Team Taylor - Retirement

Taylor

Taylor

i am alien
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I believe I'm due to retire a particular team and post it here for some "last-minute" advice. I built it some time ago and I haven't used it as often as I should have done. There isn't too much offense that would allow specific threats to "own" me completely, but it's not close to the stall-type team where I would counter practically every Pokemon in the metagame only to lose to something completely random. Nope. This is a team that I believe is well-balanced and has the metagame countered within the generally offensive style it posesses. I'm sure a few of you who are reading may recognise this team in the battles we will have had together.

It won't be immediately recognised, but you can see that the team has the ever so threatening Toxic Spikes covered within the team's typing itself. I never intended on this - although it wasn't too bad when I found out, uh?

Well, I think it would be for the best if I shut up and showed you the team as a whole with some description.

Team Taylor


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Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 240 HP/180 Def/16 Spd/72 SAtk
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Grass Knot
- Recover
- Hidden Power [Fire]

You're probably wondering why I lead with this Pokemon? Well I don't have a reason in particular - I just enjoy spreading some paralysis around the opponent's team early. Chances are I will replace this as a lead for Bronzong (who leads alot better). Hidden Power [Fire] is cool for the 2HKO on Lucario, it's close on Skarmory with Stealth Rock support, and the OHKO on Forretress is much obliged. It's standard.


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Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/16 Spd/240 SDef
Calm nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost
- Light Screen

I must admit I do miss the Rest / Sleep Talk varients from the earlier generation. I know it's not outruled in D/P, but I just prefer Roost in general. I need it along with Light Screen which helps me with Choice Specs Heatran. Choice Scarf varients can't 2HKO Zapdos with Fire Blast, and Pressure helps rid of its PP fairly fast. This basically serves as my general "special wall". Keeping the EV spread defensive because when I create a team that isn't offensive, I must invest in all the defense I can. Plus, I can actually counter Choice Scarf Heatran (as mentioned before).


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Heracross (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Guts
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge

Apart with Celebi, he is my only Pokemon that is affected by Toxic Spikes. I bring him in to take the first layer of poison (which results in only 12% of damage per turn), so Guts activates and can cause havoc for some time. I chose Pursuit because I love to use this as a "revenge killer", and most people switch to their respective Heracross counter so I settle for the 80 base power on the (hopegully) "brittol" Pokemon that has been switched out. Sleep Talk was considered, and is most likely the better option considering I can take the Hypnosis / Sleep Powder and then use Guts too. Although I try to let this absorb one layer of Toxic Spikes first.


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Bronzong @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/156 Atk/8 SDef/92 Def
Relaxed nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Explosion
- Gyro Ball
- Stealth Rock
- Hypnosis

Standard set that I have fallen in love with. Create an advantage with Hypnosis and Stealth Rock, and use Explosion when nescessary. This counters Garchomp, Mamoswine and whatever it can resist in the physical department. I try to keep him for as long as possible, hesitating to explode at all times just to see if I can use him for longer.


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Gyarados (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 212 HP/8 Atk/184 Def/104 Spd
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

Gyarados is my sleep enducer. With the defensive spread, I can use him to counter Lucario (without Stone Edge) and Heracross effectively. The speed ensures to outspeed Garchomp after a Dragon Dance. The HP hits the maximun for Leftovers recovery, while the defense hits the magical number - where 4 EVs can give you 2 stats just for having a benifical nature.


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Lucario (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Crunch
- Extremespeed
- Swords Dance

The late game sweeper. Standard and extremely effective. Need I explain more?

There you have it!

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Now I'd add a threat list, but I don't particulary enjoy writing one out when it's not really nescessary. You see alot of the time the Pokemon infront of you are enough to show you what counters what, and you (the rater) should be the one telling me what I should be looking out for. Finally, I don't use this team as often as I once did.

Rate / Fix / Steal
 
Eh the only thing I don't like about the team is a tad bit garchomp weak and i can see a problem paired up with Cbtar. But a player like you can play around them, but it's not particuarly easy.

I'm stealing it for fun.
 
I would add defense EVs onto Zapdos for some Garchomp insurance, but then Heatran becomes a problem. Although Gyarados can be used for Heatran I guess. Bronzong, Zapdos, Celebi and Gyarados can all hit Garchomp for some damage, and Lucario and Heracross can hit him with first with Extremespeed and Close Combat - so I don't think it's too much of a problem.

Thanks!

^_~
 
DDLO gyara is a 6-0 but that's often true for every team with a celebi as a counter. can't really think of any cool fixes that fit into the team besides hp electric vappy over gyarados. celebi :3
 
If that Gyarados has Taunt then you're correct. However, Taunt and Ice Fang is very, very uncommon. Plus Thunder Wave can cut its speed down for Heracross or Zapdos (because Ice Fang doesn't OHKO Celebi, obviously) to finish off.
 
Not really a rate, but I'm just curious as to how you deal with your huge fire weak: four of your pokemon are weak to fire and only one pokemon resists it.
 
Please name a specific Pokemon. I mean I have Gyarados and Zapdos in conjunction to work with the biggest Fire-type threats; Heatran and Infernape. Although they're not the most reliable counters, they still do the job.
 
Well, I didn't really have a specific pokemon in mind, but I just thought it was odd that 2/3 of your team could share a common type weakness and still be effective; usually having half of your team share a weak means the team has major problems.

