Hiya, long time stalker, relatively recent poster.
Have been playing online quite a bit recently, so thought I'd see what you nice people thought of my team, and whether it can be improved. My first one of these for a very long time - I think this is only my second since 3rd gen lol, when I was both tiny and a much more serious player - so apologies if the style is a little clunky.
Team Overview
I had a few major goals when putting this team together: widespread resistance to entry hazards, universal self-healing, and strong synergy without a dependence on weather or other field effects. Basically my goal wasn't so much a stall team as a bulk team: direct attacking is the way I do my damage, and I'm big on set-up, but all of my Pokémon can take a few hits. For what it's worth I think this has been going well on the simulators: I'm not ranking obsessive but I don't think I've ever checked this team without it being around the top 5%, and certainly it feels like I'm winning more than I'm losing lol. As for the synergy stuff it's almost perfectly balanced on that weakness/resistance thing on Marriland, with only a single net weakness to Ice. Plus using a team-wide version of this tells me that only 4 Pokémon (excluding Uber and nfe) resist all the attacks of more than one of my Pokémon, and on all of these at least three of my Pokémon can score a super-effective attack. My own combined, automated threat list comes out with a good score, too. My big question with overall strategy is, I've used a load of measures and techniques for balance, am I missing an x-factor that holds this team back? Though of course, any advice is appreciated.
This is supposed to be an anti-lead, and it tends to do pretty well at that. It beats all the weather openers except Ninetales (who gets Dragoknighted or Umbreowned) plus Ferrothorn and Cloyster. Technically Tyranitar is a problem the size of a 2HKO but HP Fighting tends not to be anticipated, and they typically Stealth Rock, giving me a chance to do significant damage and usually 2HKO them instead. Roost is worth a slot I think, it lets Zapdos keep going after the leads and means it can come back in the lategame from time to time.
Slightly modified version of your bog-standard Jirachi. I prefer Thunder to Body Slam for coverage reasons, and for the extremely satisfying KO on Skarmories that switch in thinking they counter me, or the ones that blow it out with Whirlwind. The accuracy drop is, I think, worth the synergy, and isn't even a thing if I'm facing rain. I ran Protect over Ice Punch for a while but it seemed over-cautious, and this helps me with Latis, which my team builder tells me in three kinds of ways are a problem for this team.
No tricks here, just a typical Reuniclus. Fits well with the bulk theme, and has power that I need. Doesn't actually help with coverage that much, but I need the extra kick sometimes, plus Magic Guard makes it the perfect general anti-stall.
Again just the standard set, but it slots in well. My best counter to Genesect, who - depending on the set - does a lot of damage to this team otherwise. Does to special walls what Reuniclus does to physical ones, as long as they aren't carrying too much Ice. And obviously is very dangerous if I get a Dragon Dance in in the late midgame. You guys know how these things work, can't really say much more.
Perhaps one of my less orthodox choices, but it is, in my opinion, very underrated this gen. His bulk is amazing and can take a hell of a lot on both physical and special sides, and very often even a U-turn just amounts to a free Curse. Close Combat is often a bit too much for him before he sets up but they're easy to see coming. His offensive stats are terrible, but Payback is an awesome move, which actually gives him pretty decent power, particularly when I get a curse or two in. And to cap it all, he can cleric, which this team badly needs. Moonlight versus Wish is a tricky decision with weather everywhere, but I think I prefer having the instant recovery, even if I can't use it in every match. If there's negative weather on the field I use him less as a midgame check, if I can, and save him for the late game when the Terrakions and Scizors of this world are hopefully out of the way. Very useful check, competent utility and not a bad Curser if he gets half a minute.
I. love. this. guy. My team style has always left me a bit stuck when I make a bad prediction and get heavily set up on, and for ages I ran Haze Milotics to deal with this. But Quagsire fits this team synergy much better, and the set-ups I'm really scared of, like Swords Dance + Close Combat/Stone Edge and Dragon Dance + Outrage are mostly at least switched out and are often Burned or KOd. Plus he deals with Heatran like nothing else on this team, and generally acts as a check to many of the threats this team would otherwise have a problem with: Latis, Genesect, even sometimes Terrakion, though that's pretty context-dependent.
