Rate my Mono team (Finished)

[GMaster171]

Participating in a fun little mono type tournament at my school. Didn't plan on doing anything seriously, but since 3 of them are EV training, I seem to have to do something other than throw random Pokemon in my team. I chose dark type, so I'm just gonna post my planned setup here, critics and suggestions are more than welcome. Please however take into consideration I cannot get Pokemon that are not in Black 1 or 2, as those are the only games I have that I can use in this tourny. As well, Legendaries are banned so no Darkrai. Here we go:

Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 Atk
+SDef nature
- Fire Blast
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder Wave

Hydreigon@choice scarf (Done)
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk/ 252 Speed/ 4 SDef
+SAtk nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Flamethrower
- Surf

Spiritomb @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
+Def nature (if possible)
- Will-O-Wisp
- Dark Pulse
- Shadow Sneak
- Pain Split

Sableye @ Leftovers
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 200 SDef / 252 HP / 56 Def
+SDef nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Taunt
- Recover
- Foul Play

Bisharp @ Life Orb
Trait: Defiant
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
+Speed Nature
- Swords Dance
- Psycho Cut (Stone Edge if not possible)
- Brick Break
- Sucker Punch

Sharpedo @ Life Orb
Trait: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
+Atk Nature
- Protect
- Waterfall
- Crunch
- Earthquake

Stock members for if Sharpedo or Sableye respectively are unavailable to me (still need ideas if there is something much better

Krookodile@Life Orb
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 speed/252 Atk/4 hp
+Speed nature
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Super power

Mandibuzz@Leftovers
Trait: Big Pecks
EVs: 252 hp/ 4 Def/ 252 SDef
+Def Nature
- Roost
- Air slash
- Nasty plot
- Dark Pulse

almost any advice is good advice, first time in any kind of tournament so dont rip me apart.

Edit: updated with revised team, and backups.

 

[ss118]

Dark is one of the hardest mono-types to successfully pull off just because fighting attacks(especially CC) is so strong that even the few dark types neutral to it eat ****.

I suggest running spiritomb AND sableye. They are both immune to fighting moves, which helps a bit, but honestly won't help you much against bugs.

Oh. You need that one steel+dark type, otherwise dragons give you a bad time.

 

[IceArrow]

Ya, if I built mono dark which I wouldn't do because Fire, Fighting, bug, flying, or steel are the best types and Dark is bad against all of them pretty much. I would definitely use these 6 though.

Sableye (Foul Play, Taunt, WilloWisp, Confuse Ray)
Hydregion (Choice Scarf, your set is good except use Speed EVs instead of Def + SpD and use Surf over Earth power)
Tyranitar (SpD Wall Stealt Rock Thunder Wave Stone Edge Ice Beam)
Bisharp (Swords Dance Sucker Punch Night Slash Brick Break)
Sharpedo (Great late game Sweeper, Protect Waterfall Crunch Earthquake)
Spiritomb ( Def Wall, WilloWisp Pain Split Shadow Sneak Sucker Punch)

 

[Wave⁂]

I think I'd prefer a Scarf Krookodile, and change Hydreigon's set to LO, Specs, or Sub+ 3 Attacks. You're either running a 50% weaker Tyranitar with Unnerve, or you're hindering yourself with Sandstorm. I'd expect other mono-type teams to be much more sandstorm-friendly.

Also, I'd use Honchkrow somewhere. Superpower and Heat Wave will help your team out.

 

[IceArrow]

This team supports Sandstorm a little since this is a Stall team. It also helps Bisharp and Sharpedo sweep better. Honestly though if you could you should change your type to Fighting. I would say steel or flying are better but you can't use legendaries since you cant use the 5th gen trio for flying or Heatran for steel.

