My very first single battles team!

[Spirelord]

I'm new to competitive battling, so I want to know if my team can be improved upon. If that means revamping the entire team, I'm all up for it. I just want some good, quality criticism. Without further ado, here it is:

The Team:

Strategy: Skarmory starts off by crippling the foe. When it dies, the sweepers sweep the crippled foe and the tank helps stall and annoy. As coup de grace, Ninjask BPs to physical sweeper, who wreaks havoc on everything. Tank may be reserved as the last resort if the physical sweeper fails somehow.

Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye

Nature: Jolly​

EVS: 252 def, 129 speed, 129 sp-def

-Stealth Rock
-Spikes
-Whirlwind
-Toxic

Classic Skarmory. Set up rocks and spikes to hurt incoming foes. Poison them to further cripple the opposing team. Whirlwind them away if they start becoming threatening, making a new victim to Skarmory's wrath pop out.

Kingdra @ Damp Rock
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Modest​

EVS: 252 Sp-Attack, 252 Speed, 6 HP

- Rain Dance
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Dragon Pulse

Rain Dance to set up. Kingdra just sweeps away. I don't know whether or not to make the nature Timid for a speed-emphasis, or Modest for an attack-emphasis. An attack-emphasis seems to be the most logical to me, since Swift Swim boosts Kingdra's speed by a considerable amount, though a higher speed is always good.
​

Gengar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid​

EVS: 252 Sp-Attack, 252 Speed, 6 HP

- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Thunderbolt

Gengar sweeps. With a good type coverage overall, he's got it made.
​

Ninjask @ Focus Sash

Ability: Speed Boost
Nature: Jolly​

EVS: 252 Speed (that's all that matters)

- Swords Dance
- Protect
- Baton Pass
- Screech

Sure it's cliché'd and overused, but it works. Protect, then swords dance, another protect, then BP, this guarentees at least +2 attack and +3 speed to the physical sweeper who switches in.

Electivire @ Focus Sash
Ability: Motor Drive
Nature: Adamant​

EVs: 252 att, 252 speed, 6 hp

- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch
- Earthquake
- Cross Chop

Once Ninjask BPs to this guy, he's unstoppable. His type coverage is amazingly broad, showing no weaknesses whatsoever. This is the trump card of the team.

Blissey @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Calm​

EVS: 252 SpDef, 252 HP, 6 Def

- Softboiled
- Substitute
- Seismic Toss
- Refresh

Good ole' Blissey. hiding behind a stuffed animal, she's perfectly safe. Refresh and Softboiled are aplenty for her to regain all her health. Seismic Toss is absolutely deadly. If some physical sweeper comes in, switch out to Gengar or Kingdra.

-------

In essence, that is my team. However, I get bored from using the same pokemon all the time, so I have a few good substitutes for the physical sweeper and the tank. They may not be as effective as Electivire or BLissey, but they add spice and variation to the game.

Electivire Substitutes:

Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
Nature: Adamant​

EVS: 252 Attack, 129 HP, 129 Def

- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Megahorn
- Avalanche

Great ability, great potential. If only his special defense were up to par, then that ability would be most useful against the most common moves used to kill him (Surf -_-). Good sweeping potential, though I'm a bit skeptic on whether or not his pitiful speed will be enough, even with Ninjask's boosts, to be on par with the all too common 300-speed-stat'd demons. I'd give him a speed boosting stat, but even with that, his speed is still utterly hopeless. But when he lands a punch, it's going to hurt.

Garchomp @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Veil
Nature: Adamant​

EVS: 252 att, 252 speed, 6 hp

- Crunch
- Stone Edge
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake

Standard sweeping Garchomp. Gotta love it.​

Rampardos @ Choice Scarf/Leftovers

Ability: Mold Breaker
Nature: Jolly​

EVs: 252 att, 252 speed, 6 hp

- Zen Headbutt
- Avalanche
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge

This guy's attack with a +2 in Attack added on is unstoppable. The problem? His speed. Even with a jolly nature and a +3 in speed, I'm not entirely sure he can keep up with the 300-speed-stats. If he can, Leftovers. If he can't, Choice Scarf, though that'd ruin his ability to be a trump card since he could only use one move. If anyone can do the math and see if a +3 in speed with a Jolly nature is fast enough for Rampardos to remain a threat, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Blissey Substitutes:

Torterra @ Leftovers
Ability: Overgrow
Nature: Impish​

EVS: 252 Def, 129 Hp, 129 Sp-Def

- Leech Seed
- Synthesis
- Wood Hammer
- Earthquake

The semi tank can afford to use Wood Hammer since leftovers and leech seed will easily replenish that HP, and there's always Synthesis for backup. A decent range of types are covered, and defenses are good enough to last a while.

Dusknoir @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Bold​

EVs: 252 Def, 252 Sp-Def, 6 HP

- Will-O-Wisp
- Night Shade
- Confuse Ray
- Pain Split

Kick it off with Confuse Ray for annoyance, burn to further cripple, and Night Shade to take out giant chuncks of the foe's health. A deadly combination to get trapped in. Pain Split both heals Dusknoir and injures his enemies very nicely.

Mismagius @ Leftovers
Ability: LevitateNature: Bold​

EVS: 252 SpDef, 252 Def, 6 HP

- Mean Look
- Perish Song
- Confuse Ray
- Pain Split

Confuse the foe. Trap with Mean Look afterward. Sing the Perish Song to finish the foe off in three moves. Switch out at last minute to seal the foe's fate yet keep your own life. Pain Split in case of an emergency. She's used in vital situations, when an annoying tank or sweeper gets in the team's way.

-------

That wraps everything up. I look forward to everyone's help and ratings. Thanks. ^_^
​

 

[thetorsoboy]

Your team seems really well thought out, and you've got a lot to choose from. I don't have much to say, but you'll learn what doesn't work through testing.

Also, Focus Blast on that Gengar would benefit more than Energy ball.

 

[Juuka]

Skarmory's EVs are terrible, simply max out HP/Def. I don't think it's a good lead with all of the random Taunt/Stealth Rock Azelf/Aerodactyl/Deoxys-S around, and you don't have Taunt to beat slower leads.

Ninjask should probably be your lead as it outspeeds Azelf and Aerodactyl and can kill the former with X-Scissor (which it should have over Screech). It can also kill Deoxys-S after a speed boost. It also facilitates passing to Electivire, as Stealth Rock is so common and Focus Sash is wasted on it.

Refresh is quite pointless on Blissey since most of the time she isn't bothered by status aside from Toxic, which you should be switching out of anyway and activating Natural Cure.

 

[twilightwolf90]

Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye

Nature: Jolly​

EVS: 252 def, 129 speed, 129 sp-def

-Stealth Rock
-Spikes
-Whirlwind
-Toxic

You won't get too much time to set up on foes. Like, MAYBE, 2 turns. Bronzong leads will lol in your face.

Kingdra @ Damp Rock
Ability: Swift Swim
Nature: Modest​

EVS: 252 Sp-Attack, 252 Speed, 6 HP

- Rain Dance
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Dragon Pulse

Look it up in the analysis. There are critical speed numbers in there.
http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/kingdra
​

Gengar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Timid​

EVS: 252 Sp-Attack, 252 Speed, 6 HP

- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Thunderbolt

Focus blast or hypnosis over Energy Ball.
​

Ninjask @ Focus Sash

Ability: Speed Boost
Nature: Jolly​

EVS: 252 Speed (that's all that matters)

- Swords Dance
- Protect
- Baton Pass
- Screech

Substitute or X-Scissor over screech.

Electivire @ Focus Sash
Ability: Motor Drive
Nature: Adamant​

EVs: 252 att, 252 speed, 6 hp

- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch
- Earthquake
- Cross Chop

Use Expert Belt for better damage instead of FS, because SS and SR and variants screw FS off the bat.

Blissey @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Calm​

EVS: 252 SpDef, 252 HP, 6 Def

- Softboiled
- Substitute
- Seismic Toss
- Refresh

Use Aromatherapy over Refresh (which is an XD move iirc). Also, use Ice Beam or Tbolt over sub, otherwise, you will get walled by ghosts.
Once again, look at the analysis: http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/blissey​

Good job so far. Just tidy up on a couple of things and you are good to go. If this is a Shoddy team, you might want to look into HP Electric/Grass on Kingdra.

