</p>Hey everyone!!! It's me again with yet another RMT thread. I got a pretty good response on the second thread and decided to make an entirely new team. I've used pokemon from all generations so I have more choices this time. But once again, I haven't used any legendaries. So anyway, this is me.
ABOUT ME AND MY TEAM
</p>I'm a regular 15 year old who really likes to play games competitively. I've recently started with pokemon white and realised that a lot more features have been introduced in the game since the red version(which I had played earlier), making it rather interesting. I battle regularly with human opponents, but am yet to start competitive battling. Waiting for the right team I guess.
</p> I'm not a fan of legendary pokemon as their power allows them to beat the other pokemon with relative ease, but I don't mind battling against them. So my team does not have any legendary pokemon in it, but I'm trying to make it strong enough to take on anything that is thrown at it.
N.B.: The pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses, etc. are all based on my own judgements and I hope to get some feedback on the same.
MY TEAM
</p>My team consists of a mix of attacking, defensive as well as support pokemon from all generations so as to maintain a balance which allows them to fare better as a team using their own individual skills and profiting from those of their team-mates. I've tried to cover as many types as possible and also taken the conditions normally seen in gameplay such as weather conditions, effects of abilities, etc. into consideration. So without further delay, I present to you all, MY TEAM!!!
Umbreon@Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
Nature: Careful(+SDef, -SAtk)
EV Spread: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 6 Def
Moves: -Taunt
-Curse
-Wish
-Baton Pass
Purpose of set
</p>EVs increase bulk and defenses to allow umbreon to take hits. Careful nature increases SDef by 10% while leftovers recover HP to increase longevity. Synchronize is for status inducers. Moveset is basically support based and baton pass is the essence of this set allowing umbreon to help team-mates regain health with wish as well as set-up with curse. Taunt is for opponents that try to set up on it or cripple it with taunt or any other status moves and also to stop entry hazards.
Role in the team
</p>Umbreon is just on this team as a support pokemon and does not inflict any damage or status. Curse boosts provided by umbreon to pokemon via baton pass make my other pokemon, especially those with powerful priority moves rather dangerous. It can also heal mates and itself with wish so it's a great move for a supporting Umbreon. Umbreon also taunts opponents making life a lot easier for itself and the team as well.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Milotic@Petaya berry
Ability: Marvel Scale
Nature: Calm(+SDef, -Atk)
EV Spread: 252 HP / 176 Def / 72 SDef / 10 Spe
Moves: -Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Surf
-Hidden Power(Fire)
Purpose of set
</p>EV Spread and nature makes milotic very bulky and along with marvel scale has excellent overall bulk. Petaya berry allows it to raise its SAtk by 50% when health is in red. It can then rest and recover health and still have the SAtk boost so it can hit harder. Resttalk is the best way to go with milotic because rest activates marvel scale. Surf is the STAB attack option while HP(Fire) is for coverage as well as for major threats like scizor, forretress, ferrothorn, skarmory etc.
Role in the team
</p>Mainly functions as a wall and hits pretty hard with its decent special attack stat and STAB Surf. Also helps counter some major threats with HP(fire).
Strengths
Weaknesses
Hitmontop@Lum berry
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant(+Atk, -SAtk)
EV Spread: 252 Atk / 186 Def / 72 SDef
Moves: -Sucker Punch
-Mach Punch
-Rapid Spin
-Stone Edge
Purpose of set
</p>It's basically a combination of the priority sweeper and rapid spinner set with EVs invested in Atk instead of HP with adamant nature to boost the same. Lum berry allows hitmontop to handle status from will-o-wisp users. It also allows him to come in on even two layers of toxic spikes and then just spin them away. Mach punch with technician becomes 90 BP with STAB while sucker punch is for psychic types and offensive ghosts like chandelure. Some ghost types avoid sucker punch by just using status moves. Stone Edge replaces foresight as my team lacks rock type moves, which could potentially hurt my team, although the pokemon that will be countered with it(Tornadus/Thundurus) are more than capable of killing top with S.E. attacks. Besides, with ferrothron's entrance and dragonite's exit, I don't really have to worry too much about spin-blockers and just spin when I get the chance(Foresight wasn't really a good idea in the first place given top's crappy speed and weakness to psychic attacks, and although I could get stalled by defensive ghosts, it's not as bad as being swept by thundurus/tornadus). I just hope top can survive that first attack for the sake of my team.