 

[Wave⁂]

Just hypothetically

Lead Infernape
Sub + 3 Attacks Machamp
TechniLoom
Nasty Plot Lucario
Scarf Terrakion
DD Scrafty

 

[IceArrow]

Terrakion is a legendary

Choice Scarf Heracross

 

[GMaster171]

Wasnt on all day, but il post more about the tournament rules;
Basically its just like any other tourny, but im stuck with dark, no changing. dragon type mono is banned, but dual types are allowed. legendaries are completely banned. items, EVs, nature are fair game. also, I dont have a working AR disk so i cant get pokemon that cant be caught in gen 5 games, and even then some of them are a complete pain (5% for vullaby? wtf). Spiritomb is out due to not existing for a male character in Black 2, and not at all in Black 1.

im guessing Ttar over Mandibuzz, due to the roost removing fighting resistance anyway. Bisharp over Weavile and Sharpedo over both of my theory pokemon? i can do that probably. I can get a sableye, so Sableye<zoroark? also what EVs for these pokemon if you dont mind. I think Umbreon can tank all but fighting as well as spiritomb would, Iv seen wish/protect/toxic, if they arent a banded STAB attacker, they arent going to get through i dont think.

so yea, im stuck with dark, unfortunately the most competent person in the tourny chose fighting -_- mhm its just for fun.

 

[Firus]

Spiritomb is out due to not existing for a male character in Black 2, and not at all in Black 1.

But Spiritomb is available for both trainers in BW2. It's Sableye that's Female-only, and Sableye IS available in the wild in BW1.

 

[GMaster171]

odd, one of the sites said there was a separate male and female list... but Serebii says there isn't. that is annoying.

so spiritomb>umbreon? i like the healing on umbreon, but the fighting weakness probably makes that negligible.

anything else look off?

 

[IceArrow]

Sableye @ Leftovers
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 200 SDef / 252 HP / 56 Def
Careful Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Taunt
- Recover
- Foul Play

Spiritomb @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Dark Pulse
- Shadow Sneak
- Pain Split

Bisharp @ Life Orb
Trait: Defiant
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Psycho Cut
- Brick Break
- Sucker Punch

Sharpedo @ Life Orb
Trait: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- Waterfall
- Crunch
- Earthquake

Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 SDef / 252 HP / 4 Atk
Sassy Nature
- Fire Blast
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder Wave

Hydreigon @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Surf

 

[Wave⁂]

Not sure how I feel about dual STAB Bisharp. I'd rather have Psycho Cut over Night Slash, if we're anticipating mono-Fighting shenanigans.

Ice Beam Tyranitar might not be great if mono-Dragon is out. Garchomp kills it with EQ, Tyranitar either kills Mence with SE or is killed by EQ, Haxorus is pure Dragon, everything else is outsped by Scarf Hydreigon.

 

[IceArrow]

I forgot about dragon being banned. Fire Blast is better. I don't know much about Bisharp but I use Night Slash with Pawniard in LC. Psycho Cut is a better idea now that I think about it. Gmaster do you know what type everybody else uses because that would help us help you a lot more?

http://www.smogon.com/bw/types/dark

This could also help you. Click on one of the Pokemon and you'll learn a lot about the 6 pokemon you should use.

 

[GMaster171]

Yea, mono dragon is banned. as well, i dont think i have time to breed and EV train a bisharp for psycho cut, as i dont have an alakazam with it either. if i absolutly need to, i bet i could mooch one off of a friend, the breeding and egg time would be the longest part.

and about the types, normal, ice, rock and grass (and of course dragon) were not claimed, all others have been. im not so worried about the bug type, as the strong bug types are rather rare, but the fighting types are extremely worrying.

guess i gotta start trading that guy in Nimbasa city.

edit: i imagine modest (+spec attack, - attack would be fine from Hydreigon, also nature for Spiritomb wont be in my control unfortunatly)

 

[IceArrow]

Ok, I'm surprised nobody chose rock at all. With Tyranitar not banned it seems like the best type possible since all Pokemon get +50% SpD and Stealth Rock resistance.

You dont absolutely need psycho cut, just try to get as close as possible to my team that I listed.

 

[Ussi]

Rock is neutral to itself

 

[IceArrow]

Oh wow I'm a ******, it should resist itself.

