Yes, Blaziken Matters

Swampizard

Here's my Ubers team. I've been running this for quite a while, and quit the metagame for a few months, then came back and now I see variants of it everywhere. Give me your suggestions please. (Btw, i can't find a way to post pictures on here, so if anyone could help me out that, thanks.)

Groudon @ Leftovers
Trait: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
- Thunder Wave

Groudon serves plays a great role in my team not only as sun set-up, but he also works great to absorb physical attacks and dish out considerable damage without attack EV's. Plus he has stealth rock, making him into an even better lead.

Occaisonally I'll use him as a phaser, but the Thunder Wave is a great parting gift when Groudon’s on his last leg and someone thinks they’ll set up against him with a flying or levitate (i.e. Rayquaza)

Lastly he plays the vitally important role of stopping physical sweepers’ mid-sweep in their tracks, particularly Dialga and Blaziken.

Palkia @ Chesto Berry
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Rest

Kyogre.

Palkia adds to the mix the still potent and ever deadly Bolt-Beam combo, which is much more useful in Ubers due to the bulky Waters (Kyogre, Kyogre, and Kyogre), Grass (Arceus and Ferrothorn [though neutral]), Flyings (Lugia, Ho-oh, Skarmory, and the occasional Shaymin) and Dragons (the entire Uber tier).

It also helps a little agains Kyogre

Forretress (M) @ Normal Gem
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Explosion
- Sleep Talk

My lead whenever Groudon is not. Usually I only waste the normal gem on rapid spin when the hazards are getting out of control. So not very often in present day Ubers.

The sole reason for him having sleep talk is, you guessed it, Darkrai. Even a non-boosted explosion with the normal gem already used on a rapid spin it does 180.4% - 212.5% hp damage to Darkrai. More than enough to fix the Dark Void problem Darkrai presents.

Also is a sacrifice against the likes of a boosted Rayquaza or Mewtwo.

Arceus-Ghost @ Spooky Plate
Trait: Multitype
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Judgment
- Will-O-Wisp
- Focus Blast
- Recover

I honestly cannot find what it is about Arceus that makes this set good. I’ve tried replacing him with several walls, like both Giratinas, and there is nothing I can find to do the trick.

He does well against Mewtwo and Lugia particularly, but mainly is just a spin blocker.

Also has the ability to switch into a normal Arceus extremespeed, burn, and then launch focus blast until it lands.

Reshiram @ Life Orb
Trait: Turboblaze
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Fusion Flare
- Dragon Pulse
- SolarBeam
- Substitute

Reshiram is the backup sweeper, should anything happen to my main sweeper. Or should I run into a physical wall that Palkia cannot handle, Reshiram swoops on in with its dual-neutral-stab-to-every-poke-on-the-planet and makes short work of them.

Also provides real nastiness with solarbeam, as it OHKO’s the majority of pokes that think they can switch in on him. However, I try not to use the substitute sweep method until any Kyogre is gone. Because then solarbeam sucks ass.

Blaziken (M) @ Wide Lens
Trait: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Protect
- Hi Jump Kick
- Swords Dance
- Flare Blitz

My dominant sweeper. Wide lens brings Hi Jump Kick’s accuracy to pin-point 99% (which I’ve only had fail me once.) A dual stab Flare Blitz OHKO’s all those that don’t resist, and with a swords dance under its belt, even most that do.

While switching in Blaziken is tough, it becomes much easier with a sacrifice explosion from Forretress or the parting gift thunder wave Groudon. Put a protect in, a sword’s dance on good prediction, and you have yourself the most fearsome sweeper in the entire metagame. Litterally. He 2HKO’s a Kyogre with full Defense and HP Ev’s in the rain with Hi Jump Kick. So unless I find one of those, I’m set.

However, he does a problem with Darkrai. If I would switch him to darkrai it takes 255 EV's with the protect speed boost bonus to outspeed a fully speed EV Darkrai. And I don't want to think about the choice scarf variant....
 
I dont mean to be rude but there is alot wrong with this team. It shows that you lack sufficient knowledge about the uber metagame. I am not here to tell you what is wrong but I would like to go look up the sets onsite and make your corrections.
 
Where to begin? Sleep talk selects rapid spin and you just wasted your normal gem for nothing. "Also provides real nastiness with solarbeam, as it OHKO’s the majority of pokes that think they can switch in on him" - I really dont understand this at all. Blaziken (M) @ Wide LensTrait: Speed BoostEVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpdAdamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)What is this? Correction - Jolly nature, Life orb and max speed? If you reject this i cant help you. I am not going to explain anymore. "Because this team has pretty good success" - Yeah so since this has success there is no need to explain right?
 
