I can't win battles anymore in OU.. help.

Question

This team used to be 12-2, but now it's 12-8. I've been stressed out lately and can't think as well, but now I can't even battle, which I use to help me relax.

My team is very offense heavy. Defensive teams never were a problem for the first dozen matches as my team tends to be fast enough and strong enough to deal major damage as fast as possible. Recently, however, I've been on a big losing streak with all of my teams including this one.

I would like to avoid using legendaries as I would rather prove myself with normal Pokemon, (if that makes sense).

Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Spikes

Mimikyu @ Life Orb
Ability: Disguise
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Shadow Sneak
- Play Rough
- Shadow Claw

Chandelure @ Life Orb
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 128 Def / 252 SpA / 128 SpD
Modest Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Heat Wave
- Confuse Ray
- Energy Ball

Zeraora @ Choice Band
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Knock Off
- Close Combat
- Fire Punch

Beedrill @ Beedrillite
Ability: Swarm
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Poison Jab
- Drill Run
- Knock Off

Rotom-Wash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Comments

Hyper Offense teams aren't my forte, but here is what I think:

My main problem with this team is that it uses outclassed Pokémon. Zeraora, Beedrill-Mega, and even non-Mega Alakazam aren't great for OU. :P

Why do you have 30 SpA and Spe IVs on Alakazam when they both can be 31? :P

You have 4 physically offensive Pokémon (Zeraora, Beedrill-Mega, Salemence, and Mimikyu) to 2 specially offensive Pokémon (Greninja-Ash and Alakazam) when a 3 to 3 ratio is more preferable. :P

I suggest you switch Alakazam's Life Orb with Alakazite and Recover with Taunt, Shadow Ball, or Energy Ball. :P

I recommend switching Zeraora with Kartana. :P

I suggest swapping Beedrill-Mega with Blacephalon. :P

Although, I could be horribly wrong and not even know it... :P

---

Staka~

I appreciate your response, I will consider the changes with alakazam. I don't actually know why the IVs are weird like that other than to get fire hidden power.

I will be keeping Zeraora as that is actually my main sweeper, along side mega-beedrill.

I will more than likely make the change with Alakazam and switch up Salemence to a different Pokemon

---

This will probably help more than a team rate. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qYztMbBTY0qm4mFy1-66bafgsVQ2gkeErAO3QUghEBY/edit?usp=sharing

---

Ultimately the main issue with your team is that Zeraora, Alakazam, Beedrill and Salamence are not the best choices for a team due to them being outclassed. Remove Beedrill from the team entirely for a special attacker of your choice and give Alakazam its Mega Stone. Staka's suggestions are on point, too.

As for Salamence, it's outclassed as a Dragon Dance sweeper by Gyarados because Dragon/Flying leaves Salamence susceptible to numerous Pokemon while Gyarados packs better bulk and a significantly better typing, since Water/Flying is good defensively and a nearly unresisted STAB combination. Salamence's only niche over Gyarados is STAB Dragon, Moxie, and the ability to deal with Mew.

Gyarados @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Dragon Dance
-Waterfall/Aqua Tail
-Bounce
-Taunt/Waterfall

---

contrary to what everyone has said, zeraora and beedrill are my best sweepers on the team and pull most of the weight.

I listened and got rid of alakazam and salamence. I replaced them with Chandelure and Rotom Wash

This has worked like a charm and I'm back to my winning ways

Thanks!

---

You're the one who asked for advice -- don't knock it till you try it. Bear in mind that it is entirely possible for an outclassed Pokemon to 'pull most of the weight'. Doesn't mean they any better or as good as other options, especially not if you aren't playing high ladder games.

---

can you edit the main post with the sets for chandelure and rotom wash?

---

There ya go serif, I updated the main post!

---

Why would you use Chandelure when Blacephalon is so much better?

---

@sumwun I suppose Ultra Beasts would count as Legendaries, but Zeraora is on the team, so idk...

@luckycharming The IVs on Chandelure are weird, here's a better set since you don't have a Z-Crystal:

move 1: Flamethrower/Fire Blast
move 2: Shadow Ball
move 3: Substitute/Energy Ball
move 4: Calm Mind
item: Ghostium Z
ability: Infiltrator
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe

---

I decided to stop being a grumpy old man and try out the new Ultra Beasts or whatever they're called.

They do make me feel safer having them there. So far, I've had one really good game and one really bad game.

I'll try out the Chandelure set

@serif the main reason I had zeraora was because it *can* be a good counter to toxapex, which I struggled with a bit.

---

If you want to use UBs i'd recommend swapping out chandelure for blacephalon

As for Zeraora yeah I can understand using it since Tapu Koko carries a poison weakness but most Toxapex sets usually run scald, and it's *extremely* passive, allowing easy setups. If you want to hard counter toxapex, just use Zapdos, who can deal with toxic spikes with defog and can't be damaged well without Toxic

---

If I use ultra beasts and zapdos (a legendary), my team is set up pretty well.

With the changes I made without those, my team still works good enough.

I think I've heard enough to be able to put an answer on this, so sum it up in an answer and we can call this bad boy done!