Okay, as the title of this thread says, this is my first competitive pokemon team, It has probably got several major floors that several of you will notice that I haven't with the exception of one which I will state later on in this post.
But before you point out that I'm using more than one of each item, on the general sites that I play on.
Now on with the Team...
Suicidal Lead
Gengar @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def/252 SpA/252 Spe
Nature: Timid
- Explosion
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
The first reason I chose Gengar as a Suicide Lead is he does hold his own against many of the common leads out there, the only one that (I can think off at this moment) he can't really hit super effectively is Mixpert but he does a fair amount of damage to them usually enough to pull them in his KO range Mixpert uses SR. Once their lead has been taken down I save Gengar for the mid game to make a quick sweep or I bring him back in for the second reason I chose him, to destroy Specially based walls like Blissey with explosion so that the majority of my team can sweep with more ease (the only problem that does occur is Weavile who will probably KO him unless they Pursuit expecting a switch so he has a chance to live and Focus Blast back).
Gengar is also on my as he is my main check to Bulky ghost types, opposing Gengar and Psychic types. Gengar does however, have problems with rather common Weavile Anti-lead as it usually carries a focus sash meaning Gengar has no chance of winning without a paralyze hax on Thunderbolt, which I never use on Weavile. Faster Azelf that decide to attack instead of SR as they also win the speed race and kill Gengar before he can kill them. Other threats to Gengar that I have seen used as a Lead is Tyranitar which has a decent Special Defense (helped by the sandstorm) and the fact that it leaves the question or will it crunch or pursuit?, but this is a rare lead and I've only seen it used twice in battle.
Physical Sweeper
Electivire @ Expert Belt
Ability: Motor Drive
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Nature: Adamant
- Cross Chop
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch
Electivire plays a crucial role in my team, especially against stall teams. That being because if I come up against a good Special wall I am unlikely to take them down without the help of Electivire that easily, Blissey is an example of this. Although my Dragonite can hit quite hard with Superpower and Gengar with Explosion (but both of which can't hit Ghost types). So once I have killed or severely damage opposing walls I have the ability to sweep with my special sweepers if Electivire happens to die.
Electivire is a great Physical sweeper to take down defensive pokemon with as his move set covers about 13 of the 17 types for super effective damage so not many special sweepers can take 2-3 hits without dieing (Cresselia being one that can switch in and absorb as many hits as she likes).
Electivire works quite well with my team, Tentacruel and Skarmory both have Electric type weaknesses which he absorbs and sets him up for a sweep while the rest of my team can take the ground type attacks aimed at him. His ability is quite handy when my opponent's tries to hit my Zapdos or Dragonite with an Electric type attack because it's the best they can do, saves health and set's up a possible sweep.
Another reason that I decided I needed Electivire on my team is that he is a rather good check to a lot of the metagames top threats. He helps me take down the likes of Gyarados, Salamence, Dragonite, the rare but dangerous Flygon and several others.
I have only come across 4 problems when it comes to using Electivire against Special tanks or walls, these are Dugtrio, Cresselia, Latias and any tanks or wall that happens to run Earthquake in it's move set.
Mixed Late Game Sweeper
Dragonite @ Life Orb/Expert Belt
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 112 Atk/196 SpA /200 Spe
Nature: Rash
- Draco Meteor
- Flamethrower
- Roost
- Superpower
Dragonite is here because he's an old favourite, is in his own right just as good as Salamence and as far as I've experienced, a great Late Game Sweeper. I bring him in after the opponent's pokemon have been sufficiently dented and are within Dragonite's KO Range (the problem with him as a late game sweeper is that he loses stat's as he uses two of his moves so I sometimes need to switch). Even with that hindrance though I saw him fit to have the role as Late Game Sweeper in my team. I chose him over Salamence because of his extra bulk, he may have less speed but that doesn't matter if he has more survivability (especially if that extra survivability keep's him alive and the opponent dead so that he can have the chance to Roost)
He is another pokemon that works well with my team, thanks to Dragonite's extra bulk I can use him to switch into incoming fire type attacks (if Tentacruel is dead, that is) for Skarmory and make's my opponent's job harder when switching out Electivire or Tentacruel from an Earthquake threat (or any other ground type attacks) if they are going to try and counter predict, in turn Tentacruel takes Ice Beam's for him.
