Hello. This is a team I've been working on to get back into competitive battling. It's main focus is to use status to cripple my opponent's team, and, well... Fight them while they're at a disadvantage. When you're rating this, please keep in mind that this will be a Wi-Fi team. Because of this, I can't get any specific Hidden Powers, and Rotom will not be a problem. I've been playing with this on Shoddy(which it's done pretty well), and I just wanted some feedback before I actually make this team on Soul Silver. As for the strategy, Thunder Wave is a beautiful attack, crippling Speed and making a chance that the opponent can't move. Thus, I use it as the main strategy. Sorry, but that's all the intro there is, so here's the team and please rate it!:
Knight (Metagross) @ Occa Berry
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 232 HP/236 Atk/12 Def/20 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Explosion
- Bullet Punch
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
"Knights are the only pieces that can move on a player's first turn, besides the pawns, and are often brought out pretty early in the game." After testing Metagross over Azelf, I've found that, despite it not being able to paralyze. 20 speed to outspeed other Metagross. Other than that, it's pretty standard... Bullet Punch STAB priority, Earthquake for Infernape, Heatran, and coverage, and Explosion for when I'm done.
The Pokemon Replaced:
Knight (Azelf) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Stealth Rock
- Grass Knot
- Fire Blast
"Knights are the only pieces that can move on a player's first turn, besides the pawns, and are often brought out pretty early in the game." My lead here, is Azelf, or the Knight."Since knights have such eccentric movements, they can often pull off unexpected moves." Most people expect Azelf's second non-attack move to be Taunt. On my Azelf, I run Thunder Wave to bring down Pokemon I can't easily kill. This leaves the opponent open to the next Pokemon I send out, which will easily be able to deal with the opponent. Or, of course, they'll switch out, giving me a free turn of damage (including Stealth Rock damage). Grass Knot is for hitting Swampert and Hippowdon, who dare to resist my Thunder Wave. Fire Blast, however, is just there for coverage, so I'm open to suggestions on it (not that I'm not open to suggestions on Grass Knot, though). I prefer to make Azelf useful outside of just a lead, but if it's for the best, I'd consider Explosion.
Bishop (Tyranitar) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Pursuit
- Crunch
"Losing one bishop can leave a player at a disadvantage." Tyranitar is needed to be able to counter stat-uppers such as Salamence and Lucario, so losing Tyranitar is not the most advantageous thing for me, especially if I haven't brought down things like Salamence or Starmie (who will reject my Stealth Rocks). I've found that Salamence still suffer an OHKO from Stone Edge even if it hits me with Intimidate. Pursuit also lets me revenge kill in general. Though my team is hit by Sandstorm, I've convinced myself to ignore it by reasoning that it also negates my opponents Leftovers, too. Mostly, Crunch is there for STAB, so I'm all ears (or eyes) if anyone thinks there's something better. Stone Edge can't go because of the obvious Salamence slayer. Earthquake is obviously for coverage, so, again, anyone can suggest something else if they believe it's better.
The Pokemon replaced:
Bishop (Breloom) (M) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 48 HP/252 Atk/210 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Focus Punch
- Substitute
- Spore
- Seed Bomb
"Bishops are extremely useful if played early on in the game." Usually, and the plan changes depending on the Pokemon, of course, I can send out Breloom to finish the opponent's lead. Zapdos may not be strong enough, and Starmie may not be right for the situation, so I generally bring out Breloom for the Stealth Rock resistance. Anyway, this is pretty much the average SporePunch set, but hey, if it works then use it. But why use Spore on a Thunder Wave team? Again, to hit those that defy me, like Swampert, Hippowdon, Gliscor, and Ground-types in general. Also, it has its uses stopping my opponent and creating and opening.
Pawn (Zapdos) @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA/252 Spd/4 HP
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Heat Wave
- Discharge
- Metal Sound
- Roost
"Pawns can be mighty tools despite their individual weaknesses." Yes, despite Zapdos's weakness to Stealth Rock, it's still a good wall and can lay down some paralysis with Discharge's trustable (though not reliable) 30% chance of paralyze. Also works as an effective Scizor counter, with the basic Discharge and Heatwave. Also used to counter Heatran with Discharge and Metal Sound. Metal Sound, I've found, works great, scaring Blissey into switching and hurting those who switch in. Though Life Orb is great, I'm also considering Leftovers, since, even though I have Roost, Life Orb+Sandstorm= Pain. Also, against Suicune, it seems I may as well have to use Zapdos kamikaze-style, with the damage I'll take from Ice Beam (assuming I switch in on Calm Mind), Life Orb, and Sandstorm, I'm pretty sure I'd die, too. And that's without Stealth Rock. Scary. Also, I've tested Togekiss in place of this. While I'd like to use it for convenience (so I don't have to play through XD again), I'm sad to say that Togekiss has let me down here, so I didn't include it.
Rook (Starmie) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 136 HP/156 Def/216 Spd
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Surf
- Thunder Wave
"Rooks can castle, providing another aspect of their strategy." For the Rook, I needed something that would not only be able to Thunder Wave, but also have good synergy with Scizor. This is where Starmie comes in. Starmie switches in on Fire attacks and Rapid Spins entry hazards to make things a whole lot easier for Scizor, while Scizor comes in on Grass, Dark, and Bug moves. Rapid Spin and Recover are obvious for phaze and healing, and Thunder Wave is part of the strategy (with only 3 Thunder Wavers, I don't think getting rid of one is an option).Surf was chosen not only as STAB, but to be able to hit Heatran hard and counter it. After testing this set countless times, I've found that I want to keep Thunder Wave after all. Not only is it my sure-fire paralyzer, but it helps me against things I would otherwise have a stalemate against.
Queen (Salamence) (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk/252 Spd/4 SAtk
Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
"Because a queen is so powerful, it is not a good idea to trade it for an opponent's piece, unless it is a queen, or doing so guarantees a checkmate." Salamence was chosen because it is not only a very powerful Pokemon, but its usefulness also comes from having good synergy with Scizor and Starmie. Starmie eliminates Stealth Rock while also coming in on Ice moves (along with Scizor), and Scizor comes in on Dragon moves. Salamence can also defend Scizor by coming in on Fire moves (along with Starmie) and resist any powerful Earthquakers. Because of this teamwork, I generally try to keep Salamence alive and not "sacrifice" it unless I know the rest of my team can beat down the couple (and perhaps less) Pokemon my opponent has left. And why would I use Dragon Dance on a team based around already crippling and slowing my opponent? To make sure I beat down any resistance I couldn't hit with Thunder Wave before I die, and to increase Attack. Earthquake is for Heatran, but other than that it's a pretty basic stall-breaker. I'm definately open to any new set, though. Though Fire Blast hasn't been omg-helpful, I'm fine with this set.
