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return of the king
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- Kobe's Reality
- Seen Mar 6, 2022
I. Introduction
Hey folks, this is my Pokemon Emerald Battle Frontier thread.
I'll admit, this is something of an exercise in vanity, as I mostly just wanted to document and share my work over the past year or so. Feel free to give suggestions or just comment and I'll be happy to listen and reply, but I will say this is largely for my own purposes. Also, for those who still remember me (hi, I used to moderate this forum), it's also so you can see the summation of all of my complaining about missing an RNG frame by a split second or something like that.
As a disclaimer, all of these Pokemon are 100% legitimate and on my cart. I also don't use the cloning glitch in the game, for reasons I can't entirely describe other than "I don't want to."
So what I'm going to do is post my Pokemon that I have bred or caught over the years. I have them all at this point. Many of them are for fun and have sets that aren't even supposed to be viable, while others are very specifically geared toward the Frontier. I will then group them by facility in terms of what team combinations I have used.
Many of these Pokemon are ones I have used extensively and can therefore speak authoritatively on them. In my other Emerald cart's file, I have obtained a Gold symbol in every facility except the Battle Factory. I have at last attained all seven Gold symbols on this cart. I know what works and what doesn't, which is part of what inspired me to compile everything on one game (and now in one thread).
All of these Pokemon are for single battles. If a Pokemon has slashed moves, the one I am currently using will be in italics.
Now then, here's my rather vast collection of Pokemon...
II. Pokemon
Aerodactyl @ Choice Band
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 28 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spd / 4 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 30 Spd / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Double-Edge
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
Choice Band Aerodactyl hits fast and hard. It reaches 351 Speed which is plenty in the Frontier, and the number could actually be lowered. However, I also used this in Pokemon XD's Orre Colosseum where Pokemon actually run Speed EVs, so it'll have to do. I have at last replaced Ancientpower with Rock Slide now that I have beaten the game and the accuracy doesn't scare me to death.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Aggron @ Choice Band
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 30 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Iron Tail
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Earthquake
- Double-Edge
Aggron has a ton of resistances that give it defensive utility, and its Defense is sky-high, but good lord is it slow. It's actually pretty strong, but I have no idea why anyone would ever use this guy instead of Metagross. Even so, he's reasonably cool, even if his three weaknesses are unbearably common and make him very difficult to use. Sadface.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Alakazam @ Lum Berry
Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Psychic
- Fire Punch
- Ice Punch
- Thunderpunch
Alakazam is very straightforward: hit fast and hard. It's very frail but has good coverage and can briefly avoid status with its Lum Berry, sometimes inflicting status back with Synchronize. This has the IVs for Hidden Power [Dark], but I don't see any room for it.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Alakazam @ Choice Band
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 212 HP / 160 Def / 136 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 4 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Trick
- Reflect
- Kinesis
- Thunder Wave
This is a much more specialized set for my Battle Tower team, which relies entirely on Alakazam's ability to successfully execute its TrickBand strategy. His EVs allow him to outspeed almost every single Pokemon in the Frontier, including every Aerodactyl and all but one Jolteon, while the HP and Defense bring his bulk from laughable to merely below average, but that's enough to tank 252+ Rhydon Earthquake if its Quick Claw activates. The last slots have been sorted out: Reflect has always been critical for softening Choice Band-boosted blows while Kinesis and Thunder Wave provide further obstruction. Psychic and Light Screen are considerations, but I won't use either unless I feel like I need to.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Ampharos @ Leftovers
Trait: Static
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Fire Punch
- Thunder Wave
Ampharos is a personal favorite of mine, and his moveset gives him the ability to hit most Pokemon hard. I don't reckon I'll use him much since he's outclassed, but I'm glad to have him on board. Thunder Wave does help with his Speed somewhat, and he's still fast enough to nail slow Ground-types with Hidden Power Grass.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Arcanine @ White Herb
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Spd / 216 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Crunch
- Overheat
Arcanine is another "just for fun" Pokemon. Overheat hits decently hard and its coverage is good enough, but there are better options for special attackers out there. Arcanine is pretty awesome though and adds major cool points to my roster.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Articuno @ Lum Berry
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 232 HP / 128 Def / 56 Spd / 36 SAtk / 56 SDef
IVs: 26 HP / 18 Atk / 19 Def / 29 Spd / 22 SAtk / 27 SDef
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Mind Reader
- Sheer Cold
- Reflect
Articuno is very potent, especially in the Battle Arena. The AI doesn't switch, so Mind Reader + Sheer Cold is a death sentence for most Pokemon. It has great special bulk to help it deal with omnipresent Water-types, and it has the added bonus of beating annoying bulk stat-up Pokemon like Suicune and Snorlax as well as Double Team abusers. Ice Beam is strong enough to warrant use for specific quick kills, while the last slot is for Reflect. I've used Agility in the past, but I caught a decent Timid Articuno which reaches 239 Speed, enough to outpace some Salamence variants, and it seems unnecessary and overly situational. Reflect allows Articuno to make it almost impossible to kill if it gets a free turn, and sometimes it does.
