SS NU Feedback on my first ever competitive team c:

[anuluxe]

Hi there! I'm new to the forum and to teambuilding, but I've been playing randbats on showdown and doing my best to learn as much of the game as possible for a long time.

When I created this team, I set out with the vision of making something I could take into AG, using only low tier mons, to punish legend spammers. Made it further up the ladder than I anticipated (1500 peak) after a bit of trial and error, and came out with this after a couple of iterations.

Now, I'd really love to be able to battle in the NU tier, and I'm looking for some ideas on how to improve. I've never really consulted with anyone, or had anyone to play the game with outside of showdown matchmaking, so this is kind of a big step for me. Any and all ideas appreciated!

Galvantula @ Focus Sash
Ability: Compound Eyes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder Wave
- Bug Buzz
- Sticky Web
- Thunder​

Galvantula

Galvantula has always been one of my favorite mons. Between it's incredible speed, it's ability to set webs and para as a first turn option (100% accuracy twave, baby, come on) and compound eyes Thunder, this feels like a no brainer to me. Galvantula is almost always my lead unless I see a mon with a troublesome ability/can use a multihit move, in which case I use...

Weezing @ Blunder Policy
Ability: Neutralizing Gas
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Haze
- Toxic Spikes
- Pain Split
​

Weezing

Weezing's Neutralizing Gas has saved me from so much cheese on the ladder that it's probably earned "MVP" for this team. Combine that with great defensive stats, T-spikes removal, sustain, and will-o-wisp to ruin the days of some big threats, this mon has my whole heart. Obviously, the pure poison typing causes it to struggle some, but I find it can live through some punishing attacks regardless. B-Policy for whiffed Will-O-Wisps, in the event it's imperative I cut a mon's attack for the rest of my team's sake.

Mudsdale @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Stamina
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
​

Mudsdale

Mudsdale is my physical wall and body press monster. Toss it out to read a physical attack, see it soak up the damage and raise it's defense. ID for even more defense, body press for big damage. Rock Slide and EQ for coverage.

Quagsire @ Lum Berry
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Recover
- Toxic
- Earth Power
​

Quagsire

Quagsire was actually the pokemon that made me want to start this team to begin with, and take into AG. Unaware, toxic/recover stall. I'm evil, and it's funny. Lum Berry in case of the odd Toxic/failed read/haxx. Scald for possible burn, EP because I prefer it to EQ.

Whimsicott @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Tailwind
- Giga Drain
- Moonblast
​

Whimsicott

Prankster defogger, Prankster Tailwind. Having a super speedy Giga Drain and Moon blast are definitely a plus. Unsure if the Giga Drain/grass type move coverage is more valuable than something like sub or leech seed, but I've enjoyed it thus far.

Talonflame @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Roost
- U-turn
- Dual Wingbeat
- Flare Blitz​

Talonflame

Heavy hitter, fire-flying type. STAB Dual Wingbeat to break subs, Roost to regain Gale Wings buff, Flare Blitz because it hits hard as hell, U-Turn to save my own ass, and Boots for rocks in case Whimsicott is gone. Used to be Expert Belt, but found that this took a lot of pressure off of Whims if typing/tempo was bad.

 

[PowerOfMemes]

Honestly, the team is quite bad, but here’s feedback:


If you’re using Galv, you want a hyper offense or an offense tram to abuse the Webs, this team doesn’t fulfill that too well.


Should be max def, blunder policy should be black sludge. Haze should be sludge bomb


If u run id muds, u should have rest over rock slide imo. Usually doesn’t use id tho.


it should always be phys def with eq over power i think.


Pretty sure isn’t that good, at least in my opinion. When used it abuses knock off with u-turn


It likes to abuse a defensive set bc of flame body ability with roost and u-turn.

 

[Rabia]

Sadly, I do have to agree with PowerOfMemes in that this team has a lot weird going on between the sets and teammate combinations. You have a couple of routes going on here between hyper offense and more standard balance/bulky offense look, so I'm gonna try to do my best to guide you a bit.


I think these three can probably form a reasonable defensive core to build around. Together, they end up covering a lot of "the bullshit" so to speak in that Quagsire denies setup sweepers, Talonflame is just really fast and revenge kills a fair few threats, and Weezing is the closest thing to a counter to a lot of the physical attackers the metagame has. On this build, I did Toxic Spikes on Weezing because I think Quagsire negates a bit of the need to run Taunt. Either is fine, though.


Next, we add the hazard control core. I think Tsareena is best here because you likely want a spinner to maintain your Toxic Spikes. Stakataka is the Stealth Rock setter because right now, our defensive core needs a special wall and Dragon-type check, so it checks a lot of our boxes.

(dark)
Silvally-Dark is the last Pokemon on here, and it's admittedly quite niche. I think it works here because frankly, what you want in the last slot is something that can threaten to win a game and give your team more damage output. Additionally, a meta call I've made lately is just noting people's increased willingness to run what I am going to call "Steel overload cores," basically just several offensive Pokemon on one team that all hit Steel-types hard. This is often done to open up a Choice Scarf Indeedee-F sweep, so having a fallback option for it is nice.

(click sets for import)
Hope this helps, feel free to reach out to me in the NeverUsed room if you need further assistance.

 

[anuluxe]

Sadly, I do have to agree with PowerOfMemes in that this team has a lot weird going on between the sets and teammate combinations. You have a couple of routes going on here between hyper offense and more standard balance/bulky offense look, so I'm gonna try to do my best to guide you a bit.


I think these three can probably form a reasonable defensive core to build around. Together, they end up covering a lot of "the bullshit" so to speak in that Quagsire denies setup sweepers, Talonflame is just really fast and revenge kills a fair few threats, and Weezing is the closest thing to a counter to a lot of the physical attackers the metagame has. On this build, I did Toxic Spikes on Weezing because I think Quagsire negates a bit of the need to run Taunt. Either is fine, though.


Next, we add the hazard control core. I think Tsareena is best here because you likely want a spinner to maintain your Toxic Spikes. Stakataka is the Stealth Rock setter because right now, our defensive core needs a special wall and Dragon-type check, so it checks a lot of our boxes.

(dark)
Silvally-Dark is the last Pokemon on here, and it's admittedly quite niche. I think it works here because frankly, what you want in the last slot is something that can threaten to win a game and give your team more damage output. Additionally, a meta call I've made lately is just noting people's increased willingness to run what I am going to call "Steel overload cores," basically just several offensive Pokemon on one team that all hit Steel-types hard. This is often done to open up a Choice Scarf Indeedee-F sweep, so having a fallback option for it is nice.

(click sets for import)
Hope this helps, feel free to reach out to me in the NeverUsed room if you need further assistance.

Hey, no "sadly" about it! The whole reason I wanted to hop in here and ask was for help like this! I've never really tried my hand at *any* sort of teambuilding, outside of the games proper (PVE, stuff for the story), and the one you see here.

What I think I'm probably missing is like, meta-team concepts. I see you guys talking about hyper offense *teams* as well as balance teams and whatnot, and I had always thought balance was the most sensible idea. Obviously, I'm not getting that across with the team that I built, and I'm grateful for the help here. The explanations you've laid out make a lot of sense. I'll try the team out, Silvally-Dark and all, and if I have any other questions, I will ask.

Thanks very much, once again!