Introduction
Hello, B-Zard here again with my second team. This is a balanced team but it is probably more defensive than offensive. I have a few walls but also a few offensive threats. I've been struggling with teams lately on PO, so I decided to make a new one and let it rate to get some advice. I've used a lot of teams but couldn't find a good one. This team is not centered around anything, it is more based on synergy and hopefully getting a late game sweep. Here are some facts about this team.
- One Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock
- Two Pokemon affected by Toxic Spikes
- One Pokemon absorbing Toxic Spikes
- Four Pokemon affected by Spikes
- Zero Pursuit weaknesses
There is a small overview for you. Next part is the Team Building!
Team Building Process
I wanted to use a lead that is very reliable of getting op rocks early in the match. Swampert also has one weakness and a few resistances that are handy to my team. It is very bulky and able to roar to rack up some entry hazard damage and able to scout my opponents team early in the match.
Next I wanted to use a fast poke which was able to revenge kill a lot of stuff and has good synergy with my team. It also has strong STAB type moves and has the ability to scout with U-turn.
Thirdly I wanted a poke which could rapid spin my opponents entry hazard away, while laying up its one ones. Forretress fulfilled this role and has good synergy with Swampert and Flygon. It also has something to hit spin blockers and has a decent attack stat.
Next team member is Celebi. I always love to have a grass type member in my team since most of them have a recovery move or are able to do status or leech seed. Celebi is a poke which can have a lot of sets so it is really difficult to predict which moveset it is going to carry.
Next I still needed a strong electric type which fits best in my team. Zapdos fits these things best and with its typing only has two weaknesses. It has a strong spatt base stat so it is able to do a lot of damage most of the time.
Last team member is going to be Infernape so I get my FWG core and someone who is able to break through stall teams. Infernape is a fast member which my team really needed and also has a few key resistances.
This was my version of the team before the current team. Infernape in lead slot, Scizor as SDer to get a late game sweep, Celebi as supporter and staller with Recover and Thunder Wave, Zapdos too with ThunderWave and Roost and Tentacruel was also important since it had Toxic Spikes and Rapid Spin.
Team at a Glance
In Depth Analysis
**************************************************
The Lead
The Lead
Metagross @ Lum Berry
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 200 hp, 232 att, 44 spdef, 32 speed
Adamant Nature (+Att, -Spatt)
- Stealth Rock
- Meteor Mash
- Bullet Punch
- Earthquake
Well this is my lead (first I had Swampert after that Infernape) and is bulky enough to survive hits with its ev spread it can outspeed opposing Metagross leads and it can survive a Fire Blast from Timid Azelf. Stealth Rock because every Metagross lead carries is, except random set like a anti lead mixed attack. Meteor Mash is a strong STAB move and Bullet Punch is to kill off Focus Sash leads and pokes who are at low health. Earthquake is to hit opposing steel types. I don't have Explosion on this Metagross since it is not a good thing to blow up your only steel type in your team. Lum Berry is to defeat sleep leads and Machamp. Sandshrewz told me there was a Meta ev spread that could survive Azelfs Fire Blast and has more speed than the standard Meta leads: http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61279 Reyscarface is more experienced than me and so that's why I chose the ev spread over my original one (248 hp, 252 att, 8 speed) and off course thanks to Sandshrewz who gave me the tip.
*************************************************
The Revenge Killer
Flygon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 hp, 252 att, 252 speed
Jolly Nature (+Speed, -Spatt)
- Outrage
- Thunderpunch
- U-turn
- Earthquake
This is my choice scarf user. I always love to have one on my team to revenge kill some stuff and preventing my team to be swept by opposing choice scarf users. Flygon is really fast with a choice scarf and has strong STAB type moves. I choice Thunderpunch mainly for Gyarados since it does more damage than Stone Edge, has better accuracy and has more pp. A super-effective Thunderpunch does as much as a neutral Earthquake so the only reason I chose Thunderpunch > Stone Edge was to check Gyarados at + 1. U-turn is to scout with Infernape and to do damage when I switch out.
**************************************************
The Wall Breaker
Infernape @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 att, 64 spatt, 192 speed
Naive Nature (+Speed, -Spdef)
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Mach Punch
- Overheat
This is a really good set and able to break through a lot of teams, it can handle Blissey with CC and Forretress/ Skarmory with Overheat. It has strong STAB type moves and it has priority which means that I can revenge kill frail/ weakend choice scarf and faster users like DD Ttar, Weavile etc. Besides that Ape has U-turn meaning it can scout just like Flygon and do some nice damage on the switch. The moveset is just the Smogon one so I don't need to explain it further. This is the set I first had in my team. After that I chose Infernape as my lead with Stealh Rock > CC since Ape is pretty fast and strong, but the downside was that it mainly was a suicide lead, meaning it would probably die in the beginning of the game. After that I also wanted Ape to function late game, so now it is just the set I had in the first case when Swampert ws my lead.
