New User, and my first OU team (with standard smogon sets)

_Arthok_

Hi, I'm new to the forums. First of all, Hello Everyone!! I'm new to the competitive environment of Pokemon, and i want to learn from everyone =) There goes my team:

Hippowdown@Leftovers
Sandstream
Impish-252 HP/16 atk/152 def/90 sp. def
-Earthquake
-Roar
-Stealth Rock
-Slack Off

This is my lead pkmn. I start by using Stealth Rock, then abuse Roar to deal damage to a random pkmn of my opponent. If there happens to appear a Rapid Spin'er faster than Hippowdown, I'll try to EQ it if possible, and kill it, or Roar it and re-cast Stealth Rock. I don't mind if hippo dies after Stealth Rock, and if the enemy's rapid spinner is killed, yay! =D And let's not forget Sandstream.

Jirachi@Leftovers
Serene Grace
Timid-80 HP/254 Sp. Atk/176 speed
-Calm Mind
-Grass Knot
-Hidden Power Ice
-Psychic

I can safely switch-in Jirachi thanks to it's typing after many pkmn that may be a threat to the rest of my team. Then, first I proceed to Calm Mind, then start a possible sweep with either Psychic, Grass Knot or Hidden Power Ice (whichever is the most effective against the other pkmn).

Magnezone@Life Orb
Magnet Pull
Mild-88 HP/88 atk/248 Sp. Atk/86 speed
-Explosion
-Flash Cannon
-Hidden Power Ice
-Thunderbolt

Again, another pkmn that resist Sandstream. Qith Magnezone i can defeat almost every flying/grass pokemon trying to kill Hippowdown. Finally, if Magnezone is going to die, I just go Boom (Explosion).

Suicune@Leftovers
Pressure
Bold-252 HP/252 Def/6 speed
-Rest
-Roar
-Surf
-Sleep Talk

Another pkmn to abuse of the Stealth Rock-Roar combo. With this set, I can hit with Surf for average damage and resist the enemies attacks pretty well, and if a counter appears, I just Roar-it-off to be safe. If Suicune gets hurt... Sleep and Rest Talk. Pretty simple.

PorygonZ@Life Orb
Adaptability
Lonely-6 HP/252 Sp. Atk/252 speed
-Dark Pulse
-Hidden Power Fighting
-Nasty Plot
-Tri Attack

I like this guy. He's pretty fast and hits really hard, but it's a glass cannon. If I switch in after a sandstream kills a pkmn, I can Nast Plot safely and then attemp a sweep with Tri-Attack. Then I have dark pulse or Hidden Power Fighting if the opposing pkmn resists it.

Heatran@Life Orb
Flash Fire
Modest-228 HP/252 Sp. Atk/30 speed
-Fire Blast
-Hidden Power Grass
-Metal Sound
-Earthpower

With Heatran, I can protect Jirachi and Magnezone from opposing fire pkmn, and then abuse of the power-up Heatran receives and start sweeping through their team. Heatran can also lock the enemies crippling moves (will o wisp, thunder wave...) and keep them from powering-up (calm mind, bulk up...). Also, with Metal SoundI lower their defenses, so Fire Blast or Hidden Power Grass can destroy them.

Sorry if my english is bad =P Every comment is welcome ^_^

EDIT: Ok, I changed some of the pokemons in the team.

Jirachi ---> Metagross

Metagross@Choice Scarf
Clear Body
Adamant-100 HP/252 Atk/100 Def/58 Sp. Def
-Ice Punch
-Meteor Mash
-Thunderpunch
-Zen Headbutt

I needed a physical sweeper, and Metagross hits hard and can resist fighting attacks, like Jirachi, but better. Also, hits harder and has Meteor Mash.

Suicune ---> Gyarados

Gyarados@Leftovers
Adamant
156 HP / 108 Atk / 100 Def / 144 Spe
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

After a few battles, I decided to change suicune for Gyarados. I really needed another physical sweeper, and Gyarados has won me a lot of matches with some of my friends. Outspeeding and OHKO'ing half a team with Gyarados was wonderfull.

Porygon-Z ---> Dragonite

Dragonite@Light Clay
Inner Focus
Calm-248 HP/216 Sp. Def/44 speed
-Dragon Pulse
-Light Screen
-Thunder Wave
-Toxic / Roost

I really needed a support pkmn, and I think Dragonite fits in my team the best. With Thunder Wave I can cripple fast sweepers in switch-ins, and with Toxic I can screw up with physical or special walls like Blissey or opposing Hippowdowns.
 
