This is my first post and (obviously) RMT. I've played the game on and off for a while now, but I've really begun to get a feel for what I want my team to do. Thanks so much for all your advice so far, raters! Most recent changes are in grey italics.
This team started off as a monotype (Steel) Trick Room team. While that team was fun, it had glaring weaknesses. The biggest weakness it had was that I didn't take it seriously! Maybe I could've improved it to more competative levels, but I digress, that team is not what I'm here for. I took a lot of my experience from playing that team (Trick room is fun! I like steel types!) and tried to morph it into a more versatile, powerful team. Recently lost my team's data to some hard drive issues, so I'm rebuilding it from memory and writing it all down so I don't forget it again. I make no bold claims, I am still a beginner. My EV Spreads are nigh meaningless and need refinement but I lack the in-depth knowledge to tweak them precisely to the team's needs, which is one of the biggest reasons I'm here! I present to you..
From my early attempts at competing with an all steel trick room team, I quickly learned that one Trick Roomer was not enough. What started with Bronzong, a wall, and four varied sweepers soon brought in Jirachi, making the team a duo trick roomers and four janitors. Transitioning away from a gimmick and toward a more competative gameplan, I knew that wasn't enough. I needed a third. I weighed my options and settled on Dusknoir. Now Bronzong, Jirachi, and Dusknoir make up the backbone of my team. Paving the road with powerful support to allow my offensive core to drive through.
A remnant of my all-steel team, Jirachi holds his spot well. Once supporting the team from the rear, he now leads from the front. You might even say that he's my team's...
Jirachi is fairly bulky and is one of the only meaningful Pokemon with access to both Trick Room and Wish. Wish support is great, especially considering the consistancy of switching required for a Trick Room team to function and the lack of a Pokemon slot for a dedicated spinner.
Having moved into the Lead, Jirachi's strengths are now put to better use. Because Jirachi is a common lead with substantial unpredictability, while he is still just as suceptable to Taunt, opponents seem less likely to use it on Jirachi than they would be on Bronzong. Removing a status attack from his movepool is unfortunate, leaving him with virtually no offensive options, but with Trick Room/Stealth Rock for leading and Wish and U-Turn for use throughout the game, he's certainly not left wanting. Being able to Trick Room -> U-Turn to scout switches and send in an appropriate sweeper is wonderful. With the addition of Slowking, I've pushed Jirachi's defenses a little further toward the physical side.
Toll That Bell, Bronzong
Nature - Brave
Ability - Levitate
Item - Macho Brace
HP - 252
ATK - 252
SpD - 4
Trick Room
Gyro Ball
Earthquake
Explosion
Bronzong, having passed on his leading role to Jirachi, is now able to truly shine in the way I so dearly love. Being able to forgo Lead duties has allowed me to drop Stealth Rock from his movepool, and outside of setting up Stealth Rock after Trick Room, a Lum Berry isn't very important. So Bronzong is bulking up, and he's equipped a Macho Brace to show just how tough he is. Still a solid Trick Room user, Bronzong now occupies a position between support and sweeper. With Gyro Ball, Earthquake, and Explosion, Bronzong is much more threatening offensively.
Nature - Sassy
Ability - Own Tempo
Item - Leftovers
HP - 252
DEF - 216
SpD - 40
Trick Room
Slack Off
HP Grass
Psychic
Part Two - Counter
Having settled on the backbone for my new trick room team, I knew using the same old tired pokemon and movesets wasn't going to be enough when the chips were down. I needed versatility, reliability, and most of all, brute force. I needed three pokemon to do the work of six. Here's what I've settled on for the time being, starting with the best.
Nature - Quiet
Ability - Sand Stream
Item - Expert Belt
HP - 240
Atk - 52
SpA - 216
Flamethrower
Ice Beam
Dark Pulse
Superpower
Tyranitar was made for trick room. With a movepool that easily counters her counters and is nearly impossible to wall, you'd think that'd be the end of it, but nope. She also sports an ability that wears down your opponent and breaks focus sashes. Having Trick Room around allows her to invest EVs usually put toward speed into HP, granting her bulk that's nothing to scoff at. Expert Belt is used because it's a shame to waste such gorgeous type coverage and drain your own HP. What more can I say? Trick Room, switch her in, lay waste.
