I think I've seen similiar teams to what I've pulled together the past few weeks in videos and stuff, I sort of tweaked it around to my own play style, and I think it holds up pretty well. I didn't necessarily want to post it online, just in case I run into anyone up in PA tomorrow, but I really don't think it'll make that much of a difference.
My first concern was stopping all these Smeargle/Dusknoir/Bronzong/whatever Trick Room and Dark Void teams running around. I've always been a big fan of Infernape, and felt that he could shut down Smeargle's reliably and easily, so I went with him as one of my two leads.
Infernape@Lum Berry
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Naive
EVs: 64 Atk/188 SpA /252 Spe
-Protect
-Fake Out
-Overheat
-Close Combat
Lum Berry because I'm going to have a Focus Sash on another poke, Fake Out and Close Combat to easily kill your typical Smeargle. Fares well against most other pokes, a lot of folks will assume he's sashed cause most Infernapes are. Changed the EVs around from your typical lead ape because it's not bad in this instance if he outruns other Infernapes, and because I'm gonna want to be able to outrun as many threats as possible in 2v2 matches.
Now the second slot of the team had to be a fast taunter, but also immune to Fake Out JUST IN CASE they end up running with a faster pokemon with Fake Out. Probably not gonna happen, especially if they're running a Trick Room team. Anyway, this leaves the following pokes for me to pick from: Gengar, Alakazam, and Crobat, with Gengar immune to Fake Out and the latter two having Inner Focus. I'm sort of torn on the issue, and may turn back to Crobat before the end of the night (because Crobat runs the fastest out of the three, and if I run into a Rain Dance team 9 times out of 10 Crobat will be putting it up), but I have Gengar slotted on the team currently for his immunity to Explosion.
Gengar@Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Hasty
EVs: 4 Hp/252 SpA/252 Spe
-Taunt
-Shadowball
-Thunderbolt
-Explosion
Hasty nature to allow Explosion to hit harder, Focus Sash to make sure he can survive at least one turn of attacks to hit back after a Taunt. Was debating running Trick instead of Thunderbolt, and a Choice Scarf instead of a Focus Sash. Reason being for that is he could then outrun most any leads and Taunt, stopping rain dance teams at least momentarily. My main concern with that, however, is that he could end up being killed if a Dusknoir Shadow Punches or Shadow Sneaks instead of trying for a Trick Room. Similiar with Bronzongs running Gyro Ball or Psychic.
Now that I have those two chosen I wanted some pretty reliable Pokes that could take some hits, and deliver some punishment back. Despite my reasoning for Gengar and Infernape, they're two of my favorite Pokemon and I have used them for quite sometime, so I went to my favorite pool of Pokemon again and pulled out the next two.
Swampert@Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
Nature: Relaxed
EVs: 240 Hp/216 Def /52 SpA
-Protect
-Waterfall
-Ice Beam
-Earthquake
A Mixpert with a bit of a twist, I usually run Waterfall in doubles over Surf just because I'm normally not going to be running something in the other slot that can take multiple surfs from his ally. I mainly have him here to take care of Dragons as I'm confident in his ability to survive a hit from most of them and deliver back with Ice Beam.
Metagross@Shuca Berry
Ability: Clear Body
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 HP/236 Atk/12 Def/8 Spe
-Bullet Punch
-Thunderpunch
-Meteor Mash
-Explosion
Bullet Punch for priority in finishing off weakened Pokemon, Thunderpunch for Gyarados in case he rears his ugly head, Meteor Mash for a strong stab attack, and Explosion to go out with a bang. Again, wanted a backup Poke that could take a hit and still keep swinging. May switch his berry to Occa over Shuca, just figured I'd use Shuca so he could take a Swampert Earthquake as a surprise.
Backup Pokes (prolly won't be used):
Porgyon2@Haven't decided yet
Ability: Trace
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 Hp/216 Def/40 SpA
-Ice Beam
-Thunderbolt
-Protect
-Recover
Gyarados@Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4 Hp/252 Atk/252 Spe
-Taunt
-Waterfall
-Stone Edge
-Dragon Dance
A few notes: I bred everything myself for the tournament. (I'm always leery about going into something with someone else's Pokes) They do not have perfect IVs as such, however, I bred them to have perfect IVs in the stats I think matter for them. Infernape has max Atk and Spe, Gengar has max Spe, Swampert has max Hp, and Metagross has max Hp and Atk. I'm willing to swap these guys out, but it has to be for something I can breed in one night's sitting. Anyway, thanks for the read.
