OU Team Study [Week 3: Dice]

[Nova]

OU Team Study

Certain thread components and idea from Melee Mewtwo! Previously run by Dice

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Welcome to the OU Team Study. The goal of this project is to help unite the community while improving the overall quality of the playerbase by studying the art of teambuilding at the highest level.

What is this for?
This project was shamelessly stolen from Melee Mewtwo, but I liked it so deal with it. The basic idea of this thread is to look at a high level player's team under the microscope and see what the community can find and learn from each team. Discussing a team helps not only you learn and think about it, but the fellow OU'rs who are new can learn by reading your post. It is a win-win situtation! Additionally, you are supplied with high-level teams to take ideas from if you like a build, and it gives us a look at what is "good" in the high-stakes Tournament metagame.

How does it work?
Each week (more or less) there will be a high-level team that will be displayed for the community as a whole to discuss. The aim of this discussion will be to analyze the team by identifying roles and explaining their purpose, investigating specific movesets and Pokemon choices, strong points of the team, flaws it may have and even questions concerning unusual or confusing aspects. Essentially, the team will serve as a model to learn from and an example to refer to. Once the discussion is over, the teambuilder will post explaining his decisions and answering any questions or false ideas concerning them.

What do I get out of it?
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• Good posting can result in nominations for a Ladybug or Community Contributor badge depending on your work in the OU subforum.​
• A good look at current tournament teams and trends.​
• Insight on how teams are built and more knowledge of the OU Metagame.​
• There may be another prize or so, but it's still not worked out yet. Don't let this discourage you, however.​
• A good, intelligent thread!​

 

[Nova]

Week 1's team is provided by Masterclass!

Week 1: Masterclass

Dragonite (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Outrage
- ExtremeSpeed
- Superpower
- Fire Punch

Landorus-T (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 188 HP / 112 Atk / 208 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Rock Polish
- Stone Edge
- Swords Dance

Gengar (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Disable
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast

Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 28 SAtk / 228 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Pain Split
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp

Skarmory (M) @ Custap Berry
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- Brave Bird
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock

Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Atk / 112 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Iron Head
- U-turn
- Healing Wish
- Ice Punch

Some things to consider are:

• What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Masterclass had when building this team?
• Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?
• What are the strong points of the team?
• What are the weak spots?
• How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?
• How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?
• Just about anything else you might want to comment on or ask about.

 

[ShootingStarmie]

"What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Masterclass had when building this team?"
To get down as many hazards as possible with Custap Berry Skarmory, adding pressure on to stall teams that can no longer switch into these powerful sweepers, such as Banded Dragonite and Double Dancing Landorus-T. Gengar is the best offensive spin blocker, while Jirachi is offering support in being able to revenge kill Pokemon as well as aiding the team with Healing Wish.

"Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?"
The first core I can see is the standard HO core consisting of Skarmory / Gengar / Jirachi. While Gengar's set is usually different (often has like Taunt and Thunder), it's generally the same. Rotom-W and Landorus-T form a nice little core, as Rotom-W beats most of Landorus-T counters, like Skarmory, Hippowdon, and Gliscor.

"What are the strong points of the team?"
The team instantly puts pressure on the opposing team, getting hazards up as quickly as possible. Not much can stop Skarmory from getting SR and at least 1 layer of Spikes, which is often all these powerful sweepers need in order to succeed.

"What are the weak spots?"
I'd say a few of the Pokemon sets are pretty weird. You don't often see Sub Disable Gengar on these kind of teams, as it doesn't really beat as many spinners as it could, which is Gengar's main role in this team. I would suggest something along the lines of Shadow Ball / Taunt / Thunder / Destiny Bond. Also, Rotom-W seems to really slow down the team, so I'd suggest a more offensive set like Specs.

"How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?"
Well, I believe he already has done this with Landorus-T's EVs. At +2, he's out speeding Timid Venusaur, which could potentially stop his sweep cold in the Sun light. Rotom-W has been EVed to better take on Rain teams, as it's Masterclass' only resist to Water type attacks (apart from Dragonite, who I wouldn't risk switching into Scald or boosted Hydro Pumps).

"How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?"
While not really under rated, Healing Wish Jirachi isn't that common, but Masterclass uses it very effectively to potentially bring back Dragonite to full health to clean up. Landorus-T's double dancing set also doesn't see as much usage as you may think, and it seems to work very well in this team.

"Just about anything else you might want to comment on or ask about."
Just wanna say cool thread Nova, and cool team Masterclass :]

edit: Fuck Hyperbeem for making me edit my post and trying to claim all the credit ;]

 

[Ryanor]

What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Hyperbeem had when building this team?
To set up entry hazards with Skarmory as soon as posible. You can keep them on the field with the aid of Gengar. Dragonite is there to break down walls which otherwise might stop Landorus-T's sweep. Rotom-W aims to check Water-type Pokemon and gets some free turns for Landorus-T thanks to Volt Switch.

Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?
Perhaps Skarm + Gengar for obvious reasons and Landorus-T as the main sweeper. Another option could be Rotom-W + Landorus-T and Skarmory as a dedicated lead. I'm not sure at this point.

What are the strong points of the team?
Stall teams have a hard time dealing with this team. DragMag probably too because of hazards, ScarfRachi and Landorus-T. Dragonite may take by surprise your opponent because the CB set is not as common as the DD one.

What are the weak spots?
In my opinion this team relies heavily on Rotom-W for dealing with rain teams and Keldeo is a pain in the neck. Given that both Dragonite and Landorus-T are weak 4x to Ice-type, Mamoswine could put your team at risk when Rotom-W is gone. Also, Starmie is a bit annoying too.

How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?
I'm a bit surprised by the EV spread given to Jirachi, I guess it's for taking Draco Meteor / Outrage more comfortably. A bit more of the same with Landorus-T.

