Making an "All-Around" Team

[Okami]

Meaning a team that could work together to counter and defeat a wide-scale of pokemon.

Anyone got any suggestions for me? I need some ideas to go off of. I'll probably keep my ever-faithful Mightyena, but am unsure at the moment.

I want to make these pokemon as legal as possible, at level 100.

With suggestions I'm looking for EV/IV levels, movesets, possible natures, etc. Anything that will help to give an upper-hand.

[Stu-Stu22]

Regarding movesets,

I usually set each member of my team to have one of each of the following:

-A Dodge\Counter

Say a foe uses a two-turn attack like Shadow Force, I teach my team moves like Fly, Bounce, Dive, and Dig so they can dodge the incoming attack, and land one of their own afterward. Moves like Me First, Protect, Detect, and Sucker Punch may fit into this category as well.

-An Out of Element

I like my party pokemon to not know moves that are only of their type, but of sometimes the complete opposite type. A good example is my Lapras, who I taught Thunderbolt (Thunder has a lower accuracy). This way, my pokemon can be useful against a greater variety of attributes in battle.

-A Staller

Sometimes when facing tanks, I require a little more time to inflict greater damage. By halting my opponents actions, I can do so. Moves like Attract (better for females), Hypnosis, Sing, and Swagger give me a much wider zone in order to focus on the offensive.

-A Finisher or a Recovery

Depending on whether the pokemon I'm using is intended for a quick take out, or an impenetrable shield, I teach them either a move that has a power of 100 or greater with a accuracy level of 100, or I teach them a move that regains HP, such as Drain Punch or Giga Drain, but still does some damage.

[Phreen]

Well Ill use my team as an example

My Garchomp(need to replace since its uber), or my soon to come salamance is used as a physical sweeper to deal the most and fastest damage

Yanmega is my opener for when it comes out I use protect to know what the pokemon hes faceing knows

My Skarmory has a defence of almost 400 which makes it great for taking hits from physical sweepers

My Gengar is a Special Sweeper dealing the most damage in special attack

Then my Blissey can take Special attackers such as my Gengar and then heal afterwards

My Weezing is also there to take physical hits

[Zafur]

Maybe have something that is a Mixed Sweeper. Like Infernape or Blaziken. Helps you not get stuck with walls or something with an ability like Arena Trap.

[pokemonfan]

Drifloon! He can make a great staller and a finisher and recoverer. I would teach it hypnosis and dream eater so that your foe is asleep and you recover damage you took prior to sleeping status. Plus, dream eater is a powerful move. Plus with the high HP count it can definitely be a hard one to bring down. Also, drifloon, can know stockpile and and spit up. Stockpile can cover its weaknesses in its defense area if you are training it in special attack. Plus, if you need a powerful shot stockpile + spit up= powerful attack!

[Okami]

I'm afraid I'm none too familiar with the term 'sweeper', could you elaborate for me?

Oh, I guess I should have said it to begin with, I'm generally on the offense when it comes to battling, I'd rather be attacking than stalling or recovering.

[Torte de Lini]

It's technically not possible to counter all pokemon.

[Okami]

It's technically not possible to counter all pokemon.

I never said all. I said a wide-scale of pokemon, meaning several branches...like let's say if there was 150 pokemon, I'd like to be able to go against 75.

If that makes sense.

[Shress]

Just identify the wide variety of threats in the OU environment. It's a tough task, but it's worth it. Then, you can develop a rather decent (or superb!) team.

[Okami]

Just identify the wide variety of threats in the OU environment. It's a tough task, but it's worth it. Then, you can develop a rather decent (or superb!) team.

So basically pick out anything that can evenly match an OU? Or the OU's themselves?

[Shress]

Erm, not necessarily. The metagame nowadays is mainly focused on speed, perfect for the offensive player. I know there's some articles around on the web on what offensive teams are capable of.

Anyhow, just do some research, look around. Are some Pokemon combinations ideal? Could they fend off a Salamence? Could it outspeed "this threat"? Destroy your opponent along with Stealth Rock? Block Stealth Rock itself? Consider everything! You will make a decent team if you just think about the basics such as typing and threat countering. It's obviously ignorant and unintelligent to group a random bunch of Pokemon together and call it a team.

[Enkidu]

It's impossible to create a team of 6 pokemon, 24 moveslots that counters all 493 pokemon with every set and those inbetween.

Your best bet would be to make a team ( Either stall/balanced/Offensive ) where all 6 pokemon have great synergy with each other.

The "best teams" I've seen aren't really that great at all, they just win so much because of the player's skill, and the pokemon's ability to work together and in sync with the rest of the team.

If you have a DD gyarados weak, simply putting a surefire counter to it is not the way to go. What you need to do is not necessarily be able to counter whatever threats you may encounter, but ensure that by playing smart You take away the ability for whatever weakness your team may have to even switch in.

Offensive teams do it through either setting themselves up so even counters can't take out proposed pokemon, having some kind of damage be inflicted every turn or forcing switches/double switching.

Stall does it by racking up residual damage, and playing defensively enough to where even mixed sweepers can't score the KO, then playing offensively enough to take out frail sweepers usually seen, and 5 stall pokemon versus a balanced teams 2/3 has a pretty decided outcome assuming both players know what they are doing.

Offensive Versus Stall is interesting because if both teams are well made, it's all about how well each player can stick to their own strategy and outsmart the opponent , which means its all about skill.

Also Mightyena won't do you very well on a team trying to do stuff like this.

[Torte de Lini]

Even for "Most". My statement remains the same.

[Okami]

So I would want to focus as much in the area of speed as in the area of attack, alongside defense to keep a natural balance. Of course, switching attack and defense for sp.atk/sp.def where needed, like in the area of psychic.

Correct?

Sorry if this seems weak and mediocre to you guys...I've never truly looked into competative battle, and have never taken the time to EV train or anything else to make a pokemon all the better. I've tried it, of course, just never managed to complete it.

And now, as I'm going up against Cynthia of the E4 on Plat...man, I wish I would have done this sooner. My team is craaap. D: lvl 39-53...blah. I should have stocked up more revives.

So, as for continuing my quest here...are there any pokemon that I could consider 'needing'? I know this varies from person to person...but as I research, I would like to be able to look into what other people think is strong and form my own opinions.

[Destati]

primarily, the first thing every person needs to think about are the Pokemon they'll most likely have to face.

Scizor, T-tar, Heatran, Latias, Salamence, Gyarados, Lucario, Infernape, Zapdos basically everything here

http://www.smogon.com/dp/tiers/ou

Then you need to create a team that can not only counter those Pokemon, but can assure a victory.

There are typically three types of common teams:

Offensive: All offense. Pokemon go in and fight to the death. They mostly rely on speed and physical/special power to get the job done. Salamence, Scizor, etc. Usually use items like the Choice set and life orb.

Stall: Imagine a team that barely attacks, yet is able to own. Thats what stall teams are. These teams rely heavily on synergy, utilizing moves like Stealth Rock, Hail and Toxic to the fullest. One main problem with these teams is that they allow the opponent to set up unless they can roar/whirlwind away. Sometimes all it takes is the defeat of one of these Pokemon to determine the match.

All Around: This style is what most people use. It counters threats while using those same (or similar) threats to fight others.

[Enkidu]

All Around is balanced? Thats what most players instinctively play. Trying to stall out a Stall team with balanced is rather hard, and trying to play offensively against a real offensive team with a balanced team is pretty difficult.

Also on Offensive team, You NEVER want to have more than 2 Choice'd pokemon, and even two is more than you should have. ( as only one or none is preferable. )

I know a lot of people, myself included, have been posting smogon links . But they really ate useful. http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17743

read that and it should give you a better idea of how to team build.

[randomspot555]

^^^ I disagree about the Choice items. It's a hinderance if you have multiple Chocied Pokes that ALSO use U-Turn. But I've used up to 3 choiced before. And with the new amount of Trick users via Plat move tutors, many can dump their Choice items now if they're no longer needed.

I've never really gotten the point of posting a "Threat List", which basically goes through most of OU and details how you'll take them down.

Primarily because if you have an answer for one Pokemon, it can probably take on 5 others that are close enough.

For example, a Blissey counter isn't needed, because alll a Blissey counter needs is a physical sTAB move. That's it.

(or Roar, etc...but I'm overtly simplifying it).

A counter to Salamence can also take on Gyarados (Porygon-2). And so on.

Now while having an abundance of common weaknesses isn't BRIGHT, there's nothing overtly wrong with having 2-3 weak of the same type unless it's ground or fighting.

Because it's much more about being familiar with your opponent, knowing how to use strategy, and a slight amount of luck.

Knowing your opponent is a big part of this. Stay in one community long enough, and you're likely to start winning most of the battles. So I like to take myself out of a community and start elsehwere, where I'm against new types of thinking, opponents I've never faced before, etc...

[/end rant]

[Okami]

What do you guys mean by 'choiced'?

I hate feeling dumb and out of the loop about this stuff.

Also, my question about what a sweeper is has been left unanswered thus far.

[Enkidu]

Fair enough, but assuming you can always outplay your opponent and get off your strategy is going to get you beaten half to death by almost any serious player. Which is why you generally never want more than 2 choiced pokemon ( assuming standard sets ) The element of surprise will always net you win's against average teams anyway.

