My CB Team: Any Help?

[Kerauno]

Hello Charmsians! I have a competitive battling team in Platinum, and I'm not 100% confident in it. If anyone can help, I'd be grateful. Here is my team. Thay are all level 100.

Lucario @ Fist Plate
Hardy
Steadfast
HP: 281
Att.: 254
Def: 152
Sp. A.: 254
Sp. D.: 149
Speed: 188
- Aura Sphere
- Force Palm
- Dragon Pulse
- Close Combat

Luxray @ Magnet
Rash (+sp.a, -sp.d)
Rivalry
HP: 281
Att.: 254
Def: 173
Sp. A.: 233
Sp. D.: 167
Speed: 173
- Discharge
- Thunder Fang
- Crunch
- Spark

Altaria @ Dragon Fang
Bashful
Natural Cure
HP: 291
Att: 168
Def: 195
Sp.A: 162
Sp.D: 234
Speed: 171
- Sky Attack
- Perish Song
- Song
- Dragon Pulse

Milotic @ Mystic Water
Sassy (+sp.d, -speed)
Marvel Scale
HP: 300
Att: 125
Def: 163
Sp.A: 205
Sp.D: 280
Speed: 150
- Hail
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Water Pulse

Shaymin (Land Forme) @ Rose Incense
Gentle (+sp.d, -def.)
Natural Cure
HP: 314
Att: 221
Def: 193
Sp.A: 229
Sp.D: 256
Speed: 212
- Energy Ball
- Magical Ball
- Grass Knot
- Seed Flare

Camerupt @ Flame Plate
Sassy (+sp.d, -speed)
Magma Armor
HP: 143
Att: 126
Def: 95
Sp.A: 125
Sp.D: 99
Speed: 55
- Earth Power
- Earthquake
- Flamethrower
- Fire Blast
This is my team. Any suggestions for moves changes, member changes, or EV training? Feel free to say anything.

 

[Sir Red]

Well, if you want to get this team up to snuff for competitive battling, you have a bit of work on your hands. (But don't be discouraged ^^) For starters, do not put moves of the same type on a Pokemon unless both of them serve different and legitimate purposes. So pick one STAB move for the Pokemon and leave it at that.

You're natures aren't really that good, so you're probably going to want to re-breed for more beneficial natures. As well as abilities for some (especially Luxray, Rivalry is far inferior to Intimidate).

Also, you're probably going to want to think about using different held items, seeing as there are far more beneficial items out there when it comes to the metagame. (Something like Flame Orb may be nice on your Milotic to activate Marvel Scale and increase your Defense stat. You could then use Aqua Ring to cancel out the HP loss, and you don't need to worry about the Attack drop seeing as you should only be using Special Attacks really.) <- Really only an example, haven't tested that so don't take my word for it working :x

One of the best things you should think about is what purpose do you want each of the members of your team to have. From there you can try and come up with sets that tailor to those needs, and if you let us know those roles giving advice will be much easier.

If you just correct those things you'll already be a whole lot better off, and then the real fun begins. ^^

P.S. :You mentioned EV's, and it would be helpful to know if you know about them and how to EV train.

 

[Kerauno]

I kinda knew that I need to work on this. And I never thought about that strategy for Milotic. Anyways, what natures, abilities, etc. would I need to make it better? Anything counts.

As for purpose of members, Lucario is for taking care of Normal, Rock, Steel, Ice, and Dark types.
Luxray is for Flying and Water. Plus, I always need an Electric type with me.
Altaria is for Fighting, Bug, Grass, and Dragon. (As if the last one would fix anything...)
Milotic takes care of Ground, Rock, and Fire.
Shaymin eliminates the Water. But Luxray can do that, so another approach for another type would work.
Camerupt is for... Well, he's like Shaymin. The other types can be taken care of with the others.

