Superior Unoriginality: It works!
Lucario (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Lonely nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Close Combat
- Extremespeed
- Crunch
- Counter
Lucario is designed to serve as an Anti-Lead. Additionally, the moves chosen here allow it natural coverage against Sandstorm and Hail teams, but not all Rain Dance teams. Additionally, it can be used as a sweeper, having access to STAB Close Combat.
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Skarmory (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP/72 Def/184 Spd
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Roost
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Toxic
Skarmory is designed to stall out, and perhaps lay spikes if needed. It has Toxic to inflict damage, and Roost to heal off it's own damage. Additionally, Taunt is useful against Rest-talkers who annoy Skarmory. I also find that Skarmory cannot handle Steel types (for obvious reasons). Are there any moves I could replace, except Taunt? (Taunt is my anti-pain-split move).
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Salamence (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 80 Atk/176 Spd/252 SAtk
Naughty nature (+Atk, -SDef)
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
Salamence is a mixed dancer, and is mostly a late-game sweeper. He's nothing special, but he can be quite useful sometimes when I've got something with 30-40% health left.
I understand that this description is rather skeletal, but understand that I just needed a little extra pow, and a Dragon-counter. I honestly really didn't put much thought into Salamence's role, (and he still works).
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Gyarados (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP/248 Def/12 Spd
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Waterfall
- Roar
Gyarados a standard rest-talker, and is ironically my tank. He's also a great staller. I find for those who like to use Vaporeon will fall beneath the Roaring Gyarados, which makes it hard for others to set up.
Gyarados has been especially useful against Baton-passing teams. Baton-passing teams find it hard to move around due to Roar.
The only time I think a baton pass team ever killed me was when there was an Electivire.
The other time Gyarados died was against a Jolteon on a Rain Dance team.
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Scizor (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 176 HP/100 Atk/232 SDef
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Pursuit
- U-turn
- Roost
- Bullet Punch
And now for the core of SU: Scizor! No unoriginal team would be complete without him!!
Scizor is actually running an Ubers Trapper set. However, I found that it was quite useful in the long-run. Scizor provides enough power to correctly utilize U-Turn as an emergency move, and Bullet Punch allows for hits up to 25-30% on most neutral enemies (Barring Shuckle).
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Swampert (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
Relaxed nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Protect
Finally, I'd like to present the REAL core my team: Swampert.
This is actually a mixpert lead, but I found he's quite useful.
First, after Lucario dies, Swampert can usually go in for a revenge kill. Most times, Lucario dies off of a fire or ground type, and Swampert can kill both.
Second, protect lets Mixpert heal a small amount each turn, which I find useful.
Third, Swampert sets up rocks, which is very useful in case my Skarmory dies
Last, I just love Swampert. He's also got the innate ability to sweep a lot with his typing coverage.
I love it when people think Thunder Punch > Swampert. You can't.
CUZ MUDKIPZ RULE! (and cuz Ground resists Electric)
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So that's my team.
Now that my Pain-split worries have melted away, a new problem has arisen: Magnezone.
If I recall, the last RMT for this team said that I could easily kill off Magnezone. However, I found that I couldn't put Whirlwind on Skarmory or he would lose usefulness, or just die on the first turn.
Lucario usually dies early on since he's my Anti-lead, and has no defense.
Scizor could U-Turn, but that leads me to problem number 2...
Type Coverage
My team is suffering from an apparent lack of Fire, Grass, and Electric type moves.
Fire Type moves would be nice against the annoying steel types, and Grass type moves can cover Water types. Electric types COULD cover flying types, but my team doesn't suffer from a weakness there, only a stall war.
Please help me improve! It's doing well, but it still needs improvement!
Lucario (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spd
Lonely nature (+Atk, -Def)
- Close Combat
- Extremespeed
- Crunch
- Counter
Lucario is designed to serve as an Anti-Lead. Additionally, the moves chosen here allow it natural coverage against Sandstorm and Hail teams, but not all Rain Dance teams. Additionally, it can be used as a sweeper, having access to STAB Close Combat.
---
Skarmory (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP/72 Def/184 Spd
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Roost
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Toxic
Skarmory is designed to stall out, and perhaps lay spikes if needed. It has Toxic to inflict damage, and Roost to heal off it's own damage. Additionally, Taunt is useful against Rest-talkers who annoy Skarmory. I also find that Skarmory cannot handle Steel types (for obvious reasons). Are there any moves I could replace, except Taunt? (Taunt is my anti-pain-split move).
---
Salamence (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 80 Atk/176 Spd/252 SAtk
Naughty nature (+Atk, -SDef)
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
Salamence is a mixed dancer, and is mostly a late-game sweeper. He's nothing special, but he can be quite useful sometimes when I've got something with 30-40% health left.
I understand that this description is rather skeletal, but understand that I just needed a little extra pow, and a Dragon-counter. I honestly really didn't put much thought into Salamence's role, (and he still works).
---
Gyarados (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP/248 Def/12 Spd
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Waterfall
- Roar
Gyarados a standard rest-talker, and is ironically my tank. He's also a great staller. I find for those who like to use Vaporeon will fall beneath the Roaring Gyarados, which makes it hard for others to set up.
Gyarados has been especially useful against Baton-passing teams. Baton-passing teams find it hard to move around due to Roar.
The only time I think a baton pass team ever killed me was when there was an Electivire.
The other time Gyarados died was against a Jolteon on a Rain Dance team.
---
Scizor (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 176 HP/100 Atk/232 SDef
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Pursuit
- U-turn
- Roost
- Bullet Punch
And now for the core of SU: Scizor! No unoriginal team would be complete without him!!
Scizor is actually running an Ubers Trapper set. However, I found that it was quite useful in the long-run. Scizor provides enough power to correctly utilize U-Turn as an emergency move, and Bullet Punch allows for hits up to 25-30% on most neutral enemies (Barring Shuckle).
---
Swampert (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
Relaxed nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Protect
Finally, I'd like to present the REAL core my team: Swampert.
This is actually a mixpert lead, but I found he's quite useful.
First, after Lucario dies, Swampert can usually go in for a revenge kill. Most times, Lucario dies off of a fire or ground type, and Swampert can kill both.
Second, protect lets Mixpert heal a small amount each turn, which I find useful.
Third, Swampert sets up rocks, which is very useful in case my Skarmory dies
Last, I just love Swampert. He's also got the innate ability to sweep a lot with his typing coverage.
I love it when people think Thunder Punch > Swampert. You can't.
CUZ MUDKIPZ RULE! (and cuz Ground resists Electric)
---
So that's my team.
Now that my Pain-split worries have melted away, a new problem has arisen: Magnezone.
If I recall, the last RMT for this team said that I could easily kill off Magnezone. However, I found that I couldn't put Whirlwind on Skarmory or he would lose usefulness, or just die on the first turn.
Lucario usually dies early on since he's my Anti-lead, and has no defense.
Scizor could U-Turn, but that leads me to problem number 2...
Type Coverage
My team is suffering from an apparent lack of Fire, Grass, and Electric type moves.
Fire Type moves would be nice against the annoying steel types, and Grass type moves can cover Water types. Electric types COULD cover flying types, but my team doesn't suffer from a weakness there, only a stall war.
Please help me improve! It's doing well, but it still needs improvement!
