Hello everyone, I have been testing different combinations on Showdown for the past couple of weeks and this is the best I have come up with in OU.
Lead:
Nappa (Ambipom) (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Technician
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Taunt
- Fake Out
- Double Hit
- Knock Off
This guy is awesome he catches a lot of people off guard since he is in the lower tiers, I could probably go with Weavile for slightly better results but I’m comfortable with Ambipom, he can out speed most pokemon with his Jolly nature. For surprise factor alone this guy is a keeper.
Core:
Chip (Tangrowth) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Protect
- Synthesis
- Giga Drain
- Toxic
Richie D. (Tentacruel) (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Calm Nature
- Confuse Ray
- Scald
- Sludge Bomb
- Ice Beam
Q (Porygon2) @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
- Toxic
- Recover
- Discharge
- Tri Attack
I really dig the synergy of this core, especially the Tangrowh and Tentacruel pairing, one has insanely high physical defense and the other insanely high special defense, and both compensate nicely for each other’s type weaknesses. This is really the UU version of Ferrocent. I built this team around Infernape and Tangrowth, and again I like this pair for originality sake. The only member of my core that I have changed is Porygon 2. I had a Dusclops in that slot because of its more balanced defenses and pain split, but I changed it after my core got completely walled by a Skarmory. It probably didn’t help that my opponent had a heal bell user so a will-o-wisp approach was futile, that and continual spamming of roost lost me the battle. This Porygon, however, has proved really useful not just with Skarmory but all physical attacking flying types, this thing kills the momentum of a Talonflame. A priority brave bird only does at best 25% damage, more than enough for me to recover my damage after a discharge or two.
Sweepers:
Kaioken!!!! (Infernape) (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Thunder Punch
- Fire Punch
- Close Combat
- U-turn
Saruman (Alakazam) (M) @ Alakazite
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Energy Ball
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
I really like the pairing of my sweepers, I am changing the “3 sweepers and 3 core” paradigm slightly by using a sweeper as a permanent lead but my strategy to weaken the opposing team and save my sweepers until the very very end seems to work quite well. I might change Infernape’s nature to Adamant instead of Jolly. I figured that Jolly would be better suited to a u-turner. I am also considering a different item for Infernape to perhaps a life orb or choice band.
So that’s my team what do you guys think? Are there any glaring weaknesses that I haven’t noticed? Would you change anything with the roster or moveset?
Thank you for reading.
