Hello all, this is my second RMT overall, and my first UU one. I decided to try out UU because OU was getting a little boring for me, and I randomly made a team in my mind that literally took about 15 minutes to think about. This team peaked at around #22 on the UU ladder before the most recent reset, and before the recent UU tier change when Virizion, Tornadus and the like dropped. I still find the team working well though.
The team is pretty balanced, with a defensive core of 3 Pokemon and an offensive core of 3 Pokemon. I will introduce the defensive core of the team first:
Amoonguss @ Black Sludge
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 4 SAtk / 252 HP / 252 Def
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Spore
- Sludge Bomb
- Stun Spore
Amoonguss's dream world ability, Regenerator, has been in my opinion one of the defining abilities of Generation V. It is so amazing on anything that it's put on and will usually sustain the Pokemon with the ability for a long time. With threats such as Ho-oh and Tornadus-Therian showing their offensive prowess in upper tiers while retaining their bulk, sticking it on a defensive Pokemon, especially on something like Amoonguss, is godsend to it.
Amoonguss is my team's initial switch in to Fighting types and Water types, although I use it more to switch in to Fighting types, hence the physically defensive EV spread. It can still switch in to the many bulky water types roaming UU, such as Suicune, Swampert, Empoleon etc. and scare them out, usually letting me get off a Spore on anything. I run a double spore set, as I wasn't really too sure what to put on it outside of Dual STAB and Spore. Stun Spore allows me to catch common Amoonguss counters like Chandelure after my opponent has sleep foddered something, potentially locking down another threat.
Amoonguss is a beast defensively. It is also able to counter Mienshao, who had dropped into the tier when I made this team. Its Hi Jump Kick does only 28.47% to 33.33% to Amoonguss, which is easily healed by Regenerator. Note that that is Max attack Adamant Mienshao with Reckless.
Bronzong @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 200 SDef / 252 HP / 4 Atk / 52 Def
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Gyro Ball
- Earthquake
The next member of my defensive core. Bronzong is my Stealth Rock user and my counter to threats such as Tornadus and Flygon. Bronzong also resists 2 of Amoonguss's weaknesses, Psychic, which it 4x resists, and Flying, which is 2x resisted, while maintaining an excellent defensive typing, with only a weakness to Fire. The set is standard, there's really nothing much to say about this, except noting its synergy with Amoonguss. Switching between Amoonguss and Bronzong can help me check Rain Dance Life Orb Kingdra which poses a big threat to my team, since between them, Kingdra's STABs are resisted and Ice Beam doesn't do anything to Bronzong.
Snorlax @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 208 HP / 176 SDef / 124 Def
Careful Nature
- Body Slam
- Whirlwind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
Snorlax completes my defensive core, and between Amoonguss, Bronzong and Snorlax, all of their weaknesses are covered by one another. Amoonguss's weaknesses to Ice are taken by Snorlax, Bronzong's weakness to Fire is also taken by Snorlax. Snorlax's Fighting weakness is not a problem for Amoonguss to handle as well.
Snorlax is my phazer, and it does a really good job at that. It is my initial switch in to Chandelure, a big threat in UU which everyone is familiar with. The set is a RestTalk set with mixed defensive EVs. Running Snorlax as my phazer allows me to better handle Substitute users that set up. Previously, I was using Amoonguss with Clear Smog to deal with them, but ultimately I decided to stick with Snorlax.
Standard set here, nothing much to talk about.
Next, my offensive core:
Chandelure @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Trick
Scarfed Chandelure. Some might be wondering why I don't have Hidden Power Fighting. Well that's what I have Trick for. The most common switch ins to Chandelure are bulky water types, Snorlax and Porygon2. Most bulky water types don't appreciate a Scarf tricked to them, Snorlax and Porygon2 don't either. I'd rather have Energy Ball to hit water-types instead of putting HP Fighting to deal with Snorlax or Porygon2, when I can easily Trick a Scarf onto and render them 90% useless. Hidden Power Fighting doesn't nearly deal enough to them anyway.
