SM OU Just getting back into competitive..could use some advice!

[Arc4n9ne]

Hey all! So I haven’t really played competitive since before XY, and I’ve been trying to get back into the swing of things. I was never that great, but I’m hoping to improve! So here’s what I got:


Kommo-o @ Kommonium Z
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Clanging Scales
- Drain Punch
- Poison Jab
- Substitute

I knew I wanted to use Kommo-O right off the bat as one of the main sweepers. With his Z-move, he’s seat up to be able to take out quite a few threats. I use Drain Punch for recovery and Poison Jab obviously for fairies.

Kartana @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Knock Off
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike

Kartana makes a great revenge killer, coming in after another mon faints and able to wrap things up pretty well before switching out. Knock off and Sacred Sword make for good coverage while the other moves are for STAB.

Landorus-Therian (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 112 Def / 144 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Defog

I use Landorus as my lead 50% of the time depending on the opponents team. Great at setting up hazards or removing them and taking hits due to Rocky Helmet. He makes up a good VoltTurn core with Rotom as well.

Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Roost
- Focus Blast
- Air Slash

Every team needs a mega, and I couldn’t really figure out who to use so I ended up sticking with Charizard. Sun boosted Flamethrower is extremely powerful, and using Roost for recovery is a given. I wasn’t really sure about this one, so would definitely be open to ideas for replacement if something works better.

Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Defog

My other possible lead, also capable of clearing hazards to make the field safe for Charizard. I decided on will-o-wisp to cripple opposing attackers. Super useful for switching out with Bolt Switch and getting chip damage on foes while trying to get the optimal Pokémon out on the field.

Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Thunder Wave
- Soft-Boiled

Another Pokémon I’m not too sure of, but still fits pretty well. Thunder Wave helps on Pokémon that aren’t affected by Will-o-Wisp. If I can get one or two Calm Minds up, then she can take out most Pokémon that aren’t steel or poison.

 

[DrPumpkinz]

Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Roost
- Focus Blast
- Air Slash

Every team needs a mega, and I couldn’t really figure out who to use so I ended up sticking with Charizard. Sun boosted Flamethrower is extremely powerful, and using Roost for recovery is a given. I wasn’t really sure about this one, so would definitely be open to ideas for replacement if something works better.

Two things. First, Air Slash doesn't hit many relevant things. Solar Beam is much better. Second, the idea that "every team needs a mega" may have been true in Gen 6, but it's no longer the case.

 

[Arc4n9ne]

Two things. First, Air Slash doesn't hit many relevant things. Solar Beam is much better. Second, the idea that "every team needs a mega" may have been true in Gen 6, but it's no longer the case.

Ok I guess that makes sense. Is there anything else that could take its place and do a better job?

 

[DrPumpkinz]

Ok I guess that makes sense. Is there anything else that could take its place and do a better job?

I'm thinking Tapu Koko. It still handles Celesteela, but it also means you don't have to risk a burn on Lando when trying to take out Toxapex.

 

[Arc4n9ne]

I'm thinking Tapu Koko. It still handles Celesteela, but it also means you don't have to risk a burn on Lando when trying to take out Toxapex.

Ok I can give that a shot, is there a certain set you recommend or just the standard?

 

[DrPumpkinz]

Ok I can give that a shot, is there a certain set you recommend or just the standard?

Hmm. Tapu Koko has a bunch of good sets, so it's hard to pick one. Your team does look like it has a hard time breaking through stall, though. You could try this untested and possibly really bad set I made that might work as a decent stallbreaker.

Tapu Koko @ Pixie Plate
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- Taunt
- Roost

Pixie Plate guarantees the 2HKO on Mega Sableye, who can't be Taunted thanks to Magic Bounce. It also deals more damage to Garchomp, Grass-types that don't resist Fairy, and especially the Latis.

Also, because this would be replacing Zard, the need for hazard removal isn't as big, so you can potentially drop Defog on Rotom or Lando for something like Pain Split, Thunder Wave, Toxic, HP Ice, or Knock Off.

 

[Arc4n9ne]

Ok, I

Hmm. Tapu Koko has a bunch of good sets, so it's hard to pick one. Your team does look like it has a hard time breaking through stall, though. You could try this untested and possibly really bad set I made that might work as a decent stallbreaker.

Tapu Koko @ Pixie Plate
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- Taunt
- Roost

Pixie Plate guarantees the 2HKO on Mega Sableye, who can't be Taunted thanks to Magic Bounce. It also deals more damage to Garchomp, Grass-types that don't resist Fairy, and especially the Latis.

Also, because this would be replacing Zard, the need for hazard removal isn't as big, so you can potentially drop Defog on Rotom or Lando for something like Pain Split, Thunder Wave, Toxic, HP Ice, or Knock Off.

Ok I like this set, I’m gonna give it a shot and I’ll come back with any feedback on how it runs. Also like the idea of Knock Off on Lando.

 

[sporeisniceaf59]

knock off on lando isnt the standard but i wanna see how it goes,also crazy idea but what if you put sr on clafable instead of thunderwave and maybe you can put a rock move like stone edge on lando

 

[Ace Trainer Conan]

Tapu Koko @ Pixie Plate
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- Taunt
- Roost

Taunt really isn't that good for Koko against stall; a lot of the things it hits (such as Quagsire and Chansey) it can't break through; Chansey is specially tanky and takes you out with Seismic Toss, and Quagsire has EQ. I recommend using Volt Switch and switching Pixie Plate to Zap Plate; In electric terrain T-bolt hits plenty hard against the aforementioned M-Sableye while also hitting things like Celesteela and Volcarona harder. It also gives Volt Switch a fair boost in power.

Also; Clefable doesn't really seem to fit on your team, might I suggest Volcarona as a set up sweeper and optional late game wincon?

 

[DrPumpkinz]

Taunt really isn't that good for Koko against stall; a lot of the things it hits (such as Quagsire and Chansey) it can't break through; Chansey is specially tanky and takes you out with Seismic Toss, and Quagsire has EQ. I recommend using Volt Switch and switching Pixie Plate to Zap Plate; In electric terrain T-bolt hits plenty hard against the aforementioned M-Sableye while also hitting things like Celesteela and Volcarona harder. It also gives Volt Switch a fair boost in power.

Also; Clefable doesn't really seem to fit on your team, might I suggest Volcarona as a set up sweeper and optional late game wincon?

Sableye can stall out the terrain with Protect and Recover, and while Magnet Tbolt is a roll in your favor to 2HKO (about a 60% chance), I'd much rather get a guaranteed 2HKO (or near guaranteed 2HKO if the Sableye Knocks after the first Gleam. Clef can handle Sableye, but Clef also gives your opponent a free switch into Skarmory or Toxapex, who you can't even boost against thanks to Whirlwind and Haze.

Chansey's Tosses deal less than 50%, so you can heal up with Roost. It's also handled decently well by Substitute Kommo-o.

Quagsire is pretty rare, and also runs phys def, so it doesn't take Dazzling Gleam particularly well. It's also a free switch into Rotom or Kartana, though Kart does need to be somewhat weary of Quag predicting the switch and using Scald instead of EQ.