The only types I can't cover are Psychic, Ghost, and Poison. Shaymin and Camerupt can go, as long as they are replaced by Poke's that can cover the other 3 types. I was thinking a Psychic and a Dark. Gardevoir and Mightyena. You agree? I was also thinking to replce Luxray with Raichu. Better speed, I think.

 

[Nim]

Use this when you are trying to figure out what types you can cover (seriously, it'll make it so much easier having it all layed out for you.)
http://pokemon.marriland.com/diamond_pe ... m_builder/

And yeah, as Red said you shouldn't really have two of the same type attacks on one pokemon and also If you want it'll probably help if you had a Spiker or Stealth rocks user to add to your team.

This site will give you a bit more knowledge of competitive battling because like you I am very new to it and it really helped me with choosing a structure to go by.
http://strategywiki.org/wiki/Pok%C3%A9m ... ing_a_Team

If you end up having a couple of weaknesses to rock it'll also be in your best intrest to consider a rapid spinner so you aren't such a target for stealth rocks and less importantly in this case, spikes.

I hope this information helps in the creation of your team.

 

[Sir Red]

For starters, this is a good topic to take a look at: http://www.pokecharms.com/forums/http://www.pokecharms.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=0

lol, not quite what I meant when I was talking about roles, but that's alright. You see, there are various roles that Pokemon can take on a team and the most common are Sweepers and Walls. There can be both Physical and Special of each (with the occasional Mixed, but those are a bit more tricky) of them. Sweepers are Pokemon that are going to want to tear their way through as many Pokemon as they can before dying in a blaze of glory, and Walls are Pokemon who's job it is to stop them from doing that and provide a necessary counter to those Pokemon (generally Walls will carry some type of move to hinder the opposition in some way, whether it be something like Toxic, ThunderWave, Confuse Ray or something like Light Screen and Reflect). There are obviously many more complex jobs for Pokemon to do, but I'm trying to keep it relatively simple for the time being.

Luxray is going to want a nature that boosts Attack, that much is for sure (although that Speed stat is a bit worrysome). Milotic's nature is close, but you'd be much better off with the one that raises Sp. Def and lowers Attack (Calm, I believe).

As for the rest, I've never really done any research into them, and therefore don't want to give out any advice that I can't really back up well, so I apologize for that.

 

[Kerauno]

This is all such great advice! Nim, the D/P team builder says I can cover all types, but I also have quite a few disadantages. I think I covered all the types with the team I listed above. So, I ask this: Natures and Abilities are imortant. for these pokemon, what would be best? I think I will switch Milotic and Altaria for Corsola and Jumpluff. And replacing Luxray for Raichu, is that a good idea. I'm trying to think what moves I need to back up a good team.

Also, you're probably going to want to think about using different held items, seeing as there are far more beneficial items out there when it comes to the metagame. (Something like Flame Orb may be nice on your Milotic to activate Marvel Scale and increase your Defense stat. You could then use Aqua Ring to cancel out the HP loss, and you don't need to worry about the Attack drop seeing as you should only be using Special Attacks really.) <- Really only an example, haven't tested that so don't take my word for it working :x

I think that is a good idea. I'll test it and see what happens. I'm gonna need to start breeding, but there is a slight problem. I know next to nothing about breeding for nature, moves, ability, etc. I've tried once, and I got what I needed, (Togepi with Facade) But other than that, no experience. Any guides will help.

 

[Sir Red]

For breeding for Egg moves, I tend to use Bulbapedia. On each Pokemon's page their is a section that shows you what Egg Moves they can have, and what fathers can pass them on to the baby. Bulbapedia is a good place to check for that, and various other things pertaining to move pools and base stats.

 

[Kerauno]

This is good. I'm going to read into natures and breeding, and get back to you. As for team members, I'm still modifying. I cover everything with some, but have many weaknesses. As for moves, one STAB attack for each. More status reducers/increasers. (I'm not too big on those to be honest.) better items. New abilities/natures. I'll get right on it. again, thanks for all the help.

Okay, I'm done with my research, and I've started breeding. I'll get back to y'all later.