-Intro-
This here is my first OU Team for Generation 7, and my second competitive set in general. I feel that since my last team post (which was a brick and a half ago) my competitive battling skills have gone up, but my teambuilding skills haven't much. So I'm putting in this team that I've been using for the past week up for analysis.
Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Superpower
- Stone Edge
- Horn Leech
This is the Pokemon that I'm basing the team around, it being on of my favorites from Gen 7. Personally, I have found more success using Swords Dance Bulu rather than Banded Bulu. I have Horn Leech as a form of recovery and dishing out power with the STAB and Grassy Terrain Boost. Stone Edge and Superpower are both very powerful coverage moves, due to Bulu not getting Play Rough (Dazzling Gleam doesn't really help out). The Attack investment really allow Bulu to get as much damage as possible, while the HP and Lefties allow Bulu to get as much survivability as possible in battle.
Gengar (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
So the first thing I thought about after the initial Pokemon set is " how do I cover up that glaring Poison weakness that Tapu Bulu has while still being able to put some heavy damage in at the same time?" To answer that question, I added Gengar to the squad. Unfortunately, with the advent of Cursed Body (which does have its uses), it's harder to build around it's new ground type weakness. However I have found that AV works to a point, it allows a little bit of bulk if a STAB or coverage move doesn't OHKO against a threat.
Arcanine (F) @ Choice Band
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 Spe / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Wild Charge
- Extreme Speed
- Flare Blitz
- Outrage
Next up to play is a "Fire-Shield" for Tapu Bulu, being Flash Fire Arcanine. I had the same idea as Gengar in choosing Arcanine, a 'mon that can put a hole in some teams while being a resist for one of Bulu's weaknesses. Banded Arcanine is supposed to just dish out heavy damage. The moveset used does have a lot of crash damage, but the damage output makes it useful at times.
Aerodactyl-Mega (M) @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 248 Spe / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Aqua Tail
- Roost
I honestly chose Mega Aero for the sole purpose of trying out a new mega Pokemon. The Pokemon being used has put in work against many threats such as Minior with STAB Stone Edge and Aqua Tail. EQ is always great for coverage if available and Roost is for the obvious healing that would be necessary if taking a hard hit or crit.
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Dark Pulse
- Extrasensory
- Ice Beam
Thanks to the new meta, Protean Greninja is rereleased to the OU Public. To combat against the various water weaknesses that I had on my team. I ran Grass Knot on this Greninja initially, but then the new Alolan threat of Toxapex forced me to change up my spread a tiny bit and switch out Grass Knot to Extrasensory. My one concern about this pokemon is it's natural frailty, as it is quite key in this team.
Excadrill (F) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Poison Jab
I put this addition into my team due to my team being repeatedly inhibited by hazards such as Rocks and Webs. He's a bulky set with STAB Iron Head and EQ with an addition with Poison Jab as a coverage move. I'm considering using Rock Slide instead of Poison Jab for the threat of Fire-type Pokemon.
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That's my whole team, what do you guys think should change in it?
This here is my first OU Team for Generation 7, and my second competitive set in general. I feel that since my last team post (which was a brick and a half ago) my competitive battling skills have gone up, but my teambuilding skills haven't much. So I'm putting in this team that I've been using for the past week up for analysis.
Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Superpower
- Stone Edge
- Horn Leech
This is the Pokemon that I'm basing the team around, it being on of my favorites from Gen 7. Personally, I have found more success using Swords Dance Bulu rather than Banded Bulu. I have Horn Leech as a form of recovery and dishing out power with the STAB and Grassy Terrain Boost. Stone Edge and Superpower are both very powerful coverage moves, due to Bulu not getting Play Rough (Dazzling Gleam doesn't really help out). The Attack investment really allow Bulu to get as much damage as possible, while the HP and Lefties allow Bulu to get as much survivability as possible in battle.
Gengar (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
So the first thing I thought about after the initial Pokemon set is " how do I cover up that glaring Poison weakness that Tapu Bulu has while still being able to put some heavy damage in at the same time?" To answer that question, I added Gengar to the squad. Unfortunately, with the advent of Cursed Body (which does have its uses), it's harder to build around it's new ground type weakness. However I have found that AV works to a point, it allows a little bit of bulk if a STAB or coverage move doesn't OHKO against a threat.
Arcanine (F) @ Choice Band
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 Spe / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Wild Charge
- Extreme Speed
- Flare Blitz
- Outrage
Next up to play is a "Fire-Shield" for Tapu Bulu, being Flash Fire Arcanine. I had the same idea as Gengar in choosing Arcanine, a 'mon that can put a hole in some teams while being a resist for one of Bulu's weaknesses. Banded Arcanine is supposed to just dish out heavy damage. The moveset used does have a lot of crash damage, but the damage output makes it useful at times.
Aerodactyl-Mega (M) @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 248 Spe / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Aqua Tail
- Roost
I honestly chose Mega Aero for the sole purpose of trying out a new mega Pokemon. The Pokemon being used has put in work against many threats such as Minior with STAB Stone Edge and Aqua Tail. EQ is always great for coverage if available and Roost is for the obvious healing that would be necessary if taking a hard hit or crit.
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Dark Pulse
- Extrasensory
- Ice Beam
Thanks to the new meta, Protean Greninja is rereleased to the OU Public. To combat against the various water weaknesses that I had on my team. I ran Grass Knot on this Greninja initially, but then the new Alolan threat of Toxapex forced me to change up my spread a tiny bit and switch out Grass Knot to Extrasensory. My one concern about this pokemon is it's natural frailty, as it is quite key in this team.
Excadrill (F) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Poison Jab
I put this addition into my team due to my team being repeatedly inhibited by hazards such as Rocks and Webs. He's a bulky set with STAB Iron Head and EQ with an addition with Poison Jab as a coverage move. I'm considering using Rock Slide instead of Poison Jab for the threat of Fire-type Pokemon.
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That's my whole team, what do you guys think should change in it?