Team Building Q+A Thread

[Roxxy the Zangoose]

Let's see...I've somehow become obsessed with Sandslash for some reason, so...good moveset for Spyke the Sandslash?

[Afro-Disiak]

This is what the SMP is for

[Roxxy the Zangoose]

^ Okay. Thank ye.

[f3raligatr]

Machop - #66 (Jolly): 31 / 31 / 26 / 2 / 11 / 31
Machop - #66 (Jolly): 31 / 29 / 20 / 4 / 31 / 31
Machop - #66 (Jolly): 31 / 25 / 27 / 23 / 31 / 31


All of them have No Guard and the set I want to use is Dynamic Punch / Stone Edge / Earthquake / Ice Punch (or Payback and Thunderpunch over EQ and SE), but I'm wondering which of the three is the best to use? The last one looks tasty in that it's 4pts from flawless bulk, with a still respectable Attack IV, but I'm not sure how much difference the drop in Attack will make..

Second opinion is requested please.

[Zy]

Go for the first one. You want as much as Atk as possible to guarantee the OHKOes and 2HKOes 4 Attack lead Machamp gives you.

[f3raligatr]

Go for the first one. You want as much as Atk as possible to guarantee the OHKOes and 2HKOes 4 Attack lead Machamp gives you.

But it's not going to be a Lead Machamp? =S

Apologies, looked at that in confusion, saw the "4 Attack" bit and thought you meant "4 Attack EVs" which made me raise an eyebrow, haha. Before I commit, may I ask the main things that Machamp needs to be able to OHKO/2HKO? I'll do a fair bit of calculating and see if the 6 Attack points drop will make enough of a difference to turn those OHKO/2HKOs into 2HKOs/3HKOs. =]

[Legacy]

OK my question is to do with double battles. I'm in the process of EV training a Timid Pichu (Raichu eventually) shown below:

Raichu@Leftovers
{Static}[Timid]
EVs: Hp (4), Sp. Attack (252), Speed (252)
-Focus Blast
-Thunderbolt
-Grass Knot
-Nasty Plot

I was wondering if anyone agreed with me about teaming it up with this:

Kingdra @ Leftovers
[Sniper]
Adamant (+Atk, -Sp.Atk)
EVs: 252 Sp.Atk / 232 Spd / 26 HP
- Rain Dance
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Outrage

((All credits to those who helped in the SMP.))

Since Kingdra's Rain Dance would support Raichu's Thunderbolt (I think, although I may replace Thunderbolt with Thunder if this goes ahead) and also covers Raichu's main weakness (ground).

I have a untrained adamant natured Horsea ready for this as well so I thought I'd see what others thought. But the advantage I can see is, I can use this in both double and single battling.

Thanks =]

[Hahex and Oshawott]

rain dance only turns thunder into 100% accuracy iirc, nothing to do with thinderbolt

[Legacy]

^I realised that a little while after typing it. But scratch that, I just hatched a Modest Horsea with Sniper and so this set seems more fitting:

Kingdra @ Scope Lens / Life Orb
[Sniper]
Modest (+Sp.Atk, -Atk)
EVs: 252 Sp.Atk / 252 Spd / 6 Atk
- Focus Energy
- Hydro Pump
- Draco Meteor
- Hidden Power [Fighting]

But my question is, how do you know when you have HP fighting? =/

[Dandelion]

If you know its IVs, you can work it out from that (e.g. 30/30/30/30/30/30 will give HP Fighting power 70).

Alternatively, use it on a Kecleon and see what type it changes to.

Horsea used Hidden Power!
It's super effective!
Kecleon's Colour Change made it Fighting type!

[Legacy]

Hmm that would be good. I don't know it's IV's sadly since I don't really know how to work them out

As for the Kecleon, I have one in my box, so I'll send that to Platinum using my girlfriend's DS or my aunt's DS and do it that way. Thanks for that =]

[Afro-Disiak]

You could just go into a 2v2 battle with your Kecleon and target him! I would partner Kingdra with something like Vaporeon, a sturdy Rain Dance user. You could also then run Surf on Kingdra which would heal Vaporeon thanks to Water Absorb.

[Legacy]

Hmm I like that idea. I'm liking it a lot =] Thanks for that Dan =]

Any ideas on a lead I could use here, since a Rain Dance team seems to fit in with my plans right now.

Any pokemon is good, since I have Emerald and Platinum as well as SoulSilver, so I can get a range of pokemon

[Afro-Disiak]

Good Rain Dance mon:

Kabutops, Omastar, Qwilfish, Ludicolo, Gorebyss - they are your main sweepers - Swift Swim to double speed and great attacking options. Kabutops is probably most deadly, with the Swords Dance set: SD/Waterfall/Stone Edge/Aqua Jet or Substitute. Then you have OU Water mons like Suicune, Starmie, Kingdra etc who can still function well outside of Rain Dance.

Crobat, Electrode, Bronzong, Uxie, Mesprit, Lanturn, Vaporeon, Lapras - These are your Rain Dance/Support mons that can set up rain, screens (Reflect/Light Screen), Taunt etc to make your sweep as efficient as possible.

[Legacy]

Thats an awesome help =] thank you very much.