Purple's Guide to Team Building

[Purple]

First off, what makes a good competitive team?

 

A good competitive team would generally consist of:

 

-A set-up Pokemon with entry hazards.

-A rapid spinner or a defog 'mon to get rid of entry hazards used against you.

-A physical/special (or both) sweeper - including Mega and choice users.

-A physical/special or a mixed wall for taking hits.

-A priority move user.

-A fast taunt/encore/whirlwind/prankster Pokemon.

 

THIS IS WHAT I TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN MAKING MY TEAMS, OTHER PEOPLE MAY VARY

 

In this guide I will be going over each role one by one, explaining what it's about, why is it useful, and which Pokemon are good to fit the role.

[Purple]

PART 1 - 3 | SET-UP POKEMON | RAPID SPIN/DEFOG USERS | PHYSICAL/SPECIAL SWEEPERS |

 

 

PART 1

 

 

 

SETUP POKEMON

 

A set-up Pokemon is generally used to set-up Stealth Rocks/Spikes/Toxic Spikes or Stick Web against your opponent, but there are other very well usable entry hazards.

 

STEALTH ROCKS INFO

 

Stealth Rocks are used to inflict damage upon your opponent when they switch in. The amount of damage inflicted upon switching in is affected by type effectiveness against Rock.

Why? Because Stealth Rocks is a rock type move.

 

For example:

 

-Rock type does neutral damage to Normal type, so a normal type Pokemon switching into stealth rocks will lose 12.5% off of their total HP. This applies to ALL neutral resistant types.

-However, resistant type Pokemon will receive half the damage, 6.25% to types resistant to Rock. Resistant types to Rock include: Steel, Fighting and Ground.

-Rock type will do double the damage to types weak to Rock. Rock is super effective against fire types, so all fire type Pokemon, and any type Rock is super effective against will receive double the original amount of 12.5%, making the damage 25% of the opponent's total HP.

 

Now what if a Pokemon has a 2x type strong or weakness to Rock?

 

It's quite easy, the number would either simply double or half

 

-For example, Charizard is a Fire/Flying type, meaning Stealth Rocks will do a total of 50% of its max HP as Rock is super effective against Fire/Flying. 4x the neutral amount of 12.5%

-But Lucario would only receive a damage total of 3.125% of to its max HP, -4x of the neutral 12.5% amount, as Steel type and Fighting type resist Rock.

 

Good examples of hazard users would be:

 

-Forretress - Forretress can learn stealth rocks, spikes and rapid spin, making him a very effective support Pokemon. Not only that, he can also learn explosion as well.

-Ferrothorn - Ferrothorn can learn stealth rocks, spikes, thunder wave, explosion and knock off, a very good variety of moves for a supporting Pokemon.

-Tentacruel - Tentacruel can learn toxic spikes, rapid spin, toxic and scald, meaning he has the chance of burning Pokemon with scald, and poisoning them.

 

 

 

 

 

PART 2

 

 

 

RAPID SPINNER/DEFOG USER

 

The move rapid spin is used to get rid of any entry hazard used against you. Although the damage is low, it is purely used to get rid of hazards and nothing else.

It's very important to have a rapid spinner on your team, if sticky web, 3 layers of spikes / 2 layers of toxic spikes or stealth rocks is set up against you, it can do a hefty amount of damage to your team, meaning getting rid of it should be a priority.

 

Defog is move learned primarily by bird types, I would only recommend having a defog user on your team if you don't plan to set-up hazards yourself, as Defog will get rid of ALL HAZARDS set up on yours and your opponent's side of the field.

 

Good users of Rapid Spin:

 

-Excadrill - Excadrill can learn stealth rock, rapid spin, and has a very good base attack, making him not only good for set-ups, but good for offensive power as well.

-Forretress - Forretress can learn stealth rocks, spikes and rapid spin, making him a very effective support Pokemon. Not only that, he can also learn explosion as well.

-Starmie - Starmie is very fast with a +speed nature, not only can it learn rapid spin, but it can learn a large variety of different type moves, allowing it to cover its weaknesses as well as resistances.