As far as threats go I'm most scared of running into a Rain Dance team with a Kingdra on it. I feel like that would eat right through my team, no problem.
My first concern was stopping all these Smeargle/Dusknoir/Bronzong/whatever Trick Room and Dark Void teams running around. I've always been a big fan of Infernape, and felt that he could shut down Smeargle's reliably and easily, so I went with him as one of my two leads.
Infernape@Lum Berry
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Naive
EVs: 64 Atk/188 SpA /252 Spe
-Protect
-Fake Out
-Overheat
-Close Combat
Lum Berry because I'm going to have a Focus Sash on another poke, Fake Out and Close Combat to easily kill your typical Smeargle. Fares well against most other pokes, a lot of folks will assume he's sashed cause most Infernapes are. Changed the EVs around from your typical lead ape because it's not bad in this instance if he outruns other Infernapes, and because I'm gonna want to be able to outrun as many threats as possible in 2v2 matches.
Now the second slot of the team had to be a fast taunter, but also immune to Fake Out JUST IN CASE they end up running with a faster pokemon with Fake Out. Probably not gonna happen, especially if they're running a Trick Room team. Anyway, this leaves the following pokes for me to pick from: Gengar, Alakazam, and Crobat, with Gengar immune to Fake Out and the latter two having Inner Focus. I'm sort of torn on the issue, and may turn back to Crobat before the end of the night (because Crobat runs the fastest out of the three, and if I run into a Rain Dance team 9 times out of 10 Crobat will be putting it up), but I have Gengar slotted on the team currently for his immunity to Explosion.
Gengar@Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Hasty
EVs: 4 Hp/252 SpA/252 Spe
-Taunt
-Shadowball
-Thunderbolt
-Explosion
Hasty nature to allow Explosion to hit harder, Focus Sash to make sure he can survive at least one turn of attacks to hit back after a Taunt. Was debating running Trick instead of Thunderbolt, and a Choice Scarf instead of a Focus Sash. Reason being for that is he could then outrun most any leads and Taunt, stopping rain dance teams at least momentarily. My main concern with that, however, is that he could end up being killed if a Dusknoir Shadow Punches or Shadow Sneaks instead of trying for a Trick Room. Similiar with Bronzongs running Gyro Ball or Psychic.
Now that I have those two chosen I wanted some pretty reliable Pokes that could take some hits, and deliver some punishment back. Despite my reasoning for Gengar and Infernape, they're two of my favorite Pokemon and I have used them for quite sometime, so I went to my favorite pool of Pokemon again and pulled out the next two.
Swampert@Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
Nature: Relaxed
EVs: 240 Hp/216 Def /52 SpA
-Protect
-Waterfall
-Ice Beam
-Earthquake
A Mixpert with a bit of a twist, I usually run Waterfall in doubles over Surf just because I'm normally not going to be running something in the other slot that can take multiple surfs from his ally. I mainly have him here to take care of Dragons as I'm confident in his ability to survive a hit from most of them and deliver back with Ice Beam.
Metagross@Shuca Berry
Ability: Clear Body
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 HP/236 Atk/12 Def/8 Spe
-Bullet Punch
-Thunderpunch
-Meteor Mash
-Explosion
Bullet Punch for priority in finishing off weakened Pokemon, Thunderpunch for Gyarados in case he rears his ugly head, Meteor Mash for a strong stab attack, and Explosion to go out with a bang. Again, wanted a backup Poke that could take a hit and still keep swinging. May switch his berry to Occa over Shuca, just figured I'd use Shuca so he could take a Swampert Earthquake as a surprise.
Backup Pokes (prolly won't be used):
Porgyon2@Haven't decided yet
Ability: Trace
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 Hp/216 Def/40 SpA
-Ice Beam
-Thunderbolt
-Protect
-Recover
Gyarados@Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4 Hp/252 Atk/252 Spe
-Taunt
-Waterfall
-Stone Edge
-Dragon Dance
A few notes: I bred everything myself for the tournament. (I'm always leery about going into something with someone else's Pokes) They do not have perfect IVs as such, however, I bred them to have perfect IVs in the stats I think matter for them. Infernape has max Atk and Spe, Gengar has max Spe, Swampert has max Hp, and Metagross has max Hp and Atk. I'm willing to swap these guys out, but it has to be for something I can breed in one night's sitting. Anyway, thanks for the read.
As far as threats go I'm most scared of running into a Rain Dance team with a Kingdra on it. I feel like that would eat right through my team, no problem.
