Monoteams
What is a Monoteam?
A monoteam consists of 6 pokemon all belonging to a single type. A monoteam can contain a wild card (a pokemon which does not belong).
Monoteams can battle competetively?
Of course.
Why monoteam? Can't X just sweep your whole team?
Because all the pokemon in your team share a common weakness, it doesn't mean you will be sweeped.
The reason for monoteaming is rather simple: challenge, change of pace. Perhaps you've grown tired of the normal metagame, perhaps you're looking for a different challenge. By restricting yourself to some ruleset (such as, "Only Water pokemon") you can explore a type, find its best sweepers and stallers, then make a team of them. It's usually more difficult to run a monoteam, for sure, since a fast sweeper could OHKO your whole team, but it also comes with its own rewards.
-Reward. Knowing that you beat someone's cookie cutter OU team with a monoteam full of fighting types. Knowing you bested your opponents psychic types with ease. The satisfaction in creating a team of common threads, performing well competitively. It exercises your creativity, when the competitive scene might dampen it.
-Risk. It's exciting to run a monoteam - you could really lose at any wrong turn. Of course, it depends on the team, but knowing that you won a battle using less-than-stellar pokemon is exciting.
-Amusement. If you make a monoteam, you should do so with the mindset that it probably won't be kicking ass right away. You should be able to make battling more about fun, than simply trying to eek out some win ratio on smogon.
That said, despite my placating, monoteams can be demolished. I've met many players who've taunted me for utterly crushing my teams. You will be steamrolled every so often. Most of the time, for me, it's because there was a lucky crit or miss, or a simple misprediction that screwed over my plans, but for every steamroll I've experienced, I've had at least one devastating victory.
I guess, in summary, you should competitively battle with monoteams for fun. The laughs you get for showing somebody up with a bunch of electric pokemon is simply worth it.
How does I monoteam'd?
It's not like making a normal, balanced team. Suspend your ideas of that immediately.
There's no rule to making a monoteam. Just, be ready to break some of the ideas you have for some pokemon. Although Hippodown might be commonly used as a support/stall type, doesn't mean you'll be using him as such. He might make a better sweeper, or perhaps even Special Attacker. You need to be willing to mix things up, even if a pokemon is not optimal doing a certain job, you need to be ready to switch things up. Sometimes, it screws your opponent's prediction over.
Never restrict yourself to the tier guidelines. If you're making a monoUber or monoOU team, don't be afraid to use UU's and NU's. In fact - you may have no choice but to use them. Don't get lulled into the idea that using all OU in an OUmono team is a good idea, either. I'll give a /common/ example.
BUG MONOTEAM [OU]
SCIZOR - Phys sweep
FORRETRESS - Spiker
YANMEGA - Choice Specs
SHUCKLE - Wall / Support
HERACROSS - Phys Sweeper
PINSIR or NINJASK - Phys Sweeper or Lead bat pass
For a bug team, which is desperately lacking in SpA attackers in general, at a glance, this team is fairly balanced. It has all the good, most commonly used, bug types.
It will be demolished. It's a horrible monoteam. Heatran, or perhaps just about anything with SR and an Flying move (such as Skarmory) will crush this effortlessly.
A more balanced OU bug team would consider the following:
Araidos / Ninjask - Priority Lead / Support Lead (bat pass)
Armaldo - Wall.
Masquerain / Yanmega - SpA Sweeper
Dustox / Shuckle - SpD Stall.
Butterfree / Parasect / Venomoth - Support
*Forretress / Scizor - Support / Sweeper
I've made it a little confusing I think, but let me explain:
Ariados may make a good OU lead because it possesses some mediocre coverage (Poison, Bug, Ghost, Dark) with priority attacks and a decent attack stat. It's also immune to sleep. It could also double as an agility or web passer. Ninjask is also an enticing bug lead, and I've it included because of its phenomenal use - however, it is crushingly weak to roar/whirlwind, taunt, and Stealth Rock. Ariados has less vulnerability to these common moves. Besides, on a bug team, the last thing you want to do is switch. Stealth Rock is simply too common. If Ariados and Ninjask are too weak, Forretress makes a decent substitute.
