I don't know exactly if this goes here, but I found no better place to post it.
So, I'm going for the "achievement" that changes your trainer card's color by winning both super singles and super doubles. After trying a lot I won singles, but I'm missing Doubles. Currently my team is doing well, but constant bad luck keeps me from winning. I'm starting to think that maybe my team could be more solid so that it becomes immune to that.
Before presenting my team I want to point out a few things:
1- My philosophy towards Battle Subway is that you need extreme offense so that you kill everything before they can even hit you, and they can't strike a critical hit. It doesn't matter if you have +6 on both defenses if a lucky crit gets through them. This philosophy does seem effective to me, it won me the Singles. Also I don't want to spend half an hour in one battle e.e
2- Don't suggest Hidden Power. I don't RNG and I was just lucky to get a base 64 HP Dragon on Manectric. Same with legendaries. My SRs in Black aren't good enough because I didn't know about synchronize, and I have SS with good SRs but I need to teach them move tutors so I can't transfer.
Now, the team:
Staraptor @Choice Scarf
Adamant Nature
Trait: Intimidate
Evs: 196 HP/???Attack/???Speed
Moves:
-Brave Bird
-Close Combat
-Final Gambit
-U-Turn
A very important pokemon to my team. Intimidate gives my frailer pokemon a little survivability which is really important, since it allows me to survive moves that otherwise would OHKO. Next its impressive Attack and STAB+Coverage means that more likely than not something's gonna die in one shot. If I find a pokemon that is extremely deadly and can threaten my whole team (I HATE Aerodactyl so much), I go for Final Gambit, which is also useful at the end of a battle when I'm in a tough situation or just need to kill something quick that would otherwise take long to break. 196 HP gives me both bulk, ability to whistand recoil, and most importantly the ability to OHKO many pokemon with Final Gambit. EVs outspeed +Speed 130s like Jolteon and Aerodactyl after Scarf boost, and rest goes to Attack.
Infernape @Choice Band
Jolly Nature
Trait: Blaze
Evs: 4 HP/252 Attack/252Speed
Moves:
-Flare Blitz
-Close Combat
-Rock Slide
-U-Turn
The fire monkey is probably my favorite pokemon. With a Choice Band, this hits like a truck. Thanks to Intimidate from Staraptor I can survive some hits, which even trigger Blaze and allow for a suicidal-but-nuclear Flare Blitz, if they can hit me, that is, since Scarf Staraptor usually deals with faster pokemon like Starmie or Alakazam (random sash is fearsome, but luckily the sash variants are Modest so I outspeed). Rock Slide is a move that I never used, so that'd be the first change. Since I can't change moves and I intend to wreck everything until I die or win, I'm more focused on my STABs.
U-Turn comes in handy when an Intimidate pokemon who resists them *coughgyaradosandsalamence* shows up. On the rare ocassions when I face a set of pokemon that threaten both Staraptor and Infernape, I focus on KOing the one that threatens let's say Staraptor and switching out Infernape for later use.
I'm starting to notice that many pokemon aren't OHKOed and survive with very low HP, so maybe having Stealth Rock would help, but I'm not sure since these are supposed to be very short matches. It's a little irritating since sometimes I OHKO and sometimes not, not sure if this depends on random number for damage calculations or EV spreads for the same pokemon on different trainers.
Manectric @Life Orb
Timid Nature
Trait: Lightningrod
Evs: 4HP/ 252Attack/ 252Speed
Moves:
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower
- Thunder Wave
- Hidden Power [Dragon]
This set was originally used in Wi-Fi Singles and Rotation battles and worked out pretty well, then I noticed it could work in this team made up of leftover pokemon (I was tired of EV training and had a bunch of competitive-ready pokemon).
I either love Manectric or hate him. The obvious Flying poke + Lightningrod combo works really well (also considering how many pokemon spam T-Wave, even afer noticing Lightningrod), and the sheer power of a pokemon with LO, that already has nice Sp.A AND comes into play at +1 many times wins me games. However, the extreme fraility of this pokemon means it sometimes has a hard time switching in, even against neutral hits from not-that-strong pokemon. Some miscalculations or unexpected moves equal one pokemon less in my team.
This makes me think Manectric is the weak link, until it absorbs loads of electric moves and rips stuff apart while protecting my whole team. Suggestions? I'm considering switching Thunder Wave for Protect, since I only use that in singles and Protect could help me wait until a threat dies and then attack. I tried Air Balloon over LO but it only works in few situations and the power from LO is crucial when Manectric isn't fueled by Electric moves.
Scrafty @Leftovers
Docile Nature
Trait: Shed Skin
Evs: 252 HP/ 4 Attack/ 252 Sp.Def
Moves:
-Bulk Up
-Drain Punch
-Crunch
-Ice Punch
Okay, every team needs some sort of bulky member. Scrafty, if given time, can be both impenetrable AND unstoppable, and is the ideal member to be left alone when all else fails and the rest of the team just can't survive the heat of the battle. Shed Skin makes him pseudo immune to status, excellent defenses make him very tough, and are backed by STAB Drain Punch, lefties and BU.
Scrafty either finishes off a weakened pokemon when I'm about to win, or, when I see things are getting bad, just Bulk Up until he's left alone or ready for battle (+1 or +2 depending on the enemy), then acts according to the circumstances. Because of its natural bulk, Scrafty is a great switch-in for coverage moves or weaker STAB moves aimed at one of my other pokemon, and also is immune to Psychic, which Infernape is weak to. However, the shared flying weakness is a problem at times.
Scrafty is probably the one pokemon that doesn't fit in very well, but when I'm winning it doesn't matter who my last pokemon is, and when I'm losing he just turns the tide on my favor like a boss. Still, he could be easily replaced for something with more synergy. Suggestions?
Now, for your entertainment and LOLs, here're 2 cases of hax you may enjoy:
- Cofagrigus uses Destiny Bond, at above 50% (Sitrus Berry). I know Infernape deals about 50% so I just attack and finish it off in the next turn, and if I'm lucky he can die from burn. But, no! I land a Critical Hit, dying in the process :D
- Infernape uses Close Combat on Lapras, he misses (looks like it had Brightpowder). That's okay. I try again, and then it misses TWICE! Lapras then proceeds to rape Infernape, leaving Scrafty alone against two Ice pokemon, I think at +1. You can do it pal! Now, Scrafty gets FROZEN... come
on, could this get any worse? YES. Four turns of pure suffering and anxiety until he desfrosts thanks to Shed Skin. Now, just one Drain Punch and he should survive this incoming Ice Beam... CRITICAL. That was just cruel...
Final Comments
Note that I usually prefer bulky offense instead of just trying to trash everything. The team actually works well, but at about halfway through the 4th train I lose to some sort of hax or surprise (Scarf Charizard), and I feel it could work better. Also Aerodatcyl. I seriously need to Final Gambit that thing if I want to live. I should be able to avoid that since he isn't even a top threat, but he's just too fast for everything bar Staraptor, is weak to nothing bar Thunderbolt, and can hit everything for Super Efective damage. I'm considering Scizor over Scrafty so that I can either switch out or revenge, but I have nothing immune to fire and I'm not sure how Scizor would work out in certain situations.
So, I'm going for the "achievement" that changes your trainer card's color by winning both super singles and super doubles. After trying a lot I won singles, but I'm missing Doubles. Currently my team is doing well, but constant bad luck keeps me from winning. I'm starting to think that maybe my team could be more solid so that it becomes immune to that.
Before presenting my team I want to point out a few things:
1- My philosophy towards Battle Subway is that you need extreme offense so that you kill everything before they can even hit you, and they can't strike a critical hit. It doesn't matter if you have +6 on both defenses if a lucky crit gets through them. This philosophy does seem effective to me, it won me the Singles. Also I don't want to spend half an hour in one battle e.e
2- Don't suggest Hidden Power. I don't RNG and I was just lucky to get a base 64 HP Dragon on Manectric. Same with legendaries. My SRs in Black aren't good enough because I didn't know about synchronize, and I have SS with good SRs but I need to teach them move tutors so I can't transfer.
Now, the team:
Staraptor @Choice Scarf
Adamant Nature
Trait: Intimidate
Evs: 196 HP/???Attack/???Speed
Moves:
-Brave Bird
-Close Combat
-Final Gambit
-U-Turn
A very important pokemon to my team. Intimidate gives my frailer pokemon a little survivability which is really important, since it allows me to survive moves that otherwise would OHKO. Next its impressive Attack and STAB+Coverage means that more likely than not something's gonna die in one shot. If I find a pokemon that is extremely deadly and can threaten my whole team (I HATE Aerodactyl so much), I go for Final Gambit, which is also useful at the end of a battle when I'm in a tough situation or just need to kill something quick that would otherwise take long to break. 196 HP gives me both bulk, ability to whistand recoil, and most importantly the ability to OHKO many pokemon with Final Gambit. EVs outspeed +Speed 130s like Jolteon and Aerodactyl after Scarf boost, and rest goes to Attack.
Infernape @Choice Band
Jolly Nature
Trait: Blaze
Evs: 4 HP/252 Attack/252Speed
Moves:
-Flare Blitz
-Close Combat
-Rock Slide
-U-Turn
The fire monkey is probably my favorite pokemon. With a Choice Band, this hits like a truck. Thanks to Intimidate from Staraptor I can survive some hits, which even trigger Blaze and allow for a suicidal-but-nuclear Flare Blitz, if they can hit me, that is, since Scarf Staraptor usually deals with faster pokemon like Starmie or Alakazam (random sash is fearsome, but luckily the sash variants are Modest so I outspeed). Rock Slide is a move that I never used, so that'd be the first change. Since I can't change moves and I intend to wreck everything until I die or win, I'm more focused on my STABs.
