Long-sleeved Jumpers
Introduction:
It's well known that weather teams are the driving force behind Gen V, and for good reason - under the right conditions, it can be nearly impossible to stop them. A few months ago now, I got bored with always having one of the same few Pokémon on every team I made, and so I tried to go back to creating non-weather teams. Unsurprisingly, most of my attempts turned out to be worse than most weather teams, but, for the first time in a while, I wasn't bored. The team I had made was fun to play with, so I decided to abandon weather altogether.
I've always had a problem with sets I use being standard, which is something I tried to address with this team - unfortunately, they're mostly standard anyway. Seeing as weather teams are everywhere, a logical path to follow would be being able to cover as many threats as possible in as many scenarios as possible, which I still feel I have a problem with.
In-depth:
A Pokémon that I've loved for a while now. The last time I used it, it had the usual Fake Out lead set, but I realised that this is by far the better option - for me, at least. I'll almost always send her out first, and she will usually get a couple of KOs throughout the match, being able to switch out and in again due to the recovery given by Regeneration. This is also my biggest Dragon-type, most notably Dragonite, counter. Dragon Dance sets that try to set up take either a Stone Edge or HP Ice to the face as I outspeed them.
Most of its time is spent switching out with U-Turn, and I only really use Hi Jump Kick when it's either at low HP, or have nothing else to switch to. If I see a Ghost-type in Team Preview, though, I will immediately U-Turn out to something else, fearing the switch in on a Hi Jump Kick.
The EVs are set for maximum Speed possible, as well as decent Attack and passable Sp. Attack. With Choice Scarf factored in, Mienshao hits 508 Speed, enough to easily outspeed Pokémon that are threats to most of my team - +1 Timid Volcarona and +1 Adamant Dragonite being the main ones - and do a chunk of damage to them, OHKOing with Stone Edge in Volcarona's case.
I'm not considering any changes to this Pokémon at all - maybe if it didn't work as well, I'd consider some, but, at the moment, it's just too valuable to me to replace or edit.
Synergy:
- - Rotom-H, Jirachi.
- - Latios, Jirachi.
While I did love the look of the AcroBat set, there was one problem for me - I hate Sand Veil. Absolutely hate it, and, with a much better ability in Posion Heal right in front of me, I thought "why not?", and tried to mix the two together. My first victory with this team came through Gliscor being able to set up, Fling its Toxic Orb away, and proceed to destroy everything with Acrobatics, and I immediately fell in love with it.
The lack of recovery moves, Substitute or Protect does hurt, limiting the time it can stay in play pretty dramatically, but Jirachi manages to help with that through use of Wish, giving it a second chance. While I have thought about changing to a more defensive set, I just haven't gotten around to testing it after remembering how well this works for me.
Maximum Attack EVs with the Adamant nature ensures the maximum amount of damage is done by Acrobatics, with some thrown in HP and Defence to at least give it some bulk, helpful in dealing with Fighting-types, as one would imagine. 76 in Speed gives me a Speed tie with neutral 220 EV Heatran, as well as most Celebi, whilst making sure I outspeed Pokémon with 244 Speed that could be a problem, such as bulky Gyarados.
I admit, Fling isn't a particularly good move as far as Gliscor's options go, and it might be seen as a waste of a moveslot. I'm completely open to any suggestions on what sets to use, or even if I should replace this Pokémon, even though I do enjoy using it.
Synergy:
- - Jellicent, Latios.
- - Jellicent, Rotom-H, Jirachi.
Standard Jellicent was added soon after I realised that I had trouble dealing with Volcarona and other such Pokémon, and, although it took some getting used to, it has helped me out a good number of times. There's really not a lot to say about this thing, seeing as most of you will be familiar with what it does and how it does it. I'd never ran Taunt on a Jellicent before this team, but it's been more useful than I thought it would be.
I can't say I'm completely happy with having it on my team, and I think having another bulky Water-type in its place might be the way to go sometime soon. I'm having trouble deciding on what could replace it, though - I have considered using Blissey over it, too, seeing as I have no current Fighting-type weaknesses. Sadly, I'd have to say the most helpful thing it brings to this team is its typing, and nothing else.
