Guide Team Builder's Workshop

Equinox

Stallwart Player
Member
Have an idea for a team you want to see come to fruition, yet frustrated because you can't think of team members with proper synergy? Well, be frustrated no more! Ask for suggestions here!
But, there are rules you must follow before posting here.
  1. Realize no one is here to make your whole team, by "your idea for a team" I mean a core of two to three Pokemon, no one is here to build your team for you.
  2. Provide an explanation for these Pokemon. What does one Pokemon do for the other?
  3. What is your overall goal? Do you want this Pokemon to set up and sweep and the other to clean up the weakened ones?
  4. For critiques, provide a reason as to why you are recommending said Pokemon.
  5. Accept criticism, people are only here to help you improve.
  6. Mention what tier your team is built for.
  7. Do not continually post team cores, others need the help to! Wait until a couple of other people have posted their Pokemon, before you post another one.
 
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lutzz

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Raptor (Talonflame) (F) @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Swords Dance
- Substitute/protect


Brave bird the bread and butter damage for talonflame, flare blitz STAB againts Steel types, then a set up move with sword dance to boost damage, substitute to help with set up or protect to scout out some ice/rock moves.

need some help creating a team centered around it
 

Equinox

Stallwart Player
Member
Before I go on, what is this for? OU, VGC, or Battle Spot? I can only assist with OU, as I don't play Doubles. While this looks like it's for single play I'm still curious as to what you're needing it for exactly
 
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Scattered mind

Competitive VG Forums Mod
Forum Mod
Member
How about Starmie ? Starmie can use Rapid Spin to clear away Stealth Rocks which can threat Talonflame from switching in and out. Additionally, Starmie can hit Heatran hard with Hydro Pump. You can have Breloom to create a FGW core which can use Spore to keep your threats out and Rock Tomb to make the opponent slower.
 

lutzz

Aspiring Trainer
Member
sorry for the late reply, i just started pokemon like at the start of jan and i just entered the battle spot/ rating battles. so really im not familiar with terms like OUs.
still thinking bout the last pokemon, either going for a adamant excadrill with rapid spin, a drought solarbeam combo ninetails or a impish blissey

for now the team i have assembled are below note that i am a complete newbie so the ev spread might be bad in some pokemon

Raptor (Talonflame) (F) @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- U-turn/flare blitz
- Swords Dance
- Roost

Milotic @ Assault Vest
Ability: Competitive
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Dragon Pulse

Dragonite @ Persim Berry
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Fire Punch
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake

Klefki @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Play Rough
- Swagger
- Foul Play
- Toxic

Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Psychic
 

lutzz

Aspiring Trainer
Member
if im gonna put in starmie should i take out my milotic? milotic is my special def tank.... if so can starmie be my double screen supporter? or is it a sweeper?
something like this ok?

Starmie @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Light Screen
- Reflect
 

Scattered mind

Competitive VG Forums Mod
Forum Mod
Member
Battle Spot is a different thing.

Raptor (Talonflame) (F) @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- U-turn/flare blitz
- Swords Dance
- Roost

Go for Flare Blitz. After using SD you want to stay in as much as possible with the boosted attack.


Dragonite @ Persim Berry
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Fire Punch
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake

Go for Choice Band. Gives you a lot more power. Also change the nature if you can to Adamant if you want it to hit even harder.

Klefki @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Play Rough
- Swagger
- Foul Play
- Toxic

252 EV on speed is a waste. Move them to the defense stat. Instead of Play Rough go for Thunder Wave so you can slow down fast opponents. Toxic is for bulky ones.

Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Psychic

Change Moonblast for Focus Blast to hit Steel types. You already have Hyper Voice for Fairy STAB.
 

lutzz

Aspiring Trainer
Member
Battle Spot is a different thing.

Raptor (Talonflame) (F) @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
Level: 50
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Brave Bird
- U-turn/flare blitz
- Swords Dance
- Roost

Go for Flare Blitz. After using SD you want to stay in as much as possible with the boosted attack.


Dragonite @ Persim Berry
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Fire Punch
- Extreme Speed
- Earthquake

Go for Choice Band. Gives you a lot more power. Also change the nature if you can to Adamant if you want it to hit even harder.

Klefki @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Careful Nature
- Play Rough
- Swagger
- Foul Play
- Toxic

252 EV on speed is a waste. Move them to the defense stat. Instead of Play Rough go for Thunder Wave so you can slow down fast opponents. Toxic is for bulky ones.

Gardevoir @ Gardevoirite
Ability: Trace
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Psychic

Change Moonblast for Focus Blast to hit Steel types. You already have Hyper Voice for Fairy STAB.

thx for the advice ill work on the dragonite
 

SirKnight

Securing the win
Member
I need help in put at team together that involves Sylveon for Doubles, and since I only played the tcg competitively, I know little to know about how Sylveon plays.

Please help.
 

Equinox

Stallwart Player
Member
I need help in put at team together that involves Sylveon for Doubles, and since I only played the tcg competitively, I know little to know about how Sylveon plays.

