Looking into competitive play please help :D

[ShadowWrath5]

Hello everyone I really want to start to get into competitive play with the online in Pokemon x and y. It seams like a real fun way to lay since I did everything else in the game :p I dont know alot about competitive play other than there are tiers and those moves you usually forget in favor of more damage la a large role (admit it youve done this :p). Anyway I would really appreciate some help on a team. I have Flygon, Absol, Lucario, Yvetal, Sylveon, and Noivern. Now I realize that some of them may be in different tiers or even banned but this is just a start into learning move about this type of play. If yall can offer any suggestions on how to make this team synergistic and some other suggestions on what I should do to get deeper into competitive play it would be greatly appreciated :).

 

[Nah]

The first thing you'll need to learn about competitive battling is EVs and IVs (to a lesser extent). I'd explain EVs, but I'm terrible at explaining them for some reason. I think this page will explain it to you well enough. Items, natures, and abilities are important too. You don't need to worry about tiers for Wifi battles on your X/Y game; all Pokémon are allowed in Wifi battles. However, you can't have 2 of the same Pokémon or item on a team. Tiers are more for official tournaments and competitive battling places like Pokémon Showdown.

I'd give you EV spreads and movesets for your current team, but its a huge pain in the ass to create an entire team for someone, especially when most Pokémon can run more than one set and everyone has their own preferences and styles. What you'll wanna do is visit Smogon, the premier competitive battling info site for sets for your Pokémon. Keep in mind that Smogon has yet to officially post sets for the Gen 6 Pokémon. Use your own judgment to alter Smogon's Gen 5 sets for the Gen 6 metagame.

Flygon: https://www.smogon.com/bw/pokemon/flygon
Absol: https://www.smogon.com/bw/pokemon/absol
Lucario: https://www.smogon.com/bw/pokemon/lucario
Yveltal: https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/yveltal.3490005/
Noivern: https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/noivern.3490018/

The links for Noivern and Yveltal are from Smogon's forums discussing possible sets for the Pokémon. Sylveon I'll give you a set for, so you know what info to give when discussing teams, and because I don't see it doing much else than this:

Sylveon w/Leftovers
EVs: 252 Special Attack, 252 HP/252 Sp.Def, 4 Speed
Moves: Calm Mind, MoonBlast, Shadow Ball, Psyshock
Nature: Modest/Calm
Ability: Cute Charm (it doesn't have much use for Pixelate)

Although, when the PokeBank is available, it could do this:
Sylveon w/Lum Berry
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Sp.Def, 4 Sp.Attack
Moves: Wish, Protect, Moon Blast, Shadow Ball/Psyshock/Toxic
Nature: Calm/Modest
Ability: Cute Charm

So do some research, then come back here with somewhat more specific questions and your team ideas and sets. Hope this helps.

 

[LoudSilence]

Zekrom pretty much gave you all the info you'll need to get started, but imo I wouldn't concern myself with tiers too much. If you're going to battle randomly online, you're going to fight all kinds. It's best to fight with your favourites that are geared towards working together to make a solid all-around team.

I personally don't like the restrictions that Smogon imposes.

 

[zygardian harbinger]

The three wikis you should probably keep in mind are Smogon, Bulbapeida, and Serebii. Bulbapedia seems to be the most up to date at the moment. So, when researching Pokemon, you should use all three. However, only Smogon seems to put up possible movelists.

 

[ShadowWrath5]

Well thanks for all that information and the great start. I guess my next question is that I understand each pokemon on the team has a role right? I know you need a tank, a scout, and a sweeper right? But what about the other 3 pokemon? What other roles should I have?

 

[dreyko]

Well thanks for all that information and the great start. I guess my next question is that I understand each pokemon on the team has a role right? I know you need a tank, a scout, and a sweeper right? But what about the other 3 pokemon? What other roles should I have?

Yes, each pokemon on the team should have a role in winning you the match.

Somethings to consider are that one pokemon can often fulfill multiple roles. A common example of this is Forretress. It can serve as both a lead and a tank. It's high defense makes it tanky and it cn set up hazards for you.

Generally a team runs multiple sweepers. Both special and Physical. Special sweepers rely on their high Special Attack stat, whereas Physical sweepers rely on their high attack stats.

