Where did the baton go?

[PhoenixShad0w13]

Decided to make a Baton Passing team, and it's having success (Winning mainly, forcing a few Rage quits, and losing only 2). Still modifying it, but ran out of ideas, so I will show off my thoughts for it.

To start, I am a member of a Clan here on Serebii that requires you to:
1) Use your Signature Pokemon in every Clan battle (I plan on using it in every battle to avoid the hassle of dealing with team switching around).
2) A Pokemon introduced in the generation your house was introduced in.

To simplify, I must use Scizor (my Sig), and a Pokemon introduced within the 3rd Generation.

Spoiler: "Team Building Ideas"

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Had to start with Scizor. Thought about him being the main receiver to the stat boosts, but decided he can Pass on Defense boosts.

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I decided that Metagross has high attack, and with Clear Body, only Whirlwind, Circle Throw, Dragon Tail, and Haze could really get rid of his stat boosts. Even Intimidate fails to weaken this BEAST!!

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Who better to pass on Physical stats than the almighty Ninjask?

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I've seen Vaporeon on a few Baton Passing teams before, and with high HP, mixed with Wish support, I could use the Bulky Subs to help the others set up.

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I wanted a Shell Smasher, and one that could pass. But wait, what about being able to put the opponent to sleep first, so I can set up without damage? Smeargle fits the role!

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I needed some Special Defense boosts, too, while able to boost up Special Attack, for Vaporeon, if needed. Espeon fit the role, with Magic Bounce blocking Whirlwind, and status, that helps.

Now, to the team.

Role: Passer (Speed, Attack)
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 HP, 128 Defense, 128 Sp. Defense
Item: Leftovers
Moves:
- Swords Dance
- Baton Pass
- Protect
- X-scissor

Protect is proving a bit more useful instead of Substitute here. I can protect to scout, get a Speed Boost, then either attempt a Swords Dance, or Baton Pass the Speed to Vaporeon, and Pass back to Ninjask for the Attack boost. EVs are for a bulky set up, but not working too well. X-scissor is to avoid being Taunt bait.

Role: Passer (Speed, Special Attack, Attack), Sleeper
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Speed, 4 Attack
Item: White Herb
Moves:
- Spore
- Shell Smash
- Baton Pass
- Super Fang

The massive booster. Yes, Smeargle, the learn all Pokemon. Spore, with the help of a few Speed boosts, allows Smeargle to shut down the opponent, and get a Shell Smash built up. White Herb is used to remove the defense drops from Shell Smash. Super Fang is the Anti-Taunt, but can be replaced with something else.

NOTE: Smeagle's main goal is to shoot off one Shell Smash, and pass it on, not really attack anything.

Role: Passer (Subs)
Nature: Modest
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP, 160 Sp. Attack, 48 Defense, 48 Sp. Defense
Item: Leftovers
Moves:
- Substitute
- Wish
- Scald
- Baton Pass

Vaporeon is the bulky sub user, with EVs to make it bulky. Some Special Attack is added, to give Scald some power. Goal here is to get Sub up, Pass the sub for fragile boosters. Wish is for recovery.

Role: Passer (Defense)/Revenge Killing
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Attack, 252 Speed, 4 HP
Item: Leftovers
Moves:
- Bullet Punch
- Bug Bite
- Iron Defense
- Baton Pass

Ah, Scizor, one of my two favorite Pokemon. Rather than going bulky on this one, the goal is to get a speed, attack, and sub to Scizor, so he can boost up Defense with Iron Defense, or Attack. Bug Bite is for the strong attack, while Bullet Punch is for priority, and taking out weak counters real quick. This one can be receiver, but is not one of the main receivers.

Role: Passer (Special Attack, Special Defense), Receiver (Special)
Nature: Timid
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP, 48 Sp Attack, 208 Speed
Item: Leftovers
Moves:
- Stored Power
- Calm Mind
- Baton Pass
- Hidden Power (Fighting)

My special attack receiver, only due to Stored Power, mainly. Abusing all the stats gained, lashing out against stuff that isn't immune to it. And for those pesky dark types, well, Hidden Power (Fighting) helps counter them. The idea here is to boost up Calm Minds, boosting Sp Defense some, and Special Attack more. Magic Bounce helps block Whirlwind.

Role: Receiver (Physical)
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 4 HP, 252 Attack, 252 Speed
Item: Leftovers
Moves:
- Bullet Punch
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch

Ah, the tank. Found the perfect picture, too. Makes him look like a machine waking up, and destroying everything in existence. EVs, and Nature are all about dealing damage. Moves grant somewhat good coverage. Meteor Mash is the POWERFUL STAB move, with a chance to boost Attack (if it can). Bullet Punch is for Priority. Earthquake handles all Land-lovers, while Ice Punch handles all dragons, and ground types. Clear Body stops Intimidate from working.​

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Here is my team. Please rate it, and I am open for suggestions. I thought about a Smeargle with Coil, Quiver Dance, Baton Pass, and Filler (attacking move), but Spore is so helpful to get Shell Smash off, and get those Attack, and Speed boosts. Another thought is to try to get Ingrain, or Aqua Ring in, but I don't know if those would be effective, or what moves to replace them with.

