SM OU Trying out this team, can't help but feel there's something wrong with it.

[Silent Pixels]

Here we go, the team.

Kartana @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike
- Knock Off

This is my main cleaner and revenge killer, its no real secret that this thing decimates weakened teams once a breaker has run through it. I'm running knock off over defog in the case that something wants to switch in and I want to punish that and get rid of its item early. It's also good for crippling zapdos and a bunch of other common switch ins that think they can wall me once they figure out I'm a scarf set.

Medicham (M) @ Medichamite
Ability: Telepathy
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- High Jump Kick
- Bullet Punch
- Zen Headbutt

The main breaker on my team, this mon deals with a lot of mons that might otherwise eat my team alive like magearna, bullet punch is on it to deal as much chip damage to sweepers as possible if they're at a low amount of health or if a fast pokemon is in kill range. It also smacks mega diancie which is always good. This thing is also my main answer to toxapex if koko is out of commission. Lastly its my best bet at taking down chansey.

Tapu Koko @ Choice Specs
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 1 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Sort of a combination of the two roles the previous mons had. This mon can either break for kartana, with its terrain specs boosted thunderbolts, or it can clean after medicham breaks down or kills off koko's common answers, with its amazing speed and broken amount of power on electric moves. It's also a decent answer to toxapex, non scarf kartana, and can just be plain useful for breaking or taking down pesky mons that my team might otherwise have trouble with later.

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

Gluemon. Ok seriously though this is my best physical wall and is just one of the best in the tier. This walls so many mons that would otherwise throw my team in the garbage, like zygarde, heatran, ttar, and others. It also sets up hazards, which is good, and is a decentish last minute check to magearna, non hp ice koko, and pex. Lastly it covers a very big ground weakness that my team seemingly has.

Magearna @ Assault Vest
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Fleur Cannon
- Iron Head
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Volt Switch

My single best special attacker answer, capable of walling out and killing off many mons like koko, lele, mega alakazam, and most variants of gren, all of which are super big in the meta, bar alakazam. It also forms a nice and slow voltturn core with lando, and a core with koko as well, this lets my breaker or my cleaner get in safely on threats that magearna either kills with volt switch or just does damage with it. It also covers the ice type weakness that lando has.

Toxapex (M) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Haze
- Recover
- Toxic Spikes

My best (and possibly only) answer to volc, this mon is sort of my balanced wall, it can help deal with ash greninja, which is a major thorn in my side unless its locked into pump. Can act as a decent lead to set up t spikes as well as absorb t spikes itself. Can also help deal with other mons that might give my team a hard time like scizor, lucha, ttar, celesteela, and lopunny.

 

[Simia]

Hey, cool team that seems very standard. However, I've found some Pokemon that can be quite nuisible to your team. Firstable, Electric-Types such as Zapdos and Tapu Koko are pressuring this team since your own Tapu Koko lacks Roost and Magearna doesn't like getting chipped by Volt Switchs. Then, Fire-Types such as Heatran are quite threatening. Heatran, for example, pressures your entire team with either Magma Storm or EPower. M-Scizor can also be annoying with SD + Koff since your answer is Pex and it gets easily pressured but you can still play around it. Lastly, Grass-Types such as Mega Venusaur and Kartana seem hard to deal with. Mega Venusaur can pretty much annoy almost your entire team, while Kartana can pressure your defensive core. Got some suggestions so let's start.

>

First major change, Gastrodon over Toxapex, is really cool here in my opinion. It gives you an appreciated answer to Electric-Types I brought up before, as well as giving you a safe switch-in to opposite Heatrans (unless it's Toxic but this is not THAT common right now). The only negative thing about this change that I found is making you weaker to Toxic Spikes, but I have something to suggest it. Standars SpD spread, with Toxic.

>

Second major change, Celesteela over Magearna, is pretty simple. While they are both good Steel-Types, Magearna helps more against the likes of Greninja and opposite Magearna whereas Celesteela is better against the likes of M-Scizor, Kartana, M-Pinsir, etc. And that's why you need, since it gives you a great check to both M-Scizor and Kartana, as well as completing the defensive core with Gastrodon. Standard spread too, here.

I suggest running Ice Punch over Bullet Punch. Bullet Punch is really matchup based and you'll find you using this not that often. On the other hand, Ice Punch still lets you hit Latios and Latias (Mega or not), the notorious Lando-T, and Tapu Bulu as well.

