Aaaall, right so its been awhile....a long while but hey Sun and Mon Came out and I made a team. HURRAY!
The plan with the team was to try out Toxapex and a few other Alolan Pokemon and make a team of just the new Alolan Pokes to play here on Smogon and my DS (though Mostly my DS cause life). However afte a few battles and a changes, I had to abandon my thought of an all Alolan Team.
Nihilego @ Focus Sash
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 80 HP / 176 SpA / 252 Spe
Serious Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- Power Gem
- Sludge Wave
So, im not normally the kind of gut to use a Legendary(If Ultra beasts even count as that, but whatever), but when I found out that this guy can learn Stealth Rocks AND poison spikes, I hopped onto that train pretty fast. Thoooooough after a few battles I found Toxic spikes to be.....kinda pointless with the rampant use of Toxapex. So I opted for Psychic to take care of Toxapex, and any other Nihilego's. Power Gem and Sludge Wave are Stab. I went for a more....Suicide? Ish lead with maybe a little survivability.
Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Toxic
- Recover
- Protect
- Liquidation
This is one of the Pokemon Ive wanted to use, and holy cow, I'm impressed. This thing is a Freakin wall. I love to use it, and HATE to fight against it. Ive gone for a more physically defensive Ev spread and nature just cause I feel that's where the team needs it. I was using stockpile in place of Protect, but after a few more plays, Ive found Stockpile to be the inferior Move Ive went with Liquidation for the chance to drop the opposing pokes Def (this thing took out a max health Mega-metagross using this. I don't know how, but it was a thing that made me keep it) Everything else is basic for Toxapex.
Magnezone @ Chople Berry
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 128 HP / 252 SpA / 128 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Thunder Wave
- Flash Cannon
This spot was originally held by a choice specs Aloan Ninetails. However, once again after a few more plays, Ive had to replace her. Magnezone comes into the team for one simple reason, Magnet Pull. Celestella, and in some cases Kartana have posed problems to my team. Magnezone is fully capable of dealing with Celestella, and can cripple Kartana with T-Wave. I literally just copied this off the Smogon site, so I dont think there's much reason for me to fully explain the Ev spread and move set (plus the item). I am however debating maybe putting Volt switch on him? Just maybe an easier way to bring Toxapex in?
Dhelmise @ Assault Vest
Ability: Steelworker
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
- Anchor Shot
- Earthquake
- Giga Drain
- Shadow Claw
I also wanted to use this guy too cause....ya know 3 stabs. I was using Decidueye, but Im not sure what it was, but something about him just wasn't fitting into the team. I went with a more defensive Ev spread with a liittle bit of attack. Ive been fooling around with the notion of taking out a little more Hp for attack but eeeh, its been a double edge sword Ive found. I went with Anchor shot to try and trap Spinners, though for some reason on Showdown it hasn't been doing that. EQ...cause EQ. Giga drain for Stab and some heal. Shadow Claw for another stab As well.
Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 152 HP / 252 Atk / 104 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Zen Headbutt
- Meteor Mash
- Brick Break
This spot was the hardest to fill. I knew I needed SOME form of a physical attacker. I tried some of the Alolan Pokemon I wanted to try in this spot..and neither of them had what I was looking for, or just didnt mesh with the team. I opted for a bit more speed in the nature and Ev spread, just because I found that I lacked that with the team in general. EQ, Zen and Meteor are all pretty standard for Metagross. I added Brick Break in the final slot cause...I just couldn't figure out what to put there.
Dragonite @ Leftovers
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Dragon Tail
- Roost
- Flamethrower
- Toxic/Thunderbolt
I originally had Guzzlord as a phazer. I wanted to like him..but man oh man....he just kept getting wreaked time and time again. Soooo I turned to Dragonite for some reason. Im not sure what it was? He just seemed like the right choice. I went with a more Defensive set on him over offensive. Dragon Tail Cause I like to Phaze, Roost for more heals. I tried thunderbolt on him, but it didnt seem to help him or the team any. Flamethrower helps to deal with other steal types, and seems to meld well with the team. Toxic cause I wanna spread Toxic. Ive also been testing Thunderbolt on him, still iffy for me.
As you can see the team leans more to the Defensive side. And Im fine with that. I have fun with the team on Showdown, and that's what matters. Though there is 2(and a 1/2) things that this team seems to have trouble with...
A) Other Toxapex: As stated earlier, I LOVE using this guy, but I HATE fighting against it. Seems like i Need to go through a few of my pokes just to get him knocked out, with all the switching from Regenerator and what not. Id like to avoid using Pyukumuku, just cause it seems like a niche thing.
B)Celesteela. This thing. THIS FREAKING THING. No matter what I do, I cant seem to knock this thing out. It either take my WHOLE TEAM to take this thing out. Or itll be there when im left with only my Toxapex. I just dont know what to do to deal with this thing.(Magnezone is a big help with this now, though I still see it as a problem if Mag goes down)
B and a Half- Mega-Garchomp. I haven't really run into too many M-garchomps, but those that I have pretty well swept this team, being able to OHKO Toxapex with an EQ on the switch. I wouldn'y exactly say this guy is a GIANT threat, but he does give me a few problems.
