INTRODUCTION
On a beginning note I would like to point out that there will be no actual wardrobes in the RMT, just a Gator and a Puppy. That was just a snappy title. Hello everyone! This is my first ever UU RMT. I'm not new to UU though. I have played and tested this team out quite a bit. Unfortunately, never in my life have I been able to reach the leaderboards. The closest Ive ever come is 1301. I was hoping one of you facny, I hit the leaderboard all the time people could help me possibly. Below is my most successful team. It focuses on what I like to call a dual sweep and wins about 70% of the time. Alas I cannot do any better. I am hoping that with your advice I can though. I have no life so my RMT is somewhat complex, so please bere with me. Thank you!
(I will not do one of those corny "at a glance" things, your going to see my team anyway why would I bother to post pictures of them here)
so then lets get started
THE TEAM
Alakazam @ Focus Sash
Timid-252 Sp.Atk/252 Spe/4 HP
Ability: Inner Focus
-Encore
-Calm Mind
-Shadow Ball
-Focus Blast
PROS
Alakazam is one of the hadest hitting pokemon of the tier, and correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure he has the highest Sp.Atk of UU. Not many leads can do anything about him. All most of them can do is Fake out for the priority and watch as they are blown into smitherines. or I set up if I think they aren't sashed. I find that my least used move is encore but for some reason cloysters try to set up spikes on my so I use it on them. Well, I used to. I find it more convienient to CM and then OHKO with focus blast. The final use for Encore is against fake out leads, who alakazam can encore, set up on, and/or attack the azumarill switching in to aqua jet etc...At alakazams best he has taken four of my opponents team members!
CONS
No lead can handle everything. Alakazam is no exception. Priority Sash leads are quite a problem (although for some reason I have not encountered many, they must be more of an OU thing). Still, I hate it. Another problem with zam is that He almost never stops someone from setting up SR/(T)spikes. If the opponent plays correctly, this can be game breaking. Alakazam was designed to be a "handle it all" lead, but has only proven himself as a "sort of handle it all" lead.
SYNERGY
Dark-Drapion/Steelix
Bug-...Drapion/Steelix
Ghost-......Drapion/Steelix
Physical Attacks that will hurt it too much-Steelix
TEAM RATING (Members shall be rated on their performance in my team from 1 to 10)
Alakazam gets a 7.
His attacks are powerful and anyone who has single handedly annihalated over half of an opponents team should not get anything less. However, I cannot ignore his falures either, thus I am reluctant to give him anything higher. Alakazam does tollerable, certainly more so than most of the leads I've tried.
Drapion @ Leftover
Careful-252 HP/252 Sp.Def/4 Atk
Ability: Shell Armor
-Toxic Spikes
-Whirlwind
-Crunch
-Earthquake
PROS
Drapion is the newest member to my team. He was added after Cresselia was moved out of the tier, and perhaps this was for the best as I think he has performed even better than Cresselia (not to mention Cresselia's presence made UU reek with the qualities OU teams had of all being the same). Drapion, although more physically inclined serves as a special wall due to its typing (thank goodness tinted lens Yanmega isn't here anymore either). Drapion can easily get up the Toxic Spikes my team so wonderfully appreciates, despite the large amount of poison types in the game. Drapion, also being a poison type, is similar to a Psuedo-Rapid Spinner, which is good because I loathe using them. Toxic Spikes are the only entry hazard I hate so having two poison types on my team helps. Drapion can also Phaze which makes me less weak against Mismagius, although I dont really use it a lot and am thinking about changing this guy to a rest-talk spiker.
CONS
Drapion has a problem with anything that hits too hard. but this is the only bad thing I have come across. As I said earlier, Drapion is the newest member to my team, so I have yet to encounter any major problems extending from its presence in this team, except for the synergy problem stated below. I really would like to say more about it but I just don't know anything else
SYNERGY
Ground- *GASP* I dont have a single ground resistance on this team. This is the only area where Cresselia beat out drapion (aside from sheer bulk) I would like help with this.
TEAM RATING
Drapion gets a 6
There really is only one true problem, but its the biggest one on my team. When the most common move in the game isn't resisted, serious problems stem out. I really don't want to blame drapion--its the rest of the teams fault just as much as it is his. However, Drapion being the latest addition, I found no better spot to post this problem than here.
Steelix @ Passho Berry
Sassy-252 HP/156 Atk/100 Sp.Def
Ability-Sturdy
-Earthquake
-Gyro Ball
-Stealth Rock
-EXPLOSION!!!!
PROS
Steelix has proven herself (its a girl) one of the most reliable members on this team. I orriginally put her in her to help Feraligatr sweep better (luring in things such as azumarill and then explode). However, I find myself using it more the way true blue steelixes are supposed to be used, then when the milotic or azumarill comes in I explode. STAB Earthquake Makes steelix quite an offensive force with just a little investment. Gyro Ball is quite powerful coming off a 58 speed stat, and if far more powerful than anything Bronzong can do with it. All in all this is a great physical wall I don't plan on changing any time soon (uless we use this spot to fix my synergy problem).
CONS
I have the same problems all Steelixes have: Strong fire attacks. Water isn't so much a problem since the purpose of this steelix is like that of a vampire: lure them in with your appealing special defence then you kill them with a morbid explosion. Fire types are easily covered by Feraligatr, though. Close Combats from strong pokes hurt since no defence is in my steelix whatsoever, but these are only minor problems as steelix's defence is still at a godly 436.
