Low 1500s team (OU)

[Bogmire]

I'd like to introduce what is perhaps the best team I've built in a LONG time. I haven't had a CRE over 1500 since the Latios suspect test so I'm real pleased to say the least. Anyway, enough about that. basically the goal is to remove steel types and ttar so CM latias can go for a lategame sweep. It's not all-out heavy stall but it does focus on spike stacking to punish switching. Despite the lack of scarfers or priority it does a good job of leaving little, if any room for a sweeper to setup.

Team at a Glance

@Leftovers
Torrent
Relaxed (+Def -Spe)
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/6 Spe
-Earthquake
-Ice Beam
-Stealth Rock
-Roar

I knew I wanted something that could counter ttar and set up rocks. Swampert fit the bill perfectly. Here's how swampert fares against the top 10 leads

: Stealth Rock in case they don't taunt for some reason. Next ice beam as they set up rocks. Then go to Rotom to take the Explosion.

: Stealth Rock the first turn then go to Rotom.

: They usually Trick so I EQ the first turn. next turn I switch as they go to their levitator/flyer.

: Sometimes they don't taunt so I go for SR the first turn. If they taunt I ice beam the second turn until it faints or they switch in something else.

: Stealth Rock then go to Skarmory who laughs at ice beam and can set up some spikes

: SR after the fake out. then EQ as they SR. Once in a blue moon they have grass knot which sucks but what can you do.

: What an annoying POS. I usually go to Rotom to take the inevitable sleep powder. Rotom doesn't like leaf storm so I go to Jirachi or Skarmory.

: Stealth Rock then go to Skarm and get some spikes up.

: Not a lead to be taken seriously at all. stealth rock then roar. I wonder when noobs will learn.

: Go to Rotom to take the spore and then go to jirachi to flinch it to death. I can't afford to let it get up a lethal amount of entry hazards so early in the game.

So there you go. It does quite well except against sleep leads.

With stealth rock up, Gyarados and Salamence become much less threataning losing 25% of their health every switchin. Earthquake and Ice Beam gives the best possible coverage with 2 attacking moves (only bronzong resists). Roar keeps stat boosters away until lategame where they should be severely weakened from residual damage. The fire resist is very handy for taking on Heatran, too.

@Shed Shell
Keen Eye
Impish (+Def -SpA)
EVs: 252 HP/252 SpD/6 Def
-Spikes
-Brave Bird
-Whirlwind
-Roost

Pursuiters like Scizor and Tyranitar are a big problem for Latias. I thought about it and figured that by fitting Spikes onto my team I could punish them from switching in freely. Spikes is such a great move that I wonder why it isn't more common. Skarmory is my second phazer, and with two phazers the opposition can get worn down VERY quickly (swampert and skarmory also have great synergy resisting each others weaknesses perfectly). Brave Bird may be bog standard on Skarmory but nevertheless its a great move for taking out slower weakened foes like Machamp. And it makes sure that Skarmory isn't a sitting duck, since some people will often switch any frail special sweeper into Skarmory underestimating BBs 120 bp.

Now, for the EV spread. I use the specially defensive one from the analysis and it works like a charm. With Impish and no investment I have plenty of defense for sponging outrages but the special defense means I can set up spikes against a wider range of threats like HP fire celebi and non tbolt Latias (it can even stall out a mixmence -2 fire blast)

@Leftovers
Levitate
Bold (+Def -Atk)
EVs: 252 HP/120 Def/136 SpD
-Thunderbolt
-Will-O-Wisp
-Rest
-Sleep Talk

A spin blocker was absolutely necessary on a team employing stealth rock AND spikes. The obvious choice was Rotom because Dusknoir sucks and Spiritomb lacks resistances and electric STAB. Anyway, Rotom serves a number of purposes on this team besides spin blocking. It can absorb explosion, sleep, and use its amazing typing to counter nearly every Steel type out there. Thunderbolt is my choice of STAB for a steady source of damage because Shadow Ball is too easily walled. Will-O-Wisp is a deterrent against Scizor and Tyranitar who would love to pursuit Rotom. It also gives me something worthwhile to do against ground types like Mamoswine, Flygon, Hippowdon, and Swampert.

@ExpertBelt
Serene Grace
Hasty (+Spe -Def)
EVs: 252 Atk/252 Spe/6 SpA
-Iron Head
-Ice Punch
-Fire Punch
-Thunderbolt

I originally considered scarf Magnezone as my steel killer but after having one of my old teams 5-0ed by this monster I realized how powerful of a steel killer AND wall breaker it was. Thanks to Jirachi's relatively high speed it is very easy to bluff a scarf. This almost always gets at least 2 kills per game because they'll get something revenged and then bring out Scizor, Gyarados, Forretress, Gliscor, Magnezone, Skarmory, or whatever in on the resisted supposedly choiced attack only to get smacked with an Expert Belt boosted SE move. Basically, a lot of Latias counters can find themselves dead through sheer surprise factor, clearing the way for a sweep lategame. Even though Swampert and Heatran wall this cold they can still find themselves frozen, burned, or paralyzed on the switch more often then you might expect due to Serene Grace.