Thanks in Advance for any Advice!
The plan with the team was to try out Toxapex and a few other Alolan Pokemon and make a team of just the new Alolan Pokes to play here on Smogon and my DS (though Mostly my DS cause life). However afte a few battles and a changes, I had to abandon my thought of an all Alolan Team.
Nihilego @ Focus Sash
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 80 HP / 176 SpA / 252 Spe
Serious Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- Power Gem
- Sludge Wave
So, im not normally the kind of gut to use a Legendary(If Ultra beasts even count as that, but whatever), but when I found out that this guy can learn Stealth Rocks AND poison spikes, I hopped onto that train pretty fast. Thoooooough after a few battles I found Toxic spikes to be.....kinda pointless with the rampant use of Toxapex. So I opted for Psychic to take care of Toxapex, and any other Nihilego's. Power Gem and Sludge Wave are Stab. I went for a more....Suicide? Ish lead with maybe a little survivability.
Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Toxic
- Recover
- Protect
- Liquidation
This is one of the Pokemon Ive wanted to use, and holy cow, I'm impressed. This thing is a Freakin wall. I love to use it, and HATE to fight against it. Ive gone for a more physically defensive Ev spread and nature just cause I feel that's where the team needs it. I was using stockpile in place of Protect, but after a few more plays, Ive found Stockpile to be the inferior Move Ive went with Liquidation for the chance to drop the opposing pokes Def (this thing took out a max health Mega-metagross using this. I don't know how, but it was a thing that made me keep it) Everything else is basic for Toxapex.
Magnezone @ Chople Berry
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 128 HP / 252 SpA / 128 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Thunder Wave
- Flash Cannon
This spot was originally held by a choice specs Aloan Ninetails. However, once again after a few more plays, Ive had to replace her. Magnezone comes into the team for one simple reason, Magnet Pull. Celestella, and in some cases Kartana have posed problems to my team. Magnezone is fully capable of dealing with Celestella, and can cripple Kartana with T-Wave. I literally just copied this off the Smogon site, so I dont think there's much reason for me to fully explain the Ev spread and move set (plus the item). I am however debating maybe putting Volt switch on him? Just maybe an easier way to bring Toxapex in?
Dhelmise @ Assault Vest
Ability: Steelworker
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
- Anchor Shot
- Earthquake
- Giga Drain
- Shadow Claw
I also wanted to use this guy too cause....ya know 3 stabs. I was using Decidueye, but Im not sure what it was, but something about him just wasn't fitting into the team. I went with a more defensive Ev spread with a liittle bit of attack. Ive been fooling around with the notion of taking out a little more Hp for attack but eeeh, its been a double edge sword Ive found. I went with Anchor shot to try and trap Spinners, though for some reason on Showdown it hasn't been doing that. EQ...cause EQ. Giga drain for Stab and some heal. Shadow Claw for another stab As well.
Metagross @ Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 152 HP / 252 Atk / 104 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Zen Headbutt
- Meteor Mash
- Brick Break
This spot was the hardest to fill. I knew I needed SOME form of a physical attacker. I tried some of the Alolan Pokemon I wanted to try in this spot..and neither of them had what I was looking for, or just didnt mesh with the team. I opted for a bit more speed in the nature and Ev spread, just because I found that I lacked that with the team in general. EQ, Zen and Meteor are all pretty standard for Metagross. I added Brick Break in the final slot cause...I just couldn't figure out what to put there.
Dragonite @ Leftovers
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Dragon Tail
- Roost
- Flamethrower
- Toxic/Thunderbolt
I originally had Guzzlord as a phazer. I wanted to like him..but man oh man....he just kept getting wreaked time and time again. Soooo I turned to Dragonite for some reason. Im not sure what it was? He just seemed like the right choice. I went with a more Defensive set on him over offensive. Dragon Tail Cause I like to Phaze, Roost for more heals. I tried thunderbolt on him, but it didnt seem to help him or the team any. Flamethrower helps to deal with other steal types, and seems to meld well with the team. Toxic cause I wanna spread Toxic. Ive also been testing Thunderbolt on him, still iffy for me.
As you can see the team leans more to the Defensive side. And Im fine with that. I have fun with the team on Showdown, and that's what matters. Though there is 2(and a 1/2) things that this team seems to have trouble with...
A) Other Toxapex: As stated earlier, I LOVE using this guy, but I HATE fighting against it. Seems like i Need to go through a few of my pokes just to get him knocked out, with all the switching from Regenerator and what not. Id like to avoid using Pyukumuku, just cause it seems like a niche thing.
B)Celesteela. This thing. THIS FREAKING THING. No matter what I do, I cant seem to knock this thing out. It either take my WHOLE TEAM to take this thing out. Or itll be there when im left with only my Toxapex. I just dont know what to do to deal with this thing.(Magnezone is a big help with this now, though I still see it as a problem if Mag goes down)
B and a Half- Mega-Garchomp. I haven't really run into too many M-garchomps, but those that I have pretty well swept this team, being able to OHKO Toxapex with an EQ on the switch. I wouldn'y exactly say this guy is a GIANT threat, but he does give me a few problems.
Thanks in Advance for any Advice!
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