'ello everybody. It's been a little bit since my last team was being criticized, and I've worked on a few teams since then, but this team is working very well for me. However, it still has a few glaring weaknesses, and I was hoping to get some help. So, without any more ado ...
Team Building
A while ago, I saw a team featuring a Bulky Salamence as a late-sweeper. I thought that this might work very well for building a team around, so I brought in BulkySalamence as a core.
Next, I wanted something to absorb hits that Salamence would be weak to, and vice-versa. After some searching, MixApe seemed like the perfect choice.
To cover a wide variety of pokemon, and to add to the synergy of the core, I brought in Offensive Celebi to act as an early-sweeper.
Looking at my team, I noticed a glaring weakness to both Stealth Rock and Ice-types. I brought in a Rapid Spinner that also resisted Ice, Tentacruel.
I then realized that I would need something to take out other dragon types in order to get the late sweep. I brought in Weavile to get the easy kills.
Finally, I needed a lead, something to work well with my team, and act as both an early and mid game threat. After some suggestions, I brought in Jirachi.
However, after testing, I realized that Weavile was not doing the job I wanted. Most of the time, I would have to result to Pursuit killing, and be locked into the attack via Choice Band. Looking for a replacement, I found Suicune, and edited the set's a little bit to support a Defensive/Sweeper fusion, which has worked very well for me.
Still, I wasn't satisfied with how the team was working. I looked over my team, and realized that both Infernape and Celebi were weakpoints for my team, not doing enough to set up a late sweep. The replacement for Infernape was somewhat obvious: Heatran could and would do a lot of damage to the threats to my team, while still maintaining the synergy with Salamence.
The replacement for Celebi was not so obvious however. I scoured the lists until I found one pokemon that would replace Celebi. It was in the UU tier that I finally found it, with the suprising power of Sceptile being added to my team.
A Closer Look
Nia @ Lum Berry
Jolly
Serene Grace
80 HP/252 Att/176 Speed
-Iron Head
-Thunder Wave
-Stealth Rock
-U-turn
This version of a Jirachi lead is very beneficial to my team. By using Thunder-Wave, I can either Iron Head the opposing lead to oblivion, or U-turn out for a Suicune or Sceptile set up. Stealth Rock is there for the obvious reasons, of getting those rocks up and threatening the opposition. This lead works wonders on trick leads or spore leads, as trick gives me a Choice Skarfed Jirachi, and the Lum Berry cures the sleep, allowing for that omni-prescent Thunder Wave. The only leads Jirachi seems to have a problem with are Hippowdon, Claydol, Swampert, and Ninjask, but the rest of my team can deal relatively nicely with each.
Gurren Lagann (F) @ Life Orb
Naughty
Intimidate
4 HP/252 Att/252 Speed
-Dragon Dance
-Stone Edge
-Dragon Claw
-Earthquake
Now, what was originally a bulky Salamence I have replaced with standard DDance Salamence, with some minor twists. I only use physical attacks, so the need for Spec Att EV's died, and I added them to Attack and HP. In order to get that late game sweep, I needed to have several choices for attacks, and locking myself into Outrage did not seem favorable, so I replaced it with Dragon Claw. Earthquake and Stone Edge cover the most amount of Late-Game threats, and DDance is essential for all Salamence sets.
Kamina (M) @ Leftovers
Timid
Flash Fire
4 HP/252 Spec Att/252 Speed
-Fire Blast
-Earth Power
-Substitute
-Hidden Power Electric 70
Now, Heatran is literrally the most hot-blooded member of my team. I want to bring it out early, but if I save if for the mid-late game, I can use it destroy several key threats. I run HP Electric over Toxic to get that suprise kill on Gyarados and other Bulky Waters, bar Swampert. Fire Blast and Earth Power work well for Heatran, and Substitute keeps it alive for a bit longer. I may consider making this a Torment Tran, but it works as is.
