because the team deliberately stacks pokemon with the same checks it's like the opposite of a traditional offensive core, or an anti-core. Anyway, this is a fun team despite its weaknesses and I'd love to see any suggestions for improvements or different versions.
Teambuilding Process
the team had a few hyperoffensive variations based around these three pokemon. The win condition is to use powerful Fire attacks to pile on any resists or other checks and overwork them, opening up the rest of the team. Victini and Blacephalon was chosen for maximum power and were why the type was chosen. Ninetales was picked as an offensive sun setter but failed to do anything offensively. These teams needed constant sacrificing to get the wallbreakers in and out and did horribly vs opposing HO.
the breakers were doing well in Sun but everything else was failing, especially Ninetales, so I shifted towards balance with Torkoal instead.
Blissey's bulk and Teleport support means that the team can afford the inevitable momentum loss from Victini and choiced Blacephalon.
Tangrowth acts as a nice partner for Blissey and defensive check to Landorus who beats the first four.
the team needs broad speed control which scarf Landorus provides and double hazard removal is useful due to the rock weaknesses.
Blacephalon saw little use, having to compete with Victini for chances to get in. Volcarona works as a different kind of attacker who can create pressure against offensive mons and stay in without choicelocking. Plus, this way Torkoal isn't the only Weavile answer. Teleport was also eventually given up on Blissey because without the moveslot the team had no Dragapult answer.
Pokemon
@ Heat Rock
Ability: Drought
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Lava Plume
- Rest
- Stone Edge
- Rapid Spin
Torkoal's Sun support is what turns Victini and Volcarona into unstoppable bullldozers. However, Torkoal also has some defensive utility. Max physical defense allows Torkoal to switch into Kartana, Weavile, and Corviknight. Lava Plume is important specifically to threaten to burn Tyranitar, who otherwise hard counters this Torkoal. Rest allows Torkoal to stay alive throughout the match. Stone Edge means opposing Volcarona is never safe to set up on you and makes minor progress against Heatran. Spin is a nice luxury to remove hazards on likely switches which Victini and to an extent Landorus appreciate. Speed is its least useful stat anyway and minimum speed means you can rapid spin away more from Ferrothorn. Heat Rock's extra turns are useful because often you can't get an attacker in right away.
Sleep Talk seems bad. Scenarios where you want Torkoal to attack after Rest are already rarer than any other move's use case in my experience and it isn't guaranteed to select anything good. Yawn would be a nice Stone Edge replacement, but the team already has a sleeper and sleep clause would be a problem.
Volcarona calcs:
@ Choice Band
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- V-create
- Bolt Strike
- Trick
- Glaciate
in the entire universe of OU the only pokemon who can shrug off a sun boosted V-Create is Heatran. At some point any non-HO team will have to spend a turn using a passive pokemon, giving Victini a chance to switch in, and in the vast majority of cases the question is which teammate your opponent will sac.
Relevant calcs:
Bolt Strike lets you damage Heatran gradually, hit Pelipper and damage any Water types that can outspeed you. Trick messes with setup sweepers and walls without dropping stats but is especially nice for Heatran. Generally it should be used after Victini has already blown a hole, though. Glaciate speed controls Garchomp and Kommo-O, but is very rarely used. U-Turn is an option but getting Victini in on a pokemon which can't kill it is a lot of work just to U-Turn out especially because V-Create is so hard to deal with.
@ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
- Solar Beam
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Sleep Powder
Tangrowth is the glue of the team, as it is by far the hardest member to wear down and provides a lot defensive utility especially against Ground types, Tyranitar, and Urshifu-RS which give the rest of the team grief. Solar Beam benefits from Sun to 2HKO Landorus-T and kill Urshifu. EQ is nice for Heatran and Magnezone because hitting Ferrothorn isn't needed. Koff annoys pokemon Tangrowth can't seriously damage like Corv and weakens sweepers. Sleep Powder prevents setup, gives the Fires chances to switch in, and ruins attempts at a last pokemon sweep.
@ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 124 HP / 252 Def / 132 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Soft-Boiled
- Shadow Ball / Toxic
- Seismic Toss
Blissey's role is to switch into strong special attackers like Heatran, Nidoking and Tapu Koko to force them out and create opportunities for Victini, provide Rocks, and allow the weather to be reset. Stealth Rock is on Blissey as it gets much more opportunities to use it than Torkoal. A way of damaging Specs Dragapult is an absolute necessity and I prefer Shadow Ball as it allows you to hit Gengar, although Toxic helps with sweepers which can recover health like Volcarona. Blissey's spread and nature allows it to always live 2 +2 Flamethrowers from Timid Volcarona in Sun and maximizes physical bulk otherwise.
@ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Flamethrower
- Psychic
- Bug Buzz
Volcarona is as always a threatening special sweeper and it can be used more freely than Victini in the early- and midgame since it doesn't have to lock into 1 attack or have its stats dropped. It would like recovery but Psychic is useful for Toxapex and can hit weakened Dragonite and Dragapult neutrally while Bug Buzz hits Slowbro, Slowking and weakened Tyranitar.
I intentionally omitted any Chlorophyll users and instead choose a second Fire attacker. The reason is that it benefits greatly from the switches forced by Victini while Chlorophyll users' checks such as Corviknight can hide away from it. The strategy of the team is to overwork any checks to Fire types, and Chlorophyll users do not achieve that.
Relevant calcs:
@ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
- Defog
Landorus is an all-purpose revenge killer as well as providing crucial Defog support and occasionally U-Turning into one of the Fire-types. EQ and Stone edge provides good neutral coverage and hits many of OU's most popular fast attackers including Tapu Koko, Zeraora, Volcarona and Tornadus-Therian. U-Turn provides momentum and hits Hydreigon harder than EdgeQuake. Unfortunately a 91 speed Scarfer won't always cut it as many sweepers such as Volcarona and DD Dragapult can boost more than once, and while Landorus's physical bulk with Intimidate is OK it's not reliable to always switch in on an anticipated boosts. Speaking of which:
Threats
Dragapult is an insanely strong pokemon. Blissey takes little from special variants but the switch can be taken advantage of by U-Turn, and because Blissey is your best hope the rarer Dragon Dance and Choice Band variants of Pult threaten to curb stomp the whole team if not played against very carefully. Lando can do up to 83.5%, which helps but requires more chip than just Stealth Rocks and it doesn't want to switch in.
Psychic Terrain boosted Psyshock cleaves through this team and it fears little from it. Scarf Lele is also faster than anything that hasn't set up.
Not even slightly bothered by Scarf Landorus and Acrobatics destroys Tangrowth. You need to kill it quickly.
( 
)
opposing Fire types benefitting from your Sun are always dangerous. Heatran is often chipped and then answered by Blissey but Taunt can leave Blissey in a bad spot. Every member has some sort of Volcarona counterplay (Tangrowth having the risky but possible Sleep Powder) but if they do find an opportunity to set up they can be painful. However, these are less of an issue than what was previously mentioned.
Importable
Link
Teambuilding Process
the team had a few hyperoffensive variations based around these three pokemon. The win condition is to use powerful Fire attacks to pile on any resists or other checks and overwork them, opening up the rest of the team. Victini and Blacephalon was chosen for maximum power and were why the type was chosen. Ninetales was picked as an offensive sun setter but failed to do anything offensively. These teams needed constant sacrificing to get the wallbreakers in and out and did horribly vs opposing HO.
the breakers were doing well in Sun but everything else was failing, especially Ninetales, so I shifted towards balance with Torkoal instead.
Blissey's bulk and Teleport support means that the team can afford the inevitable momentum loss from Victini and choiced Blacephalon.
Tangrowth acts as a nice partner for Blissey and defensive check to Landorus who beats the first four.
the team needs broad speed control which scarf Landorus provides and double hazard removal is useful due to the rock weaknesses.
Blacephalon saw little use, having to compete with Victini for chances to get in. Volcarona works as a different kind of attacker who can create pressure against offensive mons and stay in without choicelocking. Plus, this way Torkoal isn't the only Weavile answer. Teleport was also eventually given up on Blissey because without the moveslot the team had no Dragapult answer.
