An Attempt at Charizard X

AkajiFlare

AkajiFlare

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Charizard @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Adamant
-Dragon Dance
-Flare Blitz
-Dragon Claw
-Earthquake/ Brick Break/ Roost
EVs: (252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 Hp)​

The inspiration and mega of the team. Charizard boasts huge rewards after a DD but has several weaknesses that prevent him from being an effective late game sweeper. Charizard hates Stealth Rocks before mega evolution, hates priority, and is worn down overtime by the use of Flare Blitz. I am having a difficult time deciding on Charizard's last slot. If Charizard runs Roost he will last longer but be unable to hit Steel types (notably Heatran and Aegislash). Brick Break forces me to play the guessing game with Aegislash but 1HKOs Tyranitar and breaks screens. Earthquake is the basic option but is somewhat predictable.
Charizard needs protection from hazards and possibly a cleric to function properly. I have also contemplated running jolly on him since he lies in that awkward 100 speed category, but with a jolly nature he cannot attain certain 1HKOs. I often find my enemies in less than 20% when i play with a jolly Charizard.


Florges.png

Florges @ Leftovers
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 Def
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- MoonBlast
- Protect
- Aromatherapy
​
The cleric of the team. Florges can easily salvage a burned, paralyzed, or poisoned team-member then wish-pass to them. Florges is Charizard X's best friend. Making a worn out Charizard X without Roost usable again! Florges is pretty bulky and can take a few hits and get in Leftovers recover whilst protecting and wishing.



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Skarmory (M) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 232 Def / 252 HP / 24 Spd
Bold Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Defog
- Roar
- Roost​

Latias is the second dragon type on the team. Latias resists the ground type that both of the above hate. Latias is also covered by Klefki in it's dark, bug, ice, and dragon weaknesses and can then lay down some status. Latios hopes to take a predicted super-effective move and whilst using Calm Mind then returning fire. Latias also serves as a defogger who isn't weak to rocks and hopes to out-speed it's enemies with Klefki's help. But you would never leave Latias in on a counter like that anyway. This has also been my way of dealing with Conkeldurr.



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Azumarill @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 248 HP / 8 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Aqua Jet
- Play Rough
- Superpower
​
The standard BellyJet Azumarill serves as priority and a fairy type. Azumarill's weakness's are covered by latios and klefki, while he covers their weakness to fire types and faster pokes such as Greninja. I run 248 HP because at level 50 Azumarill is just above half and cannot eat his Sitrus Berry. Azumarill helps round out the Fairy/Dragon/Steel core I am going for.
gengar.png

Gengar @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spd / 6 HP
Timid Nature
-Shadow Ball
-Sludge Bomg
-Counter
-Dazzling Gleam​


Gengar hopes to revenge kill by ending a damaged poke or a switch in, taking moves like Aegislash's shadow sneak or Greninjas Dark Pulse and replying with supereffective hits. Gengar also helps deal with Rotom-W and Clefairy, while he doesn't counter either of them he can deal respectable damage. Counter isn't expected from opponents and takes out pokemon Gengar couldn't normally do much damage too, like Sucker-Punchers and Tyranitar.

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Excadrill (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Iron Head
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin​
Providing some extra speed and power is Excadrill, who can now outspeed Greninja and can deal some massive damage to fairies as well as take electric attacks directed at his team members. Excadrill takes many of the hits that are supereffective against his team members and serves as an offensive rapid spin. Most opponents don't expect Excadrill to be scarfed and switch into supereffective glass cannons or offensive Rotom. Iron Head is a great move for Choice Scarf because of it's high flinch change and decent power.
 
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I really like the combination of Latias and Klefki, the look like they compliment each other nicely. I might consider running a different item on Latias, but whatever works for you.
Having a cleric / wish support could be very beneficial in place of Gengar. Something like Vaporeon (heh) that can dish out some special damage if needed as well.
Some ideas of getting over Charizard's speed weakness could include a Sticky Web user or a Baton Pass. While I can't figure out how to place either of those in your team, it's something to think about.
 
