So this is basically a recreation of my old team, mainly because Electrode wasn't really doing its job too well, and the metagame has changed since I made my first one.
Gallade (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Steadfast
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Taunt
- Toxic
- Close Combat
- Shadow Sneak
I chose Gallade because it has a good amount of Sp Def so that it can pair well with Skarm and introduce it as early as possible so that I can get entry hazards up. I also chose it cuz it gets Taunt so that it can shut down lead Swamperts down so that they will want to use a STAB EQ or Surf, which Skarm will happily switch into. Shadow Sneak is also helpful against Azelf, Ninjask and the absolute bane of this entire team, Starmie, but surprisingly what I found is Gallade always loses to lead Machamp, and IMO, Gallade just isn't fast enough. I think I need someone who is fast and bulky to use as a lead, and who has access to Taunt, AND who can introduce Skarm relatively well. I didn't find a whole lot of candidates, so I'm trying Gallade out.
BirdIsDaWord (Skarmory) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP / 8 Spd / 248 SDef
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Whirlwind
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Roost
Skarm is the main entry hazard setter (the one and only, which bothers me). After my lead allows Skarm a good switch-in, I set up SR and Spikes on the foe's team. After succeeding, I spam Roost and Whirlwind for entry hazard damage. The Speed EVs allow me to outspeed other Skarmories, as well as Skarmories who try to outspeed OTHER Skarmories!
Aerodactyl (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 56 HP / 200 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Roar
- Whirlwind
A part of my genius was wondering, 'If a Pokemon uses Roar or Whirlwind by a selection of Sleep Talk, does it still go last?'. After experimentations, my genius payed off, and the glorious answer was no!! And that is the creation of this nice Aero. The point of this team is to wear down the foe with entry hazards, then pick them off when they're weak, which Aero does very well for the first part. Assuming SR is up, Aero can switch in and use Rest. After it does so, I use Sleep Talk to shuffle the foe's team around, and rack up epic entry hazard damage. Because Aero is so dang fast, and it has access to Whirlwind AND Roar, shuffling the team around is not much of a problem for this set at all, especially since it can just Rest away damage the next few turns. The only thing that bothers me is that Aero hardly synergizes with my team at all, but nonetheless, it's a very important member.
Hippowdon (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 176 HP / 84 Def / 248 SDef
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Slack Off
- Stockpile
- Roar
- Earthquake
The fat annoying Hippo that was used long ago to make Stockpilodon w****ed out and stolen by Smogon with no credit is still here! Same EVs, and everything. Fail synergy with the team, but it gets the job done. Stockpile and Slack Off are used for a few turns, and then Roar spam to rack up entry hazard damage. If the foe has a Magnezone or Heatran or something frail or something that took a lot of entry hazard damage, I use EQ to finish them off.
Sceptile (M) @ Expert Belt
Trait: Overgrow
EVs: 64 Atk / 228 Spd / 216 SAtk
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Leaf Storm
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Crunch
This is my late-game sweeper and Starmie counter. After the foe takes a multitude of SR and Spikes and Sandstorm damage, Sceptile has a much easier time sweeping. HP Ice now has a 60ish percent chance of OHKOing 252 / 0 Gliscor without SR damage, and always WTFpwns Mence. After SR damage, Gliscor is done. Leaf Storm is used on Starmie to pwn it, although I'll have to use Rotom if it tries using Rapid Spin. Crunch is there for other Rotoms and Psychic types such as Celebi. With 228 Spd, I outspeed ScarfTar, allowing me to slam it with Leaf Storm (not sure if it's a OHKO, but meh), while the remaining EVs were dumped into Attack. I'm not sure if 64 Attack is enough to make up for Sceptile's at-best passable Attack, but Sceptile needs the Sp Atk boost so it can deal with Gliscor and Salamence.
Bold Rotom-h@Leftovers
252 HP, 252 Sp Atk, 4 Def
Protect
Toxic
Shadow Ball
T Bolt
Blocks Rapid Spin and pwns Starmie and Gyara. Toxic and Protect are for stalling and gaining more residual damage. It's sad that there's no Roar or Whirlwind, but Rotom can sometimes force switches when someone tries using a Choiced Ground attack against Infernape.
Overall for this team, I really need an answer to Starmie because it ruins everything with Surf and Rapid Spin. I also need opinions on whether I should have a second Spikes setter because having Skarm do EVERYTHING for entry hazards bothers me a lot. Unfortunately, not many Spikers fit into this team well, and none of them hit Starmie too hard. Forry could work, but who to sacrifice is a huge issue....
