So I've been off of Smogon for a hot minute and a lot of things are different from the last time I played. One thing I did notice is that Mega Gyarados was BL and it made me wonder why it is no longer worthy of being in simply the OU status. So maybe I give a team that shows it is still good in the current meta
Team Building Process
1. The main Pokémon is going to be Gyarados and usually he needs something to help get rid of rocks and give it a second wind. I picked Latias since it learns Defog and Healing Wish which is only used for late game time when Gyarados can come back in later
2. Now Fairy seems to be a weakness at this point so Heatran was selected since it resists a majority of the weaknesses of the other two and they take care of its.
3. Next, a stealth rock setter was necessary was Clefable was going to fit in to help with it.
4. Since some threats can set up to this team, I went with Amoonguss to prevent mons from setting up
5. Finally I wanted a Pokémon to help me Pivot out into Gyarados and others for the right situation so Raikou was the only viable thing on my mind at the time.
In Depth
Gyarados-Mega @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Waterfall
- Crunch
The mega of this team revolves around getting on for a chance to set up at least a one dragon dance. Since Lando-T was commonly seen to be switched in to try and stop me, I can set up before they switch and after they switch which after Lando-T's intimidate leaves Gyarados with +2 Speed and +1 Attack. Also leaving out Raikou out on Scarfed-Lando will tempt the opponent to Earthquake and you would switch out to Gyarados to set up. Waterfall is mandatory since it is it's best STAB water move and Earthquake is a good answer for mons like Rotom-W which can prove threatening to the chances of setting up. I thought for the final move would either be Crunch or Ice Fang. I opted to go for Crunch since Mega Latios, Scarf Latios and Latias take more damage from it.
Latias @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Roost
- Defog
- Healing Wish
I made sure to make the IV's O in Attack since to lower the damage of Foul Play and I don't want to take unnecessary damage for something I don't use. Draco Meteor is the only attacking move is a only meant to have some way to attack. Roost helps to keep it alive longer to either get rid of rocks with Defog or wait for the right moment to use Healing Wish. Healing Wish is only meant to be used when Latias has either fulfilled all its use or Gyarados has been inflicted with a status that prevents it from doing its job.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 172 SpA / 84 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Lava Plume
- Earth Power
- Taunt
Heatran covers Dragon, Fairy, and Bug which are the weakness of the first two. HP Grass is for when the opponent wants to switch to a Water types like Starmie, Azumarill, Keldeo, Manaphy, Rotom-W and Slowbro. Lava Plume is for the 30% burn chance for me to switch out to Gyarados to start setting up and is also the answer to Ferrothorn and lead scarfed lando-T. Earth Power is Zard-X leads which I have seen and lead Heatrans that wanna set up Stealth Rocks. Taunt is there for stoping most leads from setting hazards or setting up.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Moonblast
- Thunder Wave
- Soft-Boiled
Most for the time, Clefable will be my lead to immediate set up Stealth Rocks which help whittle Pokémon done on the other team. Moonblast is a STAB move for offense and helps with Mega Sabeleye which can prove to be a problem. Thunder Wave can slow down fast mon that outspeed a +1 Gyarados. Soft-Boil is a steady form of Recovery when scouting the opponents moves.
Amoonguss @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 168 Def / 92 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Spore
- Clear Smog
- Sludge Bomb
Amoonguss helps for the typing coverage of the team. Clear Smog is the best answer to Best Answer to D-Dance Altaria, Calm Mind Clefable and etc. Sludge bomb is the answer for fairy types and a way of inflicting Poison on Mega-Sableye/ Mega Diancie. Giga Drain is just a STAB move for recovery and Unaware Quagsire.
Spore is for putting down threats and switching out to Gyarados to start D-Dancing.
Raikou @ Assault Vest
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Raikou works as the main pivot on the team switching out while dealing damage and to possibly change the situation. Thunderbolt is the primary STAB attacking move and Volt Switch is the pivot move for mostly predicting switches to go out into something favorable. Shadow ball was there for potentially fast ghost and Psychic types like scarfed-gardevoir and Gengar. HP ice is for Hippowdon and Lando-T to weaken and/or possibly get a kill. Once again 0 IV's in Attack since it s useless. Assault vest allows it to take in some specials hits like Hydro Pump from a Rotom-W on a switch in.
Team Replays
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-440278302
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-440284362
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-440285695
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-440292226
Threatlist from 1st Look.
Sword Dance Bisharp- Takes down Latias with a Sucker Punch and Iron head to Clefable. Either spore or eq with Gyarados.
Blissful and Chansey- Usually have to have Gyarados to stop them, taunt from heatran or stall out.
Zard-X- Can kind of easily set up and sweep unless locked into outrage or can predict roost for thunder wave.
