Welcome to my first RMT post! I hope everyone's satisfied with how I set everything up. I'm sure people reading this can understand.
Simple Guide: First I'll describe the Pokemon's role, then in italics I will explain my personal choices and style of play, then in bold I will list its problems.
UU Balance Team:
My Goal: I wanted to create a team that fit my criteria. It had to 1) be able to withstand threats and be a threat and 2) include Pokemon I like. When I originally made this balance team, it was slightly different. I had to remake it, but I am sure I came close to the original.
Current History: It has won many battles, especially against teams that are not equipped to counter it. Its main issues are: Taunt-users, Status-abusers and Rapid-Spinners (I've considered adding a Ghost-type, preferably Spiritomb or Drifblim).
1) Meet the Lead!
Cloyster Lv100 (Male) Careful Nature (+SpD,-SpA). Shell Armor. Leftovers.
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SpD
Moveset: Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Rapid Spin, Explosion
-This Cloyster is made to throw out spikes, hopefully remove any that have been placed, and explode if up against a foolish opponent. It's high defense allows it to handle Fake Out leads with minimal damage.
-If up against a non-Taunt user, I usually start with Toxic Spikes. If something should happen to Cloyster after the first turn, I prefer the risk of another Poison-type soaking up the spikes in turn for the possible widespread poison. After 1 TS I continue to lay Spikes (2, 3 if I can). Afterwards I will either go for a second layer of TS or Explode, if my current opponent is not Ghost/Rock/Steel. Should my opponent bring out a strong special attacker, if Cloyster can survive another hit, I will try to explode.
-Cloyster does not want to be Taunted, for his role is to throw out spikes. Using Explosion early in the game might grant you a free trade, but its not always worth losing your hazards.
2) The Defender
Steelix Lv100 (Male) Sassy Nature (+SpD,-SpA). Rock Head. Leftovers.
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SpD
Moveset: Stealth Rock, Roar, Gyro Ball, Earthquake
-I know what you're thinking. A Steel/Ground version of Cloyster! Anyway, Steelix follows in the footsteps of Cloyster (who hopefully succeeded in spitting plenty of spikes out) and sets up his own Rocks. Then, depending on the opposition, he commences to Roar.
-I have learned that against Magneton/Zone, Roar is a must. Also, if I know my target will take damage from Gyro Ball or Earthquake, I will use it. Roar can disrupt Baton Chains (especially pesky Sub users). If your opponent is not ready with a faster Roar or a strong special attacker, he/she will face some Stealth/Spike damage.
-Milotic is definitely Steelix's nightmare. She can Surf all over Steelix and take him down. This is why I have my own Milotic! :)
3) The Pain Killer
Weezing Lv100 (Male) Modest Nature (+SpA,-Atk). Levitate. Black Sludge.
EVs: 6 HP/ 252 Def/ 252 SpD
Moveset: Pain Split, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, Sludge Bomb
-I can almost hear your cries of "noob!" and other fancy slurs as you witness the third defensive Pokemon on my team... Why is this a balance team if I have three physically defensive Pokemon on it? Well, if you care to notice things, you'll see that they have their purposes. Cloyster spreads hazards and hopefully takes someone down, while Steelix provides two useful resistances and can ruin setups. They each passively deal damage, and now for the fighter of the three. Weezing has great coverage, only facing problems from Ghosts-, Psychic- and Fighting- types (the more significant). Weezing is made to passively spread status and put dents in some Pokemon while hopefully finishing off those that have been tossed around in the hazards.
-Quite simply, I use whichever attack is necessary. Usually I switch out Weezing if I'm facing a Psychic-type, otherwise I'll use whichever attack works best (Sludge Bomb if none of them are super-effective). Weezing deals well with physical attackers, and against special attackers, I will do my best to sneak in a Pain-split (especially against a slower, unsuspecting special attacker).
-Weezing fears Psychic-types. Ground will have no effect (unless it's the rare Pinsir). Other than that, T-wave and the occasional Encore might disrupt Weezing's flow.
