Hi guys, this Baton Pass team is the only team I choose to play with. I like the strategic way to play the chain, the creation of the most powerful monster, and the feeling when I push my opponent to the corner, leaving him with little chance of turning the tables and no other choice than to see my monster OHKO his whole team. (This doesn't happen really often though, that's why I need your help) My goal, is to perfect this team, giving it the ability to cope with the most common threats in gen 4. Here it is:
Ninjask (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Speed Boost
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Protect
- Substitute
- Aerial Ace
- Baton Pass
Classic Speed passer. Speed Boost ability, along with Protect and Substitute, helps Ninjask pass +2 Spd to others rather easily. Aerial Ace is for Fighting-type leads, like Infernape and Machamp; they are often 2HKO'd, sometimes OHKO'd. Ninjask doesn't really need much HP, because if the chain works smoothly, it'll be used only once. The only common problems are Ice Shard and Stealth Rock. Ice Shard kills Ninjask immediately, while Stealth Rock takes half of its HP every time I try to switch it in.
Vaporeon (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Acid Armor
- Surf
- Baton Pass
Vaporeon is my bulky Defense passer. With max HP and Def, Vaporeon survives most Earthquakes, even Outrages. If it manages to get 3 Acid Armor's, it becomes nearly impervious to physical attacks. Surf takes on some of the most common threats like Heatran and Infernape, provided that it gets enough speed boosts. Vaporeon also provides the most reliable Substitutes which take 2-3 hits to break at its max defense. Finally, it sometimes becomes my receiver if Zapdos perishes prematurely, or has low HP due to status.
Umbreon (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Wish
- Mean Look
- Substitute
- Baton Pass
One of the only four trap-passers, and with decent defenses, Umbreon has caught my attention and earned a slot in my team. It provides great substitutes. Wish effectively rejuvenates other passers if they suffer from statuses like Poison or Burn. Aside from all those godsends, Umbreon has a major weakness against Fighting moves, so it suffers quite a lot from Machamp and Infernape.
Mr. Mime (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Soundproof
EVs: 252 HP / 64 SDef / 192 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Encore
- Substitute
- Baton Pass
Mr. Mime with Encore and speed boosts is a pain in the ass, for my opponent. It can keep a trapped opponent using status moves for some times, until it gets enough boosts for itself. It has access to Calm Mind, which is essential, and the Soundproof ability, which stops Roar and Perish Song, though I've never seen anything with Perish Song. High SDef keeps it alive before SAtk sweepers, while Calm Mind gradually increases its bulkiness, with the help of Encore. 192 Spd EVs are there for Mr. Mime to reach 264 Spd, which means it outruns everything unboosted with +1 Spd.
Smeargle (F) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 140 HP / 152 SDef / 216 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Spore
- Ingrain
- Substitute
- Baton Pass
Smeargle uses the Sash to sometimes survive a OHKO, if there's not Stealth Rock around. Most of the time it has enough time to put the opponent to sleep with Spore, and Ingrain, and finally escape with Baton Pass. Ingrain is the reason Baton Pass team works in the face of Whirlwind and Roar, and Smeargle is the soul of the team. However, it is also the most fragile member: it dies from almost every physical attack. Therefore, priority moves would immediately take its life. Since it needs speed, I provide it with 216 Spd EVs to reach 264 Spd too.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 144 HP / 252 SAtk / 112 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roar
- Baton Pass
This is the monster I always wanted to set in motion. Thunderbolt with max SAtk OHKOs almost everything if sufficiently boosted. HP Ice is there to take care of the rest, mostly Ground types. Roar helps eliminate Destiny Bond, Psych Up, and other chains. Too bad it doesn't have Substitute; there's no slot available for that anyway. If its substitute fades, Blissey can use Thunder Wave on it and make it less of a sweeper. I usually switch to Umbreon in this case so that Synchronize would mess Blissey up too, but if the opponent can predict my move and use Seismic Toss, Umbreon will not be able to make it. Blissey has been the greatest threat to my boosted Zapdos so far.
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Threat List:
- Magnezone - it kills my whole team rather easily. Rotom is pesky too, those with Trick. Also, Thunderbolt Starmie.
- Tri Attack Porygon-Z.
- Tyranitar usually 2HKOs my Vaporeon. Mamoswine possesses the same ability, though with more hits.
- Ice Shard, Bullet Punch, Extreme Speed... Basically all priority moves.
- Skarmory with Whirlwind and Stealth Rock.
- Any powerful lead with Roar (Heatran, Hippowdon...).