Role in the team
</p>Hitmontop is just so good at everything it does, be it spinning, using priority attacks or coming in on the curse boosts of umbreon and ripping teams apart. That aside, it adds valuable coverage against ice and steel types with mach punch and also has an excellent priority dark move in sucker punch to hit those annoying psychic and ghost types, reuniclus being the most annoying.
Strengths
Ferrothorn@Leftovers
Ability:Iron Barbs
Nature:Careful(+SDef, -SAtk)
EV Spread: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 6 Def
Moves: -Stealth Rock
-Leech Seed
-Power Whip
-Protect
Purpose of set
</p>Mixed wall set when combined with Umbreon's curse support with high Sdef and defense and maximised HP. Not running a -spe nature that standard ferro run because of the absence of gyro ball. Stealth rock for setting hazards(needed atleast one)and leech seed for obvious reasons. I chose Power whip over gyro ball simply because I was missing a STAB grass move(Also the reason for not running a -spe nature. Protect is for scouting and also getting free heals from leech seed.
Role in the team
</p>After many speculations and because my dragonite strategy was in doubt, I thought it be best to replace nite and not any of my other pokemon for the simple reason that this guy does exactly what nite was supposed to do(check axeface and bulky waters; but it doesn't check gyarados though, oh well). Apart from that, this guy can stall teams to death with leech seed+protect and also lets me set up stealth rock in exchange for the priority that dragonite gave me(I'm not giving up yet; this may only be temporary... lol... There I go again). Utilises curse better than dragonite and can still wall even if umbreon fails so I guess it's a pretty good deal.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Staraptor@Choice Band
Ability: Reckless
Nature: Adamant(+Atk, -SAtk)
EV Spread: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 6 HP
Moves: -Brave Bird
-Return
-Close Combat
-U turn
Purpose of set
</p>A simple 252/252/6 in Attack, Speed and HP along with Adamant nature, reckless and choice band turn staraptor into an all out physical sweeper that will take out anything that doesn't outspeed it. I say that because of its STAB brave bird which hits an amazing 180 base power with STAB and coming off 560+ Atk with Choice band and also the boost provided by reckless ability means that anything that doesn't resist brave bird or hasn't increased its defense will get OHKO'd. Close combat is for rock as well as steel types while return, which hits over 150 base power with STAB is for the frail attackers that don't need the use of brave bird to be KO'd.
Role in the team
</p>Its main role in the team is that of a reliable CB physical sweeper with STAB brave bird doing the job most of the time. It also helps provide cover to umbreon by switching in on both fighting and bug types and resisting their moves, then knocking them out with brave bird which hits both for S.E. damage.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Espeon@Life Orb
Ability: Magic Bounce
Nature: Modest(+SAtk, -Atk)
EV Spread: 252 SAtk / 252 Spe / 6 SDef
Moves: -Psychic
-Shadow ball
-Hidden Power(Fighting)
-Calm mind
Purpose of set
</p>A standard special sweeper espeon set increasing its SAtk and Spe to allow it to function as a sweeper by being fast and also dealing more damage. Modest nature ensures the same by boosting SAtk and life orb makes it hit harder. Magic bounce is a great ability that reflects status changing moves making espeon a very frustrating pokemon for stallers and hazard users to deal with. Psychic has good power with STAB and Shadow ball and HP(fighting) give it perfect coverage. Calm mind is to further boost SAtk and also SDef so it can handle hits better from the special side.
Role in the team
</p>Aside from being a special sweeper, espeon also helps counter status abusers by reflecting their moves. Provides great support to the team in this respect that some late game hazard users and stallers can be dealt with while still managing to sweep the opponents away.
Strengths
Weaknesses
KEY FEATURES OF THE TEAM(according to my analysis)
</p>After constantly tyring out the team under different conditions and battling with various opponents, I've come up with some key PROS and CONS that my team has.
