SS UU Rate my UU Pivot team!

[Carl Magnussen]

Hi, I wanted a UU team with a lot of flexibility because I have more of a reactive playstyle as opposed to a proactive one. I've climbed to 1297 with this team but can't quite break into 1300 and was hoping y'all could help! I wanted to build around the core of Zarude and Thundurus-T. My main strategy is to set up hazards and force switches, utilizing the chip damage to put opposing Pokemon in KO range of my attackers. Without further ado, here it is:



Zarude @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Leaf Guard
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Power Whip
- Darkest Lariat
- U-turn
- Jungle Healing

Zarude forms half of my pivoting core with Thundurus. Zarude threatens many of the Water-type Pokemon in the tier, Aegislash, and can do damage to Hydreidon with U-turn. Power Whip also threatens Ground-types that try to answer Thundurus-T and removing Ground-Types is a huge wincon with Thundurus. Most of the time I use U-turn to pivot into a better matchup as Zarude's defenses aren't the best (however Zarude is a good switch-in to Water attackers and Zygarde-10%).


Thundurus (Thundurus-Therian) (M) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Focus Blast
- Knock Off
- Psychic

This is more of a utility set, however Thundurus can get a lot of mileage with Volt Switch and Focus Blast. Focus Blast is useful for Excadrill, and Thundurus's Flying-type means it is immune to Earthquake (but very much not Stone Edge). Knock Off is also good for scouting sets (as the knocked off item can give insight as to what set the opponent is using, e.g. Leftovers vs. Choice Scarf Krookodile). Other than Excadrill and Mamoswine, there aren't that many Ground-types in UU and not many Volt Absorbers either, so Volt Switch is pretty spammable. Psychic also hits Conkeldurr hard, especially if it has been chipped down by hazards and burn damage from Flame Orb.


Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Damp
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Flip Turn
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock

Swampert is a very flexible physical wall. With amazing defensive typing, Swampert is a good switch-in to most attackers and brings a lot of utility when it is on the field. Stealth Rock is used to punish switches in response to my various switching moves, Toxic can wear down a Pokemon to KO range for one of my offensive threats, Earthquake is a useful attacking move, and Flip Turn can be used to gather momentum against an opposing Pokemon as Swampert usually goes second. Swampert's Grass weakness is not really a big deal on this team as Skarmory, Zarude, and Thundurus all resist Grass.

Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
Impish Nature
- Body Press
- Spikes
- Roost
- Whirlwind

Skarmory's main role is to tank hits and set up Spikes. Whirlwind is an incredibly useful move that prevents opposing Pokemon from setting up on Skarmory. Body Press is preferred over Brave Bird to counter Excadrill as well as leverage Skarmory's high defense. In practice I end up sacking Skarmory many times to avoid switching in one of my frailer Pokemon; one problem I am encountering is that I don't have a good Specially Defensive switch in. That being said, Skarmory is a good defensive core with Swampert as their defensive typing complements each other.


Nidoking (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam

This is the standard Smogon-recommended Nidoking set. Nidoking can usually take a hit from a non-super-effective attack then OHKO the opposing Pokemon with it's own super-effective attack with the type coverage I have here, especially if the opposing Pokemon has been chipped down through hazards or various switching moves. However, with Nidoking, Speed is an issue as it loses out to Sand-boosted Excadrill, Haxorus, and any setup sweeper after a Speed boost. Alternatively, Salamence, Noivern, Nihilego, and Azelf are options for special attackers. Salamence/Noivern threatens many Pokemon with Flamethrower and Draco Meteor and is super fast (Salamence is more useful with Intimidate, but it's slower than Noivern and Noivern can use Boomburst with Throat Spray); Meteor Beam Nihilego can get a KO then Speed boost with Beast Boost, and Azelf is fast and carries a lot of coverage moves (and U-turn).

