SS OU My team, featuring Hydreigon

[TheRealEGR]

Hi, although this is not my first competitive team, is the first for OU, and for that ocasion I wanted to use Hydreigon now that he rose to OU in Gen 8.

Hydreigon (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Earth Power
- Nasty Plot
- Roost

Clearly, the star of the show (and the reason is shiny). This set is rather simple, Draco Meteor for obvious STAB, Earth Power for coverage, Nasty Plot for boost his SpA, and Roost for reliable recovery. I used that spread distribution to outsped more mons, and Life Orb for getting a significant boost without too many drawbacks.

Excadrill (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rapid Spin
- Rock Slide
I always wanted a Rapid Spinner rather than a Deffoger to deal with the annoying Stealth Rock because it isn't threathen by Taunt. The reason I used Scarf Excadrill was because I wanted to spin first before anyting threatens to make serious damage on it.

Volcarona (M) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Bug Buzz
- Fiery Dance
- Giga Drain
- Quiver Dance
If Hydreigon gots KOed, this is like the Plan B. The stat spread and object item is obvious why I chose it, and I chose to run it with Giga Drain for coverage and sort of recovery.

Clefable (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Moonblast
- Soft-Boiled
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
This is made for support the Hydreigon/Volcarona sweep with Moonblast for obvious STAB, Soft-Boiled for recovery, Stealth Rock if anyone removes Landorus's SR or it fails to put it, and Knock Off to remove those HDB/Leftovers/Choice Items from the opponents.

Urshifu-Rapid-Strike @ Choice Band
Ability: Unseen Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Surging Strikes
- Close Combat
- Aqua Jet
- U-turn
Hydreigon and Volcarona were special sweepers, so I put CB Urshifu as a physical sweeper. Surging Strikes is obvious STAB, the same for CC, Aqua Jet for strong priority and U-Turn for momentum and also a bit of coverage.

Landorus-Therian (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
This is gonna be my main Stealth Rocker. I'm going with Scarf Landorus-T (yeah, two Scarf mons) to ensure the rocks are into the opponent's battlefield. Earthquake is obvious STAB, U-Turn is for momentum, and KOff is for removing items to the opponent.

The way I play with this team is simple, start with Landorus/Clefable (depending of the opposing leader), set the SR, switch, and start sweeping with Hydreigon/Volcarona/Urshifu.

 

[redwyvern]

Hello. This is not a bad team. However I would like to recommend a few changes.

My biggest recommendation is:

Landorus-T -> Slowking
This will provide a SpD wall and pivot. The closest thing you have to a wall right now is Clefable, but sometimes clef is pretty lacking in terms of walling potential. Don't freak out about losing your main stealth rock setter--your opponent knocking out your stealth rock is not an immediate wincon for them especially with powerful sweepers like Volcarona and Hydreigon. Slowking and Clefable will form a utility core and cover each other's weaknesses. Future Sight will also give you a huge boost with sweeping as a pivot, as well as scald to cripple opposing physical sweepers with burn. It can bait in Kartana this way, which will otherwise counter Hydreigon.

Some smaller ones:


Choice Scarf -> Leftovers
Excadrill's set would probably not benefit much from choice scarf. Having to immediately switch off of him after using rapid spin would leave you open to a lot of hurt. Instead, I would recommend leftovers to give him longevity as your only hazard removal. This way, he can stay alive longer in case your opponent re-sets hazards. I was a bit iffy of his moves at first because toxic seemed like a good choice for your team to bust down walls, and it may very well be if you don't find yourself using rock slide often. However rock slide can serve as a good zapdos/dragonite counter, so it really depends.


Fiery Dance -> Flamethrower
The exact same move but flamethrower has 10 more atk power.
just kidding!


Aqua Jet -> Thunder Punch
Bait in Corviknight (without Brave Bird) and Toxapex to hit them where it hurts. Your team is lacking in any electric coverage, and we can change this now that we have slowking's scald coverage.

Good luck!

 

[Comemon]

Hello. This is not a bad team. However I would like to recommend a few changes.

