Gen 1 Gen 1 OU Hyper-Offense

[Gen1UUFan]

Introduction​

So, I've spent some time familiarizing myself with the ladder and team, trying out about 1/2 of the fully evolved Gen 1 population trying to best figure out the flaws with my team, and this is the result. Again, since it lacks the Big 4, psychics, or any sort of sustained gimmick (I use partial trapping only to bring teammates in, not as an agonizing sweeping mechanism) it's certainly not better than a standard OU team. But in my experience it does pretty well in such a centralized metagame, and is a lot more offensive, fast-paced and (to me at least) fun than the average Gen 1 OU team. It's a very offensive based team that requires a very aggressive play-style, with lots of switching, and that obviously can be taken advantage of by savvier players, but it's a nice feeling playing with a team that is entirely my own. I doubt I'll ever win a tournament with it, but it can put up a much better fight than the tiering would suggest. If you're putting in the effort to read all of this thank you! This team has taken a lot of tinkering but there's always room for improvement, so I'm all ears for any suggestions that don't radically alter the point of this team. I do intend to use this team in tournaments just to see but so far all my experience has been on the ladder (my rating has bounced around 1200-1300 with this team, though I often mess around with jokey teams that bring my rating down.) Although it may seem like it at first, this is not a haphazard collection of Pokemon I like and just threw together. Every move has been carefully considered in the context of the team, and lots of experimentation was used to get to this product.

The Team (All EVs/DVs are Maxed)​

TL;DR

Has Good lead match-ups across the board, can be preserved as good revenge killer/status late game, Explodes when no longer useful.

Physically Bulky SD Sweeper, can decimate slower teams, and monster late game, especially if Tauros is neutralized. Synergizes very well with Zapdos, and its ability to beat Eggy Switch-ins makes it invaluable. Often loses to Tauros but paves the way for Zapdos.

Fast dual powder user, good switch-in/ revenge killer for bulky waters + RhyGol. Fast sleep, Good attack, and Body Slam spam makes it hard to truly counter, only check.

Probably has the most favorable 1v1 match-ups in the tier due to amazing special, good mixed attack, good speed (crit rate), and status ability along with good overall bulk. Unfortunately hard-countered by Rhy/Gol, but this team has several ways of eliminating them, and once that is a case can decimate entire other teams.

Decently fast fire type to switch into paralyzed sleep-leads that manage to sleep Electrode, Fire Spin is a great way to maintain momentum, while slash and Earthquake allow it to function as a decent mixed attacker. Probably the least-essential Pokemon, but has a role and usually pulls its weight. Has a good Tauros matchup.

Pretty much the only primarily defensive Pokemon, sponges Ice type attacks that this team is otherwise decimated by, powerful STAB blizzard hurts most things and makes it a great Tauros switch in. Clamp keeps up momentum, and can explode when no longer useful. Drawing in Electric types can be good to set-up Sandslash, and people foolish enough to switch-in Chansey will see it blown to smithereens.

The Homewreckers

Unabomber (Electrode)
Role: Paralyzing/Annoyer lead + Fast, Exploding Revenge Killer

- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Explosion
- Flash
​

My previous team had a serious lead problem, where most matches I would essentially be playing 5 on 6. Electrode was my favorite solution to it. I love being able to guarantee paralysis against the other fast paralysis leads, as it ensures that even if the lead match up goes awry the Alakazam/Starmie won't simply rip through my team. I also prefer sleep mid-late game as a way to shut down a prominent threat. It can be infuriating against the likes of Jynx and Gengar, paralyzing them, then dropping their accuracy with Flash, essentially giving them 50% accuracy on all their moves. In addition, Thunderbolt is a great move in general, not super powerful coming off of Electrodes 80 special but with the high crit rate can do a great chunk of damage. Now obviously, those are all things that Jolteon does much better, but there is one thing that sets electrode apart: Explosion. If Electrode can survive unparalyzed, it makes a great revenge killing move. Additionally, if Chansey switches in to sponge my special attacks, exploding on it will at the very least allow any teammate barring Cloyster to revenge-kill it, and will KO with a crit. Now obviously most people will switch Rhydon/Golem as soon as they see Electrode. Allowing a free switch is never ideal, but Cloyster takes their attacks like a champ, and has Clamp to prevent Rhydon from effectively substituing and wrecking havoc. Again if preserved late game (and especially if the rock type is removed), a fast Thunderbolt and explosion are nice things to have. Overall I find Electrode, despite being somewhat outclassed by Jolteon, to be a vastly underrated lead in RBY and a great catalyst for this teams success. I like its role and moveset, Flash is probably the move I'm the most iffy on, so if someone knows of a better alternative to it I'd strongly consider it.

