I wanted to try out a couple Pokemon I have never used in Ubers before. Salamence I’ve always considered beneath Rayquaza, but with the right moveset, it can fair better in certain situations. I tried to focus on the strengths of it to make it actually be a better lead than Rayquaza. The other Pokemon I wanted to try out is Ho-Oh. I decided if I want to be the true Ubers master, I would have to learn how to incorporate them into a team. This presented a challenge because Salamence and Ho-Oh both are weak to Stealth Rock. They also are predominantly physical attackers meaning I would have to find something to cover physical walls.
Salamence (M) @Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP/42 Atk/216 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Roost
Salamence is usually outclassed by Rayquaza in Ubers. Rayquaza has a higher base stat total and has access to Extreme Speed, normally making it favorable. I wanted an antilead that is not expected. I wanted it to be able to set up while they set up entry hazards then I blast them and get rid of their hazards. Salamence has access to Roost; this is why I chose Salamence over Rayquaza. Intimidate can also prove to be helpful on occasion. People see a Salamence lead and think I will immediately use Draco Meteor or Outrage. By using a Dragon Dance first turn instead, it gets increased power and outpaces all Pokemon that are less than 100 base speed. Dragon Claw is a lot weaker in power than Outrage; however, it is really needed for the set. It allows me to change moves so I don’t lose in situations I normally would. Earthquake grants the best coverage that is a physical move that still has power. Fire Fang is too weak to be of use. Roost is great with its decent HP and is complimented by its ability. It also gets rid of the weakness to Stone Edge which allows me to outlast it as long as the opponent doesn’t get a critical hit. The EVs may seem random; however, there was an actual method to it. Base 100 Speed leads aren’t really seen. Leads are either faster than that or slower. It has just enough Speed to outpace a maximum Rayquaza. The fact of Salamence being faster than Rayquaza can often scare Rayquaza away. They will switch to something else to take the hit, only to find out I used a Dragon Dance. If it’s someone I played before and they know I do that, I may attack instead or choose to switch. 252 HP gives me lots of HP to compliment Roost and Intimidate. 42 EVs happened to be leftover so I invested them into attack to deal a little more damage. Salamence is very reliable for me as a lead.
How it handles other leads:
Deoxys-E and Deoxys D: First I set up a Dragon Dance on turn 1. The next turn I do Dragon Claw to see how they react. If they continue to use entry hazards I will go back Dragon Dance and see how high I can go safely.
Deoxys-F: If I already know they can’t threaten me, I will stay in a Dragon Dance then start to sweep, healing when necessary. If I am not sure, switching to Ho-Oh or Forretress is one of my favorite things to do against them.
Groudon: Sometimes I stay in and Dragon Dance, sometimes I will switch out after getting hit with Thunder Wave to Latias. Latias can OHKO almost any Groudon without any entry hazards. If I have to, I can send my own Groudon in to weaken them then finish them off with Latias.
Kyogre: Switch to Forretress or Lugia.
Palkia: Almost never used as a lead. If they do lead with it though, switching to Blissey first is my priority as most would use either Draco Meteor or Spacial Rend. If it uses Meteor it is most likely to use Outrage next so switching to Forretress is how I would handle the situation.
Dialga: Switch to Groudon or Forretress depending on if I feel it has Meteor or not.
Skymin: Switch to Lugia for its walling ability. Most of these leads are scarfed and used for disruption. Ho-Oh could deal with them as well or at least for a switch.
Darkrai: Many are scarfed that are used as a lead. Switching to Forretress is my preferred method to face them.
Mewtwo: Switch to Ho-oh
Mew: Dragon Dance first then start to do Dragon Claws repeatedly to try and KO the threat before it does a number on my team.
Rayquaza: Use Dragon Dance usually. Rarely use Dragon Claw.
Scizor: Switch to Ho-Oh.
Giratina both formes: Switch to Forretress.
Heatran: Use Earthquake.
Ninjask: Dragon Dance turn 1, and then repeatedly do Dragon Claw.
Team Options: Salamence plays an important role in crushing other leads. It can perform sweeps against teams that aren’t prepared properly. After Dragon Dance it threatens nearly every dragon except for Dialga who would survive a +1 Earthquake. If it makes it to +3, it is pretty much game over for the opponent. Life Orb is something to consider using instead because then it is able to 1hko scarf Kyogre after +2 with Dragon Claw without any hazards needed.
