Introduction:
I've recently started playing gen 3 ou after watching some content discussing the metagame. With this team I was able to climb to a peak around 1400 rating, before I began experimenting with other teams. I hope to showcase some new theories in team crafting, with a highly matchup dependent ninjask baton pass chain team. That's still getting work shopped but today I'm presenting what I've found to be a fairly well rounded team with multiple responses to most common meta game strategies, that can also handle most cheese strategies.
After hearing about Houdini Metagross and Slaking, I decided the two would make a good pair, and decided that would be how I'd start with ADV OU. Hence the name MetaKing. The pair of them are incredibly threatening wallbreakers that if used properly can break games wide open. The power of choice band Metagross is the few safe switch ins and matchups. It can hit trade with just about every lead in the game(Blaziken wins), out right one-shotting most of them, and requires a good read on the opposition to respond to effectively. Magneton can switch in safely against meteor mash and rock slide, but if metagross gets an attack boost or earthquakes or explodes, your opponent is in great danger. Metagross' explosion will ko just about everything in the game, barring double normal resists, ghost types, and defensively specced Skarmory. But it can often times chunk out the opponents wall and force them to switch out. Most importantly, it gives you a free chance to switch Slaking in.
Slaking is the x-factor behind this team. Unless your opponent has a mon with protect or a fast mon with substitute, or chances a hypnosis, something is going to take a hit from a massive 690 attack stat. Nothing can switch in safely against Slaking, so if you get it on the field at the right time, something is either KO'd, or significantly chunked. Targeting an enemy's fliers or ghost types can also greatly simplify move selection.
Both of these mons have the effect of creating immense pressure upon switch in. A misread can quickly put you at a severe disadvantage. By dropping key targets, you can create holes in the enemy team that deprive them of safe switch-ins. I've found they're both very difficult to switch in, metagross more so, hence why meta leads, but if you get the switch in you need, defensive teams will crumble. Getting a number advantage over the opponent is of great value, as it can allow you to trade your other team members to enable Slaking to revenge kill.
Teambuilding Process:
As stated before, I decided to start with the core of metagross and slaking. Slaking likes teammates that explode, so I started by looking at other users of explosion. After trying out cloyster thanks to its extra utility with rapid spin and spikes, and respectable attack stat, I realized the value of having safe switch ins myself. I couldn't make effective use of it on this team, so I went back to the drawing board. I settled on claydol. It has two immunities, good enough attack, explosion, and some utility. I tried a third exploder, but found it impractical.
Next I needed something to deal with skarmory. I settled on Gengar, it has a lot of utility on top of being a threatening special attacker and back up revenge killer. It's here mostly to force skarmory to switch, as a pivot against ground, fighting, and normal attacks and toxic, and to check certain boosters.
Then I realized I needed a wall to switch in after Gengar. They say if you can't beat em join em. So I added Skarmory. It's here to take hits, stall out offensive threats, phase boosters, and throw out occasional spikes or toxic.
With the physical side covered, I went for the obligatory Blissey. Its safe on various status, does enough damage to be threatening, and can man handle bulky water types barring pert.
With a MetaKing core, you need mons that can switch in and out safely, and force your opponent to switch. This helps you maneuver metagross and slaking where you need them, especially since slaking always gives your opponent a free turn, it needs teammates that aren't afraid to switch in. The only place it can get dicey is with mixed attackers, which will require good prediction on your part to handle.
Team:
Bullet (Metagross) @ Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Explosion
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
Threatens just about every lead except for skarmory and blaziken. Against earthquake weak targets its generally safest to quake in case of accuracy and magneton. Against certain targets without sub or protect, exploding turn one is often best. Skarmory is the most common switch in, with this investment, explosion will one-shot most skarmory. Switching gengar in can be very risky, and is rarely done, since meteor mash kos. My advice is to accept this thing won't make it to the end of the match, and its here just to trade for one opponent, if it gets two, great. Rock slide is there for coverage, decent against Zapdos, but risky due to the prevalence of magneton with zapdos.
DankeyKang (Slaking) @ Choice Band
Ability: Truant
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Return
- Earthquake
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Punch
Throw this is after Metagross expires or your first teammate expires. Sometimes I throw it out last. Very good chances it drops or chunks something turn one. Don't over-think the move you'll use too much. Return is the best option on anything without a resistance or immunity, and will chunk most resistances, even ko'ing some. Focus punch is only really needed for Skarmory(doing around 70%), the rest of Slaking's coverage is sufficient, and return ends up having more base power with STAB. It doesn't hit flying types well either, which is where return comes in. Even without defensive investment, I've found very little that can outspeed and threaten slaking. The most troublesome switch in is Gengar, due to the immunity to three of your moves. Shadowball is here to consistently drop Gengar. Often times its best to just use return, but once you see your opponents team, its best to just use the move that hits the most mons neutrally. EQ is here for ttar and metagross, generally best to avoid taking a hit and just drop them with EQ, if they switch, fine, forcing them out is often enough. Nothing else can provide the immediate pressure slaking can. Make sure if trading mons to take out protect and substitute users.
