Gen 6 Daredevil

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Zapdos has always been one of a handful of good ORAS OU Pokemon that I never liked building with. Whenever I would try to make teams with it, they came out clunky, and I usually just ended up replacing it with Rotom-W. BKC had told me he wanted to use Zapdos against Gondra for the first round of Smogon Tour Playoffs, which I saw as a fun challenge to build out of my comfort zone. After trying a lot of different frameworks, I found that the best ones used offensive Zapdos instead of defensive Defog. BKC then posted a couple frameworks of offenses featuring offensive Zapdos, which is what I used as inspiration for this build.

I'm not normally one to gas my own teams, but I'm really proud of this one in particular because it got me out of my building comfort zone.
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Teambuilding Process

As I mentioned before, I started with Zapdos because BKC wanted a team with it. I've never liked building with this Pokemon because it's normally used as a bulky Defogger that's weak to Stealth Rock and only checks a few specific things. This is what drew me to the offensive set, however. Electric / Fire / Ice coverage is fantastic, allowing Zapdos to easily pressure many typical bulky builds. I actually experimented with this set a little while ago, around when fat spikes were absolutely dominant. One fantastic thing about running the offensive set is that you can effectively run Static, making this Zapdos set the absolute best Tornadus-T counter in the tier.

I wanted to get the most mileage out of Zapdos's ability to shut down Tornadus-T, so I initially paired it with Serperior. Serperior + Zapdos form a sort of "spam core" against fat Grasses and Specially Defensive Heatran, with Serperior being able to Knock these mons and Zapdos being able to paralyze them. Another option here would have been Glare > Knock Off, which would lead to the team being more of a paralysis spam build. I then added Mega Diancie as a form of hazard prevention and as a Stealth Rock setter. These two ended up being replaced, which I will explain later.

I added Magnezone because Mega Diancie appreciates it a lot, and it gives the team another form of hazard prevention. Since I knew I was going with a more offensive build, it also gave me a means of pressuring Mega Metagross outside of Zapdos / potential Serperior Glare.

Choice Specs Latios gave the build a reliable offensive Keldeo check outside of Serperior and another means of hazard prevention. Latios also works well with Magnezone offensively, and with Zapdos, the two can overwhelm Tyranitar nicely. Yes, they are both weak to it, but both are hitting it REALLY hard and potentially paralyzing it in Zapdos's case.

Finally, I added Choice Scarf Landorus-T as a means of speed control. Not much to this one honestly, lol. I don't think Scarfers are necessary in ORAS by any means (even on more offensive builds), but Scarf Landorus-T still stands out as the most useful one. It provides a lot of defensive utility against the now rare birds and Mega Charizard X, and Magnezone support gives it sweeping potential.

I noticed the team had some glaring issues, however: it lacked a proper bulky Steel, and it gets destroyed by Bisharp and Weavile. These issues were also present in the frameworks BKC had sent me, which is why he had scrapped them. I really wanted to make this work though, so I decided to approach it from a different angle.

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While I really liked the additional hazard counterplay Mega Diancie brought to the table, I needed to fit a bulky Steel. There's just already a lot going on with this team, and Mega Diancie is not the type of Pokemon you can just throw on any team imo. Mega Metagross, on the other hand, is. Meta gives the team counterplay against Mega Alakazam (outside of just Scarf Landorus-T), Lati@s, etc., and it supports Zapdos and Serperior/Keldeo with Pursuit.

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Replacing Serperior with Keldeo helps fix the Bisharp and Weavile weaknesses a TON. Keldeo also benefits from much of the same support Serperior benefited from, especially Zapdos neutering Torandus-T. Keldeo also helps against Heatran, another big weakness for this team.

That is how we got to the final team. Now for the analysis.

Team Analysis

PLEASE NOTE: I simplified all of the spreads here. I don't wanna give away my secrets, and BKC used his own spreads anyway. I will highlight where changes can be made.

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost

The heart of the team. I absolutely love how this Pokemon destroys most of the standard fat Spikes teams featuring Mega Slowbro, Gliscor, Ferrothorn, etc. You want to maximize Special Attack to take full advantage of Zapdos's solid offensive stats and this absolutely amazing coverage. I opted for Discharge > Thunderbolt due to The Scald Principle. I haven't run any calcs for it, but a 30% chance to paralyze for a small reduction in power is really hard to pass up, especially when you consider how amazing paralysis is in ORAS. With that in mind, I opted for Static to pressure Tornadus-T. Most ORAS players don't expect this (false), giving you some free paras. Paralyzing Tornadus-T is integral if you want to sweep with Keldeo, which is a big win condition on this team.

Zapdos's speed tier puts it in a sorta awkward place. 100 is pretty fast, but not fast enough for a lot of key offensive Pokemon. Figure out what you want to outspeed and throw the rest into bulk... you don't need max speed usually. Regardless, you still want Zapdos to be pretty fast since this team is so offensive. Also... that's kinda the benefit to this offensive Zapdos set: it's pretty fast and pretty strong with amazing coverage and solid bulk. It's a jack of all trades master of none scenario, I guess, but the coverage + ability to paralyze really makes up for this.

