Hello all!
I'd like to present my team in a bit different format than we are used to. I'd like to make the introduction of my members and why I chose them right up front, but I'd also like to include how they work, etc. The actual pokemon descriptions when posting the sets will be somewhat more minor and only emphasize on synergy. I hope that's not an issue.
Introduction
I've been messing for quite some time getting a good team with pokemon that I actually like playing with that are also able to actually work together and net me wins. Since that failed :P, I've resorted to repimping a team that I've used and did decent, was fun to play with, but at the same time, was often lacking. I've used so many replacements on that team, making minor tweaks and switches of single pokemon, that it stops being funny. Even now, I have the feeling that every time I think I improved something, another issue pops up. Now, I'm not saying that there is a perfect team, it's just that the overall intended flow of the battle (I want to play hyper offense) never gets of the ground well. Partly, this is because my prediction isn't amazing, but also because I feel that my team never got of the ground well.
But, hopefully, the newest switches should have fixed quite a few things (I hope >.<).
Without further ado, let me present my team in a more historical order.
Team building process
The senior residents.
Scizor and Heatran started out in my first draft of my HO team quite a few months ago. Theý been here ever since. Scizor for just being such an amazing scout and revenge killer and Heatran for my allround utility guy as well as the pokemon I'm mostly switching to after the U-turn from Scizor.
Scizor has been my long time favourite pokemon, and I've been using it in almost all my teams since it got Bullet Punch. CB Scizor is a powerhouse in every meaning of the word. It wrecks through teams, it's fast as in that it's always doing it's main killing with Bullet Punch, and it's U-turns not only put me in a favourable position in that match up, as I can get in a counter to their counter, it also packs a huge amount of damage, because of STAB, a 130 Base attack stat and a CB equipped. This is the same Scizor over all the team changes and the only member who has not changed at all since the start of my HO team.
Heatran has been on my team as a sweeper at first, Choice Scarf, but as I switched to a anti-lead, I did want someone to lay down SR, as many members in my team really count on SR to be down before they can clean up. Especially Scizor is one of those pokemon, netting kills with Bullet Punch on things he would not have taken down otherwise if SR wasn't in play. He is also there to absorb fire attacks aimed at Scizor, obviously, but even more so, to take out a few of the more common counters of Scizor, for example Magnezone.
After all is said and done, and I have no more need for Heatran, he goes out with a boom, which gives immense momentum to my team that relies so much on momentum to sweep.
I don't wanna go out first! :(
Back then, I still had a normal lead, setting up SR, but I felt I always started the battle to slowly. I've tried out Azelf, Aerodactyl and Swampert. After a while, I felt I wanted to start of with more of a bang to start with offensive momentum from the get-go. Machamp was a popular choice a few months ago, but I pretty much kicked him out a day later because of all the countermeasures people now have to Machamp anti-leads :(
After a little while, I found out the anti-lead Dragonite, which fits my team like a glove. Not only does he start of with amazing momentum against the opponents team, Extremespeed also makes him a viable revenge killer later on. And if I ever need him to wail on a slower opponent, he is also more than capable of throwing down some Draco Meteors. All in all, this guy works really well in my team so far.
Then Salamence got banned. Hello Grass
So I had to revamp my team. I already had a F/W core, and I always liked the mayhem *cough, not really, cough* Breloom caused to my team...
So I decided to just pack my own Spore-b*tch and sleep the opposing team instead! :)
Breloom is nice because of Spore, and throwing of Focus Punches from a 130 attack stat with a substitute up is easy as pie, but I don't know. He (and all other grasses I've tried) are one of the reasons I feel my teams just comes to a grinding stop, even if I did manage to grab momentum. Even if I sleep something important and get a substitute up, I feel that having to do two turns of set up (Spore + Substitute) gives the opponent too much time and I'm wasting turns which should've been spent with just trashing stuff. Celebi didn't work at all, I'm fiercely against anything Pursuit weak, Roserade doesn't do anything useful for this team, except slow it down and Shaymin, dunno. Perhaps I should switch away from the standard F/W/G core?
The W in the F/W/G!
