What's your pokemon team?

[Splash_King]

After I finish with Storm, I'll get right on your's, Shadow. But here's a very important piece of advice - make more team synergy. Pairing pokemon to work perfectly with one other, but average or bad with the rest of your team isn't very smart. The odds of the two paired pokemon being out at the same time are bad, and once any of your poke's faints, your synergy takes a huge blow since the pokemon it was paired with no longer supports the team well.

Ok, so with Ape in instead of Magnezone, hows it look?

Without Magnezone, your ground weakness is bearable now, but you still have trouble with Bulky waters. Still, it's better to have a speedy sweeper than a small chance at hurting bulky waters. Bulky waters aren't all that common in OU anyways, bar Suicune.

Speaking of speed... since D-nite is your only set up sweeper, why not make Metagross an Agiligross? It helps you sweep late game better, and in general just gives you a speed boost for your team. It's not a very expected strategy either, giving a suprise factor.

[Ads]

[The Storm]

Oooh, that sounds enticing CK. Whats the set for an Agiligross? Obviously agility, but does he keep Explosion?

[Shadow*91]

well each one can pair with another pretty well. the 'listed' teans are just what i'd hope for. but an exampke is my T-tar. he could pair with Salamence or Charizard well(besides the Sandstrom of course)

[Splash_King]

well each one can pair with another pretty well. the 'listed' teans are just what i'd hope for. but an exampke is my T-tar. he could pair with Salamence or Charizard well(besides the Sandstrom of course)

Well, would you mind explaining a bit about your team's synergy, besides the two poke pairings, while I help Storm? Gives me a better idea of what you're working to achieve, and how I can improve/fix the synergy.

Oooh, that sounds enticing CK. Whats the set for an Agiligross? Obviously agility, but does he keep Explosion?

Agility
Meteor Mash
Earthquake
ThunderPunch / Ice Punch / Explosion


Adamant ofcourse, with a Life Orb is generally perferred, taken right from Smogon. I would personally advise Thunderpunch to you can atleast hit bulky waters, Gliscor with Ice Fang can tackle physical dragons better than Ice Punch Metagross can too. Metagross gets smashed by EQ, after all.

Ice Punch is still viable though, since after an agility, to can hit any dragons that switch in, unless they're scarfed/already dragon danced. So is explosion, since Agility allows Metagross to almost always set it off when he wants to, and gives the set a lot of kick. However, I don't advise killing off your only speedy poke, besides Infernape.

[The Storm]

Do I need the Meteor Mash on the set? Usually I stay away from it, cuz my luck with Meteor Mash makes me miss 50% of the time. Id only suggest Explosion when his health drops, and after Agility, it would get priority right?

[Splash_King]

Meteor Mash is necesarry, his powerful STAB is what makes the set so useful. There's literally no other option that can cover 'Mash.

Well, technically Explosion doesn't get priority, it's just Metagross' speed is higher than some pokes. He won't be outspeeding scarfed pokemon though - except maybe something like scarfed Heracross.

EDIT: Post number 555 of the thread, lol.

[The Storm]

Hmmm...Ill work on that. Thanks man. you can help out Shadow now, ill repost my edited team along with any questions tomorrow after I get home from work.

[Splash_King]

Alright then Storm, glad I could help.

I'm making a team for Double Battles only.
this is what i got so far.

Tyranitar
-Crunch
-EQ
-Thunderbolt/Fang
-Ice Beam/Fang

↑teams with↓

Torterra
-Giga Drain
-Wood Hammer
-Crunch
-?????

Empoleon
-Surf
-Roost
-Drill Peck
-????

↑teams with↓

Spiritomb
-Dark Pulse
-Thunderbolt
-????
-????

Charizard
-Heat Wave/Fire Fang
-Arieal Ace/Air Slash?
-Dragon Claw/Pulse?
-????

↑teams with↓

Salamence
-Blizzard
-Hydro Pump
-Dragon Pulse
-????


help with movesets please

If you're using a special 'Mence, don't use Blizzard, it's a terrible doubles move with it's power split to 75%, and it's accuracy equaling it's attack's BP percentage - 75%. Instead, use Dragon Pulse/Flamethrower/Hydro Pump/Support move. The last slot can be used for the obvious Protect, which is always helpful in doubles. Roost is useful if Salamence can get away with a free turn as well, recharging it's HP. I also recommend giving it a Life Orb, choice items are risky in doubles - high risk, high return.


Charizard can't be mixed, he doesn't have the raw stats. He should generally be special as well. As a life orb/specs set, I would personally recommend...

