ADV OU Threat List

Introduction

For newer players, an established metagame is more than unfamiliar territory. If you want to build a successful team and be prepared for the opposition, you have to know what you're likely to be up against. You also want to know some of your most viable options when building a team. That's where this article comes in. It gives a brief description of Pokemon you'll likely encounter and want to use in the ADV OU tier and what to expect from them.

Aerodactyl
Abilities: Pressure / Rock Head
Base Stats: 80 HP / 105 Atk / 65 Def / 60 SpA / 75 SpD / 130 Spe

Description: While its movepool is rather limited, Choice Band makes Aerodactyl a viable OU threat. Combined with its typing and blistering Speed, it has just what it needs to be the best cleaner and one of the best revenge killers in the metagame. Aerodactyl is frail, but its great offense makes for an excellent defense. When it gets in, it imposes an offensive presence that will usually force whatever it's switched into to switch out. Because of its good coverage and Speed, it makes an excellent revenge killer for common offensive threats, such as Celebi, Raikou, Superachi, and Dragon Dance Tyranitar. However, Aerodactyl truly shines in the late-game, where its Speed and strength allow it to pick off weakened Pokemon. Rock Slide's 30% flinch rate and STAB makes Aerodactyl even more efficient in this role, giving it a chance to get past even healthy bulky Water-types and Rock resists in a pinch. Although it can't actually straight up counter many things, it does resist everything that standard Gyarados can throw at it, which is useful considering how few true counters there are for Dragon Dance Gyarados.

Blissey
Abilities: Natural Cure / Serene Grace
Base Stats: 255 HP / 10 Atk / 10 Def / 75 SpA / 135 SpD / 55 Spe

Description: As the best special wall and cleric available in OU, Blissey won't be going down too soon after it makes its appearance, albeit it is potential setup bait. Multiple Seismic Tosses and Ice Beams can take their toll and Blissey can easily cripple careless foes with Thunder Wave or Toxic. By foregoing Aromatherapy or Heal Bell, Wish is always a welcome support asset to any team and Calm Mind Blissey can also be a scary, off-color setup if you weren't expecting it. Special sweepers should always have a plan in mind for removing this menace if they want to be successful.

Breloom
Ability: Effect Spore
Base Stats: 60 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 70 Spe

Description: This mellow mushroom deserves mention for having an accurate sleeping move with an actually good offense backing it (the only other accurate sleep-inducers being Smeargle, Parasect, and Butterfree, neither of which have great attacking stats). After putting something to sleep with Spore, Breloom can bust a sizable hole through foes with Focus Punch, and even some of the Pokemon that resist it. It doesn't have too many other moves to run an offense with afterwards, but it can stall with Substitute + Leech Seed until something is forced to take a Focus Punch, and can utilize Swords Dance + Sky Uppercut/Brick Break to some effect, with a bit of support. It's a bit of a "one-turn impact" Pokemon, but it can dish out the hurt if you sleep on it. Pun fully intended.

Celebi
Ability: Natural Cure
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe

Description: Celebi, to say the least, is very versatile. Defensively, it can deter certain threats, such as Snorlax or Suicune, with Leech Seed, force switches from dangerous Pokemon with Perish Song, and makes somewhat of a special tank when it can set up with Calm Mind (a role that is further and commonly bolstered by Leech Seed). Reflect and Heal Bell also make Celebi a great team player. Switch it over to offense, however, and it's a whole new ball game. Baton Pass allows it to scout for threats, lure in Pokemon for Magneton or Dugtrio to trap, as well as pass 101 HP Substitutes, Calm Minds, or Swords Dances to strong sweepers. It can even fight standalone with the popular iteration of Calm Mind, Psychic, Giga Drain, and Hidden Power Fire, a set that has shown particular success against many a stall team and is hard to stop if you let it get rolling. If there's anything else to say, for every weakness Celebi has to exploit, it's got good base stats and just as many resistances to take advantage of to get it in safely and pose a threat.

