SM OU Physical Protean Greninja Team

[OmegaHeavyLobster]

This is a fun team I made today. I've been trying it around and I think it works pretty well, but I want to know any suggestions on how I can improve it. I don't know what else to write here, so let's start.

Greninja @ Groundium Z
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 Atk / 12 Def / 244 Spe
Naive Nature
- Low Kick
- Gunk Shot
- Ice Beam
- Dig​

Greninja is the star pokemon of this team. He excels in luring out counters who would normally wall Ash-Greninja or other sets (pokemon like Magearna, Toxapex, and Tangrowth) and taking them out. Low kick has a small chance to 1-hit ko Heatran and can always 2-hit ko Ferrothorn if it does not use Leech Seed. Gunk Shot lets Greninja hit Tangrowth and 1-hit ko all the Tapus (except Tapu Fini, who faints in two hits), Ice Beam is for Landorus-T, Gliscor, and Garchomp, while Dig with Groundium Z can always 1-hit ko Magearna, a common switch-in to Greninja. I don't worry about pokemon that are ko'ed in two hits, since they can't hurt Greninja very much. 12 evs in defense with a Naive nature let him live an Earthquake from Choice Scarf Landorus-T and ko it with an Ice Beam.

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 112 Def / 144 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Defog
- U-turn​

Landorus-T is another consistent pokemon. I run Choice Scarf variants normally, but I thought a slower and bulkier set could work better. Stealth Rock is good a support move, it puts Heatran in range of Low Kick from Greninja and can annoy Volcarona and Charizard. Earthquake is an obligatory STAB move, Defog is for hazard control, and U-Turn is useful for bringing in Greninja and makes a VoltTurn core with Rotom. I use Rocky Helmet over Leftovers to stop Excadrill from using Rapid Spin. Rocky Helmet also helps to punish weak U-Turns from pokemon like Tornadus-T and Tapu Koko.

Victini @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- V-create
- Bolt Strike
- U-turn
- Trick​

Since my team lacked a way of controlling speed I decided to use Victini. Her moves are very simple. V-create is a powerful STAB move that nothing likes to take, Bolt Strike is for Water types, and U-Turn can kill Hoopa and eases prediction. Trick is very fun to use. It can cripple a lot of defensive pokemon while giving Victini a leftovers most of the time. This set lets me take care of Choice Scarf Kartana, who my team really struggles against. Victory Star is also nice for helping Gunk Shot and Hydro Pump hit.

Mawile @ Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Play Rough
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Thunder Punch​

Mawile is the newest addition to the team. I tried running Mega-Scizor at first, but got discouraged over it's lack of power. She does well with Greninja, as a lot of the things she has trouble breaking through are removed by him. The set used is simple. I use Iron Head because I want to have Iron type move that can threaten Fairy types. Everything else except for Thunder Punch is standard. I wasn't sure what to use the last slot for, so that's why I have it there. I don't use Swords Dance because I want immediate power without having to wait a turn to set up.

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 16 Def / 12 SpA / 40 SpD / 192 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Moonblast
- Scald
- Taunt​

A standard Tapu Fini ripped straight from Smogon. Defog takes care of entry hazards, Moonblast and Scald are dual STAB moves that can threaten some powerful pokemon, and Taunt can shut down Clefable and other things that might want to set up on Tapu Fini. Misty Surge also powers up Mawile's Play Rough while stopping Burns.

Rotom-Wash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 208 HP / 252 SpA / 48 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Trick​

This Rotom set is really interesting and was shamelessly stolen from another player's team. Together with Landorus-T, they form a VoltTurn core that hits extra hard thanks to the Choice Specs. Rotom-Wash can live an Aqua Jet from +6 Azumarill and ko it with Volt Switch. It can also hurt a lot of things with Hydro Pump, which has more reliable accuracy thanks to Victini's Victory Star. One of the biggest benefit Rotom brings to the team is giving it a way to fight Swampert, who tears through my team in the rain. Will-O-Wisp can be used on predicted switch ins and Trick is good for taking on common answers to Rotom.

