DPPt/HGSS Looking for moveset & EV help!

[baratron]

Steelix - male - STEEL/GROUND
~Rock Head~ *Naive* +Speed - Sp.Atk (not fantastic, but not actively bad)

1. Double-Edge - NORMAL, Physical
2. Iron Tail / Gyro Ball - STEEL, Physical
3. Earthquake - GROUND / ?
4. ?

Double-Edge is a no-brainer with Rock Head ability. But can Steelix learn any other moves that would ordinarily have recoil damage?

Not sure about Iron Tail vs Gyro Ball considering that my Steelix has Naive nature. I'm sure I could catch a better-natured one, but I can't really be bothered. (I doubt Steelix is going to become part of my regular team.)

Earthquake is an obvious move for a Steel/Ground type, but in the event that I choose not to spend TMs on Steelix, I'd like suggestions for two more moves. (I like all my trained Pokemon to have at least a half-decent moveset.)


Altaria - female - DRAGON/FLYING
~Natural Cure~ *Relaxed* +Def -Speed

I...got nothing. At the moment, Altaria's Attack and Special Attack stats are within 4 points of each other, meaning that I could train her for physical or special attacks - or even go with mixed (although I don't generally do that). The thing is, I imported her from the GBA games because I was reading the D/P Pokedex and got excited about a possible moveset - but can I remember what that moveset was?!

I'm pretty sure I was thinking of training her for Double Battle, either competitively with other humans, or against the computer in Pokemon Battle Revolution-type Colosseums. Like most Dragons, she's 4 x vulnerable to Ice and 2 x vulnerable to Rock & Dragon, so these weaknesses need to be taken into account.

I may have been thinking of:
1. Mist / Safeguard - not sure which is more useful in competitive battling.
2. Dragon Claw / Dragon Pulse - DRAGON - depends if I go for physical or special EVs.
3. Aerial Ace / Pluck - FLYING, Physical
4. Protect / Roost - so she lasts longer

Doesn't seem like a particularly exciting moveset though? ???


Magnezone - ungendered - ELECTRIC / STEEL
~Sturdy~ *Modest* +Sp.Atk -Atk

1. Tri Attack - NORMAL, Special
2. Thunderbolt - ELECTRIC, Special
3. Flash Cannon - STEEL, Special
4. Magnet Rise? / another attack

My Magnezone is a genuinely interesting Pokemon. Modest nature is perfect for it, and having brought it over from the GBA it knows Tri Attack without me needing to spend a Heart Scale on it. I'm thinking that Magnet Rise will get round that nasty 4 x vulnerability to Ground attacks, but wondering if there's any better options. Also, whether I want to go for Thunderbolt or one of the new 4th Gen Electric moves.

Having a decent nature and ability means I'm quite likely to work Magnezone into my Diamond team, so I would appreciate suggestions of a hold item for it, and also how to EV train it.


I also want EV training advice for my Drifblim, who is the only Pokemon I'm planning to keep from my Pearl team.

Drifblim - male - GHOST / FLYING @ Sky Plate
~Aftermath~ *Impish* +Def -Sp.Atk
1. Ominous Wind - GHOST, Special - May raise all user's stats one stage.
2. Silver Wind - BUG, Special - May raise all user's stats one stage.
3. Thunderbolt - ELECTRIC, Special.
4. Gust - FLYING, Special - has power 60 with STAB & gets boosted 20% with the Sky Plate.

I discover now having trained him that he has an absolutely diabolical nature for the moveset I have on him: -Sp.Atk of all things! But I'm already breeding a new Infernape and Abomasnow for better movesets, so I'm not sure I can face breeding a new Drifblim with a better nature. I figure that 128 Special Attack EVs should help a lot. What should I do with the rest?

 

[Luigi777]

For your Steelix, you should definently try Explosion - VERY FUN!
So, it would probably look like this:

Double Edge
Iron Tail (No TM needed.)
Stone Edge/Earthquake/Rock Polish/Explosion
Stone Edge/Earthquake/Rock Polish/Explosion

There are all fun options, depending heavily on if you choose to use TMs. You could also try Sandstorm if this is on the right team.

Hope this helps.

 

[Sem]

Steelix
-Gyro Ball
-Earthquake
-Double Edge
-Thunder Fang/Ice Fang/Crunch

Your choice on the last move. Thunder Fang is for Water-types, Ice Fang for Ground-types, or Crunch just because.

EVs: 252 Defense, 126 Attack, 126 HP, OR 63 HP, 63 Special Defense? And then there's the extra six EVs, which can go pretty much anywhere but Defense.

Altaria would seem to work with a mixed set when looking at her move-pool, so we'll try that.

-Dragon Pulse
-Aerial Ace
-Earthquake
-Mist/Safeguard/Refresh/Mirror Move.

Earthquake would take care of her Rock and Ice weaknesses, and Dragon Pulse will of course take care of her Dragon weakness. ;P The last move really depends, Refresh would help more for single battles, Safeguard would be useful for double. So it depends on what you see yourself doing more. Mirror Move could work if you got a knack at predicting moves.

Evs
-126 Attack, 126 Special Attack, 126 Defense, 126 Special Defense, OR 63 Special Defense, 63 Speed? I dunno HOW slow that Nature made Altaria, certainly not the most helpful one for it. Don't forget the leftover six, put those where you see fit.

Magnezone... I like your moveset, Magnet Rise would get rid of its most dangerous weakness to common attacks. EVERY team has an Earthquake.

EVs
-252 Special Attack, 126 Special Defense, 63 Defense, 69 Speed.

Drifblim, the moveset works, so EVs...

252 Special Attack, 189 Speed, 69 HP.

 

[Plapti]

Steelix@Leftovers
Rock Head
252 Def, 252 HP, 6 Atk
-Earthquake
-Double-Edge
-Ice/Fire Fang/Explosion
-Crunch/Stone Edge/Iron Tail

Lets see:

Earthquake for STAB.
Doubl-Edge cause 120 Base Power without recoil is awesome.
Ice/Fire Fang are for some useful coverage.
Explosion to go out with a bang.
Crunch/Stone Edge for more Coverage.
Iron Tail is for STAB.

Altaria@Leftovers
Natural Cure
252 HP, 200 Def, 56 S.Def
-Haze
-Dragon Pulse
-Refresh/HP Grass/Ice
-Roost

Haze cause it rules against Baton Passers.
Draong Pulse so you don't get Taunted.
Roost and Refresh are its stalling other options.
Or HP Electric/Grass for another attack.

In my opinion, Magnet Rise is a waste of a turn. Thunderbolt is superior to Discharge unless it's paired with a Ground Pokemon or a Pokemon that has Volt Absorb. (Stupid Zapdos with Discharge. Paralyzed itself cause of me using Umbreon) And T-Wave is always a good addition. So, here's my moveset:

Magnezone@Wise Glasses/Leftovers
Magnet Pull/Sturdy Ability
Modest Nature
252 HP/252 S. Attack/6 Defense
-Thunderbolt
-Thunder Wave
-HP Ice/Grass
-Flash Cannon/Magnet Rise/Metal Sound

Thunderbolt is the STAB.
T-Wave is to Cripple others speed.
HP is for coverage.
Flash Cannon if you need another STAB.
Metal Sound can force switches. If they don't switch, they're going to take a huge beating from STAB T-Bolt.
Only problem with going around the 4X Ground weakness is that Flamethrower and more Fighting attacks still land hits on it. That and Magnet Rise only Lasts for 5 turns.

Some EVs for Drifblim now:
252 S. Attack, 200 Speed, 56 HP/Def
Max EVs into S.Attack to regain what it lost. Speed so it can outspeed common walls and slower Pokemon. Since it has a measly Defense but a Defense boosting Nature, how about renforcing it a little?

Hope that helped.

Edit: Took out quite a few things based on a response I got, so yeah.

 

[baratron]

Hope that helped.

Well, the part where you completely ignored the fact that I can't be bothered to catch/breed new Pokemon so am stuck with these natures wasn't very helpful, nor was giving me a Drifblim moveset when I'm happy with the one I have. (My Drifblim must have seriously good IVs is all I can say, because its nature is awful. I'd breed a new one, but it might not be as good.)

[quote authorlapti link=topic=3425.msg43077#msg43077 date=1199323102]
Support Altaria, hey?
Phazing with Haze/Mist is sweet. And Roost gets rid of its 4x weakness to Ice. That and it can get rid of its own status ailments.
[/quote]

I'm sure you do generally know what you're talking about, but how does Roost get rid of Altaria's 4 x weakness to Ice? Roost restores up to 1/2 of a Pokemon's HP.

And, uh, phazing? (I do, in fact, know what this means, but I'm reminding you of the rule here that we don't use names for movesets, because they annoy DoctorOak and promote a mentality of "I know more than you because I know some made-up name for a moveset". Actually, that is why they annoy DoctorOak .)

[quote authorlapti link=topic=3425.msg43077#msg43077 date=1199323102]
For Magnezone, Magnet Rise is a waste of a turn. Thunderbolt is superior to Discharge. And T-Wave is always a good addition. So, here's my moveset:

Magnezone@Wise Glasses/Leftovers
Magnet Pull Ability
Modest/Rash Nature
252 HP/252 S. Attack/6 Defense
-Thunderbolt
-Thunder Wave
-HP Ice/Grass
-Flash Cannon/Explosion/Metal Sound
[/quote]

I already said it has a Modest nature, so the advice about Rash isn't very helpful . Why would you choose Magnet Pull over Sturdy?

Out of interest, do you generally favour Single or Double Battle? I get the impression that a lot of your competitive battling tips are aimed at single battles, whereas I have a strong preference for double. (Remember what I said about not wanting to use Surf on Starmie under the 4th Gen, because it hits your ally?). "Wasting" a turn to levitate my super-fast Magnezone out of the way of a possible Earthquake seems entirely sensible to me - as does levitating it so my other Pokemon can use an EQ .

 

[Plapti]

Roost also gets rid of its Flying-type for the turn. Only down side is obvious.

Yeah, my bad about the phazing/support part. I'll edit that out and all the other stuff. Including the Drifblim stuff and put a set of EVs in instead. And the other stuff you mentioned. Sorry 'bout that...

I personally use Magnet Pull to trap Skarmory and Probopass in and hit them hard on their Special Defense.

Point given to you about raising the lack of time. 'Hope that helped' is more of a phrase I just use.

Right, double battles. I forgot you like those. The only problem with using Magnet Rise is that it gives the opponent to set something up, but hey, it's you. Just curious, how is Magnezone fast when it only has a Base Speed of 60?

Sorry about all that. I'll fix it up.