My First UU Team

[Tyranitarphantom]

Team At A Glance:

I have never really gotten into the new UU Metagame, and from what I've heard, it's a lot funner than OU. So if anything on here is just stupid, excuse me, and please correct it. Thanks.

So, my goal was to make a team surround Toxicroak, helping him to sweep. Without further ado:

Ambipom (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Fake Out
- U-turn
- Double Hit
- Taunt

Ambipom is easily the best lead in UU without Crobat around. Fake Out whatever their lead is, possibly taking a Sash out, and get some free damage. Theres no setting up, Ambipom just Taunts them. Double Hit is just an attack for if I need to keep it in, but Payback hits Ghosts.
---

Registeel @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP/96 Atk/4 Spd/156 SDef
Careful nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder Wave
- Iron Head

Standard UU Registeel, and for good reason. Sets up Rocks for my team, ruining things like Yanmega and Swellow. He can paralyze faster threats, opening up room for Toxicroak. Iron Head is the obvious STAB, EQ covers Fire types.
---

Milotic (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Marvel Scale
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
-Surf
-Recover
-Haze
-Toxic

Milotic is my answer to the plethora of Fire-Types running around in UU. The set should be pretty self-explanatory. Toxic wears down anything not immune to it, and Milotic can outstall with Recover. Haze is for things that like to set up on me
---

Espeon (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Psychic
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Calm Mind

Espeon is a really fun Pokemon. She covers Toxicroak's gigantic Psychic weakness, and can serve as a backup sweeper. She can sub up, CM, and dominate almost anything in the UU metagame. Truly an incredible asset.
---

Rotom @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Spe / 6 SpD
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Will-o-wisp
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Light Screen

Rotom has two roles. First, it can burn enemies and set up a Light Screen, softening the attacks on Toxicroak. Secondly, it also is immune to Ground, and resistant to Flying, two types that give Toxicroak a rough time. Thunderbolt and Shadow Ball offer him his basic STAB moves.
---

Toxicroak (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Focus Punch
- Ice Punch
- Sucker Punch
- Substitute

The star of the team. Comes in somewhat late game, after the rest of my team has eliminated things that can stop it. With a Sub up, it can potentially destroy anything with Sucker Punch before it's Sub can be broken. Focus Punch is incredibly strong, even from a mere 106 Base Attack stat. Ice Punch hits Ground types like Nidoking/queen.

So that is my team. The following two posts will contain my Building Process, as well as a Threat List. Thank you for looking over this, please leave any feedback about improving this team.


THINGS REMOVED FROM TEAM:


Clefable (F) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP/152 Atk/4 Spd/100 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Trick
- Softboiled
- Encore
- Seismic Toss

Clefable is just sexy. This set seems likes it's designed to annoy people. With Toxic Orb, she can absorb any status, and if she wants, Trick it to cripple someone else. She can heal with Softboiled, and deal damage if needed with Seismic Toss. Encore is the heart of the set, however. With it, she can lock a foe into a move, possibly allowing Toxicroak a free switch-in and Sub. She's one of the teams biggest asset.

 

[Tyranitarphantom]

Team Building Process

Toxicroak is such a cool Pokémon, though, honestly, I originally wanted to make a team focused around a Honchkrow. But oh well. Honchkrow deserves to be BL, anyways. So the SubPunch set, with Sucker Punch and Ice Punch, looked very appealing to me, so a team focused on getting Toxicroak to sweep was my goal. With the prominince of Rain in UU, I thought Toxicroak would have an easy time getting in, especially against the likes of Ludicolo and Omastar.
I thought about Toxicroak's weaknesses, Psychic, Ground, and Flying. Nothing in UU resists all 3 of them, but Flying wasn't a big worry, as nothing but Yanmega or Swellow should ever use a Flying attack. Thinking, I wish so desperatly that Skarmory or Bronzong were UU, as they would compliment Toxicroak so well. Because I have Sucker Punch on Toxicroak, I wasn't too scared of Espeon or the rare Gardevoir, UU's most prominent Psychic move users. Ground type moves were my biggest fear, as many very defensive Pokémon in UU carry Earthquake, such as Regirock/Steel and Steelix, as well as being seen on Nidoking/Queen and Hitmonlee. I wanted something that could take these Pokémon down with ease, as well as something that could take Yanmega, Swellow, and Espeon. So I decided to use two other Pokémon for these tasks.

Man do I wish the lesser used Rotom-A's (like Spin and Freeze) were legal in UU. But oh well. So I chose Rotom for two reasons. First, he can use Will-o-Wisp, which would greatly benefit Toxicroak, as he would have an easier time setting his Sub up if the opponent is too weak to break it. Second, he has that handy Ground immunity, resistance to Flying (as well as anything else Yanmega and Swellow (Scyther too, I believe) can pack. Yanmega and Scyther won't like being paralyzed either.
Then, to handle the Pokémon that use Earthquake I mentioned before, I chose to use another great set-up sweeper, Espeon! Sub can help her block status, and work as a buffer to let her set up Calm Minds. Her set is very standard, but it meets my needs, and it's not like it's standard for nothing. I could always use her as a backup sweeper should Toxicroak fail.

