Hi everyone. This is my first (decent) team that I'm starting to feel pretty good about. The goal was to have a balanced team with Pokemon that I liked. Simple enough, right? Anyways...
First up, the centerpiece and late-game sweeper...
Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Quick Attack
- Earthquake
- Close Combat
- Return
The set should be pretty self-explanatory. After crippling the other team, use the combination of speed and sheer power to muscle your way through their last defenses while maintaining good coverage.
-- I opted for Hyper Cutter over moxie because I seemed to get hit with an intimidate before mega evolving more often than I got a chance to get an attack boost.
Pros: strong, fast, good ability, good coverage
Cons: 4x weakness to rocks, somewhat frail with plenty of type weaknesses. Because of this, I cannot send it out until I know it can either be safe, or obliterate the other team.
Second, the ever-so hated keyring...
Klefki @ Light Clay
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Spikes
- Foul Play
Usually opting as my lead, its primary function is to set up screens. With Prankster, I can often get a solid layer of spikes or 2 up with ease, helping MegaPinsir with a late game sweep. Foul play prevents anything that thinks it can get a free setup on an otherwise harmless mon. The EV setup along with Foul Play helps to keep it safe from a potential physical sweep and stop it in its stacks.
Pros: sets up reliably and often catches stat-boosting physical attacker off guard
Cons: a hole in its special defense makes it easy to take out with a super effective move, even with Light Screen. It's rather harmless to special attacking mons as well with Foul Play being its only offensive move.
Third, a nice physical tank...
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 184 HP / 252 Def / 72 Spd
Bold Nature
- Toxic
- Earthquake
- Taunt
- Roost
The combination of Poison Heal, Roost, and an incredible defense stat makes one strong wall that can toxic stall its way to victory while dishing out a few EQs. After trying a few movesets, taunt found its way on and I ended up liking it quite a bit.
Pros: counters almost any physical attacker, has great healing abilities, can stop setups with taunt
Cons: a 4x weakness to ice makes it susceptible to physical attackers like Mammoswine, and it's often unable to attack what it needs to with all the flying / levitating mons around due to EQ being the only offensive move
Fourth, a set that seems to catch a lot off guard...
Metagross @ Assault Vest
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 128 HP / 128 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Zen Headbutt
- Rock Slide
The EV setup along with Assault vest allows it to survive a Timid MegaCharizardY Flamethrower under sun and immediately OHKO it with Rock Slide. The dual screens from Klefki allow it to be a reliable and effective counter to both MegaCharizardY and Talonflame. This, of course, leaves it crippled, but with those 2 aside, it can safely switch in on most special attacks.
Pros: unsuspected set, soaks up tons of special attack hits
Cons: the usage of Rock Slide removes Bullet Punch (4MSS with 5 mandatory moves), without screens, it easily dies to exactly what Rock Slide is supposed to counter, and with all of its stats going into defense, it leaves a lot to be desired on the offensive side
Fifth, my all time favorite Pokemon. Isn't it adorable?...
Vaporeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 224 Def / 28 SDef / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Scald
- Roar
- Toxic
This turns out to be an effective cleric/support role. The EV setup sets its Defense and Special Defense exactly equal, and makes Wish restore as much as possible. Roar is often useful in ruining a setup. I often contemplate switching Toxic to Heal Bell to further the support capabilities, and without protect, it cannot reliably Toxic Stall.
Sixth, the most changed slot on my team...
Starmie @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Rapid Spin
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Ice Beam
This set allows it to outspeed pretty much everything and deal decent damage. Rapid Spin is necessary to get SR off the field for MegaPinsir, HP Fire gives me my only fire-type move on the team, Thunderbolt gives great coverage, and Ice Beam gets rids of dragons.
Pros: can soak up status ailments with Natural Cure, has good coverage, can spin when needed
Cons: FRAIL. Dies very easily, and thus removes my spinning abilities, The lack in power of HP Fire can get it killed quite easily if it can't get rid of what it needs to
Like I said, the last slot gets switched quite a bit, and usually ends up having to put in quite a bit of work to make up for the various weaknesses in my team.
Checks and Counters:
MegaCharizardY
If I can't counter with Metagross, it goes on an absolute field day and sweeps my team with ease.
Talonflame
Especially under sun. Flare Blitz dominates half of my team, and Vaporeon usually cannot do enough to stop the BB spam
Chandelure
Especially Chandelure. Nothing on my team can take more than one or two hits between Fire Blast and Shadow Ball.
