So I am new smogon and competitve and showdown, and I have no idea if my team is good or terrible. My elo hovers around the 1100 - 1300 mark. I am fairly sure my team doesn't have synergy, so I could use some suggestions.
Dragapult @ Choice Band
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Darts
- Phantom Force
- U-turn
- Steel Wing
Dragapult here is my physical sweeper, and he is fairly straight forward to use. Dragon darts absolutely annihilates everything, getting past focus sash and other 1 time hit effects. Phantom force is to give him a STAB physical ghost move, even though it does give opponents the opportunity to dodge or otherwise counter it. U-Turn is for pivoting, and Steel Wing is to deal with annoying fairies. He is typically used late-game, when I have worn them down with my other options such as the defensive core.
Hatterene-Gmax @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Def / 52 Spe
Bold Nature
- Psychic
- Draining Kiss
- Mystical Fire
- Calm Mind
This team lacks a way to actually get rid of hazards, so Hatterene here fulfills two roles. If you can read a stealth rock or spikes setup from ferrothorn, you can switch her in to bounce it back, then destroy with mystical fire. One problem I have is that she can't OHKO ferrothorn, but they will typically use knock off, which wont kill her. I then set her up with Calm Mind, and use Draining Kiss to heal here. The G-Max doesn't really matter, but since it is better than just standard Dynamax, it is here. Psychic is also here for more STAB coverage.
Darmanitan-Galar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Gorilla Tactics
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
- U-turn
My other physical sweeper. Darmanitan gets a free choice band from Gorilla Tactics, so I either choose Scarf or Band as a held item. I go with Scarf, allowing him to outspeed most of the meta, OHKOing Hydreigon and Dragapult with Icicle Crash, provided it doesn't miss. Flare Blitz allows him to counter other Darmanitans, as well as Ferrothorn. Earthquake is for killing Toxapex and other vulnerable mons. Because I choose scarf, if the opponent Dynamax's their Darmanitan, just use flare blitz. You will go first as they will loose their scarf if they had one, and if they didn't you outspeed anyway. Flare Blitz will then OHKO it, but you will probably be at 40% hp at that point. U-Turn is for pivoting.
Corsola-Galar @ Eviolite
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Strength Sap
- Haze
- Night Shade
The first part of my defensive core. Allows me to wall off physical threats. Can wall off a Scarfed Darmanitan, but will take over 50% damage from a banded one. Cursed body is great when it goes off, forcing a choiced enemy to either switch out or use struggle. One Strength Sap successfully works, you can spam it to keep Corsola alive, and eventually be able to use other moves. Will-O-Wisp will neuter physical threats, and at least deal some damage to tanks. Haze is here to give her the possibility of walling special sweepers and other tanks, as a strength Sap + Haze loop means infinite healing. Also for dealing with threats such as Gyarados. You want to watch out for Knock-Off, as it will cripple her defenses without Eviolite. Night shade is for consistent damage, usually 4-5 HKOing most enemies.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball
- Knock Off
I use Ferrothorn as a wall and my lead, to set up stealth rocks, and bait fire attacks into Toxapex. I typically start with leech seed, which usually forces the enemy to switch, where I can use knock off to deal with them. Gyro ball is great if you can anticipate a switch into Hatterene, as it will OHKO her. Also if Grimmsnarl first turn uses Thunder Wave and you aren't paralyzed, Gyro Ball will OHKO. Stealth Rock is my only hazard on this team. I used to run a variant with Spikes, giving Stealth Rock to Corsola, but I wanted more defensive options. Will absolutely die if a fire pokemon so much at looks at it funny, so keep away from fire.
Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Haze
- Toxic
- Scald
- Recover
Toxapex as another wall, especially useful switching into fire attacks that Ferrothorn dodges. By using Haze, she is able to stall threats such as Substitute Hydreigon, though not permanently, as we cannot break the substitute. Toxic is here to give us a DOT on the enemy, and by walling can slowly take down threats. Scald is here to give us some option when taunted, otherwise we would have to struggle. Recover is well recover. Allows us to sustain against threats while toxic wears them down. I have debated replacing this with Baneful Bunker, and relying on Black Sludge + Regenerator for heals, but I am not sure how that would work.
Dragapult @ Choice Band
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Darts
- Phantom Force
- U-turn
- Steel Wing
Dragapult here is my physical sweeper, and he is fairly straight forward to use. Dragon darts absolutely annihilates everything, getting past focus sash and other 1 time hit effects. Phantom force is to give him a STAB physical ghost move, even though it does give opponents the opportunity to dodge or otherwise counter it. U-Turn is for pivoting, and Steel Wing is to deal with annoying fairies. He is typically used late-game, when I have worn them down with my other options such as the defensive core.
Hatterene-Gmax @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 204 Def / 52 Spe
Bold Nature
- Psychic
- Draining Kiss
- Mystical Fire
- Calm Mind
This team lacks a way to actually get rid of hazards, so Hatterene here fulfills two roles. If you can read a stealth rock or spikes setup from ferrothorn, you can switch her in to bounce it back, then destroy with mystical fire. One problem I have is that she can't OHKO ferrothorn, but they will typically use knock off, which wont kill her. I then set her up with Calm Mind, and use Draining Kiss to heal here. The G-Max doesn't really matter, but since it is better than just standard Dynamax, it is here. Psychic is also here for more STAB coverage.
Darmanitan-Galar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Gorilla Tactics
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
- U-turn
My other physical sweeper. Darmanitan gets a free choice band from Gorilla Tactics, so I either choose Scarf or Band as a held item. I go with Scarf, allowing him to outspeed most of the meta, OHKOing Hydreigon and Dragapult with Icicle Crash, provided it doesn't miss. Flare Blitz allows him to counter other Darmanitans, as well as Ferrothorn. Earthquake is for killing Toxapex and other vulnerable mons. Because I choose scarf, if the opponent Dynamax's their Darmanitan, just use flare blitz. You will go first as they will loose their scarf if they had one, and if they didn't you outspeed anyway. Flare Blitz will then OHKO it, but you will probably be at 40% hp at that point. U-Turn is for pivoting.
Corsola-Galar @ Eviolite
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Strength Sap
- Haze
- Night Shade
The first part of my defensive core. Allows me to wall off physical threats. Can wall off a Scarfed Darmanitan, but will take over 50% damage from a banded one. Cursed body is great when it goes off, forcing a choiced enemy to either switch out or use struggle. One Strength Sap successfully works, you can spam it to keep Corsola alive, and eventually be able to use other moves. Will-O-Wisp will neuter physical threats, and at least deal some damage to tanks. Haze is here to give her the possibility of walling special sweepers and other tanks, as a strength Sap + Haze loop means infinite healing. Also for dealing with threats such as Gyarados. You want to watch out for Knock-Off, as it will cripple her defenses without Eviolite. Night shade is for consistent damage, usually 4-5 HKOing most enemies.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball
- Knock Off
I use Ferrothorn as a wall and my lead, to set up stealth rocks, and bait fire attacks into Toxapex. I typically start with leech seed, which usually forces the enemy to switch, where I can use knock off to deal with them. Gyro ball is great if you can anticipate a switch into Hatterene, as it will OHKO her. Also if Grimmsnarl first turn uses Thunder Wave and you aren't paralyzed, Gyro Ball will OHKO. Stealth Rock is my only hazard on this team. I used to run a variant with Spikes, giving Stealth Rock to Corsola, but I wanted more defensive options. Will absolutely die if a fire pokemon so much at looks at it funny, so keep away from fire.
Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Haze
- Toxic
- Scald
- Recover
Toxapex as another wall, especially useful switching into fire attacks that Ferrothorn dodges. By using Haze, she is able to stall threats such as Substitute Hydreigon, though not permanently, as we cannot break the substitute. Toxic is here to give us a DOT on the enemy, and by walling can slowly take down threats. Scald is here to give us some option when taunted, otherwise we would have to struggle. Recover is well recover. Allows us to sustain against threats while toxic wears them down. I have debated replacing this with Baneful Bunker, and relying on Black Sludge + Regenerator for heals, but I am not sure how that would work.
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