King (Scizor) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP/252 Atk/8 Spd
Adamant (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit
"A king's offensive options become more important during the endgame." And finally, the King. Scizor is usually played to U-Turn and heavily dent opponents. Late game, however, Scizor easily comes in and picks away at the leftovers with Bullet Punch. For the reason of "picking away", I was thinking of replacing Pursuit with Quick Attack, allowing me to hit things like Zapdos, Kingdra, and Gyarados a little better. Superpower because it's standard and to predict a Heatran or Magnezone switch-in. As I've already explained before, Scizor has great synergy with Salamence and Starmie. Aside from U-Turn, Scizor can come in and sweep anything burdened by paralysis, being able to easily outspeed them and occasionally getting a free turn from the paralyze. This particular sentence has no relevance to the set itself, but I thought I should say, 'cause I can: "If the King does not lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?"
Threat list:
Azelf: Psychic. 115 Base Speed, 125 Base Special Attack and Attack, Nasty Plot, "Levitate", Psychic, Flamethrower, Grass Knot, Thunderbolt, U-turn, Trick and Explosion. Usually a lead, it'll Taunt mine. I'll Fire Blast it, and it has 2 options: Stealth Rock, or Explode. Either way, it's 2KO'd. I've yet to see a sweeper, and as such, I haven't found a way to counter it.
Breloom: Grass/Fighting. 130 Base Attack, 70 Base Speed. Spore is the best move in the game hands down, and "Poison Heal", which grants Breloom 12.5% HP Recovery (to Leftovers' 6.25%) when Poisoned (easy to accomplish with Toxic Orb), is arguably a top-five Ability when you consider it will grant Breloom immunity to other status as well. To complement these unique tools, Breloom can utilize Focus Punch, Seed Bomb, Mach Punch, Substitute, ThunderPunch, Superpower, Sky Uppercut, Stone Edge and Leech Seed. This would be tough. I haven't seen much, but I would sacrifice 1 Poke to Spore then bring Scizor or Zapdos in.
Celebi: Psychic/Grass. 100 Base in every stat, boasts Calm Mind, Swords Dance, Recover, Baton Pass, Psychic, Energy Ball/Grass Knot, Leaf Storm, Earth Power, Seed Bomb, Zen Heabutt, U-Turn, Heal Bell, Leech Seed, Trick, Perish Song and "Natural Cure". Easily brought down with Scizor or Zapdos.
Dugtrio: Ground. 120 Base Speed, 80 Base Attack. Only used for its "Arena Trap" trait, which prevents all Pokémon that aren't Flying-types or that don't have the Levitate ability from switching, making Dugtrio's Choice Banded or Life Orbed Earthquake, Aerial Ace, Night Slash or Sucker Punch quick and efficient. Can even run Choice Scarf to revenge kill enemy Choice Scarfers. A "threat" because it can stop other threats like Tyranitar, Infernape and Raikou from running rampant, and makes you think twice about building a team loaded with pokémon Dugtrio can kill off easily. 3 Pokemon "resist" Arena Trap, and Breloom only fears Aerial Ace. Hopefully, Scizor can Bullet Punch after it takes Stealth Rock damage.
Electivire: Electric. 123 Base Attack, a unique Ability in "Motor Drive" that raises its speed by 1.5× whenever an electric attack is used on it, 95 Base Speed, and the ability, with a Thunderpunch/Cross Chop/Earthquake/Ice Punch moveset, to score a Super Effective Hit on 13 of the 17 pokémon types (all but Psychic, Ghost, Bug and Fighting types). Can also take advantage of his 95 Base Special Attack with attacks such as Thunderbolt, Flamethrower and Hidden Power Ice or Grass. The only main concern here is letting it take a Thunder Wave. Last time, I was helpless against a Special Sweeping one (with HP Ice). My only bet is to have Scizor come in and Bullet Punch.
Empoleon: Water/Steel. 86 Base Attack, 88 Base Defense, 111 Base Special Attack, 101 Base Special Defense, 60 Base Speed. Empoleon's plethora of resistances (12 to be exact) allow it to switch in frequently and use Surf, Ice Beam, Grass Knot, Agility, Swords Dance, Waterfall, Aqua Jet and Drill Peck. Easily the best abuser of "Torrent" thanks to his Sandstorm immunity and resistance to popular priority moves. Starmie/Zapdos would come in hopefully on Surf or Ice Beam/Grass Knot and paralyze it while taking a Grass Knot (Starmie)/Ice Beam(Zapdos). I then switch to Scizor, Salamence, Zapdos, or Breloom to deal with it. Basically, once it's paralyzed, I can handle it. If it Sub's, I just attack accodingly, though I'm weak to Ice Beam.
Flygon: Ground/Dragon. 100 Base Attack, 80 Base Defense, Special Attack and Special Defense, 100 Base Speed. "Levitate," resistance to Stealth Rock and immunity to Sandstorm and Electric attacks offer plenty of oppurtunities for Flygon to switch in and use Earthquake, Outrage, U-Turn Stone Edge, Draco Meteor, Fire Blast, Fire Punch and Roost. Can also utilise Choice Band or Choice Scarf to great effect. Most are Scarf'd, so I bring in Zapdos to Roost-stall Outrage then deal with it. No definate "counter", though.
Gengar: Ghost/Poison. 130 base Special Attack, 110 Base Speed and "Levitate". Its fantastic movepool includes: Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Hypnosis, Trick, Focus Blast, Will-o-wisp, Energy Ball and Destiny Bond. Poor 65 Base Attack but can abuse the high base powers of Focus Punch and Explosion to hit special walls. Only counter is Scizor coming in on Shadow Ball and Bullet Punching. Zapdos also seems to survive fairly well and is usually able to Thunder Wave after getting rid of a series of Subs.
Gliscor: Ground/Flying. 95 Base Attack, 125 Base Defense, 95 Base Speed. Can use "Hyper Cutter" to block Intimidate or "Sand Veil" to grab an Evasion boost if Sandstorm is present. Great resistances and Defense allow Gliscor to make good use of Earthquake, Swords Dance, Ice Fang, Stone Edge, U-Turn, Roost, Rock Polish, Taunt and Baton Pass. Starmie can only Surf, Breloom can (hopefully) get a Spore in. If I think/know it has Taunt, I Seed Bomb then switch for some damage. Best bet is to switch Salamence in on Taunt or Earthquake and Draco Meteor.
Gyarados: Water/Flying. 125 Base Attack, 100 Base Special Defense, 95 Base HP, Dragon Dance, "Intimidate", fantastic typing, and physical STAB in Waterfall and Bounce to replace its lost physical Hidden Power Flying from Advance. Also boasts Stone Edge, Earthquake, Ice Fang and, possibly its most threatening move, Taunt, which now lasts 3-5 turns instead of always two. Zapdos can survive Stone Edge. Most likely, I'll have to give a Pokemon to sacrifice, though.
