Syglory Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 (edited) At a glance: Teambuilding process: Originally, I wanted to make a team focused mainly around Pokemon I liked. I started with Toxicroak, Empoleon, and Mega Absol, as those are 3 I particularly like in the UU tier. I used pretty standard sets on Toxicroak and Absol, making them both fast physical sweepers, and used Empoleon as a specially defensive defogger/setter. I then decided that I needed some raw special attack, so I decided on Alakazam for its amazing Speed and Special Attack, as well as its use of focus sash and taunt. I also decided that I would need a physical wall as well, so I chose Chesnaught for its spiky shield/rocky helmet combo and its ability to set up spikes. Finally, I decided that I would need a check to steel types like Forretress, as well as for water types and flying types, so I chose Zapdos. Analysis + export: Alakazam @ Focus Sash Ability: Magic Guard EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe Timid Nature IVs: 0 Atk - Psychic - Shadow Ball - Taunt - Focus Blast Analysis: Psychic is a pretty standard move, which, coupled with high SpA, maxed SpA EVs and STAB, does a pretty decent amount of damage. Shadow Ball is used to defeat other Psychic types and the occasional ghost (eg Chandelure). Taunt helps to stop the enemy setting up, and coupled with Alakazam's high speed, it can get it off on most other mons. Finally, Focus Blast is used to check dark types and Steel types which would normally not be easily dealt with by Alakazam. Magic Guard coupled with focus sash means that Alakazam will always have its sash up unless it's already been damaged by a move, so it can be a one-time counter to a sweeper if need be. Zapdos @ Leftovers Ability: Static EVs: 252 HP / 152 Def / 52 SpA / 52 Spe Bold Nature IVs: 0 Atk - Volt Switch - Heat Wave - Roost - Thunder Wave Analysis: Volt Switch provides both a decent STAB move and momentum for the team, which is always useful. Heat Wave is used to check pokemon like Forretress and other steel types. Roost provides a reliable recovery method for Zapdos, though it can have a downside with removing flying type. Tailwind, for lack of a better move (defog is incompatible), is used to help out speed threats like Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Beedrill. Chesnaught @ Rocky Helmet Ability: Bulletproof EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def Impish Nature - Seed Bomb - Spikes - Spiky Shield - Leech Seed Analysis: Chesnaught is a physical wall which both sets up hazards and bars physical attacker with both its high defense and its rocky helmet + spiky shield combo. Leech seed is useful for both recovery and possible force switching, and Wood hammer is used as leech seed can generally overcome the recoil damage. Absol @ Absolite Ability: Justified EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe Jolly Nature - Play Rough - Knock Off - Sucker Punch - Swords Dance Analysis: Absol is used generally as a late game sweeper, where the enemy has been whittled down enough for Absol to defeat them easily. Knock off is the main STAB move which does large amounts of damage to any pokemon with an item. Play rough is also used to defeat the pokemon which would resist knock off, and itself is a decent damaging move. Sucker punch is almost as powerful as Knock Off, and is used for both priority and as a way for Absol to get a free turn to mega by fainting the other. Finally, Swords Dance is a way to set up which, although risky due to its low defensive stats, gives an immense boost, allowing Absol to OHKO most who stand in its way. Empoleon @ Leftovers Ability: Torrent EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD Calm Nature IVs: 0 Atk - Scald - Defog - Roar - Stealth Rock Analysis: Scald is a threat to all switch ins (particularly physical ones) to Empoleon, due to the burn chance, which can cripple the enemy team. Defog is useful to clear any hazards set up by the enemy, which can be used a turn before stealth rock to clear the way for your own hazards. Roar is a very useful move in stopping setup sweepers, and can be used on top of rocks to inflict damage to the whole team. Toxicroak @ Life Orb Ability: Dry Skin EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe Jolly Nature - Swords Dance - Gunk Shot - Sucker Punch - Drain Punch Analysis: Toxicroak's immunity to water type moves gives it many free switches, where it can set up with swords dance and use its powerful STAB move of Gunk Shot to defeat many different pokemon. Drain Punch is used as a secondary STAB move to both recover HP and defeat pokemon which are resistant to Gunk Shot. Finally, Sucker punch is useful as the priority provides Toxicroak, a pokemon with fairly average speed, to defeat pokemon faster than it. Thanks all in advance, I hope you like it and I hope for some feedback, be it positive or negative Thanks, Syglory Edited May 3, 2016 by Syglory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pyrromanis Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 2 changes I can see with first glance is Seed Bomb over Woodhammer and Tbolt/HP Grass/TWave over Tailwind. Chesnaught doesn't like the recoil without