Status: Caught, EV trained, level 100
Blastoise @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 228 HP / 28 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Surf / Yawn / Counter
I could use an inferior Milotic playing to Blastoise's strengths, or I could use a complete and total gimmick just for fun. Blastoise is a classic Pokemon that sadly isn't very good at all, but I still want to breed for one so I have a full collection of Kanto starters. I have no idea what competent Pokemon this guy beats except maybe Salamence and Dragonite. I bred Yawn onto it but will probably use Counter to give it a "niche," as if I'd ever use him seriously.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Blaziken @ Lum Berry / White Herb
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 16 Atk / 240 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 30 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Flamethrower / Overheat
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- ThunderPunch
- Brick Break
Blaziken is very strong and just fast enough to be sort of useful as a mixed sweeper, even if those are much more useful in competitive play than they are in any Frontier facility. I decided to go specially based instead of physically based since his movepool is better, he's not going to have to worry too much about Intimidate, and his special STAB has higher base power. He's not that good, but he's a starter so I had to breed for him.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Blissey @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 4 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Seismic Toss
- Ice Beam
- Softboiled
- Thunder Wave
I also use a blob, though I find Blissey to usually be inferior to Snorlax. Even so, she is a fine special wall that can beat so many Pokemon one on one. It does make battles long and painful though, so I try to avoid using her unless I have to. I sort of regret forgoing Toxic since it would greatly increase her damage potential but like the utility that paralysis provides.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Breloom @ Leftovers
Trait: Effect Spore
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Spore
- Focus Punch
- Hidden Power [Ghost]
- Substitute
Breloom is a total terror. Any competitive player knows this moveset, and here it is adapted to Emerald, where it originated. Spore and Substitute make Breloom very difficult to hit, and Focus Punch is one of the strongest unboosted attacks in the game. Unfortunately, he's a too slow to be a consistent choice, but he is a fun and unique specialist.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Charizard @ Lum Berry / Petaya Berry
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Flamethrower / Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Dragon Claw / Substitute
- Sunny Day / Overheat
I can't wait to try out Charizard, mostly because, well, he's Charizard. I really want to use Substitute to have the triple boost of Petaya Berry, Blaze, and Sunny Day to employ against Waters, but I'm using a lot of Pokemon with Substitute and have a limited number of tutor attacks, which is sad. Nevertheless, I look forward to unleashing my man Charizard in the lower stages of the Frontier.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Crawdaunt @ Lum Berry
Trait: Shell Armor
EVs: 12 HP / 204 Spd / 252 SAtk / 40 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 30 SAtk / 31 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Surf
- Crunch
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Electric]
I only bred and trained Crawdaunt because I recently discovered that it has a Dark STAB which it can only learn in FRLG. Who knew? Crawdaunt is inferior to pretty much every Water-type I have, and I don't even like its design more than Kingler's. But here it is. Did you know that it takes 1,640,000 EXP to get to level 100? Yeah, don't be like me.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Crobat @ Choice Band
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 220 Spd / 4 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Sludge Bomb
- Aerial Ace
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Ground]
Crobat is one of my all-time favorite Pokemon, maybe my second favorite ever behind Croconaw. He's really good! He's super fast, decently strong, and surprisingly bulky and with pretty good defensive typing to use it. Crobat forever.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Dodrio @ Choice Band
Trait: Early Bird
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Return
- Drill Peck
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Steel Wing
So Dodrio isn't the best Pokemon around, mostly because it's so frail, but it still hits really hard and has very situational usefulness in the Battle Pyramid. Also, in my old Emerald file, I had the misfortune of discovering that Run Away does not always work after raising a Dodrio all the way to level 75 for a Battle Pyramid run. Needless to say, Early Bird gets the nod here.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Donphan @ Leftovers / Chesto Berry
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 248 Def / 4 Spd / 4 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 30 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Toxic
- Rest
Donphan is one of my only dedicated physical walls, as it has a ton of natural bulk and no physical weaknesses. It has trouble with Pokemon that it can't threaten with Earthquake, especially if they can set up, but he has a niche in the Frontier.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Dragonite @ Lum Berry
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 244 HP / 12 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 4 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Outrage
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
- Surf
Salamence outclasses this guy most of the time, so I decided to make a fun special attacker set that probably won't be seeing much use. Nevertheless, Dragonite has always been a favorite of mine and using fun moves like Outrage is nice. It does better against Waters than Salamence though!
