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IGRMT Build A Team - Zapdos [v.1]

Aura Sensei™

User Title
IGRMT Build A Team

What is IGRMT Build A Team? Well it's an idea I recently devised, and with the approval of Shine, may become a trend depending on how this one goes.

The basic idea is, for everyone in the Section to come together and build a team - like the name implies. With each different Thread, there will be different Pokemon, strategies or gimmicks to build a Team around. It'll really be a cohesive effort. Anyone may voice their opinion - even if it may sound like a bad idea, it could be interesting as well. We can try out EV Spreads, movesets, multiple Pokemon together to form a core, all of the elements of a Team.

So, who will decide the Pokemon / strategy / gimmick? For the first one, that would be me, however anyone is free to suggest ideas for future BATs.

__________________________

Rules

• All SPPf Rules Apply
• Please stay on topic
• Before something is added to the Team, the majority of the group must agree on it (i.e. just because you think it's good, dosen't mean everyone else agrees)
• No spamming, whatsoever
• Whenever you make a suggestion or disagree with someone, explain why it would be a good set or why he other person's suggestion is bad
• No more than 3 Pokemon can be suspect for one slot in the Team; otherwise, it's difficult to come to a decision

Here would be an example of what we want to see;

poster 1 said:
I think ___ would fit well on the Team because it counters ___, who is a big problem for this Team, and fixes synergy problems.

Furthermore, this Spread works perfectly as it outspeeds ___ while retaining most of it's bulk.

Here would be an example of what we don't want to see;

poster 2 said:
I think ___ should be in this Team because ___ is cool and I like him alot.

I've tried this EV Spread and it works good. It pwnz. LOL

__________________________

Ban List

.

__________________________

Format

In general, the format dosen't matter for a moveset, as long as it can be read and you can give a half decent description of the Pokemon in question.

The Pokemon / strategy / gimmick

145.png
145.png

  • Zapdos @ Leftovers
  • Pressure
  • Timid
  • 252 Hp / 228 SpA / 28 Spe
» Thunderbolt
» Roost
» Substitute
» Heat Wave

So, let's get it started! Oh and if you have any questions, feel free to VM/PM me.
 
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Aura Sensei™

User Title
The Team

145.png
145.png

  • Zapdos @ Leftovers
  • Pressure
  • Timid
  • 252 Hp / 228 SpA / 28 Spe
» Thunderbolt
» Roost
» Substitute
» Heat Wave

Moveset; This is more of a Bulky variant of Zapdos, which concentrates on using Sub + Roost to drain the opponent's PP with Pressure Stall. Thunderbolt is your obligatory STAB, it does very solid damage on most things. Heat Wave is good for hitting most things that resist Thunderbolt; Ferrothorn and Magnezone to name a few.

EV Spread; Zapdos has just enough Speed to outspeed neutral Starmie, which can sometimes be important, due to it fearing Ice Beam. The rest has been dumped into Hp and SpA to further increase Zapdos' bulk and power.

______________________

389.png
389.png

  • Torterra @ Leftovers
  • Overgrow
  • Adamant
  • 12 Hp / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
» Wood Hammer
» Earthquake
» Stone Edge / Rock Slide
» Synthesis

Moveset; This set is pretty straightforward. Torterra makes good use of Synthesis and Leftovers to retain its bulk despite minimal defensive investment. Because of this, it can run Wood Hammer without being overly worried about the recoil. Rock Slide is acceptable over Stone Edge if you dislike its craptastic accuracy and low PP.

EVs; The EV spread maximizes Attack while outspeeding neutral base 55's; the leftovers are placed in Hp for extra bulk.

______________________

73.png
73.png

  • Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
  • Clear Body
  • Bold
  • 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
» Scald / Surf
» Sludge Wave / Ice Beam
» Toxic
» Protect

Moveset; Yeah yeah, slashits, I know. The choice between Surf and Scald is dependent on whether or not you want to risk the burn chance interfering with Toxic Spikes. Sludge Wave versus Ice Beam is a choice between neutral coverage and power, or superior super-effective coverage. Protect helps with stalling and Lefties recovery.

EVs; The EV spread lets Tentacruel outspeed Max Speed Base 60's while maximizing physical bulk. Since Tentacruel has Base 120 SpD, there's really no point in investing in that unless you want it to be a special wall.

______________________

229.png
229.png

  • Houndoom @ Life Orb
  • Flash Fire
  • Hasty
  • 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
» Sucker Punch
» Hidden Power [Grass]
» Fire Blast
» Dark Pulse

Moveset; While Nasty Plot is cool, I often feel that Houndoom is just about too slow to manage that, especially with such terribad defence. So here we have a wallbreaker set, designed to just hit stuff as hard as possible until it dies, hence I chose Fire Blast over Flamethrower. HP [Grass] is really its only other special move, and it helps with Rock types looking to ruin Houndoom's day. Sucker Punch because Houndoom has a decent attack stat of 90 to work off, and is ideal for causing that last bit of damage before sacrificing itself so Zapdos will have an easier time keeping up the pressure (pun intended).
 
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Tehero

Like A Boss
I think Qwilfish would make a nice partner. Yes Qwilfish. One more time; I said Qwilfish. While it may not be super big and bad like some pokemon, It covers Zapdos well. Qwilfish can lay down Toxic spikes, allowing Zapdos a more efficient stall. It has intimidate to cover Zapdos from major attacks. It covers Zapdos's Ice weakness and also is only normally damaged by Rock moves, plus since most Rock moves seem to be physical based, Intimidate would take care of that. Zapdos covers Qwilfish's ground weakness with its immunity and also is only normally damaged by Electric attacks and Psychic attacks.

211.png

Qwilfish@Black Sludge
Intimidate
Impish
252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe

- Toxic Spikes
- Surf
- Venoshock
- Destiny Bond

The speed EVs let him out speed other 55 based neutral natured pokemon in the game. The rest of the EVs went into HP and Def to make him bulky.

Toxic Spikes to obviously help Zapdos stall. Plus not many pokemon use Rapid Spin in game. Surf as a STAB and so that you are always carrying that HM around. Plus you get it fairly early. (Hydro Pump you get kinda late) Venoshock for another STAB plus it does extra damage if the target it poisoned (Toxic Spikes). And I was thinking Destiny Bond because the pokemon you switch Qwilfish out on won't be poisoned. If you use Destiny Bond, Zapdos will only have to deal with poisoned folks.
 

Aurath8

Well-Known Member
Hmm, nice idea and a bit more involved than Find a Thread.

I believe it should be 252 HP / 228 Spd / 28 Spatk on Zapdos.

On Qwilfish, Base 55 doesn't have very many pokemon below it. I think beating base 65's gives the best benefits as that means you beat Scizor, Tyranitar, Jellicent, Breloom and several other big threats. 252 HP / 136 Spd / 120 Def.
Also, Qwilfish is a physical attacker. 95 base attack and 55 base SPatk. Waterfall > Surf and maybe Spikes over Venoshock to support further.

I agree that he's a good choice though, since Toxic can speed up Zapdos' stalling by a lot and can nerf physical attackers with Intimidate.

Zapdos struggles against Rock types as they resist Heat Wave and often have a secondary typing like Ground that resists/is immune to Thunderbolt. How about Torterra?



Torterra@Life Orb
Adamant
Overgrow
252 Atk / 180 Spd / 76 HP
-Rock Polish
-Seed Bomb
-Rock Slide
-Earthquake

Torterra resists QuakeEdge that Rock types and so many others love to carry. Zapdos can cover its Bug and Flying weakness as well.
The moveset should be self-explanatory except for maybe Rock Polish. I think the team needs a proper fast offensive powerhouse besides Zapdos. The EVs outspeed Base 125s like Weavile and Swellow at +2. You could also use Jolly with 252 Atk / 92 Spd / 164 HP but I don't think the loss in power is worth it.
I am considering Wood Hammer over Seed Bomb, but the recoil is already hurting a lifespan shortened by the Life Orb. *coughWishpassercough*

This does create an Ice type weakness however. Zapdos does have Heatwave, and Qwilfish but Ice type attacks rarely come from Ice types themselves as the type sucks defensively and Qwilfish was not designed to wall much.
 

Eon Master

Born from the Flames
Alright, since I got roped into this as a main contributor, I might as well earn my keep.

First of all, I would've suggested Nidoqueen or Nidoking as the first Zapdos partner, but since we've already got serviceable replacements, I'll forgo my rant on that subject.

I like the thinking of Toxic Spikes from a bulky Water-type; however, Tentacruel > Qwilfish all the way. Most Ice-type attacks will be special rather than physical (which Qwilfish will have issues tanking), and Tentacruel has the necessary bulk to tank both sides of the spectrum with the right EV spread. As much as Intimidate is cool, better special bulk is more of a benefit on this team.

Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
Ability: Clear Body (superior to Rain Dish in-game because stat-lowering moves are more common than Rain)
- Scald / Surf
- Sludge Wave / Ice Beam
- Toxic Spikes
- Protect

Yeah yeah, slashits, I know. The choice between Surf and Scald is dependent on whether or not you want to risk the burn chance interfering with Toxic Spikes. Sludge Wave versus Ice Beam is a choice between neutral coverage and power, or superior super-effective coverage. Protect helps with stalling and Lefties recovery, while Toxic Spikes are the crux of the set. The EV spread lets Tentacruel outspeed Max Speed Base 60's while maximizing physical bulk. Since Tentacruel has Base 120 SpD, there's really no point in investing in that unless you want it to be a special wall.


Also, with Torterra, Rock Polish is very underwhelming even in-game, and I've personally never been a big fan of it. It's way more frail than you'd think thanks to its lack of defensive investment and mediocre defensive typing, and Life Orb recoil really puts a damper on whatever bulk it might have left. Finally, Seed Bomb is horribly weak comparative to Wood Hammer, but Wood Hammer turns Torterra into a borderline glass cannon, so either way, you still lose. I much prefer an offensive Tank set. Something like...

Torterra @ Leftovers
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 12 Hp / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
- Wood Hammer
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge / Rock Slide
- Synthesis

This set is pretty straightforward. Torterra makes good use of Synthesis and Leftovers to retain its bulk despite minimal defensive investment. Because of this, it can run Wood Hammer without being overly worried about the recoil. Rock Slide is acceptable over Stone Edge if you dislike its craptastic accuracy and low PP. Finally, the EV spread maximizes Attack while outspeeding neutral base 55's; the leftovers are placed in Hp for extra bulk. If you prefer a bulkier spread, 252 Hp / 44 Atk / 212 Def is solid as a physical tank and makes a good Tentacruel partner. If you're going that low on offense, Seed Bomb is acceptable because Wood Hammer's power isn't as useful anymore. Also with the defensive spread, Leech Seed > Rock-type coverage can be considered for further stalling/healing.


Now, looking back at Zapdos, there's absolutely no need for that much speed. Max Base 90's are a high-end target in-game because almost nothing is invested. Use the standard Smogon spread (with Max HP because Stealth Rock isn't a factor in-game); that'd be 252 Hp / 80 Def / 176 Spe Timid.

Finally, I'm going to advise that we put in a strong, fast special attacker to balance Torterra's strong physical attacks and balance the low speed of Tentacruel (or Qwilfish, if you guys are dead-set on the inferior choice) and Torterra. I'll leave the choice of what up to the next posters, since otherwise I'd just be making the entire team.
 
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Shockking

i dont know anymore
I would suggest Volcarona as a fast special sweeper for this team as its mates would cover its weaknesses well. I would use:

Volcarona @Life Orb / Sitrus Berry
Flame Body
Timid
252 SpAtt / 252 Spe / 4 HP
-Bug Buzz
-Flamethrower / Fire Blast / Fiery Dance
-Giga Drain / Roost
-Quiver Dance

I would forgo defensive investment in place of readily available offensive prowess, using the spread shown. The fore move is up to personal opinion, with accuracy vs. power vs. secondary effects. Roost could be used to heal off damage from time Dancing or just to allow a continued sweep but as this is in-game, Giga Drain is probably better as you can heal and deal super-effective hits against water and rock types, which is quality. One thing to note is that you can really do much to other fore types. If they are Specially based you can stay in, tanking hits and boosting yourself to hopefully take it out +6 but against a physical fire type you can't do anything but get KO'd (if you don't switch obviously :p).
 

KillerDraco

Well-Known Member
Mmm... if Volcarona's in the mix, it'll probably want either Rapid Spin or Magic Bounce support. It's the inherent risk of having your main special sweeper be 4x weak to Rock, after all.

There is the possibility of making Tentacruel a Rapid Spinner, though it'd need to drop one of its attacking moves (probably Ice Beam/Sludge Wave) or Toxic Spikes to do so, either of which may or may not be appealing. Whether or not to add Rapid Spin depends on what you want from your Tentacruel, and if you want it to have a little more attacking presence vs. more support.

I do think this team needs a Steel type of some sort. Let's face it, when the Draco Meteors and Outrages start flying, nothing in this team wants to be eating either. And so, I have to ask a question...

Is Torterra really the best option for a grass type? It may resist both halves of EdgeQuake, and be able to utilize that very same EdgeQuake, but its bulk could be better, and its neutrality to water and 4x weakness to Ice means that the ever present Starmie (which seems to be something that can handle most of this team due to BoltBeam) will revenge kill it with ease. Starmie was identified as a relevant threat early on, and nothing's really touched on that. And so I propose an alternative to Torterra. It's common to the point of being cliched, but it gets the job done...

Ferrothorn. Yep, who'd have guessed. If Starmie isn't packing HP Fire (which isn't the most common thing on Starmie), Ferrothorn stops it cold. It also shrugs off dragon and psychic type attacks, making it able to sponge attacks from the Lati twins (again, from those lacking HP Fire), both of whom can threaten numerous members of this team. It's just got resistances out the wazoo and can cover a multitude of relevant threats. Its Fire and Fighting weaknesses are covered by Tentacruel and Zapdos, respectively.

Ferrothorn @Leftovers
Iron Barbs
Relaxed Nature
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
-Spikes/Stealth Rock
-Leech Seed
-Gyro Ball
-Power Whip

It's a pretty standard Ferrothorn with standard EVs and standard nature. But it's standard because it works, after all. Spikes or Stealth Rock gives another entry hazard alongside Toxic Spikes, both of which work wonders against those immune to poison. I'd be inclined to go with Stealth Rock, given nothing is immune to it, and it can truly cripple certain Pokemon (Dragonite, Salamence, Volcarona, etc.). I considered Protect on it, but having both Gyro Ball and Power Whip gives it a bit more offensive presence so that it's not always a sitting duck. Still, it can be considered in order to stall more and let Leftovers and Leech Seed do their thing; it's open for discussion. But seriously; this thing can sponge hits all over the place, and pretty much writes off Starmie as a threat.

Of course, if you want to keep Torterra, then there's always the option of using Jirachi as a bulky steel type... but I'll leave that to someone else, since I've been rambling for a little bit now.
 
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Eon Master

Born from the Flames
The only problem I have with 90% of your post is that you're assuming this is competitive. It's not. This is an in-game team; that's why it's in the in-game RMT forum. Therefore, Starmie isn't common, the Lati twins are limited to a single wild encounter (in B2W2), and SR isn't even a factor.

Otherwise, your reasoning is completely solid, though. So props to you :p
 

Tehero

Like A Boss
The only problem I have with 90% of your post is that you're assuming this is competitive. It's not. This is an in-game team; that's why it's in the in-game RMT forum. Therefore, Starmie isn't common, the Lati twins are limited to a single wild encounter (in B2W2), and SR isn't even a factor.

Otherwise, your reasoning is completely solid, though. So props to you :p

That's the thing I'm kind of confused on. What part of the game are we focusing on? Are we trying to have only pokemon obtainable in the game?
 

Shockking

i dont know anymore
Personally I thought this was more along the lines of semi-competitive, which would make Draco's advice fairly solid. idk though :p I did like the idea of Torterra for this team though and I was thinking about a steel type for it as well.
 

Tehero

Like A Boss
Personally I thought this was more along the lines of semi-competitive, which would make Draco's advice fairly solid. idk though :p I did like the idea of Torterra for this team though and I was thinking about a steel type for it as well.

That's the feel I'm getting now, but at first I thought it was more of a 'use cool pokemon to create a decent team for a run through' type of thing. Which is why I suggested Qwilfish lol
 

Aura Sensei™

User Title
THIS SHOULD BE TREATED AS INGAME, BUT FUTURE ONES MAY BE SCRMT.

I agree with Eon on Tentacruel > Qwilfish, though tbh I like the idea of Qwilfish.

Tentacruel and Torterra seem to be two Pokemon being thrown around, so I guess we could assume them as possible candidates? We should probably begin voting on sets for the two then, so we can determine which set should be used. First set to 3 votes will be chosen. Oh, and to make it more fair, you can't vote for your own set.

I second Eon's Torterra, but I'd like to propose thsi Tentacruel;

  • Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
  • Clear Body
  • Impish
  • 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
» Dive
» Toxic
» Substitute
» Protect

Originality. The choice between Eon's set and this set is that this focuses more on stalling and receiving extra recovery whilst damaging the opponent with Toxic + Dive. Substitute is important for blocking status and making it harder for Tenta to be killed. The Spread is the exact same as Eon's, so it outspeeds max Base 60's.

Oh and if anyone wants to suggest any changes to the set's in question, go ahead.

______________________

Votes

Torterra;

Torterra@Life Orb
Adamant
Overgrow
252 Atk / 180 Spd / 76 HP
-Rock Polish
-Seed Bomb
-Rock Slide
-Earthquake

votes;

Torterra @ Leftovers
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 12 Hp / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
- Wood Hammer
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge / Rock Slide
- Synthesis

votes; [Aura Sensai]

Tentacruel;

Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
Ability: Clear Body (superior to Rain Dish in-game because stat-lowering moves are more common than Rain)
- Scald / Surf
- Sludge Wave / Ice Beam
- Toxic Spikes
- Protect

votes;

  • Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
  • Clear Body
  • Impish
  • 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
» Dive
» Toxic
» Substitute
» Protect

votes;
 

Tehero

Like A Boss
THIS SHOULD BE TREATED AS INGAME, BUT FUTURE ONES MAY BE SCRMT.

I agree with Eon on Tentacruel > Qwilfish, though tbh I like the idea of Qwilfish.

Tentacruel and Torterra seem to be two Pokemon being thrown around, so I guess we could assume them as possible candidates? We should probably begin voting on sets for the two then, so we can determine which set should be used. First set to 3 votes will be chosen. Oh, and to make it more fair, you can't vote for your own set.

I second Eon's Torterra, but I'd like to propose thsi Tentacruel;

  • Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
  • Clear Body
  • Impish
  • 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
» Dive
» Toxic
» Substitute
» Protect

Originality. The choice between Eon's set and this set is that this focuses more on stalling and receiving extra recovery whilst damaging the opponent with Toxic + Dive. Substitute is important for blocking status and making it harder for Tenta to be killed. The Spread is the exact same as Eon's, so it outspeeds max Base 60's.

Oh and if anyone wants to suggest any changes to the set's in question, go ahead.

______________________

Votes

Torterra;

Torterra@Life Orb
Adamant
Overgrow
252 Atk / 180 Spd / 76 HP
-Rock Polish
-Seed Bomb
-Rock Slide
-Earthquake

votes;

Torterra @ Leftovers
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 12 Hp / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
- Wood Hammer
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge / Rock Slide
- Synthesis

votes; [Aura Sensai]

Tentacruel;

Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
Ability: Clear Body (superior to Rain Dish in-game because stat-lowering moves are more common than Rain)
- Scald / Surf
- Sludge Wave / Ice Beam
- Toxic Spikes
- Protect

votes;

  • Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
  • Clear Body
  • Impish
  • 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
» Dive
» Toxic
» Substitute
» Protect

votes;

Can I still vote for Qwilfish or is it completely out? I know Tentacruel is better, but I feel like Qwilfish adds a twist and since it's in game, I feel like we shouldn't just use competitive Pokemon. Just putting it out there. If not, I vote for 2nd set Torterra and first set Tenta
 

Aura Sensei™

User Title
I'd say it's out, seeing as nobody has agreed to give it a shot. Although it is a very solid and interesting choice.

