Team
Introduction
Thanks for examining my team. I am no stranger to competitive Pokemon, but have only posted about twice on Smogon forums, so bear with me. My purpose for posting is to see if anybody notices any glaring weaknesses in my team, whether it be a weakness to a playstyle, a core, or a specific Pokemon. One thing I have noticed is that the team is sort of slow, but this hasn't really been a problem because it is a balance team.
Strategy
Without going into detail about each Pokemon too much, I will attempt to lay out how the team plays. The core Pokemon, comprised of Excadrill, Ferrothorn, Tapu Fini, and Zapdos, switch in and out throughout the game, laying and removing hazards, covering holes in my team while poking holes in my opponent's team, all for the purpose of allowing either Ash-Greninja or Mega Charizard X to win the game. To put the strategy simply, all Pokemon on the team must get rid of any road blocks that prevent my sweepers from ending the battle. However, the strategy of the team can vary depending on the style of my opponent's team. Mega Charizard X tends to be better vs bulkier teams, while Ash-Greninja is better vs offensive teams with faster Pokemon. Here is an example of a game where I sack Greninja because the other team has a Chansey and Tapu Fini, and I value my cores avoiding damage over Ash-Greninjas life: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-534163152
Movesets
Charizard-Mega-X @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Roost
- Flare Blitz
- Dragon Claw
This big jazz boy is the strongest physical attacker on the team, and could be considered the team's wallbreaker. It is important he is kept alive to deal with special defensively oriented enemy Pokemon, so I like having Roost because it can help keep Mega Charizard X in the game if I happen to switch him in on some hazards. The Fire typing requires I have hazard control, but is also great offensively with all the Steel types in the meta nowadays such as Scizor, Metagross, Skarmory. The Dragon typing is helpful for team synergy in dealing with Electric threats such as Magnezone, or Zapdos. Setting up a Swords Dance isn't always necessary, but helps to punish stall/bulk more effectively, and can do some serious damage to defensive Landorous Therian. I'd like to justify why I chose this set over the dragon dance, or defensive sets: I appreciate the power to poke holes in the enemy team. The power needs to be somewhere on the team, and other than Mega Charizard X there aren't Pokemon on the team who have significant ATK stat investment.
Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Toxic
I needed a spinner and Pokemon has evolved beyond the days of Forretress. Now we have Excadrill technology. I originally used the choice scarf set, but decided I wanted Excadrill to be able to live instead of do damage/be fast. This SpDEF Excadrill set is a Smogon standard, and helps me deal better with special attackers on the Dark, Ghost, and Psychic side of the type spectrum. While Excadrill doesn't resist, he doesn't really need to because I don't have weaknesses (to the aforementioned types). I just needed more special bulk on the team and this way he comes in to deal with hazards and spread Toxic more frequently. He also adds steel and ground type attacks to my move pool so that I can threaten more things such as Rotom W, Nihilego, Tyranitar, Magnezone, etc.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Knock Off
- Power Whip
This fiend is what makes the team Balance and not Offense style. Ferrothorn contributes great things to the team in terms of defensive type synergy, and moves. Stealth Rock is essential in wearing down most enemy teams. I originally had spikes, but was losing too much momentum by setting them up, and prefer the coverage of Stealth Rock. While Excadrill's purpose is to take down the enemy's hazards and spread toxic to wear down enemy Pokemon, Ferrothorn's purpose is to not only wall the enemy Pokemon and provide grass coverage, but also to wear the enemy Pokemon down with passive chip damage from Stealth Rocks, Leech Seed, and lack of Leftovers due to Knock Off (not to mention Iron Barbs damage). If Stealth Rocks are needed in a game they are the priority, but once they are up Knock Off is great for covering Ghost and Psychic types, while also noticeably weakening enemy sweepers and removing passive recovery from enemy tanks/walls. I didn't think Gyro Ball was necessary because I felt coverage moves took away from the purpose of this Pokemon on the team, which is utility and chip damage.
Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Water Shuriken
- Dark Pulse
- Hydro Pump
- U-turn
Ash-Greninja is the only late game sweeper on the team. It needs a kill to sweep, but that is why the team invests a lot into applying chip damage to the enemy. Depending on the enemy team it will sweep with Dark Pulse or Hydro Pump. Because both moves are crazy strong, it is usually just a matter of weakening certain enemy Pokemon to allow Ash-Greninja to sweep. The Fire/Dragon type offensive coverage from Charizard helps poke holes to allow the sweep, while the chip damage from the core of the team helps ensure Ash-Greninja can OHKO enemy Pokemon. This Pokemon is not always needed to win the game, but is generally a great option.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 192 Def / 16 SpD / 52 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Nature's Madness
- Moonblast
- Scald
This Pokemon rounds off the Fire-Water-Grass AND the Dragon-Steel-Fairy cores on the team, which by the way are only made up of 3 Pokemon (Mega Charizard X, Ferrothorn, Tapu Fini). Assuming the opponent doesn't forfeit on the spot because the team has such good type synergy, Tapu Fini can make quite the splash. Tapu Fini's purpose is to check things like Ash-Greninja (w/out gunk shot), Landorous Therian, Marowak, etc. using its STAB coverage moves, sort of like Excadrill but without the digging and spinning, and use Nature's Madness to weaken enemy Pokemon, especially those without recovery. Taunt makes the Pokemon a great counter to stall. Generally this Pokemon is played as a pivot, as its ability is helpful in defending the team from most status conditions.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
This defensive Pokemon is designed to carry coverage moves, allowing it to check things like Landorous Therian, Dragonite, Tapu Fini, Ferrothorn, Scizor, etc. Roost keeps it alive, along with heavy defensive investment. Zapdos is generally bulky enough to take resisted hits extremely well, while pressuring the enemy team with coverage moves, but is not really designed to take more than one neutral high powered attack, especially on the special side. Most Zapdos have only 2 coverage moves, because they include either Volt Switch or Defog, but since I already have an Excadrill with Rapid Spin for hazard control, and prefer the coverage over the switch advantage, Zapdos is a threatening check to many enemy Pokemon.
Introduction
Thanks for examining my team. I am no stranger to competitive Pokemon, but have only posted about twice on Smogon forums, so bear with me. My purpose for posting is to see if anybody notices any glaring weaknesses in my team, whether it be a weakness to a playstyle, a core, or a specific Pokemon. One thing I have noticed is that the team is sort of slow, but this hasn't really been a problem because it is a balance team.
Strategy
Without going into detail about each Pokemon too much, I will attempt to lay out how the team plays. The core Pokemon, comprised of Excadrill, Ferrothorn, Tapu Fini, and Zapdos, switch in and out throughout the game, laying and removing hazards, covering holes in my team while poking holes in my opponent's team, all for the purpose of allowing either Ash-Greninja or Mega Charizard X to win the game. To put the strategy simply, all Pokemon on the team must get rid of any road blocks that prevent my sweepers from ending the battle. However, the strategy of the team can vary depending on the style of my opponent's team. Mega Charizard X tends to be better vs bulkier teams, while Ash-Greninja is better vs offensive teams with faster Pokemon. Here is an example of a game where I sack Greninja because the other team has a Chansey and Tapu Fini, and I value my cores avoiding damage over Ash-Greninjas life: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7oususpecttest-534163152
Movesets
Charizard-Mega-X @ Charizardite X
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Roost
- Flare Blitz
- Dragon Claw
This big jazz boy is the strongest physical attacker on the team, and could be considered the team's wallbreaker. It is important he is kept alive to deal with special defensively oriented enemy Pokemon, so I like having Roost because it can help keep Mega Charizard X in the game if I happen to switch him in on some hazards. The Fire typing requires I have hazard control, but is also great offensively with all the Steel types in the meta nowadays such as Scizor, Metagross, Skarmory. The Dragon typing is helpful for team synergy in dealing with Electric threats such as Magnezone, or Zapdos. Setting up a Swords Dance isn't always necessary, but helps to punish stall/bulk more effectively, and can do some serious damage to defensive Landorous Therian. I'd like to justify why I chose this set over the dragon dance, or defensive sets: I appreciate the power to poke holes in the enemy team. The power needs to be somewhere on the team, and other than Mega Charizard X there aren't Pokemon on the team who have significant ATK stat investment.
