SM UU Volt Turn Offense


Introduction

I wanted to explore UU for the first time ever, and after spending a while looking into the format VoltTurn looked to be especially promising. I decided to go with this because I'd never used a VoltTurn core before. After a while, this team came into fruition and I've enjoyed playing offensively with it.

Teambuilding Process



I began with Scizor and Rotom-W because they seemed to be the two best VoltTurners that I could see within the tier and they shared reasonably good defensive synergy to boot.




After this, I decided I needed Hazards and Hazard control so that I could make the most of the momentum of my VoltTurning without taking too much damage myself. I've never been a fan of setting rocks and also carrying defog, so I needed a Spinner. I also wanted both the spinner and the rock setter to be relatively offensive and also carry VoltTurn, and after hearing many good things from friends about Tsareena I chose her as the spinner. Following her, Azelf seemed like a strong choice for setting the rocks, since he also had a fast taunt to prevent my opponent from rocking and good offensive stats.



To round out the team I wanted fast, powerful sweepers. Mega Aerodactyl and Scarfed Darmanitan fit these roles well for me, after trying a few different pokemon - their power and type synergies with the rest of the team felt really strong.


The Team


Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Pursuit
- Superpower
Banded Scizor's bullet punch hits extremely hard and is sometimes a Win-Con on its own after wearing down the opposing team. He often provides a slow, powerful u-turn. Usually the momentum gained from this, combined with the large amounts of chip damage, results in the Scizor switch ins getting removed fairly quickly. Pursuit is to trap particular threats such as non-hp fire Latias (while HP fire just OHKO's Scizor instead). It is also useful for trapping partially weakened threats such as a regenerator Alomomola.


Rotom-Wash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Trick
I found that in comparison to Scizor's offensive prowess, Rotom-W was lacking. But after giving it Choice Specs it was extremely potent. It's Volt Switch hit opponents hard while maintaining momentum, and when relevant threats were weakened Rotom-W was capable of cleaning up teams with Tbolt and Hydro Pump. I found that Hydro Pump had a high chance to OHKO Quagsire switch ins, and OHKO'd Swampert after it received a U-turn from Scizor.


Tsareena @ Assault Vest
Ability: Queenly Majesty
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- U-turn
- Trop Kick
- High Jump Kick
Tsareena's set felt fairly intuitive. I gave it an AV because I felt the team was lacking Special switch ins. Rapid Spin is why Tsareena was chosen. Trop Kick is a useful and powerful grass stab and HJK was used to increase Tsareena's overall damage output. Queenly Majesty was exceptionally useful for checking banded Scizors and Crawdaunts trying to spam priority.

Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Taunt
- Energy Ball
I had used Azelf in the past to great success as a Rock Setter Lead. Hso he is fast, especially for the tier, so I was often able to taunt my opponent's rock setter, set my own rocks, and occasionally U-turn out for a useful sack later on. His speed tier also often reveals opposing team's scarf leads, which is extremely useful for adequate counterplay. Energy Ball was chosen as the 4th move because I found the team struggled a little bit with bulky water and ground types more than anything else. Teams that included both a bulky ground mon and pokemon with Water Absorb were often frustrating because Rotom-W couldn't deal with them without precise prediction, but Energy Ball helped to reduce this problem.


Aerodactyl-Mega @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 228 Atk / 64 Def / 216 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hone Claws
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Aerial Ace
Mega Aerodactyl's speed tier and attack power is phenomenal for the tier. He often ruined the likes mega beedrill, mega manectric and slower scarf mons. Hone Claws is a potent boosting move form him, and I really enjoyed the coverage and sweeping potentially he brought. The EV spread on Aerodactyl allows it to have just over 80% chance to survive banded Aqua Jet from Crawdaunt, while losing no relevant KO's that I noticed. There were also no relevant speed tiers missed, except for speed ties with other aerodactyls. I didn't see this as an issue however, because that lead to better play on my part because I knew that I couldn't rely on winning them.

Darmanitan @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Zen Headbutt
- Earthquake
Darmanitan has a nice speed tier when scarfed, only being slower than faster scarfers in the tier. He was selected to complete the F|W|G core and because his Flare Blitz was more powerful than Infernape's. Zen Headbutt is rarely used - usually only when required to clean two pokemon that resist either Flare Blitz or Earthquake. The fast U-turn he provides is also handy when team preview suggests that Azelf should not be the lead.

Conclusion

Overall, I've really enjoyed using this team. A lot of the choices I made err to the side of offense because that is my preferred playstyle. Some threats to the team include:
-
and
These fast (or priority using), offensive water types can be a problem if I don't play around them correctly. However, if Rotom-W and Tsareena are used correctly they can be dealth with.

-
Scarfed infernape has the capability to outspeed and OHKO the entire team if enough chip is dealt, so knowing it is scarfed as soon as possible is necessary to plan plays accordingly. When it is unknown if the infernape is scarfed, it is best to assume it is just in case and play accordingly.

- Hazards when the opponent pressures Tsareena so that she can't remove them/Late game hazards after I sacked Tsareena. Some games Tsareena is pressured much too hard in order to remove the Hazards and in these games the team basically has a clock on its victory, because the VoltTurning will cause too much damage. Similarly, if the opponent sets Rocks in the late game when the team is trying to set up for Darmanitan or Aerodactyl to sweep, it can be quite problematic.

Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Pursuit
- Superpower

Rotom-Wash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Trick

Tsareena @ Assault Vest
Ability: Queenly Majesty
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- U-turn
- Trop Kick
- High Jump Kick

Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Taunt
- Energy Ball

Aerodactyl-Mega @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 228 Atk / 64 Def / 216 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hone Claws
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Aerial Ace

Darmanitan @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Zen Headbutt
- Earthquake
 

Amane Misa

Bring Them Home Now!
is a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
Hi, cool-looking team you got there!

