Hello everyone and welcome to my RMT! I am not going to lie here, this team needs some improvement. In the last few weeks of 5th gen, I would like to base this team around my favorite Pokémon and one of the best sweepers around: Gyarados. Sound easy? Well there is one catch. I am currently involved in one of Pokémon Showdown’s many unofficial leagues. The guys there are great and it is the best league I have participated in so far. However, to go for a more realistic in-anime look, challengers cannot go around carrying legendaries in their teams. It is a great idea but it makes the building process all the harder. Keeping that in mind, lets get on with the Team Building Process!
Team Building
I first started with Gyarados, a fearsome sweeper that possess some of the most useful abilities out there: Intimidate and Moxie. What makes him great to use is that he has only 2 weaknesses that need to be covered and only 4 groups of Pokémon that he has trouble with (for the most part). These groups are Bulky Water types such as Vaporeon and Jellicent, Bulky Grass types such as Celebi, Steel types such as Scizor and Ferrothorn, and fast Electric types such as Jolteon and Thundurus-T.
Keeping those weaknesses in mind, Magnezone makes a great partner for Gyarados. Gyarados is resistant or immune to all three of Magnezone’s weaknesses and Magnezone resists both of Gyarados’s weaknesses. Magnezone’s great special attack and ability allows him to pick off Steel types and bulky water types (excluding Swampert, Quagsire, etc).
Gyarados’s decent typing does give him an unfortunate weakness to stealth rocks. What makes this even worse is that the two most reliable rapid spinners (Starmie and Tentacruel) have terrible synergy with Gyarados. These special circumstances call for me to use a Pokémon that I have never used before competitively; Claydol. Claydol has great synergy with Magnezone and Gyarados and has great bulk.
Looking at potential sets for Claydol, I noticed Light Screen and Reflect. I have only used dual screens a couple of times and I thought that this could really benefit my team. I searched what Pokémon could learn Light Screen and came across Whimiscott. With Prankster and the near-perfect movepool to complement its ability, Whimsicott had the potential to fill a number of roles for my team.
Looking at my team, I realized that my team needs solid fighting coverage. Scrafty is just a fantastic fighting type that I love working with. His STABs have near-perfect coverage. Also, he has good bulk and great boosting moves that can really make an intimidating opponent if left alone.
Ok, I now realized that I have nothing to stop any sweepers that threaten my team. I chose Destiny Bond Gengar who can really pack a punch and supports 3 immunities.
Despite Whimiscott’s versatility, it easily became dead weight to my team on too many occasions. I also had nothing to counter Gyarados’s most dangerous enemy: Rotom-W. With that in mind, Lum Berry Haxorus seemed like a pretty good choice. Its ability negates Rotom-W’s Levitate and it loves Magnezone’s support in the removal of steel types.
In Depth
84 Hp/ 252 Att/ 172 Spe
Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
Moxie
Leftovers
Dragon Dance
Earthquake
Waterfall
Bounce
This guy has maintained a steady reputation throughout the years as a fearsome threat to any unprepared team, and it is easy to see why. Gyarados carries arguably the best offensive ability and decent boosting moves. Even his STAB moves have great secondary effects. Bounce has a 30% chance to paralyze and Waterfall has a 30% chance to flinch.
The Evs allow me to outspeed Jolteon with one Dragon Dance. If I change to an Adamant nature, I can outspeed all max speed base 115s such as Starmie. I alternate between the two natures and I would like help on which one to finally settle down with.
4 Hp/ 252 SpA/ 252 Spe
Timid (+Spe, -Att)
Magnet Pull
Choice Scarf
Thunderbolt
Volt Switch
Hidden Power Fire
Flash Cannon
Choice Scarf Magnezone is a very underrated set. With choice scarf, Magnezone’s checking capabilities doubles. To name a few Pokémon, Magnezone outspeeds and OHKOs Terrakion, Mamoswine, Keldeo, Lucario and Starmie. Magnezone’s main purpose is a very important one. Both Haxorus and Gyarados really appreciate having no steel types to worry about.
The moves are pretty self explanatory. Volt switch makes predicting relatively easy and maintains momentum (provided that there is not a ground type.) Thunderbolt and Flash Cannon are both reliable STABs whose relatively average base power still hits hard thanks to Magnezone’s massive SpA. I don’t know if I can afford to run a Modest nature or not. A modest nature will allow me to OHKO Ferrothorn but a Timid nature allows me to outpace Terrakion, Keldeo and Starmie. I think I am going to keep a Timid Nature.
252 Hp/ 4 Def/ 252 SpD
Careful (+SpD, -SpA)
Levitate
Leftovers
Earthquake
Toxic
Stealth Rock
Rapid Spin
I needed a rapid spinner that paired well with my Magnedos core. Seeing how my core can get ripped to shreds with Edgequake, Claydol seems like the perfect option. Though I have never used him before, he is doing really well. I am new at using this guy so any tips would be great.
The moveset is straight off of Smogon since I am fairly new at using him. Earthquake is the hard hitting STAB. Toxic wears down any bulky opponents although the lack of reliable recovery is a pain in the ass and so he is unable to toxic-stall effectively in the long run. He is a great rapid spinner in that he is immune to spikes and resists stealth rocks. Speaking of Stealth rocks, this guy gets them up most of the time, usually switching into any ground, electric or fighting types aimed at Gyarados or Magnezone. This guy has an interesting movepool and so if any sets would benefit my team more, please comment. :)
252 Hp/ 4 Att/ 252 SpD
Careful (+SpD, -SpA)
Shed Skin
Leftovers
Drain Punch
Bulk Up
Ice Punch
Crunch
Seeing how I lacked the fighting type muscle head that every team couldn't hurt to have, I decided to go with Scrafty. Scrafty's STABs have near-perfect coverage and will be really hard to take down if he gets some bulk ups in. Shed Skin gives him the ability to act as a pseudo status absorber, since status will mostly not bother him for very long (also having two moxie users would be a bit redundant) This is also helpful in that status is Plan A on how to take down a bulky attacker. Let's just hope that they don't have a Plan B.
I usually start him as my lead for two reasons.
1. When Pokémon such as Ferrothorn or Forretress set up hazards on Scrafty, I can just boost away.
2. Most of the time, the opponent will have a decent counter and switch in on Scrafty. I use this switch to Bulk Up, and I can usually survive and hit back with a good Drain Punch.
The evs might look a little weird but seeing that I get at least 1-2 bulk ups in, I don't want my SpD to be my downfall since my attack and defense will be among the clouds after two boosts. Drain Punch lengthens is longevity and Crunch is there to discourage any ghosts from switching in. Ice punch is good coverage that hits a variety of Pokémon who thinks that they can switch in; such as Gliscor and Dragonite. If a pokemon does force Scrafty out and messes up his early-game sweep. Scrafty rarely adds anything else to the team, being that he is to slow to pose much of a threat. He could switch into psychic moves aimed at Gengar, but most psychics carry focus blast as well.
4 Hp/ 252 SpA/ 252 Spe
Timid (+Spe, -Att)
Levitate
Focus Sash
Taunt
Destiny Bond
Focus Blast
Shadow Ball
Gengar is tied with Froslass in being the fastest user of Destiny Bond. Sadly, this fact has frequently been ignored. Gengar provides a very unique role to my team in being a suicidal safety net to make sure that none of the opponent's team makes a mess. Outside of his primary role, he is no slouch. If left alone, Gengar can take out a reasonable chunk out of your team. Having three immunities, Gengar can switch in with ease and also make a great Spin Blocker.
Taunt is used to shut down walls that might switch in on Gengar (such as Blissey). Focus Blast and Shadow Ball make a hell of a duo dinting a lot of Pokémon. Destiny Bond is there to always make sure that Gengar goes down with a fight.
32/ Hp/ 252 Att/ 220 Spe
Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
Mold Breaker
Lum Berry
Earthquake
Dragon Dance
Outrage
Brick Break
As the last Pokémon, I put him on here to take out Rotom-W. He is resistant to both of his STABs and doesn't mind taking a Will-o-Wisp thanks to his Lum Berry. Mold Breaker is also a great ability which allows me to hit Rotom-w super effectively with Earthquake. I noticed that Haxorus could also benefit from Magnezone's role.
I took the evs straight out of what Pokémon Showdown suggested and I have no idea if they are any good. I did chose Brick Break over Superpower because Superpower's stat lowering drawback ends up messing with Haxorus's sweep. Since Haxorus will then become weak to priority thanks to the defense drop.
That is my team! I hoped that you liked it and please remember that no Pokémon's place is set in stone! Also, if you have any tips on how to use the Pokémon besides the way I am doing, comment!
Threat List
Garchomp will usually come in on Scrafty and his early game sweep. After two bulk ups, Garchomp still takes a decent chunk out of Scrafty with his outrages and I can only get in one Ice punch, when it is a 2HKO. I can usually switch into Magnezone or Gengar which will proceed to outspeed and KO Garchomp.
Breloom is one of the three hard counters to Scrafty and his mini-sweep. (The other two being Garchomp and Skarmory). It is not a matter of bulk, but it is a matter of speed. Spore is a pain in the ass because when Scrafty wakes up (usually early thanks to Shed Skin), Breloom can just use Spore again with 100% accuracy.
I have nothing to hit Skarmory with on Scrafty. Skarmory can just whirlwind away Scrafty who will rarely ever see another chance to setup in the game. Unlike Breloom and Garchomp, Skarmory is not a pain to deal with afterwards, because I can just trap him with Magnezone and spin away his hazards with Claydol.
Volcarona is hard to deal with for one reason only. I usually have stealth rocks up, but some carry roost which practically negates the damage. The reason Volcarona is so hard to deal with is because both of my fastest pokemon, Magnezone and Gengar, are special attackers. See, with one or two quiver dances, Volcarona becomes very specially bulky. She then can certainly pack a punch if she outspeeds Magnezone and Gengar as all of my physical attackers require setting up, which is a huge flaw. Gengar can pull off a Destiny Bond if someone doesn't know the game mechanics of it but Volcarona can play around that.
Cloyster is the last major threat to my team. Especially one with a focus sash. Magnezone is the only Pokémon that can take any of Cloyster's hits and proceeds to OHKO with Thunderbolt. However, if the stealth rocks are down and he has a focus sash, I don't have anything to hit that second time, as Magnezone will be 2HKO'd. The problem with this also is that I don't have priority at all.
Import
Trait: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Flash Cannon
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Gyarados @ Leftovers
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 172 Spd / 252 Atk / 84 HP
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Bounce
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
Claydol @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 Def
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
Scrafty @ Leftovers
Trait: Shed Skin
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 HP / 252 SDef
Careful Nature
- Bulk Up
- Crunch
- Drain Punch
- Ice Punch
Gengar @ Focus Sash
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Taunt
- Destiny Bond
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
Haxorus @ Lum Berry
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 220 Spd / 252 Atk / 36 HP
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Brick Break
Shout Outs
Thanks for Jifish and his Pokémon Image Collection!
Thanks to Smogon and Showdown and their awesome staff!
Thanks to Pokemonelite2000 for their sprite collection!
Thanks for you guys who are reading this!