This spot is one of my more heavily contested spots. Suicune even had a chance for this spots once, but was dropped soon. However, between Gyarados and Starmie alone, I've switched either of them out for the other time and time again. I despise the frailty and Pursuit weakness that Starmie has, otherwise it would've found a solid spot on this team. But it's exactly those two issues that I often keep switching out Starmie and replace it with Gyara. Dos has it own sets of issues with SR, (the same SR Starmie kept removing xD), and the fact that it actually slows my team down. Where Starmie is an immediate threat, with fast speed, high special attack and strong Hydro Pumps that can be fired of from turn 1, DD Dos needs at least 1 turn of set-up to do something worthwile and often 2 to actually get a full sweep. This makes Gyarados too much of a liability imo.
Again, this is another pokemon I'm not sure about.
The "OMG-not-another-slot-to-fill!-%$Y@!" pokemon >:|
I'll won't go into detail what has been in this slot, but it's the entire reason I'm getting this RMT. When using Gyarados, I've been using Electivire, Zapdos, Rotom-X and Flygon as well, to absorb the attacks.
Elective under-performed, like he usually does. Zapdos slowed my team down unless I used the offensive set, but honestly, it sucks. Zapdos isnt all that great when not used defensively. Rotom works, but is basically just more of a tank. I want to switch if I see a threat and just start bombarding again. When using Rotom, it was never more than a pivot, giving me nice double switches, but it never really did anything on my team, than just sit there and be pretty.
Flygon was there as the electric absorber and late game cleaner, but then my Ice weakness skyrocketed to 1 2x weak pokemon and a whopping 2 4x weak pokemon. With Starmie being so popular, he was just laughing in my face, and then some. :(
Without Gyarados, most likely Starmie, I couldn't care as much about Electric types, and I had another few dozen pokemons in this spot.
Back to Jolteon. Of all pokemon I wish to pair with Gyarados, it's Specs Jolteon. Send in Gyarados, double switch the ugly bastard, right into Jolteon on the same turn they switch in their Gyarados counter. I don't even wait for them to charge up their Thunderbolts so I can absorb them, since I'm almost always facing a Starmie/bulky water with HP Electric anyway. Rotom, not so much. Jolteon just eats bulky waters/Starmie with a Specs Thunderbolt (true story).
Thanks for the suggestion...!
Yush, Suicune. Thanks to Blue Kirby, I'm trying Suicune once more on my team. I mentioned already that I tried it once, but with the sets I chose back then (and the fact that some of my other team members weren't the same as they are now, Suicune just didn't work out. Even though Suicune is a typical set-up kind of sweeper and goes against the "Instant-bombarding" philosophy I wanted to achieve with this team, he does fit in like a glove. And once Cune is CM powered up, bombarding he shall!
The most important thing about this switch is that it deals with the two pokemon I have the most issues with far better, Flygon and Starmie. Flygon has to be very careful around Suicune's Ice Beams, and even though this Suicune can't tough Starmie directly, after 1 CM, Starmie's Thunderbolt isn't really doing anything versus Suicune either.
Quick overview
Team in-depth
The Lead
Dragonite @ Life Orb
Ability: Inner Focus
Nature: Quiet
EV's: 252 Atk / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Moveset:
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Superpower (As suggested by Aerrow. Works great! Thanks.)
- Extremespeed
Dragonite has been my favourite lead from the moment I used him. At least, for offensive teams, that is. I don't like suicide leads anyway, and bulky leads to do some setting up is becoming more and more impossible with Taunt leads and the like. That's where anti-leads come in, and of those I prefer Dragonite the most, if only for it's ability to use brute force and give me momentum. I pretty much Extremespeed versus any fast frail lead, when I expect them to use a status move, etc. Draco Meteor hits anything that doesn't resist for insane damage and the other two moves take care of what resist it.
Since I'm always careful with my Dragonite, I also use it as a secondary revenge killer, Dragonite also is used midgame or even endgame, if he lives long enough for that.
The Follow-up
Heatran @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Flash Fire
Nature: Naïve
EV's: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Explosion
Heatran is the one that I often go too right after Dragonite. If the opponent has someone out at that point that I don't want to have Heatran go up against, I switch to Scizor, only to have him U-turn right back to Heatran, assuming the opponent will switch when he sees Scizor. Heatran then most likely faces an opponent that he has an easier time to deal with and can set-up SR. Depending on what is out against Heatran, I have to decided whether or not to boom then and there (If Blissey is out, I'm booming baby!), or if I save him to tank Fire attacks and use the boom on something that needs it more.