No need to be nasty, adamant is very viable on blaziken, of course the item should be changed to AIR BALOON as it gives him a chance of a free switch in. The other sets are pretty good bar forretress so go onto the strtegydex for a decent set
Good luck
 
Not too bad a team here, but could do with a few adjustments here and there.
As The QWAZ said above, Blaziken should be given Air Balloon for the chance of a free switch. Is there a specific reason for the max HP Evs? If not I would recommend 4hp/252atk/252spd instead.

Despite Blaziken's speed boost, you should probably invest in a choice scarfed pokemon to assist in revenge killing. Maybe changing your Palkia to this will help:

Palkia @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Spacial Rend
- Surf
- Thunder
- Fire Blast

This allows you to revenge kill efficiently without having to protect on Blaziken, which often can give them an easy chance to switch to a counter or set up further. The move set is the standard for scarfed Palkia, it hits Kyogre hard with thunder and dents holes with its other moves.

As the issue with Forretress has been covered I do not feel a need to cover it. Again, like The QWAZ stated, just go check out the strategy dex and that'll guide you well.

Onto Reshiram. I have not tried a Reshiram set like that, nor have I ever encountered one - but this doesn't mean it's bad! However, I would change Fusion Flare to Blue Flare just for that extra power. Not much can take a Blue Flare in the sun coming from a Life Orb'd Reshiram, that much I do know. As was stated before hand Solarbeam isn't doing much for Reshiram, as all it hits harder than Blue Flare or Dragon Pulse would is Kyogre. That presents the problem of the three turn charge of course. So how about along side Blue Flare you use flamethrower just for the reliability as it is only just weaker than fusion flare, but still has that all cherished 100% accuracy?

Anyway, I hope my rate has been helpful. This team has potential as of now, but just needs a little help along the way I think. Good luck with it all!
 
I cant believe you people. Solarbeam hits kyogre harder?
The scenario: 1) Kyogre switches in to reshiram and takes away the sun. Solarbeam need a charge turn and hits for only 60 BP while during this time it can just drown reshiram with Water Spout.
2) You expect kyogre to switch in and click solarbeam. As kyogre switches in the sun in taken away and reshiram is forced to charge that turn and it be unable to do anything to avoid water spout as it is locked into solarbeam.
Blaziken with air balloon? This isnt OU okay? Blaziken needs a jolly nature so that it can outspeed and revenge mewtwo reliably at +1. Scenario: Mewtwo kills something. Send in blaziken and use protect to gain a speed boost. Blaziken KOs mewtwo 100% of the time with sun-boosted flare blitz. The reason life orb is used is because blaziken has pathetic defences. It is meant to be used as a wall breaker. Without life orb it no longer kos groudon and lugia at +2.

Now for reshiram. 4 spd and timid nature? Okay. Substitue + Life orb? Fantastic! Solarbeam and Fusion flare? It couldnt get any better
 
Reshiram does not need solarbeam as it attains perfect coverage with its STAB moves and solarbeam just puts him at risk from a kyogre switch in.
 
Air Balloon is very viable, especially as he is using Blaziken as a cleaner. Blaziken with AB comes in on the ever so common earthquake and proceeds to set up late game. If the opponent's weakened Blaziken will do work, he just need to play it well. Though as said Life orb is just as good, depends on how the Blaziken is played really. I suggest that you test both life orb and air balloon Blaziken, Swampizard.
 
As a said already this isnt OU. Blaziken loses many kos without life orb. Earthquake is not common. And btw in ubers the mons dont blindly use earthquake. Arceus sets up, Garchomp uses sub/swords dance and groudon does not earthquake unless it expects kyogre to switch in directly.

252Atk Blaze Blaziken (Neutral) Flare Blitz in Sun vs 4HP/0Def Leftovers Mewtwo (Neutral): 85% - 101% (304 - 358 HP). Guaranteed 2HKO. 7% chance to OHKO.

