ORAS OU Megagross keldeo serperior core



Hello smogonites, this is my first RMT thread, but I have been playing Pokémon for a few years now. Hope you'll forgive me though, if you do spot elementary mistakes in my RMT or teambuilding process. Most of the sets are taken from Smogon's strategy dex.

First of all, I must confess this is not an oras team, but a SuMo Pokebank OU team, in the early stages of its making.

This team is immediately based off the metagross serperior keldeo core, in which metagross and serperior checks the bulk of the metagame, while keldeo checks what metagross and serperior cannot, namely mega-scizor and bisharp. Rotom-w acts as a pivot, supporting the core and also checking talonflame in the process. Alolan Marowak is an OU game stopper, stopping volt turn in its tracks. It also takes out tapu bulu and tapu koko, catches pheromosa, especially while on a high jump kick, beats celesteela, screws the beast xurkitree, halts aegislash, kills toxapex, and the bulk of OU's defensive / bulky arsenal, barring water threats and incoming knock offs. Lastly, tapu fini is a support Pokémon mostly used for defogging and anti stalling via taunt. Scald and moonblast are complementary stab moves to its decent offense.



Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Earthquake
- Bullet Punch

Metagross is an extremely viable option this generation, owing to its abilities as a fairy killer in a fairy-dominated metagame. (*Cough* tapu *cough*)

Meteor mash and zen headbutt are stab moves that metagross abuses to great effect. Earthquake is my paranoia at work, catching tapu koko and alolan Marowak. Of course, ice punch or hammer arm can take its place to different lengths, according to preference. In conjunction with rotom-w's volt switch, earthquake works well for me as a lure after rotom pivots out into metagross. Bullet punch is the premium priority move for revenge killing, and also in taking out the fairies that run amock in this generation's metagame. 252 Speed makes its an all out killer, 252 attack is self explanatory.



Serperior (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 4 Hp / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Giga Drain

Serperior is a potent killer with contrary leaf storm, complementing metagross' weakness to ground types. After a +2 SpA, toxapex can no longer come in freely to check it. Serperior also acts as a secondary fire bender apart from Marowak, using boosted Hp Fires to get rid of faster grass and steels Marowak can't handle. Dragon pulse is for stray dragons metagross can't handle, and Giga drain is a healing move to increase serperior's longevity on the team.



Keldeo-Resolute @ Leftovers
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Calm Mind
- Scald
- Secret Sword

Keldeo is the absolute choice against checks against serperior and metagross, namely the aforementioned bisharp and mega-scizor that increases in popularity with the advent of annoying fairies. Scald and secret sword are potent and spammable stab choices. Hydro pump is out of the question since we already have substitute and calm mind for boosts. As per my play style, I love phazing and safe game plays, explaining the sub calm mind set. Substitute is used on the turn the opponent switches out, while calm mind can be used while the opponent switches out again after realizing his counter can't afford to take even a single SE hit from keldeo. Substitute is also used as a scouting move, and in some cases, a psychological defense that ensures the opponent does not go for utility moves such as spore and the likes, make them a tad bit easier to predict.



Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split

Rotom-w has always been a good complement to metagross, and an excellent pivot. When in doubt, choose rotom-W. Therefore, I took it to be a complementary choice, in this pivotal role without question. Sporting a standard set, rotom is a great option in starting the battle off, scouting with volt switch, and going head to head with landorus-t. Will-o-wisp can be switch to thunderbolt to give the team more kick in terms of electricity, and also one more option to fight celesteela, especially on the turn it goes for flamethrower to roast meta/serp. In my opinion, rotom-W is a better choice to switch into celesteela as it allows space for scouting via volt switch. Discharge is also a good choice should you decide to cripple something with paralysis, although that is highly hax-based.



Marowak-Alola @ thick club
Ability: lightning rod
EVs: 16 Atk / 248 Def / 112 SpD / 132 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shadow bone
- Flare blitz
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock

Alolan Marowak is a beast that I had to incorporate into the team. The ideal bulky pivot, this Pokémon forces switches all day long, with access to stab flare blitz, and shadow bone, and thick club to boost its attack, switch-ins must be a solid resistant to take its hits. Earthquake and bonemerang are both viable choice on this Pokémon as coverage. Earthquake negates the popular pre-matagame wall toxapex. This also frees Metagross to switch its earthquake into hammer arm or ice punch. bonemerang is a great way to negate sash users and bird spam. Sadly, without reliable recovery, it's entry must be used sparingly, and pivoting in via volt switch is a safer choice. Stealth rocks is thrown in for good measure. The given EVs are used to sponge as many hits as possible.



Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Taunt
- Scald
- Defog

The new defogger this generation, tapu fini joins a long heritage of air-purifying mons, and the ranks are happy to accept a new typing. As the only fairy with Defog, it's typing allows it to switch in for the hazard clearing, and is also an anti utility mon with taunt. Moon blast and scald are stab moves to abuse it's decent offense, though Nature's Madness is also waiting in the wings. 252 Spe is meant to outspeed most utility mons in order to go for the taunt. I always make it a point to have a nspinner/defogger on set, especially with that delicate Marowak around.

WEAKNESSES

This is by far the most important part. Frankly speaking, this team has a good number of flaws, owing to my horrible team building skills. Firstly, the EVs aren't customized well enough, and are mostly taken from smogon sources.

Secondly, the 3 Pokémon that complement the core have roles that are required on the team, but I am abit skeptical of each pokemon's viability (is tapu fini the best choice as defogger, or should I switch rotom-w to zapdos?). There may be better Pokémon to suit each existing role

Thirdly, this team goes unchecked against z-moves. What the heck are those?

Fourthly - and most importantly - this team is grounded, meaning a banded earthquake will sweep this team off its feet. Especially mold breaker excadrill. Other than that, I also find it difficult to switch into a shadow ball magearna. There may well be a thousand other checks I have not anticipated. This is where I need your feedback.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Horrible first time at doing RMT, and a likewise horrible team that is half-baked in terms of potential. Team member, move sets and EVs spread need to be seriously redone. I could do a good smogon run with this, but there is still a reservoir of potential to unlock. Hopefully, we will get there with a good session of editing.
 
Hmm... I tried battling with your team and I've also encountered the same problem - switching Marowak into Shadow Ball Magearna. My only suggestion is that you could try replacing Marowak with Mega Houndoom. While it may seem controversial that there will now be one physical attacker, the team still won't be hard-walled by Blissey and Chansey because of Keldeo's Secret Sword.

Flying types with Intimidate, such as Landorus-T, Gyarados and Staraptor, are good choices if you want to combat Band Excadrill. However, Keldeo can outspeed (unless sandstorm is up) and OHKO Excadrill with its STABs, so it's unlikely to be a major issue.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top