Pokemon
@ Heat RockAbility: Drought
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Lava Plume
- Rest
- Stone Edge
- Rapid Spin
Torkoal's Sun support is what turns Victini and Volcarona into unstoppable bullldozers. However, Torkoal also has some defensive utility. Max physical defense allows Torkoal to switch into Kartana, Weavile, and Corviknight. Lava Plume is important specifically to threaten to burn Tyranitar, who otherwise hard counters this Torkoal. Rest allows Torkoal to stay alive throughout the match. Stone Edge means opposing Volcarona is never safe to set up on you and makes minor progress against Heatran. Spin is a nice luxury to remove hazards on likely switches which Victini and to an extent Landorus appreciate. Speed is its least useful stat anyway and minimum speed means you can rapid spin away more from Ferrothorn. Heat Rock's extra turns are useful because often you can't get an attacker in right away.
Sleep Talk seems bad. Scenarios where you want Torkoal to attack after Rest are already rarer than any other move's use case in my experience and it isn't guaranteed to select anything good. Yawn would be a nice Stone Edge replacement, but the team already has a sleeper and sleep clause would be a problem.
Volcarona calcs:
0 Atk Torkoal Stone Edge vs. 248 HP / 8 Def Volcarona: 356-420 (95.4 - 112.6%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO
0 Atk Torkoal Stone Edge vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Volcarona: 356-420 (114.4 - 135%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0 Atk Torkoal Stone Edge vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Volcarona: 356-420 (114.4 - 135%) -- guaranteed OHKO
@ Choice BandAbility: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- V-create
- Bolt Strike
- Trick
- Glaciate
in the entire universe of OU the only pokemon who can shrug off a sun boosted V-Create is Heatran. At some point any non-HO team will have to spend a turn using a passive pokemon, giving Victini a chance to switch in, and in the vast majority of cases the question is which teammate your opponent will sac.
Relevant calcs:
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Landorus-Therian: 399-471 (125 - 147.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Landorus-Therian in Sun: 424-501 (110.9 - 131.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Clefable in Sun: 483-568 (122.5 - 144.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex in Sun: 147-173 (48.3 - 56.9%) -- 90.2% chance to 2HKO and you're still faster
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Slowking in Sun: 329-387 (83.5 - 98.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO and you're still faster
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro in Sun: 186-219 (47.2 - 55.5%) -- 74.2% chance to 2HKO and you're still faster
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Swampert in Sun: 300-353 (74.2 - 87.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery and you're still faster
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Landorus-Therian in Sun: 424-501 (110.9 - 131.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Clefable in Sun: 483-568 (122.5 - 144.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex in Sun: 147-173 (48.3 - 56.9%) -- 90.2% chance to 2HKO and you're still faster
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Slowking in Sun: 329-387 (83.5 - 98.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO and you're still faster
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro in Sun: 186-219 (47.2 - 55.5%) -- 74.2% chance to 2HKO and you're still faster
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Swampert in Sun: 300-353 (74.2 - 87.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery and you're still faster
Bolt Strike lets you damage Heatran gradually, hit Pelipper and damage any Water types that can outspeed you. Trick messes with setup sweepers and walls without dropping stats but is especially nice for Heatran. Generally it should be used after Victini has already blown a hole, though. Glaciate speed controls Garchomp and Kommo-O, but is very rarely used. U-Turn is an option but getting Victini in on a pokemon which can't kill it is a lot of work just to U-Turn out especially because V-Create is so hard to deal with.
@ Rocky HelmetAbility: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
- Solar Beam
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Sleep Powder
Tangrowth is the glue of the team, as it is by far the hardest member to wear down and provides a lot defensive utility especially against Ground types, Tyranitar, and Urshifu-RS which give the rest of the team grief. Solar Beam benefits from Sun to 2HKO Landorus-T and kill Urshifu. EQ is nice for Heatran and Magnezone because hitting Ferrothorn isn't needed. Koff annoys pokemon Tangrowth can't seriously damage like Corv and weakens sweepers. Sleep Powder prevents setup, gives the Fires chances to switch in, and ruins attempts at a last pokemon sweep.
