Hello everyone and welcome to this RMT featuring the incredible choice banded ferrothorn. The idea come from almost nowhere, i just remembered playing in in BSS single a long time ago with moderate success and wanted to try it in OU after checking some calcs that'll be below the mon.
So, first mon, the legend himself, the 4 times weak to fire stealth rocker: Ferrothorn:
Rodriguez (Ferrothorn) @ Choice Band
Ability: Iron Barbs
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gyro Ball
- Power Whip
- Explosion
- Bulldoze
Classic evs to maximise health and damage, nature lowers the speed to add some dmg to the gyroball and you won't outspeed much with a 252 ev in speed and jlly nature anyway. Gyro ball and Powerwhip are the two main STABs, bulldoze to almost guarantee an OHKO on Heatran, and explosion when you don't know what to click (i never clicked it tbh). Knock off could be an option to hit psychic and ghost but you hit harder with gyroball, so the only utility it can bring is the item removal.
Here are some possibly relevant calcs : 252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Bulldoze vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Heatran: 328-388 (84.9 - 100.5%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock (6,3 to ohko without rocks)
And i think we checked the metagame. So, as you can see it hits hard, but lacks some ohkos power (sadly) so the lure doesn't always work perfectly. A major problem howewer is steel types like scizor, ferrothorn, skarmory and this is why we have the second pokemon of the team.
The lord, the 4 times weak to ground steel-trapper, Magnezone :
Jean (Magnezone) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon
Fairly standard specs magnezone set. Max special attack, max speed with a timid nature to speedtie with 252 ev neutral nature base 70 (bisharp, volcanion, non mega metagross) and to speedcreep any non scarf magnezone.
Third mon is the duke Hippowdon :
Marcelo (Hippowdon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
Fully invested in defense to tank on te physical side even better, perfectly checks and beat ttar, excadrill, lopunny, bisharp, talonflame and zardX, the list goes on. He is probably the weakest link on my team but he does his job and that's all i ask for. No investment in special defense because i have a fourth mon.
Mega-Latias, the unkillable dragonking :
Hervé (Latias-Mega) @ Latiasite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Ice Beam
- Stored Power
Traditionnal calm mind set with ice beam and stored power instead of a potential boltbeam combo. I used to have hidden power fighting to kill Ttar but it didn't work very well so i chose ice beam to beat the common Landorus. Stored power to beat the clefable that try to set up on him instead of the raw power of psyshock/psychic. Overall, the set is working great, checking ZardY (that would otherwise destroy me) and many other special attackers besides the uncommon Gardevoir or Gengar.
Fifth mon is a pretty obvious choice :
Joey (Keldeo-Resolute) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Icy Wind The famous Keldeo Latias core, it works insanely well and it offers me the raw power i needed. Extremely standard set, nothing to add more. It's not commonly used for no reason.
Last but not least, and definitely the mon i put the most effort into, the Brobat :
Henri (Crobat) @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 238 Atk / 44 Def / 228 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost
I wanted hazard control, my pokemons aren't too weak to it but some games, you need it. I tried sand rush excadrill but i used it so poorly it got rejected, staryu took the same way. Then came Togekiss and Zapdos because i felt like i was weak to Medicham, didn't work well too. I played some UU ladder and remembered the fourwinged bat.
I made a specific ev set for particular reasons. It hits 388 speed, becoming faster than Weawile and Talonflame and i didn't need more imo. The 44 defense EV are to resist Mega lopunny return after stealth rock (252 Atk Mega Lopunny Return vs. 0 HP / 44 Def Crobat: 196-232 (63 - 74.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO ) and kill with brave bird, inner focus to prevent the fake out plus return combo that would otherwise kill me. This Crobat is also faster than medicham and lives Fake out plus Bullet punch after Stealth rock damages. It has enough attack to 2hko Tangrowth, to kill Weavile if he takes SR damages ( and it lives the ice shard) and generally to deal the most damages it can.
Brave bird because it's a good STAB, U-turn for potential momentum (sleep talk worked okay be a spore fodder), Defog was the reason i picked this mon but it revealed to bet way better than a defogger, Roost to recover potential health lost.
My team is weak for sure. I have a hard time dealing with sableye, rotom-wash and landorus and i'm missplaying a lot but that's due to me being bad in general. Still, i'm pretty happy with the result and i can't wait for the next gen to improve it.
The proof of peak isn't there because i forgot to screen when i peaked (lul) at 1400 and i'm now sitting at 1319 elo after using the miserably bad Banded Walrein and i don't have many replays featuring the last version of the team. I hope the team pleases you so that you try it and can give me advices. I'm still looking for a bad but potentially working set for an other mon so i can build around something else. Any idea are gladfully welcome. Have a nice day!
So, first mon, the legend himself, the 4 times weak to fire stealth rocker: Ferrothorn:
Rodriguez (Ferrothorn) @ Choice Band
Ability: Iron Barbs
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gyro Ball
- Power Whip
- Explosion
- Bulldoze
Classic evs to maximise health and damage, nature lowers the speed to add some dmg to the gyroball and you won't outspeed much with a 252 ev in speed and jlly nature anyway. Gyro ball and Powerwhip are the two main STABs, bulldoze to almost guarantee an OHKO on Heatran, and explosion when you don't know what to click (i never clicked it tbh). Knock off could be an option to hit psychic and ghost but you hit harder with gyroball, so the only utility it can bring is the item removal.
