I have been playing ADV OU for multiple years at this point, and I have made a few teams in the past. However, the following team gave me sufficient success such that I deemed it worthwhile to make an RMT.
I initially got the idea for this team by deciding to build around the core of CB tar + Aero. From there, I used the remaining members of the big 5 (skarmory, blissey, swampert and gengar) to form a strong defensive backbone.
For those who just want the paste, here it is: https://pokepast.es/52b8d765cbf24be0
The Team
Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Focus Punch
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
CB tar is a powerful breaker that can effectively wear down the opponents rock resists and bulky waters with some prediction. Getting ttar in on a blissey or snorlax can give you an opportunity to fire off powerful focus punches and rock slides. Earthquake can be used to hit steel/psychics hard and can be used on a predicted baton pass to trick the opponent into thinking you are clicking rock slide. HP bug is good for killing celebi and doing heavy damage to claydol and starmie. Additionally, the Choice Band is not revealed on turn 1, providing an element of surprise against the opponent.
What to do for on turn 1 for various lead match-ups:
vs zapdos - Focus punch (But occasionally go for rock slide instead as a mixup)
vs tyranitar - Switch out to skarmory to either scout its moveset or get ahead of a switch to a ttar answer (safest play), earthquake (somewhat risky) or focus punch (gamer move)
vs salamence - Switch out to skarmory to scout its moveset (safest play) or rock slide (if you want to gamble on it not being cbmence)
vs suicune/milotic - Switch out to blissey (then seismic toss it down until it gives you a free turn)
vs skarmory - Rock Slide
vs metagross - switch out to skarmory (safer) or gengar (if you want to call out a houdini boom)
vs snorlax - Rock Slide
Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Spikes
- Roar
- Protect
- Toxic
Skarmory is important for pressuring the opponent using spikes which supports the offence generated by ttar and aero. Skarm helps wear down defensive Pokémon (especially swampert and metagross) such that they are more easily picked off later on. Toxic + Protect is a good combination for wearing down certain skarm switch-ins such as zapdos and claydol. Roar is an almost mandatory move for stopping opposing setup and forcing spikes damage on the opponent.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Ice Beam
- Seismic Toss
- Wish
Blissey is a great pivot for status moves (especially those aimed at ttar and aero) and special attacks. It additionally can act as an emergency ddmence check. Wish allows for it to heal up other Pokémon on the team (especially ttar) to increase longevity (especially against defensive teams). For instance, wish can support gengar if it has been weakened by fire punches from an opposing asta-rachi. There are not many other Pokémon that can do what blissey does. I have considered celebi in this slot as well, but blissey provides a much more reliable defensive backbone.
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Protect
- Hydro Pump
Swampert is the team’s rock resist. Pert is a great answer to many physical threats such as ttar, meta, aero, mence etc… (especially agility meta and ddmence, which both greatly threaten aerodactyl) This set is very standard with the classic quake-beam coverage, protect to provide longevity, and pump for a strong attack to throw out when you have a free turn.
Gengar @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 44 Def / 8 SpA / 112 SpD / 96 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Taunt
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Punch
Gengar greatly complements spikes, both benefiting from them doing additional damage when it forces switches, and preventing opposing spinners from removing them. Will-O-Wisp + Taunt can be used to greatly weaken blissey and asta-rachi, and Will-O-Wisp on its own provides immense value against nearly every Pokémon (but especially physical attackers such as metagross and salamence) and can flip blissey’s matchup against offpert that run focus punch. The matchup against asta-rachi is especially important as protect allows it to see the move CB tar is locked into. Gengar can also be an emergency check to a salamence or a weakened suicune or heracross.
Aerodactyl @ Choice Band
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Double-Edge
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Flying]
Aerodactyl is the other powerful choice banded rock type on this team. It is great at cleaning up in the end game after the opposing team has been weakened by spikes and status, and also uses its immense speed to force out powerful threats such as zapdos, moltres, starmie, gengar (it may have to be chipped) and jolteon (if you’re lucky). It can also switch into charizard a couple of times (even if it subs), which can help deal with what would otherwise be quite a dangerous threat. Rock slide, dedge and earthquake are all standard moves. HP flying was chosen to help the team’s matchup against fighting types such as heracross and hariyama, but I have considered other options and I am open to changing it to hp bug. I chose a Jolly nature because the extra speed is very useful and often comes up during games.
Thank you for reading my first RMT. I would really appreciate your feedback to help improve the team if possible.
