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-   -   RMT Rate My Team (Pokémon Showdown) (https://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=356649)

MechaGladiator October 4th, 2015 12:44 PM

Rate My Team (Pokémon Showdown)
 
Heyya, everyone.


I wanted to try battling on Pokémon Showdown so I decided to build a team. This is my first time really trying to get into the competitive battling scene, so there's probably quite a few things I overlooked. Please point out any thing I might have missed or can improve on, especially when it comes to the EV spreads as I'm not used to working with those lol.


Blastoise @ Leftovers
Torrent or Rain Dish
EVs: 252 Sp.Atk/ 252 Sp.Def/ 4 Def
Nature: Sassy

-Rain Dance

-Hydro Pump

-EarthQuake

-Ice Beam


[Notes]: I chose Blastoise to act as a Special wall for my team. It's supposed to act as a partner for my Electivire in case it can't stand up to the other trainer's counters for Electric types. Earthquake is there in case Blastoise is able to deal damage to an opposing Electric type before getting taken down. As for the abilities, which works better Torrent or Rain Dish? My thoughts on strategy where to either have Blastoise stay in longer with a Rain Dish + Leftovers combo which is supplemented by Rain Dance. Or, using a water move boosting item along with Rain Dance + Hydro Pump.




Infernape @ Muscle Band or Focus Band
Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Atk/ 128 Spd/ 128 HP
Nature: Adamant


-Gunk Shot

-Fire Punch

-Taunt

-Thunder Punch


[Notes]: This is primarily a counter to Psychic and Fairy types. Taunt is there to prevent the other from setting up hazards or boosts. I think it's a speed attacker type and if possible one of my physical sweepers.


Electivire @ Expert Belt
Vital Spirit
EVs: 252 Atk/ 252 Def/ 4 Spd
Nature:
-Rain Dance

-Thunder

-Ice Punch

-Cross Chop


[Notes]: Most likely the Pokémon which is going to be my lead if there's not a better Pokémon capable of doing the same job. As an Electric type, my first candidate was Luxray, but I wasn't sure it matched up well against Electivire.



Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Rough Skin
EVs:
252 Atk/ 200 Spd/ 56 Def
Nature: Adamant

-Dragon Rush

-Stealth Rock

-EarthQuake/Toxic

-Brick Break


[Notes]: A physical sweeper and hazard setter. It's one of my favorites that I included on the team, so I'd like to keep it here on the team and improve it if possible. The same applies to my Infernape.


Venasaur @ Black Sludge or Toxic Plate
Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 Sp.Atk/ 252 Sp.Def/ 4 Spd
Nature: Quiet

-Toxic

-EarthQuake

-Sludge Bomb/Veno Shock

-Giga Drain


[Notes]: Another special wall with status inflicting moves. It's also to give extra coverage for other weaknesses like fairies and psychic Pokémon. I'm having a bit of trouble deciding whether to give it black sludge or toxic plate though.


Metagross @ Metagrossite
Clear Body > Tough Claws
EVs:
Nature:
Relaxed

-Iron Head

-Iron Defense

-Psychic

-Body Slam

[Notes]: Metagross rounds the team off and plays other roles like being part physical wall. I was considering using Gravity as one of the moves, but wasn't quite sure that was a good idea for this Pokémon.

Nah October 4th, 2015 1:54 PM

The sort of general problem with the team is that it gets wrecked by offense and has no way to break stall really. A lot of that comes from set issues and some 'mon choices, but some of it comes from you filling roles like sweeper, special wall, etc but filling roles just for the sake of filling roles, and trying to cover certain types. Not that you want to leave yourself vulnerable to a type, but you want to think about covering specific threats and having general answers to team archetypes too. (ok idk if that run on sentence makes any sense)

Unfortunately Blastoise and Venusaur are underwhelming without their mega form or if they're not on a rain or sun team, respectively. They don't really have the bulk and raw power (and recovery, in Blastoise's case) to perform well enough outside their niches of rain team spinner and sun team Cholorophyll sweeper. Electivire is also an underwhelming poke because it's frail and it's Speed and Attack/Sp.Attack aren't enough these days.

First thing to consider would be putting in a Spinner/Defogger. Hazard removal isn't neccessary on all teams but it's often nice to have since Stealth Rock is a powerful tool, not to mention it helps you combat teams relying on entry hazards to win. Zapdos and Starmie can fit in place over Electivire or Blastoise:
Spoiler:

Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP/36 Def/224 Spe
Timid Nature
-Scald
-Recover
-Reflect Type
-Rapid Spin

This set provides you with a spinner that has the bulk and recovery to last awhile, and also lures in Ferrothorn and Tyranitar, common switch-ins to Starmie, and then handles them via Reflect Type. Speed EVs let it just outspeed max speed base 110s, which is the important Speed benchmark in this meta.

