text: A Guide to Ubers Offense Ubers has always been a tier where offense runs rampant and a Base Attack of 130 is only considered to be "decent". However, this does not mean one can just stick a random team of six and call it a day. Offensive play is, contrary to popular belief, requires very careful planning and even more careful execution to be able to be played well. This is doubly so in Ubers, when one minor hitch is all it takes for an opponent to sweep your team. So why play using an Offensive team?? There are quite a few reasons why most people like going on the offensive. Firstly unlike stall, offense is all about going on the front foot and dictating the flow of the battle. Also offense is quite fun to play. To put it into perspective if playing Stall is the equivalent of playing golf, then playing Offense is just like going on a roller coaster. It is also a preferred playstyle for many because it allows them to win matches. Key Things to remember about Ubers Offense: 1. Be Pro-active!! When playing offensively, one must remember that the playstyle is pro-active. You must take the initiative and apply pressure to your opponent at the earliest given opportunity!! Do not give your opponent any reprise, because the slightest pause to your opponent can easily be turned to a loss for you. This is the most important point about playing offense in Ubers. The idea is to force you opponent to play according to the way you want and steer the course of the battle. If you start reacting to what your opponent is doing, you are probably on a the way to a loss. 2. Think and plan ahead Playing offensively usually requires the user to think long term to be successful. For example, should you know that your opponent is still has a 50% Dragon Dance Salamence waiting in the wings, it would be wise to preserve your Extremekiller Arceus just in case Salamence gets out of control. Similarly, if you see a Calm Mind RestTalk Kyogre on the opposing team and you are aiming towards and Swords Dance Rayquaza sweep, it might not a bad idea to leave Kyogre alive so Rayquaza can set up on it. This principle is mostly used in conjunction with the first one and underlines the basic essence of all offensive teams regardless of which tier they are being used in. 3. The weather effect In Ubers, infinite weather is commonplace. Groudon and Kyogre are two of the most frequently used Pokemon in Ubers. There is near zero chance of encountering neither of the two being a battle. This is why taking advantage of the weather is extremely beneficial. With infinite rain, sun and possibly sandstorm and hail, it can be easy to build a team around a specific weather effect. It should also be noted that moves that depend on weather are preferred in such conditions, for example, Thunder is commonly used since rain is common. Also Water and Fire type moves become very useful due to the weather boosting them. How Offensive?? Hyper Offense "Hyper Offense" refers to "all-out offense". It is when a team stacks as many attackers into a team and aims to overcome an opposing team with sheer offensive pressure. The basic strategy is to rip through the opponents defenses through brute force, usually by powerful attacks. The most common pokemon seen in hyper offensive teams are powerful,speedy pokemon and pokemon with access to moves to boost their offenses and Speed. There are various ways of playing Hyper Offense: Synergy: The most bog-standard way to build a Hyper Offensive team is to use standard team-building ideas and make the team work as synergistically as possible. This means covering each others weaknesses so if one Pokemon is revenge killed, another sweeper that resists the attack can easily come in, set up and continue to sweep. This ensures that essential momentum is never lost and the control of the match remains in your hands. Type-stacking: This method is marginally more risky. It involves stacking two or more Pokemon that are similar have the same typing. The idea is have one of the Pokemon lure out a common counter, damage it beyond repair so the second Pokemon can sweep with its obstacle removed. A well known example is the "SalaQuaza combo", where Salamence is used to lure out Rayquaza's checks, damage them beyond repair, then send out Rayqauza later to sweep. The danger in this is that you are stacking multiple Pokemon that has the same weakness, therefore it will become much harder to defend when your opponent gains the momentum. Weather: Since weather is common in Ubers, using Pokemon that take advantage of the weather is a very viable option. Pokemon with abilities like Swift Swim and Chlorophyll enjoy the Speed boosts they get from the sun or rain, and becomes a whole lot more dangerous with them. For example, it is virtually impossible to outspeed a Dragon Dance Kingdra in the rain without resorting to Mischievous Heart users or something weird like Choice Scarf Rayquaza. While using weather, one should pack neccessary checks to pokemon like Kyogre and Groudon who can change the weather in an instant. Palkia is often seen on both sun as well as rain teams for this exact reason. Dual Screens: Due to the usual frailty of the sweepers in the Uber tier(remember we are talking about Uber offenses here), setting up is rather difficult. In order to overcome this cumbersome problem the Dual Screens strategy is often used. It involves a pokemon, either very bulky or very fast, to set up both Light Screen and Reflect. Once the Screens have been set up, a relative frail sweeper can comfortably set up behind the protection of the Double Screens and gear up for a sweep. Deoxys-S makes an excellent candidate for setting up Double Screens, with its blazing speed, decent bulk and abiliity to shut down other usual leads by Taunt. Balanced (Slightly less Hyper Offense) Balance is an slightly different style of play where players try to combine both offensive and defensive factors in order to gain a stability or balance in their teams. Balanced teams incorporate strategies used by both stallish as well as offensive teams. It is neither Hyper Offensive nor is it Stall. Rather it is a less extreme playstyle preferred by the majority of players. The idea is to take attacks as and when required and also dish out the damage when given the chance. Powerful sweepers and dedicated tanks and walls are usually seen partnered on Balanced teams. Offensive Pokemon Arceus Typing: Normal or others according to held Plate Base stats: 120 HP / 120 Atk / 120 Def / 120 SpA / 120 SpD / 120 Spe Bug Arceus Role: Sweeper Bug Arceus is possibly one of the hardest Arceus formes to use in Ubers (read one of the worst), but it has its own perks nonetheless. Its STAB allows it to hit the many Psychic-types in Ubers for super effective damage, yes that's really just about it. It must be noted however, that Bug is quite a subpar typing, which makes it susceptible to the omnipresent Stealth Rock. While a Bug STAB allows it to hit the numerous Psychic-types in Ubers for super effective damage, it is resisted many other types that are common in the tier, such as Ghost, Steel, and Flying. All in all, one can risk underestimating Bug Arceus, as it will probably die within the first 20 turns of the match, don't use it. Dark Arceus Role: Stallbreaker Dark Arceus is the Trojan Horse of the Uber metagame. It is often compared to Darkrai, who is faster, boasts a higher Special Attack and Speed stats, as well as access to Dark Void and Nasty Plot. However, there is no way a tiny little demon can outclass the dark God of Pokemon. While Darkrai is a fast and frail sweeper, Dark Arceus uses its bulk, lack of immunities and common weaknesses to become a terrifying Stallbreaker. With a simple set of Calm Mind / Refresh / Recover / Judgment, it can single-handedly demolish any classic Uber stall team lacking Snatch Chansey. Using Calm Mind, it slowly boosts itself, while Recover and Refresh prevents it from being KOed by the weak attacks of common stall teams. If your offense team is lacking a way to break down stall, give Dark Arceus a try, it may just be your key to breaking down the stall gate. Dragon Arceus Role: Sweeper / Wallbreaker One might wonder why use Dragon Arceus over the hordes of stronger Dragons in the tier toting base 150 offensive stats such as Rayquaza and Zekrom. Well, the reason is twofold. Firstly, Dragon Arceus is the fastest Dragon in Uber with 120 Speed, this means unlike Rayquaza or Zekrom, thus making it significantly harder to revenge kill. Secondly, the old God bulk makes Dragon Arceus capable of living quite of a few more hits than Rayquaza or Palkia. Dragon Arceus also boasts of an incredibly strong Outrage which will devastate anything in its path if Arceus has managed to pull off a Swords Dance. After factoring in STAB and the boost offered by Dragon Plate, Outrage has a jaw dropping base power of 216. Earthquake and Outrage have fantastic coverage while ExtremeSpeed can be used to take out faster Pokemon such as Palkia who are low on health. Dragon Arceus boasts of an extremely effective Calm Mind set thanks to the excellent coverage of Dragon-type Judgment. Fire Blast fries any pesky Steel-types trying to stop Dragon Arceus while the menace of a certain pink blob can be circumvented by the help of Substitute. Electric Arceus Role: Sweeper Electric Arceus shows the mortals who is Zeus with its mighty bolts of lightning. Electric is a fantastic typing, both offensively and defensively. Offensively, it hits many Ubers for neutral damage and easily defeats the common checks to other Calm Mind Arceus formes, such as Kyogre and Ho-oh. Defensively, it only has one weakness, albeit a rather common one in Ground-type. With a simple Calm Mind set, it rains terror into its opponents with its Electric STAB in the form of Thunderbolt, Judgment, or Thunder, which destroys many Ubers such as Kyogre, Palkia, Ho-oh, and Lugia. Ice Beam completes the BoltBeam combo, while it can either use Focus Blast in the final slot swat aside Ferrothorn, Tyranitar, and Dialga; or use Recover to gain more Calm Minds. Without the use of pink blobs, Electric Arceus will truly show you how terrifying a thunderstorm can be. Fighting Arceus Role: Sweeper Fighting Arceus is one of the rarer Arceus formes but that is certainly no reason to shrug it off. Fighting is an excellent STAB type, even more so in Ubers where Pokemon which resist Fighting-types are few and far between. Most of the Ubers which see high usage such as Ferrothorn, Normal Arceus, Dialga are mostly helpless against Fighting Arceus. Although not as popular as the special sweeper, Fighting Arceus can also play supportive role in a rain or sand team. Calm Mind makes Arceus impossible to take down without a critical hit while making it hit extremely hard with Judgment. Even the famed special bulk of Chansey fails to stand before the might of Fighting Arceus's boosted Judgments. Dark Pulse and Shadow Ball both provide excellent coverage against Ghost-types like Giratina-O while Stealth Rock is immensely useful for weakening any Flying-types like Ho-Oh. Fighting Arceus usually shines on teams which face difficulties against Ferrothorn and Chansey but can be fit on most teams if you can spare the slot. Fire Arceus Role: Sweeper Fire Arceus is quite the mixed bag. On one hand, Fire is a superb STAB to have, endowing Arceus with an extremely powerful Judgment boosted further by Flame Plate. However, on the flip side, Fire is considered to be the most horrible defensive typing with weaknesses to common attacking types such as Water and Ground as well as a debilitating Stealth Rock weakness. Fire Arceus can run a decent offensive Calm Mind set on Sun teams with Fire Blast and Thunder having