NU Problems

ColdBl00ded

Hey everyone,

I need to some serious help trying to come up with some sort of competitive team to play NU. For some reason it seems like my walls can never take enough hits and my attackers can never dish out enough punishment. Here are the sets I have been working with so far. I am open to switching out pokemon entirely and changing up the team completely.

Gardevoir @ Leftovers
Trait: Trace
EVs: 252 SPA/ 252 spe/ 4 HP
Timid Nature
-Focus Blast
-Psychic
-Signal Beam
-Wish


Basically my special attacking set that also allows me to get some healing either for my team or for Gardevoir. This set works out alright, but she is very frail and I usually see her being taken down before she can do to much damage. I see her going down to half HP even on attacks she resists.

Seismitoad @ leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 ATK/ 252 SpDef/ 4 spe
Calm Nature
-Toxic
-Protect
-Earthquake
-Ice Punch

I originally wanted my seismitoad to be my main attacker on my team. He does great against a lot of threats, and I believe he is one member on my team that actually gets something done.

Sawsbuck @ Life Orb
Trait: Sap Sipper
EVs: 4HP/ 252 Atk/ 252 spe
Jolly
-Return
-Horn Leech
-Wild Charge
-Megahorn

I wanted him to be an all out attacker next to seismitoad. His sap sipping ability was meant to compliment my toad's weakness to grass and offer a safe switch in on the coming grass move. He also packs a great punch, but suffers a lot from recoil. I did not want to turn to a Band item, because I would like to have some versatility with my Buck.

Rampardos @ Choice Band
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk/ 4 Def/ 252 spe
Adamant Nature
-Head Smash
-Super Power
-Crunch
-Zen Headbutt

He is meant to be the juggernaut of the team. After using another member to cripple speed with thunder wave or glare my rampardos is meant to come in late game and clean things up. I think its just a matter of setting this up that is an issue for me, but I for one enjoy seeing him rampage the opponents team ( although its very rare that he gets this chance)

Raichu @ Life Orb
Trait: Lightning Rod
EVs: 4 HP/ 252 SpA/ 252 Spe
Timid Nature
-Thunderbolt
-Extreme Speed
-Thunder Wave
-Volt Switch

Raichu was meant to be the guy that hands out paralysis and also could be used as a revenge killer. I was hoping he would outs peed a lot of my opponents pokemon and usually that is the case. Too bad he is very frail and doesn't get to cripple too many pokemon. I was hoping I could get more out of him in the crippling and revenge killing sense, but maybe there are pokemon better suited for this that I have overlooked?

Dragonair @ Eviolite
Trait: Shed Skin
EVs: 252 HP/ 4 Def/ 252 SpDef
Careful Nature
-Dragon Dance
-Outrage
-Waterfall
-extreme Speed

Dragonair was meant to be another type of special defensive wall for me. It had the possibility of setting up with dragon dance and sweeping with either outrage or waterfall. I have extreme speed there for revenge killing. I'm not sure its even useful, seeing as how i have no Atk investments.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my team. I am hoping to get a lot of feedback that can really help me with my competitive battling. Like I said before I am open to changing the entire team if need be in order to come up with something good. I love using pokemon that are uncommon even for NU so I probably wont be using Sawk, Aloma... yeah that thing, and all of the other pokemon that are so commonly used. Once again thanks for your time and have a good day.
Nate
 
Just my Two cents

Zangoose can give you a lot of problems, and wish heals by the user's health, and since Gardevoir has not much health, I advise to use destiny bond to check some threats instead.
Zangoose outspeeds Gardevoir can OHKO with Night Slash, which is bad, Rampardos is taken down by Close Combat, and with toxic orb, he can't be statused.

Gardevoir

I suggest Running this set for Gardevoir.

Gardevoir @ Life Orb
252 Spa/252 Spe/4 HP
Nature Timid:
-Psychic
-Focus Blast
-Signal Beam
-Destiny Bond

Destiny Bond and Life orb give Gard enough damage to do what it can do. Since Gardy is not strong without a boost in power and wish is not cutting it out for you.

Raichu

I also suggest replacing Electabuzz over Raichu, since Electabuzz is fast, powerful, reliable, and can be used as a scarfer.

Electabuzz @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Vital Spirit
252 Spa/252 Spe/ 4 HP
Nature: Modest
-Thunderbolt
-Volt Switch
-Focus Blast
-Hidden Power Ice.

