Set: ChestoRest Politoed

Politoed @ Chesto Berry
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Toxic
- Perish Song
- Rest

Politoed tends to run some pretty offensive sets, which are great for damage output but relatively poor for survivability. Although not too different from Politoed's standard defensive set, ChestoRest is an interesting idea that has a few advantages when it comes to maintaining your choice of weather.

The most important thing a ChestoRest set provides is what is essentially a second life. This is most helpful when Politoed gets hit by a status ailment, since it can just be healed off. Depending on which ailment it took, a standard Politoed could have been crippled for the match. 

Defensive Politoed doesn't need extra type coverage, so a mono-attacking support set is adequate. Scald remains a decent method of checking threats like Gliscor and netting burns. Toxic is generally the best option for hitting switch-ins like Jellicent or Gastrodon. Perish Song has a more specialized use, but it can be crucial against a last-minute stat booster. Rest should be saved for when Politoed is about to faint; usually one use is enough for Politoed to keep up Rain long enough.

Since ChestoRest is a defensively-oriented set, Politoed's teammates should generally fit the theme as well. A more stall-based approach to Rain is viable, with teammates like Ferrothorn providing hazard support. Rain Stall is one of the most effective team archetypes around, and this set does a good job of providing for it.

Set: Choice Scarf Tyranitar

Tyranitar @ Choice Scarf 

Trait: Sand Stream 

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd 

Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk) 

- Stone Edge 

- Crunch 

- Pursuit 

- Superpower

ScarfTar was one of the most common sets in the LatiMence era of DPP, and it's been getting some usage among good players in BW as well. Although this set doesn't have the bulk or mixed attacking power of standard MixTar, its higher Speed and Attack allow it to surprise and check some dangerous threats.

One of the most important things to note is that ScarfTar needs to be more careful about switching directly into attacks. It still has a decent amount of bulk, but it should be used more as a check than as a counter to threats. In that role, ScarfTar performs admirably; it can take on the likes of Latios, Latias, SD Terrakion, Thundurus, Tornadus, Starmie and Gengar - either outspeeding with the appropriate move or trapping the threat with Pursuit.

The moveset is pretty basic for a physical Tyranitar. Stone Edge hits pretty hard with this set and gives good coverage against Flying-types and Ninetales. Crunch and Pursuit provide helpful STABs for taking on Psychic-types, although some prediction is required when choosing which to use. Superpower is helpful for hitting opposing Tyranitar and Ferrothorn. For more unusual options, some like to include an Ice- or Fire-type special move for surprising switch-ins like Gliscor or Steel-types.

ScarfTar is a different take on a standard weather starter, so the same typical Sandstorm partners work well with it. Since this set is more easily set up on, pairing it with an Excadrill that knows Rapid Spin is a good idea. ScarfTar is also proficient at eliminating Latios and Latias for special sweepers, so Pokémon like Celebi or Rotom-W are also good partners.

Set: Trick Room Reuniclus

Reuniclus @ Life Orb 

Ability: Magic Guard 

EVs: 192 HP / 64 Def / 252 SAtk 

Quiet Nature (+SAtk, -Spd) 

-Trick Room 

-Psychic 

-Focus Blast 

-Shadow Ball

Trick Room Reuniclus has been around for a while, but it's always been overshadowed by the standard Calm Mind variant. Although the CM set works best on bulkier teams for taking down defensive stall cores, TR Reuniclus is excellent for sweeping through more offensively-inclined teams. Its significantly lower usage also means it tends to be a lot less prepared for.

This set doesn't have the longevity of standard Reuniclus, so you'll only want to bring it out late-game or when you feel pretty confident in a sweep. Just bring it in on something it can set up on, like Conkeldurr, and begin cleaning through teams after a Trick Room. Since the majority of teams aren't stall-based, opponents can run into a lot of trouble with this set.

Reuniclus has everything in needs to work as an effective standalone TR sweeper. A Life Orb-boosted Psychic off of base 125 SAtk dishes out a lot of damage. Focus Blast is a good coverage move, particularly for hitting Steel-types and Tyranitar. Trick Room also means Reuniclus will outspeed and OHKO standard specially defensive Tyranitar, even with the Sandstorm boost. Shadow Ball is helpful for covering other Reuniclus, Latios and Latias, who would all wall the set otherwise.

TR Reuniclus has a couple of other good options. Psyshock 2HKOes Blissey after Stealth Rock, but it's a weaker move otherwise. HP Fire is also an interesting possibility in the last moveslot, as it'll net the surprise KO on Scizor. As far as teammates go, Conkeldurr is notable for taking on many Reuniclus switch-ins. The two also complement each other nicely. All in all, TR Reuniclus is a giant threat that can single-handedly sweep unprepared teams.

Set: SubToxic Gliscor

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb

Trait: Poison Heal

EVs: 244 HP / 176 Def / 88 Spd

Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)

- Substitute

- Toxic

- Earthquake

- Protect

Few sets match this one in terms of pure FFFF factor. With Poison Heal and Protect, Gliscor has the potential to be one of the most annoying and effective Toxic stallers in the game. Plenty of traditional Gliscor counters are vulnerable to poison damage, leaving them helpless against the strategy behind this set. 

