RMT: No Zapdos, Heatran, Scizor, or Gyarados here!

[blasphemy1]

Well this team has been working alright for me, its record is 16-4. One of the losses was due to a critical hit, but that is part of pokemon. The other 3 were either inferior team synergy or just lack of smart moves on my behalve. So, smogon, please help me improve my team!

Overall strategy: The strategy behind this team is hitting the opponent as hard and as fast as possible, while relying on resistances / Wish support to "counter" threats. The ultimate goal of this team is to set up a Mamoswine / Salamence sweep, mainly by eliminating steels.

The Team:

Changes in Bold, Old Information in Italics

Infernape @ Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze
Nature: Naive (+Spe, -SpD)
EV: 64 Atk / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
-Fake Out
-Stealth Rock
-Fire Blast
-Close Combat

I love Lead Ape. He gets rid of Focus Sashes on Azelf, Aerodactyl, etc. and sets up Stealth Rock after. If I am facing a slower pokemon or they are weak to my STAB I just Stealth Rock. Often times Infernape nets me 1 kill per game from a Blaze activated Fire Blast, but his ability to set up Stealth Rock and check against Scizor has won me several games alone.

Vaporeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
Nature: Bold (+Def, -Atk)
EV: 252 HP / 228 Def / 28 SpD
-Wish
-Protect
-Surf
-Hidden Power [Electric]

Vaporeon is the ultimate Wishpasser, and really provides the only defense on the team. He counters Infernape well enough, maybe not as well as Tentacruel but he can pass Wishes AND counter Gyarados. More often than not the game is over too fast for him to pass Wishes around, but Wish + Protect forms a makeshift recovery move. I would consider him vital in order to stop Heatran from running wild on my team.

Magnezone @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
Nature: Naive (+Spe, -SpD)
EV: 20 Atk / 252 SpA / 236 Spe
-Thunderbolt
-Flash Cannon
-Explosion
-Hidden Power [Fire]

Choice Scarf Magnezone is a monster, although I am often troubled with figuring out which pokemon I should sacrifice in order for him to do his dirty work. Anyways, after a Close Combat he OHKOs Lucario with Thunderbolt, as well as Scizor with HP Fire. Heatran can even be revenge killed after he HP Ices / Dragon Pulses my Salamence to the ground. Flash Cannon is largely filler, but it hits Tyranitar and Rhyperior harder than any of my other moves. Explosion is for a quick hit, and with two Exploders on my team, things like Crocune and CM Cresselia aren't too difficult to bring down. Magnezone is essential to the team in that he eliminates steel types, which often stop Mamoswine or Salamence(when locked into Outrage) from sweeping.

Gengar @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
Nature: Hasty (+Spe, -Def)
EV: 40 Atk / 216 SpA / 252 Spe
-Shadow Ball
-Focus Blast
-Thunderbolt
-Explosion

Gengar is awesome, as long as I can stay away from Pursuiters such as Scizor and Tyranitar. The ladder takes a huge hit from Focus Blast, while the former can be predicted as I can switch if it uses SD / Bullet Punch, or I can get a light hit if it uses Pursuit. Gengar protects me from Celebi and Cresselia, who are extremely annoying and can easily stop Mamoswine from sweeping. Again, Explosion is last ditch, and with some previous damage, it OHKOs Zapdos and Blissey.

Salamence @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
Nature: Naughty (+Atk, -SpD) / Naive (+Spe, -SpD)
EV: 252 Atk / 24 SpA / 232 Spe / 232 Atk / 24 SpA / 252 Spe
-Dragon Dance
-Outrage
-Earthquake
-Fire Blast

I have succumbed to the utterly powerful OutrageMence. Prior to us even knowing there was an Outrage tutor in Platinum, I was doing calcs and figuring out what could possibly stop this. The answer is, nothing, with the exception of Ice Sharders and steels who can OHKO. In my own ignorance, I told myself I wouldn't use it, and would stick to Dragonite / Flygon. They just didn't cut it, as Dragonite's lack of speed didn't make up for his bulkiness, which was questionable because Salamence is physically more bulky when he switches in. Flygon's unique resistances and STAB Earthquake didn't make up for his lack of power. This team has reaped the benefits of that powerful STAB Outrage, since Salamence typically kills 2-3 pokemon(the length of Outrage's lock-in-combat side effect.

