So if there's any gen I just suck ass at (assuming you don't count GSC), it's 3rd gen. Pretty much all of my attempts at an ADV team failed miserably, as I was failing to check any of the metagame's relevant threats and kept on getting swept by them Charizards and Blazikens and that stuff.
However, I decided to actually think harder and try to make a better ADV OU team. It's been pretty good to me while battling, at least when you factor in the fact that I suck at 3rd gen.
So, here's the team!
Jolteon (M) @ Petaya Berry
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Baton Pass
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Jolteon is my lead, and it really serves as my team's glue. Attracts Blissey all day long, allowing me to get up a sub on the switch-in, and pass it to Gengar to be immune to the Seismic Toss, granting Gengar a free Focus Punch, even if Blissey has Ice Beam. If I can sub down to my Petaya Berry, then that's amazing since my team is pretty specially based.
Of course, Jolteon needs to attack. Coverage moves? Simple: Thunderbolt and HP Ice for BoltBeam. Thunderbolt sends the metal bird (Skarmory) to the graveyard, and also helps against the likes of Milotic and unboosted Suicune. HP Ice lets me take on Zapdos, Salamence, and Dragonite more easily.
Typhlosion (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 32 HP / 16 Atk / 252 SAtk / 208 Spd
Mild Nature (+SAtk, -Def)
- Fire Blast
- Focus Punch
- ThunderPunch
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Badger badger badger badger badger badger badger
It seems pretty unorthodox to use Typhlosion over Blaziken, who has some STAB Fighting to toy around with. However, my main reason for using Typhlosion instead of Blaziken is because of Typhlosion's higher Special Defense, so Fire Blasts and Ice Beams don't do as much (also making it easier to receive a sub from Jolteon, which is awesome!) and the lack of the Psychic weakness, and I have two already which is already pretty big.
Anyway, my EV spread gives optimum Special Attacking power, and also outspeeds unboosted 140 Spe Adamant Salamence. The Attack investment is there to give Focus Punch a bit more of that punch, and the HP investment helps with taking some hits.
Fire Blast was my STAB move of choice to just hit harder. I need that POWER!!! Focus Punch lets me hit things like Blissey, Regice, and Tyranitar on the switch. ThunderPunch is for nailing Gyarados, and then Hidden Power Ice to still defeat the likes of Salamence, Dragonite, and Flygon (mostly on the switch, especially Dragonite, that bulky motherfucker). It takes a lot of prediction to use, but not like your typical Choice Bander doesn't.
Alakazam (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Psychic
- Fire Punch
- ThunderPunch
You may be asking: Why Alakazam over a different Calm Minder like Jirachi or Raikou? Well, that's a good question. I had used Jirachi on ADV OU teams in the past and it was not only too slow for my tastes, but just ended up being a complete bad luck magnet for me. I didn't really want to use Raikou since it gets trapped and killed by Dugtrio with ease, whereas Alakazam stands a chance since it ties with Dugtrio.
EV spread is simple: maximize Special Attack and Speed and put the leftovers in HP, because investing in Alakazam's defenses is pointless.
Psychic is obvious STAB, to handle the typical things like Weezing, Blaziken, and Gengar. Fire Punch ensures I don't have problems with Metagross, and ThunderPunch gives me needed coverage against Gyarados.
Gengar (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 184 Atk / 136 SAtk / 188 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Punch
McIceGar is perhaps one of my favorite ADV sets, ever. This was my preferred check to the disgusting Skarmbliss core, as its subs obviously won't get broken by Seismic Toss since it's immune (unlike Blaziken), and it's not slow as shit like Tyranitar.
Focus Punch lets me 2HKO the two most annoying special walls ever: Blissey and Snorlax, and also OHKO most, if not all Tyranitar. Thunderbolt is for Skarmory, and Ice Punch is for dragons again, though I suppose Giga Drain or something like that would be nice for Swampert.
Weezing (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Sludge Bomb
- Haze
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Weezing was my physical wall of choice over Skarmory due to its useful Fighting resist, access to Will-O-Wisp, not having to resort to Rest, Haze (especially useful to deal with things like Salac Berry users), and helping me wall Medicham.
I used an EV spread to make sure Weezing takes physical hits as well as possible. I only really use Sludge Bomb for STAB to use against Grass-types. Haze lets me remove speed boosts from Salac Berry users like Heracross or Medicham, but not really against Baton Pass users as most of them are specially based. Will-O-Wisp helps me cripple physical attackers like Tyranitar, and Pain Split is to heal when I get to really low HP.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Softboiled
- Aromatherapy
- Seismic Toss
- Thunder Wave
Blissey, pissing everyone off since GSC. I employ Blissey to wall special attackers like Raikou and Alakazam, though I really have to look out for Raikou's subs and Encorezam, which is helped by Seismic Toss.
I found that the EV spread on-site wouldn't work that well, since I'm not using Ice Beam, so I just moved the Special Attack EVs into HP and put the leftovers in Special Defense.
Softboiled is for reliable healing, and I use Aromatherapy to remove statuses like Toxic from my teammates, which is especially helpful since Alakazam really hates being paralyzed. Seismic Toss lets me deal damage, and prevent Blissey from being Taunt bait. Thunder Wave is to cripple Dragon Dancers like Tyranitar and Salamence.
