PAX Pokemon League

Since no one else has done it yet I figured I'd jump in and get it started. Leaders and challengers alike, feel free to show off your teams that you brought to PPL Aus 15


[bpdq]Aspen the Exiled Snake Charmer[/bpdq]

[spoilerpdq]Lamprey
[imgpdq]http://www.serebii.net/xy/pokemon/604.png[/imgpdq]
Eelektross @ Assault Vest
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Quiet Nature
- Volt Switch
- Flamethrower
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off

BlackMamba
[imgpdq]http://www.serebii.net/xy/pokemon/336.png[/imgpdq]
Seviper @ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Sludge Wave
- Flamethrower
- Giga Drain
- Dark Pulse

Diamondback
[imgpdq]http://www.serebii.net/xy/pokemon/208-m.png[/imgpdq]
Mega Steelix @ Steelixite
Ability: Sturdy --> Sand Force
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Gyro Ball

Leviathan
[imgpdq]http://www.serebii.net/xy/pokemon/130.png[/imgpdq]
Gyarados @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
- Crunch

Boomslang
[imgpdq]http://www.serebii.net/xy/pokemon/497.png[/imgpdq]
Serperior @ Life Orb
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Rock]

Mariana
[imgpdq]http://www.serebii.net/xy/pokemon/350.png[/imgpdq]
Milotic @ Leftovers
Ability: Marvel Scale
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Recover
- Ice Beam
- Toxic[/spoilerpdq]

Every single member did their job and had a chance to be the MVP. Gyarados caught so many people off guard with its Choice Scarf. Milotic was a great wall and pulled me out of a number of tough spots. Serperior got plenty of oppurtunities to set up and destroy faces. Eelektross was my go to Aegislash and Rotom-W counter. Steelix most often set up stealth rocks and not much else, but managed to get more than its share of KO's, especially when it could go Mega and wreck shop thanks to an opposing Tyranitar's sand. And Seviper, despite having all the defences of a wet paper bag quite often got to punch a few holes in team. Not many people seemed to expect it to be special and Specs, so quite a few physical walls got caught off guard.
I can honestly say that this team was the most fun I've ever had battling

I'm all about band wagons...

[b6hu]Frank Underwood[/b6hu]

[spoiler6hu]Poke: Mega Sharpedo
Item: Sharpedoite
Nature: Adamant
Ability: Speed Boost (H)
Move 1: Ice Fang
Move 2: Crunch
Move 3: Protect
Move 4: Waterfall
IV EV
HP 31 HP 6
ATT 31 ATT 252
DEF 31 DEF
SPA x SPA
SPD 31 SPD
SPE 31 SPE 252

Poke: Wash Rotom
Item: Leftovers (due to league rule change)
Nature: Bold
Ability: Levitate
Move 1: Volt Switch
Move 2: Thunderbolt
Move 3: pain split
Move 4: Will-O-Wisp
IV EV
HP 31 HP 248
ATT 31 ATT
DEF 31 DEF 152
SPA 31 SPA
SPD 31 SPD 108
SPE 31 SPE

Poke: Greninja
Item: Life Orb
Nature: Timid
Ability: Protean (H)
Move 1: Scald
Move 2: Ice Beam
Move 3: Extrasensory
Move 4: Dark Pulse
IV EV
HP 31 HP 6
ATT x ATT
DEF 31 DEF
SPA 31 SPA 252
SPD 31 SPD
SPE 31 SPE 252

Poke: Quagsire
Item: Leftovers
Nature: Impish
Ability: Unaware (H)
Move 1: Power-Up Punch
Move 2: Waterfall
Move 3: Recover
Move 4: Stockpile
IV EV
HP 31 HP 252
ATT 31 ATT 6
DEF 31 DEF 252
SPA 31 SPA
SPD 31 SPD
SPE 31 SPE

Poke: Carracosta
Item: Weakness Policy
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Sturdy
Move 1: Shell Smash
Move 2: Aqua Jet
Move 3: Rock Slide
Move 4: Earthquake
IV EV
HP 31 HP 6
ATT 31 ATT 252
DEF 31 DEF
SPA x SPA
SPD 31 SPD
SPE 31 SPE 252

Poke: Cloyster
Item: Focus Sash
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Skill Link
Move 1: Rock Blast
Move 2: Icicle Spear
Move 3: Toxic Spikes
Move 4: Shell Smash
IV EV
HP 31 HP
ATT 31 ATT 252
DEF 31 DEF 6
SPA 31 SPA
SPD 31 SPD
SPE 31 SPE 252[/spoiler6hu]

So first of all thanks to MrAGeezie who inspired the mighty Bob. Bob is ofcourse the unkillable monster that is Quagsire.

