Resource ORAS OU Sample Teams

[RufflesPro]

Art by sleepyzen

Hello! With SPL finishing up, we have decided to update the ORAS sample teams to reflect popular playstyles and archetypes of the current metagame. We provide these teams to be used for beginners to learn the metagame, for aspiring ORAS players in the upcoming year, and for builders to gain more insight on the meta. Thank you for everyone who helped us in making this.

We selected 25 teams to be the new face of ORAS. These teams were picked based on consistency, viability, and accessibility to newer faces. Another factor we considered was attempting to involve a wide variety of Megas and teamstyles to showcase how diverse ORAS has become. Of course, super viable megas like Alakazam or Metagross are showcased multiple times. One more thing we tried to do this time is to try and include multiple ORAS builders to show appreciation for the builders of our community!

Click on the Pokemon for the paste! In the paste there is a brief description for the team.

Hyper Offense
Gyarados Screens HO - - By Sylvi
Alakazam Double Taunt HO - - By Sylvi, London Beats
Tyranitar Sand HO - - By RufflesPro
Diancie Cresselia HO - - By Niko
Charizard X Cresselia HO - - By BluBirD, Niko

Offense
Gardevoir Volcarona Offense - - By xray
Gyarados Cresselia Offense - - By Metallica126
Charizard Y Weavile Offense - - By xray
Metagross Sand Offense - - By CrashinBoomBang
Medicham VoltTurn - - By Vileman

Bulky Offense
Manectric Spikes BO - - By Garay oak
Alakazam Bisharp BO - - By RufflesPro, xray
Metagross Weavile BO - - By xray, RufflesPro
Gallade Crawdaunt BO - - By RufflesPro
Metagross Volcanion BO - - By Savouras

Balanced
Scizor Balanced - - By RufflesPro
Diancie Sand - - By MANNAT
Latias Spikes - - By ABR, fade
Alakazam Spikes - - By fade
Lopunny Kyurem Cresselia Balanced - - By Santu, Will of Fire, LittleBigPlanet2

Semi-stall / Stall
Lopunny Cofagrgius Semi-Stall - - By fade
Venusaur Weavile Semi-Stall - - By LittleBigPlanet2, Will of Fire
Venusaur Magnezone Stall - - kumiko, ABR, MANNAT
Altaria Magnezone Stall - - Trosko, ABR, Santu
Scizor Gastrodon Stall - - By Ciele + Italians

​

Previous Samples
2023 and older sample teams can be found here.

 

[Alpha1013]

Here’s a breakdown of 5 playstyles aimed at helping newer players understand what terms like HO or BO actually mean and how the different playstyles vary from one another.

Hyper Offense [HO]

Hyper Offense (HO) is a playstyle focused on keeping the opponent under constant offensive pressure.An HO team typically consists of:

1. A dedicated suicide lead:- Its main role is to set up hazards (like Stealth Rock, Spikes, or Sticky Web) and, if possible, prevent the opponent from doing the same. Examples include , , , etc.

2. Setup sweepers:- Pokémon with boosting moves such as Dragon Dance, Swords Dance, or Nasty Plot, aiming to quickly snowball through teams. Examples include , , etc.

3. Hazard Control : A way to prevent hazards by means of using ability like magic bounce or moves like taunt and removing hazards with the help of a spinner or using defog, example etc.

However, this playstyle often struggles against Stall or Bulky Offense (BO) teams without the right tech or coverage moves.

Offense

Offense is a playstyle that focuses on keeping up offensive pressure and maintaining momentum, even if it means sacrificing some defense. It typically features sweepers, wallbreakers, and fast-paced Pokémon that aim to keep the opponent on the backfoot.

Unlike HO, standard offense teams still pack a few defensive mons that can take hits, but the overall approach is still aggressive. Offensive teams can struggle against bulky or stall teams if they lose momentum or fail to position properly.

Without the right coverage or pivots, it gets tough to break through defensive cores.

Bulky Offense

Bulky Offense (BO) is a playstyle that focuses on gradually wearing down the opponent while keeping up solid offensive pressure. Unlike Hyper Offense, which goes all-out with fast sweepers, BO takes a more balanced approach. It mixes hard-hitting Pokémon with decent bulk, allowing them to soak up hits and hit back just as hard.

BO teams usually have a mix of wallbreakers and pivots , along with support from hazard setters or status spreaders . The idea is to chip away at the opponent’s team over time, making it easier for your late-game threats to clean up. Moves like U-turn or Volt Switch help keep momentum, while bulky attackers stick around long enough to keep dishing out damage.

It’s a playstyle that rewards smart positioning and steady pressure, aiming to outlast and outmuscle the opponent rather than just overwhelming them from the start.

Stall & Semi Stall

Stall refers to a defensive playstyle which involves hazard stacking, status spreading and longevity to slowly wear down the opponent. It involves the use of pokemon with good bulk which are able to take hits and capable of using recovery moves example ,

It includes hazard spreaders and absorbers , passive damage and healing support to outlast opponents team. Stall teams can be shutdown by the use of taunt, trick or encore or by the use of wall breakers which have the potential to break past such builds. Playing stall usually involves patience and proper positioning.

Semi-stall is another variant of stall which has the defensive backbone along with the offensive power of certain mons. The main intention of semi-stall teams is to still stall but late game cleaners can make the job easier by applying some offensive pressure after the the opponent teams pokemon have been weakened.

 

[Bored Pikachu]

Huge shoutout to all the builders, especially RufflesPro, for putting together this incredible sample team. Good teams don’t just happen—they take time, effort, and a deep understanding of the meta. Your work makes the tier more accessible for everyone, and we appreciate it.

ORAS OU is easily the most versatile and enjoyable tier. Every playstyle works—offense, balance, stall—you name it. No single strategy dominates, which keeps the game fresh and rewarding for players of all styles. The mix of Mega Evolutions, strong but balanced threats, and solid mechanics makes ORAS a timeless competitive format.

Once again, big thanks to RufflesPro and all the builders for making ORAS OU such a great experience!

 

[rubycandy]

Huge shoutout to all the builders, especially RufflesPro, for putting together this incredible sample team. Good teams don’t just happen—they take time, effort, and a deep understanding of the meta. Your work makes the tier more accessible for everyone, and we appreciate it.

ORAS OU is easily the most versatile and enjoyable tier. Every playstyle works—offense, balance, stall—you name it. No single strategy dominates, which keeps the game fresh and rewarding for players of all styles. The mix of Mega Evolutions, strong but balanced threats, and solid mechanics makes ORAS a timeless competitive format.

Once again, big thanks to RufflesPro and all the builders for making ORAS OU such a great experience!

Agree. Big ups

 

[GOATED im_m0rtal.]

The art is insane too

 

[Po1son]

Having information on how the team works helps so much. Great stuff