PROS
CONS
Conclusion
</p>I feel swords dance scizor/excadrill can pose a serious threat to my team as umbreon cannot take the risk of taunting it. If it does and gets KO'd in the process, dragonite loses its set-up and my entire team loses its healer. Other notable threats include other hard hitting bug types like volcarona, heracross; powerful fighting types like machamp, conkeldurr, etc. But I also have counters for these pokemon and can safely say that every member of team provides cover to the others in some way or the other.
</p>So that pretty much sums up my analysis of the team and all in all, I'm pretty happy with the way it is right now. But I would really appreciate an outsider's opinion, because every person tends to overlook his/her own shortcomings. I can't help it, I'm human after all.
This is my strategy for the team to work properly. The pokemon, its role and its duties are given below.
Pokemon:Umbreon
Role:Lead
Duties:Curse,Wish and taunt(for walls/stallers/set-up sweepers) then baton pass to Ferrothorn/Hitmontop/Staraptor(only against trick room teams)
Pokemon:Ferrothorn
Role:Mixed wall|Staller|Physical attacker(with curse support of course)
Duties:Wall out physical/special threats|Come in on curse and whoopass|Give coverage against bulky waters|Check threats like SD Excadrill/Chlorophyll Venusaur|Add entry hazard support to the team
Pokemon:Hitmontop
Role:Priority Physical Attacker/Sweeper|Rapid Spinner|Revenge killer
Duties:Use priority attacks to hit hard/sweep(when coming in on curse)|Spin away hazards|Revenge kill set-up sweepers(especially physical) with priority moves
Pokemon:Staraptor
Role:Physical Sweeper|Counter
Duties:Sweep with CB boosted attack and reckless boosted STAB brave bird|Switch-in on bug/fighting types that force umbreon out and kill with S.E. moves
Pokemon:Milotic
Role:Wall|Specially based attacker
Duties:Resttalk foes into submission|Switch-in on many types(except for grass/electric)|Counter major threats like scizor/ferrothorn with HP(fire)|Hit hard with petaya berry boosted SAtk and STAB surf
Pokemon:Espeon
Role:Special Sweeper|Set-up Sweeper|Counter
Duties:Use STAB psychic boosted by life orb to hit hard|Set-up with calm mind when given the chance to sweep efficiently|Counter status abusers with magic bounce and set-up on them
Well, that's a summary of my strategy. I have listed some of the things that I'm hoping to get from you guys and would really appreciate the extra effort.
1)Major threats for the team with counters that fit well on the team, i.e. those that do not force a strategy change
2)How to incorporate a counter to dragon types while retaining the team as it is
3)Any tweaks that need to be made to movesets, Natures, EV Spreads, etc. of the pokemon on the team
4)In-case of major flaws in the structure of the team, help sort out the same
5)Any additional information that I need to know about for future teams
6)Whether I can use such a team for competitive battling or not
Ok. That's all. Please rate the team and try to fit in the additional tips that I've asked for in your responses.
ABOUT ME AND MY TEAM
</p>I'm a regular 15 year old who really likes to play games competitively. I've recently started with pokemon white and realised that a lot more features have been introduced in the game since the red version(which I had played earlier), making it rather interesting. I battle regularly with human opponents, but am yet to start competitive battling. Waiting for the right team I guess.
</p> I'm not a fan of legendary pokemon as their power allows them to beat the other pokemon with relative ease, but I don't mind battling against them. So my team does not have any legendary pokemon in it, but I'm trying to make it strong enough to take on anything that is thrown at it.
N.B.: The pros and cons, strengths and weaknesses, etc. are all based on my own judgements and I hope to get some feedback on the same.
MY TEAM
</p>My team consists of a mix of attacking, defensive as well as support pokemon from all generations so as to maintain a balance which allows them to fare better as a team using their own individual skills and profiting from those of their team-mates. I've tried to cover as many types as possible and also taken the conditions normally seen in gameplay such as weather conditions, effects of abilities, etc. into consideration. So without further delay, I present to you all, MY TEAM!!!
