AbNormal
Hello people of smogon community, to begin with, i would like to introduce about myself a bit. It's SakuraDaemon here, a new member and a newbie competitive battler as well. I've been playing OU since the era of pokemon lab and then got bored, and made a comeback on PO. At first I was clueless about the 5th gen pokemon (since I dont play pokemon BW yet) but now I got used to it, I can at least predict the opponent's pokemon moveset. I believe that's enough introduction from me, now onto the team !!!
As the title suggest, this team is a mono-normal type (with no wild cards). This team is designed for a more offensive approach as I Think stalling is difficult to do in the monotype tier (especially when u face a typing disadvantage).
TEAM MAKING PROCESS
For the team to be offensive, I need a pokemon that hits hard and have at least a decent coverage and speed. So I choose this little guy
Looking at this I already know that he is weak to fighting type (You dont say.. duh ?) so I need to look for pokemon that at least have a neutral resistance to it, looking at the list of normal type pokemons, there are many pokemon with flying as a secondary typing. So i choose Staraptor as the nest pokemon to add more offensive presence.
as normal types has only fighting type weakness, I believe having another pokemon with neutral damage to it is a must. So i choose melloetta, not only she has neutral damage to it, she also possess a good Sp.A, a decent bulk and speed, just perfect to add the offensive presence.
Now, a touch of an offensive lead would be good to help the other 3 pokemon sweep. I need a fast lead and somehow can deal decent damage too. searching through the list, I found this amazing pokemon that I'm looking for. It's this monkey that deserve the spot
And I realize, OMG just look at these terrible defense this team have, even my fart can OHKO them. Realizing this flaw, I immediately search for a bulky pokemon that take hits like a boss, this goes to the infamous yet annoying yet effective wall since the DPP era, that is none other that this pink blobs.
The last pokemon (finally), goes to this little fairy, she's chosen because she has a decent bulk, wonderful ability + wonderful movepool which is very very important in the monotype tier.
The AbNormal
Ambipom (F) @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Technician
Evs:252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Sp.D
Jolly nature (+Spe, -Sp.A)
- U-Turn
- Fake Out
- Return
- Low Kick
Ambipom is a very fast pokemon, it outspeeds pokemon many other lead and almost guaratees a U-turn to gain momentum in battle. Fake Out + Return combo almost guarantees a kill on frail pokemon that it outspeeds (Example is Landorus) thanks to Silk Scarf damage boost + STAB, although it might find itself in trouble if they are scarfed. And Low kick is for coverage, and hit those steel mono teams hard. The EV spread is very simple, maximizing Ambipom decent attack and its speed even more, the 4 Sp.D is to mess up with download pokemons such as genesect and porygon and let their Atk to increase which will be useless to them
Cinccino (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability : Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Sp.D
Adamant nature (+Atk, -Sp.A)
- Bullet Seed
- Tail Slap
- U-Turn
- Rock Blast
Without a doubt, Cinccino is a dangerous pokemon, hard hitting yet fast. Bullet Seed gives water team a hard time, since most of them is at 2HKOed at least (guaranteed OHKO on Swampert and Gastrodon) and are unlikely to outspeed this little guy unless they are scarfed and can OHKO cincinno first (Example: Starmie). Tail Slap provides a strong STAB move and thanks to Skill Link, it will always hits 5 times (yay !). U-turn functions as a pivot here, I can switch in to psychic poke without problem and then with u-turn I switched to Blissey to sponge their attacks. Finally, Rock Blast, my favourite move out of all, it gives a decent coverage and really gives flying, ice team trouble, hardly any pokemon can switch in safely, even though they managed to survive, it will only find itself outpaced (thanks to Choice Scarf) and got rock blasted again. The EV spread is pretty straightforward, maximizing its speed and damage output, and 4 Sp.D is again to mess up with download poke who think that they can get a free boost.