Heatran is the only sweeper that still earns a spot on my team from the 'good old days', and that's because he's solid. And adorable. D'awwww look at that face. Flash Fire absorbing Will'o'wisp and fire attacks that would hit Bronzong/Jirachi hard is powerful, and on top of that, his attacking power is gargantuan with two solid STAB options and HP Grass to give him good coverage, and Explosion to take out likely counters or finish up a Trick Room. HP Electric is chosen because a 0 speed IV/EV Swampert will outspeed him in trick room, wheras Gyarados never will.
There's gotta be something better to put here. He feels like filler. Gargantuan attack, abysmal speed. Kills stuff dead. Brings the physical hurt where Heatran and Tyranitar push more to the special end. Even so, he feels lacking. So predictable, putting Rhyperior on a trick room team. I'm at a loss. Surely there's something that rounds out my team better, but it hasn't dawned on me yet. Oh well. Trick Room gets set up, Rhyperior switches in, maybe swords dances, maybe doesn't, starts killing things. Loves that sandstorm.
So there we have it. The general flow of the team is "Get Trick Room, Kill Stuff, switch to a trick roomer that can survive whatever pokemon my opponent has in when trick room runs out, Get Trick Room". It works out decently, but I definitely feel the team lacks the polish it needs to really shine.
Dusknoir has been placed on the back burner. Legacy Raider suggested Slowking in his place, and I wholeheartedly agreed. Slowking is strong against many things my team is weak to. He fills the spot much better. Dusknoir isn't out of the running permanently just yet. Maybe he'll find his place back in the team eventually.
This team started off as a monotype (Steel) Trick Room team. While that team was fun, it had glaring weaknesses. The biggest weakness it had was that I didn't take it seriously! Maybe I could've improved it to more competative levels, but I digress, that team is not what I'm here for. I took a lot of my experience from playing that team (Trick room is fun! I like steel types!) and tried to morph it into a more versatile, powerful team. Recently lost my team's data to some hard drive issues, so I'm rebuilding it from memory and writing it all down so I don't forget it again. I make no bold claims, I am still a beginner. My EV Spreads are nigh meaningless and need refinement but I lack the in-depth knowledge to tweak them precisely to the team's needs, which is one of the biggest reasons I'm here! I present to you..
Team Counterproductivity!
...
Part One - Productivity
From my early attempts at competing with an all steel trick room team, I quickly learned that one Trick Roomer was not enough. What started with Bronzong, a wall, and four varied sweepers soon brought in Jirachi, making the team a duo trick roomers and four janitors. Transitioning away from a gimmick and toward a more competative gameplan, I knew that wasn't enough. I needed a third. I weighed my options and settled on Dusknoir. Now Bronzong, Jirachi, and Dusknoir make up the backbone of my team. Paving the road with powerful support to allow my offensive core to drive through.
Wish Upon a Bad Pun, Jirachi
Nature - Relaxed
Ability - Serene Grace
Item - Lum Berry
HP - 240
DEF - 148
SpD - 120
Trick Room
Stealth Rock
Wish
U-Turn
Nature - Relaxed
Ability - Serene Grace
Item - Lum Berry
HP - 240
DEF - 148
SpD - 120
Trick Room
Stealth Rock
Wish
U-Turn
A remnant of my all-steel team, Jirachi holds his spot well. Once supporting the team from the rear, he now leads from the front. You might even say that he's my team's...
*Sunglasses*
Star player.
YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Jirachi is fairly bulky and is one of the only meaningful Pokemon with access to both Trick Room and Wish. Wish support is great, especially considering the consistancy of switching required for a Trick Room team to function and the lack of a Pokemon slot for a dedicated spinner.
Having moved into the Lead, Jirachi's strengths are now put to better use. Because Jirachi is a common lead with substantial unpredictability, while he is still just as suceptable to Taunt, opponents seem less likely to use it on Jirachi than they would be on Bronzong. Removing a status attack from his movepool is unfortunate, leaving him with virtually no offensive options, but with Trick Room/Stealth Rock for leading and Wish and U-Turn for use throughout the game, he's certainly not left wanting. Being able to Trick Room -> U-Turn to scout switches and send in an appropriate sweeper is wonderful. With the addition of Slowking, I've pushed Jirachi's defenses a little further toward the physical side.
