Introduction:
Hi again all! In the past, I have made various weather teams and employed several strategies. My most recent RMT was a Mega Gallade team, which had some great success behind it. This one also focuses on employing a Mega Pokemon to it's maximum effect: Mega Beedrill. Before ORAS, there was little if any reason to put a Beedrill on your team. Now, with a Mega Evolution, Beedrill is the premier glass cannon with one of the most powerful U-Turns in the game (only CB Scizor beats it on that front). Plus, it allowed me to employ a strategy I haven't before and use a VoltTurn team. So, without further adieu, let's get to it.
At a Glance:
Team Building Process
Team Building Process
Knowing I wanted to have a VoltTurn Core, that's where I started. Mega Beedrill was the obvious choice, knowing from the beginning that he was going to be on it. That left me looking for a partner for him. I didn't have to look long to find Rotom-W. Mega Beedrill and Rotom-W compliment each other quite nicely, with Rotom-W taking Fire, Flying, and Ground type attacks easily while Beedrill quad resists the Grass type attacks aimed at Rotom (well, assuming Beedrill could take a hit anyway), and they make up the VoltTurn core of this team.
With the VoltTurn core having been established, I began looking for a heavy hitter to punch through even the heaviest of tanks. Chandelure caught my eye early (being my favourite Fire type) and with that monstrous Special Attack and two excellent STABs, became the hardest hitting member of the team and a huge threat to those unprepared.
So, we had our VoltTurn core and a very capable heavy hitter selected for our team, so it was time to begin looking on the defensive side of things. While originally I had the likes of Claydol and Probopass filling up those slots (more on that later), it was quickly apparent that it wouldn't work. So, I tore up my defensive core and tried again. My attention got turned to the little mushroom named Amoonguss. Bolstering some excellent specially defensive stats, a solid defensive typing, and Regenerator, Amoonguss found itself inserted as the first (and what would become most permanent) member of my defensive core.
Now, here's where the process got difficult. I loed the synergy of Beedrill, Rotom-W, and Chandelure, and instantly fell in love with Amoonguss, and I needed to find myself a physical tank and a cleaner, probably something physical, as well as a Rapid Spin/Defog user, which was essential if I was to make a Beedrill team work. The first iteration of our defensive core had Claydol and Probopass in those slots, seeing some key resistances they brought to the table, and Diggersby put in as my physical attacker. While Diggersby itself did not do too bad, Claydol and Probopass had massive issues, and while I quickly replaced Claydol with Amoonguss, it left me wondering what to put in as my physical tank knowing I still needed a Rapid Spinner/Defogger. Originally, this led me to Defog Skarmory, and completing a core of Amoonguss, Skarmory, and Diggersby as my final three Pokemon. While these three Pokemon were good in their own right, I realized I was missing some key resistances, particularly to Rock. So, I started searching, and came across two different Pokemon to fill the final two slots: Mandibuzz and Lucario. Mandibuzz is a physical tank to the core, shrugging off even the hardest of physical hits with ease, as well as access to Defog. Lucario, while not nearly as bulky, quadruply resists Rock types and is a fierce physical sweeper in his own right. After some playtesting with these two in their spots, I found the team to be that much better, and this is the current iteration of the team.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "assassinfred, where are your Stealth Rocks?" Well, truth be told, I don't have them on this team, but I've also found I don't really need them. It is much more important for this team to NOT have Stealth Rock up on my side than it is for me to have it up on theirs, and so far I haven't been burned by it.
The Squad:
Hivelord the Beedrill (M)@ Beedrillite
Ability: Sniper > Adaptability
252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -Sp. A)
-Protect
-U-Turn
-Poison Jab
-Drill Run
The star of the show and the Pokemon this team was centered around. Beedrill itself might suck, but Mega Beedrill is probably the best U-Turner in the game. Boasting a monstrous 150 base Attack and 145 base Speed and absolutely awful every other stat, Mega Beedrill is the ultimate glass cannon and that naturally makes him a born U-Turn user. The set here is straightforward and is pretty much Mega Beedrill's only usable set, so I'll make this quick. Protect when you safely switch Beedrill in to make sure he can Mega Evolve, and then proceed to press U-Turn any time he manages to safely get sent out for huge damage, especially with the Adaptability boost. On the rare occasion you do want to keep Beedrill in the field for longer than the turn, then Poison Jab offers a very powerful secondary STAB and can hit any Fairy not named Klefki for a lot of damage, while Drill Run offers some great coverage that can net you a KO on a Steel that would otherwise completely wall the Beedrill set, but you have to predict properly for it to be effective.
