2 Double Strategies, Which is Better?

[nadmikha]

Hi ya'll!
I am designing a double battle team to use in a tourney coming up soon. I have two strategies and I would like some advice on which would work better.

Strategy 1:


Goodra
Item: Assault Vest
Ability: Sap Sipper
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Sludge Wave
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunderbolt

Mawile
Item: Mawilite
Ability: Intimidate /Huge Power
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Swords Dance

Greninja
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Protean
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Dark Pulse
- Ice Beam
- Scald
- Mat Block

Arcanine
Item: Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Heat Wave
- Will-O-Wisp
- Morning Sun
- Snarl


I first start off with Goodra and Mawile. Goodra is a special defensive tank. Mawile is use cause of intimedate. It lowers the attack of both mons, giving Goodra a fighting chance cause it has a low defence. Another reason I think they pair well is that Goodra can do sludge wave and Mawile won't feel a thing.

Greninja and Arcanine are the other two mon when the first two fall. Greninja is unique with mat block, giving my other mon a free move without damage, except if its a status move...

I am using Arcanine here as a wall, which may seem odd to some but intimidate and snarl make a great pair.


Strategy 2:

Starmie
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Any will work I think
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Protect
- Surf
- Thunder
- Psyshock

Rhyperior
Item: Not sure what will work
Ability: Lightningrod
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Protect
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Rain Dance

Greninja
Item: Life Orb
Ability: Protean
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Dark Pulse
- Ice Beam
- Scald
- Mat Block

Arcanine
Item: Rocky Helmet
Ability: Intimidate
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Heat Wave
- Will-O-Wisp
- Morning Sun
- Snarl

Okay, Arcanine and Greninja still have the same purpose as before so I wont go into that.

Now Starmie and Rhyperior are the lead mons. The thing that I like most about them is protect. I start off with Starmie doing protect and Rhyperior doing rain dance. Then Rhyperior protects and Starmie surfs. Then Stamie protects and Rhyperior earthquakes. Its not like I am only going to switch of every time, it just gives me and option to hit two mons without worry about the out.


Any thoughts are appreciated!

 

[JohnBurgundy]

I like the second one a little better. Have you considered maybe going for either a water absorb/storm drain or volt absorb/lightning rod team? I personally love these strategies in triples. I'd recommend these changes:

Swap out Rhypherior for

Cradily
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
(+Special Attack, -Speed)
-Energy Ball
-Ingrain
-Ancient Power/Infestation
-Toxic/Confuse Ray

Then with Starmie switch out Protect for Recover since it loses Leftovers. Probably give it Shell Bell since it will be damaging two opponents. It would probably give you decent recovery. Also switch out Thunder for Thunderwave, I'll tell you why below.

Then on Greninja swap out Dark Pulse for U-Turn. Both of them are super effective on psychics, and the latter isn't resisted by Fairies. Also, either way you still get the STAB due to Protean. This also lets you do some damage while getting in multiple Mat Blocks. Lead with Greninja and Cradily. Use Mat Block, so that Cradily can set up Ingrain. Then U-Turn out of there to your Starmie. Now you can keep surfing and each time you do, Cradily's Special attacks will get stronger.

Cradily has decent special attack, after a couple of Surfs, not only did you wear down the opponent, but you doubled the Special Attack of the Cradily. Those Energy Balls will be hitting pretty hard. If something resists grass, then use Ancient Power. You will get a slight chance to increase all of the stats. As far as Toxic/Confuse Ray, I'd go with Confuse Ray. It's so annoying fighting a Confuse Ray Cradily. Couple that with a Thuderwave from Starmie and boom you got a parafused opponent. This seriously reduces the chance of them landing a hit, they might hurt themselves, and they are going to be much slower. If you can manage to parafuse both opponents then Cradily becomes pretty hard to kill since it is recovering from Leftovers and Ingrain. Infestation can be used in place of Ancient Power because of the fact that it's weak base power will at least be coming from a boosted Special Attack. But the main reason is because if you use it on two parafused opponents, it traps them and chips away as they struggle to get out an attack. It's just brutal. If you had more set-up moves, it would be the perfect chance right there.