You don't want to wake the dragon, do you?

[NannyCakes]

The team at a glance​

I decided to try my hand at making a team. I’m not new to Pokémon, nor am I to the metagame, but I am a huge n00b when it comes to making teams, playing, and understanding others thought processes in those areas. None of these sets are unique in the slightest, I don’t think. This team sits in the middle 1500s.


As with most teams, I started with one Pokémon. Dragonite. I used a pretty basic set, and the point of this team is to clear any hazaard and walls to that Dragonite until I can send it out for a late game assault.


Team Building Process​

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I started with a Lum Berry Multiscale Dragonite, and decided to add in a Magnezone. This is to trap in any steel types that run rampant, that really pose no offensive threat, but are pesky ways to wall Dragonite (Ferrothorn, Forretress, and Scizor). It runs HP Fire to deal with those. It does not like Heatran, of course, and I have yet to find a great way of dealing with those. They are probably on the top of my threatlist.

The next addition to the team was Starmie. This could spin away any hazards, but more importantly, it could cover the team’s weaknesses to Landorus and Heatran. It would also do a fair deal of damage to Latias.

Then I added Breloom. This Pokémon has made me happy since third gen. It can outspeed most things by Low Sweeping switch-ins, and Spore is an absolute beast move. This can also take care of Kyurem-B and a good deal of bulky water types, like Jellicent.

The next Pokémon added was Tyranitar, to take care of Psychic types that threatened Breloom.

Jirachi was put in as an attacker, but also as Wish support for the Multiscale ability. It takes care of lots of Pokémon with its ParaFlinch combo.

I swapped Tyranitar with Keldeo-R, because Sandstorm damage was obnoxious to one half of the team.

I swapped Keldeo-R with Gengar, because it was bringing nothing. Gengar covers most of what Keldeo-R does, and gives me more strength against Psycics. It deals well with opposing Jirachis.​

Closer look at the team​

Breloom @ Life Orb
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Spore
- Bullet Seed
- Mach Punch
Low Sweep

It really depends on the preview whether I lead with this, Starmie, or Magnezone. Breloom takes the cake whenever they have a huge weakness to Grass or Fighting, or a huge lack of resistance to those. Spore is usually the first move, unless they unpredictably send out a Gliscor, in which case I switch to Starmie. Then, unless they are immune to Fighting, weak to Grass, or have a Ghost on their team, I tend to Low Sweep the crap out of them. This makes for slower opponents, and slower switch-ins. Breloom really has brought a lot in terms of that alone. It can also take care of Tyranitar (although I would rather get rid of the Sandstorm that comes with him), Heatran (to an extent), and other Pokémon that aren’t weak or resistant to it. The problem with him is he can’t take a hit.

Starmie @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
Ice Beam

Starmie brings a lot in terms of coverage. It is almost as often my lead as Breloom. I do hesitate to bring it out sometimes though, because it could risk losing a late game spin. The set is pretty self explanatory: Hydro Pump things that are weak or don’t resist, Ice Beam Dragons and Landorus, and Thunderbolt just about everything else. It helps to clear the field of some Dragons that could KO Dragonite. It also helps with Heatran, although Hydro Pump is somewhat unreliable and an obvious play that they usually switch out on.

Magnezone @ Air Balloon
Trait: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Flash Cannon

Definitely one of the MVPs on my team. I always lead with this if there is a Ferrothorn on the other team. I’ve noticed people love leading with Ferrothorn if they can. When this traps a Ferrothorn, Scizor, or Forretress it Subs, because it resists almost everything (but Superpower), and it spams Hidden Power. When it traps a Heatran is when I switch out. It can also deal with Skarmory, and Flash Cannon has helped out in lowering some Blissey’s Sp. Defense. He is pretty crux in that steels wall Dragonite, and he is a Steel killing machine, although he can hardly deal with offensive threats from what I’ve seen (could be a lack of playing skills on my part.)

Jirachi @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 224 SDef / 32 Spd
Careful Nature
- Iron head
- Body Slam
- Wish
Cosmic Power

The fourth move used to be Protect, but that never got any use. Of course, once I replaced it, I started needing it more. I am at a loss over what to put in the final move slot. Anyways, this lovely star can help out D-nite by restoring it to Multiscale potential and allowing it to rampage all over again. Then the obnoxious ParaFlinch is great with dealing with non-Steel, non-Ghost opponents. Cosmic Power is really only used when I have the chance to set it up.

Gengar @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Shadow Ball
- Pain Split
- Focus Blast

Gengar was put in to deal with Psychics. He can help deal good damage to Latios, Latias, and Jirachi, all threats to the team effort. He also is able to stay in for a while due to Pain Split, and Focus Blast is a shaky way of dealing with Heatran. He even deals huge blows to neutral-affected Pokémon, owing to his grand Sp. Attack. He is better then Keldeo for sure, but if you can persuade me to replace him with Tyranitar, I might. I like him better so far though.

Dragonite @ Lum Berry
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- ExtremeSpeed
- Outrage
Earthquake

Dragonite is the reason I made this team. He can deal severe blows to half of a team, and is a great ender. Multiscale allows him to do a little Dance, make a little love, and get down. Even without DD, he can be sent out and priority strike low HP Pokémon to death with ExtremeSpeed. Earthquake deals with Heatran (I know, on paper 2/3 of my team ‘deal’ with Heatran, but yet he manages to bug the crap out of me.) Lum Berry is obviously there for Confusion, but so many time has he been Poisoned or Paralyzed, or even lulled to sleep, when he undoes that and wrecks teams over. God I love Dragonite.