Heatran: Steel/Fire. 130 Base Special Attack, 106 Base Defense and Special Defense, 77 Base Speed, 90 Base Attack. Can utilize its "Flash Fire" ability to boost its Overheat, Fire Blast and Flamethrower. Also boasts: Earth Power, Dragon Pulse, Metal Sound, Lava Plume and Explosion. Unique typing grants him many oppurtunities to switch in making him a perfect candidate for either Choice Specs or Choice Scarf. Many ways to deal with this, as described in the main RMT.
Heracross: Bug/Fighting. 125 Base Attack, an Ability in "Guts" that raises its attack by 1.5× when afflicted with a status condition (PAR, BRN, PSN, SLP), 85 base Speed, 95 base Special Defense, and a great physical movepool, including, of most importance: Close Combat, Megahorn, Stone Edge/Rock Slide, Pursuit, Swords Dance, Night Slash, Facade, Sleep Talk, Endure and Reversal. Can also utilize Choice Scarf to boost its average speed to surprise enemies. If he's still in, then Azelf can get a Fire Blast in. Zapdos can Heatwave, and Salamence can Draco Meteor.
Infernape: Fire/Fighting. Nasty Plot, Swords Dance, 108 Base Speed, 104 Base Attack and Special Attack, and a very, very diverse movepool, including, of most importance: Close Combat, Flamethrower, Hidden Power Ice, Grass Knot, Flare Blitz, Thunderpunch and Stone Edge. Countered by Starmie and Salamence.
Jirachi: Psychic/Steel. 100 Base in every stat, boasts Calm Mind, Psychic, Grass Knot, Thunderbolt, Wish, U-Turn, Reflect, Thunder Wave, Iron Head, Body Slam, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Thunderpunch, Trick, Zen Headbutt and greatly benefits from "Serene Grace". Paralyze and have Salamence Earthquake. Cosmic Power Jirachis, however, are extremely hard to take down.
Kingdra: Water/Dragon. 95 Base Attack, Defense, Special Attack and Special Defense, 85 Base Speed, 75 Base HP. Sports two fun abilities in "Swift Swim", which doubles its speed in the rain, and "Sniper", which grants its critical hits 3× power instead of 2×. Among the most effective moves for Kingdra are: Rain Dance, Surf, Waterfall, Dragon Pulse, Draco Meteor, Dragon Dance, Outrage, Substitute and Yawn. It's worth noting that with Swift Swim, the single turn it takes to set up Rain Dance will not only double Kingdra's speed but boost both its physical and special Water-type moves one stage, which makes both Life Orb and Mystic Water look great on it. Paralyze with Zapdos and deal with it with Thunderbolt or Salamence's Draco Meteor.
Latias: Dragon / Psychic: 110 base Special Attack, 110 base Speed, 80 base HP, 90 base Defense, 130 base Special Defense. Quite bulky on the special side and reasonably durable on the physical side it can easily switch in on a many Pokemon and threaten them with a powerful STAB Draco Meteor. Also can utilized a variety of other special moves such as: Dragon Pulse, Surf, Thunderbolt, and Grass Knot. Can utilize Calm Mind with one of its recovery options to set up a sweep. Also has Trick as its disposal. Same as Kingdra, but can also bring in Bullet Punch at the right switch-in. Draco Meteor can be stalled out with Roost.
Lucario: Fighting/Steel: 110 Base Attack, 115 Base Special Attack, 90 base speed. Its obscene movepool includes: Close Combat, Swords Dance, Crunch, Ice Punch, Stone Edge, Endure, Reversal, ExtremeSpeed, Aura Sphere, Vacuum Wave, Bullet Punch, Agility, Shadow Ball, Dark Pulse, Hidden Power Ice and Dragon Pulse. Zapdos and Salamence counter, though I haven't fought one yet.
Machamp: Fighting. 130 Base Attack, 90 Base HP, 80 Base Defense, 85 Base Special Defense. Already a viable threat with "Guts", Machamp's "No Guard" gives all of its attacks—and its opponents'—100% accuracy, which is great news for its Dynamicpunch that causes all sorts of problems for potential counters with its 100% confusion rate. Cross Chop and Stone Edge also benefit. Machamp also has Close Combat, Thunderpunch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Payback, Bullet Punch and Bulk Up at its disposal. Use "teamwork" to bring it down, but no real counter.
Magnezone: Electric/Steel. 115 Base Defense, 130 Base Special Attack, 90 Base Special Defense, 60 Base Speed. Primarily used for its "Magnet Pull" ability which allows it to prevent opposing Steel-types from switching out of battle. Boasts the strongest STAB Thunderbolt in the game and often compliments it with Hidden Power Ice. Other common moves include Substitute, Magnet Rise, Explosion, Thunder Wave and Metal Sound. Zapdos can "counter" with Heatwave, but takes around half health from Thunderbolt.
Mamoswine: Ice/Ground. 130 Base Attack, 80 Base Speed, 70 Base Special Attack. Boasts one of the strongest STAB Earthquakes in the game, which, coupled with its STAB Ice Shard and Avalance, grant it great physical STAB coverage. Stone Edge, Ice Fang, Curse, Superpower and Blizzard round out the main options of a monster that works very well with a Choice Band. Scizor comes in on Ice Shard. If it leads, Azelf Fire Blasts, then switch to avoid Endeavor/ Ice Shard.
Metagross: Steel/Psychic. 135 Base Attack, 130 Base Defense, 80 Base HP, 70 Base Speed, 95 Base Special Attack, 90 Base Special Defense. Doesn't need a Choice Band to wreak havoc with moves like Meteor Mash, ThunderPunch, Ice Punch, Earthquake, Zen Headbutt, Agility/Rock Polish, Trick, Explosion, Grass Knot and Pursuit. Its "Clear Body" prevents its stats from being lowered, most notably by Intimidate. Zapdos and Heatwave.
Ninjask: Bug/Flying. 90 Base Attack, 160 Base Speed, an Ability in "Speed Boost" that raises its speed by one stage every turn. Among its main options: Substitute, Swords Dance, Baton Pass, Aerial Ace, X-Scissor, U-Turn and Protect. Mainly a threat on full-fledged Baton Pass teams that utilize Ingrain to keep both it and stat-ups from getting Whirlwinded away, but Ninjask can probably beat you in the right hands anyway if you don't have Haze, Taunt, Roar or Whirlwind handy. Almost always a lead, Azelf deals with it with Fire Blast then Grass Knot(to pick off the Focus Sash).
