Introduction: Well, here goes my first post on Smogon. I've been playing competitive Pokemon for awhile now, so I think I've got a good grasp on the terminology as well as strategies used in competitive battles. Through my battles, I assembled this team after seeking guidance and assistance from various other forums and sources, so it has been tested and has received some criticism from other competitive battlers. After a long time of trying to create a team I could stick with, I've finally decided to bring the team onto the Smogon forums in hopes of possibly improving it even further and getting some criticism from highly competitive battlers.
Team:
Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Moxie (Aerialite)
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Nature: Jolly
~Swords Dance
~Return
~Quick Attack
~Earthquake
Pinsir became the team's Mega after having tested Charizard X and Charizard Y on the team. What those two Megas lacked was a priority move, something I had trouble finding to fit on the team. So, I decided that the team would need a Mega that has access to a priority move, and is an offensive threat. I've tried others before Pinsir, such as Scizor and Lucario, but they didn't sit well with me for a select few reasons such as Scizor being too slow for my liking and Lucario being too frail. Then came Pinsir, which is reasonably bulky and is reasonably fast. Pinsir has given the team the most success out of any other Mega I have used, which I think is because of its stats and ability combined with its moves. Swords Dance is to boost Mega Pinsir's attack stat to amazing heights. Unlike Scizor, just getting one Swords Dance on Pinsir is enough to start a devastating sweep when its counters and checks are gone. Return serves as Pinsir's main STAB move, and is used only if Pinsir can outspeed whatever is in front of it. It also has no drawbacks unlike Close Combat which decreases the user's defenses. Quick Attack is Pinsir's priority move that functions very similar to an ExtremeSpeed, with it being weaker by two base power. Luckily, Mega Pinsir's attack stat sort of makes up for this. Earthquake is for Aegislash, who would stop Pinsir's sweep flat if I should run Close Combat or something else. It's also handy for handling anything weak to ground, such as Excadrill and Terrakion. Pinsirite is to have Pinsir have access to its Mega Evolution, and it's really the only reason Pinsir has a shot in OU. Pinsir's role on the team is to serve as a lategame physical sweeper, though I often bring Pinsir in when I am positive that its sweep won't go interrupted.
Rotom-W @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 Sp.Def
Nature: Bold
~Hydro Pump
~Volt Switch
~Rest
~Will-O-Wisp
Something that all my teams have in common is a Talonflame counter. This bird has been a nightmare if my teams don't run a counter specifically built to deal with it. There were three choices I could think of, and Rotom-W is one of them. With Rotom's typing, I can feel a little more at ease against Talonflames knowing that so long as I have Rotom-W alive and well on the team, Talonflame can't Brave Bird everyone on the team. Luckily for me, Rotom also serves as a great physical wall in general because of how it does well against a lot of the Pokemon in the OU metagame. Hydro Pump is useful for STAB and for dealing some solid damage to opposing threats. The accuracy can mess up at times, but the move is worth it considering how much damage it does and how Rotom-W's required to know it anyway. Volt Switch is Rotom-W's primary move, allowing it to pivot into other Pokemon thanks to its speed and bulk. It's the team's only electric move, but it does enough damage to the Pokemon that are weak to electric moves. Rest is Rotom-W's main way of recovery. For one Rest, everything bar stat decreases is recovered. I never really liked using Rest as a recovery option, but it's worked thus far, so I have to stick with it. Will-O-Wisp is to caues burn status on physical attackers. Physical attackers like Lucario do not like getting their attack stat cut in half, and it does 12% every turn, so it'd be a crime not to run the move. Chesto Berry is the item so Rotom can cure status and heal HP for free for one turn. As stated, Rotom-W is the team's physical wall, and the team's Talonflame counter.
Excadrill @ Air Balloon
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Nature: Jolly
~Earthquake
~Iron Head
~Rapid Spin
~Stealth Rock
Now we have the team's spinner. It goes without saying that any team using a Pokemon that is in any way weak Stealth Rock must have a spinner or defogger. The problem was that I had trouble fitting spinners on my teams because there a limited number of notable ones (Ex: Donphan, Tentacruel) and because if a spinner is used, a hazard setter is usually recommended as well (Ex: Ferrothorn). In an attempt to make teambuilding not as annoying to do, I wanted a spinner that can lay hazards AND spin them away. Sadly, there are only three that I can think of (Excadrill, Forretress, Donphan), and I havn't had good experiences with any of them. So, I chose Excadrill since it gave the best results out of the three. Earthquake is for STAB should Excadrill choose to attack the opponent rather than spin or set hazards. It's also the only way for it to OHKO a Rotom-W if it finds the opportunity to face one, as well as deal with opposing Excadrill. Iron Head is nice steel STAB, which can come in handy against opposing fairies. Luckily, a good number of fairy types are outsped by Excadril, with the only possibly exception being Azumarill thanks to Aqua Jet. Rapid Spin is one of two reasons why Excadrill is even here. Supposedly, Excadrill is a good spinner because it threatens spinblockers, but I've only been able to see this play out once in all my test battles. Stealth Rock is to discourage the opponent from switching and is a nice way to use the turn if Excadrill cannot do much else to the opponent. It also helps Pinsir have an easier time sweeping. Air Balloon is to avoid ground moves, which is surprisingly helpful after having used it for a good amount of time. Excadrill is the team's spinner and Stealth Rocker, though I am considering switching to a Defogger because of how Excadrill dosn't come out into the field too often.
Conkeldurr @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk/8 Def/248 Sp. Def
Nature: Adamant
~Drain Punch
~Mach Punch
~Knock Off
~Ice Punch
As per the suggestion of one competitive battler that helped in the creation of all my teams, I chose Conkeldurr for its bulk and its power. Conkeldurr is a good representation, alongside Mega Pinsir, of my favorite type of Pokemon: bulky attackers. Unlike Mega Pinsir though, it's slower by a lot, but makes up for it in a base 140 attack stat, and 105 HP stat. Throughout testing, Conkeldurr proves to be a suitable member for the team, and it actually partners well with Mega Pinsir. Drain Punch is primary STAB and is Conkeldurr's method of recovery. It's amazing how Conkeldrr's recovery move is one that also deals a good amount of damage, especially if Conkeldurr has been burned or poisoned (though preferably burned). Mach Punch is the team's second priority move, and comes in handy with dealing against Greninja or really anything weak to fighting. Thanks to Conkeldurr's bulk, it is able to deal with some special attackers, though this is really meant to finish off a weak opponent. Knock Off is helpful for its ability to cripple the opponent and is a good go-to move if I predict a switch. If I ever use Knock Off, unless the opposing Pokemon is holding a Mega stone or has Justified for their ability, I always benefit from using the move. Ice Punch is useful for threatening Gliscor so that it is forced to try and PP stall out Ice Punch. It's also good for destroying dragons if Conkeldurr is at full HP. Assault Vest is perfect for Conkeldurr since it only uses attacking moves, and is bulky because of its HP stat. Conkeldurr is the team's wallbreaker, and can be the team's bulky physical attacker.
Alakazam @ Focus sash
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 HP/252 Sp. Atk/252 Spe
Nature: Timid
~Psyshock
~Shadow Ball
~Focus Blast
~Hidden Power Ice
Alakazam has followed me on every team I have assembled, and some people I have consulted with say that I use Alakazam the best out of every other Pokemon I use. I have a feeling it's because of how straightforward Alakazam is, with it's simple role of attacking and Pokemon that has taken down one of the team's members. It dosn't always get to do this, simply because the opposing Pokemon are too bulky or are at full health, but it's able to most of the time. Psyshock is chosen over Psychic because of how it lets Alakazam deal with Blissey and Chansey better than if it had Focus Blast. I've also recently learned that it's better against Conkeldurr who gets the Sp. Def boost from Assault Vest. Shadow Ball is for dealing with Aegislash and Gardevoirs, as well as a good go-to move thanks to ghost only being resisted by dark now. I also use it as a for-sure hit against some Pokemon because of Focus Blast's accuracy, and poor timing when it chooses to miss. Focus Blast is purely for coverage to at least threaten Tyranitar and Heatran, as well as some bulky ice or steel types. Because of Focus Blast's shaky accuracy, I try not to rely on it, but there are times where I need Focus Blast to hit. Hidden Power Ice is helpful for dealing with dragons and the kami trio/forces of nature. Dragons and the members of the kami trio have been troublesome for all teams I have created, so Alakazam serves as a way to get rid of them through a revenge kill in the worst case scenario. Alakazam is the team's revenge killer, so it won't be seen on the field unless the opponent has KO'd a member of the team and Alakazam is capable of revenge killing it.
Sylveon @ Leftovers
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 244 HP/252 Def/12 Spe
Nature: Bold
~Hyper Voice
~Wish
~Protect
~Heal Bell
Sylveon's position originally belonged to Rotom-W when it ran a special defensive set. After noticing that Rotom-W serves the team better on the physical side, I started looking for a special defensive wall that could provide support for the team. After consulting some other battlers, I was told to try out Sylveon, and so far it's the best the team's got for a special wall. Along with every one of my teams having a way to counter Talonflame, I also like to have a status absorber on all my teams. The only status absorbers that exist, at least to my knowledge, are Gliscor and Trevenant, with one being a physical wall, taken by Rotom-W, and one having a weakness to fire. Since two of the team's members are already weak to fire, I could not use Trevenant despite how helpful it has been for old teams I made. So, Sylveon was the next best thing. Hyper Voice is for good STAB, and allows Sylveon to hit Pokemon hiding behind Substitute, which also trouble the team. Not to mention that Hyper Voice is actually more powerful than Moonblast. Wish is to support the team through wish passing, or heal Sylveon itself through the ol' Wish + Protect combo. Conkeldurr takes quite the residual damage from status, especially if its a badly poison, so the Wish is definitely appreciated there. Protect is to gain back health through the Leftovers and possible Wishes. It's also good for scouting choiced moves if I predict a Choice specs, scarf, or band. Heal Bell is to make up for the lack of a status absorber. This isn't always helpful though, such as in Conkeldurr's case, because it loves status. Though it's nice to wake up Rotom after its berry has been used or if someone has been paralyzed. Sylveon is supposed to be the special wall, but I put the EVs in defense because there are numerous times where I need Sylveon to come in and heal up Pokemon on the team. It's designed to act like Vaporeon now that I think about it, what with it atttempting to be bulky on both sides of the attacking spectrum.
Problems the team encountered:
Steel/bug types: This is probably because the team is lacking a fire move. Scizor and Forretress have proven to be very tough for the team to take out. Scizor more so than Forretress because at least Forretress can't really hit back as hard as Scizor.
Gengar: Gengar is only a problem because it outspeeds everyone on the team except for Alakazam, who can't switch in less it have its sash broken. Not only that, but Sylveon is OHKO'd from a Sludge Wave, and Rotom-W is 2HKO'd by Shadow Ball. Conkeldurr could normally take it out, but Gengars running Destiny Bond are extremely troublesome to deal with.
Setup sweepers: The problem here mainly lies with if they manage to get their Dragon Dance or Swords Dance through. Granted I do have Alakazam to attempt a revenge kill, but there are times when even Alakazam can't save the team after the opponent has gotten a boost. An example of this would be Mega Lucario. If Mega Lucario gets the boost and Focus Blast misses, it becomes an automatic lost for the team.
