Deleted the old thread since it kinda just fell to the wayside with no comments, (and had a member banned from it), so I'm trying again with a slightly modified team.
Still gonna add a poll to help with a major decision with the team, but for the most part I think it works better than the previous.
Acidblade (Gallade-Mega) (M) @ Galladite
Ability: Justified > Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Zen Headbutt
- Close Combat
The main member of the team, and the one I specifically built the team around. The standard full Attack and Speed EVs as well as Jolly over Adamant in order to out-speed as many Pokemon as possible while still hitting like a truck. ZenButt and Close Combat as the standard primary STABs to wreck health bars. Having two Knock Offs on the same team can be a bit redundant, but it's still the best coverage move Gallade can use, and it hits hard enough to be worth taking the bonus damage away from Bisharp.
Corrosion (Bisharp) (M) @ Black Glasses
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
Gallade's best partner in crime. Standard cookie cutter EVs, and a mostly standard moveset: Knock off hits plenty of things hard whilst crippling them, and Iron Head is secondary STAB that ruins fairies. I took Pursuit over Swords Dance mainly because I wanted Bisharp to be a more immediate offensive attacker instead of another set-up attacker like Gallade, and the utility of Pursuit trapping is always nice, especially against the Lati twins. It also leads to fun guessing games for the opponent in regards to a situation where both Pokemon are low. They have to worry about switching out and getting sniped by Pursuit, or trying to KO first and worry about eating Sucker Punch.
Echo Child (Sylveon) (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 244 HP / 252 SpA / 12 Spe
Modest Nature
- Baton Pass
- Shadow Ball
- Psyshock
- Hyper Voice
The third member of the primary core, Sylveon is here to cover the things that give the Billade duo trouble, the most notable being Mega Sableye, who is otherwise a full hard stop to Mega Gallade. It also deals with Mega Slowbro as well, and also is a respectable powerhouse in its' own right; while it can't sweep with its' low speed and defense, it'll easily punch holes into most things that switch into it with Hyper Voice, even out-powering Mega Gardevoir using the same attack without a CM boost because of the Specs. Shadow Ball and Psyshock are coverage, and Baton Pass can help preserve momentum by slow dry-passing when thrown in against a poor match-up due to an opposing Volt-Turn.
Under Armor (Rotom-Wash) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
Talonflame poses a real threat to the primary core trio, and so physically defensive Rotom-W is here to deal with that and laugh back in its' face. Volt Switch threatens to take a massive chunk out of the bird's health bar if it isn't a Bulk Up variant, and if rocks are up it even threatens that set as well. Hydro Pump destroys any set the bird runs as well, and is generally just a hard hitting move. Will-O-Wisp puts pressure on most switch-ins, and can put a stop to an opponent's physical sweeper that's starting to get out of hand. Slow Volt Switch also safely brings in any of the allied attackers to start doing work.
Lucky Star (Starmie) @ Life Orb
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Beam
- Psyshock
- Hydro Pump
Even if the team isn't weak to Rocks, having hazard removal is always a good thing, and Starmie is one of the best for an offensive team. Serving dual purpose as a spinner and my Greninja replacement, it can fight off any attempt at spinblocking on a predicted switch due to Analytic and superior Speed. The moveset is pretty self-explanitory. Rapid Spin to remove hazards, Psyshock to deal with tanky Poisons like Mega Venusaur, as well as a second STAB that also hits the pink blobs on their weak side, Ice Beam is for coverage, and Hydro Pump is Hydro Pump; it really hurts.
Rek'Sai (Garchomp) (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
My lead and hazard setter. Garchomp is here to get Rocks on the field by forcing out the opposing lead through sheer threat of power, and then weakening as many threats and walls as possible throughout the game. Most Rapid Spinners don't appreciate losing their health from the contact damage, and Defog users such as Mega Scizor and Skarmory definitely don't like Fire Blast. (Latias is a problem, but that's what Bisharp is for.) Earthquake and Outrage are the primary damage moves (I did consider Dragon Claw since no Lum Berry, but the power drop hurts), with Fire Blast being there for hurting Ferrothorn, (Mega) Scizor, Skarmory, and the rare (but still a thing) Forretress.
Initially, I had wanted to use Talonflame as my Greninja replacement since it's both very powerful, and thematically awesome, but at the time I had the problem of either using it on a team with no hazard removal (bad idea), or a team with no hazards of its' own. I had also considered Talon over Rotom since two waters seems redundant and potentially dangerous, but then I'd be super vulnerable to opposing Talonflame, and have no answer to Birds in general. I still do wanna use it, but I'm unsure if the opportunity cost to do so would be worth it, so I ask the opinions of RMT.
All critique is welcome, and suggestions for other Pokemon outside of what I've mentioned is always appreciated. All I ask is that it be a cartridge-friendly suggestion. (No legendaries, event-only moves, Ditto, etc.)
