SM OU Sceptile-Mega Balance

[rinascere]

Though Sceptile-Mega is an UU Pokemon, it's really cool so I'd like to give it a shot in OU lol.

Team Preview:

Team Building Process:

Sceptile-Mega (M) @ Sceptilite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 80 Def / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leech Seed
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Dragon Pulse
- Leaf Storm

This is a Sceptile team so our first PM is Sceptile-Mega. The spread allow it to outspeed Lopunny-Mega and Manectric-Mega, and prevent it from being 2HKOed by Band Zygard.

Calc

252+ Atk Choice Band Zygarde Thousand Arrows vs. 0 HP / 80 Def Sceptile-Mega: 115-136 (40.9 - 48.3%)

Dragon Pulse is a stable move, and Leaf Storm can deal great damage. HP Fire is prepared for Steel Types like Ferrothorn, Scizor and Skarmory. I considered about the last move and finally chose Leech Seed. When the opponent has checks like Megearna, Celesteela, Jirachi or Chansey, we can use leech seed and cripple them.

Magearna @ Assault Vest
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Iron Head
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Fleur Cannon

Sceptile has no effective way to beat Venusaur-Mega and Amoonguss, and it faces difficulty when encountered with Fairy-types and Ice-types, so we need a PM to switch in and give chance to teammates. AV Magearna is a nice choice because it is capable of both jobs. Iron Head is prepared for CM Mage, Lele and Alakazam, and VS makes it flexible.

Tornadus-Therian @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Defog
- Heat Wave
- Superpower

Here we need a PM beat the bulky grass types, and Tornadus-T is really suitable. Lo+Hurricane deals great damage to most PM, and Heat Wave is equipped to beat Steel-Types. Lo+Superpower can destroy Tyranitar and Heatran, even Chansey sometimes. Regenerator gives it more chance to attack. Since I couldn't come up with a nice defoger, I decided to let it defog.

Tyranitar (M) @ Rockium Z
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Fire Punch
- Dragon Dance

Till now, we still have no power breaker or physical attacker, so I come up with Tyranitar. DD&RockZ is really a destructive set. Though, I'm considering about the moves because Ice Punch and Earthquake are also really useful.

Keldeo-Resolute @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Stone Edge
- Hydro Pump
- Icy Wind
- Secret Sword

Here we need a scarfer, because the team couldn't stand a single blow when faced with +1 Dancers. Keldeo is a omnipotence scarfer, and it's also a check to Bisharp. Stone Edge is prepared for CharizardY and Volcarona.

Seismitoad (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earth Power
- Scald
- Knock Off

At last, a Ground-Type PM with reliable physical defence and stealth rock. I chose Seismitoad over Donphan because it can deal with LandoT, Heatran and Toxapex, and it poses two threats with Knock off and Scald. It can also form a nice defensive core with Magearna, which can be diffcult to break in some situations.

Threats:

Kartana: Scarfed Kartana can sweep this team in the late game.

Gyarados: DD Gyarados is hard to stop because Sceptile with max speed is still a bit slower than it. This team doesn't have effective check to it, either.

Gyarados-Mega: Don't give it chance to DD twice, or it would definitely ruin the team!

Mimikyu: Mimikyu with disguise is really dangerous in the late game cause it can kill Mage with Z-Power and sweep with shadow sneak.

Importable:

Inmortable

Sceptile-Mega (M) @ Sceptilite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 80 Def / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leech Seed
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Dragon Pulse
- Leaf Storm

Keldeo-Resolute @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Stone Edge
- Hydro Pump
- Icy Wind
- Secret Sword

Magearna @ Assault Vest
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Iron Head
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Fleur Cannon

Tyranitar (M) @ Rockium Z
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Fire Punch
- Dragon Dance

Seismitoad (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earth Power
- Scald
- Knock Off

Tornadus-Therian @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Defog
- Heat Wave
- Superpower

Conclusion:
Thank you for looking through my RMT! I hope you like it~
Of course, suggestions are always welcome!

