Hey there! So I have wanted to build a team around a couple of my favorite pokemon for a while, but until 6th Gen it really wasn't coming together. However, with the introduction of a couple new favorites, I finally put together a team that works (1500 and rising quickly). I still have a few hesitations, but Zard X, Tflame, Aegislash, and Excadrill are core and work wonders together. The idea of my team is to lead with klefki, get some spikes up and screens up, then switch in an appropriate power house and start ripping holes in the other team's walls. Generally my Tflame ends up sweeping to victory, but Zard X does his part too.
Klefki (M)
Light Clay
Prankster
252 HP, 128 Def, 128 SpDef, careful nature
-Reflect
-Light Screen
-Thunderwave
-Foul play/Play Rough
This guy is BAWLKY! Set up the right screen, and you can generally set up the other and a layer or two of spikes. I gave mine thunder wave, but foul play prevents him from being set up fodder to a couple pokes, and play rough is if you need to kill an Outrager. Switch him into an outrage and they can't do anything while you play rough them. Priority T-Wave is really nice to cripple pokes. I have started using foul play as my final slot , because deoxys speed is pretty common and this guy does about 76% with one foul play. I switched leftovers for light clay as per suggestion, and it makes a HUGE difference. 3 extra turns is a lot for a dual screener.
TalonFlame (M) AKA "OH MY GOD THIS THING HAS TOO MUCH STREMTH!"
Choice Band
Gale Wings (Duh)
252 Atk, 252 Speed, 4 HP, Adamant nature
-U-Turn
-Brave Bird
-Tailwind
-Flare Blitz
This thing is one of my new favorites. He has base 81 attack, but choice band brave bird OHKOs so many things (Greninja is so pesky, but they never expect to get dumped on by this guy). He also revenge kills Zard Y 100% of my games. I give him band, because he is a late game clean up, or a revenge killer. I find I don't get many opportunities to set up, and when I do it's because they still have a rotom or a heatran. U-Turn is for momentum, but I recommend waiting until there are no rocks before sending him in. The exception to the rule is if scizor is about to sweep you, then go ahead and send him in. Tailwind is if you know you are going to die, and your other moves won't do anything for you. This is super rare, but I prefer this to the gimmicky Me First (Because most dragon users already have a DD, and kill you anyways).
Charizard X (Male)
Charizardite X
Tough Claws
252 Atk, 252 Spd, 4 hp, Adamant nature
-Flare Blitz
-Outrage
-Dragon Dance
-Earthquake
With this guy, you gotta play it by ear. Sometimes mega evolving right into an EQ is what you gotta do. Most people use Zard Y, so they expect Zard Y, and the EQ blows them up. However, a +1/+2 Zard X is taking down at least 1 defensive wall. If you have screens up, and his checks are taken care of, then go ahead and dragon dance it up. This guy's job isn't to sweep to victory (although that happens) his job is to punch holes in their defense before going down to priority and recoil. Anyone who hasn't tried him yet must do so, you will be flabbergasted at his raw power. I don't recommend using outrage if they still have fairies out, unless you are foddering him because the damn gliscor/garchomp won't go down otherwise. Never outrage if a mawile is still alive. Fighting a +4/+6 mawile and trying to predict sucker punches is the worst feeling ever.
Excadrill (M)
Choice Scarf/Air Balloon
Mold Breaker
252 Atk, 252 Spd, 4 Hp, Adamant
-X-Scissor/Stealth rocks
-Rapid Spin
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
This guy is most times the linch pin of my team. His only job is to rapid spin rocks away. Do not fodder this guy before their Stealth Rocker is dead. I give him scarf to ensure the desperate rapid spin if needed. I like scarf on this guy, he can sweep sometimes with that blazing fast stab 405 attack earthquake. The only issue is getting locked into rapid spin. However, using him against Deoxys leads is really funny, because I kill them with rapid spin or they switch out. His mold breaker is priceless, helps me deal with pesky Rotoms before my TFlame sweep. Scarf helps with gengar. I also use this guy to absorb T-Waves (stupid togekiss). Don't get too risky with the predictions, sometimes it is better to fodder a pokemon and let this guy come in safely to get the rocks out of the way. I think air balloon is a great set too, you are pretty slow though. Air balloon set would be for the stealth rock support. Scarfed Exca is just so solid, but as Timpsu pointed out a tailwind can give him he late game sweep he needs, without the scarf.
