I made an ubers team, got to 1550 on the ladder and then started losing a lot. I realized at that point that if I am to compete at that level on the ladder I'm going to need to adjust my team and strategy. Who better to help than the experienced players here on smogon? So here it goes...
Lugia @ Light Clay
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 48 HP / 240 Def / 220 SDef
Bold Nature
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Roost
- Toxic
My lugia serves as a stalling tank but most importantly as a dual screener. Lugia sets up dual screens to allow my sweepers to be able to take some damage while they increase stats. The screens also help lugia boost defenses when stalling one on one. Light clay is there to extend screen duration and roost and toxic allow it to stall. The lack of whirlwind is hurting my team a bit, missing that move prevents him from effectively shutting down a charged up xerneas.
Giratina @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SDef
Careful Nature
- Defog
- Shadow Sneak
- Dragon Tail
- Will-O-Wisp
This guy is great against physical sweepers, especially ekiller. He can take a lot of damage, can remove hazards, cripple physcial attackers, remove opposing stat increases with dragon tail, and finish off opponents with shadow sneak. The main issue I have with his moveset is the lack of recovery. Toxic cripple him, and once he's out the hazards are here to stay. Xerneas shuts him down completely which sucks because if it weren't for the typing he'd be great.
Mewtwo-Mega-Y @ Mewtwonite Y
Ability: Insomnia
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Psystrike
- Aura Sphere
- Taunt
After Darkrai cost my team a lot of victories I needed a good counter. Mewtwo was the perfect solution. The typical Darkrai lead was crushed with mewtwo thanks to his ability and aura sphere. As my special sweeper, he does his job well. The screens allow him to take more damage allowing him to use calm mind to boost his spattk and spdef even more so. Taunt is very useful, as it allows mewtwo to calm mind and shuts down many leads when I lead with him.
Xerneas @ Power Herb
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Geomancy
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
When geomancy is set up, this pokemon dominates. The dual screens work very well with him cause all it takes is one turn for him to run through teams. Its ridiculous how much damage he can take with those screens helping him, especially special attacks. Xerneas also saves the game when the opposing palkia is alive. Aegislash ruins him though.
Arceus @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- ExtremeSpeed
- Swords Dance
- Shadow Claw
- Recover
Extreme killer, Quest-ce que c'est? My physical sweeper who's not afraid to take a punch. The screens make him even bulkier, setting up swords dance with ease and sweeping. Recover extends his bulkiness but tanks that burn him crumple his offenses. Arceus has won a lot of games for me and the fact that he is able to quickly finish off opponents who are quick but barely alive make him a viable asset.
Dialga @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 84 SAtk / 172 SDef
Modest Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder
- Flash Cannon
- Dragon Pulse
He does two things really well: setting up stealth rocks, and killing kyogre. He can take a water spout and can dish out a nasty thunder in return. Flash cannon is for xerneas, and dragon pulse is for dragons that could give him trouble. He is weak against groudon and cannot face him one on one. Roar is a missing move that could also be useful, especially against xerneas.
MY ISSUES
Steel-bug types give my team a lot of trouble. Genesect, scizor, forretress are common threats to my team due to the fact that my team lacks an offensive fire-type move. I really do not have a good answer to these types of pokemon. Boosted xerneas can do some damage, same with mewtwo, but they are way too fragile to take STAB super effective damage.
Aegislash is another glaring issue, giratina is the only pokemon that can handle him, even he loses sometimes due to toxic. The lack of literal fire power is a big hole in my team and hopefully you guys can also help me out when it comes to that. Thanks a lot!
Lugia @ Light Clay
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 48 HP / 240 Def / 220 SDef
Bold Nature
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Roost
- Toxic
My lugia serves as a stalling tank but most importantly as a dual screener. Lugia sets up dual screens to allow my sweepers to be able to take some damage while they increase stats. The screens also help lugia boost defenses when stalling one on one. Light clay is there to extend screen duration and roost and toxic allow it to stall. The lack of whirlwind is hurting my team a bit, missing that move prevents him from effectively shutting down a charged up xerneas.
Giratina @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SDef
Careful Nature
- Defog
- Shadow Sneak
- Dragon Tail
- Will-O-Wisp
This guy is great against physical sweepers, especially ekiller. He can take a lot of damage, can remove hazards, cripple physcial attackers, remove opposing stat increases with dragon tail, and finish off opponents with shadow sneak. The main issue I have with his moveset is the lack of recovery. Toxic cripple him, and once he's out the hazards are here to stay. Xerneas shuts him down completely which sucks because if it weren't for the typing he'd be great.
Mewtwo-Mega-Y @ Mewtwonite Y
Ability: Insomnia
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Psystrike
- Aura Sphere
- Taunt
After Darkrai cost my team a lot of victories I needed a good counter. Mewtwo was the perfect solution. The typical Darkrai lead was crushed with mewtwo thanks to his ability and aura sphere. As my special sweeper, he does his job well. The screens allow him to take more damage allowing him to use calm mind to boost his spattk and spdef even more so. Taunt is very useful, as it allows mewtwo to calm mind and shuts down many leads when I lead with him.
Xerneas @ Power Herb
Ability: Fairy Aura
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Geomancy
- Moonblast
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
When geomancy is set up, this pokemon dominates. The dual screens work very well with him cause all it takes is one turn for him to run through teams. Its ridiculous how much damage he can take with those screens helping him, especially special attacks. Xerneas also saves the game when the opposing palkia is alive. Aegislash ruins him though.
Arceus @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- ExtremeSpeed
- Swords Dance
- Shadow Claw
- Recover
Extreme killer, Quest-ce que c'est? My physical sweeper who's not afraid to take a punch. The screens make him even bulkier, setting up swords dance with ease and sweeping. Recover extends his bulkiness but tanks that burn him crumple his offenses. Arceus has won a lot of games for me and the fact that he is able to quickly finish off opponents who are quick but barely alive make him a viable asset.
Dialga @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 84 SAtk / 172 SDef
Modest Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder
- Flash Cannon
- Dragon Pulse
He does two things really well: setting up stealth rocks, and killing kyogre. He can take a water spout and can dish out a nasty thunder in return. Flash cannon is for xerneas, and dragon pulse is for dragons that could give him trouble. He is weak against groudon and cannot face him one on one. Roar is a missing move that could also be useful, especially against xerneas.
MY ISSUES
Steel-bug types give my team a lot of trouble. Genesect, scizor, forretress are common threats to my team due to the fact that my team lacks an offensive fire-type move. I really do not have a good answer to these types of pokemon. Boosted xerneas can do some damage, same with mewtwo, but they are way too fragile to take STAB super effective damage.
Aegislash is another glaring issue, giratina is the only pokemon that can handle him, even he loses sometimes due to toxic. The lack of literal fire power is a big hole in my team and hopefully you guys can also help me out when it comes to that. Thanks a lot!
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