Struggling Team Needs Expert Advice (Balanced OU)
I've been battling competitively for about a year, but in all that time I've only ever used teams other people posted. I've tried making my own before, but every time I tried, it just fell apart. But this one has been doing pretty favorable. I win about as much as I lose (which is saying a lot when it's a team I made.) Check the team out, rip it apart.
I've been battling competitively for about a year, but in all that time I've only ever used teams other people posted. I've tried making my own before, but every time I tried, it just fell apart. But this one has been doing pretty favorable. I win about as much as I lose (which is saying a lot when it's a team I made.) Check the team out, rip it apart.
Team Maltese Falcon
At A Glance
"Pleco"
Torrent
Relaxed
240 HP/216 Def/52 SAtk
-Surf
-Ice Beam
-Earthquake
-Stealth Rock
Description: Standard Mixpert used as a lead. Most people expect this to set up Stealth Rocks on the first turn, which I usually don't. Instead, I'll attack leads like Azelf, Metagross, and others who either set up their own Rocks, Taunt me, or Trick me a Scarf (which Swampert doesn't mind having.)
Sometimes when a suicidal lead realizes that Swampert will 2HKO them instead of setting up Rocks, theyll Explode to try and take Pert with them. These situations are fairly obvious to predict, so Dusknoir easily comes in and misses the Explosion.
Swampert usually survives after taking out the opponent's lead, so he can set up Rocks later in the game, or come back in and attack. He' a pretty solid member of my team and hasn't given me any problems.
Physical Power: Heracross @ Choice Scarf
"Code Red"
Guts
Adamant
252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
Description: I've had a couple of other attackers here, but none of them were working for me. Choice Scarf Heracross is the best one I've used so far. Megahorn is obviously there for Psychic, and Close Combat takes chunks out of most foes, even ones who resist it. Stone Edge is for fliers, and I opted for Earthquake in the last slot because I couldn't think of anything beter.
I try to switch her in on something setting up, since she'll usually be faster and can do some damage. I don't know if having EQ on the set is too redundant though. I could use some advice on what to put in the fourth slot.
She was a later addition to the team, so she doesn't have any major synergy with anyone else.
Special Force: Jolteon @ Choice Specs
"Jerry"
Volt Absorb
Timid
6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
- Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Signal Beam
Description: Jerry is pretty cool. When I had Gyarados instead of Heracross, I put Jolteon in to take the Electric attacks. Now he's my heavy hitting Special Attacker, and most of my sweeps come from his Thunderbolts after any Ground types are out of the way.
He usually comes in for a revenge kill and takes it from there, or I'll switch him into something that Blissey has incapacitated with T-Wave. His moves give him great coverage; Shadow Ball and Signal Beam are my answers to Cresselia and Celebi, respectively. Problem is, their really my only answers to those two pests. I need to be able to handle them if Jolteon is dead when they show up, and right now I really can't, besides Heracross's Megahorn.
Revenge Beast: Mamoswine @ Choice Band
"Brave Boar"
Snow Cloak
Jolly
252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Superpower
Description: Torterra used to be in this spot just because it's so cool, but it really wasn't doing much for the team. Then I thought of a cool Pokemon to replace it with, and came up with this. He gives me a strong EQ like Torterra did, but also has the wonderful Dragon-slaying Ice Shard. The other moves are mostly filler that I don't use too often and may be replaced.
I've already stated that this is my first original team. I understand the concept of synergy, but I really don't have a clue on how to have it. When things work together well in my team, it's usually a luck coincidence rather than careful planning. That being said, Mamo just switches in when I need him too, and switches out when something's bigger than him. I could use some advice on how to build more synergy within this team.
Token Blissey: Blissey @ Leftovers
"Maiden"
Natural Cure
Calm
252 Def/40 SAtk/216 SDef
- Ice Beam
- Thunder Wave
- Softboiled
- Seismic Toss
Description: I hate this thing. The only reason it's here is because I thought every team needs to have a Blissey. But whenever it comes out, it feels like I'm only wasting time doing virtually no damage (yeah, I know it's Blissey, so I'm not expecting a sweep). I want to replace this with Cresselia (since those annoy me a lot more than enemy Blissey) or maybe just replace her for another attacker. But I'm not sure if it'd be a good idea. What do you folks think? Alter this Blissey, swap it out for a Cresselia, or get another attacker?
Tank: Dusknoir @ No Item
"Maltese"
Pressure
Impish
252 HP/252 Atk/6 Def
- Shadow Sneak
- Fire Punch
- Thunderpunch
- Thief
Description: I know he has no item, it's not a mistake. With everything using Trick nowadays, I thought it'd be cool to take something's item without giving it a Choice Scarf that it may actually make use of later. I think this also protects against other Trickers, since I think that Trick wont work if the target doesn't have an item. Don't quote me on that though, I don't know for sure. The whole Thief thing is pretty gimmicky, I know, but whatever. Pain Split isn't anything special, so I didn't know what to put in the fourth slot.
