This is getting on my nerves.

[Unbreakable]

I don't know what it is with me. Every time I've managed to sign up for tutoring, I never get a goddamn tutor, and as a result I need a crash course in team synergy and threat analysis. As proof, here's my latest model.

What I was going for was sort of a bog standard sand offense team, but something tells me I have no clue what the fuck I'm doing. Here we go anyway.

Gardevoir (F) @ Light Clay Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Reflect
- Light Screen
First, we have this cute little number. Despite the special sweeper spread, she gets very good coverage in her two attack moves, and dual screens support the rest of the team.



Volcarona (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Flame Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Overheat
- Bug Buzz
- Whirlwind
- Hidden Power [Ground]
The necessary special muscle for when Gardevoir can't quite get the job done herself. Paradoxically, Whirlwind goes after Focus Punch resolves, not initiates. Very good STAB coverage, HP Ground for non-balloon Heatran.



Bronzong @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 180 HP / 48 Atk / 200 Def / 80 SAtk
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Gyro Ball
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock
- Hidden Power [Ice]
I've heard that HP Ice is half the reason to use Bronzong, as the imperfect Speed IV synergizes well with Gyro Ball at the cost of splitting EVs. Walled by bulky Waters, but this guy's job is to get the hazards up and switch into those EQs to wreak havoc via Toxic.


Conkeldurr (M) @ Flame Orb
Trait: Guts
EVs: 100 HP / 252 Atk / 100 Def / 56 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Mach Punch
- Facade
- Stone Edge
- Fling
This actually works quite well when I'm clear-headed enough to use it properly. Fling not only gives him an option to hit Ghosts, it also serves as a onetime status spread to cripple walls and physical attackers alike. Guts means that not only does Fling get boosted, his other attacks are as well. (Surprisingly, Sucker Punch goes before Mach Punch.) I don't get much use out of Facade, though. My idea of a revenge killer other than Scizor, can't wait for Techniloom.


Excadrill (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Rush
EVs: 156 HP / 100 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Rapid Spin
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
This might look weird: An Excadrill with HP investment? Actually, with his 4x SR resist, unparalleled bulk among Steel-types as well as that TS immunity, he makes for a good spinner, especially in the sand courtesy of his last teammate. Rock Slide flinch hax has actually saved my bacon a couple of times.


Tyranitar (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- ThunderPunch
- Stone Edge
And finally, the crux of (some of) the strategy. Surprising speed especially with Jolly, perhaps Adamant for more power though? Both of his STABs have no immunities and are therefore fine to lock oneself into, but Crunch's higher PP/acc usually makes it the superior option.

 

[wraiders11]

gardevior seems somewhat unnessecary and poorly designed. Heres why she isnt needed, because although your team has some fragile sweepers, only 1 has a stat boosting move, and usually screens are used to allow bulky sweepers to set up. This is further complicated because your only booster, excadrill, requires sand to up to be useful. Since you really need to lead with screens to get them both up (or switch in after something is KO'd), youd have to then switch to T-Tar and then excadrill to start setting up, not only taking damage with all the switches, it allows your opponent to set up and it wastes turns of screens.

ok so if you still want to use screen (which is perfectly fine, i like them) dont use gardevoir, especially with no defensive EV and nature investment (bar the 4 hp evs you have). I wouldnt even suggest using gardevoir for screens, i would suggest one of the following: Espeon, Serperior, or BRonzong. Now since you already have a Bronzong I suggest you use bronzong as your screener (hp ice really doesnt hurt from this guy, even if you had maxed the investment), so run something like
Bronzong@light clay
Relaxed nature
252hp/4def/252 sp def
screen
screen
toxic/Stealth Rocks
Gyro Ball/SR

This gives allows you to remove gardevoir and gives you a free slot for whatever you would like! I would suggest a bulky water with water absorb sine you are very water-weak. Maybe VAporeon (who can double as a special sweeper), Jellicent ( i would then make him specially defensive and make bronzong physically defensive) or even Suicine who can be a dangerous CM sweeper. All of those sets would look something like this:
Bulky Water @ Leftovers
Water Absorb (not sure if its been released for Suic yet, otherwise pressure is fine)
recover/wish - recovery option
scald/surf
HP (anything but ice, maybe electric?)
Ice beam

 

[Unbreakable]

I wish I knew what the hell you're talking about. I see some stuff about how Gardevoir is a bad choice for a dual screener, I need more boosting sweepers to use in conjunction with said screens, I've got a huge problem with STAB Water attacks and could use a bulky water of my own, but outside of that I'm just lost, man.

This Excadrill is actually designed to be sort-of useful out of sand, but it's once the sand is up that he realizes his true power. The HP investment lets him hit a magic Leftovers number (in this case, exactly 400), speed is maxed and the rest is dumped into Attack with Adamant for more punch.

Since you say I need more boosters, perhaps dump HP Ground for Quiver Dance on Volcarona and hope Excadrill can take care of random Heatran?

I don't like the idea of a bulky water that's that defensive in its moveset and spread, as I like all my guys to be able to attack in a pinch. Perhaps a spiker...apparently Ferrothorn is really popular in that regard, but it's because of that that I want something to get it out of the way fast. That thing is so hard to kill 1v1 if Volcarona's unavailable, though Wish support would help the whole team quite a bit.

 

[mach3]

latias can dual screen and his dragon typing can serve as a water buffer. I think a set like:

latias@light clay
Timid nature
252 speed, 252 hp, 4 def
reflect
Light screen
dragon pulse
healing wish/recover

The speed is not random, you see, getting 1 turn ahead of someone is worth MUCH more than any defensive investment.

 

[Unbreakable]

Let me see if I'm getting this right: Both of you are saying that Gardevoir is not cutting the mustard as a dual screener, and I need more boosting sweepers that can use those buffers to set up and unleash holy hell. This much I can see. However, one of you is saying Bronzong should become the dual screener which leaves a slot for a bulky water, preferably Vaporeon with Water Absorb and wish-passing, and the other says the dual screener should be a bulky Latias.

However, both of these options leave a major flaw: With these tweaks to the defensive core, Volcarona becomes a dedicated Ferrothorn killer (which gets tricky if he has rain support, as my only method of removing it is bringing in T-tar), Conkeldurr has to hope that Ghost-types are removed before he joins the fray unless I tweak my moveset for him, and Excadrill is basically my best answer to Heatran that I'm going to get. Rock Slide is not going to get the job done against Balloon variants unless the flinch hax fires, so I need something better. I was thinking maybe get rid of Excadrill altogether in exchange for Terrakion, who trades better STAB coverage and more speed out of sand for raw attack score while keeping access to Swords Dance and can maim them both with that Close Combat.

 

[CheezyMoon]

I don't know what it is with me. Every time I've managed to sign up for tutoring, I never get a goddamn tutor, and as a result I need a crash course in team synergy and threat analysis. As proof, here's my latest model.

What I was going for was sort of a bog standard sand offense team, but something tells me I have no clue what the fuck I'm doing. Here we go anyway.

Landorus (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Sand Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SpAtk)
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Hidden Power Ice
- Rock Polish / U-Turn

Giving Ttar Stealth Rock gives up a slot for Bronzong, and taking off Toxic opens another, allowing it to be a Dual Screener, which replaces your Gardevoir's role. I put another Sand abuser here, as your team only had one. U-Turn gives him a scouting ability, but Rock Polish enables it to even outspeed Excadrill



Volcarona (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Flame Body
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Fiery Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Quiver Dance
- Hidden Power [Ground]
The necessary special muscle for when Gardevoir can't quite get the job done herself. Paradoxically, Whirlwind goes after Focus Punch resolves, not initiates. Very good STAB coverage, HP Ground for non-balloon Heatran.
You just needed to change around the moveset a bit.


Bronzong @ Light Clay
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 152 Atk / 8 Def / 96 SpD
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Gyro Ball
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Hidden Power [Ice] / Earthquake / Hypnosis
I've heard that HP Ice is half the reason to use Bronzong, as the imperfect Speed IV synergizes well with Gyro Ball at the cost of splitting EVs. Walled by bulky Waters, but this guy's job is to get the hazards up and switch into those EQs to wreak havoc via Toxic.

Made him your dual screener, more bulk and can probably even set it up more then once in a match thanks to its superior typing.

Conkeldurr (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Guts
EVs: 120 HP / 252 Atk / 136 SpD
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Mach Punch
- Drain Punch
- Stone Edge / Payback
- Bulk Up

This actually works quite well when I'm clear-headed enough to use it properly. Fling not only gives him an option to hit Ghosts, it also serves as a onetime status spread to cripple walls and physical attackers alike. Guts means that not only does Fling get boosted, his other attacks are as well. (Surprisingly, Sucker Punch goes before Mach Punch.) I don't get much use out of Facade, though. My idea of a revenge killer other than Scizor, can't wait for Techniloom.

Again, just needed to change the moveset around a bit.

Excadrill (M) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Sand Rush
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Rapid Spin
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
This might look weird: An Excadrill with HP investment? Actually, with his 4x SR resist, unparalleled bulk among Steel-types as well as that TS immunity, he makes for a good spinner, especially in the sand courtesy of his last teammate. Rock Slide flinch hax has actually saved my bacon a couple of times.
Took off HP EV investments, as Exca should just focus on Attack and Speed

Tyranitar (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 180 SpA / 76 SpD
Sassy Nature (+SpDef, -Spd)
- Crunch
- Fire Blast
- Ice Beam / Superpower
- Stealth Rock
And finally, the crux of (some of) the strategy. Surprising speed especially with Jolly, perhaps Adamant for more power though? Both of his STABs have no immunities and are therefore fine to lock oneself into, but Crunch's higher PP/acc usually makes it the superior option.
Ttar became more of a special wall and a mixed attacker this gen, rather then a Scarf/Banded versions of last gen.

Changes in Bold, hope I helped

 

[Aeromence]

lol @ volcarona set
change it to quiver dance, that's the only reason to even use it

Change gardevoir to basically anything, but a lati would do well in that slot

change conkeldurr set, cos there's a reason it didnt make it onto the analysis, or even suggested. it should be the standard Bulk up set

 

[Unbreakable]

And people wonder why originality is dead around here. I thought Exca's base 110 HP (unequaled among Steel-types), 4x SR resist and TS immunity would make him a decent offensive spinner, and he is, especially when he lures Ferrothorn and he can spin away Leech Seed as well while he's at it.

I dunno how I feel about CheezyMoon just ripping through and telling me everything he thinks I should do, though, as it doesn't really get at the core of what I'm trying to learn: Team synergy and threat analysis. I'm not going to learn anything this way. Sure, the sets might work, but WHY do they work, and HOW does it take care of threats like Ferrothorn and Latios?

Edit: I get it now. Cheezy was setting me up for failure. Rain teams eat this lineup for breakfast, as four of them are weak to Water. Good for me that the Smogon server is down, or my ranking would have seriously tanked. You get a big fat "fuck you" from me.