*Bolded items are the revisions after feedback*
VoltTurn
I would like to think I created this idea from scratch first, but sadly someone beat me to it a long time ago when I had no interest in competitive play. My favorite play style is null in void due to the nerf on Sandstream. Therefore I am going to use my new team full time. I had good success in the live games I have played thus far…when I assumed that my opponents used Smogon sets… The idea is to attack as much as I can and then keep the pressure going by using U-Turn or Volt Switch when I have to. With the correct prediction aided by Team Preview I should be able to continue rolling through my opponents. My current thread is to discuss the changes associated with the transition to X and Y. I am dropping my Magnezone for Noivern because his speed was so pitiful that despite hitting like a truck he would seldom hit anything.
NOTE!!!!! This is for a team to be used on my 3DS and not an emulator so make sure your recommendations are actually worth the effort that is expended in breeding and training.
Infernape with Blaze and Fire Gem
Naïve 252 Atk/252 Spe/4 SpA
Close Combat
U-Turn
Stealth Rock
Overheat
Infernape will generally serve as my team lead since it has Stealth Rock, but I have chosen not to use a Focus Sash because he will probably switch out if he cannot lay down Stealth Rock on the first turn. While Fake Out would be an absolute boon to Infernape for a VoltTurn team, I recognize the moves I have selected will benefit me in the longer term. I say this because Infernape isn’t great at taking hits so I won’t be switching him in as often as some of the other members. Since all of the EV’s are invested into Attack I am using a Fire Gem to boost Overheat to semi-nuclear power. Stealth Rock and U-Turn are straight utility with Close Combat and Overheat for vicious STAB attacks.
Forretress with Sturdy and Assault Vest
Sassy 252 HP/252 Def/4 SpD
Gyro Ball
Explosion
Rapid Support
Volt Turn
This guy is all utility, all the time. Rapid spin is the name of the game for this guy because of all the switching I will be doing, but with this set up I have had remarkable success with defeating the Lati-twins and even Rayquaza a few times. Volt Turn is there to provide a slow switch and allow Forretress to sponge an attack so the switch in avoids the damage. I have chosen the Assault vest and Explosion because in my experience I never really got the opportunity to use Spikes and the whole team gains some additional bulk for switching in and out. Gyro Ball is for a solid STAB attack that has worked well in taking down Gengar expecting a Rapid Spin as well as the move-locked Dragons.
Rotom-W with Levitate and Leftovers
Calm 252 HP/252 Def/4 SpD
Volt Turn
Hydro Pump
Pain Split
Will-O-Wisp
This is part one of my defensive core and he appears to be the Number 1 or Number 2 most used Pokémon because he is just that valuable. I chose to go bulky because I have some heavy hitters already and I needed more defensive types. Generally I choose WoW or Pain Split on the switch and then he gets out of there with Volt Switch because a ground type is not coming in due to the fear being hit with Hydro Pump. That move will used later on the match because Rotom-W is more than likely to survive longer than anyone else. The EV’s and nature were to maximize both defensive spectrums.
Scizor with Technician and Scizorite
Adamant 252 HP/252 Atk/4 Spe
Bullet Punch
U-Turn
Superpower
Quick Attack
Scizor has been a beast in the meta-game since Platinum I think. Bullet Punch and U-Turn are the staples of the set and U-Turn will be the primary move period unless a Bullet Punch is necessary for a revenge kill. Superpower is there for coverage against Heatran and Ferrothorn and whatever else is necessary in the new Generation. The final move slot is a toss-up for me because I would rather knock out Volcarona with a boosted Quick Attack or spam a STAB U-Turn so the “counter” has to switch after the switch if you catch my drift. Common sense dictates that Scizorite be the requisite item since it is better than Choice Band for a VoltTurn team and I lack another Mega Evolution so I don’t run the risk of not being to Mega Evolve when necessary. I have come to believe that this guy will work wonders as a lead to Mega Evolve from the start while using U-Turn at the same time. This way Scizor is more bulky overall for the rest of the match.
Hydreigon with Levitate and Expert Belt
Timid 252 SpA/252 Spe/4 Atk
Draco Meteor
Dark Pulse
Flash Cannon/Fire Blast
U-Turn
While many folks were not as big a fan of Hydreigon in Gen V, this guy is all about cold blooded murder from the Special side of life. Dark Pulse received a huge buff in that Steel types no longer resist it (making Fire Blast redundant) and Draco Meteor just smashes stuff repeatedly. At least stuff that isn’t Fairy and that is where Flash Cannon comes in. While Steel does not have great coverage it is the one move that Hydreigon gets to help defend against a type that will wall it senselessly. As mentioned, Fire Blast isn’t as necessary now that Dark hits steel types neutrally. U-Turn is there for getting out while the getting is good and Expert Belt is there to allow switching moves while getting a boost or bluffing a Choice Item.
