Rate My Team Please
I'm devising a team to make in Pokemon Diamond for WiFi Battling. Although I have not tried my luck in the stronger competitive battling scene on ShoddyBattle (that is, against people who plow through others victory after victory), my current team is able to hold on it's own quite well. However I am sure there is room for improvement and I hope you guys could help me get some ideas.
LEAD
Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Naive
EVs: 4HP / 252SpA / 252Spe
Moveset:
- Explosion
- Flamethrower
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
My lead, and a pretty damn reliable one at that. It shuts down set-up leads like Bronzong and Roserade with a simple taunt before setting up stealth rock itself. This guy also acts as an anti-lead to those who fear fire and ice. Focus Sash puts me at an advantageous position against dark types such that I can still execute stealth rock even if they are faster, and once I'm done with everything I just explode.
Potential problems, however would probably be TTars with sandstorm and fake out pokemon with 2HKO potential.
PHYSICAL SWEEPER
Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Nature: Timid
EVs: 6HP / 252Atk / 252Spe
Moveset:
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Focus Punch
- Spore
If something happened thus physical walls no longer just walk all over physical attackers, Breloom happened. Given the chance to establish its foundations, this little guy would spell trouble for most members of an opponent's team. The strategy is simple- spore, set up a substitute, then go for the sweep with focus punch or leech seed what I can't handle, hence forcing a switch. The marvel of Breloom, aside from its unbelievably awesome sleep-inducing move is that coupled with leech seed and poison heal, I recover 26% of my HP per turn hence allowing me to set up free substitutes for the likes of stalling physical walls to their deaths and ghost pokemon like Dusknoir as long as they do not guarantee to outspeed me. An additional note would be a large bulk of those who can (sweepers, basically), are mostly near-dead or if not dead after a single focus punch.
Gliscor, however, a pokemon quickly gaining popularity as the new physical wall, could be a problem if it outruns breloom. Without the advantage it's no deal, however STAB 4x aerial aces coming at Breloom before it can substitute/spore makes it a goner.
PHYSICAL SWEEPER
Lucario @ Salac berry
Ability: Inner Focus
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 6HP / 252Atk / 252Spe
Moveset:
- Reversal
- Endure
- Swords Dance
- Crunch
This guy over here packs quite a surprise for its deviation from the standard lucario. Generally making a late game appearance after all the gliscors and weezings are no longer in a tip top condition, this guy takes the limelight. It sets up a swords dance if given a chance (e.g when I send it in against something like Blissey which is probably going to make a switch or risk getting OHKOed by the close combat it's expect me to have), endures if the opponent chooses to send in something with the potential to OHKO lucario, then sweeps packing a full power reversal. Salac berry, of course, will put lucario a speed above almost all. Crunch packs a nasty punch against incoming gengars who think they've seen it all from this fighter.
Pokemon with speed priority moves like other lucario, dusknoirs or scizors would probably be a problem though, along with Deoxys S which just breezes past my salac. I usually ensure those are out before sending Lucario in.
SPINNER/HAZER/SPECIAL WALL
Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Ability: Liquid Ooze
Nature: Calm
EVs: 204HP / 96SpA / 172SpD / 36 Spe
Moveset:
- Surf
- Sludge Bomb
- Rapid Spin
- Haze
If there is one thing in common between the earlier few of my team so far, it would have to be the glaring weakness to fire. That's where this guy comes in. Rapid spin and haze do the usual stuff of limiting the opponent's set up and buff efforts so that Tentacruel gets the upper hand, then retaliates with surf and sludge bomb. It is also the answer to most mixed sweepers out there since a vast majority of them use fighting physical moves, which this guy can manage comfortably against as well. Rapid spin, of course, eliminates any opponent efforts to a good set up.
PHYSICAL WALL
Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252HP / 96SpA / 156Def / 4 Spe
Moveset:
- Drill Peck
- Stealth Rock
- Roost
- Spikes
If Gliscor thought it could destroy my team by showing up, Skarmory steps in and spits in its face. Apart from setting up a further stealth rock and spikes alongside toxic spikes (if the opponent lacks a spinner they are way past screwed), it can provide additional attacking force, albeit mediocre, and generally manage against what it counters best, forcing switch-ins and racking up sweet passive damage. I originally wanted whirlwind, however that became my downfall when I happened to bring in a Zapdos during one of my matches.
What my Skarmory can do to Gliscor, Magnezone would do the same to it. However Magnezone is not a pokemon to appear frequently enough in the OU metagame (as least not as frequently as the more popular ones) to contribute to me getting a shed shell, hence given the circumstances I guess I'd just let it go and hopes the lingering effects of spikes sting.
SPECIAL WALL
Blissey @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252HP / 96SpA / 156Def / 4 Spe
Moveset:
- Softboiled
- Aromatherapy
- Toxic
- Seismic Toss
I decided to stick with the old Skarm/Bliss combo. Switching between those two does stalling wonders and in an arena racking up passive damage, this could really damage the opponent's team. Blissey goes in against any incoming special attackers and toxics, thus greatly affecting the special attacker or any incoming physical attacker regardless. Aromatherapy for curing status problems while seismic toss allows it to fair on its own against special attackers.