Toll That Bell, Bronzong
Nature - Brave
Ability - Levitate
Item - Macho Brace
HP - 252
ATK - 252
SpD - 4
Trick Room
Gyro Ball
Earthquake
Explosion
Bronzong, having passed on his leading role to Jirachi, is now able to truly shine in the way I so dearly love. Being able to forgo Lead duties has allowed me to drop Stealth Rock from his movepool, and outside of setting up Stealth Rock after Trick Room, a Lum Berry isn't very important. So Bronzong is bulking up, and he's equipped a Macho Brace to show just how tough he is. Still a solid Trick Room user, Bronzong now occupies a position between support and sweeper. With Gyro Ball, Earthquake, and Explosion, Bronzong is much more threatening offensively.
You Only Think He's Smart Cause He's Got Such an Important Looking Hat, Slowking
Nature - Sassy
Ability - Own Tempo
Item - Leftovers
HP - 252
DEF - 216
SpD - 40
Trick Room
Slack Off
HP Grass
Psychic
The first change made to this team that lends most of its thanks to outside input was switching Dusknoir for Slowking. Dusknoir fills a substantial defensive and offensive void to Water types, most notably Gyarados. While the choice of moves may seem odd, forgoing Surf for Psychic was almost a necessity. With Own Tempo and Psychic he can smack Fighting Types (Read: Machamp) around from today until next week.
Part Two - Counter
Having settled on the backbone for my new trick room team, I knew using the same old tired pokemon and movesets wasn't going to be enough when the chips were down. I needed versatility, reliability, and most of all, brute force. I needed three pokemon to do the work of six. Here's what I've settled on for the time being, starting with the best.
Sand Storm's Comin', Tyranitar
Nature - Quiet
Ability - Sand Stream
Item - Expert Belt
HP - 240
Atk - 52
SpA - 216
Flamethrower
Ice Beam
Dark Pulse
Superpower
Tyranitar was made for trick room. With a movepool that easily counters her counters and is nearly impossible to wall, you'd think that'd be the end of it, but nope. She also sports an ability that wears down your opponent and breaks focus sashes. Having Trick Room around allows her to invest EVs usually put toward speed into HP, granting her bulk that's nothing to scoff at. Expert Belt is used because it's a shame to waste such gorgeous type coverage and drain your own HP. What more can I say? Trick Room, switch her in, lay waste.
Thermal Exchange, Heatran
Nature - Quiet
Ability - Flash Fire
Item - Life Orb
HP - 252
ATK - 4
SpA - 252
Fire Blast
Earth Power
HP Electric
Explosion
Nature - Quiet
Ability - Flash Fire
Item - Life Orb
HP - 252
ATK - 4
SpA - 252
Fire Blast
Earth Power
HP Electric
Explosion
Heatran is the only sweeper that still earns a spot on my team from the 'good old days', and that's because he's solid. And adorable. D'awwww look at that face. Flash Fire absorbing Will'o'wisp and fire attacks that would hit Bronzong/Jirachi hard is powerful, and on top of that, his attacking power is gargantuan with two solid STAB options and HP Grass to give him good coverage, and Explosion to take out likely counters or finish up a Trick Room. HP Electric is chosen because a 0 speed IV/EV Swampert will outspeed him in trick room, wheras Gyarados never will.
Well, it's Rhyperior
Nature Brave
Ability - Solid Rock
Item - Life Orb
HP - 248
ATK - 252
DEF - 8
Swords Dance
Stone Edge
Earthquake
Megahorn
Nature Brave
Ability - Solid Rock
Item - Life Orb
HP - 248
ATK - 252
DEF - 8
Swords Dance
Stone Edge
Earthquake
Megahorn
There's gotta be something better to put here. He feels like filler. Gargantuan attack, abysmal speed. Kills stuff dead. Brings the physical hurt where Heatran and Tyranitar push more to the special end. Even so, he feels lacking. So predictable, putting Rhyperior on a trick room team. I'm at a loss. Surely there's something that rounds out my team better, but it hasn't dawned on me yet. Oh well. Trick Room gets set up, Rhyperior switches in, maybe swords dances, maybe doesn't, starts killing things. Loves that sandstorm.
