Hello all. I've gotten bored of battling with regular teams composed of different types to counter flaws and weaknesses between teammates. As a result I decided to start battling using monotype teams, since the idea gives me more of a thrill and winning feels more rewarding at the end of a hard fought match.
I ended up choosing a focus on dark types since X and Y made steel types almost a non-issue, and the addition of multiple dark mega evolutions to try out. That, and I found out that I liked Bisharps in 6th gen.
The Team=
Gold Skin the Krookadile
Nature: Impish
Ability: Intimidate
Evs: 252 HP/ 252 DEF/ 4 ATK
Item: Leftovers
Moveset:
Earthquake
Knock Off
Taunt
Stealth Rock
I ended up wanting to use Krookadile as a rock setter and taunter instead of Tyranitar because Tyranitar has diverse offensive capabilities than Krook who would at best be able to run a scarf or band, both of which most people would see coming from a mile away. Krookadile is also better as a physically defensive Pokemon thanks to intimidate and decent Hp and Defense stats.
Stabb+++ The Cacturne
Nature: Jolly
Ability Water Absorb
EVs: 252 ATK/ 252 SPEED/ 4HP
Item: Miracle Seed/ Sitrus Berry
Moveset:
Seed Bomb
Low Kick / Focus Punch
Sucker Punch
Substitute / Cotton Spore
Cacturne here is basically my Azumarill Check. Unless Azumarill gets some kind of speed boost from the likes of a Choice Scarf, tail wind, or baton pass, it will not outspeed Cacturne. Water attacks are useless against it, so even a boosted aqua jet means nothing in the face of this plant. Seed bomb finishes Azumarill weakened by stealth rocks or Belly Drum off in one hit. Substitute can be used when predicting a switch into a counter. Low kick is used instead of drain punch for higher damage against Heeatran and a 100% K.O on Tyranitars.
Tyranteyes The Hydreigon
Nature: Rash
Ability: Levitate
Evs: 252 SPATK/ 252 SPEED/ 4 ATK
Item: Choice Scarf/Life Orb
Moveset:
Draco Meteor
Dark Pulse
Superpower
Tailwind
Tyranteyes here is one of my main win conditions. If running a Life Orb my goal is to bring him out on a resisted hit, or anything that won't ruin his chances at demolishing a couple of my opponent's Pokemon, then set up Tailwind on a switch to out speed most remaining scarf users. With this I would want to pressure the enemy into a corner where I can predict the flow of battle for the next 3 turns and hopefully bring the fight to a close. When using a Choice Scarf Hydreigon is is simply used a revenge killer or cleaner, and when it's health gets low, or I feel that Tyrant won't be able to do much more, we Tailwind away and try to set up for the sweeper. Tailwind is also here to speed up some of my slower power pokemon like Cacturne and Bisharp.
Stratus The Greninja
Nature: Naive
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 SPATK / 252 SPEED / 4ATK
Item: Expert Belt
Moveset:
Scald
Ice Beam
Dark Pulse
U-Turn / Extrasensory / protect
Greninja Acts as my insurance to finishing off a lot of threats such as Garchomp, Venusaur, and Infernape. If used a lead I would replace U-Turn with protect to scout out Choice Scarf users like Rotom Wash, then on the following turn switching out to a counter. Protect also makes Greninja a harder target for Aegisalsh to revenge kill when in a pure water or ice typing. This pokemon often serves as a main dismantler of teams after rocks are on my opponents side of the field and is in my opinion the best Dark type.
Essdesse The Bisharp
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 ATK / 252 SPEED / 4 HP
Item: Life Orb / Dread Plate
Moveset:
Knock Off
Iron head
Low Kick/ Swords Dance / Rock Polish
Sucker Punch
Essdesse is on this team first of all because she looks great in Blue. Secondly I use Bisharp because of it's steel typing and decent defenses which let it switch in on certain resisted hits, threaten the enemy, and set up a sweep of at least a near guaranteed K.O when predicting well. I've previously used another Bisharp with Pursuit in place of Knock Off, and while that set worked well, on this team Pursuit is not needed as much because this Bisharp's HP is meant to be preserved as best as I can to be used in the long term.
Demonihax The Houndoom/MegaHoundoom
Nature: Naive
Ability: Flash Fire / Solar Power
EVs: 252 SPATK / 252 SPEED / 4 ATK
Item: Houndoominite
Moveset
Flamethrower / Fireblast
Dark Pulse
Hidden power Ice / Nasty Plot
Sucker Punch / Wil-O-Wisp
Originally I thought Mega Houndoom was pretty bad because of my former impression of Houndoom and it's horrible defense state which lead it into getting K.Oed by many Priority common moves, as well as weak attacks in general. However, after taking a closer look at Mega Houndoom I understood that it's defenses under megaevolution become more than respectable, and that it's speed would rise to a top threat level. With dark typing being stronger than ever, and the need for a powerful fire type on my team, Demonihax took the spot for my Megaevolution. Flamethrower is used over Fire Blast because I have horrible luck with that move to the point where I might as well not use it at all. Hidden Power Ice is Useful for obliterating things like Garchomp, Dragonite, Landorus in either form, and Gliscor. Sucker Punch is useful for beating weakened enemies who I know are either scarfed or just faster.
