So I will be honest and admit this is my first team I've sent for rating, but I'm starting to pick up and do better and better. This team is the main reason I'm even near 1300, which I know isn't a high ranking, but I've been learning the competitive environment too. I've tried a few variations of things, but for now I've been mildly stuck with this team to do the best.
The team originally started out for the worse, with M!Gyarados and I believe Arcanine for Scarfer. I eventually swapped to M!Pinsir, which helped. I made another team (which I may never post) that included Scarf Nihilego. I liked it enough to put it onto this team, which helped greatly.
The main, core idea behind this team isn't Mega Pinsir though. It's often, ironically enough, surprise coverage moves on Pokemon that can be weak/neutral to checks. Prediction plays key on this team, which is why it's taken awhile for it to lift off in rankings (mostly my own fault), but it starts paying off dividends as KOs start happening. Every Pokemon on my team has swept at some point or another due to poor enemy prediction or just poor matchup, even Dugtrio.
Mega-Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Hyper Cutter / Aerilate
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
- Return
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance
When I first started playing OU, I didn't really know what Mega I wanted to use. I made a few different teams, but when I started using Mega Pinsir it started tying together really well. Its high attack, decent speed and good coverage made it easy for me to place onto the team and covered a few of my weaknesses surprisingly well with EQ/Knock Off in its movesets. Its pre-Mega ability lets me keep it in on a predicted Landorus switch and 2HKO without Intimidate's negatives. Unfortunately my team doesn't have a dedicated Defogger or hazard cleaner, which means that Pinsir gets knocked out pretty quickly due to that or heavy hitters.
Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4SpD
- Earthquake
- Night Slash
- Sucker Punch
- Stone Edge
Dugtrio is my dedicated trapper on the team, able to handle some threats that my team may have issues with such as Heatran, AV Magearna, Tapu Koko etc. Night Slash is a move I brought in to take down Ghost-types, which I noticed was an issue with my team beforehand. Sucker Punch helps secure KOs against some scarfers, and Stone Edge lets me either outright OHKO or massively damage any Mega Charizard, a threat that I can't deal with if it outspeeds my scarfer. It's often one of the first Pokemon that end up being sacked on my team to allow a switch-in to a check for a different Pokemon, due to Focus Sash often kicking in.
Nihilego @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpAtk / 252 Spe / 4 SpDef
- Dazzling Gleam
- Power Gem
- Sludge Wave
- Thunderbolt
Nihilego is my scarfer for the team, and it does its job quite well in most instances. It can outspeed +1 Char X and after chip damage from another Pokemon OHKO with Power Gem, allowing me to contain a risk to my team. Dazzling Gleam and Thunderbolt often secure surprise KOs to people thinking it's not running that sort of coverage, along with a very fast Sludge Wave. Nihilego is often hard to keep alive though-if it doesn't secure a near OHKO I've noticed it tends to fall quickly. That and it's prediction-heavy, to be able to take a Pokemon out by surprise.
Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
Nature: Modest
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpAtk / 4 SpDef
- Air Slash
- Flamethrower
- Leech Seed
- Flash Cannon
Celesteela is my physical/special wall and the primary way to handle Scizor, Ferrothorn, other Celesteela, and Pokemon weak to Air Slash/Cannon. Leech Seed is there to give it some extra staying power or to force switches. Surprise factor is common with this setup, as it is on a few of my others. Its Beast Boost has helped it sweep a few times, but it often ends up recalled due to its checks/counters coming onto the field or sacked due to a drawn-out conflict.
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
Nature: Hasty
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 SpAtk / 4 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Scald
- Gunk Shot
- Ice Beam
Greninja is one of my heavy hitters, supposed to take out Landorus, regular fire types, psychics, and Fairy-types besides Koko. While the moves are rather standard, they help immensely with containing Tapus and Landorus. It's unfortunately frail though, and Life Orb to boost its attacks means that it goes down even faster.
Zapdos @ Expert Belt
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Modest
EVs: 252 SpAtk / 248 HP / 8 SpDef
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Extrasensory
- Roost
Zapdos is my alternative counter to water types, steels that Celesteela has issues with (like Balloon Magnezone if I predict the switch), fighting types, flying types, and poison types. It can also help against non-CM/AV Magearna, weakening it for Dugtrio. Discharge is over Bolt for paralyzing, Heat Wave for steels and/or grass, Extrasensory for fighting/poison. Roost is to give it some longevity. Due to the way the team plays though, its sweeping is stopped to allow another 'Mon to switch and surprise KO. Typically though, it does end up getting 1 KO.
I have a couple issues on my team: Entry hazards and setup sweepers that boost Speed/SpDef. Once they get started, most of my team isn't bulky enough to take a boosted hit and strike back. M!Pinsir often gets worn down enough for enemy 'Mons to OHKO if SR is up. The worst Mon that I have to face that's setup is often Char X, due to DD outspeeding my Nihilego at +2, especially since my Dugtrio is often out of the fight by that point.
