White: Rethinking my team

[deoxys121]

As the title suggests, I am starting to rethink my competitive team. Since I now better understand competitive roles and EVs, I would like some advice on a team I am planning. As far as natures go, recommend them to me, and I'll do my best to find them. OK, here it goes:

Chandelure
Role: Special Sweeper
EVs: 252 Sp. Atk, 252 Speed, 4 HP
Ability: ??? (If one is better than the other, let me know)
Item: Choice Specs
Moves:
- Shadow Ball
- Fire Blast
- Psychic
- Energy Ball

Haxorus
Role: Physical Sweeper
EVs: 252 Atk, 220 Speed, 38 HP
Ability: Rivalry
Item: Choice Band
Moves:
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- X-Scissor
- Outrage
I already have this Pokemon EV trained.

Starmie
Role: Revenge Killer
EVs: 252 Sp. Atk, 252 Speed, 4 HP
Ability: Natural Cure
Item: Choice Scarf
Moves:
- Surf
- Psyshock
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
I have a Starmie fully EV trained, but it has Illuminate. I would assume it's advisable to get one with Natural Cure.

Lucario
Role: Mixed Sweeper
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Sp. Atk, 4 Speed
Ability: Inner Focus
Item: Life Orb
Moves:
- Dragon Pulse
- Close Combat
- Earthquake
- Psychic

Bastiodon
Roles: Mixed Wall; SRer; Counter Utility
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Sp. Def, 4 Def (I would assume this spread, as its Defense is higher than Special defense)
Ability: Sturdy
Item: Air Balloon
Moves:
- Metal Burst
- Stealth Rock
- Block
- Stone Edge
For Stealth Rock, I need a male Pokemon from the Monster egg group that was taught Stealth Rock in Gen IV. Let me know if you have one.

Scolipede
Role: Baton Passer
EVs: 252 Speed, 252 Def, 4 HP
Ability: Poison Point
Item: Focus Sash
Moves:
- Baton Pass
- Swords Dance
- Agility
- Megahorn (For when Scolipede is on its own)
The purpose of the Focus Sash is so that if Scolipede takes a powerful hit after using a boosting move, it can still Baton Pass the boost on the next turn.

Any constructive criticism is welcome, as long as it's not rude. Thanks in advance.

 

[Ho-Oh]

For Chandelure, three of your Pokemon are weak to fire, so flash fire is definitely the ability you should go with, since you basically boost Chandelure's fire and absorb the attacks that'd otherwise really hurt you - and unless it's facing a Heatran (which is why, for example, HP fighting would be better than psychic, but since it's in-game you can't really do much). Also, modest or timid would be the best natures.

Espeon is a much better baton passer than Scolipede, but on your team you'd still be weak to dark attacks (aka Tyranitar) and considering your main four have pretty good speed and power anyway, I don't think baton passing with Scolipede is necessarily useful, especially with only 65 speed and priority would hurt it anyway. Imo you should consider replacing it, but I can't think of anything off the top of my head rn.

Lucario doesn't really work that well as mixed, it's better utilising its fighting STABs through either a specialised special or physical set. There's a variety of different sets you can go with, considering your main two are special, with the other being physical, maybe you could go with a physical Lucario. Since you want Life Orb, generally you'd be going with the set based upon speed:

Lucario@Life Orb
Inner Focus
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant
- Agility
- Close Combat
- Crunch
- Ice Punch

Agility to be... fast obv, life orb for power, CC for STAB, crunch for hurting ghosts/psychics that'd otherwise hurt you, and ice punch for other things that aren't really hurt by your other attacks.

On Bastiodon, I don't really see the purpose of block - is it there so that you can hurt the opponent with metal burst due to being slower? Either way, with metal burst, sassy or relaxed would be your best bet (both raising defs but decreasing speed, to ensure metal burst works well).

Also as for the last two natures: adamant/jolly on Haxorus (hopefully you have that :x) aaand timid on Starmie. Good luck with your team anyway!

