UU in the Days of Chansey
Introduction:
After Smogon finished the first couple rounds of testing in UU and got most of the obviously broken stuff out of the way, I decided it would be a good time to finally get into UU this gen. I had already played a bit of UU in the past, but only with teams with six random pokes I liked, and never for very long periods of time, just a battle here and there. I knew that since Drought, Kyurem, Wobbuffet, Staraptor, and Espeon were all banned, that many common offensive and stall breaking methods were gone, and with several defensive threats such as Chansey hanging around, stall would probably be the best way to go, unless you went anti-meta. While I was deciding which type of team to use, I remembered that Chansey reached the simple majority mark and would likely be leaving this next round, therefore I made the decision to abuse Chansey, and since it clearly wouldn’t do well in anti-meta, I would have to go stall. The team itself did very well on the UU ladder, reaching around 9th or something at highest, though I was waiting for the next UU round to start before I attempted to peak. The round never started though, and I got tired of waiting so I decided to post it now, and make a new team whenever it starts up again.
Teambuilding Process:
Skip if you like, it doesn’t really matter.
The first thing I wanted to use was Chansey. It was deemed a suspect, so I figured I may as well abuse it while I could since chances are it would be banned next round. It could single handedly stop most special attackers in the tier, bar a few such as Mismagius, so it would make a great start for the team, and its short comings would be easy enough to cover.
Zapdos was the next thing that popped into my mind after I settled on using a stall team. It’s one of my favorites in UU, covers Chansey’s weakness to Fighting moves, and does a great job at stalling in general. With the proper support, I knew Zapdos could do a great job in UU based on my previous attempts at using it. The next thing I decided upon was something to round out my core, and help with things like Rhyperior, who could eat Zapdos’ Substitutes with Rock Blast.
I picked out Milotic to round out the core as it is not only a good check to Rhyperior, a decent partner to Zapdos and Chansey, but also a great answer to several boosting sweepers which might attempt to overpower a stall team. I had used its Haze set a bit in the past and knew it would work well in this team also. With this decision out of the way, I had the bulk of my core picked out. At this point there are several weaknesses for me to cover, but I also have yet to add any entry hazards, so I decide to work on covering both bases at the same time.
Registeel not only provided my team with much needed hazard support, but also checked threats such as Roserade and Mismagius, and even resists Rock moves that might be aimed at Zapdos. It also helps with the occasional Dragon types which might otherwise have an easy time spamming Outrage, and is just a great check to many things in general. The team is starting to look more solid at this point, so I have to fix any remaining holes and try to get in more entry hazards.
After much deliberation, I decided upon using Nidoqueen to lay some more hazards, as well as helping out with other problems the team had. It also provides me with a nice option for a phazer, and can check things such as Heracross and Cobalion with ease. For the most part, I liked the looks of my team and I felt pretty comfortable with my choices so far, but I still needed one more member to round it all out. As of right now, I lacked a spinner, a spiker, but most importantly, a spin blocker. Sadly there is no such pokemon which can fill all of these roles, so I had to decide upon which was most important.
In the end, I didn’t want my turns of setting up hazards to be a waste, so I decided to go with a spin blocker. Dusclops seemed to be the obvious choice, but I knew Taunt + WoW Mew would be an issue for my team otherwise. Mismagius not only does a great job at dealing with common spinners such as Hitmontop and Donphan, but it also outspeeds and nails Mew with Shadow Ball, making it the perfect candidate for the last slot of my team. It can also use the Taunt + WoW combo itself to help shut down any opposing stall teams. With that sorted out, I decided to get right into the play testing. Having not played much UU, I wasn’t sure how this would do, but it looked like a great place to start.
At a Glance:
The Team:
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid
EVs: 192 HP / 64 Def / 252 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Ice
- Substitute
- Roost
Zapdos was one of the first things I wanted to use when I decided to make a UU team, and it hasn’t disappointed me. With the proper support, it becomes one of the most difficult things in the tier to take down, and often times finishes off my opponents by stalling, if not outright sweeping with Thunderbolt and HP Ice. It has a rare combination of speed, power, and bulk making it one of the biggest threats around. Its role on my team is usually as a late game staller for once my hazards are set up, though it can also do some damage earlier on in the game, and can help me remove bulky waters among other things to make its job easier. Only a handful of things can stop it after it is safely behind a Sub with Toxic Spikes support, one of those being Rhyperior which Milotic deals with well enough. While Substitute can block status most of the time, it isn’t always enough to keep status away from Zapdos, and since any status ruins its set, it appreciates Aromatherapy support from Chansey.
The set Zapdos is running is fairly standard, but it gets the job done. Max speed is useful for beating several threats, and lets it speed tie with non-Scarf Flygon, Mew, as well as outpacing several other things. The defensive EVs allow it to take hits better primarily on the physical side, letting it wall things after their main move to hit Zapdos with is Pressure stalled. Thunderbolt is the best choice for STAB, as Discharge could end up paralyzing something which I might need poisoned later. I originally ran Toxic in the next slot, which was useful for a number of things even when you consider I already have Toxic Spikes and two Toxic users, but in the end I found HP Ice was better for allowing me to damage Roserade better, as well as KOing things such as Flygon, or the Nidos which would commonly try to come in on Thunderbolt. It can also help out with the odd Gligar. Substitute enables it to stall turns for both Pressure, and Toxic provided by my other members, and pairs nicely with Roost, which wraps up the set by providing much needed recovery, and letting it stall a wide variety of things. It can also remove its weaknesses when timed right, making it much more difficult to deal with.
