been meaning to post this for a while but I had to study for the fucking midterms >_<

RedSP

I can't believe that title actually fit

Anyhoo, this is a team I've been playing around with on shoddy. It's been pretty successful so far and I'd like some opinions about it.


Overview of the team:
dpmfa407.png
dpmfa121.png
dpmfa145.png
dpmfa248.png
dpmfa227.png
dpmfa448.png



dpmfa407.png

Roserade (M) @ Lum Berry/ Focus Sash
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Grass Knot
- Toxic Spikes
- Sleep Powder
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Pretty cool lead. Puts something to sleep the first turn and proceeds to set up toxic spikes. I'm a little crossed about the item on Roserade. If I can get toxic spikes down, I usually win so which ever item gives Roserade a better shot at setting them down would be preferred.
---
dpmfa121.png

Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 172 HP/216 Spd/120 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Surf
- Recover
- Rapid Spin
- Thunderbolt

Spins and counters Infernape and Gyrados fairly well.
---
dpmfa145.png

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/180 Def/76 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Discharge
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost
- Sleep Talk

My sleep absorber. I chose Roost over Rest because I never liked how unreliable rest was as a recovery move and it also lets me heal when it's asleep. Changed the EV's a bit so it can take on Gengar's attacks more easily.
---
dpmfa248.png

Tyranitar (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP/40 Atk/216 SDef
Careful nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge

Tyranitar just seams to fit really well on my team. Pursuits annoying pokemon like Starmie trying to get rid of my spikes. Also takes on special attacks fairly well.
---
dpmfa227.png

Skarmory (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP/6 Atk/252 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Brave Bird
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Stealth Rock

My other spiker and helps against some threats that would otherwise wreck my team like Weavile and Mamoswine.
---
dpmfa448.png

Lucario (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Steadfast
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Crunch
- Swords Dance
- Extremespeed

You know what he's for. Sweeps late-game and pseudo revenge-killer.
---

Threat list: (just listing some pokemon that give me trouble)

Tyranitar: Skarmory is my initial switchin but it can't take too many choice banded Stone Edges so if it comes down to that I'll be forced to go to Lucario to take the hit. On the plus side, I get a free Sword Dance. =D

Gengar: Fairly annoying to say the least. If they're leading with Gengar I'll try my luck putting it to sleep with Roserade incase they miss with Hypnosis, and in the likely event that doesn't work I'll go to Zapdos.

Gliscor: I deal with most defensive pokemon with either Tyranitar or stalling with toxic spikes so you can imagine how annoying this thing can be for me. Starmie and Zapdos could kill it and Skarmory outstalls it so I'm putting Stone Edge back on Tyranitar. I just wanted at least half my team to be able to beat it.

Garchomp: Toxic spikes drastically limits its sweeping capabilities. I can usually stall it with Skarmory or something until it gets within killing range of Starmie or Lucario. Hasn't been much of a problem so far to be honest.

I'll add more as they become apparent.
 
Tyranitar would prefer Stone Edge over Ice Beam. Stone Edge will still hit gliscor hard, and you have Starmie and Zapdos to kill it. I don't think he is a big concern for you.

This team does dislike a standard Life Orb Gengar. He can easily sleep Roserade and then sleep the switch. His Focus Blast will OHKO Tyranitar (A reason why you may prefer a careful nature). Skarmory and Lucario are also in trouble. Starmie will get brutalized with shadow ball and once roserade switches out he can sleep Zapdos. This may be what you want since you are running SleepTalk Dos but remember, he can easily switch to a counter like Mamoswine or Weavile and wreck havoc that way.

I think one of the easiest solutions to that problem would be Give Lucario Bullet Punch. This can ruin a Gengar's day and allow you to come out on top. I would also consider running Lum Berry on Roserade. Focus Sash is nice for fast pokemon like Timid SpecsMence but that list is small and it might help to be able to sleep something like gengar even when he sleeps you. This also helps if you miss a sleep powder and they sleep you (Bronzong). You wake up and deliver it again. This could really help.