Not exhaustive obviously, but wanted to mention these guys specifically, as they've been giving me trouble. Would appreciate any advice, including changing a Pokémon or two, as long as it doesn't involve throwing the baby out with the bathwater lol.
Latis
Highlighted by my teambuilder as a major hole in this team, and I've had a lot of trouble in practice as well. Zapdos and Reuniclus can't touch them, Draco Meteor 1HKOs Dragonite, and Jirachi and Quagsire don't really have the bulk for the job, though if they've dropped stats from Draco Meteor they can occasionally get a revenge KO in. Umbreon beats them, just, but they run from him and if he goes they clean up in the late game. At a loss with this one, it's hard to see how to deal with it without damaging my coverage more generally.
Genesect
It's his diversity that kills me: it depends on the moveset but he potentially has a super effective on my whole team. It rarely carries Energy Ball so Quagsire does okay, but one counter isn't really enough. Umbreon can take most of its hits, including U-turn, but not Bug Buzz, and anyway he can't hit back. Dragonite and Reuniclus have little trouble if they've set up, but certainly can't set up on it unless I already know it isn't carrying Ice Beam/Bug Buzz. Jirachi's okay if it doesn't have Flamethrower. As you can tell, the problem isn't so much being able to beat it as scouting the moveset: most I come up against don't carry all these moves, but in telling what the gap is odds are I take a lot of damage. Any thoughts?
Terrakion
On paper, or at least on the paper I drew up the team with, this guy isn't much of a problem: Jirachi, Reuniclus and Quagsire can do substantial damage and actually resist a lot of the standard sets. But his power is just overwhelming, I can't switch in very safely, particularly if I've already taken a few hits, and my team's general lack of speed is a real problem here. If I get an early shot at it I can take it out, but in the mid to late game it can often walk all over me. Another one I'm finding it tricky to see an easy way out of.
Gliscor
Another I'm-fine-on-paper-but-getting-killed-in-practice, relative speed isn't something I've yet build into my threat calculator - it's quite complicated to do - and like with Terrakion that hole bites me here. Jirachi and Reuniclus obviously have very little trouble, and Dragonite can sometimes beat it if he starts from high health, but really 4 of my team just can't do anything, and that makes Gliscor very dangerous in the late game for me. Might be a case of changing a Pokémon here, what do you guys think?
Export:
Cheers for reading. Hoping you'll give a newcomer to the forum some patience, though don't hold back on the criticism lol, I can take it. Thanks much!
Have been playing online quite a bit recently, so thought I'd see what you nice people thought of my team, and whether it can be improved. My first one of these for a very long time - I think this is only my second since 3rd gen lol, when I was both tiny and a much more serious player - so apologies if the style is a little clunky.
Team Overview
I had a few major goals when putting this team together: widespread resistance to entry hazards, universal self-healing, and strong synergy without a dependence on weather or other field effects. Basically my goal wasn't so much a stall team as a bulk team: direct attacking is the way I do my damage, and I'm big on set-up, but all of my Pokémon can take a few hits. For what it's worth I think this has been going well on the simulators: I'm not ranking obsessive but I don't think I've ever checked this team without it being around the top 5%, and certainly it feels like I'm winning more than I'm losing lol. As for the synergy stuff it's almost perfectly balanced on that weakness/resistance thing on Marriland, with only a single net weakness to Ice. Plus using a team-wide version of this tells me that only 4 Pokémon (excluding Uber and nfe) resist all the attacks of more than one of my Pokémon, and on all of these at least three of my Pokémon can score a super-effective attack. My own combined, automated threat list comes out with a good score, too. My big question with overall strategy is, I've used a load of measures and techniques for balance, am I missing an x-factor that holds this team back? Though of course, any advice is appreciated.
Zapdos
Volture (Zapdos) @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
Evs: 252 HP / 6 Def / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power (Fighting)
- Roost
Volture (Zapdos) @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
Evs: 252 HP / 6 Def / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power (Fighting)
- Roost
This is supposed to be an anti-lead, and it tends to do pretty well at that. It beats all the weather openers except Ninetales (who gets Dragoknighted or Umbreowned) plus Ferrothorn and Cloyster. Technically Tyranitar is a problem the size of a 2HKO but HP Fighting tends not to be anticipated, and they typically Stealth Rock, giving me a chance to do significant damage and usually 2HKO them instead. Roost is worth a slot I think, it lets Zapdos keep going after the leads and means it can come back in the lategame from time to time.
Jirachi
Rosena (Jirachi) @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
Evs: 252 HP / 6 Def / 252 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SpD, -Spe)
- Iron Head
- Thunder
- Ice Punch
- Wish
Rosena (Jirachi) @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
Evs: 252 HP / 6 Def / 252 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SpD, -Spe)
- Iron Head
- Thunder
- Ice Punch
- Wish
Slightly modified version of your bog-standard Jirachi. I prefer Thunder to Body Slam for coverage reasons, and for the extremely satisfying KO on Skarmories that switch in thinking they counter me, or the ones that blow it out with Whirlwind. The accuracy drop is, I think, worth the synergy, and isn't even a thing if I'm facing rain. I ran Protect over Ice Punch for a while but it seemed over-cautious, and this helps me with Latis, which my team builder tells me in three kinds of ways are a problem for this team.
Reuniclus
Valjean (Reuniclus) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
Evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 6 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Calm Mind
- Recover
Valjean (Reuniclus) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
Evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 6 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Calm Mind
- Recover
No tricks here, just a typical Reuniclus. Fits well with the bulk theme, and has power that I need. Doesn't actually help with coverage that much, but I need the extra kick sometimes, plus Magic Guard makes it the perfect general anti-stall.
Dragonite
Douglas (Dragonite) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
Evs: 252 HP / 44 Atk / 212 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Punch
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
Douglas (Dragonite) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
Evs: 252 HP / 44 Atk / 212 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Punch
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
Again just the standard set, but it slots in well. My best counter to Genesect, who - depending on the set - does a lot of damage to this team otherwise. Does to special walls what Reuniclus does to physical ones, as long as they aren't carrying too much Ice. And obviously is very dangerous if I get a Dragon Dance in in the late midgame. You guys know how these things work, can't really say much more.
Umbreon
Richmond (Umbreon) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
Evs: 252 HP / 100 Atk / 156 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Payback
- Curse
- Heal Bell
- Moonlight
Richmond (Umbreon) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
Evs: 252 HP / 100 Atk / 156 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Payback
- Curse
- Heal Bell
- Moonlight
Perhaps one of my less orthodox choices, but it is, in my opinion, very underrated this gen. His bulk is amazing and can take a hell of a lot on both physical and special sides, and very often even a U-turn just amounts to a free Curse. Close Combat is often a bit too much for him before he sets up but they're easy to see coming. His offensive stats are terrible, but Payback is an awesome move, which actually gives him pretty decent power, particularly when I get a curse or two in. And to cap it all, he can cleric, which this team badly needs. Moonlight versus Wish is a tricky decision with weather everywhere, but I think I prefer having the instant recovery, even if I can't use it in every match. If there's negative weather on the field I use him less as a midgame check, if I can, and save him for the late game when the Terrakions and Scizors of this world are hopefully out of the way. Very useful check, competent utility and not a bad Curser if he gets half a minute.
Quagsire
Pembroke (Quagsire) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Unaware
Evs: 252 HP / 202 Def / 56 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Recover
Pembroke (Quagsire) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Unaware
Evs: 252 HP / 202 Def / 56 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Recover
I. love. this. guy. My team style has always left me a bit stuck when I make a bad prediction and get heavily set up on, and for ages I ran Haze Milotics to deal with this. But Quagsire fits this team synergy much better, and the set-ups I'm really scared of, like Swords Dance + Close Combat/Stone Edge and Dragon Dance + Outrage are mostly at least switched out and are often Burned or KOd. Plus he deals with Heatran like nothing else on this team, and generally acts as a check to many of the threats this team would otherwise have a problem with: Latis, Genesect, even sometimes Terrakion, though that's pretty context-dependent.
