Gen 5 OU Funky Bulky Offense

[Gen1UUFan]

Introduction​

Here I am again, with another team full of only somewhat viable pokemon that will make people yell at me. Still though, this team has been a lot of fun to play with, and it has tools to deal with some of the biggest threats in the metagame. I feel like my replays will show more than I can say, but I urge anyone reading this to keep an open mind. Any help with EV tuning/Movesets would really appreciated, but the overall structure of this team is pretty set, I think. Regardless, please enjoy the showcase for this Funky team, and thank you for reading!

Teambuilding Process​

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Tenta is an obvious choice in BW OU. It's the best defensive spinner, has decent chip in Scald, and lays T-Spikes. Having another spinner lets me lean into its specially defensive nature, to a point where most non-STAB Thunders fail to 2HKO. Just an all-around great support pokemon, especially against Rain.

Not exactly unseen, Zapdos is still a rare sight in OU, probably due to Thundurus-T's greatness. So this set aims to sort of bridge the gap between fully defensive and offensive. Great 3-move coverage, good Sp. Atk, and workable speed allows it to pose an offensive threat, while good bulk, Pressure, and Roost lets it still stall out a number of threats, and makes it more than dead weight when statused.

Similar to Zapdos, Arcanine has a lot of competition within its type for the roll it plays as a physical Fire-type wallbreaker, so this set utilizes what Darminitan and Victini lack, which is good bulk and priority respectively. A nice, consistent damage dealing pokemon, it helps against rain and sun, while Extremespeed is just an amazing, oftentimes game saving move. It also has good defensive synergy with Zapdos and Tentacruel, while Intimidate is an amazing ability.

Prototypical Choice-scarfer. A little held back by its stats, it is otherwise quite effective. As an Outrage/E-quake spamming revenge killer, Garchomp obviously far outclasses it, however levitate and U-turn makes it incredible for keeping up momentum. Great to throw out when the enemy lead is uncertain.

Aside from Flygon, most of this team has a notable weakness to entry hazards. Hitmontop is a great solution to that. Gengar unfortunately shuts it down completely, but it can switch in on any physical attacker and spin, while punishing Jelli switches with Toxic. It has decent offensive as well, as Fighting type coverage helps this team a lot and Sucker Punch lets it nab surprise KO's or sacrificial chip damage.

Originally, this was occupied with Roserade, as I felt the extra hazard support and grass coverage would be nice, however I was unsatisfied and threw one of my favorite pokemon on, and dear god was the change noticeable. Swift Swim, good coverage, great attack power, Shell Smash and Focus Sash has won me plenty of games, while the hazard removing efficiency of this team allows it to function. Awesomely powerful late-game, it is a threatening win con that can also serve as an emergency stop for excessively setup sweepers with it's great 4x coverage in Ice Beam and Earth Power. Swift Swim helps against rain as well.

Funkentelechy

NSFW (Tentacruel) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 160 SpD / 96 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Protect
​

Tentacruel is the most conventional, and obvious choice for this team. It is a great utility pokemon, with good chip, hazard control, and the ability to stall out most special attackers. Standard movepool, I used to run Giga Drain for Jelly but it was hardly worth it, and being able to get extra recovery is key, as that is probably Tenta's biggest problem as a utility mon. Otherwise, it does what you'd expect, Lays/ removes hazards, Protects for scouting/recovery, while Scald does good chip, and it's high burn chance prevents it from being too passive, punishing physical switch-ins and set-up. The EV's are where it gets a little unconventional, with the usual Defensive investment place into Sp. Defense. As mentioned previously, this is due to the ease of Hitmontop spinning and switching into physical threats. With the special investment, Tentacruel can take special coverage moves like a champ, including non-STAB Thunders. It's dependent upon a roll, but it can even switch into Choice Specs Latios's Draco Meteor and live a second one, provide it protects between them, just to show how specially bulky it is, though obviously it won't be doing that knowing Psyshock exist. Rain Dish helps against Rain teams as well, ensuring it can survive 2 Specs Latios's Draco Meteors and making it even more annoying to get rid of. Again, it does what it's supposed to do with great consistency, improving the vital rain team matchup and allowing the rest of the team to function. It has good defensive type synergy as well, taking Ice and Water attacks for teammates who in exchange can switch on telegraphed ground moves headed towards it. I'm not too certain on the speed tiers of this gen, so if anyone could point me in a better direction that would be helpful, as I could use the extra bulk.

