ORAS OU HO ft. DD Altaria and creativity (Peak ~1800)

Marcelloc2 · Sep 5, 2016

Hello, everyone! What is up?

The ladder is coming to an end. So, today, I'm posting this amazing team, filled with creativity and underrated and forgotten sets.

As always, I like to build around those grounds - innovative sets, mons that have seen better days etc. And also HO. This is the quintessential of HO creativity (or gimmick, some would say).

The team is based around classic CTC Altaria + hazard stacking with lead Skarmory.

Here is a proof of peak:

Now, that is outdated, as proven by these replays:

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-429434690 (1808, v. stall).
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/ou-422682336 (1802 v. bulky offense).

I believe the highest I got with this team was 1840.

Anyways, to the team, shall we?

I like spikes cause it makes games faster. Since i wanted HO, Skarmory was the way to go as my lead.

Next, wallbreaking. The monster that has sheer force as its ability (Teravolt, actually, but hey).

Odd choice for a revenge killer: Scarf Gengar. Also works as a spin blocker.

To put everything together, I added the beast, the thing that can do everything, can fill any roll, and is a solid anti-meta mon.

Finally, a pivot, a nice mon for speed control purposes. That's right, Rotom-Wash.

Altaria-Mega @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Fire Blast
- Frustration
- Earthquake
Believe it or not, there was a time when this thing was considered S rank. Now, it is a mere BL. Yes, M-Altaria has seen better days. Good news is people don't mind checking it anymore, or they just expect the SpA set. No, we want DD max Speed Jolly Altaria, to punch holes on stuff. Fire blast is to hit Skarm, Ferrothorns, and crazy scizors that think they are too sweet to BP. Altaria hits hard after 1 DD and, oddly enough, is my main way to beat Heatran, with EQ. Also that Jolly nature helps me outspeeding up to base 140 speed stat mons, like M-Manectric and M-Lopunny, after 1 DD.
It is a good M-Sableye check as well, just watch out for pesky amoongus.

Skarmory @ Custap Berry
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
HO calls for a lead. Well, you can't go wrong with lead Custap Skarmory, which is almost guaranteed rocks and spikes (1 layer), and can taunt slow SR setters like clef, opposing skarms, ferrothorns and so on. The set is standard, Brave Bird to punish Keldeos that don't get the burn and Heracross.
Taunt is also really useful v. stall if you can get rid of sableye.

Kyurem-Black @ Power Herb
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Fusion Bolt
- Outrage
- Freeze Shock
Too bad Kyurem-B has no ice STAB physical move to take advantage of its god 170 base Atk stat, right? WRONG!
I honestly have never seen anyone running this set: Freeze Shock Kyurem-B. Yeah, the banded set is ok, but it lacks ice moves. With Freeze Shock, you can guarantee nothing will switch in for free on you. To put it simple, it is a 140 base attack STAB from a monster with 170 base atk stat. And it is an ice move, which is a very good offensive type. Also, power herb, for obvious reasons (for those who don't know, freeze shock is like solar beam). And it comes with a nice 30% freeze chance (and an awful 10% chance to miss... oh, well, better than a sharp stick in the eye).
To complete the set, Outrage to get a 2hko on pretty much anything that can take the freeze shock, Fusion bolt to hit Skarm, Slowbro and Azu and Iron Head, to punish crazy Clefs who think can switch in on the god KyuB.
I think Slowbro would be the best answer to KyuB, being able to switch into freeze shock, but even then, with hazards on the field, it becomes an easy prey.
Wallbreaker is this thing's second name.

Gengar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Focus Blast
- Destiny Bond
Frustration. At least for the opponent, when he/she attacks this thing with a +1 Zard when I DBond.
scarf Gengar is so underrated you can easily sludge wave an weavile and you have a chance to 1hko it after rocks.
Also, Dbond on Sableye as it knock Offs is so satisfying, opening a way to victory v. stall with hazards.
For those reasons, I love Scarf Gengar, getting kills on Scarf landos that think they can switch in and get the kill etc.
Besides DBond, 2 hard hitting STABs and focus blast if you're feeling ~~like losing to hax~~ lucky.

