Decided to create a completely different core for post urshifu General 8 OU as, while effective, my original standard balance core was very boring to play with. While I am looking for subtle improvements I am mainly putting this here to help others looking for simple but effective teams. This has been working very well so far around the 1700-1800 ELO mark so feel free to copy it or make any suggestions.
Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/a745e1f58821bd1f
Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Endure
Ground dragon is a great defensive typing and even better when paired with ferrothorn as defensive garchomp is great at covering it's weaknesses (resisting fire and dealing 30% per contact hit against physical fighting attacks). A predictive toxic can cripple garchomp's flying switch in, and endure is great at dealing a last ditch 30% for when chomp is weakened. Also, even without investment garchomp has a respectable 296 Atk stat which allows STAB earthquake to deal considerable damage.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Knock Off
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
This is the other half of my physically defensive core. Spikes can be used throughout the game alongside resetting stealth rocks with garchomp for constant chip, knock off is for removing a switch ins item, leech seed is for recovery and chip, and STAB power whip is for finishing off weakened mons.
Slowking-Galar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 176 SpA / 80 SpD
Calm Nature
- Future Sight
- Sludge Bomb
- Flamethrower
- Scald
This is a great special wall through it's ability to both wall and deal surprisingly great damage through its 300 SpAtk stat. This can switch in to pretty much any special attack, then fire off a future sight while they switch to limit their future counterplay. With good play you can often force your opponent to sack a mon through the threat of an impending future sight, also with two attacks in one turn you can cover multiple different switch ins in the same move.
Tornadus-Therian @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Defog
This is the main utility defogger. Due to regenerator and bulk investment this is great for scouting moves, pivoting, removing items and defogging. Tornadus' high speed stat allows it to outspend even most offensive threats as well, at which point a hurricane off of its 110 SpAtk stat does great damage (when it hits). Base 100 Atk also gives even it's utility and pivot moves a bit of a punch.
Cinderace @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Libero
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pyro Ball
- High Jump Kick
- Gunk Shot
- Sucker Punch
After the defensive/ utility core there are only two spots left for purely offensive mons, however, due to the relatively offensive nature of the core this isn't an issue. Cinderace, however, feels like four Pokemon in one due to Libero, providing great coverage and strong priority. This is also a Great Wall breaker with pyro ball for ferro, HJK for Heatran, Gunk Shot for clef (also neutral damage against birds). While this set is hard walled by pex this team far from struggles with this mon with half the member having STAB super effective moves against it.
Tapu Lele @ Choice Specs
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Psyshock
Finally the primary special attacker (also completing the fairy, dragon, steel core). This mon just has pretty much unparalleled immediate power alongside a priority blocker for mons like rillaboom. I also really like this mon for it's ability to hit both Blissey and AV slowking incredibly hard with terrain boosted psyshock.
Overall, this team is just a really solid standard OU balance team with nothing fancy going on. It's designed to allow for experiments and substitutions with replacing cinderace and Lele, as the defensive core is so versatile. I generally lead with either cinderace, garchomp or Lele (garchomp has a great opening matchup against popular leads such as scarf lando-t, Lele is disgusting if they have no dark types on their team, and cinderace has a great matchup against the majority of the meta). Have fun if you want to use this team, and any suggestions are appreciated.