I suggest running Defog over Smart Strike since now you quite lack a counterplay to TSpikes, and to hazard stacking in general. You can also try Aeriel Ace over something like Knock Off to revenge kill Volcarona for example, even though I prefer Knock Off because of how good this move is.

I'd change the Koko's set. The actual one, although capable of breaking walls, is just weakened too easily, and I just think that a Shuca Berry + Roost set could be better. This would help you wearing down things like Lando-T for both your Kartana and M-Medicham as well as giving you some defensive utility.

Optional change but as I said, Mega Venusaur is somewhat annoying for your team, and with the changes I made, it still is. That's why I'd try Z Fly Bulky Lando-T over your actual set that would help against that Pokemon and other bulky Grass-Types too. This basically combines its offensive utility and its defensive utility and I also figured you lacked a Z Move.

team

Kartana @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Defog
- Knock Off

Medicham-Mega (M) @ Medichamite
Ability: Telepathy
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- High Jump Kick
- Ice Punch
- Zen Headbutt

Tapu Koko @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost

Landorus-Therian @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 236 HP / 100 Atk / 36 Def / 136 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Fly
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 248 HP / 104 Def / 156 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower

Gastrodon-East (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 240 HP / 248 SpD / 20 Spe
Sassy Nature
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Recover

This is all, good luck with your team.

 

[Silent Pixels]

Hey, cool team that seems very standard. However, I've found some Pokemon that can be quite nuisible to your team. Firstable, Electric-Types such as Zapdos and Tapu Koko are pressuring this team since your own Tapu Koko lacks Roost and Magearna doesn't like getting chipped by Volt Switchs. Then, Fire-Types such as Heatran are quite threatening. Heatran, for example, pressures your entire team with either Magma Storm or EPower. M-Scizor can also be annoying with SD + Koff since your answer is Pex and it gets easily pressured but you can still play around it. Lastly, Grass-Types such as Mega Venusaur and Kartana seem hard to deal with. Mega Venusaur can pretty much annoy almost your entire team, while Kartana can pressure your defensive core. Got some suggestions so let's start.

>

First major change, Gastrodon over Toxapex, is really cool here in my opinion. It gives you an appreciated answer to Electric-Types I brought up before, as well as giving you a safe switch-in to opposite Heatrans (unless it's Toxic but this is not THAT common right now). The only negative thing about this change that I found is making you weaker to Toxic Spikes, but I have something to suggest it. Standars SpD spread, with Toxic.

>

Second major change, Celesteela over Magearna, is pretty simple. While they are both good Steel-Types, Magearna helps more against the likes of Greninja and opposite Magearna whereas Celesteela is better against the likes of M-Scizor, Kartana, M-Pinsir, etc. And that's why you need, since it gives you a great check to both M-Scizor and Kartana, as well as completing the defensive core with Gastrodon. Standard spread too, here.

I suggest running Ice Punch over Bullet Punch. Bullet Punch is really matchup based and you'll find you using this not that often. On the other hand, Ice Punch still lets you hit Latios and Latias (Mega or not), the notorious Lando-T, and Tapu Bulu as well.

I suggest running Defog over Smart Strike since now you quite lack a counterplay to TSpikes, and to hazard stacking in general. You can also try Aeriel Ace over something like Knock Off to revenge kill Volcarona for example, even though I prefer Knock Off because of how good this move is.

I'd change the Koko's set. The actual one, although capable of breaking walls, is just weakened too easily, and I just think that a Shuca Berry + Roost set could be better. This would help you wearing down things like Lando-T for both your Kartana and M-Medicham as well as giving you some defensive utility.

Optional change but as I said, Mega Venusaur is somewhat annoying for your team, and with the changes I made, it still is. That's why I'd try Z Fly Bulky Lando-T over your actual set that would help against that Pokemon and other bulky Grass-Types too. This basically combines its offensive utility and its defensive utility and I also figured you lacked a Z Move.

team

Kartana @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Defog
- Knock Off

Medicham-Mega (M) @ Medichamite
Ability: Telepathy
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- High Jump Kick
- Ice Punch
- Zen Headbutt

Tapu Koko @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost

Landorus-Therian @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 236 HP / 100 Atk / 36 Def / 136 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Fly
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 248 HP / 104 Def / 156 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower

Gastrodon-East (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 240 HP / 248 SpD / 20 Spe
Sassy Nature
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Recover

This is all, good luck with your team.

