SV OU Golurk Bulky Offense -- Peaked at 1880

[sableorderly]

Howdy. I read through the forum/RMT rules but this is my first post in a decade, so apologies if anything looks off

I've been spamming this team for the last week or so and had some good results. It's bulky offense featuring a ton of immunities and 3 non-OUs that take advantage of some early trends in the DLC 2 meta, like lead Deoxys-S and Paradox Beast sun. The initial thought process when building was just to use Golurk because he's awesome, but he can actually pull his own weight in OU. The whole team ended up being a blast to use. Try it out! https://pokepast.es/a3d4ebb9559f2b4d

Glimmora @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Toxic Debris
Tera Type: Ground
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Sludge Wave
- Dazzling Gleam
- Stealth Rock

Pros

• Uncommon set/Surprise factor
• Hazard setter
• Speed control
• Decent defensive profile
• Absorbs T-Spike

Cons

• Fails to outspeed many Booster/+1 mons
• Often must choose between rocks or dealing damage
• Struggles to dent flying types
• Rarely OHKOs oppenents

This started out as a Deoxys-S dedicated lead, then became Samurott, then eventually became Glimmora. The role compression of hazards + speed control is very valuable for the team, as the fastest member otherwise is Landorus-T at 309. I also used to run Spikes over Stealth Rock, but choiced Latios and Enamorous switching in freely to drop their nukes became a glaring issue. Because Glimmora doesn't force a ton of switches per se (many opponents will stay in and attack expecting Sash or something that isn't Scarf), it was difficult to get more than one layer of Spikes up anyway. Dazzling Gleam also used to be Power Gem, but the ability to get a big hit off on all of the dragons being spammed in current meta has been key. Glimmora is your best option for revenge killing specific but common threats like setup Zamazenta and Serperior, Specs + Sp.Atk Boost Walking Wake, Dragapult, and the aformentioned Enamorous if its either Specs OR Scarf not locked into Earth Power. Tera Ground is to give Glimmora's own Earth Power a worthwhile boost versus Slowking-G, Archaludon, and Excadrill, notably OHKOing the third to ensure hazards stay up

thug 1 (Golurk) @ Choice Band
Ability: No Guard
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Poltergeist
- High Horsepower
- Ice Punch
- Trick

Pros

• Immediate power
• Decent bulk
• Three immunities
• Ghost resists are uncommon
• Trick utility + surprise factor
• It's Golurk

Cons

• Poltergeist cannot hit Booster mons
• Slow as dirt
• Mandates no Knock-Off for teammates
• Susceptible to Will-O-Wisp

The goal when first building this team was simply wanting to click Poltergeist and watch the other guy explode. As it turns out, it actually isn't too bad of a strategy. Compared to his contemporaries Ceruledge and Brambleghast, Golurk trades speed for better coverage and a more valuable defensive profile. As said in the intro, Golurk also feeds on trends of the early DLC 2 meta. Deoxys-S lead? Poltergeists OHKOs through Reflect to ensure Light Screen doesn't go up (you also live Ice Beam and Knock Off from offensive variants). Paradox Beast spam? Good luck switching into High Horsepower. Stored Power Latias/Iron Crown? Trick and then wall Psychic/Fighting coverage with Golurk and Kingambit. In general, a Trick user immune to Body Press can cause headaches for certain Iron Defense sweepers. As mentioned above, Poltergeist is unfortunately useless versus Booster Energy opponents. Luckily, your ground coverage either obliterates or forces Tera from the trendy Gouging Fire and Iron Boulder. You also have a better than average (56%) chance to OHKO Iron Valiant from full HP. Earthquake increases the chance 87.5% and might be better overall, but I went with High Horsepower because No Guard means you can't miss and Rillaboom was everywhere in DLC 1. Tera Ghost is used to keep the valuable defensive typing, add extra power to your nuke, and to potentially surprise opposing Serperior or Rillaboom locked into Grassy Glide. Overall, Golurk is best utilized in the early game to punch holes in the opponents team, as the aforementioned Booster mons are less likely to come in and waste their speed boost before they get a chance to sweep later on

thug 2 (Iron Hands) @ Leftovers
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Flying
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Drain Punch
- Thunder Punch
- Ice Punch

Pros

• Incredible bulk, power, and sustain
• Strong defensive typing
• Sweeper and Stallbreaker (no dirge pls)
• Not reliant on prediction
• Seriously its too angry to die

Cons

• Slow as bricks
• Susceptible to Will-O-Wisp
• Outsped and exploited by Iron Defense birds
• Vulnerable to Spikes/T-Spike