Aegislash (M)
Stance Change
Weakness Policy
252 HP, 252 SpAtk, 4 Atk, Quiet nature
-Shadow Ball
-Flash Cannon/Sacred Sword
-Shadow Sneak
-King's Sheild
Awwwww Aegislash, the beauty, the king, the killer. This guy. Switch him into to a safe move, or a predicted will-o-wisp. Or just wait for someone to die before executing Operation OH MY GOSH WTF. So most people expect a SD set. However, this guy is way better suited to the SpAtk side because of the abundance of threats to his set ups. Plus his STAB options are way better. So the secret to this guy is prediction, and knowing what you can survive. Any knock off user will get demolished, with the exception of Bisharp (need a bit of prediction, and sacred sword is there to deal with him and blissey). The +2 Shadow ball OHKOs gliscor, a common problem. This guy also deals with skarmory well. Mandibuzz might pose problems, but a +2 flash cannon will do work before you get foul played. This guy takes out 1+ pokemon every game (unless I get predicted). STAB EQ kills this guy most times though, same with STAB flamethrower. Don't get too cocky with his defenses. Shadow sneak is to do as much harm as possible after the weakness policy boost. Now some doubt has been cast on wether or not weakness policy is a gimmick. I assure you, it is not. Most pokemon have something that hits him super effectively, giving him a MASSIVE boost to damage. For example, gliscor. Gliscor is an annoying physical wall, and always comes in to check aegis. I tank an EQ and insta gib the gliscor. Plus with the popularity of knock off, which doesn't remove WP before the boost activates, he is assured of either getting a massive boost, or not having to worry about getting killed quickly. This guy isn't a sweeper, but a wall breaker. If you haven't tried Weakness Policy Aegislash (and you are good with mind games) I suggest you try him out, 95% success rate (I do stupid things like try to tank a stab Flamethrower or STAB EQ).
Latios (M)
Levitate
Life Orb
252 SpAtk, 240 Def, 16 Spd, Timid nature
-Calm Mind
-Roost
-Psyshock
-Dragon Pulse
I have been trying this guy over haxorus to slightly more success. His levitate is useful against EQs, and his dragon typing is great for elemental resistances (I have a huge problem with water types I realized). Psyshock let's him hit the same side as my sweepers, which is nice or when I have already broken down their defensive walls, and dragon pulse is nice for doing the wallbreaking itself. The only issue I have with this guy is the timing. He has to come in AFTER all steel types are gone, meaning Aegis and Zard X have already been used, so this guy isn't the ultimate clean up. I'm going to try Hydreigon see how that goes over.
Edits: I changed Klefki's item to light clay, added balloon for excadrill as a choice, and switched haxorus for patios, although I may change that up again.
Klefki (M)
Light Clay
Prankster
252 HP, 128 Def, 128 SpDef, careful nature
-Reflect
-Light Screen
-Thunderwave
-Foul play/Play Rough
This guy is BAWLKY! Set up the right screen, and you can generally set up the other and a layer or two of spikes. I gave mine thunder wave, but foul play prevents him from being set up fodder to a couple pokes, and play rough is if you need to kill an Outrager. Switch him into an outrage and they can't do anything while you play rough them. Priority T-Wave is really nice to cripple pokes. I have started using foul play as my final slot , because deoxys speed is pretty common and this guy does about 76% with one foul play. I switched leftovers for light clay as per suggestion, and it makes a HUGE difference. 3 extra turns is a lot for a dual screener.
TalonFlame (M) AKA "OH MY GOD THIS THING HAS TOO MUCH STREMTH!"
Choice Band
Gale Wings (Duh)
252 Atk, 252 Speed, 4 HP, Adamant nature
-U-Turn
-Brave Bird
-Tailwind
-Flare Blitz
This thing is one of my new favorites. He has base 81 attack, but choice band brave bird OHKOs so many things (Greninja is so pesky, but they never expect to get dumped on by this guy). He also revenge kills Zard Y 100% of my games. I give him band, because he is a late game clean up, or a revenge killer. I find I don't get many opportunities to set up, and when I do it's because they still have a rotom or a heatran. U-Turn is for momentum, but I recommend waiting until there are no rocks before sending him in. The exception to the rule is if scizor is about to sweep you, then go ahead and send him in. Tailwind is if you know you are going to die, and your other moves won't do anything for you. This is super rare, but I prefer this to the gimmicky Me First (Because most dragon users already have a DD, and kill you anyways).
