Greetings Smogon! I've just started playing PO and I know this team is far from perfect, so I'm looking for some help to improve it. This team is based around finding an opening to set up Toxicroak for a sweep.
Slippy (Politoed) (M) @ Choice Scarf Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Focus Blast
He is here mainly to set up the rain. He was originally the defensive variant, but I changed him to choice scarf because I noticed that none of my other guys are fast enough to revenge kill. STAB hydro pump is the main move he uses, since it can put a nice dent in almost anything. The rest are mostly situational moves depending on what I'm trying to scare out / revenge kill. Lots of speed and sp.att to outpace and hurt things.
Parahax (Jirachi) @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 40 SAtk / 216 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Thunder
- Water Pulse
- Substitute
Not much to say about standard rain Jirachi. Usually comes in on something that can't hurt it, like Ferrothorn or Blissey, and proceeds to sub + calm mind up. Thunder and water pulse get a boost from rain to their accuracy or power respectively, and the parafusion can be quite annoying. His main job is to paralyze things with thunder and maybe nab a kill, but occasionally he can sweep if the opponent let's him get to +4 and all their ground pokes are gone. Max hp for 101 subs, and speed investment to block status with sub.
Duckface (Porygon2) @ Eviolite
Trait: Trace
EVs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunder
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Beam
- Recover
My designated DD dragon killer. This set was suggested to me by a friend. I was getting absolutely wrecked by them before I put him in the lineup, and now they're much more manageable. Switch in to trace intimidate or multiscale, then proceed to hit back with the appropriate 4x effective move (thunder for Gyarados, ice beam for Salamence and Dragonite). Thunder wave is to help cripple fast threats for Toxicroak to clean up and recover is for healing. Trace also makes him a decent switch-in to Jolteon and offensive Heatran. The EVs and eviolite are all there to help make him as bulky as possible.
Tinkerbell (Celebi) @ Leftovers Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 220 SDef / 36 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Giga Drain
- Stealth Rock
- Recover
He is here mainly to giga drain because I kept getting walled by (insert Water/Ground type here). He is also a decent status sponge and helps handle Rotom-W. Thunder wave is to cripple switch-ins and recover helps to keep him alive. I know stealth rock is weird on Celebi, but no one else on my team wants to have them and they really help to discourage switching and nab important KOs. I've also been considering heal bell in case Gliscor/Toxicroak get burned, Politoed gets paralyzed, or Porygon2 gets badly poisoned. I run a specially defensive variant because Porygon2 and Gliscor are already there to take physical hits.
Batreaux (Gliscor) (M) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Baton Pass
- Rock Polish
- Protect
My main switch-in to physical threats. I know this is a weird set so let me try to explain. Protect is there to activate toxic orb and get extra healing every other turn. EQ is to hit back at physical threats that I switch in on, such as Infernape, Terrakion, and Lucario, should they choose to stay in. The combination of EQ and protect also lets me take down CB Scizor late-game. I have yet to come across another rock polish + BP Gliscor this gen, but I wanted to try it out. The main recipient is Toxicroak to prevent him from being revenge-killed and allow him to sweep unhindered, but in my experience +2 speed on Jirachi can allow it to take on things it couldn't before, Infernape or Gyarados. Gliscor is a great lure for bulky water types trying to hit him with a STAB water move, but with a speed boost, he can BP out before he gets hit. most people won't try to EQ, burn, or paralyze a Gliscor, so Toxicroak can come in with being taken out or crippled.
Knuckles (Toxicroak) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Dry Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Ice Punch
- Cross Chop
- Sucker Punch
This team's main sweeper. The goal is to switch in on a weak resisted or water move because he has paper-thin defences, although dry skin + leftovers helps heal up a bit. Then SD on the switch, and proceed to sweep with the appropriate coverage move. Works much better if the other team is paralyzed or Toxicroak has been passed a speed boost from Gliscor. If the other team is weakened enough, SD may not be necessary. STAB cross chop hits like a truck against anything that doesn't resist it. The poor accuracy is less than desirable, but drain punch is illegal with ice punch so it will have to do. Ice punch is mainly for Gliscors. Sucker punch is a nice +2 priority move than can prevent faster pokes like Starmie or Latios from stopping my sweep. Max att to do the most damage possible, and 252 speed to outrun scarfed pokes with 110 or less base speed (Landorus, Latios, Salamence) after a +2 boost. As a bonus, he also gets rid of toxic spikes =) . I used to run the bulk up + sub set, but ice punch is just too good.
