DFB's XY LC Team

[Evilfaic]

DFB's XY LC Team
First attempt at an actual LC team

The Team At a Glance...

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The Team in Detail...

Surskit (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Spd / 196 SAtk / 20 SDef / 20 Def / 36 HP
Modest Nature
- Signal Beam
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Sticky Web

Surskit's main role is to set up Sticky Web, but it's offensive capabilities are actually pretty scary. First of all, Sticky Web helps the rest of the team function better by letting stuff like Scraggy and Omastar set up. Sash almost guarantees that Sticky Web gets up. As for attacks, Signal Beam hits Psychics like Abra really hard. Scald hits stuff like Larvesta and Dwebble and can allow Surskit to get a burn or two on things before it dies. Surskit is not meant to be alive for most of the battle, but it can be very powerful offensively, as demonstrated in some of the replays below.

Larvesta (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flame Body
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Spd / 236 Atk / 76 HP
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- Zen Headbutt

Larvesta is my Scarfer. Yes, Scarfers are always useful (especially ones with U-turn/Volt Switch), even on Sticky Web teams. U-turn is for some STAB and momentum. Flare Blitz deals with threats like Pawniard and just hits things hard that don't resist it. Wild Charge covers Water-types, and lastly, Zen Headbutt hits Mienfoo and other Fighting-types that aren't named Scraggy. Not a ton to explain on this one.

Pawniard (M) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 196 Spd / 76 HP
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance

Pawniard is a huge threat with Dark getting a buff offensively in tandem with the Knock Off buff. Pawniard actually benefits from a couple different buffs as well: Defog and the newly added Sticky Web. He Pawniard can switch in on a predicted Defog (however rare this is in LC) or Sticky Web, and gain a free +2 Attack boost thanks to Defiant. Pawniard's awkward 70 base Speed is also helped by Sticky Web. Knock Off hits things extremely hard, especially with a SD boost. Sucker Punch is for some priority and hits almost as hard as Knock Off. Iron Head hits some things that resist Dark, although it sometimes doesn't matter after an SD or two (or three or four).

Scraggy (M) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Moxie
Level: 5
EVs: 212 Spd / 236 Atk / 60 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Drain Punch
- Poison Jab
- Dragon Dance

Scraggy destroys teams. His low Speed is boosted by DD, which is also helped by Sticky Web. After a few DDs, Scraggy is fast and powerful enough to sweep easily along with Moxie. Scraggy's ok natural bulk lets it take a hit and recover with Berry Juice, while setting up a DD or a few. Knock Off is powerful Dark STAB and the utility of item-removal. Drain Punch is for some more recovery and strong Fighting STAB. Poison Jab is really just filler, but it hits Fairy-types (especially that evil Cottonee) that resist Dark and Fighting. DD, as mentioned before, boosts your most important sweeping stats.

Omanyte (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Shell Armor
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Spd / 196 SAtk / 76 SDef
Modest Nature
- Surf
- Ancient Power
- Ice Beam
- Shell Smash

Omastar sets up Shell Smash and then wrecks things. Shell Armor is there over Swift Swim because who runs LC Rain? Plus I don't want to get critted at a crucial moment (or any moment for that matter). Eviolite along with Omanyte's natural bulk makes it surprisingly Defensive until SS is set up. Ancient Power is for STAB (plus that 10% chance to patch up those lowered stats is nice). Surf is the attack I'll be clicking most of the time, as at +2 it deals massive damage to anything not resisting it. Ice Beam hits Dragon and Grass types super-effectively. Thinking of using White Herb over Eviolite to restore those lowered Defenses, but I'm not sure.

Porygon @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
Level: 5
EVs: 236 SAtk / 236 SDef / 36 Def
Modest Nature
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Recover

Lastly, there's Porygon, my bulky Special Attacker. Eviolite plus Defensive investment makes this thing surprisingly bulky. STAB Tri Attack hits many things hard with STAB, and the slight chance of Burn/Para/Freeze is nice too. Ice Beam hits other things in case Tri Attack isn't preferable to use, and Shadow Ball slams Misdreavus. Recover is a must for healing up and being annoying. Not a ton to explain, although I am thinking of adding Thunder Wave or Toxic over Ice Beam.

