The Team -
Decision making process -
As I was getting frustrated with my last team, I decided that it was time to test out this offensive core I had heard so much about; Mega Mawile and Dragonite. In theory, this core should be fantastic, resisting each other's weakness and both packing some serious power. Next came Starmie, as having a spinner is essential when using Dragonite and she packs a very serious offensive power when utilised correctly. Since I planned on running offensive sets on all 3 the defensive core had to come in; Ferrothorn and Jellicent. Covering each other's weaknesses and giving me access to a taunter, spinblocker and a hazard setter was too good to pass up. And so I was left needing a dark type for a ghost resistance and a special attacker and that left Hydreigon, a very fearsome pokemon in his own right who gelled nicely with my team.
I am fully open for suggestions on swapping Pokemon, but please no Legendaries as I plan to make this IG and don't like using them normally.
In Depth Analysis -
Ferrothorn w/ leftovers
Iron barbs, Relaxed, 252 HP / 48 Def / 208 SpD
0 Speed
* Stealth Rock
* Gyro Ball
* Leech Seed
* Thunder Wave
My usual lead unless I can tell they will start with a fire move. Stealth Rock is there as my team should be able to force quite a few switches and will help me deal with Talonflame and Charizard. Gyro Ball gets a surprisingly large amount of damage on most enemies and helps deal with fairies that might otherwise trouble my team. Leech Seed offers me another source of recovery in addition to leftovers and can help force switches. T-wave has not been used as much as I would have liked so I am considering swapping it out for Power Whip as another powerful STAB.
Jellicent w/ Leftovers
Water Absorb, Bold, 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
* Will-O-Wisp
* Scald
* Taunt
* Recover
A fantastic partner for Ferrothorn and an an ll-round insanely useful pokemon to my team, filling of spin blocking, taunting and spreading burns. Will-O-Wisp is great for checking physical threats that could otherwise pose very potent threats to my team. Would consider dropping scald for shadow ball of even surf as the burn chance is not as great whilst running WoW. Taunt is there to stop pokemon setting up on my and to help counter that annoying key. Recover is there for, well, recovery...
Dragonite w/ Weakness Policy
Multiscale, Adamant, 252 Att / 252 Spe / 4 HP
* Dragon Dance
* Dragon Claw
* Fire Punch
* ExtremeSpeed
The classic Weakness Policy set that destroys those unprepared for it. Aim is to get a DD first turn and then outspeed everything whilst being at + 3 thanks to them not being able to kill a 100 % health dragonite. Dragon Claw is the go to move, being preferred over Outrage as once Dragonite has been set up there's no going back. At + 3 Extremespeed can often KO a great deal that outspeeds Dragonite and helps deal with paralysis. Fire Punch helps me deal with more important threats than Earthquake so that is what I always run. This set is getting less 4/5/6 sweeps than it was in the past for me as most people have got weary of giving Dragonite that advantage so I would consider swapping to a Lum Berry and Outrage, but this set is still working incredibly well.
Mawile w/ Mawilite
Intimidate (Huge Power), Adamant, 252 HP / 252 Att / 4 Spe
* Swords Dance
* Play Rough
* Sucker Punch
* Fire Fang
The standard M-Mawile set. Once a SD is up he absolutely wrecks with Sucker Punch which patches up his very shabby speed. Play Rough is there as STAB, wrecking anything that cannot KO him or is slower. Fire Fang provides the best coverage out of all the elemental fangs and brick break so that is what I went for, though considering that Dragonite is running Fire Punch I would be open to switching it.
Starmie w/ Leftovers
Natural Cure, Timid, 252 Spa / 252 Spe / 4 HP
* Surf
* Ice Beam
* Psyshock
* Rapid Spin
The standard offensive spinner Starmie. Necessary for the team as I need Dragonite to not take damage on his switch and I actually find Starmie very useful outside of this role. I use surf over Hydro Pump as I hate having the lower accuracy, but would be tempted to switch it out for scald. Ice Beam is for coverage on those dragons that are everywhere and Psyshock to help deal with Blisseys and Chanseys that inevitable come in on Starmie.
Hydreigon w/ Choice Specs
Levitate, Modest, 252 Spa, 252 Spe, 4 HP
* Draco Meteor
* Dark pulse
* Fire Blast
* Earth Power
My God is this thing powerful. If you don't resist Draco Metor or if you're not a dedicated Special Wall it is barely survivable. In the team for it's ghost resistance and insane special attack this thing has proved to be far better than my expectations. Dark Pulse is useful as another STAB if I want to stay in for more than 1 turn, while Fire Blast(going back on what I said for Starmie and Hydro Pump... Need all that power!) is for those Steel types that resist Draco meteor. I went for Earth Power over Focus Blast as I can't stand that 70% accuracy and it provides perfect neutral coverage with the other moves.