Charizard X (Male)
Charizardite X
Tough Claws
252 Atk, 252 Spd, 4 hp, Adamant nature
-Flare Blitz
-Outrage
-Dragon Dance
-Earthquake
With this guy, you gotta play it by ear. Sometimes mega evolving right into an EQ is what you gotta do. Most people use Zard Y, so they expect Zard Y, and the EQ blows them up. However, a +1/+2 Zard X is taking down at least 1 defensive wall. If you have screens up, and his checks are taken care of, then go ahead and dragon dance it up. This guy's job isn't to sweep to victory (although that happens) his job is to punch holes in their defense before going down to priority and recoil. Anyone who hasn't tried him yet must do so, you will be flabbergasted at his raw power. I don't recommend using outrage if they still have fairies out, unless you are foddering him because the damn gliscor/garchomp won't go down otherwise. Never outrage if a mawile is still alive. Fighting a +4/+6 mawile and trying to predict sucker punches is the worst feeling ever.
Excadrill (M)
Choice Scarf/Air Balloon
Mold Breaker
252 Atk, 252 Spd, 4 Hp, Adamant
-X-Scissor/Stealth rocks
-Rapid Spin
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
This guy is most times the linch pin of my team. His only job is to rapid spin rocks away. Do not fodder this guy before their Stealth Rocker is dead. I give him scarf to ensure the desperate rapid spin if needed. I like scarf on this guy, he can sweep sometimes with that blazing fast stab 405 attack earthquake. The only issue is getting locked into rapid spin. However, using him against Deoxys leads is really funny, because I kill them with rapid spin or they switch out. His mold breaker is priceless, helps me deal with pesky Rotoms before my TFlame sweep. Scarf helps with gengar. I also use this guy to absorb T-Waves (stupid togekiss). Don't get too risky with the predictions, sometimes it is better to fodder a pokemon and let this guy come in safely to get the rocks out of the way. I think air balloon is a great set too, you are pretty slow though. Air balloon set would be for the stealth rock support. Scarfed Exca is just so solid, but as Timpsu pointed out a tailwind can give him he late game sweep he needs, without the scarf.
Aegislash (M)
Stance Change
Weakness Policy
252 HP, 252 SpAtk, 4 Atk, Quiet nature
-Shadow Ball
-Flash Cannon/Sacred Sword
-Shadow Sneak
-King's Sheild
Awwwww Aegislash, the beauty, the king, the killer. This guy. Switch him into to a safe move, or a predicted will-o-wisp. Or just wait for someone to die before executing Operation OH MY GOSH WTF. So most people expect a SD set. However, this guy is way better suited to the SpAtk side because of the abundance of threats to his set ups. Plus his STAB options are way better. So the secret to this guy is prediction, and knowing what you can survive. Any knock off user will get demolished, with the exception of Bisharp (need a bit of prediction, and sacred sword is there to deal with him and blissey). The +2 Shadow ball OHKOs gliscor, a common problem. This guy also deals with skarmory well. Mandibuzz might pose problems, but a +2 flash cannon will do work before you get foul played. This guy takes out 1+ pokemon every game (unless I get predicted). STAB EQ kills this guy most times though, same with STAB flamethrower. Don't get too cocky with his defenses. Shadow sneak is to do as much harm as possible after the weakness policy boost. Now some doubt has been cast on wether or not weakness policy is a gimmick. I assure you, it is not. Most pokemon have something that hits him super effectively, giving him a MASSIVE boost to damage. For example, gliscor. Gliscor is an annoying physical wall, and always comes in to check aegis. I tank an EQ and insta gib the gliscor. Plus with the popularity of knock off, which doesn't remove WP before the boost activates, he is assured of either getting a massive boost, or not having to worry about getting killed quickly. This guy isn't a sweeper, but a wall breaker. If you haven't tried Weakness Policy Aegislash (and you are good with mind games) I suggest you try him out, 95% success rate (I do stupid things like try to tank a stab Flamethrower or STAB EQ).
Latios (M)
Levitate
Life Orb
252 SpAtk, 240 Def, 16 Spd, Timid nature
-Calm Mind
-Roost
-Psyshock
-Dragon Pulse
I have been trying this guy over haxorus to slightly more success. His levitate is useful against EQs, and his dragon typing is great for elemental resistances (I have a huge problem with water types I realized). Psyshock let's him hit the same side as my sweepers, which is nice or when I have already broken down their defensive walls, and dragon pulse is nice for doing the wallbreaking itself. The only issue I have with this guy is the timing. He has to come in AFTER all steel types are gone, meaning Aegis and Zard X have already been used, so this guy isn't the ultimate clean up. I'm going to try Hydreigon see how that goes over.
Edits: I changed Klefki's item to light clay, added balloon for excadrill as a choice, and switched haxorus for patios, although I may change that up again.
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