Hey everyone,
Lately I've been experimenting and playing around with different playstyles in OU. Some of these include Hyper Offense, Bulky Offense, the dreaded Stall, Rain, and my two all-time favourites, Screens/Veil and Webs. Personally for me, webs has been up and down, and I've been trying to find a way to make a webs team perform consistently. Webs teams rely heavily on the player's ability to control the opponent's hazard-removal, whether it be swapping it into a Defiant mon, or having a spin-blocker. I've come up with something that's been working relatively well for me on the ladder, and I've altered the team based on threats that I found difficult to deal with in previous battles.
Side note: Named these pokemon after characters from My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away, my all time favourite movies. Go watch them if you haven't!
The Team
Kaonashi (Smeargle) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sticky Web
- Magic Coat
- Spore
- Stealth Rock
Although I actually don't like using him, Smeargle is probably the best web setter for me. I've tried Ribombee, Araquanid and even Shuckle, but for the time being, Im going with Smeargle. Sticky Web and Stealth Rock are standard. Spore to hopefully put a foe to sleep after enduring an attack with Focus Sash. Alternatively, use Magic Coat to bounce back hazards and status moves when against Lando-T, Greninja etc. Max speed and Jolly nature to outspeed as many foes as possible.
Haku (Pinsir) @ Pinsirite
Ability: Aerilate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Return
- Quick Attack
M-Pinsir is always a great member on any Webs teams, and although there are many more megas to choose from (Medicham, Heracross etc.) I chose Pinsir for this team. Swords Dance to provide him with a stall/wall breaking asset and boost his attack to stellar levels. Return for STAB, Quick Attack to kill weakened offensive threats and priority. Earthquake for great coverage against Steel types such as Magearna. Max speed and attack with an Adamant nature for maximum damage output. This mon is fantastic, but it struggles against mons like Celesteela and Skarmory. Which brings me to my next mon...
Kamaji (Magnezone) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon
- Volt Switch
Magnezone is and always will be one of the best partners out there for M-Pinsir. Sticky Web allows me to run Specs over Scarf to give Magnezone an incredible Sp.Atk stat. This mon is able to trap and get rid of the likes of Celesteela and Skarmory, so Pinsir can come in and set up with ease. Thunderbolt and Flash Cannon for STAB, Hidden Power Fire for Ferrothorn and Scizor, and Volt Switch to bring in Pinsir or other mons. Once again, the EV spread is nothing extraordinary, just max speed and Sp.Atk. However, Pinsir still struggles against Zapdos, and Ground-types seem to be a problem, so...
Yubaba (Kyurem-Black) @ Icium Z
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 252 Atk / 152 SpA / 104 Spe
Rash Nature
- Earth Power
- Fusion Bolt
- Freeze Shock
- Ice Beam
Icium Z Kyu-B is one of my favourite sets of all time. People seriously underestimate the power of Z-Freeze Shock, and bring in a Mew or a Ferrothorn thinking they'll eat the hit up. Kyurem thinks otherwise. This mon greatly benefits from Sticky Webs, as it no longer requires as much of a speed investment, and instead can put the extra EV's into Sp.Atk. Feel free to take out any threat using your Z Crystal, as not many mons in the tier can withstand a hit from this monster. Fusion Bolt and Ice Beam to complete the BoltBeam combo, Earth Power for extra coverage against Heatrans and the likes, and Freeze Shock for that insanely powerful Subzero Slammer.
Chihiro (Serperior) @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Substitute
- Giga Drain
Again, I actually don't like using Serperior, but it seems to work on this team as a solid and reliable Swampert check. It also helps to get rid of annoying bulky waters such as Toxapex. Leaf Storm for those Contrary boost and powerful STAB, HP Fire for Ferrothron and the likes, Substitute to ease predictions and setup via Contrary more reliably. Finally, Giga Drain to recover health lost from Sub + LO. Overall a solid mon and has worked well against rain teams.
Totoro (Landorus-Therian) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 208 SpD / 48 Spe
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
To round off the team, I chose Scarf Lando. I realised that Zard-Y is a threat to my team, as it isn't affected by Webs and therefore outspeeds basically my entire team. Except for this mon. 208 SpDef is to live a Flamethrower from Modest Zard-Y, and 48 Speed is to outspeed it and KO it with Stone Edge (providing it hits, of course). Knock Off for utility, EQ for reliable STAB and U-turn to bring in other members of the team.
So that's it! Some feedback would be appreciated, as I'm trying to constantly improve this team. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and have a good day!