Forretress (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP/6 Atk/252 SDef
Relaxed nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Spikes
- Payback
- Rapid Spin
- Explosion
Ho-Oh and Groudon are part of my team’s core. They really benefit from having entry hazards present. Forretress can safely get up Spikes. I didn’t want to give it the job of Stealth Rock as well because then I either give up Explosion or Rapid Spin. Rapid Spin is really needed on any team that has Ho-Oh as part of the core. It ensures its safety when it comes in. Not having to Roost right away is very beneficial and keeps up the pressure. Payback is the damaging attack, though I don’t have to use it that often. Too many Pokemon resist Gyro Ball, making payback more viable. Having more PP is also helpful. Explosion is there for when I need it. Even with minimal investment in Attack, it can do large damage on nearly everything in the game that doesn’t resist it. I chose to run a specially defensive set because it makes it easier to get up more layers of Spikes than investing in regular Defense due to what Pokemon are in Ubers.
Team Options: Forretress sets the stage for Ho-Oh to sweep. It gets up entry hazards to make it easier to score Kos and give me less recoil on Brave Bird when I need to use that. It also gets rid of the annoying entry hazards. Most notably Stealth Rock.
Ho-oh @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Roost
- Sacred Fire
- Brave Bird
- Earthquake
Ho-Oh is often underestimated due to its severe weakness to Stealth Rock. It is hard to use, but when used wisely, it can be a devastating force on any team. When the sun is out, Sacred Fire is plain brutal. 225 power on the move with a very dangerous Attack stat and Life Orb to top it off really hits hard. If the opponent survives, they have a 50% chance of getting burned, something many Pokemon can’t afford to have happen to them. This makes it hard for Salamence and Groudon to switch in to it. The fear of burning them can keep them from switching. Brave Bird hits hard in any weather and helps tremendously against Latias and Latios amongst other Pokemon. Earthquake fills in gaps in coverage, helping against Dialga and Heatran. The EVs are very standard and allow it to speed tie Jolly 252 Groudon. Giving up the extra power for Speed is something I had debated on, but going before Groudon is important, especially against Rock Polish variants since they can run sweeps with only Stealth Rock as the entry hazard.
Team Options: Ho-Oh has the potential to sweep teams if a team can support it. By using Groudon as its partner, it helps against the water moves which could otherwise cut its visit short. Groudon also makes Thunder unreliable since its accuracy drops to 50% in the sun. This leaves just a weakness to rock. This is why Groudon works so well; it resists those moves. It can really turn the flow of the battle by getting Kos you wouldn’t expect. It also gets rid of Blissey quite easily. It is one of the few reliable counters to Scizor, Jirachi, and Mewtwo. It can also perform well against Shaymin Sky Forme.
Groudon @ Leftovers
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 HP/6 Def/252 SDef
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Dragon Claw
- Stealth Rock
Groudon is a very useful Pokemon in Ubers. It unleashes the power of the sun to bring out the best in Ho-Oh and other fire and grass types with Chlorophyll. Stealth Rock is something I really wanted on my team. It helps against numerous Pokemon and sometimes gives the strength for attacks to get Kos. Earthquake is a given move on any Groudon; it is the most powerful attack it has and with a base 150 Attack, it comes off hard. Stone Edge gives it unresisted coverage against all Pokemon except for Bronzong. Dragon Claw gives me an edge on numerous dragon Pokemon, though I do have to watch out for Grass Knot. The EVs are a bit unusual in that I don’t focus on raising Attack and Speed like one would normally do on Groudon. This is because I wanted to act more of a wall than actual sweeper. Running a Rock Polish Groudon instead and no Stealth Rock was something I considered, but I felt the team would benefit more from a defensive one. Having a back up Pokemon that can damage Rock Polish Groudon is something that is favorable, since it could easily get off the Rock Polish if it switches in when I have Forretress.
