Gen 3 ADV OU Spikeless Suicune + Lax Balance (Peak #77 on Ladder)

[prodbelac]

Suicune Lax Balance
Hi all. I just recently got into Generation 3 OverUsed over the last few weeks and I would like to show off my first proper team. Although originally built as a rain team, it eventually evolved into a spikeless balance (I think?) centered around supporting defensive Calm Mind Suicune. I’ve managed to reach a peak of 1515 ELO (77th on ladder) on my alt account with this squad so I think it's pretty okay. I’m new to playing and building in this format so any suggestions on how I could make the team better are more than welcome.

Pokepaste

https://pokepast.es/209a2a9bbe3f00ef

Contents

• Set descriptions + relevant calcs
• Replays
• Proof of peak

Set descriptions

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Thunder Wave
- Baton Pass

I opted for Zapdos in the lead slot for several reasons. Firstly, Its ability to threaten common leads such as Suicune and Skarmory is really useful, as this forces in special walls that can be taken advantage of by Metagross, Dugtrio or Gengar. If the special wall is Blissey, Dugtrio gets a free trap, opening up Suicune to sweep late game. Conversely, if the special wall is Snorlax you can threaten it out with Metagross. Other than threatening common leads and facilitating Dugtrio abuse, Zapdos’ great speed and power allows it to act as a revenge killer and, provided it stays healthy, a potential cleaner late game against frailer offense teams.

Dugtrio @ Choice Band
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 44 HP / 252 Atk / 212 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Aerial Ace
- Rock Slide

Dugtrio acts as this team’s main way of trapping special walls and removing threatening wall breakers. 44 EVs in HP allows Dug to survive Ice Beam from Blissey and 252 EVs in attack with an adamant nature 2 shots Blissey with Earthquake. 212 EVs in speed hits 329, outspeeding max speed base 100s like Jirachi and Zapdos (although Dug can’t trap Zapdos, it can force it out with Rock Slide) at 328. Although I could’ve invested more in speed, I didn’t need to trap anything slower than max speed Jirachi and thought the extra bulk was generally more useful in ensuring the Blissey trap, opening up Suicune and Zapdos late game.

212 SpA Blissey Ice Beam vs. 44 HP / 0 SpD Dugtrio: 187-220 (84.2 - 99%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252+ Atk Choice Band Dugtrio Earthquake vs. 44 HP / 252+ Def Blissey: 352-415 (53.1 - 62.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after sandstorm damage and Leftovers recovery

Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Rest
- Roar

Suicune is crazy good. Having only played newer gens and being accustomed to power creep, I underestimated how many hits this thing could take. Its sheer bulk is so great that despite not actually resisting Rock, it basically acts as this team’s second rock resist (I’m not counting Dugtrio lol). Barely anything can threaten it out, let alone 2 hit KO it, affording it approximately one million opportunities per game to set up. With a plethora of free turns to do as it pleases, Suicune can often boost up and take over games with incredible ease. Furthermore, if any Pokemon not named Celebi or Raikou tries to set up alongside it, they’ll be phased out immediately.

Snorlax @ Leftovers
Ability: Immunity
EVs: 144 HP / 96 Atk / 132 Def / 136 SpD
Careful Nature
- Curse
- Rest
- Return
- Shadow Ball

Snorlax is this team’s defacto special wall and occasional bulky win condition. It is more difficult to sweep with than Suicune, so often you’ll be using it to check electrics and Starmie, which this team otherwise struggles with. Although it can take hits well, Lax can be a massive momentum drain so it's important you supplement your play with aggressive double-switches. For example, Snorlax is basically dead-weight offensively until Skarmory is dead, so I often double switch into Zapdos anticipating Skarmory to come in to generate some offensive momentum. Despite its flaws, Lax is the one thing stopping this team from getting bowled over by special threats so it's important you keep it healthy over the course of a game. Additionally, Lax can sometimes win seemingly impossible games by getting multiple Curses and snowballing out of control, alla GSC.

Metagross @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Atk / 80 Def
Adamant Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Protect
- Explosion

Metagross acts as both an early game wallbreaker and check to physical threats. Checking opposing Tyranitar, Snorlax and Aerodactyl is really helpful as it takes the pressure off of Suicune, allowing it to focus on sweeping. To get the most out of it, switch in against Tar and Lax early game and make double switches to Zapdos to catch Skarmory or opposing Metagross coming in. If you keep making aggressive double switches, most players will eventually stay in with their mon that is threatened by Metagross, allowing you to get off good damage or even a surprise KO. Finally, when Metagross falls below or around 25% HP, click Explode as soon as possible and dent something, preferably Skarmory. If you play aggressively, Metagross will almost always take 1.5 Pokemon with it before fainting.

Gengar @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 44 Def / 8 SpA / 112 SpD / 96 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Taunt
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Punch

Bulky Gengar fits great on this squad. Throwing out Will-O-Wisps is great as you can ease the pressure on Suicune and Metagross to check physical attackers. Bolt-beam coverage is great for threatening Skarmory and bulky Flygon, which this team otherwise struggles with. Play aggressively and be liberal with throwing out status and you'll do well.