Alrighty, though it doesn't have any answers to sableye, this looks good, thank you. I am wondering, is there some way I could incorporate spikes gren into this team?

 

[Simia]

Alrighty, though it doesn't have any answers to sableye, this looks good, thank you. I am wondering, is there some way I could incorporate spikes gren into this team?

you can try scarf gren with spikes over scarf kartana i think but you'd lose the defog support which is needed imo (then you'd have to use something like defog koko lol), however scarf gren might help better vs volcarona
m-sableye is pressured by koko which takes on its knock offs and wisp easily and z fly landot can also do its work vs it btw

 

[Silent Pixels]

you can try scarf gren with spikes over scarf kartana i think but you'd lose the defog support which is needed imo (then you'd have to use something like defog koko lol), however scarf gren might help better vs volcarona
m-sableye is pressured by koko which takes on its knock offs and wisp easily and z fly landot can also do its work vs it btw

Uh I've been battling with this team and gastrodon has been nothing but terrible for me this entire time, are you sure its good?

 

[Simia]

Uh I've been battling with this team and gastrodon has been nothing but terrible for me this entire time, are you sure its good?

yes, it's pretty good rn and it has been raising in usages, it helps vs a lot of threats in this team too, so maybe you don't play right. if you link me some replays, that'd help.

 

[Silent Pixels]

yes, it's pretty good rn and it has been raising in usages, it helps vs a lot of threats in this team too, so maybe you don't play right.

How do i play it? I wouldn't be surprised if I don't play it right, I'm fairly new to showdown this is the first time I've started fighting in 4 years.
Actually maybe you should run me through all of the team members. Also, I'm testing an entirely new team with SD Kart, sort of as a counterpart to this team. Should I post it in this thread or no?

 

[Simia]

How do i play it? I wouldn't be surprised if I don't play it right, I'm fairly new to showdown this is the first time I've started fighting in 4 years.
Actually maybe you should run me through all of the team members. Also, I'm testing an entirely new team with SD Kart, sort of as a counterpart to this team. Should I post it in this thread or no?

you basically come into gastrodon to counter what I said, so electric-types, etc. also try to toxic annoying things such as tangrowth but tbh it really depends on the opposite team
also, you can pm me to continue the conversation, not sure if it's allowed to do that here

 

[patlop2307]

Hey Silent Pixels! Pretty decently built team, I feel. However, the team definitely needs some sort of change to it.

What is your team weak to?

Simia already pointed out most of the stuff, but I want to add soe weaknesses to the list:

: This Pokémon can punish the team quite a bit, if the "Choice Specs" set is being run. Everything dies to a couple of Psychics, forcing you to go into your Magearna, that also takes a hefty amount of chip damage, approximately around 35%. This Pokémon is onlyhard to cover, however, the 2 counters being Jirachi and "Assault Vest" Metagross.​

​

: "Substitute" 3 attacks Volcanion is a huge nuisance to the team, once it gets the substitute up. It can deal with Toxapex, 2HKO the Magearna, 2HKO your choiced Tapu Koko, the list goes on. I just feel like you wouldnt have any counter measures for it, whatsoever. The way you play around it is to probably not allow a Toxapex versus Volcanion situation where the Toxic Spikes are not up.​

​

How can you improve the team?

>

: This might come as a suprise but I like Mega-Mawile way more on the team than Mega-Medicham, despite the fact that it is very slow. Not only does Mega-Mawile give you access to terrain-boosted "Thunder Punches", but it also has access to "Stealth Rocks", the set that I was going for here. It pressures Mega-Sableye to the point where you can (almost) reliably set the rocks whilst also pressuring removers such as Skarmory and Zapdos with "Thunder Punch" and "Play Rough", respectively.​

​

>

: The reason I made this change is to cover the Kyurem-Black, as well as the Tapu Lele weakness you have on the team. I stepped out of my box this time and decided a "Toxic" set would be pretty nice, since it is able to lure in Quagsires and Zapdos' quite well. The rest is just standard "Wish-Protect", though.​

​

>

: The reason why I went with this change is to have a scarfer that supports the team with Spikes. The first and only Pokémon that came into my mind was Greninja. I have read the conversation above and I do think Greninja could be a nice fit on the team, especially because it sort of holds off Volcaronas from sweeping.​

Shed Shell > Black Sludge (

): Two reasons why I am running "Shed Shell" on Toxapex, the first being that I need a Heatran check. I wanted this Toxapex to be able to switch out against whatever it wants, whenever it wants. Secondly, in Non-Heatran match-ups Toxapex does not need its item, making it a decent switch-in for scarfed knockers such as Kartana or Landorus (in rare cases).​

