I've recently started over my Emerald game, looking to improvemy trainer skills (after discovering things like EV, and the benefitsof breeding),so this is my team (yeah, it's the same team as my Sapphire... because I like it! lol).
But I'd be grateful if anyone could give me some advice on movesets, and all that jazz:
Swampert,38 @ Leftovers/Chesto Berry
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
Moves:
- Rest
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Earthquake (planned)
Don't waste Normal moves on non-Normal Pokes. Also, its nature goes against one of its strengths, you want to +Def, not -Def. Relaxed is standard. Rest is a great option for Swampert since it can tank even more and Ice Beam >>>> Blizzard. Also, don't use those held items that only increase one type of move by 10%. Completely useless. Use Leftovers or even a Chesto Berry to get a free Rest.
Claydol, 38 @ Leftovers
Lax Nature (+Def, - Sp Def)
Moves:
- Ice Beam
- Light Screen/Reflect
- Rest/Explosion
- Earthquake (planned),
Avoid using crappy two-turn moves like Hyper Beam. You can actually do more damage attacking twice with Earthquake than you can with one Hyper Beam attack that takes two turns. Claydol is a great pseudo-passer, being able to pass either Light Screen or Reflect. Rest lets it tank better while Explosion allows it to take out threats.
Kadabra, 38 (soon to be Alakazam), 38 @ Lum Berry/Shell Bell/Leftovers
Modest Nature (+Sp Atk, - Atk)
Moves:
- Psychic
- Calm Mind
- Ice Punch (planned)
- Fire Punch (planned)
Very good moveset. Modest >>> Mild.
Magneton, 38 @ Leftovers/Shell Bell
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
Moves:
- Thunderbolt
- Thunder Wave
- Toxic
- Substitute
A few no-nos here. First, don't bother with Magnet. Next, don't use +Atk nature on a Poke that shouldn't be using physical attacks. Next, never use crappy two-turn combos like Lock-On/Zap Cannon. They are as bad as other two-turn moves. Since Magneton's movepool is severely limited in-game, Toxic and Substitute are your best options. Secret Power is simply lol.
Vileplume, 38 @ Leftovers/Lum Berry
Mild Nature (+SAtk, -Def)/Modest (+SAtk, -Atk)
Moves:
- Sunny Day
- Solarbeam
- Sleep Powder
- Sludge Bomb/Moonlight
Vileplume is an underrated utility Poke. One of only a few good SunnyBeamers. I still prefer Aromaplume, but that is more effective in competitive play than in-game. Sleep Powder is a great disabling move and Sludge Bomb/Moonlight is your choice. I prefer the former but the latter is quite helpful. The nature depends on that last slot.
Tropius, 38 @ ???
Impish Nature (+Def, -Sp Att)
Moves: Arial Ace/Fly, Magical Leaf, Sunny Day (planned), Synthesis (planned)
I've gotten criticism from some friends about using a Tropius, but unless he's up against a good ice pokemon, my guy is a surpringly tough defense tank. His Special Attack isn't too shabby either. Plus he looks like a big dinosaur. That's a plus. :-)
Tropius is a great HM slave, but a mediocre battler. Since you already have a Grass-type in the better Vileplume, this one just gives your team a huge liability. Not only do you have to worry about Ice-types, but also a ton of other types that know how to use Ice Beam. Being 4x weak to Ice on a crappy Poke to begin with isn't good. Salamence or Dragonite or Flygon outclass Tropius in every single way. Or you could avoid the 4x Ice weak altogether and go with physical attacker like Heracross or Tyranitar or Tauros.
My trump card is probably Kadabra/Alakazam... when I got to the volcano ash place, I EV trained my behind off (with Pokerus and Macho Brace), and maxed out his Special Attack as much as I could. I haven't seen anyone of the same level take more than two hits from this guy before being totally destroyed; and that was with a Psybeam. When I get a Ditto from LG/FR, I plan to breed an Abra with a good Nature, and completely max out his Special Attack, just to see how high I can get it up. Maybe up to 500, 575 by Level 100? I got him up to 350 by 100 on my old Sapphire game, being completely oblivious to EVs... so who knows??
