ORAS OU Switch Team

[Jucherz]

Hey guys. Here is my OU team, any advice on how to improve it is highly appreciated.

Tornadus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Air Slash
- Heat Wave
- Grass Knot
- Dark Pulse

I've chosen Leftovers over Assault Vest because this team is based on switching out when a threat appears, plus I've usually encountered physical attackers (for example Tyranitar or Excadrill). Regenerator is an awesome ability that compensates Tornadus' weakness to Stealth Rock and makes him a good choice for a switch team. 375 speed allows him to outspeed most of the tier and 319 special attack is pretty good too (for example OHKOs Galvantula without Focus Sash before it can use Sticky Web or strike with Thunder). I've chosen Air Slash as his STAB attack because Hurricane has got bad accuracy and doesn't have the nice 30% chance to flinch. Heat Wave hits steel type switch-ins (Excadrill, Magnezone), Grass Knot hits rock type switch-ins (Tyranitar) and is a surprise for Mega-Swampert. Originally I had U-Turn in the last move slot, but I replaced it with Dark pulse since I was having problems with Rocky Helmet Garchomp. Also I needed more super effective attacks on Latias/Latios and U-Turn did only a little damage since my Tornadus is focused on special attack.

Slowbro (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Scald
- Slack Off

Slowbro is a nice couple with Amoonguss. Slowbro fends off fire/psychic attacks directed on Amoonguss and Amoonguss fends off electric/grass attacks directed on Slowbro, while both of them are getting healed by Regenerator. The stat spread makes him pretty bulky, but also allows him to do some decent damage. Scald is a good STAB attack with 30% chance to cripple physical attackers, Toxic can slowly kill some bulky/stall pokemon (for example Alomola), Ice Beam hits grass/dragon type switch-ins and Slack Off can heal him in case Regenerator+Leftovers recovery isn't enough. http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-452509033

Amoonguss (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Synthesis
- Sludge Bomb

Amoonguss is a very important member of the team, since she can deal with some common dangerous grass attackers (Serperior, Breloom) or Rotom-Wash. Also she can shield the team from Spore and Leech Seed and totally destroy Whimsicott stall. She can put the foe to sleep and then heal herself with Synthesis or attack. Sludge Bomb has a 30% chance to poison the opponent and deal chip damage to him, which can be pretty useful. http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-447186458

Mienshao (F) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- Rock Slide

Mienshao kills Bisharp, Tyranitar, Heatran, Chansey and many many other threats. Choice Scarf allows her to outspeed any non scarfed Pokemon and makes her speed pretty good even if she's slowed down by Sticky Web. High Jump Kick is her best STAB move that OHKOs some pokemon which aren't even weak to fighting, Drain Punch helps to keep her alive, Knock Off hits ghost type pokemon and removes choice items, Rock Slide is used when I predict a Talonflame switch (I've chosen Rock Slide over Stone Edge because sometimes the 10% accuracy difference does matter). http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-448042926

Manectric-Mega (F) @ Manectite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Volt Switch

Manectric kills water type pokemon which cannot be killed by Amoonguss (Ice Beam Manaphy, Ice Beam Starmie, Volcanion). Intimidate is a nice ability that can help her survive some hard-hitting physical attacks. Thunderbolt is her main STAB attack, Flamethrower hits Magnezone and Excadrill, HP Ice hits common switch-ins (Lando-T, Garchomp, Gliscor) and Volt Switch does some more damage before she switches out.

Registeel @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide

Registeel is an extremely bulky shield. He will fend off flying attacks directed on Amoonguss or Mienshao and rock attacks directed on Tornadus. He is also the Stealth Rock setter. Iron Head is his main STAB move (he kills Mega-Diancie and Mega-Gardevoir with it), Earthquake hits other steel type pokemon (for example Heatran), Rock Slide kills Charizard and Talonflame (they are usually switching in to kill him with Fire Blast/Flare Blitz). http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-448057667

 

[LeNorm]

A simple change or two to your Tornadus-T would greatly improve it, I think.

The first thing I would do would be to add a life-orb, and get rid of leftovers. Tornadus is not really bulky enough for the leftovers to be too useful, and does appreciate extra life-orb damage.

The second change to it would be to make it a mixed attacker. You don't have much physically offensive presence in your team, and have decent special attackers. In addition, you would gain great utility moves, particularly knock-off and u-turn. Indeed, you should really go back to using U-Turn as it allows you to keep momentum and I can't imagine that even with dark pulse it is too useful against Garchomp.