 

[Stagnant]

I would consider Roost on Skarm for longevity and walling purposes.

Mixed Kingdra may be better suited for your team not only becuase it is a great wall breaker but you allow Ninjask to have more than one target to baton Pass to.

Consider Hypnosis for Gengar for a 'surprise' and/ or Destiny Bond/ Explosion to hopefully grab a attempt KO when Gengar's HP is low. Personally I would run both Hypnosis and Explosion as they can mess with your oppenent once they figure out he is scarfed.

Ninjask seems to be a floater as you only have 2 pokemon that would benefit from the BP speed boosts and only Electavire would benifit from the Swords Dance. Screech won't scare anything away so you could try Attract, Harden, Metal Claw, Swagger, Substitue, and Toxic. Toxic, Attract, and Swagger would work nicely with Protect and every poke would benifit from a 'free' substitute.

Aromatherapy over Refesh on Blissey as already stated. Blissey is a team player. But if you don't mind status you could try Charm, Sing, T-Wave. Toxic, Flamethrower, T-Bolt, and/ or Ice Beam.

It is probablly best that you don't max out HP Evs on Blissey because if I remember correctly it only adds >15% of her Maximum life. Better off going with Defense to help shrug hit off from weaker phsyical attacks.

Garchomp is better off having something to boost is already incredible stats. Choice Scarf would work nicely with the set you have there. Choice Band Outrage can put a hurting on something but isnt recomended due to the ability of being 'walled'. SD Chomp is pretty effective aswell.

Ryperior needs (near max) speed in order to benifit from Ninjasks speed passes. As max speed adamant fails to outrun ~120 BST Speed Pokes.

As for Rampardos, he could just run Choice Band. Passing speed to him is almost futile he is very fragile and requires alot of speed to be effective.

 

[Spirelord]

Would this be good for a fixed Rhyperior then:

Rhyperior
Ability: Solid Rock​

Nature: Jolly​

Held Item: Leftovers​

Earthquake​

Stone Edge​

Megahorn​

Avalanche​

EVS: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 6 HP

Or should I add on a Choice Scarf as well?


I'll switch out Skarmory for Bronzong too.
​

 

[faint]

It seems as though everyone is saying how good of a team this is, when it's really not that good. I'm curious to know how you beat a Swords Dance / Bullet Punch / Extreemspeed Lucario?

With Stealth Rock up, Skarmory is KO'd by Close Combat after it has used Swords Dance. The rest of your team is obliterated by the rest of his moves. I would really consider a Gliscor with Taunt/Stealth Rock / Ice Fang / Earthquake / Roost over Skarmory. Use the standard 6/252/252 spread for him. You could always just use 180 Defence, and 78 Speed to outrun Jolly Tyranitar.

Blissey wants a Ice Beam over Substitute, and Toxic or Thunder Wave over Refresh. Change her EV's to 252 Def / 242 SpD / 16 HP.

Replace Psychic on Gengar with either Focus Blast, Hypnosis, or Destiny Bond. Psychic has shit coverage and should only be used if a Pokemon has STAB on it, which Gengar does not.

Ninjask does not just care about speed, since if your not using X-Scisser can be thrown into HP if your were smart.

I can honestly say that I can't see this team beating teams in todays metagame. It to me looks more like a team that has Pokemon that worked alot better when D/P first came out.

 

[Atticus]

I can honestly say that I can't see this team beating teams in todays metagame. It to me looks more like a team that has Pokemon that worked alot better when D/P first came out.

Thats what i thought too, it looks like an early D/P team, oh how we have evolved!

 

[Everstone]

Your team lacks synergy. Two Pokemon are completely shut down by Taunt. Running a leading Skarm is not a good idea with all the random Taunters out there. Also, Rain Dance Kingdra and nothing else to take advantage of the rain? Not even Thunder on things like E-vire? Refresh is absolutely pointless on Blissey when it gets Aromatherapy and Heal Bell, which does the same thing as Refresh except it heals the entire party of status at the cost of less PP.

 

[Lee]

Locked on OP's request.