ORAS LC Need advise

[The Kilted One]

Okay, so I've had this team a little while now and I've tweaked it considerably. It performs well and has gotten me to an easy 1250. But I feel like I'm starting to slow down in my wins and need some help.

I'm also not particularly experienced as far as prediction and general knowledge go (only been on PS for three and a half weeks, though I've been playing pokemon non-competitively for ages), so that probably contributes a lot. But time and tons of battles will cure that eventually.

Here they are:

Bunnelby @ Life Orb

Ability: Huge Power

Level: 5

EVs: 228 Atk / 52 Def / 220 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Return

- Quick Attack

- Earthquake

- Stone Edge


Bunnelby is my mid to late game sweeper/revenge killer. I find his Quick Attack with Huge Power and Life Orb is enough to revenge fairly well and put a dent in any speed sweeper that comes my way; setting up pretty well for a one-two KO with Fletchling's Acrobatics. EQ and Stone Edge give him a bit more coverage while Return offers power if he is able to outspeed a non-ghost.

Quick Attack and Return are pretty stable as they fill a much needed niche in my team, but if anyone has better suggestions for the other two slots, I'd welcome them.



Pawniard @ Choice Scarf

Ability: Defiant

Level: 5

EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Knock Off

- Iron Head

- Pursuit

- Brick Break

Pawniard serves the role of switching into a rather large set of resisted threats and getting a quick KO with its scarf before switching back out. It also traps ghost types and the ever present Abra with Pursuit, as well as taking out opposing Pawniard with Brick Break.

I love my Pawniard. If you see something glaring that I'm missing, I'm open. But I think he rocks. =)



Drifloon @ Berry Juice

Ability: Unburden

Level: 5

EVs: 116 HP / 164 Def / 36 SpA / 84 SpD / 36 Spe

Modest Nature

- Calm Mind

- Hex

- Recycle

- Will-O-Wisp


Drifloon is used to switch into fighting, ground and normal offensive threats and neuter them with Will-O-Wisp. Unburden/Berry Juice/Recycle makes it a high-recovery staller able to dish out burn to most switch-ins. On top of that Calm Mind and Hex pair well with the other two moves to OHKO any non normal pokes.

Drifloon's glaring weakness is anyone with Knock Off and higher speed than it. Also, normal types who don't mind burn can force a switch. Because of this, I use it on very careful switches when I know I can either take a fighting/normal attack and set up, or to switch in, burn and switch out.

He’s not easy to use, but when I get it right this guy is the best one on my team. Plus, he’s gotten me more rage quits than all other poke combined. ^-^



Fletchling

Ability: Gale Wings

Level: 5

EVs: 156 HP / 196 Atk / 92 Def / 52 SpD

Adamant Nature

- Acrobatics

- U-turn

- Swords Dance

- Roost


Fletchling is used for Gale Wings. Acrobatics pairs with the lack of an item to deliver a powerful punch. Roost is priority recovery; though I have to admit I don’t use it much, just because Fletching is so frail that Roosting would often be a complete waste and get me KOed. Maybe it’s the way I use him, again I’m open to suggestions.

Swords Dance is if I get an extra turn at any point and don’t need recovery, and U-turn is a momentum maintainer. Though in all honesty, if I need to switch Fletchling out, it’s probably outsped anyway.

This one I feel needs a lot of work. Does it fill a much needed flying role and grab me the occasional handy KO? Yes. Is it a complete and fully utilized member of my team? Not even close. It’s missing something, I just don’t know what.


Drilbur @ Berry Juice

Ability: Mold Breaker

Level: 5

EVs: 36 HP / 76 Atk / 36 Def / 76 SpD / 212 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Earthquake

- Rapid Spin

- Rock Slide

- Stealth Rock


Drillbur is my standard lead poke (barring times when the other team is chock full of grass/water.) He’s relatively fast, which lets him surprise most steel/rock types with a OHKO EQ, and also has coverage against flying and a flinch inducer using Rock Slide.

He can set up SR or rapid spin away hazards before an advantageous switch out (hopefully to Drifloon or Pawniard so they can resist/be immune to the hit). If he sets up hazards and gets out without being KOed, I use him to switch into electric type attacks.

