SS OU VOLCANION BULKY OFFENSE 1975 ELO #5 ON SS OU LADDER Ft. Choice Band Dragapult

[LudwigFrog]

It's been a while since I made an RMT, this time, it's a team using the up and coming Volcanion.


PROOF OF ELO:

THE MONS:


Volcanion @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Steam Eruption
- Flamethrower
- Earth Power
- Sludge Bomb
Volcanion is a solid breaker in current OU, with an amazing typing, decent natural bulk, and a solid base 130 special attack. This was the mon I intended to build around when making this team. I run boots on this set, as I think this set personally is better against the current meta (although specs is still a solid set). I run timid as the team is weak to Bisharp. It deals with fairy types via Sludge Bomb, and I run it over Sludge Wave, as the poison chance is pretty nasty.


Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Toxic
The goat of OU himself, and fits on any team it wants. Landorus does Landorus things for this team, sets rocks, Toxic to cripple walls, and U turn to pivot into our frail breakers. I run the standard SpDef set as it works, and it can soft check pokemon like Blacephalon and Dragapult.


Zapdos @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Defog
- Roost
- Hurricane
Zapdos is a nice addition to the team. It is the hazard removal for the team, but also can exert some offensive pressure with Hurricane and Discharge. It is the physical wall for the team, being able to hard check Kartana, Rillaboom etc. It also heavily annoys water types that Volcanion can't touch like, Toxapex, and Slowking.


Melmetal @ Assault Vest
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 224 SpD / 32 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Double Iron Bash
- Earthquake
- Thunder Punch
- Superpower
Melmetal is the steel type for the team, and also a solid special wall. It is the check to pokemon like Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, and Tapu Koko, that annoy Volcanion heavily. It has Superpower to hit Ferrothorn. I didn't bring Ice punch has Bash already hits Lando hard, and Volcanion can deal with ground types pretty well. It synergizes well with Landorus and Zapdos on the defensive end, as it resists Ice, and Lando and Zapdos resist fighting and ground. It is very scary to switch into making it a very well rounded fit for the team.


Tapu Lele @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
Tapu Lele and Volcanion go hand and hand. Tapu Lele struggles to hit steel types (outside of focus blast), and Volcanion deals with them very well, Volcanion can't touch Dragons, but Lele nukes them. Offensively this pairing is amazing, and providing Terrain helps deal with Bisharp, which is another threat to this team. Overall Lele provides decent speed control, and support, giving it a spot on the team.


Dragapult @ Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpDef / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Darts
- Phantom Force
- U-turn
- Sucker Punch
Finally, an obscure pick, Banded Dragapult. Dragon Darts is such a good move, being Dragon Rush but you can't miss, and also breaking focus sashes. However, it's often not the best in the physical department due to a mediocre ghost type stab. However, Phantom Force dosen't need to be used very often on this team, so it works out. Sucker Punch is important, as this team dislikes Dragapult and Blacephalon, despite the terrain from Lele, I think Sucker Punch is worth it.

THREATS:

It's not a LudwigFrog team if my team isn't weak to Nidoking LOL. Switching in is a nightmarish task on this team, however, Dragapult and Lele can threaten it, and Zapdos can threaten to Ko after a bit of chip with Hurricane. This matchup is hard, but absolutely winnable.

These two fall under a similar category, of there being no ghost resist. Melmetal and Landorus can soft check these guys, but if they wear you down, it can be difficult to win, having sucker punch in this matchup is key.

Switching in is once again an issue, as Victini can hit all the pokemon with V Create and Bolt Strike, Dragapult heavily annoys it tho, and it makes this matchup more barable. Zapdos can also threaten with Static, heavily limiting Victinis potential.

At +2 +2 +2, this thing is gonna sweep you, but you have many tools to prevent this from happening, Dragapult can OHKO with Dragon Darts, and can live +1 Psychic. Landorus can Toxic it, and prevent it from sweeping. Volcanion can prevent it from setting up, and can annoy it. Zapdos can paralyze it with Discharge, preventing it from sweeping, so on and so forth. This matchup is definetly not the worst, and is only a problem when it gets set up.

The cosmic power set can be annoying, with no dark type. However Zapdos can threaten with Discharge, and Dragapult does heavy damage with Phantom Force, making this matchup not unwinnable.

Urshifu can hit your whole team, but it's limited because of Zapdos having Static, and Volcanion having Water Absorb. This matchup isn't to bad, but if the opponent is making all the reads, it can be easy to lose.

This team has no switch in to the subject it's built around. You have no resist, and it can be very annoying to deal with, however, Zapdos heavily annoys it, and Dragapult/Lele can threaten it, making it not to bad.

