Ampharos... In OU?

MeepBard

MeepBard

Hello! This is my first RMT, and one of my favorite Pokemon is Ampharos.
ampharos_hgss.pmg.png

Now, Ampharos may be an NU pokemon, but i used him in OU, and he works quite well under rain.
So, lets get to it!
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Froggy (Politoed) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]

My rain setter for this team. He is offensive Choice Specs Poli. I find him quite obvious to use in a rain team.

ampharos_hgss.pmg.png

AMPHABULOUS (Ampharos) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Static
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast
- Heal Bell

Oh Ampharos, how i love you so. Thunder for Strong STAB attack (100% accuracy in rain.) HP Ice for coverage on a few types that may kill Amphy, Focus Blast for moar coverage, and Heal Bell to heal any people on my team that may have status (example, Toxic/Toxic Spikes).
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JELLYMON (Jellicent) @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 8 SDef / 248 HP / 252 Def
Bold Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SAtk
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Scald
- Recover
This is my wall/staller. Taunt to stop sweepers and Skarm, Will-O-Wisp for burn,, Scald for STAB + Burn, Recover to heal from wallbreakers.

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Jolt (Jolteon) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Volt Switch
- Signal Beam
- Hidden Power [Ice]

When Amphy dies, guess who comes in! Thunder for dat STAB/accuracy, Volt Switch for swapping Pokemon, yet still doing damage. Signal Beam for coverage, and HP Ice to get rid of those that can defeat it.
Forretress_HGSS.png

Forretress @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Volt Switch
Forretress. Defense. Set-Up. Rapid Spin. Just in case you did not understand what i said,
Forretress can now survive a Fire-type attack, due to Rain. Thank goodness it has Rapid Spin to block Stealth Rock and Spikes.


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Sea Serpent (Gyarados) @ Leftovers
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
OH YES. This is my main Offensive Sweeper, DD for boosts, Waterfall for STAB + Rain boost, E-Quake for Electric-types (never expects it XD) and Stone Edge for Flying types like Salamence and Dragonite.

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Thanks for rating my team! Please leave a Luvdisc if you liked!
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Last edited:
I ain't a pro rater, but lets give it a go.
First, looking at your team now, you have a pretty good core going. Gyarados and Jolteon go together well, and so do politoed, ampharos and volcarona. However, you only have one pokemon who is really defensive. This could really hurt your team, as you only have one pokemon that can switch into attacks directed at the other pokemon on your team. A pokemon that has perfect synergy with Ferrothorn is Jellicent, and he would be a great companion on this team. Jellicent also spinblocks those spikes and rocks you setup. The setup you would want to use is totally up to you. You could run the standard setup with taunt, will-o-wisp, scald, and recover, with a bold nature, 248 HP, 252 def, and 8 SpD. Or you can run a specs setup. But in my opinion, I think the standard setup you should use. You already got 2 specs pokemon. As for who Jellicent will replace, I think you should see what happens when you take Volcarona out. Volcarona didn't really provide a lot of coverage anyways, so I doubt it will hurt you that much not to have her in your team.
As for other things, I highly suggest putting substitute somewhere on Gyarados. As someone who using him a lot myself, I think that's the best setup you can run on him. There's really no point giving him leftovers without it anyways.
Otherwise, your team looks good to me. I can't find any particular threats, but I'm sure someone else will.
Good Luck!
 
You say that Volcarona is the only Fire-type that works in rain. However, Moltres is an excellent choice for a rain Fire-type. Why? Because it can OHKO Ferrothorn with its Fire Blast. In rain. Ferro could be a problem for your team if Ampharos/Politoed are incapacitated or miss with Focus Blast. Moltres also forms a VoltTurn core with Jolteon. I wouldn't recommend the Specs set as Bossgodora already pointed out that you have two other Specs users. Therefore, an Expert Belt or Life Orb w/ Roost would be beneficial.
 
Thanks! But now i am unsure- Jelli or Moltres?

EDIT: Got a set for Moltres, would this be good?

Spr_3e_146.gif

Moltres @ Life Orb
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 32 Def / 252 SAtk / 224 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Fire Blast
- Hurricane
- Hidden Power [Water]
 
@Its Ditto

Moltres's Fire Blast cannot be taken advantage of under rain. Instead, carry Roost, Substitute, and either Toxic or HP Ice, allowing you to wreck walls and common dragon types.

Politoed should not have Hydro Pump and Surf, as a specs user, go big or go home, so run Hydro Pump. Over Surf, I suggest HP Grass, to deal with opposing politoeds in the forms of 1-2HKOs.

Forretress over Ferrothorn. I do not like the idea of having Volcorona/Moltres, yet no Rapid Spin support. For that reason, I suggest Forretress over Ferrothorn, as the rest of your team already has great special bulk, so the difference that this creates is better support, as well as better physical bulk.

