My First 'Serious' team

[bugmaniacbob]

My First 'Serious' team: The Magic Mushrooms

Presenting... THE MAGIC MUSHROOMS! This is my first ever competitively viable team (probably) and for my theme, all the pokemon are nicknamed after an infamous deadly mushroom, with a description of aforementioned deadly mushroom added in.

THE TEAM AT A GLANCE:

The team is based around the fundamental instincts principle, which states that it is one's primary desire when first constructing a team to include the four starter types (Grass, Water, Fire) to cover each other, an Electric (possibly inspired by pikachu), a Steel (for the looks and uncommonness, for steels inspire a great deal of awe for those that know them) and a spirit (Psychic, or Ghost, or Dark - included by just about everyone since generation 1).
And so, without further ado, here they are:

THE LEAD

“Autumn Skullcap”
Alakazam @ Choice Scarf
Nature: Modest
Ability: Synchronise

PSYCHIC
SHADOW BALL
FOCUS BLAST
HIDDEN POWER (ICE)

EVs: 6 HP, 252 SATK, 252 SPD

Galerina autumnalis and its close relatives Galerina marginata and Galerina venenata have been mistaken in the past with representatives of the genus Psilocybe by those interested in collecting hallucinogenic mushrooms. This has resulted in several poisonings and at least one death.

Sorry, Azelf, but I much prefer Alakazam to you. Why? Is it his absolute power, proved over three generations of special domination? Is it that he is one of the most versatile Pokémon available, that he can perform nearly any role to satisfaction? Or is it just that he has higher base speed AND special attack? Well… actually it’s just that he looks more like a psychic sweeper, and that he wouldn’t be blown away by a gust of wind.
EDIT: Ally is now Scarfed, and is my new suicide lead.

THE PRIORITY KILLER/STATUS INFLICTOR

“Death Cap”
Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Nature: Adamant

SPORE
SEED BOMB
MACH PUNCH
THUNDERPUNCH

EVs: 248 HP, 252 ATK, 8 SPD

Amanita phalloides, commonly known as the death cap, is a poisonous basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita. Widely distributed across Europe, A. phalloides associates with various deciduous trees. In some cases, death cap has been accidentally introduced to new regions with the cultivation of non-native species of oak, chestnut, and pine. The large fruiting bodies (i.e., the mushrooms) appear in summer and autumn; the caps are generally greenish in colour, with a white stipe and gills.

Breloom is a personal favourite of mine, I like the way it had ‘another UU’ written all over it in RSE, and overcame its grass type, its stats and its ability, to become a formidable offensive threat. I was previously using Gray Pinkgill as a lead, when I realised it was ridiculous to lead with a special wall. I haven’t used him much yet in the lead spot. I decided to put him there because I thought that the new TrickScarf tactic could be put off by Breloom’s Toxic Orb (please say if I am mistaken). I was debating Substitute but rejected it because of ‘loom’s low speed.
EDIT: Swivelled it all round to make Breloom a sort of Anti-Starter plus the offensive power, I hope this isn't a stupid idea.
EDIT: Breloom is now a sort of 'bulky' priority-killer.

THE PHYSICAL SWEEPER

“Tigertop”
Electivire @ Expert Belt
Ability: Motor Drive
Nature: Jolly

THUNDERPUNCH
ICE PUNCH
EARTHQUAKE
CROSS CHOP

Tricholoma pardinum, commonly known as spotted tricholoma, tiger tricholoma, tigertop or dirty trich, is a gilled mushroom found across Europe and North America, generally growing in beech woodland in summer and autumn. It is an imposing mushroom with a pale grey cap up to 10 cm (4 in) in diameter with darker brownish or greyish scales, white gills and white or pale grey-brown ringless stalk.

Standard E-Vire, from PBR Mystery Gift with love. I use this in conjunction with Milotic and Skarmory to pick up a boost and sweep. This is a great way to surprise unsuspecting Magnezone owners.
EDIT: Switched Nature to Jolly.

THE PHYSICAL WALL

“Fly Agaric”
Skarmory @ Shed Shell
Nature: Impish
Ability: Keen Eye

DRILL PECK
STEALTH ROCK
WHIRLWIND
ROOST

EVs: 252 HP, 252 DEF, 6 ATK

The fly agaric, or fly amanita (A. muscaria), is a poisonous mushroom found in pastures and fields in summer. It was once used as a fly-poison.

Skarmory helps take care of the physical threats, naturally, and also gives Electivire some extra speed by predicting incoming Thunderbolts and whatnot.
EDIT: Switched Spikes for Stealth Rock.

THE SPECIAL SPONGE

“Grey Pinkgill”
Milotic @ Leftovers
Nature: Calm
Ability: Marvel Scale

SURF
ICE BEAM
HYPNOSIS
RECOVER

EVs: 252 HP, 252 SDEF, 6 SATK

Entoloma sinuatum is a poisonous mushroom found across Europe and North America. Some guidebooks refer to it by its older scientific names of Entoloma lividum or Rhodophyllus sinuatus. Entoloma is a genus of pink-spored fungi, of which this species is the largest. Occurring in parks or deciduous woodlands in late summer and autumn, it has an ivory to light grey-brown cap up to 20 cm (8 in) across, with a whitish stem and pink free gills.

Milotic took a hit in the Platinum generation when hypnosis’s accuracy was bumped back to the RSE level. I used to run this as a lead until I realised it was a stupid idea and it now serves as a special sponge, plus being able to take physical hits with a boost from Flame Orb.
EDIT: Switched Flame Orb for Lefties. After all, at least one member of my team has to have them, eh?

