Team that has me ranked 11th on Shoddy

[Luphrous]

I've been using this team for awhile and have been recording quite a bit of wins. I'm getting awfully close to the top, albeit it still looks far away(Holy crap, 1750??? ugh, that's a lot of battles). With any team, improvements can be made so I'd like some opinions on how to make this team even better.
Team at a Glance

__________________________________________________________________

Bronzong @ Lum Berry
Ability: Levitate
EV's: 252Hp, 8Def, 152Att, 50SpA, 48SpD
Nature: Relaxed
- Stealth Rock
- Grass Knot
- HP Elec
- Gyro Ball
Comments: Lead, gets up those rocks fast. Lum Berry to ensure the rocks against a Hypnosis lead. The EV's in Sp.Attack may look weird, but do serve a purpose. Vaporeon's that come in and sub in my face have always annoyed me, but now HP Elec does 24.33% - 28.57% to the standard Vaporeon. This also leaves quite a dent in Gyarados. Zong is the one true defensive poke on my team, and his resistances as well as what he can counter are all extremely valuable.
________________________________________________________________

Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EV's: 18Att, 240Spd, 252SpA
Nature: Naive
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Explosion
- HP Ice
Comments: ScarfTran, works very well on the team, and gets ample opportunities to switch in on fire attack w/ my 3 weaks to it. EV's hit 412 speed to out speed ScarfCross and anything that just barely out speeds that. Can also come in on one of his many resistances or on a revenge kill, or simply go Boom on a threat. Also keeps SDLuke in check, who as we all know is a major threat.
________________________________________________________________

Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EV's: 6Hp, 252Att, 252Spd
Nature: Jolly
- Focus Punch
- Spore
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
Comments: Breloom is an immense help, and can destroy and unprepared team. The SubSeed set is incredibly annoying, and effective. SubSeeding forces quite a few switches and can often allow me to see a few member of the opponents team. The nature is to out speed other Looms as well as things that just out speed the typical Adamant Loom. Comes in on a revenge kill or on a predicted NVE move and well, does his thing.
________________________________________________________________

Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EV's: 6Hp, 252Spd. 252SpA
Nature: Timid
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- ThunderBolt
- Recover
Comments: Starmie, helps cover up my weaks to Fire and Fighting. Starmie is incredibly helpful, countering MixApe, and having overall great coverage. Also works great for revenge killing Dragons(not ScarfChomp), Infernape, Mamoswine, and pretty much anything with a bit of health left. No RS cause this team doesn't even have any weaknesses to Stealth Rock, not to mention 4 pokes are immune to TS.
________________________________________________________________

Gengar @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EV's: 164Hp, 180Att, 164SpD
Nature: Hasty
- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- ThunderBolt
- Shadow Ball
Comments: SubPunching Gar, my personal favorite. Firstly, I'll let you see what the EV's do:
104SpA Bliss using Ice Beam against my Gar: 21.52% - 25.50%
180Attack Gar using Focus Punch vs. Standard Bliss: 50.29% - 59.17%
This set beats Blissey 1v1, and don't think it can outstall me w/ Softboiled, Focus Punch has 32PP to Softboils 16PP. Subbing on the switch also lets me beat Tyranitar and Weavile that think they can Pursuit me to death. Shadow Ball is for STAB and T-Bolt so that Skarm doesn't wall me. With no speed EV's Gar hits 281 speed, which conveniently outspeeds Adamant Luke. Didn't add EV's to outspeed Jolly Mamo as no one would actually think they outspeed me, and thus will always Ice Sard
________________________________________________________________

Mamoswine @ Life Orb
Ability: Snow Cloak
EV's: 6Hp, 252Att, 252Spd
- EQ
- Ice Shard
- Ice Fang/Blizzard
- Stone Edge
Comments: Mamoswine is a beast. Jolly and max speed hits 284, which outspeeds Adamant Luke, and other Base 90 pokes w/o a +Spd nature. Great STAB's and SE for coverage. This thing is for late game only, and most of the game is spent killing of his counters(go die Bronzong) and weaking pokes enough for him to sweep. I would like some opinions on the Ice Fang slot, as I am considering Blizzard. I used to have hail support for him so he could use Blizzard and it worked out great, but without hail I don't like that accuracy. Then again, Skarm and the Hippo are the most common walls that he uses Blizzard on, and the Hippo brings in the sand anyways...Help needed on that slot
________________________________________________________________
Overall: Overall this team has worked really well, and has some great type synergy. Unlike some teams I've created, every single poke on this team pulls its own weight, nothing is just filler. The overall strategy is to weaken the other team for a Mamo sweep, and this has worked out very well. In case your wondering if the 2 sleep moves overlap, they in fact do not as I treat Zong's Hypnosis as an "emergency sleep", and only use it to immediately shut down a threat. Otherwise I pass on the chance to sleep something and let Loom do it later on.
A Threat List will come later, perhaps tommorow, but I will post one.

