Hey guys, just wanted to get any feedback/tips/criticisms on my team.
Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Brave Bird
I decided to use Skarmory as my physical wall because I love basically everything about him. His typing gives him only two weaknesses of fire/electric, he has massive defense and combined with rocky helmet/roost he lives for a long time against physical attackers while wearing them down, and I like what he brings to my team. He acts as a lead most of the time, and a good switch in against physical attackers, and he sets up well. Having stealth rock/whirlwind allows me to get some passive damage as well as break any potential sashes/sturdies. He works well for stalling as well as getting rid of set up pokes.
Tentacruel @ Assault Vest
Ability: Liquid Ooze
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP / 126 Def / 130 SpD
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Knock Off (also sometimes Rapid Spin if I really want it)
- Sludge Bomb
I am using Tentacruel as my special wall. He has fantastic SpD, and decent Spe and SpA as well. He works well with Skarmory, as he resists fire and Skarmory covers Tentacruel's weakness to ground. I chose his set the way I did because the vest gives him a huge boost to his SpD, and all of his moves work well anyway. Knock off helps take care of annoying life orb/rocky helmet users, scald/sludge bomb have a decent chance for status afflict, and ice beam is good for coverage. I opted for some Def EVs mostly for mixed attackers that I don't predict, and for U-turn on Greninja/Scarfed Hydreigon, etc.
Nidoking @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower
This guy is amazing. He's one of two of my special sweepers, and I chose him because he gives me unbeatable coverage with his moves and all are boosted by life orb. He serves kind of an interesting role on my team, however. He is hard to switch in on predictions alone, so usually he serves as a revenge killer if I know I can outspeed them (doesn't happen too often though...). He also has an element of surprise with him, if I know my opponent does not know his moves and how much power he wields. Overall he is a great asset to my team, even though I don't always switch him in at the best times.
Gengar @ Black Sludge
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Shadow Ball
- Substitute
- Dazzling Gleam
- Sludge Wave
This is the second half of my special sweepers, and he is a bit easier to use. He acts as a great revenge killer, or also as a good switch in against a fighting type move aimed at Snorlax or Mega-Gyarados. His three coverage moves work well in tandem with that of Nidoking's, giving me very nice coverage between the two of them. Two STABs with Shadow Ball and Sludge Wave, Gleam for coverage and Sub just because it works well on Gengar. In general Gengar is a good sweeper on my team and works well with my other pokes.
Snorlax @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Thick Fat
Nature: Careful
EVs: 128 HP / 124 Atk / 128 Def / 128 SpD (kinda iffy on the EVs)
- Return
- Rest
- Curse
- Earthquake
This big fella has a unique role on my team from game to game. Sometimes he acts as a backup special wall, and sometimes (most of the time) he acts as a setup sweeper. He usually is kind of a last resort, hope-you-can-bail-me-out kind of pokemon, but he has done wonders for me. I'll curse up a few times while my opponent realizes what it is I'm doing, and if they can't stop it I'll rest up and after the chesto is popped I'll sweep with Return and Earthquake. Other than the fact that this set is walled by Gengar it works really well, I just have to make sure enemy Gengars are gone first. I choose to have him on my team cause he has gotten me out of some tough situations before, and he's special to me.
Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate/Mold Breaker (Mega)
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Waterfall
- Dragon Dance
- Ice Fang
- Earthquake
Gyarados fills the last slot on my team, and he is just simply awesome. I chose him because he was kind of a lesser used but still amazing mega, and because he seemed to fit well on my team (and I had a shiny one with 5IVs, irrelevant I know). If I'm able to set up a couple Dragon Dances, he can usually sweep entire teams (bar a couple physical walls or scarfed pokes). He'll act as a revenge killer for me, or as a set up sweeper if I know they can't stop me from setting up. Once he's mega evolved I can use him as a switch in if I predict a psychic attack on Tentacruel or Gengar. That usually doesn't happen, but it is useful if it works. In general if I can get him out, he can win me the game.
As for battle tactics, this team is very fluid and adaptable how I play it, so I usually just end up responding to my opponent the best I can. I usually don't try and set up one poke over the others, I just use the one that's best for the situation.
So, that's my team! I am aware of a couple glaring weaknesses, such as an overwhelming weakness to electric and the fact that I have three poison types on it, but I would still like any advice on whatever you want to comment on (also, did you notice all but Skarm were from gen 1? :P). I am very comfortable with this team, and I have used it a lot, but I am open to whatever suggestions you may have. Thanks!