And that's it! Any help and / or criticism would be appreciated!
First up, the centerpiece and late-game sweeper...
Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Quick Attack
- Earthquake
- Close Combat
- Return
The set should be pretty self-explanatory. After crippling the other team, use the combination of speed and sheer power to muscle your way through their last defenses while maintaining good coverage.
-- I opted for Hyper Cutter over moxie because I seemed to get hit with an intimidate before mega evolving more often than I got a chance to get an attack boost.
Pros: strong, fast, good ability, good coverage
Cons: 4x weakness to rocks, somewhat frail with plenty of type weaknesses. Because of this, I cannot send it out until I know it can either be safe, or obliterate the other team.
Second, the ever-so hated keyring...
Klefki @ Light Clay
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Spikes
- Foul Play
Usually opting as my lead, its primary function is to set up screens. With Prankster, I can often get a solid layer of spikes or 2 up with ease, helping MegaPinsir with a late game sweep. Foul play prevents anything that thinks it can get a free setup on an otherwise harmless mon. The EV setup along with Foul Play helps to keep it safe from a potential physical sweep and stop it in its stacks.
Pros: sets up reliably and often catches stat-boosting physical attacker off guard
Cons: a hole in its special defense makes it easy to take out with a super effective move, even with Light Screen. It's rather harmless to special attacking mons as well with Foul Play being its only offensive move.
Third, a nice physical tank...
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 184 HP / 252 Def / 72 Spd
Bold Nature
- Toxic
- Earthquake
- Taunt
- Roost
The combination of Poison Heal, Roost, and an incredible defense stat makes one strong wall that can toxic stall its way to victory while dishing out a few EQs. After trying a few movesets, taunt found its way on and I ended up liking it quite a bit.
Pros: counters almost any physical attacker, has great healing abilities, can stop setups with taunt
Cons: a 4x weakness to ice makes it susceptible to physical attackers like Mammoswine, and it's often unable to attack what it needs to with all the flying / levitating mons around due to EQ being the only offensive move
Fourth, a set that seems to catch a lot off guard...
Metagross @ Assault Vest
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 128 HP / 128 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Zen Headbutt
- Rock Slide
The EV setup along with Assault vest allows it to survive a Timid MegaCharizardY Flamethrower under sun and immediately OHKO it with Rock Slide. The dual screens from Klefki allow it to be a reliable and effective counter to both MegaCharizardY and Talonflame. This, of course, leaves it crippled, but with those 2 aside, it can safely switch in on most special attacks.
Pros: unsuspected set, soaks up tons of special attack hits
Cons: the usage of Rock Slide removes Bullet Punch (4MSS with 5 mandatory moves), without screens, it easily dies to exactly what Rock Slide is supposed to counter, and with all of its stats going into defense, it leaves a lot to be desired on the offensive side
Fifth, my all time favorite Pokemon. Isn't it adorable?...
Vaporeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 224 Def / 28 SDef / 4 Spd
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Scald
- Roar
- Toxic
This turns out to be an effective cleric/support role. The EV setup sets its Defense and Special Defense exactly equal, and makes Wish restore as much as possible. Roar is often useful in ruining a setup. I often contemplate switching Toxic to Heal Bell to further the support capabilities, and without protect, it cannot reliably Toxic Stall.
Sixth, the most changed slot on my team...
Starmie @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Rapid Spin
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Ice Beam
This set allows it to outspeed pretty much everything and deal decent damage. Rapid Spin is necessary to get SR off the field for MegaPinsir, HP Fire gives me my only fire-type move on the team, Thunderbolt gives great coverage, and Ice Beam gets rids of dragons.
Pros: can soak up status ailments with Natural Cure, has good coverage, can spin when needed
Cons: FRAIL. Dies very easily, and thus removes my spinning abilities, The lack in power of HP Fire can get it killed quite easily if it can't get rid of what it needs to
Like I said, the last slot gets switched quite a bit, and usually ends up having to put in quite a bit of work to make up for the various weaknesses in my team.
Checks and Counters:
MegaCharizardY
If I can't counter with Metagross, it goes on an absolute field day and sweeps my team with ease.
Talonflame
Especially under sun. Flare Blitz dominates half of my team, and Vaporeon usually cannot do enough to stop the BB spam
Chandelure
Especially Chandelure. Nothing on my team can take more than one or two hits between Fire Blast and Shadow Ball.
And that's it! Any help and / or criticism would be appreciated!
