Smurf's Sexy Synergy

[Smurf.]

Smurf's Sexy Synergy

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Intro

Smurf playing OU? Whaa? After getting tired of UU, I decided to try my hand at a different metagame. Being a relative novice to the OU landscape, I am posting this team to gather some feedback and critique that I can use to improve it. I started out with the theme of creating a team that was very synergetic and had many resistances/few weaknesses. So please take this into considertation when you make suggestions. :)

Anywho, enough of me babbling, and onto the team!

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The Team

Uxie @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/6 SDef
Relaxed nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Yawn
- Stealth Rock
- U-turn
- Psychic



Uxie is a solid and very reliable lead, rarely failing to set up rocks. It is exceptionally bulky, and proves to be useful outside of the lead slot as an all round lucario, infernape and machamp (heh) counter. Against faster taunt leads, I’ll just U-turn or chip away with psychic. In addition, uxie phazes quite nicely, preventing stat up sweepers and racking up residual SR damage.
Synergy wise, bug, ghost, and dark attacks are directed to Heatran/Scizor, Lanturn and Machamp respectively. It also takes EQ’s and fighting attacks aimed at scizor/heatran. Great team player all round.
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Machamp @ Leftovers
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 216 HP/252 Atk/40 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dynamicpunch
- Stone Edge
- Payback
- Substitute



Sub + 3 attack Machamp is one of the most annoying pokes to face, and with good reason. It causes relentless switches, and once popping behind a sub, can be a real motherfucker to take down. Sub is such a valuable move, allowing me to avoid the intimidate drop and snap back at the likes of gyarados and salamence with stone edge (so long as it decides to have more than 2% acc). Also allows me to beat those pesky Rotom forms without getting burnt. EVs are pretty straightforward, maximising attack and pumping bulk. Lefties help to recover the hp lost through subbing.
Synergy wise, it forces Tyranitars who think they can set up on uxie to bitch down. It works nicely in tandem with all-special Heatran, which lures in fat babes like blissey all day. This provides an opportune window to set up a sub and begin niggling away at teams.

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Heatran @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 Atk/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Fire Blast
- Substitute



Machamp’s partner in crime is none other than Heatran, who sprays powerful special attacks behind its own subs. Substitute really scouts the opponents switch in, whether that be a bulky water, or their own heatran. Sneaky heatran trying to get a FF boost, bad boy! Instead it gets its ass paddled by some Earth Power. It’s really quite surprising how many Swampert’s switch in to this thing, only to get ohko’d by hp grass. Hp grass 2hko’s most bulky waters in general, barring Tentacruel which is in itself 2hko’d Earth Power. The only thing really standing in Heatran’s way is Blissey and Fat ass Snorlax, both of which are set up fodder for Machamp.
Being a steel poke, of course it’s great synergy wise, providing a myriad of resistances. It doesn’t really need explaining. On the flip side, Water and electric attacks are diverted to Lanturn, Fighting and ground attacks to Uxie.
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Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP/76 Atk/4 Spd/176 SDef
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Brick Break
- Bullet Punch
- Swords Dance
- Roost

SD Scizor often takes the back seat thanks to the CB set, but is just as dangerous. The bulky EVs allow it to come in quite easily and SD up. Brick breaking first up also catches out a lot of Lucario and Heatran for significant damage early game. With its counters eliminated later on, it sweeps unhindered with a couple of boosts. Roost really comes to the fore here, allowing me to heal off damage and keep boosting.
It works well with the other team members, covering weaknesses and vice versa.
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Kingdra @ Leftovers
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 252 HP/98 Atk/160 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Substitute
- Outrage

DD Kingdra is a force to be reckoned with, especially in tandem with Scizor. Kingdra can take any fire attack like nothing, while Scizor takes Outrages. They have great synergy, and both can easily sweep an unprepared team, or one that has holes opened up thanks to Heatran and Machamp. Water + Dragon is a lethal combination offensively, only resisted by a handful of pokes. Defensively, it provides security against ice beams that fuck up other dragons such as Mence. It also means less residual damage through SR, as I have no spinner.

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Lanturn @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 40 HP/216 Def/252 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Confuse Ray


Lanturn may look rather odd, but its proven to be quite the useful poke, thanks to its unique resistances and immunity to electric. Volt absorb has the added benefit of healing Lanturn as well as providing a free switch, which is often needed to guarantee survival against Gliscor before ohko with ice beam. Max special def makes her a very nice sponge for various attacks. It makes her a dead set counter to CM Suicune, as well as MixApe. The immunity to electric attacks enables her to sponge Gengar and Rotom. Pumping EVs in def makes for a nice mixed wall (hello scizor ^.^). T-wave ruins special sweepers’ day out and opens up opportunities for slower team mate such as Machamp. Confuse ray is there for parafusion fun! BoltBeam combo provides the offense, with nice coverage.
This baby provides nice cover for Kingdra, as the bulky spread can be outsped by shit like jolteon after a DD. Has great synergy with Heatran and Scizor as well. Noice.

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End



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[MetaNite]

Hi. I like your team very much. It really does have great synergy. Swords Dance Lucario and MixMence could be very problematic however. You don't have anything really to counter these Pokemon. What you can do is replace Lanturn with Gyarados. There are a couple sets that could work, here is one:

Gyarados @ Leftovers
Nature: Impish / EVs: 248 HP / 236 Def / 24 Spe
~ Waterfall / Roar / Rest / Sleep Talk

Although it may seem out of place on your team, Gyarados checks many troublesome Pokemon. Not just Lucario, but CroCune as well. Without Lanturn, do you have more problems with offensive Suicune, Jolteon, and Starmie, but Kingdra, Scizor, and Machamp (as well as Heatran against Jolteon) can all take a hit from these Pokemon and fire back hard. If Lucario Swords Dances, then you have nothing to take a hit except perhaps weak Uxie. Good luck.