At this point, I didn't see any huge holes in my team. I noted, however, that a Mismagius with a sub up could seriously do some damage. Something with stong priority was needed. Arcanine came to mind first, but Extremespeed dosen't affect Missy. Hitmontop was also out of the question. Thinking, a Crobat or Froslass could come in on HP Ground and Taunt it, but they would be banned, of course. Then, after reading it's anaylsis, it occured to me.

Clefable is able to come in on Mismagius easily, and Encore it into using Sub or CM repeatedly. This also gives Toxicroak (or maybe Espeon) a free switch in. As well, she can take special hits very well, and be a good switch in on status moves that normally would decimate things.
So now, my team seemed pretty solid. It was time for me to decide on a lead. Without much thought, the obvious lead came to me:

Ambipom is a long-time favorite of mine, and is marvelous as a lead. Fake Out whatever it is, and then U-turn out to a counter. It's so much fun, and Ambipom is also useful, as it outpaces almost everything in UU that isn't Scarfed. It could also help with my Mismagius problem.
With only one slot left, I knew I wanted something to set up Rocks. Since I was getting very sleepy, I just threw the most used SR Pokémon in UU in there.

Registeel is a pretty solid UU Pokémon, so I just went with him. I'm getting a little lazy here, but this team is open to suggestions, and any team could always be improved.

 

[Tyranitarphantom]

Threat List

Green means no problems
Black means I am unsure
Red means there is a big problem

Absol: Killed by Focus Punch.

Altaria: Killed by Ice Punch

Ambipom: Killed by Focus Punch, walled by Registeel

Arcanine: Milotic ends it

Azumarill: Toxicroak comes in and sets up on it's STABs, forcing a switch

Blastoise: Barring the use of Roar, Toxicroak and Espeon can set up on it

Blaziken: Espeon outruns it and kills it. Milotic stops it

Chansey: Toxicroak Focus Punches it

Charizard: Rocks make quick work of Charizards. If needed, Ambipom can always outrun and kill it

Claydol: Ice Punch will kill it, Rotom can kill it

Clefable: Toxicroak kills it easily with Focus Punch

Drapion: Toxicroak can Focus Punch it, Ambipom can kill it

Electrode: Usually sets up Rain for a team, Rotom can come in when I predict an Explosion. Registeel can make quick work of it

Espeon: If it tries to attack Toxicroak, it will get Sucker Punched to death. Rotom can Shadow Ball it

Feraligatr: Again, Toxicroak can come in on Water moves and set up

Gardevoir: Toxicroak or Rotom can kill it. Registeel can wall it

Hariyama: Espeon can kill it

Hitmonlee: Same as Hariyama

Hitmontop: Same as Hariyama

Houndoom: Ambipom can usually kill it. Milotic can kill it

Kabutops: Toxicroak sets up on it easily

Lanturn: It can't do much to Toxicroak, Registeel can take it with little to no trouble

Ludicolo: Toxicroak sets up on it easily

Magmortar: Can be hit hard by a Sucker Punch. Espeon and Ambipom can outrun and kill it

Mesprit: Ambipom Taunts it, Rotom and Toxicroak can hit it

Milotic: Toxicroak sets up on it with no trouble

Miltank: Toxicroak Focus Punches it, Espeon HP Fighting it's

Mismagius: Clefable and Registeel wall it

Moltres: Rocks rape it, just like Charizard

Muk: Espeon kills it, but has to watch out for Shadow Sneak

Nidoking: Espeon kills it, Toxicroak Ice Punches it

Nidoqueen: Same as Nidoking

Ninetales: Ambipom can outrun it and kill it. Milotic can stop it

Omastar: Toxicroak sets up easily on it

Poliwrath: Same as Omastar

Porygon2: Toxicroak Focus Punches it

Primeape: Espeon kills it

Regirock: Espeon kills it with HP Fighting. Toxicroak and Registeel hit it with their STABs, but it's high defense might give them problems

Registeel: Toxicroak Focus Punches it

Roserade: Espeon kills it easily

Rotom: Toxicroak Sucker Punches it.

Sceptile: Toxicroak Ice Punches it

Scyther: Rocks ruin it, Ambipom and Toxicroak can priority it

Slowbro: Rotom can hit it with it's STABs, Toxicroak can set up on it. Could be an issue thanks to Slack Off, however Milotic can Toxic it

Spiritomb: The ResTalk gives me a hard time. Milotic can haze it, however. Without Rest, however, Milotic can out-stall it

Steelix: Espeon HP Fightings it

Swellow: Registeel walls it

Torterra: Toxicroak Ice Punches it

Toxicroak: Ironically, my team dosen't have an answer to it, besides Espeon, who is dead without a Sub up

Typhlosion: Toxicroak can Sucker Punch it. Milotic will end it

Umbreon: Toxicroak Focus Punches it

Uxie: Toxicroak Sucker Punches it, Rotom can hit it a bit with Shadow Ball

Venusaur: Espeon Psychics it. Toxicroak Ice Punches it

Weezing: Espeon Psychics it

Yanmega: Rocks kill it mostly, Ambipom revenge kills it. Registeel can wall it.