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Dusclops @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Atk / 16 Def / 200 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Shadow Ball
- Seismic Toss
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
This is the second Pokemon so far that I used to beat the Orre Colosseum (it still has Protect in the place of Seismic Toss for this purpose, actually). Otherwise, he's not too useful, but he is reasonably cool and is responsible for all three of my Lucky Eggs, so it's all good.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Electabuzz @ Lum Berry
Trait: Static
EVs: 40 HP / 216 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 10 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 30 SAtk / 31 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Punch
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Thunder
Electabuzz is a neat Electric-type in that it has both Ice and Grass coverage, so it covers every relevant Ground-type (sorry Camerupt). It's not very strong and its physical bulk is a joke, so it's never finding itself on a serious team. Thunder is used over Fire Punch to hit neutral targets harder, and a weaker mon like this sometimes needs an extra kick.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Flygon @ Choice Band
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 30 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Fly
Flygon is pretty cool. It has good defensive typing, passable bulk, and a very strong STAB attack. Earthquake is strong enough to make Flygon usable despite only above average Attack, while Rock Slide and Hidden Power [Bug] round out its coverage nicely. Fly is for Breloom and Heracross, and has made getting around while training on my cart easier.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Forretress @ Choice Band
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 30 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Explosion
Spikers aren't very useful in the Frontier, so I decided to mess around a little bit when crafting my Forretress build by giving it a Choice Band set. It actually isn't too bad with great bulk and typing, but it's also slow, weak, and totally outclassed by Metagross.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Gardevoir @ Lum Berry
Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 20 HP / 236 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 11 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Calm Mind
Gardevoir is a unique Pokemon. Slower and weaker than Alakazam, whose utility is limited as it is, Gardevoir can at least survive a few hits thanks to natural special bulk and the defensive utility of Will-O-Wisp and Calm Mind. Psychic and Thunderbolt don't have perfect coverage, but they generally hit what they need to, even if I won't be using Gardevoir too much with Latios around.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Gengar @ Petaya Berry
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 80 HP / 176 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Punch
- Will-O-Wisp
Gengar is awesome, but he doesn't have a STAB worth using in Emerald. I decided to buff it a little bit with a SubPetaya set, along with Will-O-Wisp to burn threatening physical attackers. Gengar is a good bet against Water-types and has awesome defense typing. He's not as good as Latios though.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Gyarados @ Chesto Berry / Lum Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 132 HP / 252 Atk / 120 Spd / 4 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 30 Spd / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Earthquake
- Rest
Gyarados is a killer. It can set up on most Water-types and sweep with ease, and it can outstall Double Team abusers and other stalling Pokemon. Intimidate pairs perfectly with his natural bulk and excellent defensive typing. Chesto Berry is better against poison status since it's usually more efficient to just Rest it off later, but I've increasingly been considering Lum Berry to counter paralysis and confusion.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Heracross @ Choice Band
Trait: Guts
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Megahorn
- Brick Break
- Rock Slide
- Hidden Power [Ghost]
Heracross is a little slow, but that's really his only flaw in my opinion. Megahorn is an amazing nuke to the degree that I don't even mind its accuracy (usually...), especially since Hidden Power [Ghost] can pick off weaker Psychic-types. Heracross beats most Waters one-on-one, and its resistances to Ground and Fighting are actually really important. He's also my Choice Bander of choice (hehe) in the Battle Palace much of the time since he's much more reliable against Waters and blobs than Salamence is.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Houndoom @ Lum Berry
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 68 Def / 188 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 30 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 30 SAtk / 31 SDef
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Crunch
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Will-O-Wisp
Houndoom is basically a worse Arcanine, though STAB Crunch and Will-O-Wisp to ease its horrible physical bulk are bonuses. This is a just-for-fun type of Frontier entry, but because of Arcanine, it has competition even in that role.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Jolteon @ Petaya Berry
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 32 HP / 4 Def / 220 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 2 Atk / 30 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Substitute
- Baton Pass
Jolteon is a solid SubPasser, but that's a less effectively strategy when your opponents don't switch. Even so, it can still nab a Petaya boost to pass to something and is a major help against Water-types. His main issue is that his role is very specialized, and with only three team slots, there are usually better options.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Jynx @ Lum Berry
Trait: Oblivious
EVs: 40 HP / 192 Spd / 252 SAtk / 24 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 22 Atk / 31 Def / 30 Spd / 30 SAtk / 31 SDef
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Lovely Kiss
Jynx is a super weird Pokemon, and not a terribly good one either, but it has a unique STAB combination and one of the better sleep moves in Lovely Kiss. Its physical bulk is an abomination though: even Alakazam's is better.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Kingdra @ Lum Berry
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Rain Dance
Kingdra is inferior to Starmie but is one of my all-time favorite Pokemon and earns a spot based on that alone. It has okay power and coverage and is a fun Rain Dance sweeper, but I can't say I'll ever use him. Oh well.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Lanturn @ Leftovers
Trait: Volt Absorb
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SAtk / 216 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 4 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Surf
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Thunder Wave
Lanturn is a cute little Pokemon, so I decided to breed for one. It has all the tools necessary to take on opposing Water-types, but its utility is limited beyond that. Its real problem is that its stats just really suck; if Lanturn had ten or twenty points higher in its defenses and Special Attack, it would be so much better.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Latias @ Lum Berry
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 40 HP / 8 Def / 176 Spd / 252 SAtk / 32 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 26 Atk / 27 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 21 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Dragon Claw
- Calm Mind
- Substitute
- Recover
Yeah, I copped out. This is the first main sweeper on my Battle Tower team, which takes advantage of choice-locked moves it resists or is immune to. It has perfect defensive synergy with the other sweeper, Registeel. I ended up choosing Latias over Latios simply because you get a little more bang for your buck with the extra 10 base Defense points.
Status: Caught, EV trained, level 50
Latias @ Lum Berry
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 72 HP / 184 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 22 HP / 16 Atk / 29 Def / 29 Spd / 31 SAtk / 29 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Psychic
- Dragon Claw
- Thunderbolt
- Recover
Another Orre Colosseum Pokemon, Latias is fast enough, strong enough, and bulky enough. It's very consistent but rarely overwhelmingly good. It formed a killer one-two punch in doubles with Aerodactyl though. I anticipate using Latios more.
Status: Caught, EV trained, level 100
Latios @ Lum Berry
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 72 HP / 184 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 22 HP / 16 Atk / 29 Def / 29 Spd / 31 SAtk / 29 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Memento / Surf
I haven't actually used this guy yet since I only got recently, but I expect great things. Psychic hits really hard, but I'm really excited because of Memento, which gives Latios the opportunity to give another Pokemon a chance to set up once his time has run out. I am also considering Calm Mind since Latios is absolutely perfect for it, especially since Waters are so common. And if I use him in the Palace at all, I definitely won't be running Memento then. Surf is an alternate coverage move for Aggron, Houndoom, and Tyranitar.
