SM LC Rate My Little Cup Team

[FluffyOshawott]

Hello Smogon Little Cup users! Today, I am here to just ask, how is my Smogon Team for Pokemon Showdown? My Team currently consists of these following Pokemon:

Barbra (Ferroseed) (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
Level: 5
EVs: 84 HP / 36 Atk / 188 Def / 148 SpD / 52 Spe
Careful Nature
- Spikes
- Seed Bomb
- Protect
- Leech Seed

The reason why I added Ferroseed is because I need a stall tank just in case my team get absolutely blocked by such Pokemon like Lileep with Stockpile. My Ferroseed's is to stop all setups from happening and quickly Leech Seed the opponent and just Protect to gain health back if i'm at a high state of getting hit by something that isn't going to help get my strategy going. Seed Bomb is also there to deal with Shell Smasher Pokemon like Tirtouga from happening. I run Spikes to lower health on incoming Pokemon so it'll be easier to take them down, Seed Bomb to remove Water Types from the field and their setups like Tirtogua, Protect to see what the user does on their side of the field, and Leech Seed to recover health back as switch Pokemon or protect so that Ferroseed doesn't die.

Smogon (Mienfoo) (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 196 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Fake Out

I chose Mienfoo because I need a quick flinch / priority move to come out just in case they are low on health and I can end up destroying their setup all together. The role Mienfoo caries is quickly going through Rock & Dark Pokemon with no problem so Litwick doesn't get demolished by them in an instant.
I run Drain Punch to recover my health if low, Knock Off to knock off eviolites, scarfs, so on, U-Turn to switch if Mienfoo can't handle the opponent on the field, and Fake Out to end the users setup all together or get that last lick of health gone so sweeps don't happen.

Marie (Inkay) (F) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Contrary
Level: 5
EVs: 12 HP / 244 Atk / 12 Def / 236 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Superpower
- Psycho Cut
- Switcheroo

I chose Inkay because if I run into problems like Purrloin, I can just get contrary going and quickly run through the team. The role of Inkay is to quickly speed through speedy opponents like Digglet, Ponyta & Doduo so they can't get rid of Ferroseed and Tirtouga's strategies when they come out on to the field. I run Knock off for the same reason I listed for Mienfoo, to knock off opponents eviolites, scarfs, so and so, Superpower to activate Contrary and get a Bulk up or Calm mind like strategy, Psycho Cut to throw out fighting types like Timburr, and Switcheroo to lock the opponent in to a moves that doesn't benefit them and they are forced to switch.

Kameron (Rockruff) (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Vital Spirit
Level: 5
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge
- Fire Fang
- Thunder Fang
- Sucker Punch

I run Rockruff because I need another rock mon to come out just incase Tirtouga dies. The role of Rockruff is to take the role of Tirtogua if all else fails. I run Stone Edge to get through Ponyta, and Dodou, Fire Fang for Grass Types and Ice Types, Thunder Fang for those Water types and Flying types, and Sucker Punch for the priority.

Shelly (Tirtouga) (F) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Sturdy
Level: 5
EVs: 212 Atk / 92 Def / 180 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Shell Smash
- Aqua Jet
- Earthquake
- Zen Headbutt

I'm running Tirtouga because such things like Dodou and Ponyta can switch out so I can Shell Smash. The role of Tirtouga is to quickly Shell Smash and then make the user switch if they're at a disadvantage, and the berry juice can let us Shell Smash again to get the upper hand. Shell Smash is to quickly increase my Speed, Attack, and Sp. Atk so I can then, Aqua Jet users and knock them out in a instant, Earthquake because I find Stone Edge too risky for it to miss, and Zen Headbutt to flinch and get rid of those pesky Fighting mons so I don't have to worry.

Shauntal (Litwick) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Flash Fire
Level: 5
EVs: 116 HP / 76 Def / 236 SpA / 76 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Clear Smog
- Energy Ball

I run Litwick to cancel Normal Pokemon and Fighting mons from landing priority or Last Resort on me. The role of Litwick is cancel the strategies of Normal and Fighting users and let the worries of Tirtouga and Rockruff from dying out on the field. Fire Blast is to blow through the bulk of grass types, Shadow Ball is for getting rid of Ghost Types if switched in or to lower the Sp. Def of other mons so I can get rid of them in the next turn, Clear Smog for those stat raises like Bulk Up, Calm Mind, so on, and Energy Ball for Water Types and Rock Types that enter the field.