Team Options: Groudon changes the weather to sun, effectively removing Ho-Oh’s weakness of water. It also helps the team by making Thunder inaccurate. It also sets up Stealth Rock for the team. This allows the team to get more Kos. It also can deal with Garchomp, something many Pokemon can’t safely do. It also dents Rock Polish Groudon if it pulls of that move. This shortens its sweep since many Rock Polish Groudon use Life Orb since it is needed for several Kos. It can also Ko Palkia and Dialga fairly safely after they use Draco Meteor. It performs decently against Rayquaza as well, assuming Draco Meteor has already been used or it is paralyzed. By not investing in Speed, it isn’t that crippled from Trick Room.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/6 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Wish
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Beam
- Calm Mind/Toxic
I wanted a Special Defense beast on the team. I wanted Wish support to be available, thus my choice was Blissey. Wishing allows for a few mistakes occasionally when Pokemon switches are made. It also allows me to get out more hazards if I switch back to Forretress. I wanted a move that cripples enemies. I had to choose if I wanted Toxic or Thunder Wave. Both are very helpful against certain Pokemon. I decided Thunder Wave was more important because if I hit something switching in, I could make it an easy target for one of my other Pokemon. The only downside is then it leaves me more vulnerable against Lugia. Paralyzing Lugia helps, but then I have to rely on it to not move to Ko it. Toxic is a safe way to kill it since I can simply switch to Forretress after poisoning it. Ice Beam is a move I chose for dealing damage because it hits Rayquaza and Garchomp for 4x damage. Normally Rayquaza could set up on it; this provides an out against that. Garchomp is forced to use Outrage or Earthquake. I then shift accordingly. Calm Mind is always annoying to the opponent when they are stuck with just special attackers. It is really useful against choice users. It also boosts the damage it dishes out. I’ve considered using Toxic instead of Calm Mind though because the Lugia advantage alone is something the team could really use. It doesn’t have many answers to it assuming the Lugia has either Toxic or Whirlwind. The EVs are physically defensive in order to survive attacks I wouldn’t otherwise live through.
Team Options: Blissey provides Wish Support for the team, giving it more endurance than other teams. It cripples teams with status ailments. It also can take special hits rather easily. This is most helpful against Kyogre and Palkia.
I have now replaced Blissey with Lugia.
Lugia@Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP/96 Spd/166 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
-Toxic
-Whirlwind
-Thunderbolt
-Roost
Lugia is one of the best walls in the game. Incredible HP paired with very nice defenses makes it appealing. I needed something that could take on many hits without fear; this seemed to be the best option. I considered a Calm Mind set because it is able to totally wall scarf Kyogre, but the problem was that it still doesn't help with the Ho-Oh or Lugia situation. Toxic was something I needed so I had a safe way to get rid of Lugia. It also helps against Ho-Oh because then I can continually Roost. Whirlwind is mainly for getting rid of Pokemon that like to boost their stats. It also does some damage spreading which is something my Ho-Oh appreciates. Thunderbolt was the attack I chose because it hits Kyogre, Lugia, and Ho-Oh for double damaage. I had thought about Hidden Power rock though. It would provide a better solution to Ho-Oh and Rayquaza.
Team Options: Lugia has the role of getting rid of Ho-Oh, a hard to eliminate threat for the team. While my own Ho-Oh will outpace theirs, they have to take damage first so I can KO with Brave Bird. It lessens the life of any nonsteel Pokemon with Toxic.
Latias (F) @ Soul Dew
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 94 Def/252 Spd/164 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Grass Knot
- Dragon Pulse
- Recover
Latias is an overlooked Pokemon it seems like. It’s better than Latios in my eyes because typically the extra defenses prove to be more useful than extra power. It can more easily wall Kyogre without investing heavily in Special Defense. Calm Mind coupled with recover allows it to set up on numerous Pokemon. By correctly predicting, it can survive Draco Meteor cycles. Grass Knot is great against both Kyogre and Groudon. My team needed something almost surefire for Groudon so this was the answer. This is also why I chose Grass Knot instead of Thunder. Giratina is the only thing that is a better counter for it; however, I wanted to have immunity to Toxic Spikes and Earthquake without resorting to Platinum Orb on Giratina-O. Having Soul Dew to increase its special stats was also appealing on Latias and one of the reasons I chose it instead. Dragon Pulse hits for at least neutral damage on almost the entire tier. This made it the best choice. I needed maximum Speed so I can speed tie other base 115 Pokemon. 164 Special Attack is key against support Groudon with Spikes to weaken it. Other sets it gets rid of easily. Most Groudon would already have damage on them from entry hazards by the time I bring out Latias.