Also keep in mind that what i am saying is brief, but a decent start. Feel free to ask any questions you have though! =)

 

[ShadowWrath5]

Okay so this is what Ive managed to gather so far if yall dont mind rating it for me:

Flygon w/ choice scarf
+252 atk +4 Spd +252 spe
Outrage, Earthquake, u-turn, stone edge
jolly/adamant

Lucario w/ Life Orb
+252 atk +252 spe +4 hp
Extremespeed, swords dance, close combat, ice punch
ability: Inner focus
adamant

Sylveon w/ lum berry
+252 Hp +252 sp. def +4 sp. atk
Moonblast, calm mind, shadow ball, psyshock
ability: cute charm
Modest/calm

Yvetal w/ leftovers
+252 hp +252 def +4 sp.atk
Sucker punch, oblivion wing, roost, foul play
ability: dark aura
Bold

Noivern w/ choice specs
+252 spe +252 sp.atk +4 hp
Draco meteor, Hurricane, boomburst, (Focus blast or flamethrower)
Ability: frisk
timid

Absol w/ Absolite
+252 atk +252 spe +4 hp
sucker punch, night slash, superpower, (fireblast, flamethrower, or psyco cut...cant decide)
Ability: superluck
admant/naughty

My intent I guess would to use flygon as my lead who could either switch out to a team member suited for the current battle or k.o./heavy damage whats infront of me. I have absol and lucario as my physical sweapers and Noivern as a special sweeper. Sylveon fills in the role of a special blocker and yvetal as a defensive blocker. Things Im on edge about is should I drop focus blast on noivern for flamethrower to be able to give absol psycocut? Any changes in movesets to make this team a larger threat to a larger variety of teams? Thanks in advance!

 

[Nah]

Good, you did your homework.

Go with Flamethrower on Noivern instead of Focus Blast, as its more accurate, covers Steel and Ice types for Noivern, and isn't resisted by Fairies.

You're going to want a different nature on Yveltal. Bold cuts Attack, and Sucker Punch and Foul Play use Attack. A better nature would be Naughty or Rash.

I kinda prefer Crunch on Lucario instead of Ice Punch, so its not walled by the bulkier ghosts and psychics.

Ya know, that Sylveon set is a good 2nd version of the first one I posted above.

For Absol, Psycho Cut is the best option, so it can hit Fighting types super-effectively and Fairies neutrally. Fire attacks aren't needed on it. Adamant is the better nature in this case. You'll also wanna lead with Absol, not Flygon. It gets Magic Bounce when it mega evolves (which you should do as soon as it is sent out), which is great for screwing with hazard leads.

And you may wanna use Dragon Claw instead of Outrage on Flygon; Outrage is a bit risky nowadays with all the Fairies.

 

[PlatinumDude]

I'm not sure how well Flygon fares in X/Y, considering that Garchomp is stronger and faster than it is:
-Outrage
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge/Fire Fang/Fire Blast
-Dragon Claw/Dual Chop
Nature: Jolly/Naive
EVs: 4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Item: Choice Band/Choice Scarf

Ice Punch Lucario is illegal until Poke Bank. Make do with Earthquake or Crunch (though the former is redundant with Close Combat, it doesn't trigger King's Shield).

What's the point of Sylveon using a Modest nature when Special Attack isn't invested at all? Calm Mind also boosts Sylveon's Special Defense, reducing the need of Special Defense EVs:
-Calm Mind
-Moonblast
-Shadow Ball
-Hidden Power (Fire)
Nature: Modest
EVs: 252 HP/252 SAtk/4 Spe
Item: Leftovers

Yveltal is deemed an Uber, so people may frown down on you using it in OU play. Greninja is a good OU Dark Pokemon for you to use:
-Hydro Pump/Surf
-Dark Pulse
-Ice Beam
-U-turn/Hidden Power (Fire)
Nature: Hasty/Timid
EVs: 4 Atk/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Protean

or
-Spikes
-Hydro Pump/Surf
-Dark Pulse/Ice Beam
-Hidden Power (Fire)
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 Def/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb/Focus Sash

But if you insist on Yveltal, Bold isn't a good nature for it except for the occasional defensive support:
-Dark Pulse
-Oblivion Wing
-Sucker Punch
-Focus Blast/Taunt/Substitute/Roost
Nature: Hasty
EVs: 4 Atk/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Life Orb

or
-Foul Play
-Taunt
-Toxic
-Roost
Nature: Calm
EVs: 248 HP/8 Def/252 SDef
Item: Leftovers

or
-Dark Pulse
-Oblivion Wing
-Hurricane
-Focus Blast
Nature: Timid/Modest
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Choice Specs

or
-Substitute
-Disable
-Dark Pulse
-Oblivion Wing
Nature: Timid
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Leftovers

or
-Dark Pulse
-Oblivion Wing
-Sucker Punch
-Focus Blast/Foul Play
Nature: Mild
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 SDef
Item: Assault Vest