I’m pretty happy with Drillbur. He has a surprising amount of speed and power, gets me a good number of KOs and his Mold Breaker is darn useful. Any suggestions?


Mienfoo @ Life Orb

Ability: Regenerator

Level: 5

EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 236 Spe

Jolly Nature

- High Jump Kick

- Knock Off

- U-turn

- Poison Jab


This one is the one where I need the most help. Mienfoo is a solid LC poke and I switched him in to replace a Clamperl that just wasn’t working for me. But I have three out of four of his move types elsewhere and, despite his nifty regenerator, he kinda feels like the sixth wheel.

With this last slot, I’ve changed poke, juggled moves and tried out items. I just don’t feel like its pulling its weight as it should. If I had another poke of Pawniard, Drifloon or Drillbur’s caliber in this slot, my team would be so much better.


Looking forward to any advise, comments or even random thoughts I can get. Every little bit would help.

Also, first Smogon post! Woohoo!



~ The Kilted One

 

[The Kilted One]

Just a wee little bump. Lovin' the LC and hoping to improve... =)

 

[Corporal Levi]

Hey The Kilted One, sorry for the slow response.

Bunnelby is a pretty fun mon but its Life Orb set is mostly used with Sticky Webs, as its frailty and relatively low Speed makes it tough for it to pull its weight against offensive teams. In addition, you're a little weak to Fire-types. Omanyte over Bunnelby is a pretty significant change, but it still leaves you with an offensive Pokemon. Omanyte has better bulk and finds opportunities to boost its Speed, making it threatening to defensive and offensive teams alike. It also uses Ponyta as set-up bait.

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Omanyte @ Eviolite
Ability: Shell Armor
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 196 SpA / 236 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Hydro Pump
- Shell Smash

If you're willing to forgo a sweeper, you can try this set for its synergy with Hex Drifloon (a lot of Will-O-Wisp's targets, like Pawniard and Fletchling, are immune to Toxic Spikes anyways):

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Omanyte @ Eviolite
Ability: Weak Armor
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 196 SpA / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Knock Off
- Hydro Pump / Scald
- Spikes

Opposing Drifloon could be pretty annoying as well. Omanyte helps to remedy this somewhat, but the easiest way to deal with Drifloon is to make sure everything on your team threatens it. Drifloon's main switch-in right now is Drilbur, since Rock Slide just activates Berry Juice. Rock Tomb over Rock Slide at least makes Drifloon easier to revenge-kill, although Drilbur still loses 1v1.

The last thing is that Pawniard is really tough to switch into, since your Mienfoo is such a frail variant. A powerful wall-breaker is nice, but in the current metagame, Life Orb Mienfoo isn't great because it's revenge-killed by Diglett so easily, plus defensive teams aren't nearly as common as fast offensive teams that Mienfoo does very little against. Running a fast bulky Eviolite set lets it switch into Pawniard much more easily and tank most neutral hits.

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Mienfoo @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- High Jump Kick / Acrobatics / Taunt / Stone Edge

That's all I have for now. I hope I helped, and best of luck!

 

[The Kilted One]

Thanks for the response! I'm reticent to give up my bunny, but I'll give Omanyte a shot. Don't know why I didn't consider it when trying to replace Clamperl; it's certainly a lot sturdier with that eviolite.



I see your point about the Drifloon and Pawniard. Normally, my own Pawniard would be used to counter both, but switching him into Drifloon is asking for a burn and I really should have a STAB fighting, so I'll try your Mienfoo variant.



Thanks again, any more ideas are welcome,

~ The Kilted One

 

[The Kilted One]

Update: I have swapped Bunnelby for Omanyte and am loving the change! Can you say setup sweep?

I've also changed to your Mienfoo and it's preforming far better; actually fitting in to the team now, thank you so much!

If you can think of anything, I'd love to hear your thoughts on Fletchling. It's still not quite where it needs to be. I really use the priority Acrobatics, I just feel there should be more there. Maybe Brave Bird instead of Acrobatics and a Scarf set to give it more coverage with it's speed? Not sure.

~ The Kilted One