I have started competitive battling about five months ago and have been trying to make some good teams to climb the online ladder in both showdown and battle spot. However, I have been stuck in the 1300 elo ratings range in showdown for a long time and have been unable to really go higher. I am typing my team here to hopefully get some reviews and achieve higher ratings in the future. I think my team’s speed is pretty mediocre and is quite weak to Trick Room, so I will need help on this. I also think my team has too little spread attacks, in fact, only one (Rock Slide).
Pokemon 1:
Terrakion @ Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Rock Slide
- Double Kick
- Protect
Standard Terrakion set with Double Kick to OHKO Sash Bisharp and avoid the defenses drop when I want to pick up low health Pokemon. Nothing special.
Pokemon 2:
Venusaur (M) @ Venusaurite
Ability: Chlorophyll
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 52 Def / 76 SpA / 116 SpD / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Leech Seed
- Protect
Mega Venusaur is the core of my team. The move set is pretty self-explanatory. I ran leech seed over other moves like sleep powder for stable recovery when my opponents have only 2 Pokemon left. For the EV spread: Max HP for overall bulk, 52 Def allows it to survive 252Atk+ LO Brave Bird from Talonflame, 116 SpDef allows it to survive Psychic from Modest Mega Gardevoir, while 12 Spe speed creeps uninvested Milotic and 4 Spe base 80 pokes. Rest into Special Attack.
Pokemon 3:
Bisharp (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Defiant
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Protect
Another standard set, which covers the obvious weakness of Psychic from both Terrakion and Venusaur. It also discourages Intimidate users from leading. I am not really sure if Focus Sash is better than Life Orb because it miss out a lot of key KOs, but Focus Sash allows me to have better longetivity… (bar burn from heat waves)
Pokemon 4:
Rotom-Wash @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Def / 76 SpA / 92 SpD / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Light Screen
I used Rotom for handling physical attackers with WoW and OHKO Talonflame (a very big threat to Venusaur) with Tbolt. Rocky Helmet is used instead of sitrus berry to rack up chip damage on physical moves users, especially Mega Kangaskhan, making it easier to KO even without Terrakion. I am not sure if this is good. EV spread is copied directly from Jeudy’s mow rotom, allowing it to survive modest LO Hydreigon’s draco meteor and Adamant Mega Kangaskhan’s Double Edge. At last, light screen is for getting up a free special defense boost because I think people like to use more special attackers due to how common intimidate users are. I also don’t think Rotom actually needs protect.
Pokemon 5:
Cresselia @ Expert Belt
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
EVs: 28 HP / 252 Def / 156 SpA / 68 SpD / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Moonlight
- Thunder Wave
Originally this spot was preserved for Mamoswine to OHKO MegaMence (which is a huge threat to Venusaur) with icicle crash but I figured out that it was too frail and my team was very weak to fighting. So I added in Cresselia to sponge strong fighting moves and retaliate with psychic. I also wanted to OHKO MegaMence so I put ice beam. Twave for speed control and Moonlight is self-explanatory. I don’t really know how to run the EVs, so I might need some help on that, but with Expert Belt and 156 SpA, it should OHKO MegaMence and LandorusT 100% of the time (if they are 4HP 0SpD).
Pokemon 6:
Arcanine @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Def / 52 SpA / 60 SpD / 60 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Snarl
- Helping Hand
- Protect
Arcanine with Intimidate support is used to round up the Fire Water Grass core. It also provided Snarl support. However, I do doubt the usefulness of Helping Hand because of the lack of spread moves in my team. I also don’t know whether Overheat or Flamethrower is better. EV spread: Survive spread EQ from 252Atk+ LandrousT and Double Edge from Jolly Mega Kangaskhan (in case they get a switch in opportunity). 52 SpA is used to OHKO 4HP Bisharp, 252HP 52SpD Ferrothorn and Scizor. 60 Speed is used to outrun Adamant max speed Bisharp.