Infernape @ Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze
Evs: 252 att, 64 spatt, 192 speed
Naive Nature (+Speed, -Spdef)
- Stealth Rock
- Close Combat
- U-turn/ Priority
- Overheat
Well this is my lead with strong STAB type moves. It is able to lay up rocks pretty early in the match barring if there are faster leads such as Azelf and Aerodactyl with Taunt. U-turn means it can scout just like Flygon, but priority like Fake Out or Mach Punch/ Vacuum Wave might also be a good option to defeat other focus sashers.
**************************************************
The Supporter
Venusaur @ Black Sludge
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 hp, 164 def, 92 speed
Bold Nature (+Def, -Att)
- Grass Knot
- Sludge Bomb
- Sleep Powder
- Leech Seed
This is my supporter since with its part poison type it can absorb Toxic Spikes if necesarry. It is pretty bulky and has less weaknesses than Celebi has which this Venusaur replaces. Grass Knot is for STAB. Personally I like Grass Knot more since I think Venusaur is going to stay in for a few turns stalling out Leech Seed, as the Special Attack-lowering effect can sometimes get you forced out by the Pokemon you're supposed to counter. Sludge Bomb is a second STAB move which hits opposing Grass types super effective, meaning it does more than Hp fire and has 30% chance to Poison, meaning Venusaur can stall better with Leech Seed + Poison damage. Sleep Powder since it might help if one poke of my opponent is asleep, especially if it is a threat to my team.
**************************************************
The Annoyer
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 192 hp, 64 spdef, 252 speed
Timid Nature (+Speed, -Att)
- Substitute
- Toxic
- Roost
- Thunderbolt
This set can be really annoying when used correctly. I do have Toxic on this set since it lets me stall better with Substitute and Roost. I first had Forretress and Tentacruel which could lay up Toxic Spikes, so where I have Toxic know I had Hp Ice for coverage. Since Zapdos has a naturally high spatt stat you don't need to invest in it if you have a moveset like this one. This moveset works great for stalling out Toxic so the EV spread is pretty bulky. Max Speed with Timid Nature is to outspeed things like Lucario and unboosted Gyarados, which I couldn't with the old spread: 248 hp, 220 spdef, 40 speed. Max Speed lets me speed tie with other pokemon which are positive natured base 100 speed so I can Sub before they attack me if I win the speed tie. There are a few however such as Celebi and Shaymin which carry Hp Fire, meaning they have 30 speed ivs, thus 327 speed, so I can sub before they attack me. This Zapdos set can set up on a lot of things and with its Substitute blocks status like Twave or Toxic from Bliss while hitting back with Toxic. Roost obviously is to regain some health back, which is very important for this set but also since Zapdos is Stealth Rock weak.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 hp, 220 spdef, 40 speed
Calm Nature (+Spdef, -Att)
- Thunder Wave
- Roost
- Thunderbolt
- Hp Ice
This set can be really annoying when used correctly. I don't have Toxic on this set since I already have Twave to slow things like sweepers down. It also has 25% chance to fully paralyze my opponent. Roost + Thunder Wave is for stall and Thunderbolt + Hp Ice is to hit most things for at least neutral damage. Since Zapdos has a naturally high spatt stat you don't need to invest in it if you have a moveset like this one. I am guessing of using another set: Sub + Roost + Toxic which you can see if you read further
**************************************************
The Late Gamer Sweeper
Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 hp, 252 spatt, 252 speed
Timid Nature (+Speed, -Att)
- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hp Electric
This basically is my late game sweeper. It just has to wait before faster pokes and bulky are removed or weakend so Suicune can sweep easily. It is naturally bulky meaning if you don't invest in the defenses and hp it still has high stats. Max Spatt and max Speed to provide the late game sweep and combined with the BoltBeam + Water combination it can hit a lot of things for at least neutral damage. Leftovers is there to regain some health so Suicune can survive longer. Surf > Hydro Pump since it has more pp and is more accurate, letting me sweep better.
