Before I start:
Alright, I kind of want to take you guys through the process of making this team. I'm going to start with the team-building process, move on to the individual Pokemon, and finish up with a team overview and threat list. Let's see how well that goes, and see if I can stick to the plan while writing.
Team-Building Process
Volcanion - After coming back from a long hiatus of God-knows-how-long, I noticed a few changes to OU. If memory serves me correctly - and it probably doesn't - Volcanion, Azelf, Raikou, Tangrowth, Tornadus-T, and Amoonguss weren't OU before. I was thinking to myself I gotta catch up. I figured the best way to do this was, obviously, look up their sets and try them out. Volcanion was the only "new" Pokemon so I decided to base a team around it. The other Pokemon did what I expected them to do in the OU tier so I thought Volcanion would be best. Now, I have to make a team around it.
Volcanion has 3 weaknesses: Rock, Ground, and Electric. Naturally, I should cover these weaknesses. The Rock and Ground weaknesses mean that Volcanion is epecially weak to entry hazard damage, too. Therefore, I need a reliable Magic Bounce User, Spinner, or Defogger to mitigate that a bit. At first, I had the team set up with M-Diancie, Ferrothorn, Volcanion, Chansey, Gliscor, and Zygarde just for experimentation. That team quickly staled at around 1600 on ladder, and I tilted into 1300s. If my team ran into a team that knew how to keep hazards on the field, it could be over easily. Therefore, revamping was needed, and I saw a great need to keep hazards at bay or neutralized. My solution, as it stands now, is Chansey and Skarmory as a solid core. Skarmory keeps hazards from damaging a good chunk of my team with Defog, and Chansey is able to use wish to heal anyone that wants to switch into that damage. They, also, cover Volcanion's weaknesses quite well, including strong neutral damage.
But that's not enough... I decided that Skarmory should not be running both Defog and Stealth Rock. I need to stop setup some way as well. I would like better answers to Breloom, M-Metagross, Keldeo, and some others. I would, also, like to grab momentum more often. Hippowdon and Amoonguss add defensive redundancy and each have their own way to stop setup sweepers so they ended up being good fits for this team.
For some reason, out of all the Pokemon I tried in the last slot (M-Diancie, Zygarde, and Magnezone included) Mega Heracross worked for me far better than anything else. Putting up substitute is something that really puts the heat on.
The Team
Volcanion @ Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Steam Eruption
- Fire Blast
- Sludge Bomb
- Earth Power
This Volcanion set is meant to hit the hardest it can while still outspeeding or speed-tying with things like Defensive Lando-T, Breloom, M-Scizor, Gliscor, and opposing Volcanion. Steam Eruption is manditory as it packs the strongest STAB damage Volcanion has to offer while offering a 30% burn chance. Fire Blast is used over Flamethrower to guarantee at least 10% more damage than Wallbreaker Charizard-Y can Roost away in the Sun , guarantee over 55% damage to Defensive M-Venusaur in clear weather, and to more heavily damage resisted switch-ins like Rotom-W (which has a 25.8% chance to be 2HKOed after Stealth Rock damage with Leftovers recovery). That makes Fire Blast a better blanket move while looking at the opponent's team in most cases. Sludge Bomb and Earth Power are for coverage against Fairies, Grasses, Rocks, Fires, Steels, and Electrics that may switch in or are slow enough to be KOed. Moves with Volcanion must be picked while carefully looking at the opponent's team. For example, if Ferrothorn, Politoed, and Tornadus-T were set up on the opponent's team, and you were facing a Ferrothorn in the Rain, you would probably want to go with Steam Eruption. It may do under 50% to Utility Ferrothorn, but it will still get the job done and it has a good chance to OHKO Assault Vest Tornadus-T while having a nifty burn chance on whatever decides to stay in or not. Volcanion has the ability to come in on little things here and there, but it's best to know your situations and not lose it to switching in on Keldeo's Secret Sword or something. Rather, with this team, it's best to switch in on almost nothing and bring it out after something is KOed, and/or you can get a Wish passed to you for full-health confrontations against, maybe, something that is predicted to use Knock Off like Mew, Mandibuzz, or Weavile.
Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 32 Atk / 28 Def / 200 SpD
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Toxic
- Iron Head / Brave Bird
- Roost
For this Skarmory set, I used the Specially Defensive variant with small deviations to support my team. Skarmory was chosen to, mainly, deal with Lando-T and to remove hazards from the field. That isn't to say it's all she's good for. Certain situations call for Skarmory to be called out instead of Chansey because Chansey has to use two turns to heal off Psyshock attacks, and they may have something that can set up (Latios uses Psyshock on my Chansey switch-in/I use wish while they switch to Dragonite). If I just had Skarmory switch in on Latios instead of Chansey and Roost off the damage, he may be forced to switch without dealing damage to a Pokemon over time (even better if I have Rocks up, meaning two Pokemon probably just got SR damage), and I have a chance to throw Toxic at Latios if it Roosts instead. I chose Specially Defensive because it meant having a better chance to deal with Lati-twins, Tankchomp, M-Diancie, and CM Clefable as well as having something to allow Chansey to not have to switch in as much. Against the aforementioned Pokemon, Skarmory can use Iron Head or Toxic or both to wear them down. Rocky Helmet was an important item choice over Leftovers because it simply meant I could hurt Dragon Tail and U-Turn users more easily. If no Rocks are on the field because of Defog, I still have the ability to do damage passively, too. EDITED SET: CHANGED TO A MORE DEFENSIVE VARIANT TO BETTER DEAL WITH WEAVILE AND STILL PERFORM A SIMILAR ROLE - or - BRAVE BIRD FOR MEDICHAM
Chansey @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
- Seismic Toss
Because we have a good deal of defensive and specially defensive redundancy on this team, Chansey gets to come out on fewer things so it doesn't take as much damage as it would on other teams from switching in while running this set. The important things to switch this thing in on, though, are, usually, things like higher Special Attack Fire-Types, Psychic-Types, and Serperior. Chansey is a Wish passer first and foremost on this team. She should try to keep the team healthy so they can continue dealing damage. Toxic and Protect mold well with Wish as it allows Chansey to stall out Pokemon and Heal itself effectively while Seismic Toss is used to give some more offensive pressure on Toxic Stalling as well as do damage on switch-ins that resist Toxic, and take out Magic Guard 'Zam without Recover. Protect is ran over Softboiled because Skarmory or Chansey could have Toxic'd prior and Protect can stall out strong physical attackers for one more move (it also scouts choice-locked moves).
Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Whirlwind
Skarmory doesn't have Whirlwind or Taunt, so there may be things that can set up in its face. I, also, need entry hazards. Talonflame's scary, too. Thus, Hippowdon. I invested nothing in Hippowdon's Special Defense because I have checks and counters for powerful special attackers. Instead, I opted to use Hippowdon as a Defensive Pivot that can lay down Rocks and Whirlwind away certain physical Setup Sweepers my team couldn't, otherwise, deal with. Whirlwind is also good for shuffling around the opponent's team on the Rocks and easing prediction for a switchout. Earthquake allows Hippowdon to deal heavy damage to Pokemon like Ttar, Roosting birds, frail pokes, Steel-Types, and Charizard-X. Sand Force was the Ability of choice for a couple reasons: residual damage is bad for some of my team members and Sand Force gets Hippowdon a guaranteed 2HKO on most TTar. Four Speed EVs were given to Hippowdon just to outspeed other Hippowdon without investment.
Amoonguss (M) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 168 Def / 92 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Spore
- Clear Smog
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Amoonguss is another Pokemon added to stop Setup Sweepers. This time, it's mostly for the special attackers. However, Amoonguss can stop a few physical Setup Sweepers if need be. It's, also, very versatile switching in and out with Regenerator. While still being able to come in on things the other team members can as a better option for them, Amoonguss can, also, come in on many things the others cannot such as Keldeo, Breloom, and Azumarill. The moveset is very specific. Clear Smog is for the setup Moves the opponent will try to use. Spore can stop a switchin or the current-facing Pokemon from moving, and it allows a momentum shift for Mega Heracross to set up a Sub or Volcanion to come in and launch an attack. Hidden Power Fire is so that Scizor and Ferrothorn have one less Pokemon they feel safe against.
