RMT, UU, downsizing the balloon.

[Stan_Marino]

Sooooo, I've finally decided to get into some competitive battling, and being the underdog-loving person that I am, I'm starting off in the UU tier. Unfortunately, much of my reasoning behind constructing my team has a lot to do with aesthetics and blatant favoritism (hence my stubborn decision to use Mantine no matter what). Unfortunately, even with optimal EVs and movesets, I'm sure there's some problems with synergy (i.e. this team is lacking the proper elements). Ideally I'd like to drop Drifblim, for various reasons, and replace it with something else in that tier. Anyone have any recommendations for a better replacement, and if the current pokemon offend thee, dost thou have a better idea for movesets or EVs? Also, I'm open to dropping most team members for something else, except for Mantine and Cacturne. I love Mantine and Cacturne. Let fly with the criticisms.

Sandslash (Rapid spin/physical sweeper)
Move #1: Earthquake
Move #2: Night Slash
Move #3: Stealth Rock
Move #4: Rapid Spin
Held Item: Leftovers
Nature: Impish
Ability: Sand Veil
EV's: 252 HP / 252 Defense / 4 Attack

Camerupt (Restalk)
Move #1: Stone Edge
Move #2: Earthquake
Move #3: Rest
Move #4: Sleep Talk
Held Item: Leftovers
Nature: Relaxed
Ability: Solid Rock
EV's: 252 HP / 252 Sp. Defense / 4 Attack

Drifblim (Annoyer)
Move #1: WoW
Move #2: Haze
Move #3: Destiny Bond
Move #4: Shadow Ball
Held Item: Leftovers
Nature: Timid
Ability: Aftermath
252 HP, 252 Speed/6 sp. attack

Ampharos (Scarfspecial sweeper)
Move #1: Thunderbolt
Move #2: Focus Blast
Move #3: Signal Beam
Move #4: Thunder Wave
Held Item: Choice Scarf
Nature: Timid
Ability: Static
EV's: 252 Special Attack/ 252 Speed/ 6 HP

Cacturne (Counter/Physical sweeper)
Move #1: Counter
Move #2: Sucker Punch
Move #3: Destiny Bond
Move #4: Seed Bomb
Held Item: Focus Sash
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Sand Veil
EV's: 32HP, 252Atk, 224Spd

Mantine (Special Wall)
Move #1: Toxic
Move #2: Protect
Move #3: Surf
Move #4: Aqua Ring
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP, 252 SPDEF, 4 SPATK

Note: This isn't quite the order I'm going to be going with, so don't think Sandslash is necessarily going to lead. Any tips on WHO should lead would be super-duper.

 

[LethalTexture]

We have an S&M forum for this.

*moves*

 

[Stan_Marino]

We have an S&M forum for this.

*moves*

My bad, still relatively new to the forum.

 

[AluminumKnight]

Changes in bold; comments below.

Sandslash (Rapid spin/physical sweeper)
Move #1: Earthquake
Move #2: Stone Edge
Move #3: Stealth Rock
Move #4: Rapid Spin
Held Item: Leftovers
Nature: Impish
Ability: Sand Veil
EV's: 252 HP / 252 Defense / 4 Attack

There's really only 1 pokemon that Night Slash hits for more damage than Earthquake, and that's Rotom. If you REALLY need to beat Rotom (which you shouldn't be trying to do with Sandslash anyway, then I suppose you could keep it, but Stone Edge gives Sandslash an advantage over fliers like Aerodactyl and Swellow.

Camerupt (Restalk)
Move #1: Stone Edge
Move #2: Earthquake
Move #3: Rest
Move #4: Sleep Talk
Held Item: Leftovers
Nature: Relaxed
Ability: Solid Rock
EV's: 252 HP / 252 Sp. Defense / 4 Attack

I don't like this guy so much on this team. You already have a special wall in Mantine, and a Edgequaker and electric immunity in Sandslash, so let's replace this with something more useful. I would go for another sweeper here, as your current sweepers consist of a scarfer (more of a revenge killer) and a slow Sucker Punch user with limited coverage. Maybe something like Nasty Plot Ninetales, which offers you fire coverage.

Ninetales (special sweeper)
Move #1: Nasty Plot
Move #2: Flamethrower/Fire Blast
Move #3: Energy Ball
Move #4: HP Ground/Dark Pulse/Hypnosis
Held Item: Life Orb/Wide Lens
Nature: Timid
Ability: Flash Fire
EV's: 252 SpA/252 Spd/6 HP

If you use Hypnosis (which can take care of their fire or psychic that might come in to wall you), go with Fire Blast and Wide Lens, otherwise I think Life Orb is your best item. Bring this baby in and Nasty Plot and sweep with your good coverage. HP Ground is for opposing fires that otherwise wall you and Dark Pulse is for the bulky Psychics and Rotom. You can bring this in on fire attacks aimed at Cacturne.

Drifblim (Annoyer)
Move #1: WoW
Move #2: Haze
Move #3: Destiny Bond/Explosion
Move #4: Shadow Ball
Held Item: Leftovers
Nature: Timid
Ability: Aftermath
252 HP, 252 Speed/6 sp. attack

Looks decent. Haze is meh, though you don't have any other phazer, so I suppose it works. Explosion is better than Destiny Bond I think, but it's up to you.

Ampharos (Scarfspecial sweeper)
Move #1: Thunderbolt
Move #2: Focus Blast
Move #3: Signal Beam
Move #4: Thunder Wave/HP Ice
Held Item: Choice Scarf
Nature: Timid
Ability: Static
EV's: 252 Special Attack/ 252 Speed/ 6 HP

T-wave on a scarfer is meh. You can go with HP Ice to hit grounds like Sandslash and Grass/Poisons harder, and take out Altaria better than Tbolt.

Cacturne (Counter/Physical sweeper)
Move #1: Focus Punch/Brick Break
Move #2: Sucker Punch
Move #3: Swords Dance
Move #4: Seed Bomb
Held Item: Focus Sash
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Sand Veil
EV's: 32HP, 252Atk, 224Spd

Sucker Punch Cacturne can be deadly, but isn't as threatening without Swords Dance. Get rid of Destiny Bond (he's too slow to use it anyway), and use Swords Dance. Also, screw Counter. It's a one use gimmick, and now that you have Swords Dance, you'll want to use that while they try to OHKO you, then you can Sucker Punch them to oblivion. If you feel something like Clefable or Aggron switching in, you can Focus Punch, or you don't feel comfortable with the prediction, Brick Break is also an option.

Mantine (Special Wall)
Move #1: Toxic
Move #2: Sleep Talk
Move #3: Surf
Move #4: Rest
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Calm
EVs: 252 HP, 252 SPDEF, 4 SPATK

Aqua Ring is pretty much useless, so we'll use Rest for HP recovery and to take over the status absorber role in your team. We need Sleep Talk , so Protect will also go.

Note: This isn't quite the order I'm going to be going with, so don't think Sandslash is necessarily going to lead. Any tips on WHO should lead would be super-duper.

Yeah Sandslash should not lead, you need him for Rapid Spinning. If you decide to use Ninetales, that's a good lead (just go to Sandslash if you see Persian or Aero). Otherwise, you could lead with Cacturne or Drifblim.