ORAS OU Serperior Tactics

[da gold sun]

Replace Frenzy Plant with Leaf Storm, and this is basically what the ladder is going to look like soon.

Anyway, with the release of Contrary Serperior, I really wanted to try a team centering around it. Serperior can crush through most defensive cores after a +2 from one Leaf Storm, but because it gets lackluster coverage, it needs some help before it can really go to town. This involves getting rid of Heatran, saving myself from bird spam, and getting Serperior in safely. Fortunately, I have just the team to do that.

Serperior @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 24 Def / 252 SpA / 232 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dragon Pulse
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Giga Drain

232 Speed EVs is enough to outpace positive base 110's; unless there is a reason I need to run more (outspeeding certain threats at +1), let me know. The rest is in defense to make me less vulnerable to physical priority. I am running HP Fire to muscle through other grass types and steel types which otherwise wall me. It gets better overall coverage than HP Ground, and I have many answers to Heatran. Dragon Pulse is for Lati@s and other dragons that otherwise wall this set, and Giga Drain is useful for recovering Life Orb recoil. Without Substitute, I am a little vulnerable to status, however. Giga Drain helps me drain-tank my way through poison and burn.

Talonflame @ Apicot Berry
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 88 HP / 252 Atk / 168 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Natural Gift
- Brave Bird
- Swords Dance
- Flare Blitz
This set was suggested by user DarkBlazeR in CTC's team building thread. Originally, this was Dugtrio, but I found Dugtrio to be less than optimal. While it was good at trapping Heatran and something like Klefki, it really didn't do much else. Apicot Berry Talonflame not only gives me a Heatran lure, it also gives me a second win condition should Serperior fail or vice-versa. Swords Dance lets me kamikaze through defensive threats mid/late game, allowing for Mega-Manectric or Serperior to come clean up.

Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- U-turn

Bawg stndrd. I honestly am not a fan of using this thing, but there's a reason he's top-tier, even in OU. Stealth Rock helps wear down the enemy, Knock Off is for whittling down walls while removing Leftovers or Evolities, and U-Turn is to form a Volt-Turn core with Mega-Manectric. Serperior and Talonflame appreciate getting in safely, and Landorus allows for that.

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 60 SpD / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Lava Plume
- Taunt
- Toxic
- Substitute

This set is a mix between the offensive and defensive sets. 200 Speed puts me at 264, 2 speed above Jolly base 70's like Breloom and Bisharp. Why is this important? This team is rather weak to Bisharp, especially with 2 intimidate users. If Heatran can get a Substitute off, it means that I can read what Bisharp wants to do if I'm weakened. It also lets me outspeed Breloom and I can Substitute on the Spore. Both Pokemon commonly carry moves that can decimate Heatran, such as Low Kick on Bisharp, and a quick Substitute helps me scout them. Roar is to phaze/spread rock damage, Toxic is for walls I can't otherwise hit, and Lava Plume is for the burn chance and ability to OHKO Bisharp and Breloom without investment. These pokemon don't normally stay in on Heatran, but with a team this weak to priority, Heatran is a must. He also resists everything Serperior is weak to. Added Taunt > Roar to help me deal with Chansey and other stall Pokemon.

Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 32 Def / 224 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Reflect Type

Defiant users murder this team, so Defog seemed too scary. Of course, the one rapid spinner with good type synergy (other than weakness to both of the most common carriers of Defiant, Thunderus and Bisharp) is Starmie. Starmie has seem the least use on this team and probably can be replaced. Reflect Type Starmie has been rightfully suggested in order to deal with my massive Bisharp weakness. Yes, I lose coverage against the likes of Keldeo but half my team at least checks it regardless.

Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 6 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Flamethrower

Normally, the focus of a team is your Mega-Evolution. Since that is not that case, we're given freedom to decide which mega to use. Manectric fills in a Volt-Turn core with Landorus-T, makes bird spam think twice about coming in, and also breaks open holes for Serperior to slither through. It's also my best answer to Thundurus-I, who can spread paralysis/spam its two moves on the vast majority of the team. Bulky Water/Grounds love to come in on this, so predicting the switch allows Serperior to come in for free.

So, there's the team. As usual, I'm completely open to suggestions for replacements (minus Serperior, of course).

