-Introduction-
So, some months ago, I randomly decided getting into UU, with the help of my bro upstart. Since then, I've been constantly laddering UU with teams of other people, until I finally started building my own teams. However, they're far from perfect, and for this reason, I decided to post one of them here in order to improve it.
This team is a typical bulky offense, which is based on synergy to work. I decided to build it around Porygon-Z, a very threatening, underrated, and badass pokémon, which can sweep through a lot of teams late-game, assuming it has proper support and is played properly.
Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Trait: Solid Rock
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast
- Megahorn
Rhyperior is an amazing pokémon in this metagame, since it has incredibly high HP, Attack, and Defense. Not only that, it walls the always dangerous Stoutland, as well as beating non-HP Grass Raikou / Zapdos, pokémon who would 6-0 the team instantly. On top of that, he's also the Stealth Rock user on the team, which is always useful. I play Rhyperior as a pivot to Flying, Normal, Rock and Electric attacks, or other weak physical attacks; he can easily switch into those and abuse his 140 Base Attack with powerful STAB moves such as Earthquake and Rock Blast. I picked Rock Blast over Stone Edge because I was tired of being owned by Sub Roost Zapdos, although it's extremely annoying when it hits only 2 times. Megahorn is basically a filler, but it does hit Deoxys-D and grass-types very hard, as well as doing a solid 70% to Flygon.
Houndoom @ Life Orb
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Overheat
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Houndoom is also a very good Pokémon in this metagame, and pretty underrated as well. Not only it does over 60% to most pokémon in the top 15, it also traps annoying ghosts like Mismagius and Chandelure with Pursuit, although I usually have to play mindgames with the former. It's also my only priority user, and it's a reasonably strong priority move: Sucker Punch. Although it's not that reliable, it still revenge kills stuff like Flygon locked into Outrage (assuming it's below 70% health). Overheat is used here because I don't run SpA EVs, which means I need the strongest move possible. It's still very powerful even without investment, doing 60% to Hitmontop and OHKOing stuff like max hp / spdef Roserade. Hidden Power Grass is mainly used against Swampert and Rhyperior (although it's still not an OHKO), and does a solid 40% to Blastoise switch-ins.
With 2 Stealth Rock weak pokémon, as well as having 5 Pokémon vulnerable to Spikes, I would obviously need a Spinner. Blastoise is, in my opinion, the best one in this metagame, since it can use Foresight to bypass spinblockers, and use Rapid Spin. Additionally, unlike Hitmontop, it beats Chandelure. I was also needing a bulky water to take the common Fire / Ice / Water / Steel moves, so Blastoise filled this role perfectly as well. Scald is Blastoise's main attacking option, and it has a frustrating 30% burning rate, which is always very useful. Roar is a filler, but it's useful against pokémon trying to setup on me, such as Kingdra and even Raikou, if I'm feeling balsy enough.
Shaymin @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 76 SAtk / 180 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Seed Flare
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Without Shaymin, this team would be incredibly harassed by bulky waters such as Milotic and Blastoise, and it's always nice to have extra Ground / Electric resistances. When well used, the combination of Leech Seed + Protect can make Shaymin live nearly forever, while also healing the rest of the team, and annoying the opponent a lot as well. Seed Flare is used to blast away the bulky waters that would troll the team, while also having a tricky 40% chance of dropping the foe's special defense by 2 levels, which occasionally gives me KOs I wouldn't, and it's already a powerful move overall. I prefer Hidden Power Ice because it hits Gligar very hard, and breaks Zapdos' Substitutes, as well as hitting other Flying Pokémon in general. I picked it over HP Fire even considering my Escavalier weakness because I feel that Flying-pokémon are a lot more common than steel-pokemon.
Crobat (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Atk / 176 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Roost
Crobat is an extremely useful Pokemon on this team, because it handles Stall pretty effectively, as well has handling Bug, Fighting, and Grass attacks, which would, otherwise, rape the team. Also, it's the best Roserade counter in the meta, and, without it, she would simply OHKO the entire team with Leaf Storm + Sludge Bomb. Taunt allows me to outstall annoying pokémon like Deoxys-D, SubRoost Gligar, and others, while preventing setup. Brave Bird wears down defensive mons, while KOing Fighting / Bug / Grass pokémon. Roost allows Crobat to recover from Brave Bird recoil, as well as resisted attacks like Roserade's Sludge Bomb or Escavalier's Megahorn. U-turn helps me keep the momentum in my side, and makes Crobat even more annoying.
Porygon-Z @ Life Orb
Trait: Download
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SAtk / 176 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
The pokemon which the team was based on. Porygon-Z is very, very, VERY powerful with its 405 Special Attack, especially if it grabs a Special Attack Boost through its trait Download. This is an Agillity set, which is used here because it sweeps through offensive teams, should it manage to setup. People tend to think Porygon-Z dies to any offensive attack, but it can actually easily survive stuff like Sub Roost Zapdos' Thunderbolt or CB Stoutland's Crunch and still have 40%~ of its health. Tri Attack brings hell to everything that doesn't resist it; it does 50% to Specially Defensive Deoxys-D after a +1 Boost, so you can imagine what it does to stuff like 0/0 Stoutland. Thunderbolt is only used because of Empoleon, who is annoying to take down on this team, but it also hits some special walls like Milotic for more damage, as well as hitting Steel-types like Cobalion for decent damage. Ice Beam compliments Thunderbolt really nicely, and demolishes Specially Defensive Zapdos, 252 HP Shaymin, etc.
