Hello people! I am trying to get into USUM OU and have been laddering with this team that I built without much meta knowledge. I peaked around 1630s but would now like some help from real players.
Rationale for choosing each member:
Spdef Msable is for bouncing hazards and checking magma storm Heatran. Zapdos was added as a reliable defogger with the benefit of pressure stall for opposing moves. Jirachi was chosen so that the team doesn't explode against Tapu Lele, and provides the support of Rocks and Wish. Alomomola is a wishpasser with regenerator, making it far less reliant on receiving its own wishes and more able to actually pass wishes. Chansey is a special cleric. Quagsire was chosen to help ease the matchup against physical setup users.
(Sableye-Mega) @ Sablenite
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Will-O-Wisp
- Recover
- Protect
Just the normal msable set, prankster is chosen as the pre mega ability for the utility it sometimes has. Knock off is used to remove items, Wisp is used to spread burns/passive damage. Protect allows it to safely mega evolve and later scout opposing attacks, whole recover is used so it can restore health.
(Zapdos) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Defog
Defensive defogger Zapdos set, discharge is used for a higher paralysis rate that can cripple offensive opponents or occasionally force free turns against passive ones. Heat wave is the best available coverage in tandem with electric coverage. Roost allows it to stay healthy despite things like Stealth Rock chip, and defog is used to remove hazards.
(Jirachi) @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 188 SpD / 72 Spe
Careful Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock
Spdef Jirachi that's meant to withstand any move thrown from specs/cm Lele. Compresses utility by also having stealth rock and wishpassing. Can wish+protect with lefties to heal off any of its coverage moves. It can also swap into Latios decently well, and steel is a generally good defensive typing. Iron head + Serene Grace is a bonus that can occasionally let Jirachi cheese past certain defense Pokemon.
(Alomomola) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 40 HP / 216 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Knock Off
- Toxic
- Wish
- Protect
Regenerating wishpasser, Knock off is excellent utility as things like Chansey often try to switch in to absorb status and threaten Toxic. I chose Knock over Scald because I already have other ways of burning things, such as Sable's wisp and Quagsire's scald. Protect is used to scout moves and reliably use wishes, and Toxic is used to cripple switchins, working nicely in tandem with Protect.
(Chansey) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Seismic Toss
- Soft-Boiled
- Toxic
- Heal Bell
Generic cleric set for stall. Max defense used to maximize mixed bulk. Seismic Toss allows Chansey to do reliable damage despite its low offensive stats. Softboiled is mandatory for healing. Toxic is used to cripple opponents with residual damage and to ensure that Chansey isn't just fodder for special setup sweepers. Heal Bell is used as cleric support to relieve status from the rest of the team.
:) (Quagsire) @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Recover
- Toxic
Physical unaware wall to help the team against physical setup sweepers, such as Zard X. Scald fishes for burns while Toxic puts opponents on a timer. Earthquake is a generally good stab move that can remove non grassium Z heatran, while Toxic is used to cripple its switchins and put them on a timer.
Summary:
I'm still new to USUM OU and have little prior tier knowledge besides what I have gained from playing on ladder. I'd appreciate any advice on how to improve this team! I do notice that I have trouble against Mega Gyarados, Kartana, and Manaphy, but I'm not sure how to change the team to better stave them off.
Importable:
https://pokepast.es/98e517e47f6d3816
Rationale for choosing each member:
Spdef Msable is for bouncing hazards and checking magma storm Heatran. Zapdos was added as a reliable defogger with the benefit of pressure stall for opposing moves. Jirachi was chosen so that the team doesn't explode against Tapu Lele, and provides the support of Rocks and Wish. Alomomola is a wishpasser with regenerator, making it far less reliant on receiving its own wishes and more able to actually pass wishes. Chansey is a special cleric. Quagsire was chosen to help ease the matchup against physical setup users.
(Sableye-Mega) @ Sablenite
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Will-O-Wisp
- Recover
- Protect
Just the normal msable set, prankster is chosen as the pre mega ability for the utility it sometimes has. Knock off is used to remove items, Wisp is used to spread burns/passive damage. Protect allows it to safely mega evolve and later scout opposing attacks, whole recover is used so it can restore health.
(Zapdos) @ LeftoversAbility: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Defog
Defensive defogger Zapdos set, discharge is used for a higher paralysis rate that can cripple offensive opponents or occasionally force free turns against passive ones. Heat wave is the best available coverage in tandem with electric coverage. Roost allows it to stay healthy despite things like Stealth Rock chip, and defog is used to remove hazards.
(Jirachi) @ LeftoversAbility: Serene Grace
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 188 SpD / 72 Spe
Careful Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock
Spdef Jirachi that's meant to withstand any move thrown from specs/cm Lele. Compresses utility by also having stealth rock and wishpassing. Can wish+protect with lefties to heal off any of its coverage moves. It can also swap into Latios decently well, and steel is a generally good defensive typing. Iron head + Serene Grace is a bonus that can occasionally let Jirachi cheese past certain defense Pokemon.
(Alomomola) @ Rocky HelmetAbility: Regenerator
EVs: 40 HP / 216 Def / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Knock Off
- Toxic
- Wish
- Protect
Regenerating wishpasser, Knock off is excellent utility as things like Chansey often try to switch in to absorb status and threaten Toxic. I chose Knock over Scald because I already have other ways of burning things, such as Sable's wisp and Quagsire's scald. Protect is used to scout moves and reliably use wishes, and Toxic is used to cripple switchins, working nicely in tandem with Protect.
(Chansey) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Seismic Toss
- Soft-Boiled
- Toxic
- Heal Bell
Generic cleric set for stall. Max defense used to maximize mixed bulk. Seismic Toss allows Chansey to do reliable damage despite its low offensive stats. Softboiled is mandatory for healing. Toxic is used to cripple opponents with residual damage and to ensure that Chansey isn't just fodder for special setup sweepers. Heal Bell is used as cleric support to relieve status from the rest of the team.
:) (Quagsire) @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Recover
- Toxic
Physical unaware wall to help the team against physical setup sweepers, such as Zard X. Scald fishes for burns while Toxic puts opponents on a timer. Earthquake is a generally good stab move that can remove non grassium Z heatran, while Toxic is used to cripple its switchins and put them on a timer.
Summary:
I'm still new to USUM OU and have little prior tier knowledge besides what I have gained from playing on ladder. I'd appreciate any advice on how to improve this team! I do notice that I have trouble against Mega Gyarados, Kartana, and Manaphy, but I'm not sure how to change the team to better stave them off.
Importable:
https://pokepast.es/98e517e47f6d3816
Last edited by a moderator:
