The ArcaSix [RMT]

[R.K 9]

this is my first ever proper competitive battling team, so there may be mistakes, so I just hope I've got things right. I'm posting it here though just so I can hear what you all think of it. :)
I'm not particularly sure what tier it is, although it mostly consists of OU and BL pokemon, who may be defined as UU but whatever.

CONSTRUCTION

-> this team is orientated around my favourite pokemon, that of course, being arcanine. it has reasonable bulk, power and movepool, although it has a stealth rock weakness I have a solution to come back to further on.
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-> first problem which will occur to arcanine, is that there are many threats out there that can resist it's moves, mainly the lati-twins and swampert. then I thought that a dragon-type will help a great bunch and pair up well with arcanine, so which one? then I thought about kingdra, who has many moves to deal with arcanine's threats as well as take advantage of an opponent's rain team, which is quite common nowadays.
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-> so, that's one threat out of the way, but kingdra can still have a hard time with dealing with swampert, as well as other bulky waters. it was time for a grass type, and a hard hitting one. who better than breloom? with really high attack for a grass-type and the spore-subpunch combo at hand, swampert would have a hard time.
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-> now that we have the threats out of the way, what else does arcanine hate? stealth rock. we needed a rapid spinner who could take hits well. at first I thought about using foretress, as it could throw out ever single entry hazard as well as spin them away. then I thought that if it got taunted, that would be it. switch out and do something else. we needed a better pokemon to deal with entry hazards, throw them out and pack a punch as well, and that was when claydol came to mind.
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-> okay, so that's another problem sorted. however, there still comes a problem of recovery, seen as I'm not running arcanine with morning sun as I can't trust a ninetales to show up on the opponent's team. therefore, wish support was needed. instantly, I knew jirachi would fit the job well.
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-> I couldn't really think of any more problems that arcanine would face now that everything had been considered. so, another sweeper would do nicely incase arcanine would be taken out. a sweeper with bulk, and a diverse movepool as well as a decent typing. therefore, I've decided to add another one of my favourites, gallade.
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FULL TEAM

CLOSER LOOK

-> SR & Spinner

Claydol @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 SAtk
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam

while it's not the most used of hazard layers, claydol can do a really good job most of the time. it's really good defensively and has plenty of resistances, although dark, grass, ghost and water types are fairly common. the main plan is to throw the rocks out and switch out so it can spin any hazards away in the future. if I'm feeling lucky, I could use one of claydol's attacking moves to knock out a foe which is weak to them. earth power and ice beam are actually quite a cool combo, and can handle most things together.

-> Physical Sweeper I (Speed)

Arcanine @ Life Orb/Expert Belt
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Flare Blitz
- Close Combat
- Wild Charge
- Flame Charge/Agility

the main event of the team. I found a speed boosting set better to use, as there are a lot of faster pokemon out there such as excadrill who can pulverize it easily if it doesn't boost it's speed.
it's movepool is great, and the three attacking moves can handle most pokemon. I'm unsure about which speed boosting move to use though. flame charge can deal damage and make it easier on the next turn to wipe out the enemy as it's weaker, although agility can boost it's speed another level. much more important to defeat enemies such as SS cloyster, or any other pokemon which boosts it's speed.

-> Physical Sweeper II (Bulk Up)

Gallade @ Leftovers
Trait: Steadfast
EVs: 240 HP / 40 Atk / 216 SDef / 12 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Stone Edge
- Shadow Sneak

this thing is so fun to use. not only is it cool, but after a bulk up, it can punch through things quite well and restore HP with drain punch, similar to how conkeldurr works. thing is, conkeldurr can't get shadow sneak, and after a couple of bulk ups, gengar really takes a blow from it.

-> Physical Sweeper III (Sleep Inducer)

Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Substitute
- Focus Punch
- Seed Bomb
- Spore

I'm sure you're all familiar with this set. a classic. spore is great, and if successful, can bring a huge advantage. I find it better to substitute straight after enducing sleep, and then using the move which would hurt the opponent more, depending on weakness. the main target is swampert, and as it's slow, can fall down to this set easily.

-> Special Sweeper

Kingdra @ Choice Specs
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SAtk / 216 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Draco Meteor
- Hydro Pump
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Dragon Pulse

simple to explain, really. a choice specs set which can make all of it's attacks pack a punch, especially draco meteor, which handles all the dragons which stand in the way. of course, dragon pulse is also on the set incase I don't feel that the sp.atk drop is worth it.

