My First Team to be Rated

[MegaMan087]

This is the first team I've submitted to be rated, so please go easy on me. It's pretty standard with most of the Pokes doing nothing unexpected.

Infernape@Focus Sash
Naive/Blaze
64 Atk/252 Sp.Atk/192 Spe
-Fake Out
-Close Combat
-Fire Blast
-Stealth Rock

My lead. I tend to start off with Fake Out and then set up the Stealth Rock. The sash usually ensures the rocks get up; only a taunt really prevents them from coming out. Fire Blast and Close Combat are two STABed moves that provide great coverage. If for some reason he doesn't die, he can be useful late game or for removing major walls, save water types.


Gyarados@Life Orb
Jolly/Intimidate
252 Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
-Waterfall
-Dragon Dance

My main physical sweeper. Once he has set up a Dragon Dance, only Ninjask and things with a scarf on will out speed it. The three main attacks provide good coverage; they are at least neutrally effective verses all types. The only thing he really fears is electric and rock attacks, which I have covered later in the team.

Gengar@Choice Scarf
Timid/Levitate
252 Sp.Atk/4 Def/252 Spe
-Thunderbolt
-Shadow Ball
-Focus Blast
-Explosion

My special attacker/revenge killer. He is mostly used to kill other sweepers that have already set up or are about to set up. The scarf is to ensure this happens. Explosion is there as a last resort to take out any major threats that can't be dealt with from the rest of the team.

Donphan@Leftovers
Adamant/Sturdy
52 HP/252 Atk/204 Def
-Ice Shard
-Earthquake
-Protect
-Rapid Spin

My rapid spinner. His job is to remove any entry hazards that have been set up by other leads, hopefully after Infernape has killed the Poke who can lay them down. Protect is there for scouting and Earthquake provides a strong STAB attack. Finally, Ice Shard is used to kill dragons who least expect it, plus it enables a priority attack. As mentioned before, he deals with both of Gyrados' major weaknesses, so that makes for some decent team synergy.

Salamence@Life Orb
Rash/Intimidate
80 HP/252 Sp. Atk/ 176 Spe
-Draco Meteor
-Flamethrower
-Brick Break
-Roost

Out of all the members of my team, this is the one that I'm least sure of. He is designed as a mixed attacker with a recovery option, but I find that most of his positive attributes are found elsewhere on the team. I'm thinking it would be advantageous to change him over to a DD mence or even completely replacing him, but I'm up in the air. This is where I would appreciate some help.

Blissey@Leftovers
Calm/Natural Cure
24 HP/252 Def/232 Sp.Def
-Counter
-Flamethrower
-Aromatherapy
-Softboiled

My special wall/cleric. She preforms those two roles quite nicely, as it is to be expected of the best special wall in the game. However, I have Counter on there as a nasty surprise to any physical attacker that thinks it can 2HKO her. Flamethrower works wonders due to the amount of steel that gets switched into her (Lucario and Jirachi are very common). However, I am thinking about reworking her moveset a bit. Possibly replacing Aromatherapy with Thunder Wave to inflict status and Softboiled with Wish for some team healing.

So what do you think? Like I said, I'm thinking about making some changes. Thanks for the input!

 

[UltiMario]

+1 rep for using Donphan.

I'm in a rush right now so I can't rate anything else.

 

[Wave⁂]

Why Brick Break on Mence?
Is Protect on Donphan really better than, say, Assurance?

 

[MegaMan087]

The brick break is for when/if special walls switch in. I haven't tried assurance over protect, but it's worth a shot.

Even just being asked those questions makes me think about my decisions more. Thank you.

 

[Circa]

You give it Assurance just to deal with spinblockers, and it is infinitely more useful than Protect because of this.

I agree with changing up the Mence set. As for how, I don't know. Although having two DD users on your team could be a benefit. Like you mentioned, it's probably the first thing you should try.

 

[Gates]

You definitely want assurance over Protect. It's Donphan's biggest attraction as a spinner.

Having both DD Mence and DD Gyara on your team could be like using Mence and Rayquaza on the same team in Ubers. The basic premise behind that is you're effectively able to run two Rayquaza's, with one of them being fast but slightly weaker and the other one being slower but stronger. Only this case it would be more like one is stronger and faster and the other one has...umm...more SpD and type coverage. Speaking of type coverage, how has EQ/SE been working for you on Gyara? I always preferred EQ/Ice Fang since it has broader coverage and I don't like SE on anything but Machamp because of its accuracy. Have you tried both?

Has counter really been working that well for you on Bliss? It seems like every major physical attacker excepr Gyarados, Metagross, and Mamoswine have some sort of fighting attack that can potentially OHKO Blissey.

 

[supermarth64]

You definitely want assurance over Protect. It's Donphan's biggest attraction as a spinner.

Wait I could've sworn pre-UU Donphan didn't even have Assurance as a moveset, only Rapid Spin / Ice Shard / EQ / Stealth Rock or Stone Edge or Roar. Even CB Donphan had Assurance as a slash, not as a main option. IMO Ice Shard is the reason why you would use Donphan as a spinner in OU, not Assurance. I'd rather use Starmie to hit Ghosts.

 

[Pink Reaper]

I'd rather use Tentacruel spinner, absorb toxic spikes and all that. Granted I dont bother with Spinners since that's just a waste of a pokemon that could be using Choice Band Uturn.

 

[Gates]

Wait I could've sworn pre-UU Donphan didn't even have Assurance as a moveset, only Rapid Spin / Ice Shard / EQ / Stealth Rock or Stone Edge or Roar. Even CB Donphan had Assurance as a slash, not as a main option. IMO Ice Shard is the reason why you would use Donphan as a spinner in OU, not Assurance. I'd rather use Starmie to hit Ghosts.

It doesn't make much sense that he wouldn't have Assurance. Maybe they just hadn't thought of it yet or didn't want to use it since the Rotom-As are the most common ghosts in the metagame and they're so bulky that it wouldn't be a significant amount of damage. Either that or they were more focused on making him a general utility pokemon than a dedicated spinner, that latter being what he is in UU.

And considering how fast Starmie is, Ice Shard isn't that big a deal.

I'd rather use Tentacruel spinner, absorb toxic spikes and all that. Granted I dont bother with Spinners since that's just a waste of a pokemon that could be using Choice Band Uturn.

This man knows his priorities.

 

[MegaMan087]

Speaking of type coverage, how has EQ/SE been working for you on Gyara? I always preferred EQ/Ice Fang since it has broader coverage and I don't like SE on anything but Machamp because of its accuracy. Have you tried both?

Has counter really been working that well for you on Bliss? It seems like every major physical attacker excepr Gyarados, Metagross, and Mamoswine have some sort of fighting attack that can potentially OHKO Blissey.

The EQ/SE has been working well overall. I have only had a few times where I found myself lacking. The SE accuracy hasn't been a major hindrance, but enough to be noticeable.

Counter on the Bliss is a mixed bag. It's all about keeping the "secret" of counter and bringing it out on a correct prediction. One glaring weakness it has is versus stallers such as Vaporeon. In this case, TWave or Toxic would be a stronger option.