Preview:
The Lead
Crobat@Leftovers
Jolly, Inner Focus
252 HP, 4 Atk, 252 Spe
~Roost
~Taunt
~U-Turn
~Super Fang
Crobat blocks Rocks and takes huge chunks out of opposing switch-ins with Super Fang. Basically, after Taunting to prevent SR on the first turn, it just spams Super Fang until taken down, although Roost can occasionally be useful to allow for more Super Fang goodness. U-Turn can kill some things that have already taken a lot of damage from Super Fang.
Basically, the point of Crobat is to be a distraction. It irritates the opponent, forcing him to take a lot of damage from Super Fang and hopefully causing some switches. If it senses an Explosion, Crobat can U-Turn out to Drifblim to absorb it; that reveals my strategy, unfortunately. But usually Crobat can last for three or four turns and keeps the opponent from realizing that my team is a BP team.
Once Crobat is taken down, I go to Smeargle.
The Trapper
Smeargle@Focus Sash
Jolly, Own Tempo
96 HP, 120 Def, 40 SpD, 252 Spe
~Spore
~Spider Web
~Baton Pass
~Extremespeed / Cosmic Power
Smeargle’s sole purpose in life is Trap passing. Smeargle puts the opponent to sleep, hopefully without having its Sash broken (although that does happen fairly frequently). It then uses Spider Web to trap the opponent and passes the trapped, sleeping opponent (or switch-in) off to Mr. Mime (if it’s a Swampert/Suicune/other likely Roar user, or a Gyarados who might try Taunt) or Drifblim (if it’s not). Skarmory can cause trouble, but Cradily can set up on a trapped sleeping Skarmory, and Octillery can Flamethrower it to death.
Extremespeed is there to deal some damage and have something to do if I get Taunted. Cosmic Power is probably better, and I think I will end up going with that. If I do, Smeargle can use Cosmic Power to boost its defenses and make the trapped opponent even more useless (obviously only against non-phazers, and only if Smeargle has a lot of HP left, which makes Cosmic Power of somewhat limited usefulness).
The Fat One
Drifblim@Salac Berry
Timid, Unburden
12 HP, 80 Def, 216 SpA, 200 Spe
~Calm Mind
~Substitute
~Baton Pass
~Shadow Ball
Drifblim passes huge Substitutes, +1 Spe and hopefully at least +1 SpA, +1 SpD on to the sweepers. Unburden gives Drifblim the speed to get the Baton Pass off after the Salac Berry has activated. Petaya Berry is usually more popular than Salac Berry, but I prefer the extra speed since I can pass SpA boosts using Calm Mind. Drifblim can also deal a lot of damage with Shadow Ball if it needs to.
Often, Drifblim passes straight to Octillery; this explains the somewhat redundant SpA-boosting coverage of Drifblim and Mr. Mime. The only reason to go to Mr. Mime is for the Def boost if Smeargle does not run Cosmic Power.
The Deaf One
Mr. Mime@Leftovers
Timid, Soundproof
252 HP, 40 SpD, 216 Spe
~Calm Mind / Nasty Plot
~Baton Pass
~Thunderbolt
~Barrier / Encore
Mr. Mime blocks Roar users while it sets up, which is really its sole purpose on the team. Thunderbolt takes out Gyarados, the only non-lead that uses Taunt (any lead still in will have been Taunted by Crobat).
Calm Mind v Nasty Plot is mostly determined by whether Smeargle runs Cosmic Power or not. Nasty Plot works with Cosmic Power, while Calm Mind works on its own and provides important SpD boosts to Cradily as well as the SpA boosts to Octillery. Barrier and Encore also vary based on Cosmic Power; Encore is only useful if Cosmic Power is already providing Def boosts.
Mr. Mime almost always passes straight to a sweeper as it comes either (a) because it was passed to by Drifblim (in which case it doesn’t need to go back) or (b) the opponent may have Roar, in which case the Suction Cups sweepers are essential.
The Special Sweeper
Octillery@Expert Belt / Life Orb
Modest, Suction Cups
252 SpA, 252 Spe, 4 HP
~Surf
~Energy Ball
~Ice Beam
~Flamethrower
Octillery has coverage that is wondrous to behold, high SpA and the ability Suction Cups, which blocks phazing. In other words, it’s the ideal recipient of specially based Baton Pass boosts. Octillery’s speed is terrible, but as long as it’s passed some defense, it can still go on a serious rampage.
I'm currently torn on Life Orb against Expert Belt. Life Orb allows for harder neutral hits, but Octillery has such excellent SE coverage that Expert Belt may be better. Expert Belt also offers a little bit more survivability, important for the very slow Octillery. I think I'll stick with Expert Belt, but I'm not 100% certain and need advice.
Also, I'm considering replacing Surf with Waterfall for the random hit on Blissey. Thoughts?
The Physical Sweeper
Cradily@Life Orb
Adamant, Suction Cups
252 HP, 252 Atk, 4 Def
~Swords Dance
~Earthquake
~Stone Edge
~Recover
Unfortunately, the team doesn’t have room for physically based Baton Pass boosts. But that’s okay. Cradily can boost its own physical Attack, and it has better defenses than Octillery as well as access to Recover, allowing it to take some time to set up. As long as it’s passed some defense boosts, Cradily can still shine. Earthquake and Stone Edge have almost perfect coverage. (Levitate Bronzong and Magnet Rise Magnezone wall the set but can't do anything back, and eventually Stone Edge from a +6 Atk Cradily will batter them down.)
Cradily can also act on its own, which is of vital importance to the team. It’s no Salamence or Metagross, but it gets the job done if the Baton Pass chain is wrecked. In particular, Cradily does a good job of coming in after an Octillery rampage has taken out three or more opponents and wrecking havoc.
The Lead
Crobat@Leftovers
Jolly, Inner Focus
252 HP, 4 Atk, 252 Spe
~Roost
~Taunt
~U-Turn
~Super Fang
Crobat blocks Rocks and takes huge chunks out of opposing switch-ins with Super Fang. Basically, after Taunting to prevent SR on the first turn, it just spams Super Fang until taken down, although Roost can occasionally be useful to allow for more Super Fang goodness. U-Turn can kill some things that have already taken a lot of damage from Super Fang.
Basically, the point of Crobat is to be a distraction. It irritates the opponent, forcing him to take a lot of damage from Super Fang and hopefully causing some switches. If it senses an Explosion, Crobat can U-Turn out to Drifblim to absorb it; that reveals my strategy, unfortunately. But usually Crobat can last for three or four turns and keeps the opponent from realizing that my team is a BP team.
Once Crobat is taken down, I go to Smeargle.
The Trapper
Smeargle@Focus Sash
Jolly, Own Tempo
96 HP, 120 Def, 40 SpD, 252 Spe
~Spore
~Spider Web
~Baton Pass
~Extremespeed / Cosmic Power
Smeargle’s sole purpose in life is Trap passing. Smeargle puts the opponent to sleep, hopefully without having its Sash broken (although that does happen fairly frequently). It then uses Spider Web to trap the opponent and passes the trapped, sleeping opponent (or switch-in) off to Mr. Mime (if it’s a Swampert/Suicune/other likely Roar user, or a Gyarados who might try Taunt) or Drifblim (if it’s not). Skarmory can cause trouble, but Cradily can set up on a trapped sleeping Skarmory, and Octillery can Flamethrower it to death.
Extremespeed is there to deal some damage and have something to do if I get Taunted. Cosmic Power is probably better, and I think I will end up going with that. If I do, Smeargle can use Cosmic Power to boost its defenses and make the trapped opponent even more useless (obviously only against non-phazers, and only if Smeargle has a lot of HP left, which makes Cosmic Power of somewhat limited usefulness).
The Fat One
Drifblim@Salac Berry
Timid, Unburden
12 HP, 80 Def, 216 SpA, 200 Spe
~Calm Mind
~Substitute
~Baton Pass
~Shadow Ball
Drifblim passes huge Substitutes, +1 Spe and hopefully at least +1 SpA, +1 SpD on to the sweepers. Unburden gives Drifblim the speed to get the Baton Pass off after the Salac Berry has activated. Petaya Berry is usually more popular than Salac Berry, but I prefer the extra speed since I can pass SpA boosts using Calm Mind. Drifblim can also deal a lot of damage with Shadow Ball if it needs to.
Often, Drifblim passes straight to Octillery; this explains the somewhat redundant SpA-boosting coverage of Drifblim and Mr. Mime. The only reason to go to Mr. Mime is for the Def boost if Smeargle does not run Cosmic Power.
The Deaf One
Mr. Mime@Leftovers
Timid, Soundproof
252 HP, 40 SpD, 216 Spe
~Calm Mind / Nasty Plot
~Baton Pass
~Thunderbolt
~Barrier / Encore
Mr. Mime blocks Roar users while it sets up, which is really its sole purpose on the team. Thunderbolt takes out Gyarados, the only non-lead that uses Taunt (any lead still in will have been Taunted by Crobat).
Calm Mind v Nasty Plot is mostly determined by whether Smeargle runs Cosmic Power or not. Nasty Plot works with Cosmic Power, while Calm Mind works on its own and provides important SpD boosts to Cradily as well as the SpA boosts to Octillery. Barrier and Encore also vary based on Cosmic Power; Encore is only useful if Cosmic Power is already providing Def boosts.
Mr. Mime almost always passes straight to a sweeper as it comes either (a) because it was passed to by Drifblim (in which case it doesn’t need to go back) or (b) the opponent may have Roar, in which case the Suction Cups sweepers are essential.
The Special Sweeper
Octillery@Expert Belt / Life Orb
Modest, Suction Cups
252 SpA, 252 Spe, 4 HP
~Surf
~Energy Ball
~Ice Beam
~Flamethrower
Octillery has coverage that is wondrous to behold, high SpA and the ability Suction Cups, which blocks phazing. In other words, it’s the ideal recipient of specially based Baton Pass boosts. Octillery’s speed is terrible, but as long as it’s passed some defense, it can still go on a serious rampage.
I'm currently torn on Life Orb against Expert Belt. Life Orb allows for harder neutral hits, but Octillery has such excellent SE coverage that Expert Belt may be better. Expert Belt also offers a little bit more survivability, important for the very slow Octillery. I think I'll stick with Expert Belt, but I'm not 100% certain and need advice.
Also, I'm considering replacing Surf with Waterfall for the random hit on Blissey. Thoughts?
The Physical Sweeper
Cradily@Life Orb
Adamant, Suction Cups
252 HP, 252 Atk, 4 Def
~Swords Dance
~Earthquake
~Stone Edge
~Recover
Unfortunately, the team doesn’t have room for physically based Baton Pass boosts. But that’s okay. Cradily can boost its own physical Attack, and it has better defenses than Octillery as well as access to Recover, allowing it to take some time to set up. As long as it’s passed some defense boosts, Cradily can still shine. Earthquake and Stone Edge have almost perfect coverage. (Levitate Bronzong and Magnet Rise Magnezone wall the set but can't do anything back, and eventually Stone Edge from a +6 Atk Cradily will batter them down.)
Cradily can also act on its own, which is of vital importance to the team. It’s no Salamence or Metagross, but it gets the job done if the Baton Pass chain is wrecked. In particular, Cradily does a good job of coming in after an Octillery rampage has taken out three or more opponents and wrecking havoc.
That's pretty much all there is to say. Be brutal, be gentle, be whatever. Just help the team.
