Absol (Sombra) holding: Absolite
Ability: Super Luck
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Play Rough // Rock Slide
- Protect
Absol was the first Pokemon on my team. I fell in love with it Generation III, and that hasn't changed throughout the years.
Originally, this was a Scope Lens, always crit build; while that works in the game, it failed miserably competitively and became something similar to this. After much playtesting, I realized that it was dying far too easily, but I couldn't buff it up, without taking away from its attack or speed (both of which it needs). Instead, I built it so it takes a hit, doubles its attack, and starts wrecking house.
I prefer Play Rough over Rock Slide, but that's mostly because I don't have any Dragon or Ice type moves.
==xx==
Greninja (Hexproof) holding: ---
Ability: Protean
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn // Spikes
- Acrobatics
- Shadow Sneak
- Protect
I know many of your first thoughts are going to be "Why Physical Greninja?" I whole-heartedly encourage you to use it, before you say it is outclassed by Special Greninja.
Primarily, because I like it. I've been playing with it for almost a year, and I haven't found fault with it yet.
Secondarily, because of metagaming. Everyone expects a Special Greninja and brings out Special Walls (and they they faint).
About this particular build: I call this Greninja, Hexproof, because it's difficult to hit effectively, and my ties with MtG. The concept of this set is that each move provides me with at least one immunity.
U-Turn, until very recently, was Spikes. I used to have a Stealth Rock / Dragon Tail team, and that was useful and provided powerful Electric type immunity. Now that I got rid of that combination, U-Turn is more useful.
Acrobatics is a very powerful STAB move that takes down a majority of switch-ins in one hit. It also combos with Shadow Sneak to take down Mach Punch users.
Shadow Sneak protects me from Fighting and Normal type moves, and also combos with Acrobatics as mentioned above.
Protect lets me see what my opponent is thinking of using in case I can't guess, or if I need to stall out a toxic.
==xx==
Volcarona (Sunbeam) holding: Life Orb
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Heat Wave
- Bug Buzz
- Giga Drain // Psychic
- Quiver Dance
Volcarona is one of my favorite Pokemon, and on this team is its sole Special Attacker. This particular build is very powerful, but without protection from Stealth Rocks, is very bad.
Heat Wave and Bug Buzz are both there for powerful STAB moves. I choose Heat Wave because I prefer accuracy to power (to an extent, sorry Flamethrower).
Giga Drain was a coverage move that also negates the downside to Life Orb. You have to get the Gen V one to do it, which is why it used to be Psychic. Giga Drain is better by far.
Quiver Dance helps this set up to be a special wall and sweeper at the same time. If your opponent mispredicts, you can easily sweep with Volcarona after two Quiver Dances, and can cause a lot of trouble after just one.
Sadly, Volcarona needs replacing. I only use it rare cases, or as sacrifice fodder to a Brave Birding Talonflame. I originally tried a Scarfed Braviary (another favorite), but then I have no special-based Pokemon.
==xx==
Eelektross (Clover) holding: Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Volt Switch // Dragon Tail
- Aqua Tail
- Drain Punch // Brick Break
- Fire Punch
As a foreword, I specifically made this as slow as possible to make use of Volt Switch. Then, I got a Trick Room user of my own, and he got better for it.
My Eelektross is my coverage Pokemon and has gone through many iterations. He started as a special-based Pokemon (I used to have two physical, two special and one for each defense) with Acid Spray / Giga Drain / Flamethrower / Volt Switch; but then I switched to a Dragon Tail user to support my Stealth Rocks. After I removed Stealth Rocks from my team, I kept him as a buff attacker. I have Volt Switch in place of Dragon Tail now, because it can provide a decent switch over to Gliscor to start his Toxic Orb for free. Dragon Tail can still phaze Pokemon as necessary though. Other moves are coverage, and Drain Punch is to make him last longer, but Brick Break has its merits.
==xx==
Gliscor (Venom) holding: Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Toxic
- Substitute
- Protect
- Earthquake // Dig
Gliscor is a fairly recent addition to the team (he replaced a Weavile), but I love playing games of attrition and Gliscor was too tempting to pass up. Once Gliscor entered my team, much of my team changed to compensate for the loss of Weavile and the gain of stall tactics.
I feel this is enough of a typical build that it doesn't need much explaining. Toxic your opponent and wait it out. My EV's are set up so that my defenses are almost the same (it helps me in predicting when I can Substitute), and to prevent any "random" special attacks from taking me out. I say random for those cases where they have a physical attacker with one special move gig.
Earthquake also used to be Dig. Yes, it's different, but I used it as Protect #2. Also, when a Pokemon would die of toxic that turn, I would dig, to (hopefuly) encourage awkward switch-ins. That's also the reason why I didn't put any EV's in speed.
==xx==
Carbink (Kryptonite) holding: Light Clay
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Trick Room // Stealth Rock
The newest addition to my team! He helps my less buff Pokemon take a few hits, and he takes down popular Pokemon who like to set up. This was originally a Stealth Rock team, but I didn't like how it was playing out, so I switched it. I gave Carbink HP: Fire to take down Ferrothorns and Scizors that want to set up more than attack. And I gave it Trick Room to help it, and Eelektross, go first. Trick Room might change, but it might not. I keep going back and forth, but it's been this way for a few weeks, and I like it.
==xx==
I'm looking to switch Volcarona out, or find a way to make it more compatible with my team.
Ability: Super Luck
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Play Rough // Rock Slide
- Protect
Absol was the first Pokemon on my team. I fell in love with it Generation III, and that hasn't changed throughout the years.
Originally, this was a Scope Lens, always crit build; while that works in the game, it failed miserably competitively and became something similar to this. After much playtesting, I realized that it was dying far too easily, but I couldn't buff it up, without taking away from its attack or speed (both of which it needs). Instead, I built it so it takes a hit, doubles its attack, and starts wrecking house.
I prefer Play Rough over Rock Slide, but that's mostly because I don't have any Dragon or Ice type moves.
==xx==
Greninja (Hexproof) holding: ---
Ability: Protean
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn // Spikes
- Acrobatics
- Shadow Sneak
- Protect
I know many of your first thoughts are going to be "Why Physical Greninja?" I whole-heartedly encourage you to use it, before you say it is outclassed by Special Greninja.
Primarily, because I like it. I've been playing with it for almost a year, and I haven't found fault with it yet.
Secondarily, because of metagaming. Everyone expects a Special Greninja and brings out Special Walls (and they they faint).
About this particular build: I call this Greninja, Hexproof, because it's difficult to hit effectively, and my ties with MtG. The concept of this set is that each move provides me with at least one immunity.
U-Turn, until very recently, was Spikes. I used to have a Stealth Rock / Dragon Tail team, and that was useful and provided powerful Electric type immunity. Now that I got rid of that combination, U-Turn is more useful.
Acrobatics is a very powerful STAB move that takes down a majority of switch-ins in one hit. It also combos with Shadow Sneak to take down Mach Punch users.
Shadow Sneak protects me from Fighting and Normal type moves, and also combos with Acrobatics as mentioned above.
Protect lets me see what my opponent is thinking of using in case I can't guess, or if I need to stall out a toxic.
==xx==
Volcarona (Sunbeam) holding: Life Orb
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Heat Wave
- Bug Buzz
- Giga Drain // Psychic
- Quiver Dance
Volcarona is one of my favorite Pokemon, and on this team is its sole Special Attacker. This particular build is very powerful, but without protection from Stealth Rocks, is very bad.
Heat Wave and Bug Buzz are both there for powerful STAB moves. I choose Heat Wave because I prefer accuracy to power (to an extent, sorry Flamethrower).
Giga Drain was a coverage move that also negates the downside to Life Orb. You have to get the Gen V one to do it, which is why it used to be Psychic. Giga Drain is better by far.
Quiver Dance helps this set up to be a special wall and sweeper at the same time. If your opponent mispredicts, you can easily sweep with Volcarona after two Quiver Dances, and can cause a lot of trouble after just one.
Sadly, Volcarona needs replacing. I only use it rare cases, or as sacrifice fodder to a Brave Birding Talonflame. I originally tried a Scarfed Braviary (another favorite), but then I have no special-based Pokemon.
==xx==
Eelektross (Clover) holding: Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Volt Switch // Dragon Tail
- Aqua Tail
- Drain Punch // Brick Break
- Fire Punch
As a foreword, I specifically made this as slow as possible to make use of Volt Switch. Then, I got a Trick Room user of my own, and he got better for it.
My Eelektross is my coverage Pokemon and has gone through many iterations. He started as a special-based Pokemon (I used to have two physical, two special and one for each defense) with Acid Spray / Giga Drain / Flamethrower / Volt Switch; but then I switched to a Dragon Tail user to support my Stealth Rocks. After I removed Stealth Rocks from my team, I kept him as a buff attacker. I have Volt Switch in place of Dragon Tail now, because it can provide a decent switch over to Gliscor to start his Toxic Orb for free. Dragon Tail can still phaze Pokemon as necessary though. Other moves are coverage, and Drain Punch is to make him last longer, but Brick Break has its merits.
==xx==
Gliscor (Venom) holding: Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Toxic
- Substitute
- Protect
- Earthquake // Dig
Gliscor is a fairly recent addition to the team (he replaced a Weavile), but I love playing games of attrition and Gliscor was too tempting to pass up. Once Gliscor entered my team, much of my team changed to compensate for the loss of Weavile and the gain of stall tactics.
I feel this is enough of a typical build that it doesn't need much explaining. Toxic your opponent and wait it out. My EV's are set up so that my defenses are almost the same (it helps me in predicting when I can Substitute), and to prevent any "random" special attacks from taking me out. I say random for those cases where they have a physical attacker with one special move gig.
Earthquake also used to be Dig. Yes, it's different, but I used it as Protect #2. Also, when a Pokemon would die of toxic that turn, I would dig, to (hopefuly) encourage awkward switch-ins. That's also the reason why I didn't put any EV's in speed.
==xx==
Carbink (Kryptonite) holding: Light Clay
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Trick Room // Stealth Rock
The newest addition to my team! He helps my less buff Pokemon take a few hits, and he takes down popular Pokemon who like to set up. This was originally a Stealth Rock team, but I didn't like how it was playing out, so I switched it. I gave Carbink HP: Fire to take down Ferrothorns and Scizors that want to set up more than attack. And I gave it Trick Room to help it, and Eelektross, go first. Trick Room might change, but it might not. I keep going back and forth, but it's been this way for a few weeks, and I like it.
==xx==
I'm looking to switch Volcarona out, or find a way to make it more compatible with my team.
