My first team - Entry hazard shuffle

[Zoomy]

Hello. This is my first team made in Shoddy Battle. I've tested it for a few days now, with some success. After I got used to the system and some practise battle, I recorded my wins/losses and found I won 8 out of 20 matches (or 40%), which I'm thinking is "not good, but could be worse".

The team strategy is simple: throw down Stealth Rock, 3 Spikes and 2 Toxic Spikes, get a sandstorm going for extra damage, shuffle with Roar/Whirlwind, battle a weakened team. It often doesn't work out that way, but even SR and 1 spikes can do enough.

Now for the team itself:

In depth:

The lead - Hippowdon

Held Item : Leftovers
Nature : Impish
EVs : 252 HP / 168 Def / 88 SpD

Moveset:
Earthquake
Slack Off
Stealth Rock
Roar

When trying to decide my shuffler, I was stuck between Skarmory and Hippowdon. Hippowdon had Sand Stream, Slack Off and could also plant SR, whilst Skarm could lay Spikes, has Roost and a bunch of resistances. I decided to take both. Hippowdon is in the lead role for quick SR and sandstorm, but also acts as a shuffler and electricity killer, covering Skarm's weakness to voltage. Slack Off is for healing when needed, to keep on shuffling.

The Spiker/Shuffler - Skarmory

Held item : Shed Shell
Ability : Keen Eye
Nature : Impish
EVs : 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD

Moveset:
Brave Bird
Roost
Spikes
Whirlwind

As I said in Hippowdon's description, Skarmory is for Whirlwind shuffling, and Spiking. Brave bird is there to do damage, whilst Roost takes the damage away. Shed Shell is there in case of Magnezones, and the EV's boost SpD because Skarm's 140 Base defense and an Impish nature don't need as much re-enforcement.

The Rapd Spinner/Toxic Spikist - Tentacruel

Held Item : Leftovers
Ability : Liquid Ooze
Nature : Calm
EVs : 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpD

Moveset:
Toxic Spikes
Rapid Spin
Sludge Bomb
Surf

I needed a Rapid Spinner, and a toxic spiker. I figured that using Tentacruel would be best, as not only does it do both, but isn't affected by the foe's toxic spikes. Sludge bomb and Surf are for STAB.

(Note: I'm aware I could have given Forretress spikes, toxic spikes AND rapid spin, but that seemed to be a bit too much like putting all my eggs in one basket).

The Spin Blocker - Dusknoir.

Held Item : Leftovers
Nature : Relaxed
EVs : 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD

Moveset:
Gravity
Earthquake
Will-O-Wisp
Pain Split

Because of the reliance on entry hazards, I knew I'd need a spin-blocker. I chose Dusknoir over the more popular Rotom because of Gravity. Not only does it mean flying and levitating monsters get hit by Spikes, but I can also EQ them, which I've found a few people forget about (bye-bye Bronzong). Pain Split is for healing, and Will-o-Wisp is there to do a bit of extra damage if they didn't get poisoned.

The psychic/dragon/ghost counter - Weavile.

Held Item : Leftovers
Nature : Jolly
EVs : 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
Moveset:
Pursuit
Ice Shard
Night Slash
Ice Punch

At this point in development, I realised that I had nothing to take out the common threats of psychic, ghost and dragons. Weavile, although INSANELY fragile, has the speed to pop-out and do its damage needed. I'm thinking of getting rid of Night Slash and Ice Punch, since I never use them. No idea what to put in, though.

If a Pokémon has to be removed from the team to accomodate another, I'd be okay getting rid of Weavile.

The "go to sleep while I kill you to death"-ist - Breloom

Held Item : Toxic Orb
Ability : Poison Heal
Nature : Jolly
EVs : 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Moveset
Spore
Seed Bomb
Superpower
Facade

I was fairly sure I'd need a way to induce sleep against certain foes, just to make them go away for a while or easier to kill. That's why Breloom is here. Seed Bomb and Superpower are great STAB attacks, and Facade takes advantage of the Toxic Orb/Poison Heal combo. I've found him to perform most admirably against a range of threats.

