Swords Dance to Victory (Currently #72 on Showdown ladder)

[Tyranitarphantom]

New Gen, new meta. This is the third generation shift I've been around for, and it's probably the least dramatic one so far. The current XY OU meta is actually quite fun, and I'm enjoying it to it's fullest before PokeBank comes along and changes everything. This is the second team I've made in Gen 6, and it's much more consistent than the previous one. The idea is to set up Swords Dance with one of my three Pokemon that have it, and just smash things apart. With a current win/lose ratio of 23/2, I'm fairly proud of it, but at the same time, I sometimes feel like it's just missing something. Hopefully, someone with a keener eye than I (try saying that five times fast) will be able to point out the flaws.

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op pls ban (Talonflame) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 144 Spd / 252 Atk / 112 HP
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Swords Dance
- Roost

"Ban Talonflame"- Showdown Chat 2013

While the notion of banning Talonflame is completely silly, I can understand people's frustration with it. Priority Brave Bird is no joke, even with Talonflame's mediocre attack stat. Purely because Gale Wings, Talonflame is the revenge killer to end all revenge killers. While I may not always get a sweep with Talonflame due to the prominence of Ttar and Rotom-W, Talonflame is excellent at poking holes into teams. A big issue that Talonflame has is killing itself quickly with it's main attacks, so I choose to run Leftovers and Roost to counteract that. Overall, a really excellent Pokemon, and I can't imagine this team without it.

KissAin'tGotShit (Garchomp) (M) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Swords Dance

The second of my Swords Dance users, I like Garchomp for his bulk. Even with minimal investment, he can take pretty much any one hit, as long as it isn't super effective, set up a Swords Dance at the same time, and then just smash some heads. Dragon Claw is my choice for his Dragon STAB, as I'd rather Garchomp not get revenge killed by any given Fairy/Steel/faster thing with an Ice move. EQ needs no explanation, and Stone Edge is chosen as the last move to score a super-effective hit on Togekiss, as well as offering a powerful hit on things weak to Rock, such as Zapdos and Talonflame. I've experimented with Iron Head and Poison Jab for fairies, but I've found Stone Edge to be overall more useful (when it hits, at least). Lum Berry is chosen as my item, to prevent any pesky Scald burns or random Toxics from cutting Garchomp's sweep short. Rough Skin is nice for the chip on contact moves. Nothing out of the ordinary here.

Gerninjer (Greninja) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Dark Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Oh lawdy, it's Greninja. Gen 4 Infernape taken up to 11. Infernape may have been able to go mixed, but it didn't get STAB on everything, and that's what makes Greninja so formidable. As the only special attacker present on this team, he is incredibly valuable for breaking down certain physical walls. I don't feel that U-turn is necessary, so I run HP Fire in the last slot to roast Ferrothorn (and healthy Scizor/Forretress). It's coverage with these four moves is optimal (screw Grass Knot, it only hits Rotom-W for 20 base power). Because of the sheer power and versatility, almost nothing can safely switch in on Greninja. It's only problem it that it's easily worn down.

#MegaMom (Kangaskhan) @ Kangaskhanite
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Sucker Punch
- Power-Up Punch
- Return

The final of my three Swords Dance users, Kangaskhan is quite a threatening Pokemon. Parental Bond Power-Up Punch is pretty much the same as a Swords Dance, so it counts. With the coverage offered by the four moves I have selected, almost nothing can stand up to a boosted #MegaMom, with the exceptions being Skarmory and Trevenant. I used to run Fake-Out, which was nice for smacking things like opposing Talonflame before it could hit me, but Earthquake is just so useful, allowing me to hit things like Aegislash and Rocky Helmet Ferrothorn without a worry. Mega Kangaskhan is one of the scariest things in the OU meta right now.

fuk megamom (Ferrothorn) (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Def / 180 SDef
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Power Whip
- Protect

I only hope I run into people using Fake Out #MegaMom. Ferrothorn is probably the most reliable Stealth Rock setter at the moment, and it's typing is as amazing as ever. Leech Seed is an always-annoying move that allows Ferrothorn (or it's partners) to recover some HP. Power Whip is the most reliable STAB option, and I choose Protect for the last slot to allow for free Leech Seed recovery. I have Rocky Helmet to severely damage any Pokemon who decides to throw a contact move. I've always preferred Leftovers in the past, but Rocky Helmet seems very useful right now.