Use Zapdos to pressure fat Pokemon that annoy the team like Slowbro/Mega Slowbro, Ferrothorn, Gliscor, Tank Chomp, etc., and use the surprise factor to hit certain offensive Pokemon like Mega Metagross. Against typical fat builds, Zapdos can be a really threatening breaker and your ultimate win condition. Against offensive builds, Zapdos does a great job at paving the way for one of your other really strong Pokemon to sweep.

Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Thunder Punch

Mega Metagross is probably tied for second best Pokemon in the tier alongside Clefable, imo. It's hard not to pass up, especially on offensive builds like this. It brings so much utility to the table with it's fantastic typing, bulk, and "pick your counters" movepool. Pursuit is necessary on this build!! You want to be able to comfortably get rid of Lati@s for Keldeo and Zapdos. I also think Meteor Mash is necessary, as Bullet Punch doesn't do enough to Clefable, and Flamethrower Clef is common enough to fear. If you don't care about that, the utility Bullet Punch provides is really nice, especially for Mega Alakazam and Weavile. Rotom-W can be kinda annoying for teams that aren't running Clefable, so you want to run Zen Headbutt to smack it. Initially, I was running Ice Punch > Thunder Punch since I figured Zapdos + Magnezone was sufficient, but without Thunder Punch, you become pretty weak to the Slowbros.

Against Mega Alakazam, you want to keep Mega Metagross healthy, obviously. Given how offensive this team is, you don't want to take many huge risks with Meta, as it is one of your few reliable glue Pokemon. One unfortunate crit / dodge can go a long way against teams this aggressive, but those hurt a lot more against Metagross since it holds a lot of the team together.

Latios @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Surf
- Defog

Latios used to be considered one of the top 5 (roughly) Pokemon in ORAS OU, but it has fallen off a bit over the course of the last year or so. Pursuit (alongside Spikes) dictates the tier, and Latios is a big reason for that. Even against well-equipped teams, Latios usually gets a kill and/or puts in a ton of work. Even with a more offensive set like Choice Specs, it still provides a lot of utility to offensive teams like this one. It gives the team a reliable Keldeo check, a general answer to certain Fire and Water types, and a Defog user. I decided to go with Psyshock here for Volcarona, but you can run Psychic too.

When Defogging with Latios, you want to do it when you have a lot of momentum OR when you are OK with Latios dying. Latios isn't going to be Defogging constantly. Remove the setter with Magnezone (or offensive pressure if it isn't Skarmory, Ferrothorn, or Mega Metagross) first, THEN remove the hazards with Latios when you need to. Remember that Specs Latios (and offensive teams like this in general) snowballs when you start to generate momentum. You have to play proactively in order to make the most out of this Pokemon!

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Volt Switch

I REALLY do not know how to build without this Pokemon. On the surface, it seems really redundant on this build. Zapdos's coverage and bulk allow it to sufficiently check most of the Steels that Magnezone checks except for one crucial one: Mega Evolved Mega Metagross. Sadly, the hit to Zapdos's bulk makes it really prone to Ice Punch and Zen Headbutt from Metagross. Magnezone gives you a way to get rid of Meta over time. Magnezone also plays an important role in hazard prevention. Offensive Zapdos is even more weak to Stealth Rock than defensive Zapdos since it gets hit harder, meaning it can't recover off the hazard damage as easily, and it can't remove the hazards for itself. You don't want Latios's Defog to be futile, so Magnezone is here to ensure those hazards stay off. Also, given how Steel ridden the meta is, having excessive counterplay can't hurt.

This is just standard Scarf Magnezone, no surprises. It's basically a staple on most offenses (other than the super balls to the walls ones IMO).

Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- U-turn

Landorus-T has definitely fallen off over the last few years, but it's still the best Scarfer in the tier (Magnezone doesn't count). Right off the bat, look into running a spread with more bulk to handle birds and Charizard X. Having a Choice-locked rocker can be rough sometimes, but Landorus-T forces enough Pokemon out to be able to do this successfully. I've used offensive frameworks like this in the past (think Keldeo / Mega Metagross / Scarf Rocks Landorus-T / AV Tornadus-T / Magnezone / Filler), and Scarf Rocks Landorus-T consistently fills so many holes these teams need. It provides speed control, a Stealth Rock user, a way to keep your momentum going, a Ground immunity, an Electric immunity, a check to many offensive threats, Knock Off... it's a fucking lando ok.

BKC suggested Knock Off > Stone Edge due to birds being less common and the team already being sufficiently prepared for them. Being able to Knock annoying Pokemon like Rotom-W, Clefable, Ferrothorn, etc. is really great for obvious reasons. This slot is the most flexible, though. You could run Stone Edge, Punishment, or Explosion here. All of them have merits, but Knock Off brings the most to the table.

