An Absolute Delight

[Nick]

So, thanks to Luke, I just started getting into competitive battling. I started out with a skeleton team, checked to see what worked, what didn't, and basically just stalked some matches and picked some tips from more experienced battlers along the way. I originally decided to create a stall team, but after putting in everything I needed, I didn't find myself getting anywhere in battles and really liked the more balanced team that covered everything. I wanted to put some of them into my team, so I took some of my original brigade members out and replaced them with alternatives that had what I wanted. I present to you, An Absolute Delight!

Claydol @ Light Clay
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 SDef
Careful Nature
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion

Description: Claydol is my "building the defense, setting the offense" sacrificial lead. Reflect and Light Screen powered with Light Clay to boost the defenses, setting off the stealth rock to power my offenses, then sacrificing itself with explosion for my follow-up. Considering my team, I figure Light Screen and Stealth Rock would be my go-to starter moves. Hopefully I'd get enough time to pull that explosion in, which'll either take their starter (or whatever they switch to) out, and that'll give me room to expand on the stacking.

Cloyster (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Shell Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Rock Blast
- Toxic Spikes

Description: Cloyster is my follow-up support for the chosen one. Her goal is to lay down the spikes and toxic spikes stack in addition to the token stealth rock Claydol provides, and she's really my go-to for rapid spin support if they throw that against me.

Milotic (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Marvel Scale
EVs: 6 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 SDef
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Ice Beam
- Recover

Description: Goal for Milotic is to build the offense to cover the type advantage damage to the appropriate Pokémon. Her job is damage and carrying herself with recover long enough to deal the damage needed and recover from damage taken when switched.

Blaziken (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Superpower
- ThunderPunch
- Stone Edge

Description: To make up for the lack of type advantages Milotic attacks don't cover, Blaziken covers the rest. Figure it's more of a revenge killer for the fallen if Milotic is kaput before. Likewise for Milotic if Blaziken is kaput.

Mismagius (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Nasty Plot
- Taunt
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt

Description: Token ghost for rapid spin and partner in crime to Absol. Nasty Plot moveset for powerful special attacks. Another damage dealer.

Absol (M) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Super Luck
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Superpower
- Night Slash

Description: Absol's the leader of the pack and what I formed the team around. Swords Dance + Super Luck to increase the damage and critical hit ratio for the damage attacks. Lum Berry to make sure thunder waves / toxic / etc. don't cause any problems. Figure if Absol's out, that's to stall, and the attacks Absol has to deal with them are a threat. Considered giving it life orb, but decided against it since swords dance is there and I don't really want Absol to lose much considering it's defenses.

 

[Musica]

Quite a great team. I love how you supported Claydol with it's own checks like Milotic and Mismagius. Cloyster can ward off STAB Ice Beam and Waterfall with its bulk. Though other Claydol's with a Shadow Ball can hit Claydol hard, but since you get Dual Screens, that should be enough to provide even more bulk to 3 of your walls. Grass-attack absorb coming from Blaziken is quite awesome too. You might want to give Blaziken a scarf to give it more revenge-killing potential. Though I could see a SubPunch Azumarill pose a threat to most of your 'mons, even Milotic. You might want to get something to ward it off such as Slowbro with Sub or HP Electric. Luxray can switch in easily too to Intimidate it, but Focus Punch would deal great damage. Yet, you have your Mismagius carrying Thunderbolt. It IS a good switch-in against Azumarill or other bulky water types. Absol can sweep if it has proper support. Swords Dance + Super Luck + Night Slash STAB = kills. <3

Overall, very good team.

 

[Nick]

What about instead of having Blaze as Blaziken's ability, swap it with speed boost? I imagine that the speed will be enough to make up for the lack of choice scarf, and I'd still be able to keep the band for added attack support. Replace Superpower and ThunderPunch with Sky Uppercut and Hidden Power Elect.

Blaziken (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Flare Blitz
- Sky Uppercut
- Hidden Power [Electric]
- Stone Edge

I don't consider SubPunch much of a threat with Mismagius. Unless I'm underestimating how much of a threat it is, which is a very strong possibility consider my novitiate status.

I thought of substituting one of my team members with an Atlaria with Heal Bell. One of the major weaknesses I think I have is dealing with status problems. They seem to be one of the things that tend to make or break the battle. Dragon Dance, Heal Bell, Outrage, and Earthquake for a possible moveset?

 

[Musica]

Oh, I thought you were going for 4th Gen. Speed Boost is DW Ability for Torchic. Superpower is fine if you're planning for a hit-and-run strategy. Thunder punch > HP Electric since you're running a Jolly Nature and the Band will compensate for the low base power. Mismagius might get hurt from STAB Waterfall with its base 60 Def.

