SM OU Banded Zygarde Offense (peaked #5)

[Epix944]

Proof of peak

Since I'm bad at making screenshots I only have a proper picture of rank 6

This is my first RMT and the first team I built myself that got me this far on the ladder. It's a Volt-Turn team built around Banded Zygarde and Specs Tapu Lele.​

Zygarde @ Choice Band
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed
- Toxic

I wanted to build a team around Banded Zygarde because few teams have proper switch-ins to it. It is the physical wallbreaker of the team and a revenge killer/lategame sweeper with Extreme Speed. It's also my only check to faster fire types.​

Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball

Besides Zygarde this is the other main wallbreaker of the team. It hits insanely hard due to its ability and Choice Specs and it has even fewer switch-ins than Zygarde. Focus Blast is used over HP Fire because it hits both Heatran and Ferrothorn and Shadow Ball is used for Jirachi.​

Tapu Koko @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Thunderbolt
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Hidden Power [Ice]

This is my lead of choice in most of my games because it can either threaten the opponent with Thunderbolt or switch out with U-turn and gain momentum. It's also the main lategame sweeper after Zygarde/Tapu Lele broke through the enemy team and also the main revenge killer of this team. I chose Brave Bird over other possible move choices because it helps against Volcarona, which this teams struggles against.​

Magearna @ Assault Vest
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 204 HP / 180 SpA / 124 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Fleur Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon

Magearna is my special wall and answer to Greninja. It's used over other special walls because of its access to Volt Switch. Since this team has nothing that switches in to Ferrothorn and also forces it out Magearna has to run HP Fire. With this much speed it can also land some surprise KO's on enemy Scizors after a bit of prior damage.​

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 24 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

Landorus-T is the Rock setter on my team and my switch-in to most physical mons. It gains the much wanted momentum for this team by forcing Defog after setting up Rocks and U-turning around. HP Ice is used to prevent opposing Landorus-T from setting up on it and to check Zygarde.​

Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 116 Def / 128 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- U-turn
- Roost
- Defog
- Bullet Punch

The style of the team makes you switch around a lot. Because of this and the fact that every mon besides Lando-T is grounded the team is very weak to Spikes. This is where Scizor comes in. Not only does it provide the team with a much needed Defog user, it's also another abuser of U-turn. This together with it's great bulk make it a great asset to the team.​

Conclusion​

The team is fun to play because of it's straight forward style but it still has a lot of weaknesses that need to be played around by predicting your opponent. I appreciate any advice and apologize for any grammar or spelling errors.​

Threatlist

It can easily set up on Scizor and also Lando if it doesn't Mega. Try to not give it a opportunity to come in on Scizor and force it to mega-evolve so that Lando can check it.

Once it's in you almost always lose one mon. It's very hard to play around it, however it struggles to come in because every mon in the team threatens it to a certain extent.

Try to keep your Tapu Koko alive at any cost when playing against this. Even if you keep it alive, Brave Bird doesn't OHKO so you either need a bit of prior damage or finish it off with Extrem Speed from Zygarde.

Replays

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-575823177
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-575813761
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-575808214

Importable

Zygarde @ Choice Band
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed
- Toxic

Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball

Tapu Koko @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Thunderbolt
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Magearna @ Assault Vest
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 204 HP / 180 SpA / 124 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Fleur Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 24 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 116 Def / 128 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- U-turn
- Roost
- Defog
- Bullet Punch

 

[TSM Taco Boy]

first thing I want to say about this team is that personally I can't do well when half of the team is choiced. a big weakness to poison and fire I noticed. mega scizor I feel is kind of a wasted mega slot since the technician is not used to its fullest. yes I am aware of it being a defensive set but it just doesn't pack enough punch. so what I did is revised the team a little. i got rid of magearna and koko and scizor and now replaced it with Salamance as a special life Orb. and your defoger now replaced with tapu fini. your mega is now mega medicham as your back up muscle or revenge killer if fake out is all you need.
I'm currently ladder with the revised team and it seems to do well as I have replays. only thing I can say to you epix is that the core of lando, lele and zygarde is great it's just that I felt your team building lacked a bit on the other half. trust me filling that half of the team is not the easiest thing to do. but hopefully my revised adaptation of the team may help. anyone is welcome to criticize my take on the team. your team was good but had too many weaknesses and threats were quite something hard to deal with so hopefully these can take care of said threats while having that switch a lot style of battling you enjoy:). Also ps instead of poison and fire being your big weaknesses it's mostly just Ice now but the team is built around it so it's all good.
~made a last minute change to Salamance now carries life Orb instead of draco z