good good offensive coverage. However, Fire Arceus is an absolute liability against most rain teams and will find it difficult to find a team slot over stronger offensive options such as Reshiram who can also fire off STAB Draco Meteors. Although it might seem gimmicky, Fire Arceus can also deal with Ho-Oh with a bulkier EV spread. Flying Arceus Role: Sweeper Flying Arceus is another one of those Arceus formes that are great offensively and not so great defensively. A weaknessness to the ubiquitous Thunder and Stealth Rock, as well as common Ice Beams makes it difficult for Flying Arceus to set up. However, Flying is also a fantastic STAB, hitting most Pokemon for neutral damage, while those that resist it are hard pressed to take Earth Power. Although the Stealth Rock weakness hurts Flying Arceus badly, it can take consolation in the fact that it is the only Arceus forme to be immune to Spikes, as well as one of only three to scoff at Toxic Spikes. While it is one of the harder Arceus formes to use, the return of using it pay off if you use it well. Ghost Arceus Role: Sweeper / Offensive Spinblocker / Support When holding a Spooky Plate, Arceus enters the realm of the undead, and obtains several unique qualities which no other Arceus forme can boast. Ghost Arceus gains STAB on its Ghost-type attacks, which when paired with Fighting-type attacks, provide perfect neutral coverage. This means that Arceus can run either a Swords Dance or Calm Mind set, have perfect coverage with 2 attacks, and have a free moveslot left over for recovery, which makes it exceedingly hard to take down thanks to its great bulk. Ghost Arceus also sports coveted immunities to Normal-, and Fighting-type attacks, making it the only Arceus forme that can act as a spinblocker. Ghost Arceus is stopped in its tracks by Darkrai, and a select few defensive Pokemon, but the woeful cries of immense number of teams which the ghostly God of Pokemon has ravaged speak enough in favour of Ghost Arceus sheer power. Ground Arceus Role: Sweeper / Support Ground is an excellent STAB type to posses due to its excellent coverage and Ground Arceus works on the exact principle. Thanks to Arceus's excellent bulk bagging a Sword Dance is relatively easy. Once pumped up, few can stand before the might of this Earthen God. Even Support Groudon is 2HKOed by Earthquake while Pokemon immune to Earthquake such as Giratina-O get smashed to bits by Stone Edge. Ground Arceus is especially useful on Rain teams since it makes an extremely good switch-in to any Electric-type moves being fired off by Zekrom and Palkia (needs prediction). Morever, unlike common Rain switch-ins to Electric-type attacks such as Ferrothorn, Ground Arceus puts immediate offensive pressure on the opponent. Ground Arceus is also a worthy Calm Mind sweeper though other Arceus formes usually outclass it in this aspect. However, when using Ground Arceus remember to pack a Pokemon such as Ferrothorn capable of eating the Water- and Grass-type attacks that will inevitably be directed at Ground Arceus. Ice Arceus Role: Sweeper If Ice Arceus weren't weak to Stealth Rock, it would definitely be a top tier Pokemon. Ice-type Judgment is resisted by few Pokemon in Ubers due to the ubiquity of Dragon-type roaming about. However, Ice Arceus is still not a joke to laugh at. With trademark Arceus bulk and Speed, Ice Arceus can easily grab a Calm Mind and try to sweep with Judgment. Thunder rounds off the coverage of Judgment by taking out Kyogre, which is the most common Ice-type resist in the tier while Fire Blast roasts Steel-types like Ferrothorn and Forretress. It also must be noted that Blissey and Chansey are the only walls capable of taking on Ice Arceus since most other walls such as Giratina and Dialga do not enjoy taking a boosted Judgment or Focus Blast, respectively. Curiously, Ice Arceus fit well onto both Rain and Sun teams. Sunlight powers up Arceus's Fire Blast while Rain removes its Fire-type weakness. Normal Arceus Role: Sweeper / Cleaner The most fearsome of all the Arceus, and for very good reason. Normal Arceus is the only Pokemon in the game aside from the meek Smeargle to receive Swords Dance and STAB ExtremeSpeed, flattening any team that does not run a dedicated check to it. Common revenge killers such as Choice Scarf Palkia and Garchomp are easily brushed aside as ExtremeSpeed flies past them and wipes them out immediately, and coupled with Arceus's fantastic bulk, it's no wonder that this Pokemon is one of the most difficult to revenge kill. When not using Swords Dance, Arceus can effectively use a Calm Mind set, or even use Choice Specs to hit hard right off the bat. Choice Band can be used to abuse ExtremeSpeed further, allowing Arceus to revenge kill many frail threats. Rock Arceus Role: Tank / Sweeper If you Ubers team is a soccer team, then Rock Arceus is a very competent midfielder. While it may appear to have a poor typing, being weak to five of the most common attacking types, its excellent bulk and Special Defense boost in Sandstorm still makes it a very resilient tank, capable of taking some of the most powerful Special Attacks such as Choice Specs Dialga's Draco Meteor. It is the only Pokemon who can claim to fully counter Ho-oh and Reshiram regardless of weather. Not only that, but its resistance to ExtremeSpeed allows it to function as an excellent offensive check to the Extreme Killer. Rock is excellent offensively, hitting many Pokemon for neutral or super effective damage, while lacking immunities and common 4x resistances. By using a set of Calm Mind / Recover / Judgment and one of Will-O-Wisp or Refresh, Rock Arceus can simultaneously quell many powerful attackers while turning into a deadly sweeper whenever the chance arises. If a mono-attacking set is not your cup of tea, Rock Arceus can use an offensive Calm Mind set with Fire Blast and Grass Knot or be the only Swords Dancing Arceus who can beat down Skarmory without relying on weather. As long as you keep it away from Pokemon like Kyogre, Fighting Arceus, and Ground Arceus, Rock Arceus can single-handedly dismantle many teams. Steel Arceus Role: Support / Stallbreaker / Tank / Sweeper Steel Arcues sets itself apart from its other formes thanks to the fantasic trademark resistances that comes with Steel typing, which Steel Arceus can abuse with its great bulk and recovery. Steel Arceus can make a great support Pokemon and pairs well with Dragon-type Pokemon, as it can switch in and take Dragon-, and Ice-type attacks without breaking a sweat. Thanks to its typing, Steel Arceus makes a great Calm Mind sweeper, which is a powerful weapon against stall, beating Pokemon such as Chansey and Blissey thanks to its immunity to Toxic. Groudon spells trouble for Steel Arceus, because of STAB Earthquake, and inducing permanent sun, which powers up opponents Fire-type attacks. Water Arceus Role: Sweeper Though overlooked by most players, Water Arceus is actually one of the more threatening Arceus formes. In Rain, Swords Dance Water Arceus is extremely threatening after a Rain boost since Waterfall will do insane amounts of damage thanks to STAB, Splash Plate boost, and Rain. For the record, Waterfall in Rain will OHKO Max HP Arceus as well Lugia after factoring in Stealth Rock. Dragon Claw is used to provide auxiliary coverage and deals heavy damage to Giratina, Giratina-O and Palkia who resist Waterfall. In Rain, even Ferrothorn takes a hefty 49.7% - 58.8% damage, meaning it just cannot waltz in. Water Arceus can also run incredibly efficient defensive and offense Calm Mind thanks to excellent bulk, Recover, and Water-type Judgment having good neutral coverage. Fire Blast and Thunder also provide varied coverage options and help Arceus cover more threats. Defensive Arceus formes: Grass / Poison / Psychic Arceus Role: Support / Sweeper Due to their relatively poor offensive typings, Grass, Poison, and Psychic Arceus are usually relegated to more defensive roles. This is not to say that they do not belong on offensive teams. Each can bring their unique strengths to a battle. Grass Arceus is possibly the most consistent checks to Kyogre in the entire tier, being able to switch into any attack the leviathan fires and Recover off the damage, or use its Grass STAB to severe damage Kyogre. It is also a great Pokemon to spread around paralysis, especially since Ground-types immune to Thunder Wave get destroyed by Grass-type moves. Apart from checking Kyogre, Grass Arceus also handles Groudon well enough although it will certainly not like taking a Fire Punch in the face. Grass Arceus is also one of the few Pokemon who is capable of checking Lustrous Orb Palkia provided the weather is not sunny. Poison Arceus's main niche is to easily absorb Toxic Spikes that ruin many Ubers upon switching in. Although Poison is not a very good offensive typing, Poison Arceus is immune to Toxic, which means it can set up on Blissey and Chansey with impunity. Finally, Psychic Arceus in the rain is probably the only Pokemon that can claim to wall Mewtwo. It resists both Psystrike and Aura Sphere, is neutral to Ice Beam and Fire Blast and can 2HKO Mewtwo in return with a combination of Payback and ExtremeSpeed. All three Arceus formes have their own distinct Calm Mind sets. Grass Arceus, although lacking good coverage, can slowly boost up against Rain teams that rely on Ferrothorn too much and eventually sweep. Like already mentioned, Poison Arceus is immune to Toxic which prevent it being stopped by Blissey and Chansey. It also has access to STAB Sludge Bomb, which can potentially poison opposing Calm Mind users and shift the momentum on Poison Arceus's side. Finally, Psychic Arceus has access to STAB Psyshock, while allows it to bypass special walls by attacking their physical Defense. While such a set may appear outclassed by Mewtwo, Psychic Arceus's natural bulk makes it much harder to revenge kill, and allows it to easily set up. Pure non-weather Sweepers These are the sweepers which can sweep reliably without much support or any weather. They put an immense amount of offensive pressure on the opponent due to their sheer power and good coverage. Some of them even have access to boosting moves to further increase their offensive stats and Speed. All of these Pokemon should be considered for a place on offensive as well as balanced teams. Blaziken Base Stats: 80 HP / 120 Atk / 70 Def / 110 SpA / 70 SpD / 80 Spe Ability: Blaze / Speed Boost Role: Sweeper / Wallbreaker / Cleaner Boasting the claim of being the first starter to be banned from the OU tier, Blaziken is quite an offensive powerhouse even by Uber standards. However, Blaziken's claim to fame is its fantastic Dream World ability Speed Boost. Coupled with Speed boost and impressive dual STAB's, if this chicken gets a Swords Dance and a couple of boosts you can kiss your chances of winning goodbye. A +2 Flare Blitz in the sun will easily OHKO even Support Groudon while Hi Jump Kick will OHKO even the most defensively oriented Mono Attacking Kyogre. Blaziken also gets Stone Edge which allows it to beat Ho-Oh and Giratina-O. Indeed, the only true counter to Blaziken is Giratina who can stomach everything Blaziken throws at it and phaze it out. This Pokemon has come a long way since DPP and clearly shows how a single ability can drastically change a Pokemon. Cloyster Type: Water / Ice Base Stats : 50 HP / 95 Atk / 180 Def / 85 SpA / 45 SpA / 70 Spe Ability: Shell Armour / Skill Link / Overcoat (Unreleased) If there was any Pokemon who ever hit the jackpot in BW, then it was undoubtedly Cloyster. BW gave Cloyster one of the best set up moves in the entire game : Shell Smash. After a Shell Smash Cloyster receives a +2 boost in both its