A New Team To Be Rated-OU

[Shadow Tepi 8]

This is my second team that I have made. I have put a lot of thought into this team and have deduced that Zapdos with HP Grass is a major threat. Any suggestions as to counter this threat would be greatly appreciated.

Credit to Arkeis for the awesome pictures.

Changes in BOLD

Bronzong @ Light Clay
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 SDef
Sassy nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Gyro Ball
- Earthquake

Bronzong is a great duel screen user. It is my physical/mixwall and my primary choice when I need to switch out and scout the opponents’ moveset. I chose this set over the more commonly used set since there are other Pokemon can put things to sleep and set up rocks.

Vaporeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SDef
Bold nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Surf
- HP Electric
- Wish
- Protect

A great counter to the threats of DPPt. Can take on the likes of Infernape, Heatran and Gyarados with relative ease. Surf for STAB. HP Electric against Gyarados and those that resist Surf. Protect for scouting and Wish to heal in conjunction with Protect or to heal the team.

Zapdos @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 104 HP / 252 SAtk / 152 Spd
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- HP Ice
- Heat Wave
- Signal Beam

Zapdos is my special sweeper/revenge killer. Thunderbolt is the primary STAB move while HP Ice is for use against dragons. Together they make a pseudo-boltbeam combo. Heat Wave is Zapdos’ new toy from Platinum and allows it to take care of steel and grass types. Extrasensory is unique as it comes from XD. With Choice Scarf, Zapdos is able to outrun many Pokemon, leaving only a handful of Pokemon able to outrun it.

Swampert @ Choice Band
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Stone Edge
- Waterfall

Swampert is my physical sweeper. Choice Band gives him that extra kick that he needs. 252 HP gives him some extra bulk since he will be taking hits first most of the time. 252 Atk is obvious and the 4 Spd EVs are placed to at least speed tie with Empoleon which usually uses 4 Spd to outrun Swampert before it can Earthquake it.

Heatran @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 56 HP / 252 SAtk / 200 Spd
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Earth Power
- HP Ice
- Flamethrower
- Stealth Rock

Heatran is my support/special sweeper. It can be a great revenge killer and this set allows it to be used a normal special sweeper. Flamethrower is the obvious STAB move. Earth Power is from Platinum and can be used to hit opposing Heatrans. HP Ice is for dragons. Heatran comes out after Bronzong has set up the screens and sets up Stealth Rocks.

Dragonite @ Leftovers
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Atk / 200 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Dance
- Fire Punch
- Roost

My physical sweeper. Honestly, this Dragonite is a beast. With Light Screen up, Ice beams from bulky waters are unlikely to 2KO. Roost for healing damage and ridding some key weaknesses (Ice becomes 2x, Rock becomes 1x). Dragon Dance is the usual and Dragon Claw as the standard STAB attack. With Dragon Dance boosts taken into account, steels will be taking chunks of damage from Dragon Claw. Dragon Dance also allows Dragonite to Roost before the opponent attacks.

 

[Son_of_Shadows]

If you're using Zong as your lead, you'll be walloped by Azelf. It'll Taunt to stop your screening, then Flamethrower you to kingdom come.

 

[Shadow Tepi 8]

But that is when I either Gyro Ball him or switch.

 

[Triple]

Uh, just run 252 Hp, 176 Sp.D, 80 Def with Sassy nature so it can't OHKO you with Fire Blast.

 

[Shadow Tepi 8]

Ok, I'll go with what you say
Anything else that should be changed?

 

[Triple]

You're missing a HUGE amount of speed coverage on Heatran by not going 200 on it and 192 isn't outrunning anything. With that you outrun Jolly Metagross and those pesky Breloom along with Adamant Dragonite and Gyarados. Don't know why you have Extrasensory on Zapdos since it's not reliable for the flinch and is a poor coverage move, Signal Beam would do you better for taking out Celebi and T-Tar. A bulkier set for Vaporeon would be 216 Def, 224 Hp, 68 Sp.D if you want to go with something similar. You already have a screener, so you probably want Fire Punch > Light Screen on D-Nite so it wont be completely blocked by Skarmory who will Whirlwind your DD's away and Bronzong who will OHKO with Explosion (check) while give a Metagross a good chance to set up. You could also go with Lonely nature and Fire Blast for better sweeping opportunities. You also want to either drop or add 4 Spe EV's so you can either perfectly outrun Jolly T-Tar (drop) or outrun standard Rest Talking Kingdra (add).

 

[Shadow Tepi 8]

Ok

But why 216 Def, 224 Hp, 68 Sp.D for Vaporeon. 224 HP doesn't give max lefties recovery and its better off with 252 Def.

 

[Triple]

Ok

But why 216 Def, 224 Hp, 68 Sp.D for Vaporeon. 224 HP doesn't give max lefties recovery and its better off with 252 Def.

Then go with 252 Hp, 216 Def, 40 Sp.D. This way you get an extra bump in your defense with the magic numbers and a good addition to your other defenses. Also has max lefties. You can also cut 4 from Sp.D to give 4 to your Spe to outrun other things in it's speed tier that don't have any Spe EV's.

 

[Shadow Tepi 8]

Then go with 252 Hp, 216 Def, 40 Sp.D. This way you get an extra bump in your defense with the magic numbers and a good addition to your other defenses. Also has max lefties. You can also cut 4 from Sp.D to give 4 to your Spe to outrun other things in it's speed tier that don't have any Spe EV's.

Yes but its always good to give 252 Def to Vaporeon, to make up for its paltry base 60 Def. This gives it the most it can get from defending from physical attacks. 252 Hp is also a bit of an overkill. Vaporeon is one of those that would benefit more by investing in defenses.

I'll probably give 4 to Spd, just like you said so I can use HP electric on opposing Vaporeon.

 

[Triple]

Yes but its always good to give 252 Def to Vaporeon, to make up for its paltry base 60 Def. This gives it the most it can get from defending from physical attacks. 252 Hp is also a bit of an overkill. Vaporeon is one of those that would benefit more by investing in defenses.

I'll probably give 4 to Spd, just like you said so I can use HP electric on opposing Vaporeon.

You know my set would survive physical attacks better than 188 Hp, 252 Def, right?

 

[Shadow Tepi 8]

You know my set would survive physical attacks better than 188 Hp, 252 Def, right?

Ok I'll go with your set

What else needs changing?

 

[Triple]

Well you really don't have any walls... Vaporeon counts as one however you lack a second one since Bronzong is a lead and isn't a reliable wall for later (also lacks a form of healing). I'd say go with a defensive Swampert set instead of Band.

Also you Zapdos is literally wasting EV's with it's speed, hitting 471 and outrunning NOTHING. Either go 252 to tie a Jolly Salamence after one DD (this would alow him a chance to either switch in or revenge kill, a CHANCE mind you) or the safer route and cut to 104 Hp, 252 Sp.A, 152 Spe so you outrun Adament Salamence after one Dragon Dance, Modest Scarf Zapdos, and the occasional Scarfed Celebi. Also gives him some added bulk that he could use.

EDIT: You don't have a status absorber either.