ORAS LC My First LC Team - The Power Backs (RMT)

[Imacape]

Hey! I recently got into Pokémon (I'm not even talking just Showdown, I'm talking pokémon as a franchise XD) and I've been having a ton of fun playing Showdown. I've had some experience in other tiers, but I have to say that I've been playing LC the most. Below is my first ever LC team. I've made some adjustments over the past week or so (nothing seems to be working O.o) but I can't seem to break 1400 on the LC ladder. I've been asking for help here and there and it's been working out so-so.

I'm grateful for any feedback, be as mean as you'd like ;)

My team was built around being able to hit hard and fast, as even the walls can dish out some hurt in one way or another.

(Also I don't know if this is worth taking note of, but just about all of my pokemon are based off of, if not a direct copy of, Smogon recommended builds)

So let's get started :)

CHIMCHAR

Chimchar @ Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 HP / 16 Atk / 84 Def / 212 SpA / 4 SpD / 188 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Fake Out
- Overheat
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Stealth Rock

95% of the time, this is my lead. Running Fake-out allows me to break Sturdy and do a bit of damage. After that I generally set up my rocks and do as much damage before dying. Overheat and HP - Grass are great for when I see an opportunity to 1 or 2 hit KO other Pokemon, or atleast deal a fair amount of damage.

ABRA

Abra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Psychic
- Protect

Abra is my special sweeper. It's move set provide great coverage for popular pokemon in the LC tier (mienfoo, pawniard, meowth etc...) and it's psychic hits surprisingly hard (for me, I guess.. Being a noob and all). I usually switch this one in when I anticipate the opponent switching out to a pokemon that Abra can do some hurt to. I also use Abra to eat knock offs, as the majority of knock off users get hit very hard by Abra. Usually that means one of their pokemon get knocked out, or eat a huge chunk of damage.

TENTACOOL

Tentacool @ Berry Juice
Ability: Liquid Ooze
Level: 5
EVs: 196 HP / 76 Def / 196 SpD / 40 Spe
Calm Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Toxic
- Knock Off

Tentacool, my special wall. Also a surprisingly hard hitter o.o . Tentacool eats up most special attacks, it also spins/absorbs any entry hazards. Often after I switch tentacool in to eat an attack, I'll go right for a knock off or toxic depending on my opponents team composition. Surprisingly enough, few people know about Liquid ooze and I often get tons of damage off on my opponents when they go for a giga drain. Tentacool does a great job of covering Honedge's weakness to Fire, as most fire attacks are special-type.

Honedge

Honedge @ Eviolite
Ability: No Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 116 Def / 60 SpD / 136 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Autotomize
- Sacred Sword
- Iron Head
- Toxic

Honedge, both a physical sweeper and wall on my team as well as a spinblocker. I often switch Honedge in when I know the next incoming attack will either not affect it, or do very little damage. After which, I usually go for anautomotize depending on the situation. Allowing me to either deal a good amount of damage (or ohko) or toxic most pokemon on the following turn, as x2 Honedge outspeeds all other pokemon unboosted in this tier. Honedge can also eat up the t-bolts which are often targetted towards my tentacool, although it usually isn't too happy about it :/

Carvanha

Carvanha @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 240 Spe
- Aqua Jet
- Crunch
- Protect
- Waterfall

When you want stuff to get done, call Carvanha :P This is my physical sweeper and clean up sweeper. After one protect turn, outspeeds everything in the LC tier (correct me if I'm wrong) , unboosted. Carvanha does a great job plowing through teams after certain threats have been dealt with and these remaining pokemon have been weakened from other attacks, conditions, and stealth rocks. Honedge helps cover carvanhas glaring fighting type weakness, as it couldn't take a hit if it's life depended on it.

Diglett

Diglett @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Protect
- Shadow Claw
- Sucker Punch

Diglett, a massive threat to most pokemon and my revenge killer. After I get SRs off the field, most pokemon aren't safe from a revenge kill via Diglett :P . Most of the time you'll see Diglett trapping Fire types or really any other significantly weakened pokemon.

That was my first ever rmt, any feedback is greatly appreciated :)

EDIT: My bad, forgot the importable

Hide

Chimchar @ Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 HP / 16 Atk / 84 Def / 212 SpA / 4 SpD / 188 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Fake Out
- Overheat
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Stealth Rock

Abra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 240 SpA / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Psychic
- Protect

Carvanha @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 240 Spe
- Aqua Jet
- Crunch
- Protect
- Waterfall

Tentacool @ Berry Juice
Ability: Liquid Ooze
Level: 5
EVs: 196 HP / 76 Def / 196 SpD / 40 Spe
Calm Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Toxic
- Knock Off

Honedge @ Eviolite
Ability: No Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 116 Def / 60 SpD / 136 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Autotomize
- Sacred Sword
- Iron Head
- Toxic

Diglett @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Protect
- Shadow Claw
- Sucker Punch

Thank you, Omastar42 (woops, had no idea that I was linking people back to my profile, changed it though), for showing me how to hide these type of things :) ^^^^^

 

[Fiend]

Hello there, that's actually an excellent team for having just started playing.