4) The Marvelous Serpent
Milotic Lv100 (Female) Modest Nature (+SpA,-Atk). Marvel Scale. Leftovers/Flame Orb.
EVs: 64 HP/ 252 Def/ 128 SpD/ 64 Spe
Moveset: Recover/ Surf/ Ice Beam/ Dragon Pulse
-Here's where you say, "Finally! A special wall!" Of course, I user her for battle purposes. I only consider FO because she doesn't need Attack, it activates Marvel Scale, and it prevents Toxic, T-Wave and Sleep, three common threats in UU (the burn damage can be healed with Recover if she gets a chance).
-I usually turn to her when Steelix faces a Surf-user, and I retaliate with Dragon Pulse, the next reliable Special-attack in her arsenal. It is only resisted by Steel-types (which succumb to Surf). Milotic is pretty self-explanatory.
-Power Whips, Thunderbolts and the like will try to eliminate Milotic.
5) Abra... Kadabra...
Alakazam Lv100 (Male) Modest Nature (+SpD,-SpA). Synchronize. Leftovers.
EVs: 4 HP/252 Def/252 SpA
Moveset: Barrier/Reflect, Calm Mind, Psychic, Energy Ball
-My star special attacker. I try to switch as little as possible, relying on Steelix and Milotic to soak up physical and special hits, respectively. Once the opposing team is exposed and softened up, I'll bring out this machine. If I know I am facing a physical threat, I will use Barrier (immediate, more permanent boost) or Reflect (Team support if Alakazam faints). Calm Mind then follows, preparing the sweep. Alakazam out-speeds most UU Pokemon, so I will often know when to attack and when to set up.
-I usually have good prediction with Alakazam. If my opponent brings out a known Sucker Punch-er, I will try to outpredict with Barrier (this also helps against Pursuit abusers). By giving Alakazam max defense and Barrier/Reflect, he can protect himself from his threats. Energy Ball deals with the common Omastar/Milotic/Kabutops running around, too.
-Alakazam has very weak defenses. Most hits will hurt him badly. Priority users will cripple, if not take out Alakazam. Timing and setup is crucial to Alakazam's survival.
6) Dam that thing...
Bibarel Lv100 (Male) Adamant Nature (+Atk,-SpA). Simple. Leftovers.
EVs: 124 HP/128 Atk/128 Def/128 SpD
Moveset: Curse, Amnesia, Quick Attack, Waterfall
-Sorry for the name, but I'm sure many unprepared Pokemon trainers out there will be saying worse than this if Bibarel sets up. This is the generic setup Bibarel, as I have experimented with many variations. I noticed this one works fairly well, as it is ready for several occasions. It's strategy is simple. (Get it?)
-If I know there is a special threat still lurking, I will Amnesia, automatically boosting Bibarel's SpD to 188 x3 (564). Doing this before Curse makes sure he's fast enough to actually react to a special threat. Curse will then double, triple and quadruple (if you get three out) his Atk and Def, turning Bibarel into a beast. Quick attack is Priority and ignores his -6 Speed. Bibarel's 60 base power Quick Attack is being launched off of 1044 Attack. Many Pokemon succumb to it in one hit.
-This variation of Bibarel is exposed to Paralysis, Sleep and Burn. Also, Taunt users can hinder its set up (it's vital to remove them through Roar abuse!) Also, Haze users pose a threat. If I find myself against a Roar/Whirl abuser, I will opt for Waterfall, since it'll give me a bigger chance of eliminating it due to negative priority.
Conclusion:
I like this team, it's done well for me. I understand that certain things can be improved, but the point is that I'm trying to stray a little from the "norm" and use various tactics to achieve victory. There are plenty of elements of the generic team in here, but I tried to tweak it to my liking. Either way, it's done pretty well, and I'd like to know what you think, be it critisicm or praise.
P.S. If you have critisicm, please keep it 1) mature and 2) helpful.
