Shiftry in da house!

[RedGalaxy]

Heyo! How's you doin'? I'm back again, this time with my very first weather team. (When I say this, I mean the very first team I intended to be a weather team.) In this case, its a sun team that's based around the power that is Shiftry.

Why Shiftry? Well, in 4th gen, I hardly ever made an NU team without him. I mean, he was the bees knees. I had like three or four sets I liked to use, and abuse. Well, I noticed that for fifth gen, I haven't really used him much, if at all. (I can kinda recall a team I built back when I first started 5th gen, but I don't remember if I had a Shiftry on it or not.) and I also noticed that with Drought on Ninetails, I could exploit his Chlorophyll ability to its maximum. So... without further ado, lets do this...

*Note, when you rate my team... you can suggest changes, but not replacements for Ninetails or Shiftry, the others are far game.

Team Building:

Like I said, I wanted to make a sun team, that featured the amazingness that is Shiftry. So, I started with those two pokemon. From there, I did what I could to make them survive and look better...

I decided on a Banded Azumarill to help handle T-Tar and Hippowdon who always switch in to get rid of my sun, and he just doesn't know how to let me down! I honestly believe that. (Though I have questioned adding a RP Starmie, because of the dangers of both Politoed and SR)

I then added a sashed Azelf to put up the ever important Stealth Rocks, which most teams can't live without. It gets the job done, and can also outspeed most other pokes who want to add up Entry hazards, and taunt them. (I've only ever run into one scarfed spiker, and it was the oddest Skarmory I've ever seen. lol.)

Next came someone else who could also abuse the sun. My first choice was Arcanine, but it just didn't do the job quite right, so I changed him out for Infernape quickly. He does a pretty amazing job, I can't lie.

I gave my team another good look over, and noticed that I really was actually very offensive, and I could use a bit more added defense, so I decided that steel/psychic type, with there 100+ resistences, and few weaknesses, would help me on the physically, so I added a standard Jirachi to my team.

Ninetales (M) @ Leftovers Trait: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Will-O-Wisp
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
The obvious pokemon for any sun team. CM to boost his decent SDef. Will-O-Wisp to help with those physical attackers as best as I can. Fire Blast over Flamethrower, because I'll admit. I'm one lucky SoB. I hardly miss. That's not to say that I won't miss, but I when I do, it hardly matters in the long run. I decided that I'd have Dark Pulse over other moves, because well... I couldn't decide on another move to put there. (Honestly)

Shiftry (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Chlorophyll
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Sucker Punch
- X-Scissor
- Seed Bomb
- Swords Dance
Swords Dance... because when I bring him out, the opponent doesn't know what to make of this guy, and switches to something else they think will handle it. Seed Bomb and Sucker Punch for my Dual STAB, and X-Scissor to handle other threats, such as other Grass types that hope to take advantage of my Sun.

Azelf @ Focus Sash
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Hardy Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Thunderbolt
- Psychic
Azelf. Still one of the most reliable Stealth Rockers around, as well as one of the hardest pokemon to understand, because of its 101 different sets. I decided I'd keep him simple though, with Taunt Stealth Rock, T-Bolt, and Psychic. Focus Sash basically makes sure I get my rocks up, and with my great speed, I can stop others from setting up, and while this looks like a suicide Stealth Rocker, I do try to keep it alive as long as possible so I can also handle Politoeds and other water pokemon.

Azumarill (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Huge Power
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Waterfall
- Superpower
- Ice Punch
- Double-Edge
You can't deny Azumarill. You try to, but he just laughs at you, and then proceeds to kick the opponents team single handed. (for the most part) He also helps in place of Infernape if Ninetails dies before the opponents Politoed. Waterfall for STAB, Superpower for pure power, Ice Punch for Gliscor or others like him, and Double-Edge, just incase. (I couldn't decide on a move in place of Double-Edge)

Jirachi @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Wish
- Body Slam
- Zen Headbutt

- Iron Head
Like a said above. A rather standard Jirachi. Max HP/Max Def, with Wish to heal my team, and Body Slam, Iron Head, and Zen Headbutt to abuse its Serene Grace ability. I really can't add much to this pokemon. I mean, that's what Jirachi does, and it does it well. (I almost had a Togekiss here, but I needed more physical defense.)

