ORAS Doubles OU the Sad Machine

[Idyll]

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Hello everyone! Built sometime early this year, this is a team that I've enjoyed using during the course of ORAS DOU and brought late into the Summer Seasonal (which I won, wooo!). Metagross is one of my favorite Pokemon design-wise and is a solid pick in the metagame, too, and for some reason I really like using Breloom and I don't know why; one day, I had the random thought of building a team around those two, the core idea being Breloom can check bulky Waters such as Rotom-W for Mega Metagross while also being a pretty cool mon with Spore. The result of that building session is this, a team fitting my style of playing the long game. While they both have their own share of flaws, Mega Metagross and Breloom are still pretty good and effective mons to use in the DOU metagame, and this team should show that :)!

Here's a brief segment on how I built this team:

Teambuilding Process

The common reasoning among low ladder kids,"I use the Pokemon I like," rarely works out but in this case it's a winner—at least for me. The duo's synergy I already explained in the introduction.

I wanted a mon that can check Landorus-T, Talonflame, and other Fire-types well, so I added Rotom-W. Another check to bulky Water-types is cool too.

Landorus-T was added because I wanted to supplement the team with Intimidate, and having a really fast Speed safety net is cool. Helping with Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Diancie, Mega Charizard, and Heatran is a plus.

KFC is a cool mon. Gives me another form of priority + speed control in Tailwind + helps a lot against VenuZard. Kacaw.

I needed much more reliable check to Aegislash, since Landorus-T and Talonflame ain't going to cut it. I added Hydreigon, opting for Roost to give it some staying power. It's also another check to bulky Waters and Fires, helpful to Mega Metagross.

I didn't actually change much in terms of Pokemon. I just heavily thought about Mega Metagross's last move, picking between Hammer Arm, Ice Punch, and Substitute. The first draft had Hammer Arm, but I thought, since I already had Landorus-T, Rotom-W, and Hydreigon for its targets, Substitute was better. Ice Punch's most notable target, Lando-T, can be played around with Talon and its Tailwind and Rotom-W and I just thought chipping Landorus-T until it gets KOd would suffice. I changed it to Substitute. Another change I made is putting Jolly on Breloom over Adamant, because I realized that Jolly is way better and helped with the Bisharp match up more.

The Team

Sad Machine (Metagross) @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 16 HP / 240 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Zen Headbutt
- Substitute
- Protect

Mega Metagross is one of the team's starting points, the other being Breloom. This is the team's best threat usually, and is what the team's based on. I run a Substitute set instead of a coverage move, opting to capitalize on match-ups, opponent play, and switches, since I don't think this team needs Hammer Arm or Ice Punch. There's not much else to say about this guy; the other three moves are standard, me opting for Iron Head over Meteor Mash as I value the reliability more than the additional power. The EV spread and nature is simply aimed to maximize its Attack and Speed in order deal as much damage as it can while outrunning a good portion of the metagame, residing in a high key Speed tier (110+). The stray HP EVs are to take a Adamant LO Bisharp Sucker Punch should it come to that situation; kind of unlikely but it's a pretty close bridge so I might as well cross it.

Awake (Breloom) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Mach Punch
- Bullet Seed
- Spore
- Protect

This is the other starting point of the team. Breloom, as a Pokemon in the DOU metagame, is fairly one-dimensional, as it only really runs Focus Sash in order to actually be able to take a hit and do something; mine is no exception. It helps a good lot with slower threats, being able to Spore them and give its teammates something to take advantage of; a sleeping foe can be a free Substitute or Tailwind at times, which can really get the ball rolling for me. Breloom helps a good deal with bulky Waters, and its priority is cool for getting that last snipe in. Also, its Grass typing gives me a decent Spore switch in, and it can also give me an option against a Rage Powdering Amoonguss. The set is standard, Jolly letting it outrun and Spore as much foes as it can.

Fresh Static Snow (Rotom-Wash) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 128 SpA / 120 SpD / 8 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect

This is basically Glue #1. Rotom-W gives me an effective stop against Fire-types and Landorus-T, thanks to its nifty typing and ability in Levitate. Rotom-W also takes on opposing Thundurus quite well, which is cool since I really don't like any of my Pokemon getting paralyzed. It being able to burn foes is a pretty big help too, as it can apply good chip damage to foes and give me more options in practical play. The set is standard, pretty much. The spread is pretty old; it's back from the golden days of XY, but it's still practically usable. It lets Rotom-W tank a Modest Solar Beam from Mega Charizard Y if it ever comes to that, and in general it lets Rotom-W take special attacks quite handily; I really don't see the need to invest in Defense, and I can back up Rotom-W with Landorus-T's Intimidate anyways. "If it's not broke, don't fix it," as the saying goes.

