Other The only PU hyper offense team- peaked #5

[MZ]

Introduction
​

Hey everybody, my name is Bippy, although you probably have seen me playing under my main alt, Megazard Z. As a tier, PU is more stale than any other, despite many players frocking to it as a "breath of fresh air from bog-standard OU". Seriously? There are 10 pokemon that appear on 95% of every single team: Sneasel, Throh, Musharna, Gourgeist, Avalugg, Poliwrath, Zebstrika, Raichu, Barbaracle, and Garbodor (except sand teams). Although this team originally began as one annoyed player's way to blow off steam, it has performed very well, consistently keeping me within the top 20, and I feel ought to be shared so that a better player can give it the success that I can't, still being relatively new and inexperienced. I'm not just asking for help improving this team, I encourage anybody who can to try to use it themselves. In addition, I won't be including a team building process in this RMT. That being said, it's time to get into

The only PU hyper offense team

I'm Megazard Z

The team at a glance

​

Dead Head (Misdreavus) @ Eviolite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Def / 180 Spe
Bold Nature
- Destiny Bond/Magic Coat
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Shadow Ball

Dead Head is essentially this team's version of a suicide lead. Just from the team preview, it's evident that the team is rather weak to hazards, one of the main issues with running PU hyper offense as there are no good offensive spinners or defoggers. Since nearly everybody in this tier leads with hazards, having a taunt/wisp user is amazing, with enough defensive EVs to survive a Jolly LO Sneasel's knock off from full health, and the rest to outspeed all common hazard users. It comes in, disrupts an opponent's team (sometimes giving me my own hazards) and gives me the beginning offensive momentum that I need.

Like a boss (Raichu) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Raichu forms the first half of the volt/turn core, and is pretty effective at his job of keeping momentum for the team, being able to force out plenty of bulky mons such as Carracosta, Pelliper, and Avalugg. It typically gets used for weakening stuff so that another mon can sweep, but can be used to just thunderbolt its way through an opposing team late game. The spread and moveset is fairly standard, and needs no deviation (seriously, surf is a straight up inferior coverage move in PU).

Gillette 2.0 (Scyther) @ Eviolite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Wing Attack
- U-turn
- Brick Break
- Quick Attack

The second half of the volt/turn core, scyther is probably the best supporting pokemon in PU. Its ability to threaten fighting types comes in handy for Sneasel and Barbaracle, while eviolite is used over band or scarf to change up moves and actually tank a few hits. Once again the moves need no explanation (and seriously, wing attack is the same thing as aerial ace, but cooler), but scyther is an essential part of the team, and one of the two mons that I began building the team around.

Luftwaffe (Flareon) @ Choice Band
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Superpower
- Quick Attack
- Heal Bell

The other member of the original duo, Flareon is here to NUKE THE SHIT OUT OF EVERYTHING. Base 130 attack + choice band + 120 base power moves means that only quad resists are spared the 2HKOs of Flareon's moves (only a slight over exaggeration). Most of the switching and volt/turning that goes on is to get a free switch into Flareon and get another KO on the opponent. While toxic orb is an option, it sacrifices a lot of longevity, especially since you'll be losing so much health from Flare Blitzes. The moves and EVs are fairly regular, although I have never actually used heal bell while playing with this team. Whatever you put in the last moveslot, you won't need it (although if anybody has any suggestions, I'm all ears). The ability to come in and guarantee that your opponent has one less wall to take you on is invaluable, and it can still switch in on several walls by itself, such as Gourgeist, and Avalugg lacking EQ.

Santa's claws (Sneasel) @ Life Orb
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Ice Punch
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick/Taunt/Fake Out

Oh boy, more standard four attacks sets! Sneasel is indisputably one of the best pokemon in PU, and easily deserves its S ranking for its sheer speed and power. EVs and first three moves are fairly obvious, while the last slot changes depending on what mood I'm currently in (honestly cannot make up my mind). Low kick hits Avalugg for slightly more damage as well as opposing Sneasel, Barbaracle, Bastiodon, and Piloswine, taunt is great for stopping Poliwrath and Avalugg from resting/recovering making them less of a problem as well as stopping Garbodor from setting up all over you, while Fake Out's extra damage often comes in handy. Sneasel also has the gifts of knock off and ice typing, one getting rid of all the eviolites in the tier, and the other threatening all the grass types that normally annoy Barbaracle. Swords dance is another possible option, but I find on life orb sets, it is both unnecessary and almost impossible to set up against better players.

Shrimp on the (Barbaracle) @ White Herb
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Razor Shell
- Aerial Ace/X-Scissor
- Stone Edge

Of course, what HO team is complete without the best sweeper in the tier? Barbaracle is ridiculously strong after a shell smash, easily running through teams once opposing walls have been weakened. In several games, I've sacked my other five mons just to weaken two pokes and take out another, only for Barbaracle to take the game from a 5-1 to a 1-0. Jolly nature is another option for outspeeding scarfed Raichu and Electabuzz at +2, but the extra power of Adamant is fairly essential for grabbing KO's on Avalugg and Musharna, two of the team's biggest problems.

Conclusion
​

This team still needs work, but I've basically reached the limit of my capabilities to improve it. Every pokemon in the tier is a threat when you play hyper offense in PU, and making it work is difficult. However, with a bit more improvement, I feel this team can prove that the practically unknown play style of hyper offense can flourish in the tier, despite the amount of teams running Avalugg/Musharna/Lickilicky/Throh/Gourgeist-XL/Sneasel (come on, you know it's true).

Importable

Dead Head (Misdreavus) @ Eviolite
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Def / 180 Spe
Bold Nature
- Destiny Bond
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Shadow Ball

Gillette 2.0 (Scyther) @ Eviolite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Wing Attack
- U-turn
- Brick Break
- Quick Attack

Like a boss (Raichu) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Luftwaffe (Flareon) @ Choice Band
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Superpower
- Quick Attack
- Heal Bell

Shrimp on the (Barbaracle) @ White Herb
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Razor Shell
- Aerial Ace
- Stone Edge

Santa's claws (Sneasel) @ Life Orb
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Ice Punch
- Ice Shard
- Low Kick

 

[Pwnage]

I see a large Sticky Web weakness I know you have Misdreavus to somewhat handle web leads but if someone is smart enough to still get them up I can see it being a tough match. With that being said maybe you could replace something for LO Swanna with Defog / Hurricane / Scald / Roost.

 

[gasquakee]

Pretty sure spoilers are [hide: name]

 

[r0ady]

i agree hazards really hurt this team

 

[BadPandaPancham]

SR really hurts Scyther, Flareon, and Sneasel, as well as your team being horribly crippled if Sticky Webs comes out. Also, since it's hyper offense, switching can be really risky since not much wants to come in and take a hit, but that's a given, cuz you know, hyper offense.
I like how the team looks, deals with common mons on the PU ladder well. One place Poke that could be Problematic is Golem. Sturdy SR/Stone Edge/Sucker Punch/EQ can hurt your team a boat load. I'd also recommend something along the lines of Pwnage's Swanna set. You could use the Special Offense, defog, and added Water Coverage and allowing you to not need to run Aerial Ace on Barbaracle. Finding something on the team to drop is a little Problematic. You could also use Eviolite Tentacool lead. Gets Magic Coat and Rapid Spin, as well as a burn chance in Scald, bulk, and speed much like Missy.

 

[BadPandaPancham]

Tentacool also gets Toxic Spikes, which whiddles down your opponents mons nicely, which is great for a hyper offence team. It could also bait out Garbodor to make it easier to predict on switch-ins. :P

 

[gasquakee]

Stealth rocks and sticky webs. HUGE problem for the team. I feel like a taunt lead isn't enough because they could just switch and get them up later. I really good defogger I've been using is vullaby. This thing is a monster. Takes physical hits like a beast. So I would say vullaby > misdreavus even though I love tentacool and panda uses it as well :P. I don't really see the point of eviolite on scyther I mean sure it has the ability to use it but it shouldn't be taking hits in the first place. So I would say some attack boosting item like band or lo. Other than that I like the team at the minute. Good job.

 

[BadPandaPancham]

Stealth rocks and sticky webs. HUGE problem for the team. I feel like a taunt lead isn't enough because they could just switch and get them up later. I really good defogger I've been using is vullaby. This thing is a monster. Takes physical hits like a beast. So I would say vullaby > misdreavus even though I love tentacool and panda uses it as well :P. I don't really see the point of eviolite on scyther I mean sure it has the ability to use it but it shouldn't be taking hits in the first place. So I would say some attack boosting item like band or lo. Other than that I like the team at the minute. Good job.

One reason I didn't bring up Vullaby is because as a lead, it's slow. And for Scyther, Eviolite is very good because with 80/80 defenses, it eats up hits and deals big damage. Also you aren't locked into a move. Remember it's a Volt/Turn core, so he'll be switched in on opponent's moves at times.

 

[gasquakee]

You never lead vullaby. You kill the darn thing before you defog. Tentacool also has NO reliable recovery. Not to mention his team has no hazards so defog is fine. After panda brought up the positives I can see the point. It's really prefrence on how you want to play. I would still say vullaby is superior to tentacool though.

 

[MZ]

Stealth rocks and sticky webs. HUGE problem for the team. I feel like a taunt lead isn't enough because they could just switch and get them up later. I really good defogger I've been using is vullaby. This thing is a monster. Takes physical hits like a beast. So I would say vullaby > misdreavus even though I love tentacool and panda uses it as well :P. I don't really see the point of eviolite on scyther I mean sure it has the ability to use it but it shouldn't be taking hits in the first place. So I would say some attack boosting item like band or lo. Other than that I like the team at the minute. Good job.

Eviolite beats out the choice items for two reasons. First of all, being locked into a move is really unfortunate in Scyther's case where quick attack is often needed to get the KO after a wing attack or brick break. Secondly, Scyther actually takes some really clutch hits without any defense investments.

252 SpA Raichu Volt Switch vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Scyther: 144-170 (51.2 - 60.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 Atk Poliwrath Waterfall vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Eviolite Scyther: 67-79 (23.8 - 28.1%) -- 91.2% chance to 4HKO

Scyther can actually do a great job at being a bulkier pivot if need be. I'm actually working on a second team that uses Furfrou because it can eat up any physical hit and go for a slow U-turn on the switch/eat up another hit. Eviolite is far too useful to let go.

Also, tried [Hide:Name] format, I'm probably just doing this wrong somehow

 

[MZ]

I see a large Sticky Web weakness I know you have Misdreavus to somewhat handle web leads but if someone is smart enough to still get them up I can see it being a tough match. With that being said maybe you could replace something for LO Swanna with Defog / Hurricane / Scald / Roost.

Swanna definitely seems like a good option over Misdreavus as an offensive defogger + another way to hit tangela, probably gonna try that out sometime soon. I was actually looking into Staryu as an offensive spinner, but I totally overlooked Swanna as an option with far better offensive stats.

Edit: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/pu-168194867 First battle with Swanna, I like this thing

 

[BadPandaPancham]

Eviolite beats out the choice items for two reasons. First of all, being locked into a move is really unfortunate in Scyther's case where quick attack is often needed to get the KO after a wing attack or brick break. Secondly, Scyther actually takes some really clutch hits without any defense investments.

252 SpA Raichu Volt Switch vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Scyther: 144-170 (51.2 - 60.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 Atk Poliwrath Waterfall vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Eviolite Scyther: 67-79 (23.8 - 28.1%) -- 91.2% chance to 4HKO

Scyther can actually do a great job at being a bulkier pivot if need be. I'm actually working on a second team that uses Furfrou because it can eat up any physical hit and go for a slow U-turn on the switch/eat up another hit. Eviolite is far too useful to let go.

Also, tried [Hide:Name] format, I'm probably just doing this wrong somehow

It's not [Hide:Name], it's an = sign, not a colon. I got confused by it too :P

 

[Pwnage]

Glad you like it, and nice win as well. Really showcased Swanna's power. ;)