Hey, folks! This is the most successful team I’ve run on Battle Spot; last season, I surpassed 1,800 with it. Generally, I consider it a pretty successful team.
Lately I’ve been losing a lot more than usual with it, and the team’s flaws have become more apparent to me. I’m wondering if anyone has any suggestions regarding if and how it can be improved.
The Team
Swampert @ Swampertite
Ability: Damp/Swift Swim
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Substitute
Mega Swampert is an efficient sweeper, provided Rain has been set up. Substitute helps to maintain momentum in the event that the rain stops or the weather is changed. It also catches predicted switches off guard and allows Swampert to avoid status or stall out Trick Room/Tailwind. People don’t expect Substitute on Mega Swampert, making it all the more effective.
Salamence @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate/Aerilate
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Double-Edge
- Fire Blast
- Hyper Voice
Mega Salamence is able to deal with all the Grass-Types that threaten Swampert, while also serving as a special attacking counterpart to it. Swampert knocks most Steel-Types out for it in turn. Whereas Swampert needs Rain support to sweep, Salamence is naturally fast, and is useful in situations where setting up Rain may be too cumbersome. Intimidate and the resistance to Fighting, which threatens both of my Defensive Pokémon, are boons to the team.
Pelipper @ Focus Sash
Ability: Drizzle
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Surf
- Hurricane
- Ice Beam
- U-turn
A standard Pelipper set. It sets up Rain and U-Turns out. If the Focus Sash is preserved it can make for an unorthodox win condition against certain Pokémon. It’s supposed to handle Grass-Types for Swampert, and while it does so successfully most of the time, it can’t switch in on them reliably. I like to run Surf over Hydro Pump or Scald. It hits more reliably than Hydro Pump, and I don't find Scald's Burn chance very useful on a Pokémon as frail as Pelipper. Rain boosted Surf allows Pelipper so soften opponents up, so that Mega Swampert or another stronger Pokémon can finish them off.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gyro Ball
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Protect/Bullet Seed
A standard wall. I’m torn between Protect and Bullet Seed. I’ve been running Protect more often to scout for coverage and restore more health with Leech Seed, but Bullet Seed would help me a lot against Water-Types, Mimikyu and Pokémon with Substitute. I worry Ferrothorn won't restore enough health to wall properly when I run Bullet Seed.
Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Poison Jab
- Knock Off
- Shadow Sneak
- Rock Tomb
Alolan Muk is fantastic. It soundly defeats just about every special attacker that would otherwise be problematic for this team, as they can barely dent it. Walls like Chansey, Porygon2 and Cresselia struggle against it thanks to Knock Off and its typing. The resistance to Grass makes it a valuable partner for Swampert, and in turn, Pelipper’s immunity to Earthquake means that the three work well together.
Physical Sweepers that would otherwise use Muk as setup bait are heavily inconvenienced by Rock Tomb. In certain instances, Rock Tomb and Intimidate from Salamence can render Dragon Dance completely invalid. Rock Tomb often serves as a deterrence to try and set up again, allowing Muk to switch in to a Pokémon better suited for dealing with a physical attacker.
My only misgivings about Muk are that, in instances where it’s threatened, it can be hard to switch it out. My other Pokémon can check things that threaten Muk, but they struggle to counter them outright.
Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- Taunt
- U-turn
A special attacker with the option to nuke, if need be. Taunt is useful against stall and setup. Tapu Koko and Salamence form a solid core with Ferrothorn and Muk, dealing damage while the other two absorb attacks for them.
Tapu Koko’s Electric Terrain is invaluable for preventing Sleep. It’s the status I fear the most. With Electric Terrain up, Muk has a much easier time against Mega Gengar, which could otherwise potentially render it useless if it knows Hypnosis.
Problems
Here are the obstacles I'm facing both in battle and team building.
Grass-Types
As is, Grass-Types do not threaten this team. Many of my Pokémon resist and KO common Grass-Type threats.
I'm worried that changing my team composition may make me vulnerable to them, however. Mega Swampert is both a favorite Pokémon of mine, and one I'm comfortable with and adept at using. Without it, I feel as though I'd put myself at a disadvantage, and as such, it's vital that I consider Grass-Type Pokémon and coverage in team building.
