Hey! I have a team that's working pretty well, but needs a little bit of work. There are a few redundancies in it, but it seems to be unorthodox enough to work. Without further ado, here is the team!
And now, the in-depth looks.
Lead
Salamence @ Life orb
Rash [+Spe, -SpD]
Intimidate
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 SpA
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Roar
It hits things that it can hit hard, and it takes care of ninjask with roar.
Here's how it deals with the most common leads (as of January 2010):
Azelf: Fire Blast it. If it stealth rocks, switch to Rotom-H predicting the Explosion. If it uses psychic, switch to Celebi for the U-Turn KO.
Metagross: Fire Blast. If it uses SR, then fire off an earthquake to catch any potential switch-ins off guard. If it Meteor Mashes, switch to Rotom to eat the bullet punch and hit the switch with a T-Wave.
Swampert: Switch to Celebi while it inevitably sets up SR, then trick the switch in.
Jirachi: Earthquake the little bugger.
Aerodactyl: Switch to Celebi, then Trick or Leaf Storm it, depending on what it does. I really don't like him.
Infernape: Eat the fake-out, earthquake it, and then fire blast its last 1% (assuming it set up SR while letting its focus sash get broken).
Roserade: Fire Blast the little bugger.
Heatran: EQ
Tyranitar: EQ
Gliscor: Fire Blast
Ninjask: Roar
Not the best lead, but it does its job and it can sometimes come in later and lay down some hurting on some things. I'm looking to change this fellow to a more effective anti-lead, but I'm not fond of Dragonite.
Tricker #1
Starmie @ Choice Scarf
[4Hp / 252 Spe / 252 SpA]
Modest
Natural Cure
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Trick
I really like to toss this guy in to fake a rapid spin set, and then 2HKO any spin-blocking switch-ins. Aside from that, Trick cripples stat-uppers and walls alike, and eases prediction down the line.
CroCune
Suicune @ Leftovers
[252 Hp / 4 Spe / 252 SpA]
Modest
Pressure
- Surf
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
Not too much to talk about here. It's a pretty standard CroCune, with a greater emphasis on hitting hard over bulk. It's got solid defenses even without a huge investment in defense, and more often than not it's setting up behind the dual screens set up by my next guy:
Dual-screener
Rotom-H @ Light Clay
[252 Hp / 128 Def / 128 SpD]
Bold
Levitate
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Thunder Wave
- Overheat
I'm really reliant on this guy to T-Wave to spread paralysis. A solid counter to Scizor, Foretress, Skarmory, and taking U-turns aimed at Celebi. Once its screens are set up, Suicune really does its thing.
Physical Ape
Infernape @ Choice Band
[4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe]
Jolly
Blaze
- Close Combat
- Flare Blitz
- Stone Edge
- U-Turn
It usually comes in and U-Turns out pretty quick. It's basically a CB Scizor only I don't hate it.
The Magical Onion / Tricker #2
Celebi @ Choice Scarf
[4 Hp / 252 Spe / 252 SpA]
Modest
Natural Cure
- Leaf Storm
- U-Turn
- Stealth Rock
- Trick
It revenge kills, it cripples, and it absorbs status. Unfortunately, it shares a lot of overlap with Starmie, and I really need to change one of the two I think.
The Threat-Down:
Azelf: Gets 2HKOd by any decent attack. Celebi and Starmie can both revenge kill it, and Rotom happily eats its explosions and returns Paralysis and screens in return.
Breloom: I dislike this fellow. Once something is sleeping, Infernape can break a sub with U-Turn and switch to Salamence who can OKHO with Fire Blast. Something's going to eat a Spore though.
Celebi: My Celebi U-turns faster :D
Dugtrio: Really only a problem with Starmie gets locked into Thunderbolt. Aside from that, nobody on my team (aside Infernape, who's usually U-turning anyhow) really minds the bugger.
Electivire: Doesn't hit hard enough to be much of a threat. Celebi can counter most varieties.
Empoleon: Infernape is capable of OKHOing with Close Combat, though it's tough to do on an agility variant. Trick is helpful here.
Flygon: Suicune isn't hit by anything particularly hard, and Celebi can outspeed some variants and hit hard with Leaf Storm. Starmie clearly wins any speed battles and OKHOs with Ice Beam, and Rotom eats U-turns like candy.
Gengar: I don't like him.
Gliscor: Has a hard time doing much to my team at all. Infernape's Blaze Kick does a decent chunk of damage, killing any weakened variants, while celebi, suicune, starmie, and salamence all 2HKO.
Gyarados: Trick stops the setup, and Starmie and Celebi can both hit back hard.
Heatran: Suicune wins.
