Major Team Help

[Sukotto50]

Totally need help with a good team. I don't think I have ever really applied a strategy to my battling, and would like a little advice on attack ideas, nature and IV/EV recommendations. I am open to any suggestions.

My team, for shoddy and on DS, consists of the following:

Charizard (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 85 HP/85 Atk/85 Def/85 Spd/85 SAtk/85 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Dragon Pulse
- Thunderpunch
- Dragon Dance
---
Raichu (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 85 HP/85 Atk/85 Def/85 Spd/85 SAtk/85 SDef
Brave nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Thunderbolt
- Surf
- Volt Tackle
- Bide
---
Blaziken (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 85 HP/85 Atk/85 Def/85 Spd/85 SAtk/85 SDef
Relaxed nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Blaze Kick
- Sky Uppercut
- Earthquake
- Thunderpunch
---
Garchomp (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Veil
EVs: 85 HP/85 Atk/85 Def/85 Spd/85 SAtk/85 SDef
Hardy nature (neutral)
- Earthquake
- Dragon Pulse
- Crunch
- Flamethrower
---
Lucario (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 85 HP/85 Atk/85 Def/85 Spd/85 SAtk/85 SDef
Serious nature (neutral)
- Aura Sphere
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Shadow Ball
---
Gyarados (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 85 HP/85 Atk/85 Def/85 Spd/85 SAtk/85 SDef
Hardy nature (neutral)
- Dragon Pulse
- Earthquake
- Flamethrower
- Surf
---

Thanks for any and all help. :)

[randomspot555]

Garchomp is in the Uber tier, so you'll be facing Pokemon like Kyogre and Rayquaza. TLDR is your team doesn't stand a chance against comon uber threats.

Your EV spreads also do absolutely no good at all. The point of EV training isn't to evenly spread EVs throughout all stats. First, EVs work in 4s. For every 4 EVs, you get one additional stat point than an non-EV trained Pokemon (assuming same IVs and nature). Finally, most Pokemon only have one or two stats even worth applying EVs for.

For example, Jolteon has base 115 special attack and base 130 speed. That means all of it's EVs should go into those two stats. The exception would be Baton Pass sets, but literally every other Eevee evolution is better at doing that besides Flareon.

Finally, you seem to know what natures do, but choose neutral ones anyway. Don't. You want a nature to enhance one stat and to hinder the stat you aren't using.

For example, Jolteon really likes the modest and timid natures. Modest boosts special attack, Timid boosts speed, and both hinder (physical) attack.

You should probably thumb through the guides posted in this forum and elsewhere on EV training, natures, etc...read up, and ask questions when you need help.

EDIT: I think I faced you on PP Shoddy once. Didn't you used to have a Blastoise on this team?

[Shogun]

I don't like advertising this.. but :http://www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/
This should help you out. If you have any questions. I'll help =P

[Sukotto50]

Thank you both so much for the help. Been playing these games since I was a little kid. Guess I really haven't acquired the hang a great team building.

[Shogun]

It's about enjoying the game. If you're having fun ... then it doesn't matter if you've got a great team or not.
Maybe I could either help you build a strong team or give you one of mine.

[Sukotto50]

So here's my new team. Already tried it out, and Gyrados pretty much sweept all my opponents Pokemon. Thanks for all the help. I think I'm starting to understand the strategies a little better. It's great still being able to use a team of my favorite Pokemon. :) Can't wait to hear what anyone might think.

Metagross @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP/244 Def/12 Spd
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Meteor Mash
- Stealth Rock
---
Charizard (M) @ Petaya Berry
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 Def/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Solarbeam
- Sunny Day
- Substitute
---
Blaziken (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 Atk/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Mild nature (+SAtk, -Def)
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Superpower
- Vacuum Wave
---
Lucario (M) @ Salac Berry
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Crunch
- Reversal
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
---
Gyarados (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Stone Edge
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
---
Pikachu (M) @ Light Ball
Ability: Static
EVs: 4 Def/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Grass Knot
---

Thanks, Shogun for all the support and help. I really appreciate it. :)

[Shogun]

o. o But all I did was post a website link... But um... Glad to help! If you need anything else ask me. I am used to making random junk work perfectly in a team.

