[RATE MY TEAM] Netherlandish's Teams

[Netherlandish]

Pardon to bump an old thread, but I've been doing some work on my main VGC team lately. Since we got our internet fixed, and I shifted all of my competitive Pokés over to my Alpha Sapphire game, I decided to take my VGC team into the ratings battles and see how it truly does in an actual competitive setting, as Pokémon Showdown is nothing but an emulation and doesn't even follow the rules of VGC.
After seven matches, I only won two of them.

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However, I have made some slight edits to my main team, as you see thusly;

Aderyn (Absol) (F) @ Absolite
Ability: Super Luck
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Knock Off
- Play Rough
- Superpower

Caladbolg (Doublade) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 240 HP / 16 Atk / 252 SpD
Naive Nature
- Shadow Sneak
- Swords Dance
- Sacred Sword
- Iron Head

Neried (Kingdra) (F) @ Scope Lens
Ability: Sniper
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 64 HP / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
Naive Nature
- Focus Energy
- Scald
- Dragon Pulse
- Flash Cannon

Wilde Heer (Nidoking) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt

Eachthigern (Sylveon) (M) @ Expert Belt
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 244 HP / 252 SpA / 12 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hyper Voice
- Psyshock
- Shadow Ball
- Mirror Coat

Voogd (Dragonite) (M) @ Persim Berry
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Extreme Speed
- Thunder Punch
- Superpower

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I took out Fea and replaced her with Aderyn as I've previously mentioned in this thread, I finished training my Kingdra and decided on Scald instead of Hydro Pump, I replaced my Nidoking's Flamethrower with Thunderbolt for better coverage as he already has moves that cover anything Fire covered and decided it was for the best, and I put Mirror Coat on my Sylveon just for that little bit of support.
After losing five of my battles online, I noticed that there is a couple crippling flaws in this team and request some advice for how to overcome them.
With Nidoking, I never use Sludge Wave even if there's a fairy or grass-type on the field. With Pokémon Showdown I would often always lead with Nidoking and Doublade, so in this scenario Sludge Wave was a great move, but with Battle Spot, I realize that switching up my openers is much more beneficial more often than not, so I rarely get a chance to use the move anymore unless I want to deal a stupid amount of damage to my own teammate. What move would be better to exchange it with? Sludge Bomb?
I never bring my Dragonite into a match. With all seven ranked matches, I brought my Dragonite a grand total of zero. If I cycle him out of my team, whom else would you recommend bringing in?
It's sad to say as Absol is not just the first mega evolution I discovered during my first play-through of X, but also one of the few megas that actually caught my attention. However, even as a mega, Mega-Absol is so devastatingly weak, she dies if you so much as breath on her too hard. If anyone outspeeds her, or uses a priority move I'm boned. I don't think Mega-Absol could take a hit from any move in the game and remain above zero hitpoints. Another thing I noticed is that the only reason why I put Superpower on her moveset is coverage if she runs into another dark-type poké. But this is negated with finding out she can learn Play Rough. I'm thinking of maybe teaching her Iron Tail to replace Superpower for fairy-type coverage.
Also I would like to replace my Doublade with Aegislash, but I can't seem to get a dusk stone in this sodding game for the life of me.

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[Marcusube]

Click here to see the new rules for posting "Rate My Team" threads on the forums!

1. Anyways, your team still has a huge Ice and Fairy weakness. I am with the posts made by others about your team needing more support Pokemon. Redirection, status moves, weather, speed control, something!
   
2. This team is extremely hyper offensive which is a terrible trait to possess especially with the presence of more bulky and defensive teams this year.
   
3. Another issue is that none of your Pokemon have Protect in their movesets. Apparently we haven't gotten that point across so here are articles about how VGC works
   

http://nuggetbridge.com/articles/differe...s-pokemon/
http://nuggetbridge.com/beginners/prepar...mechanics/
http://nuggetbridge.com/beginners/an-int...-building/

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• Absol is a decent physical attacker and does a great job as a glass cannon, that is after it mega evolves. Before Mega Evolution, Absol has a base 75 speed which is pretty low compared to most threats. As you should know, you don't gain the speed boost from Mega Evolution until the following turn meaning that Absol in most cases will not be going first on the turn it mega evolves and it will get swatted like a bug. What is my point you ask? RUN PROTECT!
  

• For Doublade, yeah switch it to an Aegislash. If you need a dusk stone, do the Super Secret Training level against the Aegislash Balloon until you get the stone. It takes a while but it is worth it.
  

• Kingdra really has little to no place on this team. Furthermore, if you are running a Pokemon that utilizes set up moves, you need some form of speed control, a Pokemon with Rage Powder/Follow Me to redirect any possible damage or status and carry stronger hitting moves or spread moves. Run Draco Meteor over Dragon Pulse and I'm going to explain why. After a Focus Energy set up with Scope Lens, you achieve 100% critical hit rate. What this means is that all your attacks do 1.5x the amount they initially do plus another 1.5x for the Sniper ability. What you need to note also is that critical hits ignore your stat drops and the opponents stat increases meaning if you're at -6 Special Attack and you use Draco Meteor, it will hit as if it were at 0 Special Attack plus the Critical Hit + Sniper boosts. For spread move, run Muddy Water. Sub out Flash Cannon for Protect.
  