Spincycle the Rotom-W (N)@ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
4 HP/252 Sp. A/252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, - Atk)
-Volt Switch
-Hydro Pump
-Thunderbolt
-Pain Split
Rotom-W makes up the second half of the VoltTurn core for this team. Now, Rotom-W fits on almost any team in OU with that great typing and ability and is one of, if not the, best pivot in the game, and not to mention one of the best Talonflame counters. That alone made it an easy choice, let alone the typing synergy it has with Beedrill. While I have used both a bulky set and speedy set in testing, the speedy set won out for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it made more sense in terms of synergy with Beedrill, as while Rotom-W could never hope to be as fast as the Hivelord himself, allowing him to quickly get out of dodge and switch to a more favourable match up was much more appreciated than being able to take a hit in the first place. The set here is pretty simple. Volt Turn is the primary move of this set, finishing off the VoltTurn core, and allowing Rotom-W to quickly and safely get in a counter. Hydro Pump is the move Rotom gains in its Wash forme and is very handy to have when you predict a switch to a ground type hoping to absorb a Volt Switch and leaving you sitting in the dust. Thunderbolt is there in case I want to zap something for more damage and kill it as opposed to a quick hit and run. Pain Split is nice for when Rotom gets low, and allows him to heal off of an opposing Pokemon with higher health than him while simultaneously bring them down a peg.
Candles the Chandelure (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Flash Fire
248 HP/252 Sp. A/8 Sp. D
Modest Nature (+Sp. A, -Atk)
-Overheat
-Shadow Ball
-Energy Ball
-Hidden Power Fighting
Ever since it's release in Gen V, Chandelure has been my favourite Fire type. Boasting a ridiculous 145 base Special Attack and an awesome offensive typing in Ghost/Fire, she also hits like a truck. The set here is meant to nuke a Pokemon before being switched out, and not necessarily complete an end game sweep. Overheat is the primary attack on this set, hitting anything that doesn't resist it incredibly hard, at the price of a two-stage drop in Special Attack which becomes a non-factor after switching out from her counter. Shadow Ball is the secondary STAB move of choice, and hits a lot of the metagame for neutral damage as well as super effective damage on the likes of Gengar is you manage to predict a switch. Energy Ball is the first coverage move, allowing Chandelure to hit Water types such as Swampert for super effective damage. Hidden Power Fighting rounds out the coverage nicely, giving Chandelure a method to hit the likes of Heatran and Tyranitar super effectively.
Shiitake the Shiny Amoonguss (M) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
252 HP/4 Sp. A/252 Sp. D
Calm Nature (+Sp. D, -Atk)
-Spore
-Clear Smog
-Giga Drain
-Toxic
This team marks the first time I've tried out Amoonguss, and man do I love this thing. Being able to take Special hits like they are nothing, even super effective ones, is a really nice quality to have in a Pokemon as defensive as he is, especially coupled with Regenerator as an ability. The set here is fairly straightforward. Spore is always a great move to have on a team, and guarantees to put anything not a Grass type or without Overcoat as an Ability to sleep, effectively rendering them out of the battle for a while. Clear Smog is a great move, as while it doesn't do a lot of damage, it does completely reset any stat boosts the opponent might have, making it incredibly useful against the likes of Calm Mind Clefable or Mega Sableye as well as Dragon Dancers such as Mega Altaria. Giga Drain is your standard Special Grass type move, and does good damage while also simultaneously healing himself. Toxic rounds out the move set nicely, allowing Amoonguss to put threats on a timer and minimizing the amount of damage they can do to the team.
Mandi the Mandibuzz (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
252 HP/252 Def/4 Sp. D
Impish Nature (+Def, -Sp. A)
-Defog
-Taunt
-Foul Play
-Roost
Over time I have really come to love Mandibuzz as a physical wall, as should be evidenced by the fact that this is the second RMT I have made to feature her (having seen previous use on my Sun team). Mandibuzz functions as the second half of this team's defensive core, and brings a lot of utility to the table. Defog is the most important move on the set, especially for a Mega Beedrill team, and allows her to effectively remove Stealth Rock from her side of the field, allowing Beedrill to U-Turn in and out as he pleases. Taunt offers great utility and prevents the opponent from using non-attacking moves, being very effective at shutting down boosting sweepers or utility-oriented Pokemon. Foul Play is the only damaging move on the set and is great against Dragon Dance users or Swords Dance users, using their sky high Attack stats against them by dealing massive damage to them. Roost is, well, Roost. A great recovery move that allows Mandi to get all of her health back and continue to wall physical attackers for days.
