Greetings Smogoners,
I am proud to present my first home-made team. Although I have been laddering since D/P/P, I have never bothered going through the theoretical rigor of creating my own team. I have garnered adequate knowledge through years of competitive battling, but my team-building is obviously comparatively weak. That being said, I hope that my fellow Smogoners will be able to provide constructive criticism to this work in progress.
At a glance - I was never one to bother with team typologies, but I believe that my team would fall under the category of "Balance".
Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Defog
- Brave Bird
- Roost
Perhaps the most crucial fundamental of competitive battling is hazard control. In this respect, Skarmory is among the elite in this generation as it can both set up SR and dispel hazards. Furthermore, its immense physical bulk, combined with reliable recovery, allows it to fulfill its duties multiple times in a single match. This combination of complete hazard control and on-demand recovery are the reasons I opted for Skarmory over other bulky hazard-setters, such as Hippowdon, Forretress and Garchomp. Defog at the expense of Whirlwind is sometimes sorely missed, especially against predicted switch-ins (e.g. Mega Zard-X) and stat-boosting BPers, but double-switches alleviate this problem. Brave Bird is required for Skarmory to triumph over glass cannons such as Mega-Pinsir and Mega-Medicham, which are threats that otherwise dismantle this team. Rocky Helmet over Leftovers to tax physical attackers that attempt to break through Skarmory; the chip damage will also greatly help my cleaners to seal the game. The importance of Leftovers is further diminished in the presence of Sturdy and Roost.
Sylveon @ Leftovers
Ability: Pixilate
Evs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Def
Calm Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Hyper Voice
Because Skarmory is my sole physical wall, additional insurance that prolongs its longevity is always welcomed. Sylveon fulfills this role while providing an impenetrable special defense, which also compliments Skarmory nicely. Most Sylveons opt for a Bold Nature and 252 Def, but the extra SDef allows mine to tank Mega Zard-Y Fire Blasts in Sun with Protect + Wish. Heal Bell is essential for this team, as both Raikou and Scizor quail at the sight of Toxic and Burn, respectively. A special wall that runs both recovery and status remover naturally competes with Chansey, who boasts the highest aggregate SDef in the game. However, Sylveon can pass Wishes, which a clerical Chansey cannot. Therefore, Sylveon's reduced bulk is a reasonable compromise for the added benefits of increased utility. The Fairy-typing is generally vastly superior to Normal-typing as well. Unaware Clefable can run a similar moveset with its inclusion of Wish + Protect + Heal Bell. Moreover, with the right EVs, it can deal with Mega Zard-X and other physical Fire-types. However, its special bulk is significantly inferior.
Raikou @ Assault Vest
Ability: Pressure
Evs: 252 HP / 252 Spe / 4 SAtk
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power Ground
Raikou is the main pivot of the team with its blistering speed, decent firepower (more than Rotom-W, its main competitor) and its substantial special bulk. This combination of traits allows it to dispatch threats that my Skarmory-Sylveon tandem cannot handle, such as Gengar and specially-based Aegislash. Another trait that differentiates it from Rotom-W is its ability to check Mega Zard-Y. Raikou's lack of recovery, which Rotom-W enjoys in the form of Chesto-Rest/Pain Split, is alleviated by Sylveon's Wish Passing. Rotom-W's immunity to Ground is another natural advantage over Raikou, but this is compensated by Latios and Skarmory, who can in turn threaten most users of Ground moves, be it special or physical-based, in the tier. Lastly, HP Ground is a nasty surprise for Heatran - a Pokemon that loves to tank special hits. I decided to forego HP Ice because Dragon-Types are easily handled by Latios, and the most common Ground-types are walled by Skarmory (Hippo, Landorus-T), revenge-killed by Latios (Landorus-I) or just plain set-up bait for Mega-Scizor (Gliscor).
