I wanted to make a kanto only team for competitive battling and managed to come up with something but am not sure if it is complete right now. The main rules I use for teambuilding are that the team can not be 3 times weak to a single type, ex: Rhydon, Snorlax and Magneton weak to fighting type moves, must have a flying type and a spinner or two flying types/levitaters without a spinner, only in game movesets, ex: no Will-O-Wisp Weezing. This team isn't really based around one certain Pokemon, instead, the team aims to work the best way possible together combining strengths and weaknesses of individual team members.
The team:
Gyarados
EVs: 68 HP / 252 Atk / 188 Spe
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD/ 30 Spe
Nature: Adamant
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
Moveset:
HP Flying/Return
Earthquake
Dragon Dance
Taunt
Standard Dragon Dance set, lead, gets intimidate to lower the attack of common leads such as Salamence. Check to fighting types, Metagross. Can set up on water types for a sweep. Taunt is useful because it stops spikers such as Skarmory, Foretress and Cloyster. It can also check Swamperts that lack Rock Slide or the rare HP Electric. Gyarados is a great physical attacker and with only a couple of boosts it can set up for a sweep as long as it doesn't get statused, which is why taunt is used. HP Flying is great for stab, but Return does more damage to Zapdos which is it's main counter. Intimidate is always useful when switching into stronger physical attackers to scout for their movesets, it can also work as a MixMence check.
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Snorlax
EVs: 92 HP / 116 Atk / 144 Def / 144 SpD / 12 Spe
Nature: Adamant
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
Moveset:
Body Slam
Focus Punch
Shadow Ball
Rest
Utility Snorlax, Special wall, physcial attacker. Rest for longetivity. Standard moveset with added Focus Punch for Tyranitar. Snorlax mainly switches into Zapdos, Blissey, Regice and Starmie to counter their special attacks. Thick Fat is preffered here as immunity won't be as useful because it has rest in the moveset. Snorlax gets worn downs quite easily and that's why I added Jolteon to the team. Body Slam is used for the obvious stab and a potential to paralyze the opponent is way more useful than the slightly more powerful return. Shadow ball is used so that Snorlax doesn't get walled by Gengar. The only reliable special wall I could think of from gen 1, it gets the job done. Ev's spread evenly for defense and sp defense while boosting the HP and attack a bit.
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Rhydon
EVs: 126 HP / 126 Def / 252 Atk
Nature: Adamant
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Lightning Rod
Moveset:
Earthquake
Rock Slide
Megahorn
Roar
Normal resist, check to Snorlax and normal type attacks, appreciates thunder wave support from Starmie. (Sort of unreliable physical wall) Rhydon switches into locked choice band users accordingly, to gain momentum and hit something for a lot of damage. Earthquake and Rock Slide for coverage and Megahorn is there to OHKO Celebi on the switch. Roar helps against Curselax, but Snorlax sets with Earthqake give Rhydon some trouble. Works well in synergy with Gyarados, similar to the Steelix Gyarados core. While I was debating between Golem which has access to explosion and Rhydon, Rhydon won becuase of more physical bulk and more HP. Adamant nature to maximize damage output.
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Starmie
EVs: 252 HP / 40 SpA / 252 Spe
Nature: Timid
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
Moveset:
Surf
Thunder Wave
Recover
Rapid Spin
Spinner, Thunder waver, has great moves in Reflect, Light Screen, Psychic, Thunderbolt and Ice beam but not enough moveslots for them. (Thunder wave to help Rhydon by crippling the opponent) Starmie is also great offensively but due to it's supporter role of the team it's only damaging move is surf. Rapid spin is there to remove hazards, Recover for well recovery and Thunder Wave for Slowing down opponents for Rhydon and Snorlax. Most players expect Ice Beam in the moveset, so in a scenario between Starmie and Salamence, they would switch to their special wall which would then get crippled by thunder wave. A bulky spread is used with a timid nature because damage output is not that needed since Starmie functions as a spinner.
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Venusaur
EV's: 252 HP / 84 Def / 148 SpD / 24 Spe
Nature: Careful
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Overgrow
Moveset:
Sludge Bomb
Sleep Powder
Leech Seed
Giga Drain
Special wall for electrics lacking hp ice and Zapdos lacking drill peck. Swampert counter. Overall great and annoying with sleep powder and leech seed. Even with a Careful nature, Giga Drain is useful against Swampert, Sludge Bomb does nice damage to opposing grass types and is the best stab move for Venusaur. Leech Seed and Sleep Powder are nice utility moves, great for putting an opponent to sleep and regaining some HP. Venusaur's main role in the team is that of a disabler. With a Careful nature the SpD boost is significant for it's role, while that reduced SpA doesn't really matter that much. Venusaur is slightly similar to Celebi, only lacking recover and stab Psychic.
