Let me start by saying that it's been several years since I played competitive pokemon, around four or five, I'm not sure. I played briefly on R/S bots and when those died, on Smogon's NB server. To give you an idea of just how long it's been, when I left, Tyraniboah had just come into existence. Jumpman16, cloud, and UglyDuckling were the guys to beat. DOS attacks and spammers were always present, and chaos rage-banned with a passion. Dugtrio was the only revenge killer and people had only started using him. D/P were yet to be released. I dabbled in D/P for 2 days after it's release, but didn't really care for it. Basically, I am skipping from ADV to 5th gen. It's actually kind of fun to be a noob again.
I've spent the last week orienting myself and I have a lot to catch up on. Without further delay, my team:
Hydreigon (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 255 SAtk / 255 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Taunt
- Dark Pulse
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
I never remember leads being so important as they are now. Often times people would just put something with intimidate in the first slot and call it a day unless they used ninjask. Anyway, my most common opening is Taunt with a switch to Scizor unless their lead can ohko me. It stops all matter of funny business. I added surf because I had a blaziken weakness, but in hindsight that reason is retarded. Most blazikens I have fought ensure a way to get one or more speedboosts, and this guy gets ohko'd. Surf however does stop heatran and Dragon/Water/Dark hits everything for at least neutral. STABd Draco Meteor is my main option and it outdamages a 2x SE surf. Surf also gets boosted in the rain, and weather teams are so popular nowadays.
Volcarona (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swarm
EVs: 255 SAtk / 255 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Quiver Dance
- Fiery Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Hidden Power [Ground]
I like this guy, but I find it hard to switch him in. He usually ends up dying while taking out someone else. HP ground is for type coverage and it surprises heatrans. Because he has a 4x Stealth Rock weak, I use tentacruel as my spinner (I had claydol thinking he was still OU that first day lol). If I predict a switch from my opponent, I sometimes switch to this guy and hope it scares their switch-in off to get in a quiver dance. Bug/Fire isn't a bad typing, and rock type attacks are easy enough to telegraph, but he can't take any hits on the physical side to save his life. A lot of times I find myself cursing the life orb, but he really shines when he can OHKO a defensively sound pokemon with a 2x SE attack. I'm at a loss to do with this guy, don't know if he belongs on this team or what.
Swampert (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 255 HP / 84 Atk / 168 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Waterfall
- Ice Punch
- Yawn
- Earthquake
That yawn was once stealth rock but I found myself needing a pseudohaze. I want to find a way to add stealth rocks to this team, just don't know how. Toxic spikes don't hit Gyarados or Excadrill and I have a huge problem with those. If swampert is knocked out, a Swords danced excadrill in sandstorm means my team is free. In fact, Excadrill period owns this team for free.
Tentacruel (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Surf
- Sludge Wave
His typing absorbs poison, resists water, fighting, fire, and I hate blaziken this gen so he made sense. One problem I find is that yawn from swampert and toxic from blissey become dud moves. I feel as though tentacruel needs a more stall-based team but I'm really liking his typing. It has covered my behind on a lot of occasions but I just feel like he's otherwise awkward. He found his way on the team to cover volcarona.
Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 244 HP / 252 Atk / 12 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Iron Head
I never use Iron head. In fact I'm pretty sure it is weaker than technician BP anyway. It was pursuit but I found myself mis-using it. I just don't trust myself with that move yet. Needless to say, Chandelure kills this guy for free. Iron Head is obviously going out.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 255 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Wish
- Toxic
- Protect
My crutch from ADV. Psyshock isn't all that popular from what I've played, so she has served me really well. Obviously gets walled by steel types. Shadow ball is there to stop Chandelure. I hate the idea of a chandelure getting a free pass on two of my pokemon, and shadow ball keeps him from subbing up cms.
I've spent the last week orienting myself and I have a lot to catch up on. Without further delay, my team:
Hydreigon (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 255 SAtk / 255 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Taunt
- Dark Pulse
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
I never remember leads being so important as they are now. Often times people would just put something with intimidate in the first slot and call it a day unless they used ninjask. Anyway, my most common opening is Taunt with a switch to Scizor unless their lead can ohko me. It stops all matter of funny business. I added surf because I had a blaziken weakness, but in hindsight that reason is retarded. Most blazikens I have fought ensure a way to get one or more speedboosts, and this guy gets ohko'd. Surf however does stop heatran and Dragon/Water/Dark hits everything for at least neutral. STABd Draco Meteor is my main option and it outdamages a 2x SE surf. Surf also gets boosted in the rain, and weather teams are so popular nowadays.
Volcarona (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swarm
EVs: 255 SAtk / 255 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Quiver Dance
- Fiery Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Hidden Power [Ground]
I like this guy, but I find it hard to switch him in. He usually ends up dying while taking out someone else. HP ground is for type coverage and it surprises heatrans. Because he has a 4x Stealth Rock weak, I use tentacruel as my spinner (I had claydol thinking he was still OU that first day lol). If I predict a switch from my opponent, I sometimes switch to this guy and hope it scares their switch-in off to get in a quiver dance. Bug/Fire isn't a bad typing, and rock type attacks are easy enough to telegraph, but he can't take any hits on the physical side to save his life. A lot of times I find myself cursing the life orb, but he really shines when he can OHKO a defensively sound pokemon with a 2x SE attack. I'm at a loss to do with this guy, don't know if he belongs on this team or what.
Swampert (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 255 HP / 84 Atk / 168 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Waterfall
- Ice Punch
- Yawn
- Earthquake
That yawn was once stealth rock but I found myself needing a pseudohaze. I want to find a way to add stealth rocks to this team, just don't know how. Toxic spikes don't hit Gyarados or Excadrill and I have a huge problem with those. If swampert is knocked out, a Swords danced excadrill in sandstorm means my team is free. In fact, Excadrill period owns this team for free.
Tentacruel (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Surf
- Sludge Wave
His typing absorbs poison, resists water, fighting, fire, and I hate blaziken this gen so he made sense. One problem I find is that yawn from swampert and toxic from blissey become dud moves. I feel as though tentacruel needs a more stall-based team but I'm really liking his typing. It has covered my behind on a lot of occasions but I just feel like he's otherwise awkward. He found his way on the team to cover volcarona.
Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 244 HP / 252 Atk / 12 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Iron Head
I never use Iron head. In fact I'm pretty sure it is weaker than technician BP anyway. It was pursuit but I found myself mis-using it. I just don't trust myself with that move yet. Needless to say, Chandelure kills this guy for free. Iron Head is obviously going out.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 255 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Wish
- Toxic
- Protect
My crutch from ADV. Psyshock isn't all that popular from what I've played, so she has served me really well. Obviously gets walled by steel types. Shadow ball is there to stop Chandelure. I hate the idea of a chandelure getting a free pass on two of my pokemon, and shadow ball keeps him from subbing up cms.