Well this is my team and help is greatly appreciated
**************************************************
My own Metagross can take an EQ and EQ back but nothing else really. After an Agility it probably outspeeds my Flygon so he MM before I EQ. Infernape dies to an EQ (although I still can Mach Punch), Venusaur to Zen Headbutt. Zapdos can Tbolt it and Suicune Surf it. So to take down this threat I have to sac someone al least since there isn't an attack that can ohko Agility Metagross at +2. Good thing is that this set isn't very common I think since most carry Ice Punch or Thunderpunch > Zen Headbutt. If it has Thunderpunch my Zapdos can take it down with ease.
Yes this sucks since it can get a few DDs since it can set up on almost every team member. Flygon can outspeed it at +1 so I have to rely on that. I can off course lure it into Outrage so Metagross can EQ but unfortunately that doesn't do much. I can Leech Seed it with Venusaur and use Sleep Powder so it uses its Chesto Berry, but this isn't a very reliable method since Sleep Powder might miss due to hax and if I Sleep Powder it gets a free DD. Luckily I can beat the SubDD set since I can just break its Sub with almost every attack of every team member (no status moves off course).
**************************************************
As you guys can see in the Team Building Process I used some members before I had my current team. You can see them down here with the moveset and the description like I had when I still used them in my team.
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 hp, 156 def, 96 spdef
Impish Nature (+Def, -Spatt)
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
Well, this is my reliable lead and has a good typing. It works good against most leads and most of the time is able to get rocks up. Only problems are fast taunt users and probably Heatran with HP Grass and Machamp. This is a different EV spread than the Smogon one. I chose it because with this set it gets max. hp, 280 def and 240 spdef which to me seemed nice numbers. I don't have a Relaxed nature, basically because I don't want to be outsped by lead Machamps and eating a DynamicPunch. Thats why I chose for an Impish Nature. Waterfall is because it gets STAB and Torrent when 1/3 hp or below.
Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 240 hp, 252 att, 12 speed
Adamant Nature (+Att, -Spatt)
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Bug Bite
- Superpower
SD Scizor is capable of doing loads of damage to my opponents team if it can get up a SD. Thats why I am using Thunder Wave users in my team, since Scizor doesn't have a huge base speed stat. BP and Bug Bite are STABed and boosted by Technician. I chose Superpower > Roost in the last slot since my team kinda is bulky and bulky teams definitely need a good sweeper so Superpower is there to hit things hard. I have 240 hp ev to give it some bulk since I think with max speed it just isn't capable of outspeeding lots of things so I just put them into hp. 12 speed is to outspeed opposing Scizor users I guess.
Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 hp, 212 def, 44 speed
Bold Nature (+Def, -Att)
- Thunder Wave
- Grass Knot
- Hp Fire/Psychic
- Recover/Leech Seed
This is my team supporter. Thunder Wave is to cripple stuff and slow it down since most of my team members aren't that fast. Grass Knot is just for STAB and Hp Fire for Scizor. I could also go for Psychic for Machamp. Recover is to regain some health, whereas Leech Seed can help other team members to get some health. Celebi has a lot of weaknesses but I think it has good synergy with my other team members. As for the ev spread it gives me max hp and 246 speed with hp fire to outspeed 245 speed pokes and below which are common.
Forretress @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 hp, 144 def, 112 att
Impish Nature (+Def, -Spatt)
- Toxic Spikes/ Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Payback
- Earthquake/ Spikes
This is my rapid spinner and entry hazard user. It only has one weakness and a lot of resistances. It is able to lay up either Toxic Spikes or Spikes and it able to hit ghost types with Payback and fire type users with EQ. I don't know if I should go for Toxic Spikes, Spikes or both. I don't have a spin blocker so both maybe isn't a good idea. Toxic Spikes gives poison to a poke who switches in (not immune to it) but it means that if a poison type (without levitate) switches in my Toxic Spikes are wasted.
Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 252 hp, 120 def, 136 speed
Calm Nature (+Spdef, -Att)
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Surf
- Hp Electric
This completes my FWG core and is able to absorb Toxic Spikes and laying up its own ones. Since my team is defensively based I probably am going to switch a lot to stall out Toxic if I layed up my Toxic Spikes, so I needed a rapid spin user so if I switch I don't take entry hazard damage. Zapdos is an important team member since it has roost to stall and strong moves to hit most opponents for at least neutral damage, so rapid spinning entry hazards means Zapdos doesn't have to take 25% damage of Stealth Rock every time it switches in. Surf is there for STAB and every Tentacruel carries it and Hp Electric is mainly for Gyarados since it can cause problems to my team.
**************************************************
Conclusion
Thank you guys for reading my RMT, I hope you enjoyed it. This is another pretty solid team thanks to the ones who rated it, and I look forward making another team; my third one.