I've been trying to break through 1400s for a while now but been struggling and although I think a lot of the problem lies with me I can tell my team could do with a little work.
The Team
Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 248 HP / 152 Def / 4 SpA / 104 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower
Celesteela is generally a very solid pokemon who is capable of tanking most hits. The set is pretty standard with leech seed, protect and leftovers offering amazing recovery and the ability to take out most mons in a 1v1. Heavy slam hits any mons that don't resist for a lot of damage and can take out most already weakened fairy types while flamethrower stops threats like scizor (who this team is very weak to) from setting up while also hitting ferrothorn for 70%.
Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 28 Def / 232 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Tangrowth once again is a strong mon and I have gone with a very standard set. With reliable recovers in regenerator tangrowth can make use of AV and 4 attacks. Giga drain is a great stab as it gives more tang more recovery, hidden power ice is for the ever-present lando while earthquake hits fire and steel types and knock off is great against leftover users and mewtwo (who celesteela struggles against).
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 44 Def / 108 SpD / 112 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Roost
- Stealth Rock
Gliscor is another strong mon with great recovery however my set is a little different than the usual. Earthquake is gliscors main stab, and roost gives a great form of recovery, stealth rocks are great against offensive flying mons like gyarados and charizard y which are very threatening against this team and rockslide once against hits these scary flying types for a lot of damage and while I feel this may be a waste of a move it is nice to have the peace of mind that I have this in the back if need be.
Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Lava Plume
- Earth Power
- Flash Cannon
- Roar
While scarf tran is not a common set it works very well on this team as it outspeeds and OHKOs the huge scizor threat as well as non scarf kartana and scarf magnezone who has had a huge rise in usage recently. Lava plume does a good deal of damage to nearly everything it touches and while it has less damage than flamethrower the higher burn chance is much appreciated when this thing normally needs to switch out after one or two turns, earth power lets it take out other heatran and charizard x after rocks. Roar is a weird choice but when switching in on a ferrothorn it can be fun to roar on the switch to get a little rocks chip on a couple of mons which often comes in clutch later. I'm not sure if there's much reason for flash cannon but it can OHKO some kyurem black sets (I hate kyurem black) and hits clef for 75% and can ohko alolan ninetails. I've considered switching it for rocks but for now its still here.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 92 HP / 224 SpA / 192 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Moonblast
- Calm Mind
- Defog
Tapu fini has a great typing for this team and works as a good switch in against Greninja to take some pressure off of celesteela. Hydro pump is fini strongest stab and deals good damage against anything that doesn't resist while moonblast offers an answer to dark and dragon types like gren and kyurem b. Fini manages to force a lot of switches and therefore is the perfect defogger. Calm mind isn't so much for sweeping as it is to help in a few niche situations where it allows fini to tank 2 hits and OHKO after a boost thereby winning a 1v1.
Zeraora @ Life Orb
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Close Combat
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Fake Out
I chose zeraora as the sweeper for a few reasons. Firstly the team is weak to flying types and while gliscor has rockslide I wanted something more reliable especially to deal with gyarados. Secondly, the team has no volturn users so it struggles with getting in the sweeper without a sack, zeraora's volt absorb gives it opportunities to switch in for free on electric attacks against fini and celesteela. Life orb gives it the attack boost it needs without locking it into one move. Plasma fists is zeraora's main stab and close combat does a lot of damage to problematic steel types and unlike superpower has no attack drop, HP ice gives coverage for lando after a little chip which is an obvious switch in against zeraora and a common threat while fake out often gives it the little extra damage it needs to take out a mon in one hit although not as spammable as on mega lopunny thanks to life orb damage.
Conclusion
I find this team generally works well but in almost every game I find myself against a troublesome mon like zard y, scarf lando or gyarados. I have considered a few changes like removing tang or gliscor as they seem to do the least despite their excellent coverage on paper, possibly giving u-turn to gliscor (maybe I can switch the rocks to heatran freeing up a move) or switching fini for a wish user. who could help when celesteela get knocked of or burnt and zeraora has taken too much chip. I eould love to hear whatyou guys think and welcome any suggestions although I'd like to keep my scarf tran and celesteela as I find they always put in work.