Purplenurple (Gengar) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Punch
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Will-O-Wisp
Fast bolt beam coverage, relatively easy switch in against skarm and physical threats. Burn helps neutralize common switch in's, as well as limit steel type longevity. HP grass covers common switch ins of both swampert and ttar, and can allow Gengar to take them. When switching in to skarm, I advise to hp grass, this covers common switch ins, skarm can't threaten you, and its likely to protect, revealing your move. Then will-o-wisp, if skarm stays its crippled, if pert or ttar switch in they're crippled. Blissey often ends up often being the switch in, which we can take advantage of with slaking. Against spore users, I tend to let Gengar sleep, because its still useful with its three immunities, and we have another bolt beamer.
IronCondor (Skarmory) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spikes
- Roar
- Protect
- Toxic
Generally bulky, can survive coverage from most mixed attackers. Very safe switch in against physical threats, one layer of spikes is sufficient, anymore is just because there isn't anything else for skarm to do. Roar is needed to prevent boosters, if you switch on their first boost skarm can usually heal back any damage. Toxic with protect can be used to stall out various bulky boosters, apply a time limit to various mons, and limit your opponents switch in options. Along with Blissey, skarm will spend the most time on the field. If you can eliminate their special attackers and toxic immune mons, it can be like checkmate. You never want this as your last mon though, so there will come times where its best to sack it in favor of other teammates.
Blissey#1 (Blissey) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Wish
- Ice Beam
- Calm Mind
I do mean the nickname. With bolt beam coverage and insane special bulk, Blissey can get effective chip damage against common switch in's like ttar. Blissey is the most reliable answer against skarm as well and can drop skarm in two thunderbolts. On free turns Blissey can use wish to either heal itself, or enable a teammate to switch in more safely, and maybe even heal. Blissey alternatively can calm mind on a free turn, and give your opponent some urgency. Blissey matches well into other calm mind users as well, even if its behind by one boost, a healthy blissey will out boost suicune and celebi, often winning you the game on the spot. Main elements of concern are dugtrio, and uncommon focus punchers. Dugtrio gets one shot by ice beam and can't quite one shot you, so if you predict it, not a problem. Generally they'll explode on Blissey or use something as bait and get Blissey to ko it, then sending in dugtrio to secure the revenge kill. You have to see these coming and switch Gengar in instead.
Claydol#2 (Claydol) @ Choice Band
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Rapid Spin
- Shadow Ball
The sixth member with a slightly ironic name. Claydol tends to have the least impact most games, and rapid spin isn't too important in most games, more a nice bonus. It works as a back up if the safer switch in is unavailable or softened up. Claydol is here to take out one opponent, maybe rapid spin, and then enable Slaking to get a revenge kill. It can be decent as a switch in in certain matchups, but thats about it. The shadow ball is there as a surprise to drop spin blockers. Claydol can solo gengar from above 60%. Sometimes it can sweep with Earthquake, and often the surprise factor of a late game explosion can cause teams to collapse. Very useful to have in your back pocket. People generally don't expect claydol to hit them with nearly 400 attack as well. Late game having the explosion can seal wins and sometimes save games. This I'd suppose is the wild card.
Conclusion:
This team seeks to apply pressure on opponents through the use of immediate physical threats, toxic, will-o-wisp, spikes, boosting, exploding, and walling. It can easily manage most boosters, can quickly break down walls, is tough to wear down and offers plenty of safe switch ins. The idea is to control the game flow, and be able to speed up the games tempo, and slow it down just as quick. I think its a reliable and well-rounded team, that consistently has the answer that you need to various threats. If the opponent misplays, or lacks good answers, they can be down to four pokemon in the first two turns. The redundancies prevent you from feeling too bad about taking trades.
Thank you, I'd like to be back shortly to present my ninjask baton chain team. I'm calling it Dogpass, the idea is to leverage immunities and substitutes to maintain a 2x speed boost that is passed around the team. The core is vaporeon and jolteon, who can threaten most phasers out. I'm still refining the concept, and it is highly matchup dependent, but many of the common answers to baton passers stop working when you have a speed advantage. The idea is to end the chain with the speed boosts and a substitute up, and to pass to a swords dance user to sweep or take out a couple targets, I like blaziken for this purpose.