Heracross (M) @ Heracronite
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 240 HP / 136 Atk / 32 Def / 100 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Close Combat
- Pin Missile
- Rock Blast
Mega Heracross is a big Sweeper in this Semistall team. Usually, it comes in on something that was put to sleep by Amoonguss and sets up a Substitute. However, it doesn't always need to cut HP. It can simply hit hard and switch out. Like Volcanion, receiving Wishes from Chansey can allow it to sponge a hit on something it resists like Weavile's Knock Off, and proceed to threaten it out or KO it. The set is bread-and-butter Bulky Wallbreaker with a minor adjustment. Someone needs to fix the suggested Speed EVs for the set for outrunning Rotom-W because Rotom-W tends to run 8 Spe EVS - not 0. That's why my Mega Heracross has 100 Spe EVs - so it can outrun Defensive Rotom-W. The other EVs are standard except Defense which was pooled together for the remaining EVs as suggested by the Strategy Dex's Bulky Wallbreaker set details. It has resistances to Fighting, Dark, Bug, Grass, and Ground - one of which no one else resists (Dark), and one of which only one other Pokemon is immune to (Ground - Skarmory). Finally, Moxie is used for that seldom chance to snatch a KO and boost Attack when it is better to do so than set up a Substitute.
Team Overview
This is the hard part for me - summing it all up. I don't know how to very well, and I'm not sure I want to try very hard. HOWEVER! Hippowdon, Skarmory, Chansey, and Amoonguss form a very strong defensive core with the latter two being the main ones to set up opportunities for Volcanion and Mega Heracross to sweep through Wish and Spore. Stealth Rock helps Volcanion and Heracross power through, and they, also, weaken foes that want to constantly switch out. Toxic and Recovery Moves and Abilities help wear down the opponent while keeping the team alive, and Defog gets rid of unwanted hazards. There is defensive redundancy in which certain Pokemon can cover the slot when another cannot making it easier to change plans and confuse the opponent. Move coverage and role coverage is done well, and this team doesn't have a hard time against any type of team I can think of in particular.
Threat List(that I'm aware could be a threat)
Kyurem-B (wallbreaker is tough)
Gengar (can be difficult if it has the right moveset)
Magnezone (have to play around well or let skarm die at some point)
Mew (stallbreaker - really weird to play around and I have to tack on damage here and there)
There's probably more, but it's hard to think of some.
Thank you
For anyone who is willing to make this team better, give me advice, and offer any feedback on this team. I'm only one man, and I really appreciate it. :)
Current ranking (Honestly, I never feel like laddering. After going to rank 1300, it was all I could do to just go this far and say, "Ok, that's good enough. You got back to where you were before easily and then a bit further easily. You're fine now.")
Alright, I kind of want to take you guys through the process of making this team. I'm going to start with the team-building process, move on to the individual Pokemon, and finish up with a team overview and threat list. Let's see how well that goes, and see if I can stick to the plan while writing.
