What am I missing?

[Dan Dan]

The team at a glance:

I decided to make a new team with Gallade in mind, and reading up in the New Movesets/EV Spread thread, I found some use for a few of the suggested pokemon in my team.

Aerodactyl (M) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 192 Atk/252 Spd/64 SAtk
Hasty nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
---

An Aerodactyl set suggested by MetaNite. Sets up Stealth Rock when it can and Taunts other Focus Sash leads. Fire Blast kills Scizor after Life Orb damage and covers Skarmory switch ins. Earthquake is filler, but hits hard. Stone Edge or Rock Slide is an option here.

Gallade (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Steadfast
EVs: 252 HP/80 Atk/176 SDef
Careful nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Thunderwave
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Psycho Cut
---

Special Defense orientated Gallade with Bulk Up to boost it's Physical side. The EVs are set to 340 HP/341 SDef, where Gallade gains an extra stat point. Drain Punch is my means of recovery, alongside Leftovers, and Psycho Cut for a good STAB attack. Will O Wisp buys me a switch for another Bulk Up, but Thunder Wave or Hypnosis could go here.

Jolteon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Magnet Rise
- Charge Beam
- Baton Pass
---

Jolteon's main purpose on this team is to pass Substitute's and Magnet Rises around. Substitute on something that will likely switch out and proceed to Baton Pass to Gallade. If something that will use a Ground move comes in, Magnet Rise in their faces and go to Metagross or Heatran. I've thought about Agility > Thunderbollt to make Heatran more potent, without the need for Choice Scarf, but I'd need to forego the Substitute to realistically be able to pull it off.

I'm currently trying Charge Beam for Thunderbolt, although with limited success. Managed to get 1 SAtk boost to Heatran a few times, but it's too slow really.

Metagross @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 20 HP/252 Atk/236 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Trick
- Meteor Mash
- Explosion
- Thunderpunch
---

Receiving a Magnet Rise from Jolteon makes Metagross into a sweeper Bronzong :D Trick your Scarf and then start hitting things with your max attack, free from fear of Earthquake for a couple more turns. Metagross' natural bulkiness helps it take hits like a pro. Explode when you're done.

Spiritomb (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/60 Atk / 92 Def / 100 SDef
Careful nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Pain Split
- Will-o-wisp
---

This guy is becoming a staple on a lot of my teams. It never dies! Pain Splitting something after you take a heavy hit and then Sucker Punching for the kill is the main use of this Spiritomb, as well as getting free switch ins on Azelf, Gengar and Alakazam's attack moves. Sucker Punch is also great if I somehow let the opponent set up, as they will have to attack at some point :D

Thanks to CardoftheHearts for the EV Spread, got me some more Atk stats now >:D

Heatran (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Dragon Pulse
---

The special receiver of Jolteon's Magnet Rise. Chances are the sub will break so Heatran can set up another on it's own. Explosion would be good here too, clearing the road for Gallade, but so far I've not really needed it. Fire Blast lets me continue to attack with continuous power and Earth Power let's me hit Magnezone.

Heatran, I really want you to work - but you never do much except be bulky water bait :( Hidden Power Electric is all I can threaten, or Explosion. Or should I be using something else here?

 

[MetaNite]

Love your lead...

Bulk Up Gallade won't be able to take special hits like Draco Meteor and such, and you'll be doing little damage with only so-so STAB. In addition, if an enemy Spiritomb comes in, you can't do a thing to it. I'd use just a bulky Sword Dance sweeper, or an actual special wall.

You could put Charge Beam on Jolteon to potentially give Heatran an attack boost, and Magnet Rise.

HP Ice on Heatran, because without Specs you won't be KOing all the dragons, bulkymence.

Salamance looks like a big problem, with only Heatran doing super-effective damage. But it doesn't even outspeed it. Ice Punch > T-Punch on Metagross to compensate.

 

[Dan Dan]

Ok i'll try Ice Punch over Thunderpunch on Metagross.

Would Agility or Wish be worth it on Jolteon?

 

[CardsOfTheHeart]

The Spiritomb spread is a little weird. You can actually do better:

Instead of the 208 SpD EVs and Impish, you can go 92 Def/100 SpD with Careful and have the same defenses with 16 EVs to spare--which probably should go into Atk.

 

[Namikaze]

put thunder wave over WoW on gallade. and night slash over psycho cut. that way, dark pokes take those hits too. you are also able to hit with neutral effective attacks on the likes of bronzong and metagross (when you realize that its either you die or they die cause drain punch always cant save you)

thats about all i can suggest. you have a very good team. just remember to get jolteon out of there as soon as possible cause magnet rise only lasts 5 turns.

you might want to consider charge beam over t-bolt if you want to make more effective passes to heatran.

hope i helped.

 

[Tingaling]

put thunder wave over WoW on gallade. and night slash over psycho cut. that way, dark pokes take those hits too. you are also able to hit with neutral effective attacks on the likes of bronzong and metagross (when you realize that its either you die or they die cause drain punch always cant save you)

Drain Punch is a fighting move, super effective on dark types, and neutral to steel/psychics. The only pokemon that fully walls this set are sableye and spiritomb

 

[Kira]

put thunder wave over WoW on gallade. and night slash over psycho cut. that way, dark pokes take those hits too. you are also able to hit with neutral effective attacks on the likes of bronzong and metagross (when you realize that its either you die or they die cause drain punch always cant save you)

Without Psycho Cut he will lack a decent Stab to hit neutral Pokemon with. That is arguably more important than hitting Dark Type Pokemon with both of his moves. He has SE Drain Punch to hit them anyways.

 

[Dan Dan]

Thanks for that guys, especially the Spiritomb spread. Will update when I get home :D I'll tell you how it goes ;)

Editted in changes! Been playing again this evening with mixed success. Gallade works better with Thunderwave, that's for sure, but I still can't get Heatran to do what I know it can!