offensive stats and speed stat while its defenses get lowered by one stage each. Thanks to Skill Link, Icicle Spear will always hit 5 times in a row and after a Shell Smash can even OHKO Support Groudon, Specially Defensive Ferrothorn and Giratina ! Rock Blast allows Cloyster to send Ho-Oh fleeing for cover while Hydro Pump in Rain will OHKO any Steel-types hoping to wall Cloyster. Though Cloyster's Special Defense and HP stat leave something to be desired, it is always a threat to watch out for. Darkrai Type: Dark Base Stats: 70 HP / 90 Atk / 90 Def / 135 SpA / 90 SpD / 125 Spe Ability: Bad Dreams Role: Sweeper / Cleaner While the new generation may not have given Darkrai any new moves to play with, Darkrai is still a terror in the Uber tier. Dark Void allows Darkrai a free chance to set up with Dark Void and cripple a Pokemon. From there it can proceed to set up with Nasty Plot and gear up for a quick sweep. Darkrai does not have an exceptionally wide movepool but it has all it needs. Dark Pulse and Focus Blast have perfect coverage. The best way of dealing with Darkrai is to allow a Pokemon to absorb the Dark Void, preferably a Sleep Talker, and then switch to to something capable of revenging Darkrai, like Scarf Terrakion. However, Darkrai is infinitely less menacing once something has been put to Sleep. Also its frailty makes switching in rather difficult. Inspite of all this, this shadowy specter of twilight can ravage unprepared teams with ease. Deoxys-A Type: Psychic Base Stats: HP 50 / Atk 180 / Def 20 / SpA 180 / SpD 20 / Spe 150 Ability: Pressure Role: Sweeper In a long time ago when Arceus was still in his slumber and Giratina had yet to emerge from the Distortion World, Deoxys-A was the king of Ubers. A massive movepool and ability to OHKO every Pokemon in the game made sure its miniscule defenses were overshadowed. With a base 150 Speed, second only to Deoxys-S, the only way of revenge killing Deoxys-A was using a Scarfer or a priority move. With the advent of Bullet Punch Scizor, Extreme Killer Arceus, and Shadow Sneak Giratina-O Deoxys-A took a big hit since it was OHKOed by all of these moves. Deoxys-A still makes an excellent lead though and can put immense offensive pressure on your opponent from the very beginning of the match. However even though its less of a threat nowadays every team must prepare for it since it can cleave through teams in a heart beat. Dialga Type: Steel/Dragon Base Stats: 100 HP / 120 Atk / 120 Def / 150 SpA / 100 SpD / 90 Spe Ability: Pressure/ Telepathy (Unreleased) Roles: Support / Sweeper / Wallbreaker / Stallbreaker / Revenge Killer Dialga is possibly the most versatile Pokemon in the entire game capable of performing every possible role on a team. Dialga's magnificent base 150 Special Attack and base 120 Attack make it an offensive powerhouse dangerous. From proving team support with Stealth Rock, Roar, and Thunder Wave to firing off immensely powerful Draco Meteor's and Fire Blasts while equipped with Choice Specs, no Pokemon can claim to truly wall Dialga. Common checks to the Choice Sets are easily eliminated by the Mixed Dialga set and vice versa. Dialga's resistances to common attacking types, Toxic and its varied mixed movepool make it a great wallbreaker in Ubers. Dialga can also function as a fantastic endgame sweeper with a Rest Talk set with Bulk Up and Outrage. To sum it up, Dialga is one of those few Pokemon's who have near zero flaws in their design. Garchomp Type: Dragon / Ground Base Stats: 108 HP / 130 Atk / 95 Def / 80 SpA / 85 SpD / 102 Spe Ability: Sand Veil / Rough Skin (unreleased) Role: Revenge Killer / Sweeper / Cleaner Garchomp is a formidable physical attacker in the Uber tier. Dragon / Ground is an excellent offensive typing. An Outrage coming off a base 130 Attack will put a dent into any pokemon not having a Steel-typing. However, even those select few Pokemon are easily disposed off with a STABed Earthquake, making it very difficult to switch into a Garchomp. Its coverage is basically unresisted by every Pokemon not named Skarmory or Bronzong. Swords Dance makes Garchomp even more deadly and setting up isn't at all hard due to Garchomp's decent bulk and it forcing a lot of switches. Garchomp also makes a very good Choice Scarf user and revenge killer thanks to its Base 102 Speed allowing it to narrowly outspeed Scarf Palkia and Dragon Dance Salamence. Other than its dual STAB's Garchomp can even opt for Stone Edge, Fire Fang or Dragon Claw to further widen its coverage. Giratina-O Type: Ghost / Dragon Base Stats: 150 HP / 120 Atk / 100 Def / 120 SpA / 100 SpD / 90 Spe Ability: Levitate Role: Offensive Spinblocker / Wallbreaker Giratina-O shares a similar role as an offensive spinblocker with Ghost Arceus, but sets itself apart from its spinblocking brethren through its many unique qualities. Giratina-O's access to Levitate, Dragon-type STAB, additional resistances to Water-, Fire-, Electric-, and Grass-type moves, and a useful STABed priority move in Shadow Sneak allows it to comfortably place itself into many teams - especially if they already have a non-Ghost Arceus. Oftentimes, Giratina-O will attempt to abuse its spinblocking ability through its powerful phazing move, Dragon Tail, backed up with STAB, its awesome base 120 Attack, and Griseous Orb boost, in order to inflict much damage and pressure on the victim. Its equally excellent base 120 Special Attack can be utilized to fire off moves such as Draco Meteor, Aura Sphere, Thunder, and Hidden Power Fire, and can be boosted by Calm Mind. Fortunately, Giratina-O's weaknesses to some of the most common types in the Uber metagame allow it to be revenge killed with ease. When playing against Giratina-O, it is of utmost importance that you prevent the opponent from setting up entry hazards as much as possible, or you may find your team severely battered. Groudon Type: Ground Base Stats: 100 HP / 150 Atk / 140 Def / 100 SpA / 90 SpD / 90 Spe Ability: Drought Roles: Sweeper / Support / Tank While usually seen on Stall teams for its great bulk and excellent support movepool, Groudon's magnificent base 150 Attack allows it to dish out some serious damage with its powerful STAB Earthquake. Groudon also gets the coveted Rock Polish allowing it to double its sub par base 90 Speed, outspeeding everything in the game. Groudon also has a host of other moves like Dragon Claw, Shadow Claw, Fire Punch, Stone Edge, Rock Slide, and Overheat, which compliment its Ground-type STAB quite nicely. Unlike other Uber sweepers, Groudon possesses a fair amount of bulk which makes setting up easier. Furthermore, Groudon can always perform a supportive role and set up Stealth Rocks, phaze out set up sweepers with Roar or Dragon Tail, and spread Paralysis for its team. Groudon is also a staple on Sun teams thanks to its ability to summon infinite sunlight which powers up Fire-type Attacks and activates abilities like Chlorophyll. Heatran Type: Fire / Steel Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 106 Def / 130 SpA / 106 SpD / 77 Spe Ability: Flash Fire / Flame Body (unreleased) Roles: Stallbreaker Heatran is known in OU fors its fantastic Special Attack stat and typing. Unfortunately, Heatran is horribly outclassed offensively in Ubers. It does, however, fill a great niche thanks to its typing, movepool and great bulk. Moves like Taunt, Toxic and Roar make Heatran a perfect stallbreaker. Heatran can stop entry hazards, recovery, and status moves with Taunt, crippling the likes of Ferrothorn, Chansey, and Lugia, while Toxic can wear them down. Heatran can use Lava Plume to roast Steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Skarmory, and Forretress, as well as to cause passive damage on other Pokemon, and infilct burns. Heatran will usually cause switches thanks to Roar on stall based Pokemon, so entry hazard support is advised. Ferrothorn makes a perfect candidate, setting up entry hazards, and taking super effective moves aimed at Heatran, while Heatran reciprocates. Giratina also pairs nicely with heatran synergy-wise, and acts as a spin blocker too, and makes use of entry hazards. While Dragon Tail reduces Heatran's efficiency as a Stallbreaker as it bypasses Taunt, nonetheless Heatran is a great Pokemon and can be a pain for stall teams under the right circumstances. The rise of the mighty Tentacruel has also led to the waning popularity of Heatran. Ho-Oh Type: Fire / Flying Base Stats: 106 HP / 130 Atk / 90 Def / 110 SpA / 154 SpD / 90 Spe Ability: Pressure / Regeneration (Unreleased) Roles: Tank / Sweeper / Wallbreaker Ho-Oh is one of the most difficult Pokemon to deal with in the entire game. Sporting fantastic 106/90/154 defenses, the opponent will struggle to take down this fiery phoenix as it proceeds to take apart entire teams with powerful strikes coming from its sizable base 130 Attack stat. Ho-Oh's signature move, Sacred Fire, deals enormous damage to virtually everything in the sunlight, which is easily provided by Groudon. It also possesses a 50% chance of inflicting a burn, which makes would be checks such as Zekrom wary of switching in. Not even the king of the seas, Kyogre, is willing to come in on Ho-Oh, lest it be torn to shreds by Ho-Oh's powerful STAB Brave Bird that rounds off the coverage provided by Sacred Fire quite nicely. This great bird even comes equipped with Earthquake to take down Zekrom, Heatran, and most Rock-types. Recover also enables Ho-Oh to take a hit and keep on pounding away at teams, making it a useful defensive Pokemon as well as a offensive one, checking dangerous threats such as Darkrai and most special attacking Arceus. Ho-Oh's sheer power also tends to force the opponent to make a lot of switches, enabling it to easily set up a Substitute to get free hits on its counters. Unfortunately, Ho-Oh's biggest flaw is its 4x weakness to Rock-type attacks, which translate to an enormous vulnerability to Stealth Rock. When facing Ho-Oh, setting up Stealth Rock and keeping it on the field is key to fighting off the phoenix's assaults, as very little can truly claim to wall this magnificent beast. Hydreigon Type: Dark / Dragon Base Stats: 92 HP / 105 Atk / 90 Def / 125 SpA / 90 SpD / 98 Spe Ability: Levitate Role: Revenge Killer / Cleaner Hydreigon's main claim to fame is his ability to revenge kill prominent threats in the Uber metagame while laughing at Wobbuffet, who is unable to trap and remove it with Mirror Coat due to Hydreigon's immunity. Couple that with Levitate to avoid Spikes and U-turn to scout, Hydreigon is an effective revenge killer in Ubers, able to strike down many prominent sweepers such as Dragon Dance Rayquaza, Mewtwo, Deoxys-A, and Darkrai. Hydreigon is not without its flaws however, as its Special Attack, while good, is often not good enough. Its base 98 Speed also misses a few targets, such as Choice Scarf Palkia and Dragon Dance Salamence, and its resistances could only be classified as below average at best. Jirachi Type: Steel / Psychic Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe Ability: Serene Grace Role: Revenge Killer / Support The other annoying but cute little pixie, Jirachi is not as versatile as it is in OU. However, it is an excellent revenge killer, sporting a good base 100 Speed and Steel-typing, allowing it revenge kill all variants of Rayquaza with no problems at all. Using a Choice Scarf, it outspeeds Dragon Dance Rayquaza and quickly puts it out of commission with Ice Punch. With access to Serene Grace and Iron Head, it could potentially turn a losing game into a winner with its trademark flinches, which would cause any opponent to tear their hairs out. Jirachi is also a good defensive pivot, using its Steel-typing to stomach powerful Dragon-type