• Nidoking is pretty slow so you need speed control in the form of either Icy Wind or Thunder Wave. Rework the EV spread to accommodate for the speed control method of choice and invest the remaining EVs defensively. For a set like this, run Protect over Thunderbolt
  

• Sylveon can't learn Mirror Coat so sub that for Protect and also Pixie Plate is a better item option over Expert Belt since it doesn't require you to hit super effectively for the damage boost
  

• Take Dragonite off this team and replace it with either Cresselia, Uxie or Musharna. You have enough offensive options so now you need a means of support. These three mons all learn Thunder Wave and have Helping Hand, Icy Wind and Trick Room. They don't lack offensively, however, for they do learn Ice, Electric, Grass, Psychic and Dark moves
  

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Iron Tail is a good replacement but just remember that you've lost your coverage against Normal Types and Steel Types that resist your STAB

Sludge Bomb over Sludge Wave. Area of effect moves that it you aren't generally good unless your partner is immune

Even though Absol is frail you have to remember that it is immune to status moves which are used to slow down attackers. To get Absol in a good position, you need to make better plays and a better team that supports it. And yes, you 100% need Protect on Absol
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[Netherlandish]

(Jun 7, 2015, 11:53 AM)Marcusube Wrote: Anyways, your team still has a huge Ice and Fairy weakness.

With ridding Dragonite I get rid of a fairy and an ice weakness. There. Issue solved.

(Jun 7, 2015, 11:53 AM)Marcusube Wrote: Absol is a decent physical attacker and does a great job as a glass cannon, that is after it mega evolves. Before Mega Evolution, Absol has a base 75 speed which is pretty low compared to most threats. As you should know, you don't gain the speed boost from Mega Evolution until the following turn meaning that Absol in most cases will not be going first on the turn it mega evolves and it will get swatted like a bug. What is my point you ask? RUN PROTECT!

With everyone and their dog running Mega-Kang because originality and meta do not mix, Sucker Punch is usually a good opener on the first turn when the speed buff isn't accounted for.

(Jun 7, 2015, 11:53 AM)Marcusube Wrote: For Doublade, yeah switch it to an Aegislash. If you need a dusk stone, do the Super Secret Training level against the Aegislash Balloon until you get the stone. It takes a while but it is worth it.

And Aegislash gets his own special protect analogue. So there.

(Jun 7, 2015, 11:53 AM)Marcusube Wrote: Kingdra really has little to no place on this team. Furthermore, if you are running a Pokemon that utilizes set up moves, you need some form of speed control, a Pokemon with Rage Powder/Follow Me to redirect any possible damage or status and carry stronger hitting moves or spread moves. Run Draco Meteor over Dragon Pulse and I'm going to explain why. After a Focus Energy set up with Scope Lens, you achieve 100% critical hit rate. What this means is that all your attacks do 1.5x the amount they initially do plus another 1.5x for the Sniper ability. What you need to note also is that critical hits ignore your stat drops and the opponents stat increases meaning if you're at -6 Special Attack and you use Draco Meteor, it will hit as if it were at 0 Special Attack plus the Critical Hit + Sniper boosts. For spread move, run Muddy Water. Sub out Flash Cannon for Protect.

I was going to run Muddy Water, but from my research Kingdra can only learn it through breeding which nullifies the reason I have her on my team to begin with.
I figured out what you originally meant by the crit nullifying the stat debuff a while ago from a youtuber (I wanna say it was Verlisify? I could be wrong) due to it being worded better. I would like to give it Draco Meteor except evidently the only way to do that in ORAS is to have your friendship be max with your dragon-type pokémon with is a bunch of bollocks with a side-order of chips.
My Kingdra can more often than not shrug off a hit on the turn it uses Focus Energy, unless it's another Draco Meteor in which case I wouldn't be dumb enough to keep it sitting in the open if that were the case.

(Jun 7, 2015, 11:53 AM)Marcusube Wrote: Nidoking is pretty slow so you need speed control in the form of either Icy Wind or Thunder Wave. Rework the EV spread to accommodate for the speed control method of choice and invest the remaining EVs defensively. For a set like this, run Protect over Thunderbolt

Nidoking is actually one of the faster pokés on my team, so I don't really have much issue there.

(Jun 7, 2015, 11:53 AM)Marcusube Wrote: Sylveon can't learn Mirror Coat so sub that for Protect and also Pixie Plate is a better item option over Expert Belt since it doesn't require you to hit super effectively for the damage boost

I'm an idiot, I meant Magic Coat, not Mirror Coat. Though, I will try out the pixie plate item instead, maybe that'll give Hyper Voice that extra punch it needs sometimes.
Though, I have an idea to just rid Sylveon off the team and replace with Mega-Gardevoir or something along those lines.

