Large Hadron Team! (UU)

[Barbarossa]

Note on the title - It stems from this team's method of formation, which was to throw together Pokemon at high velocity.

Introduction: After many years using the handheld games, I decided to come see what all the ruckus was about this 'Shoddy Battle'. I discovered a handy new way to battle people that I've met, and a way to make a new team on a whim. For the past few weeks, I've wet my feet in most of the tiers. In the end, I liked the variety of UU the most. Having never used many of these Pokemon before, I dove right in to making teams. After a lengthy period of battle and revision, the face of the team changed entirely. What was once a stall team is now... something else. With this team, I've been able to win the majority of my battles. However, when I lose, I lose hard. Certain Pokemon (Cacturne, Milotic, Quagsire, etc) seem to brush my team aside with ease, and I've been revising in circles for a few days. On that note, here is...
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The Team

It's a weird, cobbled together fighting force! Let's take a closer look!

Venusaur

Venusaur@Choice Scarf
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 56 HP, 216 Spe, 236 SpA
Nature: Modest
- Hidden Power (Rock)
- Leaf Storm
- Sleep Powder
- Sludge Bomb

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Analysis:
Venusaur has become a rather important member of my team in a very short amount of time. With the speed imparted by the scarf, Venusaur does everything a Jumpluff lead would do, except that it can actually take a hit. Venusaur helps tremendously against flying types when using Hidden Power, and takes care of many bulky water types. (Although still not Milotic.) The ability to take out flying types has helped Hitmonlee much more than Lopunny ever did. Venusaur has also helped greatly in removing toxic spikes, which have plagued my team throughout its usage.

Synergies:
Hitmonlee

Weaknesses:
When sleep powder fails against a Jumpluff lead, things deteriorate quickly. Otherwise, this set has been only positive.
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Hitmonlee

Hitmonlee@Choice Band
Ability: Limber
EVs: 40 HP, 252 Atk, 218 Spe
Nature: Adamant
- Mach Punch
- Close Combat
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge

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Analysis:
Hitmonlee is my weapon of choice when it comes to stallbreaking. Close Combat can usually stop bulky water types in their tracks, and it has the handy benefit of doing more damage than Recover heals. (Usually.) Mach Punch is mainly on the set for revenge killing. Lopunny can actually help with that by dying. Stone edge is for killing pesky flying types, and Earthquake is for killing poison types who easily take Close Combat hits. When a psychic type comes in, Spiritomb takes over, due to it being unaffected by Psychic moves. Azumarill kills flying types handily as well, when Hitmonlee is locked into a different move. Donphan's Stealth Rock is especially handy for Hitmonlee, as it heavily damages the flying types that he fears most.

Synergies:
Spiritomb, Lopunny, Azumarill, Donphan

Weaknesses:
Psychic moves and fast flying Pokemon. Spiritomb alleviates the Psychic weakness, but fast fliers send Hitmonlee running for the hills.
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Spiritomb

Spiritomb@Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Def, 6 SpD
Nature: Bold
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Calm Mind
- Dark Pulse

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Analysis:
Spiritomb has saved me many times. Often, late in the battle, an enemy will pop up that can't quite 3HKO Spiritomb, which allows it to wall the enemy and build up Calm Minds, turning the tide of battle. Spiritomb is also helpful in taking normal, fighting, and psychic moves aimed at its comrades. Due to its typing, it has no real weaknesses, but Lopunny helps it completely avoid opposing ghost moves if need be. Donphan takes physical hits rather well, and makes a good emergency switch-in.

Synergies:
Hitmonlee, Lopunny, Donphan

Weaknesses:
Pokemon that can kill it in two or less hits, as well as Swords Dancers. After a few calm minds, Spiritomb can just shrug off special hits, but physical ones pierce right through.
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Altaria

Altaria@Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP, 16 Atk, 66 Spe, 176 SpD
Nature: Careful
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
- Safeguard

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Analysis:
Altaria is (oddly enough) my best Pokemon for countering stall teams. It's typing allows it to avoid spikes, and safeguard prevents it from being poisoned. Without the danger of being status'ed out, Altaria can use Roost and Dragon Dance to boost the power of Dragon Claw. Safeguard's massive PP lets it simply wait out the attacks of the enemy, and then either counter with Dragon Claw, or (if they stalled for a LONG time) keep using moves until the enemy struggles to death. Hitmonlee takes out most ice types that would brutally murder Altaria. Otherwise, Altaria is more of a stand-alone Pokemon, which may or may not be a good thing. Azumarill resists ice, which has saved Altaria's neck many times.