The Scout
Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant
EV's: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Moveset:
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Pursuit
- Superpower
Scizor is one of my most important team members. Not only is he there to
get some information on the opponents team through U-turning, he's also there to pick off any and all foe's that are weak enough to die to a Bullet Punch. More importantly, I also really need Scizor to U-turn or Pursuit Starmies to death, as well as tank Draco Meteors from Flygon and hopefully badly harm him with Bullet Punch or Pursuit as he flees.
I don't really have a terrible issue with Ghosts, but the fact that Scizor can also pick off Ghosts with either Bullet Punch or Pursuit just makes his repertoire of things to do even more diverse.
Sleep B*tch
Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Nature: Adamant
EV's: 12 HP / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
Moveset:
- Spore
- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- Seed Bomb
SPORE, BABY, SPORE! Not really. Unlike most players, I refuse to start of with Spore. I'm very careful as to when I switch Breloom in. When I know he can always drive the current opponent out, I switch Breloom is. Instead of then Sporing the counter, I set up Substitute first. In many cases, the "counter" they've sent out isn't really the counter, it's just the one they want to absorb the sleep with. No, I'd rather just Focus Punch that "counter" to death, and then Spore whatever comes in. Does not work every time (which most often means I've lost my Breloom), but if it works, I'm in a very favourable position.
Breloom is one of my go-to guys when I face bulky waters like Vappy, Suicune or Swampert, although I have to watch out for Ice Beams.
Special Sweeper
Jolteon @ Choice Specs
Ability: Volt Absorb
Nature: Timid
EV's: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Ice
- Shadow Ball
- Baton Pass
You sexy beast, you! <3
Specs Jolteon Thunderbolt is amazing. Unless the opponent outright nullifies the hit, even resisting pokemon die to it. Even then, it's frailty is shocking to me every single time. It's basically the reason why I use Baton Pass almost just as much Thunderbolt. (That, or HP Ice, when I know for certain the switch-in is going to be Flygon)
Jolteon is basically a scout for that reason. Combine this with Gyarados being one this team and attracting Electric attacks like bees to honey, and Jolteon has enough healing that will permit him to switch in and out a few more times. This gives me the added benefit of knowing exactly what counters the opponent has for this dynamic duo of mine.
Jolteons main task is bulky waters and Starmie! If I see Starmie, it's Jolteon food! Grrr
Set-up Sweeper
Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid
EV's: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe OR 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Roar
Suicune is now replacing Gyarados, after a good chat with Blue Kirby on Lab. I'm starting to like this baby more and more. The fact that I don't take as much damage from SR, combined with a far smaller Electric weakness and higher defences makes me a lot happier about Suicune so far. Combine that with the fact that I had a lot of physical sweepers already. What really makes me happy about this set is the combination of CM and Roar, something I did not try before yet. My team was lacking a phazer anyway, and I noticed that was a problem I had more often with my team. But what I like most about CM/Roar, is that when I start CM, more than once I've had opponents that believe they could start setting up alongside me. After I was done getting my +2/+3 (And I even got a +4 once, which basically got me a clean sweep), I just roared their set-up poke out, and started sweeping. This is a great set and I'm loving it.
As you noticed, I listed two EV spreads. I'm running the offensive variant now, but I'm noticing that I barely use Suicune as an instant attacker. I'm either using Cune for double switching or when I know the time has come to start setting up. In both cases, I'd rather have some more survivability.
About the EV's, this is where I need help. 252 Def seems more logical, as 1 CM boost already puts my S.Def on 399. However, I also use Suicune as a pivot, like I already mentioned. So some matches, it doesn't even set up, it's just being used as a pivot where it's taking a lot of damage without having set-up. 252 HP helps more now, since it gives me more spread out survivability on both sides of the spectrum.
So I basically want advice. What would be more wise, a set with 252 HP or with 252 Def?
Type chart
Threats
I'll only list the two that I'm having trouble with the most
Flygon: Flygon, especially Scarfgon is a real pain in the ass for the team. U-turn works versus Brelook, Heatran and Jolteon do not like Earthquakes, Dragonite is slower and does not like Draco Meteors, although Flygon can't freely switch into Dragonite. Also, with no real Ice Beamer and Jolteon using Thunderbolts, Flygon has ample oppertunity to switch in.
