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Team Building Help Thread

Ghosts of the Forums

Who Ya Gonna Call?
wish > hp dark on esp, hp dark is god awful.

take points out of snory's atk and put them into his special defense. he doesn't need to attack other then to paralyze.

change huricane on volcy to roost, and replace fire blast with fiery dance; the power is lower, but the chance of sp.atk boost is too good to pass up. you might also try a more defensive set.
 

akaSnowWolf

Shiny Hunter
Okay so I am trying to figure a good team out and I want to have a Zoroark(special sweeper), lucario(another sweeper), and a latias(bulky special attacker). I don't know if it is a good idea to have them all special attacking, and so I need some help with maybe some suggested walls, or physical attacker?
 

Quagsireking

I am the king!
I would make the lucario a physical counter. That way you would not be walled by all of the specially defensive pokes.

If possible try for a sword dance/justified set; or if justified is not possible, go with a sword dance/steadfast. Seeing how fake out is somewhat common, it is a good idea to send in a steadfast lucario against any known fake out users, due to the fact of how it resists and can gain a speed boost from a fake out.
 

KokoYoshi

Member
130.gif
Gyarados @ Life orb
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Attack 252 Speed 4 HP
Nature: Jolly
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance

I want to make a hyper offense team based around Gyarados. However, I'm having a hard time picking partners for him. So I could care less what you recommend, just as long as it caters to Gyarados's moveset and/or partners for him. This is my first time making a team.
 
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raichu>pikachu95

pokemon master
637.gif

Volcarona @ Life Orb
Nature : Timid
Ability : Flame Body
EVs : 4 Def / 252 SpAtk / 252 Speed
~ Quiver Dance
~ Fiery Dance
~ Bug Buzz
~ Hidden Power (Ground)

I'd like to base a team around QD Offensive Volcarona. I know some of the counters or checks, but I dont know how to go about it. I was thinking maybe dual screens Espeon, but I'm not sure. Anyone suggestions? ;-;
 

redan

Winning!!
So im pretty new to both Serebii and competitive battling so i was wondering if i could get some input on building my team.. i feel like ive got decent move sets laid out but the team just doesnt flow.. idk any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mamoswine @ Focus Sash/ Light Clay
Ability: Thick Fat/Snow Cloak
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 4HP/252Atk/252Spd
- Earthquake/ Ice Shard/ Roar?
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Shard/ Light Screen ?
- Endeavor/ Reflect ?

Support/ lead sort of deal going on here use to either dish out some damage on the oppositions team after stealth rock or set up support for the rest of the team. Though Mamoswine's survivability isnt all that great so im not too sure about the dual-screens.

Other options: Torterra or Probopass, both running stealth rock's and similar set to Mamoswine but probably more defensively geared opposed to speed.


Electivire @ Expert Belt
Ability: Motor Drive
Nature: Adamant or Jolly ?
EVs: 4HP/252Atk/252Spd
- Wild Charge/ Thunder Punch/ Thunder Bolt ?
- Ice Punch/ Dual Chop ?
- Brick Break/ Low Sweep ?
- Rock Slide/ Earthquake ?

This guy is mainly for dishing out super effective physical damage. He seems to have a decent move pool so im kinda at a loss with all the option. Could probably run thunder wave, dual screens or toxic but it seems like a waste with such a good attack stat.

Other options: Honestly this is the one guy who i definitely want to run on my team, but im open to suggestions.


Volcarona OR Lucario

Volcarona @ Lum Berry/ Leftovers ?
Ability: Flame Body
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252SpAtk/4HP/252Spd/ or 236SpAtk/112Def/160Spd ?
- Fiery Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Quiver Dance
- Hidden Power (Ice/Rock)/ Substitute/ Whirlwind/ Solarbeam/ Gigadrain ?

Again special sweeper, however could be run with Sunny Day and boost its attack if i ran it more defensively but im not exactly sure who to run sunny day on.. Solarbeam is for if i run sun for any water or rock types that try get in Volcarona's way as is gigadrain but it doesnt need sun.

Lucario @ Life Orb/ Choice Specs/ Choice Scarf ?
Ability: Inner Focus
Nature: Modest
EVs: 4HP/252Atk/252Spd
- Aura Sphere
- Hidden Power [Ice]/ Shadow Ball/ Dragon Pulse ?
- Dark Pulse
- Nasty Plot/ Shadow Ball/ Dragon Pulse ?

