Now that my other team is dead (I'm starting to think it was a bit of a lost cause any way), I would like to pose a new team for review. This team started out as upgrading a team for someone who was just starting out, but it turned out much better than I expected. The main weakness I am aware of is its lack of priority, but there may be other issues considering I haven't really battled much in UU.
I started out with a modified Stall core. Since the one I was basing it off was OU, I found UU pokemon with similar roles and ended up with a Grass/Fire/Water trio.
I then brought in the main functional pokemon on his team. Aggron brought many needed resistances and greatly helped offensive type coverage as well. I modified the original Belly Drum set on smeargle for a SmashPass set making it more helpful and easier to use
SmashPass aside, the team still had mediocre speed so I brought in a revenge killer that also carried a ground immunity, the one type left unresisted by the rest of the team. This also made it so no ones type was super effective against more than two pokemon on the team
Updates:
Heracross was substituted for Aggron and Smeargle was identified as next for a switch
- Crobat's set updated
- Considering Empoleon (among others) for Smeargle
---
(removed from consideration)
Now for the actual sets:
Empoleon @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Protect
Crobat @ Black Sludge
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 176 HP / 192 Atk / 4 SDef / 136 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Roost
(old EVs)
This is my primary Revenge killer. I previously ran Cross Poison in place of protect, but that would leave me wide open to Prankster Riolu. Protect also helps net a little extra recovery from my Black Sludge when Roost is disadvantageous. I am not yet aware if there are many (if any) pokemon capable of running a viable Mach Punch set, but this will definitely help if such the need arises. Super Fang lets me severely weaken most physical and special walls that would otherwise be insurmountable to one of my other pokemon with a type advantage and Brave Bird/Roost gives an excellent stab and the recovery to pull it off multiple times.
Slowbro @ Leftovers
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 216 HP / 252 Def / 40 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower
- Slack Off
One of the biggest threats I am immediately aware of for most of this team are priority users. As far as I have found, this consists primarily of Aqua Jet users. Defensive Slowbro here can tank most of these hits no problem then hit back for decent damage with scald due to low defenses on most of these threats. Consider the following calculations:
252 Atk Life Orb Sharpedo Waterfall vs 216 HP/252 Def Slowbro (+Def) : 14.29% - 16.88%
9-12 hits to KO (with Leftovers)
252 Atk Choice Band Azumarill (+Atk) Aqua Jet vs 216 HP/252 Def Slowbro (+Def) : 5.45% - 6.23%
Cannot KO (with Leftovers)
252 Atk Life Orb Feraligatr Aqua Jet vs 216 HP/252 Def Slowbro (+Def) : 6.49% - 7.79%
72 hits to KO at best (with Leftovers)
This would also be my go-to answer to situations where a fire move is a possible answer (on the foe's side), but not guaranteed. For sure cases, I'd use Chandelure to grab some extra power.
Chandelure @ Life Orb
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Pain Split
This is the primary special attacker on the team and the main answer to Heracross. It will mainly be used to take any and all guaranteed fire moves as well as Fighting sweepers in their tracks. In emergencies, it may be used as a revenge killer against the notorious physically defensive water type walls like Swampert and Gastrodon through use of Energy Ball, though I run the risk of losing to the rarer special wall variants. It is also my #1 answer to the ever-annoying Explosion Azelf. This would also help snuf the momentum opponents would try to build with a Fake Out/U-turn set as I could seriously wound the normal water or ground type counters they'd switch to by using Energy Ball followed by sending in the appropriate counter myself.
Roserade @ Black Sludge
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 240 SDef / 16 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
This may actually end up as my lead if not replaced. It's nice for setting up and resists moves by many leads I've seen. With Natural Cure it can absorb Spore and other status from opposing leads, like Smeargle, possibly giving me the chance to switch in a proper counter while the foe gets mildly complacent and tries to set up. It's also here to nerf Leech Seed, as well as take grass and electric attacks for the team. It's also the main response to Quagsire who would try to ruin Heracross' Moxie sweep.
Heracross (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
This will be the new second physical sweeper to the team. With Moxie, I can often pull a decent sweep although it's typing does create a triple fire weakness on the team, a tough predicament should Chandelure should fall. As TPO3 pointed ot further down, this set outspeeds practically everything as long as the foe doesn't have a choice scarf as well. Megahorn will most likely be the most used move since it is the most accurate move without that can't be nerfed by an immunity.