Ghost-Types
In order to deal with Mimikyu, I used to have Tapu Koko or Pelipper U-Turn out so that a physically oriented Pokémon could come in and pick up the KO afterwards. Offensive Mimikyu will either try to set up or use a Z-Move, which can be taken advantage of by Swampert or walled out by Ferrothorn. Let’s Snuggle Forever and Play Rough give Muk trouble, though if I have nothing to lose in sacrificing Muk, I can use Shadow Sneak to break its disguise for another Pokémon.
Bulky Curse Mimikyu sets have become increasingly common. They tend to use Substitute and pack a means to heal themselves, be it Z-Curse, Leftovers or a berry. I’m at a loss as to how to anticipate or handle them consistently. U-Turn usually gives them a free opportunity to set up, and bulkier Pokémon are broken down by Curse. Many of them know Will-O-Wisp as well. Mega Salamence’s Hyper Voice does little to deter them.
Mega Gengar doesn't trouble me currently. In the rain, Mega Swampert outspeeds and KOs it. Without rain, Alolan Muk reliably contends with it. As mentioned earlier, Tapu Koko's Electric Terrain improves Muk's already good odds, as it renders Hypnosis useless. Considering the threat that Mega Gengar, Shadow Tag and its myriad of Status and offensive options, it's important that I keep Mega Gengar in mind so that it doesn't become a threat should I modify my team.
Normal-Types
I’ve forgone Superpower for Substitute on Swampert, so I don’t have any strong Fighting-Type attacks.
This makes Pokémon like Kangaskhan or Snorlax much harder to break. They usually carry coverage for Ferrothorn, so it’s unreliable for walling them.
Fighting-Types are hard to run since Fairy’s so common. I’m not sure where or if I could fit a Fighting-Type Pokémon or move on my team. I considered replacing Ferrothorn with a defensive Buzzwole. I’m under the impression that it would have pretty good defensive synergy with Muk, but dropping Ferrothorn leaves the team vulnerable to physical Fairies, especially Mimikyu.
Fighting-Types
Fighting-Types aren’t as big of a problem as the others. Pelipper and Salamence can usually switch in and handle them just fine. On occaision, switching them in against a Fighting-Type becomes dangerous, since they’ll always carry some form of anti-Flying coverage.
Mega Lopunny is problematic. It outspeeds and overpowers everything on my team short of Mega Swampert in the rain. Setting up rain against Lopunny is a tricky, heavily prediction reliant process. Mega Salamence can survive Fake Out and Ice Punch after Intimidate, but that’s still risky.
Ground-Types
In most cases, Ground-Types are easily KO-ed by Pelipper and Swampert. Common Pokémon like Landorus and Excadrill offer little against them. Garchomp stands a better chance, though its best bet is Devastating Drake and Outrage. If locked due to Outrage or a Choice item, Ferrothorn is typically put in an advantageous position.
Substitute and Taunt shut down or otherwise counteract Hippowdon's status moves, though Taunt is risky, since it puts Tapu Koko at risk of being hit by Earthquake.
In instances where bringing one or both of them is too inconvenient or unsafe, however, two of my Pokémon are weak to Earthquake. Ferrothorn doesn’t resist it, and any other switch-ins risk being 2HKO-ed or sniped by coverage.
Similar Opposing Rain Teams
I don’t have much of anything that can fend off an opponent’s Mega Swampert. Pelipper almost always carry Focus Sash, making them tricky to KO without taking damage from its Rain-boosted attacks. These teams tend to run Aegislash, which is always trick to deal with. As a side note, I’ve been considering running an Aegislash of my own, though I’m not sure which set to run or where to fit it on my team.
Rain teams that opt for Politoed and/or other Rain Sweepers aren’t an issue, as they lack Hurricane and Earthquake, respectively, and their coverage is more limited. Politoed rarely ever run Focus Sash and are usually backed by Kingdra or Ludicolo, rather than Swampert, allowing Tapu Koko to pick them off with ease.
In Conclusion
I’ve been trying to think of how I could patch up this team’s defensive shortcomings without opening up new ones, and I’m lost for ideas. Any thoughts and feedback regarding my team composition or my approach to competitive game play in Battle Spot are duly appreciated!