Milotic @ Leftovers
Ability: Marvel Scale
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 Spe
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Recover
- Haze
Milotic returns from 4th gen UU as the best bulky water in 5th gen UU as well. It even manages to surpass fallen threats ranging from Suicune and Empoleon, to improved pokes such as Slowbro and Gastrodon. To be fair, the previous waters do have their own niches which allow them to succeed in UU as well, though myself and others generally prefer Milotic as it takes hits well, has access to reliable recovery, and can support its team well all at once. Milotic serves as my check to a number of physical threats such as Rhyperior, Victini, Arcanine, and other, and also prevents Baton Pass oriented teams from setting up successfully thanks to Haze. This also allows it to check a number of other boosting sweepers as well. While it doesn’t usually mind status that much thanks to Marvel Scale, it still enjoys support from Chansey as sometimes it’s better to not be statused, especially in a drawn out stall war.
Another fairly standard set, but it works out nicely. Chansey and Registeel do well enough with most special attacks, so Milotic does best to max out its physical defenses instead. Scald is weaker than Surf, but burning things such as Cobalion or any physical attacker really can put me at a huge advantage. It makes Milotic fairly difficult to switch into. Ice Beam is mainly for coverage, as it allows it to deal decent damage to common switch ins such as Roserade, Celebi, Zapdos, and Shaymin. Recover is a necessary move for any Milotic, except maybe RestTalk variants, but those are much less useful. Haze is the move of choice for me in the last slot, mainly because Dragon Tail is just too unreliable. It has 90% accuracy, is blocked by Sub, and this makes it easy for things like Gorebyss to set up which would easily lead to my demise otherwise. Haze also lets it check things such as Kingdra without phazing my opponent out into something I can’t Recover against, which would prevent me from checking that same Kingdra again later. It’s just the more reliable option, and tends to be superior in every way, bar racking up hazard damage.
Chansey @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
- Seismic Toss
- Toxic
- Softboiled
- Aromatherapy
It’s not hard to see why Chansey is a suspect. Things in UU hit very hard, but nowhere near as hard as they do in OU, which allows Chansey to thrive as a mixed wall. Only a handful of special attackers are capable of defeating Chansey, and many of those are stopped by something else on the team. While its mixed defenses are good, it still isn’t enough to deal with some of the most powerful physical attackers, but Milotic, Nidoqueen, and Mismagius can help out against many of them. After these weaknesses are patched up, there is little that can stop it from supporting its team, and stalling some teams by itself. Its main purpose it to take most special attackers on, as a majority lack a way around Chansey, but it also provides a way to remove status which is crippling to my other members, as well as spreading around some helpful status of its own.
Another common set. It maxes defense in order to make up for its unfortunate 5 base defense. Seismic Toss is on every Chansey because otherwise it can deal no damage outside of poison. Toxic is more beneficial to my team than Thunder Wave, and allows Chansey to poison things not affected by Toxic Spikes, or just poison things ahead of time or maybe in case I have lost Nidoqueen already. Since I lack room for both Wish and Protect, I have to rely on Softboiled for recovery on Chansey. While Wish support would be nice, it just isn’t necessary and Chansey needs the reliable recovery more. Aromatherapy is the main piece of the set, as it removes harmful status, which would normally be the bane of many members of my team.
Registeel @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
Nature: Careful
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
- Iron Head
- Seismic Toss
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
Steel is a very difficult type to come by in the lower tiers considering there is a grand total of 10 Steels in OU. Most other Steel types either suck, or are more offensive in nature, but Registeel is the most notable exception in UU. It has the best overall defenses of any other Steel competitors such as Empoleon or Escavalier. It also has a fairly wide movepool which allows it to check several top tier threats which might otherwise pose a problem for many teams. In this team, Registeel is no different. It provides me with a Dragon resistance, and while Dragon isn’t the omnipresent force it is in OU, it is still a useful resistance to have on any UU team. It can also deal with Mismagius, Roserade, and other things which Chansey would otherwise struggle to wall. It also provides me with much needed hazard support to top it all off.
Like most Registeel, max special defense is used to allow it to check what it needs to. Registeel’s job is very simple. Set up Stealth Rock. Poison the target if it is worth poisoning. Switch to something to wall it or proceed to wall it by itself. Iron Head is its STAB move, which also happens to be its best move for dealing with Mismagius and Roserade, who could otherwise be an issue. Seismic Toss is generally its best option for dealing damage, and prevents several things from setting up Substitutes on it. Toxic can make stalling easier for my team, most notably Zapdos if I can poison all the right things early on. Thunder Wave would be more of a hindrance in most cases. Last but not least, Stealth Rock is Stealth Rock. It deals damage to everything in the game bar Magic Guard pokes, makes Focus Sash unviable in most cases, weakens several specific threats such as Victini or Arcanine, and just helps with stall overall.
Nidoqueen @ Leftovers
Ability: Sheer Force
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Dragon Tail
- Toxic Spikes
There are several offensive threats in UU such as Heracross and Cobalion which can give many teams problems, but Nidoqueen does a great job checking them, while also providing support for the team. Nidoqueen not only gives me Toxic Spikes which makes Zapdos and my other members jobs much easier, but she is also my phazer. Being able to force out certain opponents and rack up hazard damage and spread poison is always a plus. Nidoqueen also deals out some nice damage when you factor in Sheer Force, which gives a boost to her attacking moves. Overall, Nidoqueen can deal damage, provide support, and check various threats due to her great typing and solid defenses.