Gyarados's set is fine, but personally I would run Substitute or Bounce for the sake of creating a barrier over either Stone Edge or Earthquake.

Sets:
Moltres @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Spd / 32 Def
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Roost
- Substitute
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Toxic

Politoed @ Choice Specs
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]

Forretress @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 Atk
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes / Volt Switch
- Rapid Spin
- Gyro Ball

Gyarados @ Leftovers
Trait: Moxie / Intimidate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Bounce / Substitute
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake / Stone Edge / Ice Fang
 
yea I agree with adding fortress. Or at least espeon or xatu. Without them, your kinda begging the opponent to set rocks on you. Only problem then is that your open to scarf lati draco spam. Fortress wouldnt really handle it if it uses surf instead of draco which would still do alot to your team with the rain. Kind of a pickle you have there. To help with this, you can give weavile a try. since gyrados can cover for it. Weavile can either ice shard it or you can pursuit it if its fleeing. Suprisingly, weaviles the only poke with that combo. Hope that helps.
 
ito said:
yea I agree with adding fortress. Or at least espeon or xatu. Without them, your kinda begging the opponent to set rocks on you. Only problem then is that your open to scarf lati draco spam. Fortress wouldnt really handle it if it uses surf instead of draco which would still do alot to your team with the rain. Kind of a pickle you have there. To help with this, you can give weavile a try. since gyrados can cover for it. Weavile can either ice shard it or you can pursuit it if its fleeing. Suprisingly, weaviles the only poke with that combo. Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
I definitely agree with ito on the addition of Weavile. I would suggest it replacing Jolteon on the team, due to Jolteon being a tad redundant along with Ampharos. Great point ito.
 
Brawlfest said:
@Its Ditto

Moltres's Fire Blast cannot be taken advantage of under rain. Instead, carry Roost, Substitute, and either Toxic or HP Ice, allowing you to wreck walls and common dragon types.

Politoed should not have Hydro Pump and Surf, as a specs user, go big or go home, so run Hydro Pump. Over Surf, I suggest HP Grass, to deal with opposing politoeds in the forms of 1-2HKOs.

Forretress over Ferrothorn. I do not like the idea of having Volcorona/Moltres, yet no Rapid Spin support. For that reason, I suggest Forretress over Ferrothorn, as the rest of your team already has great special bulk, so the difference that this creates is better support, as well as better physical bulk.

Gyarados's set is fine, but personally I would run Substitute or Bounce for the sake of creating a barrier over either Stone Edge or Earthquake.

Sets:
Moltres @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Spd / 32 Def
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Roost
- Substitute
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Toxic

Politoed @ Choice Specs
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]

Forretress @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 Atk
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes / Volt Switch
- Rapid Spin
- Gyro Ball

Gyarados @ Leftovers
Trait: Moxie / Intimidate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Bounce / Substitute
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake / Stone Edge / Ice Fang
Click to expand...

Personally, i find it a VERY good idea. However, Bounce will not do, due to the fact a Clefable, for example. Clefable can learn Thunder, so when Gyarados uses Bounce... KA-BOOM!
Other then that, i like your ideas! But the question still lies... Jelli or Moltres?
 
Clefable isn't a common sight in OU. The real Thunder user you will see is Dragonite. I prefer Jelli as you can lure Water attacks out and use Water absorb with Volca.
 
Don't drop Fire Blast on your Fire-type - you need it to hit Steel-types, who still get fried even in Rain.

That said, you don't have any sort of Rapid Spin user on this team, which will make it very difficult to bring in said Fire-type since both Volcarona and Moltres are very weak to Stealth Rock. If you want to fix this, I suggest replacing Jolteon with a Life Orb Starmie. Starmie retains quite a bit of Jolteon's power while being able to fire off Hydro Pumps, check Keldeo, and get rid of hazards. You might then want to change Politoed's item to a Choice Scarf, since your team is beginning to lack a bit of Speed. Scarf Politoed can still outspeed +1 Adamant Gyarados, so you should be mostly okay. You should also give Ampharos a few Speed EVs - no matter how awesome Ampharos is (hint: it's fucking awesome), it's slow as balls. I'm not going to dictate this, as Speed benchmarks are highly dependent on your style of play. I'd suggest looking at this article to find out what you might want to outspeed and giving it some EVs to outspeed that Pokémon.

Sets:

Froggy (Politoed) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Perish Song / Hidden Power [Electric] / Hidden Power [Grass]

Starmie @ Life Orb
Trait: Analytic
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Timid Nature Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Thunder
- Psyshock / Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin

Best of luck with the team!
 
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