Frisk is better off with Life Orb, since Noivern has freedom of switching moves there. Infiltrator is the better ability to let Noivern attack opponents behind Substitutes:
-Draco Meteor
-Hurricane/Air Slash
-Flamethrower/Focus Blast
-U-turn/Switcheroo
Nature: Naive/Timid
EVs: 4 HP/252 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Choice Specs/Choice Scarf
Ability: Infiltrator

Absol should use a Naive nature since its Mega form has higher Speed that should be taken advantage of. Superpower is also illegal till Poke Bank:
-Sucker Punch/Night Slash
-Pursuit
-Play Rough
-Fire Blast
Nature: Naive
EVs: 252 Atk/4 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Absolite
Ability: Super Luck

or
-Swords Dance
-Sucker Punch/Night Slash
-Play Rough
-Fire Blast
Nature: Naive
EVs: 252 Atk/4 SAtk/252 Spe
Item: Absolite
Ability: Super Luck

 

[Shadeh]

^ This Guy above me got it covered...
Too detailed

I was just gonna keep it simple and say 6 basic needs.
-2 Spikers (Stealth rocks, spikes, poison spikes)
-1 rapid spinner (To get opposing Spikes/rocks off you)
-1 staller (Healer, Status Conditioner)
-1 Really Mixed defensive (Special and physical)
-1 Attacker (Can be any Special/Physical)

That's how I win Competitive, Though it is your choice, eheheheh

 

[Nah]

I keep forgetting how some moves aren't allowed because of PokeBank not being available yet. Use Platinum Dude's Absol sets instead.

For Noivern, get one with Infiltrator. The Choice Specs set will work fine on that. I don't feel that Noivern has enough power to use Life Orb without a Modest nature, and it prefers Timid to ensure it outspeeds stuff like Greninja.

Also, Yveltal is allowed in Wifi battles (Battle Spot). So you can use it if you like. What's the other guy gonna do, rage quit? In places like Pokémon Showdown, Yveltal is in Ubers, so you'd have to go with something else.

And your team has a big Fairy type weakness. You may wanna do something about that.

 

[ShadowWrath5]

Well since this is a for fun team for some online play and mostly battles with my friends I am gonna keep flygon over garchomp but I will keep a garchomp on me to switch out for competition. :) the natures on sylveon and yvetal are mistyped my bad I knew I had to change something.
So when pokebank comes available they can suddenly learn those moves?
Knowing I'm going to have trouble with fairy, if I replace yvetal what would be some good choices to combat fairy?
I'm going to post the movesets that I chose from above when I get back to my computer and not my phone. Is it okay to not run a wall? Or is sylveon still acting as a wall with her Evs in special attack?
Again this team is more of just my favorite pokemon, I'm going.to make a rain dance ore baton pass team for real competition (still a newb but I know a little!)

*EDIT EDIT*

Flygon w/ choice scarf
+252 atk +4 hp +252 spe
Dragon Claw, Earthquake, flamethrower, stone edge
jolly/adamant

Lucario w/ Life Orb
+252 atk +252 spe +4 hp
Extremespeed, swords dance, close combat, crunch (ice punch when available)
ability: Inner focus
adamant

Sylveon w/ leftovers
+252 Hp +252 sp.atk +4 spd
Moonblast, calm mind, shadow ball, psyshock
ability: cute charm
Modest

Noivern w/ choice specs
+252 spe +252 sp.atk +4 hp
Draco meteor, Hurricane, boomburst, flamethrower
Ability: inflitrator
timid

Absol w/ Absolite
+252 atk +252 spe +4 hp
sucker punch, night slash, psycho cut, ??? (superpower when available)
Ability: superluck
admant/naughty

So I think thats how Im going to keep those 5 unless you see any glaring flaws.

I was thinking about possible 6ths to cover my teams fairy weakness. What do you think about dragale? What about bullet punch or zap cannon lucario? Or skarmory?
Finally why run flamethrower on flygon when she doesnt have the special attack for it? Or is she fine?

