This is the first team I've made that actually wins a fair amount of the time. It was built on a simple idea: if I blow up enough, everything that stands in the way of setting up and sweeping will be gone. But obviously you can't just spam Explosion and expect good results...
(forgive my lack of pictures <_<)
Obviously, predicted Explosions get a lot of switch-ins by Ghost and Steel types. That's what the rest is for.
I tried to keep the the synergy and bulk among last three not-suiciding Pokes alive and well.
Threats I've noticed:
Infernape: capitalizes on my "bit of a fighting weakness" better than Machamp or Breloom can.
Tyranitar: runs through everything not named Scizor, physically bulky enough to take Explosion hits
Empoleon: if it switches into Scizor, it's pretty much game over, and I'm pretty sure I've seen one survive EQ before. That scares me.
(forgive my lack of pictures <_<)
THE LEAD
Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Naive
Evs: 4Att/252Spa/252Spe
-Explosion
-Fire Blast
-Taunt
-Stealth Rock
Azelf is about as standard a lead as standard gets. The main idea is to Taunt leads slower than you that don't have a priority attack, hopefully keeping them out of making their first move. Then I set up rocks while they attack. If they have a priority attack, I make setting up rocks a priority. Since Trick leads (usually Psychic types) are the ones I want to attack usually, I like Fire Blast over Psychic. Since they usually die in two hits, I am left with a lightning fast bomb for use later (or it can lock itself into Stealth Rock when it gets back in, but whatever). Since most of the time it ends up fainting or exploding, synergy isn't terribly important. If it gets into a position when it can be Pursuited, odds are it has its Sash intact or it's done it's job.
THE SECOND EXPLODERS
Heatran @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
Nature: Naive
Evs: 4Att/252Spa/252Spe
-Explosion
-Fire Blast
-Hidden Power Grass
-Earth Power
This usually comes out after Azelf hits the hay. Fire Blast is a given on Heatran. Before I know what the other team is, Earth Power gets used to scout for Heatran looking to absorb Fire Blasts. Since it's faster, Hidden Power Grass can revenge Swampert or dent any other bulky water I don't want to burst on. When I have nothing better to do, I explode on whatever is out (usually Suicune, Latias, Gyarados; none of them like it). Life Orb for extra damage; I don't need the bulk from Leftovers since I tend to be quick to explode. Heatran's typing and ability let it switch into Fire and Steel attacks with ease and hit back SE (assuming they were STAB Fire/Steel).
Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Naive
Evs: 4Att/252Spa/252Spe
-Explosion
-Fire Blast
-Taunt
-Stealth Rock
Azelf is about as standard a lead as standard gets. The main idea is to Taunt leads slower than you that don't have a priority attack, hopefully keeping them out of making their first move. Then I set up rocks while they attack. If they have a priority attack, I make setting up rocks a priority. Since Trick leads (usually Psychic types) are the ones I want to attack usually, I like Fire Blast over Psychic. Since they usually die in two hits, I am left with a lightning fast bomb for use later (or it can lock itself into Stealth Rock when it gets back in, but whatever). Since most of the time it ends up fainting or exploding, synergy isn't terribly important. If it gets into a position when it can be Pursuited, odds are it has its Sash intact or it's done it's job.
THE SECOND EXPLODERS
Heatran @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
Nature: Naive
Evs: 4Att/252Spa/252Spe
-Explosion
-Fire Blast
-Hidden Power Grass
-Earth Power
This usually comes out after Azelf hits the hay. Fire Blast is a given on Heatran. Before I know what the other team is, Earth Power gets used to scout for Heatran looking to absorb Fire Blasts. Since it's faster, Hidden Power Grass can revenge Swampert or dent any other bulky water I don't want to burst on. When I have nothing better to do, I explode on whatever is out (usually Suicune, Latias, Gyarados; none of them like it). Life Orb for extra damage; I don't need the bulk from Leftovers since I tend to be quick to explode. Heatran's typing and ability let it switch into Fire and Steel attacks with ease and hit back SE (assuming they were STAB Fire/Steel).
Obviously, predicted Explosions get a lot of switch-ins by Ghost and Steel types. That's what the rest is for.
Magnezone @ Life Orb
Ability: Magnet Pull
Nature: Naive
Evs:36Att/220Spe/252Spa
-Thunderbolt
-Hidden Power Fire
-Explosion
-Magnet Rise
This thing kills Skarmory, Forretress, and most other Steel types that try to ruin my fun. Magnet Rise foils the EQs of Forretress, Metagross, and Bronzong, and sometimes I use it as a precautionary if I manage to trap a Scarf Jirachi using Steal Rock or something else worthless. If I can be sure the coast is clear, I can boom out of there. 220 Speed EVs gives me just enough speed to outspeed Adamant Scizor trying to Superpower me despite the HP Fire IV loss. Magnezone and the next Poke can usually keep the pressure up against bulky waters.
Ability: Magnet Pull
Nature: Naive
Evs:36Att/220Spe/252Spa
-Thunderbolt
-Hidden Power Fire
-Explosion
-Magnet Rise
This thing kills Skarmory, Forretress, and most other Steel types that try to ruin my fun. Magnet Rise foils the EQs of Forretress, Metagross, and Bronzong, and sometimes I use it as a precautionary if I manage to trap a Scarf Jirachi using Steal Rock or something else worthless. If I can be sure the coast is clear, I can boom out of there. 220 Speed EVs gives me just enough speed to outspeed Adamant Scizor trying to Superpower me despite the HP Fire IV loss. Magnezone and the next Poke can usually keep the pressure up against bulky waters.
I tried to keep the the synergy and bulk among last three not-suiciding Pokes alive and well.
THE SPECIFICITY COUNTER
Zapdos @ Lum Berry
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Lax
Evs: 252HP/76Def/180Spe
-Drill Peck
-Thunderbolt
-HP Ice
-Roost
This is where things stop being standard. Zapdos counters Gliscor, Breloom, Machamp, and others at the same time. Drill Peck pwns Breloom and 2HKOs Machamp (makes Extrasensory jealous). Roost keeps the bulk up, expecially against Stone Edgers. HP Ice takes out Gliscor, who otherwise walls my team like nobody's business (the extra Speed EVs outrun nearly all of them). Thunderbolt capitalizes on the massive Special Attack. Lax nature keeps its defense up at the expense of the stat I've dubbed least useful, even on a supposed "tank." Lum Berry lets it switch into Spores and Dynamic punches with ease. It would be nice to fit Heatwave in here...
THE ACTUAL SWEEPERS
Tyranitar @ Chople Berry
Ability: Sandstream
Nature: Adamant
Evs: 24HP/252Att/232Spe
-Pursuit
-Rock Polish
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
As I mentioned before, Explosion just asks for ghosts to come forth and spoil my good time. That is where Pursuit comes in. With giant attack and STAB, Tyranitar is the hardest hitting ghost trapper without a Choice Band. Rotom-A and Gengar get hit hard even if they stay in (Chople Berry > Focus Blast). Besides killing the bane of the first half of the team, Tyranitar can boost its speed to top-tier levels and try to sweep with Rock Polish, which is really only stopped by Mach Punchers (if my berry is gone D:) and Bullet Punchers (see: Heatran, Zapdos, and Magnezone). Pursuit is the main purpose of TTar, so trying to switch to DDance would be a step in the wrong direction. Overwhelming Fighting or Ground attacks get redirected to Zapdos, as well as Water types.
Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 200HP/252Att/56Spe
-Bullet Punch
-Brick Break
-Swords Dance
-Roost
Bulky SD Scizor: bow down to it. If I can get two Swords Dances up without getting phazed or killed, I can run right through teams (or what's left of them). Bullet Punch is the standard attack here, obviously. Brick Break hits Skarmory and other Scizor harder without the stat reductions from Superpower. It also gets use if I switch it in early against a Crunch-locked Scarftar and want to scout for Magnezone or Heatran.
Zapdos @ Lum Berry
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Lax
Evs: 252HP/76Def/180Spe
-Drill Peck
-Thunderbolt
-HP Ice
-Roost
This is where things stop being standard. Zapdos counters Gliscor, Breloom, Machamp, and others at the same time. Drill Peck pwns Breloom and 2HKOs Machamp (makes Extrasensory jealous). Roost keeps the bulk up, expecially against Stone Edgers. HP Ice takes out Gliscor, who otherwise walls my team like nobody's business (the extra Speed EVs outrun nearly all of them). Thunderbolt capitalizes on the massive Special Attack. Lax nature keeps its defense up at the expense of the stat I've dubbed least useful, even on a supposed "tank." Lum Berry lets it switch into Spores and Dynamic punches with ease. It would be nice to fit Heatwave in here...
THE ACTUAL SWEEPERS
Tyranitar @ Chople Berry
Ability: Sandstream
Nature: Adamant
Evs: 24HP/252Att/232Spe
-Pursuit
-Rock Polish
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
As I mentioned before, Explosion just asks for ghosts to come forth and spoil my good time. That is where Pursuit comes in. With giant attack and STAB, Tyranitar is the hardest hitting ghost trapper without a Choice Band. Rotom-A and Gengar get hit hard even if they stay in (Chople Berry > Focus Blast). Besides killing the bane of the first half of the team, Tyranitar can boost its speed to top-tier levels and try to sweep with Rock Polish, which is really only stopped by Mach Punchers (if my berry is gone D:) and Bullet Punchers (see: Heatran, Zapdos, and Magnezone). Pursuit is the main purpose of TTar, so trying to switch to DDance would be a step in the wrong direction. Overwhelming Fighting or Ground attacks get redirected to Zapdos, as well as Water types.
Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 200HP/252Att/56Spe
-Bullet Punch
-Brick Break
-Swords Dance
-Roost
Bulky SD Scizor: bow down to it. If I can get two Swords Dances up without getting phazed or killed, I can run right through teams (or what's left of them). Bullet Punch is the standard attack here, obviously. Brick Break hits Skarmory and other Scizor harder without the stat reductions from Superpower. It also gets use if I switch it in early against a Crunch-locked Scarftar and want to scout for Magnezone or Heatran.
Threats I've noticed:
Infernape: capitalizes on my "bit of a fighting weakness" better than Machamp or Breloom can.
Tyranitar: runs through everything not named Scizor, physically bulky enough to take Explosion hits
Empoleon: if it switches into Scizor, it's pretty much game over, and I'm pretty sure I've seen one survive EQ before. That scares me.
Thank You
