I've been lurking for 2 years, rate my 1st (and only) team

[Misty Swims]

Team Overview:

I've been coming to Smogon for 3 years. I've been reading the RMT's for about 2 years, so I feel like I'm a little more accomplished than your average "first-teamer." Although I did just get Shoddy about 4 months ago. I've been using and modifying this team the whole time. After 4 months of work, this is the final product....

*Changes in bold

Team Strategy:
These pokemon are very sexy. My main goal is to take out the opponent's pokemon as quick as possible. You'll notice I have 5 physical attackers, and 1 frail special attacker. No walls (well Gyrados kind of). It is a little risky, but a lot of the time I'll just rip through the opponent. This team wins 80% of the time.


JuaJuaJin!
(Samurai Champloo reference, bonus points if you know it)

Metagross
Ability: Clear Body
Jolly @ Lum Berry
252 HP / 236 ATT / 12 SPEED / 8 DEF
(I swapped the standard speed and defense EV's to outspeed similar Metagrosses.)
-Stealth Rock
-Bullet Punch
-Earthquake
-Explosion

My main goal with this guy is to disrupt. I laugh when opponents use Taunt, because I VERY RARELY even bother with Stealth Rocks. Lum Berry is so funny, because I attack, they status me, I attack again, dead: they just wasted their lead. I tried using Occa Berry and "Earthquake Berry" for a while, but Lum proved to be more effective. I work hard to take out their lead, then get an attack in on the 2nd pokemon, preferably Explosion, but usually Bullet Punch. I never explode on a pokemon I suspect has Protect or Substitute. Metagross wins the lead match up about 90% of the time. Although I judge winning that battle by killing them, perhaps they judge it by laying Stealth Rocks? Hmmm....

Powerbar

Machamp
Ability: No Guard
Adamant @ Leftovers
252 HP / 252 DEF / 4 SP.DEF
-Dynamic Punch
-Payback
-Rest
-Sleep Talk

Tyranitar used to be here. I've only been testing Machamp for a little while, but the results have been very good. He counters virtually any pokemon by confusing them. Most people have Ice or Fire Punch as the second move, but I really need a dark move here to counter ghosts. The only weakness is that my team does not have a fire move... I pay for it occasionally, but I make up for it with other facets.

Forward

Scizor
Ability: Technician
Adamant @ Life Orb
252 ATT / 228 SPEED / 28 HP
(Again, gave myself one extra SPEED at the expense of a HP to outspeed clone match-ups)
-Swords Dance
-Superpower
-Pursuit
-Bullet Punch

I'm not a Scizor enthusiast like some people. I acknowledge how great he is, but so often I am forced to go down swinging, sacrificing him for a favorable switch-in. Seeing a trend yet!? Although he is a more dependable ghost killer than Tyranitar, so I'm a little less willing to let this one die at the drop of a hat.

Big Ticket

Gyrados
Ability: Intimidate
Impish @ Leftovers
252 HP / 252 DEF / 4 ATT
-Taunt
-Dragon Dance
-Waterfall
-Earthquake

This guy's stats are taken from the RestTalk set. Except he doesn't Rest, and he doesn't Talk! Hahahaha. Notice I switched the Rest/Talk moves out with Taunt and Dragon Dance. I TAKE CREDIT WHEN THIS ONE BECOMES POPULAR! It's a hybrid of RestTalk mixed with BulkyGyra, with a new move thrown in. This guy takes explosions to the face from strong pokemon and loses about 55%. I'm thinking of renaming him "I'm not hacked," because so many people have made that claim. Strategy is:
1. Dragon Dance
2. They either attack and make a tiny dent, or switch to phaser
3. Use Taunt, they sit there like a fool after trying to roar/whirlwind.
4. I DD again, they switch out again.
5. g's (that's my term for gg)
This is the backbone of my team, and probably a third of my wins come from the opponent getting taunted, realizing their mistake one turn too late, and then sweeping them. I'm not scared of electrics because of a certain Dugtrio at the end of my line-up.

AllByMyZelf

Azelf
Ability: Levitate
Timid @ Life Orb
252 SPEED / 252 SPECIAL ATTACK / 4 HP
-Psychic
-Thunderbolt
-HP Ice
-Flamethrower
Most teams are used to seeing this guy as a lead, and aren't equipped to deal with it as a mid/late game special attacker. HP Ice because I don't have much else to take out dragons.

