Rules Forum Rules and Simple Questions/Answers

[Nelson Tangela]

Hello,

I need some help finding a 3rd member to complete my battlespot singles "mini" team.

Basically I have M-Salamence+Magnezone, because I think they are a good duo, and I was thinking about Tapu Fini as the 3rd member, but Misty Surge doesn't really affect M-Mence, so I don't really know what Pokémon to use.

You need a Pheromosa counter that doesn't stack weaknesses with your other two monsters. Otherwise you will have a bad time against it.
Clefable could be good here. It benefits from Magnezone's ability to trap and kill Steel-types, checks Pheromosa pretty well (just watch out for Poison Jab on the switch), gives you a(nother) Cloyster + Mega Gyarados check and completes the Dragon/Steel/Fairy core.

Tapu Fini would weaken your own Dragon-type moves if you run any on your Mega Salamence and the terrain would be completely pointless for your team, since Mega Salamence is unaffected and Magnezone resists Dragon-type moves anyway and can't be poisoned or paralyzed so isn't too afraid of status either. Tapu Fini also has no recovery so can't repeatedly switch into Pheromosa or Garchomp.

 

[Atomic]

Okay, thank you for your help.

EDIT: I'm using a sturdy Magnezone instead of a magnet pull one, is that a big problem ?

 

[DragonWhale]

Sturdy is a nice option to stop potential sweeps. Magnet Pull is useful to prevent Celesteela or the occasional Skarmory from escaping their fate.

If you don't struggle against Celesteela too much then Sturdy is a fine option.

 

[TerminusEdge]

Working on overhauling my own Singles team, and I have 3 members so far.

Salamence @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate
Adamant Nature
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Double-Edge
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Dragon Dance

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
Calm Nature
252 HP / 148 Def / 108 Sp.Def
- Scald
- Toxic
- Recover
- Haze

Marowak-A @ Thick Club
Adamant Nature
252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Sp.Def
- Flare Blitz
- Shadow Bone
- Bonemerang
- Flame Charge

I still have 3 more spots to fill, and I'm not sure what else I should be covering. I don't know what I should be wary of and what to prepare for.

I've been told to build a "core". That's something I should figure out so I can complete one.

 

[average fella]

Working on overhauling my own Singles team, and I have 3 members so far.

Salamence @ Salamencite
Ability: Intimidate
Adamant Nature
252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
- Double-Edge
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Dragon Dance

Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Ability: Regenerator
Calm Nature
252 HP / 148 Def / 108 Sp.Def
- Scald
- Toxic
- Recover
- Haze

Marowak-A @ Thick Club
Adamant Nature
252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Sp.Def
- Flare Blitz
- Shadow Bone
- Bonemerang
- Flame Charge

I still have 3 more spots to fill, and I'm not sure what else I should be covering. I don't know what I should be wary of and what to prepare for.

I've been told to build a "core". That's something I should figure out so I can complete one.

As it exists right now, at first glance, your team is obnoxiously weak to Mamoswine, doesn't have any solid counterplay for Jolly Salamence(which now is something that is acceptable to run thanks to the mega speed change), has very little ways of dealing with any Tapu Lele set meaningfully, and keels over and dies to most rain cores (when i say "most rain cores", i mean Kingdra in rain alone can take it)

When people mean cores, they often mean 2 or 3 mons that cover each other very well, such as Pelipper/Kingdra, Tapu Bulu/Aegislash, or in a case particularly relevant to your team, Celesteela/Marowak.

Celesteela, depending on what sets you decide to use on it, can clear up any of these weaknesses nicely. I'm not entirely sure you need an anti-wall SubSeeding set thanks to the Toxic, so this is a set that may help just generally.

Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake

Additionally, if you don't feel squeamish using Celesteela with Electric Terrain up over half the time, you could attempt to use either Mamoswine or Tapu Koko, both of whom synergize pretty gosh-darn well with Mega Salamence offensively.

Mamoswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Oblivious
Level: 50
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Spear
- Ice Shard
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock

Tapu Koko @ Life Orb
Ability: Electric Surge
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 4 Def / 248 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 1 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 SpD
- Volt Switch
- Dazzling Gleam
- Grass Knot
- Hidden Power [Ground]

These are just suggestions though. If you were to try this team out with my three sets, you'd be hard-pressed to not bring a relatively passive Toxapex as your only counterplay to Cloyster, for example. I have no idea what replaces Toxapex, or if Toxapex is even an okay mon regardless of what teammates it is given. I hope this helped!

 

[Tank!]

Is Incineroar viable to break the Celesteela+Marowak core? I was thinking about him on TR team but I'm still learning about the meta.

 

[cant say]

Is Incineroar viable to break the Celesteela+Marowak core? I was thinking about him on TR team but I'm still learning about the meta.

Incineroar has actually been seeing decent usage because it does handle the core pretty well. Too bad it doesn't have Intimidate yet because that would be dope.

 

[keener101]

I'm brand new to competitive this cycle and have been mostly playing Battle Tree to try to test my team. I am wondering what a good team consists of though - do they normally have 3 sweepers? A wall? etc. I'm just starting out so I'm not really sure what I should be looking for in a complete "team".

 

[Nelson Tangela]

I'm brand new to competitive this cycle and have been mostly playing Battle Tree to try to test my team. I am wondering what a good team consists of though - do they normally have 3 sweepers? A wall? etc. I'm just starting out so I'm not really sure what I should be looking for in a complete "team".

If you actually want to build a decent team,
you should stop thinking in frameworks like "I need x physical sweepers, x special sweepers, x mixed sweepers, x walls, a dedicated wallbreaker, a tank, a blablabla..."
and start thinking in game plans and synergy that goes beyond simple type- and physical/special-synergy during teambuilding.

In Battle Spot Singles most good teams, that aren't based on gimmicky tactics or a single one-trick-pony game plan like Eevee-Extreme Evoboost-Baton Pass, aim for offensive synergy since 3vs3 is a very fast-paced metagame.

There are no "complete" teams.

 

[keener101]

Thanks - that's actually really helpful because that's exactly what I was doing.

This is going to reveal the full depths of my noobishness, but what is an example of a "synergetic" team? I feel like I don't even know where to start thinking about this kind of stuff.

I guess I can share my 2 current members now that I've been going through Battle Tree with. I'm not sure what would be a good third mon or if I'm completely off base here. Open to any suggestions/help:

Mimikyu @ Wide Lens/ Life Orb
Ability: Disguise
EVs: 252 Sp / 252 Att / 4 SpD
Jolly Nature
- Shadow Sneak
- Play Rough
- Shadow Claw
- Swords Dance

A-Muk @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Clear Smog
- Poison Jab
- Shadow Sneak
- Knock Off

There's an obvious weakness to steel types here that have been giving me some trouble - I've been running just my starter Incineroar to cover them and it's been working out OK.

______________________
cant say says: don't double post!

 

[MagikaripIsOP]

I'm brand new to competitive this cycle and have been mostly playing Battle Tree to try to test my team. I am wondering what a good team consists of though - do they normally have 3 sweepers? A wall? etc. I'm just starting out so I'm not really sure what I should be looking for in a complete "team".

Watch high level players play and try to emulate them and their teams. Alex Ogloza is #1 in the US and has a YT channel. Top teams (and this goes for global top teams as well) don't usually have a set framework. If anything, they just have cores

Wide lens sucks btw and I think you meant to put 252 attack on mimikyu

 

[keener101]

Wide lens sucks btw and I think you meant to put 252 attack on mimikyu

I did, thanks. I've just been using the Lens for the Battle Tree, never BSS

 

[Nelson Tangela]

Thanks - that's actually really helpful because that's exactly what I was doing.

This is going to reveal the full depths of my noobishness, but what is an example of a "synergetic" team? I feel like I don't even know where to start thinking about this kind of stuff.

I'm typing this on my mobile phone and have zero desire to write an adequate explanation right now, but you could start by reading this:

http://www.smogon.com/smog/issue39/synergy-cores-teambuilding

That article isn't exactly talking about the current Battle Spot formats, but it should give you an idea of what I meant by "synergy".

 

[keener101]

I'm typing this on my mobile phone and have zero desire to write an adequate explanation right now, but you could start by reading this:

http://www.smogon.com/smog/issue39/synergy-cores-teambuilding

That article isn't exactly talking about the current Battle Spot formats, but it should give you an idea of what I meant by "synergy".

Thanks - that was really helpful again.

Watch high level players play and try to emulate them and their teams. Alex Ogloza is #1 in the US and has a YT channel. Top teams (and this goes for global top teams as well) don't usually have a set framework. If anything, they just have cores

Thanks for the tip. I ended up watching a few videos and feel like I have a better idea for everything.

One question - what are the calculators Alex is using when he plays? Like here?

_____________________
cant say says: don't double-post, you can reply to more than one person in the same post by clicking "reply" while still typing a post up

 

[Charlotte]

Thanks for the tip. I ended up watching a few videos and feel like I have a better idea for everything.

One question - what are the calculators Alex is using when he plays? Like here?

Currently we're using this http://jake-white.github.io/VGC-Damage-Calculator/
Remember to set it to singles if you're playing singles.
At some point cant say will hopefully have a more battlespot centric version put up with common bss sets implemented but for now this is what we're using.

 

[Rakfa-san]

Hello all! I've been looking for a comprehensive banlist that lists each Pokemon I can't use on Battle Spot. Every post just says mythicals and box legends but mythicals no longer have the obvious 100/100/100/100/100/100 spread. And are things like Zygarde box legends? Or does that just include the 14 legends that have appeared on boxes? I'd greatly appreciate an answer.

On another note, I'm really into Kartana. I'm wondering if anyone has had success pairing him with certain mons or anything like that. Thanks! :)

 

[Theorymon]

Hello all! I've been looking for a comprehensive banlist that lists each Pokemon I can't use on Battle Spot. Every post just says mythicals and box legends but mythicals no longer have the obvious 100/100/100/100/100/100 spread. And are things like Zygarde box legends? Or does that just include the 14 legends that have appeared on boxes? I'd greatly appreciate an answer.

On another note, I'm really into Kartana. I'm wondering if anyone has had success pairing him with certain mons or anything like that. Thanks! :)

Here's whats banned (assuming post Pokebank, pre pokebank is a more complicated matter)

Mewtwo
Mew
Lugia
Ho-Oh
Celebi
Groudon
Kyogre
Rayquaza
Jirachu
Deoxys (all formes)
Dialga
Palkia
Giratina (both formes)
Phione (yeah really lol)
Manaphy
Darkrai
Shaymin (both formes)
Arceus (all formes)
Victini
Reshiram
Zekrom
Kyurem (all formes)
Keldeo
Meloetta (both formes)
Genesect
Xerneas
Yveltal
Zygarde (all formes)
Diancie
Hoopa (both formes)
Volcanion
Cosmog
Cosmoem
Solgaleo
Lunala
Magearna
Marshadow

 

[Rakfa-san]

Here's whats banned (assuming post Pokebank, pre pokebank is a more complicated matter)

Mewtwo
Mew
Lugia
Ho-Oh
Celebi
Groudon
Kyogre
Rayquaza
Jirachu
Deoxys (all formes)
Dialga
Palkia
Giratina (both formes)
Phione (yeah really lol)
Manaphy
Darkrai
Shaymin (both formes)
Arceus (all formes)
Victini
Reshiram
Zekrom
Kyurem (all formes)
Keldeo
Meloetta (both formes)
Genesect
Xerneas
Yveltal
Zygarde (all formes)
Diancie
Hoopa (both formes)
Volcanion
Cosmog
Cosmoem
Solgaleo
Lunala
Magearna
Marshadow

Thanks so much! :)

 

[cant say]

Thanks so much! :)

As Theorymon mentioned; the Pre-PokeBank banlist is quite complicated. I haven't got the complete list handy at the moment, but basically if you go to the Serebii Pokedex and the "Location" tab says "Transfer Required" then that Pokemon is currently banned. When PokeBank updates to allow transfer of up to SM from XY/ORAS then everything not in Tmon's list above is legal. But that's not until midway through January's iirc.

 

[Demantoid]

Here's whats banned (assuming post Pokebank, pre pokebank is a more complicated matter)

Mewtwo
Mew
Lugia
Ho-Oh
Celebi
Groudon
Kyogre
Rayquaza
Jirachu
Deoxys (all formes)
Dialga
Palkia
Giratina (both formes)
Phione (yeah really lol)
Manaphy
Darkrai
Shaymin (both formes)
Arceus (all formes)
Victini
Reshiram
Zekrom
Kyurem (all formes)
Keldeo
Meloetta (both formes)
Genesect
Xerneas
Yveltal
Zygarde (all formes)
Diancie
Hoopa (both formes)
Volcanion
Cosmog
Cosmoem
Solgaleo
Lunala
Magearna
Marshadow

Don't forget Necrozma

 

[storm]

curious on that dual screen koko ive seen top japanese players running around with. DOes anyone know the supposed EV spread on it? I know max speed but cant figure out if max hp or max spatk

 

[glassedplanets]

This is kind of a dumb question tbh, but there isn't a dedicated thread for Battle Tree, so is it fine to ask for teambuilding help in the BSS thread since they're very similar metagames?

 

[NOVED]

This is kind of a dumb question tbh, but there isn't a dedicated thread for Battle Tree, so is it fine to ask for teambuilding help in the BSS thread since they're very similar metagames?

There's a thread for Battle Tree in the Orange Islands forum http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/battle-tree-discussion-thread-leaderboard-eventually.3587215/

 

[glassedplanets]

There's a thread for Battle Tree in the Orange Islands forum http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/battle-tree-discussion-thread-leaderboard-eventually.3587215/

Aw man, I shoulda done some more digging. Thank you!

 

[storm]

What are some good counters to the following:

porygon 2- realized muk is pretty good but don't like milk against anything else

Porygon z - z conversion this crap is so annoying

Cloyster - manage to beat it every time I've played it but it's been shaky

Mega scizor - same as cloyster beaten every time but it's frustrating to play against (ironically one of my top 5 favorite Pokémon doesn't help) just played a whole completely out of pp with my celesteela to beat one