Welcome to smogon _Arthok_. Now on to the team,

Due to salamence getting outrage and scizor getting bullet punch in platinum, I'd suggest giving hippowdon 252 / 252 hp and defense. On heatran I'd suggest changing taunt for Earthpower. This is a must as you can KO other heatrans on the switch, and hit fire types for super-effective damage. Most pokemon will just switch out after you metal sound them so I'd suggest giving heatran a Naive nature and replacing metal sound with explosion. You could potentially remove blissey from the match and help porygon-2 sweep. Go with 252 / 252 sp. atk and speed on heatran, so you have a 50% chance of getting winning the speed tie against other heatran.

Porygon-2 isn't fast enough to sweep anymore. With scizor's bullet punch and Scarf Heatran everywhere it is unlikely you'll be able to pull of a sweep with nasty plot. Therefore I suggest you give it a choice scarf and replace Hidden Power Fighting and Nasty Plot with Ice Beam and Thunderbolt.

Replace hidden power [Ice] on jirachi with either substitute or wish, the decision depends on whether you want protection from status and critical hits or the ability to heal yourself and the rest of your team.

Give hippowdon Ice fang over roar so you can deal with salamence better. You already have a phazer in suicune so its not too big of a deal.
 
Just to say that lonely nature on porygon z is completely useless unless you're using the gimmck set with return to deal with blissey. Make it timid if you plan to use nasty plot or modest and give it a scarf.
 
Just chiming in after reading Panmaxis's post, do not rely on Hippo to counter Salamence, as you will more than likely die to a mixmences Draco Meteor.

Also adding that PorygonZ is not viable in this metagame as the meta is completely dominated by steel types, many of which take neutral damage from HP Fighting. I suggest you replace with something like Zapdos or Specs/Mixmence, as your team is majorly ground and fighting weak. You've got 3 pokemon weak to ground and 3 pokemon weak to fighting attacks and no restances.
 
First, I will disagree with some of panamaxis' ideas. Firstly, Hippowdon: you don't really get much effect from maxing your Defense. Outrage only does 5% less, and as it wasn't OHKOing in the first place, it makes no sense to waste your EVs there. But I agree on getting Ice Fang, since it's your only hope to kill it.

Then, Porygon-Z can pull of a sweep, but that depends wether you already have cleared the field for such measures. With Magnezone killing Scizor, and everybody using the Sub-Heatran-set, rather than the Scarfed one, those two does not stand in the way, really. What you need to be most worried about is faster Pokémon in general, as anyone with a powerful STAB move will make short work of Porygon-Z really. To pull of a PZ-sweep, you will need, in addition to Magnezone killing Steels - and perhaps a Dugtrio?, Thunder Wave, crippling the speedy ones, so that when PZ enters the field, it will be the fastest Pokémon. That can be difficult, and requires that you change almost your entire team, so I would advice you just to ditch PZ in favour of a more effective sweeper. I'll give some thoughts on which later on.

Also, I think Substitute is the best option to replace HP Ice on Jirachi, just make sure you give it 252 HP EVs, to make 101-HP-Subs, preventing Blissey from breaking them with Seismic Toss.

Then, Magnezone wants some Speed. With Naive nature and 216 Speed EVs you reach 231 Speed, outspeeding 252 Scizor as well as 252 Tyranitar. You might also opt for Substitute and/or Magnet Rise, as you won't OHKO Forry or Bronzong without Specs, and both can strike back with Earthquake. Flash Cannon is your less needed move, in case.

Metal Sound Heatran is also very potent, forcing a lot of switches, racking up Stealth Rock and Sandstorm damage, including making short work of a lot of Heatrans counters. With the set you have now, you actually 2HKO Blissey with Fire Blast, and OHKO standard Vaporeon with HP Grass. So in my opinion, don't switch to an Exploding variant, and keep Modest as you need that to kill Bliss and Vappy.
But obviously, Dragon and other Fire Pokémon, other Heatran in particular, will wall Heatran, so you need something decent to take care of that.

Then, to your overall synergy. Personally, I find Suicune to be somewhat a dead weight. Fine, it lives forever and it absorbs status, but all in all, Hippowdon and Suicune are both Defensive walls, and Suicune doesn't really provide all that much in useful resistances for you. I think Suicune can go. Then I think PZ, as i said, should go. Then, you are obviously very weak to Ground. Not many Ground-Pokémon will get past Hippowdon easily (or at all), but you still need something to resist it. I think Celebi is your key. It helps with both the Fighting and Ground-weakness, and also gives you a nice Water-resist, while all of it's weaknesses are types you've already got covered. Then it can help out with a lot of support moves like Leech Seed, Thunder Wave or Perish Song, and also usually draws in Scizor and Forretress, allowing you to kill them with Magnezone. Make sure it has Grass Knot and Recover, but apart from that, use whichever moves suits you. Also, use a Bold Nature and 252 HP/220 Def/36 Spe, to maintain the needed Bulk to wall Ground and Fight-pokes.
Slowbro can also be a decent option, because it will handle as good as any Fire Pokémon, as well as providing much the same resistances as Celebi, minus the Ground-resistance. Slowbro also gets Thunder Wave if that was your preferred move.

On a general basis, your team is also very weak to Special walls. Heatran can get past them with Metal Sound, and Jirachi can set up on a lot of them, but they aren't really all that reliable, as Jirachi needs a hell of a lot of CMs under it's belt to be killing Blissey, while Heatran "only" manages a 2HKO after Metal Sound, which obviously requires you to effectively use Metal Sound.. I think the last slot can be filled by Gyarados. It's two weaknesses are already well covered, it resists Fire, Ground and Fight, three types that can provide problems, and also after a Dragon Dance, it can give you some needed Speed and offensive force.

Gyarados@Leftover
[Adamant]
252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP OR 156 HP / 108 Atk / 100 Def / 144 Spe
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Taunt/Ice Fang/Earthquake
 
Thank you for the comments, really =P
About my weakness against special walls... yeah, I figured that while I was leaving school... And about Porygon-Z, hmm... it's difficult to sweep with Tri-Attack, and I was wondering about keep using him or not. Now I see that Celebi (or another Grass pkmn) can cover up his possition as a sweeper, or as a supporter, something my team really needs. And yeah, Suicune is really a defensive wall, but can't kill anything on his own. Gyarados seems a cool substitute. I'll try a few battles with it in the team =)
Again, thanks for the comments. If someone else wants to say something, do so please ^^

PD: Don't call me _Arthok_, Arthok is fine xD (I registered as Arthok with a Hotmail account, buuut... =_=)
 
Hey!

Alright, the first problem I saw on your team was a complete lack of physical sweepers, I mean there isn't a single one on this team. We can work around that though. I believe, that we should always start with the revenge killer. Right now, your Jirachi isn't using the correct EV spread for the set you're using. Though if you do this:

Jirachi @ Choice Scarf
Jolly Nature
252 Atk / 176 Spe / 80 HP
- Ice Punch
- Thunder Punch
- Zen Headbut
- Iron Head

Ok, so with this Jirachi you can OHKO both a + 1 Salamence and Gyarados with your Ice Punch / Thunder Punch. This helps since EVERYTHING in your team is 2-OHKO'd by Gyarados (barring Suicune). Jirachi hates steel types though, and this is why this set works so effectivly on your team. Steels WILL come in to wall Jirachi, so Magnezone can come in to trap them and kill with his attacks (besides Metagross, since he generally carries Earthquake and will use it on Jirachi). Hipppo should be able to take on a Metagross 1 vs 1 though and come out on top due to his defenses and his ability to heal himself.

On to Suicune. I understand that you would want two roarers, but that is not suicunes best set. That Suicune doesn't help stat up Suicune, making him extremely weak on the Special side of attacks. I would suggest this Suicune set:

Suicune @ Leftovers
Bold Nature
252 HP / 252 Def / 6 SpAtk
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Calm Mind
- Surf

This set, is only really countered by bulky Waters and explosions. Gyarados (one of the common bulky waters) is countered by your new Jirachi, and the other bulky Waters (Vaporeon, Empoleon) will be handled by your Magnezone. Opening up places for your Suicune to set up and possibly get the sweep with her boosted STAB Surf and with her extremely bulky set. The set should look fairly simple, stat up, heal attack.

