Competitive Team Questions (and Incomplete Team Help)

[AdrianD]

Are weather teams needed to win now? Im seemingly running into more Weather teams in random match up. Im thinking if I have one poke back up the others weaknesses. I just have to pick correctly but. I guess I just dont get something.

[Miss Doronjo]

Originally Posted by AdrianD

Are weather teams needed to win now? Im seemingly running into more Weather teams in random match up. Im thinking if I have one poke back up the others weaknesses. I just have to pick correctly but. I guess I just dont get something.

They're not necessarily needed to win, they are just popular within the battle comitee, because they have a lot of options. Like Sandstorm teams are versatile, and Rain Dance teams can be quite defensive, or completely offensive.

[Ash493]

Originally Posted by AdrianD

Are weather teams needed to win now? Im seemingly running into more Weather teams in random match up. Im thinking if I have one poke back up the others weaknesses. I just have to pick correctly but. I guess I just dont get something.

Nothing is needed to win With great strategy, you can win with anything

[Teh Blazer]

I've just started to get into the competitive side of Pokemon and was wondering if someone could suggest an easy to acquire team (or general strategy) that would help me learn the ropes of this new way of battling.

[95gemello7]

Hello guys, I would ask for help.
In my opinion Meganium in 3rd generation hasn't interesting attacks in third generation, however, can you help me to find the answer for this problem?

Meganium's Moveset:

- Ancientpower. It is an Egg Move, it is useful against Fire, Ice, Bug and Flying Pokémon.

- Earthquake. It can be teached by MT and it is useful against Fire, Poison and others Pokémon.

- Body Slam or Double-edge? Which is better? Double-edge is a Tutor Move.

- Solarbeam, Giga Drain or Razor Leaf? Well, the first is the most powerful and i like to see that "120" written in the description, but is counterproductive because the time of waiting. Giga Drain, in my opinion, can be useful with Double-edge (recoil then recovery), but it has only 5 PP. And what about Razor Leaf? Weak but it gives STAB.

So guys, what can I do?

Meganium's EVs:

I thought that a Sassy nature can give an advantage on Special Defence, then I can give 252 EVs to Defense and 252 EVs to Attack... Why Defense and Attack? Well, I thought that Meganium is week against Flying, Bug, Poison, Ice and Fire, but the first three types are Physical and it would have a Rock-type Attack, a Ground-type and a Normal-type, so Attack can be more useful...

What do you think?

Sorry for grammar errors...

[PlatinumDude]

Originally Posted by Teh Blazer

I've just started to get into the competitive side of Pokemon and was wondering if someone could suggest an easy to acquire team (or general strategy) that would help me learn the ropes of this new way of battling.

There's no easy way to build a team or strategy, I'm afraid. The first step you can take is get to know which tier each Pokémon is in, then decide which tier you want to play in.

[Dallerius]

Hey folks I was wondering about a very special doubles battle strategy, including a ghost / psychic composition... The idea is to utilize the move trump card.

What it requires:
An Espeon evolved at lvl 57 (due to it's high special attack) that is EV trained...
Some ghost pokemon with the move spite

Next you would use a single pp up on trump card (this is due to spite removing 4 pp)

Now for battle :

1. Get Espeon to use trump card as the very first move of the entire battle

2. Use spite on Espeon with your ghost pokemon

3. Wait for a particularly strong pokemon in the opponents pool

4. Use trump card on this pokemon and (maybe?) OHKO it.
Another thing to note here is that there should be other moves that are useful on both pokemon while waiting for the burst attack


just a thought if it somehow could be used...
if any questions feel free to ask... I know it's a burst attack... and it's for duo battles...¨

EDIT: Nonetheless for casual playing...

[PlatinumDude]

Originally Posted by Dallerius

Hey folks I was wondering about a very special doubles battle strategy, including a ghost / psychic composition... The idea is to utilize the move trump card.

What it requires:
An Espeon evolved at lvl 57 (due to it's high special attack) that is EV trained...
Some ghost pokemon with the move spite

Next you would use a single pp up on trump card (this is due to spite removing 4 pp)

Now for battle :

1. Get Espeon to use trump card as the very first move of the entire battle

2. Use spite on Espeon with your ghost pokemon

3. Wait for a particularly strong pokemon in the opponents pool

4. Use trump card on this pokemon and (maybe?) OHKO it.
Another thing to note here is that there should be other moves that are useful on both pokemon while waiting for the burst attack


just a thought if it somehow could be used...
if any questions feel free to ask... I know it's a burst attack... and it's for duo battles...¨

EDIT: Nonetheless for casual playing...

Trump Card isn't worth using in both battling formats.