Importable

Surskit (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Spd / 196 SAtk / 20 SDef / 20 Def / 36 HP
Modest Nature
- Signal Beam
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Sticky Web

Larvesta (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flame Body
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Spd / 236 Atk / 76 HP
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- Zen Headbutt

Pawniard (M) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 196 Spd / 76 HP
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance

Scraggy (M) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Moxie
Level: 5
EVs: 212 Spd / 236 Atk / 36 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Drain Punch
- Poison Jab
- Dragon Dance

Omanyte (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Shell Armor
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Spd / 196 SAtk / 76 SDef
Modest Nature
- Surf
- Ancient Power
- Ice Beam
- Shell Smash

Porygon @ Eviolite
Ability: Download
Level: 5
EVs: 236 SAtk / 236 SDef / 36 Def
Modest Nature
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Shadow Ball
- Recover

Replays:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/lc-115245926
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/lc-115942962
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/lc-117837235 (On an alt trying out Scarf Croagunk)

Ratings are appreciated :)
~DFB

 

[boo836]

You've got a MASSIVE fighting weakness. Mienfoo, Timburr, Croagunk all screw your team over pretty badly. I'm going to suggest you add Croagunk or Trubbish over Larvesta. Seeing as you've got no manner of keeping rocks off the field, Larvesta has VERY limited participation in the match. Indeed, even less so as it uses Choice Scarf and relies on recoil moves for coverage. It also covers your issues with Spritzee, as you have A LOT of issues trying to come in on it. You've got HUGE issues with Misdreavus considering that nothing can safely enter and threaten it when it NPs. I strongly recommend Scarf Pawniard over your current set in order to check Misdreavus much more effectively, or at the very least switch your Porygon's EVs to the Special Wall spread and run Dark Pulse/Shadow Ball.

 

[Corporal Levi]

I absolutely support boo's recommendation of adding Croagunk to deal with fighting-types, but I think Surskit is the better Pokemon to replace; none of your Pokemon benefit hugely from Sticky Web since they already have methods to improve their speed if they are in need of it, and Surskit's inability to do anything outside of set up Sticky Web in most matches makes it a bit of a dead weight. The reason I choose Croagunk over Trubbish is that Croagunk is better able to deal with Dragon Dance Scraggy. Due to how weak you are to fighting types, you'll want Croagunk to stick around; as such, I recommend a mixed Eviolite set.
Croagunk @ Eviolite
Ability: Dry Skin
Level: 5
EVs: 132 HP / 28 Atk / 116 Def / 108 SAtk / 116 SDef
Quiet Nature
- Vacuum Wave
- Sludge Bomb
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
The utility Croagunk is able to bring to the table every time it gets in is phenomenal, and it's very straight-forward to use. Although Drain Punch and Dry Skin aren't the most reliable forms of recovery, they usually allow Croagunk to at the very least outlast the Pokemon it's checking.

As boo mentioned, you might also have a fair bit of trouble against Misdreavus; to deal with this, switching Porygon to a more defensive variant is definitely a good idea.
Porygon @ Eviolite
Ability: Trace
Level: 5
EVs: 236 HP / 196 Def / 76 SDef
Calm Nature
- Recover
- Tri Attack
- Shadow Ball / Ice Beam
- Thunder Wave / Ice Beam
With the given EVs, Porygon is able to withstand a variety of neutral attacks, and is able to beat most variants of Misdreavus. Although this version of Porygon isn't quite as powerful, it's not too weak, either, since base 85 Special Attack is still respectable. Thunder Wave cripples switch-ins such as Mienfoo and Pawniard that Porygon would not otherwise be able to harm significantly. If you so choose, Ice Beam could be run over Shadow Ball or Thunder Wave to better check Fletchling. Trace Porygon makes a solid switch-in to Chinchou, since Trace copies Volt Absorb, preventing Chinchou from Volt Switching out to maintain momentum.
Just a note - boltbeam isn't actually that good in LC, since the most popular water-type by a significant margin, Chinchou, is usually immune to electric-type attacks anyway, negating the need for Thunderbolt.

Now, replacing Surskit with Croagunk makes your weakness to ground-type attacks even more evident. Pawniard in particular compounds your ground, fighting and fire weaknesses. Omanyte is prone to being worn down, leaving you somewhat vulnerable to late-game Fletchling sweeps, and Pawniard's flying resistance doesn't actually help hugely in this regard because Fletchling can OHKO non-eviolite Pawniard with Overheat, or attempt to OHKO with itemless Acrobatics after two Swords Dances, since Pawniard can't OHKO standard Fletchling. As such, I would like to suggest it being replaced by Archen. This is extremely important if you choose to keep Larvesta on your team because Archen learns Defog, allowing it to get rid of the hazards that hinder Larvesta.
Archen @ Berry Juice
Ability: Defeatist
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 20 Atk / 156 Def / 196 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake / U-Turn / Knock Off
- Acrobatics / Stealth Rock
- Rock Slide / Rock Tomb / Head Smash / Stone Edge
- Defog
Archen is a very versatile Pokemon. You'll want Defog to support Larvesta, and a rock-type STAB of your choice to deal with Fletchling, but the rest is really up to personal preference. A defensive Eviolite set could also be used, with a spread of 236 HP / 156 Def / 76 SDef / 36 Spd to hit Eviolite numbers.

That's it for now. Good luck!