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What does this team need to change? (Put detailed answers / critiques in comments)

  • Its fine, nothing needed!

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Zoroark change.

    Votes: 1 100.0%
  • Machamp change.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Roserade change.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    1
Introduction:
Hello everybody! I'm making this RMT to showcase a UnderUsed team that I have designed. It's tons of fun to play with, and doesn't slack in terms of on field utility! This team was mainly built around Pivot Zoroark. It's a quick offensive team, that packs quite a punch. Without further ado, here it is!



Teambuilding:
So first I obviously added Zoroark, as this was primarily what I was going to build my team around.

Next, I wanted a powerful pokemon to back him up. And the first thing that came to mind when I thought of force was most certainly Machamp.

The next thing I wanted was to start building defense. But I also wanted hazards, and the best hazard user in UU who still can defend itself is most certainly Roserade.

Afterwards, I wanted some more power. Since Machamp is here, I thought I probably needed some Special Attack. And for that, look no further than Kingdra.

Now I've kind of got a powerful offensive core going. But to finish off the Dark/Fighting/Psychic core, I needed Cresselia.

Now this is all good. But I still have nothing to counter flying or bug types, or to even get rocks up. And with that in mind, lets bring in the ruler of the earth, Rhyperior.




The Team:

Wolfgang Mozart (Zoroark) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Illusion
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Flamethrower
- Grass Knot
- Trick

Info: I Changed my original pivot Zoroark to this Specs Set. It was pointed out to me how much more effective this set is. Firstly, I can trick annoying walls such as Umbreon into the Specs, shutting them down. Keeping my Specs, I deal heavy damage with STAB Dark Pulse, and keeping my bases covered with equally powerful Flamethrower and Grass Knots.


Beetle Juice (Heracross) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Guts
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Megahorn
- Earthquake

Info: This thing cannot be legal. With massive attack, it can destroy teams and plow through those big threats that others on my team cower from. After the Choice Scarf, it outspeeds essentially the entire unboosted MetaGame, giving me a huge advantage. Its dual fighting/bug typing takes care of Bug's Stealth Rock issue, and fighting's Psychic problem, giving me confidence to switch and destroy. Close Combat and Megahorn provide amazing Stab, Stone Edge wrecks flying types, and Earthquake rounds out my coverage. An atrocious monster.




Romeo and Juliet (Roserade) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 248 HP / 8 Spd
Bold Nature
- Spikes
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis

Info: Easily one of my favorite pokemon ever. Much like it's little sister Roselia, it is hands-down annoying. I do want to give this Roserade Defensive bulk, as to be honest, it's Special Defense really doesn't need much help. I carry spikes to bring hazards in and out throughout the game to chip away at grounded enemies. Roserade has Giga Drain and Sludge Bomb to defend itself, and Synthesis in case it gets hurt. The reason I run synthesis over Rest, is that I want a more reliable form of recovery, without having to switch out every time to get out of sleep. Natural Cure is to laugh off opponent's statuses.


水龙 (Kingdra) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Modest Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Hydro Pump
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Electric]

Info: I'm not sure if you've ever ran a Choice Specs Kingdra, but if you have, you are in love with it. While Rain Dance / Life Orb Kingdra is nice, nothing has the power of a Kingdra on the switch, calling a hail of Meteors straight out of the sky. Hydro Pump really is for sheer power, and can take out just about anything, and Ice Beam / Signal Beam give it great coverage against the rest of the tier. This monster can really decimate anything that wants to switch into it's wave of destruction, and really should be dealt with using swift efficiency.


Moonshine (Cresselia) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 220 SDef / 36 SAtk / 252 HP
Calm Nature
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Psyshock
- Substitute
- Moonlight

Info: Easily the best psychic UU can have. It can completely essentially take a Plane to the face, and laugh it off with ease. Literally the most powerful wall to bless the game, it is able to force those offensive sweepers out and get up a substitute, and proceed to wreck-shop with Psyshock and HP Fighting. Feeling a little down? No problem, lets get some moonlight to help out. This thing is an absolute monster, and can nullify an entire team's offensive core. This is one Female you really need to hit.


Construction (Rhyperior) @ Leftovers
Trait: Solid Rock
EVs: 236 HP / 252 SDef / 20 Spd
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Rock Blast
- Megahorn
- Earthquake

Info: Possibly the most reliable stealth rocker in the game next to Forretress and Golem. Rhyperior will make sure rocks are up, and stay up. It completely walls bug and flying pokemon, and can proceed to Rock Blast them to death. Rock Blast also decimates just about any Substitute, and Earthquake destroys just about everything else. If a grass type switches in to deal x4 damage, I can hit them up with that beastly megahorn. Nothing is stopping this monstrosity.
 
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Hey Brawlfest, I have a couple of suggestions for you:

1) I'd run rest over synthesis on Roserade for couple reasons: hail renders synthesis pretty much useless, lots of things can do around 50% to roserade which means it can't keep spamming a recovery move, and it can't be stalled out as easily.
2) At this point, every good physical wall in the tier is readily prepared to take fighting type moves, thus, scarfed machamp doesn't have a lot going for it. Scarfed Hera works because it gets megahorn to hit slowbro with + night slash + moxie. Scarfed Mienshao works because it can scout with u-turn and it outspeeds most other scarfers. Scarfed machamp can't even outspeed non scarfed cobalion. Thus, there are much better alternatives for a scarfed fighting type. Also, scarfed sawk works because things are a lot less bulky in NU and base 80 speed in NU is like having base 100 speed in UU compared with Machamp's terrible base 55. I'd replace mahcamp with scarfed guts heracross.
3) This kingdra moveset could use a little work. Dragon and water can already get at least a neutral hit on literally everything in the UU tier except empoleon. Thus, its very strong STAB moves are really the only moves is should be going for (a neutral hydro pump does more than a super effective signal beam). If you really must use a non-dragon/water type attack, the only other move I'd consider on specs kingdra would be hp electric just for empoleon. Otherwise, signal beam and ice beam do nothing for you. I'd 100% replace signal beam with surf, as it needs a reliable stab for when it doesn't need the extra power and ice beam with dragon pulse or hp electric.
4) Your Rhyperior seems to be missing 4 EVs. I'd put them into speed.
5) I'm noticing that your team may struggle against hail teams for a few reasons. 1-Your only recovery moves get neutered by hail. 2-You have no fire types and your only fighting type ATM is very easy to play around. 3-You have no ice resists and 2 weak to it. Residual damage ruins zoroark's surprise. To help with this, I'd replace Cresselia with special Victini with v-create. It adds a ton of versatility to the team and might as well be used before it gets permanently banned from the tier.

Hope this helped!
 
Hey Brawlfest, I have a couple of suggestions for you:

1) I'd run rest over synthesis on Roserade for couple reasons: hail renders synthesis pretty much useless, lots of things can do around 50% to roserade which means it can't keep spamming a recovery move, and it can't be stalled out as easily.
2) At this point, every good physical wall in the tier is readily prepared to take fighting type moves, thus, scarfed machamp doesn't have a lot going for it. Scarfed Hera works because it gets megahorn to hit slowbro with + night slash + moxie. Scarfed Mienshao works because it can scout with u-turn and it outspeeds most other scarfers. Scarfed machamp can't even outspeed non scarfed cobalion. Thus, there are much better alternatives for a scarfed fighting type. Also, scarfed sawk works because things are a lot less bulky in NU and base 80 speed in NU is like having base 100 speed in UU compared with Machamp's terrible base 55. I'd replace mahcamp with scarfed guts heracross.
3) This kingdra moveset could use a little work. Dragon and water can already get at least a neutral hit on literally everything in the UU tier except empoleon. Thus, its very strong STAB moves are really the only moves is should be going for (a neutral hydro pump does more than a super effective signal beam). If you really must use a non-dragon/water type attack, the only other move I'd consider on specs kingdra would be hp electric just for empoleon. Otherwise, signal beam and ice beam do nothing for you. I'd 100% replace signal beam with surf, as it needs a reliable stab for when it doesn't need the extra power and ice beam with dragon pulse or hp electric.
4) Your Rhyperior seems to be missing 4 EVs. I'd put them into speed.
5) I'm noticing that your team may struggle against hail teams for a few reasons. 1-Your only recovery moves get neutered by hail. 2-You have no fire types and your only fighting type ATM is very easy to play around. 3-You have no ice resists and 2 weak to it. Residual damage ruins zoroark's surprise. To help with this, I'd replace Cresselia with special Victini with v-create. It adds a ton of versatility to the team and might as well be used before it gets permanently banned from the tier.

