Alright, most of you know me so I am not going to bother listing my credentials as a battler -- it's safe to say that if I am posting this team it is good (at the very least for my style of play).
Keep in mind that not everyone will be able to use this team effectively. I think it requires a high level of play to be good, so, use it at your own risk.
Gengar (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 40 HP/252 Spd/216 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Hypnosis
- Shadow Ball
---
Ahhh Gengar -- one of the best leads in the game by far (as evidenced by its usage statistics. I think this is the set that has the best kind of coverage you can get when coupled with Hypnosis (although I have toyed with t-bolt over hyp for the best coverage Gengar can get.
A very offensive starter to say the least, it's great for putting stuff to sleep and then proceeding to wreak havok on the opposing team. Not much that can switch in safely on Gengar as even its counters have a hard time surviving when put to sleep and then Focus Blasted to hell.
It also plays a secondary role as a "revenge killer" and even a defensive role against fighters such as heracross and non-BP Lucario. Great pokemon for people that are good with prediction.
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Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP/148 Def/12 Spd/96 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
Attack IV of 14
- Grass Knot
- Leech Seed
- Recover
- Thunder Wave
---
What is there to be said about Celebi that most people don't already know? It's absolutely wonderful for taking most physical attacks, t-wave is great for crippling other teams and leech seed is always a pain. It's one half of the great defensive pairing that I've been advocating since long before I left. Paired with Heatran it shuts down most threats in the game.
This also acts as a great support pokemon to the rest of the team by passing around leech seed healing and paralyzing fast (or even slow) pokemon to give the rest of my pokemon an advantage.
---
Heatran (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP/48 Def/208 SDef
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Dragon Pulse
- Lava Plume
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
---
What a great pokemon. It walls most special attackers and can even beat Blissey one on one if it comes down to that (stalling ftw). The 30% chance of burn means even stuff like Tyranitar, Gyarados and Garchomp are going to be wary of switching in since if they get burned they're significantly weakened and are unable to perform up to their expectations. Dragon Pulse over Earth Power means that other Heatran wall it, but it gives better coverage against stuff that it is meant to wall in the first place (like Gengar, most Salamence and so on). Meaning that there's a much better chance of winning against Gengar even if you are put to sleep because you don't have to worry about Earth Power missing.
That said, again, this is great when paired with Celebi because it offers such great type coverage defensively. It also allows a measure of support in being able to absorb sleep and throw down the burns.
---
Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 236 HP/216 Spd/56 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Surf
---
Starmie is there for added coverage with Celebi and Heatran and to also eliminate the ever-present threat of spikes. I know that pursuit is always a factor when taking Starmie onto your team, but Pokemon has always been a game of risks. The team doesn't sink if Starmie dies so it's a risk that you can take for the potential benefits.
Ice beam is here over Thunderbolt for what reason? Celebi is already there to cover watery threats like Gyarados. What else is T-bolt good for anyway? Ice beam allows it to actually act as a way of taking out other threats that are more immediately threatening (like Garchomp as everyone likes to tote). Surf is there for Infernape and co.
---
Machamp (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 124 HP/128 Atk/252 Def/4 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dynamicpunch
- Ice Punch
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
---
Another sleep absorber! Although that's not really what he's there for. You'll notice that of the first four pokemon, aside from Celebi (arguably), nothing can really handle stuff like Blissey and Snorlax. Admittedly Heatran and Celebi CAN survive against them, they don't really offer any kind of threat and I'm not a stalling kind of guy. Machamp is here to fix that. He takes out stuff like those pesky special walls (sans Cresselia) and also helps deal with other threats like Garchomp, Tyranitar etc.
Don't look at him simply as an offensive pokemon, he's great defensively and does an amazing job of, at the very least, crippling offensive threats that think they can just walk all over the team. With Gengar and Starmie around I've got speed to back up his ability to screw with the other team, too.
Confusion is always great to have jumping around in the other team, so Dynamic Punch is awesome. Ice Punch is there because I'd have to say Cresselia is less common than Gliscor and Gliscor is probably a more common switch in to Machamp.
---
Salamence (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP/120 Def/136 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake / Brick Break
- Roost
---
Ahhh...the star of the team. Most people have forgotten, or at least put to the back burner, Salamence. This is actually a great, great set and works really well because of its bulkyness. It takes out stuff like Lucario and Heracross effectively and with Roost it can really stay in for the long haul.
I've had a hard time deciding whether or not to use Fire Fang or Earthquake -- Fire Fang seems to offer better coverage, but EQ is great for stuff like Tyranitar and Heatran. It's really all your personal preference and what you consider to be more important.
---
So, all in all this team has been very successful (one loss) although I won't say what name I've been practicing with it under.
I'd also like to say that I didn't come up with this team on my own. Which is why it is called "team collaboration". The person that I worked on this team with will remain nameless because I don't want people to know the team that he is using anyway! If he wants to take claim for this team he is more than welcome to -- and I will say that the bulky ddmence was his idea.