Team Options: Latias provides the team with a special sweeper. It gets rid of many threats since it outpaces a large number of them. When it sets up Calm Mind it can get rid of Choice Scarf and sometimes Choice Specs users with help from Recover. It gets rid of Kyogre so Groudon and Ho-Oh can go to town on enemy teams.
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The team has been performing very consistently for me. I’ve lost a game from missing Sacred Fire against a Scizor which was certainly annoying being that the accuracy is 95%. I’ve had about 2 or 3 other losses as well, though two were to the same person and before I got the team to this stage. Blissey I am having some second guesses though on if it is the best choice for my team. Giratina, Lugia, and Dialga all have potential for that spot. Lugia would be the most likely replacement if I were to use it instead so I don’t have a large dragon weakness. Between pressure, its large HP, and stellar defenses, it doesn’t let me down often. I’d lose the Wish support, but I’d be better off against Groudon if it did get off Rock Polish. I’d still be fairly safe from Palkia as well since the weather would likely be sun so Thunder wouldn’t be as much of a threat. I like how this team doesn’t require a ton of prediction unlike other teams I have made. Without choice users and having decent recovery I should be able to do even better than before.
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Threat List:
Zero to Low Level:
Mewtwo: Ho-Oh should Ko it without trouble. Lugia may be able to take care of it.
Scizor: Ho-Oh Kos it unless I miss with Sacred Fire. Groudon weakens it.
Wobbuffet: It’s more of an annoyance than an actual threat.
Tyranitar: Groudon KOs all variations. If its weakened, I could take it out with Ho-Oh or Salamence assuming it isn’t choice locked into Stone Edge.
Kyogre: Latias and Ho-Oh after it is paralyzed KO it.
Groudon: Latias KOs it. Ho-Oh threatens to burn it. Groudon weakens.
Rayquaza: Lugia can use Toxic. My Dragon Pokemon destroy it.
Salamence: Ho-Oh will KO it. Groudon could also take care of it.
Metagross: Groudon and Ho-Oh KO it.
Heatran: Groudon, Salamence, and Ho-Oh KO it.
Lucario: Salamence, Ho-Oh, and Groudon KO it.
Blissey: Ho-Oh and Groudon KO it.
Shaymin-S: Ho-Oh will KO it. Lugia walls it and does Toxic when it can.
Manaphy: When it isn’t raining, Ho-Oh can KO it. Latias sets up then will KO it.
Giratina and Giratina-O: Latias will KO them after they are weakened. Groudon could inflict large damage on it. Lugia poisons it.
Palkia: Latias will KO it. Groudon should be able to KO it as long as it isn’t raining.
Ludicolo: When it isn’t raining, Ho-Oh will KO it. Latias can set up on it.
Kingdra: Latias will KO it when it isn’t raining or hasn’t used Dragon Dance. Groudon changes the weather then handles it. Lugia can safely use Toxic or Whirlwind it if needed.
Forretress: Ho-Oh destroys it.
Infernape: Groudon could KO it if needed, but Ho-Oh is the best option.
Garchomp: Groudon will KO it. Latias will KO it only if it isn’t scarfed and locked into Outrage.
Latias: Groudon KOs it when it is paralyzed. Ho-Oh destroys it with Brave Bird.
Latios: See Latias.
Medium Level:
Mew: If it pulls off the Baton Pass, I could be in trouble without a phaser. I have to rely on good prediction on what comes out; something I don’t like to do. I could use Forretress and Explosion to take it out.
Skarmory: Ho-Oh uses Sacred Fire to KO it. Lugia forces it out.
Darkrai: Once I let something get put to sleep, Ho-Oh could KO it. Forretress could explode if I really needed to.
Kabutops: Latias could KO it. Groudon changes the weather to sun then it can easily be KO’d.
Deoxys and Deoxys-F: Ho-Oh will KO them. Forretress will KO them if they don’t have HP Fire.
Lugia: If it doesn’t have Toxic eventually Latias can get rid of it so it can’t Whirlwind me out. Forretress can only wall it and has to damage it a fair bit before Explosion could KO it. Lugia can poison it.
Ho-Oh: Pray Groudon doesn’t get burned and do Stone Edge and hope to hit. If I got off a Dragon Dance or 2 with Salamence I can greatly damage it with Dragon Claw. Lugia poisons it.
High Level:
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Hax now seems to be my main enemy. I am not struggling as much with any particular Pokemon after changing the Blissey to Lugia.
Salamence (M) @Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP/42 Atk/216 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Roost
Salamence is usually outclassed by Rayquaza in Ubers. Rayquaza has a higher base stat total and has access to Extreme Speed, normally making it favorable. I wanted an antilead that is not expected. I wanted it to be able to set up while they set up entry hazards then I blast them and get rid of their hazards. Salamence has access to Roost; this is why I chose Salamence over Rayquaza. Intimidate can also prove to be helpful on occasion. People see a Salamence lead and think I will immediately use Draco Meteor or Outrage. By using a Dragon Dance first turn instead, it gets increased power and outpaces all Pokemon that are less than 100 base speed. Dragon Claw is a lot weaker in power than Outrage; however, it is really needed for the set. It allows me to change moves so I don’t lose in situations I normally would. Earthquake grants the best coverage that is a physical move that still has power. Fire Fang is too weak to be of use. Roost is great with its decent HP and is complimented by its ability. It also gets rid of the weakness to Stone Edge which allows me to outlast it as long as the opponent doesn’t get a critical hit. The EVs may seem random; however, there was an actual method to it. Base 100 Speed leads aren’t really seen. Leads are either faster than that or slower. It has just enough Speed to outpace a maximum Rayquaza. The fact of Salamence being faster than Rayquaza can often scare Rayquaza away. They will switch to something else to take the hit, only to find out I used a Dragon Dance. If it’s someone I played before and they know I do that, I may attack instead or choose to switch. 252 HP gives me lots of HP to compliment Roost and Intimidate. 42 EVs happened to be leftover so I invested them into attack to deal a little more damage. Salamence is very reliable for me as a lead.
How it handles other leads:
Deoxys-E and Deoxys D: First I set up a Dragon Dance on turn 1. The next turn I do Dragon Claw to see how they react. If they continue to use entry hazards I will go back Dragon Dance and see how high I can go safely.
Deoxys-F: If I already know they can’t threaten me, I will stay in a Dragon Dance then start to sweep, healing when necessary. If I am not sure, switching to Ho-Oh or Forretress is one of my favorite things to do against them.
Groudon: Sometimes I stay in and Dragon Dance, sometimes I will switch out after getting hit with Thunder Wave to Latias. Latias can OHKO almost any Groudon without any entry hazards. If I have to, I can send my own Groudon in to weaken them then finish them off with Latias.
Kyogre: Switch to Forretress or Lugia.
Palkia: Almost never used as a lead. If they do lead with it though, switching to Blissey first is my priority as most would use either Draco Meteor or Spacial Rend. If it uses Meteor it is most likely to use Outrage next so switching to Forretress is how I would handle the situation.
Dialga: Switch to Groudon or Forretress depending on if I feel it has Meteor or not.
Skymin: Switch to Lugia for its walling ability. Most of these leads are scarfed and used for disruption. Ho-Oh could deal with them as well or at least for a switch.
Darkrai: Many are scarfed that are used as a lead. Switching to Forretress is my preferred method to face them.
Mewtwo: Switch to Ho-oh
Mew: Dragon Dance first then start to do Dragon Claws repeatedly to try and KO the threat before it does a number on my team.
Rayquaza: Use Dragon Dance usually. Rarely use Dragon Claw.
Scizor: Switch to Ho-Oh.
Giratina both formes: Switch to Forretress.
Heatran: Use Earthquake.
Ninjask: Dragon Dance turn 1, and then repeatedly do Dragon Claw.
Team Options: Salamence plays an important role in crushing other leads. It can perform sweeps against teams that aren’t prepared properly. After Dragon Dance it threatens nearly every dragon except for Dialga who would survive a +1 Earthquake. If it makes it to +3, it is pretty much game over for the opponent. Life Orb is something to consider using instead because then it is able to 1hko scarf Kyogre after +2 with Dragon Claw without any hazards needed.
Forretress (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP/6 Atk/252 SDef
Relaxed nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Spikes
- Payback
- Rapid Spin
- Explosion
Ho-Oh and Groudon are part of my team’s core. They really benefit from having entry hazards present. Forretress can safely get up Spikes. I didn’t want to give it the job of Stealth Rock as well because then I either give up Explosion or Rapid Spin. Rapid Spin is really needed on any team that has Ho-Oh as part of the core. It ensures its safety when it comes in. Not having to Roost right away is very beneficial and keeps up the pressure. Payback is the damaging attack, though I don’t have to use it that often. Too many Pokemon resist Gyro Ball, making payback more viable. Having more PP is also helpful. Explosion is there for when I need it. Even with minimal investment in Attack, it can do large damage on nearly everything in the game that doesn’t resist it. I chose to run a specially defensive set because it makes it easier to get up more layers of Spikes than investing in regular Defense due to what Pokemon are in Ubers.
Team Options: Forretress sets the stage for Ho-Oh to sweep. It gets up entry hazards to make it easier to score Kos and give me less recoil on Brave Bird when I need to use that. It also gets rid of the annoying entry hazards. Most notably Stealth Rock.
Ho-oh @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Roost
- Sacred Fire
- Brave Bird
- Earthquake
Ho-Oh is often underestimated due to its severe weakness to Stealth Rock. It is hard to use, but when used wisely, it can be a devastating force on any team. When the sun is out, Sacred Fire is plain brutal. 225 power on the move with a very dangerous Attack stat and Life Orb to top it off really hits hard. If the opponent survives, they have a 50% chance of getting burned, something many Pokemon can’t afford to have happen to them. This makes it hard for Salamence and Groudon to switch in to it. The fear of burning them can keep them from switching. Brave Bird hits hard in any weather and helps tremendously against Latias and Latios amongst other Pokemon. Earthquake fills in gaps in coverage, helping against Dialga and Heatran. The EVs are very standard and allow it to speed tie Jolly 252 Groudon. Giving up the extra power for Speed is something I had debated on, but going before Groudon is important, especially against Rock Polish variants since they can run sweeps with only Stealth Rock as the entry hazard.
Team Options: Ho-Oh has the potential to sweep teams if a team can support it. By using Groudon as its partner, it helps against the water moves which could otherwise cut its visit short. Groudon also makes Thunder unreliable since its accuracy drops to 50% in the sun. This leaves just a weakness to rock. This is why Groudon works so well; it resists those moves. It can really turn the flow of the battle by getting Kos you wouldn’t expect. It also gets rid of Blissey quite easily. It is one of the few reliable counters to Scizor, Jirachi, and Mewtwo. It can also perform well against Shaymin Sky Forme.
Groudon @ Leftovers
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 HP/6 Def/252 SDef
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Dragon Claw
- Stealth Rock
Groudon is a very useful Pokemon in Ubers. It unleashes the power of the sun to bring out the best in Ho-Oh and other fire and grass types with Chlorophyll. Stealth Rock is something I really wanted on my team. It helps against numerous Pokemon and sometimes gives the strength for attacks to get Kos. Earthquake is a given move on any Groudon; it is the most powerful attack it has and with a base 150 Attack, it comes off hard. Stone Edge gives it unresisted coverage against all Pokemon except for Bronzong. Dragon Claw gives me an edge on numerous dragon Pokemon, though I do have to watch out for Grass Knot. The EVs are a bit unusual in that I don’t focus on raising Attack and Speed like one would normally do on Groudon. This is because I wanted to act more of a wall than actual sweeper. Running a Rock Polish Groudon instead and no Stealth Rock was something I considered, but I felt the team would benefit more from a defensive one. Having a back up Pokemon that can damage Rock Polish Groudon is something that is favorable, since it could easily get off the Rock Polish if it switches in when I have Forretress.