Armaldo makes an amazing bug wall because it is neutral to fire, has passable SpD, and has battle armor. If you give it Iron Defense and enough EV in SpD, it can wall most threats given enough time to set up. It also has decent base attack and can use its Stab rock move to counter many threats. It's not perfect, and makes a horrible switch in due its vulnerability to SR, but otherwise a great way to help combat fire.
Forretres / Scizor are mentioned here because they are quite powerful, but I would not necessarily garantee them a spot in a team. They are OHKO'd by basically any fire move, and by nature, bugs are horribly weak to fire. If you're going to use Scizor, you can't use Forretress. You can't. You're already damming your team by giving a spot up to a pokemon that is OHKO'd by fire, you can't afford to give two slots to that. Still, both are worthy of consideration, but I don't use them in my bug monoteams.
Masquerain and Yanmega are interesting. They have completely different aims, but share a similar function. One can learn Hydropump and starts with Intimidate, making it a great switch in for physical attackers. It also has passable SpA and can use agility, meaning it can sweep given a turn to set up. You might consider a Choice Specs, though. Yanmega is obvious, run tinted lens or speed boost, either is a good choice. However, I would recommend that both have Bug Buzz and HP Ground. Bug Buzz is an amazing move (90 power, 100% accuracy, lowers SpD 10% of the time, has stab) and HP Ground is absolutely necessary to counter threats like Heatran (which will soak up almost anything you try to throw at it with your speedy pokemon).
Dustox's only passable stat is SpD, but it too learns Iron Defense - and whirlwind. It also doesn't suffer from 4x to rock like other winged bugs and the only other to possess shield dust. It's a great utility pokemon that will either be frustratingly annoying to your surprised opponents, or frustratingly useless to you. Still, I recommend its use over the commonly used CS Butterfree. Shuckle is a given.
Butterfree / Parasect are truly last resorts. The later is too vulnerable to fire to be of much use, but in an ubers bug team it's worth consideration. Butterfree offers nice options, but is easily predicted by most veteran battlers. Venomoth is interesting as it is basically an inferior Yanmega with better typing. I would recommend it be used as support, rather than as a sweeper in a monobug team, however (stun spore, toxic spikes, agility, baton pass are in its repertoire).
What's my point in all this? I suppose I'm trying to show the kind of lengths you need to go to make a good monoteam. You need to bend the rules a little. While Venomoth or Dustox might be considered useless normally, in a bug team they might provide a pivitol role, whereas Scizor and Forretress could just be deadweights being constantly OHKO'd or resisted. Don't use this as an excuse to load up your team with NU's, but consider every pokemon's purpose in your team. Just because Scizor is one of the best priority attackers or sweepers doesn't mean it fits on your team. I've seen too many OU monoteams simply contain all the best pokemon of that type, not bothering to consider how their function within the team completely changes their worth.
Finally, I'd like to acknowledge, that on my personal monoteam tier list - bug is last. It's the worst type to monoteam with. Not only is there no suitable SpD wall to save yourself from being sweeped by special fire, but there's not even a bug pokemon which can resist fire. It's abominable. It's also dominated by SR, has the worst base stats of any pokemon type, and requires the use of status and +stage moves to wall and sweep. Monoteaming with bug in OU is hardcore (in UU it's a little more do-able... Uber? Good luck). Thus, the examples I'm providing are not ideal.
Ideally, the type you choose to monoteam with has at least one pokemon capable of switching in on threats. One which can set up hazards or supporting weather. One which can sweep physically and one which can sweep specially. The other two should focus on being able to counter the team's weaknesses (in the instance of a frail psychic team, Gallade/Medicham would be useful, or a sturdy psychic type with focus blast).
