SM OU I just want to improve my team

Hello everyone, I'm a long time player that is not really all that great in the game. In order to make that jump in quality I need a good team and well, my low score in the ladder may be a signal that I dont have one (or maybe I just suck................. or both).

English is not my first language so if you see a mistake in the text Im really sorry, dont hesitate to correct them or tell me.

I wanted to do a team around Zard Y. I didnt use him in X/Y so I thought that it could be interesting:

Charizard (F) @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 6 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Solar Beam
- Focus Blast
- Roost

The spread is the standart, so really no big deal explaining everything about it. The team is mostly build around it.

Tyranitar (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 6 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Ice Punch
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge

Ttar is realy usefull eliminating some anoying counters to zard y, so he was the first pokemon that went to my mind. In my opinion choice band is really restrictive and with an expert belt you can archive some interesting K.O.s like againts 80% Hp latios if they dont switch and you can make think your oponent that hes banded.
  • The surprise factor has been usefull and if the matchup is against stall laying stealth rocks is an unexpected and effective anser to it.
  • This Ttar is able to take both earthquake and thousand arrows from garchomp and zygarde (even if hes banded or just did a dragon dance) and K.O. them with ice punch.
  • Both pursuit and stone edge are bread and butter attacks that complement well the set.
Latios @ Waterium Z
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 6 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Defog
- Recover

I needed a defoger and the offensive preasure of latios complements well with the rest of the team. Figting resistance helps balancing the team even more.

  • Waterium Z is able to hurt both Ttar, Heatram and magearna(to some extent) common answers to latios.
  • The rest of the move set is the standart offensive defoger.
Landorus-Therian @ Assault Vest
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 6 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Ice]

I needed something that could work as a pivot for my team, its not a secret that landorus is excellent. I usually prefer slower pivoters and I found this set in a smogon premiere league team (I would like to give credit to the player that made the set but i cant find it soo, well fantastic job man). I decided to try it and its phenomenal. Beats the standart landorus, oposing garchomps, zygards, can dent chansey taking away her item and still does his job as a pivot.


Greninja (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 SpA / 6 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Gunk Shot
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Ice Beam

Set up sweepers can ruin my day so I decided to use protean greninja, fast priority and a powerfull attack againts fairys helps keeping the team together. Ice beam is another opcion againts the ever common landorus and can check some other pokemons weak to it.

Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 10 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nature's Madness
- Ice Beam
- Defog
- Taunt

After playing some games I discovered that my team was weak to zygard, stall, figthing types and set up sweepers so Tapu fini is the glue that keeps my team together vs those mons. The set is based on the standart Fini but changed in order to help me agiant those things mentioned earlier.

In conlusion:

  • I like this team but its really weak to eletric and fairy types offensive team spaming those attacks feel almost imposible to stop (looking at you tapu koko),
  • The games against rain can be dificult too,
  • Magearna if able to set up can destroy the whole team,
  • Set up sweepers like mega medicham, mega pinsir, mega gallade, are really dangerous
  • Fighting type attacks are difficult to deal with.
I understand that there are lots of viable teams, options, plays and pokemons in the sun and moon metagame and being prepared for everything is imposible but I think that my team can be greatly improved with some advice.

By the way my highest score in the ladder was like 1350 I dont know if that helps lol.
 
Hey, i'm not great at OU myself, but i can give you some advice.

Let's get this straight, Latios is NOT a great defogger, but he is a great Scarfer. I would recommend a great bulky defogger like Mantine, since Latios can really get wrecked by other dragon/rock/fairy/dark threats. You also need a stat resetter.
I would really recommend you to switch Defog on your Tapu Fini with Haze, since you said that Tapu Fini is your counter against fighting types and set up sweepers.
It doesn't make sense how you said your Latios was offensive but then you make it a defogger and put recover on it...
Here is a Latios set i LOVE using, it could get rid of your ground type threats:

Latios @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Trick
- Surf

Scarf Latios is a great core with Tapu Koko, since Koko has problems with the ground. And Trick is really useful to get your opponent stuck on a ground-type move that doesn't effect Latios because of Levitate.

You could switch your Tyranitar with Tapu Koko to counter your threats, and Tyranitar has far too many weaknesses. For another option, Mega Scizor can really kill those Fairies. But Tapu Koko is the best option since Mega Charizard Y is there so you can't mega evolve your Scizor.

Just saying, i made a few minor edits to your team that i didn't mention here.
Okay it's done now, your team should look like this: https://pokepast.es/1b9e4e0193011e5e
 

A

Joker fan
is a Smogon Discord Contributor Alumnus
Hey there Rigel Red, and welcome to the RMT Forums. Your team's a bit of a rough patch but we can definitely make it better.

Initial Thoughts

Latios is actually fine as a defogger, it can even run Choice Scarf with Defog (as most choose to do.)

The Charizard set is fine (though flamethrower is often preferred due to consistency and PP), you can opt to use HP Ice over Focus Blast if you want since we're also going to be changing Tyranitar and a few other mons up a bit. (roost is mandatory for Charizard Y.)

Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Drought
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Solar Beam
- Roost
- Focus Blast / Hidden Power Ice

Standard Charizard Y, the fourth move is ultimately up to you but Flamethrower, Solarbeam and Roost are all staples.


Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 24 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn


Landorus-Therian with Assault Vest isn't really something that's very good, it much prefers a myriad of other items and it prevents it from using things like Stealth Rock. I'd urge you to stick to Physically Defensive instead in order to let Tyranitar swap to Choice Band as Lando-T will be taking the job as the Stealth Rocker.



Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Earthquake

Since Landorus-T will be your rocker, here's a better spread for Tyranitar in order to further support Mega Charizard Y. Choice Band allows it to dismantle and crush problematic threats by trapping them and by applying an insane amount of pressure.


Latios @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Trick

Latios will be the preferred Choice Scarf user for the team, dealing with weakened Tapu Koko in a pinch with Psyshock, as well as providing Defog support. If need be, it can use Trick on something to cripple a wall for Charizard as well. The speed tier is also fine for a scarfer, only really being outsped by Scarf Greninja. It also provides important defensive resistances for the team.



Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Careful / Sassy Nature
- Gyro Ball / Power Whip
- Spikes
- Leech Seed
- Protect / Knock Off

Specially Defensive Ferrothorn would be a better choice over something like Tapu Fini in this kind of team, it'll be able to handle other problematic threats like Ash Greninja and buffer against Tapu Koko much easier. (Protect + Gyro Ball acts as a soft check to Z-Fighting Magearna as well.)



Excadrill @ Life Orb OR Steelium Z
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin / Swords Dance

Last but not least, Excadrill is a fine addition to the team since you're running Tyranitar. LO 4 attacks is fine since it also gives you Rapid Spin which is another way to remove SR for Charizard, but Steelium Z can also be used if you're feeling like it.


-
Charizard Y's set is retained.
-
Changed Landorus-Therian into Physically Defensive.
-
Changed Tyranitar into Choice Band.
-
Changed Latios to Scarf Defog.
-
--->
Replaced Tapu Fini for Specially Defensive Ferrothorn.
-
--->
Replaced Greninja for Sand Rush Excadrill.



Here's the Pokepaste for your team.
https://pokepast.es/559a20545c0a90e9

Since you seem to be having trouble getting into OU fully, here are some helpful resources:
Role Compendium
Viability Rankings
Smogdex
Good Cores


Good luck and have fun with the team and OU!
 
Last edited:
I think A covered almost everything about how Zard Y teams are built. I just personally think that if a team is going to be relying on Zard Y which is X4 weak to rocks, the defogger should be more reliable. Scarf Latios isn't too bad but I think Mew would fit the bill better here as Mew has reliable recovery and check a lot of lot of dangerous stuff like Mega Medicham and Mega Lopunny reliably which would help you since you are using Tyranitar which invites them both in. It can also help vs. Zapdos as Tyranitar might get potentially paralysed by Discharge which will be very annoying.

I'm going to suggest changing the teams defogger to Mew and some minor tweaks to the Ferrothorn, Lando-T and Excadrill sets.

This is the Mew set I like to use. It has enough speed to outspeed Jolly Lando-T. If you have find yourself being troubled by Heatran, you could try running Earth Power or Earthquake on it.


Mew @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 72 Def / 184 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Will-O-Wisp / Earth Power
- Soft-Boiled
- Defog

This is the Ferrothorn set I suggest. Max SpD allows it to check AshGren, Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele relatively reliably. I personally prefer Thunder Wave on Ferrothorn because of the amount of teams on the ladder that like to run Shift Gear Magearna and Hawlucha and I like to give them a rude surprise. On this team, it would also slow threats down for you to allow your wallbreakers in Zard Y and Tyranitar to take advantage of them.


Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Thunder Wave / Knock Off / Gyro Ball

I'm suggesting using Scarf Lando-T since you lost your form of speed control in Latios. Although Scarf Lando-T is <100 Spe which might give you some trouble with Volcarona, I feel that Tyranitar and Excadrill should be able to handle them.


Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Stone Edge

Lastly, you could try out running Steelium-Z on Excadrill as I find that Rapid Spin with LO wears it down really quickly. With Steelium-Z, Excadrill will have more chances to Rapid Spin as opposed to LO. I personally prefer SD on Excadrill as it allows it to potentially clean up more easily after Tyranitar and Zard Y are done wallbreaking.


Excadrill @ Steelium Z
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance / Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin

This is the team I'm suggesting and hope it helps you.



Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Solar Beam
- Focus Blast
- Roost

Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Earthquake

Mew @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 72 Def / 184 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Will-O-Wisp
- Soft-Boiled
- Defog

Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Thunder Wave

Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Stone Edge

Excadrill @ Steelium Z
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance
- Rapid Spin
 
weirdo faye, Thank you for the suggestion the team looks really fun.

I already got a way better ranking on the ladder, the help is really appreciated.
 

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