K. Dot (Sandslash)
Role: Late-game Swords Dance Sweeper + Moderately Bulky Electric Type Counter
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Body Slam
- Hyper Beam
​

Again with a pokemon I feel is very underrated. The plan is simple, find an oppurtunity to switch in safely (Electric type, Thunder wave from vulnerable attacker, Rock Slide from Rhydon/Golem, etc.) and sweep. If the opponent switches in a threat (I'll add a list at the end) switch to the appropriate counter. If a switch appears likely, Body slam on the switch instead of SD and hope for paralysis. The later it is in the match, the better. Sandslash pretty much 2HKOs the entire metagame after a SD boost, OHKOing anything weak to Earthquake or physically frail (Alakazam, Persian, etc.). Despite a seemingly low speed stat, its speed tier in OU is actually quite good, outspeeding Eggy and everything slower than it. Its mono-typing and different stat allocation render it unable to really counter physical attackers, but in exchange is a lot harder to OHKO with super effective moves. Body Slam is run over Rock Slide as it nearly always allows Sandslash to 2HKO Eggy with Hyper Beam. I've heard it described as a weaker Rhy/Gol, but I feel that doesn't do it justice. It has some similar matchups but I feel like its role is somewhere between Rhy/Gol and Tauros. It can really mow down unprepared teams, and works very well with paralysis support (being itself immune to Thunder-wave helps a lot.). And as alluded to previously, its ability to switch in and defeat Rhy/Gol in the absence of Cloyster opens the way for Zapdos. The success of Sandslash is often the best indicator for this teams success, as it can either sweep the opposition or make way for the other main threat. I recommend anyone who likes unorthodox play styles to try out Sandslash on a standard team, it is very dangerous with paralysis support and people often underestimate its sweeping abilities (ex. oftentimes people will switch in Slowbro/ Snorlax on a +2 Slash and attempt to Amnesia, getting 2HKOd while effectively doing nothing.). Sandslash's role in this team is very set and to be honest I don't think I will change a thing about it.
Important Weak Matchups (Counters, can switch in on boosted Slash and win):
1. Bulky Ice Types + Razor Leaf users : Cloyster, Articuno- Outspeed Sandslash and OHKO with Blizzard, even when paralyzed can survive a boosted attack and OHKO. Lapras is outsped but otherwise does the same thing. The rare Venusaur/ VIctreebell operate similarly. STAB Hydro Pump works similarly but is rare and inaccurate. Ultimately not the most common pokemon but if they are identified MUST be eliminated for Sandslash to function.
2. Fast Special Attackers: Starmie, Tauros, Dragonite outspeed and 2HKO with Blizzard/Surf (Starmie rarely runs Hydro Pump.) If paralyzed will lose to +2 Sandslash but not before dealing heavy damage, and of course win with a crit. The most common impediments due to their ubiquity.
Checks (Situation Dependent):
3. Fast sleepers: Gengar and Jynx both handily outspeed and can put Sandslash to sleep (Jynx will straight up KO with a blizzard.) They can be very threatening but are often played as leads, and as a result are paralyzed. In that case, a +2 Sandslash OHKOs both with Earthquake (Gengar is OHKOd without a boost.) Can be impediments but ultimately not especially common and often paralyzed.
4. Psychics: Alakazam can revenge kill Sandslash below 70%, though is OHKOd by +2 Earthquake, and loses more than 50% to unboosted. It should lose switching into a +2 Slash, but often crits through and wins. If paralyzed it is rarely a threat. Exeggutor resists Earthquake, and can either sleep or paralyze with powders, while also 2HKOing with Psychic (but not Mega Drain) and possibly exploding as a final resort. However, if switching into a +2 Sandslash is 2HKO'd by BS+Hyper Beam, and often either misses a powder or gets paralyzed. If sleep has already been used often only damages Sandslash while falling to it. Its tendency to take damage early game means it is often injured when switching in, in that case any Eggy under 60% is OHKO'd by Hyper Beam all the time.
5. MIscellanous Flying Type Attackers: Without Rock Slide, matchups against pokemon like Moltres, Charizard, and Paralyzed Articuno shift away from Sandslash's favor, while Zapdos goes to a pokemon that is hard countered by Sandslash to only being checked. Those weaker matchups can change a game, however exeggutor is more common in OU than all of those pokemon combined so it is the more important matchup. Strange pokemon like Sycther and Aerodactyl also end up with much less comfortable matchups, but they are generally very ineffective so it's not a big worry. An important thing to keep in mind is Super Effective Non-STAB Rock Slide (150 BP) = Regular Effective STAB Quake (150)= Non-Stab Hyper Beam (150 BP), and the same follows for a neutral RS and not effective Quake, so aside from maybe Parasect(?) Rock slide would only be for flying types.

NSFW (Victreebel)
Fast Status-inducer + Strong Special Attacker
- Razor Leaf
- Sleep Powder
- Stun Spore
- Body Slam
​

I think most people are pretty familiar with Victreebell, so this will be a bit shorter. Dual Powders are great, Sleep shuts down a lot of otherwise unwinnable situations, and it has two good, consistent attacking moves that dent most pokemon. I tried using Dual Powders + Razor Leaf + Wrap but missed the consistent damage output that Body Slam provided. Bell is run over Venusaur because their speed tier is nearly identical and another source of paralysis fits better with the team. Revenge killing Rhy/Gol and weakened waters helps this team out a lot. I'm not especially attached to Victrebell and would consider switching it out for something that fits better, but I prefer the accuracy of Sleep Powder, and Exeggutor would not fit as nicely with this team due to its lack of effective grass STAB. Any suggested moveset changes would be helpful.

Sparky (Zapdos)
Strong Mixed Attacker / Special Tank + Paralysis Spreader
- Thunder Wave
- Thunder
- Drill Peck
- Light Screen
​

As with Bell, I feel like most people know what Zapdos does. Again, its synergy with Sandslash is the biggest reason this team has any success, as even if Sandslash "only" takes out Rhy/Gol, it opens up an opportunity for Zapdos to take over. It was just filler, but Light Screen allows Zapdos to more comfortably beat special attackers late game and has helped a lot in the past, so it stays. Thunder is obviously risky but fits with this team and nabs important KOs (ex. OHKOs Starmie, can 2HKO Tauros), while also spreading paralysis. As one would expect, Drill Peck is used for a consistent, powerful physical attack for grass types, Gengar, and when Zapdos has low special. Overall a terrifying pokemon when Rhydon and Golem are removed, which this team has several ways of doing. It is absolutely essential to this team, and the only change I would consider is possibly switching Light Screen for Thunderbolt. Jolteon (or any other electric for that matter) would simply not fit nearly as well.