As you can see without life orb it can no longer OHKO mewtwo. Let me show you why life orb is needed.
252Atk Life Orb +2 Blaze Blaziken (Neutral) Flare Blitz in Sun vs 252HP/252Def Leftovers Groudon (+Def): 101% - 119% (409 - 483 HP). Guaranteed OHKO.
252Atk Life Orb +2 Blaze Blaziken (Neutral) Flare Blitz in Sun vs 252HP/176Def Leftovers Lugia (+Def): 109% - 129% (456 - 537 HP). Guaranteed OHKO.
252Atk Life Orb +2 Blaze Blaziken (Neutral) Hi Jump Kick vs 4HP/0Def Leftovers Air Lock Rayquaza (Neutral): 80% - 95% (284 - 335 HP). Guaranteed 2HKO.(OHKO after stealth rock)
252Atk Life Orb Blaze Blaziken (Neutral) Hi Jump Kick vs 4HP/0Def Leftovers Palkia (Neutral): 81% - 95% (261 - 307 HP). Guaranteed 2HKO. (OHKO after two stealth rock switch ins)
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One thing i forgot to mention is that groudon carries dragon tail, garchomp carries outrage and ground arceus does a ton with +2 stone edge.
 
Yes but with adamant the boost from life orb isnt needed, and if blaziken is at full health when it does those hits it loses 44% health in recoil meaning it is hugely vunerable to any priority.
 
Blaziken with LO will not do many kos due to recoil, IMO earthquake it's not all this common in ubers, and pokemon that carry EQ usually can hit hard blazikne with other moves such as terrakion, groudon and co. combined with a jolly nature i would use LO, while with an adamant nature leftovers or air balloon, or else a chilan berry if you are scared by an extremekiller arceus. If you have stealth rock and toxic spikes LO with a jolly nature is good, the same for an adamant nature with lefties/air balloon
 
The QWAZ said:
Yes but with adamant the boost from life orb isnt needed, and if blaziken is at full health when it does those hits it loses 44% health in recoil meaning it is hugely vunerable to any priority.
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Blaziken is a wallbreaker. Its defences are pathetic so it cant take a hit. BTW i already stated why jolly is preferred and why adamant is unneeded. The boost from life orb isnt needed? Check your calculations. Using life orb is the difference between OHKO Groudon or facing an earthquake from it as you fail to OHKO. Enough of this. If you want to argue about blaziken then i suggest you go build an uber team and use it successfully. I play ubers and use blaziken extensively with dual screens and wobbuffet support. It is not a pokemon which you just throw onto any team. Reshiram is a good partner as it takes down pokes which blaziken has trouble with eg- giratina-A/O and kyogre. About not getting too many kos, from my experience if it is allowed to set up and there is no Kyogre/Giratina-A/O, it kills about three pokes and then dies from recoil. Thats half a team!
http://www.smogon.com/bw/pokemon/blaziken - please read.
 
Gonna throw in my two cents here. I'm not an Ubers player but I used Blaziken extensively back when it was in OU, and even there it can't take a hit from much of anything and needs a Life Orb to get through many of the popular walls. In Ubers, where pretty much everything hits hard and the walls are even wallier? I have no idea why you would go for anything other than maximum damage output. Wanting to minimize recoil to reduce vulnerability to priority is one thing, but giving it max HP in exchange for being outsped by a bunch of stuff at +1 is kinda dumb.
 
I'm sorry, but I don't think Blaziken is viable on this team, there is almost no amount of support available. There are much stronger choices available. Lugia walls you completely and one shots you with any one of it's attacks. And that's just listing one commonly used wall.
 
Ravix said:
I'm sorry, but I don't think Blaziken is viable on this team, there is almost no amount of support available. There are much stronger choices available. Lugia walls you completely and one shots you with any one of it's attacks. And that's just listing one commonly used wall.
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Well you cant expect much from someone new to uber(new to competitive play?). Its incorrect to say that lugia wall him.
252Atk Life Orb +2 Blaze Blaziken (Neutral) Flare Blitz in Sun vs 252HP/176Def Leftovers Lugia (+Def): 109% - 129% (456 - 537 HP). Guaranteed OHKO.
BTW if you read the posts above then you will know what i am talking about.
 
Your Palkia set just makes me cringe at how bad it is. Seriously anything you have to use ice beam on takes more damage from spacial rend and fire blast respectavely
 
Sleep Talk on Forretress is specifically for Darkrai. Dark Void just always screws me over. Blaziken has wide lens to make Hi Jump Kick have 99% accuracy. Its only missed twice, ever. He doesn't need to switch into ground moves, for I generally switch in Groudon to withstand those and bring in blaziken to wreak havoc after Groudon faints. The boost from life orb is redundant, because I get that from a swords dance. Max HP is neccessary due to flare blitz's unfortunate recoil. With a protect for the first turn and then the third, Blaziken outspeeds the entire tier except Deoxys-S with a Choice Scarf, if thats ever a problem. Also, the Ice beam was on Palkia mostly for flying and grass type switch ins, but Spacial rend has been doing a much better job. I leave thunderwave on here to specifically cripple kyogre.
 
