ORAS LC The Lion Guard

[christopher_ 1942]

(Cripes! It's been a very long time since I last played Little Cup battles.)

Hi everyone!

After watching The Lion Guard, I thought up a team based around Litleo. One of the Pokemon which I find cute. (Plus, I love cats.)

I might've been rusty on the team building but here's the team I thought up:

Kion - Litleo
Nature: Timid
IV's: 31/x/31/31/31/31
EV's: 20 HP / 176 Sp.Atk / 84 Sp.Def / 180 Spe
Ability: Unnerve
Held Item: Life Orb
Fire Blast
Hyper Voice
Dark Pulse
Hidden Power Electric​

The main Pokemon of the group. This lion is a ferocious competitor which rumbles the arena with it's mighty roar! Don't let it's appearance fool you as it can leave dents to opponents with the help of the Life Orb.

Fire Blast can scorch Steel, Grass and Ice types that get in his way.

Hyper Voice is another STAB move which is a priority for a Fire and Normal type sweeper.

Dark Pulse is to take down Pokemon like Gastly, Abra and Baltoy.

Finally, as there are Pokemon that fly high in the sky and swoop down at high speed like Mantyke and Fletchling, Hidden Power Electric is used to counter them.

I was thinking of putting a Choice Scarf on Litleo but I saved that item for another team member shown down below.

Chestnut - Ferroseed
Nature: Relaxed
IV's: 31/31/31/x/31/31
EV's: 4 HP / 36 Atk / 188 Def / 228 Sp.Def
Ability: Iron Barbs
Held Item: Rocky Helmet
Iron Head
Bullet Seed
Leech Seed
Stealth Rock
​

This spiky fellow can take plenty of hits as long as it's not hit by any Fire or Fighting types.
With the combination of Iron Barbs and Rocky Helmet, opponents will face a lot of recoil damage.

I chose Iron Head over Gyro Ball because the Pokemon in the Little Cup tier have low speed at Level 5, making Gyro Ball powerless.

Bullet Seed is another STAB move which is good against Substitutes as it can bypass them and also deals damage to opponents.

Leech Seed can wear down those who play defensively, especially those that hold Eviolite

Lastly, Stealth Rock is to set up entry hazards which can prove effective against Focus Sash users.

Skully - Duskull
Nature: Careful
IV's: 31/31/31/x/31/31
EV's: 196 HP / 36 Def / 196 Sp.Def
Ability: Levitate
Held Item: Eviolite
Shadow Sneak
Will-O-Wisp
Pain Split
Haze​

Spooky, scary skeletons and shivers down your spine...This is the Pokemon I think pairs up neatly with Ferroseed. This team member can take plenty of hits and disrupt plays by burning physical attacking Pokemon and reset all stat changes.

Shadow Sneak is used to out speed Pokemon and finish some that have low HP. Nothing much to say but it's a nice move.

Will-O-Wisp burns physical attackers which wears them down turn after turn after turn until the pressure is too hot to handle.

Pain Split is to recover HP depending on the difference between this Pokemon and the opposing Pokemon

Haze is to disrupt sweepers and Baton Passers.

Gnash - Gible
Nature: Lonely
IV's: 31/31/31/31/31/31
EV's: 196 Atk / 132 Sp.Atk / 180 Spe
Ability: Rough Skin
Held Item: Choice Scarf
Dragon Claw
Earthquake
Stone Edge
Fire Blast
​

This was the Pokemon I mentioned would make a good Choice Scarf users and we all knew what Garchomp was capable of. This little rascal I think can out speed almost anything that do not have Choice Scarf or set up Speed. I prefer Lonely as it is a mixed scarf sweeper so Fire Blast can deal more damage.

Dragon Claw is more reliable than Outrage as it doesn't thrash about until it is confused. Plus, Outrage makes it completely vulnerable to Fairy types.

Earthquake is it's main STAB move which can take out Pokemon like Blitzle, Charmander, Fennekin and Stunky.

Stone Edge is to counter Flying and Ice types.

Lastly, Fire Blast is to scorch Pokemon like Ferroseed and Foongus.

Koopa - Squirtle
Nature: Modest
IV's: 31/x/31/31/31/31
EV's: 68 HP / 196 HP / 244 Sp.Def
Ability: Rain Dish
Held Item: Assault Vest
Scald
Ice Beam
Aura Sphere
Rapid Spin​

Okay, so I needed a Pokemon that can keep entry hazard off my turf so I thought Squirtle would do the job just fine. This a bulky special sweeper since it carries Assault Vest to keep it in the game.