AkajiFlare I really like your use of a Steel/Fairy/Dragon core, but you have 3 'mons weak to ground and only one check for them - and a pretty shaky one at that, considering how popular Mold Breaker Excadrill is. (Or is it just me? Don't know.) Anyway, your team seems pretty solid otherwise, especially in using a physical attacker immune to WoW - the most popular physical attacker's counter - in MegaZard X. And I concur with Vaypourion - you need a cleric in this team, unless you are willing to use either Latias or Klefki as a dual screener. For this, I would suggest Sylveon or Floreges in place of Klefki.

Sylveon @ Leftovers
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 Def
Calm Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Wish
- Heal Bell
- Protect

Florges (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 Def
Bold Nature
- Aromatherapy
- Moonblast
- Wish
- Protect

Hope it helps. Cheers!
 
Rafael Markos
I really never see mold breaker Excadrill, and it is so frail that it isn't a problem. I tried using screens for about two weeks on showdown and it wasn't very successful. I actually replaced Sylveon with Klefki, because Klefki usually ensures that I get out at least one free turn. Switching Charizard into Klefki's weakened opponents usually means a free DD.
But noting the EQ weakness I will add Thunderus-T for playtesting.
 
It's really not such a good idea to run rapid spin on an Excadrill with a choice scarf, I would recommend you replace the scarf with an Air Balloon
 
The move is just a last resort, to get in a spin against a faster foe at the end of a match. Excadrill's coverage isn't amazing either. I've played with this Excadrill set and thought I would run into the problem you described but I haven't. It's very useful to have a fast r-spin late game and if i replaced r-spin with coverage I could choose X-scissor, Poison Jab, or Shadow Claw. These options are not much better than r-spin if I am going to get locked in. I really only choose Iron Head or EQ when battling.
 
AkajiFlare said:
The move is just a last resort, to get in a spin against a faster foe at the end of a match. Excadrill's coverage isn't amazing either. I've played with this Excadrill set and thought I would run into the problem you described but I haven't. It's very useful to have a fast r-spin late game and if i replaced r-spin with coverage I could choose X-scissor, Poison Jab, or Shadow Claw. These options are not much better than r-spin if I am going to get locked in. I really only choose Iron Head or EQ when battling.
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Rock Slide is a good coverage move since it hits flying types SE.
Edit: How is Rapid Spin a last resort?
Edit2: lol I didn't see Rock slide on your Excadrill
 
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If lategame I have Excadrill and Charizard and I need Charizard. I just don't find his other coverage very valuable. I am fine with a 1 turn rapid spin and switch out.
 
AkajiFlare said:
If lategame I have Excadrill and Charizard and I need Charizard. I just don't find his other coverage very valuable. I am fine with a 1 turn rapid spin and switch out.
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With that strategy you are wasting a Pokemon really IMO. Using the scarf and spinning prevents rocks sure but if I was your opponent then I would expect the Charizard switch and hit it with my hardest attack anyway. It would lose much more than what it would get through Stealth Rock damage. If you kept Excadrill in then you are tied to a very weak rapid spin move so you are making your Pokemon pretty useless once it has done its purpose in a very situational circumstance. If you only have two Pokemon left (Excadrill and Charizard) and you have to think that being able to attack with two Pokemon rather than spinning away some chip damage is going to benefit you much more because attacking is going to increase your chances of winning much more.
Charizard X isn't totally weak to rocks once Mega evolved so if you plan on running a scarf Excadrill then I suggest you ditch the spin and give it something more to benefit the team more.
Scarf Rock Slide is a good move as you get a chance to flinch your opponent too. Simply get the Charizard in before the rocks to Mega evolve and then switch out if you don't want to use it. If you want to keep it alive more then the last move should be roost.

Excadrill@Choice Scarf
Mold Breaker
Adamant
252 Atk / 72 Def / 172 Spd
Earthquake
Rock Slide
Iron Head
X-Scissor/Shadow Claw

With that said using the sub set on your Gengar would be a solid move as the focus sash will be getting broken due to the lack of spinner and you can sub up and start spamming dark pulse to take out threats on your team. Black Sludge will recover some much needed HP while Gengar causes good damage on things.

Gengar@ Black Sludge
Nature: Timid
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd/252 SpA/4 HP

Shadow Ball
Focus Blast/Dazzling Gleam/Sludge Bomb/HP Fire
Disable
Substitue
 
Your Latias set isn't helping your team much the way it is. Let's try to fix it.

