RMT: UU first team.

[iCanada]

Hello, i am new here at Smogon. I am a Newbie as well to competitive battling; however, i feel that so for my first decent competitive team, i think it is pretty good. I tried to mold my team so that it could take a hit or two, but deal some damage as well. On the other hand, i know that i am new at this and probably have a lot that could be improved upon. All my changes will be made in Bold and all suggestions in Alternate Coloured Font. Alright, Here we go, my team at a glance:

Roserade @ Focus Sash
Timid - Natural Cure
6 HP / 252 Special Attack / 252 Speed
-Sleep Powder
-Spikes
-HP Fire
-Leaf Storm

My lead: has some decent speed, and fairly good special attack. Can set up Spikes, as well as survive fairly decently with the EV's going there. Leech seed adds some more survivability as well. I am not so sure about Sludge Bomb, with all the Poison types available, i think Auroma therapy would be a good fit. But i am not completely sure...

Umbreon @ Leftovers
Sassy - Synchronize
252 HP /6 Att /252 SpD
- Payback/Pursuit
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic

Wisher. My team is fairly bulky, so i don't any major walls that would lock anyone in place; However, i figure that my team will probably need some healing power. I threw in Payback/pursuit in case of emergency.

Hitmonchan @ Expert Belt
Adamant - Iron Fist
4 HP / 252 Att / 252 Spe
-ThunderPunch
-Ice Punch
-Fire Punch
-Sky-Uppercut

This is probably my favorite pokemon in the whole game: Great type coverage, finally gets physical elemental punches aswell as a good ability. Expert Belt simply because of Hitmonchans amazing type coverage with the punches. Sky uppercut is their because i want
to avoid losing some of Hitmonchans bulky defences. I feel that Hitmonchan is truly the centerpiece of the team, and oftens finishes the match, time and time again.

Ampharos @ Leftovers
Modest - Static
252 hp / 80 SpA / 176 SpD
-Reflect
-Thunderbolt
-Thunderwave
-Hidden Power Ground

Another one of my favorites: Synergizes very well with Hitmonchan i find, in that either can lure out targets for one another. Low defence, thus the reflect. I wanted some more status ailments, and Ampharos has the capability to do so. Complete with decent SpA, i really like Ampharos and his set.

Lapras @ Leftovers
Modest - Water Absorb
192 HP / 112 Def / 160 SpA / 44 SpD
-Ice Beam
-Surf
-Perish Song
-Toxic

Basic Bulky water Ev's, combined with decent STAB attacks. I really like the pressure Perish Song puts on the opponent, as well as the possibilities of Boltbeam, or another Status Ailment. I find Lapras creates a nice synergie with some of the other bulky guys on my team (Arcanine, Ampharos, Roserade if she survives) in Luring considering the types it covers.

Arcanine @ Leftovers
Bold - Intimidate
240 HP / 68 Att / 128 Def / 72 Spe
-WoW
-Flare Blitz
-Roar
-Thunder Fang

Also a Favorite of mine. I am not too sure on the Bulky EV's he has, so feel free to rip that apart. Again, i like the possibility to Burn, as well as the type coverage that is brought with Flare/T-Fang. Also used as a last minute Phazer via Roar.

I am thinking of switching Arcanine with :
Camerupt @ Leftovers
Modest - Solid Rock
228 HP / 72 SpA / 208 SpD
-Lava Plume
-Earth Power
-Stealth Rock
-Explosion/toxic

Thoughts? I am not sure if dropping Roar is worth the pick up of Stealth Rock.

I tried to synergize the team with a decent setup of lures, as well as some switchout hazards and survivability. The team was basically built from Hitmonchan out, looking for a circle of lures i could set up on the opponent. One thing that i think could be a problem is predictability.

So, rate my team, tell me what you think, and please avoid flame fests. Thank you in advanced!

 

[ungulateman]

I'm not sure about Sky Uppercut on Hitmonchan - I would personally go for something like Bullet Punch, Mach Punch or even Mega Punch.

I'm liking the look of the rest of the team though.

(Rip my comments to shreds, I dare you.)

 

[Kurnak]

On Lapras I think that you could use Surf/TBolt, which gives better coverage allowing you're team to hit Fire types for SE damahe and since you've already got lots of status on this team and a Pokémon can only have 1 at a time (other then confusion) I don't think Toxic would be that amazing. You could however run Surf/Toxic since you already have quite a few of Electric users. On Roserade I would suggest dropping Sludge Bomb for Sleep Powder; but if you really need to hit Shaymin for SE(which Arcanine,Ampharos AND Hitmonchan already can) keep it. Other then that, this seems like a good team ;) Also, welcome to Smogon =)

 

[Son_of_Shadoo]

I would consider giving Hitmonchan a Choice Scarf, and Mach Punch over Sky Uppercut, to make him a decent revenge killer.

 

[Illithian-Z]

I would consider giving Hitmonchan a Choice Scarf, and Mach Punch over Sky Uppercut, to make him a decent revenge killer.

