Ruby- Water mono team

[Kveran]

It's my first time doing anything like a mono team, and I'd be interested to see what you guys think of what I've come up with so far. I'm not following the challenge guidelines 100% and allowing "equal trades" (same level, same nature, same type) between games, so suggestions of FRLG/Emerald Pokemon are OK.

SWAMPERT @ Leftovers / Adamant
Earthquake
Brick Break
Rock Slide
Return

Kind of a "mock Kangaskhan" set. Thinking a possible substitute of Curse for Rock Slide.

STARMIE @ Leftovers / Modest / Natural Cure
Recover
Thunderbolt
Ice Beam
Surf

The other option I was thinking of would be Calm Mind to substitute for Recover. Thoughts?

MILOTIC @ Leftovers / Bold or Modest
Surf
Ice Beam
Recover
Toxic

Basic as hell, except for Toxic (personal preference over Hypnosis)

LAPRAS @ Leftovers / Calm / Shell Armor
Attract
Confuse Ray
Surf
Rest

Thinking perhaps Substitute over Attract. Opinions?

LUDICOLO @ Leftovers / Calm / Rain Dish
Rain Dance
Surf
Thunderpunch
Leech Seed

I know standard has Ice Beam over Leech Seed. I was also thinking of perhaps Toxic over Thunderpunch? Or do you think that Ludicolo doesn't have the defenses, even in-game, to stall with Rain Dish, Leech Seed, and Leftovers working?

POLIWRATH @ Leftovers / Adamant
Substitute
Bulk Up
Focus Punch
Earthquake

 

[Horn Drill]

Awww... I feel kinda sorry for this poor little thread.

It's my first time doing anything like a mono team, and I'd be interested to see what you guys think of what I've come up with so far. I'm not following the challenge guidelines 100% and allowing "equal trades" (same level, same nature, same type) between games, so suggestions of FRLG/Emerald Pokemon are OK.

SWAMPERT @ Leftovers / Adamant
Earthquake
Surf
Rest
Curse

Kind of a "mock Kangaskhan" set. Thinking a possible substitute of Curse for Rock Slide.

Why would you want to screw Swampert by imitating Kangaskahn? A poor imitation at that. I'm not sure about the Nature, but it might be Brave.

STARMIE @ Leftovers / Modest / Natural Cure
Recover
Thunderbolt
Rapid Spin
Surf

The other option I was thinking of would be Calm Mind to substitute for Recover. Thoughts?

STARMIE CANNOT LEARN CALM MIND!!!!!

It's a starfish, so it doesn't have a mind to calm. ._. Rapid Spin for Leech Seed and Spikes.

MILOTIC @ Leftovers / Bold or Modest
Surf
Ice Beam
Recover
Hypnosis

Basic as hell, except for Toxic (personal preference over Hypnosis)

You have bad preferences then. >_> Hypnosis is much better.

LAPRAS @ Leftovers / Calm / Shell Armor
Ice Beam
Thunderbolt
Substitute
Rest

Thinking perhaps Substitute over Attract. Opinions?

NO HAX MOVES!!!

If you use hax moves, then you will be killed in a gay hate crime. ._. I think Boltbeam is standard, but I haven't used Lapras in a long time. Water Absorb is better than Shell Armor.

LUDICOLO @ Leftovers / Calm / Rain Dish
Giga Drain
Surf
Ice Beam
Leech Seed

I know standard has Ice Beam over Leech Seed. I was also thinking of perhaps Toxic over Thunderpunch? Or do you think that Ludicolo doesn't have the defenses, even in-game, to stall with Rain Dish, Leech Seed, and Leftovers working?

Ludicolo always has Leech Seed.

POLIWRATH @ Leftovers / Adamant
Substitute
Bulk Up
Focus Punch
Hydro Pump

This needs Hydro Pump to be useful. Focus Punch does more damage to electric types than Earthquake anyway.

Kyogre please. ._.

 

[SapphireL]

Rapid Spin isn't that useful ingame, so go with Ice Beam instead of Rapid Spin for Starmie.

Can't Poliwrath learn Swords Dance? Or am I making that up? >_<

other than that, go with Horn Drill.

btw, your team doesn't NEED Kyogre...

 

[SPN]

Definately make sure to have Lapras and/or Starmie with Thunderbolt (or Thunder perhaps with Rain Dance) since they're most of the very few Water types that can learn it.

Also, yes, Ludicolo can work very well with the Rain Dish, Leftovers, Leech Seed combo. His defenses with EVs/IVs can definately stand, plus the fact that he has few type weaknesses.

 

[Horn Drill]

other than that, go with Horn Drill.

Heh heh. 8D

btw, your team doesn't NEED Kyogre...

Well, it needs Gyarados then. Or Huntail, or Gorebyss, or Feraligatr...

 

[Kveran]

Why would you want to screw Swampert by imitating Kangaskahn? A poor imitation at that.

Should have specified that that's very similar to the set I've always used with Kangaskhan. Had a lot of success with that set, thought Swampert would be able to use it as well as/better than Kangaskhan as several of the moves are, I believe, standard for both (Earthquake and Rock Slide; I've seen Kangaskhan with Return and Brick Break as well although Shadow Ball's more common than Return I believe.)

A bit confused as to why you suggested both Surf and Earthquake; seems redundant. Surf gets the benefit of Torrent, but Swampert's Attack stat is much higher than Special Attack. The attacks both cover the same basic types: Fire, Rock, Steel. Differences are that Ground also covers Electric and Poison, whereas Water covers Rock. Earthquake is the more powerful move and works better with Swampert's stats. The only thing that Surf would cover that Earthquake does not is Flying, which is why Rock Slide is included in this set. I see no point in including Surf when it's not needed.

Thanks for the reminder about Starmie and Calm Mind; I knew there was something wrong with that statement. Problem is that Rapid Spin is just abotu useless in-game given that I have never run across a Spiker and Leech Seed is so rare in-game that I don't have to worry about that either. Rapid Spin ends up being a wasted move slot.

You have bad preferences then. >_> Hypnosis is much better.

Thanks ever so. I prefer Toxic over Hypnosis because of accuracy and long-term effects. Milotic has the defenses to take a hit while the opponent is being drained of HP, not to mention that Milotic can Recover any damage incurred while waiting for the opponent to die. Besides which, Toxic takes either an item turn or Refresh to excise, while a Pokemon can wake up from Hypnosis at any time.

If you use hax moves, then you will be killed in a gay hate crime. ._.

Sounds like fun. Problem is that I have no idea what you're referring to by "hax moves" and exactly why you see them as a problem in-game. I'm guessing that you're irritated by my suggestion of Attract. Sure, Attract is considered cheap competitively, but I don't play competitively, and my philosophy is that if it keeps me from taking a hit and gives me a "free Lefties turn" then I'm going to use it.

I don't use ubers that I don't like, so no Kyogre for me. I'm working on Feraligatr. I've used Gyarados in every game so far and really don't see what he does that the rest of my team isn't able to do. Huntail and/or Gorebyss are do-able. Which Pokemon would you suggest swapping out for one of these? Suggested movesets?

 

[Horn Drill]

A bit confused as to why you suggested both Surf and Earthquake; seems redundant. Surf gets the benefit of Torrent, but Swampert's Attack stat is much higher than Special Attack. The attacks both cover the same basic types: Fire, Rock, Steel. Differences are that Ground also covers Electric and Poison, whereas Water covers Rock. Earthquake is the more powerful move and works better with Swampert's stats. The only thing that Surf would cover that Earthquake does not is Flying, which is why Rock Slide is included in this set. I see no point in including Surf when it's not needed.

There are a lot of things that can raise their Defense, and there are a lot of things that can cut Swampert's attack. Use Ice Beam for Salamence if you want.

Thanks ever so. I prefer Toxic over Hypnosis because of accuracy and long-term effects. Milotic has the defenses to take a hit while the opponent is being drained of HP, not to mention that Milotic can Recover any damage incurred while waiting for the opponent to die. Besides which, Toxic takes either an item turn or Refresh to excise, while a Pokemon can wake up from Hypnosis at any time.

There's no point in using Toxic. It takes three turns for Toxic to surpass the damage done by regular Poison in the same three turns, and Poison itself doesn't impede the afflicted Pokemon at all. Burn cuts Attack, Paralysis cuts Speed, but Poison doesn't do anything. You can still get swept by a poisoned Pokemon. Sleep usually buys you at least one turn to use a support move, attack, or switch, but Poison only does an insignificant amount of damage. Milotic already has Surf and Ice Beam. Anything those two can't handle, such as Blissey, are not going to be beaten any quicker with Toxic.

Horn Drill sent out Blissey!
Milotic used Hypnosis!
Blissey fell asleep!

Now Blissey can't use Aromatherapy, and will be forced to switch.

Horn Drill sent out Blissey!
Milotic used Toxic!
Blissey was badly poisoned!

You badly poisoned Blissey. Big deal. It's stats are still the same, and it can still use Aromatherapy to heal the entire team. It's not going to switch. Nothing's is going to switch out of poison when they've pretty much already gotten a free turn to Dragon Dance or Calm Mind or whatever.

Horn Drill sent out Gardevoir!
Milotic used Hypnosis!
Gardevoir fell asleep!

No Calm Mind.

Horn Drill sent out Gardevoir!
Milotic used Toxic!
Gardevoir was badly poisoned!

On the next turn, Gardevoir still gets to Calm Mind at full Speed, then he Thunderbolts Milotic. Toxic is pointless, even ingame.

Sounds like fun. Problem is that I have no idea what you're referring to by "hax moves" and exactly why you see them as a problem in-game. I'm guessing that you're irritated by my suggestion of Attract. Sure, Attract is considered cheap competitively, but I don't play competitively, and my philosophy is that if it keeps me from taking a hit and gives me a "free Lefties turn" then I'm going to use it.

Hax = luck. Luck-based moves are cheap competitively and always unreliable. Don't use them or they'll fail you when you need them most.

www.smogon.com for movesets on Huntail and Gorebyss.