Having spend a large amount of time attempting to ladder with a gimmicky shuckle team, I decided I would seriously try and create a good, offensive team. Through trial and error, this team is what I came up with. Any and all comments are appreciated.
At a glance:
The basic strategy I attempt to follow goes something like this:
1. Set up SR with Pert
2. Roar to scout and damage with SR
3. Open holes to sweep with Pert, Rotom-S, and Heatran, absorbing attacks and statusing with Cresselia
4. Depending on the remaining pokemon, clean up with Lucario or Empoleon
Swampert (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP 6 Attack 252 Defense
Nature: Relaxed (+Defense,-Speed)
-Earthquake
-Stealth Rock
-Ice Beam
-Roar
Swampert's a good, solid lead. 90% of the time it's role is to set up SR, then Roar. Even when there's a chance of doing damage, for example, quaking Metagross (does about 60% as I recall) I'll often choose SR just to get it out of the way, since it makes things so much easier, especially when Lucario wants to sweep.
Once Pert sets up SR, he scouts with roar until A: A vulnerable pokemon switches into him, in which case he quakes or beams, or B: He dies.
Depending on the opponent's vulnerablity to Pert's attacks, this can often end up with a KO in the first 3 or 4 moves, or at least opens up holes for my late sweepers due to SR damage.
Heatran (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 6 Attack, 252 Speed, 252 Special Attack
Nature: Timid(-Attack, +Speed)
-Earth Power
-Fire Blast
-Explosion
-Substitute
I like Substitute Heatran because it takes advantage of Heatran's immense switch-in potential. I can switch in Heatran on any attack that it resists (especially fire) and set up a sub on the switch. The counter that's sent in will at the very least get exploded, which used strategically can open up holes for Lucario and Empoleon, my late sweepers, later on.
I origionally included Heatran to cover my Scizor's fire weakness, but when I dropped Scizor I kept Heatran in Sub form to provide relatively risk-free special sweeping.
Empoleon (F) @ Petaya Berry
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 12 HP, 12 Defense, 234 Speed, 252 Special Attack
Nature: Modest (-Attack, +Special Attack)
-Substitute
-Surf
-Grass Knot
-Agility
THis is my first late sweeper. It's a simple Agility SubPetaya, switching in on a resist, agilitying, then subbing till Petaya and Torrent provide a Surf of monumental proportions. Empoleon doesn't enter the battle until I'm reasonably sure all his major counters are gone. I replaced Magnezone with Empoleon, frankly because Magnezone wasn't working at all and I was desperate for a good special sweeper. Empoleon has worked well so far, except for the occasional surprise electric attack, which for the most part is caught by an agility-substitute until the opponent is vulnerable to Surf or Grass Knot.
Rotom-S (None) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 6 HP, 252 Special Attack, 252 Speed
Nature: Timid (-Attack, +Speed)
-Thunderbolt
-Shadow Ball
-Trick
-Air Slash
I absolutely LOVE this rotom form, and have used it extensively before. I prefer this to the flying toaster, due to A: The fact that heatran make fire attacks less necessary to this team and B: Air Slash provides much-needed Fighting coverage (3 of my main sweepers are steel). Scarf Air Slash 2KOs most Machamp, OHKOs obnoxious Brelooms, and 2KOs Infernape.
I choose scarf over specs, because scarf means Rotom outspeeds most Gengar. This has happened to me countless times: I switch in on Gengar, Gengar gets cocky about his speed and tries to shadow ball me, but doesn't, because he's OHKOd by my shadow ball.
Rotom serves the greater purpose of opening holes for Lucario and Empoleon.
Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Defence, 6 Special Attack
Nature: Bold (-Attack, +Defense)
-Reflect
-Ice Beam
-Moonlight
-Thunder Wave
Cresselia serves as my only real defensive pokemon on this team, absorbing the majority of attacks I worry about. Cresselia provides an additional Fighting resistor, and gets switched in on attacks that are resisted, or just aren't strong enough to do any damage Moonlight can't repair.
On the switch, I either Reflect or Thunder Wave, cutting the switch-in's speed or attack, and giving my sweepers opportunity to get started.
Lucario (F) @ Choice Band
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 6 HP, 252 Attack, 252 Speed
Nature: Adamant (+Attack, -Special Attack)
-Close Combat
-Crunch
-Stone Edge
-Extremespeed
I love love love band lucario. After I eliminate his counters, Lucario usually ends up sweeping with STAB Close Combat or Extremespeed, depending on how much damage has already been done (i.e. whether Extremespeed will result in a KO) and the speed stats of the opponent (i.e. whether I need priority.) He shares late-game sweeping duties with Empoleon, opening up the option of either a late-game special or physical sweep.
