(Sorry in advance, the Threats are a bit bare on this one. HO relies on threatening not being threatened so there aren't many things that truly scare my pokes enough to be called a true "threat" this go around.)
Team Building
Tricks are always important and this team was no exception, Running a 3 attack Aerodactyl with tail wind has been very surprising (and effective) to a lot of people, my self included, getting me quite a few easy KO's / Switches in the early game. After either being brought to his sash or hit with enough small hits that he is on his last leg I suicide him with a free Tailwind to help my next poke grab the easy RK / free turn of boost.
Running Aero left me with a big decision to make. I needed a poke who could reliably switch in after his suicide and make use of TW in a big way. LO Starmie is and always has been a quick powerful Pokemon with the ability to blow huge holes in any physical wall and even most special. With a TW boost not even a scarfed version will catch her and she can begin to Sweep with ease.
Aerodactyl and Starmie both scream electricity bait, so to counter the weakness I added one of the fastest and largest coverage sweeps in the game. Electivire. Granting me a perfect electricity immunity and the ability to switch in on most of Starmie's worst enemies made him the perfect choice for this slot.
Looking at my coverage I noticed that there were still quite a few gaps that could be easily filled by most any steel. However I didn't want to slow down my momentum with a bulky poke like Heatran (and Scarfing was just to limiting on a team like this) So I went with the other steel menace Scizor.
Trying to stay conscious of my typing I grabbed a Physical based Dragonite to fill slot number five. Dragonite has the beautiful ability to scare off a huge portion of the meta game, ensuring a free DD every time he comes out, add to that his natural power and he will blast down any poke before they have a chance to fire back (bar Ice Shard)
Finaly Gengar rounds off the team for a few reasons, 1 he is a fast reliable sweeper with near perfect coverage from only 3 moves, 2 he didn't imbalance my type charts in any way shape or form, and 3 his plethora of standard move sets makes even a standard build Gengar hard to predict until it is to late.
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The Team
Aerodactyl*: The Wind
EV's: HP 4 / Atk 252 / Spe 252
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Pressure
@ Focus Sash
1. Aqua Tail
2. Crunch / Stone Edge / Stealth Rocks
3. Earthquake
4. Tailwind
Purpose: To (A) either damage/KO the lead poke hard when they expect the SR/Taunt and (B) Set up the Tailwind on his way out. By running the move set above I am able to hit most of the top 10 leads with super effective damage and bring them all down to a 2hko range.
- Azelf: Crunch hits for roughly 55-60% on a standard lead elf
- Machamp: brought down to around 20% by EQ
- Aerodactyl: Aqua Tail will bring to the low 20% range
- Metagross: EQ is roughly 50% and grabs the 2hko if he doesn't switch
- Swampert: None
- Jirachi: EQ
- Infernape: EQ
- Roserade: EQ
- Heatran: EQ/Aqua Tail (Generaly I use AT because they will Run)
- Ninjask**: Stone Edge (If you opt for Stone edge over crunch)
Threats: Speed Tie on other Aero (I have NEVER won one...) Azelf exploding before I can drop Tail Wind for my switch in, and Bronzong. Azelf is apparently just faster (not sure how w/o Choice Scarf) and can hit just as hard. Bronzong is to bulky to take much "real" damage from my Aerodactyl
(**Ninjask can not be 2HKO'ed due to his Protect/Sub sets)
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Starmie: The Split
EV's: HP 4 / Spe 252 / SpA 252
Nature: Timid
Ability: Natural Cure
@ Life Orb
1. Hydro Pump
2. Ice Beam
3. Thunderbolt
4. Pain Split
Purpose: A special sweeper who can also act as a lure for electric attacks, setting up Electivire for a sweep. Not to mention almost PERFECT coverage from Bolt Beam + Hydro Pump. I run Pain Split over Recover for a few BIG reasons. 1 Blissy, With Pain split I can Attack Blissy with Starmie until I hit roughly 10% health from Life Orb Damage, then I pain split monopolizing on Blissy's massive health pool and reducing her to a small enough % Starmie can land a KO. The other is the sheer amount of PP it has, roughly double
Threats: If Electivire is down then Choice Scarf Timid Starmie is one, Gengar is really the only other. However both are covered fairly well by my Dragonite as well so its not to big of an issue.
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Electivire: The Drive
EV's:
HP 4 / Atk 252 / Spe 252
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Motor Drive
@ Expert Belt
1. Cross Chop
2. Earthquake
3. Ice Punch
4. Thunder Punch
Purpose: Physical Sweeping in a BIG way. after a motor drive Electivire can literally 6-0 a team by him self. Covering an astounding 13 of 17 types with his attacks and a massive base Atk stat to begin with he is one of the best additions to the team yet. (This is one of my biggest DD Gyrados checks as most will switch in on my Aerodactyl and throw out T-wave on turn 2. allowing me to eat the T-Wave and start sweeps on turn 3)
Threats: If he has a motor drive the only threat is missing cross chop everything else just gets left in the dust.
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Scizor: The Saber
EV's: HP 4 / Atk 252 / 252 Spe
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Technician
@ Life Orb
1. Brick Break
2. Bug Buz / Pursuit
3. Bullet Punch
4. Swords Dance
Purpose: To maintain ballance in my type charts, and allow for an EASY setup; scaring other pokemon with threat of CB bullet punch then simply stacking a SD instead. Brick Break and Bullet Punch cover the majority of the meta game and bug buz is fun. (I didn't want to run U-turn on the team because switching with U-turn will loose a set up turn, this has the same coverage) Pursuit is usually the better option here. Covering more similar types and hitting Pokemon as they flee.
Threats: Fire, ground, Magnazone, everything that every other Scizor has issues with. He isn't perfect but he can sure rack up a few kills.
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Dragonite: The Mauler
EV's: HP 252 / Atk 52 / Spe 204
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Inner Focus
@ Life Orb
1. Dragon Claw
2. Dragon Dance
3. Earthquake
4. Roost
Purpose: Another big physical threat with a plethora of resistances to balance out the team in both offense and defense. Dragonite (since Mence's move) now poses a genuine threat to teams, one so bad that most people switch out when they see him hit the field, throw up a DD and watch their team crumble to stab Dragon Claw and boosted EQ's.
(Roost for prolonged stall battles where healing is actually required)
Threats: Ice Shard from Wevile, Ice Beam from Kingdra/Starmie and SR.
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Gengar: The Temp
EV's: HP 4 / Spe 252 / SpA 252
Nature: Timid
Ability: Levitate
@ Leftovers
1. Focus Blast
2. Hidden Power (Fire)
3. Shadow Ball
4. Substitute
Purpose: To add a bit of bulk to the party with out slowing down the action. Turn 1 Sub turn 2-6 KO the rest of the opponents pokemon with out any issues. (Ok that's a bit exaggerated, but not much) With a sub up Gengar no longer has to worry about Timid Choice Starmie or other faster Gars. Instead he can just fire off free Shadow Balls and either KO or cripple an entire team.
Threats: Missing Focus Blast on a strong Steel type or anything with pursuit if he doesn't have his sub up.
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*At risk of being dropped.
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