How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?
I like CBNite, I said it in the third point. Aside from that, Masterclass uses pretty standard sets. Overall is a solid team.

Just about anything else you might want to comment on or ask about.
Thank you Nova for bringing this project back and Masterclass for his team!

 

[tehy]

What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Hyperbeem had when building this team?
How to lose.

In all seriousness:Lay hazards, then voltturn around to rack up hazards damage (Subdisable, too.) Dragonite punches holes and Lando-T cleans through those holes.

Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?
I don't think so, at all. I mean, it's possible that it happened, but it seems like either he built it around Lando-T, or just Custap Skarm.

What are the strong points of the team?
It loses to mine :D

It's a pretty well-balanced team with a lot of power. It's not in immediate danger of being swept by anything and it's got nice voltturns and such, it's got most threats covered, etc. It also relies a lot on CBnite and DD lando-t, both of which aren't that common and aren't immediately obvious just from his team, so sneaky there.
What are the weak spots?
Sableye says hello so hard. SpD Rotom-W can annoy it, but Hydro Pump fails to 2HKO and if Sableye Taunts it can prevent any WoW or Pain Split bullshit, while burning it and stalling it out. SubDisable Gengar can also be burned and stalled out;if he Disables Recover, that could be annoying, but Sableye can Foul Play. Choice Band Dragonite can break through with sheer power, but must accept a burn in the process;Landorus-Therian can Swords Dance as it's burned, but that's a temporary measure, and both of them are trashed by Foul Play.

Moving on from that, Water-types can do some damage, since if Stealth Rock goes up, Dragonite isn't doing too much to check them. Rotom-W isn't all that bulky and has unreliable recovery, so if worn down enough, it can be broken through. Although Scarf Jirachi could Healing Wish it if necessary.

Quite frankly, Gastrodon tears this team a completely new one. The only Pokemon capable of breaking it are 4X weak to Ice Beam and susceptible to Scald burns, not counting Custap Skarmory, who should be dead at turn 2-3 generally. Rotom-W can screw around with it, but Gastrodon can just Toxic it and wait for it to die. Of course, then it can only really come in on Scarf Jirachi, which could U-turn, but if it comes in on Ice Punch or even possibly Iron Head, watch out! Other bulky waters can Toxic Rotom-w, Ice Beam stuff in the face, et cetera, although Volt Switch will do nicely against them.

Rotom-Wash stops Landorus-Therian nicely and can Volt Switch pretty much without fear;the only way to stop it is to switch to Landorus-Therian, then go to Rotom-W or Dragonite on the Hydro Pump, or Rotom-W on the Will-o-Wisp, but that's a risky tactic. Luckily, it's not really strong or fast enough to run rampant, but it is a problem for this team. It can also lead off by Volt Switching on Skarmory, knocking it down to its Custap Berry, then go to a priority or Rapid Spin user, limiting it to one layer of hazards. Or it can Volt Switch to a Magic Bouncer, but those stop Skarmory nicely anyhow.

Latios does pretty nicely against this team, as it outspeeds everything but Scarf Jirachi. Specs Latios can generally 2hitKo it with two full-powered meteors after 2 Stealth Rock rounds (and definitely three), so it's not going to check it more than once or twice. In addition, this team's main sweeper, Double Dance Landorus-Therian, is either outsped by it or is unable to KO it with a +0 Stone Edge (Although residual damage could come into play), and it's immune to Earthquake, so it's a good stop to this team's main sweeper as well. Meanwhile, nothing but Jirachi and Custap Skarmory (Which, again, should die early) can take a good-powered Draco Meteor.



How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?
The HP on scarfrachi helps against latios, although Specs Latios still does 42-50% with Draco Meteor.

Aside from that, many of these look like standard spreads. The only one that significantly differs from a 252/252 spread is the Landorus-Therian one, and that looks to be pretty standard for a Double Dance Landorus-Therian.

How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?
CBnite punches holes, scarfrachi revenges and healing wishes up whatever needs it, and Lando-T cleans up afterwards.''

Edit: I'm pretty sure that's how it works, and in any case that's how it's implemented on PS, last time I checked

Just about anything else you might want to comment on or ask about.
Edit: I wonder if hyperbeem has anything of substance to say

 

[klvkboom]

What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Hyperbeem had when building this team?
Utilize the ability to force switches through Volt/Turn, Disable, and hard hitters to abuse hazards from Skarm
Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?
Many of the synergies are based off of what Skarm brings in for the team. You have Rotom+Rachi as Volt/Turn pivots and Gengar is there to ensure the Hazards stay. Most likely the team is built around a Landy sweep, and through the process of team building the focal point is more towards residual damage for that sweep.
What are the strong points of the team?
The team is pretty good at forcing switches. CBnite is also an interesting choice for a heavy hitter. CB ex-speed is a good win condition and Dnite is much stronger with Jirachi's Healing Wish. Healing Wish also means that Landy has 2 chances of setting up to sweep if needed.
What are the weak spots?
Gengar I feel might be a crutch to the team as any Ghost type is needed to spin block. Otherwise the slot could be better used. Rachi's below average ATK means the opponent has easy switch-ins against it. Being locked into Iron Head or Ice Punch early means you lose a lot of momentum as it's unable to kill a target or cripple a hard hitter. Jirachi is most likely stuck using U-Turn early game and has some issues keeping Pokes checked. Because of this, there is a small weakness to Latios, CM Latias, CM/Specs Keldeo. Other troubling Pokes include Bulk Up Toxicroak, Gastrodon, and Mamoswine. Also, fast Taunt leads are scary to go against, and speed tieing with Breloom is always a pain in the ass.
How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?
Rotom's SpD does help it tank a lot of Scalds/Surfs/HydroPumps that Rain naturally has, however it makes Keldeos a prediction game still. Jirachi's EV spread is interesting allowing it to tank since it'll be your sole Steel type most of the game, and since it'll be U-Turning anyway the lost damage isn't that missed.
How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?
Healing Wish definitely makes big comebacks and surprises. Having 2 Pokes that can abuse it well is also a plus.
Just about anything else you might want to comment on or ask about.
I'd really like to know, how effective is that Jirachi early game outside of U-Turn?

