> Picknicker's Choice: Nat Dex Balance <
Introduction
Hello everyone, thanks for taking the time to check out my team. This is my first ever RMT and my first official post although I have lurked prior. I've been battling competitively for not long, only a bit over a year and a half now, but I really enjoy making teams (although I'm not particularly great at it as you're about to see), but this is one that I think is decent. I'd love any feedback in order to make this team better! Thanks so much :)
The Team + Thoughts
Biscuits (Scizor-Mega) @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 36 Def / 220 SpD
Careful Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Swords Dance
- Roost
Whenever making teams, you obviously have to start out with a mon you want to build around, and I think mega scizor is one of the best to do that. It provides fantastic utility threatening with offensive swords dance sets, or much more defensive support capabilities with roost and the ability to create momentum with U-turn. I chose to run a defensive SD build deviating from the traditional 16 Def Impish run for banded Kartana because 1. I don't see as much band as I used to (more SD than anything, and occasionally scarf and band although band is my favorite) and 2. This team originally had buzzwole who is a fantastic Kart check although I replaced it for another solid Kart check who I will cover later. Because of this, I made it much more spdf oriented like a regular scizor build. I feel the moves are self explanatory so I won't go over them.
Gravy (Tapu Fini) @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 236 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draining Kiss
- Scald
- Taunt
- Calm Mind
I knew I wanted to pair scizor with Fini because of how fantastic they work together well as physical/special walls. Fini provides great utility with misty terrain, as well as checking the premier offensive threats of the meta game, primarily Weavile and Ash-Gren. Scald is obviously a desired move due to its ability to burn the physical threats its primarily switching in on, and draining kiss is fantastic to pair with leftovers as well as calm mind as it does not have a reliable form of recovery. Taunt is a Fini standard which allowed to not only set up on, but prevent the recovery of defensive Pokemon. I'm running nearly max defense with no speed because this is a very important part of my core so sacrificing more speed to outrun mons like Magnezone felt largely pointless. The 20 speed though is to outrun those hitting 210 (which tends to be other very defensive FIni's, and getting that faster taunt could be the difference).
Midday Stroll (Heatran) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Eruption
- Flamethrower
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
This team seems largely defensively oriented so scarf Heatran usually picks up a surprise eruption kill. I don't have too much to comment on this as it is a standard scarf Heatran set. Timid for max speed (I contemplated running Modest but outspeeding things like Koko, Weavile, and Mega Lopunny is just too important). Eruption is obviously the go to move given its 150 BP at full + STAB bonus. Really the only things living that at full HP are other Heatran's which it runs Earth Power if you need to predict, although EP gives beneficial coverage for other mons as well. Flamethrower is run for when you inevitably are at less HP where it would do more damage than Eruption. Flash Cannon is for hitting everything else.
Daddy's Girl (Rillaboom) @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Grassy Glide
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Superpower
Rillaboom was the final Pokemon of the original 6 that I chose, and I debated between SD and Band but eventually settled on Band simply because its damage on Grassy Glide is too good to pass up for revenge killing. I chose jolly over adamant for the extra speed which I think is more valuable, and I excluded Wood Hammer because 1. Grassy Glide is obviously a given 2. U-turn provides great switch opportunities which lets me pivot into something like scarf Heatran on its few checks, Knock Off for the coverage and utility it brings, and Superpower for the coverage.
Devil's Spawn (Zapdos) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Hurricane
- Defog
- Roost
This was my replacement for Buzzwole because I felt Buzzwole was fairly redundant and checking a few things that Fini couldn't defensively (primarily Kartana and Rillaboom) and it took some of the burden off Fini as it is a great wall that has access to roost. However, I felt that didn't warrant a spot on the team, and I didn't really have great hazard removal yet, so Zapdos took up the mantel. The set itself isn't revolutionary, boots are essentially a given as it's my hazard removal. I'm running 40 speed to outrun adamant Rillaboom, and Jolly can't really break that well. Then I'm running HP and Def the rest of the way to fill its purpose. I chose Zapdos for my defogger because it fills in the gaps removing Buzzwole made, and Zapdos in because it excels at dealing with the vast number of good flying and water type Pokemon for this team. The move I see how some people might take issue over is hurricane. The primary objective of this Pokemon was to replace buzzwole, and it OHKOs Kartana and Rillaboom with hurricane (heat wave doesn't kill Rillaboom). Although it certainly has less accuracy, it makes up for it with more power. I understand that heat wave does have nice coverage, but hurricane also makes defensive zapdos VERY threatening in opposing rain with discharge.
King Leoncoeur (Garchomp) @ Firium Z
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Fire Fang
My final Pokemon I brought because I felt the team was too defensive. Landorus is certainly another Pokemon that can fit this role, but I liked Garchomp more. Its running a very offensive stealth rock lead obviously with Earthquake, and stone edge to hit flying/levitating mons. I'll be completely honest, this is the mon I'm anticipating the most criticism on and I completely understand and I'd love a good replacement. I'm running Firium Z to help deal with the annoying Corviknights that are the premier walls to Garchomp. I also contemplated running scale shot but I wanted it to fulfill my needs of Stealth Rock and without SD it feels lackluster, and I thought about running poison jab with either poison Z or rock Z but decided against.
Conclusion
Thank you so much for reading everything, it's currently 2am for me so I apologize for any formatting or spelling errors I might've made. Please let me know any feedback you might have on sets/moves/mons.
