SM OU Espeon in OU

[FlavorFlov]

This is my current team that contains an Espeon. As you may find out, my goal with this team is to find a niche for Espeon in the current OU metagame. I'm well aware that Diancie, Sableye, and even Absol outclasses her, so I usually pair her up with another Mega-pokemon slot (I've tried pairing her with Diancie for troll). This is my first post here, but feel free to give it to me straight.

Espeon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Trick

• Espeon is the pokemon I've built this team around. TBH it's basically 5 bulky OU mons that can handle their own plus an Espeon. That's not to say that she's without her uses. This set gives her 3 valuable jobs: revenge-killing faster mons, trickstering Chanseys and other walls, and occasional hazard bouncing. I try to only swap items when all the fast mons or Scarfed-mons (that I know of) have already been taken care of, unless a certain wall is giving me trouble or a dangerous mon is trying to set up on me. It's an alright mon to check Medicham and Lopunny with, after expending a Fake Out. Can survive an Earthquake at full health from a defensive Lando and hit back with HP Ice, even better if it goes for SR. Espeon doesn't have the best defenses so trying to predict hazards and statuses are super risky, but oh so worth it. Switching into Toxapex is almost always free. If she can get a Trick on an opponent's Chansey, Toxapex, or Celesteela, it'll make it so much more easier for Zygarde to clean out the rest of the team.

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Haze
- Recover
- Toxic Spikes

• Wall for non-Psychic special attackers like Gren and Volca (both of them). TSpikes setter and absorber. Main pokemon to prevent set up sweeps, although may have trouble with Sub Gyarados. Regenerator core with Tangrowth. Main goal for Toxa's movesets is to weaken the opponent with toxic spikes and burn status the physical attackers with scald.

Zygarde @ Leftovers
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 188 HP / 140 Atk / 180 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Dragon Dance
- Thousand Arrows
- Protect

• The team's main WinCon. The goal is basically to whittle down the opponent with everyone else first until I find the right opportunity to bring him out for setting up and cleaning out the rest. I'd want to keep Zygarde as healthy as I possibly can. (Slow or on-switch)U-turning on Chanseys is free. Protect helps with leftover recovery and toxic stall. Sometimes, if people don't know the set, I would switch to Espeon, since people really like throwing out Toxics on it. Whenever it's out, the opponent always tries to kill it as quick as possible.

Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake

• Main answer for dealing with Tapu Koko, other Zygardes, and leech seed users.

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 200 Def / 60 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split

• My usual lead. Goal is to burn as many physical sweepers as possible and to Volt Switch for momentum. One of my more effective answers to Mega-Swampert. It almost always scares off Landos from even setting up Stealth Rocks.

Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Defog
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Roost

• A bulky defogger/Uturner. Tanks the majority of my physical attacks. I mostly rely on Espeon's ability, Magic Bounce, as a fear factor for Stealth Rocks, but don't usually bring her out directly so that's why I got Defog as a back up.

https://pastebin.com/s3bgNUbG

 

[DKM]

Hi, I like this team alot. Espeon is a cool mon to build around. Although the team is quite weak to the common Medicham and Hawlucha teams.

This team also lacks Stealth Rocks which is an important part of all teams.

Medicham's HJK does 98% minimum to Espeon so it isn't a reliable check.

Aside from that this team looks solid. I'll suggest a change to try and improve it.




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Landorus-Therian (M) @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 200 Def / 60 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Fly

Rotom doesn't seem to do a whole lot apart from being a ground immunity and volt switcher.

Landorus can do similar while being a check to Medicham and Hawlucha and also provides rocks.

Z-Fly is really just used for Hawlucha since it's so popular right now.

This change does make you a bit weaker to specific things like Pinsir, but keeping Landorus healthy will still work to an extent.

This was quite a short rate, but I hope it's helpful. Good luck with the team :]

Importable: https://pokepast.es/b2d3f40374f49b94

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[FlavorFlov]

Thank you for the reply, DragonKnightmaster. Landorus-T seems pretty useful to the team for the intimidate pivoting potential alone. Of course, ice attacks are a bigger problem, Scizor being the safer switch-in against Kyurem and the rare Mamoswine. I wasn't too worried about not having SR, since I wanted to prioritize keeping hazards off my side, but now, thinking about it, it's probably really necessary considering Zygarde's role to clean up. Yeah, Medichams are a problem and I would only bring out Espeon against it using safe Uturns. Even then, I'd have to watch out for Fake Out.

I'll definitely try out Lando though.