Thank you for checking out my first RMT! :D Take care!
Simple Guide: First I'll describe the Pokemon's role, then in italics I will explain my personal choices and style of play, then in bold I will list its problems.
UU Balance Team:
My Goal: I wanted to create a team that fit my criteria. It had to 1) be able to withstand threats and be a threat and 2) include Pokemon I like. When I originally made this balance team, it was slightly different. I had to remake it, but I am sure I came close to the original.
Current History: It has won many battles, especially against teams that are not equipped to counter it. Its main issues are: Taunt-users, Status-abusers and Rapid-Spinners (I've considered adding a Ghost-type, preferably Spiritomb or Drifblim).
1) Meet the Lead!
Cloyster Lv100 (Male) Careful Nature (+SpD,-SpA). Shell Armor. Leftovers.
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SpD
Moveset: Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Rapid Spin, Explosion
-This Cloyster is made to throw out spikes, hopefully remove any that have been placed, and explode if up against a foolish opponent. It's high defense allows it to handle Fake Out leads with minimal damage.
-If up against a non-Taunt user, I usually start with Toxic Spikes. If something should happen to Cloyster after the first turn, I prefer the risk of another Poison-type soaking up the spikes in turn for the possible widespread poison. After 1 TS I continue to lay Spikes (2, 3 if I can). Afterwards I will either go for a second layer of TS or Explode, if my current opponent is not Ghost/Rock/Steel. Should my opponent bring out a strong special attacker, if Cloyster can survive another hit, I will try to explode.
-Cloyster does not want to be Taunted, for his role is to throw out spikes. Using Explosion early in the game might grant you a free trade, but its not always worth losing your hazards.
2) The Defender
Steelix Lv100 (Male) Sassy Nature (+SpD,-SpA). Rock Head. Leftovers.
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SpD
Moveset: Stealth Rock, Roar, Gyro Ball, Earthquake
-I know what you're thinking. A Steel/Ground version of Cloyster! Anyway, Steelix follows in the footsteps of Cloyster (who hopefully succeeded in spitting plenty of spikes out) and sets up his own Rocks. Then, depending on the opposition, he commences to Roar.
-I have learned that against Magneton/Zone, Roar is a must. Also, if I know my target will take damage from Gyro Ball or Earthquake, I will use it. Roar can disrupt Baton Chains (especially pesky Sub users). If your opponent is not ready with a faster Roar or a strong special attacker, he/she will face some Stealth/Spike damage.
-Milotic is definitely Steelix's nightmare. She can Surf all over Steelix and take him down. This is why I have my own Milotic! :)
3) The Pain Killer
Weezing Lv100 (Male) Modest Nature (+SpA,-Atk). Levitate. Black Sludge.
EVs: 6 HP/ 252 Def/ 252 SpD
Moveset: Pain Split, Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, Sludge Bomb
-I can almost hear your cries of "noob!" and other fancy slurs as you witness the third defensive Pokemon on my team... Why is this a balance team if I have three physically defensive Pokemon on it? Well, if you care to notice things, you'll see that they have their purposes. Cloyster spreads hazards and hopefully takes someone down, while Steelix provides two useful resistances and can ruin setups. They each passively deal damage, and now for the fighter of the three. Weezing has great coverage, only facing problems from Ghosts-, Psychic- and Fighting- types (the more significant). Weezing is made to passively spread status and put dents in some Pokemon while hopefully finishing off those that have been tossed around in the hazards.
-Quite simply, I use whichever attack is necessary. Usually I switch out Weezing if I'm facing a Psychic-type, otherwise I'll use whichever attack works best (Sludge Bomb if none of them are super-effective). Weezing deals well with physical attackers, and against special attackers, I will do my best to sneak in a Pain-split (especially against a slower, unsuspecting special attacker).
-Weezing fears Psychic-types. Ground will have no effect (unless it's the rare Pinsir). Other than that, T-wave and the occasional Encore might disrupt Weezing's flow.
