It's been a while since I posted on Smogon, and what better way to return than with the best team I've got? This team has been wildly successful so far, winning a vast majority of my matches. The basis of the team is for an Agility SubPetaya Empoleon sweep, and so far, it has exceeded my wildest expectations. It has no legendaries like my other teams, but since it was not designed that way, it's not named as such. I named it that because 5 of 6 are Generation 4 Pokemon (Tyranitar the exception) This is also the first time I use nicknames on my pokemon. Read on!
At a Glance:
Flower Girl (Roserade) (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spe/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Sleep Powder
- Toxic Spikes
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power [Fire]
I wanted a lead who could set up Toxic Spikes with relative ease, and after looking up the list of ToxicSpikers, Roserade jumped out at me with her 90 speed, Sleep Powder and 125 Special Attack. Her job is simple. Sleep Powder turn 1, Toxic Spikes on the probable switch, and toxic spikes one last time on the attack. Leaf Storm is stab, but is chosen over grass knot for azelf (who grass knot does a total of 30 damage to with stab), while HP fire is mainly for scizor, who, if they use U-Turn, will OHKO, and if they Bullet punch, focus sash allows me to eliminate him in one go. As for the nickname... do I really need to explain it? Female + rose pokemon = flower girl.
---
Heat Up (Rotom-h) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk/4 HP/252 Spe
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Will-o-wisp
- Shadow Ball
- Overheat
Next, I started looking for a pokemon who could block the Rapid Spins that plague toxicspikers, while also being a decent revenge killer, and Rotom-H jumped out with his 105 special attack, 86 speed and good defensive types and stats. The main reason i chose him is because the only moves that beat Empoleon after he is set up are Vacuum Wave and Mach Punch. Ghost types obviously are immune to these, and Rotom has the means to eliminate their users. Trick makes Blissey less dangerous. Thunderbolt is really my only means of stopping DDGyara, who fails to OHKO with a +1 Waterfall, as well as Tentacruel and Starmie, Rapid Spin threats #1 and #2. Shadow Ball is secondary STAB, and a means to deal with Ground types who resist Overheat (Flygon anyone?). Overheat deals with the other dangerous spinner Forretress, as well as Scizor.
Nickname: Rotom-Heat, an oven (of sorts)+ Overheat= Heat Up. At this point I should mention I am not a nickname expert.
---
Scorpion King (Gliscor) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 252 HP/40 Def/216 Spe
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Stealth Rock
- Aerial Ace
Since Stealth Rock support is invaluable to sweepers like Empoleon, I decided to go with everyone’s favorite Lucario counter: Gliscor. Earthquake and Roost are obvious, though i never seem to be able to use roost. Stealth Rock is, well, Stealth Rock: the #1 stopper of flying types on PokeEarth. Aerial Ace over stone edge for breloom, who i otherwise have difficulty with.
Nickname: Gli(SCOR)+ awesome pokemon= Scorpion King. No relation to the movie character.
---
BlazeApe (Infernape) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 64 SAtk/252 Atk/192 Spe
Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Overheat
- Close Combat
- U-Turn
- Mach Punch
My biggest weakness prior to this was speed (pokemon faster than empoleon after agility, etc), so i looked for a pokemon who could either outspeed threats or hit with a priority move, as well as hopefully some thing that could break a few walls in the process. Hello, Infernape. I'm using the physical based set here because Empoleon is my main special attacker, and because of U-Turn and Mach Punch, both of which give me a huge edge when I use them. Mach Punch can take down two powerful sweepers in Lucario and Agility Empoleon (especially petaya variants). Close Combat is self-explanatory as a powerful STAB attack, and Overheat is chosen here for a bit more power on a non special based set.
Nickname: Blaze ability + InfernAPE= blazeape. Ideas?
---
Sandinosaur (Tyranitar) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 176 HP/252 Atk/80 Spe
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Earthquake
This guy is, oddly enough, my MVP nearly every time. He sets up sandstorm that nullifies leftovers (for them, although machamp and rotom are a bit peeved) while helping Gliscor activate Sand Veil and boosting his own Special Defense. He eliminates every psychic and ghost on ShoddyBattle with Pursuit. He breaks flying types with Stone Edge, and Earthquake eliminates the Electric types that plague Empoleon early in the match. I rarely use crunch oddly enough, because everyone weak to it is running and dying to Pursuit. No matter, this guy is easily cementing his role as my alltime favorite Pokemon, because he breaks open the path for Empoleon to sweep his way to the victory.
Nickname: Sandstream+Dinosaur-Like Pokemon= Sandinosaur.
---
Poseidon (Empoleon) (M) @ Petaya Berry
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 12 HP/12 Def/232 Spe/252 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Substitute
- Surf
- Ice Beam
If Tyranitar is my MVP, this guy is like my cleanup hitter. The strategy is simple enough: come in once everyone is poisoned and slightly weakened, agility on the switch , and set up Substitute until that lovely Petaya (what the hell is this named after) Berry activates. After that, I think it can be summed up in two words. Game. Over. Surf is the obvious STAB move, and with the Petaya boost and Torrent, it beats almost everything that does not resist it. I never knew how good this guy was until I used it. Ice Beam is almost filler, but it does obliterate Salamence and grass types. The nickname? Poseidon is the Greek (or was he Roman? no wait, that’s Neptune) God of water, famous for his trident which ios now proudly displayed on Empoleon’s head. If only there was a move where Empoleon (has to be exclusive) stabs the enemy with the trident... Oh well, we can always dream.