Please help.
Sylveon is definitely an interesting Pokémon, given that it can run both offensive and defensive sets. Also, thanks to Sylveon's ability, all Normal-type moves become Fairy-type. Defensive sets usually involve Wish, Heal Bell, Protect, and Hyper Voice, the focus being getting rid of status conditions and passing off Wishes to team mates to restore health. But overall, before anyone can continue, what are you wanting Sylveon to do exactly?
 

SirKnight

Securing the win
Member
Sylveon is definitely an interesting Pokémon, given that it can run both offensive and defensive sets. Also, thanks to Sylveon's ability, all Normal-type moves become Fairy-type. Defensive sets usually involve Wish, Heal Bell, Protect, and Hyper Voice, the focus being getting rid of status conditions and passing off Wishes to team mates to restore health. But overall, before anyone can continue, what are you wanting Sylveon to do exactly?
Well... not really looking for anything specific. Just try to figure out what Sylveon's good for. So i guess deference.
 

Scattered mind

Competitive VG Forums Mod
Forum Mod
Member
A great partner for Sylveon imo is Heatran- Immune to Poison, strong against Steel types like Aegislash and can check Fire types with Earth Power, while Sylveon can help Heatran against Fighting types.
Sylveon in Doubles is great offensively with Hyper Voice, Moonblast, Protect and Psyshock with Sitrus Berry or Choice Specs if you want more power (replace Protect with HP Ground or Shadow Ball).
Mega Kangaskhan is a great Mega option for Sylveon for using Fake Out and dealing with Aegislah and Gengar.

Although I'm not sure how much effective Sylveon is right now in VGC16 with the new legendary mechanic allowing people to use Xerneas..
 

Secret Agent Seal

Aspiring Trainer
Member
I have a pair that users of this forum might find interesting:

Beedrill @ Beedrillite
Ability: Sniper
EVs: 252 Atk / 80 Def / 176 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Protect
- U-turn
- Poison Jab
- Pursuit

Landorus-T @ Yache Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: ???
??? Nature
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Hidden Power: Ice

Comments:

1) M-Beedrill can be destructive, but it struggles with common Rocky Helmet walls.
2) I wanted a lure for Rocky Helmet Garchomp and Landorus-T which would also fit on a Volt-Turn team, and so I have opted for HP Ice on my own Landorus-T.
3) Yache Berry on Landorus-T is a nice failsafe for M-Manectric and M-Lopunny who are a pest to offense teams.
4) I prefer Pursuit on M-Beedrill because removing Lati@s and Starmie is often more crucial than beating Heatran.

Questions:

1) M-Beedrill's Pursuit support is very useful. What would be a good Pokemon to benefit from this? Example: Keldeo appreciates the removal of Lati@S and Starmie.
2) What would be a fitting deterent/lure to Rocky Helmet Ferrothorn and Skarmory? There's always Magnezone/ton, but anything else a little more outside the box? Example: HP Fire Starmie.
3) What would be an optimal EV spread + nature for such a Landorus-T?
 

iSharingan

Competitive VG Tutor and Gizoid
Member
Cant really help on question 1 (as I've retreated more to VGC than OU right now), but I can help on the other two

2.) Togekiss. Fairies are a steel magnet and with Fire blast and a physically defensive build, Togekiss can tank a Choice Band Scizor's Bullet Punch and KO with Fire Blast (Flamethrower also regularly KOs, but wont OHKO bulky Mega Scizor and leaves standard Ferrothorn with about 2-12% HP)
Here's my set:
Togekiss (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Air Slash
- Fire Blast
- Roost

It's essentially just a BW era Nasty Plot EV spread modified for Paraflinch and with Fire Blast to account for steel types. Ironically it struggles against the likes of Garchomp, but other allies can usually dispatch Chomp with minimal losses.

Back to the original question: Knock Off can be learned by Landorus (via OR/AS tutor), too, and that's handy for depriving a foe of items - especially Rocky Helmets, Leftovers, Life Orbs, Choice items, etc.

3.)
Landorus (Landorus-T) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spd
IVs: 30 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Hidden Power [Ice]


This is the landorus I've used recently and it served me quite well. It's a Choice set, but even then it still hits like a ton of bricks and doesn't take too many hits due to U-turn+Intimidate being it's primary use If you're interested in the full (albeit a little outdated) team, you can find it here. It uses a three-fold strategy that could switch its focus ant almost any point.

Because I never got around to an RMT for it:
The main focus was Volt-turn with Intimidate to shut down most physical opponents, with solid defensive type synergy, the ability to burn/toxic stall, and wish-passing for semi-reliable recovery. The main weakness when hazards are up is getting a chance to have Scizor get off Defog when it's main counters are gone (thus cant switch in to give a free defog turn). As a bonus, Manectric can often sweep when it pulls a incoming electric attack aimed at Gyarados (thus a free +1 SAtk), then Mega to intimidate the inevitable incoming EQ user - often KOing with a +1 HP Ice before proceeding to rip through/cripple most of the rest of the team with his decent coverage.
 
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