Well, Cyclizar is gone. I'm sad, but it probably needed to go. I'm still going to complain about it, but nowhere near as much as I complain about losing Paradox Engine for my old MtG Commander deck! But I digress...
I haven't played competitively since Gen IV, so I'm honestly pretty nervous about jumping back in here. With games like these, I tend to be too nervous to actually jump in and test teams until I feel like I have a very strong, very synergistic mix. Honestly, I probably wouldn't even attempt to play competitive again if it weren't for the unholy god that is ROARING MOON. Wow... just... wow. The sheer power and speed are exactly what Salamence always wanted. I absolutely loved using Salamence back in Gen III and I was sad to see it banned to Ubers in Gen IV, so seeing that we have an upgraded version legal in OU in Gen IX is an absolute quobsend (FSM, anyone?).
Without further ado...
https://pokepast.es/b47e82ec8635d8cd
Roaring Moon (Odahviing) @ Booster Energy
Protosynthesis
Tera: Flying
Adamant
252 Atk, 4 SpD, 252 Spe
Dragon Dance, Acrobatics, Throat Chop, Earthquake
Iron Valiant (Mjölnir) @ Booster Energy
Quark Drive
Tera: Electric
Timid
252 SpA, 4 SpD, 252 Spe
Calm Mind, Moonblast, Thunderbolt, Psyshock
Orthworm (Tatopolous) @ Sitrus Berry
Earth Eater
Tera: Ghost
Impish
248 HP, 252 Def, 8 SpD
Stealth Rock, Shed Tail, Heavy Slam, Body Press
Rotom-W (Elegy) @ Choice Scarf
Levitate
Tera: Water
Timid
248 HP, 8 SpA, 252 Spe
Hydro Pump, Volt Switch, Thunder Wave, Trick
Scizor (Nathrakh) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Technician
Tera: Steel
Adamant
232 HP, 252 Atk, 24 Spe
Bullet Punch, U-Turn, Swords Dance, Defog
Dragapult (Durnehviir) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Infiltrator
Tera: Ghost
Hasty
76 Atk, 180 SpA, 252 Spe
Will-o-Wisp, Dragon Darts, Hex, U-Turn
The goal of the team is to annoy the opponent with a bit of status and Trick until I've been able to pivot myself into a winning position, at which point I'll unleash on the opponent with everything that I have. I am definitely a bit scared of Unaware walls and certain priority sweepers, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to handle those. I want to play quickly and aggressively while also dancing around the opponent. If you're familiar with D&D (damn you, WotC and Hasbro!), try to think of this team as a Bladesinger.
Considerations
Weaknesses
I haven't played competitively since Gen IV, so I'm honestly pretty nervous about jumping back in here. With games like these, I tend to be too nervous to actually jump in and test teams until I feel like I have a very strong, very synergistic mix. Honestly, I probably wouldn't even attempt to play competitive again if it weren't for the unholy god that is ROARING MOON. Wow... just... wow. The sheer power and speed are exactly what Salamence always wanted. I absolutely loved using Salamence back in Gen III and I was sad to see it banned to Ubers in Gen IV, so seeing that we have an upgraded version legal in OU in Gen IX is an absolute quobsend (FSM, anyone?).
Without further ado...
https://pokepast.es/b47e82ec8635d8cd
Roaring Moon (Odahviing) @ Booster Energy
Protosynthesis
Tera: Flying
Adamant
252 Atk, 4 SpD, 252 Spe
Dragon Dance, Acrobatics, Throat Chop, Earthquake
Odahviing is a dragon in Skyrim that is initially allied with Alduin, but who later joins forces with the Dragonborn. It seemed like a fitting name for the exceptionally violent force of nature that is Roaring Moon.
Roaring Moon is the first Pokemon that I'm adamant (ha, adamant) about keeping on the team.
