SM OU Infernape Balanced Team

Synthetic Frost

Synthetic Frost

Okay, so this is my main "balance" team that's on my real Pokemon 3DS cart, and it's slowly evolved from generation to generation. Originally it was Charizard, Scyther, Starmie, Zapdos, Sandslash, and Gengar.

Obviously it's evolved a lot over the years. Charizard was replaced by Infernape, Zapdos was replaced by Rotom-Wash, and Sandslash was replaced by Hippowdon. That team lasted all the way from Gen 4 through 6, and served me incredibly well. But since coming back to Gen 7 in preperation for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, I've decided to look into updating the team once again. In my most recent changes for SM, Starmie was replaced by Greninja, which brought back Zapdos as a defogger since Starmie just isn't fast or powerful enough as an offensive water type in the new meta. The loss of Rotom-Wash does hurt a little, as I literally only have a single water type left on the team that isn't anywhere near as bulky, but after testing this new team in Pokemon Showdown for a while, it really hasn't been that big of a problem. Without further adieu, The team:





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Infernape (M) @ Firium Z
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 180 Atk / 76 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Overheat
- Close Combat
- Thunder Punch
- Mach Punch

My favorite pokemon. I know that on paper, Infernape is only viable as a niche choice scarf set, but I'm pretty set on keeping him in my team, and trust me when I say that I've used this set competitively to very good effect. As a mixed set, he's not a one trick pony anymore, and Inferno Overdrive boosted by Overheat's base power adds some serious punch with none of the usual drawbacks Overheat has, at least on the first turn. I've OHKO a lot of neutral pokemon after Stealth Rocks that would otherwise give my team a hard time without it. Mach Punch has killed more unsuspecting Greninjas than I care to count.

Scizor-Mega (M) @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Bug Bite
- Swords Dance
- Roost

My wallbreaker and clean up sweeper. After all the physical tanks and fire types are gone, I set him up and sweep. Pretty bog standard set.

Greninja-Ash @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Ice Beam
- Water Shuriken

Truth be told, I'm not entirely sold on Greninja yet. I typically don't like to play hyper offensively, so my Starmie fit my play style much better. But over the last generation or two, his use as a bulky rapid spinner just wasn't doing very well anymore. Originally I was attracted to Greninja for Protean, but since SM, I've been using Ash-Greninja. He's fine and all. He does perfectly well carrying his weight on the team. I just miss having a water type that could take a hit.


Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 240 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Defog
- Roost

Mostly Zapdos is on my team as a check for opposing Scizors, grass types, and to keep stealth rocks at bay. He's a decent tank for attacks like Earthquake or Hydro Pump aimed at Infernape or Hippowdon, but I kinda miss having Rotom-Wash's Will-o-Wisp.

Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off

My physical tank and rock setter. I've switched him out for a more offensive Garchomp from time to time, but I always come back to Hippowdon at the end of the day. Pretty standard set. He's been with me since Gen 4 and hasn't failed me yet.

Sylveon (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Return
- Curse
- Heal Bell
- Wish

My obligatory fairy type, cleric, and special tank. This role was filled by Umbreon for a very long time, but eventually Fighting types became prominent enough to where I felt a switch was in order. Sylveon stepped in as a very nice dragon repeller, since Starmie/Greninja were really the only members of my team that could check them until now. With the move towards a frailer team overall, I've opted to change the usual "Hyper Voice/Protect/Wish" set for a more physically defensive set with Curse. So far it's worked wonderfully.

That's my team. Any suggestions on how to improve it?
 
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One of my only comments to your team is that I'm a bit scepticle about running return/curse on your sylveon. Sylveon has a base attack of 65 and this means that it takes a lot of setting up in order to achieve a Pokémon with a good attack stat. As well as this, ferrothorns are very prominent in the meta and it completely walls sylveon with iron barbs and gyro ball. Of course this means you can switch but a good opponent will be able to read your switch and counter play it. May I suggest a sylveon that will still be offensive but on the special side. Change curse and return for calm mind and hyper voice and swap the 4 attack EVs into 4 spt EVs. Since sylveon already has high stats being 110 and 130 in SPT and AT respectively. This set can make your sylveon a special wall and it will be able to output a large amount of damage.

Ash greninja with a choice scarf is also a change which you might want to make. Greninja already has an absurd amount of speed and it might be worth changing it into a choice specs for extra damage.

This is not another change but just be weary of magnezones on ur scizor as they will be able to trap you and spam hp fire without u being able to do anything. You could try using superpower instead of another move. Most likely bug bite but again this is optional and it should only be done if you encounter a large number of magnezones

All of this is completely optional though and this is my first ever rate so sorry if the layout if wrong and it sounds like I'm talking absolute trash.
 
Cool team. The nape set is pretty interesting; however, one thing is that I would recommend running uturn over thunder punch. It'll allow you to grab momentum when you force switches. I would make scizor knock off over bug bite, as it will allow you to break through toxapex more easily, which is something your team struggles with. Scarf ash gren isn't really a set I've seen. It can be useful, but isn't really needed enough to actually run the set. I would recommend making it specs over scarf. Hippowdon is one of my favorite mons as well, but I'd recommend swapping it out for landorus. Changing it for a defensive landorus with rocks is something I feel could be really beneficial to your team. It would give you another solid fighting resist as well as more uturn momentum available. Lando is a great mon and one of the best in ou. If you want to use a fairy type, I would recommend clefable. It's an excellent choice as a bulky mon, as well as having a good calm mind set. Sylveon isn't really good in OU, as well as the fact that that set isn't one that really capitalizes on sylveon's viability in lower tiers. Hope I helped; if you have any further questions, just shoot me a pm.
 
Synthetic Frost , Im going run this team but how has it been going for you? If you made any changes please let me know
 
The only suggestion that I have beside changing Infernape and Hippowdon itself is regarding your Sylveon. You see, Sylveon as a tank isn’t the best choice, with Clefable suiting the role better. Sylveon also has a horrible Defense, that makes it a bad choice for a Physically Defensive set. Nice idea, all the same!

Edit: Just saw JoshDaGamingPro ‘s comment, and I have to say I agree with him. Sylveon I s far better suited to be a Special Attacker/Wall than a more Physically oriented ’mon. Interestingly, I created a team based around Sylveon, and Reisuke had a very good idea for a Specially Attacking set for Sylveon. If you would like that, just leave a note on my profile :)
 
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