Edit: I have slightly reworded some sections (with additional information) and I have the screenshot of my peak on the ladder below
I initially got the idea for this team by deciding to build around the core of CB tar + Aero. From there, I used the remaining members of the big 5 (skarmory, blissey, swampert and gengar) to form a strong defensive backbone.
For those who just want the paste, here it is: https://pokepast.es/52b8d765cbf24be0
The Team
Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Slide
- Focus Punch
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
CB tar is a powerful breaker that can effectively wear down the opponents rock resists and bulky waters with some prediction. Getting ttar in on a blissey or snorlax can give you an opportunity to fire off powerful focus punches and rock slides. Earthquake can be used to hit steel/psychics hard and can be used on a predicted baton pass to trick the opponent into thinking you are clicking rock slide. HP bug is good for killing celebi and doing heavy damage to claydol and starmie. Additionally, the Choice Band is not revealed on turn 1, providing an element of surprise against the opponent.
What to do for on turn 1 for various lead match-ups:
vs zapdos - Focus punch (But occasionally go for rock slide instead as a mixup)
vs tyranitar - Switch out to skarmory to either scout its moveset or get ahead of a switch to a ttar answer (safest play), earthquake (somewhat risky) or focus punch (gamer move)
vs salamence - Switch out to skarmory to scout its moveset (safest play) or rock slide (if you want to gamble on it not being cbmence)
vs suicune/milotic - Switch out to blissey (then seismic toss it down until it gives you a free turn)
vs skarmory - Rock Slide
vs metagross - switch out to skarmory (safer) or gengar (if you want to call out a houdini boom)
vs snorlax - Rock Slide
Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Spikes
- Roar
- Protect
- Toxic
Skarmory is important for pressuring the opponent using spikes which supports the offence generated by ttar and aero. Skarm helps wear down defensive Pokémon (especially swampert and metagross) such that they are more easily picked off later on. Toxic + Protect is a good combination for wearing down certain skarm switch-ins such as zapdos and claydol. Roar is an almost mandatory move for stopping opposing setup and forcing spikes damage on the opponent.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Ice Beam
- Seismic Toss
- Wish
Blissey is a great pivot for status moves (especially those aimed at ttar and aero) and special attacks. It additionally can act as an emergency ddmence check. Wish allows for it to heal up other Pokémon on the team (especially ttar) to increase longevity (especially against defensive teams). For instance, wish can support gengar if it has been weakened by fire punches from an opposing asta-rachi. There are not many other Pokémon that can do what blissey does. I have considered celebi in this slot as well, but blissey provides a much more reliable defensive backbone.
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Protect
- Hydro Pump
Swampert is the team’s rock resist. Pert is a great answer to many physical threats such as ttar, meta, aero, mence etc… (especially agility meta and ddmence, which both greatly threaten aerodactyl) This set is very standard with the classic quake-beam coverage, protect to provide longevity, and pump for a strong attack to throw out when you have a free turn.
Gengar @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 44 Def / 8 SpA / 112 SpD / 96 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Taunt
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Punch
Gengar greatly complements spikes, both benefiting from them doing additional damage when it forces switches, and preventing opposing spinners from removing them. Will-O-Wisp + Taunt can be used to greatly weaken blissey and asta-rachi, and Will-O-Wisp on its own provides immense value against nearly every Pokémon (but especially physical attackers such as metagross and salamence) and can flip blissey’s matchup against offpert that run focus punch. The matchup against asta-rachi is especially important as protect allows it to see the move CB tar is locked into. Gengar can also be an emergency check to a salamence or a weakened suicune or heracross.
Aerodactyl @ Choice Band
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Double-Edge
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Flying]
Aerodactyl is the other powerful choice banded rock type on this team. It is great at cleaning up in the end game after the opposing team has been weakened by spikes and status, and also uses its immense speed to force out powerful threats such as zapdos, moltres, starmie, gengar (it may have to be chipped) and jolteon (if you’re lucky). It can also switch into charizard a couple of times (even if it subs), which can help deal with what would otherwise be quite a dangerous threat. Rock slide, dedge and earthquake are all standard moves. HP flying was chosen to help the team’s matchup against fighting types such as heracross and hariyama, but I have considered other options and I am open to changing it to hp bug. I chose a Jolly nature because the extra speed is very useful and often comes up during games.
Thank you for reading my first RMT. I would really appreciate your feedback to help improve the team if possible.
Edit: I have slightly reworded some sections (with additional information) and I have the screenshot of my peak on the ladder below
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