UU team that needs rating. HELP!!!

[CJorex]

Hi, I'm CJorex. I am a very competitive battler here at Smogon. I'm here to ask for help with my UU team. So far it has had moderate success, but I am sure that much can be changed. So, here is the team:

Hitmonlee (M) @ Normal Gem Trait: Unburden
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Fake Out
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake


Hitmonlee is always the lead on my team, unless I see the opponent has a Sableye. He usually starts with a Fake Out, which uses up his Normal Gem and activates Unburden. With double speed, Hitmonlee outspeeds almost the whole tier, so then I just attack with the most suitable option until he dies.

Zapdos @ Life Orb
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Roost


Zapdos is my Special Sweeper. This is the standard set, and the one that best fits the team's playstyle. Thunderbolt is STAB, Heat Wave and Hidden Power Grass for coverage, Roost for recovery. Zapdos has good synergy with Empoleon, and also with Bisharp and Sceptile.

Empoleon (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Roar


Empoleon is the most defensive Pokemon on my team, and again this is the sandard Specially Defensive set. Stealth Rock is the only hazard that my team can lay down, Scald to do damage and hopefully burn, Ice Beam to hit Grass-types and Roar to phaze and rack up hazard damage.

Flygon (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- U-turn
- Fire Punch


Flygon is my Revenge Killer, and he does a great job of it. This set is completely standard, and is everywhere in UU so most people should know how it works. Earthquake and Outrage for STABs, U-turn to scout and Fire Punch as a filler.

Bisharp (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Defiant
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Substitute
- Iron Head


Again, another completely standard set. Bisharp synergises well with most of my team, but generally does not help my team enough so it can probably be replaced. Bisharp just hardly helps me at all. Too often is it just KO'd, and it just cannot beat defensive Pokemon and stall teams- they just always use non-attacking moves, making Sucker Punch fail. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions on what I can put in its place.

Sceptile (M) @ Flying Gem
Trait: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Earthquake
- Acrobatics


Sceptile is a valuable member of my team. This is the standard Swords Dance set, but I have used Acrobatics, Flying Gem and Unburden so I can outspeed the whole tier. Sceptile can get quite a few KO's, but sometimes just does not hit hard enough.


Current Problems



>Bisharp does not pull its own weight, so it should be replaced
>I am currently without a spinner, so any suggestions for one are welcome.

 

[Dukewarrior13]

Dude....Bisharp is epic. I swept 5 fighting types in a row with him. I would replace Iron Head with brick break. i would also put more evs into speed from HP. And finally, dont keep him in so much, put him in on walls or non-attackers so he can set up.

Im like 100% sure that hitmonlee could use rapid spin

 

[Psychotic]

Guy posting above me, please lurk some more. It sounds like you are just starting out in UU and have no idea what you are talking about. I'm not trying to offend you, but you gave him some random advice based on how "epic" you think Bisharp is, and you told him to throw Rapid Spin on Hitmonlee for the simple fact that it learns Rapid Spin. Moderators, if you think I am out of line for telling him this then please let me know and I will edit this part out of the post.

Anyway, this looks like a very fun team to play with, but I do see a glaring weakness to most of the fighting types flying around this tier, such as Mienshao, Scrafty, and Heracross. Mienshao gets a kill every time it comes in barring hax. Scrafty Dragon Dances and forces you to waste Normal Gem early game, allowing him to destroy you later. Heracross runs through your team with Close Combat and Moxie after Zapdos has been weakened, especially if Rocks are down. I would also agree that Bisharp and, to a certain extent, Flygon, are the weak links on this team. Therefore, I would recommend making 2 changes: Using Offensive Trick Room Cofagrigus over Bisharp, and using Scarf Heracross over Flygon. These are the sets I would recommend:

Cofagrigus (F) @ Leftovers Trait: Mummy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd)
- Shadow Ball
- Nasty Plot
- Trick Room
- Hidden Power [Fighting]

Heracross (M) @ Choice Scarf Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Earthquake
- Pursuit

Heracross is capable of switching directly into and revenging Scrafty, and Cofagrigus completely walls both Mienshao and Heracross, as well as providing you with a spinblocker and wallbreaker. Both exert enormous offensive pressure on the opponent as well, especially if Heracross starts racking up Moxie boosts. Flygon is simply too weak to revenge kill in this current metagame, and Heracross and Mienshao are the new standards in revenge killing. Hope my suggestions help!

 

[Mazz]

Now Im 100% sure that Hitmonlee can learn rapid spin

He'd have to change the set then. If that's the case, he might as well run Hitmontop over Hitmonlee. Seeing you already have a fair bit off offensive firepower between Flygon, Sceptile, and Bisharp, adding a defensive pivot won't hurt much. Makes things like Darmanitan somewhat easier to handle.Rapid Spin is more or less the crux of the set, clearing your side of entry hazards. Foresight is to ruin an opposing team's spinblocker and still get the spin off. Close Combat is STAB and even though it wont be hitting as hard as Hitmonlee, it's still doing something. Stone Edge is there for filler. You could run Toxic over it.

Set

Hitmontop | Leftovers
Intimidate | Impish Nature
252 HP | 252 Def | 4 SpD
Rapid Spin | Foresight | Close Combat | Stone Edge​

What is Bisharp not doing to be helping this team? I get that it can be difficult to use. Try using Brick Break over Sucker Punch if you find that it isn't exactly doing you any favours. This may give you an opportunity to hit more things.

This is a pretty cool team. Good luck!

 

[Dukewarrior13]

PsYch071c, thank you for your opinion and I respect that. However I would not call my advise random. I just gave my opinion on how he could use bisharp more effectively and how much potential he has.

I agree with the set that Pokemazter has already suggested and that having a defesive rapid spinner wouldnt hurt. I would also boost the speed up on your Empoleon so it can set up rocks faster than some pokemon.

I hope this helps and Good Luck!

 

[ChaoticaMortis]

A lovely rule:

3. Have some actual words in your post beyond your six Pokemon and their moves. Not following this makes your post quite boring to read and rate. All Pokemon should have a good reason for being in your team anyway, so why not post that reason? If you are having trouble with this one, start by giving an explanation for each team member. Why are they there? What role do they serve? How do you get them in? Then, give an explanation of how you would open with the team and how you would go about using it. All of these things help people rate your team and allow us to offer more helpful advice.

This does not mean add one sentence saying "Standard x" or "all-around awesome" after each Pokemon. If you put thought into making the team, you can put thought into posting it.

This one also seems relevant, although I can't be certain:

17. It is expected that you know the game to a certain degree of proficiency before posting your team for a rate here. Recently there has been a surge of teams made by players obviously brand new to the competitive scene -- there is little that can be done to help you here I'm afraid. This is the 'rate' my team forum, not 'rebuild my team for me' forum. Best place to go to in that situation would be Battling 101, and the Introduction to Competitive Pokemon article on site. If your team is deemed to show a severe lack of the understanding of the metagame, it will be closed and possibly infracted. This is completely up to the discretion of the mods.