ORAS OU DUDE, VOLCANOES! (Volcanion + AV Bisharp)

[4Eyes]

Introduction
​

Hello there, I am 4Eyes. Despite having been on Pokemon Showdown and Smogon for a while, I have never actually posted much here on the forums. This is a team I built fairly quickly once Volcanion was released and after experiencing a fair amount of success with it on the ladder, I've decided to post it here in order to get feedback.

The Team

Volcanion @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Steam Eruption
- Fire Blast
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power​

Similar to most people, I was really excited to use Volcanion once it came out due to it's huge special attack stat and decent bulk. I started off with steam eruption and fire blast in order to include two powerful STAB attacks backed by steam eruption's 30% chance to burn. Sludge wave was then included in order to hit and 2HKO fairy types such as Sylveon and Clefable. Finally, I added earth power in order to hit other Volcanions. In order to assist with this, I speed-creeped the EVs a little in order to outspeed other Volcanions so I could better revenge-kill or lure them.

Bisharp @ Assault Vest
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 192 HP / 220 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit​

AV Bisharp was added next in order to support Volcanion by countering or checking threats to it. The main three of these being Latias, Chansey, and AV Raikou. AV Bisharp is able to switch in on any move Latias commonly uses and proceed to pursuit trap it, knock off Chansey's eviolite, and switch into any of Raikou's moves bar aura sphere and proceed to take a chunk from its health with knock off or sucker punch. Iron head is also added in order to 2HKO things such as Clefable and Tyranitar as well as having a secondary STAB attack once their item has been knocked off.

Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Icy Wind
- Hydro Pump
​

Next up, was choice specs Keldeo. The team so far needed a way to switch into Heatran and Keldeo was the best choice for this slot as it can switch into all variants of Heatran bar the offensive set's solar beam. I chose choice specs in order to put a bigger dent in the opponent's team which would allow Volcanion and Bisharp to pick up KOs more easily. Icy wind was also added in order to help with speed control as well as hitting Lati@s on the switch. Finally, hydro pump was added in order to OHKO anything that scald could not manage to.

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Thunder Wave
- Wish
- Protect
​

The team so far was looking a little weak to threats such as Talonflame and Azumarill and other setup sweepers that Bisharp could not KO with sucker punch. Unaware Clefable was chosen to patch this weakness. It is also able to provide wish support in order to heal up Keldeo and Bisharp who otherwise are worn down relatively easily. Moonblast is there in order to not be complete taunt bait. Thunder wave is used to slow down choice scarf users and faster Pokemon that Keldeo cannot outspeed and also for that sweet 50% chance of the opponent being unable to move. Protect was then added in order to scout for moves and for Clefable to safely heal itself up.

Kyurem-Black @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 32 Atk / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
Naive Nature
- Ice Beam
- Fusion Bolt
- Earth Power
- Iron Head​

The team desperately needed a wallbreaker in order to remove threats such as defensive M-Venusaur and Rotom-W and also a way to revenge kill threats like banded Dragonite, M-Alakazam with prior damage taken, etc. Kyurem-B fits this role perfectly as it is able to safely 2HKO most of the defensive threats to this team along with outspeeding some of the more offensive ones thanks to choice scarf. Iron head was added as there weren't threats that I particularly wanted to hit with dragon claw or outrage and I can also use Kyurem-B to lure Clefable and M-Gardevoir.

Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 240 HP / 176 Def / 92 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Dragon Tail
- Toxic​

Rocky helmet Landorus-T was originally in this spot, but after experiencing trouble with things such as specially defensive Talonflame and M-Slowbro, I decided to change it to Tankchomp. Tankchomp provides stealth rocks support for this team along with being able to get off large amounts passive damage on many physical attackers that would otherwise be threats such as Talonflame and M-Lopunny. Toxic was used over fire blast in the final slot as the rest of my team is already able to deal with what fire blast is usually used to deal with such as Scizor, Skarmory, and Ferrothorn. Toxic also helps wear down defensive threats such as the aforementioned M-Slowbro and other bulky psychic types like Mew.

