Another Sun team (but with some unique pokemon)



Hey everyone. So I've always wanted to make a competetive team for Gen 5, but I've never really been able to find one I've been satisfied with. However, what started as a fun team containing the likes of Butterfree and Tropius has grown into a team I really enjoy using, and it's one I finally feel confident enough to say it's my "main" team and post it here on the forum. Now then, here are the team members with explanations.


Ninetales (M) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Drought
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Extrasensory
- SolarBeam
- Nasty Plot

The obvious staple of a sun team, due to Drought. I decided to go with a Special Sweeper Ninetales, and it's been working out really well. Lots of people I see lead with some guy, switch to a sun team counter while I Nasty Plot, and then I OHKO or 2HKO their guy with the appropriate attack.


Volcarona (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Flame Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fiery Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Morning Sun
- Quiver Dance

The main sweeper of my team. I built the whole team around being able to facilitate an effective Volcarona sweep, but also being able to function even when both him and Ninetales are fainted. I felt that Fiery Dance was better than Fire Blast since Volcarona is already so strong that the extra power is not needed.


Starmie @ Expert Belt
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Rapid Spin

I put Starmie on here for a number of reasons. First of all, I can use it as an effective counter to both Rain and Sand teams. Not only that, but it inflicts good damage to opposing fire-types, even when I have Sun in effect. Rapid Spin also is nice, since my team gets hurt a lot from Stealth Rock. I decided on Expert Belt for a few reasons. First of all, lots of my friends play using the Item Clause, so I didn't want two Life Orbs on my team. Second, I don't like Choice Items. As soon as my opponent realizes I'm choiced, they switch into something that resists the move I'm using and then I have to switch.


Donphan (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin

I originally had Dugtrio here, but dropped him for multiple reasons. With HP investment, Donphan can take hits from a lot of big attackers. Not only can he lay down SR (it really helps Volcarona's sweep) but he is a great counter to both opposing fire-types like Heatran (especially Heatran) but also to Tyranitar, and other sand-team members. Oftentimes I get stuck in a wall-war with Donphan against someone else who does the same thing, like Skarmory or Ferrothorn. Usually Donphan wins those, since in between Rapid Spinning away entry hazards and laying my own, he can Earthquake for big damage. Ice Shard allows me to fight Dragons without having to 100% rely on Starmie, as Dragons can be a big problem for me (or they used to be). Sunny day also gets rid of Donphan's water weakness.


Yanma (M) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Compoundeyes
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Hypnosis
- U-turn
- Supersonic
- Sunny Day

Bear with me on this one. Yanma (not Yanmega, he can't have Compoundeyes) and the next member of my team, Electrode, form a "support core" for my team. Yanma has 95 base speed, so with 252 Speed points + Jolly nature, he can outspeed a surprising amount of opponents, and then Hypnosis them with 30% extra accuracy from Compoundeyes (Yanma is the second fastest pokemon with Compoundeyes, the only faster one, Galvantula, can't learn any sleep moves). He also has Sunny Day, allowing me to keep control of the weather even if Ninetales dies. Lastly, he has U-Turn to not only switch to someone like Volcarona after using Hypnosis, but also to deal enough damage to make lots of bulky pokemon sweepable. A common play for me is this: Send out Yanma when something faints. Use Hypnosis on it, then next turn U-Turn into Volcarona. If they're still not awake, then Quiver Dance once or twice and then Fiery Dance to start the sweep. Focus Sash ensures that Yanma stays alive long enough to do his job at least once.


Electrode @ Electric Gem
Trait: Static
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Light Screen
- Taunt
- Volt Switch

Electrode here is the other half of the support core I mentioned earlier. Since he has maximum speed investment, I often use him to pick off a weakened pokemon without having to risk using Starmie, Volcarona, or Donphan for it. The Electric Gem allows Volt Switch to do some really good damage, often KO'ing a pokemon that has around 30% health still. With maximum speed investment, Electrode can almost always do that before they can even attack, and simultaneously switch out to someone else. Taunt allows him to fight against Walls. Thunder Wave is on there to cripple big fast attackers that he can't handle with Volt Switch. After paralysing them, someone stronger can take care of it. Often what ends up happening near the end of a game is I'll have Electrode and Yanma at full health, with only 0-2 others left. When this happens, I can keep switching back and forth between the two, keeping the opponent asleep, a screen up, and walls locked into physical attacks.

Well that's the team. I'll be happy to listen to any comments/rates you might have, and thanks in advance for reading.
 

SkullCandy

She Bangs The Drums
is a Contributor Alumnus
Ninetales: I don't think that Nasty Plot is best for this team. It needs a free turn of set-up and Ninetales finds those hard to come by. Secondly it still doesn't hit that hard, and if Politoed comes in you're a sitting duck because you can't hit it with Solar Beam. Here are my changes then: Change it to a Choice Specs set (it hits hard off the bat and forces switches), change Solarbeam to Energy Ball (more reliable against Politoed), replace Extrasensory with Hidden Power [Fighting] (for Tyranitar) and add a Flamethrower instead of Nasty Plot.

Starmie: It needs, needs, needs a Timid Nature. Starmie's main selling point is its amazing Speed and you're completely ignoring it! Also replace Rapid Spin with Recover as you already have a Spinner.

Electrode: It seems that you're using Voltorb as a revenge killer. I think Venusaur would be more effective as it has more resistances, higher bulk, a sleeping move and can abuse Growth and Chlorophyll. Here's a good set, if I do say so myself:


Venusaur @ Black Sludge (if you insist on Item Clause)
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
-Sleep Powder
-Growth
-Energy Ball
-Hidden Power [Fire]

It can essentially put two Pokemon out of comission. Use Growth on the switch, then Sleep Powder on their counter. As they switch in a Pokemon that can check Venusaur so that their counter isn't a sitting duck use Growth again and then nail whatever they sent in with a +4 attack.

I like your idea for Yanma btw.
 
@SkullCandy: I definitely like some of your ideas. I think I can live with a Choice Item if it's on Ninetales, although I think it would make more sense to take out Nasty Plot for HP Fighting instead of having two fire moves. I had forgotten that Starmie can even learn Recover, so I'll do that and the Timid nature. As for Venusaur, I can do that on PO and I agree with your reasoning, but if I end up liking this team enough then I'll want to go and build it on the actual DS game, where Dream World starters are very hard to come by. So while I'll go and try Venusaur here on PO, who would you say to use if I couldn't use a starter?
 

SkullCandy

She Bangs The Drums
is a Contributor Alumnus
Hmmm...

This doesn't work quite in the same way as Venusaur but Quiver Dance Lilligant also has excellent Speed and Special Attack, a great boosting move, a sleeping move and Grass STAB that is useful against most weather starters.
Here's the set:


Lilligant @ Lum Berry (Item Clause...)
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
-Quiver Dance
-Sleep Powder
-Giga Drain
-Hidden Power [Fire]

This set has higher Speed and Special Attack than Venusaur but also has less bulk. However it can't become a threat as quickly as Venusaur can due to Quiver Dance only boosting STATs by 1. Giga Drain is a great move that helps Lilligant regain health and HP Fire kills Ferrothorn, Forretress etc.
 

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