However, I decided to actually think harder and try to make a better ADV OU team. It's been pretty good to me while battling, at least when you factor in the fact that I suck at 3rd gen.
So, here's the team!
Jolteon (M) @ Petaya Berry
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Baton Pass
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Jolteon is my lead, and it really serves as my team's glue. Attracts Blissey all day long, allowing me to get up a sub on the switch-in, and pass it to Gengar to be immune to the Seismic Toss, granting Gengar a free Focus Punch, even if Blissey has Ice Beam. If I can sub down to my Petaya Berry, then that's amazing since my team is pretty specially based.
Of course, Jolteon needs to attack. Coverage moves? Simple: Thunderbolt and HP Ice for BoltBeam. Thunderbolt sends the metal bird (Skarmory) to the graveyard, and also helps against the likes of Milotic and unboosted Suicune. HP Ice lets me take on Zapdos, Salamence, and Dragonite more easily.
Typhlosion (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 32 HP / 16 Atk / 252 SAtk / 208 Spd
Mild Nature (+SAtk, -Def)
- Fire Blast
- Focus Punch
- ThunderPunch
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Badger badger badger badger badger badger badger
It seems pretty unorthodox to use Typhlosion over Blaziken, who has some STAB Fighting to toy around with. However, my main reason for using Typhlosion instead of Blaziken is because of Typhlosion's higher Special Defense, so Fire Blasts and Ice Beams don't do as much (also making it easier to receive a sub from Jolteon, which is awesome!) and the lack of the Psychic weakness, and I have two already which is already pretty big.
Anyway, my EV spread gives optimum Special Attacking power, and also outspeeds unboosted 140 Spe Adamant Salamence. The Attack investment is there to give Focus Punch a bit more of that punch, and the HP investment helps with taking some hits.
Fire Blast was my STAB move of choice to just hit harder. I need that POWER!!! Focus Punch lets me hit things like Blissey, Regice, and Tyranitar on the switch. ThunderPunch is for nailing Gyarados, and then Hidden Power Ice to still defeat the likes of Salamence, Dragonite, and Flygon (mostly on the switch, especially Dragonite, that bulky motherfucker). It takes a lot of prediction to use, but not like your typical Choice Bander doesn't.
Alakazam (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Psychic
- Fire Punch
- ThunderPunch
You may be asking: Why Alakazam over a different Calm Minder like Jirachi or Raikou? Well, that's a good question. I had used Jirachi on ADV OU teams in the past and it was not only too slow for my tastes, but just ended up being a complete bad luck magnet for me. I didn't really want to use Raikou since it gets trapped and killed by Dugtrio with ease, whereas Alakazam stands a chance since it ties with Dugtrio.
EV spread is simple: maximize Special Attack and Speed and put the leftovers in HP, because investing in Alakazam's defenses is pointless.
Psychic is obvious STAB, to handle the typical things like Weezing, Blaziken, and Gengar. Fire Punch ensures I don't have problems with Metagross, and ThunderPunch gives me needed coverage against Gyarados.
Gengar (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 184 Atk / 136 SAtk / 188 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Punch
McIceGar is perhaps one of my favorite ADV sets, ever. This was my preferred check to the disgusting Skarmbliss core, as its subs obviously won't get broken by Seismic Toss since it's immune (unlike Blaziken), and it's not slow as shit like Tyranitar.
Focus Punch lets me 2HKO the two most annoying special walls ever: Blissey and Snorlax, and also OHKO most, if not all Tyranitar. Thunderbolt is for Skarmory, and Ice Punch is for dragons again, though I suppose Giga Drain or something like that would be nice for Swampert.
Weezing (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Sludge Bomb
- Haze
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Weezing was my physical wall of choice over Skarmory due to its useful Fighting resist, access to Will-O-Wisp, not having to resort to Rest, Haze (especially useful to deal with things like Salac Berry users), and helping me wall Medicham.
I used an EV spread to make sure Weezing takes physical hits as well as possible. I only really use Sludge Bomb for STAB to use against Grass-types. Haze lets me remove speed boosts from Salac Berry users like Heracross or Medicham, but not really against Baton Pass users as most of them are specially based. Will-O-Wisp helps me cripple physical attackers like Tyranitar, and Pain Split is to heal when I get to really low HP.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Softboiled
- Aromatherapy
- Seismic Toss
- Thunder Wave
Blissey, pissing everyone off since GSC. I employ Blissey to wall special attackers like Raikou and Alakazam, though I really have to look out for Raikou's subs and Encorezam, which is helped by Seismic Toss.
I found that the EV spread on-site wouldn't work that well, since I'm not using Ice Beam, so I just moved the Special Attack EVs into HP and put the leftovers in Special Defense.
Softboiled is for reliable healing, and I use Aromatherapy to remove statuses like Toxic from my teammates, which is especially helpful since Alakazam really hates being paralyzed. Seismic Toss lets me deal damage, and prevent Blissey from being Taunt bait. Thunder Wave is to cripple Dragon Dancers like Tyranitar and Salamence.
