How to Build a Succesful Team

Team Rate Format:

Pokemon@ item
Trait*optional
EVs
Nature
- move
- move
- move
- move

Strategy for using*optional


RMT Thread Makers


1. Always post your team in the format as neatly as possible without any changes
If people can't read your format, they are less likely to want to rate your team. As many as possible spaces should be filled up. It's also visually unappealing if there are any stray Capitalization mistakes, like all lowercase or all Caps, as it makes you look like a newbie and somebody that won't take suggestions. First impressions are everything.

Nature List
Hardy:No effect
Quirky:No effect
Docile:No effect
Bashful:No effect
Serious:No effect

Lonely:+Attack -Defense

Brave: + Attack -Speed

Adamant: +Attack -Special Attack

Naughty: +Attack -Special Defense

Bold: +Defense -Attack

Relaxed: +Defense -Speed

Impish: +Defense -Special Attack

Lax: +Defense -Special Defense

Timid: +Speed -Attack

Hasty: +Speed -Defense

Jolly: +Speed -Special Attack

Naive: +Speed -Special Defense

Modest: +Special Attack -Attack

Mild: +Special Attack -Defense

Quiet: +Special Attack -Speed

Rash: +Special Attack -Special Defense

Calm: +Special Defense -Attack

Gentle: +Special Defense -Defense

Sassy: +Special Defense -Speed

Careful: +Special Defense -Special Attack

2. Give a good reason why that Pokemon is on your team
Each Pokemon has it's own role in Battling. It can Sweep, Tank, Support, Wall, etc. If your Pokemon can do something, say it, and explain how they do it. Also, make sure it makes sense. Don't say "Weavile can wall my Dark attacks because it resists them" or "Manaphy is KO'd by my Cresseria's Grass Rope" because you are wrong. Give a clear foolproof reason why it works, and explain your moveset and EVs here also.

3. Make sure your team has a unifying strategy
Try to center your team around helping your other Pokemon. If you want to use Charizard as your sweeper, make sure you have strong walls, a spinner, and Wish Support.
If you want to use Lucario as your sweeper, make sure you have Gliscor or Weezing to protect against Heracross and Ground attacks so it won't be as easy for them to sweep you. Make sure you have a team that supports each other and covers threats well to be considered a unifying strategy.

4. Think about all major threats and explain how you beat them
If you are new or unexperienced to Competitive Battling, I extremely recommend that you make a threat list and explain how you can counter a Pokemon.

A Counter, by definition, is a Pokemon that can switch into a Pokemon, survive another hit or two, and pose an immediate threat to that Pokemon, OH-2HKOing that Pokemon or making them switch out. This makes things like Dugtrio bad counters, because their defenses are horrible, but are good revenge killers, Pokemon that can come in after a Pokemon has been ko'd and KO that Pokemon. Ex. Floatsel can't counter Gyarados, but Starmie can.

Threat List [Used some of Jumpman's ideas from Smogon]:
Salamence

Tyranitar:Rock/Dark. Choice Banded Crunch, Stone Edge/Rock Slide and Pursuit from 134 Base Attack, can also boast Dragon Dance or 101 HP Substitutes and 95 Base Special Attack and great all around defenses. Its "Sandstream" also limits the durability of non Rock, Steel and Ground Types

Metagross:Steel/Psychic. 135 Base Attack, 130 Base Defense, 80 Base HP, 70 Base Speed, 90 Base Special Defense. Doesn't need a Choice Band to wreak havoc with moves like Meteor Mash, Thunderpunch, Earthquake, Zen Headbutt, Agility, Explosion and Pursuit. Its "Clear Body" prevents its stats from being lowered.

Dragonite:

Heracross

Zapdos:Electric/Flying. 125 Base Special Attack, 100 base Speed, 90 Base HP, Attack and Special Defense, 85 Base Defense. With Thunderbolt, Feather Rest, Discharge, Hidden Power Ice or Grass, Substitute, Agility, and Baton Pass, Zapdos can be quite the nuisance, not to mention how well it can use Rest/Sleep Talk with its "Pressure" trait.

Gyarados

Garchomp

Starmie

Alakazam

Gengar

Weavile: Dark/Ice. 120 Base Attack, 125 Base Speed, Swords Dance, Night Slash, Ice Punch, Brick Break and a STABbed Pursuit and Ice Shard make this a threat with or without Choice Band

Dugtrio:Ground. 120 Base Speed, 80 Base Attack. Only used for its "Arena Trap" trait, which prevents all pokémon that aren't flying types or that don't have the Levitate trait from switching, making Dugtrio's Choice Banded or Life Orbed Earthquake, Aerial Ace, Night Slash or Sucker Punch quick and efficient. A "threat" because it stops other threats like Infernape and Raikou from running rampant and makes you think twice about building a team loaded with pokémon Dugtrio can kill off easily

Manaphy:Water. 100 Base in every stat, boasts Calm Mind, Tail Glow, Surf, Ice Beam, Grass Knot, Waterfall and Rest, which, when coupled with Rain Dance, essentially acts as a Full Restore thanks to its unique "Hydration" trait, which cures all status effects in the rain. Can also singlehandedly turn the table on Baton Pass Teams with its signature move, Heart Swap


Celebi:Psychic/Grass. 100 Base in every stat, boasts Calm Mind, Swords Dance, Recover, Baton Pass, Psychic, Energy Ball/Grass Knot, Leaf Storm, Giga Drain, U-Turn, Heal Bell, Leech Seed, Perish Song and "Natural Cure".

Blissey

Gliscor

Rhyperior:Ground/Rock. 115 Base HP, 140 Base Attack, 130 Base Defense, a unique trait in "Hard Rock" that lowers Super Effective Damage (2× to ~1.33× and 4× to ~2.67×), Swords Dance, Earthquake, Stone Edge/Rock Slide, Megahorn, Avalanche, Ice Fang, and the ability to create 101 HP Substitutes as well. Makes an extremely tanky Choice Band pokemon that's hard to take down without Surf or Grass Rope.


Jirachi:Psychic/Steel. 100 Base in every stat, boasts Calm Mind, Psychic, Grass Knot, Wish, U-Turn, Reflect, and greatly benefits from "Serene Grace

Electivire

Hippowdon

Suicune*

Raikou

Snorlax

Skarmory

Azelf

Mesprit

Cresseria

Heatran

Lucario

Infernape

Staraptor

Swampert

Milotic*

Sceptile*

Rampardos

*Rare to see on teams.

If you are going to use a threat list, do not leave anything out of this list, as you may be covering up a huge weakness.

5. Be Wary of the Tier system
If making an OU team, don't use Ubers. If making a UU team, don't use OUs or BLs

The Uber List:
Mewtwo
Mew
Wobbuffet
Lugia
Ho-oh
Latias (Regardless of Soul Dew)
Latios (Regardless of Soul Dew)
Kyogre
Groudon
Rayquaza
Deoxys (All Forms)
Dialga
Palkia
Giratina
Darkrai
Arceus

If making an Uber Team, note that the following Pokemon work well in Ubers.

Starmie
Blissey
Metagross
Heatran
Exeggutor
Shiftry
Ludicolo
Clefable
Snorlax
Manaphy
Jirachi
Heracross

6. Take all Constructive Criticism
When somebody makes a suggestion, please take it in. They took the time out to actually help your team and make it better, and you have no reason to be belligerent back to them. If you disagree, state a reason why and thank them anyway. If they start to get uppity with you, don't do anything, just report the post.

7. Make your team interesting (Including Title)
Do NOT put six standard Pokemon with standard movesets on a thread and call it a team, or we will rip you to shreds (ok, not really). Please put some originality in your team and think about it. Also, don't put First Competitive Team as your title. It'll make people shun your thread, as it makes you seem inexperienced and they don't want to bother with all of the work.



For the Team Raters



1. Please make sure you know what you're talking about
If you haven't played any type of Competitive Pokemon for at least 2 months, you have absolutely no business rating unless you know your teams and rates have been consistently good. If you feel the need to put Blizzard on Rampardos to counter Ground types, please don't bother rating here.

2. Don't troll the thread maker
It is extremely annoying, and if they started it, use the report button. Don't act stupid or make sarcastic remarks, unless they're really funny. (XD) it's not going to make you look like a good person to take advice from at all and going to make the RMTers as a whole look like elitists.

3. Give good info and explanations
Give a reason why you made the change and note how that helps them in the long run. It'll make them want to make that change and it'll make you look knowledgeable. With explanations, it'll make your reasonings more clear to fellow RMTers and give them more ideas to use.

Pokemon Terminology
OHKO- One Hit Knock Out

2HKO- Two Hit Knock Out

Counter- A Pokemon that can switch into a Pokemon, survive a hit or two and pose an immediate threat by either forcing a OHKO/2HKO or making it switch

Sweeper- A Pokemon with high Attack or Special Attack and decent Speed used only for Attacking

Wall- A Pokemon with high Defense or Special Defense, used to force switches or stall.

WishPasser- A pokemon that knows the moves Wish and Baton Pass

SDPasser- A pokemon that knows the moves Swords Dance and Baton Pass

Tank- A Pokemon

Staller- A pokemon that does absolutely nothing but annoy and stall.

Taunter- A pokemon with the move Taunt

PerishTrapper- A pokemon with the moves Perish Song and Mean Look

ToxiTrapper- A pokemon with the moves Toxic and Mean Look

Spiker- A pokemon with the move Spikes

SR- Stealth Rock

DT- Double Team

MS- Metal Sound

CB- Choice Band

EQ- Earthquake

Leftys- Leftovers

CS- Choice Specs

Resttalker/STALKER- A pokemon with the moves Rest and Sleep Talk

Credits go to Zenigame of Topolegion.