Team:
I've been playing with this and tweaking it for several days and I seem to have gotten it to the point where I can best understand how it works out, I enjoy the support that Thunder Wave provides as well as the power that Choice Band and Choice Spec'd attacks provide even moreso with high base power and STAB; while on the other hand the defensive side of my team can cause wear and tear and provide support for the offense... it all comes together :D
Now...
Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 208 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Iron Head
- U-Turn
- Stealth Rock
- Thunderpunch
A lead that is designed to help deal with Gyarados as well as Heracross both of whom give this team the most trouble; EVs are designed to outspeed any Gyarados after a Dragon Dance and go for the OHKO with ThunderPunch and Zen Headbutt is mainly there to deal with Heracross to whom I am weak to but at the same the reduced accuracy and less flinch rate make each other look like reasonably even moves. while on my team. U-turn is mainly for general scouting and to obtain a good advantage early in the game, suggested by Sora13.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 148 HP / 252 Def / 108 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Aromatherapy
- Flamethrower
- Softboiled
- Thunder Wave
It's a mix of the Cleric set and the Diverse set with a twist; Flamethrower, it allows me to decimate steels that might otherwise threaten my Latias and Tryanitar and allows me to effectively surprise Scizor as well as Forretress with a surprise OHKO, I also use it due to the fact that my team is very weak against Heracross and if I mispredict, I'm fucked. I find Calm rather redundant in my battles as the only time I had wanted a Calm nature was when Heatran ate one of my Flamethrowers.
Tyranitar (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 176 HP / 252 Atk / 80 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Pursuit
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
Tyranitar is the real killer on my team, wouldn't think of any other Choice Bander besides this one as it is beastly behind a Reflect and makes outstanding use of the Thunder Wave support my team utilizes. I have decided to use Pursuit anyways as it is vital for me to be able to eliminate those Ghosts as well as bulky Psychics like Celebi and Cresselia that may otherwise ruin my Lucario sweep. Choice Banded Crunches and Stone Edges usually tear the opposition and even Skarmory and Forretress will be 2HKOed after switching into a Stealth Rock, beastly.
Lucario (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Steadfast
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Extremespeed
- Stone Edge
- Swords Dance
Sweeps an unprepared team late-game and a prepared team late-game; rips through frail & speedy Pokémon with Extremespeed and takes down bulkier Pokémon such as Skarmory and Swampert with ease provided he is given one Swords Dance. Also, it covers Latias's weaknesses perfectly and with some reflect sopport from Cresselia I usually have several times to come in and do some serious damage and have more chances to set up a Swords Dance. Stealth Rocks from Infernape really helps this guy out when sweeping a team as without Stealth Rocks I generally fall about a few percentage short of an OHKO. I prefer Stone Edge over Thunderpunch and Ice Punch as I find the punches rather limiting and the accuracy of Stone Edge is rather acceptable and it allows me to hit both Gyarados and Salamence as well as allow me to get a ghost that might otherwise ruin it for me.
Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Reflect
- Rest
- Thunder Wave
My Physical Defense, a nearly impenetrable one too, Explosion will hardly scratch this behind a Reflect. I can usually wear and tear a fair bit of Pokémon with Thunder Wave and forced switches (Stealth Rock damage) as well as giving me some much needed Reflect for more insurance again physically-based Pokémon and just making me feel better and have more freedom in general. How do you feel when you know that a certain Pokémon can't kill you with a very powerful physical move but can kill it back with own powerful move? Great! I tend to feel a lot safer with this thing on my team and it keeps me from fearing top tier OUs like 'Mence and uhhh... ect.
