Introduction
This is my first RMT, and I've been playing for a little bit of time. I rarely find moments in my day to play on Shoddy, but the times I do, I generally win about half of my battles. I either get walled completely and fail miserably or this annoying team shuts down the opposition by stalling, haxing, and annoying.
Essentially, I want some suggestions to take this team from being a coin-flip win to holding a viable winning strategy that if played correctly with good prediction, can net me many more wins. You can tell me to replace entire Pokemon, change movesets, or whatever. I am completely open for any advice. In other words, I'm not too stubborn and I want to learn to be better.
I was thinking about making a theme for the team and giving nicknames .. but then that would only make me more attached and less willing to break habits. With that said, here's my squad.
The idea behind this team is to annoy the hell out of my opponent while utilizing the various status effects in the game. I was looking to combine Confusion with Paralysis and Confusion with Toxic. At the same time, I didn't want to sacrifice too much offensive power, so I kept a couple of heavy hitters in the mix. As usual, here's the break-down of the team.
Lead
Crobat (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 104 HP/74 Def/252 Spe/80 SpD
Jolly nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Taunt
- Toxic
- Confuse Ray
- Protect
I was playing on Shoddy a few weeks ago. I was doing just fine with a few teams that I've been playing around with. I was winning fairly, losing fairly, winning by hax, and losing by hax. Typical battling for me. I've been swept plenty of times before, but then I came across this little bastard. After getting frustrated beyond belief, I knew it had to be mine. So I set out to make a team with Crobat as the lead. The strategy behind the set is simple. I have the speed completely cranked to 11, but I also have some EVs given to HP and defenses. I gave a touch more to SpD because I seem to attract special attacks like its my job with this set. Like I said, it's simple. If I know I can soak an attack from the opposing lead and it's not immune, I Toxic it. If it's an entry hazard or status lead, I Taunt it. And then the cycle begins. Taunt, Protect, Confuse Ray, Protect, Switch or Toxic, Protect, Confuse Ray (maybe die), Protect, Switch. So Crobat can either function as a suicide lead, or can even deal enough damage to make certain leads completely useless.
The main problems that I've run in to are Azelf leads, Scarf Jirachi leads, and Dragonite anti-leads. For some strange reason, not a single Azelf used Psychic until I started using this Crobat. Now, none of them use the fire moves that they used to. I've eliminated the threat of Scarf Jirachi leads because they generally want to Trick me .. so I just switch to Starmie to trade scarves. Dragonite anti-leads are just assholes. Since I know I'm generally boned when one comes in I hit it with Toxic, Protect, and switch to Jirachi so that I can try to sub-stall. They have been more common lately and I've had some trouble with them.
I try to eliminate the possibility of having Crobat end up being a suicide lead. He's pretty useful in the mid- to late-game, especially if he can spread another Toxic to the opposition.
Special Attacking Status Soaker
Starmie @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spe/252 SpA
Modest nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Grass Knot
Screw Starmie. Seriously. This is a typical Scarf Bolt-Beam set with Starmie. I like the idea of this Pokemon because with Jirachi being my Steel Pokemon, I can eliminate the threat of Toxic with Jirachi and other status moves with Starmie. Just soak up a status and switch out. Or, if the opponent doesn't like any of those four moves, just destroy it. I included Grass Knot because I enjoy its versatility over Psychic. Put simply, Starmie has a great typing and an even better ability. It can serve many roles, but I use it as my well of Special Attack that I can tap in to when I need it. That, and I can just take status moves and throw them away when I switch out.
Hax
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 164 HP/168 Atk/176 Spe
Jolly nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Thunder Wave
- Substitute
- Iron Head
- Fire Punch
After seeing this thing everywhere, I wanted in on the latest trend. It works well with annoying the hell out of your opponent, because it annoyed the hell out of me. What's worse than having your team paralyzed and poisoned? Well the obvious answer to that is having those team members trying to hit an opponent behind a substitute while it flinches you more than every other turn. This Jirachi is a big pain in the ass, but it is pretty damn fun to use. If you have a substitute up and the opponent isn't a Ground Pokemon, you can still paralyze that Pokemon while letting your substitute fall down, and which point you can promptly switch. It's all about spreading status, after all. And hey, if you see that the opponent is using EQ to eliminate your sub, why not switch in to an immune Pokemon? Such as Gengar, Flygon, or Crobat?
