Pieced Together (my first NU team)

[Xopen]

Hey there all.

I've only been battling competitively for a couple of months, but I've already tried branching out to different metagames. After having started in RU, I tried out UU and NU, and quickly found out that NU was where I wanted to focus my efforts.

And so, I (somewhat haphazardly) pieced together this team from the articles and threat lists I read. I've faced battle with them many times, and have had my fair share of wins and losses. But I need some dvice on how to properly improve my line-up from those with more experience... hence this thread.

Feel free to be unadulterated in your critiques. gogogo

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Raichu @ Life Orb
Trait: Lightningrod
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast
- Nasty Plot

Raichu serves as my lead and Special Sweeper. It's move-set is fairly standard... one of the reasons I'm so fond of it is that Life Orb + multiple Nasty Plots leaves it free to tear through the enemy team. I used to run a Specs set before but disliked the inflexibility it allowed me in having to switch out Raichu when a new foe came in. HP Ice and Focus Blast serve as coverage against ground or grass and steel and ice respectively.

Downsides: Incredibly frail, and cannot fulfill its role adequately once it's paralyzed because then it can be blown away.

Flareon @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Fire Fang
- Facade
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

I'm one of those who strongly feels that offensive Flareon is fairly underrated. Not only does Flareon have one of the strongest Attack stats in the game, but it also has a reasonable amount of Special Defense that allows it to weather some blows from the opposing Pokemon. Although Fire Fang isn't the strongest fire move (and only serves as a reminder of Flareon's lack of Flare Blitz) a STAB and Guts boosted Fire Fang still hits pretty hard, with the chance to either inflict a burn or finch. Facade in this set speaks for itself, especially with the dual boost from Flareon's status condition and Guts. Rest and Sleep Talk serve to keep it in the game and make hits.

Downsides: There would very well be better alternatives for this role... someone on PO even suggested that I should dump it for Sawk. Thoughts?

Octillery @ Mystic Water
Trait: Sniper
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Water Spout
- Energy Ball
- Ice Beam

Another Special Attacker. Personally, I find it odd that Octillery is so overlooked. With the right situation, this Pokemon can take advantage of its high attack stat and go to town. STAB Water Spout is great to hit hard when Octillery can, but Hydro Pump is there for when Octillery is damaged. Energy Ball and Ice Beam are there for coverage.

Downsides: Very slow and very, very frail. Its power (and especially Water Spout) can't be taken advantage of when any attack threatens to OHKO it or leave it crippled in the red.

Miltank @ Leftovers
Trait: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Body Slam
- Heal Bell
- Milk Drink
- Thunder Wave

My physical wall and support. Milk Drink is there to keep Miltank going and wall, while Thunder Wave allows me to paralyze a sweeper and stop them dead in their tracks. Body Slam for a STAB move to try and KO the opponent's Pokemon, with Heal Bell there for team support.

Downsides: For one, it is weak against the many, many Fighting-type walls that are so prevalent in NU -- Primeape and Sawk can make short work of it sometimes. Also, I'm unable to hit Ghost types at all, and that really bugs me. Ideally, I would something that's not Normal type considering I have Zangoose already.

Zangoose @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Toxic Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Facade
- Close Combat
- Night Slash
- Quick Attack

An incredibly reliable Physical Sweeper. Really don't know what else to say -- Facade for obvious reasons after the Toxic boost, Close Combat for getting rid of Steel, Rock, and Ice types, and Night Slash to get at ghosts. Quick Attack has probably saved my *** one too many times by allowing me to get that one last hit in before Zangoose gets attacked.

Downsides: Somewhat slow and frail, especially against fellow Physical Attackers.

Lapras @ Leftovers
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature
- Toxic
- Heal Bell
- Surf
- Rest

And finally, my Support and Special Wall Lapras. Toxic there to inconvenience the opponent's Pokemon and try to put a timer on the life of their sweeper.

Downsides: Weak to electric and grass special sweepers that I can't get rid of once Raichu is gone early in the beginning of the match. Also fodder for fighting types like Primeape or those Pokemon running Focus Blast.
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Thanks so much for reading. Looking forward to the insight

 

[Winterdaze]

@Xopen
Your team has some nice ideas, but overall seems a little discombobulated. What's your endgame, is it to sweep with Raichu or Zangoose? If that is the case, you'll need to think about what threats need to be handled by the rest of your team for you to do that. Fighting types in particular have a field day with your team, and you also don't have any entry hazards. I hate Stealth Rock as much as the next guy, but hazards really help you secure KOs, and the sneaky pebbles in particular keep some of the tier's most dangerous threats in check.

