SM OU Flight of the Noble Eagle (peaked 1600 or something)

[Rocxidi]

Hey dudes. It's been like a year since I played OU but I wanted to take a break from Smash Bros. during the summer. I've been playing for like 3 weeks an I really like SM OU already. I ended up making a team that I had a lot of fun with but ultimately felt like it could use some tweeking. Without further ado, here's the Flight of the Noble Eagle:​

Teambuilding Process

It started with this team that was getting pasted all over the place. With a few changes, I was able to adjust the team to my style. However, the influence Rain has on the metagame prevented Hawlucha from truly shining, so I decided to build around seeded Hawlucha.

After taking a look at all the Tapus, I figured that Tapu Koko was the best match for Hawlucha, since U-Turn would provide safe switches into Hawlucha, and Hawlucha could easily switch in to Ground attacks that Tapu Koko would bait out.

After doing some calcs, I realized Hawlucha could net KO's on bulkier Pokemon after hazards damage, so I brought back Ferrothorn, one of the most influential hazard setters of all time.

I also wanted a separate hazard setter so that Ferrothorn would not have the burden of carrying both Spikes and Stealth Rocks. At the time, Alolan Marowak seemed like a great fit, as it could provide Stealth Rocks, spinblocking, and deal with Zapdos and opposing Tapu Koko, who would be a hindrance to Hawlucha.

Now I wanted to add some sort of hazard control. Because I was running both Spikes and Stealth Rock, I wanted to avoid Defog at all costs, because there's nothing more depressing than setting up 4 layers of hazards only to Defog them yourself. I wanted something that could take hits and survive for long periods of time. Since there was no bulky spinner to be found in the tier, I opted for a bulky Reflect Type Starmie to take advantage of the opponent's typing.

I realized now that I had space for a Mega Evolution, and I was having problems with Marshadow at the time, so I figured Gyarados could play around it by resisting both of its STABs.

After a while I realized Marowak was really bad, and most people were using Defog anyways, so I replaced it with Landorus Therian.

Marshadow was banned 3 days later, thankfully, so next I opted to run Mega Charizard X, as it provides another win condition while forming both a FWG core and a DFS core after Mega Evolution.
​

Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Taunt
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Nature's Madness
- Wild Charge

Let's get to the good stuff. This Tapu Koko set is hot as fuck. The wallbreaking potential you get from Gigavolt Havoc is incredible, especially when you are now using Tapu Koko's superior attack stat. Wild Charge in itself is still a strong move, though it's kinda lame to be taking damage back. Taunt is a great tool to disrupt teams, and makes Tapu Koko a great lead, as you can stop bulky Pokemon from doing dumb shit and force them out, and then U-Turn into something else. Because of the attack investment, Tapu Koko's U-Turn actually deals decent damage, allowing it to wear down other Pokemon faster. Hidden Power Ice still 2HKO's Landorus and Garchomp on the switch, making it a viable option, while Nature's Madness makes it even easier to beat Stall, while chunking down anything that switches in to half health, sending a threatening message to the other player (obviously run Jolly). Now let's talk about Gigavolt Havoc a bit more. This move makes for a great Magearna lure, as it has a good chance of OHKOing it straight of the bat. I swear every dude on the ladder would leave in their Magearna in, despite having Landorus and Garchomp in the back, only to deal like 0 damage with Volt Switch. Outta here with that shit. Gigavolt Havoc also does like 90% to Chansey, who dudes always switch in to try to tank those weak ass Thunderbolts. A lot of things die to Gigavolt Havoc, and those who live will just get executed by Hawlucha later.

EVs maximize Speed and Attack, while a Naive nature makes it easier to take priority moves.

Hawlucha @ Electric Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 104 HP / 248 Atk / 156 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drain Punch
- Acrobatics
- High Jump Kick

Why is this dude so low in the Viability Rankings?? Hawlucha is underrated as hell, as it can set up on a lot of things and sweep hard, or close out games after everything is low on health. Click Swords Dance once or twice and watch the Noble Eagle consume its prey. Despite its low Attack stat, its high BP moves make up for it. Thanks to the Electric Seed, Hawlucha becomes the fastest thing in the tier, and the damage from Acrobatics goes up to 110 with no drawbacks. Drain Punch provides a safe and spammable Fighting STAB that also doubles as a healing move, while High Jump Kick is its strongest STAB move.

The EVs allow it to outspeed Jolly Landorus Therian, and practically everything in the tier save for dumb shit like +2 Volcarona, Charizard X, and Scolipede. Maximum attack and everything else dumped into HP.

Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Knock Off

Generic Ferrothorn set straight from the Analysis. Provides Spikes to wear down foes to be cleaned up in the late game. Leech Seed increases its recovery and allows it to stay in the game for longer periods of time. Power Whip OHKO's Greninja and 2HKO's Tapu Fini, preventing it from using Defog. Knock Off is useful to remove items from certain Pokemon that rely on them.

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake

Generic Landorus set straight from the Analysis. Gives me a Pokemon to switch in against a lot of Pokemon in the tier, makes for a good pivot, sets Stealth Rocks, and gives me a way to handle Garchomp, Zygarde, and opposing Landorus. No special defense investment because Latios is nowhere to be found.

Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 42 Def / 218 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Reflect Type
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Scald

This bulky Starmie set allows me to have Rapid Spin for longer periods of time provided I don't do something dumb. Reflect Type prevents Pursuit trappers from being an issue, and allows me to wall a lot of Pokemon. Recover makes it easier to survive some games, and Scald is ran to hit Dark types and potentially cripple things with a burn, making it easier to stop them with Starmie.

The EVs allow it to outspeed Gengar and friends, max HP to increase bulk, and everything else is dropped into defense.

Charizard @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
- Flare Blitz
- Dragon Claw

Last but not least, one of the most powerful Megas in the game. Charizard X gives me another way to clean up late game, while allowing me to tear holes early game as well. Its typing also complements Ferrothorn defensively, along with Tapu Koko and Starmie to an extent. There will be times where you can literally win games by clicking Dragon Dance, and the only thing that can stop you is Flare Blitz recoil, but you can just click Roost if you're ballsy.
​

Replays:

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-600903271
Magearna getting bodied.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-600912059
1500 I guess.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-599653604
Hawlucha reverse 6-0.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-599172891
Starmie boutta PP stall a Toxapex thanks to Rapid Spin's huge PP.

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-599640814
Gyarados 6-0ing webs offense.

Importable

Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Taunt
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Wild Charge

Hawlucha @ Electric Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 104 HP / 248 Atk / 156 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drain Punch
- Acrobatics
- High Jump Kick

Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Knock Off

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Lax Nature
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake

Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 42 Def / 218 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Reflect Type
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Scald

Charizard @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
- Flare Blitz
- Dragon Claw

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[Rocxidi]

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[Meganerdbomb]

It's a fun team to use. I find it has trouble with Zapdos though. Only Zard X is capable of dealing any real damage to it. Running Nature's Madness on Koko helps, but it still completely walls most of the team. Swapping drain punch for Stone Edge on Hawlucha can help, since it OHKOs Zapdps after swords dance and 2HKOs otherwise, but it's still tricky since you can really only bring out Hawlucha once.