Basic, yes, but I'm happy to say that I came up with the set before I ever looked at a single competitive team. This is the primary wincon. After a couple of dances, practically nothing without Unaware can really do anything to stop it. That does lead to the big problem, though. Unaware 'mons pose a serious threat. That's one of the reasons that I'm currently going with Adamant, though I am considering switching to Jolly for that absolutely beautiful 370 Speed.
I'm testing Throat Chop instead of Crunch just to stop the few sound-based moves that might actually matter, like Roar. If I find that it's unnecessary, I'll switch back to Crunch for the defense drop chance, which will definitely help me more against Unaware walls.
I'm considering swapping Roost in over Earthquake. If I find that I don't really need Ground damage, then Roost may help ensure that Roaring Moon can get an extra Dragon Dance or two in and possibly survive a priority hit. That seems a little flimsy, though.
This is the centerpiece of my team and is therefore the one that I try to save until I'm ready to use it. That does effectively give me fewer actual 'mons to work with while I'm building up, though, so I'm trying to make sure I'm providing all of the support that I possibly can to it.
Roaring Moon is the first Pokemon that I'm adamant (ha, adamant) about keeping on the team.
Basic, yes, but I'm happy to say that I came up with the set before I ever looked at a single competitive team. This is the primary wincon. After a couple of dances, practically nothing without Unaware can really do anything to stop it. That does lead to the big problem, though. Unaware 'mons pose a serious threat. That's one of the reasons that I'm currently going with Adamant, though I am considering switching to Jolly for that absolutely beautiful 370 Speed.
I'm testing Throat Chop instead of Crunch just to stop the few sound-based moves that might actually matter, like Roar. If I find that it's unnecessary, I'll switch back to Crunch for the defense drop chance, which will definitely help me more against Unaware walls.
I'm considering swapping Roost in over Earthquake. If I find that I don't really need Ground damage, then Roost may help ensure that Roaring Moon can get an extra Dragon Dance or two in and possibly survive a priority hit. That seems a little flimsy, though.
This is the centerpiece of my team and is therefore the one that I try to save until I'm ready to use it. That does effectively give me fewer actual 'mons to work with while I'm building up, though, so I'm trying to make sure I'm providing all of the support that I possibly can to it.
Iron Valiant (Mjölnir) @ Booster Energy
Quark Drive
Tera: Electric
Timid
252 SpA, 4 SpD, 252 Spe
Calm Mind, Moonblast, Thunderbolt, Psyshock
Iron Valiant looks like a goofy space soldier, so its nickname was taken directly from Halo.
Iron Valiant is the second 'mon I'm pretty set on keeping on the team, but I'm not as timid (ha, timid) about getting rid of it as I am with Roaring Moon.
Practically nothing outspeeds Iron Valiant after Booster Energy except for odd choices like Scarf Dragapult, Jolly +Speed Booster Roaring Moon, Scarf Greninja, etc. Valiant's ridiculous speed, solid power, and excellent moveset makes it a fantastic wallbreaker and revenge killer, though I have noticed that it does sometimes feel a little weak before Calm Mind. Of course, the goal is to get it behind a substitute and use Calm Mind once or twice so that it can sweep, but that doesn't always happen. Even if it doesn't happen, spamming Moonblast is definitely a nice way to get some serious damage in so that Roaring Moon can clean up.
I'm considering switching to a Hasty mixed attacking set with Close Combat replacing Calm Mind and Tera Fairy replacing Tera Electric, as this team doesn't have much Fighting coverage otherwise. The set will lack sweeping potential, but it will still retain its revenge killing potential and gain additional STAB coverage that it would otherwise sorely miss. What do you all think?
Iron Valiant is the second 'mon I'm pretty set on keeping on the team, but I'm not as timid (ha, timid) about getting rid of it as I am with Roaring Moon.
