After months of reading, I finally built the defensive team I've been hoping to build. I literally have had zero experience battling: The last time I played another person was in G/S/C. But I've read, theorized, and designed new sets. I thought of the idea of Suicide Azelf long before anyone used it :P
Unfortunately, in my attempts to build a Defensive team using a utility I've found, I don't have enough space to stop anything that sets up :| Bronzong seems to just waste space; Setting up Reflect and sleeping something. It's only used it's attacking moves twice in the last 15 or so games. So I'm asking for the help of the experts at smogon.
The Team:
1) Azelf
2) Bronzong
3) Celebi
4) Vaporeon
5) Swellow
6) Metagross
THE LEAD
Azelf@Focus Sash
Jolly/Levitate
252 Attack/252 Spd/4 HP
1) U-Turn
2) Stealth Rock
3) Taunt
4) Explosion
Azelf is either great, or fails miserably. It sets up Rocks, then Explodes or U-Turns as I see fit. Taunt has only helped me against the two Bronzongs I've seen. I'm currently redesigning him; He might become Aerodactyl.
SUPPORT
Bronzong@Light Clay
Relaxed/Levitate
252 HP/62 Attack/148 Def/48 Sp Atk
1) Earthquake
2) Hidden Power (Ice)
3) Reflect
4) Hypnosis
Designed to defend against Garchomp, while still warding off Lucario that switch in, hoping for a free Swords Dance. I usually Hypnosis/Reflect first, then see what I need to go to. His Screen does more than I hoped for, but the Hypnosis is always nice. I've tried Zapdos in his position for the Roar, but I didn't handle him as well. Heatran isn't an option; I don't want a Earthquake weakness.
DEFENSE
Celebi@Leftovers
Bold/Natural Cure
252 HP/220 Def/36 Sp Atk
1) Grass Knot
2) Leech Seed
3) Thunder Wave
4) Recover
My favorite member of the team. I've handled him best; spreading Thunder Wave to all of the sweepers while remaining durable with Recover. Leech Seed helps me out do Physical Sweepers and Blissey. His Leech seed has outstalled every Blissey I've come in contact with, and his Thunder Wave has backfired the plans of Infernape, Weavile, and Gengar that switch in.
Generally, if he falls early to take out a huge sweeper, I lose to Blissey.
WISH SUPPORT/STALLER
Vaporeon@Leftovers
Bold/Water Absorb
188 HP/252 Def/68 Sp Atk
1) Surf
2) Ice Beam
3) Wish
4) Protect
My Vaporeon is a very important member; Although he rarely heals other members, I've managed to fend off many threats. Doesn't do anything gamebreaking, but I play him best of the Bulky Waters; Basically, he always holds his ground. He adds a very much needed Fire Resistance.
SIGNATURE :P
Swellow@Leichi Berry
Jolly/Guts
252 Atk/252 Spd/4 Def
1) Pursuit
2) Endeavor
3) Substitute
4) Baton Pass
A personal creation of mine, that I later found out was almost Identical to a set listed on Smogon when I checked if there would be any ways to improve it. Basically, it's how I deal with Gengar/Azelf/Weakened Starmie. After it Subs down to 1HP, it can also Endeavor, which is how I defend against Garchomps a lot of the time (It would work better if I had some priority to go after Swellow dies to the Outrage :P). If I see an Azelf lead, I U-turn into Swellow, and Pursuit for the early+1. It also serves as a Sub Passer to my favorite Pokemon:
THE END BRINGER
Metagross@Lum Berry
Adamant/Clear Body
252 Atk/152 HP/104 Spd
1) Meteor Mash
2) Earthquake
3) Ice Punch
4) Agility
My favorite and least used member of the team :P The reason being, he finishes so fast. I've always wanted to use Metagross, but I've always had a problem with it's typing conflicting with my defensive combination (Namely Bronzong, who I'm hoping to drop for something better anyway, now that I see how poorly it performs.) It comes in after receiving a Sub and hopefully Petaya Boost from Swellow taking advantage of the Thunder Wave Celebi has so gracefully spread through-out opposing teams. It Agilites to make itself faster than what isn't Paralyzed, and finishes games. I've been forced to use it early in the match to take out Tanks/Special Walls, and Lum Berry makes sure I get out unscathed.
