My First Team (Rank #67)

[Lunicli]

MY FIRST RATE MY TEAM

Since I've been battling with this team for some days now and it got up quickly to 1524 points and #70 in ranking on Pokemon Showdown (Funny, when I started making this I was 67, got to 70 after posting), I decided to post an RMT thread featuring it because many losses keep coming and I'd like some advice on how to make it more effective, knowing the checks and counters of each poke and how to deal with them, to get some more synergy, improving and covering any holes that remain. So here it is.

THE TEAM:

OFFENSE

Magicka (Lilligant) (F) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Petal Dance
- Quiver Dance
- Sleep Powder
Notes: She worked really well in many matches and it really kills when it sets up. Even with the Lum Berry on, I still prefer staying with Own Tempo, The Berry is a surprise factor for moves such as WoW or Sleep Powder, really works out. Timid Nature for outspeeding other Lillis or some faster threats. On moveset, I prefer HP Rock over fire because it works fot coverage against big counters to it (Galvantula, Entei, stuff) and it powers up with Quiver Dance.

Brenda (Nidoqueen) (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Earth Power
- Flamethrower
- Ice Beam
- Sludge Wave
Notes: Again, the typical all-out sweeper. Sheer Force and Life Orb boosts, Timid for outspeeding other Nidos which are constant in RU and since the ability + item combo exists, some little SpAtk over Speed is not needed. Chose her because I saw it was a threat in RU and with such a vast movepool it was a must. Some threats in RU can snap this girl quick so maybe a change in moveset would work? I dunno. But still, it's a powerful sweeper so I don't think a poké change is needed here.

Paul (Electivire) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Motor Drive
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Cross Chop
- Earthquake
- Wild Charge
- Ice Punch
Notes: My first physical sweeper. Hits fast because of Jolly nature, hard because of the Atk stat and gets free switchouts from stuff like Manectric, Lanturn and such. Life Orb for boosting some more. Story about this one is thar it was actually a Miltank, but as the battles were coming, I noticed a lack of physical moves and how that would hurt if it was not there, so I browsed through some physical sweepers and I found him. And here he is.

Nokia 3310 (Aggron) (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Head Smash
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
Notes: My choiced poké. His bulk lets it get switchouts and kill because of the band, some predictions make quick OHKOs. His enourmous defense eliminates the need of EVs or nature on it so yeah. Has been working. The 4x ground weakness kills him quick though, therefore it makes me think I need a change. Maybe to a bulky variant? Also fire threats like scarf Thyplosion and Entei can snap him easy. Open to changes.

DEFENSE

Rosalina (Cresselia) (F) @ Light Clay
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 80 SDef / 252 HP / 176 Def
Calm Nature
IVs: 30 Def / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef / 30 Spd
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Lunar Dance
- Psychic
Notes: My support Cresselia that pretty much screens and switches or dies. Saw it came to RU and all the modern kids were using it so I gave it a try. Used a bulky special variant with Ice Beam, Psychic, Moonlight and Toxic but that didn't turn out well in some matches. Now I'm trying this one out, but I really want some protips on how to use Cress the best way I can, thanks for any help.

Do0m (Spiritomb) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Infiltrator
EVs: 225 HP / 126 Def / 107 SAtk / 50 SDef
Quiet Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Dark Pulse
- Shadow Ball
- Pain Split
Notes: This is doom, the wall that breaks "walls". And with walls I mean screens, with his ability. Found that to be rather effective with some common screeners like Uxie and Cresselia. Shadow Ball and Dark Pulse for STAB, WoW for crippling and Pain Split for preferred recovery. Also free switches because of the plethora of immunities, granting it free damage, recovery or either crippling some physical threats that can kill him with WoW.
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This is it. Not the best team ever, but it's working, and I want it to be better. So I'm open to any suggestions, changes and all that. Thanks for anything!

Also:

ranking proof, just confirming

 

[col49]

Hiya =) I like Lunar Dance Cress, and thus this team is cool, but I'd like to see what I can do to help out.

At a glance, the lack of Stealth Rock user is rather concerning, as without it you have no way of wearing down dangerous Pokemon like Entei, who currently barrel through most of your team with Choice Banded Flare Blitz. I think the best recipient of the move would be your Nidoqueen, whose natural bulk and ability to force switches offer a multitude of opportunities to set up. Using it over Sludge Wave would be ideal, as it offers very little than a move to hit Pokemon such as Uxie and Cresselia, to which you already have two solid switch-ins in Aggron and Spiritomb. Moreover, I really dislike the use of Ice Beam on Nidoqueen, as it essentially only offers a super effective hit on the likes of Druddigon, while it turn offering more opportunities for powerhouses such as Moltres to come in less fearfully. That being said, I would recommend replacing it with Thunderbolt, which allows it to threaten Moltres and pressure Pokemon like Slowking, who could otherwise keep Nidoqueen in check. Lastly, a Timid nature and max Speed is somewhat excessive for Nidoqueen, only really allowing it to outpace Pokemon such as Adamant Gallade and Modest Rotom-C, both of which aren't particularly threatening to your team as is. A spread of 88 HP / 252 SpAtk / 168 Spd and a Modest Nature offers Nidoqueen all the speed it realistically needs, outpacing + Speed Base 55's such as Crawdaunt and Aggron, while increasing it's overall bulk and attacking power.