Heracross: Rotom likes to paralyze and then set up screens, using Overheat if it survives long enough.
Infernape: Salamence checks it well, as does Suicune and Starmie.
Jirachi: A pain. If Salamence isn't healthy, then Infernape can be used in a pinch to take the darn thing down.
Kingdra: Substitute / Lum Berry really hurts me here. I either need to trick it while it's setting up or paralyze it in order to have a good shot at killing it.
Latias: Very worrisome. Once it's neutered with Thunder Wave, though, Celebi and Infernape can have a field day U-turning back and forth.
Lucario: Salamence is a decent check if it's healthy, else these guys can rip through my team. Paralysis and screens can prevent its sweep.
Machamp: Rotom can paralyze and set up screens in its face.
Magnezone: Infernape does okay. Celebi can bait the Signal Beam and U-Turn out to infernape, and everyone else weak to Thunderbolt can switch to Celebi. Oh, and Salamence does pretty well if he's healthy.
Mamoswine: Rotom can at least set up reflect and start using Overheat.
Metagross: Salamence hits it fairly hard, as does Infernape. Suicune can wall it if need be.
Ninjask: The one reason Salamence has roar.
Porygon-Z: Don't see many of these, but Rotom does okay, as does Suicune.
Rhyperior: Celebi, Suicune, and Starmie can all dent it pretty badly, and Rotom can set up a reflect before it goes.
Roserade: A pain to deal with. Not too hard to kill, but it'll likely get some Toxic Spikes down first.
Rotom-A: I usually let Celebi 2HKO it with Leaf Storm.
Salamence: If I have Stealth Rock up, he's usually not too much of a problem. Starmie and Infernape can both OKHO him.
Scizor: Rotom, Suicune.
Snorlax: Use Celebi or Starmie to trick it, or just kill it with Infernape.
Starmie: Mine's usually faster, but if it's not, then Rotom can bluff its STAB moves or Suicune can try to set up.
Suicune: Trick!
Togekiss: Rotom's Thunder Wave.
Tyranitar: Rotom can usually paralyze it before it dies, set up reflect, and give Infernape the OK to come in and U-Turn and maintain momentum.
Weavile: Infernape doesn't fear much. Celebi can hit it hard, too, assuming it's not already at -2 from Leaf Storm. U-Turn can help slip past Pursuit.
Yanmega: I dislike this creature, but thankfully Rotom does okay.
Zapdos: i also dislike this beast, but once again it's not so much of a threat once it's paralyzed. Assuming screens are up, Suicine sets up all day.
And now, the in-depth looks.
Lead
Rash [+Spe, -SpD]
Intimidate
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 SpA
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Roar
It hits things that it can hit hard, and it takes care of ninjask with roar.
Here's how it deals with the most common leads (as of January 2010):
Azelf: Fire Blast it. If it stealth rocks, switch to Rotom-H predicting the Explosion. If it uses psychic, switch to Celebi for the U-Turn KO.
Metagross: Fire Blast. If it uses SR, then fire off an earthquake to catch any potential switch-ins off guard. If it Meteor Mashes, switch to Rotom to eat the bullet punch and hit the switch with a T-Wave.
Swampert: Switch to Celebi while it inevitably sets up SR, then trick the switch in.
Jirachi: Earthquake the little bugger.
Aerodactyl: Switch to Celebi, then Trick or Leaf Storm it, depending on what it does. I really don't like him.
Infernape: Eat the fake-out, earthquake it, and then fire blast its last 1% (assuming it set up SR while letting its focus sash get broken).
Roserade: Fire Blast the little bugger.
Heatran: EQ
Tyranitar: EQ
Gliscor: Fire Blast
Ninjask: Roar
Not the best lead, but it does its job and it can sometimes come in later and lay down some hurting on some things. I'm looking to change this fellow to a more effective anti-lead, but I'm not fond of Dragonite.
Tricker #1
[4Hp / 252 Spe / 252 SpA]
Modest
Natural Cure
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Trick
I really like to toss this guy in to fake a rapid spin set, and then 2HKO any spin-blocking switch-ins. Aside from that, Trick cripples stat-uppers and walls alike, and eases prediction down the line.
CroCune
[252 Hp / 4 Spe / 252 SpA]
Modest
Pressure
- Surf
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
Not too much to talk about here. It's a pretty standard CroCune, with a greater emphasis on hitting hard over bulk. It's got solid defenses even without a huge investment in defense, and more often than not it's setting up behind the dual screens set up by my next guy:
Dual-screener
[252 Hp / 128 Def / 128 SpD]
Bold
Levitate
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Thunder Wave
- Overheat
I'm really reliant on this guy to T-Wave to spread paralysis. A solid counter to Scizor, Foretress, Skarmory, and taking U-turns aimed at Celebi. Once its screens are set up, Suicune really does its thing.