Finish Him!

Dugtrio
Ability: Arena Trap
Jolly @ Choice Band
252 ATT / 224 SPEED / 32 DEF
-Earthquake
-Rock Slide
-Aerial Ace
-Sucker Punch

I CAN'T BELIEVE MORE PEOPLE DON'T USE DUGTRIO!! Remember back when I said I didn't care if my pokemon died, that I let them go down swinging? THIS GUY is the reason I can trade hits so often with the opponent. I work hard to whittle them down to hopefully 50%, the Dugtrio rushes in, MORTAL KOMBAT STYLE, and finishes them. Choice Band is a bit restrictive, but necessary to get kills I think. He's the reason I can operate with Gyrados so freely. He takes out most Gyrados counters without any trouble.
To be honest, I am very good at using him, and he averages 3 or 4 KO's a game.


Well there's my team. I have a very run 'n gun style. No walls, no phazer, and one Stealth Rock user, who rarely uses Stealth Rock. I would rather lose in 2 minutes than win in 4. Not really, but that is my mindset.

Strengths: Very strong team. Multitude of sweepers. Decent coverage. Dugtrio.

Weaknesses: This team can be very destructive once it takes even the slightest bit of an upper hand. BUT if I fall behind, chances are I'm not coming back.
If an opponent sets up well, I'm toast.
My strong pokemon are slow.
My fast pokemon are weak.
Status inducers. Paralysis and Will-o-Wisp cripple my big guns.
Pokemon that give me trouble: Oven Rotom, Dusknoir, Infernape, Electivire, Gengar with HP Fire, Weavile.

Okay, give it to me straight. When giving advice, please keep in mind I want to keep this team offensively based. But if you have some defensive adjustments that must be made, I'm willing to listen.
I've been waiting for this moment for 2+ years, now it's finally my turn to get rated, YAY!


And once again, for effect:

 

[Tarquin]

Hi :)

I'm Tarquin.
Anyhoofle, I am big Starmie fan and have used it as my lead on my fragile offensive team for ages. Therefore, I am aware that it can be a little weak.
Therefore, I cannot recommend Life Orb enough :)

It turns Starmie into a fearsome special sweeper. Also, if you feel like risking Hydro Pump like I do, LO STAB Hydro Pump will badly dent almost anything not named Latias, Celebi or Blissey.

Your Gyarados is a great idea :)
Enough said.

Stall Teams are on the rise (with my fragile offensive team don't I know it =\) and your team lacks a mixed sweeper, meaning Stall Teams can just switch around you, which is problematic. Your Gyarados can really hurt Stall Teams when they try to explode you and thunderbolt you (to Dugtrio). However, it's lack of power could be dangerous, Celebi will likely defeat it every time. And Dugtrio is not going to 2HKO normal Celebi, so it can recover and grass knot your dugtrio to death.

Looks like a great team all in all and will adapt brilliantly to the changing metagame =D. Gl with it.

 

[Misty Swims]

Alright thanks Tarquin! You only think I should give Starmie a Life Orb? What of Tyranitar?

 

[nyczxjay]

For T-tar I suggest using the berry that weakens super effective Steel type moves (don't remember what it's called). That way it'll prevent CB Scizor from coming in and Bullet Punching you to death. You might want to make Ttar Jolly to outspeed more stuff after a DD. Oh, and Adamant on Metagross is better than Jolly IMO. This isn't much of a rate but I'm sleepy so I might come back later to edit this post. If not then well... tough lol. :P

 

[Sc4rfCh0mp]

I have to agree on that point. Babiri Berry is the item you are looking for.

One thing I can't help but notice is that your team has 3 pokemon that require setting up. This can cause problems. The main recommendation I have to solve this is to make Scizor the standard CB set with U-Turn. This also works very well with your hit-and-run style, and allows for some scouting.

 

[good-days13]

i would say the concept behind your team is risky, but apparently you can win most of your matches so i won't judge anything =D

your leadgross you say hardly ever uses stealth rock, because its purpose is to take out leads and go out with a bang. How about switching SR with another move that can give you more coverage? I'm thinking earthquake, t-punch etc.

additionally, i'm not clear on why you chose to give scizor 228 speed evs. you say you want to outrun clones but the scizors i've come across are either max attack/speed or jolly. Unless you want your scizor to wall, but honestly 28 hp isnt enough.

