Team Preview:
Introduction:
Hi everyone. I'm pretty new to the metagame and for a while I'd been running a cookie cutter DeoSharp team to get some experience with the mechanics. I got bored with that after a while because the team building aspect of Pokemon is the one that attracts me the most. So, I decided to make a first attempt at building my own team. It's not very original but I've tried to put some thought into it. I've been experimenting with it for a while now and I've hit a wall somewhat because the team still has quite a few big threats that it can't deal with well. So I'd appreciate any advice you could give.
I wasn't confident enough to build the whole team from scratch so I decided to center the team on the fantastic defensive core of Charizard X, AV Azumarill and Ferrothorn but with a slight twist - since I wanted to go for a bulky offensive team, I decided to use the bulky DD Zard X rather than the Will-O-Wisp version. Latios then provides offensive Defog support, while also hitting the faster dragons that can hurt a mega-evolved Zard X. Thundurus provides T-Wave and Grass Knot support for Charizard sweeps while also giving an offensive check towards Bird Spam while Landorus is used for wallbreaking and as a second win condition if Zard X can't sweep.
Let's move on to the full team so I can provide more details.
The Team:
Charizard @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 248 HP / 152 Atk / 108 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Flare Blitz
- Roost
Mega Charizard-X is the primary win condition on this team as it is one of the best Dragon Dancer in the metagame. After +1, there are very few pokemon who can stop it from sweeping. Additionally, this version of Zard X is bulkier and runs Roost, so it can set up multiple times and can sometimes even get to +2. It also works as a really great Will-O-Wisp absorber from every user of that move save Heatran, who walls it because it doesn't run Earthquake, and forms a great defensive core with Azumarill and Ferrothorn.
Azumarill @ Assault Vest
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 16 HP / 252 Atk / 240 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Play Rough
- Waterfall
- Knock Off
Azumarill, with an Assault Vest, is incredibly bulky on the special side and basically doesn't take more than 50% damage from most non super effective hits. Due to its Water-Fairy typing, Azumarill not only nullifies the attempts of Scarf carrying dragons such as Garchomp to revenge kill a boosted Charizard but is also a fantastic counter to Greninja (and the team's only counter if Greninja runs HP-Fire.)
Offensively, Azumarill, with Huge Power, can take advantage of its superb STAB's in Water and Fairy with the equivalent of a 436 Attack stat, while also providing the team with Knock-Off support and its only source of priority. Azumarill can also help break down Specially Defensive variants of Heatran for Charizard, though it absolutely hates getting burned. However, since the team has no wish support, if Azumarill is needed for its offensive presence and priority, I must switch it in sparingly.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SDef
Impish Nature
- Power Whip
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Protect
Ferrothorn is a defensive monster, with great defensive typing and stats. With fully invested base 131 defense, Ferrothorn will tank even supereffective physical hits, although fire moves will obviously destroy it. The set I chose for Ferrothorn is completely standard. It can easily set up Stealth Rock multiple times in the games, as long as it doesn't face a Taunt user, due to its great bulk and its ability to heal itself with Leech Seed + Protect. Leech Seed also gives some unreliable cleric support to Azumarill and Charizard because the Seed a Fire Pokemon -> Switch to Zard/Azu isn't an entirely uncommon combination.
Power Whip prevents Ferrothorn from completely becoming Taunt bait and is also a useful offensive move against Quagsire, who is Charizard's best counter. Ferrothorn does, however, have one enormous flaw as it allows opposing sweepers to set up with ease. In particular, if I see a Mega Mawile on the opposing team, I basically play 5 on 6 because if it sets up on Ferrothorn, it can rip through my team.
Latios (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 3 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef / 30 Spd
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Defog
Latios is the Offensive Defogger of the team. Charizard really appreciates both Defog support and Lati's offensive presence against dragons that are faster than its unboosted form. With Psyshock, Lati is my team's only useful weapon against Mega Venasaur apart from Landorus and by far the best response to Keldeo. I run HP Fighting on Lati as a Bisharp lure because DeoSharp is otherwise a massive pain for me to deal with and it also hits Tyranitar pretty hard on the switch. Additionally, Latios is also a great Landorus counter if I have to sack Thundurus for its T-Wave.