And the above strategy is similar to the Fake Out + Last Resort strategy that can be employed by Ambipom in singles. While it looks good on paper, it's absolutely horrible in practice because what if a Ghost Pokémon switches in and forces you to burn up Trump Card's last PP?

[Dallerius]

Originally Posted by PlatinumDude

Trump Card isn't worth using in both battling formats.

And the above strategy is similar to the Fake Out + Last Resort strategy that can be employed by Ambipom in singles. While it looks good on paper, it's absolutely horrible in practice because what if a Ghost Pokémon switches in and forces you to burn up Trump Card's last PP?

I see what you mean... and my counter response would be that if you know you're enemy in advantage about what team he's using... but yeah I see that it is bad in general..

[gimmepie]

I have been thinking of trying out competitive battling in the NU tier with an entry hazards based team. What do you think of that idea? So far I have thought of the Utility Shuckle with Leftovers and Stealth Rock/Toxic/Encore/Rest, Life Orb Braviery with Brave Bird/Superpower/Return/Roost and Coil Eelektross with Coil/Wild Charge/Dragon Tail/Substitute.

I'm not sure where to go from there, or even if this is a good idea. I'm looking to throw Spikes and/or Toxic spikes in there somewhere also. Which means I'll need better speed on a dragon tail/roar/whirlwind user I guess. I think I posted this in the right place, correct me if I a wrong.

[PlatinumDude]

Originally Posted by gimmepie

I have been thinking of trying out competitive battling in the NU tier with an entry hazards based team. What do you think of that idea? So far I have thought of the Utility Shuckle with Leftovers and Stealth Rock/Toxic/Encore/Rest, Life Orb Braviery with Brave Bird/Superpower/Return/Roost and Coil Eelektross with Coil/Wild Charge/Dragon Tail/Substitute.

I'm not sure where to go from there, or even if this is a good idea. I'm looking to throw Spikes and/or Toxic spikes in there somewhere also. Which means I'll need better speed on a dragon tail/roar/whirlwind user I guess. I think I posted this in the right place, correct me if I a wrong.

Garbodor can set up Spikes/Toxic Spikes for you:
-Spikes
-Drain Punch/Toxic Spikes
-Gunk Shot/Rock Blast
-Clear Smog/Giga Drain
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252 HP/240 Def/16 Spe
Item: Black Sludge
Ability: Aftermath

or
-Gunk Shot
-Spikes
-Toxic Spikes/Drain Punch
-Seed Bomb
Nature: Adamant/Jolly
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Item: Black Sludge/Air Balloon
Ability: Aftermath

Once hazards are up, Meganium can also make use of Dragon Tail:
-Aromatherapy
-Leech Seed/Dragon Tail
-Giga Drain
-Toxic/Synthesis/Dragon Tail
Nature: Bold/Relaxed
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SDef
Item: Leftovers

Here are some options for Roar/Whirlwind:

Altaria:
-Roar
-Heal Bell
-Roost
-Dragon Pulse
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SDef
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure

Grumpig:
-Psychic
-Heal Bell
-Whirlwind
-Thunder Wave/Taunt/Focus Blast
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP/4 Def/252 SDef
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat

Eelektross gained a bunch of useful moves in B2/W2, so take advantage of those, please:
-Coil
-ThunderPunch
-Drain Punch
-Dragon Tail/Aqua Tail
Nature: Careful
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 SDef
Item: Leftovers

[gimmepie]

Okay then, now I just need to go about putting the team together.

With Garbodor, Meganium, Eelektross, Shuckle and Braviery in their do you think including a special sweeper would be a good idea? I'll make a proper post for this as soon as I have decided on my last slot.

Edit: Glaceon, Charizard or Vital Spirit Magmar?

[AdrianD]

Is there an offensive pokemon that can be combined with tailwind that isn't a support type?

[Murt93]

Originally Posted by AdrianD

Is there an offensive pokemon that can be combined with tailwind that isn't a support type?

staraptor,tornadus correct me if I'm wrong but I think hydreigon can be tutored tailwind volcorona is another one depends on what your team is like

Originally Posted by gimmepie

Okay then, now I just need to go about putting the team together.

With Garbodor, Meganium, Eelektross, Shuckle and Braviery in their do you think including a special sweeper would be a good idea? I'll make a proper post for this as soon as I have decided on my last slot.

Edit: Glaceon, Charizard or Vital Spirit Magmar?

I would have to recommend charizard ice is a terrible defensive typing on top of glaceons tiny movepool and comparing the two fire types charizard is superior although the 4times weakness to rock can be extremely painful :/

[Ash493]

Originally Posted by AdrianD

Is there an offensive pokemon that can be combined with tailwind that isn't a support type?

