New Player Needing Help Building First Team

F

Flys Gone 2071

Also known as Flygon2071
Member
I want to play competitive at Pokemon Showdown and I will like to get help to build a team as I don't know about which are the most suitable Pokemon with their best moves on the teams. I decided to use VGC 2013 and I will need help for it. I have built unexperienced teams before but I want to build more complex and better ones. I was using an Infernape for revenge KO's I will add it in the spoiler:

Infernape@Choice Band
Trait: Iron Fist
Mach Punch
U-Turn
Fire Punch
Thunder Punch

EV's: 4 HP, 252 Attack, 252 Speed
Nature: Jolly
 
RE: Need help to build my first team

First off, welcome to the world of competitive play. I'm not as experienced in VGC as others here, but I can give you this fact: weather is everything. You need a weather or a team for anti-weather to succeed, unless you try Goodstuffs, which is somewhat anti-weather on its own. Tyranitar, Politoed and Ninetales are considered the primary weathers, while Abomasnow is the anti-weather, as Hail has no good abusers. It only serves to take away other weathers. Second, I should point out that Infernape is not the best revenge killer, even moreso in VGC. It is more suited to being used alongside Latios/Latias or something similar due to their synergy. But before you even use Infernape, you need to decide your playstyle. Rain, Sun, Sand, Hail, Trick Room, Gimmick, Goodstuffs (cookiecutter utility teams), etc. Do that before deciding on a Pokemon, or you can select one (or two) to base your playstyle off of. Last, Things like hazards and switch moves (U-turn, Volt Switch) are not recommended. Spread moves like Surf, Earthquake and Rock Slide and PROTECT/Detect are standard. The game goes by so fast that stall is pretty much unviable. Speed (or TR) and power are highly regarded in VGC.

A good VGC core for beginners is Rotom-W & Metagross, two bulky tanks that complement each other well and are a very good type and strategy base for teams. They are not easily broken apart. Thundurus-I is big due to its priority Rain Dance, Thunder Wave and Taunt. Terrakion is one of the best physical attackers, obviously, and the same is true for Latios on the special side. Rain and Sand are the most common teams, and Excadrill, Garchomp, Ludicolo and Toxicroak are seen often as a result. Scizor, Gastrodon (general rain counter), Chandelure (TR counter) are great anti-meta Pokemon. Cresselia with Icy Wind is the best mixed wall/support Pokemon most teams can have. Hitmontop and Landorus-T are the premier physical tanks and Intimidaters, but there are not many special tanks (a common one is Gastrodon). Reuniclus can be teched on teams as a counter for TR, which uses Conkeldurr alongside that same Reuniclus. The Discharge-Earthquake combo is often seen between Zapdos, Magnezone, Garchomp, Landorus, Thundurus, Rotom-W and Mamoswine. This seems to work best in weatherless or sand teams.

That's the info I know right off. I would consult the other members of this site on further info, and you can get the full detail from Smogon. Have fun, I did what I could in 10 minutes.

~AoH
 
RE: Need help to build my first team

Thanks AoH.

I generally had problems with TR. I will like using Gastrodon. I would also like to know a Reuniclus/Conkeldurr moveset to use against TR. Maybe with T-tar as Gastrodon and Reuniclus have immunity to weather. I used Technician Breloom to OHKO Politoed with Bullet Seed.
That are 5 Pokemon so I would the last one to be a partner to T-tar.
 
RE: Need help to build my first team

BUMP!!!

I need help to know if the ones I selected is a good combo before I make a whole team. I've been using Landorus-T as my last spot.

T-Tar
Landorus-T
Gastrodon
Reuniclus
Conkeldurr
Breloom
 
RE: Need help to build my first team

I'd love to assist you in any VGC help needed, but before I can, I need sets etc. Would you mind posting them in here, or even better, making an RMT of the full team?

At a glance, things don't look too bad. On the bulky side of things, you are relatively alright. Tar, Gastro, and Conkeldurr don't tend to slack in that department (though Conkelldurp is mainly meant for Phys. Def.). Reuni can tend to run both, but is still more offensive than Defensive in most cases. The same thing applies to Lando. Breloom..... I don't think I need to elaborate much.