attacks and passing Wish around the team. It can even run a Dual Screens + Healing Wish set if you so desire. Jynx Type: Ice / Psychic Base Stats: 65 HP / 50 Atk / 35 Def / 115 SpA / 95 SpD / 95 Spe Ability: Oblivious / Forewarn / Dry Skin Role: Sweeper / Stallbreaker Jynx got a fun new toy in the fifth generation: Dry Skin. What would otherwise have just been another physically frail Psychic-type can now switch into the most powerful attack in the game, Kyogre's Water Spout. With her usable Special Defense, she can also take Ice Beams and Thunders that Kyogre use. What sets Jynx apart from other Water Absorbers is her offensive presence. Her decent base 115 Special Attack, coupled with Nasty Plot and Lovely Kiss, as well as the excellent Ice STAB, makes her extremely dangerous to the numerous rain stall teams in the Uber tier. Add the fact that she recovers 18.75% of her max HP every turn with Leftovers and Dry Skin (meaning she can almost make Substitutes for free), you have yourself a very nasty mono-attacker that can easily steamroll a team if she is given a free turn, a free turn which she can easily find. However, one must be aware of Jynx's flaws. Her miniscule base 35 Defense means a tiny prod will KO her, while her Stealth Rock weakness does not help her cause at all. Kyogre Type: Water Base Stats: 100 / 100 / 90 / 150 / 140 / 90 Ability: Drizzle Roles: Sweeper / Wallbreaker / Revenge Killer / Tank / Support / Cleaner Kyogre practically defines the Uber tier with its massive base 150 Special Attack stat backed up by great bulk. It also induces rain, which powers up its STAB Water-type attacks, and a 150 base power double STAB attack isn't taken lightly by anything. Kyogre can also abuse Thunder thanks to drizzle, and has access to Ice Beam to nail those pesky Dragon-types that plague the Uber tier. The only thing it might run into trouble with is Gastrodon, which is an exclusive Kyogre counter and Palkia and Ferrothorn to an extent. Kyogre is also very diverse. It can use Choice Specs to raise its Special Attack even further, and put dents in everything, even Chansey. Choice Scarf can be utilized to compensate for Kyogre's average Speed stat, and make it an ideal revenge killer. Kyogre can also preform as a mono attacking boosting sweeper, boosting its already high Special Attack and Special Defense with Calm Mind, while staying healthy with Rest. It can even run Thunder Wave to cripple opposing Palkia switch ins hoping to sponge a Water Spout ! Overall, Kyogre is a very dangerous Pokemon and is definitely one to look out for. Latias Type: Dragon / Psychic Base Stats: 80 HP / 80 Atk / 90 Def / 110 SpA / 130 SpD / 110 Spe Ability: Levitate Role: Support / Sweeper With the loss of Soul Dew in Generation 5, many doubted Latias' ability to be useful again in Ubers until she got her coveted treasure back. However, Latias has always been an extremely versatile Pokemon and has been able to adapt to this heavy blow. With a bulky spread, she can still switch into Kyogre's attacks, even though it is with much greater difficulty. The biggest catch of using Latias over other specialised Kyogre counters such as Grass Arceus and Palkia is her ability, Levitate. In a metagame where Spikes and Toxic Spikes are everywhere, and Rapid Spin is extremely hard to pull off, her immunity to these entry hazards allows her to switch in much more easily than her rivals. With Calm Mind, Recover and Psyshock, Latias can also defeat many Calm Mind users one on one, as Psyshock bypasses their boosted Special Defense. Latias can also run an effective Dual Screens set with Healing Wish, allowing many sweepers to have a much easier chance of setting up. However, keep in mind Latias is a lot weaker without Soul Dew and cannot just be slapped onto any other team unlike good ol' DPP Ubers. Latios Type: Dragon / Psychic Base Stats: 80 HP / 90 Atk / 80 Def / 130 SpA / 110 SpD / 110 Spe Ability: Levitate Role: Wallbreaker Like Latias, the loss of Soul Dew hit Latios really hard. However, it is still an excellent Dual Screener in Ubers, being able to pull off Reflect and Light Screen with its good base 110 Speed and then giving its recipient a free switch with Memento. Latios is also able use its powerful base 130 SpA and Dragon-typing to pull off a Choice Specs set. While it may appear that other Uber dragons such as Dialga, Palkia and Reshiram are better for such a role due to their better typings and power, Latios still boasts being the fastest Pokemon to pull off a Choice Specs-boosted Draco Meteor. Its ability, Levitate, also allows it to ignore Spikes, a common entry hazard in the Uber metagame, meaning Latios can come in more frequently than the aforementioned dragons to dish out the pain. Finally, Latios has access to Trick and Psyshock, meaning Blissey and Chansey cannot switch into Latios as easily. Lucario Type: Fighting / Steel Base Stats: 70 HP / 110 Atk / 70 Def / 115 SpA / 70 SpD / 90 Spe Ability: Inner Focus / Steadfast / Justified Role: Sweeper / Cleaner Even though Generation 5 brought Lucario some new toys such as Nasty Plot and Hi Jump Kick, it still prefers to run its tried-and-true Swords Dance set. While its stats may seem subpar for Ubers, Lucario has the valuable Fighting-type STAB, strong priority as well as excellent resistances, which help it set up in the tier. With a Swords Dance under its belt and a few layers of hazards up, little can stand up to Lucario in the lategame. Its Swords Dance boosted Close Combat has a chance to OHKO support Groudon after three layers of Spikes, something which other Swords Dancing ExtremeSpeed users in Rayquaza and Arceus can only tip off their hats to. However, Lucario is extremely frail, and even with its defenses, it finds it difficult to set up, which is why the use of caution and Wobbuffet are highly recommended. Magnezone Type: Electric / Steel Base Stats: 70 HP / 70 Atk / 115 Def / 130 SpA / 90 SpD / 50 Spe Ability: Magnet Pull / Sturdy / Analytic (unreleased) Role: Support Ferrothorn is one of the most annoying Pokemon to ever exist. There are many Pokemon that really enjoy its absence when it is removed. This is why Magnezone occasionally sees usage in the Uber tier. It can use its ability, Magnet Pull, along with Substitute and Charge Beam to set up on Ferrothorn, then remove it from the game forever and possibly take down even more Pokemon. With Ferrothorn and other Steel-types such as Forretress, Scizor, Jirachi, and Skarmory removed, the myriad of Dragon-types in Ubers can fire off Draco Meteors and Outrages with impunity, quickly decimating the opposition. Magnezone is not just a one-trick pony, either. Its decent bulk and many resistances allow it to fire off the most powerful Thunder in the game repeatedly, although its horrible Speed lets it down extremely badly. It can also set up Dual Screens for its teammates. Mamoswine Type: Ice / Ground Base Stats: 110 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 70 SpA / 60 SpD / 80 Spe Ability: Oblivious /Snow Cloak / Thick Fat Role: Wallbreaker Although, this woolly mammoth has dropped into the obscurity of UU, it still packs enough punch (or blubber really) to secure a niche in the Uber metagame. BW gave Mamoswine the one thing it was waiting for: a stronger and reliable Ice-type STAB in Icicle Crash. Ice is an incredible offensive type in Pokemon and more so in Ubers since most of the popular walls such as Groudon, Giratina, Lugia are all weak to Ice-type attacks. With Stealth Rock support, a Mamoswine toting a Life Orb can 2HKO all of the former walls. Earthquake rounds off the coverage nicely and can easily gash Steel-types like Ferrothorn. Mamoswine also gets Ice Shard which is extremely useful in Ubers and can OHKO Rayquaza, Shaymin-S and Garchomp while putting a major dent in other Dragons. Lastly, Mamoswine can also use the extreme number of switches it causes to set up Stealth Rock or can set up Substitute to cause even more havoc. Although, Stealth Rock and Life Orb recoil will ensure Mamoswine does not live too long, this mammoth is one tough cookie ! Manaphy Type: Water Base Stats: 100 / 100 / 100 / 100 / 100 / 100 Ability: Hydration Role: Sweeper / Stallbreaker / Tank / Cleaner Manaphy has competition from other strong Water-types in Ubers like Kyogre and Palkia, but it does have some fantastic advantages over them. Manaphy has the trademark pixie stats, base 100 across the board. Manaphy also gets the excellent Water STAB along with other useful moves like Ice Beam and Grass Knot which ive it near perfect neutral coverage in the Uber tier. However, Hydration, Manaphy's ability is what makes it shine. Hydration heals Manaphy of any status ailment at the end of every turn when rain--which is very common in ubers--is in play. This means that Manaphy cannot be crippled by status, and can use Rest without having to sleep for 2 turns. Manaphy also has access to Tail Glow, which now gives Manaphy a +3 boost in Special Attack, all in a single turn ! Combine this with complete recovery with no drawbacks, amazing type coverage, and you have a fearsome sweeper on your hands. Calm Mind is also viable, as Manaphy can slowly increase its Special Attack and Special Defense, while being immune to status, thus making it a great stallbreaker. Although Manaphy is very reliant on rain support, it still makes a fantastic sweeper for most teams using Kyogre. Mewtwo Type: Psychic Base Stats: 106 HP / 110 Atk / 90 Def / 154 SpA / 90 SpD / 130 Spe Ability: Pressure / Tension (unreleased) Roles: Sweeper / Wallbreaker / Cleaner Say hello to one of the oldest Ubers in the game. Boasting access to a whooping base 154 Special Attack and a amazing base 130 Speed, allow Mewtwo to outpace and 2HKO almost every Pokemon in the Uber tier. Mewtwo also has perfect coverage in the form of Ice Beam, Aura Sphere, and Fire Blast, making it very hard to wall or for that matter switch into. As if to add insult to injury, the new generation gave Mewtwo a new toy to play with: Psystrike. Psystrike is a 100 Base Power Psychic type move which deals Physical damage. This basically invalidates Blissey status as a Mewtwo wall since Psystrike will 2HKO easily. Mewtwo also gets Calm Mind allowing it to boost its stats to astronomical levels while also giving a buff to its Special bulk. Thanks to its great offensive coverage and Psystrike, Mewtwo has the ability to break walls while still focusing on its sweeping. Omastar Type: Rock / Water Base Stats: 70 HP / 60 Atk / 115 Def / 125 SpA / 70 SpD / 55 Spe Ability: Swift Swim / Shell Armor / Weak Armor Role: Revenge Killer / Cleaner Omastar is another Pokemon whose career was changed by the addition of Shell Smash to its movepool. After a Shell Smash in the rain, it is virtually impossible to revenge kill, boasting an incredible 836 Speed. It is also incredibly powerful in the rain, easily doing over 80% to Ferrothorn with a +2 Hydro Pump. It also sports very good coverage, making it an extremely fearsome sweeper. Although it is hard to set up with Omastar, it is far from useless if it can't set up, either. As long as Kyogre keeps its end of the deal and keeps the rain up, Omastar can use its resistance to ExtremeSpeed and revenge kill ExtremeKiller Arceus with Hydro Pump, something very few Pokemon could claim to be able to do. Arceus is not the only Pokemon who Omastar can revenge kill, Mewtwo, Darkrai, and Shaymin-S are all as easily destroyed. Never underestimate the old fossil, lest it be your downfall. Palkia Type: Water / Dragon Base Stats: 90 HP / 120 Atk / 100 Def / 150 SpA / 120 SpD / 100 Spe Ability: Pressure / Telepathy (unreleased) Roles: Revenge Killer / Sweeper / Wallbreaker / Cleaner To call Palkia powerful would be a sore