---
For reference only
I started out with a modified Stall core. Since the one I was basing it off was OU, I found UU pokemon with similar roles and ended up with a Grass/Fire/Water trio.
I then brought in the main functional pokemon on his team. Aggron brought many needed resistances and greatly helped offensive type coverage as well. I modified the original Belly Drum set on smeargle for a SmashPass set making it more helpful and easier to use
SmashPass aside, the team still had mediocre speed so I brought in a revenge killer that also carried a ground immunity, the one type left unresisted by the rest of the team. This also made it so no ones type was super effective against more than two pokemon on the team
Updates:
Heracross was substituted for Aggron and Smeargle was identified as next for a switch
- Crobat's set updated
- Considering Empoleon (among others) for Smeargle
---
(removed from consideration)
Now for the actual sets:
Empoleon @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Protect
As recomended, this set has worked very well. I have encountered a surprising number of Zapdos in PO battles where I tested it, but fortunately none of them ran fling mives, so I could wall them with Roserade.TPO3 said:I don't like Smeargle. With Team Preview, everybody is going to see it coming. If you want a Baton Pass lead, I would use Venomoth, but your team does not have any members that use the move Stealth Rock. Stealth Rock is the most important move you can have on a team. It weakens the Fire-types in the tier (opposing Chandelure, Darmanitan, and Victini) as well as the Flying-types (Zapdos, opposing Crobat, and Togekiss.) Your team is also a bit weak to Kingdra, so I would suggest using Empoleon. Empoleon resists both Water and Dragon-type moves, and walls Kingdra to no end, especially the Specially attacking ones.
Crobat @ Black Sludge
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 176 HP / 192 Atk / 4 SDef / 136 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Roost
(old EVs)
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
This is my primary Revenge killer. I previously ran Cross Poison in place of protect, but that would leave me wide open to Prankster Riolu. Protect also helps net a little extra recovery from my Black Sludge when Roost is disadvantageous. I am not yet aware if there are many (if any) pokemon capable of running a viable Mach Punch set, but this will definitely help if such the need arises. Super Fang lets me severely weaken most physical and special walls that would otherwise be insurmountable to one of my other pokemon with a type advantage and Brave Bird/Roost gives an excellent stab and the recovery to pull it off multiple times.
Slowbro @ Leftovers
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 216 HP / 252 Def / 40 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower
- Slack Off
One of the biggest threats I am immediately aware of for most of this team are priority users. As far as I have found, this consists primarily of Aqua Jet users. Defensive Slowbro here can tank most of these hits no problem then hit back for decent damage with scald due to low defenses on most of these threats. Consider the following calculations:
252 Atk Life Orb Sharpedo Waterfall vs 216 HP/252 Def Slowbro (+Def) : 14.29% - 16.88%
9-12 hits to KO (with Leftovers)
252 Atk Choice Band Azumarill (+Atk) Aqua Jet vs 216 HP/252 Def Slowbro (+Def) : 5.45% - 6.23%
Cannot KO (with Leftovers)
252 Atk Life Orb Feraligatr Aqua Jet vs 216 HP/252 Def Slowbro (+Def) : 6.49% - 7.79%
72 hits to KO at best (with Leftovers)
This would also be my go-to answer to situations where a fire move is a possible answer (on the foe's side), but not guaranteed. For sure cases, I'd use Chandelure to grab some extra power.
Chandelure @ Life Orb
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Pain Split
This is the primary special attacker on the team and the main answer to Heracross. It will mainly be used to take any and all guaranteed fire moves as well as Fighting sweepers in their tracks. In emergencies, it may be used as a revenge killer against the notorious physically defensive water type walls like Swampert and Gastrodon through use of Energy Ball, though I run the risk of losing to the rarer special wall variants. It is also my #1 answer to the ever-annoying Explosion Azelf. This would also help snuf the momentum opponents would try to build with a Fake Out/U-turn set as I could seriously wound the normal water or ground type counters they'd switch to by using Energy Ball followed by sending in the appropriate counter myself.