Practically nothing outspeeds Iron Valiant after Booster Energy except for odd choices like Scarf Dragapult, Jolly +Speed Booster Roaring Moon, Scarf Greninja, etc. Valiant's ridiculous speed, solid power, and excellent moveset makes it a fantastic wallbreaker and revenge killer, though I have noticed that it does sometimes feel a little weak before Calm Mind. Of course, the goal is to get it behind a substitute and use Calm Mind once or twice so that it can sweep, but that doesn't always happen. Even if it doesn't happen, spamming Moonblast is definitely a nice way to get some serious damage in so that Roaring Moon can clean up.
I'm considering switching to a Hasty mixed attacking set with Close Combat replacing Calm Mind and Tera Fairy replacing Tera Electric, as this team doesn't have much Fighting coverage otherwise. The set will lack sweeping potential, but it will still retain its revenge killing potential and gain additional STAB coverage that it would otherwise sorely miss. What do you all think?
Orthworm (Tatopolous) @ Sitrus Berry
Earth Eater
Tera: Ghost
Impish
248 HP, 252 Def, 8 SpD
Stealth Rock, Shed Tail, Heavy Slam, Body Press
The nickname is a reference to the American Godzilla movie from the 90s that practically everyone hates. When I was trying to come up with a nickname for a big ol' worm, Dr. Niko Tatopolous came to mind. He's the "Worm Guy" in the movie. I honestly don't hate the movie, but I definitely agree that it isn't faithful to the classics at all. Moving on!
Cyclizar was a massive part of my previous team. If this is the best I can get now, then it's the best I can get. I'd prefer to have Cyclizar back, of course, but mom did always say "want in one hand, cry in the other, and see which one fills up faster."
This is the team's only hazard setter right now, which admittedly isn't ideal. That being said, I'd also like for my team to be pure gas. I know that pretty much every team should have some kind of hazard setting, but I also feel that if I get my boosts up properly and I get in enough chip damage with pivoting, I may not actually need anything else.
This will realistically be used once per game and will either be my lead or will be pivoted into. If it doesn't work the way I want, I may switch it to Glimmora, Grimmsnarl, or Hatterene. I would worry about my sweepers running into status more often without it, though. We'll see! Thankfully, Hatterene and Grimmsnarl can both help with that thanks to Magic Bounce and Taunt, respectively. Hatterene spreads status through Nuzzle and Grimmsnarl sets up Screens and has an excellent pivot move, so they may be my best bets.
Cyclizar was a massive part of my previous team. If this is the best I can get now, then it's the best I can get. I'd prefer to have Cyclizar back, of course, but mom did always say "want in one hand, cry in the other, and see which one fills up faster."
This is the team's only hazard setter right now, which admittedly isn't ideal. That being said, I'd also like for my team to be pure gas. I know that pretty much every team should have some kind of hazard setting, but I also feel that if I get my boosts up properly and I get in enough chip damage with pivoting, I may not actually need anything else.
This will realistically be used once per game and will either be my lead or will be pivoted into. If it doesn't work the way I want, I may switch it to Glimmora, Grimmsnarl, or Hatterene. I would worry about my sweepers running into status more often without it, though. We'll see! Thankfully, Hatterene and Grimmsnarl can both help with that thanks to Magic Bounce and Taunt, respectively. Hatterene spreads status through Nuzzle and Grimmsnarl sets up Screens and has an excellent pivot move, so they may be my best bets.
Rotom-W (Elegy) @ Choice Scarf
Levitate
Tera: Water
Timid
248 HP, 8 SpA, 252 Spe
Hydro Pump, Volt Switch, Thunder Wave, Trick
The nickname is simply an extension of LG, the appliance (and everything else...) company. It seemed fitting and stupid. I like stupid nicknames.
Rotom-W is the final Pokemon I'm pretty determined to keep on the team, but I'm significantly less timid (ha, timid) here.
I was lacking Earthquake protection (excluding Orthworm), so I started looking at flappybois. Rotom's ability to run TrickScarf, spread status, and blast away with Hydro Pump seemed too good to pass on, so I decided very early on in teambuilding that it was probably going to be part of any team I make. Besides, TrickScarf is one of my all-time favorite strategies. My favorite teams in Gen IV had 3 TrickScarfers. Those were the days... good ol' Revenge Killer Gengar, Explosion Lead Azelf, and FlinchHax Togekiss.