Your team appears to be very Hyper Offensive in its construction so I'm going to make changes to increase its efficiency. With offensive teams, giving free turns is often game ending.

Your most common wincon looks like Carvanha, but this doesn't have a nature. An Adamant Nature Carvanha is very needed for it's power increase. Additionally, running 4 attacks seems to be more efficient for hyper offense teams currently. Zen Headbutt > Protect causes switching into Carvanha to be rather impossible and ruins a large number of its checks after Stealth Rock and Knock Off. Additionally, I would change its HP IVs to 0 in order to take less from Life Orb recoil.

Carvanha

Carvanha @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 HP
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Crunch
- Zen Headbutt

Next I would make Diglett's set more appropriate for the current meta (the set you have now is more akin to Misdreavus era Little Cup). By this, I mean Stealth Rock > Protect and Rock Slide > Shadow Claw. I suggest these changes due to Shadow Claw not being needed in any capacity anymore due to Misdreavus leaving the tier and generally not having switchins due to its ability. Rock Slide also KOes Gastly while hurting Archen and Fletchling and makes you only lose the ability to 3HKO Pumpkaboo, whom you would not want to stay in on in any case.

Diglett

Diglett @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Rock Slide
- Sucker Punch

Next I would change Chimchar to Fast Mienfoo. Fast Foo allows for Pawniard to be sturdily checks, helps wallbreak for Abra and Carvanha, and maintains being a solid lead due to Taunt while inherently adding some bulk and generating momentum. High Jump Kick gives Mienfoo the ability to still cause problems late game which it fails to do in most cases, but can be switched to Drain Punch for its recovery ability and accuracy.

Mienfoo

Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- High Jump Kick
- Taunt

Lastly I'm going to suggest Magnemite > Honedge as Honedge simple loses to to many large threats to your team, making it insufficient as a Fletchling check. Magnemite is also one of the rare pokemon who can beat the rare FletchDig core with SR support and beat Fletchling throughout the match. Berry Juice Magnemite also has fair synergy with Mienfoo as it can easily take any Knock Off aimed at it and is an amazing safety net.

Magnemite

Magnemite @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sturdy
Level: 5
EVs: 36 Def / 236 SpA / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Endure
- Recycle
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon

Cheers!

 

[Imacape]

Hello there, that's actually an excellent team for having just started playing.

Your team appears to be very Hyper Offensive in its construction so I'm going to make changes to increase its efficiency. With offensive teams, giving free turns is often game ending.

Your most common wincon looks like Carvanha, but this doesn't have a nature. An Adamant Nature Carvanha is very needed for it's power increase. Additionally, running 4 attacks seems to be more efficient for hyper offense teams currently. Zen Headbutt > Protect causes switching into Carvanha to be rather impossible and ruins a large number of its checks after Stealth Rock and Knock Off. Additionally, I would change its HP IVs to 0 in order to take less from Life Orb recoil.

Carvanha

Carvanha @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 HP
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Crunch
- Zen Headbutt

Next I would make Diglett's set more appropriate for the current meta (the set you have now is more akin to Misdreavus era Little Cup). By this, I mean Stealth Rock > Protect and Rock Slide > Shadow Claw. I suggest these changes due to Shadow Claw not being needed in any capacity anymore due to Misdreavus leaving the tier and generally not having switchins due to its ability. Rock Slide also KOes Gastly while hurting Archen and Fletchling and makes you only lose the ability to 3HKO Pumpkaboo, whom you would not want to stay in on in any case.

Diglett

Diglett @ Focus Sash
Ability: Arena Trap
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Rock Slide
- Sucker Punch

Next I would change Chimchar to Fast Mienfoo. Fast Foo allows for Pawniard to be sturdily checks, helps wallbreak for Abra and Carvanha, and maintains being a solid lead due to Taunt while inherently adding some bulk and generating momentum. High Jump Kick gives Mienfoo the ability to still cause problems late game which it fails to do in most cases, but can be switched to Drain Punch for its recovery ability and accuracy.

Mienfoo

Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- High Jump Kick
- Taunt

Lastly I'm going to suggest Magnemite > Honedge as Honedge simple loses to to many large threats to your team, making it insufficient as a Fletchling check. Magnemite is also one of the rare pokemon who can beat the rare FletchDig core with SR support and beat Fletchling throughout the match. Berry Juice Magnemite also has fair synergy with Mienfoo as it can easily take any Knock Off aimed at it and is an amazing safety net.