Scald is it's primary move which can also burn opponents. A great move when it comes to sweeping and wall breaking.

Ice Beam is for type coverage against Flying, Dragon, Ground and Grass types.

Aura Sphere to take out Rock, Steel, Normal, Dark and Ice types

Aaaaaaand Rapid Spin is to get rid of Stealth Rocks and Spikes so my other team members don't get hit by them.

If this Pokemon is facing opposing Rain Dance team, Rain Dish can help it restore little HP every turn.

Sidney - Scraggy
Nature: Careful
IV's: 31/31/31/x/31/31
EV's: 236 Atk / 196 Sp.Def / 36 Def
Ability: Shed Skin
Held Item: Leftovers
Drain Punch
Knock Off
Bulk Up
Rest
​

The last member of the Lion Guard team is Sidney the Scraggy! This one is also a bulky sweeper that can take a considerable amount of hits. I haven't got anything else to say about this Pokemon but it's a great Pokemon.

Drain Punch is not only a powerful move but it can restore HP, making his Pokemon keep on battling. Knock Off to get rid of opposing held items. Eviolite? Choice Scarf? Leftovers? Poof! Gone!

Bulk Up is what this Pokemon is made for as it makes it very dangerous if used multiple times.

Last but not least, if this Pokemon took a considerable amount of hits, Rest is to put it back at full health and wake up with the help of Shed Skin!

Threats:
​

In Hail, Snover has good type coverage against Squirtle and Gible. Plus, it would cause a good amount of additional damage to my team thanks to Hail.

Pokemon that have a big move pool can be worrisome. For example, a Protean Froakie with Scald, Ice Beam and Hidden Power Fire.

Since the team only has a few Pokemon that have good Speed, it can be put into pressure against other fast sweepers like Fletchling and Mantyke.

Pokemon with Trick or Switcheroo can cripple my teams defensive plays.

Conclusion:​

And there you have it! My first Little Cup team after a long time! So far, I think there are improvements needed to make it perform even better but that will require some thinking.

Please let me know if there are any major improvements required for this team. Thanks and have a nice day! ;)

 

[Gummy]

Nice team! You have a lot of unique pokemon, however there are a few immediate problems. First, you shouldn't use Assault Vest on Squirtle (or anything, really) when Eviolite completely outclasses it in this tier. Staryu can do most of what Squirtle can, with better stats overall. I'd recommend replacing Squirtle with this set:

Staryu Set

Staryu @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 116 HP / 156 Def / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Psychic / Thunderbolt / Ice Beam
- Recover

This still gives you the ability to spin away hazards, use Scald and Ice Beam, with greater speed and reliable recovery.

I think it would also be a good idea to replace Duskull with Gastly. Duskull can't really hold its own for very long and doesn't have much power. Gastly is a very powerful and fast pokemon that's a good Ghost-type to use.

Gastly Set

Gastly @ Life Orb
Level: 5
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 200 SpA / 80 SpD / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power Fighting / Dazzling Gleam
- Substitute / Destiny Bond

Your team doesn't seem to have much of a problem with Pawniard, so I'd recommend Dazzling Gleam to deal with Dark-types.

Another possibility is giving Ferroseed Thunder Wave over Iron Head. This makes it a bit more passive but will make those fast sweepers easier to deal with.

Your Scraggy set is odd, I'd recommend the suggested ones on Smogon. Mienfoo kind of does the role you're doing better (bulky Drain Punch/Knock Off user). I'd like to keep the team core as similar as possible so for now I'd say replace your set with this one:

Scraggy Set

Scraggy @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 36 HP / 156 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Knock Off
- Drain Punch
- High Jump Kick / Poison Jab / Head Smash / Zen Headbutt

Dragon Dance is like Bulk Up, but makes you faster instead of...bulkier. This gives you the ability to be a fast, powerful wincon, something every team needs. Scraggy is really weak to Fighting and Fairy types, but since you have Ferroseed to deal with the latter, I'd recommend Zen Headbutt to give you an edge over the million other Fighting-types rampaging around LC.

Sorry if anything's unclear, it's my first time team-rating. Good luck in LC! ^^

 

[christopher_ 1942]

Nice team! You have a lot of unique pokemon, however there are a few immediate problems. First, you shouldn't use Assault Vest on Squirtle (or anything, really) when Eviolite completely outclasses it in this tier. Staryu can do most of what Squirtle can, with better stats overall. I'd recommend replacing Squirtle with this set:

Staryu @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 116 HP / 156 Def / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Psychic / Thunderbolt / Ice Beam
- Recover

This still gives you the ability to spin away hazards, use Scald and Ice Beam, with greater speed and reliable recovery.

