Well I Guess It's A Rain Team Now

[khodg35]

Hey Smogon Community, I'm khodg35 and this is my first RMT and hoping I'll be back for more. I have been playing in the metagame for a while now, and never really make my own unique teams or sets, so i want to see the feedback and get better at it. I have one or two unique sets here but most are pretty standard, and I'm open to, and will gladly accept any constructive criticism.

CHANGES IN BOLD

Team At A Glance:

Team Building Process:
I started with Houndoom instead of Infernape, but I soon figured out that I never got a free chance to set up a Nasty Plot and even with a Passho Berry, OU water types were killing him. Donphan was Houdoom's buddy, setting up Stealth Rock and spinning away entry hazards, because Houndoom needed all the HP it could have to even have a chance of surviving a water type move, even with the Passho Berry. But Donphan soon became too easy to take down and i replaced him with Forretress, who has access to toxic spikes. I used Blissey to take the special attacks thrown at Donphan, but if Donphan was no longer in the battle, i had no one to take a clean physical attack. And then there was Lucario, who heavily relied on a swords dance, that had to go because of Forretress there now, and Houndoom's flash fire gone, so i switched him out with Electivire to add a water type coverage and versatile attacks with an expert belt. Salamence and Gengar were the only two who lasted.

In Depth Look:

Infernape (M) @Expert Belt
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Iron Fist
EV Spread: 252 Atk/4 Sp.Def/252 Spe
-Close Combat
-Mach Punch
-U-Turn
-Fire Punch

Mostly used as my lead along with Forretress. Iron Fist because I have punching moves. physical, wall breakng attacker. here to take care off steel types that wall Salamence. i know its in the rain, but just in case of a weather war, i need a fire move. i fake a choice set with u-turn, and make them think it is choiced to my advantage.

Forretress (M) @Leftovers
Nature: Impish (+Def/-Sp.Atk)
Ability: Sturdy
EV Spread: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
-Spikes
-Toxic Spikes
-Rapid Spin
-Earthquake

9 times out of 10 this is my lead unless i feel that it would be a mistake. spikes are great as well as toxic spikes, but i usually go for spikes first. if i decide to start doing toxic spikes first, i'll change gengar's set. i think i am going to change earthquake to gyro ball so i hit everything, because i fake rapid spin to lure ghosts in and some have levitate. Rapid spin is a must so Salamence doesnt get murdered every time it switches in with stealth rock in play. this is my defensive wall, and a switch in on physical attacks launched at snorlax, especially fighting, since its only neutral damage.

Jellicent (M) @Leftovers
Nature: Bold
Ability: Cursed Body
EV Spread: 248 HP/216 Def/44 Spe
-Scald
-Recover
-Taunt
-Will-O-Wisp

Spin Blocker, and entry hazard preventer. defensive wall and stall. made to piss people off pretty much. couldnt decide on water absorb or cursed body. gonna be a switch in on attacks at infernape, so i might go to water absorb.

Salamence (M) @Life Orb
Nature: Modest
Ability: Intimidate
EV Spread: 4 HP/252 Sp.Atk/252 Spe
Draco Meteor
Fire Blast
Hydro Pump
Roost

This is a Classic MixMence, with a twist. fire blast and hydro pump to break steel walls and stone edgers and draco meteor to hit a lot of types hard. roost to gain survivability, and damage from stealth rock if its phazed in by roar, etc. intimidate instead of moxie because i'd rather have the temporary attack drop on opponents than an attack boost because i'm special attacking.

Politoed (F) @Leftovers
Nature: Bold
Ability: Drizzle
EV Spread: 252 HP/252 Def/4 Spe
-Scald
-Protect
-Perish Song
-Toxic

my defensive wall, toxicer, burner, and "setter-upper get-rid-of-er". Scald has a great 30% chance of burning the foe if you didnt already know. perish song to force out pokemon who want to set up, or the only one left on the team. Protect to stall for HP.

Lanturn (M) @Leftovers
Nature: Calm
Ability: Volt Absorb
EV Spread: 40 HP/252 Def/216 Sp.Def
-Scald
-Ice Beam
-Volt Switch
-Heal Bell

Needed an electric replacement for electivire, but i started to make a rain team on accident so i chose lanturn to absorb electric attacks. heal bell to get rid of status ailments. Volt switch to GTFO when i need to. Defensive wall also.

Conclusion:
this turned into a defensive rain team lol.

 

[Episode36]

Hi there. I am unsure how you fake a choice set with that Infernape if the opponent sees the Life Orb recoil. You also might consider replacing one of your fighting moves with a HP Ice, Grass Knot, Stone Edge, or what have you. If you want to bluff a choice set, use Expert Belt or Focus Sash or something.

You also have no support for all the spikes/toxic spikes you hope to lay. Gengar is a poor spin blocker, if he can be considered one at all. Most Starmie will just kill your Gengar on the switch, and if you don't switch, you'll be dead too. Even if your Focus Sash remains intact, Starmie outspeeds and then kills you on that second turn, or relies on a Scald burn, etc. A different Ghost type would do better in that slot, imo. Jellicent, Dusclops, Cofagrigus, whichever you want.

The rest of your team looks fine apart from what has been said above. Electivire is a sub-par Pokemon overall, but he can be effective. Salamence and Snorlax look good.

 

[Relados]

Electivire is a very weak option for OU. You'd be better off using many other physical attackers, like Haxorus or Scizor. Scizor gives more damage with better bulk, while Haxorus gives far greater damage and speed.

 

[khodg35]

"I am unsure how you fake a choice set with that Infernape if the opponent sees the Life Orb recoil."

If i lead and u-turn, i dont think it shows life orb recoil, does it? and i just use gengar as a gimmick. has worked well at taking down two pokemon.

 

[Relados]

"I am unsure how you fake a choice set with that Infernape if the opponent sees the Life Orb recoil."

If i lead and u-turn, i dont think it shows life orb recoil, does it? and i just use gengar as a gimmick. has worked well at taking down two pokemon.

U-Turn still gives Life Orb recoil when you hit your opponent. If you want to fake a choice set, you should use Expert Belt.

 

[khodg35]

sounds like a plan. im about to do changes. politoed for snorlax: weather war, fire moves weakened for forretress? good electric switch for electivire?

 

[Relados]

There aren't many physical Electric types if that's what you're looking for - Electivire is the best one but that certainly isn't saying much. If you don't mind having a special pokemon in place of it, there's Magnezone, Rotom-W, or Thundurus-T.

Politoed is a strange option with Infernape on the team - it essentially makes Overheat useless when your weather is up, and none of your pokemon effectively use rain. For a defensive pokemon, Skarmory, Ferrothorn, Blissey, or Chansey could be used instead.