Magnemite

Magnemite @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sturdy
Level: 5
EVs: 36 Def / 236 SpA / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Endure
- Recycle
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon

Cheers!

Thank you so much for the feedback! I'll definitely by implementing these into version 2.0 of this team :D (Lol Fast Foo). Idk what I was thinking NOT making Carvanha Adamant. I'll be sure to PM you and tell you how the new team goes :)

 

[Oma]

Hey there Imacape , really nice first team here. Definitely use the suggestions given by Fiend Hound, because they use some better sets and help your team a lot. However, your Tentacool should be running Toxic Spikes over Toxic. This lets it poison every grounded mon that switches in, helping your other Pokemon sweep. Also, be sure to use [/hide tags when giving the importable of a team. Besides that, it's a really solid team and Fiend fixed everything else. Good luck with it and your future in LC!

 

[Imacape]

Hey there Imacape , really nice first team here. Definitely use the suggestions given by Fiend Hound, because they use some better sets and help your team a lot. However, your Tentacool should be running Toxic Spikes over Toxic. This lets it poison every grounded mon that switches in, helping your other Pokemon sweep. Also, be sure to use [/hide tags when giving the importable of a team. Besides that, it's a really solid team and Fiend fixed everything else. Good luck with it and your future in LC!

Thank you so much for the thread reply! And O.o I had no idea how to hide my importables up until now :D That's so cool, thanks for sharing that with me

 

[Goddess Briyella]

Hi there, Imacape!

Fiend Hound's team changes are excellent, and I have some alternate changes you can try out if you'd like. These will bring more flexibility to the team by adding more resistances to Flying and consolidating your hazard-controlling options onto a single Pokemon so that you don't have to switch or potentially have to wait a while to do everything that you need to with it. Additionally, your team's power and overall offensive capabilities will be notably increased as well.

->

Archen @ Berry Juice
Level: 5
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 76 HP / 180 Atk / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Tomb
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
- Knock Off

Replacing Tentacool with Archen gives you more protection against Fletchling and also gives you more power and control in general. Archen can afford to run max Speed while Tentacool, with the roles it often plays, cannot. The ability to remove items is retained with this change, and STAB Rock/Flying offense combined with Earthquake hits almost everything in the game for hard super effective damage. Just be very careful about letting Pawniard switch into Rock Tomb, as the Speed drop will effective its Defiant boost.

->

Drilbur @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Rock Slide
- Stealth Rock

Don't worry that Rapid Spin was removed with Tentacool! Adding Drilbur to the team in place of Diglett lets you have Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin both on one set, letting you completely control the game's hazards. You miss out on a bit of Speed here, but Drilbur's ability to tolerate more damage than Diglett makes it practical to use Eviolite rather than Focus Sash, and the increased Attack power with this change makes Earthquake really hurt in comparison to what Diglett can do with its meager power.

You're free to try these as well. In any case, that concludes my rate. I wish you success with your team, welcome to Smogon, and welcome to Little Cup!

 

[Imacape]

Hi there, Imacape!

Fiend Hound's team changes are excellent, and I have some alternate changes you can try out if you'd like. These will bring more flexibility to the team by adding more resistances to Flying and consolidating your hazard-controlling options onto a single Pokemon so that you don't have to switch or potentially have to wait a while to do everything that you need to with it. Additionally, your team's power and overall offensive capabilities will be notably increased as well.

->

Archen @ Berry Juice
Level: 5
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 76 HP / 180 Atk / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Tomb
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
- Knock Off

Replacing Tentacool with Archen gives you more protection against Fletchling and also gives you more power and control in general. Archen can afford to run max Speed while Tentacool, with the roles it often plays, cannot. The ability to remove items is retained with this change, and STAB Rock/Flying offense combined with Earthquake hits almost everything in the game for hard super effective damage. Just be very careful about letting Pawniard switch into Rock Tomb, as the Speed drop will effective its Defiant boost.

->

Drilbur @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Rock Slide
- Stealth Rock

Don't worry that Rapid Spin was removed with Tentacool! Adding Drilbur to the team in place of Diglett lets you have Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin both on one set, letting you completely control the game's hazards. You miss out on a bit of Speed here, but Drilbur's ability to tolerate more damage than Diglett makes it practical to use Eviolite rather than Focus Sash, and the increased Attack power with this change makes Earthquake really hurt in comparison to what Diglett can do with its meager power.

You're free to try these as well. In any case, that concludes my rate. I wish you success with your team, welcome to Smogon, and welcome to Little Cup!

Thank you so much for the suggestions, I'll likely make another team with this exact variant, I'll also make sure to tell you how it goes :) I'm surprised that I'm getting so many thread replies O.o