Claydol
Ability: Levitate
Base Stats: 60 HP / 70 Atk / 105 Def / 70 SpA / 120 SpD / 75 Spe

Description: Unfortunately, Claydol can't force Spikes users into switching like how other spinners can (except for Forretress, if it isn't using Toxic or some form of Hidden Power), but it is immune to both Sandstorm and Spikes and effectively takes zero residual damage as it comes in to do its job. Claydol's sturdy defenses gives it a few other jobs, such setting up dual screens, countering Flygon, Salamence, some variants of Tyranitar, and occasionally Gengar if you have Psychic or Light Screen in tow. It's mostly a "threat" towards certain stall teams, as it is possibly the toughest spinner to remove from play.

Cloyster
Ability: Shell Armor
Base Stats: 50 HP / 95 Atk / 180 Def / 85 SpA / 45 SpD / 70 Spe

Description: Of the three common Spikes users seen in OU, Cloyster's value is being able to escape the evil, magnetic clutches of Magneton. If one's plan for minimizing Spikes layers was to catch Skarmory/Forretress instead of spinning, that alone makes Cloyster dangerous. It's got great Defense for coming in on Swampert and Salamence, scaring them off with STABed Ice Beams, and while its Special Defense is horrid, Water-types in general make for a free switch to set up Spikes or Explode. Of course, you can't neglect its ability to Rapid Spin either. Although held back by its low base HP and Special Defense stats, it's a solid utility Pokemon with most of the attributes you'd want from a Spikes user.

Dugtrio
Abilities: Sand Veil / Arena Trap
Base Stats: 35 HP / 80 Atk / 50 Def / 50 SpA / 70 SpD / 120 Spe

Description: The ability trap and destroy other threats is a valuable trait, especially considering Raikou, Tyranitar, Heracross, Celebi, Metagross, and Jirachi are all pretty dangerous or clutch sweepers. Once Dugtrio finds a way in via a good prediction, to revenge kill, or a harmless attack, it will simply ruin their day. Cleaning up other Pokemon that are low on health is not a bad deal either. On its own, Dugtrio is nothing special, with its only outstanding stat being Speed, but those that can be trapped and killed by it must be wary of it.

Dusclops
Ability: Pressure
Base Stats: 40 HP / 70 Atk / 130 Def / 60 SpA / 130 SpD / 25 Spe

Description: As the bulkiest spinblocker in ADV OU, Dusclops is a staple on dedicated stall teams with its excellent all-round bulk and good ability in Pressure. Dusclops can spread status with Will-O-Wisp as well, a handy tool for reducing the effectiveness of physical attackers. With Shadow Ball, Dusclops is also a good answer to Gengar and Starmie too. However, the bandaged spinblocker is easily Pursuited for large amounts of damage by threats such as Houndoom and the abundant Tyranitar, and is also vulnerable to the common Sandstorm and Spikes. It is also unfortunately setup fodder for the likes of Calm Mind Suicune and Jirachi due to its low offensive prowess and lack of phazing moves. Overall, Dusclops is no major offensive threat to teams, apart from the rare and very underrated Calm Mind set, but it can wall many threats and prevent Rapid Spin users from doing their job.

Flygon
Ability: Levitate
Base Stats: 80 HP / 100 Atk / 80 Def / 80 SpA / 80 SpD / 100 Spe

Description: A strong, fast, and STAB Earthquake? Yes, please! From a base 100 Attack and an acceptable base 100 Speed, even bulky Water-types will find it tough to deal with Flygon's attacks when piled on with residual damage. QuakeSlide offers good coverage as always, but Flygon can tack on Hidden Power Bug and Fire Blast to help against Celebi and Skarmory respectively. Flygon's typing and ability also give it a number of useful immunities and resistances, allowing it to work well as a counter to threats such as Tyranitar and many of the usual Electric-types (barring those with Hidden Power Ice).

Forretress
Ability: Sturdy
Base Stats: 75 HP / 90 Atk / 140 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 40 Spe

Description: Forretress may fall in line with Blissey in being potential setup bait, but it's certainly one of the best physical walls in the game. It gets both Spikes and Rapid Spin to take on a full utility role and it's overall bulk is actually greater than Skarmory's; however, it lacks a crucial immunity to Earthquake, a phazing move, and takes even greater damage from Fire-type moves that Skarmory could normally survive (non-STAB, of course). Unlike other spinners, Forretress usually lacks means to hit Gengar on the switch; if it takes one of the few options that do hit Gengar, it loses Earthquake to hit Magneton and Metagross with. When the job is done, Explosion is pretty neat and can help out against last-Pokemon CurseLax, among other things. Forretress really shines with some Pursuit support from the likes of Houndoom and Tyranitar, and Forretress's alluring Fire weakness is amazing bait to get them in.

