Pokemon Y - whY must this be so hard?

[ShiraBliss]

GOOD MORNING, FRIENDS, I AM ALIVE.

I haven't been online in, what, two/three years? Wowzers. Well, I have returned with questions abound!

I picked up Pokemon Y on its release date and I've been chugging along to the best of my ability (what with graduating college in the spring and all), and I've managed to snag a few good ones - and like all obedient trainers I managed to snag an Eevee. So, here it goes...

Oh no, not that question- anything but that question!!!

What should I evolve my eevee into?

Normally I wouldn't be having this much trouble, but that darn Sylveon has gone and stumped me- what with it's cute flesh bows, and it's super high special defense. Harrumf. You're throwing my whole team out of whack, Sylveon! Think about what you've done!

The team is still in the works, but I have quite a few candidates. I haven't been in the competitive realm for a while, not since BW1, so forgive me if I'm a little rusty:

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Donphan @Leftovers
Sturdy
Impish +Def -Sp.Atk
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 6 Speed

Stealth Rock
Rapid Spin
Earthquake
Ice Shard

You know it, you love it; it's Donphan's classic moveset. Send him in, let him set up a Stealth Rock, and let the battle commence.

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Greninja @Life Orb
Torrent (will try to get Protean when available)
Naughty +Atk -Sp.Def
EVs: 218 Atk / 40 Sp.Atk / 252 Speed

Water Shuriken
Scald / Aerial Ace
Power-Up Punch
Dark Pulse

Water Shuriken is for STAB priority + the 2-5 consecutive hit. It means that at minimum Greninja does 45 base damage (STAB included) and 112 base damage maximum. Scald is for STAB again + the burn chance is always nice. Power-Up Punch to knock the socks off of those darned Steel-types that usually wall our Water-type friends. Repeated usage never hurts, either. STAB Dark is always nice, and the flinch chance is lovely too, but I do leave myself open against Fairy-, Grass-, Bug- and Fighting-type attacks if I leave the move-set at that. I could replace Scald with Aerial Ace to cover myself against Grass-, Bug-, and Fighting-.

I decided to use the Life Orb because Greninja is a glass cannon. He's going to faint quickly if he can't take them down first, and his versatility could really help in a pinch - especially in this generation. So I figured I might as well let him fire away with that 1.3 power boost for a few turns.

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Talonflame @Choice Band / Life Orb / Leftovers
Flame Body (Gale Wing if it becomes legal in OU)
Adamant +Atk -Sp.Atk
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed

Swords Dance / Steel Wing
Brave Bird
Flare Blitz / Flame Charge
Roost

Can you say revenge killer? I sure can!!! This thing is crazy powerful, and it comes with two incredible STAB power-house moves: Brave Bird and Flare Blitz. If the recoil damage is too much, Talonflame can use Flame Charge and hit again and again with stacking speed boosts without the recoil Talonflame can roost. GLORIOUS. Swords Dance and Gale Wing on a non-Choice Talonflame spells absolute disaster if he is able to set up. +2 Attack with +1 priority to Brave Bird spells PAIN. Steel Wing is a good Ice- and Rock- hitter, and it also comes in handy versus those darn Fairy-types.

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(Mega) Venusaur @Venusaurite
Chlorophyll/Thick Fat
Modest +Sp.Atk -Atk
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Sp.Atk / 216 Speed

Growth
Synthesis
Sludge Bomb
Solar Beam / Grass Knot / Energy Ball

Say hello to my big ol' friend. Venusaur is glorious- can I just say that? MegaVenusaur is glorious as well. The play is simple: Growth to my heart's content (add a Synthesis or two for survivability), MegaEvolve, unleash hell. Sludge Bomb to nuke all of those diddly-darn Fairy-types running about this generation, and do neutral damage to whatever isn't hurt by Grass- except for Steel-types. Then again, if Mega/Venusaur manages to max out its stats via Growth, hitting ANYTHING shouldn't be too much of a problem. Solar Beam and Grass Knot are tied here. Solar Beam is wonderful, but that darn charge can fall off a precipice, and Grass Knot takes down the heavy hitters, but not all of Venusaur's threats are heavy. It's a gamble to go with either, and I could technically use Energy Ball instead, but IDK.

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Tyrantrum @Shell Bell / Choice Scarf / Choice Band
Strong Jaw
Adamant +Atk -Sp.Atk
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Speed

Dragon Dance / Crunch
Head Smash
Earthquake
Substitute / Dragon Claw

I LOVE DINOSAURS. Words cannot describe how elated I was when I discovered Aurorus and Tyrantrum, but I digress. If I decide to go with Shell Bell a SubDD Tyrantrum coupled with STAB Head Smash is going to be devastating. Very few Pokemon could withstand that kind of power (the ones I can think of off the top of my head are Ferrothorn, Aeigislash, and Bronzong). EQ for killing basically everything else. However, if I decide to run a Choice set DD and Substitute are replaced with Crunch and Dragon Claw to cover his bases.

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And there's the five slots so far. I have a few things that I could try, such as replacing Greninja with Skill Link Cloyster and let him Shell Smash his way through the opponent, or replace MegaVenusaur with Trevenant who is an incredible spin-blocker and the perfect Starmie counter. As it stands now, however, I am one team member short of a picnic.

I was considering a Wish-support Eeveelution, and would like to hear everyone's opinion on the matter. Wish-support Sylveon? Wish-support Umbreon? Wish-support Espeon? Wish at all? Eevee at all?

Thanks again for hearing me out. My team is probably awful, so any advice would be appreciated xD;;

[SirBlaziken]

Welcome back!

About the eevee, it depends on what role you want it to fill.

A phys wall/Wish passer? Vaporeon.

A hazard bouncer/duel screener? Espeon

Sylveon for the surprise factor.

