Rate my team, again

[Cheshire_Cat]

Flygon @ Levitate / Choice scarf
Jolly: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
~ Earthquake
~ Outrage
~ U-turn
~ Stone edge
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Ice > Metagross, Swampert. Dragon > Metagross.

Not only is he my lead but Flygon is also a great team player; taking earthquakes and thunderbolts and then U-turning away if he's at risk. The Jolly nature is just an insurance policy, tipping the balance in his favor against other scarf-ed things.

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Tangrowth @ Chlorophyll / Leftovers
Impish: 252 HP / 228 Def / 28 Spe
~ Power whip
~ Sleep powder
~ Stun Spore
~ Earthquake
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Fire > Swampert, Flygon. Ice > Metagross, Swampert. Poison > Metagross, Swampert.

Very much a support doing exactly what his move set suggests, sending someone to sleep and then paralyzing the next in, aiming specifically for threats to my Infernape. He can also end would-be sweeps by being able to take and insane amount of physical damage and then retaliating with a conclusive power whip/earthquake.
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Metagross @ Clear body / Leftovers
Adamant: 112 HP / 252 Atk / 12 Def / 132 Spe
~ Bullet punch
~ Thunderpunch
~ Ice punch
~ Pursuit
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Fire > Swampert, Flygon. Ground > Flygon, Tangrowth.

An aggressive tank, Bullet punch is for stab, mainly used as a finishing move, I have him destroy psychic types by switching in on them when they go for Ape and use Pursuit when they try to switch. Even if they say in his massive attack means it will usually still do enough for Bullet punch do its job.

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Infernape @ Blaze / Life Orb
Hasty: 64 Atk / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
~ Close combat
~ Flamethrower
~ Grass knot
~ Hidden power ice
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Water > Swampert, Tangrowth. Psychic > Metagross, Alakazam. Flying > Metagross. Ground > Flygon, Tangrowth.

My main Sweeper. I usually only send him out once I know it’s safe to try and sweep but sometimes I can use Infernape as bait to lure out psychics like Galade or Alakazam and then switch to Metagross who can hunt them down with Pursuit. Swampert’s stealth rock also really helps him sweep.
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Alakazam @ Synchronize / Choice Specs
Timid: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
~ Psychic
~ Focus blast
~ Shadow ball
~ Trick
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Ghost > Metagross, Swampert. Dark > Infernape, Tangrowth. Bug > Swampert, Metagross.

With his hilariously high speed and Special attack he works very well as a revenge killer and if given the opportunity can use trick to cripple things that want to set up like Kingdra or Gyrados.
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Swampert @ Torrent / Leftovers
Impish: 250 HP / 10 Atk / 46 Def / 200 SpD
~ Earthquake
~ Avalanche
~ Waterfall
~ Stealth rock
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Grass > Metagross, Tangrowth.

Created when I was thinking of a way to counter a Zapdos running Thunderbolt, HP Ice and Heat wave, something that would otherwise devastate my team. I have Flygon U-turn to Metagross so I can figure out if they are running Ice or Grass. His main job is to set Stealth rock up but with his good coverage he can fight off most things himself. I haven’t put any EVs into speed so I can often rely on double damage with avalanche.
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Someone pointed out to me, when this team was in it’s early stages, that a Mixed Infernape only reaches it’s potential when It’s team supports it, Something I have taken to heart having found undisputedly true. So now my squad’s main purpose is to set him up for a sweep.

Tangrowth paralyzes and puts to sleep things I see as big threats to Infernape, namely things that I know are either faster than him of scarf-ed. Alakazam can trick stallers and Swampert can set up stealth rock, which also helps Tangrowth whose counters are all vulnerable to it.

I keep Infernape safe by having lots of people ready to take attacks for him and not using him to take attacks for other people. I also keep life orb damage to a minimum by only sending him in when it’s time to sweep.

I’ve tried to cover this team from all the games biggest threats; Flygon, Infernape, Swampert and Metagross can all counter dragons. Alakazam and Metagross counter Cresslia and Azelf. Swampert Means I’m not vulnerable to a Zapdos running Thunderbolt, HP Ice and Heat wave, Alakazam and Metagross can handle Blissy. I have 3 people who can OHKO Heatran with earthquake, Flygon is particularly good as he gets stab and will out speed a scarf-ed Heatran.

Alakazam hits ghosts like Gengar hard with choice specs (though I have to be careful about shadow rush!). If I predict right he can take a lot of things down. Flygon can take Gyrados and Zapdos with stone edge; the former also gets thunderpunched by Metagross (if Zapdos has hidden power Ice then it’s Swampert’s problem, I check by U-turning to Metagross).

This squad is the product of lots of online testing and advice from people here on Serebii. I look forward to getting even more advice and thanks to the people whose suggestions got my team the way it is now - you’re much friendlier than GFAQ’s!

 

[JRCxyz]

Give your Tangrowth 236 HP/ 216 Def/ 28 Sp.D/ 28 Spe. The spread reaches optimal Leftovers recovery, thr highest jump point and outrun whatever you're trying to outrun with your current spread.

 

[Cheshire_Cat]

wow! thanks that will be really helpfull.

I'm not sure about my Swampert's EVs though, I figured I needed him to come in on a lot of Special attacks ball but I'm not sure how effective that is? can anyone suggest something better? given how I'm using him in the team?

 

[Reno]

Just checking JRC, what is 28 S.Def doing for Tangrowth?

 

[Raikuga]

-------------------------------;330;;260;;065;;465;;392;;376;-------------------------------

Someone pointed out to me, when this team was in it’s early stages, that a Mixed Infernape only reaches it’s potential when It’s team supports it, Something I have taken to heart having found undisputedly true. So now my squad’s main purpose is to set him up for a sweep.

Tangrowth paralyzes and puts to sleep things I see as big threats to Infernape, namely things that I know are either faster than him of scarf-ed. Alakazam can trick stallers and Swampert can set up stealth rock, which also helps Tangrowth whose counters are all vulnerable to it.

I keep Infernape safe by having lots of people ready to take attacks for him and not using him to take attacks for other people. I also keep life orb damage to a minimum by only sending him in when it’s time to sweep.

I’ve tried to cover this team from all the games biggest threats; Flygon, Infernape, Swampert and Metagross can all counter dragons. Alakazam and Metagross counter Cresslia and Azelf. Swampert Means I’m not vulnerable to a Zapdos running Thunderbolt, HP Ice and Heat wave, Alakazam and Metagross can handle Blissy. I have 3 people who can OHKO Heatran with earthquake, Flygon is particularly good as he gets stab and will out speed a scarf-ed Heatran.

Alakazam hits ghosts like Gengar hard with choice specs (though I have to be careful about shadow rush!). If I predict right he can take a lot of things down. Flygon can take Gyrados and Zapdos with stone edge; the former also gets thunderpunched by Metagross (if Zapdos has hidden power Ice then it’s Swampert’s problem, I check by U-turning to Metagross).

This squad is the product of lots of online testing and advice from people here on Serebii. I look forward to getting even more advice and thanks to the people whose suggestions got my team the way it is now - you’re much friendlier than GFAQ’s!

One problem is that you're thinking in "perfect world" situations or in situations against terrible battlers but not in real-world ones. For instance, flygon does not counter Salamence, it only gives them a free chance to lock you into outrage.
From this problem comes why your team is not so great and many of the reasons you say your pokemon is useful are wrong.
Examples:
Can a scarfed Flygon really take down a Gyarados reliably? It does 67.37% - 79.46% to a 0hp/0def gyarados, not counting if it misses. It can 2hko you with waterfall, so if a single thing goes wrong (such as your flygon not being full health) then it's game over. The same thing goes with Zapdos, since it's nearly always a physically bulky build now. Stone edge does a meager 39.58% - 46.61% to bulky Zapdos.
Does being paralyzed really ruin many of the pokemon that pose a threat to Infernape? The only one I can think of right now is Starmie, but it won't be ohkoed by any of that Infernape's moves anyways.
Situations like this are everywhere throughout your team (Azelf can beat Alakazam with u-turn if it's locked in psychic or focus blast, Metagross cannot take Blissey down without meteor mash, Alakazam can definitely not switch in against a cresselia or an azelf, making it unable to counter them, etc.)

Since your problem is so deeply rooted, I simply suggest to scrap it and restart. You need to focus on what pokemon are actually able to do, both separately and with eachother.

At first I was confused on those things like "Ice > Metagross, Swampert. Dragon > Metagross.". But now I see what they mean, and they are wrong. Metagross cannot counter even half of the pokemon that commonly use dragon-type moves, as the dragons and heatran have fire blast and Kingdra has Surf, etc. The same thing goes for ice beam; Metagross cannot beat an offensively sound water type such as Vaporeon unless it's switched in at the right time. The point is, you cannot look at a type weakness and say "Oh, this pokemon beats Flygon's ice weaknesses." Because that's untrue in many, many situations and thus is a terrible way to see if your team is properly balanced.

 

[every1lovesaipom]

its good but for metacross in stead of pursut teach him metermash

 

[SelenaluvsDylan22]

In my opinion Flygon needs to not be jolly but adamant because the jolly is just a waste.
Adamant gives Flygon the OHKO's and 2HKO's it needs while jolly does not.

 

[Cheshire_Cat]

One problem is that you're thinking in "perfect world" situations or in situations against terrible battlers but not in real-world ones. For instance, flygon does not counter Salamence, it only gives them a free chance to lock you into outrage.
From this problem comes why your team is not so great and many of the reasons you say your pokemon is useful are wrong.
Examples:
Can a scarfed Flygon really take down a Gyarados reliably? It does 67.37% - 79.46% to a 0hp/0def gyarados, not counting if it misses. It can 2hko you with waterfall, so if a single thing goes wrong (such as your flygon not being full health) then it's game over. The same thing goes with Zapdos, since it's nearly always a physically bulky build now. Stone edge does a meager 39.58% - 46.61% to bulky Zapdos.
Does being paralyzed really ruin many of the pokemon that pose a threat to Infernape? The only one I can think of right now is Starmie, but it won't be ohkoed by any of that Infernape's moves anyways.
Situations like this are everywhere throughout your team (Azelf can beat Alakazam with u-turn if it's locked in psychic or focus blast, Metagross cannot take Blissey down without meteor mash, Alakazam can definitely not switch in against a cresselia or an azelf, making it unable to counter them, etc.)

Since your problem is so deeply rooted, I simply suggest to scrap it and restart. You need to focus on what pokemon are actually able to do, both separately and with eachother.

At first I was confused on those things like "Ice > Metagross, Swampert. Dragon > Metagross.". But now I see what they mean, and they are wrong. Metagross cannot counter even half of the pokemon that commonly use dragon-type moves, as the dragons and heatran have fire blast and Kingdra has Surf, etc. The same thing goes for ice beam; Metagross cannot beat an offensively sound water type such as Vaporeon unless it's switched in at the right time. The point is, you cannot look at a type weakness and say "Oh, this pokemon beats Flygon's ice weaknesses." Because that's untrue in many, many situations and thus is a terrible way to see if your team is properly balanced.

Whoah there! Maybe the way I've written this out has made me seem naive but I am aware those things don't play out in the way I've written. I never said I use Flygon to counter Salamance I said 'Flygon, Infernape, Swampert and Metagross can all counter dragons' These are just basic plans, a few ideas based on things that happen in battles. The switches aren't written out perfectly, just on basis of type really, this has clearly annoyed you and I am sorry.

I have tested this squad against people who know what they are doing and things like Heatran, Azelf, Zapdos, Gyrados and Kingdra can and are frequently dealt with, not necessarily in the way I may have imagined in my 'perfect world' above.

You seem to have misunderstood a lot of what I have written, I say things like: I aim for threats to Infernape with stun spore and sleep powder because Tangrowth attracts a lot of them.

Please focus on the actual team rather than the writing under it! It's not like I try doing exactly what I wrote in every battle, as you seem to have assumed I do!

I can see where your coming from I mean what you are saying isn’t wrong, but this is a RMT not a RMRMT which is what you seem to have done. I know there may be problems but I would prefer constructive criticism as apposed to being told to scrap a squad that I know from experience works fine!

Are you really saying it completely rubbish and would only ever work against idiots? If so I thank you for your contribution but I respectfully disagree.

 

[Drako]

I think you also alternate between leading with Swampert instead of Flygon in certain battles.

Your team does Infernape justice and you can see that you took your time in crafting this team.

 

[JRCxyz]

Just checking JRC, what is 28 S.Def doing for Tangrowth?

The 28 Sp.D is extra, I just dumped those Ev's in Sp.D after I got the useful stats like the 236 HP for Leftovers, etc.

 

[Cool Garchomp Guy]

Your metagross lacks the sheer physical presence it should have. Bullet punch is too weak to really be considered your main attack, and the other moves (though they have good coverage) also lack physical power.

You could turn Metagross into a physical behemoth:

Metagross @ Choice band
Adamant 252 ATT / 252 HP / 6 SPE
-Meteor mash
-Earthquake
-Explosion / pursuit
-Thunder punch / ice punch

Explosion for the sheer power of the choice band, pursuit if trapping psychics is a necessity. Seeing as Azelf practically threatens the entire of your team you may want to consider pursuit... Thunderpunch for Gyarados, Ice for Dragons. Considering nothing else on the team can bring down 'Dos in a single hit, you may want to keep Thunderpunch.

Your team also lacks a decent special absorber. I see you have swampert, but he's down the instant something GK's him or HP's him.

I know you've said you can play switching games with the enemy, but you have to avoid letting them put you in that position and I'm not sure if this team does that...

EDIT: And do that Tangrowth EV spread. The leftovers boost will be worth it.