Threat List
_________________________________________________________________

Garchomp: Bronzong can deal with all versions assuming he has plenty of health left. Heatran and Starmie can revenge kill non-Scarf versions, and Mamoswine's Ice Shard is always a final option. Garchomp gives this team absolutely no trouble, bar a timely miss in the sand...
Gengar: Lead Gengar are OHKO'ed by Zong if they stay in. Switching around will cause SR/light hits/SS/Hail to add up.Choice Scarfers are beaten with prediction, non-Scarf are outsped by Starmie and Heatran who can leave large dents or KO it. Mamo's Ice Shard will KO any Gar with less than 50% of its HP left.
Gyarados: Zong's HP Elec puts a large dent in leading Dos who usually spend the first turn taunting anyways. Starmie carries T-Bolt and can out speed -some- Dos after a DD. SR adds up real quick on this guy, and if he's really a problem Tran should out speed most if not all of them even with a DD, and can explode. Mamo can SE if Dos has no DD's, or use Ice Shard to finish it off.
Tyranitar: Zong's Gyro Ball leaves a dent in him. Heatran can use Earth Power to hit a predicted switch in, Whenever a Tar tries to revenge kill Starmie he always takes a Surf to the face, leaving him with less than 50% HP. Mamo out speeds and KO's w/ EQ. Quite a few Tar have fallen to my Gar by switching in hoping to pursuit only to have me sub up and then Focus Punch. DDTar can be troublesome. Oh, and Loom out speeds and can Spore
Lucario: How Luke is defeated is usually dependent on his set. Firsty, Lukes w/o a speed boosting nature are out sped by Mamo, only able to get in a priority move before dying. Versions w/o Bullet Punch can only use Crunch on Gar, albeit I can only T-Bolt back once. Heatran is the poke that really keeps him in check, I can switch in on a priority move/SD or revenge kill him. Between taking a few hits from things like Surf and T-Bolt and his own Life Orb, the SD variants are often worn down fairly quickly.
Heatran: Choice variants are best dealt with by prediction. When a Tran first shows itself, Starmie is always my first switch to watch for those who use Earth Power on turn one. This also gives the illusion I don't carry Tran show long as I don't show him. Gar gets a free sub on ones stuck in EP. RestTalk variants are annoying but slow, and take heavy hits from Tran, Starmie, and of course are OHKO'ed by Mamo.
Salamence: Ugh, the Mence guessing game. I'll address DD variants later. Band/Mix/Specs are out sped by Starmie and Heatran, both can get free switchins on a predicted fire attack or just revenge kill. Prediction helps a lot against the Choiced ones. DD variants are usually out sped by Tran even after a DD, but Mamo is the safest way to revenge kill.
Metagross: Best switchin is always Zong, Heatran can revenge or switch in on a Steel type attack, Loom out speeds and Spores, Mamo beats non Bullet Punch variants. If one gets an Agility and Zong is dead, I'm screwed. My best hope is that Tran still out speeds.
Infernape: Starmie out speeds and can switch in safely the first time around, Heatran can revenge kill or switch in on a Fire attack. Residual damage adds up quickly for this guy
Weavile: Zong works well and can KO, Tran can revenge or switch in on a non BB attack. Many have fallen to Gar by switching in on the sub. Weavile can be troublesome, out speedsing and KO'ing half of my team.
Starmie: My own Starmie can come in on a weak attack and probably out speed most others, otherwise it's a coin toss. Most variants carry only two attacks giving it limited coverage, but if it's really annoying me, Tran can always Explode on it.
Togekiss: Tran out speeds and can finish it off, same with Starmie and Mamoswine. Not really much of a problem, just watch out for FlinchHax, but revenge killing is always fairly safe.
Heracross: Hm, can be troublesome. Most are Choiced, and I have no problem making a sacrifice to let something revenge kill it based on what move it used. Gar can switch in on its STAB's, but no SE or a dark move. Band are out sped by Mamo who can finish it off, Starmie and Gengar can also finish off weakened ones, Tran out speeds all of them and can switch in on anything but CC. Prediction is my best friend for this one,
Breloom: SubSeeders are beaten by letting someone take the sleep, and then switching to Gar while they sub, then making a sub for myself, totally walling them. Gar takes on ones that carry Seed Bomb fairly well too, and Starmie, Geatran, and Mamo can all revenge kill it w/o a sub up.
Electivire: This guy is really annoying w/ a boost. If he gets a boost, Zong is my best bet, but I'm in trouble if he carries Flamethrower. Tran out speeds them if they have no boost and can EP/FB
Azelf: Zong can Gyro Ball, Tran switches in on anything but a Fighting move really. Mamo's Ice Shard can finish him off.
Mamoswine: Gogo Zong. Tran and Starmie can revenge kill him, and if it doesn't run max speed, so can my own Mamo.
Porygon-Z: Zong is my first switch, Tran can revenge kill, as can Starmie. Weakened ones are finished off by Mamo.
Yanmega: Very annoying, mostly because I never know if it will Protect of Hypnosis..If Protect Zong can set up rocks and then Gyro Ball the next turn, but if it sleeps me, I should be using Gyro Ball, however if it Protects I lose the chance to set up rocks....Non HP Ground variants are walled by Tran, SR takes off a very large chunk and leaves it in Mamo kill range. Also, my slightly bulky Gar can take a hit and kill it.
Zapdos: SR adds up, Tran, Starmie, and Mamo can revenge kill. Gar can also finish off very weak ones.
Gallade: Band variants are beaten with prediction, Starmie, Tran, Gar, and Mamo can all revenge kill this guy.
Raikou: Zong's Gyro Ball breaks a sub, and Tran can revenge kill it or explode if i have to. I also have Ice Shard for weakened ones.
_________________________________________________________________