My biggest recommendation is:

Landorus-T -> Slowking
This will provide a SpD wall and pivot. The closest thing you have to a wall right now is Clefable, but sometimes clef is pretty lacking in terms of walling potential. Don't freak out about losing your main stealth rock setter--your opponent knocking out your stealth rock is not an immediate wincon for them especially with powerful sweepers like Volcarona and Hydreigon. Slowking and Clefable will form a utility core and cover each other's weaknesses. Future Sight will also give you a huge boost with sweeping as a pivot, as well as scald to cripple opposing physical sweepers with burn. It can bait in Kartana this way, which will otherwise counter Hydreigon.

Some smaller ones:


Choice Scarf -> Leftovers
Excadrill's set would probably not benefit much from choice scarf. Having to immediately switch off of him after using rapid spin would leave you open to a lot of hurt. Instead, I would recommend leftovers to give him longevity as your only hazard removal. This way, he can stay alive longer in case your opponent re-sets hazards. I was a bit iffy of his moves at first because toxic seemed like a good choice for your team to bust down walls, and it may very well be if you don't find yourself using rock slide often. However rock slide can serve as a good zapdos/dragonite counter, so it really depends.


Fiery Dance -> Flamethrower
The exact same move but flamethrower has 10 more atk power.


Aqua Jet -> Thunder Punch
Bait in Corviknight (without Brave Bird) and Toxapex to hit them where it hurts. Your team is lacking in any electric coverage, and we can change this now that we have slowking's scald coverage.

Good luck!

Fiery Dance has a 50% chance to raise the users special attack, making it a much better option for volc.

 

[redwyvern]

Fiery Dance has a 50% chance to raise the users special attack, making it a much better option for volc.

My bad. I always run flamethrower so I had no idea. Politely ignore that then

 

[HISELOISOVER9000]

Fiery Dance has a 50% chance to raise the users special attack, making it a much better option for volc.

I would disagree, it’s mostly preference but it’s not much better imo. Fiery dance definitely gives it more potential to snowball with not as much setups but I personally prefer flamethrower or fire blast for more dmg. Just preference ig.

 

[HISELOISOVER9000]

Hello. This is not a bad team. However I would like to recommend a few changes.

My biggest recommendation is:

Landorus-T -> Slowking
This will provide a SpD wall and pivot. The closest thing you have to a wall right now is Clefable, but sometimes clef is pretty lacking in terms of walling potential. Don't freak out about losing your main stealth rock setter--your opponent knocking out your stealth rock is not an immediate wincon for them especially with powerful sweepers like Volcarona and Hydreigon. Slowking and Clefable will form a utility core and cover each other's weaknesses. Future Sight will also give you a huge boost with sweeping as a pivot, as well as scald to cripple opposing physical sweepers with burn. It can bait in Kartana this way, which will otherwise counter Hydreigon.

Some smaller ones:


Choice Scarf -> Leftovers
Excadrill's set would probably not benefit much from choice scarf. Having to immediately switch off of him after using rapid spin would leave you open to a lot of hurt. Instead, I would recommend leftovers to give him longevity as your only hazard removal. This way, he can stay alive longer in case your opponent re-sets hazards. I was a bit iffy of his moves at first because toxic seemed like a good choice for your team to bust down walls, and it may very well be if you don't find yourself using rock slide often. However rock slide can serve as a good zapdos/dragonite counter, so it really depends.


Fiery Dance -> Flamethrower
The exact same move but flamethrower has 10 more atk power.
just kidding!


Aqua Jet -> Thunder Punch
Bait in Corviknight (without Brave Bird) and Toxapex to hit them where it hurts. Your team is lacking in any electric coverage, and we can change this now that we have slowking's scald coverage.

Good luck!

Since slowking is now on the team I think it would be better to keep aqua jet for killing volcarona since urshifu doesn’t need thunder punch for pex if he has fsight support. If you’re really struggling with corvi you could use it though

 

[TheRealEGR]

I didn't thought in Slowking for the team, but it sounds good. I also replace Excadrill's item for the Leftovers, but i still prefer Fiery Dance for Volcarona to boost more his SpA. Anyways, is this Slowking set good?

Slowking (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Future Sight
- Ice Beam
- Teleport

 

[TailGlowVM]

I didn't thought in Slowking for the team, but it sounds good. I also replace Excadrill's item for the Leftovers, but i still prefer Fiery Dance for Volcarona to boost more his SpA. Anyways, is this Slowking set good?