MoustacheBat (Crobat) (M) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 HP / 4 Atk
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost

Look at Crobat carefully. Now, imagine it's mouth is actually just a white mustache, like an old man would have. You'll never unsee it. Anyways, Crobat provides Defog support, which Talonflame really needs (and everyone else appreciates regardless). It also provides an excellent fighting resist, which is quite useful. Brave Bird is the obvious main powerful STAB, and with Infiltrator, it becomes particularly nice to smack things behind Subs. Defog is Defog, and Roost allows Crobat to get it's health back. As much as I'd love to have Taunt, I chose U-turn because there are tons of things that can switch in on Crobat for free, and U-turn allows Crobat to work around those switch-ins.

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So there it is. I feel that only having one special attacker may be a weakness, but other than that, I just can't seem to figure out why this team feels lacking. Rate away, and if you've gotten this far, thanks for reading!​

 

[tshahi10]

Have you thought about tailwind on talonflame instead of roost? The last ditch move allows some revengekills that might not otherwise be feasible.
instead of suckerpunch, why not use an elemental punch or shadow claw. I find that suckerpunch is too obvious, and most people end up subbing or something.
Perhaps you could use something other than crobat, like a Lati@s with defog. the bat honestly doesn't seem as powerful as your other pokemon.

 

[Tyranitarphantom]

Have you thought about tailwind on talonflame instead of roost? The last ditch move allows some revengekills that might not otherwise be feasible.
instead of suckerpunch, why not use an elemental punch or shadow claw. I find that suckerpunch is too obvious, and most people end up subbing or something.
Perhaps you could use something other than crobat, like a Lati@s with defog. the bat honestly doesn't seem as powerful as your other pokemon.

I haven't considered Tailwind, but I'll definitely give that a try. Sucker Punch may be obvious, but it's priority, and that alone makes it valuable. If I were playing PokeBank, I might give Fire Punch a try, but for now, I'm gonna stick with Sucker Punch. On the same note, I'm playing XY OU, not PokeBank, so Lati@s aren't available. Otherwise, I'd probably use one of them.

 

[Tathens]

I highly suggest Iron head and Outrage. They have great synergy together since if your Outrage gets stopped by a fairy, you can Iron head for OHKO on Togekiss and other fairies (unless it's a fairy that resist steel). You can also absorb a WoW from Rotom-W and OHKO it with Outrage + Swords dance

That one miss with Stone Miss can really cost you a lot.

And Grass Knot on Greninja.. It hits Rotom-W hard even if you don't want it on your set.

With HP Fire, you're walled in by Azumarill, who can take a major bite out of your team if Ferrothorn is out of the picture.

In addition, may I suggest not using a defogger if you have Stealth Rocks on your own team? Maybe run a Magic Bounce Espeon as a hazard stopper + status absorber (Kangaskhan hates burn even with PuP)

 

[Shurtugal]

Hello!

So I'm just going to nitpick at a few things :)

First, this team is kinda awkward to me. Crobat isn't nearly as good of a Defogger as, say, Latios or Latias imo. Crobat is SR weak and kinda clumsy overall; is there a particular reason you are using it over Lati@s? So my first suggestion is going to be to try Draco Plate / EB Latios in place of Crobat. It has a few niches it can fill that Crobat cannot: like being able to switch into Rotom-W, which is kinda huge, as well as not being weak to SR or Rock-type coverage, which is pretty important. Latios is also stronger, so keep that in mind.

The next thing that makes me kinda give you the shady-eye is that Talonflame of yours. That set is kinda not utilizing Talonflame to its fullest potential, and that is nothing something you want to do. I would switch to Adamant nature, as the power is really lackluster on BB otherwise (trust me; I know -___-). I would then run enough speed to outspend 302, since Jolly Excadrill is the only notable thing you need to hit with Flare Blitz; keep in mind that +2 BB is probably going to OHKO Genesect so Flare Blitzing that would be pointless. Also, I would go ahead and change the item choice to Sky Plate to boost Talonflame's firepower (ha, that was a pun!).