Umbreon@Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
Nature: Careful(+SDef, -SAtk)
EV Spread: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 6 Def
Moves: -Taunt
-Curse
-Wish
-Baton Pass
Purpose of set
</p>EVs increase bulk and defenses to allow umbreon to take hits. Careful nature increases SDef by 10% while leftovers recover HP to increase longevity. Synchronize is for status inducers. Moveset is basically support based and baton pass is the essence of this set allowing umbreon to help team-mates regain health with wish as well as set-up with curse. Taunt is for opponents that try to set up on it or cripple it with taunt or any other status moves and also to stop entry hazards.
Role in the team
</p>Umbreon is just on this team as a support pokemon and does not inflict any damage or status. Curse boosts provided by umbreon to pokemon via baton pass make my other pokemon, especially those with powerful priority moves rather dangerous. It can also heal mates and itself with wish so it's a great move for a supporting Umbreon. Umbreon also taunts opponents making life a lot easier for itself and the team as well.
Strengths
- A true wall with excellent defensive capabilities
- Does pretty well against stall
- Is an excellent baton passer
Weaknesses
- Has a 2x weakness to fighting and bug moves
- Has no way of recovering from status problems if it isn't holding lum berry
- Faster stallers can taunt it and force it out
Milotic@Petaya berry
Ability: Marvel Scale
Nature: Calm(+SDef, -Atk)
EV Spread: 252 HP / 176 Def / 72 SDef / 10 Spe
Moves: -Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Surf
-Hidden Power(Fire)
Purpose of set
</p>EV Spread and nature makes milotic very bulky and along with marvel scale has excellent overall bulk. Petaya berry allows it to raise its SAtk by 50% when health is in red. It can then rest and recover health and still have the SAtk boost so it can hit harder. Resttalk is the best way to go with milotic because rest activates marvel scale. Surf is the STAB attack option while HP(Fire) is for coverage as well as for major threats like scizor, forretress, ferrothorn, skarmory etc.
Role in the team
</p>Mainly functions as a wall and hits pretty hard with its decent special attack stat and STAB Surf. Also helps counter some major threats with HP(fire).
Strengths
- Has a lot of bulk and a pretty good SAtk stat
- Can handle status really well
- Deals with both physical and special sweepers efficiently
Weaknesses
- Has 2x weakness to electric and grass moves
- Resttalk is pretty unreliable as a set
Hitmontop@Lum berry
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant(+Atk, -SAtk)
EV Spread: 252 Atk / 186 Def / 72 SDef
Moves: -Sucker Punch
-Mach Punch
-Rapid Spin
-Stone Edge
Purpose of set
</p>It's basically a combination of the priority sweeper and rapid spinner set with EVs invested in Atk instead of HP with adamant nature to boost the same. Lum berry allows hitmontop to handle status from will-o-wisp users. It also allows him to come in on even two layers of toxic spikes and then just spin them away. Mach punch with technician becomes 90 BP with STAB while sucker punch is for psychic types and offensive ghosts like chandelure. Some ghost types avoid sucker punch by just using status moves. Stone Edge replaces foresight as my team lacks rock type moves, which could potentially hurt my team, although the pokemon that will be countered with it(Tornadus/Thundurus) are more than capable of killing top with S.E. attacks. Besides, with ferrothron's entrance and dragonite's exit, I don't really have to worry too much about spin-blockers and just spin when I get the chance(Foresight wasn't really a good idea in the first place given top's crappy speed and weakness to psychic attacks, and although I could get stalled by defensive ghosts, it's not as bad as being swept by thundurus/tornadus). I just hope top can survive that first attack for the sake of my team.
Role in the team
</p>Hitmontop is just so good at everything it does, be it spinning, using priority attacks or coming in on the curse boosts of umbreon and ripping teams apart. That aside, it adds valuable coverage against ice and steel types with mach punch and also has an excellent priority dark move in sucker punch to hit those annoying psychic and ghost types, reuniclus being the most annoying.
