SM OU unholy

[Dumb Sir]

(Click image for Copyable)
unholy
An RMT by Dumb Sir

introduction
I'm super pumped about the new games coming out on the 15th of November, but before that time comes for everything to change, I wanted to take a trudge back to the familiarity of SM OU with a conversely unfamiliar, unholy abomination of a team that I've been having a lot of fun with recently. As always, I would like to preface this RMT with the fact that I am far from the best team builder, and that my philosophy in team building is to strive for creativity while also not sacrificing complete functionality. With that out of the way, thank you for reading and enjoy the team built around the Choice Banded Attacka' Stakataka.

teambuilding

I started with a pretty outlandish core that I was really interested in, which was Slowbro + Banded Stakataka. Stakataka has some insane breaking potential in OU, especially against Bulky mons like Non-AV Magearna varients, Chansey, Clefable, Fini, Gliscor, and non Latias, all mons Stakataka can heavily dent or even KO from insane ranges after hazards. Slowbro acts a multi-faceted wall for many mons that threaten Stakataka, like M-Lop, Scarf Kart with some prediction, and some varients of M-Alakazam forgoing Shadow Ball. Slowbro can also set up Trick Room in the late game, helping Stakataka clean up shop, or even flip the table against sweepers like both Gyaras, Kommo-o, and Z-Celebrate Victini.

After the initial 2, pieces began falling into place. I continued by adding Skarmory, who on top of helping in fending off those pesky set-up sweepers, can set up the crucial Spikes Stakataka needs in order to reach some of its KOs like against, most notably, standard Tapu Fini. Chansey was pretty much a no brainer at this point, having incredible defensive synergy along side Skarmory, acting as another water resist for the team, being able to provide Stealth Rocks, as well as removing status like Burns and Paraz that could otherwise ruin the Stakataka game plan.

The final two spots were the most contested. I knew for sure that I wanted some sort of speed control, as the team was extremely slow at this point and I wanted another mon to abuse the hazard stacking I had going on. After a couple of experiments with Blachephalon, Koko, and Greninja, I decided to go with the old reliable Gengar, who on top of pressure Pokemon that gave the team trouble like Celesteela and Koko itself, is able to Trick some particularly nasty pokemon its Scarf in order to potentially make way for a sweep. The final spot was by far the hardest Pokemon to figure out. Initially, I went for a Sub SD Bulu to abuse Trick Room against faster teams and then a Taunt Heatran before I finally settled on a Leftovers Volcarona in order to capitalize on a haphazardly played Ferrothorn which would otherwise smack squander any chance of victory.

the team​

goldore (Stakataka) @ Choice Band
Ability: Beast Boost
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Lonely Nature
IVs: 15 Def / 0 Spe
- Superpower
- Gyro Ball
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

Stakataka is the star of the show, being both a breaker in the early game with some prediction, as well as a cleaner under Trick Room in the late game. The given Ivs and a Lonely Nature are for the classic Moxie boosting Ataka. Max Attack is for hitting hard, as you do. The rest of the EVs are used to maximize Staka's Bulk. Gyro Ball is Stakataka's main STAB move, hitting for ridiculous numbers against neutral targets, and guaranteeing OHKOs against most super effective targets. Stone Edge is a bit more flavorful of a STAB move, nuking Zapdos without being able to be paralyzed by Static and razing non-Focus Blast varients of Torn-T. Earthquake acts as a 100% accurate move to safely throw out against neutral targets. Superpower adds a bit of spice, heavily denting or KOing Ferrothorn and Celesteela who would usually wall this set pretty well.

hubris (Skarmory) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 248 Def / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Defog
- Spikes
- Whirlwind

