I would like to get feedback on this team I created based around Starmie and Chandelure hence the name Starlure. The reason I am building a team around Starmie and Chandelure is that Starmie is the 1st shiny that I found in a random encounter and Chandelure is one of my favorite pokemon. Ideally I was trying to build a bulky offense as i wanted somethign a bit different from the stall team I play in OU.
Starmie is one of the faster pokemon on this team as I found that this team can be beat by fast pokemon. I like the combination of Expert Belt and the 3 coverage moves that it has. I am using 2 grass moves on this team due to the fact I was running into trouble with Seismitoad and Swampert. I primarily use Starmie for its coverage in order to get opponents to swap out as Starmie's move pool is very diverse so it threatens a lot of pokemon with super effective damage. Only when necessary do i use rapid spin and thats usually on a free turn where the opponent is switching out.
Starmie @ Expert Belt
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rapid Spin
- Grass Knot
- Psychic
- Scald
Another faster pokemon on my team I normally use this guy as a set up sweeper after the faster fairy pokemon are taken out or the opponent switches in a slower fairy thinking to take advantage of it's dragon typing. I have been experimenting with rivalry as I feel that opponents can forget about the attack bonus if we are the same nature and not factor that into damage calculations. The dragonium-z lets me do a surprising amount of damage to pokemon that are otherwise very bulky such as Gliscor and Blissey.
Haxorus (M) @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Rivalry
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab
I decided on Mega Steelix to deal with Mega Manectric and to switch into volt switch before mega evolved to stop the switch. Usually after swapping in on a volt switch I will mega evolve and set up rocks. I have the Special defense ev's / nature as a way to deal with Mega Manectric which is a huge threat to my team and have found Steelix to be a great swap into a toxic and into pokemon such as Blissey if i need to save the z move on Haxorus. This guy is my primary switch into physical attackers as most of my team cant afford to take a lot of damage and I felt it necessary to not only have a rock setter but also a pokemon that can at least weaken a dangerous pokemon of my opponents so that I can get the KO with one of my more offensive pokemon.
Steelix-Mega @ Steelixite
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
Muk serves as my primary fairy check and also beats Scizor and Mega Beedrill straight up although it can't swap into those pokemon. Having access to knock off helps me get rid of recovery/choice items from the opponent and pursuit does a lot of damage when the opponent swaps out. Running assault vest so that it can take a hit from a fairy type pokemon and usually KO in return and having a psychic imunity can result in free swap ins to knock off the opponents item is always nice. In a somewhat unrelated note Muk looks awesome.
Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Poison Jab
- Fire Punch
Klefki is my normal lead and with the sash I am guarenteed to get off a status and at least 1 layer of spikes. I put play rough on it to scare off dragons that I swap into such as Latias and Hydregion as both can run through my team otherwise. Normally I use thunder wave on fast pokemon that could sweep my team so that i can either out speed or get the para hax with the pokemon that I bring in to deal with the pokemon. If i'm not in danger of being swept by the pokemon I will use toxic to either chip away at them or force them to bring in a natural cure pokemon to cure the team which allows me to swap in a more offensive pokemon.
Klefki @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 196 HP / 208 Def / 96 SpD / 8 Spe
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder Wave
- Spikes
- Play Rough
- Toxic
I am using choice scarf Chandelure as I feel that assault vest is better suited on Muk. I primarly swap in on a fire move or fake out and out speed then use a move that will either kill the current pokemon or hit the majority of their team for at least neutral damage. Clear smog is great for getting rid of set up such as swords dance and also acts as another fairy check. I put the 8 speed evs to break 296 speed with the scarf . Between Chandelure and Starmie almost every pokemon gets hit for super effective damage - flying types that don't have a secondary typing i cover such as Pidgeot.
Chandelure @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Clear Smog
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
The overall Strategy for this team is a bulky offensive team with a good amount of immunitys to abuse for free switch ins and some unexpected item choices that let you catch your opponent off guard. I wanted to get away from running a stall team while using some of my favorite pokemon.
In general this team is weak to status such as paralysis and sleep as well as being worn down if my switch ins aren't healthy enough. I am open to suggestions as to what I should change and a few areas i am not that confident about is the 2 grass moves instead of ice beam or t bolt on Starmie and the ev spreads in general. Ive played about 100 or so games with this team so far and it feels decent a lot of my losses are due to my own errors such as dark being immune to prankster.
