Virizion is Underrated (an OU RMT)

[goldthunderbird999]

This team, as you will see, is an offensively minded team based around Virizion (SD variant). Not a common sight in OU, I decided Virizion needed some love. So, without further ado, I give you Virizion is Underrated: (CHANGES in red
Virizion @ Life Orb
Jolly Nature
Ability: Justified

~Swords Dance
~Close Combat
~Stone Edge
~Leaf Blade

EVs: 4 HP, 252 Atk, 252 Spe

Virizion (this set particularly) is the whole reason I put together this team. As this set is designed to be a physical sweeper, Life Orb was the obvious item. The nature is set so that Virizion is a bit more "sweeper-ish", as its Speed is high, but falls short of Latios, Latias, and Gengar. The moveset is fairly standard. (I was considering HP Ice in place of Stone Edge but I decided against it.) Using Virizion's innate resistances and rather impressive Special Defense, I can either set up an SD or even switch into a Dark-type move and forgo the SD altogether. EVs are self-explanatory.

Tyranitar @ Choice Scarf
Jolly Nature
Ability: Sand Stream

~Pursuit
~Crunch
~Stone Edge
~Superpower

EVs: 4 HP, 252 Atk, 252 Spe

T-tar helps cover many of Virizion's weaknesses, including Psyshock Latios/Latias, Celebi, and even the uncommon Tornadus. The Nature and EVs are rather obvious, along with Pursuit. (Gotta love that trap.) Crunch provides for a more offensive Dark STAB, while Stone Edge serves the same purpose for Tyranitar's Rock typing. Superpower, while mainly for coverage, can smash the annoying Terrakion that loves taking advantage of Virizion's low Defense.

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Impish Nature
Ability: Poison Heal

~Swords Dance
~Earthquake
~Ice Fang
~Taunt

EVs: 252 HP, 184 Def, 72 Spe

Gliscor, Gliscor, Gliscor. My team's lead troll, especially against the likes of Ferrothorn or Skarmory. The Impish Nature helps Gliscor with its role of troll/bulky sweeper. Earthquake serves as main STAB, and Ice Fang is ever-useful for crushing other Gliscor. (and the occasional Salamence/Garchomp/Dragonite) Taunt is mainly used to cripple the aforementioned defensive Pokémon, and the EVs optimize Gliscor's Speed (outspeeds Max Speed T-tar, big threat), while providing it with awesome bulk.

Salamence @ Life Orb
Naïve Nature
Ability: Moxie (heheh)

~Draco Meteor
~Earthquake
~Fire Blast
~Outrage

EVs: 64 Atk, 192 Spa, 252 Spe

Ah, the classic MixMence. Mainly used for luring (and crushing) physical walls (read: Skarmory) with the appropriate special move. The moves are fairly obvious, while the EVs take advantage of Mence's amazing Attack while boosting its good Special Attack. (Speed is obvious).

Rotom-W @ Choice Scarf
Timid Nature
Ability: Levitate

~Volt Switch
~Hidden Power (Ice)
~Thunderbolt
~Hydro Pump

EVs: 4 HP, 252 Spa, 252 Spe

No comment here. Everything is obvious... Except for EVs I suppose. Obviously max Spe (it's a Choice Scarf set duh), and a bit of speed. HP is just to make it barely bulkier. This thing outpseeds all non-scarf Lando, which otherwise rips my team apart.

Latios @ Choice Specs
Timid Nature
Ability: Levitate

~Draco Meteor
~Psyshock
~Surf
~Trick

EVs: 252 Spa, 252 Spe, 4 SpD

This thing basically serves as Dark-move bait for Virizion, but it also is a powerful offensive Pokémon. Timid Nature maximizes speed, while Draco Meteor acts as a complete nuke. Psyshock crushes the likes of Blissey, Surf is coverage, and Trick cripples walls. The EVs are pretty much standard.

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There you have it!

 

[deathrain96]

First things to be said about this RMT, you should expand your descriptions more, so raters can really understand what you use each Pokemon for, and maybe add some sprites or some colors to make it easier to read.

Anyways, onto the rate.


Nice team, I like your use of Virizion, as you're right, it is an underrated pokemon that possesses uniquely strong typing and speed, and is a powerful check to much of the current weather meta. This being said, I think your team relies too heavily upon Virizion, and without him, the rest of the team will fall apart.


The first thing I noticed is that your whole team can be hit incredibly hard by Ice or Ground moves, and since many pokemon can run both of these moves in a set, it poses a large threat to your team. Namely, Landorus or Landorus-T sets, and the occasional offensive Mamoswine set will rip through your team.
Landorus and Landorus-T are very common in this meta, and although they don't really have hard counters, I strongly recommend including sets that can check these threat, as both of these pokemon very often run HP Ice, and a combination of HP Ice and EQ hits your whole team for Super Effective damage.
My first suggestion to remedy this would be to, in fact, do what you decided against and run HP Ice on your Virizion set. I know you may feel this defeats the purpose of SD, but since utilizing Virizion's great defenses and speed are your only way to hit back at Landorus, I would recommend this change.

Another change that would help prevent your team from this threat is a slight roster change. I suggest replacing Specs Magnezone with Choice Scarf Rotom-W. Magnezone is very useful for trapping and killing threats like Forretress, Ferrothorn, and Scizor, but since you're running a Virizion with Close Combat, a TTar with Superpower, and an EQ Salamence, I feel that you don't need Magnezone to execute Steels, as you already have a strong core that hits them hard. The Rotom set I'm suggesting would like something like this:


Rotom-W @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Hidden Power Ice
- Volt Switch
- Trick/Thunderbolt/Shadow Ball

This set can outspeed any non-Scarfed Landorus sets and can OHKO them with HP Ice or Hydro Pump. It is also very strong against rain teams which threaten your whole team besides Virizion, Volt Switch will scout and shock those Water types, and a Drizzle boosted Hydro Pump is a very scary thing. HP Ice is there for Landorus of course, but also provides some coverage for the Gliscor sets that wall your Virizion. Now you already have a Trick user on your team, so the last slot depends on what you feel your team needs, Thunderbolt provides nice power if you don't want to have to Volt Switch out, and Shadow Ball doesn't provide all that much, but is nice against the occasional Alakazam, Espeon, or Reuniclus and takes them off-guard.

Anyways, good luck with the laddering.