[Generation V OU] Switch! A VoltTurn team.

So, there is my VoltTurn (main) team. Very nearly standard, lacking only Landorus of the main three VoltTurn staples. It's main strength, as with many VoltTurn core teams lies in it's ability to always hold the advantage against more standard teams and always having an answer to many of the tier's top threats, always forcing switches and racking up residual damage until the enemy has nothing fresh enough to fight back. It's basically the Zerg Rush of Pokemon.

Developing the team:

Spoiler

Well, first I started by taking a standard team from Smogon (When In Doubt, U-Turn Out!), to first try out VoltTurn in general. It contained Celebi and Landorus in place of Jolteon and Infernape, but I found some problems with it, chief amongst which there was no hazard setter (strike one) and Celebi seemed to be doing crap all useful in general, especially with it's pitifully weak U-Turn. Furthermore, I found the team to have almost no special offense, lacking the presences of Infernape and Jolteon, relying entirely on Celebi and Rotom-Wash (who was already incredibly overworked).

So my first edit to the team was to get rid of Celebi. I replaced it with Choice Scarf Galvantula, wanting to get more special attack and Volt Switch action going, along with the nuclear Thunder that the bug has, but I found it ultimately underwhelming in the role. Jolteon was a swift and obvious replacement, who worked much better in the role given, initially scarfed and now I'm sitting behind a wall of indecision whether to scarf or spec it.

Next to go was Landorus. He didn't really go because I felt he was useless per se, but I needed a hazard setter and he was the default weakest link. I'd already added another Electric immunity for the team and I already had a ground immunity, so his typing wasn't really a boon to me, and I wasn't exactly in short order on fast physical attackers otherwise, so he went, and the first mon I thought of for Stealth Rock in such an offensive team had to be Infernape, being the excellent mixed attacker, having access to U-Turn and also being pretty damn fast. And that's how I got the team where it is now!

Team Importable:

Spoiler

Thunderbolt (Jolteon) (F) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Psychic (Xatu) (F) @ Light Clay
Trait: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Psychic
- Reflect
- Roost
- Light Screen

Hydro Pump (Rotom-W) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split

DynamicPunch (Scizor) (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit

Hi Jump Kick (Mienshao) (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Fake Out
- Hi Jump Kick
- Stone Edge
- U-turn

Flare Blitz (Infernape) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Close Combat
- Overheat
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge

"Hi Jump Kick" w/Life Orb
4HP/252Atk/252Spd, Jolly Nature
Regenerator
Fake Out
Hi Jump Kick
U-Turn
Stone Edge

Mienshao is one of the many 'obvious picks' for a VoltTurn team - it has Regenerator and a Stealth Rock resistance, which allows it to come in time after time after time and do massive damage with it's bone-shattering Hi Jump Kick - not even Skarmory is safe from being 2HKO'd by Hi Jump Kick - even when physically defensive, it is 2HKO'd with rocks 99.61% of the time (and can be 2HKO'd without although it's unlikely at about 11% chance). The main problem is therefore Ghosts, who can hit Mienshao for 50% of it's HP and get a free switch if it dares use Hi Jump Kick with them around. Stone Edge is therefore given for coverage against ghosts.


"Thunderbolt" w/Choice Scarf or Choice Specs
4HP/252Atk/252Spd, Timid nature
Volt Absorb
Thunderbolt
Volt Switch
Signal Beam
Hidden Power [Ice] or Hidden Power [Grass]

This is more or less a Standard Jolteon set. Thunderbolt for STAB, Volt Switch because VoltTurn, Signal Beam because it's all Jolteon has for coverage in it's puddle-deep movepool, but it does at least let it hit Grass type switch-ins.

Your Hidden Power choice depends on whether you want to be able to surprise Gliscor, Landorus and Dragonite or Gastrodon/Swampert which can cause you problems, and the choice between Scarf or Specs depends on whether you want to surprise scarfers like Jirachi and be able to revenge kill Shell Smash Cloyster and Gorebyss or just want scary as hell power.


"Hydro Pump" w/Leftovers
4HP/252SpD/252SpA, Calm nature
Levitate
Volt Switch
Hydro Pump
Will-O-Wisp
Pain Split

Don't be fooled by the fact that I've given Rotom-Wash full Special Attack investment, it's main job is to take hits on the special side with it's special bulk and being the only member of the team with a recovery move (discounting Mienshao's Regenerator ability) and burn anything that worries it on the physical side; it is an especially good way to deal with Scizor, since it has a double resistance to Bullet Punch and outspeeds all other moves unless Scizor is invested in speed.

Moves are pretty standard for a defensive Rotom-Wash. Volt Switch is given preference due to the nature of the team, whilst Hydro Pump is STAB that doesn't cause Rotom to switch out. Will-O-Wisp is used to neuter the physical attackers that target it's physical defense, and Pain Split is for recovery.


"DynamicPunch" w/Choice Band
212HP/252Atk/44Spd, Adamant Nature
Technician
Bullet Punch
U-turn
Superpower
Pursuit

If I was listing these mons by sheer arse-breaking attack potential, CBScizor would definitely be at the top. The home of the most powerful swtiching move on the team, and it's tendency to force switches means that it gets plenty of chance to use it. It's basically the death of Latios, only taking about 50% from a Draco Meteor and OHKing with Pursuit.

Bullet Punch sees surprisingly little use on this set, since being locked into it can kill your momentum deader than a dodo. Rather, U-Turn should be considered the main move on the set. Superpower is the best move that you have against other Scizor, whilst Pursuit can spell the guaranteed end of Gengar and any given Lati, although again, care must be taken about locking Scizor into it, as it is setup bait for other mons, especially Conkeldurr.


"Flare Blitz" w/Leftovers or Life Orb
252Atk/4SpA/252Spe, Naive Nature
Blaze
Close Combat
Overheat
Stealth Rock
Stone Edge or U-Turn

We need rocks for this kind of team, that's Infernape's main job and the whole point of VoltTurn to force switches through rocks. His second job is checking Volcarona, who can otherwise cause big problems for this team, although if one prefers, he can lose Stone Edge for U-Turn and keep building momentum and scouting. Infernape is a fast, aggressive and uncommon user of Stealth Rock who can force switches on his own, so it usually gets rocks up, if it doesn't bait out Xatu or Espeon.

Close Combat is STAB here and Overheat is the 'mixed' in Infernape's mixed attacker. Stealth Rock is something almost vital to this team's success, forcing all of the residual damage we need. Stone Edge provides excellent coverage with Close Combat and is the core of checking Volcarona, however if one prefers to keep momentum and wing checking Volcarona with Mienshao, then U-Turn can be used.


"Psychic" w/Light Clay or Leftovers
252HP/252Def/4Spd, Bold nature
Magic Bounce
Psychic
Reflect
Light Screen or U-Turn
Roost

Just as important as getting rocks up for your side is keeping them away from yours, since you will be switching a lot. Since it's hard to find a spinner that fits well onto a VoltTurn team, I elected that since this team takes the approach of using mostly frail mons, it would appreciate dual screens, as well as my general attitude towards Stealth Rock supporting the use of Xatu.

Simple move choices. If you feel you don't need a screener, then Leftovers and U-Turn can be used instead of Light Clay and Light Screen, but the utility of screens often outweighs that of scouting.

Well, there we go.

 

Nice i like it