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Jolteon
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Nature: Timid
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
Moveset:
Thunderbolt
Wish
Substitute
Baton Pass
Special wall, substitute passer. Can also pass wish to a teammate. Can't get trapped by Dugtrio due to Baton Pass. Since this team doesn't have a reliable Suicune counter, Jolteon is paired with Venusaur and Gyarados as one, as stab Thunderbolts do a number to it. Baton pass is great for gaining momentum, allowing me to switch to an appropriate counter. High speed and special attack are great for beating damaged opponents that don't resist Thunderbolt. Although Jolteon doesn't have a wide movepool apart from HP Ice/Grass, Wish is a nice recovery move, while substitute blocks status moves and can be baton passed. Jolteon benefits greatly from Volt Absorb, which allows it to switch into electric types quite easily, only having to worry about status moves namely Thunder Wave.
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Team recap:
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Team issues:
Special Tyranitar, Heracross once Gyarados is gone, Salamence and other strong physical attackers, Metagross because Gyarados goes down to thunder punch or rock slide while Starmie can get Ko-ed by a critical earthquake or a shadow ball. Regice or Ice types once Snorlax is gone (but Jolteon is a backup wall). The problem with physical attackers could be solved by adding Weezing to the team, but it is quite hard to replace a team member without gaining another weakness to something else. I also thought of adding Slowbro to the team replacing Starmie which wold give me some move physical defense but it does not have a reliable recovery move and the Heracross problem persists. Magneton was another option so that I could forgo a spinner, but it can't fit into the team due to Snorlax and Rhydon being there. I feel like if I had to replace a team member it would probably be Jolteon and/or Starmie. Are there any other reliable special walls other than Snorlax in kanto, as well as Snorlax checks that aren't Rhydon?
So, to sum up the main problems:
- Weakness to hard hitting physical attackers namely Salamence, Aerodactyl and Heracross
- Vulnerability to mixed attackers such as Metagross and Tyranitar
- Limited Pokemon choices (Ex: replacing Jolteon with Weezing covers Physical attackers but opens up a weakness to special attackers)
Some considerations:
Weezing: Great physical wall with access to explosion.
Vaporeon: Walls most physical hits and can wish, protect as well as counter water types with it's abillity.
Aerodactyl: Amazing speed tier, hard hitting Pokemon.
Arcanine: With intimidate and extremespeed it is a great team addition. Backup Heracross check.
Nidoking: Great typing with immunity to toxic and thunder wave, wide movepool.
Slowbro: Another bulky water type with curse.
Thanks in advance, any help is appreciated.
The team:
Gyarados
EVs: 68 HP / 252 Atk / 188 Spe
IVs: 31 HP / 31 Atk / 31 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD/ 30 Spe
Nature: Adamant
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
Moveset:
HP Flying/Return
Earthquake
Dragon Dance
Taunt
Standard Dragon Dance set, lead, gets intimidate to lower the attack of common leads such as Salamence. Check to fighting types, Metagross. Can set up on water types for a sweep. Taunt is useful because it stops spikers such as Skarmory, Foretress and Cloyster. It can also check Swamperts that lack Rock Slide or the rare HP Electric. Gyarados is a great physical attacker and with only a couple of boosts it can set up for a sweep as long as it doesn't get statused, which is why taunt is used. HP Flying is great for stab, but Return does more damage to Zapdos which is it's main counter. Intimidate is always useful when switching into stronger physical attackers to scout for their movesets, it can also work as a MixMence check.
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Snorlax
EVs: 92 HP / 116 Atk / 144 Def / 144 SpD / 12 Spe
Nature: Adamant
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
Moveset:
Body Slam
Focus Punch
Shadow Ball
Rest
Utility Snorlax, Special wall, physcial attacker. Rest for longetivity. Standard moveset with added Focus Punch for Tyranitar. Snorlax mainly switches into Zapdos, Blissey, Regice and Starmie to counter their special attacks. Thick Fat is preffered here as immunity won't be as useful because it has rest in the moveset. Snorlax gets worn downs quite easily and that's why I added Jolteon to the team. Body Slam is used for the obvious stab and a potential to paralyze the opponent is way more useful than the slightly more powerful return. Shadow ball is used so that Snorlax doesn't get walled by Gengar. The only reliable special wall I could think of from gen 1, it gets the job done. Ev's spread evenly for defense and sp defense while boosting the HP and attack a bit.
