A bit gimmicky, but, I GUESS it's a team

Poppin

Anyway, with Platinum finallly setting into place, I managed to dig within a few Pokemon and make an actual team (it's won enough battles for me to actually consider it a team >.>). After finally realizing how overrated Skymin was, I decided to make a team without him.

azelf.png

I am him (Azelf) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Explosion
- U-turn / Ice Punch / Zen Heabutt
- Taunt
- Trick

Leading with this has been fun, but, the slightest misprediction has either caused the game, or, Azelf early. I used to run a gimmicky set (Trick/U-Turn/Psychic/Ice Punch) and found this set to work a lot better. I've really been seeing a large amount of ScarfMence, Dragonite and Skymin leads which is the reason for Ice Punch, however, U-Turn allows for scout if my opponent is going to switch, first rather than stay in and KO Azelf after getting Taunted, or, getting a Choice Scarf. Zen Headbutt would allow for me to hit ScarfGar... hard.

Metagross, Gengar and Alakazam all get Trick, but, Azelf has something over them all, which cuased me to use this lead in the first place:

Azelf-Metagross: Higher Base Speed to outspeed faster threats if it needs to come back in later (i.e, Gyarados after 2 Dragon Dances, Scarfgar, etc. anything that breaks a 358/393 Speed.) and an immunity to Ground attacks. Azelf also gets Taunt to mess up other leads who don't mind a Choice Scarf switch.

Azelf-Gengar: A bit bulkier, higher base Speed and the fact that its Explosion can hurt so much more.

Azelf-Alakazam: Immunity to Ground attacks, a bit bulkier and the ability to Explode and U-Turn away if needed. The Base Speed drop doesn't really matter much since Azelf already outspeeds what's already needed >_>.
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scizor.png

Tangerine (Scizor) (M) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Technician
EVs: 232 HP/252 Atk/24 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- Swords Dance
- U-turn
- Roost

Beastly, nuff' said. I usually send this in after Azelf to scout for on coming Heatrans and Skarmory it usually gets up a Swords Dance and half of the time, a KO before it U-Turns out. I chose a Lum Berry over its previous item (Life Orb) since Scizor tends to get put to Sleep/Burned/Paralyzed by switch ins. I now use it as a counter for Gengar since Bullet Punch 2KOs without a Swords Dance.
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zapdos.png

Zapdos (Zapdos) @Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/188 Spdef/64 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)

Heat Wave
Roost
Thunderbolt
Hidden Power [Ground] / Hidden Power [Ice]

Honestly, why did I ever use Heatran in the first place? Eh. I guess I forgot Zapdos even existed >.>. Anyway, Heat Have makes it an awsome counter to Scizor as well as a pseudo Skymin counter. Thunderbolt for the obivous STAB. Hidden Power Ground finishes the coverage by knocking out Heatran and Electivire switch ins.
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jolteon.png

Doomsday (Jolteon) (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt

I realized something when making this team, Jolteon makes a somewhat good Life Orb, Timid Skymin counter. I've been going on and on about what item to use. Thunder Wave is Jolteon's "last ditch" option if I need to shut down a sweeping Pokemon, namely Salamence and Gyarados it also works with Azelf pretty nicely since Azelf can Trick a Choice Scarf while Jolteon negates it with Thunder Wave. Thunderbolt/Hidden Power Ice/Shadow Ball are Jolteon's few moves it gets and their coverage is nice. I chose Choice Specs since Thunderbolt is powerful enough for me not the have to switch attacks every turn at the risk of a loss of HP and power.
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tentacruel.png

DM (Tentacruel) (M) @Black Sludge
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 204 HP/96 Spattk/72 Spdef/36 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)

Surf
Ice Beam
Rapid Spin
Toxic Spikes

Donphan made my team weak as hell to bulky Ice Beam/Thunderbolt users and can do the same thing and more. Rapid Spin gets rid of my massive Stealth Rock weakness while Toxic Spikes breaks down a lot of switch ins. Surf and Ice Beam for the coverage and STAB.
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gyarados.png

Glen (Gyarados) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP/96 Atk/80 Def/60 SDef/20 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Sleep Talk
- Rest
- Dragon Dance / Outrage
- Waterfall

The final piece of this puzzle I can a team :/. RestTalk Gyarados works as a nice way to spread the Toxic Spikes damage around as well. With Outrage in its movepool, Gyarados actually has a chance against Kingdra and Salamence since Outrage doesn't go on with Sleep Talk, however, Dragon Dance would provide another sweeper for me to use.
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Replacements:

dugtrio.png

Dugtrio (Dugtrio) (F) @Choice Scarf
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk/252 Spd/4 HP
Adamant Nature

Stone Edge
Earthquake
Night Slash
Pursuit

In conclusion, I've managed to rack up a good amount of wins with this team. Most losses exist with misclicking, mispredicting with Azelf, hax, or, the fact that I faced the better team.
 
