SM OU Not Your Regular Balance

[Massey9276]

Hey fellas. I've had this idea for a little bit and I finally got around to doing it. A balance team that doesn't have the usual staple balance mons, like clef, pex or ferro. I'd say its fairly good but there are a few big weaknesses that the team has.

Teambuilding Process​

I decided I'd start with a core of Gliscor and M-Scizor, because they support eachother fairly well. M-Scizor helps with Gliscor's Ice weakness, and Gliscor helps M-scizor with 2 big mons that hard wall it, Pex and Heatran.

The first thing I immeadiately noticed with this core is how weak it is to powerful water types and most importantly Ash-Greninja. So I decided on AV Tangrowth, because it can easily shrug off hits from Greninja and also is a very necessary check for rain. I also really enjoy it's excellent coverage which allows it to act as a very important glue mon.

I lacked a defogger. Because of this I decided on Torn-T. It's great to have a second ground immunity, while also being quite fast to boot.

Now that the team has a great defensive backbone I need a great offensive monster that helps blow through and wear down some things that that this team doesnt enjoy dealing with. I decided on Ash-Greninja. My defensive mons essentially all deal with the mons Ash-Gren hates. Things like scarf Lele, Koko, Bulu and Zeraora. While Ash-Greninja gives me an offensive check to things like M-Medicham, SD Lando-T, and Volcarona.

The last and final pokemon I decided on was an interesting pick, dd Zygarde with Steelium Z to blow past Clefable which this team otherwise can't beat if its paired with Pex. It helps round out the team this way very nicely.

A Closer Look
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Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Def / 172 SpD
Careful Nature
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Roost

This mon checks a ton of stuff for the team. Lele, Zam, Kyu-B, Bulu and Kart. HP fire kills one and a half Kartanas even with the -SpA nature, so there's no worries there. the SpD EVs allow me to eat 2 focus blasts from zam after rocks.

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 248 HP / 148 SpD / 112 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
- Roost

The main check to Tran and Pex on the team. Also the stealth rock user.

Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Grass Knot
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake
- Knock Off

Our way to deal with Ash-Greninja, Koko, Magearna, Zygarde and rain. A super important glue mon on the team that stops me from auto losing to very powerful offensive threats.

Tornadus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave
- U-turn
- Defog

This mon helps deal with volt-turn teams, along with hazards, making that team archtype worn down very quickly and helps with our offense mu in general with its great speed. The def EVs lets it live one M-Medi ice punch from full and the Speed lets it outspeed max speed base 110's.

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

Because of how the team is structured, things like Lando-T and Heatran enjoy switching in on Gliscor or Scizor, but with both having U-turn Ash-gren can come in and take advantage of these pokemon forcing them out and letting it easily wear down it's checks like Fini and Bulu to help zygarde clean later, or allows it a free spike.

Zygarde @ Steelium Z
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Iron Tail
- Dragon Dance
- Substitute

Zygarde enjoys Ash-Gren wearing down its usual checks, like bulky grass types and bulky waters. Steelium Z lets it blow clefable away, which this team is otherwise annoyed by, especially when it's with it's favourite partner, Toxapex.

importable

Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Def / 172 SpD
Careful Nature
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Roost

Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 248 HP / 148 SpD / 112 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
- Roost

Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Grass Knot
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake
- Knock Off

Tornadus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave
- U-turn
- Defog

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

Zygarde @ Steelium Z
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Iron Tail
- Dragon Dance
- Substitute

Threatlist
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Chansey: This stupid pink blob just puts this team down. Even if it does get knocked off you ain't killing it anytime soon. This thing alone has made me heavily consider running Banded Zygarde.

Stall: This team cannot break stall at all. It relies on hazards and Ash-Greninja to wear down mons, both of which stall deals with extremely well. Zygarde can't kill Clefable either because theyre always unaware.

M-Medi: Comes in and clicks buttons. Can't switch in at all, especially if rocks are up.

Specs Lele: This thing heavily pressures Scizor, and can easily kill with HP fire, allowing it to press buttons against my team. Knocking it off with Tangrowth can help, but it still brings on a lot of hurt.

Zard-Y: This thing comes in and demolishes everything. Keeping up rocks is very important, because Zygarde can't take Fire Blasts forever.

Magnezone + Psychic type: Kill Scizor, strong Psychic type clicks buttons and kills everything. Not fun.



That concludes everything, any changes to the team are welcome even if those changes mean turning this into a more standard balance with clef pex ferro. Hope you enjoy the team!

 

[DKM]

Hey Massey9276, cool team. It has nice Synergy and at first glance doesn't seem to have many huge problems.

Although there are some holes that can be covered and some things that can be improved in general. I'll go over the main threats to the team and then suggest changes to help improve your matchup against them.

Threats to the team:

: As you mentioned, stall teams are hard to break. Your setup sweeper (Zygarde) is stopped by any unaware pokemon or Tangrowth. Another problem is that your Stealth Rock user can't apply any pressure to M-Sableye, meaning you can't get up rocks to pressure the team.