Zygarde @ Choice Band
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed
- Superpower

Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 192 Def / 16 SpD / 52 Spe
Calm Nature
- Taunt
- Nature's Madness
- Moonblast
- Defog

Medicham @ Medichamite
Ability: Pure Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- High Jump Kick
- Ice Punch
- Zen Headbutt

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 24 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Flamethrower
- Hydro Pump
- Substitute


Replays:

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-576030713

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-576028682

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-576020910

 

[Rictard]

first thing I want to say about this team is that personally I can't do well when half of the team is choiced. a big weakness to poison and fire I noticed. mega scizor I feel is kind of a wasted mega slot since the technician is not used to its fullest. yes I am aware of it being a defensive set but it just doesn't pack enough punch. so what I did is revised the team a little. i got rid of magearna and koko and scizor and now replaced it with Salamance as a special life Orb. and your defoger now replaced with tapu fini. your mega is now mega medicham as your back up muscle or revenge killer if fake out is all you need.
I'm currently ladder with the revised team and it seems to do well as I have replays. only thing I can say to you epix is that the core of lando, lele and zygarde is great it's just that I felt your team building lacked a bit on the other half. trust me filling that half of the team is not the easiest thing to do. but hopefully my revised adaptation of the team may help. anyone is welcome to criticize my take on the team. your team was good but had too many weaknesses and threats were quite something hard to deal with so hopefully these can take care of said threats while having that switch a lot style of battling you enjoy:). Also ps instead of poison and fire being your big weaknesses it's mostly just Ice now but the team is built around it so it's all good.
~made a last minute change to Salamance now carries life Orb instead of draco z


Zygarde @ Choice Band
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed
- Superpower

Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 192 Def / 16 SpD / 52 Spe
Calm Nature
- Taunt
- Nature's Madness
- Moonblast
- Defog

Medicham @ Medichamite
Ability: Pure Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- High Jump Kick
- Ice Punch
- Zen Headbutt

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 24 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Flamethrower
- Hydro Pump
- Substitute


Replays:

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-576030713

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-576028682

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-576020910

Yeh but like you got lucky in a majority of your replays, you sack so many mons necessarily.

 

[Ktütverde]

first thing I want to say about this team is that personally I can't do well when half of the team is choiced. a big weakness to poison and fire I noticed. mega scizor I feel is kind of a wasted mega slot since the technician is not used to its fullest. yes I am aware of it being a defensive set but it just doesn't pack enough punch. so what I did is revised the team a little. i got rid of magearna and koko and scizor and now replaced it with Salamance as a special life Orb. and your defoger now replaced with tapu fini. your mega is now mega medicham as your back up muscle or revenge killer if fake out is all you need.
I'm currently ladder with the revised team and it seems to do well as I have replays. only thing I can say to you epix is that the core of lando, lele and zygarde is great it's just that I felt your team building lacked a bit on the other half. trust me filling that half of the team is not the easiest thing to do. but hopefully my revised adaptation of the team may help. anyone is welcome to criticize my take on the team. your team was good but had too many weaknesses and threats were quite something hard to deal with so hopefully these can take care of said threats while having that switch a lot style of battling you enjoy:). Also ps instead of poison and fire being your big weaknesses it's mostly just Ice now but the team is built around it so it's all good.
~made a last minute change to Salamance now carries life Orb instead of draco z


Zygarde @ Choice Band
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed
- Superpower

Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 192 Def / 16 SpD / 52 Spe
Calm Nature
- Taunt
- Nature's Madness
- Moonblast
- Defog

Medicham @ Medichamite
Ability: Pure Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- High Jump Kick
- Ice Punch
- Zen Headbutt

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 24 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Flamethrower
- Hydro Pump
- Substitute


Replays:

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-576030713

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-576028682

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-576020910

You are not improving Epix944 's team man. Why the hell would he need a medicham and salamence??? Does special salamence have a niche in OU???? The more high-ranked pokemons you have the easier it is to make it solid: OU viabilty rankings. You have turned his team from a pretty solid one with the awesome magearna landorus +RK koko with scarf to a team with 4 hardhitters no revenge killer and no steel type! What's the point of those changes? Maybe try this You have done well versus lowladder teams in your replays man, I think you don't realise there is a huge gap between the 1100 ranked guys you beat and the guys Epix944 faced to get #6. I'm sorry but there are rules to rate a RMT so you must read this before wasting Epix944 's time, tho he won't probably reply to your post : RMT rules and guidelines / RMT information and ressource
I hope I helped !