 

[Ussi]

The misconception is the same as rock resisting electric moves from gen 1

 

[IceArrow]

So Gmaster, try and get your team as close as possible to the list I gave. If you cant get Sharpedo's Dream World ability Speed Boost then don't use Sharpeo. Same with Sableye and Pankster. The others are flexible.

 

[Frostwraith]

for chosing the Dark type as a basis for a monotype team, I give this thread my very own Official Frostwraith Seal of Approval... just kidding!

you should replace either Umbreon or Mandibuzz with Spiritomb to stand a bigger chance against Fighting types. much like Umbreon and Mandibuzz, Spiritomb is a more defensive Pokémon, but benefits from its typing a lot by having no weaknesses (unless exposed to Foresight). Mandibuzz, though, also works fine against Fighting types, due to its part Flying type.

Mandibuzz with Nasty Plot isn't a bad idea, as it can take some hits while boosting its Sp. Attack, and then counterattack.

Prankster Sableye isn't a bad choice for status effects and other supporting roles, thanks to its Prankster ability. also benefits from no weaknesses.

 

[IceArrow]

Ya, in other words follow my idea.

 

[GMaster171]

Dark has always been my favorite, and most of the dark pokemon just look so bad ***, I had to choose it.

unless someone can post a tutorial on how to find specific pokemon (and even use) in dream world, Idk about the hidden abilities. I have never gotten how to use that system (never used it in Black one, never understood it -_-). if that wouldnt be too much trouble, that team looks perfect. Im already finished EV training a 31 speed Hydreigon (lucky rofl), but need blue shards for the moveset -_-, any tips on that as well?

If worse comes to worse, would Mandibuzz be a decent replacement for Sableye? and Krookodile if I cant get secret ability Sharpedo (only 3 less attack and speed).

unless im completely wrong and secret abilities can be gotten otherwise, idk about that though.

Thanks for all the advice btw, good to see people will put up with it lol

Will update main post btw.

 

[IceArrow]

Honchkrow > Mandibuzz

Honchkrow @ Life Orb
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Spe / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Roost
- Substitute
- Sucker Punch
- Brave Bird

Krookodile is good

Night Slash > Stone Edge for Bisharp

 

[GMaster171]

So went in a lost both rounds -_- pokemon is too random, don't think I'll try this again for awhile.

first round was against psychic, was going well, mindgamed 2 nasty plots using my Zoroark discuised as Sableye, that killed 3 of his pokemon. Zoroark got out sped and died tho (mach punch after he realized it wasnt Sableye) then back to average fighting until I was down to Hydreigon and Krookodile, and he sends in a Life orb Starmie... of course at this point I miss 2 draco meteors, which lets him kill Hydreigon with Ice beam (i did out speed him...) and then he ended up outspeeding Krookodile for the kill... even he admitted he would have lost if it wasnt that one in a hundred chance to miss both.

next, poison mono. dont really even want to go on about this one... long story short, i missed 2 stone edged, 3 fire blasts, another draco meteor, an air slash, got parahaxed for 3 turns straight, and he got a crit on both my walls, both which mattered.

sigh... Pokemon, this is why I like smash.

anyway, not to be completely negative, I beat psychic in a rematch, the poison guy said that was the oddest match hes every played, and i beat both the fighting and ghost people. Thanks for all the suggestions really, my team ended up quite a lot different than I wanted (had 2 tests and 1 week to prepare, self EV training) but it was still mostly fun.

finals will be funny, Poison vs Steel... thats not imbalanced (tho i guess i did lose to psychic)

 

[Ussi]

You also beat fighting lol

Hax > type advantage

 

[GMaster171]

Yea I guess, still a little too random for me to put too much effort into, not like I do with smash.

Gonna try Pokemon online with a couple of my friends however. It makes battling much easier/quicker, and makes losing much less depressing, a week of work done in by crits/misses...

also eliminates item/gen/breeding/dream unavailability, making it more strategy based.

can close this thread if needed, I'v said all I needed to.