Threats:
Gastrodon/Quagsire:
They wall almost every member of my team bar Celebi and can hit back hard with water or ground STAB. If Celebi goes down, scarfed HP grass on Politoed just isn't going to cut it unless it's their last pokemon.
Reuniclus:
Any variant spells trouble for my team. I have no super effective STAB moves to take it out, nor do I have a taunter to prevent it from setting up. The only way I can beat it is to get into a calm mind war against it with Jirachi and rely on parafusion hax and focus blast misses, which is a terrible game plan.
Tyranitar:
Toxicroak can handle ones lacking EQ and Gliscor can wall sets without ice beam, but the main problem is that he gets rid of my rain.
Ninetales:
Sun teams in general seem to be a problem for me. Even worse than Tyranitar because the sun lets chlorophyll users trample all over my team. Usually I have to wear it down with stealth rocks and chip damage when it switches in.
Venusaur:
If Politoed can't set up the rain anymore, this thing will sweep the rest of my pokemon in the sun. Otherwise in any other weather he isn't a problem at all.
Scizor:
Toxicroak can't handle more than one coice banded bullet punch, which is a problem since that means he can't set up. If Toxicroak is already set up, I have to pray that cross chop doesn't miss, otherwise Gliscor has to clean him up at the end of the game. SD variants are even worse, since Gliscor can't really handle them.
Infernape:
This guy can KO or put a massive dent in almost everyone in my team. The mixed set with overheat is the bane of my existence since Gliscor, my main physical wall, can't handle it.
Terrakion:
A threat to any team, since it can the choice banded ones can two-hit KO almost anything in OU with the appropriate STAB move. Gliscor is the best thing I have to take hits from it, although if I'm in a pinch Toxicroak and Celebi and take one close combat too.
Landorus:
Earthquake makes quick work of both of my set-up sweepers, u-turn KO's Celebi and gives the opponent momentum, and HP ice wrecks Gliscor. My only check Porygon2.
I've also noticed that the lack of a priority move hurts this team a lot in terms of revenge-killing killing. I used to run a choice banded Azumarill with aqua jet since it hurts a lot in the rain, but I found it became set-up fodder too often. All advice or criticism is welcome please! This is my first team and I'm just looking to improve. Any help is much appreciated, thanks! =)
Slippy (Politoed) (M) @ Choice Scarf Trait: Drizzle
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Focus Blast
He is here mainly to set up the rain. He was originally the defensive variant, but I changed him to choice scarf because I noticed that none of my other guys are fast enough to revenge kill. STAB hydro pump is the main move he uses, since it can put a nice dent in almost anything. The rest are mostly situational moves depending on what I'm trying to scare out / revenge kill. Lots of speed and sp.att to outpace and hurt things.
Parahax (Jirachi) @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 40 SAtk / 216 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Thunder
- Water Pulse
- Substitute
Not much to say about standard rain Jirachi. Usually comes in on something that can't hurt it, like Ferrothorn or Blissey, and proceeds to sub + calm mind up. Thunder and water pulse get a boost from rain to their accuracy or power respectively, and the parafusion can be quite annoying. His main job is to paralyze things with thunder and maybe nab a kill, but occasionally he can sweep if the opponent let's him get to +4 and all their ground pokes are gone. Max hp for 101 subs, and speed investment to block status with sub.
Duckface (Porygon2) @ Eviolite
Trait: Trace
EVs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunder
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Beam
- Recover
My designated DD dragon killer. This set was suggested to me by a friend. I was getting absolutely wrecked by them before I put him in the lineup, and now they're much more manageable. Switch in to trace intimidate or multiscale, then proceed to hit back with the appropriate 4x effective move (thunder for Gyarados, ice beam for Salamence and Dragonite). Thunder wave is to help cripple fast threats for Toxicroak to clean up and recover is for healing. Trace also makes him a decent switch-in to Jolteon and offensive Heatran. The EVs and eviolite are all there to help make him as bulky as possible.
Tinkerbell (Celebi) @ Leftovers Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 220 SDef / 36 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Giga Drain
- Stealth Rock
- Recover
He is here mainly to giga drain because I kept getting walled by (insert Water/Ground type here). He is also a decent status sponge and helps handle Rotom-W. Thunder wave is to cripple switch-ins and recover helps to keep him alive. I know stealth rock is weird on Celebi, but no one else on my team wants to have them and they really help to discourage switching and nab important KOs. I've also been considering heal bell in case Gliscor/Toxicroak get burned, Politoed gets paralyzed, or Porygon2 gets badly poisoned. I run a specially defensive variant because Porygon2 and Gliscor are already there to take physical hits.