I think it would also be a good idea to replace Duskull with Gastly. Duskull can't really hold its own for very long and doesn't have much power. Gastly is a very powerful and fast pokemon that's a good Ghost-type to use.

Gastly @ Life Orb
Level: 5
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 200 SpA / 80 SpD / 200 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power Fighting / Dazzling Gleam
- Substitute / Destiny Bond

Your team doesn't seem to have much of a problem with Pawniard, so I'd recommend Dazzling Gleam to deal with Dark-types.

Another possibility is giving Ferroseed Thunder Wave over Iron Head. This makes it a bit more passive but will make those fast sweepers easier to deal with.

Your Scraggy set is odd, I'd recommend the suggested ones on Smogon. Mienfoo kind of does the role you're doing better (bulky Drain Punch/Knock Off user). I'd like to keep the team core as similar as possible so for now I'd say replace your set with this one:

Scraggy @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 36 HP / 156 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Knock Off
- Drain Punch
- High Jump Kick / Poison Jab / Head Smash / Zen Headbutt

Dragon Dance is like Bulk Up, but makes you faster instead of...bulkier. This gives you the ability to be a fast, powerful wincon, something every team needs. Scraggy is really weak to Fighting and Fairy types, but since you have Ferroseed to deal with the latter, I'd recommend Zen Headbutt to give you an edge over the million other Fighting-types rampaging around LC.

Sorry if anything's unclear, it's my first time team-rating. Good luck in LC! ^^

Thanks for the advice! I'm now gonna modify my Little Cup team with those improvements.

 

[S0L1D G0LD]

Yo.

Nice team. I love to see someone use something unconventional like you've done with Litleo.

That said, you need a few major optimizations, but I'll try to keep your team as close to the original as I can (and I won't remove Litleo).

Let's begin:

A starting note: Assaukt Vest and Leftovers are almost always of no worth in Little Cup. This is because the former is inferior to Eviolite in the bulk it gives, only boosting special defense as compared to both defenses, and also comes with an unnecessary drawback of perma-Taunting your holder. The latter is worthless because their aren't Pokemon in little cup that have a high enough HP to actually make use of the recovery. Example: a Pokemon needs at least 32 hp (which currently only Munchlax and Happiny can hit -- and with substantial investment) to recover a measly 2 Hp per action, which means that any lower amount can only heal for 1 hp per turn-- an amount too low to consider in such an offensive metagame .

Dark Pulse is actually redundant on Litleo. Anything that you can hit super-effectively with it that isn't resistant to your Fire-STAB is actually hit harder by the latter. In addition, Litleo wants to hit water-types with its Hidden Power, and one of the most prominent is immune to Electric-Type attacks. So, we will be replacing Dark Pulse with Will-O-Wisp, and changing your Hidden Power from Electric to Grass. The former takes advantage of Litleo's speed to spread burns around the opposing side, while the latter is helpful for things you can't hit with your stab, such as Tirtouga.

I always liked Duskull, but ever since the Knock Off buff, it can't compete as a Fighting-Type answer, which every team is in need of. So, we will be replacing the little guy with a Spritzee. The latter (as mentioned) handles nearly every fighting-type in the tier, which is crucial given that half of your team is weak to the type, and forms a strong defensive core with Ferroseed. It also provides clerical support. and wish-passing. It also stops Dark-Types not named Pawniard with relative success.

Next, I'd recommend switching Gible for Archen. Archen gives you a Flying-Resist so that bird spam can't run wild, and forms a hazard stacking core with Ferroseed. Archen further mitigates your weakness to fighters by serving as a situational check to them.

In co-operation with the above, I recommend changing Stealth Rock --> Spikes on Ferroseed.

Squirtle, while able to work on some teams, can't give you what you need here. Thus, I second the decision to utilize Staryu as your Rapid Spinner instead. It sits at a fantastic speed tier, has a reliable recovery move in addition to its bulk so that it may spin many times throughout the match, and counters Croagunk, the one fighter that Spritzee doesn't want to square off against.

Now, as of the above changes, you are lacking a true win con and a revenge killer. The remedy is a simple move set change on an existing mon: Scraggy. Scarfed Scraggy can pick off weakened or frail threats and provide Knock Off support early on in a match, and can clean up in the late game if its counter have been sufficiently weakened or removed.

Lastly, and I say this to everyone, all of your Pokemon should be running the standard effort value spreads if they are not already.

You will find below a c/p-able list of sets enclosed in a hide tag below. Good luck with your team.

