Sandstorm Volt Turn Offense [OU]

[rckstr]

This is a team that I have used to great success over the past 2 weeks, following the new popular strategy of Volt-Turn along with Sand Storm and 2 destructive set up sweepers in Latios and Lucario.The basic core of the team is based on using Volt Switch and U-Turn to dent holes in the opponent's team while Lucario and Latios can finish things off, the sand support helps me fight against Stall teams and it does not do much harm for my own team because Rotom W, Landorus, Scizor, Lucario and Tyranitar all resist the negative effect of the Sandstorm.This team has done well on both the PO Ladder, peaking 1334 and on the Smogon Ladder managing to reached 1300, I could have probably gone higher too but stopped testing or changed servers once I hit 1300.123fakestreet helped tweak this team a bit to make it more effective so credit to him aswell.Overall this has been my most successful OU Team.

Tyranitar (F) @ Chople Berry
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 64 SAtk / 192 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Stealth Rock
- Crunch
- Fire Blast
- Ice Beam

Tyranitar fills in many valuable roles on the team, including weather summoner, Stealth Rock support, mixed attacker, and special wall.Crunch is a deadly STAB move that hits hard on anything that doe snot resist it due to STAB and Tyranitar's attacks is pretty high without any investment in it.Fire Blast is used for steel types such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory that try to set up on Tyranitar.Ice Beam lets me hit threats like Gliscor on the switch and also deal with dragons.The item of choice here is Chople Berry as it lets me withstand a Focus Blast from Virizion or Reuniclus or occasionally a Terrakion's Close Combat.

Scizor (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Double Hit

Scizor is a fantastic Volt-Turner due to his great move set and his high Attack stat, the moves are all pretty standard.Bullet Punch is a great STAB + Priority attack boosted by Technician picks off alot of Pokemon such as Terrakion, Tyranitar and Gengar.U-Turn is the crux of the set as Scizor forces many switche sit can scout and dent holes in the opponent's team.Superpower is used on the set Superpower does huge damage to Scizor's main counters, OHKOing Heatran, Magnezone, and Ferrothorn expecting a Bullet Punch.Double Hit is a move you may question but it helps me take on Pokemon that rely on Substitute, it has been great for me and Pursuit is really a bad move to be locked into in my opinion.

Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 112 HP / 252 SAtk / 144 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hydro Pump
- Pain Split

The second of th Volt Turn core in my team, Rotom's resistances to Water, Fire, Ice, Flying, Steel and immunity to Ground allow it to switch into a bunch of different attacks being thrown around. Volt Switch is an excellent move to preserve momentum and is probably Rotom's most used move early on in the game to scout and damage the team.Hydro Pump is a very Powerful STAB attack which OHKO's many different threats.Will O Wisp helps me to cripple Physical sweepers and along with Sand can destroy Stall teams.Pain Split is a very good recovery move taking a chunk of the other Pokemon's HP inorder to increase Rotom-W's survival in battle.

Landorus (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sand Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

Another Pokemon with U-Turn to complete the Volt Turn core of the team and boy does this guy tear things apart in the sandstorm, U Turn is the staple move used early on in order to scout the team.Earthquake and Stone Edge hit very hard under the sand combined with Landorus's ability Sand Force which increases their power even more.The final move of the set was confusing to decide on but I went for Hidden Power Ice inorder to hit some Pokemon like Gliscor for super effective damage although most of the team it is not required to the raw power and coverage the other moves offer.Skarmory walls this set but I have other Pokemon to deal with it.Choice Scarf helps outspeed majority of the metagame.

Lucario (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Steadfast
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Hi Jump Kick
- Ice Punch
- Crunch

Ah, what an underrated set this Lucario is, can Rip through unprepared teams after a boost once counters are gone.Seeing the amount of switches this guy forces it's not very hard to set up one Agility with him, and many times expecting a Swords Dance/Nasty Plot the opponent switches into a wrong counter letting me get a surprise KO.Moves are simple, Agility to set up, Hi Jump Kick is a strong STAB, Crunch gives good coverage with Hi Jump Kick and Ice Punch is for those pesky gliscors that try to wall this Lucario set aswell as taking the piss on Landorus and other Dragons.It rips past almost all Stall Teams if used at the right moment.

Latios (M) @ Expert Belt
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Dragon Pulse
- Psyshock

Very basic set but has been very effective for me usually getting rid of 1-3 Pokemon per game, Expert Belt helps me bluff a choice item usually getting me an extra turn to set up.Dragon Pulse is very powerful after 1 or 2 boosts denting everything even steel types, Surf lets me 2HKO Scizor and Tyranitar on the switch allowing me to survive, and with all the Volt Switching and U-Turning before I send out Latios many times 1 hit is all that it needs to run through Scizor and Tyranitar who are major threats to him.Psyschock is used so that it can perform a clean sweep not being walled by Blisser or Chansey.

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[Ninja Dog]

Hey, nice team. I would consider going for Pursuit over Crunch on Ttar, as it Helps trap the Latis and other frail psychic/ghost types. Everything else looks fine, you could Consider using Quick Attack instead of Double Hit on Scizor, but Double Hits probably better.

 

[rckstr]

Pursuit sounds good to trap things, it is weaker but I'll give it a try.
Thanks.

 

[365pokemon]

Quick attack on scizor. It gives you priority plus is technician boosted, on things that you can't hit hard with bullet punch (like a starmie, who resists b-punch). But if you really want to destroy psychic types, put pursuit on it. It deals with things like the latis, ensuring a KO if they switch. It requires some prediction, but I would say that you should replace double hit with either pursuit or quick attack. I know it hits things with a sub up, but the main substitute user in OU is gengar, who isn't even affected by double hit. The rest looks good, you just don't have a viable revenge killer on something that takes your priority moves. I'll do a full rate later.

 

[rckstr]

I won't use Pursuit, it often forces me to switch out far to much, it can nab a kill but is very annoying.
I'll try Quick Attack

 

[rckstr]

Lucario's set changed to one that is so much more effective.

 

[365pokemon]

What pokemon have you been having problems with? And sorry, but how do you get moving sprites?

 

[rckstr]

CB Terrakion, rips this team up.

 

[365pokemon]

Even with a scizor?

 

[rckstr]

I fixed that.
Forget about Terrakion.

Any other suggestions?

 

[03Juice]

Nice team, I like it. Only 1300 peak?

Some minor suggestions:

- Close Combat > Hi Jump Kick on Lucario. Close Combat is more powerful, and since you are not running SD power is very welcome. Plus, a miss will screw up your sweep. Since you're that fast Lucario won't really mind the Def/SpDef drop, as you outspeed dangerous counters like CS Terrakion and CS Latios at +2
- I really like your Latios set. Might try it out

 

[rckstr]

HJK is stronger.

 

[123fakestreet]

HJK is stronger.

You don't gain any extra KOs by running HJK, all you gain is the chance to KO yourself and lose for no reason. I also suggest inner focus > Steadfast since if ur trying to get an agility vs scarfrachi who gets 2 attacks till u outspeed him with steadfast boosts. Is incredibly annoying.

 

[Swagga09]

HJK is only stronger than Close Combat by 10 points. It's not worth the recoil imo. Change it to Close Combat

otherwise, good team.