Hello everyone, I am posting this team because, while being very good, it still obviously far away from being (close to) perfect, it is lacking something, but I'm unable to find what exactly (although I really doubt it could be any better than this, it's worth a try), so here I am, asking for help. It's a team I've built principally to play in the SPL, but it had only 1 chance to being used there (since after that the tournament ended). It's a very funny team to play with, and it helped me win many battles, although I haven't laddered much with it, because I'm not a fan of the ladder. The title of this RMT was suggested by user KeyTrinity to user Bad Romance, who then suggested me to use it (he has an RMT with the same title, but in another tier). ~ Teambuilding process ~ To build this team I started from 2 pokemons I had already tried in ubers but with bad results: Ho-Oh and Heatran. I remember Heatran being amazing in the few DP Ubers matches I had, while I've always loved Ho-Oh in DW Ubers, and I wanted to use it in Wifi too, so I picked those 2. From there, Groudon was a pretty obvious choice, since Sun helps both Ho-Oh and Heatran, boosting their STABs and halving Water moves' damage. Now, since Ho-Oh is SR weak, and Ubers is a metagame centralized around hazards, I wanted a spinner. Tentacruel would have helped against rain stall but honestly, I don't like Tentacruel in ubers, and if I faced another kind of team it would of sucked, also I wanted Spikes too, and fitting Ferrhotorn in here would have been impossible, so I went for Forretress, another amazing pokemon (I like it more in Ubers than in OU), that can spin, place Spikes, Toxic Spikes and resists Dragon. Now I noticed Kyogre would have destroyed me, so I thought of putting a Gastrodon here, but it had the same problem as Tentacruel: it would have been useless vs most teams that weren't rain based, and it's Ferrothorn bait, so I went for a weird choice: a Palkia invested in Special Bulk. While the choice may seem odd, it actually works amazingly, and its moveset has a small twist that helps greatly against a lot of teams. Now, as a last Pokemon, I wanted something that could resist Water attacks, as well as a special sweeper, that could get past Giratina. The choice was restricted, so I went simply for an Arceus, a Dragon Arceus to be precise...I had never seen one before, so I thought of using it, since it's unexpected (I think, or maybe I'm just lucky to never face any), with a SubCM set, steels aren't a problem for this team between Groudon, Ho-Oh, Heatran and Forretress that can set up on all of them or just remove them to allow my own Arceus to sweep ~ Team at a glance ~ ~ A closer look ~ Groudon @ Leftovers Trait: Drought EVs: 252 HP / 96 Def / 136 SDef / 24 Spd Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk) - Dragon Tail - Fire Punch - Earthquake - Stealth Rock Since this is a sun team it's kinda obvious to have this big guy in the team. It always gets the weather up, unless I'm facing a REALLY slow Kyogre, and in both cases it's a free switch in to my Palkia (if early game), or even to Forry / keeping Groudon in in case of predictions or other particular situations. Max HP are pretty obvious, I need this guy to check some really dangerous threat such as SD Arceus, opposing Dual Dance Groudons, and Zekrom. The EVs in Special Defense are for it to always survive +2 Dark Pulse from LO Darkrai after SR, 24 EVs are in Speed to speed creep other base 90 (Ubers is full of those), while the rest gets dumped in Defense, with a positive nature, to check the threat I spoken of before Forretress (F) @ Leftovers Trait: Sturdy EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd) - Spikes - Toxic Spikes / Pain Split - Rapid Spin - Toxic I used to hate this guy in OU, since well, I never could get it to work, but after using it in Ubers I could never go back. Dragon resistant, it finds quite a few opportunities to switch in and get a layer of Spikes / Spin. Toxic Spikes aren't vital to the team, but they help against quite a lot