Skarmory acts as a physical wall and invaluable Spikes stacker for the team. Most of the EVs are for maximizing Skarmory's defenses, while the 12 Speed is in place to outspeed 164 Speed invested M-Mawile. Roost is Skarmory's bread and butter, giving it longevity against most physical attacks, like M-Lopunny's HJK, Lando-T's continuous U-Turn assault, and Tapu Lele's Psyshock. Spikes + Whirlwind is Skarm's main way of getting the chip its teammates need. Defog is what I feel is an up and coming tech on Skarm, allowing it to ably get rid of apposing hazards and Screens that could usually put many balance teams and semi-stalls that run Skarm in a bind, as many mons usually see Skarm as an opportunity to set up hazards.​

ferry (Slowbro) @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 96 Def / 164 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick Room
- Slack Off
- Scald
- Ice Beam

Slowbro does simple things, acting as a physical pivot for the team. All standard Slowbro business here, Scald to fish for burns, Slack Off to shrug off hits, and Ice Beam for coverage. The interesting part of this set is Trick Room, which on it's own helps Slowbro dunk on Lando-T and Kartana switching in. Trick Room is also an invaluable asset for the late game, turning would be sweeping threats into food for Stakataka.​

infamy (Chansey) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Aromatherapy
- Seismic Toss
- Soft-Boiled

Chansey acts as the main special wall and cleric for the team. The given EVs with a Bold nature help in maximizing Chansey's general bulk. Chansey binds this team together, shoring up the flimsiness on the special side, while also providing major assets that keep the gears turning. Stealth Rocks alongside Skarmory's Spikes create a hazard stacking core, invaluable to the team's cleaners and sweepers. Aromatherapy/Heal Bell helps in keeping status conditions at bay, as Paralysis can create many risky situations in what would usually be clean-cut maneuvers, Burn can completely neuter Stakatak's damage or hinder Skarm's healing factor, and Toxic can limit the times Slowbro or Volcarona can switch in. Finally, Seismic Toss and Soft-Boiled are standard, not letting Chansey be completely passive, while also allowing Chansey to abuse its bulk respectively.

judas (Gengar) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Cursed Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Thunderbolt
- Trick

Another interesting Pokemon, Gengar finds its role on the team as a revenge killer and cleaner. I seriously love this mon, its speed, offenses, and typing all make it immaculate at doing its job. Max Special Attack Max Speed Timid is for maximizing the cleaning potential Gengar offers. Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb hit much of the meta neutrally and help in cleaning up games. Thunderbolt is a bit of an accent, hitting Ceelsteela and Pelipper much harder, two Pokemon who can cause a lot of trouble for the rest of the team. Finally, Trick is Scarf Gengar's coveted feature, neutering most defensive threats or stall breakers who could usually give the team a lot of trouble otherwise.​

crescent (Volcarona) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flame Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Flamethrower
- Quiver Dance

Volcarona is the final member of the team, acting as a secondary win condition for the squad and being the main thorn in the side for defensive teams. Leftovers + the EVs with a Timid nature allows Volc to act as a switch in to physical fighting and steel type moves and fishing for a burn, will also having the threat of sweeping the the late game. I felt as though Leftovers would be favorable on this team in particular Staka already acts as a wallbreaker and scares away many mons that threaten Volc, therefor Z-Fire or Bug wasn't necessary. Roost along with Leftovers allows Volc to have defensive synergy with Slowbro, soaking up U-Turns and Leaf Blades. Quiver Dance allows Volc to turn into a sweeping threat in one turn, sometimes turning the tides of a match completely. Flamethrower is the STAB of choice because it smacks Celesteela, Magearna, and Ferrothorn, all mons that could cause the other offensive threats on the team trouble. HP Ground is mainly for Heatran, you're
mostly going to throw off Flamethrowers with this set in the mid to late game anyways.
​

conclusion
I've been having a lot of of fun with building with more obscure mons recently, so I decided to hit up RMT with my idea. To reiterate what I stated in my introduction, this team was made with creativity at the utmost without trying to sacrifice functionality. I can't guarantee that you'll get to the 2000s with a Stakataka, but you can sure have fun trying. Of course, this isn't a cop out, feel free to critique as harshly as you can. See you in Galar!

