Baton Pass team - improvement ideas

[quay]

Hey guys, that's the first team I made, so just tell me all things you would improve.

Ninjask (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 120 HP/252 Atk/60 Def/16 Spd/60 SpDef
Jolly nature (+Spd,-SpAtk)
- Baton Pass
- Substitute ( previously:Dig)
- Protect
- Swords Dance

Ninjask is the lead. With its ability Speed Boost and Batton Pass it supports the other pokemon. Protect is to ensure at least one speed boost for our pokemon, even it the weather would destroy the chance of using Focus Sash. Usually Swords Dance is the attack that should be use in the first turn, then depending on the situation dig or protect. Dig is a good attack because of two cases: firstly its an attack nobody expects. Secondly in the first turn it acts along with Ninjask flying type like protect and so it provides two extra speed boosts. I'm not totally sure if 16 Speed EV are enough for Ninjask. With all these boosts it the batton passes out to the next pokemon.
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Smeargle (F) @ Shed Shell
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 64 HP/136 Def/192 Spd/118 SpDef
Impish nature (+Def,-SpAtk)
- Baton Pass
- Ingrain
- Spore
- Substitute

Smeargle's role in the team is providing stability. It first uses Spore on its opponent (due to Ninjask speed boost it should be faster than its opponent). After that it uses ingrain. With ingrain no pokemon in the team can get roared away and every round the active pokemon gets 1/16 of its HP back. This is useful, especially for Vaporeon as a staller, along with leftovers, it would get in total 2/16 of HP back each turn. Shed shell is an item that should protect Smeargle from getting defeated due to taunt.
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Vaporeon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP/1 Atk/156 Spd/1 SpAtk/100 SpDef
Calm nature (+SpDef,-Atk)
- Baton Pass
- Substitute
- Surf
- Wish

It is Vaporeons goal to build up strong substitutes with over 100 HP and to baton pass them out to the next pokemon. This is very useful before using Smeargle and even necessary before swiching Blaiziken in. Wish is an attack that can be use e.g. for Ninjask, to switch it in again, if the speed would be not high enough. It is the special staller in the team. Its item, Leftovers is aiming on a longlivety of Vaporeon, This is strenghtend by its substitutes an its high defense.
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Mr. Mime (M) @ Ganlon Berry
Ability: Soundproof
EVs: 188 HP/172 Def/28 SpAtk/120 SpDef
Bold nature (+Def,-Atk)
- Baton Pass
- Calm Mind
- Thunderbolt ( previously:Psychic)
- Substitute

With its ability Soundproof, Mr.Mime blocks roar as well as perish song which forces batton pass teams to switch out and to loose their chain. Calm mind is for the special sweeping, mainly because of its defense bonus. Ganlon Berry fills up the lack of defense strenghtening attacks. The easiest way to get its boost is to use substitute 3 times. Psychic is its STAB attack, in order to deal some damage to other as well as to have a better type coverage throughout the team.
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Blaziken (F) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk/252 Spd/6 SpDef
Jolly nature (+Spd,-SpAtk)
- Baton Pass
- Blaze Kick
- Stone Edge
- ThunderPunch

Blaiziken is a batton pass sweeper in the team. It can hit hard, and when the substitute it gained is used up, it can switch out againt to keep the batton pass chain alive. Blaze kick is its strong STAB attack. With some luck it can be a critical hit, which would then break through its opponents build up defense. ThunderPunch is the attack to get rid of water types without swiching out. Stone edge is its equivalent for Flying pokemon. Since Blaiziken has to have a big type coverage, critical/strong hits and still have the possibility to batton pass out it can't use any choice item. Instead, it's getting it's speed boost from Ninjask ability as well as its attack power from Ninjask's Sword Dance.
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Metagross @ Life Orb
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 100 HP/252 Atk/4 Def/152 Spd
Impish nature (+Def,-SpAtk)
- Earthquake
- Meteor Mash
- ThunderPunch
- Zen Headbutt

Metagross is the sweeper in the team. It recieves all boosts. Its ability Clear Body prevents the loss of its boost and the usage of poweful attacks + Life Orb should OHKO any possible user of Haze. The attacks are select to deal massive damage to any type of pokemon, it is always at least neutral damage, power up with many previously gained boosts. Though Life Orb inflicts HP damage to Metagross it is a good choice in order to have powerful attack breaking even walls.

 

[Rogan]

I really think you should put sub > dig on ninjask. Two turn moves are predictable and give your opponent time to swap in a counter or plan a strategy. Bounce on Gyara is OK. but it gets STAB and can paralyze. Dig on ninjask? Your opponent will likely use the turn you come up to hammer you, if ninjask has taken any prior damage goodbye chain. Sandstorm and priority moves will break your sash.

Sub + Protect guarantees you a few boosts to pass and possibly a sub if they use a turn SRing.

 

[zdrup15]

I'll suggest 2 things. First one is use sub over dig on ninjask. Why? While you dig you are completely exposed and ninjask dies to every strong neutral attack.
Second, since you are using mr. mime as a roar blocker, I'd suggest you to swap psychic with T-bolt. Why? Because the only pokemon that can phaze mr. mime in OU is skarmory and psychic isn't very effective on it. With T-bolt you will cripple or even kill one of the biggest threats to your chain.

 

[quay]

Thanks, I changed Ninjask dig to substitute, but I'm still a bit afraid of taunt. How often is this attack used?

Since Mr.Mime should block any problems it's well possible that T-Bolt is a better attack. I'll try that one out.

 

[Rising_Dusk]

Hey there,

Your baton pass team is pretty good, I'll say. Baton Pass classically suffers from a lot of problems, so creative means are necessary to get by them. This team has a few such oddities that I will try to clean up with this rate.

First, replace Mr. Mime with Gliscor using the following set:

Gliscor @ Leftovers
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly nature (+Spe, -SpA)
~ Baton Pass
~ Swords Dance
~ Earthquake / Rock Polish
~ Taunt

Reasons:

• A fast Taunt is a big deal here, especially since Gliscor can outspeed Pokemon like Gyarados, Skarmory, ad tie with opposing Gliscor.
• You need a second Pokemon that can boost Attack for your eventual Metagross sweep.
• Mr. Mime's Calm Mind boosts didn't help your sweeper, and only modestly helped itself and Vaporeon.
• You really wanted an Electric-type immunity, otherwise Jolteon and other Electric-types rip your team a new one in so many ways.
• The second Ground-type immunity helps a lot, since Gliscor is immune to Toxic Spikes and Spikes.

Secondly, you should change Blaziken to Scizor with the following set:

Scizor @ Leftovers
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 88 Atk / 172 Spe
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SpA)
~ Baton Pass
~ Agility
~ Bullet Punch
~ Roost

Reasons:

• This is your secondary Speed booster if Ninjask gets ravaged by Stealth Rock or something else.
• Has a respectable offensive presence, like Blaziken did
• Is immune to Toxic Spikes, which Blaziken hated.
• Has good defensive synergy with Vaporeon and good resistances and immunities for your team.

I trust that these changes will help your team in play. Good luck with the battles!