insta recovery and any other option for Zapdos is superior since your team isn't that much slow. More details later that I'll have more time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syglory Posted May 3, 2016 Author Share Posted May 3, 2016 2 changes I can see with first glance is Seed Bomb over Woodhammer and Tbolt/HP Grass/TWave over Tailwind. Chesnaught doesn't like the recoil without insta recovery and any other option for Zapdos is superior since your team isn't that much slow. More details later that I'll have more time! Thanks very much Those seem like good changes, I can understand where you got them from and I'll make some changes accordingly. Thanks again, Syglory Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noir Posted May 3, 2016 Share Posted May 3, 2016 (edited) I have a personal preference for Drain Punch over Seed Bomb on Chesnaught, simply because it hits that much more relevant threats such as Hydreigon and Cobalion (he can Taunt you and wall you if you opt for Seed Bomb) and it also heals which gives you more tankiness. The team also has a relative weakness to Mega Aerodactyl. I wouldn't consider Absol's Sucker Punch a reliable answer so it can steamroll or give your team big trouble once Empoleon is dead. Even then Earthquake variants can also rip it apart. Edited May 3, 2016 by YagamiNoir4896 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Syglory Posted May 4, 2016 Author Share Posted May 4, 2016 I have a personal preference for Drain Punch over Seed Bomb on Chesnaught, simply because it hits that much more relevant threats such as Hydreigon and Cobalion (he can Taunt you and wall you if you opt for Seed Bomb) and it also heals which gives you more tankiness. The team also has a relative weakness to Mega Aerodactyl. I wouldn't consider Absol's Sucker Punch a reliable answer so it can steamroll or give your team big trouble once Empoleon is dead. Even then Earthquake variants can also rip it apart. The reason I took a grass move rather than a fighting one on chesnaught was that i thought that I needed the grass coverage more than the fighting. However, I can full understand why you would want drain punch over seed bomb. Mega Aerodactyl is a major threat, as you said, and I don't have any immediate counters to it aside from the one time Alakazam and sucker punch, so a possible suggestion from anyone would be handy, and I'll think about it and I'll try to find a way around it. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xiri Posted May 4, 2016 Share Posted May 4, 2016 Alright here we go: I always personally like having Psyshock over Psychic on Alakazam - simply due to it hitting things like Florges and Blissey slightly harder. Since your Alakazam doesn't have any stat boosting moves, if it doesn't kill Florges/Blissey with Psychic - they can just recover their HP and it can get really annoying for you. Superpower over Play Rough on Absol. Yes, the stat drop is annoying but Superpower has a perfect accuracy while Play Rough doesn't - and Superpower ensures a kill on Cobalion (I think Cobalion lives a +2 Play Rough) Because (like the others pointed above) your team has a huge Mega Aerodactyl weakness - I suggest you switch Empoleon for defensive Swampert (Stealth Rock / Scald / Earthquake / Roar or Toxic) and make Zapdos your new Defog user (switch Thunder Wave imo, its not really necessary) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bewilderer Posted July 8, 2016 Share Posted July 8, 2016 I suggest possibly putting pursuit on Absol to deal with psychic types who don't want to deal with it. Plus, it makes for a good surprise move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drymus Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 I'd like to point out that Alakazam is no longer legal in UU. It is now in BL alongside its mega form. http://www.smogon.com/dex/xy/pokemon/alakazam/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadeStrider Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Alakazam is now in BL, along with its mega. No UU usage. Substitute it with Gardevoir, Which is a good UU pokemon, and has fairy type to counter Those Dragons. Toxicroak is Steel Coverage and Gardevoir Has a Psychic Typing, for poison coverage. Gardevoir has an awesome special attack, for a UU pokemon. It's speed is average, but It is still a good substitute for alakazam. Does anyone have any better suggestions? I'm not sure what we should do about Gardevoirs speed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pocky Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't Zapdos OU and not UU? http://www.smogon.com/dex/xy/pokemon/zapdos/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caradius Posted July 9, 2016 Share Posted July 9, 2016 Rotom heat is a good replacement for your zapdos because more coverage along with stab overheat, so the standard scarf set but in effect you have to run defog on your empoleon for hazards. For Alakazam you might want to replace it with either gardevoir as said from the people earlier on or even reuniclus for trick room to let it/chesnaught to be faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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