Coolmander (Charizard)
Fast Mixed Attacker/Pivot
- Fire Spin
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
- Slash
​

This is the Pokemon I am least set on, though it has surprised me with its effectiveness. Fire Blast is good as it is super effective against non-Gengar Sleep leads should they put Electrode to sleep, Fire Spin is used when it seems the opponent is going to switch and allows a teammate to brought in for free, while Slash heavily damages foes through Reflect, and just as a base 140 power physical move on a pretty fast pokemon makes it good for revenge killing. Earthquake is not used terribly often but hurts paralyzed Gengar, who would otherwise wall this set, and can hurt predicted electrics/other fire types. It often beats Snorlax/Tauros in a revenge killing role by either getting a crit Fire Blast or burning them, can easily pivot out of its threats, is good for revenge killing, and is one of the few legitimate mixed attackers. It would be nice if it was a bit faster, stronger or at the very least wasn't hit super effectively by Ice, but it still works pretty well. If anyone has a case for a pokemon that would fit better in this team, I would strongly consider replacing it. I think Starmie would probably be my top choice as a nice bulky, fast para-spreader, but I've never used it before so I'm not sure. For any suggestions for a better Pokemon here, I am all ears. More para-support would be lovely, something that better counters ice-types would be a god-send, and being able to threaten a defensive core of Rydon and Starmie would go a long way. I have tried quite a few pokemon in this slot (Mr. Mime, Porygon, Clefable, Dragonite, Hitmonlee, Hypno, Gyarados, Persian, Gengar, probably forgetting a few) and none have been quite as helpful as 'Zard, but I feel I could still get more out of this pokemon.

Boisterous Oyster (Cloyster)
Physical Sponge, Blizzard Spammer, Exploder and Pivot
- Clamp
- Blizzard
- Explosion
- Toxic
​

Last but certainly not least, the devious looking Oyster. Again, Cloyster is a pretty popular OU pokemon so I wont go too in depth, especially since there is nothing unorthodox about the set I'm running. STAB Blizzard hurts even with its OK Special, Clamp is a good pivot out of Starmie/Electric switch ins, Explosion is a great way to clear out a threat/ remove a Chansey foolish enough to switch-in, and Toxic+Clamp is a last resort against unbreakable set-up (like Reflect +Amnesia Lax, Slowbro, Reflect Chansey, etc.) though admittedly Toxic is kind of dead weight. Again, Cloyster is an integral defensive component of this team, being the only sponge for Ice type moves that would otherwise decimate this team. It also switches into Tauros well and is always a threat to freeze an opponent. Overall it is an extremely versatile and useful pokemon that allows the entire team to function, even if it rarely wins a game by itself (like Sandslash and Zapdos).

Weaknesses​

As I alluded to before, this team is far from perfect. Like any other team, it has some bad matchups, both in teambuilding and playstyle. I am going to lay out the biggest flaws with this team in the hopes that someone smarter than I am can help figure out ways to mitigate them as much possible. Just a quick note that obviously unbreakable setup mons can obviously pose a threat when set up. However, I feel this team has more answers to those than most, with powerful guaranteed crit attacks in Razor Leaf and Slash to break through Amnesia to KO and pressure Reflect Chansey respectively, not to mention a fast boom, partial trapping and boosting to pressure Rest. Tauros is always a threat, especially without one of your own, but Cloyster has among the best bull matchups in the game (barring weird T-Bolt), Charizard can revenge kill, Electrode can status or boom, and Bell can status and chunk away with Razor Leaf, not to mention its matchup with Zapdos probably leaning towards the Thunderbird. Because of all of that, I'd say this team is not abnormally weak to Tauros. It is something to be wary of, for sure, but the team has quite a few answers. Partial trapping can overwhelm any team, but recognizing trap teams early on and applying offensive pressure is effective.
This team struggles against the rare, but viable Freeze team archetype. This is not due to any particular weakness to the condition per se (this team is not completely obliterated by a member being frozen, unlike some other unconventional teams) but simply due to its major weakness to Ice type attacks. 4/6 mons are weak to Ice, with only one resist, who is very vulnerable to T-bolt coverage on Ice attacking mons. This means, although revenge killing them is not ususally a huge deal, I cannot switch very much in to almost any ice type attacker. This is probably the most glaring weakness of the team, and if it could be alleviated in some way would drastically improve its viability. In particular, this team struggles with Lapras, as it is quite bulky, and can absorb a Thunder/Razor Leaf and deal heavy damage to whoever lets that attack go. Unparalyzed Jynx leads can also rip the team apart, especially if Charizard is low health, as Psychic usually messes Cloyster up. The rare Agility Articuno obliterates this team Sans Cloyster, and explosion or a healthy Electrode are my only ways of preventing it. Fortunately, OU is generally very hostile to Articuno, and it therefore is very rare.
A well-played defensive core of Starmie and Rhydon can be very difficult for this team to maneuver around. Rhydon hard walls Zapdos unless it is very low health (~20 %) and all of my Rhydon switch ins (Sandslash, Cloyster, Victreebel) are at high risk of getting hurt by Starmie switching in. Getting Victreebell in can help but it cannot switch in to Starmie, and loses its ability to combat Starmie if it eats an Earthquake. Thankfully, many players have recently left ~70% Starmie in on Victreebell, and traded Starmie's life for paralysis on Bel, which is a trade I will take any time. Otherwise, I just have to get lucky on a switch in (crit or para or something).
This team also has a bit of an electric type problem if Sandslash is weakened. It walls Jolteon a bit better than RhyGol but in exchange it doesn't quite wall Zapdos. Once Slash is out of the picture, they can wreak havoc, as Cloyster and Charizard get decimated, Zapdos has a kind of bad matchup against other electrics (especially relying on Thunder) and most electric types have ways of annihilating Victreebel. It's not a huge problem, as I keep Sandslash healthy as long as possible and it can setup on any non-Raichu electric, but it's something to keep in mind.
Lastly, unexpected and aggressive play can also turn the tide of any battle. Things like T-Bolt Tauros/Snorlax, people booming Eggy, Lax, or Gengar on Sandslash, Sing Chansey, or switching into a predicted Hyper Beam can really hurt my momentum and turn the tide in the opponents favor.

Conclusion​

If you've made it this far congratulations and Thank you. I understand this team is unorthodox and mainly low tier, but I think I've shown a pretty good understanding of its flaws and how to use it, so please do not discount it solely on the basis of "It doesn't have any members of the Big 4". As I said before I'm not trying all out to win tournaments with this team, but I'm still trying to improve it and I will probably try it out in tournaments to see how it fairs against higher level competition. For me, it is a diverse and refreshing change of pace from the normally very centralized Gen 1 OU metagame that can really be a slog. It is not especially weak to any particular type of gimmick (except perhaps freeze teams), and typically does very well against other non-standard teams, while having ways to deal with the major threats in the metagame. I am open to suggestions on improving it, especially in the ways that I specifically mention, but not in scrapping half the team for Tauros, Chansey, and Exeggutor.


Here are a few ladder replays to show you the team in action. I am aware relatively low ladder matches are not the only thing that determines a teams viability, but this just shows the strategies I reference against real opponents. It also demonstrates the ability for this team to function even when there are misplays/ bad luck. Enjoy!

*****DISCLAIMER***** Some of the replays (and one of my Pokemon's names) have NSFW language, and I understand that may offend people. So I apologize but if you are someone who that would upset, please do not watch them, or if you do, you've at least been warned.

Ladder Replays

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-987123545
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-983707610
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-978446915
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-978231293
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-989826636
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-987779793

*EDIT 12/1/2019* Added some more replays, cleaned up the Sandslash section a little bit, added RB sprites, and weaknesses section.

Importable

Unabomber (Electrode)
Ability: none
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Explosion
- Flash

K. Dot (Sandslash)
Ability: none
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Body Slam
- Hyper Beam

NSFW (Victreebel)
Ability: none
- Razor Leaf
- Sleep Powder
- Stun Spore
- Body Slam

Sparky (Zapdos)
Ability: none
- Thunder Wave
- Thunder
- Drill Peck
- Light Screen

Coolmander (Charizard)
Ability: none
- Fire Spin
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
- Slash

Boisterous Oyster (Cloyster)
Ability: none
- Clamp
- Blizzard
- Explosion
- Toxic

 

[Calebmon]

I'm no expert but I feel like swapping Zard out for rapidash who has a smaller movepool but is faster could work better maybe. Or just put Tauros in, because gen 1, but interesting team nonetheless I feel like it would struggle against amnesia lax and Tauros as you have nothing that directly threatens them too well which could make it quite tough but a well timed explosion or a lucky crit are really all it takes for your team to beat just about any team in gen 1. I kinda want to try out sandslash in the role you've given him.

 

[Gen1UUFan]

I'm no expert but I feel like swapping Zard out for rapidash who has a smaller movepool but is faster could work better maybe. Or just put Tauros in, because gen 1, but interesting team nonetheless I feel like it would struggle against amnesia lax and Tauros as you have nothing that directly threatens them too well which could make it quite tough but a well timed explosion or a lucky crit are really all it takes for your team to beat just about any team in gen 1. I kinda want to try out sandslash in the role you've given him.

First of all thanks for responding, I was beginning to lose hope after a month lol. I've tried Rapidash as an anti-lead before. The slight speed boost is nice, and it has a decently powerful Hyper Beam. I'll give it a shot, though more para support would be great. Tauros is obviously amazing and can mess up even the best plan, Cloyster is my only switch-in and even then it can be dicey with crits and paralysis. Tauros would probably work well despite an awkward fit, but lead eggy can really hurt this team without a fire type switch in. To address the other concern, setup Amnesia Lax certainly poses a problem, as you alluded to explosion is a great tool against it. Otherwise keeping up offensive pressure against is my best tool against it. If Cloyster is alive, it can sponge Surf/Blizzard Lax, and if it's the rare Tbolt Amnesia Rest Lax then Slash obviously walls it completely. And lastly absolutely try out Sandslash! It's very dangerous late game, it makes my team click but I feel like it would really well with the likes of Chansey and Starmie because of the paralysis support. Just try to keep it hidden as long as possible. Here's a replay of a meme team where I got a full Sandslash sweep. Just don't let it get too popular (; https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-1011675957
Thanks again and if you need any Sandslash tips just pm me!

