Hey, this is my first Little Cup team that I built for laddering, and while I find it pretty powerful thus far, I'm struggling to deal with some common threats. Here's the team as it stands:
Porygon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Download
Level: 5
EVs: 36 Def / 236 SpA / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Trick
- Psychic
I built my team around Porygon, and I don't regret it. This thing is a menace. If I trap their Steel and kill their Ghost, it's pretty much game over if I can get it in on a low SpD Pokemon. Psychic is to hit poison types I guess but in practice I've literally only ever clicked Tri Attack and Trick, so go ahead, feel free to tell me what other coverage moves would be better.
Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Fake Out
Mandatory Mienfoo. No complaints here, other than that I'm finding that it quickly gets overwhelmed pivoting vs offense.
Abra @ Shed Shell
Ability: Magic Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 36 Atk / 236 SpA / 196 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Punch
- Substitute
I opted for SubPunch over Fire Punch just because this thing's HP doesn't matter. Honestly, I'm kind of considering switching the ability to Inner Focus--plowing through Mienfoo Fake Out to kill it turn 1 with Psychic would be really funny, and Magic Guard never comes up.
Trapinch @ Eviolite
Ability: Arena Trap
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 116 Atk / 76 Def / 156 SpD / 36 Spe
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Superpower
- First Impression
- Feint
Traps and eliminates key threats to the team. I prefer it to Diglett for a few reasons: First Impression lets it revenge kill fast Bug-weak offensive threats like Grookey and Abra, its higher bulk lets it pivot in on neutral moves, and in general I find that it pulls its weight in matchups where there's nothing to trap more than Diglett does.
Ponyta-Galar @ Eviolite
Ability: Pastel Veil
Level: 5
EVs: 236 SpA / 76 SpD / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Psychic
- Mystical Fire
- Morning Sun
I initially added this for some kind of Psychic spam build which would wear down shared checks between Ponyta and Abra, but I think this is the weakest link overall, and what I'm most inclined to switch out. It's not as fast as Porygon, and not as strong as Abra, and even after 1 Calm Mind it typically can't clean and it rarely recovers enough with Morning Sun to sit on anything. Looking for another offensive wincon to replace Ponyta.
Pawniard @ Berry Juice
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 196 SpD / 116 Spe
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Stealth Rock
Rocker, priority, knock support, bulky, flinches everything. A chip off the old block, love this little guy
Edit: I forgot to specify, I keep getting packed by Abra mirror and Jellicent, specifically, and I typically have to sac a pokemon vs Corphish.
Porygon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Download
Level: 5
EVs: 36 Def / 236 SpA / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Trick
- Psychic
I built my team around Porygon, and I don't regret it. This thing is a menace. If I trap their Steel and kill their Ghost, it's pretty much game over if I can get it in on a low SpD Pokemon. Psychic is to hit poison types I guess but in practice I've literally only ever clicked Tri Attack and Trick, so go ahead, feel free to tell me what other coverage moves would be better.
Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Fake Out
Mandatory Mienfoo. No complaints here, other than that I'm finding that it quickly gets overwhelmed pivoting vs offense.
Abra @ Shed Shell
Ability: Magic Guard
Level: 5
EVs: 36 Atk / 236 SpA / 196 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Punch
- Substitute
I opted for SubPunch over Fire Punch just because this thing's HP doesn't matter. Honestly, I'm kind of considering switching the ability to Inner Focus--plowing through Mienfoo Fake Out to kill it turn 1 with Psychic would be really funny, and Magic Guard never comes up.
Trapinch @ Eviolite
Ability: Arena Trap
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 116 Atk / 76 Def / 156 SpD / 36 Spe
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Superpower
- First Impression
- Feint
Traps and eliminates key threats to the team. I prefer it to Diglett for a few reasons: First Impression lets it revenge kill fast Bug-weak offensive threats like Grookey and Abra, its higher bulk lets it pivot in on neutral moves, and in general I find that it pulls its weight in matchups where there's nothing to trap more than Diglett does.
Ponyta-Galar @ Eviolite
Ability: Pastel Veil
Level: 5
EVs: 236 SpA / 76 SpD / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Psychic
- Mystical Fire
- Morning Sun
I initially added this for some kind of Psychic spam build which would wear down shared checks between Ponyta and Abra, but I think this is the weakest link overall, and what I'm most inclined to switch out. It's not as fast as Porygon, and not as strong as Abra, and even after 1 Calm Mind it typically can't clean and it rarely recovers enough with Morning Sun to sit on anything. Looking for another offensive wincon to replace Ponyta.
Pawniard @ Berry Juice
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 156 Atk / 36 Def / 196 SpD / 116 Spe
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Sucker Punch
- Stealth Rock
Rocker, priority, knock support, bulky, flinches everything. A chip off the old block, love this little guy
Edit: I forgot to specify, I keep getting packed by Abra mirror and Jellicent, specifically, and I typically have to sac a pokemon vs Corphish.
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