Thanks for your time reading and checking out my team.
Still gonna add a poll to help with a major decision with the team, but for the most part I think it works better than the previous.
Acidblade (Gallade-Mega) (M) @ Galladite
Ability: Justified > Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Zen Headbutt
- Close Combat
The main member of the team, and the one I specifically built the team around. The standard full Attack and Speed EVs as well as Jolly over Adamant in order to out-speed as many Pokemon as possible while still hitting like a truck. ZenButt and Close Combat as the standard primary STABs to wreck health bars. Having two Knock Offs on the same team can be a bit redundant, but it's still the best coverage move Gallade can use, and it hits hard enough to be worth taking the bonus damage away from Bisharp.
Corrosion (Bisharp) (M) @ Black Glasses
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
Gallade's best partner in crime. Standard cookie cutter EVs, and a mostly standard moveset: Knock off hits plenty of things hard whilst crippling them, and Iron Head is secondary STAB that ruins fairies. I took Pursuit over Swords Dance mainly because I wanted Bisharp to be a more immediate offensive attacker instead of another set-up attacker like Gallade, and the utility of Pursuit trapping is always nice, especially against the Lati twins. It also leads to fun guessing games for the opponent in regards to a situation where both Pokemon are low. They have to worry about switching out and getting sniped by Pursuit, or trying to KO first and worry about eating Sucker Punch.
Echo Child (Sylveon) (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 244 HP / 252 SpA / 12 Spe
Modest Nature
- Baton Pass
- Shadow Ball
- Psyshock
- Hyper Voice
The third member of the primary core, Sylveon is here to cover the things that give the Billade duo trouble, the most notable being Mega Sableye, who is otherwise a full hard stop to Mega Gallade. It also deals with Mega Slowbro as well, and also is a respectable powerhouse in its' own right; while it can't sweep with its' low speed and defense, it'll easily punch holes into most things that switch into it with Hyper Voice, even out-powering Mega Gardevoir using the same attack without a CM boost because of the Specs. Shadow Ball and Psyshock are coverage, and Baton Pass can help preserve momentum by slow dry-passing when thrown in against a poor match-up due to an opposing Volt-Turn.
Under Armor (Rotom-Wash) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
Talonflame poses a real threat to the primary core trio, and so physically defensive Rotom-W is here to deal with that and laugh back in its' face. Volt Switch threatens to take a massive chunk out of the bird's health bar if it isn't a Bulk Up variant, and if rocks are up it even threatens that set as well. Hydro Pump destroys any set the bird runs as well, and is generally just a hard hitting move. Will-O-Wisp puts pressure on most switch-ins, and can put a stop to an opponent's physical sweeper that's starting to get out of hand. Slow Volt Switch also safely brings in any of the allied attackers to start doing work.
Lucky Star (Starmie) @ Life Orb
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Beam
- Psyshock
- Hydro Pump
Even if the team isn't weak to Rocks, having hazard removal is always a good thing, and Starmie is one of the best for an offensive team. Serving dual purpose as a spinner and my Greninja replacement, it can fight off any attempt at spinblocking on a predicted switch due to Analytic and superior Speed. The moveset is pretty self-explanitory. Rapid Spin to remove hazards, Psyshock to deal with tanky Poisons like Mega Venusaur, as well as a second STAB that also hits the pink blobs on their weak side, Ice Beam is for coverage, and Hydro Pump is Hydro Pump; it really hurts.
Rek'Sai (Garchomp) (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Fire Blast
My lead and hazard setter. Garchomp is here to get Rocks on the field by forcing out the opposing lead through sheer threat of power, and then weakening as many threats and walls as possible throughout the game. Most Rapid Spinners don't appreciate losing their health from the contact damage, and Defog users such as Mega Scizor and Skarmory definitely don't like Fire Blast. (Latias is a problem, but that's what Bisharp is for.) Earthquake and Outrage are the primary damage moves (I did consider Dragon Claw since no Lum Berry, but the power drop hurts), with Fire Blast being there for hurting Ferrothorn, (Mega) Scizor, Skarmory, and the rare (but still a thing) Forretress.
Initially, I had wanted to use Talonflame as my Greninja replacement since it's both very powerful, and thematically awesome, but at the time I had the problem of either using it on a team with no hazard removal (bad idea), or a team with no hazards of its' own. I had also considered Talon over Rotom since two waters seems redundant and potentially dangerous, but then I'd be super vulnerable to opposing Talonflame, and have no answer to Birds in general. I still do wanna use it, but I'm unsure if the opportunity cost to do so would be worth it, so I ask the opinions of RMT.
All critique is welcome, and suggestions for other Pokemon outside of what I've mentioned is always appreciated. All I ask is that it be a cartridge-friendly suggestion. (No legendaries, event-only moves, Ditto, etc.)
Thanks for your time reading and checking out my team.
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