Gengar
Ability: Levitate
Base Stats: 60 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 130 SpA / 75 SpD / 110 Spe

Description: Infamous for being unpredictable, Gengar stays true to this creed and is one of the most dangerous Pokemon in OU, especially with the rise in Giga Drain and Will-O-Wisp usage. Gengar's huge Special Attack stat allows it to do great damage some Pokemon get with the same attacks when they are STABed, and gets a number of cool immunities and resistances to make up for its frail defenses. On top of being a premier special attacker and causing havoc with non-attacking moves such as Hypnosis, Taunt, and Destiny Bond, it can even use Explosion to get rid of special walls and surprise a few teams with Mean Look + Perish Song. Gengar's a mixed bag that doesn't lose efficiency through spreading out its repertoire and you'll never know what it's going to do.

Gyarados
Ability: Intimidate
Base Stats: 95 HP / 125 Atk / 79 Def / 60 SpA / 100 SpD / 81 Spe

Description: Gyarados has some of the same threatening premises as its big brothers, Salamence and Tyranitar, in being a Dragon Dancing, physical powerhouse, only that it has the added ability of being able to switch in and set up on bulky Water-types. Its biggest drawback is that wields very little power with which to launch a special attacking campaign (though it has the movepool to do so) and that it lacks physical options to take advantage of its highest stat. However, coupled with Magneton (used to trap its number 1 counter, Skarmory), Gyarados is one of the most potent physical sweepers in ADV. With Intimidate and good all-around bulk, Gyarados can set up multiple Dragon Dances on many threats and function as an excellent late-game cleaner against almost any team archetype. Due to its stat distribution, Gyarados can also go with Roar and/or Thunder Wave as support options, perfect for complementing certain stall teams or setting up slower sweepers, such as Blaziken or Medicham.

Heracross
Abilities: Guts / Swarm
Base Stats: 80 HP / 125 Atk / 75 Def / 40 SpA / 95 SpD / 85 Spe

Description: Heracross has to find its niche on most teams. It doesn't have the greatest stats or typing to get in as often or as safely as Salamence, Tyranitar, or Metagross can, but when it does find an opening, Megahorn alone can cause grief for anything not named Skarmory (even Salamence takes a sizable dent without any defensive investment). With a Choice Band, the opposition can quickly become hard pressed to counter Heracross without losing HUGE chunks of damage (even Skarmory loses around 75% of its life from Focus Punch), and Substitute + Salac Berry variants are potential comeback kings. Heracross can be somewhat difficult to use effectively, but it's certainly a Pokemon to keep an eye out for.

Houdoom
Abilities: Flash Fire / Early Bird
Base Stats: 75 HP / 90 Atk / 50 Def / 110 SpA / 80 SpD / 95 Spe

Description: Houndoom's primary use in the ADV OU metagame is to trap threats such as Celebi, Gengar, Dusclops, and Alakazam with Pursuit and remove them from the game to either open the opposing team up to a threatening sweeper, or remove spinblockers so that spinners such as Forretress can do their job successfully. Houndoom forms an excellent partnership with Forretress, in that Forretress baits Fire-type attacks for Houndoom to gain a Flash Fire boost from, and Houndoom removes spinblockers so that Forretress can successfully do its job of removing entry hazards from the field. However Houndoom struggles against bulky Water-types not named Swampert, which it decimates with Hidden Power Grass, and is also trapped and revenge killed by the common Dugtrio. Without Will-O-Wisp, Houndoom will also struggle a lot against Gyarados and Salamence although the latter has to watch out for the rare Hidden Power Ice. Will-O-Wisp, Counter, and some defensive investment can also net a surprise kill on Tyranitar.