​

Tapunium Z > Choice Specs (

): Every Tapu Koko set can be really good against certain match-ups. I chose "Tapunium Z" in this case because it works excellently versus the tanks like Magearna, like Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu. Thunderbolt to not completely lose to Hawlucha and Roost to not straight up lose to Volcanion, although yes I did not really do the job of covering Volcanion justice enough.​

​

Defog > Stealth Rock (

): I think now that you lack a remover and Mawile already has the rocks that Defog Landorus should be decent pick to fare with, although I have not used defensive Defog at all. I guess practice and time will tell.​

Lastly I wanted to say that the initial team did seem quite fun to use, but it lacked the punch. I hope that the changes are fine and they make sense to you. With that being said, have fun with the team ^^

​

​

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​

 

[Silent Pixels]

Hey Silent Pixels! Pretty decently built team, I feel. However, the team definitely needs some sort of change to it.

What is your team weak to?

Simia already pointed out most of the stuff, but I want to add soe weaknesses to the list:

: This Pokémon can punish the team quite a bit, if the "Choice Specs" set is being run. Everything dies to a couple of Psychics, forcing you to go into your Magearna, that also takes a hefty amount of chip damage, approximately around 35%. This Pokémon is onlyhard to cover, however, the 2 counters being Jirachi and "Assault Vest" Metagross.​

​

: "Substitute" 3 attacks Volcanion is a huge nuisance to the team, once it gets the substitute up. It can deal with Toxapex, 2HKO the Magearna, 2HKO your choiced Tapu Koko, the list goes on. I just feel like you wouldnt have any counter measures for it, whatsoever. The way you play around it is to probably not allow a Toxapex versus Volcanion situation where the Toxic Spikes are not up.​

​

How can you improve the team?

>

: This might come as a suprise but I like Mega-Mawile way more on the team than Mega-Medicham, despite the fact that it is very slow. Not only does Mega-Mawile give you access to terrain-boosted "Thunder Punches", but it also has access to "Stealth Rocks", the set that I was going for here. It pressures Mega-Sableye to the point where you can (almost) reliably set the rocks whilst also pressuring removers such as Skarmory and Zapdos with "Thunder Punch" and "Play Rough", respectively.​

​

>

: The reason I made this change is to cover the Kyurem-Black, as well as the Tapu Lele weakness you have on the team. I stepped out of my box this time and decided a "Toxic" set would be pretty nice, since it is able to lure in Quagsires and Zapdos' quite well. The rest is just standard "Wish-Protect", though.​

​

>

: The reason why I went with this change is to have a scarfer that supports the team with Spikes. The first and only Pokémon that came into my mind was Greninja. I have read the conversation above and I do think Greninja could be a nice fit on the team, especially because it sort of holds off Volcaronas from sweeping.​

Shed Shell > Black Sludge (

): Two reasons why I am running "Shed Shell" on Toxapex, the first being that I need a Heatran check. I wanted this Toxapex to be able to switch out against whatever it wants, whenever it wants. Secondly, in Non-Heatran match-ups Toxapex does not need its item, making it a decent switch-in for scarfed knockers such as Kartana or Landorus (in rare cases).​

​

Tapunium Z > Choice Specs (

): Every Tapu Koko set can be really good against certain match-ups. I chose "Tapunium Z" in this case because it works excellently versus the tanks like Magearna, like Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu. Thunderbolt to not completely lose to Hawlucha and Roost to not straight up lose to Volcanion, although yes I did not really do the job of covering Volcanion justice enough.​

​

Defog > Stealth Rock (

): I think now that you lack a remover and Mawile already has the rocks that Defog Landorus should be decent pick to fare with, although I have not used defensive Defog at all. I guess practice and time will tell.​

Lastly I wanted to say that the initial team did seem quite fun to use, but it lacked the punch. I hope that the changes are fine and they make sense to you. With that being said, have fun with the team ^^

​

​

​

​

I don't feel too safe using jirachi over magearna, magearna checks a lot of threats that otherwise blow past every mon on this team, mawile is also WAAAAAAYs too slow, and leaves my team at yet another weakness to lando-t, also why would I change Kart, that's the star of the show!
Also, it has no answers for mamoswine, Idk what to do against mamoswine

 

[patlop2307]