The EVs focus on taking physical hits, as many of the things she will need to check are physical attackers. She lacks recovery, so she needs to be able to take as many hits on that side as possible. Earth Power is the obvious choice for STAB considering it is boosted by Sheer Force, and also hits Cobalion’s lower special defense stat. Ice Beam is useful for dealing with Roserade who might attempt to absorb Toxic Spikes, and it also allows Nidoqueen to deal with Zapdos among other things easier. Dragon Tail is my team’s only phazing move, which helps out for hazard damage. I usually let Milotic deal with stat boosters. Its accuracy and inability to hit through Subs has let me down in the past, though the extra damage from Dragon Tail has also helped me so I’m not positive if switching to Roar will be worthwhile since both have advantages. Finally, Toxic Spikes allow me to automatically poison several switch ins which might otherwise be a threat, and it makes Zapdos that much harder to stop.
Mismagius @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
- Shadow Ball
- Pain Split
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
Mismagius is possibly the greatest Ghost type in the metagame. It can function as both one of the best special sweepers around, being able to even defeat Chansey, to also being an amazing stall breaker and spin blocker at the same time. While it doesn’t have the insane defenses of Dusclops, it still has a number of options to support its team while keeping itself alive long enough to get the job done. Its main advantage over Dusclops is its incredible speed which allows it to outspeed many things it will come up against, also allowing it to Taunt things before being Taunted itself like Dusclops would. It has decent special bulk, and can also take on physical attackers with help from Will-O-Wisp. Being able to handle opposing stall teams and preventing them from spinning makes Mismagius a force to be reckoned with in this metagame and it definitely earned its spot on my team several times over.
Max HP lets Mismagius take hits better overall, while max speed is necessary for helping out against several things such as Mew, and also lets it outspeed HP Fighting Mismagius and at least tie with others so it can hit them first. Shadow Ball is a great STAB move, which can hit opposing Ghosts, as well as Psychics such as Mew and Celebi. It also prevents Taunt from completely screwing it over. Pain Split may not be the most reliable move around, but it will at least keep Mismagius alive long enough to do what it needs to, plus any hit on Chansey with it is just about guaranteed to bring it up to full. It’s not like Mismagius has any better options anyway. Taunt prevents many things from setting up, supporting, or recovering, allowing Mismagius to have its way with whatever it happens to Taunt. Will-O-Wisp rounds out the set allowing it to cripple physical attackers, as well as stall out things such as Chansey which won’t be able to recover after being Taunted. Inflicting common spinners such as Donphan and Hitmontop is always nice too.
Threat List:
Red = Major Threat
Yellow= Threat
Green = Moderate Threat
;232;Donphan – It’s not that difficult to deal with as a threat, but it is capable of spinning away hazards. Mismagius can switch in to block Rapid Spin, and can also burn it to cripple it. If hazards aren’t an issue, Milotic, and sometimes Zapdos can deal with it.
;237;Hitmontop - It’s not that difficult to deal with as a threat, but it is capable of spinning away hazards. Mismagius can yet again help with Will-O-Wisp, as can Milotic and Zapdos. Nidoqueen can also be of some use.
;145;Zapdos – There isn’t much it can do to stop Chansey. Nidoqueen also does a pretty good job at dealing with variants which lack HP Ice, and even then can force it out at least once. Registeel also does a nice job, provided it lacks Heat Wave.
;214;Heracross – Heracross is always difficult to switch into for any team. Nidoqueen usually does a nice job switching in to virtually all of its common moves. Zapdos and Mismagius can come in on STAB moves, but fear Stone Edge. Registeel can take Stone Edge or Megahorn, but fears Close Combat. Most Heracross are choiced, so a little prediction can help deal with it.
;059;Arcanine – Milotic normally does a great job switching in, but offensive sets with Wild Charge can 2HKO should they predict correctly, and have either prior damage on Milotic, or a bit of hazard support. If I can get by without switching into Wild Charge, I’ll be fine. Bulky variants are also dealt with even easier by Milotic. Nidoqueen can also make a decent check to both, but won’t enjoy taking Flare Blitz from offensive sets, but in return can switch into Wild Charge for free. Offensive sets aren’t a problem with proper prediction though.
;113;Chansey – Unlike most walls, Toxic isn’t wearing it down. I have nothing capable of easily destroying it with offense. My best bets against it are to either have Toxic Spikes up ahead of time or by phazing it out after setting them up, or to have Mismagius come in on a non-status move and Taunt it, preventing it from doing anything, then gradually stalling it with burn damage. I also get a free recovery from Pain Split should it stay in.
;350;Milotic – Toxic usually destroys it if it lacks Aromatherapy / Heal Bell support. RestTalk variants really aren’t that great, and can be dealt with easily enough. Zapdos can come in easily and use Thunderbolt if needed.
;034;Nidoking – Chansey stops it easily enough. It has a hard time switching in as well. Zapdos can safely hit it with Hidden Power Ice when behind a Sub. It doesn’t like Scald or Earth Power from Milotic or Nidoqueen. Even Registeel and Mismagius do decent damage while it switches in.
;251;Celebi – If Toxic Spikes are up, Natural Cure won’t help it. Mismagius can hit it with Shadow Ball. Chansey does a nice job against most of them since Celebi lacks Psyshock, and I can stall it out with Toxic. It should be going OU any day now though.
;407;Roserade – Probably one of the most annoying things in UU. It’s very difficult to take down since I don’t have anything like Arcanine or Victini to OHKO it. It also doesn’t help that between Giga Drain, Leftovers, Leech Seed, and Rest + Natural Cure, it just never dies. I might be able to wear it down sometimes with Ice Beam or HP Ice, and it can be stalled out if it is the last pokemon, but often it will be difficult to deal with. Registeel does a nice job against it, but Spikes will wear my team down, and this is really the main reason I would like a spinner, if not something to just destroy Roserade.