THE SPECIAL SWEEPER

“Destroying Angel”
Infernape @ Life Orb
Nature: Naive
Ability: Blaze

FLAMETHROWER
GRASS KNOT
CLOSE COMBAT
HIDDEN POWER (ICE)

EVs: 24 ATK, 252 SATK, 232 SPD

Amanita virosa, commonly known as the destroying angel or more precisely as European destroying angel, is a poisonous basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita. Occurring in Europe, A. virosa associates with various deciduous and coniferous trees. The large fruiting bodies (i.e., the mushrooms) appear in summer and autumn; the caps, stipes and gills are all white in colour.

Infernape is one of my favourite Pokémon on this team. He can sweep an entire team with his type-coverage provided he can get in, and Life Orb recoil nicely complements Blaze. Many a time he has swept a team, defying all the odds, as the last member of the team standing.
EDIT: Switched Focus Blast for Close Combat, it will probably make a big difference.

So there we have it. I have never attempted a RMT for a ‘serious’ team before, so I need as much help as you can give, even if it means… so please critique, anyway.

 

[OMG]

Change Infernape to the Mixape in the Strategydex.

EVS: 252 Satk,232 spe, 24 Atk. And remove FocusBlast for CloseComat.
:)

 

[ShadowSpeedRider89]

This team looks like it can hold it's own over many different kinds of opponents. I like it! You should be wary of Special Psychic or Electric Attacks though - ScarfKazam, ScarfAzelf, Deoxys-S, ScarfGar, Jolteon and (to a degree) Electrode can cause you problems down the line, from what it looks like. Also, Sandstorm is only resisted by Skarmory so far. By personal preference (but not always by practice, if you look at my first posted team) sandstorm resistance is always nifty. ^^

Onto the team itself, though. I'd give Electivire a Jolly nature over Adamant because any ounce of speed on that guy really helps. I've used an Electivire with the same moves, EVs and item with both natures, and Jolly has helped me out more than Adamant. Personal preference though. :D

Two Focus Blasters? I know your good reasoning behind it, but I would say make your Infernape into a MixApe (or, at very least, involve Close Combat into your set somehow and change it's nature.) I just don't like Focus Blast's low accuracy.

As far as leads go, I know why you chose Breloom - it's ability and held item make it immune to other status effects. Personally, I'd use a Taunting Aerodactyl lead or a TrickScarf lead like you pointed out. Either that, or stack Brelooom with Protect over Seed Bomb to ensure recovery time with Poison Heal (and an effective means to get it to activate in the first place.)

These are nitpicky, but I want to ask so other people know when they help rate your team: What are Milotic's Held Item and Skarmory's EV distribution?

Hope my suggestions have helped you somewhat, and good luck with your team! It looks good so far! ^^

~ShadowSpeedRider89

 

[bugmaniacbob]

EDIT: Changed Infernape's EVs and Nature to make it a mixed sweeper, and stuck Close Combat in over Focus Blast since it seemed to be a universal desire.

I also messed about with Breloom a bit before coming out with a sort of Anti-Starter plus offensive beast.

I would be grateful if someone informed me sooner, rather than later, that this is a stupid idea.

Oh, and I added Milotic and Skarmory's details, there must have been a bug that caused them to drop out when I copied and pasted off Word, or something.

 

[Kagster123]

I'd give Alakazam a Timid nature because with Choice Specs he already has a shitload of SpA. Might as well have it so you can revenge kill opposing Azelf, Gengar, Starmie, Infernape etc...

 

[Towlie]

Gonna point out the fact that Thunderpunch/Poison Heal Breloom is illegal.

 

[Lemmiwinks MkII]

Gonna point out the fact that Thunderpunch/Poison Heal Breloom is illegal.

Not anymore (Platinum Move Tutor).

 

[Stathakis]

awesome theme, though where is parasect? lol anyways...

personally, I'd just scarf alakazam and make him the lead, seeing as breloom can be more more potent in the lategame and scarfzam just makes a better lead an breloom. give zam hp ice > energy ball as well, seeing as most things you wanna hit with energy ball get hit just as hard by psychic, but you really wanna revenge kill those ddmences. and on the topic of nitpicks, flame orb is just a terrible item on milotic, seriously. the lefties recovery rather than losing health (a 18% difference per turn) is just way more important than taking physical hits slightly better. also, sr > spikes on skarmory, smashing those annoying skymins and other flying critters every time they switch is much more valuable than something you set up over 3 turns.

okay, assuming you want to sweep with swordsdance breloom, some things that hinder it are gengar and starmie, cresselia, azelf, and well fast or bulky psychics in general. for this reason, I think maybe you should go cblax > milotic. snorlax still takes special hits like a pro, but he also pursuits those aggravating psychics and ghosts dead, as well as spreading that helpful para against random fast shit. other than that, you look good, though I'd watch the skymin weak. maybe scarftran > ape? it's at least worth testing.

 

[bugmaniacbob]

Ah, my team has been heavily corrected, with many scribbles and crossings-out. A thousand thanks to those who helped, and all praise to your substantial intellects.

On a more practical note, I have gone along with most suggestions. Alakazam is Scarfed and runs HP ice, Milotic has Lefties, Electivire is Jolly, and Breloom is relegated to a sort of semi-revenge/status/absorber thingy.

However, I still have problems. Breloom still looks like a few pieces of cardboard and acrylic stuck together to make a crude model of HMS Victory. I still have a big problem with Psychics and Ghosts, but Alakazam is the only one able to dent them at all, and he carries scarf, which limits his denting ability.

I am trying out Heatran over Infernape, but I like the Ape's ability to switch between attacks a lot more, as well as wise glasses 'kazam, and I'm not keen on changing Milotic since I'm keen on the Fire-Water-Grass trio theory in teams.

Oh, and I added an introduction at the top because... well, I felt like it.

 

[bugmaniacbob]

bump.