Gen 8 Aegislash + Keldeo HO

[Houseki]

Here's my most reliable team. I feel its very balanced, the team has an aggregate weakness only to fairy and fire. According to Jake Rodelius team weakness calculator, it has an above average rating: Team Weakness Calculator. The team has very strict roles and everyone performs their duty well. Aegislash is wallbreaker, Weavile is revenge/cleaner, Lando-T the lead, Garchomp and Keldeo the 2 dynamic sweepers. Corviknight gives that critical stop and momentum I need a couple times per game, along with hazard control.

Aegislash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Stance Change
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 240 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 12 Spe
Mild Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Flash Cannon
- Close Combat
- Shadow Sneak

Aegislash is the wallbreaker, once it comes in, its hurting anything for big damage. Ghost is always nice in OU, its cool to have a shadow ball user that hits harder than Dragapult. Plus Ghost+Steel is great typing. I run some speed so that it can outspeed things with similar speed tiers. Close combat wrecks heatran, ferrothorn, blissey and t-tar, even without atk investment. I like to bring it in on Corviknights trying to defog very often and claim big damage. It can also come in on ferrothorn, but make sure its taken some chip damage otherwise knock off will cripple you. Another bonus is that Aegislash utterly walls Tapu Lele, although you don't wanna switch in on too many specs psychics.

Keldeo @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Icy Wind
- Secret Sword

Keldeo's damage output is always very good, I used to run hydro pump but after missing several times in a row, I changed to surf. Calm mind is a great win condition. Only common switch ins, in the entire tier are slowking/slowbro and toxapex. The speed tier is also very decent, it has to watch out for Zeraora and Koko however.

Corviknight @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost

This Sp Def Corviknight has always been so reliable for me. Brave Bird chip, U-turn momentum and hazard control. Out of everything, my favourite thing that Corviknight does is 1v1'ing non-fire blast volcarona when fully healthy. I used to run leftovers, but I just didn't like switching in on physical moves without punishing, it just works out nicely so often. And corviknight is usually my knock off switch in, alongside lando which allows me to atleast get some chip before the item is removed.

Landorus-Therian (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Earthquake
- Knock Off

Offensive/suicide lead Lando-T. Gets big damage off and burdens the opponent with the responsibility to remove hazards. I don't even care about the hazards most of the time, but it gets in the opponents head. Some games, I can preserve lando and even earthquake sweep. Against zeraora and koko teams, I like to keep lando alive to help keldeo, as those are its direct counters.

Weavile @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick
- Knock Off

Classic HD boots Weavile. I used to run triple axel over ice shard, but honestly weavile is so strong, you can micro manage your game so that you can end up clicking ice shard and get the KO, instead of axel. Ice shard is also more clutch. Low kick is great to punish opposing weavile, hurt t-tar, ferro, heatran, kyurem and blissey. But most of the time, I bring in this beast and click Knock Off. Such a great Pokemon.

Garchomp @ Life Orb
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Fire Fang
- Scale Shot

Full offensive Garchomp. I run Fire Fang over flamethrower, because I believe I can't spare a single EV. Its actually important for Garchomp to sponge an attack or two while setting up SD+Scale shot. This set is undeniably strong, but people call it unreliable. I don't really worry about that with this team, because I always adapt my win condition to be what suits the matchup best. So I'm not 100% reliant on Garchomp. In fact, Keldeo and Weavile are usually the win-cons.
PokePaste: https://pokepast.es/8acbddc13796fe89

 

[RedDiamond1024]

Hello Houseki, this team looks decent as a HO team, I can especially appreciate using not very commonly used mons like Keldeo and Aegislash. There are a few problems with the team that keep it from running at maximum potential.

First off, your suicide lead lando should have max speed evs and a focus sash for a better chance at getting up rocks. You can also use normal gem over sash to make your explosions more powerful if you want. Swords dance is typically used over knock on suicide lando, but I've also used knock off sometimes so it can be up to personal preferance.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Swords Dance

Another issue with your team is lack of speed control, with your fastest pokemon being keldeo with base 108 speed, which while decently fast, is still outsped by every scarfer worth anything. Corvinknight, while providing hazard removal, is to passive for this team, as well as the fact that defog gets rid of your own hazards, which you typically can only get up once with your suicide lead. My solution to this is scarf kartana, who provides excellent speed control, being one of the fastest scarfers in the tier. This mon can provide defog if you really want it, but your teams isn't weak enough to hazards to warrant it imo.
Kartana @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Knock Off
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike/Defog

Some minor changes I could suggest but aren't necessary are hydro pump over surf for more power, or scald for the 30% burn chance. Leftovers could be used on either chomp or keldeo to help keep them healthier throughout the game.

I hope these suggestions help you in your future battles.

 

[Hick3y]

Here's my most reliable team. I feel its very balanced, the team has an aggregate weakness only to fairy and fire. According to Jake Rodelius team weakness calculator, it has an above average rating: Team Weakness Calculator. The team has very strict roles and everyone performs their duty well. Aegislash is wallbreaker, Weavile is revenge/cleaner, Lando-T the lead, Garchomp and Keldeo the 2 dynamic sweepers. Corviknight gives that critical stop and momentum I need a couple times per game, along with hazard control.

Aegislash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Stance Change
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 240 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 12 Spe
Mild Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Flash Cannon
- Close Combat
- Shadow Sneak

Aegislash is the wallbreaker, once it comes in, its hurting anything for big damage. Ghost is always nice in OU, its cool to have a shadow ball user that hits harder than Dragapult. Plus Ghost+Steel is great typing. I run some speed so that it can outspeed things with similar speed tiers. Close combat wrecks heatran, ferrothorn, blissey and t-tar, even without atk investment. I like to bring it in on Corviknights trying to defog very often and claim big damage. It can also come in on ferrothorn, but make sure its taken some chip damage otherwise knock off will cripple you. Another bonus is that Aegislash utterly walls Tapu Lele, although you don't wanna switch in on too many specs psychics.

Keldeo @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Icy Wind
- Secret Sword

Keldeo's damage output is always very good, I used to run hydro pump but after missing several times in a row, I changed to surf. Calm mind is a great win condition. Only common switch ins, in the entire tier are slowking/slowbro and toxapex. The speed tier is also very decent, it has to watch out for Zeraora and Koko however.

Corviknight @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost

This Sp Def Corviknight has always been so reliable for me. Brave Bird chip, U-turn momentum and hazard control. Out of everything, my favourite thing that Corviknight does is 1v1'ing non-fire blast volcarona when fully healthy. I used to run leftovers, but I just didn't like switching in on physical moves without punishing, it just works out nicely so often. And corviknight is usually my knock off switch in, alongside lando which allows me to atleast get some chip before the item is removed.

Landorus-Therian (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Earthquake
- Knock Off

Offensive/suicide lead Lando-T. Gets big damage off and burdens the opponent with the responsibility to remove hazards. I don't even care about the hazards most of the time, but it gets in the opponents head. Some games, I can preserve lando and even earthquake sweep. Against zeraora and koko teams, I like to keep lando alive to help keldeo, as those are its direct counters.

Weavile @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick
- Knock Off

Classic HD boots Weavile. I used to run triple axel over ice shard, but honestly weavile is so strong, you can micro manage your game so that you can end up clicking ice shard and get the KO, instead of axel. Ice shard is also more clutch. Low kick is great to punish opposing weavile, hurt t-tar, ferro, heatran and blissey. But most of the time, I bring in this beast and click Knock Off. Such a great Pokemon.

Garchomp @ Life Orb
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Fire Fang
- Scale Shot

Full offensive Garchomp. I run Fire Fang over flamethrower, because I believe I can't spare a single EV. Its actually important for Garchomp to sponge an attack or two while setting up SD+Scale shot. This set is undeniably strong, but people call it unreliable. I don't really worry about that with this team, because I always adapt my win condition to be what suits the matchup best. So I'm not 100% reliant on Garchomp. In fact, Keldeo and Weavile are usually the win-cons.
PokePaste: https://pokepast.es/8acbddc13796fe89

you should use substitute instead of icy wind on the keldeo, it crushes stall even more because stuff like pex cant status it which would basically have killed the keldeo.

 

[Houseki]

Hello Houseki, this team looks decent as a HO team, I can especially appreciate using not very commonly used mons like Keldeo and Aegislash. There are a few problems with the team that keep it from running at maximum potential.

First off, your suicide lead lando should have max speed evs and a focus sash for a better chance at getting up rocks. You can also use normal gem over sash to make your explosions more powerful if you want. Swords dance is typically used over knock on suicide lando, but I've also used knock off sometimes so it can be up to personal preferance.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Swords Dance

Another issue with your team is lack of speed control, with your fastest pokemon being keldeo with base 108 speed, which while decently fast, is still outsped by every scarfer worth anything. Corvinknight, while providing hazard removal, is to passive for this team, as well as the fact that defog gets rid of your own hazards, which you typically can only get up once with your suicide lead. My solution to this is scarf kartana, who provides excellent speed control, being one of the fastest scarfers in the tier. This mon can provide defog if you really want it, but your teams isn't weak enough to hazards to warrant it imo.
Kartana @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Knock Off
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike/Defog

Some minor changes I could suggest but aren't necessary are hydro pump over surf for more power, or scald for the 30% burn chance. Leftovers could be used on either chomp or keldeo to help keep them healthier throughout the game.

I hope these suggestions help you in your future battles.

Thanks, I appreciate the advice. Although I ran Hydro Pump over Surf for a long time and got fed up with missing.

 

[Houseki]

you should use substitute instead of icy wind on the keldeo, it crushes stall even more because stuff like pex cant status it which would basically have killed the keldeo.

I like to catch rillabooms, latios/latias and dragapult on switch ins with icy wind. The dragons would die due to speed drop and I would switch in Corvi against Rillaboom.

 

[Houseki]

damn this team went crazy, great memories