(Jun 7, 2015, 11:53 AM)Marcusube Wrote: Take Dragonite off this team and replace it with either Cresselia, Uxie or Musharna. You have enough offensive options so now you need a means of support. These three mons all learn Thunder Wave and have Helping Hand, Icy Wind and Trick Room. They don't lack offensively, however, for they do learn Ice, Electric, Grass, Psychic and Dark moves

I'm thinking of replacing Dragonite with something like Talonflame. A decent support poké with priority Tailwind and Roost. Everyone is running it so why not? Not to mention some fire-type attacks would make for decent coverage.

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My plan currently is as thus; remove Dragonite, Sylveon, M-Absol, and Doublade. Replace with Chestnaught, M-Gardevoir, Talonflame, and Aegislash.
Chestnaught build I believe I've already posted in this thread, and would love to get around to breeding if starters weren't such a right pain in the arse and it's just been chaos.
M-Gardevoir would fill in as my mega with getting rid of M-Absol, and is a lot better than Sylveon what with them learning the same moves anyhow.
Talonflame is run by a lot of people online so why not just hop on that bandwagon.
And I've already made my case about Aegislash.

[Marcusube]

(Jun 7, 2015, 01:53 PM)Netherlandish Wrote: With ridding Dragonite I get rid of a fairy and an ice weakness. There. Issue solved.

Not a bad choice  

(Jun 7, 2015, 01:53 PM)Netherlandish Wrote: With everyone and their dog running Mega-Kang because originality and meta do not mix, Sucker Punch is usually a good opener on the first turn when the speed buff isn't accounted for.

It's not a good opener since all Kangaskhan carry Fake Out or Protect; not to mention if the slot you aimed Sucker Punch at either protected or is under the effects of Quick Guard then you just put your Absol at risk.

(Jun 7, 2015, 01:53 PM)Netherlandish Wrote: And Aegislash gets his own special protect analogue. So there.

(Jun 7, 2015, 01:53 PM)Netherlandish Wrote: I was going to run Muddy Water, but from my research Kingdra can only learn it through breeding which nullifies the reason I have her on my team to begin with.
I figured out what you originally meant by the crit nullifying the stat debuff a while ago from a youtuber (I wanna say it was Verlisify? I could be wrong) due to it being worded better. I would like to give it Draco Meteor except evidently the only way to do that in ORAS is to have your friendship be max with your dragon-type pokémon with is a bunch of bollocks with a side-order of chips.
My Kingdra can more often than not shrug off a hit on the turn it uses Focus Energy, unless it's another Draco Meteor in which case I wouldn't be dumb enough to keep it sitting in the open if that were the case.

Again, this is why I said you need redirection to set up Focus Energy along with speed control so your Kingdra doesn't get outsped and knocked out. Kingdra is relatively frail after all.

(Jun 7, 2015, 01:53 PM)Netherlandish Wrote: Nidoking is actually one of the faster pokés on my team, so I don't really have much issue there.

Faster in comparison to the other mons on your team isn't what matters. It is how fast your Nidoking is compared to the other mons in the format or the ones that the opponent is using. Max speed modest nature pulls you around 130-135 speed and that gets easily outsped by Kangaskhan, Garchomp, Salamence, Landorus-T, Aerodactyl etc. Speed control is necessary because Nidoking is really frail and needs to hit first at all times to be effective at all

(Jun 7, 2015, 01:53 PM)Netherlandish Wrote: I'm an idiot, I meant Magic Coat, not Mirror Coat. Though, I will try out the pixie plate item instead, maybe that'll give Hyper Voice that extra punch it needs sometimes.
Though, I have an idea to just rid Sylveon off the team and replace with Mega-Gardevoir or something along those lines.

Not a bad choice, go for it  

(Jun 7, 2015, 01:53 PM)Netherlandish Wrote: I'm thinking of replacing Dragonite with something like Talonflame. A decent support poké with priority Tailwind and Roost. Everyone is running it so why not? Not to mention some fire-type attacks would make for decent coverage.

Adding Talonflame brings back the first issue which is your team being too hyper offensive. If you need Tailwind and Roost, go for Togekiss. Its bulkier, harder to one shot, has Serene Grace Air Slash which flinches opponents 60% of the time and Follow Me support for your Kingdra. By the way, never use the "everyone is running it so I should too" statement. Phrases like that are a cancer to the metagame since it's basically saying to do what everyone else is doing which means that you're taking the creativity aspect out of the game which makes it bland.

(Jun 7, 2015, 01:53 PM)Netherlandish Wrote: My plan currently is as thus; remove Dragonite, Sylveon, M-Absol, and Doublade. Replace with Chestnaught, M-Gardevoir, Talonflame, and Aegislash.
Chestnaught build I believe I've already posted in this thread, and would love to get around to breeding if starters weren't such a right pain in the arse and it's just been chaos.
M-Gardevoir would fill in as my mega with getting rid of M-Absol, and is a lot better than Sylveon what with them learning the same moves anyhow.
Talonflame is run by a lot of people online so why not just hop on that bandwagon.
And I've already made my case about Aegislash.

Your biggest issue is going to be dealing with opposing Talonflame, Aegislash, Gengar, Charizard-Y, Thundurus-I and Landorus-T if you take that route. But lets see what happens