Same as Volcarona.

Other options: Heat Rotom, Wash Rotom, Octillery (on trick room team), Chandelure all running special sweeper sets, although i could probably run 2 special attackers and 2 physical attackers with a physical and special wall or something not sure what poekmon to go with though.


Garchomp @ Life Orb/ Choice Band/ Leftovers/ Lum Berry ?
Ability: Sand Veil
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4HP/252Atk/252Spd or 236HP/112SpDef /160Spd (for Serebii's restchomp) ?
- Stone Edge/ Swords Dance/ Stealth Rock ?
- Earthquake/ Rest ?
- Outrage/ Dragon Claw ?
- Fire Blast/ Sleep Talk/ Stealth Rock ?

Garchomp could go 3 ways either as a physical sweeper, a support/ lead sweeper or a wallish sweeper thing so it could also be a substitute for Mamoswine.

Other options: main reason why im considering Garchomp is because its a strong pokemon and due to black 2 ive got it in shiny so i thought hey this might be cool to train, but if it doesnt fit, it doesnt fit.I was also seriously looking at Metagross and Gallade who could both take hits due to high defensive stats which is awesome. Bisharp, Weavile, Mienshao, Salamence (probably my last option), Haxorus, Escavalier and Gyarados also made the list for this slot but yeah users discretion because im really not sure where to go with this team..


as for the last 2 slots im really not sure. i was looking at walling pokemon namely Cofagrigus, Bronzong and Gliscor but i also know Jellicent, Tentacruel, Skarmory and Gastrodon can be used. but im really not sure about the last 2 slots. the sets i was looking at were the pokemon of the week ones so:
http://www.serebii.net/potw-dp/472.shtml
http://www.serebii.net/potw-dp/437.shtml
http://www.serebii.net/potw-bw/563.shtml

Let me know any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks =]
 

Ikorus

Active Member
Just starting out here, looking to make some teams among a variety of teirs, except maybe ubers since breeding is nigh impossible. I tend to gravitate more to pokes i just LIKE rather than the amazingly mighty...but I'm sure you guys can help me flesh them out into something more competitive without going for boring bros. That said, lets start with RU, or maybe NU. Ive got two mons, one of which i know just what i want, the other of which i only know what i want it to DO. They both can fall into either tier this generation, so i'll let you decide. perhaps based on the teammates available.

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Gutswell

"Gwen" / Swelllow (F) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Attack / 252 Speed / 6 HP
Nature: Jolly
~Protect
~Brave Bird
~Facade
~U-Turn

Gwen here is the first competitive Mon I ever bred, and currently the only success. And what a beauty she is. Brutally fast and powerful with STAB Facade under poison and Brave Bird for Ghost types, she can sweep like a champ given half a chance. Unfortunately she's also rather frail, leaving her vulnerable to priority moves like Ice Shard and weakness to Stealth Rock gets very annoying very quickly. Rapid Spin should help with that, if you can think of a suitable spinner. Protect can be used for scouting or to activate the Orb for free. U-turn is a great way to bail against the steel types that wall her so hard, and actually deals some damage to the likes of Ferrothorn and Tangrowth (stupid walls >.<), keeping a small measure of offensive momentum with the side benefit of trolling pursuit revenge killers. Also should be used if a sweep is going on too long, to keep the bad poison from getting out of hand. Put a lot of thought into this old girl, and I think it went well. Swellow also happens to be one of my favorite mons out of gen 3, and a staple of my occasional R/S/E runs while trying to flesh out the National Dex. Lack of recovery hurts, but she's too frail to really make use of Roost. Maybe some wish support? I'm sure hazard support from Stealth Rock and Toxic/Spikes would help secure some OHKOs that would ordinarily be survived....by extension reducing poison damage. Also protected from the majority of Attract users by dint of gender. they always seem to be females. I hate being Attracted. Disorganized thoughts are disorganized.


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Mixed Wallbreaker

"???" / Luxray (?) @ Life Orb? Choice Band/Specs? Expert Belt?
Ability: Intimidate? Rivalry's attack boost is nice, but only works for a theoretical 50% of the time.
EVs: 200-ish Attack/ 200-ish SpAttack / 100-ish something else?
Nature: Brave? Quiet? Definitely boost offense. Speed is lackluster anyway so its not a grand loss.
~Thunder Fang?
~Thunderbolt/Volt Switch
~Ice Fang?
~Hidden Power Fire?

