Help a semi spike team not be so terrible

[Kietharr]

Well, I made a new semi-spike team with a two man clean up crew. It has issues, needless to say.

Swampert, Relaxed nature, 240hp/216def/52sp. atk @ Leftovers
Earthquake
Ice Beam
Surf
Stealth Rock

Sets up SR and can do some damage with a standard mixpert set, also serves as a fire resist. Isn't hit SE by any standard Deoxys set so he can counter him well.

Celebi, Bold nature, 252hp/220def/36spe @ Leftovers
Grass Knot
Leech Seed
Recover
Hidden Power (Ice)

Standard Celebi. Takes physical hits well and helps at being really annoying and stalling stuff out. Grass Knot threatens gyarados, hp ice will threaten chomp, at least wasting his yache berry.

Zapdos, Calm nature, 252hp/220sp. def/36spe @ Leftovers
Thunderbolt
Hidden Power (Ice)
Roost
Thunder Wave

Specially defensive Zapdos, as suggested by Taylor. Thunder wave makes switching something in for a setup more difficult.

Starmie, Timid nature, 160hp/132sp. atk/216spe @ Leftovers
Ice Beam
Rapid Spin
Recover
Surf

Yeah, covers obvious nape weak, almost all of my teams eventually end up with this guy because of him.

Heatran, Modest nature, 252hp/96def/100sp. atk/60sp. def @ Leftovers
Rest
Sleep Talk
Lava Plume
Earth Power

Standard restalk heatran, as suggested by Taylor. Zapdos/Celebi/Heatran is one of the premier walling combos in todays metagame, with Swampert and Starmie for support it is enough to slowly whittle down an enemy team in preparation for

Deoxys - S, Hasty nature, 252sp. atk/96spe/160atk @ Expert Belt
Psychic
Superpower
Thunderbolt
Ice Beam

Standard mixed Deoxys. Revenge kills pretty much anything, but has a tough time switching in on anything other than a revenge. Once I remove an enemy team's Deoxys counters/revengers (Cresselia/Metagross/Bronzong/Jirachi/Spiritomb/Swampert mainly) he will burn through a team like nothing. Expert belt over life orb because he's my only sweeper, between SR/Sandstorm and other damage I can't afford to be losing 10% an attack

 

[Blln]

You have a seriously crippling fire weakness. Something like Heatran or Infernape will kill a pokemon every single time they switch in most likely, and it's really only Deoxys-E that stops you from getting straight up 100% swept by Choice Scarf Heatran.

You really can't have 4 pokemon weak to one type. I think you might need to do some restruturing - I would say you definitely need to switch out one of those weaknesses and bring in a resist... maybe replacing Bronzong with Swampert would be one idea. All I know is that 4 fire weak pokemon is way too many

 

[Taylor]

I wonder whether or not you actually need both Lucario and Deoxys to clean-up an opponents' team. In theory, one cleaner with the Spikes and Stealth Rock support will be enough. For instance, you could replace Lucario for Starmie. Starmie provides you with an effective Infernape counter, along with additional Garchomp coverage. Let's be realistic, apart from revenge killer, Infernape's ability to cripple and cause some severe damage on your team was fairly evident. Plus, you now have a sound Rapid Spin Pokemon to clear up opposing Toxic Spikes, Stealth Rock and Spikes.

I recommend the standard set, with Ice Beam as first priority over Thunderbolt, due to the fact that you already have a Gyarados counter in Celebi.

 

[Kietharr]

Ok, I'm still working on this team. As it is, it's working pretty well for me, I win far more ladder matches than I lose with it. I'm noticing a few issues still around:

1. Specsmence/Mixmence take a huge shit on this team, I have no appropriate switchins. Suggestions? Jirachi is a possibility, but I don't know who I'd dump for it.

2. If Swampert dies leading (often the case) this team gets owned by other Deoxys - S. Dusknoir can sorta help against non shadow ball varients with pain split followed by a shadow sneak, but Deoxys has good enough defenses to prevent shadow sneak from being a reliable counter move.

3. Gengar is still a major issue with a lack of switchins, considering tossing a lum berry on Swampert to allow him to shoot for a surf on the first turn against the ever common gengar sleep leads. Only issue there is then he's 100% reliant on Celebi's leech seed for recovery, which is iffy at best.

Overall I feel I need a solid special wall on this team, one that can hold up against Deoxys is a bonus. I just don't know what I'd toss for it. I'm almost considering dropping the spikes tactic altogether and getting a special wall in over skarm and a strong fire type attacker (probably Heatran or ape) in over Dusknoir. All I really need to do is bash down their Zong/Gross/Jirachi/Cress/Swampert (Most teams will only have one of the above) and ensure they don't have a scarfgar or scarf weavile to manage a full sweep on an enemy.

 

[Taylor]

Well it's fairly evident that 4 weaknesses to both the Dark-type and Ghost type of Pokemon will bring forth overwhelming, severe threats to your team. I suggest we dismiss the Skarmory and Dusknoir combination, in place for a more standard approach.

A Rest + Sleep Talk Heatran caters for Gengar, Salamence, and Deoxys, as Heatran's ability to withstand an impressively damaging Focus Blast / Superpower / Draco Meteor from Deoxys-S / Gengar / Salamence, and return for the OHKO with Lava Plume. This isn't a full-proof counter, though, as the second time you call in Heatran you may end up meeting the powerful Fighting-type attacks that await your switch-in. So, for additional coverage we can call forth Zapdos with plenty Special Defense EVs. Preferably the Calm natured one, with the EV spread: 252 HP / 220 SDef / 36 Spd. 10 IVs in Attack and 30 IVs in Defense for the most affordable Hidden Power [Ice]. So as long as Stealth Rock is kept clear from the playing field Zapdos won't find it difficult switching in on both Deoxys and Gengar, and with Heatran for back-up, there's no real danger.