So there we have it. The general flow of the team is "Get Trick Room, Kill Stuff, switch to a trick roomer that can survive whatever pokemon my opponent has in when trick room runs out, Get Trick Room". It works out decently, but I definitely feel the team lacks the polish it needs to really shine.
Appendix A:
Old Team Members
~
The Will of the Wisp, Dusknoir
Old Team Members
~
The Will of the Wisp, Dusknoir
Nature - Relaxed; Ability - Pressure; Item - Leftovers; EVs: HP - 252, DEF - 252, SpD - 4; Moves: Trick Room, Will-o-wisp, Pain Split, Shadow Sneak; Dusknoir was the first new addition to the team after its evolution from "YEAH I LIKE STEEL POKEMON". Absurd bulkiness, support through WoW, able to threaten KOing things it can wall through WoW->pain split->[...]->pain split->shadow sneak. EV spread is for nothing but bulk. Unlike the other two, I feel Dusknoir really requires no explanation. A solid bulky trick roomer that just so happens to be immune to fighting and normal attacks.
Dusknoir has been placed on the back burner. Legacy Raider suggested Slowking in his place, and I wholeheartedly agreed. Slowking is strong against many things my team is weak to. He fills the spot much better. Dusknoir isn't out of the running permanently just yet. Maybe he'll find his place back in the team eventually.
Appendix B:
Old Strategies
Old Strategies
Lead Bronzong's usage notes, outdated due to Jirachi replacing him as the lead - Moves: Trick Room, Stealth Rock, Gyro Ball, Explosion; Bronzong is the biggest holdover from my gimmicky all-steel team, but if my experience taught me anything, it was that Bronzong is a pretty solid lead for Trick Rooming. The Lum Berry prevents steamrolling by faster sleepers. Still dies to a surprise fire attack now and then. Of my three trick roomers, I feel like Bronzong is the weak link, but as far as weak links go, he's not so bad. Bulkiness, Trick Room, Stealth Rock, and STAB Gyro-Balls have earned him his lead position handily. Almost always opens with Trick Room, which allows me to scout out my opponent's lead's strategy, assuming I don't get killed instantly, then follows up with Stealth Rock. Reacts to Taunt by throwing Gyro Balls furiously. If he's still alive, paper thin speed-centric Pokemon get Gyro Balled, tough Pokemon that I foresee trouble with later get Exploded on. If neither of those seem like a useful decision, I switch him out to one of my three sweepers to the best of my prediction ability, although sometimes I'll find Bronzong has used his entire Trick Room himself. Max Attack gyro balls are just so tempting, I'd throw them at things forever, if only I could. I'm sure this EV Spread could be done more efficiently, but this is what he's currently running. I switch back and forth between explosion and earthquake but here he is, as he currently is.
Non-Lead Jirachi usage notes, outdated due to Jirachi switching to lead position - Moves: Trick Room, Wish, U-Turn, Ice Punch; Ice Punch is chosen for coverage as well as the most appreciated status effect available. (Paralyze can sometimes drop an opponent's Pokemon into outspeeding in trick room/Burn is covered by Dusknoir/The things Jirachi can flinch to death are limited.) EV spread gives Jirachi a lot of bulk, focusing a bit more on the special side since Dusknoir has physical walling covered, but with a bit of DEF simply because of how common earthquake is.
Non-Lead Jirachi usage notes, outdated due to Jirachi switching to lead position - Moves: Trick Room, Wish, U-Turn, Ice Punch; Ice Punch is chosen for coverage as well as the most appreciated status effect available. (Paralyze can sometimes drop an opponent's Pokemon into outspeeding in trick room/Burn is covered by Dusknoir/The things Jirachi can flinch to death are limited.) EV spread gives Jirachi a lot of bulk, focusing a bit more on the special side since Dusknoir has physical walling covered, but with a bit of DEF simply because of how common earthquake is.