Lately I've been experimenting and playing around with different playstyles in OU. Some of these include Hyper Offense, Bulky Offense, the dreaded Stall, Rain, and my two all-time favourites, Screens/Veil and Webs. Personally for me, webs has been up and down, and I've been trying to find a way to make a webs team perform consistently. Webs teams rely heavily on the player's ability to control the opponent's hazard-removal, whether it be swapping it into a Defiant mon, or having a spin-blocker. I've come up with something that's been working relatively well for me on the ladder, and I've altered the team based on threats that I found difficult to deal with in previous battles.
Side note: Named these pokemon after characters from My Neighbour Totoro and Spirited Away, my all time favourite movies. Go watch them if you haven't!
The Team
Kaonashi (Smeargle) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sticky Web
- Magic Coat
- Spore
- Stealth Rock
Although I actually don't like using him, Smeargle is probably the best web setter for me. I've tried Ribombee, Araquanid and even Shuckle, but for the time being, Im going with Smeargle. Sticky Web and Stealth Rock are standard. Spore to hopefully put a foe to sleep after enduring an attack with Focus Sash. Alternatively, use Magic Coat to bounce back hazards and status moves when against Lando-T, Greninja etc. Max speed and Jolly nature to outspeed as many foes as possible.
Haku (Pinsir) @ Pinsirite
Ability: Aerilate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Return
- Quick Attack
M-Pinsir is always a great member on any Webs teams, and although there are many more megas to choose from (Medicham, Heracross etc.) I chose Pinsir for this team. Swords Dance to provide him with a stall/wall breaking asset and boost his attack to stellar levels. Return for STAB, Quick Attack to kill weakened offensive threats and priority. Earthquake for great coverage against Steel types such as Magearna. Max speed and attack with an Adamant nature for maximum damage output. This mon is fantastic, but it struggles against mons like Celesteela and Skarmory. Which brings me to my next mon...
Kamaji (Magnezone) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon
- Volt Switch
Magnezone is and always will be one of the best partners out there for M-Pinsir. Sticky Web allows me to run Specs over Scarf to give Magnezone an incredible Sp.Atk stat. This mon is able to trap and get rid of the likes of Celesteela and Skarmory, so Pinsir can come in and set up with ease. Thunderbolt and Flash Cannon for STAB, Hidden Power Fire for Ferrothorn and Scizor, and Volt Switch to bring in Pinsir or other mons. Once again, the EV spread is nothing extraordinary, just max speed and Sp.Atk. However, Pinsir still struggles against Zapdos, and Ground-types seem to be a problem, so...
Yubaba (Kyurem-Black) @ Icium Z
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 252 Atk / 152 SpA / 104 Spe
Rash Nature
- Earth Power
- Fusion Bolt
- Freeze Shock
- Ice Beam
Icium Z Kyu-B is one of my favourite sets of all time. People seriously underestimate the power of Z-Freeze Shock, and bring in a Mew or a Ferrothorn thinking they'll eat the hit up. Kyurem thinks otherwise. This mon greatly benefits from Sticky Webs, as it no longer requires as much of a speed investment, and instead can put the extra EV's into Sp.Atk. Feel free to take out any threat using your Z Crystal, as not many mons in the tier can withstand a hit from this monster. Fusion Bolt and Ice Beam to complete the BoltBeam combo, Earth Power for extra coverage against Heatrans and the likes, and Freeze Shock for that insanely powerful Subzero Slammer.
Chihiro (Serperior) @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Substitute
- Giga Drain
Again, I actually don't like using Serperior, but it seems to work on this team as a solid and reliable Swampert check. It also helps to get rid of annoying bulky waters such as Toxapex. Leaf Storm for those Contrary boost and powerful STAB, HP Fire for Ferrothron and the likes, Substitute to ease predictions and setup via Contrary more reliably. Finally, Giga Drain to recover health lost from Sub + LO. Overall a solid mon and has worked well against rain teams.
Totoro (Landorus-Therian) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 208 SpD / 48 Spe
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
To round off the team, I chose Scarf Lando. I realised that Zard-Y is a threat to my team, as it isn't affected by Webs and therefore outspeeds basically my entire team. Except for this mon. 208 SpDef is to live a Flamethrower from Modest Zard-Y, and 48 Speed is to outspeed it and KO it with Stone Edge (providing it hits, of course). Knock Off for utility, EQ for reliable STAB and U-turn to bring in other members of the team.
So that's it! Some feedback would be appreciated, as I'm trying to constantly improve this team. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and have a good day!