That's it for now, this team is about the Mamo sweep so anything left in KO range for him is no longer considered a threat.

 

[Aeroblacktyl]

If it's been working, then it'll probably keep working.

However, what I'd watch out for is Heracross. The ability to OHKO 4 things, not including the ever frail Gengar, which ironicly is not so frail with the spread you use. Now, you do have 2 Sleepers, and they seem to help you, but for that other spot on Bronzong, we can go with two options here. Explosion or Reflect. Reflect can help when you set it up before Hera comes in, however doesn't help if he's in already. Explosion you just have another thing to blow up something you don't like.

Which brings up another thing. You are incredibly weak to Swampert. It's almost uncanny TBH. At least you can blow it up!

 

[lockon]

Why not use Grass Knot on Bronzong, so you can 2HKO most swamperts? I don't really see the use of HP Electric, besides for Gyarados (which Starmie already remedies) and Substitute Vaporeon is something I have yet to see in this metagame.

Since you're not running Rapid Spin Starmie, why not try out Wish Vaporeon with Protect, so you can scout some attacks?

 

[Aeroblacktyl]

It's probably because Gyarados with 384 HP has roughly a 60% chance of surviving the Thunderbolt and 2HKOs Starmie, or if it chooses to DD once again, OHKO everything.

 

[Luphrous]

Aeroblacktyl: I'll consider some other options for the Hypnosis slot on Zong, however having the option to sleep a threat without having to be faster than it is nice, cause it's not like Loom will be taking a heavy hit any day soon.

lockon: HP Elec to cover up Gyara is in my opinion worth its own slot, especially because some Dos run enough speed to outrun Starmie after a DD, and so if Starmie has taken some damage already i could be in trouble.
Vaporeon over Starmie is an option and it could certainly increase the longevity of my team overall, but then again that switch would decrease my overall offensive possibilities and Starmie really does add quite a bit to my offense, the ability to revenge kill things like Mence, Non-Scarfed Chomps, Mamoswine, Infernape as well as quite a few other frail sweepers who I out speed is incredibly helpful.

The two posts have brought up another good question: Should I ditch my safety Hypnosis on Zong for another option like Explosion, GK, or Reflect?

 

[Aeroblacktyl]

Well obviously I agree so as I suggested it. Also a thing to point out is, if Gengar is sleeping you, and you wake up with Lum, kill the motherfucker, don't set rocks. Bronzong has one of the easiest switch-in abilities.

 

[Ambitions]

Who's taking the hits and who is doing the phazing is my first reaction. I could see a Misdrevius coming in at the end of a battle and sweep sweep sweeping.

This team is basically Ice and Ground proof though now that I think about it....bar Heatran (who is scarfed) when it comes to Ground and Breelom (who subs) when it comes to ice.

 

[Luphrous]

Ambitions: Zong is usually my fall back poke to take a hit/sacrfice, otherwise my best defense is really prediction and knowing when to make a sacrifice in order to make an important revenge kill. Phazing has never really been a problem. I've never seen a Mismagius saved for late game, but I do have Mamo's Ice Shard as well Starmie and Heatran who can simply dent it in order to put it in KO range for Mamo. Really, Breloom is really the only poke that Mismagius can safely come in on 100% of the time.

