My First Competitive team

[Scoobius]

​

So I have loved pokemon games since i first got blue when it came out. I've played against friends, but truthfully my friends and were the type that used our starters (almost all of us got Charazard btw) and then threw a mewtwo on the team. I stopped playing until i got White a few months ago, and then i started lurking here. Hopefully this team is my lurking paying off. I've been hovering at the mid 1500s with it on Pokemon Showdown since i made it yesterday and broke 1600 a few times, currently at 1628.

​

And now that I've told my life story, here is the team. Also, I'm new to this forum, so i apologize for any formatting issues in advance.
Changes made are in Green. Thanks for the good advice

And now for the sets, straight from Pokemon Showdown

Avocuto (Ferrothorn) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Brave Nature
IVs: 1 Spd
- Power Whip
- Stealth Rock
- Gyro Ball
- Curse

I am listing this beast first for no real reason at all, as i don't really have a designated lead. Ferrothorn sets up stealth rocks, which are my only hazard. Nature and EVs let it hit deceptively hard. This is my answer to out of control dragons throwing temper tantrums. I've used it to 2 hit Salamences, Dragonites, (after rocks), and Haxorus. The more speed boosts they get, the more they regret. The weird speed IV was chosen to outspeed opposing Ferrothorns, but to be honest it has never made a difference. I doubt making it 0 will change anything significantly

Geico (Salamence) @ Life Orb
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance
- Roost

The second member of this team that is in no particular order. It hits everything not named Skarmory or Bronzong hard, and intimidate is amazing, both for set up and team support. Many physical attackers rue the day they saw this lizard. Roost is occasionally useful, but in 2/3 of matches is just filler. 4 SDef is for Genesect.

Eyepod (Magnezone) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Magnet Pull
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 236 SAtk / 20 SDef
Modest Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Thunder Wave

Salamence's favorite inanimate object and partner is 3rd on the list. It eats steels for breakfast and has a voracious appetite. Unfortunately it has become slow from overeating and gaining weight, but its fat lets it take some hits to compensate. I run Thunder Wave to ruin fast threats, and as I'm sure everyone noticed, i didn't have room for volt switch. It does its job well though, and resists almost everything while doing it. And it flies.

Also, I believe the IVs posted are not correct for HP Fire, they give Ice. It's a glitch in PS and i can't do anything, they change automatically when I chose HP Fire. It's not really that significant anyways, but it's not my fault.

Shuriken (Starmie) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rapid Spin
- Hydro Pump
- Psyshock
- Ice Beam

Now its time for the original gangsta of the sea, Starmie. As my rapid spinner and probably best special attacker, its essential to the team. Psyshock over Thunderbolt loses some type coverage, but turns it into a "mixed sweeper". It's also the only thing on the team that hits fighting types. The only problem i really have is that i use it too much and its hp is limited. 4 SDef EVs for the swarm of Genesects everywhere. Also, I'm considering Timid nature because of Jolly Terrakion with X- scissor, but concerned about hitting hard enough if I do that. Could I get some opinions on this? The replies have convinced me to run a Timid nature.

Pringles (Jellicent) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 204 HP / 112 Def / 192 SAtk
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Toxic
- Scald
- Taunt

This unbreakable wall of jelly stops opposing teams like actual Pringles stopping your heart. Even I underestimated it at first, but when most of my team is KOed, this thing is shrugging off special and even physical hits. Like Ferrothorn, it also hits deceptively hard, and anything it doesn't outright kill gets either a burn or some toxic for their trouble. Seriously, I've stalled entire teams with it. It is incredible. Its also useful for spinblocking. Replaced Shadow ball with Taunt, and made it slightly bulkier

Grilla (Infernape) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature
- Close Combat
- Fire Blast
- U-turn
- Stone Edge

Last and definitely not least is Infernape. Good for scouting with U-turn, has priority, hits both sides of the spectrum hard, and does it all fast. There isn't much else to say. it cant really sweep an entire team, but it takes out the foundation and lets the rest of the team handle clean up. Life Orb recoil ends it fast, and its not bulky to start, but it hits hard. I gave it a choice scarf and made it more of a revenge killer.

Although this team is far from perfect, i can't think of any single pokemon that consistently gives too much trouble. I've lost to a few rain teams, and let a few sweepers boost too much, but other than that I feel like this team has good offensive and defensive synergy. Feel free to point out the flaws though.

Thanks to TheStarRapper, Ninelol, and CedOmega the advice, and please keep it coming.​

 

[TheStarRapper]

Hello Scoobius!

Interesting team that you have here, but I do have several suggestions.

First at bat is the lack of a revenge killer, and I think the perfect candidate for a Choice Scarf is Salamence. With a Naive Nature and powerful Outrages (complemented by Zone's steel trapping), not much can stand up to this beast. I'm on mobile right now so I'll link you to Salamence's page, make sure to run a Naive Nature to outspeed newcomer Scarf Genesect.