As noted in the Swampert description, Dusknoir eats the Explosions that are destined for Pert. This is probably the only instance of preplanned synergy in my entire team.
I know most Dusknoir run Will-O-Wisp, but I really don't care for the move. If you can convince me that it's actually useful, though, I'll put it on him.
At A Glance
Lead: Swampert @ Leftovers
"Pleco"
Torrent
Relaxed
240 HP/216 Def/52 SAtk
-Surf
-Ice Beam
-Earthquake
-Stealth Rock
Description: Standard Mixpert used as a lead. Most people expect this to set up Stealth Rocks on the first turn, which I usually don't. Instead, I'll attack leads like Azelf, Metagross, and others who either set up their own Rocks, Taunt me, or Trick me a Scarf (which Swampert doesn't mind having.)
Sometimes when a suicidal lead realizes that Swampert will 2HKO them instead of setting up Rocks, theyll Explode to try and take Pert with them. These situations are fairly obvious to predict, so Dusknoir easily comes in and misses the Explosion.
Swampert usually survives after taking out the opponent's lead, so he can set up Rocks later in the game, or come back in and attack. He' a pretty solid member of my team and hasn't given me any problems.
Physical Power: Heracross @ Choice Scarf
"Code Red"
Guts
Adamant
252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
Description: I've had a couple of other attackers here, but none of them were working for me. Choice Scarf Heracross is the best one I've used so far. Megahorn is obviously there for Psychic, and Close Combat takes chunks out of most foes, even ones who resist it. Stone Edge is for fliers, and I opted for Earthquake in the last slot because I couldn't think of anything beter.
I try to switch her in on something setting up, since she'll usually be faster and can do some damage. I don't know if having EQ on the set is too redundant though. I could use some advice on what to put in the fourth slot.
She was a later addition to the team, so she doesn't have any major synergy with anyone else.
Special Force: Jolteon @ Choice Specs
"Jerry"
Volt Absorb
Timid
6 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
- Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Signal Beam
Description: Jerry is pretty cool. When I had Gyarados instead of Heracross, I put Jolteon in to take the Electric attacks. Now he's my heavy hitting Special Attacker, and most of my sweeps come from his Thunderbolts after any Ground types are out of the way.
He usually comes in for a revenge kill and takes it from there, or I'll switch him into something that Blissey has incapacitated with T-Wave. His moves give him great coverage; Shadow Ball and Signal Beam are my answers to Cresselia and Celebi, respectively. Problem is, their really my only answers to those two pests. I need to be able to handle them if Jolteon is dead when they show up, and right now I really can't, besides Heracross's Megahorn.
Revenge Beast: Mamoswine @ Choice Band
"Brave Boar"
Snow Cloak
Jolly
252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Superpower
Description: Torterra used to be in this spot just because it's so cool, but it really wasn't doing much for the team. Then I thought of a cool Pokemon to replace it with, and came up with this. He gives me a strong EQ like Torterra did, but also has the wonderful Dragon-slaying Ice Shard. The other moves are mostly filler that I don't use too often and may be replaced.
I've already stated that this is my first original team. I understand the concept of synergy, but I really don't have a clue on how to have it. When things work together well in my team, it's usually a luck coincidence rather than careful planning. That being said, Mamo just switches in when I need him too, and switches out when something's bigger than him. I could use some advice on how to build more synergy within this team.
Token Blissey: Blissey @ Leftovers
"Maiden"
Natural Cure
Calm
252 Def/40 SAtk/216 SDef
- Ice Beam
- Thunder Wave
- Softboiled
- Seismic Toss
Description: I hate this thing. The only reason it's here is because I thought every team needs to have a Blissey. But whenever it comes out, it feels like I'm only wasting time doing virtually no damage (yeah, I know it's Blissey, so I'm not expecting a sweep). I want to replace this with Cresselia (since those annoy me a lot more than enemy Blissey) or maybe just replace her for another attacker. But I'm not sure if it'd be a good idea. What do you folks think? Alter this Blissey, swap it out for a Cresselia, or get another attacker?
Tank: Dusknoir @ No Item
"Maltese"
Pressure
Impish
252 HP/252 Atk/6 Def
- Shadow Sneak
- Fire Punch
- Thunderpunch
- Thief
Description: I know he has no item, it's not a mistake. With everything using Trick nowadays, I thought it'd be cool to take something's item without giving it a Choice Scarf that it may actually make use of later. I think this also protects against other Trickers, since I think that Trick wont work if the target doesn't have an item. Don't quote me on that though, I don't know for sure. The whole Thief thing is pretty gimmicky, I know, but whatever. Pain Split isn't anything special, so I didn't know what to put in the fourth slot.
As noted in the Swampert description, Dusknoir eats the Explosions that are destined for Pert. This is probably the only instance of preplanned synergy in my entire team.
I know most Dusknoir run Will-O-Wisp, but I really don't care for the move. If you can convince me that it's actually useful, though, I'll put it on him.