I might replace Ice Punch with Thunder Punch, but having an auto answer to many a threat that have attempted to get in on the more common Thunder Punch has really helped. I just don't know, opinions would help.
Things I hope to fix.
• Fails terribly to anything that manages to Set Up; I have no Phazing.
• Has problems with Life Orb Gyarados.
• Has problems with Blissey if there Celebi is gone.
• Has problems with Dark and Fire attacks.
• Has problems with Bolt/Beam combination.
• Has no Priority
•Has no Rapid Spinner
(Order of Importance to me.)
The Most Important Being;
Anyone who has set up on me (Smeargle/Ninjask) Has promptly 5-0 or 4-0 me.
Bolt Beamers in one match hit my team hard, especially since it hits my defensive line-up for Super Effective damage :P
Although it hasn't happened, I can see Life-Orb Gyarados running through my team defenses.
I tried this Zapdos Set to rid myself of the Set Up and Life Orb Gyarados problems:
Zapdos@Charti Berry
Bold/Pressure
252 HP/220 Def/36 Sp Atk
1) Thunder Bolt
2) Hidden Power (Ice)
3) Roar
4) Roost
But it added a problem with Stealth Rock, gave me another Bolt/Beam weakness, and left me without Earthquake to deal with Steals on my defensive core.
I also see the lack of a Fire/Electric move to be a problem, and the lack of a Dark Resistance to be a problem, though slightly less (The two common users of Dark being Tyranitar/Weavile, both who are handleable with my Bronzong)
All in all, the team does an excellent job of keeping any dragons away, which was what I was focusing on before I got first hand experience in how much damage things actually did (Whereas before the last two days, I've had no experience at all)
Unfortunately, in my attempts to build a Defensive team using a utility I've found, I don't have enough space to stop anything that sets up :| Bronzong seems to just waste space; Setting up Reflect and sleeping something. It's only used it's attacking moves twice in the last 15 or so games. So I'm asking for the help of the experts at smogon.
The Team:
1) Azelf
2) Bronzong
3) Celebi
4) Vaporeon
5) Swellow
6) Metagross
THE LEAD
Azelf@Focus Sash
Jolly/Levitate
252 Attack/252 Spd/4 HP
1) U-Turn
2) Stealth Rock
3) Taunt
4) Explosion
Azelf is either great, or fails miserably. It sets up Rocks, then Explodes or U-Turns as I see fit. Taunt has only helped me against the two Bronzongs I've seen. I'm currently redesigning him; He might become Aerodactyl.
SUPPORT
Bronzong@Light Clay
Relaxed/Levitate
252 HP/62 Attack/148 Def/48 Sp Atk
1) Earthquake
2) Hidden Power (Ice)
3) Reflect
4) Hypnosis
Designed to defend against Garchomp, while still warding off Lucario that switch in, hoping for a free Swords Dance. I usually Hypnosis/Reflect first, then see what I need to go to. His Screen does more than I hoped for, but the Hypnosis is always nice. I've tried Zapdos in his position for the Roar, but I didn't handle him as well. Heatran isn't an option; I don't want a Earthquake weakness.
DEFENSE
Celebi@Leftovers
Bold/Natural Cure
252 HP/220 Def/36 Sp Atk
1) Grass Knot
2) Leech Seed
3) Thunder Wave
4) Recover
My favorite member of the team. I've handled him best; spreading Thunder Wave to all of the sweepers while remaining durable with Recover. Leech Seed helps me out do Physical Sweepers and Blissey. His Leech seed has outstalled every Blissey I've come in contact with, and his Thunder Wave has backfired the plans of Infernape, Weavile, and Gengar that switch in.
Generally, if he falls early to take out a huge sweeper, I lose to Blissey.
WISH SUPPORT/STALLER
Vaporeon@Leftovers
Bold/Water Absorb
188 HP/252 Def/68 Sp Atk
1) Surf
2) Ice Beam
3) Wish
4) Protect
My Vaporeon is a very important member; Although he rarely heals other members, I've managed to fend off many threats. Doesn't do anything gamebreaking, but I play him best of the Bulky Waters; Basically, he always holds his ground. He adds a very much needed Fire Resistance.
SIGNATURE :P
Swellow@Leichi Berry
Jolly/Guts
252 Atk/252 Spd/4 Def
1) Pursuit
2) Endeavor
3) Substitute
4) Baton Pass
A personal creation of mine, that I later found out was almost Identical to a set listed on Smogon when I checked if there would be any ways to improve it. Basically, it's how I deal with Gengar/Azelf/Weakened Starmie. After it Subs down to 1HP, it can also Endeavor, which is how I defend against Garchomps a lot of the time (It would work better if I had some priority to go after Swellow dies to the Outrage :P). If I see an Azelf lead, I U-turn into Swellow, and Pursuit for the early+1. It also serves as a Sub Passer to my favorite Pokemon:
THE END BRINGER
Metagross@Lum Berry
Adamant/Clear Body
252 Atk/152 HP/104 Spd
1) Meteor Mash
2) Earthquake
3) Ice Punch
4) Agility
My favorite and least used member of the team :P The reason being, he finishes so fast. I've always wanted to use Metagross, but I've always had a problem with it's typing conflicting with my defensive combination (Namely Bronzong, who I'm hoping to drop for something better anyway, now that I see how poorly it performs.) It comes in after receiving a Sub and hopefully Petaya Boost from Swellow taking advantage of the Thunder Wave Celebi has so gracefully spread through-out opposing teams. It Agilites to make itself faster than what isn't Paralyzed, and finishes games. I've been forced to use it early in the match to take out Tanks/Special Walls, and Lum Berry makes sure I get out unscathed.
I might replace Ice Punch with Thunder Punch, but having an auto answer to many a threat that have attempted to get in on the more common Thunder Punch has really helped. I just don't know, opinions would help.
Things I hope to fix.
• Fails terribly to anything that manages to Set Up; I have no Phazing.
• Has problems with Life Orb Gyarados.
• Has problems with Blissey if there Celebi is gone.
• Has problems with Dark and Fire attacks.
• Has problems with Bolt/Beam combination.
• Has no Priority
•Has no Rapid Spinner
(Order of Importance to me.)
The Most Important Being;
Anyone who has set up on me (Smeargle/Ninjask) Has promptly 5-0 or 4-0 me.
Bolt Beamers in one match hit my team hard, especially since it hits my defensive line-up for Super Effective damage :P
Although it hasn't happened, I can see Life-Orb Gyarados running through my team defenses.
I tried this Zapdos Set to rid myself of the Set Up and Life Orb Gyarados problems:
Zapdos@Charti Berry
Bold/Pressure
252 HP/220 Def/36 Sp Atk
1) Thunder Bolt
2) Hidden Power (Ice)
3) Roar
4) Roost
But it added a problem with Stealth Rock, gave me another Bolt/Beam weakness, and left me without Earthquake to deal with Steals on my defensive core.
I also see the lack of a Fire/Electric move to be a problem, and the lack of a Dark Resistance to be a problem, though slightly less (The two common users of Dark being Tyranitar/Weavile, both who are handleable with my Bronzong)
All in all, the team does an excellent job of keeping any dragons away, which was what I was focusing on before I got first hand experience in how much damage things actually did (Whereas before the last two days, I've had no experience at all)
