First RMT: A mix of tiers in one

[ExperimentaL]

Background Information:​

I wanted to make a new team with the Platinum releases, but not too devoted to countering the new threats. I attempted to make a team that synergized well, and it won 9 out of 10 games when I just started testing (the loss due to stupid prediction to a BP team). I also wanted to make a team that was workable with the few guys I was breeding for Wi-Fi.

At a glance:

A
In-depth:

Mesprit @ Leftovers
Nature: Bold (+Def -Atk)
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 68 Def / 92 Sp. Atk / 96 Sp. Def
Stealth Rock
Thunderbolt
Ice Beam
Water Pulse

I was originally opposed to using a Stealth Rock lead, considering it's generally a suicide lead and a Rapid Spinner just kills it's purpose. However, in the current metagame you never see Rapin Spinners, so I figured "what the hell" and went with a SR/non-suicide lead. Thunderbolt covers Gyarados leads, Ice Beam for Salamence and Skymin (if I ever ran into one that didn't flinch me). Water Pulse covers Infernape mostly, and it might be replaced with Psychic to serve the same purpose but with more power. It's hard to give up the 20% chance to confuse, though.

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Gallade @ Choice Scarf
Nature: Jolly (+Spe -Sp. Atk)
Ability: Steadfast
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Thunderpunch
Close Combat
Psycho Cut
Ice Punch

Revenge killer, and a good one at that. Thunderpunch and Ice Punch mainly for the same thing reasons as Mesprit's Thunderbolt/Ice Beam, and he outspeeds both after 1 DD. Close Combat for huge damage, and Psycho Cut for Gengar mostly. This was originally a Hitmonchan, but other than the Ghost weakness, Gallade does everything Hitmonchan can do better.
*May replace Psycho Cut with Night Slash for Gengar, as well as other Ghosts.

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Muk @ Black Sludge
Nature: Careful (+Sp. Def -Sp. Atk)
Ability: Sticky Hold
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 Sp. Def
Curse
Ice Punch
Brick Break
Poison Jab

Muk is an interesting Pokémon. 105/75/100 base Defenses make him a good special wall, but with Curse he also has the ability to be a physical wall. He can switch in on most special attacks as well as NVE physical ones, Curse up and possibly sweep. Sticky Hold makes him immune to Trick, and he absorbs Toxic/Toxic Spikes well.

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Celebi @ Leftovers
Nature: Bold (+Def -Atk)
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 Spe
Grass Knot
Leech Seed
Heal Bell
Recover

Replaced Meganium. Physicall wall. Celebi is my only answer to Swampert, bar Heatran who cannot safely switch into him anyways. Leech Seed and Recover provide great survivability, and Heal Bell to support my sweepers who absolutely hate certain statuses.

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Heatran @ Choice Specs
Nature: Timid (+Spe -Atk)
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Sp. Atk / 252 Spe
Lava Plume
Earth Power
Dragon Pulse
Hidden Power [Grass]

Funny thing about Heatran now-a-days: he can switch into Scizor/Skymin and force them to switch out without even sporting a Scarf. Earth Power is a 2HKO on Scizor, and if you're not sure about opposing Heatran, it's a safe move to take. Unfortunately, if you mispredict Lava Plume/Earth Power on Skymin you're forced to switch out or die. Still, Lava Plume off of 537 Sp. Atk is something you don't want to get hit with. HP Grass for Swampert/Suicune switch-ins, Dragon Pulse for Dragons.

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Hitmontop @ Leftovers
Nature: Impish (+Def -Sp. Atk)
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 72 Def / 184 Spe
Mach Punch
Rapid Spin
Toxic
Aerial Ace

Rapid Spinner, because it's not expected as much in today's metagame. Counters Heracross and has priority to take care of things late-game. Toxic to cripple walls that think they can take Hitmontop's meager attacks.
*Replace Mach Punch with Bullet Punch? STAB + Technician vs. hitting Ghost-types.
**May make him more Sp. Def oriented, as not much of my team can take special hits bar Muk and NVE moves to Heatran/Gallade.




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Outro:
I generally try to play off of my opponents mistakes and team synergy. The team is much more geared towards being balanced both offensively as well as defensively, providing support for the sweepers (Gallade and Heatran, mostly). All comments are welcome; If there is a gaping hole in my team feel free to point it out to me and how I can fix it.
​

 

[Colloquy]

Megaium @ Big Root
Nature: Bold (+Def -Atk)
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 204 HP / 148 Def / 156 Sp. Atk
Giga Drain
Aromatherapy
Leech Seed
Reflect

Main physical wall. Meganium has a niche of being the only grass-type that can wall physical sweepers and provide support for the team with Leech Seed/Aromatherapy. With Big Root & Leech Seed, Meganium gains around 24% HP back from Blissey. Meganium can come in on Gyarados Dragon Dance, Reflect on the Ice Fang, and stall it out with Leech Seed/Giga Drain.
​

I'm assuming you aren't like those other "cool" people who like to use UU in OU, but...

Celebi outclasses Meganium in OU. It can run this exact same set, but preferably not. Go with the Defensive Seeder set, though. It actually can do something.

 

[ExperimentaL]

Celebi doesn't get Aromatherapy, which is an important purpose for Meganium.
If Heatran or Gallade became Paralyzed, the team is severely limited in sweepability.

 

[Zoro]

Celebi doesn't get Aromatherapy, which is an important purpose for Meganium.
If Heatran or Gallade became Paralyzed, the team is severely limited in sweepability.

Though countered a bit easier, Celebi gets Heal Bell :O

 

[ExperimentaL]

Heh, I completely forgot about Heal Bell. Go figure.