This Chandelure can counter lead Azelfs and Mews, potentially catching them with surprise. This is crucial as those Pokemon usually carry Taunt, which can shut down Bronzong and prevent him from getting up rocks. It's also used for revenge killing purposes.
Raikou @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 Spd / 128 HP / 52 SAtk / 76 Def
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Calm Mind
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Raikou was my least favourite of the three legendary beasts. However, that changed when I started using him this way. SubCM Raikou is such a durable set up Pokemon that it surprised me when I used it. This set forgoes Aura Sphere for HP Ice to hit ground types, as I value that more than being able to hit Snorlax for at least some damage. Snorlax can't really do much to this set anyway unless carrying Earthquake, which leaves its only option to break my Substitute or phaze me out and I can easily deal with that.
Heracross @ Expert Belt
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Megahorn
- Earthquake
No, your eyes are not fooling you. That is an Expert Belt. On a Heracross.
This actually came by as a joke. When I heard that Moxiecross was released, I was intending to scarf this and run a Subsplit set on Chandy. Then I thought, "hey, since people are mostly going to scarf Heracrosses, I might as well put on E-belt as a joke and throw off as many people as possible".
And a joke it was. This thing has lured in so many Chandelures that thought I was scarfed locked into Close Combat or Megahorn.. Yeah you get the idea. This thing functions like a normal Moxiecross and I generally would play it the same way unless I am trying to bluff the belt. Which means that you retain the snowballing power of a Moxiecross with the freedom to switch moves and throw people off. Expert Belt on a Heracross is kinda logical too, seeing that it has access to EdgeQuake coverage (and you wouldn't wanna be scarf locked into a unSTAB Earthquake), as well as Megahorn to hit Psychics that resists CC, primarily Slowbro.
This set may be unorthodox, I don't really see many E-belt Heracrosses running around, but it's sure as hell is effective.
Well, that's the team. It's probably the most successful of my teams, and got me into the top 100 of the UU ladder once, and that is a first for me in any tier. It is probably my most successful team ever, and any constructive criticism on this team is appreciated.
The team is pretty balanced, with a defensive core of 3 Pokemon and an offensive core of 3 Pokemon. I will introduce the defensive core of the team first:
Amoonguss @ Black Sludge
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 4 SAtk / 252 HP / 252 Def
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Spore
- Sludge Bomb
- Stun Spore
Amoonguss's dream world ability, Regenerator, has been in my opinion one of the defining abilities of Generation V. It is so amazing on anything that it's put on and will usually sustain the Pokemon with the ability for a long time. With threats such as Ho-oh and Tornadus-Therian showing their offensive prowess in upper tiers while retaining their bulk, sticking it on a defensive Pokemon, especially on something like Amoonguss, is godsend to it.
Amoonguss is my team's initial switch in to Fighting types and Water types, although I use it more to switch in to Fighting types, hence the physically defensive EV spread. It can still switch in to the many bulky water types roaming UU, such as Suicune, Swampert, Empoleon etc. and scare them out, usually letting me get off a Spore on anything. I run a double spore set, as I wasn't really too sure what to put on it outside of Dual STAB and Spore. Stun Spore allows me to catch common Amoonguss counters like Chandelure after my opponent has sleep foddered something, potentially locking down another threat.
Amoonguss is a beast defensively. It is also able to counter Mienshao, who had dropped into the tier when I made this team. Its Hi Jump Kick does only 28.47% to 33.33% to Amoonguss, which is easily healed by Regenerator. Note that that is Max attack Adamant Mienshao with Reckless.