Synergies:
Hitmonlee, Azumarill

Weaknesses:
Stall teams. Sure, it's great at outlasting a single Pokemon, but its single attack runs out of PP quickly, and after it runs out, Altaria is in the same boat as Lopunny.
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Azumarill

Azumarill@Choice Band
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 240 HP, 252 Atk, 18 SpD
Nature: Adamant
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Return
- Ice Punch

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Analysis:
What would I do without Azumarill? He makes a mean revenge killer with Aqua Jet, and a decent sweeper with Return or Waterfall if passed some Agility. Azumarill is my secondary stall-breaker, though he focuses more on raw power than setting up. (This is largely possible due to the common stall types being rock and ground.) Grass types can be killed with Ice Punch, but this is an iffy choice, due to Azumarill's low speed. Waterfall also defeats Donphans easily, which allows my own Donphan to set up Stealth Rock without fear of Rapid Spin. In addition, Donphan is immune to electric, which Azumarill is weak to.

Synergies:
Hitmonlee, Lopunny, Donphan

Weaknesses:
Pokemon with water absorb. These Pokemon wall Azumarill rather easily if he's locked into a water move. Lopunny can usually switch in temporarily to allow Azumarill to use Return, but they're still quite a pain, especially Quagsire. Tangrowth is notable among its grass weaknesses for being almost impossible to kill, even with Ice Punch.
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Donphan

Donphan@Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 52 HP, 252 Atk, 206 Def
Nature: Adamant
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Assurance
- Rapid Spin

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Analysis:
Donphan is the newest and most questionable member of the team. I found that I needed to get rid of entry hazards more efficiently. The only pokemon I have that avoids Spikes is Altaria, and it's weak to Stealth Rock. Also, Hitmonlee and Azumarill appreciate the entry damage, as it lets them KO far more Pokemon than usual. Even with these benefits, though, Donphan is very easy to predict, and in consequence has been duped and destroyed quite often. I'm considering replacing him with an Aggron to avoid Toxic Spike damage while still having Stealth Rock.

Synergies:
Azumarill, Hitmonlee, Spiritomb

Weaknesses:
Grass types in general, if Azumarill is unable to Ice Punch them. Ice types that get past Hitmonlee also wreak havoc upon Donphan, but Earthquake can kill the slower ones.
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Summary

For being thrown together over a long period of time, this team works together fairly well. Bulky grass and water types pose the most serious threats, but can be countered with a bit of trickery. (Switcheroo, actually.) I've had good scores and bad with this team, so I can't really say how well it does in Ladder, just that I win 50-75% of matches.
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[The Cicada]

How come you use bave nature and 0 speed evs on donphan?Idont get why yu want it to be so slow

 

[Barbarossa]

Assurance is more powerful if you've been hit first, therefore, I may as well guarantee that he gets hit first. Assurance is for killing the ghost types that block Rapid Spin.

 

[flankerwinger]

Dona's assurance will Ohko any Gengar, except SubStallgar, but it will beat Magius's. and 2 or 3 hit Duskies. Its mean on him.

 

[breh]

Assurance is more powerful if you've been hit first, therefore, I may as well guarantee that he gets hit first. Assurance is for killing the ghost types that block Rapid Spin.

That's payback, not assurance.

Assurance damages twice as much if the opponent has taken damage in the same turn... Recoil (LO or double edge and the like) and entry hazards for example can do this in singles. Unfortuantely, this isn't too useful in singles and is pretty much useless on everything but donphan.

Although this may seem like a strange question, but what do you usually do when a milotic switches in? It seems like Hitmonlee and Spiritomb would be good at killing it (though Hitmonlee would have to come in after something dies or have an agility from lopunny).

