i need help with my team?

[wildfarfetchd]

im having a hard time choosing the last pokemon to fit on my team, any suggestions?

Mega Alakazam
psyshock
energy ball
dazzling gleam
charge beam

Garchomp
earthquake
dragon claw
iron head
fire fang

Skarmory + leftovers
roost
spikes
brave bird
whirlwind

Rotom H + red card
overheat
volt switch
confuse ray
toxic or thunderwave

Metagross + assault vest
hammer fist
meteor mash
bullet punch
stone edge or psyshock

this leaves a sixth spot open and it will most likely be my lead pokemon. i feel like a want a water type like vaporeon but bulbapedia says i cant put wish on it this gen. maybe a cloyster with toxic spikes then icicle spear, rock smash, shell smash?

 

[PlatinumDude]

EVs, natures and items would totally be appreciated.

Anyway, I don't think Mega Alakazam has much of a use of Dazzling Gleam; Psychic already hits Dragons hard enough. Also, it's too frail to rely on Charge Beam for boosts:
-Psyshock
-Shadow Ball
-Focus Blast
-Hidden Power (Ice/Fire) (Dazzling Gleam can be used if its Hidden Power isn't of those types)
Nature: Timid/Modest
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard (changes to Trace upon Mega Evolution)

While Iron Head allows Garchomp to deal with Fairies, Earthquake hits them hard enough already, apart from Togekiss, who's hit hard by Stone Edge:
-Swords Dance
-Outrage/Dragon Claw
-Earthquake
-Fire Fang/Stone Edge
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Item: Lum Berry/Yache Berry/Haban Berry

or
-Outrage
-Earthquake
-Fire Fang/Stone Edge/Fire Blast
-Dragon Claw/Dual Chop
Nature: Jolly/Naive
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Item: Choice Band/Choice Scarf

Skarmory should use an Impish or Careful nature with 224 HP/252 Def/32 SDef or 224 HP/32 Def/252 SDef.

I don't think Heat Rotom is cut for this team because of its common weaknesses to Water and Rock. Wash Rotom, however, is a better alternative because of its sole weakness to Grass. Confusion is also an unreliable status ailment:
-Volt Switch
-Hydro Pump
-Will-o-Wisp
-Rest
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SAtk
Item: Chesto Berry

or
-Discharge
-Volt Switch
-Hydro Pump
-Hidden Power (Ice)
Nature: Modest
EVs: 232 HP/56 SAtk/220 Spe
Item: Assault Vest

or
-Volt Switch
-Hydro Pump
-Hidden Power (Ice)
-Trick/Thunderbolt
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Choice Scarf/Choice Specs

Metagross' Special Attack isn't high enough to warrant the use of Psyshock. It doesn't get Stone Edge either:
-Bullet Punch
-Pursuit
-Meteor Mash/Zen Headbutt
-Earthquake
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 248 HP/104 Atk/144 SDef/12 Spe
Item: Assault Vest

Also, consider Aegislash because it hits harder:
-Shadow Ball
-Shadow Sneak
-Sacred Sword/Iron Head
-King's Shield
Nature: Quiet
EVS: 252 HP/4 Atk/252 SAtk
Item: Leftovers

or
-Swords Dance
-Autotomize
-Shadow Claw
-Sacred Sword/Iron Head
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 88 HP/252 Atk/168 Spe
Item: Leftovers

or
-Shadow Ball
-Shadow Sneak
-Iron Head
-Sacred Sword
Nature: Quiet
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 SAtk
Item: Leftovers

or
-Swords Dance
-King's Shield/Shadow Claw
-Shadow Sneak
-Iron Head/Sacred Sword
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 HP/252 Atk/4 Spe
Item: Leftovers

or
-Autotomize
-Shadow Ball
-Hidden Power (Ice)
-Sacred Sword/Iron Head
Nature: Rash
EVs: 88 Atk/252 SAtk/168 Spe
Item: Life Orb/Weakness Policy