Excadrill @ Leftovers
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Toxic
I needed a spinner and Pokemon has evolved beyond the days of Forretress. Now we have Excadrill technology. I originally used the choice scarf set, but decided I wanted Excadrill to be able to live instead of do damage/be fast. This SpDEF Excadrill set is a Smogon standard, and helps me deal better with special attackers on the Dark, Ghost, and Psychic side of the type spectrum. While Excadrill doesn't resist, he doesn't really need to because I don't have weaknesses (to the aforementioned types). I just needed more special bulk on the team and this way he comes in to deal with hazards and spread Toxic more frequently. He also adds steel and ground type attacks to my move pool so that I can threaten more things such as Rotom W, Nihilego, Tyranitar, Magnezone, etc.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Knock Off
- Power Whip
This fiend is what makes the team Balance and not Offense style. Ferrothorn contributes great things to the team in terms of defensive type synergy, and moves. Stealth Rock is essential in wearing down most enemy teams. I originally had spikes, but was losing too much momentum by setting them up, and prefer the coverage of Stealth Rock. While Excadrill's purpose is to take down the enemy's hazards and spread toxic to wear down enemy Pokemon, Ferrothorn's purpose is to not only wall the enemy Pokemon and provide grass coverage, but also to wear the enemy Pokemon down with passive chip damage from Stealth Rocks, Leech Seed, and lack of Leftovers due to Knock Off (not to mention Iron Barbs damage). If Stealth Rocks are needed in a game they are the priority, but once they are up Knock Off is great for covering Ghost and Psychic types, while also noticeably weakening enemy sweepers and removing passive recovery from enemy tanks/walls. I didn't think Gyro Ball was necessary because I felt coverage moves took away from the purpose of this Pokemon on the team, which is utility and chip damage.
Greninja-Ash @ Choice Specs
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Water Shuriken
- Dark Pulse
- Hydro Pump
- U-turn
Ash-Greninja is the only late game sweeper on the team. It needs a kill to sweep, but that is why the team invests a lot into applying chip damage to the enemy. Depending on the enemy team it will sweep with Dark Pulse or Hydro Pump. Because both moves are crazy strong, it is usually just a matter of weakening certain enemy Pokemon to allow Ash-Greninja to sweep. The Fire/Dragon type offensive coverage from Charizard helps poke holes to allow the sweep, while the chip damage from the core of the team helps ensure Ash-Greninja can OHKO enemy Pokemon. This Pokemon is not always needed to win the game, but is generally a great option.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 192 Def / 16 SpD / 52 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Taunt
- Nature's Madness
- Moonblast
- Scald
This Pokemon rounds off the Fire-Water-Grass AND the Dragon-Steel-Fairy cores on the team, which by the way are only made up of 3 Pokemon (Mega Charizard X, Ferrothorn, Tapu Fini). Assuming the opponent doesn't forfeit on the spot because the team has such good type synergy, Tapu Fini can make quite the splash. Tapu Fini's purpose is to check things like Ash-Greninja (w/out gunk shot), Landorous Therian, Marowak, etc. using its STAB coverage moves, sort of like Excadrill but without the digging and spinning, and use Nature's Madness to weaken enemy Pokemon, especially those without recovery. Taunt makes the Pokemon a great counter to stall. Generally this Pokemon is played as a pivot, as its ability is helpful in defending the team from most status conditions.
Zapdos @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Discharge
- Roost
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Ice]
This defensive Pokemon is designed to carry coverage moves, allowing it to check things like Landorous Therian, Dragonite, Tapu Fini, Ferrothorn, Scizor, etc. Roost keeps it alive, along with heavy defensive investment. Zapdos is generally bulky enough to take resisted hits extremely well, while pressuring the enemy team with coverage moves, but is not really designed to take more than one neutral high powered attack, especially on the special side. Most Zapdos have only 2 coverage moves, because they include either Volt Switch or Defog, but since I already have an Excadrill with Rapid Spin for hazard control, and prefer the coverage over the switch advantage, Zapdos is a threatening check to many enemy Pokemon.