Necrozma @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Prism Armor
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Photon Geyser
- X-Scissor
- Heat Wave

I am not sure if I should keep or replace Necrozma. On the one hand, Necrozma doesn't really synergize with the team's playstyle as a setup sweeper isn't useful in a team designed to be flexible and bring out the best matchups. On the other hand, Necrozma has single-handedly won me multiple games. Necrozma is designed as a late game sweeper as it can sweep with just one Dragon Dance boost if Weakness Policy has been triggered. With Prism Armor, Necrozma can tank a super-effective hit. Necrozma is not a switch in, but comes in after a sac so it can have as much HP as possible to take the hit that triggers Weakness Policy while using Dragon Dance. Alternatively, Hatterene or Reuniclus can be options for this slot as well. Both of them offer defensive utility that Necrozma does not. Togekiss is more useful than Necrozma defensively while using Nasty Plot and Air Slash to great effect. Zygarde-10% is a good late game cleaner as it outspeeds most of the tier and Thousand Arrows is incredibly spammable. Nidoking is also good against Zygarde-10%'s counters, namely Tangrowth and Tapu Bulu. Offensive Pivot Azelf is a Psychic type that fits more with the theme of the team.

Misc Notes:
The team tends to struggle against Pokemon that can outspeed Zarude and Thundurus, especially if Swampert and Skarmory get worn down. Zygarde-10% is also a huge threat, as half of my team is weak to Thousand Arrows. Only Zarude can switch in to Zygarde-10% and even then, it still will take mucho damage from Outrage. (Zygarde-10% can also run Skitter Smack to counter Zarude). Special attackers such as Azelf or opposing Nidoking give my team trouble as well, as my team doesn't really have a go-to specially-defensive Pokemon. Chansey is also very annoying due to the lack of wallbreaking power on my team, though a Knock Off from Thundurus can give Chansey some problems.

Thanks for reading and I'm excited to hear what y'all have to say!

 

[justdrew]

Hello there!

This is a cool team. You have two strong, fast, and reliable pivot Pokemon as well as a fairly consistent rocker which is something you intended.

That being said, there are some key issues this team faces that you have acknowledged. Firstly, the lack of speed (which is mostly not being able to out-speed Zygarde) combined with your minimal Thousand Arrows switch-ins poses an issue. You have nothing that out-speeds a base 115 demon like Zygarde or Azelf (no Choice Scarf user or priority). Your team is Spike stack + pivots but you have a Necrozma which I don't think is conducive to this team environment. It is just a miscellaneous set up sweeper that I think can be changed. You also struggle versus other very strong breakers/sweepers in the tier like Conkeldurr and Moltres-Galar. Additionally I think it's also hard for you to break fat cores that include Chansey.

Here are my changes:

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Nidoking is a fantastic breaker but it lets Chansey in completely free and allows a Teleport which puts you behind in the game. Mamoswine provides you with Ice Shard with gives your team much needed priority that messes with Zygarde, Salamence, and opposing Thundy-T among other things that are dangerous offensive Pokemon. I believe this is a better breaker for your pivot core to switch into.

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Swampert is fine, however this team really needs some Regenerator recovery. It also needs something that can switch into Zygarde and provides a much needed counter to Keldeo; which previously out-speed and swept your team. Slowking can also switch into Azelf (although Energy Ball forms and especially Nasty Plot can be difficult). Slowking has Teleport which gives your team better momentum than Swampert can as you always go last (unless theres a slow speed tie). Skarmory is a massive momentum suck and let's in certain Pokemon for free which is why Slowking is very nice as a switch in for the things Skarmory allows in. Mamoswine works fine as the only Ground-type.

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Necrozma is a creative sweeper, however I think it doesn't work too well in the current metagame. Nihilego gives you a replacement Stealth Rocker for Swampert. It also serves as a better switch in to both Moltres forms, and provides an easy way to Knock Off Chansey and Swampert, and chips Excadrill which is all very nice for Thundy-T to spam Volt Switch. It also gives your team nice speed.

Final version: