Need help on paper

[Pokelol]

Hello Smogon. I really need your help on this one;

I made a VGC '12 for a smaller tournament in my country (I live in Denmark). It's not a real VGC, but it's going to be played after the rules run at an Official VGC'12 event. Before I go into the testing and breeding phase, I just wanted to know if there is anything I can improve on during my theory phase of the team-building, or if the team is at least "Okay". Before showing off the the team;

My team is based on Tailwind, and I would like to keep it at that, unless someone makes a really good point on using a different strategy. Anyways, the team is as follows;

Latios (M) @ Dragon Gem
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 4 Def / 248 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Tailwind
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunderbolt
- Protect

Here to set up Tailwind and do massive amounts of damage. The set pretty much speak for itself. Dragon Pulse is stab, Thunderbolt is coverage and for Ran team, Tailwind for team support and protect for the trend.

Medicham (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Pure Power
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Drain Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Protect
- Fake Out

After reading another Tailwind team post and the stuff that Medicham is possible of doing, I decided to add him to my team too. He lacks the kind of power I like to have on my team. Fake Out for obvious reasons, Zen Headbutt for Fighting types, Drain Punch for Dual-STAB and decent coverage and Protect for the fact it is trendy to use it in VGC. I was told something about a Medicham with at least 228 Speed under Tailwind will outspeed an Excadrill with Adamant nature and his +Speed ability under SandStorm (I think it was Voodoo Pimp who made the calculations). If it does, it sure is a bonus.

Chandelure (F) @ Fire Gem
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Heat Wave
- Energy Ball
- Protect
- Shadow Ball

I like Chandelure, okay ._. Chandelure is here mainly to counter Sun teams and hopefully damage Hail teams. Heat Wave to hit multiple targets, Energy Ball for the, I've read, "Oh so common" Gastrodon and other Water types (If I use it against Water types), Hidden Power [Ice] for coverage (And because I didn't know what else to use) and Protect for being trendy.

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 212 HP / 44 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Tailwind
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Protect

I needed the second Tailwind Support, and since Scizor wasn't so great an idea, maybe Zapdos is the pokemon I needed.

Mamoswine (M) @ Ice Gem
Trait: Snow Cloak
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Ice Shard
- Protect
- Earthquake
- Icycle Spear

I looked through Smogons Attack stat tier and found Mamoswine. I also lacked Ice moves for Dragons, where as Mamoswine came in handy. The set is also from Smogon, so not much to say. He can almost freely use Earthquake, since 3 of my pokemons have Protect (One being part Flying), Scizor won't take much damage and neither will my last member

Gastrodon (M) @ Rindo Berry
Trait: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Scald
- Recover

The hyped Gastrodon. He is tanking, hopefully dealing with Rain teams, Sun teams and Sand teams. Earth Power and Scald for dual STAB (I don't like hurting my team mates with Surf and chances of Muddy Water missing for me is 100% in crucial moments), Ice Beam is for covering Dragons, though when I have Mamoswin, it can be switched for something else, and Recover for healing. He may be my Swines partner, and would want to heal some of that Earthquake damage. Rindo Berry is for reducing Grass type moves damage, while most of my team will insta-kill a Grass type.

Hide

Latios (M) @ Dragon Gem
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 4 Def / 248 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Tailwind
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunderbolt
- Protect

Medicham (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Pure Power
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Drain Punch
- Zen Headbutt
- Protect
- Fake Out

Chandelure (F) @ Focus Sash
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Heat Wave
- Energy Ball
- Protect
- Shadow Ball

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 212 HP / 44 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Tailwind
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Protect

Mamoswine (M) @ Ice Gem
Trait: Snow Cloak
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Ice Shard
- Protect
- Earthquake

Gastrodon (M) @ Rindo Berry
Trait: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
- Scald
- Recover

Changes to consider:

 

[Drifblim]

This team looks a bit too reliant upon Tailwind. You should run something that reaches above 300 speed without Tailwind. Chandelure should probably be Modest, if Tailwind is up the speed boost from Timid won't make a difference. I don't see how he doesn't have Shadow Ball either, you have no other Ghost type attackers on the team. Replace HP Ice for it pretty definitely. Sash could be a handy item also, seeing as Chandelure isn't all that fast. Scizor should run a few Speed EV's so it can outrun Latios/ The Genies under Tailwind. Protect over Superpower might be good, Superpower's negative side effects can be pretty crippling to you. If anyone on the team is being replaced, Latios is the best gy to fill the spot, he's really fast and can have Tailwind

 

[Pokelol]

@Drifblim - After reading you post a couple of times, I see your point. Yea, I'm probably relying too much on Tailwind. A fast Sweeper outside of Tailwind seems to be a good idea. Maybe replacing Togekiss with a Tailwind Latios? And yea, I'm replacing HP Ice with Shadow Ball, since I have other covers for Dragon types. And, how much Speed EVs would it Scizor to outspeed Lati@s and the genies under Tailwind?

 

[voodoo pimp]

91, 101, and 135 are the golden Tailwind numbers from my experience. 91 outspeeds the genies (actually 90 beats them, but 91 also lets you beat base 70s with no speed investment out of Tailwind), 101 beats base 130s (that is, every relevant unboosted Pokémon), and 135 beats all the common Scarfers as well as outspeeding max speed base 70s when Tailwind isn't up (or go for 138 if you want to beat max speed Modest Kingdra).

 

[Dozz]

The Poke in this team I have most problems with, is the Scizor. First of all, I don't think it's a great user of tailwind, as it can easily be threatened. And with the above comments, it doesn't look like you'll bee needing tailwind a second time in this team. With moves like Acrobatics left in it's movepool, I'd get one of them in there, for better coverage.

Also, I'm not a big fan of Occa Scizor either. Even with Occa, it's still often OHKOd. You could do alot better, with a gem, particularly if you change to acrobatics. I can only echo the sentiments of the above two suggestions as well, there's no point carrying Chandelure without Shadow Ball!

 

[Pokelol]

So, replacing Scizor with something would be a good idea? Possibly with one of the members in the Bird trio?

I'm thinking about Drifblims suggestion of adding Latios. In that case;

Latios > Togekiss

Latios @ Dragon Gem
Modest nature
EVs: 252 Speed / 248 SpAtk / 4 HP / 4 Def

- Thunderbolt
- Dragon Pulse
- Tailwind
- Protect (Thinking of Psychich/Psychock, but I have Medicham)

And;

Zapdos @ ? (Probably Leftovers or anything that works)
Calm nature (I think would work the best)
EVs: 212 HP (Brings it to 192 HP, a lefties number?) / 252 SpDef / 46 Def

- Tailwind
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Protect

Any things I missed on those two? Going to edit the first pist

 

[Lucien Lachance]

I would use Psychic >> Thunderbolt on Latios. Psychic is a second STAB and hits Hitmontop and several other common threats.

 

[Drifblim]

Here is the Latios I would use:

Latios@Dracon Gem
Timid
6 HP, 252 Sp Atk, 252 Spd

Draco Meteor
Psychic
Tailwind
Protect

Draco Meteor would likely work better then Pulse, because it might be a bit suicidal. Latios could take a heavy hit whilst setting up, then be in the kill range of most other Pokes. Using Dragon Pulse's decreased value is a bad idea in that case, but if you use Pulse(which isn't necessarily a bad idea), try a different item. Psychic>Psyshock becuase most stuff it gets used on actually has better Def then SpDef, and you already have a Blissey/Chansey counter with Medicham. Tailwind because Tailwind, Protect because Protect, if you really wanted T-Bolt you could have that instead. Standard Zapdos could do better, bulkier to set up easier, you would just need to replace a Rock weak pokemon. I don't like the idea of removing Togekiss, awesome Flinch Hax with great speed under Tailwind must be pretty powerful. soooo Latios>Zappy probly

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