of offensive teams that rely on dealing a lot of damage in a short time, effectively shortening their lifespan, while Pain Split helps vs standard Giratina. Toxic is to avoid it to become complete set up fodder for Extremekiller Arceus. Ho-Oh @ Leftovers Trait: Pressure EVs: 204 HP / 208 Atk / 64 SDef / 32 Spd Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk) - Sacred Fire - Brave Bird - Substitute - Recover One of the 2 reasons this team was built. Ho-Oh was the first Uber Pokemon I've caught in my first Pokemon Game (Gold), and...well, I've always loved this giant colored chicken. Ho-Oh hits...REALLY hard, and it's an amazing Special wall, all in the same Pokemon, how amazing is that!!! So, the EVs in HPs are to reach 404 (not sure about that, I probably should run 4 more hp evs so I can switch into SR twice...), some EVs in Special Defense to reach the extra point (394 -> 396), since it's my backup switch in for Draco Meteors and other special attacks, 32 Speed to speed creep (yes, I'm obsessed with that), the rest goes in Attack to further increase the already huge damage output. SubRoost for survivability, then the 2 STABs, Sacred Fire's chance to burn helps a lot, and Brave Bird obliterates everything that doesn't resist it (also, not many Pokemon commonly seen in Ubers resist Flying). Heatran (F) @ Leftovers Trait: Flash Fire EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 SDef Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk) - Toxic - Protect - Flamethrower - Roar The 2nd reason for which this team was built. I had never success with Heatran in Ubers until I've built this. First off, it's a great check to most of the Dragon types in the tier, it can also stall quite a lot of things, and it also gives me a fire immunity (Ho-Oh has problems switching into Fire moves if Rocks are up). Toxic helps mainly against Kyogre switch ins, and forces Giratina to rest, Flamethrower 2HKOs Dialga in sun and hits insanely powerful even with only 4 EVs, Protect helps me racking up Toxic damage, as well as scouting the opponent's move, especially of choiced mons, since things such as Scarf/Specs Kyogre loves switching into Heatran. Amazing Pokemon overall, although it probably is the weak link of the team. Arceus-Drago (Arceus-Dragon) @ Draco Plate Trait: Multitype EVs: 120 HP / 252 SAtk / 136 Spd Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk) - Substitute - Calm Mind - Judgment - Recover My endgame sweeper. I needed something that could resist Water, Fire, and could set up on most of the walls and kill Giratina easily, so the choice was on a SubCM Arceus, and Dragon seemed to fit this team the best. The EVs in Speed are there to outspeed max speed neutral Arceus, max Special Attack for maximum damage output, rest in HP for bulk (also, 101+ HPs substitutes for Chansey/Blissey). Abuses of the work of the rest of the team (Ho-Oh / Heatran already obliterate all the Steel types), and can set up on some walls, it also has excellent neutral coverage and not much can stop it. Also, Dragon Arceus is kinda uncommon (unless I just never face those for one reason or another). Palkia @ Leftovers Trait: Pressure EVs: 232 HP / 96 SDef / 180 Spd Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk) - Roar - Thunder - Spacial Rend - Fire Blast This Palkia set is kinda weird, it's an idea I had randomly while looking for a Kyogre switch in. I was already aware of the fact that Palkia is a good switch in for the fat whale, but honestly with a standard offensive set it wouldn't have had enough survivability to withstand its assault for a whole game, so I came up with this. the speed is to outspeed neutral natured base 90s (Modest SpecsOgre mainly). I got enough Special Defense to get the extra point (328 -> 330), and the rest got dumped in HPs. I don't run a water STAB because it's kinda pointless in sun, and if I'm facing a rain team, they'd have already an excellent water resist in Kyogre + all the other dragons, so I just went for this, it hits already everything I need it to hit. Roar is the small