Team Theory: Cores of X/Y OU

[Aurath90]

Granted venom drench is a gimmicky idea but it helps to force switches. Carry a rock setter and your golden.

I fail to see how swagger is redundant, if you build to use it. Umbreon gets to use the boost to it's advantage much like a swagger foul play klefki.

Poison and dark carry 5 weaknesses between them 3 are covered by each other and one which is completely resisted.
Most steel types used competitively are also physical attackers, namely scizor and aegislash. Aegis is OHKO by foul play in attack mode while scizor takes 2 hits to deal with if an attack variant.

 

[Excitable Boy]

Most steel types used competitively are also physical attackers, namely ... aegislash.

someone hasn't faced Crumbler

 

[Mye]

This one seems rather obvious:

Florges @ Leftovers (Symbiosis)
Bold, 252HP/252Def/4SpAtk
-Wish
-Protect
-Moonblast
-Calm Mind

Avalugg @ Leftovers (Sturdy)
Sassy, 252HP/252SpDef/4Atk
-Recover
-Curse
-Avalanche
-Gyro Ball

 

[The Imposter]

This one seems rather obvious:

Florges @ Leftovers (Symbiosis)
Bold, 252HP/252Def/4SpAtk
-Wish
-Protect
-Moonblast
-Calm Mind

Avalugg @ Leftovers (Sturdy)
Sassy, 252HP/252SpDef/4Atk
-Recover
-Curse
-Avalanche
-Gyro Ball

In either metagame at the moment, there are much better replacements for this core. In UU, Mega Aggron exists and does everything your Avalugg is doing but better and with better synergy with Florges. In OU, Sylveon harshly outclasses Florges, and Skarmory puts Avalugg out of business.

Combine that with the shared Steel weakness (a common type in both UU and OU) and the fact that Avalugg and Florges still have mediocre special and physical bulk respectively, and your core finds itself pretty outclassed.

 

[Rikis]

Jolly Crobat @ Black Sludge
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 Attack, 200 Speed, 56 HP
-Brave Bird
-U-Turn
-Defog
-Taunt

HP EVs are to be able to switch in 5 times into Stealth Rock. U-Turn is there in case a Psychic comes in to try and ruin Crobat's day. I believe Jolly with 200 Speed is enough to outspeed most Greninjas. Taunt is to stop any setup.

Adamant Bisharp @ Black Glasses
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP
-Night Slash
-Sucker Punch
-Iron Head
-Swords Dance

If I could get a Kalos hatched Pawniard with Knock Off, I would use it instead of Night Slash, but for now, I'll have to stick to Night Slash. Psycho Cutter would be an alternative for Night Slash, but unfortunately Bisharp would be too afraid to risk a priority Fighting move, whether it was STABed or not. But Bisharp can come into any rare Psychic moves Crobat might encounter while Crobat can tank any Fighting move seeking to topple my bishop.

Jolly Mamoswine @ Life Orb
Ability: Oblivious
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP
-Icicle Crash
-Ice Shard
-Earthquake
-Superpower/Stealth Rock
Bisharp has the Psychic moves covered, but Crobat is still weak to Electric attacks, which is where Mamoswine comes in. He also scares away any Dragons that seek to have their way with my other two. I'm torn on the last move, Superpower hits the Steels that the other two can't SE attack, but Stealth Rock provides some support that is at the same time, held back by Crobat's Defog. If I go for Superpower I suppose I should try and get a hold of a Thick Fat Swinub.


There are some obvious hurdles to overcome here, such as Special Fire attacks and physical walls. I suppose that's why I've got three other team members, I was thinking of maybe a Flash Fire Houndoom or Flash Fire Chandelure, but then I encounter the problem of having slow pokémon.

 

[The DragonKnight]

Deoxys-Defense @ Mental Herb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Spikes
- Magic Coat

Thundurus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SAtk
Hasty Nature
- Wild Charge
- Knock Off
- Superpower
- Hidden Power [Ice]


Everyone knows what DeoSharp is, the standard core for a HO Team. Everyone has played one DeoSharp team before. The teams are so good because Deo-D can stack hazards on the field quickly, and if the opponent were to Defog away the hazards, they'd also be giving Bisharp a free +2 boost. This core is just like DeoSharp, but replacing Bisharp with Defiant Thundurus-Incarnate. What Thundy has over Bisharp is its ability to handle every defogger there is, as it OHKOs Skarm, Lati@s, and Mandibuzz, 2HKOs Zapdos without worrying about getting outsped and hit with Heat Wave, and 2HKOs Mega Scizor without worrying about getting hit by a Superpower. Thundurus is capable of punching major holes in the opposing team if it can get a Defiant boost, as it is capable of OHKOing a lot of prominent OU threats, such as Lati@s, Garchomp, Aegislash, Chansey, Mandibuzz, Skarm, Tyrantiar, and many more.