-thuunderstruck
I've recently started playing gen 3 ou after watching some content discussing the metagame. With this team I was able to climb to a peak around 1400 rating, before I began experimenting with other teams. I hope to showcase some new theories in team crafting, with a highly matchup dependent ninjask baton pass chain team. That's still getting work shopped but today I'm presenting what I've found to be a fairly well rounded team with multiple responses to most common meta game strategies, that can also handle most cheese strategies.
After hearing about Houdini Metagross and Slaking, I decided the two would make a good pair, and decided that would be how I'd start with ADV OU. Hence the name MetaKing. The pair of them are incredibly threatening wallbreakers that if used properly can break games wide open. The power of choice band Metagross is the few safe switch ins and matchups. It can hit trade with just about every lead in the game(Blaziken wins), out right one-shotting most of them, and requires a good read on the opposition to respond to effectively. Magneton can switch in safely against meteor mash and rock slide, but if metagross gets an attack boost or earthquakes or explodes, your opponent is in great danger. Metagross' explosion will ko just about everything in the game, barring double normal resists, ghost types, and defensively specced Skarmory. But it can often times chunk out the opponents wall and force them to switch out. Most importantly, it gives you a free chance to switch Slaking in.
Slaking is the x-factor behind this team. Unless your opponent has a mon with protect or a fast mon with substitute, or chances a hypnosis, something is going to take a hit from a massive 690 attack stat. Nothing can switch in safely against Slaking, so if you get it on the field at the right time, something is either KO'd, or significantly chunked. Targeting an enemy's fliers or ghost types can also greatly simplify move selection.
Both of these mons have the effect of creating immense pressure upon switch in. A misread can quickly put you at a severe disadvantage. By dropping key targets, you can create holes in the enemy team that deprive them of safe switch-ins. I've found they're both very difficult to switch in, metagross more so, hence why meta leads, but if you get the switch in you need, defensive teams will crumble. Getting a number advantage over the opponent is of great value, as it can allow you to trade your other team members to enable Slaking to revenge kill.
Teambuilding Process:
As stated before, I decided to start with the core of metagross and slaking. Slaking likes teammates that explode, so I started by looking at other users of explosion. After trying out cloyster thanks to its extra utility with rapid spin and spikes, and respectable attack stat, I realized the value of having safe switch ins myself. I couldn't make effective use of it on this team, so I went back to the drawing board. I settled on claydol. It has two immunities, good enough attack, explosion, and some utility. I tried a third exploder, but found it impractical.
Next I needed something to deal with skarmory. I settled on Gengar, it has a lot of utility on top of being a threatening special attacker and back up revenge killer. It's here mostly to force skarmory to switch, as a pivot against ground, fighting, and normal attacks and toxic, and to check certain boosters.
Then I realized I needed a wall to switch in after Gengar. They say if you can't beat em join em. So I added Skarmory. It's here to take hits, stall out offensive threats, phase boosters, and throw out occasional spikes or toxic.
With the physical side covered, I went for the obligatory Blissey. Its safe on various status, does enough damage to be threatening, and can man handle bulky water types barring pert.
With a MetaKing core, you need mons that can switch in and out safely, and force your opponent to switch. This helps you maneuver metagross and slaking where you need them, especially since slaking always gives your opponent a free turn, it needs teammates that aren't afraid to switch in. The only place it can get dicey is with mixed attackers, which will require good prediction on your part to handle.
Team:
Bullet (Metagross) @ Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Explosion
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
Threatens just about every lead except for skarmory and blaziken. Against earthquake weak targets its generally safest to quake in case of accuracy and magneton. Against certain targets without sub or protect, exploding turn one is often best. Skarmory is the most common switch in, with this investment, explosion will one-shot most skarmory. Switching gengar in can be very risky, and is rarely done, since meteor mash kos. My advice is to accept this thing won't make it to the end of the match, and its here just to trade for one opponent, if it gets two, great. Rock slide is there for coverage, decent against Zapdos, but risky due to the prevalence of magneton with zapdos.
DankeyKang (Slaking) @ Choice Band
Ability: Truant
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Return
- Earthquake
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Punch
Throw this is after Metagross expires or your first teammate expires. Sometimes I throw it out last. Very good chances it drops or chunks something turn one. Don't over-think the move you'll use too much. Return is the best option on anything without a resistance or immunity, and will chunk most resistances, even ko'ing some. Focus punch is only really needed for Skarmory(doing around 70%), the rest of Slaking's coverage is sufficient, and return ends up having more base power with STAB. It doesn't hit flying types well either, which is where return comes in. Even without defensive investment, I've found very little that can outspeed and threaten slaking. The most troublesome switch in is Gengar, due to the immunity to three of your moves. Shadowball is here to consistently drop Gengar. Often times its best to just use return, but once you see your opponents team, its best to just use the move that hits the most mons neutrally. EQ is here for ttar and metagross, generally best to avoid taking a hit and just drop them with EQ, if they switch, fine, forcing them out is often enough. Nothing else can provide the immediate pressure slaking can. Make sure if trading mons to take out protect and substitute users.