 

[Nosferalto]

While this team excells offensively, looking at it, it seems to be weak to several commonly used offensive threats. Salamence is a huge threat to this team; the DD set is able to set-up on Heatran and proceed to sweep without much retaliation. DD Gyarados sets up in a similar manner and is able to take advantage of Scizors presence as well to begin setting up. In order to alleviate those weaknesses, without resorting to more complicated changes, I would reccomend using Shuca Berry as an item instead of Leftovers. The Ground weakness is what stands in the way of Lanturn beating Salamence and Gyarados, so the addition of Shuca Berry allows Lanturn to take a +1 Earthquake and retaliate with Thunderbolt or Ice Beam. Lanturn also fixes your Agility Metagross weakness by also taking an Earthquake and paralyse it with Thunder Wave making it useless and easily taken down afterwards.

Having only one Ground- type immunity is generally a bit risky as this type is commonly used in the OU metagame. Seeing as your team as your team lacks a reliable way to check SD Lucario I would reccomend replacing Kingdra with a DD Gyarados. Gyarados has similar typing and has DD too but adds a crucial Ground immunity and a solid SD Lucario check as well. Use Waterfall | Earthquake | Taunt | Dragon Dance with 156 HP / 72 Atk / 96 Def / 184 Spe, Leftovers and an Adamant Nature. Gyarados is also a decent way to take out Gliscor which makes it a good pair with Machamp who has an easier time.

Another flaw your team has is the lack of a decent revenge killer that might turn out to be useful in certain difficult situations. Since Lanturn takes care of most Special attackers, I don't see any need to use a specially defensive SD Scizor. I strongly advise you to use a CB Scizor: U-Turn | Bullet Punch | Superpower | Pursuit with 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe and an Adamant Nature. With this change, Bullet Punch becomes much more powerful making Scizor a decent revenge killer and makes Salamence much less of a threat since a CB BP does about 67 % which means that it's an OHKO after SR and one turn of Life Orb damage. CB Scizor is an excellent addition to any team thanks to it's ability to keep the momentum in your favor and it's hard hitting capabilities.

Nice team ^_^ and gl

 

[Shizzle]

Personally I would not make Uxie relaxed, it has 95 base speed! I would change this to Bold, U-Turn is not there to deal damage, but rather function as a scouting move, or to break some leads sashes. I should also mention that Psychic scrapes a 2HKO 80% of the with Psychic against Machamp without Leftovers. So you may want a plan B. so that you can U-Turn to a Ghost or something that can take on Machamp relatively well.

Machamp looks good, would not be fun to battle at all, I actually used the same set in my TR team, and its a bitch :P.

Heatran looks nice, but you may want to consider a Choice Scarf, nothing on your team is a reliable revenge killer, and a Salamence or Gyarados after a +1 can destroy nearly all your team, figuring out Dos' full moveset can cost you either Machamp or Lanturn [possible Bounce or EQ]. If you don't want a CS Heatran, please go with a CB Sczior. You need a decent revenge killer, and Scizor fits the job perfectly. and you already have Kingdra/Heatran to take those Fire hits really well.

I personally would change Lanturn, not that its a bad pokemon, but rather its typing isn't helping your team at all. As of now, you have 1 ground Immunity, no resist, and 2 are weak to ground. Not good x_X. Also you don't have any pokemon which lure Electric attacks in any way, so there isn't really any need for Lanturn. I can't think of too many things which fit the picture, but a standard Swampert looks like it could work well. Its synergy is great, as you have 2 x4 resists to grass, Heatran and Scizor, so your core synergy becomes outright amazing. Swampert can also take Physical hits like a boss, and nothing bar Grass Knot/Energy Ball scares it, in which case Scizor or Heatran would come in. Just try it out.

Good luck with the team.

 

[Smurf.]

@ MetaNite

Thanks for the rate! Yeah its true that Mixmence and SD lucario can be problematic, though i've managed to play around them so far. I tried that Gyarados set but so far i'm unconvinced, removing the electric immunity and replacing it with a 4x weak opens me up to quite a few other threats.

@ Nosferalto

Thanks so much for that shuca berry idea! :) It's been absolutely brilliant so far, ensuring that i can stay in on Mixmence/Gyarados/Gliscor and KO them. The lack of lefties ruins longetivity, but I'm definitely leaning towards the Shuca set. As for the CB Scizor suggestion, I'll definitely consider implementing it, so long as I can find a more stand alone sweeper for Kingdra.

@ Shizzle

Cheers for taking the time to rate! I'm inclined not to go with Scarf Heatran, the sub set just rips through 2-3 pokes a game, and eases prediction. In the middle of testing a few Swampert sets atm, but the shuca berry on lanturn has resolved a few of the problems that would merit the use of Swampert.

 

[remlabmez]

removing lanturn leaves you exposed to electric attacks, I dont even know why gyarados would be recommended as a replacement. Uxie lead isnt doing much other than just taking hits and absolutely doing nothing in return, also lets many things setup entry hazards, you are better off just using swampert or metagross. Your team is also very slow, I would also change scizor to CB so it can at least attempt to revenge things