twist I decided to use. Since I have hazards, and Palkia forces switches, Roar sounded like a good choice on paper, and it was even in practice. It helps me roasting Chansey on entry hazards, as well as other walls that come in to ruin my fun. Also, it gives me an additional weapon against SmashPass, as well as something to get rid of some setuppers that try to set up on Palkia (SD Arceus primarily)...if only Palkia got Scald... ~ Conclusion ~ So this is it, the best Ubers team I've ever built, it's not flawless, but I'm very happy with it, covering basically every threat of the metagame, while having still various ways of dealing powerful damage. In my Ubers experience, I'm yet to face a single threat that can handle this team by itself. I love using this team, it's very funny to use, and it's not super-standard. Thanks in advance to everyone that will read this huge wall of text, and to whoever will rate this, I hope you'll like this team, ciao! ~ One last glance ~ ~ The importable ~ Spoiler Forretress (F) @ Leftovers Trait: Sturdy EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd) - Spikes - Toxic Spikes - Rapid Spin - Toxic Arceus-Drago (Arceus-Dragon) @ Draco Plate Trait: Multitype EVs: 120 HP / 252 SAtk / 136 Spd Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk) - Substitute - Calm Mind - Judgment - Recover Palkia @ Leftovers Trait: Pressure EVs: 236 HP / 96 SDef / 176 Spd Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk) - Roar - Thunder - Spacial Rend - Fire Blast Ho-Oh @ Leftovers Trait: Pressure EVs: 204 HP / 208 Atk / 64 SDef / 32 Spd Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk) - Sacred Fire - Brave Bird - Substitute - Recover Heatran (F) @ Leftovers Trait: Flash Fire EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 SDef Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk) - Toxic - Protect - Flamethrower - Roar Groudon @ Leftovers Trait: Drought EVs: 252 HP / 96 Def / 136 SDef / 24 Spd Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk) - Dragon Tail - Fire Punch - Earthquake - Stealth Rock
That seems a good team, but you need imo some fast pokemon, because i dont get how you deal with life orb/expert belt Mewtwo here. It can ohko your whole team after some hazards switch, since Palkia will take a shit ton of damage on Psystrike and forretress wont like aurasphere either. Why wouldnt you take more profit from sun by using some chlorophyll sweeper? Venusaur is very nice in uber, and your Heatran (even if it is one of your reason of building this team) doesnt fit well in the team, its not doing a lot bar sponging special hits, something Oh ho do very well already, plus forretress already resists dragon
Other Ho-Oh's can give u trouble besides Heatran, how u gonna deal wit it- for that i suggest putting Roar > Dragon Tail so u can get rid of the sub and those stupid misses
Good team as ive said to you once before. Essentially one can play around every Ubermon but LO-Mewtwo, Tentacruel and Rock-Arceus with WoW in Sand are all pretty annoying. Oh ye Gliscor, Excadrill and Sweeper-Groudon are quite a pain in the ass too. Ive tried SDef-GiraO over Palkia. Even though that fixed most 'weaks' it left me a tad more Kyogre weak and Giratina is often just setup bait. Other options include Lugia over Ho-Oh or you could run an SDef-Mewtwo with WoW, Taunt, Recover + one of Psystrike/Sub/Light Screen (that fixes other weaks but opens you up to Reshiram). I honestly think WW over BB or Sub might be worth a try on Ho-Oh. Just put all Atk-EV's on Ho-Oh in Def so it lives Mewtwo Psystrike and shit. Oh well one could always use some other Arceusform to deal with certain threats but none can sweep as good as Dragonceus can. The teams core is just so solid and strong that its hard to replace any of the key members without destroying the fine balance this team has.
Luck used this in the SPL, in case you didn't know that was before the POWC. Also Luck and Conflict were in the same SPL team... EDIT: Well shit, Conflict himself rated the team, I think you get the idea...
