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My first team, planning stage

Tyrannus

The World Breaker
4
Posts
13
Years
    • Seen Mar 15, 2016
    My first crack at creating a competitive team, its only in the planning stages, would like some advice and tips for single battle and 2-on-2.

    AGGRON
    Ability: Rock Head
    Nature: Adamant
    ev stats: attack, special defense
    held item: focus sash
    moves: double edge, stone edge, protect, thunder wave

    CROBAT
    ability: inner focus
    nature: adamant
    ev stats: attack, special defense
    held item: wide lens (for hypnosis' 60% accuracy)
    moves: aerial ace, hypnosis, x-scissor, cross poison

    SWAMPERT
    ability: torrent
    nature: adamant
    ev stats: attack, speed
    held item: rindo berry
    moves: waterfall, earthquake, protect, rain dance

    STARMIE
    ability: natural cure
    nature: modest
    ev stats: special attack, hp
    held item: leftovers
    moves: psychic, thunder, confuse ray, surf

    HOUNDOOM
    ability: early bird
    nature: modest
    ev stats: special attack, defense
    held item: petaya berry
    moves: flamethrower, dark pulse, nasty plot, sludge bomb

    SCEPTILE
    ability: overgrow
    nature: modest
    ev stats: special attack, defense
    held item: wise glasses
    moves: solar beam, focus blast, sunny day, dragon pulse
     
    Last edited:

    .Aero

    Tell Me I'm A Screwed Up Mess
    1,767
    Posts
    16
    Years
  • Hey there, for one thing, might I suggest adding in specific EVs? (i.e. 252 Atk / 252 Spe) That way we can know exactly what you're going for.

    I take it this is a Gen 4 team, as I see a lack of both Gen 5 moves, as well as pokemon.


    Aggron shouldn't really be running around and throwing out t-waves. He just can't physically do it, and you're better off having a faster pokemon run t-wave and status pokemon instead. So I suggest a set similar to this for Aggron:

    306.png

    Aggron@Life Orb
    Jolly Nautre [+Spe; -SpA]
    Ability: Rock Head
    EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
    - Rock Polish
    - Head Smash
    - Earthquake
    - Ice Punch / Aqua Tail

    This set allows Aggron to be a fearsome pokemon after a Rock Polish. I assume you were running T-wave because of his...hindering speed. Rock Polish remedies this, and also doesn't limit it to a single pokemon. With the Head Smash + EQ combo, you're essentially only walled by Bronzong, which Aqua Tail can help with if you want coverage. Ice Punch is really for Breloom, but Aqua Tail may be more beneficial. It's all up to you however.

    As for Crobat, Hypnosis has nearly lost its uses with the accuracy drop introduced in...Platinum I believe. It makes it next to useless as it misses more often than it hits (which contradicts it accuracy, but it's game changing for sure). So mot sets don't run Hypnosis anymore. Wide Lense barely helps, increasing the accuracy to a measly 66%, while also removing the option for a useful item. Try this Crobat set out instead, which still maintains it's "utility" type role:

    169.png

    Crobat@Leftovers
    Jolly Nature [+Spe; -SpA]
    Ability: Inner Focus
    EVs: 232 HP / 56 Def / 76 SpD / 144 Spe
    - Roost
    - Taunt
    - Super Fang
    - Brave Bird / U-Turn

    This thing seriously helps with breaking stall teams (thus it's coined set name: Stallbreaker), as Super Fang tears away at heavy walls and Taunt can stop them from setting up on you. Brave Bird and U-Turn are preference issues. U-turn allows for Crobat to switch out while doing some damage after it's performed its task of cutting an opponent's health in half, and sending in something that can finish off the wall. Brave Bird is more if you want to deal some direct damage with a nice STAB bonus.

    Swampert doesn't want those speed EVs, nor does he want Rain Dance. Swampert's task is being a bulky pokemon, meaning he wants to be able to tank hits (thanks to his coveted Water/Ground typing) and then hit back pretty hard, so speed isn't necessary (nor is it advised to spend EV points in it). You're a little free here to choose which set you want. I'll provide you with two just for the heck of it:

    260.png

    Swampert@Leftovers
    Relaxed Nature [+Def; -Spe]
    Ability: Torrent
    EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 SpD
    - Stealth Rock
    - Earthquake
    - Ice Beam
    - Roar / Protect / Surf

    This set is pretty standard, and allows for the useful move of Stealth Rock (which is great to have, and your team lacks any other viable users, so I recommend this set). Aside from that, he's a mixed attacker and can hit both sides of the spectrum, even more so if you go for the STABed Surf over the other two options for the last slot. However, Protect helps with prediction, and Roar makes Swampert an excellent phazer.