Staraptor (M) @ Life Orb
Ability : Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Jolly nature (+Spe, -Sp.A)
- Brave Bird
- Close Combat
- Agility
- Quick Attack
This is one of the most dangerous pokemon in my team, and one of the most frail (Life orb + Recoil takes away too much HP). This guy is capable of scaring opponent out and force their pokemon out to save them, brave bird makes any fighting team unwilling to switch in against this guy, and even when they survived (which is a very rare sight) they will find themselves died because of quick attack. Agility is kind of useful when I predict the opponent is going to make a switch, making Staraptor even scarier with boosted speed. Quick attack is great to revenge kill any pokemon that managed to survive cinccino's attack, and in this metagame where you cant really predict your opponents team and move, priority move is better than double edge/return. Again, EV simple is very simple, maximizing Atk and Spe while jolly nature helps to outpaced more pokemon.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability : Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Sp.D / 4 Spe
Calm nature (+Sp.D, -Atk)
- Wish
- Protect
- Flamethrower
- Seismic Toss
Finally a defensive pokemon on the team, Blissey without a doubt is the best special wall in the game, with more investment in HP and Sp.D, special sweeper will only able to cry in front of this fat nurse. Glaceon's Blizzard only deal 15-25%, with specs I think it still took 4-5 hits to KO blissey (how awesome is that !) This sweet pokemon is really the true counters of ice team, flamethrower kills the like of froslass and can be unexpected too, able to scare away scizor that think that they can set up or kill blissey easily. Seismic Toss is its main attacking move, dealling constant 100 damage to special sweepers and other tank which is unable to even outstall this thing (Natural Cure, Wish+Protect is godly).
Meloetta @ Choice Scarf
Ability : Serene Grace
EVs: 252 Sp.A / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Trick
- Psychic
- Thunder
- Hidden Power Fire
Meloetta is my paralysis spreader and special sweeper at the same time, able to take out most of opponent team and cripple them. This is more effective in this metagame since most team lack cleric. Trick although sounds gimmicky, it is useful move against opponents wall (examples: The ever annoying StallRein and Steelix). Thunder guarantees KO on many flying types such as Skarmory and paralyzes them (60% chance thanks to serene grace), also a punishment for DrizzleToed and his fellow team. While psychic provides a strong STAB move and a chance to lower opponents Sp.D, forcing opponent to switch out if they dont want to risk their beloved pokemon died with a stronger psychic. Last Hidden Power Fire, kills Scizor, Forretress and Ferrothorn who thinks that they can set up on Meloetta. EV spread is simple (Its always simple with me), maximizing speed and SpA to create a hole in opponents team and ensure that thunder hits first, paralyzing them.
Clefable (F) @ Life Orb
Ability : Magic Guard
EVs: 252 Sp.A / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Focus Blast
- Ice Beam
- Stealth Rock
My status absorber in this team, does not mind Life Orb recoil damage, weather, spikes, Toxic and WoW. It is such a versatile pokemon with a very wide movepool, and decent bulk to set up stealth rock. Flamethrower deals with many steel types pokemon that hopes that they can safely switch into it (example: Metagross), Focus Blast deals with rock types and Heatran, which is immune to flamethrower. Ice beam provides coverage and kills dragon type. Clefable can be an effective late game sweeper with the help of meloetta (with paralyzing opponent team) and can even shows up in the mid battle to set up stealth rock if it has the chance.
Ambipom (F) @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Technician
Evs:252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Sp.D
Jolly nature (+Spe, -Sp.A)
- U-Turn
- Fake Out
- Return
- Low Kick
Ambipom is a very fast pokemon, it outspeeds pokemon many other lead and almost guaratees a U-turn to gain momentum in battle. Fake Out + Return combo almost guarantees a kill on frail pokemon that it outspeeds (Example is Landorus) thanks to Silk Scarf damage boost + STAB, although it might find itself in trouble if they are scarfed. And Low kick is for coverage, and hit those steel mono teams hard. The EV spread is very simple, maximizing Ambipom decent attack and its speed even more, the 4 Sp.D is to mess up with download pokemons such as genesect and porygon and let their Atk to increase which will be useless to them
Cinccino (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability : Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Sp.D
Adamant nature (+Atk, -Sp.A)
- Bullet Seed
- Tail Slap
- U-Turn
- Rock Blast
Without a doubt, Cinccino is a dangerous pokemon, hard hitting yet fast. Bullet Seed gives water team a hard time, since most of them is at 2HKOed at least (guaranteed OHKO on Swampert and Gastrodon) and are unlikely to outspeed this little guy unless they are scarfed and can OHKO cincinno first (Example: Starmie). Tail Slap provides a strong STAB move and thanks to Skill Link, it will always hits 5 times (yay !). U-turn functions as a pivot here, I can switch in to psychic poke without problem and then with u-turn I switched to Blissey to sponge their attacks. Finally, Rock Blast, my favourite move out of all, it gives a decent coverage and really gives flying, ice team trouble, hardly any pokemon can switch in safely, even though they managed to survive, it will only find itself outpaced (thanks to Choice Scarf) and got rock blasted again. The EV spread is pretty straightforward, maximizing its speed and damage output, and 4 Sp.D is again to mess up with download poke who think that they can get a free boost.