Final Thoughts: I really enjoy using this team, especially because it's the first team where I feel I can stick with it. I've tried other teams before, but they just didn't seem to fit me and thus caused me to lose interest. The team's highest score on the Smogon OU ladder is 1561, so I don't think the team is terrible at least. I hope this team can continue to improve and succeed in the coming battles, so I would appreciate any and all criticism for this team!
Team:
Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Moxie (Aerialite)
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Nature: Jolly
~Swords Dance
~Return
~Quick Attack
~Earthquake
Pinsir became the team's Mega after having tested Charizard X and Charizard Y on the team. What those two Megas lacked was a priority move, something I had trouble finding to fit on the team. So, I decided that the team would need a Mega that has access to a priority move, and is an offensive threat. I've tried others before Pinsir, such as Scizor and Lucario, but they didn't sit well with me for a select few reasons such as Scizor being too slow for my liking and Lucario being too frail. Then came Pinsir, which is reasonably bulky and is reasonably fast. Pinsir has given the team the most success out of any other Mega I have used, which I think is because of its stats and ability combined with its moves. Swords Dance is to boost Mega Pinsir's attack stat to amazing heights. Unlike Scizor, just getting one Swords Dance on Pinsir is enough to start a devastating sweep when its counters and checks are gone. Return serves as Pinsir's main STAB move, and is used only if Pinsir can outspeed whatever is in front of it. It also has no drawbacks unlike Close Combat which decreases the user's defenses. Quick Attack is Pinsir's priority move that functions very similar to an ExtremeSpeed, with it being weaker by two base power. Luckily, Mega Pinsir's attack stat sort of makes up for this. Earthquake is for Aegislash, who would stop Pinsir's sweep flat if I should run Close Combat or something else. It's also handy for handling anything weak to ground, such as Excadrill and Terrakion. Pinsirite is to have Pinsir have access to its Mega Evolution, and it's really the only reason Pinsir has a shot in OU. Pinsir's role on the team is to serve as a lategame physical sweeper, though I often bring Pinsir in when I am positive that its sweep won't go interrupted.
Rotom-W @ Chesto Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 Sp.Def
Nature: Bold
~Hydro Pump
~Volt Switch
~Rest
~Will-O-Wisp
Something that all my teams have in common is a Talonflame counter. This bird has been a nightmare if my teams don't run a counter specifically built to deal with it. There were three choices I could think of, and Rotom-W is one of them. With Rotom's typing, I can feel a little more at ease against Talonflames knowing that so long as I have Rotom-W alive and well on the team, Talonflame can't Brave Bird everyone on the team. Luckily for me, Rotom also serves as a great physical wall in general because of how it does well against a lot of the Pokemon in the OU metagame. Hydro Pump is useful for STAB and for dealing some solid damage to opposing threats. The accuracy can mess up at times, but the move is worth it considering how much damage it does and how Rotom-W's required to know it anyway. Volt Switch is Rotom-W's primary move, allowing it to pivot into other Pokemon thanks to its speed and bulk. It's the team's only electric move, but it does enough damage to the Pokemon that are weak to electric moves. Rest is Rotom-W's main way of recovery. For one Rest, everything bar stat decreases is recovered. I never really liked using Rest as a recovery option, but it's worked thus far, so I have to stick with it. Will-O-Wisp is to caues burn status on physical attackers. Physical attackers like Lucario do not like getting their attack stat cut in half, and it does 12% every turn, so it'd be a crime not to run the move. Chesto Berry is the item so Rotom can cure status and heal HP for free for one turn. As stated, Rotom-W is the team's physical wall, and the team's Talonflame counter.
Excadrill @ Air Balloon
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
Nature: Jolly
~Earthquake
~Iron Head
~Rapid Spin
~Stealth Rock
Now we have the team's spinner. It goes without saying that any team using a Pokemon that is in any way weak Stealth Rock must have a spinner or defogger. The problem was that I had trouble fitting spinners on my teams because there a limited number of notable ones (Ex: Donphan, Tentacruel) and because if a spinner is used, a hazard setter is usually recommended as well (Ex: Ferrothorn). In an attempt to make teambuilding not as annoying to do, I wanted a spinner that can lay hazards AND spin them away. Sadly, there are only three that I can think of (Excadrill, Forretress, Donphan), and I havn't had good experiences with any of them. So, I chose Excadrill since it gave the best results out of the three. Earthquake is for STAB should Excadrill choose to attack the opponent rather than spin or set hazards. It's also the only way for it to OHKO a Rotom-W if it finds the opportunity to face one, as well as deal with opposing Excadrill. Iron Head is nice steel STAB, which can come in handy against opposing fairies. Luckily, a good number of fairy types are outsped by Excadril, with the only possibly exception being Azumarill thanks to Aqua Jet. Rapid Spin is one of two reasons why Excadrill is even here. Supposedly, Excadrill is a good spinner because it threatens spinblockers, but I've only been able to see this play out once in all my test battles. Stealth Rock is to discourage the opponent from switching and is a nice way to use the turn if Excadrill cannot do much else to the opponent. It also helps Pinsir have an easier time sweeping. Air Balloon is to avoid ground moves, which is surprisingly helpful after having used it for a good amount of time. Excadrill is the team's spinner and Stealth Rocker, though I am considering switching to a Defogger because of how Excadrill dosn't come out into the field too often.
Conkeldurr @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk/8 Def/248 Sp. Def
Nature: Adamant
~Drain Punch
~Mach Punch
~Knock Off
~Ice Punch
As per the suggestion of one competitive battler that helped in the creation of all my teams, I chose Conkeldurr for its bulk and its power. Conkeldurr is a good representation, alongside Mega Pinsir, of my favorite type of Pokemon: bulky attackers. Unlike Mega Pinsir though, it's slower by a lot, but makes up for it in a base 140 attack stat, and 105 HP stat. Throughout testing, Conkeldurr proves to be a suitable member for the team, and it actually partners well with Mega Pinsir. Drain Punch is primary STAB and is Conkeldurr's method of recovery. It's amazing how Conkeldrr's recovery move is one that also deals a good amount of damage, especially if Conkeldurr has been burned or poisoned (though preferably burned). Mach Punch is the team's second priority move, and comes in handy with dealing against Greninja or really anything weak to fighting. Thanks to Conkeldurr's bulk, it is able to deal with some special attackers, though this is really meant to finish off a weak opponent. Knock Off is helpful for its ability to cripple the opponent and is a good go-to move if I predict a switch. If I ever use Knock Off, unless the opposing Pokemon is holding a Mega stone or has Justified for their ability, I always benefit from using the move. Ice Punch is useful for threatening Gliscor so that it is forced to try and PP stall out Ice Punch. It's also good for destroying dragons if Conkeldurr is at full HP. Assault Vest is perfect for Conkeldurr since it only uses attacking moves, and is bulky because of its HP stat. Conkeldurr is the team's wallbreaker, and can be the team's bulky physical attacker.
Alakazam @ Focus sash
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 HP/252 Sp. Atk/252 Spe
Nature: Timid
~Psyshock
~Shadow Ball
~Focus Blast
~Hidden Power Ice
Alakazam has followed me on every team I have assembled, and some people I have consulted with say that I use Alakazam the best out of every other Pokemon I use. I have a feeling it's because of how straightforward Alakazam is, with it's simple role of attacking and Pokemon that has taken down one of the team's members. It dosn't always get to do this, simply because the opposing Pokemon are too bulky or are at full health, but it's able to most of the time. Psyshock is chosen over Psychic because of how it lets Alakazam deal with Blissey and Chansey better than if it had Focus Blast. I've also recently learned that it's better against Conkeldurr who gets the Sp. Def boost from Assault Vest. Shadow Ball is for dealing with Aegislash and Gardevoirs, as well as a good go-to move thanks to ghost only being resisted by dark now. I also use it as a for-sure hit against some Pokemon because of Focus Blast's accuracy, and poor timing when it chooses to miss. Focus Blast is purely for coverage to at least threaten Tyranitar and Heatran, as well as some bulky ice or steel types. Because of Focus Blast's shaky accuracy, I try not to rely on it, but there are times where I need Focus Blast to hit. Hidden Power Ice is helpful for dealing with dragons and the kami trio/forces of nature. Dragons and the members of the kami trio have been troublesome for all teams I have created, so Alakazam serves as a way to get rid of them through a revenge kill in the worst case scenario. Alakazam is the team's revenge killer, so it won't be seen on the field unless the opponent has KO'd a member of the team and Alakazam is capable of revenge killing it.