Anubis the Shiny Lucario (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
252 Atk/4 Sp. D/252 Spe
Jolly Nature (+Spe, - Sp. A)
-Swords Dance
-Close Combat
-Extreme Speed
-Iron Tail/Ice Punch
Along with Mandibuzz, Lucario is the newest addition to the roster, but man has he earned his place. Offering up a key quadruple resistance to Rock and great offensive stats, Lucario is still a force to be reckoned with, even with his Mega Stone banned to Uber, and he functions as the late game cleaner for the team. The set itself is pretty straightforward. Swords Dance boosts Lucario's Attack to monstrous levels, making his other attacks even more deadly. Close Combat is the STAB move of choice, dealing incredible damage to anything that doesn't resist it as well as a few things that do. Extreme Speed is the best priority move in the game, out-prioritizing even the likes of Talonflames' Brave Bird, allowing Lucario to kill a weakened Talonflame before they have a chance to strike. The last slot is mostly for coverage. Iron Tail offers a nice secondary STAB and hits the likes of Clefable incredibly hard, while Ice Punch offers great coverage overall and allowing Lucario to hit the likes of Garchomp or Salamence for massive damage.
In Closing:
Well, thanks for taking the time to read my RMT. This team has been a lot of fun to play, especially since it employs a strategy I had not yet explored. I made this team because I loved Mega Beedrill's design, and his tools made him an ideal choice for a VoltTurn team, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to use him. As always, criticism is encouraged as while I feel this team is good as it is, there is always room for improvement and I'm curious to see what you guys think. Thanks again for reading this far and meeting my team.
Importable:
Hivelord the Beedrill (M)@ Beedrillite
Ability: Sniper > Adaptability
252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -Sp. A)
-Protect
-U-Turn
-Poison Jab
-Drill Run
The star of the show and the Pokemon this team was centered around. Beedrill itself might suck, but Mega Beedrill is probably the best U-Turner in the game. Boasting a monstrous 150 base Attack and 145 base Speed and absolutely awful every other stat, Mega Beedrill is the ultimate glass cannon and that naturally makes him a born U-Turn user. The set here is straightforward and is pretty much Mega Beedrill's only usable set, so I'll make this quick. Protect when you safely switch Beedrill in to make sure he can Mega Evolve, and then proceed to press U-Turn any time he manages to safely get sent out for huge damage, especially with the Adaptability boost. On the rare occasion you do want to keep Beedrill in the field for longer than the turn, then Poison Jab offers a very powerful secondary STAB and can hit any Fairy not named Klefki for a lot of damage, while Drill Run offers some great coverage that can net you a KO on a Steel that would otherwise completely wall the Beedrill set, but you have to predict properly for it to be effective.
Spincycle the Rotom-W (N)@ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
4 HP/252 Sp. A/252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, - Atk)
-Volt Switch
-Hydro Pump
-Thunderbolt
-Pain Split
Rotom-W makes up the second half of the VoltTurn core for this team. Now, Rotom-W fits on almost any team in OU with that great typing and ability and is one of, if not the, best pivot in the game, and not to mention one of the best Talonflame counters. That alone made it an easy choice, let alone the typing synergy it has with Beedrill. While I have used both a bulky set and speedy set in testing, the speedy set won out for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it made more sense in terms of synergy with Beedrill, as while Rotom-W could never hope to be as fast as the Hivelord himself, allowing him to quickly get out of dodge and switch to a more favourable match up was much more appreciated than being able to take a hit in the first place. The set here is pretty simple. Volt Turn is the primary move of this set, finishing off the VoltTurn core, and allowing Rotom-W to quickly and safely get in a counter. Hydro Pump is the move Rotom gains in its Wash forme and is very handy to have when you predict a switch to a ground type hoping to absorb a Volt Switch and leaving you sitting in the dust. Thunderbolt is there in case I want to zap something for more damage and kill it as opposed to a quick hit and run. Pain Split is nice for when Rotom gets low, and allows him to heal off of an opposing Pokemon with higher health than him while simultaneously bring them down a peg.
Candles the Chandelure (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Flash Fire
248 HP/252 Sp. A/8 Sp. D
Modest Nature (+Sp. A, -Atk)
-Overheat
-Shadow Ball
-Energy Ball
-Hidden Power Fighting
Ever since it's release in Gen V, Chandelure has been my favourite Fire type. Boasting a ridiculous 145 base Special Attack and an awesome offensive typing in Ghost/Fire, she also hits like a truck. The set here is meant to nuke a Pokemon before being switched out, and not necessarily complete an end game sweep. Overheat is the primary attack on this set, hitting anything that doesn't resist it incredibly hard, at the price of a two-stage drop in Special Attack which becomes a non-factor after switching out from her counter. Shadow Ball is the secondary STAB move of choice, and hits a lot of the metagame for neutral damage as well as super effective damage on the likes of Gengar is you manage to predict a switch. Energy Ball is the first coverage move, allowing Chandelure to hit Water types such as Swampert for super effective damage. Hidden Power Fighting rounds out the coverage nicely, giving Chandelure a method to hit the likes of Heatran and Tyranitar super effectively.