Swampizard said:
Blaziken has wide lens to make Hi Jump Kick have 99% accuracy. Its only missed twice, ever.
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Personally, I'd much rather miss 10% of the time than be walled by things 100% of the time.
The boost from life orb is redundant, because I get that from a swords dance.
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I think you need to double-check your math here. 2*1.3>2*1
Max HP is neccessary due to flare blitz's unfortunate recoil. With a protect for the first turn and then the third, Blaziken outspeeds the entire tier except Deoxys-S with a Choice Scarf, if thats ever a problem.
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What happens when they kill you on the second turn? With no EVs, pretty much anything in the tier that invests in speed still outspeeds at +1, and even at +2 most scarfed mons beat you. You really can't afford to not get the first hit in, and it's better to die after a couple turns of recoil than die before you get to attack even once.
 
Swampizard said:
Sleep Talk on Forretress is specifically for Darkrai. Dark Void just always screws me over. Blaziken has wide lens to make Hi Jump Kick have 99% accuracy. Its only missed twice, ever. He doesn't need to switch into ground moves, for I generally switch in Groudon to withstand those and bring in blaziken to wreak havoc after Groudon faints. The boost from life orb is redundant, because I get that from a swords dance. Max HP is neccessary due to flare blitz's unfortunate recoil. With a protect for the first turn and then the third, Blaziken outspeeds the entire tier except Deoxys-S with a Choice Scarf, if thats ever a problem. Also, the Ice beam was on Palkia mostly for flying and grass type switch ins, but Spacial rend has been doing a much better job. I leave thunderwave on here to specifically cripple kyogre.
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There are just some people who never learn even after so many posts. I will not argue anymore. Do what you want if you dont want to address our opinions then dont. Feel free to do what you want.
 
voodoo pimp said:
Personally, I'd much rather miss 10% of the time than be walled by things 100% of the time.
I think you need to double-check your math here. 2*1.3>2*1
What happens when they kill you on the second turn? With no EVs, pretty much anything in the tier that invests in speed still outspeeds at +1, and even at +2 most scarfed mons beat you. You really can't afford to not get the first hit in, and it's better to die after a couple turns of recoil than die before you get to attack even once.
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Well said. Even though i have mentioned the same thing already, it has become apparent to me that some people do not understand logic such as the maker of this team. I think this team has the potential to beat charizards on the ladder but that all it will ever do.
 
Sorry but countering darkrai with forretress? Umm yea it uses dark void now you sleep talk and have a 33% chance of explosion..k.. And if the team doesn't have darkrai now your left with a stupid set. What are you trying to achieve with wide lens on Blaziken. Yea hjk may be near perfect accurate but if you throw a life orb it hits like a truck and helps flare blitz
 
So many things need to be fixed with this team. I'll start with Forretress first. 252HP/252SpD rest in Def. Rapid Spin, TSpikes, SR/Spikes, Volt Switch / Gyro Ball / Protect / Pain Split.

For Palkia, you'll want 252SpA and 252 Spe with a Timid Nature. Don't use Rest on Palkia. Ever. Unless it's a Rest Talk set. Surf, Spacial Rend, Thunder Fire Blast with a Choice Scarf. If Thunder's inaccuracy conerns you, all I have to say is you're using Focus Blast on Ghostceus, you argument is invalid.

On Reshiram, drop Solar Beam for Focus Blast; you could also drop Subsitute for Flame Charge and make an even bigger pain in the ass.

Drop Wide Lens for Life Orb, or Air Balloon, on Blaziken. I can't believe someone actually thinks that's viable in Ubers when power is literally everything. Also, considering Giratina formes are the best Blaziken counters and they're Ghost-types, you'll be missing HJK a lot. I also agree that Adamant is an extremely viable nature for Blaziken, so don't worry about changing if you don't want to.

Groudon really wants Stone Edge, or Fire Punch. Drop Roar or TWave for it. If you really want to pHaze, use Roar or Perish song on Ghostceus over Focus Blast.
 
Come on, give the guy a break. :(
Your team really does need alot of work, and the suggestions others have made seem adequate enough. If you find yourself struggling, or you just need help learning the tier, Smogon's tutoring program battling 101, is a great place to go for help.
For real though guys, Constructive criticism, thats what were here to give.
 
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