most games weren't too interesting, but this one replay was kind of interesting so take it


​

 

[MrHands]

Cool team. I never knew Shiny Staka was gold. Sweet. Anyway despite a defensive core you seem to be weirdly weak to a lot of things. I suggest if you aren't going full stall to instead modify your team to focus more on Trick Room. I would drop Gengar and Volcarona for an additional Trick Room setter and another Trick Room sweeper but imo that still leaves you with an awkward mismatch of team types. As of right now you have a lot of weaknesses. For example despite your focus on walls you are weak to...

CM / Recover M Alakazam 6-0s your team pretty much from full health.

BD Azumarill 6-0s with Stealth Rocks down.

Sub CM Blacephalon will either 6-0 or get enough KOs to guarantee you will lose.

DD / Roost Charizard X 6-0s.

Taunt Magma Storm Heatran sweeps you.

Sub or Taunt + CM Keldeo 6-0s.

Flamethrower Z Kommo-O 6-0s unless Slowbro can burn it.

This might be the first team I have ever seen that can be 6-0ed by Kyurem-B as long as it nails Chancey with the Z move.

CM Latias 6-0s.

Z Magnezone gets 2 kills from which point your team crumbles.

Tail Glow Manaphy in Rain 6-0s.

M Mawile 6-0s. Skarmory might be able to Whirlwind once but takes over 50% or just gets OHKOed by Fire Fang.

Tapu Koko or any sort of Volt Switch spam will give you trouble. Chansey will be worn down and you have nothing else that can take an electric hit. Physical Koko just destroys you.

Specs Tapu Lele picks between Psyshock and Moonblast to easily 50/50. Every wrong guess something dies.

Bulky Volcarona 6-0s.

You also instantly lose to several bulky cores like Phys Tangrowth + Toxapex as your only way around defensive teams is PP stall, which you will lose 100% of those games as half your team tries to be offensive. I can't give much advice without understanding your goal for this team. Do you want to go Trick Room offensive? Stall? Bulky offense? Let me know what you really want and I'll reply with some advice. :)

 

[Dumb Sir]

You also instantly lose to several bulky cores like Phys Tangrowth + Toxapex as your only way around defensive teams is PP stall, which you will lose 100% of those games as half your team tries to be offensive. I can't give much advice without understanding your goal for this team. Do you want to go Trick Room offensive? Stall? Bulky offense? Let me know what you really want and I'll reply with some advice. :)

I probably should have probably put the origin of the team in the original post, but I can do it now. When I was brainstorming the idea of using a team with a Banded Stakataka, I originally had the idea of a balance build that could defensively shore up it's weaknesses defensively and compliment it offensively. Obviously, that's what most teams strive for when being built around a win condition, but with this team in particular, that didn't really pan out. I tried a different strategy in building this team, using statistics and usage stats rather than my intuition. Probably should have went with my gut in hindsight.

How matchups go also depends on the one piloting. Most of the offensive threats need the Staka user to have bad positioning in order to set up to sweep, maybe bar Kommo-O in this case. Most good Offensive cores, some Bulky Offensive Cores, and a few Balance cores do trample the team on paper and from my experience, but it's not impossible to beat them. The team does dunk on Hard Stall though, which I still think is an awful play style, but at least it's something.

Volt-Switch is actually a huge problem, as the team's lack any Electric Immunity or any way to capitalize on a shoddily played Rotom-W / Koko switching into threats the team can't pressure in return without predictions or 50/50 scenarios.

But yeah, thank you for your comment! Really hope if people look to give their own advice, they'll use the matchups you outlined.

 

[MrHands]

If your goal is to use Band Stakataka you should fully invest in Trick Room. Here is a great example. https://www.smogon.com/forums/threa...rt-2-ft-banded-stakataka-peaked-1944.3650927/