Standard Team
Team at a glance:
The Lead
Azelf (M) @ Focus Sash
Nature: Naive
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Explosion
- Fire Blast
I use Azelf as an aggressive lead that can hopefully blow away a pokemon or two before it goes out or at least get up Stealth Rock. Psychic is for fire leads like Infernape and Fire Blast is for metal leads like Metagross. When I'm done with Azelf I use Explosion if necessary. Is it sometimes better to switch and save explosion later on when it is less predictable or avoidable? Taunt put in over Psychic to help against leads like Bronzong to stop them from setting up. Fireblast + Explosion is used for fire leads like Infernape. The only downside to that is that I have a 15% chance of not getting the KO and if Infernape decides to switch out it it will be free without much damage taken and whatever switches in might be able to take the explosion.
The Special Sweeper / Choice Specs
Jolteon (M) @ Choice Specs
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
-Thunderbolt
-Hidden Power Ice
-Shadow Ball
-Baton Pass
Jolteon is one of my favorite pokemon for its speed and power. It would be nice to switch into an electric type move but I don't have any pokemon on my team who fear electric. Maybe if I did it would be better? Still it seems a little situational. Thunderbolt is my basic STAB move mainly for neutral damage. Hidden Power Grass is for bulky water types that resist Thunderbolt like Swampert. Shadow Ball is for Ghost types like the Rotom forms. Baton Pass is for dry passing my way out of a battle in a way that allows me to scout my opponent's team better. Hidden Power Ice for better type coverage although currently I have three other pokemon that have an ice type move so I'm thinking Hidden Power Grass would be better to balance things out maybe. If I changed my Swampert set then I would potentially have two other pokemon with an ice move.
The Physical Wall / Bulky Water / Pseudo Hazer
Empoleon (M) @ Leftovers
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
-Ice Beam
-Surf
-Roar
-Grass Knot
This Empoleon is replacing Gliscor. Gliscor had a redundant resistance to electric type attacks that Jolteon and Swampert already had and didn't help with my weakness against Salamence. On this set special defense is not of concern because I have two other pokemon that can help switch in to patch up an electric weakness. Instead this serves as my physical wall and can be used against Salamence with Outrage and take it down with Ice Beam. Roar is good for psuedo hazing which until now I didn't have on my team.
Choice Band
Swampert (M) @ Choice Band
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 108 HP / 204 Atk / 96 Def / 100 Spe
-Earthquake
-Ice Punch
-Stone Edge
-Waterfall
I switch this Swampert in on something it resists and then make a prediction for what move to use. If I used Jolteon to scout my opponent's team some then that might help me decide which move to use. My opponent probably won't expect my Swampert to have Choice Band so that gives me an upper hand in my prediction. Swampert is here to serve the role as a bulky water type and add some firepower and type coverage to my team. ExplorerAce suggested that I make this a defensive sleep talker set. I was hesitant though because I now have Empoleon serving as my defensive bulky water set. Perhaps something different from Swampert altogether could go here like a Mamoswine or Tyranitar or something.
The Late Game Sweeper
Lucario (M) @ Life Orb
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
-Swords Dance
-Close Combat
-Extreme Speed
-Ice Punch
I picked Ice Punch over Stone Edge because I already have a couple pokemon with Stone Edge and no ice type moves on my team. It's also useful for countering Gliscor. Since my only Special Sweeper is Jolteon, whose main move is resisted by Gliscor and is weak to Earthquake, Lucario can help out along with Swampert. My main goal, though, is to save Lucario for as long as I can and then send him out to sweep, setting up a Swords Dance if I have time. It may be better if I pass Swords Dance to him with Baton Pass from Gliscor. Close Combat destroys Blissey and just about anything weak against fighting type moves. If a defensive pokemon takes a Close Combat hit and survives then I have a good chance of knocking them out with Extreme Speed. Extreme Speed also helps me take out any pokemon that was previously weakened during the battle.
The Special Wall
Blissey @ Leftovers
Nature: Calm
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 80 SpA / 176 SpD
-Wish
-Protect
-Flamethrower
-Toxic
This is my choice for a special wall for the team. Flamethrower is for steel types that often have fighting type moves. I use Wish and Protect together to stall and scout my opponent's moves. Toxic can be used against bulkier pokemon to make them easier to take out later on. I also use Blissey to switch in on ghost type moves that might be used against my lead Azelf.
I just wanted to make a solid and balanced team but I need some pointers. My first team I put here was so bad that no one helped. This one is probably also so bad that no one would help. I know I suck at the game but that's why I could use a little bit of help. I'm going to strive to get better and better at this. Any advice will help out along the way.
First Team Edit: Red.
