Way Too Many Gimmicks (Gen V)

[MC=3]

A disaster waiting to happen! Like all true scrubs, the goal of this team is to provide a counter to the most frequently used strategies and pokemon while still being able to tear a less-used team apart. With the 5th gen metagame just starting up I'm drooling over all the new possibilites and I feel I may have overloaded this team with things I've been trying to do. Basically, tear it apart.

Espeon (F) @ Choice Scarf
Magic Mirror
EVS: 252 HP/216 SPD/40 SATK
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
-Trick
-Substitute
-Baton Pass
-Psycho Shock

The very obvious and very best anti-lead. Tricking a non-choiced lead will basically buy me a free subpass and Magic Mirror nullifies switch hazards. With the whole "being able to see the enemy team" thing I feel like this won't put most smart players in check so I added Psycho Shock to make it double as a defensive SAtker. I could swap that for Hidden Power [Ice] to take out Dragons but I feel like the rest of my team has that covered.

Dugtrio (M) @ Choice Band
Arena Trap
EVS: 4 HP / 252 ATK / 252 SPD
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
-Sucker Punch
-Memento

This is just too good. Can OHKO AND trap Shanderra and that ridiculous moth thing, and anything that Stone Edge/Sucker Punch doesn't wreck I can just Memento to cripple beyond use. Basically a 5th-gen pokemon killer. The only major problem this guy can run into are flying dragons that can learn Ice/Water moves like Dragonite and Mence, for which I have...

Denchura (M) @ Life Orb?
Tension
EVS: 4HP/252SAtk/252SPD
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
-Thunderbolt
-Bug Buzz
-HP [Ice]
-Thunder Wave

You guys probably think I'm crazy for running Tension over Compound Eyes, but if there's one thing I hate in this game it's getting a status infliction on something only to get screwed over by a Lum Berry. Compound Eyes isn't too appealing to me because a STAB Thunderbolt will probably kill anything weak to electric types aside from water walls, and I already have two trappers so using Thunder over Tbolt just seems pointless. Other than that pretty standard, a dragon-killer that can also paralyze set-up sweepers.

Jaroda (M) @ Leftovers
Contrarian
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
EVS: 24 HP / 236 Atk / 252 Spe
~Mean Look
~Leech Seed
~Toxic
~Dragon Tail

I love this guy. Another ridiculous set--a trapper that can't outspeed much and has little defensive EVS. Ideally I'm going to be giving Espeon's substitute to this guy. Obviously a wall killer, abusing the fact that Jaroda learns Mean Look and Lseed. I took Dragon Tail over Leaf Storm because a grass type using a grass move to it's favor is just a guaranteed switch out for your opponent, and I wanted something with more type coverage to scout out the team.

Zuruzukin (M) @ Leftovers
Shed Skin
EVS: 252 HP/252 Atk/4 SPD
Bulk Up
Drain Punch
Crunch
Brick Break

Semi-standard Zuruzukin, just so I can have the luxury of a set-up killer after taking out most of the opponent's threats. Shed Skin because I'm a gambler like that.

Barujiina (F) @ Red Card
Breakable Armor
EVS: 252 SAtk/180HP/76 SPD
-Nasty Plot
-Air Slash
-Roost
-Shadow Ball

Yeah this is dumb, I mostly just wanted a flying type and an excuse to use Red Card. I'll definitely be replacing it--is there something bulky that resists ground and can take care of fighting types?


And that's the team. Kind of a major ice type weakness right now, among other problems. What do, Smogon?

 

[FlashDrive]

i dont see why you have Drain Punch AND Brick Break on Zuruzukin, he has a good movepool, so theres a lot of things you could put there.
I also don't understand why Jaroda has Dragon Tail. You trap them, seed them, toxic them, and then switch them out? seems pretty counter-productive. Replace with Leaf Storm or Leaf Blade. If you need a phazer, you could even give dragon tail to zuruzukin.

 

[KnivesNPistols]

Isn't Trick illegal together with Magic Mirror on Espeon?

 

[Venser]

@Above: I checked, and it looks like it is illegal.

On your Zuruzukin, I would relocate the Speed EVs to Defense, replace Crunch with Payback, and Brick Brick with Rest. Like CroCune but with two attacks.

Also, you could replace Barujiina with Celebi, Togekiss, or the frailer Shaymin-S. Alternatively, one of the Rotom Formes could work in that slot.

 

[Zebstrika]

I think instead of Brick Break, I think Hi Jump Kick, Stone Edge or Zen Headbutt would also work. Hi Jump Kick is for power, obviously, and if it doesn't go as planned (miss) Drain Punch can get that HP back. Stone Edge is for Flying and Bug types who resist Fighting and can threaten Zuruzukin with a Flying move (for flyers). Zen Headbutt covers up the 2 flaws in Fighting+Dark, Heracross and Toxicroak. Venser, I think Drain Punch and Rest is kind of redundant. As for Crunch vs. Payback, I don't really have an opinion.

 

[Venser]

I've tried out the set (abeit with a slightly bulkier EV spread (252 HP/40 Attack/216 Special Defense) and a Careful nature) and trust me, it's incredible. Rest is for when you take a strong attack and Payback. It's the first set on the analysis, if you doubt me.

 

[sax king]

Isn't Trick illegal together with Magic Mirror on Espeon?

@Above: I checked, and it looks like it is.

Actually, it's not. Trick is a 4th Gen Move Tutor move, and so therefore it can't be passed down to Espeon. Also, it's not legal on PO.

 

[Venser]

Actually, it's not. Trick is a 4th Gen Move Tutor move, and so therefore it can't be passed down to Espeon. Also, it's not legal on PO.

Oh, was that unclear? I meant it was illegal. Sorry!

 

[locopoke]

Contrarian on Jaroda hasn't been released yet.

 

[min min]

Barujiina lacks enough special attack to sweep, even with Nasty Plot. NP Lucario hits 700+ SAtk after a Nasty Plot, which is the point of boosting in the first place. To reach anywhere near such a number our scavenger friend here has to get 3 successful Nasty Plots, and that's 2 turns too long in this metagame. Skarmory however has a decent attack stat already AND Breakable Armor, along with Swords Dance.