Could I get some opinions on moving my SpD EV's and 10 SpA EV's on Zong to Attack in order to have a good shot at OHKO'ing a leading Gar? 170 EV's in SpA still leaves me breaking Vappy's subs most of the time, and as far as taking special hits goes, the biggest problems are Water and Fire attacks, Fire which he shouldn't be taking and Water which I have switches to Breloom or Starmie. Mostly everything else I resist.
edit: For now, this is what I'll try, and if I have some problems/the loss doesn't seem worth it I'll switch back

 

[Fishin]

Very nice team. I want to suggest removing HP Electric (and possibly hypnosis) on Zong as it's eating up not only a moveslot but a lot of EV's that could otherwise be used to give a greater boost to your other defensive stats, but as stated you could potentially have problems with Gyara. Personally, I don't think it'd be a large worry (Gyara doesn't have much of a 1HKO chance on Starmie unless it's got Bite, in which case it's other moves are limited and it probably won't have taunt) and Mamoswine can very easily finish with Ice Shard. If you're worried about Weavile, though, best to keep Zong as a backup counter.

I'm not sure if having two sleep inducers is the greatest idea, but if you've found that to be useful then there's nothing wrong with that. Same with having a real sleep absorber, but I can't think of where one would truly fit in.

edit: not sure how worried you are about Vappy, but I'm guessing Zong can mess up Gyara plenty without EV investment, so I'd be more inclined to take from sp atk. Taking from sp def too much might leave you with problems against special attackers, who your team doesn't have all that much defense against as it is.

 

[Aeroblacktyl]

383 attack vs 206 defense, 100 power(*1.5), 262 max HP: 76.72% - 90.46%

What it does to Starmie. The main issue nowadays is what the hell kind of Gyaradoses people are using. I'm imagining Life Orb on that would set it in KO Range, or very close to it.

Moving along, I would really have to be traumatized by a Substitute Vaporeon or something because those are still ridiculously rare. Just switch Starmie into Vaporeon everytime if that's that much of an issue tbh.

As for Bronzong's EVs, I'd just Max HP, guarantee to let it kill Scarf Gengars, and well, hmm let's think. Say that you DO remove Hidden Power Electric. The EASIEST way to do this would be like, Stealth Rock, Gyro Ball, Explosion, Reflect. That way after you worry about OHKOing Gengar, you could just slap the rest into Defense. However, if the other move is Grass Knot and NOT Reflect, then I'd just probably still leave it min, as you'll probably be more dealing with Swamp than Gyara. And if it is for Gyara, make sure that 1 Stealth Rock switch in, 2 Grass Knot, and 1 Ice Shard will finish it off.

 

[Luphrous]

Alright yea, breaking a Vappy's subs really isn't my biggest of worries, so I'll shift around my EV's again.
152 EV's in attack guarantees the OHKO on Gar, Max HP and 8Def leaves me w/ 98 EV's, I'll throw 50 into SpA to leave a dent in Gyara, and the rest in SpD. I'm fairly adamant on leaving HP Elec on Zong as Gyarados is the kind of poke that you can never be too careful with, having just one counter is shaky ground, especially with because not all Gyara are bulky, if Starmie has taken some damage it could be out sped by a Gyara w/ one DD, hell that Gyara could carry a Wacan Berry and just DD up again in my face and precede to sweep me.

 

[Sei]

This team has left me with the question for poison absorber. Although Mamo'll be the only one who's suffering from this.

 

[Luphrous]

On a team with 4 pokes who are not bothered by TS, getting rid of them is not a real worry.

This post is serving as my first and last bump.

 

[TAY]

I would just give breloom 252 speed EV's. This will let him spore before taking a hit from neutral-natured Dragonite, Mamoswine (though it usually won't matter), Togekiss, Heatran, Mesprit, and other base 80 Speed pokes, and will outrace 252-neutral Gyara by one point (as uncommon as it is). The ten extra HP isn't particularly helpful for a pokemon with such poor defenses to begin with.

Bronzong needs GK somewhere on that set. It would give your team a surprise hit on your opponent's bulky water, clearing the way for Heatran. Also Swampert could annoy you a lot without it, and HP Elec isn't really needed since you have Starmie and Gengar. I recommend explosion for the final bronzong spot to make him useful once his HP gets low, and because Breloom will almost always be able to spore anyway. Also give you something to do against magnezone lol.

Good Luck; Hope this Helps! --TAY

 

[Luphrous]

Yea I wasn't sure what the Hp EV's on Loom were for anyways, I just took them off the smogon set and changed the nature. 252Spd it is.
Also due to so many suggestions for GK I'll be giving that move a try for awhile. Gengar is in the same boat as Starmie when it comes to Gyarados, actually, he's worse off. Gar will never out speed a Dos w/ a DD, while Starmie will at least sometimes..I don't think Starmie alone is a good enough counter considering how many weird Dos sets are flying around right now, so HP Elec stays.