Using SubToxic Gliscor is pretty simple. Just switch in on a physical attacker and safely set up a Substitute. Common switch-ins like Rotom-W or other bulky Waters will be outsped and poisoned. From that point on, it's basically a matter of wearing them down from Toxic damage.

These EVs maximize Poison Heal recovery and leave enough extra points to speed creep the 244 mark by 4 points. This is important for outspeeding Tyranitar, Jirachi, Rotom-W and a few other threats. The SubToxic combo allows Gliscor to poison opponents and continuously create subs, with Protect and Poison Heal ensuring that it doesn't lose any health at all. Earthquake is the set's only STAB, which can be used for hitting opponents weak to Ground.

A few other options exist for the last moveslot: Taunt and Ice Fang are the most notable. The former shuts down Ferrothorn and Skarmory, while the latter gives you something with which to hit other Gliscor and Balloon Excadrill. Gliscor also works really well with a Toxic Spikes user, since it won't have to manually Toxic opponents. Roserade and Tentacruel are great choices for the role. When this set is used correctly, unprepared teams can't really touch it at all.

Set: Life Orb Starmie

Starmie @ Life Orb

Trait: Natural Cure

EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd

Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)

- Hydro Pump

- Grass Knot

- Rapid Spin

- Recover

Yeah, probably not the set you were expecting. This Starmie is meant to function as a fast sweeper and Rapid Spin user for Rain teams. Removing hazards is a great way to gain momentum over your opponent, and Starmie is definitely the best choice in Rain. Other than that, Starmie's high Speed and boosted attacks can dish out plenty of damage as well.

One of the most annoying threats for Rain teams to face is Ferrothorn, which sets up freely on most team members. Starmie helps combat this issue not by taking on Ferrothorn directly, but by spinning away its hazards. This set strikes a balance between power and utility, providing both team support and sweeping potential.

Hydro Pump is notable for 2HKOing bulky Rotom-W in Rain, although Surf is good for accuracy. Both, however, net the OHKO on Thundurus in Rain. Grass Knot allows Starmie to function as a lure, netting 2HKOs on Jellicent and surprisingly, Gastrodon. This means Starmie can get past one of the best Rain counters, helping its teammates out immensely. Rapid Spin makes switching a lot easier by removing hazards, and is pretty easy to use since Starmie tends to force switches itself. Recover is needed to help Starmie survive and provide team support in longer matches.

Starmie threatens every common spin blocker, so it's pretty easy to get off a Rapid Spin. Typical Rain team members do fine alongside this set, although it's preferable to include anti-metagame sets like Rain Abuser Jirachi or Mynism's Toxicroak. Just be sure you have something to take out Ferrothorn, and Starmie will do a good job of keeping hazards off the field.

Set: Bulky Tangrowth

Tangrowth @ Leftovers

Trait: Regenerator

EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef

Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)

- Sleep Powder

- Power Whip

- Hidden Power [Ice]

- Leech Seed

Tangrowth's a pretty interesting Pokémon. Aside from functioning as a Chlorophyll Sun sweeper, it can also pull off a very effective physical tanking set. Thanks to Regenerator and its high HP and Defense stats, Tangrowth occupies a special niche in OU. Combine that with an effective defensively-oriented moveset, and you have an extremely durable physical wall.

To put things into perspective, Tangrowth's overall physical bulk beats that of Forretress and Skarmory. This lets Tangrowth take on a number of threats - Terrakion, Landorus, Dragonite and even Excadrill in a pinch. 

Sleep Powder provides a notable advantage over other physical walls, crippling common switch-ins like Heatran. Power Whip is a reliable Grass STAB, while HP Ice can net some surprise KOs on Gliscor and hit Dragons for good damage as well. Leech Seed works well along with Leftovers and Regenerator to ensure that Tangrowth won't be going down any time soon.

Although Tangrowth's physical bulk is fantastic, its Special Defense is particularly low. It also can't do much to most other Grass-types, particularly if they carry Natural Cure. For this reason, Latias may be a good choice for a partner. She also fits in well with the entry hazard-based defensive teams that Tangrowth tends to work best with. Other than that, Tangrowth remains a surprisingly bulky wall with some useful support options.

Team: Cigarettes in the Theatre

Hello. 'Cigarettes in the Theatre' is a team I've been using for a while now and is definitely one of my more successful teams. Peaking at #5 on the Smogon ladder is a decent achievement, and a previous variant of the team was used in my Smogon World Cup of Pokemon tryout, and with it I managed to make the UK team.

