Paraflinch/semistall OU team

[sithsniper17]

Hello, Smogon community. After some success with my last team, I decided to try a new (but well-known...and hated) style of gameplay: parahax and semistall. Basically, the idea is to throw around paralysis and poison and flinchhax until most of their team is crippled, leaving room for my main sweeper. Here's the team at a glance:

In-Depth Analysis:

Azelf (Achmed) @Focus Sash [Levitate]
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd <Naive>
*28 Speed IV*
-Stealth Rock
-Taunt
-Fire Blast
-Explosion

Suicide Lead Azelf is one of the best leads out there. Sash guarantees Stealth Rock (except against Lead Ambipom and LeadApe, who after a Fake Out will OHKO with U-Turn). Taunt is for slower leads who will either Spore or SR, thus allowing my own rocks. Fire Blast covers leads such as LeadGross and other leads resistant to Psychic. Once its job is done, Azelf can Explode, become a dead terrorist, and do stand-up with Jeff Dunham on Comedy Central. SILENCE!!! I KILL YOU!!!

Togekiss (can i haz recon) @Leftovers [Serene Grace]
252 HP/188 Def/68 SDef <Bold>
-Air Slash
-Thunder Wave
-Substitute
-Roost

The first half of my paraflinch core. We all should know the story by now, but I'll reiterate: paralysis plus Serene Graced Air Slash means a 30% chance of doing anything each turn. Togekiss' natural defenses also help its staying power. It can easily paralyze behind a Substitute, while Roost provides a reliable healing move. It also resists everything with its other parahax teammate...

Jirachi (i can haz recon) @Leftovers [Serene Grace]
164 HP/168 Atk/176 Spd <Jolly>
-Substitute
-Thunder Wave
-Iron Head
-Fire Punch

The most common OU paraflincher, and there's a reason why. Jirachi resists everything Togekiss is weak to, and Togekiss resists all of Jirachi's weaknesses (except for Fire). Substitute provides a barrier to parahax behind, where STAB Iron Head hits hard and flinches while T-Wave helps stop them from doing anything against me. Fire Punch also provides some offensive coverage, as well as burn possibility.

Magnezone @Leftovers [Magnet Pull]
40 HP/252 SAtk/216 Spd <Timid>
-Substitute
-Thunderbolt
-Hidden Power Grass
-Magnet Rise

Mr. Magnezone is a fine young magnet who likes to hold Steel types so he has friends to play with. He can set up a Substitute so they stop being mean and a Magnet Rise to prevent the bullies Earthquake and Earth Power from hurting him. He then disposes of them with either STAB Thunderbolt (which hits like a truck on anything not named Blissey-the-annoying-girl-across-the-street or Old Man Ground-type) or HP Grass (to stop Old Man Ground-type).

Weird childhood refrences aside, the beauty in this Magnezone is that he can survive for a decent amount of time and kill things other than Steels. Truly amazing, and he pulls me out of a lot of tight spots. He also serves as a counter to MixPert, who can put gaps in this team otherwise. Being faster, Magnezone sets up a Magnet Rise while Swampy Earthquakes, and then OHKOs with HP Grass. Sweet :)

Vaporeon (Poseidon) @Leftovers [Water Absorb]
188 HP/252 Def/68 SDef <Bold>
-Wish
-Surf
-Toxic
-Protect

Wish passer. ToxiStaller. Bulky Water. That thing that pisses me off. Whatever name you choose, Vaporeon is a damn good Pokemon. Wish and Protect allow for healing, and Wish can be passed to other team members. It also takes all Water attacks and Fire moves that RachiKiss (if anyone hasnt coined that yet, that term is now mine) doesnt cover. When Toxic is added to that, it can seriously piss off anyone (especially more stall-oriented Pokemon such as Blissey). STAB Surf hurts anything not waterproof (pun intended) hard, and takes a chunk out of resistant foes like Breloom (grrr I hate that thing).

