Hi everyone! I recently came back to competitive battling, I had stopped in the early XY era and never managed to pick it up again, so I had a bit of trouble in learning the stats and moves of newer pokemon.
I decided to start by tackling probably the chillest and most fun tier, PU.
I put together this balance team: I think it's decent but has room for improvement.
Falinks @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 136 Def / 120 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Zen Headbutt
- Close Combat
- First Impression
- Throat Chop.
Falinks is a good physical attacker with a wide coverage. 120 speed IVs means he can reach 216 speed and outspeed stuff like uninvested Drifblim and hit it with Throat Chop. The rest is in physical bulk and of course attack. Defiant is great to deal with Appletun, as you get a guaranteed +2 with Apple Acid on the switch and then cleanly KO it with First Impression. That move is also the only reliable way this team has to deal with Lilligant.
Kadabra @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Trick
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
Scarf Kadabra is a great revenge killer that outspeeds pretty much anything and can occasionally cripple a wall with trick, but it's very frail and gets killed easily by priorities so it should be played carefully. Another bad trait is that even with 252 SpAtk EVs and a modest nature, sometimes it fails to get KOs. A third bad thing is that with the plethora of ghost and normal types in the tier, it is often in a dilemma on wether or not to use shadow ball. However magic guard makes it a great status absorber that doesn't fear passive damage or hazards and thus can be kept at full HP if played well.
Lapras @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Freeze-Dry
Sometimes it walls hard, sometimes it falls flat on its face. I went with full SpDef investment because I have two other physical walls I can switch into, so I didn't need a third which was also weak to fighting types. The set can spread Toxic, stall with Protect and outlive other walls with Heal Bell. Freeze Dry is here because it lets Lapras hit for massive damage the occasional Ludicolo and other water types.
Dusclops @ Eviolite
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Seismic Toss
- Taunt
- Pain Split
This guy is really passive and sometimes kills all the momentum of my team, but is here because it has one job: dealing with opposing fighting types, especially Hitmonchan, who destroyed my team hard. Will-O-Wisp is there to cripple them, while Taunt is so that it doesn't become setup fodder. He also has a minor role as a spinblocker, not that any spinner can't beat him eventually.
Sandslash @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 Spe
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off
Sandslash has a fantastic field control with both Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin, Knock Off punishes switch-ins of spinblockers while Earthquake is Earthquake. The speed investment is to try and be fast after a Rapid spin boost and also to outspeed uninvested Dreadnaw and threaten it with EQ.
Manectric @ Choice Specs
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Flamethrower
- Hyper Voice
- Thunderbolt
He's the special hard hitter of the team, providing momentum with volt switch and surprising steel and grass types with flamethrower. Hyper Voice is to surprise pokemon who think can take on both flamethrower and thunderbolt like Appletun. I miss HP Ice and megas.
Threats:
FIGHTING TYPES
Once Dusclops falls, the team just can't stop them reliably. Kadabra can blitz them with psychic, but they can just run away, hide behind a sub on the switch or use first impression. Sandslash can wall them, but he can't take repeated ice punches. Nothing else can switch in safely without taking a beating first.
GOURGEIST
Both my physical walls take super effective damage and the only thing he has to watch out really is toxic and Kadabra.
APPLETUN
My only way to deal with it is Falinks, once he's gone the apple dragon just becomes very tough to beat.
LILLIGANT
Again, First Impression can oneshot it, but otherwhise Sleep Powder+Quiver Dance means gg, as there's nothing that can stop it.
I decided to start by tackling probably the chillest and most fun tier, PU.
I put together this balance team: I think it's decent but has room for improvement.
Falinks @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 136 Def / 120 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Zen Headbutt
- Close Combat
- First Impression
- Throat Chop.
Falinks is a good physical attacker with a wide coverage. 120 speed IVs means he can reach 216 speed and outspeed stuff like uninvested Drifblim and hit it with Throat Chop. The rest is in physical bulk and of course attack. Defiant is great to deal with Appletun, as you get a guaranteed +2 with Apple Acid on the switch and then cleanly KO it with First Impression. That move is also the only reliable way this team has to deal with Lilligant.
Kadabra @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Trick
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
Scarf Kadabra is a great revenge killer that outspeeds pretty much anything and can occasionally cripple a wall with trick, but it's very frail and gets killed easily by priorities so it should be played carefully. Another bad trait is that even with 252 SpAtk EVs and a modest nature, sometimes it fails to get KOs. A third bad thing is that with the plethora of ghost and normal types in the tier, it is often in a dilemma on wether or not to use shadow ball. However magic guard makes it a great status absorber that doesn't fear passive damage or hazards and thus can be kept at full HP if played well.
Lapras @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Freeze-Dry
Sometimes it walls hard, sometimes it falls flat on its face. I went with full SpDef investment because I have two other physical walls I can switch into, so I didn't need a third which was also weak to fighting types. The set can spread Toxic, stall with Protect and outlive other walls with Heal Bell. Freeze Dry is here because it lets Lapras hit for massive damage the occasional Ludicolo and other water types.
Dusclops @ Eviolite
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Seismic Toss
- Taunt
- Pain Split
This guy is really passive and sometimes kills all the momentum of my team, but is here because it has one job: dealing with opposing fighting types, especially Hitmonchan, who destroyed my team hard. Will-O-Wisp is there to cripple them, while Taunt is so that it doesn't become setup fodder. He also has a minor role as a spinblocker, not that any spinner can't beat him eventually.
Sandslash @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 Spe
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off
Sandslash has a fantastic field control with both Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin, Knock Off punishes switch-ins of spinblockers while Earthquake is Earthquake. The speed investment is to try and be fast after a Rapid spin boost and also to outspeed uninvested Dreadnaw and threaten it with EQ.
Manectric @ Choice Specs
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Flamethrower
- Hyper Voice
- Thunderbolt
He's the special hard hitter of the team, providing momentum with volt switch and surprising steel and grass types with flamethrower. Hyper Voice is to surprise pokemon who think can take on both flamethrower and thunderbolt like Appletun. I miss HP Ice and megas.
Threats:
FIGHTING TYPES
Once Dusclops falls, the team just can't stop them reliably. Kadabra can blitz them with psychic, but they can just run away, hide behind a sub on the switch or use first impression. Sandslash can wall them, but he can't take repeated ice punches. Nothing else can switch in safely without taking a beating first.
GOURGEIST
Both my physical walls take super effective damage and the only thing he has to watch out really is toxic and Kadabra.
APPLETUN
My only way to deal with it is Falinks, once he's gone the apple dragon just becomes very tough to beat.
LILLIGANT
Again, First Impression can oneshot it, but otherwhise Sleep Powder+Quiver Dance means gg, as there's nothing that can stop it.
Falinks @ Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 136 Def / 120 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Zen Headbutt
- Close Combat
- First Impression
- Throat Chop
Kadabra @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Trick
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
Lapras @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Freeze-Dry
Manectric @ Choice Specs
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Flamethrower
- Hyper Voice
- Thunderbolt
Sandslash @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 Spe
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off
Dusclops @ Eviolite
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Seismic Toss
- Taunt
- Pain Split
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 136 Def / 120 Spe
Adamant Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Zen Headbutt
- Close Combat
- First Impression
- Throat Chop
Kadabra @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Trick
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
Lapras @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Freeze-Dry
Manectric @ Choice Specs
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Flamethrower
- Hyper Voice
- Thunderbolt
Sandslash @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 Spe
Impish Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off
Dusclops @ Eviolite
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Will-O-Wisp
- Seismic Toss
- Taunt
- Pain Split