Personal Tier List?
Don't let this mean much, but I've monoteamed with every type enough that I can rate them by how well they make teams:
-Best-
Psychic
Poison
Water
Normal
-Adequate-
Steel
Fire
Ground
Ice
Flying
-Poor-
Electric
Rock
Grass
Dark
-Worst-
Dragon*
Ghost
Bug
*Unless you permit pokemon like Charizard (looks like a dragon) or are playing in Ubers, monotyping Dragon is impossible.
For the most part, what makes a good type to mono with is the type's diversity. Bug, Ghost, Dragon have little to no diversity in their typing, roles stats and movepools. Poor mono teams are hampered by a lack of choice and stat allotment (Electric pokemon have few reliable ways to counter powerful EQ sweeper). Adequate types perform as well as you make them. Best are full of so much diversity, especially the Psychic type, that it's hard to screw up.
If you're questioning Poison's place, consider all the dark, water, ice, fighting, fire, etc. moves easily available to it. It also has great walls like Muk and sweepers like Gengar.
Wild Cards
Wild Cards are basically that pokemon you think will solve that weakness crisis you're experiencing. Something to scare away that fire type - something you can switch to put your opponent's strategy on its head. I personally do not use wild cards, but they're worth consideration. Good wild cards have abilities which negate a weakness (such as volt absorb, dry skin, wonder guard etc), high bulk, or are good revenge killers.
The Wrap Up
Hopefully, I've imparted a few ideas in this rant / guide. Monoteaming is fun and challenging, but it requires a good plan.
Monoteaming isn't a joke, it's just a different way at playing the game.
I don't know everything there is to know about playing pokemon, but I've been monoteaming ever since Silver on the Gameboy. I hope this guide has been useful, or at least made someone consider to monoteam. I also hope I've posted this in the right place. I know I don't visit Smogon much, but I've searched, and apparently - no one has discussed monoteams seriously (and most people's reactions are to them are quite negative).
What is a Monoteam?
A monoteam consists of 6 pokemon all belonging to a single type. A monoteam can contain a wild card (a pokemon which does not belong).
Monoteams can battle competetively?
Of course.
Why monoteam? Can't X just sweep your whole team?
Because all the pokemon in your team share a common weakness, it doesn't mean you will be sweeped.
The reason for monoteaming is rather simple: challenge, change of pace. Perhaps you've grown tired of the normal metagame, perhaps you're looking for a different challenge. By restricting yourself to some ruleset (such as, "Only Water pokemon") you can explore a type, find its best sweepers and stallers, then make a team of them. It's usually more difficult to run a monoteam, for sure, since a fast sweeper could OHKO your whole team, but it also comes with its own rewards.
-Reward. Knowing that you beat someone's cookie cutter OU team with a monoteam full of fighting types. Knowing you bested your opponents psychic types with ease. The satisfaction in creating a team of common threads, performing well competitively. It exercises your creativity, when the competitive scene might dampen it.
-Risk. It's exciting to run a monoteam - you could really lose at any wrong turn. Of course, it depends on the team, but knowing that you won a battle using less-than-stellar pokemon is exciting.
-Amusement. If you make a monoteam, you should do so with the mindset that it probably won't be kicking ass right away. You should be able to make battling more about fun, than simply trying to eek out some win ratio on smogon.
That said, despite my placating, monoteams can be demolished. I've met many players who've taunted me for utterly crushing my teams. You will be steamrolled every so often. Most of the time, for me, it's because there was a lucky crit or miss, or a simple misprediction that screwed over my plans, but for every steamroll I've experienced, I've had at least one devastating victory.
I guess, in summary, you should competitively battle with monoteams for fun. The laughs you get for showing somebody up with a bunch of electric pokemon is simply worth it.
How does I monoteam'd?
It's not like making a normal, balanced team. Suspend your ideas of that immediately.
