SM OU Misty Seed Scept in OU

[Emerfirek]

Introduction​

I made a Misty Terrain team around Sceptile in NU a while back. Now I want to bring this green lizard to OU. The upside is that Fini exists as the auto-setter for MT. The downside is that Sceptile now needs actual Speed investment to be faster than everything, which cuts away from its bulk.

​

The Team​

Adventurer (Sceptile) (M) @ Misty Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 80 HP / 248 Atk / 180 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Acrobatics
- Drain Punch / Earthquake
​

Sceptile is still trying its best to be this team's main character. The HP investment hits a nice 301 HP so Seismic Toss is a 4HKO; the Speed investment lets it outspeed Mimikyu before the Unburden boost (and technically Z-Trick Mimikyu after the boost, lol), as well as Modest Rock Polish Mega Diancie and anything slower. SD and Leaf Blade are staples; Acrobatics is for Grass- and Bug-types that try to resist; I'm still unsure which coverage move is better between Drain Punch for longevity or EQ for higher BP, but I've been rolling with Drain Punch for now.

Calcs

SD Scept often plays with rolls. Here are probably the most important ones:
+2 248+ Atk Sceptile Leaf Blade vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Tapu Koko: 276-325 (98.2 - 115.6%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO
+2 248+ Atk Sceptile Leaf Blade vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Pelipper: 241-285 (92.3 - 109.1%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
+2 248+ Atk Sceptile Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Tornadus: 263-310 (87.9 - 103.6%) -- 25% chance to OHKO
+2 248+ Atk Sceptile Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 248 HP / 88 Def Venusaur-Mega: 306-360 (84.2 - 99.1%) -- 75% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
+4 248+ Atk Sceptile Drain Punch vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Heatran: 384-452 (99.4 - 117%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
+4 248+ Atk Sceptile Leaf Blade vs. 248 HP / 32+ Def Pelipper: 318-375 (98.4 - 116%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO
+4 248+ Atk Sceptile Drain Punch vs. 252 HP / 48 Def Ferrothorn: 306-362 (86.9 - 102.8%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO

At least Leaf Blade has a high chance to crit.

Here are some defensive calcs too, just in case:
4 SpA Heatran Magma Storm vs. +1 80 HP / 0 SpD Sceptile: 206-246 (68.4 - 81.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after trapping damage
0 Atk Ferrothorn Gyro Ball (150 BP) vs. 80 HP / 0 Def Sceptile: 219-258 (72.7 - 85.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Venusaur-Mega Sludge Bomb vs. +1 80 HP / 0 SpD Sceptile: 236-282 (78.4 - 93.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Tornadus-Therian Hurricane vs. +1 80 HP / 0 SpD Sceptile: 246-290 (81.7 - 96.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Alakazam-Mega Psyshock vs. 80 HP / 0 Def Sceptile: 255-301 (84.7 - 100%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO

Let me know if I need to pay attention to any other calcs.

Tapu Fini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Trick
​

Fini exists as the sole Misty Surge mon, so I’m using it as the only setter. It took me a while to decide what I wanted it to do. Its current job is to surprise KO Landorus-Therian leads with Ice Beam, or Ash-Gren with Moonblast, and/or cripple support mons with Trick. Timid could be used to outspeed Lopunny-Mega, but then Ice Beam loses the guaranteed KO on Max HP Landorus-Therian if it has 4 or more SpDef investment. I was also considering a defensive build with Terrain Extender and Knock Off+Defog+dual stab, but I wasn't really feeling the lack of damage output.

Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 64 Atk / 124 Def / 16 SpD / 56 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Roost
​

This was my initial Defogger, but it is now a standard SD Scizor-Mega with the standard EV spread.

Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 240 HP / 176 Def / 92 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Fire Fang
​

This is my Stealth Rock setter. I believe the HP & Def investment makes Choice Band Zygarde’s Thousand Arrows a guaranteed 3HKO, while the Speed investment is for base 70s like Jolly Bisharp and Breloom. I also considered SpDef Bronzong in this slot, but Garchomp’s uninvested Earthquake and Fire Fang do slightly more damage overall than Bronzong’s physical or special attacks without using extremely specific EVs. I can’t decide if Garchomp’s Electric immunity or Bronzong's resistances will be better for the team. Replacement below:

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 196 HP / 8 Def / 216 SpD / 88 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn​

Although I now have two mons that aren't benefited by MT, Lando-T hits even harder with its uninvested EQ and checks itself it the tier. The greatest plus Lando-T has over Chomp is U-turn, so now I have three U-turning mons. Speed investment is for neutral-natured base 70s, and the HP investment hits the highest possible Leftovers number. I feel like I have a bit of a Fire weakness now, though. It was originally another physical wall like Scizor, but I recently switched the EV spread to be more specially defensive because none of my other mons could really afford to run more SpDef EVs.

Tornadus-Therian @ Eject Button
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Taunt
- Acrobatics
- U-turn
- Defog
​

This is my current Defogger. Its job is also to serve as a Regenerator pivot between Fini and Scept with its Eject Button. It shines best against choiced U-turning mons like Specs Pelipper, blocking the U-turn, and threatening it immediately with a boosted Scept. I also stuck in Taunt to stop obvious hazard setting leads like Ferrothorn. This may be too much for a single mon to handle.