: The Psychic spam core can break through this team thanks to their power and coverage. M-Scizor can check M-Alakazam but if it gets KOd by HP Fire Tapu Lele there isn't much that can be done. Tangrowth can usually live a hit from either but can only Knock them off or Giga Drain which usually isn't enough.

: Strong fire types such as Charizard Y and Heatran can also break through the team. You already mentioned Charizard as a threat due to Zygarde not being able to take too many hits. Heatran can also be a threat for the same reason, and if it's running a Modest Nature with a Z-move (which alot are) it can get a suprise KO on Gliscor. Not to mentioned Will-O-Wisp variants can punish them both.

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Major Changes

> : Firstly I suggest using Z-move Heatran over Gliscor. This gives you a rocker that can pressure M-Sableye and get them up against stall, it also pressures said stall teams in general by chipping them down with Magma Storm. Having a second steel type that pressures Psychic spam cores is also useful, Steelium Z might catch M-Alakazam off guard since it traces Flash Fire and might think it can tank any hit from you. Steelium Z with a Modest Nature also catches Gliscor, offensive Zygarde and M-Latios who would all be able to switch into you otherwise. The HP and SpDef let you live a Focus Blast from Magearna after rocks, so that you can check it.

> : Next I suggest using Tapu Bulu over Tangrowth. Thanks to Grassy Terrain, SpDef Bulu is a decent switch in to M-Alakazam and Tapu Lele. It can then force them out or almost OHKO them with Horn Leech. Grassy Terrain and Leftovers + Protect lets you stay healthy, the terrain also helps Heatran by letting it live an Earthquake from the likes of M-Latios. Swords Dance lets you break alot of bulky mons, and Swords Dance + Superpower helps against Ferrothorn and even Heatran if needed since you live a non Z-move and can OHKO with +2 Superpower.

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Minor Changes

Curse > HP Fire | Spread Change: HP Fire on M-Scizor isn't needed since Tornadus is already a good answer to Kartana, and with Bulu to check M-Alakazam and Lele you can afford to run a Physically defensive spread with Curse. This lets you beat Zygarde alot more easily, which is useful if Bulu gets pressured by Iron Tail variants. The 16 EVs still in SpDef let you take two +1 Thunderbolts from Magearna.

Taunt > Heat Wave | Spread Change: Heat Wave on Tornadus seems unecessary with Heatran to beat opposing M-Scizor, I'm not sure why else you'd use it. Taunt is, in my opinion one of Torn's best moves. It helps out alot against stall, it stops Ferrothorn, Clefable and Heatran from seting up rocks since you can't stay in on them to keep defoging, and it stops setup sweepers such as Zygarde and SD Gliscor from trying to setup on you. I added more speed to the EV spread which allows you to outpace Choice Scarf Tyranitar. The HP EVs should maximize recovery from Regenerator, and you still live an Ice Punch from M-Medicham at full.

> | Coil + Glare > Dragon Dance: Lastly, I suggest running a bulky Zygarde set with Leftovers now that Z-move Heatran was added. This set is better at switching into strong fire types and forces them out. I chose to use the Glare set since the team lacks a Choice Scarfer, so extra speed control is nice. Sub and Coil let you avoid status and setup on mons such as Ferrothorn, which means this set can win on its own sometimes. The speed EVs with a Jolly nature let you outspeed Heatran and check it effectively.


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I hope you like the changes I made to the team, they should help against most of the threats that were acknowledged. Below I'll leave an Importable of the new team along with a threatlist of things to be careful against.
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Threatlist

: Volcarona can pose a threat if it has HP Ground. Zygarde can take most hits, but Buginium Z variants can break through. It only sets up on Bulu and M-Scizor so be careful when having those mons in. Getting up rocks is always helpful obviously.

: M-Medicham if played well can be hard to switch into. Tornadus can live a hit, but only one. M-Scizor can also live a hit, but needs prior damage to 2HKO with Bullet Punch.

: While not common, M-Pinsir can break through most of the team without even setting up. M-Scizor can check it thanks to Curse, but can't take a boosted Return + Quick Attack. Tornadus and Greninja can both check it offensively, but can't switch in and get beaten by Quick Attack if they're too low.

Importable

Scizor-Mega @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 SpD
Impish Nature
- Curse
- Bullet Punch
- Roost
- U-turn

Heatran @ Steelium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 16 HP / 216 SpA / 28 SpD / 248 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
- Flash Cannon
- Magma Storm

Tapu Bulu @ Leftovers
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 188 SpD / 72 Spe
Careful Nature
- Protect
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
- Swords Dance

Tornadus-Therian @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 208 HP / 84 Def / 216 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Taunt
- U-turn
- Defog

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

Zygarde @ Leftovers
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 188 HP / 208 Atk / 112 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Substitute
- Glare
- Coil