That's OU.


Also, on da saur, to use solar beam, get a sun setter, which would hinder your greninja. Otherwise, use energy ball. Grass knot is more situational.

For greninja, use aerial ace.

Talonflame would run into the SR problem, losing 50% of it's health, so use at your own risk, the spinner is nice, though. Talonflame also gets power from the sun.

Donphan: Good idea with SR and Rapid Spin.


Richard, your move.

[quack98]

Venusaur would be better off with Giga Drain as it's Grass STAB, imo, as it only falls 5 power short of energy ball,and restores HP.

Greninja should definitely have AA over Scald, as that allows you to ditch the SpA EVs in favour of Atk, whilst providing coverage.

Talonflame is awesome, as for it's set I'd say:
Life Orb/Leftovers
-> Roost
-> Brave Bird
-> Flare Blitz
-> Steel Wing/Swords Dance
Roost is pretty useful for making SR less of a pain, Life Orbs power is nice, but leftovers makes recoil less recoiling?

Venusaur outside of sun is better physical swords dancer, as growth only gives +1 not in sun! I'd suggest:
Venusaurite
-> Swords Dance
-> Sleep Powder
-> Power Whip
-> Earthquake

Not perfect, but it's easier to set up w/ sleep powder.

For Eevee, I'd suggest Espeon, as magic bounce stops SR preventing Talonflame from being rendered useless, as if Donphan dies he will be!

[SirBlaziken]

^Wrong Richard.

IMO, mega saur or saur for that matter, need sun, I provides speed that they lack. Also, mainly, venasaur is a utility sweeper.

Also, you have too many sweepers. Try for another wall.

[quack98]

^Why would mega Venusaur need sun? It benefits, yes, but it doesn't solely rely on it like standard Venusaur, as mega Venusaur has Thick Fat as it's ability, and so may pull of a wall set, as it negates Fire & Ice weaknesses.

[Liam]

Also consider than weather has been nerfed this generation; weather starting abilities are not permanent, they only last 5 turns (8 turns with a rock). Mega Venusaur is completely viable without sun.

I'm not going to comment on the rest of the team, sorry, I just wanted to point that individual bit out.

[ShiraBliss]

^Wrong Richard.

IMO, mega saur or saur for that matter, need sun, I provides speed that they lack. Also, mainly, venasaur is a utility sweeper.

Also, you have too many sweepers. Try for another wall.

^Why would mega Venusaur need sun? It benefits, yes, but it doesn't solely rely on it like standard Venusaur, as mega Venusaur has Thick Fat as it's ability, and so may pull of a wall set, as it negates Fire & Ice weaknesses.

So do you guys think I should maybe make my Eevee a wall? Sylveon has the potential to be a special wall, but I'm not too familiar with it to be sure. As for Venusaur, what wall set did you have in mind, Richard?

also hi liam

[quack98]

Something along the lines of:

Venusaur @ Venusaurite
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
-> Sleep Powder
-> Synthesis / Hidden Power Fire
-> Giga Drain
-> Leech Seed

Okay, the main thing that would wall this set would be Ferrothorn, as it can't be put to sleep then leeched, and so hidden power fire could be used in place of synthesis.

Otherwise, use Leech Seed turn one, as they'll switch into something they don't mind being put to sleep, so don't use sleep powder turn one, UNLESS YOU DONT CARE WHO YOU PUT TO SLEEP. Then use sleep powder turn two, and you're good to go, I guess. Watch out for (Mega)Alakazam though. Probably good paired with Blissey, one of, if not them best special walls.

And, just on a side note, I prefer Dick to Richard ^_^

[ShiraBliss]

'K, I've revised my Venusaur. That just leaves me with the last slot with the eevee.

It's been mentioned that I need a wall, and I very much agree (I also find this hilarious because my teammates are named after Attack on Titan characters huehuehue)

I've noticed that I don't really have protection against them pesky special attackers. What kind of Eeveelution would be suited for that?

I like the idea of Magic Bounce Espeon, I haven't touched Umbreon in a while so I can't recall its walling capabilities (sorry baby D:>), and Sylveon I just have no clue.


I'm open to any suggestions for the 6th slot, as well as to changes to the team from here.

[quack98]

Umbreon is my personal favourite eeveelution for special walling. The two sets I'd normally use are:

Umbreon @ Leftovers
252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Def
-> Foul Play
-> Moonlight / Wish
-> Heal Bell / Toxic
-> Protect (Stops High Jump Kick)

Aaaaand:

Umbreon @ Leftovers
252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Atk
-> Curse
-> Payback
-> Moonlight
-> Protect / Confuse Ray

Okay, first set is basically a standard wall / Cleric, but it's also the most common. Set 2 has more of a surprise factor, as curse builds up defense to become a mixed wall. Nothing is immune to payback, and 150 BP (with STAB) is pretty powerful! Protect stops HJK kicking your arse, but confuse ray lets you set up easier.

Sylveon is apparently a special wall, but I can't picture it besting umbreon statewide for defenses (95/105/130 for umbreon, but the way eeveelution's stats work, he's got the best he can)

[ShiraBliss]

Could someone please refresh my memory here? What are the terms of the item clause again? Is it automatic in default online battling or is it everything goes, usually?

For the past few years I've been restricting myself to a no duplicate items rule. I have three candidates so far that could be holding Leftovers (Umbreon included), and I don't want to be THAT guy online, you know? The "ALL OF MY TEAM WEARS CHOICE ITEMS HURHURHUR" type.

[SirBlaziken]

I think more than one pokemon can hold the same item. Heck, at least half my ubers team on showdown hold leftovers. Then again, this is in-game, so I don't know.

BTW, I meant Richard and Blaziken. That Richard.