Your Magnezone set looks fairly decent, though I would like to suggest a few different moves and EV spread over your current one. 172 HP / 252 SpA / 84 Spe; this is the current EV spread that you should be running, as it helps you have some bulk to Magnezone, while still packing a huge punch in his STAB Thunderbolt. As you have a Jirachi revenge killer, Hidden Power [ICE] isn't going to help you. Dragons still out speed you, and you don't really have the option to hit them back. So, I would suggest a Hidden Power [GRASS] instead so you can OHKO Swampert Switch in's, who wall your Suicune, so this helps Suicune set up for a sweep once again.

I would love to suggest a Lucario for your team over Porygon-Z for a few reasons. Those being: add another physical sweeper to your team, makes late game sweep not completely up to Suicune, gives you an answer towards Blissey.

Lucario @ Life Orb
Adamant Nature
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 6 HP
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Extreme Speed
- Crunch

Alright, this is the great Lucario set. Lucario is countered by fast ghosts, Zapdos and Swampert. Swampert can be handled by Magnezone (only on switch ins) and Jirachi, Zapdos can be handled by your Heatran and Ghosts are handled by Jirachi. Lucario adds a nice end game sweep to your team, effectifly OHKOing everything that is below 30% with a +2 Extreme Speed, and 2-OHKOing everything with Close Combat. Crunch is to deal with the Roto's and Dusknoir, which will cause Lucario trouble if they are allowed to get a Will-o-Wisp in and it hits. Lucario gives answer to a ton of special walls who otherwise give complete hell towards your team.

For Heatran, I would like to suggest Bait-Tran. Bait-Tran helps hurt the regular counters of Heatran. Machamp, Tyranitar, bulky Waters are all going to get screwed by Toxic, then helping you, once again, with your Suicune sweep, or Lucario sweep.

Heatran @ Leftovers
Timid Nature
252 SpAtk / 252 Spe / 6 HP
- Toxic
- Substitute
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power

This will posion pokemon, gradually making them weaker over time, though I am sure you know that already. You switch in on a fire attack, scaring the other pokemon away. As the pokemon is switching away, you use Substitute to see what his counter is. If it is effected by Toxic, the best bet is to use Toxic to start weakening his Defensive core. If it isn't able to be toxicd then using one of your attacks is a good idea. If the opponent send in another heatran, then using Earth Power will help OHKO it. Fire Blat is a general STAB move that should be carried on a pokemon.

Hope I helped,
Empoleon
 
After reading your comments (thank you ^_^), I decided to switch some of my pkmn. First, I will try not to use Jirachi or Celebi because I can't have them in my Diamond game... you know what aI mean =P
I'll use Metagross instead of Jirachi, using the same attacks excepto for Iron Head---> Meteor Mash.
Instead of Celebi, i'll try with a Support Dragonite, with this moveset:

Dragonite@Light Clay
Calm
248 HP/216 Sp.Def/44 Speed
-Light Screen
-Thunder Wave
-Toxic
-Dragon Pulse

I'm not sure if i should change toxic/tunder wave with Roost ><

And instead of suicune I'm using Gyarados now with the moveset previously mentioned.

So... I think the team improved a lot, but still needs improvement. What do you have to say?
 
Um, I don't agree with much any of these guys are saying. How is He Salamence weak with a Hippowdon/Jirachi/Magnezone/Suicune/Heatran. He's gonna have to use outrage on hippowdon or Suicune unless he wants to take the risk of dying, which he has 3 steels to switch right in and kill it while it's locked in Outrage...So with that, I'll give you my thoughts.

Alright, we'll start from the top here. Your Hippowdon is fine as is, I would consider going near max Def, around 200 EV's just so you take hits better. It may not be all that significant, but it will help. There is NO reason anymore to have Ice Fang on Hippowdon, you're not killing Salamance anyway, Roar will always be the better option, as you're weak to basically anything that can stat up. Gyarados/Lucario basically. Both of them can just come in and run through your team, so I'm gonna help you fix that up a bit.


For your Jirachi, this metagame isn't all to friendly towards Superachi. I would consider just running the normal Sub CM set, you can still opt to outrun Lucario, so that you have a check in that aspect, but it's really not all to necessary. I'd probably use this set, or at least just test this out a bit as I feel it could help out quite a bit.

Jirachi @ leftovers
Timid - 252 Hp 80 Sp Atk 176 Speed
Serene Grace
- Calm Mind
- Thunderbolt
- Pyschic
- Substitute

This set isn't directed as much towards Jirachi's Speed and Sp. Attack as the other, this set is more for using his bulk to set up a sub, aviod status and allow you to have a much more easier time in setting up a sweep. Pyschic and Thunderbolt is pretty good coverage, and you really only lose coverage out on Claydol.

