Hey all,
I've been using a team I made on the Gen 3 ladder. It's been pretty successful, going 30-2 or so. However, I think this may be due more to my skill as a battler than to proper team construction. The team doesn't feel quite right, and so I wanted to get some thoughts on it and see if anyone had any good suggestions to improve it.
The team generally functions by spreading paralysis and Spikes, then allowing either Tyranitar or Aerodactyl (usually Aerodactyl) to come in and sweep late-game with Rock Slide.
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpA
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Roar
Swampert, my usual lead. Great at beating Rock Slide users, as well as Roaring out Pokemon to rack up Spikes damage. The Rock resistance is crucial, and its defensive nature combined with Ice Beam and Earthquake make it a great counter to many physical attackers. Its Spikes weakness hurts, but Blissey can Wish to heal it back up.
Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Spikes
- Toxic
- Whirlwind
- Protect
Skarmory, here mainly for the Spikes and physical walling. Spreading Toxic also aids the nature of this team, which tends to be stally even though I'd prefer to end games faster. It doesn't have an offensive move, but I haven't missed having one. Toxic/Protect does enough work, and Protect helps get extra lefties and rack up the Poison damage, as well as scout for Fire Blast on physical attackers like Flygon, Salamence, and Snorlax. I haven't run into many Magnetons, but Magneton could be a big problem for this team if Skarmory dies to it early and then my Spikes get spun away-- luckily the rest of the team isn't weak to Magneton.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Soft-Boiled
- Seismic Toss
- Thunder Wave
Blissey, probably the pokemon that does the most work on the team. It walls almost every special attacker, while helping to keep Gengar, Skarmory, and Swampert healthy with Wish, and heal itself with Softboiled. Thunder Wave spreads Paralysis, which helps Tyranitar and Aerodactyl sweep with Rock Slide. It doesn't clash with Skarmory's Toxic, because Blissey doesn't mind stalling out poisoned pokemon either. The last 4 EVs don't make much difference-- they could go in SpD too, but I don't really need them there, and I figured I might as well put them in Speed in case any Relaxed Swamperts might speed creep a bit. I haven't found Aromatherapy to be necessary, as Swampert is the only pokemon that I'm really afraid of getting statused-- avoiding status on Aerodactyl and Tyranitar isn't too difficult with their speed, power, and Taunt.
Gengar @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 172 HP / 148 SpA / 188 Spe
Timid Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Punch
- Hypnosis
Gengar, the team's spinblocker-- an important function, as Aerodactyl and Tyranitar really need the Spikes to get KOs on common pokemon like Forretress and bulky Waters. This Gengar can beat Starmie, the most common spinner, at least if they don't have Psychic. However, I'd really like a bulkier spinblocker for this purpose-- Dusclops could work, but unlike Gengar, it's not immune to Spikes, so I haven't put it on this team for now, as I lack a spinner currently. Currently, this Gengar doesn't seem to accomplish too much besides blocking spins and spreading an occasional burn, and it's still nearly 2HKO'd by Starmie's Surf, so perhaps it should be replaced.
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 16 HP / 200 Atk / 120 Def / 172 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Taunt
Tyranitar, the one pokemon that doesn't seem to fit well on this team. It generally doesn't accomplish as much as the other 5 members of this team, partially due to its Spikes weakness. The team may be too stally for Tyranitar to fit. However, the Sandstorm helps wear down walls, especially since I have 4 pokemon immune to Sandstorm, and Blissey doesn't really mind it. I usually reveal T-Tar later on in the battle so it has a better chance to sweep unhindered. Taunt is to help it beat Blissey and Skarmory.
Aerodactyl @ Choice Band
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Double-Edge
- Rock Slide
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Earthquake
Aerodactyl, the team's cleaner. Generally the last pokemon to be revealed. Usually, a victory is wrapped up by Rock Sliding the opponents' pokemon which are already weakened by Spikes and Sandstorm. Tyranitar's Sandstorm is very helpful for racking up needed KOs with Aerodactyl. Unlike Tyranitar, this pokemon usually seems to carry its own weight, helped by the Spikes immunity.
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Overall, one of the team's main weaknesses that I've found is to Spikes. I've considered putting Starmie over Tyranitar to spin them away, but Tyranitar is one of the main pokemon that needs the Spikes removed, anyways-- other than Tyranitar, only Swampert and Blissey are vulnerable to Spikes, and Blissey can generally deal with them. My team also can't very well prevent Spikes from being set up, as specially defensive Skarmory can switch in freely on Swampert, Skarmory, or Blissey (the three main pokemon I use early game) and set up Spikes.
Another weakness is to Aerodactyl if Swampert goes down early, since it's my only Rock resist-- one of my losses was due to a Metagross exploding early on my Swampert, followed many turns later by an Aerodactyl flinching my Blissey, Gengar, Skarmory, AND Tyranitar to death. I'm not running max speed on Aerodactyl so that I can survive a Gengar Thunderbolt, but perhaps I should be, so I can at least have a 50% chance of beating other Aerodactyl and Jolteon.
----
Thoughts on the team? Does Dusclops fit better than Gengar? Should Tyranitar perhaps be replaced with a spinner, or do you think my team is decently positioned against Spikes anyways?
I've been using a team I made on the Gen 3 ladder. It's been pretty successful, going 30-2 or so. However, I think this may be due more to my skill as a battler than to proper team construction. The team doesn't feel quite right, and so I wanted to get some thoughts on it and see if anyone had any good suggestions to improve it.
The team generally functions by spreading paralysis and Spikes, then allowing either Tyranitar or Aerodactyl (usually Aerodactyl) to come in and sweep late-game with Rock Slide.
Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 SpA
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Roar
Swampert, my usual lead. Great at beating Rock Slide users, as well as Roaring out Pokemon to rack up Spikes damage. The Rock resistance is crucial, and its defensive nature combined with Ice Beam and Earthquake make it a great counter to many physical attackers. Its Spikes weakness hurts, but Blissey can Wish to heal it back up.
Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Spikes
- Toxic
- Whirlwind
- Protect
Skarmory, here mainly for the Spikes and physical walling. Spreading Toxic also aids the nature of this team, which tends to be stally even though I'd prefer to end games faster. It doesn't have an offensive move, but I haven't missed having one. Toxic/Protect does enough work, and Protect helps get extra lefties and rack up the Poison damage, as well as scout for Fire Blast on physical attackers like Flygon, Salamence, and Snorlax. I haven't run into many Magnetons, but Magneton could be a big problem for this team if Skarmory dies to it early and then my Spikes get spun away-- luckily the rest of the team isn't weak to Magneton.
Blissey (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Wish
- Soft-Boiled
- Seismic Toss
- Thunder Wave
Blissey, probably the pokemon that does the most work on the team. It walls almost every special attacker, while helping to keep Gengar, Skarmory, and Swampert healthy with Wish, and heal itself with Softboiled. Thunder Wave spreads Paralysis, which helps Tyranitar and Aerodactyl sweep with Rock Slide. It doesn't clash with Skarmory's Toxic, because Blissey doesn't mind stalling out poisoned pokemon either. The last 4 EVs don't make much difference-- they could go in SpD too, but I don't really need them there, and I figured I might as well put them in Speed in case any Relaxed Swamperts might speed creep a bit. I haven't found Aromatherapy to be necessary, as Swampert is the only pokemon that I'm really afraid of getting statused-- avoiding status on Aerodactyl and Tyranitar isn't too difficult with their speed, power, and Taunt.
Gengar @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 172 HP / 148 SpA / 188 Spe
Timid Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Punch
- Hypnosis
Gengar, the team's spinblocker-- an important function, as Aerodactyl and Tyranitar really need the Spikes to get KOs on common pokemon like Forretress and bulky Waters. This Gengar can beat Starmie, the most common spinner, at least if they don't have Psychic. However, I'd really like a bulkier spinblocker for this purpose-- Dusclops could work, but unlike Gengar, it's not immune to Spikes, so I haven't put it on this team for now, as I lack a spinner currently. Currently, this Gengar doesn't seem to accomplish too much besides blocking spins and spreading an occasional burn, and it's still nearly 2HKO'd by Starmie's Surf, so perhaps it should be replaced.
Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 16 HP / 200 Atk / 120 Def / 172 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Taunt
Tyranitar, the one pokemon that doesn't seem to fit well on this team. It generally doesn't accomplish as much as the other 5 members of this team, partially due to its Spikes weakness. The team may be too stally for Tyranitar to fit. However, the Sandstorm helps wear down walls, especially since I have 4 pokemon immune to Sandstorm, and Blissey doesn't really mind it. I usually reveal T-Tar later on in the battle so it has a better chance to sweep unhindered. Taunt is to help it beat Blissey and Skarmory.
Aerodactyl @ Choice Band
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Double-Edge
- Rock Slide
- Hidden Power [Flying]
- Earthquake
Aerodactyl, the team's cleaner. Generally the last pokemon to be revealed. Usually, a victory is wrapped up by Rock Sliding the opponents' pokemon which are already weakened by Spikes and Sandstorm. Tyranitar's Sandstorm is very helpful for racking up needed KOs with Aerodactyl. Unlike Tyranitar, this pokemon usually seems to carry its own weight, helped by the Spikes immunity.
----
Overall, one of the team's main weaknesses that I've found is to Spikes. I've considered putting Starmie over Tyranitar to spin them away, but Tyranitar is one of the main pokemon that needs the Spikes removed, anyways-- other than Tyranitar, only Swampert and Blissey are vulnerable to Spikes, and Blissey can generally deal with them. My team also can't very well prevent Spikes from being set up, as specially defensive Skarmory can switch in freely on Swampert, Skarmory, or Blissey (the three main pokemon I use early game) and set up Spikes.
Another weakness is to Aerodactyl if Swampert goes down early, since it's my only Rock resist-- one of my losses was due to a Metagross exploding early on my Swampert, followed many turns later by an Aerodactyl flinching my Blissey, Gengar, Skarmory, AND Tyranitar to death. I'm not running max speed on Aerodactyl so that I can survive a Gengar Thunderbolt, but perhaps I should be, so I can at least have a 50% chance of beating other Aerodactyl and Jolteon.
----
Thoughts on the team? Does Dusclops fit better than Gengar? Should Tyranitar perhaps be replaced with a spinner, or do you think my team is decently positioned against Spikes anyways?