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 176 Def / 68 SpA / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Roost
- Defog
- Heat Wave/Hidden Power Ice

Zapdos is the Electric type bulky hazard remover that has staying power thanks to Roost. Heat Wave is to beat Ferrothorn, which would otherwise counter it, while HP Ice can wreck Garchomp/Lando-T/Gliscor switch-ins hoping to get in for free. Idr what the EVs are meant for, I just pulled those from Smogon lol.


If you go with Zapdos instead of Starmie, you can put in Azumarill, which has decent bulk and two useful offensive types in Water and Fairy, and also gets priority with Aqua Jet.

As for Garchomp, there's better ways to do a SR set on it:
Spoiler:

Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 240 HP/176 Def/92 Spe
Impish Nature
-Stealth Rock
-Dragon Tail
-Earthquake/Toxic
-Fire Blast/Toxic

Garchomp @ Focus Sash/Yache Berry/Life Orb
Ability: Rough skin
EVs: 252 Atk/252 Spe/4 SpD
Jolly Nature
-Dragon Claw/Outrage
-Stealth Rock
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge/Fire Blast

The first is a more defensive set that sets up SR and then shuffles the opponent's team around to rack up hazard damage, while the latter is a speedy offensive set that quick sets up rocks before breaking down the opponent.


I don't really nkow what to put in Venusaur's place right now tbh. Probs something to fight stall with I guess.

Also Mega Metagross makes for a good sweeper/wallbreaker with a 252 Atk/252Spe Jolly set. Making it a wall wastes away what it gains from Mega Evoultion.

Feel free to ask questions and whatnot. Sometimes my posts aren't terribly clear.

PlatinumDude October 4th, 2015 2:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nah (Post 8954262)
The sort of general problem with the team is that it gets wrecked by offense and has no way to break stall really. A lot of that comes from set issues and some 'mon choices, but some of it comes from you filling roles like sweeper, special wall, etc but filling roles just for the sake of filling roles, and trying to cover certain types. Not that you want to leave yourself vulnerable to a type, but you want to think about covering specific threats and having general answers to team archetypes too. (ok idk if that run on sentence makes any sense)

Unfortunately Blastoise and Venusaur are underwhelming without their mega form or if they're not on a rain or sun team, respectively. They don't really have the bulk and raw power (and recovery, in Blastoise's case) to perform well enough outside their niches of rain team spinner and sun team Cholorophyll sweeper. Electivire is also an underwhelming poke because it's frail and it's Speed and Attack/Sp.Attack aren't enough these days.

First thing to consider would be putting in a Spinner/Defogger. Hazard removal isn't neccessary on all teams but it's often nice to have since Stealth Rock is a powerful tool, not to mention it helps you combat teams relying on entry hazards to win. Zapdos and Starmie can fit in place over Electivire or Blastoise:
Spoiler:

Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP/36 Def/224 Spe
Timid Nature
-Scald
-Recover
-Reflect Type
-Rapid Spin

This set provides you with a spinner that has the bulk and recovery to last awhile, and also lures in Ferrothorn and Tyranitar, common switch-ins to Starmie, and then handles them via Reflect Type. Speed EVs let it just outspeed max speed base 110s, which is the important Speed benchmark in this meta.

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 176 Def / 68 SpA / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Roost
- Defog
- Heat Wave/Hidden Power Ice

Zapdos is the Electric type bulky hazard remover that has staying power thanks to Roost. Heat Wave is to beat Ferrothorn, which would otherwise counter it, while HP Ice can wreck Garchomp/Lando-T/Gliscor switch-ins hoping to get in for free. Idr what the EVs are meant for, I just pulled those from Smogon lol.


If you go with Zapdos instead of Starmie, you can put in Azumarill, which has decent bulk and two useful offensive types in Water and Fairy, and also gets priority with Aqua Jet.

As for Garchomp, there's better ways to do a SR set on it:
Spoiler:

Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 240 HP/176 Def/92 Spe
Impish Nature
-Stealth Rock
-Dragon Tail
-Earthquake/Toxic
-Fire Blast/Toxic

Garchomp @ Focus Sash/Yache Berry/Life Orb
Ability: Rough skin
EVs: 252 Atk/252 Spe/4 SpD
Jolly Nature
-Dragon Claw/Outrage
-Stealth Rock
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge/Fire Blast

The first is a more defensive set that sets up SR and then shuffles the opponent's team around to rack up hazard damage, while the latter is a speedy offensive set that quick sets up rocks before breaking down the opponent.


I don't really nkow what to put in Venusaur's place right now tbh. Probs something to fight stall with I guess.

Also Mega Metagross makes for a good sweeper/wallbreaker with a 252 Atk/252Spe Jolly set. Making it a wall wastes away what it gains from Mega Evoultion.