Right now the one thing that I fear for sure is Breloom and Conkeldurr. To counter those threats I am considering removing one Pokemon for a custom Jolly Mandibuzz with Bravebird.
I ended up choosing a focus on dark types since X and Y made steel types almost a non-issue, and the addition of multiple dark mega evolutions to try out. That, and I found out that I liked Bisharps in 6th gen.
The Team=
Gold Skin the Krookadile
Nature: Impish
Ability: Intimidate
Evs: 252 HP/ 252 DEF/ 4 ATK
Item: Leftovers
Moveset:
Earthquake
Knock Off
Taunt
Stealth Rock
I ended up wanting to use Krookadile as a rock setter and taunter instead of Tyranitar because Tyranitar has diverse offensive capabilities than Krook who would at best be able to run a scarf or band, both of which most people would see coming from a mile away. Krookadile is also better as a physically defensive Pokemon thanks to intimidate and decent Hp and Defense stats.
Stabb+++ The Cacturne
Nature: Jolly
Ability Water Absorb
EVs: 252 ATK/ 252 SPEED/ 4HP
Item: Miracle Seed/ Sitrus Berry
Moveset:
Seed Bomb
Low Kick / Focus Punch
Sucker Punch
Substitute / Cotton Spore
Cacturne here is basically my Azumarill Check. Unless Azumarill gets some kind of speed boost from the likes of a Choice Scarf, tail wind, or baton pass, it will not outspeed Cacturne. Water attacks are useless against it, so even a boosted aqua jet means nothing in the face of this plant. Seed bomb finishes Azumarill weakened by stealth rocks or Belly Drum off in one hit. Substitute can be used when predicting a switch into a counter. Low kick is used instead of drain punch for higher damage against Heeatran and a 100% K.O on Tyranitars.
Tyranteyes The Hydreigon
Nature: Rash
Ability: Levitate
Evs: 252 SPATK/ 252 SPEED/ 4 ATK
Item: Choice Scarf/Life Orb
Moveset:
Draco Meteor
Dark Pulse
Superpower
Tailwind
Tyranteyes here is one of my main win conditions. If running a Life Orb my goal is to bring him out on a resisted hit, or anything that won't ruin his chances at demolishing a couple of my opponent's Pokemon, then set up Tailwind on a switch to out speed most remaining scarf users. With this I would want to pressure the enemy into a corner where I can predict the flow of battle for the next 3 turns and hopefully bring the fight to a close. When using a Choice Scarf Hydreigon is is simply used a revenge killer or cleaner, and when it's health gets low, or I feel that Tyrant won't be able to do much more, we Tailwind away and try to set up for the sweeper. Tailwind is also here to speed up some of my slower power pokemon like Cacturne and Bisharp.
Stratus The Greninja
Nature: Naive
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 SPATK / 252 SPEED / 4ATK
Item: Expert Belt
Moveset:
Scald
Ice Beam
Dark Pulse
U-Turn / Extrasensory / protect
Greninja Acts as my insurance to finishing off a lot of threats such as Garchomp, Venusaur, and Infernape. If used a lead I would replace U-Turn with protect to scout out Choice Scarf users like Rotom Wash, then on the following turn switching out to a counter. Protect also makes Greninja a harder target for Aegisalsh to revenge kill when in a pure water or ice typing. This pokemon often serves as a main dismantler of teams after rocks are on my opponents side of the field and is in my opinion the best Dark type.
Essdesse The Bisharp
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 ATK / 252 SPEED / 4 HP
Item: Life Orb / Dread Plate
Moveset:
Knock Off
Iron head
Low Kick/ Swords Dance / Rock Polish
Sucker Punch
Essdesse is on this team first of all because she looks great in Blue. Secondly I use Bisharp because of it's steel typing and decent defenses which let it switch in on certain resisted hits, threaten the enemy, and set up a sweep of at least a near guaranteed K.O when predicting well. I've previously used another Bisharp with Pursuit in place of Knock Off, and while that set worked well, on this team Pursuit is not needed as much because this Bisharp's HP is meant to be preserved as best as I can to be used in the long term.
Demonihax The Houndoom/MegaHoundoom
Nature: Naive
Ability: Flash Fire / Solar Power
EVs: 252 SPATK / 252 SPEED / 4 ATK
Item: Houndoominite
Moveset
Flamethrower / Fireblast
Dark Pulse
Hidden power Ice / Nasty Plot
Sucker Punch / Wil-O-Wisp
Originally I thought Mega Houndoom was pretty bad because of my former impression of Houndoom and it's horrible defense state which lead it into getting K.Oed by many Priority common moves, as well as weak attacks in general. However, after taking a closer look at Mega Houndoom I understood that it's defenses under megaevolution become more than respectable, and that it's speed would rise to a top threat level. With dark typing being stronger than ever, and the need for a powerful fire type on my team, Demonihax took the spot for my Megaevolution. Flamethrower is used over Fire Blast because I have horrible luck with that move to the point where I might as well not use it at all. Hidden Power Ice is Useful for obliterating things like Garchomp, Dragonite, Landorus in either form, and Gliscor. Sucker Punch is useful for beating weakened enemies who I know are either scarfed or just faster.
Right now the one thing that I fear for sure is Breloom and Conkeldurr. To counter those threats I am considering removing one Pokemon for a custom Jolly Mandibuzz with Bravebird.
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