It has been an extremely long time since I have last competitive battled, but with the release of HeartGold and SoulSilver, I thought of getting back into it. So: here is my first RMT in quite a long time. Feel free to criticize it heavily; I am way out of touch.
The team at a glance:
The purpose of the team:
This is a team relying on Ninjask's boosts with speed and attack to deal massive damage. It is not a pure baton pass team, just more of a pass and sweep. The team only has one wall, and this may end up being a problem.
Close-up of the team:
Ninjask (Shuriken)@Leftovers
176 HP / 252 Atk / 80 Spe
Jolly
Swords Dance
X-Scissor
Substitute
Baton Pass
This is the one who starts the chaos. Since Ninjask can outspeed any non-scarfed pokemon on the first turn, and then even scarfers on the second turn, I just have to stall with substitute to get in 1 swords dance and up to 4 speed boosts before passing it on. Scissor is for use against Azelf leads, but I am wondering if I should swap it for Aerial Ace or Protect.
The main weakness this Ninjask faces is Stealth Rock (more on that later under team weaknesses). Since I substitute the first turn, leads usually set up stealth rock, and this destroys Ninjask when I bring it out again.
Metagross (Blue Meanie)@Choice Band
252 HP / 236 Atk / 12 Def / 8 Spe
Adamant
Meteor Mash
Thunderpunch
Earthquake
Explosion
After a few speed boosts and one swords dance from Ninjask, CB Metagross tends to rip through many teams. With its buffs, it can 2HKO Skarmory with Tpunch, OHKO Blissey with Meteor Mash, and one to 2 hit any other defensive pokemon. The only major weakness is choice band, which forces it to only select one move. This forces me to have to switch out, which is one reason I'm thinking Life Orb over it.
Machamp (GenGrievous)@Choice Band
252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant
Ability: No Guard
Dynamic Punch
Thunderpunch
Ice Punch
Payback
First, I want to address the No Guard over Guts. I simply like Dynamic Punch over Close Combat. Aside from the auto confuse, Dynamicpunch does not reduce champ's defense and special defense, and I'm intending champ to stay in as long as possible, so I don't want to lose bulkiness.
All that aside, Machamp functions like Metagross. It can be a recipient of the BP, and then sweep with full effectiveness. The only thing it really fears is Zapdos and Skarmory, and even then DynamicPunch has the auto confusion, so if luck goes on my side I can land a 2HKO.
Suicune (Okami)@Leftovers
252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold
Calm Mind
Rest
Sleep Talk
Surf
The typical Crocune. This pokemon can be extremely annoying due to its ability to heal and buff up. I have had situations where I have been able to get 6 calm minds and then sweep with surf while resisting everything under the sun. In this offensive team, Suicune is the only wall I have, and this may be another weakness because when it goes down I cannot counter with anything else. Still, Suicune does a good job of stalling, bulking up, and healing when the time requires. I sometimes use it for the BP so that it can heal before the other pokemon can finish it off.
Azelf (Catastor)@Life Orb
4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid
Nasty Plot
Psychic
Flamethrower
HP Fighting
Azelf is the only special sweeper of the team, and it excels at using the speed boosts and substitutes as methods of getting Nasty Plot up. With enough speed support, I can outspeed scarfers. HP Fighting is to get rid of Tyranitar and Weavile. I feel that I may need another special sweeper on the team but so far Azelf has been doing a good job by itself.
Lucario (need good nickname)@Life Orb
Jolly
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Ability: Inner Focus
Swords Dance
Extremespeed
Close Combat
Ice Punch
Lucario is one of my favorite options for a baton pass, especially if I have a sub to back it up. I'm using SD Lucario because if I can get an SD off of Ninjask, and then follow it up with another one from Lucario, what could survive? This is the most kamikaze pokemon on my team because I usually don't care whether it lives or dies, I keep it in there and let it rain down hell until it finally goes down. Lucario especially helps me greatly in the late game.
Team weaknesses:
A major weakness of my team is the lack of walling. Suicune is my only real wall to absorb blows, and I have lost games due to being successfully stalled by amazing walls on my opponent's part.
Another weakness is the lack of spinning and stealth rocking. While stealth rock does not harm most of my team, it destroys Ninjask, and thus eliminates BPing.
Finally, I am not sure whether or not I should have 2 choice banders. I feel that choice band limits me way too much, and that one of the two should be life orbed instead.
The team at a glance:
The purpose of the team:
This is a team relying on Ninjask's boosts with speed and attack to deal massive damage. It is not a pure baton pass team, just more of a pass and sweep. The team only has one wall, and this may end up being a problem.
Close-up of the team:
Ninjask (Shuriken)@Leftovers
176 HP / 252 Atk / 80 Spe
Jolly
Swords Dance
X-Scissor
Substitute
Baton Pass
This is the one who starts the chaos. Since Ninjask can outspeed any non-scarfed pokemon on the first turn, and then even scarfers on the second turn, I just have to stall with substitute to get in 1 swords dance and up to 4 speed boosts before passing it on. Scissor is for use against Azelf leads, but I am wondering if I should swap it for Aerial Ace or Protect.
The main weakness this Ninjask faces is Stealth Rock (more on that later under team weaknesses). Since I substitute the first turn, leads usually set up stealth rock, and this destroys Ninjask when I bring it out again.
Metagross (Blue Meanie)@Choice Band
252 HP / 236 Atk / 12 Def / 8 Spe
Adamant
Meteor Mash
Thunderpunch
Earthquake
Explosion
After a few speed boosts and one swords dance from Ninjask, CB Metagross tends to rip through many teams. With its buffs, it can 2HKO Skarmory with Tpunch, OHKO Blissey with Meteor Mash, and one to 2 hit any other defensive pokemon. The only major weakness is choice band, which forces it to only select one move. This forces me to have to switch out, which is one reason I'm thinking Life Orb over it.
Machamp (GenGrievous)@Choice Band
252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant
Ability: No Guard
Dynamic Punch
Thunderpunch
Ice Punch
Payback
First, I want to address the No Guard over Guts. I simply like Dynamic Punch over Close Combat. Aside from the auto confuse, Dynamicpunch does not reduce champ's defense and special defense, and I'm intending champ to stay in as long as possible, so I don't want to lose bulkiness.
All that aside, Machamp functions like Metagross. It can be a recipient of the BP, and then sweep with full effectiveness. The only thing it really fears is Zapdos and Skarmory, and even then DynamicPunch has the auto confusion, so if luck goes on my side I can land a 2HKO.
Suicune (Okami)@Leftovers
252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold
Calm Mind
Rest
Sleep Talk
Surf
The typical Crocune. This pokemon can be extremely annoying due to its ability to heal and buff up. I have had situations where I have been able to get 6 calm minds and then sweep with surf while resisting everything under the sun. In this offensive team, Suicune is the only wall I have, and this may be another weakness because when it goes down I cannot counter with anything else. Still, Suicune does a good job of stalling, bulking up, and healing when the time requires. I sometimes use it for the BP so that it can heal before the other pokemon can finish it off.
Azelf (Catastor)@Life Orb
4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid
Nasty Plot
Psychic
Flamethrower
HP Fighting
Azelf is the only special sweeper of the team, and it excels at using the speed boosts and substitutes as methods of getting Nasty Plot up. With enough speed support, I can outspeed scarfers. HP Fighting is to get rid of Tyranitar and Weavile. I feel that I may need another special sweeper on the team but so far Azelf has been doing a good job by itself.
Lucario (need good nickname)@Life Orb
Jolly
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Ability: Inner Focus
Swords Dance
Extremespeed
Close Combat
Ice Punch
Lucario is one of my favorite options for a baton pass, especially if I have a sub to back it up. I'm using SD Lucario because if I can get an SD off of Ninjask, and then follow it up with another one from Lucario, what could survive? This is the most kamikaze pokemon on my team because I usually don't care whether it lives or dies, I keep it in there and let it rain down hell until it finally goes down. Lucario especially helps me greatly in the late game.
Team weaknesses:
A major weakness of my team is the lack of walling. Suicune is my only real wall to absorb blows, and I have lost games due to being successfully stalled by amazing walls on my opponent's part.
Another weakness is the lack of spinning and stealth rocking. While stealth rock does not harm most of my team, it destroys Ninjask, and thus eliminates BPing.
Finally, I am not sure whether or not I should have 2 choice banders. I feel that choice band limits me way too much, and that one of the two should be life orbed instead.