 

[Deleted User [433215]]

Hey, I would like to suggest some fix-ups for this team as it’s pretty flawed as is.

Major Changes:

Mega Charizard Y over Victini

—->

Mega Charizard Y can really abuse the luring of Z Dig Greninja to hit its main counter in Toxapex which makes handling it challenging for many balanced and bulky offense teams that rely so hard on Toxapex for it. Beyond that, Charizard Y generally isn’t that prepared for that explicitly so it’s a good anti meta pick that can crush many things like Celesteela, Scizor, and even Rotom-W.

Tangrowth over Rotom-W

—->

Mixed defense AV Tangrowth over Rotom-W gives a much more sturdy and long-term Water resist that can also handle Grass- and Ground-types like Kartana, Z Move Garchomp, Tapu Bulu, and especially Celesteela defensively while bringing good pressure through Knock Off, potentially making it harder for opponents to stay in long-term or switch-in in general. This also makes Landorus-T much less reliant on checking Tapu Koko as Tangrowth is a good absorber of its hits.


Jirachi over Mega Mawile

—->

This change provides a Stealth Rock setter that can not only check Tapu Lele, Magearna, and Mega Alakazam, it can also Wish pass to its teammates, mainly Tapu Fini. It can also potentially spread paralysis since the team in general is pretty slow so it could use some assistance in the Speed department.

Small Changes:

Landorus-T: With Jirachi now setting Stealth Rock and a better defensive backbone in general, Landorus-T is freed up to use a Choice Scarf set to help bring some Speed control while also bringing momentum, a Ground and Electric immunity, and another Defogger to support Charizard Y. It can also pressure Reuniclus and Mega Latias to an extent.

Greninja: Spikes over Low Kick gives Greninja some form of usefulness in every game as it lets Greninja pressure the opposing team even if it’s walled hard by something. Not only this, but it helps teammates like Charizard Y in breaking through their checks mid- and late-game and applying pressure in general. Plus, this set can force out many Defoggers so it’s good at keeping the Spikes up.

Weaknesses:

Mega Medicham: Every time this thing gets in, it will very likely take a kill while outspeeding a good portion of your team. However, it needs to win the Speed tie vs Charizard to kill it, which forces Medicham out. With proper pivoting and forcing hazards damage to get it in range of Greninja and Landorus, this Pokemon can be handled somewhat.

Mega Alakazam: Despite Jirachi being on the team, Alakazam can apply a lot of pressure thanks to its Speed tier and ability to almost 2HKO or land the 2HKO on many Pokemon on this team while Jirachi can be pressured by hazards and Shadow Ball Special Defense drops. However, with proper hazards management, health management on the right Pokemon, and pivoting, this matchup can be dealt with to an extent.

Protean Greninja: Ironically, opposing Protean Greninja can be a massive threat to this team thanks to its ability to lay Spikes, its potential moveset, and Speed tier which outspeeds every Pokemon except Landorus-T. However, Charizard Y can take one hit if need be to kill the Greninja, Jirachi can take some hits once Z Dig has been scouted, and Landorus-T can pivot into any move that isn’t Ice Beam decently at worst. If you play the team right to where these Pokemon are healthy and the Greninja has the coverage you expect, this matchup can be dealt with.

/

Mega Latias/Reuniclus: Both of these set up Calm Mind and proceed to sit there and win pretty much. The only hope is for Jirachi to paralyze and you get lucky or you can get the boom with Landorus off on them. Latias walls Charizard Y too and Greninja can’t hit it for too much damage. Tapu Fini can Taunt to prevent set-up from Reuniclus at least. If you get lucky with paralysis or get off Explosion with Landorus, these matchups can be conquered.

Import: https://pokepast.es/99009aa9de024253

Hope you consider these ideas and hope I helped!