Luxray's speed is nothing special, but from what I can tell it has pretty great Attack, and solid SpAttack so...even if he's too slow to sweep normally, and too fast to sweep in Trick Room, there's no reason for that brute power and acceptable bulk to go ignored. Instead, I'd like to set him up to break down the one thing Gwen has the most issue with: walls. With a mix of physical and special stats and moves, and a decently powerful STAB move of each type to deal solid damage to anyone that doesn't resist or ignore (like Ground Types) them, with coverage for those pests who do...just use the special moves on physical walls, and physical moves on special walls. most walls are slow, so even Luxray should be able to outspeed them without too much issue. Thunderbolt hits hard, but Volt Switch would allow an escape from scary, threatening mons. Except ground types, I think. So...that's on you lot, I don't really know what I'm doing. Thunder Fang is a nice strong Base 65 physical STAB, but there are probably better options. Hidden Power is a pretty neat coverage special because it can be pretty much anything. Assuming the right kind crops up. No idea how to manipulate that. Ice Fang is another decent physical move, though I'll admit I only thought of it to get rid of those PESKY Geodudes and similar mons that buggered the hell out of me during story play. Also Tropius. And it's got a freeze chance, but that probably won't matter. Mixed Wallbbreaker Luxray would probably enjoy hazard support even more than Gwen, but may not require Rapid Spin quite as much. I can't put my finger on WHY, but Shinx and his evolutions are easily my favorite pokemon ever. Plus I have a natural fondness for the less bulky Electric Types like Jolteon, Ampharos, Manectric, and Luxray. The Elekid evolutionary family just irritates me, especially Electivire.



EDIT NOTE: It would be terribly amusing if you could determine good teammates consisting of at least one generation 1,2, and 5 mon, don't you think? Not that actually matters, but I just had the thought, and it gave me a little chuckle. Gen5 mons seem to be better on average for each tier, as far as I can tell, so that wold probably be where the 6th slot comes from. But hey, what do I know? I never actually bothered with competition - to busy FINISHING THE INTERNATIONAL POKERMANZ INDEX, YEH! Actually I'm still missing like twelve non-event mons. I should fix that.
 
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CarneysRage

Active Member
Team against latios and swampert

I have a Battle scheduled for Tuesday against my friend. He isn't too serious about his team, strategy wise, so he probably won't have any phazing or walls, unless they are fairly offensively minded. He has already told me thy he is gonna use two of his favorite/strongest pokemon, latios and swampert. I was thinking of using a sandstorm based team with a tyranitar, gliscor, alakazam with magic guard, lucario, ferrothorn, and something that I can't remember right now. Maybe garchomp or metagross. Any help would be great. Also, it would be nice if the team I try to make can be easily created and implemented by then. It's short notice, but I have access to almost all pokemon and can breed a lot if I have to.
 

Ness21

Holmes
Working on a Sun Team, started basing it off of Grimm70's team, but I don't really want to make it a CARBON Copy of it, and I'm kind of struggling in choosing other Pokemon for it

Currently have:

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Ninetails @ Leftovers
Ability: Drought
EVs: 88 HP / 252 SpA / 168 Spe
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- SolarBeam
- Hidden Power Ice
- Sunny Day

Pretty obvious on its own, Weather Inducer and Stall with Sunny Day

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Venusaur @ Leftovers
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Sunny Day
- Sleep Powder
- SolarBeam
- Hidden Power Fire

Basically not an all-out attacker, but more of a Supportive Player to facilitate Volcarona's Sweep

637.gif

Volcarona
Ability: Flame Body
EVs : 144 HP / 84 Def / 120 SpA / 160 Spe
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
- Quiver Dance
- Fire Blast
- Bug Buzz
- Morning Sun

Special Sweeper, although because of its unique EV spread in the original team, I am very much willing to change on this one depending on any and all suggestions I get for the rest of the team.

Thanks in advance ^^;
 

Ðew™

Definition of insanity
637.gif

Volcarona @ Life Orb
Nature : Timid
Ability : Flame Body
EVs : 4 Def / 252 SpAtk / 252 Speed
~ Quiver Dance
~ Fiery Dance
~ Bug Buzz
~ Hidden Power (Ground)

I'd like to base a team around QD Offensive Volcarona. I know some of the counters or checks, but I dont know how to go about it. I was thinking maybe dual screens Espeon, but I'm not sure. Anyone suggestions? ;-;

You're heading in the right direction. You'll need support for it...probably sun and a spinner to rid of rocks or espeon to keep them off in the first place. Rain checks would be great too, in addition to something steel to take dragon moves.

130.gif
Gyarados @ Life orb
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Attack 252 Speed 4 HP
Nature: Jolly
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
- Earthquake
- Dragon Dance

I want to make a hyper offense team based around Gyarados. However, I'm having a hard time picking partners for him. So I could care less what you recommend, just as long as it caters to Gyarados's moveset and/or partners for him. This is my first time making a team.

Probs best in rain. You need something to rid your opponent of any terrakions (most notably scarfed variants who can still outspeed a +1 gyara and kill it with a stone edge). Once you've got these 2 things taken care off...make sure to have checks for dragons and major OU threats like tornadus-t, thundurus-t, and genesect.

Working on a Sun Team, started basing it off of Grimm70's team, but I don't really want to make it a CARBON Copy of it, and I'm kind of struggling in choosing other Pokemon for it

Currently have:

038.gif


Ninetails @ Leftovers
Ability: Drought
EVs: 88 HP / 252 SpA / 168 Spe
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- SolarBeam
- Hidden Power Ice
- Sunny Day

Pretty obvious on its own, Weather Inducer and Stall with Sunny Day

003.gif

Venusaur @ Leftovers
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Sunny Day
- Sleep Powder
- SolarBeam
- Hidden Power Fire

Basically not an all-out attacker, but more of a Supportive Player to facilitate Volcarona's Sweep

637.gif

Volcarona
Ability: Flame Body
EVs : 144 HP / 84 Def / 120 SpA / 160 Spe
Nature: Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
- Quiver Dance
- Fire Blast
- Bug Buzz
- Morning Sun

Special Sweeper, although because of its unique EV spread in the original team, I am very much willing to change on this one depending on any and all suggestions I get for the rest of the team.

Thanks in advance ^^;

At the most so far, growth over sunny day on venusaur. Otherwise...spinner to aid volc and allow a few more switch ins for ninetales and other checks for other weathers. Make sure you have 1-3 physical pokes or else blissey and chansey crap all over you, sponging all of your special attacks.

(Basing this off of my own sun team, starmie would be considered a rain check while terrakion would be considered a sand check.)
 

OceanicLanturn

Non non non!
I'm building a new OU team... balanced I guess xD
Le Lead Killer
480.gif
@ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Impish (+Def -Sp.Atk)
EV: 252 Def/252 HP/4 Atk
- U-Turn
- Yawn
- Thunder Wave
- Stealth Rock

This Uxie's main objective is to set up rocks and invest as much into defense as possible to allow it to take less damage from the likes of Fake Out users. Anyways, U-Turn is a handy move that lets me get out of unfavourable situation fast. Yawn is awesome, forcing a switch or sleep, with sleep being less... attractive. When switched, Thunder Wave to cripple the switch-in and set up Stealth Rock, and U-Turn away ASAP.

Le Spinner
121.gif
@ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
Nature: Calm (+Sp.Def -Atk)
EV: 252 Sp.Def/252 HP/4 Sp.Atk
- Psychock
- Recover
- Scald
- Rapid Spin
Le spinner Starmie appeared! Starmie is there to spin away hazards, poison, toxic, weird jolts etc etc. I invested into Sp.Def because I wanted it to become a Special Wall. Anyways, Psychock ruins physically strong but specially weak pokemon, and is suitable to beat Bulk-Up people. Recovery heals (I don't say?) and Scald burns and gives Starmie more survivabilty! Rapid Spin is the main bulk and spins stuff away.

I'm considering a fighting type as a following:
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OR
534.gif
OR
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All three of them aren't easy to counter. Breloom has spore, Terrakion hits like a truck and Conkedeleur can setup on a Forretress while spamming Subsitute +Bulk Up
 
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KokoYoshi

Member
Probs best in rain. You need something to rid your opponent of any terrakions (most notably scarfed variants who can still outspeed a +1 gyara and kill it with a stone edge). Once you've got these 2 things taken care off...make sure to have checks for dragons and major OU threats like tornadus-t, thundurus-t, and genesect.

I've decided to make Gyarados like this

130.gif
@ Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Attack 252 Speed 4 HP
Nature: Jolly
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge

I want Gyarados to be the Cleaner. That's why I'm gonna thinking of roll with Politoed who will provide the rain. The problem is what moveset should I go by with Politoed?

Again, I'm willing to make changes to ensure Gyarados has a good moveset and Hyper Offensive team.
 
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ShuckleArmy

Heads or Tails?
I was wondering if any body could help me set up a team I've been thinking about. Could somebody tell me if this sort of tactic would work?

Forretress spams Iron Defence
Baton Passes to Shuckle
Shuckle uses Power Trick
Shuckle sweeps
(This would be for a random matchup team)
 

Ghosts of the Forums

Who Ya Gonna Call?
no. forry is spiker only, and shuckle sucks outside of nu. and power trick is horribad without tr. nice siggy, though.
 

Jr Breshears

PKMN Breeder
I've decided to make Gyarados like this

130.gif
@ Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Attack 252 Speed 4 HP
Nature: Jolly
- Waterfall
- Ice Fang
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge

I want Gyarados to be the Cleaner. That's why I'm gonna thinking of roll with Politoed who will provide the rain. The problem is what moveset should I go by with Politoed?

Again, I'm willing to make changes to ensure Gyarados has a good moveset and Hyper Offensive team.

Hey i've used scarfed Gyarados with Specs Politoed works really well. ^^
 

Zachmac

Well-Known Member
^If it is an offensive team, I too suggest specs toad. You'd be surprised by how hard that thing hits, and it'll do fair damage to even it's counters through some decent prediction, and is easily the most offensive Toad yet. But it's not as durable as other sets, so I'd suggest grabbing a good counter for Ninetails and Tyranitar as well, so you won't have to worry about the weather war.
I was wondering if any body could help me set up a team I've been thinking about. Could somebody tell me if this sort of tactic would work?

Forretress spams Iron Defence
Baton Passes to Shuckle
Shuckle uses Power Trick
Shuckle sweeps
(This would be for a random matchup team)
After a power trick, Shuckle's defense becomes downright pitiful, and it's speed already is. There is no way it'll be able to pull of a sweep, and when it comes to stalling and such, it doesn't have a job that another pokemon will be able to do better.

...But this pokemon does have one ability that no other does. It's on that only appears in double and triple battles, requiring a move called guard split. In this strategy, you have a sandstorm on the battle field from a T-tar or Hippowdon, and you have shuckle use guard split on a teammate to greatly improve the teammate's defense. Afterwards, you either swap shuckle out to restore it's defenses, or use power split to cripple the foe's attacking stats.

I did this in a trick room sandstorm team before, and it actually wasn't half bad. If you're fine with using it in double battles instead simply because it's your favorite, I suggest you continue to ask. If not....just use shuckle in game, and not competitively. That poor thing was given the short end of the stick, and has barely anything to compliment those massive defenses.
 
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KokoYoshi

Member
Hey i've used scarfed Gyarados with Specs Politoed works really well. ^^

Ironically, I was thinking of choice spec Politoed lol. Now to think of teammates that can benefit and help them. Otherwise, I care more on Gyara being on my team if I don't like my team set-up.

What offensive pokemon could assist Choice scarf Gyara and Choice spec Politoed in Hyper Offense?
 

Ðew™

Definition of insanity
Ironically, I was thinking of choice spec Politoed lol. Now to think of teammates that can benefit and help them. Otherwise, I care more on Gyara being on my team if I don't like my team set-up.

What offensive pokemon could assist Choice scarf Gyara and Choice spec Politoed in Hyper Offense?

What I'm thinking so far is scizor for terrakion and a somewhat bulky grass type for rotom wash (ferrothorn, celebi, breloom, virizion).
 

Zachmac

Well-Known Member
^I've always thought Hyper Offense was about having one common weakness to keep pressure against, and then finishing the sweep when that common weakness is down.

I've never done it, but that's what I picked up.
 

Jr Breshears

PKMN Breeder
What I'm thinking so far is scizor for terrakion and a somewhat bulky grass type for rotom wash (ferrothorn, celebi, breloom, virizion).

I also used scizor on the team so as dewhinifier said scizor is good :D breloom might be good too offensive poke electric and grass resistent.
 
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