OU Cores in the BW/2 Metagame

[AquaRegisteel]

Taking this thread from Smogon. Cuz I can, and Serebii might bring something up that they haven't.

Well, cores are one of the main parts of teambuilding. Some are also effective in checking playstyles or in checking pokemon.

What works good for you? What stuff works great with X and what does Y do that complements X?

I'll start with this Gravity core that sucks, but could be used with good support:

Starmie @ Leftovers
Timid Nature
EVs: 252 HP / 24 Def / 8 SpA / 224 Spe
{Natural Cure}
[Scald] / [Psyshock]
[Rapid Spin]
[Recover]
[Gravity]

Landorus - T @ Choice Scarf
Adamant Nature
EVs: 8 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spe
{Intimidate}
[Earthquake]
[Stone Edge]
[U-Turn]
[Superpower]

Forretress @ Leftovers
Relaxed Nature
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Def / 52 SpA
{Sturdy}
[Spikes]
[HP Ice]
[Pain Split]
[Rapid Spin] / [Stealth Rock]

Well, Starmie allows Lando-T to spam Earthquake. I find that CB is slightly ineffective, but CS still works. Gravity's effect, as you most know, allows flying/levitating pokemon to be affected by EQ and by Spikes, which explains Forry's use. Forretress can also beat Haxorus locked into Outrage/Salamence without Fire Blast/Dragonite with SR and other stuff, whilst spinning in their faces. Pain Split works for recovery. SR can be used if you want, but Heatran can provide that if you like. Starmie and Forry resist everything but Rock/Flying/Electric/Ground, so Lando helps by neutralising Ground/Electric and also neutralises Rock and Flying, is Rock is mainly physical. Flying is sorta mixed, so meh. Be aware of Keldeo if you don't run Psyshock, as it can beat all of these one-on-one with Scarf or Specs. Amoonguss helps here as a team mate, so consider it.

[That Crazy Russian™]

o you thief ^_^

i posted this in smogon:

Keldeo-R @life orb/leftovers
modest
252 SpA/ 252 speed
- Secret sword
- Hydro pump
- Calm mind
- Hp ice

&

Terrakion @rock gem/ life orb
jolly
252 atk/ 252 speed
- Stone edge
- Close combat
- Substitute
- X-scissor/Quick attack/ Swords dance

basically......yeah. a core ^_^ i use it to effectively take out lotta pokes and scout as well. pretty simple to use, especially since they counter weather so well.

main problems are walls that can take both sides. amoongbro is a common core that kills this, jellicent takes everything bar a rock gem boosted stone edge. latias can also disrupt this, if it gets a boost in, it can beat both by outspeeding(base 110 speed, i think) and ohkoing with psychic/shock. it can set up on keldeo too. takes a hp ice and cms. next one never koes, outside crits, and lati kos. breloom can be a problem too.

used alongside:

tyranitar @choice scarf
jolly
252 atk/ 252 speed
- crunch
- pursuit
- superpower
- stone edge

and latias:

latias @soul dew/leftovers
timid
252 hp/ 252 speed
- recover/wish
- calm mind
- substitute
- dragon pulse

this forms a fighting/dark/psychic core, a coveted thing to have, and it takes care of various pokemon. sets up in jellicent(or just crunch/pursuit with t-tar), koes breloom, and amoongbro cores are demolished. nuff said.

[AquaRegisteel]

Wait, I saw that Keldeo and Terrakion core! I also saw the Specs Keldeo + Band Terrakion core too.

Even with Latias and Tyranitar, you are still beaten by Amoonguss + Heatran I believe. Also, Soul Dew is banned from OU.

Do use SD in the last slot on Terrakion.

And I did have to sorta put it on here...just to see whether we can come up with similar or better cores.

[That Crazy Russian™]

yeah, i did the original keldeo+terrakion core, with subterra and cmkeldeo. some dick stole my core though :/

sd can be used in the last slot for the same reason sub can: it forces switches. a free +2? yes please. especially if the opponent is relying on status to cripple it.

this was posted in response to people complaining because some cores didnt beat all pokemon: a meme that said, "teammates".

jellicent can be a good teammate, beating all heatran bar toxic variants and specs hp grass. it also absorbs fighting attacks aimed at them all.

[AquaRegisteel]

In testing, this just works quite damn well:

Gothitelle @ Choice Scarf / Specs
Timid / Modest Nature
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe or 240 HP / 252 SAtk / 16 Spe
{Shadow Tag}
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Thunderbolt
- Grass Knot
- HP Fire

Terrakion @ Rock Gem
Jolly Nature
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
{Justified}
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge

Justified allows Terrakion to come in on dark moves like Crunch, which benefits Gothitelle and gives Terra an attack boost.

However, this is where they work so well together. Gothitelle, with the Scarf set, can beat almost any Steel-type not named Heatran. With Specs, it does the same thing. Scizor is outsped by Gothitelle with 16 Speed EVs, even if you have HP Fire. Also, Breloom, Gengar, Scizor, Jellicent, Landorus-T, some Gliscor are trapped and easily removed by Gothitelle. Gliscor can't do much back, either. Then Terrakion gets an easy Sub up, and destroys the other team with no worries. It works a lot of the time.

[rckstr]

Hmmm I've seen this thread before

[AquaRegisteel]

^Yeah, Smogon. Just thought it'd be a good idea to put an equivalent thread on here.