Dragonite (Norbert) @Leftovers
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Speed <Adamant>
-Dragon Dance
-Dragon Claw
-Earthquake
-Fire Punch

My main sweeper, Dragon Dance Dragonite. This thing is truly great, and can take advantage of a mostly paralyzed team. After one Dance, Dragonite will smite all in its path. STAB Dragon Claw destroys all. Period. Earthquake and Fire Punch hit anything that Dragon Claw doesn't (read: Steels). Dragonite and Magnezone also form another resistant core, this time being resistant to all 17 types. If Salamence was still OU, it'd probably be here instead, but Dragonite works just fine.

Threats:

Electivire- If an opponent notices that I start really throwing around Thunder Waves, they can take advantage of a Motor Drive boost, which outspeeds my whole team and punches large holes in it. Without a Motor Drive Boost, Vaporeon can get off a Toxic on it before being hit by Thunderpunch.

Any and all comments/suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

 

[aVocado]

I see no reason not to use Outrage over Dragon Claw and Life Orb over Leftovers on Dragonite, Dragonite really needs all the power it can get.

You might also want to drop some speed for some bulk, since this is a paralyzing team, Dragonite won't be needing speed much.

 

[bubbly]

There just isn't enough synergy here, first of all, but more significantly I'd like to draw your attention to your inability to deal with some threats. Most of these don't like paralysis, but you just don't have any way of killing them quickly even if you go first so it doesn't matter that much.

-Gyarados = Offensive Gyarados with EQ, Waterfall and Stone Edge is really hard for you to get rid of. Magnezone is the only thing you have which can even kill off a paralysed Gyarados, and it of course can't switch in.

-Infernape = With HP Ice, Vaporeon is the only thing which can stand up to it and of course Close Combat hurts like *&R&^ anyway.

-Jolteon = Completely destroys you. Magnezone is your only electric resist, and has poor SpDef anyway, so I'm pretty sure that if the other guy has a Specs Jolteon its practically gg.

-Rotom-A and Gengar = Same again. Unless they're paralysed, and they do carry Substitute often (especially with SubSplit Rotom getting popular), you have no decent switch.

-Zapdos = Even worse. With HP Ice and Heat Wave, standard moves on the offensive set, it can OHKO and 2HKO everything while being at no risk from anything you have. More defensive sets, particularly the SubRoost version, will also destroy you.

-Flygon = Again, can OHKO most of the team, while immune to Paralysis and basically doesn't care about anything on your team.

-Starmie = 2HKO's and OHKO's everything, has Natural Cure

-Offensive Shaymin = same thing, except Togekiss and Jirachi can check it for one switch in (but not after that, especially with SR)>


The problem here is, you don't have enough type coverage in terms of either resistances, and offense. Quite a few of the things above, can simply set up a Substitute and you won't be able to break it without losing a pokemon every time. Similarly, you have a massive problem with faster pokemon, as you're relying on paralysis against them and that tends to get predictable.

I'm not sure what you can actually do to fix these problems without completely restructuring the team, but some of your sets are dodgy too.

- Your Togekiss set is just bad. Substitute is simply unworkable when you're taking 25% from SR, and Togekiss has so few resistances. You get the picture. There are very few pokemon which actually need to flee from that Togekiss, so you won't get chances to Sub anyway. Again, this set is just set up fodder for practically anything which can Sub, is immune to or doesn't mind paralysis, etc.

-Jirachi = This set really doesn't fit without being able to cover the pokemon which give it trouble, and you don't do that. Again, its really a free switch for a lot of teams.

The basis for this team is just really shaky and has no answer to a lot of team threats. When you're building a paralysis team, you really have to focus first on being able to handle those threats. This is made more difficult when Togekiss has poor resistances, and many of your pokemon have sets with only one or two attacking options.

 

[sithsniper17]

Arkiado- I'll try out LO and Outrage on Dragonite, though I might just end up swapping Fire Punch for Roost if I do that.

bubbly- I can see what you're saying, and I have been seriously considering swapping out Togekiss for something better (and maybe Vaporeon as well). If anyone has any suggestions, I'm willing to hear them, and I'll do a bit of research to find a replacement(s). Thanks!

 

[afterburn]

Hey good team and great goal you have in mind, matches with these types of teams end quick due to the opponent rage-quitting half way, lol.