Team at a glance:
The Lead
Azelf (M) @ Focus Sash
Nature: Naive
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Explosion
- Fire Blast
I use Azelf as an aggressive lead that can hopefully blow away a pokemon or two before it goes out or at least get up Stealth Rock. Psychic is for fire leads like Infernape and Fire Blast is for metal leads like Metagross. When I'm done with Azelf I use Explosion if necessary. Is it sometimes better to switch and save explosion later on when it is less predictable or avoidable? Taunt put in over Psychic to help against leads like Bronzong to stop them from setting up. Fireblast + Explosion is used for fire leads like Infernape. The only downside to that is that I have a 15% chance of not getting the KO and if Infernape decides to switch out it it will be free without much damage taken and whatever switches in might be able to take the explosion.
The Special Sweeper / Choice Specs
Jolteon (M) @ Choice Specs
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
-Thunderbolt
-Hidden Power Ice
-Shadow Ball
-Baton Pass
Jolteon is one of my favorite pokemon for its speed and power. It would be nice to switch into an electric type move but I don't have any pokemon on my team who fear electric. Maybe if I did it would be better? Still it seems a little situational. Thunderbolt is my basic STAB move mainly for neutral damage. Hidden Power Grass is for bulky water types that resist Thunderbolt like Swampert. Shadow Ball is for Ghost types like the Rotom forms. Baton Pass is for dry passing my way out of a battle in a way that allows me to scout my opponent's team better. Hidden Power Ice for better type coverage although currently I have three other pokemon that have an ice type move so I'm thinking Hidden Power Grass would be better to balance things out maybe. If I changed my Swampert set then I would potentially have two other pokemon with an ice move.
The Physical Wall / Bulky Water / Pseudo Hazer
Empoleon (M) @ Leftovers
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
-Ice Beam
-Surf
-Roar
-Grass Knot
This Empoleon is replacing Gliscor. Gliscor had a redundant resistance to electric type attacks that Jolteon and Swampert already had and didn't help with my weakness against Salamence. On this set special defense is not of concern because I have two other pokemon that can help switch in to patch up an electric weakness. Instead this serves as my physical wall and can be used against Salamence with Outrage and take it down with Ice Beam. Roar is good for psuedo hazing which until now I didn't have on my team.
Choice Band
Swampert (M) @ Choice Band
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 108 HP / 204 Atk / 96 Def / 100 Spe
-Earthquake
-Ice Punch
-Stone Edge
-Waterfall
I switch this Swampert in on something it resists and then make a prediction for what move to use. If I used Jolteon to scout my opponent's team some then that might help me decide which move to use. My opponent probably won't expect my Swampert to have Choice Band so that gives me an upper hand in my prediction. Swampert is here to serve the role as a bulky water type and add some firepower and type coverage to my team. ExplorerAce suggested that I make this a defensive sleep talker set. I was hesitant though because I now have Empoleon serving as my defensive bulky water set. Perhaps something different from Swampert altogether could go here like a Mamoswine or Tyranitar or something.
The Late Game Sweeper
Lucario (M) @ Life Orb
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
-Swords Dance
-Close Combat
-Extreme Speed
-Ice Punch
I picked Ice Punch over Stone Edge because I already have a couple pokemon with Stone Edge and no ice type moves on my team. It's also useful for countering Gliscor. Since my only Special Sweeper is Jolteon, whose main move is resisted by Gliscor and is weak to Earthquake, Lucario can help out along with Swampert. My main goal, though, is to save Lucario for as long as I can and then send him out to sweep, setting up a Swords Dance if I have time. It may be better if I pass Swords Dance to him with Baton Pass from Gliscor. Close Combat destroys Blissey and just about anything weak against fighting type moves. If a defensive pokemon takes a Close Combat hit and survives then I have a good chance of knocking them out with Extreme Speed. Extreme Speed also helps me take out any pokemon that was previously weakened during the battle.
The Special Wall
Blissey @ Leftovers
Nature: Calm
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 Def / 80 SpA / 176 SpD
-Wish
-Protect
-Flamethrower
-Toxic
This is my choice for a special wall for the team. Flamethrower is for steel types that often have fighting type moves. I use Wish and Protect together to stall and scout my opponent's moves. Toxic can be used against bulkier pokemon to make them easier to take out later on. I also use Blissey to switch in on ghost type moves that might be used against my lead Azelf.
I just wanted to make a solid and balanced team but I need some pointers. My first team I put here was so bad that no one helped. This one is probably also so bad that no one would help. I know I suck at the game but that's why I could use a little bit of help. I'm going to strive to get better and better at this. Any advice will help out along the way.
First Team Edit: Red.