Flamethrower
Air Slash
Focus Blast
Dragon Pulse

The main problem is that Salamence covers most of this... Flying moves aren't that good, and Focus Blast has terrible accuracy. I'd highly recommend a more powerful physical sweeper over Charizard. If you're bent on Charizard, you can definatly use that set though, with a life orb. Also, if you're going to use Empoleon with Surf, you should probably throw Protect over Focus Blast.



If you're going to use Spiritomb as an attacking pokemon, think again. He's not very useful in doubles, so you probably shouldn't use him. I really don't see a good point in giving an offensive Spiritomb set, he doesn't make the cut IMO.



Empoleon doesn't work too well with the rest of your team unless they have protect on their movesets. Atleast Torterra and Salamence can take a surf, though. Anyways, mixed Empoleon is a very bad idea, he doesn't have speed to spare, or attack values either. Since he's so slow and weak to the common fighting and EQ, I don't see him working to well in doubles... if you want a moveset though, you could use this. ... Oh, and Empoleon doesn't learn Roost.

Hydro Pump
Ice Beam
Protect
Yawn



Torterra... another slow poke. He can never use special attacks, mixed attacking is literally impossible for him, and his sp. atk isn't all that good. Anyways, it's a good idea to make him relatively bulky, since he's slow anyways. A good moveset would be...

Wood Hammer
Earthquake
Stone Edge
Protect



And finally, Tyranitar... With most of your pokes having protect, and his massive attack, he can effectively use Earthquake - just like Torterra. Flyers/levitaters/protect and EQ... such a classic battle strategy. Tyranitar doesn't have much staying ability with a 4x weakness though, so you should probably give him one of the following movesets, the first with a choice band, the latter with a life orb.

Aqua Tail
EQ
Stone Edge
Crunch

and for a life orb...

Aqua Tail
Stone Edge
Crunch
Protect


In terms of typing, you've got a good variety, a good amount of resists. You do have some big weaknesses, though. Mainly, you have two ice weaknesses, and both are 4x. You also only have one resist, so doubles Hail teams rip you to shreds - especially with your general slow speed. You should really take off Torterra for a better ground type, to get rid of one 4x ice weakness and turn it into 2x, atleast. And ofcourse, add in a few more pokes with ice resists.

You also have an issue with electric moves, two weaknesses to it, and only one resists. While that's not too menacing in doubles, it's a bad thing in general. All other weaknesses are relatively handled.

Your team has very average offenses, bar Tyranitar. You can hit hard, but not THAT hard. Defensive teams could actually beat you since you lack raw power. Also, while most of your pokes are bulky, 4 of the pokes on your team have a 4x weakness, that's really asking for trouble. A lot of teams could outspeed and OHKO more than half your team. And then your left with Empoleon and, lol... Spiritomb. In other words, you lose.

You also lack a huge amount of speed. Your fastest pokes are Charizard and Salamence, which tie at 328. With very common 4x weaknesses, they die outright fast, and then your team loses all speed. In the fast paced style of doubles, this team stands very little chance IMO. You'd have to face a worse player and equal or worse team in order to win, in general. Overall, this team has some huge issues it needs to change before it can start playing for real.

[Shadow*91]

i'll do the Scarf T-tar, and the Mence you named out with Protect and life orb. i may keep Torterra for a bulky defense when needed.

would a Skamory, Gallade, and Arcanine be good replacements for Char, Tomb, and the penguin?

[WuddlePook]

Just touching up on what CK said, you have a glaring weakness in synergy. I can almost guarantee you that if you open with any of the pairs of Pokemon you listed, you will be at a huge disadvantage off the start.

There are various double intimidating leads (Mainly Gyarados/Salamence) leads that will shut you down relatively fast. Your Pokemon overall just seem to be more 'solo' than 'double' if you get what I mean. As a pair, they don't necessarily pose an exponential threat. If you opened with any of the listed pairs, the obvious threat is singled out and your left with dead weight and a foiled plan. An example would be your Tyranitar/Torterra. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which one to hit. You can go straight after Tyranitar, and most of Torterra's attacks won't be significant enough to put pressure on the opponent, especially with no buffers and such.

Closing up, revise revise revise your team. Your opening will really either make the game or break the game for you. If you have an ineffective opening duo, your just asking to lose. Almost every decent doubles player make sure they have the solid opening that will kick off the match as much into their favor, whether it's for Trick Rooming, using Follow Me, etc. You need to work on it whether it's heavy offense, use of mind games, and so on.