I love Monotype battles. To try to find a team of one type that can defeat all other type teams is an interesting puzzle. This team has evolved for a while now and has now peaked at #1 on the ladder. It has also won all but one tournament it has been entered in.
I chose a flying team because I liked the wide variety of secondry types that were avalible to it (which is important in a monotype team), as well as some very strong pokemon. There are three main problems with using a flying team, which are ice, electric and rock attacks. Stealth rock is also a major issue, as is the lack of a flying spinner. However toxic spikes and spikes are not an issue, and the number of people who set up those hazards on me even though I have a flying team is amazing.
Anyway, here is my team. If anyone has any suggestions for any improvements then I would welcome them, especially any ideas to deal with ice teams, which remain my biggest weakness.
Dragonite @ Lum berry
Trait: Multiscale
EV's: 56 Atk/ 252 SAtk/ 200 Spd
Nature: Mild (-Def/ +SAtk)
Draco meteor
Fire Blast
Earthquake
Extreme speed
Dragonite is a brilliant lead, able to take on the vast majority of leads and KO them, giving me an advantage early on. Draco meteor kills most things while earthquake and fire blast takes on any steels. Extreme speed is a great way to finish off pokemon that rely on a focus sash or sturdy trait to save them. With Multiscale it can take on nearly every attack with ease, even super effective ones. There are exceptions, Kyurem's Blizards will kill it easily, as will offensive Abnosnow. Lum berry allows it to come in on a spore from Breloom and then OHKO it, as well as other types of status.
His biggest weakness is specially bulky pokemon who either fly or have levitate. Jellicent is easily its biggest counter, as once I use Draco meteor on it (causing maybe 50% damage) I have to rely on either a weaker version of DM or a weak, NVE Fire blast while Jellicent recovers off the damage. Earthquake does less than 50% and gets weaker with burn from scald. But apart from that he's a very solid lead who can wreck a lot of unprepared teams single handed.
Zapdos @ leftovers
Trait: Lightning rod
EV's: 248 HP/ 228 Sdef/ 32 Spd
Nature: Calm (-Atk/ +SDef)
Thunderbolt
HP Fire
Roost
Toxic
A flying team has 3 main weakness'; Ice, Rock and electric. Zapdos is my main counter to electric attacks and attempts to be my best bet against ice attacks.
With Lightning rod it abosrbs any electric attack that it switchs into, not only without harm but with an increase to its special attack. The combo of Thunderbolt and HP fire deals damage to most things that aren't rock/ground or water/ground, and toxic allows it to stall out those with roost. The ev's are designed to absorb any non STAB ice attacks and roost off the damage, as well as some weaker STAB attacks. In fact dispite Gyrados having no weakness to ice, it's still a less reliable ice absorber than Zapdos.
Gyrados @ leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EV's: 152 HP/ 52 Atk/ 120 SDef/ 184 Spd
Nature: Carefull (-SAtk/ +SDef)
Waterfall
Stone edge
Dragon dance
Taunt
Tauntrados with a bit of Special defence investment makes this my secondry special attack absorber. The two moves give it good coverage, and dragon dance allows it to set up occasionally. Taunt stops setting up dead, and can destroy some pokemon's whole strategy. His massive weakness to electric attacks lets it down a bit, although it is a good bait for Zapos to come in and get a free Sp attack increase. Gyrados is vital to my team as a physical attacker/wall.
Skarmory @ leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EV's: 252 HP/ 252 Def/ 4 Spd
Nature: Impish (-SAtk/ +Def)
Brave bird
Stealth rock
Roost
Whirlwind
Skarmory is my physical wall, absorbing any rock attacks that come my way. Pokemon like scarf Heracross and physical Tyranitar have no answer to this thing, and it can even take weaker ice attacks for me. Since a lot of teams don't have a single strong special attack user Skarmory can sometimes just switch in and wall an entire team, using brave bird and whirlwind to cause mayhem. Normal, fighting and rock teams are the best examples, although special tyranitar, flamethrower blissey and Sucker cup Cradily cause problems.
Stealth rock is a recent addition, as for a long time he had spikes. However I finally felt that Stealth rock would help with the ice teams that cause me problems, as well as the strong bug and flying teams out there.
Landorus @ Choice scarf
Trait: Sheer force
EV's: 100 Atk/ 152 SAtk/ 252 Spd
Nature: Lonely (-Def/ + Att)
Earth power
Stone edge
U turn
Focus blast
The first of my choice scarfers. Because of the nature of Monotype teams it is much easier to sweep with a choice scarf, and Landorus is quite good at it. With an immunity to electric attacks (but sadly not to ice, or even close to it) it can switch in on certain attacks and sweep. The mixed stats allow it to sweep with either attack stat, while U turn lets it scout. Landorus is nomally left till the end or to finish off weakend opponents.
Togekiss @ Choice scarf
Trait: Serene grace
EV's: 4 HP/ 252 SAtk/ 252 Spd
Nature: Timid (-Atk/ +Spd)
Air Slash
Aura blast
Roost
Trick
Togekiss is my second choice scarfer, with trick allowing me to deal with bulky pokemon who may want to set up. Air slash allows it to flinch 60% of the time, which will often allow it to 2KO alot of pokemon without any damage. Aura blast helps with ice teams, Hopefully taking out a few pokemon that would otherwise destroy me. Between Skarmory and Togekiss fighting teams really struggle against this team, as anything Togekiss doesn't destroy Skarmory will wall.