;151;Mew – Mew is unpredictable, and has two sets which are both annoying to deal with. As a Nasty Plotter, it is weaker than Azelf, but has greater bulk and recovery which makes it more difficult to wear down. It can also use Taunt + Will-O-Wisp to prevent my team from doing much. Mismagius can usually do nicely against the Taunt sets, and Chansey can play against the NP sets in a similar way as Azelf by poisoning it and attempting to wear it down, but it is much more difficult. Sometimes Mew isn’t that much of a threat though.
:494:Victini – Much like Heracross, it’s just not very fun to switch into. V-Create hits incredibly hard, so anything but Milotic will be destroyed, bar Nidoqueen who can just barely survive and hit back with Earth Power if needed. Milotic does a nice job keeping it in check most of the time, but if I come in on Fusion Bolt, I might run into problems. Playing around it between Milotic and Nidoqueen is possible, plus Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes can limit its time, but it’s still something to watch out for, primarily CB sets.
;429;Mismagius – Registeel does a nice job against CM or Nasty Plot variants, as it can use Iron Head to quickly take it out. If I hit it with a Toxic on a turn I predict to not Sub, Chansey will stall it out by spamming Softboiled. My own Mismagius might also be able to take it on with Shadow Ball.
;464;Rhyperior – It can destroy Zapdos using Rock Blast, which not even Substitute can save it from. Its high attack, and great STABs make it a challenge to switch into, but most of the time Milotic can handle it. If Milotic has taken too much prior damage though, I’ll have my work cut out for me unless I can manage to burn it with Mismagius.
;395;Empoleon – Zapdos takes it on with Thunderbolt. It lacks recovery outside of Wish support or Rest, so wearing it down is always an option. Mismagius can Taunt it to prevent it from phazing, which is like the only thing it can really do to my team overall.
;330;Flygon – It’s really not that hard to predict around. It is usually reluctant to use its Dragon STAB (often Outrage) but when it does Registeel stops it. Zapdos can take anything but Stone Edge, and act accordingly. Mismagius might be able to burn it. The main annoyance is that it can U-turn everywhere.
;482;Azelf – Azelf is never fun to deal with if it gets a Nasty Plot. Fortunately several I have encountered have been Stealth Rock variants, which pose little problem for Chansey. Nasty Plot variants often need to be poisoned, then stalled by carefully switching between Registeel and Chansey to take Psyshock and Flamethrower.
;080;Slowbro – Similar to Milotic, only it can’t use Dragon Tail to phaze me around. Toxic or Thunderbolt will usually stop it. It is also vulnerable to Mismagius, who can either Taunt to prevent status / recovery, or hit it with Shadow Ball.
;473;Mamoswine – Milotic can take an Earthquake and Recover off damage. All its other moves are even weaker. Mismagius can burn it if it tries to switch in. If burned, Registeel can hit it with Iron Head if I have no other options.
;243;Raikou – SubCM can’t be stopped easily by Chansey since it can set up on it due to 101 Subs. Registeel can’t do much do it either since I don’t carry Earthquake. Nidoqueen can be helpful against it, especially if I can set up Toxic Spikes in advance. Mismagius might also need to help with Taunt.
;379;Registeel – Doesn’t enjoy a burn from Mismagius or Milotic. Occasional Curse variants are stopped by Milotic. Overall, it isn’t hard to wear it down over the course of the battle, but with Rest it can be somewhat more annoying to stop, but it still rarely does much against my team. Nidoqueen can hit it with Earth Power, and use Dragon Tail to phaze it out before it wakes up should it carry Rest.
;479-h;Rotom-H – Often carries Trick, making me paranoid about just throwing Chansey at it, but if I can get it to Trick something else, it will be no problem. If it is choiced, and has not Tricked yet, either Milotic or Nidoqueen can take its STAB moves easily, but a misprediction could hurt. Without a choice item, there is little it can do against Chansey.
:638:Cobalion – Nidoqueen does a nice job at taking Close Combat and Stone Edge. It can usually take Iron Head, unless it flinches while hitting back with Earth Power. Milotic can Haze or attempt to hit it with Scald. If for any reason it lacks Stone Edge, Zapdos beats it. I might also beat it even with Stone Edge should I have a Sub up thanks to Pressure stall.
;230;Kingdra – Milotic Hazes away its boosts. Registeel can stop it should it lock itself into Outrage. Toxic or Toxic Spikes can prevent most of them from being a threat. Will-O-Wisp or Scald getting a burn prevents physical sets from getting far. Chansey walls special variants forever.
;478;Froslass – Annoying because of Spikes, but even more annoying if Hail is up. Mismagius can Taunt it if it doesn’t get Taunted first. Registeel can spam Iron Head until it goes down, but it will most likely get up its Spikes. Destiny Bond can also be annoying to deal with.
;245;Suicune – Milotic prevents it from Calm Minding, which is often the main niche Suicune has over its fellow bulky waters. Zapdos can hit it with Thunderbolt. Registeel or Chansey can beat non-Rest or Sub variants with Toxic.
;386-d;Deoxys-D – Spikes can annoy my team, but its often easily taken care of after a Toxic. Mismagius can also prevent it from setting up or recovering, while also beating it down with Shadow Ball. Keeping it from setting up over time is the main obstacle.
;135;Jolteon – Chansey walls it forever. Nidoqueen can prevent it from spamming its STAB, or Volt Switching around. Registeel can take hits from it fairly easily.
;031;Nidoqueen – My own Nidoqueen removes any Toxic Spikes it sets up. Chansey can take its attacking moves without a problem, and won’t mind being set up on if my Nido can remove Toxic Spikes later. If it lacks Ice Beam, Zapdos does a nice job handling it. Milotic can also deal with it easily. Mismagius fears little, and Taunts it.