For Gyarados I'd switch Dive out. As far as what you said about stalling for Toxic, having two status moves may give your opponent more of a reason to switch, and using Dive will let them come without getting hit first. It also enables them to set up a bit, when you had used Dive against me I didn't need to switch since I had one guy with Thunderbolt out already, I just needed to wait.
Jolteon has plenty of type coverage and a strong SpA stat to keep hitting hard. Bug and Ghost don't cover too much more than Electric and Ice, I'd put in a support move like Light Shield but Jolteon's also going to outspeed most oponents and hit faster than you'd need to defend.
I've never fought a Heatran that has been too effective with defense, and since Earthquake and Close Combat are both common (as well as strong) you may want to consider hitting harder before you get taken out.
U-Turn was most effective, especially Scizor being able to Roost after switching in to nearly any-typed attack meant for someone else. Scizor usually makes a team too vulnerable to Fire but with Heatran there isn't much of a reason for an opponent to be using Flamethrower.
 
I like this team, especially Azelf and Jolteon. You're playing this on wifi right? There's no Shaymin there...

I would replace Heatran with that Zapdos, it is just amazing. I told you this before I think, but I love your Gyarados. However I don't think Toxic is needed. Taunt should go instead, to shut down Skarmory and Bronzong pretty nicely. It can also stop Scizor's setting up and the like.

I'm not sure Donphan is the best option, but I dont think Tentacruel is. If it works for you, then by all means keep it. I'd put Specs on LO on Jolt, unless you find it doesn't have enough power. It has a subpar bolt-beam there, but why Signal Beam? Shadow Ball already hurts Psychics, HP Ice hurts Grass. Both hurt Celebi pretty hard why do you need a Bug attack?

U-Turn on Azelf. Jolly isn't needed unless you plan to sweep without your Scarf, as if you switch to Adamant, U-Turn can KO standard Deoxy-S and Weavile I believe? Or at least come close.

I can't find anything that would really sweep you here. Overall, it's a very interesting team! Losing to hax...
 
Very : Although Dive is a bit unreliable when compared to Waterfall, I don't really see Gyarados actually staying to use Waterfall, anyway :/. Dive scouts out the team and brings out all of the things to take the Dive. It also gives Gyarados some extra healing in a Sandstorm or, Hail.

Metanite: Zapdos seems to be doing fine over Heatran, I'll keep it that way. A Choice Specs Thunderbolt hits hard without Jolteon losing any power, or, HP, so, I'll just go with Choice Specs for a while. Signal Beam is its only filler and can hit Tyranitar and Celebi a bit harder than its other moves. The standard Double Screen, leading Deoxys can setup a Reflect as I U-Turn (being outsepd, by the way >.>) while I can outplace Deoxys with Jolly and Taunt it.
 
firebot nicks in a pokemon thread? ok w/e man.

ok, I'd really just ditch your gyarados for the resttalk dder, seeing as if you go tentacruel > donphan you get ts flying around weakening everything, and gyarados with resttalk can help you both to stall for poison damage and to sweep. and with ts flying around, things like vaporeon are much easier to stall out with the ts. resttalk gyara can also makeshift counter sdluke and sd scizor, seeing as scizors can kinda stall sd until they get 3 sd's in, while gyara can actually hurt them a bit. tbh tran really doesnt' do anything for you other than absorb status, so really I like scarfed duggy over him, who can help you kill off stuff that's weakened by ts and really take advantage of those trans trying to come in on scizor. scarfduggy also helps you to take out some choiced guys that try and tbolt gyarados.

so, to try and avoid confusion, the team is now azelf / duggy / jolteon / gyarados / tentacruel / scizor

you're basically working towards a sweep with gyarados or scizor, which is at least a goal for the team, which is more than you had before. to fulfill this goal, you're got toxic spikes all over the place, helping to weaken things and give gyarados a chance at stalling water absorbers should they lack hp electric. you've also got scarfed dugtrio, helping you to destroy heatrans and other interesting things, as well as prey on whatever you may have stalled out and revenge kill stuff that gets too many dd's for your liking. in the way of skymin, you have tentacruel who can soak up hits from it pretty decently, though the sp.def drops mean you're better off saccing something and then keeping it from coming back in. dd outrage mence can hurt you, but even if it gets two dd's you've got scarftrio in the wings who can dispatch it with stone edge. really, my only concern with the team is zapdos, though he doesn't particularly enjoy switching in on anyone other than scizor, and can get worn down really quickly. and then of course if there are any holes you have azelf who can blow up at the blink of an eye.

I hope I made this come at least slightly closer to a team, not by making it perfect per se, but at least now you have something to work towards.
 
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