ORAS OU Trick Room Belly Bandits

[Jojobobo]

Catchy title, right?

Sorry for the mismatched sprites (EDIT: only two of them have even showed up, I'll put them back in later). The idea behind this was to make fast-paced, offensive Trick Room team as a counterpoint to the speed obsessed meta. The goal of the team are to get Stealth Rock down, then use a set up sweeper to make a few holes, then repeat. So far I'm looking at slightly higher than 3/4 wins to losses of around 40 matches - I would give you a score but it's somehow divided my wins between regular OU and ORAS OU. So let's get this ball rolling:

Uxie @ Red Card
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Memento
- Magic Coat
- Stealth Rock

Uxie is a fantastic lead. Against other SR users or Taunt users she can use Magic Coat and buy a free turn. Against scouts she can SR. Following this I use Trick Room and then Memento into a sweeper, allowing them to set up even in the face of counters. Red card allows me to phaze and messes with the opponents' game plan (particularly things like M-Salamence variants that like to sub then attack) - allowing my very systematic play-style to work. If the opposing player has a dark move or a strong U-turn, I'll forgo Stealth Rock and go straight for Trick Room.

The only time this lead doesn't work is when it gets hit by a dark type crit, flinch hax occurs or when I can't tell if their lead has Taunt (Greninja, Talonflame and Gengar are all examples that can do a number on me in this respect). I've seen m-Heracross KO but that's about it.

Diancie @ Focus Sash
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Diamond Storm
- Explosion
- Trick Room
- Stealth Rock

Diancie is here because of the powerful Explosions and high defenses, as well as countering Talonflame and other flying types like Thundurus. Focus Sash pretty much guarantees Trick Room if SR isn't in play (people normally lead with Taunt users, they don't pull them out mid-game). I have used Final Gambit, V-create Victini in this spot - but the SR weakness really kills its bulk. I've also used Carbink with a very similar set-up and Red Card + Sturdy, but I prefer the power of Diancie's Explosion.

Bronzong @ Red Card
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gyro Ball
- Explosion
- Trick Room
- Stealth Rock

A very similar set to Diancie to be honest. Again Red Card for phazing. Gyro Ball can really hit hard on the fast meta (a 62.5% chance to OHKO m-Sceptile for example), and can allow me to deal with Unaware Clefable who causes this team trouble.

Azumarill @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Waterfall
- Aqua Jet
- Play Rough
- Belly Drum

Bellyjet Azumarill is absurdly powerful, allowing it to KO most of the meta. Under Trick Room it only gets worse, compensating for its sucky speed and giving it ridiculously fast priority for a few turns, allowing it to KO any other priority user dumb enough to switch in under TR. The combo of Red Cards, Memento and its high bulk provide for many easy set up opportunities - that's if it even needs to set up. It mainly has trouble with m-Venusaur. but thankfully the popularity of m-Metagross and m-Gallade has seen a huge drop off in usage, making this set much more viable than it once was. Ferrothorn is also a pain, but that's why I have...

Hariyama @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Bullet Punch
- Brick Break
- Knock Off
- Belly Drum

Hariyama answers a lot of problems that Azumarill has, whilst having a similar attack. It can muscle through m-Venusaur in a couple of turns and is a solid answer for Ferrothorn. It also loves status, having an enormous attack (2232) whilst burnt, poisoned or paralysed with Belly Drum (some people will burn it, whilst often defensive pokemon run Scald or Lava Plume anyway and burn it accidentally).

It can lure fairies and psychic types, who assume they're safe because it's a fighting type only to be KO'd by the coverage. Bullet Punch isn't the best priority lacking a STAB but against things that don't resist it's still going to hit very hard, unfortunately it can't KO Talonflame under TR, but the combo of it and recoil will kill the bird if it comes to that. All its moves are 100% accurate, which is nice compared to Azumarill. I took Brick Break over Close Combat so bulk can be retained, it's a shame it doesn't get Hammer Arm or Drain Punch really.

Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Bullet Punch
- Brick Break Superpower
- U-turn
- Knock Off

Scizor is here as it doesn't require any set-up, and should Azumarill or Hariyama have fallen prematurely then I can waste a turn by U-turning into one of my TR setters. It also acts as a scout if I need it if an Explosion KOs, allowing me to spot phazers who wouldn't let me set up Belly Drum or just switch in whichever pokemon can handle the other the best. Should the crap really hit the fan and I can't set up TR, I can always try to fall back on CB Bullet Punch.

Threats:

The main problems I have is with Unaware Clefable. Obviously Scizor can do a number on it, but they pretty much always have Flamethrower for that reason. Pinning it down so I can then sweep can be problematic. I would say the same of Quagsire, but I've not seen it once.

Bisharp is also an issue, blocking me from setting up TR a lot of the time (Bronzong can't take its Knock Off), but Hariyama can threaten it out.

M-Venusaur can cause me problems, but usually Hariyama can break through it - or I can soften it up with an Explosion first. It also really has dropped off in usage, thankfully.

Teams revolving around phazing will also cause issue, as if a phazer is out then they can ruin my attempts to set up, especially as Belly Drum can only very rarely be used twice in a match. However as most common phazers fall to Azumarill (Hippowdon, Heatran) this isn't as much of a problem as you'd think.

Also, two pokemon with Bullet Punch isn't that great but that's really the only priority those two have going for them.

Thoughts?

 

[Imperator Romanum]

This is a weird team. Scizor has access to super power, use it. Why are you using Hariyama instead of Conkuldurr. You already have a belly drummer. Gothitelle can be pretty neat to add. Since it can trap and kill both Clefable and Quagsire with ease. Though it does increase your Dark weakness

 

[Jojobobo]

I don't like the attack drop of Superpower, it doesn't make for a very sustained assault. Hariyama can hit a lot harder than Conkeldurr after Belly Drum and with the set up of the team very frequently gets its opportunity, so there really is no question there. Having tried Gothitelle, it's pretty useless outside of trapping - the same is not true of Scizor. Priority is key here, some of my fights have been decided by using the priority of my last three pokemon after my TR users perished prematurely.

Any other thoughts?

 

[Imperator Romanum]

I don't like the attack drop of Superpower, it doesn't make for a very sustained assault. Hariyama can hit a lot harder than Conkeldurr after Belly Drum and with the set up of the team very frequently gets its opportunity, so there really is no question there. Having tried Gothitelle, it's pretty useless outside of trapping - the same is not true of Scizor. Priority is key here, some of my fights have been decided by using the priority of my last three pokemon after my TR users perished prematurely.

Any other thoughts?

With Birdspam going around? And not to mention Bullet punch not exactly being the best priority, since it's resisted by many pokemon that are faster. Gothitelle is indeed useless without trapping yes, but it's pretty damn good at trapping and removin specific threaths. I'd use Gothitelle, it will help you againts the Unaware users.

 

[Jojobobo]

With Birdspam going around? And not to mention Bullet punch not exactly being the best priority, since it's resisted by many pokemon that are faster. Gothitelle is indeed useless without trapping yes, but it's pretty damn good at trapping and removin specific threaths. I'd use Gothitelle, it will help you againts the Unaware users.

I wouldn't use Bellydrum on Hariyama if Talonflame was on the scene, I wouldn't even swap it in. Talonflame is hard countered by Diancie, and I always get SR up, so Talonflame doesn't cause me any issues (no Talonflame I've even seen uses Iron Wing) because as soon as it pops out in comes Diancie. Even without using Diancie, the Red Card system can often ruin it with SR in play.

I've already tried Gothitelle and it didn't work for me. Clefable and Quagsire aren't common enough to warrant its usage, and can be worked around as I've mentioned. I need something that can be useful whether or not TR is in place, and making a slow Gothitelle definitely does not fit that bill.

I have taken your suggestion of Superpower after all however, I had a 1 on 1 vs Heatran and Brick Break wasn't enough to get past. In all likelihood if it's end game and I have to use Scizor many enemies with fighting weaknesses wouldn't be that common.