 

[deoxys121]

OK, I'm considering my replacement for Scolipede. I have a Latios I acquired over GTS Negotiations. His nature is Timid, which works. I'm considering this set:

Roles: Special wall (kind of); Special Sweeper
EVs: 200 Sp. Atk, 252 Sp. Def, 52 Speed
Ability: Levitate (duh)
Item: Light Clay
Moves:
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Psychic
- Draco Meteor

What do you think?

Also, on Bastiodon, I think I'll replace Block with Toxic.

 

[Drakio]

Haxorus works way better with dragon claw, I suggest getting rid of X-Scissor in place of dragon claw, because if you use sword dance then use dragon claw, it does tons of damage. Also using a move that is the same type as your pokemon will boost it's power, so dragon claw will do way more damage than X-Scissor.

 

[Tyranitar042]

There is something that noboday has seen yet i havent played competetive for a while but its a first for me to see a haxorus with choice band and swords dance on the same set because choice band locks you into one move you would be limited to only 3 moves to use quite frankly thats a no brainer get rid of choice band or get rid of swords dance neither will work as one set.

Haxorus 252atk 252spd 4 hp
Jolly
Choice band

Outrage
Earthquake
Xscissors (I like shadow claw better because it has crit hit but xscis has more power whatever u feel is necessary)
Taunt (personally you could put an attacking move on here but if u suspect a switch to something like a wall for a quick SR or Spikes taunt scout then swith to doublepredict)

 

[Dark Azelf]

OK, I'm considering my replacement for Scolipede. I have a Latios I acquired over GTS Negotiations. His nature is Timid, which works. I'm considering this set:

Roles: Special wall (kind of); Special Sweeper
EVs: 200 Sp. Atk, 252 Sp. Def, 52 Speed
Ability: Levitate (duh)
Item: Light Clay
Moves:
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Psychic
- Draco Meteor

What do you think?

Also, on Bastiodon, I think I'll replace Block with Toxic.

Bastiodon is outclassed by Skarmory and Ferrothorn pretty much. Bastiodon is weak to everything really. :\

You are trying to do too much with Latios. Stick to sweeping or Dual Screening. If you do both at the same time it just sucks as you are cutting its potential.

Latios@Life Orb
252 Sp.Att / 252 Speed / 6 HP
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Psyshock / Recover

LO Latios. Hits hard and can change moves. Psyshock for special walls. HP Fire for steels. Recover to heal off LO damage.

Latios@Choice Specs
252 Sp.Att / 252 Speed / 6 HP
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Trick

Same as above but specs. Trick cripples walls.

Latios@Light Clay
252 Sp.Att / 252 HP / S.Atk HP
Timid Nature
- Dragon Pulse
- Memento
- Light Screen
- Reflect

Set up both screens then Memento them to get an easy set up with the next mon.

There is something that noboday has seen yet i havent played competetive for a while but its a first for me to see a haxorus with choice band and swords dance on the same set because choice band locks you into one move you would be limited to only 3 moves to use quite frankly thats a no brainer get rid of choice band or get rid of swords dance neither will work as one set.

Haxorus 252atk 252spd 4 hp
Jolly
Choice band

Outrage
Earthquake
Xscissors (I like shadow claw better because it has crit hit but xscis has more power whatever u feel is necessary)
Taunt (personally you could put an attacking move on here but if u suspect a switch to something like a wall for a quick SR or Spikes taunt scout then swith to doublepredict)

Brick Break is better than X-Scissor as it nails Ferrothorn and Balloon Pokemon, X-Scissor doesnt hit anything noteworthy tbh. Dont use Taunt on a Choice user, its silly when you have over nearly 600 attack like Haxorus an in general lol. Use Dual Chop to break subs and to not lock you in early game.

 

[deoxys121]

OK everyone. Thanks for all the advice. Based on your advice, my own judgment, my own research, and what I have access to, I've figured out what I think would be best. If I need more help, I'll post again here.