However, I do notice that without Jolly Talon, you don't have anything that can RK or switch into opposing +2 Talonflames. For this reason, I suggest using Heatran over Ferrothorn, since it can get SR and easily beat Talonflame (and Aegislash!).

Lastly, Garchomp's item choice should be Yache Berry to maintain that bulk you say you use it for.

Someone above mentioned that Azu could be a problem if you replaced Ferrothorn (which I recommend you do) so you might want to invest in Thunderbolt on Latios or Fairy-resist berry on Garchomp if you find that you cannot properly predict vs. Azu enough to where it becomes a problem (to be honest, Kang's Fake Out and Sucker Punch are pretty good deterrents for Azu, as well as Talonflame's Sky Plate boosted Adamant Brave Birds, and then there are a lot of things on this team that can tank Aqua Jet so I'm not worried too much.)

Good luck!

 

[Piconoe]

Hello!

So I'm just going to nitpick at a few things :)

First, this team is kinda awkward to me. Crobat isn't nearly as good of a Defogger as, say, Latios or Latias imo. Crobat is SR weak and kinda clumsy overall; is there a particular reason you are using it over Lati@s? So my first suggestion is going to be to try Draco Plate / EB Latios in place of Crobat. It has a few niches it can fill that Crobat cannot: like being able to switch into Rotom-W, which is kinda huge, as well as not being weak to SR or Rock-type coverage, which is pretty important. Latios is also stronger, so keep that in mind.

The next thing that makes me kinda give you the shady-eye is that Talonflame of yours. That set is kinda not utilizing Talonflame to its fullest potential, and that is nothing something you want to do. I would switch to Adamant nature, as the power is really lackluster on BB otherwise (trust me; I know -___-). I would then run enough speed to outspend 302, since Jolly Excadrill is the only notable thing you need to hit with Flare Blitz; keep in mind that +2 BB is probably going to OHKO Genesect so Flare Blitzing that would be pointless. Also, I would go ahead and change the item choice to Sky Plate to boost Talonflame's firepower (ha, that was a pun!).

However, I do notice that without Jolly Talon, you don't have anything that can RK or switch into opposing +2 Talonflames. For this reason, I suggest using Heatran over Ferrothorn, since it can get SR and easily beat Talonflame (and Aegislash!).

Lastly, Garchomp's item choice should be Yache Berry to maintain that bulk you say you use it for.

Someone above mentioned that Azu could be a problem if you replaced Ferrothorn (which I recommend you do) so you might want to invest in Thunderbolt on Latios or Fairy-resist berry on Garchomp if you find that you cannot properly predict vs. Azu enough to where it becomes a problem (to be honest, Kang's Fake Out and Sucker Punch are pretty good deterrents for Azu, as well as Talonflame's Sky Plate boosted Adamant Brave Birds, and then there are a lot of things on this team that can tank Aqua Jet so I'm not worried too much.)

Good luck!

Hey, I'm going to nitpick your nitpick:

On the same note, I'm playing XY OU, not PokeBank

If it doesn't have the Pokebank Header, stop bloody assuming it's Pokebank. They made it pretty clear in the sticky that the Pokebank header is mandatory for Pokebank teams, so if it doesn't say Pokebank, it's not Pokebank...

No Latios
No Latias
No Heatran

 

[Rivath]

Can I suggest an alternative Talonflame set?

I found that this combo works well:
Talonflame @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Acrobatics
- U-turn / Roost
- Flare Blitz

Since Talonflame's moves mainly means its bashing itself against its opponent it doesn't take mush for it to get under 50% health, when this happens the Sitrus Berry kicks in bringing it back up to almost full health. With your item gone you now have a 2X damage Acrobatics with priority. U-turn can help get Talonflame away from Ttar while doing a nice chunk of damage as well. You can then switch into your ninja for a quick Hydro to the face to finish him off. However you could run Roost to compensate for bashing as well.