Introduction
Hey everyone! With the Mega Sceptile being introduced into OU, I thought I would make a surrounding one of my favorite offensive cores that Mega Sceptile is in. This 3 mon build came from ORAS OU, but got a major upgrade with the addition of z-moves. With all that said let's get into it!
The Core
The main point of this core is to take out anything in Gyarados's way to sweeping through opponent's teams. Mega Sceptile is a great answer to electric types and water types, which are both typings that beat Gyarados. Magnezone not only gets rid of the steel types that get in the way of Gyarados, but it also can clear the way for Mega Sceptile to clean up late game. And of course lastly, we have Gyarados, the sweeper. In previous generations, the Dragon Dance set was less effective than it is in SM OU. This is of course due to Gyarados's use of Z-Bounce giving it a stab flying move.
The Team
Amazonian (Sceptile-Mega) (F) @ Sceptilite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Focus Blast
- Dragon Pulse
- Giga Drain / Hidden Power [Fire]
- Leaf Storm
As said up in the core description, Mega Sceptile's job is to take on the electric types and water types in the OU tier. This outspeeds every electric and water type barring scarf in the meta game giving it the ability to take them out with Leaf Storm. Focus Blast is for hitting steel types like Heatran and Ferrothorn. Giga Drain is nice to have in case of not wanting to drop Sceptile's special attack stat, but Hidden Power Fire is good for things like Mega Scizor and Magearna.
Magneto (Magnezone) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
Next up is Magnezone. The main use for this is just to eliminate all Steel types on the other side of the field. This calls for Hidden Power Fire, to take out mons like Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, and Excadrill. Thunderbolt and Flash Cannon of course are for dual stab, and Volt Switch for gaining momentum. Overall this magnet is a key part of the team and can really clear the way for Gyarados and Mega Sceptile if used effectively.
Mushu (Gyarados) (M) @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Moxie
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 228 Atk / 28 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Waterfall
- Bounce
- Dragon Dance
- Taunt / Substitute
The last member of the core is Gyarados here. Gyarados has decent enough bulk to set up on lots of mons in the meta game. Waterfall and Z-Bounce give Gyarados dual stab and great moves making it able to sweep. Also, once Gyarados has set up a DD or two, and the Z move had already been used, Bounce is still a usuable move since Gyarados will go first in both turns. Taunt allows Gyarados to set up on things like Celesteela which normally can't touch it but can Leech Seed and Protect spam, and mons like Skarmory can't whirlwind. Substitute is also a decent option, but through a lot of battles on the ladder I have found that Taunt has worked better in the long run.
Gaea (Landorus-Therian) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 212 Def / 24 SpD / 24 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Stealth Rock
Looking at the team so far, I knew I wanted hazards. It helped Gyarados sweep and Sceptile or Magnezone clean once its checks are weakened. So I took the best Stealth Rocker in the game, Lando T. The set is standard and simple, Defensive with Rocky Helmet, EQ for main stab and U-Turn for momentum. HP Ice for killing other Landorus's and things like Garchomp and Zygarde. While the standard set for Defensive Landorus-Therian has 16 speed EVs, this one has 24 to make sure 1v1s are won.
Cesteelia (Celesteela) @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Sassy Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower
Every balance team in SM OU needs a way to take on Tapu Lele, or it won't be able to function. So, here is Celesteela. What made Celesteela also a great mon to put on this team was how great it can handle things like Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor without having to use Magnezone for all of them. Leech Seed + Protect gives Celesteela good recover and lets Landorus, a mon that lacks recovery last longer. Heavy Slam is great for this mon due to Celesteela being the heaviest mon in the entire game, and Flamethrower to beat the steel types that could wall it.
Zora (Tapu Fini) @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Taunt
- Moonblast
- Nature's Madness
To finish off this team I decided I needed hazard removal and a better fire resistance. This led to me putting utility Tapu Fini on the squad. Taunt stops mons like Mega Scizor and Mega Mawile from setting up with SD. I have Moonblast over Surf/Scald because Gyarados already has water moves on it. Natures Madness it great for mons like Ferrothorn, Amoongus, Magearna and Mega Venusaur. And of course Defog is my hazard removal.
Threats
Mega Charizard Y is a threat to almost every team in OU right now, and this team is no different. Luckily Scarf Magnezone can come in and revenge kill, as well as Mega Sceptile if Zard Y is low.
Like Zard Y, almost every team in the meta game is weak to Mega Medicham. Landorus can take an Ice Punch due to intimidate and gets great chip damage off with the Rocky Helmet putting it in range of Magnezone's Thunderbolt or Mega Sceptile's Leaf Storm which already OHKO'd without prior damage.
While Zapdos may not be the most offensive mon the meta game as it is used in a more defensive role now, the coverage of T-Bolt, Heat Wave and HP Ice melts this team. The best answer is Celesteela which can come in and Leech Seed while still eating electric moves.
Conclusion
Well that is it! I hope you guys liked the team. If you have any comments or criticisms I'm completely open to those just drop em down there. I will probably be putting out a Mega Swampert team in the next few days so look for that over the next few days. See you all next time!