As a finale, credit to the pictures belongs to those who made them, not me.

 

[The Imposter]

Espeon gets Magic Bounce, not Magic Guard. -_-'

Also, what Scizor needs is bulk, not Speed. Bulk is better on slower Passers.

 

[dildadonz]

Your team revolves to much about baton passing and skarmory walls most of your pokemon and can phaze with whirlwind which will disrupt your momentum. You should have more baton pass recipents and have some more special based pokemon.

 

[PhoenixShad0w13]

Your team revolves to much about baton passing and skarmory walls most of your pokemon and can phaze with whirlwind which will disrupt your momentum. You should have more baton pass recipents and have some more special based pokemon.

While Skarmory does wall, and can use Whirlwind, if I get Espeon out, Whirlwind will not affect my team. I've had a clan battle with someone, they tried Whirlwinding me, and they failed

 

[SilentOmen]

While Skarmory does wall, and can use Whirlwind, if I get Espeon out, Whirlwind will not affect my team. I've had a clan battle with someone, they tried Whirlwinding me, and they failed

A simple strategy to help correct whirlwind is ingrain. It's (apparently) baton passable and forces roar, whirlwind and Dragon Tail to do nothing. I didn't mention circle throw because it's only users are Throh and Smeargle to my current knowledge. You could look into a way to incorporate an ingrain mechanic.

I can see this set being pretty effective despite the hazing issues you address. The fact chain passing was long put away and dismissed as "ineffective" will leave a lot of people unable to handle it in the current all offensive / stall metagame today.

Also remember that a critical hit can ruin your strategy too since critical hits forgo set up. In such a case, considering something with shell armor / battle armor as an ability isn't a terrible idea since stat lowering moves bar haze aren't that popular in competetive play.

 

[PhoenixShad0w13]

I want to get ingrain in, but with Spore being so helpful, it doesn't quite work out.

 

[Utopian]

bullet punch is not nessary lol. anyhoo, jellicent walls that gross! run zen headbutt!

 

[thatjeremykid]

i would put focus sash on Ninjask, that way you get a guaranteed speed boost swords dance pass.

 

[123fakestreet]

This team 100% needs a Mr mime. Without it you lose the second anyone uses perish song. Its common on Toed and a few other things so it is needed.

Thought its purely a joke throat, Roar haxorus will roar u even through magic bounce cuz mold breaker.

 

[Tdotdems]

I have a similar team to this with a Jirachi recipient and it can work really well. I would risk making smeargle taunt bait by putting on ingrain as it is oh so important. Also lead with smeargle to get ingrain in straight away. In my opinion you should have ninjask solely for speed and put sub instead of swords dance, this allows a large speed increase. Then put swords Dance on scizor instead of bullet punch as hopefully he already has quite a few speed boosts. Also I would go with focus sash on smeargle possibly as he is very weak. Also Metagross MUST have a lum berry, as a burn or paralyse will just ruin his sweep. As someone mentioned, you will still have a problem with perish song. Possibly dual screeen Mr Mime instead of espeon as magic bounce is not neaded with ingrain. Anyway that's my opinion, feel free to use as much or as little of it as you want.

 

[Tdotdems]

I have a similar team to this with a Jirachi recipient and it can work really well. I would risk making smeargle taunt bait by putting on ingrain as it is oh so important. Also lead with smeargle to get ingrain in straight away. In my opinion you should have ninjask solely for speed and put sub instead of swords dance, this allows a large speed increase. Then put swords Dance on scizor instead of bullet punch as hopefully he already has quite a few speed boosts. Also I would go with focus sash on smeargle possibly as he is very weak. Also Metagross MUST have a lum berry, as a burn or paralyse will just ruin his sweep. As someone mentioned, you will still have a problem with perish song. Possibly dual screeen Mr Mime instead of espeon as magic bounce is not neaded with ingrain. Anyway that's my opinion, feel free to use as much or as little of it as you want.

 

[dildadonz]

^double post ^

Instead of using ninjask to Baton Pass a sword dance give it to Scizor and put substitute on Ninjask instead. Put acid armour on Vaporeon to make inpenetrable from the physical side and with scald's burn rate you can wall most physical attacks and heal with wish. I would advise you either slash it over substitute. This is because Ninjask won't like getting hurt at any time and sword dance is kinda hard for it to pull off. It great at subing to avoid damage as it is so quick and even with that HP vaporeon doesn't wall everything. Scizor just forces a switch on basically everything not fire or gyarados.