;169;Crobat – Its speedy Taunt makes it very difficult to deal with at times, especially considering it can Roost back HP, and U-turn around. Nidoqueen and Milotic can threaten it with Ice Beam. Zapdos can use Thunderbolt, but since all are outsped and hit by U-turn, there really isn’t much I can do except predict switch ins until it runs out of things to hide behind.
;143;Snorlax – Mismagius often burns it and prevents it from being much of an offensive threat, which is really its big selling point over Chansey. Taunt can also prevent it from Resting or doing much of anything really. Registeel can also do a good job against it should it not carry Earthquake or Fire Punch. Milotic trolls the Curse variants.
;460;Abomasnow – SubSeeders are annoying enough for my team as is, but adding Hail on top of that makes it much worse. If I can hit it with Toxic it usually won’t be a threat by itself. Mismagius can Taunt to prevent SubSeeding if needed.
:625:Bisharp – Amusingly, Mismagius does a great job checking it as it often carries Sucker Punch as its only STAB. Will-O-Wisp wrecks it. Haze Milotic prevents it from getting very far as well. Zapdos is usually relatively safe behind a Sub.
:589:Escavalier – If Mismagius or Milotic burn it, it is much easier to deal with. Registeel and Zapdos resist its STABs, and usually do a nice job dealing with it. Nidoqueen can also take a Megahorn if needed.
;468;Togekiss – Chansey can remove any paralysis it might try to spread. It doesn’t enjoy Toxic very much either. Zapdos can nail it with Thunderbolt. Registeel is also bulky enough to take an Aura Sphere if needed to put Toxic on it. Mismagius might also help by Taunting it to prevent it from spamming Thunder Wave or Roost.
;461;Weavile – Much like Houndoom, it usually isn’t hard to stop with Milotic, but the fact that it can cost me Mismagius or pressure me into letting my opponent spin for free makes it a bit more intimidating. It’s not quite as bad though since it can’t switch into a Will-O-Wisp.
;356;Dusclops – I don’t carry a spinner, so I don’t really have issues with it. Toxic destroys it. Taunt from Mismagius usually stops it. It is often set up fodder for Nidoqueen. Rest or Aromatherapy support can increase its life span, but it usually won’t be doing much in return to my team.
;049;Venomoth – Milotic can Haze away boosts, but Sleep Powder can be annoying. I usually have to fodder something to sleep, then go Haze it with Milotic, but that normally isn’t a problem considering I have Aromatherapy. Recipients are going to be special attackers, so Chansey might be able to stop if it does manage to pass for some reason.
;424;Ambipom – Mismagius usually stops it with Will-O-Wisp, and being immune to its STAB helps. Very few seem to run Pursuit for whatever reason. Registeel, Milotic, and Nidoqueen can usually take most of what it tries to dish out.
;009;Blastoise – Similar to Donphan and Hitmontop, easy to deal with, but losing hazards is no fun. Zapdos can usually switch in and scare it out. Mismagius can spin block. Registeel and Chansey hit it with Toxic.
;368;Gorebyss – Milotic Hazes away its boosts, often inducing rage quits considering teams with it are often built around a pass. It can’t even attempt to set up against Zapdos or Mismagius, and Thunderbolt or Taunt can ruin its strategy. If someone tried to sweep with it, Chansey would stop it.
;229;Houndoom – Usually Milotic or Chansey make great answers to it, but it can cost my Mismagius earlier than I would like. It really doesn’t threaten me that much, but it prevents me from using a valuable team member out of fear that I could lose it, which can be devastating when I need to spin block at times.
;492;Shaymin – SubSeed sets can be annoying to stop if given an opportunity to set up, but offensive sets are usually stopped cold by Chansey bar a timely special defense drop. Zapdos can waste Seed Flare PP quickly. Registeel can tank a hit without fearing the drop. Mismagius might have to help out by Taunting a SubSeed set should it need to.
:571:Zoroark – Illusion can be annoying on occasion, but most people who use it don’t do a great job using its surprise factor. Chansey pretty much walls it easily. It has very few opportunities to come in, bar after a KO or against Mismagius.
;254;Sceptile – Swords Dance variants can be somewhat annoying to stop since Milotic has no business Hazing, but it can be brought down. If Mismagius can manage a Burn, it won’t be a threat. Toxic from Chansey or Registeel also makes it possible to stall out. Most things on my team have something to hit back reasonably hard if they are forced to take a hit from it.
;442;Spiritomb – Doesn’t enjoy Toxic from Registeel or Chansey, and Toxic Spikes make it even easier. Rest can prolong its defeat, but it really doesn’t threaten my team much. CM variants are stopped by Milotic. It has little it can do to damage anything, bar maybe Pursuiting Mismagius, but that is hardly an issue with Will-O-Wisp.
;184;Azumarill – Milotic usually stops it, and makes it useless if I manage a burn. If Mismagius is out, it can survive any of its attacks once it gets hit with Will-O-Wisp. Zapdos KOs with Thunderbolt.
:632
urant – Registeel resists its common moves and deals great damage with Seismic Toss. Milotic can Haze Durant’s boosts away if needed, or just threaten to burn it with Scald, as well as dealing a good chunk of damage.
;449;Hippopotas – Really not much of a threat on its own, but Sand does negate Leftovers on all but Registeel and Nidoqueen, and Chansey definitely doesn’t enjoy the residual damage. It can sometimes be paired with Stoutland, which can usually be dealt with by Mismagius or Registeel. Mismagius can prevent Hippopotas from doing anything such as Stealth Rock or Roar, so it will be dead weight usually.