@ Heavy-Duty BootsAbility: Natural Cure
EVs: 124 HP / 252 Def / 132 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Soft-Boiled
- Shadow Ball / Toxic
- Seismic Toss
Blissey's role is to switch into strong special attackers like Heatran, Nidoking and Tapu Koko to force them out and create opportunities for Victini, provide Rocks, and allow the weather to be reset. Stealth Rock is on Blissey as it gets much more opportunities to use it than Torkoal. A way of damaging Specs Dragapult is an absolute necessity and I prefer Shadow Ball as it allows you to hit Gengar, although Toxic helps with sweepers which can recover health like Volcarona. Blissey's spread and nature allows it to always live 2 +2 Flamethrowers from Timid Volcarona in Sun and maximizes physical bulk otherwise.
@ Heavy-Duty BootsAbility: Flame Body
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Flamethrower
- Psychic
- Bug Buzz
Volcarona is as always a threatening special sweeper and it can be used more freely than Victini in the early- and midgame since it doesn't have to lock into 1 attack or have its stats dropped. It would like recovery but Psychic is useful for Toxapex and can hit weakened Dragonite and Dragapult neutrally while Bug Buzz hits Slowbro, Slowking and weakened Tyranitar.
I intentionally omitted any Chlorophyll users and instead choose a second Fire attacker. The reason is that it benefits greatly from the switches forced by Victini while Chlorophyll users' checks such as Corviknight can hide away from it. The strategy of the team is to overwork any checks to Fire types, and Chlorophyll users do not achieve that.
Relevant calcs:
+1 252 SpA Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Slowking in Sun: 114-135 (28.9 - 34.2%) -- 4% chance to 3HKO
252 SpA Volcarona Bug Buzz vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Slowking: 204-242 (51.7 - 61.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Volcarona Psychic vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Toxapex: 224-264 (73.6 - 86.8%) [into (48.6 - 57.8%) after Haze] -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Toxapex in Sun: 126-148 (41.4 - 48.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 SpA Volcarona Bug Buzz vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Slowking: 204-242 (51.7 - 61.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Volcarona Psychic vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Toxapex: 224-264 (73.6 - 86.8%) [into (48.6 - 57.8%) after Haze] -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Volcarona Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Toxapex in Sun: 126-148 (41.4 - 48.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
@ Choice ScarfAbility: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
- Defog
Landorus is an all-purpose revenge killer as well as providing crucial Defog support and occasionally U-Turning into one of the Fire-types. EQ and Stone edge provides good neutral coverage and hits many of OU's most popular fast attackers including Tapu Koko, Zeraora, Volcarona and Tornadus-Therian. U-Turn provides momentum and hits Hydreigon harder than EdgeQuake. Unfortunately a 91 speed Scarfer won't always cut it as many sweepers such as Volcarona and DD Dragapult can boost more than once, and while Landorus's physical bulk with Intimidate is OK it's not reliable to always switch in on an anticipated boosts. Speaking of which:
Threats
Dragapult is an insanely strong pokemon. Blissey takes little from special variants but the switch can be taken advantage of by U-Turn, and because Blissey is your best hope the rarer Dragon Dance and Choice Band variants of Pult threaten to curb stomp the whole team if not played against very carefully. Lando can do up to 83.5%, which helps but requires more chip than just Stealth Rocks and it doesn't want to switch in.
Psychic Terrain boosted Psyshock cleaves through this team and it fears little from it. Scarf Lele is also faster than anything that hasn't set up.
Not even slightly bothered by Scarf Landorus and Acrobatics destroys Tangrowth. You need to kill it quickly.
( )opposing Fire types benefitting from your Sun are always dangerous. Heatran is often chipped and then answered by Blissey but Taunt can leave Blissey in a bad spot. Every member has some sort of Volcarona counterplay (Tangrowth having the risky but possible Sleep Powder) but if they do find an opportunity to set up they can be painful. However, these are less of an issue than what was previously mentioned.
Importable
Link
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