I've never really gotten into teambuilding before, so this is gonna be ugly.
I really like Mega Altaria's look, and it has really cool typing, so I decided to build a Balance team around it. The end result isn't really working, as half of it wants to play like a stall team and half of it wants to play offensively. It has synergy in places, but doesn't quite gel like I hoped it would.
We begin!
Altaria @ Altarianite
Pixilate
252Atk/252Spe/4SpDef
Adamant Nature
-Return
-Dragon Dance
-Roost
-Heal Bell
This is the defensive dragon dance Mega Altaria set, basically straight from Smogon. I started with a standard set, since I'm relatively new and I needed a starting point. I chose this MAltaria set over others such as 4 Attack sets or the Defensive Hyper Voice set because it has utility as a defensive mon early to mid game, switching in to attacks that it resists and supporting its team with heal bell, and it has another role late game as a set up sweeper once steel, poison and fire types have been eliminated. I wanted something flexible to build a team around.
To support Altaria, I need something to eliminate Fairy resistances and weaknesses, and something to control hazards so it can switch in repeatedly. I started with hazard control.
Espeon @ Leftovers
Magic Bounce
252SpAtk/252Spd/4HP
Modest Nature
-Substitute
-Psychic
-Shadow Ball
-Dazzling Gleam
What better way to stop hazards than to prevent them from hitting the field? Espeon's Magic Bounce is the reason I chose it. I thought about giving it a more defensive ev spread and a bold nature, but that would compromise its offensive effectiveness, making it a jack of all trades that doesn't really do anything except for Magic Bounce. This is one of the pokemon that I think needs replacing, as it forces the team to play more offensively than I would like, and if I predict hazards wrong it will go down. Espeon's Psychic can take down poison types that (theoretically) give Altaria problems, but poison types aren't common enough in OU for that to be too relevant.
Espeon does a lot of things sort of well for the team, but I'm not sure it does enough to warrant a slot.
Latias Leftovers
Levitate
252HP/252Spd/4Def
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Defog
- Roost
- Wish
Latias is here to remove hazards that end up on the field. Defog does that, roost gives it longevity, and Wish helps it support the team more. Draco Meteor is there to hit stuff if stuff needs to be hit. Latios will do a lot of switching in and out, either because it removed hazards, I fear a pursuit user will come in, or a Draco SpAtk drop. Roost and Wish are redundant, but I wasn't sure what else to give a support Latias.
You might think that having two psychic types on one team is bad, because Knock off is a thing. But baiting Knock Offs can actually aid my team, because of this guy!
Terrakion@Choice Scarf
Justified
252Atk/252Spd/4Def
Jolly Nature
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
- Zen Headbutt
-Sacred Sword
While Terrakion has a Choice Scarf, it usually loses it before long. On a team with Espeon, Latias, and (spoiler alert!) Chansey, he'll be taking a lot of Knock Offs. Which is perfectly fine, as it triggers Justified to give Terrakion +1 attack. Terrakion is a major part of what helps the team function defensively, but at the same time pulls it in an offensive direction. Its rock typing is unfortunate as well, as a lot of fighting types carry dark type moves, so the'll have super effective coverage against my entire team bar Altaria with two moves.
I use Rock Slide over Stone Edge because Terrakion is usually hitting really hard anyway, especially since the team lets it abuse Justified, and Terrakion is usually not expendable enough to risk a miss. Sacred Sword is your basic STAB, Earthquake is basic coverage, and Zen Headbutt is for those previously mentioned troublesome fighting types.
Bisharp @ Assault Vest
Defiant
248 HP/252 Atk/8SpDef
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
Bisharp is one of the best pokemon in OU, and for good reason. I'm running three Dark moves, which makes me sad, but their utility is too good to pass up on. Sucker Punch and Pursuit force some really mean 50/50s, and Knock Off is big damage, and removing items can be really nice (eviolite Chansey? nope!). Iron Head is probably the least useful move on the set, but it's nice to have more than one type of move, you know, because of that whole type chart thing. I originally had a life orb on, but I switched to Vest to give Bisharp more longevity. Leftovers could do that too, but honestly I end up switching Bisharp into a lot of special attacks aimed at Espeon (Shadow Ball), Altaria and Latias (Ice Beam), and I guess Terrakion but Psychic is an immunity anyway. Bisharp gives a nice Ghost resist that Espeon and Latios like. But anyway, special bulk is appreciated on this thing. Speaking of special bulk...
Chansey @ Eviolite
Natural Cure
248HP/252Def/8SpDef
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
- Seismic Toss
So I've gotten into a terrible habit of tossing Chansey on every team I make that isn't Hyper Offense. It makes a really good pivot switch into any special attacker, and if you've removed all the physical attackers, it usually straight up wins the game. But at the same time, no pokemon can be fit for every team, and I'm not sure Chansey is right for this one. To be honest, I'm just so used to having my blobby pink safety blanket for any special attacker that I don't want to go without it.
This team does appreciate Chansey, especially because of the wish support it gives Bisharp and Terrakion who switch in a lot and take damage while they do.
So to summarize, the team has some synergy, but Terrakion, Bisharp, and Espeon play like an offensive team, while Latias, Chansey and Altaria want to play like a defensive team.
I really like the way Terrakion fits into the team with Justified, but I don't like the fighting weakness it has. I could probably use another special attacker, since the team was originally designed with Hyper Voice Altaria before I switched.
Espeon should probably go, since Magic Bounce isn't quite enough to earn it a spot.
I like Chansey on the team, but I'm not sure it's the right fit either.
Basically, the team kinda works, but it's not quite the well-oiled machine I want it to be. Which is where you guys come in! Any constructive criticism would be appreciated, keeping in mind that I am new to teambuilding. Thanks!
I really like Mega Altaria's look, and it has really cool typing, so I decided to build a Balance team around it. The end result isn't really working, as half of it wants to play like a stall team and half of it wants to play offensively. It has synergy in places, but doesn't quite gel like I hoped it would.
We begin!
Altaria @ Altarianite
Pixilate
252Atk/252Spe/4SpDef
Adamant Nature
-Return
-Dragon Dance
-Roost
-Heal Bell
This is the defensive dragon dance Mega Altaria set, basically straight from Smogon. I started with a standard set, since I'm relatively new and I needed a starting point. I chose this MAltaria set over others such as 4 Attack sets or the Defensive Hyper Voice set because it has utility as a defensive mon early to mid game, switching in to attacks that it resists and supporting its team with heal bell, and it has another role late game as a set up sweeper once steel, poison and fire types have been eliminated. I wanted something flexible to build a team around.
To support Altaria, I need something to eliminate Fairy resistances and weaknesses, and something to control hazards so it can switch in repeatedly. I started with hazard control.
Espeon @ Leftovers
Magic Bounce
252SpAtk/252Spd/4HP
Modest Nature
-Substitute
-Psychic
-Shadow Ball
-Dazzling Gleam
What better way to stop hazards than to prevent them from hitting the field? Espeon's Magic Bounce is the reason I chose it. I thought about giving it a more defensive ev spread and a bold nature, but that would compromise its offensive effectiveness, making it a jack of all trades that doesn't really do anything except for Magic Bounce. This is one of the pokemon that I think needs replacing, as it forces the team to play more offensively than I would like, and if I predict hazards wrong it will go down. Espeon's Psychic can take down poison types that (theoretically) give Altaria problems, but poison types aren't common enough in OU for that to be too relevant.
Espeon does a lot of things sort of well for the team, but I'm not sure it does enough to warrant a slot.
Latias Leftovers
Levitate
252HP/252Spd/4Def
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Defog
- Roost
- Wish
Latias is here to remove hazards that end up on the field. Defog does that, roost gives it longevity, and Wish helps it support the team more. Draco Meteor is there to hit stuff if stuff needs to be hit. Latios will do a lot of switching in and out, either because it removed hazards, I fear a pursuit user will come in, or a Draco SpAtk drop. Roost and Wish are redundant, but I wasn't sure what else to give a support Latias.
You might think that having two psychic types on one team is bad, because Knock off is a thing. But baiting Knock Offs can actually aid my team, because of this guy!
Terrakion@Choice Scarf
Justified
252Atk/252Spd/4Def
Jolly Nature
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
- Zen Headbutt
-Sacred Sword
While Terrakion has a Choice Scarf, it usually loses it before long. On a team with Espeon, Latias, and (spoiler alert!) Chansey, he'll be taking a lot of Knock Offs. Which is perfectly fine, as it triggers Justified to give Terrakion +1 attack. Terrakion is a major part of what helps the team function defensively, but at the same time pulls it in an offensive direction. Its rock typing is unfortunate as well, as a lot of fighting types carry dark type moves, so the'll have super effective coverage against my entire team bar Altaria with two moves.
I use Rock Slide over Stone Edge because Terrakion is usually hitting really hard anyway, especially since the team lets it abuse Justified, and Terrakion is usually not expendable enough to risk a miss. Sacred Sword is your basic STAB, Earthquake is basic coverage, and Zen Headbutt is for those previously mentioned troublesome fighting types.
Bisharp @ Assault Vest
Defiant
248 HP/252 Atk/8SpDef
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
Bisharp is one of the best pokemon in OU, and for good reason. I'm running three Dark moves, which makes me sad, but their utility is too good to pass up on. Sucker Punch and Pursuit force some really mean 50/50s, and Knock Off is big damage, and removing items can be really nice (eviolite Chansey? nope!). Iron Head is probably the least useful move on the set, but it's nice to have more than one type of move, you know, because of that whole type chart thing. I originally had a life orb on, but I switched to Vest to give Bisharp more longevity. Leftovers could do that too, but honestly I end up switching Bisharp into a lot of special attacks aimed at Espeon (Shadow Ball), Altaria and Latias (Ice Beam), and I guess Terrakion but Psychic is an immunity anyway. Bisharp gives a nice Ghost resist that Espeon and Latios like. But anyway, special bulk is appreciated on this thing. Speaking of special bulk...
Chansey @ Eviolite
Natural Cure
248HP/252Def/8SpDef
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic
- Seismic Toss
So I've gotten into a terrible habit of tossing Chansey on every team I make that isn't Hyper Offense. It makes a really good pivot switch into any special attacker, and if you've removed all the physical attackers, it usually straight up wins the game. But at the same time, no pokemon can be fit for every team, and I'm not sure Chansey is right for this one. To be honest, I'm just so used to having my blobby pink safety blanket for any special attacker that I don't want to go without it.
This team does appreciate Chansey, especially because of the wish support it gives Bisharp and Terrakion who switch in a lot and take damage while they do.
So to summarize, the team has some synergy, but Terrakion, Bisharp, and Espeon play like an offensive team, while Latias, Chansey and Altaria want to play like a defensive team.
I really like the way Terrakion fits into the team with Justified, but I don't like the fighting weakness it has. I could probably use another special attacker, since the team was originally designed with Hyper Voice Altaria before I switched.
Espeon should probably go, since Magic Bounce isn't quite enough to earn it a spot.
I like Chansey on the team, but I'm not sure it's the right fit either.
Basically, the team kinda works, but it's not quite the well-oiled machine I want it to be. Which is where you guys come in! Any constructive criticism would be appreciated, keeping in mind that I am new to teambuilding. Thanks!