I chose a flying team because I liked the wide variety of secondry types that were avalible to it (which is important in a monotype team), as well as some very strong pokemon. There are three main problems with using a flying team, which are ice, electric and rock attacks. Stealth rock is also a major issue, as is the lack of a flying spinner. However toxic spikes and spikes are not an issue, and the number of people who set up those hazards on me even though I have a flying team is amazing.
Anyway, here is my team. If anyone has any suggestions for any improvements then I would welcome them, especially any ideas to deal with ice teams, which remain my biggest weakness.
Dragonite @ Lum berry
Trait: Multiscale
EV's: 56 Atk/ 252 SAtk/ 200 Spd
Nature: Mild (-Def/ +SAtk)
Draco meteor
Fire Blast
Earthquake
Extreme speed
Dragonite is a brilliant lead, able to take on the vast majority of leads and KO them, giving me an advantage early on. Draco meteor kills most things while earthquake and fire blast takes on any steels. Extreme speed is a great way to finish off pokemon that rely on a focus sash or sturdy trait to save them. With Multiscale it can take on nearly every attack with ease, even super effective ones. There are exceptions, Kyurem's Blizards will kill it easily, as will offensive Abnosnow. Lum berry allows it to come in on a spore from Breloom and then OHKO it, as well as other types of status.
His biggest weakness is specially bulky pokemon who either fly or have levitate. Jellicent is easily its biggest counter, as once I use Draco meteor on it (causing maybe 50% damage) I have to rely on either a weaker version of DM or a weak, NVE Fire blast while Jellicent recovers off the damage. Earthquake does less than 50% and gets weaker with burn from scald. But apart from that he's a very solid lead who can wreck a lot of unprepared teams single handed.
Zapdos @ leftovers
Trait: Lightning rod
EV's: 248 HP/ 228 Sdef/ 32 Spd
Nature: Calm (-Atk/ +SDef)
Thunderbolt
HP Fire
Roost
Toxic
A flying team has 3 main weakness'; Ice, Rock and electric. Zapdos is my main counter to electric attacks and attempts to be my best bet against ice attacks.
With Lightning rod it abosrbs any electric attack that it switchs into, not only without harm but with an increase to its special attack. The combo of Thunderbolt and HP fire deals damage to most things that aren't rock/ground or water/ground, and toxic allows it to stall out those with roost. The ev's are designed to absorb any non STAB ice attacks and roost off the damage, as well as some weaker STAB attacks. In fact dispite Gyrados having no weakness to ice, it's still a less reliable ice absorber than Zapdos.
Gyrados @ leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EV's: 152 HP/ 52 Atk/ 120 SDef/ 184 Spd
Nature: Carefull (-SAtk/ +SDef)
Waterfall
Stone edge
Dragon dance
Taunt
Tauntrados with a bit of Special defence investment makes this my secondry special attack absorber. The two moves give it good coverage, and dragon dance allows it to set up occasionally. Taunt stops setting up dead, and can destroy some pokemon's whole strategy. His massive weakness to electric attacks lets it down a bit, although it is a good bait for Zapos to come in and get a free Sp attack increase. Gyrados is vital to my team as a physical attacker/wall.
Skarmory @ leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EV's: 252 HP/ 252 Def/ 4 Spd
Nature: Impish (-SAtk/ +Def)
Brave bird
Stealth rock
Roost
Whirlwind
Skarmory is my physical wall, absorbing any rock attacks that come my way. Pokemon like scarf Heracross and physical Tyranitar have no answer to this thing, and it can even take weaker ice attacks for me. Since a lot of teams don't have a single strong special attack user Skarmory can sometimes just switch in and wall an entire team, using brave bird and whirlwind to cause mayhem. Normal, fighting and rock teams are the best examples, although special tyranitar, flamethrower blissey and Sucker cup Cradily cause problems.
Stealth rock is a recent addition, as for a long time he had spikes. However I finally felt that Stealth rock would help with the ice teams that cause me problems, as well as the strong bug and flying teams out there.
Landorus @ Choice scarf
Trait: Sheer force
EV's: 100 Atk/ 152 SAtk/ 252 Spd
Nature: Lonely (-Def/ + Att)
Earth power
Stone edge
U turn
Focus blast
The first of my choice scarfers. Because of the nature of Monotype teams it is much easier to sweep with a choice scarf, and Landorus is quite good at it. With an immunity to electric attacks (but sadly not to ice, or even close to it) it can switch in on certain attacks and sweep. The mixed stats allow it to sweep with either attack stat, while U turn lets it scout. Landorus is nomally left till the end or to finish off weakend opponents.
Togekiss @ Choice scarf
Trait: Serene grace
EV's: 4 HP/ 252 SAtk/ 252 Spd
Nature: Timid (-Atk/ +Spd)
Air Slash
Aura blast
Roost
Trick
Togekiss is my second choice scarfer, with trick allowing me to deal with bulky pokemon who may want to set up. Air slash allows it to flinch 60% of the time, which will often allow it to 2KO alot of pokemon without any damage. Aura blast helps with ice teams, Hopefully taking out a few pokemon that would otherwise destroy me. Between Skarmory and Togekiss fighting teams really struggle against this team, as anything Togekiss doesn't destroy Skarmory will wall.