Staraptor (M) @ Life Orb
Ability : Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Jolly nature (+Spe, -Sp.A)
- Brave Bird
- Close Combat
- Agility
- Quick Attack
This is one of the most dangerous pokemon in my team, and one of the most frail (Life orb + Recoil takes away too much HP). This guy is capable of scaring opponent out and force their pokemon out to save them, brave bird makes any fighting team unwilling to switch in against this guy, and even when they survived (which is a very rare sight) they will find themselves died because of quick attack. Agility is kind of useful when I predict the opponent is going to make a switch, making Staraptor even scarier with boosted speed. Quick attack is great to revenge kill any pokemon that managed to survive cinccino's attack, and in this metagame where you cant really predict your opponents team and move, priority move is better than double edge/return. Again, EV simple is very simple, maximizing Atk and Spe while jolly nature helps to outpaced more pokemon.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability : Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Sp.D / 4 Spe
Calm nature (+Sp.D, -Atk)
- Wish
- Protect
- Flamethrower
- Seismic Toss
Finally a defensive pokemon on the team, Blissey without a doubt is the best special wall in the game, with more investment in HP and Sp.D, special sweeper will only able to cry in front of this fat nurse. Glaceon's Blizzard only deal 15-25%, with specs I think it still took 4-5 hits to KO blissey (how awesome is that !) This sweet pokemon is really the true counters of ice team, flamethrower kills the like of froslass and can be unexpected too, able to scare away scizor that think that they can set up or kill blissey easily. Seismic Toss is its main attacking move, dealling constant 100 damage to special sweepers and other tank which is unable to even outstall this thing (Natural Cure, Wish+Protect is godly).
Meloetta @ Choice Scarf
Ability : Serene Grace
EVs: 252 Sp.A / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Trick
- Psychic
- Thunder
- Hidden Power Fire
Meloetta is my paralysis spreader and special sweeper at the same time, able to take out most of opponent team and cripple them. This is more effective in this metagame since most team lack cleric. Trick although sounds gimmicky, it is useful move against opponents wall (examples: The ever annoying StallRein and Steelix). Thunder guarantees KO on many flying types such as Skarmory and paralyzes them (60% chance thanks to serene grace), also a punishment for DrizzleToed and his fellow team. While psychic provides a strong STAB move and a chance to lower opponents Sp.D, forcing opponent to switch out if they dont want to risk their beloved pokemon died with a stronger psychic. Last Hidden Power Fire, kills Scizor, Forretress and Ferrothorn who thinks that they can set up on Meloetta. EV spread is simple (Its always simple with me), maximizing speed and SpA to create a hole in opponents team and ensure that thunder hits first, paralyzing them.
Clefable (F) @ Life Orb
Ability : Magic Guard
EVs: 252 Sp.A / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Focus Blast
- Ice Beam
- Stealth Rock
My status absorber in this team, does not mind Life Orb recoil damage, weather, spikes, Toxic and WoW. It is such a versatile pokemon with a very wide movepool, and decent bulk to set up stealth rock. Flamethrower deals with many steel types pokemon that hopes that they can safely switch into it (example: Metagross), Focus Blast deals with rock types and Heatran, which is immune to flamethrower. Ice beam provides coverage and kills dragon type. Clefable can be an effective late game sweeper with the help of meloetta (with paralyzing opponent team) and can even shows up in the mid battle to set up stealth rock if it has the chance.
And this is my mono normal team, I hope you liked it and please rate it for me as I know that this team is not perfect and the term perfect is even harder to achieve in this metagame. I'm open to suggestion :)
Changes made so far:
Cinccino (M) @ Life Orb
Ability : Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 Sp.D
Jolly nature (+Spe, -Sp.A)
- Bullet Seed
- Tail Slap
- U-Turn
- Rock Blast
Blissey --> Porygon2
Porygon2 (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
Evs: 252 HP / 132 Def / 124 SpDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Recover
- HP fire
- Ice Beam
- Magic Coat
Clefable @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic guard
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 Sp.A / 4 HP
Timid nature (+Spe, - Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Knock Off
