Winning Battle Tower Teams

[DeeJay]

Hi Folks,
The last challenge I've set for myself in my H.G. is to get the 100 victories in the Battle Tower for that coveted star on my trainer card. That being said, after many...MANY failed attempts to beat Palmer, I'm almost at the point of giving up. The exasperating mechanics of using the Battle Tower (the saves, the inability to skip scripted sequences, the disqualifications, seeing the same enemies all the time, etc. etc.) has only made things more aggravating.
So, here I am reaching out to all of you. Those of you who have had the patience and skill to get all 100 battles under your belt, how did you do it? What was your team? What held items/movesets did you use?

Here's my team as of now (all Lv. 50+):
Alakazam (this one leads each match)
HP: 150 Attack: 59 Defense: 89 Sp. Atk: 237 Sp. Def: 121 Speed: 173
Ability: Synchronize
Moves: Psychic, Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, Signal Beam
Holding: Focus Sash

Swalot
HP: 187 Attack: 81 Defense: 105 Sp. Atk: 78 Sp. Def: 90 Speed: 103
Ability: Sticky Hold
Moves: Yawn, Toxic, Protect, Hyper Beam
Holding Black Sludge

Spiritomb
HP: 124 Attack: 94 Defense 163 Sp. Atk: 97 Sp. Def: 144 Speed: 41
Ability: Pressure
Moves: Confuse Ray, Rest, Curse, Protect
Holding: Chesto Berry

 

[Itstoppedatumbreon]

i used salamence
dragon dance
dragon claw
fire fanh
hidden power (psy)

Alakazam
Same as yours but charge beam is recover

snorlax
curse and body slam ftw

 

[DeeJay]

Thanks to your suggestion, I am putting a Snorlax in my rotation, and I probably will put a dragon type of some kind in there. I really like having a ghost with Curse as an emergency option though!

 

[bobandbill]

Going to move this to the in-game team help section as that's where such threads ought to be! ~~

 

[Hatenko]

It was a long time ago but:
Starmie @ Enigma Berry
Nature: lol
EVs: lol
Psychic
Thunderbolt
Ice Beam
Surf

Gallade @ Razor Fang
Nature: lol
EVs: lol
Close Combat
Zen Headbutt
Leaf Blade
Prodect

Kingdra @ Haban Berry
Nature: lol
EVs: lol
Surf
Hydro Pump
Dragon Pulse
Draco Meteor

I think this was like a year ago..

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

Your team is honestly...no offence, but most of your Pokemon are pretty weak. Not quite suited to pseudo-competitive battling like the Battle Tower.

._.

Garchomp @ Life Orb
Sand Veil
252att/252Spe/4HP
- Swords Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Fang

^ Murders like everything

If you can get this:
Latios @ Soul Dew
Modest (well, anything will do I guess ._. considering it's hell hard to get a good Latios without hacking)
252SpAtt/252Spe/4HP
- Calm Mind
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunder(bolt) <- your choice really
- Ice Beam/Grass Knot/Hidden Power Fire (once again, hell hard to get without hacking)

This isn't the best set (walled by Magne- without HP Fire) but it deals massive damage to everything, including the aforementioned Magne's.

You might want to include something Sturdy to block those evil haxy Guillotine Scarf Gliscors and stuff that run around when you're really close to 100.

 

[rstevenson1976]

I just beat Palmer with:

Jolteon(serious nature)
holding: zap plate
moves:
Rain Dance
Thunderbolt
Thunder
Last Resort

Flareon(rash nature)
holding: flame orb
moves:
Flamethrower
Fire Fang
Iron Tail
Dig

Dragonite(timid nature)
holding:draco plate
moves:
Earthquake
Fly
Dragon Rush
Dragon Claw


but this was after 3 winnining streaks I don't know if you fight him again :P

 

[Cheeky Beaver]

Flygon@life orb
jolly nature
252 att/252 spe/4 HP
U-turn
Stone edge
Earthquake
Outrage

Gengar@ expert belt
timid nature
252 spA/252 spe/4 att
Shadow Ball
Thunderbolt
HP fire
Energy Ball

Umbreon@leftovers
Calm Nature
252 HP 112 def/140 spD
Moonlight
toxic
protect
dark pulse

 

[Zaroas]

This team:

Garchomp @ Life Orb
Adamant nature
EVs: I didn't know about EVs when training this thing, so...
Swords Dance
Earthquake
Outrage
Fire Fang

Gyarados @ Leftovers
Adamant nature
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Dragon Dance
Earthquake
Waterfall
Stone Edge

Empoleon @ Petaya Berry
Unknown nature
12 HP/252 SpA/244 Spe
Substitute
Agility
Surf
Ice Beam

This team was basically overkill. >_< Literally nothing could get past Garchomp's +2 STAB Outrage, and any steel types were beaten to the ground with Earthquake anyways. If anything even got through Garchomp, Gyarados/Empoleon usually walled them (Steel and Ice types), set up on them, and finished them off.
Palmer was too easy.

 

[DeeJay]

Well, it sounds like everyone loves a Garchomp...thanks for all the tips. Honestly, my Alakazam does about 99% of the work, but then gets annihilated by Palmer.

Can you tell I prefer the 1 v. 1 of the Battle Hall more?

 

[Project.]

Garchomp is pretty much the best you'll get in the Battle Tower.

CPUs are too stupid to know what to do. If Gyarados intimidates them all they know is to GET THEIR ATTACK BACK UP.

Swords Dance!
Swords Dance!
Swords Dance!

