

Introduction ​



Teambuilding Process

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In-Depth Look ​





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Replays





http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-uu-183958 vs dodmen in open http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-uu-175759 vs okara in open http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-413410013 not me, but someone used my team in open and won. Not entirely sure how they got it though lol http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-386911794 vs DrReuniclus using a gym leader team. Showcases a time where Quick Attack is useful

Conclusion

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It is no surprise the drops of Sylveon, Celebi, and Conkeldurr drastically changes the ORAS UU meta. People were immediately hyping (and for good reason) Specs Sylveon and the versatility of Celebi (Conk at the time was though to be underwhelming), and they quickly became the new faces of UU. Naturally, I wanted to try out the new drops with the Sylveon + Krookodile core found on so many teams.With such a strong starting core, you'd have to screw up really badly to end up with a garbage team. As it turns out, Celebi is an amazing partner to this core and from there, you can throw on pretty much any 3 gluemons to form a usable team (you can see the evidence of this in UU open usage stats). With my own Grand Slam run all but dead, I've decided to share my rendition of a Celebi/Sylv/Krook team. It's gotten me decent success on ladder and with 2 wins in the UU open and another win when someone else used it.As the intro says, the starting core was Specs Sylv + Krookodile. If you played a lick of UU in the past few months, you've probably seen this core in action. Offensive and defensive synergy is amazing, with Krook hitting every single Fairy resist for 2x damage and Sylv handling a bunch of nuisances for Krook like Special Dragons and Fighting types (somewhat).This team was built in an Alakazam meta, and someone in UU chat was talking about how nice Scarf Celebi is. I thought how it can check Alakazam in the same way Scarf Jirachi did: pivot into any attack besides Shadow Ball, U-Turn out into something faster that can take the incoming Shadow Ball. Most people use NP Celebi to complete this core, but I found that Scarf Celebi still effectively pivots into fat Waters. Also Healing Wish is literally a top 5 move.I figured it was time to add a Mega, preferably something that can abuse HW. Mega Swampert immediately came to mind. Krook efficiently wears down common Swampert checks in Suicune and bulky Grasses, opening the door for a late game RD sweep. Sylveon and Celebi are also great pivots for the few Swampert switch ins.Now it was time to add a gluemon. I lacked a Ground immunity (Celebi does not cut it), something to stop Turn 1 Mienshao from winning, a Fairy resist, and general speed since 311 max speed from Krook is not cutting it for an offensive team. Offensive Crobat is a favorite of mine, since many people (including myself) don't run Flying resists, and if they do, it's usually M-Aero aka Swampert food.Lastly, I wanted strong priority, another HW abuser, and something with Steel typing preferably. Obvious Lucario is obvious. To this day, I still do not understand why this is B+ in the same tier as Toxicroak.Sylveon @ Choice SpecsAbility: PixilateEVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 SpeModest Nature- Hyper Voice- Quick Attack- Shadow Ball- Baton PassSpecs Sylveon is one of the most powerful wallbreakers in UU due to amazing typing, SpDef, and sheer power. Sylveon is the entire reason you see random Blisseys on offensive teams and AloBliss teams spammed in UU open (shoutouts Pearl). Sylveon is also the best offensive Hydreigon check in the tier, so teambuilding is immediately easier with this on your team.I opt for Quick Attack over a second coverage move because honestly, I click Hyper Voice 99% of the time. The priority, even though its weak, has come through much more often for me than Psyshock would (for example, whittling M-Sharpedo into Lucario's Espeed range). Shadow Ball is used to dent Doublade, which is actually pretty scary to face if Krook goes down early. Baton Pass is a great way to preserve momentum when they have Blissey/Registeel/Arcanine or something you know you can't touch.Sylveon's role on the team is simple: click Hyper Voice as much as possible. No bulk investment makes it trickier to switch into stuff, but its teammates can lure out attacks Sylveon eats, even uninvested. For example, Mega Sceptile's Giga + Leaf Storm KOs after Rocks, so go into Celebi and then U-Turn out into Sylv on the Dragon Pulse. Double into Sylveon on the Hydrei switch in from Krook/Celebi. Lure out Doublade with Crobat and smack it with a Hyper Voice (or Sball) to open up a Lucario sweep. If you get to click Hyper Voice even twice, you probably are winning (unless they have a hard counter).Krookodile @ Rocky HelmetAbility: IntimidateEVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpeJolly Nature- Stealth Rock- Taunt- Knock Off- EarthquakeThe best non-mega Ground-type in UU. Instead of CB Krook I opt for SR + Rocky Helm since every team needs Rocks. Dread Plate Pursuits are too weak for my liking, and this team is horrendously weak to Spikes. Krook is Spike fodder for Forry and Chesnaught, so Taunt was a must even though you lose out on chipping Sylv checks like Entei and Empoleon. I got the idea of Rocky Helm from an old RMT from dodmen and I've been in love with it ever since. You get to beat annoying Forrys spamming Spin and get a ton of chip on pokemon clicking U-Turn mindlessly or even things like Gyara/Shark to put them in range to be revenged by a teammate.One of the most useful uses of Taunt is shutting down Suicune's switching in, as balance teams often rely on it to check Krookodile. Knock on the switch + Taunt is enough to