Armaldo @ Leftovers
Ability: Battle Armor
Nature: Adamant
EV's: 244 HP / 252 Atk / 14 SpD
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- X-Scissor
Armaldo is a great lead, scoring OHKOs and 2HKOs on many of the common leads as well as being able to put up SR and remove theirs.
How it fares against most common leads:
Azelf: X-Scissor deals a minimum of 129% damage against a 4HP/0Def spread. In return, Psychic only hits me for 49%-58%, not even a 2HKO with the leftovers countered in.
Tyranitar: X-Scissor deals a minimum of 61% damage against a 240HP/48Def LeadTar, always a 2HKO, even with Leftovers (which isn't used on a LeadTar.) In return, Stone Edge would deal 97% max, but since (almost) none of them carry SE but other moves to perform well against other leads, all those moves perform laughable.
Aerodactyl: My Stone Edge is always a OHKO on him although Focus Sash prevents that. It's all greatly dependant on the opponents action though. If he starts with Taunt, I get a free first turn to drop the first Stone Edge. If he fires his own Stone Edge turn 1, he will deal around 90% damage, and I'll deal 99% (Focus Sash). Because he has the speed advantage, this is a poor matchup. Scizor using pursuit to chip away that last 1% (assuming he stays in to either lay down SR or to finish my Armaldo off) is a certain kill.
Infernape: Doesn't work. His Fake Out (5%-6%) and then a Fire Blast(57%-67%) are a sure 2HKO, while Stone Edge will never OHKO (also because of Focus Sash). Most likely a switch to an appropiate counter on turn 1 which I do not really have besides Salamence.
Jirachi: I can only deal 46% damage at best and have a chance to be severely crippled by Choice Scarf. When I see this little guy, my Heatran is switched in on turn 1, not minding a tricked Scarf, nor any of his attacks, while OHKOing with it's Flamethrower. (If Jirachi stays in).
Bronzong: See Jirachi
Hippowdon: Besides saying thank you for the SpD boost, Hippowdon is a bitch to my entire team. Nothing really takes care of it properly.
Metagross: Again, see Jirachi
Ninjask: I've considered Rock Blast for just this guy. Lay SR on turn one when he most like protects, than shoot Rock Blast at turn 2, breaking through it's sub and killing it silly. The loss of power is rather sad though.
Others: It obviously deals nicely with any fliers/psychics/darks/bugs/grasses, like Weavile, Alakazam, Uxie, Crobat, Togekiss, Roserade, Yanmega, etc. as long as they don't pack water, rock or steel moves. (Which are all quite rare on most common leads)
In short, I like this guy. The EV's might use some work though, I basically took the utility set and screwed it over. Any help is appreciated here to make it even a better lead.
Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Rash
EV's: 80 Atk / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
- Draco Meteor
- Fire Blast
- Brick Break
- Roost
A very standard set, use to sweep a lot of opponents. What I like about this set is the Brick Break that is very unexpected to most of my opponents, since I've even seen Blisseys switch in after I launched a few special attacks, assuming it was a special set. Also deals nicely with T-tar.
Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
Nature: Naïve
EV's: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Flamethrower
- Earth Power
- Explosion
- Hidden Power Ice
My revenge killer and it's good at it. HP Ice takes care of the dragons. Works well in tandem with Scizor for absorbing it's fire attacks. Flash Fire has been activated quite a lot.
Blissey @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Calm
EV's: 252 Def / 40 SpA / 216 SpD
- Aromatherapy
- Flamethrower
- Thunder Wave
- Softboiled
My cleric and special wall. I love flamethrower much better than other Ice Beam, having scored a lot of nice hits on the steel types to either set up (Forretress and Skarmory) or just to kill me (Scizor). If I hit the latter on the switch in, he's most likely OHKOed. The only issue I have with this is my abundancy of fire attacks on my team. Suggestion on how to build a better Blissey are much appreciated (or a whole new special wall altogether)
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Nature: Bold
EV's: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 Spe
- Roost
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power Grass
This is my biggest problem in the team. Supposedly, it should be my physical wall, but this guy has more time playing dead than alive. My team also has a major trouble with bulky waters and grounds, and this guy isn't doing anything to them. HP Grass and Thunderbolt do little damage on the often specially bulky waters and if they aren't bulky on the special side, a CM will make them bulky. In return, a STAB/CM boosted Surf will hurt me like hell since I have no EV's in SpD.
So if I chance it's EV's to the special side, I have two special walls and no physical wall. If I leave it like this, bulky waters walk all over me.
Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant
EV's: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
- X-Scissor
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
My very very generic CB sweeper doing major damage and drawing in fire attacks for Heatran.
Problem area's:
I have no hazers. A succesful baton pass has killed my team a few times already. As well as the aformentioned bulky waters I have no answer to, letting them CM up a few times also means GG. Even if Blissey walls special attackers, Blissey has no attack to strike back at all against waters.
I've been thinking of a Roar Vaporeon to replace Zapdos with some investment of physical EV's as well as a physical Celebi to replace Zapdos, although I'm not sure if that would fix the problem.
Please give me some advice on how to improve my team.
Thanks a lot!