Jirachi
Ability: Serene Grace
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Attack / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe

Description: Offensively, Jirachi is just as dangerous, if not moreso, as Celebi. With the same base stats, Jirachi gets the edge on offensive Calm Mind sets with an extensive special movepool; it gets Thunder, Thunderbolt, and the elemental punches. Its Steel typing also allows it to switch in on many threats and attacks, such as Choice Band-boosted Hidden Power Flyings and Rock Slides from Aerodactyl or Salamence. It also has the tools to play a supportive role via Wish, Light Screen, Reflect, and Thunder Wave, if those are the kind of tools your team needs to succeed.

Jolteon
Ability: Volt Absorb
Base Stats: 65 HP / 65 Attack / 60 Def / 110 SpA / 95 SpD / 130 Spe

Description: The main niches that Jolteon has over other Electric-types, such as Raikou, are the ability to Baton Pass Substitutes, Speed boosts, or simply "dry pass" to a threat to whatever switches in on it, and also its ability Volt Absorb, which gives it more opportunities to switch in on Thunderbolts throughout the game. Jolteon makes a good switch-in to the likes of Gengar and Zapdos, and is also able to check Raikou with Roar—Roar is a move to watch out for on Jolteon because of the amount of switches that Jolteon forces, and as such it's excellent at quickly racking up Spikes damage. Jolteon can also support its team with Wish. However, Jolteon is affected by all forms of passive damage and status, and also lacks overall bulk, so it often struggles to last in longer, slower-paced games. Overall, Jolteon is a very dangerous Pokemon with both offensive and supporting prowess.

Magneton
Abilities: Magnet Pull / Sturdy
Base Stats: 50 HP / 60 Atk / 95 Def / 120 SpA / 70 SpD / 70 Spe

Description: By itself, Magneton's contribution as a threat is merely to trap and destroy Skarmory and Forretress. Extend the scope of things, and Magneton threatens to clear the way for other threats, such as Snorlax or Heracross, to lay waste to the opposition. Combining this with Dugtrio, they create an infamous duo that can clear out additional threats that would otherwise hinder your sweepers, such as Tyranitar, Celebi, and Jirachi. Magneton is a decent RestTalk user as well, and can serve as a Gengar and somewhat of a Zapdos counter as such.

Medicham
Ability: Pure Power
Base Stats: 60 HP / 60 Atk / 75 Def / 60 SpA / 75 SpD / 80 Spe

Description: With Pure Power, Medicham reaches a maximum, unboosted Attack stat of 480, which is more than even Slaking can boast. It shares the same boat as Heracross in finding a proper place to make itself known, but when it does, it hits ridiculously hard and can be just as tough to defend against as its Bug / Fighting cousin. With a Choice Band, Focus Punch from this monster can OHKO Skarmory with a good damage roll. It also gets Bulk Up and Recover, for a little bit of staying power, as well as Baton Pass for some variants.

Metagross
Ability: Clear Body
Base Stats: 80 HP / 135 Atk / 130 Def / 95 SpA / 90 SpD / 70 Spe

Description: Metagross very rarely ends up being a huge threat on its own, as walls such as Milotic, Swampert, and Forretress are on every team, but it is the reason that every team needs a bulky Water-type, even more so than the likes of Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, and Salamence, which have other counters such as Claydol. Even Skarmory, whose only real threat to Metagross are impending Spikes and Whirlwind/Roar, is rather susceptible to attack boosts or even critical hits when taking powerful, Choice Band-boosted Meteor Mashes. The most threatening thing about Metagross is certainly Explosion. Metagross rarely pulls off a sweep on its own, but it is incredibly good at clearing the way for one of your other threats to get off a sweep. In cleaning the way for other threats, outside of its powerful Explosion, Metagross also has numerous options for targeting numerous obstacles—Hidden Power Grass for Swampert, Hidden Power Fire for Forretress, ThunderPunch for Skarmory and Gyarados, and Psychic or Pursuit for Gengar. Use this metal monster to place dents in your opponents team and drill holes with a follow-up sweeper.

Milotic
Ability: Marvel Scale
Base Stats: 95 HP / 60 Atk / 79 Def / 100 SpA / 125 SpD / 81 Spe

Description: Good HP, great Special Defense, and Marvel Scale make Milotic an excellent and very solid bulky Water-type. It's a very typical Water-type, albeit access to Hypnosis is a plus for putting down an incoming Snorlax or Suicune (watch out for Sleep Talk) and Recover gives it an annoying amount of longevity. It is definitely worth consideration on any stall team, though if you just need a decent way of dealing with Salamence or just a way to absorb status, you can't go wrong here.