Latias (F) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 48 HP / 208 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Grass Knot
- Surf
- Thunderbolt
My Special Attacker, it's basically SpecsMence with a better movepool! EVs allow my to outspeed +Speed Base 90s like Lucario and Porygon-Z and still carry the sheer power of a SpecsMence Draco Meteor which I have found to be very useful when I really want to break through the defenses of another Pokémon that I could not do otherwise. I am not using Timid because it seems so much weaker than the Modest variant and doesn't seem to gave you those instant KOs when you need them and Paralysis support helps compensate I guess. As said, before it works perfectly with Lucario by resisting each others weaknesses perfectly and is not weak to Stealth Rock which means I will have many chances to bring this thing is and shoot off a Draco or whatever is best depending on the situation. I have found out that Hidden Power [Fire] seems rather redundant and I have not had much use for it as Blissey usually takes care of said Pokémon since she usually shows up earlier in the game and as such I am very open to changes in my moveset (I had changed to Grass Knot after noticing a major Cursepert weakness). Yes, I got caught up in the early Diamond and Pearl SpecsMence hype and I'd like to see how this runs out... it's fine so far and does what it's supposed to do.
Troubles;
Gyarados - I usually beat him but I am generally forced to lose one or two Pokémon to eliminate it and if I change Cresselia's moveset around to include an Electric attack, I would have to lose Rest or Reflect. I am considering dropping Thunder Wave but the group of Pokémon that come into Cresselia and different than the ones that seem to come on into Blissey and I really enjoy the Thunder Wave support Cresselia provides.
Heracross - Too many weaks, and no effective counter or way to take it out.
Thoughts - Maybe two Thunder Waves are rather redundant and I can exchange it for a more useful more or maybe even Stealth Rock and do away with Infernape completely and have a Pokémon that actually work with the rest rather than 'just set up rocks and hope to do something later?
Suggestions?
Discarded Pokémon:
Infernape (M) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 64 Atk / 252 Spd / 192 SAtk
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Close Combat
- Fake Out
- Fire Blast
- Stealth Rock
A lead is a lead and this does what a lead is supposed to do the best; beat other leads one on one and get those rocks up as soon as possible, nothing more. Fake Out against other sashed leads and either set up rocks, attack, or switch depending on the situation, Sash works great since it allows my to fire off Blaze'd Fire Blasts provided I haven't taken any prior damage. Sandstorm generally negates the Focus Sash if I am forced to switch at the beginning and it's rather annoying to do so because you waste a perfectly good item that might have had potential otherwise but in general this had been working great for me.
I've been playing with this and tweaking it for several days and I seem to have gotten it to the point where I can best understand how it works out, I enjoy the support that Thunder Wave provides as well as the power that Choice Band and Choice Spec'd attacks provide even moreso with high base power and STAB; while on the other hand the defensive side of my team can cause wear and tear and provide support for the offense... it all comes together :D
Now...
Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 208 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Iron Head
- U-Turn
- Stealth Rock
- Thunderpunch
A lead that is designed to help deal with Gyarados as well as Heracross both of whom give this team the most trouble; EVs are designed to outspeed any Gyarados after a Dragon Dance and go for the OHKO with ThunderPunch and Zen Headbutt is mainly there to deal with Heracross to whom I am weak to but at the same the reduced accuracy and less flinch rate make each other look like reasonably even moves. while on my team. U-turn is mainly for general scouting and to obtain a good advantage early in the game, suggested by Sora13.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 148 HP / 252 Def / 108 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Aromatherapy
- Flamethrower
- Softboiled
- Thunder Wave
It's a mix of the Cleric set and the Diverse set with a twist; Flamethrower, it allows me to decimate steels that might otherwise threaten my Latias and Tryanitar and allows me to effectively surprise Scizor as well as Forretress with a surprise OHKO, I also use it due to the fact that my team is very weak against Heracross and if I mispredict, I'm fucked. I find Calm rather redundant in my battles as the only time I had wanted a Calm nature was when Heatran ate one of my Flamethrowers.
Tyranitar (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 176 HP / 252 Atk / 80 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Pursuit
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
Tyranitar is the real killer on my team, wouldn't think of any other Choice Bander besides this one as it is beastly behind a Reflect and makes outstanding use of the Thunder Wave support my team utilizes. I have decided to use Pursuit anyways as it is vital for me to be able to eliminate those Ghosts as well as bulky Psychics like Celebi and Cresselia that may otherwise ruin my Lucario sweep. Choice Banded Crunches and Stone Edges usually tear the opposition and even Skarmory and Forretress will be 2HKOed after switching into a Stealth Rock, beastly.
