Rate my standard team (with counter list!)

gaudetjaja

I have been trying my luck on the ladder, but for some reason this team really doesn't work that well. It may be just my sucky prediction skills, but still... I think it covers most threads reasonably well, so why doesn't it work? Maybe it needs more walls? Maybe I don't make enough use of Ludicolo's rain dance?

Arrow Tail Gargouille Wannabees (Aerodactyl) (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 24 HP/252 Atk/232 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Stone Edge
- Ice Fang
- Earthquake
- Pursuit
---
I find that it usually has to switch out as a lead, but it works reasonably well... It's designed to outspeed a lot of pokes, including enemy Aerodactyls, slower Scarfers (under 100 base speed), and non-jolly ninjask under 100 speed evs (but I don't think that even exists...). It hits most pokemon not named 'bronzong'.

All Hail the Great Spaghetti Monster (Tangrowth) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP/228 Def/28 SDef
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Knock Off
- Power Whip
- Sleep Powder
- Leech Seed
---
This thing rules! Knock off rules enough to warrant a pokemon using it on my team, sleep powder allows other pokes to set up, Power Whip does good damage. I have rarely used sludge bomb though (if power whip can't kill it, sludge bomb usually won't kill it either). Maybe something over sb?

Are too dee too? (Magnezone) @ Life Orb
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 24 HP/232 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Thunder
- Magnet Rise
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Substitute
---
I like Magnets. They utterly destroy Skarmory and Bronzong, and they resist boltbeam and they just rule generally. SubMagnetrise has worked well so far against CBers (rise when my sub is up on EQs). BoltBeam does good damage.

Evil Fat Handed Monkeys (Ambipom) (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Jolly nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Payback
- Brick Break
- Return
- Fake Out
---
Fake out with CB? Yes, and it works! It's the only priority move on my team, and a damn powerful one, able to kill off most things on low HP that are not defensively oriented or resisting it. And my opponent does not know if I'm running CB so they can't set up on the switch! All the other moves just generally have awesome power and coverage.

Illegal Immigrant Latino Ducks (Ludicolo) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Rain Dance
- Ice Beam
- Grass Knot
---
Firstly, please don't be as lame as someone I encountered on Shoddy and find that nickname offensive. Anyway, although Hydropump tends to miss it does own the other duck in the game (cressalia) one on one if it doesn't Moonlight, and just generally is cool. The other moves are for coverage. Grass Knot is nice against Gyara doing like 50%, and thankfully gyara usually doesn't have a flying attack anymore!

Awfully Sprited Faces (Gliscor) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 252 HP/16 Atk/240 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
- Roost
- Aerial Ace
---
Replaced Rhyperior with Gliscor. This should take care of heracross with Aerial Ace. Taunt is for general support, so is stealth rock. Roost helps to keep it alive. Slightly more attack EVs are to ensure a ohko on Heracross with no defense and 104 HP evs.

I am not very experienced with all pokemon on the threat list, but I'll just try and fill it out. I'd appreciate comments on the threat list aswell. If I ever edit this team, please note that this is from the first version.

Tyranitar: Tangrowth, Ludicolo. It's hard to counter the cheap thing when you don't know its moveset though. rhyperior to some extent

Gyarados: Tangrowth, Ludicolo

Infernape: Ludicolo

Azelf: Ludicolo, Aeodactyl can revengekill, magnezone

Electivire: Tangrowth knocks off its expert belt and walls it

Heracross: ARGH I HATE HERACROSS! I don't think I have any counter, please help me. Close Combat kills anything I have except Tangrowth, but Tangrowth gets utterly destroyed by its other attacks. Aerodactyl and ambipom outspeed it but cant survive its attacks.

Salamence: Ludicolo, Tangrowth, if it's not special rhyperior and magnezone stops specsmence. Salamence sometimes switches into Tangrowths knock-off which is funny.

