Happy Feet < March of the Penguins

faint

Banned deucer.
Yes, if the title was not obvious enough this team will be featuring Empoleon. A couple of months ago I never even noticed Empoleon to be a threat in the game. It was then I played a match against Seven Deadly Sins. His Empoleon was able to take out 3 of my Pokemon, and that is what inspired me to build this team. The plan is to eliminate every threat standing in the way of Empoleon, so that he can have a nice late game sweep.

Before I start I would like to say that this is one of my most successful teams that I've ever made. My Shoddy rating quickly increased when laddering with this team. I was in the top 50 until I took a break from Shoddy and made a new account under "I Heart Shelly." So before I continue to brag, here is my team.

Team at a glance...
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From a quick view you notice that it's pretty much a standard Platinum team. However I tried using unusual and different sets to make this team different from others, which is useful when my opponent tries outpredicting me. Now that you have a quick view of my team, let me show you a more in depth look. Let's begin.


Jirachi @ Choice Scarf *** Ecliptica
Ability: Serene Grace
Nature: Jolly
EV's: 252 Atk / 176 Spe / 80 HP
~Trick
~Ice Punch
~Iron Head
~Stealth Rock

My lead and a good one at that. Trick is a godsend in todays metagame, since it screws over 90% of today's leads. With this guy I nearly almost always get a Stealth Rock off after I Trick something, which really helps turn Empoleon's 2HKO's into 1HKO's. Ice Punch helps with revenge killing the dragons if I still have my scarf, which is not very often. For that reason I may switch it to Fire Punch so that Scizor can't set up on me. Iron Head is helpful against Tyranitar and the flinch rate is really useful when Jirachi is 1 on 1 with something. The EV's allow me to out speed most +1 Spe Salamence's and most other dragons, while I still maintain a high attack stat. The HP EV's are to give Jirachi some bulk since it has some awesome resistances when paired with my other Pokemon.

Celebi @ Leftovers *** Phantasia
Ability: Nature Cure
Nature: Bold
EV's: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 Spe
~Perish Song
~Grass Knot
~U-Turn
~Recover

Suicune just loves switching in on Empoleon, which is why I have Celebi here to destroy it. Ever since I first played this set I loved it. Perish Song is the key to this set, since it stops Calm Mind Suicune and Jirachi from sweeping my team. U-Turn allows me to escape my own trap, and now that Garchomp is gone I don't need to worry about it screwing me over. Grass Knot is self-explainatory and makes it a lot easier for taking down bulky waters which Empoleon hates as mentioned above. Recover so that I can continue to take physical hits for the rest of my team, and so that I will generally last alot longer.

Heatran @ Leftovers *** Triclonius
Ability: Flash Fire
Nature: Timid
EV's: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 6 HP
~Fire Blast
~Earth Power
~Substitute
~Toxic

This is defiantly my favorite Heatran set there is. It shuts down so many counters it's not even funny. I love when Vaporeon or Gyarados switches in only to take a nasty Toxic, and prevent it from staying in much longer. My other moves are just as useful. With such a useful ability Heatran can set up a free Substitute against enemy Heatrans locked in Fire Blast, allowing me with cripple the switch in with Toxic or hitting it with Fire Blast or Earth Power. What's funny is that this Heatran is capable of beating Blissey 1 on 1 since I have Substitute and Toxic, and when I am low enough on health I can Fire Blast for the KO. This is also one of my checks against Scizor since I can take any hit other than a Choice Banded Superpower. Heatran helps out Empoleon by taking out suprise bulky waters with Toxic, and just being so useful in todays metagame.

Rotom-H @ Choice Scarf *** Guardica
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EV's: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 6 HP
~Trick
~Thunderbolt
~Shadow Ball
~Overheat

Like I said before Trick is just such an awesome move that I found myself using yet another TrickScarf Pokemon; and it's none other than Rotom-H! I love getting the suprise revenge kills from this guy. Apparently most expect me to be a double status or RestTalk Rotom, which makes it a lot harder for my opponent to out predict me. Swampert, who loves switching into this guy, is completely destroyed by Trick. With Swampert out of the way it becomes alot easier for Empoleon to set up. Thunderbolt is my primary move however, and also my most used move against enemy Scizor. This is because Heatran loves switching in on me expecting Overheat, only to be 2HKO'd by Thunderbolt. Shadow Ball can take out late game Azelfs and Gengars that Empoleon can have trouble with. Once I know my opponent lacks Heatran, I can throw Overheats at late game Lucario, Scizor, and the random Heracross.