I noticed after building this team that it does not have a mega evolution, but through testing I have not found one that I think would work better than some of the Pokemon already on here.

Threats
​

Volcanion is a problem for this team as it has no actual switch-ins unless I manage to predict correctly. However, it can generally be dealt with between Keldeo, Kyurem-B, and my own Volcanion.

Crocune is a major annoyance for this team. My only way to safely deal with it is wearing it down between Kyurem-B and Keldeo. However, Suicune is not that common so I'm not that worried about it.

Breloom is extremely annoying for this team to deal with. The only good switch-in that this team has for it is Clefable, but in order for that to be effective something else must be asleep already in order for spore to be blocked by sleep clause. Play very carefully against it.

Any psychic type capable of taking knock off or pursuit from Bisharp tends to end up being a problem as most of them are also able to take many of the other hits from the team members. As mentioned earlier, your best bet is to use toxic on these or in the case of Celebi, use an ice beam from Kyurem-B or a fire blast from Volcanion.

Conclusion​

Overall, this team has proven to be very effective from my testing despite a few of the threats mentioned above. I hope to see suggestions on how to make it better along with any other feedback that you feel necessary to leave.

The Team: http://pastebin.com/EDqzeGWS

 

[Darkreaper]

Hello, this is a cool looking team! I did notice some quick changes that will allow for the team to be more successful.

For one, Volcanion should really be running 184 Speed. This allows for you to outspeed defensive landorus-Therian along with a lot of walls. It also speed creeps other volcanions which generally tend to run 180 Speed Ev's. I would also suggest changing volcanion from Leftovers ---> Choice Specs. Volcanion is primarily being used as a wallbreaker on this team, and Choice Specs allows you to keep pressure on the opponent with much more power. Also Sludge Bomb > Sludge Wave as the power drop really isn't noticed and bomb has a higher chance to poison which helps against stall.

Next, I'd suggest changing Kyu-B ----> CM Latios
This gives the team a Keldeo switch in which every team in OU must have, as well as a way to beat stall. This patches up the breloom weakness too as well as giving a solid win-con.

I'd suggest running the CM-T-wave Set with Magic Guard. It's just a superior set to the one you are using right now providing a status absorber and calm mind.

Last of all, a minor change, I'd change Toxic ---> Endure on Garchomp as Charizard X is annoying. Toxic was really only for bulky waters, which clefable does a great job beating with CM Magic Guard as well as latios with CM.

tl;dr

Latios > Kyurem-Black
Clefable (Set Change)
Garchomp (Small Set Change)
Volcanion (EV Spread Change, Specs > Leftovers)

Sets

Latios @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Calm Mind
- Roost

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SpD
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Thunder Wave

Volcanion @ Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 72 HP / 252 SpA / 184 Spe
Modest Nature
- Steam Eruption
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Sludge Bomb

Hope this helped, and good luck with this team in the future, it has a lot of potential​

 

[amg]

I agree with most of the changes Darkreaper said but I would change Kyurem-B to another bird, Tornadus-T.
AssVest Torn-t may help with your Keldeo issue. It can also come in on Mega-Venu and has a nice speed tier. Here is the set:

Tornadus-Therian @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 96 HP / 160 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hurricane
- Superpower
- U-turn
- Knock Off

In this case, Iron Tail may be a viable option (over Knock Off or Superpower???!?!?!?) to check stuff like Mega Gardevoir and Diancie since they are both major threats to your team.

 

[4Eyes]

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll try them out and I'm really excited to try out CM Latios over Kyurem-B as it accomplishes most of what I originally wanted and a bit more.

As for switching out unaware for magic guard, I'm a little more hesitant as unaware is a useful way to immediately stop a setup sweeper as well as healing up Bisharp and my other team members with wishes, but I do see the utility that it brings to my team as I don't really have a way to reliably block status. I'll try it out next time I go laddering and try to decide whether it brings enough utility.