Hope this helped!
Thank you so much, thats great advice! In terms of Roserade, I just don't want to have to switch up every time I heal up, but I guess having only 25% healed under hail is a problem as well. Scarfed guts heracross sounds really nice, and the Kingdra set definitely sounds great. However, in terms of replacing Cresselia, it's just that Victini really cannot take the hits I need it to, which is why I removed it.

Thank you so much. :)
 

Psychotic

Banned deucer.
Teammate Suggestions:
Scarf Machamp is 100% outclassed by Scarfed Heracross. Heracross has access to a better ability in Moxie, as well as dual typing that allows it to wreck Psychic types that completely wall Machamp, and outspeeds base 115s like Raikou and Azelf. The only way Machamp might be superior to Hera is access to No Guard+Dynamicpunch, which you aren't even using. There is really no reason not to replace Machamp with Heracross on this team.
Moveset Suggestions:
Since you are running a Zoroark to try and lure in physical walls so that your fighting type can come in and wreck, you should use a Specs Zoroark as opposed to your current Physical set. Not only is Zoroark's physical movepool absolute trash, but you are also walled by a lot of the same things that wall fighting types if you use CB. The point of Zoroark is that your opponent has to guess, and if they guess wrong, they should pay for it. You need to be able to 1HKO switch ins like Cofagrigus and 2HKO Gligar, which your current set does not do. Making this change means that Heracross will sweep more often.
You also need to change your Cresselia set. Any setup sweeper can switch in for free on your Cress, set up, and wreck the rest of your team. You should change the Cress set to Calm Mind and use HP Fighting over Ice Beam. HP Fighting means you do damage to Scrafty and Empoleon, who are otherwise really annoying. You can use Flying and Grass types as setup fodder, with the exception of Shaymin, so I think HP Fighting is more helpful. This set beats other CM users 1v1, and forces setup sweepers to make decisions and attack rather than setting up on you. This and Heracross gives you 2 win conditions, something you lack currently. You have a ton of strong pokemon, but nothing to close out the game, but by making these changes you can clean up with Heracross or boost up and sweep with Cresselia.
Lastly, there is no reason to run Max Speed on Rhyperior, extra bulk is much more important than outspeeding one or two walls. 20 speed is the most it needs to run to outspeed other speed creeping Rhyperior. Run 236 HP / 252 SpD / 20 Spd Evs.

Suggested Changes:

Heracross @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

Zoroark @ Choice Specs
Trait: Illusion
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Flamethrower
- Grass Knot
- Trick

Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 36 SAtk / 220 Spd
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Psyshock
- Moonlight

Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Trait: Solid Rock
EVs: 236 HP / 252 SDef / 20 Spd
Careful Nature
- Megahorn
- Rock Blast
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
 