Scizor @ Choice Band *** Lacrimosa
Ability: Technitian
Nature: Adament
EV's: 232 HP / 252 Atk / 32 Spe
~U-Turn
~Superpower
~Bullet Punch
~Quick Attack

Wow this this is amazing! This thing is very helpful when I need my opponents team weakened. The attack power this thing holds is great as well. Do not underestimate the power of a Choice Band 252 Atk STAB Technitian Bullet Punch, since it KO's more than you would think. The same goes for Quick Attack. I use this over Pursuit because I don't like mind games and generally always go for the safer option. Quick Attack also allows me to KO weakoned Gyarados, Zapdos, and Infernape which apparently like switching into Bullet Punch. U-Turn dents anything except things like Crobat which 4X resist it, and Superpower can KO enemy Heatrans switching in expecting a Swords Dance. Scizor helps out Empoleon by spamming Bullet Punches and Quick Attacks so that everything will be weakened enough for Empoleon to have that easy late game sweep.

Empoleon @ Petaya Berry *** Acheron
Ability: Torrent
Nature: Modest
EV's: 252 SpA / 216 Spe / 8 Def / 28 HP
~Surf
~Substitute
~Agility
~Ice Beam

And here is what I believe to be the most underestimated sweeper in the game. If you have never used this then you have no idea how much damage a Torrent boosted Petaya activated STAB surf can do. It's capable of dealing a minimum of 40% to a Calm Blissey, as well as getting tons of KO's after Stealth Rock is on the field. First off when I know my opponent will switch I almost always use Substitute. This allows me to scout what my opponent brings in. If it doesn't threaten me then I use Agility and then I continue to Substitute, until my Petaya Berry activates as well as torrent. From there I spam STAB Surfs at nearly everything and Ice Beams at dragons foolish enough to switch in. Since Empoleon resists almost all of the common priority attacks this set has no problems pulling this off. The EV's allow me to out speed nearly everything after an Agility, including ScarfTran and ScarfCross who are both KO'd when everything is activated. I seriously advise you all to try this since I promise that you will not be sorry.

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I would like to thank you all for reading up to this point. I hope you will take my advice and try out Empoleon. You really will be suprised at how much damage it is capable of doing. I would love some advice on this team about how I can make this better. Thanks again!
 
Ok first of all your Rotom has leftovers >_<

I really don't like use perish song celebi but thats me i mostly use this:


Celebi @ Leftovers
Bold - 252 Hp / 220 Def / 36 Spc def
Natural Cure
Recover
Leech Seed
Grass Knot/Psychic/Earth Power
Thunder Wave/heal bell

It can heal HP with recover AND leech seed. then it can give status OR heal status. And can also take others down with your attacking move of choice.


Empoleon @ Petaya Berry *** Acheron
Ability: Torrent
Nature: Modest
EV's: 252 SpA / 216 Spe / 8 Def / 28 HP
~Surf
~Substitute
~Agility
~Ice Beam/Grass Knot


You'll be surprised at the ammount of water types that end your fun when u get petaya and agility activated so i suggest using grass knot.
 
Celebi with Perish Song is VERY important for a team like this, as Suicune tends to come in and just rape the whole team. Perish Song makes sure it can't actually sweep you. In fact, now that Skymin is banned I'll probably use a Perish Song Celebi in its place for right now.

I'll back Grass Knot on Empoleon. Petaya Grass Knot does great damage to a lot of things that wall Surf/Ice Beam Empoleon. Also, Surf does close to 75% to stuff like Salamence, and Celebi has a hard time hurting Empoleon, while standard 252/220 Bold Celebi also takes massive damage from Surf. Meanwhile, Grass Knot takes big chunks out of Suicune, which walls Surf/Ice Beam Empoleon handily, and also puts the hurt on Vaporeon not packing HP Electric, which also is impossible for standard Empoleon to kill.