I'm devising a team to make in Pokemon Diamond for WiFi Battling. Although I have not tried my luck in the stronger competitive battling scene on ShoddyBattle (that is, against people who plow through others victory after victory), my current team is able to hold on it's own quite well. However I am sure there is room for improvement and I hope you guys could help me get some ideas.
LEAD
Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Naive
EVs: 4HP / 252SpA / 252Spe
Moveset:
- Explosion
- Flamethrower
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
My lead, and a pretty damn reliable one at that. It shuts down set-up leads like Bronzong and Roserade with a simple taunt before setting up stealth rock itself. This guy also acts as an anti-lead to those who fear fire and ice. Focus Sash puts me at an advantageous position against dark types such that I can still execute stealth rock even if they are faster, and once I'm done with everything I just explode.
Potential problems, however would probably be TTars with sandstorm and fake out pokemon with 2HKO potential.
PHYSICAL SWEEPER
Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Nature: Timid
EVs: 6HP / 252Atk / 252Spe
Moveset:
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
- Focus Punch
- Spore
If something happened thus physical walls no longer just walk all over physical attackers, Breloom happened. Given the chance to establish its foundations, this little guy would spell trouble for most members of an opponent's team. The strategy is simple- spore, set up a substitute, then go for the sweep with focus punch or leech seed what I can't handle, hence forcing a switch. The marvel of Breloom, aside from its unbelievably awesome sleep-inducing move is that coupled with leech seed and poison heal, I recover 26% of my HP per turn hence allowing me to set up free substitutes for the likes of stalling physical walls to their deaths and ghost pokemon like Dusknoir as long as they do not guarantee to outspeed me. An additional note would be a large bulk of those who can (sweepers, basically), are mostly near-dead or if not dead after a single focus punch.
Gliscor, however, a pokemon quickly gaining popularity as the new physical wall, could be a problem if it outruns breloom. Without the advantage it's no deal, however STAB 4x aerial aces coming at Breloom before it can substitute/spore makes it a goner.
PHYSICAL SWEEPER
Lucario @ Salac berry
Ability: Inner Focus
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 6HP / 252Atk / 252Spe
Moveset:
- Reversal
- Endure
- Swords Dance
- Crunch
This guy over here packs quite a surprise for its deviation from the standard lucario. Generally making a late game appearance after all the gliscors and weezings are no longer in a tip top condition, this guy takes the limelight. It sets up a swords dance if given a chance (e.g when I send it in against something like Blissey which is probably going to make a switch or risk getting OHKOed by the close combat it's expect me to have), endures if the opponent chooses to send in something with the potential to OHKO lucario, then sweeps packing a full power reversal. Salac berry, of course, will put lucario a speed above almost all. Crunch packs a nasty punch against incoming gengars who think they've seen it all from this fighter.
Pokemon with speed priority moves like other lucario, dusknoirs or scizors would probably be a problem though, along with Deoxys S which just breezes past my salac. I usually ensure those are out before sending Lucario in.
SPINNER/HAZER/SPECIAL WALL
Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Ability: Liquid Ooze
Nature: Calm
EVs: 204HP / 96SpA / 172SpD / 36 Spe
Moveset:
- Surf
- Sludge Bomb
- Rapid Spin
- Haze
If there is one thing in common between the earlier few of my team so far, it would have to be the glaring weakness to fire. That's where this guy comes in. Rapid spin and haze do the usual stuff of limiting the opponent's set up and buff efforts so that Tentacruel gets the upper hand, then retaliates with surf and sludge bomb. It is also the answer to most mixed sweepers out there since a vast majority of them use fighting physical moves, which this guy can manage comfortably against as well. Rapid spin, of course, eliminates any opponent efforts to a good set up.
PHYSICAL WALL
Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
Nature: Impish
EVs: 252HP / 96SpA / 156Def / 4 Spe
Moveset:
- Drill Peck
- Stealth Rock
- Roost
- Spikes
If Gliscor thought it could destroy my team by showing up, Skarmory steps in and spits in its face. Apart from setting up a further stealth rock and spikes alongside toxic spikes (if the opponent lacks a spinner they are way past screwed), it can provide additional attacking force, albeit mediocre, and generally manage against what it counters best, forcing switch-ins and racking up sweet passive damage. I originally wanted whirlwind, however that became my downfall when I happened to bring in a Zapdos during one of my matches.
What my Skarmory can do to Gliscor, Magnezone would do the same to it. However Magnezone is not a pokemon to appear frequently enough in the OU metagame (as least not as frequently as the more popular ones) to contribute to me getting a shed shell, hence given the circumstances I guess I'd just let it go and hopes the lingering effects of spikes sting.
SPECIAL WALL
Blissey @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252HP / 96SpA / 156Def / 4 Spe
Moveset:
- Softboiled
- Aromatherapy
- Toxic
- Seismic Toss
I decided to stick with the old Skarm/Bliss combo. Switching between those two does stalling wonders and in an arena racking up passive damage, this could really damage the opponent's team. Blissey goes in against any incoming special attackers and toxics, thus greatly affecting the special attacker or any incoming physical attacker regardless. Aromatherapy for curing status problems while seismic toss allows it to fair on its own against special attackers.