I see Electivire as the weak link of the team really. As a whole, Electivire is somewhat of a mediocre attacker, and doesn't help much in the grand scheme of things. My suggestion would be to replace it with a Choice Band Druddigon. While not offering the immunity Electivire did, Druddigon's natural bulk and Dragon typing allows it to switch into the bulk of Pokemon you mentioned with ease, while also offering a solid switch-in to Entei, punishing it for using Flare Blitz by stacking up Flare Blitz and Rough Skin recoil. While it lacks speed, it is somewhat mitigated by Sucker Punch, which allows it to pick of fast, frailer 'mons such as Accelgor and Galvantula. Here's the set:

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Druddigon @ Choice Band
Trait: Rough Skin
EVs: 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Dragon Claw
- Sucker Punch
- Earthquake / Fire Punch

In my experiences with it, Aggron should really be running more Speed to be effective. A spread of 132 HP / 252 Atk / 124 Spd might serve it better, allowing it to outpace Pokemon such as Sandslash, Relaxed Poliwrath, and so forth safely.

On to Cresselia, I've found a Lunar Dance set serves better as a defensive pivot and status platform, with Lunar Dance as an afterthought for revitalizing a 'mon when needed, rather than a Dual Screen user. As is, your team doesn't really benefit much from screen support, only having a single set-up sweeper in Liligant and generally using more immediate attackers to deal damage. On the other hand, Nidoqueen, Druddigon, and Aggron love Thunder Wave support, allowing them to outpace faster 'mons who might have otherwise been able to scare them out. That in mind, I'd like to suggest the following for your Cresselia:

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Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 52 SDef / 204 Def
Calm Nature
- Psychic
- Thunder Wave
- Moonlight
- Lunar Dance

Your Spiritomb looks all kinds of wonky to me atm O_o I don't really know what your EV spread intends to accomplish, but I feel that it would be better suited as in a Trapper set. A moveset of Sucker Punch / Pursuit / Shadow Sneak / Will-O-Wisp allows it to trap Psychic- and Ghost-types fairly easily (aiding Nidoqueen tremendously), keep frail sweepers in check with it's STAB Sucker Punch, and even luring in Dark- and Steel-types and crippling them with burns. Moreover, a simple 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd spread with an Adamant nature allows it to effectively serve that role, while remaining a reliable pivot. To verify, this is the set I refer to:

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Spiritomb (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Shadow Sneak
- Will-O-Wisp

Tld;dr:

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• Sludge Wave ---> Stealth Rock
• Ice Beam ---> Thunderbolt
• 4 HP / 252 SpAtk / 252 Spe ---> 88 HP / 252 SpAtk / 168 Spd
• Timid ---> Modest

--->

• 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def ---> 132 HP / 252 Atk / 124 Spd

• Light Clay ---> Leftovers
• Reflect / Light Screen ---> Thunder Wave / Moonlight
• 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpDef ---> 252 HP / 204 Def / 52 SpDef

• Dark Pulse / Shadow Ball / Pain Split ---> Sucker Punch / Pursuit / Shadow Sneak
• 225 HP / 126 Def / 107 SAtk / 50 SDef ---> 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
• Quiet ---> Adamant

That being said, I hope my thoughts were helpful to you, GL and cheers :)

 

[Lunicli]

Your thoughts were really appreciated, and I really like your changes. Some little compliments:

-In regards to Nidoqueen: I have Ice Beam over Tbolt because I was having some problems with the move atm so I changed to Ice Beam and stuck with that. But since Moltres is starting to show up really often, I'm changing to Thunderbolt then.

-In regards to Electivire: I changed to him mostly because I was in need of a physical sweeper other than choice banded aggron so he came in. But I'm going for druddigon instead.

-In regards to Aggron: A question - since I'm getting the banded Dragon, do I keep the Choice Band on Nokia? Because I'm not sure two choice bands will work, or putting in a scarf? Basically, do I change aggron's item?

-In regards to Cress: Liked the set and the idea of thunder wave supporting, going to try it out right now.

-In regards to Tomb: Spiritomb was originally this set with Sucker Punch and Shadow Sneak, but I changed him to more of a Special thingymabob for common psychic types, such as Cresselia and Uxie that resisted both Sucker Punch and Shadow Sneak, but having Pain Split instead of Pursuit for recovery. But I'm changing anyways and see how that goes.

EDIT: I tried out the team, got a whopping 5-0 in 25 turns, having me just losing tomb but it still did some work. I think it's going to work out on other matches. here's the replay of the match (note that I'm at the opponent's side idk why, my team is there)

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Battle

EDIT #2: More battles come, I'm starting to think Aggron is letting me down, there are many fire and water threats that outspeed him even with the speed boost. Maybe something like Kabutops in his part? I mean, he's bulky and still got some offenses.