permanently cripple it and your opponent will probably end up sacking it to Krook or something else later on, giving M-Swampert a chance to shine.On the team, Krook's goal is to get Rocks up ASAP and whittle as much as possible with Knock Off. Depending on the enemy team, you can feel comfortable suiciding with it to wear down something like Gyarados. However, if they have a big threat such as Entei, Nidoqueen, or Doublade, keep this alive as long as possible.Celebi @ Choice ScarfAbility: Natural CureEVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 SpeTimid Nature- U-turn- Leaf Storm- Psychic- Healing WishScarf Celebi is my favorite Celebi set. A fast U-Turn is always great to have. As mentioned before, I originally added this as an offensive Alakazam check, but even with its ban, it still offers amazing utility. Celebi is what I throw at pretty much every healthy bulky Water, Mega Sceptile, opposing Celebi and pivot out with U-Turn.Healing Wish is the main reason to ever use this. What's more broken than Mega Swampert? Two Mega Swamperts. Lucario? Two Lucarios. It is so useful to have this in the back since you can play recklessly with these two sweepers early on and then revive them late game. Entei, for example, is a massive threat, but I can kill it with Swampert without worrying about burns due to HW. Lucario can secure a kill early game and take a hit and still clean late game with HW.Also surprise Psychic KOs on Mega Beedrills are so nice.Swampert (Swampert-Mega) @ SwampertiteAbility: DampEVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 SpeJolly Nature- Rain Dance- Waterfall- Earthquake- Ice PunchI used to run bulk on this, but with Scarf Infernape becoming popular, I said screw it and now run max max with Jolly nature. You also get to outspeed most Nidoqueens without Rain which is nice (unless they are lord NASQUEEN), Adamant Mamoswine, and Modest Chandelure. Mega Swampert is, in my opinion, the best Mega in the tier. It straight cleans so many offensive teams since they often run Celebi as their check, but it dies to Ice Punch after a bit of chip damage. Its defensive utility is unmatched amongst the megas, stopping VoltTurn, physical Fires, and with one weakness, it can set up on almost every non Grass type move from full health.As mentioned before, play with this recklessly early on. Getting an Ice Punch off on a Hydreigon for example is fine, since it might carry Iron Tail to beat Sylveon. Let it take a Mamo EQ and kill with Waterfall. Heal it up later then win with Rain Dance.Crobat @ Sharp BeakAbility: InfiltratorEVs: 120 HP / 132 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 SpeJolly Nature- Brave Bird- U-turn- Taunt- RoostCrobat holds this team together with its typing and speed. The Celebi/Krook/Sylveon is eaten alive by Mega Beedrill, Heracross, Scarf Mienshao, Cobalion, and Infernape. Crobat checks them all and provides a crucial Speed tier that lets me revenge a plethora of threats. Taunt over Defog is another way to mitigate hazard set up, as Crobat cannot beat most Rockers without Taunt, and U-Turn is too important to give up. A Fairy resist being unable to break defensive Florges/Sylveon is also silly, plus shutting down recovery from fat things like Suicune and Arcanine is massive.The spread is a bit funky, but it lives 2 Knock offs (with the first one being boosted) from Scarf Shao. The rest is poured into HP and Speed with 4 SpDef EVs to screw with Download.Lucario @ Life OrbAbility: JustifiedEVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 SpeJolly Nature- Swords Dance- Close Combat- Extreme Speed- Bullet PunchLucario is probably the most threatening mon to give a free turn to. At +2 it becomes nearly impossible to revenge without a Cobalion due to Espeed nailing faster threats and Close Combat KOing most slower ones. I opt for Bullet Punch as the 4th slot because I hate having Aero stop a sweep and having another check to it is great for offense.Lucario is the main pokemon to break through stall teams. With Mence gone, most teams rely on sheer bulk and M-Aero to check Fighting types via Alo and Chesnaught, but Luc tears right through them. It's also pretty much the only pokemon that can stop Curselax and that has access to decent priority. As a result, Lucario is one of the most important members and should almost never be sacked unless you have a win secured without it.I have no Flying resist, so strong Flying attacks are a pain to deal with. You have to get rocks up early, but you can't lead Krook since if they lead Tornadus they can kill something.I have no Chandelure switch in and it hard walls Lucario and can come in on Celebi. No Pursuit on Krook makes it able to spam Shadow Ball without consequence. Entei just burns all my Fire switch ins lol. Same with Arcanine but with Wisp instead of Sacred Fire.No switch in, but isn't too bad since it switches in on nothing.5 grounded pokemon and no grounded Poisons means I am horribly weak to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and it is really hard to prevent Tentacruel from setting up one layer, especially if it is fast. Froslass is always getting at least one layer.Lucario is my switch in, outspeeds everything that can OHKO it. Lead Sylveon to prevent it from getting a free Ice Beam, but if they have an Entei too flip a coin and hope you pick right.Walls half my team, and Swampert/Krook don't like Sacred Swords. EQ on Lucario helps with this and other Fires, but Bullet Punch is too useful to give up.This team is nothing innovative, but it is effective. Sylveon/Krook/Celebi is an amazing core, and if you wanna try UU, fiddling with this core is a great start. Healing Wish + Priority allows you to deal with most pokemon without needing a direct check or counter to them (which is impossible anyway). As for shoutouts, there are too many people and I'd really hate to forget someone or leave someone off who thinks I forgot them but really didn't. I hope you enjoyed this team!