Status: Caught, EV trained, level 100
Ludicolo @ Lum Berry
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Hydro Pump / Surf
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Ice Beam
- Rain Dance
Like Kingdra, Ludicolo is bulky Rain Dance sweeper that can compete with other Waters, but he actually gets STAB on Hidden Power. Of course, Kingdra has superior defensive typing and slightly more power, so it's a trade-off.
Status, Bred, EV trained, level 50
Machamp @ Choice Band
Trait: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Brick Break
- Rock Slide
- Hidden Power [Ghost]
- Cross Chop
Machamp is really cool: he has four arms! I don't use him much in the Frontier because he's frustratingly slow, but he has decent bulk and packs a huge punch. Cross Chop and Rock Slide have consistently disappointing accuracy.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Marowak @ Thick Club
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Double-Edge
- Swords Dance
It's not too useful with Water-types running around everywhere, but it's strong enough to be threatening. Also, who doesn't love Marowak? He's also just fast enough to outpace most Waters, so if he actually sets up, Marowak is in business.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Medicham @ Choice Band
Trait: Pure Power
EVs: 20 HP / 252 Atk / 236 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Brick Break
- Shadow Ball
- Rock Slide
- Mega Kick
Advance was Medicham's prime, but it's still disappointingly slow, frail, and reliant on a weak STAB attack. I tend to use beefier Choice Banders as a result, but Medicham is still fun to use and is a total nuke against almost everything.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Metagross @ Choice Band
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 30 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Explosion
Metagross possesses the perfect combination of bulk and power. Its STAB is a little disappointing in both its typing and its accuracy, but the Attack boosts are handy and it's still very strong. I use Hidden Power [Rock] over Rock Slide so that I have a 100% accurate attack against Flying-types. Missing the flinch chance is unfortunate, however. Meanwhile, Explosion wrecks everything and is a great answer to Snorlax and Suicune. The EVs allow it to outspeed Milotic and Gyarados.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Milotic @ Leftovers
Trait: Marvel Scale
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 4 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Recover
Milotic is a very sturdy, if unspectacular, wall. Marvel Scale is a nice touch, but at its heart this is just a Toxic staller with strong attacks. Suicune is way more dangerous, but Milotic's access to Recover and more more impressive immediate power make him useful. And yes, he's a him. My bad.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Muk @ Choice Band
Trait: Sticky Hold
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Sludge Bomb
- Brick Break
- Hidden Power [Ghost]
- Return / Explosion
This mist be the single worst gimmick I have bred for, but as Smogon dutifully notes, Muk has a major cool factor. Also, if it had better typing or switched abilities with Weezing, its low-key awesome stats would shine through more. Since Snorlax is a way better tank, I opted for a Choice Bander. Who doesn't love Muk?
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Nidoking @ Choice Band
Trait: Poison Point
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Sludge Bomb / Shadow Ball
- Megahorn
- Rock Slide
Nidoking is pretty bad and has a really ugly Emerald sprite, but I used to love his Pokemon card and he anchored many old elementary school FR/LG in-game teams, so I decided to breed for one. He's disappointingly slow with Adamant and weak with Jolly, so I figured I'd go with power since it'll make training easier and he'll never see any real frontier usage.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Pidgeot @ Choice Band
Trait: Keen Eye
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 248 Spd / 4 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Double-Edge / Return
- Fly
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Steel Wing
Pidgeot is pretty terrible. It's "fast" but caps at only 280 Speed in order to buff its below average Attack. I have no idea what advantages he has over Dodrio except for its solid Sand Attack immunity! Even so, Pidgeot has a lot of nostalgic value as the obvious "I shouldn't just use my starter!" Pokemon in LeafGreen, so I decided to give him a spot in my PC as yet another cool factor Pokemon. I still can't get over how I have to use Double-Edge to do damage though.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Pinsir @ Lum Berry
Trait: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 16 HP / 252 Atk / 236 Spd / 4 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 30 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Swords Dance
Pinsir is outclassed, but that doesn't mean he isn't good. I've always been fond of Pinsir and it's quite strong. Heracross is way better, but I still wanted to breed for this guy as a nod to his awesome Pokemon card from back in the day, when Pinsir epitomized cool.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Raikou @ Lum Berry
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 84 HP / 16 Def / 156 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 24 HP / 31 Atk / 27 Def / 26 Spd / 26 SAtk / 31 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Water]
- Calm Mind
- Rest / Reflect
Raikou is the pride of my fleet. It took something like 200 resets in Colosseum to get this, but with HP Water 69 and amazing IVs with a Modest nature (!), it was worth it. I would never do it again though. Anyway, Raikou is just the offensive version of Suicune, with Rest getting the nod over Reflect to let it reliably set up on special attackers. I'm very happy to have Raikou on board.
Status: Caught, EV trained, level 100
Regice @ Chesto Berry / Leftovers
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 10 Atk / 31 Def / 25 Spd / 31 SAtk / 28 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt / Seismic Toss
- Toxic / Thunder Wave
- Rest
Regice is a solid special wall. It's not quite as good as Blissey, but it also induces self-loathing far less regularly. I currently have the moveset I've always used on it, but I do wonder if paralysis might be useful at some point and if Seismic Toss would be better than Thunderbolt against most Pokemon, especially since non-Suicune Waters can't touch Regice unless they land a OHKO move.
