Other Flying Monotype: Soaring Soldiers

[HardArtichoke]

Here's my first RMT. I've been playing around with this team for a while, and it's been really fun. Flying is my favorite type, and I'd like some tips on how to improve this team.

Togekiss @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Roost
- Air Slash
- Thunder Wave
- Heal Bell

This is a standard ParaFlinch Togekiss that provides much-needed support for my team. It's amazing special bulk allows it to take super-effective attacks that severely threaten my team, especially from LO Greninja, and cripple them with Thunder Wave. From there, Togekiss can Roost off the damage and proceed to flinch the opponent to death with Air Slash. Heal Bell saves it from Toxic and can give new life to sweepers under status conditions.

Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
- Substitute

This is an amazing sweeper. Intimidate and Substitute give him tons of opportunities to set up. With a Dragon Dance under its belt, Mega Gyarados outspeeds and OHKOs (after Stealth Rock) many speedy threats like LO Latias and Latios. I opted to use Substitute over Earthquake because I felt that protection from status moves was more valuable than potential coverage.

Staraptor @ Choice Band
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Double-Edge
- Close Combat
- U-turn

When I click Double-Edge, something's going to die. With a Choice Band, Staraptor becomes a powerful wallbreaker capable of OHKOing bulky threats like Rotom-W, Zapdos, and Latias after Stealth Rocks. U-turn is good for scouting, and Close Combat is useful against Tyrannitar and Heatran.

Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Defog
- Stealth Rock
- Roost
- Whirlwind

Skarmory supports the team by removing hazards, which, as a flying monotype, is invaluable, and setting up stealth rocks, allowing for some vital OHKOs. This set walls pretty much every attack that isn't super-effective, allowing for Rocky Helmet damage to accumulate and kill the opponent. Whirlwind helps rack up Stealth Rock damage and is nice for removing set-up sweepers, as Sturdy allows Skarmory to survive their attacks and whirl them out.

Salamence @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Crunch
- Brick Break

Late-game, I bring this guy out against a weakened opponent, and the opponent stands no chance. Once Salamence gets a +1 from Moxie, there's very little that can stop him. He also serves as a decent revenge killer, as a Choice Scarf allows him to outspeed threats like Keldeo and Gengar.

Thundurus-Therian (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Nasty Plot

Thundurus-T rounds out my team's offense by providing extra coverage. Volt Absorb lets it switch in on the electric attacks that plague my team and set up Nasty Plot. Thunderbolt does hefty damage on neutral and super-effective hits. HP Ice is for ground pokemon and OHKOs Landorus, Gliscor, and Garchomp, even without a Nasty Plot boost. Focus Blast decimates Tyrannitar and Ferrothorn after a Nasty Plot.

 

[luijink]

I really like the way the ream looks on paper. I think it looks good, but as always it probably has some issues that are hard to see from the lineup. I'm not too familiar with the type (electric), but I feel like a solid electric team with a check for thundurus would be a massive threat to this team. wild charge against togekiss, and you can't paralyze electric types. Mega-manectric flamethrower for skarmory. Sturdy just leaves it to be taken out be volt switch. Stunfisk can learn stone edge though it might be a little slow to take out thundurus. I'm less familiar ice, but it could also be a big threat though gyaradous and skarmory both take neutral damage. Ice teams probably aren't a huge threat, but ice beam and blizzard could be if used properly. I would think focus blast would decimate tyrannitar before nasty plot, but that's besides the point. Even though you already have earthquake on salamence it might be worth changing that for roost and getting STAB with landorus or gliscor if you could fit them in somewhere. I'm mostly speculating here, but you might consider editing the OP to attach a list of known threats. That way it's easier for people to see what kind of tips you'd be most interested in.