Blacephalon @ Firium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute / Mind Blown
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball
- Fire Blast / Flamethrower
​

Finally, this mon functions as the special attacking wallbreaker. It can also bluff a Scarf to threaten certain fast foes like Alakazam-Mega into switching out. I was also suggested Mind Blown over Substitute as Blacephalon generally doesn't care much about Toxic. It does care about being paralyzed though, so it's another tough call. If I do choose to roll with Mind Blown, I might as well use Flamethrower over Fire Blast for a safer option.

Conclusion​

Ultimately, I want Unburden Sceptile to shine in OU just like it did in NU. If anyone has any suggestions, including more optimized EV spreads, please let me know. Anyone who's familiar with the OU tier, please guide me! Cheers!

Importable

Adventurer (Sceptile) (M) @ Misty Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 80 HP / 248 Atk / 180 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Acrobatics
- Drain Punch

Tapu Fini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Trick

Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 64 Atk / 124 Def / 16 SpD / 56 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Roost

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 196 HP / 8 Def / 216 SpD / 88 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

Tornadus-Therian @ Eject Button
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Taunt
- Acrobatics
- U-turn
- Defog

Blacephalon @ Firium Z
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Calm Mind
- Shadow Ball
- Fire Blast

Replays

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-754206551 - Prot Gren is not a threat, lol
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-756000868 - Torn-T blocks Pelipper's U-turn; Scept outspeeds M-Swamp in Rain
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-756003244 - Scept outspeeds Kingdra & Poliwrath in Rain
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-756190714 - I'm bad at scouting for Hidden Powers; Scept sweeps anyway due to opponent's slight misplay w/ Zard-X; the Victini might've been Z-Celebrate
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-756280320 - Scept plays around Toxic Gliscor & cleans up
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-756282807 - Torn-T Ejects on M-Venusaur's Sludge Bomb, gauging the damage that Scept survives
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-756284478 - Fini Tricks Lv1 Magnemite, allowing Scept to set up
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-756286977 - Fini cleans up
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-756517248 - my first 95 turn battle; Therians & Scizor PP stall Zapdos & Pex
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-756532810 - Fini KOs 4 mons, Scept KOs 1
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-757515755 - Scept cleans up
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-758185236 - Scept sets up on Choiced Weavile
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-759427963 - Scept cleans up again
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-759575603 - Sorta Terrain War against Lele+Bulu

 

[Nunyyyyyy]

The team is relatively good the problem is that a Greninja easily kills all your team: Garchomp x4 ice, M Sceptile x4, T Tornadus x2.
I think it might be better to take another pokemon stealth rock set than garchomp (T Lando is relatively better with a defensive set than garchomp in this team is lowering a bit the fact that an ice ohko type attack almost all your team).

 

[Emerfirek]

The team is relatively good the problem is that a Greninja easily kills all your team: Garchomp x4 ice, M Sceptile x4, T Tornadus x2.
I think it might be better to take another pokemon stealth rock set than garchomp (T Lando is relatively better with a defensive set than garchomp in this team is lowering a bit the fact that an ice ohko type attack almost all your team).

I was considering Bronzong in the Garchomp slot as a third Ice Resist along w/ Fini and M-Scizor (and technically, Blacephalon resists Ice as well, but I probably shouldn't count it), but I'm also using Chomp as my second Fire resist, so it's a tough call.

I feel like Ash Gren is never a problem as long as my Fini is Scarfed, but Protean Gren may be a problem if it went for Gunk Shot/T Spikes/HP Fire, b/c then I have to rely on Hydro Pump to connect.

I'm not using Mega-Scept, though. I'm using Mega-Scizor.

Thanks for your feedback! I'll try Lando-T over Chomp as well and let you know how it works out for me.

 

[Nunyyyyyy]

I was considering Bronzong in the Garchomp slot as a third Ice Resist along w/ Fini and M-Scizor (and technically, Blacephalon resists Ice as well, but I probably shouldn't count it), but I'm also using Chomp as my second Fire resist, so it's a tough call.

I feel like Ash Gren is never a problem as long as my Fini is Scarfed, but Protean Gren may be a problem if it went for Gunk Shot/T Spikes/HP Fire, b/c then I have to rely on Hydro Pump to connect.

I'm not using Mega-Scept, though. I'm using Mega-Scizor.

Thanks for your feedback! I'll try Lando-T over Chomp as well and let you know how it works out for me.

Oh okay! I hadn't seen the moves that much, but yes try that even T-Lando because despite everything Gren that it is protean or Ash remains nevertheless a big enough threat knowing his status in the lader. Please give me feedback after testing !

 

[Emerfirek]

Oh okay! I hadn't seen the moves that much, but yes try that even T-Lando because despite everything Gren that it is protean or Ash remains nevertheless a big enough threat knowing his status in the lader. Please give me feedback after testing !

So I guess the greatest plus Lando-T has over Chomp is U-turn. I'm using this set:

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 196 HP / 224 Def / 88 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

The Speed investment is for neutral-natured base 70s, and the HP investment hits the highest possible Leftovers number. How does it look?

Here's the latest replay where Scept cleans up:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-755761847