Pokémon Rate My Team
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I'm just recently starting to get into VGC, I played a little bit of 2014 but not anything high level. I got tired of using CHALK in 2015 so here's a little bit of an experimental team. If any seasoned players could give me some advice, I would appreciate it a lot. The team is based around Carracosta so I'm not planning on switching him out. Everything else I'm open to replace though.

The team acts as somewhat of an anti-trick room or can function as that, since it relies on speed boosts from the rain or tailwind.


Carracosta @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 156 HP / 60 Def / 148 SpA / 84 SpD / 60 Spe
Timid Nature
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Rock Slide
- Wide Guard

(Outspeeds 252 Spe Heatran in rain, OHKOs Landorus-T
with Ice Beam.)


Politoed @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Drizzle
EVs: 252 HP / 108 Def / 4 SpA / 60 SpD / 84 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Icy Wind
- Helping Hand
- Protect

(Outspeeds Jolly 252 Kangaskhan after Icy Wind,
OHKOs 0 HP / 0 SpD Heatran with Hydro Pump.)


Tornadus @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
Level: 50
EVs: 156 HP / 180 SpA / 172 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Taunt
- Tailwind
- Protect

(OHKOs 252 HP / 52 SpD M-Venusaur. Outspeeds
252+ Spe base 100s.)


Lopunny @ Lopunnite
Ability: Limber
Level: 50
EVs: 76 HP / 252 Atk / 180 Speed
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Return
- Low Kick
- Protect

(Outspeeds Weavile. Faster Fake Out than Kangaskhan.)


Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
Level: 50
EVs: 24 HP / 252 Atk / 180 Def / 32 SpD / 20 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
- Rock Slide
- Protect

(Outspeeds Scarf Hydreigon always in Tailwind. OHKOs
with Dragon Claw. Can live 1 Ice Punch from Mega
Lopunny guaranteed.)


Nidoqueen @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sheer Force
Level: 50
EVs: 252 HP / 156 Atk / 96 Def / 4 SpA
Adamant Nature
- Poison Jab
- Ice Beam
- Rock Slide
- Fire Punch

(56% to OHKO Lando-T w Ice Beam. Guaranteed OHKO on
Sylveon with Poison Jab. Lives Earthquake from Assault
Vest or Scarf Lando-T. Lives Double-Edge from
Kangaskhan. Fire Punch functions outside of Rain as there's no fire coverage normally.)

by
Dang, so many niche options here and there. Really fun looking team you have there :D

You should work on countering Ludicolo though, because it single handedly wrecks 4/6ths of your team and outspeeds Lopunny and Garchomp in the rain. Also Thundurus-I, now that Defiant was legalized (meaning more offensive variants) and Prankster thundy still exists. Especially since you aren't running max speed on Torandus, it can cause a good amount of mind games and headaches.

There are, of course, some obvious questions most people would ask: (after all, a niche is pointless unless you can justify it :3)
Why Tornadus over, say Zapdos or Thundurus?
Why Carracosta over any other Swift Swimmer?
Any special reasons for using Nidoqueen? Like what's it's purpose?

Thus ends my majestic rant xD
Tornadus has access to Tailwind, I wasn't sure if Thundy could do that so that's why I went with him.

I chose Carracosta because I specifically wanted to make a team around him. I saw the decent defenses and overall pretty good coverage as well access to Wide Guard and thought he would be fun to use.

Nidoqueen acts as a check to Sylveon if they aren't running Psyshock and even still outspeeds and can switch into a Hyper Voice.
If you want a strong Physical Fairy check, Nidoking beats Nidqueen. Nidoqueen loves running Life Orb and a special set of Sludge Bomb / Earth Power / Ice Beam. It guaruntees the KO on Landorus. Plus, with Sheer Force, LO recoil is negated.
Most Sylveons will run Psyshock; it's very very common, but here's why it doesn't really matter:

1. Like you said, you outspeed Sylveon, so it doesn't matter anyway.
2. If Sylveon is Spec'ed, which about half of them are, then it'll be locked into Hyper Voice anyway.

Scilicet is right, Ludicolo really counters you. It hits all of your Pokémon super effectively, besides Lopunny. However, Ludicolo isn't very common anymore, and if said 'colo is running the Smogon set, you still outspeed it with Lopunny and 2HKO it with Return; that is, if you don't get burned by Scald. Max Speed 'colo would be a problem.
Funny thing is your Rain team gets countered by opposing Rain teams. Besides, your own rain only powers up two Pokemon (excluding Tornadus since it only supports one move). Pokemon like what scil mentioned and Gastrodon as well more or less hard counter your team.

In my opinion, adding a Grass type like Ferrothorn will be beneficial to your team, which also benefits from having its Fire weakness curbed by the rain. Since in your team Garchomp and Nidoqueen kinda look out of place, try replacing one of them for it. Naturally if you replace one you lose on your previous coverage, the other might also need to be replaced.

That's what I think though, it's totally your call ;)

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