 

[Fuzzyreaper]

Id suggest changing your lead. I used to run an ambipom lead, but i found that it was often to predictable. People expect fake out from it, and often enough will switch to a steel or ghost pokemon to lessen the impact. I now run a fake out persian because it can achieve the same affect, and is less predictable (having hypnosis isnt half bad either)

 

[haunter]

Hi,

you have a pretty nice team, but you're absolutely massacred by Blaziken and fire pokemons in general... I'm thinking of Thyplosion, Arcanine and so on.

With Registeel on the team, you don't really need Clefable as a second special wall, I'd advise to replace it with a defensive Milotic:

Milotic@leftovers
nature: bold
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
-surf
-recover
-ice beam
-toxic / hidden power [grass]

Milotic would provide a good switch into Blaziken and a sure counter for Azumarill - Toxicroak must be very wary when switching into it considering that a predicted double edge can nearly ohko it. Milotic would also provide a sure counter for fire pokemons, something that your team really needs.

Secondly, you're missing the EVs on Rotom.

Other than that, I only see a little SD Drapion weakness, though you can revenge kill it with Ambipom, that's why I recommend either double hit or return on it.

GL!

 

[Tyranitarphantom]

Id suggest changing your lead. I used to run an ambipom lead, but i found that it was often to predictable. People expect fake out from it, and often enough will switch to a steel or ghost pokemon to lessen the impact. I now run a fake out persian because it can achieve the same affect, and is less predictable (having hypnosis isnt half bad either)

Persian dosen't sound bad at all, but with Hypnosis' accuracy cut from Platinum, I don't know how good of an idea that would be.

Anyone else have opinions on this matter?

Hi,

you have a pretty nice team, but you're absolutely massacred by Blaziken and fire pokemons in general... I'm thinking of Thyplosion, Arcanine and so on.

With Registeel on the team, you don't really need Clefable as a second special wall, I'd advise to replace it with a defensive Milotic:

Milotic@leftovers
nature: bold
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
-surf
-recover
-ice beam
-toxic / hidden power [grass]

Milotic would provide a good switch into Blaziken and a sure counter for Azumarill - Toxicroak must be very wary when switching into it considering that a predicted double edge can nearly ohko it. Milotic would also provide a sure counter for fire pokemons, something that your team really needs.

Secondly, you're missing the EVs on Rotom.

Other than that, I only see a little SD Drapion weakness, though you can revenge kill it with Ambipom, that's why I recommend either double hit or return on it.

GL!

Fixed Rotom, and I see what you mean about the fires, so I added Milotic as well. Ambipom will go with Double Hit, since it'll outrun anything it would want to hit with Payback anyways.

 

[haunter]

Well done on Milotic over Clefable.

Now, the EVs on Rotom seem quite arbitrary, if you want to run a timid nature, then there's no reason not to run max Spe too, this way you'll outspeed positive natured base 90 Spe like Roserade and below, and set up a light screen before they can hit you with a powerful stab attack. Otherwise simply run a bold nature and max Def.

Also, I didn't notice that your Ambipom had leftovers. Leftovers is a pretty useless item on something as frail as Ambipom, run either life orb or silk scarf to power up your attacking moves.

Finally, if you have troubles with cro-Tomb, then you might try haze on Milotic, this way you can beat it 1 vs 1. In this case, just replace either ice beam or toxic.

 

[Tyranitarphantom]

Well done on Milotic over Clefable.

Now, the EVs on Rotom seem quite arbitrary, if you want to run a timid nature, then there's no reason not to run max Spe too, this way you'll outspeed positive natured base 90 Spe like Roserade and below, and set up a light screen before they can hit you with a powerful stab attack. Otherwise simply run a bold nature and max Def.

Also, I didn't notice that your Ambipom had leftovers. Leftovers is a pretty useless item on something as frail as Ambipom, run either life orb or silk scarf to power up your attacking moves.

Finally, if you have troubles with cro-Tomb, then you might try haze on Milotic, this way you can beat it 1 vs 1. In this case, just replace either ice beam or toxic.

Switched Ambipom's Lefties to Life Orb, changed Milotic's Ice Beam to Haze (I wanted Toxic, as I have no other answer to Slowbro).

Opinion on Rotom's EVs?

 

[DarXidE]

i'd run max speed on rotom over bold/max def.

 

[Tyranitarphantom]

i'd run max speed on rotom over bold/max def.

Hm. I think I will