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First team building

  • 78
    Posts
    8
    Years
    So I have very little knowledge about competitive battling, only picking things up from Youtube videos and random websites. So I tried building a team on showdown, for the UU tier, but I'm not sure how it works in the meta. If you could rate the team that'd be nice :).

    Ambipom
    Adamant
    252 attack, 252 speed, 4 hp
    U-turn
    Fake out
    Protect
    Thunderwave
    Life orb
    technician

    Forretress
    Impish
    252 hp, 252 defense, 4 att
    Rapid spin
    Stealth rock
    Spikes
    Toxic
    Leftovers
    Overcoat

    Gliscor
    Impish
    252 hp, 184 defense, 72 speed
    Substitute
    Protect
    Toxic
    Earthquake
    Toxic orb
    Poison heal

    Araquinid
    Sassy
    252 hp, 252 sp def, 4 def
    Scald
    Stockpile
    Rest
    Liquidation
    Assault vest
    Water bubble

    Alolan Raichu
    Modest
    252 speed, 252 spa, 4 sp def
    Volt switch
    Psychic
    Encore
    Protect
    Choice Scarf
    Surge surfer

    and I'm stuck for my last slot, I don't really know what to go for, but I'm thinking a ghost type.
     
    Ok so, I don't know if this is a common showdown thing, but I've won my first 3 battles in a row because people just quit as soon as they lose 2 pokemon.
     
    Ambipom is terrible because while Technician Fake Outs are tempting, it's easily walled by Rock and Steel Pokemon and suffers from 4 moveslot syndrome. If you want a hard-hitting UU Normal Pokemon, use Bewear instead. Even though it's slower, its Fluffy ability gives it incredible resilience against contact moves, though you have to be careful against Fire moves:
    -Return
    -Hammer Arm
    -Ice Punch/Shadow Claw
    -Earthquake/Facade
    Nature: Adamant/Jolly
    EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
    Item: Choice Band
    Ability: Fluffy

    Setting entry hazards while providing Rapid Spin support to remove opposing entry hazards is one of its better niches. Your current set doesn't reflect that. The below set also has Volt Switch so Forretress can bring in a teammate unscathed given its bad Speed:
    -Stealth Rock/Spikes
    -Gyro Ball/Toxic
    -Volt Switch
    -Rapid Spin
    Nature: Relaxed
    EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SDef
    Item: Leftovers

    Though Gliscor hit UU this gen, it's rather good, but here are some better alternatives for your current set: stall breaker, Stealth Rock setter, and Swords Dance:
    -Earthquake
    -Taunt
    -Toxic
    -Roost
    Nature: Jolly
    EVs: 244 HP/12 Def/76 SDef/176 Spe
    Item: Toxic Orb
    Ability: Poison Heal

    or
    -Swords Dance/Stealth Rock
    -Earthquake
    -Knock Off/Toxic/U-turn
    -Roost
    Nature: Jolly
    EVs: 244 HP/208 SDef/56 Spe
    Item: Toxic Orb
    Ability: Poison

    You can't use status moves while a Pokemon is equipped with Assault Vest. I'm also a bit iffy on Araquanid. You could use it in UU, but it faces a lot of competition from other Water Pokemon like Keldeo, Mega Sharpedo, Primarina, and Volcanion. While Water Bubble-powered Liquidations are incredibly powerful, Araquanid's offensive stats are average in general, meaning its coverage options are rather pathetically weak:

    Keldeo:
    -Hydro Pump
    -Secret Sword
    -Scald
    -Icy Wind/Hidden Power (Electric)
    Nature: Timid
    EVs: 252 SAtk/4 SDef/252 Spe
    Item: Choice Specs

    Mega Sharpedo:
    -Waterfall/Ice Fang
    -Crunch
    -Psychic Fangs/Ice Fang
    -Protect
    Nature: Jolly/Adamant
    EVs: 252 Atk/4 SDef/252 Spe
    Item: Sharpedonite
    Ability: Speed Boost

    Primarina:
    -Hydro Pump
    -Moonblast
    -Psychic
    -Scald/Energy Ball
    Nature: Timid/Modest
    EVs: 4 Def/252 SAtk/252 Spe
    Item: Choice Specs

    Volcanion:
    -Fire Blast/Flamethrower
    -Steam Eruption
    -Hidden Power (Grass/Electric)
    -Sludge Bomb/Sludge Wave/Earth Power
    Nature: Timid/Modest
    EVs: 4 Def/252 SAtk/252 Spe
    Item: Choice Specs

    or
    -Fire Blast
    -Steam Eruption
    -Sludge Wave/Sludge Bomb
    -Solar Beam/Superpower
    Nature: Modest/Rash
    EVs: 80 HP/252 SAtk/176 Spe
    Item: Grassium Z/Fightinium Z

    If you really want to use Araquanid for whatever reason, Choice Band is its best set to let it hit hard with Liquidation and at least make its coverage attacks hit harder:
    -Liquidation
    -Leech Life/Lunge
    -Poison Jab/Return
    -Sleep Talk/Return
    Nature: Adamant
    EVs: 248 HP/252 Atk/8 SDef
    Item: Choice Band
    Ability: Water Bubble

    I don't think Raichu is a good Pokemon to use in UU. While its move pool gives it adequate coverage, its frailty makes it not good enough. A better special attacker to turn to is Hydreigon, which can bust through a lot of things given its huge Special Attack and wider move pool:
    -Dark Pulse
    -Draco Meteor
    -Fire Blast
    -U-turn
    Nature: Timid
    EVs: 252 SAtk/4 SDef/252 Spe
    Item: Choice Scarf

    or
    -Dark Pulse
    -Draco Meteor
    -Fire Blast/Flash Cannon
    -Roost/Flash Cannon
    Nature: Timid
    EVs: 252 SAtk/4 SDef/252 Spe
    Item: Life Orb

    or
    -Dark Pulse
    -Draco Meteor
    -Flash Cannon
    -Fire Blast/Focus Blast
    Nature: Timid
    EVs: 252 SAtk/4 SDef/252 Spe
    Item: Choice Specs

    Or you can use Gengar instead to better deal with Fairy Pokemon:
    -Shadow Ball
    -Sludge Wave
    -Focus Blast
    -Taunt/Substitute
    Nature: Timid
    EVs: 4 Def/252 SAtk/252 Spe
    Item: Life Orb/Ghostium Z

    I'd recommend Mega Aerodactyl in the last slot. While it does stack weaknesses with Gliscor, it appreciates Gliscor's stall breaking capabilities. It should only be used if you didn't opt for Mega Sharpedo:
    -Stone Edge
    -Wing Attack/Aqua Tail
    -Earthquake/Aqua Tail
    -Pursuit/Roost/Hone Claws
    Nature: Jolly
    EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
    Item: Aerodactylite

    I'd also like to direct you to the UU viability thread to see the threatening Pokemon in UU.
     
    Ambipom is terrible because while Technician Fake Outs are tempting, it's easily walled by Rock and Steel Pokemon and suffers from 4 moveslot syndrome. If you want a hard-hitting UU Normal Pokemon, use Bewear instead. Even though it's slower, its Fluffy ability gives it incredible resilience against contact moves, though you have to be careful against Fire moves:

    I'd also like to direct you to the UU viability thread to see the threatening Pokemon in UU.

    Thanks so much man, I haven't got much of an idea about competitive, although I'm trying to get into it. Your advice should help a lot :)
     
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