How's this for a similar Celebi over Meganium?:

Celebi @ Leftovers
Nature: Bold
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 Spe
Grass Knot
Leech Seed
Heal Bell
Recover

Team is in need of something that can take care of Swampert if Heatran is unable to switch it, so Grass Knot is necessary over U-Turn or Psychic or a Hidden Power. Although I really liked throwing up Reflects for the team.

 

[Colloquy]

Heh, I completely forgot about Heal Bell. Go figure.

How's this for a similar Celebi over Meganium?:

Celebi @ Leftovers
Nature: Bold
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 Spe
Grass Knot
Leech Seed
Heal Bell
Recover

Team is in need of something that can take care of Swampert if Heatran is unable to switch it, so Grass Knot is necessary over U-Turn or Psychic or a Hidden Power. Although I really liked throwing up Reflects for the team.

It's fine. Mind rating my team?

 

[ExperimentaL]

I'm not really the person who you would want to have critiquing your team.
Still, please leave comments like "rate my team now" to PMs, and only post here if it's about this team (Sorry to be a jackass about it).

 

[Lein]

Meganium has a niche of being the only grass-type that can wall physical sweepers

...?

Tangrowth is crying in the corner over there thanks to you :P. He has 100 hp, 125 Def and good moves. (100 attack and 110 SpA too)

But if your using Celebi, thats fine.

 

[ExperimentaL]

Meganium has a niche of being the only grass-type that can wall physical sweepers

...?

...and provide support for the team with Leech Seed/Aromatherapy.

If you're going to quote me, might as well quote all of it. xD
Trust me, Tangrowth did not go unused. He has great defenses and walls Swampert and Gyarados to no end, but does not get Aromatherapy (or *cough* Heal Bell). While it can be argued that the addition of Sleep Powder is an equal/greater trade-off, the wrong status on a sweeper could be the end of the game, and something to heal that status is preferred.

 

[McGrrr]

Mesprit is Tyranitar bait. I suggest reflect in the last slot so that you at least survive a hit after it switches in. This is doomed against a lead Tyranitar whatever happens, but you can reflect first (while hoping it uses pursuit) and then set up stealth rock as a swan song. Thunder wave is another alternative.

Muk likes explosion... a lot And I think ice punch can make way here (it doesn't do enough to Hippowdon and Gliscor is a lot less popular now). You already have two ice attacks on this team and poison jab does plenty to Salamence anyway.

Big root is not nearly as reliable as leftovers, and energy ball is better than giga drain; not least because 8 PP is not enough to beat a pressure Suicune. Celebi is clearly superior, but having 3 psychic Pokemon leaves you horribly exposed to STAB shadow ball and Tyranitar (Gallade cannot switch in to a CB crunch).

Since you are opting for power over speed with choice specs on Heatran, it seems silly to compromise that with lava plume instead of fire blast. You can move up to 28 EVs from speed to HP here because 270 speed is as good as 278 (unless you fear Smeargle/Absol).

You are vulnerable to a boat load of OU Pokemon but eh... this looks fun enough

 

[ExperimentaL]

Mesprit is Tyranitar bait. I suggest reflect in the last slot so that you at least survive a hit after it switches in. This is doomed against a lead Tyranitar whatever happens, but you can reflect first (while hoping it uses pursuit) and then set up stealth rock as a swan song. Thunder wave is another alternative.

I'll consider the changes for Mesprit. As of now my team has had no problem dealing with Tyranitar, but I will likely switch it for Reflect if I do find myself getting raped by them.

Muk likes explosion... a lot And I think ice punch can make way here (it doesn't do enough to Hippowdon and Gliscor is a lot less popular now). You already have two ice attacks on this team and poison jab does plenty to Salamence anyway.

I'll try it out. :) While Muk is a good switch-in to Zapdos, After a Curse or two Poison Jab isn't all that useless, and I find Muk needing a little more firepower (Explosion) to get that second or third kill.

Big root is not nearly as reliable as leftovers, and energy ball is better than giga drain; not least because 8 PP is not enough to beat a pressure Suicune. Celebi is clearly superior, but having 3 psychic Pokemon leaves you horribly exposed to STAB shadow ball and Tyranitar (Gallade cannot switch in to a CB crunch).

Giga Drain has 16 PP, not 8. Most Suicune also have Ice Beam, and being physically oriented, Meganium has no business staying in on one to Giga Drain it.

Since you are opting for power over speed with choice specs on Heatran, it seems silly to compromise that with lava plume instead of fire blast. You can move up to 28 EVs from speed to HP here because 270 speed is as good as 278 (unless you fear Smeargle/Absol).

If I were to go for overly powerful, I'd opt for Overheat over Fire Blast, as it wouldn't be staying in for too long using either of them. Lava Plume's 30% burn rate is hard to give up, as well. Often times I find myself being outsped by things that should not be faster than me, though, and I'm considering just replacing the Specs with Scarf, unfortunately.

So I found my team to be extremely weak to Crunch/Close Combat/Extremespeed/Swords Dance Lucario. Crunch OHKOs Mesprit and Celebi, Extremespeed OHKOs Gallade and Muk, and Close Combat OHKOs Heatran and Hitmontop. Any suggestions to overcome this weakness?

 

[ExperimentaL]

Bumping this up because I am still considering this team. It seems to synergize pretty nicely.

Edit: Celebi is a welcome addition over Meganium, although I still dislike the Pursuit/4X Bug weakness that welcomes Heracross and Scizor, two really hard-hitters that force me out and take a hard hit.