Latios @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pressure
Evs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunderbolt
- Memento
- Trick
This is my only credible answer to the ominous Mega Zard-X, and it is unfortunately via revenge-killing. Even then, I'll need to tread carefully when Mega Zard-X acquires a free switch-in (say as Skarmory lays down Stealth Rocks). If Mega Zard-X predicts correctly with a Dragon-move, then I have basically lost the game. However, if he opts to Dragon Dance, then I have gained significant momentum. Nevertheless, the threat of Mega Zard-X is a glaring problem that I require your assistance to solve. The beauty of Scarf Latios is that it is effective against both offense and stall. Against offense, Latios generally keeps its Scarf to revenge-kill or clean. Trading it for Bisharp's Life Orb is also hilarious as it attempts to Sucker Punch/Sword Dance. As for stall, it goes without saying how crippling a timely Trick can be as no Mega-Venusaur will switch on a Pokemon that generally runs Psyshock. Memento is an experimentation. Ideally, it should guarantee my win-condition, Mega-Scizor, to set up and sweep. I am not averse in replacing it with a more conventional move, however.
Manaphy @ Leftovers
Ability: Hydration
Evs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Def
Modest Nature
- Tail Glow
- Surf
- Psychic
- Rain Dance
If it were not for the presence of Manaphy, my team would be utterly hopeless against stall. But the addition of Manaphy ensures that it is stall that cowers in fear! In fact, Manaphy easily breaks Chansey, the sturdiest of special walls. 252 HP means that Chansey will need five Seismic Toss to kill Manaphy. Five turns is more than sufficient for Manaphy to boost to +4 and set up Rain Dance. Moreover, any status that Chansey might inflict on Manaphy will be negated by Hydration. At +4 and Rain, Surf on 252 HP/252 SDef Eviolite Chansey deals around 60%. Bold Unaware Clefable suffers 51% minimum in Rain, and Unaware Quagsire has even less chance to survive. Even Ferrothorn cannot afford Manaphy to Tail Glow twice, as a simple +4 Surf deals minimum 50% to physically defensive variants. Rotom-W is the only common stall Pokemon that can withstand Manaphy. Even then, it needs to be absolutely geared towards special defense, preferably with a Calm nature, to stand a chance. Additionally, the seemingly insignificant extra 252 HP helps Manaphy to tank stray Electric and Grass Moves. Protean Greninja's Grass Knot with Life Orb deals a paltry 18% and Mega-Manectric's Thunderbolt fails to OHKO. This Manaphy is less useful against offensive teams; its contribution against them is generally limited to tanking one hit and KOing something back.
Mega-Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
Evs: 252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Sword Dance
- Roost
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off
This is probably one of the reasons that nudged specially-defensive Skarmory into obscurity at the onset of X/Y. Mega-Scizor is essentially a bulkier version that conveniently guarantees victory when its counters are removed, namely Heatran and Rotom-W. Knock Off is unequivocally the better option over Bug Bite thanks to its utility and added coverage. For instance, Knock Off allows Mega-Scizor to play mind games with King Shield Aegislash. Knock Off also maims Bullet Punch resistors such as Slowbro and other Steel-types and Flying-types. Most importantly, it still guarantees that Mega-Scizor wins against any variant of Ferrothorn. From my experience, a tandem of Mega Scizor + Manaphy possesses the raw firepower to break most stall teams by themselves. The select few Pokemons that resist this combination, such as Rotom-W, lose to Latios, Raikou and Sylveon and its Wish-Passing.
Conclusion: This team has a glaring Mega Zard-X weakness. This is the exact reason that I posted this team here. I would greatly appreciate suggestions that can patch up this weakness without excessively destabilizing the synergy of this team. For example, Unaware Quagsire is generally regarded as a decent counter to Mega Zard-X, but replacing Skarmory means that I will lose SR. Likewise, substituting Skarmory for Hippowdon implies the loss of Defog. Please ensure that suggestions are not mere trade-offs, but improvements on a holistic level.
Thank you.