Togekiss: Aerodactyl, Ludicolo, Ambipom, rhyperior to some extent magnezone

Gengar: Ludicolo. If it isn't scarfed or Focus Sashed, Aerodactyl should outspeed it and utterly destroy it. magnezone

Garchomp: It's a bit tricky to counter, but I haven't had too many problems with it. Magnezone when it has a sub up, ludicolo can ice beam and rhyperior can also kill it.

Lucario: Aerodactyl outspeeds and kills it but can't switch in, ludicolo to some extent. A slight problem.

Starmie: Ludicolo, Aerodactyl as a revenge magnezone

Weavile: Tangrowth rhyperior

dugtrio: tangrowth, aerodactyl... it's not a major problem

Porygon-Z: This one is a problem, ludicolo should counter it but its Tri
Attack hurts. Aerodactyl should outspeed it? magnezone, ambipoms fake out?

Machamp: tangrowth

Snorlax: ambipom rhyperior

Zapdos: Ludicolo magnezone

Suicune: ludicolo magnezone

Breloom: Hard to counter... tangrowth, aerodactyl and ambipom, rhyperior to some extent.

Ninjask: Ambipom can fake out it to oblivion. As I said Aerodactyl might outspeed it but it probably doesn't. magnezone can sub

Metagross: tangrowth

Heatran: ludicolo

Celebi: rhyperior? magnezone

Jirachi: Magnezone says hi

Dragonite: Rhyperior? Aerodactyl outspeeds it after one DD, and sometimes my opponent doesn't know that

Mamoswine: Tangrowth, Rhyperior. Magnezone has fun toying with magnet rise and substitute on CB Mamoswine.

Gallade: I haven't encountered gallade more than once or so, but tangrowth should do the trick. And rhyperior

Yanmega: I haven't encountered that either, but rhyperior probably?

Kingdra: Ludicolo! Magnezone could hurt it aswell

Roserade: I haven't encountered it yet, but ludicolo, magnezone should do the trick

Scizor: Magnezone says hi
 
Come on guys, it's probably going to take you less effort to give a quick team rate than it cost me to make this RMT.

24 hour (well, allmost...) bump.
 
If you ditch Aero or Rhyperior for Gliscor, all your Heracross problems will disappear. It will be a big help against Lucario too, who can easily sweep you after a Swords Dance, if it has Bullet Punch for Aero.

Your team is just way too fragile, which is not good when you have so many shared weaknesses.

Go with Leech Seed over Sludge Bomb on Tangrowth, you could do with some healing support.

As you have Rain support, I would use Thunder on Magnezone. Even if the rain is not active you can still afford a miss here and there, with Sub to hide behind.

Ambipom seems like the weak link. If you want to keep him, I would suggest using the Nasty Plot/Baton Pass set, as Ludicolo and Magnezone are both good targets for a pass. Really, I would consider using a Togekiss here, as you could do with more defensive power. NP/BP can set up Ludi or Magnezone, or Body Slam/Thunder Wave might let you get away with using Swords Dance Rhyperior if you can paralyze a few opponents.
 
Thank you for the advice.
I've considered thunder on magnezone before, Í just don't fancy the miss chance when ludicolo isn't there anymore... but it won't hurt to try and give it thunder.
Ambipom has actually been working exceptionally well. In late game, there is little that can outspeed it and it really hits very hard. Its fake-out takes care of endure/reversal or bellyzard, or alakazam or something like that. I personally think ambipom's just too frail to baton pass things.
Replacing rhyperior with gliscor seems like a sensible idea, I'll test it out.
 
You really really need to learn how to work with counters and threat lists. Half of what you listed as responses to threats aren't counters at all - many of them you even seem to be suggesting to let "counters" take STAB SE hits, such as your Tangrowth vs random Weavile.
 
I don't find weavile to be much of a problem for tangrowth, its physical ice attack really don't do a lot to it, and tangrowth hits back with power whip and weavile's defenses are made of wet toilet paper.

I agree that I'm not very experienced with counters and threat list, but we all had to learn at some point...
 
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