Shiitake the Shiny Amoonguss (M) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
252 HP/4 Sp. A/252 Sp. D
Calm Nature (+Sp. D, -Atk)
-Spore
-Clear Smog
-Giga Drain
-Toxic
This team marks the first time I've tried out Amoonguss, and man do I love this thing. Being able to take Special hits like they are nothing, even super effective ones, is a really nice quality to have in a Pokemon as defensive as he is, especially coupled with Regenerator as an ability. The set here is fairly straightforward. Spore is always a great move to have on a team, and guarantees to put anything not a Grass type or without Overcoat as an Ability to sleep, effectively rendering them out of the battle for a while. Clear Smog is a great move, as while it doesn't do a lot of damage, it does completely reset any stat boosts the opponent might have, making it incredibly useful against the likes of Calm Mind Clefable or Mega Sableye as well as Dragon Dancers such as Mega Altaria. Giga Drain is your standard Special Grass type move, and does good damage while also simultaneously healing himself. Toxic rounds out the move set nicely, allowing Amoonguss to put threats on a timer and minimizing the amount of damage they can do to the team.
Mandi the Mandibuzz (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
252 HP/252 Def/4 Sp. D
Impish Nature (+Def, -Sp. A)
-Defog
-Taunt
-Foul Play
-Roost
Over time I have really come to love Mandibuzz as a physical wall, as should be evidenced by the fact that this is the second RMT I have made to feature her (having seen previous use on my Sun team). Mandibuzz functions as the second half of this team's defensive core, and brings a lot of utility to the table. Defog is the most important move on the set, especially for a Mega Beedrill team, and allows her to effectively remove Stealth Rock from her side of the field, allowing Beedrill to U-Turn in and out as he pleases. Taunt offers great utility and prevents the opponent from using non-attacking moves, being very effective at shutting down boosting sweepers or utility-oriented Pokemon. Foul Play is the only damaging move on the set and is great against Dragon Dance users or Swords Dance users, using their sky high Attack stats against them by dealing massive damage to them. Roost is, well, Roost. A great recovery move that allows Mandi to get all of her health back and continue to wall physical attackers for days.
Anubis the Shiny Lucario (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
252 Atk/4 Sp. D/252 Spe
Jolly Nature (+Spe, - Sp. A)
-Swords Dance
-Close Combat
-Extreme Speed
-Iron Tail/Ice Punch
Along with Mandibuzz, Lucario is the newest addition to the roster, but man has he earned his place. Offering up a key quadruple resistance to Rock and great offensive stats, Lucario is still a force to be reckoned with, even with his Mega Stone banned to Uber, and he functions as the late game cleaner for the team. The set itself is pretty straightforward. Swords Dance boosts Lucario's Attack to monstrous levels, making his other attacks even more deadly. Close Combat is the STAB move of choice, dealing incredible damage to anything that doesn't resist it as well as a few things that do. Extreme Speed is the best priority move in the game, out-prioritizing even the likes of Talonflames' Brave Bird, allowing Lucario to kill a weakened Talonflame before they have a chance to strike. The last slot is mostly for coverage. Iron Tail offers a nice secondary STAB and hits the likes of Clefable incredibly hard, while Ice Punch offers great coverage overall and allowing Lucario to hit the likes of Garchomp or Salamence for massive damage.
In Closing:
Well, thanks for taking the time to read my RMT. This team has been a lot of fun to play, especially since it employs a strategy I had not yet explored. I made this team because I loved Mega Beedrill's design, and his tools made him an ideal choice for a VoltTurn team, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to use him. As always, criticism is encouraged as while I feel this team is good as it is, there is always room for improvement and I'm curious to see what you guys think. Thanks again for reading this far and meeting my team.
Importable:
Hivelord (Beedrill) (M) @ Beedrillite
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- U-turn
- Poison Jab
- Drill Run
Spincycle (Rotom-Wash) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Pain Split
Candles (Chandelure) (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
- Overheat
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
Mandi (Mandibuzz) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Defog
- Taunt
- Foul Play
- Roost
Shiitake (Amoonguss) (M) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Spore
- Clear Smog
- Giga Drain
- Toxic
Anubis (Lucario) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Extreme Speed
- Iron Tail
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- U-turn
- Poison Jab
- Drill Run
Spincycle (Rotom-Wash) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Pain Split
Candles (Chandelure) (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
- Overheat
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
Mandi (Mandibuzz) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Defog
- Taunt
- Foul Play
- Roost
Shiitake (Amoonguss) (M) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Spore
- Clear Smog
- Giga Drain
- Toxic
Anubis (Lucario) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Extreme Speed
- Iron Tail
