I was looking through the NatDex tier when I found that in the entire Natdex OU meta game, as well as some lower ranked Pokémon that are also viable, nothing can safely wall both Ash-Greninja and Victini. I made this team to abuse this combination and made it to 1550+, which is probably one of my highest points, so I thought I’d showcase the team here.
Greninja-Ash (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Spikes
- Surf
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
Ash-Greninja has fallen in popularity quite a bit since it dropped back into OU, but it still boasts an astronomical special attack, high speed tier, and access to better moves to support the team like hazards with spikes or strong speed control with a specs boosted water shuriken. I chose surf as my water stab because hydro pump has made me lose games I should have won. It still hits hard, though. Once evolved, Ash-Greninja can beat common checks like Spdef Clefable and Spdef Zapdos without having to worry about dying to their super effective STAB. However, it still struggles with Spdef Ferrothorn and bulky waters, and gets revenge killed by rillaboom often.
252 SpA Choice Specs Greninja-Ash Surf vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Zapdos: 192-226 (50.1 - 59%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Greninja-Ash Surf vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Clefable: 192-226 (48.7 - 57.3%) -- 47.7% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Victini @ Choice Band
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- V-create
- U-turn
- Bolt Strike
- Zen Headbutt
Having the most powerful move in the game and a handy choice band equipped, Victini is an amazing wall breaker that sometimes surprises me with what it can do, like 2hko standard Gastrodon, which I used to have to dance around until I discovered this. In addition, it has a great movepool, including an accuracy boosted Bolt Strike to get bulky waters, Zen Headbutt to kill Kommo’o, and U-Turn to lure Heatran in and give Ash-Greninja free entry. It also has considerable defensive utility with 100/100/100 defenses, which most notably lets it beat CmSg Magearna, as well as many other sets. However, it does require prediction to beat bulky waters, which can be a 50/50 if the opponent has something like a scarf Lando-T. It also gets worn down quickly by attacks and stealth rocks.
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 40+ Def Gastrodon: 216-255 (50.7 - 59.8%) -- 85.9% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+1 252 SpA Magearna Stored Power (120 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Victini: 97-115 (28.4 - 33.7%) -- 0.3% chance to 3HKO
252+ SpA Magearna Twinkle Tackle (195 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Victini: 174-205 (51 - 60.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Now that my offensive core is out of the way, I need to give this team some defensive backbone and utility.
Zapdos @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Discharge
- Roost
- Defog
- U-turn
I desperately needed defog support for victini, and an electric type to put additional pressure on waters. Zapdos fills both these roles, and also acts as a defensive pivot that I can bring in after a choice locked attack, before using U-turn to bring one right back in. Pressure might be a good ability for defog Zapdos, but I swear that Static has a 100% chance of paralysis against Lando-T U-turns. U-turn is a great tool for getting Greninja in against ground types.
252+ Atk Choice Scarf Landorus-T U-turn vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Static Zapdos: 650-768 (100 - 100%) -- guaranteed Paralysis
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- U-turn
One matchup I was really struggling against was Heatran, which manages to wall everything but Ash-Gren, which it still smacks with a Magma Storm that I am unable to switch into at all. While Landorus also takes the 2hko, it can at least switch in and threaten it out, allowing Landorus to provide valuable utility in Knock Off, Stealth Rocks, and U-turn. I found Rocky Helmet to be the best item because I wanted to tank physical hits with intimidate, but wasn't on the field long enough to make use of leftovers. However, I might give it a Scarf instead.
Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 56 Def / 196 SpD
Careful Nature
- Roost
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Curse
I found Mega Scizor to be the best mega for this team. It can take most physical hits well, and U-turn support is great for my powerful wallbreakers. Curse lets it handle physical attackers even better while making it able to clean up in the endgame. Bullet Punch is great as usual for speed control. In particular, Scizor handles Rillaboom that I wouldn’t like to sacrifice my Zapdos’ boots to stop.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Teleport
- Moonblast
- Stealth Rock
When playing, I found that my pokemon without recovery tended to get worn down quickly, especially Victini, and even my other team members would sometimes struggle to get off a heal. To remedy this, I used wish-port Clefable to get them back up to nearly full, so that I can safely move them in and out of battle as needed. It gets easy entry on Kommo’o, which is often brought in to stop Greninja or Victini. Lastly, it adds to the massive switch move core that is this entire team.
Threats:</p><p>Heatran: Heatran walls everything on this team except for Greninja and can massively damage my team with Magma Storm. Landorus-T doesn't solve the problem either, so I just have to hope I can keep the Heatran out long enough to get enough of a lead so I can safely sack something.
Rain: I really have no defense against rain except Zapdos, Scizor, and Greninja, all of which are extremely shaky checks that rarely work. I lose 9/10 games against rain.
In short, this team has the potential to be very powerful, but has some extremely polarising matchups that can often make you want to pull your hair out. In winning watchups, however, it feels like you can just switch your wallbreakers in and out and force them to lose pokemon after pokemon, with nothing they can do to stop them as you switch to a pivot before repeating the process. I would like some help, however, making this team a lot less hit-or-miss.
