ORAS NU Trial NU Team (peaked about 1450)

[jeffjeff]

This is my first real competitive NU team. It has done fairly well for me but as I got a little higher in the tier I started struggling against a few different Pokémon. There are also a few that I'd like to change but don't know what to do. I'd appreciate any help!


1. Gurdurr
Item: Eviolite
Nature: Careful
Ability: Iron Fists
EV Spread: 252 HP, 252 Sp. Def. 4 Att
Moveset
-Drain Punch
-Mach Punch
-Knock Off
-Bulk Up

This was the first Pokémon I decided to use because I loved the idea of him being a total wall that could pack a punch. So far, he has been a great offensive tank. After one or two bulk ups he becomes very difficult to counter. The EV Spread was chosen to maximize his overall defenses.


2. Vileplume
Item: Assault Vest
Nature: Modest
Ability: Effect Spore
EV Spread: 252 HP 252 Sp. Att. 4 Sp.Def
Moveset
-Giga Drain
-Sludge Bomb
-Dazzling Gleam
-HP Dark

I chose Vileplume as a counter to fairies and as a bulky special attacker to go alongside gurdurr. So far I've been a little disappointed in Vileplume and am looking for either changes or a whole new Pokémon. The only thing keeping it on the team is it's ability to switch in against a lot of Pokémon.


3. Mesprit
Item: Lum Berry
Nature: Bold
Ability: Levitate
EV Spread: 252 HP, 252 Def, 4 Sp. Att
Moveset:
-Rest
-Calm Mind
-Psyshock
-Signal Beam

I have always loved this trio so I had to include one of them on the team. I really considered Uxie but wanted something with a little more offensive presence. With this EV Spread, and after 2 Calm Minds, this thing is unstoppable. It is also very easy to set up because very little can even 2HKO it. Rest is there to heal after setting up with the Lum to wake me up instantly. Psyshock was chosen because a lot of things like to try and set up their own calm minds against Mesprit. Signal Beam goes in that last spot to upset those dark and psychic types that like to switch in. This thing has turned out to be the pride and joy of my team.


4. Kabutops
Item: Choice Scarf
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Battle Armor
EV Spread: 252 Att. 252 Spe, 4 HP
Moveset:
-Stone Edge
-Aqua Jet
-Waterfall
-Knock Off

I needed a scarfer on this team and chose Kabutops as I was lacking a physical presence on this team. Nature and EV Spread are to maximize speed and attack with the move set cover his most powerful stabs and knock off to take care of opposing items. He is another that just hasn't seemed to pan out and I'd like help in this area as well.


5. Xatu
Item: Leftovers
Nature: Calm
Ability: Magic Bounce
EV Spread: 252 HP 252 Sp. Def, 4 Def
Moveset:
-Psychic
-U-Turn
-Thunder Wave
-Roost

Xatu. It seems like every NU team needs a Xatu. He does what a typical Xatu does and switches on on predictable hazards. Leftovers and Roost both increase his longevity while thunder wave slows them down for my rather slow team. Psychic was chosen to have a little more power and utility that Night Shade. Overall he has done a good job at saving some games for me.


6. Archeops
Item: Focus Sash
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Defeatist
EV Spread: 252 Att, 252 Spe, 4 HP
Moveset:
-Stealth Rock
-Taunt
-Endeavor
-Head Smash

Last but not least is my suicide lead Archeops. His only job is to lay down rocks and prevent other hazard leads from getting their hazards down. Endeavor for when he gets down to sash and Head Smash for that rare opportunity that he actually gets to attack from above half HP.

So that's my team. It's my first one so be as harsh as you must. All of your help is once again much appreciated. I would really like suggestions for replacing or improving both Vileplume and Kabutops. Thanks guys!

 

[Ares]

Hey jeffjeff lemme give you a rate :).

So to start off some of your Pokemon have less than ideal sets, namely Kabutops, Vileplume, and Mesprit. I'll give some standard sets in the hide tags so you know whats the best to run on them just in case you decide to run them in the future and then I'll give suggestions on what you can replace.

ideal sets

Kabutops @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Waterfall
- Rapid Spin
- Stone Edge
- Aqua Jet

Mesprit @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Psychic
- Energy Ball
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Healing Wish
There are tons of Mesprit sets, but this is the most common one.

