ORAS OU Bitch I'm Still in the Cut MEGA SCEPTILE (Peaked 1693)

[Bimu]

Introduction

Hello and thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy reading this RMT and/or using this team at some point. I tried to build a team around Sceptile and focused on trying to make it sweep late game. This team is very weird as you will see below and to be honest I am a bit surprised I managed to make it this far with this team. That being said though I hope this team would be an easy one to rate and fix up!

Proof of Peak

Team Building Process

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Initially, I wanted to build around Mega Sceptile, just because I well wanted to. Better reasons include: out speeding everything outside of the unboosted tier, being able to 2OHKO very common bulky Pokemon such as Clefable and Landorous-T, and great overall coverage.

I decided to add Gyarados to check grass-types such as Tangrowth and Venusaur. I know this sounds bit unconventional but Gyarados is surprisingly good at exerting pressure thanks to its typing. Furthermore, Sceptile and Gyarados have decent defensive synergy, due to Sceptile being able to absorb electric attacks aimed at Gyarados.

Next, I needed something to deal with something that stopped both Sceptile and Gyarados such as Scizor, Skarmory, and Ferrothorn. Scarf Magnezone also serves a nice Fairy check being able to outspeed the likes of Mega Diance and Mega Gardevoir and OHKO with Flash Cannon.​

Scarfed Landorous-T was a major issue to this core so I chose to add Rotom-W to try to circumvent the threat. Rotom-W does an ok job at keeping most forms of Landorous at bay while acting as a decent pivot.

My team seemed to pretty weak to Lati@s and lacked any special walls. I decided to go with Jirachi because it covers Lati@s as well as acting a great special wall. Jirachi also has an added bonus of being rock-setter as well.

I needed a Bisharp counter and a spinner...not the best choice but that's why I am here.

In Depth

Sceptile @ Sceptilite
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Fire]​

Sceptile is a great Pokemon overall. With decent coverage and good offensive stats, Sceptile is a great late game sweeper. Not only that but, it can also serve as a wallbreaker in some cases being able to 2OHKO huge defensive threats (see calcs below). Sceptile's incredible speed allows it to take on other fast Pokemon such as Mega Lopunny, Mega Manectric, and Lati@s. However, Mega Sceptile is very frail and takes a ton of damage even from non-super effective moves. This also means that finding an opportunity for Sceptile to come in and Mega evolve is difficult, which is awful considering that regular Sceptile is pretty useless with its mediocre speed and stats. I also decided to run HP Fire on it even though I have Magnezone to help it take out already weakned Grass-types and as a back up incase I lose Magnezone.
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Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Bounce​

DD-Gyarados is a huge threat and acts as my backup/mid game sweeper. With incredible coverage and overall amazing stats I surprised this thing isn't used more often. Gyarados is not the most obvious Grass-type check which is the beauty of it. Grass-types confidentially switch in only to discover that Bounce is not something they will appreciate. The only issue with that however, is that Bounce is a two turn move which allows my opponents to switch out and play around it. However, after a Substitute and a Dragon Dance there is little to no hope for opponents to recover most of the time especially if the team has been weakened. I chose to use Intimidate over Moxie because it allows Gyarados to set up safely on more Pokemon.

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Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon​

Magnezone is a great Pokemon and supports both Sceptile and Gyarados very well. I understand that a lot of people like to run Magneton instead but I like Magnezone a bit more because of the extra bulk and HP. However, I do find myself wishing that I had a Magneton instead like when I am facing against Tornadus-T. Magnezone added special attack also makes it a decent late game sweeper at sometimes. But I usually reserve it to take out steel types that bother Sceptile and Gyarados like Scizor, Skarmory, and Ferrothorn. Magnezone's bulk allows me to use it as a pivot if needed and also allows it to take out Ferrothorn in the rain by tanking its attacks and not dying to Leech Seed.

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
​

Rotom-W is a very good Ground resist being able to stop multiple Pokemon namely, Landorous-T. Rotom-W also throws burns around which weakens walls and physical attackers which overall helps Sceptile. Volt Switch is also amazing in gaining and maintain momentum. Unfortunately, Rotom-W is pretty frail considering how much I rely on it.

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Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 240 HP / 236 SpD / 32 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Iron Head
- U-turn
- Healing Wish
​

Jirachi is a great special defensive wall and also stops Lati@s from destroying this team. Jirachi also sets up rocks and U-turns to maintain momentum. Healing Wish is also great because it allows me to use Sceptile or Gyarados mid game to break or weaken walls and then Healing Wish them back to late game sweep.​

Hitmontop @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Brick Break
- Foresight
- Toxic
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Initially, I ran this to counter Bisharp and then I realized that Bisharp still 2KO with Iron Head because the boost it gets from my Intimidate. It will occasionally counter Bisharp though assuming they don't flinch with Iron Head. This Pokemon is truly bad but for some reason, I decided not to switch it out...not sure why to be honest. It's good at tanking hits from Pokemon that don't run high attack investments such as defensive Landorus-T and Garchomp. Toxic is also very useful since it lets me poison walls that switch into this thing or Pokemon like Talonflame. Foresight is useless because Gengar is not that common and 2KO anyway so I can't even spin after the Foresight. I also chose Brick Break over Close Combat because I didn't want the defenses to drop.

Benched Mons

Magneton @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power Fire​

(In place of Magnezone): I really am not sure about Magneton. The speed is so useful but in my opinion, Magnezone's bulk helps do its main job better; trapping Steel-types. Magneton though is a great help against Pokemon like Tornadous-T which outspeed scarfed Magnezone.

