Tips for team synergy

[TSPhoenix]

I've seen it stressed that in DP team synergy is more important than ever.

Back in ADV I had a team that had relatively balanced weaknesses. For my fighting weak I had 3 pokes I could switch into that resisted/were immune. Overall it was IMO fairly well balanced, but it took a long time to get it to what I felt was a comfortable balance.

If I were to make a DP team from scratch, what kind of things do I want to consider? How much emphasis do I put on metagame threats, and what kind of types do I want to have things that resist/immune in partictular?

In short what I'm asking is for each of us, what do we do as part of our team building process, so that we can learn from each other. I find that making an individual pokemon is easy, but a well balanced team is very hard.

Thanks in advance

 

[TVboyCanti]

Well, for me, first I pick 1 or 2 pokemon to focus my team around. Then I pick pokemon that can counter the top of top threats (600 base statters, blissey) and also support the pokemon I'm focusing the team around. Then I figure out what the weakness of my main pokemon are, and add stuff that counters those weaknesses. Then I play,play,playtest. Whenever building an original team, you never get it right the first time because there are just too many things to consider. You have to play with it as often as possible, so you can figure out what stuff you can ignore, what stuff you can play around, and what stuff you have to prepare for before the battle starts.

 

[Calciphoce]

The real thing that I consider to be the most important is to have a switch in for whatever weakness your Pokemon that's out has. For instance, you have a Swampert out. The foe switches in a Sceptile. "OH SHIT I'M DOOMED" isn't what you should be thinking, you should think of either of the 2 options:

"My opponent is smart, I know he's a really good battler. I'll stay in (assuming that he'll try to get a sub up) and use avalanche."

I wouldn't suggest going with this ballsier idea, due to the fact that you could have a dead Swampert in about 2 seconds, but it pays of at times, and can even win you a match if you predict it right.

"Leaf Storm huh? Okay, I'll just switch out to my "insert whatever resists a grass attack here*, and force him to switch out.

This is the easier method, and usually ends up being the right decision. For me, I have my Jirachi that can take the hit in case you were wondering.

 

[Toshi0220]

I'd just choose a poke and try to make it better. For example, say you want to use an Octillery (lolwut?), you can have a Ninjask to pass speed to, Togekiss to spread paralysis around their team, and a few counters to it's weaknesses. Octillery's low speed means that without some speed boosts, it wont be hitting jack :|

 

[Flash_gearz]

I uually just throw together pokemon, look at the Biggest weaknesses, switch out a few to another that can cover the weaknesses, but not make bigger weaknesses, and keep doing that until you have a good team

 

[KiMeS]

I build my current team, while first choosing 2 pkmn I liked to use, after that I concentrated on a certain aspect for the remaining four. After some testing and slightly modifying, I got a good clue about my team of how I want it. there are certain aspects that I like to keep using, and some I don't. Like I got a good Defensive Crobat, but his attack power is what lacking, so more attack power or something else to replace that attack power is desirable. Also I noticed to have two huge weaks so I need to have certain pkmn replaced. but when I replace them I keep in mind what I liked about them.

 

[sa17dk]

Build around a strategy. Throwing pokemon together by itself doesnt work.

 

[Teferi]

I pick one pokemon to start the battle with (Yanmga for example) and find pokemon who resist all of its weaknesses (Heatran + Garchomp). Then I just add general support (Blissey + Weezing) and a poke that covers any other weaknesses the team has (in this case, healing stuff can be hard, so I use wish Vaporeon, as the team is also weak to bulky waters, which my little Bubbles counters like a pro nearly every time with its HP electric). And there you have it: A great team. It's not great because it can counter absolutely everything, but because there is a lot of synergy, and it covers its bases both offensively and defensively. Anyways, that's how I build teams: pick a pokemon to base it around and get as much defensive typing as you can so your entire team is not just walls.

 

[Game Over.]

I usually use novelty teams.

I have a rain dance team, sunny day team, hail team, sand storm team and a trick room team.

I plan on branching out to more standard looking teams soon but all my teams so far work decently.

I like to make use of pokemon who usually suck aswell, hence Froslass in hail team, Camerupt in sand team, Omastar in rain team etc...

I want to make Flareon work but it seems like I'd need my whole team based around it, lol, which isn't cool.

But yeah.. this topic should be good for me to keep an eye on because my teams are all novelty (still work) so I can use some opinions from people who use normal teams (standard OU).

Personally I believe a team strategy (scout weaks, kill 'em, bring in your big guy etc) are the best way to go this gen.

 

[Burn Jack]

Surgo made a good topic on this subject here. Although it's from before DP's American release, it highlights the importance of strategy in the new generation; something that many people don't seem to be considering. >_>

 

[Tazzler]

Yeah, all of the pokemon should attempt to accomplish a certain goal. Teams with a purpose are more successful than ones that are just 6 pokemon with no purpose in mind. Building a team around one or two pokemon is a good idea as it allows you to build a team around a goal (such as sweeping the opponent with Garchomp) and counter opposing threats. Make sure that each member of your team goes well with your other members; otherwise changes will probably be made.