Threats
Not exhaustive obviously, but wanted to mention these guys specifically, as they've been giving me trouble. Would appreciate any advice, including changing a Pokémon or two, as long as it doesn't involve throwing the baby out with the bathwater lol.
Latis
Highlighted by my teambuilder as a major hole in this team, and I've had a lot of trouble in practice as well. Zapdos and Reuniclus can't touch them, Draco Meteor 1HKOs Dragonite, and Jirachi and Quagsire don't really have the bulk for the job, though if they've dropped stats from Draco Meteor they can occasionally get a revenge KO in. Umbreon beats them, just, but they run from him and if he goes they clean up in the late game. At a loss with this one, it's hard to see how to deal with it without damaging my coverage more generally.
Genesect
It's his diversity that kills me: it depends on the moveset but he potentially has a super effective on my whole team. It rarely carries Energy Ball so Quagsire does okay, but one counter isn't really enough. Umbreon can take most of its hits, including U-turn, but not Bug Buzz, and anyway he can't hit back. Dragonite and Reuniclus have little trouble if they've set up, but certainly can't set up on it unless I already know it isn't carrying Ice Beam/Bug Buzz. Jirachi's okay if it doesn't have Flamethrower. As you can tell, the problem isn't so much being able to beat it as scouting the moveset: most I come up against don't carry all these moves, but in telling what the gap is odds are I take a lot of damage. Any thoughts?
Terrakion
On paper, or at least on the paper I drew up the team with, this guy isn't much of a problem: Jirachi, Reuniclus and Quagsire can do substantial damage and actually resist a lot of the standard sets. But his power is just overwhelming, I can't switch in very safely, particularly if I've already taken a few hits, and my team's general lack of speed is a real problem here. If I get an early shot at it I can take it out, but in the mid to late game it can often walk all over me. Another one I'm finding it tricky to see an easy way out of.
Gliscor
Another I'm-fine-on-paper-but-getting-killed-in-practice, relative speed isn't something I've yet build into my threat calculator - it's quite complicated to do - and like with Terrakion that hole bites me here. Jirachi and Reuniclus obviously have very little trouble, and Dragonite can sometimes beat it if he starts from high health, but really 4 of my team just can't do anything, and that makes Gliscor very dangerous in the late game for me. Might be a case of changing a Pokémon here, what do you guys think?
Export:
Evs: 252 HP / 6 Def / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power (Fighting)
- Roost
Rosena (Jirachi) @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
Evs: 252 HP / 6 Def / 252 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SpD, -Spe)
- Iron Head
- Thunder
- Ice Punch
- Wish
Valjean (Reuniclus) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
Evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 6 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Calm Mind
- Recover
Douglas (Dragonite) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
Evs: 252 HP / 44 Atk / 212 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Punch
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
Richmond (Umbreon) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
Evs: 252 HP / 100 Atk / 156 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Payback
- Curse
- Heal Bell
- Moonlight
Pembroke (Quagsire) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Unaware
Evs: 252 HP / 202 Def / 56 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Recover
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power (Fighting)
- Roost
Rosena (Jirachi) @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
Evs: 252 HP / 6 Def / 252 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SpD, -Spe)
- Iron Head
- Thunder
- Ice Punch
- Wish
Valjean (Reuniclus) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Magic Guard
Evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 6 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Calm Mind
- Recover
Douglas (Dragonite) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Multiscale
Evs: 252 HP / 44 Atk / 212 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Dragon Claw
- Fire Punch
- Dragon Dance
- Roost
Richmond (Umbreon) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
Evs: 252 HP / 100 Atk / 156 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Payback
- Curse
- Heal Bell
- Moonlight
Pembroke (Quagsire) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Unaware
Evs: 252 HP / 202 Def / 56 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Scald
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Recover
Cheers for reading. Hoping you'll give a newcomer to the forum some patience, though don't hold back on the criticism lol, I can take it. Thanks much!
