Greetings Smogon!
After months of scouring the OU tier for the best team archtype, I think I have found a collection of mons that has the best offensive match up in the OU tier, having virtually no defensive cores (aside from probably some kind of stall) that can beat them. To support this, I added a bulky defensive two-pokemon core with volt turn to more easily bring these pokemon in. While having an less than ideal matchup with stall and struggling with some specific offensive threats and a couple defensive cores, this team, with proper prediction and execution, will win the majority of its games.
After months of scouring the OU tier for the best team archtype, I think I have found a collection of mons that has the best offensive match up in the OU tier, having virtually no defensive cores (aside from probably some kind of stall) that can beat them. To support this, I added a bulky defensive two-pokemon core with volt turn to more easily bring these pokemon in. While having an less than ideal matchup with stall and struggling with some specific offensive threats and a couple defensive cores, this team, with proper prediction and execution, will win the majority of its games.
SMASH FOR THE CLOUT; DASH, I'M OUT
CLOUT GANG (Medicham) @ Medichamite
Ability: Telepathy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- High Jump Kick
- Ice Punch
- Zen Headbutt
The first wallbreaker and, in my opinion, the best wallbreaker in the OU tier alonside of mega Mawile. There are very few defensive pokemon, let alone cores, that can stand up to medicham. Couple in the fact that it is supported by triple volt-turn and you will find that there are many opportunities throughout games where medicham gets in at the end of a turn untouched. The EVs and moveset are self-explanatory. Fake out is very useful for revenge killing as well as scouting lead sets (for example, whether or not a lead landorus is scarf or defensive, which mega a charizard is, etc). HJK for hitting everything that isn't a ghost. ZH is mostly for pex, but also for a solid secdonary STAB that doesn't destroy half health on a miss. Ice punch is for the multitude of ground/dragon/flying dual typings as well as grass types like tangrowth and bulu.
CHECK IN WITH ME, AND DO YOUR JOB
RIDE WITH THE MOB (Kartana) @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike
Originally scarf kartana (and timid for a period of time), this set has been the final solidified set, and by far the most effective. SD kartana with z-fight has almost no counters. Would be checks, like celesteela, tangrowth, and landorus get smashed by a +2 kartana. While I do miss the snowballing revenge killing that scarf kartana provided, this gives me a much better way to break through teams and the ability to switch moves. Swords dance is run alongside of dual stab and sacred sword for the most complete coverage of the current metagame. Kartana is typically used as a late game cleaner or a mid game breaker if it is clear that it won't sweep.
SLIDIN' ON THE WATER LIKE A JETSKI
RIC FLAIR DRIP (Greninja-Ash) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Spikes
Still as busted as the day it was released. I really think this mon is comparable to a special medicham. Aside from chansey and bulky water/grass/fairies, this thing has no switchins, especially once ash form is reached. Greninja and kartana share a lot of counters, such as tangrowth and magearna, which helps them to break for each other. Again, standard moveset, but it works incredibly well. There have been times where I would rather run waterium Z, but not enough where I would want to take the Z crystal off of kartana. Spikes is run in the last slot to acquire further chip damage, getting mons into the range of kartana and medicham.
TAKE OVER THE WORLD WHILE THESE HATERS GETTING MAD
BUILD THE WALL (Tapu Koko) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Dazzling Gleam
- U-turn
This is clearly the most unorthodox set on the and there are times that I wish it was different, but it is simply too good at what it does. Scarf koko is meant to outspeed the entire relevant metagame. In addition to this, it is the main momentum gatherer for the previous three mons. Tapu koko outspeeds nearly all scarfers and fastest mons of the OU tier, namely scarf greninja, scarf kartana, tornadus, mega alakazam, and scarf serperior, among others. In addition to this, it is able to outspeed many setup sweepers at +1 speed, notably gyarados, zygarde, blacephalon, magearna (+2), some rain sweepers, and mega tyranitar (+2). In addition to runnning dual STAB, this set also runs dual momentum for the best chance of bringing other pokemon in to deal damage. U-turn is used to pivot on ground types and volt switch is used when those ground types are gone, which happens surprisingly quickly with a greninja, kartana, and an ice punch medicham. It is not meant to be a strong special attacker, but a pivot/revenge killer that can bring other mons in safely and stop some setup.
I WAS RUNNIN' THROUGH THE SIX WITH MY WOES
ROLL THRU THE 6 (Landorus-Therian) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 188 Def / 68 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Defog
Mr. OU himself and part one of the defensive core. Everyone knows by now what a good blanket check landorus is to the metagame. I will save you the reading by not listing what landorus checks, just know that it is almost every non water/ice physical attacker. This set is both the rocker and the defogger, which, while taking up most of the moveslot space with earthquake, gives very reliable hazard control. Rocks, along with greninja's spikes, turn a lot of crucial 2HKOs into OHKOs for the offensive members of the team. Earthquake is completely necessary. U-turn paired with intimidate is used to efficiently neutralize a lot of physical threats and pivot out to another member of the team. Because this mon is used as one of the core checks to many mons in the tier, leftovers was chosen as the item to increase longevity.