I'll just shut up now.
 
I would Suggest getting in a Starmie (which would also help with your Stealth Rock Problem) and a particularely SpecialDefencive Milotic (252HP, 4Def, 252 SpDef, Calm) With that, she will be the best counter to Hetaran (She probably is the best one for that burning frog) and she can also counter MixMence with it (as long as she's in full health, she can take a NP LO Grass Knot and easily OHKOes with Surf
 
I used (stole) this team quite a bit when I was you apprentice, not that experienced at rating, so can't offer much, but after quite a few battles with it I decided to replace Heracross with ScarfChomp, as I found NP Infernape, garchomp and Gyara /w Stone Edge problems and he could revenge kill them quite effectively or at least scare them off.
 
Cerulean21 said:
I would Suggest getting in a Starmie (which would also help with your Stealth Rock Problem) and a particularely SpecialDefencive Milotic (252HP, 4Def, 252 SpDef, Calm) With that, she will be the best counter to Hetaran (She probably is the best one for that burning frog) and she can also counter MixMence with it (as long as she's in full health, she can take a NP LO Grass Knot and easily OHKOes with Surf
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I don't understand this at all. The only thing I can see in this is you're advising me to add Milotic and / or Starmie in place of another anonymous Pokemon.

Well, Tenta, Garchomp with Choice Scarf isn't a problem at all. Gyarados can take Dragon Claw after an Intimidate on its Swords Dance. And Choice Band Garchomp is arguably very uncommon. I'm sure I can predict its next attack, and Bronzong / Gyarados is more than enough to counter it. Hell...I can even use Celebi as a last resort considering it's not 2HKOed. Gyarados' not a problem with Celebi in the team, especially when I have Thunder Wave and Grass Knot at my disposal. Although you bring up a valid point about Infernape. With Stealth Rock support, it becomes a threat that will need to be countered in a situational manor. And that is with Lucario or Heracross who can revenge kill it. However, if it's early in the game, Zapdos and Gyarados "should" be enough.

I don't get how Choice Scarf helps with Infernape at all...I mean Heracross can outspeed it too, and I hope you're not implying a Garchomp switch-in (because I wouldn't want to risk the Close Combat / Hidden Power [Ice]).

Thanks!
 
An Infernape with Thunder Punch could do alot of damage. Gyarados and Zapdos can work together as much as they want, but that's not going to work.
 
May I ask what ThunderPunch will do to Zapdos? Unless you're assuming ThunderPunch means it's a physical Infernape, thus having Stone Edge too. And I'm sure Infernape must hit Gyarados on the switch, as he won't OHKO one-on-one before Waterfall does.
 
Well I think out of all the uncommon sets in the metagame, a slight physical Infernape weakness is a chance I am happy to take. Alot of unordinary Pokemon that aren't used as much as their counter parts can cause damage, but sometimes you just have to live with them because you're unable to stop them all.

Heracross seems more and more likely to be replaced in the team.
 
Well, Tenta, Garchomp with Choice Scarf isn't a problem at all. Gyarados can take Dragon Claw after an Intimidate on its Swords Dance. And Choice Band Garchomp is arguably very uncommon. I'm sure I can predict its next attack, and Bronzong / Gyarados is more than enough to counter it. Hell...I can even use Celebi as a last resort considering it's not 2HKOed.
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ScarfChomp doesn't really give the team problems as it lacks the power, but SDChomp hurts alot when SR is in play. I had alot of success with the team, i'm not entirely sure if replaceing Hera with Scarfchomp was beneficial, it's probably about preferance.
 
Well I can come to terms with the fact that Heracross could be replaced for nearly anything. It's not doing anything specific in the team, but only there to cause the opponent to think on his feet if he does not have Gliscor. I never built it with Heracross' Guts in mind to help the lack of Toxic Spikes effect that it has on me. I don't know if "ScarfChomp" is one of the "better" replacements, so I'll keep it as it is for now.

I've also noticed that Thunder Wave is useless on Celebi if you take a step back and look at the team. Bronzong's Gyro Ball invites fast opponents. Gyarados has Dragon Dance which is based on speed. Heracross has Choice Scarf, so the Thunder Wave and Heracross combination would work far better with the aide of Choice Band. Thanks to Fear for bringing that up.
 
I was playing around with this team a little bit yesterday and i noticed how annoying Cresselia can be. Heracross could initally switch in onto Cress but there is a chance of being Paralyzed which sucks for a scarfer.

Also Mixtar was a huge problem for me too. Ya heracross and Lucario can come and revenge kill, but it does a huge dent into the rest of the pokemon.
 
Indeed. I have problems with Life Orb Tyranitar / Salamence. The again, most teams do. And by the time you put all that effort into finding out their set, you've already lost.

If Cressilia has Charge Beam, then Gyarados can't beat it. Otherwise it's not a problem. But I don't see what Cressilia does in return. I can just switch Celebi and Zapdos in between one another contuniously until they realise Cressilia isn't doing anything back. However, I do understand where you're coming from.
 
The only problem I would notice is the whole barrage of physical attacks can easily force problems on to you. As you don't exactly have a stable defense which has led to your defeat several times. Also, stated above, I agree with whoever said you had a Garchomp CBt-tar weakness as those two has been a constant staple on my teams and you know how our record is :D
 
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