Status: Caught, EV trained, level 100
Regirock @ White Herb
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 15 Spd / 8 SAtk / 31 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Explosion
- Ancientpower
- Superpower
- Thunder Wave
The first "boom" Pokemon from my XD team, Regirock is tailored for doubles and as such is limited in what it can do in the Frontier. Its bulk is limitless though and it can take STAB Surfs from Waters and take them down with Explosion in return, which isn't a bad tradeoff.
Status: Caught, EV trained, level 100
Registeel @ Leftovers
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 124 Atk / 116 Def / 16 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 26 Atk / 30 Def / 26 Spd / 2 SAtk / 31 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Hidden Power [Steel]
- Curse
- Amnesia
- Substitute
The second sweeper on my Battle Tower team. Miraculously, this guy has great IVs, a great nature, and Hidden Power [Steel] with 70 base power, which is a huge upgrade from the next best option, Metal Claw. Amnesia helps Registeel's Substitutes stay up along with Curse's Defense boosts, which allow Leftovers to act adequately as recovery over a long period of time.
Status: Caught, EV trained, level 50
Rhydon @ Choice Band
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 30 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Megahorn
- Double-Edge
Rhydon's disadvantages are obvious and really hold it back, but I still love his strength and swagger. Earthquake is very strong, while Hidden Power [Rock] and Double-Edge are reliable options as well. Megahorn is inaccurate but theoretically crushes Grass-types. Sadly, Rhydon is slower than just about all of them, but it does have utility against Claydol, I guess.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Salamence @ Lum Berry
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Dragon Claw
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Crunch
This is the first of my two Salamence variants, and this one is far less effective. Hidden Power [Grass] isn't exactly going to OHKO Waters. This set exists for my "Invincible Team," a definite misnomer that carries over from my childhood when I would build in-game teams that had an attack move for every type of at least 60 base power and as many resistances as possible. Salamence provides several useful types for this, providing the elusive Dark and Dragon types. As far as the Frontier goes, this is inferior to the physical version.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Salamence @ Choice Band
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 30 Spd / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Double-Edge / Brick Break
CBMence is probably my favorite Choice Bander in the Frontier, with the possible exceptions of Slaking and Metagross. Its only issues are its Ice weakness and the low base power of its STAB, but otherwise, the guy is perfect: great power, good Speed, excellent coverage, useful resistances and key immunity, and Intimidate as icing on the cake. I will probably replace Double-Edge with Brick Break sooner or later to better deal with Blissey and Snorlax.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Sceptile @ Petaya Berry
Trait: Overgrow
EVs: 4 Def / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 2 Atk / 30 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Leaf Blade
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Crunch
- Substitute
Sceptile is the perfect SubPetaya candidate, with amazing Speed and the perfect ability in Overgrow. I decided to use its egg move Crunch in the last moveslot to hit Gengar and Psychic-types without needing to activate its Petaya Berry. Not like Sceptile will see much Frontier usage. In any event, Sceptile is a cool Pokemon.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Scizor @ Choice Band
Trait: Swarm
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd / 4 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Steel Wing
- Silver Wind
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Return / Aerial Ace / Wing Attack
Scizor is pretty poor in a pre-Bullet Punch world, but here he is anyway as an old favorite. Even with a movepool with poor coverage and base power, 130 base Attack is no joke and Scizor is competent enough I guess. The last slot is Wing Attack out of laziness, and I expect to use Return eventually.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Skarmory @ Chesto Berry / Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 100 Def / 4 Spd / 152 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Drill Peck
- Toxic
- Taunt
- Rest
This set is geared toward the Frontier's specific needs, and Skarmory is fully capable of stalling out slower Pokemon, at least in theory. Skarmory is just way better in competitive, but it has decent bulk on both ends, and Sturdy is very nice to have.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Slaking @ Choice Band
Trait: Truant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Return
- Earthquake
- Shadow Ball
- Hyper Beam
Welcome to the strongest Pokemon in the game and the undisputed king of the Battle Pyramid. Slaking destroys so much with Return, and Hyper Beam is strong enough to level Suicune. On top of its impressive power, it has only one weakness and a ton of physical bulk to help it last awhile, and it's quite fast. Outside of Protect, nothing really stops Slaking from doing its job. He's my go-to Pokemon when I need power, as much as Truant sucks.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Slowbro @ Leftovers
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 4 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Surf
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Flamethrower
Slowbro is like Starmie but without all the Speed and Thunderbolt, so it's pretty substantially worse. I still bred for one, mostly because a Water-type with Flamethrower sounded cute. I doubt I'll use him much though with Starmie around.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Snorlax @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 76 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def / 172 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Body Slam
- Earthquake
- Shadow Ball
- Selfdestruct
My other "boom" Pokemon that helped me take down Orre Colosseum, Snorlax is a one-man wrecking crew. Bulky, strong, and weirdly adorable, Snorlax is a useful tank who doesn't need a Choice Band to do damage. Even so, it's generally inferior to CurseLax.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Snorlax @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 140 HP / 96 Atk / 56 Def / 216 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Curse
- Body Slam
- Earthquake
- Rest
CurseLax is really only going to get derailed by a Critical hit or a floating Ghost-type. He's perfect for the Battle Palace, as he can gradually build up and pound away. He's basically a superior Blissey, with most of the walling prowess but infinitely more offensive capability. The only thing that sucks is that Rest leaves him a little vulnerable, and in the Palace especially can disable him for turns at a time when he falls in love with it. Also, I love how perfectly his EVs work out, granting him 496 HP (a Leftovers number), 280 Atk and 180 Def (round numbers and perfect for Curse), and 341 SDef (granting an extra stat point).