Lately I’ve been losing a lot more than usual with it, and the team’s flaws have become more apparent to me. I’m wondering if anyone has any suggestions regarding if and how it can be improved.
The Team
Swampert @ Swampertite
Ability: Damp/Swift Swim
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Substitute
Mega Swampert is an efficient sweeper, provided Rain has been set up. Substitute helps to maintain momentum in the event that the rain stops or the weather is changed. It also catches predicted switches off guard and allows Swampert to avoid status or stall out Trick Room/Tailwind. People don’t expect Substitute on Mega Swampert, making it all the more effective.
Salamence @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate/Aerilate
Level: 50
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Double-Edge
- Fire Blast
- Hyper Voice
Mega Salamence is able to deal with all the Grass-Types that threaten Swampert, while also serving as a special attacking counterpart to it. Swampert knocks most Steel-Types out for it in turn. Whereas Swampert needs Rain support to sweep, Salamence is naturally fast, and is useful in situations where setting up Rain may be too cumbersome. Intimidate and the resistance to Fighting, which threatens both of my Defensive Pokémon, are boons to the team.
Pelipper @ Focus Sash
Ability: Drizzle
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Surf
- Hurricane
- Ice Beam
- U-turn
A standard Pelipper set. It sets up Rain and U-Turns out. If the Focus Sash is preserved it can make for an unorthodox win condition against certain Pokémon. It’s supposed to handle Grass-Types for Swampert, and while it does so successfully most of the time, it can’t switch in on them reliably. I like to run Surf over Hydro Pump or Scald. It hits more reliably than Hydro Pump, and I don't find Scald's Burn chance very useful on a Pokémon as frail as Pelipper. Rain boosted Surf allows Pelipper so soften opponents up, so that Mega Swampert or another stronger Pokémon can finish them off.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gyro Ball
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Protect/Bullet Seed
A standard wall. I’m torn between Protect and Bullet Seed. I’ve been running Protect more often to scout for coverage and restore more health with Leech Seed, but Bullet Seed would help me a lot against Water-Types, Mimikyu and Pokémon with Substitute. I worry Ferrothorn won't restore enough health to wall properly when I run Bullet Seed.
Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Poison Jab
- Knock Off
- Shadow Sneak
- Rock Tomb
Alolan Muk is fantastic. It soundly defeats just about every special attacker that would otherwise be problematic for this team, as they can barely dent it. Walls like Chansey, Porygon2 and Cresselia struggle against it thanks to Knock Off and its typing. The resistance to Grass makes it a valuable partner for Swampert, and in turn, Pelipper’s immunity to Earthquake means that the three work well together.
Physical Sweepers that would otherwise use Muk as setup bait are heavily inconvenienced by Rock Tomb. In certain instances, Rock Tomb and Intimidate from Salamence can render Dragon Dance completely invalid. Rock Tomb often serves as a deterrence to try and set up again, allowing Muk to switch in to a Pokémon better suited for dealing with a physical attacker.
My only misgivings about Muk are that, in instances where it’s threatened, it can be hard to switch it out. My other Pokémon can check things that threaten Muk, but they struggle to counter them outright.
Tapu Koko @ Electrium Z
Ability: Electric Surge
Level: 50
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- Taunt
- U-turn
A special attacker with the option to nuke, if need be. Taunt is useful against stall and setup. Tapu Koko and Salamence form a solid core with Ferrothorn and Muk, dealing damage while the other two absorb attacks for them.
Tapu Koko’s Electric Terrain is invaluable for preventing Sleep. It’s the status I fear the most. With Electric Terrain up, Muk has a much easier time against Mega Gengar, which could otherwise potentially render it useless if it knows Hypnosis.
Problems
Here are the obstacles I'm facing both in battle and team building.
Grass-Types
As is, Grass-Types do not threaten this team. Many of my Pokémon resist and KO common Grass-Type threats.
I'm worried that changing my team composition may make me vulnerable to them, however. Mega Swampert is both a favorite Pokémon of mine, and one I'm comfortable with and adept at using. Without it, I feel as though I'd put myself at a disadvantage, and as such, it's vital that I consider Grass-Type Pokémon and coverage in team building.