This way, you have a scarfer, can beat +2 Gorebyss, and you're immune to sleep. It also deals with your Zangoose problem.

Sawsbuck

I would also suggest running Swords dance over Megahorn, and Nature power over Wild Charge.
Swords Dance gives you an offensive sweeper and Nature Power turns into Earthquake, which gives good coverage.


252 Atk Life Orb Sawsbuck Return vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Zangoose: 274-324 (95.13 - 112.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock

This means Sawsbuck can take him down if you have rocks, if you don't, it's about a 68.75% chance to OHKO.


Seismitoad

I might suggest making your Seismitoad a specially defensive one, because Jynx will be prevalent in the tier shifts, it's a good idea. It will also help in the long run.

Seismitoad @ Leftovers
252 HP/252 Spd/ 4 Def
Calm Nature
-Scald
-Knock Off/Toxic
-Earth Power
-Stealth Rock

With this set, you can setup Stealth Rock, do some decent damage, and burn physically inclined pokemon.

You might lose an attacker, but Seismitoad isn't fit for a Physically offensive pokemon, it's offensive set is specially based, or a bulky tank.

Dragonair

Dragonair's bulky set is focused on getting multiple boosts, and then attempt a sweep.

That is why I suggest running
-Dragon Dance
-Rest
-Outrage
-Waterfall

but with the same spread, due to shed skin, you'll be able to heal it off nicely, unless luck bothers you.

Those are my pieces.
 
Thank you starmie for your awesome reply. I have taken everything you said into account and already made some changes. Is there noone else that may want to add some input???? 200 something views and only one reply? cmon people help me out here!
 
I would suggest changing Rampardos to a Sheer Force with Rock Polish, as it still deals massive amounts of damage and the amount of switches it forces means that it's relatively easy to set up a RP.

Rampardos @ Life Orb
Trait: Sheer Force
EVs: 12 HP / 252 Atk / 244 Spd
- Rock Polish
- Rock Slide
- Crunch
- Zen Headbutt
 
Your team is pretty frail and is lacking in offense as well. Dragonair is pretty bad as a defensive mon because you are relying on the fact that your opponent can't simply tear her apart with physical attackers in a physically-oriented metagame. Seismitoad isn't exactly the best special tank either, and can't even be called a wall without recovery. You have no revenge killer, and Raichu is pretty slow to be one without a Scarf (not the best item for it). StarmieLazer already gave you options which improved the overall effectiveness of the mons you have now. Electabuzz is also a pretty decent suggestion.

Assuming that you took Starmie's suggestions, I must say that that there are still notable problems, especially taking into account the new tier shifts. All the recent drops give your team trouble except Munchlax. For this reason, I would change Gardevoir's set to a Scarf set. This at least lets you revenge kill Scolipede, Jynx, and Primeape when they are unboosted. It is also quite useful in either Tricking a Scarf or a fast Destiny Bond.

Feel free then to make your new Electabuzz an Eviolite set, which combines Speed and power with moderate bulk to partially check Jynx. As for Rampardos, he is not that good in this metagame either, so I would highly recommend using Choice Band Sawk instead. Sawk does everything Rampardos does except better, and has higher Speed to boot.

But these changes don't completely remove Primeape and Scolipede as threats, since the angry monkey will probably be most seen as a Scarf user, while Scolipede is very threatening with a Salac Berry boost (and SD). That is why I would suggest that you replace Dragonair with something that can take them on better and support your team much more. I was debating about Scolipede, but in the end Misdreavus is most likely the best choice for this last teamslot. Dragonair provided you with relatively little, but now you have a check to Fighting-types and Scolipede as well as a decent physical wall; being a spinblocker is just the icing on the cake for your team, but having Taunt will be helpful since you have no real way to handle Stall teams otherwise (except maybe Trick).

Changes:

Gardevoir: Choice Scarf>Life Orb>Leftovers
Electabuzz: Eviolite>Life Orb
Sawk>Rampardos
Misdravus>Dragonair

Gardevoir @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Trace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball/Signal Beam
- Focus Blast
- Trick/Destiny Bond

Electabuzz @ Eviolite
Trait: Vital Spirit
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Ice
- Focus Blast/Signal Beam

Sawk @ Choice Band
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Ice Punch
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge/Toxic

Misdreavus @ Eviolite
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spe
Bold Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
- Foul Play/Shadow Ball
- Taunt/Heal Bell

Combine this rate with the advice I PMed you, and you should be able to deal with many teams that you face in your laddering.
 
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