Alright, so confession time: this team's based on the sample team I got from the Resources list. It started diverging when Omanyte's lack of priority started bothering me and spiraled from there.
This team is built around a simple strategy: taking out Tirtouga's checks, fainting and sweeping with Shell Smash. Fairly standard LC fare. As of late, I've been decentralizing my team strat so that Tirtouga can just act as a battering ram of sorts.
Pawniard @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 4 HP / 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
Pawniard deals with Psychic-types pretty well, although the ubiquity of Knock Off on my team alleviates his burden somewhat. Pawniard also has Defiant to deter Sticky Web users like Surskit. CS surprises normally faster Pokemon like Diglett, but has the side effect of locking me in, which isn't nice. Drilbur sets Stealth Rock so I replaced Pawniard's with Pursuit to trap.
Croagunk @ Eviolite
Ability: Dry Skin
Level: 5
EVs: 132 HP / 28 Atk / 116 Def / 108 SpA / 116 SpD
Quiet Nature
- Drain Punch
- Sludge Bomb
- Vacuum Wave
- Knock Off
I switched Carvanha out for Croagunk to 1. deal with opposing Pawniard better, 2. to offer another Fighting check seeing as my team was originally heavily weak to Fighting and 3. to swap a double Fighting weakness out for a much more manageable double Ground weakness. Croagunk checks opposing Pawniard and most Steel-types pretty well and provides an additional check to Water-types in case Foongus goes down.
They both have priority in Sucker Punch and Vacuum Wave, and Croagunk's mixed stats make my heavy physical focus somewhat better. Knock Off on Croagunk for switching-in Abra and general utility. Drain Punch is really unreliable recovery considering Croagunk's bad Speed tier, but it's the closest I have.
Drilbur @ Berry Juice
Ability: Mold Breaker
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 76 Atk / 36 Def / 76 SpD / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Rock Slide
- Stealth Rock
I swapped out Bunnelby for this cute little dude because most variants of Magnemite tore apart my team and I needed hazard control. Drilbur also isn't weak to Fighting, which is nice. He also checks Electric-types like Elekid better than Foongus, which is more than can be said for Bunnelby. In the end losing priority wasn't such a big deal considering that I gained hazard removal and hazard setting in one mon. Used to run Eviolite, but recovery is much nicer than bulk.
Tirtouga @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sturdy
Level: 5
EVs: 212 Atk / 92 Def / 180 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Aqua Jet
- Stone Edge
- Waterfall
This guy's my little win condition. SturdyJuice is a tactic I hate playing against but I'm an immense hypocrite and use it anyway. I replaced Omanyte with him because I was tired of being outprioritized at 1 HP. Standard STAB + Shell Smash getup, Stone Edge over Rock Slide to get better KOs since I have two chances to hit with Sturdy anyway. I've been contemplating switching out Waterfall for Zen Headbutt to lure in Croagunk and Foongus but I like Waterfall's STAB power better.
Foongus @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 124 HP / 160 Def / 160 SpD
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]
With Croagunk on my team I didn't need as many dedicated checks to Pawniard, but I did need a Ferroseed check quick. I swapped out HP Fighting for HP Fire: the rest remains the same. Spore is fun to use to sleep and potentially get a free switch. Giga Drain + Regenerator is immensely frustrating to fight, and Sludge Bomb rounds up coverage.
Doduo @ Life Orb
Ability: Early Bird
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 23 HP
- Knock Off
- Brave Bird
- Quick Attack
- Return
This guy's purpose is to live fast and die young. He's also the closest thing I have to a Mienfoo check, which is good because I hate that fucker. He also checks Grass-types like opposing Foongus and Snivy, and KOes most Ferroseed w/o Eviolite with Brave Bird. Finally, he checks Croagunk, a Pokemon I have virtually no answer to otherwise.
Threats:
vs. Pikasohn
vs. Eniigma
This team is built around a simple strategy: taking out Tirtouga's checks, fainting and sweeping with Shell Smash. Fairly standard LC fare. As of late, I've been decentralizing my team strat so that Tirtouga can just act as a battering ram of sorts.
Pawniard @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 4 HP / 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
Pawniard deals with Psychic-types pretty well, although the ubiquity of Knock Off on my team alleviates his burden somewhat. Pawniard also has Defiant to deter Sticky Web users like Surskit. CS surprises normally faster Pokemon like Diglett, but has the side effect of locking me in, which isn't nice. Drilbur sets Stealth Rock so I replaced Pawniard's with Pursuit to trap.