---
There you have it. This team has performed miracles for me as of now, and I can only see good in the future.
At a Glance:
Flower Girl (Roserade) (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spe/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Sleep Powder
- Toxic Spikes
- Leaf Storm
- Hidden Power [Fire]
I wanted a lead who could set up Toxic Spikes with relative ease, and after looking up the list of ToxicSpikers, Roserade jumped out at me with her 90 speed, Sleep Powder and 125 Special Attack. Her job is simple. Sleep Powder turn 1, Toxic Spikes on the probable switch, and toxic spikes one last time on the attack. Leaf Storm is stab, but is chosen over grass knot for azelf (who grass knot does a total of 30 damage to with stab), while HP fire is mainly for scizor, who, if they use U-Turn, will OHKO, and if they Bullet punch, focus sash allows me to eliminate him in one go. As for the nickname... do I really need to explain it? Female + rose pokemon = flower girl.
---
Heat Up (Rotom-h) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk/4 HP/252 Spe
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Will-o-wisp
- Shadow Ball
- Overheat
Next, I started looking for a pokemon who could block the Rapid Spins that plague toxicspikers, while also being a decent revenge killer, and Rotom-H jumped out with his 105 special attack, 86 speed and good defensive types and stats. The main reason i chose him is because the only moves that beat Empoleon after he is set up are Vacuum Wave and Mach Punch. Ghost types obviously are immune to these, and Rotom has the means to eliminate their users. Trick makes Blissey less dangerous. Thunderbolt is really my only means of stopping DDGyara, who fails to OHKO with a +1 Waterfall, as well as Tentacruel and Starmie, Rapid Spin threats #1 and #2. Shadow Ball is secondary STAB, and a means to deal with Ground types who resist Overheat (Flygon anyone?). Overheat deals with the other dangerous spinner Forretress, as well as Scizor.
Nickname: Rotom-Heat, an oven (of sorts)+ Overheat= Heat Up. At this point I should mention I am not a nickname expert.
---
Scorpion King (Gliscor) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 252 HP/40 Def/216 Spe
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Stealth Rock
- Aerial Ace
Since Stealth Rock support is invaluable to sweepers like Empoleon, I decided to go with everyone’s favorite Lucario counter: Gliscor. Earthquake and Roost are obvious, though i never seem to be able to use roost. Stealth Rock is, well, Stealth Rock: the #1 stopper of flying types on PokeEarth. Aerial Ace over stone edge for breloom, who i otherwise have difficulty with.
Nickname: Gli(SCOR)+ awesome pokemon= Scorpion King. No relation to the movie character.
---
BlazeApe (Infernape) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 64 SAtk/252 Atk/192 Spe
Naive nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Overheat
- Close Combat
- U-Turn
- Mach Punch
My biggest weakness prior to this was speed (pokemon faster than empoleon after agility, etc), so i looked for a pokemon who could either outspeed threats or hit with a priority move, as well as hopefully some thing that could break a few walls in the process. Hello, Infernape. I'm using the physical based set here because Empoleon is my main special attacker, and because of U-Turn and Mach Punch, both of which give me a huge edge when I use them. Mach Punch can take down two powerful sweepers in Lucario and Agility Empoleon (especially petaya variants). Close Combat is self-explanatory as a powerful STAB attack, and Overheat is chosen here for a bit more power on a non special based set.
Nickname: Blaze ability + InfernAPE= blazeape. Ideas?
---
Sandinosaur (Tyranitar) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 176 HP/252 Atk/80 Spe
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stone Edge
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Earthquake
This guy is, oddly enough, my MVP nearly every time. He sets up sandstorm that nullifies leftovers (for them, although machamp and rotom are a bit peeved) while helping Gliscor activate Sand Veil and boosting his own Special Defense. He eliminates every psychic and ghost on ShoddyBattle with Pursuit. He breaks flying types with Stone Edge, and Earthquake eliminates the Electric types that plague Empoleon early in the match. I rarely use crunch oddly enough, because everyone weak to it is running and dying to Pursuit. No matter, this guy is easily cementing his role as my alltime favorite Pokemon, because he breaks open the path for Empoleon to sweep his way to the victory.
Nickname: Sandstream+Dinosaur-Like Pokemon= Sandinosaur.
---
Poseidon (Empoleon) (M) @ Petaya Berry
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 12 HP/12 Def/232 Spe/252 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Agility
- Substitute
- Surf
- Ice Beam
If Tyranitar is my MVP, this guy is like my cleanup hitter. The strategy is simple enough: come in once everyone is poisoned and slightly weakened, agility on the switch , and set up Substitute until that lovely Petaya (what the hell is this named after) Berry activates. After that, I think it can be summed up in two words. Game. Over. Surf is the obvious STAB move, and with the Petaya boost and Torrent, it beats almost everything that does not resist it. I never knew how good this guy was until I used it. Ice Beam is almost filler, but it does obliterate Salamence and grass types. The nickname? Poseidon is the Greek (or was he Roman? no wait, that’s Neptune) God of water, famous for his trident which ios now proudly displayed on Empoleon’s head. If only there was a move where Empoleon (has to be exclusive) stabs the enemy with the trident... Oh well, we can always dream.
---
There you have it. This team has performed miracles for me as of now, and I can only see good in the future.
