There have been various recent threads in Stark discussing defensive combinations of pokemon that work well together. While it is true that having a strong and balanced defensive core is essential for most teams' success, it is also true that without the right combinations of offensive pokemon you will have a very hard time sweeping teams. Making an effective team is not just about slapping a couple of random sweepers together and calling it a day. You really need to think about the strengths and weaknesses of each individual member, and more importantly, about how they work together as an effective and cohesive fighting unit.
Defensive cores have been done to death; this thread will hopefully trigger some discussion on effective offensive cores. After all, no matter how good the type synergy and spectrum balancing on your team is, if you have no battle plan and can't break through your opponent's defenses, you won't be winning many games. Unless you're a queer that likes stall! =P
I'll start off with a very basic but highly effective offensive combo: the infamous Salamence / Magnezone combination, often referred to as Salazone or Magnemence.
..............................
+
Salamence @ Life Orb
Adamant - Intimidate
252 Atk, 252 Spe, 4 SpA
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
+
Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Naive - Magnet Pull
4 Atk, 252 SpA, 252 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- HP Fire
- Explosion
Or something along those lines. Now, this combination is often heralded for its defensive prowess, resisting every type in the game between the two of them. And yes, while that is very helpful in an offensive core, it is not nearly as necessary as it usually is when selecting your defensive core. The reason the combo is so formidable is because one pokemon helps the other by eliminating its counters, in this case Magnezone trapping and destroying and Steel type that comes in to try and wall Salamence's attacks. Bronzong coming in on your Dragon Dance to take the Outrage? No problem, let Magnezone take the Gyro Ball and finish off Bronzong with a Thunderbolt. A Scizor coming in to revenge kill Mence while it's weak? Simply let Magnezone eat the Bullet Punch and take it from there. The fact that the two can toggle between each other to resist each other's weaknesses just helps make the combination even more effective, and the Salazone strategy is a very good core around which one can use as the heart of your offense.
..............................
Offensive combos work in many ways - trapping, luring, baiting, etc. Or there could simply be two sweepers who between the two of them can take out the entire metagame. As long as they can work together in some way and gain something for the team as a whole, they are an offensive combo. And it doesn't necessarily have to be just 2 pokemon - 3 and even 4 pokemon offensive cores are all very effective. Just like the best defensive combinations aren't usually simply 2 pokemon, but rather more, so the offensive combos work in a similar way. Just don't go posting whole teams, yah? =P
There are many, many excellent combos out there that can wreak havoc upon opposing teams. It's simply our job to find them and utilise them best. Well guys, I hope we can get some interesting and innovative ideas rolling here. Who knows, we might come up with something new and groundbreaking! (feeble attempt at one of luxormaniac's speeches lol)
Anyway, post your ideas guys. Let's get some powerful offensive combos rolling.
LR.
Defensive cores have been done to death; this thread will hopefully trigger some discussion on effective offensive cores. After all, no matter how good the type synergy and spectrum balancing on your team is, if you have no battle plan and can't break through your opponent's defenses, you won't be winning many games. Unless you're a queer that likes stall! =P
I'll start off with a very basic but highly effective offensive combo: the infamous Salamence / Magnezone combination, often referred to as Salazone or Magnemence.
..............................


Salamence @ Life Orb
Adamant - Intimidate
252 Atk, 252 Spe, 4 SpA
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
+
Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Naive - Magnet Pull
4 Atk, 252 SpA, 252 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- HP Fire
- Explosion
Or something along those lines. Now, this combination is often heralded for its defensive prowess, resisting every type in the game between the two of them. And yes, while that is very helpful in an offensive core, it is not nearly as necessary as it usually is when selecting your defensive core. The reason the combo is so formidable is because one pokemon helps the other by eliminating its counters, in this case Magnezone trapping and destroying and Steel type that comes in to try and wall Salamence's attacks. Bronzong coming in on your Dragon Dance to take the Outrage? No problem, let Magnezone take the Gyro Ball and finish off Bronzong with a Thunderbolt. A Scizor coming in to revenge kill Mence while it's weak? Simply let Magnezone eat the Bullet Punch and take it from there. The fact that the two can toggle between each other to resist each other's weaknesses just helps make the combination even more effective, and the Salazone strategy is a very good core around which one can use as the heart of your offense.
..............................
Offensive combos work in many ways - trapping, luring, baiting, etc. Or there could simply be two sweepers who between the two of them can take out the entire metagame. As long as they can work together in some way and gain something for the team as a whole, they are an offensive combo. And it doesn't necessarily have to be just 2 pokemon - 3 and even 4 pokemon offensive cores are all very effective. Just like the best defensive combinations aren't usually simply 2 pokemon, but rather more, so the offensive combos work in a similar way. Just don't go posting whole teams, yah? =P
There are many, many excellent combos out there that can wreak havoc upon opposing teams. It's simply our job to find them and utilise them best. Well guys, I hope we can get some interesting and innovative ideas rolling here. Who knows, we might come up with something new and groundbreaking! (feeble attempt at one of luxormaniac's speeches lol)
Anyway, post your ideas guys. Let's get some powerful offensive combos rolling.
LR.