Infernape (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Blaze
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Close Combat
- Flare Blitz
- Earthquake
- U-turn
And Infernape. The Revenge Killer Expert. No joke. Flare Blitz in the sun... yeah, your lucky if take only half your HP in damage. Close Combat from Infernape is just a beastly move. It really does do wonders. Earthquake, for coverage, and U-Turn to get the hell out of dodge, to help get that advantage, if I need it. I guess this is a pretty standard set, but it does work really well.

So... That's the team for you. Like I said above, you can suggest changes, but not replacements for Ninetails and Shiftry, the rest are fair game. So, what do you think? Rip this team apart, I don't mind, so long as you aren't exceedingly rude about it, that is.

 

[RedGalaxy]

BUMP

Does anyone have anything to add? I mean, it can't be that good, can it? or is it so bad that no one thinks it can be fixed? That would suck, but I have sort of made teams like that.

 

[Princess Bubblegum]

Azumarill is just off, if you need something to kill off tyranitar, azumarill in the sun is not the best idea, use Hitmontop. Hitmontop has the added benifit of being a solid physical wall and rapid spinner, something this team needs.

It should look something like this:

Hitmontop @ Leftovers
Intimidate
Impish
252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
-rapid spin
-Foresight / Toxic
-Close Combat / High Jump Kick
-Rest / Sucker Punch

Also Azelf is an odd choice, in the metagame Deoxys-S sets up rocks much better as a "lead" and it has spikes too, and it had a better movepool and defenses. Although, I am not sure if you team really needs that. What your team needs is a special sweeper or wall breaker. For that, I suggest 3 possible pokemon, Heatran, Latios, and Thundurus. Heatran can still set up stealth rocks and beat down fellow sun teams, Latios can punch large holes in teams for Shiftry to later sweep with and it synergizes pretty well with your team, and finally Thundurus can sweep unprepared teams and deal with rain teams.

Also a lot of your moves and evs are off too. But unfortunately, I am posting on my wii so I can't find the correct sets. If they are not already discussed, I would be happy to find them later.

 

[fatsnorlax]

Perhaps even better than Hitmontop.

Mole Dude

Dugtrio @ Choice Band
Ability: Arena Trap
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4hp/252atk/252spd
-Sucker Punch
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
-Shadow Punch

This thing revenge kills (and traps) T-Tar like a pro. It also provides an additional check to Lati@s. GL Hope I helped(:

 

[RedGalaxy]

Okay. I'll try out both pokes. Thanks for the help. (looking at both pokes, I like Dugtrio more than Hitmontop though, though I won't know how they work until I try them both.) Oh, and Dugtrio doesn't learn Shadow Punch, it learns Shadow Claw.

Anyone else got any thing to add?

 

[Princess Bubblegum]

Dugtrio can't trap Tyranitar, hate to tell you, choice banded versions can't even 1HKO with earthquake.

If you till plan on keeping something like Azelf, for stealth rocks, please switch for Deoxys-S as it does the job much better.

Use This Ninetales

Ninetales @ Leftovers
Trait: Drought
EVs: 252 HP / 96 SDef / 160 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Will-O-Wisp
- Roar / Hidden Power Fighting / Toxic
- Protect / Substitute

Ok ninetails needs to stay alive, in order for you to sweep with shiftry, so naturally you need a more defensive set, this is it. The evs give you good special bulk, (ninetails ain't takings no hit on the physical side) while it gives you enough speed to outspeed excadrill, making a semi-excadrill check. Flamethrower is needed stab, and willow-wisp is needed to cripple t-tar. The rest of its movepool is needed for support. Roar can make for a baton pass team check if you need it (since ninetails usually leads anyway), while HP-fighting beats out t-tar and heatran, and toxic offers dual status for stalling pokemon that don't give a shit about being burned. Protect can stall out and scout out, same with substitute too.

