PKMN Platinum Team

[Inconspicuosaurus]

So, I've already done the whole "catch the first pokemon you see and use them throught the whole game" thing in Diamond, so when Platinum comes out I want to do what I've done before on Emerald and FR and the like and trade over a team at lvl5 to do the game with. Then, after completing the game, I plan to use it on PBR and stuff. It's supposed to be a not-so-obvious sandstorm team. Here's what I've planned the finished team to look like:

Name: Empoleon
Item: Wise Glasses
Nature: (I don't know much about natures, maybe someone could advise me on one)
Trait: Special Sweeper
EVs:Surely doing the whole game will give it good all-round EVs?
Move1:Hydropump
Move2:Blizzard
Move3:Ice Beam
Move4:Surf

Name: Camerupt
Item: Charcoal
Nature: (See above)
Trait: Type coverage (grass, electric, steel, etc.)
EVs: (See above)
Move1: Eruption
Move2:Heatwave
Move3: Earthquake
Move4: Earthpower

Name:Cacturne
Item: Muscle Band
EVs: (See above)
Trait: Just really, really annoying.
Nature: (See above)
Move1:Seed bomb
Move2:Sucker punch
Move3:Sandstorm
Move4: Teeter Dance

Name: Magnezone
Item: Magnet
EVs: (See above)
Trait: Type coverage (water and flying)
Nature: (See above)
Move1: Magnet rise
Move2: Thunderbolt
Move3: Discharge
Move4: Mirror shot

Name: Claydol
Item: Life Orb
EVs: (See above)
Trait: Set up sandstorm then deal one huge hit basically.
Nature: (See above)
Move1: Psychic
Move2: Earthquake
Move3: Explosion
Move4: Sandstorm

Name: Scarmory
Item: Scope Lens
EVs: (See above)
Trait: Physical Sweeper
Nature: (See above)
Move1: Brave bird
Move2: Fly
Move3: Slash
Move4: Air cutter

After reading that list you can probably tell that I'm quite a novice at constructing teams; I know I've got all types covered, but that's about it. Advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[randomn00b]

Empoleon@Leftovers
Adamant +Atk, -Sp. Atk)
Trait: Torrent

Swords Dance
Aqua Jet/Waterfall
Drill Peck
Earthquake

Camerupt@Choice Scarf
Mild (+Sp. Atk ,-Def)
Trait: Solid Rock

Eruption
Earthquake
HP Electric
Explosion

Cacturne@Leftovers
Brave (+Atk, -Speed)
Trait: Sand Veil

Swords Dance
Sucker Punch
Seed Bomb
Focus Blast/HP Fight

Magnezone@Leftovers
Modest (+Sp. Atk, -Speed)
Trait: Magnet Pull

Thunderbolt
HP Fire/Ice/Grass
Flash Cannon
Magnet Rise/Thunder Wave

Claydol@Choice Specs
Modest (+Sp. Atk, -Atk)
Trait: Levitate

Psychic
Earth Power
Ancient Power
Grass Knot

Using Sandstorm as an individual move sucks. Use either TTar or Hippowdon if you want an infinite Sandstorm.

Skarmory@Leftovers
Impish (+Def, -Sp. Atk)
Trait: Sturdy

Roost
Drill Peck
Stealth Rock/Spikes
Roar/Toxic/Whirlwind

 

[Inconspicuosaurus]

Thanks, I'll take your advice on-board. Do you suggest I use TTar or Hippowdon, and which pokemon should they replace?

Also, you can't use the same item on more than one pokemon in PBR so what do you suggest instead of Leftovers on two of them?

Another thing, if someone, hypothetically, couldn't be bothered to fiddle around getting HP to work, what would you suggest instead?

I also realised that when it says trait it means ability, I thought it meant the position in the team ie: sweeper or tank or whatever. Woops .

 

[randomn00b]

Ingame Skarmory doesn't do anything except take hits (which is great online, just not ingame). I would use Hippowdon just to lessen the fight weak.

If you can't get an HP to work out, sometimes you can just replace it with a similar move. Magnezone would really like a decent HP, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if he didn't get one.

 

[Inconspicuosaurus]

OK, thanks.

What move set do you think I should use for a hippowdon?

Just checking, does it matter what nature the parents are or is the nature of a hatched pokemon completely random?

Oh, and I assume that I was right about doing the whole game giving decent all-round EVs, as you didn't say anything about them.

 

[RadiataAlchemist]

First of all, it's ay easier if you set it up like this:

Pokemon@Item
Nature / Ability
EVs:
-Move1
-Move2
-Move3
-Move4

it's just easier to read...

Secondly, natures can be figured out by a 3 year old so you obviously havn't made any effort to learn about them. Every nature just makes one Pokemon's overall stat better while making another worse. it's actually a 110% and 90% change.

Thirdly, "trait" means what ability they have...not what role they serve on your team. We aren't idiots, we can tell what their role will be by looking at the moveset.

Fourthly, no matter what you ever do, NEVER give a pokemon two of the same type of move. Your Camerupt has 2 Fire moves and 2 Ground moves...what good do you think that's really doing you? The only case where I can think that its ok to repeat an offensive move type is on Azumarill who usually gets good use of of Waterfall and Aqua Jet because of his bad speed.

Lastly, EVs are not made good just by doing the whole game with the Pokemon. It will probably get them all of the EVs they need to fill out their 510 max, sure, but it won't place them where they are needed most, it will become random. giving the max of 252 EVs to a single stat will greatly increase its value so don't overlook that.

Now to the team...

Empoleon@Leftovers
Torrent / Modest
EV: 252 SpAtk/ 180 HP/ 78 SpDef
-Surf
-Ice Beam
-Flash Cannon
-Grass Knot/HP: Fire

To me the unfortunate thing about Emploeon is that he has amazing defenses but no moves in his moveset to make use of it fully. Sure you could make him a RestTalker, but with all of the possible attacks to give him its a bit of a waste.

Camerupt@Leftovers
Solid Rock / Timid
EV: 252 SpAtk/ 252 Spd/ 6 HP
-Rock Polish
-Flamethrower
-Earth Power
-HP: Grass/Ice

I got this idea from Smogon, and it makes sense. Camerupt is far too slow to sweep, but after a Rock Polish he isn't too bad at outrunning stuff.

Cacturne@Focus Sash
Sand Veil / Jolly
EV: 252 Atk/ 252 Spd/ 6 HP
-Swords Dance
-Counter/Brick Break
-Seed Bomb/Needle Arm
-Sucker Punch

Counter is good with this set because if you bring him out against a strong physical sweeper it will really pay off as Focus Sash will guarentee surviving the hit and Countering. However, if you prefer since this is In-Game, Brick Break would probably do OK too. In either case, Focus Sash guarentees suriving at least one hit so you can get a Swords Dance in and go from there. Seed Bomb is stronger but Needle Arm has a 30% Flinch rate. Of course, Cacturne is middle of the road at best when it comes to speed, so it may not do you any good.

Magnezone@Life Orb
Magnet Pull / Modest
EV: 252 SpAtk/ 252 Spd/ 6 HP
-Magnet Rise
-Thunderbolt
-HP: Fire
-Flash Cannon

HP: Fire because you are going to be trapping Steel types so you need a way to kill 'em.

Claydol@Leftovers
Levitate / Bold
EV: 252 HP/ 160 SpDef/ 98 Def
-Cosmic Power
-Toxic
-Earth Power
-Psychic/Grass Knot

Great Defenses make for a good Stealth Rock user. Rapid Spin is good to get rid of Spikes/Stealth Rock/Toxic Spikes around your own team, but in-game you won't run into that much anyway, so you good go with Cosmic Power to up his defenses and replace Psychic with Toxic.

Skarmory@Leftovers
Sturdy / Impish
EV: 252 HP/ 180 Spd/ 78 def
-Stealth Rock
-Whirlwind
-Roost
-Drill Peck

I would lead with this guy as you can Stealth Rock then Whirlwin a bunch to do damage and scout the other team.

EDIT: When it comes time that you need all unique items...have fun.

The Skarmory you had before had 3 offensive flying moves...THREE!!?? Know each Pokemon's strengths and which stats to build off of.