:561:Sigilyph – Can be tricky to stop at times, but Mismagius can usually put a full stop to it. Zapdos also does a nice job at dealing with it if it doesn’t have enough boosts. Worst case scenario, I use the combination of Milotic and Chansey to PP stall it by gradually Hazing away its boosts and damaging it over time to deplete its Roosts so it can be safely taken care of.
;197;Umbreon – It can be tricky to take down as I lack a strong Fighting type to demolish it. The main thing it does to my team is counter Mismagius and remove status using Heal Bell, or providing Wish support to its team. Generally I can just use status moves to defeat it due to Heal Bell having a low amount of PP, but facing one of these will almost always guarantee a drawn out battle.
Yellow= Threat
Green = Moderate Threat
;232;Donphan – It’s not that difficult to deal with as a threat, but it is capable of spinning away hazards. Mismagius can switch in to block Rapid Spin, and can also burn it to cripple it. If hazards aren’t an issue, Milotic, and sometimes Zapdos can deal with it.
;237;Hitmontop - It’s not that difficult to deal with as a threat, but it is capable of spinning away hazards. Mismagius can yet again help with Will-O-Wisp, as can Milotic and Zapdos. Nidoqueen can also be of some use.
;145;Zapdos – There isn’t much it can do to stop Chansey. Nidoqueen also does a pretty good job at dealing with variants which lack HP Ice, and even then can force it out at least once. Registeel also does a nice job, provided it lacks Heat Wave.
;214;Heracross – Heracross is always difficult to switch into for any team. Nidoqueen usually does a nice job switching in to virtually all of its common moves. Zapdos and Mismagius can come in on STAB moves, but fear Stone Edge. Registeel can take Stone Edge or Megahorn, but fears Close Combat. Most Heracross are choiced, so a little prediction can help deal with it.
;059;Arcanine – Milotic normally does a great job switching in, but offensive sets with Wild Charge can 2HKO should they predict correctly, and have either prior damage on Milotic, or a bit of hazard support. If I can get by without switching into Wild Charge, I’ll be fine. Bulky variants are also dealt with even easier by Milotic. Nidoqueen can also make a decent check to both, but won’t enjoy taking Flare Blitz from offensive sets, but in return can switch into Wild Charge for free. Offensive sets aren’t a problem with proper prediction though.
;113;Chansey – Unlike most walls, Toxic isn’t wearing it down. I have nothing capable of easily destroying it with offense. My best bets against it are to either have Toxic Spikes up ahead of time or by phazing it out after setting them up, or to have Mismagius come in on a non-status move and Taunt it, preventing it from doing anything, then gradually stalling it with burn damage. I also get a free recovery from Pain Split should it stay in.
;350;Milotic – Toxic usually destroys it if it lacks Aromatherapy / Heal Bell support. RestTalk variants really aren’t that great, and can be dealt with easily enough. Zapdos can come in easily and use Thunderbolt if needed.
;034;Nidoking – Chansey stops it easily enough. It has a hard time switching in as well. Zapdos can safely hit it with Hidden Power Ice when behind a Sub. It doesn’t like Scald or Earth Power from Milotic or Nidoqueen. Even Registeel and Mismagius do decent damage while it switches in.
;251;Celebi – If Toxic Spikes are up, Natural Cure won’t help it. Mismagius can hit it with Shadow Ball. Chansey does a nice job against most of them since Celebi lacks Psyshock, and I can stall it out with Toxic. It should be going OU any day now though.
;407;Roserade – Probably one of the most annoying things in UU. It’s very difficult to take down since I don’t have anything like Arcanine or Victini to OHKO it. It also doesn’t help that between Giga Drain, Leftovers, Leech Seed, and Rest + Natural Cure, it just never dies. I might be able to wear it down sometimes with Ice Beam or HP Ice, and it can be stalled out if it is the last pokemon, but often it will be difficult to deal with. Registeel does a nice job against it, but Spikes will wear my team down, and this is really the main reason I would like a spinner, if not something to just destroy Roserade.
;151;Mew – Mew is unpredictable, and has two sets which are both annoying to deal with. As a Nasty Plotter, it is weaker than Azelf, but has greater bulk and recovery which makes it more difficult to wear down. It can also use Taunt + Will-O-Wisp to prevent my team from doing much. Mismagius can usually do nicely against the Taunt sets, and Chansey can play against the NP sets in a similar way as Azelf by poisoning it and attempting to wear it down, but it is much more difficult. Sometimes Mew isn’t that much of a threat though.
:494:Victini – Much like Heracross, it’s just not very fun to switch into. V-Create hits incredibly hard, so anything but Milotic will be destroyed, bar Nidoqueen who can just barely survive and hit back with Earth Power if needed. Milotic does a nice job keeping it in check most of the time, but if I come in on Fusion Bolt, I might run into problems. Playing around it between Milotic and Nidoqueen is possible, plus Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes can limit its time, but it’s still something to watch out for, primarily CB sets.
;429;Mismagius – Registeel does a nice job against CM or Nasty Plot variants, as it can use Iron Head to quickly take it out. If I hit it with a Toxic on a turn I predict to not Sub, Chansey will stall it out by spamming Softboiled. My own Mismagius might also be able to take it on with Shadow Ball.
;464;Rhyperior – It can destroy Zapdos using Rock Blast, which not even Substitute can save it from. Its high attack, and great STABs make it a challenge to switch into, but most of the time Milotic can handle it. If Milotic has taken too much prior damage though, I’ll have my work cut out for me unless I can manage to burn it with Mismagius.