This thing is so underrated. Bring it in on Kingambit or something that can't threaten you and get to business. After a Swords Dance, nothing short of Skeledirge enjoys coming in on Iron Hands. Max Attack EVs means Sp.Def Unaware Clodsire takes 60% minimum from Ice Punch, and Phys.Def Dondozo lacking Leftovers takes 36% min, meaning it can't outstall with Rest unless it Curses or Teras. Tera Flying flips the script on Excadrill, Great Tusk, Landorus, Rillaboom, Latios, etc., trying to put an end to your sweep. Golurk and Iron Hands don't necessarily break for each other, but the former helps its partner in crime by tricking its Choice Band to defense boosting mons like Iron Crown, Garganacl, Great Tusk, Curse Dondozo, and the aformentioned IDef birds Skarmory and Corviknight (don't risk Mandibuzz knocking you off). There's really not much else to say, so I'll just list some more calcs that show off max/max Iron Hand's strengths compared to the 116 Atk 252 Sp.Def 140 Speed EV sample set on Smogon

252 Atk Zamazenta Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Iron Hands: 174-205 (33.9 - 40%)
+2 252+ Atk Iron Hands Drain Punch vs. +1 0 HP / 0 Def Zamazenta: 169-199 (52 - 61.2%)
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Iron Hands: 452-533 (88.2 - 104.1%)
+1 252 Atk Protosynthesis Roaring Moon Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Iron Hands: 418-494 (81.6 - 96.4%)
252 SpA Choice Specs Latios Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Iron Hands: 433-511 (84.5 - 99.8%)
252+ Atk Choice Band Rillaboom Wood Hammer vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Iron Hands in Grassy Terrain: 382-450 (74.6 - 87.8%)
252 Atk Great Tusk Headlong Rush vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Iron Hands: 372-438 (72.6 - 85.5%)

The sample spread can survive some of these hits as well, but with Drain Punch + Leftovers recovery, every point of HP matters. Max Attack also increases Drain Punch's healing potential. Not to say the sample spread is bad or anything, but currently I choose to run max/max on this team for better stallbreaking and sweeping consistency

Kingambit @ Leftovers
Ability: Supreme Overlord
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 232 HP / 252 Atk / 24 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Kowtow Cleave
- Sucker Punch
- Tera Blast

Pros

• It's Kingambit
• Great bulk
• Crucial defensive typing
• Can break early or late
• Beats dragons

Cons

• Slower than pond water
• Forces switches on Fairies, but struggles to threaten them
• Sucker Punch mindgames
• Needs Tera to really beat dragons

Kingambit is Kingambit. His sweeping potential is infamous, but his role as a bulky pivot on this team cannot be replicated by any other. Draco Meteor from Latios, Dragapult, Raging Bolt, and especially Walking Wake would rip through this team if not for Kingambit. Unfortunately, only Latios and Dragapult are mortally threatened by unboosted Kowtow Cleave, meaning the others require Tera Blast to conquer. Its not an awful thing to commit to, though. Roaring Moon, Ting-Lu, Samurott-H, Darkrai, Great Tusk, Iron Valiant, Kyurem, and Zamazenta also all bow to your terrifying pink power, often needing to exhaust their own Tera to stop you. This is Iron Hands' true partner in crime, at least as far as wallbreaking for each other. Even Iron Defense Mandibuzz loses one on one to Tera Fairy, which--despite not being common in OU--would otherwise cause huge problems for the team. Fairies and opposing (especially faster variants of) Kingambit pose a problem for this set due to the chosen coverage, but +2 Tera Blast makes easy work of Enamorous, Primarina, and non-unaware Clefable, while every other member of the team offers something versus Kingambit. In summary, Kingambit is not a luxury for this team--its a necessity. I mean, you can only add so many weirdos before needing a proper glue to hold them all together

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 8 HP / 248 Atk / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Substitute
- Earthquake
- Smack Down
- Grass Knot

Pros

• Huge attack
• Intimidate
• Substitute exploits Will-O-Wisp and Kingambit
• Spikes immunity
• Great defensive typing
• Surprises Great Tusk

Cons

• Not slow, but not fast either
• Questionable coverage
• Worn down by Stealth Rock/using Substitute
• Ice Spinner go brrrr

Landorus-T's role is as another bulky pivot to compliment Kingambit. Early on in DLC2 I rarely saw teams with more than one Ground immunity, so after using Smack Down on said immunity, something would have to get blown up by Earthquake (pls no rillaboom or second bird). Fishing aside, Landorus is crucial for helping against attack-boosting sweepers like Gouging Fire, Iron Boulder, Excadrill, and Dragonite/Great Tusk lacking Ice Spinner. Even then, Booster Speed Tusk only does 67-79% with Ice Spinner at -1, allowing you to get huge Grass Knot chip before revenge killing. Tera Water lets you turn the tables if Speed boosted Tusk bulks up on your switch, and it also gives an advantageous interaction against Tera'd Ogerpon-W clicking Ivy Cudgel. Outspeeding Gholdengo and Skeledirge is also huge, although the latter's Torch Song going through Sub on a predicted Will-O-Wisp is annoying. Overall, Landorus-T is another glue pokemon that improves the team's matchup versus glaring threats like Spikes, Skeledirge, Great Tusk, Raging Bolt, and Excadrill

Volcanion @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Water Absorb
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 116 HP / 252 SpA / 140 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Steam Eruption
- Flamethrower
- Sludge Wave
- Substitute

Pros

• Strong matchup vs Rain, Fairies, and Walking Wake
• Powerful STAB moves
• Steam Eruption burn chance
• Doesn't care about hazards
• Immune to Will-O-Wisp
• Substitute beats Kingambit

Cons

• Slow...
• Struggles to threaten Rain teams and Walking Wake after switching in
• Steam Eruption only has 8 PP
• Fathered by Toxapex
• Zero recovery outside Water Absorb

This used to be Volcarona, but I realized pretty quick that getting farmed by Hydro Steam wasn't all that fun. Other Volc guy to the rescue! Choice-locked Walking Wake will always think twice about clicking Water moves with him in the back. Unfortunately he can't really threaten it back outside of Sludge Wave, which deals 45% max. If Kingambit falls early, Tera Fairy is your panic button vs the scary asteroid move. Honestly Tera Blast might have more value, although two mons with Tera Blast is undesirable imo. Being able to threaten Primarina, Clefable, and Hydrapple with Sludge Wave is pretty nice though. Keep this guy alive at all costs versus Rain, as Barraskewda and Kingdra will simply lock into their Water STAB and flatten you otherwise. Holding onto his Boots shouldn't be hard thanks to Iron Hands and Kingambit being great answers to Knock-Off. Substitute gives you a trump card against Kingambit and a sliver of hope against lategame Rillaboom if you're able to sub up on its teammate. Otherwise, Wood Hammer sends you to prison. Maybe Tera Poison is the real move? Or Flying? I doubt it but its an option, especially if you run Tera Fairy on Glimmora instead. It can OHKO Latios and Wake after rocks after all. Hmm...

Anyways, that's Volcanion. He's not the flashiest guy on the block, but like Kingambit, he provides a needed defensive niche that no other pokemon in the game can replicate. Its pretty awesome when the other team loses all their Water resists though, and being plus into all weather is cool

Conclusion

This team isn't perfect, but its the best one I've ever made in terms of laddering success. When I lose, 90% of the time its because I misplayed and/or could have done something different. The other 10% is because I ran into Rotom-W. I haven't mentioned him at all so far, but that's because nothing on the team deals with it one on one. It burns everything slower than it, and hits everything faster super-effectively. Genuinely the best bet is to Sub with Landorus and pray for misses/pivot to Volcanion as you attempt to drain all Hydro Pump PP. Or sacrifice Golurk to Trick away its Leftovers. Either way, pretty awful stuff. Skeledirge and Rillaboom are also extremely tough to deal with, but Rotom is the final boss for this team. Not being able to remove hazards also stinks, but at least you have strong answers to all the common stackers like Ting-Lu, Gliscor, Skarm, etc,. All that aside, any suggestions and improvements to the team are welcome... except 'change Golurk to something else' :P

 

[1LDK]

Yoooo I was in one of the replays, and saw you kicking ass with the team, it's a really cool joint

Only thing I would say is probably invest a bit of speed in Iron Hands, mainly for corviknight / skarmory and primarina, you already hit like a monster truck, and you're really fat, so I don't see that much issue

have a good end of year!

 

[jackuzzler]

GOLURK MENTION RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

[RaikouLover]

Based team. Congrats!

 

[sableorderly]

Yoooo I was in one of the replays, and saw you kicking ass with the team, it's a really cool joint

Only thing I would say is probably invest a bit of speed in Iron Hands, mainly for corviknight / skarmory and primarina, you already hit like a monster truck, and you're really fat, so I don't see that much issue

have a good end of year!

Appreciate the love. How much Speed do you recommend on Iron Hands? The Smogon sample set for IDef Skarm runs 200 Spd, which I think is specifically for Hands who hits 199 at max spd EVs (I'm sure not all Skarms are doing that though). Primarina is definitely annoying for it but Sludge Wave Volcanion is a full counter to most sets. Corv I can absolutely see the merit in outspeeding. Relying on Trick or Volcanion who can't heal off chip damage is not the most consistent strat

 

[1LDK]

Appreciate the love. How much Speed do you recommend on Iron Hands? The Smogon sample set for IDef Skarm runs 200 Spd, which I think is specifically for Hands who hits 199 at max spd EVs (I'm sure not all Skarms are doing that though). Primarina is definitely annoying for it but Sludge Wave Volcanion is a full counter to most sets. Corv I can absolutely see the merit in outspeeding. Relying on Trick or Volcanion who can't heal off chip damage is not the most consistent strat

Yeah, you're right on skarm, skarm can actually out speed kingambit at a reasonable spread, so you won't be able to do that even if you try, enough for corv is okay, I don't know how much speed primarina runs, but it's base 60 / 156, meaning out speeding corv should out speed AV / defensive CM sets. This would also come with the benefit of out speeding the 156 group, most notably being clefable