Unfinished USM Link Battle Team

So this is my (in progress) Team for random online battles in USM's Festival Plaza. It is not influenced by Smogon or Tiers in any way; it's just a team made of some of my favourites that I enjoy battling with. It's not finished though, and some ideas for two more party members would be wicked!

Here we go...


Naganadel
Item: Dragonium-Z
Ability: Beast Boost (Speed)
Nature: Hasty (It was the best I could do; no hate please)
EVs: 252 ATK/252 SPEED/4 HP
IVs: Perfect All (Gold Bottle Caps WAAAAAT)

Draco Meteor --> Devastating Drake
Sludge Wave
Nasty Plot
Fire Blast/Air Slash

Easily my favourite new USM addition and this team's Special Sweeper. He's got Nasty Plot to boost Sp.Atk and Beast Boost to jack up Speed, and a 195 Power Z-Move to bust out if he needs it. Can't really choose between Fire Blast or Air Slash for coverage; I know most of you will tell me Fire Blast is better, but with it Naganadel feels a bit too much like my old Salazzle, which is boring.
I really can't do anything about the nature; there are no Timid/Modest Poipoles on the GTS I can find (and believe me, I TRIED) and I sure as hell wasn't going to keep soft resetting the gift Poipole in the story, because that's for tryhards. Besides, Naganadel would get dusted by a good hit anyway whether it has -50% Defense or not.


Scizor-M
Item: Scizorite
Ability: Technician
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 ATK/ 208 HP/ 44 SPEED
IVs: Perfect ATK and DEF

U-Turn
Bullet Punch
Night Slash/ Double Hit
Swords Dance

A favourite that dates way back to my early XY days, Mega Scizor is my Physical Sweeper and Offensive Pivot. Scizor's Speed isn't that important to me when it has Bullet Punch and Speed enough to outspeed Walls and Tanks. Scizor also complements Naganadel very well, thanks to resisting or being neutral to all of Naganadel's weaknesses (Naganadel covers for Scizor's Fire weakness).
Most people will tell me to keep Night Slash because it has better coverage, but I'm really liking the Technician and Swords Dance boosts on Double Hit - it's also great for getting through Focus Sashes and Sturdy.


Sableye (M?)
Item: Lum Berry/Sablenite
Ability: Prankster
Nature: Calm
EVs: 200 DEF/200 SPDEF/ 106 HP/4 SPEED (It works, shut up)
IVs: No idea

Taunt
Recover
Night Shade
Will-o-Wisp

Here's the dilemma: I probably won't Mega Evolve Sableye because he doesn't really need to while Scizor absolutely does. Still, those boosted Defenses and Magic Bounce are mighty tempting...
Either way, Sableye's my all-purpose wall. Will-o-Wisp also helps out Naganadel with its awful Defense. There's not really anything else to say.


Togekiss
Item: King's Rock
Nature: Calm
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP/252 SPATK (Again, it works)
IVs: No idea

Dazzling Gleam
Air Slash
Roost
Thunder Wave

Another XY favourite and my Special Wall/Annoyer Supreme. We all know how paraflinch works, and my Togekiss actually hits damn hard with the SPATK investment. She's super bulky and has Roost to heal back up when she needs to, covers Naganadel's Ground and Dragon weaknesses, and is covered by Naganadel for its Poison and Electric Weaknesses and Scizor for its Poison and Steel Weaknesses.

---------

Those are the four I have so far. I was thinking maybe something that can use set entry hazards and/or clear them for slot 5, and something that can use Ice or Fighting moves for slot 6.

Give us a hand, yeah? And don't tell me to re-spec any EVs; what I have works fine (tested) and I don't have the right berries anyway.

Fire Blast is Naganadel's best coverage attack. Without it, it's walled by Steel Pokemon like Magearna. Air Slash doesn't let Naganadel hit anything noteworthy as a neutral STAB Draco Meteor outdamages a 2x supereffective Air Slash.

