Here's a new attempt...

[Ayano Katagiri]

So... it's been quite awhile since I last had a team and did some battling.
School's annoyingly in the way, but here's a new team that I've attempted to put together.
I haven't had the opportunity to test this properly yet, but hopefully it'll work?? Knowing my strange predictions, I could either do superbly in battle or fail horribly. =\

Suggestions very much appreciated (but don't bite please).

Kagami's line up:
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Dragonite @ Choice Band
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 64 HP/252 Atk/192 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Outrage
- Fire Punch
- Thunderpunch
- Earthquake
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I'm not so good with choosing leads. Unsure whether to go with Specs or Band and the EV spread. I'm thinking Specs might be better to get the extra speed boost to outrun the more common leads, but I can't remember how fast Dragonite is... =\

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Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Avalanche
- Stone Edge
---
The standard (I think?) for Physical Swampert. The first time I chose something in my team that can set up SR.

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Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/100 Def/56 Spd/100 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Agility / Substitute
- Baton Pass
- Hidden Power [Grass]
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Zapdos baton passing Agility or Subs. And HP Grass for those annoying Ground types.

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Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Drill Peck
- Whirlwind
- Roost
- Spikes
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Skarmory has worked really well for me, especially in my last team with the Spikes and Whirlwind combination.
This time added with SR from Swampert, it should work even better.

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Azelf @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 36 HP/220 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Nasty Plot
- Psychic
---
Never used this before, but special sweeping after Nasty Plot??

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Milotic @ Leftovers
Ability: Marvel Scale
EVs: 148 HP/132 SAtk/228 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Recover
- Hypnosis
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I really couldn't decide on a special wall, but this is it for now. I'm unsure for the EV spread.
Suggestions a replacement (if necessary) please.

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To be honest, I've gone with a team that has Pokemon I haven't used very much in the past, so...
How does this look so far and how well would it fare against the major threats??
I've had problems dealing with some in my past team, like Heatran, so I want those covered well this time.

Any help much appreciated!!
(This is for Shoddy, btw. ^_^

 

[Aquilae]

Dragonite @ Choice Band
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 64 HP/252 Atk/192 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Outrage
- Fire Punch
- Thunderpunch
- Earthquake

Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Avalanche
- Stone Edge

Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP/100 Def/56 Spd/100 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Thunderbolt
- Agility / Substitute
- Baton Pass
- Hidden Power [Grass]

Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Drill Peck
- Whirlwind
- Roost
- Spikes

Azelf @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 36 HP/220 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Nasty Plot
- Psychic

Milotic @ Leftovers
Ability: Marvel Scale
EVs: 148 HP/132 SAtk/228 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Recover
- Hypnosis

To be honest, I've gone with a team that has Pokemon I haven't used very much in the past, so...
How does this look so far and how well would it fare against the major threats??
I've had problems dealing with some in my past team, like Heatran, so I want those covered well this time.

Any help much appreciated!!
(This is for Shoddy, btw. ^_^

Dragonite won't pose a threat given the number of leads that completely outspeed and KO it, or wall it. I suggest Swampert as a lead for early SR and countering Ttar and other stuff.

Nothing to take sleep, meaning if a Hypnotiser like Bronzong or Gengar shows up, it might potentially incapacitate your pokemon.

Heracross does a lot of damage to this team, as you have no reliable counter against it - Skarm falls to Close Combat, Zapdos falls to Stone Edge. Hera can't really come in on your pokemon, but it is worthy to note.

Next is the lack of speed. Mainly Deoxys-E can cause damage, Zapdos is weakened by SR which would put it in range for a kill. Only Swampert and Milotic to an extent can handle Deoxys-E, and both do not like taking hits from it.

I would recommend a RestTalk Snorlax > Milotic, mainly for the better special walling.
Skarmory wants Brave Bird and 96 attack EVs to threaten a 3HKO on Gyarados, and Brave Bird > Drill Peck because of the increased damage.

Agilipassing is redundant on Zapdos as none of your team would be candidates for an Agilipass, Azelf is very fragile and KOed by priority sweepers, not to mention it requires an NP to really do damage. Dragonite is choiced, therefore locking you into a move, making it easier to wall. Roost + Light Screen should replace Agilipass.
Subpassing is basically the same thing.

Choice Band Dragonite wants Focus Punch > Thunderpunch as it hits many of its common switchins (Skarm, Hippowdon) hard.

Mixape weak too. It can outspeed and KO 4 out of 6 of your team, and deal significant damage to the other two. I would suggest a Cresselia over Zapdos to provide walling while countering Mixape.

Overall a solid team but has a few holes here and there.

 

[Ayano Katagiri]

Dragonite won't pose a threat given the number of leads that completely outspeed and KO it, or wall it. I suggest Swampert as a lead for early SR and countering Ttar and other stuff.