Purplenurple (Gengar) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Punch
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Will-O-Wisp
Fast bolt beam coverage, relatively easy switch in against skarm and physical threats. Burn helps neutralize common switch in's, as well as limit steel type longevity. HP grass covers common switch ins of both swampert and ttar, and can allow Gengar to take them. When switching in to skarm, I advise to hp grass, this covers common switch ins, skarm can't threaten you, and its likely to protect, revealing your move. Then will-o-wisp, if skarm stays its crippled, if pert or ttar switch in they're crippled. Blissey often ends up often being the switch in, which we can take advantage of with slaking. Against spore users, I tend to let Gengar sleep, because its still useful with its three immunities, and we have another bolt beamer.
IronCondor (Skarmory) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spikes
- Roar
- Protect
- Toxic
Generally bulky, can survive coverage from most mixed attackers. Very safe switch in against physical threats, one layer of spikes is sufficient, anymore is just because there isn't anything else for skarm to do. Roar is needed to prevent boosters, if you switch on their first boost skarm can usually heal back any damage. Toxic with protect can be used to stall out various bulky boosters, apply a time limit to various mons, and limit your opponents switch in options. Along with Blissey, skarm will spend the most time on the field. If you can eliminate their special attackers and toxic immune mons, it can be like checkmate. You never want this as your last mon though, so there will come times where its best to sack it in favor of other teammates.
Blissey#1 (Blissey) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Wish
- Ice Beam
- Calm Mind
I do mean the nickname. With bolt beam coverage and insane special bulk, Blissey can get effective chip damage against common switch in's like ttar. Blissey is the most reliable answer against skarm as well and can drop skarm in two thunderbolts. On free turns Blissey can use wish to either heal itself, or enable a teammate to switch in more safely, and maybe even heal. Blissey alternatively can calm mind on a free turn, and give your opponent some urgency. Blissey matches well into other calm mind users as well, even if its behind by one boost, a healthy blissey will out boost suicune and celebi, often winning you the game on the spot. Main elements of concern are dugtrio, and uncommon focus punchers. Dugtrio gets one shot by ice beam and can't quite one shot you, so if you predict it, not a problem. Generally they'll explode on Blissey or use something as bait and get Blissey to ko it, then sending in dugtrio to secure the revenge kill. You have to see these coming and switch Gengar in instead.
Claydol#2 (Claydol) @ Choice Band
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Rapid Spin
- Shadow Ball
The sixth member with a slightly ironic name. Claydol tends to have the least impact most games, and rapid spin isn't too important in most games, more a nice bonus. It works as a back up if the safer switch in is unavailable or softened up. Claydol is here to take out one opponent, maybe rapid spin, and then enable Slaking to get a revenge kill. It can be decent as a switch in in certain matchups, but thats about it. The shadow ball is there as a surprise to drop spin blockers. Claydol can solo gengar from above 60%. Sometimes it can sweep with Earthquake, and often the surprise factor of a late game explosion can cause teams to collapse. Very useful to have in your back pocket. People generally don't expect claydol to hit them with nearly 400 attack as well. Late game having the explosion can seal wins and sometimes save games. This I'd suppose is the wild card.
Conclusion:
This team seeks to apply pressure on opponents through the use of immediate physical threats, toxic, will-o-wisp, spikes, boosting, exploding, and walling. It can easily manage most boosters, can quickly break down walls, is tough to wear down and offers plenty of safe switch ins. The idea is to control the game flow, and be able to speed up the games tempo, and slow it down just as quick. I think its a reliable and well-rounded team, that consistently has the answer that you need to various threats. If the opponent misplays, or lacks good answers, they can be down to four pokemon in the first two turns. The redundancies prevent you from feeling too bad about taking trades.
Thank you, I'd like to be back shortly to present my ninjask baton chain team. I'm calling it Dogpass, the idea is to leverage immunities and substitutes to maintain a 2x speed boost that is passed around the team. The core is vaporeon and jolteon, who can threaten most phasers out. I'm still refining the concept, and it is highly matchup dependent, but many of the common answers to baton passers stop working when you have a speed advantage. The idea is to end the chain with the speed boosts and a substitute up, and to pass to a swords dance user to sweep or take out a couple targets, I like blaziken for this purpose.
-thuunderstruck