;395;Empoleon – Zapdos takes it on with Thunderbolt. It lacks recovery outside of Wish support or Rest, so wearing it down is always an option. Mismagius can Taunt it to prevent it from phazing, which is like the only thing it can really do to my team overall.
;330;Flygon – It’s really not that hard to predict around. It is usually reluctant to use its Dragon STAB (often Outrage) but when it does Registeel stops it. Zapdos can take anything but Stone Edge, and act accordingly. Mismagius might be able to burn it. The main annoyance is that it can U-turn everywhere.
;482;Azelf – Azelf is never fun to deal with if it gets a Nasty Plot. Fortunately several I have encountered have been Stealth Rock variants, which pose little problem for Chansey. Nasty Plot variants often need to be poisoned, then stalled by carefully switching between Registeel and Chansey to take Psyshock and Flamethrower.
;080;Slowbro – Similar to Milotic, only it can’t use Dragon Tail to phaze me around. Toxic or Thunderbolt will usually stop it. It is also vulnerable to Mismagius, who can either Taunt to prevent status / recovery, or hit it with Shadow Ball.
;473;Mamoswine – Milotic can take an Earthquake and Recover off damage. All its other moves are even weaker. Mismagius can burn it if it tries to switch in. If burned, Registeel can hit it with Iron Head if I have no other options.
;243;Raikou – SubCM can’t be stopped easily by Chansey since it can set up on it due to 101 Subs. Registeel can’t do much do it either since I don’t carry Earthquake. Nidoqueen can be helpful against it, especially if I can set up Toxic Spikes in advance. Mismagius might also need to help with Taunt.
;379;Registeel – Doesn’t enjoy a burn from Mismagius or Milotic. Occasional Curse variants are stopped by Milotic. Overall, it isn’t hard to wear it down over the course of the battle, but with Rest it can be somewhat more annoying to stop, but it still rarely does much against my team. Nidoqueen can hit it with Earth Power, and use Dragon Tail to phaze it out before it wakes up should it carry Rest.
;479-h;Rotom-H – Often carries Trick, making me paranoid about just throwing Chansey at it, but if I can get it to Trick something else, it will be no problem. If it is choiced, and has not Tricked yet, either Milotic or Nidoqueen can take its STAB moves easily, but a misprediction could hurt. Without a choice item, there is little it can do against Chansey.
:638:Cobalion – Nidoqueen does a nice job at taking Close Combat and Stone Edge. It can usually take Iron Head, unless it flinches while hitting back with Earth Power. Milotic can Haze or attempt to hit it with Scald. If for any reason it lacks Stone Edge, Zapdos beats it. I might also beat it even with Stone Edge should I have a Sub up thanks to Pressure stall.
;230;Kingdra – Milotic Hazes away its boosts. Registeel can stop it should it lock itself into Outrage. Toxic or Toxic Spikes can prevent most of them from being a threat. Will-O-Wisp or Scald getting a burn prevents physical sets from getting far. Chansey walls special variants forever.
;478;Froslass – Annoying because of Spikes, but even more annoying if Hail is up. Mismagius can Taunt it if it doesn’t get Taunted first. Registeel can spam Iron Head until it goes down, but it will most likely get up its Spikes. Destiny Bond can also be annoying to deal with.
;245;Suicune – Milotic prevents it from Calm Minding, which is often the main niche Suicune has over its fellow bulky waters. Zapdos can hit it with Thunderbolt. Registeel or Chansey can beat non-Rest or Sub variants with Toxic.
;386-d;Deoxys-D – Spikes can annoy my team, but its often easily taken care of after a Toxic. Mismagius can also prevent it from setting up or recovering, while also beating it down with Shadow Ball. Keeping it from setting up over time is the main obstacle.
;135;Jolteon – Chansey walls it forever. Nidoqueen can prevent it from spamming its STAB, or Volt Switching around. Registeel can take hits from it fairly easily.
;031;Nidoqueen – My own Nidoqueen removes any Toxic Spikes it sets up. Chansey can take its attacking moves without a problem, and won’t mind being set up on if my Nido can remove Toxic Spikes later. If it lacks Ice Beam, Zapdos does a nice job handling it. Milotic can also deal with it easily. Mismagius fears little, and Taunts it.
;169;Crobat – Its speedy Taunt makes it very difficult to deal with at times, especially considering it can Roost back HP, and U-turn around. Nidoqueen and Milotic can threaten it with Ice Beam. Zapdos can use Thunderbolt, but since all are outsped and hit by U-turn, there really isn’t much I can do except predict switch ins until it runs out of things to hide behind.
;143;Snorlax – Mismagius often burns it and prevents it from being much of an offensive threat, which is really its big selling point over Chansey. Taunt can also prevent it from Resting or doing much of anything really. Registeel can also do a good job against it should it not carry Earthquake or Fire Punch. Milotic trolls the Curse variants.
;460;Abomasnow – SubSeeders are annoying enough for my team as is, but adding Hail on top of that makes it much worse. If I can hit it with Toxic it usually won’t be a threat by itself. Mismagius can Taunt to prevent SubSeeding if needed.
:625:Bisharp – Amusingly, Mismagius does a great job checking it as it often carries Sucker Punch as its only STAB. Will-O-Wisp wrecks it. Haze Milotic prevents it from getting very far as well. Zapdos is usually relatively safe behind a Sub.
:589:Escavalier – If Mismagius or Milotic burn it, it is much easier to deal with. Registeel and Zapdos resist its STABs, and usually do a nice job dealing with it. Nidoqueen can also take a Megahorn if needed.