Tera Water is situational and is probably not the best option, but I feel that if I'm in such a bad situation that I actually have to Terastallize Rotom, I might as well have it dish out as much damage as possible with Hydro Pump. To that end, I'm considering moving some/all of the HP EVs and/or some of the Speed EVs over to Special Attack so that it packs a bit more of a punch, though I do worry about impacting its survivability and pivoting potential.
I'm honestly not sure if I should go for Will-o-Wisp or Thunder Wave. I'm pretty torn here. Thunder Wave gives me excellent speed control and allows Adamant Moon to sweep more easily, but Will-o-Wisp shuts down certain attackers hard. Besides, I do want to be able to slow pivot, so Thunder Wave can interfere with that. That being said, I feel like it's good to have variety in status, so Dragapult currently has Will-o-Wisp covered.
Rotom-W is the final Pokemon I'm pretty determined to keep on the team, but I'm significantly less timid (ha, timid) here.
I was lacking Earthquake protection (excluding Orthworm), so I started looking at flappybois. Rotom's ability to run TrickScarf, spread status, and blast away with Hydro Pump seemed too good to pass on, so I decided very early on in teambuilding that it was probably going to be part of any team I make. Besides, TrickScarf is one of my all-time favorite strategies. My favorite teams in Gen IV had 3 TrickScarfers. Those were the days... good ol' Revenge Killer Gengar, Explosion Lead Azelf, and FlinchHax Togekiss.
Tera Water is situational and is probably not the best option, but I feel that if I'm in such a bad situation that I actually have to Terastallize Rotom, I might as well have it dish out as much damage as possible with Hydro Pump. To that end, I'm considering moving some/all of the HP EVs and/or some of the Speed EVs over to Special Attack so that it packs a bit more of a punch, though I do worry about impacting its survivability and pivoting potential.
I'm honestly not sure if I should go for Will-o-Wisp or Thunder Wave. I'm pretty torn here. Thunder Wave gives me excellent speed control and allows Adamant Moon to sweep more easily, but Will-o-Wisp shuts down certain attackers hard. Besides, I do want to be able to slow pivot, so Thunder Wave can interfere with that. That being said, I feel like it's good to have variety in status, so Dragapult currently has Will-o-Wisp covered.
Scizor (Nathrakh) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Technician
Tera: Steel
Adamant
232 HP, 252 Atk, 24 Spe
Bullet Punch, U-Turn, Swords Dance, Defog
The nickname is a reference to one of my favorite industrial black metal bands, Anaal Nathrakh. The mechanical terror of industrial metal combined with the malevolent ferocity of black metal seemed to fit the sheer horror of Scizor beautifully. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but Scizor is still a powerful addition to the team.
This was originally a pure Swords Dancer and then a Bander. Cyclizar was my Spinner at the time. I started considering a new Scizor set after the 'zar ban. Scizor seemed like an excellent choice, as it compresses a couple of roles pretty well. It's a slow pivot, bulky Spinner, revenge killer, and potential late-game sweeper/cleaner.
Scizor makes a pretty solid defensive VoltTurn core with Rotom-W, which is also further strengthened by Dragapult. With both Dragapult and Rotom-W spreading status and with Rotom-W disabling a wall with Trick, these three can theoretically help me set up a final sweep.
I don't like that this set lacks coverage, but I do feel like it's probably the best option that I have right now.
This was originally a pure Swords Dancer and then a Bander. Cyclizar was my Spinner at the time. I started considering a new Scizor set after the 'zar ban. Scizor seemed like an excellent choice, as it compresses a couple of roles pretty well. It's a slow pivot, bulky Spinner, revenge killer, and potential late-game sweeper/cleaner.
Scizor makes a pretty solid defensive VoltTurn core with Rotom-W, which is also further strengthened by Dragapult. With both Dragapult and Rotom-W spreading status and with Rotom-W disabling a wall with Trick, these three can theoretically help me set up a final sweep.