understatement - this beast of one of the most unpredictable and dangerous Pokemon in the Uber tier. Palkia is mostly used as a revenge killer with Choice Scarf, and for good reason - with a nice Speed stat, an incredible Special Attack stat, and a wide offensive movepool consisting of Spacial Rend, Outrage, Draco Meteor, Fire Blast, Surf, Aura Sphere, Thunder, and even more, Palkia is perhaps the most reliable revenge killer in Ubers. Palkia can also use its impressive Attack stat to do some mixed sweeping, easily beating down popular special walls Chansey and Blissey with Aqua Tail in the rain or Focus Punch. Choice Specs also boosts Palkia's strength to unimaginable levels, becoming so powerful that it can 2HKO Chansey in the rain with Hydro Pump after Stealth Rock damage. Palkia also boasts impressive 4x resistances to Water-type and Fire-type attacks, making it one of the few things that can switch in on Reshiram's Blue Flare and Kyogre's Water Spout without instantly dying. All in all, Palkia is an impressive Pokemon that can do many different things, and every good team needs to have a plan for it. Rayquaza Type: Dragon / Flying Base Stats: 105 HP / 150 Atk / 90 Def / 150 SpA / 90 SpD / 95 Spe Ability: Air Lock Role: Sweeper / Wallbreaker / Cleaner Rayquaza's huge Base 150 Attack and Special Attack make it an excellent mixed attacker able to smash through the sturdiest of walls with its powerful attacks. Rayquaza is blessed with a wide movepool including STAB Outrage and Draco Meteor, Earthquake, Aqua Tail and Fire Blast. Sword Dance and Dragon Dance allow Rayquaza to propel its Attack stat to mind boggling levels. Rayquaza's only con is its mediocre base 95 Speed allowing it to be easily revenged by faster Dragons like Palkia, Rayquaza and Salamence. However, Rayquaza's movepool remedies even its Speed issue thanks to ExtremeSpeed allowing Rayquaza to destroy any revenge killer, hoping to stop Rayquaza's rampage. Apart from the usual Dragon Dance and Sword Dance sets Rayquaza can even go mixed, allowing it to destroy its most common switch-ins by firing off powerful attacks from both sides of the spectrum. Furthermore, Rayquaza also gets V-Create as a event move. V-Create lets Rayquaza fire off an immensely powerful attack without being locked into Outrage ( a V-Create has the same effective base power as a STAB Outrage). V-Create also gives Rayquaza a much needed Fire-type physical move, allowing it to destroy Skarmory and Ferrothorn without resorting to Overheat. This in turn makes Swords Dance and Choice Band sets much more viable than they previously were. Reshiram Typing: Dragon / Fire Base Stats: 100 HP / 120 Atk / 100 Def / 150 SpA / 120 SpD / 90 Spe Ability: Turboblaze Role: Sweeper / Revenge Killer / Wallbreaker / Cleaner Reshiram is one of the two new Dragons introduced this generation. With a stunning base 150 Special Attack and perfect dual STABs (thanks to TurboBlaze smashing through Heatran's Flash Fire) very few Pokemon can hope to survive Reshiram's wrath. Reshiram's signature move Blue Flare nearly equals the power of Kyogre's Water Spout and can even 2HKO Blissey if the weather is sunny and Reshiram is holding Choice Specs. Draco Meteor hits like a nuke coming off Reshiram's humongous Special Attack stat and will dent even those packing a resistance to the move. With a Choice Specs, Reshiram is capable of wall breaking through the sheer damage output of its sun boosted Blue Flare and Draco Meteor. Reshiram can utilize a Flame Charge set to boost its mediocre Base 90 Speed and attempt a sweep. Reshiram's decent (by Uber standards) base 120 Attack, allowing it to smack Blissey with Outrage and to a lesser extent Ho-Oh. Reshiram can also run a deadly Choice Scarf thanks to its powerful Blue Flare. Salamence Type: Dragon / Flying Base Stats: 95 HP / 135 Atk / 80 Def / 110 SpA / 80 SpD / 100 Spe Ability: Intimidate / Moxie Role: Wallbreaker / Cleaner At a glance, it seems that Salamence is outclassed by Rayquaza who has better overall offenses and a extremely useful ability allowing him to stop weather sweepers in their tracks. However, when partnered together, the two form an extremely deadly offensive core able to tear most teams to shreds. The base 100 Speed is especially useful in beating down pokemon which Rayquaza cannot outspeed. Salamence can also destroy or weaken enemy walls by firing off attacks from both sides of the spectrum so that Rayquaza can cleave through the rest of the team with its powerful attacks. With Moxie, Salamence can pull off an incredibly effective Scarf set. After each kill Salamence nets, Moxie gives Salamence a +1 boost to its attack making it incredibly hard to wall without resorting to Steel-types. This makes Salamence an excellent late game cleaner after Steel types have been removed. Scizor Type: Bug / Steel Base Stats: 70 HP / 130 Atk / 100 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 65 Spe Ability: Swarm / Technician / Light Metal (Unreleased) Role: Cleaner / Sweeper Back in DPP, Scizor was everybody's favorite Dragon-type resist but with the passing of the generation Scizor fell out of favour for the more defensively oriented Ferrothorn who also packs a useful Water-type resistance along with with a resistance to Stealth Rock and the ability to set up Spikes. However, this metal bug can still give common frail sweepers like Rayquaza a run for their money with its powerful Technician boosted STAB Bullet Punch. Scizor is also an excellent scout with its powerful U-Turn allowing it to switch to an appropriate Pokemon and also maintain offensive momentum. Scizor also has access to Pursuit, meaning when paired with Tickle Wobbuffet it can easily eliminate common elements of stall teams such as Blissey and Lugia. Choice Band is easily Scizor's best set, thanks to the immediate power and powerful priority. The Swords Dance set can also work but will usually find it hard to set up. Shaymin-S Type: Grass/Flying Base Stats: 100 HP/ 103 Atk / 75 Def / 120 SpA / 75 SpD / 127 Spe Ability: Serene Grace Role: Sweeper / Cleaner The cutest Uber is also one of the most annoying ones to face. Shaymin-S gets possibly one of the best abilities in the game: Serene Grace, which doubles the chance of secondary effects occurring. A blistering 127 base Speed makes it a fantastic SubSeeder, being able to make opponents rip their hair out in frustration. Shaymin-S can also go purely offensive with Life Orbed sets. Darkrai is outpaced and flinched to death with Air Slash. Shaymin-S also makes an incredible Scarf user, being able to deal with common Scarfers like Palkia and Adamant Rock Polish Groudon. It also makes a very good lead due to its ability to stop Deoxys-S 60% of the time. A Choice Specs set is also viable and can really surprise the opposing player. Terrakion Type: Rock / Fighting Base Stats: 91 HP / 129 Atk / 90 Def / 72 SpA / 90 SpD / 108 Spe Ability: Justice Heart Role: Revenge Killer / Sweeper Terrakion is quite an unique Pokemon. Rock / Fighting is an excellent offensive typing and gives Terrakion unparalleled coverage in the Uber tier. Terrakion might not have a very wide movepool but it gets all that it needs to act as a sweeper and a revenge killer. Rock Polish and Sword Dance allow Terrakion to bolster both its Attack and Speed stat to incredibly high levels.With STAB Stone Edge and Close Combat coming off a base 125 Attack, very few Pokemon can boast of being a perfect switch-in to into Terrakion. Thanks to its decent bulk and great base 108 Speed, which puts at above common revenge killers like Palkia and Garchomp, Terrakion makes a great revenge killer. It is also one of the few pokemon who can revenge kill Extremekiller Arceus after it has notched up a Swords Dance. Also, it's Justified ability allows it to come in on a Dark-type attack (which it incidentally resists) and grab a free Attack boost. and gear up for a sweep. Thundurus Tornadus Type: Electric / Flying Type: Fyling Base Stats: 79 HP / 115 Atk / 70 Def / 125 SpA / 80 SpD / 111 Spe Ability: Prankster / Defiant Role: Sweeper / Support Proclaimed by many as the most badass legendaries in the game, Thundurus and Tornadus make you believe that maybe looks do mater ! Though both are used on rain teams and have near identical movepools, they are used for different functions. Thundurus is seen usually is a powerful sweeper, who can tear apart unprepared teams with its powerful Thunder and Focus Blast. Boasting priority Taunt to shut down Ferrothorn and Nasty Plot to boost its defense, there is not a lot which can stand in its way after Thundurus has bagged a boost. Even Blissey is 2HKOed by a +2 Focus Blast and any Groudon hoping to absorb a Thunder is swiftly removed by Hidden Power Ice. Prankster is extremely useful for Thundurus since it allows it to cripple a revenge killer before dying which can be invaluable for a team mate. Tornadus, on the other hand, performs a more supportive role , setting up Tailwind and making slower sweepers like Choice Specs Kyogre infinitely more dangerous. Tornadus can also put a major dent into walls with STAB Hurricane which has perfect accuracy in Rain and Focus Blast. Tyranitar Type: Rock / Dark Base Stats: 100 HP / 134 Atk / 110 Def / 95 SpA / 100 SpD / 61 Spe Ability: Sand Stream/ Tension (Unreleased) Role: Trapper / Stallbreaker / Sweeper This rocky dinosaur is as much of a threat in Ubers as he is in the OU tier. Inspite of Tyranitar's obvious flaws such as weakness to common offensive types like Water and Ground, it still makes a great lead in the Uber tier. Most other lead are limited to one layer of entry hazards with the Sandstorm breaking any Focus Sashes. Meanwhile Tyranitar can set up its own Stealth Rock with relative ease. Apart from this, Tyranitar's massive movepool and decent mixed offensive stats allow it to a check a myriad number of Pokemon such as Pursuiting a fleeing Giratina-O to hell, frying a pesky Ferrothorn with Fire Blast or 2HKOing 252/0 Dialga with Low Kick. Tyranitar can also don Choice Scarf, allowing it to act as a unexpected revenge killer or go with Choice Band for the maximum damage output. Victini Type: Fire / Psychic Base Stats: 100 / 100 / 100 / 100 / 100 / 100 Ability: Victory Star Role: Sweeper / Revenge Killer / Wallbreaker Victini's main claim to fame is its insanely powerful signature move, V-create. Packing STAB, 180 Base Power, and the potential of a boost from sun, this little Pokemon is capable of doing jaw-dropping amounts of damage to nearly everything. With a Choice Band, Victini can even 2HKO 4x resistances to Fire-type attacks such as Palkia and Reshiram and nearly OHKO defensive Groudon! In case Kyogre or Tyranitar want to come in to ruin Victini's fun in the sun, the little guy can easily put them away with a quick Fusion Bolt or Brick Break strike, respectively. With a Choice Scarf, Victini is capable of revenge killing many dangerous threats such as Arceus and Darkrai. Victini also boasts the ability to switch in on most of Mewtwo's sets and flat out OHKO it with V-create. Although the Speed drop V-create inflicts on the Victory Pokemon isn't conducive to sweeping, Victini can turn this into an advantage by setting up Trick Room, which will have devastating effects on opposing offensive teams. Despite the fact Victini relies on sun for most of its power, it is quite capable of causing insane amounts of pain to an opponent's team. Zekrom Type: Dragon / Electric Base Stats: 100 HP / 150 Atk / 120 Def / 120 SpA / 100 SpD / 90 Spe Ability: Teravoltage Role: Sweeper / Revenge Killer / Wallbreaker / Cleaner Zekrom's excellent base 150 Attack and base 120 Special Attack make it a top tier threat in Ubers. Electric / Dragon is an enviable dual STAB