 

[Marowhacked]

This team is dope af. I’ve been thinking that with such a centralized meta alternative strategies should have a place with a little creativity and you certainly achieved that. I’m no expert either I wonder if dragonite would work as a replacement for charizard. You lose fire stab and some speed in return for t wave and more raw power. Definitely want to try this or a variation out on the ladder!

 

[Gen1UUFan]

Thanks for reading it! I'm glad you like the team, if you want to use it on the ladder go ahead, pm me if you want any tips. And in that note the last change I've made was actually to replace Dragonite with Zard. Dragonite fills a similar role as you said, bulky mixed attacker/pivot. However, Dragonite really exposed this team to a problem it already has: Ice types. Jynx in particular, if it could escape the lead matchup unparalyzed, would absolutely annhilate this team (it kind of already does but it's not terribly common.) Charizard is unfortunately still weak to Ice but not 4x and if brought in safely can heavily damage it. The fact that Lapras comfortably avoids the OHKO from Razor Leaf/Thunder doesn't really help either. So unfortunately Dragonite isn't the answer. I like Lapras but unfortunately it lacks T-Wave.

 

[ExecutiveEggy]

I think it would be cool if you replaced zard with offensive starmie w/ psychic/hydro pump/ blizzard/ tbolt

 

[Rubiaa]

View attachment 209309View attachment 209310View attachment 209311View attachment 209312View attachment 209313View attachment 209314

Introduction​

So, I've spent some time familiarizing myself with the ladder and team, trying out about 1/2 of the fully evolved Gen 1 population trying to best figure out the flaws with my team, and this is the result. Again, since it lacks the Big 4, psychics, or any sort of sustained gimmick (I use partial trapping only to bring teammates in, not as an agonizing sweeping mechanism) it's certainly not better than a standard OU team. But in my experience it does pretty well in such a centralized metagame, and is a lot more offensive, fast-paced and (to me at least) fun than the average Gen 1 OU team. It's a very offensive based team that requires a very aggressive play-style, with lots of switching, and that obviously can be taken advantage of by savvier players, but it's a nice feeling playing with a team that is entirely my own. I doubt I'll ever win a tournament with it, but it can put up a much better fight than the tiering would suggest. If you're putting in the effort to read all of this thank you! This team has taken a lot of tinkering but there's always room for improvement, so I'm all ears for any suggestions that don't radically alter the point of this team. I do intend to use this team in tournaments just to see but so far all my experience has been on the ladder (my rating has bounced around 1200-1300 with this team, though I often mess around with jokey teams that bring my rating down.) Although it may seem like it at first, this is not a haphazard collection of Pokemon I like and just threw together. Every move has been carefully considered in the context of the team, and lots of experimentation was used to get to this product.

The Team (All EVs/DVs are Maxed)​

TL;DR

View attachment 209288
Has Good lead match-ups across the board, can be preserved as good revenge killer/status late game, Explodes when no longer useful.
View attachment 209289View attachment 209290
Physically Bulky SD Sweeper, can decimate slower teams, and monster late game, especially if Tauros is neutralized. Synergizes very well with Zapdos, and its ability to beat Eggy Switch-ins makes it invaluable. Often loses to Tauros but paves the way for Zapdos.
View attachment 209291View attachment 209292View attachment 209293
Fast dual powder user, good switch-in/ revenge killer for bulky waters + RhyGol. Fast sleep, Good attack, and Body Slam spam makes it hard to truly counter, only check.
View attachment 209294View attachment 209295View attachment 209296View attachment 209297
Probably has the most favorable 1v1 match-ups in the tier due to amazing special, good mixed attack, good speed (crit rate), and status ability along with good overall bulk. Unfortunately hard-countered by Rhy/Gol, but this team has several ways of eliminating them, and once that is a case can decimate entire other teams.
View attachment 209298View attachment 209299View attachment 209300View attachment 209301View attachment 209302
Decently fast fire type to switch into paralyzed sleep-leads that manage to sleep Electrode, Fire Spin is a great way to maintain momentum, while slash and Earthquake allow it to function as a decent mixed attacker. Probably the least-essential Pokemon, but has a role and usually pulls its weight. Has a good Tauros matchup.
View attachment 209303View attachment 209304View attachment 209305View attachment 209306View attachment 209307View attachment 209308
Pretty much the only primarily defensive Pokemon, sponges Ice type attacks that this team is otherwise decimated by, powerful STAB blizzard hurts most things and makes it a great Tauros switch in. Clamp keeps up momentum, and can explode when no longer useful. Drawing in Electric types can be good to set-up Sandslash, and people foolish enough to switch-in Chansey will see it blown to smithereens.

The Homewreckers

View attachment 209282
Unabomber (Electrode)
Role: Paralyzing/Annoyer lead + Fast, Exploding Revenge Killer

- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Explosion
- Flash
​

My previous team had a serious lead problem, where most matches I would essentially be playing 5 on 6. Electrode was my favorite solution to it. I love being able to guarantee paralysis against the other fast paralysis leads, as it ensures that even if the lead match up goes awry the Alakazam/Starmie won't simply rip through my team. I also prefer sleep mid-late game as a way to shut down a prominent threat. It can be infuriating against the likes of Jynx and Gengar, paralyzing them, then dropping their accuracy with Flash, essentially giving them 50% accuracy on all their moves. In addition, Thunderbolt is a great move in general, not super powerful coming off of Electrodes 80 special but with the high crit rate can do a great chunk of damage. Now obviously, those are all things that Jolteon does much better, but there is one thing that sets electrode apart: Explosion. If Electrode can survive unparalyzed, it makes a great revenge killing move. Additionally, if Chansey switches in to sponge my special attacks, exploding on it will at the very least allow any teammate barring Cloyster to revenge-kill it, and will KO with a crit. Now obviously most people will switch Rhydon/Golem as soon as they see Electrode. Allowing a free switch is never ideal, but Cloyster takes their attacks like a champ, and has Clamp to prevent Rhydon from effectively substituing and wrecking havoc. Again if preserved late game (and especially if the rock type is removed), a fast Thunderbolt and explosion are nice things to have. Overall I find Electrode, despite being somewhat outclassed by Jolteon, to be a vastly underrated lead in RBY and a great catalyst for this teams success. I like its role and moveset, Flash is probably the move I'm the most iffy on, so if someone knows of a better alternative to it I'd strongly consider it.

View attachment 209283
K. Dot (Sandslash)
Role: Late-game Swords Dance Sweeper + Moderately Bulky Electric Type Counter
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Body Slam
- Hyper Beam
​

Again with a pokemon I feel is very underrated. The plan is simple, find an oppurtunity to switch in safely (Electric type, Thunder wave from vulnerable attacker, Rock Slide from Rhydon/Golem, etc.) and sweep. If the opponent switches in a threat (I'll add a list at the end) switch to the appropriate counter. If a switch appears likely, Body slam on the switch instead of SD and hope for paralysis. The later it is in the match, the better. Sandslash pretty much 2HKOs the entire metagame after a SD boost, OHKOing anything weak to Earthquake or physically frail (Alakazam, Persian, etc.). Despite a seemingly low speed stat, its speed tier in OU is actually quite good, outspeeding Eggy and everything slower than it. Its mono-typing and different stat allocation render it unable to really counter physical attackers, but in exchange is a lot harder to OHKO with super effective moves. Body Slam is run over Rock Slide as it nearly always allows Sandslash to 2HKO Eggy with Hyper Beam. I've heard it described as a weaker Rhy/Gol, but I feel that doesn't do it justice. It has some similar matchups but I feel like its role is somewhere between Rhy/Gol and Tauros. It can really mow down unprepared teams, and works very well with paralysis support (being itself immune to Thunder-wave helps a lot.). And as alluded to previously, its ability to switch in and defeat Rhy/Gol in the absence of Cloyster opens the way for Zapdos. The success of Sandslash is often the best indicator for this teams success, as it can either sweep the opposition or make way for the other main threat. I recommend anyone who likes unorthodox play styles to try out Sandslash on a standard team, it is very dangerous with paralysis support and people often underestimate its sweeping abilities (ex. oftentimes people will switch in Slowbro/ Snorlax on a +2 Slash and attempt to Amnesia, getting 2HKOd while effectively doing nothing.). Sandslash's role in this team is very set and to be honest I don't think I will change a thing about it.
Important Weak Matchups (Counters, can switch in on boosted Slash and win):
1. Bulky Ice Types + Razor Leaf users : Cloyster, Articuno- Outspeed Sandslash and OHKO with Blizzard, even when paralyzed can survive a boosted attack and OHKO. Lapras is outsped but otherwise does the same thing. The rare Venusaur/ VIctreebell operate similarly. STAB Hydro Pump works similarly but is rare and inaccurate. Ultimately not the most common pokemon but if they are identified MUST be eliminated for Sandslash to function.
2. Fast Special Attackers: Starmie, Tauros, Dragonite outspeed and 2HKO with Blizzard/Surf (Starmie rarely runs Hydro Pump.) If paralyzed will lose to +2 Sandslash but not before dealing heavy damage, and of course win with a crit. The most common impediments due to their ubiquity.
Checks (Situation Dependent):
3. Fast sleepers: Gengar and Jynx both handily outspeed and can put Sandslash to sleep (Jynx will straight up KO with a blizzard.) They can be very threatening but are often played as leads, and as a result are paralyzed. In that case, a +2 Sandslash OHKOs both with Earthquake (Gengar is OHKOd without a boost.) Can be impediments but ultimately not especially common and often paralyzed.
4. Psychics: Alakazam can revenge kill Sandslash below 70%, though is OHKOd by +2 Earthquake, and loses more than 50% to unboosted. It should lose switching into a +2 Slash, but often crits through and wins. If paralyzed it is rarely a threat. Exeggutor resists Earthquake, and can either sleep or paralyze with powders, while also 2HKOing with Psychic (but not Mega Drain) and possibly exploding as a final resort. However, if switching into a +2 Sandslash is 2HKO'd by BS+Hyper Beam, and often either misses a powder or gets paralyzed. If sleep has already been used often only damages Sandslash while falling to it. Its tendency to take damage early game means it is often injured when switching in, in that case any Eggy under 60% is OHKO'd by Hyper Beam all the time.
5. MIscellanous Flying Type Attackers: Without Rock Slide, matchups against pokemon like Moltres, Charizard, and Paralyzed Articuno shift away from Sandslash's favor, while Zapdos goes to a pokemon that is hard countered by Sandslash to only being checked. Those weaker matchups can change a game, however exeggutor is more common in OU than all of those pokemon combined so it is the more important matchup. Strange pokemon like Sycther and Aerodactyl also end up with much less comfortable matchups, but they are generally very ineffective so it's not a big worry. An important thing to keep in mind is Super Effective Non-STAB Rock Slide (150 BP) = Regular Effective STAB Quake (150)= Non-Stab Hyper Beam (150 BP), and the same follows for a neutral RS and not effective Quake, so aside from maybe Parasect(?) Rock slide would only be for flying types.