Ghost-Types
In order to deal with Mimikyu, I used to have Tapu Koko or Pelipper U-Turn out so that a physically oriented Pokémon could come in and pick up the KO afterwards. Offensive Mimikyu will either try to set up or use a Z-Move, which can be taken advantage of by Swampert or walled out by Ferrothorn. Let’s Snuggle Forever and Play Rough give Muk trouble, though if I have nothing to lose in sacrificing Muk, I can use Shadow Sneak to break its disguise for another Pokémon.
Bulky Curse Mimikyu sets have become increasingly common. They tend to use Substitute and pack a means to heal themselves, be it Z-Curse, Leftovers or a berry. I’m at a loss as to how to anticipate or handle them consistently. U-Turn usually gives them a free opportunity to set up, and bulkier Pokémon are broken down by Curse. Many of them know Will-O-Wisp as well. Mega Salamence’s Hyper Voice does little to deter them.
Mega Gengar doesn't trouble me currently. In the rain, Mega Swampert outspeeds and KOs it. Without rain, Alolan Muk reliably contends with it. As mentioned earlier, Tapu Koko's Electric Terrain improves Muk's already good odds, as it renders Hypnosis useless. Considering the threat that Mega Gengar, Shadow Tag and its myriad of Status and offensive options, it's important that I keep Mega Gengar in mind so that it doesn't become a threat should I modify my team.
Normal-Types
I’ve forgone Superpower for Substitute on Swampert, so I don’t have any strong Fighting-Type attacks.
This makes Pokémon like Kangaskhan or Snorlax much harder to break. They usually carry coverage for Ferrothorn, so it’s unreliable for walling them.
Fighting-Types are hard to run since Fairy’s so common. I’m not sure where or if I could fit a Fighting-Type Pokémon or move on my team. I considered replacing Ferrothorn with a defensive Buzzwole. I’m under the impression that it would have pretty good defensive synergy with Muk, but dropping Ferrothorn leaves the team vulnerable to physical Fairies, especially Mimikyu.
Fighting-Types
Fighting-Types aren’t as big of a problem as the others. Pelipper and Salamence can usually switch in and handle them just fine. On occaision, switching them in against a Fighting-Type becomes dangerous, since they’ll always carry some form of anti-Flying coverage.
Mega Lopunny is problematic. It outspeeds and overpowers everything on my team short of Mega Swampert in the rain. Setting up rain against Lopunny is a tricky, heavily prediction reliant process. Mega Salamence can survive Fake Out and Ice Punch after Intimidate, but that’s still risky.
Ground-Types
In most cases, Ground-Types are easily KO-ed by Pelipper and Swampert. Common Pokémon like Landorus and Excadrill offer little against them. Garchomp stands a better chance, though its best bet is Devastating Drake and Outrage. If locked due to Outrage or a Choice item, Ferrothorn is typically put in an advantageous position.
Substitute and Taunt shut down or otherwise counteract Hippowdon's status moves, though Taunt is risky, since it puts Tapu Koko at risk of being hit by Earthquake.
In instances where bringing one or both of them is too inconvenient or unsafe, however, two of my Pokémon are weak to Earthquake. Ferrothorn doesn’t resist it, and any other switch-ins risk being 2HKO-ed or sniped by coverage.
Similar Opposing Rain Teams
I don’t have much of anything that can fend off an opponent’s Mega Swampert. Pelipper almost always carry Focus Sash, making them tricky to KO without taking damage from its Rain-boosted attacks. These teams tend to run Aegislash, which is always trick to deal with. As a side note, I’ve been considering running an Aegislash of my own, though I’m not sure which set to run or where to fit it on my team.
Rain teams that opt for Politoed and/or other Rain Sweepers aren’t an issue, as they lack Hurricane and Earthquake, respectively, and their coverage is more limited. Politoed rarely ever run Focus Sash and are usually backed by Kingdra or Ludicolo, rather than Swampert, allowing Tapu Koko to pick them off with ease.
In Conclusion
I’ve been trying to think of how I could patch up this team’s defensive shortcomings without opening up new ones, and I’m lost for ideas. Any thoughts and feedback regarding my team composition or my approach to competitive game play in Battle Spot are duly appreciated!
Last edited: