What can I do to improve this Gen 8 OU Team?

Question

My Gen 8 OU Team:

Corviknight (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Mirror Armor
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Brave Bird
- Body Press
- Iron Head

I did not know whether to go with a defog and roost set or this. I tried both and this seemed to be working better for me. I invested in Defense instead of HP because of Body Press and for the special defense i went for the assault vest. That makes both its defences roughly equal. Brave Bird and Iron Head are Stab, Body Press for coverage and U Turn for pivoting. This is also my Intimidate counter as mirror armor reflects stat drops and boosts.

I WILL SCARE YOU (Landorus-Therian) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Brick Break

Ahh yes, this pokemon intimidates and pivots, but it is also very predictable. I can also scarf attack when necessary. Brick Break for screens and ice types without ice shard. Others are stab and coverage.

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Modest Nature
- Moonblast
- Scald
- Calm Mind
- Ice Beam

I Set up Calm Mind, and then sweep. Leftovers for healing.

I WILL CHICKEN YOU (Blaziken) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Fire Punch
- Brick Break
- Acrobatics
- Protect

I protect the first turn to get speed boost, then use these moves. Unfortunately, I cannot dynamax in the Gen 8 OU format in Pokemon Showdown. I also revenge Kill with this a lot.

I WILL SHOCK YOU (Zapdos) @ Aguav Berry
Ability: Static
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ancient Power
- Hurricane
- Thunder
- Rain Dance

I Set up Rain Dance, and sweep with 100% accurate Thunders and Hurricanes. I use ancient power against low HP or 4x weak pokemon, and hope to get an omniboost.

I WILL CANON YOU (Dragapult) @ Choice Band
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Darts
- Phantom Force
- Psychic Fangs
- Steel Wing

Dragon Darts is the most powerful physical dragon move Dragapult can learn aside from Outrage. It is good against sashed pokemon. Psychic Fangs are for the screens, and Steel Wing for Ice and Fairy types. Phantom Force can be used for hiding.

P.S. Sorry if you find the nicknames quite annoying.

Comments

Corviknight doesn't have great attacking stats, and anyway it's supposed to be a wall/Defogger. It's better you only have Body Press and U - Turn, Switch the other moves for Defog and roost and replace Assault Vest for Lefties (Debatable)

---

As I had said above, I already tried that set, and it wasn't effective for me.

---

Corviknight isn't a sweeper, use Smogon's Defog set.
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 168 Def / 92 SpD
Impish Nature
- Body Press
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost
Fire Punch is fine, but you could try using Blaze Kick instead, and use Close Combat over Brick Break. Ancient Power and Rain Dance aren't very good either, try using this Zapdos set.
Zapdos @ Heavy-Duty Boots  
Ability: Static  
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe  
Timid Nature  
IVs: 0 Atk  
- Thunderbolt  
- Hurricane  
- Volt Switch  
- Roost
If you want a offensive Landorus-T, you could try this set.
Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Knock Off
If you want a Stealth Rock setter you could try this set.
Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 164 Def / 92 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Toxic
Also, if you want, you could try Cursed Body on Dragapult. You also could try using a Choice Specs set on Dragapult.
Dragapult @ Choice Specs  
Ability: Cursed Body  
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe  
Timid Nature  
- Draco Meteor  
- U-turn  
- Shadow Ball  
- Flamethrower

Also, you could try using this Blaziken set.
Blaziken @ Life Orb  
Ability: Speed Boost  
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe  
Adamant Nature  
- Blaze Kick/Flare Blitz  
- Close Combat  
- Knock Off  
- Protect

Pokepaste (With defensive Landorus-T)
https://pokepast.es/5cfa588b75fe5629

---

Again, for Corviknight the defog set is not effective for me.
For Dragapult, I will use Physical set as its Attack stat is 20 points higher and it has enough coverage on the physical side.
For Zapdos, i will replace ancient power with volt switch. Rain Dance can stay as i like 100% Accurate moves a lot.
For Blaziken, i will replace fire punch with Flare Blitz and Acrobatics with Knock off. Brick Break will stay in case of light screen and reflect.
Landorus, I will replace brick break with Knock Off.
Thanks for your improvements

---

I think it could make sense to replace Zapdos as a whole, since it's best as a rain sweeper or defogger, but this isn't a rain team and you already have Corviknight as defogger. If you wanted to keep an electric type, consider switching it to Tapu Koko or Zeraora. Alternatively, you could make it a rain team.

---

I really like zapdos, but I will replace it with Zeraora.
Is this set for Zeraora good?
Zeraora @ Focus Sash  
Ability: Volt Absorb  
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe  
Jolly Nature  
- Fake Out  
- Plasma Fists  
- Close Combat  
- Knock Off

---

you could try this set
Zeraora @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Knock Off
- Volt Switch
- Close Combat

---

I think Fake Out is useful, but Ok

---

Also, use U-Turn instead of Steel Wing.

Answer 1

Corviknight

Why isn't this set working well? Do you frequently switch it into Heatran or Koko or something, or do you just not choose to switch out against bad matchups? Mirror Armor is not too good since it's a really specific ability which only effectively counters Landorus-T, which Pressure Corviknight already has a great matchup against. Pressure has the benefit of PP stalling Stealth Rock with Defog.

Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 SpD
Impish Nature
- Body Press
- Brave Bird
- Defog
- Roost

Landorus-Therian

A STAB Earthquake does as much as a super-effective Brick Break, which means the move's effectiveness is null unless you're facing a screens hyper offense team, which is pretty specific. With 252 Attack EVs, Knock Off has the benefit of OHKOing Dragapult after Stealth Rock (and having a 50% chance to OHKO without them), and removing a defensive switch-in's Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers is always useful. Since you don't have a Stealth Rock setter which is mandatory on pretty much every team, you should use defensive Landorus-T.

Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 164 Def / 92 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Knock Off

Tapu Fini

Modest and max Special Attack on Calm Mind Tapu Fini are never good on a Pokemon that's supposed to soft check things and set up. Ice Beam is also not very useful since its main targets (Rillaboom and Zapdos) can't switch in very well due to Scald, especially Rillaboom, who despises burns. Taunt should be used to prevent any funky shenanigans used by the slower defensive Pokemon you should usually be setting up against. I'd also suggest Draining Kiss over Moonblast since Tapu Fini needs some sort of recovery.

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 192 Def / 64 Spe
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Taunt
- Draining Kiss
- Scald

Alternatively, you can use Slowking, since it forms a great defensive core with Landorus-T.

Slowking @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Scald
- Future Sight
- Slack Off
- Teleport

Blaziken --> Heatran

Blaziken is awful without Swords Dance. Focus Sash is not a good item because of how popular entry hazards are, and because Life Orb gives it a necessary power boost. Blaze Kick or Flare Blitz should be used over Fire Punch, and there is no reason to use Brick Break over Close Combat. Since Sash is bad and you're not going to lose your Life Orb anytime soon unless you switch Blaziken into Knock Off (bad idea), you should replace Acrobatics with Thunder Punch. Fire and Fighting is resisted by Slowbro, Slowking, and Toxapex, but Swords Dance boosted Thunder Punch destroys Slowking and does decent damage to Slowbro and Toxapex. Blaziken is a pretty mediocre Pokemon and you're better off using better Fire types like Heatran and Volcarona. Heatran is the better option here since it can trap and remove Pokemon which your team is going to struggle against.

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 136 SpD / 120 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Toxic
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock

Zapdos --> Zeraora / Weavile / Garchomp

You already have a Defogger in Corviknight, so Defog Zapdos is out of the picture. Rain Zapdos is used best on full rain teams instead of it being its own rain setter. Also, Aguav Berry is bad compared to Heavy-Duty Boots. Your team lacks a powerful physical attacker (Choice Banded Dragapult and physical Dragapult as a whole are bad), so your choices are mainly Bulk Up Zeraora, Swords Dance Garchomp, Swords Dance Weavile, and Choice Band Weavile.

Garchomp @ Life Orb / Leftovers
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge / Fire Fang
- Scale Shot

Weavile @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pickpocket
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Triple Axel / Icicle Crash
- Knock Off
- Ice Shard

Weavile @ Choice Band
Ability: Pickpocket
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Triple Axel
- Knock Off
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick

Zeraora @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Knock Off
- Close Combat
- Bulk Up

Dragapult

You can keep Dragapult, but as I've said before, physical Dragapult is pretty bad. Phantom Force's extremely annoying 2 turn effect makes Dragapult effectively have only one good physical STAB move in Dragon Darts, which can easily be switched into by the common Fairy and Steel types. Ghost is an incredibly offensive type, and Special Dragapult has all the tools it needs to abuse it, having a great Special movepool, STAB Shadow Ball, and a great speed tier making it the best Choice Specs user in the metagame. Alternatively, you can run a Hex cleaner set to spread paralysis/burns in the early-mid game and then clean up late game.

Dragapult @ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Draco Meteor
- U-turn
- Hydro Pump / Thunderbolt / Flamethrower

Dragapult @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hex
- Draco Meteor
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave / Will-O-Wisp

Comments

Well if Focus Sash activates, then if you switch out the next time Weavile comes in it dies immediately from hazards. Heavy-Duty Boots lets it ignore it's big Stealth Rock weakness and come in regardless of hazards, while Choice Band gives Weavile more power so it doesn't have to set up. Focus Sash is much less versatile and only works once, and only if there are no hazards on the field.

---

That is what defog is for

---

But.. Weavile is pretty frail..

---

I am not going to use it anyway, ima use Zeraora

---

Defoggers are great but you can't solely rely on them to keep your Stealth rock weak Pokemon away from harm.