Your team seems to be lacking in the speed department and this is a team that Deoxys could feed off of. It is also the cause of your gengar problems. I think a good way dealing with this is too add in something a bit faster, maybe a Scarftran (Which is not OHKOed by Deoxys SuperPower) with stealth rock over explosion so you don't lose the reason you had skarmory. He can also help with mamoswine and if you make him Timid it can deal with weavile. He adds in that handy Ice/Dark resist that you want.

Overall it seems like a good team but is lacking in speed areas (Something a Scarftran could fix). Good Luck.
 
I would really recommend black sludge on roserade over focus sash. Roserade has the special defense to switch in multiple times, which is hugely important if your opponent is running something like Starmie to remove your spikes. Having TTar on your team also makes focus sash a less desirable option.

As long as you're running sleep talk, Zapdos might as well have rest over roost, giving it the ability to absorb the other statuses besides sleep. Even moreso than most pokemon, Bulky Zapdos' effectiveness is severely hindered by Paralysis and Poison, and giving it the ability to shrug those off is not a bad plan at all.

That EV spread on TTar is really meant to be used with a calm nature in order to survive LO Gengar's Focus Blast. You should either switch to calm or simply pump some points into attack to deal some beastly damage. I really think you should go with crunch over pursuit. Most Gengars will stay in and focus blast/hypnosis in expectation of a pursuit (unless they're choiced, obviously). Without crunch you really have no good way to take down cresselia (Luke can't switch in to often due to poor defenses, and if he switches into Cress' T-wave he becomes significantly less valuable).

Good Luck; Hope this Helps! --TAY
 
TAY said:
I would really recommend black sludge on roserade over focus sash. Roserade has the special defense to switch in multiple times, which is hugely important if your opponent is running something like Starmie to remove your spikes. Having TTar on your team also makes focus sash a less desirable option.

As long as you're running sleep talk, Zapdos might as well have rest over roost, giving it the ability to absorb the other statuses besides sleep. Even moreso than most pokemon, Bulky Zapdos' effectiveness is severely hindered by Paralysis and Poison, and giving it the ability to shrug those off is not a bad plan at all.

That EV spread on TTar is really meant to be used with a calm nature in order to survive LO Gengar's Focus Blast. You should either switch to calm or simply pump some points into attack to deal some beastly damage. I really think you should go with crunch over pursuit. Most Gengars will stay in and focus blast/hypnosis in expectation of a pursuit (unless they're choiced, obviously). Without crunch you really have no good way to take down cresselia (Luke can't switch in to often due to poor defenses, and if he switches into Cress' T-wave he becomes significantly less valuable).

Good Luck; Hope this Helps! --TAY
Click to expand...

Are you kidding me?? That Tyranitar EV's Nature should be careful not calm. Why do you heck want to drop TTar's awesome attack instead of inferior special attack?? Try don't post the thing without knowing things.
 
>.> I am pretty sure TAY meant Careful. Cut him some slack.

Also Tay hit on something I forgot, on Zapdos although Roost seems like a good option, Rest will allow you to beat Blissey in Stall Wars as well as have a way to relieve status and you lack a Cleric.

Edit: Midterms? They were like 3 weeks ago for us! Did you just forget to post them team or do you have a much later school year?
 
I'd go woth Black Sludge on Roserade if you can get it, if not Leftovers. I'd also go with thunderbolt on Zapdos, unless you lyk the paralysis. Keep Ice Beam on Tyranitar.
 
I took the midterms at an international school in China so I guess it's different there.

*Kinglerdude: with the spread I've given Tyranitar, Stone Edge no longer puts a big dent into Gliscor so Ice Beam is needed. Whenever I ran into a Gliscor it was often the last pokemon standing, and although I could just finish it with Starmie or Zapdos it meant that Lucario couldn't sweep.

Hmm, didn't know Tyranitar could survive Focus Blast with a careful nature. I'll definitely change it.

*TAY:Sadly, Roserade is more or less expendable as long as I get t-spikes down which is why I have focus sash. It usually dies in the first few turns since it's been pretty frail in my experience.

Erm, I have both Crunch and Pursuit on Tyranitar. Do you mean replace Pursuit with Stone Edge? I'll probably keep its moveset the same.