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Starmie @ Lum Berry
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 4 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Psychic
Starmie isn't the strongest special attacker, but it probably covers the most ground with its four attacks. Psychic helps with numerous threats like Heracross, Gengar, Machamp, and Venusaur (a Double Team spammer), which gives it the nod over the situation Recover (only useful in the Pyramid, really). Lum Berry is there since I don't want to have to switch it out to cure status.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Steelix @ Choice Band
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 30 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Iron Tail
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Explosion
I've always had a soft spot for Steelix, who I'm using as a Choice Bander mostly because it can't do much else. Iron Tail is terribly inaccurate, but the power is necessary since 85 base Attack is pretty mediocre. He's still really cool though.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Suicune @ Leftovers / Chesto Berry
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 236 HP / 208 Def / 56 Spd / 8 SDef
IVs: 15 HP / 29 Atk / 23 Def / 8 Spd / 31 SAtk / 29 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Calm Mind
- Rest
Allow me to introduce my prized import from Colosseum, Suicune! The HP IV (not to mention its awful Speed, ugh) is a little disappointing but you can reset for hours and not even get a Bold one, so I jumped at this. Suicune is basically Snorlax inverted, and it's also a very good Battle Palace candidate. His initial power is a little disappointing, but otherwise there's a lot to love about Suicune.
Status: Caught, EV trained, level 100
Swampert @ Leftovers / Chesto Berry
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Earthquake
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Mirror Coat
Swampert is such a great Pokemon. Its defensive typing is so good and its stats are distributed perfectly. Mirror Coat is there to nab kills against things like Rain Dance attackers but especially Starmie. Since using him again, I've definitely been reminded of his limitations (doesn't hit hard, can't take stronger hits that well), but he is nevertheless a key contributor.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Tauros @ Choice Band
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Return
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ghost]
- Iron Tail / Double-Edge
Tauros is really good in the Frontier as a more steady Slaking, which is to say that you don't have to worry about Truant. It's bulky enough that 2HKOing something will generally work, and Intimidate helps with this a lot. I'd love to use Double-Edge but it depletes his biggest asset, which is his steady bulk. Still, Iron Tail is really only hitting Aerodactyl and the R/S/E fossil Pokemon (HP Ghost hits Lunatone and Solrock fine), and it's terribly inaccurate, so I'm considering a stronger second STAB to make up for its underwhelming Attack.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Tyranitar @ Choice Band
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 52 HP / 252 Atk / 200 Spd / 4 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 30 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Bug]
- Double-Edge
Tyranitar is much better in competitive play, where it can abuse the switches that it forces. In the Frontier, its poor Speed and numerous weaknesses limit it a lot, and Rock Slide is weak and unreliable. Honestly, I'd almost always rather have Metagross. As such, he's here for coolness like so many other Pokemon, but Sand Stream is useful and he's still very strong, even if he's not quite top-tier. It's not like he's Muk or something. (LONG LIVE MUK.)
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Ursaring @ Leftovers
Trait: Guts
EVs: 172 HP / 252 Atk / 84 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Return
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ghost]
- Swords Dance
Ursaring is frightening, and he's also really strong. His problem is that he's slower than Tauros and Slaking, so he's a lot less useful, but I still like him as a Pokemon to use in early rounds for fun because he can rip through so much with that massive Attack stat.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Vaporeon @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 4 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Wish
- Protect
Vaporeon is the final member of my Orre Colosseum team, and like a few of them, it's not as well suited for single battles since Milotic is basically Vaporeon but with a more useful ability and Toxic. Wish isn't usually useful, so while Vaporeon isn't bad, it's definitely outclassed.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Venusaur @ Leftovers
Trait: Overgrow
EVs: 252 HP / 76 Atk / 40 Def / 44 Spd / 96 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 31 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Leech Seed
- Sleep Powder
- Sludge Bomb
- Earthquake
Venusaur is very underrated in overall coolness, so I decided to use a cool, if kind of mediocre, set for him. Leech Seed and Sleep Powder give him high-level annoyance capabilities, while Sludge Bomb hits most Grass-types hard enough. Even the Poison dual types are going to get snoozing before they can attack. Earthquake is for Fire- and Steel-types and Tentacruel I guess? Whatever, I'm YOLOing it with this set.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 50
Walrein @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 31 Spd / 30 SAtk / 31 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Electric]
- Sheer Cold
Walrein is one of the first non-starter Pokemon I ever trained, only preceded by Crobat and Vileplume, so it has a special place in my heart. This set mostly is there to take a hit and then hit back even stronger, but it's obviously inferior to my other Waters. Sheer Cold is fun though, as odds are that something like a Snorlax won't be able to set up and avoid it every time.
Status: Bred, EV trained, level 100
Zapdos @ Lum Berry
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 32 HP / 44 Atk / 180 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 13 HP / 16 Atk / 21 Def / 23 Spd / 30 SAtk / 31 SDef
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Drill Peck
- Thunder Wave / Light Screen
Zapdos! I finally caught one with acceptable IVs, nature, and a nice 65 base power Hidden Power Grass. Drill Peck allows Zapdos to hit Grass-types for decent damage and nail the dangerous Heracross. I'm leaning toward Light Screen since the only real reason to use Zapdos in the Frontier is to hammer Water-types, though Thunder Wave has utility in preventing it from being set-up fodder. Even so, since I may try it in the Arena, I'll probably go with Light Screen.