Conclusion
So, that's the team; it peaked at #7 with 1366 points, but I forgot taking a picture of it and now I decayed a lot + lost some battles. I still think this team can be improved a lot, though, so rate it guys!
threat list coming soon
-Aerodactyl: Rhyperior takes like 40% max from LO Earthquake and OHKOes. Shaymin and Blastoise can deal with it as well.
-Ambipom: Rhyperior takes 60% max from a LO Low Kick and OHKOes.
-Arcanine: Blastoise, Rhyperior deal with it.
-Azelf: Pursuit it with Houndoom, unless if it's a physical version with U-turn; then Rhyperior can deal with it.
-Azumarill: Blastoise, Shaymin are good pivots.
-Bisharp: Blastoise can phaze it with Roar, taking paltry damage from iron head or brick break.
-Chandelure: Houndoom walls/traps it.
-Cobalion: This is very threatening. Blastoise is the closest thing to a counter that i have in this team.
-Crobat: Rhyperior deals with it pretty nicely.
-Darmanitan: Rhyperior, Blastoise.
-Durant: It basically 6-0s my team if it sets up, which it can do on Shaymin, but as long as it doesn't set up, it can't beat the team itself.
-Eelektross: Shaymin beats it even if it has flamethrower.
-Electivire: Rhyperior, or Shaymin if it has Grass knot.
-Escavalier: Houndoom can revenge kill any set. However, switching-in against CB versions is pretty hard.
-Flygon: Shaymin, but it's annoying if it spams Outrage.
-Froslass: Houndoom.
-Gallade: Crobat can check it rather nicely, but won't like to switch on a zen headbutt.
-Golurk: Blastoise.
-Gorebyss: Blastoise with Roar.
-Heracross: Crobat. Switching on a Stone Edge is annoying, though.
-Honchkrow: Rhyperior.
-Houndoom: Blastoise.
-Kingdra: Shaymin is a good answer to it.
-Krookodile: Rhyperior is the best switch-in, unless if Earthquake is telegraphed.
-Lilligant: Crobat, but it won't like Sleep Powder.
-Machamp: Crobat.
-Mew: Houndoom is like a hard counter to stallbreaker versions, but NP / SD versions are annoying as fuck.
-Mismagius: Houndoom.
-Moltres: Blastoise.
-Nidoking:
-Ninjask
-Omastar
-Poliwrath
-Porygon-Z
-Raikou
-Rhyperior
-Rotom-C
-Rotom-H
-Sceptile
-Scolipede
-Scyther
-Sharpedo
-Shaymin
-Sigilyph
-Smeargle
-Snorlax
-Stoutland
-Suicune
-Togekiss
-Venomoth
-Victini
-Weavile
-Yanmega
-Zoroark
Defensive
-Blastoise
-Bronzong
-Claydol
-Clefable
-Cresselia
-Cryogonal
-Deoxys-D
-Drapion
-Dusclops
-Dusknoir
-Empoleon
-Ferroseed
-Gligar
-Hippopotas
-Hitmontop
-Milotic
-Nidoqueen
-Porygon2
-Quagsire
-Qwilfish
-Registeel
-Roserade
-Rotom
-Sableye
-Slowbro
-Spiritomb
-Swampert
-Tangrowth
-Umbreon
-Uxie
-Whimsicott
-Xatu
-Zapdos
This team is a typical bulky offense, which is based on synergy to work. I decided to build it around Porygon-Z, a very threatening, underrated, and badass pokémon, which can sweep through a lot of teams late-game, assuming it has proper support and is played properly.
---
Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Trait: Solid Rock
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast
- Megahorn
Rhyperior is an amazing pokémon in this metagame, since it has incredibly high HP, Attack, and Defense. Not only that, it walls the always dangerous Stoutland, as well as beating non-HP Grass Raikou / Zapdos, pokémon who would 6-0 the team instantly. On top of that, he's also the Stealth Rock user on the team, which is always useful. I play Rhyperior as a pivot to Flying, Normal, Rock and Electric attacks, or other weak physical attacks; he can easily switch into those and abuse his 140 Base Attack with powerful STAB moves such as Earthquake and Rock Blast. I picked Rock Blast over Stone Edge because I was tired of being owned by Sub Roost Zapdos, although it's extremely annoying when it hits only 2 times. Megahorn is basically a filler, but it does hit Deoxys-D and grass-types very hard, as well as doing a solid 70% to Flygon.
Houndoom @ Life Orb
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Overheat
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Houndoom is also a very good Pokémon in this metagame, and pretty underrated as well. Not only it does over 60% to most pokémon in the top 15, it also traps annoying ghosts like Mismagius and Chandelure with Pursuit, although I usually have to play mindgames with the former. It's also my only priority user, and it's a reasonably strong priority move: Sucker Punch. Although it's not that reliable, it still revenge kills stuff like Flygon locked into Outrage (assuming it's below 70% health). Overheat is used here because I don't run SpA EVs, which means I need the strongest move possible. It's still very powerful even without investment, doing 60% to Hitmontop and OHKOing stuff like max hp / spdef Roserade. Hidden Power Grass is mainly used against Swampert and Rhyperior (although it's still not an OHKO), and does a solid 40% to Blastoise switch-ins.
Blastoise (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Roar
- Foresight
- Rapid Spin
With 2 Stealth Rock weak pokémon, as well as having 5 Pokémon vulnerable to Spikes, I would obviously need a Spinner. Blastoise is, in my opinion, the best one in this metagame, since it can use Foresight to bypass spinblockers, and use Rapid Spin. Additionally, unlike Hitmontop, it beats Chandelure. I was also needing a bulky water to take the common Fire / Ice / Water / Steel moves, so Blastoise filled this role perfectly as well. Scald is Blastoise's main attacking option, and it has a frustrating 30% burning rate, which is always very useful. Roar is a filler, but it's useful against pokémon trying to setup on me, such as Kingdra and even Raikou, if I'm feeling balsy enough.
Shaymin @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 76 SAtk / 180 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Seed Flare
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Without Shaymin, this team would be incredibly harassed by bulky waters such as Milotic and Blastoise, and it's always nice to have extra Ground / Electric resistances. When well used, the combination of Leech Seed + Protect can make Shaymin live nearly forever, while also healing the rest of the team, and annoying the opponent a lot as well. Seed Flare is used to blast away the bulky waters that would troll the team, while also having a tricky 40% chance of dropping the foe's special defense by 2 levels, which occasionally gives me KOs I wouldn't, and it's already a powerful move overall. I prefer Hidden Power Ice because it hits Gligar very hard, and breaks Zapdos' Substitutes, as well as hitting other Flying Pokémon in general. I picked it over HP Fire even considering my Escavalier weakness because I feel that Flying-pokémon are a lot more common than steel-pokemon.
Crobat (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Atk / 176 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Roost
Crobat is an extremely useful Pokemon on this team, because it handles Stall pretty effectively, as well has handling Bug, Fighting, and Grass attacks, which would, otherwise, rape the team. Also, it's the best Roserade counter in the meta, and, without it, she would simply OHKO the entire team with Leaf Storm + Sludge Bomb. Taunt allows me to outstall annoying pokémon like Deoxys-D, SubRoost Gligar, and others, while preventing setup. Brave Bird wears down defensive mons, while KOing Fighting / Bug / Grass pokémon. Roost allows Crobat to recover from Brave Bird recoil, as well as resisted attacks like Roserade's Sludge Bomb or Escavalier's Megahorn. U-turn helps me keep the momentum in my side, and makes Crobat even more annoying.
Porygon-Z @ Life Orb
Trait: Download
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SAtk / 176 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
The pokemon which the team was based on. Porygon-Z is very, very, VERY powerful with its 405 Special Attack, especially if it grabs a Special Attack Boost through its trait Download. This is an Agillity set, which is used here because it sweeps through offensive teams, should it manage to setup. People tend to think Porygon-Z dies to any offensive attack, but it can actually easily survive stuff like Sub Roost Zapdos' Thunderbolt or CB Stoutland's Crunch and still have 40%~ of its health. Tri Attack brings hell to everything that doesn't resist it; it does 50% to Specially Defensive Deoxys-D after a +1 Boost, so you can imagine what it does to stuff like 0/0 Stoutland. Thunderbolt is only used because of Empoleon, who is annoying to take down on this team, but it also hits some special walls like Milotic for more damage, as well as hitting Steel-types like Cobalion for decent damage. Ice Beam compliments Thunderbolt really nicely, and demolishes Specially Defensive Zapdos, 252 HP Shaymin, etc.
Conclusion
So, that's the team; it peaked at #7 with 1366 points, but I forgot taking a picture of it and now I decayed a lot + lost some battles. I still think this team can be improved a lot, though, so rate it guys!
Rhyperior (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Solid Rock
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast
- Megahorn
Houndoom (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Overheat
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Blastoise (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Roar
- Foresight
- Rapid Spin
Shaymin @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 76 SAtk / 180 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Leech Seed
- Seed Flare
- Protect
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Crobat (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Atk / 176 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Roost
Porygon-Z @ Life Orb
Trait: Download
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SAtk / 176 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
Trait: Solid Rock
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast
- Megahorn
Houndoom (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Overheat
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Blastoise (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Roar
- Foresight
- Rapid Spin
Shaymin @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 76 SAtk / 180 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Leech Seed
- Seed Flare
- Protect
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Crobat (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Atk / 176 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Roost
Porygon-Z @ Life Orb
Trait: Download
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SAtk / 176 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
threat list coming soon
Defensive