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Rhydon
EVs: 126 HP / 126 Def / 252 Atk
Nature: Adamant
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Lightning Rod
Moveset:
Earthquake
Rock Slide
Megahorn
Roar
Normal resist, check to Snorlax and normal type attacks, appreciates thunder wave support from Starmie. (Sort of unreliable physical wall) Rhydon switches into locked choice band users accordingly, to gain momentum and hit something for a lot of damage. Earthquake and Rock Slide for coverage and Megahorn is there to OHKO Celebi on the switch. Roar helps against Curselax, but Snorlax sets with Earthqake give Rhydon some trouble. Works well in synergy with Gyarados, similar to the Steelix Gyarados core. While I was debating between Golem which has access to explosion and Rhydon, Rhydon won becuase of more physical bulk and more HP. Adamant nature to maximize damage output.
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Starmie
EVs: 252 HP / 40 SpA / 252 Spe
Nature: Timid
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
Moveset:
Surf
Thunder Wave
Recover
Rapid Spin
Spinner, Thunder waver, has great moves in Reflect, Light Screen, Psychic, Thunderbolt and Ice beam but not enough moveslots for them. (Thunder wave to help Rhydon by crippling the opponent) Starmie is also great offensively but due to it's supporter role of the team it's only damaging move is surf. Rapid spin is there to remove hazards, Recover for well recovery and Thunder Wave for Slowing down opponents for Rhydon and Snorlax. Most players expect Ice Beam in the moveset, so in a scenario between Starmie and Salamence, they would switch to their special wall which would then get crippled by thunder wave. A bulky spread is used with a timid nature because damage output is not that needed since Starmie functions as a spinner.
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Venusaur
EV's: 252 HP / 84 Def / 148 SpD / 24 Spe
Nature: Careful
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Overgrow
Moveset:
Sludge Bomb
Sleep Powder
Leech Seed
Giga Drain
Special wall for electrics lacking hp ice and Zapdos lacking drill peck. Swampert counter. Overall great and annoying with sleep powder and leech seed. Even with a Careful nature, Giga Drain is useful against Swampert, Sludge Bomb does nice damage to opposing grass types and is the best stab move for Venusaur. Leech Seed and Sleep Powder are nice utility moves, great for putting an opponent to sleep and regaining some HP. Venusaur's main role in the team is that of a disabler. With a Careful nature the SpD boost is significant for it's role, while that reduced SpA doesn't really matter that much. Venusaur is slightly similar to Celebi, only lacking recover and stab Psychic.
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Jolteon
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Nature: Timid
Item: Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
Moveset:
Thunderbolt
Wish
Substitute
Baton Pass
Special wall, substitute passer. Can also pass wish to a teammate. Can't get trapped by Dugtrio due to Baton Pass. Since this team doesn't have a reliable Suicune counter, Jolteon is paired with Venusaur and Gyarados as one, as stab Thunderbolts do a number to it. Baton pass is great for gaining momentum, allowing me to switch to an appropriate counter. High speed and special attack are great for beating damaged opponents that don't resist Thunderbolt. Although Jolteon doesn't have a wide movepool apart from HP Ice/Grass, Wish is a nice recovery move, while substitute blocks status moves and can be baton passed. Jolteon benefits greatly from Volt Absorb, which allows it to switch into electric types quite easily, only having to worry about status moves namely Thunder Wave.
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Team recap:
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Team issues:
Special Tyranitar, Heracross once Gyarados is gone, Salamence and other strong physical attackers, Metagross because Gyarados goes down to thunder punch or rock slide while Starmie can get Ko-ed by a critical earthquake or a shadow ball. Regice or Ice types once Snorlax is gone (but Jolteon is a backup wall). The problem with physical attackers could be solved by adding Weezing to the team, but it is quite hard to replace a team member without gaining another weakness to something else. I also thought of adding Slowbro to the team replacing Starmie which wold give me some move physical defense but it does not have a reliable recovery move and the Heracross problem persists. Magneton was another option so that I could forgo a spinner, but it can't fit into the team due to Snorlax and Rhydon being there. I feel like if I had to replace a team member it would probably be Jolteon and/or Starmie. Are there any other reliable special walls other than Snorlax in kanto, as well as Snorlax checks that aren't Rhydon?
So, to sum up the main problems:
- Weakness to hard hitting physical attackers namely Salamence, Aerodactyl and Heracross
- Vulnerability to mixed attackers such as Metagross and Tyranitar
- Limited Pokemon choices (Ex: replacing Jolteon with Weezing covers Physical attackers but opens up a weakness to special attackers)
Some considerations:
Weezing: Great physical wall with access to explosion.
Vaporeon: Walls most physical hits and can wish, protect as well as counter water types with it's abillity.
Aerodactyl: Amazing speed tier, hard hitting Pokemon.
Arcanine: With intimidate and extremespeed it is a great team addition. Backup Heracross check.
Nidoking: Great typing with immunity to toxic and thunder wave, wide movepool.
Slowbro: Another bulky water type with curse.
Thanks in advance, any help is appreciated.
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