And now for the newest member of the team. A new Pokémon that is under constant discussion right now because of his typing, looks, stats, and abilities; Noivern!
Noivern with Frisk and Choice Specs
Modest 252 SpA/252 Spe/4 HP
Boomburst
Draco Meteor/Dragon Pulse
Switcheroo
U-Turn
Originally this guy was going to be an Annoyer to support my team, but I have found that my original beliefs were incorrect. With the Choice Specs, Boomburst and Draco Meteor/Dragon Pulse will sting considerably, but it is Switcheroo that makes the set overall. Working with Frisk, I can determine if attacking or switching items is the best course of action and go from there. Either way, Noivern is sure to leave a mark before it switches out. Scouting outright with U-Turn keeps him in line with the overall theme of this team and it takes advantage of his blistering speed. I know that Landorus-T makes for a greater defensive pivot, but I don’t have access to it yet and I love the design of Noivern so much more. The argument of Draco Meteor or Dragon Pulse is one that I have not yet determined the answer for internally. I think Dragon Pulse would better fit this guy since he will primarily be Choice locked.
I have seriously considered dropping Infernape for one of the two following Pokemon, but since I don’t know how much things have changed yet for the Metagame, I am not for certain how effective they would be in the longer term.
Conkeldurr with Assault Vest
Adamant 252 HP/252 Atk/4 Def
Drain Punch
Ice Punch
Thunderpunch
Mach Punch
While this guy lacks the move U-Turn or Volt Switch, giving him an Assault Vest makes for a serious defensive pivot that can heal itself without being restricted by the vest. With the proper prediction, even Intimidate users will not appreciate the appropriate punch to the face making for a serious pain in the tail. Since Steel retains the resistance to Psychic I can always switch out to either of my bugs or Hydreigon if I fear for Conkeldurr’s safety. Drain Punch and Mach Punch will be used accordingly to either heal or take down a weakened foe. I also feel this guy helps with my ghost and Rotom-Form weakness because Conkeldurr would love the free boost from Will-O-Wisp or Toxic. If Conkeldurr was to be used with the Assault Vest, Forretress would use Leftovers instead.
The other Pokemon Infernape might be fired for is an all-out mixed attacker Greninja with Protean, but outside of U-Turn and Water Shuriken I don’t know where to begin. I have a Froakie that was a gift to me that has near perfect IV’s and Protean but I want to know how to maximize his potential before I begin his training.
Greninja with Protean and Life Orb
Naughty 100 Atk/156 SpA/252 Spe
U-Turn
Water Shuriken
Dark Pulse/Sludge Bomb
Hydro Pump/Ice Beam/Grass Knot
Wow! This Pokemon is not only awesome, but a royal pain in the tail to determine a moveset for. I am shooting for a mixed attacking set because each of the moves are amazing for different purposes. If you have been under a rock lately, Protean changes Greninja’s type to a the full type of whatever attack he uses, before he uses it! This way everything has STAB! As you can tell I love U-Turn so that is going to be a standard for Greninja. Water Shuriken is a move that has many people frustrated. It is a multi-hit (2-5 hits) priority move that is perfect for shutting down Substitute Pokemon such as Gengar and Volcarona! Outside of that though I wonder about its overall utility. Dark Pulse is a great way to remove the faster ghosts and psychics but Sludge Bomb hits Fairy (and Grass I guess) for super effective damage. Hydro Pump is the strongest viable special move available, but is redundant with Water Shuriken. Ice Beam is always fun when it is STAB plus the frog is faster than all of the Dragons bar Noivern. Grass Knot is useful for giving Greninja the resistances to Ground and Grass, but it also hits Mega Gyarados pretty hard. There are some other options such as Shadow Sneak or Extrasensory, but there would need to a severe problem in your team when it comes to handling them so Greninja fixes the hole. Spikes and Toxic Spikes are cool and all, but Defog is going to be more prevalent with Sticky Web so I believe that either Spike move will be a wasted slot.
So that is my team! I love the idea of always keeping my opponent guessing as I continue to switch out on each of my “counters”. Let me know what you think but remember that this is not for an emulator team, but an honest to goodness team for battling with friends locally so make honest recommendations that are worth the extra effort.