 

[DKM]

Hey dude, very cool team. M-Sceptile is quite an underrated pokemon in my opinion.

The team does have some weaknesses though, apart from what you mentioned. For example, Zygarde (especially DD) can be a pain as your ground switch-ins are Sceptile, who can't take an Outrage and Tornadus who gets knocked down by Thousand Arrows anyway.

Hawlucha can also be a problem as nothing, apart from maybe Seismitoad can really take a +2 hit, and all it can do is go for a Scald burn.

Also, DD regular Tyranitar is a strange pick and pobably not the best. I'll suggest some changes to hopefully improve the team.


Major changes

> : The first change I suggest is using Landorus over Seismitoad. Landorus does the same things as you mentioned, being a bulky ground type with rocks that forms a defensive core with Magearna. Although Landorus is more reliable thanks to Intimidate. It can take on strong physical attackers like Zygarde, Mawile and Charizard X better. As for the set, you have HP Ice to always take on Zygarde and Toxic to weaken Hawlucha. This change will make Heatran a bit harder to switch into though.


> : Next I suggest using an SD Rockium Z Bulu over Tyranitar. Bulu is a much stronger, and overall more effective physical breaker than Tyranitar. With +2 Continental Crush, you have a good chance to OHKO Venusaur and a 100% chance after rocks. This is useful since Venusaur is one of the best Sceptile and Keldeo answers. Bulu also provides a secondary water resist and Grassy Terrain which makes Sceptile's Leaf Storms even stronger and harder to switch in to.

​

Minor changes

Focus Blast > Leech Seed: On Sceptile I recommend using Focus Blast, mainly to hit Heatran who would otherwise wall you and get off a free attack or rocks. Leech Seed is a cool option to get recovery, but Heatran is very common and also quite annoying to the team so this change should help alot.


Scald > Icy Wind: One of Keldeo's best, and probably mandatory moves is Scald. Having a reliable STAB to revenge-kill things like Medicham and Koko that resist Secret Sword without risking a miss is more useful than Icy Wind, which doesn't really hit much apart from Garchomp, Latios and Zygarde. The first two aren't very common and you already have better answers to Zygarde now. Scald also comes with a burn chance to whittle down things like Toxapex and opposing Bulu.


> : Lastly, I suggest using a Rocky Helmet Tornadus with some bulk. This helps you take on threats like Kartana and Medicham better, punishing them with Helmet chip which makes then easier to kill. The spread allows you to live a +2 All-out Pummeling from Kartana, a Zen Headbutt from Medicham and an HJK from Medicham after rocks. Since you now have an effective breaker in Bulu, this change shouldn't leave you in a bad matchup against bulkier teams. The set has both Knock-Off and U-turn, both of which are helpful against whatever tries to switch-in to Torn.


~~


To finish I wanted to mention some threats. Such as Hawlucha, who is still a threat but with Landorus is more manageable. Keep Landorus healthy, then if they send out Hawlucha Toxic it and spam HP Ice until the poison wears it down.

Heatran is also another threat, since your best fire resist is Keldeo. With Focus Blast on Sceptile and U-turn on Torn it won't get many free switch-ins to attack though.

I hope this rate was helpful and good luck with the team :]

Importable

​

 

[rinascere]

Hey dude, very cool team. M-Sceptile is quite an underrated pokemon in my opinion.

The team does have some weaknesses though, apart from what you mentioned. For example, Zygarde (especially DD) can be a pain as your ground switch-ins are Sceptile, who can't take an Outrage and Tornadus who gets knocked down by Thousand Arrows anyway.

Hawlucha can also be a problem as nothing, apart from maybe Seismitoad can really take a +2 hit, and all it can do is go for a Scald burn.

Also, DD regular Tyranitar is a strange pick and pobably not the best. I'll suggest some changes to hopefully improve the team.