Support with a bit of offense in Altaria does well too. You might also want to put Haze / Roar to eliminate those "upgrades" your opponent does.

 

[PlatinumDude]

I have a feeling that Blaziken is better with a mixed Choice Scarf set:
-Fire Blast/Flamethrower
-Superpower/Sky Uppercut
-ThunderPunch/Stone Edge
-Hidden Power (Ice)
Nature: Rash/Mild
EVs: 84 Atk/184 SAtk/240 Spe
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Blaze

If you want to keep Speed Boost, your set is good as well.

 

[jkriall]

I think a good altaria would be:

Altaria @ leftovers
Careful Nature
252 HP 176 SpD 16 Att 64 Spe
Natural cure
~ Dragon Dance
~ Dragon claw
~ Roost / Earthquake
~ Heal Bell

I second platinumdudes scarf Blaziken aswell, its great mixed.

Milotic should have life orb not choices specs with that set, being stuck on recover isn't great.

 

[Aurafire]

Specs Milotic doesn't want to be locked into a healing move like recover, lest someone set up right in your face. Even Hydro Pump would be a better option for mid-game wall breaking, while surf still lets you sweep late game with more reliable coverage.

There's always the option of throwing a Life Orb on him instead, which would allow you to use Recover effectively. In fact, behind screens, LO Milotic turns into quite a threat since you don't have switch out and can just keep dealing damage.

 

[Nick]

Oh, I thought you were going for 4th Gen. Speed Boost is DW Ability for Torchic. Superpower is fine if you're planning for a hit-and-run strategy. Thunder punch > HP Electric since you're running a Jolly Nature and the Band will compensate for the low base power. Mismagius might get hurt from STAB Waterfall with its base 60 Def.

Support with a bit of offense in Altaria does well too. You might also want to put Haze / Roar to eliminate those "upgrades" your opponent does.

Well, I'm more than willing to do a more 5th generation team if Speed Boost is the better choice for Blaziken's purpose on my team. I'd use (and I prefer) ThunderPunch, but I can't have ThunderPunch and Speed Boost at the same time, which is why I went with Hidden Power.

Where would Altaria fit into my team? What Pokémon should be cut?

I think a good altaria would be:

Altaria @ leftovers
Careful Nature
252 HP 176 SpD 16 Att 64 Spe
Natural cure
~ Dragon Dance
~ Dragon claw
~ Roost / Earthquake
~ Heal Bell

I second platinumdudes scarf Blaziken aswell, its great mixed.

Milotic should have life orb not choices specs with that set, being stuck on recover isn't great.

Why Dragon Claw and not Outrage?

Specs Milotic doesn't want to be locked into a healing move like recover, lest someone set up right in your face. Even Hydro Pump would be a better option for mid-game wall breaking, while surf still lets you sweep late game with more reliable coverage.

There's always the option of throwing a Life Orb on him instead, which would allow you to use Recover effectively. In fact, behind screens, LO Milotic turns into quite a threat since you don't have switch out and can just keep dealing damage.

Life Orb it is! I want to give her the ability to recover for those moments where that's a viable option. Now that it has Life Orb, though, does that mean that I should compensate for the loss of speed by using a different nature?

Also, just wondering (and Speed Boost aside), but why is Choice Scarf better than Choice Band for Blaziken? I thought it's speed was pretty good.

 

[luke]

80 is... average. A lot of Pokemon outspeed it and can easily KO it without a Speed Boost/Choice Scarf. Scarf allows you to take advantage of its massive attack stats and hammer away at the opponent without having to worry as much about being revenge killed.

 

[Nick]

So keeping Blaze as it's ability and replacing Choice Band with Choice Scarf is better than switching the trait to Speed Boost?

 

[jkriall]

Speed boost is Gen V only currently, meaning its unavailable, assuming this is Gen IV as the title suggests. If you 'upgrade' to Gen V, a good Blaziken set is:

Blaziken @ life orb
Jolly / Adamant
252spe 252att 4hp
Speed boost
~ Swords Dance
~ Flare Blitz / Blaze kick
~ High Jump kick
~ Earthquake / Protect

Flare blitz gives you extra power, but blaze kick gives it some more survivability with no recoil.

Dragon claw is better than outrage for the altaria set, because you don't want to get stuck into the move on a bulky healer, which could cause the enemy to set up or revenge kill you more easily. Outrage would be better for offensive altaria sets though.

 

[Nick]

Well, like I said, I'm more than willing to do a more 5th generation team if Speed Boost is the better choice for Blaziken's purpose on my team. Altaria for me would be more of an offensive team member, just with heal bell for ~just in case~ measures. Unless that's bad?

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

If you switch to gen V, then most of the team will have to be redone. UU technically doesn't exist yet, and if it did a lot of new Pokemon would be in it... :x