- (Toxic Spikes scattered) Blissey with Thunder Wave, Psych Up, Seismic Toss.
(Please add more threats to complete this list, if you don't mind.)
All comments are appreciated.
Ninjask (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Speed Boost
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Protect
- Substitute
- Aerial Ace
- Baton Pass
Classic Speed passer. Speed Boost ability, along with Protect and Substitute, helps Ninjask pass +2 Spd to others rather easily. Aerial Ace is for Fighting-type leads, like Infernape and Machamp; they are often 2HKO'd, sometimes OHKO'd. Ninjask doesn't really need much HP, because if the chain works smoothly, it'll be used only once. The only common problems are Ice Shard and Stealth Rock. Ice Shard kills Ninjask immediately, while Stealth Rock takes half of its HP every time I try to switch it in.
Vaporeon (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Acid Armor
- Surf
- Baton Pass
Vaporeon is my bulky Defense passer. With max HP and Def, Vaporeon survives most Earthquakes, even Outrages. If it manages to get 3 Acid Armor's, it becomes nearly impervious to physical attacks. Surf takes on some of the most common threats like Heatran and Infernape, provided that it gets enough speed boosts. Vaporeon also provides the most reliable Substitutes which take 2-3 hits to break at its max defense. Finally, it sometimes becomes my receiver if Zapdos perishes prematurely, or has low HP due to status.
Umbreon (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Wish
- Mean Look
- Substitute
- Baton Pass
One of the only four trap-passers, and with decent defenses, Umbreon has caught my attention and earned a slot in my team. It provides great substitutes. Wish effectively rejuvenates other passers if they suffer from statuses like Poison or Burn. Aside from all those godsends, Umbreon has a major weakness against Fighting moves, so it suffers quite a lot from Machamp and Infernape.
Mr. Mime (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Soundproof
EVs: 252 HP / 64 SDef / 192 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Encore
- Substitute
- Baton Pass
Mr. Mime with Encore and speed boosts is a pain in the ass, for my opponent. It can keep a trapped opponent using status moves for some times, until it gets enough boosts for itself. It has access to Calm Mind, which is essential, and the Soundproof ability, which stops Roar and Perish Song, though I've never seen anything with Perish Song. High SDef keeps it alive before SAtk sweepers, while Calm Mind gradually increases its bulkiness, with the help of Encore. 192 Spd EVs are there for Mr. Mime to reach 264 Spd, which means it outruns everything unboosted with +1 Spd.
Smeargle (F) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 140 HP / 152 SDef / 216 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Spore
- Ingrain
- Substitute
- Baton Pass
Smeargle uses the Sash to sometimes survive a OHKO, if there's not Stealth Rock around. Most of the time it has enough time to put the opponent to sleep with Spore, and Ingrain, and finally escape with Baton Pass. Ingrain is the reason Baton Pass team works in the face of Whirlwind and Roar, and Smeargle is the soul of the team. However, it is also the most fragile member: it dies from almost every physical attack. Therefore, priority moves would immediately take its life. Since it needs speed, I provide it with 216 Spd EVs to reach 264 Spd too.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 144 HP / 252 SAtk / 112 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roar
- Baton Pass
This is the monster I always wanted to set in motion. Thunderbolt with max SAtk OHKOs almost everything if sufficiently boosted. HP Ice is there to take care of the rest, mostly Ground types. Roar helps eliminate Destiny Bond, Psych Up, and other chains. Too bad it doesn't have Substitute; there's no slot available for that anyway. If its substitute fades, Blissey can use Thunder Wave on it and make it less of a sweeper. I usually switch to Umbreon in this case so that Synchronize would mess Blissey up too, but if the opponent can predict my move and use Seismic Toss, Umbreon will not be able to make it. Blissey has been the greatest threat to my boosted Zapdos so far.
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Threat List:
- Magnezone - it kills my whole team rather easily. Rotom is pesky too, those with Trick. Also, Thunderbolt Starmie.
- Tri Attack Porygon-Z.
- Tyranitar usually 2HKOs my Vaporeon. Mamoswine possesses the same ability, though with more hits.
- Ice Shard, Bullet Punch, Extreme Speed... Basically all priority moves.
- Skarmory with Whirlwind and Stealth Rock.
- Any powerful lead with Roar (Heatran, Hippowdon...).
- (Toxic Spikes scattered) Blissey with Thunder Wave, Psych Up, Seismic Toss.
(Please add more threats to complete this list, if you don't mind.)
All comments are appreciated.