Lucario (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Steadfast
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Extremespeed
- Stone Edge
- Swords Dance
Sweeps an unprepared team late-game and a prepared team late-game; rips through frail & speedy Pokémon with Extremespeed and takes down bulkier Pokémon such as Skarmory and Swampert with ease provided he is given one Swords Dance. Also, it covers Latias's weaknesses perfectly and with some reflect sopport from Cresselia I usually have several times to come in and do some serious damage and have more chances to set up a Swords Dance. Stealth Rocks from Infernape really helps this guy out when sweeping a team as without Stealth Rocks I generally fall about a few percentage short of an OHKO. I prefer Stone Edge over Thunderpunch and Ice Punch as I find the punches rather limiting and the accuracy of Stone Edge is rather acceptable and it allows me to hit both Gyarados and Salamence as well as allow me to get a ghost that might otherwise ruin it for me.
Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Reflect
- Rest
- Thunder Wave
My Physical Defense, a nearly impenetrable one too, Explosion will hardly scratch this behind a Reflect. I can usually wear and tear a fair bit of Pokémon with Thunder Wave and forced switches (Stealth Rock damage) as well as giving me some much needed Reflect for more insurance again physically-based Pokémon and just making me feel better and have more freedom in general. How do you feel when you know that a certain Pokémon can't kill you with a very powerful physical move but can kill it back with own powerful move? Great! I tend to feel a lot safer with this thing on my team and it keeps me from fearing top tier OUs like 'Mence and uhhh... ect.
Latias (F) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 48 HP / 208 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Grass Knot
- Surf
- Thunderbolt
My Special Attacker, it's basically SpecsMence with a better movepool! EVs allow my to outspeed +Speed Base 90s like Lucario and Porygon-Z and still carry the sheer power of a SpecsMence Draco Meteor which I have found to be very useful when I really want to break through the defenses of another Pokémon that I could not do otherwise. I am not using Timid because it seems so much weaker than the Modest variant and doesn't seem to gave you those instant KOs when you need them and Paralysis support helps compensate I guess. As said, before it works perfectly with Lucario by resisting each others weaknesses perfectly and is not weak to Stealth Rock which means I will have many chances to bring this thing is and shoot off a Draco or whatever is best depending on the situation. I have found out that Hidden Power [Fire] seems rather redundant and I have not had much use for it as Blissey usually takes care of said Pokémon since she usually shows up earlier in the game and as such I am very open to changes in my moveset (I had changed to Grass Knot after noticing a major Cursepert weakness). Yes, I got caught up in the early Diamond and Pearl SpecsMence hype and I'd like to see how this runs out... it's fine so far and does what it's supposed to do.
Troubles;
Gyarados - I usually beat him but I am generally forced to lose one or two Pokémon to eliminate it and if I change Cresselia's moveset around to include an Electric attack, I would have to lose Rest or Reflect. I am considering dropping Thunder Wave but the group of Pokémon that come into Cresselia and different than the ones that seem to come on into Blissey and I really enjoy the Thunder Wave support Cresselia provides.
Heracross - Too many weaks, and no effective counter or way to take it out.
Thoughts - Maybe two Thunder Waves are rather redundant and I can exchange it for a more useful more or maybe even Stealth Rock and do away with Infernape completely and have a Pokémon that actually work with the rest rather than 'just set up rocks and hope to do something later?
Suggestions?
Discarded Pokémon:
Infernape (M) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 64 Atk / 252 Spd / 192 SAtk
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Close Combat
- Fake Out
- Fire Blast
- Stealth Rock
A lead is a lead and this does what a lead is supposed to do the best; beat other leads one on one and get those rocks up as soon as possible, nothing more. Fake Out against other sashed leads and either set up rocks, attack, or switch depending on the situation, Sash works great since it allows my to fire off Blaze'd Fire Blasts provided I haven't taken any prior damage. Sandstorm generally negates the Focus Sash if I am forced to switch at the beginning and it's rather annoying to do so because you waste a perfectly good item that might have had potential otherwise but in general this had been working great for me.