This is a balanced Sandstorm team, with a defensive core of Gastrodon and Skarmory to deal with Rain teams and Sand teams respectively. I guess the main sweeper of the team is Excadrill, with Salamence executing Skarmory and Gliscor, and Gastrodon effectively neutering Rotom-W and other bulky waters to pave the way for Excadrill's sweep. Offensive Rain threats are also kept at bay by Gastrodon, who walls most of them with ease. Other defensive threats are generally dealt with by Whirlwinding around to rack up hazard damage and then just dealing as much damage with Salamence before bringing in Excadrill to clean up. Although this team appears pretty standard now, at the time it was pretty anti-metagame, utilising the incredibly rare Chople Tyranitar and Gastrodon. Due to the rapid increase in popularity of these 2 Pokemon, this team is not as successful as it was when I used it as my main team. Rain teams are now much more well-equipped to deal with Gastrodon, by using the likes of Grass Knot Starmie and Thundurus and playing more conservatively with Ferrothorn. The same is not true for Salamence however, which the vast majority of teams are horribly under-prepared for, making this team still very potent for use in the current metagame.

Please note that the comments under each team member were written when I first posted this team in the Smogon RMT forum a few weeks ago, so some of the references may be a little outdated. The metagame has actually shifted quite a lot over the last few weeks, most notably with the rise in popularity of Tabloo-like teams (Skarm/Heatran/Roserade/Gastrodon/Filler/Filler), and most of this was written before this surge in popularity of non-weather teams.

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Tyranitar (F) @ Chople Berry

Trait: Sand Stream

EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SDef

Sassy nature (+SDef, -Spd)

- Stealth Rock

- Pursuit

- Flamethrower

- Rock Slide

I'll admit I'm not a massive fan of Chople Tyranitar, as ScarfTar is up there as one of my favourite sets in the game. However, it isn't really suited for this team. The change to ChopleTar has been pretty recent, and currently I was using ScarfTar with Stealth Rocks since I had literally no where else I wanted to put it on the team. I eventually decided to change set when I realised that Tyranitar was barely getting any oppurtunities to set-up Stealth Rock, as most of the time it would just be switching to Pursuit away Dark-weak Pokemon such as Starmie, Gengar, and Latios, and it doesn't really force that many switches otherwise. I chose ChopleTar over the standard Special Defensive set because Thundurus is just that ridiculous. Even with Gastrodon and Excadrill it can be annoying to handle. 

The set is pretty self-explanatory but I'll go through it anyway. Stealth Rock is a staple move on pretty much any non-choiced Tyranitar this Generation because it helps deal with so many threats. Although the team doesn't have a spin-blocker, Sun teams with Volcarona get put under a lot of pressure by having Stealth Rock up on their side of the field as it means they are effectively forced to bring-in Forretress and Rapid Spin. This gives me a free turn to do whatever I want, such as set-up Sand again with Tyranitar or attempt to set-up one of my Swords Dancers, both of which give the team a huge momentum boost. Stealth Rock also makes Thundurus, Tornadus, Dragonite and opposing Salamence easier to deal with. The decision between Pursuit and Crunch is always difficult for defensive Tyranitar, as Crunch is especially useful against Reuniclus, whereas Pursuit is infinitely more useful against Latios. I decided to go with Pursuit here because Scizor already deals with Reuniclus very well, and it can also be dealt with in a pinch by just keeping the offensive pressure on with Excadrill and Salamence. Flamethrower is here as an extra way to hit Ferrothorn and Skarmory in-particular, once again aiding an Excadrill sweep. Rock Slide is chosen over Stone Edge because the extra power isn't really needed whereas the increased accuracy is greatly appreciated against Volcarona and Thundurus. The EV spread is just me being lazy. I decided to go with 252 HP / 252 SDef when I first tested the set and it worked, so saw no reason to look into a more efficient spread.

Skarmory (F) @ Leftovers

Trait: Sturdy

EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 Spd

Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)

- Spikes

- Brave Bird

- Roost

- Whirlwind

Skarmory forms a great defensive duo with Gastrodon, who takes Fire Blasts and Thunderbolts aimed at Skarmory all day, while Skarmory takes the Grass Knots and other Grass-attacks that Gastrodon despises. On a broader spectrum, Skarmory walls most Sandstorm sweepers and Gastrodon handles the Rain sweepers, meaning that I have most of the metagame's top threats covered between just 2 Pokemon.

Skarmory provides entry hazard support with Spikes alongside Tyranitar's Stealth Rock, which, in conjunction with Whirlwind, helps to wear down Skarmory's common switch-ins, such as Magnezone, Thundurus, and Heatran. Although a lot of the top threats this Generation aren't grounded (see: Thundurus, Latios, Dragonite, Balloon Excadrill, Balloon Terrakion), Spikes still has great utility. Brave Bird and Whirlwind are the 2 'filler' moves of the set, but are still pretty much set in stone here as they are both very important. Whirlwind helps rack-up hazard damage to help the sweepers, as well as putting-off Magnezone from wanting to switch-in on Skarmory, and is also useful for getting rid of set-up Pokemon before they get too threatening (for example, Rock Polish Terrakion, DD Dragonite, SD Scizor, SD Excadrill, SD Landorus, CM Reuniclus, and SD Gliscor). Brave Bird means that Skarmory isn't complete Taunt-bait, as well as meaning that I don't get swept by last-Pokemon Excadrill with its Balloon still intact. Brave Bird also deals decent damage to the common Grass-types in OU, including Celebi and Virizion who are 2HKOd and OHKOd respectively with Spikes and Stealth Rock, even with no Atk investment. Although I'm sure there is a more efficient and tailored EV spread out there than the one I am currently using, this is the one I started with and it seems to have been working fine. I opted for a Physically defensive set here as opposed to a Specially defensive set, as most Sandstorm sweepers attack on the Physical side of the attacking spectrum, and Tyranitar can sponge Draco Meteors from the likes of Latios excellently.

Gastrodon (F) @ Leftovers

Trait: Storm Drain

EVs: 252 HP / 20 SAtk / 236 SDef

Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)

- Scald

- Ice Beam

- Toxic

- Recover

Gastrodon can single-handedly wall the 5/6 members of the common rain team, only really fearing Ferrothorn which Skarmory can get free Spikes up against. Gastrodon acts as the team's main counter to Thundurus, as it really can't touch me with any of its common attacks and Gastrodon just removes it with Ice Beams.

In very early iterations of the team, I had an Unaware Quagsire in this spot, but I've never regretted replacing it. Although they share the same typing and they both counter Thundurus, Gastrodon's Storm Drain ability is just too much to pass up, allowing to to act as a counter to Starmie and Azumarill on top of the aforementioned genie. Despite the defensively-inclined EV spread, Storm Drain and Rain-boosted Scald's really pack a punch, and Gastrodon gets a lot of opportunities to fire them off against Rain teams trying to get rid of Tyranitar and Excadrill. With its secondary Ground-typing, Gastrodon has great defensive psynergy with Skarmory, taking on the Thunderbolts and Fire Blasts that Skarmory hates with ease due to resistance and brilliant special bulk. The lack of Earth Power on the set means that Gastrodon can't really hit Rain sweepers back once it switches in, but she forces a load of switches so doesn't really need an attack to hit them anyway, letting Toxic damage, Stealth Rock and Spikes do all the work. Toxic is the filler move on the set, as is here mainly as a way to hit CM Latias on the switch-in, putting a timer on it so it can't really do much, unless it has the rare Refresh.

Scizor (F) @ Leftovers

Trait: Technician

EVs: 252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 SDef

Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Swords Dance

- Bullet Punch

- Bug Bite

- Roost

Scizor acts as another Dragon-resist on the team, but unlike Skarmory has a very SDef-focused EV spread, making it an excellent check to the likes of Latios and Reuniclus, which pose some problems to the team otherwise.This set functions similarly to Swords Dance Gliscor, acting as a defensive Pokemon early-game and then pulling off a possible sweep late-game with Swords Dance despite minimal attack investment. The EV spread is obviously tailored with this in mind. 252 HP and 216 SDef EVs means Scizor is never 2HKOd by Virizion's or Reuniclus' Focus Blasts, proving no SDef drops, which means Virizion can be Roost-stalled for Life Orb recoil in a pinch before being finished off with Bullet Punch. Similarly, Reuniclus can be dealt with by setting up Swords Dances and Roosting off damage before finishing it off with Bug Bite. 

Swords Dance Scizor is far superior to Choice Band for this team (and just generally in this metagame, in my opinion) purely because it gets so many chances to set-up Swords Dances thanks to a great set of resistances, including Dragon, Steel and Grass allowing it to easily set-up on Choice Specs Latios and Ferrothorn. Superpower is an option over Bug Bite but Ferrothorn is already beaten 1-on-1 with Bug Bite, and Skarmory is well dealt with by Salamence. Without Bug Bite Reuniclus has a much easier time running through the team as well. The priority Scizor brings to the team is incredibly helpful, especially in dealing with Pokemon such as Double Dance Terrakion, who can outspeed Excadrill after a Rock Polish and OHKO everything on the team at +2 Atk. With Scizor on the team, I can OHKO Terrakion after a Close Combat, making it much less of a threat. Even if its defense is still at +0, I can Bullet Punch to break the Balloon before going to Excadrill to revenge-kill provided it hasn't managed to Rock Polish.

Excadrill (F) @ Air Balloon

Trait: Sand Rush

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd

Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Swords Dance

- Earthquake

- Rock Slide

- Rapid Spin

I hate Excadrill so much, but it is just brilliant at what it does. Excadrill is the offensive Rapid Spinner of the team, getting rid of Stealth Rock, Spikes and Toxic Spikes which Gastrodon and Tyranitar despise. Excadrill causes loads of switches, giving him a lot of chances to pull out a Rapid Spin, mostly on switches to Skarmory or Gliscor. Starmie was the only other option here, but I opted for Excadrill due to its greater offensive capability with Swords Dance, making him a great spinner early-game and threatening sweeper late-game, something Starmie can't really match.

Excadrill acts as yet another check to Thundurus, beating non-Focus Blast variants one-on-one in both Rain and Sand, and outspeeding all sets when I have the weather advantage, OHKOing with Rock Slide. Its immunity to Thunder Wave means it is one of the few offensive checks to Thundurus that doesn't get crippled as it takes it down. Excadrill also acts as a well needed check to non-balloon and non-Rock Polish Terrakion, easily outspeeding even Scarf sets and OHKOing with Earthquake. Deciding between Rock Slide and Frustration was somewhat difficult, but I decided on Rock Slide for the flinch chance, and also so that Excadrill isn't left completely hopeless against Skarmory. Although Frustration is more powerful against Gliscor and Lati@s, they are often already weakened sufficiently by Salamence/Gastrodon and Tyranitar respectively before Gliscor comes in to finish off the job.

Air Balloon is the item of choice here over Life Orb because of Excadrill's role as the team's Rapid Spinner. With Air Balloon, Excadrill has guaranteed Spikes immunity the first time it switches in, which is important as it means it will be healthier when it tries to sweep later in the battle. Air Balloon means that Gliscor has a much harder time countering Excadrill, particularly if it has already been weakened by other members of the team.

Salamence (F) @ Life Orb

Trait: Intimidate

EVs: 116 Atk / 216 SAtk / 176 Spd

Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)

- Draco Meteor

- Fire Blast

- Brick Break

- Roost

Salamence has been very overlooked this generation due the presence of the other dragons taking up its niches. Latios has a much more powerful Draco Meteor, and Dragonite's new ability Multiscale and access to ExtremeSpeed makes it a better Dragon Dancer. However, MixMence remains just as threatening as it was last generation, retaining its ability to hit hard on the special side without getting walled by Tyranitar and Blissey, something Latios can't consistently match.

Salamence does a great job of removing Excadrill's counters early- and mid-game, OHKOing even the most Specially defensive Skarmory most of the time with Stealth Rock up, and OHKOing standard Swords Dance Gliscor 100% of the time with Stealth Rock up. With Excadrill spinning Stealth Rock away, and with Roost in the 4th slot, Salamence has surprising survivability, even more so with Intimidate buffing his ability to take physical hits, such as Close Combats, Drain Punches and Mach Punches from the various OU Fighting-types. Brick Break is the filler attack of choice here, hitting Tyranitar and Blissey harder than Earthquake while still hitting Heatran for around 60%. The EV spread means Salamence can outspeed all neutral-natured Base 90 Speed Pokemon, focusing the rest of the remaining EVs on power, since Salamence is acting a wallbreaker as opposed to a sweeper. Although Draco Meteor's power doesn't match Latios', it is still incredibly powerful, and very few Pokemon can switch-in on a Draco Meteor and then take a second attack from Salamence, making it a very efficient wall-breaker. Salamence brings a few nice resistances to the team, including Fighting, Fire and Water in particular. As Salamence resists Grass, Fire and is immune to Ground-type attacks, he makes a very good switch-in for Nasty Plot Celebi, who is pretty annoying for the team to face otherwise especially considering the lack of Crunch on Tyranitar.

Set: Rapid Spin Excadrill

Excadrill @ Air Balloon

Trait: Sand Rush

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd

Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Earthquake

- Rock Slide

- X-Scissor

- Rapid Spin

The differences between this set and the standard Swords Dance one are subtle, but significant. Entry hazards are pretty common among good OU teams, and they can really apply some heavy pressure as far as switching goes. Instead of sweeping, Rapid Spin Excadrill serves more of a support role: it clears away hazards to help out its teammates, revenge kills important threats, and cleans up opposing teams in the endgame.

Excadrill is arguably the best Rapid Spin user available, thanks to its ability to threaten every common spin blocker. Jellicent isn't a safe switch-in, as Earthquake is a potential 2HKO after Stealth Rock. Gengar also takes a large chunk (53.44% - 62.98%) from Rock Slide. Many games can be saved as a result of Excadrill removing troublesome entry hazards from the field.

An Adamant nature and an Air Balloon are used to maximize Excadrill's power and longevity. Earthquake still hits really hard off an Attack stat of 405, even without Swords Dance. Rock Slide provide QuakeEdge-equivalent type coverage and allows the set to revenge kill Thundurus and Volcarona. X-Scissor is a helpful move for handling Celebi, as well as weakened Latios and Latias. Rapid Spin may determine the match against hazard-based teams, as many will fail to apply enough pressure otherwise. Having your side of the field clear of hazards gives you a concrete advantage in momentum and provides more flexibility in terms of switches and predictions.

Rapid Spin Excadrill fits well as a support member on Sand teams. Having the ability to switch around freely is especially helpful for Tyranitar when engaging in weather wars. As such, typical Sand team members work well with this set. Substitute Landorus makes for an excellent offensive partner, while Rotom-W and Celebi provide solid resistances for the team. 

Set: Life Orb Mamoswine

Mamoswine @ Life Orb 

Trait: Snow Cloak 

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd 

Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk) 

- Earthquake 

- Icicle Crash 

- Stone Edge

- Ice Shard 

With Icicle Crash, Mamoswine finally received a solid secondary STAB to back up its powerful Earthquake. In this metagame, it's a blessing to have a physical attacker that isn't walled by Gliscor. Mamoswine easily fits this criteria and also covers some crucial threats with its giant base 130 Attack and Ice-type priority.

Thanks to its powerful STABs and useful typing, Mamoswine plows through plenty of common OU Pokémon. Tyranitar, Jirachi and Gliscor are all cleanly OHKOed, while Rotom-W is easily 2HKOed with Stone Edge. Mamoswine's Speed isn't bad, either; this spread puts it at 259, which is fast enough to outpace a lot of common threats.

The type coverage this set provides is fantastic. Ice / Ground alone is good, but Stone Edge can be helpful for Gyarados and Rotom-W. Stealth Rock is also a viable option if you don't need the extra coverage. Ice Shard is a crucial priority move that allows Mamoswine to check Thundurus, Tornadus and Dragonite; it OHKOes all three after Stealth Rock. 

Mamoswine has issues with Skarmory and Bronzong, so be sure to include something that can deal with both. Heatran is a good choice for a partner, as it also handles Scizor reliably. Rotom-W can also work, thanks to its ability to heavily damage most Steels. Overall, Mamoswine is a heavily anti-metagame Pokémon that deserves more usage.

Set: Expert Belt Hydreigon

Hydreigon @ Expert Belt 

Ability: Levitate 

EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd 

Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk) 

- Draco Meteor 

- Flamethrower 

- Focus Blast 

- Dark Pulse

Hydreigon's a pretty underrated threat in this metagame. It's got a great move pool and plenty of offensive power, but its potential is usually wasted with choiced sets that demand perfect prediction. Using an Expert Belt allows Hydreigon to bluff a Scarf or Specs set and score lots of KOs with its carefully designed move selection.

Hydreigon has some notable advantages over other wall breaking Dragons. It isn't weak to Stealth Rock like Salamence is, and it doesn't have an exploitable Pursuit weakness like Latios.  Hydreigon is unfortunately slower than the other two, but its Speed stat is still high enough to break through standard Jirachi / Rotom-W / Gliscor cores and other Pokémon at the common 244 Speed mark.

The Modest spread listed above maximizes Hydreigon's damage output and makes it fast enough to outspeed Adamant Haxorus and Base 85s. Draco Meteor is of course the set's hardest hitting move, boasting great damage and coverage. Flamethrower 2HKOes Jirachi after slight prior damage and is preferred for reliability against Steel-types, but Fire Blast is an option for extra power. Focus Blast covers Tyranitar and Heatran, and Dark Pulse gives Hydreigon a useful secondary STAB and even more type coverage.

The great thing about this set is its bluffing potential. Opponents who try to switch into a choice-locked resistance can easily be taken out the next turn. For example, a Tyranitar coming in to tank a Draco Meteor or Flamethrower will shortly be eliminated by Focus Blast. Since Hydreigon is used as a wall breaker, try to partner it with fast late-game sweepers to take advantage of its ability to break standard cores.

Team: Eye of the Storm

I was recently approached by kingdaddydmac, who had two requests for me. The first was to help him start up ProjectMoshPit, the new Machinima Pokémon channel. The second was to build him a couple of new teams so he could start battling again. I finished one of the teams pretty fast, and talked it over with him on the first day. It was a Rain team, so it was pretty easy to build and I got to include some anti-metagame sets from here that he'd never seen before.

Dave also wanted a Clear Skies team. I personally love good non-weather teams, but they're harder to build and take more effort. After several days of brainstorming and test battles, I finally came up with something that could hold its own against opposing weather teams.

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Heatran @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Flamethrower
- Earth Power
- Toxic

Heatran's still a great Pokémon, but it's not at the top of the usage stats like it used to be. One thing about Clear Skies is that you don't have Tyranitar for Stealth Rock. I also don't find Ferrothorn that great outside of Rain, so my choices were a bit limited. Heatran is probably the best option for the role: he sets up Stealth Rock, provides really useful Fire coverage and manages to hit hard as well.

I tried a number of movesets before settling on this one. Dave was very clear about the fact that he liked offensive teams, so I made sure not to use any really defensive sets. The moveset is more something you'd find on a specially defensive set, though; obligatory Stealth Rock, Flamethrower for reliablity (I haven't needed the extra power of Fire Blast), Earth Power for other Heatran and Toxic to hit bulky Waters like Jellicent and Gastrodon. The latter also gives me something to actually use on Volcarona.

Slowbro @ Leftovers
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Psychic
- Flamethrower
- Slack Off

One thing I definitely wanted to share was my obsession with Slowbro. Few sets are as underrated and genuinely good as the 3 Attacks one I shared on this site. Slowbro walls Terrakion, Conkeldurr, Landorus, and even Excadrill, thanks to its great bulk and Regenerator. In a lot of matches, Slowbro actually stays at full health because of it switching in and out to take on physical threats.

Scald is a great STAB with a 30% burn rate - perfect for a physical wall. Psychic is what allows this set to take on Conkeldurr so well, and is Slowbro's most powerful move. Flamethrower 2HKOes Ferrothorn, meaning I can often predict on the switch and prevent any hazards; it helps that few people expect Slowbro and even fewer expect it to use Fire moves. Slowbro has pretty much the perfect Speed stat - it's slower than Conkeldurr, meaning Payback's damage is halved, but faster than Ferrothorn. Slack Off is great for extra recovery, even though Regenerator does a lot of healing itself. Slowbro's awesome all around. Go away, Gliscor.

Roserade @ Leftovers

Trait: Natural Cure

EVs: 252 HP / 140 SDef / 116 Spd

Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)

- Leaf Storm

- Sleep Powder

- Toxic Spikes

- Rest

Roserade was added in over Celebi because the original team had a big problem with Toxic Spikes. It still does a good job of countering bulky Waters, but it also provides some useful utility along with its offensive moves.

Leaf Storm is used over Giga Drain for the extra immediate power. The main reason I opted for Toxic Spikes was so I could use Sleep Powder, which has helped to catch some threats on the switch (as well as stuff like Ferrothorn in Rain). Toxic Spikes are also pretty good in this metagame, crippling all the weather starters and some important cores as well. HP Fire would have been nice for Ferrothorn and Scizor, but I needed Rest for the extra reliability against Rain.

Jirachi @ Leftovers

Trait: Serene Grace 

EVs: 252 HP / 220 SDef / 36 Spd 

Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk) 

- Wish 

- Body Slam 

- Iron Head 

- Fire Punch

With the addition of Gliscor over Scizor, I only had one Steel-type left. This meant that I needed to go with a bulkier Jirachi set to take on Latios / Latias, so the only choice I had was to roll with a specially defensive set.

A more defensively-oriented EV spread and Wish give Jirachi good survivability. Body Slam is generally preferred on this set to potentially paralyze incoming Ground switch-ins. Iron Head + paralysis gives opponents only a 30% chance to move and helps for taking down special attackers. I chose Fire Punch instead of Protect because I like a more offensive pace with this set. It also helps for 2HKOing the likes of Scizor and Ferrothorn.

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb

Trait: Poison Heal

EVs: 244 HP / 176 Def / 88 Spd

Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)

- Swords Dance

- Earthquake

- Ice Fang

- Taunt

Gliscor was added on to help Slowbro out with certain physical attackers, namely LO Excadrill. This is a really standard set, but it's probably the best option in terms of balancing between offense and defense.

Not really much to say about the moveset. I chose Ice Fang over Facade to handle Dragonite more easily, and because I'm not too weak to Rotom-W. Taunt is a lot more useful than Protect here, since I'm vulnerable to entry hazards and Slowbro helps to cover the physical threats that Gliscor can't handle. Even though I don't use Swords Dance too often, Gliscor can actually sweep past some weakened teams in a pinch.

Terrakion @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- X-Scissor

And finally we have Terrakion, one of the most underrated OU choices around. I like the Choice Band set a lot, but I needed a Scarf on this one so it could revenge kill some specific threats. Scarf Terrakion doesn't hit as hard, but it's great for cleaning up weakned teams late-game and patching up any lingering weaknesses.

Close Combat is what I use for late-game cleaning; it still does a lot of damage with Terrakion's Base 129 Attack. It also can be used to check threats like Scrafty and other Terrakion. Stone Edge is for Volcarona and Dragonite, which I don't want to get too many boosts in. Earthquake doesn't provide much more coverage, but it's helpful for actually doing something against things like Toxicroak. X-Scissor is an emergency move for weakened Reuniclus, Latias and Latios (although Jirachi and Scizor cover those threats pretty well together), as well as Celebi.

 I had some pretty great results with this team during test battles. I didn't ladder enough to get a significant ranking, but I played against some good battlers to measure its performance (Ojama raged pretty hard after his 0-4. Sorry man). I think this team does best against Sand, but I still feel a bit pressured against weather in general. It's probably just psychological. Either way, I hope Dave finds the team as satisfactory as I did.

Sample Battle

Set: Stallbreaker Mew

Mew @ Leftovers

Trait: Synchronize

EVs: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 Spd

Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)

- Taunt

- Will-O-Wisp

- Softboiled

- Psychic

This set was posted in a recent Smog article, but it still hasn't caught on at all. Despite its UU status, Mew's bulk and extensive move pool allow it to function effectively in OU. With the listed moveset and EVs, Mew can be extremely difficult to take down for people unaccustomed to dealing with it. 

Most people's instinctive switch-ins to Mew will be Tyranitar or Scizor. Mew can burn both of these, crippling them and preventing either from doing much damage. Although both usually run bulkier sets now, even their Choice Band sets fail to 2HKO after being burned. Mew also hard counters Conkeldurr, who can't 2HKO with Payback after a Bulk Up. The speed puts the set one point above the common 244 mark and allows it to outpace standard Breloom to get off a Taunt or Psychic first.