Team-Building Process
Volcanion - After coming back from a long hiatus of God-knows-how-long, I noticed a few changes to OU. If memory serves me correctly - and it probably doesn't - Volcanion, Azelf, Raikou, Tangrowth, Tornadus-T, and Amoonguss weren't OU before. I was thinking to myself I gotta catch up. I figured the best way to do this was, obviously, look up their sets and try them out. Volcanion was the only "new" Pokemon so I decided to base a team around it. The other Pokemon did what I expected them to do in the OU tier so I thought Volcanion would be best. Now, I have to make a team around it. Volcanion has 3 weaknesses: Rock, Ground, and Electric. Naturally, I should cover these weaknesses. The Rock and Ground weaknesses mean that Volcanion is epecially weak to entry hazard damage, too. Therefore, I need a reliable Magic Bounce User, Spinner, or Defogger to mitigate that a bit. At first, I had the team set up with M-Diancie, Ferrothorn, Volcanion, Chansey, Gliscor, and Zygarde just for experimentation. That team quickly staled at around 1600 on ladder, and I tilted into 1300s. If my team ran into a team that knew how to keep hazards on the field, it could be over easily. Therefore, revamping was needed, and I saw a great need to keep hazards at bay or neutralized. My solution, as it stands now, is Chansey and Skarmory as a solid core. Skarmory keeps hazards from damaging a good chunk of my team with Defog, and Chansey is able to use wish to heal anyone that wants to switch into that damage. They, also, cover Volcanion's weaknesses quite well, including strong neutral damage. But that's not enough... I decided that Skarmory should not be running both Defog and Stealth Rock. I need to stop setup some way as well. I would like better answers to Breloom, M-Metagross, Keldeo, and some others. I would, also, like to grab momentum more often. Hippowdon and Amoonguss add defensive redundancy and each have their own way to stop setup sweepers so they ended up being good fits for this team. For some reason, out of all the Pokemon I tried in the last slot (M-Diancie, Zygarde, and Magnezone included) Mega Heracross worked for me far better than anything else. Putting up substitute is something that really puts the heat on.The Team
Volcanion @ Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Steam Eruption
- Fire Blast
- Sludge Bomb
- Earth Power
This Volcanion set is meant to hit the hardest it can while still outspeeding or speed-tying with things like Defensive Lando-T, Breloom, M-Scizor, Gliscor, and opposing Volcanion. Steam Eruption is manditory as it packs the strongest STAB damage Volcanion has to offer while offering a 30% burn chance. Fire Blast is used over Flamethrower to guarantee at least 10% more damage than Wallbreaker Charizard-Y can Roost away in the Sun , guarantee over 55% damage to Defensive M-Venusaur in clear weather, and to more heavily damage resisted switch-ins like Rotom-W (which has a 25.8% chance to be 2HKOed after Stealth Rock damage with Leftovers recovery). That makes Fire Blast a better blanket move while looking at the opponent's team in most cases. Sludge Bomb and Earth Power are for coverage against Fairies, Grasses, Rocks, Fires, Steels, and Electrics that may switch in or are slow enough to be KOed. Moves with Volcanion must be picked while carefully looking at the opponent's team. For example, if Ferrothorn, Politoed, and Tornadus-T were set up on the opponent's team, and you were facing a Ferrothorn in the Rain, you would probably want to go with Steam Eruption. It may do under 50% to Utility Ferrothorn, but it will still get the job done and it has a good chance to OHKO Assault Vest Tornadus-T while having a nifty burn chance on whatever decides to stay in or not. Volcanion has the ability to come in on little things here and there, but it's best to know your situations and not lose it to switching in on Keldeo's Secret Sword or something. Rather, with this team, it's best to switch in on almost nothing and bring it out after something is KOed, and/or you can get a Wish passed to you for full-health confrontations against, maybe, something that is predicted to use Knock Off like Mew, Mandibuzz, or Weavile.
Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet / Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 32 Atk / 28 Def / 200 SpD
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Toxic
- Iron Head / Brave Bird
- Roost
Chansey @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
- Seismic Toss
Because we have a good deal of defensive and specially defensive redundancy on this team, Chansey gets to come out on fewer things so it doesn't take as much damage as it would on other teams from switching in while running this set. The important things to switch this thing in on, though, are, usually, things like higher Special Attack Fire-Types, Psychic-Types, and Serperior. Chansey is a Wish passer first and foremost on this team. She should try to keep the team healthy so they can continue dealing damage. Toxic and Protect mold well with Wish as it allows Chansey to stall out Pokemon and Heal itself effectively while Seismic Toss is used to give some more offensive pressure on Toxic Stalling as well as do damage on switch-ins that resist Toxic, and take out Magic Guard 'Zam without Recover. Protect is ran over Softboiled because Skarmory or Chansey could have Toxic'd prior and Protect can stall out strong physical attackers for one more move (it also scouts choice-locked moves).
Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Whirlwind
Skarmory doesn't have Whirlwind or Taunt, so there may be things that can set up in its face. I, also, need entry hazards. Talonflame's scary, too. Thus, Hippowdon. I invested nothing in Hippowdon's Special Defense because I have checks and counters for powerful special attackers. Instead, I opted to use Hippowdon as a Defensive Pivot that can lay down Rocks and Whirlwind away certain physical Setup Sweepers my team couldn't, otherwise, deal with. Whirlwind is also good for shuffling around the opponent's team on the Rocks and easing prediction for a switchout. Earthquake allows Hippowdon to deal heavy damage to Pokemon like Ttar, Roosting birds, frail pokes, Steel-Types, and Charizard-X. Sand Force was the Ability of choice for a couple reasons: residual damage is bad for some of my team members and Sand Force gets Hippowdon a guaranteed 2HKO on most TTar. Four Speed EVs were given to Hippowdon just to outspeed other Hippowdon without investment.
Amoonguss (M) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 168 Def / 92 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Spore
- Clear Smog
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Amoonguss is another Pokemon added to stop Setup Sweepers. This time, it's mostly for the special attackers. However, Amoonguss can stop a few physical Setup Sweepers if need be. It's, also, very versatile switching in and out with Regenerator. While still being able to come in on things the other team members can as a better option for them, Amoonguss can, also, come in on many things the others cannot such as Keldeo, Breloom, and Azumarill. The moveset is very specific. Clear Smog is for the setup Moves the opponent will try to use. Spore can stop a switchin or the current-facing Pokemon from moving, and it allows a momentum shift for Mega Heracross to set up a Sub or Volcanion to come in and launch an attack. Hidden Power Fire is so that Scizor and Ferrothorn have one less Pokemon they feel safe against.
Heracross (M) @ Heracronite
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 240 HP / 136 Atk / 32 Def / 100 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Close Combat
- Pin Missile
- Rock Blast
Mega Heracross is a big Sweeper in this Semistall team. Usually, it comes in on something that was put to sleep by Amoonguss and sets up a Substitute. However, it doesn't always need to cut HP. It can simply hit hard and switch out. Like Volcanion, receiving Wishes from Chansey can allow it to sponge a hit on something it resists like Weavile's Knock Off, and proceed to threaten it out or KO it. The set is bread-and-butter Bulky Wallbreaker with a minor adjustment. Someone needs to fix the suggested Speed EVs for the set for outrunning Rotom-W because Rotom-W tends to run 8 Spe EVS - not 0. That's why my Mega Heracross has 100 Spe EVs - so it can outrun Defensive Rotom-W. The other EVs are standard except Defense which was pooled together for the remaining EVs as suggested by the Strategy Dex's Bulky Wallbreaker set details. It has resistances to Fighting, Dark, Bug, Grass, and Ground - one of which no one else resists (Dark), and one of which only one other Pokemon is immune to (Ground - Skarmory). Finally, Moxie is used for that seldom chance to snatch a KO and boost Attack when it is better to do so than set up a Substitute.
Team Overview
This is the hard part for me - summing it all up. I don't know how to very well, and I'm not sure I want to try very hard. HOWEVER! Hippowdon, Skarmory, Chansey, and Amoonguss form a very strong defensive core with the latter two being the main ones to set up opportunities for Volcanion and Mega Heracross to sweep through Wish and Spore. Stealth Rock helps Volcanion and Heracross power through, and they, also, weaken foes that want to constantly switch out. Toxic and Recovery Moves and Abilities help wear down the opponent while keeping the team alive, and Defog gets rid of unwanted hazards. There is defensive redundancy in which certain Pokemon can cover the slot when another cannot making it easier to change plans and confuse the opponent. Move coverage and role coverage is done well, and this team doesn't have a hard time against any type of team I can think of in particular.
Threat List(that I'm aware could be a threat)
Kyurem-B (wallbreaker is tough)
Gengar (can be difficult if it has the right moveset)
Magnezone (have to play around well or let skarm die at some point)
Mew (stallbreaker - really weird to play around and I have to tack on damage here and there)
There's probably more, but it's hard to think of some.
Thank you
For anyone who is willing to make this team better, give me advice, and offer any feedback on this team. I'm only one man, and I really appreciate it. :)
Current ranking (Honestly, I never feel like laddering. After going to rank 1300, it was all I could do to just go this far and say, "Ok, that's good enough. You got back to where you were before easily and then a bit further easily. You're fine now.")
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