Status: Caught, EV trained, level 100
III. Teams
A. Battle Arena
In my opinion, this is one of the most challenging facilities. It's a total pain not being able to switch, and you basically can't run defensive strategies. Despite countless tries, I only came close once until enlisting Articuno. Then, things changed.
Articuno @ Lum Berry
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 232 HP / 128 Def / 56 Spd / 36 SAtk / 56 SDef
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Mind Reader
- Sheer Cold
- Reflect
Articuno starts things off and rarely disappoints. Most Frontier Pokemon are slower, which is a huge help. I ran Agility during my run on my other cart, but upon capturing a Timid Articuno that is significantly faster than the other one, Reflect seemed like a superior option. Indeed, I like it a lot better, as it gives me the ability to assist Swampert in a bad matchup and can soften blows from neutral physical hits.
Swampert @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SAtk
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Earthquake
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Mirror Coat
Swampert resists Steel, Fire, and Rock and is immune to Electric, which allows it to perfectly step up when Articuno goes down, usually to a move of one of those types. Also, Articuno's Ice Beam lets it clear out Glass-types so that Swampert isn't vulnerable most of the time. Mirror Coat is a great move for random special attacks, though I think I used Endeavor when I used this before.
Tauros @ Choice Band
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Return
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ghost]
- Double-Edge
The only thing that sucks about Tauros is that it beats almost everything 1v1, but if it is forced in against my opponent's second Pokemon, all of its moves can be awful to get locked into. It's a beast though. Double-Edge gets the nod over Iron Tail to guarantee OHKOs on frail Pokemon so I don't miss Slaking too much. It has never failed me.
B. Battle Dome
My pick for the easiest facility. I actually got a Gold symbol in this facility on an older file using Aerodactyl, Latias, and Breloom, which has hilariously poor defensive synergy. You can usually predict your opponent's team and you're often at such an advantage. The only real issue if when you have a bad lead match-up since, with only two Pokemon, you have a low margin for error. In any case, my latest Gold Symbol run in the Dome features my favorite all-around Dome team except for maybe my old Slaking team, but here it is anyway:
Latios @ Lum Berry
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 72 HP / 184 Spd / 252 SAtk
IVs: 22 HP / 16 Atk / 29 Def / 29 Spd / 31 SAtk / 29 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Psychic
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Surf
I actually ran Memento over Surf, but Surf is actually really nice for Fire-types and random stuff like Aggron, Steelix, and the great Tyranitar. In a different Gold Symbol run, I ran Leftovers because I didn't have a Lum Berry and it still had no problems at all. Basically, this is Alakazam with bulky and higher base power coverage moves. So it's pretty much the best. It also auto-wins vs. Dragon teams that show up in later rounds.
Snorlax @ Chesto Berry
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 140 HP / 96 Atk / 56 Def / 216 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Curse
- Body Slam
- Earthquake
- Rest
Snorlax is here to beat non-OHKO spam Waters, strong special attackers like Alakazam, and stall Pokemon like Blissey and Shuckle (lol set-up fodder). He does a good job. Leftovers is usable over Chesto Berry but I really appreciate the ability to switch into something like Milotic, get two Curses in, Rest, and then do work. But yeah, though it has mild Sitting Duck Syndrome, it's a great Pokemon and an amazing partner for Latios.
Metagross @ Choice Band
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spd
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 30 Def / 30 Spd / 31 SAtk / 30 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Rock]
- Explosion
Metagross is definitely the tacked on Pokemon; actually, I got a Gold symbol running the above Latios and Snorlax with a level 25 HM slave Tropius. Despite being the third wheel, Metagross can explode on troublesome Pokemon, provides a ton of otherwise absent resistances, and just hits hard. I found him especially useful for Normal-type physical attackers that otherwise cause problems ranging from "if they crit Snorlax, I'm toast" to "Granbull learns Overheat?!?!?!"
C. Battle Factory
Obviously, you just have to get lucky. I'll eventually get to posting strategies I used to win but I'll save this for later.
D. Battle Palace
The Battle Palace is a major pain. I've found that the most effective Pokemon are boosters since they usually have a number of free turns and give Pokemon an easy choice when they don't want to attack. Jumpman's Battle Tower team is actually really effective in this facility.
Salamence @ Choice Band
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Double-Edge / Brick Break
Heracross also works in this slot and is better in many ways, but Salamence gets the nod for Intimidate, which is wildly helpful. I actually like Double-Edge a little better in the Palace because it hits everything hard, as opposed to a more specialized move like Brick Break which can suck to get locked in on.
Suicune @ Chesto Berry
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 236 HP / 208 Def / 56 Spd / 8 SDef
IVs: 15 HP / 29 Atk / 23 Def / 8 Spd / 31 SAtk / 29 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Calm Mind
- Rest
Suicune is less resilient than Snorlax but is generally faster to start dishing out punishment. Rest is a major pain since Suicune using it disables it, and it's not the best decision-maker, but beggars can't be choosers.
Snorlax @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 140 HP / 96 Atk / 56 Def / 216 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Curse
- Body Slam
- Earthquake
- Rest
Not a lot stops this. The only real problem with it, besides Misdreavus and the Gengar line, is that it tends to use Rest unnecessarily which makes Battles take forever. However, that's a fair trade-off given how difficult the Palace can be.
Besides the aforementioned Heracross, other options include Blissey (great, but has issues with Calm Mind boosters, especially Double Team Gardevoir) and Milotic (basically plays Suicune's role but Toxic stalls instead of attacks).
