The Kiwi Dragon
03-29-2013, 02:46 AM
Hi everyone!
I'm trying to get a team sorted for potential use in Double Battles in Random Matchup, and the International Challenges held on the PGL.
Please be honest when rating my team!
Thanks!
TLR. :)
Meet the Team:
Hitmontop:
Nature: Adamant.
Ability: Intimidate.
Item: Fighting Gem.
Moves:
Wide Guard
Fake Out
Sucker Punch
Close Combat
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Atk, 4 SDef.
Usage: Must always be used with Tyranitar first. Intimidate lowers the attack of both opponents (unless one the opponents has Clear Body) by one stage, while Tyranitar sets up a Sandstorm for later.
Tyranitar will switch out and be replaced by Gyarados for two reasons: A. It will make the opponent's attacks decrease by a further one stage from Hitmontop's previous one, and B. So that if the opponent changes the weather in a later stage, the opponent can be killed off by the likes of Salamence and Tyranitar can re-activate the Sandstorm.
After the switch, Hitmontop will use Wide Guard to disable the likes of Rock Slide, Icy Wind, Earthquake, Surf and Heat Wave. Depending upon the chance of Hitmontop surviving the first turn, Hitmontop will proceed to either Fake Out an opponent potentially wanting to further the damage towards itself or it's teammate. Or it will use Close Combat on the opponent if it is either Rock, Steel, Ice, Dark or Normal, or any Pokemon that won't be weak enough to survive the Fighting Gemmed Close Combat at the cost of lowering both defences. However due to Hitmontop's lacklustre speed, it will likely be attacked after a faster opponent (As long as they are neither Psychic or Flying), Hitmontop due to it's reasonable defence will potentially survive the onslaught to be used a final time.
Sucker Punch will be brought in at this point to get a quick final blow at the opponent before it either kills the opponent or the opponent kills it.
Tyranitar:
Nature: Brave.
Ability: Sand Stream.
Item: Sitrus Berry.
Moves:
Substitute
Protect
Crunch
Rock Slide
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Atk, 6 SDef
Usage: Tyranitar doesn't serve too much purpose in my team, other than to set up Sandstorms for Excadrill. However, to surprise opponents I gave it better defences so that it could potentially survive a non Dragon Gemmed Draco Meteor with just under half it's maximum HP, and once the Sitrus Berry activates, Tyranitar will be in the clear to continue the damage. Realistically, I don't want to use Tyranitar to an extent where I have to rely on it, because if it dies and there are other Pokemon around to start up other weather like Rain, Sun or Hail, then Excadrill is doomed.
I'm not too sure about keeping Substitute in all honesty, because unless we're talking about setting up a Sub after an attack (Eg, Draco Meteor) from a faster opponent and using the Sitrus Berry to heal before the Sub is activated, then I can't really see too much use for it. Crunch is OK, and Rock Slide is perfect providing the opponent hasn't set up a Wide Guard themselves.
Protect is for two reasons: A. When it works with Excadrill and it doesn't want to get hit by a powerful Earthquake while the opponents suffer from it. And B. When it's down to Pokemon like Garchomp who try to Earthquake the living daylights out of you while working with non flying/levitated/gravitational Pokemon (eg, Metagross) and you're thinking you're completely doomed, but using Protect to shield yourself while Garchomp potentially OHKO/2HKO's Metagross (Provided it doesn't have Protect itself or a Shuca Berry.)
Gyarados:
Nature: Adamant.
Ability: Intimidate.
Item: Water Gem.
Moves:
Thunder Wave
Waterfall
Ice Fang
Protect
EVs: 252 HP, 200 Atk, 56 SDef
Usage: Gyarados is a for mostly Intimidating the original two Pokemon the opponent sends out while Hitmontop sets up a Wide Guard. Which to me, doesn't waste a turn switching from Tyranitar to Gyarados because you've instead potentially taken 3 moves instead of the standard 2. Using Quick Guard and then Sand Stream which is basically the equivalent of using Sandstorm for Excadrill later on and then to switch out and use Gyarado's Intimidate which is basically the equivalent of Growl to lower the attack of both opponents by a further stage from Hitmontop is purely an undeniable opportunity not to be missed.
