Hey everyone! This is my very first RMT and I'm really hoping to get some solid feedback on this team I made! Instead of rambling anymore, let's get right into the team!
The Team
Building the Team
The Team
Building the Team
I knew going into building, I wanted to start with a mon that I liked. I’ve always liked Jirachi, but never used one in as support. I thought using the Healing Wish set would be fun and would pair well other mons in OU. It also has a lot of special bulk and can resist many threats with its Steel/Psychic typing.
Next, I decided to add Rotom-Wash. Rotom is immune to Ground (with the exception of Thousand Arrows Zygarde and Mold Breaker Excadrill), and resists Fire, so it helps cover those weaknesses that Jirachi has. It can also be fairly bulky and take hits and pivot out.
Tangrowth was my next pick for the team. With an Assault Vest, it can take several hits on both the physical and special side, while also recovering health when switching out thanks to Regenerator. This also covers Rotom’s weaknesses to Grass moves and the Ground moves that are able to hit Rotom that were mentioned earlier.
Zygarde was added as a setup sweeper. I wanted something with immense power that could punch holes through teams. With a Z-Crystal, it can deal massive damage and remove threats that may otherwise tank its attacks.
The last two mons were kind of tricky to decide. I saw that my team was lacking in specially-offensive pressure, and I also didn’t have a Mega yet. This prompted me to pick Mega Charizard-Y as a special wallbreaker. It gave me good coverage and a good way to check mons like Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor.
Lastly, I put Greninja on the team. I debated back and forth between Protean and Battle Bond, but decided Protean looked better since Mega Charizard-Y’s Drought would hinder Battle Bond Greninja’s Water attacks. This also gave me a little speed control that the team was lacking.
Team Movesets
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP / 108 SpD / 152 Spe
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Iron Head
- U-turn
- Healing Wish
As I mentioned before, I wanted Jirachi to have Healing Wish. I pretty much took the standard set that ran Stealth Rocks. Stealth Rock is arguably one of the best moves in the game and can help to widdle down opponents that are constantly switching in and out. Iron Head is a good STAB move and has a 60% chance to flinch slower mons because of Jirachi’s ability Serene Grace. U-turn provides good momentum and allows you to tank hits from faster mons and then letting you switch in accordingly. Healing Wish provides the support needed for mons that are weakened and need health back and status removed. Leftovers is there for a bit of recovery so you try to put up rocks if they are cleared, and so you can save Healing Wish for later in the game.
Rotom-Wash @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Pain Split
- Defog
This Rotom-Wash is mostly physically defensive. Volt Switch is a good option to pivot out and forms a Volt-Turn core with Jirachi. Hydro Pump is your main STAB move and can punish mons like Landorus-Therian and Gliscor. Pain Split allows you to gain massive amounts of health back from healthy mons. Defog is around to clear any hazards that hinder the team, specifically rocks for Charizard and webs for Zygarde and Greninja. I decided I was going to use the Iapapa Berry as well to help gain a lot of health back so you can get off a Defog or Hydro Pump without being worn down too much and losing momentum.
Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Earthquake
Tangrowth is running a pretty standard set, with the exception of Leaf Storm. Leaf Storm is really there for the extra power it has over Giga Drain. I figured since Tangrowth has Regenerator and will be switching a lot, Giga Drain wasn’t too necessary for the team. Knock Off helps get rid of any pesky items that are giving you problems, such as Leftovers on Heatran and Eviolite on Chansey. Hidden Power Ice is just good coverage for Landorus-Therian and many Dragon-types that live in the tier. Earthquake provides good coverage for Steel-types that are weak to it, such as Heatran and Magearna. The Assault Vest on Tangrowth helps it check special attackers, like Tapu Koko and Greninja.
Zygarde @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Aura Break
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Thousand Arrows
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed
- Dragon Dance
Zygarde is running a Dragon Dance set, which I think pairs very well Healing Wish Jirachi. Thousand Arrows and Extreme Speed are a staple on every Zygarde. Thousand Arrows is an amazing STAB move that can hit mons that are Flying or have Levitate. Extreme Speed is good priority that allows you to damage foes that outpace Zygarde. Outrage is another good STAB move, but mainly on the set since it pairs great with Dragonium Z. Devastating Drake deals more damage than Outrage, and doesn’t lock you into the move the way Outrage does. Dragon Dance is just pure setup for extra attack and speed. Healing Wish from Jirachi can also heal Zygarde up if it is low on HP, burned, or badly poisoned. It also allows you to setup early and weaken your opponents team, and then bring it in again later at full health to finish whatever it started.
