Hi all, this is one of my first competitive teams but I'm having a blast with it so far. It's only peaked at ~1350 on the pokemonshowdown ladder, but considering I'm still learning I don't think that's too bad. However, I still sometimes struggle against stat-boosting sweepers and a certain few Pokemon so I'm coming to you guys for help. And I have definitely been crippled by my pickiness. I like to use my favorite Pokemon rather than ones that are strong but I dislike; but, this team has worked out better than I expected considering the lack of legendaries and 600+ stat totals.
Klefki (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Foul Play
- Spikes
- Thunder Wave
- Magnet Rise
Klefki is my usual lead, recently replacing Skarmory. I run Magnet Rise since I notice a ton of Landorus-T leads; Magnet Rise surprises them and usually forces a switch, freeing Klefki to set up Spikes or paralyze the switch in. Foul Play is only there to bypass Taunt, but I don't get much use out of it and have considered running a screen or Magic Coat. Where Klefki really struggles is Magic Bounce leads (Mega-Diancie wrecks my team).
Altaria (F) @ Altarianite
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 28 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Roost
- Heal Bell
- Earthquake
The only reason I chose Mega-Altaria over Mega-Sableye for a stall team is Altaria is my second favorite Pokemon. But she can do things Mega-Sableye can't - like kill Mega-Sableye. I went with Hyper Voice instead of Return for its ability to hit through substitutes, which my offensively weak team otherwise struggles with. Roost and Heal Bell are there to stall, and Earthquake is for steel and poison switch-ins, though I may switch it out for Flamethrower. She lacks offensive presence, but normally by the time I send her out the enemy team has been weakened enough for her to kill them off.
Gourgeist-Super (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Frisk
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Synthesis
- Will-O-Wisp
- Leech Seed
- Foul Play (?)
Gourgeist is my spinblocker and physical wall. I switch her in on physical attacks I know she can take, or into Pokemon that don't threaten her, then set up Burns and Leech Seed and can usually force a switch because almost nothing can get through her defense + Synthesis. Foul Play is a questionable choice that again, I don't get much use out of. I've seen other people run Rock Slide to counter flying-types but I don't feel confident enough in my predictions to use it well.
Clefable (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Flamethrower
- Cosmic Power
- Toxic
Clefable is awesome and has won me her fair share of games by becoming an unkillable annoyance. If I pick the right time to switch her in and can set up a Cosmic Power, she's usually free to keep setting up then poison and burn everything my opponent sends in to stop her. I run Softboiled over Wish because most of my other Pokemon have their own form of recovery already. I chose Flamethrower instead of Moonblast because the burn makes up for her lack of SpA investment. Toxic is fun, but I may switch it out for Thunder Wave since it does nothing against the Steel and Poison types that switch into her - and it would help a lot against Mega-Venusaur who I otherwise struggle to beat. I haven't run into many situations where I wished I had Unaware over Magic Guard because most of the time my Klefki has paralyzed their sweepers already.
Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Recover
- Scald
- Psyshock
Starmie has been my favorite Pokemon since Gen 1 and my teams don't feel complete without her. Here she is the closest thing I have to a sweeper, mostly used for her wide coverage, and I pick her attacks based on what Pokemon my team has problems with. Thunderbolt for the bulky waters and flying types, Scald because why not?, and Psyshock for Chansey and poison types. I've had some success with Power Gem in the past because it surprises Mega-Charizard Y and Talonflame with OHKOs, but Thunderbolt is usually enough combined with residual damage.
Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Toxic
This is the most volatile slot on my team. I've already gone through Gliscor, Excadrill, Bisharp and now Hippowdon. His intended purpose is a stallbreaker, but Hippowdon lacks Gliscor's Knock Off which makes that hard for him to achieve. Stealth Rock is a nice complement to Spikes, and another entry hazard is handy for when Klefki is dead and Spikes have been defogged/spinned. Earthquake kills the Steel and Fire types my team has trouble with (especially Heatran)...but I do feel there are better choices for this last spot.
Counters
I've only played about 50 games with this team, but so far I've been destroyed by:
Mega-Diancie: Altaria is my answer to Mega-Sableye's Magic Bounce, but no one on my team threatens Diancie as much. This is the main reason I'm strongly considering trading Hippowdon for Excadrill; a strong Iron Head is a simple solution to this problem.
Mega-Venusaur: Besides Klefki, who can't do anything to Mega-Venusaur besides paralyzing it, every Pokemon on my team is weak to grass or poison, and Starmie's Psyshock isn't enough to take it down before Starmie dies and it Synthesizes back up.
Bisharp: Again, 4 of my Pokemon are weak to Steel or Dark, and unless Hippowdon is still at full health or Clefable is capped out on Cosmic Powers, I have limited options for killing Bisharp.
