My First RMT

[Iceman8352]

Well, this is my first RMT, so hopefully I won't get hit too hard. Here goes.

Team at a Glance

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Salamence @ Choice Specs
Modest Nature
4 HP / 252 SpecAtk / 252 Spe
Draco Meteor
Flamethrower
Hydro Pump
Dragon Pulse

The standard SpecsMence. Intimidate is good versus their physical leads, and his moveset covers a lot of starters as well. If he survives, he also gives me switch-in to Earthquake users.

Jirachi @ Leftovers
Impish Nature
240 HP / 56 Atk / 76 Def / 136 Spe
Wish
U-Turn
Zen Headbutt
Thunder Wave

Jirachi is my support pokemon. He gives Wishes to this teammates and T-Waves relevant threats.

Suicune @ Leftovers
Bold Nature
252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpecAtk
Calm Mind
Surf
Ice Beam
Roar

Suicune offers some great defensive coverage and can be an offensive threat as well with Calm Mind. Also doubles as a phazer, though I've been thinking of replacing Roar with Substitute. I've also been thinking of switching this with a Wish passing Vaporeon. Opinions?

Snorlax @ Leftovers (Thick Fat)
Careful Nature
168 HP / 120 Def / 220 SpecDef
Curse
Fire Punch (Self Destruct?)
Crunch
Earthquake

Pretty much the standard CurseLax. I can't decide on a final moveset for this guy, so any ideas would be great. I generally like Snorlax better than Blissey for the physical potential he offers as well as high HP and decent special defense. Thick Fat makes it a great switch into the Ice Beams that will be gunning for Salamence.

Weezing @ Black Sludge
Bold Nature
252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpecAtk
Thunderbolt
Fire Blast
Will-O-Wisp
Pain Split

Weezing acts as a great counter against both Heracross and Gyarados. He's also more than capable of taking a hit from most other non-enhanced physical attackers and crippling them with Will-O-Wisp.

Electivire @ Life Orb
Adamant Nature
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed
Thunder Punch
Ice Punch
Cross Chop
Earthquake

Electivire is a beast. His attacks offer a wide array of coverage, which is a definate plus for him. My main concern is his weakness to Earthquake, which seems to be played on more and more pokemon. Depending on the direction of the team, this could be exchanged as well.

One obvious weaknesses I see for my team is Swampert, which is pretty prevailant in the area I play. Garchomp carrying an Yache Berry can be problematic, too, as it has the potential to kill most members of my team.

Possible changes.

Vaporeon over Suicune. Vaporeon offers many of the strengths that Suicune does, and it can learn Wish/Baton Pass. Playing this would also allow me to free up Jirachi's spot and add something more beneficial to the team, such as a mixed Infernape. Thoughts?

Switching Physical Sweepers. Electivire offers great coverage in moves, but is really weak to all the Earthquakes that seem so prevailant. Heracross (CB or CS) could be an option, as it will still cover me against Blissey, while still offering me coverage against several other threats. Also, a Choice Banded Close Combat or Megahorn is something to be feared. Another option is Garchomp carrying a Yache Berry and Swords Dance. Yache gives me the chance to Swords Dance at least once (Maybe twice is they have to switch the ice move in) and then sweep. Switching physical sweepers also means I don't have to rely on an electical attack to boost my Motor Drive.

Switching Special Sweepers. Salamence makes a good starter due to Intimidate, and his move pool offers some great power and coverage. Switching to Azelf or Alakazam would cover my Swampert weakness (with Grass Knot or Energy Ball, respectively), and provide me with coverage against popular Fighting types. Heatran offers some killer power, but once again, the 4x weakness to Earthquake has me scared. Thoughts?

I'm pretty happy with my walls and support, but I'm still really unsure of which sweepers are the way to go. Feel free to hack this team apart and help me make something that could really work.

Thanks.

Iceman8352​

 

[Taylor]

The way this team has been built reminds me of a similar team I had in the previous generation with different sets. This team is far from completion due to the weaknesess I see in the team, that are capable of tearing your team apart. Though the team itself has plenty offense to cope with standard teams. Let's see what we can do...

For starters, you don't have a Dark-type or Ghost-type resistance, which isn't good for this team when an opposing Tyranitar is threating you with the ever-so powerful Crunch.

Simple, common combinations of attacks will hurt your team. For instance, Fire and Fighting-type attacks are going to walkthrough your entire team. Now them two types are found on every Infernape - who is not prepared for in this team at all. Which now leads me to your singular, OU Pokemon weaknesess.

Because Suicune does not have Rest, or some, yet unreliable Wish support, it can't counter Pokemon that it could do with such. I mean...it's one of your offensive Pokemon on your team that has great defenses which gives it capabilty of countering specific threats with a said move. So when figuring out what really does consider to be a threat to your team, Suicune won't be classed as a solid counter to anything because it has no recovery to continue to do so. If you give me a convincing answer as to why you use Roar, then do so...

Now, Weezing, on the other hand, has plenty things to do in a defensive sense. It's your solid Heracross, Gyarados and Lucario (non-Choice Specs varients) counter, which is a great asset to any team. Toxic Spikes and Spikes are uneffective on Weezing, which allows it to sucessfully use Pain Slit as a reliable recovery move just before switching out.

But let's get down to what does indeed cause you problems; Azelf, Salamence, Tyranitar, Infernape, Substitute Garchomp, general status moves along with the ever-so-common, Toxic Spikes, although it's not as if your Suicune, Snorlax or Electavire plan on staying around long enough anyway.

Azelf, after a Nasty Plot, will OHKO everything exept Snorlax. Who, let's face it, can't counter Azelf...especially your Snorlax who won't stay around for long at all. Just hope that their Electavire counter is practically dead so you can attempt a Electavire sweep.

Salamence with Life Orb is one of the best offensive Pokemon in the metagame. It's quite evident that the standard: Brick Break, Draco Meteor, Fire Blast and Life Orb will OHKO everything on the team - well...it's not far off. I will admit this weakness hasn't got a reliable Pokemon, as such, to counter this effectively - so most people use Stealth Rock,fast Pokemon and prediction to do the job for them.

Garchomp and Substitute recks Weezing's slim chances of ever stopping him. Suicune does not have Rest at its disposal, and even so wouldn't OHKO with Ice Beam, allowing Garchomp to 2HKO with Swords Dance + Earthquake.

Tyranitar's Crunch is not resisted by anything here, which allows it to continue to hit you hard with the its attack while you watch your team take a loss each time it comes in. Substitute Tyranitar, known as Boah, unpredictabilty and hard-hitting attacks may already find half your team dead in trying to find out the set...However, in the long run, it's very difficult to get a solid Tyranitar counter (because it's impossible), you just need to know the respective set to stop it.

Infernape is similar to Salamence's threat, in respect. Your Salamence, Jirachi, Snorlax, and Electavire are all OHKOed, while Suicune is close to a 2HKO with no way of replenshing its health, while Weezing can only use a medicore Thunderbolt to slightly damage the reckless Infernape.

I will come back to this thread later and advise you a good alternative to stabailize the team and get a reliable counter to Infernape, Azelf and some more bulkiness to deal with Tyranitar and Salamence.