 

[Epix944]

first thing I want to say about this team is that personally I can't do well when half of the team is choiced. a big weakness to poison and fire I noticed. mega scizor I feel is kind of a wasted mega slot since the technician is not used to its fullest. yes I am aware of it being a defensive set but it just doesn't pack enough punch. so what I did is revised the team a little. i got rid of magearna and koko and scizor and now replaced it with Salamance as a special life Orb. and your defoger now replaced with tapu fini. your mega is now mega medicham as your back up muscle or revenge killer if fake out is all you need.
I'm currently ladder with the revised team and it seems to do well as I have replays. only thing I can say to you epix is that the core of lando, lele and zygarde is great it's just that I felt your team building lacked a bit on the other half. trust me filling that half of the team is not the easiest thing to do. but hopefully my revised adaptation of the team may help. anyone is welcome to criticize my take on the team. your team was good but had too many weaknesses and threats were quite something hard to deal with so hopefully these can take care of said threats while having that switch a lot style of battling you enjoy:). Also ps instead of poison and fire being your big weaknesses it's mostly just Ice now but the team is built around it so it's all good.
~made a last minute change to Salamance now carries life Orb instead of draco z


Zygarde @ Choice Band
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed
- Superpower

Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psyshock
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 192 Def / 16 SpD / 52 Spe
Calm Nature
- Taunt
- Nature's Madness
- Moonblast
- Defog

Medicham @ Medichamite
Ability: Pure Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- High Jump Kick
- Ice Punch
- Zen Headbutt

Landorus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 24 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Flamethrower
- Hydro Pump
- Substitute


Replays:

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-576030713

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-576028682

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-576020910

I think the way you adjusted the team destroys the way it's meant to be played. However, there are still some good ideas in there. First of all, putting Tapu Fini over Mega Scizor removes the free setup on Mega Zard and it also helps with the general Water and Fire-weakness of the team. Also, at first glance it seems like adding Tapu Fini helps against Volcarona which when you think about it, doesnt really help at all. It still gets 2 free Quiver Dances when coming in on Landorus and Fini doesn't really threaten it with Natures Madness/Moonblast. Most of the changes you suggested weaken the team even more to the current meta. I agree with the fact that this team has a Fire type weakness, but I don't see the Poison weakness you mentioned with 2 Steal types and 2 Ground types. Also, by removing 3 Volt-turners and adding 2 more offensive mons you struggle really hard to have proper switch-ins more than 2 times because neither Lando nor Tapu Fini, which are now the defensive backbone of the team, have any sort of recovery besides Leftovers on Fini. By removing Scizor you also don't have a proper answer to Grass-types. Another thing that I find very weird about your suggestions is, why would you recommend special Salamence over Latios? You could add in a Defog Latios and at the same time change Mega-Scizor to a more offensive Mega. I like the idea of changing the team to be a bit more offensive, however that's not what you accomplish by removing 3 Volturners and putting in synergy-less Pokemons instead of it. Also why would you ever run Superpower on Zygarde? Sure, it helps against Ferrothorn, but thats basically it, Toxic is a lot better against the likes of Landorus-T, Hippowdon and other common defensive Ground types. I tried out using Mega-Medicham over Mega-Scizor but it didn't provide anything that the team didn't already have, like a hard hitting physical attacker or a revenger-killer with priority. Maybe using a defensive Charizard-X over a defensive Scizor could work, but with this change you don't have a Defoger anymore.

 

[Rictard]

You are not improving Epix944 's team man. Why the hell would he need a medicham and salamence??? Does special salamence have a niche in OU???? The more high-ranked pokemons you have the easier it is to make it solid: OU viabilty rankings. You have turned his team from a pretty solid one with the awesome magearna landorus +RK koko with scarf to a team with 4 hardhitters no revenge killer and no steel type! What's the point of those changes? Maybe try this You have done well versus lowladder teams in your replays man, I think you don't realise there is a huge gap between the 1100 ranked guys you beat and the guys Epix944 faced to get #6. I'm sorry but there are rules to rate a RMT so you must read this before wasting Epix944 's time, tho he won't probably reply to your post : RMT rules and guidelines / RMT information and ressource
I hope I helped !

agreed

 

[matthewc20090]

nitpick but your lele should be timid/modest nature, probably just an error in teambuilding.

i recommend running a tapu koko spread of 136 atk/ 252 spa/ 116 spe as you still outspeed all relevant scarfers but you guarantee the OHKO on volcarona.