If you're using offensive bulky SD Scizor, fit in Roost over the coverage attack so it can survive longer. It doesn't need Double Hit (doesn't hit anything noteworthy) and Night Slash is outclassed by Knock Off, which trades in a measly 5 base power for the ability to remove non-Mega Stone/Z Crystal items. Breaking Sturdy and Focus Sash is way too niche to justify Double Hit's use and most Pokemon with Sturdy resist Normal. If you want better ways to bypass Focus Sash, there's always Pokemon with the Skill Link ability.

Sableye is only good with its Mega Stone. Its regular form is outclassed by other bulky Dark Pokemon like Alolan Muk.

It should be noted that King's Rock doesn't stack with Air Slash's flinch chance. Give Togekiss Leftovers instead.

You can get the EV reducing berries from Route 10's berry tree, then plant them at Poke Pelago for more. Tamato Berries are among the random free sample berries at Royal Avenue's Thrifty Megamart.

If you say an unconventional EV spread works, you have to say why it works. What particular Pokemon does that Pokemon outspeed? Any particular attacks it survives?

Scizor: OK, makes sense.
Naganadel: OK, makes sense.
Togekiss: The King's Rock and Serene Grace may not stack because each has its own proc chance, but there is still a greater probability of flinching regardless. Mathematically speaking.
Sableye: Um, I disagree with the fact he's only useful as a Mega ENTIRELY. Prankster Sableye is one of the most annoying Walls I have ever come across. But I guess I'll give Mega a go.

As for the EVs: I have no solid proof that my spreads are UNIVERSALLY applicable to everything. You have no more to go on than my word, but my word is that I am satisfied with my spreads and in my experience using them this way. Just trust me. I did say in my intro in "Meet & Greet" that I'm not a tryhard "hardcore" elite Pokemon gamer. I play online for fun, not seriously, but the way I do things still gets me wins.


Now. Team member recommendations? I was thinking Skill Link Cloyster as a Spikes Lead, but it shares a couple of weaknesses with Togekiss.

Seviper No Seviping said:

Scizor: OK, makes sense.
Naganadel: OK, makes sense.
Togekiss: The King's Rock and Serene Grace may not stack because each has its own proc chance, but there is still a greater probability of flinching regardless. Mathematically speaking.
Sableye: Um, I disagree with the fact he's only useful as a Mega ENTIRELY. Prankster Sableye is one of the most annoying Walls I have ever come across. But I guess I'll give Mega a go.

As for the EVs: I have no solid proof that my spreads are UNIVERSALLY applicable to everything. You have no more to go on than my word, but my word is that I am satisfied with my spreads and in my experience using them this way. Just trust me. I did say in my intro in "Meet & Greet" that I'm not a tryhard "hardcore" elite Pokemon gamer. I play online for fun, not seriously, but the way I do things still gets me wins.


Now. Team member recommendations? I was thinking Skill Link Cloyster as a Spikes Lead, but it shares a couple of weaknesses with Togekiss.

Click to expand...

If you want to use Mega Sableye, this is it:
-Knock Off
-Will-o-Wisp
-Protect
-Recover
Nature: Careful
EVs: 248 HP/8 Def/252 SDef
Item: Sablenite
Ability: Prankster

Greninja is a better Spikes lead than Cloyster because of its higher Speed to ensure it gets up a layer before being attacked:
-Spikes
-Hydro Pump
-Dark Pulse/Gunk Shot
-Ice Beam
Nature: Timid/Naive
EVs: 4 Def/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb/Expert Belt
Ability: Protean

or
-Spikes
-Toxic Spikes
-Ice Beam
-Taunt
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Def/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Focus Sash
Ability: Protean

Sometimes word of mouth may not be enough if you want to get sufficient feedback. Saying why your natures/EVs/movesets work lets other people give easier feedback on how to improve your battling.

PlatinumDude said:

Sometimes word of mouth may not be enough if you want to get sufficient feedback. Saying why your natures/EVs/movesets work lets other people give easier feedback on how to improve your battling.

Click to expand...

I did say I wasn't looking for EV feedback. I'm happy with them, I personally know they work (at least for me) and I can't be bothered farming berries to change them anyway.

Greninja. Got it.