This...Is...Smogon!!!!

bmbownz

ha yea couldn't think of much else for a title so used a 300 reference. anyways, I've been using this team on Shoddy for about a week now. However, while my record isn't bad (Like 10-3) I've come to see some big problems with my team.

Main Problems (From what I can tell)
-No phazer


so with this said, here's the team:

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@ Leftovers (Levitate)
Sassy - 252HP/126Def/126SpDef
-Stealth Rock
-Hypnosis
-Gyro Ball
-Light Screen

Love this guy as a lead, with great resistances to common leads and ability to Stealth Rock/force switches with Hypnosis. Light Screen is really filler because I can't think of what else could benefit this team.

dpmfa392.png
@ Life Orb (Blaze)
Naive - 24Atk/232Speed/252SpAtk
-Close Combat
-Flamethrower
-Grass Knot
-Nasty Plot

Nothing to complain about with this guy (Best Wall Breaker Ever).

dpmfa445.png
@ Choice Scarf (Sand Veil)
Adamant - 252Atk/252Speed/6HP
-Outrage
-Crunch
-Earthquake
-Fire Blast

Late game sweeper, once I've determined if Dragon-resists are eliminated. Then bring him in and Outrage away.

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@Leftovers (Levitate)
Bold - 252HP/108Def/148SpDef
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Charge Beam
-Ice Beam

Counters Dragons and Gyra, stalls really well while hitting things with a BoltBeam combo.

477.png
@Leftovers (Sand Veil)
Impish - 252Def/252HP/4Atk
-Earthquake
-Aerial Ace
-Roost
-Ice Fang

Shuts down Heracross/Physical Lucario. EQ and Aerial Ace STAB, Roost recovery, Ice Fang to tear apart Garchomp.

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@Leftovers (Liquid Ooze)
Calm - 204HP/96SpAtk/172SpDef/36Speed
-Surf
-Ice Beam
-Rapid Spin
-Toxic Spikes

Surf STAB, Ice Beam ruins Dragons and Grass who will rain on his parade, Toxic Spikes for obvious spread of Poison, Rapid Spin away other Rocks and Spikes.

so there ya have it. I definitely need some help with an already solid team. since you've already read through it, why don't you leave me some feedback? =]
 
Drop Brick Break on Garchomp in favour of Earthquake. Brick Break's got the same power as Earthquake when it hits super effective, so it's obviously the worse choice.
 
dude, you have starmie. gyara's not a problem. cress can deal with it fine too. give ape grass knot (though you should probably never switch into a swampert with ape).

if you want something in place of metagross, you can always try CB t-tar. something like magnezone could also be an option seeing as you have no ghost resists.
 
yea i was actually thinking of ttar, cuz i got walled by a cressy in one of my last losses and i'd love to CB STAB Pursuit it.
 
Starmie plays a vital roll in the team countering Infernape and Gyarados, and would fit in even better if it has Rapid Spin over Ice Beam. Allows your Garchomp and Infernape to have an easier time switching in with no fear for Toxic Spikes, plus it rids Spikes and Stealth Rock too. This team is not weak to Infernape of Gyarados because of Starmie's existance here.

You know you could always add Gliscor and Tentacruel over Starmie and Metagross, and then giving Cressilia Charge Beam to help with Gyarados. Stealth Rock and Charge Beam Cressilia is enough for Gyarados' threat to be vanished. Infact, Rest and Sleep Talk would be as equally fitting because you can then absorb the status and counter specific threats. Tentacruel would lay down the Toxic Spikes and counter Infernape. Plus, it can Rapid Spin and absorb Toxic Spikes itself. Gliscor would rid of any Heracross and Lucario (non Hidden Power [Ice]) problem that may've occured previously. It also stops Tyranitar (ones that lack Ice Beam) and Toxic Spikes would rid of it quite quickly. Gives you some more Garchomp coverage too.

Gliscor and Tentacruel would suit the standard spreads, whilst Cressilia goes with a Bold nature and 252 / 252 in HP and Defense, leaving 4 EVs for anywhere else.
 
alright thanks guys, youve been very helpful. so taylor, i have to ask: if it was up to you, what would you do about starmie and meta? would you replace them (possibly with tenta and gliscor)? it seems like if I did that I might be a bit too defensive
 
Well that is obvious, but it's one way to somewhat counter all the threats. You can always keep it the same - Lucario and Heracross will have an easier time sweeping...though there isn't much more in it. Gliscor nulified their threat while acting as a phsyical wall for Tyranitar and some additional Garchomp coverage. Tentacruel was to replace Starmie for Infernape and the whole Toxic Spikes / Rapid Spin idea. Cressilia then had to use Charge Beam for Gyarados. It's not a crucial "must fix", but Starmie should add Rapid Spin (should you keep it) and if not then it doesn't matter.

