Vladdy's team.

[Vladdy]

Hey there i'm Vladdy. I'm semi new to the competitive scene, and still learning. Today I am here to have my team building skills helped(destroyed). So without further adiu here it is.

Swampert (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 216 Def / 52 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Stealth Rock
- Roar

This is my usual lead. Swampert is just amazing. The only problem I have with him is other leads that are faster and carry taunt/sleep powder(Mismagius, Sableye, Roserarde), or Empoleon cause grass knot OHKO's. Though most leads that are faster or Trickster are frail and I can just first turn EQ or Ice punch to put some damage them, or if they are something I fear could set up on me too easily I can just roar. Later in the game Swampert is used to take those hits for my sweepers, especially on the physical side. He also sets up the all important Stealth Rocks.

Dusclops (M) @ Eviolite
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Toxic
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
- Night Shade

Ahhh, my all important Spinblocker/Status spreader/Hit tanker/Stall pokemon of awesomeness. With massive base defense, and SpD., along with an evolved form, he makes a great user of eviolite. Dusclops is used to soften up tankier targets, and even some frailer ones, to help my sweepers sweep. Will-O-Wisp is all important to cripple the physical threats that could potentially hurt my sweepers, and also to hurt the steel types that are not affected by toxic. Toxic is for Pain split stalling, and Night Shade is there so i'm not complete set up fodder, but I am considering changing it for seismic toss, but the threat of ghosts seems more prevalent, though Togekiss and Snorlax exasperate me.

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SDef / 8 Spd
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Roost
- Thunderbolt

My all important special wall. I run a Specially defensive Zapdos. Zapdos basically walls everything that threatens Swampert and vice versa. I switch out HP Grass and Heatwave, for Roserade, a lot, but have recently decided to use HP grass because Swamperts threaten my team the most, and I also have discovered that Roserade is not much of a threat as I thought it was. Zapdos is also one tough son of a gun, and can take most if not all un boosted special attacks in UU with ease.

Houndoom (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Fire Blast
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Hidden Power [Grass]

This is one of my most important team mates. Mixedoom is one scary pokemon. Houndoom can come on any fire attack and gain a boost through flash fire. He is also one of the hard counters to Scarfed/banded victini. Come in on Vcreate/Zen headbutt and pursuit when it tries to switch. Of course if its LO or some other variant it can just OHKO with fusion bolt or switch out with a u-turn, but usually you get a free kill on Victini with a flash fire boost. HP grass can also hit ground types, and bulky waters on the switch. Fire Blast is for just pure power and Crunch is for a more powerful Dark attack when pursuit isn't needed.

Porygon-Z @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Adaptability
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Tri Attack
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Dark Pulse

This thing is just a beast. With adaptability Tri attack reaches a base power of 160. It puts dents in things that doesn't resist it better than a sledgehammer dents a bicycle. I usually keep Porygon-z out of the spotlight in a match until I have rid the other team of their Special wall or Steel/Ghost type. After that I can come in on something not very threatening or of a KO and just run rampant throughout their team firing off what ever is most appropriate. T-bolt is just a filler move as a super effective barely does more damage than a neutral Tri attack, and Tri attack hits everything T-bolt hits SE neutrally. I switch HP fighting and Ice beam out alot as I hate having to rely on Houndoom's fire blast or Swampert's ice punch to take care of grass types. This thing also makes a good pair with Dusclop's as it can take the ghost type attacks aimed at it and then Dusclops takes those fighting type attacks aimed and Porygon-Z. Due to his frail defenses he usually doesn't stay out for long until it's big threats are taken of.

Bisharp (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Sucker Punch
- Swords Dance
- Night Slash
- Brick Break

And here is my favorite pokemon of the 5th gen though that has nothing to do with the team. Bisharp hits like a truck! Come in on something you resist and set up one swords dance. Sucker punch is a stab that can OHKO alot of pokemon in UU and Night Slash hits the same, but is used for pokemon that want to stall/set up on you. For example:


252 +2 Atk Life Orb Bisharp Night Slash vs 240 HP/216 Def Swampert: 63.09% - 74.06%
2 hits to KO (with Leftovers)

252 +2 Atk Life Orb Bisharp Sucker Punch vs 240 HP/216 Def Swampert: 72.07% - 84.79%
2 hits to KO (with Leftovers)

Bisharp is also excellent bait for fire/earth/fighting attacks, which all three are blocked by immunities on my team. Bisharp is an excellent pokemon to soften up targets for Houndoom and Porygon-Z to finish.