Simon (M) @ Leftovers
Timid
Overgrow
216 HP/252 Speed/40 Spec Att
-Substitute
-Leech Seed
-Energy Ball
-Hidden Power Ice 70
Whereas Heatran is saved for Mid-Late Game, Sceptile is used very early on to drain and destroy several pokemon. Leech Seed will keep Sceptile alive, giving it on average another 18% health after leftovers is added, and Substitute leaves it with only a 7% loss each turn. Energy Ball is there to take out Swamperts and other Bulky Waters, and Hidden Power is used against the ever present Dragon type. This works well in conjuction with Tentacruel, whose Toxic Spikes will run an opponent dry within seconds after applying Leech Seed.
Lord Genome (M) @ Leftovers
Calm
Liquid Ooze
252 HP/120 Def/136 Spec Def
-Rapid Spin
-Toxic Spikes
-Payback
-Surf
Another key part of my early game strategy, Tentacruel sets up Toxic Spikes to take out annoying pokemon that Jirachi or Heatran can't take care of. Payback is there to deal destruction on Spin Blockers such as Rotom, and Surf is used for STAB. Works very well as a wall, and can take a hit from most everything, bar DDanced Salamence and Gyarados. Because of this, I usually set up T-Spikes, then switch out, and use him as a hit-absorber later in the game.
Viral @ Leftovers
Timid
Pressure
60 HP/240 Speed/208 Spec Att
-Calm Mind
-Surf
-Ice Beam
-Roar
Along with Tentacruel, Suicune is essential to the Early-Mid Game. Once Tentacruel has set up Toxic Spikes, I Roar, forcing toxic on a good portion of my opponents team. Along with scouting my opponents team and cripling some members of the other team that want to wall my team. Ice Beam will take out Grass and Dragon Types that threaten my team, and Surf is there for STAB. Overall, this set works very well for my team, though I am open to the suggestion for a grass attack over Calm Mind.
A Final Look
Overall, this team works very well, but it has a few noticable problems. Swampert can wall my team, as Jirachi, Salamence, and Tentacruel are all threatened by my Earthquake and Ice Beam, and often switches out on Sceptile, not allowing me to get the kill. As such, I am open to suggestions for helping my team.
Thanks in advance!
Team Building
A while ago, I saw a team featuring a Bulky Salamence as a late-sweeper. I thought that this might work very well for building a team around, so I brought in BulkySalamence as a core.
Next, I wanted something to absorb hits that Salamence would be weak to, and vice-versa. After some searching, MixApe seemed like the perfect choice.
To cover a wide variety of pokemon, and to add to the synergy of the core, I brought in Offensive Celebi to act as an early-sweeper.
Looking at my team, I noticed a glaring weakness to both Stealth Rock and Ice-types. I brought in a Rapid Spinner that also resisted Ice, Tentacruel.
I then realized that I would need something to take out other dragon types in order to get the late sweep. I brought in Weavile to get the easy kills.
Finally, I needed a lead, something to work well with my team, and act as both an early and mid game threat. After some suggestions, I brought in Jirachi.
However, after testing, I realized that Weavile was not doing the job I wanted. Most of the time, I would have to result to Pursuit killing, and be locked into the attack via Choice Band. Looking for a replacement, I found Suicune, and edited the set's a little bit to support a Defensive/Sweeper fusion, which has worked very well for me.
Still, I wasn't satisfied with how the team was working. I looked over my team, and realized that both Infernape and Celebi were weakpoints for my team, not doing enough to set up a late sweep. The replacement for Infernape was somewhat obvious: Heatran could and would do a lot of damage to the threats to my team, while still maintaining the synergy with Salamence.
The replacement for Celebi was not so obvious however. I scoured the lists until I found one pokemon that would replace Celebi. It was in the UU tier that I finally found it, with the suprising power of Sceptile being added to my team.