You mentioned switching-in on a super-effective hit to get weakness policy while using calm mind. Great--now you're sitting at +3 Spatk and +1 SpDef and dragon pulse STILL doesn't hit fairies.

If you're only going to run one move, make it a move that can actually hit the pokemon it will be switching-in on. Your Latias set is currently hovering somewhere between set-up sweeper and utility wall. I think you should choose one.

If you want to use the Latias as a set-up sweeper, use Latios instead and drop defog and calm mind for surf and psychock. Change the EV to SpAtk and Speed rather than HP.

If you want to use Latias as a utility wall, run the moves you have and switch to leftovers. Tack-on Roar to PHaze-out any fairies that might be a problem.


It was an interesting idea, but it would only really work in a metagame without Klefki, Azumarill, and MegaMaw
 
The Azumarill is lacking in much late game power, so I suggest Waterfall or Aqua Tail.

Plus, with Zard-X on the team as well, the Azu becomes a second set-up sweeper.

Also, on the Gengar, try to run Destiny Bond, so you can go for an offensive move then maybe sack it for a poke.

Just suggestions however
 
I've made a good amount of changes to the team and I never bothered to change the thread. The thread will be updated shortly. m95408 So why does Waterfall or Aqua tail raise late game power? Play Rough has same power as Waterfall and I already have water priority in Aqua Jet. SmokingBomber465 I made a mistake in Latias set, sorry.
 
Replace Sylveon with Florges, there is literally no reason to use it over Florges. They serve the EXACT same role, only Florges has much better stats.
 
If your going to run a Charizard you should be getting the rocks out of the way at the very beginning of the game, otherwise your team will slowly be worn down by them as you switch. And why do you have Counter on your Gengar?
Edit: Why are you running a Bold Max Def Sylveon? Sylveon's Def sucks (max at 100 is 251)
Sylveon is much better as a Special wall, and besides you already have Skarmory for a defensive wall.
 
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I'm doing more play-testing, and I really don't like Sylveon. I would rather run another pokemon or a Latias again. Klefki also had a great role in my team, and could do a lot of work where the Skarmory/Sylveon replacement cannot. Also I run counter to kill physical attacker like Pursuit Scizor i cannot usually touch.
 
AkajiFlare said:
  • HP: Sylveon > Florges (95 > 70)
  • ATK: Florges > Sylveon (70 > 60)
  • DEF: Sylveon = Florges (65 = 65)
  • Sp.ATK: Florges > Sylveon (120 > 110)
  • Sp.DEF: Sylveon > Florges (130 > 120)
  • Speed: Florges > Sylveon (80 > 65)
For defensive purposes that isn't really true.
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Those stats are not true my friend. Florges has 78 HP, 154 SpDef. The rest are also not accurate but these are the important ones.
 
Well on to other parts of your team, Gengar isn't the most reliable revenge killer. I suggest you replace it with a Garchomp, Terrakion, or Latios.
 
PopRock123 said:
Why are you using Florges its almost completely outclassed by Sylveon which has higher hp(it takes physical hits better while passing higher wishes) and out damages florges MoonBlast with pixilate hyper voice. http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/dont-use-that-use-this-xy-ou-edition.3499671/ this thread briefly talked about why you should not use florges its good but just outclassed.
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Speeeeeeeeeeeeeeed. I currently switched to Sylveon for the sole purpose of being able to hit Gliscor behind a substitute, I much prefered Florges as moonblast is the superior move imo to boosted hypervoice due to its possible effect
 
I think you could replace rapid spin with Poison Jab on Excadrill. I think it is one of the more underrated moves in the game. It provides pretty good neutral coverage and can be used to hit unsuspecting grass types.
 
VikingBunny said:
I think you could replace rapid spin with Poison Jab on Excadrill. I think it is one of the more underrated moves in the game. It provides pretty good neutral coverage and can be used to hit unsuspecting grass types.
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He needs Rapid Spin to get rid of Stealth Rocks, otherwise his Charizard will be 50% of its Hp when it comes in, and 25% when it comes in as MegaZardX.
 
Although I must say, Florges/Sylveon-Skarmory combo is one of the best out there right now
 
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