Thundurus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Grass Knot
Thundurus is just such a fantastic pokemon. Priority Thunder Wave is a huge bailout and I can't recall exactly how many times its saved my ass. Thunderbolt is my best (and pretty much only) weapon against Bird Spam because Thundurus can take an unboosted Brave Bird from Talonflame or Quick Attack from Mega Pinsir. It's also my best attack against Mandibuzz who is otherwise a pain in the ass to deal with. HP Ice is again standard for dealing with non-scarf Dragonite and Garchomp, though Extremespeed does hurt, and for dealing with Gliscor and Landorus. Finally, I chose Grass Knot to lure and help deal with Quagsire and Hippodown which wall a +1 Charizard.
Landorus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Earth Power
- Sludge Wave
- Psychic
- Knock Off
And now we come to the pokemon I'm least certain about. Landorus is a monstrous special wallbreaker. He is also a great second win condition if the opponent has too many physical walls for Charizard to sweep. Earth Power gives me a much needed Ground STAB and is a great offensive weapon against an unboosted, unsubbed Mawile and my best weapon against Heatran without a Balloon. Sludge Wave gives me a super-effective move against Clefable and Azumarill who are otherwise problems. Psychic lets me deal with Venasaur without problems. Knock Off is a lure for Chansey.
I am, however, reconsidering Knock Off since I switched Focus Blast for Grass Knot on Thundurus. I might go back to Focus Blast so I can OHKO Balloon Heatran or I might go with Calm Mind to sweep and wallbreak more easily.
I'm not entirely sure if Landorus is the best fit for my team. Initially I went with Breloom because it gave me fighting priority which dealt with Bisharp, provided Spore which gave great momentum and also put a nice stop to non-sub Mawile. But Mega Venasaur was a huge problem without Landorus as Latios' Psyshock was my only reliable move against it. This is the point where I could most use some help, since I am still thinking about who to use for my last pokemon.
Importable:
Charizard @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 248 HP / 152 Atk / 108 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Flare Blitz
- Roost
Azumarill @ Assault Vest
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 16 HP / 252 Atk / 240 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Play Rough
- Waterfall
- Knock Off
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SDef
Impish Nature
- Power Whip
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Protect
Latios (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 3 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef / 30 Spd
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Defog
Thundurus (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast
Landorus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Earth Power
- Sludge Wave
- Psychic
- Knock Off
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 248 HP / 152 Atk / 108 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Flare Blitz
- Roost
Azumarill @ Assault Vest
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 16 HP / 252 Atk / 240 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Aqua Jet
- Play Rough
- Waterfall
- Knock Off
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SDef
Impish Nature
- Power Whip
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Protect
Latios (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 3 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef / 30 Spd
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Defog
Thundurus (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunder Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast
Landorus (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Earth Power
- Sludge Wave
- Psychic
- Knock Off
Threatlist:
1.
Mega Mawile:
By far the biggest threat to my team. Under a sub or at +2, it can really wreck my team. I can deal with it if I don't let it set up but once it does, I don't know what to do other than paralyze it and go for hax.
2.
Bisharp:
A +2 Bisharp also wrecks my team but I can deal with an unboosted one. Bisharp is not a problem if I use Breloom but then Mega Venasaur is a huge deal.
3.
Greninja:
If Azumarill is down and Greninja runs HP Fire it can hurt a great deal of my team. I can, however, deal with it with Charizard if Greninja has some damage on it.
4.
Bird Spam:
Thundurus and to an extent Azumarill for Talonflame are my only hope of dealing with them.
By far the biggest threat to my team. Under a sub or at +2, it can really wreck my team. I can deal with it if I don't let it set up but once it does, I don't know what to do other than paralyze it and go for hax.
2.
A +2 Bisharp also wrecks my team but I can deal with an unboosted one. Bisharp is not a problem if I use Breloom but then Mega Venasaur is a huge deal.
3.
If Azumarill is down and Greninja runs HP Fire it can hurt a great deal of my team. I can, however, deal with it with Charizard if Greninja has some damage on it.
4.
Thundurus and to an extent Azumarill for Talonflame are my only hope of dealing with them.
I've had fun building the team till now but I think it's far from a complete thing yet. There are too many dangerous threats that I only have shaky checks for, and Mega Mawile in particular is just terrifying. I'm really open to any suggestions on changes I can make, in moveset or in pokemon, as long as I don't change the core of Zard/Azu/Ferro because I do want to build around them. Thanks for the rate and/or help.