Synergy:
- - Gliscor, Rotom-H, Latios.
- - Rotom-H, Latios, Jirachi.
- - None.
- - Mienshao.
Every team needs a Fire-type, and this is mine. I rarely use it for anything other than using Overheat then immediately switching out, or nominating it for the glorious duty of being death fodder - I don't think I've ever actually used Trick. 406 Speed is enough to outspeed SubSeed Venusaur in the sun, and +1 offensive Gyarados, both Pokémon that I usually have trouble with.
Seeing as it was fast enough to hit what I wanted to hit without a Speed-boosting nature, the Modest nature it has at the moment was the only other option. EVs are simple, maximising Speed and Sp. Attack for maximum something-or-other. I'm still thinking about dropping it for a Rotom-W, due to it having a vastly superior typing, but, if I keep Jellicent, I would start stacking up a weakness to Grass-type attacks, and lose the only real Fire-type attack I have, which isn't something I'd be comfortable with.
Synergy:
- - Jellicent, Latios.
- - Mienshao, Jirachi.
Every team needs a Dragon-type, and I wanted to balance out the number of physical and special attackers I had, so the choices were pretty much either Latio(a)s or Hydreigon. I'd always avoided using Hydreigon because of its Speed stat, so I ended up going with Latios. I usually end up leaving it for late in the battle, after the faster members of the team have done their jobs, at which point it cleans up after them.
EVs are standard and simple, as are the moves - maximum Speed and Sp. Attack. The set looks fine, so, if I keep Latios, then there would be no changing that, but changing the Pokémon altogether is an option.
Synergy:
- - Jellicent, Rotom-H, Jirachi.
- - Mienshao, Gliscor, Jellicent, Rotom-H.
- - None.
- - Jirachi.
- - Mienshao.
I was unsure on using Jirachi until a few days ago, when it saved me from an almost certain loss. Having always been on the receiving end of Jirachi's hax, I'd not wanted to try it out for myself, but I'm glad I did. The other Pokémon that could have taken this spot was Forretress, as I really don't like the idea of having a team without a Rapid Spinner, but entry hazards don't seem to hurt this team that much.
Wish keeps other members of my team up and running - usually Gliscor due to its lack of recovery - and Thunder Wave gives the slower members of the team - itself, Gliscor and Jellicent - more of a chance to do what they do. Stealth Rock is the only entry hazard on the team, but I think that's enough, and more useful than either of the others. It also helps with the slight weakness to Volcarona that I have, taking away 50% of its HP every time it switches in.
As I said, I was going to switch it out for a Forretress, and that is still definitely an option. Although entry hazards aren't much of a problem, I would still rather have something with Rapid Spin just in case. Removing Rotom-H would help even more with that by removing a weakness to Stealth Rock.
Synergy:
- - Jellicent, Rotom-H, Latios.
- - Gliscor, Rotom-H, Latios.
Currently Considering:
Blissey > Jellicent.
Rotom-W > Rotom-H.
Forretress > Jirachi.
Closing Thoughts:
I have some problems with synergy, I know that, but this team has been the best I've made for a while now. Hopefully, though, you reading this will be able to give me some advice, which would be greatly appreciated. The weak links in this team are Rotom-H and Jellicent, both of which I would be more than happy to replace. I'd never actually noticed that I had no Ghost-type resistance until I posted this, and now I am worrying about that, and thinking that having Blissey instead of Jellicent is a good idea, but I digress.
Thanks for reading, and I'm looking forward to any comments and advice that anybody might give.
Importable:
PHP:
Mienshao (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Hi Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Gliscor (F) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 60 HP / 252 Atk / 120 Def / 76 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Fling
- Acrobatics
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
Rotom-H @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Overheat
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Trick
Jellicent (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Will-O-Wisp
- Recover
- Taunt
Latios (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Psyshock
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 224 SDef / 32 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Iron Head
- Thunder Wave
- Wish
- Stealth Rock