Slowking (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Future Sight
- Ice Beam
- Teleport

Use Heavy-Duty Boots over Leftovers, and Slack Off over Ice Beam, and you should be fine.

Also, I would strongly advise against using Thunder Punch on Urshifu, because Toxapex still has the bulk to be able to scout around, and Slowking and Tapu Fini lose in the long term anyway.

Flamethrower is preferred over Fiery Dance on Volcarona for the power, for example:

+1 252+ SpA Volcarona Flamethrower vs 252 HP / 252+ SpD Hippowdon: 220-259 (52.3 - 61.6%) - 97.7% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+1 252+ SpA Volcarona Fiery Dance vs 252 HP / 252+ SpD Hippowdon: 195-231 (46.4 - 55%) - 10.2% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

+1 252+ SpA Volcarona Flamethrower vs 0 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-T: 300-354 (94 - 110.9%) - 62.5% chance to OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Volcarona Fiery Dance vs 0 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-T: 267-315 (83.6 - 98.7%) - guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

Psychic is usually better than Giga Drain to hit Toxapex, which would otherwise completely wall you, and it also OHKOes Urshifu unboosted, unlike Giga Drain, and hits Dragapult a lot harder - all of which are a lot more common and relevant than Swampert or Gastrodon.

Finally, this team looks very slow if you scrapped both your Scarf Pokemon - while previous posters are right that Scarf Landorus-T and Excadrill are bad, I would suggest trying Tapu Koko, Dragapult, or Zeraora for speed control somewhere.

 

[TheRealEGR]

Use Heavy-Duty Boots over Leftovers, and Slack Off over Ice Beam, and you should be fine.

Also, I would strongly advise against using Thunder Punch on Urshifu, because Toxapex still has the bulk to be able to scout around, and Slowking and Tapu Fini lose in the long term anyway.

Flamethrower is preferred over Fiery Dance on Volcarona for the power, for example:

+1 252+ SpA Volcarona Flamethrower vs 252 HP / 252+ SpD Hippowdon: 220-259 (52.3 - 61.6%) - 97.7% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+1 252+ SpA Volcarona Fiery Dance vs 252 HP / 252+ SpD Hippowdon: 195-231 (46.4 - 55%) - 10.2% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

+1 252+ SpA Volcarona Flamethrower vs 0 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-T: 300-354 (94 - 110.9%) - 62.5% chance to OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Volcarona Fiery Dance vs 0 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-T: 267-315 (83.6 - 98.7%) - guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

Psychic is usually better than Giga Drain to hit Toxapex, which would otherwise completely wall you, and it also OHKOes Urshifu unboosted, unlike Giga Drain, and hits Dragapult a lot harder - all of which are a lot more common and relevant than Swampert or Gastrodon.

Finally, this team looks very slow if you scrapped both your Scarf Pokemon - while previous posters are right that Scarf Landorus-T and Excadrill are bad, I would suggest trying Tapu Koko, Dragapult, or Zeraora for speed control somewhere.

I already replaced Landorus-T with Slowking and is also now a Leftovers Excadrill, and, if everybody is saying to use Thunder Punch in Urshifu, I would use it. The problem is, if you are suggesting me speed control, how could I fit it into my team?

 

[TailGlowVM]

I already replaced Landorus-T with Slowking and is also now a Leftovers Excadrill, and, if everybody is saying to use Thunder Punch in Urshifu, I would use it. The problem is, if you are suggesting me speed control, how could I fit it into my team?

You could replace Hydreigon with Specs Dragapult, or Volcarona with Zeraora or Tapu Koko.

It is up to you, but here's why I don't like Thunder Punch Urshifu:

252 Atk Choice Band Urshifu-RS Thunder Punch vs 252 HP / 144+ Def Toxapex: 142-168 (46.7 - 55.2%) - 11.7% chance to 2HKO after Black Sludge recovery

That might look like a lot, but every serious team has a Ground-type for Toxapex to switch into and get free Regenerator recovery and lose momentum for your team. Aside from Future Sight, usually the best way for Urshifu to beat Pex is not to: click U-turn if you expect it to switch in and have something else to take advantage of it (which for your team would be Slowking or Excadrill).