Anyway, I think Bulky DD Gyarados, Dragon Dance Tyranitar, Dragon Dance Dragonite (offensive), and Chesto Rest Kingdra, Life Orb Starmie and Stall might give you a headache. Yes, I'm sure you can see the reoccurring theme, they're all Dragon Dancers. Gyarados gets a free set-up on Vaporeon, if the foe learns the moveset, Gyarados will basically Taunt Vaporeon, grab a boost, and something will go down for sure. Magnezone really needs to be higher than 60% of its health, or else it's going to get maimed by +1 Waterfall. Tyranitar can come in on Magnezone, take 35% at most from HP Grass, and with a Dragon Dance, nothing wil be able to switch in "safely" and all Tyranitar needs is Stone Edge and Fire Punch to run through this team (Vaporeon can take a hit, but will be left with very little HP, and is OHKOed after 2 SR switch-ins). Offensive Dragon Dance Dragonite can force Magnezone out (when not behind a sub) and get a vital Dragon Dance and pummel the team members with STAB LO +1 Dragon Claws/Outrage and Fire Punch. Finally Chesto Rest Kingdra has an easy time against this team due to shrugging off paralysis with Rest and getting Dragon Dance on Vaporeon, who lacks Roar and can only Toxic stall for so long until Kingdra rests off the damage. +1 Outrage and Waterfall is nothing to joke about from Kingdra, your best option is to lure an Outrage through Dragonite and go to Jirachi to paralyze it, though none of the moves will actually hurt it much, it depends on "luck" here, which is not safe. LO Starmie can also be quite annoying especially with Natural Cure to shrug off paralysis. Stall is also annoying I imagine, as it doesn't really care about paralysis as Stall members are already slow. Forretress/Skarmory (with Shed Shell) will set up Spikes/T-spikes on Vaporeon, and imo the entire team is walled between Skarmory+Blissey+Rotom-H, the most common members of stall.

I think a Choice Scarf Flygon can replace Magnezone because it can also kill and scare off Steel-types such as Heatran/Lucario/Metagross, while being able to handle all the aforementioned Dragon Dancers. A simple 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe set with a Jolly nature and Outrage or Dragon Claw/Earthquake/Thunder Punch/U-turn. Flygon also pairs up well with your sweeper, Dragonite, as both share the same counters, and Flygon weakening out or killing the steel types with Earthquake is helpful for Dragonite. I don't see Swampert being a huge issue, Vaporeon can take him on very well 1 on 1, and with no Recovery on the mudfish, Toxic Stalling it to death is a very real possibility. I also personally think a Tinkerbell Celebi will do a better job over Togekiss. This is because it can take on Starmie very well and still spread out paralysis. You'll have to use Flygon as a pivot by luring out Thunderbolt by sending in Vaporeon, send in Flygon, U-turn to Celebi as it recovers, and deal a swift KO with Energy Ball while surviving Ice Beam. Celebi also helps with the theme of the team, which is to spread Paralysis through Thunder Wave. To top it all off, Celebi provides a great way to handle Ground types immune to Thunder Wave and wrecking them with STAB LO Energy Ball and lure in and kill CB Scizor with HP Fire, who would otherwise trouble Dragonite with Bullet Punch.

Here's the set:

Celebi @ Life Orb/ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 220 SpA / 36 Spe
Modest nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Energy Ball
- Hidden Power Fire/ U-turn
- Thunder Wave
- Recover

As shown, this celebi possesses quite a lot of bulk and serves as a great way to take on Poison Heal Breloom who will be immune to Thunder Wave. tl;dr, it dispatches of all the threats immune to Thunder Wave. IMO, I think the team became more of a threat with Celebi, as previously, it was just spam Thunder Wave, and not actually being threatening offense wise, as your only real attacker was Dragonite. I also think Dragonite should be mixed, as I see stall being a bit of a hassle to deal with and a mixed Dragonite is the best way to go about doing this. 116 Atk/200 Satk/192 Spe a Rash nature and Draco Meteor/Superpower/Roost/Flamethrower is fine. You can adjust the EVs to your liking, and can test Thunderbolt over Roost to surprise paralyzed Water-types, seeing as you have Wish support from Vaporeon

GL!