Introduction
Hello everyone, thanks for taking the time to check out my team. This is my first ever RMT and my first official post although I have lurked prior. I've been battling competitively for not long, only a bit over a year and a half now, but I really enjoy making teams (although I'm not particularly great at it as you're about to see), but this is one that I think is decent. I'd love any feedback in order to make this team better! Thanks so much :)
The Team + Thoughts
Biscuits (Scizor-Mega) @ Scizorite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 36 Def / 220 SpD
Careful Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Swords Dance
- Roost
Whenever making teams, you obviously have to start out with a mon you want to build around, and I think mega scizor is one of the best to do that. It provides fantastic utility threatening with offensive swords dance sets, or much more defensive support capabilities with roost and the ability to create momentum with U-turn. I chose to run a defensive SD build deviating from the traditional 16 Def Impish run for banded Kartana because 1. I don't see as much band as I used to (more SD than anything, and occasionally scarf and band although band is my favorite) and 2. This team originally had buzzwole who is a fantastic Kart check although I replaced it for another solid Kart check who I will cover later. Because of this, I made it much more spdf oriented like a regular scizor build. I feel the moves are self explanatory so I won't go over them.
Gravy (Tapu Fini) @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 236 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draining Kiss
- Scald
- Taunt
- Calm Mind
I knew I wanted to pair scizor with Fini because of how fantastic they work together well as physical/special walls. Fini provides great utility with misty terrain, as well as checking the premier offensive threats of the meta game, primarily Weavile and Ash-Gren. Scald is obviously a desired move due to its ability to burn the physical threats its primarily switching in on, and draining kiss is fantastic to pair with leftovers as well as calm mind as it does not have a reliable form of recovery. Taunt is a Fini standard which allowed to not only set up on, but prevent the recovery of defensive Pokemon. I'm running nearly max defense with no speed because this is a very important part of my core so sacrificing more speed to outrun mons like Magnezone felt largely pointless. The 20 speed though is to outrun those hitting 210 (which tends to be other very defensive FIni's, and getting that faster taunt could be the difference).
Midday Stroll (Heatran) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Eruption
- Flamethrower
- Flash Cannon
- Earth Power
This team seems largely defensively oriented so scarf Heatran usually picks up a surprise eruption kill. I don't have too much to comment on this as it is a standard scarf Heatran set. Timid for max speed (I contemplated running Modest but outspeeding things like Koko, Weavile, and Mega Lopunny is just too important). Eruption is obviously the go to move given its 150 BP at full + STAB bonus. Really the only things living that at full HP are other Heatran's which it runs Earth Power if you need to predict, although EP gives beneficial coverage for other mons as well. Flamethrower is run for when you inevitably are at less HP where it would do more damage than Eruption. Flash Cannon is for hitting everything else.
Daddy's Girl (Rillaboom) @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Grassy Glide
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Superpower
Rillaboom was the final Pokemon of the original 6 that I chose, and I debated between SD and Band but eventually settled on Band simply because its damage on Grassy Glide is too good to pass up for revenge killing. I chose jolly over adamant for the extra speed which I think is more valuable, and I excluded Wood Hammer because 1. Grassy Glide is obviously a given 2. U-turn provides great switch opportunities which lets me pivot into something like scarf Heatran on its few checks, Knock Off for the coverage and utility it brings, and Superpower for the coverage.
Devil's Spawn (Zapdos) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Hurricane
- Defog
- Roost
This was my replacement for Buzzwole because I felt Buzzwole was fairly redundant and checking a few things that Fini couldn't defensively (primarily Kartana and Rillaboom) and it took some of the burden off Fini as it is a great wall that has access to roost. However, I felt that didn't warrant a spot on the team, and I didn't really have great hazard removal yet, so Zapdos took up the mantel. The set itself isn't revolutionary, boots are essentially a given as it's my hazard removal. I'm running 40 speed to outrun adamant Rillaboom, and Jolly can't really break that well. Then I'm running HP and Def the rest of the way to fill its purpose. I chose Zapdos for my defogger because it fills in the gaps removing Buzzwole made, and Zapdos in because it excels at dealing with the vast number of good flying and water type Pokemon for this team. The move I see how some people might take issue over is hurricane. The primary objective of this Pokemon was to replace buzzwole, and it OHKOs Kartana and Rillaboom with hurricane (heat wave doesn't kill Rillaboom). Although it certainly has less accuracy, it makes up for it with more power. I understand that heat wave does have nice coverage, but hurricane also makes defensive zapdos VERY threatening in opposing rain with discharge.
King Leoncoeur (Garchomp) @ Firium Z
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Fire Fang
My final Pokemon I brought because I felt the team was too defensive. Landorus is certainly another Pokemon that can fit this role, but I liked Garchomp more. Its running a very offensive stealth rock lead obviously with Earthquake, and stone edge to hit flying/levitating mons. I'll be completely honest, this is the mon I'm anticipating the most criticism on and I completely understand and I'd love a good replacement. I'm running Firium Z to help deal with the annoying Corviknights that are the premier walls to Garchomp. I also contemplated running scale shot but I wanted it to fulfill my needs of Stealth Rock and without SD it feels lackluster, and I thought about running poison jab with either poison Z or rock Z but decided against.
Conclusion
Thank you so much for reading everything, it's currently 2am for me so I apologize for any formatting or spelling errors I might've made. Please let me know any feedback you might have on sets/moves/mons.
-> 
-> 
Calm Mind -> Defog
Choice Scarf -> Offensive Rocks
Defog -> 3 Attacks
