So towards the end of the 4th generation I actually crafted this team using whatever Gamefreak were nice enough to grant me. Then I shifted this over to the 5th generation and realized there were a number of things I needed to update. Abilities and Movesets, so I kept this quite similar.
After a few weeks of tests, I have found very good results. And I haven't done a "Rate my Team" in about a year.
I should mention this is for Doubles Primarily.
Xatu (M) Focus Sash
Trait: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 SpAtk / 4 SpDef
Quiet Nature
-Psychic
-Heat Wave
-Wish
-Trick Room
Ah, the bird that caused controversy. Xatu to me has always been my "go to" deliverer, almost ensuring that I have access to delivering a successful Trick Room by any means necessary. Now, some mental button in your head is going, "WHY DOES HE HAVE MAXED OFFENSIVE STATS?!" The reason why is because I know he doesn't have the greatest bulk for a Pokemon. Focus Sash allows for him to get it off anyhow so the use of offensive capabilities on a not terrible Special Attack stat isn't a bad idea. Plus it threatens Scizor and can nail the other side twice for doubles. Wish is a nice little thing I like to add to provide a healing support to any of my Pokemon that happened to suffer a cheap shot, if he dies on the round he uses it, then the next Pokemon can receive it the heal, Roost is a nice option to add survivability but then drops his ability to be immune to ground attacks.
Swampert (M) Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 4 HP/ 252 Atk/ 252 SpDef
Brave Nature
-Curse
-Waterfall
-Ice Punch
-Earthquake
A nice and simple Cursepert. Using Curse on the same room as a trick room set up allows me to have a powerful and bulky sweeper on the second turn with Trick Room support active, and the Curse will allow him to move faster considering Trick Room. His three primary moves allow him effective type coverage. Combine his earthquake with two flying types and there isn't too much of an issue, just gotta watch out for those grass types that get by.
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Honchkrow (M) Life Orb
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk/ 252 Sp Atk/ 4 Spdef
Quiet Nature
-Sucker Punch
-Brave Bird
-Heat Wave
-Protect
My lead for if the opponent has a grass-type like Breloom or something else. Protect on the first turn is usually what I go for, but sometimes if I see an opportunity, Sucker Punch like with Alakazam, is what I use next. Honchkrow is already fragile so the Life Orb Health Loss isn't a big deal, and I usually toss him out next after Xatu dies so I can continue to sweep with Earthquake on Swampert.
Empoleon (M) Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 120 HP/ 252 SpAtk / 136 Def
Quiet
-Scald
-Ice Beam
-Grass Knot
-Protect
Essentially the primary special attacker, I was at odds as to what I wanted to use. Surf is nice for power but Scald provides that 30% burn and allows for single targets, which prevents friendly fire. I also used Yawn for quite sometime before finding out Protect has far more applications as a defensive, also it would allow me to scout out the enemy for any sneaky things that cripple or hurt him. I also used to use Air Balloon but I realized Empoleon likes healing to go with his high resistances.
Tyranitar (F) Choice Band
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spdef
Brave Nature
-Rock Slide
-Crunch
-Super Power
-Thunder Punch
My Tyranitar I wanted to be able to make sure could hit like a truck and take a few hits. Sandstream I like because it Saps weather teams considering how common they are. Even if it does shred Honchkrow's health faster, I realize he wasn't meant to really survive most battles anyhow. She's simply choice banded just so I can hit like a truck carrying cinder blocks... And another truck.
Dusknoir (M) Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP/ 252 Def/ 252 SpDef
Relaxed Nature
-Brick Break
-Pain Split
-Wil-O-Wisp
-Trick Room
And now my other controversial Trick Room deliverer. He's always been a Sapper of the enemy team, Burning, Pain Split and leftovers for Survivability. Then I realized one problem that hurt a large amount of my offensive capabilities. There are doubles teams that use Cresselia. She can provide the Reflect and such which hurts what I can really do. So, I replaced Shadow Sneak in exchange for Break.
So. After some brainstorming, I couldn't find any "consistent" threats aside from maybe Gastrodon which can be hard to sap but Empoleon usually checks that with one Grass Knot.
After a few weeks of tests, I have found very good results. And I haven't done a "Rate my Team" in about a year.
I should mention this is for Doubles Primarily.
Xatu (M) Focus Sash
Trait: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 SpAtk / 4 SpDef
Quiet Nature
-Psychic
-Heat Wave
-Wish
-Trick Room
Ah, the bird that caused controversy. Xatu to me has always been my "go to" deliverer, almost ensuring that I have access to delivering a successful Trick Room by any means necessary. Now, some mental button in your head is going, "WHY DOES HE HAVE MAXED OFFENSIVE STATS?!" The reason why is because I know he doesn't have the greatest bulk for a Pokemon. Focus Sash allows for him to get it off anyhow so the use of offensive capabilities on a not terrible Special Attack stat isn't a bad idea. Plus it threatens Scizor and can nail the other side twice for doubles. Wish is a nice little thing I like to add to provide a healing support to any of my Pokemon that happened to suffer a cheap shot, if he dies on the round he uses it, then the next Pokemon can receive it the heal, Roost is a nice option to add survivability but then drops his ability to be immune to ground attacks.
Swampert (M) Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 4 HP/ 252 Atk/ 252 SpDef
Brave Nature
-Curse
-Waterfall
-Ice Punch
-Earthquake
A nice and simple Cursepert. Using Curse on the same room as a trick room set up allows me to have a powerful and bulky sweeper on the second turn with Trick Room support active, and the Curse will allow him to move faster considering Trick Room. His three primary moves allow him effective type coverage. Combine his earthquake with two flying types and there isn't too much of an issue, just gotta watch out for those grass types that get by.
.png)
Honchkrow (M) Life Orb
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk/ 252 Sp Atk/ 4 Spdef
Quiet Nature
-Sucker Punch
-Brave Bird
-Heat Wave
-Protect
My lead for if the opponent has a grass-type like Breloom or something else. Protect on the first turn is usually what I go for, but sometimes if I see an opportunity, Sucker Punch like with Alakazam, is what I use next. Honchkrow is already fragile so the Life Orb Health Loss isn't a big deal, and I usually toss him out next after Xatu dies so I can continue to sweep with Earthquake on Swampert.
Empoleon (M) Leftovers
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 120 HP/ 252 SpAtk / 136 Def
Quiet
-Scald
-Ice Beam
-Grass Knot
-Protect
Essentially the primary special attacker, I was at odds as to what I wanted to use. Surf is nice for power but Scald provides that 30% burn and allows for single targets, which prevents friendly fire. I also used Yawn for quite sometime before finding out Protect has far more applications as a defensive, also it would allow me to scout out the enemy for any sneaky things that cripple or hurt him. I also used to use Air Balloon but I realized Empoleon likes healing to go with his high resistances.
Tyranitar (F) Choice Band
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spdef
Brave Nature
-Rock Slide
-Crunch
-Super Power
-Thunder Punch
My Tyranitar I wanted to be able to make sure could hit like a truck and take a few hits. Sandstream I like because it Saps weather teams considering how common they are. Even if it does shred Honchkrow's health faster, I realize he wasn't meant to really survive most battles anyhow. She's simply choice banded just so I can hit like a truck carrying cinder blocks... And another truck.
Dusknoir (M) Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 4 HP/ 252 Def/ 252 SpDef
Relaxed Nature
-Brick Break
-Pain Split
-Wil-O-Wisp
-Trick Room
And now my other controversial Trick Room deliverer. He's always been a Sapper of the enemy team, Burning, Pain Split and leftovers for Survivability. Then I realized one problem that hurt a large amount of my offensive capabilities. There are doubles teams that use Cresselia. She can provide the Reflect and such which hurts what I can really do. So, I replaced Shadow Sneak in exchange for Break.
So. After some brainstorming, I couldn't find any "consistent" threats aside from maybe Gastrodon which can be hard to sap but Empoleon usually checks that with one Grass Knot.
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