Starmie: O god, this thing has the three attacks that rape my team. Hydro Pump destroys my Heatran, even more so that EQ's do, since I use a Shuca berry to soften that hit. Thunderbolt hits Gyarados for terrible damage, and Starmie has no issue switching into Gyarados either. And Ice Beam hits Dragonite for 4x SE as well as 2x SE versus Breloom. Scizor U-turns, combined with Jolteon's speed and whoppingly strong Tbolts somehow have to manage with this threat. God forbids I face both a Starmie and a Flygon on one team. :(
Conclusion
I feel this team is decent, but could be greatly improved, and I would love some help with this. Even though some members are preferred to stay, if you can offer any compelling arguments as to why any member should be replaced and offer a good replacement, I'm willing to try this out. Just keep in mind that this is a team that I want to play as if the entire team is on speed, and then some. I already consider that Spore and Substitute on Breloom gives me the feeling that the game is brought to a grinding stop, because for most others in the team, it's just switch in, bombard something with huge attack or special attack stats, and then retreat to let someone else continue the bombarding. So when making suggestions, please keep in mind that I want to play this team as offensive as possible. Even if a Toxic Spike Roserade would work wonders for this team (I can't imagine why), it still slows down the overall feel and I don't like to feel that I've lost momentum. I also want the opponent to feel the constant pressure of hard hits on him and don't want to give him any moment to start executing his own strategy.
With all that said and done, thank you all for reading this far and I hope you'll be able to help me improve this team. Thanks in advance for any and all advice!
Credits
Credits to PokemonElite2000 for the smaller pictures
Credits to Arkeis for the large pictures.
Credits to Marriland for their Team Builder functions, which gives me such a nice looking type resistance/weakness chart.
Credits to Aerrow for the suggestion of changing EQ to Superpower on Dragonite. This is working like a charm!
Credits to Blue Kirby for giving me the Suicune set over Gyarados, that has been underperforming. Suicune has been boxing like a champ though!
I'd like to present my team in a bit different format than we are used to. I'd like to make the introduction of my members and why I chose them right up front, but I'd also like to include how they work, etc. The actual pokemon descriptions when posting the sets will be somewhat more minor and only emphasize on synergy. I hope that's not an issue.
Introduction
I've been messing for quite some time getting a good team with pokemon that I actually like playing with that are also able to actually work together and net me wins. Since that failed :P, I've resorted to repimping a team that I've used and did decent, was fun to play with, but at the same time, was often lacking. I've used so many replacements on that team, making minor tweaks and switches of single pokemon, that it stops being funny. Even now, I have the feeling that every time I think I improved something, another issue pops up. Now, I'm not saying that there is a perfect team, it's just that the overall intended flow of the battle (I want to play hyper offense) never gets of the ground well. Partly, this is because my prediction isn't amazing, but also because I feel that my team never got of the ground well.
But, hopefully, the newest switches should have fixed quite a few things (I hope >.<).
Without further ado, let me present my team in a more historical order.
Team building process
The senior residents.
Scizor and Heatran started out in my first draft of my HO team quite a few months ago. Theý been here ever since. Scizor for just being such an amazing scout and revenge killer and Heatran for my allround utility guy as well as the pokemon I'm mostly switching to after the U-turn from Scizor.
Scizor has been my long time favourite pokemon, and I've been using it in almost all my teams since it got Bullet Punch. CB Scizor is a powerhouse in every meaning of the word. It wrecks through teams, it's fast as in that it's always doing it's main killing with Bullet Punch, and it's U-turns not only put me in a favourable position in that match up, as I can get in a counter to their counter, it also packs a huge amount of damage, because of STAB, a 130 Base attack stat and a CB equipped. This is the same Scizor over all the team changes and the only member who has not changed at all since the start of my HO team.
Heatran has been on my team as a sweeper at first, Choice Scarf, but as I switched to a anti-lead, I did want someone to lay down SR, as many members in my team really count on SR to be down before they can clean up. Especially Scizor is one of those pokemon, netting kills with Bullet Punch on things he would not have taken down otherwise if SR wasn't in play. He is also there to absorb fire attacks aimed at Scizor, obviously, but even more so, to take out a few of the more common counters of Scizor, for example Magnezone.