EDIT: I have changed my team after feedback, here is the result:
https://pokepast.es/9494c64f686a4995
Greninja-Ash (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Spikes
- Surf
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
Ash-Greninja has fallen in popularity quite a bit since it dropped back into OU, but it still boasts an astronomical special attack, high speed tier, and access to better moves to support the team like hazards with spikes or strong speed control with a specs boosted water shuriken. I chose surf as my water stab because hydro pump has made me lose games I should have won. It still hits hard, though. Once evolved, Ash-Greninja can beat common checks like Spdef Clefable and Spdef Zapdos without having to worry about dying to their super effective STAB. However, it still struggles with Spdef Ferrothorn and bulky waters, and gets revenge killed by rillaboom often.
252 SpA Choice Specs Greninja-Ash Surf vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Zapdos: 192-226 (50.1 - 59%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Greninja-Ash Surf vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Clefable: 192-226 (48.7 - 57.3%) -- 47.7% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Victini @ Choice Band
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- V-create
- U-turn
- Bolt Strike
- Zen Headbutt
Having the most powerful move in the game and a handy choice band equipped, Victini is an amazing wall breaker that sometimes surprises me with what it can do, like 2hko standard Gastrodon, which I used to have to dance around until I discovered this. In addition, it has a great movepool, including an accuracy boosted Bolt Strike to get bulky waters, Zen Headbutt to kill Kommo’o, and U-Turn to lure Heatran in and give Ash-Greninja free entry. It also has considerable defensive utility with 100/100/100 defenses, which most notably lets it beat CmSg Magearna, as well as many other sets. However, it does require prediction to beat bulky waters, which can be a 50/50 if the opponent has something like a scarf Lando-T. It also gets worn down quickly by attacks and stealth rocks.
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 252 HP / 40+ Def Gastrodon: 216-255 (50.7 - 59.8%) -- 85.9% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+1 252 SpA Magearna Stored Power (120 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Victini: 97-115 (28.4 - 33.7%) -- 0.3% chance to 3HKO
252+ SpA Magearna Twinkle Tackle (195 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Victini: 174-205 (51 - 60.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Now that my offensive core is out of the way, I need to give this team some defensive backbone and utility.
Zapdos @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Discharge
- Roost
- Defog
- U-turn
I desperately needed defog support for victini, and an electric type to put additional pressure on waters. Zapdos fills both these roles, and also acts as a defensive pivot that I can bring in after a choice locked attack, before using U-turn to bring one right back in. Pressure might be a good ability for defog Zapdos, but I swear that Static has a 100% chance of paralysis against Lando-T U-turns. U-turn is a great tool for getting Greninja in against ground types.
252+ Atk Choice Scarf Landorus-T U-turn vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Static Zapdos: 650-768 (100 - 100%) -- guaranteed Paralysis
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- U-turn
One matchup I was really struggling against was Heatran, which manages to wall everything but Ash-Gren, which it still smacks with a Magma Storm that I am unable to switch into at all. While Landorus also takes the 2hko, it can at least switch in and threaten it out, allowing Landorus to provide valuable utility in Knock Off, Stealth Rocks, and U-turn. I found Rocky Helmet to be the best item because I wanted to tank physical hits with intimidate, but wasn't on the field long enough to make use of leftovers. However, I might give it a Scarf instead.
Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 56 Def / 196 SpD
Careful Nature
- Roost
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Curse
I found Mega Scizor to be the best mega for this team. It can take most physical hits well, and U-turn support is great for my powerful wallbreakers. Curse lets it handle physical attackers even better while making it able to clean up in the endgame. Bullet Punch is great as usual for speed control. In particular, Scizor handles Rillaboom that I wouldn’t like to sacrifice my Zapdos’ boots to stop.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Teleport
- Moonblast
- Stealth Rock
When playing, I found that my pokemon without recovery tended to get worn down quickly, especially Victini, and even my other team members would sometimes struggle to get off a heal. To remedy this, I used wish-port Clefable to get them back up to nearly full, so that I can safely move them in and out of battle as needed. It gets easy entry on Kommo’o, which is often brought in to stop Greninja or Victini. Lastly, it adds to the massive switch move core that is this entire team.
Threats:</p><p>Heatran: Heatran walls everything on this team except for Greninja and can massively damage my team with Magma Storm. Landorus-T doesn't solve the problem either, so I just have to hope I can keep the Heatran out long enough to get enough of a lead so I can safely sack something.
Rain: I really have no defense against rain except Zapdos, Scizor, and Greninja, all of which are extremely shaky checks that rarely work. I lose 9/10 games against rain.
In short, this team has the potential to be very powerful, but has some extremely polarising matchups that can often make you want to pull your hair out. In winning watchups, however, it feels like you can just switch your wallbreakers in and out and force them to lose pokemon after pokemon, with nothing they can do to stop them as you switch to a pivot before repeating the process. I would like some help, however, making this team a lot less hit-or-miss.
EDIT: I have changed my team after feedback, here is the result:
https://pokepast.es/9494c64f686a4995
Last edited:
