So I'm new to the forums but I've been playing on showdown for a damn long time, and this is the team I have crafted over time brick by brick. It started out completely different (I think It was Latios, Scizor, Blissey, Foretress, Garchomp, and Heatran) and everytime I felt like someone wasn't holding their weight or giving me synergy I needed I just looked for a fix. I've been through several pokemon and cuts on this team, and I am fairly happy with the result, but I seem to be unable to get past the 1500 ladder mark.
One problem I've been dealing with is Talonflame. I can get rid of it, but often its with a lot of messy switches and a couple pokemon fainted that I really end up needing later in the fight. All advice is helpful, even if its not including this.
Samurai Toad (Greninja) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Protean
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- U-turn
THE GLASS CANNON
Greninja is a great pokemon this gen who I have absolutely fallen in love with. I use him occasionally as a fast offensive pivot and U-turn him out whenever he doesn't like his situation (which is often considering he has awful defenses). However, I often use Greninja as my lead, because with expert belt and protean, he has immense stab super effective coverage and can hit absurdly hard for a pokemon with a speed stat like this, allowing me to gain momentum right from the start. I choose not to run life orb because I don't want to ruin Greninja's already measly chance of surviving anything. If I can't get supereffective, Hydro Pump and Dark Pulse have great coverage together, and I can either choose to hit hard for neutral, or hope for that 20% dark pulse flinch chance, which has actually come in handy more times than i care to acknowledge. Sure, priority has become a problem for him, but he is the glass cannon of my team and does a hell of a job.
Bonesaw (Conkeldurr) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Fire Punch
- Knock Off
BOOOOOOONNNNEEEESSAAAAAWWWWW
Conk is a new addition to my team who I decided to try out after a friend recommended him with assault vest, and I have to say that the survivability of assault vest+drain punch+knock off and the added priority on my team with mach punch gives me much needed help dealing with setup sweepers. Knock-off is great not only to neuter a lot of threats but is very helpful when I am able to predict a switch and smash a psychic/ghost type trying to switch in like the Latis, Aegislash, Alakazam, or Gengar. A lot of the times, I can finish off a survivor with mach punch and send them reeling. Fire punch helps me deal with pesky Skarmory and Venusaur.
Casino Royale (Chansey) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature
- Seismic Toss
- Toxic
- Wish
- Protect
ONE-(WO)MAN STALL TEAM
I used Blissey for ages and absolutely loved it. I recently got around to trying Chansey and the added physical bulk is just something I'm finding incredibly helpful, even if I gave up leftovers. Chansey is an entire stall team of her own, and is only hard countered by Aegislash and Gengar, which I am usually able to deal with before. A lot of the times, my last pokemon will come down to the pink blob, and toxic-protect-wish-protect rarely lets me down. Wish passing as opposed to soft-boil is hard to pull off and easily predicable, but can be a life saver and give one of my sweepers another lease on life. Seismic toss allows me to at least not be taunt bait and take out sizable chunks of people if I don't need to constantly resort to stall tactics.
Lord Zeus (Thundurus) (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Nasty Plot
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt
ALL HAIL THE GOD OF THE SKY
Behold the newest addition to my team, taking out my old special sweeper Keldeo. I was feeling like I lacked a reliable method of dealing with bulky water types and that Keldeo on a team with Greninja and Conkeldurr was feeling really redundant. So far I have mixed feelings. I've found that his lifespan is painfully short, especially with a stealth rock weakness, and even resisted hits he comes in on are chopping off more than I'd like. On the other hand, he has surpassed Keldeo offensively by miles. When I manage to t-wave and get a nasty plot in, his bolt/beam combo can absolutely decimate.
Tentacle Porn (Ferrothorn) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Thunder Wave
EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN
Ferrothorn came in for foretress early on as my master of hazards and defensive pivots. I gave up left overs for rocky helmet and I have not regretted it. He can switch into a physical attacker, and often times the opponent will take more damage than I did. He is vulnerable to taunt, but I have been good about not putting him in situations where he falls prey to it. Leech seed furthers his already great mixed bulk, and hazards and t-wave combined with seeds allow him to quickly wear down opponents.
The Chef (Pinsir) @ Pinsirite
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Quick Attack
- Return
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
COOKING UP A RECIPE FOR PAIN
This was a controversial switch for me, as Mega Pinsir replaced MegaChomp. However, I have found the added priority to be hugely beneficial and that Mega Pinsir hits just as hard without getting locked into outrage like Garchomp often would. Earthquake deals with Aegislash and often times people don't expect me to be running EQ instead of Close combat. If I can get a swords dance in or maybe a moxie boost before he mega evolves, aerialate quick attack can spell destruction for many threats. I tend to use him more as a late game cleaner for this reason, as it doesn't hit hard enough to straight sweep, and he also can't switch in more than once from a rocks weakness, which makes getting him in tricky. If I am confident in outspeeding the opponent, Return hits much much much harder and can really deal some fatal blows even early game.
So thats my team. The biggest problems I can state are Talonflame, whose flare blitz breaks through Ferrothorn even if rockyhelmet+ironbarbs+recoil does immense self damage, and priority Brave Bird smashes through Mega Pinsir, and Conkeldurr, and also even neutral Greninja and Chansey... I also have had problems with stealth rocks as I don't have defog or rapid spin or really space for a pokemon that does, and I have two of my main offensive threats weak to them, one being 4x.