Physical Ape
[4 Hp / 252 Atk / 252 Spe]
Jolly
Blaze
- Close Combat
- Flare Blitz
- Stone Edge
- U-Turn
It usually comes in and U-Turns out pretty quick. It's basically a CB Scizor only I don't hate it.
The Magical Onion / Tricker #2
[4 Hp / 252 Spe / 252 SpA]
Modest
Natural Cure
- Leaf Storm
- U-Turn
- Stealth Rock
- Trick
It revenge kills, it cripples, and it absorbs status. Unfortunately, it shares a lot of overlap with Starmie, and I really need to change one of the two I think.
The Threat-Down:
Azelf: Gets 2HKOd by any decent attack. Celebi and Starmie can both revenge kill it, and Rotom happily eats its explosions and returns Paralysis and screens in return.
Breloom: I dislike this fellow. Once something is sleeping, Infernape can break a sub with U-Turn and switch to Salamence who can OKHO with Fire Blast. Something's going to eat a Spore though.
Celebi: My Celebi U-turns faster :D
Dugtrio: Really only a problem with Starmie gets locked into Thunderbolt. Aside from that, nobody on my team (aside Infernape, who's usually U-turning anyhow) really minds the bugger.
Electivire: Doesn't hit hard enough to be much of a threat. Celebi can counter most varieties.
Empoleon: Infernape is capable of OKHOing with Close Combat, though it's tough to do on an agility variant. Trick is helpful here.
Flygon: Suicune isn't hit by anything particularly hard, and Celebi can outspeed some variants and hit hard with Leaf Storm. Starmie clearly wins any speed battles and OKHOs with Ice Beam, and Rotom eats U-turns like candy.
Gengar: I don't like him.
Gliscor: Has a hard time doing much to my team at all. Infernape's Blaze Kick does a decent chunk of damage, killing any weakened variants, while celebi, suicune, starmie, and salamence all 2HKO.
Gyarados: Trick stops the setup, and Starmie and Celebi can both hit back hard.
Heatran: Suicune wins.
Heracross: Rotom likes to paralyze and then set up screens, using Overheat if it survives long enough.
Infernape: Salamence checks it well, as does Suicune and Starmie.
Jirachi: A pain. If Salamence isn't healthy, then Infernape can be used in a pinch to take the darn thing down.
Kingdra: Substitute / Lum Berry really hurts me here. I either need to trick it while it's setting up or paralyze it in order to have a good shot at killing it.
Latias: Very worrisome. Once it's neutered with Thunder Wave, though, Celebi and Infernape can have a field day U-turning back and forth.
Lucario: Salamence is a decent check if it's healthy, else these guys can rip through my team. Paralysis and screens can prevent its sweep.
Machamp: Rotom can paralyze and set up screens in its face.
Magnezone: Infernape does okay. Celebi can bait the Signal Beam and U-Turn out to infernape, and everyone else weak to Thunderbolt can switch to Celebi. Oh, and Salamence does pretty well if he's healthy.
Mamoswine: Rotom can at least set up reflect and start using Overheat.
Metagross: Salamence hits it fairly hard, as does Infernape. Suicune can wall it if need be.
Ninjask: The one reason Salamence has roar.
Porygon-Z: Don't see many of these, but Rotom does okay, as does Suicune.
Rhyperior: Celebi, Suicune, and Starmie can all dent it pretty badly, and Rotom can set up a reflect before it goes.
Roserade: A pain to deal with. Not too hard to kill, but it'll likely get some Toxic Spikes down first.
Rotom-A: I usually let Celebi 2HKO it with Leaf Storm.
Salamence: If I have Stealth Rock up, he's usually not too much of a problem. Starmie and Infernape can both OKHO him.
Scizor: Rotom, Suicune.
Snorlax: Use Celebi or Starmie to trick it, or just kill it with Infernape.
Starmie: Mine's usually faster, but if it's not, then Rotom can bluff its STAB moves or Suicune can try to set up.
Suicune: Trick!
Togekiss: Rotom's Thunder Wave.
Tyranitar: Rotom can usually paralyze it before it dies, set up reflect, and give Infernape the OK to come in and U-Turn and maintain momentum.
Weavile: Infernape doesn't fear much. Celebi can hit it hard, too, assuming it's not already at -2 from Leaf Storm. U-Turn can help slip past Pursuit.
Yanmega: I dislike this creature, but thankfully Rotom does okay.
Zapdos: i also dislike this beast, but once again it's not so much of a threat once it's paralyzed. Assuming screens are up, Suicine sets up all day.