U-Turn comes in handy when an Intimidate pokemon who resists them *coughgyaradosandsalamence* shows up. On the rare ocassions when I face a set of pokemon that threaten both Staraptor and Infernape, I focus on KOing the one that threatens let's say Staraptor and switching out Infernape for later use.
I'm starting to notice that many pokemon aren't OHKOed and survive with very low HP, so maybe having Stealth Rock would help, but I'm not sure since these are supposed to be very short matches. It's a little irritating since sometimes I OHKO and sometimes not, not sure if this depends on random number for damage calculations or EV spreads for the same pokemon on different trainers.
Manectric @Life Orb
Timid Nature
Trait: Lightningrod
Evs: 4HP/ 252Attack/ 252Speed
Moves:
- Thunderbolt
- Flamethrower
- Thunder Wave
- Hidden Power [Dragon]
This set was originally used in Wi-Fi Singles and Rotation battles and worked out pretty well, then I noticed it could work in this team made up of leftover pokemon (I was tired of EV training and had a bunch of competitive-ready pokemon).
I either love Manectric or hate him. The obvious Flying poke + Lightningrod combo works really well (also considering how many pokemon spam T-Wave, even afer noticing Lightningrod), and the sheer power of a pokemon with LO, that already has nice Sp.A AND comes into play at +1 many times wins me games. However, the extreme fraility of this pokemon means it sometimes has a hard time switching in, even against neutral hits from not-that-strong pokemon. Some miscalculations or unexpected moves equal one pokemon less in my team.
This makes me think Manectric is the weak link, until it absorbs loads of electric moves and rips stuff apart while protecting my whole team. Suggestions? I'm considering switching Thunder Wave for Protect, since I only use that in singles and Protect could help me wait until a threat dies and then attack. I tried Air Balloon over LO but it only works in few situations and the power from LO is crucial when Manectric isn't fueled by Electric moves.
Scrafty @Leftovers
Docile Nature
Trait: Shed Skin
Evs: 252 HP/ 4 Attack/ 252 Sp.Def
Moves:
-Bulk Up
-Drain Punch
-Crunch
-Ice Punch
Okay, every team needs some sort of bulky member. Scrafty, if given time, can be both impenetrable AND unstoppable, and is the ideal member to be left alone when all else fails and the rest of the team just can't survive the heat of the battle. Shed Skin makes him pseudo immune to status, excellent defenses make him very tough, and are backed by STAB Drain Punch, lefties and BU.
Scrafty either finishes off a weakened pokemon when I'm about to win, or, when I see things are getting bad, just Bulk Up until he's left alone or ready for battle (+1 or +2 depending on the enemy), then acts according to the circumstances. Because of its natural bulk, Scrafty is a great switch-in for coverage moves or weaker STAB moves aimed at one of my other pokemon, and also is immune to Psychic, which Infernape is weak to. However, the shared flying weakness is a problem at times.
Scrafty is probably the one pokemon that doesn't fit in very well, but when I'm winning it doesn't matter who my last pokemon is, and when I'm losing he just turns the tide on my favor like a boss. Still, he could be easily replaced for something with more synergy. Suggestions?
Now, for your entertainment and LOLs, here're 2 cases of hax you may enjoy:
- Cofagrigus uses Destiny Bond, at above 50% (Sitrus Berry). I know Infernape deals about 50% so I just attack and finish it off in the next turn, and if I'm lucky he can die from burn. But, no! I land a Critical Hit, dying in the process :D
- Infernape uses Close Combat on Lapras, he misses (looks like it had Brightpowder). That's okay. I try again, and then it misses TWICE! Lapras then proceeds to rape Infernape, leaving Scrafty alone against two Ice pokemon, I think at +1. You can do it pal! Now, Scrafty gets FROZEN... come
on, could this get any worse? YES. Four turns of pure suffering and anxiety until he desfrosts thanks to Shed Skin. Now, just one Drain Punch and he should survive this incoming Ice Beam... CRITICAL. That was just cruel...
Final Comments
Note that I usually prefer bulky offense instead of just trying to trash everything. The team actually works well, but at about halfway through the 4th train I lose to some sort of hax or surprise (Scarf Charizard), and I feel it could work better. Also Aerodatcyl. I seriously need to Final Gambit that thing if I want to live. I should be able to avoid that since he isn't even a top threat, but he's just too fast for everything bar Staraptor, is weak to nothing bar Thunderbolt, and can hit everything for Super Efective damage. I'm considering Scizor over Scrafty so that I can either switch out or revenge, but I have nothing immune to fire and I'm not sure how Scizor would work out in certain situations.