Bronzong @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 200 SDef / 252 HP / 4 Atk / 52 Def
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Gyro Ball
- Earthquake
The next member of my defensive core. Bronzong is my Stealth Rock user and my counter to threats such as Tornadus and Flygon. Bronzong also resists 2 of Amoonguss's weaknesses, Psychic, which it 4x resists, and Flying, which is 2x resisted, while maintaining an excellent defensive typing, with only a weakness to Fire. The set is standard, there's really nothing much to say about this, except noting its synergy with Amoonguss. Switching between Amoonguss and Bronzong can help me check Rain Dance Life Orb Kingdra which poses a big threat to my team, since between them, Kingdra's STABs are resisted and Ice Beam doesn't do anything to Bronzong.
Snorlax @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 208 HP / 176 SDef / 124 Def
Careful Nature
- Body Slam
- Whirlwind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
Snorlax completes my defensive core, and between Amoonguss, Bronzong and Snorlax, all of their weaknesses are covered by one another. Amoonguss's weaknesses to Ice are taken by Snorlax, Bronzong's weakness to Fire is also taken by Snorlax. Snorlax's Fighting weakness is not a problem for Amoonguss to handle as well.
Snorlax is my phazer, and it does a really good job at that. It is my initial switch in to Chandelure, a big threat in UU which everyone is familiar with. The set is a RestTalk set with mixed defensive EVs. Running Snorlax as my phazer allows me to better handle Substitute users that set up. Previously, I was using Amoonguss with Clear Smog to deal with them, but ultimately I decided to stick with Snorlax.
Standard set here, nothing much to talk about.
Next, my offensive core:
Chandelure @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Trick
Scarfed Chandelure. Some might be wondering why I don't have Hidden Power Fighting. Well that's what I have Trick for. The most common switch ins to Chandelure are bulky water types, Snorlax and Porygon2. Most bulky water types don't appreciate a Scarf tricked to them, Snorlax and Porygon2 don't either. I'd rather have Energy Ball to hit water-types instead of putting HP Fighting to deal with Snorlax or Porygon2, when I can easily Trick a Scarf onto and render them 90% useless. Hidden Power Fighting doesn't nearly deal enough to them anyway.
This Chandelure can counter lead Azelfs and Mews, potentially catching them with surprise. This is crucial as those Pokemon usually carry Taunt, which can shut down Bronzong and prevent him from getting up rocks. It's also used for revenge killing purposes.
Raikou @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 Spd / 128 HP / 52 SAtk / 76 Def
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Calm Mind
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Raikou was my least favourite of the three legendary beasts. However, that changed when I started using him this way. SubCM Raikou is such a durable set up Pokemon that it surprised me when I used it. This set forgoes Aura Sphere for HP Ice to hit ground types, as I value that more than being able to hit Snorlax for at least some damage. Snorlax can't really do much to this set anyway unless carrying Earthquake, which leaves its only option to break my Substitute or phaze me out and I can easily deal with that.
Heracross @ Expert Belt
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Megahorn
- Earthquake
No, your eyes are not fooling you. That is an Expert Belt. On a Heracross.
This actually came by as a joke. When I heard that Moxiecross was released, I was intending to scarf this and run a Subsplit set on Chandy. Then I thought, "hey, since people are mostly going to scarf Heracrosses, I might as well put on E-belt as a joke and throw off as many people as possible".
And a joke it was. This thing has lured in so many Chandelures that thought I was scarfed locked into Close Combat or Megahorn.. Yeah you get the idea. This thing functions like a normal Moxiecross and I generally would play it the same way unless I am trying to bluff the belt. Which means that you retain the snowballing power of a Moxiecross with the freedom to switch moves and throw people off. Expert Belt on a Heracross is kinda logical too, seeing that it has access to EdgeQuake coverage (and you wouldn't wanna be scarf locked into a unSTAB Earthquake), as well as Megahorn to hit Psychics that resists CC, primarily Slowbro.
This set may be unorthodox, I don't really see many E-belt Heracrosses running around, but it's sure as hell is effective.
Well, that's the team. It's probably the most successful of my teams, and got me into the top 100 of the UU ladder once, and that is a first for me in any tier. It is probably my most successful team ever, and any constructive criticism on this team is appreciated.
