Sapphire Battle Tower Team

[Rigel]

I'm planning out a Level 50 team to take on the Battle Tower in Sapphire version. I can't trade, so my team is strictly contained to Pokemon and TMs available in-game. Any advice or criticism would help, this is my first attempt at building a competitive team.

Skarmory
Ability: Keen Eye
Nature: Impish
Item: Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP 252 Def 4 Spe
Moves: Spikes, Steel Wing, Roar, Rest

Breloom
Ability: Spore
Nature: Adamant (or Jolly, I've already bred about 50 Shroomish and can't get Adamant)
Item: I plan to get more Leftovers, but until then, I don't know what to use
EVs: 252 Atk, 204 Spe, 52 HP
Move: Spore, Double Team, Leech Seed, Focus Punch

Starmie
Ability: Illuminate (I know Natural Cure would be MUCH better, but I can't breed Starmie without a ditto and I can't seem to find a wild Staryu with Natural Cure and my preferred Nature)
Nature: Timid
Item: No idea. I wanted a Lum Berry, but I can't get any more berries from people around Hoehn and I also can't grow them because the game's battery has run dry
EVs: 252 Sp. Atk, 252 Spe, 4 HP
Moves: Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Psychic, Surf

My strategy is to lead with Skarmory, taking advantage of it's defense to lay out spikes and then roar repeatedly. Resting and using Steel Wing when necessary or advantageous.
Once Skarmory faints, I'll send out Breloom and use Spore, then Leech Seed. I'll max out evasiveness with Double Team while the opponent is asleep and use Focus Punch to finish them off.
Finally, if Breloom is defeated, I'll sweep with Starmie, since it can learn such great, high powered, high accuracy moves that cover many types.

 

[connor363]

I'm not a moderator, but I just want to warn you before you get an actual warning point; you're supposed to have a full team of 6 Pokemon on each team.. Just looking out for a fellow Smogonite!

 

[2sly4u]

I'm not a moderator, but I just want to warn you before you get an actual warning point; you're supposed to have a full team of 6 Pokemon on each team.. Just looking out for a fellow Smogonite!

This is a battle tower team. You're only supposed to have 3.

As for the team, you're a little too defensive. Skarmory doesn't work so well in the battle tower, where it's better to attack fast and hard than stall with entry hazards. The computer loves to use annoying moves like Double Team, Leech Seed, and status moves, and the less time you give them to set up the better.

I would replace Skarmory with a powerful sweeper. Metagross shares a Fire weakness with Breloom, but he would be a good choice with his immense power and good bulk. If you still have your EQ TM, give it to him for this moveset:

Metagross@Something
Meteor Mash
Earthquake
Agility
Shadow Ball/Aerial Ace

Agility so your faster than everything, then destroy with your STAB Meteor Mash. The other moves are for coverage.

For Breloom, I'd switch out Focus Punch for a different fighting move. There's no guarantee your luck that your sleep/evasion will save you. Don't push your luck in the battle tower, you'll regret it.

For Starmie, I'd replace Psychic with Recover. Psychic has pretty horrible coverage, and Recover can help you shrug off weaker attacks.

I'd also post this in the Gen III topic thread. They'll be able to help you a lot more than most of us.

Good luck!