-> Wish Support

Jirachi @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 224 SDef / 32 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Iron Head
- Thunder Wave
- Wish
- Protect

wish support is great, especially for those who don't have a recovery move/item. however, serene grace gives more for jirachi to play with, the paraflinch strategy in particular. it's so annoying that I love it. land a thunder wave and just spam iron head, and if it's not worth it then switch out to someone who can hit harder. simple, yet effective!
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UPDATES
-> kingdra's EVs updated, from [100 HP / 252 SAtk / 156 Spd] to [40 HP / 252 SAtk / 216 Spd]

and that's my team. fire away any suggestions you may have. :)

 

[flamehaze94]

This is a good and unique team that really should get more rates (come on guys >:()As someone who doesn't run weather, you'll have to be aware that the weather mill more likely than not, be against you. Therefore, you'll need certain checks so common sweepers like Excadrill don't run over this team. Speaking of Excadrill, one could potentially sweep your team if it carries X-Scissor; it can come in on Kingdra after a Draco Meter or just switch into Jirachi with impunity, then SD and destroy everything. Varients that don't have X-Scissor are handled well by Cloydol though, so don't give it that chance to set up! Breloom can be a fantastic check for Excadrill though, if you''re still wary about it. You'll have to give up Substitute for Mach Punch though and invest in your defenses more.

ExtremeSpeed is the superior option for Arcanine in the last slot. +2 priority can really help sometimes, when you need to kill certains threats like a weakened Thundurus. Certain Thundurus carry Lum Berry to beat Jirachi so you'll have to be prepared for it. Rain will make Arcanine useless, but Kingdra will be a great boon for you in those matches so just get rid of Gastrodon / Ferrothorn (Breloom can do both!) and you're set.

There's a particular Mamoswine I would also like to address. Icicle Crash / Earthquake will OHKO if not 2HKO everything here. You'll have to careful since this team is quite slow and Mamoswine can tear it apart in the right hands. I'd give Kingdra 216 Speed EVs just to outspeed Jolly Mamoswine. Yup, that's it. I didn't really want to change any members around though, but I think it should still do well.

 

[R.K 9]

This is a good and unique team that really should get more rates (come on guys >:()As someone who doesn't run weather, you'll have to be aware that the weather mill more likely than not, be against you. Therefore, you'll need certain checks so common sweepers like Excadrill don't run over this team. Speaking of Excadrill, one could potentially sweep your team if it carries X-Scissor; it can come in on Kingdra after a Draco Meter or just switch into Jirachi with impunity, then SD and destroy everything. Varients that don't have X-Scissor are handled well by Cloydol though, so don't give it that chance to set up! Breloom can be a fantastic check for Excadrill though, if you''re still wary about it. You'll have to give up Substitute for Mach Punch though and invest in your defenses more.

ExtremeSpeed is the superior option for Arcanine in the last slot. +2 priority can really help sometimes, when you need to kill certains threats like a weakened Thundurus. Certain Thundurus carry Lum Berry to beat Jirachi so you'll have to be prepared for it. Rain will make Arcanine useless, but Kingdra will be a great boon for you in those matches so just get rid of Gastrodon / Ferrothorn (Breloom can do both!) and you're set.

There's a particular Mamoswine I would also like to address. Icicle Crash / Earthquake will OHKO if not 2HKO everything here. You'll have to careful since this team is quite slow and Mamoswine can tear it apart in the right hands. I'd give Kingdra 216 Speed EVs just to outspeed Jolly Mamoswine. Yup, that's it. I didn't really want to change any members around though, but I think it should still do well.

thanks. :)
I did consider excadrill, what with how tough it would be in sandstorm, although it's kind of why I'm using the speed boosting arcanine set. after an agility, arcanine can outspeed a sand rush excadrill (providing it's not jolly) therefore if used while excadrill is setting up/before it enters the battle, arcanine can push it out of the way with a flare blitz. if not, then all the other pokemon have their own way of dealing with excadrill: gallade's drain punch, kingdra's hydro pump, breloom's focus punch, even claydol's earth power. although yes, like you said, x-scissor could provide an issue...
I could use the technician breloom set with mach punch, although I just thought this set would pull off much more of an effect. poison heal is useful so that breloom could restore HP every turn whilst also being protected from statuses such as paralysis which would hinder it.
going back to the arcanine set, I thought that the speed set would be much better because not only is extremespeed neutral and steels/rocks take it with a pinch of salt, but the speed boosting moves can help it reach the speedy heights of sand rush excadrill, shell smash cloyster, etc. I did think of using exremespeed on the set instead of them though, and run the set with a choice band, but I just decided to try something different.
that mamoswine is also another pokemon which gives arcanine a reason to stick with flame charge/agility so that it can outspeed it and knock it out before it gets a chance to strike with earthquake. saying that I think I'll adjust kingdra's EVs so it could outspeed it.

 

[dreyko]

since your arent running weather you really do have to be weary for weather teams with specific sweepers/ abusers. some of which are excadrill ( as mentioned previosly) and rain abuser dragonite with multi scale. although SR will break its multi scale, if it gets a roost in then it will be hard to get a OHKO. however, what i like about your team is that it can counter a rain team. since your kingdra has swift swim it will be able to outspeed just about anything on a rain team and it can completly shut down a rain abuser dragonite. additionally rain will work to your breloom, and jirachis advantage by strengthining their resistance to fire type moves.

oh an i do like how you have shadow sneak on your gallade btw =) i feel that this gives you the element of surprise over ghost type users, which can really turn the tide of the match in your favor.

anyways, i hope this helps you a little 8D

 

[Vrai]

thanks. :)
I did consider excadrill, what with how tough it would be in sandstorm, although it's kind of why I'm using the speed boosting arcanine set. after an agility, arcanine can outspeed a sand rush excadrill (providing it's not jolly) therefore if used while excadrill is setting up/before it enters the battle, arcanine can push it out of the way with a flare blitz. if not, then all the other pokemon have their own way of dealing with excadrill: gallade's drain punch, kingdra's hydro pump, breloom's focus punch, even claydol's earth power. although yes, like you said, x-scissor could provide an issue...
I could use the technician breloom set with mach punch, although I just thought this set would pull off much more of an effect. poison heal is useful so that breloom could restore HP every turn whilst also being protected from statuses such as paralysis which would hinder it.
going back to the arcanine set, I thought that the speed set would be much better because not only is extremespeed neutral and steels/rocks take it with a pinch of salt, but the speed boosting moves can help it reach the speedy heights of sand rush excadrill, shell smash cloyster, etc. I did think of using exremespeed on the set instead of them though, and run the set with a choice band, but I just decided to try something different.
that mamoswine is also another pokemon which gives arcanine a reason to stick with flame charge/agility so that it can outspeed it and knock it out before it gets a chance to strike with earthquake. saying that I think I'll adjust kingdra's EVs so it could outspeed it.

well, can i ask you when arcanine is going to get the chance to beat down excadrill and friends? i mean, think about it. who in their right mind would switch excadrill into arcanine? eating a flare blitz is definitely not on excadrill's to-do list. when you send out arcanine, people will switch in bulky waters, not their weak-to-fire sweeper. and if you mean that you'd come in on exca and agility up, good luck with that. you'll either get in on the sd (meaning you'll eat an eq next turn and die) or get in on rock slide (meaning you're probably near death already but you'll eat an eq and die) or get in on x-scissor (meaning you'll eat an eq and die) or you'll get in on eq and die. in all scenarios, arcanine is not really a reliable check to excadrill, even if it can outpace. it doesn't lure in exca, nor does it really have the opportunity to come in and deal with it. same applies with cloyster, really.

 

[R.K 9]

well, can i ask you when arcanine is going to get the chance to beat down excadrill and friends? i mean, think about it. who in their right mind would switch excadrill into arcanine? eating a flare blitz is definitely not on excadrill's to-do list. when you send out arcanine, people will switch in bulky waters, not their weak-to-fire sweeper. and if you mean that you'd come in on exca and agility up, good luck with that. you'll either get in on the sd (meaning you'll eat an eq next turn and die) or get in on rock slide (meaning you're probably near death already but you'll eat an eq and die) or get in on x-scissor (meaning you'll eat an eq and die) or you'll get in on eq and die. in all scenarios, arcanine is not really a reliable check to excadrill, even if it can outpace. it doesn't lure in exca, nor does it really have the opportunity to come in and deal with it. same applies with cloyster, really.

actually, there's the scenario later on in the game where it could be used when most of the opponent's team has been handled and it then has no choice to come in and arcanine would already be fired up with a speed boost. besides, there are commonly used pokemon out there who take hits much worse from fire than excadrill, such as ferrothorn, scizor and forretress.
I'd also like to add that seen as this is a wi-fi team (and therefore I could identify the opponent's team beforehand) I would target the bulky water with breloom (or gallade, if the opponent happens to be jellicent) and get them out of the way before arcanine can come in. of course, it always has wild charge for those without the water/ground type combo.
although it is... unlikely that the aforementioned scenario would happen, it's not to say that arcanine can't beat it. not the best on the team to counter excadrill, yes, I think that kingdra/gallade/breloom could possibly do a better job against it, I'm just saying that it's not always going to be complete roadkill against it.
I do appreciate what you're saying though and if you have any ideas on how to counter it easier then you're more than free to suggest them. :) I'll probably do a bit more testing with my team and see what happens...