136 Atk Tapu Koko Brave Bird vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Volcarona: 312-368 (100.3 - 118.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO

also Ktütverde you're kind of a dick. cool down man

 

[Epix944]

nitpick but your lele should be timid/modest nature, probably just an error in teambuilding.

i recommend running a tapu koko spread of 136 atk/ 252 spa/ 116 spe as you still outspeed all relevant scarfers but you guarantee the OHKO on volcarona.

136 Atk Tapu Koko Brave Bird vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Volcarona: 312-368 (100.3 - 118.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO

also Ktütverde you're kind of a dick. cool down man

You're right, i guess I had an import error, Tapu Lele is supposed to be modest.
I really like the Tapu Koko change since it also helps with OHKOing Mega-Medicham, however with this little speed you get outspeed by Scarf Dugtrio.
Because of this I'm now using this set
Tapu Koko @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 136 Atk / 196 SpA / 176 Spe
Naive Nature
- Thunderbolt
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Hidden Power [Ice]

 

[Ktütverde]

nitpick but your lele should be timid/modest nature, probably just an error in teambuilding.

i recommend running a tapu koko spread of 136 atk/ 252 spa/ 116 spe as you still outspeed all relevant scarfers but you guarantee the OHKO on volcarona.

136 Atk Tapu Koko Brave Bird vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Volcarona: 312-368 (100.3 - 118.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO

also Ktütverde you're kind of a dick. cool down man

Does someone here read the rules? Does "required reading" not strike you? This is not a random chat forum please. How to rate
"2) Try to make the team more efficient
This is the next step. Many people just blindly suggest changes to the team, but I would argue that after a certain amount of changes, the team is no longer theirs, but you have built a new one."

Only terrible teams and posts which aren't related to the topic are deleted by the staff, so I guess it's better I tell people their posts are out of place and suggest them going to read the rules they have obviously not read.

 

[ez]

Yo, here are some quick suggestions:

• I suggest you run offensive Landorus-t with Flyinium Z over Defensive Landorus-t. I would also run Sword Dance on this Landorus to give yourself a better wallbreaker. Flyinium Z can also help other team members like Zygardge because you are able to lure in Zygardge switch ins like Tangrowth.
  
• My next suggestion is Scarf Keldeo over Scaf Koko. This allows your team to have a water resist which your team currently lacks. Keldeo can still check Volcarona while also being able to pivit into Charizard y on a fire move. Keldeo also can help wear down mons with Zygardge as they share the same switch ins.

sets

Landorus-Therian @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Fly
- Stealth Rock
- Swords Dance

Keldeo @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Scald
- Hydro Pump
- Secret Sword
- Stone Edge

That's it from me, good luck with your team.

 

[wheitron]

Whatsupp, faced you on the ladder one day, and unfort u got me a day i was tilted and mad, aka i was using stall, so i would like to point out how this team is weak to it, stall just finds a fodder on every single pokemon bar specs lele, which is trapped by dug and easily overwhelmed due to the fact that its choiced, due to that i would change either landot to E Plate Smackdown, or lele to Shed Shell Stallbreaker or Zygarde to Sub Coil, to at least give you a shot vs that Matchup

 

[Ktütverde]

Whatsupp, faced you on the ladder one day, and unfort u got me a day i was tilted and mad, aka i was using stall, so i would like to point out how this team is weak to it, stall just finds a fodder on every single pokemon bar specs lele, which is trapped by dug and easily overwhelmed due to the fact that its choiced, due to that i would change either landot to E Plate Smackdown, or lele to Shed Shell Stallbreaker or Zygarde to Sub Coil, to at least give you a shot vs that Matchup

Doesn't Toxic+Band zygarde just beat stall ? Specs lele also gets a kill before getting trapped and puts dugtrio at 1% so I think his team is ok regarding the stall matchup man.

 

[wheitron]

Doesn't Toxic+Band zygarde just beat stall ? Specs lele also gets a kill before getting trapped and puts dugtrio at 1% so I think his team is ok regarding the stall matchup man.

Nah, Band Zygarde does not beat stall, he doesnt 2HKO chansey, gets overwhelmed by clef, mola beats it too, etc... and lele cant get a kill while its choiced, comes in on sableye it protects, on chansey it recovers, etc... you just need so little outplay to beat it, and as said zygarde is beaten naturally