in Ubers. Zekrom's signature move Bolt Strike has a magnificent 130 Base Power and can gash the sturdiest of walls. Outrage and Draco Meteor compliment Bolt Strike well and both the moves are often used to attack the opponent from both sides of the spectrum. Zekrom is quite versatile in that it can run a Choice Band set to boost its already impressive Attack stat to mind boggling levels, run a mixed set to destroy common switch ins or act as a revenge killer with a Scarf set. Pure weather-based Sweepers These Pokemon can sweep only when a certain type of weather condition is on the field. They usually utilize abilities such as Chlorophyll or Sand Rush to get a boost and sweep by outspeeding opposing Pokemon. Devastating if used correctly, weather sweepers can still be stopped by simply changing the weather or dedicated weather checks such as Ferrothorn and rain. Most are sweepers and cleaners though some may also be able to provide team support by setting up entry hazards such as Qwilfish. Kabutops Type: Rock / Water Base Stats: 60 HP / 115 Atk / 105 Def / 65 SpA / 70 SpD / 80 Spe Ability: Battle Armor / Swift Swim / Weak Armor Thanks to the abundance of permanent rain in the Ubers tier, Kabutops really has the opportunity to shine. Kabutops can abuse its ability, Swift Swim, to raise its Speed to massive heights. That, combined with its base 115 Attack and access to Swords Dance make it a very potent thread. Choice Band variants are also threatening. As if that wasn't bad enough, Kabutops also has some powerful attacks at its disposal. Waterfall and Stone Edge are its dual STAB combination, and compliment each other nicely. Waterfall gets an additional boost from rain, and hits like a truck, while Stone Edge does a great deal of damage to those who resists Waterfall. Kabutops also has STAB priority in Aqua Jet too, for emergencies. Groudon can shut down Kabutops, as it has a gigantic Defense stat and induces sun, which weakens the power of Waterfall. Groudon can additionally hit Kabutops with STAB Earthquake. Rayquaza can make use of Air Lock to ignore Kabutops's Swift Swim boost and outspeed it, making it a threat. Kyogre is the best teammate that Kabutops can ask for, as it induces perament rain, which boosts its effectiveness greatly. Kingdra: Type: Water / Dragon Base Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 95 Def / 95 SpA / 95 SpD / 85 Spe) Ability: Swift Swim / Sniper / Damp (unreleased) Kingdra is a one-trick seahorse dragon thing, but it does that one trick exceptionally well. Although Palkia packs better stats and a wider movepool, Kingdra has one thing that the Spatial Pokemon would kill for - Swift Swim. With it, Kingdra becomes a lightning fast monster in the rain that can act as both a sweeper and a revenge killer. Dragon Dance is also something Palkia wishes it has, enabling Kingdra to wipe away entire teams with powerful Waterfall and Outrage strikes. Kingdra can also use its equally good Special Attack to perform a mixed or special sweeping role very well with Hydro Pump and Draco Meteor at its disposal. Sadly, Kingdra's movepool is terrible, and newcomer Ferrothorn stonewalls it, meaning that its not as good against defensive teams as it used to be. However, don't let this discourage you from picking Kingdra, for although it is completely reliant on the rain, it can take advantage of the weather excellently and easily destroy even the sturdiest of teams. Excadrill: Type: Steel / Ground Base Stats: 110 HP / 135 Atk / 60 Def / 50 SpA / 65 SpD / 88 Spe Ability: Sand Rush / Sand Force / Mold Breaker (Unreleased) This little mole has been tearing up the OU tier for months on end and has even made its mark in the harsh battleground of Ubers. Excadrill has everything a powerful sweeper could possibly want. A single glance at Excadrill's stat spread will tell you that this little guy has been built for sweeping, a mammoth 135 base Attack coupled with the best STAB in the game will devastate anything unlucky enough to fall in its path. The base 88 Speed might seem rather disappointing for a sweeper but, fear not ! Excadrill's fantastic ability Sand Rush, doubles it Speed in a Sandstorm enabling it to outspeed all Pokemon bar Deoxys-S if Sandstorm is raging. To top it all Excadrill gets a wonderful typing, making it immune to both Thunder Wave as well as Toxic and resistant to Stealth Rock. Excadrill's movepool might look shallow but it has all Excadrill could need, including the critical Swords Dance, Earthquake, Rock Slide, Brick Break, Shadow Claw and X-Scissor. Excadrill even gets Rapid Spin allowing it to remove entry hazards with impunity thanks to its resistances to Stealth Rock and immunity to Toxic Spikes. Common spinblockers like Giratina-O fear to switch in on Excadrill since +2 Shadow Claw will OHKO the ghostly dragon factoring in Stealth Rock damage. To put it in a single sentence, Excadrill is a top tier threat and definitely needs to be considered when making a team. Venusaur Type: Grass/Poison Base Stats: 80 HP / 82 Atk / 83 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 80 Spe Ability: Overgrow / Chlorophyll Venusaur is one of the few Pokemon who made the quantum leap of being viable in Ubers this generation. Thanks to its Dream World ability Chlorophyll, Venusaur can now outspeed a significant part of the metagame in sunlight and threaten them with its powerful Grass-type STAB. Although Venusaur's offenses might not look like much, it gets both Sword Dance and Growth, the latter now increases both offensive stats sharply in sunlight, allowing Venusaur to act as a physical, special or mixed sweeper. Couple this with access to Sleep Powder, which sets its apart from common Sun abusers such as Shiftry and you'll realize that Venusaur does not have a lot of problems setting up, assuming the sun is up of course. Venusaur does have a rather concise movepool but its still workable with moves like Seed Bomb, Earthquake, Energy Ball, Giga Drain, Grass Knot, and Sludge Bomb. Venusaur's Poison-typing is a liability but it allows him to absorb Toxic Spikes and thereby provide team support. Venusaur can even run a SubSeed set thanks to its passable defenses and high Speed, but you're usually better off using Ferrothorn. Admittedly, Venusaur might not be the best Uber sweeper but it still deserves consideration while constructing a team. Shiftry Type: Grass / Dark Base Stats: 90 HP / 100 Atk / 60 Def / 90 SpA / 60 SpD / 80 Spe Ability: Chlorophyll / Early Bird / Pickpocket Role: Sweeper Chlorophyll has once again made a rather mediocre looking Pokemon viable in the harsh environment of Ubers. While Shiftry will inevitably be compared to Darkrai, the other Nasty Plotting Dark-type in the tier, who sports Dark Void and a lot more power, Shiftry avoids being outclassed due to its sheer Speed in the sun, as well as access to Grass Knot, which discourages Kyogre from switching in willy-nilly. Unlike Darkrai, Shiftry can revenge-kill Mewtwo when its sunny, not the other way around. With a simple moveset of Nasty Plot / Grass Knot / Dark Pulse / Focus Blast, Shiftry can easily rip through unprepared teams in the blink of an eye. However, it is extremely frail, making it difficult to set up without the aid of Wobbuffet. Qwilfish: Type: Water / Poison Base Stats: 65 HP / 95 Atk / 75 Def / 55 SpA / 55 SpD / 85 Spe Ability: Swift Swim / Poison Point / Intimidate Lets admit it, Qwilfish is not something which even remotely resembles a sweeper. Poor base stats, a pathetic speed and an awful Poison-typing are good enough to relegate it to the trash can you say ? Well think again, this puffer fish is one of the faster user of Toxic Spikes and Spikes in Rain thanks to Swift Swim and also comes equipped with Taunt to stop those annoying Deoxys-S leads. Its Poison-typing also allows it to remove Toxic Spikes from the field. However, this fish does pack some firepower. Swords Dance pumps Qwilfish's modest Attack stat to a impressive 634 if Adamant natured, allowing it to revenge kill Palkia, Kyogre, and Mewtwo with its superior Speed and fantastic STAB Waterfall. Qwilfish also has a trick up its sleeve in Destiny Bond, allowing it take down certain dangerous Pokemon like Mewtwo in a pinch, if it has been unable to bag a Swords Dance. Although Qwilfish is rather frail, making setting up difficult it still a threat in the Uber tier and can even sweep unprepared teams. Support Pokemon Deoxys-s Typing: Psychic Base Stats: 50 HP / 95 Atk / 90 Def / 95 SpA / 90 SpD / 180 Spe Ability: Pressure Back in the DPP era, Deoxys-S was the most popular support-centric lead in the game. Boasting to be the fastest user of both Spikes and Stealth Rock along with Taunt to shut down opposing entry hazards leads, Deoxys-S was the ultimate suicide lead. It could even 2HKO those annoying Deoxys-A leads with ExtremeSpeed. However, BW was not kind to Deoxys-S at all. The newly introduced team preview and the removal of the concept of a true "lead" really hurt Deoxys-S. It became easy to spot a Deoxys-S and send out a priority user such as Giratina-O or Rayquaza to limit it to a single layer of hazards. Furthermore, heavy offense, which was where primarily Deoxys-S was also took a hit this generation with players preferring to go with balanced or stall teams. Nonetheless, Deoxys-S is still capable of setting up its hazards, shutting down other support Pokemon with Taunt and ought to be taken into consideration when building a team. Forretress Type: Bug / Steel Base Stats: 75 HP / 90 Atk / 140 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 40 Spe Ability: Sturdy / Dust-proof (unreleased) Forretress hasn't changed much in Ubers, and is still very much a one trick pony. It makes use of its amazing Defense and typing to provide entry hazard support, while also keeping the field clear of opposing entry hazards with Rapid Spin. Forretress has received a few new tricks; Volt Switch to gain momentum as well as espcape being trapped by Magnezone and Wobbuffet, and its ability, Sturdy has recieved an upgrade, and now gives Forretress a free Focus Sash. In previous generations, there wasn't many Pokemon that could abuse Forretress's gaping 4x weakness to Fire-type attacks barring Heatran, but the new Legendary Fire / Dragon-type Reshiram causes Forretress to quiver in its shell. Blissey / Chansey make solid teammates teammates, being able to take almost any special attack with their massive Special Defense stats, but both Foretress and the pink blobs will lose to stallbreakers such as Giratina-O and Heatran. Ferrothorn Type: Grass / Steel Base Stats: 74 HP / 94 Atk / 131 Def / 54 SpA / 116 SpD / 20 Spe Ability: Iron Barbs Ferrothorn is a force in OU, and Ubers is no exception. Fantasic defenses and many key resistances, make Ferrothorn an staller. Thanks to its excellent Grass / Steel-typing, it can sponge powerful Dragon-type attacks, as well as safely switch in to most variants Kyogre and force it to switch out, something not many Pokemon can boast. Ferrothorn's usefulness is not limited to walling though, as it does a great job of providing team support with Stealth Rock and Spikes to wear down opponents, and slow them down with Thunder Wave, which assists slow, bulky sweepers such as Groudon and Ho-Oh. Ferrothorn functions best under rain, because its major Fire-type weakness becomes less of a threat. Tentacool and Giratina-O make great partners synergy-wise, as both of them can switch in to super effective attacks aimed at Ferrothorn. Tenacruel can also set up Toxic Spikes, the only entry hazard which Ferrothorn doesn't have access to, while Giratina-O can prevent all attempts to spin away the Spikes laid down by Ferrothorn. Wobbuffet Type: Psychic Base Stats: 190 