Roserade @ Black Sludge
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 240 SDef / 16 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
This may actually end up as my lead if not replaced. It's nice for setting up and resists moves by many leads I've seen. With Natural Cure it can absorb Spore and other status from opposing leads, like Smeargle, possibly giving me the chance to switch in a proper counter while the foe gets mildly complacent and tries to set up. It's also here to nerf Leech Seed, as well as take grass and electric attacks for the team. It's also the main response to Quagsire who would try to ruin Heracross' Moxie sweep.
Heracross (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
This will be the new second physical sweeper to the team. With Moxie, I can often pull a decent sweep although it's typing does create a triple fire weakness on the team, a tough predicament should Chandelure should fall. As TPO3 pointed ot further down, this set outspeeds practically everything as long as the foe doesn't have a choice scarf as well. Megahorn will most likely be the most used move since it is the most accurate move without that can't be nerfed by an immunity.
---
For reference only
The alternates or removed form team: These were from an alternate core I came up with in light if the lack pf Priority moves on the normal team or were initially listed on the team. I am simply leaving them here for reference.
Feraligatr (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 160 HP / 240 Atk / 108 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Aqua Jet
- Return
- Waterfall
Using a modified GATRTIME set, I hoped to make a hard-hitting water type with decent physical defense in place of Slowbro. I chose Aqua Jet to deal with Riolu and while it only deals 21-25% damage on 252 HP/252 Def Eviolite Riolu, it will still break the Copycat/Roar combo long enough that I could weaken (and possibly flinch) it with Waterfall (which does around 50% damage, allowing me to KO the next round Feraligatr was dragged out). This set would also become the fire type counter in lieu of Flash Fire, as you will see later.
Shaymin @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Seed Flare
- Leech Seed
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Protect
This was in place of Roserade. I lose the ability to absorb Toxic Spikes and nerf Toxic, but I gain a much more powerful special attacker with a chance of lowering the foe's SDef. I can also better deal with the dragons that hang around UU thanks to HP Ice and Protect/Leech Seed allows me some stalling ability (as well as some recovery for allies that can better wall the foe).
Aggron @ Choice Band
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Head Smash
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Aqua Tail
The main physical sweeper of the team. when passed a shell smash (and possibly a substitute) it becoms nigh unstopable. Headsmash can 2-hit most foes that don't resist it and as one of the heaviest mons in UU, Heavy Slam does respectable damage to a good deal of the metagame. This gave me serious trouble when it was used against some of my better designed OU teams (before I agreed to help round out this team). Even unboosted this thing hits like a train. Head Smash does 61-72% on defensive Slowbro plus, with the speed advantage, it guarantees the 2HKO if on a switch in. it's vast resistances also help it keep going in spite of heavy opposition. Mach Punch would be it's mortal weakness if it is used at all in UU, but again I am not aware that it is.
Feraligatr (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 160 HP / 240 Atk / 108 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Aqua Jet
- Return
- Waterfall
Using a modified GATRTIME set, I hoped to make a hard-hitting water type with decent physical defense in place of Slowbro. I chose Aqua Jet to deal with Riolu and while it only deals 21-25% damage on 252 HP/252 Def Eviolite Riolu, it will still break the Copycat/Roar combo long enough that I could weaken (and possibly flinch) it with Waterfall (which does around 50% damage, allowing me to KO the next round Feraligatr was dragged out). This set would also become the fire type counter in lieu of Flash Fire, as you will see later.
Shaymin @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Seed Flare
- Leech Seed
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Protect
This was in place of Roserade. I lose the ability to absorb Toxic Spikes and nerf Toxic, but I gain a much more powerful special attacker with a chance of lowering the foe's SDef. I can also better deal with the dragons that hang around UU thanks to HP Ice and Protect/Leech Seed allows me some stalling ability (as well as some recovery for allies that can better wall the foe).
Aggron @ Choice Band
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Head Smash
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Aqua Tail
The main physical sweeper of the team. when passed a shell smash (and possibly a substitute) it becoms nigh unstopable. Headsmash can 2-hit most foes that don't resist it and as one of the heaviest mons in UU, Heavy Slam does respectable damage to a good deal of the metagame. This gave me serious trouble when it was used against some of my better designed OU teams (before I agreed to help round out this team). Even unboosted this thing hits like a train. Head Smash does 61-72% on defensive Slowbro plus, with the speed advantage, it guarantees the 2HKO if on a switch in. it's vast resistances also help it keep going in spite of heavy opposition. Mach Punch would be it's mortal weakness if it is used at all in UU, but again I am not aware that it is.