Welcome to my first RMT of the generation. I started playing competitive pokemon again a few months ago after a 12 month+ break, and I started gen6 soon after. This team isn't the first I've put together, but it is my most consistent one so far, getting me to just over 1400 (playing on PO, so no idea how this equates to the much higher ratings I've seen flying around in some threads). It does mean I'm playing in a meta where Mega Gengar was always out, and recently Mega Kang got banned as well.
The team contains no centrepiece pokemon, rather, it is a team with a good sized defensive core that usually aims to win off the back of one of my two sweepers. Without further ado, here it is:
Milotic (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Marvel Scale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Recover
- Toxic
- Haze
A bulky water I used extensively in gen5, especially around the time Calm Mind Reuniclus was popular. While it can't tank +2 outrages/combats, it does make an excellent general switch-in to alot of pokemon, both special and physical. Often my go to switch in against any fire or ground type, as well as things like Tyranitar, Latias twins, Scizor and Volcarona, and acts as a backup switch in to Greninja if Porygon is down. It can actually beat a wide variety of pokemon 1 v 1, and it isn't uncommon to face a team and see nothing on the enemy team that has a truly good matchup against it. Also my main insurance against baton pass chains with Haze.
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Trait: Trace
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Thunder Wave
- Recover
The physical wall of the team. My typical first switch in to dragons like Garchomp, Dragonite, Salamence, Gyrados and the rarer Haxorus, etc. It can take an absurd amount of punishment on physical side and has Ice Beam to get rid of these threats efficiently. One nice thing about Porygon is that if your opponent is using a mixed set on Dragonite/Mence to surprise physical checks, he can still take the Draco Meteor comfortably and force them out. Aside from Dragons, he can check a good variety of pokemon with this pretty standard set, switching into popular threats Talonflame and Greninja without a care in the world. The only things he can't handle are fighting types, which is handled reasonably by the rest of the team.
Celebi @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 36 Def / 200 SDef / 20 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Giga Drain
- Future Sight
- Recover
- Calm Mind
Specially defensive Celebi. It provides some important resistances for the team, gives me a status absorber, and a good switch in to special attacks. It can switch in to take big Draco Meteors from thing like Latios, and checks pretty much every water type in the game. Despite not being pysically defensive, Celebi stops the now less popular Breloom, and can switch into other fighting types like Conkeldurr, Keldeo and Terrakion and hit them super effectively.
The moveset looks odd and for good reason - it has changed a few times and I'm still playing around with it. Future Sight is gimmicky but actually surprisingly useful in some cases - it hits quite hard and sometimes the delayed effect can be useful for breaking through a wall, if I manage to organise it so my opponent can't have his Psychic resist/immunity at the right time to tank it. Calm Mind is used not so much to sweep early, but to give a potential wincon lategame, especially when left in a stall war with one or two pokemon on each side. I've kept Recover and Giga Drain pretty consistently, but the other two moveslots have seen U-turn and Leech seed, Thunder wave and Leech seed, stealth rock and psychic, and even Substitute plus baton pass. I'm still unsure which moves would serve my team best, so I'd be interested to hear opinions. Somehow I feel like what I'm using right now isn't optimal.
Heatran (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Dragon Pulse
- Stealth Rock
The main thing that made me think of Scarf Tran was when I was looking at pokemon in the OU meta that could reliably check Lucario. Heatran does the job well provided Lucario isn't running Vacuum Wave, and provides such much needed speed to blast holes in most dragons, as well as getting in the first hit on pokemon such as Scollipede and Garvantula (I usually lead with Heatran if I see these guys in team preview). Stealth rock looks odd here, and previously I was running it on Celebi, but I couldn't find anything particularly interesting to use in Heatran's 4th slot (being locked into Flash Cannon is really meh), while Celebi's moveslots are more precious. I've found Heatran to be just as reliable at getting rocks up, and in certain circumstances it allows me to bluff a non-choice set then surprise my opponent later on.
Lucario (M) @ Lucarionite
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Swords Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Ice Punch
Ever since starting starting gen6, I've thought Lucario was strong. Along with Dragonite he forms the offensive presence on this team, and has cleaned up and won me plenty of matches. Using Ice Punch over Crunch because I've found the threats beaten by Ice Punch seem to be more common than the ones beaten by Crunch, but there's no denying that Aegislash is irritating for this set. Whenever I see one on the enemy team (not exactly rare), I know I have to get rid of it before even thinking about setting up Luke.
Dragonite (F) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Outrage
- Dragon Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Fire Punch
My second offensive piece. Very straightforward set, one that I've used both gen4 and 5, and it still serves me well. More capable of beating Aegislash than Lucario, but requires the inevitable prediction around Kings Shield. The EVs are setup to outrun any base 115 after a dragon dance, allowing an adamant nature and a small amount of investment in bulk. Faster pokemon tend to either take massive damage from a +1 extremespeed or die to if if they've taken some prior damage anyway.
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So there's the team. I've found that between the defensive core, a scarfer and two priority moves it deals with most threats pretty well, while maintaining enough firepower to break through opposing walls and cores if setup at the right time. Any constructive comments or changes are welcome, I'm not that tied to what I'm using. Below are a few thoughts on some common pokemon I've been coming across this gen and how my team fares against them. Not a comprehensive lost because I'd be here all night.
Aegislash: A well-played one can be awkward. Celebi has no business going anywhere near it, and both my sweepers have some problems playing around Kings Shield (and in Lucario's case gets completely walled anyway). Milotic is usually my best bet for wearing Aegislash down, able to burn it and Haze away any Swords dance boosts, while Porygon in a pinch could annoy it with thunder wave and dish out some damage, while trying to avoid a boosted Sacred Sword. Heatran can also obviously force Aegislash out, but tends to be relatively predictable, especially mid to lategame. I have no easy solutions to Aegislash, just have to play around it and wear it down.
Charizard: Charizard can be tricky, especially if I haven't managed to get rocks up. I've encountered Charizard Y far more often, and depending on the moves it's using I might not have a safe switch in at all. Dragonite resists the fire/grass/fighting coverage often seen, but I have to be confident it's not using hp ice otherwise I just lose my Dragonite for nothing. Porygon doesn't enjoy taking Focus Blast or fire blast in the sun but can sometimes Paralyse Charizard and stall it out with Recover. I have no completely safe switch in to Charizard, what I do just has to depend on gamestate.
Garchomp: Porygon is my preferred switch in, tracing Rough Skin to hurt Garchomp if it uses a contact move, and zapping it with Ice Beam, which for some reason alot of Garchomps stay in on. Milotic can deal with some sets but can't take boosted outrages for long, making it a shaky counter if I don't know the set. Apart from that, I usually have no problems just revenge killing Garchomp if I can't safely tank it, with Heatran doing a good chunk with dragon pulse and Luke/Dragonite picking it off with priority.
Genesect: A difficult pokemon to deal with, along similar lines to Rotom-W. Early on when I want to scout it's moveset, Porygon is the safest tank, since Genesect can't hit it that hard nor stay in successfully. Most of the time Milotic can do the same kind of thing, but has to be wary of being two shotted by some of the harder hitting sets, or ones with Thunderbolt. Scarf Genesect also checks both Lucario and Dragonite pretty well, and has to be removed or severely weakened for them to get through. A pain.
Greninja: I've seen alot of them, but not terribly impessed with it so far. Usually my main switch in will be Porygon, who isn't 2HKOed by anything Greninja has and can easily paralyse and kill it if it decides to stay in. Milotic can also face Greninja if using Porygon is impossible or a bad idea for some reason, but doesn't quite have the same level of bulk. Outside of that I have to revenge kill it with Lucario, Dragonite or Heatran.
Lucario: Usually Mega Luke. He often comes in on Porygon after a KO, and depending on the gamestate and danger to my team, I sometimes leave Porygon in to use Thunderwave, which at least stops a sweep from happening (Porygon can actually survive a Close Combat, though it won't be good for much of anything afterwards). Heatran checks Lucario nicely, though I'm often hesitant to switch into a potential Close Combat. Both extremespeeders can revenge kill a weakened Luke, especially with defence drops.
Pinsir: Usually Mega Pinsir. To be completely honest this pokemon still has me going back to these forums to look up on the fly what it's speed stat is and what it runs. I don't have a set switch-in, and I feel like after a Swords dance it should be able to one shot anything on my team with the appropriate move, but I generally don't have many problems revenge killing it. Both Heatran and Luke outspeed it and smack it hard, and both my priority moves hit before any possible quick attack. I haven't encountered many of these, but just occasionally it surprises me and does alot of damage.
Rotom-W: Such a common pokemon that every team needs some way of dealing with it, even though taking its attacks isn't that hard. Most Rotoms I come across seem to be bulky ones running Volt Switch, Hydro Pump, WoW and Pain Split with leftovers, and it's difficult to pin it down. Celebi makes a textbook switch-in to Rotom-W, though unfortunately most of the time it just Volt Turns away immediately, leaving Celebi starting at something that can hit it super effectively. Once you can actually force it to stay on the field a bit longer my team can beat it pretty well - Milotic can easily stay in and tank weak Volt switches and threaten it with Toxic, and Dragonite can even setup on it in the right circumstances.
Talonflame: Porygon tends to be the first switch in, easily avoiding a 2HKO from anything and forcing Talonflame to flee or die. Milotic can come in on some sets, and Heatran can tank a fair few attacks from it over the course of the match if needed. Mostly I just need to get Stealth Rock up when I see Talonflame in team preview - it doesn't seem to cause me many problems.
The team contains no centrepiece pokemon, rather, it is a team with a good sized defensive core that usually aims to win off the back of one of my two sweepers. Without further ado, here it is:
Milotic (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Marvel Scale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Recover
- Toxic
- Haze
A bulky water I used extensively in gen5, especially around the time Calm Mind Reuniclus was popular. While it can't tank +2 outrages/combats, it does make an excellent general switch-in to alot of pokemon, both special and physical. Often my go to switch in against any fire or ground type, as well as things like Tyranitar, Latias twins, Scizor and Volcarona, and acts as a backup switch in to Greninja if Porygon is down. It can actually beat a wide variety of pokemon 1 v 1, and it isn't uncommon to face a team and see nothing on the enemy team that has a truly good matchup against it. Also my main insurance against baton pass chains with Haze.
Porygon2 @ Eviolite
Trait: Trace
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Thunder Wave
- Recover
The physical wall of the team. My typical first switch in to dragons like Garchomp, Dragonite, Salamence, Gyrados and the rarer Haxorus, etc. It can take an absurd amount of punishment on physical side and has Ice Beam to get rid of these threats efficiently. One nice thing about Porygon is that if your opponent is using a mixed set on Dragonite/Mence to surprise physical checks, he can still take the Draco Meteor comfortably and force them out. Aside from Dragons, he can check a good variety of pokemon with this pretty standard set, switching into popular threats Talonflame and Greninja without a care in the world. The only things he can't handle are fighting types, which is handled reasonably by the rest of the team.
Celebi @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 36 Def / 200 SDef / 20 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Giga Drain
- Future Sight
- Recover
- Calm Mind
Specially defensive Celebi. It provides some important resistances for the team, gives me a status absorber, and a good switch in to special attacks. It can switch in to take big Draco Meteors from thing like Latios, and checks pretty much every water type in the game. Despite not being pysically defensive, Celebi stops the now less popular Breloom, and can switch into other fighting types like Conkeldurr, Keldeo and Terrakion and hit them super effectively.
The moveset looks odd and for good reason - it has changed a few times and I'm still playing around with it. Future Sight is gimmicky but actually surprisingly useful in some cases - it hits quite hard and sometimes the delayed effect can be useful for breaking through a wall, if I manage to organise it so my opponent can't have his Psychic resist/immunity at the right time to tank it. Calm Mind is used not so much to sweep early, but to give a potential wincon lategame, especially when left in a stall war with one or two pokemon on each side. I've kept Recover and Giga Drain pretty consistently, but the other two moveslots have seen U-turn and Leech seed, Thunder wave and Leech seed, stealth rock and psychic, and even Substitute plus baton pass. I'm still unsure which moves would serve my team best, so I'd be interested to hear opinions. Somehow I feel like what I'm using right now isn't optimal.
Heatran (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Dragon Pulse
- Stealth Rock
The main thing that made me think of Scarf Tran was when I was looking at pokemon in the OU meta that could reliably check Lucario. Heatran does the job well provided Lucario isn't running Vacuum Wave, and provides such much needed speed to blast holes in most dragons, as well as getting in the first hit on pokemon such as Scollipede and Garvantula (I usually lead with Heatran if I see these guys in team preview). Stealth rock looks odd here, and previously I was running it on Celebi, but I couldn't find anything particularly interesting to use in Heatran's 4th slot (being locked into Flash Cannon is really meh), while Celebi's moveslots are more precious. I've found Heatran to be just as reliable at getting rocks up, and in certain circumstances it allows me to bluff a non-choice set then surprise my opponent later on.
Lucario (M) @ Lucarionite
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Swords Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Ice Punch
Ever since starting starting gen6, I've thought Lucario was strong. Along with Dragonite he forms the offensive presence on this team, and has cleaned up and won me plenty of matches. Using Ice Punch over Crunch because I've found the threats beaten by Ice Punch seem to be more common than the ones beaten by Crunch, but there's no denying that Aegislash is irritating for this set. Whenever I see one on the enemy team (not exactly rare), I know I have to get rid of it before even thinking about setting up Luke.
Dragonite (F) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Outrage
- Dragon Dance
- Extreme Speed
- Fire Punch
My second offensive piece. Very straightforward set, one that I've used both gen4 and 5, and it still serves me well. More capable of beating Aegislash than Lucario, but requires the inevitable prediction around Kings Shield. The EVs are setup to outrun any base 115 after a dragon dance, allowing an adamant nature and a small amount of investment in bulk. Faster pokemon tend to either take massive damage from a +1 extremespeed or die to if if they've taken some prior damage anyway.
===========
So there's the team. I've found that between the defensive core, a scarfer and two priority moves it deals with most threats pretty well, while maintaining enough firepower to break through opposing walls and cores if setup at the right time. Any constructive comments or changes are welcome, I'm not that tied to what I'm using. Below are a few thoughts on some common pokemon I've been coming across this gen and how my team fares against them. Not a comprehensive lost because I'd be here all night.
Aegislash: A well-played one can be awkward. Celebi has no business going anywhere near it, and both my sweepers have some problems playing around Kings Shield (and in Lucario's case gets completely walled anyway). Milotic is usually my best bet for wearing Aegislash down, able to burn it and Haze away any Swords dance boosts, while Porygon in a pinch could annoy it with thunder wave and dish out some damage, while trying to avoid a boosted Sacred Sword. Heatran can also obviously force Aegislash out, but tends to be relatively predictable, especially mid to lategame. I have no easy solutions to Aegislash, just have to play around it and wear it down.
Charizard: Charizard can be tricky, especially if I haven't managed to get rocks up. I've encountered Charizard Y far more often, and depending on the moves it's using I might not have a safe switch in at all. Dragonite resists the fire/grass/fighting coverage often seen, but I have to be confident it's not using hp ice otherwise I just lose my Dragonite for nothing. Porygon doesn't enjoy taking Focus Blast or fire blast in the sun but can sometimes Paralyse Charizard and stall it out with Recover. I have no completely safe switch in to Charizard, what I do just has to depend on gamestate.
Garchomp: Porygon is my preferred switch in, tracing Rough Skin to hurt Garchomp if it uses a contact move, and zapping it with Ice Beam, which for some reason alot of Garchomps stay in on. Milotic can deal with some sets but can't take boosted outrages for long, making it a shaky counter if I don't know the set. Apart from that, I usually have no problems just revenge killing Garchomp if I can't safely tank it, with Heatran doing a good chunk with dragon pulse and Luke/Dragonite picking it off with priority.
Genesect: A difficult pokemon to deal with, along similar lines to Rotom-W. Early on when I want to scout it's moveset, Porygon is the safest tank, since Genesect can't hit it that hard nor stay in successfully. Most of the time Milotic can do the same kind of thing, but has to be wary of being two shotted by some of the harder hitting sets, or ones with Thunderbolt. Scarf Genesect also checks both Lucario and Dragonite pretty well, and has to be removed or severely weakened for them to get through. A pain.
Greninja: I've seen alot of them, but not terribly impessed with it so far. Usually my main switch in will be Porygon, who isn't 2HKOed by anything Greninja has and can easily paralyse and kill it if it decides to stay in. Milotic can also face Greninja if using Porygon is impossible or a bad idea for some reason, but doesn't quite have the same level of bulk. Outside of that I have to revenge kill it with Lucario, Dragonite or Heatran.
Lucario: Usually Mega Luke. He often comes in on Porygon after a KO, and depending on the gamestate and danger to my team, I sometimes leave Porygon in to use Thunderwave, which at least stops a sweep from happening (Porygon can actually survive a Close Combat, though it won't be good for much of anything afterwards). Heatran checks Lucario nicely, though I'm often hesitant to switch into a potential Close Combat. Both extremespeeders can revenge kill a weakened Luke, especially with defence drops.
Pinsir: Usually Mega Pinsir. To be completely honest this pokemon still has me going back to these forums to look up on the fly what it's speed stat is and what it runs. I don't have a set switch-in, and I feel like after a Swords dance it should be able to one shot anything on my team with the appropriate move, but I generally don't have many problems revenge killing it. Both Heatran and Luke outspeed it and smack it hard, and both my priority moves hit before any possible quick attack. I haven't encountered many of these, but just occasionally it surprises me and does alot of damage.
Rotom-W: Such a common pokemon that every team needs some way of dealing with it, even though taking its attacks isn't that hard. Most Rotoms I come across seem to be bulky ones running Volt Switch, Hydro Pump, WoW and Pain Split with leftovers, and it's difficult to pin it down. Celebi makes a textbook switch-in to Rotom-W, though unfortunately most of the time it just Volt Turns away immediately, leaving Celebi starting at something that can hit it super effectively. Once you can actually force it to stay on the field a bit longer my team can beat it pretty well - Milotic can easily stay in and tank weak Volt switches and threaten it with Toxic, and Dragonite can even setup on it in the right circumstances.
Talonflame: Porygon tends to be the first switch in, easily avoiding a 2HKO from anything and forcing Talonflame to flee or die. Milotic can come in on some sets, and Heatran can tank a fair few attacks from it over the course of the match if needed. Mostly I just need to get Stealth Rock up when I see Talonflame in team preview - it doesn't seem to cause me many problems.