VoltTurn
I would like to think I created this idea from scratch first, but sadly someone beat me to it a long time ago when I had no interest in competitive play. My favorite play style is null in void due to the nerf on Sandstream. Therefore I am going to use my new team full time. I had good success in the live games I have played thus far…when I assumed that my opponents used Smogon sets… The idea is to attack as much as I can and then keep the pressure going by using U-Turn or Volt Switch when I have to. With the correct prediction aided by Team Preview I should be able to continue rolling through my opponents. My current thread is to discuss the changes associated with the transition to X and Y. I am dropping my Magnezone for Noivern because his speed was so pitiful that despite hitting like a truck he would seldom hit anything.
NOTE!!!!! This is for a team to be used on my 3DS and not an emulator so make sure your recommendations are actually worth the effort that is expended in breeding and training.
Infernape with Blaze and Fire Gem
Naïve 252 Atk/252 Spe/4 SpA
Close Combat
U-Turn
Stealth Rock
Overheat
Infernape will generally serve as my team lead since it has Stealth Rock, but I have chosen not to use a Focus Sash because he will probably switch out if he cannot lay down Stealth Rock on the first turn. While Fake Out would be an absolute boon to Infernape for a VoltTurn team, I recognize the moves I have selected will benefit me in the longer term. I say this because Infernape isn’t great at taking hits so I won’t be switching him in as often as some of the other members. Since all of the EV’s are invested into Attack I am using a Fire Gem to boost Overheat to semi-nuclear power. Stealth Rock and U-Turn are straight utility with Close Combat and Overheat for vicious STAB attacks.
Forretress with Sturdy and Assault Vest
Sassy 252 HP/252 Def/4 SpD
Gyro Ball
Explosion
Rapid Support
Volt Turn
This guy is all utility, all the time. Rapid spin is the name of the game for this guy because of all the switching I will be doing, but with this set up I have had remarkable success with defeating the Lati-twins and even Rayquaza a few times. Volt Turn is there to provide a slow switch and allow Forretress to sponge an attack so the switch in avoids the damage. I have chosen the Assault vest and Explosion because in my experience I never really got the opportunity to use Spikes and the whole team gains some additional bulk for switching in and out. Gyro Ball is for a solid STAB attack that has worked well in taking down Gengar expecting a Rapid Spin as well as the move-locked Dragons.
Rotom-W with Levitate and Leftovers
Calm 252 HP/252 Def/4 SpD
Volt Turn
Hydro Pump
Pain Split
Will-O-Wisp
This is part one of my defensive core and he appears to be the Number 1 or Number 2 most used Pokémon because he is just that valuable. I chose to go bulky because I have some heavy hitters already and I needed more defensive types. Generally I choose WoW or Pain Split on the switch and then he gets out of there with Volt Switch because a ground type is not coming in due to the fear being hit with Hydro Pump. That move will used later on the match because Rotom-W is more than likely to survive longer than anyone else. The EV’s and nature were to maximize both defensive spectrums.
Scizor with Technician and Scizorite
Adamant 252 HP/252 Atk/4 Spe
Bullet Punch
U-Turn
Superpower
Quick Attack
Scizor has been a beast in the meta-game since Platinum I think. Bullet Punch and U-Turn are the staples of the set and U-Turn will be the primary move period unless a Bullet Punch is necessary for a revenge kill. Superpower is there for coverage against Heatran and Ferrothorn and whatever else is necessary in the new Generation. The final move slot is a toss-up for me because I would rather knock out Volcarona with a boosted Quick Attack or spam a STAB U-Turn so the “counter” has to switch after the switch if you catch my drift. Common sense dictates that Scizorite be the requisite item since it is better than Choice Band for a VoltTurn team and I lack another Mega Evolution so I don’t run the risk of not being to Mega Evolve when necessary. I have come to believe that this guy will work wonders as a lead to Mega Evolve from the start while using U-Turn at the same time. This way Scizor is more bulky overall for the rest of the match.
Hydreigon with Levitate and Expert Belt
Timid 252 SpA/252 Spe/4 Atk
Draco Meteor
Dark Pulse
Flash Cannon/Fire Blast
U-Turn
While many folks were not as big a fan of Hydreigon in Gen V, this guy is all about cold blooded murder from the Special side of life. Dark Pulse received a huge buff in that Steel types no longer resist it (making Fire Blast redundant) and Draco Meteor just smashes stuff repeatedly. At least stuff that isn’t Fairy and that is where Flash Cannon comes in. While Steel does not have great coverage it is the one move that Hydreigon gets to help defend against a type that will wall it senselessly. As mentioned, Fire Blast isn’t as necessary now that Dark hits steel types neutrally. U-Turn is there for getting out while the getting is good and Expert Belt is there to allow switching moves while getting a boost or bluffing a Choice Item.
