INTRODUCTION
Platinum's release has had many affects on the metagame, new pokemon making new threats, old pokemon threats, and the biggest part is an undeveloped "standard" since all of this is quite new. I've been trying different teams out and here's the current one I'm going trying to use to win consistenly in this new metagame. A lot of things are running about and so this team if my attempt to try to utilize some of the things people are afraid of and use it agaist them to take advantage of them; Zapdos is an example of that. Now I'll admit I've never been the best at making all my pokemon work together as a TEAM rather than 6 pokemon but I'm trying to learn to.
OVER VIEW
A CLOSER LOOK
Gengar @ Choice Scarf
Levitate - Timid (+Spd, -Atk)
4 Defense - 252 Speed - 252 Special Attack
Trick
Substitute
Shadow Ball
Focus Blast
Trickgar starter. Uses Trick to nail those set up starters or even Sub to scout agasint another Scarf user (such as Zapdos) and then get a free switch accordingly. Substitute isn't there just for that though obviously; after I've tricked Scarf (and preferrebly get a leftovers) then I can then use Substitute on they're switch and then use Focus Blast and Shadow Ball to try to get an early sweep. Scarfgar can outspeed everything except +speed scarf pokemon with even higher speed than him (not very common at all). Very effective set and makes a great starter.
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Sand Stream - Jolly (+Spd, -SAtk)
252 Attack - 4 Defense - 252 Speed
Dragon Dance
Fire Punch
Outrage
Crunch
DD Set. The best part about Tyranitar is that he and Gengar cover each other, everything that's super effective to Gengar this guy resists and visa versa; making them great when paired together. Fire Punch is for Steels (and to have some coverage on Bronzong that likes to switch in) and Heracross, Outrage hits really really hard while Crunch is great STAB. Considering Pursuit over Crunch but not sure. The other thing this guys does is get Sandstorm going, cancelling Focus Sash (most of them) and giving himself (and Rhyperior) a much needed Special Defense boost.
Rhyperior @ Chesto Berry
Solid Rock - Impish (+Def, -SAtk)
252 Hit Points - 4 Attack - 252 Defense
Earthquake
Megahorn
Rest
Stone Edge
The man of the hour lol. Earthquake and Stone Edge are dangerous when comming off this guys with STAB. Megahorn hurts all those Psychics that like to come in (like Cresselia). Rest + Chesto Berry gives him instant full health to get some more hits in. Chesto also lets this guy come in on something that's gonna try to use status then nail them after the berry's gone.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Pressure - Modest (+SAtk, -Atk)
180 Hit Points - 76 Speed - 252 Special Attack
Agility
Heat Wave
Signal Beam
Thunderbolt
This is what I was talking about when I said use what people think against them. Seems like every time someone sees Zapdos they go "Oh no it's scarfed"; so therefor, I can use Agility on the switch and then sweep with the same speed as a scarf'd set would get. I'm really considering Hidden Power [Ice] for Dragons/Skymin (although I have Thunderbolt for Skymin) but I've also noticed Heatran LOVES comming in on this pokemon, so I've REALLY been wanting to try Hidden Power [Ground] lol. And ANOTHER one is Hidden Power [Grass] beacuse Swampert keeps switching in too. Signal Beam pretty much just hits Cress so...not sure.
Infernape @ Choice Scarf
Blaze - Modest (+SAtk, -Atk)
4 Defense - 252 Speed - 252 Special Attack
Focus Blast
Grass Knot
Hidden Power [Ice]
Overheat
Makes a fantastic revenge killer, having extensive coverage as he has. I WANT to run Close Combat but then again I don't lol. I do so that I CAN KO Blissey but I don't because who would keep her in anyway? lol + I'd have to switch a lot of EV's around for it to be a KO...not sure which way is best to go. Overall a great pokemon for the team.
Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Flash Fire - Mild (+SAtk, -Def)
4 Attack - 252 Speed - 252 Special Attack
Earth Power
Explosion
Fire Blast
Hidden Power [Ice]
Scarftran, wanted something to soak up fire attacks and this is the guy to do it with. Timid so it can KO Skymin. Nothing special about the set really just Scarftran.
CONCLUSION
I'm very water weak once Zapdos dies (and even WITH Zapdos) so I really need to fix that up. Although I can revenge kill a water back that's just not good enough to be ok. I'm sure there are other weaknesses too but that's just the first obvious one that I can see and point out right now. I'd like to thank you for checking out the thread and team and I look farward to rates and/or fixes that you have. I do ask that you put an explaination of why you say what you do instead of "Use X" use "Use X because ............".
Thanks,
-Matt
Platinum's release has had many affects on the metagame, new pokemon making new threats, old pokemon threats, and the biggest part is an undeveloped "standard" since all of this is quite new. I've been trying different teams out and here's the current one I'm going trying to use to win consistenly in this new metagame. A lot of things are running about and so this team if my attempt to try to utilize some of the things people are afraid of and use it agaist them to take advantage of them; Zapdos is an example of that. Now I'll admit I've never been the best at making all my pokemon work together as a TEAM rather than 6 pokemon but I'm trying to learn to.
OVER VIEW
A CLOSER LOOK
Gengar @ Choice Scarf
Levitate - Timid (+Spd, -Atk)
4 Defense - 252 Speed - 252 Special Attack
Trick
Substitute
Shadow Ball
Focus Blast
Trickgar starter. Uses Trick to nail those set up starters or even Sub to scout agasint another Scarf user (such as Zapdos) and then get a free switch accordingly. Substitute isn't there just for that though obviously; after I've tricked Scarf (and preferrebly get a leftovers) then I can then use Substitute on they're switch and then use Focus Blast and Shadow Ball to try to get an early sweep. Scarfgar can outspeed everything except +speed scarf pokemon with even higher speed than him (not very common at all). Very effective set and makes a great starter.
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Sand Stream - Jolly (+Spd, -SAtk)
252 Attack - 4 Defense - 252 Speed
Dragon Dance
Fire Punch
Outrage
Crunch
DD Set. The best part about Tyranitar is that he and Gengar cover each other, everything that's super effective to Gengar this guy resists and visa versa; making them great when paired together. Fire Punch is for Steels (and to have some coverage on Bronzong that likes to switch in) and Heracross, Outrage hits really really hard while Crunch is great STAB. Considering Pursuit over Crunch but not sure. The other thing this guys does is get Sandstorm going, cancelling Focus Sash (most of them) and giving himself (and Rhyperior) a much needed Special Defense boost.
Rhyperior @ Chesto Berry
Solid Rock - Impish (+Def, -SAtk)
252 Hit Points - 4 Attack - 252 Defense
Earthquake
Megahorn
Rest
Stone Edge
The man of the hour lol. Earthquake and Stone Edge are dangerous when comming off this guys with STAB. Megahorn hurts all those Psychics that like to come in (like Cresselia). Rest + Chesto Berry gives him instant full health to get some more hits in. Chesto also lets this guy come in on something that's gonna try to use status then nail them after the berry's gone.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Pressure - Modest (+SAtk, -Atk)
180 Hit Points - 76 Speed - 252 Special Attack
Agility
Heat Wave
Signal Beam
Thunderbolt
This is what I was talking about when I said use what people think against them. Seems like every time someone sees Zapdos they go "Oh no it's scarfed"; so therefor, I can use Agility on the switch and then sweep with the same speed as a scarf'd set would get. I'm really considering Hidden Power [Ice] for Dragons/Skymin (although I have Thunderbolt for Skymin) but I've also noticed Heatran LOVES comming in on this pokemon, so I've REALLY been wanting to try Hidden Power [Ground] lol. And ANOTHER one is Hidden Power [Grass] beacuse Swampert keeps switching in too. Signal Beam pretty much just hits Cress so...not sure.
Infernape @ Choice Scarf
Blaze - Modest (+SAtk, -Atk)
4 Defense - 252 Speed - 252 Special Attack
Focus Blast
Grass Knot
Hidden Power [Ice]
Overheat
Makes a fantastic revenge killer, having extensive coverage as he has. I WANT to run Close Combat but then again I don't lol. I do so that I CAN KO Blissey but I don't because who would keep her in anyway? lol + I'd have to switch a lot of EV's around for it to be a KO...not sure which way is best to go. Overall a great pokemon for the team.
Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Flash Fire - Mild (+SAtk, -Def)
4 Attack - 252 Speed - 252 Special Attack
Earth Power
Explosion
Fire Blast
Hidden Power [Ice]
Scarftran, wanted something to soak up fire attacks and this is the guy to do it with. Timid so it can KO Skymin. Nothing special about the set really just Scarftran.
CONCLUSION
I'm very water weak once Zapdos dies (and even WITH Zapdos) so I really need to fix that up. Although I can revenge kill a water back that's just not good enough to be ok. I'm sure there are other weaknesses too but that's just the first obvious one that I can see and point out right now. I'd like to thank you for checking out the thread and team and I look farward to rates and/or fixes that you have. I do ask that you put an explaination of why you say what you do instead of "Use X" use "Use X because ............".
Thanks,
-Matt