This team is on the slow side apart from Garchomp, so Sticky Web support from Galvantula helps:
-Sticky Web
-Thunder
-Bug Buzz
-Volt Switch/Thunder Wave/Hidden Power (Ice/Fire)
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb/Focus Sash
Ability: Compound Eyes

 

[zygardian harbinger]

Well, if it's a water type that you want, maybe Gyarados could be what you're looking for? Gyarados is a great Physical Sweeper, and it can offer an alternative to a mega evolution Pokemon. Gyarados, as a Flying- and Water-type Pokemon, is weak only to Rock- and Electric-types. Gyarados has an excellent Attack rating, as well as a decent health rating. I would focus around its high Attack rating. A good move set could be:

Nature: Adamant
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Aqua Tail
Dragon Dance
Thrash
Thunder Wave

I put Aqua Tail down as a good offensive front, at 90 power. Dragon Dance can increase the already high Attack stat of Gyarados and put its Speed above the opponent's if necessary. Thrash attacks across 2-3 turns, with a solid 120 power, but after the 2-3 turns, it becomes confused. Thunder Wave will paralyse the opponent, putting its Speed below Gyarados' and also adding the chance of losing a turn whilst Gyarados' onslaught rages on. If you choose to Mega Evolve it, then the Attack will raise even more.

 

[Nolafus]

Basically, whatever PlatinumDude said. I think the lead you want is Galvantula, so supporting that suggestion as well.

Well, if it's a water type that you want, maybe Gyarados could be what you're looking for? Gyarados is a great Physical Sweeper, and it can offer an alternative to a mega evolution Pokemon. Gyarados, as a Flying- and Water-type Pokemon, is weak only to Rock- and Electric-types. Gyarados has an excellent Attack rating, as well as a decent health rating. I would focus around its high Attack rating. A good move set could be:

Nature: Adamant
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Aqua Tail
Dragon Dance
Giga Impact
Thunder Wave

I put Aqua Tail down as a good offensive front, at 90 power. Dragon Dance can increase the already high Attack stat of Gyarados and put its Speed above the opponent's if necessary. Giga Impact is a massive 150 power move that can likely OHKO the opponent. However, Gyarados will have to rest the next turn. Thunder Wave will paralyse the opponent, putting its Speed below Gyarados' and also adding the chance of losing a turn whilst Gyarados' onslaught rages on. If you choose to Mega Evolve it, then the Attack will raise even more.

I'm not too sure about this set. Giga Impact is a big no-no in the metagame as it gives your opponent a free turn to set up, and that can cost you the game easily. I would recommend something more along the lines of this for Gyarados:
Gyarados @ Leftovers/Life Orb
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Substitute
- Waterfall
- Earthquake/Bounce/Ice Fang

A lot of this stuff is really just personal choice. Life orb will give you a lot of power, but at the cost of some life per turn. If that isn't so much your style, leftovers will provide a good alternative. Since we're using moxie here, jolly will be good because you already get that attack boost with each KO with moxie, so you need as much speed as possible. Basically, the goal here is to get behind a substitute, use a dragon dance or two, and sweep. The last moveslot is open for whatever coverage move you desire. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages, so it's entirely up to you which one work best. Of course, this is if you want Gyarados in the first place.

 

[zygardian harbinger]

Good call, Slayer. I revised Giga Impact to Thrash, Platinum alerted me about Giga Impact's discouragement. Anyway, wildfarfetchd, Slayer's moveset is a great one, too. Instead of an offensive front, Substitute can buy time to use Dragon Dance and set up Gyarados for a heavy hit. Waterfall is a high power HM move, at 80 power, and can cause flinching to disrupt an opponent's attack. Earthquake could be a good and a bad move, since any Flying-type Pokemon and Pokemon with Levitate can ignore it completely, but otherwise, it's a pretty powerful move. Bounce is a 2 turn move and can paralyse the target. Ice Fang only has 65 power, but it can make the Pokemon freeze or flinch. It's a good moveset. I guess choosing the moveset depends on your battling style.

 

[wildfarfetchd]

thanks for the input so far, it has been very insightful. the ev spread / natures are here.

Alakazam timid
252 speed
252 special attack
4 special defense

Garchomp jolly
252 speed
252 attack
4 HP

Skarmory impish
a faster variant, honestly i cant remember what the exact spread is but it was something in this ballpark.
252 defense
150 speed
106 attack

Rotom modest
150 speed
252 special attack
106 special defence

Metagross impish
252 attack
100 defense
154 special defence


why is galvantula a good lead for me? i hope i can pick your guys brains a bit, im still pretty new to this on a technical level.

thanks again

 

[halcyonic]

why is galvantula a good lead for me? i hope i can pick your guys brains a bit, im still pretty new to this on a technical level.

since your team is rather slow, apart from garchomp and alakazam, sticky web galvantula provides good support. sticky web is an entry hazard which lowers speed by one level every time a grounded pokemon switches in.

Grounded Pokemon are Pokemon that are not part-Flying-type, do not have Ingrain active, do not have the ability Levitate, do not have Magnet Rise active, and are not holding an Air Balloon. If Gravity is active, all Pokemon are grounded. All Pokemon holding an Iron Ball are grounded.

so with an opponent's pokemon's speed lowered, you have more chances to sweep.

 

[Nolafus]

Darn, ninjask'd

Galvantula will work because of the entry hazard Sticky Web. Galvantula is the best user of this, so that's why we recommend it. Sticky web reduces the speed of the opponent's grounded pokemon (AKA, non flying and levitate pokemon) by one stage. Non of your pokemon are very fast bar Garchomp and Alakazam, but they all have the potential to hit hard. Sticky Web will make it so that you attack first most of the time because of speed drop your opponents get. This is why it would be useful. I'll just copy PlatinumDude's moveset here, since it's good:

This team is on the slow side apart from Garchomp, so Sticky Web support from Galvantula helps:
-Sticky Web
-Thunder
-Bug Buzz
-Volt Switch/Thunder Wave/Hidden Power (Ice/Fire)
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb/Focus Sash
Ability: Compound Eyes

Hope I helped!

 

[PlatinumDude]

thanks for the input so far, it has been very insightful. the ev spread / natures are here.

Alakazam timid
252 speed
252 special attack
4 special defense

Garchomp jolly
252 speed
252 attack
4 HP

Skarmory impish
a faster variant, honestly i cant remember what the exact spread is but it was something in this ballpark.
252 defense
150 speed
106 attack

Rotom modest
150 speed
252 special attack
106 special defence

Metagross impish
252 attack
100 defense
154 special defence


why is galvantula a good lead for me? i hope i can pick your guys brains a bit, im still pretty new to this on a technical level.

thanks again

Skarmory is slow so it has NO reason to use faster EV spreads. Use the spread I suggested. See my post for Metagross' and Wash Rotom's suggested EV spreads, since yours are very inefficient.

 

[wildfarfetchd]

thanks for the help guys. i am taking your advice and using a galvantula as my lead, and will also be overhauling some of my pokemons ev spreads.

is it really not worth having iron head on my garchomp?

one other thing, i might post this on the trade forums later but until then, if anyone wants to trade a joltik to me it would be appreciated. i have other pokemon to offer but i have a rotom with perfect hp, attack, defense, sp. attack, and speed, if anyone wants it. (mild nature... meh)

thanks again

 

[PlatinumDude]

thanks for the help guys. i am taking your advice and using a galvantula as my lead, and will also be overhauling some of my pokemons ev spreads.

is it really not worth having iron head on my garchomp?

one other thing, i might post this on the trade forums later but until then, if anyone wants to trade a joltik to me it would be appreciated. i have other pokemon to offer but i have a rotom with perfect hp, attack, defense, sp. attack, and speed, if anyone wants it. (mild nature... meh)

thanks again

It's not worth having Iron Head on Garchomp. Also, you can always breed the Joltik/Galvantula you get.