Mew @ Expert Belt
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Fire Blast
- Vacuum Wave
- Energy Ball
Some innovation, I present you the best Mew set ever, ladies and gentlemen.
Arguably the best movepool in OU and in the game (bar Smeargle), I present the Weavile/Bisharp destroyer, Mew.
That's right, Mew has acces to Vacuum Wave, which, you heard it right, can guarantee 1hko those 2 threats after rocks.

252+ SpA Expert Belt Mew Vacuum Wave vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Weavile: 221-264 (78.6 - 93.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ SpA Expert Belt Mew Vacuum Wave vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Bisharp: 259-307 (95.5 - 113.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock

Expert Belt gives a nice touch, Ice beam goes without saying (or does it =]), Fire blast for pesky Scizors, Ferrothorns and Skarmories. If you want 1hko's, go mew. Lando, ferrothorn, Garchomp, you name it.
Energy ball hits hard Azu, Keldeo, Manaphy, Quag, Suicune (hard) and, most important, Rotom-W, so that Altaria can have a field day. Lat but not least, Mew is usually my lead v. Diancie, to energy ball it and get the kill with Vacuum Wave.

If you want, you can run Mild nature with life orb and put either EQ, to 1hko Heatran (that ALWAYS switch into Mew) or Sucker punch, to hit mostly Gengar (which my team does not handle well expect from my own Gengar), spinner Starmie and Torn-T (who likes to switch/stay in on Mew).

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Thunder Wave
- Will-O-Wisp
Last, but not least, a glue for the team, a nice pivot, a Mon so that I don't lose turn 1 to Talonflame (and arguably the best counter to it - you heard it right, Heatran): dual status (stati?) Rotom-Wash. Cause Zard X can never try to set up on Rotom enough.
Rotom is great for twaving Clef (so KyuB's job get easier), Lati@s (that always switch in), Talonflame (it is actually so easy to beat Talonflame once it is Para) and stuff. It is also my second way of beating both Heatran and Diancie.
All in all, very good, the most standard thing this team has to offer (besides lead Skarm, I guess, but even so).

Gengar is the top threat to this team (luckily, it's not that common, nor it's subs set), nothing can switch into it. You can never let it get behind a subs, so make sure you never switch out v. gengar. KyuB is perhaps by best choice v. it, since the opponent needs to hit FBlast. My own gengar can revenge.

Talonflame is countered by Rotom-W and checked by KyuB, but it is still a threat one cannot ignore. SR ftw.

M-Metagross hits so hard and nothing on the team can 1hko it. Rotom is only a check (that can and will get flinched), since not even +1 Altaria can 1hKO it after Rocks. Gengar can revenge.

Zard Y can't do much to Altaria, but it still hits hard and Altaria is not doing anything back either, but stalling sun turns (not very effectivly). Zard X loses to Altaria 1x1 and gets Parad by Rotom. Both get revenged by Gengar, but they are worth a spot here. SR ftw.

I usually take care of Clef by Twaving it first and then Iron Head, or catching it on the switch. Gengar checks it and Altaria hits hard enough to kill once Clef is a little weakened.

As pointed, Banded Scizor can punch holes, if played right. if it BPs and I switch to Rotom, it is pretty much dead weight. If it goes for U-turn on Altaria or Mew (which happens 90% of the time), and I can manage to hit Fire Blast, bye-bye scizor. Still, late game banded Scizor can be a problem.

Similar to Scizor, scarf driller is a lategame threat. luckily, it has to worry about hazards, so it often locks itself into spinning on Gengar. Mew can withstand a hit and 1hko with fireblast, or just vacuum wave if it's weak enough.

Team overview

This near gimmick team has it all, and I managed to beat the most standard teams you see on the ladder, namely, stall, Shedinja stall, CTC Pinsir Dnite offense, Medicham-Rachi-Lando Bulky Offense and Lopunny-Sand-Amoongus.
The team is strong, has good synergy and pretyt much has it all: wincons, setup sweeper, surprising the opponent, hazards for a fast game and the only thing it lacks is a ground type to stop volt/turn cores.
That aside, it hits hard enough so that other mons don't set up with easy, Mew can deal with anything the team wouldn't otherwise be prepared for and, above all, it is really Really fun to play with this team.
So, yeah, be my guest to try it out, have fun and suggest improvements!

TruthOrDairy · Sep 5, 2016

Hey there, Banded Scizor needs to be added to this threat list. Unless skarmory has most its hp (not likely after 2+ layers of hazards) or you're able to get the destiny bond kill, there's not a lot this ceam can do to stop a bullet punch sweep (they'll switch out against rotom every time).

Marcelloc2 · Sep 5, 2016

Honestly, scizors like to u-turn on both Altaria and Mew, since they don't like to be locked on BP v. Rotom, and Fire Blast kills it.
I do not remember having ever been swept by banded scizor, but sure, just cause people like to play bad, doesn't mean it is not a threat.

Millionsunz · Sep 5, 2016

Hey Marcelloc2 this is a pretty cool team, but I do have some changes to suggest :)

I like your Mega Altaria set, and I like how you have Fire Blast to hit Steel-Types that like to switch into Altaria, so no changes there :)

Lead

> Custap

For HO teams, Azelf is usually the most commonly seen SR setter. Azelf has a great Speed tier and has access to Explosion, allowing it to deal tons of damage as well as giving a free switch-in. While more limited in hazard setting, Azelf is able to set up hazards on Magic Bounce users, utilizing Skill Swap to change out an opponents Magic Bounce.

Life Orb

> Power Herb

Power Herb Kyurem sounds like a cool idea, due to the fact that Freeze Shock is a very powerful attack, but at the end of the day Kyurem is left with no item and a wasted moveslot. Life Orb Kyurem is able to hit extremely hard, and due to it's ability Teravolt it is able to counter Mega Venusaur, who can be a real issue for Mega Altaria. I also recommend a mixed attacker set, utilizing it's fantastic special movepool to hit most Pokemon in the tier.

Focus Sash/Life Orb

> Choice Scarf

Gengar is a pretty cool Pokemon in OU, being able to hit very hard with strong STAB moves like Shadow Ball and Sludge Wave. Choice Scarf can be useful, outspeeding Pokemon like Lati@s and Alakazam. However, being locked into either Shadow Ball or Sludge Wave allows Pokemon like Mega Lopunny and/or any Steel-Type to switch in for free (depending on the move you use), and force you out, allowing them to get off a free attack or set up hazards. A Focus Sash allows you to accurately check set-up sweepers, getting off either a strong attack or a Destiny Bond before they take your out the second turn. In turn, a Life Orb allows Gengar to hit even harder and take an even more offensive role on your team.

Scarf

> Offensive

Choice Scarf Excadrill is a great Pokemon for your team, especially due to the fact it can spin away hazards that bug both Altaria and Kyurem. Excadrill is also able to hit CM Clefable very hard with Iron Head, and can use Earthquake to hit other Excadrills out of sand and other threats to your team. Offensive Mew is a cool idea, but it is usually used as a more utility role because of it's lackluster attacking stats.

AV

> Defensive

Due to the offensive nature of your team, I believe that Tornadus-T will act as a better Pivott for your team. With Regenerator, Tornadus-T is able to take hits and pivot out while healing itself. Tornadus-T also has a more offensive prowess than Rotom of your team, and also can use a huge movepool to cover a lot of threats to your team, like Talonflame and Gengar.

Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 128 HP / 128 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Skill Swap / Knock Off
- Explosion

Kyurem-Black @ Life Orb
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 24 Atk / 232 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Ice Beam
- Dragon Claw
- Earth Power
- Fusion Bolt

Gengar @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Taunt / Focus Blast
- Destiny Bond

Excadrill @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin

Tornadus-Therian (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 88 HP / 32 Atk / 136 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave / Superpower
- Knock Off
- U-turn

YIMH · Sep 5, 2016

Cool team. I really like how you use uncommon sets for the suprise factor.
Just a question, how do you feel about hazards removal vs the team? Surely a Lati@s Defog just undoes the whole reason you suicided Skarm. What do you generally do about this?
What would you do to punish the defog?
Not criticising, just bad at the game and honestly wondering.

Marcelloc2 · Sep 6, 2016

YIMH said:
Cool team. I really like how you use uncommon sets for the suprise factor.
Just a question, how do you feel about hazards removal vs the team? Surely a Lati@s Defog just undoes the whole reason you suicided Skarm. What do you generally do about this?
What would you do to punish the defog?
Not criticising, just bad at the game and honestly wondering.

It depens on the situation.
For instance, if the player leads rotom and volt switches on your skarm bringing latias, just taunt with custap berry.
If you see Lati on the opposing team, they will most likely try to bring it on Rotom even if he/she has a ground type, so you volt switch and bring gengar. Vswitch + shadow ball should beat Lati.
If they manage to get Lati v. Mew, you need to see what is best for you: ice beam for good damage or go straight Altaria and set up, which is often the better play.

Marcelloc2 · Sep 6, 2016

Millionsunz said:
Hey Marcelloc2 this is a pretty cool team, but I do have some changes to suggest :)

I like your Mega Altaria set, and I like how you have Fire Blast to hit Steel-Types that like to switch into Altaria, so no changes there :)

Lead

> Custap

For HO teams, Azelf is usually the most commonly seen SR setter. Azelf has a great Speed tier and has access to Explosion, allowing it to deal tons of damage as well as giving a free switch-in. While more limited in hazard setting, Azelf is able to set up hazards on Magic Bounce users, utilizing Skill Swap to change out an opponents Magic Bounce.

Life Orb

> Power Herb

Power Herb Kyurem sounds like a cool idea, due to the fact that Freeze Shock is a very powerful attack, but at the end of the day Kyurem is left with no item and a wasted moveslot. Life Orb Kyurem is able to hit extremely hard, and due to it's ability Teravolt it is able to counter Mega Venusaur, who can be a real issue for Mega Altaria. I also recommend a mixed attacker set, utilizing it's fantastic special movepool to hit most Pokemon in the tier.

Focus Sash/Life Orb

> Choice Scarf

Gengar is a pretty cool Pokemon in OU, being able to hit very hard with strong STAB moves like Shadow Ball and Sludge Wave. Choice Scarf can be useful, outspeeding Pokemon like Lati@s and Alakazam. However, being locked into either Shadow Ball or Sludge Wave allows Pokemon like Mega Lopunny and/or any Steel-Type to switch in for free (depending on the move you use), and force you out, allowing them to get off a free attack or set up hazards. A Focus Sash allows you to accurately check set-up sweepers, getting off either a strong attack or a Destiny Bond before they take your out the second turn. In turn, a Life Orb allows Gengar to hit even harder and take an even more offensive role on your team.

Scarf

> Offensive

Choice Scarf Excadrill is a great Pokemon for your team, especially due to the fact it can spin away hazards that bug both Altaria and Kyurem. Excadrill is also able to hit CM Clefable very hard with Iron Head, and can use Earthquake to hit other Excadrills out of sand and other threats to your team. Offensive Mew is a cool idea, but it is usually used as a more utility role because of it's lackluster attacking stats.

AV

> Defensive

Due to the offensive nature of your team, I believe that Tornadus-T will act as a better Pivott for your team. With Regenerator, Tornadus-T is able to take hits and pivot out while healing itself. Tornadus-T also has a more offensive prowess than Rotom of your team, and also can use a huge movepool to cover a lot of threats to your team, like Talonflame and Gengar.

Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 128 HP / 128 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Skill Swap / Knock Off
- Explosion

Kyurem-Black @ Life Orb
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 24 Atk / 232 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Ice Beam
- Dragon Claw
- Earth Power
- Fusion Bolt

Gengar @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Taunt / Focus Blast
- Destiny Bond

Excadrill @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin

Tornadus-Therian (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 88 HP / 32 Atk / 136 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave / Superpower
- Knock Off
- U-turn

I think with those changes I'll need to play absolutely perfectly every time I face Talonflame. Only driller as a check that needs to handle rocks and can easily get burnt is way too little (HO is not suppose to be handling rocks, but it happens). And that team just loses to Bisharp. If that team faces that 3 sash breloom-bisharp-chomper team (with diancie, starmie and talon, I think that's what they like to run), it loses 100% of the time.