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Teammate Suggestions:
Scarf Machamp is 100% outclassed by Scarfed Heracross. Heracross has access to a better ability in Moxie, as well as dual typing that allows it to wreck Psychic types that completely wall Machamp, and outspeeds base 115s like Raikou and Azelf. The only way Machamp might be superior to Hera is access to No Guard+Dynamicpunch, which you aren't even using. There is really no reason not to replace Machamp with Heracross on this team.
Moveset Suggestions:
Since you are running a Zoroark to try and lure in physical walls so that your fighting type can come in and wreck, you should use a Specs Zoroark as opposed to your current Physical set. Not only is Zoroark's physical movepool absolute trash, but you are also walled by a lot of the same things that wall fighting types if you use CB. The point of Zoroark is that your opponent has to guess, and if they guess wrong, they should pay for it. You need to be able to 1HKO switch ins like Cofagrigus and 2HKO Gligar, which your current set does not do. Making this change means that Heracross will sweep more often.
You also need to change your Cresselia set. Any setup sweeper can switch in for free on your Cress, set up, and wreck the rest of your team. You should change the Cress set to Calm Mind and use HP Fighting over Ice Beam. HP Fighting means you do damage to Scrafty and Empoleon, who are otherwise really annoying. You can use Flying and Grass types as setup fodder, with the exception of Shaymin, so I think HP Fighting is more helpful. This set beats other CM users 1v1, and forces setup sweepers to make decisions and attack rather than setting up on you. This and Heracross gives you 2 win conditions, something you lack currently. You have a ton of strong pokemon, but nothing to close out the game, but by making these changes you can clean up with Heracross or boost up and sweep with Cresselia.
Lastly, there is no reason to run Max Speed on Rhyperior, extra bulk is much more important than outspeeding one or two walls. 20 speed is the most it needs to run to outspeed other speed creeping Rhyperior. Run 236 HP / 252 SpD / 20 Spd Evs.

Suggested Changes:

Heracross @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

Zoroark @ Choice Specs
Trait: Illusion
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Flamethrower
- Grass Knot
- Trick

Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 36 SAtk / 220 Spd
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Psyshock
- Moonlight

Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Trait: Solid Rock
EVs: 236 HP / 252 SDef / 20 Spd
Careful Nature
- Megahorn
- Rock Blast
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
Sorry, the Rhyperior EV spread was wrong only because I pulled the wrong tab. Other than that, thank you so much! I changed my Machamp to a Heracross after Moose V's comment. I definitely agree with you that Hidden Power Fighting will be way more useful than my Ice Beam, however I have a hard time giving up Substitute for Calm Mind because it buys me so many lives! Ill most certainly try the Calm Mind set though. As for Zoroark, I think you are right, and I will most certainly have to change that. But that does mean that I give up my U-Turn scouting abilities, but I guess its worth it. Thank you so much! Cheers! :)
 
Small note, consider running Sleep Talk over EQ on Heracross. That way, you can switch it in as sleep bait, and then feel free to blast away (while also getting a Guts boost, mind you!)
Hope this helped.
-saxton
 
Have you considered using eviolite Gligar over Rypherior? I personally think Gligar fills Rypherior's role better. Here is the set I use.


Gligar@ Eviolite
Trait: Immunity
Nature: Impish
EV's: 252 HP, 252 Def, 4Atk
-Stealth Rock
-Taunt
-Toxic
-Earthquake
 
Have you considered using eviolite Gligar over Rypherior? I personally think Gligar fills Rypherior's role better. Here is the set I use.


Gligar@ Eviolite
Trait: Immunity
Nature: Impish
EV's: 252 HP, 252 Def, 4Atk
-Stealth Rock
-Taunt
-Toxic
-Earthquake
Gligar in no way fills Rhyperior's role better. Rhyperior checks fire and electric types, neither of which Gligar checks very well. Gligar is a fighting type counter and since this team already has Cresselia the only thing that Gligar would help out with is Heracross. Gligar and Rhyperior have completely different roles and just because they both have one typing in common and get up rocks doesn't mean they are interchangeable. You wouldn't go around suggesting that every Empoleon should be replaced with a Cobalion now would you? Also if you're going to use gligar, one of the only reasons to use it over other fighting type checks is for u-turn which your set lacks.
 

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