 

[Ryanor]

How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?
CBnite punches holes, scarfrachi revenges and healing wishes up Cbnite (Since it goes after SR, multiscale guaranteed!), Lando-T cleans up afterwards.

Not really. Healing Wish restores HP before the target takes entry hazard damage, so if there is Stealth Rock on the field Nite loses Mulstiscale.

 

[BKC]

This team is most definitely not Hyperbeem's... it's literally identical to Masterclass', he won a tour with it and it was used by several different players in WCoP. I made the original (Skarm / Gar / Jira / Wash / Latias / Mamo) around the time SPL ended, gave it to him and he made it into the team that's been posted here.

It's a very good team, there's no denying that. Just give credit where it's due.

 

[Nova]

Sorry fixed it, I should have been more clear when asking for the team submission.

 

[PDC]

I think this project actually works a lot better in lower tiers, js.

This team, quite obviously, utilizes the now common CustapSkarm to provide / prevent early hazards to support the team. When you first look at the team, it is obvious that this team strives on gaining momentum and racking up damage through hazards with the aid of Rotom-W and Jirachi, who utilize a decently solid VoltTurn core which seems to be forgotten about so much in today's modern metagame. However, these two also allow for the weakening of defensive walls like Skarmory, Hippowdon, Forretress, and Jellicent as time goes on. This provides an easy sweep for the main two sweepers on the team, Landorus-T and Dragonite. Both Rotom-W and Jirachi can get both of these in on a U-Turn or Volt Switch, especially because of how Rotom-W lures in Grass types like Celebi and Ferrothorn, which can be Volt Switched out of or burned immediately. Pair that with hazard damage and you will quickly be able to wear down the opponents to the point of where Landorus-T can gain a sweep. Basically, the momentum that VoltSwitch garners after Skarmory sets up hazards in pair with Landorus-T and Dragonite breaking up walls that are being consistently crippled is the main win condition of the team, as the weaker and more broken it gets up over time the more opportunities either has to sweep. This works the best against more defensive teams, but offensive teams dislike hazards on the field along with heavy and fast hitters, Gengar does especially well at this role. Not only is it the anti-spinner of the team, but it is also a great way to check and beat out offensive teams through the switches it causes. Sub + Disable along with rather solid and powerful coverage over time takes a toll on the enemy team, and the more damage it brings out the easier the rest of the team will be able to be swept later on.

The core of the team can be broken up into many sections, for one, Jirachi + Rotom-W form a bit of a VoltTurn core while sharing rather solid synergy, making them able to be paired together very well. Dragonite + Landorus-T + Gengar is also a very noticeable offensive core, as they each break up each others counters well over time. Standard sand stall struggles with Landorus-T and Gengar in a pair, and after the typical Skarmory / Hippowdon / Forretress are weakened Dragonite can come in an deal a much more substantial amount of damage. Like stated above, forcing switches with hazards up gives this team an amazing advantage, as long as it can keep hazards up on the field it will have a good chance of winning, but if it loses them the teams effectiveness will be reduced. Most of the time it will get at least one layer of Spikes + Stealth Rock, but even if minimized the team will still have some sort of extra residual damage to work with.

The weak spots of this team come from more outside threats, as I feel the sets of the Pokemon are perfectly fine. Although, I feel WoW Gengar could possibly work better over the current set, but that's just me. Over time I could definitely see things like DragMag or specs Latios becoming problems, as Jirachi is 2HKO'd by a Draco Meteor, and it is the only thing that can really afford to switch into Latios in the first place. While of course Latios won't have an easy time switching in either, you can get it on on Landorus-T or even Dragonite with correct play, and once its in you can fire off Draco Meteors that will eventually guarantee you a kill every single time you switch in. Sun Stall is also an annoying matchup, as its most common form can prevent your hazards and unless weakened, wall most of your sweepers with Cresselia, as even Gengar fears a Psyshock or Psychic. Being weatherless sun naturally has an advantage. SubSeed Venusaur seems like an annoying threat paired with hazards, and overall it could be very hard to break its defense.

Rotom-W is probably the best defense against things like Rain offense, and thankfully it is able to tank a lot of hits. Rain offense can do a heavy number to that team, and in no way does it like facing it. LO Starmie paired with Tornadus wears this team down quickly, especially if Stealth Rock is on the field. Rotom-W needs to be Specially Defensive to handle these threats, and without it it would fall too quickly to Rain offense. Most of the sets outside of that are pretty standard, most good players know about Double Dance Landorus-T by this point and how it works. While Dragonite is using its flagship set as its main offense. SubDisable Gengar is a bit uncommon today, but it is still a less seen threat today. It can force switches pretty well and can beat a wide variety of its counters and force them out, allowing for hazard damage to take its toll and weaken the team over time. Healing Wish is also pretty cool, as reviving a sweeper is always nice after its counters are potentially down and it can be given a second chance on the field. Outside of that, the team is very well put together. I would place some small edits such as a bulkier Jirachi, but overall it is a very solid team.

 

[hyperbeem]

Yeah Novaray be more clear SMH

EDIT: I wonder if tehy would be as much of an idiot if he knew it was sweep's team

 

[Chou Toshio]

This is a really well built, well glued team based on set up sweep. Its goals are clear, with clearly defined beginning, mid, and end-game plans, but it has the ability to execute well by having members that flexibly work at different stages of the plan. What's amazing is that the team manages to have excellent wall breaking/pivoting AND potential for late game sweeping on multiple members, making it incredibly flexible-- it can handle a lot of mid-game situations, while also situating itself well to sweep at the end.

