Koga's D/P Poison Team

FiveKRunner

I was dealt with Poison in round 1 of the mono-typing tournament. This team is sort of gimmicky but works surprisingly well in standard D/P OU play.


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Venomoth (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 252 HP/252 Spd/6 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Agility
- Baton Pass
- Bug Buzz
- Sleep Powder

Sleep Powder the foe on turn #1, Agility, and get the heck out of there. Hopefully, Focus Sash won't get used up, enabling me to pass speed again later. Bug Buzz does like 80% to Azelf from what I recall in battles so maybe I should invest some more EVs into Sp Att. I Baton Pass to...


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Beedrill (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Swarm
EVs: 6 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Baton Pass
- Swords Dance
- X-Scissor
- Focus Energy

After receiving the Speed Boost, it hits 546 speed. I usually Swords Dance once and get ready to pass. Again, Focus Sash ensures that I get my pass off, barring any priority attacks. If I'm feeling greedy I'll go for Focus Energy as well. If I used Focus Energy, the BP goes to...


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Drapion (M) @ Scope Lens
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 240 HP/252 Atk/18 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Night Slash
- Cross Poison
- Fire Fang

This thing is a beast. It doesn't take much damage from anything. It hits 612 Att and 460 Spd after the passes. Sniper allows triple damage from CHs which occur often thanks to Focus Energy, Scope Lens, Night Slash, and Cross Poison. I'm thinking about EVing it to beat out Scarf Gengar.


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Gengar (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Destiny Bond
- Counter
- Shadow Ball
- Hypnosis

Yes, yet another Focus Sash. Gengar acts as my only barrier against physical sweepers, using Counter to take them down. Destiny Bond is also a huge help for taking down anything that is particularly strong. Other than that, he doesn't do much.


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Nidoking (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Rivalry
EVs: 252 Atk/6 Spd/252 SAtk
Naughty nature (+Atk, -SDef)
- Thunderbolt
- Megahorn
- Ice Beam
- Earthquake

I never knew how powerful Nidoking could be until I actually used one. While he is hard to get the BP to at times due to his lackluster defenses, he usually gets me the win when I complete the pass. I probably should go with Fire Blast over TBolt but I'd rather have the Gyarados coverage, considering it destroys my team. After an Agility pass, it hits 414 speed and after a Swords Dance with Life Orb and positive Rivalry factored in, it hits just over 1000 attack.


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Tentacruel (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 204 HP/36 Spd/96 SAtk/172 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Surf
- Toxic Spikes
- Knock Off
- Ice Beam

Filler Pokemon mostly. I could use Rapid Spin to help eliminate Stealth Rock which my BPers don't appreciate but I think that Knock Off suits this team better, getting rid of incoming Choice items, which this team can't take on. Toxic Spikes are nice to have I guess.



Overall, the team works surprisingly well for being a UU Baton Pass chain. The surprise factor on it is really high but I'm not too crazy about using Gengar and Tentacruel on the team but there isn't much left to use other than Ariados, Weezing, or Toxicroak.

I'm not including a threat list since this team isn't meant to stand up against the threats, just sweep them all away through surprise.
 
Before I really rate I want to ask, "Does this team have to adhere to Poison types or can we deviate?" Please clarify.

Now, I'll rate this as if you're stuck with poison, Koga. The goal of the team is to sweep as fast as possible, but this strategy can be demolished if the opponent sends out a powerful Ground type sweeper. Gyarados also fucks with you so I would recommend a Weezing, who can beat most Grounds fairly well and with Thunderbolt allows Nidoking to Fire Blast. Put it over Beedrill, it's super Novel and having 3 Focus Sashers only works with competent Pokemon, not-barely-beats-Hera-in-Speed Bees.

Without Beedrill's BP, you should Give Drapion Swords Dance, but I'm not sure over what. I don't see Gengar in a style like that. Sandstorm is likely to be prevalent if you play in the Standard metagame, so Will-O-Wisp over Counter and Colbur Berry. If that doesn't appeal to you, try Venusaur, who does everything that Celebi does but a little worse.
 
It's meant for Poison types and Poison types only.

I'm not too sure on giving up Beedrill but I'd be willing to test it out. I totally agree with you on Weezing though. The role that he would play was sort of what I was using Gengar for.
 
This team has trouble with Psychic Spiritomb, especially if it gets a NP. The only thing you have to help that is Drapion which is really raped by Garchomp and the like. The best choice you have to counter Garchomp is WoW Weezing like Devilin said. Crobat would also work nicely instead of Nidoking as an opener and general annoyer.

EDIT: Choice Specs Venomoth is a BEAST. Try it over the current one you have. It can 2HKO Max Hp/Max Sdef Calm Empoleon with Tinted Lens Bug Buzz if I remember right. Here is the link:

http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/venomoth
 
Sandstorm comes to mind when there are so many sashers on your team. You need to counter it with another weather effect or ditch the mass sash idea.

Also you have no way on stopping Skarm from ruining your BP chain. Bp chains need a way to counter things like whirlwind with skills like taunt. I suggest you don't use a Bp chain. Drapion is pretty good without baton passed stats with its bulky def. You could have Roserade over Venomoth with Leafstorm/Sleeppowder/Raindance/?Weatherball?.

Also, as DiD said, get weezing. Its your only pure physical wall and way to counter Gyrados.
 
Weezing+Crobat+Gengar cover Eqs. Use those 3.

Put Hypnosis on Crobat, so Gengar can use Focus Blast over Hypnosis and give Gengar Hp Ice over Counter (Dragons). Thunderbolt needs to be on Weezing so your Gengar doesn't need it.

Now you have a Physical tank (with Pain Split/W-o-w/t-bolt/Haze or Fire Blast), a Special Sweeper who covers Dragons, a Hypnosis Crobat, and now you need to fill up the rest of your team slots.

Tentacruel can be a Special Tank for now, and I would suggest Hydro Pump over Surf (I notice it does = damage with a 252 Evs Sp. Att.Timid Gengar's Shadow Ball, seriously, I use both of them on one of my teams), and helps kill heatran who will kill your team (Immune to Poison, has Land Power for Nidoking, etc.)

I guess Drapion is to absorb Azelf/Zam Psychic attacks, so he is manditory.

Nidoking is your Mixed Sweeper, so I see his use, and he kills non-Psychic Celebi.

I'm putting Weezing over Beedrill, and Crobat over Venemoth, and keeping the rest.

Consider Venasaur too tho... (He can handle EQs, use Sleep Powder, Leech Seed, and Swords Dance to help your team). At this point Leech Seed is the closest thing your Team will get to Wish support, as no Poison pokemon knows Wish. Leech seed can also be used to cause switches, so it may be something to consider since you use Toxic Spikes.

Nidoking is also the only Poison type to learn Srocks, so it may be worth considering...
 
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