HP / 33 Atk / 58 Def / 33 SpA / 58 Def / 33 Spe Ability: Shadow Tag Wobbuffet is possibly the biggest oddity which seen in Ubers. Boasting a gargantuan base HP stat, to say that Wobbuffet's other stats are awful would be an understatement. Its learns a grand total of eight moves but incredibly that is all it needs to make the opponent quake in fear. Thanks to Shadow Tag, Wobbuffet can prevent your opponents Pokemon from switching out and lock it into an ineffective move with Encore, allowing your sweeper to nab a few boosts. Apart from that, Wobbuffet serves as a fool proof check to your opponents Choiced Pokemon such as Scarf Palkia. Once Palkia has switched in or made a kill, Wobbuffet can just stroll in and kill it with it either Counter or Mirror Coat (whichever is appropriate). Wobbuffet can also utilize Encore and Tickle to ravage defensive teams. Tickle Wobbuffet paired with a Pursuit user like Tyranitar or Scizor is a incredibly effective way of removing Lugia or Blissey. Although Wobbuffet fell out of favour due to Encore now lasting only 3 turns, it can still be a menace and is one of the best supporting Pokemon. Xatu Type: Psychic / Flying Base Stats: 65 HP / 75 Atk / 70 Def / 95 SpA / 70 SpD / 95 Spe Ability: Synchronize / Early Bird / Magic Bounce Role: Support Xatu's sole job is to abuse its amazing ability, Magic Bounce. What would have otherwise been pretty horrible Pokemon, Xatu was given another chance in life by keeping entry hazards off the field. It can easily switch into hazard layers such as Ferrothorn and Forretress to bounce back their hazards. It can then set up Dual Screens for the team, allowing its teammates to set up easier. The prevention of entry hazards allow Stealth Rock weak Pokemon such as Ho-oh to terrorise the opponent more than it would have. Keep in mind, however, Xatu is still very frail and is KOed easily by stronger hazard layers such as Dialga, while it offers little to no offensive presence, which, on an offensive team, would suck up precious momentum. Weather Common Threats to Offensive Teams- Walls How to Build Offensive Teams in Ubers There are various ways of building teams. While there are a limited number of Pokemon that are good for offensive play in Ubers, the combination is virtually boundless. However, just like your genetic makeup, it does not mean that any odd combination will turn out good. Firstly, when building an Ubers Offense team, one must be aware of what things are needed in one so it is stable and not easily defeated. These things are: -Resistances or immunities to the following types: Dragon, Electric, Water, Fire, Ice, Ground, Ghost, Dark, Flying, Fighting (Ones in bold are almost critical) -A way to break stall -A check to fast sweepers as a backup -A Swords Dance Normal Arceus check -A Kyogre switch-in -A Psystrike Mewtwo check -A way to check weather teams or other weather effects If you are building a team around a certain weather effect, you will also need Pokemon to take out opposing weather inducers (Groudon, Kyogre, Tyranitar, Abomasnow). For the list above, it is not absolutely essential to have every single one of them, but it is recommended that you have at least answers to most of them. For example, if your team cannot afford to have a reliable Kyogre switch-in without destroying its synergy, then so be it, but make sure you have a way to play around it. Other things that are nice to an offensive team but not critically necessary: -A Pokemon to set up entry hazards -A Spinblocker -A status absorber -A Rapid Spinner -Wobbuffet The easiest approach to making a team is usually by choosing a sweeper (A Pokemon you like, you wish to test, etc), and then building the team around it. For our purposes, let us pick Swords Dance Rayquaza as our sweeper. Okay, now we figure out how to break the opposing team for Rayquaza to be able to sweep. Counters to Rayquaza include Lugia, Groudon and Steel-types such as Scizor). From this, we can tell that Calm Mind Steel Arceus take on all of them apart from Groudon as well as providing the team with a vital resistance to Dragon, Ice, Ghost, Dark and Flying, while synergising very well with Rayquaza, who resists Fighting and Fire, while being immune to Ground types. It also provides the team with a decent Normal Arceus check, as well as a stall-breaker. Groudon is still pain to this team, as well as Reshiram. From what we can see, a bulky Kyogre serves the teams purposes very nicely. It brings in the rain, which weakens Reshiram's powerful Fire-type attacks, as well being an excellent switch-in to Scizor, while still posing a dangerous threat that could sweep if not stopped. Note that adding Kyogre onto the team does not necessarily mean that the team is a Rain team. Kyogre is merely a supporting Pokemon who can potentially sweep. With Kyogre bringing in the rain, the team will now because slightly more susceptible to opposing rain teams (although Rayquaza checks a big pool of rain sweepers due to its ability). Ferrothorn is a fantastic Rain counter, as it counters most Rain sweepers while setting up entry hazards for the team. It also provides the team with a semi-reliable Kyogre switch-in. This team still has a few problems not yet addressed. The team is still reasonably weak against Ground and Fighting-type attacks. It also has a few problems against stall should Groudon remain active. For this reason, a Substitute + Calm Mind Giratina-O can serve extremely well. It provides a Fighting and Ground-type immunity, as well as providing the team with a spin-blocker. It also puts a lot of stall teams into a very difficult position should it be allowed a free switch in, as unless promptly stopped (and this usually requires a sacrifice), it can sweep a stall team quite easily. The team is virtually complete without many weaknesses to really address. If we look at the team, we can recognise that a fast sweeper like Dragon Dance Rayquaza or Salamence could potentially cause it problems. To round off the team, we will add Choice Scarf Palkia as a revenge-killer as well as a late-game cleaner who also can serve as good switch-in for Choice Specs Kyogre if the need arises. Our team of 6: Final look at the team: [/IMG] Rayquaza @ Life Orb Trait: Air Lock EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA) / Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SpA) - Swords Dance - Dragon Claw - ExtremeSpeed - V-Create Arceus-Steel @ Iron Plate Trait: Multitype EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk) - Judgment - Will-O-Wisp / Roar - Recover - Calm Mind Kyogre @ Leftovers Trait: Drizzle EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk) - Calm Mind - Surf / Scald - Rest - Sleep Talk Ferrothorn @ Leftovers Trait: Iron Barbs EVs: 252 Atk / 60 Def / 196 SpD, IVs: 0 Spe Sassy Nature (+SpD, -Spe) - Leech Seed - Stealth Rock / Spikes - Spikes / Protect - Power Whip Giratina-O @ Griseous Orb Trait: Levitate EVs: 208 HP / 76 Def / 216 SpA / 8 SpD Modest Nature (+SpA, -SpA) - Calm Mind - Substitute - Dragon Pulse - Aura Sphere / Thunder Palkia @ Choice Scarf Trait: Pressure EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Hasty Nature (+Spe, -Def) / Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk) - Draco Meteor / Spacial Rend - Surf - Thunder / Outrage - Outrage / Fire Blast / Spacial Rend Now, let us evaluate this team. It is a rather offensive team, since every Pokemon apart from Ferrothorn can potentially sweep the opponent. This team is more balanced, and would be more appropriate for newer players trying out the offensive style, since it holds itself together better and has relatively lower risk. We can check it against our criteria: Does it have: -Resistances or or immunities to the following types: Dragon, Electric, Water, Fire, Ice, Ground, Ghost, Dark, Flying, Fighting: Yes, it has resistances or immunities to each of these types. Dragon - Arceus-Steel, Ferrothorn Electric - Ferrothorn, Giratina-O Water - Palkia, Giratina-O, Ferrothorn, Kyogre, Rayquaza Fire - Kyogre, Palkia, Giratina-O, Rayquaza Ice - Arceus-Steel, Kyogre Ground - Giratina-O, Rayquaza Ghost - Arceus-Steel, Ferrothorn Dark - Arceus-Steel, Ferrothorn Flying - Arceus-Steel Fighting - Rayquaza, Giratina-O The other types: Grass - Rayquaza, Giratina-O, Arceus-Steel, Ferrothorn Bug - Rayquaza, Arceus-Steel Normal - Arceus-Steel, Giratina-O Rock - Arceus-Steel, Ferrothorn Psychic - Arceus-Steel, Ferrothorn Poison - Arceus-Steel, Ferrothorn Steel - Arceus-Steel, Kyogre, Palkia, Ferrothorn -A way to break stall: The team has various way to get past stall. Giratina-O is the main card against Stall teams, as it can easily set up and potentially sweep them. Steel Arceus, if using Calm Mind, can also cause Stall teams problems should Groudon or Heatran be removed. Calm Mind Kyogre is also a great last Pokemon sweeper should you remove its checks. -A check to fast sweepers as a backup: Choice Scarf Palkia can revenge-kill fast sweepers relatively easily. Those that it can't are checked by the team (Rain sweepers such as Kingdra are taken down by Ferrothorn and Rayquaza, while Psystrike Mewtwo will be taken out by Palkia and Extremespeed from Rayquaza). -A Swords Dance Normal Arceus check: Steel Arceus does a reasonable job at checking Normal Arceus when running Will-O-Wisp. Since a lot of Normal Arceuses do not run much speed, Rayquaza can also sometimes pick off weakened ones with its own ExtremeSpeed. -A Kyogre switch-in: Palkia is good switch-in to Choice Specs Kyogre. Otherwise, Ferrothorn takes Kyogre on extremely well, while the entry hazards it sets up cuts down on Kyogre's power severely. -A Psystrike Mewtwo check: Kyogre, with its heavy Defence investment can take a boosted Psystrike and do enough damage back so that Rayquaza can take it out with ExtremeSpeed. Palkia can also deal enough damage to it with Outrage for the same effect. -A way to check weather teams or other weather effects: Kyogre wipes out Sun, Sand and Hail, while most Rain sweepers are checked by both Rayquaza and Ferrothorn. Other checkpoints: -A Pokemon to set up entry hazards: Ferrothorn does that, and very well, too. -A Spinblocker: Giratina-O switches into many Rapid Spinners and sets up with Substitute and Calm Mind. -A status absorber: Kyogre absorbs status with Rest and Sleep Talk -A Rapid Spinner: While Rayquaza really appreciates Stealth Rock being removed, it can sweep well enough without it. As for Spikes, the main sweepers are unaffected (Rayquaza, Giratina-O), while every Pokemon apart from Palkia do not mind Toxic Spikes. -Wobbuffet: While Rayquaza really appreciates Wobbuffet support, unfortunately we don't have room for him, but since most of this team has a decent amount of bulk anyway, Wobbuffet isn't essential. Other ways to build an offensive Ubers team: More offensive: -This usually requires more risk. How much risk you are willing to take is up to you, but you may find yourself not being able to check all the criteria that has been raised on this article. Weather-based: -This will require you to employ strategies to take out opposing weather effects, for example, using a mixed Bulk Up Dialga to lure in and take out Groudon with. Beware that you do not make yourself weak to your own weather effect (A classic example is a Kingdra-weak rain team). Note: This is merely a sample team for you to get the feel of how to use an offensive team. Only practise can make perfect. It will usually a good idea to build your own team. That way, you can further improve your knowledge of the Ubers metagame as well as increase your own team-building skills. What has been shown in this article is an approach to building your own team and can be used in most team-building circumstances.