CB Swampert anyone? That thing destroyed teams despite how gimmicky it was.

Edit * choice'd is referring to choice items, Choice scarf ( speed ), Choice band( attack ), Choice specs ( special attack ). All items that increase a specific stat by 50 %, but limit you to only using 1 move until you switch out then back in again.

A sweeper is anything thats goal is to attack, whether it be physically or specially, whether it be on a stand alone basis, Stat up or to first receive baton pass/berry boosts and "sweep" the opposing team.

[Torte de Lini]

Personally, I hate choice items unless it's severely needed.

Life Orb is what I usually stand for, since most will switch on the next turn and obliterate you.

[Destati]

Life Orb can be exchanged between Choice Band and Choice Specs, but it can't replace Choice Scarf. For some pokemon its a perfect addition.

[Torte de Lini]

Personally, I hate choice items unless it's severely needed.

Already pretty aware.

I usually just baton pass any pokemon who needs speed.

[Deja_Entendu]

I make teams with my favorites, but all different types. Right now, I'm training Sharpedo, Blaziken, Torterra, Staraptor, Dialga, and Giratina. I know my setup is terrible, no tanks or anything, but I shoot for the heavy hitters. And ones I like. But I do teach my pokemon moves that would help them against pokemon traditionally strong against them - like Steel Wing for my Staraptor. My strategy is to hit them hard and don't give them a chance to attack back or recover. Risky, but more fun that way.

[Okami]

Vaporeon – Leftovers, Bold Nature

~ Surf

~ Ice Beam

~ Hidden Power Electric

~ Signal Beam / Hydro Pump / Wish

188 Def / 252 SpA / 68 Spe

Statistics

Min- Min Max Max+

HP 130 - 401 464 -

Atk 65 149 166 229 251

Def 60 140 156 219 240

SpA 110 230 256 319 350

SpD 95 203 226 289 317

Spe 65 149 166 229 251

Dragonite – Life Orb, Rash Nature

~ Superpower

~ Draco Meteor

~ Fire Blast / Flamethrower

~ Roost / Thunderbolt

112 Atk / 200 SpA / 196 Spe

Statistics

Min- Min Max Max+

HP 91 - 323 386 -

Atk 134 273 304 367 403

Def 95 203 226 289 317

SpA 100 212 236 299 328

SpD 100 212 236 299 328

Spe 80 176 196 259 284

Machamp – Choice Band, Adamant Nature

~ Close Combat

~ Payback

~ Ice Punch

~ ThunderPunch

128 HP / 252 Atk / 128 Spe

Statistics

Min- Min Max Max+

HP 90 - 321 384 -

Atk 130 266 296 359 394

Def 80 176 196 259 284

SpA 65 149 166 229 251

SpD 85 185 206 269 295

Spe 55 131 146 209 229

Tyranitar – Choice Specs, Quiet Nature

~ Dark Pulse

~ Thunderbolt

~ Flamethrower / Ice Beam

~ Earth Power / Hidden Power Grass / Superpower - Aerial Ace

180 HP / 252 SpA / 76 Spe

Statistics

Min- Min Max Max+

HP 100 - 341 404 -

Atk 134 273 304 367 403

Def 110 230 256 319 350

SpA 95 203 226 289 317

SpD 100 212 236 299 328

Spe 61 142 158 221 243

Weaville – Choice Band, Jolly Nature

~ Pursuit

~ Ice Shard

~ Brick Break

~ Ice Punch / Night Slash

40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe

Statistics

Min- Min Max Max+

HP 70 - 281 344 -

Atk 120 248 276 339 372

Def 65 149 166 229 251

SpA 45 113 126 189 207

SpD 85 185 206 269 295

Spe 125 257 286 349 383

Garchomp – Choice Band, Jolly Nature

~ Outrage

~ Earthquake

~ Stone Edge

~ Dragon Claw

4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe

Statistics

Min- Min Max Max+

HP 108 - 357 420 -

Atk 130 266 296 359 394

Def 95 203 226 289 317

SpA 80 176 196 259 284

SpD 85 185 206 269 295

Spe 102 216 240 303 333

These are what I'm looking into right now for a team. The pokemon found here are all pokemon I am familiar with, ones that I would enjoy using. Bolded moves are the moves I would prefer over the others to choose from. How does this list look to you guys?

Also, I'm not very good at making legit IV levels...so if I could get some help with that, please :]

Along with that, how do I create the Hidden Power move to be a specific type (electric, grass, etc.)? I read up on how to do that, but it confused me.

[Deja_Entendu]

I'd give your Garchomp either a fire or fighting type move to combat ice types, he's 4x weak. Also, Weavile is 4x weak against fighting, give him a psychic or flying type attack to deal with that, maybe?