Decision making process -
As I was getting frustrated with my last team, I decided that it was time to test out this offensive core I had heard so much about; Mega Mawile and Dragonite. In theory, this core should be fantastic, resisting each other's weakness and both packing some serious power. Next came Starmie, as having a spinner is essential when using Dragonite and she packs a very serious offensive power when utilised correctly. Since I planned on running offensive sets on all 3 the defensive core had to come in; Ferrothorn and Jellicent. Covering each other's weaknesses and giving me access to a taunter, spinblocker and a hazard setter was too good to pass up. And so I was left needing a dark type for a ghost resistance and a special attacker and that left Hydreigon, a very fearsome pokemon in his own right who gelled nicely with my team.
I am fully open for suggestions on swapping Pokemon, but please no Legendaries as I plan to make this IG and don't like using them normally.
In Depth Analysis -
Ferrothorn w/ leftovers
Iron barbs, Relaxed, 252 HP / 48 Def / 208 SpD
0 Speed
* Stealth Rock
* Gyro Ball
* Leech Seed
* Thunder Wave
My usual lead unless I can tell they will start with a fire move. Stealth Rock is there as my team should be able to force quite a few switches and will help me deal with Talonflame and Charizard. Gyro Ball gets a surprisingly large amount of damage on most enemies and helps deal with fairies that might otherwise trouble my team. Leech Seed offers me another source of recovery in addition to leftovers and can help force switches. T-wave has not been used as much as I would have liked so I am considering swapping it out for Power Whip as another powerful STAB.
Jellicent w/ Leftovers
Water Absorb, Bold, 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
* Will-O-Wisp
* Scald
* Taunt
* Recover
A fantastic partner for Ferrothorn and an an ll-round insanely useful pokemon to my team, filling of spin blocking, taunting and spreading burns. Will-O-Wisp is great for checking physical threats that could otherwise pose very potent threats to my team. Would consider dropping scald for shadow ball of even surf as the burn chance is not as great whilst running WoW. Taunt is there to stop pokemon setting up on my and to help counter that annoying key. Recover is there for, well, recovery...
Dragonite w/ Weakness Policy
Multiscale, Adamant, 252 Att / 252 Spe / 4 HP
* Dragon Dance
* Dragon Claw
* Fire Punch
* ExtremeSpeed
The classic Weakness Policy set that destroys those unprepared for it. Aim is to get a DD first turn and then outspeed everything whilst being at + 3 thanks to them not being able to kill a 100 % health dragonite. Dragon Claw is the go to move, being preferred over Outrage as once Dragonite has been set up there's no going back. At + 3 Extremespeed can often KO a great deal that outspeeds Dragonite and helps deal with paralysis. Fire Punch helps me deal with more important threats than Earthquake so that is what I always run. This set is getting less 4/5/6 sweeps than it was in the past for me as most people have got weary of giving Dragonite that advantage so I would consider swapping to a Lum Berry and Outrage, but this set is still working incredibly well.
Mawile w/ Mawilite
Intimidate (Huge Power), Adamant, 252 HP / 252 Att / 4 Spe
* Swords Dance
* Play Rough
* Sucker Punch
* Fire Fang
The standard M-Mawile set. Once a SD is up he absolutely wrecks with Sucker Punch which patches up his very shabby speed. Play Rough is there as STAB, wrecking anything that cannot KO him or is slower. Fire Fang provides the best coverage out of all the elemental fangs and brick break so that is what I went for, though considering that Dragonite is running Fire Punch I would be open to switching it.
Starmie w/ Leftovers
Natural Cure, Timid, 252 Spa / 252 Spe / 4 HP
* Surf
* Ice Beam
* Psyshock
* Rapid Spin
The standard offensive spinner Starmie. Necessary for the team as I need Dragonite to not take damage on his switch and I actually find Starmie very useful outside of this role. I use surf over Hydro Pump as I hate having the lower accuracy, but would be tempted to switch it out for scald. Ice Beam is for coverage on those dragons that are everywhere and Psyshock to help deal with Blisseys and Chanseys that inevitable come in on Starmie.
Hydreigon w/ Choice Specs
Levitate, Modest, 252 Spa, 252 Spe, 4 HP
* Draco Meteor
* Dark pulse
* Fire Blast
* Earth Power
My God is this thing powerful. If you don't resist Draco Metor or if you're not a dedicated Special Wall it is barely survivable. In the team for it's ghost resistance and insane special attack this thing has proved to be far better than my expectations. Dark Pulse is useful as another STAB if I want to stay in for more than 1 turn, while Fire Blast(going back on what I said for Starmie and Hydro Pump... Need all that power!) is for those Steel types that resist Draco meteor. I went for Earth Power over Focus Blast as I can't stand that 70% accuracy and it provides perfect neutral coverage with the other moves.