Overall, I think this team is performing worse than expected and I don’t know if it is because I control it badly or my team is bad in the first place. Feel free to make any suggestions of any other Pokemon that suits my team better. Thanks a lot!
Pokemon 1:
Terrakion @ Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Rock Slide
- Double Kick
- Protect
Standard Terrakion set with Double Kick to OHKO Sash Bisharp and avoid the defenses drop when I want to pick up low health Pokemon. Nothing special.
Pokemon 2:
Venusaur (M) @ Venusaurite
Ability: Chlorophyll
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 52 Def / 76 SpA / 116 SpD / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Leech Seed
- Protect
Mega Venusaur is the core of my team. The move set is pretty self-explanatory. I ran leech seed over other moves like sleep powder for stable recovery when my opponents have only 2 Pokemon left. For the EV spread: Max HP for overall bulk, 52 Def allows it to survive 252Atk+ LO Brave Bird from Talonflame, 116 SpDef allows it to survive Psychic from Modest Mega Gardevoir, while 12 Spe speed creeps uninvested Milotic and 4 Spe base 80 pokes. Rest into Special Attack.
Pokemon 3:
Bisharp (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Defiant
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Protect
Another standard set, which covers the obvious weakness of Psychic from both Terrakion and Venusaur. It also discourages Intimidate users from leading. I am not really sure if Focus Sash is better than Life Orb because it miss out a lot of key KOs, but Focus Sash allows me to have better longetivity… (bar burn from heat waves)
Pokemon 4:
Rotom-Wash @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Def / 76 SpA / 92 SpD / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Light Screen
I used Rotom for handling physical attackers with WoW and OHKO Talonflame (a very big threat to Venusaur) with Tbolt. Rocky Helmet is used instead of sitrus berry to rack up chip damage on physical moves users, especially Mega Kangaskhan, making it easier to KO even without Terrakion. I am not sure if this is good. EV spread is copied directly from Jeudy’s mow rotom, allowing it to survive modest LO Hydreigon’s draco meteor and Adamant Mega Kangaskhan’s Double Edge. At last, light screen is for getting up a free special defense boost because I think people like to use more special attackers due to how common intimidate users are. I also don’t think Rotom actually needs protect.
Pokemon 5:
Cresselia @ Expert Belt
Ability: Levitate
Level: 50
EVs: 28 HP / 252 Def / 156 SpA / 68 SpD / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Moonlight
- Thunder Wave
Originally this spot was preserved for Mamoswine to OHKO MegaMence (which is a huge threat to Venusaur) with icicle crash but I figured out that it was too frail and my team was very weak to fighting. So I added in Cresselia to sponge strong fighting moves and retaliate with psychic. I also wanted to OHKO MegaMence so I put ice beam. Twave for speed control and Moonlight is self-explanatory. I don’t really know how to run the EVs, so I might need some help on that, but with Expert Belt and 156 SpA, it should OHKO MegaMence and LandorusT 100% of the time (if they are 4HP 0SpD).
Pokemon 6:
Arcanine @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Intimidate
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Def / 52 SpA / 60 SpD / 60 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Snarl
- Helping Hand
- Protect
Arcanine with Intimidate support is used to round up the Fire Water Grass core. It also provided Snarl support. However, I do doubt the usefulness of Helping Hand because of the lack of spread moves in my team. I also don’t know whether Overheat or Flamethrower is better. EV spread: Survive spread EQ from 252Atk+ LandrousT and Double Edge from Jolly Mega Kangaskhan (in case they get a switch in opportunity). 52 SpA is used to OHKO 4HP Bisharp, 252HP 52SpD Ferrothorn and Scizor. 60 Speed is used to outrun Adamant max speed Bisharp.
Overall, I think this team is performing worse than expected and I don’t know if it is because I control it badly or my team is bad in the first place. Feel free to make any suggestions of any other Pokemon that suits my team better. Thanks a lot!