Hope you guys enjoy this one.
Keep in mind that not everyone will be able to use this team effectively. I think it requires a high level of play to be good, so, use it at your own risk.
Gengar (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 40 HP/252 Spd/216 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Hypnosis
- Shadow Ball
---
Ahhh Gengar -- one of the best leads in the game by far (as evidenced by its usage statistics. I think this is the set that has the best kind of coverage you can get when coupled with Hypnosis (although I have toyed with t-bolt over hyp for the best coverage Gengar can get.
A very offensive starter to say the least, it's great for putting stuff to sleep and then proceeding to wreak havok on the opposing team. Not much that can switch in safely on Gengar as even its counters have a hard time surviving when put to sleep and then Focus Blasted to hell.
It also plays a secondary role as a "revenge killer" and even a defensive role against fighters such as heracross and non-BP Lucario. Great pokemon for people that are good with prediction.
---
Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP/148 Def/12 Spd/96 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
Attack IV of 14
- Grass Knot
- Leech Seed
- Recover
- Thunder Wave
---
What is there to be said about Celebi that most people don't already know? It's absolutely wonderful for taking most physical attacks, t-wave is great for crippling other teams and leech seed is always a pain. It's one half of the great defensive pairing that I've been advocating since long before I left. Paired with Heatran it shuts down most threats in the game.
This also acts as a great support pokemon to the rest of the team by passing around leech seed healing and paralyzing fast (or even slow) pokemon to give the rest of my pokemon an advantage.
---
Heatran (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP/48 Def/208 SDef
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Dragon Pulse
- Lava Plume
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
---
What a great pokemon. It walls most special attackers and can even beat Blissey one on one if it comes down to that (stalling ftw). The 30% chance of burn means even stuff like Tyranitar, Gyarados and Garchomp are going to be wary of switching in since if they get burned they're significantly weakened and are unable to perform up to their expectations. Dragon Pulse over Earth Power means that other Heatran wall it, but it gives better coverage against stuff that it is meant to wall in the first place (like Gengar, most Salamence and so on). Meaning that there's a much better chance of winning against Gengar even if you are put to sleep because you don't have to worry about Earth Power missing.
That said, again, this is great when paired with Celebi because it offers such great type coverage defensively. It also allows a measure of support in being able to absorb sleep and throw down the burns.
---
Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 236 HP/216 Spd/56 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Surf
---
Starmie is there for added coverage with Celebi and Heatran and to also eliminate the ever-present threat of spikes. I know that pursuit is always a factor when taking Starmie onto your team, but Pokemon has always been a game of risks. The team doesn't sink if Starmie dies so it's a risk that you can take for the potential benefits.
Ice beam is here over Thunderbolt for what reason? Celebi is already there to cover watery threats like Gyarados. What else is T-bolt good for anyway? Ice beam allows it to actually act as a way of taking out other threats that are more immediately threatening (like Garchomp as everyone likes to tote). Surf is there for Infernape and co.
---
Machamp (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 124 HP/128 Atk/252 Def/4 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dynamicpunch
- Ice Punch
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
---
Another sleep absorber! Although that's not really what he's there for. You'll notice that of the first four pokemon, aside from Celebi (arguably), nothing can really handle stuff like Blissey and Snorlax. Admittedly Heatran and Celebi CAN survive against them, they don't really offer any kind of threat and I'm not a stalling kind of guy. Machamp is here to fix that. He takes out stuff like those pesky special walls (sans Cresselia) and also helps deal with other threats like Garchomp, Tyranitar etc.
Don't look at him simply as an offensive pokemon, he's great defensively and does an amazing job of, at the very least, crippling offensive threats that think they can just walk all over the team. With Gengar and Starmie around I've got speed to back up his ability to screw with the other team, too.
Confusion is always great to have jumping around in the other team, so Dynamic Punch is awesome. Ice Punch is there because I'd have to say Cresselia is less common than Gliscor and Gliscor is probably a more common switch in to Machamp.
---
Salamence (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP/120 Def/136 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Claw
- Dragon Dance
- Earthquake / Brick Break
- Roost
---
Ahhh...the star of the team. Most people have forgotten, or at least put to the back burner, Salamence. This is actually a great, great set and works really well because of its bulkyness. It takes out stuff like Lucario and Heracross effectively and with Roost it can really stay in for the long haul.
I've had a hard time deciding whether or not to use Fire Fang or Earthquake -- Fire Fang seems to offer better coverage, but EQ is great for stuff like Tyranitar and Heatran. It's really all your personal preference and what you consider to be more important.
---
So, all in all this team has been very successful (one loss) although I won't say what name I've been practicing with it under.
I'd also like to say that I didn't come up with this team on my own. Which is why it is called "team collaboration". The person that I worked on this team with will remain nameless because I don't want people to know the team that he is using anyway! If he wants to take claim for this team he is more than welcome to -- and I will say that the bulky ddmence was his idea.
Hope you guys enjoy this one.