Water Gem increases Waterfall's attack to help with taking out Rock/Steel/Fire/Ground types but can still be deadly afterwards. I'm debating whether or not to switch it to an Ice Gem to help boost the attack of Ice Fang in order to take down Rock/Ground/Grass types but have been unable to decide. I'm not sure about keeping Protect because it just doesn't feel right using it on Gyarados.
Excadrill:
Nature: Adamant.
Ability: Sand Rush.
Item: Air Balloon
Moves:
Swords Dance
Rock Slide
Earthquake
Rapid Spin
EVs: 252 HP, 4 SDef, 252 Spd.
Usage: I love my Excadrill. With the earlier activation of a sandstorm via Sand Stream from Tyranitar, Excadrill can become quite deadly. Due to it's EVs it's Attack is already over 400 in the stats, meaning I only need a sandstorm to help Excadrill to become a true annoyance for my opponents. It's using an Air Balloon quite simply to avoid a Earthquake which'd potentially OHKO it, which would be useless to me. Therefore meaning, unless it's a fast opposing Pokemon using a powerful Fire/Fighting/Water type move being used against it, Excadrill can only be 2HKO'd after popping the Air Balloon. Rock Slide is for Ice/Flying/Fire types to swiftly eliminate them out of the battle, while Earthquake is potentially for the times when either Tyranitar, Gyarados, Scizor or Salamence are partnered with it due to the Ground immunity on Gyarados and Salamence, and Protect on Tyranitar and Scizor. Rapid Spin is for those people who love to lay down pesky Entry Hazards like Spikes, Poison Spikes and Stealth Rock, to attack the opponent with minor damage taken and swiftly eradicate those hazards that've been laid. I'm unsure about Swords Dance because unless I use it while the Air Balloon is still in play, I won't have much use for it, but then even after using it a powerful Fire/Fighting/Water move will kill it off, so I'm pondering about replacing it with X-Scissor.
Salamence:
Nature: Adamant.
Ability: Moxie.
Item: Choice Scarf
Moves:
Brick Break
Earthquake
Fire Blast
Outrage
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Spd, 4 Def.
Usage: Salamence has been one of my main Pokemon for a while now. Why? Because I love it to pieces! Even though it holds a Choice Scarf which can potentially be either your best friend or your worst enemy, I'll still use it because for me it has worked more times than it's failed. With Moxie, Outrage is not to be ignored, having the option to kill an opponent with Outrage and get an Attack boost straight after? Yes, please! Soon Salamence gets so powerful that it's literally teetering on the edge of being 'suicidal' from the boosts plus an added confusion at the end. Usually Salamence has overcome this and gone further on to become an extremely overpowered and overspeeding Pokemon that could potentially kill things slower than Excadrill but yet have a better chance of an OHKO'ing an opponent.
Earthquake is for if Excadrill has been defeated and you need something to do the job to an extent where it's almost as close to killing both opponents as Excadrill can. Combined with Tyranitar/Gyarados/Scizor, it's like Excadrill never left the battle. Fire Blast is just to take care of Grass and Ice types with ease as long as the accuracy is in your favour, and Brick Break is merely to take care of Ice/Rock/Steel and anything extra. This combined with Moxie attack boosts can be a real annoyance to opponents like Excadrill and Slaking who will block your path with complete peace of mind.
Scizor:
Nature: Adamant.
Ability: Technician
Item: Flying Gem.
Moves:
Acrobatics
Bullet Punch
Bug Bite
Protect
EVs: 130 HP, 252 Atk, 4 SDef, 124 Spd.
Usage: Scizor is the final resort in my team. Provided no Fire attacks are thrown at it, the Flying gemmed Acrobatics can be quite deadly to a lot of opponents. And then still being able to get a powerful use out of Acrobatics after the Gem has gone, is perfect to me. Bug Bite is to take care of any opponents foolish enough to bring berries. Provided they don't have Sticky Hold as an ability.
Bullet Punch is to quite simply finish off an opponent or due to Scizor's average speed can take care of likes of Weavile and Archeops with ease.
Protect is once again for the event of Excadrill or Salamence using Earthquake.