Also, Lacrimosa is misspelled (it's an amazing piece of music, though). And why is your "Trickscarf Rotom" carrying Lefties?
 
I really like this team and have been meaning to make a similar one myself. It looks as though Infernape, Scarfzone, or Ice Punch Lucario might cause some problems for this team, and I also agree that you should use Grass Knot on Empoleon. Otherwise I think everything looks good
 
I've used ScarfRachi, and it is amazing late game and screwing over leads but the thing I do not like about yours is the fact that U-turn is absent. U-turn is needed to get out of there fast. Heatran can screw you over if you don't have it, and so can many other Pokemon, it allows you to scout the opponents team and this is needed early to figure out which Pokemon, and sets the opponent is running, sometimes, without proper information that you can get from scouting, can come back and bite you in the ass as I have learned. I would replace SR with U-turn. As SR is a staple and should be on every team, and since U-turn is now going to be repetitive if it is on Celebi, I suggest replace U-turn with SR. This change is slight, but makes a difference in the way you play, and the level of stress and pressure, plus the fear of overpredicting is relieved with U-turn on the ScarfRachi Lead. Other than this, your team is basically solid. You don't have any major weaknesses so far.
 
At first glance the biggest problemi notice with your team is that you lack a safe switch into infernape being as the only thing that can deal with it is rotom who cant come in but once.I would say change heatran to scarf so you have a second check to it as well as one to lucario who also looks like it can be problems dealing with.
 
Honestly, I do not see anything wrong with this team that should really be noted. However, there are some minor threats that could give you trouble.

Life Orb Heatran seems to be a problem for your team, as it gets excellent coverage on your team while nothing can safely switch into it and pose an immediate threat except for your own Heatran, but you're screwed if you switch into an Earth Power. Similarly, Empoleon won't enjoy switching into repeated Fire Blasts.

TyraniBoah also seems to be troublesome for your team, as you have no immediate ways of dealing with it if its running Flamethrower / Fire Blast (otherwise it can be handled by Jirachi). Nothing can safely switch into it as it is capable of hitting all of your pokemon for super-effective damage. Celebi may be able to beat it with Perish Song, but that will only work if you switch in without taking any previous damage from Dark Pulse.

Your team also seems to be a bit weak against Magnezones, particularly the ones that DO NOT run Choice Scarf, but do run enough speed EVs to outspeed Adamant Scizor. Once again, it can set up a Substitute on most of your pokemon barring Heatran, and then proceed to deal heavy damage to your team if it's running something like Thunderbolt / HP [Ground/Fire] / Signal Beam, which is certainly quite possible.


I do not want to make any major changes to your team since it already looks fine, but I hope the issues I spotted were of some help to you. If you would like for me to offer suggestions on how I can change your team, feel free to ask me.
 
@DTS: I really considered using Grass Knot, however I do appreciate the OHKO's on Dragons, before I decide to Substitute down for all the boosts that I need. Also now with Latias being on the suspect ladder the 2HKO I can score with Ice Beam is nice.

@Farmer: Infernape really hasn't been a problem for me; suprisingly. However Lucario is very hard for me to take down, and I usually need to sacrifice something or save Rotom for late game so I can get get rid of it. I'm considering using ScarfTran which can remedy both of these problems, but Substitute+Toxic really helps in taking out Empoleon's counters.

@Flashstorm: First off thank you for an in depth rate. With the Pokemon you listed as threats my usual strategy is just to keep whatever I have in play, since allowing either one of those to set up really hurts. This allows me to switch in something that I know can take a hit, and do something to hurt it. I havn't really found Magnezone to be too troubling, however there have been moments where Magnezone has taken out Empoleon before getitng the chance to Agility which of course really sucks.

Thanks everyone and keep the rates coming!
 
Faint, are you high?

Magnezone has a field day.
 
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