Melmetal can soft check this thing, but it's really annoying losing your item to Knock Off. Other than Volcanion and Melmetal, this team has no Ice Resist, making this matchup pretty difficult.

Replays (Adding more in the near future):
Vs Rain https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1504498435-tnvus10wmlkp8knbqx8rep8m09gisfhpw
Vs Pinkacross using a rain team https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1504574307-yw1b28onmges45etjy4euudqr0qsm1hpw
Vs Trick Room HO https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1504570738-oy16jmxznmmg3stmassfpndl2w7gjropw
Vs Glaceon? https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1504576036-a5q1wdx2lu2ln1hhwpu296xkzdow5uwpw
Melmetal is a demon https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1504491332-kbr79jmjgofuxpqzxhui9sxv1nnkktypw
Banded Dragapult goes IN https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1504701554-3nw9bqfott1riw20evngts0gppz1a0jpw
Vs a Goltres and Glastrier https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1510151310-khpopsuf75qoqj8sstgfkq4nv7ecbmtpw

And lastly here is the pokepaste. Hope you enjoy using my team. https://pokepast.es/e7e7797fab6d1da2

Check out some of my other RMTs

CHOICE BAND DRAGONITE BULKY OFFENSE #7 ON SS OU LADDER https://www.smogon.com/forums/threa...y-offense-7-1935-elo-on-ss-ou-ladder.3694073/

GALARIAN ZAPDOS SPIKES OFFENSE https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/gapdos-bulky-offense-1848-elo-42-on-ss-ou-ladder.3695510/

SUICUNE BALANCE https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/suicune-balance-peaked-1823-elo-155-on-ou-ladder.3692120/

 

[RedDiamond1024]

I would say the team looks good, but just use 23 speed ivs to speed tie other lando, though I personally use 22 there are some drawbacks to it.

 

[Tio Chico]

Congratulations on peak!
Sorry to be the annoying guy, but Dragapult has 4 EV in SpA unnecessarily.
As you mentioned that Phantom Force is underused, I'm curious to know if you've used it or are considering replacing it with Double Edge, after some initial damage, you can 2HKO Tapu Fini and Clefable without getting stuck.
Also, don't think negative about Sucker Punch in a Lele team, it can catch some opponents off guard, in addition to terrain swaps and etc, cool tech.

 

[LudwigFrog]

Lmfao I didn't notice the 4 special attack evs, I originally went with mixed DD Pult and IG I forgot to fix it. Phantom Force, while it's not used often, I think its important to hit Tapu Lele and Slowbro, making it worth keeping.

 

[Vroxxz]

Ayee congrats on your peak! Honestly how can someone rate and give suggestions to improve a team when it has peaked lmaoo

But jokes apart I really like this team and especially , as its an under used mon, but has amazing potential in SS OU, with hitting everything for at least neutral damage if not super effective. I'm also a big fan of , as it just tanks so much things!
Since you already have and which naturally has good special bulk, you could try a physically defensive , but if this works, keep it lol.

, , and are basically threats to every team lmfao. and have awesome coverage, so they threaten everything. Obviously when there's a Nidoking you could easily switch into Lele, and click Psychic. Otherwise I don't see Nidoking as a huge threat.

One thing I noticed is that could possibly be a threat, being and only checking it, but take serious damage from its attacks (Thunderbolt and Flash Cannon respectively and if Mel loses its AV then Magnezone does sadly overpower it). Volcanion does threaten it, but usually Magnezone will OHKO it with TBolt I think (if specs).

Anyways that's it for my suggestions :)

 

[LudwigFrog]

I appreciate your feedback, and hope you enjoy the team. However, magneones haven't really been running specs as much, mostly due to lack of HP Fire, and with Ferrothorn's prevalence, it usually runs Iron Defense. While Iron Defense does beat Melmetal, Landorus T only takes about 30% from Flash cannon, so it's not that big of a deal. Volcanion can OHKO any Magnezone, unless it's assault vest (which is rare) so I don't think running Phys def is worth it. Especially since Zapdos deals with Kartana and Rillaboom well enough already.

 

[GuardArc]

Nice, enjoyed trading W's with you on ladder today. Keep up the great work bud

 

[zReptar]

thats sick. I made a similar team a bit back but just used it a few times nice to see that it was usable

 

[Nippleduster]

What do you do against rain heavy teams especially against swampert?

 

[LudwigFrog]

What do you do against rain heavy teams especially against swampert?

If you are talking about Regular Swampert, you will never see that on rain. If you mean Mega, this isn't a nat dex team.