I don't like that this set lacks coverage, but I do feel like it's probably the best option that I have right now.
Dragapult (Durnehviir) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Infiltrator
Tera: Ghost
Hasty
76 Atk, 180 SpA, 252 Spe
Will-o-Wisp, Dragon Darts, Hex, U-Turn
The name is another reference to Skyrim. Durnehviir is an undead dragon ally that you can summon with a Shout. The DLC that brought Durnehviir to the game is some of the best available, so it felt like a natural choice for a nickname.
I feel like Infiltrator is still pretty important because of both Orthworm and Grimmsnarl. It was probably more important when Cyclizar was still a thing, but either way, having a way to snipe and spread status through protection is excellent.
Dragapult's main purpose here is fast pivoting. It really makes me want to have 'mons like Hatterene that enjoy having a fast pivot to work with, but of course, there's no room on the team... yet. Either way, Dragapult is also here to bluff a Choice set before hazards/after Defog, spread status, and blast with Hex.
I know I'm going to miss the immediate power that Choice Specs brings to this set. I also lack a single Fire move on the team right now, which certainly makes me a little nervous with all of the Tera: Steel out there. I really like the idea of crippling physical attackers that may otherwise hit hard, though, and Will-o-Wisp gives me both a way to break Sashes and a way to beat Sucker Punch. Besides, switching from Specs to Boots helps the team continue pivoting without problems.
I feel like Infiltrator is still pretty important because of both Orthworm and Grimmsnarl. It was probably more important when Cyclizar was still a thing, but either way, having a way to snipe and spread status through protection is excellent.
Dragapult's main purpose here is fast pivoting. It really makes me want to have 'mons like Hatterene that enjoy having a fast pivot to work with, but of course, there's no room on the team... yet. Either way, Dragapult is also here to bluff a Choice set before hazards/after Defog, spread status, and blast with Hex.
I know I'm going to miss the immediate power that Choice Specs brings to this set. I also lack a single Fire move on the team right now, which certainly makes me a little nervous with all of the Tera: Steel out there. I really like the idea of crippling physical attackers that may otherwise hit hard, though, and Will-o-Wisp gives me both a way to break Sashes and a way to beat Sucker Punch. Besides, switching from Specs to Boots helps the team continue pivoting without problems.
The goal of the team is to annoy the opponent with a bit of status and Trick until I've been able to pivot myself into a winning position, at which point I'll unleash on the opponent with everything that I have. I am definitely a bit scared of Unaware walls and certain priority sweepers, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to handle those. I want to play quickly and aggressively while also dancing around the opponent. If you're familiar with D&D (damn you, WotC and Hasbro!), try to think of this team as a Bladesinger.
Considerations
I'm considering multiple other 'mons, but I'm not sure where to fit them or if what they offer would be better than what is on my current team. I do struggle to find appropriate cores sometimes. I'm trying to go for VoltTurn Offense, but who knows if I'm doing it right?
- Grimmsnarl: standard with Screens and Parting Shot
- Hatterene: CM with Nuzzle > Mystical Fire
- Great Tusk: Bulky with Body Press, Stealth Rock, Knock Off, and Rapid Spin
- Iron Treads: Utility with Volt Switch, Stealth Rock, Knock Off, and Rapid Spin
- Lead Glimmora & Scarf Gholdengo > Orthworm & Dragapult
- Chien-Pao: Choice Band
- Greninja: some kind of pivot set with Heavy-Duty Boots
- Cinderace: same as Greninja
Weaknesses
I feel like the team's biggest weaknesses right now are Unaware 'mons, status, weird Scarfers like Greninja and Dragapult, and hazard spam. I'm sure I'm missing something. I'm honestly really not sure what to do with this team, but I feel like it's almost where it needs to be. I feel like there are just one or two missing puzzle pieces here that will make this VoltTurn Offense team a potent threat.
Last edited:
