BIG, BAD DRAGONS
Intro
Hi. I have been into competitive battling for a while and this is my first team that isn't completely horrible. It's a standard offensive team using a dragons + Magnezone core, and it has peaked around 1250 on Smogon. I want to make this team better, so please lend me your suggestions!
The Team
Rotom-W @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Nature: Modest
- Volt Switch: A very useful move for scouting purposes and revenge killing weakened mons. Sometimes mons like Ferrothron switch in on this attack, in which case I switch in Magnezone to deal with it.
- Hydro Pump: Powerful STAB attack, but it isn't used as much as Volt Switch. Becomes epically powerful in the rain and can OHKO several mons.
- Hidden Power Ice: For revenge killing things like Dragonite after +1
- Trick: Hits things like Blissey and Gastrodon that try and switch in. I don't really use this move too often though, since it can be predictable and punishable.
The first half of my team's volt-turn core, Rotom-W is a great revenge killer and is my most common lead. I usually just Volt Switch off most things unless I see a reason not too, such as a Ground-type. It also covers Heatran, which is one of the few steel types that Magnezone can't deal with. A really great team player.
Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spd
Nature: Adamant
- U-Turn: Great move for scouting, and it hits crazy hard. Attracts a surprising amount of steel types for Magnezone to get rid of.
- Bullet Punch: For STAB and priority. Hits Terrakion which can otherwise screw up my team pretty badly.
- Superpower: For Steel-type switch ins, especially Heatran and Magnezone.
- Pursuit: Nails Lati@s, Gengar, Celebi and the like when they try to switch out.
The second half of my volt-turn core, Scizor provides a much needed insurance against some dangerous mons like Terrakion and CM Latias. It functions really well in tandem with Rotom-W, dealing damage while keeping offensive momentum.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Nature: Timid
- Fire Blast: A powerful STAB attack that dents almost everything it hits, except when it misses :(
- Earth Power: For dealing with opposing Heatran. This is also what I use when I don't wanna miss with FB.
- Hidden Power Ice: For dealing with opposing dragons in general, especially those locked into Outrage.
- Stealth Rock: Truly the best move in the game. That extra damage it deals has saved me countless times before.
My Stealth Rock user which also serves as insurance for when I stupidly let an opposing dragon set up too much. It also provides great synergy with the rest of the team, taking the ice attacks aimed at my dragons and the grass and fire attacks aimed at Rotom-W and Scizor respectively.
Magnezone @ Leftovers
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Nature: Timid
- Substitute: Blocks Leech Seed and status moves, allowing me to set-up with Charge Beam.
- Thunderbolt: Strong STAB attack which wrecks Skarmory, and also is more powerful than HP Fire on those steels which are not x4 weak to fire.
- Hidden Power Fire: Destroys Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Forretress.
- Charge Beam:Used for setting up on Ferrothorn or Scizor locked into BP, usually allowing me to kill at least one more mon after the opposing steel goes down.
Magnezone's primary role is to get rid of steels and perhaps pick off a few more mons after Charge Beam boosts. Since Magnezone doesn't really have that much use after all opposing steels are gone, it usually becomes the first mon I use as death fodder.
Latios @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Nature: Timid
- Draco Meteor: An incredibly powerful attack that destroys pretty much any non-steel or special wall.
- Surf: Used for steel types on the switch, but I usually just switch to Magnezone. This move also lets me take advantage of rain.
- Psyshock: I actually use this move quite a bit. It deals pretty decent damage and it wrecks Tentacreul and 2HKOs Blissey, Chansey, however, can be a pain in the ass.
- Trick: This fourth slot has changed from HP Fire to Thunderbolt to Dragon Pulse to Trick, but I rarely ever use whatever move is here anyway. I guess with Trick I can hit defensive mons that try to switch in.
The first of my dragons and my main special attacker. When all opposing steels are gone, this thing can wreck a lot of teams. It's also my main answer to many fighting types that can threaten my team.
Dragonite @ Lum Berry
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Nature: Adamant
- Dragon Dance: Used to set-up, obviously, and what a great set-up move it is. With multiscale, I can usually pull off at least one of these.
- Outrage: Crazy powerful after +1, rolling over through those helpless non-steels.
- Fire Punch: Coverage move for hitting steels or...Abomasnow or something...
- Extremespeed: Great priority move for revenge killing weakened mons, or for dealing with things that try to Ice Shard me after setting up.
The star of the show, and my personal favorite Pokemon. I built this team around Dragonite, and almost everyone should know this set. Thanks to Lum Berry and Multiscale, neither status nor damage can prevent this beast from setting up. It's a lot of fun just to see this thing destroy teams.
So that's my team. I hope you will find some ways that it can be improved.
Hi. I have been into competitive battling for a while and this is my first team that isn't completely horrible. It's a standard offensive team using a dragons + Magnezone core, and it has peaked around 1250 on Smogon. I want to make this team better, so please lend me your suggestions!
The Team
Rotom-W @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Nature: Modest
- Volt Switch: A very useful move for scouting purposes and revenge killing weakened mons. Sometimes mons like Ferrothron switch in on this attack, in which case I switch in Magnezone to deal with it.
- Hydro Pump: Powerful STAB attack, but it isn't used as much as Volt Switch. Becomes epically powerful in the rain and can OHKO several mons.
- Hidden Power Ice: For revenge killing things like Dragonite after +1
- Trick: Hits things like Blissey and Gastrodon that try and switch in. I don't really use this move too often though, since it can be predictable and punishable.
The first half of my team's volt-turn core, Rotom-W is a great revenge killer and is my most common lead. I usually just Volt Switch off most things unless I see a reason not too, such as a Ground-type. It also covers Heatran, which is one of the few steel types that Magnezone can't deal with. A really great team player.
Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spd
Nature: Adamant
- U-Turn: Great move for scouting, and it hits crazy hard. Attracts a surprising amount of steel types for Magnezone to get rid of.
- Bullet Punch: For STAB and priority. Hits Terrakion which can otherwise screw up my team pretty badly.
- Superpower: For Steel-type switch ins, especially Heatran and Magnezone.
- Pursuit: Nails Lati@s, Gengar, Celebi and the like when they try to switch out.
The second half of my volt-turn core, Scizor provides a much needed insurance against some dangerous mons like Terrakion and CM Latias. It functions really well in tandem with Rotom-W, dealing damage while keeping offensive momentum.
Heatran @ Air Balloon
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Nature: Timid
- Fire Blast: A powerful STAB attack that dents almost everything it hits, except when it misses :(
- Earth Power: For dealing with opposing Heatran. This is also what I use when I don't wanna miss with FB.
- Hidden Power Ice: For dealing with opposing dragons in general, especially those locked into Outrage.
- Stealth Rock: Truly the best move in the game. That extra damage it deals has saved me countless times before.
My Stealth Rock user which also serves as insurance for when I stupidly let an opposing dragon set up too much. It also provides great synergy with the rest of the team, taking the ice attacks aimed at my dragons and the grass and fire attacks aimed at Rotom-W and Scizor respectively.
Magnezone @ Leftovers
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Nature: Timid
- Substitute: Blocks Leech Seed and status moves, allowing me to set-up with Charge Beam.
- Thunderbolt: Strong STAB attack which wrecks Skarmory, and also is more powerful than HP Fire on those steels which are not x4 weak to fire.
- Hidden Power Fire: Destroys Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Forretress.
- Charge Beam:Used for setting up on Ferrothorn or Scizor locked into BP, usually allowing me to kill at least one more mon after the opposing steel goes down.
Magnezone's primary role is to get rid of steels and perhaps pick off a few more mons after Charge Beam boosts. Since Magnezone doesn't really have that much use after all opposing steels are gone, it usually becomes the first mon I use as death fodder.
Latios @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Nature: Timid
- Draco Meteor: An incredibly powerful attack that destroys pretty much any non-steel or special wall.
- Surf: Used for steel types on the switch, but I usually just switch to Magnezone. This move also lets me take advantage of rain.
- Psyshock: I actually use this move quite a bit. It deals pretty decent damage and it wrecks Tentacreul and 2HKOs Blissey, Chansey, however, can be a pain in the ass.
- Trick: This fourth slot has changed from HP Fire to Thunderbolt to Dragon Pulse to Trick, but I rarely ever use whatever move is here anyway. I guess with Trick I can hit defensive mons that try to switch in.
The first of my dragons and my main special attacker. When all opposing steels are gone, this thing can wreck a lot of teams. It's also my main answer to many fighting types that can threaten my team.
Dragonite @ Lum Berry
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Nature: Adamant
- Dragon Dance: Used to set-up, obviously, and what a great set-up move it is. With multiscale, I can usually pull off at least one of these.
- Outrage: Crazy powerful after +1, rolling over through those helpless non-steels.
- Fire Punch: Coverage move for hitting steels or...Abomasnow or something...
- Extremespeed: Great priority move for revenge killing weakened mons, or for dealing with things that try to Ice Shard me after setting up.
The star of the show, and my personal favorite Pokemon. I built this team around Dragonite, and almost everyone should know this set. Thanks to Lum Berry and Multiscale, neither status nor damage can prevent this beast from setting up. It's a lot of fun just to see this thing destroy teams.
So that's my team. I hope you will find some ways that it can be improved.