Here are some possibly relevant calcs : 252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Bulldoze vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Heatran: 328-388 (84.9 - 100.5%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock (6,3 to ohko without rocks)
-1 252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Gyro Ball (137 BP) vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Landorus-T: 153-181 (40 - 47.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery (he 3hkos faster howewer)
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Explosion vs. 240 HP / 176+ Def Garchomp: 284-335 (68.1 - 80.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Power Whip vs. 252 HP / 80+ Def Mega Slowbro: 270-318 (68.5 - 80.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Gyro Ball (150 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Talonflame: 213-252 (59.3 - 70.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Power Whip vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 356-420 (117.4 - 138.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Gyro Ball (123 BP) vs. 100 HP / 0 Def Tyranitar: 488-576 (133.3 - 157.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO (Superpower ohkos faster howewer)
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Power Whip vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Excadrill: 388-457 (107.4 - 126.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Power Whip vs. 252 HP / 112 Def Mega Sableye: 195-229 (64.1 - 75.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Gyro Ball (97 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Clefable: 366-432 (92.8 - 109.6%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Explosion vs. 240 HP / 176+ Def Garchomp: 284-335 (68.1 - 80.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Power Whip vs. 252 HP / 80+ Def Mega Slowbro: 270-318 (68.5 - 80.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Gyro Ball (150 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Talonflame: 213-252 (59.3 - 70.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Power Whip vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 356-420 (117.4 - 138.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Gyro Ball (123 BP) vs. 100 HP / 0 Def Tyranitar: 488-576 (133.3 - 157.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO (Superpower ohkos faster howewer)
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Power Whip vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Excadrill: 388-457 (107.4 - 126.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Power Whip vs. 252 HP / 112 Def Mega Sableye: 195-229 (64.1 - 75.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Ferrothorn Gyro Ball (97 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Clefable: 366-432 (92.8 - 109.6%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
And i think we checked the metagame. So, as you can see it hits hard, but lacks some ohkos power (sadly) so the lure doesn't always work perfectly. A major problem howewer is steel types like scizor, ferrothorn, skarmory and this is why we have the second pokemon of the team.
The lord, the 4 times weak to ground steel-trapper, Magnezone :
Jean (Magnezone) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon
Fairly standard specs magnezone set. Max special attack, max speed with a timid nature to speedtie with 252 ev neutral nature base 70 (bisharp, volcanion, non mega metagross) and to speedcreep any non scarf magnezone.
Third mon is the duke Hippowdon :
Marcelo (Hippowdon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
Fully invested in defense to tank on te physical side even better, perfectly checks and beat ttar, excadrill, lopunny, bisharp, talonflame and zardX, the list goes on. He is probably the weakest link on my team but he does his job and that's all i ask for. No investment in special defense because i have a fourth mon.
Mega-Latias, the unkillable dragonking :
Hervé (Latias-Mega) @ Latiasite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Recover
- Ice Beam
- Stored Power
Traditionnal calm mind set with ice beam and stored power instead of a potential boltbeam combo. I used to have hidden power fighting to kill Ttar but it didn't work very well so i chose ice beam to beat the common Landorus. Stored power to beat the clefable that try to set up on him instead of the raw power of psyshock/psychic. Overall, the set is working great, checking ZardY (that would otherwise destroy me) and many other special attackers besides the uncommon Gardevoir or Gengar.
Fifth mon is a pretty obvious choice :
Joey (Keldeo-Resolute) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Icy Wind The famous Keldeo Latias core, it works insanely well and it offers me the raw power i needed. Extremely standard set, nothing to add more. It's not commonly used for no reason.
Last but not least, and definitely the mon i put the most effort into, the Brobat :
Henri (Crobat) @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 238 Atk / 44 Def / 228 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost
I wanted hazard control, my pokemons aren't too weak to it but some games, you need it. I tried sand rush excadrill but i used it so poorly it got rejected, staryu took the same way. Then came Togekiss and Zapdos because i felt like i was weak to Medicham, didn't work well too. I played some UU ladder and remembered the fourwinged bat.
I made a specific ev set for particular reasons. It hits 388 speed, becoming faster than Weawile and Talonflame and i didn't need more imo. The 44 defense EV are to resist Mega lopunny return after stealth rock (252 Atk Mega Lopunny Return vs. 0 HP / 44 Def Crobat: 196-232 (63 - 74.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO ) and kill with brave bird, inner focus to prevent the fake out plus return combo that would otherwise kill me. This Crobat is also faster than medicham and lives Fake out plus Bullet punch after Stealth rock damages. It has enough attack to 2hko Tangrowth, to kill Weavile if he takes SR damages ( and it lives the ice shard) and generally to deal the most damages it can.
Brave bird because it's a good STAB, U-turn for potential momentum (sleep talk worked okay be a spore fodder), Defog was the reason i picked this mon but it revealed to bet way better than a defogger, Roost to recover potential health lost.
My team is weak for sure. I have a hard time dealing with sableye, rotom-wash and landorus and i'm missplaying a lot but that's due to me being bad in general. Still, i'm pretty happy with the result and i can't wait for the next gen to improve it.
The proof of peak isn't there because i forgot to screen when i peaked (lul) at 1400 and i'm now sitting at 1319 elo after using the miserably bad Banded Walrein and i don't have many replays featuring the last version of the team. I hope the team pleases you so that you try it and can give me advices. I'm still looking for a bad but potentially working set for an other mon so i can build around something else. Any idea are gladfully welcome. Have a nice day!