I STILL SEE YOUR SHADOWS IN MY ROOM
LUCID DREAMS (Magearna) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 22 Spe
- Fleur Cannon
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Volt Switch
With the physical blanket check comes the special blanket check. From ash-greninja to psy-spam to serperior, this is the best special wall in the game (f you chansey). Assault vest along with volt switch makes magearna the most effective pivot. Fluer cannon, even without investent, is still a very powerful attack, especially after a soul heart boost. Hidden power fire is on this set because this team can struggle with ferrothorn as well as certain varients of scizor. Ice beam is my favorite move on this set because everyone and their mothers will bring landorus in on this mon only to get one shot by ice beam. Either that, or they will stay in to set up rocks and then die. It happens probably every other game. Neverthless, this is the second part of the defensive core that is used to absorb hits and pivot around to bring the offensive power in safely.
With all that said, the team is definitely not without faults. Here are some of the main threats on the team:
MISPREDICTION
This team is played best when played aggressively, making a lot of doubles and predicitons. However, this brings about many opportunities to misplay.
Volcarona/Charizard/Victini
This team struggles a lot with fire types, especially because greninja is the only resist. Volcarona is almost an auto-lose unless rocks are up, then koko/greninja/medicham can beat it if it doesn't roost at the right times. Zard Y can be annoying, but it is easily revenge killed, as is charizard X, especially with landorus. Band victini is a threat, but is worn down by landorus. The celebrate version is worn down by greninja and koko. Rocks and spikes help deal with these mons a lot, but they are annoying to deal with.
Gastrodon/Tornadus/Magearna Cores
This is probably the most annoying core to deal with. Gastrodon is really only dealt with by kartana and medicham, both of which are chipped and forced out by tornadus. Magearna, whether defensive or offensive, combined with these mons is a headache to counter. However, kartana can break through this core especially if rocks stay up.
Z Landorus
Opposing landorus can be troublesome to deal with based on the set. Earthquake/Explosion variants are countered by landorus intimidate pivoting into another mon. Z-fly can be lured by koko, then pivoted into landorus into kartana. It still can sweep my team if it is weakened enough when coupled with rock polish.
Mega Mawile
While it can be played around, the unpredictability of the set can be a huge issue. Landorus walls knock off/tpunch/ff, magearna can take suckers/knock/play rough, and kartana can take a couple hits. While it is fairly easily to revenge, switching into this mon is a bit challenging.
That is pretty much it! If you play aggressive and pivot well, you shouldn't have too many issues working the team. It does have some flaws, so if you see any clear way to remedy them, please let me know. Other than that, have fun with the team and thanks for viewing!
This team struggles a lot with fire types, especially because greninja is the only resist. Volcarona is almost an auto-lose unless rocks are up, then koko/greninja/medicham can beat it if it doesn't roost at the right times. Zard Y can be annoying, but it is easily revenge killed, as is charizard X, especially with landorus. Band victini is a threat, but is worn down by landorus. The celebrate version is worn down by greninja and koko. Rocks and spikes help deal with these mons a lot, but they are annoying to deal with.
Gastrodon/Tornadus/Magearna Cores
This is probably the most annoying core to deal with. Gastrodon is really only dealt with by kartana and medicham, both of which are chipped and forced out by tornadus. Magearna, whether defensive or offensive, combined with these mons is a headache to counter. However, kartana can break through this core especially if rocks stay up.
Z Landorus
Opposing landorus can be troublesome to deal with based on the set. Earthquake/Explosion variants are countered by landorus intimidate pivoting into another mon. Z-fly can be lured by koko, then pivoted into landorus into kartana. It still can sweep my team if it is weakened enough when coupled with rock polish.
Mega Mawile
While it can be played around, the unpredictability of the set can be a huge issue. Landorus walls knock off/tpunch/ff, magearna can take suckers/knock/play rough, and kartana can take a couple hits. While it is fairly easily to revenge, switching into this mon is a bit challenging.
I don't typically save replays, but here are a couple I have:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-832981367
Extreme outplaying of stall:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-825574586
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-832981367
Extreme outplaying of stall:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-825574586
That is pretty much it! If you play aggressive and pivot well, you shouldn't have too many issues working the team. It does have some flaws, so if you see any clear way to remedy them, please let me know. Other than that, have fun with the team and thanks for viewing!
