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My first "real" competitive team

Poke-friend

Wayward Traveler
Based on Platinum metagame.

Alakazam @ Choice Scarf
Timid Nature
Ability: Synchronize
6 HP/252 sp.atk/252 spd
-Trick
-Shadow Ball
-Psychic
-Focus Blast

I picked this as my lead because I find TrickZam to be quite effective. Trick to switch items with my opponent and to(hopefully) lock the foe into a useless move. i.e. Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, etc., Shadow Ball for Ghost-types(mainly Shedinja), Psychic for STAB, and Focus Blast to type-trump Dark-types.

Heatran @ Choice Specs
Modest nature
Ability: Flash Fire
58 HP/252 sp.atk/200 spd
-Fire Blast
-Dragon Pulse
-Earth Power
-Explosion

Has nice coverage and pretty average defenses. Fire Blast for STAB, Dragon Pulse for coverage, Earth Power for more coverage, and Explosion to take care of Blisseys. I also use this to switch in on Fire-type pokemon if my Scizor ever faces one.

Scizor @ Life Orb
Adamant Nature
Ability: Technician
252 atk/129 def/129 atk
-Swords Dance
-Bullet Punch
-Superpower/Roost
-X-Scissor

Here's the only Platinum-based pokemon on my team really. Swords Dance to boost atk, coupled with LO, this thing is beast, Bullet Punch will be my main attack, as well as STAB, Superpower for covearage, or Roost for healing, and X-Scissor for another STAB move. This one of my favorite pokemon, for competitive purposes, because I think Life Orb+Swords Dance+Technician+Bullet Punch+STAB is one heck of a good combination.

Dusknoir @ Leftovers
Impish Nature
Ability: Pressure
252 HP/58 atk/200 def
-Pain Split
-Shadow Sneak/Shadow Punch
-Will-O-Wisp
-Thunder Punch/Fire Punch

Pain Split to heal, Shadow Sneak and Shadow Punch for STAB, SS to make up for Dusknoir's poor speed, SP for DT abusers, Will-O-Wisp to cripple strong physical leads and other physically-inclined pokemon, Thunder Punch to be able to hit opposing Heatran, or Fire Punch for the occasional Bronzong, Skarmory, and rival Scizor. This is a very good wall, I find, and that is why I picked Dusknoir to be on my team.

Salamence @ Choice Band
Adamant Nature
Ability: Intimidate
6 HP/252 atk/252 spd
-Dragon Claw/Outrage
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
-Aerial Ace/Fire Blast

Dragon Claw or Outrage for STAB, Earthquake and Stone Edge for the QuakEdge combo and for Ice-types, Aerial Ace for STAB and Double-team abusers, or Fire Blast for Bronzong and Skarmory. I chose Salamence because it looks more intimidating than Dragonite.

Empoleon @ Leftovers
Modest Nature
Ability: Torrent
100 HP/58 def/252 sp.atk/100 spd
-Surf
-Grass Knot
-Ice Beam
-Yawn/Toxic/Agility

Surf for STAB, Grass Knot to take care of heavy foes, and mainly because most people are using heavy Ground-type pokemon these days, Ice Beam for Ground-types and Dragon-types, Yawn o lull the foe to sleep while I beat down on it, Toxic to wear the foe down while I beat down on it, or Agility to make me able to beat down on my opponent faster. I chose Empoleon to be on my team because I find to be somewhat of a tank. Speaking of which, I hope my EV's add up right. It also complements my CB Mence's weaknesses pretty well.

Well, here you go. Flame me, bash me, I don't really care. When you give up on life, you don't really care that much...
 

cloudk

hates you.
Scizor @ Life Orb
Adamant Nature
Ability: Technician
252 atk/129 def/129 atk 232 HP, 252 Atk, 20 Def, 4 Spe
-Swords Dance
-Bullet Punch
-Superpower/Roost brick break
-X-Scissor

Here's the only Platinum-based pokemon on my team really. Swords Dance to boost atk, coupled with LO, this thing is beast, Bullet Punch will be my main attack, as well as STAB, Superpower for covearage, or Roost for healing, and X-Scissor for another STAB move. This one of my favorite pokemon, for competitive purposes, because I think Life Orb+Swords Dance+Technician+Bullet Punch+STAB is one heck of a good combination.

Brick break>Superpower. Using swords dance to raise your stats and then using superpower to lower it is kind of contradicting and you will have to dance soon after your attack is lowered. IMO superpower should only be used on choice sets because choice sets switches a lot and wouldn't mind the drop in attack and def. Also, something went wrong with your evs, attack was mentioned twice. 232 HP, 252 Atk, 20 Def, 4 Spe
puts your hp at 339, which minimizes Life Orb recoil.Since Bullet Punch is your primary move, I was thinking the Speed shouldn't really matter. Also, this allows you to use your Fighting move on Skarmory while it Roosts, since you are slower than it. 4 Spe ensures you outrun Vaporeon.



Empoleon @ Leftovers
Modest Nature
Ability: Torrent
100 HP/58 def/252 sp.atk/100 spd 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
-Surf
-Grass Knot
-Ice Beam
-Yawn/Toxic/Agility yawn

Surf for STAB, Grass Knot to take care of heavy foes, and mainly because most people are using heavy Ground-type pokemon these days, Ice Beam for Ground-types and Dragon-types, Yawn o lull the foe to sleep while I beat down on it, Toxic to wear the foe down while I beat down on it, or Agility to make me able to beat down on my opponent faster. I chose Empoleon to be on my team because I find to be somewhat of a tank. Speaking of which, I hope my EV's add up right. It also complements my CB Mence's weaknesses pretty well.

I'd say yawn would be more suitable than the other two because toxic is really only used on bulky things and quite a lot of bulky things like blissey, snorlax or suicune have rest/aromatherapy/heal bell. Agility wouldn't be needed as its okay for a wall to go slow and so yawn is left. It's not too bad an option since it does makes empo somewhat of a phazer, which your team lacks.

Comments in bold. Only talked abt 2 poke because i thought the rest were fine.
 

Dugtrio

Wendle,
Consider hydro cannon for empoleon. Don't think its replacement surf but as a better explosion.
 

Connor™

Showstopper
Consider hydro cannon for empoleon. Don't think its replacement surf but as a better explosion.

wow you really know your stuff *facepalm*
use shadow sneak on dusknoir, DT is banned from competitive, and please don't listen to the advice about hydro cannon, also disregard hydro pump - a tank stalls and needs a lot of PP in its moves to do so.
 

Frost Nova

The predator awaits.
Rating this because the EVs are absolutely atrocious.

240 HP / 212 Atk / 56 Spd for Scizor, the Spd EVs are there to help it outrun Magnezone while you U-Turn your way out (another big hint). It's highly suggested since you've got three pokemon that Magnezone can trap. 240 HP EVs give 341 max HP, which leaves 1 HP after being divisible exactly by 10. SD / U-Turn / Bullet Punch / Pursuit or Superpower is the best set IMO, Pursuit works off Technician and helps catch Gengar / Azelf unaware, but Superpower helps you deal with Mag3.

Defensive Dusknoir should have this instead.

Dusknoir@lefties
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Atk / 176 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- T-Punch
- Fire Punch
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

Dusknoir needs a more reliable method of recovery other than Pain Split if he's going to be countering Heracross and Gyarados properly. 176 Def EVs with Impish gives 385 max Def, a nice round number, while the rest can go into Atk. ReSTalk also allows you to act as status absorber for your team, which is a must.

The main issues I have with this team is nothing can really switch into Tyranitar or Mixape. Tar can be easily dealt with by defensive Ground or Fighting types, and Tangrowth. Starmie, Vaporeon, Mesprit and Cresselia (the latter two with Psychic / HP [Ground]) can deal with Mixape.
 

Blue Ace

Pokemon is Dead
Dusknoir needs a more reliable method of recovery other than Pain Split if he's going to be countering Heracross and Gyarados properly. 176 Def EVs with Impish gives 385 max Def, a nice round number, while the rest can go into Atk.

I've actually found ResTalk to be bad on Dusknoir, especially if it intends to counter Gyarados. If you have used Rest, and Gyara comes in later, it can simply Taunt as you sleep and get 2 free Dragon Dances. Also unfortunately the Atk Evs don't accomplish anything.

However the lack of a stats absorber is troubling, if anything Empoleon should be using ResTalk.

And as said before Superpower on Scizor is good.
 

Digital Love

Jew 'Fro's Graduate
The best recovery Dusknoir can get other than Pain Split and Rest is Protecting to let Lefties do their work :_/ it's disappointing, really.
 

bookist

Well-Known Member
only comment i have is on alakazam. I would change focus blast to signal beam due to the accuracy issue (75 isnt that much for me or im just unlucky). Also whats DT mean?
 
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