So, How's my Team?

[lucarioknight56]

So, I've made a new Pokémon team, and it has worked out pretty well for me so far (except for one Pokémon...). But I would like to know if there is anything I should fix up, orm aybe any Pokémon I should replace, especially the Shiftry I have. He's hardly been useful.

Pokémon: Lucario

Nature: Modest

Ability: Inner Focus

Moves: Flash Cannon, Dragon Pulse, Aura Sphere, Dark Pulse

EV Spread: Sp. Atk, Spd

IV Spread: 0 x 31 x 31 x 31 x 31 x 31

Item: Lucarionite


Pokémon: Blaziken

Nature: Adamant

Ability: Speed Boost (HA)

Moves: Sky Uppercut, Brave Bird, FlareBlitz, Slash

EV Spread: Atk, Spd

IV Spread: 0 x 31 x 31 x 31 x 31 x 31

Item: Blazikenite


Pokémon: Lapras

Nature: Bold

Ability: Water Absorb (Wanted Shell Armor)

Moves: Ancient Power, Ice Beam, Surf, Thunder

EV Spread: Sp. Atk, Def/ Sp. Def

IV Spread: 31 x 0 x 31 x 31 x 31 x 31

Item: Quick Claw


Pokémon: Shiftry

Nature: Modest

Ability: Chloropyll (wanted Early Bird)

Moves: Hurricane, Leaf Storm, Shadow Ball, Dark Pulse

EV Spread: Sp. Atk, Spd

IV Spread: 0 x 31 x 31 x 31 x 31 x 31

Item: Razor Fang


Pokémon: Electivire

Nature: Impish

Ability: Motor Drive

Moves: Thunder Punch, Low Kick, Earthquake, Ice Punch

EV Spread: Atk, Spd

IV Spread: 31 x 31 x 31 x 0 x 31 x 31

Item: Expert Belt


Pokémon: Dusknoir

Nature: Adamant

Ability: Pressure

Moves: Shadow Punch, Shadow Sneak, Will-O-Wisp, Pursuit

EV Spread: Atk, Def/ Sp. Def

IV Spread: 31 x 31 x 31 x 31 x 31 x 0

Item: Spooky Plate

Please let me know!

 

[sharkshocker]

On what battle format do you use this team? There are 2 Mega stones on the team and you're usually better off assigning one as the mega so that the other can use another item and not be hampered in its effectiveness.

The team has trouble with Earthquake, which is a common move because of its power and wide spread. You also run into major trouble against Talonflame. Shiftry probably isn't fitting in because its ability isn't being utilized...Pokemon with abilities that activate in weather shine better if they have appropriate support.

Scald is usually preferred to Surf because of the burn chance and Thunder's imperfect accuracy makes it difficult to rely on outside of rain. Razor Fang and Quick Claw are a bit gimmicky so I suggest not relying on them, you might be better off with items that can provide consistent benefits.

If you can explain the reasoning why you built each Pokemon it can help us provide more tailored feedback as it'll help us get a perspective of how you want the team to play. Hope this helps and best of luck

 

[UB-01 Kenobi]

^seconding "what format". If you are planning to play singles, then blaziken and lucarionite are banned and electivire, shiftry, Lapras, and dusknoir (I assume you mean dusknoir and not duskull?) are mediocre if not worse. If you're playing VGC, then I'm not as well versed, but I do know that you should have protect on more of your Pokemon and you should be abusing the fact that you can have 2 Legendary Pokemon per team this year with like a geoxern or a pdon or something

 

[lucarioknight56]

Well, I got these Pokémon from a user named White Crow, who specializes in breeding Pokémon for other trainers. I got all of these guys from her, and I have two that don't have the ability I want: Lapras (Shell Armor) and Shiftry (Early Bird). So, I'm planning on getting some Ability Capsules from her partner, Slife, so that I can change their abilities.

Anyways, I haven't really found my sweet spot for my battle style, but I have been doing well in Rotation Battles. I would want to make this team better in Singles though.

I built Lucario, Blaziken, Shiftry, and Electivire as Sweepers, increasing their speed and main attacking stat to the max. I wanted to be able to defeat Pokémon as quickly as possible with them, but of course there are Pokémon that are faster than any of them (Mega Beedrill for example. Ran into that one multiple times with a particular trainer). So far, Electivire has worked out well in most situations in Singles and Rotations, same goes for Lucario. Blaziken hasn't been used as much, and I think that his Mega maybe should be exchanged for something more useful.

I designed Lapras and Dusknoir as Semi-Tanks, giving Dusknoir a move to whittle down HP (Will-O-Wisp) while having also priority moves (Shadow Sneak and Pursuit). Lapras has a variety of moves that assist me in moves I don't have in Special Attacks, and the Quick Claw occasionally let's it go first, making it a tank that can resist moves while going first in some cases.

I am playing online in Pokémon: Omega Ruby, so -Glory Blaze- I am playing in Video Game Competitions if that's what you mean.

I mainly wanted my team to be built from my favorites, and all of them have proved useful in some battles except for Shiftry. Lapras bould be a little better, maybe, and Blaziken should exchange his Mega Stone for something else, as well as exchanging most of my other items possibly. I don't know, what do you think?