Mega-Pinsr- The usual set of Close Combat, Return, Earthquake and sometimes X-Scissor runs through the team.
Team Building Process
1. The main Pokémon is going to be Gyarados and usually he needs something to help get rid of rocks and give it a second wind. I picked Latias since it learns Defog and Healing Wish which is only used for late game time when Gyarados can come back in later
2. Now Fairy seems to be a weakness at this point so Heatran was selected since it resists a majority of the weaknesses of the other two and they take care of its.
3. Next, a stealth rock setter was necessary was Clefable was going to fit in to help with it.
4. Since some threats can set up to this team, I went with Amoonguss to prevent mons from setting up
5. Finally I wanted a Pokémon to help me Pivot out into Gyarados and others for the right situation so Raikou was the only viable thing on my mind at the time.
In Depth
Gyarados-Mega @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake
- Waterfall
- Crunch
The mega of this team revolves around getting on for a chance to set up at least a one dragon dance. Since Lando-T was commonly seen to be switched in to try and stop me, I can set up before they switch and after they switch which after Lando-T's intimidate leaves Gyarados with +2 Speed and +1 Attack. Also leaving out Raikou out on Scarfed-Lando will tempt the opponent to Earthquake and you would switch out to Gyarados to set up. Waterfall is mandatory since it is it's best STAB water move and Earthquake is a good answer for mons like Rotom-W which can prove threatening to the chances of setting up. I thought for the final move would either be Crunch or Ice Fang. I opted to go for Crunch since Mega Latios, Scarf Latios and Latias take more damage from it.
Latias @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Roost
- Defog
- Healing Wish
I made sure to make the IV's O in Attack since to lower the damage of Foul Play and I don't want to take unnecessary damage for something I don't use. Draco Meteor is the only attacking move is a only meant to have some way to attack. Roost helps to keep it alive longer to either get rid of rocks with Defog or wait for the right moment to use Healing Wish. Healing Wish is only meant to be used when Latias has either fulfilled all its use or Gyarados has been inflicted with a status that prevents it from doing its job.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 172 SpA / 84 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Lava Plume
- Earth Power
- Taunt
Heatran covers Dragon, Fairy, and Bug which are the weakness of the first two. HP Grass is for when the opponent wants to switch to a Water types like Starmie, Azumarill, Keldeo, Manaphy, Rotom-W and Slowbro. Lava Plume is for the 30% burn chance for me to switch out to Gyarados to start setting up and is also the answer to Ferrothorn and lead scarfed lando-T. Earth Power is Zard-X leads which I have seen and lead Heatrans that wanna set up Stealth Rocks. Taunt is there for stoping most leads from setting hazards or setting up.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Moonblast
- Thunder Wave
- Soft-Boiled
Most for the time, Clefable will be my lead to immediate set up Stealth Rocks which help whittle Pokémon done on the other team. Moonblast is a STAB move for offense and helps with Mega Sabeleye which can prove to be a problem. Thunder Wave can slow down fast mon that outspeed a +1 Gyarados. Soft-Boil is a steady form of Recovery when scouting the opponents moves.
Amoonguss @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 168 Def / 92 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Spore
- Clear Smog
- Sludge Bomb
Amoonguss helps for the typing coverage of the team. Clear Smog is the best answer to Best Answer to D-Dance Altaria, Calm Mind Clefable and etc. Sludge bomb is the answer for fairy types and a way of inflicting Poison on Mega-Sableye/ Mega Diancie. Giga Drain is just a STAB move for recovery and Unaware Quagsire.
Spore is for putting down threats and switching out to Gyarados to start D-Dancing.
Raikou @ Assault Vest
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Raikou works as the main pivot on the team switching out while dealing damage and to possibly change the situation. Thunderbolt is the primary STAB attacking move and Volt Switch is the pivot move for mostly predicting switches to go out into something favorable. Shadow ball was there for potentially fast ghost and Psychic types like scarfed-gardevoir and Gengar. HP ice is for Hippowdon and Lando-T to weaken and/or possibly get a kill. Once again 0 IV's in Attack since it s useless. Assault vest allows it to take in some specials hits like Hydro Pump from a Rotom-W on a switch in.
Team Replays
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-440278302
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-440284362
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-440285695
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-440292226
Threatlist from 1st Look.
Sword Dance Bisharp- Takes down Latias with a Sucker Punch and Iron head to Clefable. Either spore or eq with Gyarados.
Blissful and Chansey- Usually have to have Gyarados to stop them, taunt from heatran or stall out.
Zard-X- Can kind of easily set up and sweep unless locked into outrage or can predict roost for thunder wave.
Mega-Pinsr- The usual set of Close Combat, Return, Earthquake and sometimes X-Scissor runs through the team.
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