Battle Tower Team Help

[ilikemandy]

Originally I just threw together this team to get a feel for the Battle Tower and maybe attempt to take on Palmer. Since then I’ve gained a 49 win streak and I want to make it to 100. The moves together take out all single types for super-effective damage. This team has trouble taking out Gliscor; Outrage only does about 70% damage, leaving Gliscor free to Ice Fang Salamence to death. Aqua Tail would finish Gliscor off if it wasn’t for Tyranitar being Earthquaked before it gets a chance to attack. Although I haven’t come across a Garchomp I’d imagine it would cause problems too. I’m no expert when it comes to team making so there’s probably a lot more problems with this team than I’m seeing, any suggestions would help.

Salamence @ Choice Band
Intimidate
EV’s: 252atk/ 252spd/ 4def
Adamant
- Outrage
- Fire Fang
- Thunder Fang
- Zen Headbutt
I have Salamence as lead because it’s the fastest of all three Pokémon and has the most powerful STAB attack in Outrage. Through the early stages of the Battle Tower I pretty much just Outraged everything and it would OHKO everything except steels, then switch out once Salamence became confused. Now outrage isn’t as effective but can still manage to sweep teams occasionally. Zen Headbutt rarely ever gets used so if there’s any other move that would fit that slot better I’m willing to consider it. Originally I was going to have a Garchomp lead instead of Salamence and I’m still considering switching the two, any advice?


Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Sand Stream
EV’s: 252atk/ 252hp/ 4sp. def
Adamant
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Crunch
- Aqua Tail

Tyranitar’s here simply because most of the time whatever Salamence can’t kill, Tyranitar or Scizor can. Tyranitar also counters Scizor’s massive fire weakness. I think Leftovers is a poor choice of item on Tyranitar as it barely does anything for him, I was thinking of giving him a Choice Scarf but I’m not sure, I can’t think of anything else that would help so if there is anything let me know.



Scizor @ Life Orb
Technician
EV’s: 252atk/ 218hp/ 40spd
Adamant
- X-Scissor
- Aerial Ace
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
Scizor counters Salamence’s Ice and Dragon weaknesses and most of the time kills them. I’m pretty happy with Scizor’s moves, originally I used him in the Battle Hall and gave him moves to hit as many types with super-effective damage, now he works well with the team and hits 11 types with super-effective damage.


I am seriously considering changing Salamence with Garchomp and changing Tyranitar’s held item. If there are any moves or EV’s that need fixing up tell me. Like I said I’m not very good at team building so if there is anything that you think would help my team just let me know.

[Viva la Gofre]

As you've noticed yourself, gliscor causes you grief. This will also happen with pretty much anything that calls itself a physical tank or wall- three physical sweepers is utterly redundant. A battle tower team really wants a physical sweeper, a special sweeper and a mixed sweeper to cover all bases. You could either do that with your current team by going to these pages:

www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/salamence
www.smogon.com/dp/pokemon/tyranitar

Use the salamence moveset called specsmence (Special sweeper) and the tyranitar set called tyraniboah (Mixed sweeper), with scizor being the physical one. Alternatively you may wish to bring in new members, ask me if you want any movesets. As for your current ones:

*The only move on that salamence set you should be using is outrage. Zen Headbutt has almost zero coverage and the fang moves are awefully weak. Outrage is your primary attack and is only resisted by steel types, so the rest of the moveset should aim at removing them. Earthquake is the staple move for this purpose, removing the vast majority with its high base power. For the two that avoid the first two moves (Bronzong and Skarmory, although shedinja also falls into this category but isn't really a problem), use fire blast rather than fire fang. Fire blast's high base power makes up for using it on mence's inferior attacking stat, and also hits skarmory on its SpDef which will hurt a lot more. Aqua Tail for the final slot to nail palmer's hippowdon and the likes of gliscor.

*Consider either dragon dance or curse over earthquake on tyranitar, as he is a menace with a few boosts behind him. Earthquake is only needed for the same reasons as salamence (Killing steels), which aqua tail already does on this set and has better neutral coverage. Your current EV spread is fine for a curse TTar, but a DD variant will want 252Att/252Spd@Jolly, while leaving your set as it is wants 176HP/252Att/80Spd

*Roost or Swords Dance over ariel ace on scizor- it's coverage is redundant and not real worthy of a moveset without STAB. Scizor is pretty bulk for a sweeper (Those HP EVs are slightly pointless btw, just run max speed)

But yeah, those are how the sets should look, but not how the team should. Make the changes I've suggested and you should do a bit better.

[ilikemandy]

Thanks for the help :D
I'm making the specs mence like you said.
For Scizor I think I'll go Roost to counter recoil damage from life orb

With the Tyranitar you suggested, I don't think I'd need Focus Punch because Scizor already has Superpower and then if I didn't have Focus Punch I wouldn't really need Substitute to set it up would I?
What if I used the same Ev's and such but I used
-Crunch for STAB
-Ice Beam to kill Gliscor if Salamence can't and just for type coverage if everything else dies
-Aqua Tail/EQ just incase Salamence is dead and a fire pokemon comes out which would kill Scizor
-Thunderbolt for bulky waters once the other two are dead
I know I tend to think about these moves as backup if the others die, thats because Tyranitars usually the last one sent out. I don't know there's probably a lot wrong with that set but yeah just thinking about direct hits once the others are dead.

I'm actually thinking about replacing ttar with someone else just cause he's heaps slow and with his weaknesses he kinda needs to have the first shot to survive. If I gave him a scarf would it be enough to outrun pokes like gyarados and gliscor?
If I was to replace him I'd need a mixed sweeper right and I'd want him to be fast cause that's the real problem with Tyranitar.
It would be nice if it could kill Gliscor, Garchomp and other faster threats.

[Viva la Gofre]

Replacing tyranitar is what I would suggest too, possibly with a mixape:

Infernape@Life Orb
Naive
64Att/252SpAtt/192Spd
Close Combat
Fire Blast
Grass Knot
Nasty Plot/HP Ice

This will outrun gyarados and gliscor as requested, and can put large hurts in them too. The two STAB moves are obvious choices, while grass knot deals with bulky waters that give infernape a hard time. Nasty Plot boosted fire blasts should be enough to put gliscor down, but if he is a real significant threat to you (Although he won't be as much now that salamence is a special attacker) you can use HP ice to hit his quad weakness. Lead with this guy aswell- his ability to hit hard on both sides of the spectrum save you having to switch out if a physical lead is met by a physical wall or vice versa, which would waste a turn. I can never remember if battle tower has an item clause or not, it this is the case you can use a focus sash in its place or give scizor an lefties.

[ilikemandy]

Yeah mixape sounds good I was kinda thinking him when you were talking about a mixed sweeper but I thought cause of the fire and fighting moves on the other two it wouldn't work well but nah it should be fine.
There is an item clause in battle tower but I think I'll run Scizor with choice band instead of leftovers cause I've found it doesn't do much in the battle tower and I like scizor having the extra power.
Okay well I think that's all sorted now i just have to go make the team now.
Thanks again for the help.

[Moe2]

You could also try putting a scarf on your Mence the extra speed comes in handy. Esspecially for the abttle tower.

[Tranquil Leafeon]

Originally Posted by Moe2

You could also try putting a scarf on your Mence the extra speed comes in handy. Esspecially for the abttle tower.

Mence is fast enough already with base 100 Speed, combined with the fact that people in the battle tower don't EV train (I think), and don't go for good natures and IVs (once again, I'm not sure).

[Moe2]

Originally Posted by Absol Power

Mence is fast enough already with base 100 Speed, combined with the fact that people in the battle tower don't EV train (I think), and don't go for good natures and IVs (once again, I'm not sure).

well if your playing agiasnt people (wifi) in the battle tower once you get past lvl 2 I no for sure people EV Train/ IV Bread and a nutral base 100 isnt that fast.

[Viva la Gofre]

Originally Posted by Moe2

well if your playing agiasnt people (wifi) in the battle tower once you get past lvl 2 I no for sure people EV Train/ IV Bread and a nutral base 100 isnt that fast.

He's already stated that this is the generic BT where you eventually face palmer- wifi uploads are of no concern.

[Cosmos]

I'd go without Scizor and add an Alakazam or a Gengar for starters. Everything else looks pretty good despite your whining about not being good at making teams :P

[Viva la Gofre]

Originally Posted by Cosmos

I'd go without Scizor and add an Alakazam or a Gengar for starters. Everything else looks pretty good despite your whining about not being good at making teams :P

He's already using salamence as a special sweeper, he doesn't need his only physical sweeper removing to make room for another.