Team Options: Groudon changes the weather to sun, effectively removing Ho-Oh’s weakness of water. It also helps the team by making Thunder inaccurate. It also sets up Stealth Rock for the team. This allows the team to get more Kos. It also can deal with Garchomp, something many Pokemon can’t safely do. It also dents Rock Polish Groudon if it pulls of that move. This shortens its sweep since many Rock Polish Groudon use Life Orb since it is needed for several Kos. It can also Ko Palkia and Dialga fairly safely after they use Draco Meteor. It performs decently against Rayquaza as well, assuming Draco Meteor has already been used or it is paralyzed. By not investing in Speed, it isn’t that crippled from Trick Room.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/6 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Wish
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Beam
- Calm Mind/Toxic
I wanted a Special Defense beast on the team. I wanted Wish support to be available, thus my choice was Blissey. Wishing allows for a few mistakes occasionally when Pokemon switches are made. It also allows me to get out more hazards if I switch back to Forretress. I wanted a move that cripples enemies. I had to choose if I wanted Toxic or Thunder Wave. Both are very helpful against certain Pokemon. I decided Thunder Wave was more important because if I hit something switching in, I could make it an easy target for one of my other Pokemon. The only downside is then it leaves me more vulnerable against Lugia. Paralyzing Lugia helps, but then I have to rely on it to not move to Ko it. Toxic is a safe way to kill it since I can simply switch to Forretress after poisoning it. Ice Beam is a move I chose for dealing damage because it hits Rayquaza and Garchomp for 4x damage. Normally Rayquaza could set up on it; this provides an out against that. Garchomp is forced to use Outrage or Earthquake. I then shift accordingly. Calm Mind is always annoying to the opponent when they are stuck with just special attackers. It is really useful against choice users. It also boosts the damage it dishes out. I’ve considered using Toxic instead of Calm Mind though because the Lugia advantage alone is something the team could really use. It doesn’t have many answers to it assuming the Lugia has either Toxic or Whirlwind. The EVs are physically defensive in order to survive attacks I wouldn’t otherwise live through.
Team Options: Blissey provides Wish Support for the team, giving it more endurance than other teams. It cripples teams with status ailments. It also can take special hits rather easily. This is most helpful against Kyogre and Palkia.
I have now replaced Blissey with Lugia.
Lugia@Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP/96 Spd/166 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
-Toxic
-Whirlwind
-Thunderbolt
-Roost
Lugia is one of the best walls in the game. Incredible HP paired with very nice defenses makes it appealing. I needed something that could take on many hits without fear; this seemed to be the best option. I considered a Calm Mind set because it is able to totally wall scarf Kyogre, but the problem was that it still doesn't help with the Ho-Oh or Lugia situation. Toxic was something I needed so I had a safe way to get rid of Lugia. It also helps against Ho-Oh because then I can continually Roost. Whirlwind is mainly for getting rid of Pokemon that like to boost their stats. It also does some damage spreading which is something my Ho-Oh appreciates. Thunderbolt was the attack I chose because it hits Kyogre, Lugia, and Ho-Oh for double damaage. I had thought about Hidden Power rock though. It would provide a better solution to Ho-Oh and Rayquaza.
Team Options: Lugia has the role of getting rid of Ho-Oh, a hard to eliminate threat for the team. While my own Ho-Oh will outpace theirs, they have to take damage first so I can KO with Brave Bird. It lessens the life of any nonsteel Pokemon with Toxic.
Latias (F) @ Soul Dew
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 94 Def/252 Spd/164 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Grass Knot
- Dragon Pulse
- Recover
Latias is an overlooked Pokemon it seems like. It’s better than Latios in my eyes because typically the extra defenses prove to be more useful than extra power. It can more easily wall Kyogre without investing heavily in Special Defense. Calm Mind coupled with recover allows it to set up on numerous Pokemon. By correctly predicting, it can survive Draco Meteor cycles. Grass Knot is great against both Kyogre and Groudon. My team needed something almost surefire for Groudon so this was the answer. This is also why I chose Grass Knot instead of Thunder. Giratina is the only thing that is a better counter for it; however, I wanted to have immunity to Toxic Spikes and Earthquake without resorting to Platinum Orb on Giratina-O. Having Soul Dew to increase its special stats was also appealing on Latias and one of the reasons I chose it instead. Dragon Pulse hits for at least neutral damage on almost the entire tier. This made it the best choice. I needed maximum Speed so I can speed tie other base 115 Pokemon. 164 Special Attack is key against support Groudon with Spikes to weaken it. Other sets it gets rid of easily. Most Groudon would already have damage on them from entry hazards by the time I bring out Latias.
Team Options: Latias provides the team with a special sweeper. It gets rid of many threats since it outpaces a large number of them. When it sets up Calm Mind it can get rid of Choice Scarf and sometimes Choice Specs users with help from Recover. It gets rid of Kyogre so Groudon and Ho-Oh can go to town on enemy teams.