 

[DeeJay]

Your advice paid off pretty quickly folks. I took a random Garchomp I traded for (Lv. 60) and threw it in my rotation (with Outrage and the Life Orb). I destroyed Palmer at match 21 first try. My favorite Alakazam finished up after the 'Chomp got knocked out. Check out the results: Battle Video 47-20618-77352

Now, I'm actually training my own Garcomp from scratch and will probably back it up with a Salamence. I knew I was making this too hard before! ^_^

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

whoa what are you on backing up Garchomp with Mence? ._. Both practically share weaknesses (including a massive one to ice which is on like every Pokemon that can run it).

 

[DeeJay]

I thought I'd update this thread with my current team (the most successful so far):
Garchomp (Adamant, "Likes to Fight") [The Physical Sweeper]
Holds: Life Orb
Moves: Outrage, Fire Blast, Earthquake, Sandstorm

Metagross (Adamant, "Quick Tempered") [The Tag-In Hit-Taker]
Holds: Lum Berry
Moves: Hammer Arm, Meteor Mash, ThunderPunch, Magnet Rise

Gyarados (Mild, "Thoroughly Cunning) [Mop-Up]
Holds: Leftovers
Moves: Bounce, Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Thunder

Now, if anyone still reads this: What might anyone recommend as a better held item assortment for the Metagross & Gyarados? Also, I never use Sandstorm with that Garchomp, so does anyone have a move that might prove useful? He's def. best at physical attacks...Wish me luck. Still shooting for that 100 streak.

 

[BeachBoy]

DeeJay, I have a question: what do you plan to do during the battle? What is your strategy?

I want to hear your answer specifically before I criticize your team.

 

[DeeJay]

DeeJay, I have a question: what do you plan to do during the battle? What is your strategy?

I want to hear your answer specifically before I criticize your team.

Hi BeachBoy,
Ok, well I lead off with the Garchomp (I replaced sandstorm with Stone Edge). I try to use any move BUT Outrage at first. If that works, I can usually finish with Outrage.
If I have to use Outrage and the Chomp gets confused/beaten OR I know someone is going to use an ice move, I switch to the Metagross.
The Gyarados is my backup and a secondary attacker or water types.

My worry is that my weakest link is the Gyarados. I have been wracking my brain about whether I should train another one focusing on physical, or if something else would make a good replacement...
I'm also considering giving the Metagross Zen Headbutt again, since I rarely use Magnet rise.

I guess my strategy is to try striking fast and hard, before any kind of status ailment could set in. The Meta gives my attacker a break until he can strike again.

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

Garchomp wants Swords Dance Swords Dance Swords Dance over Sandstorm. Doubles your damage hell yes.

I can clearly see why your Gyarados is a "weak link". It wants Waterfall > Aqua Tail (10 damage isn't really worth 10 accuracy...) and replace Ice Bad with Stone Edge or Earthquake or something strong and physical. Then replace Thunder with Dragon Dance and you'll beat everything lol.

 

[Gymnotide]

Here's the team I used. The Battle Tower is definitely won the best by sending out a strong sweeper with good coverage on the first Pokemon and beating everyone straight off the bat (and taking down walls)...

Manectric @ Choice Specs
Modest / 4 HP / 252 SpATK / 252 SPE
Static
-- Thunderbolt
-- Overheat / Flamethrower
-- Signal Beam / Shock Wave
-- Hidden Power [ICE] / Hidden Power [GRS]

Gliscor @ Lum Berry
Jolly / 40 HP / 252 ATK / 216 SPE
Hyper Cutter
-- Swords Dance
-- Earthquake
-- Stone Edge / Aerial Ace
-- Roost

Metagross @ Expert Belt
Adamant / 252 HP / 252 ATK / 4 SPE
Clear Body
-- Bullet Punch
-- Earthquake / Grass Knot
-- Meteor Mash / Grass Knot
-- Thunderpunch / Aerial Ace

 

[DeeJay]

The problem I find if I use stat boosters (like Swords Dance) is that I usually get a stat condition dumped on my lead sweeper (or someone sneaks in an ice move).

I can completely see using a Gliscor...

For that Manectric...is there any sure-fire way to make Hidden Power be Grass?

Perhaps the most irritating thing I see now is guys that manage to land several critical hits in a row...lets one guy wipe out my entire team if the CPU so desires. Anyone else encounter impossibly bad luck in battles like that?

 

[Gymnotide]

The problem I find if I use stat boosters (like Swords Dance) is that I usually get a stat condition dumped on my lead sweeper (or someone sneaks in an ice move).

I can completely see using a Gliscor...

For that Manectric...is there any sure-fire way to make Hidden Power be Grass?

Perhaps the most irritating thing I see now is guys that manage to land several critical hits in a row...lets one guy wipe out my entire team if the CPU so desires. Anyone else encounter impossibly bad luck in battles like that?

Know your defenses. Don't stay in to attack something that can even vaguely use an Ice-type attack (Ice Punch / Ice Fang are common contenders; definitely don't stay in on Ice Shard users), unless (1) you know for a fact you are faster than them and (2) you know you can OHKO them. Don't expect to down Hippowdon @ Ice Fang by using Dragon Claw without Swords Dance, and don't try your luck against Skarmory unless you have ample boost + Fire Fang.

Hidden Power (BOTH type and power) is determined by IVs, so you need to breed for the right type and power.

And yes, I have encountered terrible matches, where I get hit by OHKO moves 3/3 times.