This team goes back to the days of shoddy battle in which it was rated 59%. I have used it continuously for at least 4-5 years. It is my only successful competitive pokemon battling team. Despite being underpowered compared to most generic teams, I feel like this team always gives me a shot at winning, provided that I predict correctly and make good switches. I'm posting it here because I'd like advice with my lead, Claydol. His EVs have not been easy to spread correctly.
Claydol
"Pothead" lv. 100
Item: Choice Band
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Impish
EV: HP 252, Att 96, Def 116, Spe 44
Earthquake
Stealth Rock
Rapid Spin
Trick
Trickbander, utility/set-up: Ideally Claydol tricks the lead, then sets up stealth rock. Choicebanding an opponent's pokemon allows me to switch in and out, taking advantage of my team's many attack immunities, while forcing the opponent into a switch as well. I had previously ran drill run over earthquake, but the critical hit ratio wasn't as beneficial as it seemed. For claydol I would like to get someone's opinion on how exactly I should spread his EVs. I need to be able to take a hit from pokemon like Tyranitard, and be able to strike back for potential 2HKOs. I am unsure which defense stat to invest more heavily in, or if I should invest at all... I could go a different route and focus on speed and attack, though I would much rather have the defenses and rely on the choice band to power up Earthquake. Basically, Claydol is the pokemon that needs the most work, EV-wise, because there are alot of options yet none of them seem to work much better than all the others.
Venusaur
"Silphosaurus" lv. 100
Item: Black Sludge
Ability: Overgrow
Nature: Calm
EV: HP 252, SpDef 252, Spe 4
Giga Drain
Sleep Powder
Leech Seed
Roar
Special tank, absorber, sleeper: The only attack that really needs explaining here is Roar. I use roar to get rid of chronic substituters like gengar, croagunk... and anything else that uses substitute. The rest of the moveset is aimed at putting a foe to sleep/regaining as much HP as possible, and doing it all again multiple times.
Dusclops
"Scope" lv. 100
Item: Eviolite
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Impish
EV: HP 252, Def 252, SpAtt 4
Ominous Wind
Will-O-Wisp
Pain Split
Curse
Physical tank, annoyer: Please stop saying that will-o-wisp and curse together are unnecessary. Years of battling with this team has proven that wrong again and again. Burning an opponent often causes a switch, and what better than to curse on the switch, then pain split? I will stop using ghost curse when trainers stop hiding behind protect and substitute. Ominous Wind going off more than once causes forfeits.
Lapras
"Laprita" lv. 100
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Sassy
EV: HP 76, Att 180, SpDef 252
Avalanche
Ice Shard
Curse
Heal Bell
Special tank, priority ice, healer: Lapras doesn't have a water attack and frankly, I don't plan on giving her one. The Ice-type hits everything which makes it a great late-game strategy, plus, insurance against dragons. Occasionally I get KO'd for going with water absorb over shell armor, but the opportunity to regain HP defending Claydol and Hound is too good to turn down.
Houndoom
"Black Dog" lv. 100
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
Nature: Modest
EV: HP 4, SpAtt 252, Spe 252
Flamethrower
Dark Pulse
Overheat
Mud-Slap
Special sweeper: That's right, mud-slap. Scarf hound suffers from lack of a useful 4th special move. Hidden power just isn't cutting it anymore. Everyone and their mom seems to have a Heatran to switch in to and I've had quite enough of it. The lowered accuracy can help Lapras or Dragonite to set up. I have considered running Timid Hound to outspeed genesects and landoruses and the like, but I like having the most SpAtt available as possible. Flash Fire turns up Overheat so that Hound can even KO other fire-types like Ninetales.
Dragonite
"G'Nite" lv. 100
Item: Lum Berry
Ability: Multi-Scale
Nature: Adamant
EV: HP 4, Att 252, Spe 252
Outrage
Dragon Dance
Extremespeed
Superpower
Endgame physical sweeper: I like Aqua Tail, but I hate it when moves miss. Superpower gets rid of Ferrothorn, Blissey, Tyranitard, etc.
