This is the first post for me, but I've been lurking around for awhile now. I used to have a different account, and I took part in the tutor program during 4th generation. back then I played baton pass teams for fun :3c anyways, onto the team I'm playing now.
Arcanine @ Choice Band
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- ExtremeSpeed
- Close Combat
Arcanine, like many of the other pokemon on this team, is about predicting the enemies use of fire-type attacks and countering next turn. if you suspect that the enemy will switch out to a water type to force a switch out from you, punish with wild charge. Otherwise you can pivot into a favorable match up to gain momentum or make use of Flare Blitz's super high power to dent anything that comes out. ExtremeSpeed allows revenge killing and the ability to shut down priority sweepers like sucker punch users and belly drum Azumarill. Close Combat is for predicted rock switch-ins, however if you cannot kill the enemy in one shot you should switch out.
Vaporeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Wish
Vaporeon, with water absorb, is obviously a great switch in against someone who tries to punish arcanine with water-type attacks. Scald allows inflicting burns, which is both good for forcing plays and dealing STAB damage. Ice beam punished predicted grass switch ins, while HP Grass gives coverage against other pure water types. Wish is finally an excellent support and stall move, allowing poisons and burns to run their course or heal weakened partners.
Gogoat @ Leftovers
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 144 HP / 252 Atk / 112 Def
Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Earthquake
- Bulk Up
- Wild Charge
Gogoat has a lot going for it. He has stats quire similar to Vaporeon, but instead of being a team support, Gogoat is a tanky sweeper. Horn leech is a wonderful STAB move for Gogoat that allows attacking while healing. Earthquake punishes fire switch-ins, bulk-up can allow you a method to sweep the game if the opponent doesn't have an answer, and wild charge allows you to punish predicted flying type switch-ins.
Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Satk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Flamethrower
- Thunder
The Mega for the team, Manetric has a lot of tricks. switch into lightning attacks to gain boosted S.atk, then Mega-Evolve to lower the enemies ATK, should it ever be applicable. Volt Switch becomes akin to Gemmed for your next attack, and allows you to deal serious hurt if the opponent is without a ground-type anymore. HP Grass allows punishing ground types and the rotom you switched in on combined, guaranteeing damage. Flamethrower is simply high-power coverage, and Thunder a method of punishing rain dance teams, if you can get Manectric in against them.
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 200 Def / 252 HP / 56 Spd
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Protect
Gliscor is the Physical support tank for the team, Eating earthquakes from the enemy and punishing in kind. a Combination of Knock Off and Toxic allow me to win battles the enemy can't close out. I chose this specific amount of Speed EV's because it gives me a little bit of extra information: both the next pokemon and this one share the same speed, so if they are faster than one, they'll be faster than the other.
Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 252 HP / 16 Spd / 240 SDef
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Infestation
This is my Special Defense support wall. Having both Rapid Spin and Toxic Spikes makes Tentacruel very useful, but the real star is Infestation. With Infestation and the burn from Scald I can take down many hazard setters before they know what's going on. Unfortunately Tentacruel loses out against Donphan and Starmie, but luckily Gliscor is tough enough to withstand Ice shards from the latter and Vaporeon can beat the former. If I'm lucky enough to have Toxic Spikes stick around, the battle is all but guaranteed to be won, thanks to how many immunities I have available on my team and the generally tankyness of everyone involved.
Using this team, I've been able to win a lot of my battles by predicting the enemies moves, making this team rather weak to counter-predictions. Also, since many of the pokemon are mean't to support each other through their typing and abilities, once two or three pokemon are down it becomes harder and harder to prevent the enemy from setting up a sweep. Other than that I can't really think of many weaknesses for this team.
Arcanine @ Choice Band
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Wild Charge
- ExtremeSpeed
- Close Combat
Arcanine, like many of the other pokemon on this team, is about predicting the enemies use of fire-type attacks and countering next turn. if you suspect that the enemy will switch out to a water type to force a switch out from you, punish with wild charge. Otherwise you can pivot into a favorable match up to gain momentum or make use of Flare Blitz's super high power to dent anything that comes out. ExtremeSpeed allows revenge killing and the ability to shut down priority sweepers like sucker punch users and belly drum Azumarill. Close Combat is for predicted rock switch-ins, however if you cannot kill the enemy in one shot you should switch out.
Vaporeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Wish
Vaporeon, with water absorb, is obviously a great switch in against someone who tries to punish arcanine with water-type attacks. Scald allows inflicting burns, which is both good for forcing plays and dealing STAB damage. Ice beam punished predicted grass switch ins, while HP Grass gives coverage against other pure water types. Wish is finally an excellent support and stall move, allowing poisons and burns to run their course or heal weakened partners.
Gogoat @ Leftovers
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 144 HP / 252 Atk / 112 Def
Adamant Nature
- Horn Leech
- Earthquake
- Bulk Up
- Wild Charge
Gogoat has a lot going for it. He has stats quire similar to Vaporeon, but instead of being a team support, Gogoat is a tanky sweeper. Horn leech is a wonderful STAB move for Gogoat that allows attacking while healing. Earthquake punishes fire switch-ins, bulk-up can allow you a method to sweep the game if the opponent doesn't have an answer, and wild charge allows you to punish predicted flying type switch-ins.
Manectric @ Manectite
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Satk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Flamethrower
- Thunder
The Mega for the team, Manetric has a lot of tricks. switch into lightning attacks to gain boosted S.atk, then Mega-Evolve to lower the enemies ATK, should it ever be applicable. Volt Switch becomes akin to Gemmed for your next attack, and allows you to deal serious hurt if the opponent is without a ground-type anymore. HP Grass allows punishing ground types and the rotom you switched in on combined, guaranteeing damage. Flamethrower is simply high-power coverage, and Thunder a method of punishing rain dance teams, if you can get Manectric in against them.
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 200 Def / 252 HP / 56 Spd
Impish Nature
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Protect
Gliscor is the Physical support tank for the team, Eating earthquakes from the enemy and punishing in kind. a Combination of Knock Off and Toxic allow me to win battles the enemy can't close out. I chose this specific amount of Speed EV's because it gives me a little bit of extra information: both the next pokemon and this one share the same speed, so if they are faster than one, they'll be faster than the other.
Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 252 HP / 16 Spd / 240 SDef
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic Spikes
- Infestation
This is my Special Defense support wall. Having both Rapid Spin and Toxic Spikes makes Tentacruel very useful, but the real star is Infestation. With Infestation and the burn from Scald I can take down many hazard setters before they know what's going on. Unfortunately Tentacruel loses out against Donphan and Starmie, but luckily Gliscor is tough enough to withstand Ice shards from the latter and Vaporeon can beat the former. If I'm lucky enough to have Toxic Spikes stick around, the battle is all but guaranteed to be won, thanks to how many immunities I have available on my team and the generally tankyness of everyone involved.
Using this team, I've been able to win a lot of my battles by predicting the enemies moves, making this team rather weak to counter-predictions. Also, since many of the pokemon are mean't to support each other through their typing and abilities, once two or three pokemon are down it becomes harder and harder to prevent the enemy from setting up a sweep. Other than that I can't really think of many weaknesses for this team.
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