Help please :o

[Igno]

Ok guys first of all good night everyone. I have a problem with my team as I think it isnt bad but it never convinces me and I expects lots of criticism and suggestions so dont be afraid I wont cry lol

So basically my team is:

Aerodactyl (F) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

This is one of my favorite pkmn and I love surprising people with an antilead, I find it less common to see an therefore, less proun to get owned. Stone Edge and EQ for attacking after taunting for preventing hazards or boosts, then set up my own Stealth Rock.
Unfortunatelly, it is way too weak and most of times becomes a suicide lead, hence the focus sash but lately I've been starting with sizor and U-turn.

Scizor (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Bug Bite/U-turn
- Superpower
- Swords Dance

This is myphysical sweeper, I got bullet punch for stab and priority, supwerpower to smash up(I dont expect to use him for several consecutive turns so I dont mine losing attack power and it wont hurt after a swords dance or too). I know it has a x4 Fire weakness though.
I use it sometimes as my lead starting off with U-turn for scouting plus a quite good amont of damage with life orb.

Umbreon (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SDef
Careful Nature
- Foul Play
- Heal Bell
- Wish
- Protect

I like this pokemon because it is difficult to predict and it is very versatile. I use Foul Play as I dont use EVs on attack stats, prefr wish over moonlight for passing it to someone else an heal bell for its obvious use. I'm not sure about protect, I could replace it with other move I think. At least I know it works quite good as a special wall based on my battles so far but it is kind of annoying to depend on others like forretress to set status ailments on the enemy before stalling with Umbreon, I think I should make Umbreon more independant.

Cloyster (F) @ White Herb
Trait: Skill Link
EVs: 232 Atk / 32 SAtk / 244 Spd
Naive Nature
- Icicle Spear
- Rock Blast
- Hydro Pump
- Shell Smash

It is my mixed sweeper but sadly I havent been succesful on using it as a physical wall due to its ice typing which makes it weak to fighting and steel types, pretty common on physical sweepers. Although it is awesome once it survives using shell smash when I manage to force a switch. It is hard for me to find the best moment to swith it in and shell smash, but one it's dne it, it become almost unstopable...although sometimes I'd prefer having the fous sash on Cloyster.

Forretress (M) @ Occa Berry
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SDef
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic
- Gyro Ball

I'm not convinced at all with it really...It makes my team to have 2 pokemon with x4 fire weakness, an it works mostly as a physical walla lthough I want him to set hazards and spin them away. I'm not sure aout gyroball, maybe a volt switch coul be more helpfl.At least it can help Umbreon with stalling and I'm concidering other rapid spin users for normal battles and keep him for a possible storm team.

Gengar (F) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Destiny Bond

This is my favorite pkmn, spin blocker and also is a great arsenal, which allows me to attack with different types moves like thunderbolt, hiden power fire, energy ball etc so I have lots of coverage an can adapt to team moifications. The bad side is, it is extremely weak and so far I've used it to resist a bullet punch from sizor and fnish it with hidden power fire.


So basically that's my team so far. I start up with Aerodactyl taunting for preventing boosts spikes or stealth rocks and then lay my own SR. I think I could alternate umbreon and forretress for resisting special an physical attacks, and Umbreon is great for resisting the fire attacks Scizor and Forretress fear so badly, besides Umbreon can cure status ailments and use wish to help switching.
Scizor is my phyical sweeper, Gengar my special sweeper and cloyster an awesome mixed sweeper.
Im not sure about Forretress, I just wanted to include a rapid spin user because I want my team to be prepare for everything but I know it isnt possible. Please help me, I know my team members cold be greater with other team combinations or for ifferent set strategies...