Porygon-Z: Normal. 135 Base Special Attack, 90 Base Speed, two unique Abilities in "Adaptability" that makes its Same Type Attack Bonus 2× instead of 1.5× and "Download" which grants Porygon-Z +1 Special Attack if the opponent's Defense is higher than his Special Defense. Nasty Plot, Tri Attack, Shadow Ball, Recover, Agility, Hidden Power Fighting for Rock and Steel types and the ability to use Trick to screw over special walls. Never fought one, but would probably use Scizor to Bullet Punch.
Rhyperior: Ground/Rock. 115 Base HP, 140 Base Attack, 130 Base Defense and a Rock typing that grants him a 1.5x boost to his Special Defense when in a Sandstorm. "Solid Rock" reduces the damage taken by super-effective attacks by 1/4. STAB Earthquake and Stone Edge are the mainstay attacks of any offensive Rhyperior with Megahorn, Aqua Tail, Fire Punch, Swords Dance and Rock Polish available to compliment them. All but Zapdos can hit it for SE. Breloom can Spore it.
Roserade: Grass/Poison. 125 Base Special Attack, 95 Base Speed, 105 Base Special Defense. Has Leaf Storm, Sludge Bomb, Sleep Powder, Weather Ball, Leech Seed, Spikes (illegal with Sleep Powder), and Toxic Spikes. Further, the constant switching associated with using a rather handy Choice Scarf or Choice Specs makes "Natural Cure" a great ability on Roserade. Usually a lead, Azelf can Fire Blast then switch to Scizor if hit by Sleep Powder. Zapdos also counters.
Salamence: Dragon/Flying. 135 Base Attack, 110 Base Special Attack, 100 Base Speed, "Intimidate", and the ability, with either Choice Band or Choice Specs, to hit EXTREMELY hard off the bat from both ends of the damage spectrum. Besides Dragon Dance, its large movepool includes: Draco Meteor, Outrage, Earthquake, Rock Slide/Stone Edge, Brick Break, Flamethrower/Fire Blast, Hydro Pump, Aqua Tail, Dragon Pulse and Roost. Have Scizor come in on Dragon Dance, Bullet Punch, and hope for the best. Other than that...
Scizor: Bug/Steel. 130 Base Attack, 100 Base Defense, 65 Base Speed. Makes great use of its new "Technician" ability, which grants a 1.5× boost to all attacks 60 Base Power or less most notably to Bullet Punch, and can still benefit from "Swarm" which grants the same boost to Bug-type Attack when at 33% or less HP. Scizor's decent movepool includes, X-Scissor, U-Turn, Superpower, Brick Break, Pursuit, Quick Attack, Swords Dance, Agility, Baton Pass, Reversal and Roost. It very much welcomes the benefits of Life Orb and Choice Band. Zapdos easily counters.
Snorlax: Normal. 160 Base HP, 110 Base Attack and Special Defense, 65 Base Defense. With Curse, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunderpunch, Pursuit, Return/Frustration/Body Slam, Earthquake, Fire Blast, Selfdestruct and Crunch, Snorlax can contend with Skarmory a little better in this generation. Its "Thick Fat" Ability still halves the damage from Fire and Ice attack, and Rest can annoy you with or without Sleep Talk if you're not prepared. Breloom will Sub, predicting either a Curse or Sleep Talk (the opponent would expect a Spore) then Focus Punch. Scizor also hits hard with Superpower.
Starmie: Water/Psychic. 115 Base Speed, 100 Base Special Attack and "Natural Cure". Can work very well with or without Choice Specs thanks to a great movepool that includes: Surf, Psychic, Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, Grass Knot, Recover, Rapid Spin and Trick. Its adequate, somewhat-overlooked 85 base Defense and Special Defense make it a surprisingly durable threat with Recover. Use Zapdos and hope for the best. No real counter...
Suicune: Water. 100 Base HP, 90 Base Special Attack, 115 Base Defense and Special Defense, 85 Base Speed. Calm Mind, Surf, Ice Beam, Roar, Rest and Sleep Talk with its "Pressure" Ability make this virtually unchanged threat from Advance just as hard to beat in DP if you're not ready. Suicune's natural bulk also allows him to use a Life Orb and invest heavily in his Special Attack and Speed to run a more offensive set than what was seen in ADV. Spore or Thunder Wave it, and use Breloom or Zapdos to deal with it.
Togekiss: Normal/Flying. 120 Base Special Attack, 115 Base Special Defense, 80 Base Speed, and an Ability in "Serene Grace" that doubles the extra effects of moves that have them. Its movepool includes: Nasty Plot, Air Slash (60% flinch with "Serene Grace"), Aura Sphere, Wish/Softboiled/Roost, Thunder Wave (or Body Slam to paralyse foes immune to Thunder Wave), Baton Pass, Tri Attack (illegal with Nasty Plot), Trick and Grass Knot. Can also utilise a Choice Scarf set to further abuse Air Slash's flinch rate. Use Zapdos to hope it can hit with Thunderbolt. If Zapdos fails, Scizor can (hopefully) bring it down with Bullet Punch.
Tyranitar: Rock/Dark. Choice Banded Crunch, Stone Edge/Rock Slide, Pursuit, Earthquake and Aqua Tail from 134 Base Attack. Tyranitar can also boast Dragon Dance or 101 HP Substitutes and utilize Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, and Flamethrower/Fire Blast with 95 Base Special Attack and great all around defenses. Its "Sand Stream" also limits the durability of non-Rock, -Steel and -Ground Types, while also boosting by 1.5× the Special Defense of itself and all other Rock type pokémon. Scizor counters most sets that don't have Fire moves. Salamence can Earthquake and Breloom can Seed Bomb.
Weavile: Dark/Ice. 120 Base Attack, 125 Base Speed, Swords Dance, Night Slash, Ice Punch, Low Kick and a STABbed Pursuit and Ice Shard make this a threat with or without Choice Band. Scizor counters.
Yanmega: Bug/Flying. 116 Base Special Attack, 95 Base Speed, 86 Base HP and Defense. Has two very useful abilities in "Tinted Lens", which doubles the power of NVE (not very effective) hits, and "Speed Boost". Yanmega can use Air Slash, Bug Buzz, Hypnosis, Protect, and Choice Specs, Choice Scarf or Focus Sash very well. Zapdos counters.
Zapdos: Electric/Flying. 125 Base Special Attack, 100 base Speed, 90 Base HP, Attack and Special Defense, 85 Base Defense. With Thunderbolt, Roost, Discharge, U-turn, Heat Wave, Hidden Power Ice or Grass, Substitute, Agility, and Baton Pass, Zapdos can be quite the nuisance, not to mention how well it can use Rest/Sleep Talk with its "Pressure" Ability. No real counter, could pose a threat.