View attachment 209284
NSFW (Victreebel)
Fast Status-inducer + Strong Special Attacker
- Razor Leaf
- Sleep Powder
- Stun Spore
- Body Slam
​

I think most people are pretty familiar with Victreebell, so this will be a bit shorter. Dual Powders are great, Sleep shuts down a lot of otherwise unwinnable situations, and it has two good, consistent attacking moves that dent most pokemon. I tried using Dual Powders + Razor Leaf + Wrap but missed the consistent damage output that Body Slam provided. Bell is run over Venusaur because their speed tier is nearly identical and another source of paralysis fits better with the team. Revenge killing Rhy/Gol and weakened waters helps this team out a lot. I'm not especially attached to Victrebell and would consider switching it out for something that fits better, but I prefer the accuracy of Sleep Powder, and Exeggutor would not fit as nicely with this team due to its lack of effective grass STAB. Any suggested moveset changes would be helpful.

View attachment 209285
Sparky (Zapdos)
Strong Mixed Attacker / Special Tank + Paralysis Spreader
- Thunder Wave
- Thunder
- Drill Peck
- Light Screen
​

As with Bell, I feel like most people know what Zapdos does. Again, its synergy with Sandslash is the biggest reason this team has any success, as even if Sandslash "only" takes out Rhy/Gol, it opens up an opportunity for Zapdos to take over. It was just filler, but Light Screen allows Zapdos to more comfortably beat special attackers late game and has helped a lot in the past, so it stays. Thunder is obviously risky but fits with this team and nabs important KOs (ex. OHKOs Starmie, can 2HKO Tauros), while also spreading paralysis. As one would expect, Drill Peck is used for a consistent, powerful physical attack for grass types, Gengar, and when Zapdos has low special. Overall a terrifying pokemon when Rhydon and Golem are removed, which this team has several ways of doing. It is absolutely essential to this team, and the only change I would consider is possibly switching Light Screen for Thunderbolt. Jolteon (or any other electric for that matter) would simply not fit nearly as well.

View attachment 209286
Coolmander (Charizard)
Fast Mixed Attacker/Pivot
- Fire Spin
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
- Slash
​

This is the Pokemon I am least set on, though it has surprised me with its effectiveness. Fire Blast is good as it is super effective against non-Gengar Sleep leads should they put Electrode to sleep, Fire Spin is used when it seems the opponent is going to switch and allows a teammate to brought in for free, while Slash heavily damages foes through Reflect, and just as a base 140 power physical move on a pretty fast pokemon makes it good for revenge killing. Earthquake is not used terribly often but hurts paralyzed Gengar, who would otherwise wall this set, and can hurt predicted electrics/other fire types. It often beats Snorlax/Tauros in a revenge killing role by either getting a crit Fire Blast or burning them, can easily pivot out of its threats, is good for revenge killing, and is one of the few legitimate mixed attackers. It would be nice if it was a bit faster, stronger or at the very least wasn't hit super effectively by Ice, but it still works pretty well. If anyone has a case for a pokemon that would fit better in this team, I would strongly consider replacing it. I think Starmie would probably be my top choice as a nice bulky, fast para-spreader, but I've never used it before so I'm not sure. For any suggestions for a better Pokemon here, I am all ears. More para-support would be lovely, something that better counters ice-types would be a god-send, and being able to threaten a defensive core of Rydon and Starmie would go a long way. I have tried quite a few pokemon in this slot (Mr. Mime, Porygon, Clefable, Dragonite, Hitmonlee, Hypno, Gyarados, Persian, Gengar, probably forgetting a few) and none have been quite as helpful as 'Zard, but I feel I could still get more out of this pokemon.

View attachment 209287
Boisterous Oyster (Cloyster)
Physical Sponge, Blizzard Spammer, Exploder and Pivot
- Clamp
- Blizzard
- Explosion
- Toxic
​

Last but certainly not least, the devious looking Oyster. Again, Cloyster is a pretty popular OU pokemon so I wont go too in depth, especially since there is nothing unorthodox about the set I'm running. STAB Blizzard hurts even with its OK Special, Clamp is a good pivot out of Starmie/Electric switch ins, Explosion is a great way to clear out a threat/ remove a Chansey foolish enough to switch-in, and Toxic+Clamp is a last resort against unbreakable set-up (like Reflect +Amnesia Lax, Slowbro, Reflect Chansey, etc.) though admittedly Toxic is kind of dead weight. Again, Cloyster is an integral defensive component of this team, being the only sponge for Ice type moves that would otherwise decimate this team. It also switches into Tauros well and is always a threat to freeze an opponent. Overall it is an extremely versatile and useful pokemon that allows the entire team to function, even if it rarely wins a game by itself (like Sandslash and Zapdos).