After all is said and done, and I have no more need for Heatran, he goes out with a boom, which gives immense momentum to my team that relies so much on momentum to sweep.
I don't wanna go out first! :(
Back then, I still had a normal lead, setting up SR, but I felt I always started the battle to slowly. I've tried out Azelf, Aerodactyl and Swampert. After a while, I felt I wanted to start of with more of a bang to start with offensive momentum from the get-go. Machamp was a popular choice a few months ago, but I pretty much kicked him out a day later because of all the countermeasures people now have to Machamp anti-leads :(
After a little while, I found out the anti-lead Dragonite, which fits my team like a glove. Not only does he start of with amazing momentum against the opponents team, Extremespeed also makes him a viable revenge killer later on. And if I ever need him to wail on a slower opponent, he is also more than capable of throwing down some Draco Meteors. All in all, this guy works really well in my team so far.
Then Salamence got banned. Hello Grass
So I had to revamp my team. I already had a F/W core, and I always liked the mayhem *cough, not really, cough* Breloom caused to my team...
So I decided to just pack my own Spore-b*tch and sleep the opposing team instead! :)
Breloom is nice because of Spore, and throwing of Focus Punches from a 130 attack stat with a substitute up is easy as pie, but I don't know. He (and all other grasses I've tried) are one of the reasons I feel my teams just comes to a grinding stop, even if I did manage to grab momentum. Even if I sleep something important and get a substitute up, I feel that having to do two turns of set up (Spore + Substitute) gives the opponent too much time and I'm wasting turns which should've been spent with just trashing stuff. Celebi didn't work at all, I'm fiercely against anything Pursuit weak, Roserade doesn't do anything useful for this team, except slow it down and Shaymin, dunno. Perhaps I should switch away from the standard F/W/G core?
The W in the F/W/G!
This spot is one of my more heavily contested spots. Suicune even had a chance for this spots once, but was dropped soon. However, between Gyarados and Starmie alone, I've switched either of them out for the other time and time again. I despise the frailty and Pursuit weakness that Starmie has, otherwise it would've found a solid spot on this team. But it's exactly those two issues that I often keep switching out Starmie and replace it with Gyara. Dos has it own sets of issues with SR, (the same SR Starmie kept removing xD), and the fact that it actually slows my team down. Where Starmie is an immediate threat, with fast speed, high special attack and strong Hydro Pumps that can be fired of from turn 1, DD Dos needs at least 1 turn of set-up to do something worthwile and often 2 to actually get a full sweep. This makes Gyarados too much of a liability imo.
Again, this is another pokemon I'm not sure about.
The "OMG-not-another-slot-to-fill!-%$Y@!" pokemon >:|
I'll won't go into detail what has been in this slot, but it's the entire reason I'm getting this RMT. When using Gyarados, I've been using Electivire, Zapdos, Rotom-X and Flygon as well, to absorb the attacks.
Elective under-performed, like he usually does. Zapdos slowed my team down unless I used the offensive set, but honestly, it sucks. Zapdos isnt all that great when not used defensively. Rotom works, but is basically just more of a tank. I want to switch if I see a threat and just start bombarding again. When using Rotom, it was never more than a pivot, giving me nice double switches, but it never really did anything on my team, than just sit there and be pretty.
Flygon was there as the electric absorber and late game cleaner, but then my Ice weakness skyrocketed to 1 2x weak pokemon and a whopping 2 4x weak pokemon. With Starmie being so popular, he was just laughing in my face, and then some. :(
Without Gyarados, most likely Starmie, I couldn't care as much about Electric types, and I had another few dozen pokemons in this spot.
Back to Jolteon. Of all pokemon I wish to pair with Gyarados, it's Specs Jolteon. Send in Gyarados, double switch the ugly bastard, right into Jolteon on the same turn they switch in their Gyarados counter. I don't even wait for them to charge up their Thunderbolts so I can absorb them, since I'm almost always facing a Starmie/bulky water with HP Electric anyway. Rotom, not so much. Jolteon just eats bulky waters/Starmie with a Specs Thunderbolt (true story).
Thanks for the suggestion...!