Thanks again guys

 

[PlatinumDude]

Well since this is a for fun team for some online play and mostly battles with my friends I am gonna keep flygon over garchomp but I will keep a garchomp on me to switch out for competition. :) the natures on sylveon and yvetal are mistyped my bad I knew I had to change something.
So when pokebank comes available they can suddenly learn those moves?
Knowing I'm going to have trouble with fairy, if I replace yvetal what would be some good choices to combat fairy?
I'm going to post the movesets that I chose from above when I get back to my computer and not my phone. Is it okay to not run a wall? Or is sylveon still acting as a wall with her Evs in special attack?
Again this team is more of just my favorite pokemon, I'm going.to make a rain dance ore baton pass team for real competition (still a newb but I know a little!)

*EDIT EDIT*

Flygon w/ choice scarf
+252 atk +4 hp +252 spe
Dragon Claw, Earthquake, flamethrower, stone edge
jolly/adamant

Lucario w/ Life Orb
+252 atk +252 spe +4 hp
Extremespeed, swords dance, close combat, crunch (ice punch when available)
ability: Inner focus
adamant

Sylveon w/ leftovers
+252 Hp +252 sp.atk +4 spd
Moonblast, calm mind, shadow ball, psyshock
ability: cute charm
Modest

Noivern w/ choice specs
+252 spe +252 sp.atk +4 hp
Draco meteor, Hurricane, boomburst, flamethrower
Ability: inflitrator
timid

Absol w/ Absolite
+252 atk +252 spe +4 hp
sucker punch, night slash, psycho cut, ??? (superpower when available)
Ability: superluck
admant/naughty

So I think thats how Im going to keep those 5 unless you see any glaring flaws.

I was thinking about possible 6ths to cover my teams fairy weakness. What do you think about dragale? What about bullet punch or zap cannon lucario? Or skarmory?
Finally why run flamethrower on flygon when she doesnt have the special attack for it? Or is she fine?

Thanks again guys

See my Mega Absol sets. Absol is capable of learning Play Rough; not only does it hit Fighting Pokemon supereffectively, it also hits Dragons. A +Speed nature, like Naive, is better because Mega Absol's 115 Speed is high and should be taken advantage of. Its Special Attack also improved, so Fire Blast is the preferred option so that Absol isn't walled entirely by physically defensive opponents.

 

[ShadowWrath5]

Wow.. I'm blind as ****. Sorry man didn't mean to make it look like I was ignoring you. You get that by breeding with gumpig, lillipup etc that group?

And anything on bullet punch/zap cannon lucario or skarmory to cover fairy weakness?

 

[PlatinumDude]

Wow.. I'm blind as ****. Sorry man didn't mean to make it look like I was ignoring you. You get that by breeding with gumpig, lillipup etc that group?

And anything on bullet punch/zap cannon lucario or skarmory to cover fairy weakness?

Yes, Play Rough is an egg move. Here are compatible parents that learn it:
-Linoone
-Snubbull/Granbull
-Skitty/Delcatty
-Mawile
-Lillipup/Herdier/Stoutland
-Purrloin/Liepard
-Dedenne

Bullet Punch is viable on Lucario now that Fairies are running around. What makes you say Zap Cannon? It's terribly inaccurate and neither Skarmory nor Lucario can learn it. Even if they did, it's not worth it.

 

[ShadowWrath5]

Ah I see my mistake. I ment flash cannon not zap.

 

[PlatinumDude]

Ah I see my mistake. I ment flash cannon not zap.

Flash Cannon only sees use on specially-oriented Mega Lucario. Skarmory already hits Fairies hard enough with Brave Bird

 

[ShadowWrath5]

Okay so Im just gonna use the standard Skarmory set. One last thing, ive been breeding m absol with skitty for the last hour and im only getting skitty back. How did you get play rough on him?

 

[PlatinumDude]

Okay so Im just gonna use the standard Skarmory set. One last thing, ive been breeding m absol with skitty for the last hour and im only getting skitty back. How did you get play rough on him?

The Skitty has to be male and have Play Rough as one of its moves. The Absol has to be female, as eggs that hatch are the same as the mother's species or its pre-evolved form. You have a lot to learn about breeding, I'm afraid.

 

[ShadowWrath5]

Lol well I never said I was good at this :p This is the first generation Ive started working with evs and breeding so Im sure I will get there. Thanks for all yalls help I really appreciate it!