I don't feel too safe using jirachi over magearna, magearna checks a lot of threats that otherwise blow past every mon on this team, mawile is also WAAAAAAYs too slow, and leaves my team at yet another weakness to lando-t, also why would I change Kart, that's the star of the show!
Also, it has no answers for mamoswine, Idk what to do against mamoswine

First things first: What Pokémon would Jirachi lose to that Magearna wouldn't? Do keep in mind that the team has a Toxapex for Greninja. Mawile is slow but it has priority and a really good typing to make up for it. Lando-T can be checked fine still, I believe. All there is need to be done is to chip it with your own Landorus, although yes, that is not the perfect counterplay. Kart I did not recon was the star of the show, since you only labeled it "My Main Cleaner", I did explain why I chose Greninja over Kartana in my initial post. Mamoswine is a fair point, everything that outspeeds it can't really hit it super-effectively.

*If you really believe that Landorus is that annoying, try Gliscor>Landorus. It should give you decent options of counterplay now.

 

[Felixx]

Hey Silent Pixels! Pretty decently built team, I feel. However, the team definitely needs some sort of change to it.

What is your team weak to?

Simia already pointed out most of the stuff, but I want to add soe weaknesses to the list:

: This Pokémon can punish the team quite a bit, if the "Choice Specs" set is being run. Everything dies to a couple of Psychics, forcing you to go into your Magearna, that also takes a hefty amount of chip damage, approximately around 35%. This Pokémon is onlyhard to cover, however, the 2 counters being Jirachi and "Assault Vest" Metagross.​

​

: "Substitute" 3 attacks Volcanion is a huge nuisance to the team, once it gets the substitute up. It can deal with Toxapex, 2HKO the Magearna, 2HKO your choiced Tapu Koko, the list goes on. I just feel like you wouldnt have any counter measures for it, whatsoever. The way you play around it is to probably not allow a Toxapex versus Volcanion situation where the Toxic Spikes are not up.​

​

How can you improve the team?

>

: This might come as a suprise but I like Mega-Mawile way more on the team than Mega-Medicham, despite the fact that it is very slow. Not only does Mega-Mawile give you access to terrain-boosted "Thunder Punches", but it also has access to "Stealth Rocks", the set that I was going for here. It pressures Mega-Sableye to the point where you can (almost) reliably set the rocks whilst also pressuring removers such as Skarmory and Zapdos with "Thunder Punch" and "Play Rough", respectively.​

​

>

: The reason I made this change is to cover the Kyurem-Black, as well as the Tapu Lele weakness you have on the team. I stepped out of my box this time and decided a "Toxic" set would be pretty nice, since it is able to lure in Quagsires and Zapdos' quite well. The rest is just standard "Wish-Protect", though.​

​

>

: The reason why I went with this change is to have a scarfer that supports the team with Spikes. The first and only Pokémon that came into my mind was Greninja. I have read the conversation above and I do think Greninja could be a nice fit on the team, especially because it sort of holds off Volcaronas from sweeping.​

Shed Shell > Black Sludge (

): Two reasons why I am running "Shed Shell" on Toxapex, the first being that I need a Heatran check. I wanted this Toxapex to be able to switch out against whatever it wants, whenever it wants. Secondly, in Non-Heatran match-ups Toxapex does not need its item, making it a decent switch-in for scarfed knockers such as Kartana or Landorus (in rare cases).​

​

Tapunium Z > Choice Specs (

): Every Tapu Koko set can be really good against certain match-ups. I chose "Tapunium Z" in this case because it works excellently versus the tanks like Magearna, like Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu. Thunderbolt to not completely lose to Hawlucha and Roost to not straight up lose to Volcanion, although yes I did not really do the job of covering Volcanion justice enough.​

​

Defog > Stealth Rock (

): I think now that you lack a remover and Mawile already has the rocks that Defog Landorus should be decent pick to fare with, although I have not used defensive Defog at all. I guess practice and time will tell.​

Lastly I wanted to say that the initial team did seem quite fun to use, but it lacked the punch. I hope that the changes are fine and they make sense to you. With that being said, have fun with the team ^^

​

​

​

​

Your Jirachi is Calm in the pokepaste, shouldn't it be Careful since it has no Special Attack?

 

[patlop2307]

Your Jirachi is Calm in the pokepaste, shouldn't it be Careful since it has no Special Attack?

Woops, just noticed that. Thanks for the catch, though. Gonna replace the paste soon.