-Raichu is a really underrated sweeper in NU, but IMO it is far too frail to be running three coverage moves without Encore or Substitute. Focus Blast is really unreliable and doesn't do an awful lot for Raichu that boltbeam doesn't already cover, while Sub or Encore synergise well with Lightningrod and offer a safety net for setup. You can also run Expert Belt if you find the cumulative recoil from sub and Life Orb off putting.

-Miltank is actually a really good Poke, but with your Fighting vulnerability Musharna or Misdreavus might be better clerics for your team. Both can switch into Sawk with near impunity, but watch out for Primeape's U-turn if you use Musharna.

-Your Flareon looks like a physical wallbreaker, in which case I can see why someone would suggest Sawk. Flareon is slow and awkward to use, and doesn't break walls very efficiently. Any strong banded Poke is likely to do a better job than Flareon; Sawk, Golurk and Braviary to name a few. If you are dead set on using Flareon though, an all-out offensive set with Jolly+max speed, Superpower and Protect is likely to do a better job. Also switch out Fire Fang for Flame Charge; who knows, you might even get a sweep.

-Octillery is great if your team is built around Trick Room or Baton Pass. Otherwise, Gorebyss or special Samurott would be better choices almost all of the time. Both are much bulkier; Gorebyss has Shell Smash to utterly break offensive teams, while Samurott has Taunt to shut down stall and Megahorn to punch through Jynx.

-Zangoose is utterly amazing in NU, and I have nothing bad to say about it. Since you're using an all out attacking set rather than a Swords Dancer, get rid of Kangaskhan and make sure Alomomola and scarfed Fighting types are removed or sufficiently weakened before trying to sweep.

-Lapras isn't the greatest special wall, but it can work. There's no need for two clerics though, so swap out Heal Bell for Protect, as that will let you scout which move Sawk or Primeape lock themselves into before switching to the appropriate counter. Rest is a bit unreliable even with a cleric since you can Water Absorb for recovery, so using Roar will prevent you from being setup bait. Have you considered using a specially defensive Seismitoad? Your team doesn't have any entry hazards, while Seismitoad learns Stealth Rock and makes a great lead.

 

[Xopen]

Thanks for the input. I've been tinkering around with my line-up the last few days so I've kept in mind both what you and other people have told me recently. I've adjusted the original post above to reflect my revisions and I've included them below:

Replaced Zangoose:
Gardevoir @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Trace
Timid nature
EVs: 4 Def/ 252 SAtk/ 252 Spd
- Psychic
- Signal Beam
- Focus Blast
- Trick

Inserted as per recommendations of an individual on Serebii who told me to stick it in to counter a DW Evolite Combusken. Essentially functions as a Special Attacker I suppose, and helps me deal with my prior weakness to fighting.

Replaced Octillery:
Gorebyss @ White Herb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature
- Shell Smash
- Surf
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Ice Beam

Replaced Octillery because it's faster and more durable; it also has basically the same amount of power or more after a Shell Smash, allowing me the possibility of sweeping. Surf as STAB (should I go with Hydro Pump?) with HP Grass and Ice Beam as coverage.


Replacing Miltank:
Misdreavus (F) @ Eviolite
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 220 Def / 40 Spd
Bold Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Shadow Ball
- Pain Split
- Perish Song

I've switched to Misdreavus in order to help counter my team's previous weakness to fighting types like Sawk and Primeape. Thus, I've tried to make sure that Misdreavus remains a physical wall by allocating its EVs there. Pain Split to help keep it alive as the opponent tries in vain to whittle away its heath after being burned by Will o Wisp. Shadow Ball as STAB, and Perish Song basically to fill a slot (any better alternatives?).

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I also revised the movesets of both Flareon and Raichu in order to make them more offensively focused:

Raichu (M) @ Salac Berry
Trait: Lightningrod
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
- Volt Tackle
- Fake Out
- Reversal
- Endure

Opted for a physical set here since I already eliminated Zangoose; also figured that since Raichu fainted so fast in battle anyway, I might as well use him as a suicide lead. Fake Out upon switching in, with Volt Tackle as STAB. THEN use Endure to weather the next move (if possible or Raichu isn't too low to health anyway), with Salac boosting my speed as I get to low heath. Then wail away at the opponent with Reversal until Raichu's done for.

Flareon @ Toxic Orb
Trait: Guts
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Flame Charge
- Facade
- Superpower
- Protect

Replaced as per your recommendations, might eventually go for Golurk though.

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Thanks so much to Winterdaze for helping and others who have read!

Sorry this post is so brief, really pressed for time :x Thanks so much though