Okay, well I suggest that you run this set for your Magnzeone

Magnezone @ Life Orb
Mild - 88 HP 88 atk 248 Sp. Atk 86 speed
Magnet Pull
- Substitute
- Explosion
- Thunderbolt
- HP Ice

This set will be amazing at just wrecking crap for your team and help freeing up for a pokemon I plan in adding it. Thunderbolt will help take out Skarm/Bronzong/Forre, 3 pokemon who cause this pokemon a lot of trouble. HP Ice is for Salamence, and Celebi and is your only real choice for grass pokemon. Once they switch in a wall, or a pokemon that will trouble you throughout the game, you go boom. This pokemon usually draws out 2 kills a game, one being a Steel, and then another just being a special wall not expecting the boom. You can run Leftovers as a second item, but your explosion won't do as much damage, to most Sp. Atk's, however I think you'll do fine, and it would help expand his lifespan a lot longer, since sub + attacking is either 35 damage over 2 turns.

As for your Suicune, that set is fine. However I'd probably run a HP Electric/Surf Suicune. Consider Rest and Roar, but you may find yourself wanting Sleep Talk, so that's a viable option as well. HP Elec hits neutral on Salamences, allowing you to bait an outrage than go to one of your steels, if that fails than you always have your hippowdon to just roar it out, and make it take 25% next time it switches in.

As for your Porygon-Z I would suggest that you drop that for a Lucario. You can run a Specs Lucario, or you can run a SD Lucario. A Specs Lucario will give you that Sp. Attacking power that you just lost with Replacing Porygon-Z, while SD Lucario will give you some offensive power on the physical side that your team is extremely lacking on. I would try SD Lucario right, now as it would help take out many of the walls that are giving you some trouble. This is a set I would try out:

Lucario @ Life Orb
Adamant - 252 Atk 252 Spe 4 Hp
Inner Focus
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Extreme Speed

This will hit Salamence and Gyarados coming in on the switch expecting to have a free switch in and intimidate you. After a Swords dance you can OHKO Gyarados after the intimidate. Stone Edge and Extremespeed will kill Salamence on the switch thinking they can get the jump on you. Swords Dance + Close Combat and Extremespeed is such an amazing combo, E-Speed hitting all the faster frailer pokemon, and Close Combat is there to kill all the slower bulkier mons. I think this could help your team tremendously giving you a decent way to help kill of a lot of pokemon thus freeing it up for Jirachi.

Lastly your Heatran, I think you should frop that for a Salamence. A DD outrage mence could help this team out a lot being a late game sweeper after Lucario has done what he needs to, and he can even take out pokemon so that Jirachi can use it to his advantage. The Salamence I'm gonna reccomend will be a set that abuses Magnezone and that set is,

Salamence @ Life Orb
Adamant - 252 Attack 252 Spe 4 HP
Intimidate
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Roost

This set has no way to hit Skarmory/Bronzong which is why Magnezone is such an amazing compliment for him. After those pokemon are taken out, there is nothing that can stand up to this beast. Roost allows you to set up effectively on Hippowdon who carry Ice Fang, and is a great way to recover health as you'll be losing it a lot, 16% a turn if you attack thanks to your Hippowdon. Outrage + Earthquake will hit everything hard after you take out the above mentioned Skarmory + Bronzong.

Well this is really all I think that you should change. Your final product will look along the lines of:

Hippowdon / Salamence / Lucario / Suicune / Jirachi / Magnzone
 
Remember what I said in my last post: I changed Jirachi for Metagross and Suicune for Gyarados. My current team is:

Hippowdown (I'll give him Roar instead of Ice Fang, yeah xD), Heatran (Taunt---> Earth Power), Magnezone, Metagross (Thunder/Ice Punch, Zen Headbutt, Meteor Mash), Dragonite (Support) and Gyarados(Dragon Dance + earthquake + stone edge + waterfall).

I think Dragonite is a good support pokemon with Light Screen and Thunder wave/Toxic to screw up the opposing sweepers... but that Salamence or Lucario sets really look amazing... I'll try some duels with both teams, and decide which to use after that =)

EDIT: Hm, now that i think about it... what do you think of using Tyranitar (Stone Edge, Pursuit, Toxic (And removing it from Dragonite and giving him Roost)), Earthquake) instead of Heatran?
 
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