I am proud to present my first home-made team. Although I have been laddering since D/P/P, I have never bothered going through the theoretical rigor of creating my own team. I have garnered adequate knowledge through years of competitive battling, but my team-building is obviously comparatively weak. That being said, I hope that my fellow Smogoners will be able to provide constructive criticism to this work in progress.
At a glance - I was never one to bother with team typologies, but I believe that my team would fall under the category of "Balance".
Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Defog
- Brave Bird
- Roost
Perhaps the most crucial fundamental of competitive battling is hazard control. In this respect, Skarmory is among the elite in this generation as it can both set up SR and dispel hazards. Furthermore, its immense physical bulk, combined with reliable recovery, allows it to fulfill its duties multiple times in a single match. This combination of complete hazard control and on-demand recovery are the reasons I opted for Skarmory over other bulky hazard-setters, such as Hippowdon, Forretress and Garchomp. Defog at the expense of Whirlwind is sometimes sorely missed, especially against predicted switch-ins (e.g. Mega Zard-X) and stat-boosting BPers, but double-switches alleviate this problem. Brave Bird is required for Skarmory to triumph over glass cannons such as Mega-Pinsir and Mega-Medicham, which are threats that otherwise dismantle this team. Rocky Helmet over Leftovers to tax physical attackers that attempt to break through Skarmory; the chip damage will also greatly help my cleaners to seal the game. The importance of Leftovers is further diminished in the presence of Sturdy and Roost.
Sylveon @ Leftovers
Ability: Pixilate
Evs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Def
Calm Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Hyper Voice
Because Skarmory is my sole physical wall, additional insurance that prolongs its longevity is always welcomed. Sylveon fulfills this role while providing an impenetrable special defense, which also compliments Skarmory nicely. Most Sylveons opt for a Bold Nature and 252 Def, but the extra SDef allows mine to tank Mega Zard-Y Fire Blasts in Sun with Protect + Wish. Heal Bell is essential for this team, as both Raikou and Scizor quail at the sight of Toxic and Burn, respectively. A special wall that runs both recovery and status remover naturally competes with Chansey, who boasts the highest aggregate SDef in the game. However, Sylveon can pass Wishes, which a clerical Chansey cannot. Therefore, Sylveon's reduced bulk is a reasonable compromise for the added benefits of increased utility. The Fairy-typing is generally vastly superior to Normal-typing as well. Unaware Clefable can run a similar moveset with its inclusion of Wish + Protect + Heal Bell. Moreover, with the right EVs, it can deal with Mega Zard-X and other physical Fire-types. However, its special bulk is significantly inferior.
Raikou @ Assault Vest
Ability: Pressure
Evs: 252 HP / 252 Spe / 4 SAtk
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power Ground
Raikou is the main pivot of the team with its blistering speed, decent firepower (more than Rotom-W, its main competitor) and its substantial special bulk. This combination of traits allows it to dispatch threats that my Skarmory-Sylveon tandem cannot handle, such as Gengar and specially-based Aegislash. Another trait that differentiates it from Rotom-W is its ability to check Mega Zard-Y. Raikou's lack of recovery, which Rotom-W enjoys in the form of Chesto-Rest/Pain Split, is alleviated by Sylveon's Wish Passing. Rotom-W's immunity to Ground is another natural advantage over Raikou, but this is compensated by Latios and Skarmory, who can in turn threaten most users of Ground moves, be it special or physical-based, in the tier. Lastly, HP Ground is a nasty surprise for Heatran - a Pokemon that loves to tank special hits. I decided to forego HP Ice because Dragon-Types are easily handled by Latios, and the most common Ground-types are walled by Skarmory (Hippo, Landorus-T), revenge-killed by Latios (Landorus-I) or just plain set-up bait for Mega-Scizor (Gliscor).