Unfortunately, as you can see in UU's Viability Ranking here, Tsareena is unranked, meaning it is not viable right now in UU, for a good reason (can be seen on this post, under Unranked section).

  • I suggest you to swap Tsareena < Latias for the aforementined reason. It works really great with the VoltTurn support your team provides, as it can come-in on Scizor's and Darmanitan's (later to be Infernape) checks and proceed to threaten the opposing team with a powerful Z-Draco Meteor. Not only that, it blesses your team with another Crawdaunt and Infernape check.
  • Leftovers > Choice Specs and a bulkier spread on Rotom-W also seems quite appealing to your team, as it helps you a ton as it can check Crawdaunt and Infernape and also check Sharpedo-Mega if it's at above 50% HP. It also gives you more counterplay to Offensive SD Scizor, which your team looks weak to, on paper.
  • Gliscor > Azelf provides you a more consistent Stealth Rocks setter, an Electric immunity which your team currently lacks and works like a charm with the current VoltTurn core.
  • Scarf Infernape > Scarf Darmanitan should help you a ton against Sharpedo-Mega and Crawdaunt, with Mach Punch support. It also takes neutral damage upon entry from Stealth Rock, as your team, with the aforementioned changes, lacks entry hazards removal. It also functions as a more reliable late-game cleaner than Darmanitan.
  • With those changes applied, you can safely let go of those 64 defense EVs you have on Aerodactyl-Mega. Wing Attack > Aerial Ace on Aerodactyl-Mega seems superior to Aerial Ace, as they both basically do the same thing but Wing Attack has way more PP than Aerial Ace which might help you in longer games.

Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Pursuit
- Superpower

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split

Latias (F) @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Psychic
- Calm Mind
- Recover / Hidden Power [Fire]

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 72 SpD / 192 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Taunt
- Roost
- Stealth Rock

Aerodactyl-Mega @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Hone Claws
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Wing Attack

Infernape @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Mach Punch

I really hope that my rate has helped you! Don't hesitate to ask me any question you might have!
 
Last edited:

Manipulative

Camila <3
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Hey there. Cool team you've got going, but it can use some adjustments. Hopefully these changes will find you more success with the team.

The first thing I noticed is that this team has very little for defensive teams. I think a really helpful change you can make to fix that is replacing Darmanitan with Nasty Plot Infernape. NP Infernape is very capable of pressuring stall teams once things like Mantine and Mega Latias are weakened or gone. Scizor is able to help you get rid of the latter, while a change that I will recommend later in this post can help with the former. Infernape also offers your team an additional priority user as well as an additional check to Sharpedo and Crawdaunt with Vacuum Wave. Seeing as you haven't used up your Z-Crystal yet, NP nape fits in perfectly and is also likely to catch your opponent off guard. Here's the set:

Infernape @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Focus Blast
- Nasty Plot
- Vacuum Wave



With the loss of your scarf user, your team can use a new one. Tsareena is not very good at all in this meta and can easily take the boot for the team. I suggest replacing Tsareena with Scarf Latias. This gives you a new and overall better scarf user, while also giving you the option of still running hazard removal. Your team is not too weak Stealth Rock, so running Defog on Scarf Lati instead of forcing yourself to run a dedicated hazard remover is perfectly fine. You will mostly only need to use it versus teams that carry Klefki anyway. With STABs and Defog aside, the last moveslot can be one of various moves. Personally, I would go with Ice Beam for mainly Gliscor as it can be a threat. Though, Healing Wish or HP Fire can also be a pretty neat options. Here's the set:

Latias (F) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Draco Meteor
- Defog
- Ice Beam / Healing Wish / Hidden Power [Fire]



I do think that the team could use one more check to Latias/Mega, as Scizor drops to HP Fire and Scarf Lati isn't able to kill opposing Latias after a Calm Mind. I recommend replacing Azelf with Choice Specs Primarina. This change gives you the additional check to Latias, as well as another check to every mon you mentioned in your threatlist. This change is especially useful against opposing Infernape, as your team can still be quite vulnerable to it. Additionally, Primarina gives your team a much needed wallbreaker that complements Volturn extremely well. Here's the set:

Primarina @ Choice Specs
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 200 HP / 252 SpA / 56 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Hydro Pump
- Psychic
- Sparkling Aria



With the loss of your Stealth Rock user, you need a new one. I suggest making Mega Aerodactyl your Stealth Rock user. The addition of NP Infernape makes up for losing Mega Aero as a setup sweeper. I would also suggest replacing Aerial Ace with Pursuit. This change gives you more leeway against Mega Gardevoir, taking pressure off of Scizor to trap it for the team. Mega Manectric is another pretty big threat that becomes easier to deal with after this change. Defensive teams tend not to have hazard removers that can switch into Mega Aerodactyl, which means that you can keep Stealth Rocks up with relative ease. This, alongside Pursuit, makes Mantine significantly easier to wear down for Infernape as well. You can also move the EVs you invested into Defense back into Attack and Speed.


The last change I suggest is going with Defensive Rotom over Choice Specs. The team is still fairly weak to Scizor, and defensive Rotom would help take pressure off of Infernape in order to check it. With the addition of Primarina, the team already has a wallbreaker, so Choice Specs isn't as useful. I would run enough speed EVs to outspeed Adamant Scizor. Here's the set:

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Pain Split
- Will-O-Wisp



I hope this helped, best of luck!
 

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