P.S.: have you and junior gotten EW to get a squidward avatar yet?

I really appreciate the advice guys.
 
Don't bump before the 24 hour mark, just for future reference.

I will edit this post later, but take Lum off Roserade. It has Natural Cure, so you should make use of Black Sludge.
 
you could use a sub zapdos since sleep talk loses its surprise appeal after one turn plus it would help when setting up on switch ins. You could try modest over timid on starmie since yours is bulky anyways.
 
*Slice: Sorry, didn't know about the bump thing. (does responding count as a bump?) The item for Roserade is just personal preference. I preferred focus sash but I'm trying out Lum Berry for lead Gengars.

*Gaburu: What surprise appeal? Zapdos was meant to take sleep status.
 
ugh, last bump

I don't understand why this has so few suggestions. Should I go a little more into how the team works or post a better team or something?
 
i see a specscario weak. i would consider making your own lucario jolly so it can at least revenge kill it. another option would be to scarf your roserade.
 
Well, both Zapdos and in a pinch Starmie can Handle Aura Spheres just fine. Hp Ice won't 2hko Zapdos btw. Although I might make it Jolly anyway since as long as I have Toxic spikes down then things like ohkoing things like Hippowdon won't be as important.
 
I came on in this thread to say how wrong your title is; you studied.

Because your team lacks ice type moves in general and your 2 major physical sweepers are shut down so easily by gliscor, I recommend using Hidden Power Ice on Lucario. Over crunch, perhaps. You'll lose coverage against some certain ghosts, most importantly gengar, so you can use bullet punch as your priority move. It generally has better type coverage, and with one swords dance you'll have made up for the lost move power. You'll want to go with a hasty nature, and about 200SpAtk / 52Atk / 252 Spe, but feel free to abide to speed tiers.

I'm not sure, but it makes sense to me.
 
Markie said:
I came on in this thread to say how wrong your title is; you studied.
My title is grammatically correct. Saying "I had to studied for the midterms" makes no sense.
Because your team lacks ice type moves in general and your 2 major physical sweepers are shut down so easily by gliscor, I recommend using Hidden Power Ice on Lucario. Over crunch, perhaps. You'll lose coverage against some certain ghosts, most importantly gengar, so you can use bullet punch as your priority move. It generally has better type coverage, and with one swords dance you'll have made up for the lost move power. You'll want to go with a hasty nature, and about 200SpAtk / 52Atk / 252 Spe, but feel free to abide to speed tiers.

I'm not sure, but it makes sense to me.
Click to expand...

I'm not changing Lucario's moveset. Bullet Punch's type coverage sucks and is unnecessary when Lucario has Close Combat. It'll pretty much only be used against Gengar or Aerodactyl. Also, why the fuck would I use 200 sp.atk EV's on SDLucario?

If Glscor becomes too much of a problem, I'll probably switch between Stone Edge and Ice Beam on Tyranitar.
 
RedSP said:
I don't understand why this has so few suggestions.
Click to expand...

It's because youre using a sandstorm team with 6 bog standard OU pokemon. There's really nothing to say...other than that I've seen the same 6 pokemon on one team in about 1000 battles already. This is the case because it works, the team is solid and can easily work around its weaknesses.

sorry but someone had to say it.
 
jrrrrrrr said:
It's because youre using a sandstorm team with 6 bog standard OU pokemon. There's really nothing to say...other than that I've seen the same 6 pokemon on one team in about 1000 battles already. This is the case because it works, the team is solid and can easily work around its weaknesses.

sorry but someone had to say it.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm a little embarrassed right now for not realizing that. At least I know the team's solid. I'll just let this die now.
 
Well, that came across as harsh but I didn't necessarily mean to discourage you that much. If you have a concern about how to use the team strategy, thats one thing. But I got the impression that you just posted a random team and asked us to make it better for you. You just asked for opinions on the team, instead of posting something to actually rate. You seem to understand what the roles of each pokemon you have are, so tell us what you want us to help you with...you gotta give us something to work with if you expect us to put effort into helping you!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top