Opening Act

Starting a hyper-offensive strategy with Stealth Rock and Spikes is a proven strategy that wins games. Since Deo-D got banned, players have discovered that Skarm (ESPECIALLY Custap Skarm) is an excellent fill in for initial Hazard layer. It's pretty fast, can get up hazards reliably with Sturdy and Custap, and with BB it can even self-spin block by killing itself.

Gengar proved itself the best Deo-D partner as a spin blocker on offensive teams, and it's no different here. With great speed and power to be a terrific offensive threat, it really puts pressure on spinners to get rid of hazards. Even if it can't succeed in killing spinners all the time, it can be very good at preventing spins with intelligent switching, or weakening a spinner to the point where it's easily revenge killed (by Dragonite or Jirachi)

Mid Act

Rotom-W is the only Pokemon here truly dedicated to the mid-game-- and it performs there excellently. Volt Switching and Hydro Pumps with great resilience against hazards and very useful resistances; even if there are threats it can't beat, it can help build/keep momentum and weaken enemies to key points needed for an end-game sweep. W-o-W and Pain Split also work great to these endeavors.

Interesting about this team is that besides Skarm (beginning) and Rotom-W (mid) all 4 of the other Pokes are BOTH effective in the pivot/wall break mid game strategy, AND have a potential to late game Sweep.

In the mid game:
-Gengar: Spin blocks, and can weaken key Pokemon needed to ensure a sweep in the end game; it's disable and coverage have a good wall breaking ability
-Landorus-T: Is a very effective defensive pivot, with the power to weaken or break key parts of defensive cores. SD adds to its wallbreaking ability.
-Jirachi: Has key resistances as a defensive pivot, and U-turn for momentum. It's Speed and potential hax and coverage put a lot of pressure on frailer Pokemon during the mid game, and it can be useful to revenge kill sufficiently weakened Starmie (like ones that have been hit by a Shadow Ball) with U-turn to prevent spinning.
-Dragonite: While not likely to be switching in too frequently (want to keep sash), it can both effectively wall break with CB boosted Outrage/Superpower, but can use ESpeed to revenge weakened threats (and prevent spinning by killing a weakened spinner that has managed to get around Gengar).

Curtain Call

Dragonite, Landorus-T, Jirachi, and Gengar are all different, but all have the potential to pull off a late game sweep against a weakened team.

-Gengar: With its great resilience against hazards, good speed, coverage, decent power, Gengar is more than capable of pulling off a late game sweep under the right conditions.
-Landorus-T: Rock Polish and SD both give it a good chance to pull off a setup and go to town. Resilience against Hazards ensure it the health it needs to last to the end game.
-Dragonite: Can potentially late game sweep just on the virtue of CB ESpeed's power
-Jirachi: Has Speed and Flinch hax on its side (not to mention SR resistance and immunity to Toxic and Sand), but Healing Wish can ALSO enable a late game sweep by fully healing a team mate to go to town. This is especially relevant for Dragonite, who is the most susceptable to hazards. Getting back Multi-Scale and going back to full can give Dragonite used to wall break earlier in the game, a whole new lease on life-- making it a real terror for a weakened team facing hazards and CB Outrage or E-Speed.


This team's flexibility, balance, and clear game plan make it a real menace. The fact that it has great pivoting/wallbreaking ability and 4 different ways to late game sweep is pretty incredible.

 

[qpie]

Oh my, I've been using a shockingly similar team lately so I really feel like I have to comment on this.

What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Masterclass had when building this team?
By the looks of it the team seems to have a very well-defined game plan: Lay down (and prevent) entry hazards with Skarmory, keep them up with Gengar, apply pressure with Jirachi and Rotom which form a nice Volt-turn core, break down walls with Dragonite and finally sweep with Landorus-T.

Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?
Multiple ones. Skarmory and Gengar form a well-known HO hazard core. Jirachi, Rotom-W and Gliscor Landorus have great defensive synergy. The same applies to Jirachi and Dragonite and finally Jirachi and Rotom form a Volt-turn core. I'm not even sure if this still counts as discernible cores or if the team just has great synergy in general.

What are the strong points of the team?
Pressure. Plain and simple. Volt-turn and entry hazards create pressure. The monster that is Choice Band Dragonite applies pressure which is again amplified through entry hazards and the looming threat of a Landorus sweep just adds to the pressure Masterclass' team puts on its opponents.

What are the weak spots?
I have to agree with ShootinStarmie on Gengar's set since I personally feel like Gengar could have an easier time beating spinners with a different set. Then again SubDisable can apply lots of pressure, even more so when coupled with hazard support and that seems to be a recurring theme in Masterclass' team.

I do however really like the use of Rotom-W since it gives the team a nice additional fallback against various fast special sweepers (~ Starmie, Latios, Keldeo) which seem rather threatening to it.

How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?
Landorus seems to be EV'd to beat Venusaur which could otherwise spell trouble for the team. Choice Band Dragonite really helps with the matchup against sun as well, I guess. But what really stands out is Jirachi's innovative EV spread. As the team's sole Steel type it is Masterclass' only real answer to dragons and thus needs all the bulk it can get.

How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?
Does double booster Landorus-T still qualify as an underrated threat? Either way, not many people seem to prepare for it and it's a damn cool set. I also really like the use of Healing Wish on Jirachi since it allows Masterclass' to play his Pokemon a lot more liberally during early and mid game without giving up the chance to sweep with them later on. This makes the team a lot more solid on the defensive side since Dragonite and Landorus can now act as much more solid backup checks to various threats.

Just about anything else you might want to comment on or ask about.
Somehow this really looks like a better version of what I've been using lately. I'm officially jealous. :<

Anyway, cool team, Masterclass. It definitely looks incredibly solid and looks like it is really fun to play.

 

[Nova]

Quality posts last week, let's keep it up

Week 2's team is provided by Raichy!

Week 1: Raichy

Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Slack Off
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Whirlwind

Infernape (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 108 Atk / 148 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Close Combat
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- U-turn

Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Icy Wind
- Secret Sword
- Hidden Power [Bug]

Latios @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Surf
- Draco Meteor
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Psyshock

Jirachi @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Wish
- U-turn
- Body Slam
- Iron Head

Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split

Some things to consider are:

• What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Raichy had when building this team?
• Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?
• What are the strong points of the team?
• What are the weak spots?
• How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?
• How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?
• Just about anything else you might want to comment on or ask about.

 

[MCBarrett]

This is a very interesting team. Tyranitar would seem like the obvious choice as the weather starter to be paired with Keldeo and Latios but the builder of this team decided on Hippowdon for its longevity, ability to stop setup sweepers and to keep Sand up longer for more residual damage. As far as I can tell this team is based around wearing the opponent down through a combination of Sand, Stealth Rocks, VoltTurn and humungous special attacks from the likes of Choice Specs Keldeo and Choice Specs Latios.

The team seems to be built around the Specs Core of Keldeo and Latios which is used to just wear down the opposing team through spamming powerful attacks. Thanks to their great natural base speed though they can both likely sweep if given the opportunity. However the Defensive Core of Specially Defensive Rotom-W, Specially Defensive Jirachi and Physically Defensive Hippowdown is also very solid. Between Jirachi's Wishes and Hippowdown's Slack Off this core seems like it would be very difficult to deal with.

The strong points of this team would start with that Defensive Core. Really nice synergy, which is only made even better with two of the three having access to VoltTurn and Jirachi's Wishes make switching to absorb attacks much easier. Next would be the sheer Offensive power that this team has between Specs Keldeo and Latios. Infernape does fit in there nicely though since it provides a much needed physical attacker, revenge killer and an added U-Turn user which compliments the whole team very well. Infernape definitely seems like the glue of the team and is definitely an important member in that sense.

The weak spots for this team would be Hazards mostly. With no spinner and a team that depends upon switching a lot, between the 3 VoltTurners and the 3 choice locked Pokemon Hazard damage is going to be racking up. Jirachi's Wishes can help mitigate that to a degree but it can still be bothersome. Having 3 choice locked Pokemon is also a double-edged sword in general in terms of facing more Defensive teams that can Scout for the move and switch to the appropriate check. This isn't common to have though so a skilled player could use mind games, especially early on to bluff not being Choiced, or the opponent may just over predict after a Protect. Bulky waters also seem like they can be a pain to take out.

The moveset and EV's are really pretty standard. HP Bug on Keldeo to hit Celebi switch-ins is nice. Jirachi's moveset decided to forego Protect, instead going for Body Slam and Iron Head to help wear down the opponent, and finally Rotom-W is not running any speed which is unusual but the max HP and Special Defense help for its survivability which isn't that great seeing as Pain Split isn't too reliable. This should help against Rain Teams where it seems that most of the pressure is going to be on Rotom-W to absorb water spam.

The use of Infernape on this team is really fantastic. Say what you will about Infernape but there is no other threat in OU with that kind of mixed attacking ability and access to U-Turn outside of Jirachi which is already being used as a Special Wall on this team. Plus a powerful STAB CC is much appreciated on this team for Steel types and the Fire type coverage is very nice as well. I like the use of the Mixed Attacking set because it would seem at first glance that this team would need an all out Physical attacker but the added coverage of this set and being able to lure in things like Lando-T and take them out with HP Ice makes the jobs of everything else on this team that much easier.

I feel like this team is very solid and despite the fact that it seems very reliant on good prediction to be successful due to the 3 choice locked Pokes, the Defensive backbone of the team is solid enough to allow for scouting and second chances so a misplay early on won't be so detrimental to the team overall. Plus having 3 VoltTurners helps ease prediction and wear down the opponent so the favor is on this team's side. If I had to make any changes I would probably change the coverage move on Latios. This team seems to have a little trouble taking out bulky waters and a lot of pressure is put onto Rotom-W against rain so I think Thunder over Surf might be a good option. Offensive TTar isn't going to take 2 Specs Dracos after SR anyways and the rest of the team handles it well so I think that is less of a problem than Specially Defensive Jellicent for example.

 

[Shurtugal]

What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Raichy had when building this team?

I think this team was utilized to abuse the idea of a Specs Keldeo and Specs Latios core. The fact that he has both a strong defensive core and a strong VoltTurn core only fortifies my beliefs on this matter since he uses the VoltTurn core to scout for free opportunities to wreck teams with one of his Specs users.

Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?

Like I said earlier, I feel that Specs Keldeo and Specs Latios was the core Raichy was building with. However, I feel I must admire how he took such an offensive core and utilized it effectively under balanced. Truly remarkable.

What are the strong points of the team?

The strongest part of this team, imo, has got to be that Specs core utilized with the VoltTurn core. Latios and Keldeo break so many teams with VoltTurn support backing it up. VoltTurn is perfect for shifting the momentum and giving Keldeo or Latios a free opportunity to free fire a strong attack on one of the opponents checks / counter.

What are the weak spots?

Having three choiced locked Pokemon steals from momentum and hazards look mighty painful to face. It doesn't help that this team looks 100% unprepared to fight teams with Custap Skarm on them either.

How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?

He could tweak Rotom-W to hit 263 (or 265 for Tenta too) so that he could Burn Skarm and Volt Switch so that it only gets SR up rather than the dreaded spikes.

He could use HP Ghost over HP Bug on Keldeo since U-turn Jirachi and U-turn Ape and Specs Latios are more than enough to beat Celebi and hitting Jellicent is much better imo.

How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?

Infernape can surprise U-turn on Starmie and Lati@s to make them easier to play around as well as using the underrated Specs Latios to blast holes into the opposing team.

 

[Subject 18]

• What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Raichy had when building this team?

From the looks of it, Raichy built this team around Specs Keldeo and Specs Latios. Coupled with a strong VoltTurn of Infernape, Jirachi, and Rotom-Wash to rack up damage with Stealth Rock and passive Sand damage to wear down the opposing team to make life a bit easier for Keldeo or Latios to be able to get problematic pokemon.

• Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?

Yes, the team was built around the dual Specs core of Keldeo and Latios. Both of these two are very capable of quickly break through most opposing defensive walls with spamming powerful Specs attacks. Secondly the VoltTurn core of Infernape and Rotom-Wash as both cover for each others weaknesses and both can wear down the opposing team with powerful moves and entry hazards.

• What are the strong points of the team?

The balance synergy with the defensive core of Hippowdon, Jirachi and Rotom-Wash coupled with the strong offensive core allows him to quickly swap from the being aggressive to being a bit more passive to find a opening to go back on the offensive. Wish Jirachi and U-Turn is really nice to have as it adds to the longevity of the other team mates.

The VoltTurn aspect of the team is able to wear down teams with SR, Sand and VoltTurn to allow Latios or Keldeo to come in and be able to finish off pokemon or even the game. Since both Keldeo and Latios have great natural speed being able to sweep without too much fear of being outsped.

• What are the weak spots?

Having three choice locked pokemon can be a bit of a issue that will allow the opponent to set up a something locked into the wrong move. However this is offset by the defensive that wouldn't easily allow him to be swept so being able to recover from that can the done.

• How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?

All the moveset and EVs are very standard and there is very little that is a major surprise. The use of HP Bug on Keldeo is really happy to have to be able to heavily dent Celebi, Latios and Latias as he lacks a Pursuit trapper like Tyranitar or Scizor that would normally be used to help out Keldeo pull of a sweep.

• How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?

Infernape is the main underrated pokemon that Raichy is utilizing to its best. Ape does get a bad reputation for being outclassed by Keldeo as a special attacker or Terrakion as a Physical attacker. Though both of those are true neither one of them can go as a mixed attacker and be able to U-Turn around to keep momentum for the team.

 

[Prinz]

What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Raichy had when building this team?

As everyone already said Raichy probably wanted to make a team using Choice Specs Latios and Choice Specs Keldeo together and with a volturn core to get momentum and to switch in Latios and Keldeo freely.

Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?

Choice Specs Latios and Choice Specs Keldeo for sure, and Rotom-W + Infernape as a volturn core. Physical Defensive Hippowdon with Specially Defensive Jirachi allows him to have a solid defensive core as well.

What are the strong points of the team?

Choice Specs users with volturn core is the strong point of this team, Raichy can switch in Latios and Keldeo without 0 risk using a volturn core and it can spam several damages every time.

What are the weak spots?

Entry hazards in general for sure since he's using 3 choice users and a volturn core without Rapid Spin and Magic Bounce support. Sun teams looks like a threat as well, especially Volcarona which can setup on Jirachi, on Latios at -2, on Rotom-W and on Keldeo locked into everything expect Hydro Pump and then it's really hard to stop.

How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?

In my opinion he should try Stone Edge on Infernape for the Volcarona problem I explained before. Make Rotom-W faster, as Shurtugal already said, could help too (at least to outspeed Tentacruel) but outspeed Custap Berry Skarmory is a nice idea too, since this team doesn't like entry hazards as everyone pointed out. Unfortunately it would lose lot of bulkyness but I personally give it a try.

How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?

Infernape can surprise some mons which are normally faster than it thanks to Choice Scarf (Starmie, Lati Twins, Tornadus and other slower Choice Scarf users). For the rest, this team uses standard sets.

 

[Kingler]

Before I begin this, I'd like to say I absolutely hate infernape and t
hat imo it's overrated. Now that I'm done ranting,
What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Raichy had when building this team?
I'm not exactly sure, but infernape and rotom-w can force switches, forming a decent voltturn core, and giving a switch to the terrifying specs latios and specs keldeo.
Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?
Specs latios and specs keldeo synergize well, with latios taking out some of keldeo's counters like tentacruel and amoonguss(watch out for spore) and keldeo taking out most of latios' counters(chansey, ferrothorn{but can't switch into the latter hence HP fire on the former}). The added voltturn core of infernape, jirachi and rotom-w makes it relatively easy for them to destroy stuff. A nice defensive core to fall back on, with jirachi not even sapping away momentum, but infact adding to it as shown in voltturn. Jirachi and rotom-w cover each others weaknesses too.
What are the strong points of the team?
Nice, synergetic(to an extent) specs users wrecking the opposition. Voltturn giving free switches. Nice defensive core.
What are the weak spots?
Hazards, as already mentioned. Nearly all his team(barring levitate users) take a lot of damage from hazards.
Also JELLICENT. How can't you guys mention this?
Jellicent walls keldeo and nape to infinity and beyond. Rotom-w with no investment can't do squat to it. If it happens to have toxic, you're screwed. If the opponent plays properly and stays at ~90% it can survive a specs draco meteor from latios. The physically bulky jellicent, I mean. Specially defensive ones take more damage from psyshock. anyway. Jellicent is just a huge annoying threat if played right.
Custap skarm gets one or two layers of spikes guaranteed, making it a real annoyance to the team. Even normal defensive skarm sets up spikes on hippo and maybe rachi.
How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?
Infernape needs to use stone edge so it can destroy volcarona barring 20% miss. HP ghost>HP bug on keldeo as rachi and nape already can switch into celebi and gain momentum with u-turn. Also as the above posts say, increase the speed on rotom-w to beat skarm which lays down only one layer of spikes.
How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?
I dunno, none of these pokemon are "underrated" as such. But this puts infernape to pretty good use. I haven't seen dual specs offensive cores so that could come as underrated. Voltturn in B/W2 is still a viable choice, and this team puts it to good use.
Just about anything else you might want to comment on or ask about.
(i don't like infernape lol)
:3 how was this

 

[Jukain]

• What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Raichy had when building this team?,

Raichy was looking to build a team designed to win by overwhelming, lacking a clear late-game sweeper and instead opting for a balanced but offensive build. The team has a pretty obvious VoltTurn build, which allows Specs Latios and Specs Keldeo -- two brutally destructive offensive Pokemon -- to do pretty much as they please.

• Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?

You can clearly see the Specs Latios and Specs Keldeo offensive core, both of which brutalize each other's counters and checks. However, I think the real core that makes this team work is Raichy's great VoltTurn core, consisting of Rotom-W, Infernape, and Jirachi, which can pivot into attacks and then get Latios and Keldeo in. Infernape murders Ferrothorn and other Steel-types, which look like a pain to deal with outside of Keldeo. Rotom-W smashes bulky Water-types, which are fairly threatening to both of the team's hard hitters.

• What are the strong points of the team?

Being able to take hits comfortably with the defensive Rotom-W + Jirachi + Hippowdon core is a big boon for the team, making it able to handle many of the metagame's top threats. Rotom-W and Latios combined cover Keldeo well, and Rotom-W also helps against Scizor, Tornadus, Starmie, Thundurus-T, Mamoswine, etc. with Latios doing great against Venusaur (in conjunction with Jirachi) and other Chlorophyll sweepers, bar Shiftry. Jirachi is great against special Dragon-types, like Latias and opposing Latios. Hippowdon handles most physical attackers, such as Terrakion and Scizor, with ease and stops Thundurus-T pretty much in its tracks. Keldeo isn't as much of a defensive Pokemon, but it provides an invaluable offensive way to handle Scizor. Infernape really provides no defensive coverage, but it is an important check to boosted threats like +1 Salamence and Dragonite, +1 Volcarona (it can even take a hit from non-HP Ground variants), and opposing Scarfers. Overall, I'll say that the team's strongest point is its offensive and defensive synergy. Additionally, having the ability to pivot with the VoltTurn core and thus easily get in Keldeo and Latios makes bringing them in almost effortless. Wish support from Jirachi keeps the team healthy also.

• What are the weak spots?

As others have said, hazards are quite the pain if they're up. However, that's the key word -- if they're up. With all of the VoltTurn usage and powerful offensive Pokemon, entry hazards are generally difficult to get up. Luckily, much of the team isn't too bothered by Stealth Rock either, nor are priority and most phazers major issues. Because the team has multiple outs to most hazard setters, it's unlikely that much will get up on the field. However, I see certain threats as being a pain to deal with. If Jirachi dies and Hippowdon is a little weakened, Alakazam requires sacking something to handle, which isn't exactly optimal for this team. Besides that though, no threats really stick out in my mind. This team can't afford to lose the weather war, as rain and sun teams would run it over under the right conditions (Rotom-W and Latios weakened for each respective team archetype they are generally threats to stick out in my mind). Raichy's Choice-locked Pokemon can be setup fodder if locked into the wrong move, but with a phazer and multiple outs to key threats I don't think this is a huge issue. Overall though, these are minor weaknesses, as with good play Raichy can overcome essentially any playstyle. This team doesn't really have any match-up issues, which is absolutely great in a metagame where many teams are at severe disadvantages against certain others.

• How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?

Stone Edge on Infernape would be useful against sun offense, which often carries Volcarona. Even if not, having the ability to kill Victini and Darmanitan easily (meaning with no prior damage) is definitely worthwhile -- Hippowdon can deal with them though. Toxic>Whirlwind on Hippowdon would help immensely against Cresselia sun, as currently Raichy's team is very weak to it. Infernape's sun-boosted Fire Blast isn't even strong enough. As it stands, Raichy has to bank on getting at least 7 flinches in a row with Jirachi's Iron Head in order to kill Cresselia. Gastrodon is a pretty big pain, so HP Grass on Latios isn't a bad idea (GK won't always kill, even after Stealth Rock damage).

• How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?

Infernape as a whole is completely underrated. It's a great mixed attacker that demolishes Steel-types, and it functions great as this team's revenge killer. It has access to U-turn, which many Pokemon would give their best STAB for. Raichy takes perfect advantage of Infernape, which is often labeled as a noob Pokemon. In fact, that'd be the first thing I'd assume when seeing this team -- that the player is not very good, which I'd be basing solely off the use of Infernape. It also uses Hippowdon's capabilities excellently -- while it's not necessarily underrated, there are many instances where players run Tyranitar that Hippowdon would likely be better for the team as a whole.

• Just about anything else you might want to comment on or ask about.

Overall, I'm very impressed with this team. It has great structure and synergy, both offensively and defensively, and has a slightly difficult time against maybe one or two threats, which is as close as you can get to perfect threat coverage in this day and age. It has no issues with team match-up, which really impresses me -- it manages to have an out to all weather-based issues (even multiple to some) and can easily outlast opposing weather starters to secure victory in the weather war.

This is a great team -- thanks for posting it @Nova!

 

[BKC]

Entry hazards are not difficult to get vs this team lol... Custap Skarm obviously has the easiest/quickest way of getting them down but stall is not going to have any trouble at all walling everything to hell and back. It's basically Hippowdon bulky offense with an Infernape which is at least somewhat creative. Suicidal spike stacking can sort of be handled with smart play; it'd be easier to handle if 1) Rotom had 263 speed so Ape could U-turn, breaking Skarm's Sturdy, and then Rotom could KO/capitalize off the switch (which at least delays Spikes but if Hippowdon ever wants to use SR then theyre going up) and 2) if Jirachi had Protect, which makes it really hard to kill for frailer offense. However it's just screwed vs full stall.

 

[PDC]

The team itself is based around wall-breaking and gaining momentum through the multiple momentum gainers in the team. This is done through Keldeo, Latios, and Infernape mainly, a rather unique combination. Latios and Keldeo both break up each other's counters very well, and I can almost definitely tell this is a tournament team in design. The team relies on using a rather balanced setup, but it overall struggles very badly against enemy hazards, which I don't like very much. Stealth Rock is basically guaranteed, and something like a defensive stall team or offensive Custap Skarmory. The team does much better against offense than stall as BKC noted, stall gets pretty much a guaranteed win against this, and that's one of its downfalls.

The team does have some pretty good strong-points in the build, but for starters we can say how it probably preforms best under a quick momentum gaining situations. Jirachi, Rotom-W, and Infernape all do their part in helping get Keldeo and Latios in and launch off their powerful attacks. Infernape is a great cleaner surprisingly, but it does have some downfalls. It definitely does great against Light-Offense and more balanced builds, but it does struggle against very bulky teams that can consistently take a beating. It does have a pretty good conjunction in gaining momentum with the VoltTurn combination, especially considering what it basically forces the opponent to eventually bring out.

However as I have stated many times before, this really isn't some sort of "great team" that everyone is apparently making it out to be. It can be stomped on by Rain Stall, bulky Sand Stall, and even Sun Stall can basically run this team to the ground. Although Specs Keldeo and Latios are definitely powerful, their lack of Recovery and and consecutive hazard switches, especially with the amount of momentum gaining moves on this team, wears it down very quickly. Full Stall basically places this team and its user in a corner. It needs to prevent hazards, which although in theory looks easy, in reality is a rather hard task. The team definitely also has trouble with Kyurem-B as well, especially Mixed Variants. It definitely puts pressure on Hippowdon, Jirachi, and Rotom-W, the main tanks of the team.

I can definitely say that there are some underrated sets on this team, but they aren't exactly the most effective. Infernape is definitely more niche because of U-Turn only, and although it is pretty effective overall against Sun, I feel that it kind of loses appeal against quite a lot of things its supposed to revenge. The rest of the team is not really that interesting at all, it in general is rather "basic" and doesn't bring anything new too the table. I suppose the balanced momentum gaining effect is interesting, but it really isn't anything "unusual." Rotom-W and Jirachi both help out against Rain offense, and because of that it allows it to handle it more successfully. Latios definitely works great in conjunction with Keldeo, which does work well against offense, sand, and sun, which definitely helps the team pull its weight.

The team is rather good for a tournament per say, but it does struggle quite often against stall and it really isn't as effective as it could be. I would probably switch up some stuff, but outside of that the team really can't be changed too much. It does cover quite a lot, and its weaknesses are more general than specialized.

 

[LL7]

@Nova

Your post showing Raichy's team has a typo - the Hide containing the overview of the team is called "Week 1: Raichy" when this is the 2nd weeks team.

 

[Nova]

Week 2's team is provided by Dice!

Week 3: Dice

Garchomp (F) @ Yache Berry
Trait: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw

Ninetales (M) @ Chesto Berry
Trait: Drought
EVs: 248 HP / 148 SDef / 112 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Will-O-Wisp
- Rest
- Flamethrower
- Roar

Forretress (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 16 Def / 244 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Volt Switch
- Rapid Spin
- Spikes
- Gyro Ball

Slowbro (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Slack Off
- Flamethrower
- Psyshock

Heatran (F) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Taunt
- Magma Storm
- Toxic
- Earth Power

Venusaur (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Chlorophyll
EVs: 72 HP / 252 SAtk / 184 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Growth
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Giga Drain

Some things to consider are:

• What do think was the main/inspiring idea/goal Raichy had when building this team?
• Is there a discernible core that he tried to build around?
• What are the strong points of the team?
• What are the weak spots?
• How could his use of certain EV/moveset twists help his team vs specific threats or archetypes?
• How does he use some underrated threats to give his team an advantage?
• Just about anything else you might want to comment on or ask about

 

[PDC]

Dice's team revolves around the interesting team style of Sun Stall, but unlike the typical standard build with Cresselia / Chansey. It is rather interesting, especially considering how it mixes in SD Yache Chomp to add some offensive pressure and give it a bit of an advantage against neighboring stall teams and opposing weather. For starters, the main goal of the team is to keep Sun up and abuse its rather unique effect on stall. It capitalizes on keeping Sun up with two very particular partners, Garchomp and Heatran, which together can really beat down the majority of weather starters that attempt the stop and take sun out of the field. Forretress and Garchomp provide hazards like any team would of this style and wears down the team. A weakened team like this can be picked on by Venusaur easily later on, who can absolutely destroy certain teams that are weakened to this extent. Hazards with the addition of a bulky backbone + the awesome power that Chomper and Venusaur can apply to the weakened team under Sun makes this team especially good.

Forretress + Heatran + Slowbro make a great core defensively, and really covers the majority of the threats that needs to be covered. The team along with Sun makes the core very hard to break. The amazing defensive - offensive synergy this team garners is what makes it good in my opinion, and I really do like how Dice approached this instead of going for the standard. Garchomp / Venusaur definitely change up the pace, and they both beat each others counters very well and open up holes for sweeps.

The team definitely has some very good points, the team is not broken up easily and can really handle the majority of the metagame. Top threats like Keldeo are handled pretty well, although they still can be a bit of a threat due to the less bulky Venusaur. It doesn't have too many problems with weather overall, which is nice as well. Although a well played Starmie can definitely hurt the team a bit as well. Rain Offense overall does seem like a bit of a problem, especially against SpecsToed / Thunderus-T combinations which overall can really cripple the team over time. I do like the teams build, but I do find Sun Stall to be a bit unreliable sometimes due to what it typically carries. Outside of that, the team is pretty solid.

The sets on the team are not interesting on their own, but more interesting because they are featured on a type of team that you normally wouldn't see them that often, which adds a bit of a surprise factor.