 

[sam-testings]

Hello and welcome to Smogon! Sorry this rate is quite late.

So first of all, this Ferroseed set is not optimal. I would run Eviolite over Leftovers, because of the way Leftovers works in LC. Due to the small HP numbers, Leftovers heals 1 HP each turn, which is pretty bad. Eviolite boosts Ferroseeds already good Defensive stats even higher, and makes it into an amazing tank. Secondly, I would use Stealth Rock over Spikes. While layering Spikes is a very satisfying feeling, Stealth Rock hits more Pokemon and also can have super effective damage on Flying and Fire-types, which is very useful in LC where there are a lot of strong Flying types. I would also not use Protect and Leech Seed on Ferroseed for the same reason as why you would not use Leftovers, HP numbers are too small and you are not going to get enough HP back to make it worth it. Instead, I would use Thunder Wave and Knock Off. This would allow you to do cripple switch ins to Ferroseed by either getting rid of their item or paralyzing them.

I would use Taunt or Stone Edge instead of Fake Out. Fake Out is not as useful, and you find that you usually want to be clicking another move anyways such as Knock Off. Taunt would allow you to prevent Pokemon from setting up or from getting hazards up, while Stone Edge would give you more coverage against Flying and Fire-types which can annoy this team. Stone Edge also allows you to hit the ever present Vullaby without touching it, which means it would not activate Weak Armor which is very helpful.

Inkay is a horrible Pokemon, despite how good it looks on paper. It needs at least 2 boosts to actually do damage, and is incredibly frail and dies to a lot of attacks and cannot switch into anything. I would use Scarf Pawniard instead, as it still provides the Knock Off support you want, and is a lot better. While it is also susceptible to priority attacks like Inkay, it is a lot stronger and does not require a turn to start doing damage, which is incredibly important. Inkay always has to waste at least one turn setting up with a very very weak Superpower, while Scarf Pawniard does not require a turn to set up. Pawniard has an extremely powerful STAB Knock Off and Iron Head that has very nice coverage. I know Inkay looks tempting, but trust me on this one. Its really really really bad.

Scarf Pawniard Set

Pawniard @ Choice Scarf
Level: 5
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Pursuit
- Brick Break

I have no idea what Rockruff is supposed to do for this team. Its a horribly weak Pokemon, both offensively and defensively, and it should at the very least be holding an Eviolite, as there is no reason to be holding an Assault Vest in LC. I will get back to Rockruff later, but know that its a really bad mon, and Assault Vest is a horrible item in LC when Eviolite exists.

I would change your Tirtouga set from SturdyJuice to Solid Rock. Solid Rock is a more solid set (hahahaha) and it sets up a lot easier. There is a lot of Knock Off in LC, and Berry Juice + Sturdy, while it sounds good, its pretty easy to stop.

Solid Rock + Evio

Tirtouga @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 4 HP / 132 Atk / 92 Def / 76 SpD / 180 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Zen Headbutt

Litwick is bad. Use Ponyta instead or something. Litwick is horrible offensively and defensively, and there is pretty much no reason to ever use it. Ponyta is really good, as its ability allows it to check Fighting-types, which Litwick cannot do. It is also pretty bulky, and can spread burns everywhere which is always really nice.

Ponyta set

Ponyta @ Eviolite
Level: 5
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 76 Atk / 156 Def / 76 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Morning Sun
- Will-O-Wisp
- Flame Charge

So back to Rockruff. This team really needs another Fighting-type check, which is why I am recommending you change it to Spritzee. Spritzee can provide wish support for the rest of the team, and can serve as a win condition with Calm Mind. Additionally, it is able to check Fighting-types that trouble this team, which is important in a tier where there are a lot of Fighting-types. Spritzee is a very good mon that should be able to help this team a lot more than Rockruff would.


Hope this helped!!