Replays

Snorlax goes GSC-mode and sweeps late game https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen3ou-1684477985-hngl2i4mq4zkh7xb0qk14lsce0zmc57pw
Textbook Suicune sweep (I got kinda lucky lmao)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen3ou-1684738753-agbtzz2iwazf0hk3qxwqk42zsyejzgfpw
Metagross checks a late game DD Tar
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen3ou-1685347233-kgp2jhbmnf2bq8n6hywbjhg7rniukxvpw
Zapdos cleans up late game (also there’s an Arcanine which is kinda cool)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen3ou-1685360023-mhskkrh93qvt4ch8xfja39598kzf5ehpw

Proof of peak

Thanks for reading!

 

[Azure_Crystal]

Hey man,

https://pokepast.es/209a2a9bbe3f00ef
In this Team you linked on your RMT, It shows a Mix Zapdos with Drill Peck and Hasty Nature as what you put in your Set Description, a Standard Zap with TWave and BP.
Just a bit confused which Zapdos Set is aiming to use on your Team.

Also Love your Team and gratz on Top 100 on ADV Ladder :)

 

[prodbelac]

Hey man,

https://pokepast.es/209a2a9bbe3f00ef
In this Team you linked on your RMT, It shows a Mix Zapdos with Drill Peck and Hasty Nature as what you put in your Set Description, a Standard Zap with TWave and BP.
Just a bit confused which Zapdos Set is aiming to use on your Team.

Also Love your Team and gratz on Top 100 on ADV Ladder :)

My mistake lol. I accidentally pasted in an edited version of the team that has Drill Peck to help with Breloom and Celebi. Feel free to use either Zapdos set as I think they both work equally well.

 

[Azure_Crystal]

My mistake lol. I accidentally pasted in an edited version of the team that has Drill Peck to help with Breloom and Celebi. Feel free to use either Zapdos set as I think they both work equally well.

All g man, Just wanted to know

 

[giraffefromholland]

I recommend using a bulkier Zapdos with dual status in place of Drill Peck, Ice Beam>Roar and a faster set on Cune, and an offensive Lax set with Self-destruct, Shadow Ball, and Curse to better wear down Skarmory and Gengar for Cune. I think this is a decent 6, and you could go stallish and use Rest in those three slots if you wanted (with Mag or Claydol>Gar), but I think you'd want something a bit faster pace, considering that Skarmory Spikes for free on Dugtrio, Snorlax, Metagross, and Resting or unboosted Suicune. A bulkier Zap allows you to play Lax a bit more haphazardly, and it offers a pivot against special attackers (and Metagross, if you HP invest, and not just SpD), especially with Dugtrio to remove grounded specials. Being able to use Lax's boom liberally allows you to Dug and remove Meta and Tar a bit more consistently. You can fit Sunny Day in place of Rock Slide on Dugtrio then, if you want, or maybe put weather clear elsewhere for a more consistent reset. Concerning dual status, you will appreciate Toxic on Zap for its ability to wear down non-Refresh Claydol and pressure Blissey, I think. It also gives you some lines where you can Tbolt a Toxic'd Bliss down to force a switch into something else, which you can status. Or you can Baton Pass/sac to Dug, if your opponent is adamant on 1v1'ing. Most importantly, Twaving a lead Zap can benefit Ice Beam Cune. Just a few consistency tweaks. A few different ways you can go with this. Hope you enjoy. An example of a similar team between the two best ADVers at present:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen3ou-608249

 

[johnnyg2]

I’ve been trying to get this style to work forever! Zapdug + fat cune/lax I think has huge potential and i want to walk you through my findings. I really think this style is amazing w weather clear, rapid Spin, and focusing on either cune or lax, not both.

I agree w giraffe, a bulkier zap is a fantastic choice. However, instead of dual status, I’d recommend a very bulky set w rain dance tox tbolt and rest to weather clear for either cune or lax. Then I would use a lead that helps remove Tar leads so you can get no sand for cune/lax.

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen3ou-645213 . I used this team recently w an egg lead to immediately remove tar, but I think jynx or gar are the best at it. Jynx sacrifices itself to ice beam tar so that dug can remove it. Zap then clears the weather. Jynx can even use perish song + mean look and dug can have sub > rock slide to trap Metagross leads/blissey.

I personally really like fat cb gross (248 hp 68 def rest in attack, lives dd tar after a spike) and dol to give me some back up against dd tar and spin, bc rest fat mons let spikes up like nothing else. I also really like ice beam instead of roar on my cune to give me more mence counterplay. Your spreads should be ok.

To recap:

move zap back and make it bulkier w rain dance
Lead either meta or gar and either mash/ brick break tar leads or just have gar boom immediately into tar leads so you trap them w dug to clear weather w zap.
Make meta banded and fat so it can better pressure skarm/dd tar.
Use a dol over lax to give your cune some more reliability in face of spikes/Zapdos pivots. I have also experimented w using ice beam milo > cune and dol > gar to focus on lax, but I’ve really struggled w Hera when I do that, maybe you will have more success than me :)

good luck!