First ever League team - Opinions?

[Notus]

Hello everybody! I've been building this for the league but unfortunately I'll have a lot of work to do this week and probably very few time to test it... Also it's my first time challenging the league so other opinions will help a lot.
Now, to the team.
Quick glance on the crew:
The idea I got to build it was having a team which could be fast or bulky depending on the leader I'm going to challenge. For that I chose 3 quick pokémon and 3 slow ones, being 3 of them special attackers and 3 physical. I also tried to get as much coverage as possible and making it mostly offensive. Although the Items and EV's I've put here are their standard,I think I'll be changing that a lot during the league for specific gyms (suggestions here apreciated too ).

In-Depht

Guardian

Empoleon @ Leftovers

Trait: Torrent

EV's:252 HP / 252 Sp.attack /4 Def

Moveset:

-Grass Knot

-Scald

-Flash Cannon

-Ice Beam

I picked Empoleon because of it's amazing number of resistances, making it usable in many Gyms . Grass Knot for Water/Ground types, Scald for burning and STAB, Flash Cannnon for a STAB coverage on fayries, and Ice Beam for some more coverage, specially on dragons. Sp Attack EV's for hitting as hard as possible, while HP ones can be switched around for defenses if I expect either more physical or special threats.

Angel

Togekiss @ Leftovers

Trait: Serene Grace

EV's: 252HP / 252 Sp. attack / 4 Sp. def

Moveset:

-Heat Wave

-Dazzling Gleam

-Air Slash

-Thunder Wave

Togekiss works on paraflinching with T.wave and air slash, while also slowing down the opponent for it's teamates. Heat Wave for doubles and triples with added burn chance thanks to Serene Grace, while also covering steel types. Dazzling Gleam for STAB and added coverage, while Air Slash helps with flinching.

Jaws

Garchomp @ Choice Scarf / Band

Trait: Rough Skin

EV's: 252 Attack / 252 Speed / 4 Hp

Moveset:

-Earthquake

-Dragon Claw

-Rock Slide

-Fire Blast

The hard hitting guy. It has an amazing offensive coverage and powerfull stabs, along with two multi target moves. With the gyms being monotypes I don't think it'll have to swith moves all the time (correct me if I'm wrong!), choice items come very handy and it doesn't spend a slot for setting up. It's typing covers well the electric weaknesses of the team, along with Jolteon, and in exchange it can use EQ in Doubles and triples if paired with Talonflame and Togekiss.

Spark

Jolteon @ Life Orb

Trait: Volt Absorb

EV's: 252 Sp. Att / 252 Speed / 4 HP

Moveset:

-Volt Switch

-Thunderbolt

-Shadow Ball

-Hidden Power Ice

My quick special attacker. Jolt helps reducing the team's weakness to electric types, and can hit water types hard. Thunderbolt for staying in, Volt Switch to gain free turns for the others Shadow Ball for some coverage against ghosts, wich the team otherwise lack, and for some neutral coverage too.HP Ice also helps with Ground and Rock types.

Summer Wind

Talonflame @ Life Orb

Trait: Gale Wings

EV's: 252 Attack / 252 Speed / 4HP

Moveset:

-Brave Bird

-Flare Blitz

-Steel Wing

-Roost

To compensate a lack of priority, who better than this guy? Steel wing for being usable against rock the other moves are there to hit as hard as possible.

Rambo

Conkeldurr @ Life Orb / Assault Vest / Flame Orb

Trait: Guts / Sheer Force / Iron fist

EV's: 252 Attack / 252 HP / 4 Defense

Moveset:

-Ice Punch

-Drain Punch

-Thunder Punch

-Mach Punch

Punching coverage with 3 great abilities! Ice Punch handles Gliscor, Thunder can get Azumarill if it's locked on Aqua Jet, while having great flexibility with ability and items. Most important is that this big guy can handle rock types, which might be a trouble otherwise.

Well, that's it. What do you guys think?

Leaders beaten: Aya, Laura, Titania, Anna, Arclight, Bennett, Adrienn, Luna, Samson, Saphira.

Losses: Laura (1), Arclight (1), Adrienn (1).

Importable here:

Guardian (Empoleon) (F) @ Leftovers

Trait: Torrent

EVs: 252 Def / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef

Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)

- Grass Knot

- Scald

- Ice Beam

- Flash Cannon

Togekiss (F) @ Leftovers

Trait: Serene Grace

EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef

Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)

- Heat Wave

- Dazzling Gleam

- Air Slash

- Thunder Wave

Jaws (Garchomp) (M) @ Choice Scarf

Trait: Rough Skin

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd

Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Rock Slide

- Dragon Claw

- Earthquake

- Fire Fang

Summer Wind (Talonflame) (M) @ Choice Band

Trait: Gale Wings

EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd

Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)

- Brave Bird

- Flare Blitz

- Steel Wing

- Roost

Spark (Jolteon) (F) @ Life Orb

Trait: Volt Absorb

EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd

Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)

- Discharge

- Volt Switch

- Shadow Ball

- Hidden Power [ice]

Rambo (Conkeldurr) (M) @ Life Orb

Trait: Guts

EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef

Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)

- Ice Punch

- Drain Punch

- Thunder Punch

- Mach Punch

Edited April 22, 2014 by Notus

[Shanco]

A pretty solid team for the League! But with Jolteon holding Discharge alongside of a team of three Electric-weak Pokemon, you just need to be wary of Red Card strategies that some gym leaders might run.

[Notus]

Yeah Abbey you're right, discharge is a risky choice. Even if the leader does not use a red card, it'll hit everyone except for chomps. I'm gonna change it for Thunderbolt, thanks!

[The Radiant Aeon]

okay okay okay...Your team? Very solid. Problem? SR with DEFOG. I mean other than that, go for it. I've been making a team with Empoleon too.

[Bear]

Should explore flying gem acrobatics over brave bird on talon flame. Helps with wall breaking and survivability alot! Gliscor and Azumarill are also a big ass threats to this team. Gliscor can set up on 3 members of your team and check two more. Azumarill can check 4 members of your team though considering Azumarill's own speed issues/band issues he can be played around. I think the best way to deal with both is either putting more speed and coverage on empoleon via agility+grass knot (not sure how much it hits azumarill for though) over SR and chucking SR somewhere else (though this means setting up before gliscor can be brought in) or swapping empoleon for a faster but similar threat that can handle both better like DD bulky intimidate gyarados, starmie or Rotom-W.

[Dark Desire]

also i'd try to stray away from set up moves in league since a majority of leaders like going triples and using those kind of moves is almost suicide

[Notus]

Sorry for the delay in answering guys, coudn't get much net time these days.

Bear, thanks for the insight, those two you pointed out are really big threats. For Gliscor, Empoleon can actually take an Earthquake at full health and OHKO back with Ice Beam (the bulky bastard ), but it's the only one that can take it down, and only at full health. Getting grass knot on it woudn't help much for Azumarill, as the damage is only 33%, but I think I'll drop SR for it so I can cover Gastrodon, Quagsyre & co. and get HP ice back on Jolteon to help with Gliscor. For Azumarill I get no ideas without changing someone.

Aeon, really that was dumbish, thanks for pointing out! Though I think I'll be dropping both, since Talonflame's got Roost against rocks and I think T wave+ Air Slash on Togekiss seems too good to lose.

Also thanks Dark Desire, I didn't realize there would be so many triples... I'll be sure to check other options!

Edit: I'll change Conkeldurr's set for more coverage and forget bulk up.

Edit - the return: Changed SD for Steel wing in Talonflame, else it would be useless against Hardy.

Edited March 5, 2014 by Notus

[Sapphire]

@Bear-Flying Gem doesn't exist in 6th Gen.

[Notus]

Ok, time for some feedback. This team is working very nicelly on the league so far and I'm really enjoying using it. Thank you guys again for the suggestions!

On other note, I'm a little worried about Arc, since literally half of my team is weak to electric types. Any ideas of strategies I could use to help mitigate this?

[Sapphire]

He'll likely run triples With Discharge spamming to hit you and boost his own stats with things like Motor Drive and Lightning Rod. Air Balloons will also likely be a thing. I guess you could scarf Togekiss and Chomp together...Togekiss hits him with Dazzling Gleam and then Chomp Follows up with Earthquake after the Balloons are broken? You might need to play around with EVs a bit though.

[Notus]

Arc seems to have changed strategy a bit, he's got two levitate pokémon now and no baloons... Now I'm gonna try Assault Vest on Togekiss and Empoleon and see if it helps.

[RadiantRegalia]

Arc has two Levitate Pokémon in Rotom-W and Eelektross, and two Air Balloons in Lanturn and Luxray. He was using them last night, so I don't know why you think he got rid of the balloons. Even if he did get rid of them, there's nothing stopping him from putting them back on at any time if he feels like it, so you've still got to be ready for that if you're going to face him.