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Togekiss @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Aura Sphere
- Air Slash
- Defog
- Roost
​

(In place of Hitmontop): I had mixed success with this thing but I think the biggest mistake was not replacing Jirachi with something else to better support. The point of this set is to essentially better counter Bisharp. The speed allows it outspeed Jolly, max speed Bisharp by one point. Its bulk and typing allow it to easily switch into a Knock Off and live a Sucker Punch. Aura Sphere OHKO offensive variants of Bisharp and leaving AV Bisharp with only a sliver of health. I found that most people click Iron Head against Togekiss since they don't expect they Aura Sphere because no one runs it now.

Threat List

Weavile destroys this team. Nothing wants to switch into a Knock Off barring Hitmontop, which eventually gets worn down to the point where Icicle Crash knocks it out. My only hope is to set up rocks and try to threaten with Gyarados but I rarely win against Weavile. It becomes an even bigger threat when Hitmontop is replaced with Togekiss.

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Bisharp is a beast. My only hope is that Hitmontop doesn't get flinched by an Iron Head. Sceptile can take out Bisharp and barely survive a Sucker Punch. After a Swords Dance my only hope is that my opponent chokes but it's usually game over at this point.

​

Priority Bird Spam destroy this team especially that Azelf + Bird Spam has become a very popular team choice as of late. My team practically has no counters and most of those teams haver very good spinners. Their access to a lot of priority usually means that even if I manage to set up a Dragon Dance with Gyarados they would still be able to break my sub and knock it out.

​

Medicham is pretty powerful and I have no switch ins for it. Every time it comes in it gets a kill or does a ton of damage. Even after an Intimidate it still destroys my team. It is manageable though.

​

I don't really have anything that is powerful enough to take this thing out once it finds an opportunity to set up and at this point its pretty much over.​

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Mega Lopunny puts a slight amount of pressure on my team just because it out speeds Sceptile and doesn't allow it to safely Mega Evolve. Once Sceptile evolves, it stops being a threat. It also out speeds Scarfed Magnezone which is also an issue.

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My team is walled by all variants of Zapdos. The only hope is to poison in which doesn't happen often cause opponents get suspicious to why I sent out Hitmontop onto a Zapdos. Also every time I predict Zapdos and Toxic on the switch I miss so there is really no hope.

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With my only Ground immunity weak to Stone Edge and my Ground resist being as frail as paper Landorous can just destroy my team especially the Scarfed variants.

Stall aka the best style in the game, the most skillful strategy only second the fabled Baton Pass Speed Boost...I can't beat it. But luckily for me, the Showdown ladder only has a few psychopaths who run this to it's not that big of a deal....
​

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Metagross is pretty threatening especially the AV variants since they essentially eat up hits and hit my team hard. Mega Metagross is somewhat threatening but is much frailer than the AV variant so it is easier to deal with.

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Conclusion

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In conclusion, this team is not good and it not easy to use which hopefully means that it should be easy to rate haha. Be warned though I found this team hard to use in the low ladder for the obvious reasons. Thanks again for reading! :D

Replays

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-453063674
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-448989003
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-453075937
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-453491229 (vs Hearthstone Master's Team)
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-448944899
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-453598146
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-450281558
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-449688581
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-454281686 (Funny battle)

Importable

Sceptile @ Sceptilite
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Bounce

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split

Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 240 HP / 236 SpD / 32 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Iron Head
- U-turn
- Ice Punch

Hitmontop @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Brick Break
- Foresight
- Toxic

 

[Amane Misa]

Hey! Nice team!

I have a few suggestions that will hopefully make your team better...

>

Keldeo is really threatening to your team (Rotom is not a Keldeo counter, and you really don't wanna risk Gyarados getting burnt). You already have a Ferrothorn/Scizor lure in Mega Sceptile. I really don't think you should use HP Fire on your Latios, you will know why later on... It also makes a nice Dragon spam core with Mega Sceptile. Alternatively for the Defog set, if you want you can use a Choice Specs + Trick set to help your matchup against stall (trick Chansey a Choice Specs on the switch-in).

>

Infernape is an interesting option here. As you said before, your team is really weak to Weavile and Bisharp. Infernape is one of the only real counters to them and it also completes a Fire/Water/Grass core in your team. Your team is very weak to Mega Beedrill too so wynaut.

I highly suggest you to change Gyarados' EV spread to a spread that provides that a burnt Ferrothorn's Power Whip doesn't break your Substitute. If you don't kill Ferrothorn but burn it with Rotom-W, you can abuse the opponent's Ferrothorn to set-up.

Sets

Latios @ Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Recover / Surf
- Defog / Trick

Infernape @ Leftovers
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 248 HP / 88 Def / 124 SpD / 48 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Slack Off
- Taunt
- Low Kick

Gyarados @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 88 HP / 220 Atk / 4 Def / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Bounce
- Waterfall
- Substitute

Have a nice day!

 

[Bimu]

Hey Misa, thanks for shedding some LIGHT on the problems with my team ;).

I really like your suggestions a lot, as much as I like Magnezone I think the combination of Infernape and Sceptile's HP Fire should hopefully negate some of the weakness to the Steel-types that I am afraid of. I will test those changes after my midterm and update the RMT based on the success of the changes but I am sure they will improve the team.

Thanks again!