Battle Tower Diamond/Plat team

[randomspot555]

This team is for the single battle against the AI in the BT Diamond and the BT portion of the Battle Frontier in Plat.

I've gotten up to 136 in singles with this team in Diamond. I have yet to do anything besides Battle Factory challenges in Plat.

So, without further adu:

Starmie w/ Choice Specs

Modest

Natural Cure

252 sp atk/252 speed/6 HP

- Surf

- Thunderbolt

- Ice Beam

- Grass Knot/Psychic

Starmie fulfills a lot of roles just by itself. It's move pool basically lets it hit everything that isn't Shedinja. It can absorb status and switch out. And it plays well with it's team mates, which I'll get to in a moment.

Depending on how much I think I'll need to switch between moves, I've also used Wise Glasses and Life Orb.

When I start playing around on Plat, I'm seriously considering adding Trick in the 4th slot. The first 3 moves, with STAB Surf and Boltbeam, are just too important to lose. Though I'm hesitant to do even that, because then I lose my best weapon against the numerous Water/Ground types found in the BT.

I also may consider breeding for a Timid, because eventually, in the higher portions of the BT, it'll get outrun.

Scizor w/ Leftovers

Adamant

Technician

252 HP/252 atk/6 DEF

- Swords Dance

- Subsitute

- Bullet Punch

- X-Scissor/Brick Break/Superpower/Night Slash/Quick Attack

Scizor serves as my defense against OHKO and status. Come in on something Scizor won't mind, Sub up, set up a ridiculous amount of Sword Dances, and sweep.

I've previously used this with Life Orb, but Life Orb + Sub often caused an early Scizor death.

Even though with only two moves Scizor will leave a lot of room for "Not very effective", if I get behind a Sub, I can SD up, and I get priority with Bullet Punch always.

While I've often used X-Scissor in the past, I think Brick Break will be my go-to attack. I don't want to deal with the drop in defense Superpower brings.

I am considering doing a minimum amount of speed investment just to easily get a sub up. Any suggestions?

Finally:

Garchomp w/ Choice Band

Jolly

Sand Veil

252 atk/252 speed/6 HP

- Outrage

- Earthquake

- Fire Fang

- Aerial Ace/Stone Edge/Rock Slide/Aqua Tail/Sleep Talk

Here's the final guy. Like Starmie, it can handle a lot of BT matches on it's own. The first 3 moves give perfect coverage for neutral damage on everything.

The last slot is something that often fluctuates.

Sleep Talk was at one time my go-to move, but with Starmie and Sub on Scizor I don't see a lot of use with it.

Aerial Ace knocks around DT abusers. Scizor could get a technician boost from it, but it can't spare the move slot. I usually go for this. It sucks when I don't encounter a DT abuser, but when I'm without it, I usually get pressure stalled.

Stone Edge and Rock Slide help me knock around fliers, and Chomp's unique base speed tier often convinces me to use Rock Slide for the flinch rate.

I've never used Aqua Tail, but it kinda makes sense, though I've heard STAB whatever is just as good if not better.

Oh, and after the first 60 matches or so, I usually end up switching this guy to a Choice Scarf and Adamant nature. Eventually it starts getting outrun.

Now, here's why this team is awesome:

Scizor's weakness of Fire is covered by both Starmie and Garchomp who resist it. Starmie is usually the better choice to take a fire attack since it won't mind the burn.

Starmie's part-Psychic typing sucks. It is rarely useful, and gives it a Dark/Ghost/Bug weakness in addition to Electric and Grass. However, Scizor resists EVERY one of these except for electric, which Chomp is immune to.

Garchomp's ice weakness is resisted by both Scizor and Starmie, and it's dragon weakness resisted by Scizor.

So what do you all think? What improvements can be made, especially considering Plat changes? Is the Battle Tower portion in Platinum any different from D/P?

Next up on my team is a Battle Tower team consisted around the eater of souls, Shedinja.

But I'm still working on it.

Happy rating.

Credit to Deviant Art "artists" for ruining Pokemon with these creepy images

[Illithian]

That picture of Gardevoir and Garchomp is simply the most fabulous picture on the face of the planet.

So, as far as the team, I'm super ridiculously tired so all I can say is that Latios might work better then Starmie in the slot you have currently; hes still obscenely fast, has higher SpA (so you can run LO and have as much power), has high defenses, and a dragon STAB. Yes it makes you weak to ice, but Scizor takes ice like a champ, then OHKO's back from his obscene attack stat, so... =)

[GGfan]

you forgot that this is for in game, maybe he does not have an AR or a an older edition.

If you have, Latios would be a good option over Starmie, indeed.

But cheat a Soul Dew(=non choiced specs ) for the extra power.

I suggest Recover, Surf, Dragon pulse, CM

[XxBlueCleric.xX]

IIRC, Soul Dew has no effect in Battle Tower.

I think you should add Trick to your Starmie for sure. It makes a lot of stuff set-up fodder and nets wins. With BoltBeam + Surf, Grass Knot isn't too necessary. I'd consider Roost for the last slot in Scizor's moveset if you go with Trick. Then use Life Orb. This is crucial as you can Substitute on stuff like Ghost/Dark/Grass moves aimed at Starmie, then Swords Dance up. At +6, with Life Orb, Scizor is able to defeat even stuff like Charizard in one blow, something it can't do without Life Orb.

If you choose to use Latios, I'd consider Focus Sash or Yache Berry on Garchomp so you have more insurance against Ice specialized trainers. Focus Sash protects you from Critical hit Ice moves whereas Yache Berry doesn't. Sash also helps against OHKO move users. But Yache can leave you with more health to sweep with.

[Doc]

just out of curiosity, do you remember what team beat you on fight 137, was it a type/tactics win or were you robbed by misses etc.

[Jayc]

IIRC, Soul Dew has no effect in Battle Tower.

Where did you get that from?

[wraith89]

Where did you get that from?

It's true... or else Latios/Latias would be too powerful for Battle Tower. Try it yourself. Bring Latios/Latias in once with a Soul Dew, and the second time without a Soul Dew. You'll see they won't be doing 1.5x more damage with the Soul Dew.

[randomspot555]

just out of curiosity, do you remember what team beat you on fight 137, was it a type/tactics win or were you robbed by misses etc.

It was super hax. But I also got lucky. I went a good chunk of the 137 without a Sub user or a Sturdy ability.

No offense guys, but this is a really old thread, and I'm done with D/P BT. Time for Frontier in Plat.

So I'm closing dis