Thanks for any help!
One problem I've been dealing with is Talonflame. I can get rid of it, but often its with a lot of messy switches and a couple pokemon fainted that I really end up needing later in the fight. All advice is helpful, even if its not including this.
Samurai Toad (Greninja) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Protean
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- U-turn
THE GLASS CANNON
Greninja is a great pokemon this gen who I have absolutely fallen in love with. I use him occasionally as a fast offensive pivot and U-turn him out whenever he doesn't like his situation (which is often considering he has awful defenses). However, I often use Greninja as my lead, because with expert belt and protean, he has immense stab super effective coverage and can hit absurdly hard for a pokemon with a speed stat like this, allowing me to gain momentum right from the start. I choose not to run life orb because I don't want to ruin Greninja's already measly chance of surviving anything. If I can't get supereffective, Hydro Pump and Dark Pulse have great coverage together, and I can either choose to hit hard for neutral, or hope for that 20% dark pulse flinch chance, which has actually come in handy more times than i care to acknowledge. Sure, priority has become a problem for him, but he is the glass cannon of my team and does a hell of a job.
Bonesaw (Conkeldurr) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Fire Punch
- Knock Off
BOOOOOOONNNNEEEESSAAAAAWWWWW
Conk is a new addition to my team who I decided to try out after a friend recommended him with assault vest, and I have to say that the survivability of assault vest+drain punch+knock off and the added priority on my team with mach punch gives me much needed help dealing with setup sweepers. Knock-off is great not only to neuter a lot of threats but is very helpful when I am able to predict a switch and smash a psychic/ghost type trying to switch in like the Latis, Aegislash, Alakazam, or Gengar. A lot of the times, I can finish off a survivor with mach punch and send them reeling. Fire punch helps me deal with pesky Skarmory and Venusaur.
Casino Royale (Chansey) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature
- Seismic Toss
- Toxic
- Wish
- Protect
ONE-(WO)MAN STALL TEAM
I used Blissey for ages and absolutely loved it. I recently got around to trying Chansey and the added physical bulk is just something I'm finding incredibly helpful, even if I gave up leftovers. Chansey is an entire stall team of her own, and is only hard countered by Aegislash and Gengar, which I am usually able to deal with before. A lot of the times, my last pokemon will come down to the pink blob, and toxic-protect-wish-protect rarely lets me down. Wish passing as opposed to soft-boil is hard to pull off and easily predicable, but can be a life saver and give one of my sweepers another lease on life. Seismic toss allows me to at least not be taunt bait and take out sizable chunks of people if I don't need to constantly resort to stall tactics.
Lord Zeus (Thundurus) (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Thunder Wave
- Nasty Plot
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunderbolt
ALL HAIL THE GOD OF THE SKY
Behold the newest addition to my team, taking out my old special sweeper Keldeo. I was feeling like I lacked a reliable method of dealing with bulky water types and that Keldeo on a team with Greninja and Conkeldurr was feeling really redundant. So far I have mixed feelings. I've found that his lifespan is painfully short, especially with a stealth rock weakness, and even resisted hits he comes in on are chopping off more than I'd like. On the other hand, he has surpassed Keldeo offensively by miles. When I manage to t-wave and get a nasty plot in, his bolt/beam combo can absolutely decimate.
Tentacle Porn (Ferrothorn) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Iron Barbs
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Thunder Wave
EVERY ROSE HAS ITS THORN
Ferrothorn came in for foretress early on as my master of hazards and defensive pivots. I gave up left overs for rocky helmet and I have not regretted it. He can switch into a physical attacker, and often times the opponent will take more damage than I did. He is vulnerable to taunt, but I have been good about not putting him in situations where he falls prey to it. Leech seed furthers his already great mixed bulk, and hazards and t-wave combined with seeds allow him to quickly wear down opponents.
The Chef (Pinsir) @ Pinsirite
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Quick Attack
- Return
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
COOKING UP A RECIPE FOR PAIN
This was a controversial switch for me, as Mega Pinsir replaced MegaChomp. However, I have found the added priority to be hugely beneficial and that Mega Pinsir hits just as hard without getting locked into outrage like Garchomp often would. Earthquake deals with Aegislash and often times people don't expect me to be running EQ instead of Close combat. If I can get a swords dance in or maybe a moxie boost before he mega evolves, aerialate quick attack can spell destruction for many threats. I tend to use him more as a late game cleaner for this reason, as it doesn't hit hard enough to straight sweep, and he also can't switch in more than once from a rocks weakness, which makes getting him in tricky. If I am confident in outspeeding the opponent, Return hits much much much harder and can really deal some fatal blows even early game.
So thats my team. The biggest problems I can state are Talonflame, whose flare blitz breaks through Ferrothorn even if rockyhelmet+ironbarbs+recoil does immense self damage, and priority Brave Bird smashes through Mega Pinsir, and Conkeldurr, and also even neutral Greninja and Chansey... I also have had problems with stealth rocks as I don't have defog or rapid spin or really space for a pokemon that does, and I have two of my main offensive threats weak to them, one being 4x.
Thanks for any help!