As a closing note, I'd like to thank you in advanced for taking the time to help me with my team. As a reminder, this is a Wi-Fi team, but I'm only pointing this out to say that I'm not the greatest Soft Resetter and can't RNG abuse. That being said, if you're gonna make some calculations to help yourself rate, just know that some of them don't have perfect IVs (as such, something like a Zapdos vs. Zapdos standoff wouldn't be good for me for example). Again, thank you for your time and now... Please Rate My Team!
Knight (Metagross) @ Occa Berry
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 232 HP/236 Atk/12 Def/20 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Explosion
- Bullet Punch
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
"Knights are the only pieces that can move on a player's first turn, besides the pawns, and are often brought out pretty early in the game." After testing Metagross over Azelf, I've found that, despite it not being able to paralyze. 20 speed to outspeed other Metagross. Other than that, it's pretty standard... Bullet Punch STAB priority, Earthquake for Infernape, Heatran, and coverage, and Explosion for when I'm done.
The Pokemon Replaced:
Knight (Azelf) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Stealth Rock
- Grass Knot
- Fire Blast
"Knights are the only pieces that can move on a player's first turn, besides the pawns, and are often brought out pretty early in the game." My lead here, is Azelf, or the Knight."Since knights have such eccentric movements, they can often pull off unexpected moves." Most people expect Azelf's second non-attack move to be Taunt. On my Azelf, I run Thunder Wave to bring down Pokemon I can't easily kill. This leaves the opponent open to the next Pokemon I send out, which will easily be able to deal with the opponent. Or, of course, they'll switch out, giving me a free turn of damage (including Stealth Rock damage). Grass Knot is for hitting Swampert and Hippowdon, who dare to resist my Thunder Wave. Fire Blast, however, is just there for coverage, so I'm open to suggestions on it (not that I'm not open to suggestions on Grass Knot, though). I prefer to make Azelf useful outside of just a lead, but if it's for the best, I'd consider Explosion.
Bishop (Tyranitar) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Pursuit
- Crunch
"Losing one bishop can leave a player at a disadvantage." Tyranitar is needed to be able to counter stat-uppers such as Salamence and Lucario, so losing Tyranitar is not the most advantageous thing for me, especially if I haven't brought down things like Salamence or Starmie (who will reject my Stealth Rocks). I've found that Salamence still suffer an OHKO from Stone Edge even if it hits me with Intimidate. Pursuit also lets me revenge kill in general. Though my team is hit by Sandstorm, I've convinced myself to ignore it by reasoning that it also negates my opponents Leftovers, too. Mostly, Crunch is there for STAB, so I'm all ears (or eyes) if anyone thinks there's something better. Stone Edge can't go because of the obvious Salamence slayer. Earthquake is obviously for coverage, so, again, anyone can suggest something else if they believe it's better.
The Pokemon replaced:
Bishop (Breloom) (M) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 48 HP/252 Atk/210 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Focus Punch
- Substitute
- Spore
- Seed Bomb
"Bishops are extremely useful if played early on in the game." Usually, and the plan changes depending on the Pokemon, of course, I can send out Breloom to finish the opponent's lead. Zapdos may not be strong enough, and Starmie may not be right for the situation, so I generally bring out Breloom for the Stealth Rock resistance. Anyway, this is pretty much the average SporePunch set, but hey, if it works then use it. But why use Spore on a Thunder Wave team? Again, to hit those that defy me, like Swampert, Hippowdon, Gliscor, and Ground-types in general. Also, it has its uses stopping my opponent and creating and opening.
Pawn (Zapdos) @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA/252 Spd/4 HP
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Heat Wave
- Discharge
- Metal Sound
- Roost
"Pawns can be mighty tools despite their individual weaknesses." Yes, despite Zapdos's weakness to Stealth Rock, it's still a good wall and can lay down some paralysis with Discharge's trustable (though not reliable) 30% chance of paralyze. Also works as an effective Scizor counter, with the basic Discharge and Heatwave. Also used to counter Heatran with Discharge and Metal Sound. Metal Sound, I've found, works great, scaring Blissey into switching and hurting those who switch in. Though Life Orb is great, I'm also considering Leftovers, since, even though I have Roost, Life Orb+Sandstorm= Pain. Also, against Suicune, it seems I may as well have to use Zapdos kamikaze-style, with the damage I'll take from Ice Beam (assuming I switch in on Calm Mind), Life Orb, and Sandstorm, I'm pretty sure I'd die, too. And that's without Stealth Rock. Scary. Also, I've tested Togekiss in place of this. While I'd like to use it for convenience (so I don't have to play through XD again), I'm sad to say that Togekiss has let me down here, so I didn't include it.
Rook (Starmie) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 136 HP/156 Def/216 Spd
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
- Surf
- Thunder Wave
"Rooks can castle, providing another aspect of their strategy." For the Rook, I needed something that would not only be able to Thunder Wave, but also have good synergy with Scizor. This is where Starmie comes in. Starmie switches in on Fire attacks and Rapid Spins entry hazards to make things a whole lot easier for Scizor, while Scizor comes in on Grass, Dark, and Bug moves. Rapid Spin and Recover are obvious for phaze and healing, and Thunder Wave is part of the strategy (with only 3 Thunder Wavers, I don't think getting rid of one is an option).Surf was chosen not only as STAB, but to be able to hit Heatran hard and counter it. After testing this set countless times, I've found that I want to keep Thunder Wave after all. Not only is it my sure-fire paralyzer, but it helps me against things I would otherwise have a stalemate against.
Queen (Salamence) (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk/252 Spd/4 SAtk
Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
"Because a queen is so powerful, it is not a good idea to trade it for an opponent's piece, unless it is a queen, or doing so guarantees a checkmate." Salamence was chosen because it is not only a very powerful Pokemon, but its usefulness also comes from having good synergy with Scizor and Starmie. Starmie eliminates Stealth Rock while also coming in on Ice moves (along with Scizor), and Scizor comes in on Dragon moves. Salamence can also defend Scizor by coming in on Fire moves (along with Starmie) and resist any powerful Earthquakers. Because of this teamwork, I generally try to keep Salamence alive and not "sacrifice" it unless I know the rest of my team can beat down the couple (and perhaps less) Pokemon my opponent has left. And why would I use Dragon Dance on a team based around already crippling and slowing my opponent? To make sure I beat down any resistance I couldn't hit with Thunder Wave before I die, and to increase Attack. Earthquake is for Heatran, but other than that it's a pretty basic stall-breaker. I'm definately open to any new set, though. Though Fire Blast hasn't been omg-helpful, I'm fine with this set.