Vileplume @ Life Orb
Ability: Effect Spore
EVs: 112 HP / 252 SpA / 144 Spe
Modest Nature
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Moonblast
- Synthesis

Vileplume @ Black Sludge
Ability: Effect Spore
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Aromatherapy

I gave you an option for an offensive Vileplume with a slash of Moonblast for Pangoro and a more standard defensive one

Looking at your team I see a couple of things that strike me as odd, you look to be trying to play a more bulky offense / balance team here but you have a suicide lead Archeops which seems really out of place as you have nothing to prevent spin blocking / deter defogging. Therefore I'm going to recommend running Seismitoad > Lead Archeops as this will patch up the slight weakness you had to Electric-type Pokemon, while also allowing you to continuously set up Stealth Rock through out the match. Next up I'd say you should switch up Xatu and run a Physically Defensive CM Xatu > Specially Defensive Xatu as it can better deter hazard setters which are mostly physically based. To complete your core I would say having Audino > Vileplume would be the best way to go as it helps to heal up your set up sweepers with its huge wishes and can provide utility with stuff like Heal Bell. Even though Audino has a mega, I think that the regular Audino is much better as a wish passer and general supporter Pokemon thanks to its ability of Regenerator. You also said that Vileplume was your switch in to Fairy-types which doesn't make much sense to me as the most relevant one has already left (Slurpuff) and all the other ones like Granbull and Togetic aren't as common. Next up I would say that Mesprit would be a better user of Choice Scarf, while Kabutops should be running a Rapid Spin set. As Mesprit has much better utility than Kabutops as a scarfer with U-turn and Healing Wish while Kabutops should be there to spin away any hazards that manage to get up.

Mesprit @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe | Adamant Nature
Zen Headbutt | U-turn | Knock Off | Healing Wish / Trick

Seismitoad @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 200 HP / 252 Def / 56 SpD | Relaxed Nature
Stealth Rock | Scald | Earthquake | Toxic / Knock Off

Audino @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD | Careful Nature
Wish | Protect | Knock Off | Heal Bell / Encore

Xatu @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Def / 96 Spe | Bold Nature
Roost | Calm Mind | Psyshock | Dazzling Gleam / Heat Wave

Kabutops @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe | Jolly Nature
Waterfall | Rapid Spin | Stone Edge | Aqua Jet

This was a lot, but you said to lol. Anyways I hope this helped ^.^

Edit: I would also say running Guts > Iron Fist on Gurdurr would be a lot better as you don't have to worry about getting burned and then having to heal up with Audino or Healing Wish.

 

[jeffjeff]

Thanks for the rate :) I am probably going to take a lot of your advice. The only thing I disagree on is the Mesprit. While I agree that that set is extremely viable, based on the performance out of the set I am currently running I would say that it is equally as viable. Thanks again though :)

 

[Ares]

Thanks for the rate :) I am probably going to take a lot of your advice. The only thing I disagree on is the Mesprit. While I agree that that set is extremely viable, based on the performance out of the set I am currently running I would say that it is equally as viable. Thanks again though :)

If you want to run a Bulky Calm Mind set, you are better off running an Uxie in place of it as its defenses are much better than Mesprit. Also Rest isn't the greatest cause the most common dark coverage move is Knock Off which is mainly what I go for against Mesprit so your berry is just going to get knocked off. Instead if you want to use a Bulky CM set use the one I provided below and make Xatu a support set like you already had.

Uxie @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 188 HP / 60 Def / 36 SpA / 224 Spe | Timid Nature
Substitute | Calm Mind | Giga Drain | Psyshock

 

[Sablenite]

your mespirit, if you kept that set chesto berry so the lum doesn't get wasted by willowisp/toxic.

 

[Fling]

Youre better off running guts on gurdurr to take advantage of all status spammers in the tier and its a big help as you wont have to deal with the attack drop from willo wisp.