Landorus-T is really important to keeping your momentum going, especially against annoying Pokemon like Rotom-W. I'll talk more about Rotom later, but it's just annoying ok. Being able to U-turn out on it keeps the ball in your court. Landorus-T also loves how this team pressures pretty much all of the main Ground immune Pokemon in the tier: Zapdos hits opposing Landorus-T, Gliscor, Talonflame, and Tornadus-T (especially), Mega Metagross removes Lati@s, Magnezone removes Skarmory... the only one that still remains is Rotom-W, which Landorus-T itself plays a big part in overwhelming.

Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA
- Hydro Pump
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Hidden Power [Grass]

Keldeo recently dropped to A+ rank in the VR due to builders finding new ways to beat it (or reusing old ways). For about a year, it was one of the absolute biggest influences on teambuilding, with most teams needing a really reliable and dedicated Keldeo SI like Amoonguss. These options are really limited, however, so builders have moved onto team frameworks that prevent Keldeo from building pressure in the first place, such as bulky offenses with Assault Vest Tornadus-T + Clefable + a Water resist. Given the decline in more dedicated Keldeo SIs, I REALLY wanted to pressure those Tornadus-T type builds. This is why Keldeo + this specific Zapdos set is amazing: Static is either paralyzing Tornadus-T or pressuring it so badly that it gains way less momentum for your opponent.

This is just a standard Keldeo really. Like I mentioned before, it helps with mitigating the Weavile and Bisharp weakness, and it benefits a ton from Metagross's Pursuit support and Zapdos's break fat shit support. It also appreciates Landorus-T being able to pivot it in against certain fat Pokemon, especially when they have already taken some chip. With that in mind, you really want to keep the pressure up here.

Threatlist

Specially Defensive Heatran with Protect is really annoying. It's a team with Zapdos + 4 Choiced Pokemon, what do you expect. In all seriousness, this is the biggest weakness for this team, and the hardest one to circumvent. Thankfully, it's possible to chip away at it, and fishing for a para with Zapdos helps. Also, the team is designed in way that allows you to get rid and/or weaken Keldeo's checks effectively, meaning you should wait until you've done that before you start throwing out Hydro Pumps.

If this weakness is unbearable for you, you can run TankChomp > Landorus-T, but this is a HUGE hit to the team's offensive capabilities, and it opens up a ton of other weaknesses. No team is perfect, so having one significant weakness isn't the end of the world IMO.

I don't think Rotom-W is a huge weakness, but it is annoying. The thing is, Rotom doesn't have any real switch-ins. Clefable, Amoonguss, and other fat Pokemon get Volted on, Lati@s also get Volted on but with even greater consequences (Tyranitar or Mega Metagross Pursuit trap, usually), and even the really niche Water/Ground Pokemon get Wisp'd which is HUGE. My point is, unless you have CM Clefable, you don't really have a REAL answer to Rotom-W in the way many people I've encountered think of it.

To play around this, keep in mind Rotom-W's weaknesses: it isn't all that bulky, and it gets chipped easily. This team is very offensive with a ton of muscle... don't let up the pressure versus Rotom. BKC's game against Gondra is actually a fantastic example of how to play against Rotom.

While this team is reasonable fast, Mega Alakazam is stupid fast. It's just a paint for these types of teams in general, so be careful with your Mega Metagross and Landorus-T against it.

Match up Pokemon. A preserved Keldeo beats the most common Volcarona sets, and a more bulky spread on Scarf Landorus-T beats Mega Charizard X.

Final Thoughts

Please keep in mind that this team requires really aggressive play. I mentioned this a lot throughout the RMT, but I want to make it clear right now: you have to make hard reads, you have to keep momentum up, you have to pressure your opponent. ORAS is a slow meta outside of the cheesier offenses we've seen gaining popularity recently, and this team really exploits that. If you want an easier offense, use one of those.

I really love ORAS OU. it's easily my favorite metagame, and I've been wanting to do an RMT for awhile. I mostly play friendlies though, so I felt uncomfortable posting some random team. This is a team I put a lot of work into, honestly, and I think it's great. It took me a lot longer than normal not only because Zapdos is out of my comfort zone, but also because I haven't been that active with Pokemon for the last month or two. ORAS only has a couple tournaments here and there, and STour this season was really tough with my schedule. The few times I could play I did absolutely horrible. I'm probably gonna be less active until the next generation. Not quitting or trying to make some melodramatic post, just kinda felt the need to provide justification for my RMT, since I think a lot of them are cringe.

Shoutouts

innisfree: you're a great friend and last year you really elevated my play and building. i hope you come back soon :]
talah: vruh u ever feel like ykno depress man idk fam i feel that shit sometime it be heavy vro.
BKC: sorry the team couldn't withstand all the hax man. hope you get that third pink trophy soon... at least get the white one in the meantime n_n.
obii: thank you for supporting so many LGBT users on smogon like myself and star.
kaori: please stop messaging me i told you i just want to be friends.
Omari P: grats on graduating king. we gotta play some soon...

Import of the team

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost

Metagross-Mega @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Meteor Mash
- Zen Headbutt
- Thunder Punch

Latios @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Surf
- Defog

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Volt Switch

Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- U-turn

Keldeo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA
- Hydro Pump
- Scald
- Secret Sword
- Hidden Power [Grass]