My really bad OU team.

[Benny Leo]

Well, my team is really bad. It loses 3 times more often than it wins, but I'm a complete beginner and I don't understand why. Personally, I think it's a great team...

(Swampert) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spd
Brave Nature (+Atk, -Spd)
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Beam
- Surf

My lead is probably the strong point of this team. It lets me set up Stealth Rock and then does damage to the opponent's lead. I feel very confident about Swampert being the Derek Jeter of the team, if you will.

(Gyarados) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

Now here's where things start to fall apart. My big question for Gyarados is: Is Dragon Dance worth it? By the time I set it up, I'm usually knocked around by a sweeper. Gyarados worked great on paper, but why isn't it translating into wins?

(Heatran) (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Toxic

After a problematic Gyarados, we fall to the relatively safer Heatran. Granted, he's not always needed to take out a team, but when I get him in just the right spot, I can use him for attacking and even a little defense.

(Blissey) (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Wish
- Toxic
- Protect
- Seismic Toss

These last three are a complete disaster. I usually bring in Blissey as an insurance policy before I bring in Heatran...but, even with 232 defense EV's, any major physical hit seems to be a OHKO. I also spotted someone on the forums bragging about OHKOing a Blissey, before finding out that I was the victim of said hit.

(Skarmory) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 232 Def / 24 Spd
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Roost
- Spikes
- Brave Bird
- Whirlwind

In theory, Skarm is supposed to be my staller. He roosts and whirlwinds until the Miltanks come home. In practice, however, the poor thing ends up as my last resort, often Brave Birding his way out of the matchup in a desperate attempt to save the team. Skarmory would be a great asset to the team, it seems, if there was patchwork elsewhere.

(Forretress) (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Toxic Spikes
- Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake

This is a staller and Rapid Spinner, but I just can't find too much use for Forretress. After Rapid Spin, he's just not an effective member of the team, and the opposition often puts the rocks and spikes up again as soon as Forretress departs.

 

[V3NOM]

hmmm. well not a bad team here.
Try using forretress as a entry-hazard lead. try and conserve him in case your opposition sets up othr stuff. Your swampert is sorta messed up. his nature takes away speed, but u EV it anyway? try it as a curse tank in your team. You are also lacking a fast revenge killer. Also, a rain/sun weather pokemon can be useful,but u will have to let go on 1(or 2) pokes.

 

[Benny Leo]

hmmm. well not a bad team here.
Try using forretress as a entry-hazard lead. try and conserve him in case your opposition sets up othr stuff. Your swampert is sorta messed up. his nature takes away speed, but u EV it anyway? try it as a curse tank in your team. You are also lacking a fast revenge killer. Also, a rain/sun weather pokemon can be useful,but u will have to let go on 1(or 2) pokes.

Thanks for the advice, but can you give me legitimate advice instead of suggestions? For example, please tell me what would be a good idea for a Curse Tank Swampert or a fast revenge killer. As I said, I'm very new.

Yeah you're probably just playing badly lol

No kidding, I'm a beginner. Can you actually give me help instead of insulting my lack of experience?

 

[CaseyL]

Blissey isnt supposed to be taking physical hits at all, let Skarmory take those. Blissey and Skarmory work amazing together, but you need to let each one do their job for good results.

Swampert would like Ice Punch over Ice Beam, and Waterfall over Surf. This way, you can use an adamant nature and keep Swampy's speed, as well as using his larger attack stat.

As far as Gyarados is concerned, the set is pretty standard, so it should be working fine. How are you getting beat, exactly? Is he just getting beat up too quickly? Paralysis or burn support from the rest of the team could help him out a bit, so I would suggest giving Heatran Will o wisp over Toxic. It doesn't do quite as much damage, but the attack drop will help Gyara soak physical hits a bit better.

The other thing is you may simply need a bit more experience. Keep battling, learn your teams strengths and weaknesses, and learn how to give yourself an advantage by using them to your advantage.

I hope you do well future battles. Good luck!

 

[PrimeMinister]

" would like Ice Punch over Ice Beam, and Waterfall over Surf. This way, you can use an adamant nature and keep Swampy's speed, as well as using his larger attack stat." @caseyL

Yes, I agree completely. Investing evs into a Hindering nature is a very poor choice. But definitely keep swampert. It's a boss.

 

[wacky tabaky]

With gyarados he usually only needs one DD before he sweeps. Leftovers would be better then life orb as you are getting this strength from moxie and DD. Also the recovery is helpful. I personally like drill peck over brave bird because sometimes you dont want to lose your sturdy and although it is weaker their is no down side. And like someone else said use will-o-wisp over toxic on heatran it gives better support by reducing the attack of a pokemon.

 

[Nubagator]

Alright, I'm a dirt-poor rater, but you sound like you need some serious help. I think forretress and gyarados are your weak links. Forretress is really only helping you patch up a few select weaknesses, and supporting gyara. Gyarados is in my opinion is very underwhelming without rain, and the insane amount of Rotom-w use really hurts him as well. I suggest you replace both members for the following. A standard Rotom-W, and a Scizor. You maintain the same essential typing, but you've given yourself a very effective offensive duo.

Rotom-W modest leftovers
112 HP / 252 SpA / 144 Spe
~ Volt switch
~ Hydro pump
~ Painsplit
~ Will-O-Wisp/ hidden power fire or ice.

Scizor
248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
~ Bullet Punch
~ Superpower
~ Pursuit
~ U-turn

This should allow you to better take on Rain in general along with slower more defensive teams. Liberal use of Volt switch/ u-turn, and the two pokes great offensive synergy should really help carry this team. Additionally Scizor's Bullet Punch could help you better manage threats like Terrakion that threaten your current team. This will take your team in a more offensive direction so you may want to reconsider some of your original team member choices. One last nitpick is that I would definitely consider both Balloon on Heatran, and a much more physically defensive set on Swampert.

You may also want to expand your descriptions or this thread will most likely be locked.

 

[Gideon]

Your team really doesn't have that much synergy. Skarmory and Forretress are redundant as they are both bulky steels who can set up hazards. The problem you could be having with Gyarados is that you are sending him out too early and they are able to get into their gyarados counter quickly. I recommend a Choice Band Tyranitar over Forretress to help destroy counters for Gyarados with pursuit including starmie, scarf latias, and celebi.

Tyranitar@Choice Band
252 Atk / 156 Hp / 100 Spe
Adamant
Crunch
Pursuit
Stone Edge
Aqua Tail

 

[sandstreamftw]

Heres what I think you should do. Ditch skarmory cuz you already have forretress for entry hazard and replace skarmory with vaporeon giv it a bold nature and 176ev in def 80 in spd and 252 in hp give it the moves scald wish toxic and acid armor this will help against physical attackers who are prevalent in ou since vaporeon is there as a sort of water type ditch gyarados and swampert. to replace gyarados go with multiscale dragonite and give it dragon dance outrage fire punch and extremespeed make it either jolly or adamant whatever you prefer and 252 in attack and speed. swampert needs to go since you have enough walls so go with a potent revenge killer perhaps scarfing your heatran and replacing swampert for scrafty since his bulky drain punch set is effective recovery plus switch your spikes for stealth rock on your forretress since you can damage flying types severly. Anyway that was quite a mouthful from me lol hope my tips helped :)