Care to explain your plan?
I don't really see Tailwind as good move for sweepers...

[PlatinumDude]

Originally Posted by Ash493

Care to explain your plan?
I don't really see Tailwind as good move for sweepers...

Tailwind is useful for temporarily boosting the Speed of sweepers with average/lackluster Speed, like Gallade, Lucario, etc. Tornadus is one of the best users of Tailwind thanks to Prankster while still posing a threatening offensive presence.

[BreedAwayTheEvil]

I caught a shiny Rattata in Heart Gold so I decided to make it useful. Raticate's sad lack of Fake Out makes it completely unacceptable as an anti-lead so I did it anyway. Here are six moves I'm having difficulty making four:

-Sucker Punch
-Pursuit
-U-Turn
-Thunder Wave
-Taunt
-Roar

Taunt is meant to disable things that exist to hide small sharp rocks in my cake. Leads do that. If the lead switches to something that knows it can set up on Raticate, he roars it away. It also helps me scout a little. If the thing tries to punch Raticate instead of switching, he punches the sucker first. The synergy between Pursuit and Thunder Wave/Taunt is obvious, but Pursuit is my least favorite option. I'm running an anti-lead Raticate; I'm pushing things enough already. U-Turn is a practical choice because it's nice to think that something might switch out on a Raticate, but it's much more likely that he'll be the one who has to beat it.

I thought about doing something with Endeavor but it didn't feel nasty enough. I discounted Swords Dance because my pest is wild-trapped, not from lab stock, and thus has not evolved the ability to set itself on fire and whirl suicidally into whatever poor forest creature. Please leave an opinion unless your opinion is dumb. I bet it isn't though. You're too pretty.

Oh, and I don't raise no coward, but the poor guy's ability is Run Away. Made me sad too.

[PlatinumDude]

Really, the only set that Raticate can make use of is one that takes advantage of Guts. As painstaking as it sounds, you should've just kept trying for the Guts ability. Its movepool is decent, but its average Attack and bad defenses hold it back, rendering it outclassed by a lot of things, like Swellow, Heracross and even Ursaring:
-Facade
-Sucker Punch/Crunch
-U-turn/Reversal
-Protect/Swords Dance
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Item: Flame Orb/Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts

[kingofbluesteel]

if a pokemon is holding quick claw and in battle it says said pokemon moves first cause of quick claw, will roar,whirlwind, or dragontail move first or does move prioirity still count?

[PlatinumDude]

Originally Posted by kingofbluesteel

if a pokemon is holding quick claw and in battle it says said pokemon moves first cause of quick claw, will roar,whirlwind, or dragontail move first or does move prioirity still count?

Priority still counts I'm afraid.

[Garlana]

Looking for some advice on a move set for shiny I found yesterday,
I found a Female Machop with a Impish nature, sadly it has Guts rather than no guard. Any suggestions on a moveset? currently playing platinum for the record so gen IV.

[PlatinumDude]

Originally Posted by Garlana

Looking for some advice on a move set for shiny I found yesterday,
I found a Female Machop with a Impish nature, sadly it has Guts rather than no guard. Any suggestions on a moveset? currently playing platinum for the record so gen IV.

Impish isn't a good nature for Machoke/Machamp; they're meant to be bulky attackers rather than support/walls. Regardless, No Guard is still the preferred ability to take advantage of DynamicPunch. I'm afraid I can't suggest any potential sets for you to use.

[11wildy]

I would suggest to use a Restalk set for it.

Machamp @Leftovers
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Facade/Payback
-Cross Chop

I'm not good with ev spreads for bulky pokemon xP.

[PlatinumDude]

Originally Posted by 11wildy

I would suggest to use a Restalk set for it.

Machamp @Leftovers
-Rest
-Sleep Talk
-Facade/Payback
-Cross Chop

I'm not good with ev spreads for bulky pokemon xP.

Even then, RestTalk variants would rather have No Guard as the ability because the guaranteed confusion from DynamicPunch prevents Machamp from being setup bait.

[Garlana]

Originally Posted by PlatinumDude

Even then, RestTalk variants would rather have No Guard as the ability because the guaranteed confusion from DynamicPunch prevents Machamp from being setup bait.

Thanks a lot for the responses, however I am merely trying to get the best out of the cards that have been randomly dealt to me. I will be battling via wifi, so me and my friends aren't anywhere near as competitive as shoddy. We typically battle Pokémon we like and then try a basic strategy around them. So the rest talk option in my eyes is a decent option. Surely there's got to be other options in making a tanky guts machamp that doesn't rely on the typical moveset!? Its shiny so its extra important for the bragging factor.