I'm trying to get a team sorted for potential use in Double Battles in Random Matchup, and the International Challenges held on the PGL.
Please be honest when rating my team!
Thanks!
TLR. :)
Meet the Team:
Hitmontop:
Nature: Adamant.
Ability: Intimidate.
Item: Fighting Gem.
Moves:
Wide Guard
Fake Out
Sucker Punch
Close Combat
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Atk, 4 SDef.
Usage: Must always be used with Tyranitar first. Intimidate lowers the attack of both opponents (unless one the opponents has Clear Body) by one stage, while Tyranitar sets up a Sandstorm for later.
Tyranitar will switch out and be replaced by Gyarados for two reasons: A. It will make the opponent's attacks decrease by a further one stage from Hitmontop's previous one, and B. So that if the opponent changes the weather in a later stage, the opponent can be killed off by the likes of Salamence and Tyranitar can re-activate the Sandstorm.
After the switch, Hitmontop will use Wide Guard to disable the likes of Rock Slide, Icy Wind, Earthquake, Surf and Heat Wave. Depending upon the chance of Hitmontop surviving the first turn, Hitmontop will proceed to either Fake Out an opponent potentially wanting to further the damage towards itself or it's teammate. Or it will use Close Combat on the opponent if it is either Rock, Steel, Ice, Dark or Normal, or any Pokemon that won't be weak enough to survive the Fighting Gemmed Close Combat at the cost of lowering both defences. However due to Hitmontop's lacklustre speed, it will likely be attacked after a faster opponent (As long as they are neither Psychic or Flying), Hitmontop due to it's reasonable defence will potentially survive the onslaught to be used a final time.
Sucker Punch will be brought in at this point to get a quick final blow at the opponent before it either kills the opponent or the opponent kills it.
Tyranitar:
Nature: Brave.
Ability: Sand Stream.
Item: Sitrus Berry.
Moves:
Substitute
Protect
Crunch
Rock Slide
EVs: 252 HP, 252 Atk, 6 SDef
Usage: Tyranitar doesn't serve too much purpose in my team, other than to set up Sandstorms for Excadrill. However, to surprise opponents I gave it better defences so that it could potentially survive a non Dragon Gemmed Draco Meteor with just under half it's maximum HP, and once the Sitrus Berry activates, Tyranitar will be in the clear to continue the damage. Realistically, I don't want to use Tyranitar to an extent where I have to rely on it, because if it dies and there are other Pokemon around to start up other weather like Rain, Sun or Hail, then Excadrill is doomed.
I'm not too sure about keeping Substitute in all honesty, because unless we're talking about setting up a Sub after an attack (Eg, Draco Meteor) from a faster opponent and using the Sitrus Berry to heal before the Sub is activated, then I can't really see too much use for it. Crunch is OK, and Rock Slide is perfect providing the opponent hasn't set up a Wide Guard themselves.
Protect is for two reasons: A. When it works with Excadrill and it doesn't want to get hit by a powerful Earthquake while the opponents suffer from it. And B. When it's down to Pokemon like Garchomp who try to Earthquake the living daylights out of you while working with non flying/levitated/gravitational Pokemon (eg, Metagross) and you're thinking you're completely doomed, but using Protect to shield yourself while Garchomp potentially OHKO/2HKO's Metagross (Provided it doesn't have Protect itself or a Shuca Berry.)
Gyarados:
Nature: Adamant.
Ability: Intimidate.
Item: Water Gem.
Moves:
Thunder Wave
Waterfall
Ice Fang
Protect
EVs: 252 HP, 200 Atk, 56 SDef
Usage: Gyarados is a for mostly Intimidating the original two Pokemon the opponent sends out while Hitmontop sets up a Wide Guard. Which to me, doesn't waste a turn switching from Tyranitar to Gyarados because you've instead potentially taken 3 moves instead of the standard 2. Using Quick Guard and then Sand Stream which is basically the equivalent of using Sandstorm for Excadrill later on and then to switch out and use Gyarado's Intimidate which is basically the equivalent of Growl to lower the attack of both opponents by a further stage from Hitmontop is purely an undeniable opportunity not to be missed.