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"Are you pregnant? Because you look it."
"You're so smart, you're socially inept. It's a compliment!"
"'You've never looked prettier than you do tonight.' I get that that's not terrible, but do I really look that bad the rest of the time?
"While shopping for her dress for our wedding, she raved about my husband's ex and how much she misses her. I'd been with my (soon-to-be) husband for six years…and it wasn't even the ex before me that she was talking about!"
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Salsa Latin Mix is a fun-filled evening of Latin dancing, featuring the energetic rhythms of Salsa, Cha Cha, and Cumbia music along with the romantic moods of Bolero, Tango and Bachata and other Latin styles. Share the floor with some of the best local dancers in the area. You may find yourself dancing to a romantic Rumba, hot Salsa, sexy Bachata, dramatic Tango, or a fun Samba before the night is over. Dance in the comfort of a well-established dance…Find out more »
Reiki Healing Circle facilitated by Reiki Masters Gitte Europa and Holly Rae and other Certified Reiki Masters. First is a general overview, discussion and Q&A about Reiki. Then time is dedicated to sharing the healing energy with participants. There is no charge. Donations are appreciated.Find out more »
For those affected by myeloma. Facilitator of this group is Alison Mayer Sachs, MSW, OSW-C.Find out more »
Memorial Day Weekend marks the official start of the summer season at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Extended holiday hours, late-evening weekend trams and early-morning Friday trams are just a few of the ways the Tramway is helping to extend your mountain adventure. • In observance of the Memorial Day holiday, weekend hours will be extended through Monday, May 30 with the first car up at 8:00 a.m. each day. • Beginning Friday, May 27 and continuing through Saturday, September…Find out more »
For the entire month of July, all military personnel with valid military identification—active and retired—receive free admission to the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway along with a special gift as part of Military Days. In addition, up to six of their guests receive 25% off of their regular Tramway fares. According to Tramway Vice President of Sales & Marketing Nancy Nichols, "For over a decade, Military Days has been our way of saying 'Thank you' to the dedicated men and women…Find out more »
Coachella Valley teachers will gather at CSUSB Palm Desert Campus on July 29 for the second annual Better Together: California Teachers Summit, a free statewide day of learning and networking that is open to all California PreK-12 teachers, teacher candidates, school administrators and other educators. One of 38 locations across the state, CSUSB Palm Desert Campus invites Coachella Valley teachers to share ideas, join a teacher network, and learn effective strategies for implementing the new California Standards in their classrooms.…Find out more »
From the Collection of Donna MacMillan now Through Sunday, October 16, 2016 Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Desert, The Galen and the Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden Explore a distinct world of bold art, fashion, and design objects - all linked by the eye of the spirited collector, Donna MacMillan. Drawn from museum gifts and loans from MacMillan's exuberant collection, the exhibition shows how artists incorporate embellishment and indulge in excess in their contemporary practice. From cutting-edge art to lavish…Find out more »
Jackelope Ranch has been celebrated for offering authentic California Ranch cuisine and classic BBQ dining daily. The indoor saloon, outdoor palapa bar and evening entertainment have pleased its many patrons for over 6 years. They are recognized for offering one of the best Happy Hours in the area. Jackelope Ranch is scheduled with entertainment, including: Tuesdays: 5:00 pm. to 9:00 pm: Big Daddy Band Wednesdays: 5:00 pm. to 9:00 pm.: Big Daddy Band Thursdays: 5:00 pm. to 9:00 pm: Big…Find out more »
Master Works Revisited now Through Sunday, September 11, 2016 at the Palm Springs Art Museum Again this summer, the museum presents a selection of outstanding masterworks on loan from an anonymous private collection. From Edouard Manet to Edward Ruscha, these works explore the potential of oil painting in the hands of some of the world's most influential artists. Additional artists represented include Vincent Van Gogh, Auguste Renoir, Joan Mitchell, Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, Wayne Thiebaud, and Joe Bradley. This…Find out more »
Paul Douglas performs in Arnie's Pub at the Arnold Palmer''s Restaurant in La Quinta on Friday, Saturday & Sunday evening. 5:30 pm. to 9:30 pm. On Wednesday and Thursday Evenings, Paul Villalobos & Mark Guerrero entertains you. 6:00 pm. to 10;00 pm. Friday, Saturday & Sunday Evenings will feature Reggie "The Vision" Alexancer Closed Monday & Tuesdays in the summer months. Stop into Arnold Palmer's Restaurant any night of the week and enjoy the wonderful entertainment in Arnie's PublFind out more »


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Drivers revved their machines at the starting line.
When the green flag dropped, they were off, sewing wide open.
The Ragin' Cajun, who was on the pole, jumped out to a quick lead, dogged closely by Cannonball, Burn Out Babs and the rest of the pack.
Pit crew chiefs with names like Flash and Oil Can scrambled to keep their drivers moving.
Race car fans, don't think you're losing it if these names aren't familiar, because this race was not at Lancaster Speedway.
These racing machines were sewing machines and the drivers and pit crew were all quilters.
The Stripper's 1600 race – complete with race points, pennants, checkered flag, a winner's trophy and crown – was a "secret workshop" held Sept. 29 by the Magic Needle Quilters Guild at Primetime for Seniors Center.
Each of the 14 competitors was given a racing-related nickname and "drove" their sewing machines in qualifying heats for pole positions in final races. In advance, each racer was given a list of materials to bring, including a sewing machine and 40 strips of fabric (hence the race name), that were each 2.5 inches wide and 40 to 44 inches long.
During qualifying "heats," these strips were sewn together end-to-end to form one long strip.
What the competitors were making remained a secret until the end when the "finish line" produced a surprise quilt top, ready to be quilted.
Race chairwoman Cherie Hulse, said Terry Harich (race manager) got the initial idea from an online sewing tutorial.
Functional details were filled in by official timekeeper and "Quilt Police" Janet Nelson.
"This was so much fun for me," Nelson said, as she demonstrated her stopwatch technique.
The Stripper's 1600 was a team affair in every sense. Pit crew chiefs had to keep that long strip of fabric untangled, as drivers stitched on their machines, following race instructions.
After one heat race, the driver and crew chief switched places so each participant could drive.
When the sewing settled, the top finisher and trophy winner was Alice "Cannonball" Baird, who was named "Queen Stripper."
Second place went to Joanne "Oil Can" Burgess, followed by Jo "Ragin' Cajun" Hinson and Emma "Rewind" Thompson in third and fourth places.
"It was hysterical," Hulse said. "It turned out even better than we'd hoped. Staff and seniors at the center kept wandering down the hall to see what we were doing to have so much fun."
"It should be illegal to have this much fun," Harich said.
In the end, everyone was a winner, because each went home with a new quilt top. Hulse said even those who thought their fabric was "ugly" were impressed with the results.
"They were all in awe of what they'd turned out," she said.
Some members will use the quilt tops they made for family gifts, but many will become lap quilts for patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is also called Lou Gehrig's disease.
The quilt guild has a special tie to ALS patients.
Several years ago, Nelson, a charter member, was diagnosed with the disease. A prolific and creative quilter, Nelson has won numerous national quilting awards. Hulse said Nelson's spunk has defied the odds. She inspires them all, and continues to create and quilt, with help from family or fellow Magic Needle members.
"She just keeps going and going. She makes the Energizer bunny look like a snail," Hulse said while smiling.
Hulse and Harich, Magic Needle program chairs, said they try to have an entertaining and instructional program every month, but this one was definitely the highlight of the year.
Hulse said their November program, with pro quilter Rachelle Apol, could eclipse the Stripper's 1600, but everyone who came won't forget the fun they had "at the races."
New quilters are always welcome.
For more information about the Magic Needle Quilters Guild, call Cherie Hulse at (803) 872-7309.
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Specialty location shoot.
Great shapes captured… love your work Fernando!
great work…am guessing you have a bum fettish lol.fantastic shots!
that is one nice bum
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Rhubarb compote is delicious on vanilla ice cream. Strawberry rhubarb pie is a classic favorite. See if you find a new favorite among these offerings from Stir It Up! bloggers.
Here are 15 decadent recipes to find a chocolate cake that's just right for you.
Almost every culture has a recipe for comforting chicken soup.
Try this delicious open-faced version of the French classic ham and melted cheese sandwich.
Sample two food trends at once with this twist on a century-old French comfort food.
With either savory or sweet toppings nothing says 'comfort food' like a thick piece of toasted bread.
From old-fashioned chocolate buttermilk cake, to fruit salad, to cookies, cakes, and favorite holiday dishes in between, Stir It Up! readers loved these recipes from 2015 the best.
Festive recipe ideas to help your Christmas morning get off to a delicious and comforting start.
Versatile and full of nutrients, cranberries are delicious in baked goods, as a tart relish for holiday spreads, and even mixed into smoothies. Here's how to bring a pop of red into your seasonal dishes.
"Soup for Syria: Recipes to Celebrate our Shared Humanity," by Barbara Abdeni Massaad, is a cookbook with a humanitarian purpose: 100 percent of the profits goes to support Syrian refugees.
From soup to nuts, we've got your Thanksgiving table covered with these vegan recipes.
10 Nutella recipes from our Stir It Up! bloggers for you to try out in your own kitchen.
This gluten-free pudding combines pumpkin, spice, coffee, and chocolate into a delicious warm mess. Smother it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Pumpkin spice is no longer just for coffee – the flavor can be found in almost every mass-marketed product out there, from pet treats to Pringles.
An easy dish such as this simple lasagna will help anxious fans stay calm and well-fed during an exciting post-season baseball series.
The weather is growing colder, the leaves are changing to an autumn palette, and pumpkin spice is back – everywhere, it seems.
Peach recipes for jams, chutneys, desserts, and salads.
Get the vanilla ice cream ready! Summer into fall is the season for fresh fruit crisps, cobblers, and pies.
From soups to chowders to buttermilk biscuits, and even tips for freezing for future use, here are 20 recipes ideas for summer's abundance of fresh corn.
Classic zucchini walnut bread for the zucchini-abundant days of late summer. Add chocolate chips for extra sweetness.
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I also suspect that using mismatched vertex formats between the vertex buffer and the shader will cause a few internal recompiles
I don't understand. Why would they be mismatched?
The reason I want to stick with vector is that the mesh class does a lot more than just loading and storage. I have a bunch of mesh processing functions in there. Refactoring to a new datatype will mean changing a class and supporting code that's around a thousand lines.
[Edit:] The driver interleaving the streams doesn't make sense for modern hardware, as if that were necessary, then I don't see how vertex pulling from multiple SSBOs could work.


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Decatur, GA: Farm Burger
Signature Burger: Farm Burger (topped with Vermont aged smoked white cheddar cheese, caramelized onions and a special house sauce).
This farm-to-table burger spot grinds its grass-fed, dry-aged and locally sourced meat daily. The "build it" option includes unexpected toppings like cured lardo, oxtail marmalade and roasted bone marrow. farmburger.netSEE MORE