Ain't Afraid
Gengar (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Spe
Timid nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Protect
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
What do you know? It's your typical Gengar. He's pretty much used to deal out gratuitous amounts of damage while having an option to evaluate if he can safely switch out on his common counters or eliminate them. Gengar has always been a favorite Pokemon since the R/B/Y days, and I love that he still has functionality to this day. He's on the team to serve the role of avoiding EQ's, distributing great STAB damage, and being able to check the two Pokemon that seem to poke their heads in to every single battle: Scizor and Tyranitar. So sick of seeing those two. *Yawn*
Bulk
Flygon (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/176 Def/80 Spe
Timid nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Toxic
- Roost
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
This Flygon has made me pretty happy and has added to the annoyance of my team. I have always loved Ground Pokemon for their ability to come in on an Electric attack and just laugh it off. The nice thing about this set is that it gives me another option to stall, yet still providing a solid method of attacking. The combination of Poison, Fire, and Ground gives me some very solid coverage for what I can hit and what I can status. The main issue with this Flygon that has come back to bite me is when something else uses Toxic against me. However, I have a steel and two Poison teammates that I can switch to if the situation calls for it.
Dazed and Confused
Machamp (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 252 HP/244 Atk/12 Spe
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- DynamicPunch
- Stone Edge
- Payback
- Substitute
Machamp is awesome. Simply awesome. Being able to confuse opponents at will while they are afflicted with other statuses makes him a force to be reckoned with. I especially love using him against Tyranitar. Generally when opponents get pissed off at Crobat, they drop Tyranitar in to the battle. Good luck with Machamp. Seriously, once Machamp gets a substitute up, everything dies. The ability to confuse opponents 100% of the time with a STAB DynamicPunch is stupid. He's bulky as hell and has some great resistances as well.
Reflection
Once again, I'm looking for advice here. I want to be able to take this team from being a toss-up between dominance and futility and propel it in to a team that has the ability to consistently win .. given the right predictions and ability of the trainer. I know that this place is fearless when it comes to criticism, and I love that. Criticism is what I need for this team. I generally swim in an Olympics-sized pool full of hubris with everything I do in life. So go ahead and tell me why my team is garbage. I need it.
This is my first RMT, and I've been playing for a little bit of time. I rarely find moments in my day to play on Shoddy, but the times I do, I generally win about half of my battles. I either get walled completely and fail miserably or this annoying team shuts down the opposition by stalling, haxing, and annoying.
Essentially, I want some suggestions to take this team from being a coin-flip win to holding a viable winning strategy that if played correctly with good prediction, can net me many more wins. You can tell me to replace entire Pokemon, change movesets, or whatever. I am completely open for any advice. In other words, I'm not too stubborn and I want to learn to be better.
I was thinking about making a theme for the team and giving nicknames .. but then that would only make me more attached and less willing to break habits. With that said, here's my squad.
The idea behind this team is to annoy the hell out of my opponent while utilizing the various status effects in the game. I was looking to combine Confusion with Paralysis and Confusion with Toxic. At the same time, I didn't want to sacrifice too much offensive power, so I kept a couple of heavy hitters in the mix. As usual, here's the break-down of the team.
Lead
Crobat (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 104 HP/74 Def/252 Spe/80 SpD
Jolly nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Taunt
- Toxic
- Confuse Ray
- Protect
I was playing on Shoddy a few weeks ago. I was doing just fine with a few teams that I've been playing around with. I was winning fairly, losing fairly, winning by hax, and losing by hax. Typical battling for me. I've been swept plenty of times before, but then I came across this little bastard. After getting frustrated beyond belief, I knew it had to be mine. So I set out to make a team with Crobat as the lead. The strategy behind the set is simple. I have the speed completely cranked to 11, but I also have some EVs given to HP and defenses. I gave a touch more to SpD because I seem to attract special attacks like its my job with this set. Like I said, it's simple. If I know I can soak an attack from the opposing lead and it's not immune, I Toxic it. If it's an entry hazard or status lead, I Taunt it. And then the cycle begins. Taunt, Protect, Confuse Ray, Protect, Switch or Toxic, Protect, Confuse Ray (maybe die), Protect, Switch. So Crobat can either function as a suicide lead, or can even deal enough damage to make certain leads completely useless.