A Closer Look
Nia @ Lum Berry
Jolly
Serene Grace
80 HP/252 Att/176 Speed
-Iron Head
-Thunder Wave
-Stealth Rock
-U-turn
This version of a Jirachi lead is very beneficial to my team. By using Thunder-Wave, I can either Iron Head the opposing lead to oblivion, or U-turn out for a Suicune or Sceptile set up. Stealth Rock is there for the obvious reasons, of getting those rocks up and threatening the opposition. This lead works wonders on trick leads or spore leads, as trick gives me a Choice Skarfed Jirachi, and the Lum Berry cures the sleep, allowing for that omni-prescent Thunder Wave. The only leads Jirachi seems to have a problem with are Hippowdon, Claydol, Swampert, and Ninjask, but the rest of my team can deal relatively nicely with each.
Gurren Lagann (F) @ Life Orb
Naughty
Intimidate
4 HP/252 Att/252 Speed
-Dragon Dance
-Stone Edge
-Dragon Claw
-Earthquake
Now, what was originally a bulky Salamence I have replaced with standard DDance Salamence, with some minor twists. I only use physical attacks, so the need for Spec Att EV's died, and I added them to Attack and HP. In order to get that late game sweep, I needed to have several choices for attacks, and locking myself into Outrage did not seem favorable, so I replaced it with Dragon Claw. Earthquake and Stone Edge cover the most amount of Late-Game threats, and DDance is essential for all Salamence sets.
Kamina (M) @ Leftovers
Timid
Flash Fire
4 HP/252 Spec Att/252 Speed
-Fire Blast
-Earth Power
-Substitute
-Hidden Power Electric 70
Now, Heatran is literrally the most hot-blooded member of my team. I want to bring it out early, but if I save if for the mid-late game, I can use it destroy several key threats. I run HP Electric over Toxic to get that suprise kill on Gyarados and other Bulky Waters, bar Swampert. Fire Blast and Earth Power work well for Heatran, and Substitute keeps it alive for a bit longer. I may consider making this a Torment Tran, but it works as is.
Simon (M) @ Leftovers
Timid
Overgrow
216 HP/252 Speed/40 Spec Att
-Substitute
-Leech Seed
-Energy Ball
-Hidden Power Ice 70
Whereas Heatran is saved for Mid-Late Game, Sceptile is used very early on to drain and destroy several pokemon. Leech Seed will keep Sceptile alive, giving it on average another 18% health after leftovers is added, and Substitute leaves it with only a 7% loss each turn. Energy Ball is there to take out Swamperts and other Bulky Waters, and Hidden Power is used against the ever present Dragon type. This works well in conjuction with Tentacruel, whose Toxic Spikes will run an opponent dry within seconds after applying Leech Seed.
Lord Genome (M) @ Leftovers
Calm
Liquid Ooze
252 HP/120 Def/136 Spec Def
-Rapid Spin
-Toxic Spikes
-Payback
-Surf
Another key part of my early game strategy, Tentacruel sets up Toxic Spikes to take out annoying pokemon that Jirachi or Heatran can't take care of. Payback is there to deal destruction on Spin Blockers such as Rotom, and Surf is used for STAB. Works very well as a wall, and can take a hit from most everything, bar DDanced Salamence and Gyarados. Because of this, I usually set up T-Spikes, then switch out, and use him as a hit-absorber later in the game.
Viral @ Leftovers
Timid
Pressure
60 HP/240 Speed/208 Spec Att
-Calm Mind
-Surf
-Ice Beam
-Roar
Along with Tentacruel, Suicune is essential to the Early-Mid Game. Once Tentacruel has set up Toxic Spikes, I Roar, forcing toxic on a good portion of my opponents team. Along with scouting my opponents team and cripling some members of the other team that want to wall my team. Ice Beam will take out Grass and Dragon Types that threaten my team, and Surf is there for STAB. Overall, this set works very well for my team, though I am open to the suggestion for a grass attack over Calm Mind.
A Final Look
Overall, this team works very well, but it has a few noticable problems. Swampert can wall my team, as Jirachi, Salamence, and Tentacruel are all threatened by my Earthquake and Ice Beam, and often switches out on Sceptile, not allowing me to get the kill. As such, I am open to suggestions for helping my team.
Thanks in advance!