I would try it out even if you aren't entirely satisfied, or if you plan to use Metagross and Starmie regardless of what happens I'd still have a go with Gliscor and Tentacruel. Just give it a go!
 
alright ill try them out. thank you very much =] last question, should I save chomp till very end of game, and when i see other dragons and stuff just counter with cress and tenta?
 
I don't mean to jack this thread or anything but, Taylor could you please review my team too? It's on the front page and titled "the that has gotten me an 8/10 win streak on shoddy." it would be much appreciated, thanks :)

And as for your team, i think you should make your starmie a spinner.
 
That's nothing to do with team building, and it's a different concept altogether. Toxic Spikes and Cressilia is enough for Garchomp, and with the aide of Tentacruel and Stealth Rock Salamence will also fall. Those are the two Dragon-types you should be concentrating on the most.

It's hard to say when to use Garchomp. The best advise I can give you (because every battle is different, and you can't be sure when Garchomp is needed or not) would be to save it long enough to have seen the opponent's team, and then making the initial sweep towards the end. Although it's never certain because you may find yourself in situations where you can sweep early on in the match. On the other hand, Garchomp can only be the start of what is to come in a match - Garchomp's Swords Dance set can cripple teams from the beginning in order for another Pokemon to finish up on. So when you look at it that way, Garchomp was used early but as equally effective in a sense that you can clean them up afterwards.
 
alright so I'll be using gliscor and tentacruel. so, what should i use as the lead? keep bronzong or use toxic spiking tenta lead? and what setup for gliscor/tentacruel? i was thinking this:

477.png
@Leftovers (Sand Veil/Hyper Cutter?)
Impish - 252Def/252HP/4Atk
-Earthquake
-Aerial Ace
-Roost
-Taunt/Ice Fang

shuts down heracross/physical lucario. taunt prevents setups, eq and aerial ace STAB, Roost recovery

also changing Cresselia to the Sleep Talk set, as you suggested

493.png
@Leftovers (Levitate)
Bold - 252HP/108Def/148SpDef
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Charge Beam
-Ice Beam

not sure what Tenta setup though, little more advice please? I really appreciate the good tips Taylor
 
No problem.

I would use Ice Fang before Taunt for the Garchomp coverage. Sand Veil > Hyper Cutter

Tentacruel should use the "Support" set which can be found in its analysis: http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/tentacruel

And if you would like it view it here: Surf, Ice Beam, Toxic Spikes and Rapid Spin for the moveset. The EVs are: 204 HP / 96 SpA / 172 SpD / 36 Spe with a Calm nature.
 
anyone else have ideas? threats I've missed? I still need some phazing, got murdered by a golduck who got an agility passed by a jolteon. maybe I just didnt see it coming
 
alright guys this team is quite fun to use, and my shoddy rating has been sitting around 1000. however, I have some recurring problems i need to address.
1. phazing is needed, as i've gotten wrecked by a couple bulky gyarados and a nasty plotting togekiss, etc.
2.tenta doesn't seem to do much
3. I want to get a mixed salamence in here so im dropping garchomp and infernape, I'll need another sweeper to go with MixMence
 
So you need a phazer and Tenta isnt doing much? Well then why not use our lovable friend swampert (who compliments that salamence by the way). He can roar and beat togekiss and gyarados (watch for taunt though). And Vaporeon might even be better as he can wish, beat gyarados and togekiss, and phaze (although he isnt immune to thunder wave) To be honest it looks like your standard cookie cutter team and that is actually a problem since the metagame now focuses on beating this type of team. Also wobbuffet is going to tear you apart.

So why not revamp some of the team?

Right now I say Cresselia should go for something a bit more offensive such as mamoswine. Still counters garchomp (although you already do that with bronzong).

If Tenta isn't doing much I see no reason not to switch back to starmie, especially if you have mamoswine for chomp anyway. Plus he counters gyarados which is way too much for this team as it stands. Rapid Spin plus Recovering health something tentacruel cant do. I know I said swampert but they both are fine choices. In fact you might even try Swampert over Gliscor. Vaporeon again also could go there.

If you really want Salamence then I would put him over Garchomp. Chomps revenge killing really dont fit the team right now as it is meant to hit slow and brutal in my eyes.

I think Infernape is fine for now as he would compliment this new team nicely. Ok Bronzong also has to stay but with a change of item. He needs 152 attack evs as well and he needs lum berry. This will beat gengar leads 100% of the time since you have a bit of a gengar weakness. With swampert you can use another attack like explosion or earthquake over stealth rock or just not have swampert stealth rock and only roar. Or if you go with vaporeon for support reasons then keep stealth rock on bronzong.

So we have a final team of...

bronzong
swampert / vaporeon
starmie
infernape
salamence
mamoswine

I think that could really work well for you.
 
really it doesnt matter. for this team band mamoswine would actually fit best but they all would. that is your call.
 
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