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Team Valin, Mark I

Well, lately, I've been working on a competitive team, based mostly around hitting hard and hitting fast, and I'm wondering how it an be improved.

Zangoose @ Muscle Band
Jolly (+speed, -sp.attack)
Immunity
Full attack and speed EVs

-Return
-Quick Attack
-Shadow Claw
-Close Combat

Max attack IVs (if IVs are worth anything...)

Gallade @ Expert Belt
Adamant (+attack, -sp.attack)
Steadfast
Full attack and speed EVs

-Leaf Blade
-Night Slash
-Close Combat
-Psycho Cut

Max speed IVs

Magmortar @ Power Herb
Modest (+sp.attack, -attack)
Flame Body
Full sp.attack and speed EVs

-Flamethrower
-Thunderbolt
-Psychic
-SolarBeam

Max special attack and speed IVs

Starmie @ Focus Sash
Modest
Natural Cure
Full sp.attack and speed EVs

-Scald
-Psyshock
-Power Gem
-Ice Beam

Max speed IVs

Galvantula @ Bright Powder
Modest (+sp.attack, -attack)
Compoundeyes
Full sp.attack and speed EVs

-Thunder
-Thunder Wave
-Energy Ball
-Bug Buzz

Max speed IVs

Absol @ Quick Claw
Adamant (+attack, -sp.attack)
Super Luck
Full attack and speed EVs

-Night Slash
-Stone Edge
-Psycho Cut
-Sucker Punch

Max attack IVs
 

KoL

Expert FPS Player
Staff member
Moderator
Before I give any advice on this, I have just one question.

Is this topic sticking around this time, or will it end up being deleted in less than a day like the other two? I'd rather not waste my time on this if it'll end up suffering the same fate as your other two topics in here.
 
King of Lucario said:
Before I give any advice on this, I have just one question.

Is this topic sticking around this time, or will it end up being deleted in less than a day like the other two? I'd rather not waste my time on this if it'll end up suffering the same fate as your other two topics in here.

Sorry. I was just having doubts about the other two, and overreacted a bit. I promise I'll keep this one around.
 

KoL

Expert FPS Player
Staff member
Moderator
You'd better.

Instead of going over each team member, I'm going to do one better and aid you with your desired concept: a team that hits hard and fast. I feel that will be more helpful to you here.

The key to this is hitting fast, VERY fast. With this type of team, speed is by far the most important stat, since the fastest attackers almost always come out on top in this game. Remember this: it doesn't matter how frail you are if your opponent can't hit you, and if you can KO them before they have a chance to attack, well...there you go. However, straight offense won't do much good unless you employ some strategy; if you try and face a bulky offense team with a fast, hard-hitting team in a straight fight, odds are the bulky team will overpower and beat you. Likewise, if you find yourself up against a stall team, your attacks will render ineffective against the brick-wall defenses of the opponent, and you'll be worn down and beaten unless you find a way around the opponent's solid defense.

First things first, Stealth Rock. This move is crucial for you to have since it helps you get those crucial KOs much easier, most notably because it'll ruin both Focus Sash and the Sturdy ability since both only work if the user is at 100% HP (with Stealth Rock down, they will suffer damage upon switching in) and the damage it inflicts, even if it's only rather slight on some adversaries, can be the difference between getting the KO on the opponent and them surviving your attack. Fast attackers can set this up for you as well as bulky Pokemon, Focus Sash Infernape being the most well-known speedy bruiser to use the move.

I'd also have someone here who can break stalling strategies. Moves like Taunt, Encore and Toxic can work well here, the second of which can actually let you set a sweep up with someone if you lock an opponent into a move that doesn't inflict damage. Moves like Thunder Wave to paralyze enemy attackers can come in handy too, ensuring that you will have that crucial speed advantage against your enemy. Probably the most notable users of such moves are Thundurus and Whimsicott due to Prankster, but I'll leave the ball in your court.

Going back to speed, as a rule, Base 100 speed is considered the "target" speed that most "hit hard and fast" sweepers want to aim for, with some exceptions (Lucario, Scizor and Blaziken) that'll often have a means of working around their sub-par speed (Extremespeed and Bullet Punch for the first two and Speed Boost for the third.) Anyone below Base 100 speed who doesn't have a way of circumventing this issue is probably not worth using for a hit-hard-and-fast job, with rare exception (Hydreigon.)