Poor bulk, inability to haze, and lack of hazard support often hurts my team, and leave me down to a 1v1 situation. Thankfully I tend to win those, but it's not recommended.
The team originally started out for the worse, with M!Gyarados and I believe Arcanine for Scarfer. I eventually swapped to M!Pinsir, which helped. I made another team (which I may never post) that included Scarf Nihilego. I liked it enough to put it onto this team, which helped greatly.
The main, core idea behind this team isn't Mega Pinsir though. It's often, ironically enough, surprise coverage moves on Pokemon that can be weak/neutral to checks. Prediction plays key on this team, which is why it's taken awhile for it to lift off in rankings (mostly my own fault), but it starts paying off dividends as KOs start happening. Every Pokemon on my team has swept at some point or another due to poor enemy prediction or just poor matchup, even Dugtrio.
Mega-Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Hyper Cutter / Aerilate
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
- Return
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance
When I first started playing OU, I didn't really know what Mega I wanted to use. I made a few different teams, but when I started using Mega Pinsir it started tying together really well. Its high attack, decent speed and good coverage made it easy for me to place onto the team and covered a few of my weaknesses surprisingly well with EQ/Knock Off in its movesets. Its pre-Mega ability lets me keep it in on a predicted Landorus switch and 2HKO without Intimidate's negatives. Unfortunately my team doesn't have a dedicated Defogger or hazard cleaner, which means that Pinsir gets knocked out pretty quickly due to that or heavy hitters.
Dugtrio @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4SpD
- Earthquake
- Night Slash
- Sucker Punch
- Stone Edge
Dugtrio is my dedicated trapper on the team, able to handle some threats that my team may have issues with such as Heatran, AV Magearna, Tapu Koko etc. Night Slash is a move I brought in to take down Ghost-types, which I noticed was an issue with my team beforehand. Sucker Punch helps secure KOs against some scarfers, and Stone Edge lets me either outright OHKO or massively damage any Mega Charizard, a threat that I can't deal with if it outspeeds my scarfer. It's often one of the first Pokemon that end up being sacked on my team to allow a switch-in to a check for a different Pokemon, due to Focus Sash often kicking in.
Nihilego @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 SpAtk / 252 Spe / 4 SpDef
- Dazzling Gleam
- Power Gem
- Sludge Wave
- Thunderbolt
Nihilego is my scarfer for the team, and it does its job quite well in most instances. It can outspeed +1 Char X and after chip damage from another Pokemon OHKO with Power Gem, allowing me to contain a risk to my team. Dazzling Gleam and Thunderbolt often secure surprise KOs to people thinking it's not running that sort of coverage, along with a very fast Sludge Wave. Nihilego is often hard to keep alive though-if it doesn't secure a near OHKO I've noticed it tends to fall quickly. That and it's prediction-heavy, to be able to take a Pokemon out by surprise.
Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
Nature: Modest
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpAtk / 4 SpDef
- Air Slash
- Flamethrower
- Leech Seed
- Flash Cannon
Celesteela is my physical/special wall and the primary way to handle Scizor, Ferrothorn, other Celesteela, and Pokemon weak to Air Slash/Cannon. Leech Seed is there to give it some extra staying power or to force switches. Surprise factor is common with this setup, as it is on a few of my others. Its Beast Boost has helped it sweep a few times, but it often ends up recalled due to its checks/counters coming onto the field or sacked due to a drawn-out conflict.
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
Nature: Hasty
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 SpAtk / 4 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Scald
- Gunk Shot
- Ice Beam
Greninja is one of my heavy hitters, supposed to take out Landorus, regular fire types, psychics, and Fairy-types besides Koko. While the moves are rather standard, they help immensely with containing Tapus and Landorus. It's unfortunately frail though, and Life Orb to boost its attacks means that it goes down even faster.
Zapdos @ Expert Belt
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Modest
EVs: 252 SpAtk / 248 HP / 8 SpDef
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Extrasensory
- Roost
Zapdos is my alternative counter to water types, steels that Celesteela has issues with (like Balloon Magnezone if I predict the switch), fighting types, flying types, and poison types. It can also help against non-CM/AV Magearna, weakening it for Dugtrio. Discharge is over Bolt for paralyzing, Heat Wave for steels and/or grass, Extrasensory for fighting/poison. Roost is to give it some longevity. Due to the way the team plays though, its sweeping is stopped to allow another 'Mon to switch and surprise KO. Typically though, it does end up getting 1 KO.
I have a couple issues on my team: Entry hazards and setup sweepers that boost Speed/SpDef. Once they get started, most of my team isn't bulky enough to take a boosted hit and strike back. M!Pinsir often gets worn down enough for enemy 'Mons to OHKO if SR is up. The worst Mon that I have to face that's setup is often Char X, due to DD outspeeding my Nihilego at +2, especially since my Dugtrio is often out of the fight by that point.
Poor bulk, inability to haze, and lack of hazard support often hurts my team, and leave me down to a 1v1 situation. Thankfully I tend to win those, but it's not recommended.