Not to mention Lopunny, being able to beat 5/6 of these mons with fake out (and driller is obviously not a switch in). I believe speed control is absolutely neessary vs. Lopunny.

Millionsunz · Sep 6, 2016

Marcelloc2 said:
I think with those changes I'll need to play absolutely perfectly every time I face Talonflame. Only driller as a check that needs to handle rocks and can easily get burnt is way too little (HO is not suppose to be handling rocks, but it happens). And that team just loses to Bisharp. If that team faces that 3 sash breloom-bisharp-chomper team (with diancie, starmie and talon, I think that's what they like to run), it loses 100% of the time.

Not to mention Lopunny, being able to beat 5/6 of these mons with fake out (and driller is obviously not a switch in). I believe speed control is absolutely neessary vs. Lopunny.

The team doesn't lose to Bisharp, with Sash Gengar being able to Destiny Bond and Scarf Excadrill being able to OHKO with an Earthquake. Your original team was also super weak to Bisharp, and I like to make the least amount of Pokemon changes as possible.

As for Lopunny, your Mega Altaria can handle it decently, being able to take both a Fake Out and a Return, and OHKOing back with Frustration. Scarf Excadrill is also able to do up to 76% to Mega Lopunny, allowing you to check, not counter it.

As for Talonflame, you have your Azelf/Skarm to set up hazards and Sash Gengar to deal with it, taking a hit then KOing with Shadow Ball. Drill is also not easily burnt by Stall Talonflame, outspeeding it outside of Gale Wings does, which don't OHKO it.

No team is going to have absolutely no weaknesses, so I try to mitigate the ones you had originally: Gengar, Talonflame, Mega Metagross, Zard X and Zard Y, Clefable, Scizor, and Excadrill. In the process of mitigating those weaknesses, others do pop up, which I try to compensate for.

Marcelloc2 · Sep 6, 2016

Millionsunz said:
The team doesn't lose to Bisharp, with Sash Gengar being able to Destiny Bond and Scarf Excadrill being able to OHKO with an Earthquake. Your original team was also super weak to Bisharp, and I like to make the least amount of Pokemon changes as possible.

As for Lopunny, your Mega Altaria can handle it decently, being able to take both a Fake Out and a Return, and OHKOing back with Frustration. Scarf Excadrill is also able to do up to 76% to Mega Lopunny, allowing you to check, not counter it.

As for Talonflame, you have your Azelf/Skarm to set up hazards and Sash Gengar to deal with it, taking a hit then KOing with Shadow Ball. Drill is also not easily burnt by Stall Talonflame, outspeeding it outside of Gale Wings does, which don' OHKO it.

No team is going to have absolutely no weaknesses, so I try to mitigate the ones you had originally: Gengar, Talonflame, Mega Metagross, Zard X and Zard Y, Clefable, Scizor, and Excadrill. In the process of mitigating those weaknesses, others do pop up, which I try to compensate for.

+2 252 Atk Bisharp Sucker Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Excadrill: 384-453 (106.3 - 125.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO

That's no life orb jolly bisharp, whereas my Mew set not only has a 70% chance to 1hko bisharp without rocks (and 100% with rocks), but also lures it.

Let's imagine I lead Azelf v. Sash bisharp. Turn 1 it knocks off as I SR, turn 2 sucker. Then I bring KyuB, which can 1hko with earth power. bisharp takes the hit and retaliates. Sucker to finish KyuB off. i bring Altaria. I cannot take the risk of trying to set up cause iron head hits way too hard. I take a sucker punch. that's 2 mons and a little (~20%) just to a bisharp.
I could try going gengar turn 2, but that's just going for 50/50.

Another scenario: I lead Azelf v. Diancie. I skill swap turn 1 while the opponent attacks. I then go for rocks and get killed. Now I have a Diancie with levitate to face, and the only thing that can revenge is driller. I go for driller and I need to iron hean, cause levitate. Diancie scouts. Now it can easily go for Magnezone, which is really common, or a defogger or even stay in predicting the double.

Again, 3 sash team destroys it and I face it more often than not.
And Lopunny+Talon is an even more common thing to face.

All things considered, it is really hard for me to agree with those changes you suggest.