Lionhearted (Landorus-Therian) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
- Superpower

Landorus-T is Glue #2. While Landorus-T does look like a teambuilding cop-out since I picked Rotom-W before it, it actually has some valid use. I picked it because I need much more sound Mega Diancie check, as my last three mons have shaky chances to be beaten by it. Landorus-T also gives me another Mega Charizard Y check, and paired with Talonflame they can fare well against opposing VenuZard combinations. Its Intimidate can also be really nifty at times, helping the team out against physical attackers, such as Mega Kangaskhan, Mega Diancie, and opposing Landorus-T. The set is pretty much standard; Choice Scarf helps me in the position game by giving me a Speed advantage, and the spread and nature gives me as much offensive potential while going as slow as I reasonably can, outrunning the rare Mega Manectric while letting me get the slower U-turn against opposing Landorus-T, helping with the position game. I use Stone Edge over Rock Slide because I want things such as Thundurus eliminated quicker, as befitting to my style of play.

Flicker (Talonflame) @ Life Orb
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Tailwind
- Protect

Talonflame helps the team function well by being good at applying pressure, and it gives me a "get out of jail free" card against faster foes, such as Chlorophyll Venusaur, Landorus-T, and foes backed up by speed control such as Tailwind or Trick Room. In particular, Talonflame improves the previously shaky VenuZard matchup greatly, being able to smack Venusaur as it effectively ignores the opponents Speed. It's also great at sniping weakened foes, which is great as the team is good at naturally generating chip damage. On another note, Talonflame provides me some crucial speed control in Tailwind, which is key as any good team requires some form of Speed control; Tailwind helps Breloom and Hydreigon a lot, letting them smack normally faster foes and giving the former a wider range of foes to put to sleep. Not much else to say, really, as the set is pretty much standard Smogon Bird. I guess another form of priority on top of Mach Punch is cool, and forming a FWG core on this team is pretty hot :D

Years Of War (Hydreigon) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 216 HP / 152 SpA / 8 SpD / 132 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Roost
- Protect

Hydreigon is pretty much here because I needed a much more sound Aegislash check, which walls and bops Mega Metagross; Landorus-T and Talonflame can't switch in without taking significant damage, and their attacks are a bit unreliable against Aegislash. Aside from checking Aegislash, Hydreigon is also useful as a pivot thanks to its nifty resistances to common types, such as Fire, Water, and Electric, which lets it take on foes such as Heatran and Rotom-W. Other than that, there's really not much else to say about this guy. The set is pretty standard, with Life Orb providing me some punch to my attacks. I use Roost instead of Fire Blast or Earth Power since the additional coverage isn't really needed. Roost lets Hydreigon gives Hydreigon nifty recovery, letting it switch into attacks often without fear while at the same time dish out some strong hits. The SpA EVs let Hydreigon OHKO 44 HP Landorus-T, and the Speed EVs let it outrun the crowded Jolly Breloom benchmark. The rest of the EVs are put into bulk, the HP reaching a Life Orb number.

...

I don't really have much to say. This team is cool, I'm proud of it, etc. Something I've taken criticism for before is how I've always been a repetitive builder. Well, I've been diversifying so that'll be a thing of the past, I promise! Shout out to people who want to know the opposite of "in" + shout out to the DOU community even if we're nerds. Anyways, thanks for reading :)!

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Replays

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/doublesubers-264871592 - Summer Seasonal Finals G1
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-doublesou-87233 - Fall Seasonals Early Rounds
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/doublesou-282993114 - Random match against shaian lellers

Importable

Sad Machine (Metagross) @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 16 HP / 240 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Zen Headbutt
- Substitute
- Protect

Divinity (Breloom) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Mach Punch
- Bullet Seed
- Spore
- Protect

Fresh Static Snow (Rotom-Wash) @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 128 SpA / 120 SpD / 8 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Protect

Lionhearted (Landorus-Therian) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
- Superpower

Flicker (Talonflame) @ Life Orb
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Tailwind
- Protect

Years Of War (Hydreigon) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 216 HP / 152 SpA / 8 SpD / 132 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Roost
- Protect

 

[Mishimono]

This is a pretty awesome team. I should try out Breloom+Metagross sometime