- Zuko
Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Brave Bird
I decided to use Skarmory as my physical wall because I love basically everything about him. His typing gives him only two weaknesses of fire/electric, he has massive defense and combined with rocky helmet/roost he lives for a long time against physical attackers while wearing them down, and I like what he brings to my team. He acts as a lead most of the time, and a good switch in against physical attackers, and he sets up well. Having stealth rock/whirlwind allows me to get some passive damage as well as break any potential sashes/sturdies. He works well for stalling as well as getting rid of set up pokes.
Tentacruel @ Assault Vest
Ability: Liquid Ooze
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP / 126 Def / 130 SpD
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Knock Off (also sometimes Rapid Spin if I really want it)
- Sludge Bomb
I am using Tentacruel as my special wall. He has fantastic SpD, and decent Spe and SpA as well. He works well with Skarmory, as he resists fire and Skarmory covers Tentacruel's weakness to ground. I chose his set the way I did because the vest gives him a huge boost to his SpD, and all of his moves work well anyway. Knock off helps take care of annoying life orb/rocky helmet users, scald/sludge bomb have a decent chance for status afflict, and ice beam is good for coverage. I opted for some Def EVs mostly for mixed attackers that I don't predict, and for U-turn on Greninja/Scarfed Hydreigon, etc.
Nidoking @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower
This guy is amazing. He's one of two of my special sweepers, and I chose him because he gives me unbeatable coverage with his moves and all are boosted by life orb. He serves kind of an interesting role on my team, however. He is hard to switch in on predictions alone, so usually he serves as a revenge killer if I know I can outspeed them (doesn't happen too often though...). He also has an element of surprise with him, if I know my opponent does not know his moves and how much power he wields. Overall he is a great asset to my team, even though I don't always switch him in at the best times.
Gengar @ Black Sludge
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Shadow Ball
- Substitute
- Dazzling Gleam
- Sludge Wave
This is the second half of my special sweepers, and he is a bit easier to use. He acts as a great revenge killer, or also as a good switch in against a fighting type move aimed at Snorlax or Mega-Gyarados. His three coverage moves work well in tandem with that of Nidoking's, giving me very nice coverage between the two of them. Two STABs with Shadow Ball and Sludge Wave, Gleam for coverage and Sub just because it works well on Gengar. In general Gengar is a good sweeper on my team and works well with my other pokes.
Snorlax @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Thick Fat
Nature: Careful
EVs: 128 HP / 124 Atk / 128 Def / 128 SpD (kinda iffy on the EVs)
- Return
- Rest
- Curse
- Earthquake
This big fella has a unique role on my team from game to game. Sometimes he acts as a backup special wall, and sometimes (most of the time) he acts as a setup sweeper. He usually is kind of a last resort, hope-you-can-bail-me-out kind of pokemon, but he has done wonders for me. I'll curse up a few times while my opponent realizes what it is I'm doing, and if they can't stop it I'll rest up and after the chesto is popped I'll sweep with Return and Earthquake. Other than the fact that this set is walled by Gengar it works really well, I just have to make sure enemy Gengars are gone first. I choose to have him on my team cause he has gotten me out of some tough situations before, and he's special to me.
Gyarados @ Gyaradosite
Ability: Intimidate/Mold Breaker (Mega)
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Waterfall
- Dragon Dance
- Ice Fang
- Earthquake
Gyarados fills the last slot on my team, and he is just simply awesome. I chose him because he was kind of a lesser used but still amazing mega, and because he seemed to fit well on my team (and I had a shiny one with 5IVs, irrelevant I know). If I'm able to set up a couple Dragon Dances, he can usually sweep entire teams (bar a couple physical walls or scarfed pokes). He'll act as a revenge killer for me, or as a set up sweeper if I know they can't stop me from setting up. Once he's mega evolved I can use him as a switch in if I predict a psychic attack on Tentacruel or Gengar. That usually doesn't happen, but it is useful if it works. In general if I can get him out, he can win me the game.
As for battle tactics, this team is very fluid and adaptable how I play it, so I usually just end up responding to my opponent the best I can. I usually don't try and set up one poke over the others, I just use the one that's best for the situation.
So, that's my team! I am aware of a couple glaring weaknesses, such as an overwhelming weakness to electric and the fact that I have three poison types on it, but I would still like any advice on whatever you want to comment on (also, did you notice all but Skarm were from gen 1? :P). I am very comfortable with this team, and I have used it a lot, but I am open to whatever suggestions you may have. Thanks!
- Zuko