I forgot to mention that Conflict helped me adjusting the team before using it in the SPL, so it's kinda obvious that he has it, no? Thanks for the rates everyone, I'll address everything that I think needs to be addressed. Yes. Mewtwo IS an issue. Actually, Mewtwo is impossible to counter effectively, although it can be checked, but this team is kinda slow so yeah, Mewtwo IS problematic. Heatran can take a LO'd Aura Sphere (it takes around 55% damage) and Toxic / Roar it away, Arceus can take a hit and Recover spam (if Mewtwo is poisoned), or attack it, Forretress has Sturdy and can Toxic it, Groudon can take a hit and phaze it / Eq for reasonable damage. Forretress isn't enough to tank ALL the Dragon attacks that are fired off in Ubers, it already has problems coming into Draco Meteor and stuff, even with max SDef, and a single misprediction would mean the loss of it. I'm totally going to use Roar over Dragon Tail, since I hate when it misses, and it seems to happen an awfully lot to me, especially in the worst possible moments. Yeah I find it difficult to replace any Pokemon in this team to find a spot for another, mainly because it works SO well...although I guess giving Whirlwind to Ho-Oh is worth a try, I wouldn't drop BB though, but rather Substitute, I'll definitely try it. Someone else suggested me to try SDef Giratina > Palkia, but I always found Giratina to be a sitting duck, although that would provide me a spinblocker, maybe a Specially Bulky Giratina-O could work, but I think Ice Beam from Kyogre would kill it way too easily, and I can't predict always perfectly for the whole match (well I can but it doesn't always happen). The StallTwo idea seems rather interesting, definitely something else I could try, although I fear I'd lose too much power, giving it a try won't hurt! Thanks everyone again for the rates!
I'm just thinking of Espeon over Forretress. You have Heatran for resisting Dragon types, and Espeon can kinda do the same thing, but it's more offensive and I think fits the team quite well. Have a think, but nice team. :3 Love the Palkia!
Espeon kinda sucks with Team Preview, Dialgas/Groudons are just going to Attack on the switch in. Your Ho-Oh's EV's are the most random thing on the planet, run 405 for the SR number, Max Attack, and the rest in Speed for creeping with Adamant (It still tanks Dracos all day). Now, your team really hates EKiller Arceus, since nothing on the team can beat it (Groudon forces it out once, maybe Forry). Mewtwo is even worse, it just goes onto rape everything in sight if he sets up. So, I would suggest Scarf Dialga: Dialga @ Choice Scarf 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk) -Draco Meteor -Fire Blast -Thunder -Dragon Pulse / Power Gem (for trolling Ho-Oh) Now, this of course wouldn't be able to OHKO either threat, but it does tons of damage to both so assuming SR and maybe a little LO recoil on Mewtwo and you'll be able to get the surprise kill. Now of you do decide that you want to test this, try replacing Palkia or Arceus. If you replace Palkia you'll need to find another Kyogre killer. (Or just replace Arceus with Palkia.) Your Palkia set seems kinda random, but if it's working for you, I won't comment on it. If you don't want Scarf Dialga and like the team the way it is, just put Pain Split on Forry. It still doesn't solve Mewtwo though. The Sdef Giratina idea is a good idea to try, Kyogre's Ice Beam is like a 4HKO with Leftovers, and also is a check to Mewtwo.
You finally made a RMT of this team ! Now people will realise I stole it ;________________________; Anyways if I can actually get a decent rank with a team, It must be good ! I'll do a proper rate later on. Anyways ofcourse as people have stated, LO Mewtwo is really a problem (and when the bish crits Heatran it's probably game), but between the two toxic users, I mostly found it a matter of just predicting right and nailing it. As for Extremespeed Arceus if it comes out lategame and has a Lum Berry, and SD EQ ES SC, it can KO the entire team with a lot of ease. I wish I could recommend something to help with this but as mentioned, it's too hard to replace one member without completely messing up the synergy of the team Another matter, I know it's probably because I suck but Terrakion actually troubled me a little bit
Well I was looking at this team and Mewtwo stuck out as a big threat so I scurried down to tell you along the way I noticed EVERYONE else beat me too it...... so you get it I imagine.