 

[irkkk]

take out substitute on togekiss and add flamethrower or aura sphere, you need the coverage. On jirachi use body slam over t-wave. The whole point of the set was to paraflinch and stuff like jolteon, gliscor, e-vire (uncommon but still), and other grounds walk all over it. two paralyzers make no sense.

 

[undisputed]

Hi sithsniper17,

I love the paraflinch strategy, so it's cool to see people use it (as long as it's not against me!). In any case, with a quick browse of your team, the biggest issue I forsee you having is dealing with fast Special sweepers. I believe Starmie OHKOes everything on your team save Jirachi after Stealth rock (or pretty close to OHKOes). Shaymin with Earth Power / Seed Flare / HP Fire, which is the standard set, will find you hardpressed to switch in. Your only two switch ins, DNite and Togekiss, are both Stealth Rock weak and neither outspeed and threaten an immediate KO. A similar case can be made for Gengar; it's only good switch in is Togekiss, and if it has ThunderBolt, the game is essentially over. In order to alleviate said weaknesses, I am going to suggest that you change your Togekiss to a Curse Snorlax. Here is the set if you don't know it off the top of your head:

Snorlax @ Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 188 HP / 104 Def / 216 SpD
Nature: Careful
-Body Slam
-Fire Punch
-Curse
-Rest

I believe this will allow you to switch into Special threat's with more ease, and a Curse Snorlax can easily provide ParaHax with Body Slame while taking advantage of the other Pokemon's lowered speed.

Anyway, good luck with the team!

 

[Sir Koopaman]

Your team is extremely weak to MixApe as he completely annihilates your team. With Flamethrower, Jirachi, Azelf, and Magnexone will get OHKOed, with Close Combat, Magnezone and Vaporeon will get OHKOed. With Grass Knot, Vaporeon gets 2HKOed, but be careful of Surf, and with HP Ice, anything that's still alive will get OHKOed. (Note that Stealth Rock is in effect), and you have NO Rapid Spinner, and you'd pretty much get killed by any Mixed sweeper be it Mixgar (which is the worst) to MixApe (which is the best), so that's pretty much every mixed sweper in OU, sorry if I repeated my message to much. More will come.

 

[Sir Koopaman]

As I said, "more will come later", here's my review, again. Replace Azelf with Bronzong because he has a heftload of resistances, and he can lay down Rocks and not get killed in a hit. Replace Togekiss for Rotom-W because he deals more damage overall, is a spin-blocker, has much better defenses, faster, and paralyzes also. You should also replace Magnezone for Roserade because she has higher special attack, can induce sleep, and lays down spikes, lots of spikes, and it will most likely down about 2-5 layers before dying and may be able to sleep at least 1 Pokemon. Jirachi should be replaced by Starmie because it's a Rapid spinnmer and deals better damage and OHKOs Infernape, and replace Dragonite for Mixape or Mixvire because they're just much better and they look cool. And lastly, keep Vaporeon but replace Toxic for Baton Pass.

 

[sithsniper17]

Thanks for the rates everyone.

As far as changes that are 99.9% likely to happen (which means after I test them), I will swap out Lead Azelf for LeadZong, DDance Dragonite to MixNite, and Magnezone for ScarfGon. What Togekiss will become will take some more testing, but it'll be either Tinkerbell Celebi or Rotom-W, though I'm leaning towards Tinkerbell for coverage purposes. I am not, however, replacing Jirachi. The point of this team is to spread paralysis and use some parahax (which justifies the use of MixNite over DDanceNite), so I see the redundancy in Togekiss and Jirachi, but I honestly like Rachi better, so it stays. I'm also keeping Vaporeon the way it is, as ToxiStall is better at wallbreaking and wearing down sweepers (it has outstalled many a Machamp with it, even with confusion hax).

If MixNite somehow doesn't work for the new team, I'll look at both MixVire (who still synergizes with the team and can abuse Vaporeon for Motor Drive, but needs a setup to work) and MixApe (who is faster and hits harder on its own but is slightly more frail). I'll keep them in mind.

I'll make the changes after I test them, which will probably be this week (Friday the latest). And thanks again everyone!