improving on. Its a Volt-Turn team so it focuses on having offensive pkmn that rely on each other for resisted switch ins for defense. Please feel free to be blunt and assert your opinion of it so long as you have reasoning behind your conjectures. Be harsh because my opponents wont be.

Infernape (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Overheat
- Close Combat
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
Infernape is my lead pkmn. infernape performs well as a lead due to having access to stealth rock, U-Turn, and being able to operate as a switch hitter. Focus sash is used to get a guaranteed stealth rock laid down and allows reliable access to the 33% boost that its ability Blaze gives it. Blaze allows me to use overheat as a nuke when combined with STAB and the focus sash means that that I'm not really bothered by the stat reduction of close combat. Infernape is also my only answer to chancy and U-Turn allows me to save infernape for it. Over all I end up with a pkmn that can lay down rocks and can get neutral coverage over most opposing leads.

Azelf @ Expert Belt
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Flamethrower
- Energy Ball
- U-turn
Azelf is my first sweeper. Azelf is a great sweeper due to its unpredictability and great coverage. Expert belt is ran because of the consistent coverage of the set. Psychic hits hard with STAB and neutral coverage backed by a 125 spatk. Flamethrower and Energy Ball are great for getting a surprise super effective on an unsuspecting Ferrowthorn or Mega-Swampert. U-Turn is there for predicted switch ins and allows for continued momentum. levitate is also nice for switching into earthquake.

Raikou @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Volt Switch
Raikou is my second sweeper. Thunderbolt is there for STAB, while Shadow Ball is great for taking out anything that resists electric. HP-Ice is there for all the x4 weaknesses that are present in OU such as Garachomp, Dragonite, Salamence, etc. Its amazing how so many pkmn like garachomp, Landorus, and gliscore think that they can finish Raikou off with an earthquake only to be OHKO'ed by HP-ice. Volt switch is there for predicted switch ins and STAB and again meshes with the teams theme.

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
The ultimate pivot. Rotom-W fits well into pretty much any team, but fits especially well into a volt-turn team. Hydro Pump is the STAB of choice due to its power and Volt-Switch is there for STAB and momentum. Whats nice is that even if Volt switch is not enough to KO a bulky water type I can rotate between Rotom and Raikou for STAB. Will-O-Wisp is a life saver for knocking the teeth out physical offensive threats like tyranatar or wearing down bulky tanks and walls. Pain split is just there to make sure Rotom sticks around and is boosted by the leftovers. Not much else to say here because everyone by now knows this set well.

Scizor (M) @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Defog
- Roost
- U-turn
Pivot/Revenge. Scizor is Rotom-W's best friend and make up a great core on there own. What one is weak to the other seems to always have the upper hand against. Bullet punch allows easy revenge killing and a way to handle fairies. Defog was my only way of providing hazard support and serves its purpose well enough. Roost allows me to keep the option of defogging around and allows me to continue to threaten fairies and switch in to resist dragons. U-Turn fits naturally on scizor because of STAB and due to scizor being slow, allows it to take the hit for others to switch in. Its steel typing also allows me to get free switch ins on poison types

Hydreigon (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Earth Power
- Dark Pulse
- U-turn
Wall Breaker. Hydregon acts as somewhat of a panic button for when there is something I cant deal with. it works well in a hit-and-run play style and that's pretty much what im going for here. Draco Meteor is the nuke that deals heavy damage to anything that dose not resist it and the Choice Scarf allows me to ensure I can get it in. The trick is to remove all steel and fairy types from the opposing team thus allowing Hydra to just sweep up the rest with its monster STAB. Earth power is ran to deal with Heatran that often switches in to resist the predicted Draco Meteor. Dark Pulse is used for neutral coverage and allows me to continue attacking without fear of anything levitating or my special attack dropping. U-Turn is more of a proverbial "nener-nener" to my opponents, but can also lure out fairies and steel types that want to hit with azelf or scizor. Its typing is convientent because it gets free switch ins on psychic types and has levitate for ground making this my 3rd levitating pkmn.

I know there are a few weaknesses with this team but with every rate I get I make changes and seem to do better on the ladder. What I would really like is to have my strengths and weaknesses pointed out respectively and ways I can alleviate the latter. I appreciate every rate, and would like to know if you think that this team could reach upper ladder status under the right user. I would also like to know your opinion on the overall viability of Volt-Turn in the OU meta-game. Don't forget to leave your vote on the poll as well.

 

[Alkov]

Hi there, cool volt-turn team right there. A few things I would like to suggest so as to help improve this team.
Firstly, you might want to run a Timid nature on Hydreigon so that you can outspeed a very common threat that is Landorus-T which otherwise U-turns out on your Hydreigon, getting it's momentum while dealing heavy damage. (A timid Hydreigon's Draco Meteor still has a very good chance to OHKO a Landorus-T after Stealth Rocks;
252+ SpA Hydreigon Draco Meteor vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-T: 273-322 (85.5 - 100.9%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock)

Secondly, you might appreciate Focus Blast on Hydreigon to hit Ferrothorn, Tyranitar and Heatran. Although Focus Blast would not hit Heatran as hard compared to Earth Power and has accuracy issue but it helps provide a better general coverage against most Steel type Pokemons.

Thirdly, you may want to run Assault Vest on Raikou which is quite a popular set for it right now as you require a lot of pivoting in a Volt-Turn team and with Life Orb recoil, chip damages from your opponent and entrance hazards, Raikou will get worn down way too quickly before it puts in work for the team.

Lastly, I would like to suggest replacing a Pokemon from the team you have so that you can better deal with defensive oriented/stall-ish team because your team mostly relies on hazards + chip damage through Volt-Turn to pressure your opponent however your team lack Pokemons that can truly help preventing them from healing/setting up. A few Pokemon I'll like to suggest would be Life Orb + Taunt Gengar that helps deal massive damage to all sorts of team not just stall while Taunt helps against stall another suggestion is SpDef + Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, Roost and Brave Bird Talonflame, however, your team lacks hazard removal so it'll be up to your preference, lastly it will be SpDef Gliscor with Roost, Taunt, Knock Off, Swords Dance/Earthquake OR Roost, Swords Dance, Facade/Knock Off and Earthquake.