Final thoughts:

This team is built on eliminating threats for Porygon and Houndoom to breakthrough and finish them off. My biggest threats are steel and fighting types with which I need Dusclops and Zapdos for. The rare Gallade has given me the most problems. As I carry no flying type attacks nothing hits it for SE damage, and the best chance i have is to either weaken it down by stalling with dusclops or foddering Bisharp with sucker punch, to give my choice scarfed Porygon a chance for a KO. Stealth Rock is an obvious weakness as I have no spinner and Zapdos and Houndoom do not enjoy losing 25% on each switch. Other than that I have found this team to be great fun, and one of the better ones I have created. Thanks for your help in advance.

 

[Jmaculas]

Your zapdos set was built around counterting swampert. A better alternative to HP Grass is running toxic. Sub/roost stalling swampert with toxic damage all the work is a viable to defeat swampert as well as being more of a useful move to have across the board for other walls.


"I switch HP fighting and Ice beam out alot as I hate having to rely on Houndoom's fire blast or Swampert's ice punch to take care of grass types."

You really don't explain why you are using HP Fighting over ice beam and on paper ice beam is the overall better choice.

 

[Vladdy]

Your zapdos set was built around counterting swampert. A better alternative to HP Grass is running toxic. Sub/roost stalling swampert with toxic damage all the work is a viable to defeat swampert as well as being more of a useful move to have across the board for other walls.


"I switch HP fighting and Ice beam out alot as I hate having to rely on Houndoom's fire blast or Swampert's ice punch to take care of grass types."

You really don't explain why you are using HP Fighting over ice beam and on paper ice beam is the overall better choice.

Thanks for the rate. Anyways now that you say that i realize ive been using ho.fighting to basically hit steels, darks, and rock pokemon that my other teammates can take care of.

 

[Moo]

Hey, I've got a few suggestions for your team.

Your team is very specially orientated, and a lack of strong physical attackers might give you some trouble against strong special walls. I suggest changing Swampert to the Tank set:

Swampert (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Stealth Rock
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch / Roar


With a more offensively geared EV spread, Swampert can pose a threat even after it has set up Stealth Rock, and can still take a hit too (not as well as before, but Dusclops can take pretty much any physical hit easily). Now you'll have something to hit special walls like Snorlax pretty hard, without resorting to bringing out Bisharp. The choice between Roar and Ice Punch is up to you, but keep in mind that Earthquake hits Roserade just as hard so it only really hits Shaymin. (also Empoleon hardly ever runs Grass Knot so you're safe against it!)

Dusclops is important on your team, and it has to stay healthy to tank hits and block Rapid Spin. Pain Split is a very unreliable source of recovery, so I suggest changing it to a RestTalk set. All you have to do is replace Toxic and Pain Split with Rest + Sleep Talk. Let's face it, Toxic is pretty much useless, and it's definitely worth having decent recovery on Dusclops than wasting a moveslot with something it doesn't even need. With Rest and Sleep Talk, Dusclops will find it much easier to stick around. Also, run Seismic Toss over Night Shade, because it's more important to hit Normal-types than Ghost-types, since Ghost-types will beat you anyway, and you have Houndoom for them.

On Bisharp, definitely use Substitute instead of Night Slash. Substitute lets you set up more easily, as well as protects you from status. But the main reason to use Substitute is because it works so well with Sucker Punch, as your opponent will have to attack in order to break the Substitute, and you can take advantage of this by setting up if they try and waste your Sucker Punch PP. Also if you're using Substitute, you should consider running Leftovers over Life Orb, as Substitute will drain your HP enough as it is, and Leftovers will help negate that, rather than adding more HP taken like Life Orb. The Substitute / Sucker Punch mind games are good for gaining more Leftovers recovery too.

On Porygon-Z, I reccomend trying out Trick on whatever move you feel is most replacable. Trick will help you cripple a certain Pokemon that you may be having trouble with, and thanks to the Speed boost from Choice Scarf, Porygon-Z can pull off a fast Trick against a dangerous sweeper and make it easier to play around if you're in danger. It's a useful utility move, and could help you against a troublesome defensive Pokemon or a sweeper.

good luck with the team, I hope I helped!

 

[Vladdy]

Allotted bump

 

[Red M]

If Thunderbolt is going to be your Porygon's filler move, just add Trick in its place.

Zapdos should have Toxic over HP grass. Much more useful overall.

If you're not going to use the offensive Swampert above, at least change your nature to Careful so you don't need to worry about being outspeeded.

Anyway, good team. I think I might have battled it once with my Zapdos Crew, but I can't remember who won.