Water Gem increases Waterfall's attack to help with taking out Rock/Steel/Fire/Ground types but can still be deadly afterwards. I'm debating whether or not to switch it to an Ice Gem to help boost the attack of Ice Fang in order to take down Rock/Ground/Grass types but have been unable to decide. I'm not sure about keeping Protect because it just doesn't feel right using it on Gyarados.
Excadrill:
Nature: Adamant.
Ability: Sand Rush.
Item: Air Balloon
Moves:
Swords Dance
Rock Slide
Earthquake
Rapid Spin
EVs: 252 HP, 4 SDef, 252 Spd.
Usage: I love my Excadrill. With the earlier activation of a sandstorm via Sand Stream from Tyranitar, Excadrill can become quite deadly. Due to it's EVs it's Attack is already over 400 in the stats, meaning I only need a sandstorm to help Excadrill to become a true annoyance for my opponents. It's using an Air Balloon quite simply to avoid a Earthquake which'd potentially OHKO it, which would be useless to me. Therefore meaning, unless it's a fast opposing Pokemon using a powerful Fire/Fighting/Water type move being used against it, Excadrill can only be 2HKO'd after popping the Air Balloon. Rock Slide is for Ice/Flying/Fire types to swiftly eliminate them out of the battle, while Earthquake is potentially for the times when either Tyranitar, Gyarados, Scizor or Salamence are partnered with it due to the Ground immunity on Gyarados and Salamence, and Protect on Tyranitar and Scizor. Rapid Spin is for those people who love to lay down pesky Entry Hazards like Spikes, Poison Spikes and Stealth Rock, to attack the opponent with minor damage taken and swiftly eradicate those hazards that've been laid. I'm unsure about Swords Dance because unless I use it while the Air Balloon is still in play, I won't have much use for it, but then even after using it a powerful Fire/Fighting/Water move will kill it off, so I'm pondering about replacing it with X-Scissor.
Salamence:
Nature: Adamant.
Ability: Moxie.
Item: Choice Scarf
Moves:
Brick Break
Earthquake
Fire Blast
Outrage
EVs: 252 Atk, 252 Spd, 4 Def.
Usage: Salamence has been one of my main Pokemon for a while now. Why? Because I love it to pieces! Even though it holds a Choice Scarf which can potentially be either your best friend or your worst enemy, I'll still use it because for me it has worked more times than it's failed. With Moxie, Outrage is not to be ignored, having the option to kill an opponent with Outrage and get an Attack boost straight after? Yes, please! Soon Salamence gets so powerful that it's literally teetering on the edge of being 'suicidal' from the boosts plus an added confusion at the end. Usually Salamence has overcome this and gone further on to become an extremely overpowered and overspeeding Pokemon that could potentially kill things slower than Excadrill but yet have a better chance of an OHKO'ing an opponent.
Earthquake is for if Excadrill has been defeated and you need something to do the job to an extent where it's almost as close to killing both opponents as Excadrill can. Combined with Tyranitar/Gyarados/Scizor, it's like Excadrill never left the battle. Fire Blast is just to take care of Grass and Ice types with ease as long as the accuracy is in your favour, and Brick Break is merely to take care of Ice/Rock/Steel and anything extra. This combined with Moxie attack boosts can be a real annoyance to opponents like Excadrill and Slaking who will block your path with complete peace of mind.
Scizor:
Nature: Adamant.
Ability: Technician
Item: Flying Gem.
Moves:
Acrobatics
Bullet Punch
Bug Bite
Protect
EVs: 130 HP, 252 Atk, 4 SDef, 124 Spd.
Usage: Scizor is the final resort in my team. Provided no Fire attacks are thrown at it, the Flying gemmed Acrobatics can be quite deadly to a lot of opponents. And then still being able to get a powerful use out of Acrobatics after the Gem has gone, is perfect to me. Bug Bite is to take care of any opponents foolish enough to bring berries. Provided they don't have Sticky Hold as an ability.
Bullet Punch is to quite simply finish off an opponent or due to Scizor's average speed can take care of likes of Weavile and Archeops with ease.
Protect is once again for the event of Excadrill or Salamence using Earthquake.