Using moves and abilities to boost speed are also key. Excadrill is considered arguably the best attacker in the standard game right now for one reason: Sand Rush doubles his speed in a sandstorm. Combine that with Base 135 Attack and Swords Dance and the rest speaks for itself. Moves like Dragon Dance, Quiver Dance and the less-common Shell Smash also qualify here for their ability to not only increase the user's offensive power, but also increase their speed at the same time. Flame Charge gets an honorary mention for being a damaging attack that boosts the user's speed, as does Choice Scarf, which boosts the holder's Speed stat by 50% and also operates quite nicely with the moves Trick and Switcheroo when used at the right time due to the drawback of locking the holder's moveset down to one move.

For now, you have some work to do. With the tremendous increase in offensive abilities Gen V brings, only the best sweepers combined with the right support will succeed with your desired team style. Unfortunately I don't know what your likes and dislikes are, so I can't suggest much to you beyond the stuff I've already mentioned, but there should be enough information for you to work out what will work best for your team.
 
King of Lucario said:
First things first, Stealth Rock. This move is crucial for you to have since it helps you get those crucial KOs much easier, most notably because it'll ruin both Focus Sash and the Sturdy ability since both only work if the user is at 100% HP (with Stealth Rock down, they will suffer damage upon switching in) and the damage it inflicts, even if it's only rather slight on some adversaries, can be the difference between getting the KO on the opponent and them surviving your attack. Fast attackers can set this up for you as well as bulky Pokemon, Focus Sash Infernape being the most well-known speedy bruiser to use the move.

Using moves and abilities to boost speed are also key. Excadrill is considered arguably the best attacker in the standard game right now for one reason: Sand Rush doubles his speed in a sandstorm. Combine that with Base 135 Attack and Swords Dance and the rest speaks for itself. Moves like Dragon Dance, Quiver Dance and the less-common Shell Smash also qualify here for their ability to not only increase the user's offensive power, but also increase their speed at the same time. Flame Charge gets an honorary mention for being a damaging attack that boosts the user's speed, as does Choice Scarf, which boosts the holder's Speed stat by 50% and also operates quite nicely with the moves Trick and Switcheroo when used at the right time due to the drawback of locking the holder's moveset down to one move.

Okay, based on that information, here's an idea I had: I'd use Tyranitar (either Impish or Careful, EV trained in defense and sp.defense, and equipped with the Focus Sash, in case the opponent leads with a fighting-type) as the team's vanguard. His Sand Stream ability creates a sandstorm, which sets up Excadrill's ability for later in that battle. Tyrantiar would also use Stealth Rock.

Also, this might also be able to be taken a step further, and I could use Garchomp too, who is fast and strong, and also benefits from the sandstorm with his Sand Veil ability. Both Garchomp and Excadrill are ground-types, but I think their typing complements each other well, as Excadrill's steel-type offsets ice damages, Garchomp's dragon-type offsets water damage, and both of their secondary types offset grass damage.
 

KoL

Expert FPS Player
Staff member
Moderator
With all those ideas, you might as well run a full sandstorm team. There's enough good offensive options out there to make it work.
 
Another idea: Lead with Gigalith (Nature and EVs focused on defense and sp.defense), and use Stealth Rock right off the bat, with Sturdy and a Lum Berry to ensure that it will happen. After that, Gigalith causes as much damage as possible before fainting, using Explosion, if the opportunity presents itself.

Next up is Ninjask, with its Nature, EVs, and IVs all poured into its speed stat. It leads with Protect, testing the waters, and allowing for a Speed Boost. On the next turn, Ninjask uses Swords Dance, surviving retaliation with a Focus Sash, and then another Speed Boost. Lastly, another Protect and Speed Boost. Finally, Ninjask uses Baton Pass, and transfers the effects of the Swords Dance and three Speed Boosts (more of both, if the enemy doesn't attack on the Swords Dance turn) to Garchomp, Weavile, Gallade, or whatever's most likely to survive the next attack (even the slower ones should be faster than most of the competition with three+ Speed Boosts). The boosted Pokemon could very well be all that's needed for the rest of the battle.

Even if the strategy ends up going awry at some point, Stealth Rock should still negate Sturdy or a Focus Sash on the enemy's side, and the rest of the team should still stand a chance, assuming the opponent doesn't have Rapid Spin handy, and even then there's still a chance.
 

KoL

Expert FPS Player
Staff member
Moderator
Your first idea was better, since it doesn't need Baton Pass and Tyranitar as a lead will do far more for you than Gigalith overall.
 
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