I've experienced that first hand now after a few battles and definitely agree. Dragonite has worked okayish so far, but it has been KO'ed a few times. I'll make the switch to Swampert there.

Nothing to take sleep, meaning if a Hypnotiser like Bronzong or Gengar shows up, it might potentially incapacitate your pokemon.

Heracross does a lot of damage to this team, as you have no reliable counter against it - Skarm falls to Close Combat, Zapdos falls to Stone Edge. Hera can't really come in on your pokemon, but it is worthy to note.

Next is the lack of speed. Mainly Deoxys-E can cause damage, Zapdos is weakened by SR which would put it in range for a kill. Only Swampert and Milotic to an extent can handle Deoxys-E, and both do not like taking hits from it.

I would recommend a RestTalk Snorlax > Milotic, mainly for the better special walling.
Skarmory wants Brave Bird and 96 attack EVs to threaten a 3HKO on Gyarados, and Brave Bird > Drill Peck because of the increased damage.

I prefer Skarm as it is right now, but which part of the EVs would you recommend to change for the attack EVs? I'm thinking it's 252HP/96Atk/160Def, but just want to make sure.

Snorlax sounds good, since it'll also cover the sleep problem. Does it handle Deoxys-E well enough?

Snorlax @ Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 244HP/24Def/240Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Body Slam
- Crunch

Agilipassing is redundant on Zapdos as none of your team would be candidates for an Agilipass, Azelf is very fragile and KOed by priority sweepers, not to mention it requires an NP to really do damage. Dragonite is choiced, therefore locking you into a move, making it easier to wall. Roost + Light Screen should replace Agilipass.
Subpassing is basically the same thing.

Choice Band Dragonite wants Focus Punch > Thunderpunch as it hits many of its common switchins (Skarm, Hippowdon) hard.

I've just got a question about Focus Punch. Why would it be suitable here seeing as it'd just get hit by an attack and lose focus if it was faster or slower than the opponent?
Unless of course, it's meant to be so that prediction ahead was involved.

Mixape weak too. It can outspeed and KO 4 out of 6 of your team, and deal significant damage to the other two. I would suggest a Cresselia over Zapdos to provide walling while countering Mixape.

Overall a solid team but has a few holes here and there.

I had been considering one in the team before...
How does this Cresselia look?

Cresselia @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 20HP/252Def/236SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Reflect
- Moonlight
- Ice Beam / Grass Knot
- Psychic

Not really wanting to go for Rest here again since Snorlax already has it. =\

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So end result???

Swampert - Lead
Dragonite
Azelf
Skarmory
Cresselia
Snorlax

 

[Aquilae]

I prefer Skarm as it is right now, but which part of the EVs would you recommend to change for the attack EVs? I'm thinking it's 252HP/96Atk/160Def, but just want to make sure.

Its 252 HP/96 Atk/152 Def/8 Speed, speed is for outrunning Ttar with Roost.

Snorlax sounds good, since it'll also cover the sleep problem. Does it handle Deoxys-E well enough?

Snorlax @ Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 244HP/24Def/240Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Body Slam
- Crunch

Superpower still hits SE on it.. A surefire D-E counter would be Bronzong/Metagross/Jirachi. Depending on the moveset, Deoxys-E can be walled by other stuff once you figure out its last move (Ice Beam/Thunderbolt/Superpower/?) Cresselia would handle non-Shadow Ball variants extremely well, and Deoxys-E won't be doing much damage with Shadow Ball anyway. (37% - 45% at most, recoverable with Moonlight)

I've just got a question about Focus Punch. Why would it be suitable here seeing as it'd just get hit by an attack and lose focus if it was faster or slower than the opponent?
Unless of course, it's meant to be so that prediction ahead was involved.

First, you switchin Dragonite onto a pokemon it threatens, then Focus Punch on the switch. You will do more damage to the main Dragonite counters - Skarmory, Bronzong and Hippowdon. It wouldn't work on Gliscor. Basically once you've figured out your opponent's physical wall, you could do more damage to it with Focus Punch than any of your other attacks could do, and you'll be switching out anyway...

I had been considering one in the team before...
How does this Cresselia look?

Cresselia @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 20HP/252Def/236SAtk
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Reflect
- Moonlight
- Ice Beam / Grass Knot
- Psychic

Not really wanting to go for Rest here again since Snorlax already has it. =\

Modest 224 is minimum to KO Garchomp, and Cresselia wants Twave or Charge Beam in the last slot as Psychic is a poor attacking type. I would go Charge Beam for Gyarados.

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So end result???

Swampert - Lead
Dragonite
Azelf
Skarmory
Cresselia
Snorlax

Gliscor > Skarmory here as Cresselia handles the stuff that Skarmory does not like, and Lucario would be a major threat with Skarm.