[Notus]

Oh, right Shadow, I was thinking ih his opening mons (Raichu and Electivire didn't use the baloons yesterday). But you're still right, I'll have to look on it again.

[Chevaleresse]

And suddenly Smack Down and Gravity don't seem so bad.

[Sapphire]

He varies balloons. First time I faced him everything had a balloon on it.

[RadiantRegalia]

I've seen on him on two different days, and he's had the same teams with no changes in items or moves both times. Raichu is sashed and I think Electivire is choiced. I wanna say it's scarfed but that would be redundant with Motor Drive so I'm not entirely sure on that. I guess we'd need someone to Frisk it out to know for sure. But everything else is immune to Ground, so a strategy to bring them to the ground would be effective. (Or don't use a strategy like that and just hope Electivire doesn't keep flinching you with Rock Slide lol)

[Notus]

Thanks guys, right now I'm testing some changes, let's see if it works!

[Sapphire]

Arc actually varies his team quite a bit-just because you've seen him run the same team twice doesn't mean he'll run it again.

[RadiantRegalia]

True, but it's easier to work with what you know than what you don't. Same can be said about all the leaders really. We know he likes his balloons, that much is obvious.

[Joker]

Looks pretty good for a league team! Makes me wish I had more multihitting moves tbh. Regarding Arc, you should beat him eventually. You have the tools to do so. Persistence is key in league, especially when you're getting walled. However, if I could make one suggestion, it would be to get rid of the Rotom asap. Balloons shouldn't be an issue for you since you have ways of getting around them. Jolteon, Togekiss, and Conkeldurr sounds like a good lead. Fully invest in hp and special attack for Togekiss, attack and hp for Conk(and slap a choice band on him too). Raichu only gets one Fake Out, so make all your Pokemon focus the Rotom. Assault Vest or Choice Specs on Togekiss, and Life Orb/Specs on Jolteon. I believe if you hit hard enough from the get go, any match can be won. It's pretty much how I go about all my gym battles. Hope this helps!

[Sapphire]

Don't give Conk a focus band-give him an assault vest instead.

[Joker]

Don't give Conk a focus band-give him an assault vest instead.

Focus Band and Choice Band are two completely different things.

[Sapphire]

It was a typo. You know what I meant.

[Revman]

I like your team over all, however I've got a few Pointers of my own just to hand down if you're interested. I'm just gonna comment on the Pokemon sets that I'd change:

Conkeldurr is a massive threat, over all a good Pokemon. One of my personal Favourite sets for it is 252 HP 252 Atk Adamant with Guts and an Assault Vest. I'd consider getting rid of Thunderpunch in favour of Knock off since Knock off's been buffed with Gen 6 and essentially is hitting with about 98 Base power if you knock an item off give or take 1 or 2 BP.

Talonflame's a real good Pokemon, but your use of Steel Wing is almost completely Redundant. An unresisted Flare Blitz or Brave Bird will be doing more damage than Super Effective Steel Wing against a Fairy, and Steel wing's not nearly strong enough to KO any decent Rock type threat. Perhaps Running Tailwind for supporting the rest of your team by doubling your speed or using Swords Dance/Bulk up to help with a sweep would be better for you.

And one more small detail, Nasty Plot Togekiss may help you Achieve sweeps and OHKO's against Pokemon you usually would 2HKO or have switch out against. If you're crazy about Accuracy like I am, you may want to run Flamethrower on Togekiss rather than Heatwave.

[Notus]

Sorry about the delay guys, I forgot this thread for a while .

Anyway, 1st of all regarding Arc. I did get past him, using Weakness police on Togekiss and Empoleon. It didn't work on Togekiss because of Raichu's Fake Out, but Empoleon's boosted Scald got me past Eleektross. Other than that it was just spamming stuff, and letting Conkeldurr deal with the last part of the battle, but still it was a close one.

Up to now, it was 13 league battles, 3 defeats and 10 victories. Yeah, I'm reeealy happy with this team so far! Thank you all for the advice!

@Gallade: Yeah, I think Steel Wing may have been a poor choice, perhaps Will-O-Wisp or Tailwind would do better. Thanks for the idea! About Heat Wave, I picked it because of triples, but on singles Flamethrower really is a better choice.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Notus