SM OU Ribbit

[SelfDestruct0r]

Hey everyone here at the OU Community! I have always loved team building in this tier, but I always end up scratching whatever team I make. However, this time I've made a team that works rather well in OU, which focuses around the game's two best frogs: Greninja and Toxicroak. Now I'd just like some help from you guys to help me make some final touches :) (btw they're sorted by base speed)

Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Recover
- Focus Blast

This set was not really something I wanted on this team, but without Zam the squad is just so unbelievably slow. It's a a standard set that does standard Zam things, Recover is there to potentially stall out Cresselia'a Trick Room or Lele's Terrain if I need to use Sucker Punch. I also did not see the need for Dazzling Gleam or Calm Mind, mainly because its coverage is good as is and I'm going to use this as a revenge killer, not a setup sweeper.

Greninja @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- U-turn
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Hydro Pump

Like Zam, I didn't really like having Greninja here. I originally had an AV Tangrowth to check opposing Greninja, Koko and Zygarde, but I figured that Toxicroak and Landorus can do that on their own. Scarf Protean allows me to outspend several relevant threats such as Scarf Lele and opposing Mega Zams. I usually just click pump or u-turn, but HP Fire is important for certain threats to the team (i'll discuss later)

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 140 Def / 120 Spe
Relaxed Nature
- Sludge Bomb
- Earthquake
- Defog
- U-turn

Landorus has to be on this team, mostly because it has to be on every team. It's the best check to Zygarde and Koko that I have, and even then it's not entirely reliable against Coil or HP Ice respectively. Sludge Bomb is obviously for Bulu, which is a huge nuisance to any team, and having it gone means that Mandibuzz can focus on walling other physical threats like opposing Landorus and Hawlucha. 120 speed with a - nature is the same as 16 speed with a neutral nature, which is the standard Landorus speed for outpacing base 95's.

Toxicroak @ Assault Vest
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 64 HP / 252 Atk / 192 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Sucker Punch
- Drain Punch
- Gunk Shot
- Ice Punch

Toxicroak is simply a great wallbreaker. It can keep its health up with DP while also dealing big damage to anything it switches into. It is a perfect counter to Greninja, Tapu Fini, Ludicolo and other Water Types, while also being able to switch in on Stone Edges or High Jump Kicks from various Pokemon. The Speed is for outpacing max Speed Heatran. (this is the mon i'd prefer most to not be replaced please)

Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 168 SpA / 92 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt

Offensive Heatran can wall and kill very effectively in this meta game. Earth Power, for example, OHKOs most other Heatrans from full. Taunt + Rocks can help me win the war against Defog + Roost spammers like Zapdos. Magma Storm can guarantee me some damage if not a KO on bulky Pokemon who can't hit me back if I make the right predictions.

Mandibuzz @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 248 HP / 200 Def / 60 Spe
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Defog
- Foul Play
- Toxic

I don't care if I'm wrong, I think Mandibuzz should be the PREMIERE physical wall in OU. It just lives so many different hits on the physical side while also helping me get rid of hazards. If I predict a Specs Greninja lead, I'll lead this and Roost to see what it does (Specs Pump does 60% and Specs Ice Beam doesn't exist), then go into Toxicroak or stay in depending on what I see. This can also 1v1 Hawluchas, Landorus-Therians and other physical setup sweepers with Foul Play + Rocky Helmet.


THREATS:
This team has two big weaknesses according to the battles I've played: Rain and Stall. For one, my Water switch-in is Toxicroak, which would work on most teams, but Mega Swampert simply does not care about any Pokemon on my team. Pelipper is also extremely scary, as Toxicroak gets destroyed by Hurricane. Honestly, I almost thought of giving Greninja HP Electric for that monster. Secondly, I have no setup, meaning that Stall is naturally a pain in the ass. Once Mandibuzz gets poisoned and Toxicroak goes down, it's GG.

As for specifics, Magearna is kind of troublesome, as I can't hit it hard if Heatran and Landorus are KO'd, and a Shift Gear BoltBeam set could sweep my team rather easily.

Thanks for reading this post! If you liked or disliked the team, please feel free to let me know! I would love some critiques or some helpful team changes to make my laddering experience better overall. Thanks!

 

[Deleted User [433215]]

Hi, i can help you. theres things to improve seeing as quite a few threats can destroy your team.

Medicham: nothing switches in and gets free kills on the mons slower than it (everythin except zam and gren) and it can chip those with fake out.

Mawile: SDs and can really hurt ur entire team. Keep tran at full for this and play around its sucker punches as much as u can.

Zygarde: subcoil and coil sets in general are super annoying and scarf gren isnt exactly the best measure as a lot of the coil and zygs carry glare.

Magearna: this mon is really annoying in general. Shift gear is deadly if its able to get too many sp atk boosts and TR is really annoying.

Garchomp: dragonium sd sets can beat p much everything since gren is the only thing that can outspeed and kill while chomp can sd vs a lot of the team and drop the z and get a kill.

Zapdos: walls p much your whole team as u need to sludge bomb spam with lando then start using ice beam. while zap can discharge or heat wavy everything.

Victini: not too common but if it gets a z celebrate off, its gonna require very precise play between zam and gren to kill.

Tyranitar: banded and mega rocks are annoying. Banded does a ton to every member with no way to pressure it besides zam (which needs to hit blast), gren which cant kill, and lando who needs to get in safe. And rocks mega tar gets em up on p much everything.

Tapu Koko: z tbolt and z wild charge sets beat your team very easily. The only mons thst have a shot are zam and gren, which cant get in safe and neither kill from full. Shuca also takes on lando p easily.

Tapu Lele: the z fight taunt set 6-0s you p much. Gren cant kill nor can even zam while lele just clicks moves and gets kills.

Pinsir: if it gets of SD, its p much a done game since quick atk is killing zam and gren.

Major Changes:
AV Tangrowth over Mandibuzz: supplies a zyg counter while also beating tapu koko p well. Also lets you deal with bulu quite easily. Even gives u a way to wall ash gren. Even gives u a nice rain check as well as even a soft check to non specs or z psychic lele.

Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Def / 228 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power Ice
- Sludge Bomb

Replace toxicroak, ik you didnt wanna replace this but i feel for the team to be its best, it needs to be. Id replace it with a toxapex to give a volc counter as well as give the ability to annoy things thanks to toxic spikes. it also gives a dual regen core and eases tangs MU vs ash gren and rain in general. Even gives a tornadus counter.

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Haze
- Recover
- Toxic Spikes

Minor changes:
Make the greninja a specs ash greninja so u can have some priority in water shuriken and set down spikes for mega zam to clean later.

Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken
- Spikes

Make the heatran a z fire varient. It helps the stall matchup a bit and can even give you a nuke to use vs more offensive teams. It also pressures things like gliscor from coming in.

Heatran @ Firium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock

Make the lando a bulky scarf defogger. this will give some speed control as well as a good glue in general. Even helps vs pinsir with rock slide and gets momentum with u turn.

Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 96 Atk / 212 Def / 200 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Rock Slide
- Defog

So those are all the changes. these changes will help with a lot of your previous matchup issues as well as make the team easy to use as well as effective. I hope my advice helped and if u have any questions, feel free to ask.