I know this team has weaknesses (the biggest I can see being a lack of fire and electric attacks for Scizor/Gyrados), but it still works rather well for me. All suggestions are appreciated.

Also, I'd like to point out something. I'd like to take this team onto my copy of Pokémon, so that's why I don't have any legendaries or Hidden Powers (I tried breeding a Porygon with HP Fighting, after days of trying I said "bother this nonsense" and gave up). I'd prefer if any suggestions avoided these, but I understand if there's no alternative.

 

[Zoomy]

Threat list

(I hope I've done this right)

Azelf: Weavile can pursuit this to death (unless Azelf has a fire attack)

Breloom: Skarm can brave bird it in the face, although I will throw put something else to take the inevitable Spore.

Celebi: Not encountered any yet.

Electivire: Electric. Dusknoir's EQ takes care of it.

Empoleon: Not encountered any yet.

Flygon: Weavile's Ice shard does plenty pain.

Gengar: EQ if gravity is in effect, otherwise pursuit from Weavile.

Gliscor: Weavile's Ice shard/punch.

Gyarados: My biggest weakness by far. Nothing I do seems to matter. Eep.

Heatran: Steel/Fire. EQ tends to stop him.

Heracross: Bug/Fighting. Skarm's Brave Bird can hurt Hera quite well.

Infernape: Fire/Fighting. Dusknoir's EQ is usually enough.

Jirachi: Not encountered any yet.

Kingdra: I don't think I have any counters.

Latias: Weavile usually takes care of Latias. Usually.

Lucario: Earthquake, hope for the best.

Machamp: Skarm's BB usually does the trick if DynamicPunch's confusion doesn't stop it.

Magnezone: Electric/Steel. EQ (possibly with gravity to stop Magnet rise).

Mamoswine: Not encountered any yet.

Metagross: I find EQ does the trick, although most Metagross' I fight tend to explode.

Ninjask: Ice shard or a gravity-aided EQ do the trick when I meet these, especially after SR damage. More annoying than a threat I find.

Porygon-Z: Normal. Breloom's Superpower often kills outright.

Rhyperior: Breloom's Seed Bomb kills after 1 or 2 hits.

Roserade: Ice attacks or Brave Bird.

Rotom-A: Weavile is fast enough to beat the Overheat most times.

Salamence: An Ice punch or two after Stealth Rock does the trick,

Scizor: Yet another big weakness. I whirlwind it and hope when it comes back SR and Spikes hurtif enough for a powerful blow (Superpower or EQ) to finish him.

Snorlax: Superpower, hope it doesn't Rest off the damage if it lives..

Starmie: Pursuit and Night-slash.

Suicune: All I can do is hope that the seed bombs kill it before the Ice-Beam kills Breloom.

Togekiss: Ice shard it, hope for the best.

Tyranitar: Yet another meaty 'mon I hope I can Roar away. If not, then Superpower and hope for the best.

Weavile: With 25% health gone with SR, I usually throw out Breloom and hope it can survive the Ice attacks. If it does, then 1 Superpower is all I need.

Yanmega: Same as Ninjask.

Zapdos: Earthquake after a Gravity from Dusknoir sometimes kills it, sometimes not. Depends if it's SubRoosting or not.

 

[ginganinja]

Rite well authough im only just getting into stall myself I will try and help you. Firstly Weavile MUST go. This is a stall team and what does weavile wall? Stuff all.
I know you rely on weavile to revenge but Weavile is only revenging once one of your pokemon has fainted. If a team member on a stall team faints it is harder to wall the metagame. With weavile on your team you, have only 4 stall members which means it incresses the strain on your stall members as they try to switching again and again. Drop weavile for a blissey as it is a staple on most (if not all) stall teams. Secondly while breloom has some merit in this team (sleeping threats immune to T-Spikes) the spread does not suit in in a stall team. I would recomend perhapes a Celebi which slightly helps against Gyarados and with Perish Song, can stop any last pokemon stat ups. Hope I helped

 

[jc104]

I disagree slightly with Ginganinja not in that Weavile should not be replaced, but that I think you should have a revenge killer. However, it should carry a choice scarf; firstly, most stall teams members are crippled by Trick, and this is often the only way to deal with it. Secondly, weavile fails against a number of threats that need revenge-killing, such as Gyarados. Examples of good scarfers for stall teams are Jirachi, Tyranitar, Rotom-A and Latias, since they all pack considerable bulk and chack a number of threats. I would say that Jirachi probably suits your team best, except that a few weaknesses would need covering, most notably to fire-type moves (mind you it is only as bad as it is with weavile.) Jirachi should run the following:

Jirachi @ choice scarf
Jolly
4hp 252atk 252spe
-Iron Head
-Thunderpunch
-Fire Punch
-Trick.

Note that trick provides an important "win condition" much like Perish song celebi, helping you deal with last-poke suicune, curselax etc.

Breloom with toxic spikes to me seems counter productive, given that many pokemon will be instantly immune to sleep upon entry to the field. Therefore I would suggest that Breloom be replaced. Ginganinja's suggestion of Blissey is sensible. She could help provide wish support for your team, whilst effectively resisting fire (Hippowdon takes physical fire well enough,) and taking considerable pressure off Tentacruel as a special wall.

I would suggest Rotom-H over dusknoir. Particularly if you replace Breloom, you do not benefit from Gravity much. Breloom, an imminently replaceable and defensively weak pokemon, is your only ground resistance under gravity. You also have no low accuracy moves to take advantage of Gravity. All in all, unless your team is based around it, Gravity is not a good idea. Rotom-A would provide and important ground immunity, and is much more threatening offensively (and Rotom now has pain split if you wish to use it.) I would suggest Thunderbolt/Shadow Ball/Overheat/Will-o-wisp.

Good luck.

 

[Aqueos]

I like gravity some, you just need to get gyra poisoned with that. It'll take 50% with gravity up and it'll get badly poisoned. Will o wisp is misplaced, as if your trying to poison everything you can't burn. If you drop weavile you could throw on ice punch to counter dragons. You might want taunt on something.

 

[Zoomy]

Will o wisp is misplaced, as if your trying to poison everything you can't burn.

That was actually the general idea, but the drop Weavile and throw on Ice Punch idea is a good one. I'm not sure what would be a better replacement, though. I'm thinking a special wall - either Blissey or Latias. Both have their advantages, both have their disadvantages.

As for Breloom, I do like him but I am willing to change the moveset or replace him for something else. Perhaps a better revenge killer as jc104 advised. Not sure what to do though.

 

[baddjordan]

Well since this is a stall team, I would recommend subloom
same stats, item and evs as yours
-spore
-seed bomb
-focus punch
-substitute
If you have a sub up, you can keep subing while they die from poison.
Superpower being used means breloom wont be around long (switch or dead)
Facade is strong on breloom, but I don't see why a normal attack is needed and also, sub suits this team.

 

[shuckleforou]

swap dusknoir for rotom h. it will help aleiviate your scizor weekness and is arguably a better spin blocker. i suggest a sleep talker set.
rotom-h@leftovers
bold 252hp 120def 136sdef
rest
sleep talk
discharge
will-o-wisp

this will help your scizor and your tyranitar weakness, it also makes an good check/ ocunter for gyarados. will o wisp can severly cripple these three. discharge has a 30% parylise chance which helps slow opponents down as most of your pokemon are quite slow.. also weevile is useless on this team he is way too frail for a team like this. i suggest swapping him for crocune as this helps shuffle and is very bulky, it also provides a check to dragons with ice beem.