    260.png

    Swampert@Leftovers
    Impish Nature [+Def; -SpA]
    Ability: Torrent
    EVs: 248 HP / 48 Atk / 212 Def
    - Rest
    - Sleep Talk
    - Earthquake
    - Roar / Stone Edge / Avalanche

    This set is Swampert's RestTalk set. This set allows you to absorb status conditions without worry, and hit back while doing it. Your team doesn't necessarily need a status absorber, as Crobat handles Toxic, and Swampert typing handles paralysis (save the annoying Jirachi's Body Slam), and Houndoom can absorb Will-O-Wisps and other burn moves. However, Swampert's rest talk set improves his bulkyness and makes him a nuisance to fight against. The last slot is preference again. Go for roar for phazing, Stone Edge for the "quake edge" combo, or Avalanche for dragons.

    Starmie could be an effective spinner for your team. Make the nature Timid and the EV spread: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe, and change the moveset to Rapid Spin / Surf / Thunderbolt / Recover. Looks good though.

    As for Houndoom, change the ability to Flash Fire. Life Orb, Hasty Nature, 100 Atk / 184 SpA / 224 Spe. Life Orb for the item. Make flamethrower Fire Blast instead, and make Sludge Bomb Sucker Punch instead as well. Looks good however. :]

    Sceptile is outclassed by Venusaur, so I suggest using him instead. Heart Gold and Soul Silver introduced a powerful physical STAB move for the taking that Sceptile, sadly, did not receive: Power Whip. Try this set out:

    Venusaur@Life Orb
    Jolly Nature [+Spe; -SpA]
    Ability: Overgrow
    EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
    - Swords Dance / Synthesis
    - Power Whip
    - Sleep Powder
    - Return / Earthquake

    I suggest Swords Dance over Synthesis, because in conjunction with Sleep Powder, Venusaur is a very threatening physical sweeper. Power Whip deals massive damage, and Return and Earthquake is dependent on who you want to hit. EQ hits steels, and Return hits Flying types and other Grass mons.


    I hope this rate helped. :] Good luck, seeing as how this was your first team, it's actually quite good. :] Hope to see you take a liking to the competitive environment. :]
     

    .Aero

    Tell Me I'm A Screwed Up Mess
    1,767
    Posts
    16
    Years
  • Oh. It's not made for doubles, although I'm sure it would work just fine. Doubles, in all honesty aren't that much different from regular battles.
     

    cartercr

    Sour Kangaroo's best friend!
    541
    Posts
    15
    Years
  • So I started with synergy. Synergy will always be important to your team's success. I see that this team has 3 4x weaknesses to common attacking types. One of these (ground) is covered by an immunity. This is a good thing, but that still leaves fighting and grass open. You may opt in a ghost, but i do not think it is necessary. I do feel that you need more resistance to fighting and grass.
    Okay, lets take Aero's advice and put in Venusaur. Venu gives you one more resistance to fighting which is very nice, but it takes out a resistance to ground. Earthquake is a staple of every physical sweeper, and so this is a MAJOR problem because Crobat is not very bulky. Also I am seeing no entry hazards on this team, which I find very saddening.

    My suggestions:

    Instead of Aggron use
    Aerodactyl @ Focus Sash
    Jolly Nature
    Ev's: 252 Spe / 252 Atk / 4 HP
    Stealth Rock
    Taunt
    Rock Slide
    Earthquake

    Taunt will stop a lot of things and SR will help the hazzards problem. This set will always set up Stealth Rock so it is very useful.

    Instead of Crobat use
    Forretress @ Leftovers
    Careful Nature
    Ev's: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
    Spikes
    Toxic Spikes
    Payback
    Gyro Ball

    This is forry's specially defensive set. It is quite capable of setting up on many threats (most players will assume a defensive forry) and revenge killing with the immensly powerful Gyro Ball and the boosted Payback. Also put rapid spin on Starmie and you will not need it on Forry.

    Instead of Houndoom use
    Heatran @ Choice Scarf
    Naive Nature
    Ev's: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
    Fire Blast
    Earth Power
    Explosion
    Dragon Pulse

    REVENGE KILLER! nuf said.

    This leaves you with your synergy looking much better. You now are looking at 3 4x weaknesses with only grass not covered. (It's not that common of an attacking type though...) Your weakness to ground is remedied by the fact that Heatran will outspeed any of the threats that have EQ and revenge kill them. This also leaves all of you weaknesses well covered and should provide you with all three entry hazzards as well as rapid spin support. If you wish to change anything else you might switch Swampert for Rotom but that will turn this into a defensive team instead of a balanced one. Rotom will provide spin blocking as well as certain forms are good offensive powers. Gengar is another choice for spin blocking, and with is great power he can revenge kill or sweep.

    Anyways, thats just my view on the team, do what you want with it. Hope this helped :D
     
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