King (Scizor) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP/252 Atk/8 Spd
Adamant (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Pursuit
"A king's offensive options become more important during the endgame." And finally, the King. Scizor is usually played to U-Turn and heavily dent opponents. Late game, however, Scizor easily comes in and picks away at the leftovers with Bullet Punch. For the reason of "picking away", I was thinking of replacing Pursuit with Quick Attack, allowing me to hit things like Zapdos, Kingdra, and Gyarados a little better. Superpower because it's standard and to predict a Heatran or Magnezone switch-in. As I've already explained before, Scizor has great synergy with Salamence and Starmie. Aside from U-Turn, Scizor can come in and sweep anything burdened by paralysis, being able to easily outspeed them and occasionally getting a free turn from the paralyze. This particular sentence has no relevance to the set itself, but I thought I should say, 'cause I can: "If the King does not lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?"
Threat list:
Azelf: Psychic. 115 Base Speed, 125 Base Special Attack and Attack, Nasty Plot, "Levitate", Psychic, Flamethrower, Grass Knot, Thunderbolt, U-turn, Trick and Explosion. Usually a lead, it'll Taunt mine. I'll Fire Blast it, and it has 2 options: Stealth Rock, or Explode. Either way, it's 2KO'd. I've yet to see a sweeper, and as such, I haven't found a way to counter it.
Breloom: Grass/Fighting. 130 Base Attack, 70 Base Speed. Spore is the best move in the game hands down, and "Poison Heal", which grants Breloom 12.5% HP Recovery (to Leftovers' 6.25%) when Poisoned (easy to accomplish with Toxic Orb), is arguably a top-five Ability when you consider it will grant Breloom immunity to other status as well. To complement these unique tools, Breloom can utilize Focus Punch, Seed Bomb, Mach Punch, Substitute, ThunderPunch, Superpower, Sky Uppercut, Stone Edge and Leech Seed. This would be tough. I haven't seen much, but I would sacrifice 1 Poke to Spore then bring Scizor or Zapdos in.
Celebi: Psychic/Grass. 100 Base in every stat, boasts Calm Mind, Swords Dance, Recover, Baton Pass, Psychic, Energy Ball/Grass Knot, Leaf Storm, Earth Power, Seed Bomb, Zen Heabutt, U-Turn, Heal Bell, Leech Seed, Trick, Perish Song and "Natural Cure". Easily brought down with Scizor or Zapdos.
Dugtrio: Ground. 120 Base Speed, 80 Base Attack. Only used for its "Arena Trap" trait, which prevents all Pokémon that aren't Flying-types or that don't have the Levitate ability from switching, making Dugtrio's Choice Banded or Life Orbed Earthquake, Aerial Ace, Night Slash or Sucker Punch quick and efficient. Can even run Choice Scarf to revenge kill enemy Choice Scarfers. A "threat" because it can stop other threats like Tyranitar, Infernape and Raikou from running rampant, and makes you think twice about building a team loaded with pokémon Dugtrio can kill off easily. 3 Pokemon "resist" Arena Trap, and Breloom only fears Aerial Ace. Hopefully, Scizor can Bullet Punch after it takes Stealth Rock damage.
Electivire: Electric. 123 Base Attack, a unique Ability in "Motor Drive" that raises its speed by 1.5× whenever an electric attack is used on it, 95 Base Speed, and the ability, with a Thunderpunch/Cross Chop/Earthquake/Ice Punch moveset, to score a Super Effective Hit on 13 of the 17 pokémon types (all but Psychic, Ghost, Bug and Fighting types). Can also take advantage of his 95 Base Special Attack with attacks such as Thunderbolt, Flamethrower and Hidden Power Ice or Grass. The only main concern here is letting it take a Thunder Wave. Last time, I was helpless against a Special Sweeping one (with HP Ice). My only bet is to have Scizor come in and Bullet Punch.
Empoleon: Water/Steel. 86 Base Attack, 88 Base Defense, 111 Base Special Attack, 101 Base Special Defense, 60 Base Speed. Empoleon's plethora of resistances (12 to be exact) allow it to switch in frequently and use Surf, Ice Beam, Grass Knot, Agility, Swords Dance, Waterfall, Aqua Jet and Drill Peck. Easily the best abuser of "Torrent" thanks to his Sandstorm immunity and resistance to popular priority moves. Starmie/Zapdos would come in hopefully on Surf or Ice Beam/Grass Knot and paralyze it while taking a Grass Knot (Starmie)/Ice Beam(Zapdos). I then switch to Scizor, Salamence, Zapdos, or Breloom to deal with it. Basically, once it's paralyzed, I can handle it. If it Sub's, I just attack accodingly, though I'm weak to Ice Beam.
Flygon: Ground/Dragon. 100 Base Attack, 80 Base Defense, Special Attack and Special Defense, 100 Base Speed. "Levitate," resistance to Stealth Rock and immunity to Sandstorm and Electric attacks offer plenty of oppurtunities for Flygon to switch in and use Earthquake, Outrage, U-Turn Stone Edge, Draco Meteor, Fire Blast, Fire Punch and Roost. Can also utilise Choice Band or Choice Scarf to great effect. Most are Scarf'd, so I bring in Zapdos to Roost-stall Outrage then deal with it. No definate "counter", though.
Gengar: Ghost/Poison. 130 base Special Attack, 110 Base Speed and "Levitate". Its fantastic movepool includes: Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt, Hypnosis, Trick, Focus Blast, Will-o-wisp, Energy Ball and Destiny Bond. Poor 65 Base Attack but can abuse the high base powers of Focus Punch and Explosion to hit special walls. Only counter is Scizor coming in on Shadow Ball and Bullet Punching. Zapdos also seems to survive fairly well and is usually able to Thunder Wave after getting rid of a series of Subs.
Gliscor: Ground/Flying. 95 Base Attack, 125 Base Defense, 95 Base Speed. Can use "Hyper Cutter" to block Intimidate or "Sand Veil" to grab an Evasion boost if Sandstorm is present. Great resistances and Defense allow Gliscor to make good use of Earthquake, Swords Dance, Ice Fang, Stone Edge, U-Turn, Roost, Rock Polish, Taunt and Baton Pass. Starmie can only Surf, Breloom can (hopefully) get a Spore in. If I think/know it has Taunt, I Seed Bomb then switch for some damage. Best bet is to switch Salamence in on Taunt or Earthquake and Draco Meteor.
Gyarados: Water/Flying. 125 Base Attack, 100 Base Special Defense, 95 Base HP, Dragon Dance, "Intimidate", fantastic typing, and physical STAB in Waterfall and Bounce to replace its lost physical Hidden Power Flying from Advance. Also boasts Stone Edge, Earthquake, Ice Fang and, possibly its most threatening move, Taunt, which now lasts 3-5 turns instead of always two. Zapdos can survive Stone Edge. Most likely, I'll have to give a Pokemon to sacrifice, though.
Heatran: Steel/Fire. 130 Base Special Attack, 106 Base Defense and Special Defense, 77 Base Speed, 90 Base Attack. Can utilize its "Flash Fire" ability to boost its Overheat, Fire Blast and Flamethrower. Also boasts: Earth Power, Dragon Pulse, Metal Sound, Lava Plume and Explosion. Unique typing grants him many oppurtunities to switch in making him a perfect candidate for either Choice Specs or Choice Scarf. Many ways to deal with this, as described in the main RMT.
Heracross: Bug/Fighting. 125 Base Attack, an Ability in "Guts" that raises its attack by 1.5× when afflicted with a status condition (PAR, BRN, PSN, SLP), 85 base Speed, 95 base Special Defense, and a great physical movepool, including, of most importance: Close Combat, Megahorn, Stone Edge/Rock Slide, Pursuit, Swords Dance, Night Slash, Facade, Sleep Talk, Endure and Reversal. Can also utilize Choice Scarf to boost its average speed to surprise enemies. If he's still in, then Azelf can get a Fire Blast in. Zapdos can Heatwave, and Salamence can Draco Meteor.
Infernape: Fire/Fighting. Nasty Plot, Swords Dance, 108 Base Speed, 104 Base Attack and Special Attack, and a very, very diverse movepool, including, of most importance: Close Combat, Flamethrower, Hidden Power Ice, Grass Knot, Flare Blitz, Thunderpunch and Stone Edge. Countered by Starmie and Salamence.
Jirachi: Psychic/Steel. 100 Base in every stat, boasts Calm Mind, Psychic, Grass Knot, Thunderbolt, Wish, U-Turn, Reflect, Thunder Wave, Iron Head, Body Slam, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Thunderpunch, Trick, Zen Headbutt and greatly benefits from "Serene Grace". Paralyze and have Salamence Earthquake. Cosmic Power Jirachis, however, are extremely hard to take down.
Kingdra: Water/Dragon. 95 Base Attack, Defense, Special Attack and Special Defense, 85 Base Speed, 75 Base HP. Sports two fun abilities in "Swift Swim", which doubles its speed in the rain, and "Sniper", which grants its critical hits 3× power instead of 2×. Among the most effective moves for Kingdra are: Rain Dance, Surf, Waterfall, Dragon Pulse, Draco Meteor, Dragon Dance, Outrage, Substitute and Yawn. It's worth noting that with Swift Swim, the single turn it takes to set up Rain Dance will not only double Kingdra's speed but boost both its physical and special Water-type moves one stage, which makes both Life Orb and Mystic Water look great on it. Paralyze with Zapdos and deal with it with Thunderbolt or Salamence's Draco Meteor.
Latias: Dragon / Psychic: 110 base Special Attack, 110 base Speed, 80 base HP, 90 base Defense, 130 base Special Defense. Quite bulky on the special side and reasonably durable on the physical side it can easily switch in on a many Pokemon and threaten them with a powerful STAB Draco Meteor. Also can utilized a variety of other special moves such as: Dragon Pulse, Surf, Thunderbolt, and Grass Knot. Can utilize Calm Mind with one of its recovery options to set up a sweep. Also has Trick as its disposal. Same as Kingdra, but can also bring in Bullet Punch at the right switch-in. Draco Meteor can be stalled out with Roost.
Lucario: Fighting/Steel: 110 Base Attack, 115 Base Special Attack, 90 base speed. Its obscene movepool includes: Close Combat, Swords Dance, Crunch, Ice Punch, Stone Edge, Endure, Reversal, ExtremeSpeed, Aura Sphere, Vacuum Wave, Bullet Punch, Agility, Shadow Ball, Dark Pulse, Hidden Power Ice and Dragon Pulse. Zapdos and Salamence counter, though I haven't fought one yet.
Machamp: Fighting. 130 Base Attack, 90 Base HP, 80 Base Defense, 85 Base Special Defense. Already a viable threat with "Guts", Machamp's "No Guard" gives all of its attacks—and its opponents'—100% accuracy, which is great news for its Dynamicpunch that causes all sorts of problems for potential counters with its 100% confusion rate. Cross Chop and Stone Edge also benefit. Machamp also has Close Combat, Thunderpunch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Payback, Bullet Punch and Bulk Up at its disposal. Use "teamwork" to bring it down, but no real counter.
Magnezone: Electric/Steel. 115 Base Defense, 130 Base Special Attack, 90 Base Special Defense, 60 Base Speed. Primarily used for its "Magnet Pull" ability which allows it to prevent opposing Steel-types from switching out of battle. Boasts the strongest STAB Thunderbolt in the game and often compliments it with Hidden Power Ice. Other common moves include Substitute, Magnet Rise, Explosion, Thunder Wave and Metal Sound. Zapdos can "counter" with Heatwave, but takes around half health from Thunderbolt.
Mamoswine: Ice/Ground. 130 Base Attack, 80 Base Speed, 70 Base Special Attack. Boasts one of the strongest STAB Earthquakes in the game, which, coupled with its STAB Ice Shard and Avalance, grant it great physical STAB coverage. Stone Edge, Ice Fang, Curse, Superpower and Blizzard round out the main options of a monster that works very well with a Choice Band. Scizor comes in on Ice Shard. If it leads, Azelf Fire Blasts, then switch to avoid Endeavor/ Ice Shard.
Metagross: Steel/Psychic. 135 Base Attack, 130 Base Defense, 80 Base HP, 70 Base Speed, 95 Base Special Attack, 90 Base Special Defense. Doesn't need a Choice Band to wreak havoc with moves like Meteor Mash, ThunderPunch, Ice Punch, Earthquake, Zen Headbutt, Agility/Rock Polish, Trick, Explosion, Grass Knot and Pursuit. Its "Clear Body" prevents its stats from being lowered, most notably by Intimidate. Zapdos and Heatwave.
Ninjask: Bug/Flying. 90 Base Attack, 160 Base Speed, an Ability in "Speed Boost" that raises its speed by one stage every turn. Among its main options: Substitute, Swords Dance, Baton Pass, Aerial Ace, X-Scissor, U-Turn and Protect. Mainly a threat on full-fledged Baton Pass teams that utilize Ingrain to keep both it and stat-ups from getting Whirlwinded away, but Ninjask can probably beat you in the right hands anyway if you don't have Haze, Taunt, Roar or Whirlwind handy. Almost always a lead, Azelf deals with it with Fire Blast then Grass Knot(to pick off the Focus Sash).
Porygon-Z: Normal. 135 Base Special Attack, 90 Base Speed, two unique Abilities in "Adaptability" that makes its Same Type Attack Bonus 2× instead of 1.5× and "Download" which grants Porygon-Z +1 Special Attack if the opponent's Defense is higher than his Special Defense. Nasty Plot, Tri Attack, Shadow Ball, Recover, Agility, Hidden Power Fighting for Rock and Steel types and the ability to use Trick to screw over special walls. Never fought one, but would probably use Scizor to Bullet Punch.
Rhyperior: Ground/Rock. 115 Base HP, 140 Base Attack, 130 Base Defense and a Rock typing that grants him a 1.5x boost to his Special Defense when in a Sandstorm. "Solid Rock" reduces the damage taken by super-effective attacks by 1/4. STAB Earthquake and Stone Edge are the mainstay attacks of any offensive Rhyperior with Megahorn, Aqua Tail, Fire Punch, Swords Dance and Rock Polish available to compliment them. All but Zapdos can hit it for SE. Breloom can Spore it.
Roserade: Grass/Poison. 125 Base Special Attack, 95 Base Speed, 105 Base Special Defense. Has Leaf Storm, Sludge Bomb, Sleep Powder, Weather Ball, Leech Seed, Spikes (illegal with Sleep Powder), and Toxic Spikes. Further, the constant switching associated with using a rather handy Choice Scarf or Choice Specs makes "Natural Cure" a great ability on Roserade. Usually a lead, Azelf can Fire Blast then switch to Scizor if hit by Sleep Powder. Zapdos also counters.
Salamence: Dragon/Flying. 135 Base Attack, 110 Base Special Attack, 100 Base Speed, "Intimidate", and the ability, with either Choice Band or Choice Specs, to hit EXTREMELY hard off the bat from both ends of the damage spectrum. Besides Dragon Dance, its large movepool includes: Draco Meteor, Outrage, Earthquake, Rock Slide/Stone Edge, Brick Break, Flamethrower/Fire Blast, Hydro Pump, Aqua Tail, Dragon Pulse and Roost. Have Scizor come in on Dragon Dance, Bullet Punch, and hope for the best. Other than that...
Scizor: Bug/Steel. 130 Base Attack, 100 Base Defense, 65 Base Speed. Makes great use of its new "Technician" ability, which grants a 1.5× boost to all attacks 60 Base Power or less most notably to Bullet Punch, and can still benefit from "Swarm" which grants the same boost to Bug-type Attack when at 33% or less HP. Scizor's decent movepool includes, X-Scissor, U-Turn, Superpower, Brick Break, Pursuit, Quick Attack, Swords Dance, Agility, Baton Pass, Reversal and Roost. It very much welcomes the benefits of Life Orb and Choice Band. Zapdos easily counters.
Snorlax: Normal. 160 Base HP, 110 Base Attack and Special Defense, 65 Base Defense. With Curse, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunderpunch, Pursuit, Return/Frustration/Body Slam, Earthquake, Fire Blast, Selfdestruct and Crunch, Snorlax can contend with Skarmory a little better in this generation. Its "Thick Fat" Ability still halves the damage from Fire and Ice attack, and Rest can annoy you with or without Sleep Talk if you're not prepared. Breloom will Sub, predicting either a Curse or Sleep Talk (the opponent would expect a Spore) then Focus Punch. Scizor also hits hard with Superpower.
Starmie: Water/Psychic. 115 Base Speed, 100 Base Special Attack and "Natural Cure". Can work very well with or without Choice Specs thanks to a great movepool that includes: Surf, Psychic, Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, Grass Knot, Recover, Rapid Spin and Trick. Its adequate, somewhat-overlooked 85 base Defense and Special Defense make it a surprisingly durable threat with Recover. Use Zapdos and hope for the best. No real counter...
Suicune: Water. 100 Base HP, 90 Base Special Attack, 115 Base Defense and Special Defense, 85 Base Speed. Calm Mind, Surf, Ice Beam, Roar, Rest and Sleep Talk with its "Pressure" Ability make this virtually unchanged threat from Advance just as hard to beat in DP if you're not ready. Suicune's natural bulk also allows him to use a Life Orb and invest heavily in his Special Attack and Speed to run a more offensive set than what was seen in ADV. Spore or Thunder Wave it, and use Breloom or Zapdos to deal with it.
Togekiss: Normal/Flying. 120 Base Special Attack, 115 Base Special Defense, 80 Base Speed, and an Ability in "Serene Grace" that doubles the extra effects of moves that have them. Its movepool includes: Nasty Plot, Air Slash (60% flinch with "Serene Grace"), Aura Sphere, Wish/Softboiled/Roost, Thunder Wave (or Body Slam to paralyse foes immune to Thunder Wave), Baton Pass, Tri Attack (illegal with Nasty Plot), Trick and Grass Knot. Can also utilise a Choice Scarf set to further abuse Air Slash's flinch rate. Use Zapdos to hope it can hit with Thunderbolt. If Zapdos fails, Scizor can (hopefully) bring it down with Bullet Punch.
Tyranitar: Rock/Dark. Choice Banded Crunch, Stone Edge/Rock Slide, Pursuit, Earthquake and Aqua Tail from 134 Base Attack. Tyranitar can also boast Dragon Dance or 101 HP Substitutes and utilize Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, and Flamethrower/Fire Blast with 95 Base Special Attack and great all around defenses. Its "Sand Stream" also limits the durability of non-Rock, -Steel and -Ground Types, while also boosting by 1.5× the Special Defense of itself and all other Rock type pokémon. Scizor counters most sets that don't have Fire moves. Salamence can Earthquake and Breloom can Seed Bomb.
Weavile: Dark/Ice. 120 Base Attack, 125 Base Speed, Swords Dance, Night Slash, Ice Punch, Low Kick and a STABbed Pursuit and Ice Shard make this a threat with or without Choice Band. Scizor counters.
Yanmega: Bug/Flying. 116 Base Special Attack, 95 Base Speed, 86 Base HP and Defense. Has two very useful abilities in "Tinted Lens", which doubles the power of NVE (not very effective) hits, and "Speed Boost". Yanmega can use Air Slash, Bug Buzz, Hypnosis, Protect, and Choice Specs, Choice Scarf or Focus Sash very well. Zapdos counters.
Zapdos: Electric/Flying. 125 Base Special Attack, 100 base Speed, 90 Base HP, Attack and Special Defense, 85 Base Defense. With Thunderbolt, Roost, Discharge, U-turn, Heat Wave, Hidden Power Ice or Grass, Substitute, Agility, and Baton Pass, Zapdos can be quite the nuisance, not to mention how well it can use Rest/Sleep Talk with its "Pressure" Ability. No real counter, could pose a threat.
As a closing note, I'd like to thank you in advanced for taking the time to help me with my team. As a reminder, this is a Wi-Fi team, but I'm only pointing this out to say that I'm not the greatest Soft Resetter and can't RNG abuse. That being said, if you're gonna make some calculations to help yourself rate, just know that some of them don't have perfect IVs (as such, something like a Zapdos vs. Zapdos standoff wouldn't be good for me for example). Again, thank you for your time and now... Please Rate My Team!
