First Competitive Team (UU/NU Tier)

[mikeLawliet]

As you can tell by the title, this is my first team. I decided to go with the UU/NU Tier. This team is a bit of a wall/staller team. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Well, here goes.

@Leftovers
Relaxed
252 HP/252 SpD/4 Def

Spikes
Toxic
Protect
Ice Beam

Sets up Spikes first. Then a toxic, followed by a protect to allow for toxic to do some damage. Ice Beam for STAB and to take care of Dragon and Flying types. Protects in between Ice Beams, along with protecting from explosions.

@Focus Sash
Relaxed
252 HP/228 Def/28 SpD

Taunt
Metal Burst
Stealth Rock
Stone Edge/Iron Head/Rock Slide (Cannot decide)

Another wall. Taunts other walls, and can set up Stealth Rock if the Spikes were Rapid Spin'd away. Metal Burst for sweepers trying to take him out quickly. And then the forth move for STAB.

@Life Orb
Timid
252 SpA/252 Spe/4 HP

Thunderbolt
Shadow Ball
Substitute
Calm Mind

My special sweeper. Thunderbolt for STAB. Shadow Ball for taking out Psychic types. Substitute so that I can get a calm mind in.

@Life Orb
Jolly
252 Atk/252 Spe/4 HP

Return
Zen Headbutt
Earthquake
Giga Impact

My physical sweeper. Return for STAB. Zen Headbutt for slow fighting types who will try to attack Tauros. Earthquake to take out Fire types mainly, along with being a strong attack. Giga Impact to finish a pokemon off, or for when Tauros is about to faint.

@Leftovers
Bold
252 HP/252 Def/4 SpA

Surf
Protect
Rapid Spin
Toxic

My Rapid Spinner, along with being another wall. Rapid Spin to get rid of Spikes. Surf for STAB. Toxic for obvious reasons, and then protecting to stall/scout.

@Life Orb
Adament
252 Atk/130 SpD/126 Spe

Close Combat
Psycho Cut
Swords Dance
Shadow Sneak

Close Combat and Psycho Cut for STAB. I'd use a Swords Dance or two first, and then attack away. Shadow Sneak so that I can get in a quick hit.

Well, I guess that's it, so go ahead and rate/suggest improvements.

 

[Ontop]

Hello mikeLawliet! Giga impact is a big no no. Give Tauros Stone edge >> Giga impact. Also why are these SpD EVs on Gallade. Explain them. As your Gallade is slow with only 126 EVs in Speed i would give it Shadow sneak >> Aerial ace, as a Areial ace without STAB isn't that good. A screen support Milotic walls your team extremly well. If both screens are up none of your pokemon can't even 3HKO it. That's why i recommend CMSubRaikou. Problamy instead of Alakazam. Go for this:

Raikou
Timid nature
Life orb
EV: 4 HP 252 SpAtk 252 Spe

Thunderbolt
Shadow ball
Substitute
Calm mind

After a CM Milotic don't do a skwat to you while you OHKOs.

 

[777ICH777]

I agree with ontop. However i'd run Hidden Power ice over shadow ball so then raikou can do damage against grass and ground types who will otherwise love to come in on raikou. hope that helps!

 

[mikeLawliet]

Thanks guys, time to go find a Raikou. I like that set. And the SpD EV's are on Gallade just becuase he has adequate special defense, so I added some so he could take a few hits.

 

[mikeLawliet]

Any more suggestions before I start?

 

[benttwig33]

Toxis over a direct attcking move on bastiodon, he cant attack....not with his stats.

 

[Monochrome]

OK, Time for a rate.

You seem to have some trouble switching into Honchkrow to be honest. Brave Bird will do a great amount to anything on your team barring Raikou and Bastiodon, the latter of which is OHKOed by Superpower. Honchkrow wont be sweeping your team, no, but you'll find yourself losing pokemon to its STAB Sucker PUnches and Brave Bird pretty often.

Now there is no true Honchkrow check, but the closest you can get is Rhyperior, and I advise you use it over Bastiodon, because it outclasses it nearly completely IMO. The set:

Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Solid Rock
Adamant Nature
evs: 116 HP / 228 Atk / 32 Def / 132 Spe
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
-Megahorn
-Stealth Rock

Rhyperior gives you defense while being able to deal a great deal back, and SR is alsways helpful and practically needed on a Raikou sweep team.

Speaking of Raikou, what is your means of defending against a CM 3 Attack variant? It outspeeds every single one of your pokemon, and deals a hefty load of damage to Gallade with a +1 Shadow Ball, Tauros and Blastoise are smacked by Thunderbolt and Rhyperior die to a HP Grass/Water, takes a lot from HP Ground (not sure if OHKOd after +1), which can also take down Raikou itself.

One solution I see is to run the now omnipresent Venusaur over Tauros as your physical sweeper with the deadly SD Sweeper set.

Venusaur @ Life Orb
Jolly Nature
evs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 SpD
-Sleep Powder
-Swords Dance
-Earthquake
-Power Whip

Venusaur can take an unboosted hit from Raikou and OHKO it with a boosted EQ of its own. The strategy is simple, get in on something that cant hurt you, Sleep Powder the counter that switches in and SD up on their switch, proceed to deal massive damage. Venasaur will lessen your Raikou problem, although you do lose your Ghost resists, thankfully Missy isnt as common anymore.

FInally, for your lead, Froslass is the best Spiker out there period. The fact that it cannot be spun on alone is excellent, while it gains advantages over other leads by virtue of its set. Im not too familiar with it, but the set goes like:

Froslass (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Snow Cloak
EVs: 4 Def/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Ice Beam
- Destiny Bond

This set basically always gets atleast 1 layer of Spikes + a KO, allowing your mon to come in unscathed as well. Raikou especially loves this, since residual damage is usually enough to get its counters into KO range.

On Blastoise, its fine, but Id like to suggest Yawn over Toxic to cause switches and further abuse spikes, as well as scout teams for Raikou counters.

EDIT: Just noticed you dont even have a Scarfer to revenge stuff with. Blastoise seems to be necessary here, so this would have to go in the Gallade slot (its BL anyways so..). Now while Gallade is a top notch mon, and a suspect, I also hear it is going to BL anyways, so id suggest running a Scarf Moltres w/ Fire Blast / Air Slash / HP Grass / filler (could be many things, Overheat for a quick power move, Roost maybe to heal and switch out etc). I feel that since you have the mighty Blastoise getting Rocks off the field shouldnt be a problem. You can also perhaps run something like Scarf Hitmonlee or Scarf Blaziken. Id still rather run one of the birds, just because the Ground immunity is appreciated and now that Honchkrow is BL, you have to fall back on either Moltres or Swellow, but preferably Moltres because I find that Swellow requires immense support to sweep teams, although the payback is usually worth it.
SO yeah, sorry for kinda overhauling your team, went a bit overboard there I guess ^^'

Good Luck!