_______________

Votes

Torterra;

Torterra@Life Orb
Adamant
Overgrow
252 Atk / 180 Spd / 76 HP
-Rock Polish
-Seed Bomb
-Rock Slide
-Earthquake

votes;

Torterra @ Leftovers
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 12 Hp / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
- Wood Hammer
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge / Rock Slide
- Synthesis

votes; [Aura Sensai, Tehero]

Tentacruel;

Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
Ability: Clear Body (superior to Rain Dish in-game because stat-lowering moves are more common than Rain)
- Scald / Surf
- Sludge Wave / Ice Beam
- Toxic Spikes
- Protect

votes; [Tehero]


  • Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
  • Clear Body
  • Impish
  • 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
» Dive
» Toxic
» Substitute
» Protect

votes;

_________________

So, let's keep the votes coming, and try to decide our next member soon!
 

KillerDraco

Well-Known Member
Meh. Given the use of Roost, Synthesis, etc., I assumed it'd be semi-competitive, since healing moves are less important in-game, due to the presence of healing items... Toxic Spikes too gave the impression of semi-competitive as well. But whatever.

Personally I find pure stall Tentacruel to be somewhat silly in-game. Or really, pure stall anything. Yes, the opponent doesn't switch, and that makes it ridiculously easy to rack up Toxic damage, but at the same time... It's somewhat time-inefficient given the enemy won't switch even from the most unfavorable of matchups, so I've always been inclined to just hurry it along with more damaging attacks. And of course there's the ever annoying Full Restores as well.

Personally... I'd vote for Eon's Tentacruel, but with one slight change; switching out Toxic for Toxic Spikes. That way, you can still Toxic Stall, but also be able to do so against flying/levitating Pokemon, and not have to worry about wasted turns of setup if a Steel or Poison type switches in; you're also actually able to poison the first thing that comes in as well. Most battles will only have 2 or so Pokemon (on average) be Poisoned by Toxic Spikes anyway.

Also, I'd vote for Leftovers Torterra... it's not really a great user of Life Orb, imo, since other Pokemon with more speed and power tend to make better use of it. Never been a fan of Rock Polish Torterra anyway (Or Torterra in general but that's just me).

But if we're talking in-game, and want to talk about special attackers who basically obliterate everything... Say hello to Alakazam. Yes, he doesn't add much defensive synergy (but then again, that is a given due to his lack of bulk), but when it comes to special attackers who are fast right from the start, and hit ridiculously hard, you really can't go wrong with Alakazam. Unlike Volcarona it's less reliant on setup (given Volcarona's base 100 speed before a boost). Magic Guard is also a phenomenal ability that turns Life Orb, which is normally shied away from in-game due to the recoil, into the perfect item.

Alakazam @Life Orb
Magic Guard
Timid Nature
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 HP
-Psychic
-Focus Blast
-Shadow Ball
-Hidden Power Ice/Energy Ball

The EVs are obvious. The Psychic/Focus Miss Blast/Shadow Ball core is obvious. The final move depends on what you'd like a little more coverage against; the ever present water types get hit harder by Energy Ball, while the deadly dragons don't want to be eating HP Ice. Of course, there's also Substitute, but given Alakazam's immunity to Poison and Burn, and the relative rarity of priority in game (at least comparatively so), it's less of a concern.

Merely an alternative to Volcarona; to clarify, I'm not against Volcarona at all. I'm just adding choices to the mix. Then again, I've always been a sucker for that glorious 'stache.
 

Aura Sensei™

User Title
Everything you say makes sense, but I'd wait for more people to speak their opinion before changing to Toxic. Either way, I'll at least slash it in for now.

I'll add Torterra to the OP.