Batreaux (Gliscor) (M) @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Baton Pass
- Rock Polish
- Protect
My main switch-in to physical threats. I know this is a weird set so let me try to explain. Protect is there to activate toxic orb and get extra healing every other turn. EQ is to hit back at physical threats that I switch in on, such as Infernape, Terrakion, and Lucario, should they choose to stay in. The combination of EQ and protect also lets me take down CB Scizor late-game. I have yet to come across another rock polish + BP Gliscor this gen, but I wanted to try it out. The main recipient is Toxicroak to prevent him from being revenge-killed and allow him to sweep unhindered, but in my experience +2 speed on Jirachi can allow it to take on things it couldn't before, Infernape or Gyarados. Gliscor is a great lure for bulky water types trying to hit him with a STAB water move, but with a speed boost, he can BP out before he gets hit. most people won't try to EQ, burn, or paralyze a Gliscor, so Toxicroak can come in with being taken out or crippled.
Knuckles (Toxicroak) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Dry Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Ice Punch
- Cross Chop
- Sucker Punch
This team's main sweeper. The goal is to switch in on a weak resisted or water move because he has paper-thin defences, although dry skin + leftovers helps heal up a bit. Then SD on the switch, and proceed to sweep with the appropriate coverage move. Works much better if the other team is paralyzed or Toxicroak has been passed a speed boost from Gliscor. If the other team is weakened enough, SD may not be necessary. STAB cross chop hits like a truck against anything that doesn't resist it. The poor accuracy is less than desirable, but drain punch is illegal with ice punch so it will have to do. Ice punch is mainly for Gliscors. Sucker punch is a nice +2 priority move than can prevent faster pokes like Starmie or Latios from stopping my sweep. Max att to do the most damage possible, and 252 speed to outrun scarfed pokes with 110 or less base speed (Landorus, Latios, Salamence) after a +2 boost. As a bonus, he also gets rid of toxic spikes =) . I used to run the bulk up + sub set, but ice punch is just too good.
Threats:
Gastrodon/Quagsire:
They wall almost every member of my team bar Celebi and can hit back hard with water or ground STAB. If Celebi goes down, scarfed HP grass on Politoed just isn't going to cut it unless it's their last pokemon.
Reuniclus:
Any variant spells trouble for my team. I have no super effective STAB moves to take it out, nor do I have a taunter to prevent it from setting up. The only way I can beat it is to get into a calm mind war against it with Jirachi and rely on parafusion hax and focus blast misses, which is a terrible game plan.
Tyranitar:
Toxicroak can handle ones lacking EQ and Gliscor can wall sets without ice beam, but the main problem is that he gets rid of my rain.
Ninetales:
Sun teams in general seem to be a problem for me. Even worse than Tyranitar because the sun lets chlorophyll users trample all over my team. Usually I have to wear it down with stealth rocks and chip damage when it switches in.
Venusaur:
If Politoed can't set up the rain anymore, this thing will sweep the rest of my pokemon in the sun. Otherwise in any other weather he isn't a problem at all.
Scizor:
Toxicroak can't handle more than one coice banded bullet punch, which is a problem since that means he can't set up. If Toxicroak is already set up, I have to pray that cross chop doesn't miss, otherwise Gliscor has to clean him up at the end of the game. SD variants are even worse, since Gliscor can't really handle them.
Infernape:
This guy can KO or put a massive dent in almost everyone in my team. The mixed set with overheat is the bane of my existence since Gliscor, my main physical wall, can't handle it.
Terrakion:
A threat to any team, since it can the choice banded ones can two-hit KO almost anything in OU with the appropriate STAB move. Gliscor is the best thing I have to take hits from it, although if I'm in a pinch Toxicroak and Celebi and take one close combat too.
Landorus:
Earthquake makes quick work of both of my set-up sweepers, u-turn KO's Celebi and gives the opponent momentum, and HP ice wrecks Gliscor. My only check Porygon2.
I've also noticed that the lack of a priority move hurts this team a lot in terms of revenge-killing killing. I used to run a choice banded Azumarill with aqua jet since it hurts a lot in the rain, but I found it became set-up fodder too often. All advice or criticism is welcome please! This is my first team and I'm just looking to improve. Any help is much appreciated, thanks! =)