Latios @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pressure
Evs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunderbolt
- Memento
- Trick
This is my only credible answer to the ominous Mega Zard-X, and it is unfortunately via revenge-killing. Even then, I'll need to tread carefully when Mega Zard-X acquires a free switch-in (say as Skarmory lays down Stealth Rocks). If Mega Zard-X predicts correctly with a Dragon-move, then I have basically lost the game. However, if he opts to Dragon Dance, then I have gained significant momentum. Nevertheless, the threat of Mega Zard-X is a glaring problem that I require your assistance to solve. The beauty of Scarf Latios is that it is effective against both offense and stall. Against offense, Latios generally keeps its Scarf to revenge-kill or clean. Trading it for Bisharp's Life Orb is also hilarious as it attempts to Sucker Punch/Sword Dance. As for stall, it goes without saying how crippling a timely Trick can be as no Mega-Venusaur will switch on a Pokemon that generally runs Psyshock. Memento is an experimentation. Ideally, it should guarantee my win-condition, Mega-Scizor, to set up and sweep. I am not averse in replacing it with a more conventional move, however.
Manaphy @ Leftovers
Ability: Hydration
Evs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Def
Modest Nature
- Tail Glow
- Surf
- Psychic
- Rain Dance
If it were not for the presence of Manaphy, my team would be utterly hopeless against stall. But the addition of Manaphy ensures that it is stall that cowers in fear! In fact, Manaphy easily breaks Chansey, the sturdiest of special walls. 252 HP means that Chansey will need five Seismic Toss to kill Manaphy. Five turns is more than sufficient for Manaphy to boost to +4 and set up Rain Dance. Moreover, any status that Chansey might inflict on Manaphy will be negated by Hydration. At +4 and Rain, Surf on 252 HP/252 SDef Eviolite Chansey deals around 60%. Bold Unaware Clefable suffers 51% minimum in Rain, and Unaware Quagsire has even less chance to survive. Even Ferrothorn cannot afford Manaphy to Tail Glow twice, as a simple +4 Surf deals minimum 50% to physically defensive variants. Rotom-W is the only common stall Pokemon that can withstand Manaphy. Even then, it needs to be absolutely geared towards special defense, preferably with a Calm nature, to stand a chance. Additionally, the seemingly insignificant extra 252 HP helps Manaphy to tank stray Electric and Grass Moves. Protean Greninja's Grass Knot with Life Orb deals a paltry 18% and Mega-Manectric's Thunderbolt fails to OHKO. This Manaphy is less useful against offensive teams; its contribution against them is generally limited to tanking one hit and KOing something back.
Mega-Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
Evs: 252 HP / 40 Atk / 216 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Sword Dance
- Roost
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off
This is probably one of the reasons that nudged specially-defensive Skarmory into obscurity at the onset of X/Y. Mega-Scizor is essentially a bulkier version that conveniently guarantees victory when its counters are removed, namely Heatran and Rotom-W. Knock Off is unequivocally the better option over Bug Bite thanks to its utility and added coverage. For instance, Knock Off allows Mega-Scizor to play mind games with King Shield Aegislash. Knock Off also maims Bullet Punch resistors such as Slowbro and other Steel-types and Flying-types. Most importantly, it still guarantees that Mega-Scizor wins against any variant of Ferrothorn. From my experience, a tandem of Mega Scizor + Manaphy possesses the raw firepower to break most stall teams by themselves. The select few Pokemons that resist this combination, such as Rotom-W, lose to Latios, Raikou and Sylveon and its Wish-Passing.
Conclusion: This team has a glaring Mega Zard-X weakness. This is the exact reason that I posted this team here. I would greatly appreciate suggestions that can patch up this weakness without excessively destabilizing the synergy of this team. For example, Unaware Quagsire is generally regarded as a decent counter to Mega Zard-X, but replacing Skarmory means that I will lose SR. Likewise, substituting Skarmory for Hippowdon implies the loss of Defog. Please ensure that suggestions are not mere trade-offs, but improvements on a holistic level.
Thank you.
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