The Team
Celesteela @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 248 HP / 152 Def / 4 SpA / 104 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Leech Seed
- Protect
- Heavy Slam
- Flamethrower
Celesteela is generally a very solid pokemon who is capable of tanking most hits. The set is pretty standard with leech seed, protect and leftovers offering amazing recovery and the ability to take out most mons in a 1v1. Heavy slam hits any mons that don't resist for a lot of damage and can take out most already weakened fairy types while flamethrower stops threats like scizor (who this team is very weak to) from setting up while also hitting ferrothorn for 70%.
Tangrowth @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 28 Def / 232 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Giga Drain
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Hidden Power [Ice]
Tangrowth once again is a strong mon and I have gone with a very standard set. With reliable recovers in regenerator tangrowth can make use of AV and 4 attacks. Giga drain is a great stab as it gives more tang more recovery, hidden power ice is for the ever-present lando while earthquake hits fire and steel types and knock off is great against leftover users and mewtwo (who celesteela struggles against).
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 44 Def / 108 SpD / 112 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Roost
- Stealth Rock
Gliscor is another strong mon with great recovery however my set is a little different than the usual. Earthquake is gliscors main stab, and roost gives a great form of recovery, stealth rocks are great against offensive flying mons like gyarados and charizard y which are very threatening against this team and rockslide once against hits these scary flying types for a lot of damage and while I feel this may be a waste of a move it is nice to have the peace of mind that I have this in the back if need be.
Heatran @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Lava Plume
- Earth Power
- Flash Cannon
- Roar
While scarf tran is not a common set it works very well on this team as it outspeeds and OHKOs the huge scizor threat as well as non scarf kartana and scarf magnezone who has had a huge rise in usage recently. Lava plume does a good deal of damage to nearly everything it touches and while it has less damage than flamethrower the higher burn chance is much appreciated when this thing normally needs to switch out after one or two turns, earth power lets it take out other heatran and charizard x after rocks. Roar is a weird choice but when switching in on a ferrothorn it can be fun to roar on the switch to get a little rocks chip on a couple of mons which often comes in clutch later. I'm not sure if there's much reason for flash cannon but it can OHKO some kyurem black sets (I hate kyurem black) and hits clef for 75% and can ohko alolan ninetails. I've considered switching it for rocks but for now its still here.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 92 HP / 224 SpA / 192 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Moonblast
- Calm Mind
- Defog
Tapu fini has a great typing for this team and works as a good switch in against Greninja to take some pressure off of celesteela. Hydro pump is fini strongest stab and deals good damage against anything that doesn't resist while moonblast offers an answer to dark and dragon types like gren and kyurem b. Fini manages to force a lot of switches and therefore is the perfect defogger. Calm mind isn't so much for sweeping as it is to help in a few niche situations where it allows fini to tank 2 hits and OHKO after a boost thereby winning a 1v1.
Zeraora @ Life Orb
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Close Combat
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Fake Out
I chose zeraora as the sweeper for a few reasons. Firstly the team is weak to flying types and while gliscor has rockslide I wanted something more reliable especially to deal with gyarados. Secondly, the team has no volturn users so it struggles with getting in the sweeper without a sack, zeraora's volt absorb gives it opportunities to switch in for free on electric attacks against fini and celesteela. Life orb gives it the attack boost it needs without locking it into one move. Plasma fists is zeraora's main stab and close combat does a lot of damage to problematic steel types and unlike superpower has no attack drop, HP ice gives coverage for lando after a little chip which is an obvious switch in against zeraora and a common threat while fake out often gives it the little extra damage it needs to take out a mon in one hit although not as spammable as on mega lopunny thanks to life orb damage.
Conclusion
I find this team generally works well but in almost every game I find myself against a troublesome mon like zard y, scarf lando or gyarados. I have considered a few changes like removing tang or gliscor as they seem to do the least despite their excellent coverage on paper, possibly giving u-turn to gliscor (maybe I can switch the rocks to heatran freeing up a move) or switching fini for a wish user. who could help when celesteela get knocked of or burnt and zeraora has taken too much chip. I eould love to hear whatyou guys think and welcome any suggestions although I'd like to keep my scarf tran and celesteela as I find they always put in work.
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