4) The Marvelous Serpent
Milotic Lv100 (Female) Modest Nature (+SpA,-Atk). Marvel Scale. Leftovers/Flame Orb.
EVs: 64 HP/ 252 Def/ 128 SpD/ 64 Spe
Moveset: Recover/ Surf/ Ice Beam/ Dragon Pulse
-Here's where you say, "Finally! A special wall!" Of course, I user her for battle purposes. I only consider FO because she doesn't need Attack, it activates Marvel Scale, and it prevents Toxic, T-Wave and Sleep, three common threats in UU (the burn damage can be healed with Recover if she gets a chance).
-I usually turn to her when Steelix faces a Surf-user, and I retaliate with Dragon Pulse, the next reliable Special-attack in her arsenal. It is only resisted by Steel-types (which succumb to Surf). Milotic is pretty self-explanatory.
-Power Whips, Thunderbolts and the like will try to eliminate Milotic.
5) Abra... Kadabra...
Alakazam Lv100 (Male) Modest Nature (+SpD,-SpA). Synchronize. Leftovers.
EVs: 4 HP/252 Def/252 SpA
Moveset: Barrier/Reflect, Calm Mind, Psychic, Energy Ball
-My star special attacker. I try to switch as little as possible, relying on Steelix and Milotic to soak up physical and special hits, respectively. Once the opposing team is exposed and softened up, I'll bring out this machine. If I know I am facing a physical threat, I will use Barrier (immediate, more permanent boost) or Reflect (Team support if Alakazam faints). Calm Mind then follows, preparing the sweep. Alakazam out-speeds most UU Pokemon, so I will often know when to attack and when to set up.
-I usually have good prediction with Alakazam. If my opponent brings out a known Sucker Punch-er, I will try to outpredict with Barrier (this also helps against Pursuit abusers). By giving Alakazam max defense and Barrier/Reflect, he can protect himself from his threats. Energy Ball deals with the common Omastar/Milotic/Kabutops running around, too.
-Alakazam has very weak defenses. Most hits will hurt him badly. Priority users will cripple, if not take out Alakazam. Timing and setup is crucial to Alakazam's survival.
6) Dam that thing...
Bibarel Lv100 (Male) Adamant Nature (+Atk,-SpA). Simple. Leftovers.
EVs: 124 HP/128 Atk/128 Def/128 SpD
Moveset: Curse, Amnesia, Quick Attack, Waterfall
-Sorry for the name, but I'm sure many unprepared Pokemon trainers out there will be saying worse than this if Bibarel sets up. This is the generic setup Bibarel, as I have experimented with many variations. I noticed this one works fairly well, as it is ready for several occasions. It's strategy is simple. (Get it?)
-If I know there is a special threat still lurking, I will Amnesia, automatically boosting Bibarel's SpD to 188 x3 (564). Doing this before Curse makes sure he's fast enough to actually react to a special threat. Curse will then double, triple and quadruple (if you get three out) his Atk and Def, turning Bibarel into a beast. Quick attack is Priority and ignores his -6 Speed. Bibarel's 60 base power Quick Attack is being launched off of 1044 Attack. Many Pokemon succumb to it in one hit.
-This variation of Bibarel is exposed to Paralysis, Sleep and Burn. Also, Taunt users can hinder its set up (it's vital to remove them through Roar abuse!) Also, Haze users pose a threat. If I find myself against a Roar/Whirl abuser, I will opt for Waterfall, since it'll give me a bigger chance of eliminating it due to negative priority.
Conclusion:
I like this team, it's done well for me. I understand that certain things can be improved, but the point is that I'm trying to stray a little from the "norm" and use various tactics to achieve victory. There are plenty of elements of the generic team in here, but I tried to tweak it to my liking. Either way, it's done pretty well, and I'd like to know what you think, be it critisicm or praise.
P.S. If you have critisicm, please keep it 1) mature and 2) helpful.
Thank you for checking out my first RMT! :D Take care!