Serperior: Though I have a lot of Grass resistances, I lack the power to kill Serperior before he gets to +6.
Klefki (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Foul Play
- Spikes
- Thunder Wave
- Magnet Rise
Klefki is my usual lead, recently replacing Skarmory. I run Magnet Rise since I notice a ton of Landorus-T leads; Magnet Rise surprises them and usually forces a switch, freeing Klefki to set up Spikes or paralyze the switch in. Foul Play is only there to bypass Taunt, but I don't get much use out of it and have considered running a screen or Magic Coat. Where Klefki really struggles is Magic Bounce leads (Mega-Diancie wrecks my team).
Altaria (F) @ Altarianite
Ability: Cloud Nine
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 28 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Roost
- Heal Bell
- Earthquake
The only reason I chose Mega-Altaria over Mega-Sableye for a stall team is Altaria is my second favorite Pokemon. But she can do things Mega-Sableye can't - like kill Mega-Sableye. I went with Hyper Voice instead of Return for its ability to hit through substitutes, which my offensively weak team otherwise struggles with. Roost and Heal Bell are there to stall, and Earthquake is for steel and poison switch-ins, though I may switch it out for Flamethrower. She lacks offensive presence, but normally by the time I send her out the enemy team has been weakened enough for her to kill them off.
Gourgeist-Super (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Frisk
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Synthesis
- Will-O-Wisp
- Leech Seed
- Foul Play (?)
Gourgeist is my spinblocker and physical wall. I switch her in on physical attacks I know she can take, or into Pokemon that don't threaten her, then set up Burns and Leech Seed and can usually force a switch because almost nothing can get through her defense + Synthesis. Foul Play is a questionable choice that again, I don't get much use out of. I've seen other people run Rock Slide to counter flying-types but I don't feel confident enough in my predictions to use it well.
Clefable (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Soft-Boiled
- Flamethrower
- Cosmic Power
- Toxic
Clefable is awesome and has won me her fair share of games by becoming an unkillable annoyance. If I pick the right time to switch her in and can set up a Cosmic Power, she's usually free to keep setting up then poison and burn everything my opponent sends in to stop her. I run Softboiled over Wish because most of my other Pokemon have their own form of recovery already. I chose Flamethrower instead of Moonblast because the burn makes up for her lack of SpA investment. Toxic is fun, but I may switch it out for Thunder Wave since it does nothing against the Steel and Poison types that switch into her - and it would help a lot against Mega-Venusaur who I otherwise struggle to beat. I haven't run into many situations where I wished I had Unaware over Magic Guard because most of the time my Klefki has paralyzed their sweepers already.
Starmie @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Recover
- Scald
- Psyshock
Starmie has been my favorite Pokemon since Gen 1 and my teams don't feel complete without her. Here she is the closest thing I have to a sweeper, mostly used for her wide coverage, and I pick her attacks based on what Pokemon my team has problems with. Thunderbolt for the bulky waters and flying types, Scald because why not?, and Psyshock for Chansey and poison types. I've had some success with Power Gem in the past because it surprises Mega-Charizard Y and Talonflame with OHKOs, but Thunderbolt is usually enough combined with residual damage.
Hippowdon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Force
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Slack Off
- Toxic
This is the most volatile slot on my team. I've already gone through Gliscor, Excadrill, Bisharp and now Hippowdon. His intended purpose is a stallbreaker, but Hippowdon lacks Gliscor's Knock Off which makes that hard for him to achieve. Stealth Rock is a nice complement to Spikes, and another entry hazard is handy for when Klefki is dead and Spikes have been defogged/spinned. Earthquake kills the Steel and Fire types my team has trouble with (especially Heatran)...but I do feel there are better choices for this last spot.
Counters
I've only played about 50 games with this team, but so far I've been destroyed by:
Mega-Diancie: Altaria is my answer to Mega-Sableye's Magic Bounce, but no one on my team threatens Diancie as much. This is the main reason I'm strongly considering trading Hippowdon for Excadrill; a strong Iron Head is a simple solution to this problem.
Mega-Venusaur: Besides Klefki, who can't do anything to Mega-Venusaur besides paralyzing it, every Pokemon on my team is weak to grass or poison, and Starmie's Psyshock isn't enough to take it down before Starmie dies and it Synthesizes back up.
Bisharp: Again, 4 of my Pokemon are weak to Steel or Dark, and unless Hippowdon is still at full health or Clefable is capped out on Cosmic Powers, I have limited options for killing Bisharp.
Serperior: Though I have a lot of Grass resistances, I lack the power to kill Serperior before he gets to +6.
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