Hi everyone, I'm a beginner player and I'm looking to learn more about competitive team building and learn how to better balance my teams. This is the first competitive team I've built (with some help) and I definitely know that it is missing some key counters and balances that aren't apparent to me.
Flamey O Hotman (Heatran) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Serious Nature
- Lava Plume
- Toxic
- Protect
- Stealth Rock
When making my set, I started with the core I wanted and I ended up building a fire/water/grass defensive core as it's what I always ended up building in the ds games. As such, I chose heatran to be the fire type of the core to act as a bulky attacker to chip away at enemies due to his massive defense and health. I decided to give him toxic and stealth rock to chip away at enemies even if they might be effective against him to weaken them for the rest of my team. I also gave him lava plume for a stab attack and protect to stall enemies while they are hurt by status effects. Also, I chose heatran to pressure the steel and flying types that would go after Tapu Bulu and to be a check to pokemon like ferrothorn.
Ye oldie Umbrella (Tapu Bulu) @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 84 HP / 248 Atk / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wood Hammer
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
- Stone Edge
I chose tapu bulu as the grass part of my core as bulu works great with heatran and is able to be a good check to ground, electric, and water types to take pressure off of heatran. Tapu bulu stood out to me as a good attack to switch in to deal some damage and, as such, I gave him some good stabs like wood hammer and horn leech. Horn leech is also useful here to help keep bulu alive as he isn't the bulky type. I also gave him superpower and stone edge for some good coverage moves.
Turtle Formation (Toxapex) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Haze
- Recover
- Toxic
I chose toxapex to finish off my core with water and to be another bulky attack eater due to his massive defensive and health along with his regenerator ability. I gave toxapex toxic to help chip away at stronger enemies and scald for burns. I also gave toxapex recover to help stay alive. I also chose toxapex for his ability to check pokemon like Ash-Greninja, Volcarona, and Mega Charizard X while also covering types that heatran and bulu are weak to.
Spiky Pikachu (Zapdos) @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 Spe
Bold Nature
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost
I decided to add zapdos for various reasons such as crippling sweepers and being a check to pokemon garchomp and ferrothorn with its hidden power ice. I thought zapdos added a nice defensive typing to support my defensive core to cripple attackers with discharge and static and using heat wave and hidden power for coverage. I also gave zapdos roost in order to help it stay alive. Zapdos also adds a great counter to water types for heatran in case bulu is in danger.
Forbidden Roomba (Tapu Fini) @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 16 Def / 12 SpA / 40 SpD / 192 Spe
Calm Nature
- Defog
- Moonblast
- Scald
- Taunt
Next, I added tapu fini for his defog support to remove hazards that would otherwise build up a lot of damage for my core and also to save zapdos as he is greatly susceptible to stealth rock. Tapu fini's great health also allows me to tank hits allowing him to be of use a lot and stall pokemon. I also gave him moonblast to check dragon and dark types with a stab attack. Taunt allows him to stall pokemon and scald for burns to help chip away at their health.
Statue of Liberty (Celesteela) @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 248 HP / 28 Def / 232 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower
Finally, I added celesteela as another bulky type due to its health and defensive capabilities. Celesteela is able to stall pokemon by tanking hits and using protect to prolong his usage alongside leech seed to heal him. I also chose celesteela to check pokemon like Mega Alakazam and Tapu Lele to help out toxapex and also to check ground types for zapdos and heatran. Its ability beast boost also allows it to further increase its defense and slam for a stab attack.
I hope that my team at least looks somewhat viable for the tier its in. I know it has problems as during some play-throughs, I found I couldn't check some pokemon or I didn't have any moves to cover certain types and sometimes if I lost one pokemon, the whole team fell apart. As I said, this is my first competitive team and I'm new to showdown and somewhat to pokemon as I haven't played any games in 1 or 2 years, my only experience being the ds games. I would greatly appreciate any and all criticism to my team and I also am not against major changes to the working or makeup of my team/how the pokemon are used.
Flamey O Hotman (Heatran) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Serious Nature
- Lava Plume
- Toxic
- Protect
- Stealth Rock
When making my set, I started with the core I wanted and I ended up building a fire/water/grass defensive core as it's what I always ended up building in the ds games. As such, I chose heatran to be the fire type of the core to act as a bulky attacker to chip away at enemies due to his massive defense and health. I decided to give him toxic and stealth rock to chip away at enemies even if they might be effective against him to weaken them for the rest of my team. I also gave him lava plume for a stab attack and protect to stall enemies while they are hurt by status effects. Also, I chose heatran to pressure the steel and flying types that would go after Tapu Bulu and to be a check to pokemon like ferrothorn.
Ye oldie Umbrella (Tapu Bulu) @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 84 HP / 248 Atk / 176 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wood Hammer
- Horn Leech
- Superpower
- Stone Edge
I chose tapu bulu as the grass part of my core as bulu works great with heatran and is able to be a good check to ground, electric, and water types to take pressure off of heatran. Tapu bulu stood out to me as a good attack to switch in to deal some damage and, as such, I gave him some good stabs like wood hammer and horn leech. Horn leech is also useful here to help keep bulu alive as he isn't the bulky type. I also gave him superpower and stone edge for some good coverage moves.
Turtle Formation (Toxapex) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Scald
- Haze
- Recover
- Toxic
I chose toxapex to finish off my core with water and to be another bulky attack eater due to his massive defensive and health along with his regenerator ability. I gave toxapex toxic to help chip away at stronger enemies and scald for burns. I also gave toxapex recover to help stay alive. I also chose toxapex for his ability to check pokemon like Ash-Greninja, Volcarona, and Mega Charizard X while also covering types that heatran and bulu are weak to.
Spiky Pikachu (Zapdos) @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 HP / 184 Def / 72 Spe
Bold Nature
- Discharge
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost
I decided to add zapdos for various reasons such as crippling sweepers and being a check to pokemon garchomp and ferrothorn with its hidden power ice. I thought zapdos added a nice defensive typing to support my defensive core to cripple attackers with discharge and static and using heat wave and hidden power for coverage. I also gave zapdos roost in order to help it stay alive. Zapdos also adds a great counter to water types for heatran in case bulu is in danger.
Forbidden Roomba (Tapu Fini) @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 16 Def / 12 SpA / 40 SpD / 192 Spe
Calm Nature
- Defog
- Moonblast
- Scald
- Taunt
Next, I added tapu fini for his defog support to remove hazards that would otherwise build up a lot of damage for my core and also to save zapdos as he is greatly susceptible to stealth rock. Tapu fini's great health also allows me to tank hits allowing him to be of use a lot and stall pokemon. I also gave him moonblast to check dragon and dark types with a stab attack. Taunt allows him to stall pokemon and scald for burns to help chip away at their health.
Statue of Liberty (Celesteela) @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 248 HP / 28 Def / 232 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower
Finally, I added celesteela as another bulky type due to its health and defensive capabilities. Celesteela is able to stall pokemon by tanking hits and using protect to prolong his usage alongside leech seed to heal him. I also chose celesteela to check pokemon like Mega Alakazam and Tapu Lele to help out toxapex and also to check ground types for zapdos and heatran. Its ability beast boost also allows it to further increase its defense and slam for a stab attack.
I hope that my team at least looks somewhat viable for the tier its in. I know it has problems as during some play-throughs, I found I couldn't check some pokemon or I didn't have any moves to cover certain types and sometimes if I lost one pokemon, the whole team fell apart. As I said, this is my first competitive team and I'm new to showdown and somewhat to pokemon as I haven't played any games in 1 or 2 years, my only experience being the ds games. I would greatly appreciate any and all criticism to my team and I also am not against major changes to the working or makeup of my team/how the pokemon are used.