Changes

Litleo @ Life Orb
Level: 5
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 20 HP / 52 Def / 176 SpA / 4 SpD / 180 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Hyper Voice
- Hidden Power Grass
- Will-O-Wisp

Spritzee @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 212 HP / 196 Def / 12 SpA / 76 SpD / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Aromatherapy
- Moonblast

Archen @ Berry Juice
Level: 5
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 76 HP / 180 Atk / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock

Ferroseed @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 84 HP / 36 Atk / 188 Def / 148 SpD / 36 Spe
Careful Nature
- Bullet Seed
- Spikes
- Thunder Wave / Iron Head
- Iron Head / Knock Off

Staryu @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 116 HP / 156 Def / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Psychic
- Recover

Scraggy @ Choice Scarf
Level: 5
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
- Drain Punch
- Iron Tail

 

[christopher_ 1942]

Yo.

Nice team. I love to see someone use something unconventional like you've done with Litleo.

That said, you need a few major optimizations, but I'll try to keep your team as close to the original as I can (and I won't remove Litleo).

Let's begin:

A starting note: Assaukt Vest and Leftovers are almost always of no worth in Little Cup. This is because the former is inferior to Eviolite in the bulk it gives, only boosting special defense as compared to both defenses, and also comes with an unnecessary drawback of perma-Taunting your holder. The latter is worthless because their aren't Pokemon in little cup that have a high enough HP to actually make use of the recovery. Example: a Pokemon needs at least 32 hp (which currently only Munchlax and Happiny can hit -- and with substantial investment) to recover a measly 2 Hp per action, which means that any lower amount can only heal for 1 hp per turn-- an amount too low to consider in such an offensive metagame .

Dark Pulse is actually redundant on Litleo. Anything that you can hit super-effectively with it that isn't resistant to your Fire-STAB is actually hit harder by the latter. In addition, Litleo wants to hit water-types with its Hidden Power, and one of the most prominent is immune to Electric-Type attacks. So, we will be replacing Dark Pulse with Will-O-Wisp, and changing your Hidden Power from Electric to Grass. The former takes advantage of Litleo's speed to spread burns around the opposing side, while the latter is helpful for things you can't hit with your stab, such as Tirtouga.

I always liked Duskull, but ever since the Knock Off buff, it can't compete as a Fighting-Type answer, which every team is in need of. So, we will be replacing the little guy with a Spritzee. The latter (as mentioned) handles nearly every fighting-type in the tier, which is crucial given that half of your team is weak to the type, and forms a strong defensive core with Ferroseed. It also provides clerical support. and wish-passing. It also stops Dark-Types not named Pawniard with relative success.

Next, I'd recommend switching Gible for Archen. Archen gives you a Flying-Resist so that bird spam can't run wild, and forms a hazard stacking core with Ferroseed. Archen further mitigates your weakness to fighters by serving as a situational check to them.

In co-operation with the above, I recommend changing Stealth Rock --> Spikes on Ferroseed.

Squirtle, while able to work on some teams, can't give you what you need here. Thus, I second the decision to utilize Staryu as your Rapid Spinner instead. It sits at a fantastic speed tier, has a reliable recovery move in addition to its bulk so that it may spin many times throughout the match, and counters Croagunk, the one fighter that Spritzee doesn't want to square off against.

Now, as of the above changes, you are lacking a true win con and a revenge killer. The remedy is a simple move set change on an existing mon: Scraggy. Scarfed Scraggy can pick off weakened or frail threats and provide Knock Off support early on in a match, and can clean up in the late game if its counter have been sufficiently weakened or removed.

Lastly, and I say this to everyone, all of your Pokemon should be running the standard effort value spreads if they are not already.

You will find below a c/p-able list of sets enclosed in a hide tag below. Good luck with your team.

Changes

Litleo @ Life Orb
Level: 5
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 20 HP / 52 Def / 176 SpA / 4 SpD / 180 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Hyper Voice
- Hidden Power Grass
- Will-O-Wisp

Spritzee @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 212 HP / 196 Def / 12 SpA / 76 SpD / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Aromatherapy
- Moonblast

Archen @ Berry Juice
Level: 5
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 76 HP / 180 Atk / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock

Ferroseed @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 84 HP / 36 Atk / 188 Def / 148 SpD / 36 Spe
Careful Nature
- Bullet Seed
- Spikes
- Thunder Wave / Iron Head
- Iron Head / Knock Off

Staryu @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 116 HP / 156 Def / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Psychic
- Recover

Scraggy @ Choice Scarf
Level: 5
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 36 HP / 236 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
- Drain Punch
- Iron Tail

Thank you very much for the advice! I'm gonna start trying out these changes straight away.