Charizard-Mega-Y @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Drought
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Solar Beam
- Focus Blast
- Roost
Mega Charizard-Y is running a common set. Fire Blast hits like a truck in the sunlight produced by Drought. Solar Beam doesn’t need to charge in the sunlight, and deals heavy damage to bulky Water-types like Tapu Fini. Focus Blast hits mons like Tyranitar that hits Tyranitar, which may try to trap you with Pursuit. Roost provides recovery for Charizard against mons that can’t deal much damage to it. Drought is also a nice ability to have to get rid of sandstorms or rain that other teams are trying to abuse.
Greninja (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Protean
EVs: 176 Atk / 80 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Ice Beam
- Gunk Shot
- U-turn
- Spikes
Protean Greninja is so hard to pick moves for, but these are the ones I settled on. Ice Beam is just very good coverage for mons that are weak to it, like Landorus-Therian, Garchomp, Tangrowth, etc. Gunk Shot punishes Fairy-types like the Tapus and Clefable. U-turn can help keep up any momentum you have while also dealing a nice bit of damage to mons like Mew and Hoopa-Unbound. I had a hard time deciding what the last move should be, so I thought Spikes would be nice to help wear down mons so Zygarde or Charizard can come in and pick them off. Having Protean is nice as well since all your offensive moves become STAB so they deal a little more damage. I went with a Choice Scarf for Greninja’s item since my team was having problems with speed control without it.
Other Options
Honestly, I feel like the team is very solid overall, but there are several changes that can be made to it.
Rotom-Wash can run Will-O-Wisp over Pain Split so it can cripple physical attackers that apply too much pressure. If you do run Will-O-Wisp instead, I would also consider running Leftovers rather than the Iapapa Berry since you have no form of recovery without Healing Wish from Jirachi.
Tangrowth can run Giga Drain over Leaf Storm. Giga Drain does give you extra recovery, but sacrifices some of the raw power Leaf Storm provides. Giga Drain also has much more PP than Leaf Storm, which can be beneficial in some matchups where bulky Water-types become an issue. Hidden Power Ice can also be replaced with Hidden Power Fire so Tangrowth can touch Ferrothorn and also OHKO Kartana. Sludge Bomb is another option that helps deal with Tapu Bulu.
Fire Blast can be replaced with Flamethrower on Mega Charizard-Y if you are concerned about accuracy. It can also drop Focus Blast or Roost for Hidden Power Ice or Air Slash. Hidden Power Ice is super effective against a lot of mons in OU, and Air Slash provides good STAB and a chance to flinch.
Greninja can run Rock Slide or a Dark-type attack to help deal with Blacephalon. Blacephalon is hard to defeat without one of those moves, but since the team has Stealth Rock to wear it down and because Blacephalon isn’t used too often, I think missing these moves is okay. However, Rock Slide also helps cover opposing Mega Charizard-Y and a +1 Volcarona. Hidden Power Fire is a decent option that allows you to hit Ferrothorn and Kartana, and also abuses the sunlight from Charizard’s Drought. Lastly, Low Kick can help you break through mons like Tyranitar or Chansey.
Weaknesses
This team struggles against Blacephalon. The only resists to its Fire attacks are Rotom and Zygarde, but if Blacephalon is Choice Specs or Calm Mind with a Z-Crystal, Rotom and Zygarde won’t appreciate taking hits.
Shift Gear Magearna gives this team trouble. I mean, what team can deal with it easily? It hits incredibly hard and has great coverage. Greninja is the only mon that can outspeed Magearna after a Shift Gear, but it can’t do anything in return. Your best bet is to try to prevent the setup or hope that you already have a +1 Zygarde on the field that is ready to OHKO it.
Chansey is just fat. So fat that almost nothing in the tier can outright OHKO it. Jirachi is immune to Chansey’s Toxic and can slowly flinch with Iron Head, but can still be chipped away by Seismic Toss. Tangrowth can Knock Off Chansey’s Eviolite, but risks being hit with a Toxic. Zygarde can deal some nice damage, but can’t KO even with it’s Z Move unless you get to +1 or have already chipped away at Chansey. Chansey can also recover with Soft-Boiled, so it can be even more of a pain. When you see a Chansey on your opponent’s team, just play carefully.
Replays
SD Mimikyu - https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-776762624
Blacephalon and Shift Gear Magearna - https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-776759573
Weird Stall Team - https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-775369118
Conclusion
While I do think the team is good, I think it could use improvement. I think the first 4 mons and their roles are very nice, but could run a couple different moves to fix some holes in the team. I also don’t know if Charizard and Choice Scarf Greninja fit perfectly, but they seemed to secure me some victories, so I won’t deny that they can work on this team. I’d like to know what you think of this team and what you would recommend changing to make it better. Thank you for reading!