SYNERGY
Ground-Once again, nothing
Water-The point of this Steelix is to kill water types, but should I want Steelix to live, I can switch out to Feraligatr or Venusaur
Fire-Feraligatr
Grass-Grass isn't a true weakness of steelix but grass pokes cause it problems, in which case I go to venusaur or Drapion
TEAM RATING
Steelix Recieves an 8
Being one of the most reliable and deceptive pokemon on my team, I could give it nothing less. Steelix provides my team with the Stealth Rock and Physical imputince I so desperately need. Weakness to Ground and the lengths other teams will go to to prepare for it hinder steelix howerver.
Venusaur @ Choice Specs
Modest-252 Sp.Atk/252 HP/4 Def
Ability: Overgrow
-Sleep Powder
-Sludge Bomb
-Leaf Storm
-Hidden Power Ground
PROS
Venusaur, is the hardest (unboosted) hitting member on my team and is also one of the bulkiest. It is Venusaur I turn to when Earthquake users have threatened to ravage my team, and him who I turn to when the opponent threatens to sweep with a Sp. Attacker. Venusaur is one of the most used pokemon in UU, and I can see why with its sheer power and bulk. Although not comonly seen, My choice specs set has enough power to make shuckle think twice about switching in. Whereas Alakazam has only taken out four members once (and three members multiple times), Venusaur does that twice as much and I have sweeped with him alone many many times. HP ground is simply for electric types and such trying to set up on me and fire type switch-ins not named moltres.
CONS
Just like Drapion, not too many. I have loved this Venusaur from the moment I created this team. The only true problem is the opening I give my oppenent after a leaf storm. If my opponent plays it right, he could set up and sweep. I would like to know your opinion on weather or not I should switch to energy ball. Although, both energy ball and leaf storm have their own pros and cons that I won't gent into here.
SYNERGY
Venusaur is my main answer to Earthquake Users (Just so you know)
Fire: Feraligatr
Psychic-Drapion/or if he isn't dead yet, Alakazam
Ice:Feraligatr
TEAM RATING
Venusaur gets a 9.
He is without a doubt the best member of this team. I really cant say anymore or I would only be repeating the above paragraphs.
Feraligatr @ Mystic Water
Adamant-252 Atk/252 Spe/4 HP
Ability: Torrent
-Swords Dance
-Aqua Jet
-Waterfall
-Return
PROS
Might I point out that this thing reaches a monsterous 678 Attack stat after a single Swords Dance, further boosted by torrent and the mystic water is a bone-shattering force. should any frail hard hitters come along I will smash through them as well thanks to HGSS's boon to Feraligatr-Aqua Jet. Feraligatr isn't called The Gyarados of UU for nothing. He is this teams most powerful sweeper.
CONS
Because Feraligatr has to use its typing to cover for many of my pokemon's weaknesses, I find it hard to set up with since it must keep switching in. 85/100/83 defence is nothing to laugh at, but it can't keep switching in forever.
SYNERGY
Electric-Steelix/Raikou/Venusaur
Grass-Venusaur/Drapion
TEAM RATING
Feraligatr gets an 8.5
Its an odd number but I didn't want to give it a nine and I thought it deserved more than an eight but chances are you don't care. Its a great pokemon that can even take out a paralyzed milotic with its return after a two swords dances (and then kill the rest of the team).
Raikou @ Life Orb
Timid-252 Sp.Atk/252 Spe/4 HP
Ability: Pressure
-Calm Mind
-Thunderbolt
-Shadowball
-Hidden Power Ice
PROS
Raikou is my main sweeper, cleaning up after Feraligatr faints. Since Raikou has almost no synergy (as far as type goes with the team goes, I dont need to bring him out until the end). Raikou can rip through quite a bit of UU with just a single calm mind. I really am at a loss for words with this as there isn't much explaining needed. Raikou enjoys setting up on non choice moltreses (or ones that have used over heat), steel types, and long walks on the beach with his woman.
CONS
I often worry that I'm not using him correctly, as I am constantly hearing about "Raikou, one of the most feared pokes in UU", but am constantly being let down by it. On this team Raikou just seems...subpar. I am using the set in the Strategy Dex but that says stuff about OU, I often wonder if there is a better set more suited for UU purposes. I know Raikou is a great Pokemon, but I don't know that I can utilize him to his full potential with this team.
SYNERGY
Ground-Remains a Problem
Raikou has no other weaknesses, which makes me happy, since he isn't weak to any priority attacks (although sometimes I find myself playing a dangerous mind game with absol)
TEAM RATING
Raikou gets a 7.
I don't want to give him lower than that. Raikou is great no doubt, but I often find that my feraligatr has to pick up his slack. Raikou has saved my butt in several matches and he is bulky enough to take a hit while calm minding, so He will remain at a 7 until more work is done.
CONCLUSION
I'm horrible at conclusions but here I go-Well that's the team. Its pretty successful, but synergy problems reign supreme, of course if you think I'm blowing the synergy out of proportion then tell me and no more will be said about it. I appreciate and will test all suggestions and give each of you personal feed back. I would like to see this team on the leader board by the end of April, but if that doesn't happen so be it. I have all this week to work on it though as I am on spring break (WOOT). Thank you for going through this incredibly long RMT (the longest one I've ever done at least), and thank you sincerely for your advice.