Weaknesses​

As I alluded to before, this team is far from perfect. Like any other team, it has some bad matchups, both in teambuilding and playstyle. I am going to lay out the biggest flaws with this team in the hopes that someone smarter than I am can help figure out ways to mitigate them as much possible. Just a quick note that obviously unbreakable setup mons can obviously pose a threat when set up. However, I feel this team has more answers to those than most, with powerful guaranteed crit attacks in Razor Leaf and Slash to break through Amnesia to KO and pressure Reflect Chansey respectively, not to mention a fast boom, partial trapping and boosting to pressure Rest. Tauros is always a threat, especially without one of your own, but Cloyster has among the best bull matchups in the game (barring weird T-Bolt), Charizard can revenge kill, Electrode can status or boom, and Bell can status and chunk away with Razor Leaf, not to mention its matchup with Zapdos probably leaning towards the Thunderbird. Because of all of that, I'd say this team is not abnormally weak to Tauros. It is something to be wary of, for sure, but the team has quite a few answers. Partial trapping can overwhelm any team, but recognizing trap teams early on and applying offensive pressure is effective.
This team struggles against the rare, but viable Freeze team archetype. This is not due to any particular weakness to the condition per se (this team is not completely obliterated by a member being frozen, unlike some other unconventional teams) but simply due to its major weakness to Ice type attacks. 4/6 mons are weak to Ice, with only one resist, who is very vulnerable to T-bolt coverage on Ice attacking mons. This means, although revenge killing them is not ususally a huge deal, I cannot switch very much in to almost any ice type attacker. This is probably the most glaring weakness of the team, and if it could be alleviated in some way would drastically improve its viability. In particular, this team struggles with Lapras, as it is quite bulky, and can absorb a Thunder/Razor Leaf and deal heavy damage to whoever lets that attack go. Unparalyzed Jynx leads can also rip the team apart, especially if Charizard is low health, as Psychic usually messes Cloyster up. The rare Agility Articuno obliterates this team Sans Cloyster, and explosion or a healthy Electrode are my only ways of preventing it. Fortunately, OU is generally very hostile to Articuno, and it therefore is very rare.
A well-played defensive core of Starmie and Rhydon can be very difficult for this team to maneuver around. Rhydon hard walls Zapdos unless it is very low health (~20 %) and all of my Rhydon switch ins (Sandslash, Cloyster, Victreebel) are at high risk of getting hurt by Starmie switching in. Getting Victreebell in can help but it cannot switch in to Starmie, and loses its ability to combat Starmie if it eats an Earthquake. Thankfully, many players have recently left ~70% Starmie in on Victreebell, and traded Starmie's life for paralysis on Bel, which is a trade I will take any time. Otherwise, I just have to get lucky on a switch in (crit or para or something).
This team also has a bit of an electric type problem if Sandslash is weakened. It walls Jolteon a bit better than RhyGol but in exchange it doesn't quite wall Zapdos. Once Slash is out of the picture, they can wreak havoc, as Cloyster and Charizard get decimated, Zapdos has a kind of bad matchup against other electrics (especially relying on Thunder) and most electric types have ways of annihilating Victreebel. It's not a huge problem, as I keep Sandslash healthy as long as possible and it can setup on any non-Raichu electric, but it's something to keep in mind.
Lastly, unexpected and aggressive play can also turn the tide of any battle. Things like T-Bolt Tauros/Snorlax, people booming Eggy, Lax, or Gengar on Sandslash, Sing Chansey, or switching into a predicted Hyper Beam can really hurt my momentum and turn the tide in the opponents favor.

Conclusion​

If you've made it this far congratulations and Thank you. I understand this team is unorthodox and mainly low tier, but I think I've shown a pretty good understanding of its flaws and how to use it, so please do not discount it solely on the basis of "It doesn't have any members of the Big 4". As I said before I'm not trying all out to win tournaments with this team, but I'm still trying to improve it and I will probably try it out in tournaments to see how it fairs against higher level competition. For me, it is a diverse and refreshing change of pace from the normally very centralized Gen 1 OU metagame that can really be a slog. It is not especially weak to any particular type of gimmick (except perhaps freeze teams), and typically does very well against other non-standard teams, while having ways to deal with the major threats in the metagame. I am open to suggestions on improving it, especially in the ways that I specifically mention, but not in scrapping half the team for Tauros, Chansey, and Exeggutor.


Here are a few ladder replays to show you the team in action. I am aware relatively low ladder matches are not the only thing that determines a teams viability, but this just shows the strategies I reference against real opponents. It also demonstrates the ability for this team to function even when there are misplays/ bad luck. Enjoy!

*****DISCLAIMER***** Some of the replays (and one of my Pokemon's names) have NSFW language, and I understand that may offend people. So I apologize but if you are someone who that would upset, please do not watch them, or if you do, you've at least been warned.

Ladder Replays

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-987123545
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-983707610
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-978446915
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-978231293
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-989826636
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen1ou-987779793

*EDIT 12/1/2019* Added some more replays, cleaned up the Sandslash section a little bit, added RB sprites, and weaknesses section.

Importable

Unabomber (Electrode)
Ability: none
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Explosion
- Flash

K. Dot (Sandslash)
Ability: none
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Body Slam
- Hyper Beam

NSFW (Victreebel)
Ability: none
- Razor Leaf
- Sleep Powder
- Stun Spore
- Body Slam

Sparky (Zapdos)
Ability: none
- Thunder Wave
- Thunder
- Drill Peck
- Light Screen

Coolmander (Charizard)
Ability: none
- Fire Spin
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
- Slash

Boisterous Oyster (Cloyster)
Ability: none
- Clamp
- Blizzard
- Explosion
- Toxic

Add a tauros to your team, best offensive mon and mon in the tier