Starmie is one of the faster pokemon on this team as I found that this team can be beat by fast pokemon. I like the combination of Expert Belt and the 3 coverage moves that it has. I am using 2 grass moves on this team due to the fact I was running into trouble with Seismitoad and Swampert. I primarily use Starmie for its coverage in order to get opponents to swap out as Starmie's move pool is very diverse so it threatens a lot of pokemon with super effective damage. Only when necessary do i use rapid spin and thats usually on a free turn where the opponent is switching out.
Starmie @ Expert Belt
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rapid Spin
- Grass Knot
- Psychic
- Scald
Another faster pokemon on my team I normally use this guy as a set up sweeper after the faster fairy pokemon are taken out or the opponent switches in a slower fairy thinking to take advantage of it's dragon typing. I have been experimenting with rivalry as I feel that opponents can forget about the attack bonus if we are the same nature and not factor that into damage calculations. The dragonium-z lets me do a surprising amount of damage to pokemon that are otherwise very bulky such as Gliscor and Blissey.
Haxorus (M) @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Rivalry
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab
I decided on Mega Steelix to deal with Mega Manectric and to switch into volt switch before mega evolved to stop the switch. Usually after swapping in on a volt switch I will mega evolve and set up rocks. I have the Special defense ev's / nature as a way to deal with Mega Manectric which is a huge threat to my team and have found Steelix to be a great swap into a toxic and into pokemon such as Blissey if i need to save the z move on Haxorus. This guy is my primary switch into physical attackers as most of my team cant afford to take a lot of damage and I felt it necessary to not only have a rock setter but also a pokemon that can at least weaken a dangerous pokemon of my opponents so that I can get the KO with one of my more offensive pokemon.
Steelix-Mega @ Steelixite
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Earthquake
- Heavy Slam
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
Muk serves as my primary fairy check and also beats Scizor and Mega Beedrill straight up although it can't swap into those pokemon. Having access to knock off helps me get rid of recovery/choice items from the opponent and pursuit does a lot of damage when the opponent swaps out. Running assault vest so that it can take a hit from a fairy type pokemon and usually KO in return and having a psychic imunity can result in free swap ins to knock off the opponents item is always nice. In a somewhat unrelated note Muk looks awesome.
Muk-Alola @ Assault Vest
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Poison Jab
- Fire Punch
Klefki is my normal lead and with the sash I am guarenteed to get off a status and at least 1 layer of spikes. I put play rough on it to scare off dragons that I swap into such as Latias and Hydregion as both can run through my team otherwise. Normally I use thunder wave on fast pokemon that could sweep my team so that i can either out speed or get the para hax with the pokemon that I bring in to deal with the pokemon. If i'm not in danger of being swept by the pokemon I will use toxic to either chip away at them or force them to bring in a natural cure pokemon to cure the team which allows me to swap in a more offensive pokemon.
Klefki @ Focus Sash
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 196 HP / 208 Def / 96 SpD / 8 Spe
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder Wave
- Spikes
- Play Rough
- Toxic
I am using choice scarf Chandelure as I feel that assault vest is better suited on Muk. I primarly swap in on a fire move or fake out and out speed then use a move that will either kill the current pokemon or hit the majority of their team for at least neutral damage. Clear smog is great for getting rid of set up such as swords dance and also acts as another fairy check. I put the 8 speed evs to break 296 speed with the scarf . Between Chandelure and Starmie almost every pokemon gets hit for super effective damage - flying types that don't have a secondary typing i cover such as Pidgeot.
Chandelure @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Clear Smog
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
The overall Strategy for this team is a bulky offensive team with a good amount of immunitys to abuse for free switch ins and some unexpected item choices that let you catch your opponent off guard. I wanted to get away from running a stall team while using some of my favorite pokemon.
In general this team is weak to status such as paralysis and sleep as well as being worn down if my switch ins aren't healthy enough. I am open to suggestions as to what I should change and a few areas i am not that confident about is the 2 grass moves instead of ice beam or t bolt on Starmie and the ev spreads in general. Ive played about 100 or so games with this team so far and it feels decent a lot of my losses are due to my own errors such as dark being immune to prankster.