[That Crazy Russian™]

In testing, this just works quite damn well:

Gothitelle @ Choice Scarf / Specs
Timid / Modest Nature
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe or 240 HP / 252 SAtk / 16 Spe
{Shadow Tag}
- Psychic / Psyshock
- Thunderbolt
- Grass Knot
- HP Fire

Terrakion @ Rock Gem
Jolly Nature
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
{Justified}
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge

Justified allows Terrakion to come in on dark moves like Crunch, which benefits Gothitelle and gives Terra an attack boost.

However, this is where they work so well together. Gothitelle, with the Scarf set, can beat almost any Steel-type not named Heatran. With Specs, it does the same thing. Scizor is outsped by Gothitelle with 16 Speed EVs, even if you have HP Fire. Also, Breloom, Gengar, Scizor, Jellicent, Landorus-T, some Gliscor are trapped and easily removed by Gothitelle. Gliscor can't do much back, either. Then Terrakion gets an easy Sub up, and destroys the other team with no worries. It works a lot of the time.

honestly, i dont see this working. too many teams run voltturn still, and gothitelle just isnt that bulky. plus, the only dark type moves used are pursuit and crunch, and its generally pursuit, which wont affect terrakion.

[Ghosts of the Forums]

in case of gravity teams, forry can be used to set up gravity.

[AquaRegisteel]

honestly, i dont see this working. too many teams run voltturn still, and gothitelle just isnt that bulky. plus, the only dark type moves used are pursuit and crunch, and its generally pursuit, which wont affect terrakion.

70 / 95 / 110 is nearly effingly bulky. It's the dark weakness. Terra can come in if Gothitelle dies to Choice-Locked Pursuit, and threatens the opponent out for a free Sub. That's the synergy they have - should one fail, the other can setup and sweep. And Gothitelle only dies after it has done it's job, like removing Skarmory/Slowbro. There's teammates for VoltTurn. But of course, the EVs outspeed Scizor so I OHKO it outside of rain before it U-Turns. Psychic can 2HKO Rotom-W with Specs, and Landorus is dealt with easily.

[That Crazy Russian™]

hmm....i see it now. seems a bit....specific though. what teammates function well with it? i feel it'd be best if when posting cores list possible teammates. thats a reason the one on smogon is functioning so well

[John Wallrein]

Hmmm I've seen this thread before

Isn't it your thread on Smogon right?



I like the core of Tornadus-T and Dugtrio. Tornadus-T boasts a huge 120 BP STAB Hurricane and good spA. Flying gets surprisingly great coverage in OU, hitting common steel types for Neutral damage such as Ferrothorn, Forretress, and Scizor, all of which can be 2HKO'd by Tornadus. The only real problems are a) Rain going away, and b) Pokemon like Heatran. Both of these things can be taken care of by Dugtrio and its ability to trap and KO Ninetales, Tyranitar, and Heatran. A simple LO Tornadus and Focus Sash + Reversal Dugtrio gets the trick done. The core obviously needs rain, and greatly appreciates spin support to keep Duggy's sash alive aswell as Tornadus not being stripped by 25% on the switch.

[Jets]

too bad you cant tornadus and tornadus t on the same team!

[Ironwaffles95]

I've been using a dual dragon core + magnezone and it's worked wonders for me. Personally, I use:

Kingdra @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Adamant
EV’s: 24 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 228 Spe
~ Substitute
~ Dragon Dance
~ Waterfall
~ Outrage


Latios @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EV’s: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
~ Draco Meteor
~ Surf
~ Hidden Power Fire
~ Psyshock


Magnezone @ Leftovers
Ability: Magnet Pull
Nature: Timid
EV’s: 36 HP / 252 SpA / 220 Spe
~ Substitute
~ Thunderbolt
~ Hidden Power Fire
~ Charge Beam

depending on the pokemon on my opponet's team, I send either kingdra or latios in to weaken potetial checks/counters and bulky walls, and then send the one that remains to finish the job. And since steels are the only type that resist dragon moves, I have magnezone to deal with them, making it even easier for kingdra and latios to do their job of sweeping.

[AquaRegisteel]

hmm....i see it now. seems a bit....specific though. what teammates function well with it? i feel it'd be best if when posting cores list possible teammates. thats a reason the one on smogon is functioning so well

Well, Sun teams can negate the Water weakness that neither of them can defend against, and sun teams appreciate a way to handle Volcarona before it sets up.

Also, neat dual dragon core Ironwaffles.

Well today I tested out a Genesect + Dugtrio + Forretress core on a sun team, and it worked...but that was on the smogon thread.

[John Wallrein]

Well, Sun teams can negate the Water weakness that neither of them can defend against, and sun teams appreciate a way to handle Volcarona before it sets up.

Also, neat dual dragon core Ironwaffles.

Well today I tested out a Genesect + Dugtrio + Forretress core on a sun team, and it worked...but that was on the smogon thread.

Genesect + Dugtrio core is nice. I also like Genesect + Mamoswine. They compliment eachother well and Mamoswine is just a good antimeta pokemon in general. It functions similarly to Genesect + Dugtrio. Although you lose the ability to trap Pokemon, Mamoswine plays much differently in that it forces switches with its ability to be very threatening. This can allow it more ample times to set up Stealth Rock's. Mamoswine is also much more useful for threatening common metagame Pokemon like : Thundurus-T , Tornadus-T , Dragonite , Gliscor, and even a weakened Breloom if running a Jolly nature.