E. Battle Pike
The Battle Pike is mostly just a game of luck, and I haven't ever really had trouble with it. My teams vary, but my most recent one is the same team as the Battle Dome team posted above, with Latios as the first Pokemon and Metagross as the second Pokemon (important because you sometimes have to play a doubles battle in the Pike).
F. Battle Pyramid
Unlike other facilities, the Pyramid mostly relies on which round you're playing in. The general strategy is to do everything possible to get a Choice Band in the second round, which is huge for being able to push through the Pyramid without taking too much damage from opponents. Instead of listing a Pyramid "team," which doesn't and shouldn't exist in any uniform way, I'll list Pokemon that are consistently good.
Slaking
Trait: Truant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Return
- Earthquake
- Shadow Ball
- Hyper Beam
The king of the Pyramid, nothing stops Slaking without Protect or a fast Will-O-Wisp or Sleep Powder or something. So not much. Return also has very good PP which is a godsend, and its coverage moves are often handy. The key is getting a Choice Band for it.
Starmie
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Psychic
Starmie is fast and has excellent coverage, and it has just enough power to make use of it. All of its moves have good PP except Psychic, and 10 is still workable. Recover is usable depending on the round.
Blissey
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Seismic Toss
- Ice Beam
- Softboiled
- Thunder Wave
Blissey's greatest asset is Softboiled. Theoretically, Aromatherapy would be great as well, but I would have to breed that onto another Blissey and I don't feel like that's useful. Also, it can take many Pokemon one-on-one to help preserve the PP of my other Pokemon should I get into many trainer battles.
Aerodactyl
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 28 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spd / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Double-Edge
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Ancientpower
- Earthquake
Aerodactyl is fast and strong, and Double-Edge hits a lot of Pokemon and has a lot of PP. Like Starmie, he's reliable in that he has 100% accurate moves and lot of PP all-around, though he's usually inferior to Slaking.
G. Battle Tower
Alakazam @ Choice Band
Trait: Inner Focus
EVs: 212 HP / 160 Def / 136 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Trick
- Reflect
- Kinesis
- Thunder Wave
Alakazam is the key to my strategy. I need him to Trick his Choice Band onto whatever Pokemon the AI leads with. From there, the appropriate sweeper can take advantage. Since the AI doesn't switch out, I can abuse whatever move the opposing Pokemon is locked into. Inner Focus gets the nod over Synchronize because I don't care if Alakazam gets a status condition after Trick, but Inner Focus helps with Fake Out or Quick Claw Rock Slides. One Jolteon runs a Bite that is faster than Aerodactyl and solidly 3HKOes, which allows Alakazam to always Trick even if it gets a critical hit. Reflect softens physical blows beefed by Choice Band and is especially nice for Latios. Kinesis makes setting up easier, and Thunder Wave is yet another annoyance that also lowers Speed, a major help for Registeel.
Latias @ Lum Berry
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 40 HP / 8 Def / 184 Spd / 252 SAtk / 32 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 26 Atk / 27 Def / 31 Spd / 31 SAtk / 21 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Dragon Claw
- Calm Mind
- Substitute
- Recover
Latias is extremely strong and is here as a mono-attacker that sets up on Fire, Electric, Psychic, Water, Grass, Fighting, and Ground attacks. It also sets up on any non-damaging attack, especially status which is conquered by Lum Berry + Substitute. It's generally better than Registeel, as its STAB has higher base power, far superior neutral coverage, and Latios is just way faster and stronger than Registeel.
Registeel @ Leftovers
Trait: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 124 Atk / 116 Def / 16 SDef
IVs: 31 HP / 26 Atk / 30 Def / 26 Spd / 2 SAtk / 31 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Hidden Power [Steel]
- Curse
- Amnesia
- Substitute
Registeel sets up on Normal, Ghost, Dark, Bug, Dragon, Ice, Rock, Steel, Poison, and Flying attacks. Its bulk is formidable and can survive weaker critical hits, and Steel is amazing defensive typing. It really needs all of those Curse boosts so it can hit hard enough to break bulkier Pokemon. Amnesia allows it to make its Substitutes unbreakable barring a critical hit along with the boosts from Curse.
IV. Records
Disclaimer: I won't be using my records on my old cartridge, where I have six Gold symbols and one Silver, with the lone Silver being the impossible Battle Factory. As a result, these records will take a little time to fill in. Also, I won't be distinguishing between level fifty and open level since both are effectively the same challenge, though I will specify which level the record is from.
A. Battle Arena - GOLD Symbol
Singles: 56 WINS (open level)
B. Battle Dome - GOLD Symbol
Singles: 40 WINS (Clear Streak: 10) (open level)
Doubles: 0 WINS
C. Battle Factory - GOLD Symbol
Singles: 42 WINS (level fifty)
Doubles: 0 WINS (may never attempt this because the Battle Factory takes years off your life)
D. Battle Palace - GOLD Symbol
Singles: 42 WINS (open level)
Doubles: 0 WINS
E. Battle Pike - GOLD Symbol
Singles: 140 ROOMS (open level)
F. Battle Pyramid - GOLD Symbol
Singles: 70 FLOORS (open level)
G. Battle Tower - GOLD Symbol
Singles: 105 WINS (level 50); 70 WINS (open level)
Doubles: 0 WINS
Whatever the third lady from the left signs you up for: 0 WINS
Whatever the fourth lady from the left signs you up for: 0 WINS
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