 

[UB-01 Kenobi]

Well, I got these Pokémon from a user named White Crow, who specializes in breeding Pokémon for other trainers. I got all of these guys from her, and I have two that don't have the ability I want: Lapras (Shell Armor) and Shiftry (Early Bird). So, I'm planning on getting some Ability Capsules from her partner, Slife, so that I can change their abilities.

Anyways, I haven't really found my sweet spot for my battle style, but I have been doing well in Rotation Battles. I would want to make this team better in Singles though.

I built Lucario, Blaziken, Shiftry, and Electivire as Sweepers, increasing their speed and main attacking stat to the max. I wanted to be able to defeat Pokémon as quickly as possible with them, but of course there are Pokémon that are faster than any of them (Mega Beedrill for example. Ran into that one multiple times with a particular trainer). So far, Electivire has worked out well in most situations in Singles and Rotations, same goes for Lucario. Blaziken hasn't been used as much, and I think that his Mega maybe should be exchanged for something more useful.

I designed Lapras and Dusknoir as Semi-Tanks, giving Dusknoir a move to whittle down HP (Will-O-Wisp) while having also priority moves (Shadow Sneak and Pursuit). Lapras has a variety of moves that assist me in moves I don't have in Special Attacks, and the Quick Claw occasionally let's it go first, making it a tank that can resist moves while going first in some cases.

I am playing online in Pokémon: Omega Ruby, so -Glory Blaze- I am playing in Video Game Competitions if that's what you mean.

I mainly wanted my team to be built from my favorites, and all of them have proved useful in some battles except for Shiftry. Lapras bould be a little better, maybe, and Blaziken should exchange his Mega Stone for something else, as well as exchanging most of my other items possibly. I don't know, what do you think?

Aight cool, if you're not playing Smogon singles then I can't really help you but good luck

 

[sharkshocker]

Thanks for answering. Each battle format has its own nuance and suggested strategies (Doubles/VGC recommends Protect, Rotation battles has to take into account free switches, etc.) that it really helps us hone in on the advice we give. For clarification VGC means Video Game Championship, which is the current format for official tournaments and is a doubles battle using 4 out of the 6 Pokemon in the team.

Do understand that if you're playing in certain formats that they might have their own ruleset, as -Glory Blaze- has mentioned. A lot of battlers on singles follow Smogon's rules and the VGC format for doubles has recently updated their rules. Most players that play online tend to follow these rules even in casual battles so it helps to be familiar with them.

It's good that you recognize that the team has problems in certain areas so you can address them and plan for threats ahead of time. It looks like you're mostly starting out in battling so if you'd like I can give more 1-on-1 feedback. I'll drop you a message

 

[lucarioknight56]

Well, I am mainly just playing online Free Battles when I do play, and when I do I often have issues with Ground-Type moves. The Mega Beedrill I mentioned earlier was faster than all of my Pokémon and had the move Drill Run, which completely decimated my team. It was only thanks to my Dusknoir with Shadow Sneak I was able to hit it, and even then it didn't knock it out. So yeah, I could use a Pokémon with Ground Type resistance (Flying or a Pokémon with Levitate maybe?). That one would replace Shiftry maybe. He wouldn't be too useful even with the ability change. What maybe would be a good Pokémon to switch to in exchange for Shiftry?

 

[jackatlasred]

Hmm... well I can't really tell you much about rotation battles but I can help you with VGC. You wanna use different moves for each format.

As for lucario adding a protect or using a different item would be great. The protect gives it chances to live attacks while not mega evolved. I would suggest taking out dark pulse as the ones it does damage to take the same amount from flash cannon and aura sphere. Maybe have a boosting move or something as the last move.

Blaziken needs a protect in order to use it's ability to the max. Also, rock slide would be a good move, as it hits both opponents and can cause a flinch.

Lapras would be better as a wall with rest and sleep talk, but if you want him to attack I can't suggest anything else.

 

[sharkshocker]

Well, I am mainly just playing online Free Battles when I do play, and when I do I often have issues with Ground-Type moves. The Mega Beedrill I mentioned earlier was faster than all of my Pokémon and had the move Drill Run, which completely decimated my team. It was only thanks to my Dusknoir with Shadow Sneak I was able to hit it, and even then it didn't knock it out. So yeah, I could use a Pokémon with Ground Type resistance (Flying or a Pokémon with Levitate maybe?). That one would replace Shiftry maybe. He wouldn't be too useful even with the ability change. What maybe would be a good Pokémon to switch to in exchange for Shiftry?

Hmm it's hard to say, really. Replacing one Pokemon with another isn't exactly an in/out step, since you have to take into account how it meshes the rest of the team and your play style. And as jackatlasred said each format has their own strategy/suggested moves so once you settle into one we can provide more focused suggestions.

Off the top of my head you can go and try Talonflame as it can deal with Mega Beedrill while providing speedy offense.

 

[lucarioknight56]

I'll have to test my current team some more in order to find out my ideal playstyle. I am liking Rotation battles, however. I've tried Triples, it doesn't go so well. Singles I would preferably want to do well in, but I've had more luck in Rotations. I haven't tried Doubles yet, though.

 

[jackatlasred]

Hmm, then I'm sorry, I don't know anything about triples and rotation. Good luck, with those. If you want to look into doubles/vgc just look for me

 

[Slife]

@lucarioknight56; How's your team coming along? If you've revised your team and you want another review of it, feel free to post it in your OP and I can let you know my thoughts.