In Franks team, everyone has their job, they are expected to do it and perform 110%. It's hard to say if I have an MVP because my pokes all did well. My Cloyster broke so many teams open. Most folks were foolishly letting me set up smash and allowing Ice Lance to end several of their finest. Ironically CLoyster is really my spikesetter with toxic spikes. I only got to set that up once or twice, as folks kept having swathes of levitating things or piles of metal. Unfortunatly for them, setting up 1-2 smashes on thr Cloyster and then skillinking them to death happened fairly frequently.

From here things were a little more fluid (pun intended) whether I revenge killed with the Greninja or moved to set up on the Sharpedo. Both these monsters swept their fair share of teams or pokes. Which goes to show, you can judge a Sharpedo by it's cover. It's scary, run. The number of hits that Mega sharpedo took and didn't die from is unbelievabe. The Carracosta acted like a second Sharpedo meets Cloyster. It was mostly there sweeping teams and setting up on people who thought they had tek on me. The Rotom was also a great little buddy. It holds the title of being almost as unkillable as Bob. It set up, wallled in and ground people to death allowing for tactical switcheroonies into other shenannigan causers.

Bob, the unkillable Bob. What a monster. Word was going around Pax of the unkillable monster poke on Franks team. Well.... What can I say, people let Bob set up so many times. They got punished.

Had a blast.

[bt2s]Tom Olive - Green Pokémon Ranger [/bt2s]

[spoilert2s]Pterodactyl (Aerodactyl) w/ Aerodactylite
Ability: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
Adamant Nature
- Ice Fang
- Fire Fang
- Areal Ace
- Rock Slide

Titanus (Aurorus) w/ Wise Glasses
Ability: Refrigerate
Shiny: Yes
Calm Nature
- Reflect
- Freeze-Dry
- Light Screen
- Ancient Power

Triceratops (Bastiodon) w/ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
Shiny: Yes
Sassy Nature
- Toxic
- Iron Head
- Wide Guard
- Stealth Rock

Mastodon (Donphan) w/ BrightPowder
Ability: Sand Veil
Adamant Nature
- Ice Shard
- Poison Jab
- Earthquake
- Thunder Fang

Dragonzord (Tyranitar) w/ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
Adamant Nature
- Crunch
- Ice Fang
- Aerial Ace
- Rock Slide

Tyrannosaur (Tyrantrum) w/ Muscle Band
Ability: Strong Jaw
Jolly Nature
- Crunch
- Fire Fang
- Poison Fang
- Dragon Claw

Saber Tooth (Raikou) w/ Expert Belt
Ability: Pressure
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Shadow Ball
- Extrasensory
- Hidden Power [Fire][/spoilert2s]

So, first off my battles were a 3v3 format. Second, since I was "Tommy Oliver" my Dragonzord was always in my team and the remaining 5 pokemon were determined by a 6-sided dice roll. The tactic was simple and surprised most challengers. Unless Mastodon or Triceratops was benched, the starting 3 was Dragonzord\Mastodon\Triceratops. Dragonzord used whatever move was the best, Mastodon used E-quake, and Triceratops used Wide Guard. I chose to divulge secrets of my team to the challengers that were caught off guard and lost so that a win via rematch was possible. The top 3 things I had to explain were 3) Bastiodon is Rock\Steal 2) Donphan has Sand Veil\Bright Powder 1) Wide Guard protects my pokemon from ALL AOE ATTACKS, including my own. Win rate was about 66% first time, and 25% during rematches.

[bxzr]Glade: The Forest's Recluse[/bxzr]

[spoilerxzr]All of the following Pokemon in the main team were bred or SRed shiny over the course of several months. The Trevenant, Skiddo and Tangrowth from the casual team were also bred shiny.

[bxzr]Ventus: The Light Bringer[/bxzr]
Whimsicott w/ Heat Rock
Prankster
Hasty
Swagger
Sunny Day
Encore
Taunt

[bxzr]Silas: The Scourge of Winter[/bxzr]
Winter form Sawsbuck w/ Life Orb
Chlorophyll
Adamant
Protect
Seed Bomb
Double Edge
Megahorn

[bxzr]Flora: Grace of the Dance[/bxzr]
Lilligant w/ Focus Sash
Chlorophyll
Modest
Protect
Petal Dance
Teeter Dance
Quiver Dance

[bxzr]Atheon: Time's Outcast[/bxzr]
Cradily w/ Leftovers
Suction Cups
Calm
Ancient Power
Giga Drain
Sunny Day
Synthesis

[bxzr]Sylvanas: Chosen of the Stone[/bxzr]
Sceptile w/ sceptilite
Overgrow
Modest
Protect
Leaf Storm
Dragon Pulse
Hidden Power (Ice)

[bxzr]Shima: Heart of the Forest[/bxzr]
Virizion w/ Weakness Policy
Justified
Timid
Giga Drain
Focus Blast
Synthesis
Calm Mind

(Opted out of Lilligant after day 1 for the following poke from my casual team)
[bxzr]Umbra: Forest's Watch[/bxzr]
Trevenant w/ Sitrus Berry
Harvest
Impish
Horn Leech
Shadow Claw
Will O Wisp
Leech Seed

Casual team remaining 5: Denizens of Shima

[bxzr]Joy of Shima[/bxzr]
Cherrim w/ Heat Rock
Flower Gift
Timid
Sunny Day
Flower Shield
Swagger
Morning Sun

[bxzr]Guard of Shima[/bxzr]
Meganium w/ Leftovers
Leaf Guard
Calm
Giga Drain
Synthesis
Sunny Day
Toxic

[bxzr]Might of Shima[/bxzr]
Summer form Sawsbuck w/ Life Orb
Chlorophyll
Adamant
Protect
Double Edge
Horn Leech
Megahorn

[bxzr]Hand of Shima[/bxzr]
Tangrowth w/ Shell Bell
Leaf Guard
Impish
Power Whip
Rock Slide
Poison Jab
Synthesis

[bxzr]Scion of Shima[/bxzr]
Skiddo w/ Eviolite
Sap Sipper
Impish
Horn Leech
Rock Slide
Bulk Up
Milk Drink[/spoilerxzr]

As can probably be surmised by my use of silly titles, (some) silly sets and the fact that I bothered to get one and a half teams of grass shinies: I was mostly in this for the fun and to do what I've always done with Pokemon: use pokes I like and simply feel like using to the best that I can.
[bxzr]Competitive Team[/bxzr]
Using Whimsicott as a prankster sun setter proved both a gift and a curse, opposing fire pokes typically took out half my team as a result, but without priority like brave bird, Silas's horns bore holes in many a team. With the added support of whimsicott (and no attacking moves) most challengers left it alone...this rarely worked in their favor. The aptly entitled sun bringer brought the sun as well as swagger, encore and taunt all who it saw fit too, causing enough pandemonium to let my chlorophyll users take lives. Cradily, while an appropriate check for many fire and flying types (looking at you, the bravest of birds) it rarely had enough power to return fire and clear threats, able to KO Talonflames but not zard Ys. Sylvanas is the beginning of my forest team cutting to the chase. No sun tricks here, just mega evolved speed and raw power. It kept watch dutifully throughout the weekend for Shima, who unfortunately seemed to need all the help it could get. The weakness policy was designed with max speed and HP investment to allow it to take a single hit and return fire savagely. This worked well sometimes, but more often that I care to admit that all important super effective move simply crited, OHKOing this strange gimmick.

[bxzr]Casual Team (IV Bred w/ random evs)[/bxzr]
Last year I sent in b list pokes thinking it'd balance out with competitive training vs the most casual of players. This was not the case, a lone vileplume (for a poison gym) moped up entire teams. This year the approach I took had the opposite effect, everything being competitive, but leaving out the ev training left my team rather weak, when coupled with pokes like Skiddo and Cherrim. Overall such casual battles were a blast to play however. The Joy stuck around for far longer than it had a right to in most battles, and The Might earned its name by defeating entire teams. The lack of ev training especially hurt my back line, once the Guard, Joy and Might were broken, the Hand, Scion and Will of Shima (The trevenant back when it was a part of that team) were often overwhelmed by stronger pokes. I feel like in this instance, particularly in a back row, proper training is needed with select pokes (or even partial ev training) to optimize balance and make for an appropriate challenge.

All in all, a great weekend. As always I loved the diversity of players and skill levels and will be sure to reappear with an idea equally as silly (or awesome, depending on your point of view....probably a little of both!)