​

Threatlist, thus far:

- This guy continues to be a huge threat. SR, Toxic, and it walls Magnezone and Jirachi. It also is annoying to a Dragonite trapped in a world of Outrage. The only Pokémon that should be able to deal with it are the other three, but Focus Blast and Hydro Pump are a tad unreliable, and it tends to switch out anyways. Did I mention that Fire Type moves take out half of my team.

- This guy, especially when he tricks Choice Scarfs, is as obnoxious as obnoxious is to spell. His U-turn also can deal some damage to Starmie, which irks me for some reason. I haven’t faced many since adding Gengar to my team, but hopefully it will be a non-issue soon.

- She can wall lots of my guys, and take out most of them too. I hate her as much as I hate Latios.

- He is just a mad powerhouse. I’d be more descriptive, but by the time I take care of him, I forgot that he took out half my team or more. Draco Meteor is so strong, and then it just Recovers.

And if for any reason you want to take 'er out for a spin:

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Brelloom (Breloom) @ Life Orb
Trait: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Spore
- Bullet Seed
- Mach Punch
- Low Sweep

Stramie (Starmie) @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam

Magnazone (Magnezone) @ Air Balloon
Trait: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon

Gegnar (Gengar) @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Shadow Ball
- Pain Split
- Focus Blast

Jirochi (Jirachi) @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 224 SDef / 32 Spd
Careful Nature
- Iron head
- Body Slam
- Wish
- Cosmic Power

Dragonight (Dragonite) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Multiscale
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- ExtremeSpeed
- Outrage
- Earthquake

 

[Ripamon]

I think this is a fantastic team. But just by a glance its obvious youre weak to some disturbingly common threats. Opposing Dragons(especially Dragonite) that set up before your Dragonite instantly end you. I really feel Keldeo was a better fit for the team than the Gengar you replaced it with. A scarfed version takes care of outraging dancing Dragonites as well as scarfed Kyurem B easily. Though psychics such as Latias and Latios annoy you, they are absolutely stopped cold if you play properly with Jirachi. Transferring those 32 ev's from speed to attack will allow you to break bulky latias's substitute and eventually paralyze with body slam.

Replace cosmic power with U-turn on your Jirachi. Cosmic power doesn't go with the flow of your team in any manner, and youre best off passing the Wish or flinching the opponent if you stay in.

Lastly, you might wanna try a focus sash lead Breloom set. Spore, hit something hard and die. You usually end up with a 2 pokemon advantage if well played.

 

[Magcargo]

I relized that your team lacks entry hazards, meaning you can miss out on some 2HKOs. Because of this, I recommend custap lead skarmory over jirachi. Skarmory is an amazing lead because it has spikes and SR, the highest speed of all sturdy users and taunt. It also pairs up well with your spinblocker, gengar. Here's the set:

Skarmory @ Custap Berry
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Whirlwind
- Taunt

 

[ganj4lF]

Just a quick suggestion, if you don't want to try the suggested Skarmory you can fix the lack of Stealth Rock (which is mandatory) by using it on the fourth moveslot of Jirachi. Cosmic Power is not that good, especially with Wish: you want to switch to the intended target to heal it, but doing so makes useless any boost you may have gathered. If you want to try a setting up Jirachi with Wish, you can try the WishCM set from the Smogon analysis (not suggesting it for this team, but if you want to try out something similar, that's the closest thing that "works"). Stealth Rock is indeed immensely helpful for an amount of reasons: keeping DNite / Volcarona / similar pokes in check and wearing down things; the fact that you already use a Ghost type in your team just amplifies the usefulness of the move.

 

[NannyCakes]

I think this is a fantastic team. But just by a glance its obvious youre weak to some disturbingly common threats. Opposing Dragons(especially Dragonite) that set up before your Dragonite instantly end you. I really feel Keldeo was a better fit for the team than the Gengar you replaced it with. A scarfed version takes care of outraging dancing Dragonites as well as scarfed Kyurem B easily. Though psychics such as Latias and Latios annoy you, they are absolutely stopped cold if you play properly with Jirachi. Transferring those 32 ev's from speed to attack will allow you to break bulky latias's substitute and eventually paralyze with body slam.

Replace cosmic power with U-turn on your Jirachi. Cosmic power doesn't go with the flow of your team in any manner, and youre best off passing the Wish or flinching the opponent if you stay in.

Lastly, you might wanna try a focus sash lead Breloom set. Spore, hit something hard and die. You usually end up with a 2 pokemon advantage if well played.

I might replace Cosmic Power with SR, because someone pointed out I lacked it. I already had replaced it with Fire Punch since making this, because it was being walled by the likes of Ferrothorn, but SR is really important. Also, I tried Keldeo and kept having to waste turns because of the Scarf (again, I'm kind of a noob, any suggestions on how to better utilize a Scarfed-mon are welcome.

By Focus Sash lead, do you mean same moves and EVs with a Sash?

 

[NannyCakes]

Just a quick suggestion, if you don't want to try the suggested Skarmory you can fix the lack of Stealth Rock (which is mandatory) by using it on the fourth moveslot of Jirachi. Cosmic Power is not that good, especially with Wish: you want to switch to the intended target to heal it, but doing so makes useless any boost you may have gathered. If you want to try a setting up Jirachi with Wish, you can try the WishCM set from the Smogon analysis (not suggesting it for this team, but if you want to try out something similar, that's the closest thing that "works"). Stealth Rock is indeed immensely helpful for an amount of reasons: keeping DNite / Volcarona / similar pokes in check and wearing down things; the fact that you already use a Ghost type in your team just amplifies the usefulness of the move.

I am definitely going to check this out.