And now for the newest member of the team. A new Pokémon that is under constant discussion right now because of his typing, looks, stats, and abilities; Noivern!
Noivern with Frisk and Choice Specs
Modest 252 SpA/252 Spe/4 HP
Boomburst
Draco Meteor/Dragon Pulse
Switcheroo
U-Turn
Originally this guy was going to be an Annoyer to support my team, but I have found that my original beliefs were incorrect. With the Choice Specs, Boomburst and Draco Meteor/Dragon Pulse will sting considerably, but it is Switcheroo that makes the set overall. Working with Frisk, I can determine if attacking or switching items is the best course of action and go from there. Either way, Noivern is sure to leave a mark before it switches out. Scouting outright with U-Turn keeps him in line with the overall theme of this team and it takes advantage of his blistering speed. I know that Landorus-T makes for a greater defensive pivot, but I don’t have access to it yet and I love the design of Noivern so much more. The argument of Draco Meteor or Dragon Pulse is one that I have not yet determined the answer for internally. I think Dragon Pulse would better fit this guy since he will primarily be Choice locked.
I have seriously considered dropping Infernape for one of the two following Pokemon, but since I don’t know how much things have changed yet for the Metagame, I am not for certain how effective they would be in the longer term.
Conkeldurr with Assault Vest
Adamant 252 HP/252 Atk/4 Def
Drain Punch
Ice Punch
Thunderpunch
Mach Punch
While this guy lacks the move U-Turn or Volt Switch, giving him an Assault Vest makes for a serious defensive pivot that can heal itself without being restricted by the vest. With the proper prediction, even Intimidate users will not appreciate the appropriate punch to the face making for a serious pain in the tail. Since Steel retains the resistance to Psychic I can always switch out to either of my bugs or Hydreigon if I fear for Conkeldurr’s safety. Drain Punch and Mach Punch will be used accordingly to either heal or take down a weakened foe. I also feel this guy helps with my ghost and Rotom-Form weakness because Conkeldurr would love the free boost from Will-O-Wisp or Toxic. If Conkeldurr was to be used with the Assault Vest, Forretress would use Leftovers instead.
The other Pokemon Infernape might be fired for is an all-out mixed attacker Greninja with Protean, but outside of U-Turn and Water Shuriken I don’t know where to begin. I have a Froakie that was a gift to me that has near perfect IV’s and Protean but I want to know how to maximize his potential before I begin his training.
Greninja with Protean and Life Orb
Naughty 100 Atk/156 SpA/252 Spe
U-Turn
Water Shuriken
Dark Pulse/Sludge Bomb
Hydro Pump/Ice Beam/Grass Knot
Wow! This Pokemon is not only awesome, but a royal pain in the tail to determine a moveset for. I am shooting for a mixed attacking set because each of the moves are amazing for different purposes. If you have been under a rock lately, Protean changes Greninja’s type to a the full type of whatever attack he uses, before he uses it! This way everything has STAB! As you can tell I love U-Turn so that is going to be a standard for Greninja. Water Shuriken is a move that has many people frustrated. It is a multi-hit (2-5 hits) priority move that is perfect for shutting down Substitute Pokemon such as Gengar and Volcarona! Outside of that though I wonder about its overall utility. Dark Pulse is a great way to remove the faster ghosts and psychics but Sludge Bomb hits Fairy (and Grass I guess) for super effective damage. Hydro Pump is the strongest viable special move available, but is redundant with Water Shuriken. Ice Beam is always fun when it is STAB plus the frog is faster than all of the Dragons bar Noivern. Grass Knot is useful for giving Greninja the resistances to Ground and Grass, but it also hits Mega Gyarados pretty hard. There are some other options such as Shadow Sneak or Extrasensory, but there would need to a severe problem in your team when it comes to handling them so Greninja fixes the hole. Spikes and Toxic Spikes are cool and all, but Defog is going to be more prevalent with Sticky Web so I believe that either Spike move will be a wasted slot.
So that is my team! I love the idea of always keeping my opponent guessing as I continue to switch out on each of my “counters”. Let me know what you think but remember that this is not for an emulator team, but an honest to goodness team for battling with friends locally so make honest recommendations that are worth the extra effort.
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