[shroudedwolf51]

So here's my new team. Already tried it out, and Gyrados pretty much sweept all my opponents Pokemon. Thanks for all the help. I think I'm starting to understand the strategies a little better. It's great still being able to use a team of my favorite Pokemon. :) Can't wait to hear what anyone might think.

Overall, in my opinion, this is a rahter unusual team. Don't take this offensively, but this team has more defensive holes in it than swiss cheese....and a major SR weakness. I'll post my comments on each pokemon on your team separately, and then afterwards, make suggestions on what you can do to make it better and whatnot.



Metagross @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP/244 Def/12 Spd
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Meteor Mash
- Stealth Rock

If I remember correctly, is an almost standard lead 'gross, so... not much I can say about him. Two things, though. Occa (no need to run shuca. Even hippo or swampert can't OHKO you with EQ) berry over lefties. And also, consider running bullet punch because of the priorityness of it over meteor mash (or earthquake, but you'll probably want EQ for coverage).


Blaziken (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 Atk/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Mild nature (+SAtk, -Def)
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Superpower
- Vacuum Wave

Looking at the set that you're running, in all honestly, you're better off running an infernape. The only real thing that blaziken can do that infernape can't is agility or SD passing. Otherwise, it's outclassed.


Charizard (M) @ Petaya Berry
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 Def/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Modest nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Solarbeam
- Sunny Day
- Substitute

If you REALLY wanna add him, you need to add a spinner to your team since even SR can absolutely murder the thing by slicing off half his health on your first switch-in.


Lucario (M) @ Salac Berry
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Crunch
- Reversal
- Substitute
- Swords Dance

Holy crap, I haven't seen one of these since about the time that platinum first came out. If you're gonna run that set, you definitelly WILL need a spinner to make sure that SR and spikes don't screw up your health/subs. I would really recommend, though, running another set


Gyarados (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spd
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Stone Edge
- Waterfall
- Earthquake

Standard offensive gyara. Not much to say here.


Pikachu (M) @ Light Ball
Ability: Static
EVs: 4 Def/252 Spd/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Grass Knot

certainly an interesting idea, but... very fragile and kinda slow. Opt out for another poke.

Overall review: I know that you're new to all this and such, so I'm sorry, but... This really needs a lot of work. You have a lot of exposed weaknesses (SR, salamence, tyranitar, scizor.....it's a long list) and not many ways to deal with them. Also, you're running no defensive pokemon, so you have even less ways to deal with a lot of threats.

---

Alright, Now for some team suggestions. My main suggestion is to rebuild. I'll take as much of your team as I think is decent and suggest you stuff to do better with it.

I'll assume you want to keep your 'gross as your lead. After fixing up his set, I suggest you opt charizard for sometihng else that can cover his weaknesses and that has some synergy with him. Considering the threats, you have a bnuch of choices. From personal experience, I've had some pretty good experiences running specsmence or specs latias. Both of them make good switch-ins to many threats like infernape, heatran, swampert, and hippopowdon, and then can fire off a draco meteor or surf (hydro pump over surf on 'mence) with the 1.5x boost.
Also, assuming that you'd be keeping the gyara, I'd suggest that you opt the offensive gyara out for the bulky DD variant of him. I don't know how good you are, but even if new, after a while, you'll learn what moves to expect from what pokemon that you're facing, so the taunt and gyara's bulkiness will help you out a lot more than it seems at first. Anyway. This is make another switch in to the before-mentioned threats to your lead, and while the pokemon are switching out either after you coming in or after being taunted, you can set up and sweep with him.
Pairing along with the gyara, quite nicely, gliscor, as he covers gyara's rock and electric weaknesses quite nicely, plus you need a physical wall.
Even though I haven't ran one of these since garchomp was shipped off to ubers, gliscor makes an excellent physical dragon killer and provides good coverage over the big revenge-killer, scizor. Also, I don't know how much of a good suggestion this will be, but you can consider swapping out SR on your lead for something else and running SR on gliscor. Someone else, please comment on this.

Well... I kinda gotta run for now, but what you will need for tihs team would be a specially defensive wall (rotom formes, blissey, registeel....) and a sweeper that will cover your team's other weaknesses.

Feel free to contact me over one of my IMs or such; I'll be glad to help you out further.

Good luck!