Yush, Suicune. Thanks to Blue Kirby, I'm trying Suicune once more on my team. I mentioned already that I tried it once, but with the sets I chose back then (and the fact that some of my other team members weren't the same as they are now, Suicune just didn't work out. Even though Suicune is a typical set-up kind of sweeper and goes against the "Instant-bombarding" philosophy I wanted to achieve with this team, he does fit in like a glove. And once Cune is CM powered up, bombarding he shall!
The most important thing about this switch is that it deals with the two pokemon I have the most issues with far better, Flygon and Starmie. Flygon has to be very careful around Suicune's Ice Beams, and even though this Suicune can't tough Starmie directly, after 1 CM, Starmie's Thunderbolt isn't really doing anything versus Suicune either.
Quick overview
Team in-depth
The Lead
Dragonite @ Life Orb
Ability: Inner Focus
Nature: Quiet
EV's: 252 Atk / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Moveset:
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Superpower (As suggested by Aerrow. Works great! Thanks.)
- Extremespeed
Dragonite has been my favourite lead from the moment I used him. At least, for offensive teams, that is. I don't like suicide leads anyway, and bulky leads to do some setting up is becoming more and more impossible with Taunt leads and the like. That's where anti-leads come in, and of those I prefer Dragonite the most, if only for it's ability to use brute force and give me momentum. I pretty much Extremespeed versus any fast frail lead, when I expect them to use a status move, etc. Draco Meteor hits anything that doesn't resist for insane damage and the other two moves take care of what resist it.
Since I'm always careful with my Dragonite, I also use it as a secondary revenge killer, Dragonite also is used midgame or even endgame, if he lives long enough for that.
The Follow-up
Heatran @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Flash Fire
Nature: Naïve
EV's: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Explosion
Heatran is the one that I often go too right after Dragonite. If the opponent has someone out at that point that I don't want to have Heatran go up against, I switch to Scizor, only to have him U-turn right back to Heatran, assuming the opponent will switch when he sees Scizor. Heatran then most likely faces an opponent that he has an easier time to deal with and can set-up SR. Depending on what is out against Heatran, I have to decided whether or not to boom then and there (If Blissey is out, I'm booming baby!), or if I save him to tank Fire attacks and use the boom on something that needs it more.
The Scout
Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant
EV's: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Moveset:
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Pursuit
- Superpower
Scizor is one of my most important team members. Not only is he there to
get some information on the opponents team through U-turning, he's also there to pick off any and all foe's that are weak enough to die to a Bullet Punch. More importantly, I also really need Scizor to U-turn or Pursuit Starmies to death, as well as tank Draco Meteors from Flygon and hopefully badly harm him with Bullet Punch or Pursuit as he flees.
I don't really have a terrible issue with Ghosts, but the fact that Scizor can also pick off Ghosts with either Bullet Punch or Pursuit just makes his repertoire of things to do even more diverse.
Sleep B*tch
Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Nature: Adamant
EV's: 12 HP / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
Moveset:
- Spore
- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- Seed Bomb
SPORE, BABY, SPORE! Not really. Unlike most players, I refuse to start of with Spore. I'm very careful as to when I switch Breloom in. When I know he can always drive the current opponent out, I switch Breloom is. Instead of then Sporing the counter, I set up Substitute first. In many cases, the "counter" they've sent out isn't really the counter, it's just the one they want to absorb the sleep with. No, I'd rather just Focus Punch that "counter" to death, and then Spore whatever comes in. Does not work every time (which most often means I've lost my Breloom), but if it works, I'm in a very favourable position.
Breloom is one of my go-to guys when I face bulky waters like Vappy, Suicune or Swampert, although I have to watch out for Ice Beams.
Special Sweeper
Jolteon @ Choice Specs
Ability: Volt Absorb
Nature: Timid
EV's: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Ice
- Shadow Ball
- Baton Pass
You sexy beast, you! <3
Specs Jolteon Thunderbolt is amazing. Unless the opponent outright nullifies the hit, even resisting pokemon die to it. Even then, it's frailty is shocking to me every single time. It's basically the reason why I use Baton Pass almost just as much Thunderbolt. (That, or HP Ice, when I know for certain the switch-in is going to be Flygon)
Jolteon is basically a scout for that reason. Combine this with Gyarados being one this team and attracting Electric attacks like bees to honey, and Jolteon has enough healing that will permit him to switch in and out a few more times. This gives me the added benefit of knowing exactly what counters the opponent has for this dynamic duo of mine.