Major changes

View attachment 114992> View attachment 114991: The first change I suggest is using Landorus over Seismitoad. Landorus does the same things as you mentioned, being a bulky ground type with rocks that forms a defensive core with Magearna. Although Landorus is more reliable thanks to Intimidate. It can take on strong physical attackers like Zygarde, Mawile and Charizard X better. As for the set, you have HP Ice to always take on Zygarde and Toxic to weaken Hawlucha. This change will make Heatran a bit harder to switch into though.


View attachment 114993> View attachment 114995: Next I suggest using an SD Rockium Z Bulu over Tyranitar. Bulu is a much stronger, and overall more effective physical breaker than Tyranitar. With +2 Continental Crush, you have a good chance to OHKO Venusaur and a 100% chance after rocks. This is useful since Venusaur is one of the best Sceptile and Keldeo answers. Bulu also provides a secondary water resist and Grassy Terrain which makes Sceptile's Leaf Storms even stronger and harder to switch in to.

​

Minor changes

View attachment 114996Focus Blast > Leech Seed: On Sceptile I recommend using Focus Blast, mainly to hit Heatran who would otherwise wall you and get off a free attack or rocks. Leech Seed is a cool option to get recovery, but Heatran is very common and also quite annoying to the team so this change should help alot.


View attachment 114997Scald > Icy Wind: One of Keldeo's best, and probably mandatory moves is Scald. Having a reliable STAB to revenge-kill things like Medicham and Koko that resist Secret Sword without risking a miss is more useful than Icy Wind, which doesn't really hit much apart from Garchomp, Latios and Zygarde. The first two aren't very common and you already have better answers to Zygarde now. Scald also comes with a burn chance to whittle down things like Toxapex and opposing Bulu.


View attachment 114998View attachment 114999> View attachment 115000: Lastly, I suggest using a Rocky Helmet Tornadus with some bulk. This helps you take on threats like Kartana and Medicham better, punishing them with Helmet chip which makes then easier to kill. The spread allows you to live a +2 All-out Pummeling from Kartana, a Zen Headbutt from Medicham and an HJK from Medicham after rocks. Since you now have an effective breaker in Bulu, this change shouldn't leave you in a bad matchup against bulkier teams. The set has both Knock-Off and U-turn, both of which are helpful against whatever tries to switch-in to Torn.


~~


To finish I wanted to mention some threats. Such as Hawlucha, who is still a threat but with Landorus is more manageable. Keep Landorus healthy, then if they send out Hawlucha Toxic it and spam HP Ice until the poison wears it down.
ts
Heatran is also another threat, since your best fire resist is Keldeo. With Focus Blast on Sceptile and U-turn on Torn it won't get many free switch-ins to attack though.

I hope this rate was helpful and good luck with the team :]

Importable
View attachment 114996View attachment 114997View attachment 115002View attachment 114993View attachment 114992View attachment 114998
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Thank you for your rate!
I think you provided nice thoughts :)
However, the team is facing a few new weaknesses, Zapdos and Mamoswine.

 

[DKM]

Thank you for your rate!
I think you provided nice thoughts :)
However, the team is facing a new weakness Zapdos and it's really hard to break.

Really? Stone Edge Bulu should compromise for losing Tyranitar

 

[rinascere]

Really? Stone Edge Bulu should compromise for losing Tyranitar

Well, if Bulu is not so healthy, it can be KOed by offensive Zapdos with Heat Wave.
In fact, I feel that offensive Zapdos with Max Speed is much more troublesome in many occasions cuz it can stay on stage and deal considerable damage to many mons.

 

[Jordy]

Well, if Bulu is not so healthy, it can be KOed by offensive Zapdos with Heat Wave.
In fact, I feel that offensive Zapdos with Max Speed is much more troublesome in many occasions cuz it can stay on stage and deal considerable damage to many mons.

Offensive Zapdos is generally not a common set and I don't think it's something that u have to worry about.