Alakazam = pretty basic. I'm going to suggest Sigilyph, tho I'll post the set later.
_______________

Votes

Tentacruel;

Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
Ability: Clear Body (superior to Rain Dish in-game because stat-lowering moves are more common than Rain)
- Scald / Surf
- Sludge Wave / Ice Beam
- Toxic Spikes / Toxic
- Protect

votes; [Tehero, KillerDraco]


  • Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
  • Clear Body
  • Impish
  • 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
» Dive
» Toxic
» Substitute
» Protect

votes;

_________________

Oh and btw, to make it easier I'll mostly C+P descriptions if they're good enough, so it saves me time.
 
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Eon Master

Born from the Flames
No to Sigilyph; definitely not. As much as I love it, you're throwing a triple weakness to Ice-type moves onto the team with that; not to mention a double of both Electric- and Rock-type moves. Tentacruel is bulky, not a god. It can't cover that much of a weakness to Ice on its own. Ditto Torterra to both the other weaknesses. That kind of horrible defensive synergy should be avoided at all costs.

Not saying yes to Volcarona either, though. It gets minimal defensive synergy with the team and doubles up the Rock- and Flying-type weaknesses.

*sigh* Torterra really makes synergy difficult with this team. It's just a bastion of common weaknesses, despite the synergy it gets with Zapdos and Tentacruel.

Houndoom, Blaziken, or Infernape would get my votes. I love Houndoom as one of my favorite Pokemon (great synergy and great special sweeping ability doesn't hurt, neither does Nasty Plot), Blaziken is really under-loved as a mixed or Special sweeper because Speed Boost SD is just so overused, and Infernape has a really fun Nasty Plot set. All of them get good synergy both offensively and defensively, and they make excellent special sweepers with the proper sets. In any case, we'll probably be spending the next slot after this one covering up holes in the defensive coverage. Honestly, Cobalion or Lucario would be better, but nobody's going to go for that. Still, it's up to you guys; I'm just here to keep things on track and provide critique on what's been suggested, really. I'm trying to avoid running the show.

Also, supporting Toxic > Toxic Spikes on my Tentacruel set. Much better use of a slot in-game; I've been out of practice for too long in failing to notice that, I guess. Props to KillerDraco for noticing and correcting that problem.
 
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Aura Sensei™

User Title
Disregard my vote for Sigilyph; I've been thinking about it, and Magnezone would be good for covering the BoltBeam weakness, however it adds to a Fire Type weakness. I guess it still deserves a fair point, so I'll post my preferred set.

  • Magnezone @ Leftovers / Life Orb
  • Sturdy
  • Modest
  • 92 Hp / 252 SpA / 164 Spe
» Charge Beam
» Substitute
» Thunderbolt / Flash Cannon
» Hidden Power [Ice]

Magnezone gets pretty good synergy with the rest of the Team so far, the only problem is that added Fire weakness. Charge Beam + Substitute is pretty easy to understand, get behind a Sub and try to get as many SpA boosts as possible. Thunderbolt would be your primary STAB once you've acquired a few boosts. Hidden Power [Ice] is there to hit Grass Types and Ground Types. The EV Spread will allow Magnezone to outspeed neutral base 80s.

I'm going to vote for Houndoom. I'll leave it up to someone else to suggest a set. For now, we need to decide Tenta's set. I'll add in Toxic on Eon's set too.

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Votes

Tentacruel;

Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Nature: Bold
EVs: 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
Ability: Clear Body (superior to Rain Dish in-game because stat-lowering moves are more common than Rain)
- Scald / Surf
- Sludge Wave / Ice Beam
- Toxic
- Protect

votes; [Tehero, KillerDraco]



  • Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
  • Clear Body
  • Impish
  • 252 Hp / 236 Def / 20 Spe
» Dive
» Toxic
» Substitute
» Protect

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Edit; still in need of some votes on the Tenta set, so, yeah. Also, if we could get a few more opinions on the 4th Pokemon (current picks are Houndoom, Infernape, Blaziken, Alakazam and Magnezone), we can decide on the sets.
 
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Rotom-W will also be helpful for the Ice weakness:

Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Modest / Levitate
252 SpA / 252 HP / 6 Spe
- Substitute
- Hydro Pump
- Will-o-wisp / Pain Split
- Charge Beam
 
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