There's no rule to making a monoteam. Just, be ready to break some of the ideas you have for some pokemon. Although Hippodown might be commonly used as a support/stall type, doesn't mean you'll be using him as such. He might make a better sweeper, or perhaps even Special Attacker. You need to be willing to mix things up, even if a pokemon is not optimal doing a certain job, you need to be ready to switch things up. Sometimes, it screws your opponent's prediction over.
Never restrict yourself to the tier guidelines. If you're making a monoUber or monoOU team, don't be afraid to use UU's and NU's. In fact - you may have no choice but to use them. Don't get lulled into the idea that using all OU in an OUmono team is a good idea, either. I'll give a /common/ example.
BUG MONOTEAM [OU]
SCIZOR - Phys sweep
FORRETRESS - Spiker
YANMEGA - Choice Specs
SHUCKLE - Wall / Support
HERACROSS - Phys Sweeper
PINSIR or NINJASK - Phys Sweeper or Lead bat pass
For a bug team, which is desperately lacking in SpA attackers in general, at a glance, this team is fairly balanced. It has all the good, most commonly used, bug types.
It will be demolished. It's a horrible monoteam. Heatran, or perhaps just about anything with SR and an Flying move (such as Skarmory) will crush this effortlessly.
A more balanced OU bug team would consider the following:
Araidos / Ninjask - Priority Lead / Support Lead (bat pass)
Armaldo - Wall.
Masquerain / Yanmega - SpA Sweeper
Dustox / Shuckle - SpD Stall.
Butterfree / Parasect / Venomoth - Support
*Forretress / Scizor - Support / Sweeper
I've made it a little confusing I think, but let me explain:
Ariados may make a good OU lead because it possesses some mediocre coverage (Poison, Bug, Ghost, Dark) with priority attacks and a decent attack stat. It's also immune to sleep. It could also double as an agility or web passer. Ninjask is also an enticing bug lead, and I've it included because of its phenomenal use - however, it is crushingly weak to roar/whirlwind, taunt, and Stealth Rock. Ariados has less vulnerability to these common moves. Besides, on a bug team, the last thing you want to do is switch. Stealth Rock is simply too common. If Ariados and Ninjask are too weak, Forretress makes a decent substitute.
Armaldo makes an amazing bug wall because it is neutral to fire, has passable SpD, and has battle armor. If you give it Iron Defense and enough EV in SpD, it can wall most threats given enough time to set up. It also has decent base attack and can use its Stab rock move to counter many threats. It's not perfect, and makes a horrible switch in due its vulnerability to SR, but otherwise a great way to help combat fire.
Forretres / Scizor are mentioned here because they are quite powerful, but I would not necessarily garantee them a spot in a team. They are OHKO'd by basically any fire move, and by nature, bugs are horribly weak to fire. If you're going to use Scizor, you can't use Forretress. You can't. You're already damming your team by giving a spot up to a pokemon that is OHKO'd by fire, you can't afford to give two slots to that. Still, both are worthy of consideration, but I don't use them in my bug monoteams.
Masquerain and Yanmega are interesting. They have completely different aims, but share a similar function. One can learn Hydropump and starts with Intimidate, making it a great switch in for physical attackers. It also has passable SpA and can use agility, meaning it can sweep given a turn to set up. You might consider a Choice Specs, though. Yanmega is obvious, run tinted lens or speed boost, either is a good choice. However, I would recommend that both have Bug Buzz and HP Ground. Bug Buzz is an amazing move (90 power, 100% accuracy, lowers SpD 10% of the time, has stab) and HP Ground is absolutely necessary to counter threats like Heatran (which will soak up almost anything you try to throw at it with your speedy pokemon).
Dustox's only passable stat is SpD, but it too learns Iron Defense - and whirlwind. It also doesn't suffer from 4x to rock like other winged bugs and the only other to possess shield dust. It's a great utility pokemon that will either be frustratingly annoying to your surprised opponents, or frustratingly useless to you. Still, I recommend its use over the commonly used CS Butterfree. Shuckle is a given.
Butterfree / Parasect are truly last resorts. The later is too vulnerable to fire to be of much use, but in an ubers bug team it's worth consideration. Butterfree offers nice options, but is easily predicted by most veteran battlers. Venomoth is interesting as it is basically an inferior Yanmega with better typing. I would recommend it be used as support, rather than as a sweeper in a monobug team, however (stun spore, toxic spikes, agility, baton pass are in its repertoire).
What's my point in all this? I suppose I'm trying to show the kind of lengths you need to go to make a good monoteam. You need to bend the rules a little. While Venomoth or Dustox might be considered useless normally, in a bug team they might provide a pivitol role, whereas Scizor and Forretress could just be deadweights being constantly OHKO'd or resisted. Don't use this as an excuse to load up your team with NU's, but consider every pokemon's purpose in your team. Just because Scizor is one of the best priority attackers or sweepers doesn't mean it fits on your team. I've seen too many OU monoteams simply contain all the best pokemon of that type, not bothering to consider how their function within the team completely changes their worth.
Finally, I'd like to acknowledge, that on my personal monoteam tier list - bug is last. It's the worst type to monoteam with. Not only is there no suitable SpD wall to save yourself from being sweeped by special fire, but there's not even a bug pokemon which can resist fire. It's abominable. It's also dominated by SR, has the worst base stats of any pokemon type, and requires the use of status and +stage moves to wall and sweep. Monoteaming with bug in OU is hardcore (in UU it's a little more do-able... Uber? Good luck). Thus, the examples I'm providing are not ideal.
Ideally, the type you choose to monoteam with has at least one pokemon capable of switching in on threats. One which can set up hazards or supporting weather. One which can sweep physically and one which can sweep specially. The other two should focus on being able to counter the team's weaknesses (in the instance of a frail psychic team, Gallade/Medicham would be useful, or a sturdy psychic type with focus blast).
Personal Tier List?
Don't let this mean much, but I've monoteamed with every type enough that I can rate them by how well they make teams:
-Best-
Psychic
Poison
Water
Normal
-Adequate-
Steel
Fire
Ground
Ice
Flying
-Poor-
Electric
Rock
Grass
Dark
-Worst-
Dragon*
Ghost
Bug
*Unless you permit pokemon like Charizard (looks like a dragon) or are playing in Ubers, monotyping Dragon is impossible.
For the most part, what makes a good type to mono with is the type's diversity. Bug, Ghost, Dragon have little to no diversity in their typing, roles stats and movepools. Poor mono teams are hampered by a lack of choice and stat allotment (Electric pokemon have few reliable ways to counter powerful EQ sweeper). Adequate types perform as well as you make them. Best are full of so much diversity, especially the Psychic type, that it's hard to screw up.
If you're questioning Poison's place, consider all the dark, water, ice, fighting, fire, etc. moves easily available to it. It also has great walls like Muk and sweepers like Gengar.
Wild Cards
Wild Cards are basically that pokemon you think will solve that weakness crisis you're experiencing. Something to scare away that fire type - something you can switch to put your opponent's strategy on its head. I personally do not use wild cards, but they're worth consideration. Good wild cards have abilities which negate a weakness (such as volt absorb, dry skin, wonder guard etc), high bulk, or are good revenge killers.
The Wrap Up
Hopefully, I've imparted a few ideas in this rant / guide. Monoteaming is fun and challenging, but it requires a good plan.
Monoteaming isn't a joke, it's just a different way at playing the game.
I don't know everything there is to know about playing pokemon, but I've been monoteaming ever since Silver on the Gameboy. I hope this guide has been useful, or at least made someone consider to monoteam. I also hope I've posted this in the right place. I know I don't visit Smogon much, but I've searched, and apparently - no one has discussed monoteams seriously (and most people's reactions are to them are quite negative).