Feel free to ask questions and whatnot. Sometimes my posts aren't terribly clear.

To build on to what Nah already said about Mega Metagross, it gains a much-needed Speed boost upon Mega Evolution, up to a very good base 110. It also gains the Tough Claws ability, which powers up its contact moves. And almost all of Metagross' good moves happen to make contact, and your set doesn't take advantage of any those things. Mega Metagross is also rather bulky by itself, so Iron Defense is a wasted moveslot. Here are the go-to all-out attacking Metagross sets:
-Meteor Mash
-Zen Headbutt
-Ice Punch/Bullet Punch/Grass Knot/Pursuit
-Earthquake/Hammer Arm
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Item: Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body

or
-Agility
-Meteor Mash
-Zen Headbutt
-Earthquake/Ice Punch/Hammer Arm
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Item: Metagrossite
Ability: Clear Body

Examples of stall breakers to fit in are Gliscor and Talonflame. They can either use Taunt to stop walls from setting up and/or Swords Dance (or Bulk Up in Talonflame's case) to overwhelm the walls with brute force. Mew and Manaphy are also nice stall breakers:

Gliscor:
-Swords Dance
-Earthquake
-Knock Off/Facade
-Roost
Nature: Careful
EVs: 244 HP/8 Def/200 SDef/56 Spe
Item: Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal

or
-Earthquake/Knock Off
-Taunt
-Toxic
-Roost
Nature: Careful
EVs: 244 HP/8 Def/200 SDef/56 Spe
Item: Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal

Talonflame:
-Swords Dance
-Brave Bird/Acrobatics
-Taunt/Will-o-Wisp
-Roost
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 248 HP/252 Atk/8 Spe
Item: Leftovers/none
Ability: Gale Wings

or
-Brave Bird/Acrobatics
-Bulk Up/Taunt
-Will-o-Wisp/Taunt
-Roost
Nature: Careful
EVs: 248 HP/252 SDef/8 Spe
Item: Leftovers/none
Ability: Gale Wings

Mew:
-Psychic/Knock Off
-Taunt
-Will-o-Wisp
-Roost
Nature: Calm/Careful
EVs: 252 HP/224 SDef/32 Spe
Item: Leftovers

Manaphy:
-Tail Glow
-Scald
-Psychic/Energy Ball
-Ice Beam/Hidden Power (Fire)/Rain Dance
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Def/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Leftovers

or
-Calm Mind
-Scald
-Rain Dance
-Rest
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP/240 Def/16 Spe
Item: Leftovers

To add, Azumarill sets if you're interested in using that:
-Waterfall
-Aqua Jet
-Play Rough
-Superpower/Knock Off
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 172 HP/252 Atk/84 Spe (Choice Band) or 240 HP/252 Atk/16 SDef (Assault Vest)
Item: Choice Band/Assault Vest
Ability: Huge Power

or
-Belly Drum
-Aqua Jet
-Play Rough
-Knock Off
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 92 HP/252 Atk/164 Spe
Item: Sitrus Berry
Ability: Huge Power

Nah October 4th, 2015 3:11 PM

Ah....just to clarify what I said in my first paragraph since I worded that very poorly....what I mean is that when team-building, instead of going like "this Pokemon is my sweeper, and this one's my wall that covers a type weakness of my sweeper", you want to more do it like "I'm using these two Pokemon as a wallbreaking/stallbreaking duo, since they easily break common defensive threats/cores and can switch in on each other's checks/counters, and once they've weakened the opposing team my sweeper can come in an mop up" or "I'm using X to counter Lando-T since it is a prominent metagame threat and it shits on my team otherwise" or "this Pokemon lures in and destroys Y, which is a major obstacle to my win condition and once it is gone my win con can go to town".

What I'm getting at is that you want to think about how all the Pokemon work together and what they do for each beyond simple type coverage (and again, you want type coverage too but that should come along in addition to the synergy).

MechaGladiator October 4th, 2015 4:00 PM

Thanks for the feedback, it's shown me that I still have quiet a bit to think about. I found the suggestions really helpful, so again, thank you both. ^^

Dark Azelf October 7th, 2015 6:40 AM

Adding on to what the others said, you're also using outclassed pokemon.

Blastoise for example is an awful special wall and totally outclassed by other waters, lacks reliable recovery and you arent even using it for its one niche which is Rapid Spin, which it also outclassed at doing and if its special walling, things like Assault Vest Slowking for example are much better thanks to superior typing, superior stats and movepool, Regenerator for healing etc. Same with non mega Venusaur being inferior to Amoongus and id dare say even Roserade.

Electivire is also outclassed by things like Raikou, Thundurus and Rotom-W etc.

Rain Dance also hinders your team and you dont capitalize on it what so ever. It also lacks resistances/immunities to common types i.e Dragon.

Infernape also needs Close Combat.


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