Sparky (Zapdos) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 68 SpA / 168 SpD / 20 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunder
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
​

Instead of trying to ape Thundurus's set, this Zapdos is more defensively oriented while still threatening common Pokemon with its coverage, namely Ferrothron, Garchomp, Gliscor, and Landorus-T, all Pokemon this team otherwise struggles to get rid of. A powerful STAB Thunder allows for good damage against neutral targets, can cripple switch-ins with Paralysis, and helps the Rain matchup with its perfect accuracy. Roost allows it to stall out many weaker, non-boosting special attackers, as well as some ground types it otherwise has trouble with, such as Specially Defensive Hippowdown, though obviously that requires careful prediction. Zapdos in particular benefits greatly from Roost as it loses both of its weaknesses, and allows for some good mind games against slower opponents, especially those packing the inaccurate Stone Edge. Roost can also PP- stall, and has great synergy with the T-Spikes that Tentacruel lays down. More of a chisel in its wallbreaking than a sledgehammer, Zapdos is an offensive pokemon with great coverage and longevity, often catching opponents off guard and blowing holes in threatening opponents, while its significant defensive investment allows it to persist throughout the game and stomach coverage moves and powerful attacks. Again the EV's are more an educated guess than anything else, if anyone more familiar with the metagame could tell me a good speed tier to hit that would help, as a little more attack power would go a long way, however I would like to preserve the idea of this set (not go full offensive/ defensive) as it seems to fit well into this team's structure.

Dogmeat (Arcanine) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Extreme Speed
- Wild Charge
- Morning Sun
​

Again somewhat similar to Zapdos, this is not a typical choice, either in pokemon or spread, however it is straightforward enough. Arcanine acts as a bulky physical wallbreaker, with good coverage, trading the super effective hits of Ice type coverage for powerful priority in Extremespeed, crucial for revenge-killing a wide variety of threats and out-prioritizing other threats. Except for any combination of bulk, resists, and rain, nothing really wants to switch into this Good Boy too many times, and offensive variants of counters such as Starmie, Keldeo and Landorus-T can often only safely switch-in safely once before being in priority range, as Flare Blitz with full offensive investment puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the opponent, with Wild Charge to punish more passive Bulky Waters like Jelli and Tenta who try to sit on it and set up. The recoil can be detrimental, but full HP investment helps significantly in that regard. Morning Sun has not been as useful as I thought, as Arcanine's best method of defense is keeping offensive pressure on the opponent, but it has helped in the past, and I don't see any other coverage move really helping (Close Combat is easily punished, and only really hits T-Tar.), though I'm considering trying Will O' Wisp, so if anyone has any input there it would be appreciated. It goes without saying, but Intimidate is one of the best abilities in the game, and cycling it allows safer switch-ins and somewhat mitigates setup. Once again the EV's are open for debate, I like the mix of offense and defense, and wouldn't run anything other than full attack, but if anyone who is smarter than me knows a better usage of the defense EV's I'm all ears. I feel like if I were to put significant speed, I'd be better off using Victini or Darmanitan. It's important to note its immunity to burns significantly helps it maintain pressure against bulky waters throwing weaker scalds around.

Sand Lion (Flygon) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- U-turn
- Fire Punch
​

Although not really seen in OU, I think anyone familiar with Pokemon knows what Choice-Scarf Flygon does. OU is pretty hostile to it, but it can still serve as a very useful revenge-killer, with Outrage decimating other Dragon types, Earthquake for Steel types, and Fire Punch to deal with the annoying pair of 4x Fire weak physical walls in Ferrothorn and Forretress. Up to this point, however, Garchomp does all of those things a lot better, with slightly more speed, better bulk, and much more attack. That's where the other parts of Flygon's utility come in, U-Turn and Levitate. With Levitate and a ground typing, Flygon is as unbothered as any by entry hazards, letting it come in for little cost, while U-turn is great for scouting, baiting Ice-type moves, taking chunks out of psychic types, and chip in general. It is frail and must be played carefully due to so much pressure against dragon types, but it performs its role as a revenge killer of giants and offensive pivot very admirably. Here the EV's are set, max Speed investment to always outspeed threats like Kyurem-B and Hydreigon, with the rest in Attack to secure as many KO's as possible. I rarely use Fire Punch, so if anyone has suggestions for alternate coverage on the last move, I'm all ears, but otherwise this slot is set in stone. Being able to clean up dangerous dragons is essential in such an infested, pre-Fairy metagame, especially considering the lack of Steel-types on this team.

HitMunStoppable (Hitmontop) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- High Jump Kick
- Sucker Punch
- Toxic
​

Another utility mon, with full defensive investment and Intimidate, Hitmontop can switch into any physical attacker barring Zen Headbutt Jirachi or the rare Medicham, and proceed to remove hazards, or punish switch-ins with Toxic. Not much else to say, Hi Jump Kick is an awkward fit on a defensive mon but necessary to prevent it from being too passive, while Sucker Punch is yet another fail safe against weakened sweeper, as well as providing good coverage alongside its STAB, especially against the ghost types that come in to Spin Block or Psychic types that come in to revenge kill. Toxic is the only real way to punish Jelli, but it does a good enough job of wearing it down over the match for the more offensive teammates to finish off. Essentially the physical counterpart to Tentacruel's Special tanking Rapid Spin support role, it takes minimal damage from SR and is very consistent with hazard clearing. Essentially it is the glue guy, clearing hazards and dropping physical attackers to clear the way for the wallbreakers, chip for the cleaners, and allows the games win-con sweeper to safely setup, while redundancy with Tentacruel allows me to play aggresively, as I am not crippled by hazards if one gets knocked out from unexpected coverage/crits.

Cthullu (Omastar) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Shell Smash
- Earth Power
​

Oh boy. Last but certainly not least, we have this prehistoric, Cthullian monster coming back with a vengeance. Very straightforward, it performs a similar role to Shell Smash Cloyster, attacking from the Special side but with much more power. It functions as the win-con for this team, being able to decimate teams if safely brought in and faster threats/ priority wielding opponents are dealt with. Shell Smash is obligatory, boosting its great Special attack to uber-threatening levels, while Ice Beam is still, 5 gens in, a great offensive move, combining good neutral coverage with widespread super-effective targets, and a 4x boosted hit against some of the most threatening pokemon in the metagame. Earth Power has good power as well, and some of the best super-effective coverage in the game, even if there is some overlap with the other moves. Lastly, Hydro Pump is the best hit against neutral targets, and while its accuracy is disappointing, it is essential to break through threats like Air Ballon Magnezone, Tyranitar, Specially Defensive Skarmory, Hippowdon and Reuniclus. Focus Sash ensures, if hazards are clear (which is very often considering Tentacruel and Hitmontop), it can get at least one turn of setup, or in dire situations, can fire off an Ice Beam into, for example, a fully set up Dragon Dance Dragonite or Salamence. Having a pokemon like this can be difficult, as it requires team support, and can often feel like playing 5 v. 6, but it more than makes up for it in its ability to annihilate teams late game. Obviously, in order for Shell Smash + Focus Sash to fully sweep a team, priority users must be eliminated, but priority is not espeically common in this metagame, and aside from Mamoswine, none of the users are especially difficult for the team to remove. Once again, the EV's are set in stone, as the attacking power is immense even with a + Speed nature, while Omastar needs as much as speed as it can get. Swift Swim ensures even Choice Scarfers won't outspeed in rain after 1 boost, a useful tidbit that tremendously improves the essential rain matchup, while Omastar's otherwise detrimental Rock typing ensures Sandstorm won't break its Sash. Sun and the very rare Hail are more problematic, but the coverage from Earth Power and Ice Beam ensures it'll always hurt once it sets up.

Threat List​

Again, being an unconventional, almost anti-meta team, there are certain threats this team very much struggles against. I'm still a relative newcomer to Gen. 5 OU, so feel free to point out any other significant threats, but these are the ones that have troubled me the most so far.

1. Mamoswine: The wooly mammoth has its way with almost all of the team, with Earthquake + Icicle Crash decimating every member of the team aside from Hitmontop, while Thick Fat prevents my Fire type moves from dealing serious damage. Its considerable offensive pressure also lets it lay Stealth Rocks with no problem. It even has powerful priority to boot, being able to prevent an Omastar sweep and force a hard switch out of lead Flygon. The only real way for me to handle it is to keep Hitmontop alive and offensive pressure up, as Hitmontop is generally pretty easy to play around.

2. Calm Mind Reuniclus: With great bulk, recovery, and a boosting move, CM Reuniclus is one of the few pokemon that can punish the switch-outs of this team, with only the weak U-Turn and inconsistent Sucker Punch as super-effective coverage against it, Reuniclus can shred this team to pieces if allowed free space. Arcanine can usually revenge kill but not before damage is done. Otherwise, as with Mamo, pressure is the best way to mitigate this threat, though Shell Smash Omastar can outboost it and OHKO with Hydro Pump.

3. Gengar: Every Gengar set on its own can be reasonably dealt with, but the nightmarish versatility of this fiendish ghost keeps this team up at night. It's great attacking power, ability to burn, immunity to E-Speed, Spin Blocking, and propensity for unique sets ensures it always does damage before going down, while again the typing of this team means there is little coverage against it, though straightforward attacking variants are stifled easily enough by Zapdos. Still, I am very glad it appears Jellicent is the more common spin-blocker, as Gengar is a terror.

4: Bulky Sand-Setters: This team is overall pretty weak to Earthquake spam, while both Sand Setters generally don't fear the Ice-type coverage that Zapdos provides. Hitmontop can threaten T-Tar, and both fall to Shell-Smashed Omastar's Hydro Pump, but having to rely on that makes checking them uneasy. Otherwise, they can switch in with impunity on Arcanine, Zapdos, and (in most cases) Flygon, making them hard to deal with.

5: Bulky Landorus-T: Scares out Tentacruel and Arcanine, while Hitmontop doesn't do much against it aside from drop its attack. Bulky intimidate variants are one of the few reliable switch-ins to Arcanine, especially in Rain and again Earthquake hurts the team a lot. Zapdos doesn't fear the weak Hp Ice, but cannot risk switching into a Stone Edge. Usually, my best way of removing it is luring it into Zapdos, or else sweeping with Omastar. Until then, it is a major nuisance.

6. Jirachi: A bad type matchup with a versatile movepool, it can threaten both spinners with its powerful STAB moves, whether physical or special. Generally Zapdos's coverage isn't terribly threatening to it either, so Arcanine is really the only way to pressure it. It also doesn't fear being poisoned, meaning it is difficult to wear down. All around annoying and threatening, without even mentioning the perniciousness of para-Flinch.

7. Ferrothorn in Rain: Obviously a P.I.T.A., without the easily exploitable 4x Fire weakness, it is an annoyingly persistent pokemon, with its decent attack power, hazard laying, and punishment of physical attackers. This team isn't exceptionally weak to it though, whereas it probably is to the other threats here.

Conclusion​

So that's it. Again, I'm not the most acclimated to the Gen 5 meta, and not the best at explaining what my team does exactly, so I think watching the replays is the best way to see how this team works. But overall, it's been very fun making and fine-tuning this team, it's always fun to take mons considered unviable and use them succesfully. I think this team serves a good example of every one of these pokemon's utility in a very harsh metagame, and I hope people reading it are inspired to use some of the sets here to fill holes they might have. I would appreciate some help with EV tuning, but I think this team really punches above its weight, and I can't see any pokemon that I would want to change.

Replays

**WARNING**: Some Replays may include NSFW language on the part of me or opponents.
Also, some of the older replays have slightly differnet sets on them.

Vs. Sand
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1094644859

Vs. Rain
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1090731091

Vs. Weatherless
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1087933767

Vs. Weatherless
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1087764700

Vs. Weatherless
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1084096864

Vs. Rain Stall
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1084083170

Vs. Sand
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1083869831

Vs. Sun
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1082138476

Vs. Sand
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1081559693

Vs. Rain
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1081225279

Importable

NSFW (Tentacruel) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Rain Dish
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 160 SpD / 96 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Protect

Sparky (Zapdos) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 68 SpA / 168 SpD / 20 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunder
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Dogmeat (Arcanine) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Extreme Speed
- Wild Charge
- Morning Sun

Sand Lion (Flygon) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- U-turn
- Fire Punch

HitMunStoppable (Hitmontop) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- High Jump Kick
- Sucker Punch
- Toxic

Cthullu (Omastar) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Shell Smash
- Earth Power

 

[Gen1UUFan]

Using my bump, also adding some other replays to show that this team is viable against higher ladder stuff. I'm really hoping my higher ladder position helps draw more attention, because I think this team is really close to being quite good.

Vs. Rain
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1112108209

Vs. Weatherless
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1112101225

Vs. Rain
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1111863604

Vs. Sand
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1108460047

Vs. Rain
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1107753239

Vs. Rain
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1103109727
***EDIT 7/11/2020***
Been playing around with this team more, peaked at 1400 on the ladder and got some more replays, again against high ladder opponents.

Vs. Sand
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1149385189

Vs. Rain
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1147533108

Vs. Hail (Finally lol)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1146946267

Vs. Sand
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1146941357

***EDIT 8/9/2020***
I've once again gotten to 1400+ on the ladder, this time with an alt account that I was testing out a slightly different set with. I managed to defeat HALOCENE and knock him off of the top of the ladder as well.

Vs. Rain
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen5ou-1165887441-b2zerhvxadi8ai8eh2omp5ldhs6y1mcpw