Mamoswine @ Life Orb
Ability: Snow Cloak
Nature: Adamant (+Atk, -SpA) / Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)
EV: 60 HP / 252 Atk / 196 Spe
-Earthquake
-Ice Shard
-Stone Edge
-Ice Fang

LO Mamoswine protects me from Outraging Salamences, Skymin, and low HP Zapdos. I chose a pure physical sweeper since it doesn't require any set up, and Ice Fang is nice for Celebi, Gliscor, and Hippowdon. Currently I am running an Adamant nature, which has been great for the damage output, but has fallen to the likes of Adamant Lucario. I am considering Jolly nature but I am questioning how much Earthquake is going to do to bulky waters and such. The OHKOs on Skymin and Salamence aren't going to change, but I will have to test whether or not I find it worth the drop in power. The EVs are a bit different from the standard CBer, due to LO and the need for outspeeding 244 Speed Gyarados. The LO recoil allows me to attack one last time with some residual damage.

 

[13blue101]

I love those smaller, at a glance sprites. Could you please reveal the site?

Now for the team, it looks really good. If you want to try a sweep with Mamo, change it to Jolly and make the speed 282. Max attack, rest in HP.

You really don't need 252 speed in Mence. I use enough to outsped Sub CM Jirachi's Speed, I think 309. 252 att/ 180 speed/ 36 sp.att/ rest in hp with a naive nature. Its pretty much up to personal preference though.

Seeing Zone, why not have a Uturner to get him in untouched. It also would ease prediction for you. Try an Azelf. Still explodes, hurts Celebi, and can Uturn to Zone. Everything else looks really good.

 

[diamondfan1910]

Very solid. DDMence kills you if Mamoswine goes down, but "If Pokemon x dies then Pokemon y rapes" can be said for anything. However, I do think that your Mence should run Max Attack (take out the SpA EVs), and Adamant always benefits me much more than a Speed boosting nature. That's just me though. I just think that the Speed boost doesn't really offset the large power drop.

 

[blasphemy1]

The smaller sprites are from pokedox, but you can just copy and paste this:
http://pokedox.com/images/pokemon/________.gif, the underscore is where you type in the desired pokemon, although I don't think they have the new rotom forms.

@ O.OWNAGE: The HP EVs on Mamoswine have allowed him to take Scizor's Bullet Punch for ~80%, depending on their EVs. He doesn't really need anymore speed than that, since the pokes who are faster will be Ice Sharded. I am currently running Adamant so it is good to hear that is the right route to go with him.

As for Salamence, the 24 SpA EVs allow for a OHKO on 252 HP / min SpD Skarmory with Fire Blast. I am willing to try a Naughty nature, which will still result in the calculations you have presented, which are very much appreciated :)

@13blue101: I don't know exactly what I need to outspeed with Jolly, but I really like the power Adamant provides. I will test it tho.

As for Salamence, I am going to test your EV spread as well as a Naughty nature, so thanks for the suggestion.

I think Azelf would definitely fit over Gengar, so I am going to test a mixed sweeper set w/Zen Headbutt, Explosion, Fire Blast, and U-Turn.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

 

[kd24]

ugh my post got deleted from bad internet connection, basically to sum up my rate, its a very good team but i would suggest making mence into a bulky dd mence to handle fighting-type attacks much better. You don't want a Scarf Heracross or something wrecking you with Close COmbat.

 

[blasphemy1]

Thanks for the suggestion but I have used Bulky Mence and it seems like I always try to keep it alive, rather than utilizing its unique resistances to gain a possible DD, which allows offensive Mence to run train through most teams.

I haven't seem many Scarf Heracross, or Heracross in general, mainly because Lucario / Scizor outclass him. Besides, Vaporeon is only 3-4HKOed by Close Combat(not sure about 4...) so he can alternate Wish / Protect until Surf OHKOs. Also, Gengar and Salamence get free switchins to both of its STABs, while Infernape, and Magnezone can switch into Megahorn. Overall, I would rather steer away from trying to counter Heracross.

 

[kd24]

I didn't neccesarily mean scarf heracross, I also meant stuff like Swords Dance Lucario or CB Machamp, but if experience has told you to stick with your current Mence then by all means do it.

 

[blasphemy1]

Alright, after testing another 20 games with Azelf > Gengar, and Naughty on Salamence > Naive, I have found that Gengar is just too good in comparison to Azelf. The extra special attack, great type coverage(ghost STAB > psychic), and the Explosion / DynamicPunch immunity have saved me from Heatran / Machamp, respectively.

As for Salamence, the extra power that Naughty brings is excellent, and I did ~70% to a Heatran yesterday with Outrage! I am just going to max attack, 24 EVs in SpA, and the rest into speed.