Strengths
- Diverse movepool and excellent priority attacks
- Great stat distribution that allows it to do lots of important things for the team
- Technician powers up mach punch giving it 90 BP with STAB
- Has 2x weakness to flying and psychic type moves
- Has a pretty low base HP and doesn't last too long
- Struggles against faster priority users
Ferrothorn@Leftovers
Ability:Iron Barbs
Nature:Careful(+SDef, -SAtk)
EV Spread: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 6 Def
Moves: -Stealth Rock
-Leech Seed
-Power Whip
-Protect
Purpose of set
</p>Mixed wall set when combined with Umbreon's curse support with high Sdef and defense and maximised HP. Not running a -spe nature that standard ferro run because of the absence of gyro ball. Stealth rock for setting hazards(needed atleast one)and leech seed for obvious reasons. I chose Power whip over gyro ball simply because I was missing a STAB grass move(Also the reason for not running a -spe nature. Protect is for scouting and also getting free heals from leech seed.
Role in the team
</p>After many speculations and because my dragonite strategy was in doubt, I thought it be best to replace nite and not any of my other pokemon for the simple reason that this guy does exactly what nite was supposed to do(check axeface and bulky waters; but it doesn't check gyarados though, oh well). Apart from that, this guy can stall teams to death with leech seed+protect and also lets me set up stealth rock in exchange for the priority that dragonite gave me(I'm not giving up yet; this may only be temporary... lol... There I go again). Utilises curse better than dragonite and can still wall even if umbreon fails so I guess it's a pretty good deal.
Strengths
- Walls both physical and special attacks efficiently
- Can use curse boosts and hit really hard
- Resists a lot of types so it can take a lot of hits
- Has immunity to toxic as well as leech seed
- Can set up entry hazards
- Works as a fine dragon resistance and clobbers threats like gastrodon, quagsire, swampert which could potentially hurt my team
Weaknesses
- Has 4x weakness to fire and 2x to fighting
- Has no means of recovery other than leech seed(grass types laugh at this), leftovers(Trick users exist), and wish support from umbreon(Not a certainty by any means)
Staraptor@Choice Band
Ability: Reckless
Nature: Adamant(+Atk, -SAtk)
EV Spread: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 6 HP
Moves: -Brave Bird
-Return
-Close Combat
-U turn
Purpose of set
</p>A simple 252/252/6 in Attack, Speed and HP along with Adamant nature, reckless and choice band turn staraptor into an all out physical sweeper that will take out anything that doesn't outspeed it. I say that because of its STAB brave bird which hits an amazing 180 base power with STAB and coming off 560+ Atk with Choice band and also the boost provided by reckless ability means that anything that doesn't resist brave bird or hasn't increased its defense will get OHKO'd. Close combat is for rock as well as steel types while return, which hits over 150 base power with STAB is for the frail attackers that don't need the use of brave bird to be KO'd.
Role in the team
</p>Its main role in the team is that of a reliable CB physical sweeper with STAB brave bird doing the job most of the time. It also helps provide cover to umbreon by switching in on both fighting and bug types and resisting their moves, then knocking them out with brave bird which hits both for S.E. damage.
Strengths
- Has excellent attack and decent speed and is built to sweep
- STAB brave bird boosted by reckless is amazingly powerful
- Can counter bug and fighting types pretty well
Weaknesses
- Has 2x weakness to rock, electric and ice type moves
- Doesn't last very long
- Gets outsped by some common counters like electivire, froslass to name a few
- Goes down to priority ice shard from powerful physical attackers like mamoswine
- Choice band limits its coverage and forces it to switch out
Espeon@Life Orb
Ability: Magic Bounce
Nature: Modest(+SAtk, -Atk)
EV Spread: 252 SAtk / 252 Spe / 6 SDef
Moves: -Psychic
-Shadow ball
-Hidden Power(Fighting)
-Calm mind
Purpose of set
</p>A standard special sweeper espeon set increasing its SAtk and Spe to allow it to function as a sweeper by being fast and also dealing more damage. Modest nature ensures the same by boosting SAtk and life orb makes it hit harder. Magic bounce is a great ability that reflects status changing moves making espeon a very frustrating pokemon for stallers and hazard users to deal with. Psychic has good power with STAB and Shadow ball and HP(fighting) give it perfect coverage. Calm mind is to further boost SAtk and also SDef so it can handle hits better from the special side.
Role in the team
</p>Aside from being a special sweeper, espeon also helps counter status abusers by reflecting their moves. Provides great support to the team in this respect that some late game hazard users and stallers can be dealt with while still managing to sweep the opponents away.