Weaknesses:
- Rain. The only answer I have to Mega-Swampert rain is...Serperior, who can barely survive an Ice Punch after Stealth Rock. I can OHKO back, but at what cost? Kingdra runs the team down afterwards.
- Greninja. As fun as he is to play, he's broken. Hopefully he will be banned. RIP
- Defiant users. Cores involving Bisharp or Thundurus can wear down most, if not all, of my defensive core and make it difficult to get my sweepers in safely.
- Mega-Gyarados. I can't let it set up, and if I do, Talonflame isn't going to be enough. I have to be very careful about switching my Intimidate users in. This is the one set-upper I'm worried about using Heatran for; he can't survive to phaze it out.

Celebrating 1,001 posts on my favorite Pokemon website!

 

[Sablenite]

Good Team, Change Manetric's original ability to static, so you are not walled by trace users.

 

[Albacore]

Bisharp is definitely the biggest threat to your team, you don't really have a proper answer to it especially since Talonflame lacks Roost and therefore can't check it as reliably. Ice Punch Mega-Lopunny also looks scary for you to handle since it can deal tons of damage to Landorus-T, your best Lopunny check. You could try out Hippowdon over Landorus-T. It gives you a better answer to these 2 threats, as well as Defiant Thundurus which you mentioned as being kinda tough to handle. You also gain a Sand inducer which may help you against opposing Sand teams which you mentioned having trouble with. However, you lose out on the utility of U-Turn and of Knock Off.

I would run Taunt over Roar on Heatran. Taunt does two things, firstly, it enables you to stall out opposing Heatran that lack Earth Power (this is pretty key since Heatran is a full stop to Serperior). Secondly, it enables you to actually beat Clefable 1v1 as opposed to phazing it out. Thirdly, it puts pressure on Chansey by stopping it from recovering or healing itself from status. This last one is kinda important since your team is a bit weak to Chansey and Taunt gives you a better way to handle it.

Finally, you could run Reflect Type on Starmie. This lets it stall out Ferrothorn and beat Bisharp 1v1. However, this prevents it from beating Sub CM Keldeo. I don't think this is too much of a problem though, since Mega-Manectric, Talonflame and Serperior all check Sub CM Keldeo so you aren't too weak to it. Also, and this is just a nitpick, but you don't need this much speed on Starmie, is enough to outspeed Thundurus which is the fastest relevant thing you outspeed besides opposing Serperior which you can't really touch anyway

sets

Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Toxic

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 60 SpD / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Lava Plume
- Taunt
- Toxic
- Substitute

Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 32 Def / 224 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Reflect Type

Hope this helps!

 

[Shadow_Sneak]

Hey da gold sun cool team using contrary serp. I have one quick suggestion on Serp. You might want to run glare/taunt over giga drain. Serp is most matches I have seen doesn't really need giga drain as it usually lives to get off 3-5 attacks per game. Glare can help cripple some of the faster threats such as mega lopunny, beedrill, , Sceptile. Taunt can help vs setup sweepers but usually glare is the better choice.

 

[da gold sun]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll try the new Heatran and Starmie sets for sure. I'm really not worried about Keldeo because half my team checks it as it is. I'm a bit skeptical on Hippowdon because it doesn't really fit my personal playstyle (I'm bad at using defensive pokemon, which is why I stick to offensive playstyles), and losing U-Turn/Knock Off wont' feel good. That, and it really limits the survival of my sweepers who are already taking recoil and have no reliable recovery.

I've edited the OP with the changes I'm currently testing since I agree with them the most. If they work out, I'll test Hippowdon and another move on Serperior next.

The poll is going pretty much as I expected. Serperior is about C rank right now, though some are considering it B- if you look at the OU viability thread. It has only been out for a few days. I think B- is fitting for it: it isn't broken and definitely can be played around, but if your team doesn't pack a grass resist like it should (Mega-Sceptile, Celebi, etc), it will run you through.

EDIT: Another option over Landorus is Gliscor. Still threatens Bisharp with STAB EQ but without giving him a +1, can U-Turn/Knock Off (probably will have to choose one or the other), set up rocks, AND can soak up status with Poison Heal. Thoughts?

 

[AD impish john]

Yeah Serperior might be a replacement for mega-sceptile so they can have a different mega *cough* sorry i got to rate the team not rank serperior. Bisharp is your MAJOR weakness but i recommend replacing starmie with keldeo to counter it (or check it whatever you call it). Your problem is that you need a rapid spinner or defoger for talonflame. Heatran doesn't have a purpose besides scaring breloom and bisharp so replace it with latias as it is defensive and can take a hit. Latias moveset would be Draco meteor psyshock defog and healing wish a standard set. Defog removes rocks while healing wish sacrifices latias to heal a pokemon to full health; draco and psy are attacking moves that are STAB. Hope I helped.