 

As for Defog, any Pokemon that can learn it is generally a good user.

 

 

 

 

 

PART 3

 

 

 

PHYSICAL/SPECIAL SWEEPER

 

A physical/special sweeper is vital, it can generally be used to sweep your opponent's team if used right.

 

What makes a good Sweeper?

 

Generally a Pokemon with a high attacking stat and speed. Such as Mega Lucario. Mega Lucario is both swift and strong, having the ability "Adaptability" makes it even more deadly, 2x the Pokemon's same type moves.

Lucario also has Swords dance and Bullet Punch, one Swords dance set-up with the boosted adaptability and a Bullet Punch can 1 hit K/O A LOT of Pokemon if the foe is proven not too bulky.

 

Choice item sweepers

 

Choice items are really useful for sweeping teams. Having a choice band will 1.5x a Pokemon's attack, having choice specs will 1.5x a Pokemon's special attack and having choice scarf will 1.5x a Pokemon's speed.

 

Good users of each choice item would be:

 

-Crawdaunt - Choice Band - Crawdaunt has adaptability, with a very high base attack and a stab, adaptability boosted priority move, making him a deadly user of choice band.

-Jolteon - Choice Specs - Not only is Jolteon extremely fast with a +Speed nature, it can also learn volt switch, Jolteon hits the opponent with a +Stab boosted move plus the power from choice specs, and can switch to something that can counter the opponent.

-Porygon - - Choice Scarf - Porygon has 406 Sp.Atk with a Modest Nature, it also has adaptability/download and is fast with 252 EV's in speed without a +Speed nature, it is the ideal Pokemon for choice scarf.

[Purple]

PART 4 - 6 | PHYSICAL/SPECIAL/MIXED WALL | PRIORITY USER | TAUNT/WHIRLWIND/ENCORE/PRANKSTER USER |

 

 

 

PART 4

 

 

 

PHYSICAL/SPECIAL/MIXED WALL

 

A wall Pokemon is important for making a good competitive team. Wall Pokemon will be used to stop strong attacking opponent's from sweeping your team. Wall pokemon can also be used as support, such as a toxic staller/thunder wave user.

 

Good Physical/Special and mixed walls:

 

-Skarmory - Physical wall - Skarmory is a very good wall/support Pokemon, it can learn stealth rocks, whirlwind, spikes and has very few weaknesses.

-Florges - Special Wall - Florges has very good bulk and attack, it also can learn a variety of extremely effective moves such as Moonblast (95 Power +Stab) Toxic for stalling and Aromatherapy for healing your team of any status conditions

-Chansey - Mixed Wall - Chansey is one of the best mixed walls in the whole game without a doubt. Not only can it take an Adamant +Stab close combat from a Terrakion, it can even use counter to kill its threats. Chansey can also learn a lot of supporting moves such as Toxic, Thunder wave, Tish, Soft-boiled and Aromatherapy, making it the ideal support/wall. Just make sure Chansey has the item 'Eviolite'! This will make it so his def and sp.def are 1.5x, making the ability to be mixed phenomenal.

 

 

 

 

 

PART 5

 

 

 

PRIORITY USER

 

I can't stress just HOW IMPORTANT it is to a have a priority user on your team. Having a priority move will save your team from getting swept more than once, certain moves do have more priority over others such as Extreme speed, having a +2 priority where as Quick Attack has a +1 priority.

So be careful when you choose which priority move to use on your team.

 

Good priority move users:

 

-Scizor - Bullet Punch - Not only does Scizor get stab with Bullet Punch, his ability 'Technician' also boosts moves 60 Power or under by 1.5x, stack this with stab, and you have an insane 80 Power priority move user, not too mention Scizor's very high base attack.

-Linoone - Extreme Speed - A very underrated Pokemon, Linoone works beautifully with Extreme Speed. Through all 6 Gens of Pokemon he is the ONLY Pokemon that can have Extreme Speed as a stab type move. No other normal types can learn it. Not only this, but stack his ability 'Gluttony' with sitrus berry and Belly Dance and you've got one hell of an over powered sweeper.

-Honchkrow - Sucker Punch - Not only does Honchkrow get stab with sucker punch, sucker punch can also cover Honchkrow's low speed and also work well with his ability 'Moxie' boosting his attack by +1 after each Pokemon it defeats.

 

 

 

 

 

PART 6

 

 

 

A FAST TAUNT/ENCORE/WHIRLWIND/PRANKSTER USER

 

This is a very important asset to any competitive team. These type of Pokemon are used to counter setup Pokemon. Sweepers like Scizor that can learn Swords Dance and have a deadly priority move are extremely dangerous. Prankster users/Encore/Whirlwind can rid Scizor of its Swords Dance set-up.

 

Good users:

 

-Liepard - Liepard has Prankster and can learn Encore/Sucker Punch and Knock off. Not only this, but its speed is quite high. Liepard can be used to stop set-ups, priority Pokemon and eviolite users.

-Sableye - Sableye can't learn encore/whirlwind, but he has Prankster, and he can learn taunt/recover/calm mind, which has proven a very deadly combo.

-Klefki - Klefki has prankster, spikes, toxic, reflect/light screen and thunder wave. Not only does he have all of these with priority, but Klefki also has very few weaknesses, making him a very good Prankster user.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaaaaand, that's it! Phew! That took me a long time to write! Haha. *Wipes forehead*

 

Naturally there are a lot of different strategies to include when making a competitive team, however I wanted to make a guide that is fairly simple/easy to comprehend for newer competitive battlers to follow.

 

I hope you enjoyed reading, and I hoped I was able to help a lot of new and/or veteran competitive battlers out there!

 

If you feel I need to add in any more details, feel free to post down below, or PM me, and I'll make sure to add them into the guide as soon as I can. :)

 

Thank you!

 

-Purple

[Purple]

Wow I'm such a derp, I named the thread wrong. It was supposed to be "Purple's Guide to Team Building" not Competitive Battling, if a Mod could change that as well as the "Part 1" Font colour, would be greatly appreciated. -.-

[Azuretare]

Arceus also gets a STAB Extreme Speed. But that's only if it's not holding a plate. (Which usually they would.) But nice guide! I haven't done any serious competitive battling but I've watched tons of videos and this guide covers it all! There are also tons of other strategies not used in this guide though, like you said.

[Tokime]

NIce! Should help a lot of people Purple :D

[Guest Kinuzuka]

Nice guide,thanks :D

[Mephilist]

pretty neat

[Crimson]

Simple and easy, and still a decent guide for anyone starting a competitive balanced team.

I agree that a viable team needs sweeper(s), wall(s), and support through hazards and hazard removal, but taunt/phazing is not a priority when team building for me simply because its easy to play around once revealed.

 

Once again, good job Purple! :)

[Purple]

Arceus also gets a STAB Extreme Speed. But that's only if it's not holding a plate. (Which usually they would.) But nice guide! I haven't done any serious competitive battling but I've watched tons of videos and this guide covers it all! There are also tons of other strategies not used in this guide though, like you said.

 

That's a good point, I always forget about Arceus, oh well. I doubt he'll be in PRO anywho. Even though his base is 720, he still seems a bit OP.

Simple and easy, and still a decent guide for anyone starting a competitive balanced team.

I agree that a viable team needs sweeper(s), wall(s), and support through hazards and hazard removal, but taunt/phazing is not a priority when team building for me simply because its easy to play around once revealed.

 

Once again, good job Purple! :)

 

Fair enough, like I said, everyone has their own strats. Sometimes I don't bother putting one in my team(s) as well tbh, because I know how to make my way around people setting up without a support 'mon, but a lot of new comp battlers won't know how to, and get swept shamefully, and I want this guide to appeal to newcomers primarily. :)

 

 

 

Also, thank you everyone for the positive feedback! I write this guide in one whole session yesterday after being bored and having nothing to do, took me a few hours, but I think the time was well spent! :)