Team-Building and Hidden Power Guide

[Geodude]

Who can't learn Swords Dance till FR/LG? Your post is confusing.

[Raion]

Mawile, I was still on he's subject... And "tis" is just an old word for "it is".

[Ryuu]

umm......I need some help creating my team.

Is it always necessary to have these: hazers, pseudo-hazers, tanks, physical sweepers , spikers?

I dont understand because i'm new to Ruby and Sapphire and I'm going to buy Sapphire in June. Can you help me and say what a basic team should consist of?

Thanks!!!!

[The Ownage]

No, you choose if you wan't to. I always suggest having 2 of those out of all of them, and having the rest sweepers.

[The Big Al]

Take abilities into account. You can use hold items to make them dangerous.
Like Synchronize and Lum Berry.
Also, some abilities do the work of attacks so don't waste your time. Ninjasak has no need for Agility because of speed boost.
Some abilities are total garabage and should avoid them.
Like Truant, Lighting Rod (Unless its on Rhydon and you do lots of double battles), Arena Trap (except for catching Pokemon), Stench, Illuminate (again unless looking for wild Pokemon), and Runaway.
Anyway, abilities are now very important in determining move sets and held items and if you keep the Pokemon in battle against certain opponents.

As for team composition. Spikers, hazers, and the like aren't worth it. Just have six well rounded Pokemon with qualities of all and you should do fine.

['Fro-Dizzy]

You shoud make your team as balanced as possible, so it can cope with all situations. Rapid Spinners are important for Spikers, Suction Cups (Cradily and Octillery) can't be blown/roared away, and Wish/Reflect/Light Screen still effect after the user has switched out/fainted.

[Nm3k]

Mawile, I was still on he's subject... And "tis" is just an old word for "it is".

Mawile can learn Sword Dance in Ru/Sa if you breed him with a male Absol or Zangoose.

[ZoraJolteon]

Al, Arena Trap is actually very good on Dugtrio, as most of the slower electrics who wouldn't get a chance to HP Ice/Water/Ground Dugtrio before he 'quaked them are prevented from being replaced with a fly/levitater.

[The Big Al]

That is true. Arena Trap is good, but only in limited situations.

Also, a very important stragdy that has gotten me far is type couter matching.
That is, teaching a Pokemon an attack that is strong against the type or type its weak against.

The easiest one is a Water type knowing Ice Beam to attack the Grasser it'll most likely face.
Others I've used include
Electric type knowing Iron Tail (it's a very good idea) for Rock/Ground types
Flying type knowing Steel Wing for Rock and Ice enemies
Pure Ground knowing Rock Tomb for Flyers and Ice types
Fire Type knowing Dig for Rock enemies (beware of Earthquake though and attach a focus band)
Water knowing Earthquake for Electric Pokemon
There are others.

Type counter matching is a good way to battle. It can save a turn taken usually by switching. Also, you have a very nasty surprise for your opponent when they think they have the advantage.

[Geodude]

Although sometimes there are better options. If you're into EP training, you won't want an Electric type with Iron Tail and the like unless it has a really good attack, which is true of exactly no Electric types save Zapdos, because you'll need all the attacking EPs you can get, and splitting them between Physical and Special isn't a good idea usually.

And Dig sucks as an attack, don't use it, ever. 60 BP + 2 turns = way too easy to counter.

[The Big Al]

Electric Pokemon like Raichu have a decent attack strength to begin with.

Also, Dig, it may force a switch. Also, attach a Focu Band if your opponent get's cheeky and used Earthquake on something.

Anyway, I always split my effort points, except for pure physical attackers like Fliers and Grounders.

It's just my stratedgy.

[Abusolu]

Can I chip in an idea?

Variety is the spice of life! Don't be afraid to give that Kyogre Thunder or that Flygon Fire Blast. Example...
Not good Flygon
Crunch
Faint Attack
Dig
Dragonbreath

Good Flygon
Dragon Claw
Earthquake
Fire Blast
Crunch

[Geodude]

Actually, Big Al, Dugtrio is a viable option on RSBot with Arena Trap. Since Magneton is so popular as a Skarmory killer, an Arena Trapping Dugtrio is a handy counter if you have a Skarmory on your team too...heck, even if you don't, it gets rid of a common Electric-type, so it's useful.

[pilko]

I suggest giving Pokemon many different attack types, ie having a water pokemon with only water attacks will mean it gets creamed. Give it Blizzard to beat grass types. Give pokemon unusual attacks that will shock your opponent ie Seviper with Earthquake. A lot of people won't expect this and it helps against other poison types (poison bad vs poison). Have as many pokemon types as possible in your moveset to be effective against ANYTHING. Also, use a pokemon type as another, like if you can't get a good Dark type, most other types will learn Crunch, mainly dragons. Multi-type pokemon are more likely to learn more types of move and one type could cover the weakness of another against some pokemon, like Kingdra, whose Water types protects it Dragon from Ice

[ZoraJolteon]

That's essentially just the first rule, and anyway, Blizzard sucks. Or maybe it doesn't? In double team, if it only hits one person then is the power halved anyway? If it isn't then you've got yourself a better attack than Hydro Pump, just with a random target.

Pointful part of post:
99% of the time more accuracy is better than more power
Thunder<Thunderbolt
Hydro Pump<Surf
FireBlast<Flamthrower
Blizzard<Ice Beam

[Nike]

Not nessisarily. A Special Sweeper is about power, so accuracy doesn't matter.

[ZoraJolteon]

A special sweeper is about power, so you can't afford to take a hit, since you haven't been concentration on your defences. That's why accuracy is more important.

[pilko]

That's essentially just the first rule, and anyway, Blizzard sucks. Or maybe it doesn't? In double team, if it only hits one person then is the power halved anyway? If it isn't then you've got yourself a better attack than Hydro Pump, just with a random target.

Pointful part of post:
99% of the time more accuracy is better than more power
Thunder<Thunderbolt
Hydro Pump<Surf
FireBlast<Flamthrower
Blizzard<Ice Beam

What I meant with Blizzard was the Ice Type, not the move. I know the importance of stat raisers etc, I got bored of typing. Thats why I replaced Blaziken's Dig (Crap, very counterable) with Bulk Up (Raises Att + Def, helps it win faster and survive longer with physical attacks) long ago, and anyway, I prefer to use added effects of attacks (yes, they do work, quite often for me, strangely) Another thing, paralysis etc can lower stats of an opponent, which is another way of beating your foe into the ground. There are millions of strategies in Pokemon and I can't be expected to mention them all, or even some of the obvious ones. Please don't moan in future if I miss something. Oh, and in a double battle, Blizzard can take out two grass types one after the other far, far, far, far, far, etc quicker than Surf (Weak vs grass? Yup) even if it hits both. Plus, most water types are also ice type eg Walrein. And where did Hydro Pump Come from? I never mentioned it!

[pilko]

[QUOTE=Geodude]5. Relying on legendaries on your team may be fun, and there's nothing really wrong with doing so, but don't claim to have any skill as a result of winning battles using them. Legendaries help you develop no skill whatsoever.
QUOTE]

Tis true that having legendaries is no way of developing skill, plus anyone with skill can destroy them with 'weaker' pokemon. Only use a legendary if it is your favourite pokemon and even then don't have more than one.

[Oort]

Blizzard might be a bit more useful for double battles, but no one would send out two grass types, and at once. And what about fire types? Surf would take out two much faster than blizzard would. Unless your building a pokemon made to take out two grass types at once in doubles battles like it happens a lot. The power isn't halved, however.

Big Al, why avoid truant? It's only on Slaking and Slakoth, and Slaking is still very powerful. Most attack ever(except FR Depxys), same total base stats as Kyogre or Groudon(about 670 or so). The effect itself is bad, but many people use Slaikng. You could even have your other pokemon in a double battle skill swap him.

Special sweepers are often able to take out opponents with weaker moves without risking accuracy. They have high special attack. Use ice beam over blizzard when not fighting Lugias and Latias's. Accuracy is important. Who uses zap canon instead of thunderbolt? For thundder, you could raise its accuracy with rain dance so it would be better than thunderbolt, if you're willing to give up a move slot.