Other pkmn I've tried/I've been considering :

Stall Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 184 Def / 72 Spd / 252 HP
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Protect
- Substitute

It is great for resisting physical attacks but just like cloyster a simple flamethrowing will finish with it. Stalling with gliscor is fun because it can stall up for 32 turns and it can lear toxic for avoiding the need to poison with another team member

Defensive Shuckle @ Leftovers
Trait: Contrary
EVs: 252 Def / 252 SDef / 4 HP
Sassy Nature
- Shell Smash
- Power Split
- Rest
- Toxic

So, the only problem I have is the lack of attacking moves, a taunt could ruin this whole moveset immediatelly, but once its it used correctly, it can make the opponent lose patience about it. Shell smash will lower my attack and increase my defense, so i can progressively lower the oponent's attack while efending and resting to recover health and while poisoning

I was also thinking on using a Breelom or a Garchomp, but I dont know how to use them. I repeat, feel free to comment, suggest or say anything about my team, I know I hve lots to learn an thanks in advance

 

[John the Aussie]

instead of aerodactyl might i suggest running an archeops with endeavor, stealth rock, u turn and taunt
and perhaps mudslap or sand tomb to mess up taunters and switchers
a good support for shuckle and archeops is ttar who upon comeing in afterarcheops demise secures sandstorm kill he will also give shuckle 1.5 boost to spdef so max shuckleshp and def if considering ttar or hippo

when writeing an RMT always remember to write at least 3 lines of description for each

 

[Igno]

instead of aerodactyl might i suggest running an archeops with endeavor, stealth rock, u turn and taunt
and perhaps mudslap or sand tomb to mess up taunters and switchers
a good support for shuckle and archeops is ttar who upon comeing in afterarcheops demise secures sandstorm kill he will also give shuckle 1.5 boost to spdef so max shuckleshp and def if considering ttar or hippo

when writeing an RMT always remember to write at least 3 lines of description for each

So basially I should make a better storm team out of this attempt of a team?I've tried the storm boosted shuckle and it's great! but I have almos tno experiene with weather teams, thanks though!

 

[branhoff]

Hi Igno. I was pretty new to the pokemon scene last year (I still am really). I took the battling 101 course and found it was very helpful in learning to build teams (which is probably the hardest and most fun part). My tutor emphasized one important thing: What is the team strategy? What's the purpose? Is it to clear a path for Scizor to sweep? Is it a highly bulky stall team?

What I typically do when building a team is I pick a poke that I like or i've found to have a lot of potential. I look at the smogon articles on that pokemon and find out its strengths and weaknesses. Then I simply try to develop a team that best amplifies that poke or the strategy I'm trying to employ.

I think I could offer some advice on certain pokemon that might help your team. So what is the strategy or purpose of your team?

 

[Lady Alex]

Hi. have you considered using Custap Berry Skarmory over Aerodactyl? There are a few dedicated leads like mew and Azelf who will outspeed and taunt skarmory, but they're very rare, and the opportunity to get an additional layer of hazards will give you a lot more momentum.

skarmory

Skarmory @ Custap Berry
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 SAtk
Jolly Nature
IVs: null HP / null Def / null SDef
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Brave Bird

Another thing I would consider is to use Thunder over HP fire on Gengar. Tentacruel is very problematic for your team, and using Thunder on Gengar would allow you to more reliably deal with it (Tentacruel is only seen in Rain, which is why I suggest Thunder over Tbolt).

Lastly, you should use Leftovers over Occa Berry on Forretress. Even with Occa Berry, Forretress is going to be 2hko'd by almost any fire attack.

 

[Igno]

I hadnt considered the Skarmory, I'll try it out now. And about the HPfire, I need some fire type move to deal with enemy forretress and scizor :/

 

[knowitall]

First I would second the Custap Skarmory recommendation, I've had success with it and it should do you well. Secondly I feel Cloyster can be a bit underwhelming and the setup can often ruin his sweep, instead I would recommend a mixed life orb Infernape running Overheat, Close Combat, Mach Punch and U-Turn with max speed and Attack EVs. As for Forretress, since you would have a spiker in custap Skarmory I would recommend either a Hitmontop as it can still put on offensive pressure while giving you a spinner. If you don't feel like the available spinners you could opt for an Espeon, after the first switch on a spiker most people are generally reluctant to attempt to set up hazards until they have eliminated Espeon, It can also provide an offensive pressure, With Hp fire it can check those Steel types that can give you trouble. Lastly, on Gengar you should consider switching it to a choice scarf set, replacing its last moves with Hp Ice and Trick it turns into a revenge killer and with trick allows it to cripple a wall.

 

[Igno]

Oh yeah I do have an Espeon I could use...it has HP fire too bc i RNGed it for a friend ad decided to get one more for me just in case. I could also swtich it for and from Umbreon while battling. Thanks!