General Tips on Making a Singles Team

[Nihilateral]

This is my second team I've made and EV'd, but the first singles team I've developed. When I look at it, it seems kind like it doesn't work together well and lacks the flow of my previous doubles team; so, I'd like some tips on how to improve it. Note that I generally don't pay attention to Smogon teirs when making my teams, so there is a combination of UU, OU, and NFE in here. This is the way I like to play, so suggestions based purely on tiers won't be helpful to me. Thanks in advance!

Porygon-Z
Download
Relaxed
252 HP/ 152 Def/ 106 Sp.A
Sitrus Berry
~ Trick Room
~ Nasty Plot
~ Ice Beam
~ Tri Attack
My Porygon-Z is built to take hits at least well enough to set up a Trick Room for itself and other Pokemon. I chose Download over Adaptability for a chance to raise its relatively low special attack to where it can OHKO frail leads such as Infernape. The Sitrus Berry, I've found, can sometimes mean the difference between a 2HKO and 3HKO; however, the item is debatable. Maybe a Chople Berry would be better?

Mudkip
Torrent
Brave
252 HP/ 252 Atk/ 6 Sp.D
Choice Band
~ Aqua Tail
~ Superpower/ Low Kick
~ Rock Slide
~ Return
As you can clearly tell, I am not a hardcore competitive battler. I choose by favorites, which lead me to my novelty Pokemon of choice: Mudkip. It's a standard Choice Bander to help it become an immediate threat in the battle, as compared to an Endure/Leichi Berry strategy which would waste Trick Room time.

Azelf
Levitate
Hasty
252 Spe/ 200 Sp. A/ 58 Atk
Life Orb
~ Explosion
~ Fire Blast
~ Thunderbolt
~ Grass Knot
Azelf is an alternate lead to Porygon-Z. It is meant to counter immediate threats and powerful leads that Porygon-Z may not be set up on.

Umbreon
Synchronize
Sassy
252 HP/ 194 Def/ 64 Atk
Chople Berry
~ Curse
~ Wish
~ Protect
~ Payback
My main physical wall of the team as well as an additional Wish supporter. It is meant to soak up hits if I need to switch and dish out damage with Payback and Curse if the opportunity arises.

Lucario
Steadfast
Jolly
252 Atk/ 252 Spe/ 6 HP
Focus Sash
~ Swords Dance
~ Endure
~ Reversal
~ Crunch
A physical attacker on my team, meant to take down strong Pokemon on Sandstorm teams, such as Tyranitar. Lucario is probably the most debatable Pokemon on my team; is there something that would work better with this team I could replave it with? It's role seems kind of extemporaneious, less thought out, and redundant when viewed within the team.

Spiritomb
Pressure
252 HP/ 252 Def/ 6 Sp.A
Leftovers
~ Dark Pulse
~ Rest
~ Sleep Talk
~ Calm Mind
My main special wall of the team and Umbreon's counterpart. It is also another debatable Pokemon; however, I do like that I can switch out to Spiritomb if something is threatening to hit Umbreon with a Close Combat or something.

 

[coolking503]

Um, mudkip? If you want to use mudkip, play little cup. But that is like giving up a free pokemon. If you really want to use an NFE, us clamperl. Also, how is POrygon-z's SpA low? It is tied for the highest non uber SpA in the game! If you're going to use trick room on a lead, use Bronzong:
Lum Berry Levitate Relaxed
Moveset IVs
~ Trick Room
~ Gyro Ball
~ Explosion
~ Hypnosis / Reflect / Light Screen
Specific ivs: 0 Spe
EVs
252 HP / 152 Atk / 8 Def / 96 SpD

It is bulky enough to come in multiple times and set up trick room. Also, Lucario should be brave and a -speed nature so trick room will help. Change its set completely to one with Sword dance, crunch, close combat, and extremespeed. Give it a life orb. Azelf should be replaced with mesprit (lower speed) or Uxie, both who can set up trick room as a back up. Back to Mudkip. If you are so desperate to use mudkip, breed endavor onto it, make it level 1, give it a focus sash, and use endavor to lower a pokemon to 1 HP. This set works better with cleffa though, as it has magic gaurd so sash won't brake with entry hazards, and isn't effected by Sand Storm, allowing Hail/Sandstorm to KO other opponents for it.

 

[DRWS!]

Relaxed or Brave Swampert is going to be ininitely better as a Trick Room "Sweeper". Base 70 attack is laughable really. Even then it'll get walled by the likes of Celebi.

 

[Nihilateral]

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[pikmin]

thanks for suggestsions, (changes nothing)

1. Have you EVER tested this team?
2. are you aware that your mudkip does nothing?
3. trick room teams need at least 1/2 pokémon knowing trick room
4. look at my thread
5. DEFINATELY change the choice band to focus sash on mudkip if you decide not to change him to a usable pokémon. or just evolve him!
6. Porygon-z should have focus sash too probably
7. leftovers on umbreon for sure
8. Lucario should be able to survive a hit, change to life orb
9. whats up with the random evs?

sorry about being harsh, but come on?

 

[Nihilateral]

thanks for suggestsions, (changes nothing)

1. Have you EVER tested this team?
2. are you aware that your mudkip does nothing?
3. trick room teams need at least 1/2 pokémon knowing trick room
4. look at my thread
5. DEFINATELY change the choice band to focus sash on mudkip if you decide not to change him to a usable pokémon. or just evolve him!
6. Porygon-z should have focus sash too probably
7. leftovers on umbreon for sure
8. Lucario should be able to survive a hit, change to life orb
9. whats up with the random evs?

sorry about being harsh, but come on?

Yes, I have tested this team. It actually works pretty decently considering, and Mudkip actually does something, even though everyone is skeptical (rightly so). Like I said, it's a novelty Pokemon and I want to use it just for the sake of using it. I don't intend on using it for tournaments or anything, probably just with friend battles and random PBR Wi-fi and what not. How are the EV's random? Don't they seem fitting, considering the Pokemon's allocated roles?

 

[Lazyboy0337]

While I admire NFE pride, you should have a back up Pokemon to swap out for Mudkip if your using this for real battles outside of PBR WiFi and Friend battles

 

[Nihilateral]

While I admire NFE pride, you should have a back up Pokemon to swap out for Mudkip if your using this for real battles outside of PBR WiFi and Friend battles

I'm probably going to make a separate more serious team for real battles, but I am looking for some general advice on how to structure a good singles team. If you have any you'd like to share that'd be great.

 

[mc2094]

My suggestion: don't try gimmicks.

Seriously though, I would start by getting a basic idea of what you want your team to do. I know several people start with the question: "What style do I want to play?" but I usually ask myself what I want to use as my main startegy. Why? Because then your not limiting your selection before you even start constructing! Say you want to make a team based on sweeping with a CM Latias. Now you want to add guys who help take out her counters as well(Magnezone), as cover weaknesses etc. From there you just repeat the process and once you have say ~4 members you can start to make sure you have all the top threats covered and add mons accordingly yet still not forgetting about the synergy. Also, never forget to have a plan against every common lead. If you don't then you'll likely lose since you'd probably let that lead set up or be forced to sack guys just to take it out.