First Team

[jmc21623]

I started watching competitive battles on youtube about a couple months ago. I also started reading smogon for pleasure shortly after this. Pretty soon I was itching to try my own team. I just sorta picked some random pokes that were my favorites and thought of unique attacks for them. I actually won a few matches (probably due to my unpredictability from being so inexperienced) but made changes after every couple battles. I switched out some pokes, switched some back in, and eventually I got to this, which looks a lot different from what I originally had. By the way, I kinda go overboard with the Leftovers, for lack of a better item, any suggestions on this, or anything else for the matter, would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks! I have taken some of your suggestions and changed it up a bit. Edits are in BLUE

Hariyama @ Flame Orb - Guts
Adamant
200 Def / 252 Att / 56 Spe

- Fake Out
- Close Combat
- Bullet Punch
- Payback​

I replaced Absol with Hariyama. Fake Out is to start off the game with free damage (unless I face Ambipom). Close Combat takes a good chunk out of a lot of leads while bullet punch helps me get in the first attack (not likely to happen otherwise due to his low speed). Payback teaches Mismagius a lesson when she switches in on me. I tested this a bit and it's working pretty good. Should I use Facade for a good 210 base power move? I just copied the EVs off Smogon.

Espeon @ Life Orb - Synchronize
Calm
252 Spe / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
- Calm Mind
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- HP Fighting
​

Espeon hasn't gotten much use, mostly because I'm afraid shes too fragile. Maybe a Choice Scarf to get around that? Obviously Morning Sun would be switched. I've also been thinking about using Slowking, considering I don't have a Water. Espeon is good if I predict a status because then the attacking poke gets the status too. My general strategy is that if an opponent is throwing around status or entry hazards, 1st priority = kill, 2nd priority = remove hazards via Donphan / Lickilicky. This way, I don't remove them only for them to come back as soon as I let my guard down. Sometimes, late game, this is unrealistic, but for the most part it works. The only other thing is that if someone sleeps me, I switch them out right away, so that they can't put anyone else to sleep, and then follow the above strategy. General comments on Espeon especially are appreciated. The only problem I have with HP Fighting is that I no longer speed tie other Espeon (Though, to be honest, there aren't a ton).

Donphan @ Leftovers - Sturdy
Adamant
Att 252 / Def 204 / Spe 52
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock

Donphan is hard to switch into, as some of the things he counters he's weak to, or he will get 2HKO'd, and thus no chance to attack due to his low speed. Donphan is the rapid spinner of my team, and unless they expect and switch to a ghost, he usually does pretty well. Often Mismagius will switch into me thinking I'm going to rapid spin, while I actually attack, and thus Mismagius gets hurt pretty bad. It's awesome when Donphan gets in on revenge on a Fire, the opponent predicts a Ground move and switches to Flying, while I watch the HP bar disappear due to Stone Edge. Even if they don't switch, I sill get in a super effective hit. Should I raise Speed, and lower Defense and to get in more hits while dying faster at the same time? Sometimes late game I can't beat a Water, Grass, etc. mostly because they outspeed me. (Also, most Grass / Water moves are Special and I have Defense EVs, not Special Defense. Should I move them over to take the hits more effectively? His Defense is 120 while his Special Defense is 60. Should I use a different Pokemon altogether?) I went out on a limb and switched Seed Bomb for Stealth Rock and boy I am really missing out on hitting Waters and Grounds on the switch... Advice?

Arcanine @ Leftovers - FlashFire
Timid
4 HP / 252 Spe / 252 SpA
- Flamthrower
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Dragon Pulse
- Will-o-Wisp​

I went with a Special Arcanine because he has a more diverse movepool and is more unpredictable. If I have a type advantage on the first turn I send him in, I usually go for a Dragon Pulse, expecting them to switch, since I don't know what they'll switch to. If they do stay in, I go for a Flamethrower for STAB and super effective. If they switch to a Water, I'm in luck and can Hidden Power. If it's something I can't hurt I may Will-o-Wisp but then definitely switch. You may be asking why I use Dragon pulse over something with more type coverage, the reason is that Dragon pulse along with the others gives me perfect neutral coverage. Also, the only thing that resists Dragon is Steel, which won't be switching into Arcanine. Overall I am pretty happy with Arcanine. (PS don't tell me to put Morning Sun on him. For some reason, Shoddy Battle doesn't let me, There's Mimic, Mud-Slap, and then it goes to the N's)

Venusaur @ Choice Scarf - Overgrow
Modest
4 HP / 252 Spe / 252 SpA
- Leaf Storm
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Sleep Powder
​

Venusaur is the most recent addition to my team. She has been doing quite well. I needed someone very fast, and she actually works really good even though she looks like she would be slow (The Scarf probably helps.) She's outspeeded just about everything unscarfed I've encountered. Hidden Power Psychic is for Poisons who try and wall me, and it gets pretty good neutral coverage. The only problem I've had with her is that I'm totally walled by Registeel. Any suggestions for him other than taking him out as soon as possible with someone else? Everything else on her has been working great. With the other grass types I had, I would try to switch them into water attacks, but they would still take a normal amount of damage due to low Special Defense and higher Defense. This is not the case with Venusaur. You guys were mostly right on switching the HP from Psychic to Ground, the only thing is that now all I can do to Weezing is Sleep him.