Except he said that Hitmonchan was the centerpiece of the team, and you can't have a revenge killer as a centerpiece. Also, why would you give someone priority with Scarf? I realize Weavile outspeeds him, but you don't often see Weavile in UU =_=, and the only pokemon who outspeed Scarfchan in UU are Swellow, Crobat, and Electrode, and you wouldn't leave Chan out on Swellow or Crobat. Electrode has too horrible defenses to be a problem.

For Lapras, use Surf / Toxic. STAB is always good, and Toxic ruins walls (obviously), and Tbolt is already covered by Chan (Thunderpunch) and Ampharos.

Okay, for Arcanine, I don't think Bulky is very useful for your team, but you never know. I reccomend using a Howl set, but if you do use Bulky, might want to consider switching it to a special set with HP Ground & Fire Blast.

Your team really can't do anything to an Electric type except neutral hits and stalling, so might want to consider HP Ground on one of your special sets. I reccomend switching HP Ice on Ampharos for HP Ground simply because Lapras makes better use of Ice Beam then Ampharos could, and you need a Ground move regardless.

 

[Alex Practice]

Roserade @ Focus Sash
Timid
Natural Cure
6 HP / 252 Special Attack / 252 Speed
~ Sleep Powder
~ Spikes
~ HP Fire
~ Leaf Storm

Roserade isn't meant to be bulky. It has pitiful HP and Defense.
Its special Defense is actually solid, but with its HP and a multitude of weaknesses to common types, special attacks will still rape it.
Ideally, Roserade should lead in this manner - sleep their lead with its solid Speed, spikes on the switch, spikes again while they can't kill you thanks to focus sash, spikes again while they finish you off...or just blast them with Leaf Storm (far more powerful than energy ball and the sp atk decrease won't hurt you much because roserade can't survive long enough to suffer from it...) hp fire to hit steel and grass types.

Umbreon @ Leftovers
Sassy - Synchronize
252 HP /252 SpD/6 Atk
- Payback/Pursuit
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic

This is decent, use Sassy to boost the lower of its Defenses to be somewhat even. Put the 6 evs in attack, it's slow, the speed will probably never help. Other than that I think it looks good.

Hitmonchan @ Expert Belt
Adamant - Iron Fist
4 HP / 252 Att / 252 Spe
-ThunderPunch
-Ice Punch
-Fire Punch
-Sky-Uppercut

hitmonchan isn't really bulky...it's got better sp. def than roserade but worse HP. I'd recommend scarfing it since its speed is low, too (76 base or something) or if you'd like, you can give it Agility for late game sweeps and so that the scarf doesn't nerf his coverage.

Ampharos @ Leftovers
Modest - Static
252 hp / 80 SpA / 176 SpD
-Reflect
-Discharge
-Thunderwave
-Hidden Power Ice

Another one of my favorites: Synergizes very well with Hitmonchan i find, in that either can lure out targets for one another. Low defence, thus the reflect. I wanted some more status ailments, and Ampharos has the capability to do so. Complete with decent SpA, i really like Ampharos and his set.

I don't have any problems with this. Ampharos is one of my favorites but i'm no expert on it. however it looks decent. Give it TBolt over discharge, since you've got thunderwave to paralyze so you dont need discharge's lower power and higher paralysis rate.

Lapras @ Leftovers
Modest - Water Absorb
192 HP / 112 Def / 160 SpA / 44 SpD
-Ice Beam
-Surf/Thunderbolt
-Perish Song
-Toxic/Thunderbolt

I have no experience with Lapras or Perish Song but I'm skeptical of Perish Song...idk what do say here, sorry.

Arcanine @ Leftovers
Bold - Intimidate
240 HP / 68 Att / 128 Def / 72 Spe
-WoW
-Flare Blitz
-Roar
-Thunder Fang

From my experience with Arcanine, it isn't nearly as bulky as you'd think.
But it seems like a decent sp read.

 

[iCanada]

Thanks so much! I'll look into and test some of your changes.

To explain my reasoning for Sky Uppercut, it has the same stats as Mega Punch, but also hits flyer's/bouncers. Considering Hitmonchans speed, and the speed of the rest of the UU metagame, i don't think there is a real need to a priority move. I thought about and tested Close Combat, but i found the loss of defence to be crippling in binding situations; as well, with Iron Fist, the power difference is only around 18 (85*1.20=102).

To be honest, i find Arcanine to be a bit frail myself, anyone have any suggestions of another pokemon that could fill a similar role?

EDIT: Perhaps Camerupt? Or Marcargo?

 

[d2m]

Thanks so much! I'll look into and test some of your changes.

To explain my reasoning for Sky Uppercut, it has the same stats as Mega Punch, but also hits flyer's/bouncers. Considering Hitmonchans speed, and the speed of the rest of the UU metagame, i don't think there is a real need to a priority move. I thought about and tested Close Combat, but i found the loss of defence to be crippling in binding situations; as well, with Iron Fist, the power difference is only around 18 (85*1.20=102).

To be honest, i find Arcanine to be a bit frail myself, anyone have any suggestions of another pokemon that could fill a similar role?

EDIT: Perhaps Camerupt? Or Marcargo?

CC is a better choice for both the power and accuracy, you should put a Choice Scarf on Hitmonchan and make it a revenge killer. That means he won't be in long enough for the CC drop to make a difference, plus it lets it outspeed its major threats.