Porygon2
Ability: Trace
Base Stats: 85 HP / 80 Atk / 90 Def / 105 SpA / 95 SpD / 60 Spe

Description: Porygon2's solid stats and rare ability allow it to fill a unique role in the ADV OU metagame. Its movepool is nothing spectacular, but it is allotted the excellent coverage of the BoltBeam combo, and has access to Recover, which coupled with its good all-around bulk and good base 105 Special Attack allows it to stick around for a long time and do some decent damage. Although Porygon2 cannot use their Intimidate against them as it can in later generations, it is still an excellent check for both Dragon Dance Salamence and Gyarados, taking little damage from their attacks and OHKOing back with Ice Beam and Thunderbolt respectively. Thanks to Trace, Porygon2 is also a perfect switch-in for slightly less prominent threats such as Flygon, Houndoom, and Jolteon, copying their abilities and becoming immune to their strongest STAB attacks. Perhaps most importantly for Porygon2 in today's metagame is that, it is guaranteed to revenge kill the incredibly common Dugtrio by tracing its Arena Trap, making it an excellent partner for Pokemon such as Dragon Dance Tyranitar or Choice Band Heracross, the likes of which Dugtrio otherwise causes major problems. Porygon2 also has access to a few good support moves in Thunder Wave and Toxic, and can alternatively work as a decent setup sweeper with Sharpen and Return, scaring off phazers such as Skarmory and Suicune with powerful, super effective Thunderbolts.

Raikou
Ability: Pressure
Base Stats: 90 HP / 85 Atk / 75 Def / 115 SpA / 100 SpD / 115 Spe

Description: Raikou fell short of the successes of Celebi, Jirachi, and Suicune in recent times, as its typing and defenses neither allow it as many opportunities to switch in nor do they allow for it to be able to take any status and remain as composed. Nevertheless, Raikou is one of the fastest Calm Mind users in ADV OU and certainly one of the more dangerous ones. STAB Thunderbolt is always a terror to defend against, due to the risk of paralysis, and Hidden Power Grass and Ice are there to back it up against Ground types, as usual.

Regice
Ability: Clear Body
Base Stats: 80 HP / 50 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 200 SpD / 50 Spe

Description: Having STAB on even one move in an actual BoltBeam combination is pretty big on its own. Outside of legitimate special walls, such as Blissey, Snorlax, or opposing Regice, STAB Ice Beam backed by a strong Thunderbolt can cause trouble for most teams, as they might find themselves unprepared for it. Aside from its special attacking prowess, it also has access to a few surprises, such as Explosion and Focus Punch to make life hard on aforementioned walls. Not a bad deal for a Pokemon whose main purpose is to be a wall and not a sweeper.

Salamence
Ability: Intimidate
Base Stats: 95 HP / 135 Atk / 80 Def / 110 SpA / 80 SpD / 100 Spe

Description: A good offensive base stat distribution, solid offensive movepool, and access Dragon Dance is all that's really needed to make Salamence a relevant threat. Every team knows instinctively to carry a bulky Water-type with Ice Beam for Salamence in particular, as it will crush heads by itself later in the game if not properly checked. Don't sleep on it as a support role either. Dragon / Flying offers a number of great resistances to use for defense. Paired with Wish, you've got a pretty sturdy tank with a surprising amount of longevity.

Skarmory
Abilities: Keen Eye / Sturdy
Base Stats: 65 HP / 80 Atk / 140 Def / 40 SpA / 70 SpD / 70 Spe

Description: The undisputed, number 1 physical wall in the game. It's renowned for it's lack of physical weakness, multitude of physical resistances, and of course the great Defense stat to back it up. It easily comes in on most physical threats to set up Spikes and uses Whirlwind or Roar to force residual damage on the opposing party. One must be wary of bringing in a Pokemon that allows Skarmory to set up, as the longer it lives, the more Spikes it can set up, and the more damage your team will take.

Slaking
Ability: Truant
Base Stats: 150 HP / 160 Atk / 100 Def / 95 SpA / 65 SpD / 100 Spe

Description: Choice Band Slaking is a true terror that can OHKO a lot of Pokemon. Even those that resist its moves will find it tough to switch in too often. Paired with Magneton, simply spamming Shadow Ball can often be enough to make dents in everything until Gengar or Dusclops are gone. Fortunately, Truant gives you some breathing room to plan your defense in the next turn, but Slaking's presence gathers momentum very quickly. It's not seen often due to its difficulty in using it, but if you've got a Pokemon with Protect or a fast Substitute, make sure you keep it alive when this Slaking rears its head.

Snorlax
Abilities: Immunity / Thick Fat
Base Stats: 160 HP / 110 Atk / 60 Def / 65 SpA / 110 SpD / 35 Spe

Description: Snorlax has fallen a bit from its original glory, what with the common sandstorm negating Leftovers recovery, thus hindering its prowess (somewhat) as a special wall. But any team not equipped to handle it will find themselves tumbling on a downhill slope. Snorlax's premier Curse set forces every team to have at least one way of dealing with it, as by the time it sets up a second Curse, if you haven't scared it off already, it's probably too late. The problem with this set is that you're forced to choose between Earthquake and Shadow Ball as secondary attacks—one leaves it helpless against Gengar while the other leaves it at the mercy of Metagross, Tyranitar, and Jirachi. That said, Snorlax has just enough options to add a bit of mixup to its role via Fire Blast and Selfdestruct. With these, it can act as somewhat of a lure for destroying shared counters and clearing a path for another member of your team, similar to Hidden Power Grass Metagross or Tyranitar. Either way, Snorlax is just one of those Pokemon that you MUST be prepared to handle, as it's longevity and gigantic Attack stat allows it cause big dents in a team and Curse can quickly make it impenetrable.

Starmie
Abilities: Illuminate / Natural Cure
Base Stats: 60 HP / 75 Atk / 85 Def / 100 SpA / 85 SpD / 115 Spe

Description: Starmie seems to find the same reasons to be a great asset in every generation, in that it serves valuable utility purposes in Thunder Wave or Rapid Spin while being a premier special attacker. When it places full focus on its offensive potential, teams could find they are ill prepared to handle it. With great Speed and Special Attack, it makes a great spinner, being able to scare Gengar more easily if that is the opponent's chosen spinblocker, and access to Recover also helps it stay healthy if it isn't immediately able to remove Spikes from the fray.

Suicune
Ability: Pressure
Base Stats: 100 HP / 75 Atk / 115 Def / 90 SpA / 115 SpD / 85 Spe

Description: Suicune's been a big guy even since the earlier days of ADV, known for having "NO WEAK" once it gets rolling with a few Calm Minds. Traditionally, it functions as a wall, given a nice defensive distribution in its base stats and defensive tools such as Reflect and Roar. Calm Mind helps make it a special tank while simultaneously making it an offensive threat even to those that would be its counters (it shrugs off attacks from Snorlax and can Roar it out, outstalls Blissey, Regice won't stand a chance without Psych Up, and Celebi might have to deal with Ice Beam). In recent times, however, its offensive prowess has contributed to shaking up the metagame. Factor in great bulk that shines even without a defensive spread, a decent Speed stat, and a common habit for Zapdos to run well below Suicune's max speed, an offensively-oriented Suicune can be quite tough to deal with. Having such great defenses also allows for it to be a particular pain with 101 HP Substitutes. Once it finds an opportunity to switch in on something, such as a Water-type, it can put a Substitute up to avoid potential status and begin to wreak havoc.

Swampert
Ability: Torrent
Base Stats: 100 HP / 110 Atk / 90 Def / 85 SpA / 90 SpD / 60 Spe

Description: While Swampert's main appeal is being able to deal with many common variants of Tyranitar; it actually spreads some decent damage across the board outside of that. 110 base Attack is a nice stat to launch a STAB Earthquake from and the benefits of Torrent boosted Surf or Hydro Pump can turn the tide in a 1v1 matchup. Not to mention the QuakeBeam combo gives Swampert a lot of coverage by its lonesome. EndeavorPert is also fun a gem that can catch a team off guard, particularly against bulky Water-types with sandstorm up, if you play your cards right.