Croagunk @ Eviolite
Ability: Dry Skin
Level: 5
EVs: 132 HP / 28 Atk / 116 Def / 108 SpA / 116 SpD
Quiet Nature
- Drain Punch
- Sludge Bomb
- Vacuum Wave
- Knock Off
I switched Carvanha out for Croagunk to 1. deal with opposing Pawniard better, 2. to offer another Fighting check seeing as my team was originally heavily weak to Fighting and 3. to swap a double Fighting weakness out for a much more manageable double Ground weakness. Croagunk checks opposing Pawniard and most Steel-types pretty well and provides an additional check to Water-types in case Foongus goes down.
They both have priority in Sucker Punch and Vacuum Wave, and Croagunk's mixed stats make my heavy physical focus somewhat better. Knock Off on Croagunk for switching-in Abra and general utility. Drain Punch is really unreliable recovery considering Croagunk's bad Speed tier, but it's the closest I have.
Drilbur @ Berry Juice
Ability: Mold Breaker
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 76 Atk / 36 Def / 76 SpD / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Rock Slide
- Stealth Rock
I swapped out Bunnelby for this cute little dude because most variants of Magnemite tore apart my team and I needed hazard control. Drilbur also isn't weak to Fighting, which is nice. He also checks Electric-types like Elekid better than Foongus, which is more than can be said for Bunnelby. In the end losing priority wasn't such a big deal considering that I gained hazard removal and hazard setting in one mon. Used to run Eviolite, but recovery is much nicer than bulk.
Tirtouga @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sturdy
Level: 5
EVs: 212 Atk / 92 Def / 180 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Aqua Jet
- Stone Edge
- Waterfall
This guy's my little win condition. SturdyJuice is a tactic I hate playing against but I'm an immense hypocrite and use it anyway. I replaced Omanyte with him because I was tired of being outprioritized at 1 HP. Standard STAB + Shell Smash getup, Stone Edge over Rock Slide to get better KOs since I have two chances to hit with Sturdy anyway. I've been contemplating switching out Waterfall for Zen Headbutt to lure in Croagunk and Foongus but I like Waterfall's STAB power better.
Foongus @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 124 HP / 160 Def / 160 SpD
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Fire]
With Croagunk on my team I didn't need as many dedicated checks to Pawniard, but I did need a Ferroseed check quick. I swapped out HP Fighting for HP Fire: the rest remains the same. Spore is fun to use to sleep and potentially get a free switch. Giga Drain + Regenerator is immensely frustrating to fight, and Sludge Bomb rounds up coverage.
Doduo @ Life Orb
Ability: Early Bird
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 23 HP
- Knock Off
- Brave Bird
- Quick Attack
- Return
This guy's purpose is to live fast and die young. He's also the closest thing I have to a Mienfoo check, which is good because I hate that fucker. He also checks Grass-types like opposing Foongus and Snivy, and KOes most Ferroseed w/o Eviolite with Brave Bird. Finally, he checks Croagunk, a Pokemon I have virtually no answer to otherwise.
Threats:
- Mienfoo - Probably the biggest threat I've encountered so far. Fake Out outprioritizes everything I have on this team and he can get stupid momentum through U-turn and Regenerator. HJK is also problematic seeing as a lot of my team is vulnerable to Fighting in general. Probably his biggest threat is his versatility - I have no idea what set my opponent is running at the start, so I can't strategize immediately.
- Diglett - Diglett used to be a much bigger problem for my team but CS Pawniard alleviated that somewhat. Diglett can still give my team Hell if it wants to, since Substitute and Stealth Rock don't activate Sucker Punch.
- Fletchling - Fletchling's priority everything really gets on my nerves. If it manages to get a clean switch then I have no idea how to deal with it.
- Status - Burns tear my team apart since I'm so physically focused. Paralysis is an annoyance, but Drilbur is immune to Thunder Wave and I built my team around priority so that's not as bad. Poison is the least of my worries seeing as most of my team is immune to Toxic.
- Bellsprout - Once the sun is up then Bellsprout outspeeds even +2 Speed Tirtouga and kills my team with Weather Ball, Solar Beam and Sludge Bomb.
- Fire-types - Drilbur doesn't resist Fire and I use Tirtouga very sparingly seeing how vital its role is to my team. Fire-types can lay on burns, which is problematic for reasons stated above. Ponyta even has Morning Sun recovery and tanks everything if I can't Knock Off its Eviolite.
vs. Pikasohn
vs. Eniigma
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