One of the reasons Starmie is so good is its 115 speed stat, so to not make full use of it with a Timid Nature is not recommended. I know what you mean about him having to take to many hits, but I advise running Life Orb to offset the power loss from switching, I'll suggest a way to supplant your defensive backbone next.

Jellicent is the final piece of the puzzle that could use some work. Right now, the status interference can be a big problem, but I can see the use of both Toxic and Scald, so just be careful not to burn boosting threats with a recovery move. Still, I believe that Taunt is a much more powerful weapon than Shadow Ball to put in your arsenal, preventing Forretress from laying down hazards and preventing the boosters that I alluded to earlier from recovering. With only one attacking move and the need to remove pressure from Starmie, I recommend that you run a more defensive set, and I am referring to the first set, the Utility Counter, on this page.

With that said, nice team, sorry if I missed anything but I have to go to class. Good luck!

 

[Ninelol]

Howdy Scoobius, Wanted to cover a problem you currently have. Right now you have the biggest Genesect weakness, as even without a SAtk boost he can KO or Dent the majority of your team and has no worry of being out sped or revenged.

Easy fix

Grilla (Infernape) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Flare Blitz
- U-turn
- Stone Edge

This Can lead vs a Genesect and KO, also lets you clean up late game with ease. Also lets you KO scarf Salamence and +1 Volc. It also gives you a more powerful fighting attack as Mach punch while convenient doesn't pack the power Infernape needs to do its Job.

 

[CedOmega]

Hi there, Scoobius, you have a very interesting team. Similar to on that I used to run myself.

First suggestion would be to change Jellicent's nature from Modest to either Calm or Bold:

Jellicent@Leftovers; WaterAbsorb
Calm: 252 Hp/ 252 Sp.Defense/ 4 Defense
Bold: 252 Hp/ 200 Defense/ 56 Sp.Defense
Scald, Taunt, Toxic & Recover

Calm is arguably the best nature in this case; as it can easily come in on a Fire, Ice and/or Water attack aimed toward Infernape, Salamence, Magnezone and Ferrothorn. In agreement w/ TheStarRapper's suggestion,

Jellicent is the final piece of the puzzle that could use some work. Right now, the status interference can be a big problem, but I can see the use of both Toxic and Scald, so just be careful not to burn boosting threats with a recovery move. Still, I believe that Taunt is a much more powerful weapon than Shadow Ball to put in your arsenal, preventing Forretress from laying down hazards and preventing the boosters that I alluded to earlier from recovering.

, Taunt is ultimately the best thing to have when using Jellicent; making it an amazing utility to the team.

Second, an alternate set to Infernape is a Naive mixed atttacker set:

Infernape@ChoiceScarf/LifeOrb
Naive: 252 Attack/ 252 Speed/ 4 Sp.Attack
CloseCombat, Fireblast(prefered over OverHeat), HP(Ice) & GrassKnot

CloseCombat handles Sp.Attack walling Pokemon like Blissey and Chansey, as well as handling other Pokemon that can't take a CC from Infernape; like Terrakion. FireBlast is prefered over OverHeat for one major reason:
1. OverHeat lowers it's Sp.Attack by 2 Stages, lowwering the damage from its other 2 Sp.Attacks.
GrassKnot helps w/ Pokemon like Jellicent and Gastrodon; damaging them heavily. HP(Ice) is for Dragons; Like Dragonite, Salamence and Haxorus.

My third suggestion is for Starmie:

Starmie@LifeOrb/Leftovers; NaturalCure
Timid: 252 Sp.Attack/ 252 Speed/ 4 Hp(or Sp.Defense)
Surf/Psyshock, IceBeam/ThunderBolt/HP(Fire), Recover and RapidSpin

Starmie needs its Speed when threats like Terrakion, Gengar, Latios & Latias are so previlant. HP(Fire) is almost ideal when considering being trapped or scouted by opposing Scizor. Sure, you have Magnezone to trap Scizor afterward, but you may lose your only spinner to Pursuit or be scouted and dented by a powerful U-turn; all could have been prevented by a slight change in one attack. That said, Thunderbolt is also great for countering Rain teams and opposing Water types. IceBeam being mutually the same in purpose; countering Dragons and Grass types. Surf is prefered over HydroPump for assurance when attacking. The loss of power may be less appreciated but, when considering the higher usage and decent base power, Surf is very effective in terms of reliability. Psyshock doesn't really need an explaination.

At any rate, I hope these suggestions help & I may add more should one make itself clear to me. Good Luck w/ the team. :)

 

[Scoobius]

@Ninelol
I have to agree that this is a better set, and i do need a revenge killer. I think i will use Fire Blast over Flare Blitz to keep it mixed and limit recoil, and run a hasty nature to compensate. I really like this idea

@TheStarRapper
I decided to use Infernape as a revenge killer, but I agree with everything else. Unfortunately, i feel like Life Orb on Starmie will kill it too fast.

@CedOmega
I'm going to try a slightly bulkier Jellicent with taunt, but I don't think I will make the changes to Starmie that you suggested. Also, on Infernape, is a Hasty nature as good as Naive, and if not, can someone explain?