Tyranitar
Ability: Sand Stream
Base Stats: 100 HP / 134 Atk / 110 Def / 95 SpA / 100 SpD / 61 Spe

Description: True to it's name, there's no question that Tyranitar reigns supreme over the ADV OU tier. It's got great stats and typing to defend from all different kinds of angles and an accompanying movepool that diversifies its offense just as well. Sand Stream is also highly influential in the metagame, as it negates Leftovers recovery, making it that much harder for certain Pokemon to take the great damage it's dishing out. While wielding a frightening offense via its physical options, such as Dragon Dance, physical TyraniBoah, and Choice Band, that allows it to clear out a good chunk of a team by itself. Tyranitar can also opt to cripple or destroy its teammates' counters through mixed or special options, with moves such as Hidden Power Grass being viable to hurt Swampert, Fire Blast to scare off Skarmory and Forretress, or Pursuit to get rid of Gengar. Its versatility, durability, and power all combine into one is a reason why you should always have at least one way of handling Tyranitar when team building.

Umbreon
Ability: Synchronize
Base Stats: 95 HP / 65 Atk / 110 Def / 60 SpA / 130 SpD / 65 Spe

Description: Umbreon is a very unique threat, in that it isn't normally a threat or counter to anything by itself. Through its common Mean Look + Baton Pass strategy, it creates an environment where other threats can set up a devastating offense with little risk of damage to themselves. This leaves things such as Suicune, Snorlax, or Salamence to boost up without any problems if you trap the right Pokemon though it makes a wonderful pivot in Baton Pass chains to keep a helpless Pokemon locked in while you beef up as well. Umbreon also has some additional support options through moves such as Charm and Wish and can pass stat boosts of its own via Curse. Watch out for Taunt users, though. Umbreon's poor offense rarely warrants an attack, and thus is left helpless to Pokemon such as Dragon Dance Gyarados or Gengar that might be using Taunt. Substitute users are also a problem if they can set up a Substitute before it can Mean Look them.

Vaporeon
Ability: Water Absorb
Base Stats: 130 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 110 SpA / 95 SpD / 65 Spe

Description: Despite its excellent base 110 Special Attack stat, Vaporeon sees its best use as a Wish-passing defensive pivot—due to its awesome 130 base HP and ability in Water Absorb—used to provide support for teams with powerful attackers that lack reliable recovery, such as Choice Band users in a general sense. Vaporeon is a good answer to the likes of Metagross and Houndoom, and can also switch in on other Water-types such as Swampert and Milotic and either poison them with Toxic, or set up free Wishes to pass on. Unlike other bulky Water-types, however, it is quite vulnerable to repeated barrages of Rock Slides from Tyranitar due to its comparatively poorer physical bulk. The aquatic kitty is also vulnerable to status as well, and a badly-poisoned Vaporeon is not half as effective as it usually would be. Also of note is Vaporeon's ability to Baton Pass. In Baton Pass chains, it is the common go-to for defense boosts with Acid Armor, and with a few Speed boosts it is also able to Roar out any phazers seeking to get rid of those boosts. Its stellar HP is useful for making good sized Substitutes as well.

Zapdos
Ability: Pressure
Base Stats: 90 HP / 90 Atk / 85 Def / 125 SpA / 90 SpD / 100 Spe

Description: Despite its outstanding base 125 Special Attack, is generally used in a defensive role as a RestTalker, absorbing status and abusing its excellent PP-stalling ability in Pressure. Zapdos works best when supported with Spikes, in that nearly all Pokemon that switch into Zapdos are grounded, and as such sustain Spikes damage whenever they switch in. Zapdos can also work well offensively with either a purely special offensive set—often with Metal Sound to hit switch-ins and make them think twice about staying in (MSdos and Spikes are a match made in heaven), or a mixed offensive set which incorporates Drill Peck to lure in and damage Celebi. Zapdos is also both a good receiver and an excellent lead in Baton Pass chains, and is very adept at passing Substitutes and/or Agility boosts around the team, in that its STAB Thunderbolt frightens phazers such as Skarmory and Suicune, so that it can pass unhindered.