Dragonite does help take down a few top tier threats like Skarmory, Latias (if I hit her on the switch in otherwise it's dependent on her EV spread) and in some cases when Electivire and Zapdos are dead, it's fellow dragon types. He does have major problem's though with Ice type attacks are quite common on most walls and some sweepers to take down pokemon just like Dragonite but mainly Weavile and Mamoswine that even when paralyzed can hit first with Ice Shard. Several other threats are Salamence, Latias and anything else that hit's hard with Dragon type attacks.
Special Sweeper
Pokemon @ Life Orb/Expert Belt
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Nature: Timid
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power Ice
- Roost
- Thunderbolt
Zapdos is my main Special Sweeper, he has great stats and a fair amount of bulk to survive a few hits and his speed allows him to Roost before quite a few pokemon do. He does a lot of damage to a lot of pokemon in todays metagame (if they don't resist that is) with his STAB Thunderbolts thanks to his large SpA. I decided to go for HP Ice to hit Dragon pokemon that try to switch in and take little damage from his STAB (like Flygon who resist's all but HP Ice).
Zapdos is my main check to all bulky waters that try and stall my team (although it may take a few hits) to cause problems with Toxic and other moves like it. He also helps me keep Forretress and Scizor in check, the latter being rather dangerous (although not so much to my team outside of Gengar).
I don't think I've come across many pokemon that cause problems other than Blissey that carry Toxic (if I try and beat her 1 on 1, which is a rare occasion), everyone that I've battled hasn't caused much of a large threat (outside of the Ubers anyway) except for Rhyperior with Stone Edge (and several other defensive poke's with stone edge).
Toxic Spiker
Pokemon @ Leftovers
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 252 HP/120 Def/136 SpD
Nature: Calm
- Rapid Spin
- Sludge Bomb
- Surf
- Toxic Spikes
I chose Tentacruel because I decided my team needed two things, Rapid Spin support to stop hazards doing too much damage too my team and I wanted to be able to lay down more hazards of my own and Tentacruel was the first pokemon to enter my mind. Toxic Spikes helps me to beat stall based teams slightly easier as with two layers it helps me kill any pokemon that aren't immune to it (but I have Stealth Rock to deal with half of these).
Tentacruel also helped his cause with his typing, firstly his typing allows me to quickly switch him in to absorb Toxic Spikes and secondly, he can take fire type attacks for Skarmory while Skarmory stops Earthquake from killing Tentacruel. Added to the mix is the fact that Electivire can take
Electric type attacks so with a little prediction I can keep him alive and well for a fair amount of time as I don't have the Wish support needed to keep him healthy.
Major threats too my Tentacruel include Gengar, Zapdos, Swampert and pretty much anything that can hit hard with Electric or Ground type attacks but as I said before, with a little prediction I'll have either set up Electivire for a sweep or have avoided the death with an immune pokemon.
Physical Tank
Pokemon @ Leftovers
Ability:
EVs: 252 HP/64 Atk/176 Def/16 SpD
Nature: Bold
- Drill Peck/Brave Bird
- Roost
- Spikes/Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
Skarmory made it onto my team thanks to his large defense's and the ability to absorb most Ice type attacks for as long as he likes, this stop's most attempts to hit Dragonite and Zapdos. My team needed a physical tank and Skarmory (even though it isn't the tank it was in the 3rd gen) is still an excellent wall and easily puts enough annoyance into teams that rely on a set up sweep thanks to his phazing abilities while racking up damage with entry hazards.
Skarmory helps me check pokemon like Heracross (although it doesn't help that most get a Gut's boost from Toxic Spikes) and several other physical sweepers the threaten my team like Dragon Dancer's.
Major threats to Skarmory are special sweepers like Dragonite (anything carrying an Electric or fire type move) with Flamethrower because I would be expecting a physical Dragonite. Other bulky walls cause problems with this as well unless I have Toxic Spikes down and it can effect them, unlike Cresselia and several others like her who just sit there and take attacks from most things all day.