Anyways, this team could use a Venusaur, or any other physical grass type for that matter. I really can see how you have trouble with milotic. However, I don't really know which member you should replace. Spiritomb looks to be the weakest link, but maybe that's just me.

 

[Barbarossa]

Usually I use my spiritomb to slowly overpower it. I can take one down eventually, it just takes forever. If my spiritomb is dead, I bring in Hitmonlee and Close Combat it.

Thanks for the reminder on Assurance. I'll fix that IV and Nature.

 

[Emerald Blaze]

-Hey. What's up?

*Not a bad team. Pretty solid. However, what is Lopunny really doing? With 2 choice, 2 slow, and Altaria having it's own speed move, I don't see you passing to anyone. I can see Scarf Venusaur over Lopunny on the lead spot. It gives you some immediate speed and helps with your Grass and Water problem.

Venusaur @ Choice Scarf
Modest/ Overgrow
EV: 56 HP, 236 Sp.Att, 216 Spe
Sleep Powder
Leaf Storm
Sludge Bomb
HP (Rock)

With this speed, you can outspeed Alakazam and anything slower. HP Rock is there to take out non-scarf Moltres leads and take out an important fire type. Relieving stress off your Azumarill.

*Actually, You seem to rely a lot on the rabbit switching in on a lot of attacks. If you add Venusaur, you'll have 3 ice weaknesses and a fire weakness for Azumarill to take with no form a recovery. You can try out the RestTalk Azumarill over your current one. It allows you to keep him alive longer and take more attacks for your other pokemons.

Azumarill @ Leftovers
Adament/ Huge Power
EV: 244 HP, 240 Att, 4 Def, 4 Sp.Def, 16 Spe
Aqua Jet
Return
Rest
Sleep Talk

*My final suggestion is to try Heal Bell over Safeguard on Altaria. This allows you to heal (instead of prevent) not only Altaria's statuses, but also the rest of your team's status as well. Which is pretty helpful since you have 2 resters on your team (if you take the Azumarill advice anyways). Sure it has less PP then Safeguard, but Altaria has Dragon Dance to waste time (64 PP).

-Well that's all I can think of. I hope I've helped.

 

[Barbarossa]

I'll try out the Venusaur and the Azumarill before changing my team, but it seems like a good idea.

EDIT: After a lot of testing, Venusaur is making an excellent lead. Azumarill hasn't changed much in usefulness, but now he's a lot harder to set up on, which is nice. Altaria got safeguard back, because of an immense problem; Due to Altaria frequently having to be a counter to walls, status moves are a main enemy, but even worse is having no way to get rid of them. After heal bell runs out, the enemy is free to Toxic me to death. With Safeguard, I can usually go first with Altaria and prevent them from statusing at all.

 

[IronBullet]

Hi,

This is a pretty solid team, but I have a few suggestions to make. Hitmonlee really doesn't need a speed boost to pull off a successful sweep, since it gets two excellent priority moves in Sucker Punch and Mach Punch which defeat most Pokemon that outspeed it, such as Mismagius, Alakazam and Dugtrio. Using a Chpice Band on it means that the speed boost won't help if you end up locked on a useless move. So, I'd recommend running it as a stand alone sweeper with a Life Orb. It still gets the 2HKO on Milotic with Close Combat. Stone Edge as the fourth move is a fine option.

Your team has major problems with offensive Fire types such as Moltres, since your only proper check to them is Azumarill, who can't switch in repeatedly as it has no form of recovery or healing item. So, I'd suggest using a different version of Azu, a SubPunch set. This can set up on many of Altaria's counters, such as Registeel, Donphan and Steelix, and Leftovers recovery means that it can last throughout the match.

Now, your team is quite weak to Bulky Waters, as they wall more than half your team. Since I don't feel Lopunny is doing much, other than messing with opposing leads, the Venusaur lead suggested above is a pretty good solution to this problem, so I suggest you go with it.

Gl with the team.

 

[Barbarossa]

I've updated the first post to include Venusaur, and am currently testing the suggestions made for Hitmonlee and Azumarill.