That is the one and only Silph Co. Team. I have never encountered anyone running an identical squad, which makes it a true Silph Co. original. Accept no substitutes..!
Claydol
"Pothead" lv. 100
Item: Choice Band
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Impish
EV: HP 252, Att 96, Def 116, Spe 44
Earthquake
Stealth Rock
Rapid Spin
Trick
Trickbander, utility/set-up: Ideally Claydol tricks the lead, then sets up stealth rock. Choicebanding an opponent's pokemon allows me to switch in and out, taking advantage of my team's many attack immunities, while forcing the opponent into a switch as well. I had previously ran drill run over earthquake, but the critical hit ratio wasn't as beneficial as it seemed. For claydol I would like to get someone's opinion on how exactly I should spread his EVs. I need to be able to take a hit from pokemon like Tyranitard, and be able to strike back for potential 2HKOs. I am unsure which defense stat to invest more heavily in, or if I should invest at all... I could go a different route and focus on speed and attack, though I would much rather have the defenses and rely on the choice band to power up Earthquake. Basically, Claydol is the pokemon that needs the most work, EV-wise, because there are alot of options yet none of them seem to work much better than all the others.
Venusaur
"Silphosaurus" lv. 100
Item: Black Sludge
Ability: Overgrow
Nature: Calm
EV: HP 252, SpDef 252, Spe 4
Giga Drain
Sleep Powder
Leech Seed
Roar
Special tank, absorber, sleeper: The only attack that really needs explaining here is Roar. I use roar to get rid of chronic substituters like gengar, croagunk... and anything else that uses substitute. The rest of the moveset is aimed at putting a foe to sleep/regaining as much HP as possible, and doing it all again multiple times.
Dusclops
"Scope" lv. 100
Item: Eviolite
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Impish
EV: HP 252, Def 252, SpAtt 4
Ominous Wind
Will-O-Wisp
Pain Split
Curse
Physical tank, annoyer: Please stop saying that will-o-wisp and curse together are unnecessary. Years of battling with this team has proven that wrong again and again. Burning an opponent often causes a switch, and what better than to curse on the switch, then pain split? I will stop using ghost curse when trainers stop hiding behind protect and substitute. Ominous Wind going off more than once causes forfeits.
Lapras
"Laprita" lv. 100
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Sassy
EV: HP 76, Att 180, SpDef 252
Avalanche
Ice Shard
Curse
Heal Bell
Special tank, priority ice, healer: Lapras doesn't have a water attack and frankly, I don't plan on giving her one. The Ice-type hits everything which makes it a great late-game strategy, plus, insurance against dragons. Occasionally I get KO'd for going with water absorb over shell armor, but the opportunity to regain HP defending Claydol and Hound is too good to turn down.
Houndoom
"Black Dog" lv. 100
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
Nature: Modest
EV: HP 4, SpAtt 252, Spe 252
Flamethrower
Dark Pulse
Overheat
Mud-Slap
Special sweeper: That's right, mud-slap. Scarf hound suffers from lack of a useful 4th special move. Hidden power just isn't cutting it anymore. Everyone and their mom seems to have a Heatran to switch in to and I've had quite enough of it. The lowered accuracy can help Lapras or Dragonite to set up. I have considered running Timid Hound to outspeed genesects and landoruses and the like, but I like having the most SpAtt available as possible. Flash Fire turns up Overheat so that Hound can even KO other fire-types like Ninetales.
Dragonite
"G'Nite" lv. 100
Item: Lum Berry
Ability: Multi-Scale
Nature: Adamant
EV: HP 4, Att 252, Spe 252
Outrage
Dragon Dance
Extremespeed
Superpower
Endgame physical sweeper: I like Aqua Tail, but I hate it when moves miss. Superpower gets rid of Ferrothorn, Blissey, Tyranitard, etc.
That is the one and only Silph Co. Team. I have never encountered anyone running an identical squad, which makes it a true Silph Co. original. Accept no substitutes..!
