[RATE MY TEAM] [ORAS OU] M-Pidgeot + Sand Balance

[croissant]

Hey guys, after staying in UU for a while now that I'm getting actually OK at teambuilding, I decided to return to OU and build a team instead of stealing Emvee's, and I decided to build around M-Pidgeot, a very underrated Mega in my opinion. It's a pretty balanced team, and it works decently well in the ladder, but I figured there's always room for improvement, and since I haven't played OU in a while, I'm probably a bit rusty. Hope you enjoy and thanks in advance :]


Team Building Process




I started of the team with M-Pidgeot, since it has access to moves like Heat Wave and U-Turn, good Speed and Special Attack and a fantastic ability in No Guard because no one likes to miss Hurricane with Tornadus-T.



Since Pidgeot is weak to Ice, Electric and Rock, I figured an Excadrill would cover those weaknesses pretty well, plus it can spin away rocks. Since I wanted to beat fast Electric and Ice types like M-Manectric and Weavile, but I didn't want to get locked in Rapid Spin because of a Scarf so I added an Hippowdown for Sand Rush support (it's also an good mixed wall and it gives me rocks).



Now the team looked quite weak to Fire, Water and still and bit to Ice, so I added a Rotom-W to add more physical bulk and momentum in Volt Switch, which makes a little VolTurn core with Pidgeot, as well as key resistances. To round up the defensive core, I needed a good special wall/tank and so I chose Tangrowth since it has good synergy with Rotom, a great ability in Regenerator which makes it a really good pivot, excellent movepool and just good stats all around. It also checks Manaphy, which would wreck me otherwise at this point, and OHKOs with Leaf Storm after rocks, and also can check Keldeo.



Finally, I needed a good wallbreaker and for this role, I picked Azumarill because of its absurd strength and useful resistances for my team, and also because I like to slap an Azumarill on my teams as much as possible since it's one of my favourite Pokemon. It also checks Manaphy too and Keldeo, which are quite threatening to this team.



In Depth




Pidgeot-Mega @ Pidgeotite
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave
- U-turn
- Roost

The star of the team. Pidgeot's role is to dent the opponent's team with back to back, drawbacks free Hurricanes, then allow Excadrill to sweep when the opposing defensive core/threats have been weakened and or removed. The 30% chance to confuse can be useful sometimes, it's like a more evil Scald. Heat Wave destroys Steel types like Magnezone and Scizor, U-Turn gives the team more momentum and chips at the opposing team. Finally, Roost helps it stay alive and can be really useful since chances are that I'll get damaged by rocks and sand. EVs give Speed and Special Attack, and my HP is an odd number so yeah, pretty basic spread.




Excadrill @ Air Balloon
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin

The team's main sweeper. In sand, Excadrill can outspeed basically everything, allowing it to be a good cleaner. Earthquake and Iron Head are good reliable STAB moves and Rock Slide deals with Flying types. Rapid Spin can remove the opponent's rocks, which helps Pidgeot, but Swords Dance allows it to hit really hard so I'm not sure about which last move to pick. Air Balloon gives me a free switch on a predicted Ground move, and the EVs ensure that it's as fast as possible outside of sand and give it excellent Attack.




Hippowdon @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Whirlwind

The team's mixed wall/ hazard settler/ phazer/ sand support. Earthquake allows it to not be completely shut down by Taunt, Stealth Rock is pretty self-explanatory, Slack Off is for reliable recovery and Whirlwind phazes set-up sweepers. The EVs ensure that it is not 2HKO'd by HP Ice from M-Manectric and/or Thundurus, while maximizing physical bulk.




Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Spe
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split

The team's main physical wall. Hydro Pump is just a good STAB move, Volt switch allows me to get more momentum, Will-O-Wisp complements really well its good Defense and Pain Split is semi-reliable recovery. The EVs give it the most physical bulk possible, and the 30 IVs in Speed ensure that I will move last against opposing Rotom, which will allow me to get the slow Volt Switch and thus keep my momentum.




Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide

The team's special Tank. Leaf Storm is a really powerful STAB attack and is really important since it OHKOs Manaphy after rocks damage. Knock Off is just a generally good support move, Earthquake hits Heatran really hard and Rock Slide is useful since I noticed that people think that they can switch Talonflame/Charizard on Tangrowth. The EVs gives it a lot of special bulk, especially coupled with the Assault Vest.




Azumarill @ Choice Band
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 184 HP / 252 Atk / 72 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Play Rough
- Waterfall
- Aqua Jet
- Superpower

The team's main wallbreaker. Play Rough and Waterfall are good STAB moves that obliterate just about anything, Aqua Jet is STAB and priority, which allows it to sometimes clean up weakened teams. Finally, Superpower gets rid of Ferrothorn, which walls Azumarill otherwise. The EVs in Speed allows it to outspeed Clefable and others uninvested base 60s, while the Attack is maxed out and the remaining EVs are dumped into HP.


Some Flaws:


1- It's weak against rain, because powerful sweepers like Kingdra under the rain can wreck pretty much my entire team if I'm not cautious enough, and offensive Waters like Manaphy and Keldeo can be just as much of a problem to the team even without rain. But if I can keep my sand up, usually I can handle rain though.

2- I honestly feel like the coverage is redundant on this team (EQ+Stone Edge/Rock Slide is on 2-3 mons I think), but this was not that much of a problem when I battled with this team.

3- Sometimes, I kinda stuggled against stall teams (like ABR's which is basically everywhere on the ladder nowadays), but I haven't encountered it enogh to really make a point about this.


So that's about it, I know it's not the best team but it was still cool using it on the ladder and it worked for me, hope I can find positive changes to make :]

[Eugenio]

@"le2017" have you thought about swapping Hippowdon with Gastrodon? It would check your weakness to Fire-Types and Storm Drain is great for Water-Types.

[croissant]

(Jul 14, 2016, 09:42 AM)Eugenio Wrote: @"le2017" have you thought about swapping Hippowdon with Gastrodon? It would check your weakness to Fire-Types and Storm Drain is great for Water-Types.

@Eugenio I have thought of using Gastrodon, but then I wouldn't get the sand for Excadrill, and also I can deal fairly well with Fire types with Azu and Rotom. Thanks though, I'll consider it but then I should give drill a scarf since I want to use it to remove M-Manectric and such. :]

EDIT: I might swap Rotom for Gastrdon actually. Thanks! But I'm not sure since I'll lose a resistance to Ice.

[Johnnyspyguy]

Tell me if I'm wrong, but isn't knock off better than superpower? Removes the opponent's item and doesn't have stat drops

[croissant]

(Jul 14, 2016, 05:04 PM)Johnnyspyguy Wrote: Tell me if I'm wrong, but isn't knock off better than superpower? Removes the opponent's item and doesn't have stat drops

@Johnnyspyguy Knock Off can be used as well in this slot, but Superpower allows it to hit Ferrothorn hard, because Knock Off wouldn't do too much and I'd be forced to switch out because since he would've lost its item, it wouldn't be as powerful the next turn. Superpower is really used specifically to 2HKO Ferrothorn.

[Marcusube]

Switch Azumarill for Choice Specs Keldeo

[Johnnyspyguy]

Hold on, I'm gonna do some damage calcs
Edit: You're right, superpower is better. Quick question, are the stat drops bothersome?

[croissant]

(Jul 15, 2016, 06:20 PM)Johnnyspyguy Wrote: Hold on, I'm gonna do some damage calcs
Edit: You're right, superpower is better. Quick question, are the stat drops bothersome?

@Johnnyspyguy Well not too much because you still 2HKO Ferro and afterwards since I'm banded he'll switch to a counter anyways so I'll be forced to switch.

[croissant]

(Jul 15, 2016, 05:00 PM)Marcusube Wrote: Switch Azumarill for Choice Specs Keldeo

@Marcusube Seems good after trying it in a few games, thanks!

[Johnnyspyguy]

@"Elly" but when Ferro swaps to a counter you can cripple the switch-in