Taunt is Mew's method of pressuring defensive teams, which helps a lot against stall. Softboiled  gives Mew a reliable recovery move, making it really difficult to take down when used with Will-O-Wisp. Psychic completes the set by providing a solid STAB move that allows Mew to dish out major damage to Fighting-types.

This set has issues with Heatran, so be sure to pack in a solid Fire resist. It also can't do too much damage alone, outside of burning and annoying opponents. For best results, pair this set with some entry hazard users. Stallbreaker Mew forces a ton of switches, so it could weaken opponents considerably with Stealth Rock and a layer or two of Spikes up.

Set: Swords Dance Virizion

Virizion @ Lum Berry 

Trait: Justified 

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd 

Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk) 

- Swords Dance 

- Leaf Blade 

- Close Combat 

- Stone Edge

Virizion is a pretty underrated Pokémon that tends to do well against most Rain and Sand teams. Its auspicious typing and excellent special bulk allow it to switch in often on its resistances and threaten opponents. With access to both physical and special movepools, Virizion can be a hard Pokémon to predict initially. The Swords Dance set allows it to get past bulky Waters and special walls, and catches opponents expecting the more common Calm Mind set off-guard.

Lum Berry is used over Leftovers to shrug off a possible burn from bulky Waters and protect from other status ailments. Swords Dance gives Virizion a quick boost to its Attack and allows it to become immediately threatening. Leaf Blade and Close Combat are solid STAB moves that provide good coverage. The former covers Water-types, while the latter hits threats like Tyranitar, Heatran and Ferrothorn. Stone Edge is a nice third attack that takes out Dragonite and Volcarona, who would otherwise wall the set.

Gliscor and Skarmory give this set problems, so having something to deal with both is necessary. Since Virizion functions as an offensive threat, pairing it with lures like Mixed Jirachi can help it sweep more easily. Due to its stat spread, Virizion can run a mixed set itself. HP Ice is an option on the Swords Dance set to take out Gliscor, or you could go with a more specially based set with Calm Mind, Giga Drain and Close Combat to take out Blissey.

Set: SubRoar Heatran

Heatran @ Leftovers 

Trait: Flash Fire 

EVs: 240 HP / 36 SAtk / 12 SDef / 220 Spd

Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk) 

- Substitute

- Lava Plume

- Earth Power 

- Roar 

One of the most interesting Heatran sets available never really saw that much usage. SubRoar is a creative concept that gives Heatran a balance between offense and defense. With Jirachi and Ferrothorn being common choices in the metagame, Heatran finds multiple opportunities to switch in and start setting up or phazing. When backed with entry hazards, Heatran can put a lot of pressure on opponents and do significant damage to an entire team.

The EVs maximize Heatran’s overall bulk while giving it enough speed to outpace standard Jirachi and other Pokémon that center around the 244 Speed mark, such as Gliscor and Rotom-W. Substitute is what makes this set stand out - it gives Heatran free setups on opponents like Ferrothorn and Jirachi. From then on, Heatran can abuse Roar to rack up entry hazard damage and phaze out opponents. Thanks to Heatran’s excellent typing, the Pokémon that gets phazed in may end up being something Heatran can force back out.

Lava Plume is chosen for its nice 30% burn rate, which is especially helpful against physical switch-ins like Tyranitar. Earth Power gives the set some useful coverage against opposing Heatran, who are increasingly turning towards Air Balloon-less specially defensive sets. With Stealth Rock and at least one or two layers of Spikes up, SubRoar Heatran can rack up a lot of damage once it gets its momentum going.

Set: Life Orb Vaporeon

Vaporeon @ Life Orb 

Trait: Hydration 

EVs: 176 Def / 252 SAtk / 80 Spd 

Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk) 

- Hydro Pump 

- Ice Beam 

- Hidden Power [Grass] 

- Rest

Vaporeon isn't seen too often in general, let alone as an offensive threat. This set plays similarly to offensive Shaymin in DPP, but with a lot more power packed in. When backed up with Rain support, Vaporeon becomes a dangerous bulky offensive member who also happens to be immune to status ailments, thanks to Hydration.

A Life Orb boosted Hydro Pump is a giant threat in Rain. It OHKOes opponents like Reuniclus and Conkeldurr, and even hits resisted switch-ins for considerable damage. Ice Beam gives Vaporeon some useful coverage against Grass- and Dragon-types, while HP Grass lures out and hits Gastrodon and Quagsire - the former becoming an increasingly popular counter to Rain teams. Rest works with Hydration to let Vaporeon sponge status ailments. Just heal up when necessary and let Hydration cure everything.

This set pairs really well with two key Rain sweepers - Rotom-W and Thundurus. With Vaporeon taking out Gastrodon and Quagsire, opponents may very well lose their most important counters to the two aforementioned threats.