;468;Togekiss – Chansey can remove any paralysis it might try to spread. It doesn’t enjoy Toxic very much either. Zapdos can nail it with Thunderbolt. Registeel is also bulky enough to take an Aura Sphere if needed to put Toxic on it. Mismagius might also help by Taunting it to prevent it from spamming Thunder Wave or Roost.
;461;Weavile – Much like Houndoom, it usually isn’t hard to stop with Milotic, but the fact that it can cost me Mismagius or pressure me into letting my opponent spin for free makes it a bit more intimidating. It’s not quite as bad though since it can’t switch into a Will-O-Wisp.
;356;Dusclops – I don’t carry a spinner, so I don’t really have issues with it. Toxic destroys it. Taunt from Mismagius usually stops it. It is often set up fodder for Nidoqueen. Rest or Aromatherapy support can increase its life span, but it usually won’t be doing much in return to my team.
;049;Venomoth – Milotic can Haze away boosts, but Sleep Powder can be annoying. I usually have to fodder something to sleep, then go Haze it with Milotic, but that normally isn’t a problem considering I have Aromatherapy. Recipients are going to be special attackers, so Chansey might be able to stop if it does manage to pass for some reason.
;424;Ambipom – Mismagius usually stops it with Will-O-Wisp, and being immune to its STAB helps. Very few seem to run Pursuit for whatever reason. Registeel, Milotic, and Nidoqueen can usually take most of what it tries to dish out.
;009;Blastoise – Similar to Donphan and Hitmontop, easy to deal with, but losing hazards is no fun. Zapdos can usually switch in and scare it out. Mismagius can spin block. Registeel and Chansey hit it with Toxic.
;368;Gorebyss – Milotic Hazes away its boosts, often inducing rage quits considering teams with it are often built around a pass. It can’t even attempt to set up against Zapdos or Mismagius, and Thunderbolt or Taunt can ruin its strategy. If someone tried to sweep with it, Chansey would stop it.
;229;Houndoom – Usually Milotic or Chansey make great answers to it, but it can cost my Mismagius earlier than I would like. It really doesn’t threaten me that much, but it prevents me from using a valuable team member out of fear that I could lose it, which can be devastating when I need to spin block at times.
;492;Shaymin – SubSeed sets can be annoying to stop if given an opportunity to set up, but offensive sets are usually stopped cold by Chansey bar a timely special defense drop. Zapdos can waste Seed Flare PP quickly. Registeel can tank a hit without fearing the drop. Mismagius might have to help out by Taunting a SubSeed set should it need to.
:571:Zoroark – Illusion can be annoying on occasion, but most people who use it don’t do a great job using its surprise factor. Chansey pretty much walls it easily. It has very few opportunities to come in, bar after a KO or against Mismagius.
;254;Sceptile – Swords Dance variants can be somewhat annoying to stop since Milotic has no business Hazing, but it can be brought down. If Mismagius can manage a Burn, it won’t be a threat. Toxic from Chansey or Registeel also makes it possible to stall out. Most things on my team have something to hit back reasonably hard if they are forced to take a hit from it.
;442;Spiritomb – Doesn’t enjoy Toxic from Registeel or Chansey, and Toxic Spikes make it even easier. Rest can prolong its defeat, but it really doesn’t threaten my team much. CM variants are stopped by Milotic. It has little it can do to damage anything, bar maybe Pursuiting Mismagius, but that is hardly an issue with Will-O-Wisp.
;184;Azumarill – Milotic usually stops it, and makes it useless if I manage a burn. If Mismagius is out, it can survive any of its attacks once it gets hit with Will-O-Wisp. Zapdos KOs with Thunderbolt.
:632
urant – Registeel resists its common moves and deals great damage with Seismic Toss. Milotic can Haze Durant’s boosts away if needed, or just threaten to burn it with Scald, as well as dealing a good chunk of damage.;449;Hippopotas – Really not much of a threat on its own, but Sand does negate Leftovers on all but Registeel and Nidoqueen, and Chansey definitely doesn’t enjoy the residual damage. It can sometimes be paired with Stoutland, which can usually be dealt with by Mismagius or Registeel. Mismagius can prevent Hippopotas from doing anything such as Stealth Rock or Roar, so it will be dead weight usually.
:561:Sigilyph – Can be tricky to stop at times, but Mismagius can usually put a full stop to it. Zapdos also does a nice job at dealing with it if it doesn’t have enough boosts. Worst case scenario, I use the combination of Milotic and Chansey to PP stall it by gradually Hazing away its boosts and damaging it over time to deplete its Roosts so it can be safely taken care of.
;197;Umbreon – It can be tricky to take down as I lack a strong Fighting type to demolish it. The main thing it does to my team is counter Mismagius and remove status using Heal Bell, or providing Wish support to its team. Generally I can just use status moves to defeat it due to Heal Bell having a low amount of PP, but facing one of these will almost always guarantee a drawn out battle.
Conclusion:
Overall, I enjoyed playing in UU, even if I found things such as Chansey broken; it was still a fun metagame to play in moderation. For my first serious team in UU, I thought it was pretty successful, and it has the potential to do even better. As far as the team goes, I think there might be some improvements that could be made on it. Lacking Rapid Spin definitely hurt me more than I anticipated it would, and if I could somehow incorporate a spinner I definitely would. Since Nidos and Roserade are so common, I found Toxic Spikes weren’t as useful in some battles as they were in others, so looking back it might be a good idea to invest in Spikes instead, perhaps by replacing Nidoqueen with a Roserade of my own. My problem with Roserade has always bugged me, and is the primary reason I run HP Ice on Zapdos, and I’m also considering going a step further by running Heat Wave so that I can deal even more damage to it. I’ll be retiring this team now though, but I will still pick it up and try out a few suggestions when I have time over the course of this next round.