Jolteons main task is bulky waters and Starmie! If I see Starmie, it's Jolteon food! Grrr
Set-up Sweeper
Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Timid
EV's: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe OR 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Moveset:
- Calm Mind
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Roar
Suicune is now replacing Gyarados, after a good chat with Blue Kirby on Lab. I'm starting to like this baby more and more. The fact that I don't take as much damage from SR, combined with a far smaller Electric weakness and higher defences makes me a lot happier about Suicune so far. Combine that with the fact that I had a lot of physical sweepers already. What really makes me happy about this set is the combination of CM and Roar, something I did not try before yet. My team was lacking a phazer anyway, and I noticed that was a problem I had more often with my team. But what I like most about CM/Roar, is that when I start CM, more than once I've had opponents that believe they could start setting up alongside me. After I was done getting my +2/+3 (And I even got a +4 once, which basically got me a clean sweep), I just roared their set-up poke out, and started sweeping. This is a great set and I'm loving it.
As you noticed, I listed two EV spreads. I'm running the offensive variant now, but I'm noticing that I barely use Suicune as an instant attacker. I'm either using Cune for double switching or when I know the time has come to start setting up. In both cases, I'd rather have some more survivability.
About the EV's, this is where I need help. 252 Def seems more logical, as 1 CM boost already puts my S.Def on 399. However, I also use Suicune as a pivot, like I already mentioned. So some matches, it doesn't even set up, it's just being used as a pivot where it's taking a lot of damage without having set-up. 252 HP helps more now, since it gives me more spread out survivability on both sides of the spectrum.
So I basically want advice. What would be more wise, a set with 252 HP or with 252 Def?
Type chart
Threats
I'll only list the two that I'm having trouble with the most
Flygon: Flygon, especially Scarfgon is a real pain in the ass for the team. U-turn works versus Brelook, Heatran and Jolteon do not like Earthquakes, Dragonite is slower and does not like Draco Meteors, although Flygon can't freely switch into Dragonite. Also, with no real Ice Beamer and Jolteon using Thunderbolts, Flygon has ample oppertunity to switch in.
Starmie: O god, this thing has the three attacks that rape my team. Hydro Pump destroys my Heatran, even more so that EQ's do, since I use a Shuca berry to soften that hit. Thunderbolt hits Gyarados for terrible damage, and Starmie has no issue switching into Gyarados either. And Ice Beam hits Dragonite for 4x SE as well as 2x SE versus Breloom. Scizor U-turns, combined with Jolteon's speed and whoppingly strong Tbolts somehow have to manage with this threat. God forbids I face both a Starmie and a Flygon on one team. :(
Conclusion
I feel this team is decent, but could be greatly improved, and I would love some help with this. Even though some members are preferred to stay, if you can offer any compelling arguments as to why any member should be replaced and offer a good replacement, I'm willing to try this out. Just keep in mind that this is a team that I want to play as if the entire team is on speed, and then some. I already consider that Spore and Substitute on Breloom gives me the feeling that the game is brought to a grinding stop, because for most others in the team, it's just switch in, bombard something with huge attack or special attack stats, and then retreat to let someone else continue the bombarding. So when making suggestions, please keep in mind that I want to play this team as offensive as possible. Even if a Toxic Spike Roserade would work wonders for this team (I can't imagine why), it still slows down the overall feel and I don't like to feel that I've lost momentum. I also want the opponent to feel the constant pressure of hard hits on him and don't want to give him any moment to start executing his own strategy.
With all that said and done, thank you all for reading this far and I hope you'll be able to help me improve this team. Thanks in advance for any and all advice!
Credits
Credits to PokemonElite2000 for the smaller pictures
Credits to Arkeis for the large pictures.
Credits to Marriland for their Team Builder functions, which gives me such a nice looking type resistance/weakness chart.
Credits to Aerrow for the suggestion of changing EQ to Superpower on Dragonite. This is working like a charm!
Credits to Blue Kirby for giving me the Suicune set over Gyarados, that has been underperforming. Suicune has been boxing like a champ though!