The main problems that I've run in to are Azelf leads, Scarf Jirachi leads, and Dragonite anti-leads. For some strange reason, not a single Azelf used Psychic until I started using this Crobat. Now, none of them use the fire moves that they used to. I've eliminated the threat of Scarf Jirachi leads because they generally want to Trick me .. so I just switch to Starmie to trade scarves. Dragonite anti-leads are just assholes. Since I know I'm generally boned when one comes in I hit it with Toxic, Protect, and switch to Jirachi so that I can try to sub-stall. They have been more common lately and I've had some trouble with them.
I try to eliminate the possibility of having Crobat end up being a suicide lead. He's pretty useful in the mid- to late-game, especially if he can spread another Toxic to the opposition.
Special Attacking Status Soaker
Starmie @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spe/252 SpA
Modest nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Grass Knot
Screw Starmie. Seriously. This is a typical Scarf Bolt-Beam set with Starmie. I like the idea of this Pokemon because with Jirachi being my Steel Pokemon, I can eliminate the threat of Toxic with Jirachi and other status moves with Starmie. Just soak up a status and switch out. Or, if the opponent doesn't like any of those four moves, just destroy it. I included Grass Knot because I enjoy its versatility over Psychic. Put simply, Starmie has a great typing and an even better ability. It can serve many roles, but I use it as my well of Special Attack that I can tap in to when I need it. That, and I can just take status moves and throw them away when I switch out.
Hax
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 164 HP/168 Atk/176 Spe
Jolly nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Thunder Wave
- Substitute
- Iron Head
- Fire Punch
After seeing this thing everywhere, I wanted in on the latest trend. It works well with annoying the hell out of your opponent, because it annoyed the hell out of me. What's worse than having your team paralyzed and poisoned? Well the obvious answer to that is having those team members trying to hit an opponent behind a substitute while it flinches you more than every other turn. This Jirachi is a big pain in the ass, but it is pretty damn fun to use. If you have a substitute up and the opponent isn't a Ground Pokemon, you can still paralyze that Pokemon while letting your substitute fall down, and which point you can promptly switch. It's all about spreading status, after all. And hey, if you see that the opponent is using EQ to eliminate your sub, why not switch in to an immune Pokemon? Such as Gengar, Flygon, or Crobat?
Ain't Afraid
Gengar (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Spe
Timid nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Protect
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
What do you know? It's your typical Gengar. He's pretty much used to deal out gratuitous amounts of damage while having an option to evaluate if he can safely switch out on his common counters or eliminate them. Gengar has always been a favorite Pokemon since the R/B/Y days, and I love that he still has functionality to this day. He's on the team to serve the role of avoiding EQ's, distributing great STAB damage, and being able to check the two Pokemon that seem to poke their heads in to every single battle: Scizor and Tyranitar. So sick of seeing those two. *Yawn*
Bulk
Flygon (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/176 Def/80 Spe
Timid nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Toxic
- Roost
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
This Flygon has made me pretty happy and has added to the annoyance of my team. I have always loved Ground Pokemon for their ability to come in on an Electric attack and just laugh it off. The nice thing about this set is that it gives me another option to stall, yet still providing a solid method of attacking. The combination of Poison, Fire, and Ground gives me some very solid coverage for what I can hit and what I can status. The main issue with this Flygon that has come back to bite me is when something else uses Toxic against me. However, I have a steel and two Poison teammates that I can switch to if the situation calls for it.
Dazed and Confused
Machamp (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 252 HP/244 Atk/12 Spe
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- DynamicPunch
- Stone Edge
- Payback
- Substitute
Machamp is awesome. Simply awesome. Being able to confuse opponents at will while they are afflicted with other statuses makes him a force to be reckoned with. I especially love using him against Tyranitar. Generally when opponents get pissed off at Crobat, they drop Tyranitar in to the battle. Good luck with Machamp. Seriously, once Machamp gets a substitute up, everything dies. The ability to confuse opponents 100% of the time with a STAB DynamicPunch is stupid. He's bulky as hell and has some great resistances as well.
Reflection
Once again, I'm looking for advice here. I want to be able to take this team from being a toss-up between dominance and futility and propel it in to a team that has the ability to consistently win .. given the right predictions and ability of the trainer. I know that this place is fearless when it comes to criticism, and I love that. Criticism is what I need for this team. I generally swim in an Olympics-sized pool full of hubris with everything I do in life. So go ahead and tell me why my team is garbage. I need it.