Sylveon @ Leftovers
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 244 HP/252 Def/12 Spe
Nature: Bold
~Hyper Voice
~Wish
~Protect
~Heal Bell
Sylveon's position originally belonged to Rotom-W when it ran a special defensive set. After noticing that Rotom-W serves the team better on the physical side, I started looking for a special defensive wall that could provide support for the team. After consulting some other battlers, I was told to try out Sylveon, and so far it's the best the team's got for a special wall. Along with every one of my teams having a way to counter Talonflame, I also like to have a status absorber on all my teams. The only status absorbers that exist, at least to my knowledge, are Gliscor and Trevenant, with one being a physical wall, taken by Rotom-W, and one having a weakness to fire. Since two of the team's members are already weak to fire, I could not use Trevenant despite how helpful it has been for old teams I made. So, Sylveon was the next best thing. Hyper Voice is for good STAB, and allows Sylveon to hit Pokemon hiding behind Substitute, which also trouble the team. Not to mention that Hyper Voice is actually more powerful than Moonblast. Wish is to support the team through wish passing, or heal Sylveon itself through the ol' Wish + Protect combo. Conkeldurr takes quite the residual damage from status, especially if its a badly poison, so the Wish is definitely appreciated there. Protect is to gain back health through the Leftovers and possible Wishes. It's also good for scouting choiced moves if I predict a Choice specs, scarf, or band. Heal Bell is to make up for the lack of a status absorber. This isn't always helpful though, such as in Conkeldurr's case, because it loves status. Though it's nice to wake up Rotom after its berry has been used or if someone has been paralyzed. Sylveon is supposed to be the special wall, but I put the EVs in defense because there are numerous times where I need Sylveon to come in and heal up Pokemon on the team. It's designed to act like Vaporeon now that I think about it, what with it atttempting to be bulky on both sides of the attacking spectrum.
Problems the team encountered:
Steel/bug types: This is probably because the team is lacking a fire move. Scizor and Forretress have proven to be very tough for the team to take out. Scizor more so than Forretress because at least Forretress can't really hit back as hard as Scizor.
Gengar: Gengar is only a problem because it outspeeds everyone on the team except for Alakazam, who can't switch in less it have its sash broken. Not only that, but Sylveon is OHKO'd from a Sludge Wave, and Rotom-W is 2HKO'd by Shadow Ball. Conkeldurr could normally take it out, but Gengars running Destiny Bond are extremely troublesome to deal with.
Setup sweepers: The problem here mainly lies with if they manage to get their Dragon Dance or Swords Dance through. Granted I do have Alakazam to attempt a revenge kill, but there are times when even Alakazam can't save the team after the opponent has gotten a boost. An example of this would be Mega Lucario. If Mega Lucario gets the boost and Focus Blast misses, it becomes an automatic lost for the team.
Final Thoughts: I really enjoy using this team, especially because it's the first team where I feel I can stick with it. I've tried other teams before, but they just didn't seem to fit me and thus caused me to lose interest. The team's highest score on the Smogon OU ladder is 1561, so I don't think the team is terrible at least. I hope this team can continue to improve and succeed in the coming battles, so I would appreciate any and all criticism for this team!
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