And lastly about your t-tar. You said you are lacking fire moves in your team and i totally agree. I would recommend switching him out for salamence and let him run a mixmence set with life orb and fire blast/flamethrower. mence sounds like the bland OU choice but goddamn it he works.

Good luck!

 

[Misty Swims]

Ok thanks guys! I will try out those changes.

 

[Shizzle]

3 small problems/nitpicks,

gyarados i would recommend waterfall and stone edge, as recommended on the dual attacking sets, i would prefer to see the bulky DD evset aswell.

Tyranitar wants barbiri berry (for steels), this is because of scizor, which almost OHKOs (CB variant).

Scizor is given 32 HP Evs so he can last one more turn of LO recoil, so you may have to fiddle with the ivs, or put take the evs from attack and put them into speed.

 

[Blazer]

Give Gyarados 32 EVs in Speed to be able to outrun +Speed Natured Base 90s like Lucario and Porygon-z after a DD.

 

[r3do]

what i have eperienced with revenge kill is that most succesfull teams have a good cser. so i were u you, and not haveing much success with starmie, i would switch it for soemthing, maybe herecross, for that choice scarf advantage. he sweeps wonderfully, and revenge kills just about anyhthing.

good looking team tho. looks like it would do well.

 

[Misty Swims]

vGX:
I don't plan on changing Gyrados at all as he's my most efficient pokemon right now. Plus, the variance of movesets and EV spreads throws most people off.
As far as putting Babiri Berry on Tyranitar, I've done it and it is working well!

Blazer:
Nah, I think this set is the most effective, but thanks.

r3do:
That's a cool idea. The pokemon I was tossing around were Heracross, Magmortar, and Electivire.

 

[Tarquin]

Try out Porygon-Z, the scarfed version, in place of Starmie.

It fulfills the same Special Attacking post, but it's power is just awesome. And if you bring it in on a pokemon with weaker special defense, it's boost from 'Download' it can actually late-game sweep teams with it's +1 STAB Tri Attack.

I recommend running this:

Porygon Z @ Choice Scarf
Timid
Download
EVs: 252 SpA, 252 Spe, 4 Hp

Tri Attack - for anything not named Blissey
Thunderbolt - for flyers and Gyarados
Ice Beam - for dragons, ground types
Hidden Power - Choose a type you feel your team needs :)

Good Luck with it if you choose to test it :)

 

[Misty Swims]

I've made some fairly major changes, anyone care to re-rate? I switched Tyranitar for Machamp, and Starmie for Azelf.

 

[charlatan charm]

I really enjoyed reading this RMT and the positive feedback provided by other members.

Although I have no productive advice to give you, I found your strategy very interesting and the suggestions from others intriguing as well.

Thanks!

 

[Zepar]

You still need 12Defense that you need to take out of attack to survive a Dugtrio's Banded EQ. (Metagross)
Consider Explosion over Thunderbolt on Azelf for Blissey.

32HP on Life orb Scizor is the best way to go because it ends with a 9.

 

[ninja1357]

I've been lurking for a few years too.
Anyway, pay no attention to the 32Hp Scizor thing. That extra turn isn't worth it unless you're taking hits and have feather rest (which you don't).

 

[SmokingBomber465]

Does arena trap trap zapdos? if not, gyarados still has a problem--especially is zapdos is physically defensive--because HP Ice/Grass KOs Dugtrio and Thunderbolt ALWAYS at least 2HKOs Gyarados without SpDef investment.

As a matter of fact, beyond your fragile dugtrio, I don't see a single pokemon that can switch into Zapdos without taking a lot of dammage or being threatened immediately.

But other than that, your team has a lot of thought put ointo it and great synnergy--I am impressed!

 

[Jibaku]

Scizor
Ability: Technician
Adamant @ Life Orb
252 ATT / 228 SPEED / 28 HP

28 HP is a Stealth Rock number. Just drop 4 EVs and place them somewhere else. It's also better to drop one point in HP for rather than adding one point for the "Life Orb number" unless you wish to switch Scizor in only once.