You could try a standard set, such as:
Tornadus-Therian @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 76 Atk / 180 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Hurricane
- Superpower/Heatwave
- U-turn
- Knock Off

Your Slowbro might want to swap toxic for calm mind, which would give it more offensive presence.

Mienshao having both drain punch and high jump kick is a tad odd - maybe swap one (drain punch) for U-Turn?

I'm not Registeel's biggest fan (too weak to common attacks), but you can keep it if you like.

Hope this helps!

 

[Jucherz]

A simple change or two to your Tornadus-T would greatly improve it, I think.

The first thing I would do would be to add a life-orb, and get rid of leftovers. Tornadus is not really bulky enough for the leftovers to be too useful, and does appreciate extra life-orb damage.

Thanks! I'm not a fan of Life Orb, but I've tried it out and it's pretty awesome. Tornadus' attacks are noticeably more powerful and the recoil damage is easily healed by Regenerator.

The second change to it would be to make it a mixed attacker. You don't have much physically offensive presence in your team, and have decent special attackers. In addition, you would gain great utility moves, particularly knock-off and u-turn. Indeed, you should really go back to using U-Turn as it allows you to keep momentum and I can't imagine that even with dark pulse it is too useful against Garchomp.

You could try a standard set, such as:
Tornadus-Therian @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 76 Atk / 180 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Hurricane
- Superpower/Heatwave
- U-turn
- Knock Off

When the opponent predicted U-Turn, he switched in with Garchomp and I took damage from Rough Skin and Rocky Helmet. So Garchomp+Stealth Rock damaged Tornadus more than he could heal. As you probably noticed, I have no mixed attackers in this team. That's because when I need a physical attacker, I just switch into Mienshao or Registeel (both of them take low or neutral damage from attacks that would be super effective on Tornadus) and they take care of the threat. Also I like all of the pokemon's power to be focused into Atk or SpA so he hits as hard as possible. I didn't use Hurricane because the accuracy is really horrible. I find Air Slash much more useful thanks to the 30% chance to flinch (flinching attacks combined with Tornadus' great speed are awesome).

Your Slowbro might want to swap toxic for calm mind, which would give it more offensive presence.

I used to have Calm Mind on Slowbro, but setting it up was kinda useless when I got forced out by Rotom-Wash the next turn.

Mienshao having both drain punch and high jump kick is a tad odd - maybe swap one (drain punch) for U-Turn?

Mienshao is a very frail pokemon and even Bisharp's Sucker Punch will easily 2HKO him. Sometimes Regenerator isn't enough to keep him alive, so I use Drain Punch to provide him with more Recovery. U-Turn is surely a good option too, but I prefer when my pokemon remain healthy in case I'd need them later.

I'm not Registeel's biggest fan (too weak to common attacks), but you can keep it if you like.

252 Atk Choice Band Talonflame Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Registeel: 300-354 (82.4 - 97.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO <--- This is one of the reasons why I like Registeel, he is almost impossible to OHKO when you don't have your attacker boosted by Swords Dance or Calm Mind. Which makes him the ultimate shield when I need to switch out someone to get the Regenerator recovery.

Hope this helps!

It did help, thank you very much!

 

[LeNorm]

Thanks! I'm not a fan of Life Orb, but I've tried it out and it's pretty awesome. Tornadus' attacks are noticeably more powerful and the recoil damage is easily healed by Regenerator.



When the opponent predicted U-Turn, he switched in with Garchomp and I took damage from Rough Skin and Rocky Helmet. So Garchomp+Stealth Rock damaged Tornadus more than he could heal. As you probably noticed, I have no mixed attackers in this team. That's because when I need a physical attacker, I just switch into Mienshao or Registeel (both of them take low or neutral damage from attacks that would be super effective on Tornadus) and they take care of the threat. Also I like all of the pokemon's power to be focused into Atk or SpA so he hits as hard as possible. I didn't use Hurricane because the accuracy is really horrible. I find Air Slash much more useful thanks to the 30% chance to flinch (flinching attacks combined with Tornadus' great speed are awesome).

While it must be annoying taking seemingly unnecessary damage from Garchomp, surely its worth getting a free swap into slowebro or manectric, who can both hit Garchomp really hard with their ice type moves. If you really want a dark move, knock off also adds more utility than dark pulse, though again you would have to go mixed.

Hope this helps.