Please could you rate my first working Competitive Battling team?

[DarkGlowstone]

Virizion @ Life Orb

Nature: Jolly

Ability: Justified

EVs: 4 HP/ 252 Attk / 252 Spd

Role: Wall breaker.

- Swords Dance

- Close Combat

- Leaf Blade

- Hidden Power Ice

Comment: Virizion was chosen so I can break down the opposing team’s walls in order for my other physical sweepers to clear up. It struggles against Skarmory, though.

Threats: Skarmory (Solved by Magnezone)

Gliscor (Solved by Landorus)

Magnezone @ Air Balloon

Nature: Timid

Ability: Magnet Pull

EVs: 36 HP / 252 SPAttk / 220 Spd

Role: When Skarmory or other steels get sent in, Magnezone can trap them and destroy them.

- Substitute

- Thunderbolt

- Hidden Power Fire

- Flash Cannon

Comment: Magnezone, with this set, can either switch in on a ground type move due to the Air Balloon, and kill the common Tyranitar with Flash Cannon, or easily trap and kill steels. This guy normally goes after Virizion so as to kill any steels that come in against it, specifically Skarmory. He can also take out waters for the Ground sweepers.

Threats: Fire-Types (Solved by Terrakion, Landorus and Tyranitar)

Special Walls: Solved by Physical sweepers and specifically Virizion.

Tyranitar @ Air Balloon

Nature: Sassy

Ability: Sand Stream

EVs: 252 HP / 64 SPAttk / 192 SPDef

Role: Tyranitar comes in after Virizion if no steels appear. He can take a reasonable amount of damage, and can kill Gliscor and Landorus with his air balloon.

- Stealth Rock

- Crunch

- Fire Blast

- Ice Beam

Comment: Tyranitar is the anti-Gliscor and Landorus, the only two other guys who could stop Virizion breaking the walls. He also sets up the important Sand Stream for the other two sweepers.

Threats: Water Types (Solved by Mangezone and Virizion)

: Ground Types (Solved by Balloon and Landorus)

Terrakion @ Life Orb

Nature: Jolly

Ability: Justified

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attk / 252 Spd

Role: Primary sweeper for after walls have died. Substitute against revenge killers then power up with Swords Dance, and sweep. It is very good at killing Special Sweepers, or Special revenge killers..

- Substitute

- Swords Dance

- Close Combat

- Stone Edge

Comments: Main sweeper. Sandstorm helps him crush enemy Focus bands. Substitute then Swords Dance for high power.

Threats: See Tyranitar. Air (Solved by Magnezone and Tyranitar)

Landorus @ Choice Scarf

Nature: Jolly

Ability: Sand Force

EVs: 252 Attk / 4 Def / 252 Spd

Role: Secondary Sweeper / Revenge Killer

- Earthquake

- Stone Edge

- U-turn

- Hammer Arm

Comment: A backup sweeper and a fast revenge killer. Cannot break past bulky walls, so requires my other Pokémon to take them down first. U turn for when things turn ugly. I chose Hammer Arm instead of a HP Ice because I won’t be staying in for much more than a turn with this guy.

Threats: Ice types (Solved by Reuniclus)

: Dragons (Solved by Tyranitar and Virizon)

Reuniclus @ Life Orb

Nature: Bold

Ability: Regenerator/Magic Guard

EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SPDef

Role: Special Sweeper

- Calm Mind

- Recover

- Psychic

- Focus Blast

Comment: If Virizion fails to break down the physical walls, Reuniclus comes in and kills them with a Focus Blast after a quick Calm mind to kill the most popular Skarmory and Bronzong if Magnezone gets stuck on Blissy. It can Focus Blast to hurt even a very tanky Blissy quite hard, and take a hit from the switch in, unlike my physical sweepers. It can recover to heal, then blast away Tyranitar with a focus blast, Infenape with Psychic and can still hit hard with a STABed Psychic on Gliscor. It can also easily kill ices with focus blast.

Threats: Ghost types (Solved by Tyranitar)

: Dark Types (Solved by Virizon and Terrakion)

PS: What is better for Reuniclus. Magic Guard or Regenerator? He will be swapping reasonably often and using life orb.

Edited April 26, 2012 by DarkGlowstone

[randomspot555]

I really don't see the point of Ninjask. There's only one other physical attacker on the team, and most of the other Pokemon besides Blissey and Skarmory are already fast. Not to mention Aerodactyl is pretty frail and would have to take SR damage AND survive a switch in to benefit from the SD boost.

I haven't played much Gen 5, but you are taking advantage of absolutely none of the new items, Pokemon, abilities, etc... from Gen 5. This seems like a very standard Gen 4 team.

Espeon needs Magic Bounce.

Explosion isn't worth the move slot on Azelf without any investment in ATK, since SD/EX no longer halfs the DEF stat. Pu another Sp Atk in there.

If you're going to Baton Pass Ninjask SD to a physical attacker, make it one that can survive a hit. Metagross, Tyranitar, pretty much anything besides Aerodactyl

[DarkGlowstone]

Would it be better if I swapped the team to a more focused Physical damage team?

I don't have Gen 5 yet, my bro rented it to a friend without asking me and hasn't gotten it back to me yet. This is a Gen 4 team.

See above.

Explosion is because, by the time Azelf is done Stealth rocking and taunting, he would of already been beaten down quite a lot, if even alive. Explosion still hits high even without Attk EVs.

Ok, I'll add in some different Physical sweepers.

Edit: Added.

Edited April 26, 2012 by DarkGlowstone

[DarkGlowstone]

Could you suggest some Gen V stuff? I just downloaded pokemon online.

[wraith89]

You don't just "suggest Gen V stuff": meshing 6 OU Pokemon and putting them together and calling it a day is NOT how things work now. Though, this is Gen V we're talking about: just putting like 6 offensive Choice Pokemon together and playing it right just rips everything apart

My criticisms aside, there is simply a lot of threats to look out for. Something like Scarf Latios can solo your team: revenge Salamence at + 1, trick Scarf Blissey, and mess up the rest. Also, there is this annoying thing called Team Preview, which basically means the other guy can see what your team has and vice versa. That Azelf there? Everyone is going to KNOW that Azelf is a lead variant, meaning they will try dealing with it accordingly, which already puts you at a disadvantage. That is, unless you play everything properly (remember the game is partially team structure, the rest being practice, and some luck).

I don't normally do this, but since you are just transitioning to Gen V, this is the current OU list of Gen V. The list is quite limited, but you will have to get accustomed to new threats such as Jellicent, Ferrothorn, Conkeldurr, etc, so get to know them more. Some of your old Pokemon get new abilities from Dream World, such as Espeon with Magic Bounce (a perma Magic Coat), some otherwise unnotable Pokemon became scarier (such as Cloyster and his horribly overpowered Shell Smash set), and any Pokemon that CAN evolve (meaning they cannot be at their final forms) can benefit from this defensive item called Eviolite. Yes, it means Dusclops is better than Dusknoir... and I really hate that.

Some former OUs have dropped to the UU level. This is UU list. I generally mix many UUs into a standards team because they synchronise really well with many OUs: all 6 OUs is just boring to me in my opinion, but nothing is stopping you from donig that. For example, Azumarill is pretty much almost anti-metagame... well that is until Excadrill got banned.

In general, the new metagame is leaning towards offence, although there are some defensive Pokemon around.

An example of a stallish battle. It is possible even in Gen V.

Weather is more dominant than ever before. Watch out for Drought Ninetales and Drizzle Politoed. Also watch out for Sandstream Tyranitar, who is still very popular. There's also Abomasnow and Hippowdon, but they are not seen as much, but still legitimate threats. Just note that Drizzle + Swift Swim is banned if they are on the same team.

Remember this is only step 1: to know what kind of Pokemon you are up against. The rest comes into practice and seeing what kind of threats can seriously hurt your team.

Oh yes, and Skarmory is not affected by Toxic, so that Ninjask strategy will not work. And like randomspot, I am quite skeptical of its placement in this team as well... that is, unless, it is really working out for you.

[DarkGlowstone]

Yea, sorry about all that. I'm new to the forums, but I read your great guide. I tried to make a team that flowed well, but I see now it did not succeed. Sorry. I will look at these links and try to create a better team with stuff from Gen V as well as thinking about all threats. Thanks for your comment.

[DarkGlowstone]

Ok, I added a new team.

Note/Edit: Just tested it. Works like a charm.

[wraith89]

Don't worry. We were all new here at some point.

You will almost always run Magic Guard on Reuniclus. You do not want Toxic or Leech Seed or any form of residual damage hurting Reuniclus: that is what makes it incredibly dangerous and a very unrelenting monster.

Also due to Team Preview be careful with using Magnezone: at many times that would mean the opponent will either spam U-turn or Whirlwind on their Scizor and Skarmory, or they will reserve them for later until they are sure Magnezone is out of the picture. Just saying to be careful with that.

[DarkGlowstone]

Thanks. I'll change Reuniclus to Magic Guard, and try to be careful with my Magnezone. Thanks!