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The team has been performing very consistently for me. I’ve lost a game from missing Sacred Fire against a Scizor which was certainly annoying being that the accuracy is 95%. I’ve had about 2 or 3 other losses as well, though two were to the same person and before I got the team to this stage. Blissey I am having some second guesses though on if it is the best choice for my team. Giratina, Lugia, and Dialga all have potential for that spot. Lugia would be the most likely replacement if I were to use it instead so I don’t have a large dragon weakness. Between pressure, its large HP, and stellar defenses, it doesn’t let me down often. I’d lose the Wish support, but I’d be better off against Groudon if it did get off Rock Polish. I’d still be fairly safe from Palkia as well since the weather would likely be sun so Thunder wouldn’t be as much of a threat. I like how this team doesn’t require a ton of prediction unlike other teams I have made. Without choice users and having decent recovery I should be able to do even better than before.
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Threat List:
Zero to Low Level:
Mewtwo: Ho-Oh should Ko it without trouble. Lugia may be able to take care of it.
Scizor: Ho-Oh Kos it unless I miss with Sacred Fire. Groudon weakens it.
Wobbuffet: It’s more of an annoyance than an actual threat.
Tyranitar: Groudon KOs all variations. If its weakened, I could take it out with Ho-Oh or Salamence assuming it isn’t choice locked into Stone Edge.
Kyogre: Latias and Ho-Oh after it is paralyzed KO it.
Groudon: Latias KOs it. Ho-Oh threatens to burn it. Groudon weakens.
Rayquaza: Lugia can use Toxic. My Dragon Pokemon destroy it.
Salamence: Ho-Oh will KO it. Groudon could also take care of it.
Metagross: Groudon and Ho-Oh KO it.
Heatran: Groudon, Salamence, and Ho-Oh KO it.
Lucario: Salamence, Ho-Oh, and Groudon KO it.
Blissey: Ho-Oh and Groudon KO it.
Shaymin-S: Ho-Oh will KO it. Lugia walls it and does Toxic when it can.
Manaphy: When it isn’t raining, Ho-Oh can KO it. Latias sets up then will KO it.
Giratina and Giratina-O: Latias will KO them after they are weakened. Groudon could inflict large damage on it. Lugia poisons it.
Palkia: Latias will KO it. Groudon should be able to KO it as long as it isn’t raining.
Ludicolo: When it isn’t raining, Ho-Oh will KO it. Latias can set up on it.
Kingdra: Latias will KO it when it isn’t raining or hasn’t used Dragon Dance. Groudon changes the weather then handles it. Lugia can safely use Toxic or Whirlwind it if needed.
Forretress: Ho-Oh destroys it.
Infernape: Groudon could KO it if needed, but Ho-Oh is the best option.
Garchomp: Groudon will KO it. Latias will KO it only if it isn’t scarfed and locked into Outrage.
Latias: Groudon KOs it when it is paralyzed. Ho-Oh destroys it with Brave Bird.
Latios: See Latias.
Medium Level:
Mew: If it pulls off the Baton Pass, I could be in trouble without a phaser. I have to rely on good prediction on what comes out; something I don’t like to do. I could use Forretress and Explosion to take it out.
Skarmory: Ho-Oh uses Sacred Fire to KO it. Lugia forces it out.
Darkrai: Once I let something get put to sleep, Ho-Oh could KO it. Forretress could explode if I really needed to.
Kabutops: Latias could KO it. Groudon changes the weather to sun then it can easily be KO’d.
Deoxys and Deoxys-F: Ho-Oh will KO them. Forretress will KO them if they don’t have HP Fire.
Lugia: If it doesn’t have Toxic eventually Latias can get rid of it so it can’t Whirlwind me out. Forretress can only wall it and has to damage it a fair bit before Explosion could KO it. Lugia can poison it.
Ho-Oh: Pray Groudon doesn’t get burned and do Stone Edge and hope to hit. If I got off a Dragon Dance or 2 with Salamence I can greatly damage it with Dragon Claw. Lugia poisons it.
High Level:
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Hax now seems to be my main enemy. I am not struggling as much with any particular Pokemon after changing the Blissey to Lugia.