Strengths
- Is built to sweep with excellent speed and special attack stats
- Has access to calm mind making espeon all the more dangerous
- Magic bounce helps counter various status abusers giving the team much needed support
Weaknesses
- Has 2x weakness to dark, ghost and bug type moves
- Despite a good speed stat, gets outsped by some threats like accelgor and gets KO'd by its bug buzz
- Is still exposed to secondary effects of moves that induce status
KEY FEATURES OF THE TEAM(according to my analysis)
</p>After constantly tyring out the team under different conditions and battling with various opponents, I've come up with some key PROS and CONS that my team has.
PROS
- A well balanced team with most types covered
- Has a mix of physical based and special based attackers to give versatility
- Has decent amount of weather coverage
- Contains a mix of offensive, defensive and balance pokemon
- Each pokemon offers some form of support to the others
- Can also work if opponent sets up trick room due to presence of some slow movers and curse umbreon with baton pass on the team
CONS
- Although a lot of types are covered, Some types are still not being hit for S.E. damage, most notably electric types
- I don't have an entry hazard user on my team
- Umbreon is too important, and if he fails to do his job, my entire team could fall apart
- I don't have pokemon that hit dragon types for S.E. damage
Conclusion
</p>I feel swords dance scizor/excadrill can pose a serious threat to my team as umbreon cannot take the risk of taunting it. If it does and gets KO'd in the process, dragonite loses its set-up and my entire team loses its healer. Other notable threats include other hard hitting bug types like volcarona, heracross; powerful fighting types like machamp, conkeldurr, etc. But I also have counters for these pokemon and can safely say that every member of team provides cover to the others in some way or the other.
</p>So that pretty much sums up my analysis of the team and all in all, I'm pretty happy with the way it is right now. But I would really appreciate an outsider's opinion, because every person tends to overlook his/her own shortcomings. I can't help it, I'm human after all.
This is my strategy for the team to work properly. The pokemon, its role and its duties are given below.
Pokemon:Umbreon
Role:Lead
Duties:Curse,Wish and taunt(for walls/stallers/set-up sweepers) then baton pass to Ferrothorn/Hitmontop/Staraptor(only against trick room teams)
Pokemon:Ferrothorn
Role:Mixed wall|Staller|Physical attacker(with curse support of course)
Duties:Wall out physical/special threats|Come in on curse and whoopass|Give coverage against bulky waters|Check threats like SD Excadrill/Chlorophyll Venusaur|Add entry hazard support to the team
Pokemon:Hitmontop
Role:Priority Physical Attacker/Sweeper|Rapid Spinner|Revenge killer
Duties:Use priority attacks to hit hard/sweep(when coming in on curse)|Spin away hazards|Revenge kill set-up sweepers(especially physical) with priority moves
Pokemon:Staraptor
Role:Physical Sweeper|Counter
Duties:Sweep with CB boosted attack and reckless boosted STAB brave bird|Switch-in on bug/fighting types that force umbreon out and kill with S.E. moves
Pokemon:Milotic
Role:Wall|Specially based attacker
Duties:Resttalk foes into submission|Switch-in on many types(except for grass/electric)|Counter major threats like scizor/ferrothorn with HP(fire)|Hit hard with petaya berry boosted SAtk and STAB surf
Pokemon:Espeon
Role:Special Sweeper|Set-up Sweeper|Counter
Duties:Use STAB psychic boosted by life orb to hit hard|Set-up with calm mind when given the chance to sweep efficiently|Counter status abusers with magic bounce and set-up on them
Well, that's a summary of my strategy. I have listed some of the things that I'm hoping to get from you guys and would really appreciate the extra effort.
1)Major threats for the team with counters that fit well on the team, i.e. those that do not force a strategy change
2)How to incorporate a counter to dragon types while retaining the team as it is
3)Any tweaks that need to be made to movesets, Natures, EV Spreads, etc. of the pokemon on the team
4)In-case of major flaws in the structure of the team, help sort out the same
5)Any additional information that I need to know about for future teams
6)Whether I can use such a team for competitive battling or not
Ok. That's all. Please rate the team and try to fit in the additional tips that I've asked for in your responses.