@Leftovers
No Guard
Adamant (+Atk -SpA)
EVs: 252 HP/252 Atk/6 Spe
-Substitute
-DynamicPunch
-Payback
-Stone Edge

Another textbook Tyranitar counter. With Swampert/Skarmory/Jirachi/Machamp and random Will-O-Wisps flying around the number one Latias counter is nearly helpless against my team. I already have a status absorber in the form of Rotom so subchamp it was. I bring this in against something that can't hurt it too much like Forretress or Blissey. From there I set up a sub and fire off 100% acc dynamicpunches which are incredibly annoying even resisted due to the confusion. Rotom switches in? No problem, Payback. Gyarados? Stone Edge. Its almost guaranteed to kill something on any team lacking a Gliscor (which can sometimes be lured out with Jirachi). Machamp is pretty good at forcing switches which helps with racking up more spikes damage.

@Leftovers
Levitate
Timid (+Spe -Atk)
EVs: 128 HP/128 SpA/252 Spe
-Calm Mind
-Dragon Pulse
-Refresh
-Recover

The star of the show. With steel types and Tyranitar gone its usually gg. If worse comes to worst it can set up on restalk rotom shadow ball thanks to its 130 base special defense. Refresh and Recover means that I come out on top against toxic wishbliss (by the time they catch on its usually too late for them). Stall teams hate facing this kind of Latias.

Besides being a good sweeper, I also use it to scare off threats like Zapdos and Infernape, though if its earlygame its best to double switch in order to scout pursuit users.

 

[sora13]

Quick nitpick I suggest changing Latias's EV spread to 152 HP / 104 sp Atk/ 252 Spd. Allows LAtias to survive 3 blissey's seismic tossesor something like that, you may want to look it up. Works fine on my Cm Refresh Latias.

 

[Bogmire]

thanks I will test it out.

 

[The SPrinkLer]

In my opinion, Rotom would serve better as a set-upper, and Machamp would be a better status absorber. Machamp actually threats a lot of common users of a status move (Blissey, Roserade, and the like), and still hits very hard. I think a great asset to your team would be sub-charge Rotom, because it benefits a lot from Spikes and Stealth Rock. Swampert really likes switching into it, so it gets punished every time it switches in. I'd just go with the standard set with WoW or something as the last move. It doesn't matter really. Nextly, I think you should go with a ScarfJirachi, so you can revenge stuff like Salamence and Gyarados that could potentially set up on something. Gyarados could easily set up on Latias, due to its high SpD so it could be of concern. Also, I'd go with U-turn somewhere where you see most fit, as I can't really decide what you should change. I hope I helped, and good luck with the team!

 

[MetaNite]

Hello.

You are going to have a lot of trouble with Lucario, as Close Combat will OHKO Swampert, Skarmory, Jirachi, and Machamp, while Crunch will even OHKO Rotom-A. It can easily come in on Latias and set up. The only thing you can do against it is use Jirachi to revenge kill and Fire Punch it, but not even that will OHKO unless Lucario previously used Close Combat. Long story short, you just about always lose at least one Pokemon to it if it sets up. Giving Rotom-H a Choice Scarf will certainly solve this problem.

Rotom-H @ Choice Scarf
Nature: Timid / EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
~ Thunderbolt / Shadow Ball / Overheat / Trick

As you probably know, Rotom-H is an amazing check to Lucario. Very rarely will Lucario spam Crunch when it is first brought in, and even if it does, Rotom-H can survive one and OHKO with Overheat. More likely it will come in on a Close Combat or Swords Dance and deal massive damage back. From here, you can change Machamp's set to the RestTalk set if you still desire a status absorber. I would use Payback as the secondary attack for Rotom-A, but that's just me. Other than the Lucario problem, you've got a great team here. Good luck.

 

[ThePatriot]

Would you maybe consider hp-ground over ice punch on your jirachi? It could hit heatran/magnezone on the switch and make jirachis life and wall breaking ability much easier.

 

[Zach]

Would you maybe consider hp-ground over ice punch on your jirachi? It could hit heatran/magnezone on the switch and make jirachis life and wall breaking ability much easier.

HP Ground doesn't hit Scizor for super-effective damage and is weaker against Lucario. It also requires him to split his offensive stats which is undesirable for Jirachi with his 100 / 100 offenses.