All shiftry needs is to switch x-scissor to low kick or natural power, as x-scissor does nothing outside of hitting those rare pure grass types harder (tangrowth). Natural power hits fire types, while low kick is mainly for coverage. If you don't go for my heatran suggestion, then natural power is probably the way to go.

Azumarill needs aqua jet over double edge, for the needed priority, if you plan to keep it.

Jirachi needs these evs: 252 HP / 224 SpD / 32 Spe, the speed allows it to outspeed tyranitar. Outside of that, just switch zen headbutt for protect / stealth rocks, protect allows you to actually heal with wish while stealth rocks can be used if you end up going with my Latios / Thundurus suggestion, as stealth rocks is always nice.

Azelf probably would like ice beam or fire blast better then psychic.

On infernape, earthquake almost has no use, switch for stone edge which atleast allows you to hit gyrados hard. Aside from that, switch up the one ev in HP to defense, it might seem nitpicky, but with that one HP will give Infernape even health and then it will be bogged down by stealth rocks and sandstorm.

 

[Katz]

Azelf is usually your lead right? because if he isn't then having a focus sash on him is basically a waste of an item since how entry hazards are sooo common these days.

 

[mrbiggstuff444]

Good team! I only have one suggestion. Azumarill will work if sands up but can not do anything to hippowdon if your sun is up. Why not try Mienshau with the following possible setup:

Mienshau @ life orb
Jolly nature (+Sp, -Sp.Atk)
Trait:Regenerator

Fake out
Hi Jump Kick
u-turn
stone edge

This set is stopped by Jellicient but Shifty mops the floor with nearly any jellicent setup. Fake out ruins sashes, ruins multiscale, and checks for a switch to ghost to counter your known Hi Jump Kick. Stone edge destroys flyers/fire types and hits anything hard that doesn't resist. U-turn waxes physics, grass types, and darks and restores life orb damage with regenerator.

 

[Jaetheho]

lol azumarill on a sun team. i agree with dugtrio as it can trap and kill tyranitar. u can also try conkeldurr to scare tyranitar.

 

[Antithesis]

Perhaps even better than Hitmontop.

Mole Dude

Dugtrio @ Choice Band
Ability: Arena Trap
Nature: Jolly
EVs: 4hp/252atk/252spd
-Sucker Punch
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
-Shadow Punch

This thing revenge kills (and traps) T-Tar like a pro. It also provides an additional check to Lati@s. GL Hope I helped(:

No, a Dugtrio with Jolly nature does 80% / 95% to Tyranitar maximum HP.

 

[Z-rex]

hm I won't give you a full rate but X scissor is useless on shiftry , the advantage that shiftry have over other chlorophyll sweepers is that it can actually beat baloon tran with his access to both focus blast and low kick .. so i'd suggest you replace X scisor with low kick or change your set to this one :

Shiftry @ life orb / lum berry

252 Spatk / 252 spd , modest

Growth
dark pulse
focus blast
giga drain

perfect coverage , the ability to murder the lati twins and heatran , only walled by blissey but your team handle her well ..

good luck .

 

[Skii]

Uhhm, I'm not very good with this whole competitive battling thing, I started like two days ago, but i run a sun team with shiftry and if you run low kick over X-scizzor, it will kill almost all tyranitars. I've only ever faced one that lived and it was at like 8% or something. This means you can get rid of Azumaril and put in another sun sweeper . . . .

 

[emirinho]

You get raped with Latios. Try putting blissey istead of jirachi, and a def wall who knows stealth rocks, possibly deoxys-d...