Guide: Teambuilding (Singles)

Guide: Teambuilding (Singles)​

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Here you have, another of my Tutorials. I will give you some information about making a team to start facing the competitive game of Pokémon. Don't think that reading this you will become a master at battling since many persons have been playing Pokémon competitively for many years and you cannot defeat them so easily.​

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This basic Guide should help the persons that are staring to walk on the competitive side, those that already know how to build a team are welcome to participate too, but please, avoid any competitive discussion (talking about the Pokémon's Set or that there could be better strategies) or non-relevant talking. Questions can be asked via PM or posting here on this Thread. Advanced/Expert/Good players are highy encouraged to give suggestions to improve this guide.​

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Also I will ask you to please follow all the rules, and giving a Feedback at the end of this Guide. Without any other thing to say, I will start with this Tutorial.​

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Teambuilding​

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I always give the same basic structure. There are many different ways to build a team. there is not an absoulte one and this one won't be the exception. you can start using a simulator like Pokémon Showdown to start doing some practice. If you don't know how to use Pokémon Showdown, I will leave you some links on this spoiler, also I will include other useful links:​

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Spoiler

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Competitive Game Tutorial​

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Pokemon Showdown: Introdution and Bases​

Pokemon Showdown: Teambuilder and Look for Battle​

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Lake Valor Showdown Server​

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LV Showdown Server Guidelines​

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Lead​

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The first Pokémon that I recommend to start building is the Leader. the Leaders is that Pokémon that always starts the battle. there are many kinds of Lead: Entry Hazzards, Suicide Lead, Offensive Lead, Defensive Lead, Anti-Lead, etc. the Lead has many options that could help your team thanks to its ability, moves, stats, etc.​

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Politoed @ Damp Rock​

Ability: Drizzle​

EVs: 248 HP / 36 Def / 136 SpD / 88 Spe​

Calm Nature​

- Scald​

- Encore​

- Toxic​

- Rest​

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To give an example. Here you have Politoed that has the Drizzle Ability that cause Rain (improved its duration thanks to Damp Rock). the job of this one is simple, set rain, use Toxic if it cans to annoy the opponet, Encore to trap your opponent to force it to switch or give you a free turn. (Rest allows to recover Hp and Status)​

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Setting Rain could help Pokémon that have abilites like Swift Swim (Doubles the Pokémon speed if it is under the rain) or Dry Skin ( The Pokémon recovers a little amount of Health Points when it is under the rain)​

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Also the simple fact of having Rain on the Field cause this effects:​

• The power of Water-type moves increases by 50%.
• The power of Fire-type moves and SolarBeam decreases by 50%.
• The accuracy of Thunder and Hurricane rises to 100%.
• In Diamond/Pearl only, Thunder has a 30% chance to break through Protect and Detect.
• Pokémon with the ability Dry Skin recover 1⁄8 of their max HP each turn.
• Pokémon with the ability Swift Swim double their speed.
• The move Weather Ball changes to Water type and doubles in power.
• The moves Synthesis, Morning Sun and Moonlight recover 1⁄4 of the user's max HP (instead of 1⁄2 HP normally).

Just having Rain you open a World from the begining of the battle​

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Lead Support​

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The second one that i recommend is the Lead Supporter. The function of this Pokémon is to have a good synergy with your Lead, allowing it to get a Safe Switch (when you switch to another Pokémon without having any problem, example: Sending Skarmory when your opponent is going to use Earthquake--->Prediction) if it is needed. Since our current Lead is Politoed, a Pokémon that could resist, at leat, Grass Types could work and if it has great defenses it will be better.​

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Ferrothorn @ Leftovers​

Ability: Iron Barbs​

EVs: 248 HP / 162 Def / 98 SpD​

Impish Nature​

- Leech Seed​

- Knock Off​

- Spikes​

- Stealth Rock​

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So, here we go with Ferrothorn. This guy will count with a really good Type combination that will take a Grass moves like a pat. Also, Rain support will allow it to take the Fire moves without caring about the x4 damage (this requires more thinking, but it is still an option). It will also set Hazzards /Stealth Rocks, Spikes, Leech Seed) if you got a Safe switch-in and you forced your opponent to switch and gaining a turn. Knock Off for desarming a possible incoming new Pokémon.​

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Core​

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After recommending the First part : Lead--Lead Supporter, I go with the Core. The Core is a group of Pokémon that can have between 2 o 4 members that will have a goal: Stall Base, Sweeper base, Wall Base, etc.​

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Our core will depend on our Lead, being the Rain the base of this Team.​

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Kabutops @ Life Orb​

Ability: Swift Swim​

EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe​

Adamant Nature​

- Aqua Jet​

- Waterfall​

- Stone Edge​

- Low Kick​

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Swampert-Mega @ Swampertite
Ability: Swift Swim
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Waterfall
- Low Kick
- Ice Punch​

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The base of this core will be the Physical Sweep. Obviously it will have its counters, like all the teams have one. Abusing of the Ability Swift Swim, we will get a double speed and and an Adamant Nature to increase attack without caring about the lesser speed, because it will be increased by the Rain.​

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Filler/Coverage​

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The Filler/Coverage will depend on the rest of the team. The Filler/Coverage is the part when you search for something that could help you in different things like adding coverage, adding resistances, reducing menaces, etc.​

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Tornadus-Therian (M) @ Assault Vest​

Ability: Regenerator​

EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe​

Hasty Nature​

- Knock Off​

- Superpower​

- Hurricane​

- U-turn​

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Here I add Tornadus-Therian, has a good bulk and enough presence at the battlefield. He will also use the Rain, how? Simple: Hurricane has 100% Accuracy at rain. A high potence move that adds Coverage like hurrican is always good, and Superpower is there to do s similar job but without STAB. U-turn will be a move that will alllow to give Politoed a safe switch in and also search for weakness on the opponent's team.​

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Gothitelle @ Choice Scarf​

Ability: Shadow Tag​

EVs: 80 HP / 212 SpA / 216 Spe​

Timid Nature​

- Rest​

- Trick​

- Psychic​

- Thunderbolt​

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The last Filler/Coverage member, will be Gothitelle that will put on our team the Shadow Tag ability to trap our opponent, maybe kill it or at least nolify any possible strategy using Trick (giving Scarf allowing the opponet to use only one move) giving maybe a PP Stall result or just some extra time to send our Politoed.​

Conclusion

This is one of the possible ways to build a Team. Please take note that the team that I made is not perfect and has weakness too, like Greninja with Grass Knot that gives 0KO (instantant death) to Kabuto and Swampert because they receive x4 damage from Grass Types. Dark Pulse easily kills Gothitelle, etc.

I really recommend you to use this Guide for Singles, since it doesn't apply to formats like Smogon Doubles, Triples or VGC. Maybe you can adapt this guide to build your own structure, that could be good because you will be improving as player if you do it. I hope it works for you, good luck!

Useful Links.​

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Spoiler

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I highly recommend you to visit these ones. Once that you learned all the basics from me you should check all that they have to offer.​

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The Optimal Play Blog​

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[member='guimartgon'] Blog allows all the competitive players to have a greater knowledge about the Competitive Game.​

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OfficialRedG's Pokémon Reviews​

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[member='OfficialRedG'] Blog gives you many posibilities of keep knowing the Pokémon, you can apply this information for in-game and also in competitive.​

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Spoiler

I asked to avoid competitive discussion subject -.-, like team suggestions an that kind of stuff.

"This is one of the possible ways to build a Team. Please take note that the team that I made is not perfect and has weakness too, like Greninja with Grass Knot that gives 0KO (instantant death) to Kabuto and Swampert because they receive x4 damage from Grass Types. Dark Pulse easily kills Gothitelle, etc."

I find your opinion pretty important and maybe I will update this guide with some of this information. Thank you for your participation [member='Spammernoob'], it is always appreciated

 

Yes, you are right. There is no only 1 way to build a team. Is good to see that you liked it, thank you for your feedback, [member='Bionic Puppy']

 

I really don't approve using this kind of tools, since sometimes it doesn't consider many things like prediction or neutral damage. For example, even if a Pokémon resist something, it can have really low stats on Defense. My point is that you can use them if you want, but the practice is really different compared with what a Tool can say you.

The Tools that I could recommend are Damage Calculator and maybe a Sweep Calc.

It is pretty important to find the balance between teambuilding, using tools and practice. These are the ways to improve as a competitive player.

Thank you for your comment [member='NativeBlasion']

 

Hey, no problem. Thank you for this, you make me feel that I am helping a little more with my effort. If you want to see another Tutorial to help on competitive, feel free to ask me which subject could be the next one.

I used that tool for a while. Yes, it is updated and it works enough for what it offers. Nice information Karzarill, it is really good to se you participating on one of my tutorials . Thank you for your reply, I am sure that it will help some persons.

 

Hey, no problem, It is good to help around