Lickilicky @ Leftovers - Own Tempo
Adamant
252 HP / 252 Att / 4 Spe
- Return
- Power Whip
- Heal Bell
- Explosion​

Lickilicky is one of my favorite Pokemon, and he does pretty well on the team. Return is my main move, but if they send in something weak to Ground or I switch into that (which is pretty easy due to my HP,) I Earthquake. Heal Bell is used only after I have killed the threat who made me use it (usually) and Explosion if I think I can survive one hit but not two, or if I really need someone dead. Overall Lickilicky sometimes takes two pokemon down by the time it faints, and almost always really damages one. However, I am completely walled by Mismagius. Suggestions? Thanks. (and PS my Lickilicky is SHINY :)) I switched Earthquake to Power Whip to hit Mismagius. However, Now I'm thinking Hariyama could be my status absorber and I no longer need heal bell, although that is kinda hard to predict... Thoughts?






So there's my team. It doesn't have a big team idea as much as each Pokemon covers as many types as it can. I'm trying to be unique in my Pokemon choices yet still have good Pokes. I know the rules say no posting teams that haven't been thoroughly tested / no teams that need total overhauls, (PS I've been using this team for a few weeks) but please, if you don't want to spend the time, just critique one Pokemon on my team. Again, any advice is greatly appreciated, and thanks for reading! :)

 

[swampmargo]

one little thing, You do not need HP psychic on venusaur, it is really pointless because you shouldnt leave it in against poisons anyways. I suggest switching hp psychic to hp ground to predict fire switch ins such as arcanine or houndoom and take them out with ease. Or you could switch hp psychic for synthesis, whichever you prefer

 

[jmc21623]

Why should I not stay in against Poisons? My dual typing negates the weakness and brings me to neutral damage. Also, I cannot be poisoned.

 

[Myrrh]

I agree that HP psychic is unnecessary as HP ground also hits poisons for super effective damage, it also lets you revenge kill fire types, and not get completely walled by steel types.

If you want to keep absol and also want to deal with substituters then change psycho cut with night slash/pursuit and keep protect on. Although, the lack of coverage and bulk from absol gives it some tough competition against other anti-leads like Hariyama.

Espeon's movepool seems a bit strange, perhaps you could squeeze in HP fighting over signal beam for perfect coverage, and again to deal with steel types like registeel. Morning sun can be replaced with a stat upping move like calm mind and leftovers should be changed to life orb for an extra 30% boost in power.

For Donphan, as none of your other pokes are running Stealth rock, I suggest you replace it over seed bomb. Also, don't put any EVs into speed as that would be a waste of Donphn's bulk, shove all the speed into HP instead.

If you are running leftovers on arcanine, I suggest changing flamethrower to fire blast to make up for the lack of raw power. For lickilicky, unless heal bell has some level of importance to your team, I suggest you change it to an offensive move to utilize Lickilicky's diverse movepool. Here's the link.
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/lickilicky/moves

gl.

 

[pokemon]

Or you could switch hp psychic for synthesis, whichever you prefer

NEVER run a healing move on a choice poke. Its pointless, because you have to switch out immediately after you use it. Run Earthquake or HP Ground. EQ hits Registeel hard even with a -Atk nature, most don't run much Def EVs. HP Ground nails the Intimidate Arcanine, Houndoom, Blaziken and Steelix for a nifty amount if not OHKOing.


You really need to switch your Absol's set. Its not doing much with LO as its frail as fuck so it gets OHKOd. Go with this set:

Absol@ Focus Sash-Super Luck
Jolly
252 Atk/ 4 Hp/ 252 Spe

Sucker Punch
Taunt
Superpower
Psycho Cut/ Megahorn



This set effectively stops all slower leads from setting up. Sucker Punch is STAB priority. Taunt stops all slower leads. Superpower nails Kabutops and Omastar extremely hard. Psycho Cut rapes Qwilfish and Hariyama, but Megahorn destroys Uxie and Mesprit.


I would recommend replacing Espeon, it doesn't seem like doing much as you said, basically death fodder. I would recommend either Choice Specs Blastoise, which absolutely rapes every ghost that switches in, trying to take a rapid spin. Or a LO DD gatr.

 

[HaggisMcKilt]

Just a couple of thoughts about some of the moves and what not. As absol is your anti lead i would suggest putting pursuit onto it, this will catch many leads that are vulnerable.

Morning sun on espeon seems a bit pointless, as espeon has no sort of defensive EV's or stats, so can not really pull it off very well.

Also just a thought as in alot of UU teams you will see a mrs magius, you may want to put a move onto lickilicky that can actually affect it, just a thought. Not a bad first team though, you also may want to consider putting some sort of special wall into the team..

 

[JamesRules]

Espeon with lefties....ugh considering it is very powerful, I can't agree with it but it's your team so do whatever works for you man