Natural Offense

Originally made with the intent of offering a mixed Simisear sample team, this team is an offensive team with disruptive support. I ordinarily stick to my signature core, so I wanted to step out of my comfort zone to build this team. It was named Natural Offense on the spot because of the FWGE core paired with a weather condition and a bug.



Simisear was the first selected member of the team. Two sample teams with Nasty Plot Simisear have already been posted, so instead I'll be showing off Simisear's mixed capabilities. Overheat is Simisear's strongest STAB, being the fire type equivalent of Draco Meteor. Life Orb allows Simisear to do big damage with this move, and because Simisear is physically biased it doesn't despair at the special attack drop. Superpower is highly important coverage in ZU, allowing Simisear to bust through steel and rock types like Lairon and normal types such as Regigigas as well as break dark types like Zweilous. Knock Off allows Simisear to cripple switch ins by taking away their item, notably Eviolite, and provides good coverage alongside Overheat and Superpower. The last slot is really up to choice, seeing as there's a large pool of moves Simisear could use for this, but Rock Slide was chosen for the ability to do greater damage to other Simisear and flying types.



Electabuzz was selected for its ability to threaten Simis offensively and great speed tier as well as access to Volt Switch, which allows it to get valuable momentum for the team. Thunderbolt allows Electabuzz to OHKO Simipour and OHKO Simisear after rocks and doesn't force Electabuzz to swap when you want to stay in. Hidden Power Ice super effects things that resist Thunderbolt and Volt Switch, forming BoltBeam coverage. Toxic allows Electabuzz to get cripple things that commonly wall it on the swap such as Hippopotas or Quilladin and then if possible Volt Switch out.



Volbeat forms a VoltTurn core with Electabuzz and serves as great support and disruption with its great movepool and a great ability in Prankster, having Thunder Wave and Encore to play mind games and prevent sweeps. Your opponent has to wonder whether you'll U-turn or Thunder Wave against their offensive pokemon, and whether you'll encore against their setup pokemon. Roost gives Volbeat longevity to help it take a couple of hits for the team. Volbeat and Electabuzz also form probably the best momentum-gaining core in ZU for offensive teams, helping out their teammate Simisear.



The previous three pokemon have issues with Rock and Ground types. Sawsbuck alleviates this, offering a grass stab as well as being a great offensive scarf that can, using Double-Edge and with a little bit of residual damage, consistently KO Simis. Horn Leech is Sawsbuck's best STAB move and offsets recoil damage from Double-Edge, and is thus Sawsbuck's grass STAB. Sawsbuck also can OHKO Lopunny with Jump Kick and do massive damage to Lairon switches, making Jump Kick an ideal choice for coverage. Megahorn is chosesn for the last move, able to do massive damage to Psychic and Dark types and if Sawsbuck is swapped into a grass move from Quilladin to activate Sap Sipper it can 2HKO even the most heavily invested defensive Quilladin.



Wartortle acts as one of the best hazard removers and checks to offensive pokemon in the tier. Rapid Spin allows Wartortle to remove hazards from the player's side of the field to relieve unwanted pressure on the team. Scald serves as Wartortle's STAB and only offensive move, offering it a chance to burn switch ins. Haze lets Wartortle prevent sweeps by removing opposing boosts. Mirror Coat allows Wartortle to play mind games with boosters and also nap surprise KOs, dealing a ton of damage to special attackers without warning. Wartortle also has the benefit of baiting grass moves, which Sawsbuck can recieve and use to attack with, and completeing the FWG core with Simisear and Sawsbuck.



Hippopotas is the final member of the team. Hippopotas sets Stealth rock for the team, can stop momentum from opposing Electabuzz, can phaze out troublesome boosting Pokemon that Wartortle doesn't stop, and deals residual damage to weaken opposing pokemon with Sandstorm, very notably Simis. Hippopotas's EVs are actually set up to only be 2hko'd by Life Orb HP Ice Electabuzz after rocks and the rest is invested into defense. Hippopotas also draws in grass type moves for Sawsbuck, and Sawsbuck covers its water weakness offensively. The residual damage from Sandstorm can mean all the difference for Sawsbuck trying to revenge, so it's important to have. Stealth Rock fills in the required hazard slot of the team while Roar prevents sweeps. Slack Off is reliable recovery and allows Hippopotas to take advantage of its good bulk. Earthquake is used for STAB and prevention of the taunt-bait status, and can allow Hippopotas to finish off weakened sweepers.



Volbeat @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
- Encore
- Roost

Hippopotas @ Eviolite
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
- Slack Off

Wartortle @ Eviolite
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 16 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Mirror Coat
- Haze
- Rapid Spin

Sawsbuck @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Double-Edge
- Horn Leech
- Jump Kick
- Megahorn

Simisear @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
IVs: 29 HP
- Overheat
- Superpower
- Knock Off
- Rock Slide

Electabuzz @ Life Orb
Ability: Vital Spirit
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Volt Switch
- Toxic
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt

• Volbeat - Standard Spread, physically defensive EVs to make better mixed defenses.
• Hippopotas - Avoids 2hko from Life Orb HP Ice Electabuzz after Rocks, otherwise biased towards physical defense.
• Wartortle - Minimizes hazard and status damage while taking slightly better advantage of Eviolite to give it better mixed defenses with a specially defensive bias to pair with Hippopotas.
• Sawsbuck - Standard spread, Adamant to do more damage and let it OHKO simis after a little residual damage.
• Simisear - Mixed offensive with a physical bias to offset overheat. Naive to reduce priority damage. 29 HP IVs minimizes Life Orb Damage.
• Electabuzz - Specially offensive with Hidden Power Ice. HP Ice prevents the use of 29 HP IVs. 0 Atk IVs is still HP Ice with 30 Def IVs, and so is used to minimize confusion and Foul Play damage by having minimum attack.