The only thing I can see at a glance that might be considered a huge chink in the armor is your Speed teiring. The fastest Mon you have is the Base 91 Lando, which is problematic unless it's Scarfed. Even then, combined w/ Jolly max Spe Loom (very effective btw), Speed is an issue.

I'd love to see the full outlook of that team :)
 
RE: Need help to build my first team

Red Striker said:
I'd love to assist you in any VGC help needed, but before I can, I need sets etc. Would you mind posting them in here, or even better, making an RMT of the full team?

At a glance, things don't look too bad. On the bulky side of things, you are relatively alright. Tar, Gastro, and Conkeldurr don't tend to slack in that department (though Conkelldurp is mainly meant for Phys. Def.). Reuni can tend to run both, but is still more offensive than Defensive in most cases. The same thing applies to Lando. Breloom.... I don't think I need to elaborate much.

The only thing I can see at a glance that might be considered a huge chink in the armor is your Speed teiring. The fastest Mon you have is the Base 91 Lando, which is problematic unless it's Scarfed. Even then, combined w/ Jolly max Spe Loom (very effective btw), Speed is an issue.

I'd love to see the full outlook of that team :)
Click to expand...

I will after I know which pokemon to use. I will post it soon if I don't have much help by then. Thanks for replying. I am using TR Reuniclus that helps a lot and I haven't loose much. I am having some trouble to know what item to run with Reuniclus. I don't remember if I am running anything with him.
 
RE: Need help to build my first team

I only ask for the RMT so that way I can advise what sort of Mons to advise to you, ya' know? The "viability" of a Pokemon depends from trainer to trainer as far as how much their sens of both exp and creativity go. While yes, there are some obv. ones to use, I am still unsure of your style, which will also factor what I can advise.

As far as current notes go:

Tar - There's a reason it's standard. It was seen on almost every team at Apex for example
Gastro - Coupled with Tar and Lando in Sand, it isn't so bad
Lando - I see these things all the time, and they're pretty good!
Reuni - Ehh... Idk. The offensive capabilities are pretty good, but if you need support, you could replace Reuni with Cresselia.
Conkeldurr - Seems like an ok choice, but maybe there are too many Phys. attackers, not to mention the fact that it's redundant w/ Loom on the team.
Loom - Out of the Fighting-types, I'd keep this one and run it with Jolly / max Spe. and Attack.
 
RE: Need help to build my first team

I generally like meta-counter and that sort of things. Breloom and Gastrodon against Rain, Reuniclus and Conkeldurr against TR and TW. T-Tar gives me weather in general (and can give me a turn of SR too).
The other time Discharge + Earthquake got me hard. I can think of using Lando as he is unaffected by both and can Stone Edge Zapdos.
 
RE: Need help to build my first team

Actually, Loom typically isn't that great in Rain. Ice Beam gets spammed everywhere.

(and can give me a turn of SR too).
Click to expand...
SR?

EDIT: as a sub for Loom in the Grass dept., Ferro might not be so bad. I have a peticular Item for it that makes the whole set rouge, and if you wish to know, I can tell you via PM (it's a secret of mine).
 
RE: Need help to build my first team

I have T-Tar with Stealth Rocks. At least Loom OHKO's Politoed with Bullet Seed unless he hits just twice. I haven't seen many Ice Beams.
 
RE: Need help to build my first team

Oh yeah, Ice Beam on Rain is out there. No Ice Beam Toed? Well, someone hit the slots right... For now. However, things like Kingdra and Ludicolo... They will kill Loom with little effort.

Also, like mentioned before, Stealth Rocks has no real purpose in VGC due to how fast it is (because ninety-six turn battles don't happen. Ever) and the lack of switching.
 
RE: Need help to build my first team

It can still get me 50% out of a pokemon once I KO another. A Ludicolo KO'ed my Gastrodon a while back but I could get it KO thanks to Loom. Loom won me that game (though Kingdra wasn't used).
 
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