This team has been moderately successful for me so far, but I haven't RMT'd before and any positive or negative feedback is 100% welcome. Thanks for giving your time towards reading my RMT.
At a glance:
The basic strategy I attempt to follow goes something like this:
1. Set up SR with Pert
2. Roar to scout and damage with SR
3. Open holes to sweep with Pert, Rotom-S, and Heatran, absorbing attacks and statusing with Cresselia
4. Depending on the remaining pokemon, clean up with Lucario or Empoleon
Swampert (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP 6 Attack 252 Defense
Nature: Relaxed (+Defense,-Speed)
-Earthquake
-Stealth Rock
-Ice Beam
-Roar
Swampert's a good, solid lead. 90% of the time it's role is to set up SR, then Roar. Even when there's a chance of doing damage, for example, quaking Metagross (does about 60% as I recall) I'll often choose SR just to get it out of the way, since it makes things so much easier, especially when Lucario wants to sweep.
Once Pert sets up SR, he scouts with roar until A: A vulnerable pokemon switches into him, in which case he quakes or beams, or B: He dies.
Depending on the opponent's vulnerablity to Pert's attacks, this can often end up with a KO in the first 3 or 4 moves, or at least opens up holes for my late sweepers due to SR damage.
Heatran (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 6 Attack, 252 Speed, 252 Special Attack
Nature: Timid(-Attack, +Speed)
-Earth Power
-Fire Blast
-Explosion
-Substitute
I like Substitute Heatran because it takes advantage of Heatran's immense switch-in potential. I can switch in Heatran on any attack that it resists (especially fire) and set up a sub on the switch. The counter that's sent in will at the very least get exploded, which used strategically can open up holes for Lucario and Empoleon, my late sweepers, later on.
I origionally included Heatran to cover my Scizor's fire weakness, but when I dropped Scizor I kept Heatran in Sub form to provide relatively risk-free special sweeping.
Empoleon (F) @ Petaya Berry
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 12 HP, 12 Defense, 234 Speed, 252 Special Attack
Nature: Modest (-Attack, +Special Attack)
-Substitute
-Surf
-Grass Knot
-Agility
THis is my first late sweeper. It's a simple Agility SubPetaya, switching in on a resist, agilitying, then subbing till Petaya and Torrent provide a Surf of monumental proportions. Empoleon doesn't enter the battle until I'm reasonably sure all his major counters are gone. I replaced Magnezone with Empoleon, frankly because Magnezone wasn't working at all and I was desperate for a good special sweeper. Empoleon has worked well so far, except for the occasional surprise electric attack, which for the most part is caught by an agility-substitute until the opponent is vulnerable to Surf or Grass Knot.
Rotom-S (None) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 6 HP, 252 Special Attack, 252 Speed
Nature: Timid (-Attack, +Speed)
-Thunderbolt
-Shadow Ball
-Trick
-Air Slash
I absolutely LOVE this rotom form, and have used it extensively before. I prefer this to the flying toaster, due to A: The fact that heatran make fire attacks less necessary to this team and B: Air Slash provides much-needed Fighting coverage (3 of my main sweepers are steel). Scarf Air Slash 2KOs most Machamp, OHKOs obnoxious Brelooms, and 2KOs Infernape.
I choose scarf over specs, because scarf means Rotom outspeeds most Gengar. This has happened to me countless times: I switch in on Gengar, Gengar gets cocky about his speed and tries to shadow ball me, but doesn't, because he's OHKOd by my shadow ball.
Rotom serves the greater purpose of opening holes for Lucario and Empoleon.
Cresselia (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Defence, 6 Special Attack
Nature: Bold (-Attack, +Defense)
-Reflect
-Ice Beam
-Moonlight
-Thunder Wave
Cresselia serves as my only real defensive pokemon on this team, absorbing the majority of attacks I worry about. Cresselia provides an additional Fighting resistor, and gets switched in on attacks that are resisted, or just aren't strong enough to do any damage Moonlight can't repair.
On the switch, I either Reflect or Thunder Wave, cutting the switch-in's speed or attack, and giving my sweepers opportunity to get started.
Lucario (F) @ Choice Band
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 6 HP, 252 Attack, 252 Speed
Nature: Adamant (+Attack, -Special Attack)
-Close Combat
-Crunch
-Stone Edge
-Extremespeed
I love love love band lucario. After I eliminate his counters, Lucario usually ends up sweeping with STAB Close Combat or Extremespeed, depending on how much damage has already been done (i.e. whether Extremespeed will result in a KO) and the speed stats of the opponent (i.e. whether I need priority.) He shares late-game sweeping duties with Empoleon, opening up the option of either a late-game special or physical sweep.
This team has been moderately successful for me so far, but I haven't RMT'd before and any positive or negative feedback is 100% welcome. Thanks for giving your time towards reading my RMT.